FBA Worship Choir Handbook | 1A staple of the First Baptist Atlanta worship experience is the joyful...

FBA Worship Choir Handbook | 1


Pastor Rodney Brooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Dr . Charles Stanley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Dr . Anthony George . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Definition of Choir . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Visiting Choir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8AttendanceWhat to Expect

Relationships Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9MentorCare Group Leader

Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10SundayWednesdaySpecial RehearsalsMinistry to Minors (Childcare)

Sunday Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Robe RoomsChoir RoomChoir Loft

Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Music FolderPlanning CenterRehearsal CDs

Hand Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Attendance Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Check-InPerfect AttendanceAbsencesReturning Members

Attire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Sunday ServicesWednesday RehearsalsSpecial EventsRobesPlatform | Worship Team

Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19EmailTextingScreensConnect

Volunteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pastor Rodney BrooksMinister of Music

Welcome! I pray that you will find this wonderful choir to be a place of great encouragement, support, strength, refreshment, musical challenge and fulfillment. But most of all, I pray that you will find yourself in an atmosphere of worship and reverence to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

We have the awesome and cherished privilege of leading literally thousands to the throne of God every week through television and in our live worship services. This is a responsibility we take joyfully and seriously. Our entire purpose is to prepare the hearts of those before us for the Word of God. It is also our desire to prepare the heart of the pastor as he brings the Word to the people.

I encourage you to remain faithful in your spiritual walk with the Lord and practice a daily time of worship, devotion and prayer, as many times the enemy will try to disrupt, discourage, distract and destroy your effectiveness in your new ministry. When these times come, always remember Joshua 1:9!

Please know that you are special to the family of God and our family of singers. If there is ever anything we can do to help you, I trust that you will feel the freedom to let us know. We genuinely care about you!

May God bless you and your family in a way that only He can as you serve Him through the ministry of our Worship Choir!

Blessings!

Pastor Rodney Brooks


Dr. Charles StanleySenior Pastor

A Quote from Dr. Charles Stanley Worship Service | Sunday, August 4, 2019

“Well, I’m going to tell you what I feel. I feel like I need about sixty seconds to thank God for all this music.

Father, when we think about all the people in the Choir and the Orchestra, Rodney and the pianist, everybody Lord, we just want to say thank you this morning that we have the privilege of hearing this week after week, after week. For all these choir members who give of their time, they’re not paid; they do it because they love You. And pray today in Jesus name that the Holy Spirit would speak to each one of them to realize that all of us appreciate them, love them, adore them, thank You for them. And recognize that our Sundays, our worship is so much better, so much more glorious and fantastic and indescribable because all of them are doing what they do before Sunday ever gets here. And then to give their time and their talents, and their skills and abilities and their hearts to You and all of us get blessed, and blessed, and blessed and walk away every Sunday praising You because You have been so beautifully lifted up by this Choir and Orchestra and all those involved. Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus is my prayer. Amen.”


Dr. Anthony GeorgeSenior Associate Pastor

A staple of the First Baptist Atlanta worship experience is the joyful sight and heavenly sound of the FBA Worship Choir. We not only listen as the choir sings, but we follow as the choir leads us—right into God’s presence. Thank you for serving God with your heart and your voice in this choir. Because of your faithfulness week after week, our pastor and our people are blessed, and our choir continues to be one of FBA’s greatest treasures.


Choirnoun \ ˈkwī(-ə)r \ Definition of ChoirA musical ensemble of singers; a group who sacrifices self and standing out to come together to blend in one voice and one accord; an organized company of singers who take part in church services or performs regularly in public; an organized group of persons or things; a division of angels; the part of a church occupied by the singers; the part of a church where the services are performed; a group where no one is above another.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God . Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in Him .”

Psalm 40:3

THE ATLANTA WORSHIP CHOIRSONG | SERVICE | SPIRIT

Striving for Excellence Through the Strength of Jesus Christ, Our Lord .Perform a wide variety of music

Travel and perform for concert and mission tours each year

Perform in special seasonal events (Easter | Independence Day | Christmas)

Community service projects

Develop life-long friendships through singing and serving


Temple Mount | Jerusalem, Israel


Visiting ChoirThere is a first time for everyone in the choir. Before becoming a member, each individual was first a visitor. Choir visitors are our most honored and cherished guests and we strive to make every visitor’s experience the finest.

ATTENDANCE

Visitors must attend four consecutive rehearsals from 7-9 p.m. to be eligible for audition at the end of the fourth rehearsal.

WHAT TO EXPECT

WEEK 1 – First-time visitors check in with our First Impressions team, receive music, attend rehearsal, are introduced to the choir and meet personally with Pastor Brooks.

WEEKS 2 & 3 – Returning visitors check in with our First Impressions team, receive music, attend rehearsal and are introduced to the choir.

WEEK 4 – Returning visitors check in with our First Impressions team, receive music, attend rehearsal, audition for Pastor Brooks, have a photo and measurements taken, meet their assigned mentor, receive a welcome letter and begin the 10-week onboarding process.


Relationships Matter “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests,

but also for the interest of others .”Philippians 2:4

Being a part of the Atlanta Worship Choir affords choir members many friendships. Two of the most important relationships for a choir member are their Mentor and Care Group Leader.

MENTOR

Mentors manage new choir member orientation after a choir visitor passes their audition. Mentors make the transition into choir easy by making sure the new member receives a warm welcome and experiences a smooth and successful onboarding process. A Mentor will be a new member’s closest friend in choir who will provide a 10-week detailed orientation of how choir works.

CARE GROUP LEADER

To account for each of our members and minister to the various needs of our choir, we have implemented a Care Group Leader plan. This plan enables us to care for our members individually and collectively through contact, prayer and encouragement. Our choir is subdivided into groups by voice parts, and a Care Group Leader manages a small group of members including themselves. It is the responsibility of both the Care Group Leader and member to stay in touch with each other in the event of an absence from service or rehearsal as well as sickness, bereavement or other needs. It’s a two-way street! If a choir member is unable to attend a rehearsal or service, they need to contact their Care Group Leader as soon as possible. The Care Group Leader is responsible for the choir member’s attendance and will need information about the member’s absence to maintain accurate attendance records. This allows Pastor Brooks to stay informed about each choir member.


Schedule“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding

in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord .”I Corinthians 15:58

All rehearsals are held in the Choir Room, room 1560.

SUNDAY

It is optional to sing one or both services, but all members are encouraged to sing both services so we may offer our very best efforts collectively. After a choir member checks in at the kiosk, they will get their robe from the robe room. Personal possessions can be left in the robe room, as the room will be locked. The choir then walks in formation from the choir room to the choir loft.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE FIRST SERVICE SECOND SERVICE

ROBE UP 8:20 a.m. 10:20 a.m.

WARM UP 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

LINE UP 8:55 a.m. 10:40 a.m.

START UP 9:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.

WEDNESDAY

Choir rehearsal begins promptly at 7 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. Choir members are expected to attend and rehearse the full two-hour period.

SPECIAL REHEARSALS

From time to time, special rehearsals are announced by Pastor Brooks on an as-needed basis. These are required rehearsals for participation in special programs and events.

First Family Christmas Production


MINISTRY TO MINORS (CHILDCARE)

Sunday and Wednesday night programming are available for minors during the Worship Service and Sunday School hours:

• Preschool (Children 6 weeks–Pre-K)

• Children (Kindergarten–5th Grade)

• Middle School (6th Grade–8th Grade)

• High School ( 9th–12th Grade)

Event Care is available on Wednesday night during choir and orchestra rehearsals for Preschool through Middle School (children 6 weeks – 8th Grade).

Service Hour Ages Location Check-In Pick-Up

Worship Service & Sunday School

• Preschool (6 weeks–Pre-K)• Children (K–5th Grade)• Middle School (6th– 8th Grade)• High School (9th–12th Grade)

Located in Departmental Ministry Areas

8:30 a.m. Noon

Wednesday Night

• Preschool (6 weeks–Pre-K)• Children (K–5th Grade)• Middle School (6th–8th Grade)• High School (9th–12th Grade)

Located in Departmental Ministry Areas

6:15 p.m. 7:45 p.m.

Wednesday Event Care for Choir and

Orchestra Rehearsal

• Preschool (6 weeks–Pre-K)• Children (K–5th Grade)• Middle School (6th– 8th Grade)

Located in Preschool 7:45 p.m. 9:05 p.m.

First Family Christmas Production


Sunday EtiquetteROBE ROOMS

• IN/OUT - Please move in and out of the robe room as quickly as possible. While fellowship is such an important part of our choir, it creates a bottle neck in the robe room when we stop to talk with one another. Instead of thinking of the robe room as a sit-down restaurant where you take time to talk and mingle, think of the robe room as a drive-thru restaurant with fast service and minimal wait time in line. Members may place their personal belongings on the shelves provided, grab their robe and head to their seat for warm-up.

• THE FINISHING TOUCH - Should members need a little extra time putting on the finishing touches, please exit the robe room and use the mirrors outside the robe room or go to the nearest restroom. We always need to have the fewest people in the robe room so we can move quickly.

• LADIES – RIGHT/LEFT – The right door is the ONLY door to enter and the left door is the ONLY door to exit.


CHOIR ROOM

• As the choir room is a place of worship, members should conduct themselves with an attitude of reverence and holiness.

• When members arrive for choir, please check in at the kiosk on the way to the robe room. Members should only check in if they plan to sing.

• Warm-up is at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Members are to be on time, in their seat, robed and ready. Robe rooms are locked one minute before warm-up begins.

• Avoid walking in the front of the choir room or taking short-cuts through the choir room at all times as this causes a disruption to the rehearsal and to those worshipping and listening to the service.

CHOIR LOFT

• When entering the choir loft, members DO NOT take any items with them (i.e. water, gum, candy, cough drops, music, Kleenex, cell phones, bulletin, bags, etc.).

• DO NOT wear earrings.

• DO NOT wear slippers, flip flops or brightly colored shoes that have the potential to be caught on camera or cause distraction.

• While in the choir loft, refrain from talking, laughing and/or waving.

• Services are recorded for telecast. Be sure to smile, always watch Pastor Brooks, know the music and do not look at the I-mag screens during featured choir specials.

• When exiting the choir loft, turn toward the cross at center stage, turn around and exit by rows orderly and quietly. Members are not to remove their robes while leaving the choir loft. All robes are to be returned to the robe room.

• After exiting the choir loft and walking back to the robe room, please show consideration and refrain from talking in the choir loft, hallways and choir room. Our Pastor will have begun his message and classes on the path to the choir room are in session.


MusicSince we are a memorized choir, choir members have multiple ways to access music to rehearse outside of Wednesday choir rehearsals.

MUSIC FOLDER

Every choir member is assigned a music folder and number. Choir members may take home their music folder as long as it is returned the following rehearsal. Our Music Librarian updates all music folders each week with new music and removes music no longer on the schedule. It is important for choir members to check their music folder each week for new music.

PLANNING CENTER

Choir members are encouraged to access their music electronically from their smart tablet rather than using paper. In Planning Center, music is provided in a PDF format with an MP3 of the song.

REHEARSAL CDS

Each quarter, choir members have an opportunity to purchase upcoming music on a rehearsal CD for a nominal amount. This is a great idea to play in the car or at home. All music is accessible and free of charge to choir members using Planning Center.

Hiking in Gatlinburg, TN


Hand Signals


Attendance Standard“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful .”

I Corinthians 4:2

Attendance matters. For our choir to deliver the best possible offering to the Lord in song, we must practice diligence in our attendance at rehearsals and services. It is a requirement that choir members maintain a minimum attendance of 70 percent in a given 10-week period. This means choir members must maintain 7 out of 10 Wednesday evening rehearsals and 7 out of 10 Sunday Worship Services to maintain membership in choir. At the end of each 10-week period, choir members receive their attendance for the period.

CHECK-IN

Because we maintain attendance records and send attendance letters to choir members at the end of every 10-week period, choir members need to check in each Sunday and Wednesday upon arrival to choir. Members simply stop at the kiosk to input their phone number, click the event and enter.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE

Members who achieve perfect attendance on Sundays and Wednesdays at the completion of a 10-week period are recognized by Pastor Brooks during the following Wednesday rehearsal. These members receive various forms of appreciation such as gift cards, rehearsal CDs, free bottled water during rehearsals, meals at events, discounts on trips and outfits, free event transportation, upgraded rooms on trips, etc. for the sacrifices they made to achieve perfect attendance.

Garden Tomb | Jerusalem, Israel


ABSENCES

There are four types of absences for choir members. Excused, non-excused, leave of absence and absent without leave. Choir members who are absent from a Wednesday rehearsal or Sunday Worship Service need to let their Care Group Leader know about their absence so a Care Case can be entered to explain the absence. Choir members should block out dates in Planning Center when they are unavailable to sing or rehearse.

Excused: These types of absences include work or mission trips. These absences are not counted against attendance during a 10-week period.

Non-Excused: These types of absences are non-work related and count against attendance during a 10-week period.

Leave of Absence: Leaves are not automatically granted as there are specific guidelines to qualify for this type of absence. A choir member must be in choir for a minimum of one year without attendance issues. This leave is for a minimum of four weeks and a maximum of eight weeks. This leave is granted for three reasons: health, school or work. During this leave, a choir member’s robe and music folder remain assigned to them and no audition is required upon returning to choir at the end of the leave of absence.

Absent Without Leave: If a choir member is absent four consecutive weeks without leave, explanation or failure to communicate, their membership will be changed to inactive and removed from the active choir membership roster. A letter to this effect will be sent to the member from the Choir President.

RETURNING MEMBERS

If a choir member must take an extended leave from choir, we welcome that choir member to return when they can meet the attendance standards. If a returning member has been gone from choir less than one year, they must complete two consecutive visits to choir before being reinstated to choir. If a returning member has been gone from choir more than one year, they must complete four consecutive visits to choir and audition again before being reinstated to choir.

Southern Steps | Jerusalem, Israel


Attire“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven .”Matthew 5:16

One of the ways we bring honor and glory to God is by our modest dress and appearance.

SUNDAY SERVICES

Choir Loft – The choir wears robes unless otherwise instructed. Members cannot wear earrings, hair ornaments, necklaces, facial piercings or adornment. Members need to avoid all fragrances as these affect other choir members who have allergies and become problematic under television lights and enclosed spaces.

WEDNESDAY REHEARSALS

Modest-casual

SPECIAL EVENTS

For special programs and events other than Sunday services, the choir dresses in concert attire. Please contact the Music Ministry office as soon as possible for details of the current concert attire.

ROBES

All choir members are assigned a robe to wear each Sunday. Robes are the property of FBA and not to be taken outside of the church. All robes are maintained onsite on a regular basis.

PLATFORM | WORSHIP TEAM

If a choir member is invited to sing on the platform, there are detailed guidelines for platform attire and seasonal color accents found in Planning Center. Also, a member of the Music Ministry staff will review the guidelines with choir members featured on the platform.


CommunicationSince communication is key, there are various methods used to disseminate important and timely information to choir members.

EMAIL

Choir members receive an email each week from Pastor Brooks highlighting upcoming events, news, important dates, birthdays and online registration for events. Included in the bottom of the weekly email are links for attire, the choir directory, Sunday etiquette, events, the choir handbook, choir leadership, the music schedule, Planning Center, the prayer list and how to make prayer requests.

TEXTING

When the Music Ministry needs to send urgent communication to its members, it is done through texting. Choir members should save the number, 404-920-4839, in their contacts as ‘FBA Mass Texting.’

SCREENS

Each week during choir rehearsal:

• Screens on the wall display detailed information for choir members of upcoming events, birthdays, choir anniversaries, new members, attendance, prayer requests, WiFi, social media information, robe room information, choir etiquette and child care.

• Screens overhead display the rehearsal order of music.

CONNECT

FACEBOOK | FBAChoir

WHATSAPP | FBAChoir

Georgia Baptist Children’s Home


Volunteering“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and

especially to those who are of the household of faith .”Galatians 6:10

It feels good to be comfortable, but God did not call us to be comfortable. He called us to serve to advance His Kingdom. Every choir member has talent untouched and strength unmatched, but if a choir member stays in their comfort zone, they will never reach their full potential. God has more in store for members when they step out of their comfort zone.

Each year, choir members are surveyed to learn where they would like to volunteer to serve in choir. Choir volunteers are the hands God uses to keep the Music Ministry moving forward. One of the best ways to get to know others and be fulfilled through serving is to volunteer in choir. There are several areas members can choose to serve:

• Care Group Leader• Events• First Impressions• Inventory• Member Care• Music• Onboarding New Choir Members• Prayer Warriors• Recruiting New Choir Members• Robe Ministry/Costume Shop• Section Leader• Sign Holder• Trip Captains• Worship Team / Soloist / Special Groups (Audition with Pastor Brooks Required)

GET INVOLVED TODAY

Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade

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