Church Chior

The standard the church I am attending right now is to not have a choir.

 

We have a worship choir that we use from time to time during services to lead worship along with the band. We ask them to wear jean or black pants (depending on the day) with a simple white t-shirt and then we provide an appropriate button down for the group (black, red, etc.) We don't use them all the time, but they will be part of our worship services about 65% of the year. One of the things we do with the Lord's Supper is having it on Sunday evenings, making it fairly formal, and they are used at all four of those celebrations along with Good Friday and Christmas Eve services. We have dark robes for those special times.

We try to keep things appropriate but also recognizing our primary focus is on a progressive worship style. Sometimes the choir doesn't work and it is always good to have breaks.

We have a worship ministry covenant we ask choir and worship team members to sign when they begin and renew every year. It basically reminds them that they are leaders in our community and their actions reflect the nature of their worship. We have a few prohibitions (no sexual intimacy with anyone you aren't married to, no drunkenness, no gossip, etc) and some admonitions (pray for our church, give of time, talents, and treasure, and being part of a small group consistently.)

 

The church we're currently attending will let non-members sing in the choir if they are faithful attenders to church. It doesn't matter what you wear.

One church we used to attend had very strict rules for the choir. The director had a chart with name magnets and each week we had to check the chart to see where we were to sit in the choir loft. If you missed practice, you didn't sing for the next service. Special music was only sung by members of the choir, which in turn had to be members of the church. I think 14 was the minimum age when teens could join the choir. Men had to wear suits, ties, dress socks, and dress shoes. Women had to wear knee length or longer dresses or skirts with appropriate slips underneath, hose, and dress shoes. I refused to wear the hosiery and sang anyway. I finally quit the choir when one of the church leaders complained about women choir members wearing jean skirts.

Around here in the country churches, it's common to invite visitors to come sing in the choir if they'd like. Sometimes they will ask you to play the piano or sing a special if they know you have the ability to do so.

 

Anyone who attends our church can be a member of the choir. The only dress code is to dress modestly. We do not have choir robes. Choir practice is on Wednesday night. Requested but not mandatory.

Consider: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi4qwb58npg