WORSHIP AND MUSIC MINISTRY
When we talk about worship at FBC, we speak in terms of 24/7. As God is continually pouring great love and grace on his people, we are continually responding to God in gratitude for what he has done, is doing, and will do. We work hard at reminding ourselves that worship is not as much Sunday morning event as it is a lifestyle.
Our Sunday morning gatherings are a continuance of God’s people at worship. Some might call our Sunday morning services “traditional.” We do sing from a hymnal, but we’re not bound only to those hymns. As we teach our children to read music, we think it’s important for those same children to put those skills to use as they hold a hymnal; reading beautiful lyrics and reading music notation is something we stress as our children grow in their faith.
Speaking of children, they are not the only future of this congregation. They are this congregation. As such, we believe children are a vital presence in our Sunday morning worship. Carrying skills honed in Family Music Time (birth through pre-Kindergarten), and Growing in Grace (Kindergarten through grade 5), our children lead in processionals, music (singing and playing instruments), prayers, and responsive readings. You can also find our children and youth collecting the offering on some Sundays.
In addition to the children, our adults are active in worship leadership. The Sanctuary Choir is a group of adults who robe up on Sundays. In addition to being a strong voice in our hymn singing, this choir sings anthems that cover a broad range of style. During the school year, our Handbell Choir meets regularly for rehearsal and plays frequently in Sunday morning worship.
We strive to be intentional worshipers in an authentic way. Part of that authenticity is ensuring that our worship springs from a congregational voice. Consequently, our worship is participatory. Far from being a “spectator sport,” our times of corporate worship are reminders that God requires a loving response from everyone – not just the “up-fronters.” We are a family that celebrates that response from all who have been gathered by God in holy worship.
The focus of worship is not human experience, not a lecture, not entertainment, but Jesus Christ –
his life, his death, and resurrection.
Robert E. Webber (1933-2007)