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Workshop for church choirs, communication
Published September 19, 2009
BRAZORIA — Beverly Marshall’s passion is singing in the choir at Greater Mount Zion Church.
“It means a lot to me, too,” she said Thursday during a choir workshop at Better Days Ministry outside Brazoria. “I love being in the worship setting and I love singing for Christ.”
Marshall was one of about 20 choir members from area churches to attend the annual workshop, this year taking place for the first time at the Southern District Association Building in which the fledgling Better Days has services. The three-day tutorial ends in a performance there tonight.
“I hope to take something back that helps me to be better in my choir,” Marshall said. “It’s a great inspiration and a great experience, just being in the spirit.”
Under the direction of organist Rochelle Neal of Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church in Rosenberg and J.C. Alexander of New Bethel Baptist Church in Angleton, spirited music and singing were plentiful in the rural church.
“We wanted to reach out to other churches in the area,” Better Days Choir Director Shonda Marshall said. “This gets us in touch with other choirs in the community and strengthens our choir. It will make us more aware of the things we can do to improve the quality of our sound and help us be more disciplined.”
Far from stoicly performing hymns, members of the mixed choir laughed and moved to the music as they learned soprano, alto and tenor parts with the help of organ, piano and percussion. The pace was fast and atmosphere welcoming.
Alexander opened the clinic with a short message of encouragement, including Psalm 100:1 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.”
Choir members should sing with enthusiasm and give God the glory in their efforts, no matter what difficulties might present themselves during the week or obstacles arise during weekly services, he said. Singers should be on time, learn and perform their parts, support their church, refrain from gossip and fulfill their commitment to be in choir each service.
“If you have the talent to sing, open up your mouth and sing,” he said to a chorus of “that’s right” from the audience before practice began. “If you have the talent and don’t use it, God will take it away and give it to someone else.”
Alexander played piano for the practice and encouraged singers to “keep God first and all else will fall into place.”
“When praises go up,” he said, with the audience replying, “blessings come down.”
“It’s a joyful occasion to come together and sing God’s praise,” he said of participants. “The goal is to give them something to take back to their churches and choirs.”
Brenda Tinsley Rebector is a musician and singer at Rebector Memorial Church of God in Christ in Sweeny. Church choirs aren’t just groups of people singing for their own entertainment, but they help prepare congregations for the word and, in some cases, deliver that message, she said.
“It’s my way of giving back to people in need who are hurting and need inspiration,” Rebector said. “It gives them hope.”
Jaelessia Williams sings alto at Better Days and has been a choir member since childhood. Singing in church is natural to her, but she wants to learn to be more a part of the whole than a single voice.
“This will help me to be a better choir member instead of singing by myself,” Williams said with a broad smile. “What we do, we try to do to the best of our abilities.”
Williams hopes the first-time clinic at Better Days will lead to a stronger fellowship between that congregation and other area churches.
Mount Zion — where Marshall attends — has hosted the workshop three times.
“It makes me feel good that we can put the word out and get the people into it,” Marshall said. “It’s a wonderful way to praise God.”
John Lowman covers Brazoria County for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.
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Choir performance
7 p.m. today
2025 CR 316
South of Brazoria off FM 521
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