Welcome, Project Team!

A new opportunity…

This website is exclusively for the use of the "Project Team" of Worship Team 1 in Edmonton Chinese Alliance Church.

The following is taken from an email sent by Leon:

On behalf of Gideon and Julie, I would like to forward you the following proposal (see the attached email below) to reorganize the worship teams for the next several months. Ernest, Connie and I have met, and discussed this several times with Gideon and Julie and are extremely excited for this opportunity! In a nutshell:

1. We would like to offer the entire WT1 ‘first right of refusal’ to be the ‘Project Team’. This would have Gideon and Julie assume temporary leadership from Leon and Urn.
2. Gideon and Julie are committed to be here at ECAC until June. Therefore;
3. This ‘Project Team’ will serve together until June.
4. If Gideon and Julie serve beyond June, we can evaluate whether to continue with the ‘Project Team’ or rotate new members through.
5. It’s been our desire (The Deacons as well as being the leaders of WT1) that WT1 grow. This is an opportunity to put into practice the principles and suggestions presented by Jon Bauer last year.
6. We emphasize that involvement in this project is voluntary. We understand and appreciate that personal interest, calling, time commitments; etc would affect your decision to participate. Please do not feel pressured to participate as the success of the “Project Team’ requires a higher level of commitment.
7. People who cannot make this commitment (time, schedule, interest, calling) have complete freedom to decline.
8. Depending on the number of responses, we may consider keeping WT1 under Leon/Urn and form WT4 as the ‘Project Team’.
9. Please pray about this and respond by January 25.

Agreed Conditions (February 7, 2009)

- No playing while talking in rehearsals
- Starting and ending on time (8-11AM)

  • 7:30-8:00 setup
  • 10:30 teardown

- Sunday arrival and setup (10:45AM)
- Make personal notes during rehearsals, like writing down your cues
- AV (Alex) to come for last 45mins of rehearsals to run sound and help with teardown
- Come to rehearsals ready

  • Have music printed
  • Have listened to mp3 instructions
  • Have practiced instrumental parts

June 24, 2009

Q1. What did you like about the project team?

* liked getting music in advance to be able to practise before rehearsal
* liked music minutes, and many of you liked the heavy theory ones (so we can do more of these!)
* liked emphasis on musical tightness and maturing of ensemble sound, working on musicality and technical aspects of playing together
* liked getting tips on what to play or thoughts on how to improve their instrument's role in the band/sound. Continued (or in some cases, even more) direction would be welcomed.
* devotional time in practise
* liked having a sound tutorial (one person thinks that we are having a better sound, and has heard that the congregation thinks it is starting to sound better too)
* like having music posted on wiki
* one leader really liked the support he received when leading and the mentors were present
* likes getting direction on song feel/direction and especially values (and would value more) direction about segues / transitions between songs

Q2. What areas of improvement do you recommend for the project team?

* COMMENT: we got significant feedback about having a desire to have arrangements worked out more "organically" as we come together in rehearsal — the initial descriptions of arrangements were regarded by at least half the group as too "strict" and uncomfortable.

ACTION: This is a major point we'll have to try to find a balance on as we move forward (how much arrangement should be written down prior and how much should be worked out? how much time do we have for rehearsal and how well do we play together/sense each other to be able to organically set arrangements in a 2 hr music rehearsal?). We are moving towards being able to be more organic as we learn to play together and sense each other but on the other hand, part of developing in a technical way musically is developing the ability to read/play pre-arranged music. We are also limited by having only one approx. 2 hr rehearsal to run 5-6 songs.

* COMMENT: it is important to stick to the pre-determined rehearsal time (e.g. 8am-11am).

ACTION: We are working to improve this by booking all our rehearsals when the schedule comes out so that we're not forced out of our normal slot when other groups book the sanctuary.

* COMMENT: perhaps we could rotate "devotional leader" role around so that every team member will do it once

SOLUTION: We'll try it!

* COMMENT: mentors (e.g. in this case Gideon & Julie) need to be present at AT LEAST the practise (preferably on Sundays too) to be maximally effective at mentoring

SOLUTION: Gideon and I will make a commitment to be present at every service our team is booked for this summer. We will be away for August 30 but WT2 mentors will be present to mentor you.

* COMMENT: more specific instruction on specific instruments would be great

SOLUTION: might be possible to invite MacEwan classmates to give short clinics. Church might have budget for this.

Q3. Do you want to continue on with the PT for the summer and would you be interested in taking on leadership for one Sunday this summer?

Everyone is interested in staying on for the summer.

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