THE

 CHOIR  HANDBOOK  
 
OF  
 
FIRST  UNITED  METHODIST  CHURCH  
 

PANAMA  CITY,  FLORIDA  

 
 
2013

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Section 1—About the Choir

What is the Choir? The choir of First United Methodist Church of

Panama City is a volunteer group of singers whose ministry is music. The
choir ministry leads worship for the 10:00 a.m. Traditional Service which is
televised on local channel 13.

• They lead others in praise to the glory of God through song.

• They blend individual talents into the unity and fullness of the total
choir effort.
• They are dedicated and committed to excellence in the worship
experience for all church members.

The Voices of the Choir. Every member is a voice: A singing voice

(SATB), a participating voice in choir functions, a voting voice in choir
activities, a sounding voice in the choir organization. By volunteering to
sing in the choir, you become a fully participating member of the
organization that supports it. As a member, we would like you to:

• Fill out a new member information sheet given to you by your section
leader or by the director.
• Participate in all the scheduled activities you can.
• Follow the accepted performance practices described in section 4.
• Use your assigned robe, stole, and folder. The use of the hymnal is
suggested but not mandatory since all hymn lyrics are projected on
the sanctuary screens.
• Keep track of the music assigned to you.
• After the worship service, turn in music you will no longer need. Use
the desk found under the bulletin board to return music.
• When your robe needs cleaning, refer to section 10.

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 • Invite your friends to make a similar commitment to leading worship
through song.
• Be willing to serve in a leadership position described in section 5.

Section 2—About This Guide

Purpose of this guide. Members of the First United Methodist Church

choir prepared this guide for two purposes:
• to document the accepted choir policies and procedures
• to quickly orient new choir members with choir activities so you can
become a living part of our activities

Origin of this Guide. The Choir Council was established in August

2005 under the auspices of interim music director, Rev. Jerry Hollis. The
Choir Council, in consultation with Dr. Brandon Keaton, music director,
determined to prepare a guide that would document all the informal rules
and “word of mouth” practices which had become accepted over the years.
The guide has since evolved to include a set of “by-laws” for the choir
ministry. This latest version is current as of January 2012.

Changes to this Guide. This guide has value only if it meets your
needs. We encourage all members to suggest improvements to this guide.
Because this really isn’t a set of by-laws or a rule book, there is no limit to
what could be included. If you have a suggestion, pass it to your section
leader who will present it to the choir council.

Section 3—Choir Schedules and Attendance

Services. The Choir normally sings at each 10:00 a.m. traditional

service. Choir members should be in the choir room at 9:40 a.m. to dress,
gather music, and be ready to rehearse that Sunday’s anthem or music. All
anthems, hymns, and responses will be posted on the order of worship that
is found on the bulletin board. Extra music can be found on the desk

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underneath the bulletin board. The choir occasionally sings at combined
services with the praise band. The music director will announce these
occasions well ahead of time.

Rehearsals. The choir normally rehearses each Wednesday night from

6:30 to 8:00 p.m. We start with a warm-up and/or a devotional by the
music director, practice as directed by the music director, and close with
praises and prayers. The music director determines the sequence for
rehearsing specific pieces and usually presents the choir with a nightly
schedule/newsletter of tentatively planned anthems, music for special
events and announcements. When the choir is preparing for a special event
such as Christmas or Easter, the music director may call extra rehearsals or
extend rehearsals by 30 minutes with the cooperation of the choir. Child
care is always available for rehearsals.

Attendance. Your attendance at choir rehearsals is important. We note

attendance for general records and to keep contact with our choir members.
Each choir member will sign in at each rehearsal and service. If you don’t
attend, you will be missed. If you know you are going to be absent, please
make sure to sign out on the calendar board found in the choir room. This
helps the music director plan for upcoming services.

Section 4—Performance Practices During Services

During worship services, the Choir provides worship leadership through

song and praise. To this end, all of us in the choir should:
• Present a positive facial expression
• Emote appropriate feelings
• Present a professional image
• Sing with emotion and precision
• Maintain a worshipful attitude throughout the service

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A special reminder to the choir: Since the worship service is televised, it is
all the more important that we keep attentive and remain in a worshipful
attitude throughout the service.

Entering the Choir Loft. All rows split down the center and enter
from their respective sides, starting with the top row first. Enter
unobtrusively with folders to your side and toward the congregation.
Remain standing at your chair until signaled to sit by the music director or
a designee in the front row. Sit all together.

Standing and Sitting. Usually, we rise and sit all together. As part of
the congregation, we stand when they do. As worship leaders, we let the
congregation take their cue from our actions. Look for cues from the music
director and from the minister.

Sitting in the Congregation. The Choir normally exits the choir loft
during the “Hymn of Meditation” to sit in the congregation. We file out as
we came in with the exception of the front rows exiting first. The music
minister will make an announcement prior to the service if this changes.

Use of Folders. For uniformity, always have your folder open when you
stand to sing—even if you have the piece memorized.

Hymns. The choir always stands to sing hymns. If the congregation has
been seated by a minister, the choir will stand uniformly when the organ
begins to play the introduction to the hymn. Sing hymns strongly so the
congregation will follow. The choir normally sings unison on the first and
last verses of hymns and parts on any “inner” verses. For example, if we
sing three verses, we sing unison on the first and third verses and parts on
the second verse. If the hymn only has two verses, it is sung unison through
both verses. The music director will announce any changes to that during
our pre-service rehearsal. It always pays to have a hymnal open as our
screens could possibly malfunction.

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Processional. On special occasions, we may walk in from the narthex.
We enter from the rear two-by-two. The left line becomes the right of the
choir (piano side). The right line is the left of the choir (organ side). This
must be sorted out and discussed before we leave the rehearsal room and is
most often practiced at the weekly rehearsal prior to that occasion. Sing the
melody while walking through the congregation.

Offerings. The plate is not passed among the choir. You may slide your
offering under the Financial Secretary’s door on your way up to the choir
loft. If you do not feel comfortable with this, please speak to the music
minister and other arrangements can be made.

Dress during Services and Performances. The Choir regularly

wears choir robes during the months of September-July. For the month of
August, which is normally our “camp-meeting” month, we wear solid color
tops. This provides for some uniformity. During Easter and Christmas
performances, women wear all black with pearls and men wear black pants,
white dress shirts, and a black bowtie. If you do not own a bowtie, please
see the music director for one. For other special performances, the music
director will announce the dress code.
A) Stoles: The choir robes have different color stoles that are worn
with them. On the first Sunday of each month, we wear a red stole.
During the Lenten Season, we wear purple. On Pentecost Sunday,
the first Sunday of Christmas and of Easter, we wear “little” red.
All other Sundays, we wear green. If you are unsure of what color
stole to wear, please refer to the Order of Worship posted on the
bulletin board or ask the Logistics Chair.

Section 5—Duties of Specific Choir Offices

Professional Members of the Choir. The church hires these

members:

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 • Music director. This is a professional staff member of the church who
coordinates the musical activities of the church. This person directs
the choir, children’s choirs, Faire Ladies, bell choir and youth choir.
• Organist. This is a professional staff member of the church who
provides organ accompaniment to the choir during rehearsal and
worship services.
• Pianist. This is a professional staff member of the church who
provides piano accompaniment to the choir during rehearsal and
worship services.

Volunteer Positions in the Choir.

• Librarians. Know who your librarians are! They assist the minister of
music by processing new music and by filing, distributing, and
managing the sheet music for our choir folders. A librarian assigns
robes and folders to new members. See your librarian if you are
missing music.

Elected Members of the Choir. The entire membership of the choir

elects these members (except for section leaders). Elections are held each
May. The normal term of office is January 1st-December 31st .

President
• Presides over general business meetings
• Motivates all choir officers and committees
• Serves on the worship committee
• Chairs the executive committee
• Serves on search committee for finding music staff
• Works hand-in-hand with the music director to plan the yearly choir
activities
• Personally contacts any choir member who has missed five weeks of
choir activities

Secretary

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 • Keeps records of general business meetings
• Updates and publishes the yearly calendar
• Serves on the executive committee
• Distributes minutes of council meetings and the yearly calendar to
choir members
• Prepares a personal welcome letter for new choir members. This letter
is signed and sent by the music director.
• Maintains and updates a roster of all choir members

Treasurer and Sunshine Chairman

• Keeps the choir fund (This is not the same money that is allocated for
the ministry of music or for memorial funds through the church
budget.)
• Keeps accurate accounts of all fund receipts and disbursements
• Pays the incidental bills for the choir (within council guidelines)
• Presents a treasurer’s report at each council meeting and general
business meeting
• Serves on the executive committee
• Arranges for cards, gifts, and flowers (See section 8)

Logistics Chairman
• Makes sure there is enough seating in the rehearsal room and the
choir loft for the singers
• Plans the choir seating arrangements for each service
• Supervises the arrangement of seats, music stands, and sound
equipment for special music programs
• Supervises the moving of equipment for choir events and
performances

Robarian
• Keeps track of all choir robes.
• Assigns robes to all new choir members.

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Social Chairman
• Plans the choir’s social events, such as: banquets, parties, outings,
retreats
• Promotes good health and happiness among the voices (See section 8)

Section Leaders. The choir has four section leaders—one for each
singing section. They are elected from within each section.
• Asks each new member to fill out a new member card. Gives that
card to the secretary for inclusion in the choir roster.
• Urges members’ attendance at choir rehearsals, services, and social
activities
• Speaks for members of the section at the choir council and to the
minister of music
• Acts as an information conduit for the music director and the choir
council, passing the word to the section members by telephone
• Builds the section roster for printed service programs (Lent, Patriotic,
Christmas services)
• Informs the music director and Sunshine Chairman of any illness or
hospitalization of a section member
• Maintains a current list of planned absences in the section

Section 6—Choir Business Organization

Executive Committee. This committee consists of the president,

secretary, treasurer, and the minister of music. The executive committee
has the following responsibilities:
• Selects ad hoc committees (as needed)
• Selects the nominating committee (each November)
• Runs elections for the elected positions (each December)
• Makes decisions when there is no time to involve the entire choir
council

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Choir Council Membership. The Choir Council consists of the music
director, the organist, the pianist, the librarians, and all elected members.
All these positions are described in section 5.

Choir Council Duties. In general, the choir council provides

administrative, social, and program direction for the chancel choir.
Specifically, the council:
• Relieves the administrative and social burden from the minister of
music
• Recommends practices and policies for the choir
• Coordinates the yearly calendar for all proposed choir activities
(musical and social)
• Sets goals for the choir and carries out programs to meet those goals
• Evaluates its effectiveness at long and short term planning

Choir Council Meetings. The choir council meets at least quarterly on

the first Wednesday of the month following the regularly scheduled
rehearsal. The president presides. Section leaders may bring up specific
areas of concern from their section as new business. The music minister
may also bring concerns, issues, or changes to be approved or discussed by
the choir council.

Reports to the Members. The secretary takes minutes at each

meeting and distributes them to all council members within two weeks of
the meeting. A copy of the minutes is posted on the choir bulletin board at
the same time. When the choir council feels an item will require approval
by the entire choir, the president will take time at the next choir rehearsal to
get a vote. The secretary will record that vote.

Section 7—Choir Planning and Program Evaluation

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Choir Year. The planning year for the choir coincides with the terms of
office for elected members—September through August.

Planning. Soon after elections, the newly-elected council members and

the outgoing choir council plan the activities for the coming year/seasons.
Plans may include musical programs, social activities, special concerts,
unique services, choir development, recruitment, administrative initiatives.
Planning is a group effort using the experience and talents of each member
of the council. The annual plan is presented to all members in January.

Approval of Planned Actions. When the council considers a change

to choir procedures or practices, they will present it to the choir
membership for comment and approval.

Evaluation of Planned Activities. The outgoing elected members

and the council will review the past year’s activities and rate the value of
their planning. When plans didn’t match the actual activities, there is a
lesson to be learned. The outgoing council will pass on such lessons to the
new council.

Section 8—Choir Sunshine and Social Activities

Choir Funds. The choir does not make money. However, the treasurer
keeps a fund of petty cash—just enough to cover social choir expenses. The
funds come from occasional donations (during rehearsals). The funds are
used at the discretion of the choir council, and are for the welfare of the
choir membership.

Accountability. The treasurer reports the balance at each council

meeting. Semiannually (April and October), the executive committee will
audit the treasurer’s books, comparing collections, disbursements, receipts,
and funds on hand.

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Authorized Expenditures. The sunshine chairman uses the treasury to
purchase gifts for choir members on certain occasions. The following
guidelines are fair and reasonable when used consistently by the sunshine
committee. The choir council will set dollar limits for these expenditures.
• Births: card and gift.
• Death: card and either a memorial contribution or a meaningful
memorial purchase
• Departing music director, organist, or pianist: to be determined when
needed
• Departure: small personalized gift recognizing a member’s faithful
contribution to the church
• Extended illness: card
• Hospitalization or out-patient surgery: For choir members, a card and
flowers. A card for family of choir members.
• Weddings: card and gift

Social Activities. Periodic parties, retreats, and social events are

important to the health of the choir (and to the fun of the members). The
social chairman will arrange them as needed or as requested by the choir
council. Choir members are encouraged to help plan, to attend, and to
donate food or services as needed.

Section 9—Choir Member Recognition

Verily, we get sufficient recognition from the congregation for our

participation in the worship services. Here is what we do to celebrate the
contributions of our fellow choir members:

Spirit Award. The Spirit Award recognizes a member of the choir who
has made significant and faithful contributions to the music ministry of the
church. It is not awarded for musical contributions. Rather, we recognize
service: service that fosters a spirit of community and commitment and
service that enhances the effectiveness and growth of the music ministry.

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Any choir member may nominate someone for a Spirit Award. When a
nominee is named, the choir council will deliberate the nomination and
decide. If awarded, the choir council will notify the nominator of the result.

An award recipient will find his or her name on the perpetual plaque, and
will receive a certificate of appreciation from the choir.
Section 10—Care of Choir Robes

Our choir robes and stoles are completely washable. You’ll find it simple to
take care of your assigned robe and stole. However, if you don’t feel
comfortable doing this yourself, please speak to your section leader or robe
coordinator to make other arrangements.

This is the easiest and best way to clean your robe and stole:

1. Take the dirty item home on your assigned numbered hangar.

2. Use any pre-treatment spot remover for those pesky folder
dark marks and makeup marks. (Spray and Wash, Shout, etc.
But, no bleach products)
3. Machine wash in cold water on the gentle cycle. Use your
favorite non-bleach detergent. Robes and stoles may be
washed together. They are all color-fast.
4. Dry for only 5 minutes on a gentle heat. (It will still be
damp.)
5. Hang up on a non-metal hangar to complete drying.
Straighten out the placket and hem while it’s still damp.
6. Stoles might need a touch up with the iron. Robes will hang
out wrinkle-free.
7. Return the clean robe and stoles to the choir room and hang
them in the right sequence.
8. Shine like an angel in your clean robe during the next
service.

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 2012 Choir Council Members

Music Director: Jenna Parish

Organist: Sandi Burleson

Pianist:

President: Scott Parmer

Secretary: Gail Bannister

Treasurer/Sunshine Chair: Nancy Wyatt

Social Chairs: Jan Cook and Jan Rascoe

Robarian: Margaret Williams

Logistics Chair: Steve Mullins

Soprano Section Leader: Frances Arnold

Alto Section Leader: Polly Finucane

Tenor Section Leader: Steve Ward

Bass Section Leader: Scott Parmer

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 Tips for Good Singing

• Maintain good posture will singing, whether sitting or standing:

feet flat on the floor, sitting up and away from the back of the
seat, chest up/back straight, knees slightly bent if you are
standing and keeping your chin level.
• Always drink lots of water, especially around busy performance
and service seasons. If drinking water before a service, try to
drink it at room temperature. Cold water will shock the vocal
cords and cause them to move slowly because they are literally
not “warmed up.”
• It helps to warm-up before coming to choir. You can do this in
your car, around your house, in the choir room. If you are
unsure of what you can do to warm-up, ask the music director
for suggestions.
• Listen, listen, LISTEN! Not only do you want to listen to the
directions the music director give, you also want to listen to all
the other voices around you. Are you matching their pitch or
vowel sound? Can you hear them? If not, you may be singing
too loudly. If you can barely hear yourself, you may be singing
too softly. Listening is very important for blending and
intonation.
• Be expressive. Know what you are singing about and
communicate it.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. No question is too small or
silly to ask. Chances are someone is probably wondering the
same thing you are.
• Relax. Tension can lead to a world of problems in the realm of
singing. So, feel free to wiggle your tongue or massage your jaw
if you are feeling a little tense. If you feel cramped or
uncomfortable sitting down, don’t be afraid to stand as needed
during rehearsals.
• If you are feeling sick or are battling a sore throat, try some hot
tea with honey. Also, drinking warm water can help.

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 Directions for Singing

“Sing lustily with good courage. Sing

modestly, do not bawl to be heard above the
rest of the congregation. Sing in time and be
sure to keep with it.”

“Above all, sing spiritually. Have an eye to

God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing
him more than yourself.”

John Wesley, 1761

The focus of the Music Ministry of First United Methodist

Church is the same as the Psalmist who wrote: "Make a joyful noise to
God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious
praise." In Isaiah 43:19 we read: "I am about to do a new thing; now it
springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert." We have a rich heritage of musical involvement
at First Church, but we are excited about new things that the Lord
is doing in and through us. We want to be about God’s business of
ministering to the world and to our congregation.

Jenna Parish
Director of Music Ministries
First United Methodist Church
Panama City, FL
[email protected]
334-733-0003

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