CFNaz Worship Leader Position Filled

Dear CFNaz Board, Staff and Church Family,

On June 10, 2014, the CFNaz Board voted unanimously to approve my recommendation to develop our worship band and choir as one entity with the purpose of the choir being used to lead our Sunday morning worship (see board approved statement below). The board and I truly felt this was the right direction for our church family.  However, as a pastor I have learned that the church family sometimes makes choices that allow me to see that the direction I thought was the best was an error of judgment.   Therefore, I have now come to see that my decision to see the choir as the ones leading worship was not the best choice at this time.  For instance, as you have noticed the choir has greatly dwindled in number.  I will say that the small choir that remains has truly served the Lord and led us in worship with all their hearts.  This small group has been committed to practice, prayer and demonstrated a beautiful spirit of worship.  Moreover, I want to thank this portion of the choir who has on three different occasions allowed me to share about the Worship Leader process and from which I gained helpful feedback.  In fact, the last conversation I had with this portion of the choir greatly influenced the decision I now share. 

On Tuesday, September 16, the Church Board and Staff, helped me interview two Worship Leader candidates.  Having considered their feedback, I have made the decision to hire Bryan Kandel as our part-time worship leader. Bryan is a Spanish Teacher for Perry School District.  Bryan and his wife, Robin, who once served as missionaries to Costa Rica, now have two young children.   Bryan will begin serving at CFNaz on Sunday, October 5, 2014.

I chose Bryan for the following reasons: 1) During the search process every board member indicated that they believed we needed to find a worship leader who not only could manage the technical side of the music ministry but who also felt called to and comfortable with leading the church family in worship.  Bryan has been leading worship and helping three different area churches in worship which has confirmed his calling and ability; 2) All of the board agreed that we needed someone who would consider the people and talent God has given us here at CFNaz and would help us discover and create our own unique worship style that is authentic to who we are as a church family.  Bryan not only plays hymns and worship songs, but he has written and recorded his own album, which demonstrates his ability to not only reproduce what others do, but to also find one’s own unique style; 3) The board agreed that we would want to look for a Worship Leader who has an understanding of what it means to engage the next generation in worship, but also understands the value of remembering that our congregation is made up of various generations. Bryan’s career as a local high school teacher puts him directly in touch with better understanding the next generation God has called us to reach.  In addition, his experience as a Worship Leader has made him sensitive to leading worship in a multi-generational context.

One personal God moment for me came on the night of the “End of the Summer Bash.”  One of the bands scheduled for the night dropped out at the last moment.  Bryan Kandel was invited to fill the spot.  As Bryan began to play and sing worship songs and hymns, I had three senior adults, one middle age adult and a teenager all express their desire for me to interview him.  I thought to myself, “Lord, is this not what I prayed?  That you would help us find a worship leader who would bridge generation gaps? Could he be right for our church family?”

Next, Bryan was very upfront about the fact that he does not have experience leading a choir.  At first, I thought this would exclude his name from our consideration based upon my initial recommendation to the board as stated above and below.  However, as I watched the church family reveal the error of my thinking regarding the choir serving as our worship leading team, it became clear to me that it did not make sense to hire someone who could lead a choir in hopes of rebuilding our choir, but to simply admit I was wrong and to allow God to lead us in a new direction.  Therefore, I have asked Bryan to treat our music department as though it is just beginning.  Bryan will create clear and written expectations and purpose for our musicians and vocalists.  He will then meet with any present or new musicians and vocalists to explain those expectations, interview them and then invite them to make one year commitment to our music ministry.  With this clean slate so to speak, we will prayerfully, patiently and excitedly wait to see who God raises up and what will be our own unique worship team and style.  Perhaps as the worship team grows we will again be able to have a full choir at which time we would seek assistance to provide Bryan with the necessary training or we would have Bryan recruit someone to assist him.  However, at this point none of us can know exactly how God will lead in the future.  What we do know now is that God has answered our prayer for a Worship Leader, we have the opportunity to start fresh and we will certainly get to see first-hand God doing a new thing among us. 

Will you please join me in praying for Bryan and his family?  Will you pray with me for musicians and vocalists to step forward to serve?  Will you pray for our church family as we all continue to learn to worship God in spirit and in truth? 

Below you will find the Part-Time Worship Leader job description.  If you have any questions about the job description and the decision that was made, please feel free to contact me. 

 

Letting Go with You,

 

Chad Current, Lead Pastor

 

June 10, 2014 CFNAZ Board Meeting Considerations for the Future Worship Ministry:

•The following two questions were discussed at length:

1)            Could it be said that in our attempt to please all we have pleased few, if any?  Do we have a band or an orchestra?  Presently, it would seem we have both.  Would it not make more sense to choose one?  In light of our present culture, and in our attempt to let our worship be a witness to non-believers, we would recommend we move to a band that would incorporate the same instruments that we now have in a different way.

2)            Could it be said that our choir and our band/orchestra function as two separate entities on the same stage and worship setting?  Is it not in fact treated as such since the band and choir do not practice together?  Is that point not further made by the fact that when Tim is absent he have one person lead worship and one person lead the choir? Furthermore, our band does not play the music for our choir specials and so doesn’t that further create the dichotomy? What could happen if our choir and worship musicians were treated as one entity; all working together to lead people into the presence of God through praise and worship? We voted to move in this direction to see what good God could bring.

The above was discussed at length and approved with a unanimous vote.

 

Job Description:

Title: Pastor of Worship at Canton First Church of the Nazarene

Paid position for 16 hours per week

Part-Time Worship Pastor Responsibilities:

•             Prepare music for and lead a band practice prior to Sunday and then rehearsal on Sunday.

•             Prepare the weekly order of worship using the planning center.

•             Insert worship slides on sanctuary computer.

•             Work with Lead Pastor and staff to develop the flow and intentionality of worship each week.

•             Interview and establish clear guidelines and expectations for our music ministry participants and new people that are recruited.

Immediate Supervisor: Lead Pastor