I am a volunteer electric guitarist with our church's weekly contemporary service.  I have played guitar for 40 years and have been in music ministry for 17 years.  During that time I have played with 4 different churches/directors and have been with my current church for the last 2 years. 

 

Our church recently hired a new music director to weekly prepare and lead a traditional service first hour followed by a contemporary service the next. During the hiring process, the (then) candidate made it known that formal education, training, background and preference was for traditional worship music, but there also was extensive experience with contemporary styles. 

 

Contemporary rehearsal usually performs sound-check and rehearsal 30-45 minutes prior to service.  This is a terribly limited time to sound engineer the differences between choral and contemporary band material and then have the music director’s ability to direct the band and vocalists disabled by a lack of familiarity with the music, lyrics, timing, breaks and queues.  Even still, during service the lack of preparation is obvious, i.e. missed queues, interrupted introductions and solos, confused verse/chorus, disorganized music during the service program breaks.

 

This director has a superb traditional voice, but lacks the flexibility (or practice?) for contemporary material.  Well liked by the choir and senior pastor, has a genuine heart for the ministry, tends to responsibilities with the choir, but has relegated the contemporary band to a collateral responsibility to be tended as time becomes available.

 

As a volunteer instrumentalist, I would greatly appreciate your insight into how I may support this director and influence their professional responsibility and preparation to the contemporary worship service.

 

Thanks!