Music Ministry Toolbox

Image shows podcast cover with text: Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza. At sarah-bereza.com

The Alexander Technique for Organists, Choir Directors, and Other Church Musicians, on Music and the Church Ep. 15

We use our bodies every day to make music—but we usually forget about our physical health until something goes wrong. Certified Alexander Technique instructor Ted Gibboney, D.M.A., shares how the Alexander Technique can help church musicians, as well as other people experiencing tension in their bodies. Ted was working full-time as the music director of …

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Image shows podcast cover with text: Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza. At sarah-bereza.com

How to Be a Positively Swell Substitute Organist (with a subbing checklist), on Music and the Church Ep. 14

Do you work as a substitute organist or hire them? This episode is for you! Crawford, Catie Moyer, and I have many (many!) strategies for subbing and hiring subs. Because we have so much to share, we decided to make this post a how-to. If you scroll down, you’ll find detailed strategies, questions to ask …

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How to Host a Lenten Hymn Sing

Last week, I posted a 3 steps to hosting an easy hymn sing and talked about it on the podcast. This week, I have a template for a “Journey to the Cross” with 60 hymns to choose from, so you can have a cohesive hymn sing focused on the Cross. The hymn sing’s theme is “Journey to the …

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3 Steps to an Easy Hymn Sing

Hymn sings can be grand affairs, with special anthems combining choir with congregation, extra instrumentalists to plan for and rehearse, and scripture readings to coordinate with the hymns’ themes. But a hymn sing can also be very easy to plan and host. Here’s the 3 basic steps:

Image shows podcast cover with text: Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza. At sarah-bereza.com

11 Essentials for a Choir Rehearsal Space, on Music and the Church Ep. 9

Choir rooms need a lot more than chairs and a piano to function well for musicians—they need storage for anthems, places for information (like a white board), and most important of all: a flat surface for cookies. Listen for 11 choir rehearsal space essentials, plus two bonus ideas.

Image shows podcast cover with text: Music and the Church with Sarah Bereza. At sarah-bereza.com

Social Media for Church Musicians with David Sinden, on Music and the Church Ep. 7

Why use social media? Because it’s is a way to share your and your church’s ministry with others, especially people in your congregation. Today’s interview is with David Sinden, the Organist & Director of Music at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in St. Louis, Missouri, and co-host of the podcast All Things Rite and Musical.