Choir Note-Sunday, September 29, 2013
Improvements are not bad. They’re good! It seems like everyone wants improvement all the time.
What some people resist is change. If you don’t see the purpose, the reason, or the result of a change, you will probably not recognize it as an improvement. You will just see it as change… and change is not usually fun. It means switching things up from how you’ve always done things. It means… learning. Uuugh! Change isn’t fun unless it brings improvement.
Almost every change that we make in choir will be for the purpose of improvement. Whether you immediately see it or not, you can pretty much bank on the fact that if we’re changing something, we are being intentional about it and trying to improve.
What really helps, is when everyone “gets on board.” Know what I mean by that? You parents know what I mean… You want your kids to just do right because you know it is for their good! As Christians, we know that is true about chastening, as well (Heb. 12:11).
Now, as a choir, we make changes each week in practice. If every choir member is “on board” with working to make each change an improvement, think of the possibilities. Rather than one director looking for improvements in others, all participants are looking for ways to improve themselves.
One thing I tried to teach the interns when they were here was to be self-critical. Assess oneself to see any needed improvements. It changes everything about you. Rather than foster defensiveness, being self-critical fosters a teachable spirit. I don’t know about you, but I’m harder on me that you’ll ever be on me! I’m a much tougher self-boss than any other boss has ever been on me.
So, to make a long story short, do you see change or improvement? It kind of depends on your perspective, huh?
–Bro. Ryan
SUNDAY LINEUPS – With regard to today’s note, we may eventually be switching the seating chart up a little to facilitate a better blend and to accommodate the orchestra a little better.
TURN IN BOOKS – Please see the schedule below to turn in all past music. We especially need Heaven’s Jubilee and I Stand Redeemed so that we can inventory our books and determine our future purchases.