This week we need to update you on a decision about Growth Groups — it’s time to cease meeting physically.
Here’s a few things that we’ve decided we just can’t run at the moment… “Physically” Gathering on Sundays, Rush & Youth on Friday, Movers & Groovers on Friday, Colleges and AllNations Weekend away, Good Friday Church services, Newy Man Camp…
We’re going live on Sunday 10am, 4:30pm and 7pm. So, rather than getting in the car and getting to a location, plan to sit down in a living room with a computer and open up www.hunterbiblechurch.org to join in online.
Starting from this Friday, the plan is that youth will be able to jump online and watch short Youth talks, discuss them in our usual groups and have fun together too, much like what we get up to on a Friday but without the smells!
We’ve decided that the wisest course of action for our women and children at the moment is that - just like all of the other GGs around church, we encourage you to keep meeting with your GG each week - but we’re not going to gather physically at the HUB as the collected Women’s Growth Group from this Thursday 19th March.
The Unichurch Connect Series is still going ahead tonight! 7:30pm at the HBC Hub.
As a church family, we love gathering. Even so, with the current health concerns, we’ve decided that we’re not going to gather physically from this Sunday (22nd March) until further notice. Instead we’re currently working on a way for us to gather online in smaller groups…
With the increased spread of COVID-19 and the growing social implications for our region, we want to assure our church family that we’re committed to taking appropriate precautions during this time. Added to that, we want to encourage our church family to continue to express Christian love to one another and the community around us.
Even though our church is much more like a family than an organisation, our AGM is a great opportunity to hear how God has been at work around us, as well as review the more formal side of our church. It's a bit like one of those special family meetings that get called around the dinner table! :)
Plus we'll also get an update from the Building Acquisition Committee to hear about recent progress in fund-raising, research and sites we've looked into.
We'll be meeting at 12:15pm on Sunday 28th April at the HBC Hub.
The agenda for the AGM can be found here, while the minutes from the 2018 AGM can be found here (we'll accept this at the AGM). If you have any questions that you'd like to be asked at the AGM, please email secretary@hunterbiblechurch.org so they can be included in the agenda.
2018 Detailed Financials (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet)
The 2018 Financial Summary can be found here,
Upskilling in Music – Marcus Robertson
1. Dedicate time to practise each day.
By setting aside time each day to practise, you're going to become more solid and confident in your basic skills. Regular time playing your instrument will also help you to learn new skills. Even if it's just playing through the songs for Sunday a couple times during the week, just do it. But also make sure that you're moving out of your comfort zone by learning new skills.
2. Learn New Skills.
Find ways to constantly get better and more diversely skilled at your craft. Even if they aren't usable in a church service context, getting better at complex things makes the easier things way more simple. Learning to finger pick and sing at the same time made me much better at singing and strumming. I think there are two main ways that you can learn.
Get professional lessons. This is my biggest recommendation because it is actually the most effective. Find someone who is better than you and get them to teach you skills. Even if the skills aren't super useful in a church context, they will improve your overall skill level and confidence.
Use YouTube. The internet is one of the most amazing resources for learning new skills. YouTube is an amazing resource because it's free and easily accessible. The hard thing with YouTube is knowing where to start. Choosing songs you already know and would like to learn is really helpful. Eventually you'll find channels that teach lessons you can learn. Subscribe to them. (For me, that channel was TXBA)
3. Find musicians that you like, and copy what they do when they play and sing joyfully.
Sometimes our outward expression of our joy when we play music is hard to communicate because we don't have the tool set to show it. I've watched videos of Dave Grohl, Jack White, Wil Wagner, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, and Keith Richards (plus a bunch of others) to see how they outwardly express their emotions when they sing and play. Give it a crack. You might even have to practise these things too.
4. Get reliable, honest feedback.
There are plenty of people around HBC who know what they are talking about when it comes to music. Talk to them and ask them to see what ways you can improve. Don't try to do everything at once, but work on things block by block from their feedback. This will require great humility, but it's a practise worth doing every once in a while.
5. Record and Analyse Yourself.
In your pocket right now there is probably a device capable of half decent video and audio recordings; the modern smartphone. Use this to reflect on your own skills and see the places where you can get better. Critique videos and audio recordings and see where your common mistakes are and where you would like to get better.
6. Bonus Tip: I got really good at making it up as I go by listening to the radio and trying to figure out chords to songs as they played. Helped me to listen and know what different chord changes sounded like and how to predict them. It's really simple, but super effective. Makes transposing on the spot 300% easier.
Band Leading – Jono Kirk
1. Give permission to engage.
As song leaders our role is to help lift the eyes of the congregation from the things of this world to our Glorious King and Saviour. By engaging in the songs, allowing ourselves to feel emotion, the joy that comes from knowing Christ we give permission to the congregation to do the same.
2. Relax, Smile and Loosen Up.
A good friend of mine often says walking onto a stage makes someone 50% more boring. With that in mind we need to be conscious that how we conduct ourselves can set a tone for an entire service. People will take their lead from the song leader. Realistically if you consider time spent out front on any given Sunday, aside from the preacher you (the song leader) are the second most visible person. I like to challenge myself every service to focus on 1 thing that will improve my engagement with the congregation.
3. Prepare.
Don’t be a karaoke song leader. So often song leaders turn up on the day with no preparation and expect to lead well. This not only dishonours your band, but it really dishonours the God we serve. Given our role is to lead the congregation, song leader prep should be almost more important than band prep. Read the Preparing for a Sunday blog for tips on how to prepare.
4. Your voice is an instrument.
Whilst we are leading people in singing, we have to realise we are also part of the band and the sound that get produced. How we use our voice in songs can really add or subtract to the overall sound. Talk with your band leader about how they would like you to use your voice dynamically. If you aren’t the main song leader for a song they might get you to pull off the mic for a verse or two, sing a harmony in the chorus or verse 2 or sing up or down the octave to give the congregation a variable melody line.
5. Creative Cues and Exhortations.
If you are the main song leader for a song think creatively about how you cue the congregation and lead them through a song. If the congregation seem a little uncertain or if you want to emphasize a phrase, then you might sing or speak the next line over the chord progression leading in. Likewise using encouragements and biblical exhortations during a song or transition can be exceptionally helpful in transitioning people’s minds out of the stress of life and into the realisation of who we worship and praise.
Songwriting: Marcus Robertson
1. Leave your instruments out.
Don't store instruments away. Have them ready to go. Or just have them out so you can pick them up whenever you want.
2. Write stuff down when it comes.
It might suck, it might be gold, but if you don't write it down you won't know it in two weeks time.
3. Try and suck as much as you can out of each inspirational moment.
If you feel like you're on a roll just keep going. Get as much as you can out of it even if you feel like you're about to dry up. Just keep going.
4. Force yourself to write.
Every once in a while, even if you feel inspirationless, just give it a crack. You might strike oil. Which is liquid gold.
5. Write songs that you like to sing.
Don't worry about what other people think. If it's theologically sound and you love singing it, that's tops. Someone down the line might like it too, but it's OK if they don't. Just write songs.
Music Team: Cameron Thornton
1 - Pursue the type of character that others want to be in the presence of.
You don't have to be the most inherently talented muso for others to want to play alongside you and look forward to it. Character goes along way, ask my wife, I’m an ordinary sort. Folk that have all the skills but lack the heart and righteous intent can often be the most difficult to get alongside. So invest in people by pursuing Godly character that will benefit those around you.
So how do you do this and what are some examples…
How - Take time to reflect on your own uniqueness. The specific elements that God has given you or developed in you. You might need to ask the opinion of some close others on this one to help you gain some clarity. The aim is to narrow down exactly what value[s] you bring to the team? Once you have some ideas it’s simple - continue to develop these helpful characters.
Throughout this process it is likely that you will recognise what helpful skills/attributes that you don’t have... pursue these too. You don’t necessarily need to set micro and macro goals and a timeline to achieve them but write down both sides of the process and pass them onto your band leader to create a little momentum.
Next step is to recognise if the things you have noted are attitudes or behaviours.
Once you have worked that out and considered your list, get stuck in but don’t try to bite them all off at once, do this and you will add to Australia’s obesity epidemic. In all seriousness this will usually lead to failure and you will end up feeling worse off than when you began, not ideal. Tackle one virtue at a time. Start with the one you are most excited about or the one you find most challenging. For example, it could be avoiding unhelpful smack talk or something simple like improving your punctuality to demonstrate to the band that you value their time. Both of these are behaviours and are the outworking of an attitude to honour others.
This first essential skill is the long game but it really adds up over time and soon you may be known as the wise one of the group that people want to be like because you have become more like Jesus.
2 – Know your parts.
Anyone can turn up prepared. People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. Set time aside to polish your parts. Knowing your parts and how this contributes to the whole is a game changer to the vibe of the practice time, which in turn sets the tone for the whole session, and more than this, the whole service.
Your level of preparation will spill into every person that walks into the doors of the gathering. Put it this way - You wouldn’t put a half-baked effort into a set if you knew you were opening up for Pearl Jam. You would work really hard on your own parts so your band effort was tidy as. Truth is you will probably never open up for Pearl Jam [the legendary band that was a driving force in forming a genre] but you are opening up for the word of the Lord, to prepare the hearts and minds of the crowd that are coming along to meet with God’s people. You are opening up for Jesus!! So don’t be sloppy, don’t discourage the band by not putting the time into your parts, because they always know.
It’s worth noting that some individuals try really hard in their own time and are still not quite up to scratch on game day. In this case, good. At least you are giving it a genuine nudge and with this application you will improve quickly. Others have long weeks, sick kids…etc. And for those that have had a rough week, be honest to your band and get around each other. But don’t use it as or look for excuses if you know within yourself that you could have prepared more effectively.
3 – Seek out the type of tech that will improve your musicianship.
We are all time poor, so use the tech around you to improve your instrument skills. I’m talking apps, pedals, effects and what not. Best part of this is that it is usually interesting or gives the old axe a new edge. So share your findings with your band. Draw others into it and create some buzz. Good vibes lead to more positivity and the catalyst for this could be a simple sample pad or app.
4 – Imitate better musos than you.
The very best athletes have all been coached and aspired to be like their hero’s/heroines. Do the same. Nuff said
5 – Remember that it’s more than a roster and getting through 5 or so songs and rewarding yourself with a beer at 9pm on a Sunday night.
If this is how you are feeling, then I suggest you take a break from the ministry. Because it is no longer a ministry for you right now. If you do take a break, fully debrief it with one of the HBC team to understand why you needed to enable you to leave the door open to returning sometime.
Every week the music teams contributes to the eternal plans of our Lord and King. Don’t underestimate the worth of your role. Don’t sell short the 5 songs and chats in between.
Take the time to properly get to know your band:
Turn up early, leave late, hang out at other times beyond a Sunday or a scheduled church thing. I have played about 50 gigs a year for the past 10 years in a covers band [and originals for all the haters] with the same two dudes. We are very different people [especially the drummer] but our friendship runs deep because we poured into each other not just the music. But it takes the leadership of one to welcome this scene. And they now turn to me when things go south in their lives and it’s a real opportunity to be there for them and offer them Jesus love in action. We can do the same for each other in our church bands.
People vibe from our connectedness from the front. We don’t need to smile into each other’s eyes like Angus and Julia but breeding a culture of unity comes from hang time.
[6 – Buy quality stuff first time].
Don’t go cheap on ordinary music gear. Save up, sacrifice some other unneeded stuff and buy the good stuff straight up [or second hand if it’s still legit quality]. Buying good gear means you will commit to using it, it will last longer, sound better and is easier to sell in the long run if you are drawn to another ministry over time.
Computer: Neil Foster
1. If at all possible, aim to get the EasyWorship schedule set up well before the service.
For AM I try to do it the evening before. This means that you have a better chance to plug any gaps in good time (if someone forgot to send the sermon slides, or the song choices, or if the muso’s want a new song that isn’t on the database, or if the video you’re meant to be using doesn’t quite work…. Etc!) Plus if you can do it somewhere where there is a wireless internet connection, that saves having to log on to the email and download stuff through a hot spot or other dodgy mechanism.
2. Go through the songs word for word with the song leader.
There are probably different way of doing this, but for AM I like to get the song leader to sit down and literally read out the words they are going to sing so I can check that the slides coincide, no later than 10 minutes prior. Make it clear to the song leader that it is not really good enough that they have a quick glance and think the “vibe” is OK! It is very distracting for congregation members when the words being sung don’t coincide with the slides, and we are there to serve the congregation and help them sing, not to have them marvel at how creative we are in coming up with new arrangements on the spot!
3. My habit is to take the preacher’s script and go through it with a yellow highlighter to mark the slide transitions.
(It is also handy to double check that the number of slide transitions marked on the script coincides with the number of slides you have for the talk! You may discover that it has been edited since the preacher prepared their script and you need to be aware of it.)
4. For songs, a long time ago a wise mentor (Mark Jeffreys!) told me that the computer person should sing along with the songs by watching the slides on the screen the congregation is following.
Sounds obvious but what this does it make you concentrate on what the congregation are seeing, and not get distracted in cuing up the next song, etc. Follow along, and don’t let anyone else start talking to you during a song! Yes, it sounds obvious again, but it is very easy to be distracted and miss the cue. When a song is on you have one job- keep the slides coming at the rate the congregation needs to sing. As a usually reliable guide, where the slide transitions are fast, click onto the next one once the congregation have started singing the last word on the current slide. You singing along again will help that (you can do so quietly not to freak out the sound guys).
5. Pray!
I usually pray when starting to prepare the schedule.
6. A bonus tip! When setting up Scripture verses make sure the Bible version is the NIV!
Easy to forget but also distracting if the reader is using NIV and you’ve put the HSBC up.
Singers: Niemah Jones
1. Practice singing the songs.
The difference between preparing and not preparing is big. Sing the songs throughout the week and note the difficult phrases. Work on them so that at church you aren't distracted by concentrating on how to hit the note, but rather what we're singing about.
2. Technique:
Just like any other instrument, the voice takes practice and time in order to improve your skills and ability. Think about your posture, breath and support. Take the time to properly warm up your voice to reduce the risk of fatigue throughout practice and the service, singing for extended periods of time can put stress on the vocal folds. Also, HYDRATE.
3. Confidence: Have confidence in your voice.
Embrace it for its unique sound and don't compare it to others in your team or at church. Remember that you are singing for God.
4. Be Humble: Again, remember why you're singing.
Your aim is to sing clearly so the congregation can follow. Keep it simple, focus on making the melody clear to someone who wouldn't know the song, so that they can joyfully follow along. That might mean losing the trills and runs.
5. (From Amanda W) Have Fun!
Don't be afraid to show emotion while singing. If you are up there leading the congregation and they see you having joyfully praising God then they will pick up on that vibe and their joy will reflect yours. We want to encourage others through what we do so that we can make a joyful sound to the Lord!
Soundies: Andrew 'Dewy' Bridge
1. Communication is key.
Sound isn’t a hide away by yourself job, the better the communication is between other soundies, musicians, staff and support the better the experience is for all. When something needs to be made more clear or you are unsure about something (be it a structure, roles or equipment) initiate a conversation with the appropriate parties, I have not been good at this.
2. We do this because we want God to be glorified, not me.
Some days it is hard to turn up on time and not be bitter or whingey about giving your time for something that does not seem to benefit yourself, we are sinful, it happens. On these days it is important to remember why we are all here.
3. Going on from the last point it is important to be relying on God.
Things go wrong… often… and when you are relying on your own strength and skills its hard to not take it personally when everything is falling apart. God humbles you real quick when you are cocky.
4. When faced with an issue, breathe.
It sounds silly but I found early on that when something would happen (sudden feedback and the like) I would freak out and as soon as that happens my mind goes blank and I can’t even solve the most simple of problems (turn down the gain to reduce the feedback). Like the last point, God is in charge and will be glorified even when I’m slightly incompetent but you have the gift of glorifying through sound.
5. There is always something that can be done.
I have found that the weeks that are slow for me, the setup goes smoothly, sound check takes no time at all and the band is just jamming, I make the most mistakes and end up forgetting to check the batteries in the wireless mics or something simple like that. Even if everything has been done, check to see if the stage is tidy, the lights are in the best locations possible and if everything is dope then you could be brainstorming ways that mag could be improved, pray or tinker with some of the features on the desk that you have not used before (compressor/expander, EQ, FX).
Drums: Hamish Batley
1. Stay humble, bury your head in the bible.
Let’s be honest, have you ever been more amazed at God (the heart of true worship) than when you were soaked in the word and saw how epic God is?
2. Be skilful.
Practice, practice practice. Bash that pad till your hands bleed, then do it some more. Build your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Know your kit like the back of your hand. Play with the lights off. Play blindfolded. Change your set up and play with less kit available. Play along with a click at a bunch of different tempos.
3. Listen to music like you breathe oxygen.
Watch YouTube videos. Listen in the car. In the shower. At work if you can. Drum along on whatever you can get your hands on. Make beats out of anything. Learn the values of sitting back in silence and summoning a ferocious frenzy.
4. Learn music theory, learn another instrument.
This will help you understand what your band mates are doing plus leave you floored with a new appreciation of how this thing called music works!
5. Hang out with your band and soundies.
Your band should be tighter than Sweatman’s grip on a reformation commentary. If you can’t identify each other by BO in a crowded room you’re not gonna have the same propensity to play and sound awesome together. Hanging out with people in general will also help you know when it is better to shut up and listen, or humbly speak the truth in love.
Bass: John Stark
1. Play to the kick drum (and the drummer).
Kind of a bass fundamental, but working with the drummer is a must to lay a solid rhythmic structure - also always stand where you can see the kick drum (or the drummers foot). As bass playing is playing to a rhythm (not melody) you’re working with the drummer and the kick rhythm. Don’t work against it.
2. Go high when the song dynamics allow.
Playing bass in church is really different from playing music purely for performance, because often there will be more dynamics in the song to allow the congregation’s voice to be heard (i.e. the band backs off - sometimes completely). Sometimes this can be a significant portion of the song. In these periods the drums may not play, and playing the bass down low will simply overpower the song and disrupt the feel, so the question comes; “What should the bass do?" In these times the bass can still play a role to help those singing by keeping the melodic-rhythmic link going, but it can do this by going high into the solo register of the bass (anything higher than the 12th fret). Getting comfortable in the top frets can really help the band and the congregation if used correctly (and sometimes its still best not to play at all).
3. Follow the melody when building a bass line.
This one is a little subtle, but when building a bass line, the temptation can be to stay in one area of the bass, particularly as many songs are cyclic in their chord patterns. There are many ways to build a solid bass line, but when the goal is to support everyone singing, a good idea is to follow the melody. If a verse ends high - follow up the octave rather than returning to the low note (even go above 12th fret!). Again - the goal is to help people to follow the melody, have your bass pattern follow the melodic movement (great walking bass lines do this all the time).
4. Practice in the right key.
Maybe this is obvious, but probably the single biggest thing to help me was to use an iOS app to transpose a piece of music into the specific key to played on any Sunday (yeah - I’m old - but trust me - its painful to retune to a cassette player!) - sometimes its not always easy to transpose only one hour before church starts. There are a number of apps to do this - they are worth the investment. This most importantly helps with the last tip (which is the most important of all)….
5. Free yourself from your music (practice practice practice).
Playing as a band is a team effort. To be a tight unit (which ultimately helps people to sing to), its essential to work together, all instruments as one. That means having eye contact with each other (and watching that kick drum!) and genuinely playing together (not just the same song at the same time and hoping it works). The only way to do that is to be familiar enough with the song to be free from your music, it doesn’t mean not having ANY music on the stage, but the music on stage is only a safety net, a memory jogger, not something you need to watch slavishly to actually make sure you know where the song is going. That means practice (in the right key) until you don’t need your music; then walk away for 24 hours, then practice some more. This is where your band leaders can really help by getting the songs out early.
Keyboard: Melody
1. Purpose: Draw people to God, not to our skills
- Think about how our accompaniment could facilitate people to focus on the message of the songs
- Our mind-set will show through our accompaniment.
2. Communicate: Any expectations/ideas of the keyboard accompaniment
- It could be reinforcing the lead lines, reinforcing a few words in the lyrics, filling in gaps between verses, playing chords in the background, playing the lower end/higher end of the keyboard to complement other instruments etc.
- After learning the expectations, it'll be easier to prepare what we'll play during practices, but remember not to limit ourselves to a specific box (i.e. only practising background chords for the entire set).
3. Build our foundation by familiarising ourselves with all the chords
- Learning the chords will reduce the possibility of playing notes that will clash with the song.
- It'll help us to be fluid and flexible with our accompaniment/improvisation (There are so many combinations of notes that we can discover and use to create lines within a single chord)
4. Be bold in creating and experimenting various lines or ideas
- Understand the song then create variations to suit the message and build up of the song (Have tip #1 in mind all the time!)
- The worst case scenario is for the band to say no, but we can learn so much from the reasons behind it.
5. Learn from various keyboardists and song recordings
- I started by adopting/mimicking some lines, then I improvised them to fit into songs better.