Worship Expectations
Thank you so much for your interest in the worship ministry at Parkwood. Worship is such an important and necessary part of a believer’s life. It is the team’s mission to use musical worship to exalt the name of Jesus Christ through music and media, and we do that through people like you!
Serving on this team is a significant ministry commitment. In order to help you understand the expectations that we place on our worship team members, we have created this application form. Please read it carefully before continuing to the application.
At Parkwood, we value God-focused musical worship done excellently through a team of humble and willing people who desire to serve Christ and His church. We fight to maintain teachable attitudes and to be diligent in our lives musically, relationally, and most importantly, spiritually.
It is imperative that you pray through this process and ask God whether this ministry is a fit for you. If you feel like your gifts might be a fit here, then please fill out the application below and submit it. After doing so, I will contact you regarding your application.
We want you to know that we are praying for you. Know up front that the result of this process may or may not be that you serve on this team. Sometimes the team is simply “full.” Other times, a person’s skill-set does not meet a specific need on the team or that person may need to develop further in his/her craft before serving in this context. But that’s okay, because serving on this team is not the point – finding a place for you to contribute to the body of Christ is the point. I’m excited to be a part of that journey with you. If you have any questions feel free to contact me any time.
Amy McKnight, Worship Director
Serving on this team is a significant ministry commitment. In order to help you understand the expectations that we place on our worship team members, we have created this application form. Please read it carefully before continuing to the application.
At Parkwood, we value God-focused musical worship done excellently through a team of humble and willing people who desire to serve Christ and His church. We fight to maintain teachable attitudes and to be diligent in our lives musically, relationally, and most importantly, spiritually.
It is imperative that you pray through this process and ask God whether this ministry is a fit for you. If you feel like your gifts might be a fit here, then please fill out the application below and submit it. After doing so, I will contact you regarding your application.
We want you to know that we are praying for you. Know up front that the result of this process may or may not be that you serve on this team. Sometimes the team is simply “full.” Other times, a person’s skill-set does not meet a specific need on the team or that person may need to develop further in his/her craft before serving in this context. But that’s okay, because serving on this team is not the point – finding a place for you to contribute to the body of Christ is the point. I’m excited to be a part of that journey with you. If you have any questions feel free to contact me any time.
Amy McKnight, Worship Director
Expectations
SPIRITUALLY
1. Strong relationship with God manifested through prayer, devotional life, and relational uprightness.
2. Willingness to receive and follow the directions of the Worship/Music Director. No matter your skill level, a teachable attitude is imperative.
3. Constantly check your pride and humble yourself before the Lord. The temptation to think of oneself as greater than another is especially potent on the stage.
4. Commit to attending the worship service even when not scheduled to play on a particular Sunday.
5. Commit to communicating with leadership and fellow team members when moments of conflict arise.
6. Participate in the family culture of the team by letting us see who you are. No lone-wolves.
FUNCTIONALLY
1. Every member is expected to participate in the Thursday night and Sunday morning rehearsal for the Sunday gathering they are scheduled for unless otherwise approved by the Worship Director.
2. Every member is expected to value the time of the other team members by being on time for rehearsals and gatherings.
3. Every member needs to be timely in their response to the Worship Director, whether through Planning Center, email or phone calls/texts.
4. Every member must give the Worship Director at least one week’s notice before the Thursday night rehearsal of a given Sunday if a cancellation is needed. Preferably more notice, if applicable.
1. Strong relationship with God manifested through prayer, devotional life, and relational uprightness.
2. Willingness to receive and follow the directions of the Worship/Music Director. No matter your skill level, a teachable attitude is imperative.
3. Constantly check your pride and humble yourself before the Lord. The temptation to think of oneself as greater than another is especially potent on the stage.
4. Commit to attending the worship service even when not scheduled to play on a particular Sunday.
5. Commit to communicating with leadership and fellow team members when moments of conflict arise.
6. Participate in the family culture of the team by letting us see who you are. No lone-wolves.
FUNCTIONALLY
1. Every member is expected to participate in the Thursday night and Sunday morning rehearsal for the Sunday gathering they are scheduled for unless otherwise approved by the Worship Director.
2. Every member is expected to value the time of the other team members by being on time for rehearsals and gatherings.
3. Every member needs to be timely in their response to the Worship Director, whether through Planning Center, email or phone calls/texts.
4. Every member must give the Worship Director at least one week’s notice before the Thursday night rehearsal of a given Sunday if a cancellation is needed. Preferably more notice, if applicable.
Musically
ALL POSITIONS
- Ability and desire to learn new songs using Planning Center and RehearsalMix as well as other tools, such as online tutorials, to learn their specific parts.
- Ability to understand and adapt to different musical/vocal stylings, primarily modern worship that incorporates a blend of contemporary gospel & world music.
- Time devoted to adequate practice on their own in order to come fully prepared for the rehearsal and gatherings.
- Actively pursuing ways to grow musically, particularly in a modern worship music context.
- Ability to serve the song, not your own preferences. We don’t care how much you can play if it isn’t serving the song.
VOCALISTS
- Ability to stay on pitch at all times.
- Ability to sing melody as well as learn harmonies by ear.
- Ability to support the worship leader by singing your designated parts and not ad libbing over top of them.
- Ability to pick up specific parts on the fly as the leader directs.
- Ability to blend and adapt vocal style to other vocalists.
- Ability to engage a group of people and lead them in worship through a dynamic and honest on-stage presence.
INSTRUMENTALISTS
- Ability to read chord charts and adapt what they are playing on the fly as the leader directs.
- Ability to listen to a song and learn specific parts by ear pertaining to their instrument.
- Ability to understand what it means to play in a modern worship setting and adapt personal musical style and preference as needed.
- A working knowledge of scales, chords and basic music theory.
- Ability to improvise as needed and requested by the leader.
- Ability to keep time with a metronome in practice, rehearsal and live settings.
- Must have your own instrument/gear in order to be able to practice & rehearse on your own.
ADDITIONALLY FOR GUITARISTS/BASSISTS
- Familiar with their equipment and able to adapt their tone and style of playing to fit different genres of music, primarily contemporary worship.
- Willingness to invest in any gear that is needed to facilitate modern guitar driven worship. This includes, but is not limited to: tube amp and pedals such as overdrive, distortion, delay, and reverb.
- Before making purchases to supplement existing gear, please talk with the worship pastor so that he can direct you on what may be needed for the room.
ADDITIONALLY FOR KEYBOARDISTS
- Familiar with/willing to learn keyboard software including (but not limited to) MainStage, and Nord Stage.
- Flexibility to shift at times between playing piano, synth, organ and Rhodes sounds.
- Ability to play “in the Spirit” and enhance the moment with improvised piano, backing up prayer moments, speaking, preaching, etc.
- Ability to play chords in multiple inversions, but also to learn actual piano parts as heard in songs. No jumping around in root inversions.
ADDITIONALLY FOR DRUMMERS
- Ability to tune drums to the modern worship sound/preference, as directed by the Worship & Technical Director.
- Ability to lock in to a metronome, but to also drive the groove forward when needed.
- Able to program a DB-90 Metronome when needed.
- Ability to use a sample pad.
- Ability to learn and navigate the MultiTracks platform using the Playback App from an iPad in a LIVE setting.
- Ability and desire to learn new songs using Planning Center and RehearsalMix as well as other tools, such as online tutorials, to learn their specific parts.
- Ability to understand and adapt to different musical/vocal stylings, primarily modern worship that incorporates a blend of contemporary gospel & world music.
- Time devoted to adequate practice on their own in order to come fully prepared for the rehearsal and gatherings.
- Actively pursuing ways to grow musically, particularly in a modern worship music context.
- Ability to serve the song, not your own preferences. We don’t care how much you can play if it isn’t serving the song.
VOCALISTS
- Ability to stay on pitch at all times.
- Ability to sing melody as well as learn harmonies by ear.
- Ability to support the worship leader by singing your designated parts and not ad libbing over top of them.
- Ability to pick up specific parts on the fly as the leader directs.
- Ability to blend and adapt vocal style to other vocalists.
- Ability to engage a group of people and lead them in worship through a dynamic and honest on-stage presence.
INSTRUMENTALISTS
- Ability to read chord charts and adapt what they are playing on the fly as the leader directs.
- Ability to listen to a song and learn specific parts by ear pertaining to their instrument.
- Ability to understand what it means to play in a modern worship setting and adapt personal musical style and preference as needed.
- A working knowledge of scales, chords and basic music theory.
- Ability to improvise as needed and requested by the leader.
- Ability to keep time with a metronome in practice, rehearsal and live settings.
- Must have your own instrument/gear in order to be able to practice & rehearse on your own.
ADDITIONALLY FOR GUITARISTS/BASSISTS
- Familiar with their equipment and able to adapt their tone and style of playing to fit different genres of music, primarily contemporary worship.
- Willingness to invest in any gear that is needed to facilitate modern guitar driven worship. This includes, but is not limited to: tube amp and pedals such as overdrive, distortion, delay, and reverb.
- Before making purchases to supplement existing gear, please talk with the worship pastor so that he can direct you on what may be needed for the room.
ADDITIONALLY FOR KEYBOARDISTS
- Familiar with/willing to learn keyboard software including (but not limited to) MainStage, and Nord Stage.
- Flexibility to shift at times between playing piano, synth, organ and Rhodes sounds.
- Ability to play “in the Spirit” and enhance the moment with improvised piano, backing up prayer moments, speaking, preaching, etc.
- Ability to play chords in multiple inversions, but also to learn actual piano parts as heard in songs. No jumping around in root inversions.
ADDITIONALLY FOR DRUMMERS
- Ability to tune drums to the modern worship sound/preference, as directed by the Worship & Technical Director.
- Ability to lock in to a metronome, but to also drive the groove forward when needed.
- Able to program a DB-90 Metronome when needed.
- Ability to use a sample pad.
- Ability to learn and navigate the MultiTracks platform using the Playback App from an iPad in a LIVE setting.