SAMPLE ANNUAL ENCOURAGEMENT
LETTER TO CHOIR MEMBERS
BY LINDEL ANDERSON

DATE: October 18,1997
TO: Adult Choir
FROM: Lindel Anderson
CONCERNING: Level of Commitment to Adult Choir

Greetings! I wanted to take this opportunity to communicate to you some things that I feel are important to me and to every choir member of the Calvary Adult Choir. I would like to begin by saying what a privilege it is has been for me to serve as your director the past two years. In some ways it seems like such a short time and then in other ways, it seems like I’ve been here forever! I thank God for every one of you. Please be aware of how much I appreciate the love and support that I feel from each of you!

The Adult Choir is the main choir at Calvary Tabernacle. This choir must remain strong and very much committed to MINISTRY. This will only happen when everyone realizes the awesome responsibility that you have accepted. We must stay focused on our purpose. It is an awesome one: To usher in the presence of God! Every time we stand in the sanctuary to sing, we must realize that what we are doing plays such an
important role.

I want the Adult Choir to be more effective than ever! Anything worth doing is worth doing our best! Please join with me and the other choir members as we strive to be the best we can be – for HIS sake!

We should be so thankful for our church. Our leadership is so annointed! I thank God for Pastor and Sister Mooney! And as much as we love and support them we should be even more appreciative of the fact
that we are in a church that is based on TRUTH! This Apostolic Doctrine that has been handed to us is a treasure. But because we have been given so much, much is required of us.

I often think of people of other religions and “Christians” who are deceived by false doctrine. We have the TRUTH, yet many of these people put us to shame with their level of commitment!

It is easy to make excuses why you can’t be as committed as you need to be. But in most cases it boils down to the fact that most people do what they want to do. If you feel that the ministry of the choir is important, then you will not miss except in extreme circumstances. (Let me go on the record here by stating that probably 50-60% of our choir shows a very high level of commitment. If you are one of these people who are just always there, God bless you! Don’t ever change. Don’t let the others affect you to become less committed!) My purpose for writing this letter is to try to improve on the other 40-50%

Some ways to be a better choir minister:

I. Always strive for unity! This can be acheived! It all starts with each member being “sold out” to God. This includes a personal walk with God. When we are prayed up, it is easy to stay focused on the things of God instead of petty differences and little things that can cause division in a choir (choir uniforms, choir seating assignments, who is or is not singing solos, song selection, etc.) Let’s all make a new commitment to prayer, fasting, bible reading, to unity and to things spiritual. This choir will be only as spiritual as we make it.

2. Attendance – Any successful organization must have a high level of commitment in this area! Too often it is just easier to make an excuse than to be in attendance when the choir is rehearsing or singing in a service. “I’m only one in a group of 5060 people. I won’t be missed if I’m not there.” If only one or two thinks like this, that might be the case. The problem arises when 40-50% of the choir members decide that
they will not be missed. Suddenly the choir is reduced to an ensemble. The effectiveness of the group is also reduced!

Whether it is the 9:00 rehearsal on Sunday, the Monday evening rehearsal or a Sunday evening rehearsal, it is easy to make excuses (I like to call them exceptions – “l don’t have to do what the rest is required to do”). Some of our most faithful members overcome very difficult obstacles. More than one of our members have a drive to Calvary of over I hour. Some of these same members have spouses and children that are not in the choir. Yet they are rarely absent or even late! It all goes back to your level of commitment!

The purpose of this letter is to encourage and is not directed to any one individual. As I’ve stated in the past, I will not be one who places the blame for a low level of commitment anywhere except squarely
on my shoulders. I have tried to be the best director that I can be! I’m quite sure that there is much room for improvement. I again pledge to you to try to do better. Sometimes I feel that I am involved in so
many things that I can’t perform at my best in any area. Please be patient with me as I try to juggle the responsibilities of the music departments at Calvary Tabernacle, Calvary Christian School Indiana
Bible College and at the same time try to be a good husband and father. Your prayers and support are appreciated!

In HIS Service!

Lindel M. Anderson
Minister of Music

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