There was a time that existed between the choir singing, receiving the offering and the message when the pastor would ask it anyone had a ‘special’.of course that meant any member of the church who would like to sing as a solo, or with a duet trio or quartet. Sometimes we do not know the talent in our churches, especially if they are not used.I was pleasantly surprised when visiting a church member and friend last year; she was playing the UKE. I learned then she played and sang using several instruments, even the spoons. LOLTo be honest I do miss those ‘specials’. Was there too many problems? So can you pastors use your local talent? ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
These "specials"…
Served to help develop local church musical abilities.But in some cases, it was painful to listen to________________
Our church only uses them for special occasions most of the time now, but I am sometimes asked to sing when visiting another church. Of course, most of those services are planned out too, so it’s quickly becoming a thing of the past. I miss it since our church does a totally different style of music now________________More of Him…less of me.twitter.com/camiracle77www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=691241499&ref=name
I became the pastor of Mt. Olivet in Hartwell Ga. A lady said her daughter always sang a special to celebrate the death of her mother. The girl started singing, my wife and son thought it was a joke. It was really really bad. Later that year she said it was time to celebrate her fathers death so her daughter was toing to sing a special. I said lets wait until Memorial Day to celebrate. This angered her. I received a call from her sister how I did not know. She said the Sherriff would be there that day to see that the girl sang. I replied the Sherriff is welcome and needed to come to church but he was not the pastor and the girl would not sing.I survived it, PTL.I learned over the years some songs are special and some are not.At the church I currently attend there is a nice lady who occasionally ask to and the pastor allows it. She is a very nice lady but a horrible singer. If you are called to preach you can preach. If you are called to sing you can sing.Stay in your calling________________Recorded Sermons @ http://www.pastorwiley.com
The unplanned special is the worst…
In our church in Tampa, we were blessed with some VERY GOOD and ANOINTED singers. But I guess my dad remembered those times back in the small churches of Tennessee when it would go like this Does anyone have a special? Anyone? Sis. Jones, how about singing us a special.Then the pastor would sit down while Sis. Jones came to the platform. There, she would peruse the songbook (or several of them), looking for that special song to sing. During all this time, there is silence throughout the church…perhaps for a minute or two.Finally, having found the song, she says: Y’all pray for me, I’ve had the croup all week and the devil’s been fighting me tooth and nail. Don’t listen to the way I sing, just listen to the words.Then Sis. Jones commences to sing. But it’s not the right key. The pianist changes the key, and they start again. But it’s still not the right key. Sis. Jones says, I’m not a-going to let the ol’ devil defeat me! I’m going to sing this song!Finally, they get it right and she starts to singing. It might do well…it might not. So what my dad would do would either give someone advance notice that he wanted them to sing, or they would let him know so he could put them in an available slot. The thing was that they were all to be prepared to sing, to eliminate all that dead space.
In any case, dad would usually have someone give a testimony or the such as a singer was coming to the stage, or perhaps receive the offering…………Yep, many times. And of course we all remember the off key folks, BUT in Moberly Missouri we had Sister Eileen Conrad. That lady could have been featured in Carnegie Hall, She sang to a crowd of 20-35 like they were thousands and ALWAYS blessed my soul.I learned later that Eileen came from Florida where in the 40-50 era she sang with her sisters all over Florida. I was later to meet one of the sisters in Florida, she too was so very talented, They were from the Pinder family that migrated to the USA from the islands.Anyway the COG has produced some talented singers and muscians. Some here on ACTS. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Tapping the mic before startingThinking they have to testify (preach) for ten minutes before they sing________________
Having to volunteer to sing a solo just to have a chance to give a testimony in church.
Ughh……most of the time specials are only special to the one singing, or his/her mother.Remember having singers who sang by cassette?The song starts…Oh no. That’s the wrong one. Rewind it a little bit CharlieCharlie rewinds it and starts the music over.No…that’s too far________________
Confession time. Kenneth Hensley was a member of my church. I did not use him as often as I should, anyone who knew Ken Knew he was ‘professional’ in music. Our church ran 30-35 in attendance. I felt like Ken would not want to sing to that small crowd often.He moved to a much larger church and became the music director. His mother confided in me that Ken would have stayed if he could have used his talent.Felt like and idiot? YEP Ken and I stayed friends for years. We joked about the SS and fellowship hall we built with no foundation or permits, it is still standing after 60 years. LO________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Hindsight is always 20/20. I hope you let Priscilla play the piano________________More of Him…less of me.twitter.com/camiracle77www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=691241499&ref=name