Published Nov 27, 2016
West Sacramento – Musicians enjoyed worship, concerts and speakers during the Fellowship of Church Musicians at Country Oaks Baptist Church in Elk Grove Oct. 24-25.
Held prior to the California Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, this year the worship team from Bell Road Baptist Church in Auburn led worship at the Monday night session.
Skip Ferris, lead pastor of New Life Bible Church in Sonora and featured speaker, said he wished he was a musician, and threatened to sing his message in Gregorian Chant.
Deciding against that option, Ferris told the audience that there are three aspects of worship: to, for and in the Name of God.
Citing the story of David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant, Ferris noted, “In our celebration we must never lose sight of that required reverence that is due His Name.”
He reminded the musicians that “Jesus isn’t on the Ark of the Covenant, He’s within us.”
There is a “trinity of authentic worship,” Ferris said, which includes sacrifice to God, dancing for God and serving in the Name of God.
“What we do matters to the Kingdom,” he encouraged the musicians.
“Reality,” the student choir from First Baptist Church in Grass Valley, presented a concert complete with choreography. The group is led by Mark Nunn, pastor of worship and arts at First Baptist, who noted that the youth/college choir tours each summer.
Nunn, who received this year’s Joe Daniel Excellence in Music Award, also led worship for the CSBC annual meeting.
Receiving the Duane Barrett Lifetime Achievement Award was Hugh Campbell, retired minister of music who served in several California churches.
The Barrett and Daniel awards are presented each year to CSBC worship leaders who have provided outstanding musical leadership in California Southern Baptist churches. Recipients of the award receive honorary life membership in the Fellowship of Church Musicians.
Rick Muchow, a concert artist, composer and worship leader coach from Southern California, along with a team of musicians that included Joseph Bolin, new dean of the Collinsworth School of Music at California Baptist University, presented a concert/ worship experience to close the Monday evening event.
Muchow was featured speaker the next day at a plenary session, providing tips for the group on “making music better in order to improve worship.” He also reminded the musicians to “lead singing and not a show.”
The worship team from the host church, led by bivocational minister of music William Mininfield, provided special music Monday evening. He also spoke at the Tuesday morning session.
Harry Buena of Life Mission Church in Manteca accepted the CSBC Outstanding Volunteer Music Leader Award, while the Outstanding Bivocational Music Leader Award went to Nate Frey of Fellowship Church in Burbank.
The Fellowship of Church Musicians is open to any Christian musician. To join simply register and attend the annual conference. For more information about music ministry contact Roger Byrd, CSBC music and worship specialist, at rbyrd@csbc.com or visit www.csbc.com/ministry-resources/ music-and-worship or www.caworship.com.