Worship Confessional Sunday, March 8.

Hello fellow worshippers.
I heard about this blog from my friend Brian Lusky and thought it seemed like a great way to share ideas/successes/failures. I would love to get more connected to leaders and passionate worshippers across the country and world!
So here we go.

I'm Jen Kerr, a long-time worship leader, and new guitar player at Mclane Church. We are located in Edinboro, Erie, and Union City Pennsylvania and we have about 1200 attenders each week when you add all three sites together.

I helped lead at one of my church's multisites this weekend at what we call "Church in a Bar." No alcohol is served, but the service takes place in a local popular nightclub during non-open hours.

Here's out set list for the week.

Holy is the Lord
Mighty to Save
For the Cross

Testimony
Communion

How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Amazed
You Are God Alone
I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)

This week was very heavy on music due to communion and lack of an actual "message"
But sometimes a testimony is more of a message than anything and this was particularly powerful. Tex talked about his past of sexual abuse, neglect, alcoholism, brutal assault and jail time. He proceeded to take the step he'd been struggling with for the past year, threw away his alcohol from the stage, and prayed to accept Christ right in the middle of the service.

Now the music end.
Overall, people seemed to really connect with the worship, and that's the goal.
You could hear lots of congregational singing and more physical expression that usual, not that I think you can judge the heart by the outside, but you know what I mean.
Also, harmonies were tight, and the violin player was especially fantastic.

Some issues(ok there were a lot)
1. There was some awkwardness that comes with two people who are both used to leading trying to work together for the first few times.
2. People tried to clap on Redman's "For the Cross" but it just wasn't working.
3. The other guitar player forgot to capo "Mighty to Save" He was going to play in G capo 2 and my chart was in A. He played in G, no capo. The other musicians adjusted after a few bars, but I can't transpose on the fly to save my life.
4. I missed the key change at the end of "How Deep the Father's Love"
5. Now it was my turn to forget a capo on "You are God Alone." I quickly started over with capo in place (other guitar player thought I should have just kept going) Not sure in retrospect which is better..

It's amazing to me that God can move so powerfully in the face of so many human errors..
I left in awe of Him but also a bit worried (well a lot worried) that my sub-par guitar playing might have been more of a detriment than an aid to worship.

If you're a random reader..I did this as part of sunday setlists. You can read about services from all over the place here. http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2009/03/08/sunday-setlists-33/

Thanks for starting this worship community/blog and
if you don't mind..let me know if anyone reads this...