At WorshipRelief, we understand both the callings and the demands of worship leaders in today's contemporary Christian church because we are worship leaders ourselves.
Particularly in small churches, where the resources of volunteers, musicians and money can be limited, the planning of music, supporting visuals, rehearsals and other things can be very taxing on a worship leader or team. And for the larger church, there may be an over-abundance of talent, leaving little room for gifted individuals to use their gifts for God.
The idea behind WorshipRelief is this - to help ignite a fire in today's contemporary Christian churches by providing relief to the people who lead the worship each and every week. Resources for worship leaders, and, practical assistance for the occasional Sunday when they may need a break. Church doesn't just stop when the worship team needs a Sunday off. WorshipRelief will eventually provide a means for a network of pre-screened leaders to come along side one another and "fill in" when needed. It will provide rest for the leaders and will infuse new life - maybe even a new sense of worship appreciation - in the hearts of church members.
When we mix the every day up with something different, good things can happen. Sometimes God uses these opportunities to stretch us. Maybe move us out of our comfort zone. Not always a bad thing, right?!
WorshipRelief could one day provide people who would otherwise never have an occasion to relate to one another the opportunity to come together and make music for God. Almost like an all star team of musicians who use their talents in the truest way their creator intended for them to be used!
There are big plans for the future. We are unsure when "the future" is at this point. So for now, we will use WorshipRelief as a platform for introducing local worship leaders to one another. Step 2 will involve "swapping" of praise bands on certain Sundays. We believe that this occasional change of pace could do great things for leaders, and for their congregation. Then, the next steps are outlined below.
Future Plans...
- A statement of beliefs and requirements of churches and/or events requesting relief.
- Sample MP-3's of participating worship leaders.
Song lists and the ability to request particular songs for your service/event.
An online calendar for relief request.
A regional "Original Music" section where worship leaders can share their music with others.
An online community and blog for worship leaders.
Audition information for those interested in joining the WorshipRelief team.
Links to helpful resources for worship leaders, musicians and audio/visual teams.
Planning updates for an annual inter-church worship event on Delmarva.