EQUIP & REFRESH
THE ONE DAY ALPHA CONFERENCE
Worship Seminar
Speaker: Bill White
Seminar Outline
Principles of Worship on Alpha
Worship for Alpha Courses / Small Groups
Worship during the Alpha Day / Weekend
Alpha Prayer & Praise
Alpha Introductory Supper
Technicals
Resources
Finish 2:40pm -> Main Hall for tea/coffee; Q & A
Principles of Worship on Alpha
Mark 12:30-31 and Matthew 22: 37-40: Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no greater commandment than these’
We are leaders in worship: worshipper first
We focus on God and introduce the guests to enter into worship to find
intimacy with Father, Son & Holy Spirit
Worship is many things, not just song but we will discussing the music and
singing part of worship
Principles of Worship on Alpha
1. Preparation
• Prayer
• Plan with the Alpha Leader
• Agree on a single musical director to coordinate music
• competance, not personal brilliance God is glorified
• Use what you've got: voice + guitar, piano, etc or CD
• Borrow people from other churches
• Practice - together if using a music group
Principles of Worship on Alpha
2. Delivery
• Provide a strong lead to the Singing
• Don't spoil the mood – run songs together
• Bring Up - quiet Worship to rising level of Praise
• Bring Down - from Praise bring down to quiet Worship
• Work with the Alpha Leader
• Keep eye contact during the worship sessions
• Be aware of what God is doing
Principles of Worship on Alpha
3. Sustainability
Train/encourage others
Let go - need to give others the opportunity of leading
Keep praying, seeking God – faith, inertia, encouragement
Alpha Course/Small Groups
Choose culturally acceptable songs from your repertoire
Modern, quiet, worship songs work OK for most groups
One worship song from week 2 with maybe a short prayer
Week1 useful to find out guest's needs
NOTE: HTB always do 2 songs from week 1 - 400+ guests!
- your choice.
Alpha Course/Small Groups
Use OHP if possible; song sheets/books OK for a small group
Keep it Simple – no need for complicated intro's, rhythms or
instrumentation, mostly acoustic
Say how many songs and emphasise that guests need not join
in if not comfortable. We are trying to lead by example
Alpha Course/Small Groups
Be aware that the singing is often the most difficult issue for
the guests at first but can be the best later on!
OK to repeat songs during the course – aids familiarity
Give a good, positive vocal lead to the singing – even if using a
CD. They may not sing, but You Must!
Let the Spirit lead you
Alpha Course/Small Groups
Typical Evening:
Start 7.15pm Arrival & Welcome; Supper;
8pm Introduction, Joke, Book Review
8:10pm Worship Song(s)
8:15pm Video Talk
9:00pm Coffee / Tea, Small Group Discussion
9.45pm Finish
Alpha Course/Small Groups
Example song list (usually only one per week):
Week 1. Who is Jesus?
(no song first week)
Week 2. Why Jesus Died?
How Deep the Father’s Love
Week 3. Faith
All I Once Held Dear, Amazing Grace
Week 4. Bible
Wings of the Dawn (Ps139), All I Once Held Dear
Week 5. Prayer
Lord I Come To You
Week 6. Guidance
Be Thou My Vision, Jesus Be the Centre
Alpha Holy Sprit Weekend (see next slide)
Week 7. Evil
Great is the Lord, Be Thou My Vision
Week 8. Telling Others
How Deep the Father’s Love, Days of Elijah
Week 9. Healing
Be Still, Lord I Come To You
Week 10 Church
Men of Faith, Blessed Be Your Name
Alpha Day/Weekend
Plan ahead – especially if away for a w/e for SRS/PA, OHP,
Music Group, setup, practices, liaise with Alpha Leader for
the event
Sound Control: someone to setup and control the SRS/PA and
practise with the music group
Band or Single Person? Depending on size of the event you
may need a music group or just one person – same as small
groups
Alpha Day/Weekend
Choose broadly acceptable songs - contemporary style works
well
Choose songs that ‘resolve’ – don’t leave the guests ‘hanging’
Choose some of the songs used in the course sessions – helps
familiarity
Re-emphasise that guests need not join in – no compulsion or
rules, but give a clear lead
Can change the written key if helpful to flow songs together
Keep flexible to allow for what God is doing
Alpha Day/Weekend
Typical programme includes:
Calls to Worship after breaks. Usually one Praise song. Get ready early
Friday night – 2 or 3 songs (don't expect enthusiasm yet) use Father/God
songs, not too personal at this stage
Saturday AM session: 1 or 2 songs; Praise songs (repeat one from Friday)
Saturday PM session: 1 or 2 songs; Worship songs, more personal
May do introductory song before the prayer ministry – e.g. Be Still
During prayer ministry: choose instrumentals, worship songs; intimate,
personal, finish with Praise songs
Sunday AM – 2 or 3 Praise songs (enthusiasm usually rising by this time)
Example Programme for Alpha Weekend Day for about 50 - 200 guests
FRIDAY
5.00 pm onwards
7.15 – 7.45pm
9.30pm
SATURDAY
8.00 – 8.30am
9:42am
9.45am
10.45am
11:12am
11.15am
12.00pm
4:27pm
4.30pm
6.30pm
Arrival and Registration of Guests (Host Team)
Team Prayer (Board Room) 8:00 – 9.00pm Supper
Worship and short Introduction to the Weekend
Blessed Be Your Name, Strength Will Rise, The Splendour Of The King
Team Prayer (Board Room)
8.45 – 9.15am Breakfast
(Strength Will Rise call to worship)
Worship: King Of Kings, Over All The Earth
Talk 1 "Who Is the Holy Spirit?"
Tea/Coffee (Cefn Lea)
(Strength Will Rise call to worship)
Talk II
"What Does the Holy Spirit Do?"
Alpha Groups 1.00pmLunch
Afternoon – free
(Strength Will Rise call to worship)
Worship: How Deep The Father's Love For Us, Lord I Come To You
Talk III "How Can I Be Filled With the Spirit?"
Before Ministry: Be Still
During Ministry:
Open The Eyes, Name Above All Names,
Jesus All For Jesus, When The Music Fades
Worship After Ministry: Jesus Christ, My Jesus My Saviour
Supper
8.30 – 9.30pm
Entertainment
Example Programme for Alpha Weekend Day for about 50 - 200 guests
SUNDAY
8.00 – 8.30am
Team Prayer (Board Room) 9.00 – 9.30am
9.45am
Alpha Groups
10.30am
Tea/Coffee (Cefn Lea)
10:57am
11.00am
(Strength Will Rise – call to worship)
Worship: Strength Will Rise, The Splendour Of The King
Talk IV
"How Can I Make the Most of the Rest of My Life?"
Ministry Session:
During Ministry: Instrumental: When the Music Fades,
I Will Offer Up My Life
Worship and to close: Jesus Christ, My Jesus My Saviour
1.00pm
Lunch
After LunchFarewells (All Teams)
Breakfast
Alpha Prayer and Praise and other Celebrations
Comprises all Christians supporting Alpha, everyone expected to join in
Can be more open about interspersing with prayers
More emphasis on reaching out to others but also equipping ourselves
Usual to have a music group for this event so plan ahead
Don't try to please everyone! - limit band to 4 or 5 max.
Strong vocal lead
Choose songs that convey the message of the event
Get someone to setup and control the SRS/PA and practise with the group
Alpha Introductory Supper
Any music here should be background only – often we use a jazz combo
[HTB do this] or single piano instrumemental or just a CD.
Definately no worship songs with everyone singing!
Technicals - some basic principles
Sound Reinforcement Systems (SRS) – i.e. PA (Mics, Mixers, Amps, etc.)
Judge what is required by the size of the event, music group and the type of guests,
etc. – e.g. small groups only require one guitar/piano and vocal lead with a backing
CD during the ministry, whereas larger groups will normally require amplification
Lift the vocals – instruments should back the singing, not drown it – even when it's
loud!
With any amplification it is essential to have someone dedicated to controlling the
sound especially at the event; ideally also at the setup and practices
Music group may need fold-back – i.e. monitor speakers – so that the music group
can hear themselves
Video and Over-Head Projection (OHP)
Copyright issues – CCL (Church Copyright Licence) MRL (Music Repro. Licence)
Resources
Personal/Church List of songs – Theme, Title, Source, Key, Special setup
The wider church – i.e. other christians beyond your church or fellowship
Song/Music Books:
Spring Harvest, New Wine, Hill Songs, Vineyard,
Songs of Fellowship, Mission Praise
Music CD’s:
Taize, Northumbria Community, Spring Harvest, New Wine,
Hill Songs, Vineyard Music, etc.
Alpha Resources - http://uk.alpha.org/resources
(Alpha Song Book and CD no longer available)
Worship Central - http://www.worshipcentral.org
Literature: Robin Mark: warrior poets of the 21st Century (Ambassador)
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) http://www.ccli.co.uk/
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