SACRED ARTS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE (cont.)

Shield of Faith is best known for their outstanding worship services.  Webster defines a worship service as a “formal or ceremonious rendering of reverent honor and homage paid to God.”  At these services, the atmosphere is charged with a supernatural energy that bestows people with an exceptional and special feeling of peace, liberty and freedom.  During any given worship service at “The Shield”, people are lifting or clapping their hands, singing songs, shouting “Hallelujah” and “Thank You Jesus”, jumping, running or just standing but never, never, sitting down.  All across the building, hundreds of people unite their thoughts and minds, forgetting about everything else or any present problems, and focus in on worshipping Jesus Christ.  The worship service at Shield of Faith begins with prayer, a scripture read from the Bible, and songs lead by the “praise team.”  The praise team consists of six people: two sopranos, two altos, two tenors, and a worship leader, who leads the congregation, with the help of the praise team, in songs and hymns.   A worship experience occurs when the congregation unifies by singing songs of worship, clapping their hands and stomping their feet, and most important, praising and worshiping Jesus Christ.  This unification comes through music and song, a unified “worship team”, and the worship leader. read more

     To begin, music and the songs in a worship service help generate a worship experience.  It is important for the music to sound good and the music has to be fun and exciting.  The music must be something you can dance to and that people of different backgrounds can relate two.  Rod Brewster, who is the director of the Shield of Faith’s Praise Team, feels that it is important that the music is not just one style; all gospel music, or gospel contemporary music, but it is important for the music to have a universal sound.  Music that everyone from different ethnic backgrounds and walks of life can enjoy.  In addition, Rod believes that it is important for music to create a connection with the congregation through activity and participation.  For example songs that encourage people to lift their hands and praise and worship the Lord.  Simeon Magee, Shield of Faith’s Minister of Music, also believes that the music in a worship service should incorporate participation from the congregation.  A songwriter himself, Simeon encourages people to get into the mood of worship.  One of his songs states, “It’s time to praise Him!  It’s time to lift our hands…” Moreover, Simeon orchestrates the music and feels that it is important for music to have a full sound and sound good.  Simeon has guitar players, saxophone players, pianists, organists, and drummers that contribute to the music that is played in service.  This band plays music that encourages people to lift there hands or jump or dance.  Music unifies the people because everyone wants to do the same thing. It has been said that it is similar to a huge aerobic class only it is more of a spiritual workout. 

ALL correspondences should be directed to simeonmagee@yahoo.com