Sing praises to God! -- UCZ Choir Membership

Muli shani! Greetings from Zambia!

 United Church of Zambia congregations usually have at least three choirs and sometimes as many as 5 or 6. The three primary choirs are: the 'Main' Church Choir, the Praise Team and the Women's Christian Fellowship (WCF) Choir.  Often the Men's Christian Fellowship creates a choir, too.  There might also be a 'youth' choir.

Each choir will have chosen a name, e.g. at Siyavonga where I preached on Sunday, the 'main' choir is 'Rock of Ages', the Praise Team (pictured) is 'Living Water' and the WCF Choir (pictured) is 'Dorcas Choir'.

Rehearsals are often held numerous times during the week -- perhaps 3-4 evenings and then again on Saturday.  And the results are amazing!

These choirs, like this one at Twatasha UCZ Congregation on the outskirts of Kitwe, are a huge draw for young people. The UCZ has created stipulations for choirs, to ensure that the focus of each choir and each singer remains on Christian praise and worship.  For starters, choir members, in the United Church of Zambia, must be full communicants in the local congregation.

A Choir Membership Card includes the following ‘Rededication vows’ which are renewed annually:

1. I promise that, I will stay in the house of the LORD, congregating with my fellow Choir / Praise & drama members, learning the Word of God together through music.
2. I promise that, I will continue to renew my life to my God and my membership to my Congregation each year through rededication.
3. I promise that, I will sing a new song to you my God and make music to you.  Through music and performances, I will evangelise and reach out to the lost souls.
4. I promise to work together with fellow Choir/ Praise & Drama team members and the Church at large, supporting one another through the Word of God, prayer and music, contributing my time and resources to the advancement of God’s Kingdom.
5. Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to Thee.  Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Membership Card includes pictures on the cover of a church, a drum, an icisekese (shaker/rattle) and the UCZ shield logo.

Inside the membership card there is a place for church and personal information and a monthly giving /receipt chart.  Choirs have expenses (uniforms, transportation to competitions and to sing at other churches, recording), and monthly giving raises the necessary funds.

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