One constant in worship over the course of centuries, is the attempt to communicate to those who show up for worship. As a worship leader/designer/prompter, the idea, at some level, is to make sense of it all to those who are there. In so doing, there has been, yes, for centuries, a push-pull between drama (in the most generic sense...like the drama of a full orchestra, or someone speaking from a balcony) and austerity (again, in the general sense...no matter what happens, there is, I believe, no intent for a Quaker service to be dramatic...and do we need to discuss Calvin?).
As the chief musician/worship leader, I've written elsewhere about how thinking like a TV producer can be beneficial. But one of my friends, Marcia McFee, in an important, "must read" article, talks about also why, from a congregational engagement point of view, it is important to think like a film maker.
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