Common Ground Midtown’s worship ministry exists to create space for the body of Christ to engage in meaningful and honest praise and worship for the purpose of individual and corporate adoration, reflection, and response.
We believe the purpose of worship is to take on an intentional posture of seeing and being seen by God (e.g. noticing and engaging with God), who is Love, by embracing his love for us and giving love back to him and to our neighbors through our worship (1 John 4:16).
We live this out by stepping more and more into our Common Ground Christian Church - Midtown values.
CG Midtown Values
Justice: Individually and as a community, we desire to live in right relationship with God, each other, and all of Creation. We long to act justly and equitably and to break down barriers of injustice in the community around us. We strive to demonstrate this pursuit in tangible ways through our words and activity.
In our worship ministry, pursuing justice includes the willingness to step into new and unfamiliar expressions of worship to show hospitality and solidarity with our community and the global church. Whether through songs in different genres, prayers in different languages, or having more voices throughout planning. Our goal is not merely to partake in expressions of worship that we personally relate to, but to worship as an individual member of the larger body of Christ, in which we are united across all nations, tongues, and social classifications.
Generosity: We give of our resources (including time, talents, energy, attention, and finances) to participate in what we discern to be God’s work in this world locally and globally. We interact with a generosity of Spirit in relationships, extending God's love, patience, and kindness to individuals at all points of their spiritual journey.
In our worship ministry, generosity includes the willingness to give our time, energy, and full presence to serve the community with our gifts. In order to do this, we are prepared, we pay attention to one another (both relationally and musically), and we take a posture of humility. Practically, this looks like preparing on our own (not just during rehearsal), showing up to rehearsal on time, and taking a genuine interest in each other so that we are able to show compassion and empathy, to pray for one another, and to share in each other's joys and burdens.
Spirit-Led: We trust in the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in and among us. We listen for God’s will and discern together how to participate in what God is doing in this world. We respond in faith when prompted to do so by the Holy Spirit.
In our worship ministry, being Spirit-led involves paying attention to the movement of the Spirit in both our gatherings and our rehearsals. Perfect planning and execution are not only unrealistic expectations, they’re also completely meaningless if we aren’t truly listening for the Spirit’s direction. We need to be able to trust what the Spirit is doing in and among us more than our own plans or abilities.
Growth: We seek to be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. We do this by putting the Scriptures into practice in our daily lives and by serving sacrificially (missionally) in the world. We challenge and stretch our hearts and minds by engaging in opportunities that promote continuous spiritual formation in the way of Jesus.
In our worship ministry, growth involves being committed to personal formation and relational connection with our team. Opportunities we’ve created for growth in these areas include worship team gatherings, trainings, and retreats. When we grow in our abilities, knowledge, creativity, and relationship with one another, we expand our potential for depth, both on our team and through our larger CG gatherings.
Belonging: We make establishing, building, and maintaining meaningful, deep, and intentional relationships with God and one another a priority. We value and respect the image of God in all people. We trust that a variety of perspectives leads to deeper community.
In our worship ministry, belonging involves seeking peace and joy in our relationships with one another. We support, encourage, listen, and value each member of the worship ministry above ourselves. And we consider it an honor to serve together, regardless of differences in style, preference, ability, or perspective.
Interested in joining the worship ministry?
We're called to be worshipers of God—a small piece of worship being our musical worship on Sundays. Our worship ministry consists of those who sing, play instruments, run the sound board, and oversee lighting and visual tech responsibilities.
We are seeking people for our CG Midtown worship ministry who desire to be humble and curious worshipers. If God has gifted you with musical or technical AV skills and abilities, please consider becoming involved with the Midtown worship ministry.
If you find yourself wondering about the worship ministry and are interested in joining, our first step is having you complete the form found here. You'll find questions about your music or technical background and about your history with church and leading worship. Our associate pastor of worship will reach out with next steps to get to know each other!
You can read our worship philosophy and expectations by clicking here.
