ROAD CREW AGENDA - JANUARY 22, 2009

7PM New Horizons

CHILDCARE PROVIDED

7:10 OPENING PRAYER

7:15 WELCOME AND INSTALL NEW ELDERS

Richard "Biff" Gaitan, Beth DeVries, Chandra Mullenix

7:30 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

7:45 COVENANT COMMUNITY: EMMAUS ROAD AS ENSEMBLE

If you substitute a tuba for a bass, but the tuba player doesn't show...

(see below)

Presentation; table talk; large group share

8:45 CLOSING PRAYER

Emmaus Road as Ensemble – Parable of Missing Tuba Player

Once upon a time, a group of people decided to form a musical ensemble to play beautiful music, some old, some new.
Some had been part of traditional ensembles – orchestras, big bands, string quartets – with defined roles, and standard instrumentation. This group of people, however, didn’t have the right combination of instruments to form a traditional ensemble, so they decided to come together with the instruments they had, and made a bold covenant: to play beautiful music in a different way. It required adjustment, creativity, commitment, and trust. The ensemble looked and sounded different – instead of a baritone sax, a bassoon. Instead of a piano, a glockenspiel. Instead of a bass, a tuba. The violin section wasn’t very deep, but the voices of the chords were filled in by other instruments. Music was arranged around the players they had. New arrangements of old songs were scored. The most important melodic themes were preserved in a fresh setting and the ensemble was able to reach an audience uninterested in, or intimidated by, traditional music venues. A lack of instrumentation was no limitation; it forced innovation; beautiful music flowed freely.

But after a few seasons, the music suffered. The group decided to cover Miles Davis’ tune, So What, which begins with a big bass solo. There was no bass player in the group, but there was a tuba player. In rehearsal it sounded different, but cool. When the bass player didn’t show up for the gig, though, that was not cool. Pretty soon the bassoon player had doubts about the oboe player’s commitment, and quit covering the bari sax parts. Passion faded; morale sank, music suffered.

Some said it was because they didn’t have the right instruments; it was a weird, untested kind of an ensemble. But that was not the reason: the arrangements worked; the sounds were unique, wonderful; they even had an audience. It was simply this: the tuba player decided to skip one gig, then another, and other players began to quietly wonder who would be next? As “silent” songs of blame and animosity crept into the repertoire, would this ensemble survive?

QUESTIONS:

Q: What are the “rhythms” Emmaus Road has established? Do we “play” them well together?
Q: How is our ministry shaped by the particular gifts and resources God has given us?
Q: Is Emmaus Road’s size an asset or liability, strength or weakness?
Q: When a “tuba player” goes missing, are we able to talk about it honestly and lovingly in Christ? Do we offer encouragement along with accountability?
Q: When it comes to planning, expectations, and vision, how is communication among leaders and members: effective, ok, or ineffective? How might it improve?
Q: As a member of Christ’s body among this group, how great is your sense of personal responsibility, to play your part, to speak up, to mentor newcomers, etc.?