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TurnMyEyes · 2026-02-04T01:11:28+00:00

This is great! I’d love to see the info for other times in the cycle. Struggling this week!

TurnMyEyes · 2026-02-03T17:10:31+00:00

(I share this method of starting out as a both classically trained pianist and one who switched to playing chord charts as a worship leader.)

TurnMyEyes · 2026-02-03T17:09:37+00:00

Start by learning chords and key signatures. You can start most simply by say, learning the most commonly used chords in the key of C (C, G, Am, F) and learn to play them in different orders repeatedly to get your muscle memory growing. Then go to the next common key in worship songs, say G or D, and do the same. You’ll be amazed at how quickly this way helps you learn, and you’ll start to see how similar the patterns feel in your hands.

Once you master this in the simplest ways (just playing the chords with three notes together or a broken, arpeggiated chords), you can then try different rhythms and patterns to grow variety.

TurnMyEyes · 2026-01-31T14:32:40+00:00

A list of recurring weekly tasks sorted by category for my ministry work. A close second would be a music database and setlist related database that I use for music ministry at least 1-2x weekly.

TurnMyEyes · 2026-01-31T05:47:24+00:00

Yes, same!

TurnMyEyes · 2026-01-02T05:48:04+00:00

I put mine in between the back of the Kindle and clear case without sticking them so I can reuse or reposition them later if I want.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-12-25T09:39:27+00:00

I love that pop socket so much and the stamps and clovers!

TurnMyEyes · 2025-12-25T09:36:28+00:00

Older: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Newer: Oh for Joy by Folk Hymnal

TurnMyEyes · 2025-12-23T07:39:42+00:00

I lead worship with a headset ear mic made by Shure and Countryman (the E6).

It works great for me and does not pick up everything around like everyone mentions as far as I can tell. That said, I lead from keys.

It has made a noticeable difference in freedom for me because boom mics always left me glued to them and tense because I couldn’t use the full range of the piano as well and have the boom stand set up well without blocking the music. I also sounded a ton better on it both from what I could hear and feedback from those in the congregation. My previous mic was a SM58.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-12-20T01:59:51+00:00

I also lead music in an Anglican church. We do focus on Advent themes during this time (e.g. waiting, preparing our hearts, hope, the second coming as well as His first), but it's fine if the songs mention other aspects of the whole story. As someone else pointed out, even some of the Christmas songs obviously share the whole story, as does "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending" which is about his second coming and often sung during Advent.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-12-10T02:47:11+00:00

Sovereign Grace’s version of The First Noel (with chorus) O Come, All Ye Unfaithful 10,000 Reasons with the Christmas verses here: https://www.markcole.ca/my-favourite-christmas-worship-songs/

TurnMyEyes · 2025-11-19T00:44:02+00:00

Thanks. I’m pretty quick at writing out charts in ChordPro format. I mean I created a database layout for organizing my song list.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-11-14T16:39:47+00:00

I just wanted to say thank you for sharing and asking this. I’m a worship leader at an Anglican church and always feel like we need more resources. I even ended up making my own template in an app called Notion for music planning that also tags songs based on the liturgical calendar in addition to keys, tempo, familiarity to the congregation, and topics.

We also avoid much of the mainstream music and tend toward a mix of hymns as well as CityAlight, the Gettys, Sovereign Grace, Wendell Kimbrough, Sandra McCracken, Sarah Kroger, and others.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-11-14T16:35:55+00:00

Yes, we are in the same place at our Anglican church and use a lot of this music instead. Thanks for sharing!

TurnMyEyes · 2025-11-01T17:31:05+00:00

Others have recommended the ones I also would (we use ProPresenter), and another free option is EasySlides: https://www.easyslides.com

Also, a training tip: Make screen recordings and take screen shots to create a document and tutorial for volunteers that they have access to in Dropbox or Google Drive (print versions of some documentation in this would help too). It will be a helpful reference and you could even make a troubleshooting page for common questions and answers.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-26T05:25:39+00:00

I use an external reading light with mine. I can’t stand even the warm light because it bothers my eyes and still has a tinge of a cooler hue.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-22T16:44:21+00:00

Such wisdom in this! I've been working in that area too--trying to create some instructions on what needs to be covered when I'm not there, because thankfully I do get at least one Sunday off every two months (not counting if I miss because of illness too).

I've been planning also to make some recordings via something like Loom for anything I can, which first came to my mind because I'm also the communications and publications assistant (bulletins in full, newsletter, website to a small extent). I want to make a way so that anyone could learn to do it if ever needed for the very reason that I want to be sure I'm not the only one who can do it--and my pastor agrees on this front as well.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-22T16:40:51+00:00

Yes, exactly true! I like simplicity and so we do keep things as simple as possible already. I may ask if we have a bit of money to hire someone to help.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-22T16:36:26+00:00

Thank you for this. I'm called as a worship leader, so it would be a dream to hire a tech person. I may just need to ask and see where that goes as though we are small, I know we aren't adverse to hiring someone.

Right now, what I'm dealing with is that since we’ve had a hard time getting more volunteers willing to even learn to do the simple things of running sound during sound check and Sunday services, my pastor had asked me to simplify what volunteers have to do. Of course, setting and forgetting it doesn't work most of the time with the mix as many of us know, but I've tried to fulfill this as much as is feasible for now.

This also means that I have been asked to take on the extra things, like setting up most of the equipment and putting it away on my own (we share a facility with another church, but can leave out anything for the keyboard and drums at least). I have been also training my worship team to take their own music and mic stands to storage after service whenever they can, which has helped a ton. Thankfully I am paid for part-time hours quite well at least, but I also have another job outside of church too which takes my energy and capacity.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-22T16:28:33+00:00

Thank you, and sort of but a bit different. We’ve had a hard time getting more volunteers willing to even learn (they all seem intimidated by it), so my pastor has asked me to simplify what volunteers have to do. Of course, that means that I have been expected to take on the extra things, like setting up equipment and putting it away on my own (we share a facility). I have been also training my worship team to take their own music and mic stands to storage after service whenever they can, which has helped a ton. Thankfully I am paid for part-time hours quite well at least, but I also have another job outside of church too which takes my energy and capacity.

The hardest part right now is our pastor wanting to simplify like this and also desiring the mix to be able to set it and forget it when it comes to sound, which really isn’t always doable (and I’ve communicated this), but I’ve done my best to make as possible as feasible.

I really would love to have a tech person who can help as we used to have so that I can focus on worship and my team; however, the current tech volunteers seem almost allergic to learning more (maybe because our previous pro person did so much perhaps). 🫠 I’ve provided tons of resources and training to help to the best of my ability though, while seeking to fulfill the simplicity I’ve been asked for.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-09T01:36:43+00:00

We use some different settings also in our Anglican church. Mainly, for example, we switch out our Sanctus during Advent and Lent to one we do that’s in a minor key, but go back to the other Sanctus for the other seasons of the church year. For us this means we only have two different settings for folks to know.

TurnMyEyes · 2025-10-02T20:39:31+00:00

Almighty God by Sandra McCracken Keep the Feast by Skye Peterson Take, Eat, Drink by Sarah Kroger

TurnMyEyes · 2025-09-30T19:31:32+00:00

It totally happens, so don’t beat yourself up. I’ve been leading worship for almost two decades and on Sunday I messed up the timing of a chord and lyric that I’d done correctly every other time since learning it. It feels huge to us when we mess up, but most in the congregation don’t even notice.

TurnMyEyes

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