Proper Behavior for a Church Choir

A church choir is a musical ensemble that sings worship music during church services, events and special occasions. The choirmaster or conductor leads the choir in their performances. All members of the choir are considered to be privileged congregation members who share their talent with others through song. With this privilege comes a responsibility to closely follow the ethics and moral expectations of the church.

Each choir member is expected to attend all the services and functions when the choir is needed. Promptness is important as well. Choir members need to be team players, showing respect and cooperation with the choir director and other members of the clergy. If a choir member anticipates problems with these responsibilities, it's proper etiquette to talk to the music ministry director to see if joining the choir will be the right choice.

Since choir singers are seen as members of the church itself by many people in the congregation, they should behave as role models. This means that they need to exhibit courteous and kind behavior even when they are not singing with the choir for an event or church service. They must conduct themselves respectfully when traveling for choir performances to represent the church elsewhere. They should refrain from smoking, drinking and swearing at all functions where they may see members of the congregation. They are expected to exhibit good moral standards in and out of church. Their social involvement and personal habits need to reflect this commitment.

Choir members should not try to sing out too loudly when they are part of an ensemble. They should never try to out-sing one another, even if they feel that their voices are superior to others. Each singer needs to know her part and watch the conductor closely for cues. If a choir member is ill or has issues with her vocal chords that prevent her from singing, she should confer with the conductor about whether she should still stand with the choir silently or sit elsewhere to observe the performance instead.

Nearly every church choir has uniform robes for its members. Each choir singer is usually expected to wear the robe for every choir performance. The robe and any accessories should be clean and pressed. The singer should also be dressed modestly beneath the robe. She should refrain from wearing garish or large jewelry that may distract from the robe and overall uniform look of the choir. Hair and makeup should be conservative for all members.