How to Play Piano for Church
Churches are often in need of good pianists, especially when congregation sizes fluctuate and choirs or worship services are added. Even churches that have consistent staff musicians need people to cover for vacation and sick days. If you are a proficient pianist, consider donating your services to your local congregation or charging a small fee to play at other churches. The music you play could touch someone's heart, help someone feel closer to God or assist in creating sacred space and flow to the worship service.
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Instructions
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Listen to the musical style of the church for which you are hoping to play. Churches of different denominations and cultures feature different styles of music. The same hymn may vary in rhythm, tempo and mood from one congregation to another. Attending a few services before playing for a church should give you a feel for how things are done in any given congregation.
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Find out which musical pieces with which you need to be familiar to play piano at the church. If the church has a formal director of music, talk with him or her about hymns that are sung every Sunday or annually during certain liturgical seasons. In the absence of a director of music, converse with the pastor or priest about the hymns, preludes and postludes that are customary to the congregation. He or she may also prescribe particular hymns that coordinate with the sermon theme or church's place in the Christian year.
In general, it is not wise to come up with music without the input of church leadership. Without communication, you will have no way of knowing which pieces are appropriate. Choosing inappropriate pieces puts the flow of the service at risk and may stand as a wall, instead of a bridge, between the people and God.
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Practice all church music daily to ensure you become comfortable playing it. Try speeding it up or slowing it down to familiarize yourself with playing the music in different circumstances. It takes many pianists several hours to truly master they hymns sung in just one Sunday.
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If you are expected to accompany the choir during the church service, attend choir rehearsals. You will need to ensure your playing properly complements the songs they are singing and that you are aware of any stylistic twists it may have added to the music. Hammering through rough spots ahead of time will ensure that everything goes well on Sunday morning. If you need additional practice, find out if it is okay for you to record the choir singing its hymns so you can practice playing along at home.
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Arrive at least one hour before the start of church on Sunday morning. Check in with the pastor, choir director or director of music to find out if there have been any changes to the service. Familiarize yourself with the order of worship and mentally scroll through your responsibilities in each element of the service. Make notes to yourself on your church bulletin as necessary. Talk with other musicians and spend a few minutes in prayer to center yourself.
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Participate in the service as you have agreed to, playing pieces as rehearsed. Remember to relax, as your preparations have set you up for success. Be ready and open to any changes in the service that may suddenly occur, being cognizant that sometimes the movement of the spirit dictates shaking things up a bit. If the pastor asks you to play a different song or improvise during a time of quiet prayer, go with the flow, trusting that your practice has prepared you for the changes and believing that God is with you each step of the way.
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