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Are Choirs Paid in your church?

Terrywoodenpic

Terrywoodenpic

Oldest Heretic
A little while a go The wife of a visiting American professor told me she was a professional singer in her church Choir.

I have never heard of this in the UK.
Some times Choir members are "paid" a small sum when singing at weddings or funerals, but I have never heard of them being paid for regular services.
Is this a normal practice in your church?

church cleaning, flower arranging, etc. are all done by volunteers here.

Terry
__________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.
 
P

Prophet Rashad

Member
It could be that she is part of a recorded ensamble the gets royalties from records. But I have not heard of a church paying the choir members

-The Prophet
 
michel

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
Terrywoodenpic said:
A little while a go The wife of a visiting American professor told me she was a professional singer in her church Choir.

I have never heard of this in the UK.
Some times Choir members are "paid" a small sum when singing at weddings or funerals, but I have never heard of them being paid for regular services.
Is this a normal practice in your church?

church cleaning, flower arranging, etc. are all done by volunteers here.

Terry
__________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.
Click to expand...
That is the same here - I think the whole of the U.K is the same. I used to sing at the local church.
 
Green Gaia

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Not at my church, that I'm aware of. However, my mother's Presbyterian church does pay the choir director, the organist (my mother), and will sometimes hire soloists to sing with the choir. We do have paid positions other than the minister, like the office manager, RE director, and a few other staff positions that keep everything running smoothly. I believe our nursery staff is paid, but they are needed throughout the week for childcare in addtion to Sundays, but RE teachers are not paid, we are volunteer.
 
BruceDLimber

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Greetings! :)

I'm a Baha'i, and I sing in the local Metro DC Baha'i Chorale as well as in both the Baha'i Gospel Singers and the Voices of Baha touring choirs.

In ALL of these we sing for the love of it and receive no pay (nor do our conductors or accompanists, though I have heard of one or two Baha'i chorales that hire a professional <non-Baha'i> conductor).

I know one occasion where a Baha'i choir (not the participants) was paid a fee (by the federal government) for performing at a Diversity Day event being held on federal property, but this is extremely rare, the more so because Baha'i Funds do not accept contributions from non-members. (In that one case, the payment was apparently automatic, and trying to have it cancelled would have caused a huge amount of paperwork and flurry. The money was passed on to a non-Baha'i charity such as the Red Cross.)

And indeed, for both the Baha'i Gospel Singers and the Voices of Baha, both of which do international tours, everyone pays his or her own way in order to participate, and this often amounts to between two and four thousand dollars for a single tour!

The VoB, for example, toured for several weeks in 1991 with fully 180 singers from 19 countries, every one of whom paid for the privelege. (Nor does this money go to the Baha'i Funds; it convers air fares, buses, hotels, etc..)

Works for us. :)

Best,

Bruce
 
jewscout

jewscout

Religious Zionist
Beth El has a payed cantor, he's very good

but KBI doesn't, anyone in the community can lead the service
 
SoyLeche

SoyLeche

meh...
beckysoup61 said:
Nope, no one at our church is paid. Not even the leaders.
Click to expand...
Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is even on a volunteer basis, although someone can correct me if I'm wrong.
 
BruceDLimber

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Hi again!

I mentioned the Voices of Baha and Baha'i Gospsl Singers touring choirs above; I sing in both of these.

All our concerts are either free or are benefits for charity. No money from them ever goes into the Baha'i Funds....

Regards,

Bruce
 
cturne

cturne

servant of God
In our church we only pay the minister and the organist - and the organist has said she'll play for free, but they insist on paying (me!).At this point we are too small to have a choir, but in the past, it's always been volunteer - as well as volunteers for cleaning, teaching Sunday School, etc. Once upon a time we paid a janitor, but now we all just pitch in.
 
Booko

Booko

Deviled Hen
BruceDLimber said:
I'm a Baha'i, and I sing in the local Metro DC Baha'i Chorale as well as in both the Baha'i Gospel Singers and the Voices of Baha touring choir.
Click to expand...

Voices of Baha...yay!

I know one occasion where a Baha'i choir (not the participants) was paid a fee (by the federal government) for performing at a Diversity Day event being held on federal property, but this is extremely rare, the more so because Baha'i Funds do not accept contributions from non-members. (In that one case, the payment was apparently automatic, and trying to have it cancelled would have caused a huge amount of paperwork and flurry.)
Click to expand...

:eek: Oh my! What did they do -- send it on to UNICEF?

And indeed, for both the Baha'i Gospel Singers and the Voices of Baha, both of which do international tours, everyone pays his or her own way in order to participate, and this often amounts to between two and four thousand dollars for a single tour!
Click to expand...

And there are the weekend concerts, which I've always managed to drive to. But my gas and lodging I pay for (though we arrange for group hotel rates) and most of the food as well.

The VoB, for example, toured for several weeks in 1991 with fully 180 singers from 19 countries, every one of whom paid for the privelege. (Nor does this money go to the Baha'i Funds; it convers air fares, buses, etc..)
Click to expand...

For those without the means, they can appeal to their Local Spiritual Assembly for assistance. Though I can't say I know of anyone who actually has. (You would be more likely to know, and it's not like I'd be nosy and ask. :eek:)
 
James the Persian

James the Persian

Dreptcredincios Crestin
Absolutely not. I've never been paid a penny (even when I've chanted at special services like a parastas - a kind of memorial service) and I wouldn't expect to be. Then again in Orthodox churches in the diaspora, you're lucky if even the priest gets paid - I've yet to come across a single one that gets more than expenses.

James
 
BruceDLimber

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Booko said:
Voices of Baha...yay!
Click to expand...

In the immortal words of Olson Johnson,
"Now WHO can argue with THAT?!"

:)

Booko said:
Oh my! What did they do [with the money paid the Baha'i Chorale for performing at the event]-- send it on to UNICEF?
Click to expand...

Or some other non-Baha'i charity like the Red Cross, yes.

And to answer the original question, no, Baha'i choristers aren't paid, though I know of a very few Baha'i chorales who pay their conductor (often not a Baha'i).

BTW, non-Baha'is are most welcome in Baha'i chorales! :)

Regards,

Bruce
 
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