Churches in Whitfield and Murray counties in Georgia that need sheet music for morning worship services or special events no longer have to place expensive online orders.
The new music library at the Conasauga Baptist Association in Dalton could have just what they need.
‘Simple ministry’
It’s another example of churches helping churches to shine the light of Christ, said associational missionary Darey Kittle.
“Our motto in the Conasauga Baptist Association is, ‘We’re better together,’ and sharing resources through this music library reflects that,” Kittle said.
“It’s a simple ministry,” he noted, “but it’s very a valuable ministry, especially to our smaller churches.”
The idea for the library began to take shape when Tate Tipton, the new worship pastor at Spring Place Baptist Church in Chatsworth, walked into a room and saw a treasure trove of choral music materials in storage and not being used.
Tipton, who also serves as Spring Place’s student pastor, called the associational office to see if any churches may need the materials.
“It was either leave all the materials in storage or give them away,” Tipton said. “We chose to give it away. Our hope is that it will be a huge blessing to the churches that use it. This is enough material for churches to use for years and years.”
Two truckloads of material
Jim Brinkley, worship pastor at Salem Baptist Church in Dalton, boxed and catalogued the material with the help of his wife, Donna, Salem’s choir director, for transport to the associational office. It was two truckloads of material.
Brinkley said making the material available is especially important because some major music publishers were forced out of business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During churches across the country had suspended worship services and implemented social distancing that meant choirs were not gathering or buying new materials, delivering a wallop music publishers couldn’t withstand.
“We’re at a point now where it’s not as easy to go online and purchase material,” Brinkley said.
The material is still being organized in the new library, but Brinkley said it is open for business.
“We’re hopeful this will help lots of churches,” he said. “We’re all on the same team, and if this helps other churches win the lost to Christ, we’re blessed.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Roger Alford and originally published by the Christian Index.
