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Worship Lead

Owner: Director

Purpose

Lead the musical preparation and execution of the set so the band is unified and the congregation can follow.

Owns

  • Musical execution of the set received from Song Selector / Director (keys, tempos, forms, arrangement map)
  • Chart quality and distribution timing
  • Rehearsal musical leadership (runway, notes, cuts)
  • Directing dynamics, transitions, and spontaneous moments within agreed boundaries
  • Click/tracks plan when used
  • Feedback to Song Selector when a song is not singable or not deliverable this week

Does not own alone

  • Pastoral song diet and series-level song strategy (Song Selector + Director)
  • Final policy and team health (Director)

When one person is both Song Selector and Worship Lead, complete both charters.

Must before rehearsal — by the keys/charts deadline

Keys, forms, and charts are published by the team’s keys/charts deadline (default: at least 48 hours before ready-to-rehearse; clocks in Our Congregation) so players practice in the right key and vocalists can flag range. Rehearsal may still amend.

  • Form published with sections labeled; later changes are exceptions, called out
  • Key and tempo set
  • Charts / multitracks / references linked
  • Known hard transitions called out in the plan
  • Media has forms that match what will actually be sung
  • Playback owner named if tracks are used (if blank, the Worship Lead owns playback)

During rehearsal

  • Start on time; protect the clock
  • Give specific, kind notes (“guitars: half the delay on V2”)
  • Leave space for tech to solve real problems
  • End with a clean run when possible

During the service

  • Usually the Platform lead: owns musical calls — entries, holds, endings, cutting or extending a song, the spontaneous moment within agreed boundaries
  • Listens to the pastor for deviations; does not invent a concert when the pastor extends
  • Calls freeze on talkback (with the Tech Lead) and the monitor freeze after the final run
  • Does not override pastoral direction from the Director or pastor; the Director does not conduct from the floor unless pre-agreed

Success looks like

Players are not guessing the form; vocals lock; the room can breathe and sing.

https://theonize.github.io/petra/01-roles/worship-lead/
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