Lifestyle & Culture Religion
A church music ministry for the moment
By Nicholas Gunn
The music inside the sanctuary of the Church of the Advent Hope was a long way from the solitary organ and choir more typical of what’s been played at Seventh-day Adventist churches.
“I’ve visited a lot of Adventist churches but the music often feels stuck in the past. No drums, no guitar, just hymns,” said Milton Gamez, after recently worshipping at the Manhattan church for the first time. “It’s hard to connect with music that sounds like it was written 100 years ago.”
For the past 14 years, Nicholas Zork has been trying to bring Advent Hope into the present. He’s been changing the music to make Advent Hope’s worship experience more appealing to a wider audience.
The goal, said the congregation’s worship and arts minister, is to make people in the pews do more than sit and watch. He wants them to participate. He wants them singing and praising right along with the church’s singers and instrumentalists. They include Broadway performers, recording artists and instrumentalists trained in classical and other musical genres. Some of them have never been members of a church and aren’t on Advent Hope’s membership roster.
“New York is filled with creative people, and we ask how we can welcome them, not just as performers but as members of a faith community,” Zork said.
The Rev. Todd Stout, Advent Hope’s lead pastor, said the church’s hometown influences its worship model. “We’re intentional about reflecting the diversity of our city, racially, culturally and spiritually, because we believe that’s what the kingdom of God looks like.”
Rather than selecting songs for its services by style, the church organizes music based on the four components of its service: Gather. Word. Response. Dismissal. “We ask what a song is supposed to do in the service. Is it meant to help people settle in? Celebrate? Or reflect? ” Zork said.
The music is strategic to other aspects of the service, which are intended to be interactive and engaging. At the opening of each service, a first-time worshipper or member is introduced to the congregation. That exchange ends with a blessing as attendees say “Sabbath peace” to those around them.
“We believe that worship is not just about an encounter with God. It’s about encountering each other too,” Zork said. “It’s about creating a community where people are seen, heard and invited to bring their full selves.”
Stephanie Fleury, a member for the past four years, said the approach has helped her feel spiritually grounded. “Worship here just feels natural,” she said. “There’s an international range in the music. Sometimes vibrant, sometimes calm and it all helps me connect with God.”
The church also hosts concerts, music nights and other collaborative events with local artists. Those events aim to serve as an entry point for people who may not attend traditional church services.
“Sometimes people are introduced to the church through a concert or jam session long before they come to a Saturday morning service,” Zork said. “And that’s beautiful … Music creates a bridge between people, between experiences and sometimes between someone’s questions and their faith.
“ … We’re not trying to impress anyone. We’re trying to invite people.”