Talk to people without mentioning any plans, and discover who likes singing, and who can play an instrument, at any level (including children).

Having discovered where your strengths are, set up an informal instrumental session, by invitation, and enjoy playing together. Choose one or two items the church knows well and make sure they each have music appropriate for their instrument if you can. Praise! instrumental arrangements on our website may be helpful as they provide for all abilities.

Plan a similar singing session by invitation, having enlisted a few secret talent spotters during a few Sunday services.

Remember that asking for volunteers for either instrumentalists or singers may create problems, since enthusiasm and ability do not always go hand in hand.

Start safely with a secure group even if it is small, but bear in mind that a larger group can cover blemishes.

Search out resources but avoid deciding at this point, keep your options open.

Prepare a group of instrumentalists to accompany the carols. They could just play the tune or the three-part arrangements provided on the Praise website. See ‘O little town of Bethlehem’ ( Forest Green) or ‘Once in Royal David’s city’.

Prepare a group of singers, either all female or mixed, to sit together and contribute a choir verse in some the carols, from where they are sitting.

If you feel there is potential, this group could also prepare a vocal item to be sung to the congregation. This could be for female voices if you do not yet have enough male singers, or a mixed group. In either case there are some useful choir arrangements on the Praise website which may interest you. Try our SATB arrangements of ‘What kind of greatness can this be?’ and ‘O holy night’’.

Choose an item which is less well-known to your congregation or new to them, so it appears fresh. It may even become an item your congregation can learn later.

Plan 3–4 rehearsals of about one hour each.

Pray together.

Have three possible items ready to try, and in a relaxed way allow confidence to grow. It will possibly sound rough around the edges, but confidence is most important.

One or two items will work better than others, and asking the group which they like is always a good ploy.

From all that you have learned in that first rehearsal, make your decision about what will be secure with more practice.

If it would help and you have the facilities, record the items so that everyone can continue practicing at home, adding the harmony parts separately if that is needed.

In the following rehearsals, shape the vocal music with breath control, clear words, changes of volume, memorizing sections to encourage looking up etc. Shape the instrumental items with note learning, good breath control and tuning, changes of volume and organization, and listening to each other, making sure everyone feels equally important.

By this point talk to the Pastor and explain what you think will work for the Carol Service so that he can plan.

Plan a run through before the Carol service and give lots of encouragement to everyone.

Pray together.