The Garden Praise Team - Platform Auditions
The Garden Praise Team leads others in expressive worship in pursuit of heaven encounters through platform and production excellence.
Details
Please read through carefully — The application and reference form are in the middle of this page.
2025 Winter Audition Dates:
- Audition: A select Saturday @11:30am or Sunday @ 1:00pm (Arrange date with Sunny)
- Application Deadline: Reach out to Sunny
- Reference Form (submitted by CG Leader / mentor / ministry leader) Deadline: Due one week after application submission
Praise Team Commitments, Qualifications:
Core Values:
Connect with God
Belong
Serve
Commitments:
Qualifications:
Core Values:
Connect with God
Belong
Serve
Commitments:
- To commit to be on the schedule until the end of the calendar year.
- Will be an active member of The Garden Church — attending weekly Sunday Worship Services in person as much as possible, Community Groups, Tithing, and engaging in Mentorship (receiving or open to offering). Showing up only on Sunday Service when you are scheduled does not describe an active and engaged member of The Garden Church.
- Will make every effort to maintain a vital spiritual connection with God through personal times of worship, prayer, and regular time in God’s Word.
- Will regularly practice and prepare musical responsibilities for the weekly praise set.
- Will be on time to start praise rehearsals (8:45-11am Saturdays and 8:45am Sundays, unless otherwise scheduled).
- Will have an attitude of flexibility and availability while serving alongside fellow praise team members and under the submission of the praise team leadership.
- Will clear your schedule for team-wide events throughout the year. Dates are given well in advance and attendance is expected.
Qualifications:
- Member of The Garden Church (Membership Classes is usually offered twice a year)
- Active in-person attendee at The Garden Church for 1 year
- Active member of a community group
- Has been mentored before or is currently being mentored by a servant leader or pastor at The Garden (Sign up here if you haven't been mentored!) (if you are a Servant Leader, you are either mentoring someone or open to mentoring someone)
- Must make most of the skill requirements (listed below)
- Submit a complete application (link below)
- Submit a personal reference (CG , mentor or Ministry Team Leader)
- Audition (in the designated month and specific date and time arranged with Sunny)
F.A.Q.s
1. What is the commitment to serve on Praise Team?
It is generally expected that all Praise Team members serve at least two Sundays a month. On months with 5 Sundays, you may be scheduled 3 times depending on availability. Taking two-month Sabbaticals every 3-5 years are a normal part of serving on the Praise Team.
2. Do I need to be a member of The Garden Church to join the praise team?
Yes. All praise team members need to complete the membership class and be an active member of The Garden Church.
3. When are praise practices?
The praise practices are every Saturday morning from 8:45am - 11am. There will be some weeks we will have to practice earlier or later on Saturdays or on a weekday, due to other scheduled events. Your schedule should accommodate these announced rehearsal schedules. You are expected to be plugged in, warmed up, tuned and ready to go by 9am, which is why call time is at 8:45am.
4. When do we find out about the praise set?
I try to be ahead on scheduling songs, but praise sets are usually available by Monday morning at the latest for the upcoming Sunday.
5. Can I join other ministries?
Yes. However, it should not conflict with your commitments to the praise team.
6. Do I need to attend Community Group AND be mentored?
Yes. You will be expected to be an active part of a Garden Church CG and be (or have been) mentored by a servant leader or pastor at The Garden Church.
7. What if I need to miss a praise practice or a Sunday service?
You will be expected to make it a priority not to miss practice, but may be excused when necessary, such as for a family emergency or a previously arranged engagement. When you do miss, you will need to let the worship leader and music director for that week know well in advance and arrange for a substitute if need be.
8. Do I need to practice before practice?
Yes! You should review the praise set and listen and practice the songs before coming to praise practice. It is important to be familiar with the songs and the music coming into each practice in order to make the most of practice time together.
9. Are we in charge of set-up and clean-up?
Praise team members do need to help take care of equipment and keep the stage area organized and clean. Occasional events may require the moving or transporting equipment. Also, if your instrument involves setting up you will be responsible for your equipment.
10. What happens on Sunday worship?
8:45am: Set Up
9:00am: Sharing Time (short devotion, sharing time - a prayer request or a praise report)
9:30am: Platform/Production Run-through for praise set
10:15am: Speaking team/production Run-through
10:30am: All platform and available production team members at pre-service prayer in room 7
10:55: Ready to go for whole team
11. Are there apps or programs that I need to learn?
Yes! We use Planning Center Online Services (scheduling and program notes) and Group, Music Stand (charts and lyrics), and Worship Online (training). All apps are available on iOS and Android.
12. Additional Questions? Email: praise@thegardenchurch.com
It is generally expected that all Praise Team members serve at least two Sundays a month. On months with 5 Sundays, you may be scheduled 3 times depending on availability. Taking two-month Sabbaticals every 3-5 years are a normal part of serving on the Praise Team.
2. Do I need to be a member of The Garden Church to join the praise team?
Yes. All praise team members need to complete the membership class and be an active member of The Garden Church.
3. When are praise practices?
The praise practices are every Saturday morning from 8:45am - 11am. There will be some weeks we will have to practice earlier or later on Saturdays or on a weekday, due to other scheduled events. Your schedule should accommodate these announced rehearsal schedules. You are expected to be plugged in, warmed up, tuned and ready to go by 9am, which is why call time is at 8:45am.
4. When do we find out about the praise set?
I try to be ahead on scheduling songs, but praise sets are usually available by Monday morning at the latest for the upcoming Sunday.
5. Can I join other ministries?
Yes. However, it should not conflict with your commitments to the praise team.
6. Do I need to attend Community Group AND be mentored?
Yes. You will be expected to be an active part of a Garden Church CG and be (or have been) mentored by a servant leader or pastor at The Garden Church.
7. What if I need to miss a praise practice or a Sunday service?
You will be expected to make it a priority not to miss practice, but may be excused when necessary, such as for a family emergency or a previously arranged engagement. When you do miss, you will need to let the worship leader and music director for that week know well in advance and arrange for a substitute if need be.
8. Do I need to practice before practice?
Yes! You should review the praise set and listen and practice the songs before coming to praise practice. It is important to be familiar with the songs and the music coming into each practice in order to make the most of practice time together.
9. Are we in charge of set-up and clean-up?
Praise team members do need to help take care of equipment and keep the stage area organized and clean. Occasional events may require the moving or transporting equipment. Also, if your instrument involves setting up you will be responsible for your equipment.
10. What happens on Sunday worship?
8:45am: Set Up
9:00am: Sharing Time (short devotion, sharing time - a prayer request or a praise report)
9:30am: Platform/Production Run-through for praise set
10:15am: Speaking team/production Run-through
10:30am: All platform and available production team members at pre-service prayer in room 7
10:55: Ready to go for whole team
11. Are there apps or programs that I need to learn?
Yes! We use Planning Center Online Services (scheduling and program notes) and Group, Music Stand (charts and lyrics), and Worship Online (training). All apps are available on iOS and Android.
12. Additional Questions? Email: praise@thegardenchurch.com