The people of God give voice to their worship through the spoken word and through music. Some also articulate their worship and praise through the performing and visual arts. At BMPC, the whole worshiping congregation participates in singing. We also seek to employ the talents of visual and performing artists from our congregation in the context of our weekly worship and other settings and events. Ours is an enthusiastically singing congregation: we even sing unaccompanied at times in order to hear the beauty of the human voice offered in praise.

We are also an incredibly talented congregation. From novices to professional, persons in our congregation paint, sculpt, sketch, solder, carve, stitch, make rhyme, and move. Some in our congregation may not describe themselves as musicians or artists, yet appreciate the serendipity of what takes place in worship and in fellowship as authentic expressions of the grace-filled spirit of every member and visitor.

Ensembles

The Music Ministry of BMPC is a very important part of our worship experience and congregational life. All of our ensembles are open to anyone interested in developing their talent and faithfully sharing it in ministry in our congregation and around the world. Music also plays an important part in the faith development of our children and youth. Children and youth alike respond favorably to learning the faith through music and demonstrating their growing sense of faith in worship leadership. They commit Biblical truths to memory through the songs they learn in music groups and learn servant leadership as they lead the congregation in worship. Finally, our musicians also enjoy sharing their talents in more relaxed settings. Whenever Christians get together, music and singing is an important aspect of fellowship and nurturing the bonds of friendship within our congregation and in our community. Each of our music ensembles strives to find ways to be engaged in outreach through music in our community.

Music Scholars

The Music Scholars program allows scholar musicians an opportunity to hone their musical skills in the context of a vital and vigorous music ministry representing a wide variety of musical styles and worship experiences. The key part of the scholar ministry is the relationships and camaraderie fostered; therefore relationships with other music ministry participants are vital. Students apply to participate in the Chancel Choir of the church or its contemporary music ensemble, the Prophets of Praise. Student scholars should expect to be integral parts of the music ensembles of which they are part. The Music Scholar program began in 2008 with funding from an endowment 
fund of BMPCNC. In 2009 funding switched to the general operating budget. Initially grants were for $500 each semester; very quickly we realized that a more realistic amount would be $1000, which is the amount currently offered. We also dropped the number of scholarships available from six to two per semester. Scholarship materials are sent to the music department chairs and vocal studies instructors at these area schools: Montreat College, Warren Wilson College, UNC-A, Brevard College and Mars Hill College. The Music Scholar Ministry has several benefits for both student and our church:

• Fosters good relations with local institutions of higher learning

• Adds depth to the volunteer personnel participating in our music ensembles

• Assists students in a very tangible way

• Allows students to hone musical skills in the context of a vital and vigorous music ministry

• Fosters inter-generational relationships

• Helps the church maintain its standards of high quality music presentation for worship and special events

Musical Instruments

There is a variety of musical instruments which enhances our worship and mission. Organs and pianos are common instruments of worship in many churches. We have those, but also have a large handbell/handchime batterie, various percussion instruments, and an electronic carillon. An important part of our worship life is music, represented by these various musical instruments.

Visual Arts

Our congregation is blessed with a considerable population of working artists in various media. These persons have shared their gifts with our congregation in a variety of ways, but more importantly have kept our congregation mindful of the value of arts in worship and our congregational life and of vesting our facility with artistic expressions. There are two broad categories of the visual arts in our congregation. First of these is art for use in our worship spaces. These include banners and other cloth installations, but also such things as our Blessing Wall of Lent 2013 and the Stations of the Cross experiential worship service of 2012. One of our most ambitious art undertakings was a Good Friday Experience in 2017. Radically re-interpreting a traditional "stations of the cross" liturgy, we used the arts to allow persons to experience Jesus' final days and hours by creating and interacting with art throughout our facility. Secondly, our narthex gallery features works by many of our visual artists throughout the year. Our Art Ministry oversees art placement around the facility in both of these categories. Our artists work with worship designers and planners to place art in our worship spaces that is relevant and interpretive of the themes and seasons of the church year and our worship life.