This week's interview features the only person interviewed so far that I've actually met. Jamey and I met in college, and spent our first year in college as floor mates. Jamey was a music major like myself, so we had many, many classes together. I have not had any contact with Jamey since graduation until a few months ago when Jamey took the leadership to connect as many worship leaders from our background as possible.

Jamey also has the distinct honor of being the only person in the world who's ever called me "Jeffro."

Jamey Ketchum

Biographical Information

Spouse’s name: Sherry
Years married: 14 and half yrs
Children’s names: Jimmy-12, Samantha-8, Kyle-4
Years leading worship: 12 yrs
Church name and location: Parkhill Baptist Church, Pueblo, Colorado
Church website: www.parkhillonline.org
Denomination: Baptist
Years at current church: 4 1/2 years
Instruments you play: I was a voice major in college. I play the piano a little. I need to practice more, get out of the box, and play in a worship service.
Blog: http://worshipdude.blogspot.com
Is your role full time, bi-vocational, or volunteer? Full time

What are you listening to right now?

Charlie Hall: Flying Into Daybreak
Casting Crowns: Lifesong
Esterlyn: Lamps
Brooklyn Tab: Live…We Come Rejoicing and God Is Working
TobyMac: Portable Sounds
Johnny Cash: I Walk the Line
Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie Soundtrack  (in my wife’s van and the kids are really listening to it)

What are you reading right now?

Tony Dungy: Quiet Strength
re-reading Racing to Win: Joe Gibbs
Unchristian: David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons

What’s your musical heritage?

I grew up in a traditional, conservative church and began listening to CCM around 12 yrs old. I joined the choir at 13 and sat beside Harold “Pop” Beckham. Pop was, and still is, an awesome influence in my life. I went to youth camp at 14 and surrendered to full-time service under the preaching of Tim Lee. At the same time, I begin singing specials and sang in a quartet and I just knew then that God wanted me to lead worship in a church

What’s the “DNA” of your church?

Parkhill is almost 95 yrs young. There are many people of many ages. Our Seniors Citizens are strong and we also have many young families with young kids and teens. Ethnically, Parkhill is primarily Caucasian and Hispanic.

Describe for us your church’s worship “style”:

In the past 10 yrs, Parkhill has moved from a traditional to a traditional/progressive style of worship. I’ve never like the “style” terminology.

We have a traditional “hymns” and “choruses” service at 9 am and a progressive/contemporary service at 10:30 am.  To me, worship is your service to God, using your talents for HIM.  At Parkhill, there are many people willing to serve God and use their abilities. (Whether it is singing, playing an instrument, cleaning up the church building, working in the nursery, or just whatever needs to be done for HIM.) What I like about serving at Parkhill are the people that I serve alongside for the cause of Christ.

How has worship leading changed you?

Leading worship is showing others what worship is all about. Teaching the people that you lead is essential. In order to teach you’ve got to learn. I have learned that I have to learn. That is a never-ending process.

Describe the make-up of your worship leading team.

The contemporary worship band consists of: Piano/Keyboard, Acoustic, Electric, and Bass Guitar and Drums

The traditional band consists of:Piano, 2 Acoustic and 1 Electric Guitar that plays melody, and a flute.

Our praise team consists of: 4 singers on a monthly basis that rotate every 3 months

Our choir has between 25-30 singers. The choir usually sings Christmas and Easter, but we are working now to sing in the worship service more often. I still believe that the choir can be useful in both traditional and contemporary services. The choir can be used in the contemporary service in leading worship. In order to do that, the choir has to look like they are having a good time and enjoying worship.

Come back next Wednesday for part two of Jamey's interview at Consuming Worship.

Popularity: 4% [?]