Am I justified about being angry in this situation?

You have a right to feel upset, seems they are excluding you.
BUT in everything, you have to let it go somehow. We cant have everything our way. I suggest you leave it to God and let Him sort it out. If there are unresolved feelings in you thats causing more upset, pray that God heals that part and allow you to move on.
It does not matter what they do eventually. God has HIS plan for YOU. No one can dance your dance, no one can beat your drums, no one can take away what you have in GOD. He has His PLANS for you.
Just let sleeping dogs lie and let them do what suits them. Don't hold grudges. Let it go and ask the Lord for help if its hard to do.

I can see why you would be upset and it let's you know the worship leader lacks understanding about believers being the ones to play and sing. Those patterns for us to follow are in Scripture such as I Chron 25. But he is church leadership so therefore, I agree with ark100. The decision's been made so now it's prayer and forgiveness. I know it can be difficult to forgive but we can do all things through Yeshua who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

we're all in a process of renewing our minds, so i can understand that you feel disrespected; but maybe you're being too hard on yourself - how much of your anger is based on the fact that those in charge are turning to the world in this by valuing the world's standard of quality over God's choices of musicians?

it's a touchy situation because if you speak out, people might well assume your motives are self-centered.

(2 Chronicles 14:9) And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
(2 Chronicles 14:10) Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
(2 Chronicles 14:11) And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
(2 Chronicles 14:12) So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.


(2 Chronicles 16:1) In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
(2 Chronicles 16:2) Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
(2 Chronicles 16:3) There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
(2 Chronicles 16:4) And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
(2 Chronicles 16:5) And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
(2 Chronicles 16:6) Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
(2 Chronicles 16:7) And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
(2 Chronicles 16:8) Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.
(2 Chronicles 16:9) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
(2 Chronicles 16:10) Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
(2 Chronicles 16:11) And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
(2 Chronicles 16:12) And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
(2 Chronicles 16:13) And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
(2 Chronicles 16:14) And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

when Asa was young, he was faced with overwhelming odds as a great army came against him - but he put his faith in God and overcame the odds.

when Asa grew old and rich, he was faced with another war, but this time used his own money to hire an army out of the world to fight his battle - he won the battle, but lost his faith in God - he put his faith in his own strength instead. this eventually cost him everything.

maybe if you sit down with the person in charge of making the CD happen, and simply go over this example without saying anything about the choice of musicians, it might get your point across without bringing focus on your own band's skills as a musicians - just a thought.

Should have a church meeting discussion that involves all church members to make a vote to see how many agree to have the band involved. As for me, if I was your church leader, I would definitely involve the band because of who all of you are as Christian brothers and/or sisters as one union with God, even if your band's imperfections in instrumental playing or singing voices might not be 100% perfect - but at least those imperfections are like identity fingerprints or your personality as a growing passionate band to worship Jesus who will in his Second Coming make all of your band as perfect musical professionals inside God's Kingdom on a new future-coming environmentally disaster-free Earth. There should be two versions on the CD: one is the church's band without the violin-playing musicians, and the other version is the orchestral/violin band to see how church members would react to both versions with the female lead singer and/or choir .;*;.

I frankly think the WL is making a spiritual mistake. The purpose of making music is not simply the music. It is an expression of the Body of Christ coming together in worship, and the album will have effects beyond the immediate realm of music.

You can be rightly angry about it, but you shouldn't be ruled by anger (Eph 4.26; Col 3.15). You can voice your disagreement, but ultimately it's not your decision to make. You can continue to play in the band, or not. And if anyone asks you about the record's arrangements, you are free to tells them you actually didn't play on it - but without bitterness. Guard your heart. Let the Lord sort this out without your help. That's the safest position for you.

It could be that this is part of a larger dynamic, where the church is becoming more of a business as it gets larger. Maybe this is something that that needs to be dealt with, hopefully with positive results.

Wow, what a slap in the face to you guys!

You are very justified in being angry. The struggle lies in how you will deal with it. You've been given some great tips on what to do next.

You're completely justified in being angry.

Besides being a slap in the face to you guys, it's being deceitful to the congregation and anyone who purchases the cd. They are buying it under the guise that it's from the church members who formed the band, and that they are supporting YOU, when it's turning out this isn't the case. Misleading money.