First off, make sure your music skills—directing, accompanying, whatever—are up to snuff. If you don’t have an accompanist (and many don’t), make sure you practice, practice, practice—and sing along, aloud, while you’re practicing. It’s not just about getting the notes right, although that’s certainly important. But even more important is cueing the choir or cantor correctly, providing them and the congregation with time for breath, and clearly communicating upcoming changes—tempo, key, rhythm—all of which need adequate rehearsal, too.

Conducting from the keyboard is a crucial skill. (One of the most awesome musicians I ever worked with didn’t conduct from the keyboard but with it. No choir member was ever in doubt as to when to come in, when to slow down or speed up, when to go to the final ending—because his piano led them there.)

Conducting with an accompanist is a crucial skill, too. The director and the accompanist must be completely in sync, or well-rehearsed anthems will crumble and dissolve.

Efficient rehearsal is a learned skill, too. There’s this weekend’s music to sing through, concentrating on the tricky bits; and next week’s music to prepare for, and long-term projects, perhaps an anthem, that may take weeks for the choir to learn. Breaking these down into manageable segments helps choir members keep from feeling overwhelmed.

If your skills are below par, do something about it. Take lessons (the church might pay for them, but don’t hold your breath), read books, and find a mentor, a musician you respect and admire. Keep at it; that’s the only way to make any progress. Don’t just paper over your inadequacies; which fools no one but yourself.