I just started playing in a brass ensemble at my church. Unfortunately, the group is directed by the choir director, who knows very little about brass playing. He can keep us in time with the choir, but outside of that, he's not much help. We only rehearse once per week an hour before choir rehearsal, so the problem is compounded as the director is focused more on the upcoming choir than the brass.

If you have experience with either choir directors or church ensembles, your two cents would be appreciated on how this situation can be improved. I've played in a brass quintet before, and I'm comfortable working with our ensemble size. But, I'm not sure how to motivate players who aren't interested in spending more than one hour per week practicing the material we have.