[Worship] Draft of 2015-16 Annual Report for W & M Comm -- FEEDBACK REQUESTED
Martha McGovern
marthamcg at suddenlink.net
Mon Mar 21 10:39:19 CDT 2016
Hi, W & M Committee members --
Included and attached is the first draft of the 2015-16 Annual Report. It is due before our next meeting, so please review it and send back suggestion and questions.
I have not entered the attendance information as yet. (That's today's work.)
Kat -- I am not sure I am reporting the non-Sunday morning services accurately.
ALL - Please see, especially, what you think of our Future Plans section.
Thanks for all you do!!
Martha
2015-2016 Annual Report of the Worship & Music Committee
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta
Members: Adeline Bailey, Joe Baker, Reverend Kathryn Hawbaker, Martha McGovern (chair), John Maddox, Shari Miller, Suzyn Mills
Mission: The mission of the Worship and Music Committee is to collaborate with the minister in planning and presenting meaningful and inspiring worship services of high quality.
Goals:
a.. Bring in speakers and provide services that represent diverse points of view.
b.. Maintain the quality of the summer services while expanding the variety of offerings to increase attendance and involvement.
c.. Continue to provide services and activities that promote interaction across the life span (generations) within the life of FUUSM.
d.. Increase the involvement of the congregation in the musical elements of the service through performances and hymn singing.
e.. Expand outreach to the community through performances and activities.
f.. Develop and encourage lay participation. Continue to recruit lay worship leaders and provide ongoing training for laypersons to develop and deliver effective worship services.
g.. Strengthen a collaborative style of worship planning among the Worship Committee members, Worship Associates, members of the congregation and the minister, and members of the BRIDGES Program Council.
h.. Strive to achieve worship services that challenge the intellect, promote spiritual growth, connect emotionally, develop a sense of community, and inspire the congregation to action.
Highlights of the 2015-2016 Year and Goals for the Future
Our biggest focus this year was establishing a framework for Reverend Hawbaker's sabbatical so that we could maintain high quality and diverse services in her periods of absence.
The Board arranged for Rev. Lynda Smith to serve as ministerial presence during the sabbatical year and to lead a service on the third Sunday of September, October, January, February, May, and June. We have been very pleased with the thoughtful and thought-provoking services she has led.
The Committee decided to organize around a year-long theme based upon "Anyone's Ministry" by Gordon McKeeman. We asked committees and groups within the congregation to be responsible for all or part of a service, and we have been most gratified by the response. As a result of the services, we are more aware of the many layers of efforts within the congregation, we know each other better and appreciate many new facets of each other, and many of us - in preparing for the services - have realized that the work we are doing is truly a form of "ministry." The Worship & Music Committee says "Thank You" to all who contributed and participated in these service.
In addition, we have been able to maintain attention to some other areas:
a.. We have featured special music for the worship services at least once per month. Under the direction of Nancy Novak and Martha Shea, the Choir sang once per month and for the Christmas Eve service. The Special Music Task Team, led by Suzyn Mills and Adeline Bailey, arranged for involvement of other musicians.
b.. We have held three Key Notes Coffeehouses and have raised $1,471 to donate to the Sanctuary piano maintenance fund. (Open Mic "Singing in the Green" - April 24, 2015, Open Mic - October 17, 2015, Andrew McKnight - February 27, 2016)
c.. We added a holiday service project of sending cards to residents of area care facilities. The workshop was fun for the congregation, and the residents and administrators of the facilities appreciated our thoughts. We thank John Maddox for spearheading the project and Diane McMichael for behind-the-scenes organization.
d.. We have added two new Worship Associates: Kevin Morey and Tabatha Hubbard.
e.. For Committee operation, we have continued the chair and specific task approach to leadership.
f.. For larger projects, we have established Specific Task Teams that are composed of at least one Committee member and other members from the general congregation. (Sanctuary Decoration, Special Music, Piano, Technology, Time for All Ages, Clutter Management, Holiday Decoration & Un-Decoration, Christmas Eve Service)
g.. We have coordinated with BRIDGES Program Council to create a program framework for six-month periods, especially related to extended opening and all-ages services. There were 9 all-ages services (BRIDGES Recognition, Flower Communion, Picnic, Planetarium off-site program, Water Ceremony, Thanksgiving, Holiday Card Workshop, December Holiday, Fire Communion) and 2 extended opening services (Child Dedication, Easter). Extended-opening services provide a longer time in the sanctuary for all-ages and a follow-up all-youth activity.
h.. We have practiced using a team approach to services in which several people work together on planning and presenting the services. To assist this planning, we have formulated a guide with steps, a timeline, and a default order of service format. For easy reference, the guide is posted on the FUUSM website.
i.. From March 2015 through March 2016, we have had 23 Sunday services with internal speakers (many of which included teams of two to four people) and 6 with guest speakers. Ministerial Intern Evan Young presented or assisted with 3 services in this time period. Rev. Lynda Smith has lead 4 services.
j.. Reverend Hawbaker held a non-Sunday morning observance for Winter Solstice. She also led a Christmas Eve service.
Thanks
The Worship and Music Committee wishes to thank the many people who have contributed to the worship services this year and to express our gratitude to the congregation as a whole for its support, suggestions, and encouragement. We send special thanks to the Reverend Lynda Smith for so ably serving as ministerial presence for the sabbatical year and to Reverend Kat Hawbaker, who has flexibly kept in touch and kept the wheels of congregational operation spinning smoothly.
Future Plans: We will:
1.. continue this year's involvement of members and friends by scheduling two or three committees or projects for services during the up-coming year and in subsequent years.
2.. adopt a theme for the year; for 2016-17, it will be Democracy.
3.. continue our commitment to differently styled worship services at a non-Sunday morning time, at times collaborating with other groups to provide those services.
4.. maintain and renew our Worship Associate program.
5.. continue improvement of our technology capabilities, especially for display of visuals in the sanctuary.
6.. maintain our attention to fundraising for the maintenance of the piano in the Sanctuary.
7.. continue to collaborate with the BRIDGES program in identifying opportunities for integrating activities throughout the year.
8.. continue to emphasize the music component of our worship services.
9.. continue to expand our use of new worship resources.
10.. continue to gather feedback from the congregation, especially from new members and the Annual Congregational Assessment. The input will guide our endeavors to provide effective Sunday services and outreach.
Budget
Our budget proposal reflects our continuing attention to the inclusion of presenters with diverse perspectives, the maintenance of pianos, the improvement of sound, recording and projection technology, and the purchase of worship resources and sheet music.
Attendance
In closing, please find the Sunday attendance numbers of adults and children attached from the church records.
Respectfully submitted, Martha McGovern
Sunday Attendance Records Spring 2014- Spring 2015
Date, Topic, Speaker *=All Ages +=extended opening Attendance
Adults/children++
2015
Theme: Stewardship: Forward Through the Ages
March 1 What of the Lion and the Lamb? K. Hawbaker
8 Service Is Our Law K. Hawbaker
15 +From Generation to Generation E. Young
(Child Dedication)
22 Replenishing Our Resources K. Hawbaker
29 Game of Life: Learning Through Play K. Hawbaker
Theme: Green
April 5 +Origins of Easter K. Hawbaker
12 50 Shades of Green K. Hawbaker/E. Young
19 Care For and Cherish the Earth K. Hawbaker
26 Every Day Should Be Earth Day K. Hawbaker
Theme: Cycles of Commitment
May 3 Living Our Principles of Democracy K. Hawbaker
10 *On Students and Teachers Katy McDaniel
17 Looking Back to Move Forward E. Young
24 It Is Their Path We Walk K. Hawbaker
31 Shared Ministry K. Hawbaker/E. Young
Theme: Building a New Way
June 7 *Flower Communion J. Rapp/N. Novak
14 Many Paths to UUism (New Members) Panel of Members & Friends
21 *FUUSM Picnic & Fathers Day K. Hawbaker
28 General Assembly - Live-streaming
Summer Theme: A Very Human Thing
Theme: We the People
July 5 What Is Religious Freedom? K. Hawbaker
12 The Science & Humor of Forgetting Bill McNeely/Arthur Jones
19 A Very Human Gift (Lifeline of Ohio) Lauren Fitting
26 In the Spirit of Play (Incredible Playground) Roger Kalter
Theme: Games People Play
August 2 *Planetarium
Cozy Conversation - What We Learn from Games
9 UU Parenting R. Bozian, K. McDaniel, K. Morey, C. Burton
16 The Worm at the Core Mark Sibicky
23 Happiness Jean Leeper
30 UU Family Feud K. Hawbaker
September
6 Coffee Community K. Hawbaker
13 *Ingathering Water Ceremony K. Hawbaker
20 Make New Friends, But Keep the Old L. Smith
27 Shape Shifters of My Spiritual Journey M.J. Ebenhack
October
4 What is Ministry? W & M Committee
CARING COMMITTEE/VISITING TEAM Mark & Nina Redd
11 Overcoming Evil with Good David Torbett
18 Our Relationship with Judaism & Islam L. Smith
25 Anyone's Ministry MEMBERSHIP COMM
November
1 Legacies of Love W & M Committee
8 Community Meals as Ministry COMMUNITY MEALS
15 Spiritual Direction for Social Justice K. Hawbaker
22 *Radical Hospitality K. Hawbaker
29 *We Are Not Alone (service project) K. Hawbaker
December
6 Prayers for Peace on Earth K. Hawbaker
13 Downloading Your Happiness App Sandra Bush
20 *Weaving Our Lively Community K. Hawbaker
27 *Fire Communion K. Hawbaker/J. Rapp
January
3 Moods of the Season W & M Committee
10 Greening of the Spirit GREEN SANCTUARY
17 Voices Sounding for Justice L. Smith
24 My Name Is Charles Myla Kreinik
31 It's About Time B. McNeely
February
7 Thoughts from Middle of World K. McDaniel
14 What Would Nahum Ward Do? J. Rapp
21 In the Shelter of Trees L. Smith
28 Music Ministry CHOIR
March
6 A Pledge Communion PLEDGE DRIVE TEAM
13 Celebrating UU Women WOMEN'S GROUP
20 Dreams by the Side of the Road Andrew Moeller
27 +UU: A New Day K. Hawbaker
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