[Worship] Draft of Annual Report for 2016-17 Please review for discussion at April meeting
Martha McGovern
marthamcg at suddenlink.net
Sun Mar 26 15:01:00 CDT 2017
2016-2017 Annual Report of the Worship & Music Committee
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta
Members: Adeline Bailey, Peg Clifford, Reverend Kathryn Hawbaker, Tabatha Hubbard, 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 2016-2017 Year and Goals for the Future
This year we have tried to apply what we learned from the sabbatical year to the planning and programming of services and projects.
The Committee decided to continue organization of services around a year-long theme. The focal question has been, "What does democracy look like?" We have revisited this question on the average of one Sunday per month. We also were very pleased, last year, with the involvement of congregational committees and groups, so we have tried to highlight one area of congregational activity at least each quarter. That involvement has taken multiple forms, from a short spot within a service to full presentation of a service. Again, we have been most gratified by the response. It is our observation that the two emphases have deepened our understanding of democratic processes and raised our mindful implementation of them, both within our church community and in the larger community. The Worship & Music Committee says "Thank You" to all who contributed and participated in these services and efforts.
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 continued the holiday service project of sending cards to residents of area care facilities. The workshop is fun for the congregation, and the residents and administrators of the facilities appreciate our thoughts. We thank John Maddox for spearheading the project and Diane McMichael for behind-the-scenes organization.
c.. To support the Piano Fund, John Maddox coordinated the sale of FUUSM t-shirts. Profits will be donated to that fund.
d.. We held a sign-up event during coffee hour in January. As a result, four persons volunteered to be Worship Associates (Andrew Clovis, Amy Miller, Gene Barry, and Dawn Hewitt). We will mentor them one-on-one as they take on the WA duties. People also suggested many topics for services.
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. The Teams are Sanctuary Aesthetics, Piano, Technology, Time for All Ages, Clutter Management, and 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 12 all-ages services (Earth Day, BRIDGES Recognition, Flower Communion, Picnic, Planetarium off-site program, Water Ceremony, Thanksgiving, Ribbon Communion, Holiday Card Workshop, December Holiday, Beloved Community Brunch, Fire Communion).
h.. We are continuing to use 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 April 2016 through March 2017, we have had 13 Sunday services with internal speakers (often teams of two to four people), 7 with guest speakers, and 5 with visiting ministers.
j.. Reverend Hawbaker held a non-Sunday morning observance for Winter Solstice (in collaboration with Soul Connections) and a Christmas Eve service. She also led a meditation session each Wednesday.
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 express special thanks to Reverend Kat Hawbaker, who helps us see our efforts within the context of the total congregation and the larger community.
Future Plans: We will:
1.. continue 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 2017-18 it will be ???.
3.. continue our commitment to differently styled worship services at non-Sunday morning times, periodically 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, an increase in the standard rate for ordained ministers, a lower cost of maintenance of pianos since the practice piano is electronic, the improvement of sound, recording and projection technology, and the purchase of worship resources and sheet music.
Attendance
Please find church records of the Sunday attendance numbers of adults and children attached below.
Respectfully submitted, Martha McGovern
Sunday Attendance Records Spring 2016- Spring 2017
Date, Topic, Speaker *=All Ages +=extended opening Attendance
Adults/children
2016
March
6 A Pledge Communion PLEDGE DRIVE TEAM 62/2
13 Celebrating UU Women WOMEN'S GROUP 68/4
20 Dreams by the Side of the Road Andrew Moeller 67/6
27 +UU: A New Day K. Hawbaker 89/8
_______________________________________________________________________________
April 3 The Garden of Time K. Hawbaker 60/3
10 Diet for a Small Planet K. Hawbaker 65/4
17 *A Council of All Beings K. Hawbaker 82/6
24 Circles Campaign Sue Ellen Waybright 72/8
May 1 Live and Let Die: Hospice Ginger Maples 60/5
8 *Bridging Life's Transitions BRIDGES 67/13
15 Cultivating Talents & Justice L. Smith 57/5
22 Universalism at the Confluence Justin LaPoint 98/8
29 What Is Our Story? ARCHIVES COMMITTEE 57/5
June 5 *Flower Communion K. Hawbaker 67/5
12 Group Men-Tality MEN'S GROUP 57/6
19 *FUUSM Picnic & Fathers Day K. Hawbaker/L.Smith _ _ _
26 General Assembly - Live-streaming _ _ _
July 3 Our Constitution and Covenants K. Hawbaker 50/7
10 Voices of Democracy J. Rapp, J.Tumas-Serna,N.Novak 70/11
17 A Third Reconstruction K. Hawbaker 60/8
26 Music of the Spheres Bill McNeely 73/5
31 Flowers: Diversity in Four Parts Nancy Dew 67/9
August 7 A Fusion of Faiths K. Hawbaker 54/5
14 Our Democratic Roots Katy McDaniel 58/6
21 *Planetarium _ _ _
Cozy Conversation: Shari Miller Your experience of democracy
28 What Does Democracy Look Like? W.O'Neill, K.McGlynn _ _ _
September
4 When Democracy Falters. . .Rallies Katy McDaniel 63/7
11 *Ingathering Water Ceremony K. Hawbaker 77/4
18 Little Things Are Big Things K. Hawbaker 65/5
25 Small and Mighty K. Hawbaker 65/10
October
2 Beginning Again K. Hawbaker 57/5
9 Reconciliation and Forgiveness K. Hawbaker 71/3
16 What's Important? Dawn Hewitt 66/5
23 Finding Voice Patricia Shelden 70/6
30 Day of the Dead J. Tumas-Serna _ _ _
November
6 Expanding the Reach of Democracy Paula Ewers 71/5
13 Non-Toxic Charity Karen Kumpf 88/6
20 *Guest at Our Table K. Hawbaker 72/5
27 Setting the Table & Our Agenda K. Hawbaker 68/1
December
4 *Ribbon Ceremony K. Hawbaker 85/10
11 *Because He Gave a Rose --Cards T. Hubbard 68/1
18 *St. Francis & the Dragon K. Hawbaker 74/3
24 Christmas Eve Service K. Hawbaker & team _ _ _
25 *Beloved Community Brunch K. Hawbaker _ _ _
2017
January
1 *Fire Communion K. Hawbaker 45/2
8 Democratic Process in GA A.Bailey & panel 63/3
15 Is God a Mathematician? Bill McNeely _ _ _
22 Growing Up UU K. Hawbaker 75/9
29 I Will Not Negotiate My Freedom Erin Upchurch _ _ _
February
5 May Your Life Be as a Song K. Hawbaker 74/10
12 Charity AND Justice Jeff Danner 77/4
19 Money Matters K. Hawbaker 84/8
26 More Spiritual Entrepreneurs David Clemens 91/9
March
5 When Matriarchs March K. Hawbaker 75/11
12 Heretics, Rebels, Nonconformists K. Hawbaker 68/10
19 Women & Revolution Katy McDaniel 84/7
26 Stand Up & Speak Out K. Hawbaker ???
- - - Attendance numbers not available
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