[Worship] Worship & Music - Annual Report, revised version for 2018-19
Martha McGovern
marthamcg at suddenlink.net
Thu Mar 14 12:22:55 CDT 2019
2018-2019 Annual Report of the Worship & Music Committee
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta
Members: Adeline Bailey, Peg Clifford, Reverend Kathryn Hawbaker, Martha McGovern (chair), Maggie Meyer, 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.. 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.
b.. Bring in speakers and provide services that represent diverse points of view.
c.. Maintain the quality of the summer services while expanding the variety of offerings to increase attendance and involvement.
d.. Continue to provide services and activities that promote interaction across the life span (generations) within the life of FUUSM.
e.. Increase the involvement of the congregation in the musical elements of the service through performances and hymn singing.
f.. Expand outreach to the community through performances and activities.
g.. Develop and encourage lay participation. Continue to recruit lay worship leaders and provide ongoing training for laypersons to develop and deliver effective worship services.
h.. 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.
Highlights of the 2018-2019 Year and Goals for the Future
a.. In terms of worship services, the Committee has endeavored to balance continuity and variety. We decided to continue organization of services around a year-long theme, which this year was "How can we inspire leaders for a complex world?" We have addressed this question with at least 28 services.
b.. We also have tried to present diverse perspectives. To that end, 11 services have included speakers or contributors from outside the congregation; 13 services have included voices from within our congregation.
c.. In response to requests for continued attention to spirituality and a wider exploration of faith traditions, we have offered at least 15 services with that focus.
d.. On a monthly basis, we analyzed at least one of the services or activities in terms of our goals. We identified effective components to continue and improvements to make.
e.. Reverend Hawbaker held non-Sunday morning observances (Blessing of the Animals, Interfaith Service for Multicultural Festival, Winter Solstice and other Earth-based holidays in collaboration with Soul Connections) and a Christmas Eve service.
f.. To promote interactions across the life span, 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. This year there were 14 all-ages/extended opening services (Easter, Flower Communion/
BRIDGES Recognition, Picnic, Planetarium off-site program, Water Ceremony, Committee Fair, Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving, Community Card Workshop, Ribbon Ceremony, Winter Holidays, Beloved Community Brunch, Fire Communion, Interfaith Harmony & Understanding).
a.. Music is consistently identified as a valuable component of the worship services. We are grateful for Randall Kidder's competent support and inspiring musical contributions. Under the direction of Nancy Novak and Martha Webster, the Choir sang on average once per month and for the Christmas Eve service. In addition, the Special Music Task Team, led by Suzyn Mills and Adeline Bailey, arranged for periodic involvement of other musicians.
b.. We have continued the holiday service project of sending cards to residents of area care facilities. The workshop is meaningful for the congregation, and the residents and administrators of the facilities have sent notes of appreciation. We thank John Maddox for spearheading the project and Diane McMichael for behind-the-scenes organization.
c.. To support the Piano Fund, we still have FUUSM t-shirts for sale. Profits will be donated to that fund.
d.. We continue to encourage broad participation in Worship & Music Committee efforts. Maggie Meyer has joined the Committee, and we have added new Worship Associates: Andrew Clovis, Gene Barry.
e.. For large 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 Aesthetics, Piano, Technology, Worship Associates, Time for All Ages, and Coordination with Buildings & Grounds.
f.. The Aesthetics Team (led by Jane Tumas-Serna and Nancy Lee) has designed seasonal decoration for the Sanctuary and has involved congregation members in the processes of installation and dismantling.
g.. The Coordination with Buildings & Grounds Team (members Maggie Meyer, Nancy Lee, Joe Baker, Roger Kalter, Jane Tumas-Serna, and Rev. Kat Hawbaker) have made many improvements. Several examples are the storage cabinets for chairs in the Social Hall, shelving in the Sanctuary closets for holiday decoration supplies, and storage units in the Bride's Room.
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.. With the guidance of the Technology Team (Rev. Kat Hawbaker, Mike Bailey and Ralph Olander), we have added a large-screen television and continue to upgrade the quality of audio-visual components of services.
j.. We have concluded our experimentation with a re-usable folder of information about FUUSM and have decided to discontinue its use. Instead, the Worship & Music Committee recommends that 1) the Statement of Inclusion be displayed in the Social Hall in parallel with the Affirmation and Seven Principles; 2) two copies of the folder be posted on the appropriate bulletin board in Social Hall so basic information (e.g., staff, office hours, BRIDGES, Welcoming Congregation, Green Sanctuary) is easily visible; 3) remaining copies be handed out to visitors and new members.
Thematic- Inspiring
Leaders for Complex
World
Diverse Perspectives
Spiritual/Faith Traditions
Life Span Interactions
(All Ages, Extended
Opening)
28 services
Outside Speakers
11 services
Internal Speakers
13 services
15 services
14 services
Thank You
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 feedback. The congregation consistently affirms the importance of music in our services, and we express special thanks to Nancy and Ernie Novak for their generous gift of $10,000 to the Music Program. We also continue to value Reverend Kat Hawbaker's contributions to our meetings; she helps us see our efforts within the contexts of our total congregation, regional UU efforts, the UUA, and the Mid-Ohio Valley community.
Future Plans:
We will:
1.. continue to gather feedback from the congregation, especially from new members and the Annual Congregational Assessment, and to analyze worship services in terms of our goals. The input and analysis will guide our endeavors to provide effective Sunday services and outreach.
2.. continue involvement of members and friends by scheduling two or three committees or projects for services during the up-coming year.
3.. adopt a theme for the year; for 2019-20, it will be How do we address the paradox of "WE"?
4.. continue our efforts to improve the organization and storage of materials and supplies for worship and music.
5.. continue our commitment to differently styled worship services at non-Sunday morning times, periodically collaborating with other groups to provide those services.
6.. maintain and renew our Worship Associate program.
7.. continue improvement of our technology capabilities.
8.. maintain our attention to fundraising for the maintenance of the piano in the Sanctuary.
9.. continue to collaborate with the BRIDGES program in identifying opportunities for integrating activities throughout the year.
10.. continue to emphasize the music component of our worship services.
11.. continue to expand our use of new worship resources.
12.. increase awareness and use of recorded Reflections, which are available on the website.
Budget
Our budget proposal reflects our continuing attention to the inclusion of presenters with diverse perspectives and of musicians, the addition of a paid Choir director, a lower cost of maintenance of pianos, the improvement of sound, recording and projection technology, and the purchase of worship resources, sheet music, and storage/organization supplies.
Attendance
During the 2018-2019 year, average attendance (adult and child) per Sunday service was 70_. Please find church records of the Sunday attendance numbers of adults and children attached below.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha McGovern
Sunday Attendance Records Spring 2018- Spring 2019
Date, Topic, Speaker *All Ages/Extended Opening Attendance
Adults/children
2018
March
4 Answering Call of Love K. Hawbaker 79/4
11 Money Matters K. Hawbaker 60/5
18 Climate Change & Conscience Jean Ambrose 67/5
25 What's Your Best Life Now? Samuel Prince 73/10
April
1 *Easter K. Hawbaker 75/8
8 Values . . . Wallet Michelle Wilson 74/4
15 Clutter, Clutter, Toil, & Struggle K.Hawbaker 69/7
22 Earth Day K. Hawbaker 72/7
29 Our Democratic Process [Annual Mtg] K. Hawbaker 78/5
May
6 Art of Tactfulness Rev. Caitlin C. Coillberg 67/7
13 When Mothers March K. Hawbaker 80/3
20 Images of the Divine K. Hawbaker 75/5
27 We Remember K. Hawbaker - - -
June
3 *Flower Communion/BRIDGES Recog. K. Hawbaker 65/0
10 Start Each Day w/ Grateful Heart Todd Hoke 65/2
17 *FUUSM Picnic & Fathers Day K. Hawbaker - - -
24 General Assembly - Live-streaming All Are Called 35/1
July
1 PSOTU Can You Hear Us? Readers Theatre 44/0
8 We Circle Around K. Hawbaker 56/0
15 Thinking Without a Banister K. Hawbaker 65/2
22 Economics of Happiness Jay & Annie Warmke 76/1
29 Are We Exceptional? S. Mills, K. Hawbaker - - -
August
5 Issues Under March for Our Lives Sherm Koons 63/9
12 Need for Inclusion Dr. Nkenge Friday 55/0
19 *Planetarium Visit - - -
Cozy Conversation - Taught to Hate or Not to Hate? Peg Clifford 16
26 Turning the Wheel of the Year K. Hawbaker 53/0
September
2 Changing The World of Work M.McGovern 60/3
9 *River of Life - Water Ceremony K. Hawbaker 66/3
16 Take Time to Trust K. Hawbaker 67/5
23 The Gifts in Our Genes Andrew McKnight 66/4
30 *Committee Fair K. Hawbaker, Committees 66/3
October
7 New Leaders Challenge AssumptionsK. Hawbaker - - -
14 Developing Leaders for Complex World Kurt Klettner 63/4
21 Promise & Practice of Our Faith K. Hawbaker 70/1
28 Good Grief & Lessons of Loss K. Hawbaker, L. Gallucci, P. Clifford 50/5
November
4 *Day of the Dead K. Hawbaker, J. Tumas-Serna 75/5
11 Feast or Famine K. Hawbaker 71/2
18 *Interfaith Thanksgiving K. Hawbaker 70/3
25 *Community Card Project, Decoration S. Mills, J. Maddox, D. McMichael 62/2
December
2 *Ribbon Ceremony K. Hawbaker 68/9
9 Seeking Peace in a Broken Land Peggy Gish 71/8
16 *Winter Holidays K. Hawbaker, Lucy Filipow, BRIDGES 70/9
23 *Beloved Community Brunch K. Hawbaker 64/2
24 *Christmas Eve Service K. Hawbaker - - -
30 *Fire Communion K. Hawbaker, J. Rapp - - -
2019
January
6 Twelfth Night Valley Renaissance Consort, K. Hawbaker 80/6
13 Finding Hope in a New Day K. Hawbaker 38/0
20 Level 2 Snow Emergency -- Canceled
27 Followership - Forgotten Side of Leadership R. McManus 76/1
February
3 Music & Arts in Life of FUUSM [Charter Sunday] K. Hawbaker 66/4
10 *Interfaith Harmony & Understanding K. Hawbaker 65/8
17 Loving Gifts (Forgiveness) K. Hawbaker - - -
24 PSOTU - For Such a Time as This Readers Theatre 72/4
OVERALL AVERAGE: _70__ per service
- - - Attendance numbers not available
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