[Worship] Worship & Music Committee -- ATTACHED - Minutes of November 2019 meeting

[Martha McGovern]

Minutes of November 6,  2019  Meeting of the Worship & Music Committee 

In Attendance:  Adeline Bailey, Kat Hawbaker, Martha McGovern, Suzyn Mills 

  1.. Minutes of  October 2 were approved with clarification of cost estimates for sound equipment upgrades. 
  2.. Correspondence:  need thank you note for Joe Baker 
  3.. Reports from Specific Task Teams: 
    1.. Aesthetics Team:  Martha will contact Jane and Nancy about holiday decoration of Sanctuary, Gary Hamilton & Men's Group about outside of church.  
    2.. Special Music Team: Suzyn "Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie," a song by Shari Ballantyne, a song by the trio.  Choir: Nov. 17 - "Pacem"   Dec. 22 - "Hanukkah Hayom"   Dec. 24 - "Calypso Lullaby" & "Night of Silence" 
    3.. Worship Associates Team:  Kat and Jim Rapp will plan a refresher for WAs in the spring.  Suggested statement about the Native Americans of this area:  We acknowledge that our building occupies the traditional land of various Native American tribes, and we try to walk respectfully and lightly upon that land. 
Martha will update the checklists and scripts, send them to all WAs, and be sure they are accessible for use on Sundays in the Sanctuary/Social Hall.

    4.. Piano Task Force: Suzyn and Randy will set a date for a fund-raiser recital, perhaps connected with Twelfth Night. 
    5.. Technology Task Force:  
                                                               i.      Raising level of television - Joe Baker has built and installed a stand that is higher.   It is suggested that the stand have wheels and that a ramp be constructed to the front stage for both easier transfer of AV equipment and for individuals who have mobility issues.  Other feedback:  From the pews, we can see the whole screen now.

                                                             ii.      Development of AV presentations for key services throughout the year.  Cynthia Ting is willing to develop a display of her flower photographs.  Cindy Burton, Jimmy and Lyndsey Bennett have agreed to coordinate or produce AV presentations.  A display for Blessing of the Animals is a first project that will involve the members of the congregation.  Al Tuttle may be another resource for this endeavor.  Feedback on Blessing of the Animals and Day of the Dead displays?

    6.. Task Force for the Time for All Ages:  Ralph created a list.  Use tfaa at fuusm.org in the "to" line. 
    7.. The Storage Committee:  Maggie will be reactivating the committee soon.
  3.. Expenditures:  The Committee unanimously recommends that a donation of $500 be given early to the Multicultural Festival for 2020 so that our sponsorship will be part of all promotion for that event. - Kat 
Chris Purdy was paid $110 for piano tuning.  

Ralph Olander will be reimbursed for purchase of a cable ($19.29) to connect the television to an outlet.

  5.. Budget Proposal - how the proposed budget for 2019-2020 aligns with what was approved.
Issue of paid Choir Director

  6.. August 3 Leadership Training with Beth Casebolt - Kat explained the efforts establish a program-based budget that aligns FUUSM's mission & ministry with our monies. 
  7.. The group revisited the question "What are our rituals and high holidays in the liturgical calendar?"  Water Ceremony, Meditation on Forgiveness, Blessing of the Animals, Day of the Dead, Gratitude (Thanksgiving), Ribbon Ceremony (meaning of Christmas season), Fire Communion, Charter Sunday (February 2),World Interfaith Harmony, We Are Family (Mother/Father Day), Flower Communion
In a brief discussion about marking the 4 elements of earth-based faiths, the group considered the association of Earth Day (body) and Charter Sunday (breath/voice) to complement the Water Ceremony (blood) and the Fire Communion (spirit).

  8.. New Theme for 2019-2020:  How do we address the paradox of "We"?   
  9.. Assessment of Service: Day of the Dead
What went well: Choir sang challenging piece well.

What to refine: 

     Technical elements need to function smoothly to be effective.

            Enlarge font for labels of images.

            Have music as photos are shown.

            Establish a process for preparation for incorporating technology.

                        Involve Mike Bailey.

                        Arrange practices well in advance of service/program.

     Carefully select music  and plan how to introduce new/complex hymns or songs.

    Add more candles and helpers.

    Use one mike and one-directional flow.

                        

Thematic/coherent:  OK

Spirituality/Faith Tradition:  Attention to Native peoples and Mexico expands UU understanding.

Life Span:  Naming of those through history was effective.

  10.. Services for  September - January:  
October

            6          Kat -- Biodiversity and Endangered Species     WA: Suzyn Mills

Blessing of Animals - 4:00 p.m. in Courtyard

            13        Annie Warmke  "12 Steps to Thriving"  WA:Rebecca Phillips    Brad Bond - 90th B'day

            20        Kat - To Each Their Own But What of Us?      WA:

            27        Kat - Origins of Halloween (Samhain - Pagan New Year)

 

November        [National Hispanic Cultural Heritage month; Native American Heritage month]

            3          Kat -  Day of the Dead                                    WA: Jane Tumas-Serna

Service Auction 11/9

            10        WLs -Kat and Martha   Kindness                                WA:  N/A

Beat Climate Change Coffee House  11/16

            17        Kat - Kinds of Prayers & ALL AGES Thanksgiving                 WA: Jim Rapp  CHOIR

            24        Katy McDaniel  "Dark Tourism"                       WL: Suzyn Mills

 

December

            1          Kat - Advent/Interfaith Service:  Many Candles, One Light

            8          Kat - ALL AGES Community Card Project  John Maddox, Diane McMichael,Teens

                                    No Randy     Do Sanctuary decoration, too.

            15        Kat - Ribbon Ceremony  Marietta Merry & Bright -Afternoon cookies & cocoa in Muskingham Park

            22        Kat - What sustains us in this season?  Solstice    WA:  Dawn Hewitt   CHOIR

Christmas Eve Service  12/24 (Tuesday)  The Story of Christmas in Music ?? WA:  Suzyn Mills CHOIR

            29        Kat - Fire Communion      WA: Jim Rapp

 

January 2020

            5          Topsy-Turvy Twelfth Night

            12

            19

            26        (NO Kat)  Guest speaker - Wes Clarke

Sustainability Forum - January 31-February 1

February 

            2          Green Sanctuary?   World Interfaith Harmony Week?  

            9

            16

            23

            

 

 

Possible Topics and speakers for future services:  

·        The nature of prayer - Rain Dance was envisioning, 4 types - supplication, thanksgiving, contrition, praise    

(paraphrase)  Abraham Lincoln: If you want to raise the likelihood of the future you have predicted, get involved in creating it.

Barbara Kingsolver:  "The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for.  And the most you can do is live inside that hope.  Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof."

·        Kindness 

·        Forgiveness as recurring service - connected with Yom Kippur "We forgive ourselves and each other.  We begin again in Love."

·        clarification of various service/outreach activities of the local congregation and endeavors with UUA, UUSC, etc. and their relationship with FUUSM principles, mission

Need for tracking and regular reporting? For example in Finance Committee records and Annual Meeting  report??   Do our church finances align with our mission?

·        Possible speakers:  artists: Dani, Morgan/Owen

·        Workshop service:  prayer flags - Kat and Peg will take the lead on the service; Jane Tumas-Serna is willing to help.  

·        Mind maps may help the congregation identify how they are active in FUUSM efforts/activities and what additional options they would like.

·        Moral leadership:  Truman and Berlin Air Lift

Martha will arrange with poets, artists for future services in March or other month

·        Susan Sheppard (sp?) -- "To Be Indian" Native American experience, poem from Riverside Artists event, gourd by Kathy Norosky, other art work? 

"Arrow Heads" by Nellie Hufford Ruby, wall art by Betsy Cook

·        Appalachian Woman - Virginia Killian painting, poem by Kari Gunter-Seymour, reader was Athens project leader

 

Rancho Mirage Writers Festival (published on February 17, 2017) - Questions from Bret 

            Stephens:  

Are we a country that seeks and attracts human capital and believes in being fundamentally open 

to the world?  Are we a self-critical country or a country of blamers?  Do we define our interests 

according to our values or vice versa?  Do we have a healthy innovation culture?  Do we have a 

healthy civic culture?  Are we still a nation of optimists?  What are our attitudes toward

foreigners, failure, global leadership, change, each other?

 

Touchstone REACH Packet, Hungry Town, multiple intelligences with additional one - existential-spiritual, powerful children's stories, ages of women, This I Believe, family stories as carriers of family values, June Teenth celebration, reflections of people who grew up in UU congregation (Jay Phillips, Mike Bailey, Dean Banziger), Bill Bauer and Peg Clifford on suicide and kindness,  reflections of former ministers, Living Mindfully - Prepare for the Unexpected (Robin Bozian, Anita Newhart, Sue Montera, Virginia Mayle), Quill as a storyteller, Quakers on consensus, morality of artificial intelligence. 

Hal Walker - Suzyn     Michael Dowd - Adeline  -- perhaps in 2018  -- See email with update.

Catherine Roma - Kat 

            Peg Clifford - What does democracy look like to whom?, We are all brothers (Day of the Dead), 

                        5 words for learning in Hebrew, immigration - world map of our origins

                        Cooperation with other churches - bus trip to African-American Museum in DC or 

                        Underground Railroad in Cincinnati

            Protest - contrast burning cross & burning flag  (Barb Kidd)

            Diversity: awareness of brain injury - (Beverly Bradley)

            Summer Institute:  Encouraging attendance, using resources  e.g., Non-Violent Communication 

Attention to awareness of previous residents on land in our area and need for our light presence

Peg Clifford - "Where did I come from & why?" testimonials from members/friends

Visual Arts (social justice, spirituality)

Shelley Graffs - Singing in Sacred Circle, etc.  graffs at cinci.rr.com

Trauma-Informed Care/ Trauma-Informed Schools

 

                                                    

 

    
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