[Worship] Minutes of Worship & Music Committee meeting 10/7/2020

[Martha McGovern]

Minutes for October 7, 2020 Meeting of the Worship & Music Committee
NOTE:  Extra Meeting to Plan for Holidays:  Wednesday, October 21 – 5:00 p.m. on Zoom; Martha will send link   Email and discuss ideas in the interim.

In Attendance:  Adeline Bailey, Rev. Kat Hawbaker, Martha McGovern, Suzyn Mills, Annie Warmke

Chalice Lighting:  Related to Simone Weill’s doctrine of attention: “Each conversation the narrator has is an exercise in attention: an occasion for her to shed her sense of self and to wait to receive the being she is looking at, just as she is, in all her truth.” [Aging Ungracefully in The New Yorker, 9/14/2020, Merve Emre]  Weill:  “The capacity to give one’s attention to a sufferer is a very rare and difficult thing.  The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say to him: ‘What are you going through?’  It is a recognition that the sufferer exists, not only as a unit in a collection, or a specimen from the social category labeled ‘unfortunate,’ but as a man, exactly like us, who was one day stamped with a special mark by affliction.”

1. Minutes of September  meeting were approved.
2. Theme for 2020- 2021:  How can we be mindful and authentic in cherishing all life? 
3. Sharing:  Committee members will bring “anchor readings” for the theme as resources for development of worship services.
482 – Jacob Trapp “half of language is to listen”
576 – A Litany of Restoration – Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley  “It will not matter.”
437 – Let Us Worship (and let us learn to love) – Kenneth L. Patton
484 – “To live content with small means;” – William Henry Channing
679 – Buddhism “Be ye lamps unto yourselves”
505 – Thich Nhat Hanh “Let us be a peace”
4. Moving Forward with Virtual Worship and Return to In-Church Services:  What are next steps??
• MUSIC:  Kat shared information about a service called Worshipcast that deals with copyright issues for music. The cost per year is $235.  One concern is that the covered pieces are primarily from the Christian tradition.  Another alternative is purchasing rights to use one piece in perpetuity.  For example Emma’s Revolution charges $250 for “Peace, Salaam, Shalom.”  We will consult with Martha Webster about other alternatives.
• GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING/PREPARING WORSHIP SERVICE: Martha will prepare a draft and will submit it to Committee members for feedback.
• Report from Adeline and Martha on Holiday Planning/Brainstorming sponsored by Appalachian Cluster:
What is the key thing we are hoping to accomplish with our holiday services?
	Provide the experience of traditional rituals
	Deepen the meaning of the rituals
	Create a sense of belonging
	Appeal to all ages, especially children/families
	Use the power of music
	Aim to mix-up the approach rather than water-down the usual
	Incorporate an outside component
	Cooperate with other congregations, especially in the areas of music & technology
How can we – in a pandemic-friendly way – reach those goals?
	In virtual services, include pictures of the Sanctuary
	Scavenger Hunt – look for items within Zoomed service display, distribute items 
		and ask congregation members to hold up at certain times within service, 
		have congregation members/friends display item for community spotting 
		(teddybears, candy cane, chalice)
	Celebrate St. Nicholas – empty shoes to accept candy  (tie to carbon footprint?)
	Use UUA selections of high quality, coordinate a virtual choir
	Organize a display of “green” luminaries
	Plan for virtual candlelight service by having participants sit in dark at home with 
		candle
	Create a candle-lit labyrinth  (where – park?  FUUSM courtyard?)
	Set up tree outside
	Decorate fence around church – greens, lights, ribbons
	In virtual service, share object of significance to holiday
	At beginning of service, share sorrows/fears that letting go of; at end, share 
		joys/hopes
	Distribute “pick-me-up kits”  (e.g., legos to create chalice)
	Plan community service project (e.g., Community Card Project, food donation)
	Vary Communion (Thanksgiving – cornbread and cider; Christmas – cocoa)
       What steps do we need to take to reach these goals?  What is realistically possible?

5. Reflection on Service – Experiences of Voting  10/4/2020
What went well:  use of photos with music, incorporation of stories from congregation in reflection (avoided public speaking anxiety, simplified technical issues), smooth technical presentation, choice of songs (especially last piece), use of special music performed by congregation members
What to refine:  Add a question for congregation to respond to during “Coffee Hour”
Thematic/coherent:  Seemed to address the theme “The Paradox of We.”
Spirituality/Faith Tradition: focused on Principle of “Support the democratic process and mutual respect”
Life Span: no direct attention to younger element of the congregation
6. Financial Matters:  
7. Martha Webster is asking for involvement of congregation members to create recorded performances.  Potential participants applaud her efforts and request clearer directions.  
8. The Committee decided to ask committees/groups to reflect on how they are, or intend to be, mindful and authentic in cherishing all life and then to be a part of, or to take responsibility for, a worship service on that 2020-2021 theme.  The Committee hopes that this approach will deepen insight into the purpose of the committee/group, will increase involvement of members/friends, and will inform the congregation of the activities of the committees/groups.  Adeline included information about this initiative in The Confluence for October.  Martha will meet with Women’s Group about the November service and will report on contacts with the Board, Board of Trust Governors, Green Sanctuary, Caring Committee, Men’s Group, Building & Grounds, Membership, BRIDGES, Finance, and W & M Committee.
September - December:  
Possible Topics and Speakers:  
Committees reflect on being mindful/authentic toward cherishing all life in time of pandemic
Swap/Share with Charleston UU, Athens UU – Kat  
UU Vote
>From Interfaith Power & Light – Democracy Values & the 2020 Election: A Reflection Guide for Faith Communities – Martha
Women & Vote Empowerment – Annie
History of Voting – Jann Adams ??
Black Lives Matter (Panel -- Moni, Geroge B, Darryl T, Ted G) – Kat ??
Gospel Music and/or Blues -- Sadie Johnson 
BLM and Sumner School in Parkersburg  [Peg – contact Peshka Calloway for October 18, 25???]

September	?? When Launch theme??
	6	Kat - The Inherent Worth & Dignity of Essential Workers    WA - Peg Clifford 
	13	Kat - Positivity in Pandemic  (Kristen – artist)
	20	Kat with Annie Warmke   Water Ceremony + Autumn Equinox
	27	Kat - Congregational Meeting “Mindful About Money”   
October 
	4	Annie Warmke & Suzyn Mills  – Experiences of Voting     
       {Blessing of Animals in Courtyard}
	11	Kat - Indigenous People’s Day  (“This Land Is My Land” – MW)
	18	Kat - Robin Bozian & colleagues – Ending Violence for Everyone – EVE, 
       National Domestic Violence Awareness Month  (“We Sing of Hope & Joy” – MW)
	25	Kat – Gather the Spirit, Harvest the Power  video-UUA’s UU the Vote
November
	1	Kat, Jane T-S, Martha McG  -  Day of the Dead & All Souls
	8	Spiritual Sustenance
	15	Women’s Group  on 2020-2021 theme ??
	22	Thanksgiving
	29	Advent begins
December
	6
	13
	20
		24  Christmas Eve
	27
January 2021
	3	Fire Communion
	10
	17
	24
	31

Possible Topics and speakers for future services:  
• ***Wenda Sheard from Athens UU proposes collaboration, perhaps in spring 2020, in which Athens and Marietta would do a joint service, at Athens church one Sunday and Marietta church another Sunday.   Offer came via Robin at bozian.com
• Jim Rapp – idea to connect historical events/movements to FUUSM -  “From These Pews”
• Martha will communicate to Rev. Elizabeth Teal of the Jacksonville, Florida UU congregation that we will welcome her as a guest speaker and will coordinate dates, probably in the summer.  904-874-0047  reverendteal at gmail.com
• Kat will open discussion with Rev. Elizabeth Maleke , Williamstown Presbyterian, about a pulpit exchange or team preaching.  
• 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
• 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
• 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	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 	
• 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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