Westminster Presbyterian Church

Minutes: Worship Committee Meeting: Thursday, 7:00 pm, 3/29/07: Room 6 (lower level)

Opening Prayer:  Rod Johnson

Members present: Harriet Vander Meer, Alex Thornburg, Joel Jones, Joe Chrisman, Margo LaPerre, Carol Wright, Rod Johnson, Mary Ihlenfeldt

Approve Minutes: 3/06/07 Meeting

I.                     Examen: the Book of Common Worship services for Sundays in Easter.

Discussed Easter sections from the Companion to the Book of Common Worship

II.                    Worship Components

A.   Final preparations for Holy Week:

- Palm/Passion Sunday: Distribute palms to the congregation. Communion worship service will also include the Passion of Christ theme. The service will begin in joy and praise and end in darkness and despair.

- Maundy (Mandate or commandment) Thursday: April 5: 7:00, Fellowship Hall a service that will include communion and a hand washing ceremony symbolizing the servants we are. Harpist and Chancel Choir will lead the service. The commandment, love one another, is central to this service.

- Good Friday: April 6: 7:00, Sanctuary – will be a service of 12 readers plus Alex reading from the Gospels, candles will be extinguished after each reading and a musical selection will precede each reading. The service will end in darkness.

- Discussed the Vesper services for Lent 2007. Many positive comments on the worship space in the Chapel: warm, welcoming, intimate, appropriate for the number of people. Attendance grew. Practices of prayer was a good idea and appreciated by those who attended. Understanding and abilities grew as the weeks went.

- Discussed the possibility of an Easter Vigil service at Westminster.

B.    Preparations for the Season of Easter  -  Easter plus 6 Sundays

1.                               Theme/continuity/structure for the season of Easter

Easter Sunday and the following Sundays in Easter will continue the theme of the resurrection and salvation in and through creation.

Will attempt to lead the congregation on themes surrounding the appreciation, responsibilities, and stewardship of creation.

2.                               Liturgical Elements –

White cloth on cross, table lectern and choir robes and Easter banner for all Sundays in Easter.

Acolytes: Looked at new directions for the Acolytes. Begin training session in the Fall.                 

Liturgists: Sign up sheet available

Communion procedures: Margo, Carol, Harriet

Discussed new directions for all communion servers. Discussed whether to include a Communion Hymn at the beginning of the communion section of the liturgy to have a time for preparation and meditation while servers take their appropriate places. Many of the new directions can begin immediately while other issues will continue to be discussed to possibly put in place for the April communion service

Choir processional: The choir will process during the Processional Hymn at the beginning of the service. There was much discussion on the beginning of the service.

Flowers: Easter lilies – information has been in the bulletin and the newsletter.

Bulletin color will be white during the Easter Season. Continued the discussion of having a larger format for our bulletin, in order to help facilitate the amount of information we have in it. This might help prevent some of the errors we continue to have.

C.   Report/Review: 

a. Church Cancellation Policy – continue discussion next month

b. Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals: Carol, Rod, Harriet

        Outline of materials to be included

Looked at brochure examples and discussed the importance of a worship orientation to all of the pieces. And that individual discussions will be needed with Pastor,  Director of Music and Parish Administrator for each of the pieces. Discussed the importance of the church having these documents in place and the goal is by fall. All to be approved by Session.

c. Usher/Greeter Review

d. Liturgical elements for the sanctuary: continue communication with Karen Brodie. Dowels will be used to hang the pieces from the lectern and pulpit.

                                                        e. Summer schedule

- June 3: Trinity Sunday – Proposal from Joe Chrisman to have a collaborative communion worship service with Christ Presbyterian on Trinity Sunday. A 9:00 service at Christ and a 10:45 service at Westminster . Both pastors will be involved in both services. Chancel Choirs from both churches will perform with professional musicians a work by Stephen Paulus, The Spirit That Sets Us Free, based upon the Presbyterian, A Brief Statement of Faith.

                                                                - June 10 – begin summer schedule: 9:30 worship service      

III. Budget Items:

Purchase n one new challis to use during communion by intinction – about $300.

Next meeting: The Worship Committee should begin a discussion of its role, mission and responsibilities and what purchases could the committee make to further those goals  

IV. Recommendations and Action items:

-          Proposed schedule change for the worship service on June 3, 2007 to 10:45 in order         to have a collaborative worship service with Christ Presbyterian Church.

-          Proposed summer worship schedule at 9:30 am to begin on June 10, 2007

-          Baptism of Finn and Samuel Kennedy on Mother’s Day, May 13, 2007.

Date of next meeting: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 7:00 pm, Room 6

Closing Prayer: Harriet Vander Meer