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Westminster Presbyterian Church Minutes for Worship Committee Meeting: 4-20-06, 7:00pm Meeting in Room 8 (lower level)
Opening Prayer: Harriet Vander Meer Those present: John Helt, Joe Chrisman, Harriet Vander Meer, Cynthia Bush, Barbara Vogelsang, Jean Rhude, Margo LaPerre, Walt Pridham Approval of Minutes: March 20, 2006 Meeting
Study and spiritual preparation for those who lead Westminster worship John Helt lead our continued discussion on “Designing Worship Together,” written by Malefyt and VanderWell. We discussed different methods of evaluation and determined that each method of evaluation produced different kinds of information. Worship Committee will look at two different evaluation formats presented in the article, fill them out and return to John Helt. We discussed the amount of needed feedback, the difficulty in getting a wide range of opinions, a representative response as opposed to individual responses, whether we have enough feedback and what is done with the responses, and how congregational responses can be used. The article recommends forming a “worship planning team” which regularly meets to plan worship services. Many responses articulated that the pastor and the music director plans our services and others were not needed in that process. The article also recommends an evaluation team, which would meet immediately after each service to quickly reflect on the service. Some members of the Worship Committee felt that there already was enough feedback, too much feedback isn’t always good, and “if it isn’t broken, why fix it?” A handout listing tangible and intangible elements of the physical and spiritual setting of the Westminster sanctuary was distributed. Members of the committee were invited to add to this list and in the future WC could use the list as a way to individualize the elements of the worship service in order to be more objectively evaluated.
Adult Education class: Worship at Westminster: April 23 – May 14, 2006, Room 6 The discussion of evaluation continued with the ideas that will be presented by John Helt and Joe Chrisman in their adult education class, “Worship at Westminster,” beginning Sunday Morning. John Helt will determine if the participants of the class will use a particular evaluation form for the April 30 Sunday worship service.
Review/analyze/evaluate our Lenten Season: The discussion began with an analysis of the evaluation responses of the Wednesday evening Lenten Services. Marian Bauer recorded the number of people and who attended the services. Based on that list, 45 evaluations were sent out with some quick check items to find out which and how many services they attended, technical aspects, such as lighting, seating, bulletins were addresses. The second part of the evaluation attempted to get responses to intangible elements such as how effective the use of sounds and music, meaningfulness and spirituality of the Lenten season. People were also asked why they came, if they would like the services to be offered again next year and if so how they could be changed, improved, or altered. 10 thoughtful evaluations were returned to the church office.
Attendance: for the Lenten / Holy Week services Ash Wednesday: 54 Wednesday 6:30 Services: March 8: 29 March 15: 22 March 22: 27 March 29: 25 April 5: 31 Palm Sunday: Maundy Thursday: 65 Ecumenical 1:00pm Service: 187 Good Friday 7:00pm Service: 65 Easter 8:15: ; 10:15:
Lenten Brochure: the Worship Committee felt that the brochure was helpful and useful to the congregation and should be done again next year. Maundy Thursday Service: comments from the worship committee and choir responses were reported. They included comments such as: Meaningful setting, home-like, represented the last supper of the disciples Quiet and reflective, moving, meditative, worshipful service Candle, table cloths and lighting transformed Fellowship Hall to a place of worship Choir contributed in a very positive way with good leadership One hymn was unfamiliar and difficult to sing in a small setting WC recommended the service would be offered again next year. - 1:00pm Ecumenical Service - well attended (187) with small representation from Westminster. No numbers were available. There were 27 choir members who participated with additional musicians: harpist, brass quartet, and one of the ministers performed a solo. A very meaningful, worshipful, powerful service was reported by many people. - 7:00 pm Tenebrae Serivce - 65 members attended the service. People reported that it was a meaningful service with wonderful additions from the choir. Some difficulty with the sound system. - 8:15 and 10:15 Easter Sunday Services - - both services were well attended - flowers were beautiful and many lilies were contributed - music was wonderful - more familiar, Easter hymns could be offered - Easter bulletin - special Easter bulletin cover was purchased, copied and discarded due to error - new bulletin covers were purchased in insufficient quantities; copies were Xeroxed and handed out at the 10:15 service - bulletins were printed with/out one musical response - error identified and corrected on Saturday - corrected copies were left in the office and not used - this is an office staff issue which is being examined by the personnel committee - communion - confusion as to when servers come forward; this needs to be clarified - servers ran out of wine/juice - advertising - at the last meeting Worship Committee approved - 1 ad for the Ecumenical service to appear in the Holy Week section of the State Journal to be paid by all contributing churches. Cost: $240. - 3 ads for Westminster to appear the Saturday before Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and an ad in the Holy Week section of the newspaper to the cost of $396. The committee felt this was a high price but worth doing. Outcome: -1 ad was placed in the Holy Week section of the State Journal. Cost: to be reported - Information in the church directory section updated. Cost: $160. - There was confusion as to why only one ad appeared and why there was no ad in the paper the day before the Easter service. John Helt will look into the situation and cost. WC will address this and the Christmas advertising at the next meeting.
Recommendations: 1. Continue in some form the Lenten Wednesday evening services. 2. Continue the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services 3. Use 2 extra communion servers if there is communion on Easter Sunday 4. Make sure the communion servers are familiar with their entrances and responsibilities. 5. Possibly use the Doxology for the communion server entrances. 6. Choir members should not be communion servers if there is a lot of music being offered. 7. Display ad should run the day before the Easter services. 8. Plan ahead and place this item in the budget for next year. 9. Define whose responsibility it is and make sure Sunday bulletins are placed in the sanctuary on the back pew, labeled before Sunday morning. 10. Notify communion servers that if there are single or two people on the ends of the aisle, they should serve them the tray and then proceed to the next pew, not have the congregational member get up and carry the tray down the row.
Calendar items approved for the remainder of the year: Dec. 17: 5:00 Christmas Pageant by children and youth Dec. 17: 10:15 (?) Festival of Lessons and Carols – to be determined with approval of choir Dec. 24: 10:15 Advent IV Worship Service 5:00pm: Christmas Eve service Dec. 25: No worship service Dec. 31: 10:15 Christmas I Worship Service 5:00pm: New Year Eve service of covenant renewal
Sanctuary reports and concerns Music - organ was repaired and then repaired again. - thanks to Joel Jones vigilance, WPC has a new grand piano in Fellowship Hall; - musicians during Lent were outstanding and a great addition Ushers and Greeters – planned tentatively through Rally Day. Liturgists - Jean reported that people are very happy to be asked and participate as liturgists. There is a good representation of Westminster members who participate. Not recommended to have children participate as liturgists. Care must be taken when in deciding which parts of the service liturgists are used. She also requested that the office along with an email version, send out a paper copy of the liturgists part with a bulletin to the liturgist so that he/she can highlight their own copy and become familiar with and rehearse what they are to say. Liturgical elements: there is an Easter banner in the back of the church Furniture: progress on alterations for pulpit and lectern. Other items: John Helt has requested Sunday, May 28 off. John suggested that Marian Bauer offered to fill the pulpit that day. Worship Committee will request Session approval of this and see if approval is needed from the Presbytery. (Please see action item below)
Worship Committee’s communication with congregation and community - Approved posting the following on the WPC Web site: - the membership of the Worship Committee including congregational members and all those who assist the committee, - the time and dates of our meetings. - the “Definition of the Worship Committee” - the “Roles and Responsibilities of the Worship Committee” - Continue to examine WPC advertising needs: Saturday worship schedule, yellow pages - Recommended having a Liturgical Season Brochure for each season - handout was shown including possible layout, content and schedule for next year.
There was discussion concerning the newletter/hightlights arriving late with old information. These brochures would need to be sent well before the particular liturgical season began.
Long term goals and concerns - In preparation for a new minister, could/should the Worship Committee make a list of priorities that need to be addressed? The committee discussed their desire for a new pastor to provide his/her own leadership, holding off with any suggestions for the new pastor and have the new person tell WC what to do. John Helt offered that it could be very helpful to a new pastor to have a list of suggested, prioritized items for him/her to consider immediately. These items would not be in any way required, but suggested. It would be helpful to begin thinking about such a list. The committee agreed.
Actions items: + Session approval: baptism of Kathleen Young, daughter of Tom and Johanna Young, May 7. + Session approval: Pastor Mark Elsdon, Pres House, to fill the pulpit on May 28, 2006 +(Marian Bauer was contacted 4/21/06 by phone and has agreed to assist the Worship Committee in their search for ministers, in the cases of emergency, to fill the pulpit at Westminster. All Worship Committee members were contacted by phone and approved the request to have Mark Elsdon fill the Westminster Pulpit on May 28, 2006.) + Session approval: remaining 2006 calendar items
Date of next meeting: June 6, 2006 - 7:00 pm, Room 8
Closing Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer together, 9:15 pm |
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