Mount Cross Worship & Music Committee

Minutes of the August 25, 2008 meeting

1. Pastor John opened the meeting with prayer.

2. Present: Georgeanna Whistler, Geri Bradley, Pastors Erik & John.

3. We reviewed the worship schedule for the coming months.

DATE	DAY	MUSICAL OFFERING	NOTES
August 31	Last Sunday of our summer series. We visit “The Wilderness.”		Last Sunday of our summer schedule.
September 7	Pentecost 17		Rally Day. Return to regular worship schedule.
September 14	Holy Cross		1^st of 3 Sundays with Stewardship themes. Altar Guild note: Paraments are red today
September 21	St. Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist		2^nd of 3 Sundays with Stewardship themes. Altar Guild note: Paraments are red today
September 28	Pentecost 20		3^rd of 3 Sundays with Stewardship themes.
October 5	Pentecost 21		Commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the CDC
October 12	Pentecost 22
October 19	Pentecost 23
October 26	Reformation Sunday
November 2	All Saints Sunday		Stewardship “Election Day.” Baptism Festival.
November 9	Pentecost 26
November 16	Pentecost 27		Commemorate the 20^th anniversary of our sanctuary
November 23	Christ the King Last Sunday after Pentecost
Wednesday, November 26	Thanksgiving Eve

4. Discussion/action items included:

· The just now concluding summer series of visiting different locations in the Bible. Reviews were favorable.

· Decided we would restore the text of the Bible readings to the worship folder (beginning September 7).

· Decided we would continue using Setting 2 for the time being. Pastor John will talk to Guy about recording a demo disk with the organ so we will be better able to judge how some of the untried settings might sound in our house of worship.

· The group enjoyed the extra time between services during the summer but we decided not to suggest any changes to our current ‘regular’ schedule (8:15, 9:30 and 10:45).

· Heard of the resignation of Tim Pompey as Praise Band director, effective 9/2/08). Personnel Committee will meet later in the day (8/25) to discuss what happens next.

· We assumed that Denise would have the traditional sign-up sheet for Altar Guild at Rally Day (September 7).

· Pastor John shared the idea of scheduling a series of communion services with the churches with whom we have a full communion relationship (Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ, Reformed Church in America, United Methodist Church, Moravian Church). The idea would be to schedule a series of services (probably not on a Sunday morning) to which we would invite a local congregation (pastor, choir, members) from one of these church bodies to Mount Cross for fellowship and worship. The group liked the idea. Pastor John asked them to think about a good Sunday each year for an annual event. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity would be a natural time, except that it might conflict with our annual meeting and our classical concert series.

5. Next meeting. It was decided to wait to schedule the next meeting until Pastor John can confer with Linette and other committee members about schedule, best day and time.

Minutes of Worship and Music Meeting 5/19/08 Next meetings:

June 30 @ 2:00

August 25 @ 2:00

Present: P. Erik

P. John

Linette Angelastro

Georgiana Whistler

Melissa Henry

Counsel approved the change in worship schedule for July and August.

Pastor John discussed a theme for summer of travel. Last month we had discussed several ideas. P. John put a suggestion box in the narthex for people to suggest “places” to go in the bible, but no one has so far made any suggestions. He will leave out one more week. He’s come up with a long list of possible places to visit. (All sound good.)

Also, he was going to ask kids in our congregation who had expressed interest in being a pastor to have a chance to perhaps take part in service, for example, by giving sermon or other part of service as appropriate.

Children’s sermon will tie in with travel theme, they’ll get a specially designed booklet with our own stickers for every week, he’s already gotten 3 volunteers from the congregation who have offered to design. The kids’ theme will tie in with the travel theme, ways of transportation in the bible, e.g., camels, donkeys, ship, etc. The booklet was very popular when we did it in a prior summer.

P. Erik said he got positive feedback from maps projected on wall during Pentecost, so may do similar during summer.

For Memorial Day summer, we’ll do communion not at railing, but will have station set up for prayer and candle lighting at communion rail.

P. Erik reported that our second confirmation group was to be confirmed on 6/1. Since there were so many young adults confirmed this year, P. Erik reported that they are considering doing the God stories perhaps at a Saturday dinner, before the service. Good and bad in this idea, takes away from the congregation hearing the stories, but would make the service not quite so long.

First confirmation service went well, full church and the youth band played.

Traditional Services

Melissa suggested printing the hymns in the large print bulletins, as those who need the large print bulletins have difficulty reading the smaller print of the hymnals. We’ll think about this.

Also was suggested to print the Kyrie in the bulletin, to be more welcoming.

Pew bibles. The bibles themselves are getting pretty beat up. Melissa says we have four boxes in the loft, and we could replace the worst ones. P. Erik will look into replacing. We also decided to put the bibles at the bottom rack, where they won’t get bumped so much. Melissa will check into the possibility of laminating the covers or book covers.

Melissa and Linette will check for boxes of bibles and replace some on Sunday.

Old hymnal disposal- Melissa is recycling a few at a time. She has to rip off the covers to get the city to take them. (Lots of work, thanks Melissa.) No one else wanted them, the prison could not take them.

Discussed request for old familiar hymns to be sung. Always seems to be popular. Maybe it’s because we’re still learning the new liturgy?

Discussed setting 2 of liturgy which we are now using. Easter 07, started setting 1, October 07, started setting 6, Lent 08 to now, setting 2.

Consensus that “Glory to God” is hard to learn. Lots of complaints about verse 3. P. John said he’d try to do another demo disc so we can hear the different settings.

June 8 is the choir concert.

Contemporary Service

Gospel, people aren’t standing. Pastors will motion people up.

The suggestion was made that if a song from the hymnal is being sung, that the number be stated or in the bulletin so those that read music can use the hymnal if they want.

Next meetings:

June 30 @ 2:00

August 25 @ 2:00

Mount Cross Lutheran Church

Camarillo, California

Worship & Music Committee

Minutes of April 21, 2008 meeting

1. Present: Linette Angelastro (chair), Georgeanna Whistler, Melissa Henry, Geri Bradley, Pastor Erik, Pastor John.

2. Linette opened the meeting with prayer.

3. We reviewed the worship schedule from the end of April through the summer (see below). We discussed the tradition of a special theme for summer worship and preaching and decided on a series related to interesting journeys would be good. We will use the fact that gas is approaching $4/gallon to encourage people to travel to far away places without leaving church!

4. Action: Committee decided to recommend to next Church Council meeting that we repeat the summer schedule we used in 2007: Traditional Worship at 9:00 a.m. and Contemporary Worship at 10:30 a.m.

5. Pastor John asked for feedback from the recent Lent/Holy Week/Easter services. People liked the theme, the presentations, but, as usual, being able to hear the young people was a problem with many. Also, so far, so good with Setting Two in the ELW. It was noted, however, that we need more guidance with some of the new liturgical music. It would be good if we could sing all the liturgical music in a service instead of trading the communion liturgy for the Kyrie/hymn of praise. Perhaps the choir could use the liturgical music as their musical offering from time to time to assist in this way. Pastor John will discuss at next Music Staff meeting.

6. Pastor Erik asked us to consider two issues: one being the Sunday School opening and the other being Children’s sermons. Some of the opening songs are not familiar to the children, parents are confused where to leave their children, teachers are rushing to get their rooms ready. We’ll leave it alone through the end of the current year and with Learning, reevaluate. Likewise for the Children’s sermons; the committee felt the pastors should be the ones to decide whether to include it in a service if very few or no children are present; does it send a message about our church (especially to visitors) that we would rather not send? He also reminded us to consider the implications of our new mission statement: To know God through care, compassion and creative worship.

7. Other discussions:

· Committee agreed that after several attempts to find new homes for them, the old hymnals (blue and green) will be sent to recycling.

· Concerns were again raised about the pace of liturgical music and some hymns in the traditional service. Perhaps moving Guy down to the piano would help. Pastor John will explore with Guy at next Music Staff meeting (May 4).

· Melissa asked whether there was a blue parament for the pulpit to match the one for the altar. Answer is likely no. This is one of three sets that came over from the old sanctuary. The old red ones were replaced; the old gold ones are still in use (Easter Sunday). Perhaps it is time to send this need to the Memorials Committee.

· Re: the renovation of the baptismal font, Geri shared information about a class in Ventura that might provide an opportunity for someone(s) to make us a new, fused glass bowl for the font. No resolution to the project yet; we will wait for further news from Joan Swindle.

· Melissa suggested a rolling rack for choir robes so that they would not disrupt Adult Sunday School. The teachers (PE & PJ) don’t feel it is a serious interruption but the rack will be tried to see how it works. Someone just needs to roll the rack back into the closet at the end of the adult class.

8. Next meeting: Monday, May 19 at 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Pastor John

Secretary pro tem

Spring & Summer 2008 Worship Schedule

DATE	DAY	PREACHER	MUSICAL OFFERING	NOTES
4/27	Easter 6	J	Bells: Lord, Keep Us Steadfast, arr. Sandra Eithun
5/4	E 7	E	Bells: Gaudeamus, Let Us Be Joyful, arr. Arnold B. Sherman	New Members received (probably 9:30 & 10:45 services)
5/11	Pentecost	J	Choir: Sweet Hour Of Prayer, by Hugh S. Livingston, Jr.	Mother’s Day
5/18	Holy Trinity	J	Choir: Breath Of God, by Eugene Englert	Rite of Confirmation (#1 of 2) @ 10:45 service
5/25	Pentecost 2	J	Choir: I Will Keep My Eyes On You, by Cindy Berry	Memorial Weekend
6/1	P 3	E	Choir: Change My Heart/Lord Be Glorified, by Eddie Espinosa & Bob Kilpatrick	Rite of Confirmation (#2 of 2) @ 10:45 service Baptism Orientation, Noon
6/8	P 4	J	· Bells & Choir - Concert service – Songs of the Psalms · Baptism Festival
6/15	P5	E	Choir: Grant Us Peace, by Joseph M. Martin	Father’s Day
6/22	P6	J	Start Summer Musical Offering series	Start Summer Preaching Series (Theme: tba)
6/29	P7	J
7/6	P8	E
7/13	P9	J
7/20	P10	J
7/27	P11	E
8/3	P12	J
8/10	P13	J
8/17	P14	E
8/24	P15	J
8/31	P16	J	End Summer Musical Offering series	Labor Day Weekend End Summer Preaching Series
9/7	P17	E		Rally Day

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