Mount Cross Lutheran Church - Music Staff & Worship & Music Committee

Minutes of the January 15, 2012 meeting

Present:

Committee: Geri Bradley, Barbara D’Addario, Kerry Del Marto, Linda Frantz, Denise Sobolik,

Staff: Guy Ervin, Caroline Hobbs, Jayne Pompey, Pastor John

1. Opening prayer by Pastor John.

2. Date for next meeting: Sunday, March 18, 202 @ Noon.

3. Worship schedule – January into June:

DATE	DAY	NOTES
JANUARY 22	Epiphany 3	Classical Concert, 2 pm
29	Epiphany 4	Annual Meeting, 4 pm Chili Cook-off, 5:30 pm
FEBRUARY 5	Epiphany 5	Church Council installation – all services
12	Epiphany 6	Vacation – Pastor John gone
19	Transfiguration
Wednesday, 22	Ash Wednesday	St. Columba’s Episcopal joins us for worship at Mount Cross; Episcopal preacher, Lutheran liturgy and music leadership^1
26	Lent 1	Winter Camp – Pastor Erik gone
Wednesday, 29		6:00 pm – Supper; 7:00 p.m. – Worship^2. Theme: tba
MARCH 4	Lent 2
Wednesday, 7
11	Lent 3	Winter Camp – Pastor Erik gone
Wednesday, 14
18	Lent 4
Wednesday, 21
25	Lent 5
Wednesday, 28
APRIL 1	Palm Sunday^3
Thursday, 5	Maundy Thursday	7 p.m. – “Your Place At The Lord’s Table”
Friday, 6	Good Friday	7 p.m. – Service of Darkness
Saturday, 7	Holy Saturday	7 p.m. – Easter Vigil & Baptism Festival
8	Easter Sunday	Times: 8, 9:30 & 11
15	Easter 2
22	Easter 3
29	Easter 4	Tent Event II^4
MAY 6
13		Mother’s Day
20		Confirmation @ 10:45
27		Memorial Weekend Classical Concert, 2 pm
JUNE 3		Begin summer schedule – Traditional at 9,^5 Contemporary at 10:30 Concert Service @ 9 CDC ‘Baccalaureate’ @ 10:30
LOOKING AHEAD	Baptism Festivals – June 10 & August 19^6 Teen Challenge – June 17 Service in the park – August 26^7 Return to regular schedule – September 2 Rally Day – September 9

Notes on the schedule:

1 – Pastor John will deliver music to St. Columba’s this week. Denise will again prepare our Lenten ‘desert scene’ to be placed near the font.

2 – Holden Evening Prayer

3 – Last year’s ‘eco-palms’ arrived too early, molded and dried out. This year we’ll order from the florist.

4 – We’ll again plan to have a tent meeting/revival feel for the service. Band is onboard to play. 4^th Sunday of Easter is traditionally “Good Shepherd Sunday,” so that might guide the theme.

5 – Little cups for Communion on 1^st Sunday of the month only. Theme still to be decided.

6 – June 10 is a firm date; August 19 will be set when the first family chooses a date.

4. Debrief the Advent/Christmas seasons

· PJ’s thoughts: We don’t need to call it ‘Hanging of the Greens” anymore; people will come to a Christmas Concert by our music ministries (and others) no matter what we call it. 2^nd thoughts about the request for no applause at Hanging of the Greens. Thanks to Caroline for extra effort on the ambience of the sanctuary for Christmas Eve, and for researching video resources for us in the service – sign of a larger role for her in worship planning.

· There was discussion about a real tree vs. artificial tree. It was felt that the money spent (approx. $500 for tree + fireproofing) was hard to justify. We will explore obtaining an artificial tree, either from possible donation (Rick Mann knows of someone) or purchase).

· This was the last Christmas decorated by the Sobolik family. Denise will prepare a handbook to guide those who follow. Also mentioned that though there is a good supply of lights, decorations, etc., there is no budget for these items.

5. Old Business:

· Altar Guild. Instructions for altar guild will be updated in the new year to take into account the new communion ware and the changes at the 3^rd service. Pastor John suggested that there is no longer a need to use only the new wooden Communion ware for services, as all of the items we have are memorial gifts. The two shallow chalices should still be used each week at the Contemporary Service, as that was the original motivation for the project.

· Children’s Bibles have been moved from dormancy on the shelves of the church library racks into active use in the pews in church.

· Re: the suggestion that we do away with the small cups used for Communion. It was decided that when we cut back to the first Sunday of the month during the summer months, we will keep that schedule into the fall of 2012. We can evaluate in a year.

· Re: How to make it easier for people who prefer grape juice during communion. Tabled until another meeting.

· Another Communion concern: more than one person mentioned that sometimes the gap between the pastor giving the bread and the next assistant with the wine is too small. No time allowed for eating and reflecting. Assistants will be reminded to leave a gap of two to three people. Instructions will also be updated to show this.

· Communion by tables. It was suggested that from time to time we use a practice of keeping a group at the rail until all have communed, at which time they are dismissed to their seats with a blessing.

· Prayer stations. Stephen Ministry will begin (at a date to be determined) offering occasional prayer stations behind the altar for those wishing to have a prayer with pastor or lay person. At traditional services, this would take place on a Sunday we use walk-by Communion.

· Kneelers. There was discussion about the possibility of installing kneelers. Some have experience with these in other churches and like the option of being able to use them. There were concerns that kneelers attached to the pews would cut down on precious space available now. Some churches use movable kneeling pads, which look like little ottomans, but we worried about a tripping danger. We’ll refer this to the Sanctuary Design Committee.

Meeting adjourned about 1:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Pastor John W. Soyster

Secretary pro tem