| The 1st UUA Conference on Contemporary Worship |
Tuesday, December 19 2006 @ 05:31 PM PST
Contributed by: mudslingpyro
Views: 1709
|
Where: First UU Church of San Diego, CA, 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA 92103
When: Thurs. Feb 22-Sat. Feb 24, 2007. The conference will begin at 4pm on Thursday (registration will be open earlier) and end after lunch on Saturday at 1:30pm.
Who: Ministers, Religious Educators, Music Directors, seminarians, young adult and campus group leaders, worship committee members, musicians and other lay leaders.
Cost: General Registration: $250, Students: $100, includes conference attendance and all meals from Thursday dinner through Saturday lunch. It does not include housing.
Scholarships are available. To apply, please email Michael Tino, UUA Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry
To Register: Download a PDF format registration form here http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/resources/Worship/index.html
and mail it in by January 15 to:
UUA Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry, 25 Beacon St, Boston MA 02108.
If you have trouble downloading this form, please contact us at (617) 948-6463.
Housing:
We have reserved a block of rooms at the La Quinta San Diego Mission Valley, located at 641 Camino Del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108. The hotel is about half a mile from the church. We are hoping to be able to provide van transportation between the church and hotel.
The room rate is $89 per night (plus tax) for up to four people in a room.
To reserve a room, call the LaQuinta Central Reservation Center at 1-800-531-5900 and identify yourself as a member of the UUA Contemporary Worship party, Reservation Bloc confirmation number 611945037.
Hotel reservations must be made by January 22, 2007 to qualify for this rate.
Program Highlights
Energizing and Grounding Worship Experiences
A variety of different types of contemporary worship will be presented, including large- and small-group worship experiences.
Worship opportunities will include:
* Four energetic all-conference worship services, including a special Soulful Sundown
* Worship led by our Keynote presenter, Marcia McFee
* Morning spiritual practices to center and ground us
* Creative and participatory small-group worship experiences
* Circle worship
* Movement, music and creativity
Keynote Address: Creating Worship with Deep Soul
Dr. Marcia McFee
From her web site (www.marciamcfee.com): Dr. McFee is an author, worship designer and leader, professor, preacher and artist. Her engaging and interactive style has been called “refreshing,” “inspiring,” and “unforgettable.” Marcia combines her background and experience in professional companies of music, theater and dance with a variety of worship and preaching styles in order to bring a fresh experience of the Gospel to each worship setting.
Marcia McFee has preached, led worship, and taught countless workshops for churches and conferences across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Her credits also include extensive professional experience with renowned companies of music, theater and dance. Ms. McFee received a Master's of Theological Studies degree at the Saint Paul School of Theology with a concentration in Preaching and Worship and a Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Liturgical Studies.
She has designed and led worship for a number of national and regional United Methodist gatherings, as well as other denominations such as The United Church of Christ, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), among others.
In 1995, Ms. McFee received the Hoyt Hickman Award for scholarship in the study of liturgy and effective worship leadership. Marcia has been a professor and guest lecturer at six seminaries in the area of worship and was the North Texas Conference (UMC) Consultant on Worship & the Arts. She is the author of The Worship Workshop: Creative Ways to Design Worship Together (Abingdon, 2002).
Informative and Interactive Workshops
Workshops will be led by experts, professionals and those experimenting with new and unique approaches to UU worship. They are in five themes. Check back here for more information about these exciting workshops.
Unitarian Universalist Theologies of Contemporary Worship
* 1. Emerging Worship Forms for Liberal Theology - Rev. Dr. Ken Brown and Dr. Angela Merkert
With a diverse history of worship expression we Unitarian Universalists are struggling with what contemporary worship means for us. We will explore how we can honor our tradition while using 21st Century forms to be spiritually vital.
* 2. Dreams of Youthful Vision: Toward an Embodiment of the Theology of Choice - Rev. Lyn Cox
As heretics, we choose to articulate our questions about ultimate concern in a variety of ways. Unitarian Universalist worship helps us to frame the questions amid an experience of awe and wonder. In this workshop, participants will experiment with modes of worship intended to draw together multiple perspectives. Participants will reflect together on how well a multi-modal, interdisciplinary approach to worship matches our inclusive theological message.
* 3. Worship as Transformational Learning - Rev. Sarah Gibb
Worship is adults’ primary form of religious education in our congregations—how do we reach them effectively, helping develop their senses of faith, ethics, spirituality, and Unitarian Universalist identity as they participate each week? How can Multiple Intelligences and Adult Learning Theory help us engage adults’ minds, bodies, and spirits in worship? Come exchange strategies and ideas for making contemporary worship a meaningful learning experience for adults.
Nuts and Bolts: Implementing Contemporary Worship in Your Congregation
* 1. Searching for the Future: Strategic Planning for New Worship - Dr. Wayne Clark
Searching for the Future is a strategic-planning program that employs Appreciative Inquiry techniques. While traditional problem-solving processes separate, dissect, and pull apart, Searching for the Future generates affirming images that pull people together. In this workshop, we will use this approach to discuss strategic planning around worship in our congregations. Dr. Wayne Clark is the Director of Congregational Fundraising Services for the UUA.
* 2. Building a Worship Team - Dana Decker
* 3. Turn It Up: Using Sound Technology Effectively - Rick Kamlet
Rick Kamlet, Market Director and specialist in sound systems for houses of worship at JBL Professional, a professional loudspeaker manufacturer, will discuss national trends in media systems for churches, describing what works, what to look for, and providing examples of successful church systems.
Music and Worship
* 1. Multicultural Music & Movement - Jeannie Gagné
UU worship services increasingly use music from many cultures; contemporary styles rely heavily on blends of music from many cultures. Rhythm is a key ingredient for many of these styles. This workshop will take you through rhythm, movement and singing to experience and feel the many cultural influences that underlie much of our contemporary music. It will also look at some world music that is often used in UU services, including how to present this music authentically. Jeannie Gagné is Associate Professor of Voice at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she teaches in the styles of jazz, blues, rock, classical, and singer/songwriter; Director of Music/Choir Director at the UU Society in Middleboro, MA, and co-creator and author of Singing the Journey. She is the former Artistic Director of The Halalisa Singers, a Boston-based world music vocal ensemble created by Nick Page.
* 2. Moving Music Forward: Blurring the Line Between Participation and Performance. - Matt Meyer
Is there more to worship music than the performances of the choir and organ or the traditional hymn singing? How can the new hymnal supplement be used create more vibrant worship experiences? How can music be used to create a more broadly participatory service? Music has the ability to engage our hearts and bodies together in an integrated worship experience. In this workshop, we’ll discuss what makes for a transformative music experience. We’ll also learn about creating new musical elements of worship that engage the congregation and deepen our connections with each other.
* 3. Children's Music & Worship - Melodie Feather
This workshop will explore creative ways to integrate children into the worship service. Music is one way, but there are other ways to involve kids as well. Come prepared to sing, act, play some instruments, and have fun! Instructor Melodie Feather is the Director of Handbells and Director of Youth and Children's Choirs at UU Arlington, VA.
* 4. Using Unusual Instruments in Worship - Ken Herman
Building Intergenerational Wholeness: Contemporary Worship for All Ages
* 1. Children's Literature & Intergenerational Worship - Rev. Keith Kron
The idea of intergnerational worship is very appealing. In actuality, making it work well is difficult. Yet we can look to children's books and find themes that ring true for people of all ages. In this workshop we will look at some truly great children's books (Keith will bring his some of his favorites, you can bring some of yours too), discuss what makes for good intergenerational worship, and use a good story to make an outline plan for intergenerational worship.
* 2. From Elementary School to Elders: Spirited Worship for All Ages- Rev. Erika Hewitt
What kind of worship services engage our whole community of children, youth, and adults? "Spirited worship," this workshop suggests: services that are interactive, high-energy, and creative. Spirited worship offers people a chance to connect across the generations, and invites everyone to share experiences of awe, amusement, celebration, grief, gratitude, and questioning. Come learn, play, and deepen your understanding of what worship for all ages can be!
* 3. Empowering Youth in Worship - Sarah Dan Jones
Empowering Youth in Worship The focus of this workshop will be in teaching, guiding and modeling quality worship produced by youth that addresses the principles of Unitarian Universalism, and honoring our differences as people of faith. Hands-on skills will be explored around planning a service, writing liturgy, composing music and respecting the balance and quality needed to produce a service. Sarah Dan Jones is the Director of Music at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta and the Secretary of the Unitarian Universalist Musician's Network. Active as a composer, performer and teacher, Sarah Dan has presented workshops and worship services around the country focusing on Congregational Singing and Incorportating Music in Worship. Her composition, Meditation on Breathing, is including in the Hymnal Supplement, Singing the Journey.
Justice, Diversity, Anti-Oppression and Contemporary Worship
* 1. Worship & Anti-Racism - TBA
* 2. Accessibility & Contemporary Worship - Dr. Devorah Greenstein and Elandria Williams
* 3. Sharing or Theft: Cultural Misappropriation - Petra Aldrich
UU Contemporary Worship E-mail Discussion List
Are you interested in learning more about UU contemporary worship, sharing and hearing stories about best practices, and sharing ideas about a possible UU contemporary worship conference? If so, please subscribe to our new mailing list, worship@uuyan.org. You can subscribe easily by visiting the list subscription page at http://lists.uuyan.org/listinfo/worship. As the list is a discussion list, it will be unmoderated (though posts will be restricted to members and expected to be on-topic); the option is available to set the list to send you daily digests instead of individual e-mails in order to cut down on the number of emails you get.
A Multicultural Metaphor for UU Contemporary Worship
Here is an accessible metaphor to illustrate the difference between traditional UU worship services and UU contemporary worship. Just remember: it's not a pizza. It's an Ethiopian dinner. Traditional UU worship services are often derisively called the “sermon sandwich.” Thin layers of music and readings surround a huge chunk of sermon, given in one voice from one perspective (see picture at left). Even if your experience of traditional worship services is far more interesting and exciting than this picture (and let's be clear: a good traditional worship service is a wonderful thing, just as a good sandwich is a wonderful lunch), know that to many young adults, your delectable Sunday morning experience might look like a boring sandwich.What then, are contemporary worship services? They are Ethiopian dinners (see picture at right, below). If you’ve never had one, here's an explanation. In Ethiopian restaurants, dinner is served to the entire group on a large platter, lined with a spongy, soft pancake of bread called injera. All of the group’s dishes, along with various delicious side items, are placed in piles on the injera for everyone to share. Each person is given additional injera with which to eat the meal (the food is grasped in small bits of this bread and eaten with the hands). Diners share dishes and eat delectable morsels of spicy, saucy food in manageable bites. Each dish has its own unique spice and texture, and the meal is not over when they are done, for the spices and sauces from the dishes soak down into the bread lining the dish, leaving behind a delicious reminder of the tastes of the meal.So the first difference between the traditional and contemporary worship is a matter of spice. Contemporary worship at its best draws upon a rich, spicy and diverse set of experiences, and is presented with flair and excitement. While there are many people gifted at presenting exciting and interesting sermons, contemporary worship services are generally more energetic and engaging than the sermon sandwich, and draw from a broad and post-modern array of voices and perspectives.The next important aspect of contemporary worship is the format. Unlike in the sandwich, in which the sermon is one large (and often indigestible) chunk, contemporary worship spreads the message out. There’s not necessarily any less of it, mind you, but it’s given in manageable chunks and intermingled with other things, and more balanced in proportion to those things. Music, readings, and candle lighting or dancing allow people with different ways of learning to hear the message better.Finally, the contemporary worship service almost never has only one voice in it. Like the Ethiopian dinner in which each diner’s selections affect the whole group’s meal, a contemporary worship service finds some way to hear from people beyond the person (or even the small group) who planned the service. Intimate circle worships (most appropriate with small groups unless you have hours to spend at them) let everyone have a turn to talk. Newer interpretations of this that are not bound by size allow more voices in creative and inviting ways. From inviting participation from a select (and diverse) group to designating talking time from the congregation, these services find ways to hear from more than one perspective.To be sure, there are some things that both kinds of worship have in common. They both center on a message—a sermon or another kind of way to get a central theme across. They both are nutritious and filling to the spirit, and they both depend on the community gathered to make them whole. Contemporary worship in its various forms will, however, draw a different crowd—one that wants a different spiritual experience than the traditional Sunday morning UU variety.
Myths About Contemporary WorshipAlong the way, we’ve heard a lot of resistance to worship aimed at young adults. Most of this resistance is grounded in a few myths about young adult worship. Here is some debunking of the ones we hear most often.
* Contemporary worship is stupid. Contemporary worship is not a “dumbed-down” version of traditional Sunday morning worship. Among the most common misconceptions about contemporary worship is the notion that because it requires a different format—and because it challenges us to hear from more than one voice—it is somehow less intellectually rigorous than a traditional worship service. This is just not the case.
* Spiritually alive worship is irrational. We often talk about making our worship "spiritually vital and alive," but this does not mean taking out things that make sense. It just means letting people feel something. Spirituality and reason can go hand in hand, and young adults do not ask for a religion that does not make sense to them based in their own experience. Young adults (just like older adults) want worship that speaks to their experiences in life, that challenges them to develop deeper relationships, and that connects them to things that are beyond themselves—be that in human relationships, struggles for justice, or a connection with nature or God or any other profound mystery.
* Contemporary means loud. Many people hear of worship services with a lot of music and think that it must be some sort of ear-splitting rock music. While this can be an enjoyable way to worship, it’s not the only music that young adults find meaningful. Long periods of slient meditation, soft music behind a candle-lighting ritual, poetry readings, and well-written folk or jazz have all been parts of good young adult worship. Energetic and alive does not necessarily translate into loud.
* Contemporary worship requires a theist theology. While Christian movements, especially evangelical fundamentalist ones, have done a remarkable job in reaching out to young adults with exciting and vibrant worship, this does not mean that the energy or the feeling of those worship services is tied to their theology. Humanist calls to social justice, Buddhist lovingkindness meditations, pagan invocations and rituals, or Jewish litanies of atonement are all perfectly at home in a contemporary worship service. We must keep our worship services—including contemporary ones—diverse and welcoming.
* Contemporary worship is for young adults. Contemporary worship services aimed at young adults should not be irrelevant to people under 18 or over 35. Good contemporary worship services will attract people of all ages, and will challenge you to walk the talk of intergenerational religious community. You might need a Religious Education program during or after the service (think before or after, as you might find that children would rather stay in the upbeat and welcoming space of your contemporary worship). You might need to form a Senior Citizens’ dinner group to eat together before or after the service. Don’t be afraid of attracting a different (and more diverse) crowd than the one that comes to your congregation's traditional worship.
Ten Tips for UU Contemporary Worship
1.
Spice it up—with different perspectives, different voices, and fresh music. Have several people thoughtfully address the same topic, perhaps in dialogue. Invite new bands in your community looking for exposure to play at your worship.
2.
Give people the message in manageable bites. People just don’t pay attention well to most 20-minute sermons, as well as they might be written and/or preached. Look for sensible places to chop it up into smaller parts.
3.
Create a spiritual atmosphere and tone. This doesn’t have to be tied to a specific theology, but think about how people walking in feel. Is there a sense of being connected to something larger than the individual? After the service, do people feel renewed and alive, or as if they’d been to a college lecture?
4.
Break out of the expected time slots. Worship does not have to only happen on Sunday mornings. It can also happen on Wednesday evenings, Sunday afternoons or Saturday mornings. Think both-and: you can have both a Sunday morning service and one at another time. It’s not an either-or proposition. Of course, you can also have contemporary worship on Sunday mornings. Think about offering two services on Sundays—one traditional and one contemporary. The same message (perhaps broken into parts) can serve as a basis for dramatically different elements. Above all, though, don't label your contemporary worship as "alternative," which translates as "less than." Good contemporary worship is the worship of your community of faith.
5.
Think about adding multimedia components. Multimedia doesn’t have to mean expensive or complicated. Start by projecting hymn lyrics on an overhead projector—it encourages people to sing out instead of down. Think about projecting slides of interesting artwork during a meditation or the sermon. If you can, move on to video presentations or more complicated technology (LCD projectors, for example, are a good investment if you know how to use them well).
6.
Balance intimacy with welcoming. Intimate, personal sharing in worship services often excludes newcomers who don’t feel like they’re a part of the community, so think about how the elements in your service balance these elements. To do intimate worship right, you also need a small group, imposing a severe size limitation on your worship service. Choose elements that invite people in to programs in which they can develop real relationships with others in your community.
7.
Keep an eye on justice. Our faith is at its best when we realize what we have to give to a world in need of our message. Many people are attracted to a faith that encourages people to live out their values in the world. Anti-racism, anti-oppression and multiculturalism are important filters to use in choosing elements for your worship. Keep this in mind as you develop themes and topics for your services.
8.
Create programs that are attractive to young families with small children. Include wonderful stories, and perhaps drama presentations for children. These worship services can be great opportunities for intergenerational time—if children are welcomed and encouraged to stay. Choose hymns that are easy to sing, and sing a lot. Complicated, plodding hymns bring the tone of your worship services down, shut out young kids and people lacking confidence in their singing abilities. Try to make some of them child-friendly, and take special care to teach them to the children present.
9.
Have a somewhat predictable structure. Believe it or not, contemporary doesn’t mean that the order of service is radically different every week. It is comforting to many—especially those wary of coming to a worship service in the first place—to have something that feels familiar.
10. Think embodiment. How is your message embodied? Are people only encouraged to think, or are they asked to move, to feel, to sense? Do people get to dance to the wonderful music? Are there portions that engage our eyes through visual stimulation? Sharing taste sensations is another idea for worship—think love feasts or communions of different sorts.
Theologies of Contemporary Worship
Cresting From The Ocean: Creating Profound Worship, by Elisabeth Frauzel Bailey In this paper, Elisabeth Bailey gives a theological basis to challenge what she calls "minister-dominated, boring worship." She then goes on (beginning on pager 9) to give some fairly concrete tips about how to design an embodied, spiritual, meaningful, community-centered worship experience. Elisabeth, our former Canada Regional Organizing Consultant, and a 2005 graduate of the Meadville-Lombard Theological School, calls on all of our congregations to make worship a community practice, and not something we endure to get to what really brings us together as a community.
Articles and Papers on UU Contemporary Worship
Downloadable PDF Files from the Young Adult and Campus Ministry Information Pack
Spiritually Vital and Alive: Contemporary Worship for UU Young Adults - Michael Tino
A PDF copy of the article found in our information pack that includes the multicultural metaphor and myths about contemporary worship. Ten Tips for Contemporary Worship - Michael Tino Four Tips for Using Multimedia in Worship - Michael Tino Weaving Worship for Young Adults - Rev. Suzelle Lynch
A revision of a 1997 monograph that contains some useful ways of thinking about making worship accessible to young adults. Congregational Accessibility for Young Adults - Rev. Dan Harper
This is a report on the 2003 General Assembly workshop given by Rev. Hank Peirce of Medford, MA. In it, Rev. Peirce challenges our congregations to accept young adults into all aspects of our life together.
Useful Links for Contemporary Worship
Soulful Sundown
Soulful Sundown is a model of UU contemporary worship developed by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, now Senior Minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK. Learn more about the program at All Souls Tulsa here. Want to suggest a link or have us link to your site?
E-mail the Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry
Bibliography and Other Useful Resources
Young Adult and Campus Ministry Worship and Activity Archive
This is a user-generated archive of worship services, social justice events and other activities developed by and for UU young adults. Please add your own as you create them. Soulful Sundown, A guide by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar
The guide to Soulful Sundown is available from the UUA Bookstore for $15. Singing The Journey: The 2005 UUA Hymnal Supplement
The new UUA hymnal supplement has many new hymns suitable for contemporary worship. According to the UUA Bookstore website, it "offers multicultural hymns, chants and songs for marking the seasons of our lives in a myriad of musical styles. Presents an exceptional variety of new, some never before published music for congregational singing. Moving pieces full of all human experiences including sorrow, joy, compassion and a deep commitment to social justice."
Resources from the Alban Institute
A New and Right Spirit: Creating an Authentic Church in a Consumer Culture, by Rick Barger Silver Screen, Sacred Story: Using Multimedia in Worship, by Michael Bausch
New Harmonies: Choosing Contemporary Music for Worship by Terri Bocklund McLean Changing Styles of Worship (from the Alban Weekly 5/16/2005)
Want to suggest resources to be listed?
E-mail the Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry
|
|
|
|
|
| Authored by: lynsaurus On Thursday, December 21 2006 @ 03:21 PM PST |
This is going to be so awesome!
I met Marcia McFee in Berkeley. She is fun and personable and passionate about
her area of expertise. I look forward to the keynote.
I heard that Melody Feather from Arlington is going to present, which I know will
be great. Some other chick from the JPD is going to present a workshop, too.
Peace,
Lyn
[ Reply to This ]
|
|
| Authored by: mudslingpyro On Friday, December 22 2006 @ 07:59 PM PST |
I am thrilled to be going!
---
Kimberlee[ Reply to This ]
|
|
| Authored by: byrodude On Tuesday, January 02 2007 @ 04:49 PM PST |
| Well, I live about 1 block from the FUUCSD so, I might be able to house ONE or TWO Youung Adults. If you need a place to stay for this event, (which I will be attending) Just drop me a line and we can start communicating, so that we might be comfortable with each others presence by that time. [ Reply to This ]
|
|
| Authored by: sweetPotato On Friday, January 26 2007 @ 01:34 PM PST |
Hi,
My name is Erin and I am a seminarian from Chicago. I could totally use a place to stay. Do you have cats or dogs? I am, unfortunately, allergic.
I will be in the area from Thursday until Monday am. I wanted to stay after the conference to be in the sun and take a mini break from school.
If you have any suggestions I would totally appreciate it.
Thanks,
Erin [ Reply to This ]
|
|
| Authored by: planetLOVE On Saturday, January 27 2007 @ 11:07 AM PST |
HOORAY! HOORAY!
I'm going to be there!!!!!
Can't wait to see everyone! <3
---
"It is desire that engenders thought".
--Plotinus, "Enneads, V, 6, (24), 5, 9.
[ Reply to This ]
|
|
|
|
|
