ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH The following people were in attendance at the Worship Committee meeting held at 10:30 a.m. in Gleason Hall: Sherry Sabin, Joe John, Mary Abrams, Dan Martin, Rita Cunningham, Lucy Dosker, Bobbi Schadt, Jon and Ann Schatzinger, and Rev H Elizabeth. Absent: Skip Bentley, since he is working full-time. He is thinking that it is in his best interests that he resign from the committee because of his current job situation. We extend our thanks for his contributions and help while serving on the committee. Also absent: Connie Coartney and Debbie Stover. Joe John chaired the meeting. Before we got started, Joe announced that Sherry Sabin has agreed to be responsible for the assignments of the worship ministers on a monthly basis. This is a huge help and much appreciated. The Worship Committee would also like to thank Bobbie Schadt for her years of service as the assignor of the Worship Ministers. Many thanks for a job well done. Rev Elizabeth led us in an opening prayer. [Agenda see attached] We discussed feedback received from both Services, starting with the bulletins. Comments from both services is that the bulletin is too big and cumbersome. There is a lot of paper shuffling, particularly because parishioners are also juggling with the BCP, and the hymnal. Consensus would seem to be all or nothing either have it all in the bulletin, in a font that is clear and large enough, or go back to the lectionary insert and a smaller bulletin that can be more easily managed. It was also noted, that for newcomers, a bulletin that has it all would be more user-friendly. And 31% of Sunday attendance last week were newcomers. So there is that issue to consider. There was a question from a parishioner about the veiled chalice on a table near the credence table. The parishioner was curious it was not a matter of it interfering with his/her worship. Parishioners are used to seeing it on the altar for the entire service. Our credence table is very small and for years items have been placed on the floor because of lack of space on the credence table permanently attached to the wall. Rev. Elizabeth does not want items placed on the floor and we needed more flat service area. So this table, which we are calling Credence Table #2, has been placed to the side of the altar and next to Credence Table #1. The veiled chalice will be placed on Table #2 until Communion begins, at which point it will be moved to
the altar, and as the Communion service progresses, both credence tables will be used to hold items. Also the table has a shelf for the offering plates, which have also been placed on the floor in the past. Rita noted that in the Altar Guild Manual, when there are two services, the veiled chalice is on the credence table for the second service. Joe reminded the group that the Altar Guild is the vehicle by which liturgical changes made by the priest are implemented. So Rev Elizabeth will always be in close touch with the Altar Guild instructing them in any changes she is making. It was suggested that this would be a good topic for a forum why we re doing what we re doing behind the altar these days. Rev Elizabeth will write a report to the bishop about the liturgical changes we made in October. A copy will be attached to the minutes and those minutes will be published on our bulletin board, on the website and in the Blast. The addition of lay healing ministers at the services has been well received. Sherry Sabin will be responsible for the scheduling those ministers as well as Servers, Lectors, and Chalice Bearers. Instructed Eucharist, which has been well received in the past and is a good refresher for everyone. We agreed that we liked the scripted version used in the past. That same Sunday that we have an instructed Eucharist for both services, we could have that as our topic at a 9:15 forum that morning. Also, the children could attend the instructed Eucharist service in lieu of Sunday School. Many people liked the service this year for All Saints Day. The adding of lighting candles and placing them together in sand was very meaningful for a lot of people. Beautiful service was often used to describe it. We discussed our music and the possibility of using the same music interchangeably in our two services. The music is picked to be the same language style as the Rite performed that day. So a hymn that may be perfect for the Rite 1 service may not fit as well with Rite 2. The two services have separate identities and Rev E wants us to continue to have two services as a matter of course. The Worship Committee needs to approve the scheduling of one service only. For the sake of newcomers in particular, it is good to have a regular schedule and stick to it. Program hours/forums at 9:15 is a good way for parishioners to see, visit, and get to know parishioners that attend a different service. We have a conflict when the ECW and DOK have their meetings on Sunday morning. Trying to have a forum and an ECW or DOK meeting at the same time is not working well as some people want to attend both. We could have our forums at another day and time on those weeks DOK or ECW is meeting on Sunday morning. Or they could consider changing their schedule meeting times enabling us to have a 9:15 program every Page 2
Sunday that everyone was free to attend. We need to decide what we want our Sunday mornings at St. James to look like. We discussed the upcoming Advent Season. Rev Elizabeth wants to know what things are special to St. James in celebrating Advent. The Advent Wreath with wax candles has been ordered. If we want to change to oil candles we will need to put that in the budget for next year. The cost is over $500. Rev Elizabeth suggested that Angel do some research of the cost of oil candles and the best deals we can get before committing to budgeting for oil candles for the Advent wreath. We moved on to the Christmas schedule. At 10:30 PM on Christmas Eve we will have Preludes and Carols followed by a Festive Eucharist. At 4:30 PM on Christmas Eve we will have the Blessing of the Children and blessing of the Crèche. Rev Elizabeth, in the past, handed out figurines to the children to place in the Creche and will do so again this year. In discussing the service from last Christmas, it was decided that Rita, Joe, and Rev Elizabeth meet on the 20th at 10:30 to check out the condition of the crèche and go through the procedure. We want to make sure we take pictures to post on the website next Christmas Season. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Rev Elizabeth led us in a closing prayer. Attachments: Agenda Rev. H. Elizabeth Back s response to the Bishop regarding Liturgy in October Page 3
AGENDA DATE: TIME: 10:30 a.m. Opening Prayer Agenda For discussion What does Sunday Morning Look like? 8:00/10:30/Meetings Note: 31% of Sunday attendance are newcomers Feedback from both Services: Prayers of the People Inclusive Language * [see back page] Ending statement** (valediction) for Old Testament and New Testament [see back page] Bulletin(s) (time to add entire service to bulletin? Add Nicene Creed?) Veiled Chalice on Credence Table Other comments and feedback about both services Healing ministers at both services every Sunday Recap All Saints Day Music Advent Christmas Epiphany Instructed Eucharist Lent Acolytes, Servers, Lay Ministers Old (or Unfinished) Business Closing prayer Page 4
* Inclusive Language change for opening our services both 8:00 and 10:30 Currently (both Rite 1 and 2) Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Proposed Blessed be the one, holy, and living God. People Glory to God for ever and ever. ** Current Valediction Langue for 8:00 and 10:30 The Word of the Lord Proposed and used for the month of October Hear what the Spirit is saying to God s people Page 5
Report to the Diocese of KY St. James Episcopal Church, Pewee Valley The Rev. H. Elizabeth Back November 2018 Dear Rt. Rev. Sir, Please be advised that with the support of the Worship Committee, for the month of October, the congregation of St. James Pewee Valley made the following temporary changes. The worship: * Inclusive Language change for opening our services both 8:00 and 10:30 Currently (both Rite 1 and 2) Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Proposed and Used during October Blessed be the one, holy, and living God. People Glory to God for ever and ever. ** Current Valediction Language for OT and NT readings for 8:00 and 10:30 The Word of the Lord Proposed and used for the month of October Hear what the Spirit is saying to God s people The half-page service leaflet and scripture insert at 8am was replaced with a full size leaflet in which the readings were embedded. Full page service leaflet for 10:30 continued and also included the Prayers of the People. The altar guild also placed the vested chalice on the credence table instead of on the altar. Page 6
Findings: Feedback from the Worship Committee and the comments they received includes the following. When the announcement was initially made in September that changes were to be made for the month of October one person said they didn t want to try new things because they had already been tried before and they wanted them to stay the same. One person said the paper size was too big because it didn t fit snugly in the Prayer Book. Large font is needed and appreciated. Although most like the leaflet the way it is, sensitivity to the newcomer experience of juggling the Prayer Book along with a paper is appreciated. If you are going to put most everything in the leaflet put it ALL in (including Nicene Creed, Confession and Eucharistic Prayer.) Why do we veil the chalice in the first place? My analysis: It would be helpful for the minutes of the Worship Committee meetings to be disseminated. It s time to schedule an Instructed Eucharist. The question of What does it look like and feel like to be welcoming to newcomers? will continue to be asked. Page 7