by WUUC | Jul 28, 2021 | Announcements
Q. What does Hybrid Services mean?
A. WUUC is developing new ways to continue our Sunday services online and in-person simultaneously, allowing us to all connect in community for worship.
Q. What’s changing in the sanctuary to create Hybrid services?
A. Cameras and microphones are being installed now. A new sound mixing system and a large video screen are under consideration. The sanctuary will still have a serene and worshipful feel, while also operating as a video production studio in a non-distracting way. That’s our goal.
Q. How will Zooming worship be different than it is now, and how will worship in the sanctuary be different than it was before?
A. Much will feel the same, and some will be different.
Attending on Zoom will be very similar, but more interactive with the entire congregation.
We expect the biggest change in the sanctuary will be adding a large screen to share some of the pre-recorded content that we already broadcast on Zoom. This could include elements like slide shows during the prelude, lyrics and music for hymns/songs, and also offer ways for remote attendees to participate live for Joys and Sorrows or as a presenter during the service.
Also, Rev. Dan and Director of Religious Education Bridget Laflin are working to refresh and revise some of the things we offer on Sundays, and how we’ll do them. We may see new directions for children, youth and adult programming.
Q. What are some of the challenges to making the hybrid experience work well?
A. A few of the challenges we know of right now include:
— expanding the production team to include Sound, Camera and Director roles. We need Volunteers!!! Please contact Linda Sherry if you are interested.
— engineering and installation. This continuing work will take quite a bit more time. We’ve been doing some practice runs broadcasting parts of the service from the sanctuary, with the cameras and furnishings in very temporary places. This is allowing the team to determine plans for long-term placement and installation.
— managing the ambient sound in the sanctuary. The microphones we’ve been using are so sensitive that they pick up even the sound of fans placed to circulate the air for Covid safety. And when we have a congregation gathered, there will be many more little noises to work around.
— there are other issues we know, and many that we have not yet discovered.
Q. When will we be able to return to the sanctuary on Sunday mornings?
A. When the Fates allow? WUUC is committed to both Covid safety and high quality worship. When we have the go-ahead from the Safety Committee and the Worship team, we will launch the Hybrid Services.
One more note: The Worship and Tech teams welcome your responses and feedback on how you are experiencing Worship, especially as we experiment with tech changes during this transition. Please feel free to send your thoughts to Worship Support Specialist, Linda Sherry and she will pass your thoughts along to the appropriate folks. Lindasherry@wedges.com
by WUUC | Jul 28, 2021 | Announcements
We will hold a Calendaring Meeting from 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, Aug. 7 on Zoom. If you have in-person or Zoom events you would like to schedule during the 2021-2022 calendar year at WUUC, please notify office@wuuc.org. All are welcome to attend the Calendaring meeting with Rev. Dan here:
Join Zoom Meeting https://bit.ly/3rJfqve
Meeting ID: 821 0686 5539 Passcode: 543795
Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
by WUUC | Jul 28, 2021 | Announcements
By Linda Sherry, Worship Support Specialist
Perhaps Patience should be the theme for August. In the spirit of the Soul Matters programs that we offer during the September to June church year, we could ask ourselves, “What does it mean to be a community of Patience?”
The Worship Team is working hard to develop the best possible worship experiences for all of us as we and we appreciate your patience and support. We want and appreciate your feedback, especially as we are transitioning to broadcasting Zoom services live from the sanctuary. (Please look elsewhere in this newsletter for updates on our worship technology transformation.)
One positive outcome of the Covid Pandemic is that we have learned a lot about serving our community regardless of walls. From the feedback we’ve received, we’ve been very successful providing rich and meaningful worship experiences, complete with fabulous music, art, photos, stories from one another, opportunity for fellowship, and of course welcoming and embracing life with our new Minister Rev Dan. And WUUC has also continued to connect in small groups and committees, deepening relationships and conducting the business of the church effectively
WELL DONE, WUUCies!
So What’s Next?
MOVING FORWARD TO NEW NORMALS
(there is no going back)
As we move toward re-opening the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, Rev. Dan and the Worship Team are dedicated to continuing to provide high quality worship services for All, both those who remain physically distant and those who attend in person. It is our intent to expand ways for services to offer the experience of connected community on Sundays with all involved, through interactive blending of live and distanced participation.
It is of critical importance to be radically inclusive, to intentionally be accessible to all, to not allow Covid-related (or other) concerns to separate us. There will be no haves and have-nots, no preferential treatment of those who are physically distant or those who are physically present. In order to make this our reality, there is much to be done. And it will take time.
Ironically, as health risks have increased with the current rise in Covid cases and the virulence of new variants, we have more time than we’d hoped. It is appropriate for us not to hastily rush in to gathering in person at large services.
Perhaps the biggest question most are asking is, “When will we start services in the sanctuary?” The answer is: We simply don’t know yet. We’re hoping for sometime in September/early October, but we will let safety and equity be our guide.
And so, perhaps we all can focus on the spiritual practice of Patience.
by WUUC | Jul 23, 2021 | Announcements
Now that we’re beginning to return to in-person events, the Simons are excited to host an afternoon gathering and you’re invited. This will be an outdoor event (except for bio-breaks). Masks are optional if you are vaccinated, requested outdoors but required indoors if not vaccinated. We need to be cognizant of COVID issues, so this is not a potluck. We’ll meet & greet, and Johnna Ebanks and Terry Levitt will perform for us. Grace & David will provide bottled water, soft drinks and packaged snacks, plus paper products and cups. You may bring drinks or snacks for your own use if you like. We’d love to see you!
The gathering will take place at the Simons’ home on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 4-6:30 p.m., with a rain date of Aug. 28. If we’re so unlucky that it rains both those days, we’ll have to cancel.
Please RSVP to revgrace@hotmail.com so we know how many people are coming. If you can bring lawn chairs, that would be helpful. We’ll provide directions if you need them.
by WUUC | Jul 23, 2021 | Announcements
By Grace Simons
They’re coming back! Students will return to Maywood Hills Elementary in just a few weeks! It’s time for us to get back in gear and provide kids who need it with food to take home over the weekends. That means getting back in the habit of adding an item or two for ‘Totes’ when you do your regular shopping.
If you aren’t familiar with the program – or just need a refresher, here are the basics:
Totes To Go is a system through which schools in our general area identify students who are at risk of missing meals over weekends, when school breakfast and lunch programs aren’t available. We know that hungry kids can’t learn well, so we provide a variety of food items that are placed in a backpack for each of those students to take home with them on Fridays. They are mostly single serving items as the living situations of the students may be unstable. WUUC has been participating in the program for many years, but COVID put us on hold. Now we’re starting up again!
Each month we collect: Individual shelf stable milk boxes, Canned meat or fish, Individual serving cereal boxes, Peanut butter, Snacks, Juice boxes, Crackers, Single serving canned fruit, One-dish meals, Granola bars
We again hope to support 15 students. That means we need 60 of each ‘individual’ size items, 30 canned meat or fish, 15 jars of peanut butter and 15 sleeves of crackers (usually salt crackers or Ritz-type).
Please bring your items by Sunday, Aug 29. They can be left in the new shed on the west side of the church building. Once we are back in person we’ll use the baskets inside the church. Questions? Contact Grace Simons or John Hartman, co-coordinators.
