Music Ministry Notes

Over the years I’ve written over 200 Reach articles, and this will be my last one. My time at OCUUC is quickly coming to a close. This transition brings about lots of emotions for me – gratitude, sadness, nostalgia, and excitement – all rolled in one. The famous therapist Virginia Satir created what we now refer to as the Satir Change Model: I find this Change Model to be very helpful when I’m in that uncomfortable Chaos phase. Knowing that…

It is a bit surreal to be writing my second-to-last article. After 22 years my time at OCUUC is drawing to a close as my last day with you all will be September 10th. I am experiencing lots of “this will be the last time I…” as I am wrapping up my responsibilities. A crack search committee is working hard to find an interim music director to manage things while an official search (with Rev. Sian) for a long-term music…

Don’t miss our special Music Under the Stars event on Saturday, July 15 at 7pm. Some of you purchased this as an auction item, but even if you didn’t you can still come. The suggested donation is $10, either through the auction or at the door. The musicians will provide snacks and beverages and we’ll set up tables and chairs in the courtyard under the pergola. Music Under the Stars is always a lovely evening filled with great music from…

By now I’m sure you’ve heard that I have submitted my resignation to the Board, and my last day will be our ingathering Water Communion service on September 10. I gave the church a long notice so the transition can be as smooth as possible. The reason I’m resigning is that I am feeling led to do more work in the adoption space — with my podcast, speaking opportunities, and parent coaching. It was a difficult decision for me since…

Throughout my life, I’ve often reflected that music has literally saved my life. I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s how I communicate, how I bring myself peace, how I express myself, how I open to the Mystery, and so much more. How is music healing in your life? I’m reading the book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk. (Great book!) The author gives lots of…

First a word of gratitude to Steve Morihiro and Susan Shaw, who have often been leading the music on my days off. They are consistent, conscientious, talented, and collaborative. We’re so lucky to have these two willing to be leaders in our church! I also want to give a shout-out to the tech crew – Avery Brown, our awesome weekly Audio Engineer, plus all the volunteers who run the camera, run the slideshow, act as Zoom MC, and create the…

We are so lucky at OCUUC to have such dedicated and talented musicians in our ranks. Orange Coast Choir is practicing every Thursday at 7pm and we’re usually singing 3 times per month in the Sunday services. If you’re interested in singing with us, or just trying it out, come on over on a Thursday, or contact me anytime. Orange Coast Choir meets in Daniels Hall and on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/581556612. The only two requirements to get into the choir…

Have you met our new Audio Engineer, Avery Brown yet? Avery (they/them) was hired last month and has already become an indispensable part of our worship team. They’ve recently run sound at the Spencer LaJoye concert (which was amazing, by the way!) and for our recent Music Under the Stars concert. They even came out from behind the soundboard at Music Under the Stars to sing and play piano. Multi-talented! I knew Avery from Long Beach Chorale and Orange Coast…

I just got back from my first Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries (AUUMM) Conference in 3 years. This year it was in Ann Arbor, and we really lucked out with good weather plus a GIANT art festival happening in town last week. My cup has been filled up by SO. MUCH. SINGING and camaraderie with my wonderful colleagues. There were only about 100 attendees in per-son this year, much fewer than normal, and we didn’t have a conference choir…

Later this month, I will be attending the Association of UU Music Ministries (AUUMM) annual conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Like everyone else, our organization canceled the last 2 conferences because of COVID, so I’m looking forward to this one even more than usual. One of the best parts about the conference is the in-between conversations with colleagues. I’ve made so many friends throughout the years, and I enjoy reconnecting with them once a year (plus throughout the year on…

I hope that you are as hungry for live music as I am! Our August will be filled with three live musical experiences for our OCUUC family. Please mark your calendars and plan to come out for three fun evenings! Have you heard Spencer LaJoye’s “Plowshare Prayer” yet? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhOZv5i7CHY) It was going around the UU circles on social media for a while, plus we sang it at church a few weeks ago. Well, Spencer LaJoye is going to be on…

Orange Coast Choir is humming along now that we’re singing back in Daniels Hall. I’m so grateful to Steve Morihiro, Barbara Morihiro, and Sarah Hunter who kept the choir going in creative ways while I was away on my sabbatical. Now that we’re back in full swing, we are adding choir members, working on more challenging material, and improving our technique every week. It’s so much more rewarding to sing together in one room than to sing on Zoom and…