Charette Categories

Charrette categories
The following is a compilation of the many (!) ideas that sprang forth form the Charrette on March 9, 2008. The suggestions are loosely categorized. Stars (**) reference the times similar ideas came out of more than one group or reflection. Statements following **indicate a variation on an idea.

Spiritual practices
WORSHIP:
Prayer/chalice lighting before all events/meetings/meals
Ritual chalice lighting words
Sing doxology every Sunday
Weekly contemplative traditions in service
Abundance of forums for worship
Sermons talk about God, prayer, centering, opening and deepening of the spirit…how do you bring that into your work/week?
Have BJ define terms she uses: worship, prayer, spiritual growth, witness, to minister, stewardship, liturgy, grace, benediction, etc.
Familiar rituals esp. candle lighting or joys/concerns*
Benediction at end of service and everyone walks out so no applause at end of service (last song can be before benediction)
Benediction from Reading 700…”For all who see God, may God go with you. For all who embrace life…”

OTHER WORSHIP IDEAS
No applause**
Invitation to turn off cell phones at beginning of service
No Sunday meetings during worship hours
Ritual balanced with surprise*
Weekly spiritual realignment
Discussion of spiritual practices of world religions at 10AM on Sunday which would be adult and child friendly
Introduce worship traditions in Eastern religions

OTHER PRACTICES
Communion*
Taize*
Ember Days**
Meditation ********
Vesper service
Tai chi/yoga for families
Yoga **
Tai chi*
Outdoor worship

ALTERNATIVE WORSHIP
Midweek evensong service
UU pagan services
Weekly 1 PM Sunday communion service, Taize or other format
Open community interfaith dialogue with worship on Sundays at 10AM
Small Sunday services with different religious, ethnic/racial traditions recognized
Friday night religious/spiritual services*
Family Sunday more often*
Lay led services*evening lay-led services
Invite/house other religious traditions to be performed here

YOUTH WORSHIP IDEAS
Young adult/youth program with ministerial intern
Rites of Passage

SPECIAL OCCASION WORSHIP
Poetry service to continue
Celebrate Jewish Holidays***
Christmas service early in season for those who travel
Themes to attract new members
Soulful Sundown
Yearly recognition of Memorial Garden
Summer Sunday services in a park, including a picnic June/July/August
Would more people come to summer services if held in a space not shut off from the outdoors and light?

Music
All Sundays: Excellent music**
Music around the sanctuary
Choir sings “Amen” at back of sanctuary at end of service
Everyone rise and sit at the same time during hymns (used to sit through prologue, then all would stand (on signal) at beginning of actual singing)
More non-hymnal music*
Continue “Spirit of Life” with candles
More piano/less organ*
Singing spirituals monthly
Choir practice ***

All church sing-along*
Joint music with Fern Street
Hootenanny*
Sacred harp hymn sing*
Drum circle monthly
Woodwind quintet rehearsal monthly
Brass            “
Jazz combo
Barbershop quartet

Activities
Committee meetings on the same night have dinner together and then break out for individual meetings
ICEJ Sunday recreation hikes
Field trips for adults to evening events twice monthly
Supper and game nights
Yearly tag sale
Women’s exercise event outdoors or at a gym. AM monthly
Movie and dinner *****
Children’s garden every Saturday
Circle dinners
Festival of Seasons
Valentine’s Dance
Once a month art/music/theater program to bring in the public
Speaker series at MH
Fri or Sat: 3 weeks of social events and 1 week of service
Yearly party with neighbors around us
Networking groups (socials, singles, etc)

Children’s RE
All Sundays: Very active Sunday school***
“Snow White and the Seven Principles” (Children’s spiritual drama group presented Saturday nights)
Huge Coming of Age as a 6 month program which meets Friday evenings
Middle School Rally or Con
OWL with Fern Street
Children get a strong sense of UUism during RE on a weekly basis*
RE service projects
More kids***
Children’s Worship

Service (Community Within)
ACCESSIBILITY
Sign language interpretation *
Handicapped accessible SGM/van transportation *
Everything accessible to everyone all the time
Sunday USH van service to downtown and assisted living facilities* *(USH van with sign)

OTHER IDEAS
Caring Network for transportation** food, cards, support
Volunteer burnout counseling
Pathways to membership
Extended family program to be re-started
Family encounters beyond RE
Diversity*****
Develop a UU program for replacing our present “Empire”-structured culture with an “Earth Community”-based culture
Is there a reason we do not interact more with Fern Street? *(group projects i.e. Habitat for Humanity with Fern and MSE)
Weddings and Funerals
Bereavement services
BJ stays
More ministers
Professional events coordinator
Professional volunteer coordinator

Social Justice/Outreach
Soup and sandwich making for a shelter monthly
Soup kitchen
Work at a soup kitchen*
ICEJ Sunday recreation hike
Vans to Hands on Hartford tutoring center
ICEJ including minister
Church van to State Capitol Welfare Vigil every Thurs IS
Young adult programs for social justice
Peace bus trip to Boston or DC
Peace vigil in West Hartford Center 2nd Sat afternoon, Sundays at Glastonbury
Peace group program
ICEJ computer workshop for youth/adults
Interfaith legislative lobbying group monthly
Interweave chapter meeting monthly
After school program 2 days per week
Tutoring
Family volunteer activities (some could be short term) *
A community garden is in our “backyard”…could we have a relationship??*
Scouting
Neighborhood connections
Outreach to Annie Fisher School
Marketing/advertisements in local papers and on TV and Internet *(interns for UHART for advertising and outreach)
BJ in community with congregational support for minister’s outreach

Programs
Adult OWL
Gourmet cooking circle
Communal cooking and conversation
Food: Promote “Coming Together with the Unitarian Eating House”
UU history meeting to be given continuously **Yearly
Folk dancing
Creative arts*
         Puppetry
         Writing and poetry
         Watercolors
         Drama

Memory Assisted Religious Education
Outreach to young adult membership via area colleges (UHart, UCONN, Trinity, St Joe’s)
Book reviews
Women’s support group**(for women in mid-life transition)
Men’s group
Healthy Living series (alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, AKA stress reduction
Green sanctuary/environmental justice meetings
Monthly art/craft activity
Small group ministry for families
SGM****
NVC**
Mother daughter group (Meeting of the Moon)
Parent group
Men’s luncheon group to expand to women
Bible study/sacred text study*
Building the World We Dream About*
Big idea discussions
Blog/web discussions of sermon topic
After church discussion**
Utilize UUA resources
RE for adults* between service
Flower arranging classes

Facility
OUTSIDE
Community garden**
“Victory garden”
Japanese gardens---serenity gardens*
Wildflower meadow
Labyrinth***
Water feature
Children’s garden every Saturday
After church weeding the playground
Outdoor beautification committee*
Sidewalk repair**
We have a glorious outdoor setting that we never use. Why is that?*
Memorial Garden
Bike racks
Playground

INSIDE
Pew cushion *Cushioned moveable chairs in all worship areas
Shorter rail around chancel---nobody can see anything. How can we engage in a service we cannot see?****
More banners
Real flowers growing in the foyer
Green sanctuary*
Fix/enhance lighting***
More natural lighting*
Decorating committee* for permanent interior uses of color for welcoming and warmth***stained glass
New richly-colored carpeting to welcome all to our space**
Meditation space ***(with music)
No restrooms off the ambulatory…a person could leave after flushing
Art shows monthly ****
Use the chapel more often

OTHER
Community groups venue
Rental income**
Day Care center***
Peace Pole*
New building/expanded building**(downtown/near river) *new building with Fern Street, Manchester to open 2023
Organized, efficient, functional administrative structure
Underground parking
Maintenance Day
People arriving on foot, bus, bicycle, car, USH van

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 00/00/09)