Update on Music and Religious Education Programs

•

Dear FUUSE friends and members,

March 15, 2023 – The Music Committee and Choir have done a remarkable job planning and delivering music for Sunday services, utilizing our wealth of talent within FUUSE and contracting with Jimmy Dority to accompany our services twice a month.  Reverend Terry and Janis Tierney, Chair of the Music Committee, with significant help from our FUUSE musicians, will continue with this format for the rest of this church year. Our gratitude for the willingness of many to step in and provide this key element of our services is immeasurable. Thank you!

We are now moving ahead with the plan to hire an interim music program leader starting this September. This time of transition offers the ability to take a fresh look at the position of music leadership, and the Board is asking the Music Committee to work with Reverend Terry to review options for the structure and responsibilities of an interim position and advertise the position by May.

Our Religious Education program has been led beautifully by our Coordinators Karen Prazar and Cecilia Kiely, and the consistent hands-on support of the RE Committee.  Reverend Terry is in conversation with the RE program leaders about plans and options for next fall.

This year, our FUUSE congregation has been asked to roll with the unpredicted and call upon our strengths as a community in order to stay connected, help each other out, and find joy in our ability to finally be together in person. We have been building, and are continuing to build, resilience. We are so fortunate to have the steady guidance of Reverend Terry throughout this year and next. Our Music and Religious Education programs are key components of this spiritual community and, while they always need to evolve, the Board is committed to strengthening them.

To summarize, the Board has made the following commitments:

  • Work with the Music Committee and Choir on hiring for the coming fall
  • Begin work this spring and continue into the fall on clarifying roles and responsibilities of committees and staff members 
  • Finalize decisions on RE staffing and program for next year
  • Keep the congregation informed and invite input 
  • Celebrate and be grateful together

Yours in service,
The FUUSE Board of Trustees