Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ
Transcription
Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ
Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ Celebrates Holy Week In this Issue • Holy Week schedule and description of events • Multigenerational Sundays • The annual report and Bethel’s 2015 Leadership List • Interview with Director of Music Owen Hofmann-Smith • Interview with Program Coordinator Beth Astarte This is the first issue of a planned quarterly newsletter that provides more in-depth information than our weekly Bethel Highlights. Our intent is to make its distribution accessible to Bethel members, as well as Internet surfers who are seeking the kinds of programs and family atmosphere that we provide here. Please watch for future newsletters on our Bethel website: www.bethelbeaverton.org Bethel C O N G R E G AT I O N A L UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Palm Sunday—March 29, 10:00 a.m. Holy Week services are open to all ages, and begin with worship on Palm Sunday. We will gather at the front entrance of the church and in the narthex for a congregational procession into the sanctuary with palms waving! Director of Music Owen Hofmann-Smith has prepared a processional song for all ages. Reverend David will offer a dramatization of the first Palm Sunday with a “character from the crowd.” Worship will conclude with the building and procession of the cross, which is made from the trunks of our Christmas trees. Maundy Thursday Ser vice—April 2, 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae with Communion by Intinction The Maundy Thursday worship service draws its purpose and themes from historical events that our Christian tradition believed happened on the Thursday before Easter. It is a reenactment of the Last Supper. “Maundy” is the English form of the Latin word meaning commandment. Jesus’ new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you,” is the focus of Maundy Thursday. Our celebration of Maundy Thursday includes a choir anthem, the Office of Tenebrae, which means “shadows.” The Office of Tenebrae re-enacts, through readings from the gospels, Jesus’ struggle with the impending reality of his death, the flight of the disciples, the crucifixion, and burial in the tomb. With each reading from Scripture, candles are extinguished, and the lights in the sanctuary are dimmed until all is in darkness. We leave the sanctuary in silence. 5150 SW Watson Ave • Beaverton, OR 97005 office@bethelbeaverton.org | 503-646-1191 | www.bethelbeaverton.org Good Friday—April 3, 10:00 a.m. Ecumenical Walk of the Cross This year Bethel will serve as the gathering place for the Walk. The Walk is a one mile pilgrimage through downtown Beaverton, with stops at several different “stations.” Each station examines a different aspect of life, peace and justice through scripture, personal witness and prayer. Reverend David Randall-Bodman breaks bread in the communion ceremony as a remembrance of the Last Supper. If you have never participated in a Maundy Thursday communion, please add this to your calender as one of the most spiritual services you will ever attend. The Easter season takes on an entirely different meaning when you walk with Jesus on the night of his betrayal, knowing and fearing what lies ahead. Representatives from various churches will lead us to each station. Walking between the stations, participants will carry a large cross to remind them of the cross that Jesus carried over 2000 years ago, and which is still being carried today. The Walk of the Cross is a great way to identify with Jesus’ historic walk, to consider the “crosses” of social justice—to which Christ continues to call us—and to sing and pray with sisters and brothers from various Christian traditions. Easter Eve Worship—April 4, 7:00 p.m. This interactive and ancient service celebrates four major elements of our Christian faith: Light, Word, Water and Sacrament. This service is designed for ALL ages. Easter Sunday—April 5, 10:00 a.m. This all-generational worship will celebrate Christ’s resurrection with special music, prayers, and liturgy. Our sanctuary will be flooded with color from flowers given in honor or memory of loved ones. An invitation to sing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus will conclude worship. Easter Egg Hunt—11:15 a.m. Easter Eve’s celebration of the four elements of Christian faith begins at the church entrance with fire. Candles are then lit and carried into the darkened church to impart the feeling of entering Christ’s tomb. For all youth. Gather under the breezeway. NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 2 of 18 Multigenerational Services What is a Multigenerational Worship Service? It’s a service where children and adults participate in worship together. Children have the opportunity to expand their participation in worship beyond being an acolyte. They can help usher, read scripture and serve communion. Pastor David prepares a sermon that is accessible to all ages and there’s even a special Children’s Bulletin designed to provide interactive activities to help the youth connect with the sermon. Attention is also given to the choice of music to assure that hymns and songs appeal to congregants of every age. Christ has risen! The Christmas tree receives new life as the Easter cross. Children decorate it with spring flowers, while receiving advice and high-reaching help from a few adults. During Lent and specifically Holy Week, opportunities for multigenerational worship and activities abound, beginning with Ash Wednesday. At our Ash Wednesday service, everyone shared a meal together, and a craft table was set up to create crosses to be used during the Sunday morning Lenten worship services. Palm Sunday and Easter are designed with our entire congregation in mind and the youth play an integral role in both these services. After our Easter Sunday service, congregants of all ages are invited to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt. Why have multigenerational services? It’s simple—a church is much more than a building—it is a community of people of all ages, who are called together to encounter and respond to God’s love as revealed in Jesus the Christ. Worship enfolds us in God’s love, and what better way to create a sense of belonging than by worshiping together. At Bethel, creating multigenerational opportunities for worship and play is a strategic decision to strengthen our community and provide a welcoming place of acceptance for everyone, regardless of age. As our UCC motto says, “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey—You Are Welcome Here!” NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 —Beth Astarte, Program Coordinator page 3 of 18 On January 25, Bethel’s congregation met after church services to review the Annual Report for 2014, and to approve budgets and plans for 2015. In a statement made later by Program Coordinator Beth Astarte, “Committees [and the people who serve on them] are the lifeblood of the church.” Without the volunteers who work tirelessly on committee projects, it would not be possible to accomplish the great works we do in our community and for our members. The revised 2015 Leadership List includes: BETHEL STAFF David Randall-Bodman, Pastor Owen Hofmann-Smith, Director of Music Beth Astarte, Program Coordinator and Financial Administrator Chad Halligan, Interim Accompanist/Organist Beverly Woolf, Office Manager Megan Lucas-Griffiths, Nursery Attendant Hannah Lindsey, Nursery Attendant Bob Smythe, Custodian CHURCH BOARD * Sia Lindstrom, Moderator * Jeff Winston, Vice Moderator Paul Griffo, Treasurer Jeanine Elliott, Clerk * Lauren Hake * Gary Imbrie, Alternate * Diane Imel * Jon Schlueter * David Thoma COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (subcommittee of the Board) JoeLynn Keniston Nancy Macpherson Diana Marsden Paula Slavens Linda Timmel Nancy Winston CENTRAL PACIFIC CONFERENCE DELEGATES Jean Doane Jeanine Elliott Patti Matson Carolyn Rundorff DIACONATE FINANCE TEAM (subcommittee of the Board) Mark Clift Heather Griffo Paul Griffo Heather Hagen Nancy Speer Heather Griffo, Chair Lynne Elbert Robert Keniston Rowland French Nancy Hilbrick Carolyn Rundorff Bill Jackson Tim Youngsma FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL (subcommittee of the Board) Jim Keniston Sia Lindstrom Mike Peters * Voting member Linda Timmel, Chair John Bentley, Advisor Gary Imbrie Jeff Knapp Mac Macpherson Nancy Macpherson Sue Pike Wendell Pike, Advisor Jon Schlueter David Randall-Bodman, pastor, is ex-officio member of all committees, tasks forces and subcommittees of Bethel with voice but no vote. NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 4 of 18 FAITH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Nancy Hilbrick, Co-Chair Pam Schlueter, Co-Chair Jim Butler Sue Butler Michele Green Hannah Lindsey Ginny Rice Ken Ruse MISSION & OUTREACH Fran Jensen, Co-Chair Carole Thomas, Co-Chair John Bentley Susan Hanson Milli Hoelscher Ester McGinnis Jean Doane Winn Herrschaft Sarah McLin-Huskey Jason McLin-Huskey Diane Imel NOMINATING Church Board and Subcommittees The Church Board is the governing body of the congregation, and has ultimate responsibility, after the Congregation, for leadership of the Church. Its members include the Moderator, who leads the group, as well as six others elected by the congregation. The pastor, clerk, treasurer and financial administrator all assist the Board with its responsibilities. The Board also works with several Sub-Committees. Projects include: • Strategic Planning and Program Evaluation • Financial: Includes meeting fiscal objectives, yearly budget, gifts and memorials, planned giving, stewardship and pledges,and the annual audit. • Personnel: Includes personnel policies, evaluation, contracts, and job descriptions. • Communications Team: works on strategy to communicate Bethel’s identity and mission, including logo usage, signage, website and more. • Nominating: Prepares recommendations to the Board regarding position vacancies, and ballots for the Annual Meeting. • Assist auxiliary groups of the Church Paul Griffo Diane Imel Sia Lindstrom David Thoma Facilities Committee This group is responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of the church building, grounds, furnishings, equipment, and art. It makes recommendations to the Bethel Church Board on matters related to facilities use and budget, capital improvements, insurance, technical and aesthetic design. Committee members rotate the responsibility of opening and closing the church on Sundays. Projects include: • Two “Grubby Sundays” are scheduled per year after worship, when all church members pitch in to clean and spruce up both inside and outside. • Heating/HVAC issues • Stained Glass Box (from entry) repair with new lights • Updating Fellowship Hall–cosmetic and storage issues • Signage (interior and exterior) • Lobby areas aesthetic update • Landscape completion • Peace pole tile redo when needed. NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 WORSHIP (subcommittee of Diaconate) Beth Astarte Jean Doane Heather Griffo Owen Hofmann-Smith Liz Patch Cathy Thoma Jane Zilk CALLED TO CARE (subcommittee of Diaconate) Jean Doane, Co-Chair Patti Matson, Co-Chair Alice Bennett John Bentley Jim Butler Marion Douglas Ginny Rice Faith Development Committee Bethel’s Faith Development Committee seeks to be fully “intergenerational”— wanting all ages to have a variety of opportunities to think, learn, and grow in faith. It plans classes and activities for children, youth and adults on Sunday mornings, as well as facilitates other groups that meet throughout the year for book discussions, classes, and bible studies. Projects include: • Youth: October Pancake Breakfast, December Christmas Pageant, March Potato/Salad Bar, April Mission Project, May Youth Sunday, Summer Sunday Activities. • Adults: Adult Book Groups, Bible Studies and Sunday Discussion gatherings • Intergenerational: September Kick-Off Mission and Outreach Committee This group is responsible for the development of a healthy mission spirit in Bethel’s congregation. Mission and Outreach has twelve programs under its page 5 of 18 umbrella. It differs from any other Bethel Committee in that it is self-sustaining with its own budget and Board. Scrip sales help cover some costs, as well as donations and bequests. Projects include: • Scrip Sales Management: three people for six hours per month. • Salvation Army Homeless Vets: order and deliver cake monthly. • New Eyes for the Needy: advertise and assistance are given to first time teachers. No summer classes. • Faith Café: Faith Café board member, site manager. Helpers are needed every seven weeks. • Food Cupboard Administration: food purchases, coordination with Oregon Food Bank and Care to Share, attend required quarterly meetings at Oregon Food Bank, train workers, and manage inspections and corrections. • Lent–planning and executing Ash Wednesday service, coordinating programming with Faith Development. • Holy Week–planning and executing Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Eve, and Easter Services, associated advertising • Fellowship Activities–potlucks, social need, mail collected glasses. • Habitat for Humanity: schedule and coordinate a Bethel crew to help with one or two “build” days per year. • Beaverton HS Homeless Teens: advertise, collect, send out birthday cards, deliver clothing to BHS or the District Clothes Closet. • ESL classes: teach a class one or and is engaged in the evangelism efforts of hospitality and advertising. Projects include: two times per week. Teacher manuals Diaconate Committee The Diaconate is responsible for worship, music, fellowship, and congregational care. The committee provides support to the Pastor on worship topics, schedules, and plans, directly and through the worship committee. Diaconate is responsible for scheduling worship-related volunteers gatherings • Blessing of the Animals Service • Receiving New Members • Advent–planning and executing Advent themes, hanging of the greens, Christmas Eve and Blue Christmas services • HomePerk–Coordinating the coffee service program with HomePlate. Interviews with Paula is a new feature of this newsletter, that provides in-depth stories about people, activities, and perhaps even the history of Bethel. We take pride in creating a welcoming environment at Bethel that instills the feeling of family. These comprehensive reports help us achieve that more quickly by giving us insights into people, who we may see every Sunday, but don’t have time or opportunity to ask these kinds of questions. —Paula Bartell Slavens Interview with Bethel UCC Music Director Owen Hofmann-Smith Owen and his wife Amanda came to Bethel a year ago, having been selected from twenty-five applicants from a nationwide search that took four months to complete. The selection process began with polling choir members and the congregation to create a list of qualities and traits of a great music director. A thirteen-person committee reviewed the applicants, and narrowed it down to eight candidates. After a sub-committee of four conducted phone interviews, the list of viable candidates dropped to eight. From that eight, three were given face-to-face interviews. In the summation for his selection, the statement read: “Owen’s enthusiasm, desire, ability, and knowledge of Bethel stood out.” NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 6 of 18 The bonus is that when we hired Owen HofmannSmith, we were blessed with his wife, Amanda Hofmann-Smith—a very gifted soprano, who has shared her talents and extensive voice training as a fill-in choir member and guest performer. In my interview with Owen, it became even more apparent that we were truly fortunate to find a young man with great talent, who is also a perfect match for our Bethel family. “I am a native-born Oregonian—born and raised in Portland. I feature that in my bio and I am really proud to be from the Northwest.” muscle strength and conditioning. When I realized the extent of my injury, it made me question if I had a future as a professional cellist. During that time, I studied voice and conducting, and earned a master’s degree in conducting. I also really lucked out with a great voice instructor, and now the future is looking brighter and brighter. Amanda and I are looking at vocal competitions this next year. There is money to be won out there, and we are hoping to win some.” Owen comes from a musical family where singing permeated the home. “I have musical brothers, but none of them are professionals. My parents both sang in the choir, so music was just a natural part of our home. We enjoyed it, but there was one rule: No singing at the table! We just wouldn’t stop, and then it would be dinner time, so there had to be boundaries.” “The hyphenated Hofmann“… there was Smith name came to me by one rule [in my birth. My mother provides the boyhood home]: Hofmann side of the family. No singing at the My father is the Smith side. table! We just The name Owen was chosen to The Hofmann-Smith household wouldn’t stop, honor a family friend named Fred includes four boys, with Owen as the Owens. He provided support for and then it would third child. the family when my grandfather be dinner time, so (on my mother’s side), William “My brothers really don’t sing much there had to be Hofmann was at sea, serving as these days. Noah, the oldest, sang in a boundaries.” a Merchant Marine. He would chamber group in a college choir. Now sail to Asia and other parts of they primarily play guitars and one of the world, being gone for long them plays piano.” periods of time. During Grandpa’s absence, Fred When you look at Owen, with his slender 6-foot, helped my grandmother manage the household and 6-inch frame, the natural thought is, ‘Hmm, this guy even helped with raising the children. Tragically, must play basketball.’ Fred died in a fire at the family home. I was named after him, in honor of his memory.” “ I did,” explains Hofmann-Smith. “I played in middle school, but kept getting injured. If someone passed The advent of a singing career me the ball, and I caught it incorrectly, it would jam “My parents were very supportive of musical skills. my fingers and cause swollen knuckles. That would I picked up a cello in the fifth grade and sang in the happen frequently and if it affected my left hand, I choir about that time as well. I didn’t take any formal couldn’t play the cello. I finally had to decide which voice instruction until much later when I started was more important—basketball or the cello? I chose college. Making a career out of voice wasn’t my first the cello since I couldn’t afford to be out of orchestra choice. I sustained an injury from the cello and had for two or three weeks recovering from a basketball to stop playing for over a year to allow it to heal. It injury. I am very satisfied with my decision. I may be was a repetitive strain from bowing back and forth tall, but I am not a very good player—couldn’t shoot, during four-hour practices, or two-hour symphony couldn’t drive, couldn’t guard anyone very well. I am rehearsals, followed by two hours of concerts. better at the cello.” That’s a lot of repetitive movement that requires NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 7 of 18 was cut. Fortunately, I only had three days of not knowing where I would be working—when I found a job at Atkinson Memorial Unitarian Church in Oregon City. About a month after that, I was offered this job at Bethel United Church of Christ at double the hours per week, and half of the commute time. It was a no-brainer.” Owen Hofmann-Smith practices for a solo and bass guitar performance for Sunday worship service. “I started at Mount Hood Community College in 2003. It took me a while—I had some growing up to do. I wasn’t focused and didn’t have best of study habits. Over the next few years, I received some wonderful guidance from some great teachers and really superb musicians. I started developing personal discipline and improving my instrumental and musical skills. Then I pursued music education at Portland State around 2006. I received my Bachelors of Music and Music Ed, and while I was there, they hired a really great choral conductor, Ethan Sperry, so I stayed and got my Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting. I just finished that in the spring of 2013.” “While pursuing my degrees, I also worked as a choral director at the Eastrose Unitarian Church in Gresham— the church my parents attended—for about five or six years. About the time I received my Master’s degree, the church went through a bit of a shake up when the pastor retired. People left, and the church experienced a bit of a financial crisis. The budget for entire music program One of the first times Amanda and I spoke, I learned that the couple had met in New York City. The picture in my mind’s eye includes beautiful, blonde Amanda, sitting demurely near a cavernous conference room wall, crowded with people from all nations. Then a dashing Hofmann-Smith suddenly towers over her, flashing those deep brown eyes and broad, perfectly-toothed smile. He politely asks, “Is this chair taken?” Then proceeds to stare into her eyes steal her heart with clever banter and his genteel manner. “He kissed me for the fist time that night,” Amanda reveals. That’s about as close to a great love story as they come. Owen provides a few more details. Both he and Amanda attended Mount Hood Community College, but they never met until they participated in a New York City International Jazz Education Conference. “Amanda sang in a jazz choir at Mount Hood Community College, and I played bass in a jazz band,” says Owen. “There isn’t much of a chance for singers and instrumentalists to intermingle on a normal basis. When we were in New York, our respective groups performed at the various venues, and since Amanda and I just happened to be from the same school, we were grouped together, and got to know each other. So we met in New York City and had our first date there at the Blue Note, which is a big, famous jazz club. It was a lot of fun—and here we are eight or nine years later.” So the big question, ‘Was it love at first sight?’ According to the source, “Yeah! It was magic. It was a magical night.” NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 8 of 18 “We didn’t get married until June 2011. Since we were both in school and were not sure what we wanted to do career-wise, we dated for about five years until we were more settled into what we wanted out of life. At one time, we both wanted to be teachers. As we grew in our skills and in life, we both came to the realization that we want to be performers. We like to perform! But I teach. Working with an adult amateur ensemble like in a church or a community choir—you teach. Teaching is inextricably linked with performing and becoming a master of a discipline. “ Last summer both Amanda and Owen performed in a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta with the Dairyville Players at Alpenrose Theater. They demonstrated a breadth of talents, not traditionally witnessed on Sunday mornings—a truly amazing performance by both performers! I asked if there was any common thread in performing as a singer and as an actor. “Yes, they are integrated. In order to sing your best, you need to deliver the text as if you were speaking it on the designated pitch at the designated time. But the effect has to be derived from your speaking of the text, versus a designated vowel sound that lasts this long and on this pitch. You cannot conceive of it backwards, you have to think about it from the message first—what it would sound like from the person who first spoke those words? Then you imagine how it might sound with you saying it yourself. It is easy for singers to get this backwards—focusing on the technical side—conceiving one syllable or one sound at a time and trying to make that sound perfect and beautifully in tune. But to be a really good singer, you must come at it from the other side—understand what is being communicated, so that the message and the spirit of the song come through.” It’s probably stating the obvious, but what is your job description? Reverend David Randall-Bodman prepares to hand ushers the collection plates, while Owen delivers a stunning cello solo. “As Bethel’s Music Director, I facilitate and organize music for all services that require more than a pianist to be present. That includes leading choir rehearsals and conducting the choir at services, organizing volunteer musicians, and now organizing and conducting the hand bell ensemble and conducting them. I also do solo performances, singing or playing my cello or my bass, or doing song leading. Often I lead songs with the guitar, or we have accompanist Chad Halligan play hymns from the piano or organ, while I sing at the microphone.” “I also attend a number of meetings here: Diaconate meetings, worship committee planning, and staff meetings. I am actively involved in planning the worship services, to an extent. It is a collaborative effort with Reverend David and the committees. And now our new staff member, Beth Astarte, has been really, really great in helping us communicate with each other, the various facets within Bethel, and with the outside community. She is helping to attract people with events on any given Sunday.” NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 9 of 18 Do you feel that your education has well prepared you for this position at Bethel? And do you feel fulfilled here, or do you see it as a stepping stone for something else? “Yes, my educational background has served me well, and Bethel has been a good fit. I am young—I will be thirty years old in March—so I have lots of options ahead of me, and someday I would like to be an opera singer. I don’t know if being an opera singer will be compatible with being a choir director. I anticipate there might be some conflicts along the way, but for right now, I am really happy. I enjoy the flexibility of my hours here. I am able to have a part-time job here, have a wonderful office, and work around most conflicts I have as a freelance performer. If I chose to pursue the career of an opera singer, I would, of course, lose some of that flexibility. It depends on the inconsistency of practice. I am not worried about that now. I am just enjoying being here.” In many respects, hiring Owen has almost seemed like a package deal with wife Amanda at his side. Amanda, like Owen, does freelance performances, and can often be seen on Sunday mornings with Bethel choir members, performing solos, and singing duets with Owen. Says Hofmann-Smith, “Amanda has been very supportive of me. She’s been like my sidekick, or my personal aide. She also has been my volunteer soprano whenever I need her. I cannot really offer to pay her because of the concern for nepotism. I am in charge of the budget for paid musicians, so I need to be careful to avoid any perceived conflict of interest. I totally believe she deserves to be paid at least what we pay other guest performers, but it’s too complicated of a situation to try to set anything up like that.” Someday, Amanda may find her own position as a choir director or a more permanent position as a performer. In the meantime, Owen professes that she has been a huge help with his transition into this new position and doing whatever she can to enhance Bethel’s music program. When I asked Owen to describe his vision of his perfect lifestyle. He took a deep breath, and with a broad smile, emphatically stated, “I am living it! I have enough work to support us. We can live in a comfortable apartment. I get to do musical projects that are fulfilling, and I don’t have to take work that is not music related. We aren’t affluent, but we have enough to get by and do what we want to do, and we have all our needs met.” “I am not driving a Porsche and have financial limitations, but I have the instruments I need. I feel pretty lucky, having instruments that cost thousands of dollars—and are paid for. Buying a cello on a cellist’s wages is a pretty tough thing to do. I’ve been really fortunate to have parents who support my career and have helped me pay for my instruments. Now, our professional expense budget here at Bethel helps me maintain them. It can be very costly to keep a cello and a bass in playing condition. You have to re-hair the bows. That’s another thing I feel good about being here at Bethel. I feel very supported by the congregation to make the music that I perform here. So life is good!” How do you manage having a Master of Music in Conducting degree and working with a choir that may not have the excellence that you are accustomed to in a highly academic environment? “It’s attitude!” proclaimed Hofmann-Smith. “If I am having fun, then other people are having fun. I love my job! The more fun I am having in front of the choir, the more fun they have, and everyone performs better. When people are feeling positive, it helps them focus and give a better performance. It’s actually tied into the technique of your voice. If you’re feeling at ease, your voice comes out easier.” “The cool thing about my job—the more fun I am having, the more people think that I am good at what I do!” “I learned this from a choir director who always had a good time—all the time—and he changed my life.” “I encourage people to try out choir. You don’t need a ton of experience. I make it easy for people to give it a try, and intentionally make an environment where success can be achieved. It’s easy for choir directors to pick music that is too difficult, but with a little bit of life experience, you learn what is doable for amateur NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 10 of 18 singers, while also throwing in some things that make it interesting for the more experienced choir members.” “Picking the right songs is a balancing act. Some people like one genre over another, so you have to keep everyone in mind when you’re planning the program. We all need to be musically fed and that requires mixing things up a bit, like using our two hymnals, and expanding the music beyond dead, white composers. You need to throw in an African-American spiritual once in a while to add variety and keep things accessible for every skill level.” Churches are losing ground with membership and especially bringing more families into the church environment. Have you thought about this in relation to the music program? “I have been thinking about this issue recently and noticed that young people are very overcommitted nowadays. They have so much going on with extracurricular activities, advanced placement tests, football, soccer, and all sorts of demands. It’s hard to fit something in like choir practice, so I have tried to organize projects that are shorter term. The paradigm is that when the project is over, you lose your choir and have to start over. So that hasn’t always worked well for me.” “The best way I’ve found to get new interest in the choir, is to have the Test-Drive Sundays, where you don’t have to come to the Thursday choir practice. It appeals to singers who have some voice experience, but can’t commit to a practice session. The other option is giving four or five weeks of time on the project-type basis, that I described earlier.” “When I plan these projects, Beth Astarte, our new Program Coordinator has been doing a really great job getting the word out to the community and to church members. We have been seeing a lot of results from her efforts. My challenge is to plan well in advance, so that she Above top: Owen and wife Amanda Hofmann-Smith sing a duet at a Sunday service. Above: Owen sings with the Bethel UCC choir members at last Christmas’ Choralfest. NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 11 of 18 can effectively do her job of getting information published in a timely manner.” You are an accomplished musician at a relatively young age. What advice would you recommend to budding musicians, who might be considering career in music? “Being a musician is hard work. Equipment is very expensive, if you are an instrumentalist, and you often have to work other jobs, just to make ends meet. If I could give advice to young musicians, who wonder if they have what it takes to be successful—I would tell them that one percent is talent and ninety-nine percent is hard work. It takes discipline to be a successful musician.” Is there one final message you would like to give to our church members and people in the community, who might be seeking a church family? “I am really grateful to be in this position and have a lot of fun with the folks here. I know there are a lot of talented people in the congregation who, for one reason or another, have not been able to participate in our music program. We are an important part of worship and it is very meaningful to have people volunteer to help with the music. I would just love to see new people give it a try because we need more people to function well.” The newest member of the Bethel staff may be a little less familiar, having been employed just a few months ago. However, Beth Astarte is already making her mark as Program Coordinator—a new position that has many demands, and high hopes for increasing Bethel’s presence in our community. —Paula Bartell Slavens Interview with Bethel UCC Program Coordinator Beth Astarte Tell me about your family, and how you came to live in Oregon. “My parents moved here when I was six years old, and still have the same house in Aloha. I went to college in Eugene and lived a few years in Salem but mostly I have lived and raised my children here in the Beaverton area.” “My dad grew up in Albany. My mom came from The Dalles. There are five kids in my family—all born within seven years—all in different areas. I am the oldest and was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.” “We moved a lot due to job availability for my father. My dad was an electrical engineer, who worked for various companies, including Boeing, and later Tektronix, and Sequent. My mom was a Registered Nurse and housewife. Now they are missionaries through the Mobile Missionaries Assistance Program. It consists of retired couples who have mobile homes. They go to different gospel missions, churches, or church camps that need help. The men provide constructiontype labor, repairing or building structures, performing plumbing, electrical work, and such; while the women help with office tasks.” That kind of sounds like Habitat for Humanity on Wheels! “Pretty much. My parents go to various sites about five months every year—so they are gone a lot. They are on their fifty-seventh project” NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 12 of 18 Beth’s family Left to right, front row: Youngest son Jay with his dog Buster, and son Jimmy. Back row: Daughter Cassie, Beth, and Jimmy’s fiancee´, Sori. Beth Astarte—a great match for Bethel. Are your parents pleased that you are working here at Bethel, or have you worked with churches most of your career? “Yes, my parents are pleased and not surprised as I have volunteered consistently in almost every church I’ve attended.” Do you have children of your own? “I have three, ranging from ages twenty-two to twenty-seven. My oldest works for Google in Kirkland, Washington. He just got engaged and will be married in August. My daughter lives in Creede, Colorado, near Durango. She works for the theatre, and loves it. She has a boyfriend who is a rancher, and will likely marry and make that her permanent home. My youngest lives here in Beaverton. I get to see him the most. He also has a girlfriend and proposed marriage to her last week. So I hope to be a grandmother one of these days.” How long have you been here, and how would you describe your position here at Bethel? “I have been here since November 1st. My title is Program Coordinator, and we are defining it as we go since it is a new position.” “Right now, it consists of three parts: adult education, youth education, and communications. My primary focus is to coordinate programs and promote them to the community in an effort to draw in new people at Bethel. I work really closely with the Communications Team and the Faith Development Committee. I attend the Worship Committee meetings as well, so that I can provide additional support for multigenerational Sundays. I put out press releases during the Advent season to create a buzz, NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 13 of 18 and I advertised the John Nilson concert in January, which brought in some new people.” Since this is a new position, you have some flexibility to make it your own. Do you have a vision of where you would like to take this? “Yes. There are already a lot of great programs here, especially with our youth. Part of my job is promoting these great things, increasing awareness, and seeing if we can work with other UCC churches, or similar churches in the area. My role is to build relationships with staff in other churches so that we can share mutually beneficial opportunities with each other. For example, if we are offering an evening bible study, and another church has a daytime bible study, we can inform our members. Someone who may not be able to attend a nighttime program here, could then sign up for a similar program at another location.” Beth Astarte introduces the celebrity actors and actresses in the premier production of the Christmas play. “I have already met with one of the staff at Hillsdale UCC and discussed combining our Confirmation classes, such that Reverend David and their minister share the training; and when we have our outings, I will be inviting the Hillsdale youth, as well as the young people from Village Home. There are also regional, Portland area events that are offered quarterly that help with the socialization for middle school and high school students. Right now, we do not have a very robust program, but if we combine our programs with these other churches, we will be able to attract people, and keep the people we have. I talked to our Middle School and High School students and found out exactly what they would like to participate in for their spiritual growth.” Have you reached out to other churches as well? “Yes. I work only 24 hours a week, so I haven’t been able to meet with everyone that I would like to yet, but we are moving in that direction. Your children are now in their twenties, do you see a shift in today’s family versus when you were raising your own children, or even when you were growing up? Children and adults combined talents and stage presence to create a Christmas film for Bethel’s Sunday Christmas service. NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 14 of 18 “When I was a child, there was always a parent at home. Divorce wasn’t as prevalent as it is today. Now, many children are raised by one parent, or both parents are working outside the home. There are a lot of demands on the parents, as well as the children.” “Being a single parent myself, I was busy and running around all the time. I relied on my church community a lot. We went to the Living Enrichment Center in Wilsonville, and then New Thought Center for Spiritual Living in Lake Oswego. That proved to be a lifeline for me and my children at that point in time. It was a church that appealed to all ages that honored all paths to God. I had the honor and privilege of hearing speakers like Marianne Williamson, Neale Donald Walsch and Dr. Michael Beckwith (before he became famous), along with Mary Manin Morrissey. My children and I got to participate in original Christmas programs together, 300 kids attended the Easter egg hunts, and I would have thirty to forty in my fourth and fifth grade Sunday School class.” Do you think it’s possible for Bethel to become a much larger church? “I think it’s possible, but you lose something by being that large. There is a balance. Bethel has a wonderful community atmosphere that might be lost if it grew too big. Could we stand to grow? Absolutely! I would love to see the sanctuary filled every Sunday and have multiple Sunday School classes with ten or more in each class.” “To grow, we have the opportunity to try new things and get creative. Lots and lots of people have been wounded in church. Portland is a city with a ton of alternatives to choose from. For instance, there are a hundred people who go to the Tiffany Center each week for an ecstatic dance—that’s their church. Within the Portland area there are also a number of UCC churches. It comes down to what do we have in the Beaverton area, and what’s going to attract families to our church?” Beaverton is described as the most ethnically diverse city in all of Oregon. Yet, we don’t see that at Bethel. Have you thought about solutions for being more reflective of our neighborhood? “Our Communications Team will likely be addressing that. However, it is not an easy solution. A lot of ethnic groups have a dedicated belief system. We are not going to attract the Muslims, or the Hindus, or even faith traditions whose people want church services spoken in their own languages.” “Another issue is that some ethnic groups only do business and socializing within their groups and you need to be invited. As a church, about the only way— would be to have people come to us, like what they see, then invite others. However, I’m looking for creative ways to widen the diversity of our congregation.” “We get a diverse group of people who come to Bethel for ESL, the Food Cupboard, and Faith Café and I would love to figure out ways to reach out to these groups we already serve.” “Another issue is that if someone walks into a church and doesn’t see anyone who looks like him or her, or doesn’t speaks their language, it’s very uncomfortable. Being a minority in a group can be very unsettling, even when it is a safe environment.” It sounds like you’ve had experience in other churches. When you applied for this job, did you feel like, ‘Ah-ha, this is the perfect fit for me.’? “Yes, I felt this was a great fit for me—just what I was looking for. I have a broad faith background. I grew up Catholic, went to Assembly of God church camps, Baptist prayer meetings, and worked tirelessly on Youth for Christ when I was in high school.” “As an adult, I have always taught in some kind of capacity in a church setting. I’ve been active in church curriculum and teaching most Sundays, and coordinating larger events. My background is administrative, as an office manager. So my skills run the gamut, and I have had a lot of experience as a volunteer. This is the first time I’ve received a salary for this work.” “I also have a coaching and consulting business which provides bookkeeping services, life coaching and small group work, focused on body image and self-esteem It NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 15 of 18 is a very rewarding thing to do—to help others feel better about themselves. It makes life more vibrant and fun.” “I am also a certified facilitator for Our Whole Lives (OWL). “Bethel really That’s the sexuality curriculum has turned out to created by the UCC and be an awesome Unitarian churches. I’m fit for me. I am certified from K through 12 enjoying getting to and look forward to getting know people and the Young Adult/Adult continuing to learn certification as well. Helping how I can best children and families develop a serve and support healthy self-esteem, including them, while helping their sexuality, is important to Bethel grow.” me, as well, and gives parents ways to talk to their kids about sex and their faith in Cool Beth can play a harp, and ride a horse — an uplifting, affirming way. I am hoping to join with how’s that for versatility? other UCC churches in the area and bring it to the families here at Bethel.” into that. When I mentor, my job is to stay connected Do you have any free time and any hobbies that fill to spirit, so that love can flow through me and be a that time? conduit for reaching out to others. That feeds my soul—living every day with my heart open and being “Yes! I am learning how to play a harp and take harp open to God’s guidance. If you do this effectively, then lessons. When time allows, I hang out with my kids.” it is much easier to work through the tough issues that “Last year my son finished his duty in the Army are part of everyday living.” at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as part of the 82nd I’ve heard Reverend David speak about this in reference Airborne Division. I flew down to my brother’s to God’s pure love, and the love of Jesus. Isn’t love what home in Kentucky, where I met my son, and together our church is all about—love for one another, and those we drove back home to Oregon. It was amazing—a who are in need? once in a lifetime thing. We had a lot of fun.” “I also help co-facilitate the group Opening to Love. It’s a meetup group for building community. Meetup groups are not dating services; they are social activities that allow people with like interests to come together. My group focuses on connecting to your own heart.” “Yes, it would be ideal for every church to be that way.” Would you say that working with groups is your passion in life? You’re doing something else here at Bethel. Right? “Yes! When I worked at a teen camp, it was really exciting to see a transformation in these young people. Doing what I do here at Bethel fits right Is there any age group that appeals to you the most? “I have always enjoyed working with the ‘tween’ group of kids—the ones between grade school and high school, who most often get overlooked.” “Yes, in addition to being the Program Coordinator, I am now starting the role of Financial Administrator. That’s what I do for other companies as a consultant, so it’s also a good fit for me.” NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 16 of 18 “In fact, I am working with Michele Green on a mentoring program, where we connect adults with children to create multigenerational community. This is an example where we can bring church members together. I’ve also talked with members of the Beaverton Lodge about doing a huge social event. So many of the people there feel young at heart and often have a deep spiritual awareness that they can pass down to younger people.” Another of Beth’s passions is flying in wind tunnels. Her son Jay introduced it to her in North Carolina, November 2013. Says Beth, “I discovered I love the feeling of weightlessness and how vibrantly alive it makes me feel. All other thoughts leave my mind and I am fully in the joy of the moment. My son Jimmy gave me the gift of iFly in Seattle for Christmas that year and we flew in the Spring. It was still as much fun as I remembered! I never thought I would want to sky dive, but after that experience, sky diving is on my bucket list.” Even though you are still fairly new here, it sounds like Bethel is a good fit in many ways. “Bethel really has turned out to be an awesome fit for me. I am enjoying getting to know people and continuing to learn how I can best serve and support them while helping Bethel grow. I am looking forward to what we can co-create together. It will be fun!” In many societies, elders are held in esteem but today there is so much emphasis on being young—looking young, feeling young. Youthfulness seems to be the gold standard in our society. Everyone who is age fifty wants to be forty. Those who are age sixty, don’t want to admit that they are there. “Yes! Which is why it’s important to reclaim the “crone”—the elder wisdom in our life cycle—as not being a bad thing. Reclaiming that elder crone is very important because there is wisdom gained from longer relationships and “ …This system all aspects of life. At a retreat once, all is much more the women age seventy and older were complete than asked to come on stage and all the some of the participants were invited to ask them non-profits that questions—any question they wanted I have worked to ask. It proved to be an amazing with. People learning opportunity.” care about this community and doing things right.” You are kind of unique in that you have the practical business skills, the spiritual side, and then the passion for working with our youth— which seems to be the lifeblood of the church. “Yes, and I am also coming to have a real appreciation for adult ministry, and older adult ministry—exploring what that means and how I can support it. I also really appreciate Jean Doane and Jeanine Elliott, who have such a passion for social justice and are paying attention to the needs of our older congregants. We may talk about young people being the lifeblood of the church, but it’s actually the older generations who are paying the bills and setting examples for our youth.” “For our younger generation, we absolutely need to ignore the media hype about youthfulness and reclaim the wisdom of the elders. The grandparent’s counsel is important.” “When I was in high school and college, I worked as a nurse’s aide in nursing homes. So when I needed to write papers about The Depression, I would actually go talk with the people who lived through it.” “By creating this mentoring program, we’re starting that framework of revering our elders, providing the opportunity for multigenerational fun nights, where people NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 17 of 18 will be sharing their stories. It will be really wonderful! By telling this living history, we recognize how valuable these people are in our lives.” “If you think about it, we are only one generation away from people who knew what it was like to not even have a television. Some of our congregants remember days before cars, or riding in Model T cars. There were no telephones, and now even kids have their own cell phones. We’ve become so accustomed to them, it’s hard to even remember how we survived without them. Oh, yeah…if my mom needed to pick me up, I used a quarter for the pay phone, or I just waited.” Is there anything that the people here at Bethel can do to make your job easier? “Tell me when they have ideas or projects they want to do, like Jeanine did with her Social Justice Action Team; also, to volunteer. We need more people to help with youth education. Having regular volunteers would be a huge help.” “However, I really do feel like I am being supported at Bethel. I feel I can reach out to people and say I need support with A, B, C, or D. In fact, it’s different for me to be able to rely on so many people and find people who are so dedicated to doing their part. I am amazed at the number of committees and how devoted people are in giving their time and really making a commitment. In truth—these committees are the lifeblood of the church! They are the ones who make it work.” “I also don’t think we realize how much these committee members do for us; like the people who arrive early Sunday mornings to turn on the heat, turn on the lights, and open the doors. Then on Christmas Eve, someone had to ensure that the new alarm system didn’t go off. It’s the behind-the-scenes type work that we often are not even aware of—but someone is taking that responsibility, making it work, and doing a fantastic job.” “When I looked at the Financial Administration position, I was surprised to see how well that was organized with all the checks and balances. This system is much more complete than some of the nonprofits that I have worked with. People care about this community and doing things right.” “Bethel is also doing an amazing job with community support—especially for a small church—supporting programs like Faith Café, the Food Cupboard, ESL Training, and Habitat for Humanity. When I poked around the Internet to see what was happening at different churches, Bethel stood out for these reasons. That’s partly what attracted me to come here.” Why is Bethel a good fit for you? “I grew up pretty conservatively in the Catholic Church and received an Associates Degree in Biblical Studies at the Northwest Christian College in Eugene. Then, I went the other direction for fifteen years to practice Science of Mind in the New Thought Church. Because Christianity, my relationship with Jesus, and the Christ consciousness is part of who I am, I realized that Bethel really is a great fit for me. I love being here.” If you wanted to convey a message for others, who are seeking a church, what would you say about Bethel UCC? “Come give us a try. We are a community here, and we also care about the local and global community.” This newsletter is written, designed, and edited by Paula Slavens with guidance and contributions from Reverend David Randall-Bodman, Bethel’s Communications Team, and other contributing Bethel UCC members. If you would like to share story ideas and newsworthy content for future publications, please contact the Bethel UCC office at 503-646-1191. (When not volunteering at Bethel, Slavens is a personal historian, whose business activities includes writing books and creating videos for individuals, families, and businesses.) NEWS AT BET H EL C O N G R EG AT I O N A L U CC | February 2015 page 18 of 18