UUMN members in the DC area recently carried out our mission to "support and motivate one another in joyous and loving community." On March 29, almost 300 singers from sixteen UU churches gathered at All Souls Unitarian for a day of singing and community building.

MUUSICA, the DC area music directors group, commissioned a new choral piece from renowned composer Jim Papoulis, who joined them for the event. The day culminated with a special worship service of music and readings; the mass choir presented six anthems and led hymn singing. A free will offering was collected to benefit Jim Papoulis’ Foundation for Small Voices. The organizers were thrilled to raise over $3,000 for that worthwhile organization.

by Keith Arnold, Minister of Music 
Jefferson Unitarian Church • Golden, CO

In 2002, I was asked by a congregation member who was on the Board of The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado (TIA-CO) if I would consider organizing a concert performance that would bring together the sounds of different faiths, on behalf of TIA-CO. The idea was to present a “Sacred Celebration,” an honoring of many musical and religious traditions. After our Senior Minister endorsed my spending church time on this outreach project, I began a six-year involvement in this endeavor, directing annual Interfaith Music Festivals at large religious centers throughout our metro area.

Each year, in a letter inviting potential participants, I shared that “The concert is designed as a metro-wide event to bring together people of many beliefs and backgrounds, each expressing faith through music, dance, and storytelling.” Through the six years that I was involved, the festival featured such presenters and sounds as Hindu chanting, handbell ringing, Protestant and Catholic choirs, Jewish cantors, Unitarian Universalist choirs, Hindu dancers, a Jewish-Sufi fusion band, chanting of the Koran, a Spirituals Choir, and a Buddhist youth rock band.

by Kellie Walker, Music Director 
Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation • Chandler, AZ

As the tone chimes began playing the chords, and the voices sang “Angels We Have Heard on High,” smiles broke out on the faces of the staff and family members, as wellas on some of the residents of the small nursing home. “See Anita,” someone whispered, “she’s singing –but she doesn’t even talk.” Not only did the music bring joy, but singing together and helping each other play a tone chime gave family members an experience of still sharing a fun activity with their loved one. I don’t know who was glowing more, the visiting church musicians, the families, residents, or the staff.

This observation was made after a “musical visit” made by some of our congregants to a nursing home in December, 2008. For years, I had been trying to figure out how I could help others replicate what I had done as a music therapist in various settings, and occasionally in my church work: bring music to people in need, either at bedside or in community settings such as nursing homes and assisted living centers. In the spring of 2009 my church, the Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Chandler, Arizona, received a grant from the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Fund for Social Responsibility which really gave a jump-start to my fledgling idea.

by Yuri Yamamoto 
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship • Raleigh, NC

An opportunity to participate in a social justice work can arise in an unexpected way. This is how the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh (UUFR) choir learned the joy of serving those who are in need.

A group that offers services to the AIDS community used to hold their monthly picnics in our fellowship hall. Most of their clients are poor and members of minority populations. One year, the UUFR choir was scheduled to have an annual retreat and got double-booked with the organization. When I arrived at our church in the morning to set up for the retreat, a lot of people from the organization were already unloading their food, gifts, and other supplies to set up their picnic in the fellowship hall. My first reaction was, “Oh, no, they are in our way! How am I going to kick them out?”