UCC - Jazz enlivens Pa. church's Friend-Raising celebration

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Jazz enlivens Pa. church's Friend-Raising celebration

> Written by Jeff Woodard
> April 12, 2011

> Push to Play

> Friendraising Sunday Winners
> Friend raising Sunday

In one word ? or three, depending on how you look
at it ? the Rev. Geneva Butz captured the essence
of the celebratory Sunday service April 3 at St. John's UCC in Kutztown, Pa.

"Improvise. Improvise. Improvise," said Butz,
president of the Pennsylvania Southeast
Conference and St. John's guest for the service
featuring jazz music. "For me, that was the
special message of the day. That is how we need
to live as Christians today, always ready to
respond to the new and changing situations in
which the church finds itself."

Introducing the Rev. Felix Carrion, coordinator
of the UCC's Stillspeaking Ministry, Butz said
she couldn't keep her feet from tapping during
the jazz service celebrating St. John's winning
effort in last fall's Stillspeaking
Friend-Raising weekend. The church welcomed 52
visitors on Nov. 7 ? the most of any UCC church participating in the camp aign.

"There was a spirit of joy, gladness and

participation, from church members ages 13-86,"
said Butz, marveling at the manner in which jazz
sounds complemented words of scripture and
liturgy for the 200-plus in attendance. "The
young people from the middle school jazz band,
who gave a mini-concert at the conclusion of the
service, were riveted by the music. They were so attentive."

The Rev. Karl Jones ? in the final weeks of his
three-year interim ministry at St. John's ? said
the service also brought together many of the
strands of the vibrant life of the church. "It
was one of our signature events ? every spring we
provide this Jazz Worship, which is part of the
Berks Jazz Festival. It was the first major
worship service marking our 275 years of ministry."

On May 16, the Rev. Sue Marie Baskette will

succeed Jones, becoming the church's first female pastor.

Reflecting on one of the final services he'll
lead at St. John's, Jones said he was "thrilled"
to work with Frank Siekmann, the church's 85
year-old director of instrumental music. Siekmann
coordinated the event, arranged much of the
music, and conducted the musicians. "He and I
collaborated on a new hymn, which was written for
the church's anniversary," said Jones.

Jones also paid tribute to church members Charlie
Schaffer (jazz saxophone), Richard Huyett (former
area high-school bandleader), Rick Kelchner
(drums), guest soloist Carl Zeplin (middle-
school band director) and the Mohler family. The
festival has also received support from the
high-school and middle-school jazz bands.

"Friend-Raising Sunday wonderfully confirms that
there is a power in combining the wizardry of
today's technology with the tried-and-tested
word-of-mouth invitation," Carrion said of the
campaign. "Some of our churches recorded historic
tallies of visitors because these churches were
energized to participate in and make Friend-Raising Sunday a reality."

> Carrion is already anticipating the 2011
> Friend-Raising Sunday, to be held Nov. 6.

"This time around, we will surpass the 6 percent
increase in attendance that was experienced by
the more than 315 churches that participated in
last year's Friend-Raising Sunday," said Carrion.
"Perhaps we'll surpass the more than 4,600 guests we netted in 2010.

"The Stillspeaking Ministry encourages such

participation and partnership because we believe
in the extravagant welcome of Jesus for the world," he said.

A new Stillspeaking internet video will be

produced this year to help UCC members extend the
invitation to the 2011 Friend-Raising Sunday
event, said Carrion, adding that winning churches
will once again receive Stillspeaking pins,
magazines, welcoming mats and banners.