music
Dear Members and Friends of First Unitarian Church:
A beloved hymn usually sung with great gusto has a deeper meaning for us today: “Gather the spirit, harvest the power, our separate fires will kindle one flame. Witness the mystery of this hour, our trials in this light appear all the same.”
Pandemics are not new, but Covid-19 marks the first pandemic in our lifetimes. As we are forced to release so much control of our lives, we try in new and inventive ways to gather the spirit and harvest the power. We have no clear understanding of what lies ahead of us, but our trials are not uniquely our own.
Fortunately we are embraced in a church community where care and concern are foremost. Our church has been there for us in times of crises: gathering the spirit for a memorial service; gathering the spirit after 9/11; gathering the spirit during the Tim DeChristopher trial. Today we are challenged to gather the spirit without physically rallying together. How will that work? How do we kindle one flame?
On March 16th our Board of Trustees met to discuss these questions. A loving and caring spirit permeated the meeting. The tasks ahead may appear contradictory, but they inspire us to enrich the meaning of community. Following state health guidelines means closing the church for the next eight weeks. All activities scheduled at the church are cancelled. We will tell you with a joyful heart when the building opens again. Remember that we are much more than the building. The doors may be closed but hearts remain open and our community very much alive.
Discussions and small group ministries will continue remotely. (The Board meeting was held with all members and ministers at home.) Beginning on Sunday, March 22nd, Tom, Monica, and David will conduct worship services which you can all access by going on the church website [[[during the time of the service?]]] and clicking “sermon video.” After each service, we will hold a ZOOM virtual coffee hour and talkback session to discuss the sermon and any concerns that have arisen for you personally. Please join us. We will be happy to explain how to ZOOM coffee hour.
Small group facilitators: please monitor the wellbeing of your group. Offer support, gather the spirit, and please let the ministers know of issues that warrant pastoral attention. And let’s be vigilant in tending to the needs of friends in our community.
Our Celebration Sunday Pledge Kick off was set to rock the house last Sunday, but the church was dark. Special speakers and music stir our generosity towards the church. We believe that the sterner experience of this immense global crisis will underscore the extraordinary value of and the need to sustain a church community such as ours. Please reflect on the church’s value in your life and in the greater community as a passionate, unparalleled voice for peace and justice.
We must prepare financially now for the transition to a new senior minister and we are asking for a boost in your pledge. The costs of the selection process beginning a year from now must be addressed today. As you make your pledge the immediate future of the church is more than usually in your hands. Options are many: mail in your pledge card, press the donate button on our website, or call and leave a message at the church, 801.582.8687 ext. 202. Someone from either the Board or the Pledge Committee will contact everyone who asks.
We must gather the spirit of heart and mind, demonstrating that so much more than a building defines our community. Reach out to one another. Help one another. In our digital world, love and concern have never travelled faster.
In praise of our community,
In preparation for his upcoming recital tour, our Russian pianist friend, Mark Fouxman, will again be giving his pre-tour recital here at First Church Tuesday evening March 6th. ( tent. time: 7:00 pm - watch next bulletin for exact time ). Mark is a delightful human being and a consummate musician and the Music Department is pleased to host this event. It is free of charge and will be followed by a reception in Eliot Hall.
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Our Sister Church -South Valley UU- will be presenting a concert of commissioned music by Mary Lou Prince. It will feature the Rosco String Quartet and Japanese koto, as well as an original choral work. This commission is a reflection on the Japanese Americans detained at the Topaz Relocation Camp during World War II. It is Sunday, March 18th, 2018, 5:00 p.m. at South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society (6876 South Highland Drive). A suggested donation of $15 will benefit the music program of SVUUS. If you have more questions, you can call SVUUS (520-400-0831) or talk to David Owens. There is also a poster on the bulletin board in Eliot Hall.
Call for Solstice Singers:
We need singers for the annual Winter Solstice service here at First Unitarian Church. Teens and adults from our congregation are encouraged--and needed!--to join with members of the Chancel Choir to sing at this special event. Four rehearsals are scheduled, each Tuesday beginning November 29, at 7:00 p.m. The Solstice celebration will be Wednesday December 21, at 6:00 p.m. (Note the different day of the week.) If you enjoy singing, can make it to most of the rehearsals--and the performance!--and would like to join this fun and rewarding experience, please email Holly at to get involved.
We need singers for the annual Winter Solstice service here at First Unitarian Church. Teens and adults from our congregation are encouraged--and needed!--to join with members of the Chancel Choir to sing at this special event. The Solstice celebration will be Thursday December 21, at 6:00 p.m. If you enjoy singing, can make it to most of the rehearsals--and the performance!--and would like to join this fun and rewarding experience, please email Holly at to get involved.
The Music Department at First Church is pleased to host an evening recital of British Humorous Music on November 14th at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary. Longtime musical friend, Baritone Keith Trickett, will offer his musical musings at this benefit recital for The Homeless Youth Shelter. Keith's recitals are always a pleasure and this one is sure to be a special delight. Joined by accompanist Emily Williams, this will be an entertaining and worthwhile evening. Please come !!!
A Suggested Donation of $10 will gratefully be accepted at the door, and following the recital a full reception will be held in Eliot Hall. If you have questions, please feel free to contact David Owens 801-390-0488
Chancel Choir
Come Sing With Us!! All are welcome to sing with the Chancel Choir. No audition is necessary - just a commitment to join with us a high percentage of the time. ( This is necessary not only due to be fact that we are constantly in the process of learning a great deal of repertoire, but also to attend to the necessity of forming a cohesive group dynamic constantly at work to improve its musical skill ). Our 'Singing Sundays' schedule varies, but we plan on about twice a month. Rehearsals are every Wednesday evening from 7:30-9:30 throughout the church year and include a variety of social events in addition to this. If you've always thought of joining the choir, or Never Thought of It until right now!!,...come join our dedicated and fun group to build community and 'Make Church' in a completely new and different way! Feel free to speak to any member of the Chancel Choir if you have questions, or call me personally. David Owens-Director of Music- 801-390-0488.
Junior Choir
The Junior Singers will begin rehearsal on September 25th. This rehearsal is between the two services - 10:15-10:45 in the Choir Room (Room 210). It is open to all youngsters from First to Sixth Grade. The only requirement is a commitment to be present on a consistent basis. We have a lot of fun and learn a lot about music. We also perform a number of times throughout the Church Year. (We actually will be singing in Church on October 2nd !!, so please be sure and come to our very first rehearsal.) If you have any questions, feel free to call David Owens at 801-390-0488
A service given by the First Unitarian Church's Chancel Choir on May 22, 2016
Singers In The Congregation: A wonderful opportunity has been sent our way to join the Choir at South Valley Unitarian Universalists as well as other singers from around the valley in an Inter-Faith Choral Celebration to be held at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square Friday-November, 7th.
The work we are doing is a collaborative song cycle called 'Songs Of The Earth'. This nine piece song cycle is by the Minister at South Valley-Patty Christiena Willis and their Music Director-Mary Lou Prince. For this fine and rewarding work, we open the invitation to anyone interested in joining to please do so. We will be working on this repertoire at our regular choir rehearsals (Wednesday evening 7:30 pm) beginning October 1st.
This satisfying and lovely work is not difficult at all and singers of some skill will be able to join and share in what is sure to be a rewarding musical experience. For more information, please feel free to call David Owens 801-390-0488 or speak to one of the Choral Directors. Don't miss this opportunity to not only sing with a 160 voice choir in the historic Assembly Hall, but to also join with our Chancel Choir and our friends from South Valley in some fine music making.