Blue Skies!

Due to our church’s recent significant growth in numbers, the Board of Trustees called together a “Blue Skies” Task Force to discover from you where CUF’s strengths lie today in order to build on those strengths and what would you like to see here at church in the future. Your input is helping discern what CUF will talk about, dream about, work on, and plan over the next few years.

Below are your responses! As you can see, the list covers a wide range of topics. The Task Force wishes to express its sincere appreciation for your input. The list has been given to all the CUF Boards, Committees, and Teams in order to gain their insights, perspectives, and recommendations.

The Blue Skies Task Force will meet again in September and October in order to correlate the responses from these various church groups and put together a combined Action Plan to present to the congregation.

CUF’s Responses to The Blue Skies Task Force!

*Many items on the Board had “check”, “ditto”, “yes!” or “Amen!”

written by others on the original notes!

Adult Study

A revival of ecumenism in Orono

Christmas caroling in the community

Summer Services

Thanksgiving (as last year’s)

Bean supper (some vegetarian offered too) either as a fundraiser or friend-raiser with or without program

Some other format for the after church discussions

In depth study of world religions

The sessions with the Muslim community were highpoints for me and brought in the larger community - more of these kinds of programs

An opportunity to study the bible, especially the Old Testament would please and fulfill me

I have enjoyed Living the Questions and the after church discussions

Children’s Education/Youth

Children’s hour

Happy for Stase

Have a children’s booth at the church fair this November (mentioned several times) and make stuff to sell there - to benefit the Heifer Project

Would like a snack in Sunday School

Next year’s Heifer Project - “Bunnies”

Oxfam

I love Stase

More kids in the nursery

More kids in Sunday school (mentioned several times)

Coffee Hour - Pastries

New people involved in teaching Sunday School

Redo children and middle school education program - make it fun and meaningful

Enjoy Lorna’s time with the children - she really connects with the children

After school program for children - perhaps have college kids or high school students do this

Talent for Blueberry Festival

Youth Sunday where youth plan the entire service

YAWP-Young adults with Pizzazz! Amen! (checked several times)

Smile - Young People (checked)

Have young people present more of the music

The musicals

Children’s musical presentations - such talent, courage and inclusiveness

Movie night for kids

Fellowship

Coffee hour food - yum, yum!!

Coffee hour mentioned several times - more cupcakes

Coffee hour after church - great

Renew men’s club - a group for men - perhaps like the Men’s Club in years past - or maybe something entirely different for today’s world and lifestyles

I felt the nurture of the congregation during my husband’s illness and death and still marvel at it 2 1⁄2 years later

Bible Study

I like all the “small groups”

Don’t get too traditional

The multi-generational spirit beginning to encompass our church through support of YAWP, young voice by “more mature” members of CUF

Christmas Workshops - yes!!

Plant Sale - Yea!!

I love that the altar flowers are always different and reflect the givers or their loved ones - had several checks

Fellowship after the service in the Gathering Place

Church Cookout @ Webster Park on the last 10:15 Sunday

Fellowship of pot luck suppers - with or without a program or even a theme

A Fellowship Committee

In my last church we organized church retreats to camp, dinners, lunches, etc. the retreat was a “team”

Messy Church!

Reading for worship - who knew the Bible could be so much fun?

The wonderful sense of community we are developing

Christian Singles Group

Invite a single person to dinner

Keep the gathering news before the service. It makes us aware and brings us together

I am inspired

More theater performances

Pot luck fellowship suppers 2x/year, better 4x/year (checked many times)

Movie Night & discussion

Lecture series: secular subjects, invite speakers-Men and Women’s group used to do this

Bean Suppers for anyone; feed the hungry, students, folk

Fellowship is great

Finances

Grow the operating budget so that we could help our part-time employees with health insurance

Full-time administrative person to assist Lorna with her numerous responsibilities

A brainstorming group to talk about fund-raisers for CUF - e.g. suppers (turkey, baked beans or a Blueberry Fest) or an ice cream social

Grounds and Facilities

I would like to see the entire altar area revamped to be more performer friendly and replace our clunky choir pews with stackable cushioned chairs - Amen!!

Please don’t change the colors and look of the church sanctuary - austere yet timeless, especially the windows

Keep traditional style and grace of the altar and seating in the sanctuary

Remove choir stalls to open up the stage area (checked several times)

Our sanctuary needs paint and new carpet (mentioned several times)

Our church never looks very clean (inside)

We have a whole church! - services - all first grade, community of caring leadership

We need a dishwashing machine

Full time janitor (mentioned several times)

Evergreens planted in front of the sanctuary (yes!!)

Grounds look beautiful - love the flower garden (mentioned several times )

Get the automatic door openers working - one is also needed for inside door

Add more winter structured to the flower beds - games, trimmed - see Piet Ordolf?

Like seeing the lighted cross when I drive down Main Street at night

I like the look of the sanctuary - simple and peaceful

Easier way to change the wording on the marquee

New ideas for choir area structure - more open and somehow handicap accessible

Would a balcony outside the Gathering Place double doors facing east be feasible to expand G-P room in warm weather?

New envelope holders and places for pens as well as pencils

Why are there so many paper signs all over our church? Couldn’t there be a more attractive uniform way to direct and inform people

Flower gardens at church entrance

Lighting candles at front - when they are there, yes!

Shut-off switch for the sound system in the MacKenzie Room, useful when a group is meeting there in completion with the one in the sanctuary or is there one there already, but not identified?

Missions

The Church as an active member of the community

The joy of a traditional service among friends

Could someone, perhaps part time, be found maybe even paid to keep in contact with our elderly parishioners? I know their wants and needs are bottomless, but trying to fill it with visits, calls, and cards is a ministry unto itself. It would be appreciated by so many

The Indian Island food pantry is empty according to the Penobscot Times

I love Service Group - great community and enjoy helping others

Lorna

All the talented volunteers who care for the church and make up the choir

Having various community groups be able to use the church

Music

Music program is fantastic - more talent in one church than I’ve ever seen (checked several times)

Andrew should sing more - I love his voice as well as his choice of music for the choir -(checked)

Beautiful traditional music with occasional more informal music

Mary Peters and Andrew McCormick (checked and mentioned several times)

Love the music - thanks - yeah! (mentioned several times)

I like the mix of traditional and contemporary music - both for anthems and hymns

Sing alongs with more fun songs

Continue performing great traditional classic church music

Choral benediction by the choir occasionally

The Van Kirk’s Prelude this morning

Wish a more triumphant doxology

More musicals - love them

Sensitive and powerful organ music

The music over the years has left many good memories - keep providing a variety - (checked)

Love the music (mentioned several times)

Andrew is doing a superb job - spirit - creativity and musicality

I like the classical music for hymns - folk music is ok in other settings but a small amount goes a long way on Sunday Morn

I don’t like the Hymns - it’s trying to be gender neutral - words changed in hymns

Christmas Carols and who knows what else. Hymnal too fat for the pew racks

The choir is either singing to the organist or squished on the stairs to sing to the

congregation. Couldn’t we do better for our wonderful music people?

Special music in the summer

The musicals are wonderful

The musicals are really awesome. I like practicing for them. It is really fun - More

musicals!

The new hymnal! Yes! Amen!

Love the music (choir) and the special guest musicians - feeds my soul - Amen

The new music added to the choir repertoire and the piano/organ duets

Musical talent of Mary and Andrew – (mentioned several times)

Remember the little play/musical which Beth Clark wrote and directed with the S.S. kids? “A house for all People” - it was fun for them and us and would be good to revive or copy! I agree!

Andrew signing the music! Teaching it? Amen! also checked

I like the musicals

Special performances by the young artists

Worship

How about a service with music only - all church groups or a special music program for the community

Pencils and envelopes in sanctuary are usually all on the floor

Continue Messy Church

Enjoy having a variety of readers for the scripture readings - ditto, Amen, Amen!

How can church service be made less intimidating to those who won’t come because they don’t *have money for the offering, *cannot read well enough or at all the bulletin or the hymnal, *have the “right” clothes, yes!

In “The Wind” how about listing the scripture readings for the coming month

It makes me happy to know that every Sunday I am going to have a wonderful

inspirational sermon

Have communion once a month

I particularly like and benefit from Lorna’s ability to move from scripture into ideas and advice relevant for living in today’s world (ditto, me too! Checked several times)

In my experience in sitting in the sanctuary for worship, 50% of the congregation

cannot see the altar

Good to say “Lord’s Prayer” (checked)

60 minute service total, is long enough

Comments giving the background of the scripture are instructive and helpful

Time with the children (a delight! Yes, checked, Amen!)

Love the quotes in the bulletin! Same with me (checked several times)

One of many worship highlights for me was the Tenebrae Service

and Susan Heath’s flute solo

Votive candles during Advent and other occasions; African introits, with complimentary hymns; Pentecost with flames

Lorna’s sermons (checked a number of times, yes! Amen, Amen! hearts and checks)

Return to Lord’s Prayer - Amen

Our Spiritual community

Please let’s do the Lord’s Prayer

Communion

5 minutes church service

One hour services length total

Perhaps a Taize Service on a Sunday evening once in a while! Yes!

Think on these things or other quotes from the bible following the scripture for variety - (checked)

Love humor in the sermons and personal stories to make the point – (ditto, checked. Amen!)

Christmas Pageant as part of the Christmas Eve service

Dance Ministry

Also under Worship:

I love Lorna, she is wonderful (mentioned a number of times, checked several times Amen! Amen!, etc.)

Love the sermons (mentioned a number of times)

Keep Lorna

Have Ann B. help Lorna do home visits (pay Ann B. extra)

Lorna’s children’s sermons

Are recordings of Lorna’s sermons available?

Lorna is great - a real treasure for our church

The message

Lorna is a treasure. We must find more ways to support her.

Help Lorna with visits with older people

Miscellaneous

Offer ride to those who need them to get to church

Community spirit

All the faithful behind the scene - people who keep things going

Enjoyed the Thanksgiving dinner for Sr. citizens put on by the town employees. could we do this - have a “coffee” for the employees in appreciation

Prayer chain

Have more females do the collections

Communications seem challenging. Are the newsletter, the bulletin boards and the website all done by different people? Everything looks a bit messy and haphazard - Let’s get our “stuff” together

Pleased with the way things are going

Having the church be affiliated with an organization

A lanyard on the name tags

Encourage people to wear work or play clothes to church - particularly in the summer

“Think deeply, speak gently, love much, laugh aloud, work hard, give freely, and be kind - a Sunday reminder - thanks

Again, our Blue Skies Task Force extends sincere thanks to all who participated in this very affirming process. After review of the above items by CUF’s respective Boards, Teams and Committees,

look for an Action Plan to be presented early in the fall!

Blue Skies Task Force

Mark Bilyk, Randy Adkins, Kathy Barry, Ed Brazee, Connie Carter, Jean Carville, Lorna Grenfell, John McCormack, Sue Swaim,

Dot Turner, Irene Von Hoffmann