Organist Needed

Spreading the word:

 

Seeking Organist & Accompanist for Avondale United Methodist Church of KCMO.

 

Applications Due by no later than January 15, 2014.

 

 

Please share the attached Job Description.

 

Many Thanks !

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

ORGANIST & ACCOMPANIST

Avondale United Methodist Church 3101 NE Winn Road, KCMO 64117

The Organist and Accompanist is a part-time, salaried position, responsible for providing the best possible music for worship, weddings, funerals, and other church occasions. Upbeat leadership is expected in the areas of gospel, contemporary, traditional and other musical genres, appealing to all ages and a diversity of backgrounds.

SPECIFIC AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

1. Work in close cooperation with the Senior Pastor, Director of Music Ministries, Bell Choir Director, and Worship Work Area to provide music that is invitational to a diversity of people.

2. Accompany chancel choir during 10:50 Worship and rehearsals from the First Sunday after Labor Day through the First Sunday in July, as well as for various Holy Days such as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Community Thanksgiving Celebration, Christmas Eve. Rehearsals currently are on Wednesdays @ 7 pmand Sundays @ 10:30 am.

3. Recruit participants for chancel choir, with help from the congregation.

4. Help Director of Music Ministries develop new musical groups (such as worship

   ensembles to share a variety of musical genres, as well as youth and children’s choirs).

5. Assist Director of Music Ministries to arrange for individuals and ensembles to share

   special music during both 8:30 and 10:50 Worship, as well as special occasions

   throughout the year.

6. Consult with Director of Music Ministries who manages the annual music budget and

   assist in keeping music organized and cataloged.

7. Lock building with Director of Music Ministries at conclusion of Wednesday rehearsals,

   or arrange for a minimum of two persons to do so.

EXPECTATIONS:

1. Assist Director of Music Ministries in developing and growing a diversity of new musical groups.

2. Be proficient in leading congregational singing with tracker organ and piano and keyboard, as well as accompanying chancel choir and soloists and other ensembles.

3. Proficiency on a tracker pipe organ is a must. Proficiency on other instruments is a plus.

4. Introduce congregation to new music that will attract a diversity of people.

5. Be skilled in helping Director of Music Ministries train choirs and musical groups, and in selection of music.

6. Good verbal and written communication.

7. Effective planning and organizational skills are a must.

8. Lead ensembles toward excellence in musical performance while creating Christian

   community. This includes demonstrating understanding of working with volunteers

   of varying musical abilities.

9. Provide oversight and hands-on support for youth and children’s music.

10. Attend monthly staff meetings and all Worship Work Area meetings.

11. Participate in the entirety of both 8:30 Worship and 10:50Worship every Sunday.

12. Be accountable to the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, with supervision by the

    Senior Pastor.

13. Participate in one continuing education event every year that may involve being away

    for a Sunday. The Staff-Parish Relations Committee must approve the particular event in order for the expense to be covered by the church budget.

EVALUATION & REVIEWS:

1. The first 60 days will be a “trial period.” If within this period the Organist & Accompanist or the Staff-Parish Relations Committee or the Senior Pastor feels
   this employment is not a “good match,” then the employee or employer may terminate this agreement “without prejudice.”

2. After the first 60-day “trial period,” a minimum of two weeks written notice will be provided by either the Organist and Accompanist or the Staff-Parish Relations Committee in order to terminate this employment.

3. This position will be reviewed after six months. Performance will be evaluated and an annual continuance (based on yearly review) will be offered, or a 2-week notice will be given.

4. The Organist and Accompanist will meet with the Staff-Parish Relations Committee annually for a performance evaluation.

OTHER DETAILS:

1. Every potential employee must complete Avondale United Methodist Church’s Local Safe Sanctuary Training that includes a national background check. Results of this background check must be received and reviewed by the Staff-Parish Relations Committee before any person is hired. The fee will be covered by Avondale UMC.

2. This is a part-time, salaried position. Hours are expected to be 10 to 15 per week. Salary will be negotiated based on experience.

3. The Organist and Accompanist will be provided with two paid weeks of vacation each year. These weeks must be approved in advance by the Senior Pastor.

4. Only applicants who are not presently involved with Avondale UMC will be considered.

TO APPLY:

Email resume to Rev. Gary Ponder Williams: umpastorgary@gmail.com,
or mail resume to Avondale UMC, 3101 NE Winn Road, KCMO 64117,

by no later than January 15, 2014.

A Pause

 

After presents, after the tree,
Families return to their homes.
A pause to reflect, to remember and think,
A time to rest from our roams.

The snow is gone, soon to return.
The brown grass lies under the leaves.
The trees are bare, their branches show
Starkly as they dance in the breeze.

A pause for thought, before life returns
To its normal, hectic pace.
A pause to consider, to plan anew,
A pause to rest for the race.

Soon the new year will begin,
Back to work and school.
No more to gather with family and friends,
Facing the year’s renewal.

Christmas Lullaby

Hush little baby,
Sleeping in the hay.
Mary’s resting near you,
Pondering the day.

Angels sang your glory,
Shepherds marked your birth.
The tiny baby Jesus,
God come to Earth.

Hush little baby,
Sleeping in the hay.
Mary’s resting near you,
Pondering the day.

A world awaits your coming,
The Earth paused in praise,
So rest, baby Jesus,
Newborn Ancient of Days.

Hush little baby,
Sleeping in the hay.
Mary’s resting near you,
Pondering the day.

Magi came to honor,
Delighted by a star.
Wise men came to worship
The king that you are.

Hush little baby,
Sleeping in the hay.
Mary’s resting near you,
Pondering the day.

The world can not contain you,
Tiny baby boy,
Resting in a manger,
While angels sing your joy.

Hush little baby,
Sleeping in the hay.
Mary’s resting near you,
Pondering the day.

First Real Snow of the Season

 

This weekend we had our first real snow of the season. Two inches of the fluffy stuff somewhere between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. This was on top of the icy drizzle/rain we had all afternoon Saturday (Saturday morning was fine, we made sure to get out and do our errands before the rain started up).

Our road did apparently get plowed while we were at church. I say apparently, because it was rather hard to tell. Should the sun come out, and it warm up a bit, it should make it easier for all the snow pack to melt off.

We’ve lived in our house about ten years, and last year is the first time we ever had a snow-plow go down our road. I’ve gotten stuck a few times trying to go up (or down) the hill, just given up and parked at the church parking lot at the bottom (or top) of the hill, etc. One time, even the postal delivery person got stuck (and they use chains).

Usually, this far after the storm, they’ll have the primary and secondary roads cleared off. Our road being a tertiary road (or lower. What’s the next “ary” word?) might get a swipe with the plow, or otherwise left to fend for itself.

Today, however, when I went out, the primary roads were almost clear, but it looks like they just barely plowed the secondary roads. I just took them slowly, and had no problem. Of course, though, I might have problems trying to get back up our hill, rather than just trying to go down it.

Sunday was supposed to be the Church Christmas pageant for the kids. The choir didn’t even have an anthem prepared for it. They still had service, but canceled the children’s program. We had to quickly come up with a choir anthem, and our choir director was one of those people who couldn’t get out because of the storm. For a little bit we only had one person on each part, then a few more people came up before the service, and we had two people on each part (which was much easier). We scoured the hymnal, and ended up singing “In the Bleak Midwinter”.

Somehow, the line “snow on snow” seemed particularly appropriate.

The children’s pageant has been rescheduled for January 5th. Hopefully the weather will cooperate by then.

Advent 4, The Wooden Nativity

We take each piece,
Unpack each part,
Place it firmly in the tableau.
We set the scene,
Arrange the stage,
To remind us of long ago.

Angel, shepherd,
Sheep and cow,
Camel, donkey, wise men three,
Mary, Joseph,
Manger, child,
Neatly set for all to see.

The star is shining
From high above
On this wooden nativity,
As we remember
The Lord of Love
Who came to earth to set us free.

We sing the songs,
The carols raise.
Repeated each from year to year.
Glorias,
Like angels sang,
We sing on earth for all to hear.

“Welcome, Jesus!”
Now we sing,
The carols learned from long ago.
The manger child
Was born a King.
Remind us still through this tableau.

The star is shining
From high above
On this wooden nativity,
As we remember
The Lord of Love
Who came to earth to set us free.

Unfortunate Injuries

I mentioned a few weeks back that my husband had a couple incidents while taking the dog out on his bike. His hands weren’t recovering like he thought they should, so after a couple of weeks he went to the doctor’s and had them X-rayed. Turns out that he’s fractured his left fourth metacarpal bone. That’s the hand bone for the ring finger.

It isn’t exactly clear whether or not he’s broken a bone in the wrist of his other hand. He’s supposed to go in later to get that MRIed.

In the meantime, he’s got a blue fiberglass cast on his left hand (he’s left-handed). It leaves his fingers free, so he’s still able to work. I’m a bit surprised how far down the arm it goes. It makes sense that if you put a cast on a hand, it has to go on the wrist as well, but if I had thought about it, I would have assumed that it could have stopped about two to three inches above the wrist, rather than extending almost to the elbow. But I suppose that even ending the cast a couple inches from the wrist might leave too much mobility.

Until he gets the other wrist MRIed, he has a black brace for it. It apparently is more comfortable and feels better than other off-the-shelf hand support we got for him earlier. If it turns out to be broken, he might need to get a cast on that hand as well. (Though perhaps not. Apparently it takes about six weeks for a bone to heel, and it’s already been about three).

Hopefully, though, his hands have been healing for a few weeks now, and will continue to heal, the cast and brace just speeding things up a little, and letting him rest a bit more comfortably.

Missouri Weather

 

You’ve got to love Missouri weather. (Or hate it). A few days ago, we had ice and snow. Today the weather is supposed to get up to about 60°. Tomorrow we might get rain, might not. This weekend we will again have a chance for snow/winter storm warnings.

I grew up in Michigan, where, though our area usually didn’t get all that much snow, what we had could last for months. When we moved to Missouri, we had to get used to the notion that snow vanished in three days, no matter how much we got.

This isn’t entirely true, of course. Snow can come one storm after another without the time to melt in between. Or we can get a cold snap that prolongs things. And of course, the snow that is piled up in the corners of parking lots can last well into spring. But for the most part, it doesn’t last too long.

We’ve had a few good ice storms while we’ve lived here. Not too often, fortunately, but every few years. That tends to knock out the power for days, sometimes longer, as well as pulling down branches, sometimes whole trees.

But seeing all the tree branches lined with crystal clear ice, when the sun hits it, is one of the most beautiful sights you can see. Assuming, of course, you have a warm, dry place to view it from.

It’s been a few years since we had a real ice storm, so we’re probably about due for one.

I hope not, though.

New Shoes/New Slippers

 

We went out a couple of weeks ago and bought new shoes for my husband and me. Usually, I wait until my previous shoes are falling off of my feet before getting a new pair, but since my husband was buying a couple of pairs, I decided to take advantage of the sale and get some myself.

Right at the moment, I’m happy with them. They should be more waterproof (at least for a while) than my previous shoes, which were mostly canvas. But what really bothered me, was that they didn’t have any leather/plastic shield over the toes, like some do. So when I was out walking in cold weather (and with the dog, I walk a lot) I’d get a cold breeze in between my toes. Oddly, I don’t ever remember having that problem before.

These new shoes are leather (or pseudo-leather), so they don’t have that problem. Who knows how they’ll wear, though. They were fairly cheap, though. Hopefully they’ll at least get through the winter, preferably two winters.

I wasn’t sure the first couple of times I wore them for my long walks, my right ring toe kept rubbing. But I think that they’ve stretched just enough now that that’s not going to happen any more.

I also recently bought a pair of slippers, to replace the ones that I had for years, and never really fit well, or kept my feet warm and comfortable as I’d like. I got the new ones from L.L. Bean (though I only paid about a tenth of the price for them). The fur on the inside is quite soft, even through socks, and warm, even on the bottom of my feet.

They came with a note saying that these slippers were purposely made snug, and would stretch the first few times you wore them for a perfect feet. I’m glad they had that warning, because they were indeed quite tight for the first day or so. Now they fit fine, snug on my feet, but enough room to wiggle my toes. I’m going to wait a bit to see if they’ll continue stretching, or keep on being right for my feet.  Right at the moment, it’s possible they’ll go either way.

Advent 3 — Riding Down to Bethlehem

Riding down to Bethlehem
Joseph and Mary went,
There to be born in Bethlehem
The babe whom Heaven sent.

Riding up to Jerusalem
The King whom Heaven adored.
There to die in Jerusalem,
The ever living Lord.

Riding down to Bethlehem
Upon a donkey’s foal
Seeking shelter in Bethlehem
For the one who sheltered all.

Riding up to Jerusalem
Upon a donkey’s colt.
They laid their coats in Jerusalem
So his feet would feel no jolt.

Riding down to Bethlehem
They found a manger stall
And shepherds came to Bethlehem
To worship the Lord of All.

Riding up to Jerusalem
The crowd would not be still.
But if no one spoke in Jerusalem,
The praise would ring out still.

Riding down to Bethlehem
Magi and wise men came.
Gifts they brought to Bethlehem
To the one who’s ever the same.

Riding up to Jerusalem,
He wished to gather them
Under his wings in Jerusalem,
Just like a mother hen.

Riding down to Bethlehem,
Mary pondered what she saw.
Wondering in Bethlehem,
What would come of it all?

Riding up in Jerusalem,
The crowds faded away.
But Judas stood in Jerusalem,
Making a choice that day.

Wintry Weather (Again)

 

We have a winter weather advisory today, and partway through tomorrow. So far, we’ve just had rain, though. Cold, icy, wet rain.

It started this morning, while I was walking the dog. I was going to be cutting the walk short before the rain started, I was hoping to get back inside before it got too bad.

It wasn’t really that cold out, but cold enough that it started freezing on various surfaces, and I started slipping. I didn’t fall, fortunately, but I was trying to go slow and be careful. The dog didn’t help any, he just wanted to pull me on. (If I were trying to go fast, he would have wanted to stop at every blade of grass and mailbox for a smelling session. Go figure.) This was on the north slope of a hill, going down, of course. I hate going downhill if there is any sort of slickness at all. A lady on the other side of the street came out with her trash, and put it by the side of the road, and then slipped and fell. If I hadn’t had Rocky, I would have gone to help, rather than just asking if she was all right (she was). But I’ve seen how Rocky tries to ‘help’ someone who’s fallen. He tries to encourage them to get up by first jumping on them, then grabbing an arm and pulling on it. At least he did a couple of years ago. Haven’t had much opportunity to see if he’s figured out any better method since then. I did keep an eye on the lady until she was up, and got into her car.

The water construction guys were working even in this weather.

Some places were slicker than others. I noticed that the slickest spots seemed to be within a couple of feet of places where the previous snow hadn’t been completely cleared off. I think that must have been connected somehow. The church parking lot was just glazed ice. As was our driveway, and front steps. But we got home all right.

Rocky looked completely bedraggled when we got in. Until he shook himself off, of course. Then he just looked fluffier than usual. There were ice-crystals in his tail fur before we came in. His tail is so fluffy, though, I don’t think the ice came anywhere close to his skin.

Oddly enough, he didn’t need me to “Grrr” at him this morning. After he got his customary cookie, he just found a comfortable spot to lie down, and went to sleep. I think it’s because he knows there’s a storm coming.