Worship Leaders & Associates at Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Live Oak is fortunate to have a strong team of trained lay Worship Leaders (WL) who regularly create meaningful, reflective services for us. Being a Worship Leader requires a focused commitment, but from that commitment grows a better understanding of one's own spiritual outlook. Moreover, Worship Leaders enjoy the electrifying connection that comes from creating community worship.

Each Worship Leader takes responsibility for four or five services per year. They support one another and work with Worship Associates to provide varied voices for our community. Each year, we invite new members and friends to rotate onto the Worship Leader team.

Worship Associates (WA) also enjoy the connection of creating community worship. Each Worship Associate works with a Worship Leader to plan and conduct services. WAs may be asked to deliver the Call to Worship, introduce the Embracing Meditation, a Silent Meditation, and/or the Sharing of Responsibility. WAs often offer a a short personal reflection related to the day's topic.

Our current lay Worship Team includes Jim Freschi, Mary MacKay, Darlene Pagano, Jay Roller, and Richard Stromer. In addition, occasionally we bring in guest ministers and speakers to enrich our program. See our Upcoming Sunday Programs.

Resources for Our Worship Leaders -- Story/Time for All Ages

• Fables -- http://www.aesopfables.com/ (click each section listed for long lists of fables identified by their moral/theme); many more links to Aesop fables
• Folk tales – google folk tales and theme or main character, characteristic
• Sophia Fahs' "From Long Ago and Many Lands: Stories for Children Told Anew"
• Many stories recommended by UU Religious Educators, by themes (sometimes a full story is included; sometimes it is a reference to a book or story)
• The UUA’s Worship Web site has many good links for stories and storytelling
  • Links to 450 complete stories for children, youth, and adults
  • Scroll down to find 20 stories right on the page
  • Use the word search tool to find stories that fit a theme
  • An extensive children's book bibliography (PDF, 22 pages) which lets you explore the themes of more than 350 stories available in libraries or for sale; and finally 20+ stories right on that page. Put together by UU minister, Rev. Paul Beckel, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship.
  • Choosing stories for worship (advice, more resources)
• The Sower's Seeds, a book of very short stories for preaching, teaching, public speaking. We now own one copy of this book. Check with Richard Stromer or Lisa Fry.
• Nurturing Spirituality in Children: Simple Hands-On Activities, Peggy J. Jenkins. (Link is to Google Books. You can find this book for sale on Amazon, too.) Very cool, short activities. Examples: iron filings in sand and a magnet. You cannot find the filings with your fingers, but see what happens using a magnet. The magnet represents your thankful heart. (Gratitude, blessings) Another one: Balloons, some deflated, some inflated. Kids can each blow one up. People see only the outside of the balloon and think that’s what’s important, but it’s the inside – the breath you put in there – that is important, that gives it shape and purpose. (Inside counts). Live Oak owns this book. Check with Lisa Fry.
• Advice for storytelling or reading (PDF)-- scan of 4 pages from Come Into the Circle, by Michelle Richards. Sections to read: Telling vs. Reading; Interactive Storytelling; Multi-sensory Storytelling. If you want to borrow this book, check with Lisa Fry.
• Ultimate Guide to Storytelling. Not so much a resource for stories, but for storytelling technique. Whether you’re interested in finding out more about the storytelling world or you’re already immersed in it and want to connect with others who share your passion, you’ll find an array of helpful resources here.

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