Duty Descriptions for Fellowship Members

CENTER TABLE AND SANCTUARY ARRANGEMENTS

(Please read through these notes carefully as you have some new responsibilities when you agree to prepare the Center Table.)

Our Sunday services begin at 10:30 AM. Please give yourself enough time to have the center table set up and the room in order by 10:15 AM so that everything is ready before members and visitors stream in.

Please provide flowers, plants or objects for the center table that may serve as an attractive focal point during the services. Seasonal decorations that can last for a month are welcome. If you choose potted flowers or plants, be sure to water them and to place a plate under them to protect the brass table underneath. You may also place a large plant on the floor with protection beneath it or on one of the pedestal stands.

Please check that matches, candle snuffer, and all necessary candles for joys and concerns are on the center table. Please check to see that the candle water in the dish is not slimy, and change at least once a month, preferably on your first Sunday. You can carefully add water using a pitcher from downstairs each Sunday if needed. Extra floating candles are in the cabinet at the rear corner of the room.

Please be sure that the Chalice Candle is ready to be lit on the pedestal stand to the side of the podium.

Please be sure that the room is neat and tidy, that the pews are neatly lined up and that the hymnals are evenly distributed.

Please turn the lights on and ensure that the room temperature is comfortable. In warm weather, you may need to open the windows. In the winter, the heat should start automatically about 1 hour before the service – if there is no warmth in the pipes when you arrive, you can manually adjust the thermostat at the rear of the sanctuary. (It takes about an hour for the room to reach the target temperature.)

The sound system will also need to be turned on. If you need some assistance with this or with any of these preparations, please ask another member to help you.


GROUNDS

The duties involved in volunteering to take care of the Fellowship grounds for the month will vary according to the season.

September: Grass cutting (if necessary), weeding, litter pick up.

October: Raking of leaves, pruning of bushes as necessary, litter pick up. (Bring own rake and bags.)

November: Raking of leaves, pruning of bushes as necessary, litter pick up. (Bring own rake and bags.)
See December – March in the event of snow.

December – March: Shoveling and salting of walks from Parking
Lot and from street to front door. Shovels and bags of ice melt pellets are kept in the furnace room. If you need to purchase more ice pellets, feel free to submit receipt to treasurer for reimbursement. The man who plows our lot will snowblow the the town sidewalks. He may also do the Fellowship walks, but please come early Sunday moning to check.

April: Raking of leaves left over from fall, litter pick up.
See December – March in the event of snow.


May: Grass cutting* (if necessary), litter pick up and creative gardening of your choice.

June – August: Grass cutting*, litter pick up.
*A gas-powered lawn mower is kept in the shed outside the Fellowship. The key to the shed is kept on a hook on the telephone cabinet door in the closet nearest the wall of the R.E. room. If you need a key to get into the building, please see a Board member ahead of time. Please bring your own gasoline.


MUSIC

For the first and third (and occasional fifth) Sundays of the month, bring two selections of music, preferably on CD, although the system can play tapes and records as well. Keep selections under four minutes. Please announce the name of the piece and the artist before you play it.



Arrive early enough to familiarize yourself with the equipment, test the volume, etc. before the program starts. There are instructions on the door of the sound system cabinet.

It has become a tradition to try to make the musical selection somehow tie in with the speaker's talk. This is not always possible, nor is it always desirable. It is more important that the music be spiritually uplifting or that it facilitates meditation. Should you wish to play something secular in order to connect with the speaker's topic, please attempt to state verbally some connection between the topic and our shared Unitarian Universalist principles.

If you have to miss a Sunday program, please arrange ahead of time for someone else to bring music.


READING

For the first and third (and occasional fifth) Sundays of the month when we do not have our minister with us, please bring a brief reading of an inspirational, meditative, or thought provoking nature.

Please stand at the podium to read.

If you have to miss a Sunday program, please arrange ahead of time for someone else to bring a reading.

REFRESHMENTS

Fair Trade coffee is provided by the Youth Group. It is stored in the freezer. When the supply of coffee is down to 4 bags, notify the Treasurer to send a check to the Youth Group Fair Trade Coffee Coordinator. The Treasurer will know the cost from the earlier orders.

Please check the supply of decaf instant coffee, tea, sugar and sugar substitute the week before your duty time. Supplement as necessary. (Anything edible not in a tightly sealed container should be kept in the refrigerator to prevent the possibility of bugs or mice getting into it.)

Bring each Sunday: milk for coffee store bought or homemade goodies

In August of 2006, the water at the UUFSC was certified as completely potable by the testing process administered by the town of Newton. (This obviates the need to bring bottled water as we have done in the past.)

Check dishwasher and empty clean dishes from last use.

Make coffee downstairs in the large electric coffeemaker labeled "coffee"(24 cups of water, 12 scoops of coffee). Heat water for tea and instant coffee in the other large electric coffeemaker labeled "hot water." Fill about half full with water and leave the stem and basket in to minimize the noise.
Place the coffeemakers and goodies on the counter of the pass-through. Start the coffee brewing and the water heating before going upstairs to the service.

Because we are a "Green Sanctuary" we do not use disposable dishes or utensils. Yellow plastic coffee cups are stored in the upper cabinet between the sink and dishwasher, and silverware is in a drawer to the left of the dishwasher.

Clean up: Put as many dishes and utensils as you can in the dishwasher, and hand wash those remaining and allow to air dry in the dish rack. If unsure about dishwasher operation, please ask for assistance. You need not wait for cycle to complete before leaving.

Please take home with you all garbage and recyclables and replace the plastic bags in the cans. We do not have any garbage pick-up at the Fellowship.

If you have to miss a Sunday, please arrange ahead of time for someone to serve. It is often easiest to trade a week with the next month's volunteer.

VISITOR WELCOME

The volunteer for the Visitor Welcome (greeter) should arrive no later than 10:00 a.m. New people tend to arrive early. Please be sure to get the Visitor Welcome key to the building from the prior month's Visitor Welcome person. Keep it for the month, then pass it on to the nest Visitor Welcome volunteer.

Please push the door lock to the unlocked position so others can enter after you.

After service please accompany newcomers to coffee hour if they want to stay. If you are unable to do this please ask someone else to do it.

Position yourself initially at the welcome table in the upstairs vestibule. Even though you are acting in an official capacity, you should not present yourself as an official "glad hander." Act natural and as informally as possible.

Suggestions:
•Be friendly, but do not apply any "hard sell" tactics.
•Prepare a name tag for each guest.
•Try to introduce newcomers to other members of the Fellowship.
•Ask newcomers to sign the guest book. Ask them to include their telephone number and/or e-mail address, and ask if they would like to receive the Quest and if they would like to receive a call from the minister.
Depending on the newcomers’ level of interest, give them any or all of the following:
•Order of Service
•Current issue of the Quest
•UU Fellowship of Sussex County flier
•UUA pamphlets, especially the red "We Are"pamphlet
•A Principles and Purposes wallet card
•Our R.E. Curriculum booklet, if there are children in the family
•An introductory audio tape to borrow (if there are any available)

Follow up:
•If Quest can be e-mailed, send their e-mail address to Graylynn Thrift (graylynn@nac..net). If it must be mailed, give their address to Diane Schmid (dsmore@warwick.net).
•If they would like a call from the minister, forward their information to Mary Tiebout.
•If appropriate, please follow up on recent visitors with a phone call so that any questions they may have about our Fellowship can be addressed, and so that they know that we are interested in them as possible members of our congregation.

If you have to miss a scheduled Sunday, please arrange ahead of time for someone else to serve. Often assignments can be traded. If you have any questions about this assignment, call Sally Sattin at 973-729-7092.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR FELLOWSHIP.

Last updated Jeri Doherty - December 10, 2007