Music is a pillar of our community at UU Middleboro. We strive to build a musical community, whether that’s congregational or choral singing, sharing a musical offering, or participating in a musical workshop or activity. We invite our members to explore a variety of musical styles, to focus on excellence rather than perfection, to support Sunday Morning worship, and to carry our ministry out into the world. For more information, please contact Susan Hotchkiss at music@uumiddleboro.org.
December Music Musings
The great variety of winter seasonal music is impressive, from classical to folk to pop to everything in between. Despite the hokey barrage of tunes in many retail stores, most of the time we can pick and choose what fits our mood. The greatest joy is making music to share with one another.
We have two caroling adventures for members of the Chalice Choir and Alumni, which also includes Family Choir. On Thursday, December 5, we are singing at the Council on Aging with and for the Adult Daycare Program for something called “Trim-a-Tree.” In addition to lots of carols and songs, participants decorate a HUGE Christmas Tree and (of course) enjoy some snacks. Three days later, on Sunday, December 8, we will sing an hour-long program for and with residents at Oakhill Healthcare (nursing home.) If you want to be a part of these adventures, please contact me. Sign-ups are required.
Our UU Song Circle is open to all on the second Friday evening of each month. Participants gather at 6:00 in the Parish Hall to share snacks, followed by singing from 6:30 to 8:00. You can choose your favorites and lead the circle, or simply take a pass on leadership and enjoy singing in the circle.
This month, we have THREE holiday-themed worship services. The first is “Finding Peace at the Holidays” on Thursday, December 12, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. The second is a Winter Solstice Service on Sunday, December 22, at 5:00. This evening service replaces the Sunday morning service on December 22. The third is our beloved Christmas Eve Service on Tuesday, December 24, at 5:30.
Musically speaking, it’s a time of blessing one another with hope to overcome darkness. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, full of love, warmth, and candlelight.
Susan Hotchkiss, Director of Music
Upcoming Music events
More about Music at UU Middleboro
The Music Committee
The Music Committee is a part of First UU Society of Middleboro, operating under its mission and focused on helping to support our church’s music ministry and music director. It is our intent to help enrich the goals of the Society, including spiritual and personal growth of congregants and outreach to the community at large. We strive to help build a program of inclusivity as well as excellence. We wish to promote diversity, creativity, fun, fellowship, and community through music.
(Statement of Purpose, revised May 2023)
Members of the Music Committee:
Dody Adkins-Perry
Katie Allen
Cindy Benard
Valerie Fontaine
Bet Giddings
Nicola Wilbar
Our Music Makers: Singers and Instrumentalists
The Chalice Choir is open to all and sings every other Sunday, making room for other solos and ensembles to share their musical offerings on alternate Sundays. Tuesday evenings are set aside for choir rehearsal from 7:00-8:30. Sunday morning is set aside for musicians to prepare for worship.
As needed, we form Caring Choirs to visit members and friends who are shut in and would like to hear or sing music from our UU hymnals and songbooks. Larger Caring Choirs participate in programs for nursing homes, shelters, and community events. December caroling is always a popular activity.
We support music in children’s Religious Education by sending choir members into Sunday morning classes and creating a Family Choir for special services during the year.
We have many fine instrumentalists in our congregation who share their gifts in worship as well as for fundraising activities. Instruments include guitar, ukulele, mandolin, flute, recorder, crumhorn, trumpet, percussion, double bass, and hammered dulcimer. We are open to more!
Our Instruments
Installed in the chancel, we have an historic Woodberry & Harris tracker organ, circa 1890. The original manual pump was replaced with a motor when Middleboro Main Street was wired for electricity. There are two manuals (Swell and Great) plus a 27-note pedal board, and the mechanism is fully mechanical. The organ was most recently refurbished by Andover Organ Company in 2014 and is listed in the Organ Historical Society Database.
In the spring of 2019, the church purchased a new Mason & Hamlin baby grand piano. This piano was hand-made in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and produces state-of-the-art depth and quality of sound.
