Dear UUSP Music Ministry Singers, Ringers, & Actors:

It's that time again! Whether you sang in the Adult Choir or Children's Choir, rang with the Handbell Ringers or acted in any of our past three musicals, please accept my invitation to share your love of this special place with the other half of our congregation by once again lending your voice, wrists or ham bones to your music ministry.

ADULT CHOIR rehearsals resume on Thursday, August 26 at the usual 7:00pm - 8:30pm time. Lots of new music to get a jump start on as well as some old favorites. Please also clear your calendars on that evening for the afterglow at Old NE Tavern...we have a lot of catching up to do!

HANDBELL RINGER rehearsals resume on Thursday, September 2 at the almost usual 6:15pm - 7:00pm time. Please know that anyone in Bells is always welcome to stay for either Adult Choir or the afterglow at Old NE...or both! If you're nice to me we'll even wear new gloves!

CHILDREN'S CHOIR rehearsals resume on Sunday, September 12 at the usual time of 10:15am - 10:45am in the sanctuary. Parents of singers...please know that I'll be sending home a questionnaire after that first rehearsal. I believe that this program can only grow if we find a time during which more parents can bring their kids and that the kids have a longer session and less public place in which to practice. Is that before church? After church? We'll dialogue on this together. The children and youth will sing 3 songs of their own, 3 intergenerational songs with the Adult Choir, 1 song with an adult soloist, and 2 numbers from our upcoming musicals.

SOLOISTS, whether instrumental or vocal, will have more opportunities for performing in church this season. Please just let me know either via email, phone or at church what you might enjoy sharing (prelude, hymn band, solo) and when (available dates or hymn leading as often as possible!). We need solo instruments for our UU2 band, both to lead congregational singing and to provide special music.

MUSICAL THEATRE ACTORS, whether in another choir or not, all intergenerational participants (veterans or newbies) who are up for another round of this zanyness are asked to sign up with me (again via email, phone or signing the cast list sheet at church) on or before September 19. The UUSP Players will begin rehearsing for our next musical (entitled "Marooned") on Thursday, September 19 from 7:00pm - 7:45pm. Join a UU cruise ship crew and their passengers as they dialogue on how to celebrate four different December holidays after being shipwrecked on a deserted island somewhere off St. Petersburg. Complete with a large cast including Long John Silver, Robinette Crusoe and her man Friday Night, Rabbi Snipinski the Moyel, two Mermaids and Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III, the cast must dialogue on how to respect Christmas, Hannukkah, Winter Solstice and Kwanzaa or face being themselves a holiday feast for a hungry tribe of smallish cannibals!

SNOWBIRDS, whether returning in October or December, you are loved and missed! Hurry home! Remember, this is a church family first and foremost. We do music together for the experience of community...and so if you leave from up north at a time that pulls you into St. Pete on a Saturday, then yes of course come the following morning to sing with your loved ones. If you want to be in the next musical but don't return until later in the Fall, just reply or call and we'll make that happen.

SEE YOU ALL SOON!

Waves of love,

Jim