BEYOND THE CHURCH DOORS
THIS IS PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES OF COLUMNS ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF OUR MINISTERS OUTSIDE OF ALL SOULS

WALTER KLAUSS, Minister of Music
Wally’s beautiful music has been heard every Sunday at All Souls for more than 27 years. He is the artistic director and conductor of Musica Viva. This spring, a Musica Viva tour to Dresden, Leipzig and Prague for March 2006, was announced. Patrons signed up immediately, filling the 25 places available. A highlight of the trip for the 34 members of the choir will be two performances at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Johann Sebastian Bach was Kapellmeister and is buried behind the altar. Wally’s recent solo performances were as conductor of the Hampton Choral Society and the Zürich Philharmonic.

Giving concerts is always part of each of the 13 trips Wally has made to Zimbabwe. For the last few years, he has taught at the National Music Camp where he conducts an intensive week of rehearsals in chamber and orchestral music and in choir and chant pieces. The participants range in age from 10 to 75, come from all parts of the country, and are experienced musicians. This summer, he gave three organ recitals, two at the Harare Centre in Bulawayo and the other at Peterhouse Academy. Wally first went to Zimbabwe in 1984. While there, he takes time as often as possible, to go on safari.

MELANEY MASHBURN, Director of Religious Education
Melaney spent her last two summer vacations in China. The first year, a friend suggested that her daughter, Skylar Osterman, read for a part in an English-language study film to be made there, as she was 14, exactly the age needed for the part. Melaney and Skylar, were guests of the Chinese Ministry of Education. Skylar worked on the film full-time, and Melaney also had a small part. They stayed at a large resort hotel 10 miles from Beijing.

This year, Melaney and Skylar taught English at the Universal Culture School in Yueyang, a city in Hunan province. The students ranged in age from 8 to 24. Some were Chinese teachers of English who wished to improve their fluency. Remarkably, the director of the school, Cara Blouin, teaches RE at All Souls and works with the Young Adult group. Suzie Syta, who is assistant to Cara in China, also teaches in the RE program. Very few people Melaney met spoke English. Both Mother and daughter are now learning Mandarin. This year, besides English, Melaney taught World Religions and poetry. They both were delighted by their visits to the major well-known sights: the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, the Forbidden City and the terra cotta soldiers of Xi’an.

Two years ago, the UUA established a Credentialing Program for religious education directors. Melanie is completing requirements for the Masters level. Last Spring, Melanie conducted a UUA Metro New York District workshop in Portsmouth, Maine. A licensed, certified social worker, Melaney is also a psychotherapist at a clinic in Brooklyn.