Free Spirit

Free Spirit is a choir at the Glen Waverley Uniting Church. It focuses on contemporary music. Free Spirit's programme involves participation in worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the fourth Sunday of most months and also engaging in some other form of musical outreach once a month. Leader and enquires contact DebLeigh

The notes here and the FreeSpiritStory pages present a historical record, as best can be made out, of Free Spirit's activities since about 1988. They are updated from time to time by JohnSnare.

FreeSpiritRolesAndResponsibilities contains information about roles and responsibilities of Free Spirit members.

FreeSpiritSchedule contains the Free Spirit schedule and choir member availability in 2023. It also contains details of Free Spirit members.

FreeSpiritMusic.pdf and FreeSpiritMusic.numbers contains the FreeSpirit music catalogue in a pdf and an Apple Numbers spreadsheet respectively.

2024 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly contributed to worship on the fourth Sunday of each month except January.

Free Spirit contributed to:

• The induction of Rev. Ian Ferguson in January
• Easter worship on Easter Day
• A special service celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Rev. Bill Morgan.
• Worship at Burwood Heights Uniting Church in September

Free Spirit along with the Choir of Hope presented a fund-raising concert at Boronia Road Uniting Church in May.

2023 Highlights

1. Free Spirit regularly contributed to worship on the fourth Sunday of each month except January.
2. Free Spirit contributed to Easter worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
3. Free Spirit participated in the Indonesian festival in May.
4. Freee Spirit and friends held a funds-raising concert in September and raised $2,653.30 for our church welfare programme.
5. Free Spirit contributed to Chris Waddell's induction in October and Neil Peters' farewell in December.
6. Free Spirit contributed to a 'Service of Thanksgiving For All That Our Dogs Do For Us' at Dingley Uniting Church in November.
7. Free Spirit members contributed $1767 to support Choir of Hope members throughout the year.

2022 Highlights

1. After the Covid-19 years, Free Spirit was able to get back to normal in 2022.
2. Free Spirit regularly contributed to worship on the fourth Sunday of each month except January.
3. Small groups made up from Free Spirit members often provided music in worship on the second Sunday of each month (but not January and December).
4. Free Spirit presented a concert at Hampton Park Uniting Church in March as part of a community arts festival.
5. Free Spirit contributed to worship at Dingley Uniting Church in March.
6. Free Spirit contributed to Easter and Christmas worship.

2021 Highlights

1. The Covid-19 pandemic continued to affect Melbourne in 2021 and for periods of time, personal attendance at worship was not possible. As in 2020, Free Spirit practiced and contributed to worship together and virtually as circumstances demanded.
2. Free Spirit was able to contribute to worship on site seven times in April, May, August, November and December. A visit to the High Street Road Uniting Church in July was also possible.
3. Free Spirit added video to the following previously recorded songs: '10,000 reasons', 'He's Sweet I Know', 'We Will Glorify', and 'How Beautiful'.
4. Free Spirit contributed to the 'Spring Thing' virtual concert.
5. Free Spirit provided a version of Happy Birthday to help Bill Morgan celebrate his 106th birthday.
6. A zoom-choir recording of 'Little Drop of Heaven' was prepared for use in January 2022.

2020 Highlights

1. In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic affected Melbourne and physical attendance at worship services and choir performances ceased. Free Spirit became an iso-zoom-choir and continued to meet and practice on-line using zoom video conferences. It was challenging to learn new music, and the Free Spirit repertoire expanded less than usual.
2. Free Spirit was able to contribute to worship by adding zoom video to the following previously recorded songs.
   • Joy in the morning
   • Go Tell It On The Mountain
   • May it be (Pam Cook’s funeral in July)
   • Irish Blessing (Pam Cook’s funeral in July)
   • And Wherever You Go
   • He’s Sweet
   • Freedom is Coming
   • Java Jive
   • Rhythm of Life
   • Breath of Heaven
3. Free Spirit was also able to prepare the following zoom-choir recordings where people individually recorded their parts, the parts merged and then a zoom video added.
   • Born a Mighty King
   • Amazing Grace
   • Fall on Your Knees
4. Free Spirit also zoom-choir recorded two versions of ‘Happy Birthday to You’ that were used when Shirley White turned 100 and Bill Morgan turned 105.
5. For the latter part of 2020, members of Uniting Voices joined Free Spirit practices.

2019 Highlights

1. Regular contributions of music to worship in Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

2. Participated in special Easter, Seniors and Christmas worship services at Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

3. Participated in the Glen Waverley Uniting Church combined anniversary choir in June.

4. Visited Cowes Uniting Church in March and Hampton Park Uniting Church in August to contribute to their worship.

5. Participated in Christmas concerts at Bluecross Livingstone Gardens and Estia Health Manor (Grace Manor)

2018 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly contributed music to worship in Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

Additionally:

Participated in the Glen Waverley Uniting Church combined anniversary choir in June.

Visits to Cowes Uniting Church in March and Dingley-Heatherton Uniting Church in November to contribute to their worship. The latter was a special service devoted to companion animals.

Fundraising concerts at Glen Waverley Uniting Church, Burwood Heights Uniting Church and Croydon Uniting Church. A total of $4910 was raised for Possible Dreams International, Lantara Welcome Centre, and the Glen Waverley Uniting Church programme.

Ran the silent auction at the fete raising approximately $2667 in October and assisted with setting up and packing up.

Participated in special Easter and Seniors services at Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

2017 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly sang at morning worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the fourth Sunday of the month.

Additionally.

Participated in special Easter service at Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

June - Led the Glen Waverley Uniting Church combined anniversary choir.

June - Held a fundraising concert at Peppertree Hill retirement village. Proceeds $150 contributed to the Glen Waverley Uniting Church outreach programme.

Sale of a fund-raising CD made in 2016. (The CD was funded by Free Spirit members.) Net proceeds contributed to the Glen Waverley Uniting Church outreach programme in 2017 - $200.

Participated in the worship of St Michael's Uniting Church in Melbourne in August.

Participated in the worship of Southern Mornington Peninsula Uniting Church at Rosebud in September.

Ran the silent auction at the fete raising approximately $4009.

Participated in special Christmas Day service at Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

2016 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly sang at morning worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the fourth Sunday of the month.

Additionally:

May - Organised and participated in the Ecumenical Choral Service hosted in 2016 by the Glen Waverley Uniting Church. This was the last of 34 annual Ecumenical Choral Services.

June - Participated in the Glen Waverley Uniting Church combined anniversary choir.

July - Contributed music to worship at the Berwick Uniting Church.

September - Fund-raising concerts for the Glen Waverley Uniting Church and Castlemaine Uniting Church (proceeds $1,645 and $900 respectively).

November - Contributed music to worship at the Heatherton-Dingley Uniting Church.

Sale of a fund-raising CD. The CD was funded by Free Spirit members. Net proceeds to date approximately $4,500.

Participated in special Easter and Christmas services at Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

The 2016 annual report for Free Spirit is here

2015 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly sang at morning worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the fourth Sunday of the month.

Additionally:

March - Memorial Service for Lois Hosking

March - Music for worship at Croydon Uniting Church

May - Ecumenical Choral service

Recording of a fund-raising CD for sale in 2016.

The 2015 annual report for Free Spirit is here

2014 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly sang at morning worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the fourth Sunday of the month.

Additionally:

May - Ecumenical Choral service

August - Fundraising Concert at Boronia Uniting Church

September - Fundraising Concert and worship at Beeac

The 2014 annual report for Free Spirit is here

2013 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly sang at morning worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the second Sunday of the month.

Additionally:

April - Seniors' Hymn Service

June - Ecumenical Choral Service at Glen Waverley Uniting Church

August - Fundraising concert at Glen Waverley Uniting Church

October - Fundraising concert at Burwood Heights Uniting Church

November - Worship at Camberwell Uniting Church

The 2013 annual report for Free Spirit is here.

2012 Highlights

Free Spirit regularly sang at morning worship at Glen Waverley Uniting Church on the second Sunday of the month.

Additionally:

April - ANZAC service at Cumberland View

May - Ashburton Uniting Church service

June - Ecumenical Choral Service at Holy Redeemer Church, East Oakleigh

July - Bacchus Marsh UC

August - Concert for Habitat for Humanity fund raiser with John Atwell. North Blackburn New Hope Church.

September - Concert to raise funds for Asylum Seeker Support Group at The Avenue Church, Blackburn

October - Wedding of Phillipa Hilman and Tim Laub

• - Concert PSA at Salford Park

November - Pets' Thanksgiving service at Heatherton-Dingley Uniting Church

December - Wedding of Debbie Davey and Tim Brewster,

• - 8.30 am Christmas service at GWUC

The 2012 annual report for Free Spirit is here.