I will fully admit to being in denial that this Sunday is Rebecca Maze’s last one as Live Oak’s Director of Music. She has been such a part of Live Oak, here for 27 years! During that time, her role grew, as she served as accompanist, choir director, children’s music director, artistic director, guest musician coordinator, and more. During this time of pandemic, she shifted gears immediately, learning how to create and edit music videos and conduct a choir in absentia. It was pretty amazing.

But most of all, it is her caring for others that has been a constant. Choir members will tell you about the scary days of the pandemic before vaccines, when she still had them gathering online, even before they’d figured out how the heck they were going to create choral pieces while in lockdown.

And, we are still in the pandemic. I grieve that we can’t throw her the blowout retirement party she so richly deserves. We can’t even be all together as a congregation in the sanctuary, hearing her play “Sasha” (our grand piano) one last time. So we will have to say our goodbyes through email or cards in the mail. Please do let her know what her presence here has meant in your life.

Rebecca intends to follow the guidelines set up for UU religious professionals, which includes being away from Live Oak for a period of time. This gives the space for the next music director to become a leader in our community.

But Rebecca is remaining in our geographic area, so if you see her in the store or at a music event, by all means, go say hello!

(And … we look forward. My being in denial about Rebecca’s retirement hasn’t precluded our search for the next Music Director. We on the Search Team believe we will have an announcement for you very soon!)

Thank you, Rebecca, for all of the music and numinous moments you have brought to Live Oak. I will miss sipping Vietnamese coffee with you, getting excited about some new musical event, and having music books and sheet music scattered all over the table in Room 106 as we planned out our liturgical year. Thank you for helping Live Oak become what it is today.