Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson

NUUSLETTER

 A Newsletter for our Members and Friends

  September 2004 - Web Edition

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Every Sunday Fellowship at 9:30am, Service at 11:00am

September 5

Forum:  Would legalization of prostitution diminish sexual assaults?  Facilitated by George Vockroth and Margaret Drake.

Service:  Blending of the Waters.  JoAnn Bienvenu, coordinator. Bring samples of water from your summer travels--or from your own backyard--for this inter-generational service.

September 12

Forum:  Meet and greet the new minister, Rev. Jacqueline Luck.

Service:  “In Beauty it is Begun.”  Rev. Jacqueline Luck, presenter.  Aimee Hagan, coordinator.  Children will attend.  Potluck lunch will follow the service.

September 19

Forum:  What has not yet been tried to secure peace between Israelis and Palestinians?  Facilitated by Margaret Drake.

Service:  “Why Jews Celebrate in Autumn.”  Margaret Drake, presenter and coordinator.

September 26

Forum:  How has the criminalization of drug possession and drug use affected today’s society?  Facilitated by George Vockroth and Margaret Drake.

Service:  “And, What Is A Church?”  Rev. Jacqueline Luck, presenter.  Jim Becker, coordinator.  Congregational Business Meeting after worship--with Potluck lunch.

Deadline for submissions to the October UUCJ NUUSletter: September 18.  Please make submissions to Susan Voisin at NUUSletter@uujackson.org.

If you would like to receive the NUUsletter by email, contact Susan at the email address above.

The President’s Corner

I want to thank all of you in the congregation–both members and friends–who have worked together to make our vision of a Mississippi based minister come to fruition.  Reverend Luck’s first Sunday with us will be September 12, 2004.  Afterwards, we will celebrate again with a Potluck.  And after that, I would like to invite all to complete the afternoon at the Pagan Pride Festival to be held that same day in Jackson.  Our affiliate, the Central Mississippi CUUPS, will be working hard to have a good time and to work for the community with various charity events.

We’ve done much, but there is still work ahead.  And that work will be within our church community.  Whenever there is a change–even when it is a positive one, as it is now–there is an increased danger of miscommunication, misunderstandings, and downright grumpiness.  I know that when I’m stressed by events, I need to keep a close check on my own reactions, so as not to make someone else the object of my frustrations.  (Yeah, yeah, I know that I miss that mark a lot!)  Nevertheless, let’s all remember that we are in a vulnerable time, and do our best help one another as we move forward in this great endeavor.  As Jacqueline says, “In Beauty it is begun.” 

JoAnn

Way To Grow 

Mid-South's 2004 Healthy Congregation Conference, named Way To Grow for its emphasis on growing congregations, will happen on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2004, in Columbus, GA, and will feature UUA Director of District Services Harlan Limpert.  The one-day event will begin at 9am and finish before 5pm. 

This annual conference is designed to provide inspiring, affordable, how-to information for congregations about the various areas of church life:

Although the tracks at the conference are consistent annually, the materials and presenters for each track differ each year.  Each congregation is encouraged to send a team of leaders so that the congregation can benefit from attendees at a number of the tracks/workshops. 

Details about the various presenters and the specific focus points of this year's workshops will be on the Mid-South website.  Registration can be done via the website, with all registration fees payable at the door on the conference day. 

For more information, contact June Bryant, Coordinator for the Healthy Congregation Conference, or call 478-784-7604.

Children’s RE News

This fall the Chalice Children (ages 4-8) will explore what it means to be a part of a Unitarian Universalist community.  They will gain skills that promote peace and fairness in their daily lives.  Activities will be selected from the UUA curriculum guides: "In Our Hands, A Peace and Justice program, Grades 1-3,” and "Around the Church, Around the Year."

The U.U. Kids (ages 9 and up) will focus on concepts of peace and justice.  They will discover ways to express their concerns and will select social action projects through a consensual decision-making process.  A variety of materials, including the UUA curriculum “In Our Hands, A Peace and Justice Program, Grades 4-6,” will provide guidance as they learn to apply their U.U. principles.

Children will attend two inter-generational services in September--the "Blending of the Waters" Service on Sept. 5 and the Sept. 12 inter-generational service planned by Rev. Jacqueline Luck.

                                           --Dary Shenefelt  

UU GOSPEL SLINGERS

We have lost a member over the summer and have opened the group for new members.  We would like to add between one and three additional members to this covenant group.  The group meets every Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Shoe Bird Cafe in the Belhaven College Student Union.

Mississippi Pride Festival

 The Mississippi Pride Festival celebrating Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Transsexual pride will be on September 25, 2004, at 1 PM in Smith Park, downtown Jackson.  A flyer is available on the table in the foyer before you go into the sanctuary.

Reminder: For the "Blending of the Waters" Service on Sept. 5, each member or

 family is invited to bring a small vial of water symbolic of a journey, far away

 or to your backyard, that you have taken this summer.

Pagan Pride Day - Autumn Fest 2004

Celebrate the Autumn Equinox and help your community at Mississippi's Pagan Pride Day - Autumn Fest 2004 on September 12, 2004, from 11am - 5pm, at Jamie Fowler Boyll City Park in Jackson.  All ages are welcome at this free event, which will feature several Pagan religious ceremonies.  There will information booths on Pagan spiritual practices, Civil Rights Issues, and Voter Registration.  Two of the currently scheduled speakers will be Dr. Dan Capper, of USM's Religion & Philosophy department, and Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director of the Mississippi ACLU.  There will be workshops, a Drum Circle, and much more.  (Participants are encouraged to bring percussion instruments for drumming.)

This event is being planned to be “Family Friendly,” so bring yours!  Children will especially enjoy the Children's Arts and Crafts Show, while other family-friendly activities include a Storytellers’ Contest, a Poetry Contest, and an Arts & Crafters’ Contest.  Vendors will have booths, and there will be plenty of food at the concessions stand.

Attendees are asked to share the harvest by bringing a donation of two cans / non-perishable items to benefit a local Women's Shelter.  Or, we ask a donation of two small bags of your choice of puppy, kitten, dog, or cat food for a Mississippi Animal shelter. 

Plenty of volunteers are still needed, so if you are interested in helping, please don't hesitate to contact us.  For more information about the event, or about Pagan religions in general, please contact: Eugene Chapman or Carol Kyle at 601-554-3130.  For more information, see the Festival Website.

UUCJ Member Attends DNC

Patricia Ice attended her first Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Boston, MA, from July 24 to July 30, 2004.  Patricia's husband, Bill Chandler, was a Democratic Party delegate representing Mississippi's 3rd district.  Each weekday morning during the conference, Patricia ate breakfast with Mississippi's 40+ convention delegates, led by U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson, and listened to the featured speaker.  One breakfast speaker was Robert Kennedy, Jr., who gave an excellent presentation on environmental issues.  Only full delegates were able to sit on the convention floor at the Fleet Center, but Patricia was able to be at the Fleet on Thursday and Friday evenings as a "special guest."  On the other days, she attended several of the more than 300 DNC activities outside of the Fleet Center.