Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson

NUUSLETTER

 A Newsletter for our Members and Friends

  February 2005 - Web Edition

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

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

 

February 6

Forum: Achieving Population Control facilitated by George Vockroth and Margaret Drake

Service: "Searching for Truth: An Exploration of Language & Images of Spiritual Yearning & the Quest for Moral Behavior" Speaker:  Chaplain Bonnie Grantham, ASPE Supervisor G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center

 

February 13

Forum: Evolutionary Cosmology Michael Dowd &Connie Barlow

Service: Connie Barlow and The Reverend Michael Dowd, speakers. This husband and wife team are itinerate UU educators affectionately known as “the UUA’s unofficial evolutionary evangelists.”  Soup -'n -sandwich Valentine luncheon to benefit the tsunami relief fund will follow.

February 20

Forum: Is it a religious community’s responsibility to support marriage?  A discussion of the recent article “Time to Commit” in the Jan/Feb UU World.

Service: "UU Paganism & the Sixth Source.” UU Paganism as it relates to the Sixth Source of the UU tradition.  Speaker:  Eugene Chapman, Central MS CUUPS Chapter

 

February 27

 Forum:  Issues to be discussed at the General Assembly in June, 2005.

 Service: TBA. Rev. Jacqueline Luck

 

Deadline for submissions to the March UUCJ NUUSletter: February 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.

     A New Leaf     

February 2005

By Rev. Jacqueline Luck

 

Words of Rollo May: “The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it is not without doubt but in spite of doubt.”

All too often it is explained that many UU churches struggle to have enough money to operate, with little left over for outreach or expansion of programs, because UU’s don’t really have the conviction of their faith. In other words if they had no questions about their faith, if they really believed in the work of the church and its presence in the community was important, they would support the church better.

The freedom to question and to seek answers based on the use of our reason and experience is important for Unitarians and Universalists.  We think a healthy way to live is with an open, inquiring mind, so does May, and he says the healthiest commitments are those made in spite of doubt.

In spite of doubt, or admitting that there is much that is not understood in your faith, you can make strong healthy commitments; in fact, you can make healthier commitments because there is flexibility built into that commitment.  There is no rigid claim to the truth.

UU churches should be better supported if Rollo May is right. Don’t UU’s believe their churches are important and have an important presence in the community? I certainly hope so!  Where else are progressive worshipers to go? UU churches represent the values of their members in the community. What other body of people stand for and against the things UU churches do?

Perhaps they are not as well as supported because some UU’s have made painful decisions to leave other churches and may then project that old suspicion, lack of trust and cynicism onto their UU church and its leadership, perhaps not supporting the church financially.  Perhaps people are concerned about what will happen if the church grows large or becomes powerful, etc. Would it become like the church they left?  These thoughts need to be addressed because when we seek emotional and spiritual maturity, old pain must eventually be grown through.

Commitment, or stewardship, is very important in all organizations, but in a church it is essential. Stewards of a church are committed to the church and its people, committed to be a regular presence at services and programs, and committed to commune with others, to seek together, to learn together and from each other.  Stewards of a church share in the work and workings of the church according to their talents and abilities. They are committed to the vision of the church and to its mission or role in the surrounding community. In churches of integrity, the relationships between members are committed and strive to be ones of love, trust and respect. Ministers are committed to love, honor and respect the congregation and visa versa. And finally, stewards of a church support their congregation financially according to their ability. A financial contribution brings a sense of investment in the church and its future; no one should be denied that pleasure.

It is said that people spend their money on what they value. This month you will be given the opportunity to become a financial steward of UUCJ through the February canvass of members and friends of the congregation. It is a time to truly consider how important—how crucial—UUCJ is for you and yours.  Can you or they just take the church, or leave it?  I don’t think so, according to what I hear. What would you do if there wasn’t a UU church for you to attend? Who would be the progressive religious voice in Jackson? Do you care?  Do you believe the work of the church and its presence in the community are important—crucial—to the members of the congregation and to those of the future? If so, consider pledging fittingly as the future is in your hands. Let it shine, let it shine,

Jacqueline

No one has ever become poor by giving.

The President’s Corner

The President’s Corner:

Moving Forward–It’s Coming!  It’s Here!

Thanks to you all for your faith in our future, as evidenced by your vote of confidence to move forward with our professional ministry!  We had a good meeting, a good vote, and, as always, a great meal.  Now, we have to do the work to make it so.  I’m not dropping any hints, mind you, but NO ONE took me up on my offer of a special prize for the first person to email me at with the correct answer as to WHAT IT IS?  So, I’m upping the ante–the first TWO people to email me at the above email address and TELL ME WHAT IT IS will win a special prize.  I’ll give you a hint–our own VP for Buildings and Grounds made an impassioned plea at the congregational meeting on Sunday for your enthusiastic support of IT!  No, not Chore Day, although that is important too.  Come on–I DARE YOU to tell me what IT is!*

*Persons intimately involved in the work of IT are ineligible (IT Committee members and Board Members).  Look further for more clues.

JoAnn               

“IT” Clue #1: “IT” allows us to continue providing a place for seekers of progressive religion to come and be among friends.

Children’s RE News

          As Unitarian Universalists we believe in justice and compassion for all the peoples of the earth.  The children wanted to find a way of showing that we care about the victims of the tsunami disaster.
The children are planning a soup -'n -sandwich Valentine luncheon on February 13 to be held in the Newman Religious Education Building following the service. We are asking people attending to contribute at least the amount they would normally spend on lunch to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's tsunami relief fund.

     We are having a better response to our weekly collection of non-perishable foods for Stewpot Community Services. In addition Elena, decided on her own that she wanted to do more to help and brought in a can containing $13.63 that she collected in her neighborhood for Stewpot.  She and Keely are continuing to collect, and we will have an updated total later.

     There will be a religious education committee meeting in the Newman R.E. Building following the service on February 27.
                                                    

Dary Shenefelt                    

“IT” Clue #2: We’re “fair” about (share)-ing our clues about “IT.”

February 2005 is an exciting time at UUCJ!

 

The last Sunday in January Lisa McCleod is coming to UUCJ to speak. Lisa McCleod is president of a growing UU congregation outside Atlanta, her background is as a sales and marketing consultant, she conducts workshops, she does inspirational speeches for corporations, and lately she is in the pulpit a good bit for UU churches.

Lisa has recently appeared on Good Morning America, and is having a book signing at Lemuria Books on Saturday the 29^th at three. Lisa will be in UUCJ’s pulpit the 30^th as well as at the Forum. We are having a pot luck after the service in order to have more time with Lisa, and she has agreed to do a Q and A after the lunch. Her web site is www.forgetperfect.com if you’d like more information.

Sunday, February 13, Connie Barlow and The Reverend Michael Dowd will be in UUCJ’s pulpit. This husband and wife team are itinerate UU educators affectionately known as “the UUA’s unofficial evolutionary evangelists.” They have delivered sermons and workshops in over 120 UU churches and fellowships over the last three years and are scheduled to be in the Meadville Lombard Winter Institute in Madison, Wisconsin, after they leave Jackson.  They have chosen to live simply in order to share their message, so they live in an RV and travel to UU congregations to speak on their passion for the universe and our relationship with it. They are supported by the offering shared during services and the sale of their books and tapes. The sermon will concern the interface between science and religion, a topic many in Jackson will find fascinating, so please invite all you think might enjoy their prophetic and inspiring words.  R.E. will be selling sandwiches, etc., after the service for funds to contribute to the tsunami victims.

Saturday, February 5, look for an article by Jean Gordon in the Clarion Ledger on UUCJ and its minister.

“IT” Clue #3: “IT” helps our visions to become our realities.

 

2005 Mid-South District’s Annual Assembly

April 22 – 24, 2005

 Mark your calendars and make your plans!!  Plan to join several hundred other MSD UUs in Birmingham, Alabama for the 2005 MSD Annual Assembly!!

Our theme for this year is “Deeper and Wider - Way to Grow.”  The key-note speaker is the Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell from the First Unitarian Church in Portland, Oregon.

Session and registration details will be available on the MSD website during March and will be mailed to congregations during April.  Mark your calendars now!!!!  For more information, contact Mary Shelton in Nashville.

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General Assembly will be in Fort Worth, TX, on June 23-June 27th 2005.

 

“IT” Clue #4: Members of the “IT” Committee will be talking with you this month about “IT.”

Slingers Need a Few Good Sojourners

As you may have read in the January/February 2005 UUWORLD magazine, "Small group ministry creates a sacred time where the stories of our lives are heard."  And that is what the UU Slingers are all about.  We get together each week to share time together and invest time in each other, to use the group as a sounding board in our lives, to study timely topics, and to be a visible witness in the greater community of UU tradition and values.

Now, having said all that, over the last year we lost three of our members and we have not replaced them at this point.  If you might want to covenant with us and share your life, please contact Jim Becker.

The group meets North State Street at the Video Cafe across from Millsaps College (near the Fire Station) at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evenings.  Because there are times when we have to cancel our scheduled meetings, please call before attending your first meeting.

“IT” Clue #5: Is “IT” spelled with one “s” or two???

Well.... Do YOU know what "IT" is? Email JoAnn with the answer. NOW!