Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson

NUUSLETTER

 A Newsletter for our Members and Friends

April 2005 - Web Edition

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

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

 

April 3

Forum:  Who should define torture?  Is it ever OK?

Service:  Rev. Raymond Clothier, United Church of Christ Minister, speaker.

April 10

Forum:  Should sports be so important in America? In the world?

Service:  Service of Appreciation of Volunteers and Installation of new Trustees to UUCJ’s Board.  Please email Rev. Luck or leave a message on church phone of special volunteers to be recognized. 

Potluck will follow the service.

April 17

Forum:  What do the Ten Commandments mean to UUs?

Service:  Esther Denise Young will be our speaker.  Ms Young is licensed as a full time-local pastor, and is currently a Chaplain Resident at the GV "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center. Ms. Young recently signed the Stepping Stones book after regular visits to the UUCJ. She is an alumna of Tougaloo College (1997) in Jackson, MS, and Gammon Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center (2003) in Atlanta, GA.

April 24

Forum:  Why is 1 in 9 of the casualties in Iraq a suicide?

Service:  A Contemporary Midrash.  Passover is April 23-24. It is a time when Jews celebrate their Exodus from slavery in Egypt and their journey through the wilderness to the promised land. As a contemporary feminist juxtaposition and midrash, let’s locate Lillith, Adam’s first wife. She was last seen wandering in the wilderness. Has she found her way yet?

 

 

Deadline for submissions to the May UUCJ NUUSletter: April 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     

By Rev. Jacqueline Luck

I’m writing from my home outside of Moselle on the first day of Spring, Palm Sunday afternoon, and I’m sliding down the last vestiges of the afternoon, post worship service and Board meeting. As it is known to do in the South, it is chilly and wet after blissful days of spring-like weather…delicate pinks and new greens caught temporarily mid-bud.

Yesterday was one of those blissful spring days, and your minister was on the Gulf Coast at the Biloxi Green leading a memorial service for civilians and soldiers dead and wounded these two years in Iraq. There were prayers for returning service men and women who may have lost abilities or be suffering with “soldier’s heart,”…service has been their sacrament. There were prayers for the families of those who will not return, and there were prayers for the families of returnees changed by war. It is my prayer, and I am sure it is yours, that all will extend themselves in any way possible to aide those returning from Iraq or Afghanistan. Some may need help as they are being rotated out rather quickly and later may find need of mental health or recovery services.

Later, Delilah and I took advantage of that glorious afternoon to walk the boardwalk; it has been awhile since I’ve been to the Gulf. We then drove to Long Beach where I attended a memorial service for Margaret Ennis.

The Reverend Margaret Ennis, an ordained and retired Methodist clergywoman, gave much of her life to working for social justice. She was especially loved by me and many Unitarian Universalists for her dogged efforts these last years to develop a potent UU presence in Mississippi, especially in Long Beach and Gulfport. We lost a dear, valiant friend and colleague last week. 

Speaking of a potent UU presence in MS, we have been blessed by an incredibly timely and generous gift by Our Home UU member Rita Clark and her husband Leonard. It was Rita’s mother’s practice to tithe, and her two daughters have chosen to continue her stewardship by giving to their respective churches in her name: Virginia Caldwell Campbell. The money received at Our Home will be used to promote public awareness of Unitarian Universalism in the state of Mississippi. Individual congregations will be able to join Our Home’s efforts beginning this fall on MPR as well as plan their own “blitz” to co-ordinate with the state-wide radio spots. There is an effort afoot to get a state UU website for these efforts routing seekers to all MS congregations via their WebPages. We offer our heartfelt gratitude for your stewardship of possibility, a notable example of “giving until it helps.” 

In actuality, signs of new growth are budding everywhere. UUCJ has just completed a stewardship canvass and elected its new Board of Trustees; all are to be congratulated for their efforts and stewardship. Our Home has created a special fund for contributions for necessary repairs and improvements for their building. Importantly, the congregation is preparing for Our Home’s 1906 Founding Centennial Celebration!  Yes, one-hundred years of Universalism in Ellisville, MS, in “Our Home.” Also noteworthy, Our Home is hosting the Universalist Convocation that same spring. Much is astir. Continued faith during the temporary bleakness of winter will reap as it does today delicate pinks and new greens in the thrall of spring.   

In beauty it is begun,

Jacqueline

The President’s Corner

The President’s Corner:

 “Short and Sweet”

           

Yes, here I am again–one more time from your outgoing President.  I wish to leave you with some words of wisdom (?) from no where other than my own experiences and observations:

• Commitment is only easy when you don’t feel like quitting.
• Pitching in and helping to get things done makes for a very good feeling inside.
• Habitat for Humanity has it right–sweat equity in a project makes the successes sweeter and gives one a warm feeling of accomplishment.
• An honest critique is welcomed and essential feedback; criticizing without being a part of the solution is mere whining.
• There are some people that you will do anything for, simply because they ask you to.
• The bottom line really is commitment.

There are many people I thank for their help and support through my second “tour” as President, but I will not name names here for fear of leaving someone out.  Bless you all.

Peace

JoAnn 

In Memorium
The Reverend Margaret Skellie Ennis
March 20, 1933-March 12, 2005

We were all saddened to hear of the passing of our dear friend and collegue, The Reverend Margaret Skell Ennis, who served as Community Minister at the Gulf Coast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.  

Margaret was a native of Long Beach, MS, and returned to the coast with her husband, Carl, in 2001 after retirement.  She was an energetic goodwill ambassador for the UU faith, serving as President of the League of Women Voters, and the President of the Interfaith Alliance of Mississippi.  

Let us all celebrate her life as an accomplished student, loving wife and mother, effective teacher/minister, and caring community activist.  

Thank you, Margaret, for all of your gifts to us.

Children’s RE News

We have welcomed five new children into our R.E. classes.

The children are working on designs for a quilt project.  Since we are novices in quilt making, please let me or Ranjan know if you would like to assist in our quilt project. Both classes continue to have stories and activities related to our peace and social justice theme.

I attended the R.E. Renaissance Module: "Curriculum Planning on the Local Congregation" held at the First UU Church in Nashville, TN, March 4-6. I enjoyed the warmth and fellowship of participants and the sharing of ideas. I would like to express my appreciation to Margaret Drake and David Voisin who took over my R.E. duties that weekend.

Many thanks, also, to Steve Bollinger who sawed up and hauled away the large limb that had fallen into our R.E. yard.

The R.E. Committee will meet following the service on April 17 to consider curriculum options for the summer and fall sessions.  Any members with an interest in children's R.E. are invited to attend.          

Dary Shenefelt                    

"What's Your Passion? "

Our Summer R.E. Program

During the summer months of June-August you will have another golden opportunity to share your hobbies, beliefs, knowledge--your passionate interests--with our children. The past two summers, the children have delighted in a variety of activities such as bird watching, cooking, dance, games, painting, etc.  We even took some mini-field trips during the service hour to sites of special interest.

Contact Dary or Ranjan and let them know how you would like to participate. There will also be a sign-up sheet on the hall bulletin board in April and May.

Sign up for ROOTS classes for those new to UU or wanting to know more about Unitarian Universalism:

Classes are Sundays from 2:00 to 3:30: April 10, 24, and May 8.  

Contact Jacqueline.

There will be an ingathering of new members May 22 during the worship service.

 

What a wonderful treat to be able to host a small group of students from the University of New Hampshire, who were down here on an "alternative spring break" helping out at Stewpot.  They attended our service on March 13 and camped out in our R.E. building during their stay. 

To thank us for our hospitality, they invited us to a delicious dinner they prepared in the R.E. building. They also raked the leaves in back of the sanctuary, planted some flowers near the front door, and left the R.E. building spotless upon their departure.  

Thanks to all who were so kind to them.  Special thanks, also, to Brian Heffner, who helped with arrangements for their stay.