Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson

NUUSLETTER

 A Newsletter for our Members and Friends

August 2005 - Web Edition

Love is the spirit of this church, and service is our law.

To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.

This is our covenant

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

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

August 7

Forum: Speaking of Faith

Service:  Peace Sunday

August 14

Forum: Speaking of Faith

Service:  Rev. Gene Keves of Our Home Church will speak.

August 21  

Forum: Speaking of Faith

Service:  Who? What? Why?  We know where, but who, what, and why is UUCJ? These are some very important questions for updating and clarifying thoughts on the future role of the UU Church of Jackson. Questions that must be answered in order to take full advantage of UU sponsored spots on MPR beginning in August.  Join us this Sunday as we contemplate who, what and why for both the church and ourselves.   The Rev. Jacqueline Luck will preach the sermon. A Potluck lunch will follow.

August 28

Forum: Speaking of Faith

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

 

Deadline for submissions to the September UUCJ NUUSletter: August18.  Please make submissions to NUUSletter@uujackson.org.

If you would like to receive the NUUsletter by email, please user our NUUS subscription form.

     A New Leaf     

By Rev. Jacqueline Luck

 

The seminars, lectures and worship at General Assembly in Fort Worth seemed better than ever this year. In part that might be because a colleague and minister of The Church of the River (you might remember I have covenanted ties with this congregation) gave the Berry Street Lecture.

The Berry Street Conference began in the spring of 1820 when William Ellery Channing wrote a letter to Massachusetts ministers “known to be liberal” to propose a gathering. The Berry Street Conference has been held every year since 1820, save one (during World War II), for a total of 185 papers on issues of current concern by respected Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist ministers.

Being selected by one’s colleagues to deliver this historical lecture is a high honor, one the Reverend Burton Carley lived up to. I can't help but share a bit of it with you as I think there is much to contemplate as UUCJ's future is considered. What is your vision for the congregation? What is its purpose and place in Jackson, MS?  And, as Carley suggests: How do we belong to each other?

The lecture can be found at http://ww.uuma.org/berrystreet/Essays/BSE2005.htm, but here is a bit that struck home with me from the summary prepared for UUA.org by Jone Johnson Lewis, reporter, and Margy Levine Young, Editor:

“We suffer,” Carley cautioned, “under the illusion that to know us is to love us.” He pointed out that the achieving life is never satisfied, and that “a mind stuck open is as useful as a window stuck open.” We tend to cling, he said, “to any position that nurtures our self-righteousness.”

We must, he stressed, relinquish the illusion of control, and realize our need to be in right relationship. “This little light of mine” is less useful on the journey home than the light provided by others.

Our history as Unitarian Universalists is one of leaving home, Carley noted, and we enjoy calling ourselves a movement. But, he added, the journey is not all. “The purpose of a journey is to arrive somewhere.... The fugitive life is exhausting.”

Diversity, he added, is not sufficient to calling people into covenant – we should ask, instead, “How do we belong to each other?”

Yes, that is the question. Until we meet again in August if not sooner.

Deep joy and great beauty,

Jacqueline

The President’s Corner

The President’s Corner:

 

June was an exciting month for your president.   The first weekend, I attended the Mid-South District President’s Convocation in Episcopal Camp McDowell near Jasper, Alabama.  Fifteen of the thirty two Mid-South District congregation presidents were present.  Our District Executive, Eunice Benton, our new quarter time Religious Education consultant Laurel Amabile, Rev. Alice Sylte of Huntsville, former District President Dick Creswell of Macon, GA, who has visited us to consult on finances, and current District President Carleen McDowell of Nashville presented information and led discussions on topics such as Board of Trustees Relationships, Committee on Ministry, Religious Education and Healthy Congregations, to name just a few.

The Program Committee met at Fran Leber’s home June 9^th. The seven people in attendance planned our Sunday programs up until the middle of October.  Steve Bollinger is coordinating the Forums.

The following weekend, our Board of Trustees had an orientation retreat in our church. The members of the Nominating Committee, Susan Haik, Steve Bollinger & Ray Shenefelt, attended as well. I provided Board Notebooks for each attendee, which contain many of our church documents and policies.  Fran Leber, who is still recovering from a hip replacement, was able to join us.  In her honor we made our powder room more handicapped accessible.  Perhaps we need a plaque on that restroom dedicating it to her.

From June 23- 26, I attended the General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas.  Our denominational president, William Sinkford, had made a special offer to excuse the registration cost for all local presidents if they attended all the special events and training sessions designed for them.  Over the next year, I hope to share what I learned in these sessions.  General Assemble is always an enlivening event.  On July 10^th, I will share the best parts during the service.  I hope I can convey to you what inspired me and that it will be contagious.

Margaret

Children’s RE News

In July, the children and Margaret Drake used colored chalk to draw 4th of July decorations on the tunnel and playground equipment in the R.E. yard.  They learned about "town building" with assistance from Marianne Hill and Samantha Smith. Peter Haik shared his passion for reading, and Barbara Scobee assisted as we worked on completing our paper mache puppets.

R'Daniel has a baby brother, Salu Binatabor, born on May 26. "Bina" is an African word for "dancer" and "tabor" is a word meaning "drummer"- a lovely name for a child born into a family of African dancers and drummers.

The children will participate with the adults in the "Blending of Waters" Service--our "ingathering service" following summer vacations--on August 28. Remember to bring a small container of water from (or symbolic of) your summer travels. The children will also display the quilt we created.

Dary Shenefelt                    

 

Ideas from the Worship Service on July 10, 2005

 

People were asked during the service to “Please write your vision of ministry that our church could offer to our community.”  They were collected with the offering and read out.  Here they are printed so that everyone can see what kinds of ideas people have for outreach from our congregation.  They can give us ideas for our mission and vision statements which we will revisit this fall.

1.

• Individual members are involved in volunteer week at Stewpot.  Should we perhaps organize some kind of group effort, like having the UU Church be in charge of serving on a particular day each month?
• Offer English conversation practice at a certain time for people trying to learn English.
• Do a clean-up day somewhere (I don’t know where, but surely there are places in need) – or maybe adopt a highway segment (and get the publicity of having the church name on the sign.)

2.

• A ministry that offers joy, song and hope for today and tomorrow thru music.
• A haven of peace and spirituality, with an emphasis on spirituality not religiosity.  Welcoming all persons, where there is flexibility work toward being adaptable.

3.

• First, I would like to see each member encouraged to participate in a ministry that is meaningful to him/her.  The church’s role would be to have speakers from a variety of organizations which help less fortunate members of our community.
• Second, there are a number of members of our church who are disabled.  I think the members who are able could reach out to these members, as well as other members who may have short-term needs.  I would like to see each church member take an active part in Care Ring.

4.

• I believe the vision for this church is on track.  I believe the forums should be presented in the community newspapers & newsletter.

5.   The church could be a platform for assisting the community in the needs of its residents:

• Soup kitchens
• Sex education programs
• Activities for the youth. . . Nature hikes, etc.
• Art programs
• Services of Compassion on Sundays
• Guest speakers from local schools, law enforcement, etc.

 6.

• Habitat for Humanity – work with other churches to help build community
• Offer to serve at Stewpot on Holidays

 7.      I think if we had enough people, we could do any one of the following:

• Cook a meal 1 time per month for the homeless

• Work a day two times a year for Habitat for Humanity

• Providing things for juvenile offenders (like Waverly has gotten us involved in).

 8.      Respond to articles in the paper and letters to the editor which express “the inherent worth and dignity of every person.”

 9.      The hurricane has made a lot of people homeless.  Let’s help the homeless, especially the mentally ill homeless who have friends who support them and usually can’t help themselves too well.

 

CUUPS

The Autumn Meet will be held November 2-6, 2005, at Hidden River Resort near the Florida-Georgia Line. The early registration deadline is 8/15/05.  For more information, send an email to info@phoenixfestivals.com

 

Detention Center Needs Your Underwear!

Our project to collect new all white shorts, t-shirts (both of these especially in large sizes) and socks for the young men at the Raymond Detention Center has become a regular event.  We will collect these items every third Sunday.  There is a collection box in the entry hallway, so even if you can’t be present on the 3rd Sunday, you can leave your donation there. This was started by our member Waverly Liles, who tutors these young men.

Care-Ring

Natalie Maynor and Susan Haik have agreed to be part of our Care-Ring.  If you have a need such as illness or something else with which you wish the congregation’s help, please contact one of them and they will find someone or some way for us to assist you

CALM Committee

The newly elected members of our CALM Committee elected at the special congregational meeting July 17th are D.E. Magee, Mary Margaret Bollinger, Esther Young & Ray Shenefelt. The CALM Committee, according to our bylaws, is available to help maintain a healthy church community by communicating with members regarding conflict or relationships.  We thank these people for being willing to serve.

AMOS Network

AMOS Network, a coalition of religious institutions which has been working in Jackson for ten years, is reorganizing and looking for lay members to be involved.  Please contact Margaret Drake or our minister Rev. Jacqueline Luck.