Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson

NUUSLETTER

 A Newsletter for our Members and Friends

September 2008 - 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

  President's Corner

 

One of my work colleagues always asks, “Where is the good news in that?” He applies the question to almost any situation, but being particularly interested in religion and philosophy, he often wants to know what good news a religious belief offers. He asks me on occasion about the good news of Unitarian Universalism. Tom Owen-Towle, in his book Growing a Beloved Community, offers this brief primer: “As Unitarians, we hold that every living creature is inherently valuable and is to be treated as such. We also contend that the cosmos is unitary, that reality is indivisible and whole, that God/Goddess, the Infinite Spirit, is one. As Universalists, we allege that wisdom is discoverable in every era and corner of the universe; that the only salvation worth having is communal, not individual, and that all creatures are held in the eternal embrace of a loving deity.” That is good news, indeed!

But I also believe there is even better news. Our beliefs as individual Unitarian Universalists go way beyond what we agree upon as our guiding principles. What good news has Unitarian Universalism brought to your life, to your beliefs, to your faith? This good news is what we share with one another as a congregation, but are we able to share it with those around us in our daily lives? We share much simply by the way we live our lives based upon our faith. We also need to be able to speak the good news of our faith and our chosen religion. We must practice our elevator speeches for sure, and the brief UU primer will work well in those situations. We need to ponder further, however, the good news that is Unitarian Universalism in our lives and speak it and live it. Spread the gospel!

Gwen Combs

 

From The Desk of the DRE

 

Religious Education / Religious Exploration

We have had such a fun summer exploring the stories of Dr. Seuss! Hearty thanks to our volunteers who made this summer possible: Diana Barnes, Ranjan Batra, Mary Margaret & Steve Bollinger, Stacy Callender, Jody Gore, Amy Griggs, Brian Heffner, Jennifer Keyser, Susan Knipe, and Dary Shenefelt.

From September to May, we will follow our school-year schedule providing childcare and supervised activities each Sunday from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Children are welcome to join us anytime before 11 a.m.

Chalice Children (0-5 yrs): For our youngest children, we provide a happy, safe, and loving environment with free play, stories, poems, discussions, arts/crafts, music, and manipulative toys. Older preschool children will explore stories and activities from the UUA Wonderful Welcome & Creating Home curricula.

9:30-10:30: Supervised free play

10:30-11:00: Snack time

11:00-12:30: Preschool Religious Education

Young UUs (6 yrs & up): Our children and youth will be focusing on social justice issues this year. Each month, we’ll explore a new topic, such as hunger, housing, education, and the environment, and engage in social action to address the concerns we find.

9:30-10:30: Supervised free play

10:30-11:00: Snacks and conversation

11:00-11:15: Adult worship (for shared rituals)

11:15-12:15: Children & Youth Religious Education

In order for our children and youth to develop strong bonds to UUCJ members and our UU traditions, all children and youth are encouraged to attend the beginning of the adult worship through the opening rituals. The children and youth will also participate in intergenerational services throughout the year. During these services, children and youth will attend the entire service and actively participate. We will have six intergenerational services throughout the school year: Blending of the Waters (Sept. 7), Thanksgiving Service (Nov. 30), Winter Holiday Service (Dec. 21), MLK Service (Jan. 18), Spring Holiday Service (Mar. 15), and Flower Communion (Apr. 12).

We’re looking forward to a great and active year for our children and youth!

R.E. Schedule for September 2008

September 7

Chalice Children: Dary Shenefelt & David Voisin

Young UUs: Blending of the Waters Intergenerational Service

September 14

Chalice Children: Jody Gore & Patricia Ice

Young UUs: Social Justice at UUCJ – Stacy Callender

September 21

Chalice Children: Waverly Liles & Jennifer Keyser

Young UUs: Social Justice at UUCJ – Stacy Callender

September 28

Chalice Children: Diana Barnes & Elise Morse-Gagne

Young UUs: Social Justice at UUCJ – Stacy Callender

How You Can Help

Children & Youth: Although we have scheduled lead teachers for each monthly unit, we still need people to help our children and youth with their social justice projects. Please help out by sharing your time and talents on whatever topic is close to your heart! In addition, we need people willing to assist with nursery, providing snacks and supplies, and reading the Story for All Ages during the service.

Adult: We need people willing to (co-)lead Adult Religious Exploration classes or workshops. It could be a class for Newcomers, a creative arts class, or an exploration of a religious tradition—whatever interests you would like to share. Please contact the DRE and/or the R.E. Committee to live out our 3rd Principle!

R.E. Committee – September 7, 2008 – after service

The R.E. Committee meets on the first Sunday of the month after service. This month we will finalize plans for the 2008-2009 R.E. year for children and youth including planning intergenerational services.

 

For more info contact Stacy Callender, DRE at vp-re@uujackson.org

 

 

O.W.L. (Our Whole Lives)

Our Whole Lives, a series of sexuality education curricula for various ages, helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

This year we will begin two classes: one for youth and another for adults led by Diana Barnes, Stacy Callender, Amy Griggs, Brian Heffner, and/or Susan Knipe. Keep your eyes open for emails and notices coming soon about parent orientations for our youth and/or classes for adults!

 

Buildings and Grounds By Brian Heffner

Our church home is UUCJ. We are our own church family.

We must care for our property as part of our mission to be available to our community.

What would be the proper response to a squeaky door hinge...? ...to replace it? Well, yes..maybe ... and then again, maybe not. A closer inspection might reveal that with a cleaning and application of a drop or two of oil...the symptom is corrected.

This example sums up my dedication and sense of stewardship in leadership role of the Building and Grounds Committee. Often, there are different ways to go about getting the same/similar results. In my years of professional experience, and 5+ years of service as 'VP - Buildings and Grounds', it has been up to me to notice areas of disrepair and potential improvement of ourcongregational real estate. I am charged to give assessments of 'scope of work' and to collect  estimates for work that must be handled by professionals.

Professionals recently completed the following tasks:

1. reroofing the church and the RE building

2. paving the parking areas

3. improving the plumbing and drainage of our RE building

4. constructing the ramp and steps at the RE main entrance

5. installing new lighting fixtures in the church restrooms

6. painting the sanctuary interior

7. removing tree debris after last April’s storm damage

8. repairing the RE building electrical system after high winds and trees damaged its circuit breaker

9. constructing a beautiful Wayside Pulpit to greet and inform our passersby

10.  installing lighting and an electrical service to the Wayside Pulpit that has enhanced its visibility

However, there are several 'big ticket' improvements that remain undone. More on those in next month’s Nuusletter. In the meantime, how do you want to build up our congregation? How should we maintain and improve our congregational “real estate?” On each of September’s Sundays let us join in a joyful tour our compound to “Focus on our Facilities.” We will be able to appreciate what we’ve accomplished so far and see what we may want to do next! 

Brian

 

News from the Mid-South District 

Eunice Milton Benton, District Executive

 

IT’S GOOD TO BE PREPARED!

Mid-August marks the beginning of a new church year – the time full church programming begins again and the time congregations are most likely to be visited by newcomers, some who are new in town and some who are exploring a new church.

This year it’s likely there will be more visitors to UU congregations than usual, given the heightened visibility of Unitarian Universalism around the events in Knoxville and the media coverage in many places. It’s a good time to remind ourselves to be prepared in all kinds of ways. Indeed, we need two kinds of preparedness this season!

First, each of us needs to be prepared to welcome folks who’ve come to visit a new church. Hospitality is what this is about! Surely we can get this part right in the South!

A visit to www.uua.org will find a wealth of resources about church hospitality in the “Leaders Library.” Mid-South’s website – www.msduua.org – has still more resources.

Then, there’s another kind of preparedness that we need to address: being prepared in reasonable ways for the possibility of a natural disaster or a crisis of the sort that happened in Knoxville. We’re reminded because it’s hurricane season, and also because we have all just felt the blow of the Knoxville tragedy. 

In the latter area, some specific plans for ‘Preparedness Strategies’ for Mid-South UU congregations will be introduced at the October 11th Healthy Congregation Conference.

It’s a good thing to be prepared!

Mid-South District Office 9 County Rd. 1058, Oxford, Mississippi 38655

Mid-South District - UUA

On the web at www.msduua.org 

Eamil: msduuoffice@aol.com 

 

 

Groups, Meetings, and Announcements

Treasurer Ray Shenefelt reports that the white elephant sale produced a net of $331.20. This income will be applied to the 'fund raising' category in the budget. Items which did not sell and were not reclaimed by the givers were sent to charity. Thanks to all who contributed goods and who worked in connection with the sale - you made this possible.

And more observations about that sale:

• This sale will probably become an annual event. The next time we do this we need to make sure that we (1) have a sufficiently large crew present on set-up day to get the goods and equipment moved to the site efficiently and promptly; (2) have more members available to take a turn at the booth during the sale (3) and have an adequate crew ready to tackle clean up at the end of the sale. When everyone pitches in with a little effort great things are accomplished!

• Would you believe a chubby fellow looking through a clothes stack bet he wouldn't find anything big enough to fit him since Unitarians are so thin?!

• And a special thanks goes to the shopper who found a dollar bill on the floor and said, "I want to give it to the Unitarians" (which she did!).

 

Saturday, September 6: The Power of Intent group session will be facilitated by Lelon Thompson from 10:00 am to 11:00 am (cost $5/person). Messages from the Light follow, from 11:00 am to noon (cost $5/person).

Friday, September 12: is the deadline for applications to The Committee on Committees of the UUA Board of Trustees for a vacancy on the Committee on Socially Responsible Investing (CSRI). Links to further information about CSRI and to the online Committee on Committees application form can be found at www.uua.org/committees 

Friday, September 12: is the deadline for applications to The Committee on Committees of the UUA Board of Trustees for a layperson vacancy on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MCF) to fill out the remainder of a term until December 31, 2009. Links to further information about the MFC and to the online Committee on Committees application form can be found at www.uua.org/committees 

Saturday, September 13, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm: UUCJ Board of Trustees Annual Retreat and Board Meeting

Saturday, September 13: A Spiritual Support group session will be facilitated by Lelon Thompson from 10:00 am to 11:00 am (cost $5/person). The Intuitive Development noon (cost $5/person).

Saturday, September 13, 7:00 pm: our congregation has been invited to enjoy a traditional Turkish Ramadan dinner by the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue at their new office in North Regency Square in Ridgeland. It’s at 900 East County Line Road, in Suite 201A on the second floor above AJ’s Restaurant. (Note that this will not be a community-wide dinner like the Institute has previously served at the end of Ramadan. It offers UUCJ a unique opportunity to strengthen our connections to the Muslim community in Mississippi.) Call Sabri at 601-212-8668 if you need additional information or directions.

Sunday, September 14: please consider a special offering for the Gulf Coast UU Church remembrance of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (as well as to offer continued support after Hurricane Gustov) that will help the GCUUC as it struggles to rebuild its congregation after Katrina’s devastation.

Saturday, September 20: The Power of Intent group session will be facilitated by Lelon Thompson from 10:00 am to 11:00 (cost $5/person). Messages from the Light -- channeled group and individual messages -- will follow, from 11:00 to noon (cost $5/person).

Sunday, September 21: Third Sunday Potluck Lunch immediately following the worship service: Bring a dish to share as we break bread together!

Sunday, September 21: Town Hall Meeting Following the Potluck luncheon UUCJ will hold the first of three “town meetings” scheduled this year for discussions on proposed by-law changes.

Saturday, September 27: A Spiritual Support group session will be led by Lelon Thompson from 10:00 am to 11:00 am (cost $5/person). The Intuitive Development class will then follow from 11:00 to noon (cost $5/person).

Saturday, September 27 at 7:00 pm: 4th Saturday Film Night Call It Democracy fascinating, thought-provoking documentary opens a much-needed bi-partisan discussion about America’s flawed electoral process, urging us to look at the hypocrisies inherent in the system and to undertake the reform needed to ensure that every vote truly counts. Join us at UUCJ for this thought-provoking film with a discussion to follow. For more information contact Stacy Callender at vp-re@uujackson.org

Friday 6:30 pm – Saturday 12:30 pm, October 3 – 4: Imagining a New Global Spirituality: Mysticism, Faith, & Ethics for the Twenty-first-Century by the D. L. Dykes, Jr. Foundation in association with the Religious Studies program at Millsaps College. More information and registration forms are available at www.faithandreason.org 

Friday – Saturday, October 10-11: UP! Teams meet at MSD’s Healthy Congregation Conference in Birmingham, AL.

Saturday, October 11: Mid-South District’s HEALTHY CONGREGATION CONFERENCE More information can be obtained by contacting junebryant@cox.net 

Wednesday – Sunday, October 15-19: Unitarian Universalist Womenspirit Institute (& Gathering) The Mountain Retreat and Learning Centers, Highlands, NC. Learn the many ways you can Listen for the Sacred all around you. Green your spirit and the earth through experiential workshops, participatory worship, networking with like-minded women, and just plain fun. For more information visit www.uuwomenspirit.org 

 

Deadline for submissions to the October UUCJ NUUSletter: Septembert 18. Please send your submissions to NUUSletter@uujackson.org.