Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson

NUUSLETTER

 A Newsletter for our Members and Friends

November 2008 - Web Edition

Our mission as a church of faith and reason is to promote justice, welcome diversity and serve with love

We resolve
to be a religious community, welcoming diversity and respecting human beings and our environment;
to be a church of faith and reason, nurturing the life journeys of those who join their strength to ours;
to be a progressive fellowship, promoting justice, and cultivating religious freedom;
to be a caring neighbor, invigorating the greater Jackson community while renewing ourselves from within.

  President's Corner

 

As I told you last month in this column, on September 13, 2008, your Board of Trustees spent the day in retreat, talking about our hopes and visions and goals for our congregation during this church year.  I also shared with you last month the fact that we spent time talking about what went incredibly right during the past church year and I promised to share the list with you at a later date.  It is a long list, but I want you to see it: 

• MPB radio spots
• By Laws revisions
• Offerings for special needs
• Habitat participation
• Strong RE program
• Redistribution of work
• Strong Board
• Regular and timely newsletter
• Strong programming for Sundays
• Music/choir
• Nuusletter distribution by e-mail
• Organized e-mail list
• Color newsletter features
• White elephant sale
• More information in the newsletter
• Caring folks
• Participating congregation in Sunday programs
• Planning grid and calendar for Sunday programs
• Auditable financial books
• Steady growth
• Greeter
• Lunch bunch
• Young couples and families
• Roles clarified in RE
• More adults participating in children’s RE
• RE for adults
• Rearranged RE space
• Renovated RE space
• Beginning YAC participation

Much of this success and growth is due to a very hard working Board.  Much more of it is due to dedication and commitment of our members and friends who care very much about this Beloved Community which we call our spiritual home.  Again, if a Board member asks you, please do whatever is in your capability to help with a commitment.  State clearly what you are able to do and follow up on it as quickly as you can. We have an extraordinary opportunity this year to build on our achievements and strengthen our presence for each other and the larger community.  

Blessin’s on ya!

Gwen Combs 

From The Desk of the DRE

 

Religious Education / Religious Exploration

We have 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) Leader: Dary Shenefelt & helper Curriculum: Celebrating Me and My World     9:30-10:30: Supervised free play 10:30-11:00: Snack time 11:00-12:30: Preschool Religious Ed		Young UUs (6 yrs & up) Leader: Susan Knipe Topic: HUNGER     9:30-10:30: Supervised free play 10:30-11:00: Snacks and conversation 11:00-11:15: Adult worship 11:15-12:15: Children/Youth Religious Ed
This month our children will engage in lessons to develop their self-identity and connectedness with all of life. A hearty WELCOME to all of our recent visitors: Gracie, Nicholas, Shane, Matt, Cameron, and Charlie! We have really enjoyed your visits and hope to see you again soon!		This month our children and youth will focus on the social justice issue of HUNGER. We will learn how this issue impacts our world and local community. Then we’ll explore and engage in a variety of social justice actions to address the concerns we find.

  

 

           SUNDAY R.E. SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER 2008

 

 November 2

            Chalice Children: Celebrating Me and My World – Dary Shenefelt & David Voisin

            Young UUs: Social Justice: Hunger – Susan Knipe

November 9

            Chalice Children: Celebrating Me and My World – Dary Shenefelt & Judy Williams

            Young UUs: Social Justice: Hunger – Susan Knipe

November 16

            Chalice Children: Celebrating Me and My World – Dary Shenefelt & Waverly Liles

            Young UUs: Stone Soup Intergenerational Service

November 23

            Chalice Children: Celebrating Me and My World – Dary Shenefelt & Elise Morse-Gagne

            Young UUs: Social Justice: Hunger – Susan Knipe

November 30

            Chalice Children: Celebrating Me and My World – Dary Shenefelt & Jody Gore

            Young UUs: Social Justice: Hunger – Susan Knipe

Intergenerational Opportunities: We will have an intergenerational Stone SOup Service on November 16th. Please be sure to attend! As always, children and youth ages 6 and up are encouraged to attend the beginning of every worship service.

 

UUCJ Youth: All youth (ages 14-18) are encouraged to participate in upcoming CONfront the School of America held in Auburn , AL on November 21^st-23^rd. These youth events are supported by the Mid-South District. Please contact Scott Weaver, MSD Trustee for Youth, at sweaver@firstuunashville.org for more information.

 

We are developing an introductory U.U. 101 class for those who want to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and a follow-up U.U. 102 series to explore the seven principles and six sources. Look for information about these classes coming this spring. Also, we are still taking registration for our Adult OWL class. Contact Susan Knipe or Diana Barnes to participate. 

 

O.W.L. (Our Whole Lives)

We are still recruiting! We still have openings in our OWL classes for Jr./ Sr. High youth and adults! This outstanding, fun comprehensive sexuality education curricula allows participants to explore physical, social, emotional, cultural, and spiritual aspects of our sexuality across our lives.

 

To sign up for our adult class, contact Susan Knipe or Diana Barnes.

 

To sign up your youth (ages 13-17) contact Susan Knipe, Amy Griggs, or Brian Heffner. Parents must attend an orientation before their youth can attend!

 

For any additional information, please contact these or the DRE, Stacy Callender (email: vp-re@uujackson.org)

This is an exciting opportunity for UUCJ to offer the first comprehensive sexuality education course in Mississippi ! Be a part of making history!

How You Can Help

Children & Youth: If you have knowledge about efforts to address HUNGER in our local community, please contact Susan Knipe or Stacy Callender about providing your time or talent to assist with our Young UUs. Also, we need nursery helpers or people willing to read A Story for All Ages in service.

Adult:  Do you have a special talent or hobby that you would be willing to share? Do you have insight into a particular religious tradition? We’re recruiting people to lead or help with an Adult Religious Exploration class or workshop in the spring. It could be a creative arts class or a meditation group—whatever you would like to share. Please contact the DRE and/or the R.E. Committee to live out our 3^rd Principle! 

 

R.E. Committee – First Sunday of the Month – after service

The R.E. Committee meets on the first Sunday of the month after service. This month we will discuss the Stone Soup intergenerational service, recruiting volunteers for RE help, and renovating the RE Building.

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

 

Buildings and Grounds By Brian Heffner

We all are aware that maintaining our facility takes time and effort.  What are routine tasks that need our attention in order of us to be a welcoming congregation each week for ourselves and for our guests?

Remember not long ago our congregation decided to purchase a lawnmower so that we could 'pitch-in' and maintain the grounds ourselves. (The terrain of our front lawn and the characteristics of our back yard left us in an awkward position when no mowing service would except us as a client.)  We selected a great mower (Honda), got a great bargain (with a rebate!) and a member family made a $200 donation to supplement the modest amount  available in the budget for the purchase.  Now we need more volunteers to take a turn with this useful machine.  Other areas of routine maintenance that can need attention on Fifth Saturday Chore Days include:

  OUTSIDE:

• removing fallen limbs and raking/blowing leaves

• picking up the litter and bits of trash that accumulate along the State Street frontage,

• improving flower beds

• inspecting shrubbery and pruning as needed,

• stirring the compost pile,

• tidying the tool shed and area behind it,  

• tidying the interior of the shed,  

• tending to the exterior of that humble tool shed,  

• inspecting the roof and cleaning out the gutters,  

• sifting the ash can on the front porch,  

• washing signage, windows, and the front door,

• scrubbing and hosing trash cans, 

 INSIDE:

• deep cleaning the RE building (Dary and Stacy have details)

• replacing light bulbs, 

• thoroughly cleaning the restrooms,

• refilling soap dispensers and paper products in the restrooms 

• cleaning the refrigerators and defrosting the freezers, 

• cleaning the stoves and microwave ovens, 

• tidying the kitchen’s cabinets and walk-in closet, 

• scrubbing stubborn scuff marks off the bottom of the doors,

• washing the glass chimneys of sanctuary lighting fixtures,

• tidying the office and dusting its blinds,

• removing spilled wax from the carpet and alter table surface

• cleaning spills and stains on chair upholstery, 

• dusting and polishing the piano, furniture, and lectern, 

• tidying the sound system armoire,

• touching up the paint on the walls of the sanctuary, 

• removing spider webs, 

• testing and replacing smoke detectors 9v batteries,

• windexing picture frame glass, 

• dusting/vacuuming all fabric art and the gong,

• cleaning glass art pieces

• and even reading newsletters from affiliated UU churches to share their ideas with the rest of us.

I am the squeaky hinge.  I draw your focus to that which is requiring our attention to preserve and improve our congregational assets.  I implore you to explore your potential to fund these projects with your pledges.  I ask you to extend the value of our pledge dollars by participating in the 5th Saturday Chore Days.  The amount of participation by members and friends during our infrequent (but valuable!) Chore Days has dropped off significantly.

Tell me how you want to build up our congregation, to maintain and to improve our congregational real estate.  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.

Pledges create the budget whereby we can afford professional maintenance ... and Fifth Saturday Chore Days along with ad hoc volunteerism extends the budget by reducing draw downs of our limited funds.  November has a fifth Saturday (the 29^th) and we will need your help that day.  It’s too much for two or three people to do.  But when we all bring a little of our time and skills to that day, the results will be delightful.  Our home will reflect our love and concern. 

Brian

 

News from the Mid-South District 

Eunice Milton Benton, District Executive

 

THE PRACTICE OF GENEROSITY

More and more Mid-South congregations are “giving away the plate” periodically – and what these congregations are finding is that this custom is creating a culture of generosity in their congregations.   Some do this as a once-a-month practice – but some are doing it almost every Sunday! 

This bigheartedness is a gift to the recipients – who may be community organizations or individuals with special needs or Unitarian Universalist congregations with special needs. 

But the real reward of this practice is felt by those who give.  Realizing that we can share out of the abundance available to us, that we can truly afford to be generous even in tight times is a gift to the human spirit.  Practicing generosity like this is spiritual practice for congregations. 

One focus of this kind of giving could be the once-a-year-day practice of giving to our UUA family.  “ASSOCIATION SUNDAY” is what we call the day, once a year, when we “give away the plate” as extra support for our family of UU congregations across the country. 

November, the time of harvest and thanksgiving, calls us to both gratitude and generosity – a time to “count our blessings” and then to share them to bless the world beyond ourselves.  It’s a good season for generosity.

Generous living is also a balm for the kind of anxious times the roller-coaster financial world is thrusting upon us.  Finding ways to live with abundance in times shot through with fears of scarcity is good spiritual practice for us all.

You can find stories about generosity at the Mid-South web site and information about “Association Sunday” at www.uua.org, the UUA web site.

Mid-South District - UUA

On the web at www.msduua.org 

Eamil: msduuoffice@aol.com 

 

Treasurer's Message

by Ray Shenefelt

Thanks to all who gave so generously to the special collection on September 14, to help the Gulf Coast UU Fellowship continue recovery from Katrina.  If you did not attend that Sunday but would like to send them a contribution, their address is PO Box 6278 , Gulfport , MS 39056 .  Ray

Groups, Meetings, and Announcements

Did you notice the changes?  The top of our Web Edition now features the mission statement we adopted last March andour vision statement which we adopted at the same time. This is who we are and what we are trying to do.  Mid-South District has encouraged each member congregation to focus on its mission in all of its endeavors.  We will be doing more of that in the months to come.

Stock up your pantry with a fresh supply of coffees, nuts, and dried fruits from our sale items in the kitchen.  A new order has replenished our stock from the free trade producers we support.

Peace House’s Jill Buckley reports that they have transformed the landscapes of all of the Park View Place houses on Wood Street thanks to the hard work of many volunteers.  Photos from the workdays are available at http://plantingpeace.shutterfly.com.  Everyone who lent a hand to this worthy project has represented us well to our community.

From Sabri Agachan:  the Institute of Interfaith Dialog,will be sharing its new offices at 900 East County Line Road, Suite 201-A in North Regency Square in Ridgeland with a sister foundation, the Raindrop Turkish House, which is a non-profit, educational, charitable, social and cultural organization founded by Turkish-Americans in Houston in 2000.   They will be offering Turkish language classes, Turkish food cooking classes, Turkish coffee nights, seminars, cultural nights, traditional dinners and more activities to introduce Turkish culture into American society and cultivate friendship and promote the understanding of diverse cultures through its unique services to the community, through dialog and corporation.  For more information visit their web site http://raindropturkevi.org and select the link for the Jackson branch.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, November 1, 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).

Saturday, November 8, 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, November 15: 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, November 16, Third Sunday Potluck Lunch immediately following the worship service this month will feature our version of Stone Soup.  Please remember to bring a cut-up vegetable to add to our "stone soup" and a  donation for Stewpot Community Services in the form of canned goods, warm clothing, and/or money.  All non pledge plate donations that day will be given to the agency.

Sunday, November 16:  Town Hall Meeting Following the Stone Soup luncheon UUCJ will hold the final of three “town meetings” scheduled this year for discussions on proposed by-law changes.

Friday, November 21, at 5:30 pm:  Board of Trustees meeting  UUCJ’s Board meetings are open to all.

Saturday, November 22,  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).

Friday, November 28, 4^th Friday Film Night:  is cancelled for November and December due to the Holidays. It will resume in January with the film DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM (67min) by Bari Pearlman. See ya then!

Saturday, November 29, is our 5^th-Saturday Work Day from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. There is much to be done. Brian will be on hand to coordinate cleaning into the late afternoon, as needed to assure that all needed tasks are completed. Join the crew anytime.  Even late comers will find plenty to do.

***** New deadline for NUUS submissions -- Now due on the 15th ****

Deadline for submissions to the December UUCJ NUUSletter: November 15. Please send your submissions to NUUSletter@uujackson.org.