October 1998

What’s going on....

Fall is in the air! Jack Ford has returned to fill the pulpit the first and third Sundays of each month, and our program committee continues to provide interesting and diverse services on the other Sundays each month. All of which brings us together for individual spiritual and intellectual growth, in community with each other. Contact our program committee - Charles Judah (chair), Theresa Thompson, Tom Hallock, Betty Derrick, and Carol Stiles - with suggestions for programs. The newsletter this month is filled with various other activities! RE programs promise to be exciting and fulfilling (Janet’s column). Consider also, participating in the larger UU denomination through district and national retreats/ conferences/ meetings in the upcoming year (Steve’s column). Our youth have already completed one interesting trip (Rhett’s article), and Molly provides us with a report on an important local volunteer opportunity. This month’s newsletter includes two more critical issues and related events, one here in Valdosta. Finally, we offer this thank you for your support; even for just picking up this newsletter and reading it through, we are that much more informed and in community with each other. Now we can ask the questions: what can we do for you? And how can we, as a spiritually diverse congregation, help you get there?

A Wedding Party!

Join Molly Scholz and Doug Fraser on Friday, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m. until ? to help them celebrate their recent nuptials! Mexican buffet supper and wedding videos (bring yours!) will be the theme of the evening. Contact Molly and Doug to coordinate food.

October Games Night!

Saturday, October 3, 7:00 p.m. Bring a friend, a game, a snack to share if you wish, and a dollar donation. The games begin around 7:00 p.m. and will continue until….? Call René

or Julie for more information.

Women’s Group

Women’s Group meets the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. We are currently discussing "The Bible According to Eve," by Cullen Murphy, U.S. News and World Report, Aug. 10, 1998. This article concerns recent feminist interpretations of the Bible by various authors (contact Carol if you would like a copy, even if you cannot attend). Similar (or completely different!) articles/books/projects are welcomed - please bring them with you!

We gather for good food and company and sharing, in the presence of women, various activities. Join us, Oct 6 and Oct 20, 7 p.m.

Break Bread Together

If you can deliver meals the 1^st and 5^th Tuesdays of each month beginning about 11:00 a.m., please contact Carol Stiles. Meal delivery only takes about an hour of your time. If everyone does this once a year, that’s all it takes to keep our participation active in this very worthwhile program!

Adult Religious Education

Adult R.E. is watching and discussing Bill Moyer’s series on World Religions. Anyone interested, meet at 9:30 a.m. Sundays at the church! Contact Janet Andersen or Hue Jacobs.

Board Meeting

Next board meeting will be held the 3^rd Sunday, Oct. 18. Time to be announced.

Committees

The Internship committee for Jack Ford’s internship will meet Oct. 11 for the final evaluation.

Membership directory/e-mail contacts: We would like to compile a directory of UU-Valdosta members and friends. Jack Ford will contact each of you to find out 1) if you would like to be included in the directory, and 2) what information you wish to list (name, address, phone, e-mail, etc.)
In addition, if you have an e-mail address, please let us know, so that we may inform you as to late-breaking news and events. Give or send your e-mail address to Carol Stiles at
cranfun@peachnet.campus.mci.net

And don’t forget our website! If you lose your newsletter, or want to link to other UU sites, go to http://geocities.datacellar.net/SoHo/1918/

Earl Daniels, now of Macon, continues to maintain the site and post our newsletters. (Now that’s dedication…. thanks, Earl!)

Coffee House - coming soon!

Our next coffee house is being planned for Friday, November 13, listen for details!! The Board voted to donate a portion of the proceeds of this coffee house to LAMP. Planning meetings will begin early in October. Let us (Molly, Doug, Rene, Carol) know of talented musicians/ writers / actors who would like to participate!!

Religious Education News The RE parents met Sunday, Sept 13th, for a potluck lunch and discussion of the goals and curriculum of our RE programs. The following is a tentative set of goals for students in grades K - 12:

I need more input as soon as possible regarding these goals from parents and other interested church members. I hope to put together a leaflet about our RE program for prospective parents and visitors.

The Youth group will be using the "Neighboring Faith" curriculum, which explores world and local religions, as well as the "Messages in Music" curriculum, which uses music to see how UU principles appear in the culture around us. The elementary students will start the Fall with an ecology and nature curriculum. Students will first finish their summer craft projects: leather belts and wooden rope signs.

The student UU RE program also likes to include a community project and a church project per semester. The church project this fall will be to introduce our church to the "Guest at our Table" project, a UU Service Committee campaign. It will start the 1st of November and culminate a month later with a chalice-light dinner for the church. Maybe it will become a Valdosta UU tradition!

For the elementary RE students, Hue Jacobs suggested participation in the Orlie West Housing Project beautification of the grounds initiative on Oct 24th. This is a "Neighbors Working with Neighbors" project, nationwide on this date. Albert Sloan is contriving to have the youth group be the "green room" band support at the Downtown Valdosta Night Happening on Halloween weekend. We will hear more about both of these events soon, and will confirm details of our participation then.

I would like to give a big thanks and recognition to Julie Halter, Delane and Albert Slone, Teresa Bibin, Virginia Branan, Doug Fraser, Molly Scholz, and Laurel Hahlen for all their help, leadership and support with the RE program this past year.

If you have any questions, suggestions for community and church projects, ideas and/or complaints, please contact me, Janet Andersen.

--Submitted by Janet Andersen, RE Director

Ryan White Consortium

[Ed. note: Molly Scholz has volunteered to attend the AIDS/Ryan White consortium meetings. This consortium is a grant-based educational and outreach program of the Department of Health, District Office, with participation from home health agencies, and others from the Valdosta community and region.]

The Ryan White Consortium met Thursday, September 10^th, to discuss the following items, among other business:

• A volunteer manual for the "buddy program" has been completed; the next step is finding and training volunteers. (I personally volunteered to help with the buddy program, and may be asking if anyone else in our congregation would like to participate.)
• It is estimated that there are 30,000 HIV cases in Georgia.
• The 11th annual World AIDS Day will be Dec. 1, 1998. The theme will be "Focus for Change," a campaign aimed at young people. Worldwide, five young people are infected with HIV every four minutes. Activities will probably involve a state-funded presentation aimed at youth, and a "Focus for Change" walk. --Submitted by Molly Scholz

President’s Corner

Dear Valdosta U.U.`S,

I would like to alert you all to some upcoming dates in the Florida District U.U. Calendar in the hope that some of you would like to go and participate in some of these events. For those of you who weren`t aware of this fact, the Valdosta church is in the Florida District. These District events are a great way to become more involved in "larger" U.U. activities and meet some really interesting people.

• 10/2-3 Fall Leadership Conference, Orlando
• 10/16-18 Women & Religion Retreat, U.U. in the Pines
• 10/24 Planned Giving Workshop, Tallahassee
• 10/31 Florida Leadership School, Oviedo

I`ll have more complete information posted on the church bulletin board and you can also see me.

Another issue concerning Board meeting dates: save the third Sunday of each month, after the regular service, for these meetings so that we can take advantage of Jack`s presence. Of course, every member is invited to participate. Cheers! Steve

The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center is an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association, located atop Little Scaly Mountain near Highlands, NC, (about two hours from Atlanta).

The website address is:

http://themountain.uua.org/mountain

Calendar of events:

• Oct. 2 - 4 UU Fall Womenspirit Gathering
• Oct. 23 - 25 UU Men's Fellowship Retreat
• Oct. 23 - 25 Mountain Autumn UU Institute (MAUUI)
• Nov. 6 - 8 Senior High CONference
• Dec. 4 - 6 Junior High CONference
• Dec. 23 - 26 Christmas on the Mountain
• Dec. 26 - 29 Senior High Winter Break
• Dec. 30 - Jan. 2 New Year's on The Mountain
• Jan. 15 - 17 Senior High Youth CONference

UU Activities and Announcements

Check the bulletin boards in the church and R.E. building for information on the following events:

• Oct 2-3, Fall Leadership Conference, "One Strong Body: The Anatomy of a Healthy Congregation." Rev. Anne Heller, leader, First Unitarian Church, Orlando, FL.
• Oct 16 - 18, Women and Religion Retreat, UU-in-the-Pines.
• Oct 24, Endowment and Planned Giving Workshop, UUC - Tallahassee, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Oct 30 - Nov 1, All Age Con - YRUU, Orlando
• Oct 31 - Nov 7, The Florida Leadership School, Canterbury Retreat Center, Oviedo (near Orlando).
• Nov 13-15, Social Action #1 - YRUU,
• UU-in-the Pines
• Nov 27-29, Fish Eating Creek - YRUU
• Dec 26 - Southeast Unitarian Universalist Winter Institute of Miami (SWIM), Camp Owissa Bauer, Homestead, FL
• Jan 7 - 9, A Multicultural Renaissance Module, Jacqui James, UUA diversity specialist, and Andrea Lerner, DRE, Orlando, leaders, UU - Gainesville.

Youth Group Attends YouthCon

Over the weekend of September 4-6, the Unitarian Universalists of Valdosta Youth Group attended a youth conference in Niceville, Florida. This was the first time the semi-new youth group had been to a youth conference, so we went without any preconceived notions. Here's an outline of the weekend's events.

Jennifer, Alex, Daniel, and Laurel (chaperone) were the first members to arrive at the church. The group played games and were introduced to many new people on the first night as a 'get to know your peers' introduction. After a sleepless night for a few of our church's own, it was Saturday morning already.

On Saturday morning, Jessica and I (Rhett) arrived at the church. There were discussion groups followed by different events such as making a mosaic and meditation. Alex chose the former and the rest of us the latter.

Later that day the group went to the beach for 6 hours followed by dinner and a sunset worship service on the beach. That night a talent show was held with everything from dancing feet to aspiring solo musicians. And at last we had Lovefeast, in which we all gathered in a darkly lit room and fed each other food.

Sunday we had breakfast and walked down to the beach. Everyone gathered for pictures and read poems. Afterwards we cleaned up the church and said our good-byes to our new friends.

I think everyone walked away from the youth conference with something, may it be physical, spiritual, or emotional. The youth group has also expressed interest in attending more get-togethers in the future. I would like to thank our patient chaperones/drivers, Laurel Hahlen, Doug Fraser, and Molly Scholz. We couldn't have done it without you!

--submitted by Rhett,
Youth Ambassador

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

"Be patient!" : the injunction from a friend and passenger as I was driving through the streets of Jacksonville one day. He was responding to some thoughtless statement I had made about another driver. He sees me only as a friend, and calls the shots without deference. This can be an aggravating but also a refreshing practice among best of friends. To remove our masks, to be exposed and challenged, is to begin to grow beyond our limitations and to be enlightened.

His simple admonition caught me by surprise. "But I am patient. Don't tell me to be patient!" The more my ego speaks, the more transparent become its defenses. Once I had recovered from the slight of his rebuke, I could begin the learning process and the transformation. Patience became the keynote for the day. I resolved to guard my responses, to refrain from reacting thoughtlessly to my environment. I would engage for all that day in self-examination.

Out of this one small experience grew a week of personal discipline and growth. I decided to choose one main theme per day and consciously to practice that chosen behavior, attitude or principle in my day's activities. This has now become my latest spiritual exercise, my daily form of meditation.

I give thanks for friends who see us as we are when we hide from ourselves. I give thanks for a religion which empowers us with principles and purposes as guidelines for our daily living. I give thanks for opportunities to grow. Love and peace,

Issues of Serious Note:

Protests in Valdosta

Two protests were held recently in Valdosta, the most recent a peaceful march held Saturday, Sep. 19, to bring attention to and protest the recent death of a black inmate at the Lowndes County jail. Another organizational meeting was held Sunday evening, Sept. 20, which was attended by Jack, Kathy, Lauren, Laurel, Steve and Janet. Jack Ford also returned on Friday, Sept. 25, to attend a meeting called to get more involvement from area white ministers and support from white members of the community. At the September 20^th meeting, Rev. Floyd Rose from The Church at Pine Hill, Valdosta, was elected leader of a new group whose purpose at this point is to look carefully into the deaths at the Lowndes County jail. Jack Ford is in contact with Rev. Rose - individuals wishing to have more information and to be involved with this organization may contact Jack or any of the people mentioned above.

UUA - Boy Scouts

Conflict between the Unitarian Universalist Association and Boy Scouts of America continues after the BSA sent a letter asking UU congregations to stop awarding "Religion in Life" awards. The UUA has offered to meet with the BSA, but to date there has been no response from BSA regarding this potential dialogue. The following website contains a petition begun by a UU group in Virginia protesting the BSA’s demand: http://bsaprotest.org/

In addition, the recent issue of the Florida District newsletter, The Sunshine (see bulletin board), the UUA publication, The World, and the UUA main website <http://uua.org/> have much more information including complete copies of the correspondence between the UUA and the BSA, media coverage of this conflict and links to other sites. Some of our families are involved in scouting and in the summer of 1997, several of our young people completed the "Religion in Life" award which is given to Boy Scouts who complete the program provided by their chosen church.

On a lighter note - a refresher in UU-ism, our "sources."

(The second component of our UU principles)

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Why Go to Church?

(Words Toward an Answer)

We go to church in expectancy, to find the missing part, to relate what we can never explain, to live with unanswerable questions.

We go to church because we are looking for something of life's fulfillment, a fleeting sense that we wish to make life whole, to find the point of our existence, what the great religions have called God, however we state it.

We go to church because we are looking for human fellowship, a community where we think of helping one another rather than exploiting one another.

We go to church seeking composure to face a world of confusion with its many problems, some of which may be solved, and the predicaments that may have resolutions but not solutions, and must be faced over and over in life, calling for courage and decision.

We go to church to find the strength to go the second mile, to offer forgiveness, to make amends, to find, the good within evil, the healing beyond hurt, to rise again after we have fallen.

We go to church suspicious of its obvious weaknesses, but still feeling the pull of many centuries of humans who have found faith and renewed their lives, who have moved beyond the hobbling traditions and renewed their minds with a vision of what life may be.

We go to church because we believe that there is the possibility of having a living faith, aware that we may not understand all that we believe, nor believe all that we understand, but even so, we may confront life with a ready mind and an open heart.

We go to church because we wish to find channels to help us express faith and hope and love.

Dr. Ralph N. Halverson
The First Unitarian Church,
North Palm Beach, Florida

UU Worship: Variations on a Theme

The reading above was incorporated into the Sept. 27 church service, a workshop on our Unitarian Universalist worship service. The workshop was facilitated by Theresa Thompson (with help from Carol Stiles). Many great ideas and opinions were expressed regarding the content, organization, likes and dislikes, i.e., the spiritual (or not-so-spiritual) "feel" of our services. Thank you, all, for your participation and input!! Now, here’s a challenge (spiritual request?) from the newsletter editor: Write a sentence or two describing why YOU "go to church," and they will be published as a collective writing (each part anonymous) in a future newsletter. Send/give your contributions to Carol Stiles by e-mail: cranfun@peachnet.campus.mci.net

Okay! You’re almost there!! I know this is a long issue, but there is much going on this month..... next month, you (and I, hopefully) get a break. But, articles for the November issue are still due Oct. 15. Thanks, everyone for all the submissions for this issue! --Carol