What’s going on.... August 1999

A Month of "Nature" In August, we will focus on our relationship with nature in various ways. The UU-Valdosta Program committee has set up a series of Sunday services that will center around Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, "Nature." Tom Hallock, member of the Program committee, describes Emerson and the essay: "Emerson is a foundational thinker for Unitarian-Universalists, and we look forward to seeing how -- and if – we can bring Waldo to life for our time. It is not necessary to read the essay in order to participate, but the piece is a hoot and definitely worth a looksie." For those who wish to take a look at the essay, copies are available at the church; if you have access to the Internet, you can link to a copy of the essay through our website address (above). Contact Tom or a member of the program committe - Virginia, Theresa, Carol or Betty - for more information. The month of "Nature" will start off with a program on adopting-a-stream, and end on a practical note with a presentation by Teresa and Frank Bibin, on organic farming. Join us, as we explore our relationship with nature, through essay and application!
The Program Committee met on August 11, and now has a great schedule lined up for the fall months at UU-Valdosta. If you have ideas for speakers, suggestions, or comments about our services, please contact them. If you wish to lead a service or be a part of the program at a service, they will be happy to work with you! This is a lay-led congregation: the more people involved, the better we will be! As a congregation, we are the ministry for Unitarian Universalism in Valdosta!

Games Night!

Sat., Aug 7, 7:00 p.m. Call René or Julie for more information.

Church Cleanup!!
The UU-Valdosta board has designated Sunday, August 15, as a major cleanup day at the church. Please plan to be a part of the usual 3^rd Sunday potluck after the service, and stay to cleanup and revitalize the church, inside and out, before our fall programs start! The board meeting will also be held this day.
While casual clothes are always welcome at our services, this might be a particularly good Sunday to practice being casual (and prepared to work off some of that great UU food!)

Religious Education
The Religious Education groups will not meet for any of June, July, or August, with Religious Education classes resuming on Sunday, September 12th (weekend after Labor Day). Watch for announcements of a planning meeting later this summer.
--Wendy Sue Lamb

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 Virginia Branan.

Women’s Group
Join us for good food and great company, the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Suggestions for fall activities are welcomed!

Gems from Judah
Most religions and churches exist for the ultimate purpose of preparing people for the hereafter. Since we are not hereafter our hereafter, we must be hereafter something other than the hereafter. So what is it that we are hereafter? I believe it is contained in our mission statement.
We are a people that are committed to a worthy cause of building a community. Not just any community but a community of people that are accepting and loving to others as well as to ourselves. When we love and accept ourselves it has a tendency to emulate out to others as in, "love thy neighbor as thyself." It is easy to love those that love and accept us. Pure love is to be able to accept and love those that we feel don't love us. This includes our families, business associates, neighbors and especially those of other religions. Do we do this in deed and actions or is love and acceptance just some platitude we say to make us feel good?
What can I do to manifest this acceptance and love to myself, this congregation, and world as a whole?
How about joining Tom in adopting a stream.
How about showing up for a non violence meeting
How about adopting a stretch of the highway
How about delivering a meal.
How about being the first to greet a newcomer at the door.
How about thanking a member whom you see doing a good deed.
How about speaking and greeting someone that you may fell apprehensive about.
How about offering a hug to someone.
How about offering.
How about doing an act of kindness without anyone knowing.
How about thanking people that offer advice.
How about getting to know people that you think are different.
How about forgiving someone that you hold a grudge against even though you can justify your resentment.
How about making amends to someone that you have wronged.
How about not judging the actions of others as wrong or immoral.
How about not belittling others or their religion.
How about making up some of your own and adding to this list.
Remember, we teach others who we are by what we say and do.

Book Discussion
Joan Cline has suggested the following book for reading and discussion: The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink, Pantheon Books, NY, 1995. This book was translated from the German by Carol Brown Janeway, and comes highly recommended by Joan, and also by Charles Judah. (It is also one of "Oprah’s books...")

You may obtain it at area book stores, or Joan and Charles each have copies that may be available for borrowing. Joan will host a book discussion in September - watch and listen for more details!

Social Action Committee
While we have several members and friends who are actively involved with various organizations, social concerns, and events in the community, it would be great if we could get organized and begin participating as a church, as well, so this is an open invitation to anyone interested in joining the Social Action Committee.
Please let me know what your interests are, and suggest a meeting day and time
Thanks, Laurel Hahlen

UU-Valdosta Committees
Program Committee
Virginia Branan, Chair
Ministerial Relations (appt. by Board)
Let Charles know on which committee you would like to participate!
Virginia Branan Theresa Thompson
Albert Slone
Religious Education
Social Action
Music
Fundraising and Canvassing
Building and Grounds
Newsletter and Publicity Relations
Caring Committee
Denominational Affairs

Membership?
Curious about membership in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta? Contact Charles Judah or Tom Hallock of the Membership Committee.

Community News and Announcements
The "Lowndes/Valdosta Against Violence" group meets the second Thursday of each month, 4:00 p.m., at Temple Israel, 511 Baytree Rd. Contact Rabbi Haim Cassorla for more information. (Rabbi Cassorla spoke at UU-Valdosta on July 18; he is a founder and leader of this group, the mission of which is to work again violence in this region. There are a number of events coming up this fall, which are collaborations between L/V Against Violence and other groups and agencies in the area. Contact Rabbi Cassorla for more information.)

South Georgia Pride Picnic
The first annual(?) South Georgia Pride Picnic for the LGBT community (and friends) will be held Saturday, July 31, from 12pm-until ?, at Reed-Bingham State Park. The St. Francis Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) will provide the main course; everyone else is asked to bring either a dessert, vegetable, or salad. If you have any questions and to RSVP, contact Tracy or JB of the MCC church.

At the Church-in-the-Woods....
Cardio Karate - Now meeting at the UU Church on Tuesdays and Fridays, 7:00 - 8:15 pm. Call Albert and Delane Slone at for more information.
Tai Chi The Tai Chi group meets Monday and Thursday evenings. Contact Dennis Bogyo or Luana Goodwin.

Jim Ingram receives Florida District award!
At the UUA Florida District annual meeting in April, Jim Ingram was awarded the District’s 1999 "Unsung UU" award! At one of our services in May, he was presented with a hand-lettered and framed certificate with this description of the Unsung UU award: "To recognize a lay or professional person who has made a significant contribution to UU or the practice of UU principles."
The following letter from Steve Andersen (last year’s UU-Valdosta president) was written to nominate Jim for this prestigious award. We congratulate Jim! His contributions and this recognition reflect the mission and outreach activities of our congregation as a whole, here in Valdosta and the south Georgia region.

Feb. 28, 1998
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta wishes to unanimously nominate Jim Ingram for the Unsung Unitarian Universalist Award. Jim and his family are the only remaining charter members of the UU Church of Valdosta having lived through all of its ups and downs since the middle 1960's.
Jim wouldn't say so, but he is one of Georgia's leading architects and has many public commissions across the state to his credit. With more than a full schedule at work, Jim has volunteered his time to design our wonderful new church buildings. He has led the way in every aspect of their conception and development, from finding the land, to clearing the site, working personally in every aspect of their construction, designing and building an alter, and leading the congregation through all the financial machinations which made it all possible. From what we understand Jim has quietly played the same leadership role with every building that the church has used in the past.

As a financial and political conservative, Jim has occasionally had to endure a rather contrary tide from many in the congregation during our Sunday service discussion time, but has always done so with tolerable good humor. In a quiet unobtrusive way Jim has given us an historic perspective that has led us to do things which we would have otherwise thought were financially impossible. It is safe to say that Valdosta would not have its present new terrific UU church buildings without Jim. We often look at our buildings in awe as this was no small accomplishment for a congregation of 40 members in the "bible belt" of South Georgia. We think of our new church buildings as a beacon of light for liberal religion here in South Georgia, and we thank Jim for that.
We think he is a super nominee for the District Unsung UU Award.
Most Sincerely,
Steve Andersen
President [1998-99]
UU Church of Valdosta

UU-Valdosta magnets available! Need a way to let your new neighbors and friends know that UU-Valdosta is here in the community? We have magnets! These magnets are being included in mailings publicizing our church to potential newcomers to Valdosta. They are available for donations of 25 cents (or more!) on the counter near the kitchen. They are green print on white background, with our chalice, and the words "Welcome to our Community" along with all the pertinent details, times of our services, how to contact us, etc.

New Member Profile: Our new member featured this month is Joan E. Cline. Joan was born and raised in Berlin, Germany. She attended business college in Germany, then later earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s in English Education from Valdosta State College. In fact, among her accomplishments, she lists earning these degrees at age 40, as well as raising six kids, and being married for 38 years! Her children are Monica Brockway, Michael Cline, Joni Wright, Rita Dearman, Thomas Cline, Robert Cline, and 4 grandchildren as well.
Joan met her husband while he was stationed in the U.S. military in Germany (ask her to tell you this story sometime!). She came to the U.S. in 1958, lived in Ohio, then Alamogordo, New Mexico. The family then lived in Taiwan for five years from 1963-1968, returning to live in El Paso, Texas, before moving to Adel in 1971. Joan moved to Valdosta in 1996. She learned about UU-Valdosta from Margo Cline, her daughter-in-law, came to one of our coffeehouses in February, 1998, and joined the church in Fall, 1998. Joan has been active in the coffeehouse, women’s group, and many other activities of the church. Welcome, Joan!

UU Activities and Announcements
Check the bulletin boards in the church and R.E. building for information on the following events:
Aug 27-29, Second Annual Florida District
YRUU Advisor Training, Lake Region UU
Fellowship, Lakeland, FL
Sep 25, NE Cluster meeting, Daytona Beach,
"Make a Joyful Noise – Using the Hymnal in
Worship"
Oct 15-17, Women and Religion Retreat at UU in the Pines, "A Village of Women & Children"
Oct 22-23, Fall Leadership Conference,
"A Home for Every Florida Unitarian Universalist," Rev. Clark Olsen, presenter, Orlando
Nov 7-13, Florida Leadership School, Oviedo
"The View That Refreshes."

Editor’s Note:
Deadline for articles for The Flaming Chalice is the 15^th of each month.
Contact Carol Stiles
1951 E. Park Ave., Valdosta, GA 31602
e-mail: cranfun@peachnet.campuscwix.net

Thank You, Thank You
For delivering Break Bread Together meals this summer: Virginia Branan, Jason Halter, Robert Dixon, Andrea and Casey Price

The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center is an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association, near Highlands, NC, (about two hours from Atlanta).
Website: http://themountain.uua.org/mountain
e-mail: mountain@dnet.net
Phone: 828-526-5838

Aug 27-29
Creating the Magic of Wolfsong X, a Native
American Peace Conference.

UU in The Pines
....a year round, rustic Conference Center in West Central Florida's rolling hills, 40 miles north of Tampa. Thirteen acres with towering oaks and pines houses sleeping, dining and workshop
facilities. Home cooked meals, outdoor adventures, and quiet, rural atmosphere renew body, mind and spirit. Groups and individuals welcome. Contact: 7029 Cedar Lane Brooksville FL 34601 uupines@pro-scat.cts.com