The election of officers for the upcoming year was held at the annual congregational meeting on May 9. The officers for 1999-2000 will be as follows:

• President: Charles Judah
• Vice-president: Virginia Branan
• Treasurer: René Kerr
• Secretary: Theresa Thompson
• Religious Education Director: Wendy Sue Lamb

Other business covered at the annual meeting included presentation of the budget. A list of committees is given elsewhere in this newsletter - committee work is a great way to get involved in UU, through your choice of activities! If you have ideas for speakers, or would like to see a topic discussed, please write down your ideas and give them to Virginia Branan, as chair of the program committee. We need and want your input!

Games Night!

Sat., June 5, 7:00 p.m. Bring a snack if you wish, and your favorite game, and join us for an evening of fun! Call René or Julie for more information.

Religious Education

Women’s Group

The women’s group is reading the novel Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross. It is not necessary to read the book to participate in our evenings - join us for good food and great company, the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.

The results of the survey taken at the congregational meeting, entitled "Vision, Purpose and Planning" are posted on the church bulletin board. It dealt with the concerns of this congregation and what changes we wish to see happen.

The desires of this congregation are to renew and re-energize ourselves, increase membership, retain current members and encourage visitors to

return. This will be our number one priority in the coming year. Resistance to change to improving our status must be met with renewed vigor to object, and modify any cultural traditions, and ‘my way or no way’ assumptions that are barriers to growth and evangelism. Ooooops, there's that politically incorrect word, I mean telling the good news about who we are and what we stand for.

Lack of desire, faith and plans for growth will result in failure and may be the furtherest thing from some people's mind. If we are complacent in

where we are, believe we cannot grow, have reached some high plane of enlightenment that only a few find; then we will have to be content to sit

with our small numbers congratulating ourselves on our superiority. I mean who wants to deal with the intellectually, spiritually and cultured unwashed. However that is not us.

As we overcome these two obstacles, unbelief and resistance to change, our growth in spirituality and numbers will be the result of intense careful

planning. Congregations do not grow by magic. It is by sharing a common goal, having faith and works that will bring forth this reality. Any congregation, regardless of demographics, will grow if that group desires, works and plans for it. I believe this is us.

Owl and Wolf invite you to our den to celebrate our marriage on June 26, 1999, at 4:00 p.m.

on this joyous occasion!

A registry of GIFTS desired:

Poems, readings, songs or memories;

A musical instrument to play for us;

A joke, a smile, a tear of joy.

Editor’s Note:

Deadline for articles for The Flaming Chalice is the 15^th of each month.

• Program Committee Virginia Branan, Chair
• Ministerial Relations (appt. by Board) 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

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Concerns of the Congregation

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Ryan White Consortium

Molly Scholz attended the Ryan White (AIDS) Consortium meeting, May 13th. This Consortium and a number of other groups will sponsor a conference entitled "The Changing Faces of HIV/AIDS in the Year 2000" on Thursday, June 10th from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the VSU Continuing Education Building Auditorium (903 North Patterson Street, Valdosta). Cost: $20 VSU students/$50 all others. Nurses, social workers, physicians, teachers, clients, and others are urged to attend. Lunch is provided in the fee. Registration forms are available from Molly, Carol Stiles, or by calling VSU Continuing Education, (912) 245-6484.

New Member Profile: In this issue, we begin with some new member profiles (we’re starting with members who joined last year, so, here’s a chance to get to know them better!)

Ann Reed Bennett was born and raised here in Valdosta. She attended Valdosta High School, then the University of Georgia with degrees in Music and Special Education. After living in Albany and other places, she moved back to Valdosta in 1996, where she teaches at Moulton Branch Elementary, working with behavioral and emotionally disturbed 4^th and 5^th graders.

Family members include son, Adam (31), father Harold Bennett, step-mother Virginia. Ann’s brother, the Rev. George Bennett is minister at First Christian Church, where Ann is also a member. George’s wife Martha and Ann’s niece, Pam, also teach at Moulton Branch. Ann’s other brother John and his wife Helen also live in Valdosta, so much of the family is currently reunited here!

Ann found her way to UU-Valdosta through Betty Derrick, after having attended UU in Athens and Albany, GA, before returning to Valdosta. Ann’s hobbies and activities include birdwatching with the Withlacoochee Watchers, taking the Tai Chi class here at the UU church; she also has travelled extensively: Europe, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador.

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Break Bread Together

Virginia Branan has agreed to coordinate our participation in the Break Bread Together program for next year. If you can deliver meals the 1^st and 5^th Tuesdays of each month beginning about 11:00 a.m., please contact Virginia. The UU youth will be working with Virginia this summer, but if we have a list of people available, we can all participate in this rewarding experience.

UU Activities and Announcements

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

• June 4 - 5, New President’s Forum, Lake Region UU Fellowship, Lakeland, FL
• June 10-12, Teacher Training Module for Religious Education directors, Boca Raton
• June 24 - 28, General Assembly, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 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"
• Nov 7-13, Florida Leadership School, Oviedo

Celebrating its 20^th Anniversary this summer, The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center is an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association, near Highlands, NC, (about two hours from Atlanta). Go see what it’s all about - you can make reservations to stay as a drop-in guest, or you can participate in one of the many programs - see the partial calendar below.

Website: http://themountain.uua.org/mountain

e-mail: mountain@dnet.net

Phone: 828-526-5838

June 20 - July 3 Junior High MountainCamp

July 2 - 8 4^th of July Vacation Week

July 4 - July 17 Elementary MountainCamp

July 11- 17 Religious Education Week

July 18 - July 31 Senior High MountainCamp

Aug 20-22 African Drum and Dance

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

New Member Profile: Theresa Thompson joined us here in Valdosta from Pullman, WA, in 1997. She was born in Nogales, Mexico, raised in Flagstaff, AZ. She is a high school drop-out, with a B.A. from Northern Arizona University, M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English from Washington State University (she is now on the English faculty at VSU). Her family members include husband, Steve Thompson, and daughters Chelsea Martin (23) and Poppy Ortega (26), and three grandchildren. (The daughters and grandchildren are also listed under her "accomplishments!")

Her interests and hobbies include playing the guitar, singing, running (she finished the Portland Marathan in 1994!), yoga, hiking, canoeing, bowling, numerology. She has recently travelled to Paris and has taken many hiking, boating, etc., trips all over the U.S. (mostly the west, but expanding into the southeast!)

Tom Hallock and Julie Armstrong introduced Theresa to the UU Church in fall, 1997. Under "other information you would like to share" is the following quote from Theresa: "Witch by birth - born with a caul - be careful!!" Theresa is secretary of UU-Valdosta and is very active on the program committee as well as other activities.

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Financial Report For The Month Of May:

OUTSTANDING DEBTS: Builder $600.00 UUA $950.00 FL. DIST. $392.00 ---------------------- TOTAL: $1942.00 SAVINGS: 0.00 sigh Your Treasurer, rene' kerr

INCOME Rent: $240.00 Plate: $91.19 Pledge: $1443.00 Fundraiser: $70.00 --------------------- TOTAL: $1844.19

EXPENSES Utilities: $140.32 Mortgage: $520.00 Builder: $200.00 Minister: $600.00 RE: $45.00 Coffee House: $37.73 Postage: $33.00 Banking: $37.50 Insurance: $615.00 New Pres. Conf. $60.00 --------------------------- TOTAL: $2288.55

Membership Directory:

Jack Ford has agreed to help us put together a membership directory. If you would like to be listed in this directory (and to receive a copy of the directory), complete the following information and return it to Carol Stiles by June 20. By doing so, you will tell us which information you wish to have listed in this directory, and will help us to update our membership database. (Work telephone and FAX are optional; it would be very helpful however to have an e-mail address if you have one. Thanks!!)

Name: ___________________________________________ Member or Friend? (Circle one)

Complete Address: ____________________________________________________________

Home telephone: _________________ Work telephone: (optional)________________________

Fax: __________________ E-mail: _______________________________________________

Children’s names: _____________________________________________________________________