February, 2001, Flaming Chalice

What’s going on.... February 2001

Sat	Feb 3	7:00 PM	Games Night at the church
Sun	Feb 4	9:30 AM 10:45 AM	Youth R.E. Service – Charles Green "Where have all the Donna Reed's Gone?" Program Committee meeting after the service
Tues	Feb 6	7:00 PM	Women’s Group at the church
Sun	Feb 11	9:30 AM 10:45 AM 12:15 PM	Youth R.E. *Service – Jim Ingram, “Architecture and Our Church” 2^nd Sunday Potluck and Board Meeting
Mon	Feb 12	11:00 AM	Break Bread delivery
Sun	Feb 18	9:30 AM 10:45 AM	Youth R.E. *Service – Ann Kasun, “bell hooks: ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’”
Tues	Feb 20	7:00 PM	Women’s Group at the church
Sun	Feb 25	9:30 PM 10:45 PM	Youth R.E. Service – Dr. David Williams, "History of the Confederate Flag: Implications for Georgia 2001"

*Service - Due to a schedule conflict, the service leaders and topics for these two dates have switched, and are here updated and corrected from the printed version of the newsletter. (cms 2/5/01)

February……. Don’t forget to hug your friends, family, and lovers this month. It is the month of love and valentines. Here in our area winter will only last a few weeks longer and spring is right around the corner. Several of our members will be presenting programs this month. Come when you can and find out how talented and diverse our members are.

At the beginning of the month Charles Green, one of our new members, will discuss the changing role of women over the past 30 years from a man's perspective. Following him Ann Kasun will discuss a work by bell hooks. (See *note above.)

Jim Ingram, the architect of the Valdosta Unitarian Universalist church, is one of the charter members of our congregation. Anyone who has known Jim very long knows how committed he and Jossette are to our church and the principles of the Unitarian Universalist church. Jim will discuss the creation and building of our church from the perspective of a church member and as the church architect.

In late February David Williams, Head of the VSU History Department will discuss issues related to the Georgia flag, a hot political topic in Georgia during this session of the General Assembly.

Program Committee

The program committee will meet after the service on Sunday, February 4. Please contact the program committee chair, Diane Holliman with your ideas and feedback. As a lay led congregation, your input helps the committee plan for future programs. The committee wants to hear from you.

Our congregation has been asked to participate in a doctoral project. We are each asked to write a few sentences about why we became Unitarian Universalists. Was it out of growth? Or rejection? Or searching? Or need for community? Was it an epiphany or gradual revelation?

Each of us probably has a friend or acquaintance we describe as "a Unitarian at heart," even though they don't attend our church. Just why have we chosen to attend this church?

One new member related that he had developed his own life philosophy and that it paralleled the UU principles, but he joined in membership with our church because we offered something he could not have alone—a sense of community and sharing.

The Rev. Ann Tyndall describes her congregation this way: "people with whom you can share the ups and downs of your life; people among whom you can be a whole person, not the fragment-of-self you are at work, or the fragment-of-self you occupy in your family. At church you are among people with whom you can explore the big questions -- Why am I here? Where am I going? How should I live? Why do bad things happen? What's next? Your companions will keep a candle burning when you enter a dark place, and rejoice with you when you emerge.

"Life is not supposed to be like elevator music. Your life will be punctuated by sorrow and joy. You will succeed sometimes and fail sometimes. You can come to feel at home in your life. You can help make the world better. And, with some work and some grace you can come to know a pervasive, inexplicable sense of gratitude. We honor and celebrate the whole of life at church."

Social Action Activities

Break Bread Together

Our date for meal deliveries with the Break Bread Together program is the 2^nd Monday of each month. If you can deliver meals on this day beginning about 11:00 AM, please contact Virginia Branan.

Social Justice Issues

When Bo Chagnon visited last month there was discussion about UU groups which support economic justice issues. Two that were named were United for a Fair Economy which was started by several Unitarian Universalists and Unitarians for a Just Economy which has an e-mail address: uujec@uujec.org.

Some of you may already know that the church made a contribution last month to Habitat For Humanity on the occasion of the Wedding Bells House. Best wishes to Ann Bennett Dowman and Jim Dowman on their marriage and future work together with Habitat in New Zealand.

DID YOU KNOW that Thomas Jefferson, our third President and the author of the Declaration of Independence, espoused Unitarian beliefs? Of all his accomplishments and contributions to the new United States of America, he was proudest of his contributions to the passage of the Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1786. In his early days, in order to participate in the government of the colony, he was required to be a member of the Church of England. Throughout his life he struggled to understand the life of Jesus, even “writing” his own bible, now known as “The Jefferson Bible.” Like all of us his life was complex. Today many of us find his owning slaves, one who was his mistress, difficult to reconcile with much of his life which speaks to us today. In one of his letters he wrote: ”It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.”

Youth R.E. Jason and Gena are planning a project on “Life in the Universe.” They would be delighted to have other young people join in on this R.E. project/learning experience. If you want to be involved contact Ann Kasun.

Join us for good food and great company, the 1^stand 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Bring a snack, ideas for discussion, or just yourself! Contact Julie Halter for more information.

Bring $1.00, a dish, and your favorite game to the church on Saturday, January 6 at 7:00 PM. Call René Kerr or Julie Halter if you need further information.

Bulletin Board

For those of you who know the Andersens, check the bulletin board in the R.E. wing for a New Year's letter from them with news, adventurous exploits, and plans that they and their sons have for 2001. Also on the bulletin board are some pictures and articles of our members and friends who have made the local news.

Thank You

"I would like to thank the church for such a strong support to our Nutcracker Ballet. I hope everyone who attended the show enjoyed it.

Congratulations

· To Andre Asbury and Jessica Li for their outstanding accomplishments as members of the VHS Math Team.

· To Frank and Theresa Bibins who were featured in “The Bat House Researcher” Fall 2000 edition. The article is about their research with bats as an aid for organic farmers. They hope to become certified organic farmers this spring after completing a rigorous 3 year period. Some of you may recall a program the Bibins did a while back. The article includes pictures of their pecan orchards and their bats. The full article is posted on the bulletin board.

A Member’s Reminder

All families have to be reminded from time to time that there is no maintenance staff and so it is with our church family. We do our own maintenance and clean-up. Please clean-up after yourself. Volunteer for after church clean-up of the kitchen from coffee and potlucks from time to time. We have no garbage pick up so it would help if you could volunteer to take a bag of trash occasionally. It is especially important for groups having special events to clean up after themselves. The church does recycle so watch for appropriate receptacles in the kitchen.

The Board needs someone to volunteer for a one time commitment to head-up the Spring Cleaning effort at the church. The Board would like to schedule the Spring Cleaning for some time in March. Let Virginia Branan know if you can volunteer to spear head this effort.

Donation Request: Thanks to the Asburys! Does anyone have a VCR they aren’t using that could be donated to the church?

UU RESEARCH

Our congregation has been selected to participate in a doctoral project on patterns in UU membership nationwide. Members are requested to write a few sentences describing why they became Unitarian Universalists. By Feb 10, please send or give your testimony to Virginia Branan.

VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY

The Thursday lectures are at 7 PM in the new Biology/Chemistry Auditorium. The public is welcome.

"The Infamous Story of Mary Turner: Neglected But Not Forgotten": In 1918, Mary Turner of Brooks County was lynched for speaking out on racial injustice.

Narrated and performed by The Youth Ensemble of America, Atlanta, GA (Whitehead Auditorium, 8 PM)

"A Chorus of Fear": A film documentation of the arrest, death, and judicial procedures in the case of Willie James Williams.

UU Valdosta on Public Radio?

Calling all listeners of Georgia Public Radio (NPR)! Many UU congregations encourage members who want to donate to NPR programming to get double their money's worth by giving directly to the church. The money is used to buy advertising spots on the NPR station in the area. Spots cost $25. The station still gets all of the money, and the church gets positive publicity with an ideal target audience.

We would like to begin this advertising by March. If you can participate in this one time only campaign, mark your check "for public radio ad" and mail it to Rene' Kerr, Treasurer. Donations in any amount are welcome.

Drive by—our new bench is located on Norman Drive at the entrance road to Pier Imports and Home Depot, directly across the street from one of the mall entrances. Our message is

Thank you! Thank you!

For arranging for the advertising bench: Dee Tait

For sweeping the walk and turning up the heat on recent cold Sunday mornings (on his way home from work!): William Atkinson

For church clean up: Lea Atkinson

For the donation to the church: the Asbury family

For donating a new Christmas tree and garlands for the church:

Virginia Branan

For delivering meals in November: Randy Thompson, Dee Tait, and Virginia Branan

For the newsletter: Betty Derrick, Doug Fraser, Virginia Branan, and Charles Green

For helping “undecorate” the church after the service on January 7: All who helped and especially Virginia Branan, René Kerr, and Jerry Jones who stored everything away.

For hosting parties at their homes: Charles Judah and Betty Derrick

Newsletter Staff

Several people have asked about one of the cookie/candy treats at the White Elephant Christmas Party. Its an easy recipe which seems more elegant in the finished product than its preparation would suggest. Here it is via the kitchen of a friend in Ohio.

Spread a tube of saltines on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Boil 1 cup margarine and 1 cup brown sugar for 3 min. Pour over the saltines. Bake for 5 min at 400. Remove from the oven and sprinkle 12 oz of chocolate chips over the top. Let melt and spread the chocolate. Push the crackers back together as needed. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cool in the refrigerator and then break into pieces. MED

Treasurer’s Report

The Mountain is a UU Camp and Conference Center with planned programs throughout the year. It is possible though to plan your own retreat there. Call the office for drop-in rates. The Mountain is near Highlands, NC. (828-526-5838)

February 17 Social Justice conference “Changing the Direction of the Wind: the Death Penalty at a CrossRoad” and “An Alternative to the American Drug War” Lakeland, FL

February 23-24 “Adult Programming in Your Congregation” UU Church of Deland, FL. (Lower fee for registration before Feb.1)

Elderhostel at UU in the Pines in West Central Florida at Brooksville, FL: “Exploring Florida’s Ecosystems From the Water Up: Canoeing Three Rivers” Feb. 11-16, March 11-16, April 1-6. 1-877-426-8056 or www.elderhostel.org

It is also possible to just stay over at UU in the Pines when rooms are available.

Deadline: March 1, 2001 for submitting an essay or sermon that could win someone $500. Topics are "Responsible Consumption as a Moral Imperative" OR "An Alternative to the War on Drugs". Submissions should be mailed or faxed care of the GA Office. More information can be found at www.uua.org/csw/contest.htm.

April4-7 Revival II: Sustaining an Inclusive Unitarian Universalist Christianity in the 21^st Century, St. Louis, Missouri (March 10 registration deadline.)

Mark your calendar now for this summer week of fellowship and fun on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA.

Feb 4