Sunday Services

 

Sunday, June 3 –  Dr. Laurie Sommers , “Rhythm and Roots: Sacred Sounds of the South”

Dr. Laurie Sommers will share excerpts from her exhibit:  Rhythm and Roots: Southern Music Traditions, which opens in mid-June in Tennessee , as part of the traveling exhibits program of the Southern Arts Federation in Atlanta .   She will show images from the exhibit and play excerpts from the audio tour.  The exhibit will be at the GA Music Hall of Fame in Macon in 2008.  Laurie Sommers is an ethnomusicologist who has taught courses at VSU and plays the violin in the Valdosta Symphony.  

Sunday, June 10 – Rev. Jane Page , "Can You Say Amen" 

In this sermon (which she hopes will be educational, entertaining, and challenging), Rev. Page explores worship styles and the use of congregational participation in worship.    

Sunday, June 17 –  Laylead Father’s Day Service

We will recognize our fathers during this Father’s Day service.  Members of our congregation will let you know how you can help with this special service.  Watch for announcements in your order of service and via e-mails.

Sunday, June 24 – Dr J. D. Checkett, “The Summer Solstice”

The Summer Solstice, or longest day of the year, has been an important pagan holiday for thousands of years. We'll discuss some of its historic importance, along with examining how more recent myths and traditions influence how the holiday is celebrated by pagans today, including the eternally recurring story of the Oak King and Holly King.  

Dr. Checkett, who has visited our congregation before as the guest of Rob Kester, holds a BA in Communication Arts and a doctorate in Pastoral Psychology as well as a Master's Degree in Women's Studies.  He says that he is the first man to earn that particular degree in the state of Florida .  He and his wife, Rene, have been active for years in their hereditary coven, the Spirit Hawks, in which they celebrate all esbats and sabbats. He will be giving a seminar on Numerology in Lake City on June 9, using his own book on the subject.

INVITATION TO MEMBERSHIP If you are interested in becoming a member of our fellowship, we encourage you to talk with our President, Lars Leader .  We welcome your questions, and we extend an open invitation to all who want to join our liberal community of faith.

 

 

 

 

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 Frank Asbury.

Rev. Jane A. Page, Minister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro, serves our congregation in Valdosta each month.  She is available for conferences and special services when she is in Valdosta .

 

 

Religious Education for Children

The RE program for children meets at 10:45 AM concurrent with the Sunday morning service.  To meet UU District guidelines we need two adults present for each session.  Contacts:  Mya Storey; Susan Bailey.

 

 

   

Newsletter

Editor:  Betty Derrick

Website:  Carol Stiles

June 15: Deadline for the July newsletter. 

 

Treasurer's Report

Doug Tanner

FUND BALANCES                     at April 30, 2007/           projection June 2008                          

General Fund                                        $21,912.64/                    16,136.00            

Restoration Fund                                 $11,715.64/                    11,716.00            

Total (Cash in Bank Accounts)         $33,628.28/                    27,851.00                            

OUTSTANDING DEBT                                     

Mortgage                                              $16,863.50/11,359.00                            

OPERATING RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS:

April                       YTD/10 mo             ‘08 budget^*

Receipts:                                                               

  Plate                        137.00                  1,337.00                       1600.00  

  Pledge                  2,016.00                11,587.00                     13500.00

  Rent                         240.00                 2,400.00                       2880.00

  Interest Income         0.00                    790.00                          500.00

TOTAL RECTS.   2,393.00                16,114.00                    18480.00

Disbursements:                                                   

  Mortgage               500.00                    5,000.00                      6000.00

  Speaker’s Exps      750.00                    6,525.00                      8000.00

  Repairs &Maint.       0.00                       417.00                            0.00

  Newsletter              261.98                  90.18                           677.00

  Insurance            1,098.00                  1,098.00                         1200.00

  Supplies                      0.00                      75.47                           105.00

  UUA dues                  0.00                  1,960.00                         1400.00

  UU Conf. Att.            0.00                        0.00                          1270.00

  Utilities                   240.34                 1,890.04                          2350.00

  Advertising                0.00                    350.00                           350.00

  RE Prog.                      0.00                         0.00                         250.00

  New Memb.Prg.         0.00                         0.00                         200.00

Other                           15.00                    150.00                          250.00

TOTAL DISTS     2,865.32                17,955.69                     22702.00

NET RECEIPTS (DISBURSEMENTS) 

 ($472.32)       ($1,841.69)                ($4222.00)

^*Budget approved at the Annual Meeting.  Explanation and details available from the Treasurer.

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2007 Annual Meeting - May 20 Following the Service

The Valdosta UU Church held its Annual Meeting following the May 20 Sunday service. Church officers, who will serve on the Board of Directors for the next church year beginning July 1, were elected.  Congratulations to the new officers:

Mya Storey--President

Doug Tanner--Vice-President/Programs Chair

Rosie Asbury--Treasurer,

Chuck Giese--Secretary,

Susan Bailey—Director of  Religious Education 

Jim Ingram —Director of Building & Grounds,

Lars Leader —Director of Membership. 

The new budget, which was approved by the congregation for the next year, is given in the Treasurer’s Report for this month.  The congregation discussed whether it should continue to be affiliated with the Florida District of the UUA or change affiliation to the Mid-South District to which many Georgia UU churches belong.   The Valdosta church is the only GA church in the Florida District, which incorporates most of the state of FL.   The Mid-South District includes the Pensacola area of FL, Mississippi , most of Alabama , Tennessee and Georgia .  The congregation passed a motion charging the Board with gathering further information that would better inform a possible move to change the church’s district designation and to present this information at a future meeting.  During the discussion it was noted that there is apparently some discussion at the UUA about the future of the current district mode of organization.  Thanks to everyone who participated in the meeting.    Participating in the congregation’s Annual Meeting is a responsibility and a privilege of membership in this democratic congregation.   

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From the Florida District -The Smart Church #8    

Connie Goodbread

Do you and your congregation practice humility, service and covenant?  There is an article in the last “Congregations,” the Alban Institute Magazine, entitled “Whatever Happened to Humility?” I could not help but be thankful for the timely printing of this article. I suggest that you read it.

Do you lead out of a sense of service, honor and humility? Or do you lead out of a sense of arrogance and privilege? How often do we allow the wisdom of others to influence us for the good? How often do we shut out creative possibilities because we know the “right” way?

This is not to say that we should be blown off course by every emotion and whim that comes our way. This is not to say that we should never dig in our heels to uphold values and ethics. What I am saying is that far too often we find ourselves just wanting our way, wanting to win, not listening, getting emotional about the issue, taking and making things personal or thinking that we have the only way. When we find ourselves behaving in these ways we are operating out of arrogance.

Arrogance can lead us into a fundamentalism that is not Unitarian Universalism. The arrogance that says I have the right answer, the only right answer. I have found the one and only true path. All other paths are false or ignorant. Do you think that Unitarian Universalists ever do this?

Arrogance puts us in the frame of mind that we are the only authority. Therefore, when someone differs from us they must be wrong, misguided or ignorant. We think we understand other people’s thinking and motives. We judge them without being in genuine dialog and relationship. We have a tendency to blame others for any failure or disappointment. There is little to no self-examination. There is little to no taking responsibility and figuring out how we can personally do things better or differently.

As Unitarian Universalists we value diversity. Do we? What happens when someone comes for the first time to your congregation and they are holding a Bible? Does your congregation have a Christian discussion group or The Teachings of Jesus class? What words offend you or others in your congregation? How does that keep you from genuine communication and relationship?

How much farther would our efforts get us if we entered into our relationships with honest humility?… If we took time to really understand situations and each other? … If we found where our gifts could be of service? … If we did what we can do in grace and with loving and generous hearts?

In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights. With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit. In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness. - Carl Sagan

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About Our Members and Friends

Keep in your thoughts... our members and friends with health concerns.

Congratulations to...

v   Andre Asbury who graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology this spring with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in French.  Andre will begin his career as an electrical engineer at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins , GA.   His job will involve developing the technology used in B-1 bombers.

Welcome to....

v   Kimberly Tanner, new member.  Kimberly has been attending our services and other gatherings with her husband Doug Tanner over recent years.  She signed our membership book recently.  Welcome!!!

 Special Thanks and Appreciation to...

v   Lars Leader for serving as our congregation’s president for the past two years.  Good job and wonderful leadership Lars!  We look forward to his service on the Board next year as Director of Membership.

v   Dee Tait for serving in numerous roles in the last several years.  Dee was Vice President this year.  Thanks for wonderful programs and great help each month to the newsletter editor!  Dee will take a break from the Board this year but you will no doubt see her hand in many services still for the church.  It’s so great to see Dee back in our services, even though she is still a bit gimpy!:)

v   Doug Tanner for serving as our treasurer for several years.  Thanks for keeping our money safe and appreciation from the newsletter editor for timely reporting!  Doug will continue on the Board as Vice President.  Thanks for taking on an important and demanding job.

v   Rosie Asbury for serving as secretary for several years.  Rosie also purchases kitchen and other church supplies.  Thanks so much!   She will continue on the Board as she takes over the treasurer’s position for this next year.

v   Jim Ingram for agreeing to continue as the Director of Building and Grounds.  He has served in this role for a number of years.  Jim continues to remind us that he does the grounds as long as plenty of us volunteer to take care of the up keeping chores and cleaning of the inside of our facilities.  Thanks to him and to all of you who help out to make our facilities clean and attractive for us and our visitors.

v   Susan Bailey for serving as Director of Membership as well as helping with the RE program and numerous other volunteer efforts.   Susan has agreed to serve on the Board as Director of Religious Education for this next year.  Thank you for all you do!

v   Mya Storey, who does so much with the RE program and other volunteer work, who has agreed to serve as our president for this next year.  Way to go Mya!

v   Chuck Giese, who will serve as our secretary this next year.  Thanks for agreeing to serve on the Board.  

v   Carol Stiles and Betty Derrick who will continue to manage the website and edit the newsletter for another year.  Through them we speak to our members and in some sense the world.  Thanks for a job well done!

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UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund

June is the month many of us journey to General Assembly; it will be fun to be with literally thousands of UUs, experience excellent workshops, and be a part of the Open Space Technology “experiment”. I predict much success as we learn the concerns and ideas from all those who participate. For those of you interested in the recent April Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting my lengthy report is in the May District Packet and/or on-line at the District website.

This month the column will be about the Panel on Theological Education, one of the twenty-some UUA Board of Trustees appointed committees and task forces. The Panel on Theological Education, which meets two times each year, makes evaluations and recommendations for the expenditure of funds from the Theological Education Endowment Trust subject to the approval of the BOT. The Panel was established shortly after the Unitarian Universalist Trust for Theological Education was set up as a result of a generous gift from the then North Shore Unitarian Universalist Society. The Panel on Theological Education’s original charter suggested that 60% of its income be devoted to three schools: Meadville Lombard Theological School , Starr King for the Ministry, and Harvard Divinity School . The source of the funds is a percentage of the income drawn from the principal of the fund. Depending upon the availability of funding, the Panel entertains grant requests that further theological education in its broader interpretations. The balance of the funds is made available to continuing education and religious education, which might not be accomplished through the theological schools.

At the BOT’s most recent meeting we directed the Panel on Theological Education to present recommendations to the BOT that would make the funding of ministerial formation, development, and excellence the first priority for the use of the Panel’s resources, rather than the current singular focus on support for theological schools. The BOT asked that the Panel present a timeline for the preparation of these recommendations to the BOT for its June, 2007 meeting.

I hope for the best for each of you and your congregation as we enter our hot summer months. Please contact me at jlund@uua.org if I can be of assistance or call at if you would like to talk.

 

 

 

UU Activities and Announcements

Further information is posted on the bulletin board in the R.E. wing at the church.  Also check your Sunday Order of Service for announcements. 
June 19-20 UU University for present  and future congregational leaders, precedes GA, Portland, OR

June 20-24  General Assembly, Portland , OR

July 15-21  SUUSI, Blacksburg , VA

July 20-28  The Mountain School for Congregational Leadership, Highlands , NC

UUMen Network, the Unitarian Universalist Men's Organization: www.uumen.org, Our UUMen's Website, includes past issues of the MaleCall newsletter, the winning sermons from our Annual Men's Sermon contest, and topical information such as how to start a Men's Group, boy-friendly RE, and Coming of Age rituals. The website features a FORUM for the discussion of men's issues, and it offers books and additional resources for your church. 

New Sanctuary Movement: Religious leaders from across the country were joined by Unitarian Universalists in announcing the launch of a New Sanctuary Movement, an interfaith coalition that pledges to open their congregations' doors and hearts to immigrant workers and their families on the brink of deportation. Public launch events took place on May 9 in Los Angeles , San Diego , Chicago , Seattle , and New York .  UUA President William G. Sinkford sent a statement of support that was read at the San Diego and Chicago interfaith events by Rev. James Grant, Affiliate Minister of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, and Rev. Nina Grey of First Unitarian Society of Chicago. In his statement Sinkford said, "Grounded in the Unitarian Universalist affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of every person, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations endorses the New Sanctuary Movement, a movement of prophetic hospitality and public witness to bring about real change in the immigration policy of the United States.  The UUA joins other people of faith and conscience in calling for the passage of just and comprehensive immigration reform and an immediate stop to federal raids that separate parents from their children and create a climate of fear and repression.”

FALL SPLENDOR WEEKEND: The leaves will be changing color; the days will be warm and the nights cool.  Come to the Wisconsin Northwoods, the land of beautiful woods and water; come see the loons and the eagles!  The Northwoods UU Fellowship in Woodruff Wisconsin (www.nuuf.com) invites you to join us the weekend of September 28-30, 2007 to experience the most glorious time of year.  You will stay with a UU family for two nights; enjoy breakfasts and Friday dinner with your hosts and join the congregation for a special dinner with entertainment on Saturday night.  On Saturday, you can participate in any of our planned activities, such as hiking, fishing, birding, antiquing and more, or you can go exploring on your own.  On Sunday, join us for our worship service before you head home.  The cost of $300 per couple (singles and families are welcome at special rates, as well!) will help support the new expansion of our building. 

House of Representatives Passes Crucial Hate Crimes Legislation: Debate Moves to the Senate: In a major victory for advocates of BGLT equality, the House of Representatives voted Thursday to pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1592). The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, called the Matthew Shepard Act in the Senate, adds sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to existing federal law regarding hate crimes. The bill would give authority to the federal government to investigate and prosecute violent crimes against victims targeted for their sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. (Currently, the federal government has this authority in crimes committed because of the victim's race, color, religion or national origin.) The bill would allow federal authorities to assist local law enforcement when they request assistance or fail to adequately investigate or prosecute these crimes. Under the bill, local law enforcement could also receive grants to help with expenses related to investigating and prosecuting bias-motivated violent crimes.  In April seventeen UU ministers and UUA president Rev. William Sinkford met in Washington DC to join over 200 religious leaders in lobbying for BGLT equality. As one of the featured speakers at the press conference, Rev. William G. Sinkford reiterated Unitarian Universalist support for BGLT equality and challenged the harsh and confusing arguments used by opponents of the legislation: "We are people of faith, and we also have a commitment to truth. Much of the rhetoric in opposition to these bills is blatantly and inexcusably false. So let me be clear: These laws would not create quotas or force churches to hire people who do not share their religious values. These laws will not criminalize free speech or impede religious expression in any way. These laws do not undermine a single constitutional right. In fact, the contrary is true. If passed, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would strengthen our nation's commitment to freedom and justice for all of 'we the people.'"

At the Church-in-the-Woods

New Hope Christian Fellowship - Sunday evenings: Choir practice at 5:00 PM. Service at 6:00 PM.  

Taoist Tai Chi – Monday and Thursday: Summer Practice Session: 6:00-7:30 PM; A beginners class will start in August.  Contact Dennis Bogyo or Luana Goodwin if you are interested.