The Flaming Chalice - UU Valdosta

Sunday, December 25, service

10:45 a.m., at the UU Church of Valdosta:

"Holiday Moments of Peace and Family Stories," Service Leader: Carol Stiles

Please bring your favorite winter holiday reading or family tradition story to share at the service.

Meet & Greet Coffee after the service.

Note: The musical service, “The Etruscan Pals” with Dave Leporati and Carrie Hamby, has been postponed until a later date. Please watch future newsletters for more information.

What’s going on...January 2006

Sun	Jan. 1	10:45 AM	Service – “New Beginnings,” Mark Vickers Meet & Greet Coffee after the service Happy New Year!
Sun	Jan. 8	10:45 AM	Service – “Labyrinths: Meaning forms the Making,” Luana Goodwin Meet & Greet Coffee after the service
Mon	Jan. 9	11:00 AM	Break Bread delivery
Th	Jan. 12	6:00 PM	Board Meeting at the church
Sun	Jan. 15	10:45 AM	Service – “Taoism: The Way of Creative Synthesis,” Michael Stoltzfus Meet & Greet Coffee after the service Newsletter Deadline
Sun	Jan. 22	10:45 AM	Service – “When the Earth Heats Up, What Can One Person Do?” Elinor Elfner Meet & Greet Coffee after the service
Sun	Jan. 29	10:45 AM	Service – “What Is to Be Done With the Dissenter?” Allen Turnage Meet & Greet Coffee after the service

January… This is the season and time for resolutions for the new year. May your resolutions include serving our small congregation as you are willing and able. Volunteer for the various jobs which keep our building clean and welcoming, the music which sustains and entertains us, the planning and lay leading of services, the welcoming of visitors and greeting of guests. As your editor compares this newsletter to January newsletters of recent years, she notes that two activities are missing from recent newsletters, events important to the health of our congregation---social events and religious education for children and for adults. Could someone make a New Year’s resolution to take on those important jobs? Let a member of the Board know of your interest. We have wonderful programs planned by our Vice President. Invite someone you think would enjoy our services on Sunday. Don’t forget everything we do needs not only your donation of time but your regular donation of money too. We have a wonderful opportunity for our social concerns ministry as we work with the JUUST Change Consultancy this next year. Watch for opportunities there also. May the new year bless you. Happy New Year!

Sunday Services

January 1 Mark Vickers: “New Beginnings”

As the new year is now upon us, we look forward with great anticipation to what may come. Let's share some time together and have a bit of fun as we prepare for the new and shake off the old. Mark Vickers of Jacksonville has been a member of the Buchman Bridge UU Society for over 3 years. He is a regular speaker there. He says, as he continues to follow his own spiritual development path, he finds that he is transitioning out of a previous career to a more people focused life. His new path includes Personal Coaching with a focus on Personal Spiritual Development, combined with speaking on spirituality based topics and soon will include conducting Personal Growth Workshops.

January 8 Luana Goodwin : “Labyrinths: Meaning forms the Making”

Luana Goodwin will speak to us about the making of labyrinths and the meanings that shaped them. Throughout history, mindfully walking the course of a labyrinth was an act of memory and reverence for what was considered sacred. Luana Goodwin is a Valdosta pharmacist and potter. She and her husband Dennis Bogyo are Tai Chi instructors for the Taoist Tai Chi Society which meets at our church.

January 15 Michael Stoltzfus “Taoism: The Way of Creative Synthesis”

Taoists recognize and celebrate the profound and mysterious creativity within the very fabric of time and space. We will investigate the core motives associated with a Taoist religious worldview paying particular attention to the rhythm or flow of the Tao, the dynamic balance between yin and yang, and qi (pronounced ‘chee’) as the breath of life. This is a continuation of Dr. Stoltzfus’ series on world religions. He is a faculty member in the Philosophy Department at VSU where he teaches religion courses.

January 22 Elinor Elfner: “When the Earth Heats Up, What Can One Person Do?”

We accept the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; we recognize human responsibility for the increasing heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere; but what can one person do when the problem is so global and so immersed in politics? Elinor Elfner, Facilitator for the Global Warming Study/Action Group at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee and a member of the Big Bend Climate Action Team will briefly describe the problem and will provide some answers for what UUs can do to affect the future of our earth. Elinor is a retired educator, having received her PhD in the Instructional Design area of Educational Foundations from FSU, and having worked primarily with instructional programs for K-12 students with exceptional educational needs. Her last job was as Bureau Chief for Teacher Education, Recruitment and Retention with the Florida Department of Education.

January 29 Allen Turnage: “What Is to Be Done With the Dissenter?”

The Fifth Principle of the UUA establishes that we affirm and promote "The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process... ." But what is to be done with the dissenter? Is there a way to resolve the inherent conflict between "the majority" and "the individual"? Is there a rational means of resolving the conflict without destroying either? When must the individual yield to the will of the majority? Where is the line where democracy ends and conscience begins? Allen Turnage is a civil attorney from Tallahassee . He often speaks on Libertarian values in America .

Music Director Needed: Please contact Helen Gerhardt if you believe you could take on this task.

Don’t forget to sign up in the SPARC notebook on the counter in the vestibule. Please take time each week to check the sign up sheets and volunteer to help make our services meaningful for all.

Keep in your hearts our members and friends in difficult health situations or caring for loved ones...

About Our Members and Friends:

v Welcome home, MaKayla!

v Congratulations to Jason, who scored a perfect 800 on the Critical Reading Portion of the SAT! He has also just learned he has been accepted for the Aerospace Engineering program at Georgia Tech. Way to go Jason and good luck!

Thank You! Thank You!

For lay leading services: Theresa Thompson , Betty Derrick, Lars Leader, and Helen Gerhardt

For providing music support for church services: Helen Gerhardt, Theresa Thompson , Betty Derrick, Lars Leader, Bill Smith

For greeting visitors in December: Lars Leader, Helen Gerhardt, Doug Tanner

For providing flowers on Sunday morning: Karen Morris

For delivering Break Bread meals in December: Betty Derrick and Jamie Lacey

For cleaning the church: Helen Gerhardt and Frank Asbury

For installing new driveway lights: Jim Ingram

For sweeping the sidewalk: Anita Nair

For providing food for home bound members: Betty Derrick, Dee Tait , Josette Ingram, Helen Gerhardt, Maria Taylor, Diane Holliman, Jane Elza

For coordinating the food calendar for homebound members: Josette and Jim Ingram

For printing additional visitor nametags: Michael Green

For everything you do within the church and in the community to help make the world a better place.

Social Action Activities

Break Bread Together

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

JUUST Change Consultancy

In December we heard the following from Paula Cole Jones at the UUA: we welcome the Valdosta Unitarian Universalist Church to the JUUST Change Consultancy. I am writing to tell you that Sue Lacy and Rev. Manish Mishra will work with your congregation as the JUUST Change Consultants. Sue has years of experience in community organizing and anti-oppression work. We think that she will be an asset as you build collaborations with the surrounding community. They will be in contact with you to begin the work. We are eager to see how your community work unfolds and hope that there will be lessons and tools to help other congregations as they make community connections.

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.

Mark your calendars now! For the following Atlanta event organized by: Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition/Atlanta, more info at: www.georgiapeace.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2006 ~ No Fooling! WE WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN! SOUTHERN REGIONAL MARCH for PEACE IN IRAQ and JUSTICE AT HOME, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 12:00- 4:00 PM Proposed Route: Martin Luther King, Jr. Center to Piedmont Park.

Our organizing committee, with representation and input from several areas of Georgia and neighboring states, is off to a strong start. However, we want to make contact with many more of you from across Georgia and the Southeast in the near future. Our goal is to connect with thousands so that we can march together for Peace in Iraq and Justice at Home on April 1 in Atlanta ! If you and/or your organization affirm the March Call, please send us (by email or with a stamp) your official endorsement on the form accompanying the Call. We hope that many of you and your organizations and faith groups will become sponsors by offering financial assistance. Although we have not yet developed a complete budget, we believe our costs will exceed $10,000 and will appreciate and use responsibly all contributions. We look forward to hearing from you. For justice and peace, Ann Mauney Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition/Atlanta www.georgiapeace.org

Newsletter

Editor: Betty Derrick

Website: Carol Stiles

January 15: deadline for the February newsletter

UU Board News:

December 8, 2005

Attendance: Lars Leader, Helen Gerhardt, Jim Ingram, Doug Tanner & Rosie Asbury

Old Business: The minutes of the November meeting were approved with no revisions. The damaged sign at the entrance is not covered by the church insurance because it is not attached to the church building. The driver responsible for the damage left a note with $80.00 to help repair the damage. Jim volunteered to patch up the existing post for the sign, since putting up a new sign would involve a big job and be expensive. Jim will move the sign to the other side of the entrance. He will also put additional portable lights at the entrance for more visibility. Lars talked with our insurance company about adding bonding for the board members. The Board approved a $25,000 bond covering all volunteers associated with our church. This coverage will cost $116.00 per year.

New Business: Treasurer’s Report: Receipts have improved again in November, amounting to $2091. Expenses for the month were $1178. Sometime in the early part of next year, our church will need to pay the annual contribution to the UUA Florida District, which is approximately $1428 (estimate of $51 per member). Program Report: Helen mentioned that there will be a few changes for the January Sunday programs, but all Sundays are covered. Building & Grounds: Jim volunteered to repair the church sign and put additional lights at the entrance. He also placed some pesticides to get rid of some insects & moles. The next Board meeting will be on January 12, 2006 at 6:00 P.M.

Treasurer's Report

Doug Tanner

FUND BALANCES at November 30, 2005

General Fund $23,886.05

Restoration Fund 15,215.64

Total (Cash in Bank Accounts) $39,101.69

OUTSTANDING DEBT

Mortgage $24,849.54

YTD

OPERATING RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS

November Five Months

Receipts:

Plate 91.00 554.19

Sunday Services	Thank You! Thank You!
Board Notes	Social Action	UU Activities and Announcements
	Keep in your hearts....