Sunday Services

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Sunday, November 4 -  Dr. Jim Hill, "The God Delusion or the Dawkins Delusion"  

Dr. James Hill, Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Philosophy Department at Valdosta State University , will join us as a guest speaker this month.  Jim will weigh in on the conflicting arguments of Richard Dawkins in “The God Delusion” and the critical response from the Christian perspective by Alister and Joanna McGrath “The Dawkins Delusion.”  Although retired Dr. Hill continues to teach classes at VSU especially in the Honors Program.  Jim Hill has been a speaker at our congregation for a number of years.  His presentations are always provocative.  Welcome Dr. Hill back after too long an absence from our services.

Sunday, November 11 - Dr. Michael Stoltzfus, “Dorothy Day: Pilgrimage to Hospitality, Community and Peace”  

Dorothy Day was a writer, an activist, and the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement that continues to follow the precepts of voluntary poverty, pacifism, hospitality, and intentional community.  Her pilgrimage was rooted in the mystical union of the spiritual with the physical, the love of God with the development of human dignity.  In the midst of human suffering and misery, Dorothy responded not only with a personal form of hospitality but with a political form of resisting the institutional forces leading to poverty and war.  We will trace the contributions of Dorothy Day to the broader American peace movement and to the development of a society where it easier to embody love, reconciliation, and basic human decency.    For several years now Mike, who is a faculty member in the religion in the VSU Philosophy Department, has been a regular monthly speaker at our services.  

Sunday, November 18 - Rev. Jane Page , "The Theology of Hospitality"  

This Sunday before Thanksgiving begins the season for hospitality.  We welcome friends and family into our homes and our church for holiday celebrations.  But is this true hospitality as envisioned by prophets of old?  In her sermon Rev. Jane Page will explore "The Theology of Hospitality" using scripture from sacred texts, current theological and sociological constructs, and “plain jane” possibilities. 

 During this service Rev. Jane A. Page also will assist in a service recognizing new members to our congregation. If you have considered joining our community, please let one of the officers know and plan to participate in this special part of the service on November 18.  

Sunday, November 25 - Rev. George Bennett, “Under Siege”

Rev. Bennett says that he  has come to believe that America's revolutionary heritage, and America's revolutionary spirit, "life, liberty and the pursuit of justice, through government of, by, and for the people" is under siege. If we do not take the lead in our rescue and revival, we can lose our democracy.  For several years now George has been a regular monthly speaker in our services.  He is retired from service as the minister of Valdosta ’s First Christian Church.  

Sunday, December 2 - Dr. Betty Derrick, “UUSC: Guest at Your Table”  

Guest at Your Table is a special tradition of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee(UUSC), typically initiated at most UU churches during the Thanksgiving holiday and continued for several weeks into the holiday season.  As UUSC explains “this program is intended to help us make lasting connections to UU principles, build awareness about UUSC, and strengthen UUSC’s human rights work.”  UUSC is a UU membership organization which “advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies.”  Many of our members are members; Betty is our UUSC Local Representative.  She will conduct this service of UU faith in action.  Dr. Derrick is a VSU Professor Emeritus.  She serves on the governing bodies of two professional organizations: as Councilor for the Southwest Georgia Section of  the American Chemical Society  and member of the ACS Council Policy Committee and as a Councilor from the southeast for the American Association of University Professors(AAUP).  She is a long-time member of our congregation.

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INVITATION TO MEMBERSHIP If you are interested in becoming a member of our fellowship, we encourage you to talk with our President, Mya Storey, or Membership Director, Lars Leader.  We welcome your questions, and we extend an open invitation to all who want to join our liberal community of faith.          Rev. Jane Page also welcomes your questions about UU membership.    SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP SERVICE The congregation will recognize and honor recent new members during the service on November 18.  If you have been considering joining our community, we hope you will speak with someone so that we can honor you this month.   Although it has been a while since such a service has been planned, the church normally schedules new member recognitions twice a year, in the Fall and the Spring.

Religious Education for Children

            The RE program for children meets at 10:45 AM concurrent with the Sunday morning service.  The current curriculum comes from We Believe: Learning and Living Our UU Principles. The children are exploring the seven principles in depth using stories, songs, crafts, and games and activities. The book is designed for single, all-ages religious education classrooms. The curriculum is being supplemented with stories by Dr. Seuss. Volunteers to help in the classroom are needed. More detailed information about the RE program is available on the table in the back of the sanctuary. Contacts:  Mya Storey  and Susan Bailey

 

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Let’s Have Some Fun!!

Mark Your Social Calendars

The revival of Games Night was quite a success last month: 15 or so adults and 6-8 children ate and played games and visited a Saturday night in October.  This month we are reviving another social event from the past.  Join in the Book Discussion for more fun and fellowship. 

 

  “The Big Read” Book Discussion

Saturday, November 3, 7:00 PM

Betty Derrick’s Home

Book: Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God”

Potluck: Betty will have soup for everyone, tea, and coffee.  Bring salad, sandwiches, and desserts to complete the meal.  You are welcome to bring beer and wine too.

                Our UU book discussion is part of the Valdosta National Endowment for the Arts Big Read event this fall.  Betty will be inviting the Accepting Difference Project participants to join in our discussion. It is possible that we will have other participants from the larger community.   Be there to welcome these visitors and enjoy each others company.

                During the discussion we will be considering whether we might continue the book discussion group over coming months with an emphasis on books, which deal with different cultures, religions, and life styles.  E-mail Betty if you have suggestions of books that should be on such a list.

                Plan to read the book and come to Betty’s home for a discussion.  (If you haven’t read the book yet, do come anyway and enjoy the fellowship.)  Books are available at area bookstores and the library.  

Games Night

Saturday, November 17 at 7:00 PM

At the church

The next games night is set.  We’ll not have a potluck this time but do bring snacks to munch and share. Sweet tea and coffee will be provided; however you are welcome to bring beer or wine or other beverages.  Bring your favorite game.  This is an intergenerational event.  All ages, including children, come have fun.

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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 .

 

 

 Ministerial Muusings  Rev. Jane Page

Doing something!

Helen Keller once said:

I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.

                There are so many needs today in our world, this community, and in my family.  As I read about difficulties in Burma , Darfur , Iraq , and other places around the world, I feel overwhelmed.  Other than signing some petitions and calling some attention to these situations to others, I feel rather helpless.  At the same time, there are many in my own community with great needs.  As board president of the Statesboro Regional Sexual Assault Center, I’m working more as we try to get this new organization in a position to meet the needs of victims in our region.  My congregation in Statesboro as well as the one that I work with in Valdosta have so much potential and I find myself wanting more hours in the day to attempt to provide more leadership to all our areas of ministry.  Additionally, I get phone calls from folks wanting all kinds of help from a minister – prayers, money for a place to sleep for a night, or just someone to listen.  And then, of course, my v need, but instead, in ways that can actually accomplish something. 

                Recently I had a request from a young man to be at a forum on homosexuality and religion at Georgia Southern University.  I shared with him that I already had another meeting that evening but that I would pass the word on to my congregation and I felt that some of them would be there.  Then the organizer of the event asked if I could serve on the panel.  Again, I shared that I had another event on my calendar already.  Then my recent sermon came back to haunt me.  In that sermon on marriage equality, I voiced a strong commitment to continue the work to bring the privilege and rights of civil marriage to all loving couples.  And here I was, turning down an opportunity for which I was best suited.  I certainly had the knowledge on homosexuality and religion at my fingertips.  I was probably also the only panelist invited, other than the young gay student on the panel, who would stand up for the rights of the GLBT community.  My other meeting could easily be led by someone else.  So I cancelled out on my previous commitment and went to the forum.  I was so glad that I did.  Like Helen Keller, I’ve found that I cannot do everything, but I should not refuse to do the something that I can do. 

                We have lots of opportunities for service in this congregation.  Sometimes a few folks are overwhelmed trying to do too much, while others feel that they have much more to offer.  Certainly, we can work together to discern how we all can bring our best talents and energies to this wonderful church.  What is the “something” that you can do?  Please share that with your board president, Mya Storey or one of the board members.  We can’t do everything, but together, we can make a difference.

 

 

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.  

Accepting Difference Project:  Members of the group will be invited to the November Book Discussion with the possibility that for the next several months there will be continued contact with our congregation and members of this group through book discussions which deal with cultural, religious, and lifestyle differences.  

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ABOUT OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Keep in your thoughts …

Our members and friends who have recently lost family members, or whose family members are experiencing serious health concerns.

More about some of our folks…

v   Bill Webster, who spoke at one of our October services, and his wife Valerie have been attending our services regularly in recent months. Bill has an M.A. in English from Middle Tennessee State University , a Ph D. in English from Purdue University , and is an Associate Professor of English at South Georgia College in Douglas, GA where he has been for 8 years.  He has published articles on authors as varied as John Milton, Toni Morrison, Henry James, and William Faulkner.  And he has from time to time seen his own poetry appear in journals here and their.   Valerie is an administrator at South Georgia College.  They live here in Valdosta with a dog, Sadie and a cat, George.

v   Josette and Jim Ingram were recently pictured in the Valdosta Daily Times outside “Josette’s Gallery,” a portion of the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. The gallery was dedicated in honor of Josette’s and Jim’s commitment to regional art and to the center.  Jim and Josette are among the original members of our congregation and are generous contributors to our programs.  Jim designed our building.

v   Virginia Branan was honored by the American Association of University Women when the South Georgia Political Forum held October 1 was dedicated to her memory.  Virginia was one of the originators, some years ago, of this AAUW sponsored forum, which is designed for candidates to speak to and answer citizen questions.  Virginia was an active member of our congregation until health prevented her from participating.  She was also a community activist and teacher.  We continue to miss Virginia, who died about a year ago, and her husband John, who died this past summer.   You may be interested to know that their son, John Branan, has arranged for the home and its remaining contents to be sold at an auction on November 10 at 10 AM.  There will be two open houses: Nov. 4 2-5 PM and Nov.10 8:30-9:30 AM. 

 An update on and good luck to...

v   René Kerr, Jerry Jones, and Madison who sent a long, newsy letter, posted on the bulletin board in the RE building.  René was our treasurer for a number of years.

v   Fred Howard who is serving as a Ministerial Intern at the High Street UU Church in Macon , GA.   As Fred states in the Macon newsletter posted on the RE building bulletin board “this is the penultimate phase of my formal training on the way to gaining approval by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of UUA.”  Fred is a former member of our congregation and was a family physician in Douglas , GA before he began his theology studies at Emory University several years ago.

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UU Church of Valdosta Board of Directors Meeting:

October 3, 2007

Attendance: Mya Storey, Chuck Giese, Sue Bailey, Lars Leader, Doug Tanner , Jim Ingram

Old Business: The Board approved the minutes of the September meeting.  Mission statement: Jane Page ’s messages are set through the end of the year. She will work our mission into next year’s schedule.  New Business: Treasurer Report received.  Program Report: We have our speakers tentatively set through the end of the year. Religious Education Report: Sue will publish a schedule of upcoming weekly activities to allow other volunteers to see what’s coming, and to volunteer for an activity that may interest them.  The board discussed the Eyes Wide Open and could find no suitable venue.  It has been decided as a matter of policy that there will be a New Member Sunday twice a year – in spring just before the annual meeting, and in the fall. We currently have several new members, Lars will coordinate a suitable Sunday for the New Members.  After some discussion, it was decided that there is no compelling reason to leave the Florida District. We do need to build on contacts within the other Georgia congregations to stay plugged in to state issues.  The next board meeting will be on Wednesday, November 7  at 6:00 in the RE Building.  

Fall Clean-up scheduled for November 10 from 10:00 am to noon. General cleanup of the RE building and grounds.  

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Branan Memorial Fund

We now have $400.00 in the fund in memory of Virginia and John Branan.  One idea for a memorial is to erect two benches in the breezeway between the sanctuary and the RE building.  Another possibility is to place two more benches on the “Meditation Trail” and name it the “Branan Meditation Trail.”  The one bench currently on the trail is a memorial to Penny Branan which John and Virginia placed there several years ago in memory of their daughter.  Julie Halter says that her son, Jason, who constructed the trail, would be happy to see the trail named for the Branans since Virginia helped him develop the idea of a trail for his Eagle Scout project.

                If you have comments on this project, call or e-mail Frank Asbury.  Financial contributions to the fund can be mailed to Rosie Asbury, Treasurer of the Valdosta UU Church, P.O. Box 2342 , Valdosta , GA   31604 .

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Treasurer's Report

Rosie Asbury

FUND BALANCES at September 30, 2007           

           

General Fund                                                    $20,130.57             

Restoration Fund                                             $11,715.64             

Total (Cash in Bank Accounts)                     $31,846.21                             

OUTSTANDING DEBT                                     

Mortgage                                                         $15,102.03             

OPERATING RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS:           

                                                        September             YTD/3 Mo

Receipts:                                                                               

  Plate                                                  14.83                    339.83

  Pledge                                          1,150.00                 2,950.00

  Rent                                                 240.00                    720.00

TOTAL RECEIPTS                      1,404.83                 4,009.83

Disbursements:                                         

  Mortgage                                        500.00                 1,500.00

  Speaker's Fees & Expenses         550.00                  1,510.00

  Repairs and Maintenance                0.00                      70.00

  Utilities                                           218.57                     692.06

  Other                                                 16.00                      81.00

TOTAL DISBURSETS                 1,284.57                 3,853.06

NET RECEIPT (DISBURSEMENT)                  

                                                $120.26                    $156.77

           

Newsletter Editor:  Betty Derrick Website:  Carol Stiles  November 26: Note unusual late deadline for the December newsletter; however, please be   prepared to adhere strictly to the usual December 15 deadline for the January newsletter as your editor has little flexibility for that newsletter.  Thanks for marking your calendar and helping out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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. 

November 3- Best Practices Workshop, presented by the West

Central Cluster, Clearwater , FL

This will be a day-long West Central Cluster event that will be led by UUA Marketing Outreach Director Valerie  Holton. There will be a $15 per person charge to cover lunch and other expenses.

November 4 -Installation of Reverend Carole Yorke, Stuart, FL
November 10 Diversifying Our Diversity – Growth Workshop, with keynote speaker Rev. Kenneth Hurto, Southwest Cluster, Sarasota, FL

November 11-Ordination of Reverend Pallas Stanford, N. Palm Beach , FL

November 17-District Board Meeting, Orland , FL

 

           

 

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: Continuing Class: 5:30-7:00 PM; Beginner’s Class: 7:00-8:00 PM 

            Contact Dennis Bogyo or Luana Goodwin.

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UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund

November already… I sincerely hope your congregation year is going well and you are energized by cooler weather. By the time you find this in your newsletter I will have returned from the October Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting and written a report for the District Packet and web page. This month the information will be about The Board of Review (formerly known as the Ministerial Fellowship Board of Review). This Board hears appeals from ministers and credentialed religious educators who have had their fellowship or status as credentialed religious educator terminated by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) or the Religious Education Credentialing Committee (RECC). No appeal is permitted after the Board of Review’s Decision.

                Due to a bylaw change passed by the delegates to the 2007 General Assembly (GA) the BOT approves the rules of the Board of Review, which parallels the BOT’s authority for the Ministerial Fellowship Committee and the Religious Education Credentialing Committee Rules. The Board of Review consists of eight members which includes three members who are ministers in final ministerial fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association for at least seven continuous years; a credentialed religious educator-masters level; and four members who are not ministers or credentialed religious educators who have been members of a congregation for at least three years as an officer or member of the governing body of that congregation. Board of Review members are elected by the delegates at GA and serve for eight years. No member of the Board of Review is permitted to be a member of the MFC, the RECC, or hold any salaried position in the Association.

                A minister in final ministerial fellowship whose fellowship has been terminated may appeal the determination of the MFC to the Board of Review, who has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide on the appeal. A credentialed religious educator whose status has been terminated may appeal the determination of the RECC to the Board of Review who has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide on the appeal. An appeal to the Board of Review is heard by a panel of that Board selected by its rules. The panel hearing an appeal does not “try” the case but only reviews the record made before the MFC or RECC. The panel must uphold the decision of the MFC or RECC if it can be sustained by a reasonable view of the record, and in the absence of newly ascertained information. The panel may set aside the decision of the MFC or RECC only when it’s necessary to correct or prevent manifest injustice.

                The rules of the Board of Review can be found on the UUA web site. You can contact me at jlund@uua.org. I always enjoy, and profit from hearing from you. May you experience a blessed Thanksgiving and be of good health.

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Greetings Florida District Friends and Leaders

Rev. Kenn Hurto

District Executive for the Florida District UUA

"Everywhere you look in society, every family, every school, every congregation, every business, it is the least mature, most recalcitrant who call all the shots."

                Rabbi Dr. Edwin H. Friedman

                Ed's generalization sure seems apt far too often in congregational life. Over and over, my phone line is heavy with tales of how naysayers and the "doesn't play well with others" types control Boards and whole congregations or make a minister's life hellish. Countless hours are wasted and goodwill squandered by an ineffectual "nice people" culture that too often sacrifices progress for pseudo-peace and growth for placating the immature and selfish.

                How does this happen? Well, we confuse tolerance of diverse theological expression with toleration of emotionally abusive speech or bullying behavior. We equate freedom of belief with a "no one can tell me what to do" license [e-mail is where it shows up the worst]. And in our desire to respect individuals, we deny the common good and "rights" of the beloved community.

                "A congregation exists," said Rev. A. Powell Davies to "grow souls." It takes a lifetime, often with lots of bumpy places and misdirection. To create a cradle of safety and solace, congregations need to nurture growth and not indulge immaturity. Given the diverse life experiences people bring to our congregations, leaders especially need to name values and rules for the congregational road we seek to travel.

                Perhaps there was a time American society was so homogeneous it was clear how to behave in groups. People policed themselves, or at least accepted the discipline of a community. Today, a "have it your way" narcissism makes you sound like a dolt or tyrant if you dare ask, "Doesn't the group's overall well-being matter? Must it be only 'my way or no way' and never 'our' way?"

                In this time of societal regression, congregational leaders are challenged to articulate a commonly held mission and set of values to define our ministries. They are likewise challenged to say that joining a congregation is not about "you," it's about "us." If we are not to be ever lost arguing whether leaders can lead and not to be bullied by the stubborn and willful, each congregation needs to undertake a disciplined review of its behavioral expectations associated with membership.

                To that end, many Unitarian Universalist congregations across the UUA have gone through a period of self-study to create what is called a "Covenant of Right Relations." It is a straightforward listing of how we ideally ought to treat one another in our congregation, and what to do when we fail to honor our principles. It legitimates the sense that the commonweal matters. It calls people back to mature engagement rather than letting some act out with verbal rock throwing or intimidation.

                If your congregation does not have such, I commend to you Gil Rendle's Behavioral Covenants in Congregations: A Handbook for Honoring Differences [ISBN# 1-56699-209-5, available for $15 from the Alban Institute or on loan from the FLD library]. Or you might want to network with the leadership in our Tallahassee congregation [http://www.nettally.com/uuct/], who spent a year creating their Covenant ─ one of the best I've seen. Then, get to work. You'll be a smarter and wiser congregation.

                May we get to the day where Ed's lament is no longer credible.  

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Exercise Today, Walk With God

“Me and My Shadow”

I am Roger Branan, a fellow traveler in this journey called life.  Monday, today, I do my 2-mile walk to keep heart and life pumping.  I also free flow in my mind and Spirit and share anew my thoughts of travel.  My country is America and I too trust in God.  As I move and meditate the mystery of the sunlight and the shadows become my attraction.  At one point my shadow is short and small as I travel under the sun it becomes large and tall.  Sometimes it goes beside me, then again ahead of me and possible behind.  It seems dependent on the light of the sun and the angle that my body moves in.  I see the ducks and the geese have moving shadows too as they graze on the grass along the lake water’s edge.  There are shadows from cement light poles, tall trees living and dead that come from this light.  God of mystery, your creating never ends.  Your shadow and mine are good companions to have in our walk of life today.  Tonight traveling with my wife to our favorite movie under the night-lights we noticed a shadow forming from our automobile and other vehicles that moved us on the night road.  It has been a good experience to have our friendly shadows present with us.  EXERCISE in every new day with the presence of a force that creates the many mysteries of being alive.  Remember the strength of your faith is like your shadow, it’s with you today.

 

P.S.#1 This is a sample of a 3-minute devotional. I presented these for over 20 years as the program chair for the media in the Jacksonville Ministerial Association(FL).  I recorded 2 weeks (14) at a time.  It was one of my favorite experiences.  People, early risers, received an inspiration from these as they went off to work or started their daily schedules.

 

P.S.#2  For those of you who do not know, Roger Branan is John Branan’s brother.  He and his wife live in Jacksonville , FL and through the years were frequent visitors to our church when in town visiting John and Virginia.  This devotional comes to us via Frank and Rosie Asbury to whom Roger has been sending some of his thoughts. We may include some of these in our newsletter from time to time.

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General Announcements: 

2008 General Assembly in Florida !  I have been encouraged by the responses I've had to my recruitment of candidates for the Volunteer Committee, made up of Florida UUs who will coordinate Information Services (pre-GA tours, local information, greeters), Transportation (shuttle buses between hotels, motels, and the Convention Center), Ambiance (décor for plenary hall and meeting rooms as well as Banner Parade), Special Events (late evening musicians/DJs), Volunteer Coordinator (helping recruit and assign volunteers), Service Project Coordinator (identifies local service project involved in UU-compatible endeavor worthy of support by GA attendees' donations), and Administrative Assistant.   I've already started visiting churches to give my invitational pitch both to attend and to volunteer to be one of the 200+ volunteers who will help in a variety of endeavors during GA. 

I encourage Cluster groups and Sunday Services Committees to contact me to arrange a visit starting in November and going through into June.  Contact: David Fisher, District GA Coordinator.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Holiday Cards:  Note that UUSC holiday cards will be available later this fall. Once they are available, you'll be able to view the cards and place your order at www.uusc.org/holidaycards . Proceeds help UUSC advance social justice and work for basic human rights.

Witness for Peace  On October 10 a delegation of clergy from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC) delivered a combined total of more than 73,000 signed petitions for peace to Congressional leaders. Rev. John Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church for Christ presented the 60,000 signatures gathered over the last few months. Rev. William Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, presented the 13,006 signatures gathered by the UUA's Washington Office for Advocacy over the last three weeks.

Recipe for muffins served at a recent Meet and Greet Betty’s Oatmeal Apple Raisin Muffins 1 egg                                      ¾ cup milk 1 cup raisins                          1 chopped apple ½ cup oil                                1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup quick oats                   1/3 cup sugar 3 tsp baking powder            1 tsp salt 1 tsp nutmeg                         2 tsp cinnamon ½ to 1 cup nuts Beat egg; stir in remaining ingredients, mixing just to moisten.  Pour into 12 greased muffin cups until ¾ full.  Bake at 400 F for 15-20 min.  Serve cool or warm. (I had  baked them in a small size muffin pan.  For the smaller size muffin you have to adjust the baking time a bit.  I also think I may have used  self-rising flour and omitted the salt and baking powder.)

UUA’s New National Marketing Campaign to Grow Our Faith:  Starting with the Oct 15 edition of Time Magazine, the UUA launched its first national media campaign in 50 years.  Ads will also appear in the Nov.5, Dec. 3, and Dec. 31 editions.  The “advertorial” is a unique concept which includes a two-page spread- a 1/3 page ad on the far left and a 2/3 page ad on the right.  Between the ads is a magazine story.  The ad is about religion in America and has both Time Magazine and UUA logos on it, thus indicating the magazines recognition of UUism’s credibility and significance.  This strong partnership positions our faith as the liberal religious authority on major issues of our time.  Watch for these ads and if you subscribe to Time bring copies of the ad to share with the rest of us.