Reverend Amy McKenzie Visits
On April 8 Reverend
Amy McKenzie from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee will lead
the service here in Valdosta. The title of her
presentation is "All Things New."
You may recall Reverend McKenzie’s
last visit with us when she and the Tallahassee Church choir
presented a musical program. This
is Reverend Amy's 4th year at the UU church of Tallahassee.
We have enjoyed and appreciated her visits to our church during those
years.
Sunday
Programs
In addition to Reverend Amy visiting from Tallahassee we
will have another out of town visitor, Frank
Casper, from Atlanta. His
topic will be “Separation of Church and State.”
Frank has been Chair of the Social Action Committee at UUCA in Atlanta
and has been involved with an organization called Citizens for Middle Ground.
Virginia
Branan will
lead us in two programs this month. The
first on April 1 will continue the discussion begun in March on the
Study/Action Issue Proposals for the UUA Commission on Social Witness.
The issues for discussion in April will be:
1.
Prison Reform
2.
Sanctions Against Iraq
3.
Separation of Church and State
4.
United
States Election Reform
The format of the program will be like the discussion
last month. On April 29, which is UUSC Celebration Sunday, Virginia will be
using a video and materials provided by UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service
Committee} for this nationwide celebration of the work of this committee.
We will celebrate Earth Day with a presentation from one
of our members, Frank Bibin, who
will talk about the use of bats to facilitate organic farming. Frank and
Theresa Bibin were featured in “The Bat House Research” this past fall.
The Bibins use bats to help with their organic farm.
They hope to be designated as certified organic farmers soon.
CoffeeHouse
Returns!!!
April 21,
7-10 PM
This popular fundraiser for the church promises to be even better than last time. Doug and Molly say that The Strings of Fire will return. Their participation will bring on all of the principals of the symphony this time. It should be great! We have the musicians lined up, but if you know people who would be interested in readings and other performances let Doug and Molly know. René Kerr is coordinating the facilities, food, and money. She will be calling you but will be assuming you can provide tables, etc and help out as you have done in the past. She will purchase the lasagna this time so if you can’t help donations would be appreciated.
Annual Easter campout, April 14-15
Meet at the church anytime Saturday afternoon to put up
your tent. We will have a potluck
together followed by bonfire, and games and activities.
For Sunday morning we will share poems, readings, thoughts, and potluck
breakfast as we share in the sunrise. Even
if you are not inclined to campout, come join us for the evening or the
sunrise sharing about 7 am. The
regular service will be held at
10:45 am. For more information
contact Julie Halter.
VIRGINIA'S VISION
Another April—full of life and
opportunities. One opportunity we as Unitarian Universalists have this month
is to share our many rich church activities with friends. You know someone who
would like to participate in a Seder dinner. Everyone loves the entertainment
and "joie de vivre" of Coffeehouse. Our campout Easter weekend and
special sunrise service is perfect to share with your nature-loving friends.
For your
intellectual/discussion-loving friends, may I suggest inviting them to
participate in "Speak Out Sunday" on April 1 and then on April 15
meet Frank Casper who has spoken all over the country on the issue of
separation of church and state. And come back again April 22 to celebrate
Earth Day and learn from our own Frank Bibin why it's good to have bats around
your farm.
Meeting our spiritual needs this
month, we have the Rev. Amy McKenzie from Tallahassee. She brings us a sermon
"All Things New."
Closing out the month we learn some
ways to put our principles into action with a program about the
"mission" arm for UUs---the Unitarian Universalist Service
Committee.
April promises to be a very appealing month for UUs and their friends. Hope to see you all in church!
Nominating Committee
Joan Cline is chairing this year’s Nominating
Committee. Jim Ingram and Lea
Atkinson are serving on the committee. Volunteer
if you are interested in serving on the Board.
If asked to serve,
consider saying yes. We are a
lay-led congregation, which depends on its members to continue to provide the
fellowship we all enjoy.
Seder
Service
The Seder (pronounced "say' der") Service will be celebrated at
our church on Sunday, April 8 at
7 PM. Sue Eigen will lead us again in our commemoration of Passover around
the dinner table. We look forward to joining together again as a UU family to
experience this important part of our religious heritage from the Jewish
tradition.
Historically, Passover began as a celebration of the liberation of the
Hebrew people from slavery under the Egyptians. Over the years this bold step
toward freedom has become symbolic of all people's move toward freedom. We
will celebrate not with a sense of having participated in an interesting
ceremony, but more importantly, with a feeling that this festival is a living
part of our tradition and our commitment to the present and the future.
The congregation from the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) will join us for this celebration. See Virginia Branan or Diane Holliman for details and to sign up for the potluck dinner.
R.E. Program
Youth
R.E.
Jason and Genna 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.
Adult R,E, If you are interested in coordinating an adult R.E. program, let Ann Kasun know. You can volunteer for one program or for many depending on your interest and time. Adult R.E. can happen if you volunteer.
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 Virginia
Branan.
Support
Lamp!!
April
is our month to support LAMP!! Lowndes Associated Ministries to the People is
an interfaith organization (of about 70 churches) which provides services and
emergency assistance to people in need in Lowndes County. Bring non-perishable
food items such as peanut butter & jelly, macaroni and cheese, canned
goods, cereal, salty snacks and crackers, sugar, and personal hygiene products
(shampoo, deodorant, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.), food cans with pop
tops (for transients).
Blood
For Life Program
April 9-13 is our month for blood donations. Your
donation will mean the difference between life and death for a patient in one
of our area hospitals. The
American Red Cross Donor Center is located at 2517 Bemiss Road.
It is open 11:30 AM-7 PM M, T, and Th and 8 AM-3:30 PM W and F.
Women’s Group
Join us for good food and great company, the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of
each month at 7:00 p.m. Bring a snack, ideas for discussion, or just yourself!
Contact Julie Halter for more information.
Thank you! Thank you!
For
giving her time and talent to teach AHA CPR certification for our members: May Lee
For
efficiently organizing the pledge campaign and preparing the tentative
budget in time for newsletter publication: René Kerr
For
delivering meals in November:
Dee Tait, and Virginia Branan
For
the newsletter: Betty Derrick, Doug Frazer,
Virginia Branan, and Charles Green
Treasurer’s Report
February
Outstanding Debts
Mortgage: $40210.61
UUA
$476.00
$40686.61
Savings: $2500.00
Income:
Pledge:
$1630.00
Plate:
$76.80
Fundraising:
$6.00
Rent:
$340.00
$2052.80
Expenses:
Mortgage:
$700.00
Utilities:
$224.44
UUA:
$119.00
Postage:
$38.86
Insurance:
$211.00
VCR:
$85.47
$1378.77
Your Treasurer, René Kerr
|
We did not know her.
We do not know why she came to our church.
We do not know why her life ended when it did.
May she rest in peace. |
You're all invited to...
Monday, April 9, 7-9 p.m.
Program
by Larry Wheeler on
The UU Mountain
Contact
Virginia for more information.
JOIN
US AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN
Monday, April 9
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers are
located a top a 4200’ mountain in Highlands, NC. Now in its 22nd year, The
Mountain is open year-round with programming for youth, adults, and families.
Included are 25 weeks a year of Elderhostel – academic vacations for people
55 and older.
The summer is a particularly nice time to visit with
daytime temperatures in the high 70’s or low 80’s and nights in the low
60’s. You can come for a program, a vacation, or just for a visit while
passing though the area – for a day, a week or more.
Larry Wheeler, who helped start The Mountain in 1979
and is currently its Development Director will be visiting Valdosta on Monday
evening, April 9,
at 7 p.m. to meet Larry and view his program about where The Mountain is
today and where it’s going over the next several years.
Come join us for dessert and see The Mountain’s beauty through the magic
of modern technology. Listen to Larry and ask him questions. A great time
should be had by all.
UUSC
CELEBRATION SUNDAY—APRIL 29
The prophetic voice of ministry is
at no time more important than when it speaks on behalf of human rights. And
your unique voice is especially important where human rights and our UU
principles intersect in the mission of the Unitarian Universalist Service
committee [UUSC].
Each spring UUSC calls upon you and
me to spread the good news that for over 60 years the Service committee has
dedicated itself to advancing justice throughout the world. Toward that end,
the Service committee embraces old and new members with the pledge that UU
values will continue to inspire and inform UUSC's dedicated service to the
larger world.
This year UUSC Celebration Sunday—April 29, 2001 will take place in
congregations across the land. . Just as the symbol of the flaming chalice
began with the UUSC and spread to become the symbol of the entire
denomination, so UUSC Celebration is becoming a far-reaching tradition among
us—a time for taking pride in UUSC's victories over injustice, and a time
when we offer those in our congregations an opportunity to join with others in
a recommitment to UU justice making.
Rev. Barbara Cheatham,
UUSC Board of Trustees
 |
Vote on Study/ Action
Issues
The
democratic principle is evident in our UU process for selecting Study/Action
issues. During the past 6 months congregations, districts, and committees have
submitted issues they wanted to see emphasized by the Unitarian Universalist
Association.
Locally we
have allocated two Sundays (March 11 and April 1) to overview the eight
submitted topics. On April 1 we
will vote our congregational directive to the UUA for the one issue the
majority of us our interested in seeing explored more fully in the coming
year.
The issues
are:
1.
The Changing
Family
2.
Economic
Globalization
3.
Factory
Farming
4.
Native
American Concerns
5.
Prison
Reform
6.
Sanctions
Against Iraq
7.
Separation
of church and State
8.
United
States Election Reform
For
background information, you may pick up the briefing sheets from the table at
church or visit www.uua.org/csw/saiproposal.htm
Also on
April 1 we will vote on our district representative to the UUA Board of
Trustees. One nominee has been submitted, Lyn Conley of the UU Church of
Atlanta.
|
|
Spreading
the "UU Gospel"
Thanks to all of you who made a special contribution for our church ad on Georgia Public Radio. Bill Godwin shared that he heard the spot, which is being aired during a.m. and p.m. drive times on random days March-May. The announcement says, "made possible by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta. Unitarian Universalists – religious people working for freedom, reason, and tolerance in America for over two hundred years. Information is available at U-U-A dot org."
Games Night!
Bring
$1.00, a dish, and your favorite game to the church on Saturday, April 7 at
7:00 PM. Call René
Kerr or Julie Halter if you need further
information.
Purchases
that benefit the church: If you are interested in a web site to make purchases,
which benefit the church, go to http://www.OneWorldFunding.com.
This came to us through our church address, and is sanctioned by UUA. Among other things it has chalice jewelry and notecards and UU T-shirts. A donation will be made to the church if you shop at the site. Examples of possible purchases: UU lapel pin ($5.00); UU pendant ($55.00); “Vegetarian Planet” by Emmons and Sweet ($12.99).
UU Activities and Announcements
Further information is posted on the bulletin board at the
church.
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)
Elderhostel
at UU in the Pines in West Central Florida at Brooksville, FL: “Exploring
Florida’s Ecosystems From the Water Up: Canoeing Three Rivers” 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.
April4-7
Revival II: Sustaining an Inclusive Unitarian Universalist Christianity in the
21st Century, St. Louis, Missouri
April
6-7 Florida District Annual Assembly, Oviedo, FL
June
21-25 General Assembly, Cleveland, Ohio
July
22-28 SUUSI 2001
Mark
your calendar now for this summer week of fellowship and fun on the Virginia
Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA.
Florida
District Meeting And
General Assembly
The Florida District Meeting, which is an annual meeting of all of the UU’s in the Florida District, of which we are a part, and General Assembly, which is a meeting of all UU’s from across the United States, are both wonderful experiences. The meetings include the business of the District or Association, workshops of all kinds, and opportunities for social interaction with UU’s from all over. It is an opportunity to learn more about the diversity of our religious organization, participate in decisions, learn a lot, and just plain have a good time. Consider carrying our banner and going.
Homecomings: UU Bed and Breakfast Travel Directory, recently published. $17.00 retail but wholesale bulk orders can be used for fund raising. See more information on the bulletin board if interested.
Minutes
from Board Meeting, March 11
Present:
Virginia Branan/President, Diane Holliman/Vice President, Doug Fraser/Secretary,
Rene
Kerr/Treasurer, Ann Kasun/R.E., Betty Derrick/Newsletter
1.
Call to order
2.
Minutes from previous meeting read by Doug, approved by board
3.
Treasurer’s Report by Rene: Board reviewed the budget with Rene and approved
it
4.
President Elect Report by Diane: Diane reviewed program committee meeting in
February, discussed upcoming speakers and the problems of finding visiting
ministers. Board had a budget discussion about visiting speakers with Diane
being designated to handle it as head of the program committee.
5.
R.E. Report by Ann Kasun: Reviewed current youth R.E. group and activities and
board discussed requests for Adult R.E. from some members of the congregation.
Board decided to put a notice in the newsletter for all who want a group to
contact Ann.
6.
Old Business: CoffeeHouse acts reviewed by Doug, other jobs Rene will
coordinate per past CoffeeHouses'.
Nominating
Committee: suggestions made for possible people to be on the committee.
7.
New Business: A. Delegates to the JAX meeting 3/24, or Orlando 4/6-8. Anyone
who wants to go should contact Virginia.
B.Susan
Eigan will lead the Seder Ceremony on April 8th. Plans for this day
discussed, scheduled clean-up Day will probably be re-scheduled.
C.
Plans for Larry Wheeler visiting on April 9th with a presentation
at the Branan residence approved by the board. Time for event to be around 7
PM.
D. V.S.U. Diversity Week: Ann reports that the event is
not scheduled yet but UU Church will participate when or if it does.
E.
Board discusses other renters and an additional Saturday per month rental.
For the Tai Chi group.
Meeting
adjourned.
Respectfully
submitted by Doug Fraser / Secretary.
Mark
You Calendar
The Annual Meeting for our church will be on May 6
after the Sunday morning service. We
will hold the election of officers, vote on the budget, and act on evaluations
and recommendations from the Board.
April 8 Organized Clean Up Cancelled
The previously announced spring church clean-up has been
cancelled. The Board has observed
that everyone is doing a good job keeping up with their volunteer tasks and
with all the other activities at the church on the weekend of April 8 decided
to postpone the announced clean-up date. The Board has asked that everyone be
sure they keep on doing a good job especially in light of so many activities
at the church this month.