Sunday Services

Sunday, April 6 – Dr. Louis Schmier, “Social Justice” 

Dr. Louis Schmier Professor of History at VSU, will discuss his experience with social justice issues in the south.  Louis is a long time Valdosta resident and has seen many improvements in social justice issues over the years and brings a unique perspective to acceptance of diversity.  Join us for an entertaining and provocative look at past achievements and future challenges.

Sunday, April 13 - Dr. Michael Stoltzfus, “Soren Kierkegaard, Authenticity and Christian Existentialism”

Soren Kierkegaard, a nineteenth century Danish Christian existentialist, offers a critical analysis of the Christianity of his day that is uniquely fitting for the Christianity of our own historical and cultural context.  We will mine Kierkegaard’s thought by addressing the following questions:  What constitutes an authentic life?  What constitutes an authentic Christian life?  Why is it so difficult to live according to the principles and values we claim to endorse? 

Spring Cookout: Following Meet and Greet and our post-service discussion time on April 13, we will have a cookout at the church.  Look for more information about what to bring in the Social Activities column in this newsletter.   

Sunday, April 20 –  Rev. Jane Page , Justice Sunday 2008: “The Cost of Iraq :  Who Pays the Price?”

The war in Iraq has drained this nation’s resources, creating a humanitarian crisis in Iraq , and leaving a multitude of needs at home unmet – including the disgraceful lack of resources and commitment to rebuild the Gulf Coast .   “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.   In the year of the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination, his words continue to ring true. We will honor his legacy by restoring justice for the people of the United States of America , and for the people of Iraq .  Justice Sunday 2008 will empower congregants to become more active participants in our nation’s democracy while honoring Dr. King’s dream.

Please join us and invite others to this important service and the discussion that will follow.  Working together with others, we can change the world.  

Sunday, April 27 – Rev. George Bennett, “How the Irish Saved Civilization”

Sermon based on the importance of Saint Patrick. the Irish Saint, and his influence that preserved the civilizing influence of the Love of God during the Middle Ages. The information in the sermon is based on Tom Cahill's book entitled "How the Irish Saved Civilization."  This is one of Cahill's books on the hinges of history.

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 .  Contact information:

 

 

 

 

Religious Education for Children

            The R.E. program continues in the New Year with the We Believe: Learning and Living Our UU Principles and stories by Dr. Seuss. WE BELIEVE... focuses on the seven  UU principles.  The RE program for children meets at 10:45 AM concurrent with the Sunday morning service.  Volunteers to help in the classroom are needed. Contacts: Mya Storey; Susan Bailey.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Restorative Therapy & Faith-based Anti-GLBT Bullying At Religious Educational Institutions Uncovered

Marc Adams, Founder of HeartStrong, Author/Activist

April 15, 2008 - UU Church of Valdosta

We will host Marc Adams, Lambda Literary Award finalist and Silver Pen Award recipient for his autobiography, The Preacher’s Son.  Marc will share some of his life’s story as well as introduce HeartStrong, Inc., the non-profit organization he co-founded more than a decade ago. HeartStrong, Inc., is a non-profit educational organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students of religious schools, colleges, and universities. HeartStrong has provided hope and help to GLBT students who have endured faith-based anti-GLBT bullying in religious schools around the world since 1996. 

                The Preacher’s Son chronicles Marc’s life growing up gay as the son of a fundamentalist Baptist minister in rural Pennsylvania where he endured a childhood of physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse. He went on to attend, by choice, Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University where he also was employed for 3½ years in the student recruiting/university relations department. His book articulately reveals life at Liberty and the struggle to conform to the standards for which he would have been a martyr. He shares about his years as an ex-gay. It culminates with his coming to terms with being gay and his coming out to his fundamentalist Baptist Christian family.  Since its release in 1996, The Preacher’s Son has garnered praise from bookstores, reviewers, the mainstream press, and the gay and lesbian media. Not to be discounted, Marc says, are the thousands of letters and e-mails he has received from men and women, gay and straight, who have read his books and found themselves changed.

Ministerial Muusings  Rev. Jane Page

The “G Spot” of Unitarian Universalism

Our Unitarian Universalist moderator, Gini Courter, is one of the most interesting and talented folks I’ve met in this Association.  Gini is an elected lay leader who works her magic at General Assembly to somehow guide an extremely diverse collection of delegates to come to some agreements regarding our goals and actions together.  I’ve marveled at her ability to do this very difficult job.  If you have a chance to go to General Assembly, it will be worth it to see her in action.  In that setting, however, she’s a facilitator, coordinator, conductor, and problem solver.  She’s not generally the one sharing her own ideas.  I have been fortunate enough, however, to hear her speak in other “non-moderator” settings.  One of these settings was at the annual Thomas Jefferson District meeting in 2007, where she gave the keynote address.  Gini shared her pearls of wisdom with us.  I’m sharing these with you now because they seem to be particularly appropriate for the future of this congregation.  Here are five of those pearls (paraphrased by me). 

o        There are three topics that can always start a conversation in our congregations:  Generosity, Growth, and God.  One might say that these are the three “G-Spots” of Unitarian Universalism.  (Gini’s main emphasis in her speech related to the second “g-spot.”)

o        We’ve had three times in our history as Unitarians and/or Universalists in which we’ve had significant growth:  first, in Colonial New England; second, following the Civil War (especially in the Western Unitarian Conference); and third, in the 50’s prior to our merger.  And now, we are beginning a new phase of growth and are on the cusp of another significant period, if we are open to the value of spreading the good news of liberal religion.

o        We are in a unique role to reach people in transforming the world because of our openness to change.  Unitarian Charles Darwin said that it’s not the strongest that survive, but those most responsive to change.

o        Our research indicates that most of our congregations will have at least the number of visitors each year as there are members.  Therefore a congregation of 50 people will probably have at least 50 visitors each year.  Yet most of our congregations retain only ten percent of these folks.  Since our congregations also lose approximately ten percent a year for various reasons, there is no growth.  All visitors come for a reason.  We need to find out what brings them to us and determine the best way to meet their needs or assist them in finding a church that can do better.  Research indicates that 75% of our new members say that they decided the church was right for them the first time they visited.  They may take a while before they join, but their first visit is extremely important.  Additionally almost half of that 75% say that they “knew in the first five minutes.” 

o        Congregations that grow have changed the language of growth.  The emphasis and goals are not on numbers but on what their mission is and how best to fulfill it.  Many of our breakthrough congregations have grown because they’ve struggled with and determined who they are in the community and have worked to make a difference in the lives of others. 

I came to Unitarian Universalism as a visitor and so did most of you.  We came here and found that we were at home.  The Reverend Peter Morales reminds us that “our visitors are us.”   And it’s up to all of us to welcome them home to Unitarian Universalism. 

 

 

 

Newsletter Editor:  Betty Derrick Website:  Carol Stiles Local Publicity: Dee Tait April 15: Deadline for the May newsletter.

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Have Some Fun!!

 

Adult Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, March 30 after the Sunday Service

The R.E. children after their opportunity on Easter Sunday for an egg hunt plan to challenge the adults on the final Sunday of March with an adult egg hunt! Plan to join in the fun.

 

Spring Cookout at the Church

Sunday, April 13.

After our post-service discussion time, Doug Tanner will have his grill set up at the church.   Bring what you would like to grill and a salad, side dish, or dessert to share. Tea and soft drinks will be provided. You are also welcome to bring your own libations of preference. There will be some outdoor toys for the kids to keep them occupied. Invite the family and a friend or two!

 

Games Night

Saturday, April 19   7:00 PM

At the church

Bring some finger foods and munchies to share, libations if you’d like, the kids, a friend, a favorite game and let the games begin. As Dee Tait recently observed, this is more than just games, it’s a support system---a good way to get to know some of your fellow UUers.  See Sue Bailey for further details.  Come enjoy the fun!

 

Book Discussion: 

Watch for announcements about the next book, which will be chosen at the late March discussion.   The next potluck and discussion will be scheduled most likely for an evening in May.  We are selecting books which deal with different cultures, religions, and life styles.  Let Betty Derrick know your suggestions.  

 

---

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Keep in your thoughts …

v   Our members and friends experiencing difficult health issues.

Congratulations to

v   Sean Leader who was recently honored as the STAR Student for Lowndes High School .  The senior at each high school in Georgia who scores highest on the three sections of the SAT receives this award.  The student then identifies a STAR Teacher, the one who has had a special influence on his or her development.  Each STAR Student also receives a Governor's Scholarship, which can be used for expenses to attend four years at any college or university in Georgia .  Sean has been accepted to attend Georgia Tech this coming fall.

---

 Social Action Activities  

Founder of HeartStrong

Author/Activist Marc Adams

Comes to Gainesville , FL and to Valdosta , GA

Gainesville , FL - Sunday, April, 13, 2008

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, 4225 N.W. 34th Street; 4pm - Interfaith Social Justice Forum; 6:30 pm – Interweave potluck; 7:30 pm – From Fundamentalism to Freedom (you may attend any one or all events….)

***************

Valdosta , GA- Tuesday, April 15

Sponsored by UU Valdosta ; See announcement elsewhere in this newsletter.

Contact:  Carol Stiles or Doug Tanner.  For more information: http://www.meetmarcadams.com or www.heartstrong.org .

 

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: The Accepting Difference Committee, after conversation with Sadhvi Ji Chaitanya(Vrndaji) of the AVM Hindu ashram in Pavo and with the UU Valdosta Board’s approval, has made a contribution from the Accepting Difference/Restoration Fund to the ashram for the purchase of a replacement item in the church’s name for one that was destroyed.    The Pavo Hindu Ashram was vandalized in January.  The committee plans to challenge other members of the project, if they have not already done so, to make donations to the ashram.  The committee is also considering another community project.  If initial overtures, being pursued by Lars Leader, are success the committee will be letting you know about this project soon.    

Is your congregation a Peacemaking Congregation?  Over 120 UU congregations nationwide are.  They are sponsoring workshops, lectures and book clubs exploring peaceful alternatives to violence on the personal, societal and international levels, as part of the national Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI) on Peacemaking (2006-2010).  We invite your Congregation to Participate! How do you benefit?  Receive Monthly Peacemaking Newsletter describing other congregations' peacemaking program ideas. Use newly developed resources for peace workshops and RE curricula. Give your congregation a voice in writing/approving the UUA Peacemaking Statement of Conscience. What can you do for us? Provide an email point of contact (POC) for your congregation willing to: Periodically post a peace flyer on your bulletin board; Forward infrequent messages from the CSAI core team to your congregational email list or newsletter; Share your congregation's peacemaking activity ideas in our newsletter; How do you become a Participating Congregation?  Identify an individual to be your point of contact and hold at least one peacemaking activity.  Have them reply to this email ( john@schaibly.com ) with the word "Participate" in the Subject Line.  

---

UU Church of Valdosta Board of Directors March Meeting News:  Most of the news is elsewhere in the newsletter.  Doug Tanner reports that he is investigating the purchase of a new electronic music system or Laptop Computer in order to permanently store what music we have and more easily retrieve songs and play them during services switching between CDs.  If our current collection of CDs is damaged we would have no music for services.  There are enough funds remaining in the Program Budget to cover the expense.  Jim Ingram reports that he has treated for weeds  in the back lawn and will be mowing soon.   During storms in mid-March a tree came down in the church parking area which Doug Tanner plans to remove.   The next board meeting will be April 2 at the church.  

UUValdosta listserv Do you receive the UUValdosta emails?  The UUValdosta listserv, our email distribution list, has not been updated with new members and friends for awhile.  If you receive messages with [UUValdosta] beginning the subject line, you are in the loop for our church's email communication.  If not, to be added to the list and receive UUValdosta messages, just let Lars Leader know.

Nominating Committee:  Dee Tait, Jim Ingram and Sue Bailey are in the process of filling our officer slate for the coming year.  Thank you to those of you who have already said yes to their requests.  If you would like to serve and have not yet been ask, speak to Dee or Jim.  If you have been asked and haven’t yet said yes, think about doing so.  

 

Treasurer's Report

Rosie Asbury

February 2008

Receipts                February                               July -present

 Plate                      $    84.00                 $   809.83

 Pledge                        775.00                                   7040.00

 Rent                            240.00                                   1920.00

 Memorial donation      0.00                                10000.00

Total Receipts      $ 1099.00                                $19769.83

Disbursements  

 Mortgage             $  500.00                                $ 4000.00               

 Speakers’ Fees         750.00                                   5260.00

 Repairs & Maint.   1190.84                                   1260.84

 Newsletter                 131.28                                      297.68

 Termite Control            0.00                                      278.00

 Postage                          5.74                                     162.17

 Supplies                         7.21                                       54.48

 Utilities                      199.53                                   1901.16

  UU Dues                       0.00                                   1500.00

  Others                         19.00                                     262.65

Total  Disbursements        

                                $  2803.60                               $14976.98

Net Receipt           $ -1704.60                               $  4792.85

 Pledges: It’s time as in Rev. Jane Page ’s recent sermon “to light the flame” for the coming year.  Recently those of us who received tax letters from our treasurer for our 2007 contributions to the Valdosta UU Church were asked to pledge our contributions for the next church year, which begins July 1, 2008.  If you have not already responded to that request, now is the time to do so.  If you did not receive a pledge letter, let our treasurer know.  Now is when our Board must plan for the coming year’s programs and budget.  They need to know what resources they can count on as they plan.  As a congregation we will vote on their recommendations in May at our annual congregational meeting.  Although we are a small congregation we have been able, for over 40 years, to keep a well lit flame at the Valdosta UU Church.  In order to maintain the quality of programs and services as well as our building and out-reach in the community we must have your financial support, as well as your presence and your volunteer efforts.  Do your part to keep our chalice bright!

 

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.

April 5 Church Growth Workshop – Part II, Naples , FL

April 18-20 Florida District ANNUAL ASSEMBLY, Gainesville, FL [Note date change from that previously announced.]

We are now accepting nominations for District Awards to be presented during the upcoming Annual Assembly. 

Conference theme: “How Strong Is Our Faith — Spiritual Growth in a Multi-Cultural World” with Paula Cole Jones, of consultant for JUUST Change.

April 20 Global Warming Forum, Naples , FL

April 24 Humanities Series - Florida and Its Politics since 1940, Vero Beach , FL

June 24-25 UUUniversity, Fort Lauderdale , FL

Dr. Nick Carter, President of Andover Newton Theological School, will be the keynote program as congregational leaders work on what Dr. Carter calls “interfaith border crossing skills — the ability to communicate with, work with, and care for people who think differently and pray differently.” Universalist University is an educational event just before General Assembly for congregational leaders of all kinds.  If you want to increase your knowledge and ability to serve your congregation and community then UU University is for you!

June 25–29 47^th UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, Fort Lauderdale , FL

GA Program & Registrations available on-line March 1st at www.uua.org 

---

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: Beginner’s Class, 5:30-6:30 PM; Continuing Class, 6:30-8:00 PM.  Contact Dennis Bogyo or Luana Goodwin 

---

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund

I hope many of you will be attending the District Annual Meeting later this month in Gainesville which promises to be an excellent weekend. Unfortunately the UUA Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting will be held at the same time. Please know I am sorry to miss this special yearly event but I will be there in spirit and you will be in my thoughts. Hopefully you also are planning to attend General Assembly (GA) June 25^th-29^th in Ft. Lauderdale . GA is in our District and hopefully we can be wonderful, welcoming hosts to the UUs who will be in attendance from many locales.

                As some of you know concern about security regulations at the Ft. Lauderdale convention center has been the center of much discussion within our UU community. The BOT appreciates the various UU organizations, congregations, and individuals who have communicated concerns regarding security. In January the BOT reaffirmed the GA Planning Committee’s (GAPC) conclusion that there were no alternatives venues available for the large events of GA. According to Rev. Bill Sinkford, UUA President, Beth McGregor, Chair of GAPC, and Gini Courter, Moderator significant programming at GA and the Professional Days that precede GA will be focused on what it means for individuals in our society to live where many of our neighbors and their families lack government-issued identification and the erosion of civil liberties since 9/11/2001. All attendees will be provided opportunities to discuss these two issues.

                It is important for Florida District UUs to bring our leadership, wisdom, and love for our faith to GA for other reasons too. Last year in Portland the first of a two year process of gathering information in a process called Open Space. Information from this process was reviewed by the BOT and was provided to GAPC to determine the process for GA 2008. This year lay and ordained congregational leaders will be invited to participate in an Appreciative Inquiry process, in which our values and hopes for our liberal faith will be discussed. We will be invited to set priorities for our Association. This information will be used by the BOT in the fall of 2008, when the BOT and district presidents will work together to determine what the Association should do, for whom and at what cost (ends).

                To encourage congregational presidents’ attendance at GA the Association is offering registration reimbursement of up to $72.50, twenty-five percent of the cost of full-time early registration to the congregation’s highest lay leader. In addition is hoped congregations will financially support their president’s attendance.

                I could write much more about the events, speakers, and programming planned for GA this year but space does not permit. Please go on to the UUA website (www.uua.org) for more information about GA, including a scheduled important public witness event and UU University, the day and a half preceding GA. Stay in touch: jlund@uua.org. I look forward to hearing from you.

---

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else. ~~~Mitchell, 7

 

---

Greetings Florida District Friends and Leaders

Rev. Kenn Hurto-District Executive for the Florida District UUA

The seasons of congregational life move along somewhat predictably. Many of the District's congregations are in "season," meaning they are experiencing an attendance swell as our beloved snowbirds and tourists join the yearrounders. This is a wonderful time of celebration and reminder of how broad our connections really are.  Many are also in the season of stewardship campaigns. I do hope you are "lighting the fire" for our growth as a faith and are proud to ask for generous gifts to your shared ministries. I am confident I do not go too far asserting that most of the FLD congregations are under-funded. This is due in part because we do not ask well or fail to make the link between a generosity of spirit and a vital faith. In too many places, the pledge drive is "something we gotta do" and reduced to the selling of budgets. The stewardship exercise should be a matter of spiritual discipline and deepening of relationship. Putting a box with pledge cards on a table just doesn't cut it. We need to have a heart-to-heart talk, member to member about our work. It is a spiritual discipline. All our leaders have an obligation to teach the link between our gifts and our faith values. So, be generous in your own giving of time, talent, and treasure. Then, invite your fellow members to do likewise. I feel some urgency to convey to you the excitement in many of our congregations. Generally, our morale is high. The Tampa Bay area is especially energized with a major marketing effort now underway. There has been a dramatic upsurge in guest attendance in the first few weeks of the campaign. It does help to let people know we exist! Everywhere I go, leaders are asking "how can we do membership recruitment, conversion, and retention better?" I sense a changing of tide as we seem to be catching the spirit that our faith truly has a unique message [that old Universalist message, "love one another, everyone, everywhere, all the time"]. That's good, because the disappointing news is the FLD adult membership has declined in 2007. Our January certification numbers show us below 5000. So, let's be more broadly intentional about proclaiming our good news The FLD is here to help you to do that. Membership development is something we can help you address. So, call. By the way, I will offer another "Light the Fire" workshop on congregational growth in Naples , April 5th. [Watch for details in your FLD Connections E-newsletter very soon!] Meanwhile, send us notes of the good things happening in your congregation. I am eager to have others know how you are doing. See you at the District Assembly in April.

From the Church of the Larger Fellowship

A reminder comes from CLF, the congregation without walls serving primarily Unitarian Universalists who live in an area without a local congregation, that their Religious Education materials may be of use to congregations, notably CLiF Notes: A Curriculum for Families and Small Groups. Our congregations with smaller religious education programs may find these resources especially of value. See: www.clf.uua.org for details. A copy of their flyer "RE Express Plus" can be found on the FLD website under "Church Tools."

 

 

 

 

The Smart Church #17 - Connie Goodbread

We should worship together! I have this radical idea. I think we should be worshiping with our children. If worship is a time when we celebrate the things that we find most worthy (upholding our values) then it is the time for us to teach our values to our children. The question to ask ourselves is, “Why do we want a Children’s Religious Education Program?” What is your answer? I have heard, “We need young families to survive.” and “Children are our future.” While these statements are partially true they are not a good enough reason to want children to be part of the congregation. Children need to be part of the now. They are not our salvation. Adults need children. Children need adults. Together we will make a difference. Together we will build the beloved community. Children in the community make the community whole. While children will carry the vision forward, it will be changed into their vision, as it should be. Adults lay a foundation for children to build upon. If we have lived up to our responsibilities to our Unitarian Universalist children they will change us and we will all become more. In order to have this happen we must to be in deep genuine relationship.  We have been handed a model for Children’s Religious Education. It is a model of concentric programming, the center hub being Unitarian Universalism. Children’s Faith Development time happens at the same time as worship. In small congregations, under 100 adults, this presents a particularly difficult problem. There simply are not enough people to do two quality programs. But for all of us, small and large, it is the model we know so we continue to use it. However, I want to suggest that this model has not served us well. Studies tell us that we keep less than 5% of the children who literally pass through our programs. What does this tell us about our future?  I have also heard, “Children can’t sit still through the sermon.” and “Children will be restless and noisy during worship.” Nobody sits still or constantly pays attention to the sermon. If we are saying that our service is too boring for children I might ask, “How many others is the sermon too boring for?” As for restless and noisy, so are adults and we must teach everyone worship manners. It is not the children we don’t want in the service, it is disruptive behavior – from anybody. If we covenant to be together in respectful relationship and we call ourselves and one another back into covenant every time we make a mistake, our healthy relationships shouldn’t be hard to build or maintain.  There are many ways to involve children in worship. In the next couple of article I will talk more about how to we could accomplish real family worship.  

 Keep it Legal & Ethical:  Rules for Showing Movies in Your Congregation   Many of our congregations host a "movie night" or use commercial movies for educational work. Just so we know, there are some rules you should follow. From the UUA's attorney, Edward P. Leibensperger, these guidelines:  “A copyrighted film is entitled to protection. That means that a rented video or DVD cannot be performed outside home use, subject to the following exemption.  It is not infringement if the performance of the work is "by instructors or pupils in the course of face-to-face teaching activities of a nonprofit educational institution, in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction."   It seems safe to conclude that a church with regular educational classes would qualify as a nonprofit educational institution. The showing of the film must be in the context of the teaching activity.   A social, "night at the movies" showing of a copyrighted film is an infringement.  

Investors Against Genocide: Draw the line at investing in genocide.  Join the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), and Investors Against Genocide (IAG) in the fight to end the Darfur genocide by saying NO to investments in genocide.

                If you are a mutual fund investor in Fidelity funds, or those from 50 other companies, you have a vote in the way your money is managed. Investors Against Genocide has submitted shareholder proposals on genocide-free investing to more than 50 mutual funds. Shareholders now have the unprecedented opportunity to vote their proxies to tell mutual funds that they don't want their money invested in companies that abet genocide.   Proxy materials and proxy ballots that include this shareholder proposal are now being distributed by Fidelity for its Contrafund and eleven other Fidelity funds holding shareholder meetings on March 19.  There are also votes scheduled for April 16 and May 14 for Fidelity Funds. Votes at more Fidelity Funds plus other major fund companies, including Vanguard, Franklin Templeton and Barclays, will follow in coming months. To see the latest list of mutual funds with votes pending on genocide-free investing, visit Investors Against Genocide.  

Labor Rights and Economic Justice JustJourney to Mexico Join UUSC and UUJEC for a JustJourney experience, May 24-June 1, 2008, to explore the important ways corporate-led globalization and free trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have affected the lives of Mexicans, particularly the landless poor, women, indigenous people, and migrant workers.  One of the promises of NAFTA was that it would create more jobs in Mexico and alleviate poverty. As in the United States , Mexico has seen mixed results. As corporations and business interests praise globalization for expanding economic opportunities for workers worldwide, others have countered that globalization has devastated workers’ livelihoods and caused vast labor migration.  JustJourneys are unique educational travel experiences that focus on human-rights and social-justice issues. Meeting UUSC program partners and other human-rights activists, participants share in the enduring hopes, daily struggles, and ultimate victories of human-rights defenders in the United States and around the world.   Each JustJourney includes an overview of the historical, cultural, social, and economic context in which human-rights struggles develop. It is a unique opportunity to hear various perspectives on an issue, reflect with others, build community, and develop action steps to create change so that human rights can be fully realized.  You can join a JustJourney, plan one of your own, or help others participate!  Visit www.uusc.org/justjourneys for more information.  

---

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold. ~~~Gregory, 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget  why, but scientists are working on it.~~~Olive,  9

---