As a yearly project, each April, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta provides food to help maintain the food pantry for LAMP (Lowndes Associated Ministries to the People). LAMP is an interfaith organization (of about 70 churches) which provides services and emergency assistance to people in need in Lowndes County. Last year, LAMP was able to feed about 5,000 people from their food pantry. Bring your donated items to the church, and they will be delivered to LAMP!  The following items are most needed:

peanut butter & jelly (for kids)
pork and beans
macaroni and cheese
canned vegetables, fruit, soup, and meat
cereal
salty snacks and crackers
sugar
personal hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.)
food cans with pop tops (for transients)

Saturday, Apr. 4, 7:00 p.m. Come, relax, after a busy month of UU activities. Bring a friend, a game, a snack to share if you wish, and a dollar donation. The games begin around 7:00 p.m. and will continue until….? Call René Kerr or Julie Halter for more information.

Adult Religious Education

Adult R.E. will continue with Chapter 9, "Enlightenment," of the book, History of God by Karen Armstrong on Sunday, Mar. 29, at 9:30 a.m. Contact Hue Jacobs for more information.

Hue Jacobs will present the video "Mind Walk" Wed., April 1 at 7:00 p.m., in the R.E. building, followed by discussion. Call Hue for more info.

Don't forget that we deliver meals for the Break Bread Together program the 1^st and 5^th Tuesday of each month. The people who receive these meals are always appreciative - of the food and of the personal contact with those delivering the meals. Contact Dee Tait for more information

Another coffee house in May...?

Talent and Treasure auction (fund-raiser).....? Some events discussed during the last board meeting. Watch for further announcements....

Women's Group meets the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Bring a snack to share, if you wish. We are planning to do some writing activities from the book, Writing Re-Creatively: A Spiritual Quest for Women, by Gail Collins-Ranadive. This book is put out by the UUA (Skinner House Books). All that is needed is a notebook or paper and pen, and some time for yourself - share that time with us at the next women's group, April 7, 7:00 p.m. (Please note that it is not necessary to share your writing with the group - that is up to you.....)

Florida District Meeting, April 17-18.

The Church and the Media
The Third Age: Programming for the Older Adult
Computers and Audio Visual Aids in Adult Education
Multiple Intelligences
Biomedical Ethics: Assisted Reproductive Technology
.....and many others.

There will be entertainment, food and fun, too! Contact Dee Tait for more information and registration details.

Two nights a week, 5:30 p.m., currently Monday and Wednesday, with ongoing classes after the beginners' classes. Contact Dennis Bogyo or Luana Goodwin for more information and future schedule.

The next Interbeing Meditation Service will be held in May, as Jack Ford (and others) will be attending the Florida District Meeting the 3^rd weekend in April. Stay tuned!

A group has gathered informally at the church a few times to meet for meditation, or discussion and support of meditation. If you are interested in knowing more about this group, please call Ann Bachrach.

Laurel Hahlen 4/2
Martha Horowitz 4/10
Janet Andersen 4/14

Deadline for May newsletter issue:

April 17 (P.S., that's a Friday! So we can work on it over the weekend....)

Contact:

Carol Stiles
c/o UU-Valdosta
1951 East Park Ave.,
Valdosta, GA 31602
e-mail: cranfun@peachnet.campus.mci.net

A Note from Betty Derrick:

One summary statement might be that UU is a place to "tell your story." We hope here at UU-Valdosta you feel you have a chance to do just that....let us know how we can help!

........on 'The Natural Order of Things'

Hey! I saw you when you jumped in there and made sure the coffee was ready, trash was out, or a new person was greeted at the door. But, just in case you or someone else has to do this too often, let's talk. Remember Jack's sermon March 15 concerning responsibility and the usual ensuing discussion? We found some seriousness and some humor as we discussed the natural order of things and its opposite. During announcements, we talked about the need to have volunteers and committees. Hue jokingly quipped, "That's not natural."

Even though Hue was joking, there is a lot of truth in the fact that we Unitarians seem to do whichever job we choose whenever we want to, and we get the work done - well, usually we do. There could be those exceptions when we all choose to do the same job at the same time and maybe the waste baskets don't get emptied or the dishwasher doesn't get turned on or people might slip through the door without being greeted. Because of those rare possibilities, let me bring you up to date.

Besides being a wonderful pianist for our services, Molly has volunteered to be responsible for fundraising events, and for greeters at the door each Sunday. In addition, she even has interest in starting a choir (if you'll come out singing.) that is a lot for one person, so decide now which of these things you are interested in and let Molly know. There is a spot waiting for you.

Josette has agreed to make sure the building is clean and orderly. Expect her call or let her know you are interested in helping with this job before she calls you. With some volunteers, this will be a job, not a chore. René is heading up the Every Member Canvass Committee. That committee will begin its work soon. Talk to René if this is your interest. She needs your help in determining what the church's budget will be next fiscal year.

Janet has been working hard and steadily for a long time with the youth religious education. She has some great ideas, so maybe you have others and can help with this program. Talk to Janet.

Jim, Carol, and Albert have agreed to be the nominating committee for next fiscal year's board members. Please see one of the three if you are interested in serving on the board. The new board will be set in motion at the annual congregational meeting on May 3 and the new members will assume their duties on July 1. But, the committee needs to know your interests now.

We need someone to coordinate preparation of refreshments on Sunday (coffee, tea, and juice.) Remember that you aren't expected to do this yourself every Sunday - but to get someone else to do it.

Carol continues to put the newsletter out on time every month. She gives a lot of time to accomplish a great job, one after the other. Chuck has agreed to join efforts with Carol.

Actually, we know all these jobs belong in some way to all of us. It's just a matter of choosing our interests and finding or taking the time to do them.

If I didn't mention you here, it might be because you do something so well, so often, and so dependably, that I am taking you for granted. So, reach out there and ask someone to help you.

If you want to volunteer, but can't readily reach the person you need to talk to, call me and I will pass your message on. If you see something that needs to be done that we haven't addressed, let's discuss it.

Based on the liveliness of some of our after-sermon discussions, we probably agree that we aren't real bashful. So, come on! In that usual Unitarian fashion, let your voice be heard and let's have a great fiscal year together!

-- Dee Tait, President

Book Suggestion on the Table! Hue Jacobs has suggested the following book for a book discussion/potluck event. The book is titled The Holographic Universe, by Michael Talbot (1991, Harper Collins). Pick it up at your favorite bookstore and let Hue know if you've had a chance to read it!

It is mid-morning on the second day of spring. The sun is finally shining on a cloudless day. The temperature is mild. The wind, of course, is blowing steady and strong, as it has been for as far back as I can remember. I love the wind. I think about a quip I found and cut out of some long forgotten article: "a sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind"

I am thinking about seasons as I drink my morning coffee and prepare the day's adventure of gardening around our back yard ponds. This is spring-cleaning at its best. Playing in the soil, cutting, weeding, planting; well-rehearsed activities which liberate my psyche. Heart and mind are free to contemplate the deeper task -- spring-cleaning of my soul.

My schedule tells me there are four more visits to my favorite church before the summer break. I hope in our spiritual springtime we will plant more seeds of love and understanding, nurture mighty trees of peace and justice, weed out prejudice and disadvantage.

Coming up in April: The first Sunday, I want to look at the lighter side of being right (or left), to celebrate our potential for foolishness (in a responsible manner of course!). On my following visit on the third Sunday, I will bring you up to date on my status as a Unitarian Universalist ministerial candidate. I have called this topic "Why I Want To Be A U. U. Minister."

Sunday, May 10, is "high attendance Sunday!" This will be the annual occasion when we celebrate our Flower Communion Service. It is also Mother's Day! Please invite a mother (or a friend, or other family members, or all of the above) to join you for this beautiful experience when we create a community bouquet. Remember to bring your special flower, cutting, twig, or branch that tells a story (such as, "I forgot my flower so I picked this one out of the church yard".)

On my final visit, we will meet another U. U. personality as we end the month of May with May Sarton. Just so you know that I do listen to your suggestions, this one is by request.

Speaking of requests, I have one. One of the workshops on Super Saturday generated ideas on how to operate and improve Sunday WORSHIP. One of those ideas suggested more input from our congregation. This is an idea that I find quite appealing. If you would like to help me prepare more meaningful worship experiences, if you have a good idea or two, if you want to participate in choosing or presenting readings, greetings, music, meditations, etc. please contact me at church or home.

Yours in Ministry and Fellowship,

Jack

Annual Congregational Meeting - May 3 and elections

A Note From the

Newsletter Editor

A Brief Report on Super Saturday Seminar

UU Activities and Announcements

The Mountain

The website address is:

http://themountain.uua.org/mountain

Some examples and dates for 1998: (Note: list has been updated since last newsletter!)

• Embracing our Lesbian Identity, Apr. 24-26
• Spirituality of Native American Culture, May 1-3
• Mother & Daughter Passages, May 8-10  (for daughters, age 11-18, and their moms)
• Womenspirit Institute, May 13-15
• Womenspirit Gathering, May 15-17 (women's spirituality and history)
• Adventures in Mind, Body and Spirit, June 3 - 7. A weekend of wildflowers, music, and two workshops: Sustaining our Legacy (about the health of the planet), and Searching for Character (discussion about character, values, and ethics using film clips from classic movies).
• Family Camp '98, July 5-10

UU in The Pines

Contact: 7029 Cedar Lane Brooksville FL 34601

uupines@pro-scat.cts.com (More info to follow when I find the link on the UUA website!)