What’s going on... February 2007

Sunday Services

February 4 – Dr. James Hill, "God's Politics: How to Connect Religious Belief to Social and Political Action."

 

Dr. Hill, Professor Emeritus and former Head of the VSU Philosophy Department, has spoken many times through the years to our congregation.  He says that he has been doing a lot of thinking about this topic recently and has been energized by what Unitarians stand for with regard to this subject, almost alone, in this community.  Jim’s presentations are always provocative.  Welcome him back to our congregation.

Layleader for this service:  Lars Leader

 

February 11 - Rev. Jane Page , “Can You Say UU Evangelism?”

 

In this message, Jane explores the reasons some Unitarian Universalists reject the concept of “evangelism,” while others embrace it.  Jane also shares here personal hopes and dreams for UU Evangelism in South Georgia .  Discussion time after the service will offer opportunities for all who are interested to question and explore this issue and implications for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta.  

Layleader for this service: Dee Tait

 

February 18 – Dr. Michael Stoltzfus,   “Religion and Violence”

 

We will investigate the disturbing alliance between religion and acts of violence and terrorism.  Central questions that focus the talk will include the following:  Why do individuals involved in terrorism rely so heavily on religious texts and traditions to give license to vengeful ideologies?  What is the logic that provides moral justifications for religious violence?  Does religious violence represent an aberration born of human weakness or a logical result of religious teachings?  How might religious traditions transform themselves in order to root out violence and become the bearers of compassion, peace, and tolerance?   

Layleader for this service:  Doug Tanner

 

February 25 - Rev. George Bennett, “Saltiness and Light”

 

The sermon is addressed to those moments in us when we have awakened to the spiritual understanding of the allness of God.  Goodness is reality and truth.  In the same way evil is powerless and is an illusion.  Maybe evil is not the right term.  Everything that misses the mark is illusion and simply not real.  We lose our flavor (saltiness) as we destroy ourselves with all the things that are not real.  These parts of us are selfishness, pride, vanity, sensuality, self-righteousness, jealousy, self pity, resentments, judgmentalness and condemnation.

Layleader for this service: Seeking a volunteer.  Contact Dee Tait.

 

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 a board member to obtain Jane’s contact information.

INVITATION TO MEMBERSHIP If you are interested in becoming a member of our fellowship, we encourage you to talk with our President, Lars Leader .  We welcome your questions, and we extend an open invitation to all who want to join our liberal community of faith.

 

 

 

 

 

Meditation Group

The Meditation Group is meeting regularly in the sanctuary every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.  You are welcome to participate.  If you would like to know more about the group speak with Dee Tait .

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Religious Education for Our Children

The RE program for children meets at 9:30 AM each Sunday morning.  Please bring your child and let those with children who might be interested know that we have restarted this important program at our church.  Volunteers are needed to be sure that two adults are present for each session.  You can volunteer as a helper or as a teacher. Contacts:  Mya Storey or  Susan Bailey.

 

 

 

Newsletter

Editor:  Betty Derrick  

Website:  Carol Stiles

February 15: Deadline for the March newsletter.  

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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.

 

JUUST Change Grant Project

In early January we learned that Sue Lacy would be unable to be in Valdosta for the announced January session.  We have rescheduled her next visit for the weekend of March 2-4.  You may be interested to know that her conflict was a social justice consultation dealing with issues related to New Orleans Katrina problems which she has been working on this fall.   Perhaps this gives you some idea of the depth and breadth of her experience and what she can bring to our discussion in Valdosta .   There will be more information in the March newsletter about our continuing a dialogue with those in our community, who are interested in social justice and what we  together can do to facilitate making south Georgia a more welcoming and diverse community, accepting of difference in all its forms, working on systemic causes of problems in the community. Contact: Betty Derrick  

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Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)  Please notice our new Vision of Justice Banner honoring our congregational membership in UUSC and support of its social justice work here in the USA and abroad.  Next year, in order to receive another banner we will need support from 75% or more of our congregation.   The Guest at Your Table donations during the holidays are part of this year’s contributions.  Join UUSC if you are not already a member.  You can get more information from Betty Derrick, our UUSC congregational representative or at www.uusc.org.  

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UUA Position on Iraq   In early March 2003, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations announced its opposition to pre-emptive military action against Iraq done without the approval of the United Nations. This position was based on numerous statements approved by the General Assembly, the highest policy-making body of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, which identify diplomacy and the United Nations—not war—as the appropriate means through which international conflicts are to be resolved. In 2003 the UUA General Assembly adopted an Action of Immediate Witness calling upon Congress to conduct open bi-partisan hearings to examine the moral and legal justifications for the invasion of Iraq . An Action of Immediate Witness in 2004 called, among other things, for the timely withdrawal of US forces and transition to UN peacekeepers. In December 2005, UUA President the Rev. William G. Sinkford personally supported requiring the Administration to set a timetable for withdrawal. The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations primary vehicle for advocacy and organizing against the war has been and continues to be the Win Without War Coalition (http://www.winwithoutwarus.org/). The Association is supporting Win Without War's "America Says NO!" campaign based on the General Assembly resolutions which clearly calls for an end to the US occupation of Iraq and transition to UN-led forces, not an increase in US troops.

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About Our Members and Friends

Keep in your thoughts …

v   Members and friends experiencing difficult times due to health concerns of friends or loss of family members.

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UU Board of Directors News:  January 10, 2007 meeting.

In attendance: Lars Leader , Jim Ingram , Dee Tait, and Doug Tanner.  Jim Ingram will move the lights for the sign to the opposite side of the entrance.  A trench will have to dug and new wire run so that they can be moved.  He will also check into replacing the solar lights that are missing or not working.  Doug Tanner will send statements summarizing tax deductible donations to all members by the end of January.  We will also be compiling a list of all members who made a contribution of record so that the number of members can be updated with the UUA.  Dee Tait presented the Program Report.  All services have been scheduled through the end of March.  Dee will be e-mailing everyone to get volunteers to laylead for February.  She will also be setting up training for anyone interested in leading in the future. The next Board of Directors Meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on February 7.  

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Treasurer's Report

Doug Tanner

OPERATING RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS:                                                      

                                                                     December              YTD Six Months

Receipts:                                                                                     

  Plate                                                                      49.00                720.00

  Pledge                                                              1,680.00             6,705.00

Rent                                                         240.00             1,440.00

Interest Income                                                     0.00                540.00 

 

TOTAL RECEIPTS                             1,969.00             9,405.00 

 

Disbursements:     

  Mortgage                                                          500.00                   3,000.00

  Speaker's                                                           425.00                   3,525.00

  Repairs& Maint.                                                  0.00                      417.00

  Newsletter                                                            0.00                      228.20

  Supplies                                                                0.00                        75.47

  UUA dues                                                            0.00                   1,960.00

  Utilities                                                              156.41                   1,068.85

  Advertising                                                          0.00                           0.00

  Other                                                                   15.00                         90.00

TOTAL DISBURS.                                         1,096.41                 10,364.52 

NET RECEIPT (DISBURSEMENT)                  

                             $872.59                 ($959.52)

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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: Beginners Class: 5:30-6:30 PM  Continuing Class: 6:30-8:00 PM.  (Instructors: Dennis Bogyo and Luana Goodwin )

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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. 

February 9 Celebrated Speakers Series, George Will, UU Vero Beach , FL

February 10 District Board Meeting,  Clearwater , FL      Creating a Legislative Ministry for the Florida District at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater Congregation, 10am — 3pm   A steering committee is being formed to explore how UUs in Florida may be present in the public square, particularly to ensure our concerns for human dignity and justice are noted in Tallahassee. UUA organizer Fred Seidl heads up this initial meeting. Let him know of your interest at Fseidl@uua.org.

February 16-18”Now is the Time: Leading Congregations into a Multi-racial, Multi-Cultural Future,” Arlington , Virginia

March 3 West Central Cluster-Social Action Workshop with UUSC President Charlie Clements, Clearwater , FL  

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UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                            Joan Lund

Early in my elected role as Unitarian Universalist Association Florida District Trustee I wrote two columns: one summarizing the role of the Trustee, the second, the role of our President, and Moderator. But as far as I can determine I have not written about our UUA and why we are organized as an Association. With thanks to my UUA Trustee colleague, John Blevins, Prairie Star Trustee, I offer information about our UUA. In one summary sentence, we associate to enable us to do together those things that we cannot do as individual congregations.

UUA responsibilities include educating and guiding ministers through seminaries and ministerial search assistance. Our UUA is responsible for developing religious education curricula for all ages. Through President Rev. Bill Sinkford and the Washington Office for Advocacy we influence public policy and public practices via our combined voices. Our UUA provides assistance to church management teams and helps develop lay leaders through workshops and leadership schools.

Our Association is organized through twenty districts; each district has one trustee on the UUA Board and there are three at-large trustees elected at General Assembly (GA). There is one youth trustee. The Florida District includes most of Florida , Valdosta , Georgia , and the Virgin Islands . Each district has its own board and staff. District staff is employed by both the district and UUA. The role of the district is to be the representative of the Association in district congregations. Districts arrange for consulting services, workshops, and assist volunteers in reaching their goals. Our UUA and districts are funded by the contributions from the congregations to the Annual Program Fund (APF), determined by membership numbers, or as a percent of the congregation budget (large congregations) and district dues. The Association redistributes a portion of the APF contributions from congregations to all twenty districts. The annual Grant to each District is calculated in the fall of each year and paid quarterly.

There are a number of priorities (these change as necessary and are determined by our delegates to GA) on our UUA “agenda”. These include insuring that our Association and our congregations are continually working on eliminating racism, classism, and oppression in our society. We want to determine how to reach those folks who may be interested in our principled liberal faith and to successfully engage those who do come to our congregations. Of course there are many other priorities on which our Association is working. Be sure you check out www.uua.org for further information and ways the Association might assist you or you might assist the Association. I always include my email if you wish to contact me: jlund@uua.org, and look forward to hearing from you, if you so choose. I wish you love and happiness this Valentine’s month.

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Holiday card contest  We’re pleased to announce the 2007 UUSC Holiday Card Design Contest! Creative UUs of all ages are invited to submit festive original designs for UUSC holiday cards for the 2007 holiday season. Each year, UUSC holiday card sales help support our worldwide work for human rights. One of these cards could be designed by you!  Create an original design that reflects the joy of the holidays, as well as the spirit of justice, equity, and compassion. Please visit www.uusc.org/holidaycards for submission guidelines and to see the 2006 award-winning card.  Submissions must be received on or before April 27, 2007.  Mail submissions to: UUSC Holiday Card Contest, 130 Prospect Street , Cambridge , MA 02139

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Bus Trip to Selma on March 4:  Rev. Floyd Rose reports that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (the civil rights organization which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., co-founded and over which he presided until his assassination in 1968) will be sponsoring a bus trip to Selma , Alabama for the annual memorial march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 4. Hundreds of people, civil rights leaders, and a Congressional delegation from Washington , headed by Congressman, John Lewis, will be there.    The Tribe of Judah, the Church At Pine Hill’s Step Team has been invited to perform during the memorial service at Selma ’s First Baptist Church .  The President of SCLC (Dr. Charles Steele) will be the speaker.  The Tribe of Judah performed for him and his group during his visit to Valdosta on December 17.  It was at that time that he asked them to perform in Selma .  We’re leaving the Church At Pine Hill that morning (Sunday) at 5:30 A.M., and should return at approximately at 10:30 P.M.  If you are unable to go, but would like to sponsor a student or senior citizen, we would be grateful.  The fare is $35.00 and seats will be reserved on a first paid basis.    Please contact Betty Derrick for contact information for this event.

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Notes From Our District Executive
The Reverend Kenneth Gordon Hurto - January 2007

New Year’s resolutions are most notable for our inability to keep them. Nonetheless, they are a good values-clarification exercise, helping one to focus on what is important. Two simple rules are worth noting:

·         Stop resolutions require at least a month of unbroken commitment if they are to stick and you’re not going to fall back into old habits. Therefore: tell everybody. You’ll get plenty of reinforcement to keep at it.

·         Start resolutions, by contrast, are harder. They take a full year to become part of your way of being. New habits are resisted and often scoffed at by those around you. So, enlist your best friends and cheerleaders to keep encouraging you. And be patient! Keep on keepin’ on!

Thriving congregations review their commitments frequently, acknowledging what to stop and what to start. They stop stale programs or unhappy stuff quickly and with firm resolve. With new initiatives, leaders keep in mind that it takes time. They steadily remind members of and patiently nurture new starts. If you are a congregational leader, keep these distinctions in mind as you launch a new year.

Congregational Mission :  A new year is a good time to review your intentions. Before you plan ahead, however, it is important to ask yet again: Why are we here in the first place?

I often challenge congregational leaders: “Tell me your congregation’s mission statement.” Most cannot. Those who can fumble. Why? Because nearly all Unitarian Universalist congregations have a hard time focusing. Our ambition to be inclusive tempts us to be all things to all people. What passes for mission statements often are wordy and cumbersome. As a result, many groups are simply not clear about why they exist and have a hard time explaining to new guests why anyone would want to join up.

A Mission Statement should be: a) Understandable to a 12 year old, b) Fewer than 25 words, and c) Able to be recalled and recited under duress. The form should be:

“The Mission of the Eastern Seabed Unitarian Universalist Congregation is to — . ...[complete the sentence with one verb, a clear object and very few adjectives] . . . .”

Here are a few pretty good examples:

·         “To create a diverse, spirit-growing, justice-seeking community that transforms ourselves and our world into one great family of all souls.” All Souls, Washington , District of Columbia [20 words]

·         “To serve the religious needs of those who embrace Unitarian Universalist principles, who respect the free exercise of private judgment in all matters of belief, and who live in the Metropolitan Toronto area.” First Unitarian, Toronto [33 words]

·         “To create a nurturing and supportive community where children and adults, learn and grow, feel loved and accepted, respect and celebrate diversity, develop individual beliefs, and work together for justice.” Ridgewood , New Jersey , religious education mission. [30 words]

How about yours? If you haven’t done so in a while, read your Mission Statement at your next Congregational leadership meeting. Does it meet these requirements? If not, why not? Let me know how it goes.

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Friends of the UUA Phonathon  As a supplement to periodic mailings, Friends of the UUA will be conducting a fundraising phonathon beginning the week of February 19 and continuing through the third week in March.  Outreach Associates, a telemarketing firm located in Pittsburgh , will be phoning members who are currently active Friends of the UUA to ask them to renew their support.  The call’s theme is a Progress Report on Tapestry of Faith Lifespan Curriculum.
Our contract with this firm requires that all callers must be courteous, respectful, and succinct as they offer identified Unitarian Universalists an opportunity to support our Association directly.  Your feedback about the calls will help us to monitor their quality. We have established a Friends Phonathon Hotline to facilitate that feedback:  Members may call (617) 948-6525 to leave a message to ask to be placed on the "no call" list or to share a comment directly with a UUA staff member.  Your willingness to support the UUA enhances our ability to provide services and programs to member congregations and presents avenues for future growth of Unitarian Universalism throughout the country. If this phonathon is occurring at an inappropriate time for Friends of the UUA to be contacting members of your congregation, please let me know by return email before February 5, 2007.  With gratitude, Cynthia Salloway, Director, Friends of the UUA, Stewardship & Development

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UUSC conference calls: Congress’s first 100 hours

The next calls will be Monday, February 5, at 3 PM and 8 PM.

Now is the time to continue the momentum for progressive changes in public policy. During the first 100 hours, numerous bills will regain ground lost for justice in recent years. We must rapidly create enormous momentum to send a clear message about our priorities and our strength.

UUSC's Wage Justice initiative is fighting for fair and decent wages. It is rare that we see such a positive opportunity as this. Congress has not raised the minimum wage in 10 years, though 22 states have enacted minimum wages higher than the federal wage. The measure has now passed in the House and will be voted on by the Senate.  Some argue that raising the minimum wage will increase unemployment and lose jobs. This is simply not true. None of the 22 states with increased minimum wages have seen such repercussions.  The current legislation is just the beginning. UUSC is now part of the CAN (Change American Now) campaign working on a package of first 100 hours economic justice issues including the minimum wage. Learn more at www.cancampaign.org . UUSC urges you to join the fight. Take action at www.uusc.org . The first 100 hours are setting the stage for legislation to repair damage done to multiple areas of justice.  We have the opportunity to regain civil liberties lost with legislation to return habeas corpus rights for detainees and potentially close down the School of the Americas .  We expect the opportunity to make progress for environmental justice with the Water for the Poor Act to ensure accessible and affordable water for people in developing countries. With every challenge we face, the genocide in Darfur will not fall from our sight. Supplemental appropriations bills for Darfur are expected and desperately needed.  UUSC is part of the Win Without War coalition which has organized an emergency response to Bush’s plan for Iraq . We are helping build a massive nationwide grassroots response.