Sunday Services

 Sunday, May 6 – Dr. Betty Derrick,  “Justice Sunday 2007: UUSC’s Drumbeat for Darfur ”

Each spring UU congregations nationwide stand for justice by celebrating Justice Sunday.  Today, the members of this congregation can take action for change by joining the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) to speak out against the genocide happening right now in Darfur , Sudan .  Betty, a member of our congregation  and our UUSC congregational representative, will talk about the work of the UUSC and share remarks prepared by Rev. Dr. Terrence Ellen, the Executive Director of UUs for Social Justice of the Greater Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia Region.  She will also report on the latest gathering of the community group Accepting Difference in Valdosta Georgia which began as our JUUST Change Project.  The group meets at the ashram in Pavo the last weekend in April.

Sunday, May 13 – Rev. Jane Page , "The Church as Mother"

Many of us grew up in churches where "The Church as Bride" was the metaphor often used.  In her message today, the Rev. Jane Page will explore how a maturing to "Mother" as an image might enhance our churches in their efforts.  Additionally, we will honor all those who have served in a nurturing role in our lives on this special Mother's Day, 2007.

Sunday, May 20 - Dr. Michael Stoltzfus “Dietrich Bonheoffer:  Speaking Truth to Power”

Dietrich Bonheoffer, a German Lutheran Minister, was implicated in a plot to kill Hitler as a member of the German resistance during World War II, and was executed in a Nazi concentration camp eleven days prior to its liberation by the allied forces.  We will investigate Bonheoffer's theological, ethical, and practical resistance to uncritical patriotism, militaristic nationalism, and Christian complicity in the midst of Nazi atrocities.  

Members should please note that the congregations Annual Meeting will immediately follow Meet and Greet after this service.  See the details elsewhere in this newsletter.  

Sunday, May 27 – Rev. George Bennett, “The Love of God”

It is good news that God loves us.  It is good news that there is no limit to this love.  The power of God's love breaks down boundaries, leaps over walls and defeats deadly restrictions.  It is human nature to hunker down and to keep house with those like us.  But does God have to drag us kicking and screaming into evangelism and mission?  We in the UU tradition have some wonderful good news to share.

 

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.

 

 

 

2007 Annual Meeting

Sunday, May 20 Following the Service

The agenda for the Annual Meeting of our congregation, immediately after the Meet & Greet time, follows:

1.  Election of the Board of Directors for 2007-2008.  The Nominating Committee has brought forward these candidates: 

Mya Storey--President

Doug Tanner--Vice-President/Programs Chair

Rosie Asbury--Treasurer,

Chuck Giese--Secretary,

Susan Bailey—Director of  Religious Education  

Jim Ingram —Director of Building & Grounds,

Lars Leader—Director of Membership. 

Voting will follow any discussion.

2.   Budget approval by the congregation, following any discussion.

3.   Discussion of whether our congregation should continue to be affiliated with the Florida District of the UUA or change affiliation to one of the UUA districts with numerous churches in Georgia .

Members and friends of the congregation should have received a pledge letter from the treasurer. The Board will make its budget proposal to the members based on those pledges.

This meeting is an annual obligation and privilege of membership in this democratic congregation.  Those eligible to vote must be members and must have made a contribution of record earlier this calendar year to the congregation.  If you have any questions about this, speak to our President Lars Leader.

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Religious Education for Children

The RE program for children meets at 10:45 AM concurrent with the Sunday morning service.  To meet UU District guidelines we need two adults present for each session.  

Contacts:  Mya Storey or Susan Bailey.  

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 .

 

 

Newsletter

Editor:  Betty Derrick

Website:  Carol Stiles

May 15: Deadline for the June newsletter. 

   

About Our Members and Friends

v    Congratulations to Sean.  He will participate in the Governor's Honors Program this summer at VSU, with a focus on mathematics.  His father, Lars, is deservedly proud!

 Keep in your thoughts ….. 

Our members and friends recovering from injury or the loss of friends or family.

A Thank You Letter...

v   From René -  Hello UUs,  We just wanted to thank you again for all you have done for us.  The support throughout MaKayla’s Life and Death will always be with us.  I hope you know how much her memorial at the Church meant to me personally.  Thank you again for sharing those important days with us.

In Memory of John M. Branan, Sr. Dr. John M. Branan Sr. died at his residence April 18, 2007.  A memorial service led by UU minister and one of the founders of the Valdosta UU Church, the Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf, was held at the church on, April 24, 2007.  John and Virginia Branan and their children John, Jr and Penny were some of the earliest members of the Valdosta UU congregation 40 years ago.  Penny died in 1992; Virginia , in 2006.  John, Jr and his wife Jill and their two sons live near Boston , MA in New Hampshire where they have recently moved. John, Jr who was raised as a UU says they are still looking for the right UU church to join and how amazing it is to be somewhere where there are choices of UU churches!   John and Virginia Branan were mainstays in our congregation and they have been and will continue to be missed.  They touched many lives throughout our community and will be well remembered for time to come.  The family has asked that contributions in John Branan’s memory be made to the American Cancer Society or the Valdosta Unitarian Universalist Church .

                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

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Board of Directors Meeting -  April 11, 2007

Attendance: Lars Leader , Doug Tanner, Jim Ingram , Sue Bailey, Mya Storey and Rosie Asbury.  Lars opened the Board meeting with the lighting of the chalice and a reading from UU World.  The Board read and approved the minutes of the March meeting.  The regular speakers we had this year have been asked if they would be willing to continue next year. The Board agreed that having the three regular speakers, who represent  different areas,  seemed to have worked well for our congregation.  The annual congregational meeting will be held on May 20, 2007 right after the service. Doug presented the monthly treasurer’s report. He had also started mailing letters to the church members to ask for their financial pledges for  next year.  The next Board meeting will be on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 at 6:00 P.M. at the RE building.

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Note from John Guzlowski: Lightning and Ashes, my new collection of poems about my parents and their experiences as slave laborers in Germany and immigrants here in America , is available from Steel Toe Books (www.steeltoebooks.com) and Amazon (www.amazon.com). Some of you will recall Dr. Guzlowski sharing his poems with us at a Sunday service a while back.  

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Valdosta Community News:

George Bennett is organizing Valdosta Community Radio to produce a “community on the air.” The new station will feature a diverse musical format and interviews with a variety of community personalities, leaders, authors, poets, policy makers, and persons who have limited access to the air-ways. Valdosta Community Radio’s programs are intended to entertain, educate, and engage the audience in experiences of toleration, diversity, social justice, and to increase appreciation of and the protection of our cultural and natural resources.  Bennett said that Valdosta Community Radio Corporation is seeking persons from the community to lead the new corporation from all ethnic, cultural, and economic groups in Valdosta .  The station is being assisted by the Prometheus Radio Project. Siyade Gemechisa from Prometheus says, “There is no limit to what positive changes can be accomplished when this community builds an outlet to discuss the issues they are facing.” Prometheus Radio Project, based in West Philadelphia, works to build and expand access to community radio in the US and around the world.  Prometheus has built radio stations  – with farm workers, civil rights organizations, and community groups like Valdosta Community Radio.

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 Treasurer's Report

Doug Tanner

FUND BALANCES at April 30, 2006

General Fund                                        $21,342.60

Restoration Fund                                 $15,215.64             

Total (Cash in Accts)                          $36,558.24             

OUTSTANDING DEBT                                     

Mortgage                                              $21,271.92             

RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS:      

                                                               April       YTD/Ten Months

Receipts:                                                               

Plate                                                           30.00            872.19

Pledge                                                      616.00         9,933.00

Rent                                                         200.00         2,360.00

Interest Income                                         0.00            721.77

TOTAL RECEIPTS                               846.00       13,886.96 

Disbursements:                                                   

Mortgage                                              500.00         5,000.00

Speakers                                                366.00         3,634.61

Maintenance                                            0.00             326.00

Insurance                                                  0.00              46.00

Postage                                                     0.00             193.78

Supplies                                                295.46             517.43

UUA dues                                               0.00            1,960.00

UU Conf. Attend.                                    0.00             189.00

Utilities                                                  227.83          1,675.78

 Advertising                                             0.00                84.80

 Other                                                        0.00              141.00 

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS            1,389.29        13,768.40

NET RECEIPT (DISBURSEMENT)                             

                           ($543.29)         $118.56

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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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UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund

This is the time of year congregations in search for a settled minister are in the process of candidating week and then calling their new minister. In most situations the minister has become a fellowshipped UU minister through The Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC). The MFC is responsible for all phases of ministerial credentialing. Candidates for ministerial fellowship are interviewed by the MFC before fellowship is granted. Additionally, the MFC has the authority to remove ministerial fellowship. Ministerial Fellowship is granted by the Association to those who meet and maintain the high standards and requirements for Unitarian Universalist Ministry. The MFC, appointed by the Board of Trustees, grants fellowship and governs the rules and policies which apply.

The MFC meets three times a year for 4 days and interviews candidates for a minimum of 2 full days, and occasionally an extra one-half day of interviews. On two of the days the MFC reviews reports, engages in anti-racisim/anti-oppression/multiculturalism work, and general business including guest speakers. The MFC has their own working groups which often meet over lunch, discussion candidacy, settlement, and process. Each packet from an aspiring minister is 100 pages in length and must be reviewed before interviewing the candidate. The MFC currently is in the process of reviewing its rules and policies.

Persons aspiring to UU Ministry first appear before the Regional MFC Sub-Committee on Candidacy (RSCC) who work with them and advise their further work. Information about preparation and the process of Ministerial Fellowship go through the Office of Ministerial Credentialing. The Ministerial Credentialing Director, Rev. David Petee, works with persons preparing for the UU ministry by communicating the requirements of the MFC relating to theological schools, administering scholarship aid, and supporting opportunities for field education, internships, workshops, and other programs.

If a disciplinary review of a minister is necessary it is handled by the MFC. Ethical or conduct complaints which are not resolved directly within a congregation or with the assistance of the District Executive (DE) may be addressed to the MFC through Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director of Congregational Services, who advises complainants of appropriate steps and resources available to them. The MFC is charged with significant ethical or conduct concerns that could lead to disciplinary action. But in many instances complaints can be resolved directly with a minister, within congregational structures, or with the assistance from the DE.

Thank you to all who attended the Florida District Annual meeting late in April. It is always informative and fun to reacquaint with District friends and meet new ones. Please contact me at jlund@uua.org with your concerns and questions…or just to talk, if you wish. Enjoy the month of May.

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The Reverend Kenneth Gordon Hurto

Florida District Executive

Dear Companions in Faith,  Spring cleaning is upon us. It’s a good, old custom. As New Year’s once came on April 1st, it’s not bad to revisit the question of our resolve for “a new life” in tandem with the spring flowers.

Hygiene is not a glamorous topic. However, I’d like you to reflect spring-cleaning and questions like these as they may apply to your congregation:

·         Have you ever been to a dirty bank? Would you go back?

·         Have you ever found a restaurant’s restrooms leaving you wondering whether the food was safe?

·         Have you ever been to a church where everything felt sort of old and neglected? Perhaps the restrooms were clean, but the paint on the walls hadn’t been redone in 20 years? Yes, the bulletin boards were neat, but flyers were still posted for up-coming events long since past? Did you want to return?

Years ago, my Iowa congregation suffered a recalcitrant drinking fountain. One day, an impatient parishioner tore out the old works and put in a new refrigerated water cooler. For weeks thereafter, I heard praises, “How wonderful to be able to get a drink again!” I wondered … how many otherwise good Sundays had been diminished simply by people’s inability to get a drink?

What I learned from this is that ensuring things work well matters. As often as not, removing irritants, cleaning things up a bit, or putting on a fresh face can make everything go a tad better ─ while not doing so works against even the best programming.

Still new to this role as your DE, I take the first-time guest’s point of view when I visit our District’s congregations. I notice things: Can I find your phone number easily on your web page [usually, no!] ─ and is it up today [again, too often, no!]? Are your signs bright and readable, in good repair, large enough to see from the road? Upon arriving, is it clear where to park or to go for worship? If I had a young child, could I find the nursery and feel it was safe? Can I find the restrooms without asking? Are the grounds tidy? Is the kitchen clean? Did any part of the facility smell bad? And so on.

Many of our congregations are eager to grow. Excellence in programming truly matters. Yet, inept hygiene works against our growing. So, take a spring-cleaning look at your facilities. Do some sprucing up. It will go along way to saying to your guests, “We care about our sacred home! We care about each other, and we will care about you.”

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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. 

May 12 West Central Cluster Leadership Development Workshop, Pines Conference Center , FL

May 16-20 Womenspirit 20^th Anniversary Celebration, The Mountain Retreat, Highlands , NC

May 18-20 Healing and Changing Our World, Florida UU Women and Religion Conference, UU of Clearwater, FL

May 18-20 OWL Teacher Training Gainesville, FL

May 18-20 Healing and Changing Our World, UU Women and Religion Conference, Clearwater, FL

May 23 Fourth Annual All Cluster Revival Service with Rev. Kendyl Gibbons, St. Petersburg, Church, FL

June 19-20 UU University for present and future congregational leaders, precedes GA, Portland, OR

June 20-24  General Assembly, Portland , OR

July 15-21  SUUSI, Blacksburg , VA

July 20-28  The Mountain School for Congregational Leadership, Highlands , NC