The Flaming Chalice - UU Valdosta

What’s going on.…November 2003

Sun	Nov. 2	10:45 AM	Service – Rev. Jack Ford
Th	Nov. 6	6:00 PM	Board of Trustees Meeting at the church in the R.E. wing
Sun	Nov. 9	9:30 AM 10:45 AM 12:15 PM	Adult R. E. Service – “From Vayede to Valdosta: a Teacher's Interfaith Experience,” Dr. Babacar Boup Second Sunday Potluck
Mon	Nov. 10	11:00 AM	Break Bread delivery
Sat	Nov.15		Newsletter deadline
Sun	Nov. 16	10:45 AM	Service – " Representations of Social Class in the Early American Novel,” Dr. Michael Davey
Wed	Nov. 19	5:00 PM	Social Action Committee meeting at the church
Sat	Nov. 22	6:00 PM	Potluck for Molly and Doug at Theresa and Steve Thompson’s home
Sun	Nov. 23	9:30 AM 10:45 AM	Adult R. E. Service – Music with Doug Fraser and Molly Scholz
Th	Nov. 27	All Day	THANKSGIVING DAY
Sun	Nov. 30	10:45 AM	Service – " Return with the Elixir - Thanksgiving and the Hero's Journey," Dr. Fred Howard

November… Wonderful services, old friends return for a visit, and the beginning of the holiday

season as Thanksgiving approaches. Social action is a bigger part of our outreach than ever before. Our building is repaired and redecorated. We have much for which to be thankful! Come as you are able and join in and contribute to our liberal religious community. We miss you when you are not with us.

Sunday Services

Rev. Jack Ford, who served our church for several years as its minister, will lead the service on November 2. Jack lives in Jacksonville, FL. He is a UU minister who was ordained by our congregation. Welcome him back the first Sunday in November.

On November 9 Dr. Babacar Boup will speak on “From Vayede to Valdosta: a Teacher's Interfaith Experience.” Dr. Boup is an Assistant Professor of French at Valdosta State University. He has been at VSU since September 2002. He is a native of Senegal where he received most of his education. He is a teacher by trade and has taught from kindergarten to the university level in Senegal. He came to the United States in 1995 with his wife and 4 children. He has taught French and African civilizations at Bowdoin College, Mount Holyoke College, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Green Institute in Virginia.

Dr. Michael Davey will speak on November 16. His topic will be “Representations of Social Class in the Early American Novel”. He will focus on the parallels between social hierarchy in the 19th century and in our present moment, especially the political tensions associated with class distinctions. Dr. Davey is an Assistant Professor in the Valdosta State University Department of English. He joined the VSU faculty last year, coming from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. Mike teaches Early American and 19th-Century American Literature. He was the founding leadership for the South Georgians for Peace and Justice and is its current spokesperson.

On November 23 we welcome Doug Fraser and Molly Scholz back to Valdosta for a visit. Doug and Molly are former members of our congregation, who returned to their previous home in Portland, Oregon several years ago and have been sorely missed by their friends in Valdosta. While in Valdosta they provided music at the church, Molly at the keyboard and Doug on guitar, and vocals by both of them. They were also the guiding force behind several wonderful coffeehouse fundraisers at the church while they were here. Carol Stiles, of Gainesville, FL, will lay-lead this service.

On November 30 Dr. Fred Howard will speak on "Return with the Elixir – Thanksgiving and the Hero's Journey.” Fred is a member of our congregation who has recently moved with his wife to Atlanta where he is studying in the theology school at Emory University.

Potluck Party

Saturday, November 22 at 6:00 PM

Home of Theresa and Steve Thompson

Molly Scholz and Doug Fraser, former members of our congregation, who now live in Portland, Oregon, will be visiting. Join in the potluck to celebrate their visit. Theresa says bring a dish and what you would like to drink. Speak to Theresa if you need directions.

Last Saturday Dinners have been suspended for November and December due to holiday scheduling conflicts. These monthly occasions, designed to welcome newcomers to our congregation, will resume in January.

Religious Education Program

Ÿ Youth R. E.: We are seeking a leader for this group and more participants! Get in touch with Lars Leader if you have some ideas. Planning is on-going, but for now this group will not meet until further notice.

· Adult RE meets on the second and fourth Sundays at 9:30 AM. Adult RE – Theresa Thompson is continuing to lead the discussions on the Native American religion, with the focus on Hopi traditions. Readings are from Book of the Hopi by Frank Waters. This paperback is available at Borders Books. Bring the book with you, if you can. Contact Lars Leader for information.

President’s Portion

Contrary to what I heard earlier in life, I believe that, along with faith in life, there must be some action. What we do IS important. Our deeds DO count.

It matters that our Social Action Committee is doing the job of presenting us with ways to become involved and that we are doing just that. It is important that, year after year, we continue to assist in the community Break Bread program and deliver meals to people who can’t get out to get them. It is commendable that our Membership Committee took on the added responsibility of sending letters to all the people who have helped us since the vandalism of the church in May. Extra work has kept the monthly Last Supper going. to promote fellowship among us and with any newcomers. All the people who keep Sunday programs going by speaking, finding speakers, or layleading, and the ones who keep the church building welcoming and presentable are essential. The people who get involved on their own in special ways in the community deserve our thanks. The Ministerial Search Committee continues to do its work. The list goes on and on. I couldn’t possibly list all the extra efforts. You know who you are and what you do.

So, if ever you ask yourself, “Why am I doing this”? You are doing what you do to sustain this church, and to be a liberal voice in this community, a voice that speaks the words, “inherent dignity and worth,” “justice, equity and compassion,” “free and responsible search,” to name a few. Upon first hearing the words, they sound good, but upon closer observation, they are profound words to live by. No commands, no dogma. Much better than that, they are words that invite us and encourage us to action.

It takes each one of us, occasionally working alone, but more often working as a team, to make the community and the world a little better place than we find it each day. Thank you for all that you do.

Congratulations to: Betty Derrick who was awarded the Warren Aiken Award at the Annual Georgia Conference of the American Association of University Professor’s meeting in Valdosta in October. The award is given, when there is a deserving recipient, in recognition of outstanding service in promoting the cause of academic freedom in higher education.

The committee has posted an announcement at the UUA Web site for ministerial searches. The posting announces that we are looking for a UU minister willing to live in Valdosta and serve in a contracted part-time position. We are also currently searching for a UU minister to serve temporarily while the more comprehensive search continues. The committee meeting for November will be announced at Sunday services. Any church member who wishes to help the committee with further input is invited to attend the meeting or contact Joan Cline. Members of the committee are Joan Cline (Chair), Anna Hall, Jim Ingram, Lars Leader, and Randy Thompson.

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 Dee Tait.

The Social Action Committee continues to sponsor a social action project every month. In October, we helped Bobbie Dixon move into her Habitat house. In November, we will organize a trip to the School Of Americas (SOA) protest November 21-23 at Fort Benning. On December 14, the Social Action Committee will present a service to kick off the Guest at Your Table campaign, which collects money to advance human rights worldwide during the holiday season. Our goal is to have every household in the congregation take home a Guest at Your Table box to fill with spare change over the winter holidays. Also, every month, starting in November, we will try to have a display at the church with information relating to our social action for that month. In November, that will include a tri-fold information board, books, pamphlets, and flyers, and an art gallery of Laurel's SOA work. Look for more information on the SOA Protest and Guest at Your Table, as well as other opportunities for social action, on the congregational email list, in the Sunday orders of service, or posted on the bulletin boards. The committee will meet on Wednesday, November 19 at 5:00 PM. Anyone interested in Social Action is welcome to attend the meetings or contact Anna Hall for more information.

Thank You! Thank You!

For maintaining contact and being her usual source of support for the church: Virginia Branan

For chairing the Search Committee, coordinating the Last Saturday Suppers and hosting the gathering for October, continuing to help maintain the kitchen, agreeing to be the Caring Committee: Joan Cline

For continuing to do such a tremendous job for us on the monthly church newsletter, being a person some of us who don’t sing so well want to stand beside because she does, and being a great source of level-headedness: Betty Derrick

For her work with the Search Committee, chairing the Social Action Committee, and picking up the mail daily from the church mailbox: Anna Mitchell

For straightening the counters in the church foyer and making them look so nice, making coffee and helping in the kitchen, helping with the Mass Mailing project by working on the design of a church brochure: Julie Halter

For doing such a good job moderating the political forum at VSU Oct. 16: David Hill

For layleading, procuring speakers: Diane Holliman

For coming back to Valdosta to speak at Sunday services: Fred Howard

For continuing to keep grass cut around the church, for putting labels on meditation benches, and working with the Search Committee: Jim Ingram

For doing a great job chairing the Program Committee and for presiding at the of September Board of Trustees meeting in the absence of the president, introducing the idea of a flyer in the monthly Chamber of Commerce mailing to chamber members: Charles Judah

For continuing to be at church with Madison and sharing her with us: Rene Kerr & Jerry Jones

For serving as RE director, serving on the Search Committee, his idea about the picnic at Grand Bay and the trip to the Cecil corn maze on Oct. 19: Lars Leader

For maintaining a quick wit even when things are not going well for him: Andy Phillips

For being at church as often as possible while dealing with the challenges of Parkinson’s: Fran Phillips

For continuing to do a super job of maintaining the church’s website: Carol Stiles

For handling the administrative work with the Chamber of Commerce to schedule getting a church flyer in the monthly chamber mailing, and meeting with the telephone repair person at the church: Dee Tait

For layleading services in October: Charles Judah, Dee Tait, Theresa Thompson, Lars Leader, and Diane Holliman

For continuing to respond with thank you’s to all the people who have donated to the church restoration and for playing the piano for Sunday services: Betsy Thompson

For doing great job as church treasurer and for serving on the Search Committee: Randy Thompson

For greeting on Sunday mornings and being responsible for keeping the church buildings in order: John along with Sarah, Charles and Chris Tait

For blowing the walkway and breezeway on Sunday mornings: Sean and Kevin Leader and Charles and Chris Tait

For leading the Adult R.E. discussions: Theresa Thompson

Newsletter Staff

Treasurer’s Report

UU Board of Trustees Meeting

October 9, 2003: attending Dee Tait, Charles Judah, Randy Thompson, Lars Leader and Rosie Asbury.

· Bulk Mailing: The board is working on a target audience for the bulk mailing of a UU Valdosta Church brochure. The aim is for the preparation, printing and mailing of the brochure to be covered by the $3000 grant received from UUA Funding. In addition, the board approved the expenditure of $100 per month's mailing by the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce of a UU Valdosta Church flyer or brochure to the Chamber's 1,450 members. These mailings are included in the Chamber PAK and are mailed six times a year in January, March, May, September, November and December. This $100 is approved to come from the church's General Fund, provided it can't be paid for with a portion of the UUA Funding grant. The first Chamber PAK including our flyer or brochure will be mailed by the Chamber on November 14 and will include our planned programs for the remainder of November and as much of December as we have available at that time.

· Roadside Pulpit Sign: The board is looking into the details of ordering a series of UU saying, values, beliefs from the Beacon Press for a "Roadside Pulpit" sign.

· Hanging of the church's framed certificates and awards will be accomplished in connection with the "Healing with Art" service on Sunday, October 26.

The next meeting of the board will be Thursday, November 6, 2003 at 6 P.M. in the RE Building.

Tai Chi – Monday and Thursday Evenings. Contact Dennis Bogyo if you are interested or need further information.

New Hope Christian Fellowship - Sunday evenings: Choir practice at 5:00 PM. Service at 6:00 PM.

South Georgia Coalition for Peace The Board has given this grassroots community group permission to use our building for its meetings as needed.

Thank you for reading our newsletter!
The Newsletter Team (click here to meet us!)

Sunday Services	Thank You! Thank You!	Religious Education
President's Portion	Social Action	UU Activities and Announcements
Social Events!!	Board Notes