Sunday Services

Sunday, February 6 – Rev. Fred Howard, “Getting Control: The Reality and Illusion of Our Mastery of the Universe”

This morning’s sermon is a kind of personal meditation on this idea of control, which seems so real given the tremendous advances humans have made in manipulating and controlling nature and our world. Yet in the wider scope of things do we really have the power to change anything at all? Are our modern notions of control really an illusion we have created to make ourselves feel better? From a spiritual perspective, one might say that such notions are merely a conceit. Charles Schultz, who wrote the beloved Peanuts comic strip for fifty years, said something that really expresses the whole idea quite poetically. Just before his death from cancer in 2000, he said, “You control all these characters and the lives they live. You decide when they get up in the morning, when they’re going to fight with their friends, when you’re going to lose the game. Isn’t it amazing how you have no control over your real life?” Come this morning and let’s explore some of the paradoxes of control together.

Sunday, February 13 – Dr. Michael Stoltzfus, “Martin Luther King:  Nonviolent Method, Multiple Integrations and Selective Memory”

 In light of the recent National Holiday in memory of King, we will discuss his message, legacy and ongoing spiritual and social relevance.  We will address his message by outline his nonviolent method for social transformation, a message we celebrate as a medium for civil disobedience but ignore in many other ways.  King is well known as an advocate for racial integration but we tend to forget that he also espoused economic and religious integration.  King was about much more than civil rights.  Our selective memory tends to shield us from the full vibrancy of his remarkable example.

Sunday, February 20 –– Rev. Fred Howard,  “When Jesus Came to Harvard”

So much of the current thinking and writing about Jesus is of the “Jesus Seminar” type genre, where Jesus’ life is researched and debated with the goal of determining what might have factually happened in the first century and which of Jesus’ words might actually have been his. Rather than this “search for the historical Jesus,” Harvey Cox describes his book as quite the opposite. His is a “search for the contemporary Jesus.” By this Cox means that his is an attempt to get past the doctrines and dogmas about Jesus so as to better discern Jesus’ moral relevance for our times. I think this type of approach is in keeping with how Unitarian Universalists prefer to approach the person who was perhaps the most important single moral influence in history, but are we really ready for what Cox is saying? This morning I will outline Cox’s approach, and share my thoughts on both its similarities and its differences to the direction our faith tradition is taking.

Sunday, February 27 – Dr. Keith Johnson 

At this service Keith Johnson plans to continue the women in philosophy discussion we began a while back.  You more often hear Keith providing music for our services, but he also speaks at Sunday services from time to time.  He teaches classes at VSU and has a degree in philosophy. 

Religious Education

For Children: The RE program for children meets at. 10:45 AM concurrent with the Sunday morning service.  Two adults are needed each Sunday to help with RE.  Please let Sue know if you can volunteer from time to time or sign up on the monthly Sunday Volunteer list.  Contact: Susan Bailey.

For Adults: The Adult RE Program will continue every Sunday morning until May 22.  The group is continuing to use the Building Your Own Theology (BYOT) texts for its discussions.  A rich diversity of topics are covered in the sessions, such as Truth and Authority, the Nature of Spirituality, Justice and the Beloved Community, Death and Immortality – all of which are rich veins to explore.  It is an open group, although you will get the most from the experience if you attend regularly and keep up with the readings in the workbook.  Fred Howard posts the coming Sunday’s discussion items each week so that participants come prepared for the day’s discussion.

Paul McAuliffe performing on his flutes at a January service.  

MINISTERIAL MUUSINGS

Rev. Fred Howard                                         February 2011  

Monday, February 14 is Valentine’s Day.  I mention this because if you have not yet gotten some remembrance for your loved one, you might need this reminder. I also mention it because it is a day that invites us to reflect upon love.  We generally associate Valentine’s Day with romantic love, but there is no reason that we can’t use the occasion to consider other forms of love as well.  Actually, classifying love – as it has classically been done by dividing it into eros (romantic love), philia (brotherly love), and agape (selfless, perfect, or Godly love) can be an exercise in frustration because love resists neat classification.  Love is a multidimensional, mysterious wonder, and there is much overlap among these different forms of love.

There is much we can learn about the many other dimensions of love by reflecting on romantic love.  Most everyone has had an experience of romantic love at one time or another, regardless of their sexual identity.  As Scott Peck said, “having proclaimed that the experience of falling in love is a sort of illusion which in no way constitutes real love, let me [shift into reverse and point] out that falling in love is in fact very, very close to real love.”  “When we extend our limits through love, we do so by reaching out….toward the beloved, whose growth we wish to nurture.” 

Love is somewhat basic to the human experience.  It motivates us, compels us, gives us the very substance of our journeys.  What would life be without it?  So I submit that it is a subject worthy of reflection, even if it can only be grasped with the heart and never with the intellect alone.  

I think everyone in our Valdosta UU community would agree that we strive to be a loving community.  Yet it seems we are often disappointed when visitors come for a worship experience and do not return.  (I know I am disappointed by that!)  Somehow it may make us feel that we are not loveable enough.  (I’m speaking to myself here as much as to you.)  But this is not the real problem.  Another person who wrote extensively on love was Eric Fromm, who said, “Most people see the problem of love primarily as that of being loved rather than that of loving, of one’s capacity to love.  Hence the problem to them is how to be loved, how to be lovable. The problem of love is [seen as] the problem of an object, not the problem of a faculty.  People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love - or to be loved by – is difficult.”  So Fromm is saying that being loved should not be the goal, but rather developing our faculty to be loving.  And developing this faculty to love - to the depths and dimension of which he speaks– is not so simple.  You can read more in his wonderful little book, “The Art of Loving.”  But the point I am after here is that to measure whether or not we are loving by the attendance at worship or by our visitor retention is not the best way to evaluate ourselves.  Nor should these things even be our goals – necessarily.  The goal, as Fromm sees it - a view with which I agree, is to develop our capacity and faculty to love as fully as possible and to not be so attached to the results.  This is, of course, a much more formidable goal, one requiring dedication, discipline, and courage.  It may or may not increase the number of people on our rolls in the short run, but if we are sincere and devoted to really developing our faculty to be loving, perhaps it will one day be reflected in the growth of our community.  I think this way of approaching life is a worthy and honorable way to envision our common life together as a religious community.  And so I hope that as Valentine’s Day approaches, I can rededicate myself to being more consistently mindful of it – and I hope that you will join me in that effort. 

 Fred Howard is now writing a blog called "Sharing the Journey." The link is www.revfredhoward.wordpress.com.  You are invited to share his journey.

For layleading services:  Doug Tanner, Lars Leader, Betty Derrick, Bill Webster

For help with Sunday Service music:  Keith Johnson, Bill Webster, Jennifer Tyler

For Stories for All Ages:  Fred Howard, Sue Bailey

For speaking at Sunday services in December: Frances Patterson

For serving as Meet and Greet Hosts: Betty Derrick, Lars Leader, Doug Tanner, Valerie Webster

For greeting visitors: Kimberly Tanner, Lars Leader, Betty Derrick

For helping with Children’s RE: Kimberly Tanner, Emmilee Bailey Kat Nikola,  

For providing Sunday service flowers: Frances Patterson

For delivering Break Bread meals: Frank and Rosie Asbury

For cleaning the church: Frank Asbury, Lars Leader

For keeping our grounds: Jim Ingram

For providing Board minutes for the January meeting: Sue Bailey (Thank you too to Kat Nickola, our secretary, who usually does this.  The Nickola family was still away for the holidays at the time of the January board meeting.)

For hosting the firepit evening: The Nickola family

For hosting the January book discussion: Betty Derrick and all who attended

For hosting the January Games Night: Susan Bailey

For hosting the first ever pizza and movie night: Fred Howard and David Rodgers and all who attended.

For donating a TV and DVD player to the church for viewing movies:  Fred Howard

For taking down the holiday decorations at the church: Susan Bailey

At the Sunday service the day after Christmas, Frances Patterson spoke on The Story of the Socks.  These are socks for sleeping when there is not much heat. The members of the congregation inserted the laces. Here is a member of our church, who requested anonymity, modeling a newly "enlaced" pair of socks.

Let’s Have Some Fun!!

Pizza and a Movie

Wednesday, February 9

6:00-9:00 PM at the church

The movie this month will be The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Mark Herman (2008) directs this film based on John Boyne Boyne’s (2007) novel, The Striped Pajamas, A Fable.  Both works stir praise or opprobrium depending on how one imagines portraying the Holocaust seen through the eyes of two eight-year-old boys.   The film frames their friendship’s extraordinary emergence as a fable when Bruno, the scion of an SS officer, moves with his family from Berlin to a rural setting after his father becomes commandant of a Nazi extermination camp.   Bruno stumbles upon Shmuel, a boy his age, living behind barbed wire.  In his purported naïveté, Bruno perceives Shmuel’s shabby clothing as striped pajamas.  He appears to know nothing about the horrific significance of blue and white stripes branding Shmuel or to comprehend the role of the camp in the final solution for coping with Jews held in thrall by the Third Reich.  For critics, the question becomes:  Does the director enable one to suspend disbelief and enter the domain of the author’s fable to follow a succinct story conceived to impart a moral lesson?  Or, as many critics pejoratively contend, including some Holocaust survivors, does fable in this instance denote a sanitized and falsified account of Nazi dehumanization in the name of irresponsible artistic license?

We will begin the movies around 6PM and keep the discussions at the end to no more than thirty minutes, so that everyone can be home by nine o’clock or so.  At least we will start out with this format and see how it goes.   Both veggie and meat pizza will be provided.  We will ask everyone who eats to contribute to the cost.  Come and join us for some of these exciting events around the silver screen! Contacts: Fred Howard and David Rodgers

Games Night

Wednesday, February 16

6:30-9:00 PM at the church

Bring a snack to share, friends, the kids and libations of your choice.  Sue says she plans to be sure there are some activities on hand for the children to keep busy with while the adults are playing the game of their choice.  Contact: Susan Bailey.

Rainbow Mixer

Saturday, February 19

7 – 10 PM at the church

There will be music, dancing, fellowship, fun, and refreshments. Join us as we gather to stand on the side of love and “harness love’s power to stop oppression.” Please contact Sue Bailey if you have questions or would like to volunteer to provide beverages, snacks, help with decorations and anything else that needs doing.  This will be the second year our church has sponsored this gathering.  Sue is still checking on possible co-sponsors as was the case last year.

Valentine’s Day, February 14, is National Standing on the Side of Love Day.  “Standing on the Side of Love” is a UUA-sponsored social justice and public advocacy campaign: Rev Susan Frederick-Gray says “The power of the Standing on the Side of Love campaign, and of those proclaiming it around our country, is that it calls us to love beyond fear, beyond scarcity, beyond divisions, beyond borders.  It calls us to open our hearts to a love that is greater and stronger than perhaps we thought possible.  This love is not sentimental.  It is not weak.  It is challenging and radical.  It is the love the prophets proclaimed.  It is agape love.” 

Why do we need this campaign? “This is a time of great hope and possibility, yet our communities are threatened by the increased prevalence of acts motivated by fear and hate. No one should be dehumanized through acts of exclusion, oppression, or violence because of their identities.(from the website.)” The Standing on the Side of Love campaign speaks out on immigration, LGBT rights and other issues of social justice. For more information see http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/about/

Firepit Night at the Church

Wednesday, February 23 about 6:00 PM

Come enjoy Firepit night at our bonfire site back of the church.  This is a time to come out and enjoy the evening with friends; people are welcome to come early and walk the labyrinth.   Bring some marshmallows or hotdogs if you would like.  This is intended to be a family gathering for all ages.  Come join in the fun and fellowship!  Contact: Bryan Nickola.

Book Discussion and Potluck

Friday, February 25

6:00 PM Potluck – 7:00 PM Discussion at the church

The book is “When Jesus Came to Harvard” by Harvey Cox. Harvey Cox retired recently after teaching at Harvard Divinity School for 44 years.  Jesus “came” to Harvard, according to Cox, when Cox reluctantly began teaching an undergraduate course on moral reasoning, called “Jesus and the Moral Life.”   The class became extremely popular.  Fred Howard, who will be using this book for a series of Sunday sermons over coming months, says, “the book is really a summary of the course, written with honesty, humor and the penetrating and insightful intellect Cox brings to all his writings.”  

Bring a dish to share.  Coffee and tea will be provided.  You are welcome to bring other beverages.  We generally socialize over our potluck meal from 6-7 PM and then promptly begin our book discussion at 7 PM drawing to a close with the selection of our next book by around 8 PM so that folks who want to head home early on a Friday night can do so. We have been selecting books which deal with difference in all its guises.  We welcome your suggestions.   Contact: Betty Derrick  

At the Church-in-the-Woods

New Hope Christian Community Church- Sunday evenings: Choir practice at 4:30 PM. Service at 6:00 PM.  http://internationalchristiancommunity.ning.com

Taoist Tai Chi – Monday and Thursday: Beginner’s Class, 5:30-6:30 PM; Continuing Class, 6:30-8 PM.  Contact Dennis Bogyo or Luana Goodwin.

PFLAG Meeting – 4th Tuesday each month, 7:00PM

Contact: Doug Tanner The web page for PFLAG Valdosta:
http://pflag-valdosta.web.officelive.com/default.aspx 

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Keep in your thoughts

Our members and friends dealing with health concerns or the loss of loved ones…  

Thought you might like to know

The Universalist Herald has an article by our minister, Rev. Fred Howard, called "Coming Home to Universalism."  Copies are available on the shelf in the foyer of the church. 

Cassie and her husband have a new baby girl, Luca. 

Kathy and Fred Howard have a new grandchild born during the holidays.

Facebook:  Visit us on Facebook by searching "Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta." The latest issue of the

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=92779034840  Contact person: Kimberly Tanner

Blowing bubbles, cutting pictures of animals and completing the ark in Children’s RE!   

Notes from Kids’ RE – Sue Bailey

Happy New Year! We’ve not only started the New Year off with new lessons, but with more kids in RE, too! For the next several months, we will be focusing on stories from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. We began with the Creation Story and made sun, moon, and star mobiles. We talked about Adam and Eve and explored what it is like to feel lonely. The children also decorated big yellow moons with craters made with bubble paint. This was done by blowing bubbles in plastic tubs containing a mixture of paint, dish detergent and water, until the bubbles billowed above the lip of the tub. Then the children pressed their yellow poster board moons on top. The bubbles popped, leaving circular “craters” on the surface. This activity was so popular, we couldn’t get the children to stop blowing the bubbles even after their moons were covered with craters!

The next lesson focused on the story of Noah and his ark. We talked about obeying adults when they have our best interests in mind and choosing not to obey when the adult is asking us to do something that is wrong; for example, getting into a stranger’s car. We worked together to build our own ark with cardboard boxes, brown paper, and pictures of animals and people cut from magazines. Our UU ark is on display in the sanctuary and is very inclusive! We even welcomed an alien creature, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Minnie Mouse on board! We will finish up the story of Noah next week with crafts, activities, and a discussion about doing the right thing even if other people make fun of you.  

Social Action Activities

Guest at Your Table

Thank you to everyone who donated to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) Guest At Your Table this year.  Betty Derrick, our UUSC representative, reports that 10 members and friends from our congregation donated $480.45 this year to the UUSC. Three of the donations are eligible for matching making our total effective contribution almost eight hundred dollars.  Way to go!!!  The  UUSC works throughout the world partnering with other likeminded social justice organizations.  The UUSC accepts donations at any time.  Check out their website http://www.uusc.org  and become a member.

Break Bread Together

Our date for meal deliveries with the Break Bread Together program is the 2nd Monday (and 5th when there is one) of each month.  If you would like to help deliver meals beginning about 11:00 AM, please contact Frank or Rosie Asbury.

Accepting Difference Project

Carol Stiles, leader of our Accepting Difference Project, has alerted us that Ana Garcia Ashley from the Gamaliel Foundation will be in town on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 to meet with several individual church ministers and community leaders.  On Tuesday evening, Feb. 1, the working group or sponsoring committee will meet with Ms. Garcia-Ashley about our continuing work here in Valdosta to develop a community-organizing network.  Ana Garcia-Ashley has recently been named Executive Director of the Gamaliel Foundation.  If you would like more information about this organization which some of us have been working with this past year see, http://www.gamaliel.org/      

Social Service Opportunities

The Valdosta Area Ministerial Association (VAMA) expects to serve meals to the homeless in February.  Fred is President of VAMA this year.  Our rescheduled meal for troops at Moody Air Force Base is likely to be in March.  Watch for more details about both of these opportunities to serve our community.  

Transporting Rescued Dogs and Cats

Frances Patterson would like for you to know that there are opportunities to assist in the transport of rescued dogs and/or cats from time to time (basically driving to Cordele and picking them up in a relay sort of affair and handing them off in Valdosta or driving the Valdosta to Lake City leg). In late December, Frances and her son-in-law Jens helped transport the cutest spaniel puppy (one of a litter of seven going to different cities on the East Coast) from Omaha, Nebraska to Florida. All that is needed is a love of animals, sense of compassion, and a willingness to give a couple of hours of your time when you can.  Contact Frances Paterson if you would be interested and she will forward info from the local Humane Society. 

UU Church of Valdosta Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

January 5, 2011

Minutes reported by Susan Bailey

Attendance:  Lars Leader, Sue, Bailey, Jim Ingram Kimberly Tanner, Rosie Asbury, Valerie Webster,  Fred Howard.

The bill from Terminex was received. Contract is up in April 2011. Board decided to change to Chemex.  The answering machine for the church is not functioning properly will be replaced. Fred Howard is donating a 27” TV, speakers, and DVD player to the church. Board will purchase a TV stand not to exceed $100.00. Adult RE begins Sunday, January 16 with the second book in the BYOT series. VAMA will be doing a shelter meal probably in February. Fred Howard will confirm with the Moody chaplain our meal at Moody, scheduled for March.  Board reviewed upcoming speakers.  Valerie Webster asked for additional suggestions for future speakers. Several suggestions were made and she will begin contacting them.  Rosie Asbury sent $220 to Habitat for Humanity and will send an additional $100 that was collected late.  The focus in Kids’ RE for the next several months will be stories from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.  Kimberly Tanner reported that Facebook is attracting people who are checking us out. Several people have expressed interest in visiting. She has been following up with members and friends who have not been at church for a while.  Jim Ingram put the church service time on our sign by the road. There was some discussion about what to put at the center of the labyrinth. Suggestions included a low seat or bench, providing a place for people to install small plaques of remembrance, and engraving the stones. The large puddles in the parking lot are becoming a problem. Jim Ingram will get an estimate on the cost of some graded aggregate base to fill in the holes. He will also check on flooring for the attic to make it suitable for additional storage and will remove the key that is broken in the deadbolt of the RE building door.  Date of Next Meeting:  Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 6 PM.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Treasurer’s Report – Rosie Asbury

December 31, 2010

Receipts           December                        July -present

  Plate               $   76.00                             $   538.16

  Pledge             2265.00                              11025.00

  Rent                  240.00                              1480.00

  Miscell.                  0.00                               1135.00

Total Recpt.  $ 2581.00                           $14178.16

Disbursements     

  Speak. Fees     200.00                                 1000.00

  Minister Exp.1119.64                                 4978.18

  Maint.                  0.00                                4648.06

  Pest Contl.         35.00                                   210.00

  Postage                0.00                                   273.49

  Supplies            12.09                                       78.69

  Utilities           165.89                                 1382.01

  RE Program        0.00                                  178.67

  Membship Prog  0.00                                     81.00

 Ad/Website          0.00                                      34.01

  UUA Dues          0.00                                   1232.00

  UU Conference   0.00                                   575.00

  Habitat             220.00                                220.00                        

  Service charge    13.00                                 266.13

Totl  Disburs.$ 1765.62                           $15157.24

Net Receipt   $   815.38                            $ - 979.08

 UU Activities and Announcements

February 1 UUA Congregational Membership Certification Deadline

February 4-6 - Creating Connections ~ NE Cluster UU Women's Retreat, Oviedo, FL

February 4-6 - The Art of Aging … The Gift of Sage-ing Workshop Parrish, Dayspring RC, FL

February 18 - Installation of Reverend Scott Alexander, Vero Beach, FL

February 20 - Installation of Reverend Pam Allen-Thompson, Port Charlotte, FL

February 25-27 - East Coast Regional Gathering of UU People of Color,  St. Helena Island, SC

February 26 - Unitarian Universalism Faces a New Age -- Yet Again! Panel and Southwest Cluster Spring Meeting, Port Charlotte, FL

February 26-27 - Florida District Choral Festival, Gainesville, FL

March 1 – Deadline for Florida District Award Nominations  

  UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund                         February, 2011

jlund@uua.org

Recently I received an email from the Program manager of our UUA Congregational Stewardship Services Program alerting me to the Green Sanctuary blog posting which featured our Odessa, Florida Spirit of Life Unitarian Universalists, who rather than adding on to their building or embarking on new construction, are repairing and finding ways to better maintain their existing structure . The Green Sanctuary Program (GSP) was originally nurtured and managed by the UU Ministry for Earth and designed to envision and create a world in which all humans care with gratitude our Earth. Originally the GSP was an outgrowth of the Seventh Principle Project, a UUA affiliate environmental organization created in 1989.  

The

justice, and sustainable living. When a congregation decides GSP provides framework for congregations to begin specific projects and activities that lead to recognition as a GS through candidacy and then accreditation. The GSP asks congregations to explore what it means to live today on our earth within a religious community and it’s a way for all UUs to join our efforts in becoming stewards of our earth. Once a congregation has received recognition for completing the GSP it continues its commitment by creating sustainable lifestyles for its members as individuals and as a faith community. The congregation continues to be committed towards creating their religious community’s dedication to harmony with the earth. As of last December there were 148 accredited Green Sanctuary congregations, which included eight Florida congregations.

The GSP provides a path for congregational study, reflection, and action in response to environmental challenges. The building blocks and focus area of the GSP include worship and celebration, religious education, environmental to become a participant in GSP and has completed the initial self-assessment, they examine their current practices in each of the focus areas. In addition to these areas of focus or goals congregations may choose to set one or more of their own goals which reflect their particular specific interest or issue. Participating in the GSP can be an exciting and rewarding process for a congregation and a well-thought-out environmental program can strengthen and bring the congregation together is various ways including attracting new members  a congregation, As the congregation the impact of the collective imprint on our earth will be lessened.

Information about the GSP can be found on our UUA website (uua.org) and linking to Green Sanctuary, where you will also be able to look at the Green Sanctuary Manual. In the Manual many success stories can be found as well as the steps to getting started, conducting an environmental assessment, creating an action plan, becoming a candidate, and achieving and maintaining accreditation.

As always I look forward to hearing from you and wish all Florida UUs a happy ♥ day.

Here too is Joan Lund’s January 2011 column which arrived too late to make that newsletter.

Here we are in the New Year. Hopefully it will be a good one for all of us. In early December the Southland Region districts (Florida, Mid-South, Thomas Jefferson, and the Southwestern Conference) met in Orlando to talk about change in governance structure and service provision. This meeting was historically the first of its kind considering the geography of the four districts. As you know the services the Districts and our UUA provide are different from governance. The UUA Board of Trustees is involved in governance. However the UUA Trustees from the four districts attended the meeting at the behest of the district presidents to observe and provide information. The column will cover some of what happened at the meeting.

The objectives of the meeting included discussing how districts can best serve Unitarian Universalism, the congregations, and Unitarian Universalists, both present and future with structure, governance, service, and language. In addition the objectives asked how do districts stay in relationship with each other, with our congregations and staff, and with UUs? The meeting focused on building a working relationship among the boards of the four districts in building a sense of religious purpose in their work. Also, the purpose was to develop a common sense of issues and opportunities facing UU leadership regarding organization, governance, and service delivery throughout the system; and to identify possible changes in organization, governance, and/or service delivery necessary to best support our congregations in their mission. Finally, a goal was to determine the next steps to make those changes. 

Much of the conversation during the weekend focused on what are the governance roles of the district boards and the equity/inequity of service delivery throughout the districts nation-wide. Linkage with congregations within districts was also an important part of the weekend conversation. Underlying all of the discussions were questions relating to the values that guide district and UUA work: how will changes advance our values? What changes would best support congregations in their mission of saving lives, saving the world? Who stands to be impacted by any change?

You will be learning much more as the months go by about this meeting. But two of the relationship building “next steps” of the meeting include: an effort to get congregations to link with one another and to continue the work that was started and involve congregations is this work. 

Two of my favorite words are “stay tuned”. Changes in how we do our faith are on the horizon. Contact me if you wish: jlund@uua.org  . Happy New Year one and all.