Sunday Services

Sunday, July 3 – Doug Tanner, Summer and July 4th holiday service

Please join us for a special holiday service planned for Sunday July 3, 2011, we will be celebrating both the beginning of Summer and Independence Day.  This will be a participative service and I ask that those who are willing bring a short reading or poem appropriate for the day to share.  Any reading that is special to you or captures the season or holiday will be great.

Doug will have extra readings for those who want to participate.

Sunday, July 10 – Dr.  Michael Stoltzfus,  “Religious Narratives that Students Tell:  Part One”

I will describe three typical mainstream religious narratives that students articulate over and over again.  We will try to compare and contrast these stories and interpret what they tell us about the ongoing religious quest for young adults to discover meaning, purpose and community.  Part one will focus on the Evangelical or Orthodox narrative, the injured or wounded religious narrative, and the "I'm happy in my religious community so let’s just all get along" narrative.  Part two will focus on three more alternative, yet quite common, religious stories:  The activist, the explorer, and the secular humanist narratives.

Sunday, July 17

Please note time changes on this special Sunday!

 2^nd Annual Shared Worship Service with Serenity Christian Church

8:30 AM We will carpool the short distance from our church to Serenity Christian Church.    

Directions to Serenity Christian Church -- From our church, head towards the city on Park Ave.   Turn left onto Lee St, heading towards downtown.  (Lee Street is at the first traffic light past Ashley on Park, as you travel out of the city towards our church.)  Serenity church is about 1/3 mile down Park, on the left at the corner of Park and Moore.  They have a large parking lot at the back of the church.  

9:00 AM Their service starts at 9:00 AM and finishes around 10:30 AM.  Members of the Serenity congregation will follow us back to our church to attend our service. 

11:00AM   Rev. Fred Howard, “Border Crossings Yesterday and Today”

Crossing borders has gotten a lot of press of late.  Increasing violence along the border between Mexico to the US.  Three American students held in Iran for the past 2 years, accused of being spies.  Whenever we cross a boundary, whether it's geographic, cultural, racial, or religious, tensions can mount and there is heightened possibility of misunderstanding - even danger.  But what chance do we have to create a better, more peaceful world if we perpetually live in isolation?  The Gospel of John tells the story of perhaps the most well known border crossing in literature - that of Jesus crossing over into Samaria and having a conversation with the woman at the well.  This morning we will reexamine that story to see what it might have to say to us today.  

   (Note:  Our service and RE will begin at 11:00 AM rather than 10:45 this day.)  The Children’s RE kids have a special project planned that they will do along with Serenity children.  

12:00  Peace Pole Installation – On the grounds of our church, we will hold a ceremony to install a Peace Pole.  Around the world thousands of peace poles have been installed, each displaying the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” in the language of that country and usually additional translations.  Since the following day is Nelson Mandela’s birthday, one language we plan to include is Swahili.  The RE children will help to decorate our peace pole.  

12:30 PM Fellowship Luncheon with Serenity at the UU Church. 

Dee Tait is coordinating the potluck.  Serenity Church has expressed a desire to be involved in bringing dishes for the potluck meal at the UU Church so expect to hear from Dee Tait, who will coordinate with members of both congregations for participation.  

Sunday, July 24 –  Dr. J. D. Checkett,  “The History and Mysteries of The Tarot,”

Dr. J.D. Checkett, Pagan Priest and regular visitor to the UU Church of Valdosta, will join us to share the history and use of the Tarot.  If you are curious about the origins and use of these mysterious and legendary cards, please join us for an interesting presentation and stay for discussion.  If you are lucky,  you may even have the chance to participate in a reading.  

Sunday, July 31 – Dr. M. Elizabeth Derrick, “Our Nature”

Betty Derrick’s presentation this morning is inspired by a book she was reading this spring at about the time she was also participating in the Sermon Writing Workshop at our church.  The book “A Story Like the Wind” by Laurens van der Post, in novel form, speaks of the “magic which life in primitive Africa … possessed before [the Europeans] arrived…to spoil it.”  Through several stories from this book as well as a personal recollection, Betty hopes to share with us something about both our nature and our Nature. The title of the book comes from a Bushman prisoner who says: “The story is like the wind.  It comes from a far-off place and we feel it.”

                Dr. Derrick is a VSU Professor Emeritus who was a member of the university’s chemistry faculty for a number of years.  Betty is a long-time member of our congregation and is the editor of the church newsletter.

Religious Education

For Children: The RE program for children meets at. 10:45 AM concurrent with the Sunday morning service. (Please note the time adjustment for one Sunday only on July 17.) 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: Adult RE is taking a break for the summer.  Watch for announcements later this summer about the topic and format.  

President’s Portion

Lars Leader

On July 17, our congregation has, for the second year in a row, the opportunity to participate in a Shared-Service Sunday with Serenity Christian Church (1619 N. Lee St.). 

Plans for this special day are described elsewhere in the newsletter.  Please note the change in time for services.  It is a wonderful opportunity and important that as many of our congregation as possible participate in all parts of this day’s events. Please join in if at all possible.

On that Sunday morning, we will carpool the short distance from our church to theirs.   Their service starts at 9:00 AM and finishes around 10:30 AM.  Members of the Serenity congregation will follow us back to our church to attend our service. 

 Our service and RE will begin at 11:00 AM rather than 10:45 this day.  Fred Howard will be speaking that Sunday.  The Children’s RE kids have a special project planned that they will do along with Serenity children. On the grounds of our church, we will hold a ceremony to install a Peace Pole.  Around the world thousands of peace poles have been installed, each displaying the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” in the language of that country and usually additional translations.  Since the following day is Nelson Mandela’s birthday, one language we plan to include is Swahili.  The RE children will help to decorate our peace pole.

After the Peace Pole ceremony, our UU congregation will host a Fellowship Luncheon with our Serenity guests at the UU Church.  Dee Tait is coordinating the potluck. The Serenity church members are also going to bring dishes, so it will be important to contact Dee to find out what can fill out the menu.

Governor’s Honors School:  Each summer we often have visitors from the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program held at VSU.  This summer the program begins the last week in June.  Watch for visitors during early July and welcome them.  Lars Leader is our contact.  He’ll be letting us know via our e-mail list whether drivers are needed to pick up students from the campus.   Help out if you can.

Sangha Tuesdays

5:30-7:00 PM at the church

This Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Group will be meeting weekly at the church for tea at 5:30 PM with meditation beginning at 6 PM followed by a brief reading.  Those who follow other Buddhist practices are welcome.  Contacts: Julie Halter or Theresa Thompson.  

  MINISTERIAL MUUSINGS:  

Rev. Fred Howard’s monthly column will return in the fall.

           Let’s Have Some Fun!!

 Book Discussion and Potluck

Friday, August 12 - 6:30 PM

At the church

The next book discussion will be in August.  You can go ahead and get the book though and be reading it.  The book is “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua.  The author, who is Chinese, discusses parenting a Chinese American child.  Readers have both agreed and disagreed with her parenting style.  It should provide an interesting discussion of both cultural differences and parenting styles.

Bring a dish to share.  Coffee and tea will be provided.  You are welcome to bring other beverages.  We socialize over our potluck meal for the first hour and then promptly begin our book discussion drawing to a close with the selection of our next book by about an hour later 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.

Pizza and a Movie: This event will take a break for several months. Watch for announcements about the next movie and possibly a change in schedule for the fall.  If you have ideas about the schedule or movies speak with Fred Howard and David Rodgers.

Games Night: Watch for announcements about this event restarting later in the summer.  If you have suggestions let Sue Bailey know.

Notes from Kids’ RE – Sue Bailey

Children’s RE has been somewhat on hold this summer since many families with children are traveling.   Rest assured though, when the children come, there are lessons on the ready!  We’re looking forward to seeing the Serenity Christian Church children in mid-July and hope some of our UU children will be here that Sunday to join in preparing the Peace Pole!

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Condolences to

v  Carol Stiles and her family.  Carol’s father died June 18.  His health had seriously declined this spring.  Fortunately Carol had visited with him and her mother just a few weeks before his death.  Our thoughts are with you Carol.  

Welcome to new member

v  Michael Edwards

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.

Social Action Activities

Break Bread Together

Our date for meal deliveries with the Break Bread Together program is the 2^nd Monday (and 5^th 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.   

UU Church of Valdosta Board of Directors Meeting

Minutes- 1 June 2011

Rosie Asbury, Sue Bailey, Kimberly Tanner, Valerie Webster, Kat Nickola, Jim Ingram, Lars Leader

OLD BUSINESS: Minister’s Contract-Signed with  agreed upon edits; Bench Advertising-at Patterson & Woodrow Wilson…new one will be updated.  July – Dec contract $350-$450. NEW BUSINESS: Change in Order of Service-The Board discussed changes including Change the Candles of Joy and Concern to earlier in the service – before the children leave.  Other feelings are that it would create a disconnect as the candles flow into quiet time.-Keep the order as is, but remove the “singing the kids out” and allow the children to leave “as we prepare for meditation”; Building & Grounds Report- Need to remove a broken key from the kitchen door.  It’s time for a periodic A/C service; Program Report-Have the next couple months services planned.     We need new lay leaders – what is our training procedure?  Directions are in the binder in the podium.-Welcome new lay leaders; Storage Room-The organ is gone!

·         Membership Book-Michael Edwards signed membership book. We are also working on a inviting a local pagan group.

·         Summer-A lot of people will be gone for various times this summer.

NEXT MEETING- 6 July 2011    6PM

Treasurer’s Report – Rosie Asbury

May 31, 2011

Receipts                  May                    July -present (11 mos.)

  Plate              $   72.40                                          $1125.01

  Pledge            2960.00                                          18357.00

  Rent                  240.00                                            2540.00

  Miscel.                 0.00                                            1235.00

Total Rcpts  $ 3272.40                                        $23257.01

Disbursements  

  Speak. Fees     200.00                                             2200.00

  Minister Exp.1119.64                                             8897.82

  Maint.             266.36                                              4934.42

  Pest Ctrl.         285.00                                                600.00

  Bldg. Insur.         0.00                                              1232.00

  Postage               0.00                                                273.49

  Supplies              9.91                                             2999.22

  RE Program        0.00                                                178.67

  Membshp. Prog. 0.00                                                  81.00

  Advert./Website 0.00                                                   34.01

  UUA Dues         0.00                                               1485.00

  UU Conf.           0.00                                                 575.00

  (Moody dinner)  0.00                                                 550.36

  Other                   0.00                                                314.13

Total  Disbursements                          

                     $ 2095.82                                          $24604.74

Net Receipt $ 1176.58                                           $-1347.73

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: Summer Continuing class and practice, 6:00-7:30 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

Electronic Newsletter

There were no responses to the preference request in the June newsletter.  It is reprinted below in case you missed it.  While your editor is sure that many of you use the website, it looks like we definitely need to continue our printed newsletter for the foreseeable future.  If your wishes change, please let your editor know. The names of visitors, who have not been attending and who did not respond to the request to continue the newsletter, will be removed.  Those are the persons who had a von their mailing label in June.

Our communications team will continue discussion of this issue and appreciates your input.  Please note that Carol Stiles has added a pdf format to the website along with the html version. 

UU Activities and Announcements

June 22-26 - UUA General Assembly Charlotte, NC

July 17-23-Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute (SUUSI), Radford, VA

July 24-29-RE Week at the Mountain, Highlands, NC

September10-Northeast Cluster Fall Gathering, Orlando, FL

Notes & Comment by Our District Executive:   Rev. Kenn Hurto

I am excited about this year's General Assembly. Not just because it's our 50th Anniversary of the consolidation of the Universalist Church in America and the American Unitarian Association. Although that's pretty cool.

What excites me is a recovery and reaffirmation of our Universalist theology. Unitarian theology may be the gate through which many disaffected by orthodoxy enter our congregations in search of a reasoned and  genuine religious alternative. But once you are through that gate, the debate over how many parts God does or doesn't have -- 1, 3, none! -- is not interesting nor life shaping for very long.

                It is our faith conviction in the worth of all souls that keeps us going. We have a proud heritage of standing on the side of both love and human dignity. Our faith has called us many a time to stand with those marginalized by the larger society -- dismantling slavery, legitimating women's voices for society, bringing an end to segregation, affirming the humanity of gay and lesbian people and, increasingly, walking our talk vis a vis immigration and the rights of migrants. How good to know we can be counted on to show up and resist injustice whenever and wherever it appears. "Standing on the Side of Love" is not just a new popular hymn. It is an affirmation of our core values.

                I see a resurgence of Universalist teaching as our UUA turns 50. Recall, our ancestors asserted that, whatever else the it was/is, the holy is found in loving action. Hence, we were known as the "no hell" church and the "love church," in part because we could not believe a true god would create us frail and then sentence us to eternal torment for our failings. Salvation had to be for all! Today, that translates to a faith that never gives up on anyone. It is one that calls us to know and live the truth: each and all are loved, lovable, and able to love. (We'll save for another time discussing just how hard that can be.)

At the time of the consolidation there was a justified fear the more numerous Unitarians would swallow up the Universalists. Too often, we have short-handed our name to Unitarian, reflecting that bias. Yet, the truly inspiring teaching among us is the call to affirm and to promote human dignity for all souls. The Free Church (oh, had we renamed ourselves that!) is vital and our future is bright as we become known once again and live more fully what it means to be "the love church."

May love bless you and keep you. And may you give it, always in all ways. 

Rev. Kenn

PS: Scholar Karen Armstrong delivers the Ware Lecture at GA this year. Check out her "Charter for Compassion" (charterforcompassion.org) for a modern version of pure Universalist teaching.

PPS: If you cannot attend GA, be sure to check out uua.org for live streaming, podcasts, and daily reports on the Assembly.

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund                                 July 2011

jlund@uua.org

Over the past two years since Rev. Peter Morales was elected UUA President and the financial challenges of our economy continue to be pressing, several changes at the Association’s staff level were made to focus on three areas: growth of our movement, prophetic social action, and the creation of a new ministry for the new century

Structural changes include the creation of the position, Vice President for Ministries and Congregational Life, with responsibility for the congregational program areas. The mission of the Congregational Life staff is to foster the spiritual and institutional health of Unitarian Universalism by serving as leaders, consultants, advocates, and educators in the community of congregations. Rev. Harlan Limpert is in this position. A staff group, Multicultural Growth and Witness, has been created to assume many of the responsibilities handled by the Identity-Based Ministries and Advocacy and Witness staff groups. The office of Electronic Communications has moved to the Information Technology services staff group and the International Resources now reports to President Peter Morales. Kay Montgomery has continued as Executive Vice President, with the responsibility for operating areas of the Association’s life.

The evolution towards regionalization of services and support of congregations continues with increased sharing of district staff members within a region of three or four districts. The support of congregations through the effective use of technology continues to increase monthly. Virtual meetings, videoconferencing, and web technologies enable collaboration and training to occur in constantly evolving ways. Webinars continue to expand in frequency and variety of topics with monthly webinars on leadership development, congregational systems stewardship, risk management faith development, meeting management, and other topics relevant congregational leaders. They are led by nearly every district with notable frequency and are available to anyone, anywhere.

The Congregational Life staff continues to identify and lift up congregations that are doing certain things particularly well and encourage them to become partners in growth and learning by providing opportunities for them to share what they have learned with others. The focus of the Congregational Life staff also continues to be the enhancement of support to congregations by partnering every more closely with the other program staff groups of our UUA.

It was good to be with many of you at another successful General Assembly. Enjoy the summer.