Sunday Services

Sunday, November 6 – Rev. Fred Howard, “A Fishy Case for Universalism”

If you’ve ever said to yourself, I just can’t read the Bible, it’s too dry and antiquated, then this is a sermon for you.  This morning Fred will illustrate how a Bible story familiar to most everyone is probably also misunderstood by just as many people because they aren’t tuned in with an ear for its satirical wit.  I’m no Jon Stewart, but with such great material as is contained in this story, I can’t help but believe an exploration of this text will prove to be an enlightening service for us all.  

There will be a New Member Ceremony as part of today’s service.   If you have recently joined our congregation, plan to attend and participate in this opportunity for our congregation to welcome you to our beloved community.

Potluck after the service today!!! Bring a dish and plan to stay for lunch after the service for fellowship and to welcome our new members.

Sunday, November 13 – Dr.  Michael Stoltzfus,  “A Spirituality of Belief”

Belief is a much used and abused term when it comes to religion and spirituality.  What is belief?  What does it mean to believe?  What is the relationship between belief and certainty or belief and spirituality?  We will explore the implications and significance of belief and mine its connections for spiritual awareness and practice.  Dr. Michael Stoltzfus is a Professor in the Valdosta State University Philosophy and Religious Studies Department.  He is a regular speaker each month at our church.  

Sunday, November 20 - Rev. Fred Howard, “The Making of a Unitarian King”

This morning’s service will be “dramatically” different.  Come and hear the intriguing story behind the story of the formative years of the only Unitarian king in history, King John Sigismund, presented as dramatic dialogue.  You might call it the making of a critical piece of history  - with a feminist edge.  

Community Thanksgiving Service

4:00 PM- First Berean Baptist Church

The Valdosta Area Ministerial Association’s (VAMA) annual Community Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, November 20 at 4 PM.  This year the service will be held at First Berean Baptist Church on E. Adair St.  This service marks the culmination of Habitat for Humanity’s blitz build and the two houses that have been completed this week will be dedicated.  It always proves to be a very touching service.  Our minister, Rev. Fred Howard is president of VAMA this year and will be taking part in the service.  Come out and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of worship and community building!  

Sunday, November 27 – Dr. M. Elizabeth Derrick, “A Guest at Your Table and A Thanksgiving Love Feast,”

Share the Plate Sunday - UUSC

This Sunday we will share some thoughts about Thanksgiving, celebrate together, during the service, a Thanksgiving Love Feast of pumpkin bread and spiced apple juice, and distribute Guest at Your Table boxes.  Betty Derrick is a member of our congregation and the congregation’s Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) representative.   

Guest at Your Table, an annual tradition at UU churches, fosters understanding and awareness of UUSC's human-rights work. Most UU churches participate in this project during the holiday season from Thanksgiving through December.  During the service we will discuss some of the work of the UUSC and each family will be invited to take home a Guest at Your Table box featuring people that UUSC has worked with recently. These people are your “guests,” and you are asked to share your blessings with them, making a contribution to the box at each meal during the holiday season. As you give to your guests, you can learn about them by reading the Stories of Hope booklets which we will also distribute at today’s service.  We’ll collect the boxes the second Sunday in January and mail our contributions to UUSC as a total from the church. 

You’ll find information on the box about how you can join the UUSC.  Consider making a donation during the holidays sufficient to become a member.  Many of our members are also members of this worthy organization.  It is one way we, as individuals, can globally support our UU principles.  By celebrating Guest at Your Table in our congregation we are helping nurture a spirit of gratitude and "justice, equity, and compassion in human relations."

Share the Plate:  As you know, our congregation has begun to designate a Sunday each month as a Share the Plate service.  The offering collected in the plate on these Sundays (unless designated as a pledge) will go towards a charitable cause in our local or wider community.  This Sunday is November’s Share the Plate Sunday.  The offering will go to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee as part of our congregation’s Guest at Your Table contributions.

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. 

Adult RE Course for the Fall:  The current sessions will continue through November 20 at 9:30 AM in the RE wing of the church.  If you have an interest in gaining a better grasp of the various types of literature that comprise the sometimes mysterious and often frustrating texts of the Christian Bible, come and join us for this quick survey course that is geared toward giving you some basic tools for doing some real critical and incisive thinking when it comes to analyzing this most misunderstood of books.

MINISTERIAL MUUSINGS

Rev. Fred Howard                                          November 2011

These are exciting times for our faith community!  This month we will be celebrating the occasion of a new member ceremony.  Some of those who are joining us are relative newcomers, others have been a part of our fellowship for a while.  The critical piece, however, is that these folks have now decided to covenant to be members.  This decision indicates that they are willing to take on the commitment that being a member entails.  Now, at first glance, the commitment seems rather simple.  A person who wants to become a member must sign the membership book and make a financial pledge to support the congregation.  The amount of the pledge is not specified.  We leave that to the discretion of the new member.

But covenant is the essence of what we do when we join one of the congregations of Unitarian Universalism.  Ours is not a creedal faith.  We have no generally accepted statement of belief.  What we do have is our Seven Principles.  And at the beginning of the Seven Principles you will see the statement, “We, the members covenant to affirm and promote.” If you look at our order of service for today, you will see the affirmation of faith we recite to each other every Sunday, “This is our great covenant – to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.  Notice the language of these statements.  The language is “We, our” not “I” or “mine.” Covenant is based in relationship. 

The dynamic of covenant permeates everything we do as a religious organization both globally and locally.  Unlike a creedal community, you do not “join” a covenant community.  You constitute it.  Visualize it this way.  Our covenant is the focus and centerpoint for our congregation.  By covenanting with us, you are attaching a thread to this centerpoint.  By the act of becoming a member you are agreeing to strike an arc with your thread that defines a circle that includes both you and all of us.  And this is true of every other member of the congregation.  The circles defined by their threads must include us as well.  The overall circle, defined by all of our circles, constitutes our faith community.   This circle can be seen as a boundary to our community, but this boundary does not limit us in seeking out diversity.  For just like us, you must stand ready to welcome others who desire and are willing to attach their threads to our covenant, our centerpiece, and again reconstitute what it means to be the beloved community.  Our circle is defined by the people within it.  It only exists as our relationship with each other exists.  It is a living, breathing, dynamic entity.  One that will be made more so because of your presence here among us.  It does not mean that we are loosely defined, or that we take in anybody and everybody.  On the contrary, it is commitment of a higher order.  It means that everyone within our faith community agrees to be in relationship with every other member in special ways, defined by the rigor of our seven principles.

It also means that as we strive together to grow and strengthen our relationship in covenant, we will honor each other and continually remind each other what it means to be our best selves.  It means you are taking a leap of faith into the unknown, sometimes frightening, sometimes awkward, but always rewarding, always an adventure.  This covenant, this promise we make with each other is freely made, in sound faith and with good intention.  It is a wonderful gift that we give to each other and to the world, and it is what makes us unique as a faith community.

So be mindful of the widening and strengthening of our community that will be taking place on Sunday, November 6 as we welcome these who have made the thoughtful and intentional decision to covenant with us and redefine the ever expanding and growing entity of UU Valdosta.  

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.

 Notes from Kids’ RE – Sue Bailey

What an exciting fall we are having! It is wonderful to have so many kids joining RE and sharing their ideas and their artistic talents with each other. We have been talking about our UU affirmation of faith and focusing on the first line: Love is the spirit of this church and service is its law. We are exploring the many ways we can show love and be of service to one another and to the greater community. We will continue to explore this theme further throughout the remainder of this year and display the children’s artwork and projects. Kimberly Tanner and I are working on alternatives for RE for the older kids so stay tuned. With the increase in numbers of children, there will be plenty of opportunities to volunteer to help with RE. RE helpers assist with arts and crafts, participate in discussions and activities, assist with clean up, and generally help keep the children on task.

More RE Volunteers Needed: Sue Bailey says she could really use some additional help now that many Sundays we have such a diverse group and the nursery even is being used!  Please let her know if you can volunteer from time to time or sign up on the Sunday volunteer e-mail list.

Story for all ages at October Sunday service.

Let’s Have Some Fun!!

Pizza and a Movie

Friday, November 18     6:30 PM at the church

The movie is “Temple Grandin” originally shown on HBO.  It is the story of Temple Grandin, an animal behaviorist, who is herself autistic.  The Book Discussion group recently discussed her most recent book “Animals in Translation” in which Grandin shares her professional and personal observations about the similarities between animal behaviors and the way autistic people view the world.  This is the second book the group has read recently which deals with autism.  This movie comes well recommended by several of our members.  Come enjoy a slice or two of pizza.  Don’t forget to make a contribution to its cost.  Soft drinks will be available but you’re welcome to bring your own drinks.  We usually view the movie and then have a short discussion afterwards.  Contacts: Fred Howard and David Rodgers  

Fire Pit and Games Night

Friday, November 25           6:30PM - until at the church

Come and gather around the fire pit behind the church and then for those who are interested, games will begin inside.  Bring a snack to share, friends, the kids and libations of your choice.  Contact: Susan Bailey.  

Book Discussion and Potluck

The next book is "Submission" by Amy Waldman.  Plan to get a copy and read it during the coming holidays.  We will have our next gathering, potluck and discussion on January 13.  The group decided there was just too much going on in late November and December to plan a gathering any sooner.  Plan to start your new year with this fun group.  More details in the next newsletter.

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Welcome to new members

v  Shawnee Johnson

v  All the others who will be recognized this month who were listed earlier!

Congratulations  to  

v  Fred and Kathy Howard on the birth of their first granddaughter.

v  The Nicola’s who have a new niece.

Welcome home to

v  Bryan Nickola who recently returned to his family and to us from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. It’s really great to see the whole family together again.

Keep in your thoughts

v  Our members and friends experiencing health concerns or the loss of loved ones….

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.

UU Valdosta e-Mail List: If you are not on our UU e-mail list, contact Carol Stiles at uuvaldosta@yahoo.com, with a request to be added.   Our UU e-mail list is for announcements and reminders of church and community-related activities of interest to UU's.  It is a YahooGroups list that is moderated and fairly low volume, just a few messages per month.  

Shawnee Johnson signs membership book.  

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.  

Guest at Your Table

We will distribute Guest at Your Table boxes on Sunday, November 27.   Contact Betty Derrick if you want a box and do not receive one at that service. Guest at Your Table is an annual tradition in which congregation members take home a box featuring people that the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) has worked with recently. Place your box in a prominent place in your house, perhaps on your dinner table, and contribute to your guests daily throughout the holiday season.  We will collect the boxes during the service on January 8.  The UUSC is our denominations social concerns outreach organization that works through and with other organizations globally on disaster relief, human rights issues, and other matters of social concern.  The money that makes possible the work of this organization comes through donations from people like you.  Consider making a donation sufficient to become a member of this worthy organization.

RE Kids Service Project - Operation Paperback

The RE Kids are working on a service project with Operation Paperback, a non-profit organization that helps volunteers collect and ship paperback books to troops both overseas and in the U.S to help them through their deployments and let them know how much they are appreciated for their service.

The organization was born in 1999 when the family of Master Sergeant Rick Honeywell started sending Honeywell’s squadron care packages of candy, games, and books because there were no recreation facilities on their base in Kuwait. Rick’s father-in-law began sending packages of books from his own home library and then started asking friends and acquaintances for donations of paperback books. Soon the squadron had received 500 books and had to build bookshelves to hold them all.

Since 1999, Operation Paperback has shipped over 1.3 million books to troops in more than 30 countries. Books have also been sent to veterans and wounded troops here in the U.S. Sue Bailey, RE Director, is registered with Operation Paperback so she can match troops with the titles and genres the RE Kids collect and request mailing addresses.

The RE Kids are asking for donations of used paperback books that are in very good condition. Some of the genres requested are action, current events, bestsellers, biographies and memoirs, fantasy, history, horror, mysteries, science-fiction, humor, true crime, classics. Operation Paperback says they DO NOT want romance novels as the troops do not read them. Children’s paperbacks are also needed. Please check with your friends and family members to see if they have a novel or two they would like to donate.

Some of our troops are asking for books from their respective Professional Reading Lists. These lists include both fiction and non-fiction titles designated for professional development of soldiers, airmen, marines, and sailors. I will post these lists on the table at the back of the church.

We are also requesting small donations of a dollar or two to help with the cost of shipping books. It costs approximately $5 to send 20 books by Media Mail. With your help, we hope to send out a number of shipments over the coming months. If you’d like to help, please drop your contribution in the container on the table at the back of the church labeled “Operation Paperback Shipping”.

As we begin to collect books, the RE kids and I will use some of our RE class time and time after the church service to sort the books and pack them to be shipped. And we will keep the congregation posted about where the books are going and any thank you letters we receive back. Please check with Sue Bailey if you have any questions about this project.  

Habitat Build - November 12-19

Our congregation will participate with other churches in the area for the third year on a Habitat build here in Valdosta.  We will provide lunch for about 50 volunteers on Saturday, November 12. You are also invited to help with the build itself that day or any day during the week’s construction.  This year's location is at the corner of Troup and Webster Streets. Call Valerie Webster to sign up to work and/or help with the lunch.   

President’s Corner 

Lars Leader

This fall our congregation has begun to designate the third Sunday of every month as a Share the Plate service.  The offering collected in the plate on these Sundays will go towards a charitable cause in our local or wider community.  Offerings that are part of a yearly pledge will not be included; so, if you write a check, be sure to identify any pledge.

October’s Share the Plate offering went to Habitat for Humanity.  Our congregation donated money and volunteer labor to Habitat for Humanity home builds the past two years. As Rev. Howard wrote in last year’s November newsletter, “Habitat for Humanity International is a world leader in providing decent affordable housing for low income families all across the globe.  To date it has built more than 350,000 houses that shelter more than 1.75 million people.  And it all started not too far from here at a little farm where someone had a vision of providing for others.  All monies paid by Habitat homeowners, along with donations to the organization go into a revolving fund that is then used to fund the building of other new houses. Habitat says in its mission statement, ‘What the poor need is not charity but capital, not caseworkers but co-workers. And what the rich need is a wise, honorable and just way of divesting themselves of their overabundance. The Fund for Humanity will meet both of these needs. Money for the fund will come from shared gifts by those who feel they have more than they need and from non-interest bearing loans from those who cannot afford to make a gift but who do want to provide working capital for the disinherited . . . The fund will give away no money. It is not a handout.’ ”

We will again be joining other local congregations for the Building on Faith home build during the middle of November this year.  Both your hands and your pocketbook are welcome offerings to this most worthwhile effort.  

UU Church of Valdosta Board of Directors Meeting News 

October 12, 2011

Attending:-Fred Howard, Lars Leader, Sue Bailey, Doug Tanner, Jim Ingram, Kat Nickola, Kimberly Tanner

OLD BUSINESS---

·         Web Site communications group-Haven’t had the chance to speak with everyone yet to get involvement and a date set.--Fred

NEW BUSINESS---

·         Sunday Tasks Email-How do we get the new attendees involved or interested in being on the email list for involvement in Sunday services.  -Email the list serve for interest.  This Sunday - explanation of service involvement & periodically repeat.-Doug

·         Rainbow Mixer-In February around Valentine’s Day.  The S. GA Pride (Raynae) would like to be  a cosponsor and offer $100.-Tentatively planned for 11 Feb 2012-Sue.

·         RE Report-Sunday Dec 11 – Christmas celebration and decoration.-Lots of new kids coming with a wide age range.  It has become difficult to maintain a single class and manage.  Option 1:  to try this Sunday:  older kid RE separate and also a service as the baby care takers.  Option 2:  is cutting off RE age at 12/13 and then the older kids can attend church or sign up as RE assistance.  --Sue & Kimberly

·         Share the plate: December idea – migrant workers fund (Sue to arrange)--Rosie

·         Membership Report-New members ceremony and new class planned.  Lots of new people – very exciting.  Getting new involvement is the next step.-Need to register all new members with UUA.  Need to also get pledge cards to all new members as well.-Kimberly

·         Building & Grounds Report-Electric on the sign is fixed.  Lights at the church also looked at.  Need to confer with Rosie about the roof; not aware of a bill, and not sure if it has been fixed.  Possibility of planting some flowers – need adopted for care.--Jim

NEXT MEETING-9 Nov 2011 6pm  

Treasurer’s Report – Rosie Asbury

September 30, 2011

Receipts                September         July -present

  Plate                     $ 335.10                $   552.10

  Pledge                   1325.00                    3481.00

  Rent                        190.00                      770.00

  Miscellaneous            30.00                        30.00

Total Receipts    $ 1880.10              $  4833.10  

Disbursements  

  Speakers’ Fees    $  400.00                $  475.00

  Minister Expense      700.00                  1107.37

  Maint.                        13.86                    596.16

  Pest Control               35.00                    105.00

  Supplies                     46.49                      74.92

  Utilities                     277.24                    825.30

  Ads/Website                0.00                    525.00

  UUA Dues                   0.00                     483.33

  Others                          0.00                       70.00

Total  Disburse. $ 1472.59                $   4262.08  

Net Receipt           $  407.51             $    571.02  

Get Involved at UU Valdosta-Saturday, November 5
Get your domestic on!  Come join us for a morning when we will spruce our facility, to be followed by lunch and a time of conversation called Appreciative Inquiry.  Appreciative Inquiry is a way for us to discover what our members and friends want to happen at our church and what our community is most passionate about.  It is done using a self organizing format that always proves to be interesting and informative, as well as a lot of fun.  

Volunteer List 

Help Always Welcome-Almost Always Needed

If you wondered how things get done at UU Valdosta, let us know.  We are a volunteer organization.  Everything that goes on, for example on Sunday morning, from Layleading to the Music to Meet and Greet happens because one of our members or friends volunteers.  The jobs are straight forward and someone will be glad to get you started if you’re willing to volunteer.  If you would like to be on our e-mail list that circulates to sign up to volunteer for various tasks let Doug Tanner know.  The list circulates every week or so and you can sign up or not depending on your schedule. Of course if you do sign up, be sure you follow through and thank you!!!  

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://www.wix.com/nhccc1/nhccc

Taoist Tai Chi – Monday and Thursday: Continuing Class: 5:30-7:00 PM; Beginner’s Class: 7-8 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

Valdosta Taoist Tai Chi 20^th anniversary celebration

October 8 at UU church!

UU Activities and Announcements

November 12-Earth Justice Seminar,UU Church, Brevard, FL

November 23 to 27 - Thanksgiving: A Family Celebration, Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, Highlands, NC

December 26-January 1 – SWIM, Camp Owiassa Bauer, Homestead, FL

SWIM (Southeast Winter Institute in Miami) is an intergenerational gathering each year at Camp Owiassa Bauer, a Nature park in Homestead FL.  125 to 250 UUs from around the USA and Canada gather for workshops, worship, Campfires, and everglades adventures for all ages. You can find a full brochure and decide on your program choices and when registration opens, register at http://www.swimuu.org

April 27 to 29, 2012- Florida UU Women's Retreat, Ellenton, FL  

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS                    Joan Lund                           November 2011

jlund@uua.org

Much is being written and spoken about multiculturalism in UUism and American society. Multiculturalism in our faith is of the utmost importance to our UUA President, Rev. Peter Morales who continues to encourage us to become a multicultural, diverse community. Defining multiculturalism depends greatly upon the context in which it is discussed. Also the concept itself is constantly changing as more people make their voices heard to a continually growing audience. Multiculturalism values the diverse perspectives people develop and maintain through varieties of experience and background stemming from racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and/or class differences in our society.

To Unitarian Universalists multiculturalism means nurturing a religious community where people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures see their cultural identities reflected and affirmed in every aspect of congregational life—worship, fellowship, leadership, governance, religious education, and a social justice. It also means that one cultural identity does not dominate all other identities; that people are able to participate in their faith community without denying or hiding their cultural identities, that the role of cultural identity is part of ministry; and that leaders have the competency to understand how their multiple identities and socialization influence their values, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and interactions with others.

We welcome each other into shared community in the many ways that people define, express, and experience their spiritual path. UUs understand and participate in public witness and social justice work as ministry in partnership with communities to make the world more compassionate, equitable, safe, nurturing, supportive, fair and just for all people. Individuals and communities are supported in their search for truth and meaning in their desire to make a positive difference in the world. And hopefully we recognize the many cultural languages in the words symbols and acts that manifest in worship, fellowship, and pastoral care.

Multicultural work in congregations is central to who we are as a faith community. It is not just about changing numbers, it is about changing our cultures. We must ground ourselves in a commitment to welcome all persons not as unfamiliar guests, but embraced with openness and sisters and brothers. This is the vision of Beloved Community toward which we are striving.

Many resources are available at www.uua.org as we continue our work preparing for Justice GA 2012, and involve ourselves in multiculturalism.  Please know I am available for conversation and general good will; it is always a pleasure to hear from Florida UUs, and all UUs, as a matter of fact. Blessed and happy Thanksgiving to each one of you.  

Notes & Comment by Our Florida District Executive:

Rev. Kenn Hurto

"How can we live in a world partly prosperous and mostly miserable?"

-- Wm. Sloane Coffin

 Most people are not facile when it comes to discussing economics. I am among them. However, most grasp readily the idea of economic justice.

                You don't need a PhD nor espouse socialism to know there is something basically, morally wrong with the increasing concentration of wealth and income to ever fewer people in the last generation. The emerging "Occupy" movement taps into that sense of unfairness, especially that those who were most directly responsible for the Great Recession have prospered by the various bail-outs given (at taxpayer expense!) to Wall Street. Curiously, it is the same resentment felt by supporters of the Tea Party.

                Is this a religious issue? Yes, given that one's religious life attempts to address the large questions of how we are together in the human family. Our faith, Unitarian Universalism, long has been concerned that many suffer miserably while a few prosper. Social justice always gets around to economic justice. How can anyone defend a few having far too much and many having far too little? This is anathema to the social implications of Universalism, where every person matters ultimately. (Quick theologic aside: you can defend the status quo only if you are a Calvinist, believing that your "having" is a sign of your being right with God, being chosen, and those "not having" are deserving of their fate.)

                Our UUA has not had an opportunity to discuss how our faith might address the "Occupy" movement. No doubt, it will be among our conversations at "Justice GA" in Phoenix next June. Meanwhile, I call your attention to a recent letter from our UUA President, Peter Morales, (see: http://www.uua.org/news/pressroom/pressreleases/188405.shtml) in which he notes: "Unitarian Universalism embodies a long tradition of working for economic justice and workers' rights. Today is another opportunity for us to live our faith, and the Occupy protests are a first step on the road to repairing our country. … I reach out to Unitarian Universalists everywhere to consider how you might be of service to any among us who are struggling to provide for their families, those who have been cheated and abused by financial institutions, and all those whose backs ache under a burden of debt, unemployment, and fading hope. Let the world see the power of our faith in action."

                To pursue this conversation further in your congregation, take a look at the resources available at uua.org as well as Unitarian Universalists for Economic Justice (http://www.uujec.org/). I welcome hearing from you of the ways your congregation is engaged in economic justice work. Please send me a note; I'll be glad to share your information with others who may be eager to partner with you.

All Blessings, for you, your congregation, our faith and our communities.

UU Domino Train-October Games Night!

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