When the first nights of bitter cold threatened a week before the winter solstice, I harvested the last of the fall vegetables. It was a record late harvest for our in-town garden. Often the ground is frozen before Thanksgiving. But due to global warming, the onset of winter has been growing later over time. (And destructive storms are becoming more frequent and more severe.)

I brought in the entire annual leek crop (one mid-sized leek), a bucket half full of carrots, a peck of lettuce and other greens, some late bok choy, a bag full of Swiss chard, enough broccoli for two meals, a bucket full of several kinds of beets and their gorgeous greens, several tiny cauliflower heads, and a generous harvest of cilantro, including three plants to put into pots and grow indoors. And enough horseradish roots for several large families.

A childhood frostbite has had lingering effects on my hands that quickly became numb from the cold and wet garden soil. After I came into the house my fingers ached fiercely as they warmed up ever so slowly. I spent most of the rest of the afternoon washing and cleaning, sorting, and bagging up the harvest. The refrigerator was stuffed.

After I cleaned most of the mud from the horseradish, I left the roots covered with cold water to be processed later. The next morning — not more than 18 hours after they had been brought in from the cold — the horseradish had sprouted new growth. By the second day the new sprouts were three-quarters of an inch long and bright green leaves had begun to unfold from them.

Talk about miracles! This little resurrection is a sign of hope in the midst of the longest nights and coldest days of the year. And if ever there was a time when we need reminders of the resilience of life and signs of hope, this is it.

As we take stock at the beginning of the new year and look ahead to the near future, it is tempting to see only problems and crises unfolding around us. Pessimism would be an easy path. Even Pope John Paul II has issued a gloomy statement for the World Day of Peace on January 1, naming violence and chaos in the world. Any of us could make a long list of lamentations, problems, and discouraging events.

But I want to suggest a different inquiry, one that intentionally looks for what’s working and what gives you hope. For under the cold muck there are signs of spring and fresh life ready to burst forth. If you keep a journal, you might want to make three lists of your own — personal heroes, effective institutions, and hopeful events.

List 1: Who are the heroes around you? I don’t mean celebrity stars, but the people you know personally whose lives offer extraordinary examples of positive values made manifest through action. Include the personal heroes who have died. Don’t set the standards so high that no one could possibly meet them — even heroes have flaws. How are your heroes making a difference? What values do they manifest? How do they keep their lives in balance? Identify some of their characteristics that you could emulate.

List 2: What institutions — formal or not — are doing good works that make the world a better place? What is their mission and vision? What drives their work? How are they organized? Who’s involved? What makes them particularly effective? What do you see around you that needs to be fixed? How might you support efforts already in place to address those needs? Or if no organization is working on them, how might you create a new organization that is modeled on the most successful ones?

List 3: What events give you hope? They may be as simple as an unanticipated act of kindness that only touches one other person. Or they may be events that involve whole crowds. How can you spread the good news so more people are aware of them? How might you be alert for opportunities to bring hope? Where will you find the courage to act?

Janus, the god of new beginnings and gateways, for whom January is named, has two faces, one looking ahead to the future, and one looking back at the past. As we start a new year we look back and ahead. As you reflect on what’s been working in the past year, make a commitment to enable more of that in the coming months. Like my indomitable horseradish, let’s send out some fresh sprouts of hope and resurrection even in the midst of winter!

See you on Sunday!

Duane

January Service Topics

January 2 "The Tolling of the Bells" Presented by the Rev. Judy Welles and Rev. Duane Fickeisen

Our traditional first service of the new year is a memorial to those whose lives ended last year. The congregation will be invited to speak the names of family members and personal friends who died in 2004. Judy and Duane will offer eulogies of several public figures as we remember them and the gifts their lives brought to us. As is our tradition, we will also have a "burning bowl" to facilitate the release of new year¹s resolutions into the atmosphere.

January 9 "What's Wrong with Reason? The Transcendentalist Response" Presented by the Rev. Duane Fickeisen and Don Hoffman, Worship Associate
Your own answer to the epistemological question, "How do we know?" is relevant to your quest for truth and meaning. The Transcendentalists found early Unitarianism's reliance on reason alone to be "corpse cold" and too conservative. They stirred up controversy by proposing an embrace of intuitive knowing. We¹ll attempt to clarify what the fuss was about and how the Transcendentalist response might inform your spiritual journey

January 16 "Soil to Soul: Ecospirituality" Presented by Judy Marti and Brian Stolley, Worship Associates

What has a blue body, a green lap and a brown embrace? Is it just the 3rd rock from the sun? Some words to remind us of our eternal maternal apron strings: "All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth" (1855, Chief Seattle of the Dwamish Tribe in Washington).

January 23 "Poetry Sunday" UUCV's writers and readers will have their annual opportunity to read their own poetry or a favorite author's work at this service. The service will be coordinated by Richard Ellis and Geneva Politzer. Please let them know if you would like to participate by calling Ellis at 218-9818 or emailing him at raellis@earthlink.net.

January 30 "Teaching the Seven Principles to Our Children" Presented by the Rev. Judy Welles and Geneva Politzer, Worship Associate

What better way to internalize the principles of our faith than to interpret them for children? With their concrete understanding, children demand of us a practical demonstration of living out our principles in our daily lives. These observations will be useful to anyone, whether they interact with children or not.

President's Column

From UUCV Board President Priscilla Laws

IMPORTANT CONGREGATIONAL MEETING JAN 30^TH All UUCV members are urged to come to the upcoming meeting to be held shortly after the service on January 30th. We have several items to discuss (along with other business that we may need to consider):

Approval of a New UUCV Mission Statement and several Vision Statements: In preparation for deliberations on future goals the Board of Trustees plans to present you with a refined version of the Mission and Vision Statements based on comments you send us by January 15th. We've already received some good suggestions, but let us know what you think (see the following article for details).

Mid-year Budget Adjustments: We have just completed the first half of UUCV's 2004-2005 fiscal year. The Board of Trustees is working with the Committee on Finance and Fundraising to bring you an updated mid-year budget proposal that take changes in actual income and expenses into account. We need your help in setting priorities for the remainder of our financial year. This budget must have your approval.

Continuing the Conversation about Our Future: The Board needs your input about some important planning issues related to the Building Our Future study. For example, should we make a concerted effort to increase the size of the congregation? Should we develop ministries that are unique to our congregation?

I hope you had a happy New Years weekend!

Draft Mission Statement and Vision Statement for Comment

As part of the process of identifying who we are as a congregation, the Board of Trustees plans to present a mission statement and a series of vision statements for approval at our congregational meeting on January 30. We would like all members and potential members to either comment on the draft that follows or try a hand at writing a better set of statements. Comments or your new, improved statements can be submitted to the Board anytime before January 15th. Your input can be transmitted to Board President Priscilla Laws in person, by phone (243-9525), by email (lawsp@dickinson.edu), and/or put in the Box at the Board Table in the Social Hall.

Mission/Purpose: Our mission is to create an enduring religious community in the Unitarian Universalist tradition that transforms lives and empowers action to care for and repair the world.

Vision/Aspirations: We are a vibrant regional congregation that:

Worships together and celebrates life passages within the beloved community, expressing religious values, inspiring ethical conduct, and shaping meaning from the experiences of life.

Practices a hospitality of invitation and welcome based on our belief that every person has inherent worth and dignity.

Makes possible the expression of every person's potential by teaching that each is held in love, has the power to change the world, and is called to use that power in the service of love.

Fosters stewardship of the interdependent web of all creation, including the self, the family, the congregation, the community beyond our walls, and the natural world

Upcoming Classes for Adults

Dan Bechtel, retired Professor of Religion at Dickinson College, will offer a class called "Many Different Portrayals of Jesus." Beginning January 3, the class will be held on four Mondays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the meetinghouse Library. There is no minimum registration, but if you plan to participate it would be a courtesy to Dan to call the church (249-8944) to register.

"Roots and Branches" will be held on Tuesday evenings, January 26 and February 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the meetinghouse Library. This class, offered by Duane and Judy, is for people who want a deeper engagement with our faith. The first session includes an introduction to Unitarian Universalist history; the second emphasizes discerning what you seek and identifying resources to help you find it. The minimum registration is four; please enroll by signing up on the sheet in the Social Hall or by calling the office (249-8944).

From the Director of Religious Education

From DRE Kevin Snow

By the time you read this column, Christmas and all its many parties, gatherings, decorations, and presents will have been taken down, thrown away, returned, and re-gifted. Hopefully, you had a joyous holiday season no matter what your traditions. I, for one, am a scrooge and look forward to the end of the holiday season when I am no longer assaulted on the radio and TV by ads, Christmas specials, and yet another version of some "classic" Christmas movie being retold for a new audience.

Since, I am already planning another season in RE, that of the Spring season, why don’t you consider joining me in RE? Maybe you are ready to think warm thoughts too. We still have room for more RE teachers and helpers. We especially need help in our youngest classes. Please, consider joining us once or twice a month. Some of the teachers for the fall season have yet to sign up again. Please, do so soon. It is critical that we have enough teachers and helpers in our program to provide a quality RE program. UUCV has a strong commitment to religious education for our children, please help me make this commitment possible.

Many exciting things are in store for the Spring RE season. From a Mozambique Project Day in January, to an Earth Day celebration in April, from a Valentines Party to the Coming of Age service, many new things are happening in RE at UUCV. Won’t you be a part of them? Join the best team at UUCV, the RE team. Attend our monthly committee meetings and give us your input. We meet the second Sunday of every month at 9:30 am in the library. Meetings are open to the public and your thoughts are welcome. Most of all, bring your kids and get involved. See you Sunday.

News from Building & Grounds

Safety Issues:

Thank you for helping our lost wheelchair find its way home to UUCV.

First aid kits are located in the upstairs hall closet, kitchen, and wall box across from the office. Please contact B&G when supplies need to be replenished.

Updated emergency procedures and contacts are posted on bulletin boards and by most telephones.

Winter Weather Helpers:

A reminder to any able body who arrives early to UUCV events…please help with shoveling snow and spreading ice melt. We do not have an organized schedule for these tasks so everyone can take turns having fun! A shovel and bucket of ice melt has been placed inside each of the three main entrances.

Building Work Day – January 29^th

There are several large projects needing many hands and a period of hours to make sufficient progress. We need helpers on the 29^th to work on the closet restoration, painting bathrooms, installing curtain rods… to name a few. Start time: 9:00am (Contact: Rick Heckman - #245-9525)

UUCV Storage Areas:

If any committee, event, or collection activity has not yet communicated your storage needs please do so by January 8^th. Also, we request by that date you identify anything in closets that belongs to your group. Items that are left unclaimed and seem to have no purpose will be subject to reallocation, relocation or offered up for the next yard sale! Please help reduce clutter by being sure any donated items are needed for a specific purpose and have a proper spot before delivering them to the meetinghouse. (Storage needs: contact Paula Terry – loons@pa.net)

Next meeting:

January 5th at Paul and Carol McAnulty’s house. We’ll help move a pile of wood into Paul’s shop to be cut for the sanctuary window trim project. Then bring in the new year with pizza and beer…We said B&G is a fun group…and now is the perfect time to join our committee! For more information contact: Rick Heckman #245-9525

Snow and UUCV's Activities

Winter is here, and the long-range forecasts suggest we'll have colder than normal temperatures through March. There are conflicting forecasts about snow we'll either have more or less than normal, depending on which meteorologist or almanac you believe has the best guess.

Sunday Worship and RE: We will try not to cancel our Sunday morning worship service and religious education, even if there is moderate snowfall or it is forecast to snow. Use your own best judgment about the safety and advisability of traveling to the Meetinghouse in nasty weather and do stay home if that seems best. Even if only a few of us show up, we'll still gather in community and worship together. Of course if it is truly bad and travel is especially hazardous, we will cancel our services. We'll send a Sunday morning announcement to the PrE-Views e-mail list and try to put a message on the office voice mail (249-8944) by 9:00 a.m. if we cancel. Please check them if you are in doubt.

Other Events: Please contact the responsible person (organizer or committee chair) if you have questions about other activities or meetings. If you are planning an event or meeting, include a contingency plan for snow and please be sure to let everyone you expect to attend know if you cancel or reschedule your event.

Clearing Snow and Ice: We have a standing contract for plowing to keep the parking area free of snow. Usually it gets plowed within a few hours after the end of a storm. If there is a particularly big storm it may take a couple of days to be cleared. Shoveling the walks and salting the ice on steps and porches are up to volunteers. Snow shovels and salt are located inside the main entrances. If the walks or steps need to be cleared and you¹re able to do it without risk to your body, please pitch in. Thanks!

Plans Underway for 2005 Canvass

It’s an exciting time at UUCV as we work together to create our congregation’s vision for the future, and our 2005 Annual Pledge Canvass will play a vital role in ensuring a financially sound base to support our mission as well as the day-to-day operation of UUCV. This year’s Canvass will again feature our popular Soup Suppers, which provide an opportunity to learn more about what it takes to keep UUCV financially healthy as well as to share our vision for the future.

The Canvass will be kicked off in March, with a planned completion by the end of April. Several key Canvass committee slots have already been filled, with Laurel Belding serving as Chair; Dot Everhart as Co-Chair; Janet Spencer as Soup Supper Coordinator; Doug Spencer as Pledge Administrator; Dan and Joan Bechtel for congregational communications; and Dan Fancher as lead for the team of presenters.

We are still in need of someone to coordinate the one-on-one canvass for those who are unable to attend a soup supper as well as volunteers to present at the suppers. If you’re interested, or to learn more, contact Laurel Belding at 717-960-9111 or laurel@paonline.com. Also needed are hosts for the Soup Suppers. Hosts generally provide the soup, with attendees bringing the rest of the meal. Group sizes can be tailored to suit your preferences. If you’re able to host a supper, please contact Janet Spencer at 717-249-3915 or jbsandms@epix.net.

Watch for more information in the February newsletter as well as in PrE-Views and weekly Order of Service announcements.

Leadership Academy: Decisions, Decisions!

The next session of UUCV's Leadership Academy on Sunday, January 9, will focus on decision making in groups. An essential element of leadership is guiding deliberations and testing for agreement. We'll view a fun video example of a decision gone wrong and talk about different approaches to decision-making and how and when to use them. We'll include consensus - what it means, how it is sometimes abused, and how to use it effectively. Gather in the Board Room at the Meetinghouse after Coffee Hour on Sunday, January 9. Bring a bag lunch if you wish.

UUCV's Leadership Academy is intended to help you increase both your competence and your confidence as a leader through developing practical skills. The Academy sessions have application within the congregation, your workplace, your family, and in volunteer organizations. Everyone is welcome to participate in any of the sessions, which are held on the second Sunday of each month.

Congregational Happenings & Interest Groups

January 1 Open House on New Year's Day at Marilyn Zatinsky and Richard Ellis' home, 1 to 5 p.m. at 125 Walnut Street in Carlisle. All members and friends are welcome. RSVP's appreciated: call 218-9818 or email to zatmara@earthlink.net.

January 23 The Serious Stuff Bookclub will meet in the library of the Meetinghouse from 6:30 until 8:00pm. Our book for the month is Alone With Others by Stephen Batchelor, said to be a melding of existentialism and Buddhism, although not a primer on either one. It is the author's own views on Buddhism expressed in the language of existentialism. Feel free to attend even if you have never attended before. Questions? Interested in seeing the booklist for 2005? E-mail Leslie Carr @ lgcarr22@yahoo.com

Project S.H.A.R.E.

Your donations of packaged food and turkeys have brought our total donations to Project S.H.A.R.E. to 131 pounds for October and November. These donated food items benefit the 450 Carlisle area families who receive supplemental food every month through Project S.H.A.R.E., the local food bank. The Social Action Committee continues to collect food in the marked tubs in the Social Hall. Some of the most needed food items include: fruit juice, macaroni and cheese, tuna, milk and raisins. Of course, don't forget UUCV's signature item, baked beans. For more information contact Susan Walker (email - walk2000@paonline.com or phone - 761-3592).

All in the UUCV Family

Trent Myers' new job at Fager's is working out very well; Trish Myers is also enjoying her new career selling real estate. After three weeks on her new job at Home Depot, Cory Bowers has already been promoted; she is now working days (no more third shift!) in the Receiving Department. We send loving condolences to Susan Helm, whose father Joe and step-mother Rita both died on the same day (December 6, 2004). Perpetual student Teresa Shaffer has been accepted into a Masters Program in Community Psychology and Social Change at Penn State Harrisburg. Hooray that Harold Piety came through his second shoulder surgery in mid-December with flying colors; even with his left arm in a sling, he is managing to make Christine's breakfast every day. Brandon Stolley has enlisted in the Marine Reserves and will be off to basic training in January with hopes of getting into Officer Candidate School. He will be a third generation Marine, and both he and Brian are proud of that. Brandon expects to return to undergrad studies at Shippensburg next fall. Paula Terry is feeling well after her recent surgery, and glad to put it behind her.

Some in the UUCV family have moved. Here are their new addresses and phone numbers.

Joan and Jack Campbell: 524 Carol Street, New Cumberland, PA 17070, Tel. 717.774.2268

Tom and Carole DeWall: 330 Acre Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013 and their new phone number is 717.249.3900.

Brian and Melissa Stolley: 4175 Mountain View Rd., Apt. 106, Mechanicsburg,
PA 17050; 717.728.3957
Joan Campbell: 524 Carol Street, New Cumberland, PA 17070; 717.774.2268

From U to U

WHAT A GREAT START!

You have made the grocery store gift card project an incredible success so far. In the first two months it has generated $350 for the UUCV. You buy groceries and UUCV gets a bonus! This is a year round project. To get more gift cards, or to pick up your first ones, see Judy Marti (judymarti@superpa.net ), Dee Lauderbaugh, or Nancy Romano after the Sunday services. One of us will try to be on hand every Sunday. For those new to this, you would buy a gift card for your favorite grocery store (Karns, Giant, or Weis) from the UUCV (pay by cash or check). You pay the cash value of the card, for example $50, and you can buy up to that $50 worth of groceries from that store. The UUCV gets 5% of the sales from the gift cards. They make great gifts too. Thank you for making this project so successful.

Susan Walker at walk2000@paonline.com.

Unitarian Universalists of Gettysburg

UUG holds weekly Sunday services at 3:00 PM at Trinity UCC, Stratton & High Sts., Gettysburg, PA. Religious education for our young people is a top priority. "In Our Hands," a peace and social justice program will be the focal point for our K-6th graders; the older youth group will explore what they believe they stand for. Nursery care. Everyone welcome.

Jan 2: Lay-led New Year's service, "A Cup of Kindness" Refreshments follow service.

Jan 9: Rev. John T. Morehouse, Minister of the UU Congregation of Frederick, his topic is "Taking on the Good Work." What is the worth of work in our lives and what does it have to say about our future? Join us as Rev. John Morehouse explores these ideas in the New Year. Potluck follows service.

Jan 16: Dr. Louis J. Hammann, Emeritus Professor of Religion, Gettysburg College. His topic is "Is Jesus Old-Fashioned?" "Mainline" churches are again reassessing the central person in the Greek Bible. The talk will review and critique what is going on in that direction."

Refreshments follow service.

Jan 23: Rev. Ron Crawford, Pastoral Minister of theUnitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick: A Community of Communities.” Rev. Crawford focuses on the role of relational groups in the development of effective congregations.

Refreshments follow service.

Jan 30: The Rev. Duane Fickeisen, UUs of the Cumberland Valley, Boiling Springs, PA. “Becoming a Practicing Unitarian Universalist,” You can develop a spiritual practice anywhere, anytime, and it just might help you to actualize the values you espouse as a Unitarian Universalist, so why not start now and just do it? It’s not too late to make a resolution for the New Year or you may want to use the six weeks of Lent, starting in just over a week, to begin. What might it look like if, indeed, you were a practicing Unitarian Universalist?

For more information, call 717-334-5141, or visit www.uugettysburg.org.

UUCV Resources & Contact Information

This information is meant to facilitate participation and communication among friends and members of UUCV; please do not share information without the person’s consent. Our ministers, staff and trustees have made their emails available to facilitate communication. Please contact other leaders by telephone; all area codes 717.

Ministers Rev. Duane Fickeisen (dfickeisen@earthlink.net) and Rev. Judy Welles (jcwelles@earthlink.net). Home study telephone: (717) 241-0410

Dir. of Religious Ed. Kevin Snow / 249-8104 / revsnowman@hotmail.com

Office Assistant Elena Yarlett, Thursdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Phone: 249-8944 Address: PO Box 207 Boiling Springs, PA 17007 Email: uucv@pa.net

UUCV Board of Trustees

Priscilla Laws (president) / 243-9525 / lawsp@dickinson.edu

Susan Walker (vice president) / 761-3592 / at walk2000@paonline.com

Tom DeWall (treasurer) / 691-6600 / thdewall@papsy.org

Leslie Carr (clerk) / 249-3400 / lgcarr22@yahoo.com

Daniel Fancher / 245-2847 / daniel.fancher@earthlink.com

Chuck Folsom / 486-7988 / charlesfolsom@cs.com

Kit Franklin / 776-8419 / akfrank@epix.net

Ed Glasgow / 249-3553 / edwinglasgow@aol.com

Beth Shank / 774-2339 / bethscandles@paonline.com

Committee Chairs and Contacts

Building Rick Heckman ~ 245-9525 & Paula Terry ~ 258-1928

Budget & Accounting Tom DeWall ~ 691-6600

Caring Circle Margaret Jacobs ~ 243-4091

Choirs Ken Laws ~ 243-9525

Coffee Coordinator Ellen Lyon ~ 731-1324

Denominational Affairs Dan Fancher ~ 245-2847

Finance & Fundraising Carole Scott DeWall ~ 691-6600

Flowers Coordinator Betty Whitlock ~ 766-6781

Membership Beth Shank ~ 774-2339

Ministry Diane Reed ~ 245-0716

Sunday Music Coordinator Nancy Romano ~ 258-4812

Newsletter Editor Kim van Alkemade ~ 530-5427

Potluck Coordinator Tom Vernon ~ 367-5595

Religious Education Committee Heather Woodward ~ 241-5124

Small Group Ministry Ed Glasgow ~ 238-5220

Social Action Tania Werry ~ 776-5715

Welcoming Congregation Beth Shank (see above)