Unitarian Universalists of
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Newsletter for July 2005
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August Newsletter
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Welcome to Our Newest Members!
Developing Exciting Plans for UUCV’s Future
July Congregational Happenings and Interest Groups
Our monthly minister’s
column, this month Rev. Duane Fickeisen
If you were to poke into my home study, you would find stacks of books, magazines, and newsletters. Most of them are queued for reading — as soon as I get some free time away from the demands and seductive lures of ministry and garden.
My spiritual prescription for you is to make some quality time for self care this summer. Maybe that will include time for reading, journaling, or just hanging out. But do get away from the phone, computer, planner, and lists for a while. Take your sunscreen and a decent hat. Bring a sweatshirt in case you decide to linger under the full moon.
When I pack my reading bag for vacation, I’ll take along
Sting’s autobiography, Broken Music;
Sherman Alexie’s edgy and rambunctious collection of
stories about Native Americans, Ten
Little Indians; and a translation of a novel by the late Nobel laureate Halldor Laxness, Iceland’s
Bell. I’ll probably pick up a few more titles in the used bookshop at the
public library and a small, eclectic bookstore on the
Here are some recommendations for your summer reading. Among my recent favorite reads is David Quammen’s Monster of God: The Man-Eating Predator in the Jungles of History and the Mind. Quammen explores the natural history and status of big, top-of-the-food-chain predators and their interactions with human beings. The story of Nicolae Ceausescu’s bear hunts will disgust you. And you’ll no doubt be fascinated by the lions, crocodiles, tigers, and other people-eaters (let’s not leave the women out.)
I really liked Plainsong by Kent Haruf. It’s a short novel that is very skillfully written and interweaves the stories of the lives of folks in a small mid-western town in a particularly heart-warming way. Each chapter focuses on part of the story of one group of characters as it opens with a moment of uncertainty that invites your recollection of where you last left them and what they were up to. Small town curmudgeons who turn out to be saviors will enthrall you.
Currently next to my side of the bed is a natural history, Wintergreen: Rambles in a Ravaged Land
by Robert Michael Pyle. He writes about his home in southwestern
And don’t forget magazines. I like to explore unfamiliar titles seeking fresh viewpoints. Alas I’m more often disappointed than enthused by typical periodical offerings so packed with advertising that it’s hard to find the editorial content. Few manage to pull off interesting layout and intriguing content.
My current favorites include Orion (www.oriononline.org), Ode (www.odemagazine.com), and Yes! (www.yesmagazine.org) I’m partial to Yes!, having worked for its predecessor (In Context) before seminary. Published by a non-profit that positions itself as a catalyst for the sustainability movement and without any paid ads, Yes! is a quarterly that examines a particular topic in depth in each issue.
Orion has been around a while, and had grown stale, but it’s been reincarnated recently with a wonderful fresh vitality. It “explores an emerging alternative world view, informed by a growing ecological awareness and the need for cultural change…” Very nice crossover between culture and environment that recognizes their linked enmeshment. Excellent layout and very high quality images.
And finally there’s Ode,
a 10-year-old Dutch magazine that recently launched a North American edition.
Published 10 times a year, it reports on “people and ideas that are making a
difference … and stories that bridge the gap between thinking and doing,
between rage and hope….” Ode is a bit
quirky, sometimes verging on quackery in its approach to health care (but that’s
a small part of the content). It is more globally comprehensive than most
So there you have it. Some summer reading suggestions and a prescription for self-care. Please order your books from a local independent bookseller. And buy Beacon Press books (www.beacon.org) to support your own UU publishing house. The magnets are optional. Making time for your self isn’t. See you on Sunday! --Duane
July 3 “A Sacred Civil Allegiance” The Rev. Duane Fickeisen and Brian Stolley, Worship Associate. No holiday calls forth patriotism quite like the 4th of July. But what is it that we celebrate this weekend? A solemn declaration revoking the rule of monarchy? The pledge of the signers to devote life, fortune, and sacred honor to defend independence? The birth of our nation? The establishment of a civil creed? What are our sacred obligations as citizens? To whom (or what) do we owe allegiance? And how should we express it?
July 10 “Change Lobsters and Dance” Rev.
Judy Welles and
July 17 “Reclaiming Moral Values: The Sanctity of Life” The Revs. Duane Fickeisen and Judy Welles. Moral values have been usurped, distracting our attention from real threats to the environment, to culture, and to individuals. Religious liberals must reclaim the high ground and proclaim values that transform the debate to focus on what really matters. The sanctity of life mandates policy making far beyond embryonic stem cells, abortion abolition, and feeding tubes. Come learn where belief in the sanctity of life leads us.
July 24 “How to Grow a Beloved Community” Rev. Judy Welles and Kathy Ellis, Worship Associate. What are the indicators of a healthy religious community? Do we have enough of them here at UUCV to move forward vigorously into a promising future?
July 31 “Wisdom Christology” Presented by Don Hoffman and Brian Stolley, Worship Associates. In the synoptic gospels Jesus is presented as a revealer of God’s “kingdom.” In the Gospel of John he becomes God’s “word” made flesh. This morning we will look at the different ways in which early Christian adapted the Jewish concept of “wisdom” to build their own theology.
On Sunday, June 12 we welcomed nine people into membership. Here’s an introduction to them; seek them out at coffee hour and bid them welcome, if you haven’t already done so.
Carla Claycomb is married to Ben Cohen and mother to Julian
(6) and Sophie (4). She has worked at
the Pennsylvania State Teachers Union for two years, after ten years of living
and working in
Ben Cohen is the father of two and the husband of one (see above). He spends most of his time keeping his family’s home running, conducts educational research part-time, and loves working in the groundhog’s garden.
George Fohs has over sixty years’ experience as a human
being. He grew up on
Bob Hankes lived in
Wendy Hankes is a native Pennsylvanian, and has lived in
Joyce Lukima was born in
Gail Witwer grew up in a small community west of
Becky Smith is an
insurance agent in
Sue Roberts works as the office manager, problem solver, and keeper of the peace in her partner’s insurance office. She shares a home with Becky, her 17-year old daughter, three dogs, one cat, and three fish. She enjoys cooking/baking, gardening, traveling and camping.
By Priscilla Laws,
President of the Board of Trustees
At our June 10th Retreat the UUCV Board of
Trustees spent a full day discussing how to breathe life into the
Congregation’s new
At the retreat, Board members participated in a series of small group discussions led by the following Vision Leaders: Dan Fancher, Worship; Chuck Folsom, Hospitality; Ed Glasgow, Self Development & Wisdom; Kit Franklin, Social Justice; Susan Walker, Stewardship; Priscilla Laws, Infrastructure.
The whole Board discussed the small group recommendations. As a result of your input, the theme that emerged in our preliminary plan for UUCV’s future was growth. We want to grow spiritually and personally through improved worship and religious education programs, we want to grow in our capacity to contribute in a meaningful way to worldwide social justice and environmental preservation, and we want to reach out to the community and attract new members to the fold.
By the end of an exhausting day we had drafted a preliminary 5-year plan that proposes both new initiatives and plans for enhancement of popular ongoing programs. The plan includes many initiatives. For example: (1) coordinating sermon topics with small group ministry sessions, religious education for adults and children, and current social action projects; (2) expanding our music program; (3) initiating new RE classes on World Religions for adults and human sexuality for adolescents; (4) reorganizing the Social Action Committee projects to include members of the children’s RE classes and extend the impact of our Congregation’s outreach efforts; (5) creating a more aesthetic and functional meeting house; (6) enhancing the opportunity to celebrate our achievements with events that are just plain fun; and (7) improving our stewardship and promoting our good works both “inside and out” in order to allow our congregation to grow by 15% each year.
What is our next step? This summer each Vision Leader and our Ministers, Duane and Judy, will contact committee chairs and others whose work is related to one or more Visions. We will share our tentative plans along with the polling results and ask for input.* After gathering more input and refining the 5-year plan, the Board plans to bring it to the whole congregation in the early fall. We need everyone’s wisdom, enthusiasm and energy in order to become a more vital and exciting congregation both “inside and out.”
*Anyone who would like to receive this information and give us input is invited to contact me (Tel: 243-9525, Email: lawsp@dickinson.edu) and I will see that you receive an information packet.
From our DRE, Kevin
Snow
Summer RE lessons and Peacemaker's Camp!!! These are the two most important activities going on this summer in Religious Education at UUCV. Are you a part of them? In case you missed my shameless advertising on RE Sunday, this summer UUCV will be following The Kid's Book of Awesome Stuff for our summer curriculum.
Summer RE generally gets a small crowd due to vacations, etc. so RE meets as one large group for the entire time. By joining RE in the summer you can have fun, learn something interesting, and the interdependent web of life around you. With lessons on things like stars and the galaxy to reptiles and insects and even some of our smellier, but equally important, parts of life there is a lesson sure to please any kid this summer. UUCV does not go on vacation as an active congregation over the summer, so join us.
And what about Peace Camp? As I write this column on June 20th, I have only received one registration. Won't you consider joining us for the most exciting, fun filled, UU kids summer camp around these parts!!! Join camp director Jim Freeman at his cabin in the Pine Grove Furnace park for swimming, camp food, hiking, biking, scary stories round the fire and just about anything else summer camp related. Camp is fun and is a great way to take a deep journey into that interdependent web of life that surrounds us. Last year campers had a chance to explore a cave, join us this year to discover what exciting things Jim has in store for the week.
Peacemaker's Camp runs July 19-23 and is for kids age 7 and up. You are welcome to bring friends along, as some have done in past years. Registration forms are available on the RE table in the Social Hall or by calling Kevin Snow at 249-8104. Peacemaker's Camp is right around the corner, won't you grab a registration and join us today!!!
All committees are
always encouraged to send a brief blurb to the newsletter about their
activities and their next meeting date and time!
Committee on Ministry
Jim Coolsen has been appointed to a three-year term
on the Committee on Ministry. He joins Diane Reed and John Bloom on the
committee, which provides advice and counsel to the ministers and is charged
with reviewing the ministry of the congregation by keeping the big picture. Liz
Hoffman has completed her service on the committee and leaves with our deep
gratitude.
Music Committee (Re-)
Organization Meeting
At the re-organizational meeting of the UUCV Music Committee on June 3, Ken
Laws and Sally Beaver were elected as co-chairpersons. The other members of the
Committee include Don Beaver, Geneva Politzer, Nancy
Romano, Judy Welles and Gene Walker. A discussion of
the responsibilities and goals of the committee was considered priority number
one. The following ideas were articulated:
Research the job description and costs for a part-time music director.
Boost participation in the choirs. Develop a concert series for publicity and
fund-raising. Increase the use of music
in the worship services. Provide
training for a volunteer choir director.
Request the Board of Trustees to include a budget line-item for the
committee.
Seeking PrideFest Volunteers
Many friends and members of UUCV have in the past supported
local gay/lesbian events in the
Project S.H.A.R.E.
Update
When grocery shopping, please include an item or two for Project S.H.A.R.E. Donations fall off over the summer months but hunger never ends. UUCV contributed only a few items totaling 12 pounds in June. Let’s see if we can do better by the next ingathering on July 17. Ann Flynn, volunteer coordinator, is in need of folks willing to help glean donated produce Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. If you or your family can help, please call Ann at 249-7773 to schedule a time.
July 1 First Friday Potluck Gather at
July 16 The Writer's Group will meet on Saturday, July 16 from
July 24 Serious Stuff Book Group will meet
Sunday, July 24, in the church library to discuss Liberating the
Gospels by John Selby Spong. Time is
A round of applause for Jim
Coolsen, who retired in June from his position as
Associate Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies at
*Anyone who would like to receive this information and give us input is invited to contact me (Tel: 243-9525, Email: lawsp@dickinson.edu) and I will see that you receive an information packet.