Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Wayne nUUz Issue 2 ~ Volume 76 February 2015 5310 Old Mill Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46807 Contact information Minister: Rev. Misty-Dawn Shelly [email protected] Minister Emerita: Rev. Dr. Laurie E. Proctor Congregational Administrator: Kirsten Eckert-Smith Office hours: Sun.-Thurs. 9 AM to 1 PM [email protected] (260) 744-1867 (office) Director of Religious Education: Mary Lybarger [email protected] Youth RE Committee Chair: Evan Davis Director of Music: Suellen R. Kipp [email protected] 2015 President: Toni Kring [email protected] Sunday Morning Services Sunday, February 1, 2015 11 AM: Yuuth Group Our Director of Religious Education, Mary Lybarger, will lead our Multigenerational worship centered on Spirit Play for All. 12:15 PM: Steadfast Hope film & discussion series from the Social Action Committee Sunday, February 8, 2015 10 AM: Choir practice 11 AM: Our 2015 Congregational President, Toni Kring, will give the sermon. Mike Tulley is our Worship Associate. Sunday, February 15, 2015 10 AM: Choir practice 11 AM: Share the Love Sunday! Rev. Shelly will lead worship and our UUCFW choir will be accompanied by our guest drummer, Abe. Jackie Moore is our Worship Associate. Sunday, February 22, 2015 This Congregation is dedicated to the progressive transformation and ennoblement of individual and social life through religion, in accordance with the advancing knowledge and growing vision of humankind. Bound by this common purpose, and committed to the freedom of belief, we hold in unity a diversity of convictions. ~~ Source: UUCFW Bylaws ~~ 11 AM: Rev. Shelly will lead worship. Her sermon will explore the UUA Commission on Appraisals report Who’s In Charge Here? The complex relationship between ministry and authority. Childcare hours for infants and toddlers are 10:45 through 12:15 Beloved Community Diverse Beliefs Shared Values Page 2 What does it mean to be UU? A Message from Our Minister One characteristic of being Unitarian Universalist is the freedom that our Association of Congregations places in the element of religious authority. As members of a UU congregation, we subscribe to no creed or set of belief statements, rather we affirm and promote Principles & Purposes of our Association. These Principles & Purposes are guides to living our faith. The Principles hold us to be responsible in our personal lives as well as in our coming together as religious communities. As we explore the theme of Religious Authority, allow me to draw your attention to the 2009 review and revisions of our Principles and Purposes put forth by our UUA Commission on Appraisal. It is in these revisions I have found the definition I appreciate most of the relationship of religious authority. Unitarian Universalism is not contained in any single book or creed. Its religious authority lies in the individual, nurtured and tested in the congregation and the wider world. As an evolving religion, it draws from the teachings, practices, and wisdom of the world’s religions. Humanism, earth-centered spiritual traditions, and Eastern religions have served as vital sources. Unitarian Universalism has been influenced by mysticism, theism, skepticism, naturalism, and process thought as well as feminist and liberation theologies. It is informed by direct experiences of mystery and wonder, beauty and joy. It is enriched by the creative power of the arts, the guidance of reason, and the lessons of the sciences. Rev. Misty-Dawn Shelly In February, you will hear from your Board of Trustees & the Mission/Vision Task Force about the ways we are growing in our identity and purpose at a Town Hall meeting on Sunday Feb. 22; I encourage you to attend. Town hall gatherings are not only a forum to receive information; it is also a place where your voice as a member of the congregation counts as part of the conversation. Conversation is an important practice of shared ministry. What is shared ministry? It is the practice of sharing responsibilities for all that we do together. Ministry is all of what we do together: programming to equip all ages with the tools of their faith, caring for one another, and worshipping together. In calling me as your Minister, you have placed in me the authority to lead this congregation on a path that we, you and I, discern together. A characteristic of my leadership is also to respect the authority you embody as a congregation to care and create the congregation you dream of; and together we share the responsibility of serving the reality and dream together. As we move toward deepening our understanding of shared ministry, conversation is an essential element in cultivating collaboration to move our congregation forward together. It is a privilege to be your Minister and to walk on this path of shared ministry with all of you! See you in church ~Rev. Misty-Dawn This is NOT part of the current UUA bylaw Article II Principles & Purposes. This is taken from the second draft of revisions presented to the UUA Board of Trustees by the Commission on Appraisal in January 2009. You can find the related article here: http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/128147.shtml Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values Page 3 February: Religious Authority Rev. Misty-Dawn Shelly Office Hours “Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.” ~Henry David Thoreau Rev. Misty-Dawn’s office hours are: “The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own Tuesday & Thursday: 10 AM reason and critical analysis.” to 2 PM and Wednesday: 5 to 8 PM. ~Dalai Lama “A leading authority is anyone who has guessed right more than once.” ~Frank A. Clark To set an appointment, please email ([email protected]) or call (744-1867). Reflection: 1) In this church, we “call” ministers and elect lay leaders to positions of authority. Does that mean that we “submit” to their authority? What leadership, or kind of leadership, do we expect in our free religious community? 2) By what authority do we “do church”? Practice: Take time to discover the authority and power in your life. You might journal or invite a trusted friend to have a conversation with these questions as your guide: What authorities have you followed? What authorities have you resisted? What authority do you now welcome in your life? Planned giving You can include the Endowment Fund of UUCFW in your estate planning and make your spiritual home a beneficiary of your estate. Your gift is vital to our ongoing financial health and you will leave a lasting legacy. The Endowment Fund earnings support the UUCFW operating fund every year. Thank you to all who have included UUCFW in your estate planning. For questions about your bequest planning, please contact Kees deWit ([email protected]). Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values Page 4 Board of Trustees Meeting recap At the January 19, 2015 Board of Trustees meeting the following occurred: UUCFW Website: Kees deWit, Rachel Blakeman, and Kirstin Lindsley presented their recommendation that Clear Elevation be the vendor for our new website. Martin deWit and Toni Kring were also on the task force. The task force met with three vendors prior to making their recommendation. The board approved the recommendation unanimously. The goal of the website will be to attract new persons to our church and to ensure, among other things, search engine optimization and frequent updating of the website. Thanks go out to Kirsten Eckert-Smith for all of her years of managing our website and to the task force for all of their hard work to research and recommend a vendor. Committee Council Meeting: The newly revised UUCFW Governance and Committee Structure will be introduced at the February 1, 2015 meeting of the committee chairpersons (or their representatives). This meeting will be held immediately after the service and lunch will be provided for attendees. Lisa Johnson, Vice President of the Board of Trustees, is the board member with the responsibility for overseeing the work of the committees so that committees will have goals which are compatible with our vision and mission, and that chairpersons, committees and teams (these will be under a committee) will communicate well with our minister, lay leaders, and other committees. Our hope is this will help us all be more successful in meeting our goals and in working more effectively together in our shared ministry. It is expected that the roll-out for the new structure will take time/trial and error learning on the part of all of us. The Committee Handbook will need to be revised to be as compatible as possible with the new committee structure. 2015 Board Goals: Toni Kring presented the Board of Trustees with a Board Goals worksheet that provides the month(s) the goal is to be focused on/attained, the type of goal (i.e., leadership development, mission/vision, etc), which board member(s) are responsible and the meeting in which they will present their updates/completed task. Old Business: The progress on Mission/Vision, monthly education for the board on “Financial Facts”, Disruptive Member Policy, Sound System Maximization, and Safe Congregation Review/ Implementation were all briefly discussed. Updates were presented regarding the furnace bids, the Minister’s Contract, Mission/Vision, current financial status, and the policy regarding the use of memorial gifts. Looking Ahead: Our Mission & Committee Restructuring Town Hall meeting will be held on February 22, 2015. This is an important opportunity to be involved in what may be the final step prior to our March 8 Annual Congregational Meeting when we will be voting on our proposal for a new Mission statement. Also everyone is reminded that our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on March 8, 2015. Sincerely, Toni Kring, President; Lisa Johnson, Vice President; Terry Mihlbauer, Secretary; Michael Barone, Treasurer; Colleen Carpenter, Jim Reeder, Kathi Weiss, and Danny Swim, Alternate Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values Page 5 Past President Colleen Carpenter’s 2014 Year in Review Last year the Board had quite a productive and lively year! My personal goals as Congregational President were: a) to make the meetings more efficient so that b) we could move beyond the normal “business” of the Board and work on moving our congregation forward. Here is a summary of highlights from last year. Look for a full accounting of the 2014 Board’s work in the Annual Meeting packet.  Streamlined our Board meetings by implementing a “consent agenda” and assigning a time keeper. Meetings largely ended on time (give or take a few minutes).  Led a successful March Annual Congregational Meeting which included approving Bylaw changes to shrink the Board to 7 members and awarding Maggie Curtis and Gary Parkins Unsung UU awards.  Made progress on our Goals (Communication, Policy, and Mission/Vision):  Convened a Mission/Vision Task Force that engaged the congregation in creating a new mission statement which will be voted on in March!  Convened a Website Task Force which analyzed our website needs, sought proposals, and interviewed web design firms. A new website will be ready by June!  Worked in collaboration with committees and staff to write or rewrite several policies/ procedures: Building Use (including Key, Rental), Emergency Preparedness, Inclement Weather Cancellation, Finance, Personnel, Volunteer Computer Use, and a draft Committee Handbook.  Raised visibility and accessibility of the Board by hosting 3 “Beverages with the Board” and participating in Worship Welcome during service.  Paused Scrip to conduct audit and restructure. A new Scrip Committee re-launched Scrip in November and new procedures were approved.  Participated in a successful second ministerial evaluation of Rev. Shelly.  Supported using Leadership Development funds to help send Vice President Toni Kring, Marsha Wallace and myself to UUA’s national conference, “General Assembly”, as delegates.  Worked with Finance Committee to determine type and vendor for an external audit.  Approved paying both UUA and Regional dues in full.  Began discussions on re-financing our mortgage, replacing our furnaces; restructuring our committees (more to come); restructuring our annual pledge drive timeline and process; and, reviewing Rev. Shelly’s contract.  Read and discussed “Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times” by Peter L. Steinke.  Several Board members (and Rev. Shelly) helped build the Interfaith Habitat for Humanity House, supported Freedom Indiana, and participated in the Pride Festival (parade & UUCFW booth). Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values Page 6 2014 Year in Review, cont.  Reviewed Bylaws and made a list of suggested changes for 2015.  Helped the Finance Committee pare down and define our Designated Funds.  Attended Safe Space training to build our understanding and commitment to LGBTQ persons & issues.  Participated in shaping annual pledge drive, implementing a successful second “ask”, and finalizing (and passing!) the 2015 budget.  Awarded Jeanne Nuechterlein, Rachel & Roger McNett, Sandra & Noel Maze, and Ann McKenna Founders Awards. All of this was possible because we had a strong Board of Trustees, an indispensable Vice President, a stellar Minister and staff, and supportive congregation. It was a privilege work on your behalf to help UUCFW move forward this past year. I am looking forward to another fantastic year for UUCFW! ~ Colleen Carpenter Mark your Calendars for this Important Collaboration UUCFW and the Temple Achduth Vesholom, in partnership, are presenting the film Two Who Dared; The Sharps’ War on Sunday, April 19, 2-5pm at the downtown Allen County Public Library, in conjunction with Yom HaShoah. For their work in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia and Vichy France, the Unitarian minister, Waitstill Sharp, and his wife, Martha, were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem—the highest recognition accorded by the state of Israel to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II. They are two of only three Americans to be so honored. This film that recounts their heroic story is in the process of being remade into a PBS event. Proceeds from our showing of the film will contribute to that production and move it closer to being aired on PBS stations. Two Who Dared will be shown at the downtown library theater between 2 and 5pm on Sunday, April 19, and will include a reception and a talk-back panel. Peter Braunfeld, Holocaust survivor from Champaign, IL, will participate in the talk-back. He will also be the featured speaker for Yom HaShoah for the Temple on April 20. There will also be an art competition/show for middle and high school students held during weeks prior to Yom HaShoah. The art show theme is Mourning the Holocaust and Genocide: Past and Present and will hang in the Wunderkammer gallery from March 21-April 20. Susan Wenger and Judy Wertenberger have been working with the Temple to publicize and organize the art show. We will be looking for volunteers for this event, but most of all we’ll be looking for participants. This is a wonderful opportunity to commemorate and celebrate the long history of compassion and collaboration between UUs and the Jewish community. We will offer a 90-minute workshop on the topic on Sunday, April 12, after morning worship. So, mark your calendars for the workshop and the film. Beloved Community Diverse Beliefs Shared Values Page 7 Nurturing Our UU Future February: Religious Authority nUUz WonderBox for All Ages Mary Lybarger, Director of Religious Education It takes grace in our time to keep our minds open to wonder, to be ready for the tug from God, the push from the Spirit, and the revelation of deep things from the hearts of ordinary people. It takes grace, but it is a great gift. Lewis B. Smedes in “How Can It Be All Right When Everything Is All Wrong?” In the Yuuth Religious Education classes we are wondering together… The month of February theme is Religious Authority In the Youth Religious Education classes we are wondering together… I wonder…. how it feels to believe in something? how it feels to have others not believe the same things you do? if you have ever voted? if voting is always fair? if you believe in your ideas? if you have ever acted on them? if sometimes it is hard to admit you are wrong when you make a mistake? if you’ve ever asked someone to help you figure something out because it was confusing to you? if it’s easier to find answers when there are several people working on a problem? if people should be able to talk about something they believe if they don’t know all the information? Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values Page 8 From Todd Campbell, Youth Volunteer I’ve had the privilege of teaching our grade school Religious Education class once a month since September 2014. Each time I’m struck by how these young children live out the values of compassion and acceptance as they literally make room for each other around our circle. My role in our new Spirit Play curriculum has been as the storyteller. The class typically begins with a story where the youth listen quietly and then are encouraged to ask wondering questions when it is completed. The stories teach our UU principles which are represented by the colors of the rainbow. As is often the case for teachers I have learned as much or more than the students. I have learned that I like the inclusiveness of the UU tradition and like teaching it to our youth. I like that there is no one answer taught about how we should think about, or if there even is, a “Spirit of Mystery that some of us call God” (quoted from our Spirit Play curriculum). I like the connections between all of life that is emphasized as well as our ability to be active in our world. It is a different approach from the United Methodist Sunday School of my youth. I confess I loved learning the stories from the Bible, but I remember there was always a “correct” interpretation. I love that our youth have the encouragement to wonder about how it all fits together. They are creative young people which I see not only in their wonderings, but also in the “work” they do afterwards. It gives me hope for the future of our congregation, for Fort Wayne, and for our world. Todd Campbell, friend of UUCFW since 2003 and new member as of January 2015 Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March Unitarian Universalists across the country will travel to Selma for the Marching in the Arc of Justice: Revisiting Selma Conference, March 5-8, 2015. Here at UUCFW, we will commemorate Selma Sunday during worship on March 8, as well as join those in our Fort Wayne Community organizing a commemorative march at 4pm that day. Details of the march will be communicated as they become available. In the meantime … Graham Kreicker, long-time member of UUCFW and former UUA Trustee now living in Lawrence, Kansas, will go to Selma and walk the 54 miles to Montgomery. He says, “The overbearing and extra-legal activities of white police forces in several cities last year have cast a much darker aspect on the official observance of the civil rights march that took place 50 years ago. I will walk to honor the memories of the fallen leaders of that time, including UUs Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo. I will also walk to honor the memories and leadership of our own Rev. Richard Langhinrichs and Charles Redd, and will be carrying their pictures with me. I am called to make this march. It is both the least and the most I can do.” In faith, Graham Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values Page 9 Social Action & Service Street Reach Our Third Sunday offering recipient for the cold weather months this January and February is Street Reach for the Homeless which directly serves some of the estimated 100-150 street people residing in center-city Fort Wayne. The Street Reach van currently provides home-cooked or donated dinner meals to up to 65 recipients twice a week. Our monetary contributions are sought to buy food or provide gift cards to local restaurants. New or gently used warm winter clothing, tents, blankets and sleeping bags are in high demand, of course, but other needed items include reading glasses or prescription glasses that you no longer use, hygiene items, flashlights, batteries, hand sanitizer, and feminine sanitary items. Need more information? Google Fort Wayne Street Reach for the Homeless or contact Taylor Crane, phone 435-9324 or via email at [email protected]. Write your tax deductible check or money order to UUCFW, with Street Reach on the memo line. Loose cash offerings will be evenly divided with the congregation’s operating fund, as always. OOPSIE Moment When something went wrong when my granddaughter was quite young, she would say, “Oopsie”. Perhaps it was a series of senior moments that caused an accumulation of 10 used tablecloths to land on the floor of the storage closet. They were lonely, forgotten and unable to be put in use so I took them home and washed them last Sunday. To avoid another Oopsie Moment, please remember that if you use a tablecloth, you are responsible for laundering it and returning it to the closet. Thanks, Toni Attendance & Giving Records Our certified membership for 02/01/15 is 123 Our current membership, as of 01/21/15, is 123 January’s average weekly attendance: 67.5 Our January Third Sunday Collection benefited Street Reach. We collected $137.50 in cash and the checks added up to $190. That’s a total of $327.50 for January. This will help their cause a lot. And we’ll help them again in February. We are so grateful for your continuing support of our Third Sunday Collections. Wellspring Food Pantry Needs The latest needs from the Wellspring Food Pantry include:  chili without beans  Adult-sized hats & gloves  kidney beans  canned hash  dry (powdered) milk  oatmeal  Cereal  flour  Sugar-free Jell-O  Oil Diverse Beliefs Beloved Community Shared Values The Valentine fun starts at 1:30 with Sunbeam the Clown providing happiness, hats, and playfulness for all ages. At 2, we’ll move into the Social Hall where the band, Rhubarb Pie, will play music, including requests and sing-alongs. Our exceptional dance leader, Peg Maginn, will teach the Cha Cha and give free lessons in signing Happy Birthday. Valentine cookies to frost and decorate; strawberries, marshmallows, and chocolate; milk to wash them all down. There will be valentines to give, send, or take home, and a balloon to float you out the door. Join us for this fun, free party! Beloved Community Diverse Beliefs Shared Values Are you interested in serving on a particular committee? If yes, contact the chair directly. Religious Education Committees Congregational Ministry Department Congregational Ministry Chair Ed Powers ([email protected]) Worship Committee Kira Downey ([email protected]) Congregational Music Committee Dee Koehl ([email protected]) Hospitality Edith Helbert ([email protected]) and Beth Jamieson ([email protected]) Publicity Rachel Blakeman ([email protected]) Member Services Department Membership Committee Rachel McNett ([email protected]) Care Committee Visitation Coordinator Beth Jamieson ([email protected]) Cards & Calls Coordinators Patty Davis ([email protected]) Cynthia Powers ([email protected]) Memorial Services Jacqueline Moore ([email protected]) and Kathi Weiss ([email protected]) Stewardship Department Adult RE Rebecca Reeder ([email protected]) Finance Committee Greg Kroemer ([email protected] ) Youth RE Evan Davis ([email protected]) Endowment & Planned Giving Kees deWit ([email protected]) Fundraising Building & Grounds Department Building & Grounds Coordinator Edie Stoneking ([email protected]) Memorial Garden John Moore ([email protected]) Social Action & Service Department Social Action John Moore ([email protected]) Langhinrichs Gallery Cathie Rowand ([email protected]) Fun Romeos contact John Moore ([email protected]) Sisters in Good Company Cathie Rowand ([email protected]) Sisters Over Seventy Ann McKenna Annual Pledge Drive Committee on Ministry Norm Newman ([email protected]) nUUz The Langhinrichs Gallery is featuring Unitarian Universalist Congregation 5310 Old Mill Road Fort Wayne, IN 46807-3017 Next nUUz article deadline: 02/20/2015 Love is the spirit of this church … Visit our website at: http://uufortwayne.org Follow us on Twitter @uufortwayne Buddhist Temple photography