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December 2005 December’s Services: 12/04/05 - Welcome! Welcome! - The Rev. Arline Conan Sutherland - We welcome new members and Arline will address the meanings and hopes of membership as she revisits our theme for this year: Welcoming As A Spiritual Discipline. 12/11/05 Music Sunday - celebrates the compositions of our multi-talented organist Tom Schmutzler. Over the years Tom has composed beautiful choral and organ music for our services. We bring together just a sampling of his work around the theme of Christmas. 12/18/05 Winter Holidays Intergenerational Service The Rev. Arline Sutherland and Ken Silberman-Bunn - At this joyous and festive service, the children’s choir will sing, we will catch a glimpse of Santa as seen by others, and talk about why and how UU’s celebrate the Holyday. 12/24/05 Christmas Eve - 04:30 PM A family friendly service with pageant and carols - 10:00 PM A more reflective service of readings, carols, and candlelight. 12/25/05 “On This Day…” - The Rev. Arline Conan Sutherland An informal service in the chapel with Arline leading an intergenerational service and featuring Sid Garvais at the piano. President’s Message: Genuine Understanding Lately, I’ve been pondering the concept of genuine understanding and the place that it holds in our lives and in our religious community. As Unitarian Universalists, many of us have come from religious traditions that we felt did not exemplify true understanding. The concept of excluding others based on their political beliefs, their sexual orientation or their religious questioning was unacceptable. So we searched for a spiritual home that built itself on a foundation of understanding, inclusion and acceptance. How do we know, though, when understanding is achieved? What does understanding look like? What does it feel like? When genuine understanding occurs, there is an experience of clarity, there is movement and there is energy. This energy can be experienced as laughter, anger, gratitude or determination. This is true both when we have understanding within ourselves and when we have understanding with another person(s). Understanding is liberating and can take us out of stuck places like hurt and blame and isolation. This can be illustrated on a daily basis. I was shopping with my son Jacob at Staples a few weeks ago when he reminded me that he needed a display board for a project he was doing at school. When we got to that section of the store, he asked if we could buy two boards. With little thought, I responded “no,” he didn’t need two boards. I proceeded to do a fine job of lecturing him on the morals of buying only what we need and how things won’t make us happy. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and explained that he wanted two boards so that his classmate James could have a board for his project, too. Understanding comes about when we are genuinely open enough to truly see another and to appreciate their perspective, point of view and heart. This requires that we ask questions and that we truly listen. “What is your understanding?” is one of the most powerful questions that we can ask. What better place for us all to practice the discipline of understanding than here at USH in our own spiritual community. Many blessings for a beautiful winter season. I look forward to meeting you on the path to understanding. Rebecca Judd “It is important to remember that not all hostages are chained within rooms. A lot of us are chained within our mythologies, within our history, within our fears, within our feelings of insecurity. And those chains, too, must be loosened.” Edward Daly Search Committee: Our Ideal Minister The Ministerial Search Committee has submitted our Ideal Minister Profile to the Unitarian Universality Association. The Committee extends a huge “Thank You” to all who contributed ideas and opinions toward the crafting of this profile. The survey was completed by 140 members. We conducted leadership interviews with 27 individuals and eight focus group interviews with 49 members. In nine living room meetings, we enjoyed meeting with 65 persons. What follows is a short-form profile, a condensed version of the four-page official profile. Our new minister will present inspiring Sunday services, with exceptionally strong sermons that uplift us and appeal to all ages. We look forward to Sunday services that create a feeling of transcendence, reverence and awe. We seek sermons that cover spiritual, moral, and ethical issues, and emphasize service to others. Music will continue to be an important part of the overall spiritual experience. Our members are seeking a visionary leader who can guide them to spiritual growth within the context of UU beliefs. Our minister will be clear in his/her own spiritual beliefs, but also will have a keen understanding of ethical religion, naturalistic theism and earth-centered spirituality. With an innate ability to inspire, our minister will push us out of our comfort zones and prod us to further spiritual development. Our new minister will be compassionate, empathetic, approachable and caring. It is important to us that the minister reaches out to make warm, genuine connections with members and visitors. Our minister will go out of the way to get to know people and engender trust. Our members will be encouraged to talk and express opinions to the minister. Our ideal minister will have a warm, loving personality, combined with a keen intellect. Our minister will reside in the greater Hartford area and become part of the fabric of the community. If married/partnered with children, our members would enjoy seeing the minister’s family participate in the Sunday services and Society programs, if they wish to so participate. Our congregation attaches a high value to pastoral care. While we have a lay network of volunteers, we seek a minister who inspires and supports those volunteers by caring deeply, communicating that caring and ministering to those members in special need. Our minister will develop a visible presence in the local area. This will include representing UU values in the community in a public way, and may include personal involvement in some community service, and speaking out in public on social justice issues. We seek a minister who will sustain our new governance structure and our strategic approach to problem solving. The minister’s role will be to facilitate, channel the energy to the right places, empower the lay leaders and mentor and encourage our members toward leadership. The Society has a wide array of programs available to adults, children and youth. Volunteers and staff are supporting these programs with a high degree of commitment. Our minister will recognize and provide support to our programs, but need not be heavily involved on a day-to-day basis. We seek a minister who has thought long and hard about why he/she is a minister, and who can convey their enjoyment in that role. Our minister will be self aware and professional. We seek someone who is clear in his/her spiritual beliefs, but also appreciates the need for personal and spiritual growth. Come One, Come All to the Annual Holiday Party The annual, almost-always-sold-out Festival of the Season party at the Meeting House will begin on Saturday December 10 at 3 pm with crafts, activities and intergenerational entertainment. Two dinner seatings—5 to 6:30 and 7:30 to 9—are Planned. An intergenerational worship service, followed by entertainment, will take place between the dinners, from 6:30 to 7:30. Tickets, available on Sundays or by calling the USH office, are $5, under age 13; $8, 10-17; $10, 18-64; $8, 65 and up. Continuing a social justice project tradition begun last year, attendees are requested to bring an unwrapped toy to the party. These toys, together with hats and mittens donated to decorate the Meeting House holiday tree, will be given to Betances School in Hartford. Betances, where UHS members tutor, is part of the Center City Churches program. USH Archivist Margaret Sax did some digging for us on past holiday events. The earliest mention of a Christmas party was December 22, 1912. During the 1920’s, parties were held for children and parents. Generally speaking, throughout the 1960’s, the idea of a Christmas party was limited to children in the church school, although families and friends were included. For adults, there were Victorian Christmas parties in 1981 and 1982, and a Christmas Ball in 1984. The first Festival of Lights took place in 1978, still basically for children. In 1979, there was a Christmas party for adults on December 8; the Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) group hosted an adult dinner after services, and a Festival of Lights took place on December 25, with arts, crafts and a potluck dinner. Please contact Jeanne Cohen (523-7009) with questions about the event, about the dinner, or to volunteer to help in any way. Abolish Death Penalty. The USH will join the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty on the eve of the 1000th execution since the death penalty was reinstated in 1972. Since we do not have a Meeting House bell to take part in the national “For Whom the Bell Tolls” initiative, the Meeting House sign will be draped in black on the execution day. Buy Christmas Cards to support the Advocacy and Coalitions Sub-Council of the Council on Social Justice. Proceeds from the sale of the UU Service Committee cards will support the sub-council’s projects in general and the Campaign Against U.S. Sponsored Torture in particular. See Tom and Joan Kemble’s table in Fellowship Hall during coffee hour. Campesino Art Work at USH. John Brentlinger, UMass philosophy professor and author of The Best of What We Are (based on his years of experience in Nicaragua) has brought paintings by campesino artists from Nicaragua to the Meeting House. Solentiname artists became internationally known about 35 years go when Ernesto Cardenal, poet and priest, established a contemplative community in the islands. Nicaraguan decorative craft items and toys will also be on display for sale after Sunday services. The exhibit, which will hang through December, is sponsored by the Hartford-Ocotal Sister Cities Project. TALKBACKS ON TWO SERVICES ATTRACT 80 More than 80 USH members and friends attended three talkbacks on the Board’s recent decision to begin holding two services beginning in the spring. The open discussion, characterized by respectful listening, covered many themes. Afterwards, people expressed optimism about working together to strengthen USH. Process: Great frustration at not knowing what leadership is doing and not getting to vote on this decision. The Board has taken steps to keep communications more open. Details: Concern about and desire for more details. People asked about why, how, and what times as well as impact on finances, RE, music, worship style, community, and growth. The Board and TSTF asked people to get involved and help figure out all the details. See whom to contact below. Community: Concern this will weaken relationships and divide us. Reports from other congregations indicate these issues get solved. Budget deficit: The Board is concerned about falling numbers resulting in a budget deficit of $25,000. The leadership asked everyone to help resolve this issue. Alternatives: Interest in opportunities to be more creative, to offer a greater variety of styles of religious services and RE options. The TSTF indicated it will collect alternative ideas to share with our new minister. Leadership: Many people said we need to give our leaders authority to make difficult decisions and give them congregational support even if with reservations about the course of action chosen. “We need to give a vote of confidence and make this work.” TWO SERVICES TASK FORCE [TSTF] HAS TWO-TRACK FOCUS Created by the Board to implement two services this spring, the Two Services Task Force (TSFT) developed a two-track focus with input from the congregational feedback sessions. 1) The primary track is to develop and implement a project plan that contains all the details for a smooth transition to two services in the spring. The Councils and sub councils most affected and our USH staff are weighing alternatives, USH’s particular needs, and the experience of other churches to determine the best start-up ideas for USH. All are invited to help work out the details. 2) The second track is to collect alternative ideas for religious services to share with our new minister. The Task Force welcomes your creativity and ideas about what would make USH religious services more meaningful to us and to new comers. Contact Two Services Task Force members: USH Finance 101: Treasurer’s Notes Over the last few months, the Board of Directors and Councils have had a number of discussions concerning USH financial status and direction. It is a challenging period – with upward pressure on expenses and without growth in income. It has not been a cash crisis – in some ways that would be simpler to handle – and day-to-day activities and payments go on, but there are some very troublesome trends which require attention and action now. Based on a lower than expected canvass result in 2005 (fewer pledging households) and higher than expected expenses, particularly heating, we project a 2005/6 fiscal year deficit of more than $25,000 (roughly 6% to 7% of budget) if the pattern remains unchanged. It also has important implication for budgets for next year and beyond. In addition to the work already underway, the plan is to involve as many members as possible in financial communications, education, idea generation and other activities over the next few months. Watch The Messenger, weekly eNews, Sunday announcements and enclosures with pledge statements for both updates and ways to participate in direction-setting. If you have any questions, would like to discuss how to become involved, or have ideas to share, please contact me at 714-3737 (w), 233-3234 (h). Email billyoung55@aol.com. Bill Young, Treasurer My Sister’s Place: $2,192 Thanks to the efforts of our youth, who slept outside in cardboard boxes to emphasize the plight of the homeless, and our generous congregation, $2192 was collected during the October 30 offering to donate to My Sister’s Place. Board Minutes SummaryDuring its November meeting, the Board of Directors approved two policies. One was to accept donations of cash or durable goods for a specific purpose if recommended by the primary Council involved, the Stewardship Sub Council (for cash) or the Council on Administration (for durable goods). All proposed donations must also be approved by the Board. The second policy adopted was to improve the transparency of the governance process and its communication with USH members and friends by making meeting agendas, Board minutes and related documents available at any time. These documents will be available in the USH office and will be published in the USH Enews and/or Messenger and/or on the website. The board also discussed the Society’s financial situation; see article by Board Treasurer Bill Young . Among Ourselves Condolences Our condolences are extended to Nancy Mandly on the death of her mother last month. We also extend our sympathies to Ken-Silberman-Bunn on the death of Mindy, a very close friend of his wife, who died after an extended illness. The Reverend Julie-Anne Silberman-Bunn, godmother to Mindy’s three daughters, officiated at a memorial service on November 22. Congratulations Maryanne Otto and Peg Horne were joyfully united in a civil service on October 14, the anniversary of their holy union ceremony. The Reverend Arline Sutherland officiated. Peg has changed her name (and email address) and is now Peg Otto. ICEJ Forum: Structural Racism in Hartford “Racism is still very much alive,” stated Dr. john powell, as he began his presentation on Challenging the Structure of Racism at a Forum for Action sponsored by the Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice (ICEJ). Some 450 persons attended last month’s forum, including a number from the USH, a member of ICEJ. Dr. powell (who does not capitalize his name) talked about structural racism in schools, housing, criminal justice, transportation and jobs. These institutions work to segregate people of color from opportunities and strip away resources from inner cities. What causes this segregation? Zoning laws, housing policies, relocating businesses out of the city, transportation favoring highways, court decisions preventing metropolitan school desegregation and school funding tied to property taxes are among the culprits. Dr. powell declared that “There is a polarization between the rich and the poor that is directly related to the areas in which they live.” He called the work of ICEJ “critical” in working to change the system. Dr. powell is an internationally recognized authority in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties and issues relating to race, ethnicity, poverty and the law. Following his presentation, six panelists offered their opinions on how to dismantle structural racism in the Greater Hartford area. Panelists were Rev. Edwin Ayala, Christian Activities Council; John Foley, community leader and trainer in Manchester, CT; Joyce Hamilton Henry, Democracy Works; Rev. Dr. Alvan N. Johnson, Jr., senior pastor, Bethel A.M.E. Church; Dr. Mark Mitchell, CT Coalition for Environmental Justice; and Rev. Michael William, Hartford School Board for the Department for Child and Families. Panelists spoke of the work they are doing in education funding, voting rights, immigration, air pollution (Hartford still uses dangerous chlorine gas to treat sewage rather than chlorine bleach), inequality in the police system and lack of services necessary to survive. Kayla Costenoble There’s a Lot of Good Listening in December December 4. A very special day, musically. The Meeting House Quartet returns with two gently beautiful anthems ushering in the advent season, and our own Anhared Stowe brings her violin artistry to our Chancel. Enjoy the gifs of our member musicians. December 11. Music Sunday celebrates the compositions of our multi-talented organist Tom Schmutzler. Over the years, Tom has composed beautiful choral and organ music for our services. We bring together a sampling of his work around the theme of Christmas. December 18. The Children’s Choir returns with carols for the season, and the adult choir also adds musical joy to the intergenerational service. December 25. The Choir takes a rest. REflectionsEntering into two services is the first major change that I am going through with you. This change is expected to increase church membership. I am looking forward to it, and the Religious Education Committee and I have tried to be very proactive. We discussed the options that we face to help implement this decision, such as when to have classes for the children and youth, and should they be the same, different, or a mix. The committee continues to discuss these plans. So far, we have decided that there will be religious education at both services. It will include combining classes for those grades below middle school, and will use a modified form of Spirit Play. For those of you not familiar with Spirit Play, let me explain. It is Montessori-based with a story that the children listen to, and then respond to with the aid of “wondering” questions. The children then go off to creative centers where they use this time to reflect on the story. They are then gathered back for the ”feast” (snack) and conversation can continue. This is the condensed explanation. The RE Committee will continue to discuss the details of a multi-age group, as well as the middle school and high school youth groups, and will try to make the experience meaningful to everyone involved. Small Group Ministry: Stories Told and Heard Our first topic this Fall was Finding Your Tribe. We were asked about tribes or clans or groups we belonged to as kids, as adolescents, as adults. “Have you become a member of any group without thinking about it, or have your group memberships been results of intentional thinking on your part?” “Do you view our Unitarian congregation as a tribe or clan for you, where you feel at home with other members?” “How important is this belonging?” Next we talked about Teachers and described our best, our worst. We reflected on the most important things we have learned in and out of school. We asked ourselves if we learned any important lessons at a place called a church, a temple, a meeting house. Our third topic was Choice. “Can you think about a time in your early adulthood when you made a choice that dramatically affected your future?” “What is the kind of future you would like to create by the choices you are making now?” If you have topics you would like to discuss in the spring and/or readings that would encourage reflection and sharing, we urge you to share them with members of the SGM steering committee: Kent Jamison, Lisa Gabrielle, Bill Shoemaker, Bruce Robbins and me. Bev Spence Find Your Cause Here In The Social JusticeCouncil Sponsored by the Council on Social Justice (COSJ), the Fair included pamphlets, brochures, and members of the Council to explain what each issue involved. Issues the various sub-councils are involved in—and need more participants in—include preventing torture, environmental justice, health care, discrimination, the Welcoming Congregation, disabilities, the United Nations, mentoring, integrating school and work, Center City Churches, CUREJ (Congregations United for Racial Equality and Justice) and IECJ (Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice). To better coordinate COSJ’s advocacy and community services activities, Chair Mike Winterfield announced the seven prior sub-councils have been consolidated into four. They (and their chairs) are now: Advocacy and Coalitions: Tom Kemble, Joan Kemble, Peter Magistri; Disabilities: Carolyn Cartland; Welcoming Congregation: Peg Otto; Youth Development: John Clapp, Paul Hansen, Alan MacKenzie. Advocacy and Coalitions seeks systemic change in the economic and social justice arena. It works on education funding, tax equity, health care, immigration reform, environmental justice, ending prisoner torture and capital punishment and proactive anti-racism initiatives. Disabilities and Welcoming Congregation are expanding their range. Disabilities is reaching out to those with hearing and psychiatric disabilities. Welcoming Congregation is exploring new activities with Stonewall Speakers, True Colors and Interweave. Youth Development links Center City Churches’ tutoring services, Shared Parenting advocacy and “Street Smart Ventures” job development work with at-risk youngsters. Welcoming Congregation Plans Two Public Panels Panels on marriage equality and sexual diversity will be offered by the USH Welcoming Congregation in 2006. The Forum on Marriage Equality will focus on Civil Union and marriage rights for same sex couples. Couples who have had civil unions and those waiting for full marriage equality will be panelists. A visiting panel of speakers representing the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community will share their personal stories and answer questions during a panel on Sexual Diversity in our Community, Other activities being considered are Welcoming Congregation dinners, a Celebrating our Families day, and joining local UU churches to form a Hartford chapter of Interweave. Center City Churches: $1,366Paul Christie, USH member and Executive Director of Center City Churches, told attendees at the November 13 service that the “challenges are growing and the resources are not getting larger” for his organization. He gave the weekly Community Testimonial. The agency assists thousands of persons annually in Hartford in education, housing, health, and meals (for less than 77 cents/meal). The Sunday offering raised a total of $1366 for Center City Churches. CT UN Association Head Speaks on UN Anniversary We are falling behind in our efforts to meet the eight United Nations goals members pledged to meet by 2015, USH guest speaker Irving Stolberg, president of the Connecticut UN Association, told attendees at the October 23 service honoring the 60th anniversary of the UN. UN member states have pledged to:
During a September 2005 summit, members pledged to reform the UN Security Council and to move along the process of achieving the millennium development goals above. Mr. Stolberg, a former Democratic House Speaker in the Connecticut legislature, was critical of the U.S. government for its failure to ratify treaties and for the war in Iraq. He acknowledged that it is a “challenge to continue our dedication to love when we confront injustice, war and torture,” and he called the United Nations the “last best hope for the survival of humanity.” A Sign in Front of a UU Churchreads “Bible Study 7 pm. Bring Bible,Scissors.” With thanks to old friend Bob Chapman and www.holyobserver.com, a site focusing on church foibles. Three Years and Some Noteworthy NumbersThe always-busily-knitting members of the USH Comfort Shawl Ministry celebrated the group’s third anniversary last month with a heart-warming number: they have knit and given out 89 purple shawls to comfort members and friends. Knitters meet in the Meeting House library before services monthly; the next meeting is December 11 at 9 am. New members are always welcome and, if you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit, here’s a great chance to learn. December Celebrations Since ancient times, people have held rituals to beseech the sun to return, to celebrate light in the darkness and to honor those who have the courage of their convictions. In this congregation, we howl in solstice celebrations, light Christmas candles and honor the Hanukah heroes. We will celebrate the solstice a little early this month on December 10 at 6 pm, between the two dinner seatings of the Festival of the Seasons. We will honor Christmas on December 24 with an early child-friendly service at 4:30 pm and a longer, more reflective service at 10 pm. Christmas morning will find us in the chapel at 10:30 to sing praises for the morning. Then on December 31 we will rejoice in Hanukah and the New Year. Every Night a Child is Born is a Holy Night is the theme of the later Christmas Eve service. During the service, we will read out the names of babies born into the congregation this year. Please let Arline know the names and dates of birth of children who have been born since last Christmas: grandchildren, children, adopted and birth children, nephews and nieces—all count. (see calendar reference at the end) Ministerial Musings . . . Reverend Arline C. SutherlandThere are times when deadlines come absurdly early. How does one write a column for December before Thanksgiving? Only by using a little imagination. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holydays. It’s the time when everyone comes home. Our younger son, JJ, who is safely home form Iraq, his wife Veronica, our older son, Drew, his wife Amy, their son Skylar and all kinds of family and friends from our years in Denver show up. I love it! Christmas chez Sutherland is a quieter celebration. One son goes to the other side of the family. Do you need me to tell you how I feel about this? The huge extended family may or may not come. We celebrate with more religious sensitivity. You have to know that even in this smaller family we number Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Pagans, Christians, and Unitarian Universalists. So we light devali lights and eat sweets; we ignite a dried evergreen wreath from last December and jump over it to encourage the sun to return. We light Hanukah lights to remind us of great courage, and we sing carols as we tell the Christmas story. Last year, five-year-old Skylar called me up in January to say, “Granny, the sun hasn’t been coming back. We need to hold another ceremony!” In this congregation we celebrate in many of the same ways. This is the time of year when there are more moments of darkness than of light. The word winterset conveys a sense of the uneasiness, of living in the dark and of lighting candles against the darkness. What candles will we light this year? A candle for hope and faith that we will find our way through the dark time. May peace and love be yours in this Holy Season. Blessings, Arline Current Calendar >>Here are the enclosures packaged with the paper edition. If you need to print them, the pdf version will be easier to use. In the alternative, you can print the web page when it is on your screen:
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