November, 2006 Jump Station: November Services; President; Rev. BJ From the Minister's Study; Committee on Ministry; Music Offerings; Alliance Bakes; Small Group Ministry as Ministry; Clara Barton District; Supper & Games Planned; Pet Memorial Garden; Sign up for Electronic Delivery; What is EITC?; Nuts and Bolts; Current Calendar; Two Services Survey Services at 9 & 11 AM, children’s programming and nursery (For additional information on each service, see services on the web.) 5 November - Let it Be a Dance - District Executive Lyn Thomas joins Rev. Jamestone in the pulpit as we explore the new dance steps USH and Rev. BJ are learning together, on the lovely ballroom floor of a very large faith. 12 November - Death Through Deep-Time Eyes - Connie Barlow - a popular science writer, and The Reverend Michael Dowd, a former UCC pastor, have been called "America’s Evolutionary Evangelists." 19 November - The Gift of Thanks… and Giving - We’ll sing it again—the intergenerational sing-along-song Tom Schmutzler wrote for us in 1981 that lists ALL those things for which we are thankful! And we’ll kick off the season of gifting. 26 November - Singing the Living Tradition: A Stroll Through the UU Hymnal - Send Rev BJ (revbj@ushartford.com) an email with the name of that hymn and what you love about it…or what it reminds you of…or who. And it’s likely that we’ll get around to singing it! President’s Column – On The Move As a devout introvert, I need plenty of time to ruminate before deciding how I think or feel about something, and the six weeks since the beginning of this church year and the beginning of Reverend Jamestone’s ministry among us is no where near enough time. But the events of the last month and a half have been so remarkable that I am willing to overcome my trepidation about premature observations. No one visiting the Meeting House since September 1st could have failed to notice the changes, both obvious and subtle. Many aspects of our congregation seem to be in motion. Examples abound. The order and flow of the service has been revised and tightened. Its thematic integrity has been strengthened; every element of the service, from the chancel decorations, to the music, to the children’s story, to the hymns, hangs together in ways that are sometimes not apparent until the very end. As a result, the whole is measurably greater than the sum of the parts. The departure of our Director of Religious Education has refocused and enhanced attention on one of the key elements of spiritual life. A new Committee on Ministry has been convened and will join with Rev. Jamestone in exploring and defining our collective ministry. The Adult Programs Sub-council has come forth with an exciting array of opportunities for spiritual exploration and growth. Under the auspices of the Council on Social Justice, a number of new opportunities to serve our community have been developed. The Strategic Growth Taskforce will guide our efforts to accommodate new members and bring the message of Unitarian Universalism to a wider audience and a taskforce on public policies will soon convene to consider the processes by which we deliberate together on the great moral issues of our times. To this list many other activities could be added. Attributing the cause of all these changes to Rev. Jamestone would miss a fundamental characteristic of her ministry. I do not think it possible for any minister to create something that does not already exist in a congregation. But, what a minister can do, and what Rev. Jamestone has done, is catalyze an awareness in us of what has been present all along. The potential that exists in the Congregation has been apparent to many people for many years. Realizing that potential is another matter. Rev. Jamestone’s presence has been a spark that has ignited something very palpable and very powerful. Keeping that fire going, however, is not her job; it is our job. It is too early for me to really know what it will it take to achieve the potential that is so apparent just walking in the door on Sunday mornings. However, at least three things seem obvious. The first is leadership. Our governance structure disseminates responsibility for all aspects of our congregational life to the four councils and related sub-councils. Our governance structure demands that leaders step forward with visions of something greater and the ability to inspire others towards those ends. The second is volunteers. Realizing the full value of being a part of the Meeting House means volunteering to serve in many ways, small and large. Volunteers are needed to drive people to and from services, assist in the religious education program, and help in maintaining our building and grounds. Last but not least, is adequate funding. We need more people to donate more money. The Board of Directors wastes far too much time trying to scrape together enough money to just to pay long overdue bills. An outsider has observed about us that the USH seems to come right up to verge of greatness only to back away at the last moment. Breaking this pattern and pushing forward is something about which I do not need to ruminate. – Charles Huntington Committee on Ministry Up and Functioning Members: Rev. Barbara Jamestone, Heather Ferguson-Hull, Ginny Berrien, Greg Berg, Al Herzog, Nancy Mandly, and Mike Roy. Report of Committee on Ministry -- issued 10/12/06 - You may wonder, “What does a Committee on Ministry (COM) do?” It is a relatively new structure within UU societies supporting all of the ministries of the congregation, not just the ministry of the called minister. District Executive Reverend Anne Heller explains: “Committees on Ministry are designed to track the heartbeat of ministry within a congregation; how the members take care of themselves and each other; how the lay ministerial leadership serves a congregation; and how the called minister serves the congregation. It seeks to understand, assess, support, and advocate for robust ministry throughout the context of congregational life.” Since this type of committee is new to USH and we are sailing on uncharted waters. We will be defining our role as we go along with input and direction from the Board. So far, we have agreed to devote part of each monthly meeting to sitting down with lay leaders representing different ministries of USH. Next month we will share our meeting with Council Chairs. What the Committee on Ministry WILL do: we will try to figure out together what roles and responsibilities are unique to the minister, and unique to the lay leaders, volunteers and staff; and what roles and responsibilities are shared by minister and lay leaders, volunteers and staff. All of this role definition is done pursuant to the USH vision of shared ministry. Remember that “ministry” means how we can serve others in pursuit of their mission. What the Committee on Ministry will NOT do - unlike the old tradition of the Ministerial Relations Committee, we will not be the repository for anonymous complaints about the minister or lay leadership. We encourage anyone with complaints to speak directly with the minister or lay leadership about them. At our first meeting the COM discussed the general topic of “dividing the pie” of our minister’s time and energy, along with the urgent issue of attending to the support and rebuilding of our Religious Education program in the wake of Ken Silberman-Bunn’s departure. We agreed that Rev. BJ needs to focus more energy on leading and supporting RE in the coming months, which may mean giving up some time in other areas. The COM welcomes input from everyone in the congregation. If you would like to read more about the concept of Committee on Ministry, we refer you to an informative article at www.uua.org/interconnections/ Mike Roy Nov. 5 - A quartet from our
Choir has been singing together for over a
year, Nov. 19 - For our Thanksgiving service, the first Intergenerational Service of the year showcases our children’s choirs. In addition to children’s anthems, “We Lift Up Our Hearts” by Unitarian composer Elizabeth Alexander joins the voices of children and adults in an anthem of thanksgiving. Nov. 26 – Organist Vaughn Mauren displays the full range of our marvelous Austin/Walker organ with a portion of the magnificent Suite Gothique by Leon Boellmann. Join members of the Women's Alliance in the Meeting House kitchen at 9:30 AM on Thursday, November 9 for our annual baking day. We will be making a variety of holiday breads and biscotti to be sold on Sunday, December 17. Friends are welcome and no experience is necessary. A cabinet meeting will be held once things are in the ovens. Bring a sandwich if you can stay and discuss the blueprint of the Alliance future structure. Small Group Ministry as “Ministry” I had an “Aha!” experience the other night. I was trying to wrap my mind around the concept of “ministry.” I knew it denoted a general sense of helping or serving, as in “ministering to the sick,” but is there more? Opening up my trusty Latin dictionary, I discovered that the Latin word “minister” means “a subordinate, servant, attendant, assistant.” So in ancient Rome a “minister” was a slave! This makes sense, too, because the Latin root for “minister” is “minor, minus,” which mean “smaller, less.” This helped me to put some meat on the bones. When we undertake a “ministry,” we are not merely helping or serving. We must go further and check our ego at the door, and as helpers we do so as humble servants to the paramount needs of those we are helping, our “masters.” This got me to thinking, “How then is Small Group Ministry really a ministry?” In SGM groups of 8-10 people tell their stories and share their experiences in a deep way, but we do not seek advice or comfort from other members, or even engage in back-and-forth discussion. It’s just sharing and listening and reflecting. When I tell the group a story from my childhood and they do not respond, how are we selflessly “serving” each other in pursuit of our needs? Service #1: Your stories help others to learn and grow spiritually. When we engage in deep sharing with others, we learn and borrow from their stories and add this knowledge to our own life experience. The topics, readings, and questions are designed to inspire a spiritual kind of reflection. “Spiritual” derives from the Latin word for “breath.” The Romans extended it to mean “life force” and even “life” itself. From that angle it is easier to understand how SGM approaches a true ministry. For my childhood story, which discloses some essence about me and what makes me alive, could help a listener discover, nurture, or grow her own spirit or “life essence.” Service #2: Our stories help each other connect with humanity. When we engage in deep sharing with the same people for several months, we discern how common the experiences and feelings of others are to our own experiences and feelings. My stories help others to feel connected to me, and the rest of us to each other. This connection is not only deeply comforting and helpful to us all, but it constitutes a “life essence” itself, perhaps the most important aspect of true spirituality. Service #3: Telling your story helps you to reflect and grow spiritually. Sometimes it really helps to verbalize our experience before a non-judgmental group of listeners who have checked their egos at the door. We are less afraid of embarrassment or negative consequences. Telling my story allows me to process my past experience internally, and then acknowledge its spiritual meaning to me by passing it on to others. This can be a therapeutic activity, helping us to evaluate our experiences spiritually. Please join us as we in this ministry build community at USH, one group at a time! - Mike Roy Clara Barton District Saturday, November 18, 2006 - 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Northborough, MA - $15 per person with every 5th person from a congregation free. Further details Workshops- -Worship--RE leader training - Great conference for RE committees, teachers, parents, all advocates of RE - Workshops for everyone! For information and registration contact dlevering@uua.org 1. Lifespan Faith Development: Stages of Faith for children UUA Children and Families - LFD Director Tracey Hurd will present the developmental stages of faith. 2. Families at the center--a focus for congregations - How to assist parents/guardians in talking to their children about their faith and its significance in daily living 3. Wear Loose Clothing--fun & games for faith development - An active workshop of exercises and games that can deepen a child’s understanding of themselves and their connection to spiritual life. 4. Religious Educators and Pastoral Care - Religious educators and teachers are frequently approached by or come upon a child or family in crisis or experiencing a difficult time. How do they minister to this family and what is too much involvement? 5. Nurturing Teeny tiny UUs - Creating a safe and loving space for our youngest UUs is a vital responsibility in our RE program. What works best in welcoming our little ones? 6. Music and Stories in the Classroom Longtime storyteller and singer Ellen Griest will share tips and resources for incorporating stories and music in your classroom 7. Small Group Ministry for Parents and Teachers - Explore how this structured commitment to deep sharing can open up people who work with children to the intimate connection between personal values and spiritual depth in their RE work. 8. RE Committee models--what works well - How does your RE Committee share the work? What challenges do you face in offering meaningful religious education? Do you have fun at your meetings? Come and discover models that work well. Supper and Games Nights - This is a community event. Bring the whole family to eat a delicious meal and play a huge assortment of board games, cards, or charades. Share in trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle. Work cooperatively on a tough crossword. You decide. Menus will include a main course (always a vegetarian option), salad, dessert and non-alcoholic beverages. If you would like to bring wine or beer, please feel free to do so. Each supper will have a regional or ethnic theme guiding the food offerings. We ask that folks call a week or more in advance to offer to contribute a dish that fits the theme. Prepare an entrée to feed 8 – 10 persons, deliver it to Fellowship Hall by 5:50 P.M., and we will serve it with a side dish of love. By the way, every food contributor receives a free ticket to the supper that evening. If you would like to join our team to help with table setting and other preparation, arrive at 4 P.M. at Fellowship Hall and the team will greet you with open arms. Welcome and thanks in advance. =>> Details: Nov. 17, Tex-Mex;
Jan 19, Greek and Middle Eastern; March 16,
Comfort Food. Fee: $9 for adults, $5 for children less than 12 years of age - Registration and payment deadline is always the Sunday before the event. Sign up in Fellowship Hall on Sunday or by phone to the Meeting House office, 233-9897. Using the USH Pet Memorial Garden Last summer a special Pet Memorial Garden was created thanks to the generosity of Helen Skinner. This spot featuring a circular area of pavers, two benches and surrounding plantings at the edge of the woods between the parking areas is now completed. Ashes of a pet or the body of a small pet (for example, hamster, mouse, goldfish, etc.) may now be buried (interred) in the Garden. Many special plantings were added to the garden this Fall. Some may be visible before Winter, but most plants will not be seen until late Spring. The plants have small white markers next to them (or they will have them until the little woodland creatures take them away to use in their games). When burying your pet’s ashes (or your small pet), please be careful to avoid stepping on the plants or digging close to the plants. Please use the empty mulch covered areas. If you should dig up a plant by mistake, please lovingly replant it and replace its stick. When burying ashes or a small pet, please move the mulch aside and dig a hole in the soil four to six inches deep (not counting the depth of the mulch) for ashes or a hole in the soil eight or more inches deep (not counting the depth of the mulch) for a small pet. Put the ashes or small pet in the bottom of the hole, replace the soil and pack it down and then replace the mulch. Please do not leave any objects in the Pet Memorial Garden. Remember to record your memories of your pet in the Pet Memorial Garden Memories Book (Classroom C top of the cabinets on the right - south side). If you have lost a pet but do not have it buried in the Pet Memorial Garden, you may want to use a page in the book to record your memories of that pet. The pet does not have to be interred in the Pet Memorial Garden. Recording Your Memories (These directions appear in the front of the special book especially for children, and adults too.) Pets are very special members of our families. When a pet dies it makes us very sad. This book will give you a chance to write and/or draw memories of your special pet. Each plastic page sleeve has two sheets of paper. To record your memories, remove one of the sheets. Write, or draw your memories. You may use markers, crayons, pen, pencil, or print your memories and pictures using your computer. You may add a photograph of your pet, or of you and your pet. To attach the photograph, please use small pieces of the double sided tape on the back of your photo. If you wish to use both sides of the page, just remove the second sheet from the plastic sleeve and set it aside. That way both sides of your page will show. When you have finished your page, slip it back inside the plastic sleeve so it will be safe and clean. Be sure to record your pet’s name, your name and any other information you feel is important. Sign Up For Electronic Email Notices We now have a considerable amount of information on the web including a weekly news publication you can read directly from a web page. Each week we send a short notice to subscribers when the latest news for the week is published as a web page or infrequently, for some urgent event. If you have an email address and have not yet told us what it is, please send a note to decnewton@ushartford.com and request that your email address be added to the distribution list. If you are concerned about the amount of email you receive, be assured we rarely contact the members and friends on the list more than once a week issuing only a paragraph or so of content. Supporters Urged to Sign Petitions to Get EITC in State Passed – “There is no reason Connecticut can’t be the 22nd state in the Union to pass EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) this season,” Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez told an enthusiastic crowd of some 300 during A Call to Action rally Thursday evening, October 5 at the First Church of the Living God in Hartford. The event was co-sponsored by the Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice (GHICEJ) and The Connecticut Association for Human Services, together with dozens of other co-sponsors. Unitarian members of GHICEJ—Shai Cassel, Carol Shoemaker and Mike Winterfield - were instrumental in arranging the program. Goal of the sponsoring groups is to obtain 25,000 signatures on petitions throughout the state to deliver to the Governor and the state legislature to show citizen support of EITC. Soul-stirring exhortations and impassioned pleas were made to those attending to take petitions back and get signatures from their separate faith communities. What is EITC? It is a Federal program to alleviate poverty of working, low-income families. Twenty-one states already have their own EITC, piggybacking on the Federal grants. Connecticut is the only New England state with an income tax that does not have a state EITC. The bill under consideration would provide these families with a refund matching 25% of their Federal EITC return. Mayor Perez said last year 16,000 households in Connecticut claimed more than $29 million in Federal credit. EITC, he said, offers “an opportunity, a little hope, a dream realized.” Working families with incomes up to $38,348 qualify for the Federal EITC; this would be the same for a Connecticut EITC. In Connecticut, the average Federal credit is $1,565; the average credit projected for a 25% refundable state EITC would be $391. Estimated cost to the state is about $66 million annually. Keynote speaker Reverend James B. Walker (Phillips Metropolitan CME Church) called EITC “something that actually works, something that touches on what it is to be an American.” Mentioning Connecticut’s rainy-day fund, Reverend Walker noted that “for some folks, it rains every day.” He urged his listeners to be “workers for the miracle of compassion”—and get EITC passed. - Kayla Costenoble **** Officers: Charles Huntington, President; Bill Young, President Elect; Margaret Leicach, Treasurer; Sue Kinney, Secretary; Nancy Mandly, At-Large Community Within; Marye Gail Harrison, At-Large, Spiritual Life; Peg Otto, At-Large Social Justice. Council Chairs: Hugh Schweitzer, Administration; Carol Sexton, Community Within; Fred Louis, Social Justice; Nina Elgo, Spiritual Life Our Constitution and Bylaws, Strategic Plan, and much, much more may be found on our website at www.ushartford.com/ Let our office know if you would like to receive the weekly USH-Enews online. STAFF: Rev. Barbara Jamestone, Minister; Denise Ackeifi, Youth Advisor; Brian Mullen, Business Manager; Rosie Rindfleisch, Administrative Asst; Mattie Banzhaf, Music Director; Vaughn Mauren, Organist: Peter Magistri, Sexton; Robert Gavin, Custodian; Maks Klmas, Security Office hours: M-F 9-3 (excluding
W 10 -11);Rev. Jamestone:
Phone: 860 233-9897; Email: RevBJ@USHartford.com Office
hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Friday - Available at the noon hour and
at other times by appointment. Each Fall and Spring for six years now, the congregation that I serve and I proclaim a fast! We fast (forego) a four-day weekend of our time together, to service for the larger denomination and for our future as a people of faith. I am a member of our Southeastern Regional Subcommittee on Candidacy (SERSCC), a team that meets twice a year and offers support and evaluation to those people who are seeking to become UU ministers. We read piles of biographical and evaluative materials sent to us by ‘aspirants’ from their colleges and seminaries, intern sites, previous employers, and references. Later we interview the aspirant, make recommendations, offer support, AND evaluate whether and when they will be allowed to move to the next step toward full credentialing, which is the UU Fellowshipping Committee. It’s hard and rewarding work. I am blessed to meet extraordinary people and to assist them in discerning the nature of their call to be in service to our world and people. I am saddened on the rare occasions when we have to tell an aspirant that we do not think they would be good ministers. I am overjoyed to go to General Assembly and see the people we have interviewed cross the stage to receive their “preliminary fellowship” credential. My litmus test, as I read about each person, and as I look them in the eye at their interview, is this, “Would I want the dear congregation I serve to have this person as their minister? What else does she need to study? What more might he experience to prepare him? Would I entrust with this person, a key to the lives of the children, women, and men who I hold in my heart in Key West, or Gainesville, or Jackson, or Oxford, or Tupelo, or Tuscaloosa, or Auburn or here at USH? I am proud to do this work for the future of our faith, and proud that this fall I will be carrying YOU along to help with my litmus testing--you, the fine fellowship of souls at the Unitarian Society of Hartford who have chosen me as your minister. Warm regards, Rev. BJ Two Services Group Survey Form We also have a special survey form from the Two Services Group. There are these ways you can complete the form. (1) You may look at the pdf version of the Meethinghouse Messenger and then print off the survey form page or, (2) you may download a Microsoft Word file of the form and edit it putting in your answers or( 3) print off this part of the web page from your browser and write on it. In any event, do what works best for you and leave the completed paper form at the USH Office. If you complete it electronically, email the completed form to Martha Page (her email address is in the directory). TWO SERVICES FOLLOW-UP SURVEY Now that we are settling in to our new congregational year, we would like you to take just a couple of minutes to provide your feedback on our Sunday service options. Your opinion is important, and we appreciate your willingness to share it! Results will be summarized and shared with the congregation. Send completed surveys to the church office.
1. Do the current service times meet your needs? YES_____ N0______ COMMENTS:
2. Have you attended each of the service times? YES______ NO______
3. Which service do you most regularly attend? 9AM ____ 11AM ____
4. Do you have children in RE? YES _____ NO______
If “YES”, what difference has having service time options made to you and your children?
5. Is having a choice of service times important? YES_____ NO_____ Why?
6. What would you like to see introduced or expanded at either of the services, e.g., different style, worship components, different music, etc.?
7. Do you participate in any Adult Programming, e.g., Small Group ministry, or a Committee, or Special Project? YES______ NO________
8. Other Comments?
(End)
|
|||||
Let
us know of any comments, errors
and corrections - thanks
(revised 10/21/06) |
