Highlights Newsletter

HighLights

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis (UUCA)
333 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD 21401; Phone: 410/266-8044; Fax: 410/266-6910
mailto:newsletter@uuca-md.org Web site: The Home Page at: http://www.uuca-md.org

Staff:
Reverend Dr. Fredric J. Muir, Parish Minister

Reverend Amber Beland, Assistant Minister of Lifespan Faith Development
Francoise H. Ateto, Director of Religious Exploration
Betsy Jo Angebranndt, Minister of Music
Christol Medley, Church Administrator/Editor

Eric Kaminetzky, Intern Minister

Susan Eckert, Member’s Services Coordinator

Lori Frederick, Office Assistant/DRE Assistant

Renee Larkins, Coffee Server

John Jennings, Custodian

Church Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Next News Deadline: midnight, 03/05/2008

Next Mailing: 03/11/2007

Volume 51, Issue 4

February 26, 2008

UUCA’s Pastoral Care Team presents:

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

7:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m.

Who’s in Charge Here?

Caring for an Aging Loved One

Presented by Mary C. Fridley, RN, BSN, BC

As a caregiver of an aging loved one you face many challenges. Roles are reversed and you find yourself responsible for his or her safety and overall care. You face various daily dilemmas such as is it still safe for Dad to drive and how to reason with him when he will not listen.

In this seminar you will learn how to manage role reversal; how to find and access resources; how to effectively communicate with your aging loved one; and how to prompt change.

Topics covered:

Resources for caregivers

How to talk to an older adult to prompt change

Placement issues

Coping with role reversal

Open questions and answers

Mary is a registered nurse, board certified in gerontology, with more than 20 years in the geriatric health field. She is a columnist, speaker and consultant. Her expertise includes caregiver, eldercare, and aging issues.

Join us and bring your friends. The program is free and

refreshments will be provided.

Sign-up is not required but it helps us plan. Contact Susan Eckert

410-266-8044, Ext. 110; membership@uuca-md.org

OR Sign-up after each Service in the Narthex at the Care Corner

Upcoming Sermons

March 2

Partner Church

Sunday

Rev. Fred Muir, Senior Minister & Partner Church Committee

What are the historical foundations of our liberal faith tradition that are still a part of our partners’ lives and relevant for us today? Music by UUCA Choir.

March 9

“Being Good,

Staying Good”

Rev. Fred Muir,

Senior Minister

Many of you are familiar with Harold Kushner’s classic “When Bad Things Happen to Good People.” But what about the good things that happen to good people? Living a good life and staying good may be easier than you thought.

March 16

Music Sunday

“Choir on Joy”

March 23

“Easter Sunday”

Intergenational Service

No R. E. Childcare only

Music by UUCa Choir

This Easter Sunday we’ll observe our annual Flower Communion in an intergenerational service. So remember to bring a flower or a favorite sprig of nature to share with others.

March 30

Young Religious Unitarian Universalist

(YRUU) Sunday

Please join us for this annual service celebrating the learnings of our Young Religious Unitarian Universalist (YRUU)

April 6

Anti-racism Transformation Team Sunday Guest Minister

John Crestwell

Celebrating Our Beloved Community

Bad Weather Policy

On inclement Sundays, turn on your radio to WNAV (1430) or WBAL(1090) and listen for an announcement regarding cancellation of UUCA Sunday services. You may also call the church to hear if there is a recorded message (410 266-8044).

On inclement weekdays, the UUCA office will shorten office hours exactly as does the public schools in Anne Arundel County. If schools announce a one hour delay, the office will open at 10AM instead of 9AM. If there is a two hour delay, we will open at 11AM. If schools close early, the office will close early (normal closing time is 4PM). If the schools close, the office will be closed — office volunteers should NOT report to the office if schools are closed.

For all other events held in the church, such as 333 Coffeehouse, Full Circle services, committee meetings, room rentals, etc., please call the person responsible for the event or listen to the radio to learn if the event has been cancelled.

ALL-CHURCH RETREAT –presentation March 9^th!

April 25-27, 2008 in Westminster, MD one hundred plus members and friends will be enjoying the beauty of Hashawha Environmental Center and an opportunity to revel in the camaraderie of fellow congregants for our annual All-Church Retreat. Registration is now open! Check out the ‘New Online Registration’ on our church home page and get more info about the Retreat as well as an opportunity to register online with a credit card. Or, download the forms and mail or drop off with your check (put ‘Retreat’ in the memo line) to the church office. Cost are: Adults $60; children (5-13) $55. Remember, sign up by March 16 to get $5 off each person registered! (Adult $55; child $50)

Join us between services on March 9^th for an All-Church Retreat Presentation in the Sanctuary. We will present a slide show and be glad to answer any questions you may have about this yearly egg-citing event. We want to extend a special invitation to those new to the congregation –this is an outstanding way to deepen relationships and connect with the rest of our UUCA family. This is for all ages with or without children. Come and check out all the fun! For more info contact Debbie Cole (debcole.email@yahoo.com) or Lisa Combs (lisacombs@verizon.net).

R.E. Flections

By Fran Ateto, Director of Religious Exploration

You may remember that my sabbatical plan includes a couple of weeks in New Orleans to participate in a UU Service Committee Katrina relief project, followed by a trip to Louisville for the National Conference for Large Congregations (which most of the UUCA staff will attend). Since there were only a few days in-between, I decided to drive from one location to the other, and visit on the way some of the sites which made history during the Civil Rights movement. In preparation I watched Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke” and read “Call to Selma - Eighteen Days of Witness” by Richard Leonard, a UU minister who, in 1965, responded to Martin Luther King’s appeal to clergy of all faiths to join him in Selma for the march to Montgomery which resulted in the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Coincidentally I’ll arrive in Selma on March 8, the same date when the Rev. Leonard’s account starts!

We have all seen pictures of the events. In 1965 the tense or brutal confrontations with the local police, the commitment to non-violent response, the endless cortege on Route 80 under the protection of the National Guard, the cheering or jeering crowds along the road. The book provided me not only with a Unitarian Universalist’s perspective, but also with a more visceral feeling, based in daily reality: the constant sense of fear and uncertainty, the lack of sleep, the cold and the rain, the aching feet, the friendships across racial divisions… In 2005 round-the-clock media reports allowed us to witness the destruction of Katrina with a lot of detail and immediacy. Spike Lee’s film put the disaster in context: there was the human story, yes, but also the historical and cultural backgrounds, the political issues, even the technical aspects – and how they all connect.

I am struck by the contrasts and similarities within each event and between the two events: a sense of purpose and a sense of powerlessness, a sense of hope and trust and a sense of despair and betrayal; violence, courage, determination, solidarity, chance, death and the triumph of life… And often at the root of it all, institutional racism. I have never been in the Deep South, and look forward to this trip. I expect that it will be a pretty intense experience which will inspire and prepare me to better support the anti-racism work at UUCA after I return.

Fran

The Bay Winds Band Concert

March 9 3pm -FREE- at Anne Arundel Community College Pascal Center, Arnold, Maryland

Bay Winds, Anne Arundel's community concert band, is holding a free concert on Sunday March 9 at 3pm at Anne Arundel Community College's Pascal Center for Performing Arts in at the Arnold campus. The 50 member all-volunteer band includes a strong contingent of players associated with UUCA including Tim Barnum, oboe, Jesse Fussell, Fred Geil and Kit Breen on clarinets. Additional members are welcome.

Bay Winds is a non-profit volunteer organization which performs over 10 concerts in the Anne Arundel County area each year The full concert band with over 50 members will present a varied program which includes broadway favorites, traditional band music and transcriptions of classical and popular music for band.

This is the only concert of Bay Winds in Anne Arundel county open to the general public. Last year was the first time we were sponsored at the college. It was well attended by families who enjoyed the fun afternoon.

With the good response last year, the College agreed to sponsor the band again this year, and we hope it will be annual event. The band is open for anyone to join. Michael Svec, band and orchestra leader of the Annapolis High School is the conductor.

For further information, call Tim Barnum at 410-421-9522 or see the website: BayWindsBand.org

5-K Walk/Race for the Kids

On April 26^th the Old Mill Chapter of the Spanish Honor Society (SHH) will be holding their third annual 5-K Walk/Race for the Kids. The proceeds of the race fund schools in third world nations. There will be prizes to the top finishers in each age group. It is a great and fun way to support global education while getting fit.

If you are interested contact the SHH advisor, Kim Spence, at kmnelson@aacps.org or at (410) 969-9010 x225. You may also contact the race organizer, Daniel Weller, at kicking.chaos@verizon.net or (410) 923-6973.

PRAXIS: A Hard Theory Put Into Practice

By Eric Kaminetzky, Intern Minister

Hologram

n : the intermediate photograph (or photographic record) that contains information for reproducing a three-dimensional image by holography

- from http://dictionary.die.net/hologram

I was at UUCA-MD for an evening class on a Monday, and was impressed by the number of people in the building for activities. Same story on Tuesday. On both nights, I was committed to lead classes I’m excited about.

Earlier in that same week, there was a political action event that brought in UU’s from Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., and another that brought interfaith young people together for the same purpose. I got to attend part of one, and none of the other.

The depth and breadth of what you all do in and out of this building is breathtaking.

Living on the property for this year is like being a kid in a UU candy shop! The only limits on what I can take part in revolve around promises I’ve made, responsibilities I’ve taken on, and the limits of my own energy.

I spend a small part of most days looking at the calendar of activities posted on the internet at www.uuca-md.org. When I first got here I found it overwhelming. Looking at your calendar just now, I see evening activities scheduled on every one of the next 30 days, without exception.

Now that I’ve settled in, and know a little more about the activities and the people who tend to lead or participate in them, the calendar starts to tell a story. Your story. Our story.

That calendar is like a hologram, a two-dimensional picture of your rich three-dimensional community.

UUCA Book Club

The Book Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 P.M. in the church library.

Our selections are as follows: March 18 is The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Moshin Hamid.

April 15 Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

If you have questions contact Jackie Rocca at 410-349-8351.

All are welcome to join us!

Rachel Gawell’s Senior Recital

Rachel Gawell invites UUCA members and friends to her Senior Recital at Peabody Conservatory. Rachel was a guest artist in the 2007 Music for Peace & Justice Concert Series and will be graduating this year from the Conservatory. Her recital will be on Sunday, March 30, at 8pm in Goodwin Hall at Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, Maryland. She will be performing Beethoven's Cello Sonata in A Major, the Schumann Cello Concerto, and several other shorter works with accompanist Li-tan Hsu. There will be a short reception afterwards, as well. For more information, please contact Karl and Martha Gawell at 410-757-6514. There is no admission charge.

Daylight Saving Begins March 9, 2008. Please Remember to Turn Your Clocks Ahead One Hour.

Welcoming, Caring & Connecting

ARE YOU NEW TO UUCA?

Please join us for these opportunities to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and the UU Church of Annapolis:

Newcomer Talk & Tour– March 2, after the 9 a.m. service or March 9, after the 11 a.m. service, provides an introduction to the programs and activities of the church as well as how to find your way around the buildings and grounds. We meet in the Library immediately following the service.

The New UU– Thursday, March 20, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. covers UU theology and UU history. This program meets in the Sanctuary.

Path to Membership – Saturday, April 12, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. For those interested in joining the church; this class will focus on programs, history, governance and the meaning of membership at UUCA. An opportunity to sign the membership book will follow the class. Refreshments will be offered. Attending a New UU class is required prior to Path to Membership.

Childcare can be arranged with advance notice for The New UU or Path to Membership. Please contact Susan Eckert for further information or if you have questions 410-266-8044, x110; membership@uuca-md.org.

Book Recommendation

During the upcoming years, UUCA will be headed into uncharted waters with many issues to resolve. How will we handle our growth and simultaneously diversify the congregation? Hopefully this transition will be thoughtful, inclusive and most importantly continue to inspire congregants towards their own spiritual growth and search for purpose and meaning. To this end, the UUCA Worship Lay Ministers would like to strongly encourage members to read an excellent, thought provoking book, "The Almost Church" by Michael Durall (available in our bookstore.) Please engage us and others about where the UU Faith is headed.

Lay Worship Ministers

Young Adult Talk Circles

The UU Young Adults of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis invite you to join our Sunday Talking Circles every first Sunday 12:30 to 2:00 pm starting March 2 through June 1, 2008 at 49 West Street, Annapolis, MD. People ages 18 to 35 are welcome. Here we speak from the heart creating a safe space for spiritual growth through conversation. This is a circle of sharing rather than a roundtable debate. The group is connected to the church and affirms UU principles, but does not require membership in the UUCA. Come and see what everyone is talking about!

For more information contact Assistant Minister:

Amber Beland at 410-266-8044-ext. 107 or assistant@uuca-md.org or show up on Sunday.

Resource Stewardship

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First Sunday Outreach Collection for March 2

The funds collected today will be used to support our Partner Church Ministry in Rava, Transylvania. Our Partner Church is in a small and poor village with limited funds for the support of the church. To further our relationship with the church in Rava, our Choir visited in 2004, a group of six from the committee visited for a week work project in 2006, and this summer a youth group from UUCA will visit.

In the past year, these offerings have partially funded installation of central heating for the parish house and an electronic bell ringer in the church.

Annual Report Are Due March 1, 2008

In accordance to the UUCA Administrative Policy all church groups, programs and committees are required to submit an annual report for the Annual Congregational Meeting in April.

If you co-chaired a group, program, or committee during the 2007 calendar year you are responsible for submitting an annual report.

Forms are available on our website www.uuca-md.org, through your management team liaison or in the church office. The deadline is March 1, 2008.

If you have any questions please contact your management team liaison.

Looking for New Pathwork Committee Members

Would you like to be able to influence your own journey?
Contribute to developing new and exciting spiritual exploration courses? Be part of something larger than yourself?
The Pathwork Planning Team is looking for new members.
We meet once a month on the second Monday at 7:30PM and the only qualification needed is the desire to participate in the planning of an ever-evolving offering of spiritual growth course work for our adult community. You can make a difference!
Contact Amber Beland @ 410.266.8044 ext 107 or assistant@uuca-md.org or Eric Petterson @ 410.280.1787 or ecpetterson@msn.com

Support Coming of Age RE Program...

Purchase cute UU-themed items designed by Coming of Age youth. This year the Coming of Age (COA) RE program is hosting a new fundraiser to support our annual trip to Boston. Youth from the group have designed UU-themed items such as t-shirts, teddy bears, keychains, coffee mugs, and much more. The items are available for purchase online at www.cafepress.com/uucacoa. Cafepress is a secure shopping website. COA will also host a fundraising table between services on March 16 where you can purchase items in person. Orders made online will arrive faster than orders made at the March 16 sale. If you have any questions contact Raven Bishop ravenbishop707@yahoo.com

General Assembly 08

GA 2008 will take place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from June 25 through 29 at the beautiful Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center. UUCA will be sending 11 delegates as well as other attendees. If you intend to go to GA or would like to know more about it, please see Bryan Barrett. He will be coordinating the delegates and the schedule for UUCA attendees. Registration for GA opens on Saturday March 1^st through the UUA website www.uua.org. where you can also book accommodation. If you are going to GA, you are recommended to book your accommodation as soon as possible as the hotels nearest to the Convention Center get booked up immediately.

Finance Notes – Stewardship Update

For this year’s Stewardship Campaign, we should be at about the 95% point. We only expect a few more commitment forms to trickle in, representing, at most, 2-5% of the commitment income for 2008. To date, members and friends have committed $531,000. Thank you! to all who have generously made commitments to UUCA during this campaign.

Our goal this year, reflected in our operating budget, was to have $587,000 in commitment income. We’re currently 10% short of our goal. Analysis of the commitments received thus far shows that the median commitment amount is $1500, down 3% from last year’s $1550.

As happens every February, our Membership Coordinator Susan Eckert, has revised our membership roster, purged inactive members, and provided our annual certification of membership to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Our official number for 2008 is 568 members, down 1% from last year’s 592. Why has UUCA apparently stopped growing? The quick response might be our lack of parking spots and our noisy narthex after services. Beyond easy answers, let’s also ask harder questions about how well we welcome visitors and how readily we weave newcomers into the fabric of our faith community.

The 254 commitments received so far represent almost 390 people. Thus about two thirds of the congregation is making stewardship commitments toward the annual budget. About one third of our members do not submit a commitment form. Some are opposed to “pledging”, and some make substantial contributions anyway. Some people face financial uncertainty. But many of those not turning in commitment forms are people “on the fringe”. If you know or meet somebody in this category, I urge you to find out what our community can do to better meet that person’s needs or earn their commitment.

Finally, it looks like 2008 will be financially a very tight year. We appreciate and encourage your contributions very much. In my next article, I will talk about plans for our next stewardship campaigns and how we hope to look forward to times that are financially less stressful.

Sincerely,

Dick Roop

Finance Officer

Annual Blood Drive a Success!!!

Thanks to you, the UUCA-Red Cross Blood Drive was a success on Feb 23.

The Red Cross sent a staff of 12 warm but efficient folks who did a masterful job - we want THAT crew back next time. Even their music was great!

Plus, the t-shirt is totally wearable. (Still hoping they do a black t-shirt ...)

Nearly everyone who signed up to donate blood showed up, plus a few who didn't - but we were thrilled they came out on such a yukky day.

According to the Red Cross, 38 people presented and 37 were accepted. The acceptance rate is astounding! Usually a quarter or more wash out. Among those folks were 9 newbies, who all seemed to have a good experience. We also had a bunch of folks signed up by the Red Cross who were visiting our church for the first time. I think they came away with a good impression.

We also made the goal of 33 units. Yay us!

Robert Cole, Ben Parafina (someone send this on to him, please), Jesse, Summerleigh Geimer and Tod Geimer volunteered part or all of their day to help out and it would not have gone nearly as smoothly without their generous gift of time. Thank you guys!

Joan Mackin came through, as always, with her magical-calorie-laden Kisses-Pretzels-M&Ms concoction. Yum! Thanks Joan.

The big picture is this: we were able to help out by donating 37 units of blood yesterday. Together, we potentially will be saving 111 lives. The Red Cross estimates every unit is used by up to 3 people, from tiny 3 pound premies who use a lot of blood (but only a tablespoon at a time), to accident victims, kids with sickle cell anemia, people donating or receiving organ transplants, adults with cancer - and even my mother-in-law who needed 10 units this month for a recently diagnosed displasia. Your generosity helped all of them.

Give yourself a big pat on the back. You richly deserve it.

Again, many thanks!

Regards,

Wendi Winters

PS: The next date you can give blood is April 19. We usually have a Bloodmobile visit on a Sunday in July. When we have a date, we will let you know.

Wyatt oil painting Dedication

Artist, Louise Dunlap Wyatt has generously donated her oil painting "Tete-a-Tete" to the Church. On Sunday March 9, immediately after the 11 am service, a reception with the artist will be held.

The image of friends chatting on a bench at the Annapolis City dock has been made into blank 5x7 note cards. The cards are on sale at the bookstore.

Louise has studied and enjoyed a variety of art media over her life.

She has worked in oil paints, print-making and clay. She studied at the Cleveland School of Art for two years. She worked as a color consultant at the Glidden Company for a number of years .

When she and her husband, DeMarquis, moved to the Washington area in 1950s, they became active in the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist church. One Christmas she created cards for the church. Louise has been an active member of our church community since she moved to the Annapolis area in 1975.

Faith Development

R.e. news

Do you believe in:

• Economic justice?

• Environmental justice?

• Civil liberties?

• Rights in humanitarian crises?

Then you will want to participate in the UU Service Committee’s annual Guest At Your Table fund-raising campaign! Boxes were distributed on Sunday, February 17, and are still available at UUCA. Take one home, place it on your table, and put a sum of money into it at each meal. Boxes will be collected starting March 16.