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
Francoise H. Ateto, Director of Religious Exploration
Betsy Jo Angebranndt, Minister of Music
Christol Medley, Church Administrator/Editor

Theresa Novak, Summer Minister

Susan Eckert, Members Services Coordinator

Lori Frederick Office/DRE  Assistant

vacant, Coffee Server

 

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

Next News Deadline: midnight, 08/15/2007

Next Mailing: 08/28/2007

Volume 50, Issue 15

August 14, 2007

 

 

 

Mindfulness Movie:  Sublime Comedy

 

Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Noami Watts and half of Hollywood star in I [Heart] Huckabees -- hysterical comedy with significance.  All are invited to see it at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, on Friday, August 31, brought to you by the Mindfulness Practice Group. 

  The director, David O. Russell, long-time Zen practitioner, invented the "Existential Detective Agency" because he didn't think "Zen detectives" would sell at the box office.  Nonetheless, the comedy represents the ultimate Zen transcendence of all dualities: thought and experience, truth and lies, even good and evil, not to mention firemen and bicycles as well as restaurants and poetry.

   At the end of the movie, discussion continues on into the parking lot.  Will this encounter with Suchness inspire even more discussion?  Or will we be laughing too hard to talk?

 

ANNAPOLIS STREET RETREAT

 

The Mindfulness Practice Group will offer a 24 hour retreat on the streets of Annapolis in September.  And just what does that mean?  We will go out on the street on a Saturday morning with no money and just the clothes on our back.  We will sleep outdoors and rely on the generosity of the streets.  These plans were hatched by Debbie Cole and Bob Ertman after they heard Bernie Glassman and Eve Myonen Marko, founders of the Zen Peacemakers Order, at the convocation of the UU Buddhist Fellowship in Garrison, NY.

     Only ten of us can go and there are still a few openings.  The fee for the retreat is $108, which will be donated, two-thirds to organizations serving the homeless and one-third to Active Compassion, a Buddhist group in Baltimore which is providing our guide to the streets.  Participants cannot just pay the fee but must raise it by asking others for money.  So, you’ll be hearing from us.  Questions?  This will be the topic at the meeting of the Mindfulness Practice Group in the sanctuary on Thursday, August 30, at 7:00 PM.  You can also e-mail MPG@uuca-md.org       

     “When we go to bear witness to life on the streets, we’re offering ourselves.  Not blankets, not food, not clothes, just ourselves.”  Bernie Glassman, Bearing Witness.

 

 

 

UUCA will Return to two Services Beginning Sunday,  September 16 with Services at 9a.m. & 11a.m.

 

 

 

 

              

Upcoming Sermons

 

 

August 19

Etched into my Heart

Theresa Novak

This will be Theresa Novak’s last sermon here at UUCA before she leaves for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden, Utah.

 

August 26         

“What Will Be Said?”  Rev. Fred Muir, Senior Minister

There’s a Hasidic story that tells of a rabbi who lay dying.  His wife, at his bedside, broke into tears.  “But why are you crying?” he asked, “My whole life was only that I might learn how to die.”  Join me this morning as we reflect on how to measure a lifetime.

 

September 2

“How to Live the Full Life”

Rev. Amber Beland,  Assistant Minister

Living our lives to their fullest can be a challenge.  What examples do we follow, who do we look up to, and how can we move towards a life of meaning?  For many people our heroes and heroines have shown us something about the world that we want to learn from.  Join our Assistant Minister as she explores the lessons she has learned from her heroine about how to live the full life.

 

September 9

Intergenerational Ingathering Celebration with R.E. Dedication Ceremony

This is the last summer Sunday service before we return to two services next Sunday, Sept. 16.  A potluck brunch/lunch picnic will follow the Sunday service.  All are welcome to attend.

 

September 16

High Holy Days

Rev. Fred Muir, Senior Minister

Return to two services

On September 16, UUCA will return to its Fall Church Services schedule. Services will be held at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.. Children’s Religious Exploration will be offered during both services. Nursery Care is available during both services. For more information or to register your child(ren) for Children’s Religious Exploration, contact Fran Ateto at 410-266-8044 ext 101 or dre@uuca-md.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Our Beloved Community

 

Keep The Faith

Here it is August and we’re about to begin again.  Begin?  In September?  What kind of a beginning happens in the summer?  I guess it’s a matter of when you start your year and we have several to choose from here at UUCA.

Calling the first Sunday after Labor Day the start of a new church year is probably left over from the custom when our church closed for the summer (which was the Unitarian way, especially in New England).  “See you next year” was an often heard remark on Memorial Day Sunday.  Then, of course, there’s the traditional beginning of the New Year marked on January 1st and on the Sunday between the holidays it’s common to overhear people saying “See you next year.”  To make things more interesting, we observe two fiscal years: one set by the Unitarian Universalist Association which begins July 1; another is the UUCA’s fiscal year which follows the calendar year.  There are several other kinds of beginnings or years in addition to these: There are the Jewish observances which are set to a lunar calendar; several of our program areas have multiple beginnings; our earth-centered community follows a rhythm of the seasons.

While all these years and beginnings really are important for us, about all they do is mark starts and stops – we impose them in order to organize and categorize, to give us a frame of reference and a sense of control.  Actually, the movement of month to month (and year to year) is relatively seamless with very few bumps.  Attendance, focus, meaning, and commitment flow in a steady stream, far more than it did once upon a time.

Having said all that, as August marches on toward September, I feel the anticipation (perhaps it’s just my own) of starting again: Programs go into full swing, visitors from the summer months have begun to integrate and commit, our new intern arrives, the choir is rehearsing, people are back from vacation, and there’s an undeniable exuberance that permeates the community and it feels wonderful.  While the summer has been a busy one with teams and committees and groups meeting, while Sunday attendance has been bursting, while ministry has not missed a beat, I sense the sweet steady simmering of September nearby and the start of another beginning.  I look forward to seeing you soon.

 

Keep the faith,

                  Fred

 

 

 

 

Who Am I?

The great Hungarian composer, was one of the most significant musicians of the twentieth century. He shared with his friend Zoltán Kodály, another leading Hungarian composer, a passion for ethnomusicology. His music was invigorated by the themes, modes, and rhythmic patterns of the Hungarian and other folk music traditions he studied, which he synthesized with influences from his contemporaries into his own distinctive style.

 

 

UUCA New Website to be Launched September 1

On September 1, UUCA will launch its new website.  We are asking all programs of the church to update and submit their information no later then August 15, 2007.  Please send all updates to Christol Medley, Church Administrator at  admin@uuca-md.org. All changes will be reviewed and approved by the management team before they are uploaded to the new site.

We are currently looking for pictures that reflect the rich history and culture of UUCA, these pictures will be used on our new site. If you have pictures that you would like to share please send them to Christol Medley via e-mail  to admin@uuca-md.org Hard copies and storage devices can be mailed  or dropped off at  the church.

If you have a new program and would like to have a page on the website  please submit your information to Christol Medley, Church Administrator, admin@uuca-md.org pictures and graphics are welcomed.

 

 

 

UUCA Book Club

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

For August 21 we have selected East of Eden by John Steinbeck. This classic novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families in California’s Salinas Valley.

Our choice for September 18 is Losing the Race by John McWhorter. The author -- who is black -- argues that blacks lag not so much as a result of white prejudice but because of their own counterproductive beliefs.

If you have questions, contact Jackie Rocca at 410-349-8351. All are welcome to join us.

 

FIFTH ANNUAL BOOK SWAP

 

One Day Only – Sunday, September 23.  Bring your unwanted books, videos, CDs, DVDs to the church on Sunday morning, September 23.  After each service you can browse through the books and music and take a new supply home with you.  FREE.  Please do not bring books before Sept. 23 due to lack of storage space.  Leftover books will be donated to a local charity.  On Sunday morning, volunteers are welcome to help set up, organize, take down.  (Rain Date – Sunday, September 30)  For more information, contact Eloise Hoyt at 410-768-4932 or ehoyt@toadmail.com

 

UUCA Outdoor Club

 

Saturday, September 15  9:00 am-7:00 pm: Kayak at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  Meet at the church at 9:00 a.m.   Must provide own kayak or canoe, paddles, PFD.  Bring water, snacks, lunch, bug spray. We expect to paddle about four hours including a stop for lunch on the water.  For more info and to sign up, please contact Eloise Hoyt, ehoyt@toadmail.com or 410-768-4932.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PASTORAL CARE TEAM NEWS

6TH Annual Wellness Day for Caregivers

Sponsored by Anne Arundel County

Department of Aging & Disabilities

Family Caregiver Support Program

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Annapolis Senior Activity Center

A special day for caregivers to get away, learn to care for themselves and be pampered –

and it’s free!

Free Adult Day Care and Transportation Services

by reservation only

Registration deadline: August 24, 2007.

For additional information contact the

National Family Caregiver Support Program

410-266-4465; www.aacounty.org/Aging

Web of Life

While visiting my hometown of Derry, New Hampshire I often pick up the local paper and read about the community I grew up in.  In a town of about 34,000 people the newspaper often has faces I recognize, familiar places, and events.  It is nice to be a part of a recognizable and connected community; this church is a community just like that.  We will have a chance at our intergenerational ingathering celebration on Sunday, September 9 to be in community together, fellowship over food some might call it.  We will get to be on the grounds of the church together, eat and talk and get to know each other better.  Last year we celebrated our 50th anniversary and many of you told us how wonderful it was to get together as a community.  In the next year Susan and I hope to put together a fellowship committee.  This group will help create events for the whole community to deepen and broaden their relationships.  Some of these activities we already have in place, others may be events that the church community has done in the past, and still others are things that have been suggested or heard of but we have never done.  We may even think up some of our own ideas to try.  If you are interested in creating these kinds of opportunities in our church community please let Susan or I know.  Let’s make this place one where each of us feels connected and recognized.

 

Blessings for a wonderful August,

                        Amber

 

Are you healing from childhood sexual Abuse?

The Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Maryland School of Medicine is conducting an investigational research study (protocol # H-28934) of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for adult survivors of childhood abuse.  Research shows MBSR can reduce anxiety, psychological distress, and improve well-being.  You may be eligible for this study if you are 21 years or older and have experienced childhood sexual abuse.  We are conveniently located near I-70 and Security Boulevard.  Parking is free.  Participants will be compensated for their time.  For more information please contact 410-448-6590 or www.compmed.umm.edu

 

 

 

 

Security Alert

 

For the safety of our members, friends and  outside users of the building we ask all users to observe the following rules:

            1.         Do not prop open the door, ask group members to arrive within 15 minutes of the start of your scheduled meeting or to contact group leaders in advance of the meeting if they will be arriving late.

            2.         Do not share your key code with other members of your group. All group leaders needing access to the building have been assigned a key code. If a problem arises the owner of the code will be asked to provide details about the date in question.

            3.         If your group is planning a large public event please contact Christol Medley, Church Administrator to make arrangements for the doors to be deactivated and reactivated for your event.

            4.         The sanctuary is not energy  efficient and requires us all to work together to keep costs down. The thermostat has been set for us to be comfortable (occasionally there’s an error).  Please do not reset or place the thermostat on hold.

            5.         Please close and lock all windows and fire exit doors at the end of your scheduled event.

 

 

 

 

 

Welcoming, Caring & Connecting

 

Welcome New Members

We would like to welcome our newest member, Elizabeth (Liz) K. Vanden Heuvel, who signed the Membership Book on August 5.  It’s good to have you with us!

 

Are You New to UUCA?

Please join us for these opportunities to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and the UU Church of Annapolis.  The New UU – Sunday, July 29, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. covers UU theology, UU history and the UU Church of Annapolis.  Anyone thinking of becoming a member of the congregation is strongly encouraged to attend the New UU class.  The “Newcomer Talk & Tour”– Sunday, August 26, after the morning celebration, provides an introduction to the programs and activities of the church as well as how to find your way around the buildings and grounds.  Please contact Susan Eckert for further information or to request childcare 410-266-8044, x110.

 

JOIN THE CHOIR

The UUCA Choir will be resuming our fall schedule of rehearsals on Wednesday, September 5.  On that evening we will have a pot luck supper for old and prospective new members at 6:30 PM followed by a rehearsal at 7:30.
     The Choir rehearses weekly on Wednesday evenings and sings for Sunday morning services, usually every other week.  We also present at least two all music services each season.  In addition, this past April we offered a Cabaret show of Broadway hits highlighting the varied talents of our members.
     Music reading skills are not necessary but members should be able to carry a tune and hold their vocal part.  Our repertoire covers a wide variety of styles and musical traditions from pre-Bach to contemporary.  All ages and all voice parts are welcome!!  For more information talk with and Choir member or, better yet, come give us a try!!!

     Betsy Jo Angebranndt, Choir Director 

 

UUCA all Church picnic

 

Sunday, September 9 immediately following the service. Come and enjoy an old-fashioned church picnic! Bring a lawn chair or blanket and some picnic food to share. Contact Susan Eckert for more information at 410-266-8044 ext 110.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith Development

 

Religious Exploration News

The Summer Religious Exploration Program Continues!

Every Sunday 10:00 AM-11:15 AM June 17 through September 2

Nursery for children 2-4 years old and younger: children may be left in the Nursery at 10 AM and picked up by 11:15 AM.

 

Picture Book World Religions , a multi-age program for 3-4 to 10-year olds.  Children sit with their family in the sanctuary for the first part of the service, then go to the R.E. sanctuary downstairs.  Parents are asked to pick up their children by 11:15 a.m.  All sessions will be led by Katie Michaelson or Anne Scholle, Children’s Program Facilitators, assisted by adult volunteers.

 

August 19: The Mountains of Tibet – The story of a woodcutter living high in the mountains of Tibet. Led by Anne Scholle. Assisted by Lara Lutz/John Scott and Ashley Fuchs..

 

Tweens (for 11 to 13-year-olds) On most Sundays, Tweens are invited to attend the service with their family, or help out in the Children’s Program. A special afternoon long Middle School Cluster Event is planned for August 19

 

YRUU (for youth in high school) will meet most Sundays; a special activity is planned for August 19.  Contacts: Phoenix Geimer (410-562-3520) or Kristina Korona (410-990-1625).

 

Now is the Time - Growing Our Leadership

In order to thrive, our congregations must have healthy teams of dynamic leaders. Funds raised will help improve both the quality and the accessibility of specialized leadership training for ministers, religious education professionals and lay leaders (both adults and youth). In addition, Growing our Leadership funds will support the emotional, financial and physical well-being of our professional leaders by creating support networks, providing health-care and offering ministerial debt-reduction grants.

 

SUPPLEMENT TO THE HYMNAL

 

Our bookstore now carries a limited number of Singing the Journey: A Supplement to Singing the Living Tradition.  I know many of you enjoyed the music from the July 22nd service so now you may buy your own copy from the bookstore or be a part of bringing that music to the congregation by ordering and donating copies!   Each volume is ONLY $15.  For more information please contact Debbie Cole (410-969-7986 or debcole@cablespeed.com) or purchase your copy in the bookstore today!

 

Women & Religion

 

Check out the Summer 2007 Women & Religion Newsletter.   This issue includes:

o  Women and Religion at General Assembly 2007

o  Joseph Priestley District Women & Religion Fall Retreat – Save the Date!

o Local Events of Interest

To download a printable PDF file, go to: http://www.jpdwr.org/index.php?pr=Current_Newsletter.   If you don’t have access to the internet, a paper copy of the newsletter can be found in the Information Alcove on the church bulletin board.   Copies can be made in the church office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Justice  & Outreach

 

Arts in the Woods

Gallery at 333:

Members & Friends of UUCA

July- August

 

 

The 333 Coffeehouse
Scurvy Crew

Friday Aug 17, 2007 at 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

 

 

Gallery at 333

Nancy Ostroff,

watercolors, oils,

pastels, acrylics

September-October

 

 

The 333 Coffeehouse
Gina Holsopple & Christina Muir

Friday Sep 21, 2007 at 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

 

 

Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde

October 5, 11, 12, 13 at 8:00pm
October 6 and 14 at 2:00pm
October 7 at 7:30pm

 

 

Rachel Gawell, cello

Peabody Conservatory

 Young Soloist

Sunday, October 21 at 3:00pm

 

 

 

 

Gallery at 333 

On display at the Gallery at 333 is the Members and Friends Summer Show featuring works on paper by all levels and ages of artists.  Come discover what surprises your friends have kept secret!  The show is up from July 2 to the end of August.  In September Nancy Ostroff will display watercolors, oils, pastels and acrylics.

 

 

 

Who Am I? (answer)

Béla Bartók (1881-1945), grew up in the Greater Hungary of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which was partitioned by the Treaty of Trianon after World War I.  After his father died in 1888, Béla's mother, Paula, took her family to live in  Bratislava, in her native Slovakia.

Because of this he spent his early years in isolation from other children, often listening to his mother playing the piano, Béla showed precocious musical ability and began to compose dances at the age of nine.

After graduating from the Academy, Bartók began a career as a concert pianist. During his adult life Bartók performed in 630 concerts in 22 countries. In 1907 he became a piano instructor at the Budapest Academy. Although he did not especially care for teaching, he remained in this post for more than 25 years. His most notable contributions to pedagogy were the teaching editions he made of the works of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven and the pieces he composed for children.

 

Blood Drive a success

 

Many thanks to all those who turned out for the Annual Summer Blood Drive last Sunday.  38 signed in and 25 successfully donated blood.  Some were deferred due to cold medications, travel in certain countries or a low iron count.  Thanks, especially, go to Joan Makin who falls below the weight requirements, but brought over two huge platters of chocolate and butterscotch chip and peanut butter cookies.  The bloodmobile bus drive was the same one as last year and commented he's struck by how nice everyone at UUCA is.  Our next blood drive, our 7th Annual Winter Drive, is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, February 23, 2008.

 

We’ve almost reached our goal!!!!

So far we have recycled almost seven tons in our Abitibi Paper Recycling Challenge and we only need a little more than three tons more.  We have a whole month to do it, so get busy asking your friends and neighbors (even local businesses) for all their old newspapers, catalogs, magazines, office & school papers and old mail to help us reach our goal of ten tons by the end of August.   This is that push you’ve been waiting for to clean out old files (shredded paper recycles, too!) and simplify your life-–or just get rid of some excess clutter!   Many people have old catalogs and magazines just waiting to be recycled –put them to work in our Abitibi Paper Recycling Challenge!  Together we can make a difference and the church can earn prize money for the efforts!

 

Cell Phone Recycling at UUCA!!

 

We have gotten materials from Planet Green to take care of all our old cell phones!   Not only can we clear clutter and answer the burning question “What do I do with this old cell phone?” but it also allows UUCA to earn money for the effort.   Please leave your old cell phones in the marked receptacle.   Then, let all your friends know UUCA has a place to recycle cell phones! [We’re cleaning up the world, one cell phone at a time. ‘-)  ]

 

 

 

 

 

Tips from Green Sanctuary

BYOB - There’s been a lot of talk lately about banning plastic grocery bags.  An outstanding idea, in my humbly green opinion, but fortunately, you don’t actually have to wait for an outright ban.  Go ahead and be a leader, set an example for the masses, and do your part for the Earth – starting with this week’s shopping, just take the plunge and BYOB (bags, that is – bottles are a topic for another day).

Did you know that in the United States, 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year?  And plastic bags are the fifth most commonly found item in coastal cleanups – errant windborne bags mar the beauty of natural areas and pose a deadly hazard to many sea animals.

BYOB-ing may also save you a few pennies at the checkout.  Some grocery stores actually give you a discount for bringing your own.

Reusable canvas or nylon bags are available all over the place.  Giant, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods sell them, for starters.  You can begin slowly with a few, then gradually build up your collection.  I keep a dozen or so in the back of my car, and I’m training myself to grab one (or as many as I think I might need) whenever I walk into any store.  Sometimes the trickiest part is catching the clerk in time before they toss that one item you’ve bought into yet another plastic bag – but be alert and tell them very quickly, “I don’t need a bag, thanks, I’ve brought my own.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save the Date

It’s a JUUbilee!

UU’s join together OCTOBER 13, 2007 at All souls Church

Service: 4:00-5:30 (refreshments to follow)

 

Saturday, October 13, 2007 will be a JUUbilee celebration for Unitarian Universalist in the Baltimore Washington region. On this day, Unitarian Universalist from around the region will join together in worship to celebrate the social legacy of A. Powell Davies and the last 50 years of UU growth in the region which he initiated.

 

 

 

Wake up to a cup of Fairly Traded Coffee

 

Café Salvador—full bodied, smooth coffee from small farmer co-ops in El Salvador  $7.00 (Whole Bean is being discontinued as of 7/31/07)

French Roast (Organic)-Dark and delicious with full body and a smooth finish $7.50

Mind Body & Soul (Organic) Medium and Vienna Roast—