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, Members Services Coordinator

Lori Frederick, Office Assistant/DRE Assistant

Renee Larkins, Coffee Server

 

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

Next News Deadline: midnight, 11/07/2007

Next Mailing: 11/13/2007

Volume 50, Issue 20

October 23, 2007

 

 

Moving Towards a Call for Associate Minister

With the support of the Senior Minister and the Board of Trustees, The Committee on Professional Ministry for the Assistant Minister (COPMAM) is moving forward to educate the congregation about what it would mean to call Amber Beland as our Associate Minister.   "To call her would mean that we as the congregation would vote to move the position she currently holds of Assistant to an Associate position, which is a permanent position rather than a contractual position."

 A few questions that arise are:

Q1: How would Amber’s responsibilities as an Associate Minister (called by the congregation) differ from her current work as an Assistant Minister?

A1: Amber’s job responsibilities would actually remain the same.  She would continue in the role of Program Minister of Life Span Faith Development.  What will change will be her relationship to the church.  As a called minister (as opposed to a hired minister), she will be responsible to the congregation as well as accountable to and supervised by the Senior Minister, Fred Muir. 

Q2. What is a Program Minister?

A2. A Program Minister is one of four different types of ministers recognized by the UUA.  (The others are worship minister, religious education minister and community minister.)  Program ministry provides for concentrated efforts to accomplish work in one or more specific areas of church life or work deemed highly by the church.  Some examples of program ministry include social justice ministry, membership ministry, and life span faith development.  In conjunction with our expanding congregation, the Board of Trustees saw a need to provide for greater resources and more support in the area of Life Span Faith Development so Amber was hired as the UUCA’s first Program Minister to support that area of ministry.

COPMAM members are aware that you probably have a lot more questions!  We will be doing our best to educate you in the coming months.  You can start by looking at our display table located in the Narthex, or by asking Amber or any one of us about any questions you may have.  The committee members are: Al Adams, Stephanie Alig, Lisa Combs, Bob Ertman, Scott Gledhill, Henry Ledbetter and Gwen Schindler.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

Upcoming Sermons

 

 

 

 

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   October 28

“When the Night Comes”

Rev. Amber Beland,

Assistant Minister, LifeSpan Faith

Development

This is the time of year when the dark begins to get longer and we all mourn the leaving of the light.  As the celebration of Halloween approaches come learn about its history and connection to the end of harvest and the beginning of the winter darkness.  

November 4

"The Lazarus Effect"

Rev. Fred Muir,

Senior Minister


“How do you explain the story of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead?  Perhaps it has something to do with what South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and U.S. actor Brad Pitt call “ubuntu.”  Around the world (and in our own cities and towns) we can find women, men, youth and children who have been given up for dead

 

 

 

 

in need of “ubuntu.”  Join me on this United Nations Sunday to explore ‘The Lazarus Effect’ as a means of taking action for peacebuilding and sustainability.”

The All Children’s Chorus of Annapolis will sing at 9:00.  UUCA Choir will sing at 11:00.   The “First Sunday” collection will support the UU-UNO Office.

 

November 11

Rev. Amber Beland,

Assistant Minister, Life-Span Faith

Development & Eric Kaminetzky, Intern Minister

 

Music by Bryan Barrett and Brain Ganz.

 

November 18

“Naming Our Heritage of Thanksgiving”

Rev. Fred Muir,

Senior Minister

 

Our history as Unitarian Universalists is intertwined with our history as Americans.  As part of this Thanksgiving service, we’ll look at the contributions of our faith tradition to our nation and how we can respond and give thanks for our shared heritage.  The choir will be singing this morning and it is an intergenerational service.

 

 

 

Celebrating Our Beloved Community

 

UUCA Congregational Meeting.

We will hold a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, December  2nd at 10:30, in place of the second service. The Board of Trustees, Senior Minister and Staff hope you will all come to this meeting and take advantage of this opportunity to make your views heard. It will be an important meeting affecting the future of our church. Among other agenda items, the membership will be invited to:

            •           vote to adopt the 2008 budget,

            •           vote to move towards implementing our Strategic Plan,

            •          receive a presentation on the planned process for calling an Associate Minister

The final agenda will be published on the UUCA bulletin board the week before the meeting. This notice is provided in accordance with Article V(D) of the Constitution.

 

We hope you will join us for Budget Hearings on Sunday, November 11, 18 and 23 after each service in the Sanctuary.  Come learn about the 2008 budget, we will answer your questions and consider suggestions for changes.  While there will be discussion of the budget at the December meeting, changes to the budget will not be entertained so please bring those questions and concerns to the hearings.  We hope to see you there.

 

 

 

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R.E. flections

 

“Tapestry of Faith” – isn’t that a great name and a beautiful image?  What does it evoke for you?  Tapestry of Faith is the new “integrated” curriculum that the UUA is developing and publishing for people of all ages in our congregations.  The discernment process started many years ago.  I remember the first conversations about a “core curriculum” at a meeting of religious educators in Boston, probably more than ten years ago – the probing questions to define what kind of material would be conducive to creating wonderful experiences for the children and adults in our congregations, as they grew into our faith and made it their own.

Fast forward to the Liberal Religious Educators’ Association Fall Conference earlier this month, when the UUA’s Faith Development Staff Group, led by Judith Frediani, unveiled Tapestry of Faith as the first components are becoming available, and others are currently being field tested; the rest will be rolled out gradually until 2011, when the project is expected to be completed.  All the programs are designed to integrate four strands:

Ethical development

Spiritual development

Unitarian Universalist identity

Faith development.

Although the curriculum is rooted in the philosophy of religious education articulated in the last century by “prophets” such as Sophia Lyon Fahs or Angus MacLean, much work has been done to meet current needs and expectations.  For instance outcomes (rather than product) are emphasized, a more communal or multi-generational approach is encouraged, an anti-oppressive lens is used, and diversity is honored in its many forms.  The programs are based on core stories presented with different perspectives; almost all of them will be available online (free of charge), thereby allowing a lot of flexibility in adapting and customizing them.  An amazing array of resources is offered for each session, so that leaders can choose what best fits their group, their style, their interests: quotes, rituals, activities of all kinds, notes on adapting for special needs, discussion topics, service projects, music, “taking it home” pages for families, etc…  To top it off, teaching RE is presented as a spiritual practice, with a reflection piece for leaders included as part of the preparation for any given session.

At the end of her presentation, Judith Frediani urged us to “lighten up” – to stop focusing on what we don’t offer to our children and families (in a scant hour a week at best), and to celebrate the gift of faith.  I plan to do just that!

 

 

Fran

 

Job Opening At Paint Branch UU Church

CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR

Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church, a warm and caring mid-size church community in Adelphi, MD, is seeking a full-time church administrator.  This is an exempt position with a salary of $40,000 plus benefits.  Anticipated starting date is January 1, 2008.  Hours are normally 40 per week, with some evening or weekend hours required.

Requirements include: minimum of 5 years' management experience in business, operations or human resources; ability to work with people, solve problems, supervise volunteer and paid staff, manage communications, and manage rental facilities; computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, database, internet and web functions.  Closing date: 11/13/07.  Email resumes to ellencotts@comcast.net

 

 

 

How to send Publicity to UUCA

Greetings from the editor!

Publicity items (news articles, press releases, flyers, etc.) may be transmitted to the UUCA HighLights editor in several ways.  Here are some methods in order of most efficient to least:

To send your copy electronically please use our "Newsletter Item" submission form, which is found within our web site at  http://www.uuca-md.org . 

There you will see a link to "Submit forms on-line" and from there you may click on the link called "Newsletter Item" http://www.uuca-md.org/forms/newsletter.htm

Once there, you may fill in the blanks on the form and click on the "Submit Item" button which automatically transmits your submission request via email to newsletter@uuca-md.org.  Please send order of service items to orderofservice@uuca-md.org

If you prefer, you may send news articles by email to newsletter@uuca-md.org marked in the Subject line as "NEWSLETTER ITEM" (send bulletin items to orderofservice@uuca-md.org).  Please include the information that we ask for on our submission form; or,

drop off a diskette with your article in a Rich Text Format file along with a printout of the text and a  submission form; or,

send—by postal mail or by fax (see address and fax number below)—a printed, hard copy of your text on a submission form (or plain paper with: your name & number, when to publish, how many times, in which publication); or,

send a typed or handwritten article attached to (or written on) a paper submission form.  Submission forms are available on a literature tray in the outer office at the church (please avoid using small scraps of paper). 

If you typed it on your computer at home, PLEASE give it to us electronically; this will help us serve you more effectively, i.e., we won't spend time retyping it and we won't introduce any new or different typographical errors.  We want you to use our submission form to reduce the chance we will have questions about your news item and to help us work with the utmost efficiency.

Note: UUCA policy is to print community/non-UUCA press releases on a space available basis.  There may be times when no such items are included.  All items are subject to editing and space restrictions.

For further details on any of the above procedures, feel free to contact me.

 

Best regards from

Christol Medley, Church Administrator/Newsletter Editor

UU Church of Annapolis,

333 Dubois Rd.

Annapolis, Maryland  21401-2123

 

PH 410-266-8044 x102

Fax 410-266-6910

Administrator's Email: admin@uuca-md.org

Newsletter submission email: newsletter@uuca-md.org

Order of service submission email: orderofservice@uuca-md.org

Church Website: http://www.uuca-md.org

 

Praxis – A hard theory put into practice

Dusting Off Some Pieces

Do you have a hobby or avocation you were mad for in an earlier era? Wistful remembrances of what it was like to be single minded about something you enjoyed? I’ve got some.

One, rearing up lately, involves music.

I grew up taking piano and violin lessons. There was a time when I could play nicely. That was long ago.

A piece of music haunts me. It’s a Viotti violin concerto. The Allegro from No. 23, I think. I prepared it for a violin recital thirty-some years ago. Bits of it appear now and again when I pick up the violin.

I’m sure I have the score somewhere, but I never seem to be able to find it. Except in memory. I’m not sure my fingers could play it anymore, though I noodle around on occasion.

I’m just now digging through a box of miscellaneous music I packed for the trip from Durham to Annapolis.

Combing through crumbling pieces of paper with fading handwritten lyrics, music books with cracked bindings, it’s mostly for piano and guitar.

Music and memories fill my head.

Is there something you’ve dusted off recently? Or something you keep meaning to?

I suppose we can’t recover every youthful passion and indulgence. But maybe there’s one that’s worth recovering. Seeing what it’s like to re-engage, with the experience of years of living to back you up.

If you dare try, and you have fun, please let me know.

 

I won’t tell a soul….without your permission.

                                                                   © 2007 by Eric Kaminetzky

 

 

UUCA Book Club

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

On November 20, we will discuss Sam Harris’s Letter to a Christian Nation, a look at fundamentalist Christians and Muslims and their impact on the U.S.’s vulnerability.

The club has not decided whether to meet in December.  We have, however, selected a book for January: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.  The “Newcomer Talk & Tour”– Sunday, October 14, 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.  “The New UU”– Monday, November 26, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. covers UU theology and UU history.  Please contact Susan Eckert for further information or to request childcare 410-266-8044, x110.

Uuca outdoor club

Saturday, November 10, 2007   9:00am-6:00pm   Trail Hike and Wildlife Drive,  Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Eastern Shore    Meet at church at 9:00am to carpool.  We will hike the trails and observe the wintering birds.  Bring snacks or light lunch for the trail; then we will have a late lunch at a restaurant in Cambridge.  Bring binoculars, water.  Wear walking shoes; dress in layers. For more information and to sign up, please contact Eloise Hoyt, ehoyt-at-toadmail.com.

Pastoral Care Team News

Virginia (Ginny) Reinhart would like her UUCA friends and family to know that she is back in Annapolis after breaking her hip while visiting family in Denver last month.  She continues her recovery at home and welcomes phone calls or notes.  Our wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Ginny.

 

Women’s cancer Support Group Gathering

Thursday November 8, 6:30 p.m. at Viet-Thai Paradise located at 2652 Riva Rd.  (Same shopping center as CVS). The menu is varied and reasonably priced. Vegetarian meals and salads available, Our focus will be on eating healthy, and sharing ways to look our best.  An evening of fellowship and conversation.  To make a reservation call or email Claire Johnson at  her e-mail clairejj-at-comcast.net.   Please call no later than Monday, November 5.

                                    Claire Johnson and Ginny Klocko

 

 

Uuca tea & thee!

 

Please join us at the very first UUCA Tea and Thee where you will find tea, libations, goodies and congeniality.

WHERE:  Narthex at UUCA

WHEN:  Thursday, November 1, 2007

TIME:  2:00 to 4:00 PM

RSVP BY MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007 to:

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

Transportation can be arranged as needed.

 

UUCA GLBT Group Gatherings

10,000 Villages Sale

Hyattsville Mennonite Church

East-West Highway

Saturday Nov 3rd

10am rain or shine

Let's meet at Panera (Riva Festival) at 9am for a light breakfast & then caravan in to Hyattsville.

All crafts and wares are handmade by indigineous people and provide a living wage~great gifts for year round giving that are "fair trade."

 

Happy Hour at Cafe Matisse

Severn Bank Bldg off    Westgate Circle

Tuesday, Nov 27th

5:00-7:00pm

Impromptu gathering for snacks, coffees, teas, libations $1.00 off beers and wines from 5-7pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith Development

 

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R.e. news

Trick or Treat for UNICEF: collection boxes will be distributed in all RE groups next Sunday, October 28.  Don’t be surprised if a child approaches you during one of the social hours to collect for UNICEF.    Please be ready - bring plenty of change as you may be solicited more than once!  Remember that every donation can make a lifesaving difference, because 91% of the funds raised go to programs helping children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2007 Womuunweb

Check out the Fall 2007 Womuunweb, Continental Electronic Newsletter of UU Feminist Inspiration.  This issue of Womuunweb carries the theme:  “The Meaning of our Feminist Power”.

Articles include:

Shifting Into Positive.  The thoughts that are projected as we choose to adopt a positive perspective will provide a means to actively promote our values and, eventually foster lasting change.

Introducing Rev. Addae L. Watson, UU Women & Religion’s new Co-Convener and the other members of the Continental Core Group as well as District Representatives

Save the date for the First International Convocation of Progressive Women of Faith: Weaving Global Partnerships to Improve Women’s Lives – February 27 – March 2, 2009, Houston, TX

 “Cakes…In Ancient Times” a 5-session religious education curriculum in feminist thealogy for adults and older youth is available for purchase.

UU Women Exchange Ideas and Actions.

To download a printable PDF file, go to: http://www.uuwr.org/WOMUUNWEB/WOMUUNWEB-29-Fall-2007.htm.  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.

 

 

 

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin

Invites you to celebrate with us

the Ordination of

Theresa Jane Novak

Sunday, November 4, 2007

At four o’clock

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin

240 Channing Way, San Rafael, California

 

 

Hallows: Samhain/Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

At the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice, we pause to remember and honor the dead. We honor ancestors. We honor those we have loved. We honor, too those we never met. We honor all humans. We honor all beings. We honor the perpetual cycle of life.

All are welcome to join Full Circle as we observe Hallows/ Samhain on October 30, 2007.

6:30 PM-- Altar building: Participants may construct an altar to honor those who have passed.

7:00 PM-- Labyrinth walking: Participants may walk the labyrinth in meditation and contemplation.

7:30 PM-- Dumb Supper Feasting: Participants may join in feasting with an empty place set to remember those who have passed. A donation of a can of vegetable soup for feasting is appreciated.

All are welcome. Questions? Contact Raven ravenbishop707-at-yahoo.com

 

 

Resource Stewardship

UUCA Website Update

Last month, we launched the new website it has a new look and the navigation is user friendly. After the first week we discovered that there was more work that needed to be done.

We would like to thank all of you who sent messages about broken links, content errors and missing information. Over the past month, we have been working very hard to make those changes and add additional content.

We have more changes to make and will continue to add new content as it is received. If your group has not submitted content for your page it is not too late. The website is a living document, we change and add content almost daily.

Here are a few of the new items:

Habitat for Humanity

Legislative Action Team

Our History

Music for Peace & Justice

Welcoming Congregation

In the very near future we will be adding more information about covenant groups,  adult faith development, and  Green Sanctuary as well as information on how to become a program of the church or sponsorship of groups and programs. Until then, keep surfing the website.

 

Finance Notes - Major Repairs

Ten months ago at the Congregational Meeting to approve the budget, I described a situation in need of attention.  Over several years, UUCA had depleted its reserve for “Major Repairs” to our facilities, and we faced a leaky roof and a leaky foundation. The 2007 budget – which we approved - included $30,000 for major repairs.  We still face these problems, and here is the update.

Recently we have not seen any roof leakage.  The most serious foundation leakage, occurring near the electrical panel in the basement’s southwest corner, was fixed by BGE at no cost to UUCA.  These are two pieces of good news, but the underlying problems are still there.  Our roof is old, and our south foundation dams up groundwater flow.  I am sure the leakage problems will return when the drought is over.

To manage the risk posed by these problems, the Management Team has  (1) obtained estimates for a new roof, one that includes insulation for energy savings, (2) searched for solutions for the foundation leakage (not much progress here – if you have expertise on this issue, please let us know).

There is, however, a major factor that complicates the solving of these problems.  We are considering a capital campaign and some sort of building effort.  If the congregation approves, we will soon have a “Master Site Plan” and a “Phase 1 Plan” for expansion of our physical plant.  We don’t know yet how this plan, if approved, would reconfigure our existing sanctuary and roof.  It doesn’t seem smart to re-roof our Church right now if there’s a good chance that expansion might tear out that new roof.  Likewise, if foundation drainage work is going to occur, it would be nice to combine it with other construction and roll the cost into the capital financing package for the building expansion.

One other factor enters the picture.  Our 2007 budget called for $600,000 in commitments for giving to UUCA.  With 98% of all the commitments now on record, we have commitments for only $558,000, and I expect a shortfall of about $40,000 in UUCA’s income this year.  This is disappointing but not catastrophic, because we haven’t spent $30,000 on major repairs, and we have had fundraising income we didn’t expect.

So the problems with our facilities persist, compounded by great uncertainty about our future plans and a lack of funds.  But we are moving ahead with planning to remove the uncertainty about future building – you will hear more about that soon.  And I am confident that we can manage our facility issues in the short term as the planning process clarifies our direction.  Stay tuned!

 

News from the Newly forming Building Campaign Committee!

 

We have been talking for years about expanding our facilities and the issue has been studied seriously over the past two years by SPARC.  A new Building Campaign Committee has been formed, chaired by Evelyn Spurgin and Peter Crilly.  So far, the members include Jan Sprinkel, Jan Bird, Ed Adams and Louise Huddleston.  In September, the committee, as well as Kirk Albright and Margaret Martin from SPARC, the Board, our ministers, and other interested folks met with a UUA consultant Dave Rickard to determine whether we are ready to embark on a building campaign.

      We spent a weekend with Dave, who had already reviewed (and thoroughly absorbed) a lot of information about us, including our history, the recent strategic plan, and financial information, including our past capital campaigns and current stewardship information and budget.  Dave provided us with an Assessment Visit Report and advised that we are ready to proceed with a capital campaign with an estimated total project cost of $3,400,000 to $4,000,000.  He gave us a proposed schedule, including steps that will verify our readiness to proceed.  The Board, at its recent meeting, voted to follow Dave’s recommendations and hire him as our consultant.

      Under the proposed schedule, the congregation will be asked to approve an Architectural Program Statement and to authorize the hiring of an architect to produce a master plan and preliminary drawings at our December congregational meeting.  If all goes as planned, we will have two further congregational meetings in the spring and will kick off a Building Fund Campaign in the fall of 2008.  This is a tentative schedule and the committee will keep everyone informed as the year progresses.  In the meantime, if anyone has any questions or would like to see a copy of the Assessment Visit Report, please do not hesitate to contact Evelyn Spurgin at mes@hbdlaw.com.

      This is an exciting time for our congregation!  It will also be a time where there will be some anxiety and many questions.  We intend to have informational meetings before the congregation is asked to vote on anything and will have regular updates in the newsletter.

        We look forward to helping our congregation take this important step in carrying out our mission and vision to expand the reach of Unitarian Universalism in our area.  Some people have already started making donations toward their building fund gifts.  If you would like to do so for tax purposes in 2007, please feel free to contact Evelyn Spurgin or Ed Adams.

 

 

 

 

SOLD!!! “Dining for Dollar$” silent auction needs you!

 

A silent auction featuring fun and festive dinners, professional services and more to benefit UUCA is in need of donations. Bidding will take place between Sunday services on November 18, 25, with final bidding culminating on December 2, in conjunction with the congregational meeting. Similar events have been successful for other congregations, and this one should prove to offer plenty of opportunities for fun, festivity, and fellowship. If you would like to host an event on which members will bid to attend, the sky is the limit – a gourmet dinner or wine tasting at home, a family picnic, a Chesapeake sailing cruise, a crab feast, tickets to a sporting event, professional services are all fair game. Donate an event to help raise funds for the church and have fun with other members of the congregation. It’s a Win-Win! For more information in the next newsletter or contact Bridget Avila bridget.avila-at-verizon.net) or Diane Ratcliff, dratcliff940-at-comcast.net).