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, 12/17/2007

Next Mailing: 12/21/2007

Volume 50, Issue 23

December 11, 2007

 

"Helping Us Help You"

 

(Partially excerpted from Margaret Jaworksi's column at www.carepages.com.)

Our congregation prides itself on being a loving and supportive one. The Pastoral Care Team wants to identify the needs of people in the church community so that we can offer help and support wherever possible.  Often, this is challenging for many reasons: personal privacy or embarrassment can be key, but many of us are fiercely independent and worried about actually having to ask someone for help.

Why are so many of us reluctant to ask for help from friends and colleagues?

"Fear is a major component,” says M. Nora Klaver, author of Mayday! Asking for Help in Times of Need (Berrett-Koelher;   www.bk-life.com).  "We fear exposing ourselves. We worry that we will be perceived as needy and out of control,” says Nora. “We also fear embarrassment or shame: we don’t want people to see that part of ourselves that isn’t perfect.”

Perfection is a false standard. People with an illness can’t worry about being in control at all times, says Nora. “If revealing your situation to a colleague might prove helpful, then it pays to step outside of your comfort zone.”

Step outside; don’t parachute out of your comfort zone. “You can ask for help without revealing every element of the situation,” says Nora. For example, someone might say, “I’m ill and I don’t want to get into the details but I will need help with the following things…”

Equally important is the language we use when asking for help. Be precise in articulating your feelings and needs. For example, saying you’re confused by the treatment options and would like some input is very different from saying, “I don’t know what to do.”

In addition, articulating what you need makes it easier for those around you to fulfill that need. And keep in mind that everyone has his or her strengths and weaknesses. Don’t ask the friend who hates hospitals to be your chemo buddy. Do ask the friend who lousy at hand holding to run errands for you.

      Are you in need of a caring friend who will listen, empathize, encourage and provide confidential care and patiently support you as you work through a crisis or difficult time?  Do you know a church member who could benefit from this type of care?  Then contact one of our Coordinators.  They can tell you more about our Pastoral Care Ministry.

 

Care Minister Coordinators:

Susan Eckert              (410) 266-8044 (weekdays)

Becky Morris             (410) 544-2738 (evenings, weekends)

Kathy Hughes            (410) 798-4719 (evenings, weekends)

 

Look at it this way: “Refusing to ask for help when you need it is refusing someone the chance to be helpful.” —Ric Ocasek

 

 

Holiday Dates to Remember

December 14

7-9 pm Yule Celebration – Winter Solstice

December 16

UUCA Choir Music Sunday

December 23

Christmas Sunday Music by  Intergenerational Choir

(No Religious Exploration - Nursery Care only up to age 5)

December 24

5 pm – Family Candlelight Service

7 pm and 9 pm – Traditional Candlelight Services

December 24-January 1

Church Office Closed

December 30

9 am Service Only

(No Religious Exploration – Nursery Care only up to age 5)

“Begin again in Love”

Eric Kaminetzky, Intern Minister

Music By

Louise Huddleston, Piano

December 31

All 2007 contributions must be received or postmarked December 31 to be included in 2007 Tax Contribution statements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

Upcoming Sermons

 

December 16

Choir Holiday Music

Join us this morning when the UUCA Choir, directed by Betsy Jo Angebranndt, will present this year’s Music Sunday: Carols From Around the World.

 

December 17

Newsletter Deadline

December 25 issue will be published one week earlier than scheduled due to office closing December 24 - January 1.

 

December 23

Christmas Sunday

Join us this morning when the Intergenerational Choir, led by Lynn Rose, presents this year’s Holiday Pageant: “Stars Over Christmas.” No Religious Exploration this Sunday.

 

 

December 24

Christmas Eve Services

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services will be held at 5:00 PM, 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Families with small children and infants are encouraged to attend the service at 5:00 PM which is more “child-friendly.” Join us for a wonderful, heartfelt and magical evening.

 

 

 

 

December 30

“Begin again in Love”

Eric Kaminetzky,

Intern Minister

One Intergenerational Service at 9:00 a.m. only.

Join Eric Kaminetzky, Intern Minister, on this last Sunday in 2007. Music by Louise Huddleston. No Religious Exploration this Sunday.

 

 

 

January 6

“What’s Next?”

Rev. Fred Muir,

Senior Minister

 

2008 promises to be a significant year for our congregation.  In this “State of the Church” reflection, I’ll share my vision for UUCA and will have time for your responses. Music by Blake Cramer, Vibraphone.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Celebrating Our Beloved Community

Keep the faith

 

As we enter into this winter holiday season packed with so many meanings, this statement I recently read struck me as especially poignant: “Adult readers of history have to unlearn many of the things they remember from their schooldays.  This is especially true of quotations of famous people because before the invention of tape recording virtually anything they said from the Old Testament onward was almost certain to be misquoted unless they wrote it down themselves.”  Whether your holiday meaning is grounded in the Jesus, Hanukkah, Pagan or a family story, the likelihood is that either all or a good deal of your meaning is based on something other than first-hand knowledge.  The story of the Bethlehem nativity, the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem, the personal transformation resulting from more light and less darkness, or what a distant relative did or didn’t do – most of these are themes that engage us with important meanings, but as I was recently reminded it’s not like anyone recorded these events or words of wisdom using the technology of their era; in that sense, our meanings are not based on fact.  These stories and their meanings have been revised, massaged, and interpreted over decades, centuries, or millennia.

Does that mean they aren’t true?  Of course not; and for some, that there are no eye-witness accounts to the facts make them even more meaningful because that allows us to personalize the stories, make them our own; we give the events and people the meaning we want and nobody can take that away – even somebody who claims to be armed with special knowledge, with the “truth”!  As biblical scholar Marcus Borg says – and I think his advice applies to so much more than reading sacred stories and scripture: Don’t ask whether or not something actually happened; ask what is it’s meaning, the meaning for those who wrote or created the event or person, what is it’s meaning for you.

I wish for you a December full of warm relationships, reflection and meaning.  There will be plenty of opportunities for these at the church (as you can read about in this newsletter).  I look forward to seeing and greeting you, but if I don’t – Have a blessed December and my best to you for a glorious New Year.

Keep the faith,

Fred

 

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.

 

Resource Stewardship

 

As we prepare to finalize the 2007 Tax Contributions Records please remember that all end of the year contributions must be postmarked December 31, 2007 to be counted towards this year’s contributions.

Also if our records do not match your records please contact the office immediately. Final tax contributions letters will be mailed on or about January 19, 2008.

 

The Joseph Priestley District 2008 Spring Conference

 

Voices of Justice, Hands of Change

March 28-30, 2008

Doubletree Hotel - Bethesda, MD

 

Join UUs from the Joseph Priestley District for a weekend of leadership development, UU worship, inspiration, and celebration.

 The conference will include Childcare, Elementary, and Middle School programs, plus select workshops for High School Youth and full-length Bridging Program for graduating high school seniors.  Bring the whole family!

 Look for registration information and workshop descriptions in early February, 2008.  Workshop proposals and volunteer applications are due January 2, 2008.  Please check back at the JPD website, www.jpduua.org, for updates and previews.

If you are interested in leading a workshop, please use the workshop proposal form to submit your proposal for a 1-hour program at the UU JPD Intergenerational Spring Conference and Annual Meeting.  Please be sure to submit your proposal to the JPD Office no later than noon on January 2, 2008.

 Up to two leaders of each selected workshop will receive 25% off of their registration fee.  No reimbursement for materials or other expenses will be provided.  Workshop presenters must register for the conference.

 

Contact the Joseph Priestley District Office at 302.778.4564

 

Web of Life

By Amber Beland, Assistant Minister, Lifespan Faith Development

 

It’s that holiday season again.  The carols and holiday sales, the rush and bustle, the cold weather, decorating and holiday parties.  There is so much to do, so many people to write to or call, to exchange presents with or just have over to reminisce and catch up.  It seems every year that the holidays just sneak up on us and when we turn around there they are.  This holiday season I want to suggest that perhaps we could all give ourselves the gift of taking a step back, slowing down, de-stressing and trying to find moments where we can remember what is at the heart of the season.  It is not about buying things or opening gifts, it isn’t about the stuff we have or don’t have.  I think it is really about three things, hope, love, and thanksgiving.  This holiday season I am challenging myself to take the time to look forward to the next year, to hold on to hope.  I am challenging myself to pay attention to the love that surrounds us when we gather as a community and with our families and friends.  I am challenging myself to be thankful for the fullness of this life.  This holiday season instead of buying into the busyness of the season I wish for you hope, love and thanksgiving.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season,

Amber

 

First Sunday Outreach Collection:

The collection on Sunday, December 2 for the benefit of the Holiday Giving Program netted $2,687.61! THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY! Boxes for your donations of warm clothing and children’s toys will be located in the Narthex from now until Sunday, December 23.

 

A Friendly Reminder Regarding Social Hour Goodies

 

If you are not signed up to bring the Social Hour Goodies, we ask that you not leave large amounts of leftovers from a previous event or bring unscheduled snacks without checking with the coordinator, Liz Barrett.  Liz creates a sign-up sheet and schedules people to provide social hour refreshments for each service, every Sunday.  Many times those who sign up spend a lot of time/money shopping, baking or making their treats.  When they arrive on Sunday to food already there it can feel like their efforts are not appreciated.  We also ask that anyone providing goodies refrain from bringing frosted cakes of any kind.  They require extra utensils, are very messy and often get ground into the carpet and floors.

 

R.E. Facilitator Sharing and Social

 

Sunday, January 6, 2008, 10:30 AM-12:00 noon.  Childcare will be available.  All facilitators and advisors for the first or second semester (or both!) are invited to participate.  Mark your calendars and look for an invitation in the mail!

 

 

 

 

Faith Development

Full Circle Yule event Dec. 14th Friday @ 7pm

Celebrate the return of light, sing some carols and roast smores over an open flame. Warm tea and cocoa to follow. Bring your favorite tea to share, cookies or a dessert to snack on afterwards.

 

UUCA Book Club

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

The club will not meet in December. We will resume meetings in January. Our selection for January 15 is The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.

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

 

 

 

 

R.e. news

RE Calendar for upcoming Sundays:

Sunday, December 16: RE at 9 AM and 11 AM as usual.

Sundays, December 23 (9 AM and 11 AM) and 30 (9 AM only): Intergenerational Celebrations - Religious Exploration groups will not meet.  Children and youth are encouraged to sit with their family in the sanctuary for all services.  Nursery coverage will be available on both of those Sundays as an option for parents who wish to use this service for their young children only (ages: 6 months-5 years).

Sunday, January 6: Roots and Wings at 9 AM resumes; childcare only at 11 AM.

Sunday, January 13: back to the regular schedule with Roots and Wings at 9 AM and Wonder Hour at 11 AM.

  Un-trimming the Christmas Tree: no sooner have we finished decorating the Christmas tree than we already have to think about un-trimming it!  If, on Stone Soup Sunday, you made an ornament that you would like to keep, please plan to take it off the church Christmas tree on Sunday, December 30 after the service.

 

Are You New to UUCA?

 

Newcomer Talk & Tour– January 6, after the 9 a.m. service or January 13, 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.

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

The New UU– Saturday, January 19, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. covers UU theology and UU history.  This program meets in the Sanctuary.

Path to Membership – Saturday, February 2, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 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.

 

 

 

 

Social Justice  & Outreach

 

Meadville Lombard Theological School, a Unitarian Universalist seminary located in Chicago, Illinois, announces two learning and networking opportunities for lay leaders, seminarians, and ministers

 

Winter Institute - February 8 - 10, 2008

Can We Build the Beloved Community through Political Action?

Explore the potential and the limitations of democratic processes for creating the beloved community. During two days of lecture and discussion, consider the kinds of political activities effective in building community and how this political work is connected with the institutional life of the church.

This workshop will be led by Dr. Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Associate Professor of Politics and African American Studies at Princeton University and author of "Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought."

Fees for the Institute are $130 for students; $190 for all others (not including lodging). For more information, visit our website,

http://www.meadville.edu/LL_WinterInstitute.htm, or email:winterinstitute@meadville.edu.

Registration closes January 15.

 

 

Civil Rights Bus Tour - March 22 - 30, 2008

Join Rev. Dr. Gordon and Judy Gibson as they take you on a tour of significant sites of the Southern Civil Rights Movement, offering a journey of experiential learning where you will encounter the sites, sounds, and especially the people who worked to create change during this revolutionary time in our country's history.  The course is offered for credit for seminary students, but non-students are encouraged to audit the course, too.

Enrollment to take the course for credit will be limited to 15. An additional 15 seats on the tour will be available to the general public. Registration is on a first-come basis and is due no later than January 18, 2008.  Please note that this year the course runs across Easter weekend. Participation for the entire eight days is required for those seeking academic credit and strongly encouraged for all others. See the link on our home page for more information about this course:

www.meadville.edu.

 

This course was offered in 2006 and was a life- and ministry-changing experience for all of the participants. For an account of that trip, please visit our website:

http://www.meadville.edu/AtML_CivilRightsApril06.htm.

 

For more information, please contact Tina Porter at tporter@meadville.edu

 

New Orleans Calling! Are You Available?

Put your values into action. Spend the week of May 10-17 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Volunteer Program doing Katrina recovery work.

Wanted to go to Biloxi last year with UUCA and missed out?  Here’s your chance to make good on that, “If they ever do that again…” promise of yours.

Intern Minister Eric Kaminetzky is putting together a group of about 10 UUCA folks for a Saturday-to-Saturday adventure of learning, service, and camaraderie.

We will learn about the issues facing New Orleans and its people as we participate in the recovery.

Send an email to Eric at INTERN@UUCA-MD.ORG saying you are willing to step up.

Then, go to www.uusc.org and click on the Gulf Coast Volunteer link toward the bottom of the page.

 

Got more money than time? Offer to subsidize some of the groups’ costs.

 

Live your Unitarian Universalism. Make a difference!

 

Marriage Equality Working Group Established

Concerned members of the congregation and representatives of other groups met recently to combine forces to push for marriage equality in the 2008 Maryland legislative session. Those in attendance were from the UUCA Welcoming Congregation Committee, other persons concerned with LGBT issues, the Legislative Action Committee, the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland, and Equality Maryland.

The plan for the Working Group is to draw on the talents and passions of each so that together we can most effectively work toward the common goal. We are working to get legislation enacted in 2008 that provides marriage equality for all Marylanders. We are reaching out to other UU congregations in Maryland to work toward a forceful response from all across the state.

 

If you would like more information or want to get actively involved, please contact church members, Betty Crowley, Jan Bird, or Randy Balano.

 

 

Tips from Green Sanctuary

 

It’s mid-December.  There are perhaps a few of you out there who not only have done all your holiday shopping, but have wrapped all those gifts and placed them under your fully-decorated tree, bush, yule log, or whatever you put all your goodies under.  You, I’m not even talking to.  The rest of us, however, still got some wrappin’ to do.  There is still time for us to green up our holidays a bit more. 

     A pile of beautifully-wrapped gifts is a sight to behold.  But when the frenzy is over, and there’s nothing left but a pile a beautiful trash to add to the landfill, many of us find ourselves wishing there were some greener alternatives to single-use, virgin wrapping paper. Of course there are, and many  are probably very familiar to you – buying commercial wrapping paper with recycled content (the higher percentage the better, of course); creating and decorating your own, using newspaper, packing paper, brown bags, etc.; using gift bags (which can be passed on many times). You can also save your leftover wrapping paper and reuse it for future occasions (you can actually iron out the wrinkles to make it look fresh). 

     Another alternative that you may not have thought of is wrapping packages in textiles – anything from leftover squares of cotton fabric to elegant silks.  Check out www.furoshiki.com for ideas and basic techniques.  (Furoshiki is an ancient Japanese art that is making a comeback.  Books about it are available on-line and in your local library.)

 

Building the World We Dream About –

This curriculum seeks to interrupt the workings of racism and transform how people from different racial/ethnic groups understand and relate to each other.  It creates an opportunity wherein participants can practice dreaming our world otherwise, and then commit to new, intentional ways of being.  As UUs, we hope developing anti-racist, anti-oppressive and multicultural habits and skills lead us to actually build the multicultural world we dream about.  We are a test congregation for the Unitarian Universalist Association and we hope that you will consider committing to a program that will be transformative for our congregation.  We will meet every 1st and 3rd Sunday from 1-3pm from January through December; our first meeting will be January 6 in the Sanctuary.  We need to have 18 to 20 participants to hold this course and regular attendance is required.  Sign up in the Narthex.  For more information, please contact Roxanne Kibben or Diane Goforth.  Childcare will not be provided unless requested so please let us know as soon as possible if you will need it. 

 

Gallery at 333

Alma Nugent, Photographer

November-December

 

The 333 Coffeehouse

Siobban Quinn &

Michael Bowers

Friday, December 21 at 8 p.m.

 

Gallery at 333

Alma Nugent, Photographer

November-December

 

The 333 Coffeehouse

The Chromatics

Friday, January 18 at 8 p.m.

 

The 333 Coffeehouse

Peter Mayer

Friday, February 15 at 8 p.m.

 

Music for Peace & Justice

Concert Series

The Michael Thomas Quintet
Saturday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m.

 

Dignity Players

Antigone

Feb 29 - March 9

Thurs, Friday & Saturday 8:00 p.m. 1st Sunday 7:30 p.m.

2nd Sunday 2:00 p.m.

 

The 333 Coffeehouse Lea with Max Ochs &

Neil Harpe

Friday, March 21 at 8 p.m.

 

The 333 Coffeehouse

Bill Staines

Friday, April 18 at 8 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

333 Coffeehouse at the UU Church of Annapolis

Friday, January 18, 2007, 8:00 PM