 |
|
Building Community, Changing the World, Seeking the Spirit
|
 Why is the Prologue on Tuesday this Time?
It's an Experiment!
To help better accommodate staff and minister schedules, we are trying something new this summer with The Prologue. During June, July, and August, we will publish on the first and third TUESDAYS of each month, instead of on Monday. The only exception is
Wednesday, July 5, since July 4 is the first Tuesday of July, and the office will be closed for Independence Day.
|
Sunday, June 11, 2017 9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Of Trust and Courage
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Reverend Scott McNeill
Join Reverend Macklin and Reverend McNeill in reflecting on the trust and courage needed in our relationships. We will talk about how to build the trust with others, find the courage within, and what to do when things get off-course.
|
|
Sunday, June 18,2017 ONE SERVICE ONLY AT 10:15 A.M.
Intergenerational Solstice Celebration
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, Reverend Scott McNeill
Celebrate this season of maximum daylight and the arrival of summer through ritual, song and storytelling! This service is designed for all ages to enjoy together, but there will be childcare available for our youngest. The UU Children's Choir, directed by Jill Courtney, will be performing.
Our One-Service Summer Schedule begins June 18 and continues through Sunday, July 30.
|
From Reverend McNeill
A few things for you this beautiful June morning!
First, our staff wanted to say hello as we approach summer, full of zest and energy as we head toward the Congregational Meeting!
Next, one of the things the ministers and staff talk about when we meet together is how hard it is right now to engage with a world that is over-flowing with news and opinion, reasons to be outraged, and never-ending to-do lists. So, here is my request (especially after last Sunday's service where we shared a handful of opportunities to do something about the state of affairs):
Participate in one project this summer.
Sure, if you're so moved, you can do a project a week, even. But if (like me, and many of us) you're feeling overwhelmed, commit to participating in one thing this season and see how it goes from there. The world needs you--but it doesn't need an over-tired or burned out version of you. Show up when and where you can; and, trust that others will be there to do the work when you cannot. That's part of how a community takes care of itself, and is the only way we'll get through the hot and heavy days before us.
This Sunday at 4:00 pm (as you'll read elsewhere), our annual congregational meeting will address many topics but two stick out right now. The first is our 25% program--where we give 25% of our non-pledge gifts to a social justice program. You can read more about that in this issue! The other topic that is hugely important to me is the Covenant of Right Relations. I encourage you to watch this video from the UUA
|
From Your Board of Directors
We hope to see everyone this coming Sunday, June 11th at 4:00 pm, for our Spring Congregational Meeting. The agenda includes voting on the slate from the Leadership Cultivation Committee (see their article in
May 15th Prologue for that slate), setting our budget for 2017-18, and updates from the Board, Ministers, and key committees. We will also continue our discussion and consider adopting a Covenant of Right Relations (formerly Healthy Communications)--please see the website for the latest version:
http://www.uubloomington.org/about-us/board-of-directors/
And if you have not pledged yet, please do so by either calling the UUCB office, 812-332-3695, or
visiting the website! Over 300 pledges have been made. We have 330 member households--if those remaining households will pledge this week, we will be able to propose a budget with significant progress towards fair salary for our ministers and staff.
Lastly, we note with sadness the passing of Jim Key. Jim served until recently as the elected Moderator of the UUA. He visited UUCB and preached here in February of 2015. A number of us had a chance to meet with him and found him a remarkable individual.
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2017 4:00 P.M.
The Meeting Room
2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington, Indiana
All members encouraged to attend.
Childcare provided.
|
Children's Program June 11
Sharing Zest Day in Religious Education
**Show and Tell
Sunday for kindergarten-eighth graders**
Children and youth: please bring an item to share!
Our older children will hear the story of Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, join in a short hunt, and then enjoy Show and Tell time with adults from the congregation. Preschoolers will hear Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge in their class, too, and will explore the story in their classroom as usual.
|
Former UUCB members Mark Day and Jean Umiker Sebeok will be visiting Bloomington June 14-20. They will be in town for the memorial service at First Presbyterian for Mark's mother, Bettyclaire Tyler Day, who died last August at age 101. Mark and Jean would like to see old friends while they are here; you can reach them via Mark's mobile: 812-219-9368.
|
One Summer Service Each Sunday
at 10:15 a.m.
June 18 through July 30
We will hold one service only each Sunday this summer, starting June 18 and continuing through July 30. Religious Education will take place as usual during the service (except on June 18, which is an intergenerational service.) Regular services at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. will resume August 6.
|
Come Celebrate Iftaar with Us June 9
You are invited! Join our Muslim friends in a joint celebration of Ramadan at our church on
Friday, June 9th
. Sunset on
June 9
is
9:11 p.m.
and feasting will begin shortly thereafter, following the call to prayer. Doors will open at
8 p.m.
for set-up and preparations. Members of the Mosque provide the main course, and we bring a positively yummy selection of desserts. The Iftaar celebration is one the biggest events of the UU calendar and we always have many volunteers who help out and enjoy socializing. Last year we had a record number of friendly UU faces welcoming our Muslim neighbors. It was FUN!
Contact Abby Downey at
812 824 7755
or text
219 306 9801
, with any questions or suggestions. (I do love suggestions for a more successful evening. Really!)
|
DENOMINATIONAL AFFAIRS
We are very pleased to announce that the following delegates will be representing our
Congregation at the 2017 UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY June 21-25 in New Orleans:
Doug Cauble, Julie Cauble, Marlin Howard, Amy Makice, Orion Day, Renee Reed, and Jackie Hall.
Off-site delegate is Iris Kiesling. We are looking for one more off-site delegate to
vote in the UUA presidential election and follow the business of the Assembly electronically.
As many of you know, this is the year we select a new President of the UUA. All delegates,
ministers, and ministers emerita/us can vote for the president. If you have any QUESTIONS,
please contact one of our delegates. There are many interesting discussions going on at
the Assembly. You can follow it ALL at
www.uua.org/ga
or
generalassembly@uua.org
JOIN US and follow what is happening at UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2017.
|
2017 Auction Update
This year's auction was a huge success!! The total raised was.....drum roll please.....$18,000+! Many thanks to everyone who contributed by donating items, attending and bidding, working on the committee, moving chairs, donating food or serving the luncheon, and so much more. A special thanks to the steering committee: Ruth Ann Cooper, Joan Caulton, Amira Sabbagh, and staff liaison Ann LeDuc for their time, efforts and ideas over four months of planning. This work seems to be a great example of the "embodiment" of building community so that we can change the world. Debbie Fish, Chair, UU Auction 2017
|
Women's Alliance Meets July 6
The last Women's Alliance Meeting was on Thursday, June 1. The program was about Permaculture with Anne and Chris Haynes. They have landscaped their yard into a permaculture area with edible berry bushes, fruit trees, a garden area for vegetables and ponds for irrigation. Hosts were Ann Kamman and Sharon Yarber, with wonderful ice cream sundaes.
Next Women's Alliance Meeting is July 6th, and the program is "Opportunity House" with Sandy Churchill. Hosts will be Anna Wiley and Sharon Wiseman.
The Women's Alliance meets the first Thursday of each month at 11:30 am in Fellowship Hall. Please enter through court yard doors. The meetings begin with a brown bag lunch; drinks and dessert are provided by the hosts of the month.
The program begins at noon, followed by the business meeting.
Come and join us and see what we are all about.
--Julie Cauble, Alliance Vice President
|
Marsh Stores Likely to Close -- Come Buy Some Marsh Cards!
We were as surprised as you were to learn this week that the two remaining Marsh stores in Bloomington may be closing soon. We have a pretty good stock of Marsh grocery cards that we would like to sell before the middle of June. There are certain to be some good deals at Marsh in the near future, so buy some Marsh cards from us and stock up! Grocery cards are available for sale in the Commons every Sunday morning, 10:15-11:00 a.m. Our grocery card program contributed $7,000 to our operating budget this year. Thank you for participating!
|
|
Tell Bloomington about our church--
Be part of the
4th of July Parade!
|
Lost and Found Alert
Missing a jacket, water bottle, scarf, umbrella, shirt, sweater, hat or gloves? Please check out the very nice collection of lost and found items on the courtyard coatrack and retrieve your items. We'll be giving whatever's left to charity by mid-June.
--Carol Marks, Ch.Admin.
|
Habitat Task Force Invites Builders
on June 17 and June 24
To complete the interfaith build by early July, additional builders are needed on
June 17
and
June 24
. Individuals can sign up on your own at
www.monroecountyhabitat.org
, and sign up for the Duncan & Chambers Construction Volunteer. Or, you can
contact Barb Berggoetz
.
The task force will be selling CommUNITY Interfaith Build t-shirts to help finance the build for builders and anyone to buy when they are available in June. The build has raised $43,000 of the $70,000 cost, so the faith communities have a ways to go before reaching our goal.
The UU and friends Women Build team completed its build day on May 11. The entire team raised more than $15,000 and helped build two homes for local families. Thanks to the UU women who participated and raised money and to the Women's Alliance and several other UUs who financially supported the annual build. Your support is greatly appreciated. --Barb Berggoetz
|
Backpack Buddies Project a Success!
To celebrate the installation on May 20 of our new Associate Minister, Rev. Scott McNeill, we gathered food items together to support the Backpack Buddies program for Monroe County, which provides weekend food for children in need. Pictured are carts full of the items we donated.
|
Our Grounds Help to Lower
Our Carbon Footprint
Since last fall we have planted 13 trees on the church grounds to help "sink" carbon, and mulched several areas to reduce the amount of grass to be mowed. We have also engaged our children by planting and nurturing (and harvesting) vegetables.
Could you volunteer to help water trees and vegetables a couple of times this summer? A review of what is needed and weeks available to sign up is at: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0545A4A62FA2F49-uucb1
If you can help, Molly O'Donnell will hold a couple of "how to" sessions to explain the irrigation systems we have set up for the trees. We have also set hoses near the vegetable garden and for the tree near the Meeting Room and on the northwest corner of our lot. mollysod@gmail.com or 812-345-7399.
|
Nominees for 25% of Sunday Plate Fund
for 2017-18
Members at the Congregational Meeting on June 11 will vote for which organization will receive 25% of our Sunday Plate offerings for the coming year, beginning July 1.
All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center
At All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC), we trust and support people through every pregnancy and parenting turning point, including abortion, adoption, infertility, or pregnancy loss. These issues are complex and every person's reality is different, but we know one thing for certain: Everyone deserves to have all options! All-Options PRC is a secular, client-centered organization where everyone is welcome. Our all-options approach is honest, open-hearted, and judgment-free.
Every day Hoosier families are forced to make the impossible choice between food, clothing, and housing. The funds received from the UU Church of Bloomington would be used to support the All-Options Diaper Program.
The All-Options Diaper Program strives to meet the overlooked need for diapers and diapering supplies for local families of infants and toddlers who are struggling to make ends meet. Ensuring access to clean diapers helps low-income children and families build a strong foundation for growth and development. Clean diapers also have a positive ripple effect on a family's situation by limiting illness, enabling children to go to daycare, and thus allowing parents to attend school or work. Our diaper program keeps local children clean, dry, and healthy, and supports parents in caring for their children with dignity.
Middle Way House
Middle Way House provides services for victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. These include crisis intervention, emergency shelter, client advocacy, case management, 24-hour available on-scene-advocates for sexual assault and domestic violence victims, legal advocacy at shelter and at the Protective Order Assistance Project, support groups for domestic violence and sexual assault victims, primary prevention education programs in the schools and the community at large, transitional housing, year-round children and youth programs, and daycare services for those in shelter or transitional housing.
Middle Way's primary funding source is through federal and state government grants that originate from the Justice Department. Given the political atmosphere, federal and state support for not-for-profit agencies, especially those working with victims of domestic violence, is expected to drop below current funding streams, which have already decreased. And the agency has experienced a major transition this year with the retirement, and subsequent death, of its longtime director, Toby Strout, who built the organization to its present size. Among other skills, Strout was a formidable fundraiser. The new executive director, Debra Morrow, and the board, have developed a fundraising plan to keep the agency fiscally sound.
If UUCB chooses Middle Way House as the 25% plate recipient, the funding will go to prevention services. For more information, see: https://www.middlewayhouse.org/
Indiana Recovery Alliance
The Indiana Recovery Alliance (IRA) is an independent non-profit operated and directed by current and former drug users that exists to empower people who use drugs to make positive change in their lives. The IRA is participant driven, meaning we involve active and former drug users in meaningful ways at every level of our organization, up to and including 51% of our Board of Directors. After hearing about a man freezing to death in 2014, a few friends set out to do outreach to people living on the streets by biking around and offering blankets, clothes, winter coats and hot coffee. As we listened to their needs, we quickly added Harm Reduction materials to our services to empower them to mitigate negative health consequences associated with IV drug us. Within months, the worst HIV outbreak in our state's history broke out in Scott County, Indiana, and we rapidly expanded our efforts to make sure our community was not similarly devastated. Exchanging syringes is actually a very small part of what we are doing. One of our most important functions is to serve as an access point for our numerous community partners in Monroe County and beyond.
|
Macaroni and Coffee for Shalom Center!
For the last 3 years, our congregation members and friends have provided macaroni for the meal program at Shalom Community Center. Please remember to pick up a package the next time you go to the store.
Coffee request:
Shalom now needs coffee. For some reason coffee donations are down considerably.
So donations of coffee (in addition to macaroni if you can) for the Shalom Center would be very welcome!
Collection basket for donations is under the Social Justice table in the Commons.
|
First Monday Poetry Sharing
Join us in this ongoing monthly group for poetry lovers! Bring a poem to share that you enjoy. Next meeting is Monday, July 3 at 10:00 a.m. in the Library at church. Contact Bob Taylor for info,
bstaylor1@comcast.com
|
Shambhala Meditation Every Monday at Noon
Join us at 12 noon every Monday in the Library for an hour of Shambhala Meditation, walking meditation, and Shamatha yoga with Sarah Flint. Beginners welcome in this 2500-year-old
tradition.
|
Traditional Taiji on Tuesdays and Saturdays
Brian Flaherty leads Taiji in Fellowship Hall on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. This form practices the "Wu (Hao)" style of taijiquan, including practice of standing exercises, forms, and "pushing hands." Anyone is welcome, even those with no experience.
Please wear loose-fitting clothing.
|
Open Mind Zen Bloomington
Mondays at 7:00 p.m.
Join Frank Seisho Diaz for meditation, talks, and discussions on Zen Buddhism,
Mondays 7:00-8:30 p.m.,
in Room 110 here at the church. All are welcome regardless
of faith or experience; freewill donations
|
UU History For You
Michel de Montaigne and
Renaissance Humanism
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was born and died on his estate at Chateau de Montaigne in southwestern France. His father's side was Catholic and his mother's side was Marrano, from Sephardic Jews who had been converted to Catholicism. His father gave him an unusual education, aiming to make Latin Michel's native language (the servants only speaking Latin to him when he was a child). Each morning as a child he would be awakened by a musician playing for him. He read widely, became a lawyer, and served in the Bordeaux Parliament until he retired early to write essays. He used himself as a subject in his themes so he could find out what he shared with humanity and what made him unique. If Socrates told him "Know thyself," he responded in his essays "What do I know?" (Que sais je?) His published essays were condemned by religious leaders as inappropriate reading, especially for his book-length
An Apology for Raymond Sebond which argued that humans cannot by reason provide any aspect of God's being or personality and most of what religion teaches us has no basis in reality. He was a skeptic, not an atheist, and did not abandon his Catholic faith. He negotiated with warring factions of Huguenot Protestants and Catholics because of his amiable personality and wit. I read many of his essays when I was a teen and I owe my passion for writing personal essays to him. Emerson also paid tribute to Montaigne for that inspiration to write essays.
--Elof Carlson, UUCB Historian
|
Ministry Themes for 2016-17
We will be exploring the following themes for the remainder of the 2016-17
church year.
October: Healing
,
November: Story,
December: Presence, January: Prophecy,
February: Identity, March: Risk,
April: Transformation,
May: Embodiment, June: Zest
|
UU Humanist Forum Meets on Alternating Sundays
This group offers an opportunity for regular, open, wide-ranging discussions of issues relating to morality and ethics, human development, and the nature of the universe. The bi-weekly forum will meet next on Sunday, June 18 at 11:45 a.m. in Room 208. The topic will be "Prayer in School?" led by Anna Wiley.
A complete list of spring/summer topics
can be found here. (From June 18 through July 30, the UU Humanists and Freethinkers will meet at 11:45 a.m., following the service, which begins at 10:15.)
|
UU Freethinkers Group Enjoys Free Ranging Discussion
The purpose of the UU Freethinkers bi-weekly meeting is to create the opportunity for participants to raise questions and engage in open and non-structured discussion of issues of social concern, political concern, and theological/religious concern. UU Freethinkers meet on alternating Sundays after children's religious education classes end, in Room 208.
UU Freethinkers meet next on Sunday, June 11, at 12:45 p.m.
|
|
Current Membership: 516
Attendance
Sunday, May 21 9:15: 104 11:15: 219 TOTAL: 323
Sunday, May 28 9:15: 96 11:15: 140 TOTAL: 236
Sunday, June 4 9:15: 109 11:15: 160 TOTAL: 269
Non-Pledge Offering
May 21: $726.41 May 28: $584.42 June 4: $454.84
Total to be donated to New Leaf-New Life $461.42
Grocery Card Sales
(Bloomingfoods, Marsh, or Lucky's)
May 21: $1000, income to UUCB $54 May 28: $2100, income to UUCB $110
June 4: $250, income to UUCB $13.50
|
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, our Senior Minister,
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 201 and is available by appointment on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons.
macklin@uubloomington.org
Reverend Scott McNeill, our Associate Minister,
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 209 and is available by appointment on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
mcneill@uu
bloomington.org
. He can also be reached on his mobile phone, 703-577-0919 and for after-hours pastoral emergencies, please call him at 812-727-0919.
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
,
our Minister of Religious Education,
can be reached at
|
|
Livestreaming Our Sunday Services
Please let us know if you have a problem with the livestream, by emailing Andy Beargie at
media@uubloomington.org It is also helpful if you let Andy know which web browser you are using.
|
|
Beacon Young Adult/Campus Ministry
Orion Day, our Young Adult/Campus Ministry Coordinator, can be reached at
beacon@uubloomington.org and keeps office hours at the Indiana Memorial Union Room 577. Stop by and say hello!
|
Church Calendar
A link to our church calendar can be found on this page of our website.
Facebook
Prologue Publication Schedule
The Prologue is edited by Carol Marks. The deadline for articles is 10 a.m. on the date of publication, which is the first and third Tuesday of June, July, and August. It's an experiment!
Next few issues: June 6 and 20, July 5 and 18, August 1 and 15.
|
Bulletin Board
PIANO--2ND TIME AROUND? Interested in coaching to hone your piano playing skills and increase your pleasure? Bev McGahey can help with tips for how to practice, fingerings, and any "situations" you have. Group will meet at Bev's home every 2-4 weeks beginning June 15, 7pm. If interested, please email
bevmusic@pacbell.net.
|
|
Masthead photo by John Woodcock.
|
| Unitarian Universalist Church
|
|
|
|
|
|
