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Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, Changing the World
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Sunday, June 24, 2018
9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Balance: The Benefits of Play for Mind, Body, and Spirit
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
"Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation." -- Stuart Brown, M.D.
In a world torn apart by divisiveness and ugly politics, it does not seem odd to focus on a topic that fosters belonging and encourages cooperation. Reverend Macklin will also offer reflections on the "Celebrating, Advocating for Refugees and Immigrants" World Refugee Day gathering at Mathers Museum 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. June 20. The Bloomington Chamber Singers will be our musical guests for this worship service on creating balance in our lives and in our world.
Sunday, July 1, 2018
9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Wellspring: A Story of Spiritual Deepening
Members of Our Congregation's Wellspring Program
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin and Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
In September a pilot group beganthe Wellspring Program, which was created to enhance spiritual lives within a small group setting. In addition to meeting twice a month, each member committed to a daily spiritual practice, met at least once a month with a spiritual director, and completed readings and other assignments towards increased spirituality. In this worship service, we will hear from members of this group regarding their 9-month journey of spiritual deepening.
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MAM's Musings
Yesterday evening, Monday, I attended the Bloomington United meeting. It was good to meet with leaders in our community whose mission is
to promote educational opportunities that affirm the value of all human beings, bridge the differences among people, and respond to hate activity in our community. While at the meeting I sat next to Diane Legomsky of the Bloomington Refugee Support Network and she reminded me about the gathering for World Refugee Day taking place TOMORROW for all ages:
Celebrating, Advocating for Refugees and Immigrants
Free and Open to Public
Wednesday, June 20th, 4-7pm
This gathering at the Mathers Museum, 416 N. Indiana Avenue, will include Advocacy Tables (advice and opportunities to make your voice heard), refreshments, music, videos and updates. There will also be a Kids' Corner with fun, games and education for children as well as an International Market with items made by refugees from around the word.
If you have been wondering what to do in these tumultuous times when government leaders separate children from parents in horrible conditions and then site biblical texts as support, I believe this gathering here in Bloomington is good first step. I hope to see many of you there. Tomorrow!
Also, as I mentioned in our Sunday worship service, we are sending a strong contingency from our congregation to this year's Unitarian Univeralist General Assembly in Kansas City. We offer our blessings to all who are attending. What they will experience, learn, and share will enrich the vision of our congregation in these deeply challenging times. Seeking the Spirit. Building Community. Changing the World. Thanks to Reverend McNeill who wrote the message below on his way to Kansas City.
Peace, MAM
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, Senior Minister
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From Our Associate Minister
By now, many of us know the heartbreaking news coming from our borders - where there has been significant enforcement of a policy that allows for the separation of children (including babies) and their parents, as they enter the country seeking asylum.
Here is an article for more information:
Right now, many Unitarian Universalist leaders (our UUA President, those who lead the UU Service Committee or other social justice groups) are gathered in Kansas City, Missouri, for the annual UU General Assembly.
We hope to gather more information about how our congregation can help these families find peace and safety during a difficult time, and how we can work for compassionate immigration reform within our country. The chair of the Refugee and Immigration Support and Education (RISE) task force will speak on July 8
th
as part of our monthly Social Justice Moment where we focus our attention on one of our task forces. We hope to have more information and action items between now and then!
Reverend Scott McNeill, Associate Minister
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From the Ministers...
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Thanks to ALL of you who pledged and those of you who recently increased your pledge for our 2018-2019 budget.
Reverend Macklin is preparing a solid, forward-looking budget of $630,000 to bring us into 2018-2019.
This week we met the $630,000 mark and we need to celebrate that!
The amount of $630,000 is more than a $30,000 increase from last year's pledge drive. Wo!
THANK YOU
for your generosity as we continue Seeking the Spirit, Building Community and Changing the World. As you know our Board set a bold, visionary goal of $650,000 to bring us in alignment with fair share compensation for staff and ministers within the UUA. We believe this goal will be attained in next year's Pledge Drive for 2019-2020.
For now, this year, with a budget of $630,000, we will
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Welcome the Rev. Forrest Gilmore as an Affiliated Community Minister and support his ongoing ministry in Bloomington
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Continue our strong program of welcoming and connecting people within the church by increasing hours for our Connections Coordinator, Ann LeDuc
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Restore our Campus Ministry stipend
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Increase our Building Expense lines
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Bolster our livestreaming/online worship program, to help the 100+ people who watch each week (and perhaps bring in even more)
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AND continue this congregation's strides toward offering fair and sustainable compensation for its staff members, a significant goal we have worked towards for many years.
We are appreciative for our whole community, knowing that people give so much of themselves, working hard for our congregation each and every day. Finally, we want to have a special note of gratitude for all of those who helped with our Pledge campaign-all the folks who assisted with and attended events for Pledge Day-Community Day on April 14
th
. We also thank other's throughout the Pledge Campaign pulpit speakers, writers thank you notes, crunchers of numbers, creators of vision and You You --- Responders of Generosity. THANK YOU to everyone in this congregation for your support!
See you all at the Fourth of July Parade where we make our values known!
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
Reverend Scott McNeill
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EVERYONE is welcome and encouraged to march, ride your bike or mobility scooter in the 4th of July Parade!
Information about where to meet before the parade will be published in the June 29 Friday Update. Wear a rainbow colored shirt (ROYGBIV), tie dye, or UU T-shirt, if possible. Water, lemonade and light snacks will be served at our meeting point before the parade. If you would like a specific job, such as flag carrier, please let Ann LeDuc know at
[email protected] or call (812)332-3695 ext 203.
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Children and Youth Religious Education Registration
Parents, it is time to register your children and youth for the 2018-2019 school year. This helps us to plan for our class size, relay important medical information to their teachers and keep children and youth safe. Register here:
Parents of 7th-8th graders, we will be offering Our Whole Lives
on Sunday
mornings. Please note the special time and stay tuned for a mandatory parent meeting in August or September. Contact Adrienne Summerlot
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From Our Board President
Tha
nk you all who attended the congregational meeting on the 10th. The congr
egation elected Spencer Pride as the recipient for 25% of the offering starting in July (FY19). Spencer Pride joins a long list of recipient organizations, starting in
2003: Monroe Co. United Ministries, Community Kitchen, Shalom Center, Community Justice and Mediation Center, Stepping Stones, Martha's House, Bloomington Hospital Foundation (VIM), Crestmont Boys and Girls Club, PALS Inc., Planned P
arenthood, Visually Impaired Preschool Services, Circles Initiative, Susie's Place children's shelter, Monroe Co. CASA, New Leaf - New Life, and the recipient for the remainder of June, the All Options Pregnancy Resource Center. Wow, we are changing our world!
The congregation elected the slate from the Leadership Cultivation Committee. For the Board of Directors: Michelle Monroe-Cook as President, Stuart Yoak as Vice-President, Ed Robbins as Treasurer, Steven Gilbert (incumbent) as Secretary, and Julia Karin Lawson as At-Large Director. Anne Haynes, Arzetta Hultz-Losensky, and Dan Wiseman were elected to the Leadership Cultivation Committee, and Harlan Lewis was elected to the Special Purposes Fund Committee. Thank you all for being willing to serve.
I tha
nk the "retiring" members these elected folks will be replacing. From the Board: Sandy Churchill, Treasurer, and Pat Brantlinger, At Large Director. From the Leadership Cultivation Committee: Harv Hegarty, Danny Callison, and Sheri Benham. And from the Special Purposes Fund Committee Joanne Wilhelm. Thank you all for your service to UUCB.
Another order of business from the meeting was the approval of a change to our Articles of Incorporation to legitimize the independence of the Special Purposes Fund Committee from the Board as required by Indiana Code.
Finally, as I enjoy the final weeks of my Presidency, I thank all the ministers, staff, and fellow lay leaders I've had the pleasure to work with, along with the congregation as a whole. It has been an honor and a pleasure.
Von Welch, President of the Board
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Our Folks...
A memorial service for long-time member John Hicks will be held here on Saturday, June 30, at 3:00 p.m. Reverend McNeill will officiate.
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Save the Date! Splash of the Sacred, September 2
Our annual church pitch-in picnic and pool party is set for
Sunday, September 2nd from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bryan Park.
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Tonight! UU Men's Group Meeting at Church 7:00 p.m .
The UU Men's Group is open to all friends and members of the congregation. We meet on the third Tuesday of the month, often in members' homes. We have lively discussion about a topic we choose. We check in with each other and get to to know each other. The meeting this month will be at the church on Tuesday, June 19, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Ralph and Annetta Fuchs Library on the second floor. Call Dan Wiseman if you have questions at 847-902-9034, or email
[email protected]
. Hope to see you all soon.
-- Dan Wiseman, UU Men's Group facilitator
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Delegates to GA will meet on Sunday, July 1
The delegates to GA 2018 will be having a "debriefing" meeting on
Sunday, July 1, at 12:45 p.m.
in Fellowship Hall.
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Women's Alliance Meets July 5
A report from the General Assembly delegates is the topic of the Women's
Alliance meeting on
July 5
. We gather at
11:30 a.m.
in Fellowship Hall.
Meetings begin with a brown bag lunch. The delegates' presentation
begins at
noon
, followed by a business meeting. The hosts for the month,
Sharon Wiseman and Louray Cain, will provide drinks and dessert. Join us
and bring a friend. Everyone is welcome.
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Seeking Volunteers to Keep Our Green Grounds Beautiful
When Rev. Macklin mentioned recently that our goal is to eliminate mowing grass on the church property, she received an enthusiastic response. However, the truth is, a lawn is the "easiest" type of landscape to maintain... one person and a lawn mower is all it takes. To reach our goal of a more diverse landscape, we need a little help from a lot of people!
If you would like to help, please see the links below to sign up for an area, week, day, and time to help with our grounds. There are separate signups for the main areas around the church that need help during the growing season.
Please follow the link for the area(s) you are most interested in helping out with this summer, and sign up for as many slots as you'd like:
Terrace gardens
Office entrance gardens
Path from the Bypass, shrubs & pecan tree
South Path & nearby shrubs
North gardens to either side of portico entrance
Vegetables, herbs and cherry tree
Memorial Garden
Hazelnut Hedge
We expect the hazelnut trees to adapt to conditions as they mature, so we do not plan to water them regularly. But if you notice weeds or grass creeping into the wood chips surrounding them, removing them would be great. Weeds and grass can be placed on the compost heap by the shed.
Thank you for whatever you are able to do!
-- Molly O'Donnell,
Co-chair, Green Building & Grounds Teams
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Thursday, June 21 - Tell Bloomington what you love about this church! Eat pizza and make signs for the 4th of July Parade
Come hang out with other UUs and make signs for the parade, this
Thursday, July 21, 6:00 to 7:30 pm
, room 208. All ages welcome! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Let Ann LeDuc know if you would like to eat pizza by emailing
Saturday, June 23 - Volunteers needed at the Juke Joint
Join us in supporting our African American community and Resilience Productions' "The Stories of Monroe," written by our own Gladys DeVane, by volunteering at the Juke Joint this Saturday, June 23. The Juke Joint will take place at
2450 N Curry Pike. Admission is $15/person, $25/couple. All proceeds go to "The Stories of Monroe." The Juke Joint is a Juneteenth event that honors the African American way of entertainment during the Jim Crow era. It features traditional soul food, music, dance, and games. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. To volunteer or donate food for the Juke Joint,
please sign-up online here. Contact Martha Foster, Racial Justice Task Force,
[email protected] for more info.
Exploring Unitarian Universalism Class
July 8 and 15
Are you interested in learning more about
Unitarian Universalism (UU) and this congregation? Are you considering becoming a member of this dynamic religious community? Whether you are considering membership or are just curious, this class is for you. The next
Exploring UU Class will be held on
July 8 and 15,
2-4 p.m. in the church library. Please plan to attend both sessions, since different material will be covered in each session. These are small classes with about 6-8 students. If you would like a copy of the syllabus or additional information, please contact Ann LeDuc
at [email protected] or call
(812)332-3695 ext 203
. Register by signing up at the Welcome Table in the foyer, or emailing Ann LeDuc at
[email protected]. Free childcare is available if requested in advance.
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Let's Talk About PLASTIC
Our administrative and custodial staff are exploring ways to reduce our use of single-use plastics here at church, and we hope you will be supportive. As a first step, we are beginning with limiting the single-use plastic items that are often found in our kitchens here at church, like plastic coffee stirrers, plastic drinking straws, plastic dinnerware, empty plastic water bottles, and plastic cups. Of course we will have exceptions from time to time, but we would really like to reduce the amount of plastic we buy and throw away (or recycle). Thank you for keeping a nice GREEN sense of humor as we try to make the world a better place!
-- Carol Marks, Monica Overman, Mandy Skinner, and Jeff Stone
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Adult Religious Education Opportunities
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Shambhala Meditation Meets Mondays at 12 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 to participate in this 2500-year-old
tradition. [email protected]
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Open Mind Zen Meets Mondays at 7:00 pm
Join Frank Seisho Diaz for meditation, talks, and discussions on Zen Buddhism, Mondays 7:00-8:30 pm, in Room 110 here at the church. All are welcome regardless of faith or experience.
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Traditional Taiji on Saturdays at 8:00 am
Brian Flaherty leads "Wu (Hao)" style Taiji in Fellowship Hall on Saturdays at 8:00 am. Anyone is welcome, even those with no experience. Please wear loose-fitting clothing.
[email protected]
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UU Freethinkers Enjoy
Free Ranging Discussion
Sunday, June 24, 12:45 pm
The UU Freethinkers bi-weekly meeting creates the opportunity for participants to raise questions and engage in open and non-structured discussion of issues of social, political, and theological/religious concern. UU Freethinkers meet on every other Sunday in Room 208, after children's religious education classes end. U
U Freethinkers will meet next on June 24 at 12:45 pm.
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UU Humanists Meet Sunday, July 1, 12:45 pm
An opportunity for regular, open, wide-ranging discussions relating to ethics, human development, and the nature of the universe. This bi-weekly forum will meet next on Sunday, July 1 at 12:45 in Fellowship Hall. The discussion topic is "
How scientific progress occurs"
and will be led by Elof Carlson.
All are invited to attend. For general questions about our UU Humanist group, contact
Ann Watzel.
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Community Connections
Our Faith in Action in the Community
My Sister's Closet Needs Some Help
Expansion of the Bloomington Convention Center dictates that My Sisters Closet (MSC) find, fund, and move to a new physical location in the near future. My Sister's Closet is currently seeking local volunteer groups to assist in preparing for our impending retail store move. We are seeking groups to commit to 3-4 hour time slots. Your group will help with our critically needed inventory assessment and organization. If you would like to help, please contact Judi Butler, MSC Board Member, at 317.354.5803.
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UU History for You --
A UU CONNECTION TO CALTECH
It is hard to imagine a more secular university than Caltech. It is distinguished for its contributions to basic science that has netted its faculty numerous Nobel Prizes. It was founded by Amos Throop (1811-1894) a wealthy businessman and politician.
Throop grew up in Chicago. He was a Universalist, an Abolitionist, and a Prohibitionist, running and losing a bid for becoming Chicago's mayor. He helped prepare laws and designs for fireproof buildings after the great fire of 1871.
He then moved to Pasadena, California, and quickly established a Universalist church and then a polytechnic institute. He became Mayor of Pasadena and promoted what became the Throop Institute by hiring first rate scientists in astronomy, physics, and chemistry. After his death and the success of its scientists the school was renamed California Institute for Technology, or Caltech.
Caltech raised the funds for giant telescopes (Mount Wilson and Palomar). Its physicists made numerous contributions to the components of atoms. Its biologists merged chemistry with biology and worked how genes generate metabolism in the cell. I had one of my graduate students at UCLA, Ron Sederoff learn and use bacteriophage genetics at Caltech as a portion of his dissertation work. My son Anders got his PhD in structural engineering at Caltech. He had the pleasure, after joining a local firm, of preparing the engineering for Cal Tech's Broad Institute for the Biological Sciences.
-- Elof Carlson, UUCB Historian
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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.
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.
He can also be reached on his mobile phone, 703-577-0919.
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
812-332
-3695 (ext. 207)
on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
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Our Covenant of Right Relations
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Livestreaming Our Sunday Services
You can view the livestream of our Sunday services and view archived video from the last few months
at this link. If you have a problem viewing, please email Andy Beargie and Ned Joyner at
[email protected].
Making the Archived Videos of Services Easier to Get To
Each Friday, we'll post the direct URL link for the previous Sunday's archived video of the service at the end of the Friday UU Update, as well as posting the links on the Livestream page of our website.
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Current Membership: 512 certified members; 529 current members.
Attendance
Sunday, June 10
9
:15 -
76 11:15 - 117 TOTAL: 193
Sunday, June 17 9:15 - 80 11:15 - 91 TOTAL: 171
Non-Pledge Offering
June 10: $553.52
June 17: $410.34
Total to be donated
(25%) to All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center $240.97
Grocery Card Sales (Bloomingfoods or Lucky's Market)
June 10: $500, income to UUCB $25.50; June 17: $500, income to UUCB $29.00
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Church Office Hours: Mon-Fri 10-4
Office Hours Change for June 18-25
Because Church Administrator Carol Marks will be attending meetings at General Assembly in Kansas City June 18-24, office hours will be adjusted as follows:
June 18, 1:30-4 June 21, 10-1
June 19, 10-1 June 22, 11-3
June 20, 1:30-4 June 24, 10-1
June 25, 1:30-4
Regular office hours M-F 10-4 will resume on Tuesday, June 26.
Facebook:
Many church events also appear on our
Prologue
Publication Schedule:
The deadline for articles is 10 a.m. on the date of publication, which is
the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. Send articles to [email protected].
Next few
issues:
July 3, July 17, August 7, August 21.
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Masthead photo (River Birch Leaves) by Marcia Hart.
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