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Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, Changing the World
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Sunday, March 8, 2020
9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
We Were Never Meant to Survive!
Reverend Bill Breeden, Minister Emeritus
The words of Audre Lorde provide a jumping off place where we may lean face forward into the future. The times are not easy, but walls come down, voices are raised, and we continue the struggle for justice.
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Information on the Sunday, March 15 services will appear in the Friday Update on March 13.
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Serendipity and Grace
I always thought if I got around to writing my life story Serendipity and Grace would be the title. So here's the abbreviated version.
I grew up in Porter, Indiana, a few miles from the southern shore of Lake Michigan where warm summer evenings were spent playing in cool waters, and the best holidays were spent playing in snow when the buses could not get through country roads.
I was fortunate to get a scholarship and a job at a small college in Naperville, Illinois, where I earned a B.A. in Sociology and English. Dr. Maechtle my sociology professor introduced me to great thinkers such as Eric Fromm, R. H. Tawney, and others. The bottom dropped out of conventional religion, but I was profoundly influenced by Dr. Walter Klass, my philosophy professor, in a lecture when he said, "All people seek a Universal Christ." I became a Universalist on the spot.
It was many years later when I was teaching at the LSU School of Social Work (where I had earned an M.S.W. on a stipend, and then was invited to join the faculty three years later) that I went to a lecture at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge. The District Attorney was speaking about new laws pertaining to child abuse. (Though I had studied and loved the Transcendentalists, there was no mention of Unitarians in my books.) Curiosity prompted me to return for a Sunday service. A group of people who loved the questions! I was home.
A few years later, I took a course at church entitled "Cakes for the Queen of Heaven." I began reading and was profoundly influenced by feminist theologians such as Rosemary Radford Reuther, Elisabeth Schusler Fiorenza, Mary Daly and others. I applied to Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley and was accepted. I had a small retirement stipend from my years of teaching and got a part time job in Berkeley.
The Graduate Theological Union enabled me to take classes in many different schools, both Catholic and Protestant. I studied with Jesuits, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and others. At Starr King I studied with Joanna Macy, Mark Belletini and Dr. Clare Fischer. Dr. Fischer introduced me to the work of Hannah Arendt and after a tutorial, she invited me to co-teach a class on "Two Women of Peace, Simone Weil and Hannah Arendt." I have all Arendt's books; the brilliance of her mind and her writing continues to stun me.
Another amazing gift of serendipity and grace was still to come. In 1993, I was called to serve the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana. A Congregation that wanted to build and grow and become an active and visible force for justice and peace. When I retired in 2005, you named me Minister Emerita. What a great blessing it has been to know you and serve you with a gifted staff and beloved colleagues.
Barbara
Reverend Barbara Carlson, Minister EmeritX
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Hello Bloomington UUs!
I am excited about being more involved in this vibrant congregation than I have been since my retirement in 2014. I was introduced to Unitarian Universalism in 1987, when my teenage daughter, Denise, asked if she could join her closest friends from Harmony School and enroll in the About Your Sexuality class at this church. Having left the Christian ministry in 1980, I was a bit skeptical that any church could provide a safe and honest education on the subject of sex. My skepticism was unwarranted. I was invited to team teach the class with an young woman with a law degree who was a youth adviser and campus minister at the time, Mary Ann Macklin. To make a long story very short, Mary Ann would come to be the Reverend Mary Ann, and in 2001 we joined the Reverend Barbara Carlson to form a team ministry here at UUCB. I am honored now to be a Minister EmeritX along with Reverend Carlson. I will be working with the social justice groups in the coming months as we go through a time of transition. For those who are new, be assured that this congregation has weathered many changes and difficult times in the past. It is the healthiest congregation with the strongest lay leadership I have known, and I expect it will be a voice for peace and justice in Bloomington and the world for years to come. Hope to see you this Sunday.
peace--
Bill
Reverend Bill Breeden, Minister EmeritX
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Emily's Post
Dear Ones,
This week, I am continuing to play with haiku. I love how it invites me to really inhabit the present moment. If you would like to play, too, Patricia Donegan invites haiku writers to consider including these attributes:
Form: three lines, one breath long
Image: a descriptive image-bring it to life
Season word: refer to nature and hint at the weather or season
Here and now: write from real experience, record the present moment
Feeling: don't explain or tell, show a feeling through the image
Surprise: try for an "aha!" moment that wakes the reader up
Compassion: express open-heartedness towards nature
(Note: I've found it is rare to capture all seven!)
A few haiku from recent days:
A murky pond
Two tiny fish dart across
And all seems clear.
From dry brown oak leaves
Small green shoots were emerging.
Today, crocuses.
The sun is shining.
My heart, full of the blue sky
Feels spacious.
Whether or not haiku appeals to you, I hope that you will discover your own ways to be present and to play in these days of growing light.
Wishing you spaciousness,
Emily
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
Minister of Religious Education
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I noticed in our Informational Meeting on February 9th that a significant majority of us are experiencing exhaustion nowadays. I also noted there was a lively crew of folks not feeling exhausted. May you all, may we all, be blessed in our current life journeys. For those lively crew members, we need help with greeting on Sunday mornings--please contact Connections Coordinator
Ann LeDuc or Greeter Coordinator
Craig Coley if you are willing to volunteer.
Meanwhile, in this month of Irish celebration, the following is an excerpt from a blessing by Celtic spiritual leader John O'Donohue. The entire blessing and others can be found in O'Donohue's book, "To Bless The Space Between Us."
For Those Who are Exhausted (an excerpt)
When the rhythm of the heart becomes hectic,
Time takes on the strain until it breaks;
Then all the unattended stress falls in
On the mind like an endless, increasing weight...
Take refuge in your senses, open up
To all the small miracles you rushed through.
Become inclined to watch the way of rain
When it falls slow and free.
Imitate the habit of twilight,
Taking time to open the well of color
That fostered the brightness of day.
Draw alongside the silence of stone
Until its calmness can claim you.
Be excessively gentle with yourself.
Stay clear of those vexed in spirit.
Learn to linger around someone of ease
Who feels they have all the time in the world.
Gradually, you will return to yourself,
Having learned a new respect for your heart
And the joy that dwells far within slow time.
***
With blessings for you and yours,
MAM
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Senior Minister
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Our Folks...
Mary Hambly will exhibit her newest Paper Art Quilts & Creations at the By Hand Gallery during the month of March. A Gallery Walk Reception will take place on Friday, March 6 from 5-8PM.
Congratulations to Beth Lodge-Rigal, who will receive the Toby Strout Lifetime Contribution Award from the Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women at the Women's History Month luncheon on March 25.
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Improving Our Livestreaming Experience
We are still researching the problems folks have been having when watching our livestreamed services, with the livestream dropping out or disappearing. So far, we have discovered that most problems are happening when viewing the livestream on our website, and that everyone viewing the livestream on our Facebook page has experienced clear uninterrupted viewing. This is probably a server problem on the livestream provider's end, and we are figuring out how to remedy that. We'll keep you updated with further developments.
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Did You Know We Offer Free Wednesday Night Childcare?
Let Emily Phelps tell you how much she appreciates that we offer childcare on Wednesdays from 6-8pm: "Life with kids is busy. Weeknights with kids after I've been working all day? They can be crazy busy! The longer I parent, the more I find I am at my best (or at least, better than baseline), when I have time to clear my own mind and ground myself as I go throughout the day. It keeps the pressure from building and lets me reset myself. Having a time and space for a mid-week mini-break is such a gift. Yes, I have to adapt our routine to be away from home for the evening, but it's a good change for all of us: I get a moment to re-center or get something done and my kiddo gets a time to play with engaged caregivers. A bonus? I come home to a house that didn't get messy from an evening of play." --Emily Phelps
Come find a moment for yourself while your little one plays. The Meeting Room or another room is available for quiet meditation for parents--parents must remain onsite. Childcare is in Room 108; use the courtyard entrance. Childcare will be offered every Wednesday in March EXCEPT March 18th.
Bake Sale for Humane Association
March 8
Our 6th-7th Graders will be hosting a Bake Sale to benefit Monroe County Humane Association this Sunday, March 8th during coffee hour in Fellowship Hall. Enjoy some homemade delicious treats for your dog, yourself or a friend, and support a good cause.
Welcome to
Our New Religious Education Assistant,
Stephanie Kimball
Stephanie Kimball joined our congregation in 2005. She is active with the Green Sanctuary Task Force on Global Climate Change, and has taught Intersession and preschool Religious Education here. Stephanie is a writer and educator with a passion for pursuing sustainable living and building resilient communities. She enjoys gardening, hiking, dancing, and hanging out with her two kids. She began her work with us as our new Religious Education Assistant on February 28.
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Protecting the Health and Safety of
Our Congregation and Community
Our senior staff is in active conversation about the coronavirus (covid-19) and the possible effects of an outbreak in our community. We are consulting health professionals as well as the Centers for Disease Control website on this topic, to stay aware of developments. We're working with a Faith-based & Community Organizations Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist that was compiled by colleagues in Fort Wayne, as well as materials provided by Church Mutual, our insurance company.
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Religious Education for Adults
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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.
There is no cost to sit with us and practice meditation. We are beginner friendly. We stretch halfway through, and walk, then sit some more and close with some teachings in chant form. We meet in the library at church on the second floor.
Enter at the northside Portico entrance. All are welcome. Info:
Contact Sarah Flint.
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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 the Library here at the church. All are welcome regardless of faith or experience.
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Gentle Hatha Yoga
on Tuesdays at 5:30 pm (no yoga March 3)
A gentle Hatha Yoga practice to balance the mind, body, and spirit. Tuesday evenings, from 5:30-7 pm, in Fellowship Hall. Led by Kate Mulligan of Maxwell House Yoga.
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Traditional Taiji Meets Tuesdays at 7:15 pm
Brian Flaherty leads "Wu (Hao)" style Taiji in Fellowship Hall on Tuesdays at 7:15 pm. All are welcome, even those with no previous Taiji experience. Please wear loose-fitting clothing.
For more i
nfo: Contact Brian.
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UU Humanist Forum Meets March 8, 12:45 pm
On Sunday, March 8, at 12:45 pm the UU Humanist Forum will meet in Room 208. Sandy Dolby will facilitate a discussion on "Why do we have pets? "
The Humanist Forum meets every other Sunday with a different
discussion topic.
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UU Freethinkers Meet March 15
, 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. Every other Sunday in Room 208 at 12:45 pm.
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Elizabeth, A Free Woman of Color
A Resilience Production, featuring Gladys DeVane
Friday, March 20, 7:00 p.m.
in our Meeting Room
Written and performed by Gladys DeVane, with
Historical Commentary by Elizabeth Mitchell
Directed by Danielle Bruce
The year is 1825. A young negro woman, known only as Elizabeth, is bound in servitude in the free territory of Indiana. This is the story, inspired by actual court documents, of her struggle against the man who unlawfully owned her, and the amazing outcome of this precendent-setting court case.
The moving and inspiring performance of this play on February 22 at Monroe County History Center was sold out, and we are happy that a repeat performance will take place here in our Meeting Room on Friday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. A freewill donation will be invited to support the work. Reception and Q&A will follow the performance.
This is a Resilience production, in cooperation with our Racial Justice Task Force.
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UU History for You -- Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was born in 1819 in Huntington, New York, and died in Camden, New Jersey in 1892. His parents were interested in Quaker thought, and Whitman considered himself deist and humanist. He felt all religions had some merit, but none were true. They provided a refuge from the world's woes and inspired a common yearning for an Oversoul, as Emerson suggested. His father failed in business as a newspaper publisher and young Whitman apprenticed himself to a series of papers but felt unsatisfied, although he rose to be editor of the Brooklyn Eagle.
Whitman developed a unique free-verse poetry that offended most and drew praise from few. His poems were considered obscene and they celebrated his own bisexual orientation. He opposed slavery but expressed racist views, views that he later rejected when he volunteered to help sick and dying soldiers in hospitals and battlefields. In 1855, he published the first edition of
Leaves of Grass, paying for it himself. He was more popular as a poet in England than in the United States. As fellow poets praised his work, his fame continued to grow.
Whitman's sexuality was complex. He claimed he fathered six children out of wedlock and that he had intense love for both male and female loves. He never married.
--Elof Carlson, UUCB Historian
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Women's Alliance
Thursday, March 5, 11:30 am
Please join us this Thursday, March 5, at 11:30 am in Fellowship Hall to share our collective experiences with our creativity.
If you wish to participate, be ready to talk about your experiences with your favorite art or craft medium. Please bring a few samples of your work (or photos) to share with us.
We plan to invite those who wish to speak to tell us about their chosen art medium--why did you choose the specific art medium; how long have you been engaged with this activity; is there a story attached to your medium of choice; how has your creative work affected your life?
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This Sunday, March 8! Young Adult Lunch Out
Let's go out to lunch after the second service. We will meet in the Commons at about 12:30, near the social justice table, and carpool to Siam House. Anyone age 18-35 is welcome. As a result of a generous donation to our Young Adult and Campus Ministry we are able to buy lunch for everyone. Questions? Email Ann LeDuc at
[email protected]
Childcare is not available for this event.
Are you new here?
Take your "First Steps" this Sunday, March 8
Join us for a short introduction to Unitarian Universalism and this congregation. This Sunday in Room 112 at 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM (after each service). Just stop in, no registration is required.
Free childcare is available in Room 108.
Family Snack Potluck - March 15
Come meet other UU families and enjoy a snack. March 15,10:30-11:15 AM in the Library. Bring a snack to share if you can, or just bring yourself. There will be Legos and coloring supplies available for kids. Come experience the warmth of community!
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UU Singles Game Night
Friday, March 13th, 7:00 p.m., in Fellowship Hall
Bring yourself, a snack, and a drink to share if you'd like to, and a friend as well if they'd like to come. Get in touch with Marie Deer at 812-391-0900 if you have any questions.
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Unitarian Universalism Beyond Bloomington:
MidAmerica UU Regional Meeting April 18
UUA General Assembly June 20-28
Join Dan and Sharon Wiseman and other members of our
congregation at the MidAmerica UU Regional Meeting at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford
, Illinois, on Saturday April 18th. Taquiena Boston, Special Advisor to the UUA President for Inclusion, Equity, and Change, is the keynote speaker. If you are a member, consider representing our congregation as a delegate, to make our voice heard!
Registration is
due NOW! Click here for info.
The UUA General Assembly of Congregations is in Providence, Rhode Island, June 20-28.
Click here for info on this conference.
Our membership grants us
eleven (11) delegates. Also, anyone may be an offsite delegate and livestream the proceedings
, but you MUST REGISTER in order to have access to all the meetings.
For more information on how to become a delegate to either conference, please contact Iris Kiesling 812-332-5224 or
[email protected]
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UU Summer Camp
June 28-July 4, 2020
Consider joining fellow UUs this summer in the Missouri Ozarks at the annual Midwest Unitarian Universalist Summer Assembly (MUUSA). The week-long camp offers many workshops and activities for families, couples, and singles of all ages.
Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout will lead the daily
Morning Celebration service on this year's theme: "To Breathe on Purpose."
Come gather with hundreds of other UUs in the beautiful forests and rolling hills of YMCA Trout Lodge, where you can connect with old friends, make new ones and participate in a wide variety of activities. Get all the details at
muusa.org
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Artist of the Month for March -- Cassidy Young
Cassidy Young, artist and educator, is best known for her architectural studies of Bloomington locations. She works in a variety of mediums to explore ideas of the human perspective. Cassidy received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her Masters degree in Art Education from Indiana University, Bloomington.
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Social Justice Film Series
Briars in the Cotton Patch
Sunday, March 8 at 5:00 pm
The Habitat for Humanity and Racial Justice Task Forces are presenting an award-winning documentary film, Briars in the Cotton Patch, at 5 pm, Sunday, March 8 in Fellowship Hall. The one-hour film tells the nearly forgotten story of Koinonia Farm, a small Christian community in Southwest Georgia where whites and blacks chose to live and work together. Discussion to follow. Free pizza provided.
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Help Feed Our Hungry Neighbors Announces
Monthly Food Drives
Our task force will hold monthly food drives beginning March 29 to help a number of different food agencies in Bloomington. These targeted food drives will generally be on the first Sunday of every month, except the first one, which will be on March 29. Below is a list of helpful items to donate that day. Thanks for your support!
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Support Habitat Women Build!
The UU & friends Habitat Women Build team is already full! We'll be working to frame up two homes off of Rockport Road on May 2. Our 35-member team will be among 13 teams and nearly 400 women in the community who are financing and constructing houses for two local families during the 20th anniversary of the build. Donations to support our builders, who have to raise a minimum of $270 each, can be made at: https://www.classy.org/team/280934. Or, you can contact Barb Berggoetz, [email protected] to submit a donation before April 10.
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Renewable Energy Questions for You
Please email Molly O'Donnell (
[email protected]
) (unless you already talked to her about this!) to let her know if you
:
1.
Have solar (and/or geo thermal) at your residence; or
2.
Pay your electric bills through
Arcadia
to invest in renewable energy across the nation.*
*Those of us who cannot install renewable energy at our residence can help fund renewable energy at no cost by buying our electricity through
Arcadia
. Some of us opt to pay a bit extra into the fund each month. Arcadia pays our electric bills and uses the extra funds to buy renewable energy credits. People who get a new member to sign up for Arcadia can get $25.00, which can be donated to the church for the Green Sanctuary Task Force. A portion of the funds will go toward yard signs to help spread the word.
Join us between services on the church's April 19th Earth Day celebration to learn how Arcadia works and to help spread the word! --Green Sanctuary Task Force
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Now Accepting Nominations for 25% Sunday Plate Fund for July 2020-June 2021 -- Applications Due April 15
Each year our congregation gives 25% of undesignated/non-pledge Sunday Plate offerings to a local project or service agency. In the spring the Social Justice Funds Committee accepts nominees for the upcoming fiscal year. This year's nominations are
due by April 15.
The Nomination Form and Guidelines are available on our website:
The Social Justice Funds Committee will choose three nominee finalists for the congregation to vote on at the spring congregational meeting on June 14th. Our contributions to the current recipient, HealthNet (formerly Volunteers in Medicine), totals $4768 in the first two fiscal quarters (with 2 more quarters to go!) The total donated to Spencer Pride, last year's recipient, was $7409! What local non-profit agency would you like to see be our next recipient?
Read more here.
Contact Denise Ogren, SJFC Chair, at [email protected] with any questions. The Social Justice Funds Committee: Denise Ogren, Anna Beauchamp, Steve Mascari / Advisor: Jackie Hall
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B
uy Grocery Cards on Sunday and Support the Church
Did you know that we have grocery gift cards for Bloomingfoods and Fresh Thyme for sale in the Commons every Sunday between services? Pick one up before your Sunday afternoon grocery shopping! We buy them in bulk at a small discount, and sell the cards as a fundraiser to support our operating budget.
You can also
click here to register your Kroger Plus card with their Community Rewards Program and send a percentage of your purchases to the UU Church - o
ur organization ID is EW763.
During the last quarter (September thru December 2019) we received $424.87 from Kroger, with 135 UU households participating.
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Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, our Senior Minister
can be reached on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, 812-332-3695, ext. 201.
macklin (at) uubloomington.org
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite,
our Minister of Religious Education,
can be reached at
812-332
-3695, ext. 207, and is available by appointment
on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
mre (at) uubloomington.org
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Our Covenant of Right Relations
In June 2017, our members affirmed a Covenant of Right Relations.
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Deadlines for Publications
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Order of service and Friday UU Update:
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Office hours
: M-F, 10 am-4 pm
Facebook: Many church events are also posted on our
Facebook page.
Prologue
Publication Schedule:
The deadline for articles is 10 am on the date of publication, which is
the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
Upcoming
issues:
Mar 17, Apr 7, Apr 21, May 5, May 19
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Livestreaming Our Sunday Services
View a live broadcast of our Sunday services (9:15 and 11:15 am):
Have a problem viewing or hearing the service?
Links to Archived Services to View Online
- Or, scroll down on our main Livestream Page
for full archives of both services and other events (memorials, concerts, etc).
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Membership: 527 certified members; 545 current members.
Attendance:
Sunday, February 23 9:15: 130 11:15: 163 RE: 41 TOTAL: 293
Sunday, March 1 9:15: 124 11:15: 176 RE: 50 TOTAL: 300
Non-Pledge Offering:
February 23
: $699 March 1: $566
Total to be donated (25%) to Volunteers in Medicine: $316.15
Grocery Card Sales:
(Bloomingfoods or Fresh Thyme)
February 23: $800 March 1: $700
Total income to UUCB: $75.00
During the last quarter (October thru December 2019) we received $446.72 from Kroger, with 134 UU households participating.
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Masthead photo from the interwebs.
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