Congregation established 1836

Newsletter of the

First Unitarian Church, Alton, Illinois

www.firstuualton.org

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt, Minister

March 7^th  – 10:30 am

“In Praise of Inconsistency”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Giving oneself to love with an open heart and an open mind is to accept more than the likelihood of evolution and change - it is to surrender to transformational inconsistencies between who we thought we were yesterday and who we can become tomorrow.

March 14^th – 10:30 am

(Daylight Savings Time begins)

“Celebration Day”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Some days are harder than others, and yet we have much to be thankful for.  If we can count our blessings and begin to give back from the gifts we’ve received, then the journey becomes its own reward, and we can all celebrate together. – Join us for a Champagne Celebration in the Kate Wuerker Room after worship. 

March 21^st – 9:30 and 11:00 am

“What On Earth Have We Done?”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives, and also the first Sunday we hold two worship services.  So it’s worth reflecting on Robert Fulghum’s list of Great Life Questions, beginning with, “What on earth have we done?”

March 28^th – 9:30 and 11:00 am 

Palm Sunday

“We Cannot Stay in Egypt”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

John Hays Nichols says, “The miracle of the Exodus is not whether or not the Red Sea parted…   (It is) that a group of people finally realized that you cannot stay (enslaved) in Egypt.”   This Passover Eve, we consider breaking the bonds of the status quo and committing ourselves to growth and change.

Thursday, April 1^st – 7:30 pm

Tenebrae Service

“Living Memory”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Tenebrae is a service acknowledging the shadows of life.  In the darkness of a candlelight worship service, we’ll read from the Passion narratives, recite the names of those who have died recently, and partake of Communion in our tradition: bread and wine shared in silence at a table open to all. –   Please gather in the Kate Wuerker Room before the 7:30 hour and we’ll enter the worship space together at the appropriate time.

CHALICE CIRCLES

Newcomers’ Chalice Circle

SUNDAY, March 14^th at church

12 noon. Contact Kathryn Chapman

Covenant Group Chalice Circle

THURSDAY, March 18^th   – 7 pm

at the home of Jan and Don Allen in Belleville

Contact Don or Jan.

Renegade Women’s Chalice Circle

SATURDAY, March 20^th at church

2 to 4 pm. 

Contact Marcia Custer.

Parents Seeking Peace Chalice Circle

SUNDAY, March 21^st – 12:00 to 1:30 pm in Emerson Place at church.
Contact: Diane Thompson or Sayer Johnson.

Men's Chalice Circle

TUESDAY, March 23^rd – 7 p.m. at church

Contact Khleber Van Zandt.

A First Glance

      On the day before Valentine’s Day, I sat with a dear relative of mine at her dining room table in Austin, Texas.   As often happens, the talk turned to church-type stuff.

My relative began telling me how her little Lutheran congregation was collecting cans of food for people who need assistance.  She said her preacher told her congregation that the church had been able the previous month to help over forty families.  “And that’s not just adults,” she said, “but children, too.  It’s hard to believe how many whole families are out there who need help!”

I told her I knew that a lot of people are in need of help right now and I told her how wonderful I thought it was that her church was doing what it could to feed the hungry.  I mentioned something about our own church’s 4^th Saturday Lunch program and how many people we share meals with on those Saturdays.

She said, yes, she was glad her church was helping people. She knew it felt awfully good to her to be able to help people who need it, and she used to always take a few cans of food with her when she went to church.

“Used to?”

“Yes,” she said, “I used to, until I started to notice that my friends never took any cans with them to church.  I know those women are better off than I am, so I just quit giving - if they’re not going to help, I’m not going to, either.”

I was shocked – still am – to think about how quickly we can give up on higher ideals and acquiesce to lower ones.  There at that table, I remained silent, but what I wanted to say was “Let me get this straight - you quit donating food to families who can’t afford any, just because your wealthy friends have not yet learned the joy and value of giving?”  What I wanted to say was “Have your friends not read that part of the Bible that asks you to feed the hungry and clothe the naked and comfort the afflicted?”  What I wanted to say was “Have you thought about which set of values you’re following when you take cans of food to church, and which set you’ve fallen prey to when you allow what your friends do to dictate what you do?”

University of Chicago theologian Kathryn Tanner, author of The Politics of God, argues that, rather than blithely accepting the terms of economic life set by the wider society, faithful people ought to “substitute common enjoyment and use of goods for the assumed need for private property, and the ideal of a community of mutual fulfillment for a competitive winner-take-all society.”

Indeed.  When we measure our own wealth and worth in terms of the amount of material goods we hold onto rather than in how much we share, then we’ve allowed worldly values to triumph over the better angels of our nature.

See you in church,

Neighborhood Desserts

Everyone is invited to attend one of several Neighborhood Desserts as part of our church’s “Bigger, Bolder!” 2010 Pledge Drive.   During the dessert you’ll have the  opportunity to get to know one another better, ask questions, share your ideas about the church’s place in your lives, and discuss ways you’d like to see our Bigger congregation be Bolder!

You may certainly attend any of the Desserts listed below if one fits your schedule better than the one scheduled closer to your home.   Please let the contact person know as soon as possible which Dessert you will attend.

Edwardsville Area:   Saturday, February 27^th from 7 to 9 pm at the home of Cathy and Mark Tade – Edwardsville, IL.   Children are welcome. RSVP to Cathy Tade.

Alton Area:   Friday, March 5^th from 7 to 9 pm at the home of Nancee Magilson and Mark Antieau – Alton, IL.   This is an Adults Only evening.   RSVP to Ruth Maskow.

Missouri Area:   Friday, March 12^th from 7 to 9 p.m. at the home of Jennifer Herndon – Florissant, MO.   Children are welcome. RSVP to Mary Johnson.

Alton Area:   Saturday, March 13^th from 3 to 5 p.m. OR from 7 to 9 p.m. at the church.

Children are welcome, and childcare will be available in the nursery. RSVP to Dee Evans.

We are looking forward to seeing you at a Neighborhood Dessert.

The Stewardship Committee

It’s pledge drive time!  Personally, I love it.  And, I hate it.  I’ve never been comfortable asking people for money.  But, with the pledge drive come extra opportunities to gather and talk about what First Church means to us.  And I like that. 

This year, we’re doing three “dessert nights” at members’ homes, along with two “dessert events” at the church.  I strongly encourage you to attend at least one of these events.  If nothing else, Linda Van Zandt can cook and the desserts alone will be well worth it.

But I suspect you’ll get much more out of it than that.  You’ll get to deepen friendships you’ve formed at church.  You’ll get to know newer members and start new friendships. 

You’ll also get to reflect on what First Church means to you.  I know that I made my first pledge without any such thought.  I picked a number out of the sky, without thinking about why I was giving or what the money would be used for.

As I got to know more of the wonderful people at church, and took advantage of more of the meaningful activities at church, my pledge took on more significance.  Instead of just filling in a number on a pledge card because someone handed it to me, I became invested in helping.  Helping to keep the lights on in our church, to purchase better curriculum for our kids, to update our aging building, and pay our terrific staff.

No one should offer to give more than they can.  But we should all give what we can.  I urge you to put some real thought into your pledge.  Our dessert events are the perfect chance to do that.  I hope to see you there.  

Jennifer Herndon, Board President

CHOIR REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

The choir rehearses on the first three Thursdays of each month from 7 to 8:30 pm.    March rehearsals are on the 4^th, 11^th and 18^th.

We always welcome new voices!   Come to a rehearsal to see what it’s like.   For more information contact Willis McCoy.

Announcement about

Announcements in Church

With the wonderfully large number of programs and events and meetings that are happening in our church community, and with the upcoming move to two services each Sunday, we need to be more efficient in our announcements at the beginning of Sunday services and to get the best information out to the widest number of people possible.  The Worship Committee asks that you join us in an experiment by handling your announcement(s) in one of three ways:

(1)    Give a written copy of your announcement(s) to an usher, greeter, or liturgist before the service begins and it will be read from the pulpit.  A form will be available for you to write your announcement.

(2)    You may also post your announcement(s) on the Kiosk in the Kate Wuerker Room.

(3)    If it is imperative that you make the announcement yourself, please limit it to 45 seconds.

Please keep in mind that announcements are to be about something for the good of the church. Also, if you’re announcing a congregational or community social event, please limit your announcement to within two Sundays before the scheduled event.

Thank you for you help and understanding,

Your Worship Committee

Pagan Group Meeting – March 19th

We are approaching the Vernal Equinox, Ostara , the beginning of spring, the time of the year where we seek equilibrium as the Earth herself finds balance between light and darkness, the time of year for new beginnings and seeking that balance within. The Pagan Group will be meeting at the church to celebrate Ostara, the Spring Equinox, on Friday, March 19 from 6 - 8 pm.  All are invited to join us for an open ritual and potluck! Childcare will be provided.

Also, if you want to be kept up to date on the latest news and planning information for the pagan group, please join our yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/confluencecuups/ or get in touch with one of the group facilitators Kristen O'Steen or Jimmy Christodoulou.

Building & Grounds Sponsoring

a Pancake Breakfast

The B&G Committee will be holding a pancake and sausage breakfast on Saturday, March 6^th from 8 to 11 am.   All proceeds will go towards the cost of materials needed for the following week’s work day.   If you have questions or want to volunteer to help at the breakfast, get in touch with Annie Morgan and check for a signup sheet in the Kate Wuerker Room.  Cost:  $5.00 for adults and teenagers; no charge for kids 12 and under.

Most people enjoy getting a card or email or phone call on their birthday.   Below is the list we have of church members and friends celebrating birthdays this month.  If you don’t think the church office has your birthday on file, please contact Becky Green at church@firstuualton.org) and give her that information.

2 March – Damien Kerbel (2001)

3 March – Jerry Johnson

4 March – Chad Keller

4 March – Lauren Johnson (2002)

5 March – Eowyn Wolff (2004)

5 March – Aurora Kerbel (2004)

6 March – Kathryn Chapman

8 March – Nathan Tarbell (1991)

9 March – Michelle Hudson

15 March – Sarah Dothager

16 March – Avery Myers (1996)

17 March - Megan Gross (2003)

25 March – Gerry Gilman

4^th Saturday Lunch

for those in need of a hot meal

March 27, 2010

Watch for a signup sheet at church and emails requesting volunteers to provide food and help.

Our lunch buffet line opens at 12 noon.  We ask that if you are bringing food that you arrive at least by 11:45 am.  Set-up help is welcome anytime after 10:30 am and cleanup help is always needed after lunch is over.

You are also welcome, and encouraged, to stay and have lunch with our guests.

If you are interested in helping to plan and organizing one of these monthly lunches please contact our Saturday Lunch Coordinator, Kathryn Chapman.

How You Can make a Difference in a Child’s life.

Do you have a free Tuesday evening at least once a month?  Would you like to help children develop assets that will help them succeed in school and live positive lives?  Can you be a friend, a role model, a nurturer of possibilities and have fun?  Will you be a volunteer in our church’s new KIDS NIGHT OUT WEEKLY (KNOW) program for kids living in the several shelters near our church?  Volunteer application forms will be available at church or contact Mary Johnson.

In keeping with our Unitarian Universalist Principles of affirming and promoting the worth and dignity of every person, and promoting justice, equity and compassion in human relations, a group of church members and friends has come together to develop a weekly evening activity program for children in Kindergarten through 6^th  Grade who are temporarily living at the Stratford Hotel, the Salvation Army, or the Oasis Women’s Center. 

We are looking for caring and responsible adults and youth from our congregation to provide positive interactions and academic help to children who come to our KNOW program.  Our core focus will be providing homework help and tutoring in reading and math, but we also hope to offer the children the opportunity to do crafts, enjoy games and puzzles, have some cooking/baking fun, and use computers.  We will be working with the Alton School District which will provide volunteer training and consulting support for KNOW. 

Marybeth Gras, working with the Mentoring Program of the Alton School System, will offer a Volunteer Training program at church on Tuesday, March 9^th from 6:30 to 8 pm.  Pizza and salad will be provided for supper.   

Our first KNOW evening will be a Family Night on Tuesday, March 16 as an orientation and overview for the parents and kids to introduce them to our program, our church facility, and to some of our volunteers.  Supper for families and volunteers will be served at 5:30.

Our regular KNOW program will start the next Tuesday, March 23 with a supper for the kids and volunteers at 5:30.  We plan to offer a light supper every week at 5:30 pm with the activity part of the program going from 6 to 8 pm. 

GLBT PotLuck

The Kate Wuerker Fellowship Hall at the First Unitarian Church of Alton, IL has been reserved for our 1st area-wide, Unitarian Universalist GBLT potluck.  The date for this event is Saturday, April 10, 2010, at 6 pm.  We are inviting GBLT folks from the three other area Unitarian-Universalist congregations to come join us for food, drink, and conversation.

RSVP to Layne Simpson by Saturday, April 3 if you will be attending.  Children welcomed but will also provide childcare services if needed. 

Layne A. Simpson 

Unitarian Universalists have contributed almost $1 million to a relief fund created by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to help victims of the January 12^th earthquake in Haiti.   Our congregation contributed $1,092.41 to UUSC through our Community Outreach Offering in January, our Guest at Your Table donation, and contributions directly to the UUSC.

Church Work Day

Saturday, March 13^th

8 am – 2 pm

We will be doing some water proofing, painting, cleaning, and drywall repair.

SO – if you like to sling mud, slap paint, or just wanna’ chat … come to church on the 13^th.  There will be snacks and drinks available.

Johnny and Annie Morgan

In  sympathy

The congregation espresses its sympathy to our church Office Administrator, Becky Green, whose father, Bing  Ribble passed away  suddenly at his home on February 1.  Mr. Ribble was a retired grain and livestock farmer in the Hettick area.  He enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends and never met a stranger.  He was a member of Gilead baptist church and in his younger days enjoyed flying.  He is survivied by his wife, his children, 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.   Memorials may be made to Gilead Baptist church.

We have also learned of the death on January 23 of the

Rev. Suzanne Meyer, minister of the First Unitarian Church in St. Louis from 2003 – 2008.   She was called by the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cheyenne WY in 2008 where she served until her death.  Memorials may be made to the Social Action Endowment fund of First Unitarian Church of St. Louis.

Permaculture Workshop

at the Rockhaven Ecozoic Center

7621 Rivermont Trail House Springs MO 63051

March 19 – 21 From 6:30 pm on Friday through  9:30 am on Sunday.  Cost $125.00

A workshop designed to engage you in the act of working with Mother Nature in creating ecosystems through harmonious plant selection, maintaining rich, healthy soil, conserving water naturally, and encouraging animal habitats alongside your garden.  

For more information contact Layne Simpson at church or go to www.rockhavencenter.org.

Interest Group Gatherings

Green Sky Sangha

The Green Sky Sangha meets every Sunday at 9:30 am in Room 5 on the lower level in the RE wing and invites anyone interested in meditation to join them. No prior knowledge of meditation is necessary.  The group practices various forms of meditation and discusses ideas related to Buddhism.   

Dee Evans

All church women are invited to the

Anna D Sparks

Women’s Alliance

monthly lunch

The Anna Ds will have their monthly lunch meeting on Thursday, March 4^th at 11:30 am at the home of Joan Hashimi – 1089 Prestonwood Drive, Edwardsville, IL 62025.   RSVP by March 1^st to Joan.

Spiral Scouts 

The next Spiral Scouts meeting will be on Sunday, March 7^th at 1 pm at the church.

The Spiral Scouts is an all-inclusive scouting experience for children and parents of all genders.  The program begins with ages 3 - 8 with Fireflies and continues to Spiral Scouts ages 9 - 13. We will all meet together and split in to age appropriate groups.

For more information go to the Spiral Scouts website, or contact Sayer Johnson or Jason Dothager .

Men’s Lunch Group

All the men in the church are invited to attend.

The Men’s Lunch Group will meet on Thursday, March 11^th at the St. Louis Buffet, 672 Wesley Dr., Wood River, IL. Contact Nelson Shaner for further details.

Church Committee Meetings in March

Growth – Sunday, March 7 at 11:45 am.

Pastoral Care Team – Thursday, March 25 at 6 pm.

Social Justice – Sunday, March 28 during PotLuck.

If you plan a Committee Meeting PLEASE make sure to inform Becky in the church office so that your meeting gets on the calendar … and PLEASE send a note to the newsletter editor with the same information.  If you have a regularly scheduled meeting (weekly, monthly, etc.) please let us both know so we can make sure that the information gets out to everyone.

Note from the Church Office

I will be sending out a Data Information Request Form for the new church database system by email and postal mail for those without email.  These forms can be printed and mailed back to the office or filled out, saved and returned as attachments.

There will be one form for the household and one form for each individual in the family. 

Some of the optional questions are for statistical purposes and would never be public knowledge.  The information collected from these forms would help the church grow in the interest of the congregation. 

Becky Green

Community
Outreach Offering

In March our Offering will go to NAMI of Madison County.  NAMI's efforts focus on support to persons with serious brain disorders and to their families; advocacy for nondiscriminatory and equitable federal, state, and private-sector policies; research into the causes, symptoms and treatment for brain disorders; and education to eliminate the stigma surrounding severe mental illnesses. 

Most people who join a NAMI affiliate do so because they need information and ways to cope with the mental illness of their family member.  They learn by talking with others, by attending educational meetings, and through affiliate newsletters.

For more information about NAMI call their office in Granite City at 618-798-9788 or look at their homepage http://madisoncty.nami.org/.  If someone you know is in crisis call the 24 hr. NAMI hotline at 618-465-4388.

Affordable Housing in Madison County

A Social Justice Concern

Can people of all races, ages, creeds, genders, and abilities find decent and affordable housing in Madison County?   Do landlords discriminate and refuse to rent to certain people?< span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Do the city and county governments treat everybody fairly when it comes to housing or are some people told their kind aren’t welcome?  If you have thoughts or experiences about these questions, please contact Mira Tanna at Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council (314 534-5800 x 26 or ehmocmt@birch.ent.   Your answers will influence how federal money is spent in Madison< County for the next five years.

Diane Thompson

For Those Who Are Thirsty …

Cans of Soda are still available for purchase from the refrigerator in the kitchen.  Lately we have not been making any profit from the soda sales, so the sales may have to be discontinued.  Please remember to pay 50 cents per soda that you or your child takes from the refrigerator. There is a silver box covered with duct tape where money should be deposited.  This is a service to members as well as a fund raiser for the Building and Grounds Committee to help pay for small purchases not covered by the budget.  Past profits have paid for items such as the chairs by the fireplace.  Please help out the B&G fund by purchasing canned soda, and put your used cans in the recycling bin in the corner behind the refrigerator.

            Pat Moore

Potluck Lunch ~ March 28^th

Lunch will begin shortly after 12 noon following our 2^nd service.  Everyone is invited to stay for fellowship, conversation, and a good lunch!  Please bring a dish to serve 8 to 10. 

A-Mc will do Table Set Up

M-Z will do Clean Up

Treasurer’s Note

Total budgeted income for January, 2010 was $8,435.24; this was 6.1% of our annual budget.  Total budgeted expenses for January, 2010 were $10,897.83; this was 7.9% of our annual budget.

I have printed the 2009 tax-letters and distributed most of them. If you need one and have not received yours, get in touch with me.

At 58.33% (or 7/12) of the way through our fiscal year, our expenses were at 59.87%, which is pretty good. Our income was at 66.06% (almost 8/12), so -- as of the end of January -- we had almost a month’s expenses in reserve. The problem is that both our future expenses and future income are somewhat unpredictable, so we cannot rest on our laurels.

 Jerry Johnson, Treasurer

MOVIE NIGHT at church

MARCH 6 – 6:30 p.m.

Louisa May Alcott:
The woman behind Little Women.

A PBS American Masters Presentation

Janice Joiner writes, “I managed to catch this twice on Channel 9 and was as fascinated the second time as the first and am looking forward to seeing it and talking about it with you a third time. Did you know she was the "Danielle Steele" of her day?  An accomplished actress?  Paraphrasing loosely, she was a wife to her father, a husband to her mother, and a mother to her sister's child.  Come see how she did all of this without breaking any laws of God or man.”

Please let Linda Van Zandt know if you need child care.

There is talk of sharing pizza for supper.   Contact Janice Joiner for further information or to let her know you’ll be at the movie.

Go to http://www.alcottfilm.com/ to learn more about this docudrama.

Getting to Know You!

We want to include short bios about church members in each month’s newsletter.  If you would like to share information about yourself and your family so we can get to know each other better, please submit your bio to the newsletter by the 15^th of the month.

Marty, Eric, Meredith, and Lauren Johnson live in Glen Carbon, Illinois.  Lauren is a loving, sweet second grader and enjoys school and her teacher.  She pursues arts of all kinds with passion but enjoys caring for the family pets, three cats and two dogs.  She would like to take care of animals when she grows up (Vet, Rescue, Boarding/Grooming).  Meredith is an outgoing, articulate third grader and is devoted to Soo Bahk Do, a Korean martial art. She is a 6th gup, green belt, testing in Feb. for 5th gup (She'll add a stripe to her belt). Meredith wants to be anthropologist studying mythology.  Marty is a vivacious, outgoing, competent woman, great mom, and fantastic conversationalist.  She is currently looking for employment in the non-profit sector, or possibly looking to start her own non-profit evaluation and strategy firm.  She holds a Bachelors degree in Education and Social policy from Northwestern University, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.  She also has completed four years of Doctoral work at the University of Illinois-Chicago.  She loves playing music, gardening, and family time.  Eric is a loving, enthusiastic and passionate man who enjoys anything family, anything Marty, anything eco, cooking, and gardening.
Eric finds great meaning in his work as a Chaplain for Heartland Hospice.  Eric holds a Bachelors degree in French Horn Performance from Northwestern University, and a Masters degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School, one of two UU seminaries.

March RE Program News & Notes

March’s RE Theme:  Believe and Act!

March’s UU Principle:  “4. We search for what is true.”

We continue our year-long focus on the seven Unitarian Universalist Principles, with an additional emphasis on exploring and learning new things:

Reminder:  Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

At times other than Sunday morning RE, we have recently had issues with young and not-so-young children marauding into areas that are unsupervised and not child-friendly.  It is a loving act to set boundaries and teach children self-control.  Set age-appropriate expectations.  Please, when at intergenerational events or church meetings where child care is not provided, look after your kids.

Reminder:  Nursery and Food

Some of our children have serious food allergies.  Consequently, we have a “no food in the nursery” policy.  Parents whose children need a snack during their time in the nursery should make special arrangements with our nursery staff.

Guest at Your Table Results — January

In case you are wondering, we raised and contributed $600 to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC).  UUSC advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies.

Teacher and Parent Religious Education Orientation — February

Our presentation on February 1^st, “Growing Souls,” was well attended and well received.  We debuted our new Teacher Reference Manual.  Thank you to all who participated.

Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!  March 7

We are trying to plan a special event of drumming at the March 7 Children’s Chapel.  We may not be able to pull this off, but with your help we might:  We are looking for donations of clean 5 gallon paint buckets — if you have any of these to donate to RE, please drop them off in the RE Resource Room downstairs.  If you have hand drums at home, send them with your kids on the 7th.  Thanks!

Changing to Two Services on March 21

We move to two services on March 21^st.  Here’s what to expect:

9:30 Service:

·         No RE program

·         Nursery care beginning 9:15 a.m. for kids 6 weeks to four years

·         Supervised, unstructured crafts in the 1^st-3^rd grade room

·         Children in fourth grade and up remain in the sanctuary with their parents for the duration of the worship service.  There are no plans at this time to conduct a Children’s Moment in the 9:30 Service.

11:00 Service:

·         Full RE program begins at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary (or Children’s Chapel on the first Sunday of each month)

·         On those Sunday’s where children begin RE in the sanctuary with their parents, there will be a Children’s Moment, then adults will sing children out to the classes, escorted by teachers

·         Nursery care for kids 6 weeks to about 3 years

·         Three year olds who are ready to “graduate” from nursery move to Spirit Play

·         All RE classes move to a defined class dismissal time of 12:05

Volunteers Sought

Volunteers Needed to Supervise First Service Craft Activities, beginning on March 21

This is a one Sunday commitment to supervise crafts for our youngest members, ages 5 through third grade.  Sign up sheets are in the Kate Wuerker Room near the coffee table.  After much thought, the RE Committee decided that for those Sundays on which no one volunteers, or the volunteer(s) unexpectedly cancels, crafts will be cancelled for that Sunday and all children will remain in the sanctuary for the duration of the first service.  Our Child Protection Policy requires that whenever possible, at least two unrelated paid staff or volunteers will be in the room when minors are present.  The RE Administrator will coordinate and assist volunteers with age appropriate craft ideas and materials, toys, story books, etc.  For more information, see Steven Mead or Cheryle Tucker-Loewe.

Just One More—Volunteer Teacher, That is

We need one more teacher to round out our 4th-6th grade teaching team this semester.  Join Monica Moore, Ted Loucks, and Alison Reiheld and “Grow Some Souls.”  To volunteer, see Steven Mead or Cheryle Tucker-Loewe.

Oh, god (if there is a god), is it your divine will that we be clean?—March Clean Team

While we might have differing opinions about god, most of us can appreciate that “Cleanliness is next to godliness”—especially when we are referring to our youngest in the nursery.  We are attempting to gather our UU clean-niks for a one-time deep cleaning of the nursery, its toys and furnishings.  Many hands make light work.  Date and time to be determined.  Interested?  For more information, see Steven Mead or Cheryle Tucker-Loewe.

Can’t Commit to Sundays But Want to Contribute to RE?

Volunteer sought to inventory and create a database of our RE books—work at your own pace—data entry into our new church software.

Steven Mead, Temporary RE Administrator

Become a Chalice Lighter

Over 800 Unitarian Universalists in the Central Midwest District have joined forces to help their fellow congregations increase the presence of Unitarian Universalism in the district through membership growth.  They are called Chalice Lighters because they share the light of Unitarian Universalism to Ignite Dreams.  The program is sponsored by the district to raise money for congregations committed to membership growth.  Approaching our tenth year, the Chalice Lighter program now raises $10,000 to $11,000 three times each year. Imagine what a congregation committed to growth can do with that kind of money.

What do Chalice Lighters do?  They support congregations throughout the Central Midwest District who want to actively increase membership by: 1.  Enlarging their building space or buying land. 2.  Increasing professional staff. 3.  Implementing publicity programs. 4.  Starting new congregations.

How do they do it?

Chalice Lighters commit themselves to give at one of the following levels:

Basic $10 – Believer $20 – Builder $50  –  Benefactor $100 – Beacon $250.

They donate three times a year (fall, winter, spring) to support three congregations with a mission and a plan to grow.  The congregations are chosen by a District Chalice Lighters Committee through a grant application process.  A congregation’s financial commitment to growth, supported by a feasible plan, is the primary criteria for selection.  Every congregation in the district may apply.

Why do they do it?

Their donation, joined with hundreds of other donations, raise thousands of dollars each year, connecting  them to something greater than themselves.

Contact Don Allen to learn how you can become a Chalice Lighter.