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Congregation established 1836 |
Newsletter of the First
Unitarian Church, Alton, Illinois
www.firstuualton.org
Rev. Khleber Van Zandt, Minister |
FIRST UNITARIAN FOCUS
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Congregation established 1836 |
Newsletter of the First
Unitarian Church, Alton, Illinois
www.firstuualton.org
Rev. Khleber Van Zandt, Minister |
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August 2nd "Shades
of blue: One
person’s journey to live an authentic life" Sayer Johnson Sayer will share his story trying
to live authentically within the binary gender spectrum. He will share personal
details of his decision to live the life he feels like he was born to live, and
share stories from his life showing how they relate to navigating through his
transition. The documentary film "Transparent" will be shown following the service. Sayer is a proud Papi and partner. He has been a part of the First Unitarian
community for about a year and a half.
He participates in the August 9th “Ritual:
Building Human Communities” Stacey Wolff What
would life be without ritual? People the world over from the distant past
through the present have grown communities filled with the richness, comfort,
and beauty of ritual. In light of this, ritual might be seen as a definitively
human endeavor that brings comfort and joy throughout our lives. Stacey
is an instructor of English at Lewis and Clark Community College, a member of
First Unitarian Church of Alton, and member of Confluence Covenant of Unitarian
Universalist Pagans (CUUPS). To Contact Rev. Khleber Van Zandt Email: kvanzandt@uuma.org Cell Phone: |
August 23rd “Coming Out Whole” Rev. Khleber Van Zandt National Coming Out Day is in
October, but it’s important to remember its significance year-round. Millions of people have chosen to live their
lives as ‘out and open’ - mostly wanting to know they’re not alone in this world. Isn’t that what we all want? Without it, we might as well all be
strangers. August 23rd “Everyday
Use” Rev. Khleber Van Zandt Alice Walker’s short story,
“Everyday Use,” challenges our ideas about family, refinement, and our own
identities as well as the identity of God.
Through August 30th “Room
for Mystery” Rev. Khleber Van Zandt Many of us fall prey to the
belief that we can know all there is to know.
Yes, our base of human knowledge expands each day, but it often seems
the more we know, the less we understand.
Instead of fearing the mystery, perhaps we can celebrate it. This Sunday, Dr. Leon Burke III, choir director of
Eliot Chapel, will join us for worship and share with us his considerable
musical talents. |
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Adult Religious
Enrichment (ARE) Sunday mornings
@ 9:30 am in Childcare is
available. August 2nd – To be announced. August 9th – Non Theist/Humanist Group August 16th – UU World Magazine discussion
August 23rd
–
A New Beginning: Another Year of Adult Religious Enrichment,
August 30th – To be announced.
Mark Your Calendars:
A Quick Guide to this Month’s Happenings Sun, Aug. 2 – Fair Trade Coffee sales; Spiral Scouts; Film “Transparent” – after church Wed., Aug. 5 – Green Sky Sangha – 7 pm Sun., Aug. 9 – Growth Committee; Choir practice – after church Tues., Aug. 11 – Board meeting – 7 pm Wed., Aug. 12 – Green Sky Sangha – 7 pm Thurs., Aug. 13 – Men’s Lunch Group – 11:30 am Fri., Aug. 14 – Pagan Chalice Circle – 6 pm Fri., Aug. 14 – Sleep-over for RE Rummage Sale – 8 pm Sat., Aug. 15 – RE Rummage Sale – 8 am to 1 pm Sat., Aug. 15 – Renegade Women Chalice Circle –2 pm Sun., Aug. 16 – Parents Seeking Peace Chalice Circle – 12 noon Wed., Aug. 19 – Green Sky Sangha – 7 pm Thurs., Aug. 20 – Pastoral Care Team – 6 pm Fri., Aug. 21 – Dao Ceremony – 6 - 8 pm, contact Cliff Carter for further information. Sat., Aug. 22 – 4th Saturday Lunch – 12 noon Sun., Aug. 23 – Potluck; choir practice, Stewardship Committee meeting – after church Tues., Aug. 25 – Men’s Chalice Circle – 7 pm Wed., Aug. 26 – Green Sky Sangha – 7 pm Thurs., Aug. 27 – Choir practice – 7 pm Fri., Aug. 28 – Newcomers Party – 7:30 pm Sat., Aug. 29 – Roles & Responsibilities Workshop – 10 am to 4 pm Mon., Aug. 31 – Alton Area Cluster meeting at church – 7 pm |
In
late June, Linda and I were scheduled to attend the Unitarian Universalist
Association’s General Assembly in When
the pre-GA meetings began with my colleagues and Linda’s minister’s
spouse/partner colleagues, we shifted out of our touristy gears and into
searching out some old friends and making a few new ones as well. It’s always
good to catch up with what’s happening around the country in our far-flung
churches – even if we’re not a mega-movement, we’re a diverse and exciting one. Linda
had to come home before GA got formally started, but I stayed for the dizzying
array of activities and workshops and plenary sessions, making sure to attend
all the worship services that are the highlight of GA for me. In my years of
attending GA, I have been most moved by the Service of the Living Tradition. That
traditional Friday night worship service at General Assembly honors those in
our professional ministry who’ve reached some milestone. One of the more
affecting moments for me during the service each year is the reading of the
names of ministers who’ve died in the previous twelve months. This year, as the
names of those who had gone before were read, I sat on the stage with the bass
section of the choir, all the way up against the back wall of the huge
convention hall, and looked out on the thousands of UUs in attendance. Some of
the names and photographs of the deceased were familiar to me: Max Coots, Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, Martha
Newman. Others were colleagues unknown to me though they had labored in the
same mission fields as I. After
the list of the dead was read, the worship leader invoked a moment of silence.
Somewhere in the distance, with the names of my predecessors still echoing
through the hall, a tiny baby began to cry. And I thought of the words of
Antoine de St. Exupery, “In a house which becomes a home, one hands down and
another takes up the heritage of mind and heart, laughter and tears, musings
and deeds. We live, not by things, but by the meanings of things. It is needful
to transmit the passwords from generation to generation.” In
the coming church year, let us pledge to transmit the passwords to the next
generations as we work to keep this community vibrant and alive for today and
tomorrow. Wishing you and yours some rest and relaxation during the dog days of summer,
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Message
from Jennifer There’s a church close to my house that I drive by at least once a day. For the longest time the sign out front read, “The wages of sin are death. Repent before payday.” After awhile, I started to turn my head as I drove by to keep from reading the message. I thought about how very happy I was that I didn’t have to walk into that building on Sunday morning. This “doomsday” sign got me thinking how fortunate I am to have such a great place to walk into on Sunday morning. Instead of being greeted with death threats, a banner declaring that love and not laws makes marriage hangs in front of the church. Our board displays positive messages about love and living a valuable life. I am honored to be the president of the board of such a great church. Before joining this church, I hadn’t attended church since my parents made me go in high school. I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and was actually married by a Unitarian minister after I graduated from law school. He invited me to his church, but my aversion to the word “church” kept me from even considering it at the time. I came to St. Louis 12 years ago. With caution, I started looking for a church after my daughter Riana was born in 2004. In 2007 I added my son Javion, and in 2008 my foster son Justin, who will hopefully be a permanent part of our family. This church has definitely become family to us in ways I never thought a church could be. I hope to serve you all well as its president over the next year. Jennifer Herndon Board President Interest Group Gatherings
Green Sky Sangha Green Sky Sangha Group meets every Wednesday at 7 pm and invites anyone interested in meditation to join them. No prior knowledge of meditation is required. The group practices various forms of meditation and discusses ideas related to Buddhism.
Dee Evans |
The Women's
Layne A. Simpson
Anna Ds The Anna Ds Women’s
Spiral Scouts will meet at noon on AUGUST 2nd. They will meet regularly on the first Sunday of each month. Contact Kristen O’Steen for further information.
Men’s Lunch Group – All the men in the church are invited to attend. The Men’s Lunch Group will meet on Thursday, August 13th at the St. Louis Buffet, 672 Wesley Dr., Wood River, IL. Contact Nelson Shaner for further details . |
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The Party will have a ‘60s theme. Costumes are optional, but would be fun. Anyone with recordings from that era would be welcome to bring them to play at times. Also we will do another “Name that Tune” game so Brynda McCoy is looking for musical volunteers to play snippets from popular songs from that decade – just let Brynda know what you will play. Non-newcomers are asked to bring some sort of snack finger food. The church will provide soft drinks. If desired, other drinks may be brought as well. Childcare will be available and children’s activities will be planned. If anyone has an item to donate for a game prize let Brenda know. Volunteers will also be needed to help with set up and clean up. A signup sheet will be available in the Kate Wuerker Room on the 2nd of August. If you have questions, or for further information, please contact Brynda McCoy. Donations for Oasis Women’s Shelter The following items are needed by the
Oasis Women’s Shelter. Please bring your
donations during August and put them in the collection bin in the RE Foyer. Liquid detergent Diapers sizes 4 – 5 – 6 Diaper sacks Baby wipes Hand sanitizer Pedilite Toilet paper Paper towels African American hair care products Personal care items Black ball point pens |
Our total Income
for the 2008-2009 church fiscal year was $143,210.43, which is 3.74% over
budget. Our total expenses
for the 2008-2009 church fiscal year were $139,349.56, which is 0.94% over
budget. This year’s surplus of $3,860.87 was primarily due to the
congregation-approved transfer of $4000 from the Endowment Fund. The fact that
we used only about $140 of that money means that most of it can be applied to
erasing our long-term deficit. Since I closed the books on the fiscal year, we
have received $930 which can be applied to 2008-2009 pledges. These payments
will also be added to our surplus and used to pay down the deficit. Our deficit
now stands at $1447, down from $6238. During the last weekend in June, it became apparent that there was
something wrong with at least one of our air-conditioning units. This was
verified on June 30th, when a repairman from Barrett Heating and
Cooling discovered that the compressor in the A/C for the R.E. wing was burned
out. Fortunately, the unit was under warrantee, so we will only have to pay for
the labor. I have received a bill for
the diagnosis, cleaning, and repair of the problem, totaling $693.24. This
represents over 10% of our Building & Grounds budget – an unfortunate hit
so early in the fiscal year. A New Way To Make Your Financial Contribution to the
Church The church is now offering to deduct monthly pledge payments from
members' bank accounts or from their Mastercard or Visa cards. To apply for this, one needs to fill out,
sign, and turn in an authorization form, of which I have copies at church. I
take these forms and enter the data into an online system, which sets up the
payment. I need the information on the signed form, because from time to time I
will be audited to verify that I actually have the authorization form. If the
deduction is to be from one's checking account, a voided check must be
attached. If you plan to use your credit card, it would be nice if you could
increase the payment amount by 2% or 3%, since the credit card companies charge
us 2.75% for their services – so we only receive 97.25% of the payment. Jerry Johnson, Treasurer |
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UU Pagan Chalice
Circle Friday, August
14th at church 6 to 8 pm. Contact Kristen O’Steen. Renegade Women’s Saturday, August 15th
at church 2 to 4 pm. Contact Marcia Custer. Parents Seeking Peace Chalice Circle
Sunday, August 16th– 12:00 to 1:30 pm
in Emerson Place at church.
Men's Tuesday, August 25th –
7 pm at church. Contact: Khleber Van Zandt.
Please contact your Pastoral Care Team Leader or Rev. Khleber Van Zandt if there are concerns that need to be brought to their attention. If you do not know if you are connected with a Pastoral Care Team, please contact Marcia Custer.
Growth Committee – Sunday, August 9th – 11:40 am. Pastoral Care Team Leaders – Thursday, August 20th – 6 pm. Stewardship Committee – Sunday, August 23rd – 11:40 am. |
August 23rd
Bring
a dish to share and plan to stay after church to join in food and fellowship! Please bring a dish that serves at least 6 to
8 people. When
at all possible, in an effort to be more conscious of the environment and to
reduce the trash that our church might add to the ever growing area landfills,
we are using the church’s china plates instead of disposable ones. A-Mc will do Clean Up M-Z will do Table Set Up PLEASE PLAN TO DO YOUR
SHARE IN SETTING UP AND CLEANING UP. DON’T
LEAVE THE TASKS FOR A FEW PEOPLE TO DO. RE-MINDERS Please bring in your empty ink jet cartridges for recycling and place them in the bin in the foyer.
Parents: Please check your email for your re-registration forms for this year's Religious Education classes. The Youth Group will be hosting
the annual rummage sale on August 8.
Donations are being accepted until August 7. Please come out on that morning to support
them in their efforts.
A Social Justice Venture Saturday, August 22nd is
the date of our next 4th Saturday Lunch for those in need of a
meal. A signup sheet will be available
so you can decide what you would like to bring.
The 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. If you have questions contact Diane Thompson. |
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We are looking for individual and group musicians to perform on Sundays when the choir does not sing. Anyone interested in sharing their musical talents with the congregation, or who has a suggestion of someone outside our church community who would be willing to play “pro bono” please contact Willis McCoy
Church Photos now in
Alton Unitarian Church built in the 1850s – photo from the 1880s The Alton Museum of History and Art now has two photos on display of our historic church. Thanks to Brynda McCoy’s visiting the Museum and noticing that there were old photos of many of Alton’s churches, but none of ours, she arranged for two photographs … one from the 1800s (above) and one from the early 1900s (current building) to be given to the museum for its collection. The Museum is located near the Dental School at 2809 College Ave. and is open Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is $3.00 and Brenda says it is well worth the time to go and learn more about our Alton heritage. Election Results from the UUA General Assembly
The Rev. Peter Morales, senior minister of Jefferson UnitarianChurch in Golden, CO, was elected to be the eighth president of the Unitarian Universalist Association at the Association’s General Assembly in Salt Lake City in late June. The term is for four years. Rev. Morales received a total of 2,061 votes. His opponent, the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman, formerly senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, TX received a total of 1481 votes. |
1 August – Atticus Rebmann (2005) 3 August – Akilah Hudson (2002) 4 August – Jim Elliott 5 August – Emily Loucks (1995) 7 August – Jack McCall 10 August – Lorna McElhone 10 August – Bev Carter 14 August – Lily Tade (1995) 16 August – Anna Whitaker (1996) 23 August – Paul Hebert 24 August – Amelia McCarthy (1996) 29 August – Corbin Prado (2005) 29 August – Marilyn Prado (2005) DIRECTORY
CHANGE Sayer Johnson sayerjohnson@gmail.com Sharon Johnson sharonjohnsonmsw@gmail.com If your personal information (phone, address, email) changes, please notify the church office so we can keep our records current.
CHOIR REHEARSAL
RESUMES On August 6th We have openings for sopranos, altos, tenors,
baritones, basses … and any voices in-between. We rehearse on the 1st
and 3rd Thursday evenings at 7 pm, and on the 2nd and 4th
Sundays after church. This is so all
choir members will have an opportunity to rehearse at least twice a month. For more info. contact Willis McCoy or show up for a rehearsal. |
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Outreach
Offering General
Information: One-half of the cash collection and one-half of any undesignated checks put in the collection on the 2nd
and 4th Sundays are given away to charitable causes. The entire
amount of checks designated for a specific cause is donated to that cause. The money donated does not
include pledge checks or money otherwise earmarked by the giver. The
listing below shows where your money was given during the 2008-2009 church
year. The total distributed was $4801.75 July – Alton Food Pantry – $203 July 31/Aug. 3 – Vigil Against Violence - Knoxville Fund – $374 August – Local Salvation Army – $151.50 September – Oasis Women’s Shelter – $175 October – UUA Association Sunday – $460 November – La Vista Garden shares for low-income families
– $1030.50 December 14 – December 28 – Oasis Women’s Shelter – $145.50 January – Unitarian Universalist Service Committee – $287.50 February – Work Trip to Louisiana/Southern Mutual Help
Association – $520.25 March – SIUE Poetry Correspondence Program – $243.50 April
– Metropolitan St. Louis Equal
Housing Opportunity Council – $723 May
– Land of Lincoln Legal Aid –
$290.50
June
– Madison County National Alliance on Mental Illness
(NAMI) – $150 August’s Community
Outreach Offering will go to the Oasis Women’s Shelter, plus there will be a
collection taken of items needed by the women at the Shelter. (See list elsewhere in newsletter.)
As children head back to school,
please remember that good nutrition is important for good learning. Your contributions to the Jen Politsch |
With the death of Virginia Russo on June 28, 2009, our
church lost a beloved member. Memorials may be made to an
organization of one’s choice.
Looking for a Few Good Men & Women Those of you who have leadership
abilities and the spiritual call to offer their service for the good of our
church, are invited to apply for Board, Committee Chair, and Ad Hoc Task Force
Leadership positions that are continually available. The Nominating Committee
will offer orientation workshops and leadership training and support throughout
the year. Members, new and long-term, are welcome to apply. Each position has
its own commitment requirements, so please inquire about the details.
Applications are available in a marked envelope on the sign-up table in the
Wuerker Room. Completed applications can be submitted to Becky Green, Church
Office Manager, in a sealed envelope and either placed in her mailbox in the
church hallway across from the nursery or mailed directly to her at: Nominating Committee,
John Herndon, Chair
Beth Nalick
Marcia Custer |
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We are planning a fall opening ceremony in Children’s Chapel that you all need to be aware of the summer. We will be doing a Water Communion Ceremony to open our first Chapel service in September. This is a tradition in many UU churches where people bring water that holds a special summer memory for them. This water and that memory are then shared with the congregation. All children are invited to bring in a small bottle of water, rock, or shell from some special summer day to our Children’s Chapel in September. All of the children will be invited to share what made that day so special to them, and the water will then be put into our bowl that we use for the sharing of Joys and Concerns. The rocks or shells will be used to place into the water when the Joys and Concerns are shared. The children will then have the option of leaving their rock or shell with us to use during future Chapels or taking it back home with them after service. Please keep this project in mind as you are traveling and creating special memories with your families. I look forward to hearing about all of these wonderful times when our fall Religious Education Chapels start up again. Thank you, Jamie Gross Newsletter
Deadline Send Newsletter items by 15th of the month to the Editor AND
to the Church office. First
PO Box 494,
Email: church@firstuualton.org Editor: Mary Johnson
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LOOKING AHEAD
TO SEPTEMBER AN INVITATION FOR YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM UU
and You! An
Introduction to Unitarian Universalism This three-session adult education course will be led
by our minister, The Rev. Khleber Van Zandt. Here you will be introduced to the ideas, history, and
people that make up the First Unitarian Church of Alton, and the Free Church
Tradition of which Unitarianism and Universalism are a part. Learning about the church and its traditions
is a first step towards involvement in a community of faith dedicated to the
preservation of religious freedom and the uplifting of the human spirit. We will explore together the difference between the
orthodox and the liberal ways in religion, as well as a brief history of the
Western church. You will learn about our
approach to religion and the core ideas of Unitarianism and Universalism. You will also learn something of the rich and
enduring history of the First Unitarian Church of Alton. Hopefully you will also learn something about yourself
and the things you value and the things you believe, as well as meet and learn
about other newcomers who are on the same pilgrimage of self-discovery. DATES
& TIMES for UU and You! Monday
evening, Sept. 14th – 7:00 to 9:00 Monday
evening, Sept. 21st – 7:00 to 9:00 Monday
evening, Sept. 28th – 7:00 to 9:00 There will be a signup sheet at church or let the
church administrator know by calling (618) 462-2462 or emailing church@firstuualton.org
by Friday, September 11th.
Free childcare will be provided if arranged when you indicate your
intention to attend the UU & You! classes. |
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