Interior window and chandelier;  

Photo by Nancy Conniff      

October 2014

October 5, 2014

"We are not meant to be perfect; 

We are meant to be Whole."

Robyn Berkley

How can we shed the veil of perfection, and become one with our true selves? We will journey to identify our "soul" and embrace ourselves, as we are!

Liturgist:  Sam Berkley

October 12, 2014

“Come on Out Y'all!!!”

October 19, 2014

“That Which Overflows - If We Let It”

Rev. Sunshine J. Wolfe

Liturgist:  Debby Lovell

October 26, 2014

“Masking Ourselves”

Rev. Sunshine Wolfe

Liturgist:  Phil Embree

ADULT RELIGIOUS ENRICHMENT (ARE)

9:30 am - October 12 – Emerson Place – Ron Glossop

Our 2^nd class on "Global Problems of the 21st Century" will focus on the problem of war and what should be done to deal with it and new weapons of mass destruction which could put an end to everything.  "Is human nature such that war can never be eliminated?"  "Has anything ever been done to eliminate war or reduce its probability?"

9:30 am and 10:30 am – Two sessions -October 19 – Emerson Place –

Michelle Bryant Barbeau

“Meditations from Around the World”

11:50 am - October 5, 12, 19, 26 – Dee Evans, Facilitator for “Supporting and Developing each Individual’s Spiritual Path.” 

This group will meet in Emerson Place on Oct. 5 and 19, and at the fireplace in the Kate Wuerker Room on Oct. 12 and 26.

11:50 am – October 12, 26 – Emerson Place

Rev. Sunshine J. Wolfe – “Inspire Programs”

At 11:50 on Sunday twice a month, Rev. Wolfe will offer Inspire Programs on a wide array of topics.  Inspire Programs will provide opportunities for religious education in spiritual development, justice, countering oppression, spiritual practice, Unitarian Universalist identities, and more.  Some programs will require registration and others will be open to all.  Each program description will state clearly whether registration is needed.  All programs are open to high school age student 14 and over with permission of parents, unless otherwise noted.

October 12 - Introduction to Queer Theologies - In celebration of National Coming Out Day, this program will begin with language utilized to describe a variety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, straight, and queer people and communities.  We will then discuss the core theological themes relevant within these communities and how they might help inform the spiritual lives of all people.  Themes include embodiment, “both/and,” authenticity, integrity, and queer valuing.  This program is open to all.

October 26 -  Enneagram Basics-  Based on centuries old observation and brought together into a coherent system in the 1960s, the Enneagram has become a valuable tool for understanding the core motivations we have in life and ways to challenge ourselves to go deeper in self-awareness.  More than a personality test, the Enneagram invites us to explore the deeper waters of why we do what we do.  This program is open to all.  This is a basics program which will be a prerequisite for the future program - Enneagram for Daily Life.

(photo from 1909 postcard)

First Unitarian Church to be on the

Alton Landmarks Historic House Tour

October 12 – noon to 5 pm

Our church is on the Alton Landmarks Historic House Tour.  The Tour is self-guided.  People will be coming in throughout the afternoon.

We will need 5 or 6 volunteers to be present in shifts at the church to keep an eye on things and answer questions. 

We will also be providing light snacks and are requesting donations of veggie or cheese platters, crackers, cookies, etc.

Please contact Sarah Lazarz to volunteer to take a shift or donate refreshments.

The 1:30 pm worship service will be held in Emerson Place.

“Be It Yours To Do”

from

Pastor Sunshine J. Wolfe

“Be it ours to do…”  For many Christian communities, this means being called by G*d to do the work of the divine.  For our religious community, it means that if we do not do it- who will?  We value the combined agency of our lives to transform and bless the world.  As Unitarian Universalists we believe in the power of community.  In our diversity, we still accomplish much by simply pulling our resources together to transform the world, our families, and ourselves.  Running a church is no small thing.  It requires a lot of hands and hearts and the rewards are great.

In speaking with the Board and with other members, one of the greatest struggles for this community is having the volunteers to keep things running.  What I am told by the lay leaders of this church is that it is hard to find people who want to step up or who have the time to do so.  I am absolutely sure of one thing- WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO THIS COMMUNITY.  It is ours to do.

So, why is it so hard?  I have observed that there is not a clear sense of what jobs are required or when they will end.  Also, a few have admitted to not mentioning they have a skill or ability so that they will not be asked to volunteer for a particular task.  The geographical diversity of this congregation adds to the difficulty, as well.  Some people feel burned out by their daily lives and the idea of volunteering proves overwhelming.  Others feel burned out from volunteering too much and just cannot do it anymore.  There are a lot of reasons why this has been a struggle.

In the coming weeks, I will be making recommendations about how to manage the many tasks of this community.  The first of these recommendations I will share here- the congregation as a whole needs to help solve it.  We need your input, your ideas, and your commitment.  The truth is that without having fully staffed committees, teams, and events, this congregation will not last.  If every person took on one volunteer task, we could easily accomplish all of the work of the church.  You may not be able to volunteer for a committee, but perhaps you are willing to help with phone calls or dishes or greeting newcomers.  What you can do will be enough.  I close with the words of Edward Everett Hale:

“I am only one, but still I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;

And because I cannot do everything,

I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”

I will work with the Board and lay leaders to bring about clear job descriptions, clear time expectations, and defined limits on how long one will be expected to participate in a task.  Hopefully with some clarity of expectations and some trust that our needs and boundaries will be respected, we will be able to accomplish all of the good work of this community. 

Be it yours to do.

May it be so!

Congregational Interviews

Rev. Wolfe is conducting interviews to learn more about the congregation.  Ghe is interested in interviewing everyone and would like to interview those who have been a member since before 1999.  These interviews are open-ended, confidential, and valuable to help determine the course of the interim time.  Rev. Wolfe is willing to meet you where it is convenient for you.  Please contact gher at 317-448-3818 or swolfe@uuma.org.  Thank you for your time and participation.

News from Emerson UU Chapel

Emerson UU Chapel recently celebrated its 30^th anniversary.   From 1986 through 1989 our church in Alton shared a minister, the Rev. Martha Newman, with Emerson Chapel.  Now, after 24 years of owning property in Ellisville MO, the congregation decided to “… spend more time on the spiritual transformation of ourselves, our community, and our world, and less time and money on maintaining bricks-and-mortar.”

They are now renting Sunday-morning space from Barat Academy, a modern, private Catholic high school in Chesterfield.  For office-and-meeting space, they are renting space in Westwoods Business Park in Ellisville.

Report from the Board

Sandy Shaner, Secretary

The Board has been busy! As noted previously, we are now meeting on the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. (and our meetings are “open” so anyone can attend). At the 9/4/14 meeting, we had a report from Reverend Sunshine about the different types of UU church models based on membership size including the advantages (and disadvantages) of each size as a basis for our conversations about who we are as a congregation and where we want to go. Reverend Sunshine will undoubtedly have this conversation with other church groups and/or the congregation as a whole during the two-year interim period.

We also discussed the condition of the Wayside Pulpit, and Bob Larson is assessing its condition. We revisited the Building Use Policies & Procedures to adjust the fees for various non-member uses and will be incorporating a contract document which Reverend Sunshine provided. Reverend Sunshine also provided a sample perpetual calendar from another, much larger congregation for us to consider as we create our own long-range calendar (which will eventually find its way to the new web site). And more work: Sunshine introduced us to a “group read”: Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership by Dan Hotchkiss. We’ll begin the book with Bob Larson leading the discussion with Chapter 4 at our October 2 meeting.

Then on Saturday, 9/13/14 we met with Jordi Prats of Elliott Chapel in an all-day kick-off to the interim ministry period. We discussed:

• personal highlights of our time at First UU of Alton,
• the recent history of the congregation (what someone needs to know about our history in order to lead effectively),
• the norms and rules of our congregation (both written and unwritten),
• the different roles of the Interim Minister and the Board,
• and, finally, we identified the components of a draft covenant between the Minister and Board to guide us in working together.

Jordi will compile all of our conversations into various documents for later review.

If you were at either of the 9/14 services (or listened on-line), you heard the general discussion of covenants and how they are an integral part of UU churches. Those of you who have not served on the Board or visited our meetings may be interested in the Board Covenant which is printed at the top of all our agendas to remind us of our role and responsibilities:

We, the board members of the First Unitarian Church of Alton, covenant together to honor the trust placed in us by the congregation, to promote the church's mission and to foster the welfare of the church.  We accept our responsibility to participate in an open and sensitive manner understanding that conflict of ideas and views is the natural order of honest deliberation and is to be desired without negatively impacting relationships.  Our decisions will be made through honest and respectful debate and, once made, will be honored.  We will focus on the future, enhancing the spiritual as we work for the good of the church.

This is truly an exciting time for our church and our members. Let’s enjoy the journey together!

International Holiday Gifts to Support Partners for Just Trade

On Sunday, October 26^th, you will have the opportunity to take a holiday shopping trip to another country without leaving the Kate Wuerker Room, and at the same time support the UU principle of respect for the interdependent web of which we are a part.

Karen Wilson, a member of College Avenue Presbyterian Church, has been actively involved with Partners for Just Trade for some time, including taking several fact-finding trips to Peru.   She will be setting up a table with a variety of fair-trade items for your holiday shopping.

PARTNERS FOR JUST TRADE (PJT) is a not-for-profit organization which sells fair-trade items from Peru, Haiti, Cambodia and Egypt.  PJT is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and abides by its principles which are to (1) create opportunities for marginalized producers, (2) develop transparent relationships, (3) build capacity, (4) promote fair trade, (5) pay promptly and fairly, (6) support empowering working conditions, (7) ensure children’s rights, (8) cultivate environmental stewardship, and (9) respect cultural identity.

PJT offers a variety of items, many of which are from recycled products.  Beautiful metal art is made by Haitians using recycled oil drums.  Peruvians make flowered headbands, ponytail holders, and hair clips from remnants from a swimming suit factory.  They also make oven mitts, pot holders, and aprons from recycled flour sacks.  In Cambodia, fair trade supplier Village Works encourages women to remain in rural villages making purses, wallets, etc. rather than moving to the cities where their job opportunities are many times limited to prostitution.  There’s also beautiful hand-made jewelry.

Most prices range from a couple of dollars to about $50.   An information sheet about the artisans is available for many of the products, which is especially nice to include if the purchase is for a gift, making that gift more meaningful.   To learn more about PJT and see some of the products, go to www.partnersforjusttrade.org.

Cash, checks, and credit cards may be used in paying for your purchases.

Below is the list of members of the Caring Ministries Team.  Marcia Custer is the Coordinator. You may always contact a Team member in time of illness, loss, crisis, or other need.  Keep this list of contact people available in case you or your family is in need of pastoral support.

The Caring Ministries Committee is ready to welcome several more members! If you are interested in engaging in conversations with other church friends and getting to know them on a deeper level, please consider joining our group! Please contact Marcia Custer at mcuster@siue.edu for more information.

Church Potluck Lunch

October 5

11:45 am

Our monthly fellowship potluck lunches are held on the 1st Sunday. everyone is invited to bring a dish to share.  This is an all-church event so everyone should plan to participate in setting up and cleaning up, as well as in the sharing of food and conversation.

Interest Groups

Fifty-Plus (50+) Forum

First SATURDAY of every month

October 4, 2014

10:30 am to noon at church

October : "Ready for Change," an article from the most recent UU World along with discussion questions will be presented. This article relates to changes taking place right now in our congregation.  

November: Mary and Jerry will present their travels to UU sites on the East Coast. They have visited the new headquarters and churches that play a part in our UU history.

The 50+ Forum invites both retirees and those who are still active in their careers. Some of us have gray hair, some of us do not. Some of us love science, some of us love the arts, some of us love both. Some of us have grandchildren, others of us do not. Some of us love to be physically active, others of us do not. Some of us love nature, and others think nature is a plant in their house. You get the point. We can't be stereotyped just because we are over 50. The only thing we have in common is facing the fun and facts of being 50 and over. If you are over 50, join us

Ah – besides being over 50, the other thing we share is our love to eat. So, we go out to lunch after our 10:30-12:00 first Saturday of the month meeting. For further information, contact Sandy Shaner.

Our next Anna D’s luncheon will be held on Thursday, October 2nd, at 11:30 am at Castelli’s Restaurant (formerly known as Moonlight) – 3400 Fosterburg Road, Alton.   Mary Weber is the hostess.   RSVP to her by Monday, September 29.

Renegade Women -

topical discussions every 3^rd Saturday

Thursday, October 18 from 1 to 3 pm.

Men’s Monthly Lunch

October 9 @ 11:30 am

The Men’s lunch bunch meets the second Thursday of each month.   Join us on Thursday, October 9 at 11:30 am at the Best Buffet at 615 Wesley, Drive in Wood River, IL.   All men in our church are invited.   For further information contact Paul Hebert.

LIVING SIMPLY

UNITY CIRCLE

The Unity Circle, facilitated by Sharon Johnson, will meet on Sunday, October 19 from 12:15 to 1:30 pm.

Everyone is welcome. Participants should join if they are able to commit to joining us monthly for 6-12 months, as this Unity Circle is intended for relationship building.

This Unity Circle is intended for deep listening, and not feedback or advice.

Donations to the Alton Crisis Food Center

Please continue to bring your donations of non-perishable food for The Crisis Food Center.   The Center is in need of canned green beans, corn and other vegetables; tuna; canned meat; peanut butter; boxes of mac ‘n cheese; and basic food staples.  The food collection box is in the RE foyer.

Personal care items should be put on the shelves in Emerson Place.

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

10/04      Tori Chapman (10)

10/08      Nancee Magilson

10/09      Philip Bailey (4)

10/09      Melissa Prado

10/11      Becky Green

10/17      Noah Hudson (14)

10/22      Kelly Crone-Willis

10/22      Julian Myers (15)

10/24      Jacob Conniff (14)

10/24      Daniel Adams (7)

10/24      Ken Hoeft

10/26      Maxwell Oldt (17)

10/28      Pat Moore

10/29      Madeline Hershey (5)

10/30      Peg Flach

Fourth Saturday Lunch & Personal Care Items

for those in need

October 25  11:30 am

Information about what is needed for October’s lunch will be available at church, via email from the Church Office, on UU Friends, and on the First Unitarian Church of Alton’s Facebook page.   Questions – contact Robyn Berkley.

Our distribution of personal care items has become very popular – as many of these needed items cannot be purchased through the government’s “Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program” (SNAP - formerly known as food stamps).    If you can contribute any of the following items, your donation would be very welcome.   Toilet paper – feminine hygiene products – shampoo – laundry detergent – bleach – baby wipes – diapers/pull-ups – Afro-American hair products – cleaning supplies – toothpaste - soap.   Questions – contact Sabrina Trupia.

Justice At Home – A “mission trip” to support one of our own

October 18 - 19

Church member Spiral Blanton purchased a home in Alton a little over 8 months ago. It needs a lot of work. It specifically needs a lot of work to get ready for winter. She's in real danger of losing her home without some real support.  Sayer Johnson is organizing an “at home mission trip” and has outlined the work needed.

Members and friends of our congregation (and friends of friends) are invited to help with the work outlined below, as well contribute financially.  A Board approved special collection will be taken on to support this work.

Signup sheets and items needed will be posted at church, via church email, and on UU Friends.

1) Guttering: Need to get the water going away from the house. It should be done before drywall work happens around the two windows (upstairs and downstairs) where water sometimes leaks in after a hard rain. I don't know if it could be a quick fix to caulk the windows and up where it is coming out of the gutter and running down the house. Gutter repair in the front where the water goes directly into the foundation. (It doesn't look damaged, but in the basement in that spot it is more damp and there's some mold). 

2) Drywall and Insulation: On the list and getting it done before winter will hopefully save on heating bills. I will be able to follow up with the mudding, taping, and painting (with homemade paints) and that will be good.

3) Replace downstairs toilet.

4) Outside painting: Good to get done before winter. This includes parts of the foundation, the carport, and garage. It's on the list and I think it will be positive to spruce up the outside appearance of the place. We may be able to find donated paint. 

October Religious Education News & Notes

Thank You to This Year’s Teachers!

Spirit Play                                                        Elementary

Alison Reiheld                                                  Nature:   Rachel Lappin & Spiral Blanton

Jennifer Lewis, Kayci Lueker                           CoExist:   Nancy Conniff & Ed Navarre & Guests

Lauren Waters, Phillip Waits                             Social Service:   Joy Hoeft & Kathleen McKeever

Chris Strangeman                                                                                                                     

Youth Helper: Rowan Kinder                                                                                                              

                          Youth Group

                                                                        Youth Group:   Sayer Johnson & Paul Fischer

                                                                        Coming of Age:  Tracey Howe-Koch & Jennifer Timpe

                                                                        OWL:  Robyn Berkley & Eric Johnson           

Neighbor Helping Neighbor—UNICEF

Join with other UU congregations across the country to support Trick or Treat for UNICEF.  Children are encouraged to come in costume on October 26 and after our intergenerational service, to Trick or Treat for UNICEF during Fellowship Hour.   All proceeds will go to UNICEF.   UNICEF Programs develop community-level services to promote the health and well-being of children and mothers in under-developed countries including such essential items as vaccines, antiretroviral medicines for children and mothers with HIV, nutritional supplements, emergency shelters, and educational supplies.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNICEF

Our Whole Lives

This year we will be offering Our Whole Lives (OWL) http://www.uua.org/re/owl/index.shtml; the UU comprehensive sexuality program for junior high youth. After a kickoff weekend Oct. 17 & 18, OWL will be held every other Sunday during the regular RE class time beginning Sunday Oct. 19 and continuing throughout the year. Parents who are interested in OWL must attend an orientation meeting (date TBA).   From the UUA: Our Whole Lives   helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality,  Our Whole Lives  not only provides facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.   Our Whole Lives  uses approaches that work. The curricula are based on the Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (PDF)   produced by the National Guidelines Task Force, a group of leading health, education, and sexuality professionals assembled by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS).

For more information contact Juliette Crone-Willis, Interim RE Coordinator, 314-482-5239

“Día de los Muertos” Fall Fundraiser

November 1 6:30 pm

Day of the Dead   ( Spanish :   Día de los Muertos ) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to remember friends and family members who have died.

Please join the First UU Alton in out third annual Día de los Muertos or Day of the dead celebration.  Saturday November 1 at 6:30 pm.  20$ ticket includes Taco bar, desserts, spooktacular storytelling entertainment, tarot readings, interactive altar and more!  We will also have our fabulous auction items available so bring your check books! This is an inter generational event and we will be having youth activity and snacks available in the RE wing! Youth tickets are only $10. If you need nursery care please let us know buy October 27. There will be a special childcare fee. 

This is one of only two fundraisers we have a year ( the yard sale id the other) please consider supporting however you can. Purchase a ticket and join us! Sell tickets to your friends and family. Sign up to  donate food products. Donate 30 min to help out with the youth.  Donate items for our auction (contact Sandy).

If you would like to be involved please see Sayer Johnson.