Rev. Sunshine J. Wolfe, Pastor

July 5, 2015

“The Upside of Anger”

with Sabrina Trupia

Reflections on the value and place of anger (and maybe fear, too) in one's life and spiritual practice.

Worship Associate:  Yomi Kinder

July 12 2015

“Tell me a Story”

with Yomi Kinder

Stories are not just for children, they are for everyone. Stories literally expand our minds.

Worship Associate:  Dee Evans

July 19, 2015

To Be Announced

Worship Associate:  Sabrina Trupia

July 26, 2015

“Sharing my story through music”

with Joy Hoeft

Join in a UU Sing Fest with songs that help each of us tell the story of our own spirituality.

Worship Associate:  Yomi Kinder

August 3, 2015

“Planting the Seed:  Rev. William D’Arcy Haley –2^nd minister of our congregation 1853-1856”

with Mary Johnson

During his short ministry in Alton, Rev. William D. Haley encouraged the congregation to purchase land and build a church (land where we still meet); preached encouragement to the laborers and working men (not just to the wealthier classes); was recognized in the community as a spokesman for justice; took on projects for the American Unitarian Association; and spent a summer with the Chippewa in Minnesota Territory, sharing Unitarian beliefs with them.  His preaching on behalf of justice, and the conflict arising from this preaching, caused the congregation to declare “freedom of the pulpit” for its ministers from July 1856 onward. After leaving Alton, Haley pastored the Unitarian Church in DC; served in the civil war; wrote articles and published books; and continued his justice efforts through the printed word as a newspaper editor and publisher.

Pastor Sunshine’s Summer Schedule

The dates below show times I am away.   As always, I do not work on Mondays.   I will return for any emergency regardless of time-off schedule.

July 5 - August 3:   Vacation/Study Leave

 (except back July 25 for a wedding)

E-mail:   swolfe@uuma.org

ADULT RELIGIOUS ENRICHMENT (ARE)

Each Sunday in July “The Seekers” will meet in Emerson Place at 11:15 am.  Dee will be the facilitator on July 5 and 12, but will be on vacation July 19 and 26 and is asking that someone else volunteer for those Sundays.

THIRD of July Fire Works FUNDRAISER.

Sayer Johnson is coordinating the 3^rd of July fireworks fundraiser at church

For those who don’t know, the park next to the church is the ideal spot to watch the Alton fireworks, and hundreds of people show up to sit on the lawn every year to enjoy the display.

Sayer is seeking donations of soda, hot dogs, buns and baked goods (for a cake walk!), and individual bags of chips.

The youth are going to provide activities for young children while folks are waiting for the fireworks to begin.

I would like for the youth to staff the booth and adult friends to donate the goods to sell. We want all donation based items so we can have 100% profit.  All proceeds will benefit the church.  More details will be in Church this Week.

Please bring donations to church by Sunday, June 28^th clearly marked for the July 3^rd Fireworks.

NEWS FROM THE

MINISTERIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE (MSC)

The MSC met for the first time on Sunday, 5.31.15.   We chose the following roles:   Ruth Maskow and Nancy Conniff, Co-Chairs; Robyn Berkley, Packet Editor and Distributor (creating a packet about our church which will be shared with perspective ministers); Mary Johnson, Arranger; Layne Simpson, Reference Checker (with Nancy assisting); Kelly Crone-Willis, Survey Coordinator (a survey to be taken by all congregants to communicate the wants/needs/hope/desires of our church to perspective ministers); and Phil Embree, Treasurer.  The secretarial role is shared by all.

            Speaking of the survey, IT’S IMPORTANT for all of us to take it!!  It’s imperative to share your thoughts about what our special place needs, or doesn’t need, in our next minister.  Kelly is in the process of refining and setting it up.   We plan to have it ready to be taken online or in paper format by July 1^st.  We’ll keep you posted!!

            We recognize that our building and grounds are in need of sprucing up, as is our website.   Rev. Sunshine has been able to begin the website update, and Kelly is working with others on beautifying the building.   We need help with the grounds—if you have the ability, please contact someone on the Board to start the process.

            We had our second meeting on Monday, 6.1.15.   This included an enlightening phone conference with our UUA Transition Office’s Ministerial Settlement Representative, (MSR,) Rev. Emmy Lou Belcher.  You may remember that Emmy Lou was our guest minister back on a snowy Sunday in March, and helped us begin the process of our ministerial search.   In our phone conference she gave us additional guidelines and reviewed a schedule of things to accomplish.

            It’s an exciting process!   Please contact any of us on the committee with questions you have during this time.  Please understand that we have to keep certain things confidential, but you are entitled to know what’s happening.  We’re confident this will have a wonderful outcome!!

            Nancy Conniff, Co-Chair

Congregational Covenant Approved May 17, 2015

To strengthen and nurture with love, compassion and respect, we covenant together to:

Honor and make space for our diversity; respect our volunteers, leaders and staff by supporting balance in their lives and in their person al professional pursuits;

Encourage each member to develop a personal spiritual practice that cultivates honesty and acceptance;

Remembering our humanness, we acknowledge our imperfection and extend forgiveness to ourselves and others;

Engage within our own and the larger community with integrity, by taking responsibility for our actions, facilitating right relationships, and living into the journey.

[The acronym for our Covenant is HERE.]

  Report from the Board

Sandy Shaner,

Board Secretary

There was no Board meeting in June. The next Board meeting will be on July 1 with both the new and old board members present.

Church Potluck Lunch

July 5 @ 11:15 am

Our monthly fellowship potluck lunches are held on the 1st Sunday.  Everyone is invited to bring a dish to share – AND PLEASE PLAN TO STAY TO HELP DO DISHES (washing, drying, putting away), WIPE OFF TABLES AND COUNTERS, SWEEP FLOORS, TAKE OUT TRASH AND DO WHATEVER TASKS NEED DOING AFTER A MEAL.

4^th Saturday Lunch –

July 25

Announcements about what is needed for July’s lunch menu and personal care items for our neighbors in need will be made at church, on UU Friends, and in This Week at Church.   Thanks to Kathleen, Robyn, and Sabrina for their ongoing efforts in coordinating this very important program that has been in operation since October 2008.

Donations to the Alton Crisis Food Center Still Needed

During the Summer

Please bring canned goods or non-perishable food to donate to the Crisis Food Center, located down the street from the church.

Basic food staples are always in demand.   Please put your donations in the collection container in the RE Foyer.

In Sympathy

Condolences are extended to Wayne and Jen Politsch on the death of Wayne’s father in early June.

Interest Groups

The Anna Ds will meet on Thursday, July 2 at United Methodist Village hosted by Lorli Nelson.  You may call her by June 26 or email Sandy Shaner by that date and Sandy will give Lorli the count.

Lorli wants to remind you to pay their $7.75 for lunch at the front desk, and exact change will be welcomed.

Fifty-Plus (50+) Forum

No Meeting in July.

The next 50+ meeting will be on Saturday August 1, at Princivalli's Café at 11:30 at in Alton.   Possible future directions for the group will be discussed.

Men’s Monthly Lunch

July 9 @ 11:30 am

The Men’s lunch bunch – the Romeos (Retired Old Men Eating Out) - meets the second Thursday of each month.   Join us on Thursday, July 9 at 11:30 am at the Best Buffet at 615 Wesley, Drive in Wood River, IL.   All men in our church are invited (retired, or old, or not J ).   For further information contact Paul Hebert.

Renegade Women – Saturday, July 18

1 to 3 pm

After our usual check-in and sharing time, Joan Hashimi will present a synopsis of Dorothea Dix’s life from the book Stirring the Nation’s Heart: Eighteen Stories of Prophetic Unitarians and Universalists of the Nineteenth Century.

Changes to the Religious Education Program

Religious Education Council

The program for 2015-2016 next year will be coordinated by a Religious Education (RE) Council with representatives coordinating one aspect of the Religious Education Program.   It will include the following portfolios:

• RE Council Chair (Joy Hoeft)
• Nursery Portfolio (TBD)
• Spirit Play/Elementary Classes
• Youth Programs (including youth group, coming of age, and OWL) (Juliette Crone-Willis)
• Adult Programs (including covenant groups)
• Administrative

Each of these portfolios will be responsible for coordination of volunteers for their area.   The goal is to split up responsibilities into manageable and easy to understand areas.  Each portfolio will be implemented by numerous volunteers.   We will create clear job descriptions for each portfolio in the coming weeks.  Juliette and I will be contacting those already active in RE to help fulfill these roles.   We thank everyone who continues to be involved RE for your support and hard work!