December 2002 Newsletter

Sunday Sermons in December

All services begin at 10:15 a.m. There is religious education for children and child care for babies and toddlers.

Zindel-McWilliams, director of the Student Learning Center at Richland Community College, will present the stories behind our most treasured Christmas music. Start the holiday season with songs and stories from a variety of cultures.

What does the Gospel of Thomas have to do with Jesus? Isn't it a late apocryphal gospel? Dr. DeConick will re-examine this important early Christian gospel. Her academic research on this gospel has led her to a significant discovery -- the earliest form of the Gospel of Thomas was one of the first gospels containing the speeches of Jesus.

Kathy Sorensen will coordinate the gathering of talent from the Fellowship and community as we listen to and sing many of our seasonal favorites. Bring your favorite Christmas treat to share.

With 300,000 species of living organisms yet to be classified, flying reindeer can’t be ruled out. Estimates have Santa’s workload as being 91.8 million homes. This could be a nightmare for the jolly old elf. This Sunday we’ll take a much lighter view of old St. Nick, engineeringly speaking.

“The afternoon turned dark early … And I thought I heard the dusk and silence, raided by a calm voice commanding consciousness… The hope, and the pain of hope, and the patience of hope, and its torment, its astonishment, its endlessness.” A sermon drawn from the words of Delmore Schwartz and others.

Other Important Dates

Wednesdays at 1 p.m. -- The Men’s Lunch Group, “We’re Only UU Men”, new Red Lobster. All men are welcome! (No lunch Christmas Day.)

Dec. 4 at 2-4 pm -- Wednesday Covenant Group at UUFD. This group, led by Joan Brown, meets first and third Wednesdays. Visitors welcome.

Dec. 5 at 1pm -- UU Women's Lunch Group, Raspberry Tea Room in Elwin. RSVP with Joan Brown (877-0880 or joangracias@aol.com), so they know how large of a table to get.

Dec. 7 -- Last night Hanukkah.

Dec. 8 at 12 noon -- UUFD Board meeting. All UUFD members are welcome to attend!

Dec. 11 at 6pm -- Women’s Book Group, Sally VanNatta's new home at 305 S. Nelson Park Blvd. RSVP with Sally at 423-0214 or salvannatta@hotmail.com. Everyone is to bring a favorite poem to read, a book idea to help plan the next several months’ books, and a dish to share. Also, bring books you don’t want anymore to trade or to donate to the women’s prison. The January book is Will the Circle Be Unbroken? Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for Faith by Studs Terkel.

Dec. 18 at 2-4 pm -- Wednesday Covenant Group.

Dec. 19 at 1 pm -- UU Women's Lunch Group, Marcia's Waterfront. RSVP with Joan Brown (877-0880 or joangracias@aol.com).

Dec. 21 at 3:14 p.m. -- Winter Solstice occurs.

Dec. 25 -- Christmas Day.

Dec. 29 at 1:30-3:00 pm -- Covenant Group Leadership Training. Everyone is invited.

Deck our halls

We can make a terrific statement about our holiday spirit by pitching in to decorate our building. The fun will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4. Whether it’s your artistic eye or your strong back in getting our proud tree into place, we’ll need you. Contact Marge Evans, 864-2843 or vicepres@uufd.org, for more information.

Baby shower

Lorelei and Dick Zaker will be grandparents soon, and some of the UUFD women decided to hold a shower for their daughter, Shana.
The "girls only" event for the women of the Fellowship and friends of Shana will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, at Jeanne Robertson’s home, 3973 Skippy Drive. Please RSVP with Jeanne at KenRob@family-net.net or 877-6729.

In John's Words

Some have asked what I do with my time during those weeks when I’m not immersed in preparing a sermon and worship service, or planning an adult religious education class or visiting with members of the congregation. I’d like to share with you just a few of the activities I’ve undertaken on behalf of the Fellowship.

Many of you know of my involvement in the process of expanding the Human Rights Ordinance in the city of Decatur to include outlawing discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation. That involved my attending strategic planning sessions, being published in the Herald & Review, being interviewed on live radio, and of course attending the city council meeting.

Another concern of mine is the care for those youth and families in our area who have not been able to make their way in our society due to causes such as parental negligence or abuse, drug use or other criminal behavior, or poor family conditions. Recently, due to a introduction by Joan Brown, member of the board of Decatur’s Youth Advocate Program (YAP), I was voted onto its board. YAP provides many rehabilitation services to at-risk children and their families, grounded in the belief that children develop into productive adults best within a permanent home and family environment.

Recently, I invited those present at the Nov. 17 service to participate with a group of Decatur citizens and clergy seeking an alternative to war with Iraq. Initiated by the Quakers of Decatur, I have been meeting weekly with ministers, nuns, and lay members of various denominations to plan a communitywide forum. All of you are welcome to come to the meetings, at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays at the Dove Inc. building, 788 E. Clay.

Another community action group I have met with is the Central Illinois Organizing Project (CIOP). Their purpose is to empower congregations to work regionally for social and economic justice. The UU congregations in Bloomington, Peoria and Champaign also have representatives in CIOP.

In each of these gatherings, I make it clear that I speak on my own behalf, that I am not there representing any members of the Fellowship. Yet because of my capacity as minister, I am presenting poignantly the good news this Fellowship proclaims. That is, as a liberal religious voice in our increasingly complex society.

And as I involve myself in these social action deeds, I want to assure you that I am in no way taking time away from my commitment as a pastoral presence for you. At all times, I have my cell phone with me. Thus I encourage each of you to find your avenue for expressing this "faith of the living tradition" of which we are inheritors and its keepers.

Faithfully,
John Biedler

Bits 'n Pieces

These members will celebrate birthdays this month: Carol Ziese - Dec. 4; Judy Thistlethwaite - Dec. 4; Dick Zaker - Dec. 4; Andrea Smith - Dec. 5; Allison Smith - Dec. 6, 1989; Bruce Smith - Dec. 25; Lorelei Zaker - Dec. 30.

Making his Mark: Congrats to Mark Sorensen! He was chosen as one of 80 Illinoisians to be awarded the 2002 Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award. Mark has been extensively involved in historical research and education about Illinois, Central Illinois, and Macon County. Mayor Howley will present Mark with his award at the beginning of the Dec. 2 Decatur City Council meeting.

Mitten Tree: Children’s mittens, gloves, hats and scarves will be donated to Dove Dec. 15. For more information contact Rosemary Idleman at ridleman@uufd.org or 428-4031.

Give yourself a holiday break -- don’t bake! Fresh-baked pies for the holidays. Locally prepared by Delores Murphy, “the Swartz pie lady”. Sales will raise funds for Planned Parenthood of Decatur! Flavors include apple, apricot, banana, blueberry, black bottom, cherry, chocolate, coconut, custard, graham chocolate, graham creme, gooseberry, lemon, peanut butter, pecan, pumpkin, raisin, rhubarb, strawberry, and strawberry banana. $10 per pie (pre-pay on order) Pickup at Planned Parenthood, 3021 N. Oakland Ave. Place your order with Carol Baker, 877-6731 x35 (fax: 877-9452) cabaker84@hotmail.com. Orders for Christmas rmust be in by Dec. 17.

The ‘gift’ of rummage: Remember the UUFD rummage sale as you clean up in preparation for the holiday season. Call or e-mail Vern Thistlethwaite (429-5923, vthistle@insightbb.com) for a pickup. We're storing good "for sale" items in the attic if they're not too large and taking to auction the good "for sale" items that are too large.

Mail must go through: Every month there are always a few newsletters that get returned to UUFD due to address changes. If you see them lying somewhere as you check your office mail, please place them in the "Newsletter" mailbox. The small brown envelope requesting 37 cents per re- turned newsletter should also be placed in the “Newsletter” box. In that way, June Allison can make the necessary changes to the label list so newsletters don't get returned again the following month.

Defending liberties

Our UUA president, the Rev. William Sinkford, was a key speaker at “The Courage Our Country Needs to Survive” seminar recently in Boston.
Sinkford talked of the Unitarian Universalist legacy of standing up for rights, citing the struggle against slavery. The key role of Beacon Press in publishing the Pentagon Papers also was mentioned. Sinkford then reminded the audience the two-year Study/Action issue for UUs is preserving civil liberties in America.

UUFD Board highlights

• John Biedler and Bill Faber are working on organizing a Committee on Ministry.


• Outside lighting has been repaired (thanks to Ken Robertson)


• The UUFD Trust Fund is reflecting some of the problems of the financial markets. It is structured to minimize the effects of market downturns. We use interest from the Fund for special projects, such as furnace replacement or driveway blacktopping. Ed Seymour, Vern Thistlethwaite and Ken Robertson administer the Trust.


• President Mark Sorensen is seeking someone to chair a Membership Committee, with an eye to reviewing the current list and encouraging “loyal friends” to become members.


• Reinstitution of a discretionary fund to allow the minister to help out small cases of need is being studied.

The Work of Christmas

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers and sisters,
To make music in the heart.

Howard Thurman

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