March 2003 Newsletter

Sunday Sermons in March

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

The Dalai Lama says that the purpose of life is happiness and there is a lot we can do to bring it about. He also believes it has a lot to do with our spiritual lives.

Estabrook, Professor of sociology at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, will discuss the issues concerning the Middle East.

A book I read recently says if you want to teach your children what you believe, don't preach at them -- take them to the board meeting when the budget is being decided! What you truly believe and value will be made abundantly clear then. With our stewardship campaign beginning this Sunday, it's only natural to look at the power of pledging in helping to fulfill the mission of our Fellowship. “Grinning, Gratitude, and Giving” -- each has a lot to do with the other.

Ms. Quigg is executive director of the organization that encourages new mothers. Baby TALK promotes reading, conversation, developmentally appropriate play and music for children. Families in Decatur are served in Baby TALK programs at more than 20 sites around the community. Ms. Quigg is an adjunct assistant professor at Millikin University and a consultant to the Touchpoints Project of Boston's Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

UUFD’s own Ron Shafer will discuss our everyday use of the word "love", then three types of loving -- Loving American Style, Romantic Loving, and a deeper, compassionate, spiritual loving. Terry Ankrom will be playing the Tibetan Bowls for a meditation at the close of the service.

Other Important Dates

Wednesdays at 11 am -- Decatur area peace group, to which Pastor Biedler belongs, meets at the Dove offices, 788 E. Clay St.

Wednesdays at 1 pm -- The Men’s Lunch Group, “We’re Only UU Men”, new Red Lobster. All men are welcome!

Mar. 2 at 1:30-3:00 pm -- Covenant Group Leadership Training, at the fellowship.

Mar. 5 -- Ash Wednesday, in many mainline Christian churches, the day the penitential season of Lent begins. It occurs forty days before Good Friday.

Mar. 5 at 2-4 pm -- Wednesday Covenant Group at UUFD. Topic: "Prayer and Meditation: What's the Difference?" Visitors are always welcome.

Mar. 6 at 1 pm -- UU Women’s Lunch Group, Bob Evans. All women welcome. Let Joan Brown know if you plan to come, 877-0880 or JoanGracias@aol.com.

Mar. 12 at 6 pm -- Women’s Book Group, at Tina King’s, 3478 N. Water St. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf will be discussed. Bring a dish to share. RSVP with Tina at 877-6768. The April book is The Blind Assassins by Margaret Atwood.

Mar. 16 at 12 noon -- UUFD Board meeting. All UUFD members are welcome to attend!

Mar. 17 -- St. Patrick’s Day; Started as European festival marking rebirth of Green Man/Green George (God as Deciduous Vegetation).

Mar. 19 at 2-4 pm -- Wednesday Covenant Group. We will look at "Adjunct Activities that Aid Prayer and Meditation, or that Evoke Feelings of Spirituality." This might include such things as music, tai chi, or walking meditation.

Mar. 20 at 1 pm -- UU Women’s Lunch Group, Los Matadores at Fairview Plaza. RSVP with Joan Brown.

Mar. 20 at 7 pm -- UU Buddhist Group at UUFD. UUFD members and friends are welcome.

Mar. 21 at 8 pm -- Spring Equinox; marks the beginning of Spring and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates first, annual, and perpetual creation.

Rummage Sale Fundraiser June 7

When spring cleaning, don’t forget to set aside items for our annual rummage sale coming up June 7. Items can be brought to the fellowship and stored in the attic now. Call Vern Thistlethwaite (429-5923) if you need a pickup or to arrange a time to drop items off at UUFD. Also, Vern will take large items not easily stored and more valuable items to auction.

Bits 'n Pieces

March birthdays include Mel Weinstein, March 7; Jeanne Robertson, March 11; Ed Seymour, March 15; Anne Reeser, March 16; Paulette Marty, March 16; Sue Weinstein, March 18; Evan Zaker, March 19.

As many of you already know, Laurel Salton Clark, one of the astronauts killed in the break-up of the space shuttle Columbia, was a member of the Olympia Brown UU congregation of Racine, Wisconsin, a town just north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border.

The Olympia Brown UU Church has established a Laurel Clark Memorial Fund, which will be administered by her family. Laurel Clark's brother Dan, and her mother, Marge Brown, will determine how to best use the funds depending on the amount raised. Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church will manage the fund. Contributions should be mailed to:

          Laurel Clark Memorial Fund
          c/o The Associated Bank
          1722 Douglas Ave.
          Racine, WI, 53404

Please note that all checks must be made out to: Laurel Clark Memorial Fund.

In John's Words

I'm very excited about having the president of our denomination, the Rev. William Sinkford, here at the Fellowship on May 3. As you can imagine, he is a very busy man, so it's quite a coup to have been able to schedule him, even though it is our 50th Anniversary celebration that weekend.

We owe President Sinkford's visit to the persistent efforts of our own Dick Zaker, a past president himself (of UUFD, 1998-99) and now secretary on the Board of Trustees.

As Dick has relayed the story to me and others regarding how it happened that we have President Sinkford coming here in May is that simply one day Dick decided to e-mail Sinkford's office in Boston. Dick did this just a few months after Rev. Sinkford had been elected to the presidency of the UUA at the June 2001 General Assembly in Cleveland.

Dick said he e-mailed Sinkford's office because he wondered what it would take to schedule a visit by sitting UUA president. He found out -- you just have to ask.

Dick didn’t get an immediate answer; there were months of waiting. He finally received e-mail confirmation that May 3 would work for President Sinkford.

Rev. Sinkford was especially interested in coming because it was the weekend of the Fellowship's 50th anniversary. He’ll also be speaking before the UU congregation of Evanston, just north of Chicago. We’re not sure whether he planned his Evanston trip around us, or the other way around.

Whatever the case, we are now in the planning stages for the president's visit, and we need your help. There are many details to work out, from a breakfast Saturday morning, to a service at the Fellowship Hall at 1 p.m., followed by a reception with food and refreshments. We don’t expect hundreds, but at least we hope for a filled hall for all these events.

In addition, there are television, newspaper and radio interviews that hopefully will take place while Rev. Sinkford is here. We are inviting the various UU congregations in the Central Illinois area to RSVP to let us know if they would like to participate.

It stands to be quite an exciting and memorable weekend of celebrations for all, with a New Member Welcoming Ceremony to be held the next day, Sunday, May 4th, at the 10:15 morning service. Please let Dick or me know you'd like to help, and of course be sure to be at the various planning meetings Dick will be holding in the weeks ahead.

Carpe Diem,
John

50th Anniversary

Plans are proceeding well for activities marking the 50th anniversary of our UUFD. People are coming together well and have helped with the brainstorming phase for the event.

The big day will be Saturday, May 3, with our special guest, Unitarian Universalist Association President William Sinkford. Even if you’ve never thought much about the international UU organization, you’ll have to admit it’s pretty special to have a national religious figure in our midst. And remember, he’s the first African-American to head a predominantly white religious movement.

Rev. Sinkford has been outspoken continually on some of the major issues and events since he took office in the summer of 2001. In early February, he issued a statement to all of us coping with the Columbia disaster that read in part: "We celebrate the lives and the accomplishments of these seven brave women and men, and we take solace in the knowledge that their deaths were in the service of a mission to which they felt a joyful call."

With this kind of caring concern, Sinkford is sure to have inspiring words for us in his sermon in the service commemorating our anniversary on May 3. The service is scheduled for 1 p.m., to be preceded by a brunch, probably at 9:30 a.m. in the Oglesby Mansion. The culminating event will be a community reception for President Sinkford at UUFD following our service.

We’re moving into the phase where plans are being solidified, but your ideas still are most welcome! We’re going to hold our third planning meeting at noon on Sunday, March 23. Please come, or at least let Dick Zaker know your interest in helping out up to and on Anniversary Saturday. With continued cooperation, we’ll make this a day we’ll remember for another 50 years!

UUFD Hosts Community Peace Vigil
Noon to 12:30 Wednesday, March 5

As part of the Peace Gathering of clergy in the greater Decatur area, John Biedler has offered UUFD as a place for the Decatur community to gather in silent prayer and meditation for peace. Quiet background music will be playing, and candles will be available.

Come to pray and meditate on peace, or if you would like to be a greeter at this event, please call John at 433-0250.

Pledge Drive

March is Stewardship Month!

Time to pledge your time, talent, and financial support to our Fellowship. Sunday, March 16 is Pledge Sunday Please plan to make your annual pledge at our service on that date. You will receive a proposed budget beforehand.

What do we do with the money you pledge?

          - We hire an outstanding minister.
          - We provide challenging workshops for adults.
          - We bring in stimulating speakers.
          - We sponsor covenant, book and lunch groups.
          - We maintain a beautiful building with a well-kept parking lot on an
outstanding site.
          - We maintain an up-to-date Web site.
          - We provide child care and religious education for all ages.
          - We invite the community to our programs through advertisement.
          - We distribute an informative monthly newsletter.
          - We provide music from talented musicians.
          - We provide welcoming fellowship for members/friends/visitors.
          - We nurture the right of every one to find Life's Way.

Our first 50 years have been good.
Our next 50 can be better. It's up to you!

Pledge materials will be distributed after services on March 2 and 9. Those remaining will be mailed March 10. Members and friends will be asked to make their pledge at the March 16 service. Please return your pledge to Treasurer Julie Pajer on March 16 or no later than March 23.

-- Vern Thistlethwaite, UUFD Finance Committee.

Potluck
2 - 4 pm, March 9

The home of
Dave and Elizabeth Snoeyenbos
2364 Burns Lane

Hosted by John and Gwen Biedler
Directions will be handed out at church beginning two Sundays before, or feel free to give John and Gwen a call at their home, 433-0250.

Minister’s Office Hours

John Biedler’s office hours will be 2 - 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, March 5, 12, and 26. Please call in advance!
Cell: 433-0250
Office: 875-5442

UUFD Board Notes

At the Feb. 9 meeting, the Board:

• heard an update on planning for the May 3 Golden Anniversary celebration service, including ideas about gifts we could present to our featured guest, the Rev. William Sinkford, Unitarian Universalist Association president.
  
  
• received a projection from Treasurer Julie Pajer that UUFD should finish the year in good financial shape IF pledges continue to come in well and there are no huge, unexpected expenses.
  
  
• approved a budget recommendation for 2003-04 from Finance Committee Chairman Vern Thistlethwaite. The plan, which the Board will present to the Fellowship, is a balanced budget.
  
  
• heard considerable research Building and Grounds Chairman John Hays had done on replacing the ‘wayside pulpit" signs near our parking lot entrance. That study was tabled to look further into the effectiveness of certain kinds of signs and alternative ways to pay for a new sign.
  

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