Newsletters & Sermons
August 2004

UUFD NOW

Books, Bites & Botanicals

Our first annual Books, Bites and Botanicals Sale will be open to the community on Saturday, Oct. 16, from 8 a.m. until noon.

We will offer high-quality and bargain books, delectable edibles and house plants. Mark your calendars and plan to lend a hand.

A person to head up each of the three sale categories and workers will be needed.
Gather up adult and children's books you are willing to part with and invite neighbors, relatives and friends to donate books in good condition for the sale.

Start house plants now for sale in October or call Vern Thistlethwaite if you have overgrown ferns, Christmas/Thanksgiving cacti, herbs or other houseplants that might be propagated easily and be in nice condition by fall. Plant containers and potting soil will be needed, too.
A supply of treats will be easy, what with all the great bakers in our midst.

Working together on this new project will be loads of fun.

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In John's Words

Visiting family in the summer is simply a hoot. I have quite a diverse set of siblings when it comes to theologies. We're all very verbal. We're all "grown up." And we all feel strongly about our opinions. Sound familiar?

One of my sisters teaches “A Course in Miracles,” has channeled ascended beings from time to time and for many years has ardently followed a very private spiritual path. Another sister is a student of world- renowned author Joseph Campbell and his many books on the history of the world's religious mythologies. She also extensively reads the works of psychologist Carl Jung, spending years recording and interpreting her dream life.
My brother is a devout fundamentalist Christian, living a very conservative set of religious strictures, among them the conviction we are living "in the endtimes," according to what for him is very clear Biblical prophesy.

Then of course there is me — the only Unitarian Universalist among us. And I am a UU minister to boot. Yes, you can imagine our family gatherings are punctuated with lively discussions, requiring much tolerance on each of our parts The best way to describe it is: it's a hoot.

Yet despite our very real differences, theologically and philosophically, we manage to get along quite well when we're together. The 10 children the four of us siblings have produced, all of whom are in their late 20s or early 30s, wonder how we do it — how can we be so different and yet get along. I always say to them, "We're all just being good UUs," to which my sisters and brother, of course, bellow.

Yet, it's true. That capacity to tolerate, and not just tolerate as in "put up with," but tolerate as in actually include, invite in, welcome — that's all so very much what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist.

Yes, we may tire at times of what others believe, especially family members whose views we consider "quite limited." Even with my own siblings, after three or four days around each other we have learned to give one another space, we've learned to let differences lie, and to stop grinding any axes we might have brought with us. Most don't like being grounded on.
And I guess that's my point: I think one of the essential qualities of all religious or philosophical beliefs is that which we find in so many faith traditions, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." Or, don't grind your religious axes on those around you, especially family. Put even another way, if we would like to be respected for what we believe, respect another's belief.

That's it. That's the key to family reunion harmony — and of life, don't you think?
In Faith,
John

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Joys & Concerns

Birthdays
Rosemary Idleman - Aug. 5
Lois Worley - Aug. 20
Vern Thistlethwaite - Aug. 21

Around the Fellowship
Darwin Shroyer has been elected commodore of his Caterpillar Employees boat club. He's served in the position several times over the past couple of decades. If you have an interest in boats, we're sure Darwin wouldn't mind telling you about his!

Former UUFD members Cindy Giesing and Linda Osborne have moved to the Janesville, Wis., area. Cindy, a former UUFD president, just retired from Staley, and Linda has just accepted a job as student services coordinator for the University of Wisconsin at Rock County. We'll still see them around Decatur occasionally, because Linda's mom is in a local nursing home. We wish them all the best.

Kathy Sorensen retired from Richland Community College on July 1, after 25 years. Mark's retirement from the state of Illinois must have set the example!

Our condolences to Jeanne Robertson, whose brother-in-law died in mid-July. Also, a get-well wish to Darwin Shroyer, who looked so dashing with that sling on his arm after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery in July.

Mel Wenstein and Ron Shafer will teach a meditation class in Richland's Adult Education Program. The class begins Sept. 14,
6:00-7:30 and runs for five sessions.

Another oops
You may have caught this in the July item about the Rummage Sale: "And bouquets to all who helped in so many ways! Did Mark say $11,10.05!! Wow!"
It actually was $1,110.05. Sorry.

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UUFD Board highlights

Approved a contract for Rev. Biedler through June 2005

Authorized Darwin Shroyer to seek repairs on a section of the building’s roof

Directed Kathy Sorensen to write an application for a Chalice Lighters grant

Decided for no service on Labor Day weekend (ceremony for UUFD-sponsored plaque will be on Labor Day)

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Greetings from Your Prez

By Marge Evans

Summertime is so “UUistic”! Seems it is a time for fellowship with folks we don’t see as often; a time for meeting newcomers; a time for visits from family and vice versa; a time to take off for cooler places; and a time to just stay home and get the grass mowed. That’s OK, you’re OK!

Your Community Outreach Committee hasn’t been loafing, though. Noticing that the old Universalist Church building on East Prairie was being restored, the idea came up that a plaque commemorating the historic building might be feasible.

After many phone calls, we found there is a lot of interest in preserving its history. Our own professional historian, Mark Sorensen, has dug up many interesting facts.
Labor Day, Sept. 6, is the date chosen for the big event with the plaque. Mayor Paul Osborne, who wrote an article about the building in his newspaper a couple of
years back, intends to be on hand.
The plaque will read:

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH BUILDING
BUILT 1854
REV. DAVID P. BUNN, MINISTER
HOME TO THE UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION
1854-1904
SECOND FLOOR AUDITORIUM DEDICATED
JUNE 4, 1876
RESTORED 2004 BY OWNERS
EMMY AND JIM WILLIAMS
RECOGNIZED AS THE OLDEST BUILDING AND
CHURCH STILL STANDING IN DOWNTOWN DECATUR
COMMEMORATED SEPTEMBER 6, 2004
BY
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF DECATUR
3773 N. MACARTHUR RD.
REV. JOHN BIEDLER, MINISTER

I hope you can plan to join in this UU event — just after the Labor Day Parade!

Last month, I mentioned another upcoming event: Books, Bites & Botanicals, coming up Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Fellowship.

Should you find yourself trapped inside with the air conditioning sometime this summer, how about checking out what books you might like to donate? “Anything goes,” but it would be nice if we could offer the public something a little better than the average.

Donations can be brought to the Fellowship anytime after Sept. 12. Any and all “bookworms” are urged to lend a hand, sorting and getting them ready for easy browsing.
Let me know if this is your niche!

Happy lazy, hazy, crazy summer days!
Marge

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There's something in the water!

The stork's flight path must include our Fellowship. How else do you explain that unmistakable pitter patter?

Julie Pajer & Co. made up their own Kiddie Corner in the sanctuary a couple of Sundays ago, with Hade giggling and Cai yawning, and Big Sister Athena enjoying herself immensely.

A few seats away was Jennifer Sekosky, finding it a little bit more difficult to rise to sing that next hymn. Jennifer, the daughter of Linda and Darwin Shroyer, is expecting her first child on Aug. 19. Jennifer works for a Champaign-Urbana publishing firm, and she and husband Jeremy live in Decatur.

And it so happens that Jennifer's lifelong friend, Jennifer Raleigh, also is expecting her first, on Oct. 6. This Jennifer also happens to be the daughter of Kathy and Mark Sorensen. She and husband Ryan live in Decatur.

Oh, and Ron Shafer will be reintroduced to the wonder of an infant's smile. He's become a grandfather for the first time. Sofia Emma Shafer entered this world June 14, 2004, at 6 pounds, 6 ounces.Her proud parents are Ben and Gabiella Shafer, both of whom are Unitarian-Universalists. The spelling "Sofia" is Mexican in honor of her mother's heritage. They live in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Marjory Powell also has been blessed with a grandchild. Noah Kenneth Sandberg was born in Denver in June to her son David. It's her second grandchild, and she's already made plans to visit.

Jane Brooks had a grandchild due at the end of July. Her son Ben and his wife Lisa live in Decatur.

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UU Who's Who in the News

An article in the July 4 Herald & Review credits David Kent Coy with inspiring the Coles County Genealogical Society to start researching Revolutionary War soldiers' graves in the county. David is a co-founder of the society and a descendant of one of those soldiers.

A fine letter by Ron Shafer criticizing attacks on John Kerry in the June 28 H&R.

Comedian TV show host Dave Chappelle got his start performing stand-up routines in Washington, D.C., clubs when he was only 14. His Unitarian minister mother would chaperone him to his gigs.
Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Berners-Lee is a member of a Massachusetts UU congregation along with his wife and two children.

Say, wasn't that Vern Thistlethwaite's picture in the paper June 29, illustrating a story on the lecture about politics by a Millikin University professor?
Grant Vaught, who is becoming a recognized political figure in the county, was quoted in a July 7 article with local reaction about the selection of Sen. John Edwards as the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate.
Charges brought against two UU ministers who performed same-sex marriages were dropped by New York state in July.

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In a nurturing environment of openness, mutual respect, and friendship, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Decatur is a welcoming, diverse congregation. We share values and seek to celebrate life and support one another in our inward and outward searches for spiritual meaning, provide a liberal religious presence, and strive for compassion and justice in our community and our world.

Our newsletter is printed monthly. Dick Zaker is the editor and Jennifer Gardner makes it available on the Web. Articles can be submitted through e-mail at newsletter@uufd.org, by putting them in the newsletter mailbox at UUFD, by mailing them to him in care of the fellowship, or by leaving a phone message for Dick at 429-1355.