What is the Value of This Church?

The UUC Board recently convened a Congregational Self-Assessment Team to create a picture of the current state of the church. The assessment, much like a tax assessment, is based on many different ways of determining value. We will be surveying our membership; we will be holding focus groups; we will be reviewing past work. We are asking for your support and assistance in creating a broad and comprehensive review of our value.

Love is the Spirit of this Church

UUC's value is in the people. We are a church created, governed and supported by a diverse population. Every single member and friend of UUC has unique needs and talents.  The survey we will be sending out is seeking to determine trends among these needs and talents. What is it that our congregation wants out of the church? What initiatives are lacking? What special talents are available that we have not tapped?

And Service is its Law

We cannot function without the help of our members and friends. Your opinions are invaluable. We are asking that you participate openly, honestly and in a spirit of love and trust. We sent out these surveys to all members and friends on April 15. We trust that each one of you will serve by completing them thoughtfully and returning them by April 29. We are also depending on you to provide an open, honest dialogue on May 22 at the focus group discussions.

This is our Covenant

To Dwell Together in Peace

Critique is not attack. We want to know where our church is, both positive and negative. We hope that everyone will participate in discussing the state of our church openly and in a spirit of love and trust. Once we determine where we are, we can determine where we need to go, and the best route for getting there.

To Seek the Truth in Love

The truth is we have problems. The truth also is that we have solutions. We just need you to assist us in identifying them.

And to Help One Another

Please help us make UUC the strongest, the best, and the most valuable church it can be.  Fill out your surveys.  Come to the focus group discussions. 

 

 

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Congregational Self Assessment Is On Its Way

A dedicated group spent the better portion of Thursday evening at a "Mailing Party" at the church; printing, folding, stamping, stuffing and sorting. The end result was mailing of the Congregational Self-Assessment to 330 members and friends of the church. 

A big "thank you!" to the group: Amy French, Herschel Lewis, Ernie McDaniel, Tippen McDaniel, Robin Poindexter,  and Janice Thiel.

                                    --Dianna Poindexter, Chair, Congregational Self Assessment Team

 

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Attendance Clipboards Helping

Thanks congregation! It has taken a while, but I think we all are doing better about signing the attendance forms.  Sometimes extra rows of chairs get set up in the back after the service has started so that those people do not have a clipboard. If you are sitting near the back, please see if you need to send your clipboard to the rows behind you.

 Thanks for your cooperation, this has been most helpful in getting address, e-mails, etc. entered and updated in our central database.  

                        Della Willmann, Greeting and Membership Committee

 

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Greeting and Membership Needs Your Help
 

The Greeting and Membership committee is in need of more help. We are an active committee with several important jobs. We organize the New UU&U classes, write letters of welcome to visitors, and serve as greeters every Sunday morning. 

These activities can be broken down into small segments if we have enough help. We meet the first Thursday evening of each month at 7 p.m. and finish by 8 p.m. Please let Della Willmann know (d.willmann@verizon.net) if you would like to join this delightful group of people. 

 

 

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Thanks for the Help

To all the folks who came out on April 2 to help with needed cleaning and painting - a BIG thank you. Projects were completed and good fellowship happened. It was fun to work together, eat together, and have time to visit. It was shared that, "Those who sweat together, stick together." 

                                    The Worship & Music Committee

 

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Congregational Self Assessment

A Congregational Self Assessment Team (CSAT) has been formed to implement a self assessment that was created by Long Range Plan Committee last year.  

The team is comprised of Long Range Plan members (Liz Grauerholz, Joan Marshall), Committee on Ministry members (Hilary Krivchenia, Ruth Ann Ferris, Herschel Lewis), Ernest McDaniel, Amy French, and Dianna Poindexter.

We are meeting weekly to discuss the details of this very important task and plan to share more information with the congregation soon.  

                                          CSAT chairperson, Dianna Poindexter

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All Church Retreat

Aug 12-14 at 'A' frame at Ross Camp. The Retreat is a great way for new folks to get to know the old folks & the old folks to learn who the children are. Ross Camp is located 11 miles out South River RD from the intersection of ST RD 26 and US 231 in West Lafayette. This 200 acre, mostly wooded property is just west of Ross Hills Park. Located on the property are the A-frame Lodge with barracks style dorms, a campground with modern and primitive sites, a catch and release fishing pond, and several wooded hiking trails.

 

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Rummage Sale!

The annual UU Rummage Sale will be held Saturday, May 21. It’s time to get rid of all that STUFF! You can drop it off at church on Friday, May 20. 

If you need help or information please call Beth Misner.

Let me know if you are bringing anything that would look good in the newspaper announcement. START RUMMAGING!

 

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Letter from UU Service Committee

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your recent contribution of $200 received on February 1, 2005 and designated for humanitarian relief in connection with the tsunami-related disaster in South & Southeast Asia.

UUSC will be working with the marginalized and poorest populations in India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. We are partnering with organizations on the local level whose vision aligns with our shared values.

As in many disasters, the survivors need help to rebuild their homes and their livelihoods. Poor sanitation, contaminated water, and the disruption of health services contribute to the spread of disease.

Fishing communities in all areas have been hardest hit. Already struggling with poverty and an uncertain livelihood, they now find themselves completely destitute. We will be working to help these communities so that the fishing boats can once again provide an income for those who work on them and provide food for the communities surrounding them.

In India, we will be working closely with the UUA’s Holdeen India Program partners as well as UUSC’s partners. Again, our focus will be on ensuring that people can regain their lost occupations and return as quickly as possible to a situation of stability and safety.

The recovery will take time. But your generosity has helped to ensure that long after the media have ceased to focus on the tragedy, the survivors of this catastrophic event will be supported on their way to recovering their lives and dignity.

Thank you again, for your generosity.

                                                            Charlie Clements, President & CEO

 

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A note from the Heartland District:

Mary Andrus Overly, Heartland’s District Executive for the last four years, announced her resignation at the district annual meeting and conference. Her last day of work is Friday, April 22.

The board has accepted her resignation with grateful appreciation for the many gifts Mary has brought to this role and which have contributed to the health and growth of the district over the years.

 

 

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Hospice Presentation at UUC May 11

  Carmen Balfour, Community Liaison for Hospice of Lafayette, will be giving a presentation May 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. She will cover what services Hospice provides, the philosophy of Hospice, the emotional and physical aspects of dying, communication, and other important issues surrounding death and dying. 

Please sign up at the back table, no fee is required, but registration is important so that we have sufficient written information. Call Della Willmann with questions.

 

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Writer’s Group Explores Spirituality

The Writer's Interest Group has been exploring "what does it mean to spiritualize our nature." 

We have each written on what spirituality means to us and have compiled a small booklet which will be available on the rear table on Sunday. We invite you to take one and enjoy. We would be interested in having anyone who is interested submit their thoughts on spirituality for possible inclusion Volume 2 of the booklet.

We would also be open to comments and discussion. Contact Caroline Barnhart.  

 

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Book Group

7 p.m., Monday, May 9, 2005
        “The Dogs of Babel” by Caroline Parkhurst
7 p.m., Monday, June 13, 2005
        “Snow Falling on Cedars”  by David Guterson

The UU Book Group meets on the second Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at Borders Bookshop in Wabash Landing in the lounge area where it joins with Panera’s. 

All are welcome to join us for discussions of books selected by participants. 

For more information contact Dagmar Murray, at 463-5223

 

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Remember to Send Us Your News

There are many different vehicles for communication in the congregation – but the most important vehicle is our newsletter. It is a hub of information, a touchtone for planning, a bulletin board, a means of more deeply connecting our community. By all means always explore five ways of getting your word out – but always make sure that the first way is the newsletter.--Hilary

And when you are sending your information, please be reminded what Della Willman recently wrote: “I was looking over the calendar of events and many initials are used which would make it very difficult for new people to know what is going on. Including me.” So please spell it out!

 

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In Memory

Our sympathies to the families of Charlene Stone and Julia Vanderkolk.

Charlene Fairchild Mullins Stone, 77, of Asheville, N.C., died April 5 after a lengthy period of declining health. She and her husband, Shelley, lived in West Lafayette for 35 years, and she was an active member of our church for many years.


Julia Marie Townsley Vanderkolk, 82, mother of Kathleen Peyton, died April 11. She was raised in Lafayette and Chalmers and was a 1940 graduate of Jefferson High School. She enjoyed needlework, reading, gardening and shore walking.

 

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Religious Education Happenings

Religious Education Director: Sarah Boulac
RE Committee Co-Chairs: Beth Misner, Cheryl Fowler

 

UU Youth!  RE Youth Activities

People tell me that until relatively recently, the UU of Lafayette had a very active Youth RE Program. 

It was thoughtful, productive, and just plain fun. The program went dormant when the most active members moved away or grew up. Now it is time to revive that sleeping program! 

We began in good earnest by having a Youth Dedication on April 17, where instead of dedicating an expected four or five young people, we had a turnout of 13! 

On April 10, we went to All Fired Up to create individual chalices, using blanks, glaze and a lot of good will. Each participant designed his or her chalice with a personal image in mind. The chalices were then used during the Dedication both as a symbol of the work that each young person is willing to do in pursuit of spiritual growth, but also as the child herself, receiving the teaching and care of parents, the congregation and the greater Unitarian Universalist Church.

You might think that making the chalices was merely for fun, or that it was the first piece of work that we are doing in pursuit of our revived program. Not so! We asked the young people to think hard about what they wanted on their chalices, and I hope you had a chance to look at the chalices while they were in the sanctuary.  Not only were they remarkably pretty, but there was a variety of religious and spiritual images taken directly from the Sunday RE classes; we had symbols taken from Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, as well as more personal totems.  The work began long before I arrived!

At the Dedication, our “dedicants” agreed to bond with their fellow youth, as well as become active members of the congregation. These young people will, I trust, be the designers of our new Youth RE program. It has certainly been a pleasure to work with them so far!

                                                -- Michele Tomarelli