Sunday Morning Forum

                The Sunday Morning Forum meets at 9 a.m. at the Red Cross Building across the parking lot from the church. Everyone is welcome! Childcare is provided.

                May 7 "A Walk Through the Flowers"

                                                                Keith Brown.

                Spring seems to have appeared all at once with a burst of blooms and lavish displays. Instantaneous as it appears; the process has been going on for a long time underground. For those of  us who have yet to learn the differences among rhizomes, tubers, bulbs and other storage organs, Keith will be our patient tutor. Weather permitting, we will walk to Keith’s house for a tour. It is too early to see his beautiful true lilies, but Keith hopes that his tree peonies will be in bloom. 

 

                May 14 "Report from the Trenches"

                                                                Dianna Chalk .

                This is our rescheduled program in which an elementary school principal takes us behind the scenes to see some of the problems and heartache endured by teachers struggling to meet the "no

child left behind" standards. Sometimes the teacher's best efforts still cannot overcome the problems associated with low socio-economic status, underdeveloped English language skills and a transient pupil population?  What happens to

teacher's morale when their school is labeled a "failing school"?  Are pupils being educated by narrowing the curriculum and focusing on test prep?

                                                                                ~Ernest McDaniel

 

 

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UU History Trivia

                In  1963  the Fellowship outgrew its Harrison Street quarters and sold the property to purchase two properties at the corner of Wood and Chauncey Streets, West Lafayette. We had 45 pledging units.

                Rev. Edwin Wilson was called as a part-time minister. He came from Yellow Springs, Ohio, for two consecutive Sundays a month, staying here for the intervening week.  Rev. Wilson had retired from the active ministry after a career as the leader of the Humanist movement in the Unitarian church. He had signed the "Humanist Manifesto" in 1929 and was the first editor of the Humanist magazine. Rev. Wilson’s services reinstituted responsive readings and periods of meditation, and initiated invocations, closing words and the recitation of our Covenant.

                Jim Brewster is quoted as saying, "As a ministerial professional, he did his best to get us to sing hymns! This was also the beginning of our sermon feedback, our irrepressible contribution to the order of service, taking the form of candid disagreement with the sermon."

                We began to exert a little more influence on the community. We participated in the Foster Relative Plan, aimed at helping foreign students feel more

at home. The Liberal Religious Youth was organized. Rev. Wilson became a member

of the campus ministerial society and developed close relationships with the clergy at University Presbyterian Church and St. Thomas Aquinas.

                (Also in 1963, I was born, though unfortunately for me, not into the Fellowship!)

                By 1963, along with Jim Brewster who was part of the start-up group in 1949, Caroline and Roy Barnhart in 1954, and Verna and Alden Emery (all of whom I mentioned previously as our early members), Joan and Karl Lohmann signed

the membership book in January 1960, and Marty Becker joined in 1963. If you were a part of our growing fellowship before our membership book began in 1965, you were an integral part of creating our foundation for where we are today!  Please let me know who you are so we can recognize you!

                                                                                                ~Lynn Richardson

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Earth Day a Festive Celebration

      The Earth Day Potluck on April 23rd was a success! There was a rainbow of colored tablecloths and plenty of food and lively conversation as we

celebrated Earth Day together sitting (for the most part) in our neighborhood groups. We will be continuing our work, fine-tuning this important part of church community.

     A big THANK YOU to Joan Lohmann for meeting with the Pastoral Care Group at our monthly meetings and leading discussions on various aspects of lay pastoral care.

      If there is any way we can support you, please call any member of the Pastoral Care Group listed below:

            Rev. Hilary Landau Krivchenia             Malcolm Easler                Mary Ann Foley   

            Cheryl Fowler                Rosemary  Leary          Lynn Richardson         

                                                                                ~Cheryl Fowler

 

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Book Group

                7pm, Monday, May 8,  Atonement by  Ian McEwan

                7pm, Monday, June 12,  Five  Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris

 

The Book Group meets on the 2nd Monday of every month at 7pm 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. 

                                                ~Dagmar Murray

 

 

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 REMINDER — CLOTHING DRIVE:

             Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.,

                             parking lot of the church

Goodwill bags available under the back hall coat rack or use your own sturdy bag.  Please DO NOT bring clothing early this year. If you will be out of town, give your bags to a church friend for delivery. Thanks!

                             ~Sue Robinson

 

Minister’s Muse

Whew, what a time of energy, excitement and change at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lafayette!  So much is being created and so much is being ventured.  Like most adventures, we don’t know exactly how things will end up – but this much I know is true – if we hitch our dreams to our noblest principles we will bring wonderful things to pass. 

Again and again I heard at the congregational meeting that we need every one of us to roll up our sleeves and help out with things that seem to simply happen on their own but really take creative effort on the part of many folks – from worship to potlucks, from the art fair to adult religious education, from stewardship to pastoral care, from folding the newsletter – a great social activity – to participating in greeting and membership. 

There is already so much to feel joy in your accomplishment.  I have come in every Sunday morning for a while and watched the great buzz of activity as groups meet early, as Our Whole Lives nurtures the health of our young people, as worship comes together and Forum engages in the Forum after the Forum.

I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with many new members of our congregation who signed the membership book a week and a half ago.  The energy and commitment of these new people was also inspiring. 

Last week three of our members were honored at the Annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon offered by the Volunteer Bureau: Jerry Robertson, Lynn Richardson, and Jean Tyner.  In the past week I had the pleasure of walking with our contingent on the Homeward Bound Walk.  It was wonderful to see so many of us being of service together, enjoying companionship, and being visible as a faith community.  I was so proud to sit at the Faith and Freedom Dinner, so ably organized by the members of the Indiana Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights.  It was clear that many members of this congregation are committed to a liberal, sane religious voice on the issues of our times – not to rhetoric or easy answers – but to speaking honestly about the complexity of the issues and to confront power with truth and love. 

This is our time to blossom as a congregation – a time to turn our hearts – toward the light of our principles and purposes and to blossom like flowers.  It is already happening.

This gives me great hope. 

When Joseph Campbell said “follow your bliss” he  meant something like what Reverend Frederick Buechner meant when he said that the key thing in life is to find where your deep joy and the world’s great hunger meet – the point of service and deep connection.  This church is a powerful place in which to create the conditions in which that can happen.

As we continue to serve one another and  the larger community – as we increasingly continue to follow our bliss as a congregation – we will thrive in new ways.  From that we will be easily able to move with strength toward any future which unfolds before us.

And please don’t hesitate – especially if you are new – to come and talk with me – or with Board members or with Program Council Members or with Greeting and Membership folks and explore how and where you might follow your bliss.

                                                                                                ~Hilary

Good News from the Publicity Committee

   The UU Publicity Committee advertises Sunday sermon titles and Adult Forum topics in a paid weekly ad in the Lafayette Journal & Courier newspaper. Recently the Church also received “free advertising” in the form of articles in the J&C and weekly Lafayette Leader newspaper about the Social Action Committee’s April 10 “Religious Freedom” forum. Also local television station WLFI Channel 18 aired an interview with Rev. Hilary Krivchenia and a news piece about the “Religious Freedom” forum. And the J&C published an article about two Adult Forum sessions on the topic of the Holocaust.

                Let the Publicity Committee know what your committee or interest group is doing. We may be able to place a news item in local media about it.

                Publicity Tip: Don’t be afraid to repeat the details of your activity or event in the Lighted Chalice, Sunday Order of Service, church web site, posters, etc. Public relations professionals say that people need to hear or read a message SEVEN times before it becomes fixed in their memory. (From: UUA “Sharing the Good News: A Public Relations Manual.” www.uua.org/info)

                                ~Verna Ritz, Publicity Committee

 

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Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM) Report

                ~The Homeless Shelter is in need of coffee, sugar, and cereal

                ~Any brand of inkjet cartridge, including Epson, is now welcome. Used inkjet cartridges may be dropped off  at the office during regular business hours (8:15 am to 4:30 pm M-F).

                ~This year's tax program was a great success.  LUM filed 654 tax returns for low income clients, saving them over 130,000 dollars in state and federal income taxes.

                ~Dates to remember:

                                Sunday, September 17: Hunger Hike

                                Saturday, December 16: Jubilee Christmas

                                                                                ~Mary Finley, Social  Responsibility Committee

 

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  UU RE Youth Potluck Musical Theater

 

  Honoring the RE Teachers

 

   Saturday, May 13, 6 p.m.      Unitarian Universalist Church

 

Parts are still available. Younger youth will also participate. Volunteers needed for props, costumes, sound, table set-up. Call Gale Lockwood, 463-3031

Dress rehearsal, noon, May 13, at the church

 

Please bring a dish to pass.

Play at 6 p.m., Dinner at 7 p.m.

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Religious Education Happenings                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  RE Director Michele Tomarelli

April was a busy month for RE, but as always, May is going to be even busier!

 · May 7^th is flower potting day, so be sure to put your little ones in clothes that can stand a                                                                  little dirt! 

· May 7^th is also the day that several We’re UU Teens (WUUTs), 8th-12th graders in our church, will be returning from The CON fetti, a regional UU teen conference in Ohio – our first con in several years.  We’ll ask them for a report for the congregation about their adventures.

· May 13^th is the evening of the Big Dinner Theater honoring the stalwart Teachers of Religious Education. Performed by the Young Youth under the noted Director Gale Lockwood, the play, entitled  “The Only UU Miracle, “is a history of a real event.  Parents of the actors are to bring potluck supper dishes: contact Amy French to find out what foods are needed .  Teachers are invited to being themselves!  Also RSVP to Amy (amyfrench@insightbb.com.  It will be a thrilling story and fine dining!

· Note that May 14^th is not an Intergenerational Service.  Children and Youth will be in there regular RE classes that day… EXCEPT for our Graduating Seniors.  On that day, we will send off our grads into the world.

· May 21^st is RE Sunday and that IS an Intergenerational Service.  Be sure to come and hear what the children have to show for their year of RE.

· Finally, in May Dr. Sidney Zental will be making appointments to visit with parents who would like to have her observe their special needs children.  Participating children will have classroom aides from among Dr. Zental’s university students, who are planning careers with special needs children.  Please note that participation is voluntary and the children will be identified by their parents.  We hope that the classroom aides will better enable us to continue to make our RE Program UU an accessible and happy place for all of the children in our congregation.

                                                                                                                                    ~Michele

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