All-Church Program Summit

Program Council and Transitions Council will hold an all-church summit on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. to address programming operations and space usage in our new building. All standing committees and transitions teams should send a representative. The goal is to establish working relations amongst groups that share spaces, develop guidelines for space use, and communicate our shared aspirations for future programming.

—Fritz Smith

Journeys for the Common Good

The “Great Generation” was shaped by the Great Depression and the Second World War. There are many earmarks of the Great Generation – but one of the key ones is that they made our society work. They have staffed our polling areas, served in Rotary, served their political parties, started social service agencies, made our churches fl ourish and given their vision and resources tirelessly for the Common Good. In honor of this Generation, we are starting a new Sunday morning series called Journeys for the Common Good. These will be similar in format to Spiritual Journeys, though different in content. The fi rst one will be October 14 and will begin with John Wilms and Don and Ruth Ann Ferris. That same Sunday is also designated Association Sunday – a time to educate our congregations about the Unitarian Universalist Association, its services, and its current status and needs. The people who are speaking have been committed not only to our own congregation and social justice issues but also to our larger Association.

--Rev. Hilary Krivchenia  

Hold That Date!

This is an early reminder for you to plan on attending the Service Auction on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008. The theme will be “Gypsies in the Palace” and we will be celebrating with some buffet madness. If you would like to help in planning the auction, please contact either Alanna Steffan or Amy French.

Highlights of the September 2007 Board of Trustees Meeting

 (Entire set of the minutes will be posted on board bulletin board at church.)

The Religious Education Relations Committee presented the report that the board had requested. It was accepted with appreciation for all the work involved in this important effort. The Board is very grateful to all members and friends who give of their time to work in the Religious Education program each Sunday. We have full confidence in the continuing quality of the RE program and the skills of the DRE. A full copy of the report is available in the church office.

The board recognized that all committees of the church need to update (or create, in some cases) their policies and procedures in the coming months with respect to optimal functioning in our new location with increasing numbers of people. During a discussion of editorial policy of the Lighted Chalice, focusing on appropriate communications, Acting District Executive, Nancy Combs- Morgan, who attended the meeting, was asked to find examples of newsletter article “submission guidelines” used in other churches that we can use as models to design our own guidelines.

An internal audit of the Treasurer’s books had been arranged and was commencing that evening. Purchase of a computer for the Religious Education Director was approved and requested to be paid for from funds to come from accumulated interest in the RE Endowment Fund.

The board ratified the appointment (at a special board meeting on September 13), of Bruce Craig as Chair and Treasurer of the New Capital Campaign and received the Transitions Committee report from Fritz Smith with approval an additional expenditure on accessibility of up to $7000 for ramp projects from existing transitions funds.

 A building-access policy is being developed regarding keys, key-pad access, and locking up the building. A committee that is making plans for events during the Open House (Nov. 4) and Dedication weekend celebrations (Nov.16-18), presented a proposed budget and asked for guidance in attaining funds of up to $5000. Concern was expressed about the cost and need for a catered dinner on the Nov. 18. Endowment Board spokesperson, John Carlson, said the EB would consider a request for some of the funds.

 Highlights of Fall Congregational Meeting

Held in the sanctuary of our new building on Meridian Street in West Lafayette on Sept. 23, 2007. Barny Dunning presented Proposed 2008 Budget Initiatives and told members about an issue we are working on regarding directed giving to the church. Kim Harden, chair of 2008 Stewardship Campaign, announced the Opening Our Doors plan of action. John Carlson spoke about the Church Naming Project and Church Mission Statement progress. A motion was made by Marty Patchen, which was seconded and passed by paper ballot, to approve the loan of $30,000 at 5.5% interest, from the Endowment Fund to the church treasury, to decrease the amount of the loan needed from PEFCU to make the final payment for the Meridian Street property and building. This loan will be repaid when the first building sells.

Help Us Quilt on October 17

A quilting bee will be held in our new UU Fellowship Hall every third Wednesday of the month from 9:30 a.m. – noon. The program is charity quilting for the Women’s Shelter, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or Quilts of Valor. Fabric scraps and batting are being provided by the Old Tippecanoe Quilt Guild. All quilters are welcome

—Patty Wood

Editors and Designers Needed!

New editors and designers are welcome to join the Lighted Chalice team. This is a creative, independent task for which you’ll need e-mail, as well as desktop publishing software such as Word, Publisher, or InDesign. Please contact us at the lightedchalice@yahoo. com.

Church Mouse Award

This month’s award goes to Mary Ann Foley for her days of packing up the kitchen at Seventh Street and then setting up the kitchen in our new building. It was a dirty job. We’re glad you were willing to do it!! Thank you Mary Ann!

Large New Kitchen! Large New Kitchen Team Needed!  

Now that we have a wonderful spacious kitchen it is time for a larger kitchen team to form. And it is time for the potlucks to have their own group.

We need a team to work cooperatively to keep order in the kitchen and to help recruit and handle set up and clean up for potlucks.

We also need a Table Crew to set up either the day of or the day before the event. If we grow our committee large enough no one or two people will get saddled with the work and we can have fun together in our new space. There’s no place to build community like a kitchen.

If you would like to help create the warm and welcoming environment that builds community, volunteer for this Team by contacting Mary Ann Foley , Amy French , Virginia Lewis , or Sue Robinson .

—Rev. Hilary Krivchenia

Change for Change

For October, Change for Change supports the Lafayette Crisis Center.

The Lafayette Crisis Center is a non-profit human service organization that fills a critical need in Tippecanoe County and White County by providing round-the-clock crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and information and referral. Services are confidential, free and available by phone or in person 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A wide range of callers’ needs are addressed, including temporary housing, problems in relationships, loneliness, anxiety, substance abuse, financial challenges. Founded in 1970 as a program of Purdue University, the Crisis Center is a United Way agency located at 1244 N. 15th St., served by 70- 90 student and community volunteers working 4-hour shifts, and directed by professional staff.

Crisis Center service philosophy is grounded in two beliefs: 1) that each caller or visitor has the right to be listened to without judgment or criticism and 2) that everyone has the capacity to resolve his or her own problems with help. Volunteers must successfully complete 45 hours of extensive training that focuses on active listening, problem solving, emergency assessment and intervention, suicide prevention, and providing referrals from a database of community services and support groups.

Your Change for Change supports the continuous operation of the Crisis Center and its services to community members. Thank you!

—Jean Tyner, Social Justice Committee

Homeless Shelter:

The Homeless Shelter is in need of coffee, toothbrushes, toothpaste and disposable razors.

Office Needs: Used inkjet cartridges of any brand would be greatly appreciated.

Hunger Hike: Congratulations to our UU youth and to the adults who walked to end hunger in our community! Our UU youth raised $349 and the adult group came in fifth place having raised $290. Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s Hunger Hike, either by contributing money, walking or helping out in some other way. We should have the final amount of money raised within the next few weeks.

After School Program: The After School Program is in need of low sugar snacks, fruit, and cereal, chips and other crunchy non-sweetened snacks.

Food Pantry: The number of people seeking assistance from the food pantry was the largest ever in August and was up 2.5% from last year. Any donations of money or food would be appreciated.

In Other News: The board voted unanimously to allow Joe Micon to return to his position as full-time executive director of the Lafayette Urban Ministry on May 1, 2008. Joe has decided not to run for a third term as State Representative, citing family responsibilities and a desire to concentrate on his job as executive director of the Lafayette Urban Ministry as reasons for leaving public office.

—Mary Finley, LUM representative 11

Minister’s Muse

O It is thus

and It is them

and It is Us

and It is Now

and here it is

and here We are

 So This is It.

- from This is It LUM

 This is It! These are historic days for this congregation. It was exciting to share in the first worship at Meridian Street – where the sound was rich and full and the sense of celebration was bright. It is a time to rejoice. It is a time of new beginnings. At the congregational meeting, I read a poem by James Broughton. This is It and I am It and You are It and so is That and He is It and She is It and It is It and That is That Funny as that poem seems I meant it – this is it and this congregation has waited for It for a very long time. It is a daring time. A time to make new programs happen. A time to build new relationships and to rebuild old bridges. On a mundane level, it is a time to update old policies and create new ones. On a visionary level – it is time to bring this faith of the free – to the larger community in a new way. To be more visible and to open our doors to the larger community in new ways. This will be the work of each person – of hearing one another’s vision into reality. That is often our work here – to support and encourage creative thought. The religious education we offer is seldom if ever about convincing children, young persons or adults that they should adopt a certain set of thoughts or beliefs. Sunday morning between the Forum and the Service, there is an assumption that the conversation and commentary does not end – that our thoughts continue to evolve and that we expand one another’s horizons by taking real time together. I am looking forward to our sermon discussions starting back up in earnest – they were a challenge in the old space. A team is working on a format so that at least twice a month – after the service – people can gather and dig into the subject of the day’s sermon – or of sermons recently given – in which case they would have copies. It is a time to explore how we can serve the local community – the high school nearby, the university so very close – while honoring our longstanding commitments – to which we have been and intend to remain deeply attached – by social action, generous giving, and engagement in the issues of the day – on both sides of the river. It is time that we can host district events at our facility – because we have plenty of room for company! I remember years ago that, as we would sit in New Building meetings, people would say how much they wanted to be in a new place and take care of the building and grounds. Well – here we are – and – amazingly – as I left church on Sunday I passed a whole group that seemed to be – at least in part – working on planning work on the grounds. Even more amazingly – the building was a cloud of dust after the concrete work during the week and a dedicated band of workers came in and worked wonders so that Sunday morning the place looked marvelous. So many helpful church mice, we will need a giant wheel of cheese to share. For so long this congregation has yearned for more space – and now – this is it. The trick will be to free our minds from the narrow confines we grew used to. There is enough space. There is enough room for all our interests – except may be for that group that wants to collect antique cars in the Fellowship Hall – just kidding. We have arrived at the time of year when squash gourds appear, and tricolor corn, and cornucopias and we are living in the horn of plenty. It is time to open and stretch and check it out – we are living in plenty and there is plenty – to give, to share, to serve the larger world, to have joy here together, to build toward the future and celebrate the present – to know that there is plenty here and there will continue to be plenty – because there is something tremendously precious here—the power of a committed community – and that is boundless and will draw new and generous souls hither. They will come. And you will be here. And they will be here and it will be here. And you will be it together. Opening the doors! It will go on happening as you make It.

SUNDAY FORUM

 At the Meridian Street Church, Forum is meeting in Room 101. We are using the back entrance to the building. Drive around the church to the right until you reach the parking places at the rear. We will meet you at the door and show you to the Forum room. Everyone is welcome! Childcare is provided.

October 7: Don Nead “Torture---A Moral Issue”

Torture… it is being done in your name! It is a moral issue. It is a legal issue. It is a religious issue. It is an issue of humanity. Don Nead is a retired campus pastor and a fundraiser for the Bach Chorale.

October 14: Gordon Mork

“The Uses and Misuses of History” “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So said Santayana. But does that mean that if we know history we will avoid mistakes and be guaranteed a better future? Even Adolf Hitler said it was his favorite subject in school. Gordon Mork is a professor of history at Purdue University.

October 21: Frank Lambert

“Religion in American Politics” The Religious Right in politics is not new. From our nation’s founding, there have been vigorous tugs-of-war over efforts to establish Christianity as a national religion. Frank Lambert, a professor of history at Purdue University, examines these issues in a forthcoming book by the Princeton University Press.

October 28: Jeffrey Karpicke

“Can Cognitive Science Enhance Educational Practice?” Basic research on cognition is not often applied in educational settings. Surprisingly, repeated reading of an assignment is not an effective study strategy and the act of taking a test is itself a memory enhancer. Jeffrey Karpicke is a professor of psychology at Purdue.

Curious About Unitarian Universalism?

If you are interested in finding out more about the Unitarian Universalist Church and the path to becoming a member, Greeting and Membership will be running a series of UU&You classes in October. The two classes will be held on Oct. 14 and 21 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Forum Room.

The sessions will briefly cover how various people arrive at being UU, the history of UU, church governance and other topics. There is a sign up sheet in the narthex or you may contact Amy French or Suzan Windnagel to register.

Please let us know if you will need childcare during these classes.

Social Justice Sunday

In preparation for the Social Justice Committee’s Sunday morning service on Nov. 11, UU friends and members are asked to share with the committee the “epiphany” that led to your realization that social action was important in your life.

If you have an experience or moment that led you to become an activist, will you please jot it down on one of the cards in the narthex and return it to the designated Social Justice box labeled “Epiphanies?” Alternatively, you can e-mail your thoughts to Charles Coley. Thank you for your input. We look forward to sharing some of the experiences on Nov. 11.

—Jean Tyner, Social Justice Committee

Community Forum on Racial Profiling Set

A “Community Forum on Racial Profiling” will be held at Purdue on Monday, Oct. 15, from 7-9 p.m. in Stanley Coulter Hall Room 239.

This Forum is sponsored by our Social Justice Committee, the Greater Lafayette Chapter of the ACLU-Indiana, and PLACE (Purdue Liberal Arts Community Engagement). A short DVD will be shown, followed by a panel discussion. Panelists include Moderator Susan Curtis, Associate Dean for Engagement; Valentine Moghadam, Director of Women’s Studies; David Rollock, Psychology/ Director of Clinical Training; Tauna Sisco, Graduate Student in Sociology and Anthropology; and Cecilia Tenorio, Spanish Lecturer. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is free after 5 p.m. in Marsteller and University Street Garages.

Please plan to attend to learn more about this timely and important topic.

—Jean Tyner, Social Justice Committee

Outdoor Group at Turkey Run State Park

The UU Outdoor Group will enjoy the changing fall colors by hiking Turkey Run State Park near Crawfordsville on Saturday, Oct. 20.

We’ll meet near the playground at the new church at 9:30 a.m. and carpool from there. Bring a packed lunch and we’ll picnic beside beautiful Sugar Creek. My plan is to hike an easy trail with the little kids and walk down to the river.

Older kids and adults are welcome to form another group to hike harder trails. Bring an extra pair of shoes and clothes in case we get in the water. Dogs welcome on leashes in state parks.

There is an entrance fee into the park of a few dollars. Contact Tandy Easler for more details.

SpUUk Night Delight!

A “New Neighbor Halloween Celebration” will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 31 starting at 6 p.m. in front of the sanctuary doors.

Transitions is sponsoring a special celebration to help the neighborhood get to know our congregation. It will be low stress and great fun. Candy will be available in bags with our name on it, information about our services, and a special table with UNICEF materials for taking a box or making a contribution.

We will hang some bright jack o’lantern lights and pass out candy to neighborhood kids. To make this a success we need some simple help from you! Just bring a couple of bags of candy, pretzels, or sugar-free treats to church and put them in the sealed plastic container marked “All Hallows Treats” in the office area. If you want to come and join in the fun of greeting people or hanging around outside our building or just inside the foyer, please come and join us. If you want to help set up the tables or bag candy, contact Fritz Smith.

It will be a sweet greeting to our new neighborhood.

—Fritz Smith and Rev. Hilary Krivchenia

October Trustees Meeting

Because of the conflict of our regular date (second Sunday of the month) with the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon, the board meeting will take place on the third Sunday in October. That will be October 21 at noon in the Forum room.  

Statement on Aesthetics

This statement by the Committee on Aesthetics was submitted to and accepted by the Transitions Committee in late summer.

This vision for aesthetics of the church considers both the form and function of the spaces in the new building.

Sanctuary – As the place of Sunday morning service, the sanctuary provides a place for reflection, contemplation and introspection. The vaulted ceiling and warm rich wood tones suggest a celestial space. The simple beauty of the space should remain uncluttered and nothing should be added that would detract from its architectural integrity. The sanctuary should express wholeness, harmony and radiance.

Fellowship Hall – This is a space where we come together for celebrations different from those in the sanctuary. We will engage in shared meals, performances and other social activities. In addition to being used by the congregation, the Fellowship Hall will be used by outside groups for recitals, receptions and the like. With these multiple uses in mind, we should work toward a tasteful, simple décor.

RE and other classroom/meeting areas – Those rooms designated for children and youth should have colors and décor appealing to the appropriate ages. The use of sturdy furnishings suitable to developmental levels of the youngsters will assure a safe and comfortable environment. With sufficient storage a clean, uncluttered look can be maintained Adult meeting room(s) should be furnished with comfortable tables and chairs and storage areas to house materials. The décor should reflect a quietness and dignity befitting such places.

Office and reception areas – These areas are the domain of the staff and will refl ect personal tastes. With appropriate furnishings and storage, these areas will be attractive work places. This space will provide the initial contact for community members. It should communicate a sense of welcoming and seriousness of purpose.

—Fritz Smith, Co-chair Aesthetics Committee

Book Group

7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 8, 2007

“The Whistling Seas”

By Ivan Doig

7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 12, 2007

 “The Road” By Cormac McCarthy

The 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.

Two Thumbs Up: UUs on the Move!

A copy of the news presentation of UUs on the Move! is being made and will soon be available for checking out of the library and viewing. A WLFI news segment about how the kids carried the quilt to the new church has received rave reviews!

—Michele Tomarelli

Living Scriptures Study

On Wednesday, Oct. 10 we will kick off our Living Scriptures study of the Hebrew Bible Study by showing Bill Moyers’ Genesis: A Living Conversation from the Public Television Series. Moyers gathers thoughtful and engaging individuals – biblical scholars, writers, artists, psychotherapists, teachers, scientists, composers, lawyers, college presidents, journalists, members of the clergy, and translators – to discover what the Genesis stories say to us today.

We’ll watch each video and follow with our own discussion. We will meet every Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. Feel free to bring a brown bag supper. This series will fi nish mid-December; then in January, we will resume our own Bible study and discussion. For more information, contact Hilary Krivchenia , Janice Thiel or Chuck Reynolds for further details. For program information, visit Moyer’s Genesis website at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/genesis/program.html.

— Janice Thiel

Holiday Art Sale Planning Begins

Volunteers are still needed for planning and putting on this year’s Holiday Art Sale! Mark your calendars for November 30 and December 1 and plan to spend a few hours helping us out. We are also looking for help the week before to set up and decorate, and right now for publicity and planning.

Please contact Jennifer Cominetti-Craig to offer your assistance!

Flower Donations

Isn’t it exciting to walk into the new sanctuary and see all the SPACE? The happy challenge is how to fill this larger space. In the past, we have asked you to consider donating flowers, in honor of special events, in memory of someone, or just because. These bouquets were displayed during the service and were then available for you to take home. We have asked Rubia Flowers to continue to beautify our new sanctuary, but with the larger space comes a need for larger arrangements. We hope members of the congregation will continue to donate flowers, but we want you to be aware that the cost of the bouquets will now be $35. You can contact Caroline Barnhart if you have a specifi c Sunday in mind, or look for a sign-up sheet in the narthex. Checks are payable to the church, and can be left with Karin Bergman, our church’s administrative assistant. Please put “Flower Fund” in the memo line.

—Gale Kvam Music and Worship Committee

Input Invited on Church Website

Our website is an important way to inform people about our church. Now that we have moved to building, more people will be visting our website to learn more about us. Please visit http://uulafayette. org/ and review our current site for accuracy. Please send updates and suggestions to uucwebspinner@ yahoo.com. I invite anyone interested in contributing and evaluating ideas and suggestions for enhancements of the site to join me in a meeting I plan to schedule later this month. Email me at uucwebspinner@ yahoo.com for details of the meeting.

--Dagmar Murray  

Thanks to All Who Helped!

I would like to personally thank everyone who came on Saturday, Sept. 22, and also on Wednesday Sept. 26, to help move everything but the kitchen sink from Seventh Street to Meridian. It was hard work, and you should be proud of all you’ve done to help our congregation. Many hands made light work!

I want to specifi cally thank Kaye McSpadden for organizing the move of the pianos, Mary Ann Foley and Pastoral Care for helping with food, Mark Krivchenia and Carolyn Barnhart for helping with items at Union, Mark (again) for getting the U-haul on Wednesday, and Derrick Schertz and Dave Shelton for driving the moving trucks on Saturday.

A special thanks to those hearty souls who braved the rain and came to move all of the chairs from Seventh Street on Wednesday, your help is appreciated more than you know. I’d like to remind everyone to bear with us in this time of transition; things may be a little disorganized, but with your help the building should be in ship-shape by the time of the Dedication in November.

If you have free time, ask to help rearrange furniture, take out the trash (garbage day is Thursday), prepare items for recycling (every other Tuesday), or help someone unpack. There’s still lots to do, even though our physical move to the new building is complete! You will notice lots of extra furniture in the hallways and in the Fellowship Hall. We were blessed with more free furniture than we know what to do with.

All of the extra furniture from classrooms and hallways will eventually be moved into the Fellowship Hall by the large refrigerator. Sometime next week there will be orange tags on items that say “Take me home!” If it’s tagged, and you’d like it, please take it.

We are planning a giveaway ‘sale’ on Friday, Oct. 12 at 8 a.m. through Saturday, Oct. 13 at noon, therefore we need helpers Thursday night, Oct. 11 (weather permitting) to take items out to the curb. Whatever items are left by Saturday noon, we’ll get rid of for good. Keep an eye out for details of the giveaway sale in the weekly e-mail updates (Note, this is not the rummage sale; save your items for next summer!).

—Christine Schertz, Chair of the Moving Team

Help Take Care of Our New Home

Congratulations, you’re a new homeowner! Oh, did I forget to mention that the kitchen is four times larger, there’s a large fellowship hall, and a lawn? With real grass? And a playground?

All of this is wonderful, but it also means that we need many hands to help take care of our new home and plan the events we’ll hold in it. If you would like to help with the setup and takedown of tables at our Potlucks, or to help with kitchen duties, contact Mary Ann Foley.

If you would like to help with care of the exterior part of the building, contact Michael Lewis. “Remember, nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays, 1841. Help us make our new building a real home for all!

—Christine Schertz, Chair of the Moving Team

Be Green!

New royal blue stackable recycling bins have been purchased for the Fellowship Hall. Please deposit your clean glass, plastics, and cans in the proper containers. This is a step everyone can take to make our church a “green” sanctuary. Also, please bring your own tableware to potlucks. The church’s china, fl atware, and glasses will be available to those who forget. However, if you use the church’s tableware, please be responsible for washing them after each use.

—Mary Ann Foley, Kitchen Committee

Upcoming Celebrations!

Sunday, Nov. 4. This event will be publicized in both the church’s immediate neighborhood and in the larger community. We hope to acquaint visitors with our mission and principles as well as our Social Justice and RE programs. Refreshments in our Fellowship Hall will help welcome visitors.

Friday evening, Nov. 16, will be the beginning of our dedication weekend. Rev. Bill Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, will be speaking that night. Unless you have attended General Assembly, you probably have not heard this outstanding UU leader. We want to give him a big welcome for making an effort to come to our dedication festivities. A reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow his speech.

On Sunday, Nov. 18, the formal Dedication of our new church home will take place. The service that day will be a bit longer than usual and the keynote speaker will be Charlie Clements, president of the UU Service Committee. Clements is the author of Witness to War: An American Doctor in El Salvador. Afterward, a special celebratory meal will be served in the Fellowship Hall.

You will soon be hearing about many opportunities to help carry out these special events. Your talents will be needed to make these celebrations truly memorable! —Mary Ann Foley Special Events Committee

Annual Reports Due

All committees and program areas should write a paragraph or so summarizing what they did during the last church year for the Annual Report. Please send your reports to Barny Dunning. We are up to a grand total of one report so far (thank you, Joan Marshall!), so if you don’t send something soon, expect to see a whining Barny knocking on your door.

—Barny Dunning

Unitarian Universalist Symposium

The Unitarian Universalist Symposium meets on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at various locations throughout Greater Lafayette for food, fellowship, and fun. Call 1-877-882-8871 (1-877-UUC-UUS1) or Frank Arnold (714-0236) for information about the current week’s meeting place.

Oct. 3: Ruby Tuesday, 3520 SR 38 E, Laf Oct. 10: Khana Khazana Indian Grill, 108 Northwestern Ave., WL

Oct. 17: Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, 4151 SR 26 E, Laf

Oct. 24: Capp & Gino’s (north of McDonald’s at intersection of State St. & US 231), WL

Oct. 31: Halloween—no meeting

—Frank Arnold, UUS Coordinator

Accessibility Project Is Underway

To re-cap: the primary goal of our project is to provide wheelchair accessibility to and from the sanctuary and the rest of the building.

To accomplish this goal, we will build a two part ramp connecting the narthex and the adjoining hallway. Part of this project will include raising the double glass doors at the end of the hallway and building an additional ramp on the outside, as well as additional sidewalk work.

We are also widening the side doorway between the sanctuary stage and the hallway to make it wheelchair-accessible.

Finally, the nursery doorway is being widened and a special “dutch door” will be installed. Originally, we had also hoped to implement a plan to make one of the bathrooms near the Fellowship Hall more accessible. However, capital campaign funds currently available were not sufficient to enable us to proceed at this time.

The entire project (ramp and two doorway widenings) is expected to be about $39,000. (A portion of these costs, associated with the nursery doorway, will be supported by a special nursery fund.) The plans for the project were developed by RDS Design, an architectural firm, and Simon Construction will do the actual work. So far, our experiences with both companies have been very positive.

Update: Work got underway on Tuesday, Sept. 25, as masons began to widen the three doorways. Although their work left much of the sanctuary and adjoining hallway covered with a layer of dust, the masons succeeded in finishing this portion of the project by the end of the week.

We are now awaiting the arrival and installation of doors, and the beginning of ramp construction, which will primarily involve concrete work. We believe the ramp construction will begin soon, possibly this week or next, and we expect the entire project to be completed by the end of the month, possibly sooner.

The Aesthetics Committee is already considering selection of wall paint and floor coverings, which will be the final touches. Many people are excited about the project and our efforts to make our new church building as welcoming as possible. We appreciate all the pledges and contributions to the capital campaign that made this project possible at this time, and we appreciate everyone’s patience during the next few weeks as we continue to live with a bit of disruption. If anyone has questions about the project, contact Kaye McSpadden.

“Stop the War Now” Rally

The Social Justice Committee urges UUs to join the Lafayette Peace Coalition in a “Stop the War Now” rally in Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 27. There will be eight regional protests in the U.S. and more around the world.

A bus will leave the Lafayette area between 10 and 11 a.m. and return between 10 and 11 p.m. The rally kicks off at 1:30 p.m. at Union Park, followed by a march to Federal Plaza. The cost to ride the bus is $25 per person or $15 for students, low income and seniors. Payment deadline is Oct. 19. Donations are welcome to subsidize transportation for those who cannot afford to pay. Send your name, address, phone number and e-mail address to Sheila Rosenthal at 2856 Ashland Street, W. Lafayette. The website for the event is www. oct27chicago.org.

—Jean Tyner

Adopt a Hymnal and Make a Dedication

In order to fill all the hymnal racks in our new sanctuary, we took a leap of faith and ordered 40 new gray hymnals (Singing the Living Tradition) and 50 new blue ones (Singing the Journey). Luckily, they arrived in time for our first service on Sept 30!

Now, we need to pay for them. Please help by “adopting” a hymnal (or two or three ...). When you adopt a hymnal, you may designate a dedication for the bookplate inside. Dedications may be memorials (“Given in memory of .... by ....”) or to honor someone (“Given in honor of ... by ...”) or simply your name (“Given by ...”) or a favorite quote.

When you make your donation, please provide the information that you would like included on the bookplate. Also, if you would like us to send an acknowledgment to someone informing them of the dedication, just let us know. The cost of the gray hymnal is $28; the blue hymnal is $16. Please make your check payable to the “UU Church” and write “hymnal donation” on the memo line. Provide information about the dedication on a separate note. You may send your check and note to: UU Church, 333 Meridian St, W. Lafayette 47906, OR deliver it to the church offi ce, OR drop it in the offering plate during a Sunday service.

Deadline: All donations should be received by Sunday, Oct. 28. Dedications and donor names will be listed in the November church newsletter. If you have any questions, please contact Kaye McSpadden.

And while we’re on the topic of hymnals... during our recent inventory, we discovered that quite a few hymnals are missing. If you borrowed one from the church, please return it as soon as possible. If you have frequent need for a hymnal, please consider purchasing your own personal copy from the UUA Bookstore (go to www.uua.org and click on “bookstore”). Be sure and write your name in it. Copies that belong to the church are identified as church property.

—Kaye McSpadden

Invitation to Fast With People of All Faiths on October 8

Religious leaders from several traditions, including Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, invite us to join with millions of other Americans in a day of fasting, meditation and prayer for the end of the Iraq war.

The President of the Unitarian Universalist Association has signed onto this fast. Monday Oct. 8, people of all faiths will covenant together to live the call in each of our traditions – the desire for justice and for peace for all people. Many faith traditions recognize the power of fasting as a spiritual discipline. Fasting provides an opportunity to still our minds and our hearts, so we can listen and build toward a just and peaceful world. October 8 is an opportunity to offer a small sacrifice – hunger for a day – and to stand symbolically with those who suffer the consequences of the war in Iraq. Fasting in community allows us an opportunity to come together with other religious communities in this joint event – a witness to peace. If you would like to participate, it is suggested that you have a simple meal before dawn, committing to fast throughout the day as a sign of your commitment to move our core values from conquest to community and from violence to reverence.

At sunset, gather with others if possible to break the fast with a shared meal as a sign of our covenant with one another to stand against the war in Iraq, and to work with one another to stand against violence in our communities and around the world. At 6 p.m., those interested will gather in the sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church at 333 Meridian St. in West Lafayette, for meditation, sharing on the reflections of the day and a small break the fast of juice and bread. If you would like to read more about this initiative, From Violence to Reverence: An Interfaith Fast on October 8 to End the War in Iraq, please visit www.interfaithfast.org . —Dianna Poindexter Worship and Music Committee

Atheist Discussion Group

The Atheist Discussion Group – finding meaning and morality without belief in the supernatural – meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month from 6:30-8:00 p.m in Room 106. Go to http://atheists.meetup.com/521/ for more information.

—Todd Barton

OPENING OUR DOORS!

We are Opening Our Doors! Now that the long-awaited Move is behind us, we are getting our house in order, unpacking and discovering new spaces and new possibilities all around us.

The Stewardship Team offers a heartfelt Thank you! to all who have demonstrated what Stewardship is as you have helped with this long process, weathered its disappointments, rallied and triumphed in moving into our new home. Here at 333 Meridian Street in West Lafayette, together, we will celebrate our joys, mark our milestones, share our challenges and grieve our losses.

It is within the embrace of this community that we will shape our lives, dreams and Unitarian Universalist Principles into living and meaningful reality. We are Opening Our Doors! We welcome our neighbors and fellow seekers to come in and get to know us. As a church that cherishes religious freedom, diverse beliefs and lifestyles, we honor each unique spiritual journey, affirm the validity of many paths to truth and celebrate the ever-unfolding of the human spirit and nature. We are poised for growth, not to increase our numbers, but to welcome fellow seekers who affirm our Principles and hunger to be part of this understanding, welcoming community.

We are Opening Our Doors! to becoming a greater presence for social justice in the Lafayette area. Our UU Principles reflect our common dream of a better world, realizable through respect for others, justice and the democratic process. Through our work together, we can effect positive and real change in Greater Lafayette and beyond. As our presence in the community grows, the wider community will recognize who we are and the Principles that guide us. We welcome those who want to work together to realize our dream of a just and loving world in this lifetime.

We are Opening Our Doors! by acknowledging that, as we each own a share of our common dreams, we each own our share of the responsibility to make them real. We are stewards of this responsibility, our UU Principles and our congregation. Our Stewardship campaign is not just about fundraising. Our Stewardship campaign is about revitalizing our commitment to our church and realizing our common dreams.

We are Opening Our Doors! by opening ourselves to probing inner questions: What is generosity? In what ways are we generous? In what ways do we hold back or even hoard? What is our basic assumption: faith in abundance or a belief in scarcity? How does this shape our feelings of generosity, our choices, and our relationships with others? Are we where we want to be? How can we move in the direction our best selves want to be? Do I hear conversations percolating? It just so happens that…

We are Opening Our Doors! for Open Door Dinners, where we can explore these and other questions with other thoughtful people while enjoying abundant good food. Check your calendar for available dates during October 26—28 or November 2—4. We hope every member, friend and frequent visitor to UUC will accept our invitation to enjoy the warm, caring spirit of our church and to celebrate our commitment to this awesome community. Check your calendar and be ready for a call from your host. Hosts will provide a main dish and guests bring other dishes.

If you have preferred dates or dates you are not available, will bring children, or have food restrictions or allergies, please contact Amy French, Open Door Dinners Guest Coordinator (aka Shared Hearth Suppers Coordinator): or so she can fi nd a host who can more easily plan with your needs in mind. If you would like to host an Open Door Dinner, please contact Cheryl Fowler, Open Door Dinners Host/Hostess Coordinator (aka Neighborhood Groups Coordinator

Many thanks to Amy and Cheryl for partnering with us for the Stewardship campaign!

One of the Stewardship Team members will visit each Open Door Dinner to explore stewardship as an opportunity for spiritual growth, and to emphasize the importance of our individual commitments to realizing UUC’s mission and vision through our varied and growing programs.

Pledge cards will be available at the Open Door Dinners, completed confidentially, and collected that evening or at any Sunday service through November 11. So the Stewardship campaign can be completed before the congregation adopts the 2008 budget in December, we respectfully request that all pledge cards be returned by November 11, regardless of the pledged amount.

Personal visits will be available for those who prefer to speak with a Stewardship Team member before completing their pledge. We will conclude the Stewardship campaign December 2 with Open Door Sunday, a celebration of our dedication to our evolving UUC. As we enter this creative and exciting phase of our congregational life, we ask that you be as generous a steward of UUC as you possibly can by giving of your best self and within your means.

We look forward to sharing an Open Door Dinner with you soon. Thank you.

—Kim Harden Chair, 2007 Stewardship Team  

We Did It! We’ve Moved!

Michele Tomarelli, DRE

From one weekend to the next, we have seen an amazing change take place.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, our things were moved into the new church. It was a day of enormous effort and good will.

On Sunday the 23rd we saw our fi nal service on Seventh Street, and the children and youth walked the large quilt of memories across the river and into the new church.

We looked like a proper parade, with banners and signs. It was a long walk, over two miles, but the kids went so briskly that the van that was to meet us at our first break missed us, and the second one almost did, too! The day was warm and sunny, and it was a fine walk.

We had a couple of hellos from other religions. The Quakers waved from the windows of their Meeting, and since they were hard to see, the Clerk of the Meeting popped out onto the porch to wish us well. A Methodist whose home is on the corner of Meridian and Salisbury came out and applauded.

During the week, people were working like ants all over the church. An astonishing amount of goods and furniture got put away, and rooms were organized and cleaned. A number of the students expressed opinions about where things should go, and helped to put them there. The work we put into organizing our packing paid off when the contents went relatively easily into their designated places.

The RE Team Leaders came and organized their classrooms and got ready for the next Sunday’s lessons. Wednesday night all the chairs were brought over from Seventh Street. You would think the chairs were brought primarily for the consideration of the Junior High, which is still redecorating.

Of course, nothing goes completely smoothly. The door widening and ramp building was somewhat delayed, as construction often is, and the building of the Nursery counters and sink were thus delayed also.

Once the builders started, a thick coating of kaolin dust went everywhere! Everything needed to be cleaned all over again. I set up a temporary nursery in an empty classroom (what a luxury to have an empty classroom!), we all cleaned like mad, and we were back in business.

On Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007, we had our first service in the new church. The classrooms looked good, supplies were easily found, and the classes went well. It was a pleasure to see the kids leaning about Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism in such big, airy classrooms.

A number of parents commented on how nice it was for the kids to be on the playground. As we have been walking around the building looking at the new spaces, many of the plans that had been shelved for lack of room are resurfacing, and ideas for new classes and programs are coming to mind. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could…” has become, “You know what? We can!” I think we are going to be very happy here.