February Board Meeting Highlights
1. Congregational meeting date set for Sunday, April 27 at 12:30, following monthly potluck.
    ~ Election of Officers for June 1st start of church year 2008/09.
    ~ Vote on By-laws addition and update.
2. Work is being done on putting together our official policies binder.  Anyone with any policies at home, please get them to Karin, our administrative assistant, so that we can make sure we have all the latest versions.
3. Closing on the Union street property is scheduled for this month.
4. Confirmed that cost-of-living raise is to be given automatically in each budget year to Minister, DRE, and Administrative Assistant.
5. Voted to send Administrative Assistant to computer training including Church Windows program.
6. March Board of Trustees Meeting will be on Sunday, March 9h at noon.
 

Our Association's General Assembly will be in Florida, in June.  Now is the time to think about being a delegate.  Contact a member of the Board of Trustees if you are interested.

On Association Day in October, our congregation was invited to contribute to the "Now is the Time Campaign."  This fund is to be used for national marketing, grants to congregations for local growth and outreach projects, and President Sinkford's new program in support of ministers of color.  Thank you to all who participated in bringing in over $1.3 million.  Overall this national campaign has raised 73% of its $50 million goal since June of 2007.

A big thank-you is due to Janice Thiel for filling in as our assistant treasurer from September through January because of a resignation, and for helping to train Kirsten Reynolds who was appointed to the position through June. 

Beverly Seese

How “Green” Are We?

How “Green” Do We Want to Be?

Members and friends of our congregation are asked to answer some questions about specific actions they have taken to protect the environment, ones they would be willing to take, and ones they’d like to know more about. The actions include especially those aimed at combating climate changes.

This survey is part of our church’s work to qualify as a “Green Sanctuary,” under a national UU Ministry for Earth. Results will help us to know what information and activities would be most useful for our congregation.

The questions may be answered online. Look for the Green Sanctuary link on our website http://www.dcwi.com/~uuf/   For those people who do not have access to a computer, printed copies of the questionnaire will be available in the church office or call Rae at 714-4829.

Since most questions concern the household rather than the individual, we ask that only one member of each household answer the questionnaire. Responses are anonymous. Results will be reported for the congregation as a whole.

We ask that you access and answer this questionnaire as soon as possible and no later than March 15. Your participation is important so that we can get a true picture of what our congregation now is doing to protect the environment and what it wants to do.

                                                       Marty Patchen

                                                       for the Green Sanctuary Committee

CHANGE FOR CHANGE

Change for Change, which is focusing on environmental groups this year, has selected Hoosier Environmental Council Foundation as our March recipient.  All funds collected during the month will go towards the “De-Trash the Wabash” event happening on May 17, 2008.

The Hoosier Environmental Council, founded in 1983, is Indiana's largest state-wide environmental organization.   HEC has been a leader in bringing visibility to such serious environmental challenges as mercury pollution and power plant waste. Over its twenty-five years, HEC has also succeeded in translating its educational efforts into environmental gains, with forest, groundwater and lake protection as part of its legacy.

“The Wabash River is central to Indiana’s history and cultural identity. The Hoosier Environmental Council’s Wabash Riverkeeper is a spokesperson for the Wabash River and its tributaries, building a voice for river restoration, monitoring the river and holding polluters accountable when necessary.  As a first step, we helped organize a De-Trash the Wabash river clean-up campaign in partnership with local governments, businesses and non-profit groups.  Our work is focused on helping communities protect and restore their waterways through watershed plans that address the most widespread pollution problems, namely contamination from human sewage and livestock manure, fertilizer overload, and soil erosion.  A coalition is emerging to restore the Wabash River corridor for enhanced recreational opportunities, health benefits, tourism potential and conservation objectives.  With this momentum, our clean water goals seem more achievable now than ever!” ...www.hecweb.org/content.cfm?n=Wabash

If you have questions regarding the Change for Change program please contact Social Justice Committee member, Bill Kannel, at bkannel@yahoo.com.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

The Social Justice Committee wishes to thank the congregation for its ongoing support of our Change for Change program. As you know, loose coins placed in the collection plates each Sunday are earmarked for deserving agencies in the community. O

ver the past two years, we highlighted agencies working on child and family advocacy issues. We are happy to report that in 2007, eleven agencies received a total of $4460.06, doubling the amount raised in our first year.

Agencies such as Planned Parenthood, Tippecanoe Community Health Clinic, PetSafe, the Crisis Center, Lafayette Housing Authority, ARC of Tippecanoe County, and others benefited from the generosity of UUs. A few special drives boosted the total, including collections for the ICUU Africa Leadership Conference and UNICEF.

It is gratifying to think that this collective effort can so positively affect the lives of many people in our local community. For 2008, Change for Change is supporting environmental agencies, and in January, we raised $274.77 for NICHES. Many gratitudes for your ongoing generosity. Together we can make a difference!

Board Proposes Two Bylaw Amendments

At its February meeting, the Board passed motions to recommend that two bylaw amendments be submitted to the congregation at the April Congregational meeting.  

One of these amendments is a simple consequence of our move. The other may require more discussion. 

The amendments are presented here to meet the requirement that bylaw amendments be printed in the newsletter at least 10 days prior to a vote, and so that members can contact Board members if they have questions or comments.  

The first amendment identifies our change in location.  The bylaws include details regarding our incorporation as a nonprofit group as defined by the state of Indiana.  In the current version of the bylaws, our church location is given as “Lafayette, Indiana” on the first page.  We propose to amend the bylaws by changing “Lafayette” to “West Lafayette” there and anywhere else in the bylaws where the church’s location is stated.   [The exact street address does not appear in the bylaws.]

The second amendment concerns Article 4, section 4, on the conduct of Board meetings.  Following the sentence that reads "Meetings shall be open to all congregants.", we propose the following addition:

"The Board may decide by majority vote at any time to meet in Executive Session (closed to non-Board members) to deal with the following kinds of matters:  volunteer and staff personnel matters that are of a delicate nature; legal matters of which public discussion could be legally injurious; budget matters involving legal or personnel matters."

The reason for the amendment is as follows:  In at least two situations in the past 6 months, matters of a sensitive nature have come before the Board.  In the most recent example, during the December meeting a discussion was held of the proposed 2008 budget. During that discussion, the benefits package of both the Administrative Assistant and the DRE were discussed. 

Non-Board members were present during the discussion, and several Board members and others mentioned later that they were uncomfortable discussing personnel matters at an open meeting.  In past years, the Board routinely went into executive session to discuss salary issues, benefits, and other personnel matters.  Bylaws of other nonprofit groups, including the UUA, explicitly include this possibility.  But as currently drafted, our bylaws could be interpreted to prohibit this action, however, because of the sentence that states that meetings “shall be open to all congregants.”  

We have been advised by Heartland District staff, among others, that having the ability to go into executive session is a necessary option for any Board, to protect the privacy rights of our staff, and to allow a frank discussion of legal and delicate matters.  

Some have advised us that the bylaws amendment is unnecessary, that the Board already has the right to invoke executive session as we have done in the past.  However, it seems more in keeping with open communication to propose the change in the bylaws, so that congregants can see when and how this step might be taken.

The wording of the proposed amendment is modified from the UUA bylaws (thank you, Gary Fowler, for suggesting the language).  With this wording, it should be clear that a single person like the Board President cannot invoke executive session – it requires a majority vote. 

It is also stated that executive session does not have to be announced or advertised ahead of time because it is not unusual for a matter concerning personnel issues to come up unexpectedly in the course of a Board meeting.  The situations listed in the amendment as suitable for being dealt with in executive session are not all-inclusive but are meant as examples.  These examples also follow the wording of the UUA bylaws. 

                        Barny Dunning, Past President

District Congregational Monthly Mailing

The February 2008 District Congregational Monthly Mailing was mailed on February 20 to your church administrator (where applicable) or your board president.

To review the contents of the mailing, visit the District website at www.heartlanduu.org.   Click on Forms & Downloads, then click Monthly Mailings.

Feel free to contact the District office with any questions.  Thank you

Barbara Hamilton

District Administrator

Heartland District of the UUA

317-634-5384 (phone)

888-948-4883 (toll free)

Atheism Discussion Group

The Atheism 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 pm in Room 106. Go to http://atheists.meetup.com/521/ for more information. 

Social Justice Extravaganza – Mark Your Calendars!

The Social Justice Committee has planned several activities for the congregation and larger community in the next weeks. Please plan to attend these informative and interesting activities:

March 2

The genocide in Darfur continues. A special collection for Suliman Guiddo’s Darfur Peace and Development Organization will be taken at the morning service (more information will be shared at that time). The Social Justice Committees of the UU, Temple Israel and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church have been working together to support the DPDO’s Schools Project. That evening at 7:00 p.m., The Devil Came on Horseback, a documentary chronicling the genocide in Darfur, will be viewed in Room 101/103. Discussion to follow. (Note: Our UU youth will be introducing a letter writing campaign addressing the Darfur tragedy in the weeks to come. Stay tuned for more information.)

March 6         

In conjunction with their book read, Bill of Wrongs:  The Executive Branch's Assault on America's Fundamental Rights, by Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose, the Greater Lafayette Chapter of the ACLU-IN  has invited Lou Dubose for a talk and book signing on March 6, 7 - 9 p.m.  It is free of charge and open to the public and will be held at the UU in Room 101/103. The UU Social Justice Committee is co-sponsoring this talk.

March 17       

The ACLU, PLACE (Purdue Liberal Arts Community Engagement), and the UU Social Justice Committee will present a community forum entitled Freedom to Vote: Protecting the Ballot at the UU in the sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. A short ACLU produced video will be viewed first, and then there will be presentations from the panel on voter rights (I.D. laws) and voter security, followed by a Q & A.

March 19        

The Lafayette Peace Coalition with the support of other organizations and churches is planning activities to be held on the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war. Information to follow.

April 6

Sicko, Michael Moore’s film about the health care industry will be shown at 4:00 p.m. followed by pizza and a physician-led discussion. The film is 2 hours long, so if you have already seen the movie, you can choose to come for the discussion only. The event will be held in Room 101/103, and is a Social Justice Committee sponsored activity.

U U & You

U U & You: The next session of classes will be offered in April 13, 20, and 27.  The classes will be held after service in rooms 101/103 and lunch will be provided.  If you would like to attend this session of classes, please sign up on the board in the narthex or e-mail Amy French  We look forward to seeing you!

Shared Hearth Suppers

Please hold the date!  We are planning the next round of Shared Hearth Suppers for the first weekend in April (4th, 5th and 6th).  If you are willing to host one of these casual potluck dinners or have a preference for a night, please contact Amy French .  We will be scheduling the dinners in mid-March, so more details will be coming.

SUNDAY FORUM

March 2.  Kathryn Black:  “Can You Learn to be Happy?”

In 2006 over 800 students at Harvard University took a course on Positive Psychology in hopes of learning to be happier.  The professor, Tal Ben-Shaharm used his lecture notes to create a book called Happier, which is already in the Tippecanoe County Library.  Can one learn to be happy and should college credit be given for the course?  Kathryn Black, retired Purdue faculty membe and former member of our congregation is returning from Barrington, Illinois to lead the discussion.

March 9.  John Wilms: “Continuum: How Science, Psychology, and Mysticism Point to a Life Beyond ... and to an Extraordinary Kind of God.”   

This rescheduled program is part book review and part spiritual journey.  The talk comes from a book published in 1974 by Robert Casselman.  The book influenced John’s thinking and was “an early map of my spiritual journey”.  John is a retired physician and Co-Chair of the Forum.

March 16   Reba Boyd Wooden:   “Freethinking in Indiana: Keeping Church Out of State”

Preserving a wall between government and religion is a constant effort.  The Center for Inquiry in Indianapolis is a branch of a national organization focusing on the use of reason and science in all branches of society. Their offices, library and meeting rooms are along the Canal Walk in downtown Indianapolis.  Reba Boyd Wooden is the Executive Director of the Center.  She is a former high school counselor and member of the American Humanist Association.

March 23.  “The Juvenile Justice Center: Hopes, Dreams and Fears”

                    Panel:    K. D. Benson, County Commissioner

                                  Rebecca Humphrey, Youth Services Director

There will be a Juvenile Justice Center in Tippecanoe County, that much is certain.  Its size, location and composition are a matter of continuing debate and discussion.  Here is an opportunity to go behind the scenes and glimpse some of the elements entering into the discussion and, perhaps, contribute your own perspective.               

March 30. Jim Anderson:  “Medical Tourism”

Operations:  Cardiac, knee, hip, dental, plastic surgery, invitro fertilization…what ever.

Destinations: India, Thailand, Malta, Portugal, Cuba, Israel, New Zealand…where ever.

Benefits:  Escape high medical cost, enjoy exotic locations.

Jim Anderson is Professor of Sociology at Purdue with a specialization in medical issues.  He has all the scoop on this rapidly growing phenomenon that can cut medical cost while offering recuperation on sunny beaches with side trips to major tourist attractions.

What’s up with the key pad lock?

Why won’t my code work?  Why will it work sometimes and not others?  Why do I find the door unlocked on Sundays?  These are a few of several questions that have been asked concerning the use of the new key pad lock in the fellowship hall.  It appears there is some confusion with people using their codes. 

Probably the most important thing for everyone to know is that there are five levels of access that can be assigned to the code that is given to a user.

Level 1 will give you access to the church 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   The proposed policy is to give level 1 access to staff, board chairs, and a select few who might need access 24/7 (maintenance, building and grounds, etc.). 

Level 2 will give you access to the church from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days a week. 

Level 3 will give you access to the church from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. 

Level 4 will give you access to the church from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm Monday through Friday. 

Level 5 will give you access to the church from 7:30 am to 8:29 am on each Sunday. 

There is no need try and remember the levels - just tell our administrative assistant  what time you need access to the church, and she will give you the appropriate code that fits your need. These times and days for access are not affected by Holidays.

The lock automatically unlocks each Sunday at 8:30 am and relocks at 10:25 am.  Just turn the handle and you can enter during this time. 

If any keypad buttons are pressed 20 times in succession, without a valid code being entered, the keypad will shutdown for 30 seconds.  After 30 seconds the keypad will function as normal, however, if you’ve reached this stage you’re probably trying to enter the church at a time outside your level of access.  If this is occurring to you frequently, you need to talk to the administrative assistant about changing your code to a level which will give you access when you need it.   

Please advise the administrative assistant or leave her a note if the lock flashes several red lights before it flashes green for entry into the door.  This indicates the batteries in the device are getting low and will need replaced.

Most importantly, do not share your code with any other user, or allow your code entry to be viewed by anyone else as you enter it.  This security system allows us to keep track of who enters and when they entered, giving us the ability to track and address security issues.

Remember that your code is programmed to work at a certain time and if it doesn’t work when you need it, you need to speak with Karin about getting a different code.

I sympathize with those who have suffered some frustration with using the new key pad; however, I hope you agree that the added amount of security it gives our new home is well worth it.

Robin Poindexter

HAPPY HOLLOW PICNIC

"Mark your calendars for May 4th,  for the annual picnic at Happy Hollow park, after church. This is an annual event where we gather for hotdogs and other good food while enjoying the outdoors. We will be in Shelter #1, the first shelter as you enter the park, next to the large playground area. Hope to see you there and let's hope for good weather!"

OWNING YOUR OWN RELIGIOUS PAST:  A UU CURRICULUM

(Previously “Haunting Church”) has been rescheduled in March. It’s a wonderful way to get to know others in the congregation and share meaningful dialogue.  Led by Rev. Krivchenia, this course will be offered Wednesdays March 5th, 19th, 26th, April 2nd and 9th at 7:15 pm in Room 106.  For further information contact Rev. Krivchenia at 765.743.8812 (UU12), 765.463.6201, or  Registrations are encouraged; please sign the registration sheet in the “Congregational Sign-Up” notebook located in the library.

GREETING AND MEMBERSHIP 

The Greeting and Membership Committee requests your help in maintaining the order and cleanliness of the narthex, to ensure the presentability and welcoming nature of our church at all times.  Your help in recycling stray papers and replacing nametags in the wooden racks is very much appreciated!  Also, we always welcome individuals wishing to volunteer as Greeters at our Sunday services!  If you would like to sign on for worship hospitality as a greeter, please contact Della Willmann or Amy French

GREETING AND MEMBERSHIP BROWN BAG LUNCHEON! 

Come join our next “Green” Brown Bag Luncheon Group, Wednesday, March 19th, 2008 in the Fellowship Hall at noon.  Bring your lunch and join in the fellowship of conversation!  Scrabble, checkers and other games and players are welcome.  For further information, please contact Della Willmann,

LITTLE ONES PLAY GROUP 

 A play group for little ones and their parents meets in the church nursery on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month, from 10:00 a.m. until noon.  Please enter the church through the door near the Office and join the fun!  All ages welcome, even if your little one is still resting peacefully in mama's belly.  We have new and exciting play furniture to be tried out!  For more information contact Tandy or Malcolm Easler

NEW CLASSES AND GROUPS MEETING AT THE UU CHURCH 

We have 3 new and interesting classes being held at the church by outside groups, and a 4th joins us this spring.  Certified Yoga Instructor Cindy Krulitz offers “Kundalini Yoga Lafayette:  Yoga for Every Body!” on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at noon in the Sanctuary.    A Meditation Group meets in the Meditation Room on Mondays from 7:15-9:00 p.m., beginning with chanting one Mala, followed by time periods silent insight, walking and loving kindness meditations.  A Zen group meets in the Meditation Room on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m., and variable Saturdays at 8:00 a.m.  This Spring, the West Lafayette Buddhism Study Group will meet here on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 6:00-7:30 p.m.    We are excited to have these wonderful classes and groups meeting under our roof!  Please check for information on the hallway table in the Church Office area.

UU ALL CHURCH RETREAT 

The Annual UU All Church retreat date has been set!  Please mark your calendars for Oct 3rd-5th. The "A" frame at Ross Camp is not available in August, so we will have a fall retreat this year. The annual retreat is a wonderful time to leave your homes, get outside and enjoy being with UU's.  Ross Camp is located in West Lafayette on the Wabash River and provides plenty of space for outdoor activities, exploring nature and communing with fellow UU's.  More details will follow as we get closer to the date - hope to see you all there!  Lisa Pantea.

VOLUNTEER CALL-OUT 

Your congregation needs your help to maintain our building and grounds – our environment.  Please complete the new volunteer-call out form attached above, and return it to the Church Office (Building & Grounds Mailbox). Your UUC needs help taking care of our great new home--if we all pitch in, whether it be by shoveling snow, helping with security, planting bulbs, raking leaves, fixing drains, none will be overburdened.  Thank you.

Ed Bowen - Building Maintenance Chair;

Michael Lewis - Grounds Maintenance Chair

INFANT CPR TRAINING

Malcolm Easler will be offering an infant/child CPR training on Saturday, April 5th from 9:30 am through 2 pm.  The training will cost $30 and includes certification from the Red Cross, a workbook and lunch.  Childcare will be provided.  Contact Tandy or Malcolm Easler to sign up at (765) 474-5485 or tandy@easlers.com

"Guest at Your Table"

A couple more Guest at Your Table boxes were turned in, boosting our total collection to $667.50. These funds have been sent to the UU Service Committee in the name of our congregation. Thanks to everyone who participated.

--Kaye McSpadden, Guest at Your Table coordinator

Update from the Religious Education Committee (REC)

Some of you may be wondering how Religious Education (RE) is faring and what to expect from the RE program in these next few months in the absence of a Director of Religious Education (DRE).  Because of earlier planning and organizing for the year ahead, and thanks to a dedicated group of team leaders and teachers, the RE program will continue on course with the RE classes as usual through the semester.  Team leaders have their curricula and teaching schedules lined up, and we expect to be able to finish out this year with our teaching teams intact and our Sunday classes unaffected.

One of the first major decisions on the horizon is whether, under these circumstances, we can offer a summer RE program.  Deciding on curricula, accommodating uncertain summer attendance patterns, and dealing with a generally smaller pool of available teachers are all factors to be considered when planning for the summer.  One idea would be to try to keep our current teaching teams intact (to the extent that they are available and willing) throughout the summer.  With regard to the content of our summer program, in the absence of a DRE, it would become the responsibility of the RE committee to take on the large task of developing, modifying, and/or creating curricula. 

In the absence of a DRE, there will be a number of things that the RE program will be unable to offer or focus on right now.  Until a new DRE is hired, there cannot be any active planning for future programming or curriculum innovation.  Outreach to new families to foster growth in our new space will be put on hold.  Special programming, such as Coming of Age, will not be offered. 

An immediate need is to make sure that we have someone serving, each Sunday, in the capacity of RE “rover,” an essential job that was filled by the DRE each Sunday during the service.  The role of the rover is to be accessible during the service, usually in the hallways, so that a teacher needing an extra hand (e.g., to take a walk down to the meditation room with a student who needs a break, help with a classroom problem) has a ready helper.  As such, the rover needs to be equipped to deal with assisting children who might be emotionally upset, disrupting class, or needing a cool-down period. 

The rover also takes a head count in each classroom and records the number of children and adults in attendance for each class on our attendance roster currently posted on the RE closet door near the Forum room.  RE committee members and teachers miss class often to teach, and the shadow volunteers are doing their part to be 1-1 aides to children with special needs. 

In the absence of a DRE, we might be asking for additional volunteers to act as rover so as to take some of the load off of our existing volunteers.  If you feel you can offer this type of assistance, please contact Jill Salem or Mark Van Meeter

The RE committee looks forward to the expected movement towards a covenant of right relations in the next several months.  With this process underway, the congregation will be in a good position to initiate a job search for a new DRE.

~Jill Salem, chair of Religious Education Committee

       Nursery                        Preschool         K-2                  3rd-5th 6th-8th             HS                  

3/2 Margaret Duvall            TBA     Kathy Coder                Lisa Pantea       Greg and Christine Reynolds    

3/9 Emma Falley     TBA     Kathy Coder    TBA     Mark Van Meeter         Gale Lockwood

3/16            Addie McKnight           TBA     Michelle Miller  TBA     Lisa Pantea       Gale Lockwood

3/23            Claire Fowler   TBA     Michelle Miller  TBA     Lisa Pantea       Greg and Christine Reynolds    

3/30            Margaret Duvall            TBA     Kathy Coder    TBA     Lisa Pantea       Greg and Christine Reynolds

MEMORIAL

       The life of Dorian Reid was honored with a service commemorating his life on February 15 at 5:30 in the sanctuary.  Mr. Reid passed away on January 25 at the age of 90 after a period of declining health.  Officiating at the service was Rev. Krivchenia with Kaye McSpadden at the piano.  The music of a bagpiper added to the poignancy of the service.

       After the service, a reception was held in Fellowship Hall.   Those providing food and/or assisting with the reception were Nancy Berquist, Christina Cornelson, Elizabeth Doolan, Ruth Ann Ferris, Mary Ann Foley, Cheryl Fowler, Rosemary Leary, Brenda Mack, Nancy Patchen, Kathleen Peyton, and Virginia Smith.

"Sustainable Stewardship" to be featured at April 4-6

Heartland UU District Conference

Wayne B. Clark, Congregational Stewardship Services Director for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), will deliver the April 5th UU District conference keynote address, “Sustainable Stewardship”, based on his book, Beyond Fundraising.  Clark guides congregations through a “leap of faith” from a myth of scarcity to a culture that welcomes--and even expects--a reality of abundance.  Imagine: enough money, members, and volunteers.  Clark suggests that we diminish our emphasis on money by including fundraising under the umbrella of spiritual stewardship.  Beyond Fundraising introduces a comprehensive stewardship development program called Forward Through the Ages (FORTH) that puts money in perspective by making it one of five components of stewardship development:  stewardship education; joyful giving; ministry and good works; the annual budget drive; and planned giving.  Dr. Clark will also lead a “Go FORTH” workshop about inspiring and engaging a congregational culture of abundance.

Several other workshop opportunities are available for topics timely for our congregation: religious education, youth programs, worship, dreaming for growth, strategic planning, tips for treasurers, becoming a greener congregation, and more.  Our Annual Meeting provides opportunities to meet, learn from and even consult with our denomination’s national and district leaders, and to share ideas, approaches, and successes with other congregations in our region. 

Details, Registration & Logistics:  Go to the Heartland District website, www.heartlanduu.org, for more information, other topics and registration for the April 4-6 conference in Louisville, KY.  Early-bird registration deadline is March 5, but with 7 adult registrations, UUC can get an 8th registration FREE (extended deadline: March 19). 

(Adapted from Heartland UU District newsletter) 

Details about your 2007 contribution summaries

As Treasurer for the Capital Campaign, I want to apologize for any confusion created by the end-of-the-year contribution summaries.  Due to some timing problems, your contributions are documented in two summaries.  They are

1.      A summary describing your contributions that were initially deposited into the operating budget (OB)  account. 

2.      A summary of your Capital Campaign (CC) contributions and hymnal donation.

Please look at these summaries carefully to make sure everything is correct.  Unless a check is properly labeled (e.g., For Capital Campaign), the standard procedure is to assume the entire amount is a contribution to the current operating budget.   We have already had a few people contact us with corrections. 

If you do find a mistake, please contact Kirsten Reynolds regarding the Operating Budget and Bruce Craig regarding the Capital Campaign.  Again, sorry for any confusion.  In the future, we plan to combine these statements into a single year-end summary. 

Bruce Craig

PROGRAM COUNCIL REPORT

The March meeting of Program Council will be held on Tuesday, March 4 at 6:30 in Room 106.  We will review a draft copy of a Program Council brochure and discuss some exciting leadership training opportunities. And, as always, we will hear about the activities of our committees.   All friends and members are welcome to attend.  Look forward to seeing you at our March meeting.

Joan Marshall
Coordinator, Program Council

Are you an Environmentalist?

Do you consider yourself an environmentalist? Do you care deeply about the preservation and thoughtful upkeep of this planet, this country, your city?

YOUR UU NEEDS YOU

Your environment starts right here at 333 Meridian Street.

Your Congregation needs your help to maintain our building and grounds – our environment.

Are you handy with a hammer?

Can you wire your own electrical outlets?

Can you “snake” a drain or install a water supply line to a sink?

Do you have an understanding of how Air Conditioning works?

Do you paint your own walls at home?

Do you enjoy gardening? Do you “have a green thumb”?

Can you shovel snow or rake leaves?

Can you pick up litter?

Your UUC needs help taking care of this great new environment. Please complete the following and return it to the Church office. If we all pitch in, none will be overburdened.  Thank you.

Celebrations Expense Summary

At the January board meeting, the Celebrations Committee presented a final accounting of the expenses for last year’s dedication events.  Of the $5000 approved by the board, $4331 was spent as follows:

Catering (172 dinners):    $3470

Printing:                  $ 283

Postage:                   $ 205

Flowers:                   $  90

Miscellaneous (gifts,etc): $ 283

--------------------------------

Total:                     $4331

Since dedication activities were not part of the 2007 general budget, the expenses were paid from the following sources:

Endowment fund interest:   $2500

Transitions budget:        $1000

Page Karling bequest:      $ 433

Donations:                 $ 398

--------------------------------

Total:                     $4331

The amounts redirected from the endowment fund and the Karling bequest are to be restored upon the sales of the 7th St. and Union St. properties.

            Celebrations Committee" - Mark VanMeeter, Mary Ann Foley, and Bill Kannel.

All Church Glow Day Will Keep Things Shining

Now that we’re getting settled into this new congregational home it’s important to treat it with love, keep making it our own, and keep it shining. 

In order to do this Buildings and Grounds is going to lead an effort to create a new tradition here – the Quarterly All Church Glow Day. 

Four times a year we’ll get together and work on our building, inside and out – following a to do list and with assistance and guidance from Michael Lewis and Ed Bowen – our Exterior and Interior Chairs. 

The next clean up will be sometime in April – time to be announced – it will include: painting, moving some furniture, cleaning some rooms, labeling areas, shining floors, shampooing carpet, and doing general repairs.  This isn’t to say that all repairs will wait until the Clean Up Days – but the things that are less pressing and that volunteers have not had the time to get around to can get caught up with.  In addition, projects that need more hands, can take place at those times. 

If you are interested in helping organize the Glow Day or would like to help around the year with the many small jobs – please contact Michael Lewis and Ed Bowen  

Dehumidifiers Needed

If you have a dehumidifier at home (or two) we could use them at church to take the mustiness out of one room.  If you would be willing to loan it to the church (or gift it because you no longer need it) please call Karin Bergman at the Church Office 743-8812 and she can tell you when and where to bring the dehumidifier.

Thank you!

Bulletin Board Space Update!

The hard work of assigning bulletin Board Space has been undertaken by Program Council with the help of Jean Tyner.  If your committee or group needs to know where your space is and how much space you have for the time being – please contact Jean Tyner at  

We also need a little help installing a couple more bulletin board – so if you are savvy at such tasks please contact either Jean or Karin Bergman, the Administrative Assistant at 743-8812.  Let’s stay in touch!

MINISTER’S MUSE

Saturday I went to Mulberry.  I found my way to the funeral home.  I was there to perform a funeral for Betty Albertson.  Betty died at the age of 89.  I’d never met her or even known about her until the chaplain at Home Hospital had called me.  I called to check on Betty before going over.  Her granddaughter was there and Betty was already uncommunicative.  I arrived about 15 minutes or so after Betty had died.  I didn’t know this woman, the circumstances of her life or even what had sent her to the hospital.  But now I could offer support to her granddaughter and grandson and then to her son and daughter in-law as each showed up over the next hour.  Once there was a large gathering of family I left them to be with each other.  I hadn’t solved the riddle of how a Unitarian in Mulberry had lived and died without my knowing her or seeing her name on our lists.  It turned out that she’d been involved in a Fellowship in Russiaville years ago.  She’d come to the Lafayette congregation periodically.  As she became less mobile, her family never brought her, she never asked, and we didn’t know that she was out there.  The family called and asked me to perform the funeral.  I met with them and got to know Betty better.  She was a woman of intelligence, wit, social conscience, warmth, and a true Unitarian Universalist.  I saw a nativity that she’d needle pointed for her daughter in law, heard that she always had a book in hand and that no one could beat her at Trivial Pursuit because she had a mind like a steel trap.  I learned that she’d qualified as a Daughter of the American Revolution but abandoned them when they spoke against Marian Anderson singing at the inauguration of President Kennedy, and she’d, instead, joined the Daughters of the Indians Wars.  I wish we’d been able to extend our circle of care to visit her and that the people in this congregation, many of whom are cut from the same fabulous fabric she was, could’ve known her – everyone would’ve benefited.  Betty Albertson had a rich life: her family was nearby and attentive to her.  It was good to get to know her, even after she’d died.  This is the second time that I’ve discovered a free thinker hidden in small town Indiana.  I wonder how many there are, how we can find them, and create a way to stay in touch and benefit us all.  I’ll take this to the Pastoral Care Group.  Perhaps some of you are interested in helping to find our outlying kindred spirits and let them know this UU community is here for them, now, too.

Nothing is constant but change. Kaye McSpadden and Chuck Reynolds reminded me at the Auction, change is the constant, you can change or die.  The decision of the congregation to move was a decision to change and live.  Now comes the living and the change it brings.  There are many new people coming each week and returning!  There are new activities and new groups who want to use the space. It’s good that people are adaptable.  We shouldn’t go out of our way for change – but when it happens we evolve.  It’s our gift.  Congregations are like that, too.  Together people can weather change better: grieve with support, guide change constructively, make the most of it when it happens, and remember that they have each other, even if the “each other” changes by degrees over time.  Recently, I did a service on breathing.  Within each of us there’s a peaceful place even in the midst of change. It’s not always easy to get to, but it can be reached with practice.  Between the out and the in breath is a still-point.  Even when things are frantic that still-point can be accessed.  Just off the library we have a room for meditation.  I recommend it.  Go in, take off your shoes, bring in a cushion or chair and breathe.  Give yourself time to remember that you’re not alone, that change is life.  This is a great time to be part of this congregation – amazing things are possible.  Just Breathe…