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Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, Changing the World
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Sunday, April 8, 2018
9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
Credo: Coming of Age Recognition Service
Coming of Age Participants and Mentors
The Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
The Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
We welcome into our congregation and into our pulpit our 9th and 10th graders who have completed our Coming of Age program. Don't miss this moving opportunity to hear from our youth and to acknowledge them as newly adult members of our community!
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Sunday, April 15, 2018
9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Rock and Soul Revue
It's About Community
The Reverend Andy Burnette
Join our ministers and special Guest in the Pulpit, Reverend Andy Burnette,
as we celebrate our congregation and the culmination of our Pledge Drive.
This service features, from start to finish, a full band, horn section, back up singers, soloists, the choir and YOU. It's about community! We hope you will sing along to such favorites as Takin' It To The Streets, People Got to be Free, Get Together, Imagine, and more! A showcase of a lot of UU musical talent, wrapped up in a Rock and Soul Revue!
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MAM and McNeill's Musings
A Balance of Effort and Ease
A Balance of Effort and Ease---that was a phrase that one of Mary Ann's beloved yoga instructors used to use. A Balance of Effort and Ease --- that phrase is a fitting invitation for our Pledge Drive this year. We are asking folks to pledge early, if you can, and also attend our "Pledge Day---Community Day" on April 14th.
Early pledges add to that balance of effort and ease. If you have been inspired by recent worship services (whether in person or via live-streaming), our social justice work, our spiritual leadership or invitations to pledge by Sharon Wiseman, Von Welch and Michelle Monroe-Cook, or Gladys DeVane,
please click here and choose "I want to make a Pledge Commitment"!
"A Balance of Effort and Ease."
"It's About Community."
That is what April 14th, "Pledge Day---Community Day" is all about. Whether you have already pledged or are planning to pledge on April 14th, we hope you will attend. We took the best of last year's Pledge Day, and added donuts, all day long! One of our sister congregations added day-long donuts and had a great turnout;
do nut let them outdo us. Here's the schedule (when there are breaks, you can still stop by to chat and snack):
9am to 10:30am Volunteer and Leadership Breakfast. The Reverend Forrest Gilmore will talk about his hopes for Shalom Center and our congregation as our newly affiliated Community Minister. Your pledges help fund the professional expenses for this position.
11:00am Zumba in the Sanctuary--a little dance fitness goes a long way.
2pm-3pm Wand making for kids. Brought to you by our Harry Potter Religious Education Class---the same folks that created the Hogwarts Dinner!
4pm-5:30pm Musical sing-along with Ray Fellman. Guest appearance by Monty Fellhog, soloist.
5:30pm to 7:00pm Potluck Dinner with Special Guest Reverend Andy Burnette
Please bring a side dish or dessert to share.
"A Balance of Effort and Ease." Help us ease into "Pledge Day---Community Day" by volunteering. We need your help and presence!
Volunteer to help out or donate breakfast foods!
Finally, we want to send a special invitation to those who watch our services online --if you are able to stop by on Saturday, the 14th, we would love to see you! Over the past few months, our viewership has increased solidly and we welcome the opportunity to connect with you. In the coming week, we will send a survey to the congregation about our live-streaming and archived services--watch for it!
Thanks Everyone!
MAM and Scott
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin and Reverend Scott McNeill
Q&A: Pledge Slip or Pledge Card and
When Should I Make My Pledge?
Q Why is there a pledge slip in the order of service and also a pledge card with my name on it at Pledge Central?
A We want to make it as easy and seamless as possible for you to make your pledge for the 2018-19 year, so we labeled cards for everyone in the database and have them ready at Pledge Central. These also include the amount you pledged last year, if you made a pledge. We also made extra pledge slips to make sure you have a pledge form handy if you are a new pledger.
Q Do I need to use both a pledge slip and a pledge card?
A Nope! Just one of them is fine. Please place completed cards or slips in the special box labeled for these at the Pledge Central desk.
Q Should I wait until Pledge Day, April 14, to make my pledge?
A You don't need to wait! Pledge Day on April 14 is the
culmination and celebration of our pledge drive. We are encouraging people to make their pledges before April 14, but if you want to make your pledge that day, that is ok too. You can also have a doughnut that day even if you've already pledged!
Q Do I have to use a pledge card or pledge slip to make a pledge?
A No, you can also make your pledge on our website,
www.uubloomington.org by clicking on the orange DONATE button and then choosing "I want to make a Pledge Commitment," or you can call the office and let us know your pledge amount, or you can email
[email protected] to let us know. Any questions, please call us: 812-332-3695 ext. 204. All this information is kept confidential, of course!
Q Do I need to start paying my pledge now?
A You may begin paying on your pledge for the coming year whenever it's easy for you. If you pay before July 1, 2018, please write "18-19" on the memo line of your checks. Paying in full by June 30, 2019, would be super helpful.
Q Can I set up an automatic pledge payment arrangement?
A Yes! This is available on our website,
www.uubloomington.org. Just click the Donate button and choose "I want to make a Contribution." You can pay with VISA, Mastercard, or have an automatic withdrawal from your checking account. Please call us if you have any questions about setting this up, 812-332-3695. We are happy to help! It's why we are here!
--Carol Marks, Church Administrator
Our Folks in the News
This link will take you to an MNBC news clip about the Better Angels Red/Blue event which took place in Bloomington last week. Miles Eddy, from our congregation, is in the video
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and you will also see some other familiar faces.
Launched in 2016, Better Angels is a bipartisan citizens' movement to unify our divided nation. By bringing red and blue Americans together into a working alliance, we're building new ways to talk to one another, participate together in public life, and influence the direction of the nation.
Teenagers from Bloomington, Indiana (including Unitarian Universalist Carter Makice) are mentioned here in an article from The Atlantic regarding The March For Our Lives. These teenagers raised $14,000 in order to travel to Washington, DC, for the march.
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Our Folks...
Our thoughts and prayers are with Linda and Eric Mjolsnes and family. Eric is recovering from a serious heart condition in ICU. Overall Eric's prognosis is good. Cards are welcome. No visitors at this time.
John Woodcock's artwork will be displayed at a photo show called "
Catching the Eye/Stopping the Mind" at the Monroe Convention Center that opens Friday, April 6 and goes through mid-May. Come out and support local artists in the area!
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From Our Board of Directors
As established in our bylaws, the primary role of the Board is to care for the temporal and spiritual health of the congregation. In its own policies, the Board has identified a key aspect of charge seeing that the UUCB...avoids unacceptable actions and situations. To meet this end, at their regular March meeting, the Board adopted a policy to ban firearms from UUCB property and sponsored activities. The policy reads:
"Wearing, storage, transportation or presence of firearms on church property or during sponsored activities is prohibited. Only law enforcement officers and security personnel who are licensed and trained to provide security for church property, personnel, members, and visitors are permitted to wear or otherwise possess firearms while carrying out their official duties at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington."
The Board arrived at the decision to adopt a firearms policy in response to increasing social justice concerns in Bloomington, in Indiana, and Nationwide. The decision was made in consultation with our ministers and after considerable investigation of similar local policies, including those established by other Bloomington faith communities.
The Board views this policy as an important step to keep UUCB members and guests safe from accidents involving firearms, and to create a spiritually safe environment which promotes peace and non-violence for all. The policy sets forth a clear message about the beloved community we wish to create, and the level of deep care we have for the physical and spiritual well-being of our human family. The board will continue to engage with the Senior Minister as she and the staff work to make supporting changes to the Operations Policy and changes to our UUCB environment to make our stance on this issue apparent.
The Board wishes to acknowledge and expresses deep gratitude for those who are doing work in our community to bring awareness, visibility, and wisdom to the issue of responsible gun ownership and safety for all.
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Women's Alliance Meets April 5th
The April 5th Women's Alliance program will be a field trip to Monroe County United Ministries (MCUM). MCUM is located at 827 West 14th Court in Bloomington. Our host at MCUM is Erin Predmore, Executive Director. The mission of MCUM is to create lasting solutions to economic, educational and social injustice in our community through quality services,
collaboration and innovation.
The Women's Alliance meets the first Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m.
The meeting begins with a brown bag lunch. The hosts for the month,
Katherine Hopkins and Jean Knowlton, will provide drinks and dessert. The
program begins at noon. Join us. Everyone is welcome.
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We need you on April 14!
We need your help on Pledge Day. Come be part of the fun- volunteer or bake for Pledge Day,
April 14.
Exploring Unitarian Universalism Class
April 29 and May 13
Are you interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism (UU) and this congregation? Are you considering becoming a member of this dynamic religious community? Whether you are considering membership or are just curious, this class is for you. The Exploring UU Class will be held on April 29 and May 13, 2-4 p.m. in the church library. Please plan to attend both Sunday sessions, since different material will be covered in each session. Register before April 13 by signing up at the Welcome Table in the foyer, or emailing Ann LeDuc at [email protected]. Free childcare can be provided if requested in advance.
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What You Need to Know About the
UU Goods and Services Auction
on May 6
- Sunday, May 6th....Lunch 12-30-1:45, Auction 2:00
- Childcare available (notify Ann LeDuc, [email protected], by 4/22)
- Donation forms turned in by Sunday, April 8th; No donation forms accepted after April 8th!! That is this coming Sunday!
- There's something for everyone in every price range!
- Your talents, treasures and attendance are needed to contribute to the budget and to help us SEEK THE SPIRIT, BUILD COMMUNITY and CHANGE THE WORLD!
Debbie Fish, 2018 Auction Chair
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UU History for You--
Earl Morse Wilbur, the First President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Unitarianism was largely a New England movement among Congregational Churches many of them inspired by Joseph Priestley's books and articles. The spread of Unitarianism westward was slow but in the 1850's David Starr King was preaching in San Francisco. The education of ministers in those days was often by apprenticeship to other ministers in the absence of nearby seminaries.
In 1904, the "Pacific Unitarian School for the Ministry" was started in Oakland, California with four students. Its President was Earl Morse Wilbur (1866-1956). It moved two years later to Berkeley near the campus of the University of California so students could use its library and take courses related to their theological training. Wilbur believed Unitarianism was not a sect of Christianity but a religious movement based on three principles: freedom of religious inquiry, reason as the basis for interpreting religion, and tolerance for the diversity of religious views that abound.
In 1931, Wilbur retired and William S. Morgan became President. In 1947, the school changed its name to the Thomas Starr King School for the Ministry and it moved its location to Berkeley on Le Conte Street. In 1964, the school had 50 students enrolled. In 1981, the school established an endowed professorship for a female Unitarian scholar. By 2014, the school had its first African American President, the Reverend Rosemary Bray McNatt. The Starr King School still abides by its first President's credo--freedom, reason, and tolerance--on which to build UU ministries. --
Elof Axel Carlson, UUCB historian
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Current Membership: 512 certified members; 525 current members.
Attendance
Sunday, March 25
9
:15
: 95 11:15: 153 TOTAL: 248
Sunday, April 1 9:15: 170 11:15: 247 TOTAL: 417
Non-Pledge Offering
March 25
$571.10 Sunday, April 1 $1,076.06
Total to be donated (25%) to All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center $311.80
Grocery Card Sales (Bloomingfoods or Lucky's Market)
March 25: $325, income to UUCB $27.75
Sunday, April 1: $275, i
ncome to UUCB
$14.25
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Adult Religious Education Opportunities
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Shambhala Meditation Meets Mondays at 12 noon
Join us at 12 noon every Monday in the Library for an hour of Shambhala Meditation, walking meditation, and Shamatha yoga with Sarah Flint. Beginners welcome to participate in this 2500-year-old
tradition. [email protected]
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Open Mind Zen Meets Mondays at 7:00 p.m.
Join Frank Seisho Diaz for meditation, talks, and discussions on Zen Buddhism, Mondays 7:00-8:30 p.m., in Room 110 here at the church. All are welcome regardless of faith or experience.
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Traditional Taiji on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m.
Brian Flaherty leads "Wu (Hao)" style Taiji in Fellowship Hall on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. Anyone is welcome, even those with no experience. Please wear loose-fitting clothing.
[email protected]
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UU Humanists Meet April 8
An opportunity for regular, open, wide-ranging discussions relating to ethics, human development, and the nature of the universe. The bi-weekly forum will meet next on Sunday, April 8, at 12:45 p.m. in Room 208. The discussion will be led by Sandra Dolby on "How do perceptions of gender influence our decisions?" For general questions about our UU Humanist group,
contact
Ann Watzel.
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UU Freethinkers Enjoy
Free Ranging Discussion
April 15
The purpose of the UU Freethinkers bi-weekly meeting is to create the opportunity for participants to raise questions and engage in open and non-structured discussion of issues of social concern, political concern, and theological/religious concern. UU Freethinkers meet on alternating Sundays after children's religious education classes end, in Room 208.
UU Freethinkers will meet next on Sunday, April 15, 12:45 pm.
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Hello, Fellow Travelers!
Join UUs from around the world in Kansas City, Missouri,
June 20-24, 2018
, at
the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
You can attend for any amount of time and if you are a delegate you will have an opportunity to vote
on interesting topics, as well as attend many workshops
worthy of your attendance.
Since we now have 512 certified members, this year w
e are eligible to send eleven (11) member delegates (with voting privileges).
If you are interested, talk to
any former delegates who have attended GA recently: Marlin Howard, Doug Cauble,
Anne and Chris Haynes, Lloyd Orr and Jackie Hall, Patrick Brantlinger, or
Sandy Dolby. We have some financial support
available for delegates.
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Spring Diaper Drive to support All Options
April 8 & 15!
Did you know that no state or federal assistance programs, such as WIC or SNAP, provide assistance for the purchase of diapers? Help All Options Pregnancy Resource Center meet the need and contribute to the Reproductive Justice Task Force diaper drive.
Drop diapers and wipes in the Pack 'n Play in the Commons to support Hoosier families on
Sunday, April 8th and Sunday, April 15th
.
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Earth Day Green Grounds Tree Planting Apr 22
The "grounds" of our church--our outdoor spaces--greet people arriving for worship or events before they even get to the church doors, and are visible to those passing by as well. How do they welcome our community and express our values? How might they say "Enter, rejoice, and come in!"
Green Grounds invites you to help find out!* On Earth Day, Sunday, April 22
nd
after church, help plant 50 hazelnut saplings (donated by the Green Sanctuary Task Force) and 10 evergreens, to form a hedge above the Bypass fence. If we have enough volunteers, we'll also plant 50 hazelnuts south of the parking lot, along the first leg of our newly-cleared walking path. (A terraced garden outside our main entrance will follow in May!)
Be sure to bring your gardening shoes and clothes if you want to help on Earth Day!
We'll be prepping the area between April 14 and 20
th
, as weather permits. If you have a planting bar we can borrow for a week, please contact Molly O'Donnell at
[email protected]
or 812-345-7399.
*To see our vision and site plan for Green Grounds, check out the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall, next to the Green Sanctuary coffee/chocolate sales table.
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Just Peace Task Force Hosts Workshop on Abolishing Nuclear Weapons Apr 25
On Wednesday, April 25th at 7:00 p.m. here in our Fellowship Hall, Timmon Wallis and Vicki Elson of the Nobel Peace Prize winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons will lead an interactive workshop, "The Global Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Begins Locally." It should be an empowering event. Co-sponsored by Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the Just Peace Task Force of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, the Peace and Social Concerns Committee of Bloomington Friends Meeting, and the Campaign for a Just Peace in Palestine/ Israel. Free -- all are welcome! Info, contact David Keppel.
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Green Sanctuary Task Force Spring
Clothing
Swap
April 28
T
he Green Sanctuary Task Force encourages all of us to examine our habits of consumption. What do we buy? Where does it come from? What happens to it when we're finished with it? What impact does our consumption have on the earth and its inhabitants?
Each spring and fall, we hold a Clothing Swap to offer an alternative to buying new clothes. This spring's Swap will be held on Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 am until 12:00 noon. M
ark your calendars and start cleaning out your closets. Childcare provided in Room 108.
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Support for Those Returning to Community After Incarceration
The Hope for Prisoners Task Force is much impressed with the new local
charitable organization "MUM: Made Up Mind". They offer a comprehensive support system for carefully selected individuals recently returning to our community from incarceration. An essential part of this is providing supervised employment for the first few months, providing a variety of services. If you need assistance such
things as lawn care, landscaping, painting, gutter cleaning, car detailing, furniture repair or residential moving, please have a look at their website,
mummadeupmind.org
,
contact them directly at
812-822-0876
or
[email protected]
, or contact
either of the Hope for Prisoners Task Force co-chairs, Mary Goetze or Chris Haynes. We know several of them personally.
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MEGA Bounty Full
Sunday
Food Drive May 13!
The Help Feed Our Hungry Neighbors Task Force will collect non-perishable food and toiletries for Monroe County United Ministries' Client Choice Pantry on
Sunday, May 13
. Don't forget to bring an item or two with you to
Sunday
service. Current needs: cereal, peanut butter, granola bars, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, canned pasta (Chef Boyardee, etc.), canned fruit, dry beans, deodorant, razors, bar soap for sensitive skin, dish soap, trash bags, laundry soap, Size 4/5 diapers, baby wipes, all purpose cleaners.
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Monroe County United Ministries Spring Luncheon May 6
I am the UU representative on the Board of Directors for Monroe County United Ministries (MCUM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. As a board member, I invite you to MCUM's annual Spring Into Action! Luncheon & Auction at the Monroe County Convention Center on Sunday, May 6 from 12-2pm.
The Spring Luncheon consists of lunch, an engaging speaker, silent auction, and fun activities to raise funds for our Compass Early Learning and Self Sufficiency Centers. Doors open at 12 pm for silent auction, browsing and mingling with friends. Lunch is served around 12:30, followed by a short program. This years speaker is Dr. Matthew Baggetta, an expert on civil society and voluntary associations.
I will reserve tables for us and the cost will be $25 per person through April 8 and $35 after that. Last year we had 4 tables and I hope we can do it again this year. Please let me know if you will be joining me to support this worthwhile organization in our community. I will reserve your seat and can collect the money later. Right now I just need to know if you are planning on joining me. Doris Wittenburg will also be taking reservations, d[email protected]. She will also be at the April Women's Alliance meeting being held at MCUM on Thursday, April 5.
Please let me know if you will be coming to the luncheon thanks for your consideration and support. --Jackie hall
[email protected] or call/text 812 345-3663
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Community Connections
Our Faith in Action in the Community
The Jewish Theatre of Bloomington Presents "Church and State" in May
The Jewish Theatre of Bloomington's 2018 season presents
Church and State, written by Jason Odell Williams and directed by Liam Castellan, May 10, 12, 17, and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and May 20 at 3:00 p.m., at the Ivy Tech John Waldron Rose Firebay.
Church and State "deals seriously with the timely issues of faith and policy while hilariously capturing the modern lunacy of politics." Tickets are $25 and will be available through the BCT box office, by phone; or online (
www.bctboxoffice.org).
More info here about Jewish Theatre of Bloomington and Church and State.
Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project Needs Padded Mailers
If you have used padded mailers you would like to donate, please bring them to church on Sunday and leave them at the Booktable in Fellowship Hall.
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Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, our Senior Minister,
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 201 and is available by appointment on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons.
[email protected].
Reverend Scott McNeill, our Associate Minister,
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 209 and is available by appointment on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
mcneill@uubloomington.org
. He can also be reached on his mobile phone, 703-577-0919 and for after-hours pastoral emergencies, please call him at 812-727-0919.
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
,
our Minister of Religious Education,
can be reached at
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Our Covenant of Right Relations
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Livestreaming Our Sunday Services
You can view the livestream of our Sunday services and view archived video from the last few months
at this link. If you have a problem, please email Andy Beargie and Ned Joyner at
[email protected]
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Church Calendar
Office Hours: M-F 10-4
Calendar: A link to our church calendar can be found on
this page of our website.
Facebook:
Many church events also appear on our
Prologue Publication Schedule:
The deadline for articles is 10 a.m. on the date of publication, which is the first and third Tuesday of each month. Next few issues:
April 17, May 1, May 15, June 5, June 19, etc.
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Masthead photo from the interwebs, with permission.
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