Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, and Reverend Scott McNeill

       All ages are invited to join us for songs and stories as we reflect together on the ordinary blessings that fill our days.  Our children's choir (directed by Jill Courtney) will be singing!  Our Giving Tree will be available beginning this Sunday.  This year we will have tags supporting Positive Link, Head Start, and Stepping Stones.  (see article below)

          As we enter Thanksgiving week and the holiday season, the ability to cultivate calm within ourselves becomes a blessing.  In this worship service, Reverend Macklin will return to John O'Donohue's book "To Bless The Space Between Us" as a means to create space for mind, body and spirit.  

MAM's Musings

From Our Associate Minister

I hope that you can join me on Tuesday, November 21st for Bloomington's Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. This year, it will be held at Congregation Beth Shalom (3750 E 3rd St), starting at 7:00 p.m. and there will be cookies and cider after the service (childcare will be provided). There are two reasons I hope you'll join us--our presence at community gatherings often builds bridges to other faith communities, strengthening our partnerships and the larger community, and, this year, we will have a particular focus on the lives of refugees and immigrants, with funds raised going to support our local efforts to support refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. Several clergy and lay members of different congregations will be involved; and, I'm honored to deliver the message for the service. Please join us if you're available, as a great way to ground ourselves during this holiday season!

On a similar note, our task force working

on these issues (Refugee and Immigration Support and Ed ucation Task Force, or RISE) worked with a member of the congregation to participate in a winter clothing drive for refugees in the Indianapolis area. We received over 50 coats and 25 pairs of gloves and hats to help people stay warm during the winter. Included in those coats was the following--a handwritten note of welcome. I'm grateful to all of the members and staff involved in organizing this project!

--Scott

Reverend Scott McNeill

Associate Minister

 

Community Ministry with Reverend Forrest Gilmore     

        The UU Church of Bloomington has a great history with its ministers, with three on our current ministry team. But, working in a congregation is not the only path for a UU minister. The Reverend Forrest Gilmore, known to our larger community through his work as the Executive Director of Shalom Community Center, was            ordained as a UU minister following his time at Starr King School for the Ministry (a UU seminary in Berkeley, California). Many congregations in the UUA have "Affiliated Community Ministers," someone whose ministry isn't focused in the church but in the community (this can include chaplains, social justice ministries, and more).

         The Board and Ministers (Reverend Macklin, Reverend McNeill, and Reverend Leite) have worked with Reverend Gilmore to create a covenant that recognizes his ministry and more formally connects him to our congregation. An important note-- he would not be an employee of the congregation; however (as he has in the past), he will lead worship for us and be involved occasionally. At our December Congregational Meeting (December 12 at 4:00 p.m.), we'll be asking the congregation for an endorsement of this affiliation--so, stay tuned for more details!  --Rev. Scott McNeill, [email protected]

Our Folks...            

     Our prayers and healing thoughts are with Jerry Nees, who remains in Intensive Care in the Burn Unit at Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis following a fire at his home. Cards can be sent to:  Jerry Nees, c/o Burn Unit Rm 4613, Eskenazi Health, 720 Eskenazi Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

     In the coming months, a few of our members will be moving away from the Bloomington area. We hope you'll get a chance to reach out and say goodbye to Melanie Turner and Anna Wiley (both moving during December). 

     Congratulations to Lynne Gilliatt, who was recently recognized as an Everyday Hero by the Herald Times. Lynne brings artists into community, and supports them in their endeavors. 

     Congratulations also to Ed Robertson, who was recently honored by the Monroe County Branch of the NAACP. See article below.

From Our Board of Directors

Meeting Date Change and Bylaws Changes

The Board meeting scheduled for 11/15 has been moved to Saturday 11/18 at 2:00 p.m.

Proposed Bylaw Changes

The Board is proposing a set of bylaw changes for congregational vote at the December 10th Congregation Meeting at 4:00 p.m. The changes include adding a provision for Leadership Cultivation Committee (LCC) vacancies, participation by the Connections Coordinator in the LCC, removing the outdated Personnel Committee, and replacing a reference to our Articles of Incorporation with the relevant text. Full details of the proposed changes may be found at  http://bit.ly/2gxOR8x  There is also a paper copy on the bulletin board at church, and extra paper copies in Room 204.

Amy Crozier will once again facilitate our Thanksgiving Pitch-In Dinner, at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 23 in Fellowship Hall. Please sign up in the Commons and let us know what food you will be bringing to share. Turkey will be provided.

David Eaton: Methodist, Humanist, UU, Black, 

and Revolutionary 

     David Eaton (1932-1992) was born in Washington, DC.  He took an early interest in Unitarianism but was advised there were virtually no openings for black Unitarian ministers.  He got his BA at Howard University and obtained a MA in theology at Boston University .  He taught, hosted a radio show, and in 1969 was called as minister to All Soul's UU church in Washington, DC.  The church was changing as whites left for the suburbs and blacks replaced them.  He served there for 20 years, creating the first biracial UU church in the US.  He was controversial in his advocacy of civil rights, gay rights, addressing the needs of the mentally ill, and poverty in DC.  He sued the FBI (and won) for disrupting  Black Power advocacy groups and anti-War groups.  He believed that a few of us are clergy but all of us are ministers and we need to give each other hope in times of duress.  He considered himself a Humanist but never abandoned his Methodist roots.  His most controversial sermon was when Congress was attempting to pass a DC crime bill allowing DC police to break into homes without a warrant.  He told his church to buy guns and shoot whoever broke into their homes because entering homes without a warrant would establish tyranny and end democracy and the rule of law.  He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Starr King School and won many awards for his religious and civic activities.   --Elof Carlson, UUCB Historian

Church Calendar 

A link to our church calendar can be found on this page of our website. 

Facebook  Many church events also appear on our Facebook page .

Prologue Publication Schedule 

The Prologue is edited by Carol Marks, mostly. The deadline for articles is 10 a.m. on the date of publication. Next few issues: The first and third Tuesdays of each month. Nov 21, Dec 5, Dec 19, Jan 2, Jan 16, Feb 6, Feb 20, etc.