Heartland String Band Practice

Thursday, May 18, 6 p.m. in Fellowship Hall

The Heartland String Band, a part of our music program, meets on the third Thursday of the month and plays old-time and Celtic music as well as folk songs. Dulcimers, fiddles, cellos, pennywhistles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, even accordions -- all lovers of this music are welcome!

Emily's Post

Dear Ones, 

Ever since we all learned a little over a month ago that my position is being eliminated and my ministry among you will be ending June 30th, I have often been asked if I would be staying a part of the congregation, or if I would be away for years like Reverend Bill and Reverend Mary Ann.  The short answer is that I will be away from UUCB for some number of years – likely 2 or 3, depending upon the timing of the arrival of a new senior minister. I will remain in Bloomington, and we may run into each other from time to time. If we do, there’s no need to avoid me. It’s just fine to say “hi!”. 

The long answer is that while I will be away from the congregation, I don’t like the idea of not being with you one bit, and I’m deeply sad to miss out on all that will happen in your lives and at UUCB in these years. It is a real loss, and I am grieving it. And at the same time, I truly believe that my absence is the best way to help our beloved congregation to become whole and strong again.

UU congregations across the country have tried many different ways of handling ministries’ endings, and we’ve learned that this absence is best for the health of congregations and for the well-being of their departing ministers. I like to think of it as Mary Ann described it: I will be offering you a ministry of absence–-absence that creates space for each and all of you to deeply reflect on what you care about and want to commit your energy to. Turn to each other. Listen with open hearts to what you have to say to each other, to learn deeply about your dreams and hopes for this community and your connections. What is making your heart connection so strong? Find your way together. I hope that you will learn about yourselves and the congregation and become solidly, uniquely the community that Bloomington and each of you needs for the future, ready to share your vision with a new senior minister to come.

Sending you my love,

Emily

Reverend Emily Manvel Leite

Minister of Story and Ritual 

leite@uubloomington.org

812-333-9822

Goodbye Events with Reverend Emily Manvel Leite

Mark your calendars for upcoming ways to spend time with and say goodbye to Reverend Emily Manvel Leite after her 17.5 years serving our congregation.

The Emily Memory Table, May 21-June 18

Stop by our table during Sunday coffee hour May 21 through June 18 to write a memory to place in the memory box.

Visible Mending and Rending

June 4, 11:30 am – 1:45 pm, Fellowship Hall

Come work with Emily as we explore mending in ways that the repair remains visible. Bring items of your own for mending, and supplies if you have them. Some supplies will be available. If you’re not interested in sewing, join the group that will be rending: tearing strips of fabric to prepare for a solstice ritual. A light lunch of all-vegetarian or vegan soup, salad, and bread will keep folks going. Sign up here to bring food!

Solstice Service and Goodbyes

Sunday, June 18

Reverend Emily will lead her last service, our solstice service, on Sunday, June 18 at 10:15 am. Following the service you can join a vegetarian/vegan potluck, a solstice ritual dance around the Maypole, and a gathering in the Meeting Room, capped by a beloved past RE tradition of an ice cream social. Please watch your Friday Update and the next Prologue for details on volunteering to help out and bring food.

How you can help now:

To prepare for a solstice ritual, we welcome donations of clean, woven bed sheets you no longer need. Please place them in the green RE bin at the portico entrance by May 31.

Questions?

Contact Mary Craig at marycraig.uucb@gmail.com or Carol McCord at camccord@indiana.edu, for the Emily Good Goodbye Group.

From Our Board of Directors

What nourishes you?

Each of us does a variety of things, besides eating, to nourish ourselves. Paying attention to our diets and physical health is important, of course, but emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being are also part of a leading a healthy life. Perhaps you gain most of that inner strength from your interactions with others: playing with your children, hiking with friends, making music with others, sharing in a group discussion or project, laughing at others’ jokes. Maybe you need more time on your own, reading a book, playing a video game, quilting or sewing, creating a work of art, taking a walk. These activities and many, many more nourish us. As you may suspect by now, I am about to remind you that many of the ones I mentioned are available to you here at our church.

Some things we do at UUCB combine those that connect us directly to others and those that we may usually do by ourselves, like reading a book for subsequent discussion with the Online Book Club or working up a presentation for the Humanities Forum. Other activities, the ones that are most important to me as a member of this congregation, require collaboration and togetherness with others. I have to admit that being part of the 2023 Stewardship Team didn’t strike me as likely to be nourishing or particularly enjoyable. But of course it has been. Not just because I’ve had the pleasure of working with great people: Drew and Margie Schrader, Olaya Fernández Gayol, and of course my husband Charlie. Many other people stepped up to make our April 1 kick-off to the pledge drive a stellar event, and then dozens and dozens expressed their values with their pledges to the 2023/2024 operating budget. Additional volunteers are helping us contact those a little slower to respond. They – you! - are pledging, and we are grateful.

A pledge to support our church with our worldly goods, something we do on our own after examining our hearts as well as our pocketbooks, is a gift we share with everyone else in this congregation. It nourishes all of us. Thanks to each of you for that gift of generosity, caring, and support.

Linda Pickle

At-large board member