First Unitarian Church of Chicago

Excerpts from the July, 2001
First Unitarian News
 

ORGAN CONSOLE LOCATION DISCUSSION

Reconstruction of the organ console is well underway and we expect the rebuilt console to be reinstalled in the sanctuary in early September. We, as a congregation, need to consider where we would like to have the console placed when it returns. Below are some of the possibilities that have been suggested and a short sentence as to why that location might be appealing. To carry the discussion further, a First Forum will be held on July 1 to further explore these options and position us to make a final decision in mid-August. A second meeting is tentatively planned for early August as well.

Option 1: Leave the console where it is. Allows organist to conduct choir if choir stands in the rear of the chancel. Organist can see most of what is occurring in service as well.

Option 2: Remove the present console platform and place organ on chancel floor. Allows organ to be moved to center of chancel for special concerts or other special situations.

Option 3: Move organ onto main sanctuary floor to the north edge of the chancel. Allows organ to be moved to center of sanctuary for special concerts or other special situations.

Please join us on July 1 to participate in this discussion.

Richard and Cindy Pardo
June 17, 2001

CORRECTION

The Special Funds Summary in the reports handed out at the Annual Meeting on June 1st contains an error on the Organ Console Fund line (Line 36). The Current Balance in that fund is $4,541.95, not $12,523.00. The correct Restricted Fund subtotal (Line 41) should read $33,800.80, and the Grand Total (Line 42) should be $36,532.79. Copies of the Annual Report remaining in the church office are being corrected by hand.

Julie Neuman
Treasurer

SMART MUSEUM SUMMER EVENTS

Fill your summer with art at the Smart Museum! Join Education staff for "Art Afternoons." Drop in between 12:00 - 3:00 PM on Wednesdays and join us for a hands-on art activity or spend time in the galleries looking at your favorite artworks. Every Wednesday, June 13 - August 29 (closed July 4), 12:00 - 3:00 PM. Free and open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, please call 773-834-1066. Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood.

CALLING YOUNG ADULT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS

Here's a terrific opportunity for young adult UUs! A wonderful leadership training workshop is being offered at The Mountain over Labor Day weekend this year, August 31 - September 3. Planned by and for young adults, the conference planners will use a variety of techniques to address different learning styles and roles. Young adults will be invited to visualize the interrelationship of radical peace, activism, and faith-based leadership in their congregations and communities, and will develop their own personal action plans to use back home. Participants will engage in networking, systems thinking, coaching and community-building based on spiritual deepening and commitment to effective leadership. The work of the conference will start with an interactive course offered through the Internet on UU heritage and values, and will build to a not-to-be-forgotten conference.

Spaces are limited - register now!

What: 2001: A Leadership Odyssey
When: August 31 - September 3, 2001
Where: The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers, Highlands, NC
Who: All young adult Unitarian Universalists
Cost: $195 per participant (This program is made possible through a generous grant from the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program)

More info? Contact Kirstin Maanum at The Mountain's Milestone Learning Center at kirstin.maanum@mountaincenters.org or 828/526-5838.

NEW MEMBER PROFILES

Amy Girst

Amy is a management consultant with Charter Consulting. She moved to Chicago six years ago from Pontiac, Michigan. An ex-Presbyterian, she says, "I was drawn to Unitarianism because it affirms a variety of religions and forms of spirituality." Presently she serves the church as a worship associate. For relaxation she enjoys the physical challenges of hiking, biking, and running. She also enjoys museums and jazz.

Kristen Boeke-Grezen and E. Aaron Grezen

Kristen works for the public relations firm of Golin Harris International. Aaron is an architect with Lohan Associates. Kristen is originally from Ohio, but Aaron grew up in Chicago's Uptown. They have a four-month-old son Quinn. Their primary form of relaxation is being with Quinn, but they also keep busy restoring a hundred-year-old house in Logan Square. They also enjoy gardening and swing dancing.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE

The Criminal Justice Task Force held an organizational meeting May 31. Rev. Grey, Rev. Walker, Bobbi and Finley Campbell, Allan Lindrup, and Diana Gray attended. After lighting the chalice and a brief reading, Diana Gray passed out worksheets to consider (1) the Vision (2) Challenges, and (3) Objectives and Activities for the task force. After working individually, each group member shared ideas about vision. Many moved directly to substantive issues on which they thought the committee should focus. Diana then passed out a list of substantive items to be prioritized but the group decided that this not be the sole input of the committee, but should include the membership. Some discussion of the challenges and strategies the committee could employ ensued.

The issues included were:
º Elimination of the death penalty
º Prisoner rights
º Racial profiling
º Police brutality and killings
º Red squad
º War on Drugs
º Legal defense needs of the indigent
º Offender aid and restoration
º Prison family visitation
º Prison or jail ministry
º Anti-violence efforts particularly geared for youth
º Juvenile justice - handling juvenile offenders as adults
º Juvenile justice - female offenders
º Substance abuse issues

The strategies are:
º Self-education of Committee
º Education of the Congregation
º Letter writing
º Petitions
º Marches and other social protest actions
º Legislative monitoring
º Legislative advocacy
º Direct Service provision
º Fundraising to support positive programs
º Coalitions
º Links with other UU groups with similar purposes
º National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
º Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
º Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR)

The Task Force is considering joining the Justice Coalition of Greater Chicago. It will work on a vision statement at the next meeting, June 28, at 7 p.m. in the Resource Library. The Task Force invites your suggestions and participation.

Diana Gray, Chair

SUMMER SCHEDULES

Please take a moment to look at the summer schedules of our ministers.

Rev. Grey will be in town from July 1 - 9. Then she will be on the East Coast, in Wisconsin and in California, from July 10 - August 9. She will be back in town from August 10 on.

Rev. Marlene will be on vacation from July 1-7 and then at The Mountain for RE Leadership School from July 8-14. She will then continue her vacation in North Carolina and Massachusetts and return on August 1. In August she will be away the week of August 6-12. While she is away RE questions and concerns will be covered by Margie Gonwa, Cynthia Echols, and Catherine Harth Stern.

When both Nina and Marlene are away (July 1 - 31 and August 6-9), Rev. David Arksey will provide emergency pastoral coverage. While Madeiria Myrieckes and Polly McCoo are away, Cindy Pardo will help with Caring Committee needs. The office can reach the ministers in cases of emergency.

The church office will remain open throughout the summer. If you need church assistance during the summer, call the office at 773/324-4100 or one of those listed below.
President: Joan Pederson
Administration: Bette Sikes
Property: Richard Pardo
Treasurer: Julie Neuman

CHARLOTTE LACKNER ANTI-RACISM COMMITTEE

Afro-Asian Institute or Oriental Institute? If the reality is the former, why name it the latter? That was an issue the Charlotte Lackner Anti-Racism Committee intended to raise at the June 3rd First Forum. CLARC member Dr. Finley Campbell approached the Institute to request a speaker and describe the concerns of the Committee. Unfortunately, due to schedule conflicts, the Institute could not provide a speaker, but attendees of the Forum were treated to a knowledgeable and fascinating account by Finley, followed by a lively discussion.

Finley said he had met with Dr. Teeter, Chief Research Assistant at the Institute, and found her to be sympathetic and sensitive to the issues to be raised. He then described the Nubian connection to Egypt, including the use of hieroglyphics and pyramids. He also explained that understanding of this Nubian (African) connection was suppressed starting around the time of the Berlin Conference of 1881, at which Africa was carved up by the colonial powers. To justify the grabbing of the African homelands and peoples, an ideology was created. Part of that ideology was to cover up the African roots of ancient Egyptian (and ultimately western) civilization; that's when terms such as Near East, Middle East and others came into use. Finley said that he hopes to have Dr. Teeter be present at the initial session of the Nature of Racism series, in the form of a First Forum in October.

PASTORAL NEWS

In Memoriam

Our deepest sympathy to Doug Anderson, and other family members and friends of Linnea O. Anderson, who died on Friday, June 10, 2001. Linnea was a highly regarded and beloved member of our church and of the Hyde Park Neighborhood. An accomplished organist and pianist, she played the organ at many churches and occasionally substituted on the organ at our church. She played regularly at the church which proceeded the Episcopal Chapel at Montgomery Place and continued to play at Montgomery Place on occasion. In recent years her piano music was heard often and appreciated deeply by the third floor residents of Montgomery Place. Linnea was an active, involved member of the community, giving much time, talent, and energy to the League of Women Voters, the Hyde Park Co-op and other community organizations. Memorial Services will be held at Montgomery Place (July 6 at 2 p.m.) and the First Unitarian Church of Chicago (July 8 at 3 p.m.). Contributions may be made to the Abraham Lincoln Center.

Our warm get-well wishes to Ron Wentzel, our Vocal Music Director, recently in the hospital.

We send warm healing thoughts to Jean Bowman-Anderson.

Our continuing warm get-well wishes to Tom Huyck.

We are also sending warm healing to Jim Stevens.

We are keeping Georgia Pierre in our hearts and send her warm healing wishes.

Warm get-well wishes to Helen Jones.

Continuing warm get-well wishes to Joanne Kent.

Continuing good recovery after surgery to Florence Teegarden.

FROM THE BOARD
by Joan Pederson, President of the Congregation

Save water! But in the Great Lakes we have something like 20% of the world's fresh water right here at our doorstep. With such a vast resource so nearby, why save?

Stewardship is one answer: tending a resource in trust, no matter how vast it seems, so that both present and future generations can be assured of enjoying its benefits without threatening it, insuring that it will be there in times of need, and honoring it by nurturing it, sustaining it, and protecting it.

First Unitarian Church is a resource too. Not just the building, but the congregation: the people of the church, this beloved community, laypersons and ministers, young and old. We need tending, nurturing, sustenance, and protection too. Yet the only ones available to be our stewards are ourselves:
· the Board of Trustees, elected by us from among us to pay particular attention to policy, property, and the operation of this institution;
· those of us who serve on the Program, Religious Education, and Social Justice councils, on committees and task forces, in classrooms and choirs, as volunteers in countless ways;
· those of us who pledge our financial gifts to this church each year
· our ministers and staff.
Such stewardship can be demanding and sometimes can seem thankless. Let us often thank one another, warmly and face to face, for the precious gifts we have received from one another.

Growth needs water too. Lake Michigan needs rain, snow, and streams to replenish the water it loses via the St. Lawrence and Chicago rivers to the sea. We, too, need to grow simply to sustain ourselves, and beyond that to increase our number. But with what vision? For what purpose? To fulfill what hopes and promises about the future of our families, community, country, and world?

Decisions for Growth, the program that guided us the last time we asked these questions of one another, led us to create the position of Minister for Religious Education, to become more intentionally inclusive with regard to matters of race and sexual orientation, and to improve the accessibility of our building. With these new resources we have grown enough to sustain ourselves and to renew the promise of our future. Even as we act out our principles, continuing to DO our faith, this year we as a congregation will again look ahead. What we see will be different from what we saw in 1994-95, for our work then has brought new members, friends, and vitality into our midst. What we dream this year will be ours to do for many years to come.

September 9 is a third reason to save water. Return from your travels with water from a place that has refreshed you. During our annual Water Communion on that Sunday, our gifts of water, like those of our lives in this community, will be mingled for the refreshment of our year ahead together.

On June 14 the Board of Trustees heard reports from our ministers and about church finances (please finish paying your 2000-2001 pledge by June 30!), summer schedules (details elsewhere), the Church Administrator search (ongoing), organ repair (on schedule), property (energy efficiency, floors, railings, doors, Fenn House, space users), and committees (some need new chairs). The Board voted to
· not renew the space use agreement with the Chicago Church of Christ,
· appoint Finley Campbell, Neil Gerdes, and Bette Sikes as alternates to the UUA General Assembly,
· approve the job description proposed by the search committee for our next Instrumental Music Director, and
· establish the policy that "Space users are responsible at all times for supervising the children who are present in the buildings of First Unitarian Society of Chicago or on its grounds either to participate in the space user's programs or because of the participation of a family member or friend."

Finally, the Trustees toasted and thanked Ioanna Crawford and Finley Campbell, who completed three-year terms as Trustees; Ed Jamison (in absentia), who was First Alternate for one year, Cindy Pardo, who completed six years of service with the Board (three as Trustee, one as President, and two as Second Alternate/Program Council Chair); and Allen Harden, who continues as a Trustee for another year but will have completed his term as President on June 30.

UPDATE ON SEARCH FOR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC DIRECTOR
Allan Stern
Chair, Search Committee

The Search Committee for a new Instrumental Music Director was constituted in May of this year. In addition to myself, the members are Evelyn Johnson, Kathleen Ricker, Richard Pardo, and Grace Williams. Our goal is to have somebody in place by next September.

One of the first things we did was create a survey to be given to the congregation. This was done on Sunday, June 3rd at the Flower Communion Service (see results below).

With the help of the Executive Committee of the Board, we revised the most recent job description for the position.

We also created a packet of information to be sent out to potential applicants. In addition to the job description and survey results, it includes a brief history of the church, a profile of the current church staff, and a description of the organ and the other musical instruments the church owns. Copies of these documents are available in the church office or on the church's website at www.enteract.com/~firstu/imd_search/.

After determining the nature of the position, the next step is to find potential applicants. We are placing ads in the American Guild of Organists local publication as well as on its national website (www.agohq.org) and in another national organists' publication called Diapason.

We are also contacting all the local music schools (Northwestern, DePaul, Roosevelt, NIU) and will be following up on recommendations from those institutions as well as word-of-mouth contacts.

If you have any specific suggestions of persons who might qualify, please get in contact with me or any members of the committee (my email is astern@enteract.com). Thanks.

RESULTS OF SURVEY FOR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC DIRECTOR
Allan Stern
Chair, Search Committee for Instrumental Music Director

At the June 3rd Flower Communion Service, a survey was passed out to those in attendance regarding the search for a new Instrumental Music Director. There were 41 responses.

The exact results may be viewed online at the church's website at www.enteract.com/~firstu/imd_search/survey_results.htm.

The survey showed the following:

27 out of 41 people said the organ music is very important to their worship experience. The remaining 14 said it was "somewhat" important. There were no responses to "not very important."

Regarding diversity, in response to the question "How important is it that the organist be capable and willing to perform an ethnically, culturally, and spiritually diverse repertoire?", 2 people said "Not at all", 9 responded "somewhat" and 30 people answered "Very".

To the next question, "How often would you like to see this diversity?" people responded in this way:
18 a. Every Sunday (i.e. a mixture of different types of music in each service)
4 b. One particular type of music featured once per month
5 c. One particular type/style of music featured every Sunday
5 d. Occasionally (e.g. every other month, once per quarter, twice a year, etc.)
Quite a few people added "When appropriate to the topic" or "Depends on the theme"

Following up on this question, people checked off a variety of music styles that they would like to see reflected in Sunday services. Of the 41 respondents, 38 checked "music from different classical traditions," 33 checked "spirituals," 32 checked "music from different folk traditions, 27 checked "gospel," 24 checked "jazz," plus a variety of other styles.

As to improvisational ability of the organist, the majority (27) out of 41 said it was "nice but not necessary" while 9 said it was "very important."

People said they enjoyed it when other instruments were used during the services (e.g., flute, brass, strings).

An interesting question was "How important is it that the Instrumental Music Director understand and be in sympathy with Unitarian-Universalism?" 9 people responded "Very," 26 answered "Somewhat," and 6 answered "Not very important."

Some respondents added comments at the end. Some reiterated a strong need for diversity in the selection of musical styles to reflect the congregation's diversity; others talked about their preference for retaining a classical format. Still others had specific comments about the type of musician we should be looking for.

Clearly, music at First Church is taken very seriously and the Search Committee is committed to finding the best possible person to take over the Instrumental Music Director position.

THIS MONTH IN RE:

This was a month of transition for our Church School. Following the multigenerational Flower Communion Service on June 3rd we began our Summer Church School on June 10th. During the summer our church school sees a lower attendance as so many people are away, so we only have two classes - Preschool/Kindergarten and Grades 1-5. Older youth are either attending the worship service or helping in the younger classes.

Here's what out summer church school classes have been doing:

Pre-K and Kindergarten: This class is using a combination of two curricula, "God's Paintbrush" and "Hide and Seek with God," to explore just what God might mean or be. Through special art activities, creating a banner, and stories about God they are learning various ways to think about God. Cynthia Echols, Kelsey Harden, are the teaching team for June with help from Paulette Dodson and Anne Morril Ploum.

Grades 1-5: This class is using the curriculum "God Images" to explore images of God in the Jewish and Christian traditions. Since June 10th was a Youth Service created by the Junior and Senior High School classes, the older summer class decided to return to the worship service to see what the "older kids" were doing. They are also creating their own "God Books" made up of their own images of God. Allen Harden and Cynthia Oakes are the teaching team for June.

RE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Keep the dates! Two special Summer RE sponsored events for First Church!

August 5th: Mid Summer Picnic at the Beach, following church.
Join us as we enjoy a summer afternoon in Chicago. Bring a dish and a cold beverage to share, games to enjoy, whatever beach paraphernalia you choose and yourselves to relax and catch up. We will announce which beach during church - it depends on weather and water conditions.

August 25th: First Church Day at Magic Waters - in Rockford (note this is a Saturday!)
Come splash and get wet with our church community at this exciting water park. We have arranged for group rates of $9.25 per person. There is a sign up list on the RE Bulletin Board. We will also be arranging car-pooling so if you need a ride or can give someone a ride please sign up on the list. Watch for more information in the August newsletter.

FROM THE ASSOCIATE MINISTER FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Recently I was reminded about the importance of our churches and religious education programs to the young people who grow up in them. Just a few days ago Rev Nina received a call from Jesse Eller-Isaacs, the young adult daughter of Rob and Janne Eller-Isaacs. Rob grew up here at First Church and he and Janne are UU ministers in Minneapolis. Their children grew up in the RE program at the UU church in Oakland. Jesse was with a group of 100 or so young Americorp participants on their way to Boston and were stranded on their way to Boston due to bad weather. She was calling to see if it would be possible for 50 or so of them to spend the night at the church (with their adult leaders!) if they were not able to get a flight out. Nina called me to see if I thought it would be OK. We both thought that of course it would.

As it turned out, they did not need to stay at the church, but what I was struck by was that Jesse felt enough of a connection to our UU community of faith that she knew she could turn to a UU congregation when she was in need. We were a possible home to her, a place she could turn to and be welcomed. My hope is that all the children who grow up in our RE programs have that same sense that Jesse does.

Many of us are headed off for vacations and travel this summer. As you read this I will have just returned from General Assembly in Cleveland and will be beginning the first part of my vacation. I will be spending most of my vacation here in Chicago in July, except for a week at The Mountain for RE Leadership School and a few days in Massachusetts visiting my father and my sons, Noah and Josh, and then a week in August at the Michigan Women's Music festival where I will be doing a drumming workshop. Both my summer schedule and Rev. Nina's are listed elsewhere in this newsletter. Summer for me is a warm time, a time for visiting family and friends, a time for re-gathering energy for what lies ahead, for filling the well. I will be bringing water back from my travels for our water ceremony in September and renewed energy and focus for our ministry together. I look forward to seeing you all in August.

Blessings,
Marlene

VOLUNTEERS RECOGNIZED

The exceptional efforts of the volunteers in this congregation were recognized as the last major portion of the Annual Meeting on June 1. Certificates were, or will be, presented to the people listed below. This year theirs were the efforts that most stood out, but dozens of others--especially those who taught in R.E., sang in the choir, or chaired committees and task forces: all of them time-consuming and demanding responsibilities--equally
deserve our fervent thanks.

To learn the citation on anyone's certificate, speak with any member of the 2000-2001 Committee on Congregational Participation: Joan Pederson, Bobbi Lammers Campbell, Cathy Harth, or Cindy Pardo.

Bill Barron
Dottie Barron
Everett Bernstein
Evelyn Bomer
Arnita Young Boswell
Finley Campbell
Roberta Lammers Campbell
Ioanna Crawford
Anne Crow
Cynthia Echols
Evelyn Goldsborough
Diana Gray
Mary Ann Hammond
Allen Harden
Catherine Harth
Margaret Huyck
Tom Huyck
Richard Jenifer
Ivan Lappin
Allan Lindrup
Pat MacClarence, Kelsey Harden, and Moira Harden
Pauline McCoo
Madeiria Myrieckes
Juliana Neuman
Richard Pardo
Cindy Pardo
Alex Poinsett
Marge Saphir
Bette Sikes
Richard and Rosemary Snow
Joan Staples
Patti Stark
Stephen Stern, Catherine Harth Stern, and their entire family
Jim Stevens
Grace Williams

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Members of the Adult Religious Education Committee continue to pursue responses to the Adult Religious Education Survey that was printed in the May newsletter, often phoning members and friends of this church, to ask that they answer the survey over the phone. As of June 12 we had received three dozen responses, but we wish to have close to 100 by late July, so that we can have a good reflection of the church's interests to help us plan what courses we might offer beginning in the fall, at what days and times, and the other factors.

If you would like to facilitate an adult religious education course during the period between September, 2001 and June, 2002, please prepare a description of the proposed offering(s), including the number of sessions and their length, plus what days/hour you might be willing to facilitate the course. Please submit that description to the Religious Education Council box in the church office before the evening of August 1. The Adult Religious Education Committee will meet on Wednesday evening, August 1, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Resource Room in the Pennington Center, to review the analysis of the Adult R.E. Survey forms which I will have completed, plus look over the course offerings and plan which we should, in fact, offer given the responses to the survey. In some cases, we may need to discuss adjustments in format/days/times with prospective facilitators. It is anticipated that the Adult R.E. brochure for the 2001-2002 church year can be ready by the end of August.

As far as Adult Religious Education offering during this summer, none are planned during July, but Laurie Estes plans to offer one or two during August. Information on such offerings will appear in the August newsletter.

Thanks to a draft from Ioanna Crawford, we developed a new First Unitarian Church Adult R.E. Evaluation Form, for use with classes held after July 1, 2001, which instructors will ask participants to complete at the last session of each class.

Allan J. Lindrup, Chair
Adult Religious Education Comm.
773-643-8061(H)
312-353-5856x3014(W)

Thanks to Michael Donner for organizing the Memorial Day Picnic.

BE A FIRST CHURCH THEATER GROUP SUBSCRIBER

Victory Gardens, located Mid-North, starts their 2001-2002 season in September. They have received the Tony Award for artistic achievement and contributing to national theater growth. Victory Gardens presents only new plays from a circle of 12 playwrights and all acting is by professionals. Many of their plays have social/racial themes or deal with conflicts and resolutions in relationships, and have won significant awards.

If we subcribe quickly, we can see five plays Tuesday evenings at $77.50 for seniors ($100 for non-seniors). Friday evenings would be $100 for everyone. See Kay Mann at church, or call her at 773/324-0209 for a leaflet describing the upcoming plays. Transportation will only be available if we have at least two drivers willing to car pool.

SEEKING FULL-TIME DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
(Previously advertised as a part-time position.)

Reports to the Minister, and provides staff leadership for the children's religious education program. Must be familiar with Unitarian Universalist views and religious education curricula. Must be able to work positively with an active RE Committee, parents, children, staff, and Board members. Masters degree and previous RE experience preferred. Begin August 1. Competitive salary and benefits. Address inquiries to: Personnel Committee c/o Ralph Lee, Unity Temple U.U. Congregation, 875 Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60301. Phone: 708/848-6225. E-mail: office@unitytemple.org.

 First Unitarian Homepage