Index of Past Issues

Rev. Grey's column, "Both Sides," is available here.

Lifespan Religious Education

It's hard to believe that this is my last newsletter column as your Minister for Religious Education! As I look over the last three years I am pleased at all that we have done together. Our Lifespan RE program has grown, we have added more and more programming, increased the numbers of children and youth attending, and taken some bold steps by moving to a non classroom experiential model of religious education with Way Cool Sunday School. These are all terrific accomplishments but not the ones I am most pleased about! What pleases me most is the growth in spirit and connectedness I see amongst and between families with children, older members of our congregation, youth and adults and between religious education and the overall programming of our congregation. Religious education is no longer what takes place down the hall in Pennington Center, separate from the whole. We are closer to our dream of a fully integrated Lifespan Religious Education Program and a truly multigenerational beloved community and congregation. So what pleases me most is seeing the relationships that have been formed and that now bridge the generations in this sacred community. It feels good to be a part of that and I will miss you and this community much in the days, weeks and months to come. It's hard to leave those I have come to know and hold in my heart! It's hard to leave a congregation I have come to love.

This is the hard work of ministry. Knowing that even as we enter into a congregation we will most likely come to a time when we must leave it. Let it go. I will soon no longer be your minister, your pastor. That does not mean that I will not continue to care about how you are or that you will not be in my heart and prayers. That will always be. I take all of you with me into my new ministry in Colorado. I have learned much in these past three years both with and from you. There will be times when I will wonder about how you are and times when you will wonder about me in my new ministry and home. That is a natural and good thing. Some of you I will no doubt see at denominational gatherings such as General Assembly and perhaps at other community events. That also will be a good thing. It will be good to see you and hear how you are. But it will be important to remember that while we remain in each others hearts I will no longer be your minister. That relationship will now be carried on between you and Rev. Grey and your new Interim Minister for Religious Education. It is important that the space I have held is left open for you to develop the same relationship with whomever he or she may be. I know you will welcome them with the same deep hospitality and care that you welcomed me with. As Gloria and I prepare to move to Colorado later this month there will be many opportunities to say good bye and Godspeed to each other, to bring our ministerial and pastoral relationship to a close. They are listed elsewhere in this newsletter and I hope that as many of you as possible can join us. Leaving is hard and is always tinged with sadness at the same time that new horizons and new opportunities to learn and grow lie ahead. Just remember that love and memories are always carried in the heart and make us who we are.

Blessings on the journey!

Annual Meeting

Ministers' Hours in June

Rev. Grey will be hospitalized and then at home recovering from surgery, from June 6 through much of June. Rev. Walker will be on vacation beginning June 16.

Family Feast and Farewell to Rev. Marlene

On Friday, June 6, at 6:00 p.m., there will be a special Family Feast which will include a special activity for children to say good-bye to Rev. Marlene Walker.

The RE Council invites you to an all church picnic June 8 after coffee hour on the Pennington Lawn. All are invited, please join us! Bring your own meat to grill, your own beverage and a dish to share. For those of you pressed for time, we will also be selling hot dogs, hamburgers and pop. We look forward to a great time!

Good Bye Party

 A Weekend of Camping

Please see Ann Ploum or an RE Council member for details. Need own equipment.

Everyone welcome!

Capital Campaign Workshop

The Capital Campaign Task Force urges you to participate in our workshop on Saturday, June 21st. The workshop will be led by a UUA consultant, Larry Wheeler, who has helped numerous UU congregations with their capital campaigns over the last ten years. The purpose of the workshop is to do an assessment of the possibilities of achieving our goal of a capital campaign to reimburse the endowment for money used for the bell tower restoration, and for other church needs to be determined in the Vision, Mission and Covenant process, which will be going forward in the coming church year.The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the 21st. Coffee will be served at 8:30 a.m. Please indicate that you are coming by signing the sign-up sheet prominently displayed at coffee hour, or calling the church office, and tell us if you need child care, and if you want to purchase a sandwich lunch for $6.

Larry Wheeler is the Director of Outreach for The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers in Highlands, NC and a former UUA Trustee representing the Mid-South and Florida Districts. He has been a UU for 36 years and brings with him a long history of fund raising and financial experience; the last 11 years as a UUA Fund Raising Consultant. Larry will review where he sees our congregation at the moment given information we have furnished him. He will also spend considerable time discussing potential options available to the congregation as we work to develop our strategic planning and maintain momentum into the future. Finally, he will provide an explanation of all types of assistance provided by the UUA, with emphasis on how do decide when a capital campaign is needed, review the steps in a campaign, discuss the financial issues and provide a time frame and calendar. He will also answer the many questions we're sure to have.

It is very important that we have wide participation in this event, so that our consultant has as much information as possible on which to base his recommendations, and so that the implications of this undertaking is understood by everyone.

Among Us

Congratulations to Rev. Marlene Walker on receiving a unanimous call on May 18th to serve as the Senior Minister of the Uncompahgre UU Society in Grand Junction Colorado. We wish Rev. Marlene and Gloria well as they leave us to begin a new ministry in Colorado.

Warm get well wishes to Mary Sidney. And our very best wishes to Mary in her new home.

We are glad that Rev. David Arksey's father is feeling much better.

Warm get well wishes to Michael Donner.

We continue to keep in our hearts the service people in our community who are in Iraq or nearby or otherwise serving our nation in the military: Marsha Bogle, Matthew Treptow, Devon Moss, and Steven, Adam and Joshua Lalonde. Our warmest wishes also go out to their family and friends.

Welcome home to our college students: Kelsey Harden and Tiade Williams.

Continuing warm get well wishes to Vi Stark.

We are holding Betty Holcomb in our minds and hearts. Betty has experienced another death in her family, of her brother-in-law Richard W. Anderson, Sr.

Congratulations to Raffaella Pretini, who successfully defended her dissertation and will receive her PhD degree from the University of Milan in June. Her field is Ancient Greek History and Civilization.

We are holding Polly McCoo in our hearts, sending warm get well wishes.

Congratulations to the Rev. Lee Barker who has been chosen to be the new President of Meadville/ Lombard Theological School. He and his family will be moving to Hyde Park in August.

And congratulations to all the graduating students of Meadville/Lombard .

Our deep sympathy to the family and friends of the Rev. Fern C. Stanley, Interim Minister this year at Unity Temple and beloved ministerial colleague, who became very ill in recent weeks and died May 23. A memorial service was held for her on Tuesday, May 27 at 7:00 p.m. at Unity Temple UU Congregation.

Finley Campbell spoke at the Annual Meeting of the Hyde Park and Kenwood Interfaith Council panel discussion on Unorthodox Views of the US-Iraqi war on May 29th. Finley will also be speaking as a Christian UU at the College of Complexes, Saturday, June 7, 2003, beginning at 7:00 pm, at the Lincoln Restaurant on Lincoln near Damen/Irving Park Rd on the social justice subject, "God's Plan for Fighting Unemployment: 6 hours work for 8 hours pay."

Membership Committee News

Children's Choir Alumni Concert at First Church

Board Talk

By Cynthia Oakes, Congregation President

It has been difficult at times to know what that "best" is. Let's face it, it's been a tough year. We have suffered so many losses: the spire, the endowment and our Minister for Religious Education. We have sustained personal losses in our congregation -- family, friends and beloved members have passed away leaving many of us with feelings of deep sadness. There are those in our congregation who are struggling with serious health problems. Many of us have been affected by severe financial losses. There are members and friends of our congregation who are serving in harms way as part of the armed forces in Iraq. Indeed, all of this has been experienced through the lens of global strife and a country at war. Personally, these events have left me feeling like I am standing on shaky and unreliable ground. Where do we turn for comfort? To what or whom can we look in order to find a sense of security? How do we restore ourselves to a sense that all is well?

At the beginning of the year, I read one of my favorite quotes to the Board. We have since laughingly noted, halfheartedly, that perhaps this particular quote was not the wisest way to begin a year. "Security is mostly superstition. It does not exist in nature. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."-- Helen Keller. That quote, coupled with the Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times," sort of sums up what this year has felt like for me. It has certainly been interesting. It has not been secure. It has been a daring, daring adventure. But it has also left me profoundly moved by the love and commitment that are always evident in this church. It has been an honor to serve with a Board that has spent long hours during many, many Board meetings wrestling honestly. frankly and respectfully with the concerns of the congregation. It has been a life-changing experience to work closely with our devoted ministers and gracious president-elect. Clearly, the place to turn for comfort and support, if not always security, is to each other. Ultimately, it is the beloved community that sustains us during interesting times. Thank you one and all for that sustenance.

During May's Board meeting we began to look forward to new inspired church leadership and many exciting opportunities that await us by taking the following actions:

• Approved the new Interim Religious Education Minister Search Committee: Margaret Huyck, Anne Morrill-Ploum, Marge Saphir, Richard Jenifer and Reverend Nina Grey.

• Planned to provide food and child care at the JUNE 1st ANNUAL MEETING.

• Heard about the successful Canvass from Joan Pederson and extended deep appreciation to Joan, Ann Collins, Richard Blough, Patti Stark, Reverend Nina Grey, our generous anonymous donor, and our congregation for exceeding the challenge.

• Adopted a balanced budget for fiscal year 2003-2004 with many thanks to Bette Sikes and Julie Neuman.

• Heard from Reverend Nina Grey regarding her upcoming surgery. Our love and best wishes are with you, Nina.

Volunteer Recognition

This year's volunteer recognition ceremony will be held during the June 8 Flower Communion Service, a departure from previous years, when certificates of appreciation were distributed at the Annual Meeting. Those volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution during the past year will receive a letter of appreciation and an invitation to be present at both the Annual Meeting on June 1 and at the Flower Communion Service.

Brief Reports of the Social Justice Council

By Finley C. Campbell, Chair

From April 22nd to May 20, 2003: Since my last report, a kind of tension-filled calm has settled over the social justice arena. We are observing the struggle against affirmative action in the courts, the opposition to the war mutating into an opposition to US occupation, and the issue of the loss of civil rights, liberties, and privacy. A petition campaign is emerging here in the Chicago area calling on the City Government to take a stand against Patriot Act I and the up-coming Patriot Act II. It is only a matter of time before some new issue will arise which will test our commitment to the cause of social justice...in these times. This then is the context of this report.

•The Environmental Task Force (ETF): our group had hoped to sponsor a celebration of ecology/earth on June 21st, the summer solstice, at the home of James Jenkins, whose house abuts into a forest preserve. Unfortunately, this was to be the same date as our capital campaign's meeting. Fortunately, the event has been postponed until some more convenient time. Meantime, the focus on developing a green sanctuary project for our church moves forward. A non-binding proposal was put forward encouraging the ETF to explore the environmental cause of the asthma attacks which have suddenly increased among many people in the Chicago area recently, with a special focus on its impact on poor minorities. The power plant out along the Eisenhower Expressway has been identified as a possible source of this increase in the neighborhoods downwind from it.

•The Racial Justice Task Force (RJTF) is now back in business, with the return of Dr. Raffaella Pretini (she successfully defended her dissertation and has been granted her Ph. D.). The Task Force met on April 23rd. We have approved the concept of sending to Governor Ryan a letter commending him for his clemency activity. The letter has been drafted by Bob Davidow and is to be given a final approval at our June meeting; the plan to write a letter to the Dean of the Law School of the University of Michigan supporting their efforts to continue their affirmative action program was approved. What we need now is a draft of the letter and the specific name and address of the dean.

We also agreed to support the efforts of Ghassain Balout, an Arab-American business man, to get a fair trial of a jury of his peers, after he was arrested for allegedly supporting a terrorist group in Palestine-Israel. We will draft a letter of support to his family. A draft of the letter is being prepared for approval at the June meeting. New items of business include a forum on the relationship of anti-Jewish and anti-Arab racism to the Israeli-Palestinian war. We hope to get a forum or panel with Jews and Arabs in the peace movement to come and make a presentation in the near future. Since Anna Mustafa was with a group like this, we are in touch with her for her help in preparing this panel. In addition, we agreed to study the relationship between racism and imperialism in relationship to US foreign policy toward non-white Nationalism. As a kick off for this event, members of the RJT viewed a video at one of its monthly forums entitled: "Tools of Exploitation". It ties in imperialism, racism, economic globalization, and many other forces. There was a debate on whether it was a neo-racist depiction of Africa or not, but it was much worth seeing.

• The 9/11 Study Group: 9/11 group is continuing to discuss the book by William Domhoff, entitled, WHO RULES AMERICA? It has been suggested that they have a First Forum on this subject.

Recommended movie for the month of May: The Dancer Upstairs concerning the issue of developing a mid-ground between reaction and revolution.

Finally, we are planning to have a focus at our next meeting on developing a social service project around a group called CLAIM. More information later.

CANVASS REACHES ITS GOAL!

By Joan Pederson, Canvass Chair

You did it! One by one, pledge by pledge, and gift by gift, YOU, the members and friends of First Unitarian Society of Chicago have offered full financial support for the coming church year.

Complete details appear in the Canvass Report distributed at the Annual Meeting on June 1. Additional copies will be available from the church office after June 1. A summary of the statistics will appear next month. A glimpse at our economic diversity: There are eight pledges of $50-99 and ten of $4,000-10,000. The median pledge is just under $1,000/year. The mean pledge is about $1,415.

We are continuing to reach the last unheard-from handful of last year's pledgers and others who participate in the life of the congregation, whether members yet or not. Although our goal has been met, unexpected circumstances usually prevent some of us from fully meeting our pledges. These last pledges will help cushion the work of the church from such circumstances.

Special thanks to the substantial work done by Ann Collins, who handled the follow-up (a great many of you heard from Ann directly by phone or on your answering machine or voice mail), and by Richard Blough, who has handled all Canvass record-keeping from the start of the campaign. Thanks as well for help by Patti Stark, Julie Neuman, our ministers, staff, and office volunteers.(And don't forget to look at last month's newsletter, where earlier work on the Canvass was acknowledged with thanks.)

Thanks, too, to the Finance Committee and to the Board. Together they assembled a responsible budget that has proved to be within our means. Without their prudence, we might have faced a goal that was not this invigorating challenge but a discouraging impossibility. Their stewardship has served the congregation well.

Immense thanks to the Anonymous Donor of the $20,000 matching challenge in support of lifespan religious education, who got us off to a rousing, roaring good start.

Most of all, thanks to every member and friend who has pledged financial support of this beloved community for the coming church year.

Finance Committee Notes on FY2004 Budget

By Bette Sikes, Finance Committee

The budget for fiscal 2003-4 to be presented at the Annual Meeting on June 1 is notable for several reasons:

• Income and expense are almost $20,000 higher than the budget for FY 2003.

• The regular pledge goal is $6,300 higher than for FY 2003.

• A challenge gift earmarked for lifespan religious education, and other special gifts, add $23,850.

• With a few exceptions (e.g., higher state unemployment and medical insurance, Interim Minister for Religious Education moving expense), personnel costs have basically remained level.

• Increased funds are added for such services such as audit, bookkeeping, and payroll.

• Higher utility costs are expected.

If you do not attend the June 1 Annual Meeting, pick up the Annual Report (including financial reports for earlier years and the FY 2004 budget) in the church office.

Welcome Supper

A Welcome Supper for visitors and new members will be held on Sunday, June 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Betty Holcomb's. Visit the Art Fair, and come for a picnic! RSVP to Betty at BVHOLCOMB@aol.com by June 5th.

Environmental Task Force Report

By Ellen LaRue

Due to a conflict with the Capital Campaign Workshop on June 21, the Family Summer Solstice Outing in Crete, IL has been tentatively rescheduled for Saturday, August 30, 2003. We will be let you know of the location and exact date and time. Hope to see you there.

The Environmental Task Force met on May 4. We decided to hold a used bike sale around Earth Day 2004. Work in the wildflower garden will commence shortly. We have not quite committed to the Green Sanctuary Program, but will begin conversations about it throughout the church. Anyone is most welcome to our meetings or to pitch in on any projects. Right now we could sure use some artistic assistance for signs for the garden and for a display table. Contact: Ellen LaRue.

 Green Corner. An unexpected benefit of chairing this task force is that you become a point person for environmental news, both bad and good, and also news of other people's connection and commitment to the environment.

This month brought news from Ruth Wong. Her daughter Vera Ming Wong is a nature-artist and illustrator in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has organized the group Gathering of Artists & Illustrators of Nature (www.G-A-I-N.org) and the show Project Art for Nature (www.projectartfornature.org), which promotes and raises funds for stewardship of threatened natural areas in that region. The show is at the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, June 21-August 31. The G-A-I-N website is under construction, but the projectartfornature website is interesting and art work in the website gallery is stunning. Vera spent part of her youth in our church.

Also this month thanks go out to Patti Stark. If you were at the Talent Auction, you will recall she had all of us save the bags from our sack lunches and then she personally collected them to take to her building for recycling. And if you were at church on May 18, you got the notice of the City of Chicago Household Hazardous Waste Collection. Again thanks to Patti -- she gave the information to the task force and told us we had better get the word out. And besides that, the Green Sanctuary Manual for the program that we keep talking about was originally written by Rachael Stark, Brian Reddington-Wilde and Bob Murphy. That is Patti Stark's daughter, who in her youth was in LRY at our church, and now is active at Arlington Street Church.

COFFEE TALK

By Cindy Pardo

I hope that by now everyone knows that you can purchase Equal Exchange Coffee (and tea and hot cocoa mix) during coffee hour on the second and fourth Sundays of every month. Folks who have tried it are coming back for more because it is terrific coffee! And right now, the social justice aspect of this project is especially important as coffee prices to the farmers have dropped dramatically. There is always information about fair traded products at the Coffee Table so that you can understand why this is such a good way to make a difference.

One thing will be changed as of July 1st. In an attempt to assist the ordering process we instituted a Coffee Club, which would give a small discount to those who were willing to commit to a specific quantity and product each month. This part of the program will be discontinued, mostly because it is not proving to be helpful. Everyone seems to want to sample all of the different product possibilities, and only a few folks have signed up for this option.

Look for more sampling opportunities during coffee hour, and stop by the Coffee Table to see which of these delicious beverages you want to take home. All profits go to the operating budget of the church.

Sinkford to Speak Here

Rev. William Sinkford, President of the UUA, will give the commencement address at the Meadville/ Lombard graduation June 8 at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of our church.

Rev. Sinkford will also speak at a conference called "Breaking the Chains: Communities of Color and the War on Drugs," to be held at the Racine Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Racine, Wisconsin, on June 6 and 7. In addition, the Unitarian Universalists for Drug Policy Reform (UUDPR), will have a booth at the conference. For more information consult www.breakingthechains.info.

SUMMER SPECTACULAR BOOKS AND MUSIC SALE

This year’s sale will be held Saturday, June 7, from 10 to 4 and Sunday, June 8, after church until 2 pm. Why buy new books for the beach, that long flight, those easy evenings without committee meetings? Why travel far or spend good money on shipping to get the music you want?

It's time again for another great books and music sale! After the successful sales this past June and October, we'll be back with more books and more chances to find gems at good prices: recent novels, art books, gardening guides, symphonies, mysteries, children's books, computer games - whatever we get from your generous contributions, as well as selected leftovers from the last sale. For information or to volunteer, call or e-mail Joan Pederson, GeogJoan@aol.com

How can you help?

• Bring donations of music and books to the church. If possible, pack them in boxes with tops or flaps, or double bagged with bags no more than half full.

• Help lay out the books on Friday evening, June 6, in the Bell Room and in VOV. (Exact time will be announced in orders of service.)

• Post flyers: in your building, on campus, in neighborhood stores (no matter what neighborhood you live in), at work.

• Help pick up books from those who can't otherwise get their donated books, cassettes, CDs, and vinyl to church.

• Help clean up and pack up between 2 and 3 on Sunday, June 8.

• Tell your friends to come both days and to bring their wallets and checkbooks!

Report from the UUSJ Task Force Against Homelessness

By Allan J. Lindrup

This task force would like to initiate a program of periodic, probably three times a year, grants to organizations helping the homeless that have significant support, in volunteers and/or funding, from UU congregations in the CAUUC area. Grants could also go directly to UU congregations as partial reimbursement for out of pocket expenses they have incurred in helping the homeless; for example, if they served as a PADS site. We are calling this program "Hope and Home Boosters".

For us to proceed with this program we want to have at least ten individuals who will pledge to contribute $25 to our fund for this purpose whenever we have an approved grant. (A process similar to the CMwD's Chalice Lighter grant program). Three members of the task force have made such pledges, but we need similar support from at least seven others in the CAUUC area before we will proceed with the program. Those who make pledges will be given a voice, through a questionnaire, in setting up the final criteria for selecting grantees.

If you are willing to be one of our pledgers, please respond to UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE,1448 E. 52ND ST., P.M. BOX 144,CHICAGO, IL 60615; E-MAIL: uusj@att.net; WEB SITE: http://www.uusforsocialjustice.org.

From Stefanie S. Etzbach-Dale

I had spent the last two years with my nose in books, reading about Unitarian Universalist history and theology, liturgy and polity, doing research and writing papers, and generally deepening my “thinking” about the challenges and gifts of this denomination. But it was not until I stepped through these doors and encountered the individuals who make up this Beloved Community, that I was able to deepen my “understanding,” to feel a renewed commitment to this denomination and the ministry.

It has been quite a learning experience -- but more than that, and unexpectedly so, it has been a worship experience! How remarkable to experience and stand witness to the quality of care and concern, respect and celebration made manifest in this community! How generous, how worshipful, has been your acceptance of me in your midst during these challenging times. I wish to extend my deepest thanks to Rev. Nina Grey and Rev. Marlene Walker, to the participants in the Small Group Ministry Learning Group, the community of Montgomery Place and to all of First Unitarian Church for allowing me to journey with you these past months. I will treasure this experience at 1st Unitarian Society as an encounter with the Holy -- drawing from it strength and inspiration and great joy. May you abide in peace, and may the spirit of love guide you and sustain you always.

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