Index of Past Issues

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

First Forums in March

What's Happening in March . . .

Sunday, March 7 - Annual Talent Auction
Our annual Talent Auction will be held on Sunday, March 7th, after our service. The day promises many opportunities for fun, with exciting chances to bid on everything from dinners to tours, from pies to wearable art. Lunch will be served for a modest cost of $6 for adults and no charge for the special children's lunch. Child care will be available. This year we will be having the live auction only on this date. The Silent Auction will be on Sunday, May 2 (just in time for Mother's Day!), and we will be able to invite friends and neighbors to that event.

Here's the schedule for March 7th:

11:30 - 12:30 - Sign up for bidding paddle. Enjoy lunch while perusing all the delightful items in the catalogue. Purchase raffle tickets
12:45 -Auctioneer Joan Pederson begins the Auction and the excitement builds.

We will be selling 50/50 raffle tickets this year. You may purchase as many tickets as you like for this raffle. If you win, you receive half of the total collected, with the remainder going to the church. For example, if we sell $2,000 worth of tickets, you would take home $1,000, and the church would receive the same!

Make sure you attend this exciting event. It is always one of the highlights of the church year, and turns fundraising into FUNdraising! See you there!

Saturday, March 13 - Stewardship “Dreams” Meeting
The Stewardship "Dreams" meeting will be held on Saturday, March 13, from 9:30 - 11:30 am. All committee and council chairs (and/or representatives) are invited to join the Finance Committee and Board members to continue the process of our shift in the budgeting process. We will share the dreams we developed in the initial budgeting process, talk about what might be possible, and perhaps develop some ideas which we could talk about at the Claiming Our Future service on the 21st. We also invite any other members and friends who are interested to attend. Cindy Pardo can give you further information.

Sunday, March 14 - Ron Wentzel Memorial Concert
On Sunday, March 14 at 3:00 p.m., a concert will be held in our sanctuary to honor the memory of former choir director Ron Wentzel and celebrate his life . Members of our choir will join the DePaul Community Chorus under the direction of Martha Swisher in singing the Faure Requiem. Former organist Tom Weisflog will accompany this performance. Our choir will sing some of Ron's favorite pieces, directed by Interim Choir Director Irina Georgieva. Pianist Clinton Velandia will play a selection. We and the Wentzel family believe this will be a special and appropriate tribute to Ron.

Sunday, March 21 - “Claiming our Future” Service
The next part of the Claiming our Future process is an exciting March 21, 2004 service which will include small group discussion and visioning. There, members of our diverse congregation will be asked to envision a larger picture for our future as a congregation. The Claim task force has requested almost a dozen members to facilitate this important event. Those facilitators will be "trained" by the Claim consultant, Angela Merkert, who is the Congregational Service Director of the UUA Central Midwest District. We look forward to your full and candid participation in the Claim process. If you have questions or concerns regarding the Claim process, please contact one of the members of the Claim task force.

Claiming our Future is off to an inspired start. The mission-vision-covenanting process that was championed by the Church's board and other leaders was launched at the February 22 service. Madeiria Myrieckes was part of a dramatic Call to Worship that introduced the process's goal - articulating our congregation's dream and goals for what First Church will be in 2009. The entire service, including Rev. Grey's sermon, was dedicated to this theme. The kick-off to the Claim Process is the brain child of the Claiming our Future task force: Diana Gray (Chair), Cynthia Oakes, Madeiria Myrieckes, Bernie Frieden, Paulette Dodson as well as our ministers, Rev. Millie and Rev. Nina.

Sunday, March 28 - Canvass Kickoff Luncheon
We will hold our annual Canvass Kickoff service and luncheon on Sunday, March 28. This will be the time for members and friends to fill out and turn in the pledge cards which will determine what financial resources we will have to pursue the dreams we have for our church. The Claiming Our Future process is about our vision for our church. Our pledges support our dreams.

During the next few weeks you will receive information about the proposed budget for 2004-05, both as a line item budget and in our new format, looking at different areas of church life: Worship & Music, Lifespan Religious Education, our Inner Community, the Outer Community, Denominational Affairs and Income Production. Please consider the importance of this beloved community in your life and pledge accordingly. Can you consider an additional amount per month? Even a small monthly increase will help, and a larger increase will bring us that much closer to achieving our vision.

Please think about your pledge in terms of what you want this church to be. Join us at the Canvass Kickoff Service and Luncheon on March 28th, and be prepared to fill out your pledge card then.

Fund Raiser for Rebuilding Palestinian Homes
This fund raiser will be held on April 4 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the home of John and Marge Saphir. It is being sponsored by the 9/11 Discussion Group. Everyone is welcome.

We will see a video describing the work of the Rebuilding Homes Campaign of Justice Peace Technologies which brings together Palestinians and Jews who oppose the illegal destruction of Palestinian homes. Their philosophy is that, even if the homes are destroyed again, they are building the type of multi-racial solidarity which will be essential for building a new society there. A speaker is available to answer your questions.

Great Books
Our Great Books Group will discuss three poems of Emily Dickinson this month on the 3rd Sunday at 11:45 a.m. in the Religious Education Resource Room. Beginning in April, we will discuss George Eliot's novel Middlemarch. For further information, contact Gloria Gnatz..

Lunches and Conversations with the Ministers
Nina and Millie welcome you to an ongoing series of Friday noon lunches and conversations, times to eat together and engage in informal conversations about any topics, thoughts, ideas, concerns and questions on your minds. Bring your bag lunch and a drink. We'll gather in comfort in Chris Moore Parlor and have almost an hour together. Join us when you can, for one or many of these opportunities to listen to and talk with one another.

New UU Orientation Classes
Newcomers and visitors are especially invited to join this four-session Orientation program to Unitarian Universalism and First Church. The sessions will be held on March 12, 19, 26 and April 2, at 7:00 p.m. The sessions are sponsored by the Membership Committee and facilitated by Rev. Nina Grey and Rev. Millie Rochester. The sessions will include history, the evolution of a variety of religious perspectives within UUism, a look at UU religious education and social justice in its many manifestations, and the sharing of personal religious journeys. We'll also hear from leaders in the congregation about how things happen at First Church. Longer-time members and friends are also welcome. At the conclusion of the class, there will be a special invitation to join the church. An Ingathering of New Members will take place at the Easter service, April 11, 2004.

Music Search Committee
The Choir Director Planning and Search Committee has just been approved by the Board. This committee will engage the congregation, the choir, the ministers and other stakeholders in an assessment of needs (especially re a combined choir and instrumental music director vs. keeping these separate) and then develop a job description and make a recommendation to the Board in order to receive Board approval before initiating a search. We plan to ask for congregational input in a brief meeting on April 4, from 11:15-11:45, immediately following the Church service. We are making arrangements to consult the Choir, Board members and other groups in separate meetings. Also, church members and other interested parties may contact any of the committee members ( Joan Staples/Susan Scrimshaw (co-chairs), Evelyn Johnson, Richard Blough, Carrie Hedges, Erik King, Rev. Nina Grey, ex-officio).

An All-Church Banquet in June
The first annual all-church banquet will be held June 19. Please save the date and plan to come and celebrate our completed church year, especially the completion of our new mission statement. If you are interested in participating in the planning process, please contact Bobbi Campbell.

March for Women's Lives
Do you want to show support for a woman's right to choose safe, legal abortion and birth control? Be a part of the most significant and massive abortion rights march in over a decade? Come to the MARCH FOR WOMEN'S LIVES on APRIL 25TH in Washington D.C.! For more information on MARCH FOR WOMEN'S LIVES, you can call Betty Holcomb, at Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, or you can join marchforchoice@listhost.uchicago.edu. To join the listhost, visit https://listhost.uchicago.edu/ mailman/listinfo/marchforchoice and sign up! Sign up if you're interested in organizing, might want to attend the march, or just want to learn more about it! For more information on the march, visit www.marchforwomen.org.

Let's Think About Energy
By John Porterfield

However, before we think, I'll pose some questions. Please 'report-in' as answers pop up and then we'll think!
•Name the US state that has the largest research center for efficiency and renewable energy.
•Name the US state that has achieved the greatest reduction in energy use.
•Which state has embarked on the largest US windpower project?
•How would Illinois employment change if we pursued energy efficiency?
•If health costs are included in the choice of electricity generation technology, identify the 'least cost' technology.

Please forward the answers you discover before the next Newsletter date, March 15. If you like, e-mail homeandenergy@yahoo.com. Fun web site, visual and has interesting tutorials: www.squ1.com.

Old church e-mail address to be retired
For the past several years, reaching the church by email has meant sending a note to firstu@enteract.com, but no longer. That email address will be retired on April 1. In December, the office instituted a new email address, office@firstuchicago.org. Both addresses have remained in effect during a time of transition, which will end on April 1. After April 1, email sent to the old address will not reach the church office anymore, as we will no longer pay for the email box. Please be sure to change the church email address in your electronic address book to office@firstuchicago.org.

Back-Up Person Needed
A person with computer skills and email and a computer to match is needed to be a back-up for producing the church newsletter when the editor is not available. This would involve observing how the newsletter is produced, and setting up the necessary forms on your computer ready-to-go. Contact Tom Huyck at tomhuyck@yahoo.com.

Committee Meetings this Month
Caring Comm. - Wed. March 17 at 5:30 pm
Charlotte Lackner Anti-Racism - Sun. March 14 at 1:00
Comm. On Ministry - Tues. March 23 at 7:00 pm
Communications - Thurs. March 4 at 5:30 pm
Executive Comm. - Wed. March 3 at 5:30 pm
Membership - Thurs. March 25 at 7:00 pm
Property - Tues. March 9 at 7:30 pm
Social Justice - Thurs. March 11 at 7:00 pm
Trustees - Thurs. March 18 at 7:00 pm
Worship & Music - Thurs. March 11 at 6:00 pm

In the Interim

By Rev. Millie Rochester
Interim Minister for Religious Education

Choices, choices, choices! Making choices is what life is all about, isn't it? In many ways, the choices we make are what define our lives. That makes the process of discernment leading up to the choices, critical.

Next year, you of First Church will make a choice as to who your next religious education professional will be. This year is devoted to discernment - identifying what you want from your next professional religious educator - before deciding who will fill the specific role. Isn't it obvious, you may be asking? You have had a Minister for Religious Education for a few years now, after all. As a Minister for RE myself, I don't want to discourage continuing on that path - but as your Interim Minister, I want to encourage dialogue. Whereas only a few years ago your choices would have been fairly limited, now they are more complicated, even potentially confusing. Recently, members of the RE Council asked me to clarify the differences between two choices: Director of RE and Minister of RE.

First, the commonalities. Both ministers and directors have the knowledge, skill, and ability to run a religious education program for children, to lead children's worship services, and to develop basic programming. Both are guided by peer support organizations within the Unitarian Universalist Association which hold them to strict codes of ethics. Both have opportunities for continuing education to increase their expertise and nurture self-care.

Directors of Religious Education are lay people. They may have participated in a series of nine weekend-long Renaissance Modules, adding to their knowledge and expertise in a variety of subjects, from RE administration and teacher training to UU identity, multi-culturalism, ministry with youth, and more. Professional advancement through a credentialing program is governed by specific requirements of the Unitarian Universalist Association, including professional development, additional work experience as a religious educator, and peer review, to reach the highest level.

Ministers of Religious Education are ordained ministers. Although UU congregations may decide for themselves whom to ordain, all ministers who have been approved by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (the UUA body that reviews and credentials ministerial candidates) must have a Masters of Divinity degree, have completed a program in chaplaincy, and a six to nine-month full-time ministerial internship. Ministers of RE must have fulfilled additional academic requirements in religious education. As a minister, the Minister of RE presides over rites of passage such as weddings and memorial services, provides pastoral care and counseling with members of the congregation who are troubled, ill, and in need, and preaches. In other words, sharing ministerial responsibilities with her or his fellow-minister - which increases her or his visibility in the congregation, but limits time for other choices.

So we're back to choices. And discernment. The process continues in a workshop April 3rd, led by Minister of RE Reverend Sue Sinnamon. I'll see you there!

Love, Millie

RE Workshop April 3rd

As fast as the time flies, it's not too early to mark your calendar and plan to attend the RE and Church Leadership Workshop to follow up on the one that occurred in the Fall. Minister of Religious Education Sue Sinnamon, of the Evanston church, will lead members of the congregation in a discernment process to help clarify needs and desires for the future of the RE Program. This Saturday workshop is scheduled from 10 AM until 1 PM. Food will be provided. Please contact the church as soon as possible if you will need childcare.

RE News

By Rev. Millie Rochester

Considering that February is the shortest month of the year, it has certainly been busy! Social justice was an especially prominent topic, as children, youth and adults participated in several activities. We welcomed the Rev. Clare Butterfield, a Chicago community minister, who led a discussion about environmentalism and helped re-ignite interest in the worm bin. It was amazing to see all the beautiful soil those worms had created!

Valentine's Day Sunday was devoted to contributing to the work of one of the Social Justice Council's projects, "Companions Journeying Together." Children, youth and their adult helpers sorted toiletries for donation, made Valentine's cards, and generated a list of some of their own favorite books. The cards brightened the days of some people who are incarcerated in the Cook County Jail, and the books that children listed can be donated to Companions Journeying Together, to be read on tape by mothers for their children. The list will be available, if you would like to contribute one or more books.

On Saturday, February 21st, several children and their families visited and participated in the work of a local food depository. Many thanks to RE Council members Adrienne King, Anne Morrill-Ploum, and Paulette Dodson, for their work in organizing the event.

The month will draw to a close with a party! As I write, plans are in full swing for a Mardi Gras celebration, Friday February 27th. Sponsored jointly by the RE Council and the Membership Committee, the party for all ages will be a happy memory by the time this is read.

The coming weeks promise to offer excitement as well. RE participants - children, youth, their teachers and facilitators - will all envision the future of First Church at the same time as the rest of the congregation on March 21st. In the meanwhile, consider the religious education program as it is now, and as you would like it to be. Members of the RE Council will be asking for your feedback, to help meet your needs. The information garnered from these surveys will be woven in to a workshop on Saturday, April 3rd when, with some guidance, the discernment process for the future of a religious education program will continue. We are fortunate to be able to welcome the Rev. Sue Sinnamon, Minister of Religious Education for the Evanston church to lead the workshop. Details are in an article elsewhere in the newsletter.

Youth seventh grade and older are launched in the Coming of Age Program, working with adult mentors to broaden their understanding of religion and relationships. The program culminates in a ceremonial service May 23rd.

With so much going on, communicating with one another is important! I am hearing that some people are not receiving information, and urge you to register your family for the RE program, to ensure that you do receive mailings. See you in church!

Coming of Age Program
Our children are growing up, before our eyes! The Coming of Age Program provides a means to acknowledge the passage from childhood to adulthood in our religious community. This year's program got off to a fine start on the evening of February 17th, as teens and their parents learned about it with Rev. Millie, over pizza dinner. The program involves learning and growing in four areas - personal relationships, service to others, our church and Unitarian Universalist heritage, and religious understanding. Youth are matched with adult mentors who are church members, and meet at least monthly. These mentors help the youth design a specific program from choices that are provided, and help them carry out their individual plan. Mentors will introduce the youth to the rest of the congregation at a ceremonial service on May 23, 2004. In the meanwhile, the group will meet over dinner the third Tuesday of every month. It's not too late to sign up, so if you are a youth in at least seventh grade and are interested, let your parent(s) know, and contact Rev. Millie right away!

Child Dedications
In Unitarian Universalist tradition, we celebrate the birth (or adoption) of a baby and welcome young children into our community through a ritual of dedication. In this ritual, both parents and congregation affirm our mutual interdependence. The congregation as a whole celebrates the child(ren) by name, and welcomes them wholeheartedly into our community. A dedication ceremony will be conducted during the worship service on Sunday, May 2. If you are interested in participation, please contact one of the ministers, as soon as possible.

Board Talk

By Grace Williams
Congregation President

We're off and running! The Claiming Our Future process and agenda for the next few months began, as planned, with a wonderfully inspiring worship service on February 22, designed by our Senior Minister and the Task Force members. In a thoroughly engaging service beginning with a skit and ending in a moving choir and congregation rendition of the South African song “Siyahamba,” we were reminded of the essential nature and power of dreams to move us to undertake new, different, remarkable and awe-inspiring courses of action previously thought impossible or unlikely. I encourage you to borrow a copy of the tape of the service and obtain a copy of Rev. Nina Grey's sermon, if you were unable to attend.

In recent weeks, I have been getting glimpses of what our future as a congregation might hold from attending the revamped First Forums held after the service. Each time I've attended I've had a remarkable learning experience, and have been impressed by the quality of the presentations. February's series started with a presentation by the Board of Trustees at which the focus was on Claiming Our Future and on this year's Budget and Stewardship Campaign. Both presenters, Diana Gray and Cindy Pardo were eloquent, enthusiastic, and even passionate, about their respective subjects; the attendance was pleasing (over 30), the engagement of the attendees was complete, and the quality of discussion was high.

These characteristics were echoed in the Forum on Black Freedom Fighters in Steel on the 15th, at which we heard a passionate academic, Professor Ruth Needleman, discuss the pioneering and significant role of African-American steelworkers in building interracial, democratic trade unionism, and presented to us one of those remarkable men, Jonathan Comer, who spoke of his very real experience - right there in our own Chris Moore Parlor! I did not believe this standard could be equaled, but when I returned the following Sunday, I heard a passionate lawyer this time, talking about a Police Accountability Project he started, with the help of about 20 law students at the University of Chicago, in the Stateway Gardens housing project, including winning a $500,000 settlement of a law suit. I shouldn't have been surprised at the standard and quality of the experience, because I had a similar one in January when I heard a Kenyan Anthropologist/Archeologist talk about his research and findings about the interconnection of trade, colonialism and ivory mining on the ecology of East Africa.

A long-time member mentioned to me after one of these Forums that we should produce major publicity for these events in order to attract more people from outside of ourselves. Why don't we start by bringing our friends and work colleagues? Kudos and my personal gratitude to all the members of the First Forum Committee, headed by Richard Pardo

At the February Board meeting, we received and discussed a recommendation on Fenn House from the Property Committee, we approved charges for the Stewardship Team (Committee), the Choir Director Planning and Search Committee and the recently formed Management Consulting Task Force, which acts as an advisory and consultative body to the Ministers and Church Administrator. We also heard a rather positive end of quarter report from the Treasurer and an update on our endowment funds.

At the beginning of our Board meeting we each shared one new thing that we had learned or experienced in the past month. It was fascinating and heartening to hear all that was shared. It made me fully realize that no matter what our age or stage of development, we are still capable of learning and doing new things. May this be a source of inspiration to us as we work together during our worship service on March 21 to envision the future of the First Unitarian Society of Chicago.

In peace, love and hope,
Grace

Reading Workshop
Bernie Frieden, long time member, is facilitating a three-week workshop at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, March 11, 17 and 25, to train parents and teachers in a new way of teaching reading 2-4 times faster and more easily. For information call the Club at 773-643-4062 or Bernie.

Among Us

Our deepest sympathy to Stephen Stern and family on the death of Stephen's step-father.
Our deepest sympathy to Reesey Walton on the death of her brother.
Warm get well wishes to: Linn Orear, recovering from surgery; Katari Coleman-Daniels, soon to undergo surgery: Alice Hayes, recovering after brief hospitalization; Michael Donner, still, as of this writing, at Warren Barr Pavillion.
We continue to hold Devon Moss and his family in our hearts as Devon serves in Iraq. We hope for his speedy and safe return later this spring. Devon has sent an email note expressing his hopes of being home in May and asks that we send his regards to the congregation.
Congratulations to Betty Wentzel on the birth of her granddaughter Gillian, born January 18 to Luther and Sondra Wentzel.
Thanks to Margaret and Tom Huyck for their donations to the Nursery for our babies and toddlers. Also, thanks to Aneesah Ali for her donation of chairs for use in the Church Office.

Dick Snow Honored
The Chicago Area Boy Scouts of America recognized Dick Snow for his work with Sea Scouts at the Chicago Area Annual Recognition Dinner, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004. This is what they wrote in the dinner program:

Having only spent a small amount of time as a Scout himself, Dick found himself rejoining Scouting when his daughter joined the local Sea Scout Ship. When the original skipper of Sea Scout Ship 5211 left and Dick assumed his role, he knew right away that he needed training if he was to make this a great experience for the kids. He attended Sea Badge shortly after assuming the role and sought out the aid and assistance of Sea Scout Commodore Stein. Gradually, Dick learned about the advancement program and other aspects of a Sea Scout Ship. Today, Dick finds himself recruiting youth from the inner city neighborhoods to provide them with the same experience and love of sailing that his own children experienced. Thanks to his dedication, hundreds of young people have learned to sail and lead.

A Personal Note from Nina:
I recently received notice of the death, February 22, of the Rev. Dr. Nathanial Lauriat. Nat Lauriat was my first minister, at the Unitarian Society of Hartford, CT, where I was a member from 1965-72. Later I became his colleague, and saw him often through the years at the Greenfield Group. I am joined by many ministers and lay Unitarian Universalists who will miss him. The UUA notice reported that Dr. Lauriat was born March 22, 1922 in Newton, Massachusetts. He received an A.B. from Harvard University and a B.D and D.D from Meadville Lombard Theological School. He received Preliminary Fellowship on June 21, 1945 and was ordained January 24, 1946 by the First Unitarian Church of San Jose, CA. Dr. Lauriat served congregations in San Jose, CA; Northampton, MA; Lancaster, PA; Hartford, CT; and Sun City, AZ. The Unitarian Society of Hartford, CT named him Minister Emeritus in 1987. Following his retirement in 1995, the Unitarian Universalist Church in Surprise, AZ (formerly the UU Church of the Sun Cities) also named him Minister Emeritus. He was formerly a member of the UUA Board of Trustees, and served on the Annual Program Fund Continental Congress, a Board Appointed Committee. Nat came to Meadville/Lombard to be Minister in Residence in recent years and when he was here, he preached in our pulpit.

Note Cards For Sale
Note cards, featuring four attractive photos of First Unitarian Church, are available for sale after service each Sunday as a fund raising effort for the capital campaign. Cards are packaged 16 to a set (four of each of four photos) with envelopes. These will sell at $15 for a pack of 16 cards. Please make checks payable to First Unitarian Society of Chicago and indicate "note card sale" on the memo line of the check. In the spirit of Chicago, "Buy early and buy often!"

Report from the Social Justice Council
By Dr. Finley C. Campbell, Chair

Since much of the main reports about our social justice work here at First U is being handled by our task force leaders, I can just be content to give highlights. For example, I, along with Richard Jenifer and Raffaella Pretini, attended the Advocate Health meeting with their thirds in command: it was an interesting demonstration of what I call neo-racism in action. At our last Social Justice Council meeting, we discussed our "dream" budget, as inspired by Cindy Pardo, our new Stewardship chair. Rev. Grey pointed out that we may have gotten somewhat carried away in that there was to more reality to our dreaming than we had thought. Still, we enjoyed the activity and it has stimulated us to think more ambitiously about our SJ work at the church. In a future column I will share some of our dreaming. P. S. We did submit a more realistic budget along with our dreams.

Racial Justice Task Force
By Raffella Pretini

The RJTF has worked this past month mostly on two projects: the Social Justice Special Project with Companions Journeying Together and the issue of the Advocate Health Clinic closure in Hyde Park.

On Sunday February 15th we took a special collection for Companions Journeying Together, which went very well: $547 was collected! Thanks to everybody for the generous contribution! We are also planning to conclude our collection of books for Aunt Mary's Storybook Project in the last week of February.

On Thursday February 19th we met with some representatives from Advocate Health at the Clinic's new location. Richard Jenifer, Finley Campbell and Raffaella Pretini met with Pamala Smith, Operations Director, Sara Moser, Vice President of Business Development, and a physician from the clinic, Doctor Rayner. The purpose of the meeting was: 1) to discuss the letter we sent to the clinic, in which we expressed our concerns about the closure as a case of "neo-racism", since the clientele recently became increasingly African American working class, 2) to fix the date for a Community Forum to allow the Clinic to explain the reasons for the closure. The official explanation for the closure was a financial problem connected with the increasing cost of lawsuits for malpractice and with the decreasing number of patients in the Hyde Park area. After some questions the three representatives admitted that the problem wasn't a general decreasing but the decreasing of middle-class patients, revealing that we are confronting a class-related issue. Finley argued that this wasn't at all the official explanation given to the community at the time of the closure, and that this point makes a community forum even more necessary. We also asked for an explanation of the study by the union, SEIU, which accused Advocate Health of double charging for uninsured patients. They responded that the union is lying and that it is also trying to "unionise" the company. Richard asked several questions about the Corporation's behavior and made comments about their usual lack of communication with the public. The representatives showed that the company is reluctant to concede a community forum, even if we didn't have an official refusal and we still hope that the forum will take place.

Environmental Task Force
By Ellen LaRue

The Environmental Task Force reminds everyone to bring us used-up household batteries (meaning no car batteries) for ecologically sound disposal. Why? To keep toxic metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury out of the landfills where they can decompose and leach into the groundwater. Bring the batteries any Sunday.

The Working Bikes sale is postponed because its date was in conflict with the all-church vision and covenant workshop of April 17. Please come to the workshop. We will come back with another date for the bike sale. We are sponsoring a First Forum on March 21: Recycling in Chicago, Realities and Possibilities. The speakers will be Karen Freel and Anthony Star, both Hyde Parkers who are board members of the Chicago Recycling Coalition. Please come to listen, question, and exchange views and ideas. Contact: Ellen LaRue.

Charlotte Lackner Anti-Racism Committee
By Pat Lucas
This Committee has been actively monitoring the music included in the Sunday services and providing feedback to the Worship and Music Committee. We feel this has resulted in more diversity in the music used during services. Additional information will be provided to the Worship and Music Committee on the works of black composers who have written classical compositions which would be appropriate for preludes and postludes. Members also suggested that the nationality of the composers of all selections be listed in the Order of Service to increase the awareness of the congregation as to the artist's cultural origins.

The Committee is also actively pursuing its previous suggestion that African-American ministers be invited to speak at our Sunday services. Such ministers might be able to fill in during times when the Senior Minister is unavailable or on vacation, perhaps this summer, as well as at other times.

The sixth and last of the Committee's Dialogue Circles was held February 11, 2004. The topic was "How to Be Intentionally Anti-Racist Inside the Church." The co-leaders were Finley Campbell and Phiefer Browne. Each participant related personal experiences and explained how they responded to situations where race was an issue, within or outside the church, and Finley presented the group with a number of scenarios to which group members responded. The discussion was interesting as each person presented their own unique perspective on the issues raised.

The Dialogue Circle series included themes which focused on how to become more intentional about advancing the work of anti-racism in the church and becoming more aware of how our personal experiences with racism have affected us. The Committee will be discussing setting up such groups for the participation of the whole congregation. Your views on this would be appreciated. Please feel free to talk to any of the members or the co-chairpersons, Ellen LaRue or Frieda Stillerman, or leave a note in the CLARC mailbox in the office.

Task Force on Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth for Job Placement
By Dick Snow

Rather than start a new program, the group has decided to work with the job mentoring program of the Blue Gargoyle, which is located in the University Church next door. We met with that program's director, Louveria Burks and the director of the Blue Gargoyle, Paul Sakol. Present from the Church were Dick Snow, S. Jane Kiser, Aneesah Ali, and Veronica Jennifer.

The Blue Gargoyle program is associated with its Youth Connection Charter School, which is helping 112 youth finish high school. 50 of these are being helped to find jobs. The jobs program is funded by federal grants and the Mayor's Office of Work Force Development. The program could use help from church members to find opportunities to network with businesses. A number of such opportunities have already been brought to light.

We will meet again next Sunday Feb 29 at 11:30 with Ms. Burks to discuss further ways we can help. If you are interested, please attend.

Companions Journeying Together
By Allan Lindrup
Co-Chair, Racial Justice Task Force

Companions Journeying Together, which helps incarcerated women maintain their family relationships, particularly with their children, is the Social Justice Council's Special Project for the 2003-2004 church year. Members of the SJC and the Racial Justice Task Force, which originally proposed the organization to be the Special Project for this church year, want to thank members and friends of First Unitarian Church of Chicago for contributing $547 to Companions Journeying Together during a Special Collection on Feb. 15, 2004. By that date members and friends of the church had contributed 22 books for the Aunt Mary Storybook Project, which was introduced to the congregation in January. Those books are expected to be transferred to Companions Journeying Together around the last weekend of February. Books not received by Allan Lindrup, who is coordinating the book contributions, by mid February, will be collected for a subsequent, supplemental book transfer.

Black Steelworkers' Presentation
By Jane Kiser

A full house turned out to hear a presentation by Dr. Ruth Needleman and retired Steelworkers' organizer Jonathan Comer on "Black Freedom Fighters in Steel," the story of how African American steelworkers became a force in the steelworkers' union and helped change an industry's policies on racial discrimination. Dr. Needleman's latest book, Black Freedom Fighters in Steel, profiled five African American veterans of the Steelworkers Union in the Gary-Chicago area, including Jonathan Comer.

Comer described his early life in Alabama's plantation country, and how his life changed when he entered the US Army in WWII. As a returning veteran, he entered the steel industry in Gary, where he encountered the discriminatory practices of the company. Because he complained so much about conditions, the union noted that he was a fighter, and soon made him a union steward. Brother Comer held virtually every office in his local union and eventually became a member of the International Union staff, serving on its Civil Rights Committee and later, as the USWA representative in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Brother Comer was one of a group of militant steelworkers who protested discriminatory conditions within the union itself. The Ad Hoc Committee went on to win many gains within the Steel Union including appointment of its first African American Vice President, Leon Lynch.

Audience members commented on the role that African American trade unions played in the development of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, the role of Marcus Garvey's UNIA movement and contemporary economic problems facing steelworkers and other unionists. Others noted that our First Forum was the only Black History Month event they attended that featured trade unionists.

The Labor Task Force of the Social Justice Committee was happy to organize this First Forum, and hopes to do more work in the future. Many First UU members have trade union backgrounds and were gratified to see this part of their lives honored. The Labor Task Force meets on the Second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM (usually at the Medici). It will meet on the Third Tuesday in March as the result of scheduling problems. For more information, please contact Jane Kiser, sjkiser@iun.edu .

Social Justice Programs
By Margaret Huyck

At the First Forum on Sunday, January 25, Kate Lore provided an inspiring view of how to create social justice programs that enhance membership and lead to significant social change. Ms Lore is the full-time, paid Director of Social Justice at First Unitarian Church in Portland, Oregon; she is also in the MRP (Modified Residency Program) for ministry at Meadville/Lombard. Her position is supported by the Veach Foundation as part of their commitment to social justice programming in urban UU churches.

The primary goal of social justice programs at her church is “To inspire, educate, and mobilize our members to work for social justice.” She pointed out that strong social justice programs can provide for four types of engagement: 1) hands-on activities, 2) education, 3) community activities, and 4) systemic change. (Veach is primarily interested in funding systemic change projects, like voter registration and education of legislators.) All the programs at her church are run with the common agreement that social justice work must be done in love. This translates into “ground rules”: 1) count all voices, 2) listen to hear, 3) leave your baggage at the door, 4) no “cheap shots”, and 5) look for the light in one another. Lore also provided some things to avoid: Don't: 1) let a small group of people set the social justice agenda, 2) be judgmental, 3) say you are working through the church when you are not, and -- most important -- 4) Don't give up!

Effective social justice programs usually work in coalitions, demonstrating that they value their partners by 1) inviting them to use space in the church, 2) inviting them to bring guests and materials from their organization when special events are planned; 3) notifying bookstores that if they have an author with a new book on a social justice issue of primary importance to the church that they could have space and time for a presentation, book signing and book selling at the church; and 4) video/ audiotaping special social justice sessions and put on public access TV or public radio. All of these activities bring the church into the awareness of different audiences; some of these find that they “belong” at the church.

Considering Membership
By Rev. Nina Grey

Individuals and families join our church for many reasons. They may have been coming for awhile and realize that this feels like their religious/spiritual home, a community that welcomes and accepts them as they are, and helps them grow. They may have attended Orientation sessions and discovered they resonated with Unitarian Universalism and our church. They may believe that this is a community where their children can thrive and learn life-affirming values and explore their evolving beliefs in an atmosphere of freedom.

Many love our commitment to a pluralistic vision, the inclusivity expressed in our Sunday morning worship. They have become more involved over time and want to further strengthen their sense of connection. They want to give back to the community out of a realization that they are receiving much. They want to become more responsible for the shaping of the life of the congregation.

Some realize that their children or whole family have developed strong ties with individuals and the community and they make want to deepen those ties. They feel a deep and abiding commitment to our principles and values and want to join with us in living these out more fully. They want to be an essential part of a congregation like ours which cherishes diversity, seeks to create beloved community and make a difference in the world.

For these and other reasons, people come to a decision and inquire about joining the church. They then may visit with one of the ministers, talk about their reasons for joining, and learn even more about what membership means. They come to know that to become a member, you sign the Membership Book. To be a Voting Member, you wait 90 days after signing the book, and you also offer an identifiable contribution of a minimum of $50.00 in the preceding year.

Membership qualifies you to serve as a leader of various committees and councils and the Board of Trustees. Some of those leadership positions are appointed volunteer positions and some are elected ones. Membership means that you can also be chosen to be a delegate to a District or General Assembly.

We encourage members to involve themselves in church life in ways that help them grow, feed their spirit, and respect their life rhythms and needs. We encourage them to give financially in ways they feel good about, which are also respectful of their life needs.

We invite you to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and our church. If you haven't yet participated in an Orientation program, we hope you will come our New UU Orientation program, March 12, 19, 26 and April 2. We welcome your participation in the life of our congregation. We invite you to consider joining the church. To join the church, for more information, or if you have a question, please call one of our ministers, Rev. Nina Grey or Rev. Millie Rochester. You may also want to speak with a member of the Membership Committee. The chair of the committee is Betty Holcomb. New Members will be welcomed in a ceremony of Ingathering at our Sunday service on April 11, 2004.

Accomplishing church-related tasks at First Unitarian
By Rick Brown, Church Administrator

Attention chairs of Councils, Task Forces, Committees and other Groups. Following is a list of procedures to help make your life easier:

To Arrange Announcements:

-For the weekly Order of Service (deadline: 5 p.m. Thursdays) – Fill out a form in the church office and leave it in the administrator's box in the mail center. Or email the church administrator at office@firstuchicago.org, including all pertinent information (who, what, when, where, why, how and how much). Include telephone contact information, in case of questions.

For the announcements given verbally from the Sanctuary lectern by the Worship Associate during services (deadline: 9:30 a.m. Sundays) –Leave the text of the announcement in the WorshipAssociate Announcements folder in the Church Office. Or, on Sundays, leave the text of the announcement on the lectern in the Sanctuary.

For First Unitarian News, the church newsletter (deadline: 15th of the month) – Leave the text of the announcement in the newsletter box in the mail center. Or email the editor Tom Huyck at tomhuyck@yahoo.com.

Church Calendar: Making sure your event is on the church calendar helps us avoid conflicts. We would like to include all meetings of councils, task forces, committees and other church groups on the church calendar, as well as all events that are sponsored by these organizations, whether they occur in our buildings or not. To place a church organization-sponsored event on the calendar – Fill out a form in the church office, providing all pertinent information, and leave it in the church administrator's box. Or email the church administrator at office@firstuchicago.org, providing a contact telephone number, date, time, preferred room, expected number attending, any set up instructions, and frequency of event (if appropriate; example: 1st Fridays).

Financial Matters: To submit a check request for reimbursement of expenses – Check request forms are kept in the top wall pocket of the Church Financial Center, which is located in the church office immediately to the right of the door leading to the administrator's office. Simply fill out a form, attach all supporting receipts, and place them in the second wall pocket, which is labeled Submit Check Requests Here.

Use of Tax Exempt letters when purchasing items for church use is mandatory to save us from paying sales tax. Copies of the letter also are easily available in the Church Financial Center – in the third wall pocket. In addition, the church office would like to assist all church groups keep track of their membership. To help us update our files, we invite all chairs or co-chairs to contact us with membership lists and any changes in leadership that may have occurred.

Group leaders also are encouraged to call on the Church Office for a variety of services, including sending meeting reminders, agendas or minutes by mail or e-mail. In addition we can also copy and distribute documents in advance of your meetings. Please call Administrator Rick Brown at (773) 324-4100, or email him at office@firstuchicago.org, to schedule your task.

The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal
By Gloria Gnatz
Mumia Abu-Jamal is still in prison in solitary confinement although he is not scheduled for execution at this time since a judge's decision released him from that. He has been imprisoned for approximately 20 years without having a fair trial. Someone has admitted to killing the men he is accused of killing, but he has been refused a hearing by the judge on the case. His physical health is said still to be alarming due to an ankle which continues swollen and darkened and the cause is still unknown. His request for a visit from a doctor outside the prison system has been refused. Also, his request to receive raw garlic has been denied. Please continue to send garlic to the prison as a symbolic protest. and call the prison requesting that Mumia be allowed to take garlic for the swelling and have visits by a doctor of his choice. SCI prison phone is (724) 852-2902. For more information about the Mumia case, contact Gloria Gnatz.

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