May, 2004
Rev. Grey's column, "Both Sides," is available here.
In the Interim
By Rev. Millie Rochester, Interim Minister for Religious Education
"The one constant in life is change." It's such a common adage that it's trite. The very reason the phrase is so common is that it is so very true, pervading all of life. Nothing stays the same over time, whether or not we are intentional about - or even conscious of - the process.
Maybe it is because so much of life is characterized by change that we find the familiar so comforting. Seeing the same faces, being part of the same routine, just knowing what to expect are all important in that regard. I have noticed in myself an evolution in comfort level, as I have gotten to know First Church members and friends over this church year. And still, we welcome newcomers whose very presence changes and enriches the landscape. We are, in effect, welcoming change, with open arms!
Sometimes change occurs in deliberate ways. The shift last year to the Way Cool Sunday School model of religious education is an example: incorporating monthly multigenerational worship into the life of the congregation, and moving to an activity-based system of Sunday morning programming for children from first through sixth grades. By formatting the structure through a combination of curricula, social justice concerns, and the arts, adult volunteers have facilitated sessions usually once a month and have forged connections with the subject matter and with our young people. Over the course of many months, relationships have had a chance to develop between the generations. From a week-to-week perspective, though, connections are much more tenuous, and family attendance at multigenerational worship services is low.
These are issues that the RE Council is wrestling with now, especially as congregational evaluations of the Religious Education Program have revealed some desire for change in the format of Way Cool Sunday School. I welcome the opportunity to embrace those aspects of Way Cool Sunday School that encourage a culture of whole-church enthusiasm. That happens in a multitude of ways - through whole-church worship and social activities, through life span intellectual and spiritual growth, through caring for one another. Will that mean we will continue monthly multi-generational worship? Whether we do or not, First Church will remain one multi-generational community. Social action will continue to be a driving force of religious education. And most essential, adults will be a presence - I hope a consistent one - in the lives of our young people. I look forward to planning for another year with you during the next stage of transition to a settled professional religious educator, and welcome your comments and observations.
Faithfully,
Millie
Bylaw Amendments to be Voted On at Annual Meeting
Bylaw amendments to be voted on at the Church’s Annual Meeting on May 16 increase from $50 to $100 the minimum annual contribution required for voting membership, and provide that the immediate past president of the congregation co-chair the Committee on Congregational Participation.
Time to Schedule Next Year’s Events!
To all council and committee chairs:
The Program Council will hold its annual calendaring on Friday evening June 6. Please make sure you discuss next year's events at your May meetings. Someone from your committee will need to come to the church on the 6th to place your events on the master calendar. A lunch will be provided. Any conflicts will be worked out by the Program Council.
Among Us
Our warm get well wishes to Gloria Gnatz who is recovering at home.
Michael Donner welcomes visits, cards and calls at: Hartwell House, 5420
N. Paulina St., Chicago, IL 60640, 773-275-2400 and ask for Michael.
We continue to keep Devon and Tinessa Moss and their children in our
minds and hearts.
On Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004, we welcomed the following new members: Wiley
Sherer, Cheryl Wegner, Maria Anderson, Lee Barker, Kris Barker, Michael Grosse,
Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Melody Geraci, Sharon Sheridan and Erica Kees.
On April 20, Dolores Cross also signed our Membership Book.
Congratulations to David Mosby, Evelyn Johnson’s son, and
his wife Elodie on the birth of their son, Malcolm André Daryl
Mosby.
Teachers Needed
Preschool/Kindergarten teachers are needed for four Sundays this spring - May 9th, May 23rd and May 30th - as we are shorthanded. Please talk with Rev. Millie if you are interested in helping. Our youngsters are learning about the diversity of our human family through the Unitarian Universalist curriculum We Are Many, We Are One. Teens are more than welcome to participate
Board TalkAs I write this, I am making final preparations for my employer's annual five-day conference in Washington, DC. The preparation and upcoming conference has the same quality of intensity, excitement and anticipation that we have been experiencing at First Church over the past few months:
• We have been fully engaged in Claiming our Future, our mission, vision work -- just last Saturday, April 17, we completed another vital stage in the process from which the Task Force will craft a statement for our feedback
• Our Stewardship Campaign is progressing wonderfully, with the impetus of another challenge grant.
• We are in the process of searching for a permanent Music Director.
• Our May 16 Annual Meeting promises to be an exciting one - featuring a likely vote on our new Mission Statement.
As usual, your Board of Trustees has been busy. At the April 15 meeting, among other items, we discussed and approved a process for evaluation of our Senior Minister, which will take place this church year; we received a report on the 6-month Evaluation of the Interim Minister for Religious Education, required by the UUA; we heard the results of an evaluation of the R.E. program; and were updated on the progress of the Stewardship Campaign and Bell Tower Restoration Capital Campaign.
Our church feels alive and well - the blooming flowers in our garden reflect our state of being. May we continue to be so!
I wish you a delightful spring.
In faith, hope and love,
Grace
Annual Stewardship Pledge Update
By Cindy Pardo
Chair, Stewardship Pledge Campaign
Although the Board of Trustees will have met and begun making decisions about the 2004-05 budget by the time time you read this, the pledge campaign continues. If we have missed contacting you directly, if you have not yet received a pledge card, if you have forgotten, been out of town, or are waiting for a quarterly report from your investments...now is the time to finish this work. We have an outstanding $20,000 pledge challenge which, as of this writing, has not been met yet. It will be a serious detriment to our church life if we do not meet this challenge. Whatever we raise during this pledge campaign is what we have to run the church with next year. If you have not made a pledge or special gift, please do so now. This church can be whatever we want it to be. Help to make our vision real!
CLAIMING OUR FUTURE
By Diana Gray
The Task Force shared the compiled results of the March 21 Vision Worship Service with 32 participants at a Saturday morning workshop on April 17. The purpose of the workshop was to consider the question: If this is our vision where does this lead us in mission? The mission statement articulates how a congregation perceives its programs and activities in relationship to the surrounding community to fulfill its vision. The vision of the congregation informs the mission statement. Dr. Angela Merkert UUA Central Midwest District Congregational Services Director led this effort, first reviewing the common themes resulting from the March 21 event. Then she asked workshop participants, working in groups of two, then four, and then eight, to create a shared mission statement reflecting what we do in the context of the wider community.
The Task Force is currently using both the March 21 results and the mission statements from the April 17 workshop to develop the language for a shared vision statement and mission statement. The Task Force will mail these draft statements to the entire congregation for their editing and comment. It plans to present a final version of these statements for congregational vote at the Annual Meeting May 16.
What’s happening in May ...
Sunday, May 2 - First Forum: Reflections on the Death Penalty
A book Review and discussion of Scott Turow’s book, Ultimate Punishment: A Lawyer's Reflections on Dealing with the Death Penalty, will be led by Bob Davidow at the First Forum following the service on Sunday, May 2. Bob will introduce the book and the topic with a short introduction and then lead a general discussion on the death penalty and its many effects on all of us.
Sunday, May 9 - First Forum: Transcendentalism as a Religious Movement
Our speaker at the First Forum following the service on Sunday, May 9 is Rev Dr. Dean Grodzins, Assistant Professor of History, Meadville Lombard Theological School. Transcendentalism is based on the belief that knowledge is not limited to and solely derived from experience and observation but can be deduced from reason. In the United States, Transcendentalism became both a philosophy and a religious and social movement, beginning with the Unitarians in New England. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the leading American Transcendentalist. He and his followers believed that human beings find truth within themselves and that knowledge of God could be gained through reason. Other influential Transcendentalists included Henry David Thoreau and Theodore Parker, pastor of a Unitarian church and a leading abolitionist in the 1850's.
Dean Grodzins came to Meadville Lombard in 2000. He has a doctorate in history from Harvard University where he taught history and literature. He is the editor of of the Journal of Unitarian Universalist History and the author of American Heretic: Theodore Parker and Transcendentalism.
RE Teachers Appreciation Breakfast
All Religious Education teachers are invited to a Breakfast in their honor! Please join us for the "RE Teacher's Appreciation Breakfast" on May 23rd at 8:30 a.m. (before services). It will be held downstairs in the Garden Room.
Sunday, May 16 - Church Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting of the congregation will be held after the service on Sunday, May 16. There will be an election of the president-elect, trustees, council members, council chairs, and a nominating committee, all to take office on July 1. The Claiming Our Future Task Force will present a mission statement for adoption. Reports from the various committees will be received, volunteers will be honored, and bylaw amendments will be voted on.
Sunday, May 23 - First Forum: Talking About Death and Dying
Led by Pat McClarence, Kim McIntyre, Lorie Rosenblum, and Don Scott. Four members of the First Church congregation will take up this difficult topic from the point of view of their professional expertise. All four deal with individuals and families facing terminal illness and death. Don Scott is a geriatric physician; Kim McIntyre is a hospice nurse; Pat McClarence and Lorie Rosenblum are both social workers, one in a clinic setting, one in a hospital. They are all committed to the idea that talking about dying is essential to the process of achieving a good death, and that good communication leads to good choices. In the fall we plan to revisit this topic from the perspective of clergy. Participants in this forum will have the opportunity to write down aspects of this topic they would like to see covered in the future.
Great Books
The Great Books Group will continue discussion of George Eliot's Middlemarch, Chapters 6-8, this month at 11:45 a.m. on the third Sunday, May 16th, in the RE Resource Room. For further information, contact Gloria Gnatz..
Coming in June ...Saturday, June 19 - ALL-CHURCH BANQUET
The planning committee is working hard on the all-church banquet! Please plan to attend Saturday evening June 19 at the church! We will be celebrating the end of the church year and a full program of work well-done -- especially the "Claiming Our Future Process."
Dinner will be catered. A talent show of church members and friends of all ages will showcase the many talents of our First U family. Contact Jim Proctor and Zarinah Ali about participating.
Beginning May 2 we will be asking you to reserve your place at the banquet so that we can begin to estimate how many people we will have. Tickets will go on sale May 16, the day of the annual church meeting, and must be purchased by June 6. (Tickets will cost $25 per person 16 years and older, $20 per person 10-15 years old, children under 10 free, with a maximum family cost of $70 per family -- i.e., two adults and children under 16.) Please contribute extra money if possible so that we can make complimentary tickets available for the ministers to give to anyone who might need help with the expense.
Contact Bobbi Campbell for any questions.
Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6
SUMMER SPECTACULAR BOOKS AND MUSIC SALE
Stop! 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 in recent Junes and Octobers, 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, and much, much more.
Hours for the sale are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, and 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on Sunday, June 6. How can you help?
This is one of the scheduled church fundraisers. Don't miss this delightful way to get the books you want and get your friends to help balance the current budget!
For information or to volunteer, call or e-mail Joan Pederson, GeogJoan@aol.com, or leave word in the Property Committee box in the church office.
Report of the Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce its nominees for the elective offices of the First Unitarian Society of Chicago. Elections will take place during the Annual Meeting of the Society on Sunday, May 16, 2004. All terms begin July 1, 2004, and will continue through June 30 of the year specified for each position.Brief biographical information about each nominee follows. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Annual Meeting.
PRESIDENT: The President for the next year is Margaret Hellie Huyck, who was elected President-elect last year.
PRESIDENT-ELECT: Kenneth Schug (serves as President in 2005-2006)
BOARD OF TRUSTEES (three-year terms):
Kenneth Schug 2007
Diana Gray 2007
Pat MacClarence 2007
1st Alternate:
Hank Henriques 2005
Continuing Trustees: Betty V. Holcomb, Michael Rhum, Grace Williams (2005)
Margaret Hellie Huyck, Jim Proctor, Bette Sikes (2006)
COUNCILS
Program Council Chair and Second Alternate Trustee: Roberta Lammers-Campbell
2005
Social Justice Council Chair:
Finley C. Campbell 2005
Religious Education Council (three-year terms):
Melissa Harris-Lacewell 2007
David Puszkiewicz 2007
Dolores Rosenblum 2007
Paulette Dodson 2006 (filling unexpired term)
Continuing Members: Katari Coleman-Daniels (chair), Colleen Grogan, Anita Orlikoff (2005), Joan Pederson, Geza Gyuk (2006)
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: (T=past Trustee, I=incumbent)
Evelyn Johnson (T) 2005
Joanne Kent (I, T) 2005
Cynthia Oakes (T) 2005
Catherine Harth-Stern (I) 2005
Allan Stern (I, T) 2005
Respectfully submitted, 2004 Nominating Committee: Allen Harden, Joanne Kent, David Puszkiewicz, Allan Stern, Catherine Harth-Stern
CAUUC Annual Meeting
The Chicago Area Unitarian Universalist Council (CAUUC) will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, May 22, at Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield Ave in Chicago, beginning at 9:00 a.m. A presentation entitled “Wasn’t That a Time!” will be given by Rev. Dr. Gordon Gibson of Elkhart and CAUUC Chair Margaret Shaklee. They will present an interpretation of the state of civil rights in the south, then and now, based on Rev. Gibson’s recent “Southern Civil Rights Tour” for UU’s. There will be a special luncheon honoring Unsung UU’s. Contact Margaret Shaklee at mshaklee@UCEvanston.org
Report of the Social Justice Council
By Dr. Finley C. Campbell, Chair
Here is a roundup of some Council news for the congregation. On Sunday, April 18, Julie Neuman and I co-chaired a First Forum on the general idea of “Guilt: Responding to the Increasing Social Justice Needs.” There were some 15 people in attendance. This forum grew out of a letter sent to the SJC by Sister Neuman, a long time member of the church and the church's treasurer, concerning the many appeals she gets for help, both on the streets and from mail solicitations and her sense of guilt in not being able to respond effectively to these appeals. At the forum, we explored a wide variety of responses we could make, given our limited time and budgets, and three concrete suggestions emerged. In addition, we were given interesting insights on how money to some key charities, such as the American Cancer Society, are actually used. One controversial point was whether or not homeless people were forced onto the streets or preferred living on the streets.
Here are highlights from our April Council meeting, with updates:
Newsletter: Tom Huyck, speaking as Newsletter Editor, stated that, with the exception of the ministers and Board of Trustees President, reports need to report what is going on at the church, not personal opinions. Ellen suggested that opinion pieces be put out on the SJC table when it is up.
Special Collections: Julie Neuman provided written guidelines for future reference, which included some income and distribution account numbers.
Racial Justice Task Force: On Easter Sunday we will be collecting stamps, and money for stamps, for the Companions Journeying Together Mothers Day Project. The 140 packets First U. is contributing to the effort will be assembled on Sunday, April 18, beginning at 1 p.m., in the large RE room where the SJC meets. Joanne Kent is the coordinator for that assembly. The completed packets will be picked up from the church office during the following week and distributed to women in Illinois' prisons during the first eight days of May, along with thousands of packets assembled by other supports.
September 11 Study Group: Elvira reported that roughly $900 was raised at the April 4 fund raiser for Palestinian home rebuilding.
Environmental Task Force: The task force gathered signed letters, going to the U.S. EPA, commenting on that agency's proposed Regulations regarding mercury emissions. The sale of used, rehabilitated bikes has been deferred, due to insufficient folks to coordinate it.
Denominational Affairs: The Central Midwest District Annual Meeting will be held in Lisle, IL (next to Naperville) on Saturday, April 24. First Unitarian is looking for a new Denominational Affairs representative for 2004-2005. [Finley and Bobbi Lammers Campbell will be representing the SJC at this meeting. I am working on a study action resolution concerning making CMWD churches anti-imperialist churches similar to the way that we are anti-sexist and anti-racist ones.] There was discussion on how to best follow, act on and give input on the Study Action Issues (there is always one in the first year of the process and a second in the second year of the process). Rev. Grey suggested that this Council utilize one of its meetings, or part of a retreat, to review past Statements of Conscience early each church year, as they may help instruct some of our actions.
U.U.s for Social Justice: The spring quarterly meeting of the UUSJ Board, with a preceding workshop on War and the Economy, will be held at this church, in the Chris Moore Parlor, on Sunday May 23, from 2 to 5 p.m. .
HPK Interfaith Council: Rev. Grey informed us that she would not be continuing as President of the Interfaith Council after the end of her current term in June. The Interfaith Council's annual meeting will be held on Tuesday eve, June 15.
The Social Justice Council's special collection for Sunday, April 18th, raised $300 for the Urban Ministry of the UUA, in honor of Whitney Young, the brother of our late, beloved member, Arnita Boswell.
Upcoming Activities for the month of May:
- Social Justice Council Meeting: Thursday, May 13, 2004, 7:15pm, RE Classroom
- Nine/Eleven Study-Action Group meeting: Sunday, May 2, 2004, 6:30 pm, at the
home of Elvira Pelleterri.
Interested in checking out socio-politically relevant movies; e.g., The Passion of the Christ or In America, for evaluation and recommendation? Give a call. By the way, as a counterpoint to the neo-racist and fraudulent depiction of the Jesus story in the Passion of Christ, I heartily recommend the film, now out on video, The Gospel According to John.
Remember: the Social Justice Council is open to suggestions and proposals for actions or just contemplation from members and friends of the First U Congregation. Come to our next meeting and share your concerns or proposals.
Environmental Task Force
By Ellen LaRue
Green Corner: The other Thursday night as several of us were leaving the Social Justice Council Meeting, Allan Lindrup went to discard his aluminum pop-can at the recycling waste containers in the hall by the office. Looking for the correct container, he and the rest of us read through all the labels. Well gosh, there was no container labeled Aluminum. There was a considerable bit of clucking and tsk-tsking. So the pop-can would have to go into the container labeled Garbage (gasp). And in that container were already three other aluminum pop-cans. That was too much. Allan, confirmed environmentalist, dug them out and handed them (and his) to me. Having no environmentally responsible place to dispose of them, I took them home. I take this as a sign. Apparently it's time to tighten up our recycling set-up here at church -- available containers, easy-to-read labels, you name it! Complaints and suggestions will be useful and cheerfully received.
On April 22, Pat Lucas attended an official meeting of PepsiAmericas and presented a proposal dealing with recycling on behalf of the Domini Social Investment Fund and the UUA as well as First Church. Her appearance was subsequent to a request from Jim Gunning of the UUA for a member of First Church to attend since the meeting was being held in Chicago. Domini Social Investments manages over $1.8 billion for investors who wish to incorporate social and environmental factors into their investment decisions. The UUA Committee on Socially Responsible Investment works with this and other institutional investors who are members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.
The Fund, the ICCR, and the UUA are concerned that the majority of Pepsi's beverage containers are thrown away instead of being recycled. The proposal stems from the belief that all soft drink companies have an obligation to adopt recycling strategies that include efforts to boost container recovery rates. In countries and US states that require a deposit on beverage containers, the recovery rate is 70% as opposed to the US average recovery rate for plastic bottles of 35%. The resolution to be voted on by shareholders asked PepsiAmericas to consider this issue and to report to shareholders on what the company believes would be an acceptable recycling rate goal for beverage containers, as well as how the company is helping to achieve that goal. Not surprisingly, the proposal failed to pass but the vote totals were not provided.
Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project
By Allan Lindrup
The first Annual Meeting of the Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project will be held on Monday, May 24, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, 4945 S. Dorchester Ave. There will be a 90 minute presentation on the history of homelessness in Chicago by HPTHP's case manager, A. Anne Holcomb, followed by a half hour business meeting. All are welcome to attend.
The Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project has been approved for 501(c)(3) status by the IRS! Hereafter, contributions should be made payable to “Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project”, or “HPTHP”. HPTHP gives its hearty thanks to Protestants for the Common Good for serving as its fiscal agent from October 2002 to the present, enabling contributions to be tax deductible. The new 501(c)(3) status will allow the HPTHP to seek support from area businesses, foundations, and other sources that we could not approach previously, which may help us to expand the project to a second family.
Charlotte Lackner Anti-Racism Committee
By Pat Lucas
At the April meeting, Veronica Jenifer reported that the Art Committee has raised $1600 to pursue its objective of having pictures of all the previous ministers framed and displayed in the church. This is part of our effort to assure our church reflects our cultural and racial diversity.
The members discussed the development of a calendar of notable dates in African-American history to assure recognition of important events as part of our worship services. This grew out of concern that Black History Month passed without an African-American speaker being invited to participate in the church's service and that other important dates are not brought to the attention of the senior minister in time for her to incorporate them into her sermons. One of these notable dates is May 17, 2004 which marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark decision in Brown v. the Board of Education. In this case, the Supreme Court banned segregation in public schools by a vote of 9 to 0 and declared there was no such thing as "separate but equal." Tim Black will address the effect of WWII on changing attitudes about racism leading up to this decision and the current state of desegregation in education at the First Forum on June 6, 2004, also the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
If you have ideas, suggestions, or contributions regarding such a calendar or would like to work toward anti-racism in our church, please feel free to attend the Committee's meetings on the second Sunday of the month.
UUs for Social Justice Spring Quarterly Meeting
UUSJ will hold its spring quarterly meeting In Chris Moore Parlor on Sunday, May 23, at 2:00 p.m. The first hour will be a workshop titled "The War and the Economy". That will be followed by the Board meeting, which is open to all. For further information you may write to uusj@att.net.
Racial Justice Task Force Report
By Allan Lindrup, Co-Chair
We received a thank you note from Companions Journeying Together for the $547 raised for their operating expenses and projects during a February Special Collection. On April 18 members and friends of First Unitarian assembled 140 Mothers Day Packets, part of several thousands such packets that Companions Journeying Together distributes to women in downstate prisons and in Cook County Jail in early May, to help them write to children, mothers, grandmother, sisters and others on or around Mother's Day.
On the evening of April 9, seven members of the congregation gathered at the home of Finley Campbell to enjoy food, companionship and a discussion of Neo-Imperialism and Africa.
The task force would like to organize a community forum addressing the neo-racism and classism involved with Advocate Health Care's actions. As Advocate Health Care has declined to address the closing of their Hyde Park Health Clinic at a community forum, the forum hopes to look at Advocate's practices of aggressively overcharging and then suing the uninsured, while simultaneous fighting their workers' right to organize. As Advocate is a religious institution (Lutheran and United Church of Christ sponsored), we wonder how those practices are a reflection of God's will. We had hoped to have such a forum in May, but as the pieces have not come together yet, perhaps it will happen in June.
Welcome Suppers
The Membership Committee cordially invites new members and visitors who would
like to meet others interested in First Church to join us for a Welcome Supper.
Children are welcome! The next Welcome supper will be on Sunday evening, May
23 at the home of Betty Holcomb. Please contact Betty if you plan to attend,
at bvholcomb@att.net.