October, 2005
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Elsewhere you can find: Religious Education Report By Danielle Gerrior There is lots of activity in the children's religious education program these days, and lots of opportunities for you to get involved - whether or not you are or have a child or youth in the program. We are continuing our focus on social justice, this year choosing to center our attention on four pressing issues: hunger, human rights, the environment, and peace. We need volunteers to help with those Sundays as storytellers, snack preparers, arts and crafts leaders, and general help-outers. This is an easy and very rewarding way of getting to know our young people and helping out regular religious education volunteers. If you are interested, please sign up on the bulletin board in Pennington center. We now have a complete and fantabulous staff of classroom teachers and youth advisors, all of whom are off to a great start. We can still use more nursery volunteers to support Carolyn Sander, our experienced nursery aide. If you are interested in helping once a month (or more) in this capacity, please email, call, or talk to me in person. By the time you read this, our youth group will be up and running. Last year's advisors, R. Morgan Hamilton and John Porterfield, are joined this year by Finley Campbell. If you know of interested youth, please send them their way. Finally, our annual Halloween party will be at the church on October 29 at 6pm. Mark your calendars, and get out those costumes! Young Adult and Campus Ministry Group The new school year is here and we are pleased to announce the renaissance of our Young Adult and Campus Ministry group! Our innovative meetings will feature participatory worships, discussions, Soulful Sundown (music-based) services, and social outings welcome to the whole community! We'll be meeting at the church at 6PM every first and third Sunday. For more information about us or to find out how you can help, please speak with Rev. Grey or Scott Michael. Adult Religious Education Update The present members of the Adult Religious Education Committee, Phiefer Browne and Lorie Rosenblum, met in August and September with Rev. Nina Grey to schedule adult religious education courses and activities for the fall and spring. The committee is also preparing a brochure to be made available for all church members and friends. It will give a brief description of each course or activity, its meeting time and dates, and the reading material involved (if any). The following are the scheduled courses and activities (some of which are mentioned in more detail elsewhere in this newsletter) along with their leaders or facilitators: Great Books: Gloria Gnatz and Kennie James Nature of Racism: Finley Campbell First UU Church's Men's Group: Joe Harrington Healing Stories: Rev. Grey and Lorie Rosenblum 9-11 Discussion Group: Jim Proctor and Elvira Pellitteri. Also the Small Group Ministry Planning Group will be planning activities leading to the resumption of the Chalice Circles in February, 2006. Two Chalice Circles met in the winter-spring of 2004-2005 to discuss the relevance of the seven UU principles to participants' daily lives and the world at large. Understanding the World’s Religions, a 9-session UU course based on Huston Smith’s The World Religions, will be offered in the 2005-2006 church year. We will read Huston Smith’s The World Religions, and draw from other source material for additional depth. The class will meet once monthly, for two hours each session. Leader: Rev. Nina Grey. Sessions: Once monthly Sundays, from 7 to 9 p.m, beginning October 16. To express interest, or for more information, contact Rev. Nina or see the registration form on the Adult Religious Education brochure. Healing Stories. Lori Rosenblum and Rev. Nina Grey will co-lead an adult RE class, Healing Stories, in which participants will read and contemplate healing stories in literature and reflect on the power of telling, hearing, and contemplating stories in healing. The group will meet on Sundays, 7 to 9, beginning on October 9. See the Adult RE brochure to register and for more information.
By Joanne Kent "Come one, come all,” and let's discover what we're up to at the northwest corner of 57th and Woodlawn. On Sunday, October 9th, following the Worship Service, we have a golden opportunity to discover what each other is doing in the name of this or that committee! We are having a "Committee Fair," where various committees of the church will host/ess a table describing their particular area of interest/concern, perhaps providing a sign-up sheet where you can volunteer for a one-time activity to better acquaint yourselves with their work. And last, but not least, they will provide something tasty to snack on. Hope to see you there. Susan Scrimshaw Honored Susan Scrimshaw, Dean of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, was honored on September 24 by CommunityHealth, a volunteer-based health care clinic located on Chicago's near-west side, with the organization's Visionary Award. Susan is being recognized as "an individual who exemplifies through her compassion and service the importance of making quality health care available to those most in need throughout Chicago and its communities." Jazz at the First Please Remember! Don’t be Late! Get Your Pen and Circle this Date! DATE: Saturday October 08, 2005. EVENT: Jazz at the First entertainment Evening, and Silent Auction , featuring Michael Thorn and his Jazz Trio. PLACE: First Unitarian Church of Chicago, main sanctuary TIME: 5:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. Have You Purchased Your tickets yet? Tickets are $25.00 before Sunday, October 2, and $30.00 after October 2 or at the door. Note:(A ticket includes appetizers, a lite supper, desert, fantastic entertainment , Silent Auction, friendship and fun!) It’s the BEST Bargain IN TOWN! P.S. Remember to bring a friend, or two, or three. or four…! Looking forward to seeing YOU there. Great Books First Unitarian's Great Books Discussion Group begins a new series entitled "Parent and Child" on the Third Sunday in October, Oct. 16th, at 11:30 a.m. in the Religious Education Resource Room. Our first reading will be "The Continuing Silence of a Poet," by A.B. Yehoshua, who teaches comparative literature at Haifa University and is also a member of the Israeli Peace Movement. The Great Books group is open to visitors and/or prospective group members. Call Gloria Gnatz or Kennie James for further information. Social Justice By Ellen LaRue We have now had a glimpse of the two Americas. Many have asked, What can I do? People of our congregation have responded generously in two special collections, one for the Midwest Workers Association, and one for the relief for Katrina survivors. Another way our church is involved is working with MWA directly/hands-on. You can see what one of our members has been doing in Elvira Pellitteri's article on her work with the MWA, reaching across the gap between the two Americas. Meanwhile there remains the nagging question: Just what is the purpose of a socio-political-economic system anyway? And is ours organized to accomplish that purpose?
We remember Dr. Richard Jeffery Jones, physician, medical researcher, educator with the University of Chicago and Northwestern Memorial Hospital for 42 years, and long time member of our church, who died Tuesday, September 6th, at the age of 87. Dr. Jones was known for his early work on the dietary factors affecting atherosclerosis and later for his role as Director of Scientific Affairs at the American Medical Association, but he was forever proudest of his role as doctor and caregiver to his patients. Dick was born in 1918 in Cleveland, Ohio, to the children of East Indian missionaries, Edward and Francis Jeffery Jones. He spent most of his growing up years in Buffalo, NY, where his father held a position teaching psychology at the University of Buffalo. After graduating with a BA in physics from Oberlin College in Ohio, Dick went on for an M.A. in physiology and an MD degree at the University of Buffalo. Dick came to Chicago in 1944 where he spent a year before the war as an intern at the University of Chicago. He saw active duty with the navy, beginning late in 1944, as a medical officer and was part of the convoy of ships that entered Tokyo harbor at the end of World War II. In 1946, he came back to University of Chicago for his residency in internal medicine, with his new wife, attorney Helen Hart Jones. By 1950 he had joined the Department of Medicine faculty. During seventeen years with the University of Chicago, Dr. Jones conducted research into the dietary factors involved in atherosclerosis and cholesterol. For sixteen years he was the principal investigator in back-to-back grants from the US Public Health Service on cholesterol metabolism. All the while he saw patients in the University Hospitals and was one of the first to do cardiac catheterization at the U of C. He taught medical students both at the bedside and the classroom; and raised four children in Hyde Park. Dick left the University of Chicago in 1976 to take the position of Director of Scientific Affairs with the American Medical Association. In this position until 1983, he played an important role in the AMA’s formulation of public policy. While with the AMA, he saw patients at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital and maintained his clinical practice there until retirement in 1992. Even in retirement Dick kept himself up to date in medical advances and treatments. He maintained his medical license until his death and wrote columns for senior citizens in local newsletters. As one of his colleagues said of his career, he was an “old school” doctor who prided himself on his combination of medical wisdom and personal touch. Even after his professoring years were over, he thought of himself as a physician-educator. Dick and his wife Helen, who died in 2003, raised their children in our church, and the boys were members of the Chicago Children's Choir during the years Chris Moore was directing it. In the three years following Helen's death Dick served faithfully on our Membership Committee, and was a regular attendee at the Wednesday Soup Lunches which evolved into the Wednesday Unitarian lunches at Montgomery Place. While he was not a member of the Caring Committee, he was a comfort to many members of our church during times of illness. He was predeceased by his wife Helen, but is survived by his four children, Chris Jones, Ruth Backstrom, Jeff Jones, and Alexandrea Lyon, and nine grandchilren.
He was remembered in a Memorial Service at Montgomery Place on September 24, and in a Memorial Service in our sanctuary on September 24.
Radical Hospitality As a Spiritual Practice And Foundation for Welcoming and Growth [Workshop] will be held 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Saturday, October 15, at Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield [5900W] Chicago, IL. Hospitality is about much more than being friendly to visitors. It can be a path to spiritual depth as well as a way to turn your visitors into members. Join us to explore the concept of Radical Hospitality and learn about many aspects of growing, healthy congregations. Participants are encouraged to read the book, Radical Hospitality, By Fr. Daniel Homan and Lonni Collins Pratt in advance. Workshop created and led by Dori Davenport, CMwD Religious Educator & Growth Consultant Cost: $12.00 per person - includes lunch Questions - Email: DoriDuure@aol.com Violet Stark - In Memoriam Violet J. Stark, life-long Chicagoan, died on August 27, 2005, at Montgomery Place in Hyde Park. In the final days of her struggle with cancer, she was surrounded by loving family and friends from her church. She was 67. A 1959 graduate of the University of Chicago, Vi began her long career at the University of Chicago Hospitals as a ward clerk. Her Bachelor’s degree was in Education, so to prepare herself for an evolving career at the University of Chicago Hospitals, Vi took science courses at Roosevelt University. Subsequently she became the chief technician of two departments in turn. Her latter service as chief technician was in the Department of Nuclear Medicine where Vi worked very closely with Dr. Paul V. Harper, Dr. Katherine Lathrop, Dr. Robert Beck and others on their groundbreaking research on imaging. She is remembered by Dr. Chin Tu Chen, currently of that department, as an essential part of the research team. Vi loved to sing. A long-time member of the First Unitarian Church of Chicago, she sang with the church choir and served on the Caring Committee. She was honored by her church as the “choir librarian, for keeping our music library from falling into chaos and for knowing where everything is filed.” She sang for many years with the University of Chicago Chorus and the Grant Park Chorus. In recent years she sang with the Sacred Harp Chorus and the First Church Singers at Montgomery Place Vespers services. Vi was predeceased by her parents, Henning Stark and Violet Mote Stark. Vi was “Auntie Vi” to her college roommate and lifelong friend, Gloria Rauens’ two children, Debbie and John, and to her cousin Cleo Esser’s children, Mark and Scott. She also leaves her brothers, Kenneth Stark, of Arizona, and William Stark, of California. A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at the First Unitarian Church of Chicago, 5650 S. Woodlawn Ave., on October 2, at 4 p.m. Contributions may be made in Vi’s memory to the First Unitarian Church Music Fund.
By Cindy Pardo This year our Holiday fundraiser will be a Fair Trade Craft Fair. Instead of asking our members to craft items for sale, we will expand on the wonderful Guatemalan items we sold so successfully last year and include Fair Trade Items from many parts of the world. I will be attending a Fair Trade Symposium in Chicago to find new resources, but would love to have a few people work with me to select items for this event, as well as to make the rest of our plans. I believe selling Fair Trade items is a win-win proposition for us, and think the Hyde Park neighborhood is a natural for this type of event. If you are not sure what Fair Trade is, stop by the Coffee Table during social hour and ask. And plan on starting your holiday shopping at our Fair Trade Holiday Fair during the first weekend in December! It should be quite a show!
The Red Jacket Optional is the major benefit for the Chicago Children’s Choir. We can demonstrate the continual support of the First Unitarian Society for the Choir if we go in together on a “First Unitarian Society” table. If you are already planning on going to Red Jacket Optional, please co-ordinate your reservation through Carrie Hedges, the Church representative on the Chicago Children’s Choir Board. If you already make a substantial donation to the Choir, why not make it toward the Red Jacket Optional and enjoy a lovely evening with fellow Church supporters of the Choir? If you have put off making a donation to the Choir or attending Red Jacket Optional, why not do it this year? The Red Jacket Optional will be held on Monday, October 24, 2005, at the Chicago Cultural Center. A cocktail reception begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and award presentation. The concert will feature the internationally-acclaimed Concert Choir of the Chicago Children’s Choir. An ensemble table costs $3,000, that is, $300 per person. If we co-ordinate this as a group, rather than purchasing ticket individually, we will be listed in the program as the “First Unitarian Society.”
Our warmest wishes to Vivian Burns who is in the hospital. Our warmest wishes also to Herga Taylor, mother of Grace Williams, who is recovering after a fall and surgery. Our warm healing wishes go out to Robin Moir, wife of Jim Moir, a seminarian at Meadville/Lombard Theological School. A warm welcome to David Breeden, first year Meadville/Lombard student, who is teaching younger children in our RE program in a team with R. Morgan Hamilton and Ivan Lappin. Our delight that second year Meadville/Lombard student E. Scott Michael, who worshipped with us last year, will be a field education student minister with us for 2005-2006. Scott's ministry learning goals will be focusing primarily on our Young Adult and Campus Ministry. We are thankful to Bobbi Lammers Campbell for her leadership, as chair of the Membership Committee, in a renewal of the Young Adult and Campus Ministry program. We continue to hold the father of Rev. David Arksey in our thoughts. Rev. Nina Grey will be serving on a host committee for a special event to be held November 11, 2005, "Seven Decades in the Struggle for Human Rights -- The Tim Black Exhibition", co-sponsored by the Vivian G. Harsh Society, which focuses on preserving, making accessible, and publicizing the rich material holdings of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, housed at the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library. Our thanks to Joan Staples, Patti Stark, Richard Blough, Pat MacClarence, Evelyn Johnson, and others who regularly sing at the Unitarian Fellowship of Montgomery Place Vespers Service at 7:30 on the third Tuesday of each month, September through June. They comprise the First Unitarian Singers and you are invited to consider joining them. And thanks to Irene Vitullo who was the pianist at the September 20 service, and to Kelsey Harden who joined the Singers that evening. We hold in our thoughts Bernie Frieden and Michael Donner, and invite your calls and visits to them. Our deep condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Richard Jones, who died on September 6, 2005. Warm congratulations to Joe Harrington who has begun an M.A. program at Meadville/Lombard Theological School. And a special Happy 91st birthday to Florence Teegarden, long-time member who resides at Montgomery Place. Our warm appreciation to the Rev. Nan Hobart, who is teaching in our RE program this fall. Thank you to all who contributed to the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund. We raised more than $2,800.00. And thank you to all who are responding to the needs created by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and Hurricane Rita. Congratulations to new member and long-time church nursery caregiver, Carolyn Sander on her recent marriage. Check the October issue of Chicago magazine for a picture of Carrie Hedges and an article about her collection of Wizard of Oz memorabilia. Congratulations to Herga Taylor on the achievement of her 90th year of life. She was suitably feted and celebrated with the help of family and several friends of hers, daughter and granddaughters Grace, Kedda and Tiade Williams, from First Church, on August 13, for which she was most appreciative. Mrs. Taylor unfortunately suffered a fall and broke her hip on September 19. She's currently in Mercy Hospital. Calls, cards and visits are welcome.
Sunday Afternoon Concerts Music Director Michael Thorn presents a series of Sunday afternoon concerts in October. The concerts begin at 3:00 p.m. in the church sanctuary, and are free and open to the public. October 9 - Goran Ivanovic - Classical Guitar October 16 - The Whistlepigs - Old-time Fiddle and Banjo. Band Members: Genevieve Harrison, Fiddle; Smith Koester, Banjo; Andrew Gribble, Guitar. The Whistlepigs play old-time music from the Middle West featuring fiddle, banjo and guitar. While many musical styles fall under its label, old-time music can most easily be described as music with pre-radio origins. The Whistlepigs primarily play dance music that has traditionally accompanied square dancing and clogging and have entertained dancers and audiences throughout Chicago and St. Louis. October 23 - Michael Thorn - Original works for solo piano October 30 - Layni Katz with the Deane Myers Trio, performing songs from their new jazz album.
If you are a mature person with a range of life experiences, and would be willing to devote one to two hours a week, for most weeks of the year, for up to two years, to help a homeless family transition to economic independence, the Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project (HPTHP) would like to have you consider being a mentor. Please contact HPTHP for a complete mentor job description. You may phone 773-643-8061 or e-mail hpthp@att.net. Midwest Workers Assn. By Elvira Pellitteri Last spring the Social Justice Council voted to work with Midwest Workers Assn. as one of their ongoing projects. Since I am a teacher and have free time in the summer, I participated in a number of activities with MWA and got to know them rather well. MWA is an all-volunteer organization that works to provide a voice for the working poor. They are located on Halsted and 52nd St. They provide benefits to their members, but expect that members will participate in activities to improve conditions for workers. In other words, it is a self-help organization. Members are recruited in bi-weekly canvasses, and education is provided in meetings and weekly labor colleges to make members aware of poor conditions and ways in which they can help to change those conditions. A full-time volunteer cadre organizes the volunteers and the activities. MWA acknowledges that members cannot work and volunteer without basic needs, and therefore a number of benefits are provided to them. Food and clothing are solicited and distributed. Doctors and dentists volunteer time to provide wellness clinics and also see patients who are in need. Workshops on various legal issues are provided by lawyers, and legal assistance is given when needed. I have been very impressed by the work that the full-time volunteer staff does, organizing workshops, meetings and benefits, soliciting sponsors, food, clothing and volunteers to assist in all of their work. Now that I am back to school, I have less time available to volunteer at MWA; therefore, I would encourage any of you to call them to help out. There are so many ways that you can help: you can organize food and clothing drives, help out with festivities like the Halloween party for workers' children, the turkey distribution and the Christmas events; you can join in canvasses on Tuesdays and Saturdays, or accompany MWA volunteers at a literature table to recruit members and volunteers; you can attend their fascinating labor colleges on Sunday afternoons; you can become an advocate, accompanying members to the doctor or dentist or lawyer. One thing that you can all do is to request a calendar at a suggested donation of $20. - they have a beautiful 2006 calendar with original artwork that you can view at the Social Justice Council table on Sundays (or you can call me).
By Ken Schug I could hear a muffled gasp (including my own) when Rev. Rob Hardies, from All Soul’s Church in DC, first used the words “born again” in his sermon on Sunday June 24 at the UU General assembly in Fort Worth.. He soon followed with an account of James Reeb, the Unitarian minister bludgeoned to death in Selma in 1965, who started his career as a conservative Christian but was transformed, and, in his own words, “gave his life over to love” when he worked with destitute people in Philadelphia. Hardies then acknowledged that the phrase "born again" makes many religious liberals cringe and mentioned a bumper sticker that he had seen that read, "Born right the first time." "It's a good line," he said, but after further thought he decided it was at best naïve and at worst arrogant. And he was not entirely satisfied with the usual notion of being born again as a once in a lifetime event, quoting the poet e. e. cummings, who grew up in a Unitarian household, who once said, "we can never be born enough." This thought clearly led him to the title for the sermon (and this article). Later he pointed out that his church is named "All Souls." But, Hardies said, "can you imagine a church named 'Some Souls’?" The congregation laughed, but then Hardies continued: "Isn't that the de facto name of the dominant religions in America today?" Near the end of the sermon he exhorted us to preach the old Universalist gospel that all souls are invited to the welcome table." and called for "a love that will not let us go, will not let us down, and will not let us off." The congregation responded with cries of "Amen!" When he concluded his sermon with a cry for us to go out there and live our religion of love he received a standing ovation; I was one of the first to rise. NOTE; The CMWD has a video of this sermon for loan which I will arrange if requested “Born Again... and Again... and Again” (GA Report #4) By Ken Schug I could hear a muffled gasp (including my own) when Rev. Rob Hardies, from All Soul’s Church in DC, first used the words “born again” in his sermon on Sunday June 24 at the UU General assembly in Fort Worth.. He soon followed with an account of James Reeb, the Unitarian minister bludgeoned to death in Selma in 1965, who started his career as a conservative Christian but was transformed, and, in his own words, “gave his life over to love” when he worked with destitute people in Philadelphia. Hardies then acknowledged that the phrase "born again" makes many religious liberals cringe and mentioned a bumper sticker that he had seen that read, "Born right the first time." "It's a good line," he said, but after further thought he decided it was at best naïve and at worst arrogant. And he was not entirely satisfied with the usual notion of being born again as a once in a lifetime event, quoting the poet e. e. cummings, who grew up in a Unitarian household, who once said, "we can never be born enough." This thought clearly led him to the title for the sermon (and this article). Later he pointed out that his church is named "All Souls." But, Hardies said, "Can you imagine a church named 'Some Souls’?" The congregation laughed, but then Hardies continued: "Isn't that the de facto name of the dominant religions in America today?" Near the end of the sermon he exhorted us to preach the old Universalist gospel that all souls are invited to the welcome table." and called for "a love that will not let us go, will not let us down, and will not let us off." The congregation responded with cries of "Amen!" When he concluded his sermon with a cry for us to go out there and live our religion of love he received a standing ovation; I was one of the first to rise. NOTE; The CMWD has a video of this sermon for loan which I will arrange if requested.
We are pleased to announce that second year Meadville/Lombard student, E. Scott Michael, is beginning a year-long field education Student Ministry, supervised by Rev. Nina Grey. Scott will focus his learning goals primarily on our Young Adult and Campus Ministry. Scott has worshipped with the congregation during the last year, and was a guest preacher in our pulpit. Hyde Park Swans By Diana Gray Come swim with the Hyde Park Swans, Chicago Branch AAUW's new monthly
film group. WITASWAN (Women in the Audience Supporting Women Artists
Now) is an informal alliance of women who have pledged themselves to
helping women filmmakers break through the Celluloid Ceiling that restricts
opportunities for women in Hollywood & beyond. To further this effort,
the Chicago Branch of the American Association of University Women is
initiating a film discussion group that will meet the fourth Wednesday
of every month (excluding November and December) at First Unitarian
Church from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Von Ogden Vogt Room. The first meeting
is Wednesday, October 26, 2005. We will view A Jury of Her Peers
(30 minutes) directed by Sally Heckel. The discussion will be led by
Jan Lisa Huttner, Director of College/ University Relations, AAUW-Illinois.
For more information, contact Diana Gray at dgray@uchicago.edu
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