VUUpoint
VUUpoint
Sunday
Services for November 2002
Sunday Services
are at 9:30 and 11:15
November 3: John Tarrant, Buddhist Teacher
November
10:
Sex, Power, and Spirituality:
Where Do We Find Our Family Values?
Soul
less and empty sex abounds in media, and power has almost become a dirty word,
because of the way it has been abused and distorted. There is a deep disconnect in our culture between
sex, power and spirituality. How do we
find our way in all this? How and what
do we teach out children?
There
will also be a story for all ages at the beginning of the service, and this is
the Sunday that the children stay in the sanctuary for the offering.
Adult
choir will sing at the second service
November 17: The Way
We Were: A Celebration of this
Congregation’s Past.
As
this church continues to grow and expand in vision and numbers too, it is time
to look back and remember how it used to be.
All change and even very positive changes involves losses. Those who have been here a while can take
pride in how far we have come. But it
has been a long time since it was even possible to know everybody.
Note: For this service, we call on
those who have been here longer than ten years to help us out. We want your stories, your perception of what
has changed, and most of all, what made you stick with it all those years. Leave your notes (which do not have to be in
final form) or any mementos, old photographs etc. in the minister’s box in the
office or make an appointment to tell them to her.
November 24: How do we Grow Gratitude?
Our
Thanksgiving Service.
Children’s
choir will sing at both services,
Adult choir at the second service
A STATEMENT OF CONSCIENCE
Pacific Southwest District of Unitarian
Universalist Ministers Association
Inasmuch as, we believe that it is in the best interests of our country and of peace among the nations of the world for the United States to act in concert with the United Nations, and not unilaterally, to bring about Iraq's compliance with United Nations resolutions concerning the destruction of its weapons of mass destruction, the return of property, and the respect for human rights, and
Inasmuch as, we believe that seeking unilaterally to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein, especially through force of arms, will incite further hatred and violence between the Muslim and non-Muslim world and will impede efforts to suppress terrorism, restore stability in Afghanistan, and end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and
Inasmuch as, we believe that it is folly to suppose that it is possible to heal this broken world through threats, intimidation, and force of arms, noting that the scriptures of every major religion extol love and human cooperation above war and oppression, and
Inasmuch as, we believe that the idea of preemptive military action is both against international law and counter to accepted standards of national sovereignty, and
Inasmuch as, we believe that both compassion and prudence dictate that military force should be used only when every other option has been found wanting and when the threat posed by inaction can be convincingly shown to be greater than the destruction and loss of life inherent in military action, and
Inasmuch as, we believe that whenever military action is taken, since by its very nature it is destructive, it must be followed by genuine attempts to heal the destruction within affected country(s) and its people.
We, the Pacific Southwest District Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, therefore, urge the government of the United States of America to refrain from unilateral military action against Iraq, and instead to work diligently within the framework of the United Nations to pressure Iraq to dismantle its capacity to make, deploy, and use weapons of mass destruction and comply with all United Nations resolutions in the most immediate future.
#Editor’s note:
The PSWD UUMA issued this on September 25, 2002.
Minister’s Dusty Desert Corner C
By Lone Jensen.
What kind of Oasis do you want?
We live in turbulent and insecure times. That is reality.
We
are reminded 24 hours a day in our television media just how insecure the world
really is. If we turn it on that
is. I hope and pray that by the time
this newsletter reaches you that the police will have caught the sniper in the
Washington DC area. I wish most
fervently that there would be no new bombings anywhere for a little while. Maybe we could focus on elections or the
economy or something else that will actually affect how most of us live. Maybe we could hear about something else that
happened in the rest of the world like the propaganda release of thousands of
Iraqi prisoners, many political, that turned into something the jailers could
not quite control. Surging mobs literally
emptied the prisons and released also those deemed “enemies of the state”. The power of even a hint of freedom is
intoxicating. Yes, there were tragedies,
and desperation, and fear this last month.
But, thousands of children were born, couples
married, and most of us lived our daily routines without much
interruption. We have more to fear from
fast cars than a sniper. The Valley has indeed been affected by the trickle down of the national
economic insecurities. There has been layoffs. But we are still a growing place and a good place to live
and work. I know some of you are
hurting, I know we will have to pull together to reach our goals and make our
visions reality. How, you may say, can
we build and grow in times like this? I
say what better time is there than now when we really need each other?
We need an oasis in this desert of fear
and insecurity, we need a place of safety and acceptance, we need a place that
values each individual and cherishes our children, and we need this congregation. And if this is not
the kind of oasis you want, if your spirit is not lifted when you come here or
your heart moved or your soul replenished well then, help us make it the kind
of oasis you do want.
Here
at VUU, you will find freedom of a rare kind, the freedom to craft
a faith, a belief or philosophy that serves you well in the company of fellow
searchers. Here we can grow a community
that is strong and caring and connects us to one another. That alone, in a fearful and isolated world,
is reason enough to support this congregation with your time and yes, also your
money.
What
kind of oasis do you want? One run on a shoestring where we have trouble watering the palm
trees and planting new ones? Or a flourishing, beautiful garden in the desert? It is up to you. For this congregation will be what we make
it.
So I
ask you again: What kind of Oasis do you want?
Lone
BOARD BITS
By Debbie Dinyes,
Board President
The board has
approved the theme for the 2003-2004 Canvass.
Mission Possible: Building Our Future
Together
We feel that this theme reflects our desire to build our church
community as well as to act upon our mission statement and goals.
Our
kick-off dinner is Friday, February 28.
In the meantime, please remember to contact Garry Cantley or me if you
wish to change your interim pledge (January-June 2003). We are counting on each one of you to
continue your 2002 pledge unless we hear from you.
The board also approved the hiring of a new bookkeeper, Deborah Williams.
She is an independent contractor who will be working from her home most of the
time. It is extremely important that all
vouchers be correctly filled out, otherwise they will
be returned and payment will be delayed.
We thank Jennifer Kesner for her loyal service in
this position and wish her well in her new job.
On October 5th, several members attended a workshop in
California entitled Creating
Congregations of Generous People, presented by Michael Durall, a well-known
expert in church fund-raising and an active UU.
His premise is that people grow in spirit when they are generous
financially.
Giving people the opportunity to give of both time and money is good
stewardship of an organization, and good for individuals as well.
We feel better about ourselves when we are generous and we help
others. He stressed that money follows mission — People will
give to support a clearly stated mission and they want to know that their
generosity is making a difference.
During this day, our team had a
chance to meet and discuss things that will make a difference at VUU and our conversation
centered on how to improve and enrich congregational life, a clearly stated
goal of ours.
We talked about getting small groups going, more intergenerational social
activities and involving more people in events and committees both within and
without the church.
What this means to me is that we
must all better articulate what being a UU means. I have been a UU my whole life and still
stumble over this one!!
Let us try to make our beliefs more visible in word and deed to each
other and to newcomers.
Thanks to Garry Cantley, Carl Anderson, Marilyn Huerter, and JoAnne Smith for taking the time to participate and bring back new ideas. Look for more idea coming your way soon.
Community Service Opportunities
Paz de Cristo
Help other VUUs serve (not provide) supper on the third
Friday of every month. Contact the church
office.
Shoe
Box Ministry needs
shaving cream and
disposable razors. Place them on the trunk
on the right of the Sanctuary entrance. Contact
the church office.
For even more opportunities contact the Social Action
Committee. Details are available through the church office.
LIFESPAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
By Marilyn I. Huerter, Director of Religious
Education
HIGH SCHOOL WORSHIP SERVICE
Finally, our long-awaited first High
School Worship Service!
It will be held on Sunday evening,
November 3rd, at
The theme, chosen by our youth, is Origins and Religious Aspects of Halloween. There will be music and readings, also chosen
by the youth, appropriate to the topic.
Our minister, Lone Jensen, will give the homily. Everyone is invited to attend this special service. Support our young
people, get to know them, and come to a great service!
OUR WHOLE LIVES
Our Unitarian-Universalist sexuality education program, OWL,
is getting started this month. Our 5th and
6th graders will be attending these classes now, and the 4th
graders (and kids in 5th & 6th grades who missed this
session) will be taking it in the spring. This is a wonderful program,
facilitated by two fantastic leaders, Carl Anderson and Maxine Parrish. Kids learn how to take care of themselves and
make good decisions in a caring, safe environment based on our UU principles.
NEW: PARENT/CHILD
GROUP
This is a new group for parents and their young children,
ages 2 - 6, but older siblings are also welcome. Fun activities planned!. The next one is a Potluck on November 17th at
Driving directions
will be handed out in November, or call the church office.
Come and have fun!
CHOIR NOTES
Kellie
Walker,
VUU Director of Music Ministries
Our Choir in the Community
Our choir sang with the UU Congregation of Phoenix Choir at a Voices of Faith
Concert at Symphony Hall on October 19th. This event was
sponsored by the Interfaith Action Coalition of Arizona and other choirs
performing represented Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Mormon, Catholic, Unity,
Jewish, Jain, Sikh, Ba ha'i, and Protestant traditions. It was fun and
interesting, and we hope to do it again next fall. And
I hope you noticed the article about the concert in the
Applause
Another reminder about applause! Just in
general, it is not expected (or even usually desirable) in a church service, as
we do not think of the music as a performance, but more as an offering. Applause can be jarring and
done all the time could become automatic or meaningless. Or course, when done spontaneously and infrequently, we will
accept it graciously as the thank-you it usually means!
FSuggestion:
At a Musical Table dinner,
someone suggested that the newsletter print “Letters to the Editor”.
The premise was that sometimes
someone has an idea for a worship service, a gathering, a constructive
criticism, a question, gripe, etc, but doesn’t know
who to contact to talk about it, so it goes unsaid, and another idea is lost.
Let’s try
it out. If the above applies to you,
leave a letter in the VUUpoint box in the office, or e-mail me at:
kulikfam@cox.net
Social Action Survey
Most of the survey results have been returned and are greatly appreciated.
The Social Action Committee has
become aware the interests of our congregation and will now publicize and
support them.
The many organizations and
projects named are parts of these general areas: Assisting People with Limited
Income, Public School Education Volunteers, Environment, International Peace,
Human Rights, Political Action, Medical Help and VUU Service Committee.
Information will be available
from Steering Committee workers, group leaders, the Social Action Cabinet and
forums.
The next Social Action meeting
will be Tuesday, November 12th, 7:15 in the Sanctuary. Interested people are
invited to attend. Contact the
church office for details.
We saved lives
A big THANK YOU to those of you who
donated blood on October 6, and to those of you who tried, but could not.
I'm trying to arrange the next
visit of the
Bloodmobile in January to fit the cycle of a permissible
date that will fit in with October sixth.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
WISHES
TO LONG-TERM MEMBERS!
VUU would like to recognize the people who are celebrating their 10 Year (or more!) anniversary of being a Member of this Church. We appreciate everything they have contributed over the years to help make this a welcoming and growing community. When you see them, tell them "Congratulations!"
We send very special
anniversary wishes and a big "THANK YOU" to them for all they've given to our community over the years.
Thanks for being a part of our
Community
NOVEMBER VUU HAPPENINGS
New Member
Potluck, November 10
On
November 10, we will welcome new members into our spiritual home.
Bring
a warm heart, a dish to share, and a good appetite, as we break bread and greet
our new members. The potluck will be after
the second service.
Contact the church office for details.
MUGGS HIKE 
The
MUGGS Fall Camping Trip is slated for
Labor Day Weekend, November 9-11th
2002.
We will camp in Sedona for two
evenings and enjoy many outdoor activities such as hiking along the river,
sight seeing of red rock formations, star gazing with telescopes, s’more
building, shopping, great food, and much more!
The cost is $20.00 per
participant..
For further information or
to register contact the church office.
Thanksgiving
Gobble Gone???
Unfortunately, VUU the
coordinator for the
Traditional Thanksgiving Gobble at the
Church cannot do it this year. If
you can coordinate the event, please call Martha or Debbie at the church
office: 480-899-4249.
The Pagan Bunch
Samhain will soon be upon
us. Come and gather at Alison Means' house for the VUU Pagan Bunch's Samhain ritual, Friday, November
1st. We will start ritual at 7pm, so make sure to arrive before then.
As part of our ritual
we will be making an day of the dead altar in memory of friends and family who
have passed on. Please bring something for this altar, as well as
anything you may wish to share with he group
ritual. We will also be doing some mask making, so bring anything
materials you wish to use and share.
In honor of the New Year
we wish to find a better name for our group.
Be thinking of a name and we will pick one after our ritual.
Contact the church office for details.
November Huumanist Meetings
—
November 3rd---
We will start with a short business meeting at 6:30PM to catch up on some
things we should be talking about and doing. All participants are welcome
to attend.
Following the business portion of the meeting, we will have an open discussion
(starting at 7:00PM). We hope the discussions will be primarily related
to Humanism, but can be on any topic, which interests you. Format is as
follows: depending on how many people want to speak there will be 5 to 10
minutes for speakers to present their topic followed by 5 to 10 minutes of
discussion on that topic. These can be great fun, so come on along and
join us.
November 17th--
This evening will also be an open discussion, but on a single topic. The
topic is from the fall issue of the “Free Inquiry Magazine--The Unitarian Quandary,
(Is Religious Humanism ruining the
Humanist Religion?)” by James A.
Haught. This is a very interesting article and provides some
insights into both the Unitarian and Humanist movements. If you do not have access to this article,
let me know and I will send you a copy by e-mail, or
you can pick one up at the November 3rd meeting. Contact the church office for details.
Bead Babes will meet November 2nd,
at 10AM.
For more
information, contact the church office.
V.U.U. WOMEN’S CIRCLE
OPEN TO ALL
Women’s Circle is a long standing group of VUU Women and friends. We meet once a month—sometimes in a member’s
home--sometimes in the Cottage - UU Building #3. The regular meeting day is the second Thursday of the month
at
The November 14 meeting will be held in the Cottage and the theme will be Holiday Traditions. Everyone is most welcome to join us as we relate how and what traditions may have had a part in what we are today. Come get acquainted and feel free to take part or just listen. It’s a most friendly group.
The December 12 meeting will be a Holiday Celebration—The theme will be “Humor”.
The January 9 meeting
will be hosted by
June Dykstra in her home.
Contact the church office.
For
information on the
Great Books Discussion, contact
the church office.
YOGA AT THE
CHURCH
HAS BEEN MOVED!
Please contact the church office for details.
UPCOMING EVENTS
UU Day at the
Legislature
VUU is part of the “cluster” of UU
churches that will be gathering at the Arizona state capitol on January 20,
2003. Our own VUU, led by Rick Bitner
and Jan Christenson, is the congregation that instigated the “UU Day at the
Legislature”.
The newly elected Legislature
(don’t forget to vote) will start the new session on January 13, and all of the
special interest groups will be asking for the
individual
Legislature’s vote.
Valley Unitarian Universalists
have special interest too—as we embrace one of the principles of our VUU
covenant “and Service is our prayer”.
In addition, we have the duty of
living up to our proud Unitarian Universalist history and tradition of working
for justice, for civil rights, care for children, trying to make the World
work, and the American way of life.
January 20, is also Martin
Luther King Day. What better way to
honor his memory than to continue his good works?
This is going to be a difficult
fiscal year, as the Arizona attempts to stretch the state’s (OUR) money, and we
need to have our voice heard, for Health, Education, Children, and the
Environment. Together we can get a
hearing. Together, we can encourage the
legislators to have a little backbone, and encourage them to stand up to those
special interests who only want yet another TAXBREAK!
Registrations
began today – the deadline is
December 18. $10.00 covers your information packet and
lunch. Do it now, before the Holidays!
Also, we need helping hands, as
people will be attending UU Day at the
Legislature from all over the state, from all of our fellow churches in
Arizona. Can someone offer home
hospitality?
Come on—I am not going to do
this alone.
Contact: Marilou Coy at the Social Action Display case or the coffee table
on Sundays.
Caring
and Concerns Neighborhood Contacts
Happy start-of-the
Holiday season to everyone at VUU! We
hope this time finds everyone happy and healthy. But if something unexpected happens, call
your Neighborhood Contact – we'll be happy to help.
If you haven't met your contact(s) yet, introduce yourself at
services. If you would be willing to help when the need arises, be sure to call
or email and let them know what you would be willing to provide.
Contact the church office for the names and numbers of your
Neighborhood Contacts.
VUUpoint is published by:
The Valley Unitarian Universalist
Church
1700 W. Warner Rd. Chandler, AZ
85224
Editor: Vicki Kulik
Office Phone: (480) 899-4249
Office
Fax: (480) 899-2408
VUU Web page: http://vuu.org
Email: VUU@quest.com
Church Office Hours:
M 8-3, T 8-3, W 11:30-4:30, Th
10-3, F 11:30-4:30
Rev. Lone Jensen’s hours:
M off, Tu works at home, call office,W, Th, F, call office for appointment. VUUpoint is distributed free of charge to members and friends. The annual subscription rate for others is an identifiable contribution of $15 or more.
Articles, announcements, and other VUUpoint material may be e-mailed to
kulikfam@cox.netIf possible, send as an attachment. Typed, printed, or legibly handwritten material is also acceptable and may be dropped off in the VUUpoint box just inside the office door.
Article Deadline is 3rd Sunday of the month Love is the doctrine of this churchThe quest of truth is its sacramen And service is its prayer. To dwell together in peaceTo seek knowledge in freedom To serve humankind in friendshipThus do we covenant