Newsletter

The winter season is a time of renewal. This may seem surprising, since that's usually what we think spring is all about. Yet all of the winter holidays from Solstice to Christmas to Hanukah to Kwanza all ask us to contemplate beginning again. The Christmas story tells us that a tiny babe, one who came into the world in poorer circumstances than most, could be a symbol for peace and hope — can we too? Solstice reminds us that each year, in spite of the trials and travails of humanity, the earth begins its travels around the sun again, offering us another year in which to try again. Hanukah tells of a miracle that asks us to rededicate ourselves to the religious principles that guide our lives as well. Kwanza celebrate the sprit of community and the power that resides therein.

Renewal in the midst of winter's cold and seeming deadness takes a great deal of faith, much more than in the spring when daffodils bursting through the ground all around us tell us with absolute certainty that the world renews itself. In the winter time we have to dig deeper for the confidence that everything will return. What resources does our Unitarian Universalist faith offers us for such confidence?

Our historical origins are in the Christian tradition. If we look at our ancestors' celebrations of Christmas we see they found hope in the story of a holy child, the life that child lived and the sacrifice for the way he chose to live. Christmas is the prelude to Easter. It is in the Christmas story of the birth of one in common circumstances, one whose birth brought shepherds (who were despised by the well to do) and wise travelers (who were of a different faith all together) to the side of his manger. The stories tell us that from the beginning this was to be a life dedicated to helping the outsider, the poor and despised. This birth would seek to create peace among all people, not asking them to change their faith but witnessing to the power of peace as evident in the birth of one common child.

Our Unitarian Universalist faith tells us that such renewal is possible for each one of us. This winter season may we all rededicate our lives to seeking ways of bringing more peace into the world. While offering a helping hand to those in need, may we seek ways to eliminate the injustice in our system that creates such need in the first place.

However you seek to celebrate your winter holidays, by joining in our Solstice celebration at the Barnes Runquist farm, by attending our early Christmas Eve service where we'll sing and join in with our children's play or by attending our later program which will focus more on contemplating the meaning and memories of the holidays, do take the time to reflect on how your life can be renewed during this season. Each day the sun's rise offers us a new day.

Sometimes we can seize that day, other times it's enough just to get through it. But every day is a gift to us and our chance to repay that gift to the universe.

See you on Sunday,

Brian

Sometimes around the Fellowship these days, it seems as if every ball is in the air. While our official membership numbers have not changed dramatically in recent years, our youth program has blossomed, and we seem eager for more numerical growth.
        And we certainly have seen internal growth and shifts in the last few years. Now that we've addressed our physical space, we have begun to look at how our needs have evolved in staffing, governance, volunteer/committee structure and programming.
        It seems a particularly inward-focused process, but at its heart, it must be built on understanding what we want our outward presence to be. How do we want the Fellowship to support and encourage us as we engage, individually and collectively, with the larger world?
         A team of four from the UUFA spent a day in Iowa City recently attending a workshop on staffing for growth. We were joined by groups from Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines and Iowa City­-the other midsize congregations in the Prairie Star District.
        One idea introduced was Loren Mead's description of three types of growth besides numerical:
        Maturational ­ How effective are we at routinely engaging people in spiritual growth? At the UUFA, adult RE has been a tough sell in recent years. The reasons aren't clear, but this seems to be an area that could use some renewed attention.
        Organic ­ How effective are we at building and managing the organizational structures and processes necessary to function? We're in pretty good shape with pruning committees or revamping them as coordinators/task forces where necessary, but this is an ongoing process.
        Incarnational ­ How effectively are we exporting our values and principals back into the world? I hope that one natural result of our inward assessments will be a transition to serious study of just how we do this, as individuals and with collective energy. We have much to offer, and we need to keep that in mind as we stare at ourselves for a while.

Brenda

In the 11 AM preschool class, Peggy Earnshaw, the RE teacher, presented a story to the children that demonstrated the power of imagination, creativity, and giving. The book, Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gillman, shows a grandfather making a blanket for his grandson. Over the time, the grandfather recycles the blanket into a coat, vest, tie, handkerchief, and finally a button for the use of the grandson. But the button is lost — there is nothing left. Until — the boy writes his story — something from nothing.  The mice in grandfather's house suggest a sub-story — the mice find and use the small pieces of fabric and thread thrown out. Peggy used this story to support a found object/recycling craft activity.

A few weeks before, I had offered a story from India to the children. A young but poor boy wants nothing more than a drum. His mother gives him a stick instead, knowing he'll use it in some game. As he walks through the countryside he sees a woman trying to light a fire to cook her chapatis, but the straw and dung won't light. He gives her the stick, and she in turn gives him a chapati. He stops to talk with a woman whose baby is hungry and he gives away his chapati. She gives him a large washing pot. The story continues with him giving items to people in need, who then give him something, until at the end, he is given a drum.

These stories illustrate what we try to teach and model in RE — "from you I receive, to you I give, together we share, and from this we live." There are many ways we can demonstrate this in RE — adults as RE teachers, mentors, parent helpers, choir helpers, offering donations of goods, financial support. There are also ways children demonstrate giving — Susan Jasper and John McGuire's class presented an Indian play, "Rama and the 10 Headed Demon", to the preschoolers; Krista Weber's class helped with the Alternative Gift Market; the high school class raked leaves for the Lorrs.

As we enter the holiday frenzy, it's good and right that we remind our children (and ourselves) as members of a faith community to capitalize the G in "Giving" and leave "getting" in lowercase.

Dec. 19 — no RE, all congregation service

Dec. 26 — multi-age RE at 10 AM

Coming of Age News

Thanks to the congregation for completing the UU History survey questions for our Family Feud game on Nov. 16. The results of the survey indicate that Fellowship members and the Coming of Age participants are almost equal in their knowledge of UU people and
history. If you'd like further details, you can contact Benette. This group of 50 youth and mentors has infused the Fellowship and the Coming of Age program with energy, fun, and knowledge.

Thanks also go to the group of COA youth and their mentors who helped make crafts to sell at the Holiday Market fundraiser. What better way to demonstrate one of the purposes of our community — creativity shared in a fun social context — which then may lead to deeper sharing and understanding — which then may lead to confidence and purpose and compassion — hopefully leading to participation in social justice efforts.

Many thanks to the following women for helping to organize fundraisers for the Boston youth trip — Molly Nesbitt, Amy Slagell, Alice Welch, Rosa Unal, and Lisa Enloe.

Next meeting: Dec. 15 at the Ames Jewish Congregation from 6:30-8:30 PM.

Winter Retreat: Jan 22-23 at Camp Hantesa.

High School Youth News

As the year draws to a close, I'd like to thank members of the YAC (youth-adult committee) who are: Jessica Egli-Davis, Cole Peiffer, Joshua Larson-Konar, Leslie Hanft, Sarah Carlson, Anita Maher-Lewis, Donald Lewis. This committee functions to determine goals and visions of youth programming, promote youth programs, evaluate the programs, and provide leadership opportunities for youth. Thanks also to Carter Slagell for attending Board meetings as our youth representative.

Many of the high school youth (8-14) have been coming to Wednesday night youth group to play games, watch movies, or just socialize. It's an opportunity for them to bring friends, share their lives, and take a rest from school.

Overnight: Dec. 4 starting at 8 PM. Bring games, snacks to share, videos, musical instruments, friends, and about $5 for pizza and pop.

Dec. 5 — no RE (overnight takes the place of RE)

Good holidays and a brighter, more promising New Year!

Benette