From the ministerial intern:

A Time for Healing

Turning Inward as the Year Turns

This has been a fun holiday season for me. My daughters are 3 and 5, both good ages to enjoy giving gifts almost as much as they do receiving them. We had a variety of family visits and somehow managed to not get as swept up in the consumerist vision of the season as we often do. Still, every year, whether the holidays were wonderful or not so great (usually right in the middle!), come January I am ready for the season to be over. If you are glad to bid December adios or, alternatively, sad to see it go, January is time to take down the trimmings, recycle that gift wrap, and get back to whatever we consider to be “normal” life.

As we make this turn of the wheel of the year, I am reminded of one of the things drilled into me both in seminary and from my ministerial mentors: Unless I am taking care of myself, I cannot be an effective minister. As with most practices in ministry, this discipline extends beyond the job and into the personal lives of ministers and non-ministers alike. When we are not taking good care of ourselves, how can we take care of others? My daughters and spouse definitely see the results when I do not get enough sleep or manage my stress as effectively as I would like!

Particularly after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, which seems so focused on giving to others, I find I need to remind myself to take care of me. January is the perfect time of year for this turn inward, to slow down and to look into how we might nurture ourselves.

And so it is fitting to start off this new year with a look at taking care of ourselves–a series of Sunday morning topics about healing ourselves, in one form or another. We start with a look at the myth of perfection–that we must somehow be better than who we are: thinner, healthier, nicer, more giving, more confident. Pick your poison. Though I stopped making New Year’s resolutions long ago, this internship sometimes shows me what vestiges of perfectionism remain in my life and how damaging they are to the core of my being.

After perfectionism, we will examine how human beings react to the infinite, as well as the comfort that confronting our amazing smallness can bring. Rather than making life meaningless, being aware of the infinite can bring a deep understanding of our place in the universe.

As we progress through the month, members of the congregation will share some of their healing practices with us. First, on Jan. 21, several members will share the ways in which they practice holistic healing arts for others and why they choose the fields they did. Then, on Jan. 28, members of the fall’s Building Your Own Theology class will share their pursuits of theologies that lift up rather than oppress.

As trees use winter to rest before the rebirth and growth of the warmer months, let us join together in this time to nourish ourselves so that we might engage the new year with vibrancy and wholeness.

-- Dawn

From the minister

Expanding Our View With Travel Opportunities

Is it too early to start planning for summer? There are a couple of exciting opportunities that can bring together beautiful locations, meaningful action, and opportunities to learn more about Unitarian Universalism. The first is our congregation's trip to visit our partner church in Tordátfalva, Transylvania.

This trip, during the first couple weeks of June, will include visiting sites important to Unitarian history, working with our partner congregation to restore its parish house and church, and spending time soaking up the beautiful countryside and villages.

Soon after our trip will be the UUA General Assembly, known as GA. We have a few GA junkies at the Fellowship, but, for those of you who have never been, this may be a great opportunity. The beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, is playing host this year to a very special GA.

During the meeting, the planners will be using open-space technologies to begin a vision/mission planning phase for our association. Along with the usual workshops and concerts and excellent worship opportunities, you can help shape the direction of our Unitarian Universalist religious community, not just here in Ames but throughout the entire country.

Neither of these trips will be cheap. In the past, we have offered scholarships to help delegates get to GA. There are also opportunities to work at the conference to defray costs. For the partner church trip, we are hoping to raise scholarship funds through donations and a couple of events to help people for whom the expense is a major barrier.

Each of these events is an opportunity for our congregation to be part of the larger world through our extended faith community. These adult and family trips serve the same purpose as our Coming of Age Boston Heritage trip-to remind us that we are part of something more.

If you'd like information about either GA or the partner church trip, please contact Kitty Fisher during January or me when I return from study leave.

What, you may ask, will I be doing on study leave? I will be putting together the second phase of the final project proposal for my doctor of ministry degree, working on a writing project with one of my ISU colleagues and starting a new semester teaching Introduction to World Religions at ISU. The final week of January I'll get caught up in the office and plan the winter Coming of Age retreat. While I am gone, please contact the office, and Dawn, Benette, or Becca will see that your request gets to the appropriate party.

- Brian

From the director of youth and children’s ministries

Welcomes and Wonderings

In that time of year when we assess the past and look forward to the future…

Things to be happy about:

• We’ve had very good attendance this semester—our average for the entire RE program is 77, with 52 of them in nursery-sixth grade. We have 126 kids/youth registered. Wow!
• We have eight new children joining RE—please welcome Anna Cullinan; Ashley, Connor, and Kyla Gray; Maggie Hoffman; Haley and Mitchell Martens; and Sue Fairbanks’ daughter.
• We have fifth- and sixth-graders helping facilitate children’s worship once a month
• We are sharing our space with Prairie Flower preschool with ease.
• Our La Bella Notte fundraiser and bake sales for our Boston-bound youth were very successful.
• We had approximately six of our young adults participate in the OWL for young adults’ sexuality course for almost the whole semester.
• We benefited from Melissa Murray’s generous time, costume making, and ideas for the Christmas Eve play.

Things I wonder about:

• What drives the low attendance of families and children at all-congregation services?
• How do parents feel about our new structure of Way Cool Sunday School?
• Are parents showing their appreciation for our volunteer RE teachers and youth leaders?
• How can our long-term families offer hospitality to our newer families?
• Do parents want parent education/discussion/support classes? If so, what kind?
• Are parents feeling informed about RE activities and events? Do you feel like communication from me is effective and timely?
• What do we want our program for children and youth to look like or offer in five to 10 years? I’d love to hear your ideas.

I hope parents feel comfortable phoning, visiting or e-mailing me with concerns/questions/issues and ideas. I am usually in the office from 10 to 3 M-Th.

Our Secret Friends program, which usually occurs in January, will take place starting in February and ending with a party in early March.

– Benette

Dates to remember:

CAMPUS CONNECTIONS

Student Group

Though most of our students have been from ISU, we welcome all college students! We will resume our regular meetings at 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7, in the Youth Room at UUFA. Sign up for our Yahoo group (groups.yahoo.com/group/isuuu/). We are already using this group to maintain our calendar and send out notices of special events! And speaking of special events, hearty thanks go to the Green Hills Group for providing delicious food and wonderful conversation at our final meeting in December. It was nice to make connections and get to know other members of the Fellowship better.

Campus Ministry Committee

The committee is up and running and will probably rename itself as the Campus Ministry Council. We will meet with the student group at its Jan. 14 meeting and will have our own meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17 in the Tower Room. All interested parties are welcome!

- Dawn Cooley

CARING MINISTRY COUNCIL

Thanks to everyone who helped out with Charles Gratto’s potluck and memorial service.

- Lynne Van Valin

CHRISTIAN AFFINITY GROUP

We are currently viewing and discussing Saving Jesus, a 12-week, small-group, DVD-based exploration of Jesus Christ for the third millennium. We meet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month. This month, we meet on Jan. 21 in the Tower Room.

- Judy Mongin

CONSCIENTIOUS KNITTERS

Conscientious Knitters meet from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Tower Room on the second Sunday of the month, Jan. 14. We’ve developed a core group that enjoys trading ideas, solving problems, and spending quality time together while creating satisfying projects.

- Marty Helland

DAYTIME CIRCLE

The Daytime Circle meets in the Tower Room at 1:30 p.m. every other Monday. This month, we meet Jan. 8 and 22. We are an open circle, including new members as they come, but we maintain confidentiality to encourage people to share what is of deepest concern to them. If you have questions, please call Lotus for more information.

- Lotus Miller

DUSTIN BERGER MEMORIAL LIBRARY

In browsing through the children’s books in the Dustin Berger Memorial Library, I came across Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert. The brilliant fall colors on the dust jacket caught my eye. The reds and yellows are certainly appropriate for fall when the leaves have achieved their full beauty before they fall to the ground. The text follows this story of a sugar maple tree and the child who carefully planted the seed. The two grow up together and form a friendship that is heartwarming. This could be a real-life story.

ENDOWMENT FUND

You are invited to join the Endowment Committee for an informational workshop from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 at the Fellowship. Pat Moline from the Iowa State Foundation will discuss ways to make legacy or deferred gifts in her talk, Smart & Unique Giving Options. She will also address the value of endowments and new legislation allowing gifts from IRAs for the next year. There will be a question/answer time & refreshments. Ask any member of the Endowment Committee for more information: Lynne Van Valin, Fred Vallier, Phil O’Berry, Bonnie Bowen, Dorothy Lewis.

- Lynn Van Valin

GALLERY IN THE ROUND

Jan. 13 – March 3, 2007

C. Arthur Croyle

Watercolors and Pencil Drawings

Cityscapes and Landscapes

Reception 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20

The Art Auction raised more than $1,000, which will be used for much-needed lighting upgrades. Thanks to the Art Committee and all who participated.

- Jean Hagert Dow

HISTORICAL JESUS GROUP

Are you interested in the origins of Christianity and the historical Jesus? Do you enjoy books by John Dominic Crossan, Paula Fredrickson, or Karen Armstrong? If yes, this long-established book club may be for you. We meet the third Sunday at 7 p.m.; the location varies—call Marty for details.

- Marty Helland

KINETIC SPIRITS

Come as you are. Dance how you feel. Join us for free-form movement to music. Your favorite CDs welcome. Thursdays from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

- Deb Kline

MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION GROUP

The Mindfulness and Meditation Group completed its first book and celebrated with a wonderful tea service. (Thank you Delphine and Peggy!) Brian will be on study leave for January, so Joel and others in the group will explore meditation-related topics for the four Sundays in January. Potential topics are chakras, sound/vibration as healing energy, the power of now, yoga/moving meditation. Other topic suggestions are welcome. If you have one you would like to lead, let Joel know.

Starting in February we will be reading Faith by Sharon Salzberg. We have had as many as 40 participants and generally 25 or so each week. Everyone is free to join us at any time.

Mindfulness and Meditation meets Sundays, 6 to 7 p.m., on Jan. 7 (FH), 14 (FH), 21 (RE-south), and 28 (FH).

- Joel Geske

SITTING MEDITATION

A time for quiet group meditation is available Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7 to 7:40 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. No experience is necessary, but, if you want to, bring your own cushion, bench, or pillow. There is no formal instruction, but group members are very willing to discuss their techniques.

- Jean Hagert Dow

WOMEN OF WISDOM

After two months of delightful holiday happenings, WOW will resume our usual meeting time and place: 7 p.m. in the Tower Room at the Fellowship building, Monday, Jan. 15. WOW is a community of UUFA women “over the speed limit” (age 55+) who meet for conversation, laughter, and fellowship on the third Monday of each month. We are an open group, welcoming to new members in the new year. Please join us!

- Lynn Avant

In-house Hospitality Workshop Planned

Do you enjoy meeting new people and welcoming them to our fellowship? Do you have an idea of a way we might become more hospitable to newcomers?

Then don't miss this opportunity to attend a workshop to develop new skills and hone previous ones at a workshop at the UUFA from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 3.

Stewardship Testimonial

Why Do I Give Money to the Fellowship?

by Rachel Williams

The theme of this year’s pledge drive is “It’s worth the drive,” so it wasn’t surprising that I was asked to write a testimonial since I live a little over an hour away from the Fellowship.

Yes, it is a long way to drive for an hour’s service each week. Although the service is always educational, enlightening, or just plain enjoyable, it is not the only reason I come to fellowship. I also make the journey to meet with the many friends I have made at the Fellowship. Checking in, receiving and giving hugs and smiles, I am re-energized by the support of like-minded individuals and the opportunities to work toward social change—invitations to activism, charity, and volunteer work. The multi-generational activities in the Fellowship have helped me make connections with the younger members. Interacting with them every week rejuvenates my inner child. And, of course, there is the food and the community that surrounds the food: old friends and new ones at potlucks, introductions to new cultures, nourishing my body and soul.

Living this far away does make it harder to get to Fellowship every week, and there are certainly weeks when I wish I had the option to walk, but for the many reasons packed into our one Fellowship, for me, it is worth the drive.

IRA Tax Law Change Makes Charitable Giving Easier

Congress recently changed the rules for charitable gifts made from individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Individuals aged 70½ and older may transfer as much as $100,000 per year directly from an IRA or Roth IRA to charity without any increased income or additional taxes.

Distributions from IRAs are generally taxable. Thanks to this new legislation, a gift from an IRA to the UUFA—or other qualified charity—allows individuals to avoid this taxable income. For more information, please contact Lynne Van Valin or Shaun Keister.