From the minister

Community - Yours to Create

Noted 20th-century Unitarian theologian James Luther Adams said, "By their groups you shall know them." He formulated a theology based around voluntary associations. Our beliefs are made real through the groups that we choose to be part of and how those groups function in the world. It's not just the groups themselves, but how we are involved, how those groups are constructed that are central expressions of what we hold as important. The Fellowship is a prime example of the ideals Adams expressed.

This theological understanding of what it means to be a community was expressed by a number of people during the ministry review process. One of the central themes is a strong embrace of the idea of shared ministry. We do not look to a single, central authority to set the direction of the congregation. Instead we choose a path of shared creation, co-creation of this community. This is a more difficult task, but it embodies the theological ideas of valuing every voice and the necessity of every person being part of the creation.

In every aspect of Fellowship life, we see the relationship between staff and the congregation as mutual. The ideas, the energy, and the implementation happen on all levels. What is shared ministry? Some congregations rely on paid staff to set the direction, create the programs, and then implement them. The people are passive recipients of what the staff is doing. Oftentimes there will be a board, but this board functions in an oversight capacity rather than being directly involved in charting the direction of the congregation. Here we are attempting to avoid that consumer-driven mentality. Rather than expecting people to show up once a week and be entertained on Sunday morning, our expectation is that each member is part of the creative process, from the idea to the implementation.

For example, Sunday mornings are a partnership between members of the Sunday Morning Program Committee and the minister. We don't just divvy up the Sundays and go our separate ways; we consult with each other, working together to improve the quality of the Sunday experience and developing ideas in conversation with one another. When it comes time to do the service, each member has a responsibility, and a Sunday service only happens when each member fulfills that responsibility.

This pattern is true in most areas of our congregational life. In some, such as religious education, caring, and facilities, the role of staff is obvious. The Caring Ministry's reorganization this year was expressly aimed at improving the sharing of that important work. More people than ever are directly involved in providing the caring services that are so important to our community. The RE Committee is still struggling with getting people involved. This is one of the most significant tasks we fill as a congregation: providing religious education for our young people. (It's also one of the most fun and educational for adults.)

Currently we don't have enough teachers for next fall. Too many RE programs are exclusively staff-driven. We do not have a year-round position staffing this year-round program. This means that congregational involvement is even more important since we can't expect our RE professional to continue to oversee our year-round program during the time that she is not being paid.

I am a firm believer in ministry as a shared adventure. I believe this is how we create a strong community. Yet as we have grown, there is also the danger of losing the strong connection with some of the more mundane tasks that are central to being a community. It's easy to look at the chairs after a Sunday program and think, "Someone will pick them up." Yet, too often they are not, or the same people are again stacking and schlepping. It recently came to my attention that our office administrator had taken on the role of ensuring that the chairs were picked up, feeling this was part of her job in supervising rentals. We have to decide whether we want staff to be responsible for such a task. Too often it's easy for the congregation to let tasks slip into the hands of staff-too often those tasks don't come with additional time to accomplish them. We need to be very intentional about what we want staff to do; how do we best utilize their skills and complement them with those of our congregation?

In the end, this religious community is yours to create. This task is one of the countercultural aspects of the Fellowship; we are not consumers, but creators. Together our shared ministry can help to revitalize lives, teach our children and ourselves another way of being in the world, and provide a beacon to our community of another way of being in the world. Let's join hands in this quest.

P.S.: I will be off to St. Louis to attend the UUA General Assembly June 19th to the 25th. Also, I will be on vacation during the month of July.

– Brian

Sunday, June 4, 10am

Helping the Next Generation Soar to a Brighter Future

The Rev. Brian Eslinger and George Belitsos, Director of Youth and Shelter Services

What is it that creates the passion in a person to work for our young people? What can we do to help ensure a brighter future for every young person in our community? Join us to explore these important questions.
Special Music: Fellowship Voices

 

Sunday, June 11, 10am

Illegal Immigration through Latino Eyes

Dr. Hector Avalos

Current debates about immigration focus on the definition of "illegal." Dr. Avalos will provide a brief history of "legal" and "illegal" as it pertains to immigration, especially from Mexico. He places this discussion in the context of policies proposed by President George W. Bush and in the context of recent developments in Iowa.

 

Sunday, June 18, 10am

Faith of our Fathers?

Rev. Brian Eslinger

In 12 years, I've never done a service on Father's Day—is it ambivalence or fear? Join me as I explore what it means to me to be a father and how to reconcile oneself with the idea of fatherhood.

 

Sunday, June 25, 10am

The Spirituality of Crafts

Tom Janicki, Kay Puttock, Krista Weber

This fun-filled, interactive, intergenerational program combines meditation and action through coloring, crafting, and kitchen projects. Discover, experience, and discuss how crafts you haven't done since elementary school (or at least since last week) can be spiritual and/or meditative activities.

From the Director of Youth and Children's Ministries

Thanks and Summer Plans

We've had a great year in our religious education program for children and older youth. Many thanks to all the parents for making such a concerted effort to keep their children involved in the UUFA activities. Thanks and appreciation are also given to the RE teachers for their devotion to the children and teens.

Some of you may be traveling during the summer, but, if not, remember that the RE program continues during the summer with our Super Summer Sundays. We will provide activities appropriate for a large range of ages upstairs and nursery care as usual. The youth group will not meet during the summer.

While we don't have our fall RE teacher roster complete just yet (please call if you are interested in teaching), we are happy to welcome several new RE committee members: Greg Bruna, Melissa Murray, Alissa Stoehr, Rachel Williams, and Suzanne Zilber.

I will be out of the office for most of June and probably all of July. Contact me via email or call.
Have a great summer!

- Benette

ATTENTION YOUNG ADULTS!
(people between 18-35 years old)

The Fellowship has been asked to field-test a new curriculum called Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Young Adults. It is a 14-session curriculum with each session approximately two hours. If we have at least 10 young adults who are interested in joining this class, it would probably start Sept. 17 and end Dec. 10 with weekly sessions. If the group would be amenable, it's possible to structure the class to meet on a Saturday or Sunday for the whole day to work through three to four sessions in more of a retreat fashion. This would be a nice class for couples to take, also.

The sessions are:

• Sexual Language and Body Image
• Sexual Pleasure
• Sexual Health
• Gender Identity and Roles
• Sexual Orientation
• Communication
• Relationships
• Consent and Sexual Assault
• Commitment
• Family Matters
• Sexual Expression
• Advocacy for Sexuality Education
• Closing

Our congregation currently offers OWL (Our Whole Lives) at the 7th- through 9th-grade level every other year. It is the philosophy of the UUA that sexual health is part of ongoing spiritual development.

Please let me know by June 11 if you are interested in joining this class by contacting Becca at the UUFA office, 515-292-5960 or e-mail to uufa@uufames.org.

- Benette

Can You Host a Nigerian Student?

Rita Tisinger, co-worker of Bob Anderson

The Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS), a non-profit organization in Ames, has a program, Youth Exchange and Study (YES), which provides Nigerian high school students with an academic experience in the United States. The students are also given conflict resolution training to develop peace-, tolerance-, and unity-building skills that will be taken home and implemented in their own schools and communities. The Web sitewww.iris-center.org/youth.htm gives more details on this specific program.

The young students who will be coming in August have been carefully screened and selected from many applicants to ensure the success of the program and progress of peace-building and cultural understanding both in Nigeria, as well as in Iowa. These students have been placed in cities all over Iowa with a few in the bordering states.

We need help in placing one of the students in a host family in Ames. On the bulletin board in the Fireside Room, there is a flier with information on this young woman, who will be attending Ames High School. Her name is Aishat Garba, and her ambitions are to be a doctor in order to help people in and outside of her country. I've visited with the previous years' students, and they are so wonderful and bring such energy and enthusiasm through their activities! I'm sure Aishat will be the same.

Perhaps there are a few people who might be interested or might know someone who would love to host. Families usually host for a school year; two families may share by taking a semester each. It is a wonderful opportunity for both hosts and students to learn about other cultures and share in some very memorable times.
Please contact me or anyone in the IRIS office to answer any questions or pass on any information regarding possible host families.

Silver Ravenwold is the author of Teen Witch, Wicca for a New Generation. She describes WitchCrafty as a very appealing religion and writes simply and directly so that every teen (and adult) understands exactly what's being said. She goes to great lengths to prove the goodness of the Wiccan powers. She also dispels the many false impressions that have been believed for centuries. This is a truly readable and informative book. You'll find this book in the Dustin Berger Memorial Library.

ART COMMITTEE

June 5 - July 1: Radical Nature (drawings) GREG FUQUA   Reception: Saturday, June 10, 5-7 p.m. Next Exhibit: Ames Brush Club in July and part of August

- Jean Hagert Dow

CARING MINISTRY COUNCIL

The former Caring Committee recently restructured itself to become a Caring Ministry Council. Each caring area (Cards, Child Care, Household Tasks, Meals, Memorials, New Babies, Phone Calls, Transportation, Visits, and Yard Work) has its own point person and group of volunteers. The point person gets the initial call from Peggy Gurau, Trish Strah, Lynne Van Valin, or one of the UUFA staff and, in turn, recruits volunteers from the list for the task. This month's featured area is YARD WORK (point person: Mark Witherspoon). We decided to start with this area because it has the smallest number of volunteers. These volunteers help with outside yard work with small projects that aren't too difficult or long-term. Please consider joining this group of volunteers. It's one of the areas that could be done as a family activity. If you would like to volunteer, contact the Fellowship office.

- Lynne Van Valin

CHRISTIAN AFFINITY GROUP

The Christian Affinity Group will not meet again until the fall. Meanwhile, contact the office if you're interested in this group or want a copy of Mary Sawyer's Jan. 8 presentation, What's In It For Us: Christianity and Community.

- Jim Murdock

COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY

This year, the Committee on Ministry has been conducting a Fellowship-wide review of our shared ministry. It has been a busy year. First of all, I would like to thank all of those who helped with the interviews and all of those who welcomed us into their homes. It was a great experience for all involved. There was an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet some new friends along the way. The members of this committee and of the board had one-on-one conversations with the families of the congregation. Although we didn't meet our ambitious goal to connect with every family, we managed to talk with nearly 80 of our almost 190 families. The discussions had no set format. It was an open opportunity to discover what brings people to the Fellowship-a chance to find out about their passions and how well the UUFA is meeting their needs in our shared journey. As you might guess, there were a variety of responses and many people describing different needs. This diversity is what makes UUs so wonderful. However, there was one overwhelming trend: We are very passionate about our congregation and generally pleased with the direction we are taking. Intrigued? Want to know more? Then please join us on June 4 at 11 a.m., immediately after the Sunday morning program, to hear the results of the review and discuss any topics regarding our shared ministry.

- Bill Kannel

Report in PDF format

DAYTIME CIRCLE

The Daytime Circle meets in the Tower Room at 1:30 p.m. every other Monday (June 12 and 26). 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, call Tom Janicki for more information.

- Lotus Miller and Tom Janicki

DENOMINATIONAL CONNECTIONS

The following people from the UUFA are going to attend the UUA General Assembly in St. Louis, Missouri, June 21 through 25: Joanne Barnes, Brian Eslinger, Kitty Fisher, Cynthia Marten, Jo Ann Masterson, Tom McGiverin, Molly Nesbitt, Benette Sherman, and Dallas Thies. There is still time to plan to attend, so talk to Kitty, who is coordinating our delegation. The UUFA is entitled to six congregational delegates. Contact our current president, Brenda Witherspoon, if you are willing to be a delegate. The Board of Directors will choose our delegate representatives at the June board meeting on June 14. The theme of General Assembly 2006 is Toward Right Relations. Resources you need are at www.uua.org/ga and www.uua.org/ga/ga06/CongregationMailing.pdf. The PDF file includes information pertinent to GA registration, housing, and travel to and around St. Louis, as well as information for congregations and delegates.

- Kitty Fisher and Sam Wormley

DUSTIN BERGER MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The library committee continues to invite each person to write a short (3 to 4 sentences) book review about any book checked out of the library. Just tell Becca or one of us (Barb Abbott, Anita Beal, Roger Berger, Tom Muhlenbruch, Benette Sherman), and we'll recommended books. We also invite suggestions for new books. We want to order selections that will keep us up to date with the latest literature that is appropriate for the Dustin Berger Memorial Library. Barb and Anita attended the spring meeting of the Hawkeye chapter of the National Church Library Association. We enjoyed meeting others who are facing the same pleasures and concerns. Many ideas were shared, some of which we hope to implement here to enhance library use. We're proud to announce that we will hold the fall meeting of this group in the library on Oct. 7. Members from this area will join us here for a program and discussion. We expect to have our library spic and span for this gathering, so we're working hard at that task.

-Barb Abbott and Anita Beal

EMERGENCY RESIDENCE SHELTER

	Emergency Residence Project	Shelter Meal Volunteers 6/6: McGuire 6/13: Barnes 6/20: Franzen 6/27: Marten/Thies
Providing Food and Shelter

- Joanne Barnes and Chris White

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Thanks, Liz, for your able leadership of the Finance Committee the last two years. Best wishes on your new adventure. As the Fellowship's fiscal year draws to a close on June 30, the Finance Committee would like to remind people to pay off their pledges for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. If you don't know whether you still owe on your pledge, contact Joan, and she can tell you what you owed as of April 30. EFTs will be paid in full as of June 10. This is also the last year of the three-year capital campaign. Joan can also say whether you still have something due on that pledge. However, email Doug if you have questions about your pledge balance. Please complete pledge payments to the capital campaign by June 30, if possible.

- Doug Marek and Joan Mathews

HAZELNUTS

Because we received so many generous contributions for landscaping, the Hazelnuts were able to start making our Fellowship grounds look beautiful. We collected a total of $3,800, and this will allow us complete most of the plan. If you still want to contribute, please send a check to the Fellowship earmarked for landscaping, and it will help us finish the plan. Ken Lane was able to supervise the planting of the trees; the yews were planted last week. We are taking things one step at a time, and there is still a lot to do. Contact me if you want to be included on the Hazelnuts email list. You might want to help out on occasion or just like to be kept informed on the work that is being done around the Fellowship.

- Cheryl Lawson

INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE CIRCLE

The International Dance Circle is on summer break and will not be meeting until further notice. Enjoy your summer!

- Susan and Ron Jackson

KINETIC SPIRITS

Come dance as you like and are able - all ages are welcome! Join us for music and movement on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon in Fellowship Hall. No experience is necessary. Music is provided, but your favorite CDs are welcome.

- Deb Kline

NEW MEMBER FELLOWSHIP CIRCLE

The New Member Fellowship Circle enjoyed a potluck on May 25th. We intend to continue meeting through the summer on the fourth Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. If you've recently become a member of the Fellowship, then come join us in the Tower Room on June 22!

- Cindy Scholten

NUTS AND BOLTS

As we move to summer schedule (one 10 a.m. service), we'll need more substitutes for Nuts and Bolts tasks. If you're willing to take a temporary Sunday for coffee-making, kitchen cleanup, chair setup, or chair takedown during the summer while the normal rotation is on vacation, please let me know. One other note: We've been relying on spontaneous volunteers to take down chairs each Sunday, but sometimes that doesn't work, so we'll try to get a rotation started before summer. come join us in the Tower Room on June 22!

- Susan Franzen

PARTNER CHURCH

Transylvania Night, originally planned for June 16, will be rescheduled because of a change in the travel plans of Lajos and Tunde Lõrinczi, our Transylvania Partner Church minister and his wife. We look forward to having them visit as soon as their visas are secured and their schedule allows!

- Kitty Fisher

PEACE GROUP

The UUFA Peace Group meets one Saturday morning a month. The meetings provide a supportive and action-focused environment for anyone whose passion is peace. We continue to participate in peace vigils on Wednesday evenings: 4:45 to 5:15 p.m. at the intersection of 5th Street and Grand Ave. and then from 5:30 to 6 p.m. at Lincoln Way and Welch Ave.

- Marcia Brink

POTLUCKS

There will be no organized potlucks until September. In the meantime, if you get the longing for a UU potluck, get on the phone, call some folks you haven't seen for a while and/or some new folks you'd like to know better! Call me for advice.

- Bobbie Warman

PRAIRIE SAGE CIRCLE: EARTH-BASED SPIRITUALITY

Bright and vibrant everywhere, flowers blooming without a care. Sun shines down upon our face, blessing us with warmth and grace. Rains that nourish life and root bring forth the smell of fresh-turned Earth. Join us as we continue our journey to connecting with the Divine that Nature has to offer. Prairie Sage Circle meets in the Tower Room at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. This month we meet on June 27.

- Tammi Hartmann

SCIENCE VIDEO DISCUSSION CIRCLE

Fritz Franzen and Sam Wormley host a Science Video Discussion Circle at the home of Fritz Franzen on the first and third Tuesdays of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. The Science Video Series is currently discussing the 13 part COSMOS series (with updates) by Carl Sagan. On June 6, it's Episode XII: Encyclopedia Galactica. We will not meet during late summer (July and August) but will start up again in September.

- Sam Wormley

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & ACTION: TRADITIONAL

The Story County Community Dental Clinic will be the recipient of our June collection split. This is a program of Mid-Iowa Community Action. This low-cost service is only for residents of Story County who have no insurance or who are underinsured. Residents who have Title 19 have a $3 co-pay, and those who do not have Title 19 have a $20 co-pay. The clinic offers cleanings, dental exams, extractions, fillings, and referrals to oral surgeons and other local dentists. The clinic is usually open on Tuesday nights from 4:15 to 8 p.m. for emergencies and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for cleanings and dental exams. (Note that since George Belitsos of YSS is with us on Sunday, June 4, the entire collection on that Sunday will go to Youth and Shelter Services.)

- Alissa Stoehr

SITTING MEDITATION

A time for quiet group meditation is available every 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. We have had as many as seven people attend and as few as one.

- Jean Hagert Dow

STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

The Stewardship Committee is pleased to have completed our "first" annual fund drive—Gather the Spirit—by raising more than $xxx. However, our committee continues its work throughout the year. Our charge is to

• emphasize and elevate giving as a spiritual and ethical practice
• develop fundraising guidelines as needed
• lead the annual fund drive
• participate in capital campaigns
• develop and implement donor recognition and appreciation opportunities, and
• be the arbiter of fundraising activities and events.

We are pleased to announce our newest committee members, Roger Berger and Susan Franzen. Other committee members include: Shaun Keister (chair), Peggy Earnshaw, Trevor Nelson and Joan Matthews. If you are interested in being a part of this new committee, please contact Shaun. We'd like to have three to four additional members.

- Shaun Keister

WOMEN OF WISDOM

Women of Wisdom (WOW) is an open group of Fellowship women, 55 years and older. We meet the third Monday of each month for conversation and fellowship. The June meeting will be Monday, June 19, at 7 p.m. in the Tower Room.

- Lynn Avant

WOMEN'S BOOK GROUP

It's time for another UUFA Women's Book Group meeting! Please join us in the Tower Room at 7 p.m. Monday, June 5. We will be discussing The Mermaid's Chair: A Novel by Sue Monk Kidd.

Sue Monk Kidd's The Mermaid Chair is the soulful tale of Jessie Sullivan, a middle-aged woman whose stifled dreams and desires take shape during an extended stay on Egret Island, where she is caring for her troubled mother, Nelle. Like Kidd's stunning debut novel, The Secret Life of Bees, her highly anticipated follow-up evokes the same magical sense of whimsy and poignancy. - amazon.com

Sue Monk Kidd, a former fundamentalist Christian writer turned novelist and essayist, explores grand themes and the nature of soul growth and change in midlife. We invite you to join us in discussing this book by one of our book group's favorite authors. Bring some ideas for summer reading. We will take a break over the summer and return Sept. 11 to gather suggestions for our 2006-2007 reading list.

- Barbi Greenlaw

WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY GROUP

The Women's Spirituality Group will meet Tuesdays, June 6 and June 20, at 7 p.m. in the Tower Room. UUFA women of all ages and their friends are invited to attend the bimonthly discussions fostering spiritual growth and connection. This group practices shared leadership, centering each meeting around a spiritual concept.

- Cheryl Lawson

WOMEN'S WRITING GROUP

The UUFA Women's Writing Group will meet Monday, June 12 at 7 p.m. in the Tower Room. Bring up to 10 pages of writing of any genre to read aloud and share with this friendly and encouraging group of writers. Submit your writing a week ahead to our email list or bring it along that night if you are a last-minute sort of writer. We welcome new members at any time.

- Barbi Greenlaw

YOUNG ADULT GROUP

Subscribe to the Young Adult email list to find out last-minute movie, games, and other fun plans. To subscribe, send an email to uufayag-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Then post messages by emailing uufayag@yahoogroups.com. Please subscribe to find out what we are planning and to suggest an event or activity.

- Rachel Williams

FOR SALE

GARAGE SALE COMING

Why: The Partner Church Committee is raising funds to bring Lajos and Tunde Lõrinczi from our partner church in Tordátfalva, Romania, to Ames

When: Saturday, June 10, 8 AM-2 PM

Where: Van Valins

What: We've collected a lot. Now we need you to buy it! Household Goods, Books/CDs/Videos, Puzzles/Games, Small Furniture, Tools, Baby & Toddler Clothing, and Much More!

Help Wanted: We will need help:

• Setting up Friday night, June 9, at Van Valin's
• Cashiering on Saturday, June 10
• Cleaning up after the sale and taking the leftovers to Goodwill.

Call Joan Mathews to offer to help or with questions.

Archives Corner

Green Corner

UUFA Joins UU Ministry for Earth Anonymous donor does his part; can you do yours?

The UU Ministry for Earth (formerly the Seventh Principle Project) is an independent affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association. As such, it receives no financial support from the UUA, but is made possible by the financial contributions of its members.

The vision of the UU Ministry for Earth is that UUs recognize and embrace our moral imperative to live in covenant with the web of life through personal, congregational, and denominational practices. Our purpose is to facilitate and support the work of Unitarian Universalists by affirming and promoting the seven principles of the UUA, including the seventh "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."

The UU Ministry for Earth provides a forum for discussion and dissemination of material for study, religious education, and worship. It is a central source of environmental education for UUs, highlighting the relationships between spiritual and religious values and related environmental, social, ethical, and justice issues. The Ministry advises the UUA on the implications of denominational, congregational, and interdenominational activities as they are related to the environment; and it supports UUs in their personal and congregational efforts to create a healthy, just, and sustainable environment.

With the help of an anonymous donor, the Fellowship has become a congregational member of The UU Ministry for Earth. I urge you to support the work of The Ministry by becoming individual members. Brochures are available in the pamphlet rack that give information for contributing to this 501(3)(c) organization. For more information, go to their Web site at uuministryforearth.org.

- Erv Klaas

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

- Fritz Keinert, UUFA Webmaster

I frequently get requests from Fellowship members to update some of the information on our Web site. I appreciate this help in keeping the information current. Recently, I received such a request from an unusual source: our former minister, Sydney Morris.

This prompted me to also take a look at our other former ministers. In case you are curious, here's what they are doing these days:

• Sydney Morris is the minister of the Keweenaw UU Fellowship (www.kuuf.net) in Houghton, Michigan, on the upper peninsula.
• Our first interim minister, Doug Smith, lives in Madison, Wisconsin, and works nationwide as a professional speaker, trainer, and consultant. From what I can tell, he specializes in grief counseling and keeps very busy on the speaking circuit. He is the author of several books, including The Tao of Dying, Caregiving, Being a Wounded Healer, and Spiritual Healing. I don't think he ever wrote up his Kibosh stories in book form, though. Look for him on the Web at www.dougcsmith.com.
• Our second interim minister, Carol Hepokoski, is finishing up another interim ministry at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, New York (www.unitarian.ithaca.ny.us). Beginning this fall, she will be the minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester, Minnesota (www.uurochmn.org).

Incidentally, I noticed on Carol's vita that her first UU job in 1984 was to organize the Keweenaw Fellowship, where Sydney is now. It's a small world.

Please welcome Monica Adair as our new custodian. She will work eight hours a week.

From the president

Creating Our Own Destiny

One of our nephews graduated from high school in Texas last week, reminding me of a niece's graduation seven years ago that set our family on the path to this Fellowship, though we didn't realize it at the time. We had gone to a recognition event for graduating seniors at the church Mark's brother's family attends in Colorado. It was clear from listening to our niece and to all the adults who spoke from the heart that night just how thickly her support system had been woven there.

Mark and I talked about how, were it not for the accompanying doctrine-and the 800-mile commute-we'd love that sort of community for our kids. His brother emphasized how important the church had been as a touchstone for their five kids, how it provided some sense of balance and an auxiliary community for those times when the kids faced tough choices or thought their lives were falling apart at school.

Seven years ago, we had no idea how accurate that description would become for us. We could not have predicted how some pieces of our kids' world would fall apart as our assumptions about elementary school disintegrated. And we also couldn't have predicted that we'd have a religious community in place to serve as a steady touchstone for us all.

In the last few years, we've watched the erosion of several areas of security for our kids—best friends moving, other relationships ending or changing, their school closing, and a culture shock in the transition. We're still studying options for school next year, but it will certainly mean more change.

But every Sunday morning and most Wednesday nights this spring, they have eagerly embarked on our beloved routine of trekking to the Fellowship. It feels safe. (I often think that Zach feels too at-home in the building, as evidenced by his running through the Fireside Room, burping, and taking three cookies during coffee hour.) The Fellowship has become one of the few foundational places of security that endures for us all.

While we had no idea exactly how things would fall apart for members of our own family, it should be no surprise that things fall apart for all of us in different ways at different times—health, employment, education, relationships.

Many of us, whatever our views, fight the good fight on many fronts, and that can be daunting and tiring. I'm not sure anyone representing any perspective on local politics feels as if everything is going his or her way. And in local or global social-justice work, progress is dwarfed by the need, so it takes courage to reconcile the scale of our efforts against those mountains.

But at the UUFA, we create our own institution, and we deal much more in hope than in despair. We do so, in no small part, simply by how we agree to relate to each other, whatever the questions or possibilities before us. Add that we are creating our own destiny, not lobbying others or pleading before some other entity, and we have the recipe for growth and rewarding personal and collaborative investment.

As an institution, we stand the test of time. We offer rituals and consistency, even as people and programs change.

This is not the same Fellowship for my kids that it was for other families' kids decades ago. Nor is it the same for my family as it is for other families right here and now.

It's an organic place, with parts that grow and parts that die.

Several members who have been passionately involved won't be back next year. But that's always the case.

It reminds me of the trees at Brookside Park. I can't help but feel some loss when I see the biggest ones fallen or cut down for safety. I look at the saplings nearby and sadly mark the exchange as a loss. But it's not. Through time, the park is populated by big trees and little trees, and its identity endures.

Similarly, our Fellowship isn't dependent on any one person. It is precisely that enduring identity beyond the ebb and flow of individuals that makes it a touchstone we can count on.

But as I move out of the presidency to a new vantage point, I don't want to suggest that the place runs itself or that individual contributions don't matter. Creating a welcoming environment with ties both broad and deep takes work and attention. Good leadership is essential. Taking on pieces of that has its rewards. Pulling weeds together, contemplating policy nuances together, eating meals together—all these build the ties that bind. Just showing up can be the biggest step.

Being on the board also offers a special vantage point to watch our staff behind the scenes, and I've benefited from several years of working with, observing, talking to, and learning from them. So I want to end with a note of gratitude for those interactions with Becca, Benette, and Brian.

These are complicated, interdependent relationships. As a good employer, some lay leaders must be immersed in the details of staff salaries, retirement plans, and job evaluations. We are compelled to craft procedures that balance our utter trust in them as people and as religious professionals with our responsibility to the congregation to follow good business practices. We are called to be direct but compassionate buffers when members have gripes or when staff have gripes.

So we employ and guide them. But they also guide and, in a sense, employ us. These dynamics require attention and good communication. Thankfully, those are plentiful around here.

Our staff members are seasoned and professional, and they often know more than we do about how we can be more effective in our roles. And beyond the administrative realm, they remain sources of comfort and challenge for lay leaders, as they are for all members of the congregation.

Becca continues to redefine the office position and to make all our jobs easier. I have watched her go the extra mile to accommodate requests and fill needs before she is asked. In fact, she has so enmeshed herself in our operations that we need to remind ourselves not to turn over tasks we could handle, and instead use her for administrative tasks and innovations.

I have seen Benette move fluidly between the practical and the spiritual. She quietly handles the dry details of running a vibrant RE program and has continually sought to grow in her role through workshops and other learning opportunities. At the same time, she brings a devoted presence to her relationships with children, youth, parents, and others.

And my role has led me to collaborate most with Brian. I've seen him operate both when running on energy and when choking on fumes; I have gained much from seeing both. It has been an insider's view of how the vision he articulates on Sundays steers his approach to people and issues the other days of the week.

So, like our niece, I will graduate from my role next month with richly woven ties. And even better, I get to move on without moving away

- Brenda

Next Board Meetings:
7pm Wednesday, May 10
7pm Wednesday, June 14