From the minister

Caring as a Community;
Caring for the Community

My good friend and colleague, the Reverend Gail Seavey, would bristle whenever she was called "pastor." She'd reply, "the people in my congregation aren't sheep." I've always agreed with that assessment of the members of our congregation as well. Yet, the 'pastoral' role, caring for our members and community, is a very important one for us. In our model of creating our congregation, we do not rely on a shepherd but instead engage in caring activities as a community. To do this well, we need to be intentional about how we define caring roles so that people are feeling cared for.

Caring is a big word with a lot of responsibility implied. We attempt to be caring for our members and friends as well as for our larger community. This means there are nearly innumerable tasks and unlimited opportunities. This year, we've revamped how we care for our UUFA community by introducing a caring network. A survey allowed everyone in the Fellowship to sign on for a role in our caring ministry. If you didn't get one of these surveys, it is available on our website. Click on to the "Who We Are" link, go to "Pastoral Care," and click on the PDF for the survey. Bring it in to the office, and we'll add you to the database of helpers.

Even with this new system in place, there will be mistakes. We will miss visiting someone at the hospital or home. This doesn't happen out of malicious intent, it happens because of a human error and misunderstandings. We have such a strong network of care providers that I don't always follow up on each hospitalization or illness personally. The idea of a congregationally-centered ministry is that we take care of each other; we don't rely on staff to do it for us. That said, I am always available. I try to keep up on people's recovery, and if they are getting visits and progressing well, I'll leave the caring team to do their work. But, if I know someone would like to see me, I never intentionally leave them out. Occasionally, I lose a message or a note and the opportunity passes by. I am unforgivably forgetful-and my best intentions are often thwarted by that bad memory. There are also times that I don't know someone wants or needs a visit. A call or email to me helps. If I do miss an opportunity, I ask that you try a second time. I know that's asking a lot-but rest assured such contact is welcomed by me. The worst feeling is when I hear through the grapevine that someone is angry because I didn't visit; usually it's someone I didn't know would want or need such a visit-so please let me know.

Caring for the larger community is another calling for our congregation. In this, too, we are trying to provide opportunities for everyone who would like to be involved. A second survey (also available at the same webpage as the caring survey) lists opportunities and contacts for a variety of activities.

You may have noticed increasing communication about AMOS (A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy). There is a bulletin board in the Fireside Room with articles that have appeared in several of the past newsletters, and we've hosted numerous forums. This opportunity allows us to participate in the grassroots of creating the kind of community that we believe is needed. Rather than a single-issue organization, AMOS unites the community around issues that percolate from house meetings and one-on-one conversations. Just as we don't want a pastor providing our caring, we don't need a demagogue deciding the direction of our society. AMOS is a process to help get the power back into the hands of the people. This is caring for our community on the most foundational level. On March 5, Bethesda Lutheran will host a celebration of AMOS' evolution into a mid-Iowa organization. All of you are invited to join in this event. Even if you aren't able to be at the meeting, your support is important. This support came from helping us to include membership in AMOS as a part of our annual budget. Being willing to provide resources-in time, talent, and money-to bring about change is consistent with our value of caring for our community.

We are not sheep to be herded. This is evident by the way we care for one another one-on-one and in our larger community. I hope that you will take a few minutes to participate in these worthwhile ventures that we're creating. Together, we can make caring an expectation rather than an exception.

See you on Sundays.

– Brian

Sunday, March 5, 9am and 11am

Universal Benevolence

Rev. Brian Eslinger

Many religious traditions offer a "do unto others" principle. Could this be a basis for constructing a universal religious ethic? We'll explore the roots, possibilities, and limitations of such a goal.
Youth Prelude: Eden Marek
Special Music: Pam Schwab & Peggy Earnshaw

 

Sunday, March 12, 9am and 11am

Fulghum Readings

Jack Vas, Sam Wormley, and others

Many people know about Robert Fulghum in the context of his best-selling books, including "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," but fewer people know that Fulghum is a UU minister. Today's program is built around Fulghum's true, humorous stories: to share how they relate to UU principles and to show how his work has helped and inspired countless people. Come and enjoy Fulghum's work that will inspire you, cause you to reflect, and make you laugh!
Special Music: Larry Burkhalter & Reggie Greenlaw

 

Sunday, March 19, 9am and 11am

Earth Day: Seeking Harmony

Erv Klaas and others

To achieve harmony within our community, we must identify our common values. We must engage citizens in the tough and complex job of creating a great city with livable neighborhoods and villages. Our decisions for the future must look at all the available options on the basis of fairness and maximum benefits.

 

Wednesday, March 22, 7pm

Spring Equinox Vespers Service

At the equinox we experience a time of balance, when everyone on the earth has 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. In the spring we greet the increasing length of our days. Join us as we welcome of return of our growing season with stories and songs.
This is an event appropriate for the whole family. We will have our usual Wednesday night Fellowship potluck starting at 6, everyone is welcome.
The equinox celebration will follow at 7 in Fellowship Hall. Men's movie night (also at 7) will be in the Tower Room.

Sunday, March 26, 9am and 11am

Growing our Grass Roots

Rev. Brian Eslinger and
Paul Turner, AMOS Community Organizer

We know that deeply rooted plants prevent water from eroding away topsoil. The same is true of communities. Deeply rooted people create strong, nurturing communities. Join us as we discuss how we can grow the roots of our community.

Special Music: Fellowship Voices

 

From the Director of Youth and Children's Ministries

Celebrating Rituals and Traditions

I recently attended the Meadville-Lombard (a UU seminary in Chicago) Winter Institute in Madison. The keynote speaker at this workshop was Meg Cox who wrote The Book of New Family Traditions in which she provides examples of rituals for families to use at home. Most of us are familiar with some of our UU traditions or rituals such as the ingathering Water Communion, the Apple Communion at harvest time, the Winter Solstice bonfire at the Barnes-Runquist farm, and the Flower Communion. We celebrate all of these and other ceremonies such as child dedications, Coming of Age programs, and graduating senior recognition.

Here are ten reasons Meg Cox gives for creating and using rituals at home and in one's faith community:

• Impart a sense of identity
• Provide comfort and security
• Help to navigate change
• Teach values
• Teach practical skills
• Solve problems
• Keep alive a sense of departed family members
• Pass on ethnic or religious heritage
• Help heal from loss or trauma
• Generate wonderful memories

It's obvious to me that rituals are great for children and teens, but they are also applicable to adults for the same reasons as above. Rituals, ceremonies, and traditions provide roots and help us define ourselves as a viable faith community in the absence of well-defined theology.

Julie Johnson, a psychotherapist and mentor to teens and adults, presented a session on her experiences with rituals and sacred wisdom for teens. She insists that good and effective mentors to teens need to be "initiated adults," adults who are living in accordance with their values and exhibiting integrity and compassion. Attending the Fellowship on Sunday mornings, participating in adult religious education programs, and serving others open pathways to becoming an initiated adult.

On Saturday afternoon and evening, we attended a discussion on Family Ministry. Phil Lund, our district's Lifespan Faith Consultant, presented information on how UU congregations could support and encourage families in their homes and in their congregations with emphasis on caring conversations, social justice work, faith formation, and family devotions (practices that support one's values and beliefs).

I have Meg Cox's book and Julie's two books, The Thundering Years and Teen Psychic in my personal library at the Fellowship and would love for them to be borrowed. As always, I'm grateful to the members of the Fellowship for their financial support which allows me to attend these workshops. Meeting with other DREs and UU ministers reinforces my commitment to this work and renews my faith in the Fellowship and in UUism.

- Benette

7th and 8th grade play notes:

The Jobs Left for Job

The 7th and 8th graders will be presenting the Fellowship with a play and game show for the services on April 9!

Important dates to remember:

• Mar. 5: The next and the LAST rehearsal during regular RE time. Please have lines well-rehearsed if not memorized at this time.
• Mar. 26: Arrive at the Fellowship at 10 a.m. so we can do a mock run through of the play between services. No costumes necessary-this will be for place work.
• Apr. 2: Arrive at the Fellowship at 10 a.m.-repeat of Mar. 26.
• Apr. 8: 6-8:30 p.m. (DRESS REHEARSAL) Everyone will need to be there and ready to set up and perform. Could I please have several (at least 3) parent volunteers to assist with crowd control, general set-up, and pretending to be a hard-of-hearing person in the back row? This would help things flow more smoothly and be greatly appreciated. We also have a sheet "roof" to set up, so if there are any tall and/or design-talented people willing to help, that would be GREAT!

We have a number of prop needs; if anyone in the fellowship has items to donate to the cause we would be grateful:

• 1 long table cloth for one of the fellowship long tables
• 1 large tan, brown, etc. sheet. The larger the better!
• Tunic/shepherd type costuming for several of the guys

If anyone has items, suggestions, or can help with dress rehearsal, please contact Dena Sidmore.

First Friday Fellowship Family Fun

Just a week after the late-February Family Fun Night that was part of our pledge drive, we return to the traditional First Friday event from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 3. Pack a game you want to try out on a group, pack some friends and relatives, and pack yourself off to the Fellowship.

RSVPs for pizza ($4/person) to the Witherspoons by 4 p.m. that day.

Wellspring Wednesdays:

Come for Potlucks
and/or Classes

Every Wednesday from Feb. 1 through May 24 (excluding spring break), you have a standing invitation to join in a potluck at the Fellowship. After the physical nourishment, come join in some mental/spiritual nourishment. The potluck and most classes are drop-in, no registration necessary.

The classes are designed to be independent of each other so you can jump in at any time, even if you haven't come as yet.

Spiritual Practices (Brian Eslinger)
First Wednesdays of each month (7-8:30 pm)

March 1, Many ways to pray;
April 5, Contemplation of the word;
May 3, Spirituality and connection to the world.

Each unit will feature practices from various religious traditions, providing insight into the range of possibilities.

Feed the Body, Nourish the Spirit (Benette Sherman)

Second Wednesdays of each month (7-9 pm)

March 8, April 12, May 10 (registration required).

Investigate the connections between food and spirituality in Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. We'll touch lightly on philosophy and make food from these traditions.

UU History and Theology (Brian Eslinger)

Third Wednesdays (fifth in March) of each month (7-8:30 pm)

March 29, Early American Unitarians and Universalists;
April 19, The Transcendentalists and Free Religion movement;
May 17, UU Theology today.

This group may also explore organizing an adult UUFA trip to Boston later in 2006.

Men's Night at the Movies (Brian Eslinger)

Fourth Wednesdays of each month (7 p.m. start; length varies)

Mar 22: Monty Python's Life of Brian
Apr 26, and May 24: open for suggestions.

The men of the Fellowship will gather for movies and discussion.

Modern UU Poets (Jane Vallier)

March 29, April 5, April 12 (7-8:30 pm)

Focus of the class will be on May Sarton, Mary Oliver, and other 20th century American UU poets, including liturgists such as Kenneth Patten.

A Day for the Young at Art!

2006 Annual Youth Fine Arts Celebration

On Sunday, May 7, young UUFA artists will be featured in a multi-media program coordinated by Brian Eslinger and Peggy Earnshaw. Since 1995, this annual program has engendered an appreciation for the young-at-art in our congregation. Artists perform as a soloist or with others of any age. So dust off your instruments, pull out the paints, don your duds, and create an experience to share with us all. This will be the third celebration to include the graphic arts and sculpture.

In the past, this event has occurred on Mother's Day. We have moved the event to the Sunday before Mother's Day this year.

Green Corner "The Rain on Your Roof" is Available

Your Soil and Water Conservation District Office has a new computer CD, entitled The Rain on Your Roof. The CD was developed by the Clear Creek Watershed Project of the Johnson and Iowa County Soil and Water Districts and has been made available to us with help from the Conservation Districts of Iowa and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It includes rainwater management activities for all ages.

Students and adults can use the "Residential Rainwater Audit" feature on the CD to compare run-off from a one-inch rainfall using current practices (gutter and downspout) with best management practices such as strategic landscaping and plantings.

An illustrated story entitled Finding Ol'Walleye tells of two water cycle journeys by "Clark Raindrop" and may be printed, read to, and colored by younger children. Teachers may find this an interesting activity for their classrooms. A field guide for twelve rainwater management activities is designed for use with upper-elementary aged children.

Also included on the CD is a 22-minute video from NRCS and a publication from the University of Wisconsin on how to build a rain garden. A rain garden is a simple landscaping practice that can help infiltrate water from your roof into the ground and provide an attractive wild flower garden at the same time. There are numerous links to information that can be found on the Internet.

Contact the District Office in Nevada to get a free copy of this CD, or call Erv Klaas.

3/3 at 9 p.m.   We'll have food, dance, and conversation with the Latin American Student Association. Come and get acquainted, bring food to share, and do partake in the cha-cha. Questions? Contact Joanne Courteau.

ARCHIVES COMMITTEE

Each Sunday during coffee hour in March there will be a display of snapshots from our archives by the pillar in the fireside room. Most of the pictures contain people still active in the Fellowship (though the might look a little different now), ranging from young children to a 91-year-old member. You are invited to look just to see what's familiar and what's strange. And while you're at it, you might as well fill out a quiz sheet. So far we have only one entry (from two weeks of display), so if you try, you might win by default! So come and join the fun-and for even more fun, join the Archives Committee!

- Susan Franzen

ART COMMITTEE

Jan. 14 - Mar 18: ASHLEY KYBER AND ISU STUDENTS Mar 18 - Jun 3: DEAN BIECHLER Reception: Mar 31, 5-7 pm

At the reception, Biechler will share his drawings as medical illustrations of nature that he has or will have published.

- Jean Hagert Dow

CARING COMMITTEE

Just a reminder that if haven't filled a Caring Committee survey, the survey is online under the "Pastoral Care" link. The Household Tasks, New Babies, and Yard Work sub-committees still need point people.

- Lynn Van Valin

CHRISTIAN AFFINITY GROUP

The newly formed Christian Affinity Group will meet in the Tower Room on the first and third Sundays of each month, 4-5:30 pm. This group is an outgrowth of discussions resulting from Mary Sawyer's Jan 8 presentation "What's In It For Us: Christianity and Community." (Note: Mary's presentation is available by e-mail from the office.) All are welcome for discussion and exploration. March meetings are on Mar. 5 and 19.

- Nancy Schroeder

CONSCIENTIOUS KNITTERS

Attention all Practitioners of the Needle Arts: Conscientious Knitters will meet 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the FIRESIDE ROOM on the THIRD Sunday of the month (March 19) this time ONLY. We've developed a core group that enjoys trading ideas, solving problems, and spending quality time together while creating satisfying projects. Come join us!

- Mary Richards

DANCE CIRCLE

International folk dances are performed at the Fellowship on the first, third, and fifth Sunday afternoons at 4 p.m. New participants are always welcomed. You don't need a partner or special shoes. All you need is enthusiasm and a willingness to try new things. Note that we will not meet on March 5.

- Susan Jackson

DAYTIME CIRCLE

The Daytime Circle meets at 1:30 p.m. every other Monday (on March 6 and 20). This is our third year, and we have added three new members in the past three months. We get to know each other by exploring concerns that we share. If you're curious, come to the Tower Room and join us or just call me.

- Susan Franzen

DENOMINATIONAL CONNECTIONS

If you've ever thought about attending the UU General Assembly (GA), this is the year to do it because it's nearby in St. Louis! From June 21 to June 25, you can meet and mingle with thousands of UUs from all over the world, represent the UUFA in the plenary sessions, attend fascinating workshops, buy books at the Beacon Press and UUA booths, and browse many other UUA resource booths. Registration opens March 1; all the information is at www.uua.org. The Denominational Connections Committee is considering chartering a bus to take us to GA if there is sufficient interest. We are hoping our Transylvania Partner Church minister and his wife will be with us, too (See PARTNER CHURCH paragraph).

- Kitty Fisher, Sam Wormley

EMERGENCY RESIDENCE SHELTER

	Emergency Residence Project	Shelter Meal Volunteers 3/7: Barnes 3/14: youth/Hartmann 3/21: Lohnes 3/28: Keinert
Providing Food and Shelter

March madness! Spring Break! Road trips! As members of a community that to a large extent revolves around the academic calendar-and related sporting events-we look forward to the various special events and scheduled downtime to regroup from winter and gear up for a busy spring. However, many in our community don't have this luxury, and March can mean cold and uncertainty. For the men who are served at the Emergency Residence Shelter, March can mean a warm bed and a hot evening meal enjoyed family-style with the staff and shelter residents and the volunteers who bring the meal. Again this March, UUFA volunteers will shift their focus from ball games and vacations and will instead share Tuesday evenings at the Shelter. The UUFA meal calendar is filled for the spring, but we are booking for the summer months. If you'd like to sign up, especially to be on a "just-in-case" back-up list, contact Chris White, Joanne Barnes, or the UUFA office.

- Chris White

ENDOWMENT ACQUISITIONS & DISBURSEMENTS

Have you ever wondered about this committee? We disburse the interest each year from our investments. We have purchased the coffeemaker, the snow blower, and hymnals with the interest from our endowment funds. There is a brochure in the pamphlet rack that tells members how they can give to our endowment.

- Lynne Van Valin

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, Marcus Borg, or Karen Armstrong? If yes, this long-established book club may be for you. The Historical Jesus group meets the third Sunday of every month at Northcrest. We have a very active group of ten and would be happy to have new members join. Right now, we are doing readings from several books. One of them is Profiles of Jesus, edited by Roy W. Hoover.

- Marty Helland

KINETIC SPIRITS

Kinetic Spirits provides the atmosphere to tap into your unique intuition, spontaneity, and creativity. Realize that all move-ments are the right ones to connect to your inner and universal energy. 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. Note that we are now meeting on Thursdays.

- Deb Kline

MONTHLY POTLUCKS

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Potlucks are being scheduled for March 3, 4, and 5, the first weekend in March. Looking ahead to April, we'll use the first weekend again (April 7, 8, and 9) since the second weekend is Easter. Potluck season is winding down so if you have not had an opportunity to host, now is the time! Just let me know-I'll help you get organized. Let me know if you would like to be added to the potluck list, either as a host or as a participant.

- Bobbie Warman

NUTS AND BOLTS

Thanks to all the people (especially new members) who have signed up for coffee cake-and for those who anonymously pitch in every Sunday to take down chairs. Special thanks to those who have signed up for a monthly rotation of chair setup, bringing flowers, coffee making, and coffee cleanup. And now, please help us fill the following blanks in our schedule. We still need 2nd Sunday Flowers, 4th Sunday Chair Setup, 4th Sunday Coffee Cleanup, and 5th Sunday Chair Setup (this is a good deal, since it isn't every month)

- Susan Franzen

PARTNER CHURCH

Help bring our Tordátfalva Partner Church friends to Ames! The minister, Lajos Lõrinczi, and his wife, Tunde, have been invited to visit us and to attend General Assembly in St. Louis. We also hope to include additional congregation members as funds and frequent flyer miles allow. If you are willing and able to donate funds and/or frequent flyer miles, please contact me. It's about 5,000 miles one-way per person; airfares range between $850 and $1,000 round-trip. The visit will happen mid-June with a "Transylvania Night" party on Friday, June 16.

- Deb Kline

PEACE GROUP

Weekly peace rallies continue every Wednesday from 5:30 to 6 p.m. at the corner of Lincoln Way and Welch. They will be held during spring break.

- Marcia Brink

SCIENCE VIDEO DISCUSSION CIRCLE

Fritz Franzen and Sam Wormley host a Science Video Discussion Fellowship 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 thirteen part COSMOS series (with updates) by Carl Sagan. On Mar. 7, it's Part VIII - "Travels in Space and Time." The topic for Mar. 21 is Part IX - "Lives of the Stars."

- Sam Wormley

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & ACTION: TRADITIONAL

The recipients for the collection split in March will be two Youth and Shelter Services programs: the GRIP (Great Relationships in Mentoring) Program and the Stork's Nest. The GRIP program pairs children in Story County school districts with interested community residents who want to make a difference in a child's life. This program promotes and enhances student achievement and well-being through one-on-one positive mentoring relationships. The Stork's Nest is a program for at-risk women who are pregnant or who have given birth within the last six months. The mission of the program is to improve the health of the mothers and their children. Participants receive classes, encouragement to receive early and regular pre-natal care, support to increase healthy behaviors, and referrals to community services. They can also participate in an incentive program to earn baby clothing, nursery supplies, and equipment.

- 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

UUFA WOMEN'S BOOK GROUP

Please join us in the Tower Room at 7 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 6. We will be discussing Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. The women of Freesia Court are convinced that there is nothing that good coffee, delectable desserts, and a strong shoulder can't fix. Laughter is the glue that holds them together-the foundation of a book group they call AHEB (Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons), an unofficial "club" that becomes much more. It becomes a lifeline. Come to our own book night of laughter and fun. Future titles: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (April 3), Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers (May 1), and Mermaid's Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (June 5).

- Barbi Greenlaw

UUFA WOMEN'S WRITING GROUP

The UUFA Women's Writing Group will meet Monday, Mar. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Tower Room. Bring up to ten 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 if you are a last-minute sort of writer. We welcome new members at any time.

- Barbi Greenlaw

WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY GROUP

The Women's Spirituality Group will meet on Tuesdays, Mar 7 and Mar. 21, 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. You are welcome to join our group at any time.

- Cheryl Lawson

Ames Alternative Gift Market Raises Over $28,000

-Bonnie Bowen

The 2005 Ames Area Alternative Gift Market collected more than $x in December for projects to help the needy locally and worldwide. Members of the UUFA "purchased" gifts worth $x, 15% more than last year.

A total of $x, an all-time high, was given for 44 projects. More than $x will support the following Ames programs: ACCESS, Bethesda Community Food Pantry, Beyond Welfare, Emergency Residence Project, Food at First, Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance Cooperative, Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa, and Saving Smiles.

The Ames Alternative Gift Market, now in its 16th year, is one of over 300 markets held each year around the country that raise funds to help nonprofit relief and development agencies provide food, shelter, medicine, environmental assistance, and other essentials in more than 20 countries.

The Ames market is sponsored by 10 churches: Bethesda Lutheran, Collegiate Presbyterian, Collegiate United Methodist, First Baptist, First United Methodist, Northminster Presbyterian, St. Cecilia Catholic, Unitarian Universalist, and United Church of Christ-Congregational.

"Alternative gifts" are available year-round. More information is available at the Alternative Gifts International website: www.altgifts.org.

Of the 36 projects sponsored by Alternative Gifts International, this year's top ten projects receiving support from the Ames Area Alternative Market were:

1. Egg-laying hens for families and orphans in Kenya, Uganda, and Nicaragua
2. Water systems for rural indigenous communities in Nicaragua and Bolivia
3. Bicycles to enable health care workers reach people in need in Senegal, North Korea, and Tanzania
4. New wells to prevent waterborne illness in drought-prone Sudan
5. Food and formula for HIV-positive mothers in Nigeria and South Africa
6. Rescuing victims of forced prostitution in Southeast Asia
7. Seeds to plant mango trees in Haiti
8. A medicine box to treat 1,000 people in Central America
9. Medical supplies to survivors of genocide attacks in Chad and Sudan
10. Seeds and tools for neighborhood gardens in Belize and Haiti

Jump on the Train! Get on the Bus!

Get your motor running! Carpe Diem!

-Benette Sherman

All of the Fellowship is invited and encouraged to attend a gathering of faith communities from Ames and Des Moines who are currently members or potential members of AMOS, a grass-roots, broad-based organization working for social and environmental justice. On March 5 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Bethesda Lutheran Church, the Ames congregations will joyfully proclaim their intentions of joining AMOS.

We will unveil a banner that illustrates our emerging energy and changes the name of AMOS from A Metropolitan Organizing Strategy to A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy. Your presence at this meeting will add to the energy and demonstrate the hope and zeal that people of different faiths can work together for the common good.

We recommend and hope that the Fellowship will commit to adding 1% of our operating budget as dues to support the work of AMOS. By doing so we more firmly live our mission statement and practice ALL of our UU principles.

Because we can have faith and because hope is possible, today we can echo that ancient call of Amos and speak it into a world bound by despair and fear. We can echo the prophecy that says, "Let justice roll, roll down like waters and righteousness like a flowing stream."

So we say, let justice roll. Let justice roll into our streets of oppression and drugs and hopelessness, but also into the avenues of luxury and fear. Let justice roll into the ghettoes and barrios and squatter camps, but also into the affluent suburbs of comfort and indifference. Let justice roll into the board rooms of corporate wealth and the corridors of political power. Let justice roll into a church made lukewarm by its conformity to its culture and made isolated by its lack of compassion. Let justice roll and set free all the captives, those under bondage to poverty's chains, but also those under bondage to money's desires. Let justice roll, we say, this day. Let justice roll and let faith come alive again to those whose eyes long to see a new day!

Rev. Jim Wallis-Editor of Soujourner magazine

UUFA Peace Group Announces Ames Peace Rally

Social Justice is a Core Unitarian Value

Often, too little thought is given to the chilling effect that a perpetual state of war, as opposed to "Peace on Earth," can have upon achieving our social justice goals. Whether your "hot button" is education, the environment, affordable housing, universal/affordable health care, homelessness, or equal opportunity for all, how can we expect our dreams to come true, if we don't understand that government funding cuts or lack of funding for these goals will not improve one iota as long as we continue to shovel a half a trillion dollars a year down the craw of the insatiable Beast of War, currently in charge of our national policy.

It is time for all of us to unite for Peace and rid ourselves of the yoke of the politics of fear. The UUFA Peace Group urges each of you to join the 3rd annual Peace March and Rally on the anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war. The UUFA peace group is one of several co-sponsors of the event which will be held on Sunday, Mar. 19, at Lincoln Center (the corner of Lincoln Way and Grand Avenue). The rally program starts at 4 p.m. There will be two groups marching to the rally, one starting at 3 p.m. at the Iowa State Center (corner of Lincoln Way and Elwood), and the second one starting at 3:30 p.m. at Roosevelt School. The marchers will go east to Grand Avenue and then south to the Lincoln Center. Remember, to march for Peace is to also march for Social Justice. For further information, please contact Tom Janicki, Nancy Schroeder, or Marcia Brink.

PSD Conference: Giving Life the Shape of Justice

This year, the Prairie Star District (PSD) Conference is just a hop, skip, and a jump away in Iowa City. It starts Friday evening and concludes after the service on Sunday morning, April 28-30. Being on the PSD Program Planning Committee for the last several years, I had a hand in choosing this year's conference theme and the major speakers. The conference theme, chosen right after our U.S. president got re-elected, became, "UU.con: Giving Life the Shape of Justice." You can download the following conference information:

• Conference brochure:
  edu-observatory.org/psd/2006/PSD_2006_Brochure.pdf
• Registration form: (early registration discount ends Mar. 27)
  edu-observatory.org/psd/2006/PSD_2006_Registration_Form.pdf
• Youth registration form (conference and/or con)
  edu-observatory.org/psd/2006/PSD_2006_Youth_Registration_Form.pdf

Our Keynote Speaker, Friday evening, is Johanna Chao Rittenburg, Program Manager, Economic Justice, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). Johanna will address the conference theme by talking about the impact of civil society movements from all over the world. She will share stories from the economic justice partnerships and human rights/workers rights program work we are developing at UUSC. The keynote will describe how local community-based efforts (like PSD, UU small group ministries, social action committees, and youth groups) are vital members of coalitions that tap into larger policy and advocacy efforts for scaling impact on social and economic justice. Finally, she will touch on the role of our faith and theological roots for providing a foundation for faith-in-action.

Our Judy Lecturer, Rev. Valerie Mapstone Ackerman, titles her lecture, "The Revolution Start Now!" At a time when words like peace, compassion, understanding, and reason have become suspect, it is the duty of peaceful, compassionate, and reasonable people to stand up and make their voices heard. This revolutionary idea must include a gentle spirit and a commitment to non-violent action. It is possible to change the course of human events, but only if we prepare ourselves in mind, body, and spirit. Because Unitarian Universalism has always borne a heretical heart in matters religious and social, let us fulfill our legacy and step forward to be the change we want to see in the world. Valerie grew up in a working class town near Pittsburgh, PA. Married young and divorced quickly, she knows the social welfare system from the client's side. After graduating with degrees from the Universities of Pittsburgh and Michigan and Meadville-Lombard Theological School, she worked with young people: in reproductive health care, as an advocate for homeless children, and for residents of public housing. A community organizer, politician, therapist, and adjunct faculty member of the School of Social Work at the University of Michigan, she has served UU congregations in four states. Her ministry now includes itinerant preaching, consulting with UU boards and congregations, advocacy for peace and justice, hosting spiritual retreats and discussion groups, and award-winning writing.

Let's go en masse. See you in Iowa City!

- Sam Wormley, Denominational Connections

FY 05-06:

Annual Reports Due April 1

One key element of our congregation's annual meeting, which will be between services on May 7, is distribution of the annual report. This is a compilation of news from our professional staff, volunteer staff, and lay leaders, as well as from our committees, councils, and other working groups.

If you fall into any of these categories, please submit a summary of your year's activities to Becca Wemhoff by April 1. This will give her time to prepare the full report before turning her attention to the newsletter later that month.

FY 06-07:

Committee Budget Requests Due March 12

The Finance Committee is calling for FY 06-07 budget requests for any UUFA activity requiring support from the operating budget. The Board asks that we project budget needs for the next three years. Using the following format, please email your requests to Liz Weber James Pritchard, or place in the UUFA Finance mailbox. The deadline is Mar. 12. Our ability to fund your requests will depend on the current pledge drive. Results of the budgeting process will be communicated in late April.

FY 06-07:

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Pledge Packets Due March 12

Thanks to everyone for attending and participating in our "Gather the Spirit" fund drive events in February. We'd like to thank everyone who has already generously pledged their support for the 2006-07 fiscal year. If you have not yet returned your pledge card, please do so by March 12. It is important to meet this deadline as budget decisions for the new fiscal year will begin shortly thereafter. Again, many thanks!

From the president

Where Do We Stand?

Handling the board vacancy

Election of the Fellowship's 2006-07 president and vice president is a task the entire membership will consider at our May 7 annual meeting. But, given the unusual circumstance of our vice president's departure midyear and the questions of succession that have arisen, I wanted to let you know how things were shaping up.

Mary Richards has agreed to serve as president of the Fellowship in 2006-07, pending a congregational vote. This would be Mary's third term as president, as she also served in 1986-87 and in 1997-98.

Her institutional knowledge and leadership skills are coupled with current service to the Fellowship, as Mary has been on the board as co-treasurer for the last two years. This continuity seems especially valuable right now.

In the meantime, Peggy Earnshaw has agreed to serve as vice president through June to fill out the executive leadership team-composed of the past president, president, vice president, and minister-after which she will rotate off the board.

Thanks to Stewardship Committee

While Stewardship Committee members have been busy thanking people for participating in events and returning their pledge envelopes (deadline March 12), I encourage everyone to thank each of them for tireless work preparing for and carrying out the February events.

While we won't know the total of our collective support for several weeks, early returns suggest that many people have made double-digit increases in their pledges. It is inspiring to see that type of passion about our collective UUFA vision.

Iowa City, St. Louis plans

Whether you've already packed your bags or have just had a passing thought about attending district and national conventions, now is the time to explore those opportunities fully. The Prairie Star District's annual conference will be hosted by the UU Society of Iowa City April 28-30. Registration materials are available at www.psduua.org.

And the Unitarian Universalist Association's national convention, known as General Assembly, is making one of its closest passes to Iowa this year with a stop in St. Louis June 21-25. Additionally, the UUA has added a day and a half of focused training for lay leaders June 20 and 21. Online registration starts March 1 at www.uua.org.

The conference itself is packed with sessions that speak as much to individual spiritual growth as to congregational dynamics, and it gives participants the gift of perspective in mingling with so many UUs from so many places.

The proximity to Ames this year gives us a chance to consider traveling together, sharing rooms, or making joint child-care plans to enable people to try it out.

If you are interested in either the district conference or the national convention, get in touch with me, with Brian Eslinger, or with Sam Wormley, our Denominational Connections chair, this month.

- Brenda

Next Board Meetings:
7pm Wednesday, March 8
7pm Wednesday, April 12