February 2007

In the Interim
Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes

    “On every long journey, what drives you to go is half what you know and half what you don’t.” – Ann Reed

    That’s why journeys are so exciting. As travelers, we know something about our starting point. We know, or have heard, something about where we are going. We have ideas, hopes, dreams about where we want to go, and what it will be like. This is the promise of the journey. There’s something good ahead, we think. We aren’t there, so we don’t really know what it will be like. We don’t know what we will encounter on the way. There are unknown elements. There is mystery.

    Then there is the journey itself. Committing ourselves to a journey, we uproot from the known and venture bravely into the unknown. One thing for certain: we will be changed by what we encounter along the way. Our traveling companions, the new people we meet, the obstacles we overcome and the wonders we see will all become part of our very selves, and we will be different people because of them.

    Journey is growth. And growth is in the nature of human beings and all other natural, living things.

    The Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville is on a journey. You have seen where you were and bravely embarked on an adventure to arrive someplace else. A new settled minister is being sought, and the interim process engaged in. The path from the Family Sized church paradigm to a Pastoral Size model is being walked. New members are joining the church. Some things are being done differently. Greeters are being scheduled to welcome all and trained so guests will be well received. Sound system operators are being scheduled and trained to be sure everyone can hear, every week. Furniture is being moved and clutter removed. A gifts and interests survey will be taken. And there is no doubt more to come.

    Let us rejoice in the thrill of the journey. May the bumps in the road be taken in stride.  And may we arrive at the destination new people.

Myron

Mobile phone: 650-200-6803
myronandes@earthlink.net

Sunday Services

February 4       Sacred Narrative
Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes
Worship Associate Tom Moor

    Exploring the power of sacred narrative, of story, in our religious lives.

February 11     Evolution Sunday
Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes
Worship Associate John Schaeffer

    We join congregations across the nation today in demonstrating that the idea of evolution is compatible with religious faith.

February 18     Chinese New Year
Worship Associate Jan Steinmark

    Celebrating this significant holiday and the cultures that mark it.

February 25     Wild and Precious Life
Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes
Worship Associate Teri Rockwood

    “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” asks poet Mary Oliver. We will hear members of the congregation answer the poet’s question

SEARCH COMMITTEE
The Search committee has received ministerial records on three interested candidates. All three records look promising, so we are moving forward with exchanging packets and phone interviews. If that is successful then we will have the ministers in for pre-candidating weekends. At this point you might see us out on the town with a stranger. Walk the other way. We cannot introduce you or give you any information. There is still a possibility of us receiving more interested candidate’s ministerial records. But we are excited about the three we have received. If anyone has specific interview questions they think would help us choose the best minister for our church, please contact one of the search committee members. Thank you for you support.

PLEASE NOTE
Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes will not be available for regular office hours on February 6 and 7. He will be attending a clergy conference for CAJE (Congregations Advocating for Justice and Empowerment.)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S MEETING
    UUCE Board of Director's meets the first Monday of the month at 6:00 PM.  

DISCUSSION GROUP
    The UUCE discussion group meets at 9:00 a.m. on the first and third Sundays each month.  Copies of articles about the subjects we discuss can be found in a folder on the table in the lobby.  Please join us!

POTLUCK
    Our next potluck will be on February 25, 2007.  Come join your fellow UU’s for good food and good conversation!

COFFEE
     Fair Exchange coffee order forms are available in the foyer or contact Chris Norrington at cnorrington@hotmail.com.  Please place your order by the 25^th of each month. Chocolate is once again available for purchase.  Bars are $2 each or order a case with your next coffee order!

PIDG
    This month, the Pagan Interest Discussion Group will be meeting on the second Thursday (the 15th) of the month, at 7 pm at the church.  We will be planning our ritual for Ostara.  This will be open to the church and the public and held at the church on March 21, so mark your calendars now (details to follow)!  If you have any questions, contact the group via uucepidg@hotmail.com.

SEMINARY FOR THE LAITY
    Starr King School, a Unitarian Universalist Seminary, is inaugurating an online certificate program for lay leaders called Seminary for the Laity. Check it out, and read other news, at www.sksm.edu.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Make sure to wish these folks a happy birthday!!

Joey Simms - Feb 6
Jean Pharo- Feb 11
Kate Heil-Rawlings- Feb 15

SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
    In February we will be collecting food for humans and for birds! Canned goods and non-perishable foodstuffs will be collected to donate to local food pantries.  February is National Wild Bird Food Month.  Bring a bag of bird seed to be given to local nursing homes.  There are benefits for older adults who watch birds. Watching wild birds serves to relieve stress and can start the day on a positive note. Bringing birds into yards, particularly during gloomy winter days, adds a welcome flash of color, dash of motion and splash of sound.  Wild bird feeding is the principal connection many people have with wildlife, considering the continued trend toward moving into urban areas.  Thanks for supporting our community with your generosity!

PLATE SHARE
    Our monthly plate share has raised over $337 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Evansville and the United Caring Shelter.  In February our plate share will go to the Albion Fellows Bacon Center.  The Center provides shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as legal services and support counseling.

FROM YOUR TREASURER
    Letters for tax purposes were mailed mid-January for those who made pledge payments or registered donations in 2006.  If you paid a pledge in 2006 and you did not receive a statement, please let me know.

    Beginning in 2007, cash donations placed in the collection plate will NOT be tax deductible under new IRS regulations.  If you would like to have a receipt for tax purposes in 2007 and you normally place cash in the collection plate, please place it in an envelope with your name on it or better yet, write checks to receive a statement of giving for the next calendar year.

HEARTLAND DISTRICT NEWS NOW ON-LINE
    The Heartland UU District now has a website where you can access the latest UU news.  Check out this site for information, training opportunities, GA info, and more!

http://www.heartlanduu.org/announcements/district_monthly_congregatio.php

SAVE THE DATE FOR GA
    General Assembly 2007 will take place in Portland, Oregon on June 20.  Check out www.uua.org for more details.

SURVEY RESULTS
    The UUCE Ministerial Search Committee recently completed an un-scientific survey of the members to illustrate the character of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville to the prospective incoming minister. This is a snapshot of what they were able to uncover:

     Three out of four people responding attended church 3 to 4 times per month. They began attending to; a. Celebrate common values, b. Promote UU beliefs, and c. for intellectual stimulation. They continue to attend church for those same reasons.

     Our religious values and religious activity varied. The majority (30) thinks of Jesus as having lived as totally/fully human and a model for living an ethical and caring life. About half of the respondents described themselves as embracing “Humanism” while another third of the people who answered embraced “Naturalistic Theism”, described as a respect and devotion to the natural world. Most people surveyed never pray and about a third pray occasionally.

    In respect to immortality, many believe a person's memory lives on in the minds of loved ones and about 1 in 8 believes the body dies but the spirit or soul lives on.
    UU Church of Evansville is a Welcoming Congregation and the results of the survey reflect this. Three of four respondents indicated they are heterosexual, one eighth of respondents are lesbians, gay, or bisexual. The twenty nine of 41 are married or living with a partner, nine are single or widowed.  And, in most cases (26) their partner is affiliated with the congregation

     We are a highly educated group. Seven have a Bachelor's degree; sixteen have Master's degrees, and nine have a Doctorate  

    I hope this information will help you describe the membership of UUCE more accurately. We are an eclectic group, to be sure.

Lincoln Christensen
UUCE Board President, 2006-07

SOMETIMES I CRY-A FUND RAISER
    Sometimes I Cry (The Loves, Lives and Losses of Women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS) is a one woman show written and performed by award winning actress and AIDS activist, Sheryl Lee Ralph. This complex and thought provoking show was inspired by the real life stories of women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.  *mature theme 

February 7, 2007,7:00 pm, Fine Arts Center, Henderson, KY Tickets on sale now! Group rates available for 10 or more  Contact:   Lindy Wicks  phone: 270-826-0200 

Email:  lwicks@matthew25.lpky.net

Letters for Literacy SCRABBLE® Tournament
    A benefit for The Literacy Center

What:  A SCRABBLE® Tournament
Where: Ivy Tech — Commons Area                    
When:   Saturday, February 17, 2007 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Who:    Teams up to 3 people ($15 per person)
Why:     To have fun & raise money to help adults learn to read!

    For more information, or for additional registration forms, contact The Literacy Center at 429-1222 or visit us online at www.litcenter.org

2007 Letters for Literacy Sponsors: S.I.N.E, Ivy Tech, Vectren, Hook’s Apothecary, and Newspaper In Education.

Newsletter Editor: Beth Heil
March Newsletter info due to me by midnight February 20. Thanks.
email: uuceeditor@hotmail.com