first jefferson unitarian universalist church...
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June 2020 1
First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist ChurchCourier We are a liberal religious community of diverse individuals. We nurture spiritual growth, encourage lifelong education, work for social justice, serve the larger community, and celebrate life’s gifts together through meaningful worship. We welcome and support others in their expression of religious freedom.
The Foerst Word from Annie Foerster I’m going to have a three-cart summer. Let me explain. Fort Worth allows residents to purchase green yard carts—large containers for collecting yard waste, limbs, leaves, and grass. Although I compost much of my yard waste, I bought one when I moved here for tree limbs and other large items. My daughter had a house in Fort Worth with a mother-in-law cottage on it and was eligible for two carts. When she moved to River Oaks, she left her two carts with me and drove over weekly in her truck to have her waste deposited and picked up at my curbside. Recently she got rid of her truck and doesn’t bring her yard waste over any more. Until this spring, two of the carts have sat idly by the side of my house. This year is different.I don’t know if I have more time because I’m working from home or if I just needed something to do to take my mind of pandemics and politics, the only two things in the news nowadays. But for the past month I have been putting all three carts out at the curb every week, filled to the brim with formerly growing stuff. First I decided to clean out the area where two pecan trees had been removed, along with the logs and large brush. Lots of small limbs were left and I raked and raked, filling the three carts every week. Mid-May I started pruning back a cactus garden a former tenant had gifted me. I was tired of backing into thorns and leaf lances when I worked the vegetable garden next to it. Again, I’m filling up all three carts every week. Mind you, I’m not complaining. I love gardening, love the physical labor of it and love the way the land looks when I am finished. My curved pruning saw has become my favorite garden tool (I have an electric chain saw for back-up on the big stuff). I save mornings for church work, but every afternoon finds me out in the yard, digging, pruning, weeding, planting and admiring. During the recent rain days, I sat on the deck and watched everything grow.
How does this relate to First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, which this column is normally about? I’m not sure. When I sat down to write, this is the story that popped into my head. But I think this is the connection. As I said, I’m tired of pandemics and politics. I don’t want this year to be remembered as “The year we had that terrible virus,” or “The summer before the 2020 election that resulted in . . .” I want to look back and say, “2020? Wasn’t that my three-cart summer, the year I finally got my garden in shape?”It’s easy to be overwhelmed by things you can’t control, especially things that put you in a difficult, uncomfortable situation. I find myself being more cranky than usual, getting angry at small things, yelling at bad drivers though I know they can’t hear me. When the library contacted me that a book I wanted to borrow was ready, but failed to tell me I had to make an appointment to pick it up, “I told them to keep their stupid book and went out and bought a copy.” Then I went out in the yard and chopped up some more cactus and threw it in the green cart. I felt better.My point this. This summer isn’t going to be easy for any of us and it probably isn’t going to get easier soon. Let’s not let it get to us. Let’s all promise to do something different, or something amazing, or something we can celebrate, so when we look back we don’t have to say, “That was the summer I lost my head.” What is going to be your equivalent of a three-cart summer? Reading three books a week? Knitting three sweaters to get ready for winter? Learning three new recipes for when potlucks start up again? Put it on our Facebook page, ‘#three-cart summer.’
June 1, 2020 Fort Worth, TX Number 407
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Worship May 31 What Do You Expect? The Reverend Annie Foerster What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist with ‘expectations’? What are your expectations for your faith? For yourself? For your future? For your dreams?June 7 Farewell to Turner Turner Bridgforth As I bid farewell to my time as an Intern here at First Jefferson, I want to reflect on What-once-was and to think about and image what-is-yet-to-come for this congregation that I have learned so much from, and been so proud to be a part of.June 14 Who Am I Really? The Reverend Annie Foerster The topic is Integrity—not just being honest, but being honest about who you are as compared to who you present. When we don’t feel safe, we tend to armor ourselves. When we don’t feel adequate, we don our masks. What’s real?June 21 Come into this Circle The Reverend Annie Foerster On this Father’s Day, we will invite all fathers and all those who have had a father to be honored. I’ll be talking about compassion and what it means to us as Unitarian Universalists. I see it as an invitation to come inside, whether it is inside a hug or inside a circle of caring and concern.June 28 Welcome to General Assembly The Reverend Annie Foerster Like everything else, General Assembly this year will be held online. Instead of streaming our own service, as we have been doing since mid-March, we will stream the Sunday worship service from General Assembly. This may be the largest gathering of UU worshipers in history. Don’t miss it.
Reminder: Congregational Meeting will be Sunday In order to keep our community and our congregation safe, we will not be able to accommodate an in-person congregational meeting this year. So our annual Spring Congregational Meeting is going to be held virtually this year using Zoom. Reminder login instructions will be emailed to members and friends by the end of the day tomorrow, Friday, May 29.Date: May 31, 2020Time: Starts 1:00, but please join 20 minutes early so that we can get an accurate count of members present
Eastside Community Assistance Work Day We are planning a morning at Eastside Community Assistance for our church to help them serve the community. We are currently targeting June 1 from 9:00 am and noon.• You must bring your own mask.• They do have gloves, but you may want to bring your own to ensure fit especially for extra large sizes.• The tasks will be primarily sorting, labeling and organizing. They may need one person in the pantry as well.• Everyone will be spread out to help maintain safe distance requirements, but there will be people there to help direct and answer questions – so you are not totally on your own.• They can only accommodate six volunteers at a time.• Those who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 are discouraged to participate.I hope you can join us for this great opportunity to help Eastside Community Assistance in their efforts to help the community. If you are interested, please contact Colleen Brewer at [email protected]
2020 Board Of Trustees President, David WinkowskiVice President, Paul SchattmanTreasurer, Dan SextonSecretary, Mary Anne ClarkMember-at-Large, Jo BurnhamMember-at-Large, Brian SkinnerMember-at-Large, Guy ThorntonCommittee on Ministries: Bob Portman, Colleen Brewer, Mary Alice Williams
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President’s Message Like many of you, when I read the words written by our UUA President, Susan Frederick-Gray, I was a bit disheartened. After a few months of being separated from our church and its members, the thought of spending an additional year apart seems unbearable.But we are a resourceful and resilient bunch. We are finding ways to keep moving forward and staying connected. And these ways are bringing unexpected benefits.For example, when I attended the book club meeting, it was attended by members that were thousands of miles away. I even saw one member who would not have otherwise been able to attend because she was sequestered during this crisis.The first Coffee found friends talking with each other. Their mood was playful. Their conversations were fun. The enthusiasm was infectious. And their love and caring for each other came through.And we are finding even more ways to connect. The Adult Religious Education program is starting with several wonderful learning opportunities. Four different programs spread out across the weeks of each month. There is something there for everyone. A new way to connect and learn. Give them a try.Keep an eye on the weekly emails. There will be more announcements. More opportunities for us to come together.And I believe we will be back together again in our church, in our sanctuary. And when we are, we will be better because of the lessons learned. We will have a broader reach and a broader perspective. In spite of the events that seem to be separating us, I believe we will emerge closer than ever.Your servant,David WinkowskiPresident, Board of Trustees
New Online Religious Exploration Opportunitiesat First Jefferson As planned just prior to the beginning of the pandemic, the First Jefferson Adult RE Committee will be starting up a new series of religious education classes. The classes will now be held online by Zoom meeting! They will begin on Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 PM, and will continue each Sunday through the end of summer.In addition to Adult Forum and Adventures in Religion, now offered on a rotating schedule:•Wicca 101— An introduction to the beliefs and practices of this pre-Christian tradition of northern and western Europe. (First Sunday of each month)•Faith Forward—A comprehensive program for member integration, faith development, and leadership development. (Second Sunday of the month)•Soulful Home—Discussion on monthly topics offered through the UU Soul Matters program, integrating Adult Worship, Chalice Cluster, and Children’s RE topics in an effort to deepen our connections to one another and to a shared ministry. (Third Sunday of the month)•UU Social Justice Ministries—A discussion on varying social justice topics and how can we incorporate our passion for equality and justice into our everyday lives. How can we have more impact as a religious community? (Fourth Sunday of the month)On Fifth Sundays, we will have somewhat less formal, light-hearted discussions on topics To Be Determined. Each of these programs is intended to be stand-alone, so no one need fret about starting after the first class, or missing from time-to-time.If you are interested in participating in the class, please contact Julia Sexton at [email protected] or 817.846.1038 to be included on the Zoom meeting invitation. Looking forward to seeing you “there”!
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Spectrum Livestream Concert Spectrum Chamber Music Society Presents A Special Livestream Event Monday June 1 AT 7:00PM, www.facebook.com/spectrumchambermusicsociety Now finishing its 34th season of sharing outstanding chamber music performances with the Fort Worth community, Spectrum Chamber Music Society is going livestream for the very first time in an event we’re calling, “A Six-Feet-Apart Concert”.This concert is just like all our other Spectrum concerts, but out of respect for the need for social distancing during this COVID-19 health crisis, this time there will be no in-house audience. Instead, we will be livestreaming on several platforms, which actually allows Spectrum to have a wider audience than ever before!Program:Maurice Ravel: Sonata #2 for Violin and Piano Qiong Hulsey, violin and Shields-Collins Bray, pianoOskar Bohme: Sextet for Brass in Eb Minor, Op. 30Fort Worth Brass—Garrett Lindholm, Cody McClarty and Peter Stammer, trumpets, Reese Farnell, horn, Christian Paarup, trombone and Jarrod Robertson, tubaJohannes Brahms: Clarinet Trio in A Minor, Op. 114 Ivan Petruzziello, clarinet, Laura Ospina, cello and Shields-Collins Bray, pianoAs the title suggests, the musicians performing on this concert will be spaced at least six feet apart for safety purposes. This presents a unique challenge, because one of the greatest qualities of chamber music is its intimate nature, and the most obvious manifestation of that intimacy is in the physical proximity of the performers. In a way, this is a metaphor for the “new normal” we are experiencing as a society, where we are renegotiating what it is like to interact with strangers, colleagues, friends and loved ones. Art truly does reflect real life, doesn’t it?
Between the pieces, we will show previously-recorded interviews with the performers, in which they tell us about the music they are playing and how they are adjusting to this unprecedented period in our lives.In times of despair, confusion and uncertainty, such as the one we are living in right now, the arts are an escape from our troubles, as well as a way of expressing the emotions that result from them. It may be awhile before we all feel safe and comfortable getting together in person to watch a live concert, dance event or musical as a community, but for now, this is a way to join together to allow beautiful music to wash over us and transport us to a more peaceful and relaxing place.To find out more about Spectrum Chamber Music Society, please visit our website at www.spectrumchambermusicsociety.com—where you can join our email list—and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/spectrumchambermusicsociety.
Adventures in Religion
Adventures in Religion— May 10, 2020, through June 13, 2021 Buddhism By phone or, if church re-opens, John Adams Room, 9:30 am We explore world religions. We are discussing The Buddhist Tradition in India, China, & Japan, edited by W.M. Theodore de Bary. We read out loud together. No need to read in advance.This book presents a survey of Buddhist thought. Buddhism’s continuity in time and its wide range of influence mark it as a major spiritual force in the world. [Vintage Books]. Contact: Marian Wendel, Landline: 817-274-7211.This Month’s Estimated Preview: Buddhism in India Chapter 2: Early Buddhism Introduction The Life of Buddha His Birth and the Sages’ Prophecies His Excursions from the Palace His First Meditation His Departure from Home and Family Chapter 3: “The Greater Vehicle” of Mahayana Buddhism Introduction The Bodhisattva The Mahayana Ideal of Higher Than That of the Theravada
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Book Discussion Group The First Jefferson book discussion group is currently meeting via Zoom on the following dates. We read and discuss a variety of books: fiction, nonfiction, classics, mysteries, historical, etc. Suggestions for books are encouraged. For information, contact Joan Carey 817-217-5905.Upcoming Titles: June 27 at 9 am Central Time via Zoom—Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J. D. Barker [fiction]July 28—(to be confirmed)—Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones [nonfiction]August 25—(to be confirmed)—The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd [fiction]September 22—(to be confirmed)—First: Sandra Day O'Connor by Evan Thomas [nonfiction]
Cliff Notes on a Ministry A final written word from Turner Bridgforth As I prepare to leave my position as Intern Minister at First Jefferson, I wanted to spend the time and space of my last article letting the congregation know what the future has in store for me and my family.For those of you who do not already know, I have been accepted for transfer to Boston University School of Theology in Massachusetts. Brite Divinity school, while having served as a welcoming advocate for Unitarian Universalist student during my time here, has fallen short of being able to provide all of the required classes for UU ordination requirements. Boston University offers the required classes yearly and has a stronger relationship with the UUA. In other words, the transfer is a good thing for me.When will we move? Not entirely sure just yet; Baby Boy Bridgforth number two is a deciding factor. He is due at the end of June but he’s already huge and his brother was born a week early, so we’ll see. We know that we will move about six weeks after the new baby is here. (For those who are curious, I will probably be allowed in the delivery room, though the rest of the family may not be due to pandemic restrictions.)I will continue seeking my ordination in the Unitarian Universalist Church. I want to make that clear. As unsure as times are right now, I believe that our world, our country, our congregations, and our homes may need the life affirming, caring, and loving doctrine of this church and others more than ever. I intend to be a part of the UU church-to-come, whatever it may be.I want to thank all of you have ever taken the time to flip or scroll down to the tail end of the courier to read my articles. I have enjoyed writing them for you, and make no mistake, they were for me too.
Courier #407 June 2020 First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church1959 Sandy Lane, Fort Worth, TX 76112-5412The Reverend Annie [email protected] Minister Turner [email protected] PresidentDavid [email protected] Olson, Peggy Portman,Mary Alice [email protected] EmeritaRev. Marjorie MontgomeryChild & Youth Religious Education CoordinatorThomas [email protected] OfficeKarl Thibodeaux [email protected] Websitewww.firstjefferson.orgFind Us On Facebookwww.facebook.com/FirstJeffersonNext Courier, Issue #408 Submission DateTuesday, June 30, 10amSend edited articles [email protected]