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THE UNIVIEW a publication of the UU Church of Lexington
The Summer is upon us and it’s been just over two years since you’ve called me to be your Minister here at UUCL. It feels like the time is flying by. This congregation has accomplished a great deal over these past two years and it is worthy of celebration. However, there is always more work waiting for us.
Oftentimes you hear me or others harping on and on about our need for volunteers in the church. Let me revise those pleas: We don’t want volunteers. The word “volunteer” doesn’t carry the same meaning for a community like UUCL. Since we are congregationalists, we don’t have volunteers. We have stakeholders. We have members that have committed themselves to the very existence of UUCL and declared their intention to ensure it continues.
So what am I saying here? This is your church. You are not a volunteer – you are part owner. What we put into our programming, our property, and our wider mission is entirely up to the over 300 members that call UUCL home.
Since you are all part owners of this congregation, that means that every facet of this place is a part of your shared ministry. The staff, of course, has their own niches to fulfill, but we are chiefly here to empower you – the owners – to find your ministry here in the church. So what have you been waiting to share with UUCL? Have you not known where to start, who to ask, or what the possibilities are? Reach out and we will be at the ready to find a place for you.
Have a great idea that you want to see happen here at UUCL? Gather four people willing to commit to it with you over the next year and let’s get it off the ground! The possibilities are endless and they all fulfill the many great needs we have here at UUCL. What is your ministry going to be? How will you tend your share of this wonderful community?
In these past two years, I’ve seen people find their place and grow in mind, body, and spirit here at UUCL. So I know it is possible for all of us. The possibilities are just waiting. Think about it over the Summer and I look forward to seeing you in church!
June-July 2017
Reverie & Reverb Rev. Brian Chenowith, Minister
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington 3564 Clays Mill Road
www.uucl.org 859-223-1448
Sunday Services 11:00 AM Childcare Available 9-12
Office Hours 9-3 Mo/Tu/Th/Fr
Minister Rev. Brian Chenowith [email protected]
Director of Religious Exploration Stacey Stone [email protected]
Director of Music Sally McCord [email protected]
Office Manager Kim Bennett [email protected]
Community Minister Rev. Diana Hultgren [email protected]
Minister Emerita Hon. Rev. Kelly Flood
Custodian Nan Mills
Board of Directors [email protected] Jerry Morrison, President Larry Iaquinta, VP Susan Cohn Linda Combes Tom D’Andrea Ty Hall Liz Hansen Liz Pillar-Little Kelli Reno Debra Schweitzer Leslie Simpson
With the generous support of this congregation, our Coming of Age youth had a memorable experience in Boston learning UU history and visiting amazing places like Arlington Street Church and Walden Pond.
On May 21, they shared their Credos/Belief Statements as they led the Sunday service. With every COA group, I reflect back on my own life. I did not grow up as a Unitarian Universalist. I wish that I had the opportunity to explore beliefs and express my thoughts with a supportive church community. I am so proud of our youth and young adults as they go from sharing their beliefs to living their faith in action.
There are challenges we face as a denomination. As a people of faith, we are called to step outside of our comfort zone and fight for the rights of people who are oppressed, raise our voices to stop injustice, and dismantle white supremacy.
June-July 2017 Page 2 THE UNIVIEW
Our Journey Together Stacey Stone, Director of Religious Exploration
Our Journey Together continues on next page.
What are the Sources of UUism?
This Summer our children and youth will get to experience the six sources in a hands-on way. Adult volunteers are needed to help, especially on *days when Stacey is on vacation! The lessons will be planned and materials will be gathered to make your Sunday a breeze.
*May 28th - Summer Start Party
June 4th - Outdoor Games
June 11th - Service Project Day
June 18th - World Religions
*June 25th - Prophetic People
*July 2nd - Freedom Water play - wear a swimsuit and bring a towel!
*July 9th - Earth-Centered
July 16th - Transcending Mystery & Wonder
July 23rd - Science & Reason
July 30th - Jewish and Christian Heritage “Love Thy Neighbor”
Sign up online at www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4caea623a5f58-source or contact Stacey at [email protected].
A Few Simple Ways To Grow UUs:
1. Create your own family rituals or meaningful spiritual practices.
2. Have discussions as a family about current events (at age-appropriate levels) and involve children when you attend rallies, make signs, and write letters to elected officials.
3. Teach your children that their voices matter, and they can help change the world.
4. Attend church regularly, so your family makes friends and connections.
5. Get involved in RE, and participate in classes and events supporting the life of the church.
June-July 2017 Page 3 THE UNIVIEW
Our Journey Together Stacey Stone, Director of Religious Exploration
We are looking for more ways for parents and families to connect, such as: Play Groups, Book Clubs, Parenting Gatherings, Parents of Twins Group, Social Events and Field Trips! Reach out and share your ideas! Wishing you peace on your journey, Stacey Stone
Please register your family for RE at www.goo.gl/forms/hZGvEQieARgAmDRL2.
Summer Travel
When you travel, visit UU churches! They are all unique and interesting,
with familiar elements as well! You can find information on other
UU congregations at www.uua.org/directory/congregations.
Take pictures of your family in front of UU churches to share on UUCL Facebook!
And don’t forget to collect a small sample of water to share at our Gathering of Waters
Ceremony on September 10.
June-July 2017 Page 4 THE UNIVIEW
Music Notes Sally McCord, Director of Music
“The cool thing is that Jazz is really a wonderful example of the great characteristics of Buddhism and of the human spirit.
Because in Improvisation, we share, we listen to each other, we respect each other, we are creating in the moment, at our best, we are non-judgmental.” - Herbie Hancock
We are at our best when we are truly present in the moment and listening to each other. When we create in the moment, our minds and physical bodies are fully engaged. Our world requires us to practice the Art of Improvisation. So let’s get comfortable with improvising, leaving judgement at the door. Improvising encompasses concepts of originality within a broad parameter, making do with what you have, recycling and problem solving in ingenious ways. Our world demands visionary, improvisatory thinking to solve highly complex problems.
As we listen to each other and friends around the globe, we build respect for each other, we see each other through the lens of empathy and shared daily challenges. Look closer and we see people around the globe and right here in our hometown, improvising in order to survive in ways many of us can hardly imagine.
In order to grow spiritually and to spread our message of love outwardly, I propose that Improvising be a tool in your spiritual tool box. What does that mean? We need to not only get out of our musical comfort zone and grow, we need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable in many areas of our life. When we can turn segments of our brain off and simply experience and feel - different solutions, answers, and sometimes inspired actions are revealed.
When we practice the Art of Improvising on a regular basis, we move out of rigid Newtonian thinking and into the realm of Quantum thinking. To be the Agents of Change that we wish to be, there is much need to generate new ways of thinking, new ways of coming together that call on Improvisatory skills to get us to the table and sharing.
Music is a tremendous vehicle for change. In the movie, “The Singing Revolution,” which tells the story of how the people of Estonia overthrew the Communist regime, the people of Estonia are quoted as saying, “we had only song as our weapon; our power was in our singing.” And indeed it truly is a source of power as the Estonians proved so beautifully.
Embrace Improvisation. Use the Gift of Music as an opportunity to welcome your own creative ideas, as a chance to lift up others. Let the Muse help you explore areas of your life where you can let go of rigid terms and restrictions so that your mind, body and soul can return to the Creative Life Force that resides in all of us.
On behalf of our church, I would like to give thanks to ALL the many musicians who have been rehearsing, arranging, conducting, organizing, emailing, calling, scheduling, and Yes, Improvising throughout our church year. This is a community of folks who love music and we are blessed every time you pick up your horns, tune your guitars, jam on the keyboards, paradiddle on the drums, or lift your voices in song! Thank you!
June-July 2017 Page 5 THE UNIVIEW
Sounding Board Jerry Morrison, President, Board of Directors
Financial: The Board applied the 2016 “surplus budget” amount in two directions. First was to provide ALL
Staff with a monetary bonus. The remaining surplus amount was used to increase UUCL’s annual contributions to both the UUA and the Mid-America Region.
Due to an increase in funds from the savings of our Solar Panel project, all Staff are now being paid within UUA recommended guidelines. This was a priority of the Board and the Minister.
Property: The Board would like to thank Rick Hall for his many years of service as Chair of the Property
Council. It is to the credit of the Property Council that our building and grounds are looking so aesthetically pleasing. The Property Council makes suggestions for repairs or improvements, and the Board listens and prioritizes these suggestions. To that end, the Board approved the following projects: Special protective window film was installed on ALL windows for the basement space rented
by the Co-Op School. Solid wood fencing was installed on the west side of the church property, along the Allen
House and through the Memorial Garden. Projects that are still in the works include:
The Board has already received most of the funds necessary to replace the Foyer carpet with new carpet squares.
The Board has recently received and begun reviewing an estimate from a contractor for the needed repairs to the Allen House.
Solar Panels: Due to the warm Winter, the rooftop solar panels were installed in mid-February. The electric
production for the Winter months was even better than what would have been expected. The Board anticipates that the panels will reduce annual electricity bills by one-third, or approximately $4,200.
UUCL will participate in the Summer Adopt-a-Park program at Cardinal Valley Park on Wednesday, June 28, and Wednesday, July 12, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.
We will need five to eight volunteers each day to help with a variety of activities for children who live in the area. Linda Porter is planning/arranging activities dealing with butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. She has already arranged for Kentucky Apiarist Tammy Horn Potter to lead an activity for an hour on June 28, and pollinator educator Mary Sheldon of Green Forests Work to do an activity on July 12. However, we still need other volunteers to lead related activities (art, games, gardening, etc.). Partners for Youth coordinates the program. UUCL participated in the program last year and volunteers found the experience rewarding. If you would like to volunteer, please email Linda Porter, [email protected], or Liz Hansen, [email protected].
Cardinal Valley News Liz Hansen
June-July 2017 Page 6 THE UNIVIEW
Service Auction 2017 Marie Conger
On behalf of the Service Auction Team, we want to thank all the volunteers, and participants, for their time and energy in making this year's event a great experience! The final tally is not in yet, but more than $13,000 was raised and a great time was had by all! The food was delicious, the entertainment was incredible, and all the auction items were top notch. Thanks to all of you who solicited businesses, offered items or services, and those who came up with super group event ideas! I can't express how wonderful it feels to be part of a UUCL tradition that continues to grow and pushes people to do good work for this great place.
There is still room for YOU at several group gatherings, so be sure to check out the
posters in the Foyer over the next few weeks.
Thanks and Curtains, Marie CC Conger
Special Thanks from Sally to Our HoUUse Band and Service Auction Singers!
Ruth Baer, Gaye Begley, Matt Bryant-Cheney, Marie Conger, Miles Conger,
Steve Conger, Erika Emrick, Anne Hackett, Bob Hackett, Wes Hammond,
Larry Iaquinta, Laura Mendenhall, David Miller, Shannon Modrell, Liz Pillar-Little, Margery Rigsby, Debra
Schweitzer, Tom Schweri, Glen White, and Geoff Young
June-July 2017 Page 7 THE UNIVIEW
Holley Bookstore Corner Rachel Wade-Harper
Greetings from Holley Bookstore! I first want to recognize and thank Kim Browning for her years of service running the bookstore. Secondly, I want to thank everyone for their warm welcome over the past months. I am also very thankful for the wonderful volunteers who have come forward to help run the store on Sunday mornings. (Thank you, Judy Rae, Lori, and Connie!)
I love books and I love the idea of having a wide variety of titles available on Sunday mornings that reflect UU ideas. I hope you will think of Holley as your local bookstore. All our proceeds go to the church. Please stop by and give our selection a look. If you don’t find what you are looking for, we are happy to order books or carry other items that interest the congregation. For this newsletter, I wanted to highlight one of our own authors. We carry several books by authors that are members and friends of this congregation. (If you are an author and do not see your book on our shelves please talk with me about that opportunity.) Below you will find reviews of two titles currently on our shelves.
~Rachel Wade-Harper, [email protected]
Holley Bookstore Book Review Judy Rae Cavagnero
Books reviewed: BLUEGRASS FUNERAL - collection of ten short stories by Joseph G. Anthony, 2012 WANTED: GOOD FAMILY - novel by Joseph G. Anthony, 2014
Each of these books proves Anthony to be an excellent writer of powerful, original, and complex stories. His stories are told from the very personal perspective of a variety of characters and take place in Lexington and rural Kentucky. They are told with such depths of understanding and a true sense of natural humor that the stories and characters he creates are rich and alive and compelling. I enjoyed the journey.
The stories of BLUEGRASS FUNERAL take place from 1871 through 2007. The first six are unconnected stories, while the last four all center on the very interesting and problematic Kennedy family and the question of land ownership and the difficulties and hazards of voting in the rural counties. I most enjoyed the first and the last story. “She began preparing the shroud before the baby had died.” This chilling sentence begins Emily’s story in “The Naming.” This possibly sentimental story of a white mother in 1871, a time when children rarely grew beyond childhood, is kept from being so by Anthony’s deft use of narrative distance and through his interweaving of Emily’s story with that of Delphia’s, a black woman who currently works for Emily. It is a powerful and thoughtful story. In “The Colored Reading Room,” Anthony tells a story of a black boy and a white girl in love in 1920. Anthony mixes in elements of the tales of Odysseus, Helen of Troy, and Othello to create a new and unique Tale of America.
1928 and 1948 are both turbulent times in Kentucky. In WANTED: GOOD FAMILY, Anthony parallels and interweaves these times to create a story which explores what happens when two seemingly different families, each with much at stake and each holding dark secrets, are unwittingly thrown together. The novel begins in 1948 with Rudy and Nannie Johnson, a ‘colored family,’ traveling out to a Scott County tobacco farm looking for work from James and Wilma Lawson, a ‘white family.’ From this beginning, tense with much we do not know or understand, the reader is taken into the violent past. In 1910, night-raiders working for farm co-ops helped defeat the big tobacco companies and later turn into the KKK as a solution to the questionable morals that result from WWI and the Roaring Twenties. White morals were intolerable, but “...the colored? They are the worst. It was a mistake to let them fight in the war. They came back full of arrogance. Forgetting who they are. Who we are. ...The jungle has come back into their blood. Africa is here in Kentucky. ...The colored were victims, too. ...The whip would save them. The whip would save us all” (page 77). The secrets this history underscores are revealed slowly and skillfully. The secret Mamma Sally (Rudy’s Mom) carries may be the most personal and the most healing. When she finally tells it, she begins with: “I went off to do the worst thing I’ve ever done. That’s what I remember. That’s what I know about me” (pages 149-150).
Anthony’s stories take the reader into history and the question of race-relations via personal and compassionate stories. His stories ask us to consider the many and surprising ways in which the heart can break, how both lies and resistance to the truth bring out the ugliness of our souls, and where there is common ground to be found.
June-July 2017 Page 8 THE UNIVIEW
Mark Your Calendars! Upcoming Congregational Events
First Sunday Potlucks June 4, July 2
Fellowship Hall, After Service Bring a hearty dish to share, and join us for fellowship and food on the first Sunday of each month after the service. This is a great time to meet people in the community. Keep your eyes on the eNews for the signup link to volunteer to help with setup, serving, or cleanup. As always, visitors and newcomers are invited to be first in line!
LexCUUPS Litha Summer Solstice Saturday, June 17
Allen House, 12:00 PM The solstice has remained a special moment of the cycle of the year since Neolithic times. The concentration of the observance is not on the day as we reckon it, as it is customary for cultures following lunar calendars to place the beginning of the day on the previous eve at dusk, at the moment when the Sun has set. Midsummer's Eve was the greatest festival of the year. We will be having a “Fun Day” that we are inviting everyone in the community to attend. It will begin around noon with an opening ritual. We will have talks on various subjects, booths for readings, and gem tree making. Donations will be accepted at the booths to help defray the cost of supplies and the cost of the main dish. We will have a closing ritual in the evening. We will also have a potluck during the event. The main dish will be provided. Please bring a dish or soda to share if able. Contact: Cailet, [email protected].
Learn More About Unitarian
Universalism
Are you new to UUCL? Want to learn more about Unitarian Universalism?
All are welcome to join us for UU 101. Our next gatherings will be:
June 18 & July 16
June-July 2017 Page 9 THE UNIVIEW
Get Involved Groups, Teams, and More
Adult Choir Wednesdays, Great Hall, 6:30 PM Join the UUCL Singers as they rehearse and have a blast! Contact: Sally McCord, [email protected]. Breakfast at the Catholic Action Center 3rd & 4th Saturdays, 1055 Industry Road, 8:30 AM We prepare and serve breakfast. Contact: Marion Joseph, [email protected], or Pat Lake, [email protected]. Caring Shawls Group Offer your knitting and crocheting to those who need comfort. Contact: Betsy Packard, 859-433-3256. Covenant Groups Participate in deep conversations on a variety of topics. Contact: Eric Huffer, [email protected]. EMBERS 2nd & 4th Sundays, Purple Classroom, 1:00 PM Family-friendly group focusing on honoring the Earth. Contact: Susan Short, [email protected]. Environmental Task Force Increasing awareness of sustainable living within our congregation and community. Contact: Hendrika Pauley, [email protected]. Game Night 2nd & 4th Thursdays, Fellowship Hall, 6:00 PM Join us for board games, card games, word games, etc. Contact: Erika Emrick, [email protected]. Holley Bookstore Sundays, Fellowship Hall, 12:30 PM Selling books and fair trade items. Closed first Sundays. Contact: Rachel Wade-Harper, [email protected]. Humanist Forum 1st Thursdays, Great Hall, 7:00 PM Freethought discussion group. Contact: Clay Maney, [email protected]. LexCUUPS Sundays, Allen House, 1:00 PM Promoting Pagan spirituality. All are welcome to attend. Contact: Cailet, [email protected]. Membership Team Help make UUCL a welcoming community. Contact: Ashley Bryant Cheney, [email protected]
Men’s Night Out 2nd Tuesdays, 7:00 PM All UU men and friends are welcome. Contact: Van Underwood, [email protected]. Mentoring at Cardinal Valley Elementary Spend an hour a week with a third, fourth, or fifth grader. Contact: Liz Hansen, [email protected]. Penny Circle Women’s Group All UU women and friends are welcome. Contact: Liz Hansen, [email protected]. Property Council 4th Sundays, Green Classroom, 12:30 PM Help maintain the building and grounds of UUCL. Contact: Barbara Sherrod, [email protected]. Sitting Meditation Sundays, Allen House, 9:00 AM
Meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Contact: Kari O’Connor, [email protected]. Sunday Sangha Sundays, Allen House, 9:45 AM
A group-led, adult Buddhist discussion hour. Contact: Kari O’Connor, [email protected]. Young Adults Connect with other UUs age 18-35. Contact: Liz Pillar-Little, [email protected].
Groups Using Our Building Nia Tuesdays, Fellowship Hall, 6:30 PM A holistic fitness practice combining dance, martial arts, and mindfulness. Nia is for every body and fitness level. Contact: Marie Conger, [email protected]. Fayette Cooperating Preschool and Kindergarten This non-profit, non-discriminatory, independent educational institution shares our facilities year-round, and UUCL follows a Safe Congregation Policy. Taoist Tai Chi Mondays, 11:00 AM, & Wednesdays, 7:00 PM, Fellowship Hall Visitors are welcome to observe. Contact: Pat Griffin, [email protected].
Please check The Weekly eNews and the UUCL Facebook page for more details.
June-July 2017 Page 10 THE UNIVIEW US Postage Paid
Non-Profit
Lexington KY
Permit No. 775
The Unitarian Universalist Church Of Lexington
3564 Clays Mill Road
Lexington KY 40503
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
THE UNIVIEW
UUCL is a Green Sanctuary and Welcoming Congregation. We are committed to preserving and protecting the
environment, and creating a welcoming space for all.
Find UUCL on social media.
Have a picture you’d like to share on Instagram?
Contact: Chris LoBue, [email protected]. www.uua.org www.midamericauua.org