Services begin promptly at 11:00 A M.

Newsletter Deadline
The next deadline is Sunday, April 20, 2003, no later than 12:30 P.M.
Newsletter Articles
Please leave legible contributions in the Newsletter box located outside the church office. Please include your name and a contact number should there be any questions. Articles may also be emailed to me, by the deadline date and time. Please do not write articles on little pieces of paper or contribution envelopes, the ones that don't get lost are very hard to read.
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Committee News

Choir

Rehearsals are at 9:30 A.M. in Memorial Hall unless otherwise noted. Rehearsals for the upcoming months are as follows:
April 20 with performance at 11:00 - NO REHEARSAL
April 27
May 4, May 11, May 18 with performance at 11:00 - NO REHEARSAL May 25
June 1, June 8, June 15 with performance at 11:00

Membership and Growth

Due to scheduling conflicts there will be no potluck for April.
Please welcome new members Miriam Bobbitt, Gretchen Rensi, Amy Cook, Anne Stewart, and Sharlene Gage who signed the membership book in the last week (Allison Parks wanted to sign again, but we did not want to pay the extra fees to the UUA and Heartland.) Look forward to a New Member Sunday in May.

First Friday

The tradition of First Friday will return on May 2. Dinner will be served at 6:30. Cost will be $7. Children 12 and under will be admitted free. Anyone interested in organizing and running activities (for children, adults, or inter- generational), please contact Dan Wiest, (313) 567-2533.

Social Justice

In protest to the war in Iraq a non-violent civil disobedience action took place on March l8th at 1 P.M. The protest was organized by the Detroit Area Peace and Justice Network and involved about 150 people. The group left Central Methodist Church and solemnly proceeded to assemble across the street from the Federal Building where they read an Indictment of the Bush administration for Violations of International Law. Twentv-seven people crossed Fort St. and proceeded to request admittance at the two entrances. This was denied and they laid on the ground blocking the way. The remaining people sang and chanted. Those who participated in the action were eventually arrested, handcuffed and detained for several hours before finally being set free after a court date was set. Carolyn Ludwig of First Church was among those arrested.

Women's Alliance

The Women's Alliance Wednesday, April 16, noon luncheon meeting in Memorial Hall will be followed by a speaker from the Detroit Historical Museum whose subject be "Michigan's Underground Railroad." Reservations for the luncheon must be made by noon on Monday, April 14, by phoning the Church office at 313-833-9107 or Eiko 313 869 6389. The luncheon costs $6.00.

Worship Committee

The Worship Committee will meet April 13 at 1:00 PM in Memorial Hall.

Mark your Calendars for Saturday, May 17 for the First UU's Goods and Services Auction. Start thinking about what you can donate and what you would like to buy (and encourage others to donate what you would like to buy!) If you would like to volunteer to help, please contact Colleen Dolan-Greene at (313) 867-4890

Lost and Found

Has anyone seen the worship service tape dated 2/16/03? It was placed in or near the mail Slots but cannot be found. Please contact Cindy Hill at 313-5344794 or put it in the Worship Committee mailbox.

Call for Congregational Meeting

The congregational meeting will take Place on April 27, 2003 with the purpose of receiving annual reports of First UU and Staff. We will also receive recommendations of fhe Nominating Committee and vote on officers and committees as required by our constitution. The meeting will then be adjourned to continue on May 4, 2003 with the purpose to take action on by-law proposals from the Memorial Funds Committee and operating budget proposal (fiscal year 7/2003 - 6/2004) from the First UU board. Both meetings will take place at 12:30 - after church - in McCollester Hall.
Lynda Smith, Moderator

Wanted

One ladder of at least 12 feet for Building and Grounds to use in the lower blower room., Please call Earl Harvey at 313-563- 2629 if you have such an item, I will pick it up and deliver it to the church. Thank you. Earl

Toys and Trinkets Table

On Palm Sunday, April 13, look for Andee Seeger at the Toys and Trinkets table during coffee hour. Seasonal and self-gifts will be for sale. All profits from sales buy things for the church that are needed but arent budgeted for. This is a church fund-raiser. Because of these sales we recently bought the small antique table and LIM- mail-sorting cabinets in the church house foyer, two piano benches, two highchairs, a small table for the chancel, assorted kitchenware and many other items. Thank you for your support.

Job Opportunity

A growing Unitarian-Universalist religious community in Grand Rapids seeks a dynamic individual to be a Children's Religious Education Coordinator. This job entails helping to build and coordinate a progressive and vibrant children's education program with children ages infant through 12th grade The successful candidae for this 1/3 time position will be energetic, organized, and skilled at involving volunteers. Salary is commensurate with experience. Interested applicants may reply by April 25, 2003 with a letter of introduction and resume to: Reverend Dr. Brent Smith
All Souls Community Church
P.O. Box 150081
Grand Rapids, MI 49515-0081 ,/P>

Items from the Internet

A Glossary of Music Terms
1. Tonic - A smooth, liquid, generally enjoyed over ice after choir rehearsal
2. Dominant - In a chord relationship, usually the soprano.
3. Augmentation - A delicate surgery for altos involving the implementation of falsettos
4. Leitmotif - Like a regular motif but less filling
5. Score - Basses 8, tenors 5 6.
6. Riff - What happens when someone takes your choir robe.
7. Poly-choral Motet - six parrots singing Exaultate Justi
8. Theme -"We HATE this anthem!"
9. Theme and variation - "We HATE this anthem, the composer and alll her/his family!"
10. Grand pause - When the director loses his/her place
11. Antiphonal - Leaving your answering machine on all the time
12. Choral partitas - Small choir get-togethers that are frequently interrupted by the police

The Worship Committee has a huge responsibility. The Worship Committee's responsibilities include: the Sunday service schedule, summer service schedule, lay leaders, ushers, assessing music program, accessing the Church on Sunday morning, order of service, instruments for those challenged with seeing and hearing, attendance reports, worship experiences. It's a lot. Much of our work is "understood". The Committee, challenged by Co-Chairperson Arlene Teed, will develop a written document that details its roles and responsibilities. To keep from reinventing the wheel, if you have documents in your personal files that outline roles and responsibilities of the Worship Committee, will you place them our box? The next Worship Committee meeting is Sunday, April 13, 2003, 1 p.m. Everyone is invited!

"I have been really impressed with the involvement of our newer members in all kinds of church activities. Let's remember to seek them out get acquainted and encourage their participation. This is essential if the church is to survive and grow."
Arlene Teed, Co-Chairperson Worship Committee

Summer Services - June through September

Our planning of summer services is underway. As you know, summer services are rather informal and held in Memorial Hall from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. During the summer we explore topics and interests expressed by our members and friends. If you have an idea(s) or wish to be a summer service speaker, contact our Summer Service Coordinators:
Jan Thompson & Cyndi Hill June 22, 29, and July 6
Lee Thume July 13, 20, 27
Charlotte Allen August 8, 10, 17, 24

Summer Service Calendar: The Worship Committee will again publish a Summer Service Calendar that will be distributed in June. If you will help distribute the calendar throughout the Cass Corridor, call Gwen Winston at (313) 832-2928 and let us know.

Child Care: Last summer we had no child care and that prevented families from attending who wanted to share in our worship experiences. The Worship Committee will offer stipends to those interested in volunteering to provide care during summer services. You may be able to only commit to one or two Sundays. That is fine. We have 12 Sundays to fill. Please call the Church Office at 833-9107 and leave your name and contact information if you can help this summer.

Lay Leaders Gathering

The Worship Committee hosted its annual Lay Leaders Gathering, "A Practice of Sharing & Caring" on Monday, February 17, 2003, 7:30-9:00 p.m. Those attending were: Debi Rutherford, Jim Brown, Al Acker, Mark Bendure, Arlene Teed, Barbara & Carter Stevenson, Earl L. Harvey, Wendy Culpepper, Gwen Winston and Larry Hutchison. It was a very rich experience. Ron Allen led a writing experience. Lay leaders wrote liturgy and carried on discussions well past the scheduled ending time.

Sumarah Smith sent an inquiry that was explored: To what degree are you interested or invested in developing a Community of Lay Leaders here? How might such a community take responsibility for itself and its functions ie. Scheduling and follow-up1confirmations, training; lay leader feedback and support social gatherings (for bonding, planning, etc.)? Are you willing to gather with other lay leaders once a month (or 3 month season) for some of the above activities? After open and heartfelt discussions, a commitment was made to gather informally in March or near about that time - talk informally, get consensus and create a magic gathering...

Lay Leaders Handbooks were updated and distributed by the Worship Trustee. If you're a Lay Leader and responded to our invitation to attend the gathering-whether yes or no-there is a Lay Leaders Handbook in the Church Office with your name on it. You are minded to pick it up.

Thanks to the leadership of the Anniversary Planning group $ 1,000 was donated to the Church with an additional $ 1,000 received from CAMP Detroit and an anonymous donor pledged ($ 1,000). Planning members were: Gwendolyn Winston and Ivan Louis Cotman, Co-Chairpersons; Pearl Samples, Jan Thompson, Lee Thume, Mark Bendure, Al Acker, Sumarah Smith, Women's Alliance, and Allison Parks.

While the planning team regrets that completing tasks fully and meeting our financial goals fell short of the mark, it was an insightful experience. Some of the highlights of Celebrating were:
• Al Acker and Mark Bendure designed a beautiful December anniversary service.
• The President of UUA sent a letter citing his desire for there to be more urban UU churches. Larry received acknowledgements and awards from Congressman John Conyers, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Wayne County Commissioner Jewell Ware. Maryann Mahaffey, President of the Detroit City Council, spoke at the community event on January 18th where Detroit Summer, CAMP Detroit, Food Not Bombs, Women In Action, RE, Caring Together and the Coalition Against Police Brutality and Repression had display tables and spoke about their issues and gratitude to First Church for opening its doors for their grassroots work. A future community-in-the church fund raising campaign to help fund 1st UU operations was announced by our community partners at the community gathering. (The Worship Committee is looking for a 1st UU member who will volunteer to help bring (coach) this promise to fruition.)

* A database has been created of potential donors, including vendors and those who have used/rented our complex within the last two years.
* A database of donors has been created.
* Larry and Nancy received beautiful gifts - a handcrafted stole for Larry from Uniuniques, a pearl necklace and earring set for Nancy designed by Allison Parks and a plaque commemorating the 7th Anniversary Celebration.

Janice Berry gave me information on a woman she suggested to speak on Afghanistan, Carolyn Dunlop (not sure of spelling) known as "Toc". Well, I misplaced the only contact information Janice had (oops and darn!). If anyone knows how to contact "Toc", will you call me at 313-832-2928. The Worship Committee would like her to be open our Summer Service series. Thank you!