 |
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit4605 Cass AvenueDetroit, MI 48201Phone 313-833-9107Fax 313-833-0127December 19, 2004 |
|
First Unitarian Universalist Church
Organizational Chart 2003 - 2004 Officers Moderator Colleen Dolan-Greene Vice Moderator & Strategic Planning Jim Harvey Immediate Past Moderator Lynda Smith Board Secretary Kathe Stevens Treasurer Bob Lauer Staff Interim Minister Rev. David B. Park Minister Emeritus Rev. Larry Hutchison Director of Religious Education Jennifer Teed Music Director Todd Ballou Choir Director Lyle Brown Church Secretary Wendi Winston Building and Grounds Joe Brimmer Trustees Charlotte Allen Mark Bendure Linda Darga Carolyn Ludwig Kathleen Rock Irene Schultz Dan Secrest Ruth Seifert Dan Wiest Newsletter Irene Schultz |
| ||||||||||||||
|
Newsletter Deadline The next deadline is Sunday, January 16, 2005, 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, at ieschultz1945@yahoo.com If you email items, please specify they are for the Newsletter. 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. |
|||||||||||||||
From the Interim Minister
I extend deep thanks to the entire congregation, and especially to you who contributed on Christmas Eve, for your generosity in establishing the Bridge Fund.
This is a rotating loan fund for individuals and families in need. Recipients commit themselves to a repayment plan. This way, contributions to the fund will continue to be available to those who need short-term financial assistance in paying (for example) medical, utility, or mortgage bills. More than $1,200 was contributed at the Christmas Eve service for this purpose.
The Bridge Fund will be managed by the Minister in consultation with the Treasurer. All funds will be held by the church. We have started a tradition that the Christmas Eve offering will be devoted to maintaining and augmenting the Bridge Fund.
If you are in straitened circumstances, I invite you to contact me at any time.
Happy New Year! David.
The next meeting of the Women's Book Club will be on Sunday, February 6, 2005 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM in Memorial Hall.
We have chosen The Trouble with Islam Today : A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith by Irshad Manji for March, since it is expected to be available in paperback early in 2005. We have not yet chosen a book for our February discussion. All are welcome. Contact Maria Majer for more information.
Why usher or be a greeter?
Join us on Sunday, January 23
from 1 – 3 PM
We will explore ways in which the ushering experience can enhance our worship service.
For more information contact
Nora Holt
Choir
Our choir is open to all who enjoy singing and being with some really nice people. Rehearsals are in Memorial Hall, unless otherwise noted, and begin at 9:30 A.M. The schedule follows:
January 16, 23 with performance on 23rd
January 30 – off
February 6, 13, 20 with performance on 20th
February 27 – off
March 6, 13, 20, 27 with performance on 27th
You are invited to join us Wednesday, January 19, 2005, for noon luncheon with the Women’s Alliance in Memorial Hall. Stay for the after-luncheon program featuring a speaker who will tell us about the Charles H. Wright Museum of Afro-American History. Make reservations for the luncheon by noon on Monday, January 17. Phone the church office at 313-833-9107 or Eiko Takemoto. The luncheon is $6.00.
Intimate Apparel will be featured at the Detroit Repertory Theater on Saturday, January 15th at 3:00 P.M. The tickets are $15.00 with First UU receiving $5.00 from the sale of each ticket. See Margaret Beck at coffee hour to purchase tickets or call her. An award-winning author wrote this play. The story takes place in the garment industry at the dawn of the 20th century
Art That Is
Artists Lencha Acker, Colin Allen, David Grose, Carol Izant, Mary Neale, Irene Schultz, Mark Schwing, Sumarah Karen Smith, Brian Taylor and Margaret Wilkie will be showing items at Birmingham Unitarian Church February 6 – 20, 2005. Join First UU artists for a reception February 9 from 6 – 8 P.M. BUC is located at 38651 Woodward Ave. just north of Lone Pine Road in Bloomfield Hills.
For Sale
I am selling a dining room set (medium oak) which includes 6 chairs a buffet and a lighted china cabinet. I also have a second china cabinet, which is blond mahogany and antique. There is also a Chippendale desk.
For more information please call Allison Parks at 313-273-6225.
Book Review
Several months ago, at a First Friday, Mildred Robinson asked for volunteers to work with the Black Concerns Working Group. I offered to review several books for the Newsletter. Love in the Driest Season and We Are All the Same are two of five books I want to recommend. I will review several more for the next Newsletter. As someone who has been an avid reader of African American history, I always select a book to read in honor of Black History Month – February. This year Arc of Justice will be my selection. (The story of Ossian Sweet). Love in the Driest Season by Neeley Tucker is the story of an interracial couple who leave Detroit to live in Africa. He is a Free Press African Correspondent, a newspaper writer, a white man who grew up in the southern United States. She is a tough, practical Detroit native – African American, who has a warm spirit. Once settled, she becomes involved working with an orphanage, bringing home a baby to nurture through illness. She grows to love this child. The story unfolds as a series of challenges block the couples attempt to adopt the child. Yet 100’s of children are desperate for a home, food, clothing and a chance to attend school. The story reveals much about present day Africa’s challenges.
Neely Tucker and family live in the Washington area. He was recently a speaker at the Women’s Economic Club.
We Are All the Same by James Wooten is a small but wonderful non-fiction account of the short life of Nkosi Johnson, who died of AIDS at the age of 12. It is also the story of a too-slow governmental response to AIDS and HIV positive people in South Africa. This story is written in such an intimate way that you are immediately engaged in the incredible life of Nkosi, who almost dies several times, but grows strong enough to speak out about AIDS and the need for shelters, medications and prevention. He visits the United States twice. The message James Wooten so elegantly delivers is one that Nkosi Johnson believed - We are all the Same.
We are given this hopeful and inspiring message when millions of people in Africa are dying of AIDS leaving additional 100’s of thousands of orphaned children. Manyof these children are raising themselves. Today, outmoded dangerous sexual practices – especially for women- can be deadly. Yet, as you close the book, an enormous sense of possibility and hope leaves you inspired to do something that matters for someone. We Are All the Same is an important book. Barbara Stevenson
In Memoriam
It is with deep sadness that we report the death of former church member and Moderator, Mark Young. Mark collapsed while playing tennis on April 24th He had an arrhythmia and died instantly. Cards can be sent to his wife, Ellen Bishop, at 2734 Gordon, Allentown, PA 18104.
All in the Family
Rudy Gelsey became a grandfather for the 4th time on Christmas Eve. Grandson, Elias, was born to Rudy’s daughter-in-law Lucy and Rudy’s son Alex. Says Rudy…”The chances of a UU minister having a child born on Christmas Eve is 1 in a billion. I send blessings to David, the congregation and Detroit now and forever….”
 |
Items from the Internet
Below are actual error messages seen on computer screens in Japan, some in Haiku. Aren’t they better than “your computer has performed an illegal operation?”
* The Web site you seek cannot be located, but countless more exist.
* Chaos reigns within, reflect, repent and reboot. Order shall return.
* Windows NT crashed. I am the Blue Screen of Death. No one hears you scream.
* Yesterday it worked. Today it is not working. Windows is like that.
* One file was so big. It might be very useful. But now it is gone.
* Stay the patient course. Of little worth is your ire. The network is down.
* A crash reduces your expensive computer to a simple stone.
* Three things are certain: death, taxes and lost data. Guess which has occurred?
* You step in the stream, but the water has moved on. This page is not here.
* Having been erased, the document you’re seeking must now be retyped.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.
More Items from the Internet
One day the zookeeper noticed the orangutan reading two books, the Bible and Darwin’s Origin of the Species. In surprise, he asked the ape,
“Why are you reading both of those books?”
“Well”, said the orangutan, “I just wanted to know if I’m my brother’s keeper or my keeper’s brother.
 |
2nd Story Church
Halfway Up the Stairs
The holiday season has always been special to me, as it probably is to most of you. This year many things were the same as they are every year: Christmas caroling, baking cookies, special meals with family, and of course our church Christmas Eve service with the candlelight singing of Silent Night. This year however; something was a little different for me.
For many reasons I wanted to simplify Christmas this year. It began with the planning of our Holiday Party. We hosted a party and invited the participants of Women Arise and their children. These are women who have been released from prison and are getting a fresh start. One thing I discussed with Deb Drennan, program director is how difficult it can be for these women because often their children have unreal expectations for Christmas. Those of us planning decided this should be the focus for the partysimplicity and handmade gifts. It was perfect! The children and parents had many occasions to make gifts for each other and wrap them. We sang Christmas Carols, decorated sugar cookies; the mothers even had the chance to learn some relaxation techniques with Cara Graninger who has her therapeutic massage studio in our building. A combination of laughter and tears filled the day!
Wow! Now that is what Christmas is all about. I have received so much positive feedback about the event. All involved had a delightful time.
Member, Joe White thanked me for inviting him to participate, adding that this is the kind of thing our church needs to be doing more of. Thank you Joe, Cara, Mary Lou, Hillard, Celeste, Alicia, Sumarah, Carolyn, Linda, Nicole, Carter, Barbara, Kathy, Vanessa, Marianne, Gabriel and Mom for being our "elves" and the rest of you who supported with donations for making it all happen!
This year the gifts under the tree for me were few, as I had hoped; however, the unexpected, simply gifts overflowed!
Dates For Your Calendar:
January 15-Worldbeat Dance Party
Join us at church 7-11 pm for an all age, prejudicefree zone dance party hosted by Cafe Violeta.
January 14-16- Social Justice CON at BUC,/h4>
High school youth are invited to attend a conference this weekend at Birmingham Unitarian Church. See Jennifer to register.
January 17- MLK Jr. Freedom March
January 18-Serving Breakfast
We will be serving breakfast at The Cathedral of St. Paul for those in need. We will meet there at 8:00 am and leave at 11:00. Corner of Woodward and Warren
February 4- First Friday
Family fun for all, register by phone 313-833-9107
February 12- Family Valentine Party
2nd Story Families are invited to 1st U.U. today to celebrate Valentines Day and get to know each other better. Party 4-7 p.m.
February 12- Ann Arbor H.S. Overnight
This year we are trying to connect our youth as much as possible. Interested High School youth should see Jennifer to register.
February 19 or 26- H.S. Anti- Racism Workshop
Please save these dates as one of them will be very meaningful and fun for all Detroit and Birmingham high school students who attend. We hope to get both groups together to do a morning service project in the city, have lunch followed by activities and film clips here at 1st U.U.; hopefully interest will be great enough that this will be the first of a monthly series.
