First Unitarian Universalist
Church of Detroit

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The March `07 Board meeting consisted of the new downsized Board, of the officers and five trustees. Mary Lou Malone, James Brown and Earl Harvey stepped down early to accommodate the new size. Reverend Drew summarized the results of the congregational interviews and also offered some very fine recommendations to the Board to improve their leadership role in the church. As recommended by Drew, the Board voted to create a taskforce to optimize congregational communication.

~ Donna Walker, Board Secretary

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What does the Building and Grounds Committee do?

1. Do a budget for the coming year and checking the line items in the budget versus actual expenses.
   
2. Discuss the capital repairs that need to be done.
   
3. Discuss needed handyman repairs such as painting rooms and doors (exterior and interior), gluing the tile in McCollester Hall and other minor repairs as needed
   
4. Handle requests for work to be done from members of the congregation.
   
5. Verifying the custodial staff duties
   
6. A subcommittee of Building and Grounds is the Esthetics Committee. They make decisions on décor and colors.

The Building and Grounds Committee needs to be reactivated. If you are so inclined, please call or see Earl Harvey. Earl’s phone number is 313-563-2628 or email at Harvey_l7336@sbcglobal.net

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It was Sunday morning and I was worried. The Newsletter deadline was looming and I was committed to creating a message to get all of us fired up to welcome a canvasser and make a generous pledge to further the important work of our beloved church. I had no idea what I was going to say. Then, inspiration struck! As I crossed the chancel to join the choir, I glimpsed a booklet on the table by Worship Assistant (and president) Linda Darga’s chair. It said “Generosity Sunday”. Hmmmmmm. Maybe I can use that somehow. It’s got a nice ring to it. My dream is that every Sunday could be generosity Sunday around here.

Then guest speaker Michael Whitty (who is also rather witty) spoke about his dream for First U-U to build on our glorious history, and “diamond of a location” to continue speaking truth, with tolerance and civility, beginning with our own inner peace. Not a bad start as we begin daring to dream. What is your dream? What will you do to bring it to reality? How will you support it financially? Think about these things as you prepare to be canvassed in the next few weeks. As Mike Whitty says, “Detroit needs First UU, the world needs us, too.”

~ Al Acker

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Religious Education goes to the Human Body Exhibit! On March 8th, about eighteen RE students and interested adults went to the Human Body Exhibit at the Detroit Science Center. Here is what one of the students had to say about it:

During the visit to the Detroit Science Museum, the first thing I noticed was that we were looking at actual human bodies. I liked the way we were able to look up close at the body as a whole and then at the individual body systems. To see how actual muscles, bones, and veins look was interesting. It was very different from looking in books, movies or TV. To be close enough to touch the body parts made everything seem more real. I knew that the brain has to be sort of small to fit inside your head, but the brain was smaller than I had imagined it to be. But what I found most fascinating was how the bodies have been preserved over time. Polymers were used to keep the bodies and organs from rotting.
~ Andrew Evans

Skating Trip to Campus Martius Park – After several postponements, the RE students finally made it to Campus Martius Rink on the very last day of the skating season. Below is a student’s opinion:

On my skating trip, I had lots of fun. I wasn’t going to skate at first, but I was very good at skating and I didn’t fall at all. It was nice to go out on a warm day.
~ Douglas Evans

Next Sunday, March 25, be on the lookout for a dramatic presentation by the Religious Education students! The youths will be in the Sanctuary during the service to present a short play about God.

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Invite Your Friends

Mark you calendars! I have been eager to share some special music with you, and March 25th is the date. I’ve been working awhile on a program of Russian music, and I would be honored if you would spread the word and invite your friends to visit the church with you. The program includes diverse music by Katchaturian, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. It will be a day for me to spread my wings a bit and take a few risks. I would love for you and your friends to join me in this adventure.

~ Todd Ballou, Music Director

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If you have not yet seen it, this is your chance to see the Oscar winning documentary with Al Gore. If you have seen it, please come and see it again with us. Friday March 30 at 7pm at the church. Donations will be accepted.

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First UU Church of Detroit presents its Third Annual Passover Seder. Please come join us for an interactive peace and justice Passover meal. The Seder will take place Friday, April 6th, promptly at 6:00 P.M. Feel free to invite neighbors, friends and relatives. The suggested donation is $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for children or whatever you can afford. Come and reinforce the bonds of brotherhood. Take this time to remember all people who are oppressed around the world and journey with them toward freedom..

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Easter Breakfast will start at 9 A.M. and continue until 10:30 A.M. on Sunday, April 8th. The price for the breakfast is $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children age 4 and under. The menu will consist of scrambled eggs, Harvey potatoes, ham, turkey ham, juice, coffee and tea. Reservations need to be made by Wednesday, April 4 by either calling the church office or the Harveys (Earl and Ann) at 313-563-2629.

~ The Easter Bunny

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The Michigan UU Social Justice Network invites you to participate in A Larger Voice for Justice, a conference for Unitarian-Universalists and other justice-seeking people Saturday, April 21 from 8:30 – 4:00 at St. John’s United Church of Christ 807 S. Mechanic St. Jackson, MI 517-784-7580. Workshop topics include Challenging Racism, Green Sanctuary, Universal Health Care, Addressing Poverty, Strategies for Peace, Fair Trade Coffee, and more. In addition, you can hear Dr. William Schulz speak at Jackson Community College on Saturday evening and/or at Universalist Unitarian Church of East Liberty on Sunday morning.

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Come see the art work of our own Mark Schwing at the Windsor Biennial. The opening reception is Friday, March 23 at 7:00 P.M. This is a bi-national exhibition. The location is the Art Gallery of Windsor located at 401 Riverside Drive West. For more information see Mark during coffee hour or call the Gallery at 519-977-0013.

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Portand, Oregon -- June 20-24, 2007

Registration is open for the annual convention of Unitarian Universalists. Last year’s inspiring and invigorating conference, in St. Louis, included dozens of workshops, meditative services, sermons, entertainment, business meetings, young people’s conference, shopping, and choir events every day from 7 A.M. – 12 A.M. This year, in Portland, Colleen Dolan-Greene and Glenn Maxwell are presenting a workshop on Thursday, June 21, “Property Crisis: Too Much Property, Too Little Money.” The workshop will feature the work of the Future Facilities Task Force.

Several First Churchers are already registered for GA. Let’s meet in coffee hour the next few Sundays to coordinate our activities at GA! Look for Mary Neale, Glenn Maxwell, Kathe Stevens, Mary Lou Malone (among others) to discuss GA – whether you’re going or thinking of going or just plain interested.

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by Lee Thume

If you’ve known hard-of-hearing folk, you may have grown fatigued
By being asked so many times to please repeat yourself.
But picture viewing silent films by which you might have been intrigued
But finding subscripts in a foreign tongue – you’re on the shelf.
You know that words are being spoken, gestures being made,
But there is no way to decipher what it’s all about.
And just to take this one step further: Say the action’s in the shade
So you cannot use non-verbal clues to dope it out!

So, talk to me: my heart is listening, hanging on each word.
The things you’re telling me, I want to hear so badly.
What beauty you have seen today, what happy news you heard,
Those things you would be sharing with me gladly.
And, please don’t think me unresponsive if I fail to smile
When something funny has eluded me completely,
Because I often miss a bottom line though listening all the while,
And it’s sometimes best to let it rest discretely.

You need not speak more loudly but more clearly – yes, and slow
To give my costly ear replacements time to process as we go;
If there’s much space between us or there’s background noise as well,
Then the going can get rougher, and I may ask you to spell.

But, please do talk to me and don’t give up: I long to know you well;
It’s only when we truly talk that friendships flourish.
Of all the sounds that we may hear, the one that’s music to my ears
Is the human voice articulating such that I can hear!
That’s the sound I’d savor and forever nourish!
That IS the sound I’d savor and forever nourish!

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Date	Celebrant	Date	Celebrant
3	Virginia Mudie	10	Thelma Murrell
4	Ivan Cotman	16	Sally Borden
5	Robert Teed	17	Mary Neale
7	Jennifer Teed	20	Lily Secrest
8	George Thottakath	24	Bill McKnight