First Unitarian Universalist
Church of Detroit

---

Many thanks to all those who helped make our 50’s dance party such fun –Alma King did a great job on original decoations, Maysel Brooks with decorating and all round help, Irene and Jonathan Schultz for food and setup, Carolyn Ludwig for food and music and many others – Nora Holt, Mary Lou Malone, Ann and Earl Harvey, and Maria Maijer. Faye Colling brought a chaperone dress from the fifties and David Robinson along with Jonathan Schultz sang some fifties songs at intermission. It brought back good memories for many of us.

The next Movie Night will feature Michael Moore’s film “Sicko” on Friday, October 5 at 7:00 in Memorial Hall.

---

Dinner will be held on Saturday, October 27 in McCollester Hall sponsored by Ann and Earl Harvey and Marilyn and Jerry Mitchell. German beer and wine will be for sale so look for your lederhosen and get ready to eat well.

---

A note from Faye Colling

It was good to see Dores McCree, daughter of Kathleen and son-in-law David Backer Lewis in church last Sunday. Dores maintains her long membership at First Church even though she lives in Ann Arbor.

Long time members of First UU will remember that daughter Kathleen and David Lewis were married here by the Rev. Anthony Perrino in 1968 with nearly 700 relatives and friends witnessing the union. Many of us remember the father -Judge Wade H. McCree, Jr. - escorting the beautiful young bride to the altar.

Many of us can remember that Wade had been very active in our National General Assembly and some of us can recall that in early years Wade taught Bible Study class to our high school youth in Second Story Church School. (Those grades still consider themselves extremely fortunate to have Biblical knowledge from Wade’s point of view.)

Wade was appointed a Federal Judge by President Kennedy. He was called to Washington by President Carter for his appointment as the Solicitor General.

Last Sunday the family came to remember and to bring to the chancel red roses given in loving memory of husband and father. It was good that they were stirring memories for the rest of us.

---

Another note from Faye Colling

As I’ve written before, we don’t wave a wand and poof, there’s a spread of a good coffee hour. Donna Walker made this possible after the summer services. Thank you Donna.

For the regular church year, groups of members take responsibility for a month of providing the juice, cookies, cream, sugar, etc... and setting the tables.

For the coming four months, the groups I’ve contacted have very graciously accepted a place on the following schedule:

Sept – We thank Mildred Robinson and the Black Concerns Working Group for providing coffee hour. We can help by returning our dishes to the tea wagon trays.

Oct – Our youth group in the Second Story Church will be doing duty for Halloween month. It will be fun to see what they bring forth.

Nov – Besides performing beautiful music for Thanksgiving month, the choir and music director Todd Ballou will be providers. We appreciate both special arrangements.

Dec – The Womens’ Alliance group will be hosting Coffee & Tea hour as they have often done over the years. Thank your for your loyal commitment.

---

Here's a note from Margaret Beck

Entertainment books are for sale during coffee hour and you're welcome to take a look and see the wonderful buys. Last night a friend of mine and I saved $11 at an Italian restaurant, Ferlito's in GP Woods and earlier in the week another friend and I saved $15 at the Cedar Gardens in St. Clair Shores. The books are $20 with the church getting $4 each. I have turned over $140 to our church treasurer.

I have reserved 17 seats at the Detroit Repertory Theatre for Saturday, November 17 at 3 p.m. The play is "Doubt", a Pulitzer Prize winner by John Patrick Shanley. It will be a sellout and I hope 17 people will want to buy tickets for $15 each. The church gets $5 from each ticket sold. I have a problem though as I will be on a cruise from Nov. 3rd to the 13th and won't be around church on the 2 Sundays before the play, so will have them for sale during October. We can also go out to dinner at the Traffic Jam afterwards.

Father Flynn is a charismatic priest whose presence in an old Catholic School is an invigorating change. Sister Aloysius is a veteran nun and no fan of what she sees as loosening standards. Inevitably, the two face off, but the situation is shocking. Donald Muller, a troubled boy and the only African-American student in the school, may have been sexually abused- and Sister is absolutely certain Father Flynn is the molester. "Doubt" is funny, absorbing and troubling as the bitter confrontation unfolds. Sister A's righteousness in the face of little evidence becomes as frightening as the deed for which Father F. is accused. Is he guilty? Is there reasonable doubt? Is there truth? The debate on stage will haunt the audience.

Margaret Beck : 313-882-7775 or margretbeck@comcast.net

---

From the Michigan UU Social Justice Network

We won!

On August 23rd, British Petroleum (BP) pledged "No Increase in Lake Michigan Discharge Limits at its Whiting Refinery". A BP press release quotes BP America Chairman and President, Bob Malone, as saying that "ongoing regional opposition to any increase in discharge permit limits for Lake Michigan creates an unacceptable level of business risk for this $3.8 billion investment". BP did, however, indicate it was going to move ahead with seeking "other permits" and "explore options for operating within the lower discharge limits". Vigilant monitoring will continue to be needed on this issue -- BP needs to know the public is watching. Please forward all signed petitions to me at MUUSJN, 4220 Arlington Dr., Royal Oak, MI 48073.

This campaign is an example of how citizens CAN make a difference if we work together. UU's, while we were just gearing up for action, were part of this campaign. Barb Michael from the Marquette UU Congregation brought the issue to MUUSJN's attention during the last week in July. The Network developed and sent petitions and call to action letters earlier in August to justice leaders in all Michigan UU congregations. The Heartland UU District forwarded our petitions (and our call for action) to all congregations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. We had also forwarded our petitions to staff at the Central Midwest District for distribution to UU's in Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. In this e-mail, we are calling on our justice network to hold BP Chairman Bob Malone accountable to honor his commitment to not increase its levels o f dumping in Lake Michigan.

Besides UU power, here are some powerful reasons for our collective success:

1. Mike Shriberg, Director of Environment Michigan, reported that this organization delivered 65,000 (on-line) signatures pledging to boycott BP until it abandoned it plan to dump more ammonia and toxic waste into Lake Michigan. Other organizations in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio were also mightily involved.
   
2. There was bi-partisan support for a Resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to oppose BP dumping. Rep. Candice Miller (R) (see 7-25-07 article in Detroit News) was outspoken about how Indiana's decision to approve the BP dumping plan was a "huge step backwards in our efforts to keep the Great Lakes clean". Senator Debbie Stabenow had discussions with BP on this issue. Elected officials from other States weighed in as well.
   
3. Last, but not least, this is a moral issue that trumped the economic arguments of jobs and cheaper oil. Who can't understand that it's not right for a multinational corporation to dump toxic waste into Lake Michigan, our source of drinking water and the ecosystem for fish we eat?!

It's our UU principle to "respect the interdependent web of existence". In that spirit, the MUUSJN will be sending a letter to BP President Bob Malone thanking him, but also challenging him to honor his public commitment to abide by lower levels of discharge into Lake Michigan. We will also "cc" our letter to Senator Debbie Stabenow and Senator Carl Levin. We also invite YOU to send your own letter to thank -- and challenge -- Mr. Malone at the following address:

Mr. Bob Malone, BP America Chairman and President
BP America Headquarters
501 WestLake Park Blvd.
Houston, TX 77079-2604

I'm sure Michigan Senators would also like a copy of your letter:
Senator Carl Levin: 269 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Debbie Stabenow: 133 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

(I'm told that Bob Malone is no relation to Mary Lou – Ed.)

---

Music That Moved People to Political Action is a benefit concert for Manna Community Meals which serves 200 to 300 meals a day, five days a week to the homeless, the mentally ill, physically disabled veterans and the underemployed. Performers include the Robert Jones, Julie Beutel and Celeste Headlee, all of whom have ties to First UU. The show is on Friday, September 28 at St. Peter’s 1950 Trumbull - kitty corner from Tiger Stadium in Corktown - and starts around 7:30. Tickets are $12 at the door. For further information: phone Mimi Helveston at (313) 963-7220.

---

The deadline for printed material is Sunday, October 7, 2007 no later than NOON or the following Monday no later than 5:30 p.m. for electronically submitted material. Articles may be emailed, by the deadline date and time, to ieschultz1945@yahoo.com. If you email items, please specify that they are for the newsletter.