General Assembly

The 43^rd General Assembly is less than three months away.  The annual meeting of the UUA is in Long Beach, CA.  This year the church office has information about GA.  If you are interested in attending please call the church office if you need a program sampler, registration forms, hotel reservation forms, children’s program registration forms, scholarship applications, pre-GA information, banner information, tentative agenda or get information on line at www.uua.org/ga

 

Committee News

Choir

If you enjoy singing and want to have a good time, the choir is the place for you. There is no need to audition, just show up at the dates and time listed below.  All rehearsals begin at 9:30 A.M. and are usually held in Memorial Hall.  The rehearsal and performance schedule is as follows:

May 2, 9 & 16 - rehearsal with performance on the 16

May 23 & 30 - Off

June 6 & 13 - rehearsal

June 20 - rehearsal with performance

 

Membership & Growth

Please alert the office if you need a ride to church events.   Many times there are nearby members who might be able to give you a ride.

First Friday

The upcoming First Friday, May 7, is rapidly approaching.   Please make your reservations by calling the office or signing up at coffee hour. Or emailing Irene or Peggy Wilkie by May 5th

New Member Sunday

New members will be recognized on Sunday, May 16.  These are people who have signed the membership book since last Fall.  Anyone older than 16 years of age who wishes to become a member is requested to inform the Minister, Moderator, or a member of the Governing Board.  Membership means contributing to the health of First Church, both financially and in other ways.   If you are interested in formally joining us at First UU and want to know more, please contact Larry Hutchison or someone on the Membership Committee at the visitor table during coffee hour.

Garage Sales Thank you to Mildred Robinson, Ruth Seifert and John O'Connor for helping with garage sales.  $240.00 was given to our church budget.  Also, thanks to neighbor Mrs. Snow, Lee Thume, Ivan Cotman and assorted relatives and friends of mine for their articles.  Almost $200.00 was raised from theater tickets to Detroit Repertory plays.  Thank you for your participation.  Margaret Beck

 

Women’s Alliance

The Women's Alliance invites you to noon luncheon Wednesday, May 19, in Memorial Hall.  Reservations for the luncheon must be made before noon on Monday, May 17.  You may phone the church office at 313-833-9107 or Eiko Takemoto at 313-869-6389.  The charge for the luncheon is $6.00.  You are also invited to attend the program following the luncheon.

 

Women's Book Club

The next meeting of the Women's Book Club will be on Sunday May 2, 2004 1:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall.  Our May selection will be The Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk.  The book for June will be Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik.  Our September selection will be Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.  The July and August choices will be announced at a later date. Please contact Maria Majer at 313-899-1694 for more information.

 

Congregational Meeting

Sunday, May 16: Congregational Meeting. This additional time will give the Nominating Committee time to recruit folks to serve on the Search Committee AFTER they know what the qualifications are for candidates based on Lisa Presley and the UUA's advice.

 

 

Qualifications for Candidates

1. One who has an overall perspective and commitment to the nature, purpose and activities of the Church. Contrary to what might be expected, we do not recommend that Search Committees be made up of representatives of special interests with the Church. This tends to create unnecessary conflict and to have people looking for "one issue" candidates. So instead of looking for "representatives," we recommend looking for "senators."

 

2. One who is committed to UU pluralism in every area: theology, life styles, social concern, etc.

 

3. One who is patiently able to work for consensus rather than insisting upon majority rule or minority tyranny.

 

 4. One with time to be thoroughly and continually involved. Members of the Committee may well devote a minimum of 20 hours monthly for ten months or so, to say nothing of the added time involved when the pre-candidating interviews get underway. Searching for a minister must be a top priority for members of the Search Committee.

 

5. One without rigid requirements regarding ministerial state, sex, marital status, age, etc.

 

6. One who constantly remembers the wishes of the Congregation, who will not permit the Search Committee to become an autonomous, independent (and finally irresponsible) entity.

 

7.  One with a history of UU involvement. This does not necessarily mean long-term involvement, but it does mean that people new to our religious community ought not to be asked to serve. It takes time for people really to accept and embrace our diversity.

 

8. One who very evidently has the confidence of the Congregation.

 

9.  One who can respect the confidentiality of the process, but who, nonetheless, is eager to keep the Congregation informed regarding the progress that is being made.

 

10. One of irenic, cooperative disposition: not disputatious.

 

         The kind of person to avoid:

(This is really the flip side of the suggestions above but it may be important to be explicit regarding a few characteristics)

 

1. One with limited and high-intensity interests; one who defines the Church in narrow, exclusive terms

 

 2. One with rigid, authoritarian ideas coupled with little respect for differences, e.g. the militant Humanist, the intolerant Christian, the rabid Peacenik, the gadfly

 

 3. One who readily accedes to any request, but who is unable, either by temperament or time-limitations, to follow through

 

  4. One who feels that "we know best," thus urging the Search Committee to ignore the expressed wishes of the Congregation

 5.  One who has a genius for stroking the cat from tail to head just to see the sparks fly

 

6.      One who is actively disliked by many people in the Congregation. Gadflies have their places, but not on Search Committees

 

Thank You

I wish to thank the many friends at First U-U Church who called and/or sent such beautiful cards upon hearing of my brother’s death.  Your goodness and kindness will always be remembered.  JoAnn DeLor

 

We Get Mail-From time to time we get cards and letters from Church folk and friends.  Many of them are put on the bulletin board on the south end of McCollester Hall for all to enjoy.

 

The Wayne State University School of Social Work Alumni Association is conducting a blood donor drive under the direction of the American Red Cross on Friday, May 7, 2004 between 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. in McCollester Hall.  Nora Holt and other WSU volunteers will be assisting.  This is a great opportunity for the church to join with the community in providing this life saving service by donating blood.

 

Save the Date

June 20, 2004 from 2:00 P.M. - ? for Larry and Nancy's send-off.  Details will follow in later Newsletters.  For more information contact Jonathan Schultz at 313-838-3348 or see him during coffee hour.

 

May Birthdays

5. Mary Lou Malone

7. Alma King

8. Jerry Mitchell

9. Patricia Wilkie-Adcock

10. Mary Li Secrest

16. Rick Robinson

17. Andee Seeger

28. James Berry

29. Valerie Lauer

Ed. note...From time to time we need to update our birthday list.  If you haven't seen your birthday in the Newsletter (and you would like to) it's because we don't have it. Please put your name and birthdate on a piece of paper - year not necessary - and put it in the Newsletter box outside the church office.

Halfway Up The Stairs

Spring... ahhh... I'm not sure if Spring is rny favorite season because of the now growth on the trees, flower's blossoming, baby animals or if it's just because of my birthday. Whatever the reason may be... it's here!

As you approach the church building and see the beautiful tulips, daffodils and other blossoms (eclectic as we are), I hope you'll be reminded of the group effort it took to make them grow. Many people donated bulbs in the Fall, a few adults and children helped to get them into the ground, and a few in ore have helped to provide them water, and even talk- to them a little. These beautiful blossoms remind me of our children and RE program here at I st UU, when we work together dazzling and exquisite things grow here!

Dates for Your calendar

May 7- First Friday, Don't miss this one! We will be having Arabic food, drumming and free belly dancing lessens! The high school students will host a coffeehouse/open mic. Celeste will also lead us in scrap-booking, we will begin a RE scrapbook. May 16- Field trip to Shalom Street at the Jewish Community Center after church and potluck. May 23- Service Sunday- we will be serving breakfast at The Cathedral of St, Paul, We will meet there at 8:00 am (corner of Warren and Woodward).

You Go Girls!

Pax Christi has honored our high school Senior, Carmen Mendoza- King with the first annual Michigan Young Peacemaker Carmen became active with Pax Christi at her high school, holy Redeemer, where she has been involved in many peace and justice activities. Carmen felt bad that she missed Mike Simone, who spoke about the School of Americas protest this past Sunday. However, she was on a social justice mission of her own. Carmen traveled with a couple other students and adults to Mexico, They planned to visit towns along the border, and hoped to also visit a sweatshop to gain a better understanding of issues facing people of Mexico, Her mom told me Sunday that since she has been in Mexico, she has earned a college scholarship too!

Jessica Gant is another one of our world travelers! Jessica is in Germany, she traveled there with her German Class, I was excited to receive an email with her trip schedule attached, sure looks like a lot of fun and she'll be learning a lot too!

We will be celebrating these accomplishments and those of our third senior, Amber Keavy at their graduation service during church on June 6 at 11:00 am. I hope to see everyone there!

Voter's registration

Thank you Justine and Co. for your hard work in registering people to vote. At latest, Justine shared with me that Activote and the NAACP are interested in partnering with us on our efforts. We hope more of you will partner as well, please contact Justine for more info at (313) 832-7069.

Together in Faith

The American Friends Service Committee, Faith Action Network presents a national multiracial, multigenerational conference for people of all religions and spiritualities creating communities affirming of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, identities and families. This conference is May 21-22 at Eastern Michigan University.

Growth at 1st UU Church

First Friday

Don't miss this one! We will be having Arabic food, drumming and free belly dancing lessons! The high school students will host a coffehouse/open mic. Celeste will also lead us in scrap-booking, we will begin a RE scrapbook. Please bring your supplies to use and share!

T-shirt Contest to celebrate our 7Oth Anniversary and to promote GROWTH

We are looking for a picture and catchy saying for our T-Shirts Please submit T-shirt Designs May. 1.

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