[Visitors] August Beacon

Tue Jul 25 19:51:10 EDT 2006

Here is the August UUFT Beacon.
Melanie Kitchner

      Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Topeka                                             August 2006
      4775 SW 21st Street ? Topeka, KS 66604 785-272-9233

      Proud to be a Welcoming Congregation

A Month of Sundays

August 6 - What's New? Rev. Lisa is back from General Assembly and from her July time of reading and reflection. She will share a compendium of ideas and a few radical brainstorms. Questions will include: What is congregational growth--is it a numbers game, or is there "incarnational" growth that is more important? And, is it possible for our generally white, middle-class movement to grow into an inter-racial, multicultural community? Service contact--Rev. Lisa R. Schwartz

August 13 - Social Justice Showcase  During the year members of our congregation attend various UU related gatherings, or otherwise represent us and our UU values to the "outside" world.  This morning members will tell about traveling to El Salvador on our "mission" trip, attending UUA's General Assembly or the Prairie Star District meeting, representing us at the UU-UNO meeting in New York City and enjoying Unistar (the UU camp in northern Minnesota).  Program contact:  Vicki George

August 20 - Trust the Dawning Future One of our UU hymns bids our souls to search for truth, "adventure boldly and explore." This service will celebrate the bold adventure of our Religious Education program, honoring both teachers and students who engage in this vital work of our Fellowship. Plan to stay after the service for a "bubblicious ceremony" of dedication for our new playground. Service contact--Rev. Lisa R. Schwartz

August 27 - As Tranquil Streams that Meet and Merge Is the Fellowship a conduit for your spirit? Join us for our annual ingathering, a water communion service to celebrate our reconnecting to the source of this community after our various summer sojourns. This is an intergenerational, participatory service! DON'T FORGET TO BRING WATER from your summer travels, or your own backyard, to share (potability is not an issue--but water only, please!)

Service contact--Rev. Lisa R. Schwartz

Adult RE Seekers: Sundays 9:00 - 10:15am for the month of

August the class will be planning topics for open discussion

by Rev. Lisa Romantum Schwartz

Exciting News! UUFT Welcomes its first Ministerial Intern in '06-07!!

The Fellowship is about to officially embark on a new chapter in congregational life. Though the UUFT has nurtured, supported and educated many people for church leadership (including launching three members into seminary), there's never been any official recognition of that important role. But thanks to swift and unanimous board approval of a once in a lifetime opportunity, the Fellowship will be the "home base" for a ministerial intern, beginning in October of '06 and continuing through July of '07.

      How did we get so lucky? Last year some committed lay leaders in Lawrence asked Rev. Jim Eller of All Soul's UU Church in Kansas City what it would take to get an outreach and extension ministry started in the southern cluster of our huge district. Thus, the Southern Cluster OutReach/Extension (SCORE) project was conceived, and Rev. Jim invited me and Rev. Michael Nelson (of the Manhattan UU Fellowship) to co-chair the SCORE Board and help birth the new initiative. 
      During the year SCORE employed a half-time minister (some of you will remember Meghan Conrad from last year's Cluster Campout) and formed new alliances between lay leaders throughout the cluster. SCORE ministry strengthened the fledgling congregation in Warrensburg, Mo. enough that they outgrew their original meeting place, and outreach efforts in Emporia resulted in a new congregation there. And Lawrence has experienced a whole new level of vitality.
      Meghan was ordained last April, and accepted a call to settled ministry in her home state of California. But our Cluster is blessed with another talented new minister, fourth-year seminary student Jill Jarvis, and she has agreed to step into the role of SCORE minister.
      All UU ministers must complete an internship in order to move towards full fellowship in ministry, so SCORE board members began to explore how this first year could fulfill the internship requirement for Jill. Since I'm a full-time, settled minister in final fellowship, I will serve as Jill's internship supervisor--which means that the Fellowship will be officially an educating congregation!   Jill Jarvis is a 16-year member of All Souls UU Church in Kansas City, and has recently completed a two year student ministry there. In addition she's worked as a lay leader in many of the various committees and volunteer roles that keep congregations going, and growing. Jill is in her fourth and final year as a distance learning student at the UU seminary in Chicago, Meadville-Lombard. (Their distance learning program allows students to travel to Chicago once or twice a year for intensive classes; Jill will return for her final classes in January of '07.)
      Jill's special interests are social justice, worship, and a commitment to growing vital UU congregations. During her time at All Souls Jill has been active in social justice activities, working with the Social Justice and Racial Justice Committees, and was cofounder of the All Souls Social Responsibility Board, the umbrella group for the congregation's ten justice committees.  She has been a member of the Board of Trustees, and helped initiate new hospitality and membership procedures resulting in significant growth following the recent UUA media campaign in the Kansas City area. Jill has taught adult education classes at All Souls, is past chair of the Religious Services Committee (what UUFT calls the Program Committee), and has preached at both All Souls and Shawnee Mission UU Churches. 
      Jill is married and has two adult sons. Prior to entering seminary, she worked for nearly 25 years in international marketing. She speaks fluent French and a little Spanish. Jill and her husband, Chris Cox, an aviation consultant, live in midtown Kansas City.
      What's in it for UUFT, and what's expected of us? Jill will work with the Fellowship for 10 hours each week, and will spend the rest of the time on the road serving the congregations in Salina, Emporia, Lawrence, and Warrensburg. Jill is excited about several new initiatives here at our Fellowship, including helping launch the UUFT's first "Coming of Age" program for middle school youth, gearing up our membership/hospitality committee, teaching and preaching, and much more. 
      Jill's internship stipend will be paid by SCORE (the organization is self-funded through grants and private contributions). What we'll need to do is be welcoming and supportive to Jill, and treat her with professional and personal courtesy. We'll need to form an internship committee that will meet monthly to provide support, evaluation and feedback (the goal is to have a committee that includes representatives from another SCORE congregation or two as well). Though most internship sites provide office space, the UUFT won't be able to provide a dedicated space for Jill's office. Board President Deb Kirmer has graciously agreed to provide Jill with some home hospitality when she needs it.
      This is an exciting time for our congregation, and our cluster. The UUFT has a lot to offer in terms of teaching opportunities, and Jill has many gifts and graces to offer us in return. I know you'll join me in enthusiastically welcoming Jill. 

The Social Justice Committee meets the 2nd Monday through September.

Save the Date!!
"Cluster" Campout October 6, 7 and 8
The Southern Cluster of the Prairie Star District (our cousins in the extended UU family) will sponsor a campout at the breathtakingly beautiful White Memorial Camp in Council Grove Oct. 6-8th this fall. Plan now to attend!
      The planning committee is pleased to announce that our keynote speaker on Oct. 7th will be Joe Johnson, Shawnee County's first African American District Court Judge, speaking about how organizations can foster racial and ethnic diversity. In addition to his 27 year private practice career, Judge Johnson is a faculty member of the Yeshiva University School of Law, University of Wyoming School of Law, Western Trial Advocacy Institute,
Mercer University School of Law and National Criminal Defense College. He is a lifetime member of the NAACP. A workshop on UU anti-racism efforts will follow, led by Sharon Blevins and Art Collins of All Souls UU Church in Kansas City. Other events and workshops include yoga and meditation, leadership training for lay people by District Executive Nancy Heege, games and campfire singing, a sunset talk by Rev. Jim Eller of All Souls KC, a prairie walk led by Mark Mayfield and Carolyn Ferguson a Green Sanctuary workshop led by Doug Walters, and a storytelling workshop led by our own Rev. Lisa R. Schwartz. 

      Programming for kids and youth will be infused with energy this year thanks to the efforts of Sherry Warren, Director of Religious Ed. at the Lawrence UU Fellowship and our District's new Youth and Young Adult specialist.
      This is the event we used to simply call "Cluster," but we've begun using that word to describe the UU congregations in Kansas and KC MO, so you'll see it referred to as "Cluster Campout" or even "Southern Cluster Campout"
as we adjust to our increased sense of interconnectedness.

Goin' South

Our twp delegates (John Granger and Amy Burgardt) on the Topeka-Talpetates El Salvador trip July 14-22 carried with them about $ 470.00 worth of medical and school supplies, plus books in Spanish and toys.  Most of this was funded by the generous special collection donated on July 9th.  John and Amy will join our friends from Trinity Presbyterian Church, plus other Presbyterians from Wichita as they visit the village school and maternity center. 

Dinner for All: August 19th at 6:30 p.m. All members and friends of UUFT are invited to participate in the summer's last Dinner for All hosted by Bill & Linda Lucero. Their address is 1176 SW Warren Av. which is one block east of Oakley and just north of 12th Street. Please bring a covered dish, any meat items you and your family/ guests wish to consume, beverages, insect repellant and lawn chairs. Luceros will furnish table service, barbecue grill, lemonade and iced tea. Children are welcome. This is a great way to get to know other UUFTers so circle the date on your calendar! Questions: call Bill or Linda @ 232-5958.

Lifespan Religious Education

News about our Discoveries
Judy Sasser, DLRE

This summer we chose to focus on Ralph Waldo Emerson's recipe for "Success":  

To laugh often and much,

To appreciate beauty,

To find the best in others,

To leave the world a bit better, 

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

      Due to low and sporadic attendance this summer, we elected to have multiage gatherings on Sunday mornings which included preschool through junior high ages.  Our goal was to experience "success" by helping each other to reach out to help others in the UU Fellowship, in the community, and in the World.  In the world, we made and sent art work and friendship bracelets to Talpetates.  Closer to home, we helped clean up our community by picking up trash in a 4 block radius of the Fellowship and learned about recycle and composting.  We also made boo-boo buddies, child recipe books, and had a shower in the greater Fellowship for Mother to Mother.  We also learned about that organization and the service it provides for our community.  Within the Fellowship, we built a lasagna garden near the youth house and treated the Fellowship to a hot dog roast and a little water on July 2nd.  

      So far we have had a great summer.  One of the best things that happened is that we have gotten to know each other so well and we find that we like each other a lot!  Creating community in RE has been a terrific success.  The kids have made it happen!!!

      We will be going to the zoo on July 30th during our regular time to see how and who feeds the Bears!!!  Also in our future, before summer ends, is Habitat for Humanity.  

      I think Emerson would say we have been a success this summer.  What do you think?

Kitchens that COOK!!
All cooks and the people who love them are drawn to fabulous kitchens stocked with gadgets and gizmos to make gourmet productions a snap. Topeka Faith in Action (TFIA) is sponsoring a tour of three marvelous kitchens in Clarion Woods (in SW Topeka) and the proceeds will directly support TFIA,
a local organization (supported by the UUFT and other congregations) that coordinates volunteers to support elderly Topekans who wish to live independently in their own homes. (TFIA helps many folks who "fall through
the cracks" of traditional social service agencies by providing volunteers to do grocery shopping, home maintenance, and even simple friendly calls and visits.)
      The kitchen tours will take place the first week in October. TFIA needs volunteers to sign up to help as tour guides, ticket sellers, media helpers, etc. If you can help, please contact Nancy Buckingham Harms, TFIA
Program Coordinator, at 430-2361, or faithinaction at midlandhospice.org. And
plan now to tour the marvelous kitchens! Tickets will be $20 each, 2 for $30.

Shower of Stoles
The congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Topeka, Trinity Presbyterian, and the Metropolitan Community Church are pleased to announce an upcoming exhibition of the powerful Shower of Stoles Project on Oct. 14 and 15 at UUFT. The Shower of Stoles is a collection of over a thousand liturgical stoles and other sacred items from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people from twenty-six denominations in six countries. Each stole contains the story of a person who has been active in the life and leadership of their faith community in some way: minister, elder, deacon, teacher, missionary, musician, administrator or lay leader.
      This extraordinary collection lifts up those who have been excluded from service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and it celebrates the gifts of GLBT people who respond to the call to serve the
church in countless ways.
      The collection is displayed in hundreds of locations each year as a witness to end religious discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. If you can help hang the exhibit Friday night, Oct. 13th, or can volunteer to staff the event during the day Saturday or Sun. afternoon, please contact Rev. Lisa at minister at uuft.org, or call her at 554-9693 any day but Thursday.

UUFT to Host Owl Teacher Training

On September 8, 9, & 10, UUFT will be hosting a teacher training for grades 7 - 12 for Our Whole Lives (OWL).  This is the UUA developed and approved human sexuality program.  We will need your help for greeting, feeding, and housing people who come from afar.  Please see Judy Sasser if you are able to help.  The most important part at this time is housing.  You will not need to feed your guest, just give them a bed.  You may charge a nominal fee or not.  Whatever is best for you.  Thanks you for your cooperation. See Judy Sasser, Director Lifespan Religious Education 

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