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Walking the Spiral Path
One thing I know for sure is that our congregation is full of generous souls. I am reminded of this truth every Sunday when I see so many people helping in a multitude of ways to support the life and work of our congregation. Whether you are greeting, ushering, making coffee, running the sound system, teaching in our RE program, giving a ride to a church member who needs a lift, or helping out in another way on a day other than Sunday… the sharing of your resources (time, energy and talent) almost stops me in my tracks with a feeling of overwhelming gratitude.
To me, our church community is a blessing to all of us as well as the wider world and the truth that we all pool our money together to support its existence is a sort of miracle. As our Stewardship Campaign launches this month and you are asked to make your financial gift to sustain our beloved community, I hope you will reflect deeply on what you can give and that you will, as our beloved Gordon McKeeman always counseled us, “give until it feels good.”
Your act of making a financial commitment to our shared religious life is important and no matter the size of your contribution, your gift is valued and appreciated. Let us join together, combine our resources and commit anew to our continued support of the church we love.
With appreciation,
Leia Durland-Jones
Director of Religious Education
Organization Membership at CNE is for You!
Did you know that TJMCs Adult Faith Development Committee purchased an organizational membership with the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in Charlottesville? This means You now have access to CNEs website which includes job postings, professional development opportunities around the state and articles/resources that might be helpful to you in your church leadership and/or your professional life. The CNE office has a library of materials available for members to borrow. In addition, they offer workshops, brown bag lunch seminars, trainings and classes you can register for at a reduced rate under our organizational membership. The Adult Faith Development Committee encourages everyone to take advantage of the many resources available now to our congregation through the CNE. For more information, call CNEs Membership Manager at 244-3330 or visit the CNE online at thecne.org.
Adult Faith Development (AFD) Winter/Spring Semester
The AFD semester begins in February. Watch for announcements and registration information in the Friday Email, This Sunday in the Sunday order of service, the bulletin boards outside the Social Hall and the church website. Upcoming classes include:
w Working with The Body’s Subtle Energies: An Approach to Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical Self-Care
w Harvest the Power-Leadership Development,
w World Religions,
w Teens Taking Action: Teen and Parent Summit!
w Parenting Tweens with Smarts and Heart
w What is Spiritual Direction
w Little Altars Everywhere
w Serving with Grace
w Parenting Young Children
w Jesus: Teacher, Guide, Companion
w A Unitarian Universalist Prayer Practice
w Midweek noontime labyrinth walk, Wednesday Wonderings
w The Black Empowerment Controversy
w Beans and Rights
w a Taize service
w Planning for Life’s Final Journey: Helping Loved Ones Prepare.
Mid-Year Feedback Appreciated
The committees that make up the Lifespan Faith Development Council (Children’s RE, Youth Programs and Adult Faith Development) invite your feedback on how things are going for you, your child(ren) and family.
How is it for our littlest UUs on Sunday? Do you like the UU Stars format? Are you happy with Spirit Play? Would you like more social activities in addition to Sunday morning RE classes? What is your impression of how things are going for our children and our youth? What Adult Faith Development offerings would you like to see made available?
The committees serving these programs meet monthly and we always appreciate hearing from participants with concerns, compliments or suggestions. To offer your feedback, contact Patricia Millman, Lifespan Faith Development Council Chair, pmillman3@comcast.net; Cathey Polly, Children’s RE Committee Chair, catheypolly@yahoo.com; or Margaret Gorman, Youth Programs Committee Chair, gormanmargaret@hotmail.com.
PJs, Pancakes & Bingo!
Do not miss this super fun event for all ages on Friday, February 3, at 5 PM in the Social Hall. The Children’s RE Committee sponsors this annual all-church pancake dinner where wearing PJs is optional and having fun is not! After a delicious dinner of pancakes, sausage and other treats, we will play Bingo with our fabulous Bingo machine.
Bingo begins at 6:30 PM and Bingo cards are $2 each or three for $5. For more information or to find out how you can help, contact Leia Durland-Jones, DRE, at 293-8179 x 6# or leiadj@embarqmail.com.
Coming of Age Class Marketplace: Helping Our Youth!
Stop by the Social Hall after services on Sunday and get in on these great deals while supporting our upcoming Coming of Age class as they raise funds for their June 2013 pilgrimage trip to DC.
· Attractions Coupon Books – more than just restaurants
· TJMC UU T-shirt orders
Our youth (and their parents) thank you for your support!
Save the dates:
1 Wed Youth Programs Committee Meeting, 7 PM, S1
3 Fri PJs, Pancakes and Bingo
5 Sun Four year-olds–Fifth grade Chinese New Year Celebration
8 Wed A Conversation about “Grace,” 7 PM, CP
12 Sun RE Classes, Stars Story Sunday
19 Sun RE Classes
22 Wed Children’s RE Committee,
7PM, S2
Courage in Leadership
As both a businessman and more recently as a volunteer in the community, I have worked with and sat on many boards and I can assure you, some are most definitely better than others! In the past I have worked with Boards that have abdicated their responsibility and failed to take action when needed – the “firemen syndrome” as it is sometimes known and one where in an emergency or time sensitive situation the board is expected to act decisively even if outside normal procedures. Others have overstepped their authority and acted in a manner inconsistent with the principal of democracy and without regard to the values of the organization. Still others have been a pleasure to work with or as a part of.
This past Monday night the TJMC-UU Board met to review its work over the past six months and define the work still to be completed over the remaining half of the year. Much has been accomplished, and much remains to be done, as you can read for yourself in the minutes posted on our website and on the bulletin board. Of equal importance to the work getting done is the way that work is being organized and managed. At TJMC-UU the Board is elected and given its authority to act by the congregation. It has the responsibility to conduct business in accordance with our bylaws and through the council structure, various committees and special task forces. In theory this is a simple system and quite democratic. In practice it can be more difficult. One question we try to answer whenever an issue comes up has to do with congregational input. When appropriate, are we encouraging Broad participation in the process and gathering feedback prior to final recommendations and decisions being made? Is the Board supporting the open and democratic process demanded by our principles? I do believe we are. This is most certainly true of our Music Task Force and that of the Facilities Planning Task Force. However, on occasion it may not be appropriate or even possible to follow this simple and, frankly, safe approach.
That same night we needed to address an issue that could not wait for full participation by the congregation. It had to do with deciding whether or not to take advantage of a sizeable, but time constrained grant and install a bank of solar panels that would generate 25% or more of our energy needs for the main building. The issue was complex and not without financial challenge, but due to the timeline associated with the grant, required the Board to act swiftly and decisively. The Board could have chosen the easy option and passed on the opportunity. Instead, they debated openly and with great thoughtfulness, and demonstrated leadership and courage in making their decision without the benefit of consultation with the full congregation. As one of my boyhood (and adult) hero’s Sir Winston Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried and on occasions leaders need to lead.”
Not all will agree with the decision made, and some may question the process, but all should be as proud as I am to be associated with a Board that had the courage to act in a way they believed to be true to our mission, and in the long term interests of our community. In the past too many decisions have taken too long, and some have not come at all. If you don’t believe me just ask those who served on previous facilities teams! As we move forward this year and beyond it will be important to find the right balance in our leadership styles (and we are all leaders here) to achieve the vision and goals we hope lie ahead.
In faith
Ian Sole
Board President
The theme for the month of February is “Justice.” I once heard someone pronounce the word with more “uh” than “ih” in the second syllable and that led to an epiphany. Just us.
There’s an old saying the preachers really only have one or two sermons that we keep recycling over and over. This is definitely one of mine – there is no “us and them” there is only “us.” I’ve taken to summing up Unitarian Universalist theology with the words: We are one human family, on one fragile planet, in one miraculous universe, bound by love. I believe this to be True (with a capital “T”). I believe that it is fundamental. Essential.
From this, then, the idea that injustice occurs when someone – or a group of someones – sees other someones as separate. Distinct. Different. Injustice occurs when the inherent worth and dignity of a person or group of people is denied, when the inherent relatedness of each of us to all of us is overlooked or disregarded.
Sexism, heterosexism, racism, ableism, classism – each of these and all of these are, at their core, a denial of “Just Us.” This is part of what makes them so perniciously intertwined. They each exclude someone from the “us” and set systems in place to perpetuate that exclusion. Individual acts of individual people are, of course, important, but the systems… that’s the real dragon to be slain.
And I believe that fundamentally – in the essence of it – the “solution” (if you will) to all of the myriad forms of injustice – both specific and systemic – is to reassert the awareness of “just us.” Justice occurs when our interrelatedness is recognized and acknowledged. (And it should go without saying that this interrelatedness extends beyond mere human to human interconnections but human to animal, and plant, and planet, and beyond.)
As the Rev. Dr. King so famously said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” It might be worth remembering that the inverse is also true – every time justice is reaffirmed anywhere, injustice everywhere loses some of its hold.
In Gassho,
Rev. Erik
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Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist
Friday News Update
January 29, 2012
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January’s Sermon Theme: Death. W. Somerset Maugham once observed, “Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatsoever to do with it.” Instead, we will spend the month of January – sometimes called “the dead of winter” – exploring the inevitability of death, our response(s) to grief and loss, death as a metaphor, and even the potential gifts of our mortality.
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February Theme: Justice Albert Einstein said, “In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.” This month see what TJMCers are saying about it!
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10 AM Only
January 29, Sunday: Sermon – Because There Is Death, We Celebrate Life! 10 AM Only. Elie Wiesel has said, “Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies.” Many religious communities “die before [they] actually die” because the vast majority of members do not take an active role in nurturing the life of the community. This Sunday we will experiment with not replacing our worship service with our Congregational Meeting but, rather, transforming our Congregational Meeting into a true worship service.
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Religious Education classes for children and youth will be at 10 AM this Sunday.
Four year-olds through fifth grades begin their morning in Children’s Worship in the Parlor.
Parents, four year-olds through fifth graders should be picked up
from the playground following the service.
The two and three year-olds RE class as well as the youth classes start in their classrooms.
For more information, see the RE display table in the Social Hall on Sunday morning.
Children are welcome in worship.
Nursery care is available for children two years old and younger
during both services in the lower hall of the main building.
The Comfort Room at the Rugby Road entrance of the Sanctuary is designed for parents with young children. Audio from the service can be heard in the Comfort Room.
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Heads up! The Pledge Drive coming!
The 2012-13 Pledge Drive kicks off on Sunday, February 12. Look for information in the mail shortly before that date. Please start considering your pledge amount now so you can return your pledge card promptly. Also, consider helping out as a phone caller, envelope stuffer, snack donor, or some other job… there is something for every experience level! Call Adam Slate at 760-1346 or pledgedrive@uucharlottesvlle.org with questions, to volunteer, or for more information.
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uucharlottesville.org Information Go To Links
February 2012 Bulletin: http://www.uucharlottesville.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/february-2012-monthly-bulletin-2pub.pdf
Calendar: http://www.uucharlottesville.org/calendar
Sermons: http://www.uucharlottesville.org/about/worship-life/services-and-sermons
Are you part of the TJMC-UU Facebook community? Click HERE or log on to Facebook and ask to join the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church group.
Have you seen the Unitarian Universalist weekly e-news letter? Click HERE for this week’s edition.
Click HERE to visit the Southeast UUA District webpage. It is full of information for our UU district.
Did you know that TJMC is a member of the Center for Non-Profit Excellence? This allows you to access any of the CNE’s classes at the membership rate. Simply state your connection to our congregation on your registration. Click HERE for more information about the CNE.
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Church This Week.
January 31, Tuesdays: AFD: Why Evil Exists, 1–3 PM, Parlor.
January 27-28: Dream Quest in session please do not enter the church building unless you are attending this function. If you need to go to Summit House please park in Summit House parking lot or walk around the church. Thank you.
January 28, Saturday: Newcomer Orientation, 9 AM-12 PM, Summit Rooms 1+2. This is an opportunity to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and about our church. The seminar will be led by our Membership Committee, our minister, Rev. Erik Walker Wikstrom and other church leaders. Come join us for fellowship and coffee. A light breakfast and snacks will be provided. The bright pink sign-up sheet is on the Community Life bulletin board next to our Church Office or you may contact Jean Newland. Please let us know if you will need childcare and to provide a phone number for emergency contact in the event of inclement weather.
January 29, Sunday: Green Sanctuary Carpooling Challenge. Do not forget to carpool to the single service congregational meeting! We will be holding a raffle for a $50 Whole Foods gift card for carpooling drivers and riders. Get your ticket from a Green Sanctuary member as you enter the church, and we will be announcing the winner during the service. Family members do not count! Walkers and bikers are also eligible. This is a wonderful way to build community and conserve energy!
January 30, Monday: Administrative Council, 7 PM, Social Hall.
February 1, Wednesday: Green Sanctuary Task Force Meeting, 7 PM, Parlor. Our meeting will celebrate this past Sunday’s Congregational vote, review the final application we will be submitting to the UUA for accreditation, and then move to spring projects. Discussion about a congregational party, a Wearin’ O the Green Celebration Friday, March 16, in partnership with the Social Committee, and the solar roof project, food composting, and an Adult Faith course created by the UU Ministry for Earth will be on the agenda. Join us!
February 2+9+16+23, Thursdays: Active Minds, 1 PM, Parlor. Join us for conversation and companionship.
February 3, Friday: Food Pantry, 9 AM, Social Hall. Volunteer to help unload, sort, and distribute food.
February 3, Friday: PJs, Pancakes & Bingo! 5-8 PM, Social Hall. Do not miss this super fun all-church pancake dinner where wearing PJs is optional and having fun it not! After a delicious dinner of pancakes, sausage and other treats, we will play Bingo using our fabulous Bingo machine. Bingo begins at 6:30 PM and Bingo cards are $2 each or three for $5. For more information or to find out how you can help, contact Cathey Polly or Allison Pugh (apugh@virginia.edu).
February 4-11: Women’s PACEM, Summit House. Sign-up sheets for food, hosting, set up and cleanup will be in the Social Hall after each service from January 8 to January 29. We partner with the Muslim Student Association, so we serve more food, but receive more volunteers to help serve. Email Elizabeth Breeden for information.
February 5, Sunday: Sermon - Through the Door, 9:15 AM + 11:15 AM. We begin our month of exploring the theme of justice by looking at the many justice-related efforts going on in and through TJMC. Many of these initiatives are vitally important, and something to be proud of, but the question remains – are we willing to walk through the door that they open into the new world we are called to co-create? Elizabeth Breeden and Erik Wikstrom will explore this question.
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Church Notes & Requests for Help
Be a sweetheart, donate to the auction. The auction committee is accepting donations for our 2012 Auction “How Sweet It Is!” after services and online at http://www.uucharlottesville.org/get-involved/fundraising/ auction until Sunday, February 5, at 1 PM. We are especially in need of dinners and other social events, services, vacation getaways and other adventures. Selected items go up for bids on Sunday, February 12, with final bids on auction night Saturday, February 25. All proceeds go to fund programs at church, so please donate and make our sweet dreams come true.
Bed & Breakfast Hosts Needed: Meet interesting UUs and other religious liberals from all over while raising money for the church. TJMC needs more hosts for the UU Bed & Breakfast program. If you have an extra room and you can accommodate guests occasionally, please contact Katie Corish.
Church CDs wanted for Spring Auction: If you are a musician associated with TJMC, would you donate a signed CD for a very special auction raffle? Our “How Sweet It Is!” Auction on Saturday, February 25, will feature the sweet sounds of music by Mike Dunn, Wendy Repass, Terra Voce, Kevin Oehler, and maybe you? If you have recorded your music, would you donate a CD? Please bring it to the Auction table in the Social Hall or put it in the Communications mailbox. If you do not have a CD, but have recorded some of your music, you can send a .wav or .mp3 file to communications@uucharlottesville.org and be included in the “Sugar High” playlist for the auction.
Coming of Age Class Marketplace: Helping Our Youth! Stop by the Social Hall after services on Sunday and get in on these great deals while supporting our upcoming Coming of Age class as they raise funds for their June 2013 pilgrimage trip to DC. Attractions Coupon Books – more than just restaurants; TJMC-UU T-shirt orders. Our youth (and their parents) thank you for your support!
Registration for the 2011-2012 Religious Education Program for Children & Youth is available at http://www.uucharlottesville.org/education/religious-education-program-registration on the church’s website. All families with children infants through twelfth grades participating in the program need to register.
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We begin our month of exploring the theme of justice by looking at the many justice-related efforts going on in and through TJMC. Many of these initiatives are vitally important, and something to be proud of, but the question remains – are we willing to walk through the door that they open into the new world we are called to co-create? Elizabeth Breeden and Erik Wikstrom will explore this question.
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