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The Windmill |
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| February 1, 2004 |
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The Windmill |
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| February 1, 2004 |
REV-ving Up!: Words from our ministerBy The Rev. Louis V. Schwebius"Signs, signs, everywhere a sign; Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind; Do this, don’t do that; Can’t you read the sign?" —Five Man Electrical Band (1971) Dear Friends, During one of my commuting trips to a district ministers’ gathering, the car in front of me on the Beltway suddenly switched to the left lane. I briefly wondered why, then saw that directly ahead of me were a series of orange pylons and some sort of construction work. I swerved quickly, missing both pylons and the cars in the left lane - but it was close! I realized later, when my adrenaline had subsided, what the problem was—there had been no sign. Our world is full of signs—warning, announcing, inviting, congratulating, instructing. I’ve seen a few particular ones which have given me a chuckle such as a sign off of a highway in Pennsylvania that announced a cemetery on property that didn’t have a gravestone in sight; and a sign on a state line which read "Welcome to Maryland. Please drive gently." (Whatever that means!) But there are other signs which are very important to our lives. Road signs warning of rough crossings and construction ahead would fall into that category, but there are other types. I know of an intentional community of older people where every morning, each one of them hangs a sign on their doorknob that says, "I’m OK." It’s just one of the ways that they take care of each other. A friend of mine has a garden with signs by each plant—a little plastic label showing a picture of the final product. My friend stuck them next to each plant, partly to remember what they were, but also partly (as she joked to me) so that the plants would know what they are supposed to look like some day! (Imagine if we had little signs—a mirror or picture perhaps—so that we might know what we were supposed to look like and be like some day!) When I go to visit my mother in southern New Jersey, I drive through a small town where a Baptist church on Main Street has messages outside on their marquee. Messages like: "No upright person is ever a downright failure." But by far my favorite message was this one: "Sign broken. Get message inside." I suspect that this is the real truth of signs. Signs are only a signal or an omen. They only give us some of the information. The real message is inside. When we see "Rough Crossing" on the road, we don’t know what it really means until we experience it ourselves. When the members of a community hang the "I’m OK" signs on the doorknob, they probably don’t always feel that way. They might feel angry or sad or depressed, but still okay enough to hang out the sign. The real truth is inside that person. And the plastic labels in the garden tell us only of the potential of what the plants might be. The secret of what they will become is hidden inside them, dependent upon what conditions they encounter in their growth. We need signs—no doubt about it. My near miss on the Beltway paints that clearly in my mind. Signs help guide us in the world. But we should never forget that they are just that—signs. The real message is inside! In faith and love, —Rev. Lou |
A Month of SundaysServices at 9 am and 11 am February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22 February 29 Audio tapes of all services are available upon request. Some sermons are available online in the sermon library. Program HighlightsGood Companions Our Larger World Forum Annual Lasagna Dinner Wisdom Years Movie Night Little Persons’ Night Out |
Elaine Bronez and Bev Southerland, coordinators
Meetings will be held in Hollin Hall.
11:45 to 12:45—BYO Lunch
12:45 to 1:45—Speaker
Mike works as a lawyer at the Environmental Protection Agency. After hours, he enjoys his "fun job" as he puts on a costume and goes onstage at the Kennedy Center. Recently he was in two shows: with the Kirov Opera and the ballet from Russia. It is great fun to hear him describe his experiences!
Several members of the "Would-be Poets" Adult Ed class will read their own poems on Love and Aging, perhaps not "Hallmark Sweet" but serious and moving. The general tone will be "love is necessary." Reciters will include Bea Holmes, Alice Bagwill, Al Searle, Phyllis Smolen, June Stumpe and perhaps others.
Hope Andonovska, Director of Religious Education
"Listen. Every molecule is humming its particular pitch. Of course you are a symphony. Whose tune do you think the planets are singing as they dance?"
—Lynn Ungar
The 7th UU Principle is my favorite. I love and respect that we are part of the interdependent web of all existence. We dance between the loneliness of our individuality, and the security of community and relationship. Sometimes we feel alone. We trek solo on our journeys in this life. Yet, if we reach out, and we are programmed to do that, then we find true gems come into our lives to help us, support us, and love us. Our religious community is a sacred space for such connections to take place. When you find you are in need, or you find you are in a place where you have energy and love to give, remember to share it with MVUC. Our joys and sorrows in life vacillate, and as we take turns on life’s seesaw, we have the ability to help someone in need find his/her balance. Blessed be.
Preschool Storytime, 9 am. We attended Way Cool Chapel. We talked about Christmas and read a Berenstein Bears book.
Preschool Storytime, 11 am. We read The Mixed Up Chameleon, and talked about how we’re all different and how that’s good! We read The Mitten and made paper mittens for winter.
Grades K–7. Way Cool Sunday School
We talked about our 4th UU Principle this month—A Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning, or We Are Free to Search for What is True and Right for Us. We celebrated the beginning of January in chapel with songs and activities. In class, we talked about Buddha and some of his stories, we went on a scavenger hunt, and we made our own chalices.
The 6th/7th Grade 11 am class had some special Mormon visitors who shared their faith with them. On social action Sunday, Rev. Don Robinson visited us from Beacon House. He shared what he does in community ministry and how he makes a difference in the world, as connected to UUism.
Many YRUU went to Winter Con in Pennsylvania. They had OWL class on January 18 and a discussion on UUism and Christianity on the 25th.
The recent earthquake in Bam, Iran was lethal and destructive. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the victims and their families. During the days immediately following the disaster we explored the possibility of UUSC becoming involved in the relief and recovery effort. However, we became aware that because we have no project partners based in Iran we are not well-equipped to administer such assistance. We know that many supporters of UUSC would like to give donations to assist those affected in Iran. We suggest that you direct your donations to:
Doctors Without Borders
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/2003/12-27-2003.shtml
American Friends Service Committee
http://www.afsc.org/emap/iran.htm
Should you have any questions, please contact Rachel Binderman at 617-868-6600, ext. 307 or rbinderman@uusc.org or Bill Docker at 617-868-6600, ext. 206 or bdocker@uusc.org.
—Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Attention UUs ages 18–35: Please join us for a Young Adult Leadership Escape February 6–7 at Main Line Unitarian Church! All YAs who are leaders or want to be leaders are welcome. Featured topics include recruiting, worship planning, publicity and many more. Come meet other committed UUs, play games, watch movies, and get energized about YA leadership.
You’re sure to find something your group can use, whether you are new to leading a YA group, have led for a while, are thinking about taking on leadership, or just want to help out. For more information email getpolitical@earthlink.net.
—Catherine Blue
The Annual Lasagna Dinner to benefit the 8th grade Coming of Age trip to Boston will be held on Saturday, February 21, 5:30–6:30 pm in the Meeting House. A Variety Show will follow at 7:00 pm. Dinner will include a variety of delicious homemade lasagna—including vegetarian options—as well as garlic bread, salad, and beverages. Tickets, which include the Variety Show, are $8 per person or a maximum of $25 for immediate family members. After dinner, tasty desserts will be sold during the Variety Show to further benefit our 8th graders. Adults and children, young and old, all are welcome to perform. Contact Linda Jemison (the emcee) by e-mail or phone. A sign-up sheet for the Variety Show will be in the Commons on Sunday. Please come and support the Coming of Age group! For questions, please contact dinner co-chairs Julie & Steve Dressing or Melissa & Michael Hentges.
On Saturday, February 28 from 5:30–7:30 pm we will be having a "Little Persons’ Night Out" in the Chapel. Families with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are invited to spend an evening of good food, fun, and interrupted conversations with other MVUC families with young children. This time we’re going to have a theme of Pajama Party. All children are invited to wear their pajamas to the event. Pajamas are optional for the adults. What could be more fun than eating, dancing, and playing with your friends at church in your PJs!
Children should also bring their favorite bedtime story, stuffed animal, and blanket for a special story time at the end of the evening. We’re in the process of planning the menu and activities, but mark your calendars now! Also, if you are interested in helping please contact Daria Bergen-Hill, mother of Sydney and Gavin or Suzanne McDonnell, mother of Kiki. We hope to see you and your little ones there.
Hear the Roar! Feel the mist! See the mighty Falls! Come experience the wonder of Niagara Falls, including some great educational opportunities, while being taken care of like royalty. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four-day UU Niagara Experience. This is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close and from every perspective, even riding safely beneath a tethered balloon. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural wonders around the Falls. For information visit our web site at http://www.uunex.net or contact us at info@uunex.net or 716-791-4453.
Come join our non-religious facilitated sitting meditation. We meet every Sunday evening at 7:00 pm in the Way Cool Chapel of the Carriage House. Some basic instruction is available. All are welcome! Leaders: Stephen Lewis and Dale Peebles.
Interested in occasional part time work? We are looking for a few MVUCers who would like to work as event monitors during rental events at MVUC. These are paid positions and we provide training. It’s fun, interesting, and well paying. If you’re interested, please contact Betsy Clagett, Rental Event Coordinator, at 703-799-6359.
There was a mistake in last month’s new member write-up. "Anne Steward" should have been "Anne Stewart."
Ah, February, the month of Love!
I would like to start my column by thanking the members of the choir, our pianists, and the many church members who have volunteered time and talents toward our music program this year. We are lucky to have such wonderful singers and instrumentalists with such a generous spirit all under our roof.
I would also like to thank the many families who have made piano donations. Our successful project has gained national attention from UU musicians recently. By spring we should have pianos, plumbing, and air conditioning throughout Hollin Hall. What a treat it will be!
There is a UU Music and Arts Festival in Silver Spring on February 21. If you are interested in attending, please see me for more information. Back here, our music program is putting on a special "dessert concert" entitled The Food of Love on Sunday, March 28 at 3pm. Delightful music and delicious treats. A perfect afternoon! Please join us.
I am pleased to announce the Polymnia Handbells from UU Arlington are returning to MVUC for Easter Sunday on April 11. And I would like you to mark your calendars now for Sunday morning, April 18. We will have a special all-music service at 10 am, with brass choir, timpani, guest singers, and more. The choir will be featuring an exciting, rhythmic three-movement work Gloria, by John Rutter, and Joe Martin’s The Awakening. Plan to invite your friends! This is a not-to-be-missed day!
The Cantata is a great opportunity for MVUC singers to join the choir who might not have time to perform each week. We will rehearse on Wednesday evenings, 7:00–7:45, starting on February 4. Can you join us?
The Caring Associates is a group of volunteers at MVUC who offer short-term assistance to anyone with special needs. Included are such services as rides to medical appointments, prescription pick-up, grocery shopping, etc. If you or someone you know could benefit from our assistance, please call the church office at 703-765-5950 or one of the following associates:
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Mary Barnett |
Curtis Hunter |
Our thoughts are with: Anne Ulm, who is home recuperating from arm surgery.
Congratulations to:
Deborah Berger and Duncan Turnbull for the celebration of their 25th Wedding Anniversary.
Peter Bloom on his Number One American Tennis Association rating for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the 60 and above category. He also was rated # 5 for the Mid Atlantic region.
A memorial service will be held for James L. Grahl on Saturday, February 7, at 11:00 am. He was a founding member of the church and an original, and longtime, resident of Hollin Hills.
RE YouthBirthdays! February 4 Thomas Norman |
Social Justice Programs at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church
Love is the Teaching of this Church ... And Service is its Prayer
In a powerful repeat visit to MVUC on January 11, Rev. Katherine Jesch inspired congregants at an Our Larger World luncheon. She described how environmental values link with being Unitarian Universalists and discussed the critical importance of expanding our environmental awareness, both individually and as a congregation. Describing the steps MVUC is undertaking to become an official Green Sanctuary, Rev. Jesch then discussed the involvement and actions of spiritual communities as a critical component in finding solutions to the crisis.
According to the low-key, inspirational Rev. Jesch, "Our world faces environmental challenges of a size and scale unheard of in modern history. Humans, particularly in developed countries, contribute to unprecedented climate change, species extinction, and degradation of air, water and soil." The world’s religions have a responsibility to "embrace fundamental changes in the way humans interact with our Earth’s environmental systems."
"Actions are required at all levels—individual, community, national, and global—to change individual behaviors and societal/cultural structures. Some suggest religions may be the only human institutions still able to effect the necessary changes." She praised former MVUC minister, Rev. David Bumbaugh, as a leader in asking the tough environmental questions, and equating environmental actions with social justice.
While Unitarians are not "ahead of the curve" in defining answers to resolve the crisis, we have a theological framework through the Seventh Principle Project and the interconnected web of all existence to begin making changes that benefit the environment. It is easy to despair that changes may be too little and too late, yet Rev. Jesch is hopeful that a critical mass of awareness can make all the difference, as can involvement, commitment and actions by each of us. The key is to address the most significant components of the environmental crisis, such as the earth changes being caused by driving cars.
MVUCers can be proud that we are including even more "green" practices as part of becoming a Green Sanctuary. For example, we now include Fair Trade Coffee as standard coffee hour fare. These changes are in addition to substantial "green" building components already in place. Yet, expanded individual and church community involvement is crucial. Not only is the time commitment manageable, but your involvement will make all the difference. To find out more or to receive a copy of Rev. Jesch’s remarks, call Suzanne Cleary.
—Suzanne Cleary
The 2004 trip to Transylvania, Romania will be July 13 through July 27. There may still be spots in the group available. Information can be obtained by calling or emailing Angela Fitzpatrick, trip organizer and guide.
The Partner Church Committee is pleased to have Potomac Fever entertain at its annual fund raising dinner on Saturday, March 6. Dinner, featuring Hungarian-style food, begins at 6 pm. Potomac Fever, an a cappella ensemble of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, will perform at 7:30 pm. Cost is $20 for all over 18 and $5 for those under 18.
—Janice Fitzpatrick
"As we welcome the new year, we are energized by both the challenges and the opportunities that lie ahead. Our nation is still dealing with the fallout from the war with Iraq. We know that the enormous costs of this war—both human and financial—have diverted precious resources away from pressing social needs at home and around the world. ... The past year strengthened our resolve to work for justice at home and around the world. With the continued support of our members and other activists, we are committed to helping to make a difference in the lives of the powerless and oppressed. We invite you to join us in this exciting journey."
The Fall 2003 issue of the Service Committee News is available online at www.uusc.org/pdf/83874A.pdf.
To contribute to OLW News, please contact Bill Alsmeyer-Johnson.
Linda Jemison, Chair, MVUC Board of Trustees
Goals are dreams with deadlines. —Diana Scharf Hunt, The Tao of Time
While the mission and duty of the Board of Trustees is primarily one of managing the business of Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church, we are charged as good stewards of our community with, not just a fiduciary duty, but also with fulfilling the goals of the congregation. These are derived from the most recent congregational meeting last April, found in the Long Range Planning White Paper, and determined by the work and study of our Program Council and committees.
For the upcoming Pledge Canvass, the Board of Trustees has cited the following goals as those with the highest priority.
In 2003–2004 we provided enough funds to begin the process of hiring a Business Administrator. Because this is our first experience hiring for such a position, we are uncertain what salary will be required by a highly-qualified person. Once the Business Administrator is hired, we expect that minimal administrative staffing funds will remain at the current funding level. Therefore, our first priority is to fully fund a professionally managed church staff to adequately serve the needs of the congregation and the professional staff.
Our dedicated professional staff—the minister, the director of religious education and the director of music—appreciate the requirements and needs of our congregation so well they frequently do what is needed over and above their salary levels. Compensation increases to fit their performance as the excellent team they are—with a superior commitment to social justice, education and creative worship—are more than appropriate. In addition, compensation for the director of music would increase to allow time for kids’ choir development.
The Music and Aesthetics Committees have long sought funding for new risers, a stage and lectern, and enhanced lighting. Our sound system volunteers have recommended for the past three years that the current amplifier and microphones were failing and we all have endured moments of microphone failure during the service. What better time, with the approach of our fiftieth anniversary in 2005, to begin to enhance the worship experience and chapel atmosphere?
For the 2003–2004 budget year, the congregation approved borrowing up to $300,000 to begin much-needed catch-up maintenance for the garage behind the greenhouse, the Carriage House, and Hollin Hall, as well as making Hollin Hall ADA-accessible. Much of this work should have been performed as the need arose over the years, but because other issues were always more pressing and funds lacking, these repairs were put off. So that we might never again have to borrow to correct longstanding repairs, we will now begin to fully fund a Property Major Maintenance Fund.
Even with an adequate administrative staff, our membership is growing at a pace that requires more and more assistance. A volunteer coordinator will help members find their niche in the church community and help committee chairs and church leaders find the volunteers needed for thriving programs in religious education and social justice. More programs and activities mean more custodial help will be needed, especially on the current custodian’s free days. And the Grounds Committee has long proposed that a groundskeeper be hired to manage the care of our beautiful grounds.
Finally, our relationship with the larger Unitarian Universalist Association should be strengthened. To do this, we need to make a financial commitment for sending General Assembly delegates. At a minimum, delegate registration should be paid, but more importantly, at least partial reimbursement for travel expenses should be offered.
These are all fervently desired dreams that in one form or another have been spoken of for the span of my membership (ten years) and longer than that in many cases. The Pledge Canvass for 2004–2005 can see the beginning of the fulfillment of these goals. Taken as a whole or individually, these are big goals that testify to our commitment to our faith, our commitment to social justice and religious education, and our commitment to each other. They are excellent goals for a church almost 50 years young. And after all, we’ve only just begun.
(South Alexandria, VA)
The Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, an open and welcoming congregation, located atop beautiful and historic Mason Hill, is inviting area singers to participate in an upcoming concert at 10 am on Sunday, April 18, (the week after Easter). They will be performing John Rutter's Gloria and Joseph Martin’s The Awakening. The all-music service will feature brass choir, percussion, and organ along with the choir. Rehearsals will be held on Wednesdays, 7:00–7:45 pm at the church, starting February 4. Singers should be able to read music and hold their part against others. Contact Mark Zimmerman, Director of Music, at musicstaff (at) mvuc.org, or phone 703-765-5950, ext. 100 for more information.
The wedding season is almost here, and because of much attention given to the Long Range Planning maintenance projects, we have let the garden gates fall into disrepair. Those gates are essential to the 2004 Spring/Fall wedding contracts already signed.
There are three options for the future, 2005 and beyond. (Betsy Clagett, our events rental coordinator, is happy with any of the three as long as we have garden gates for this coming season.)
For options 2 and 3 we must also consider how funding would be provided.
I welcome comments from anyone interested in which option is preferred and what suggestions are offered as to the solution.
—Betsy Roderick, Property Coordinator
The deadline for the mid-month newsletter, Stirrings from Windmill Hill, is the 5th of each month. Material should be submitted to Mimi Stevens by email (mimis (at) erols.com) or left in the Newsletter box by the Church Office.