APRIL 2007

 

Office hours: M&F 8-11:30am; T-Th 8am-3pm

Phone: (315) 386-2498

E-mail: uucanton@verizon.net

Web site: www.uucantonny.org

Co-Ministers: Wade Wheelock and Anne Marsh Director of Religious Education: Jan Hutslar

Deadline for next newsletter: Friday, April 20.

 

A MONTH OF SUNDAYS

Worship services and children=s religious education begin at 10:30 a.m.

April 1:  ALiving or Existing?@ - Youth Group

Members of our church=s high school Youth Group will share their ideas about living vs. existing, and explore ways to live life with passion and intention.  With music, stories, and readings also by the Youth Group.  You=re invited to bring a contribution of non-perishables for our monthly food pantry collection.

Greeters:      Susan Powers; Charlotte Ramsay & Max Coots; Anne Richey

Social Hour:      Barb & Pete Beekman; Kimberley Bertrand

April 8: AThe Sort of Okay Samaritan@ - Anne Marsh and Wade Wheelock

What happened to Jesus after his death is less important to us than what he said and did during his life.  Our Easter reflections offer a new look at a familiar parable, which, like Jesus himself, is more challenging than it first appears.

Greeters:            Wil & Rebecca Rivers;Eileen Raymond & Donna Smith-Raymond

Social Hour:      Robert Best & Anita Figueras; Bill Biggers and Ines Sanchez

 

April 15 AStages in Life@ - Wade Wheelock and Anne Marsh

Does religion mean the same thing to us no matter what our age? Or do the different periods of our lives seek out different kinds of insights and inspirations? We=ll explore how we can do this within one age-diverse religious community. With music by the Choir and the Handbell Choir.  After the service, join Wade for a brief introduction to Buddhism (see article below).

Greeters:      Beth Robinson & Matt Bullwinkel; Marilyn Ross; Bill Romey

Social Hour:      Gary Berk & Bryan Thompson; Lonie Bogett; Dave Bradford

April 22: AHinduism=s Many Paths@ - Wade, Rajiv, and Saravanan

An offering of a variety of views on this vast religious tradition from two who were raised Hindu and one who has studied it all his adult life. After the service, join Rajiv and Saravanan for a presentation on AIndia in Today=s World@ (see article below)

Greeters:      Jill & Doug Rubio; Jim Rudd; Nancy Eldblom

Social Hour:      Robb Brigham; Leo Burger & Lisa Thomas; Mark Berninghausen

April 29:  "The Differences - Nothing Is Too Small" - Edward Bennett, Pulpit Guest

Individual and collective actions can make real differences in our world  in social justice, environmental, and other moral issues. Ed Bennett, President of New York Interfaith Power and Light and speaker at the North Country Sustainable Energy Fair this weekend, will talk with us about the ways in which faith communities like ours have realized the importance of the issue of global warming (and other environmental issues) and are translating that into action. Materials about what we as a church have done and have yet to do will be available in the social room after church.  With music by our Choir. Come early for a Pancake Breakfast, hosted by the Membership Committee.

Greeters:      Pam & Bill Short; Judy & Shaili Singh

Social Hour:      Dave Crowell & ;Robin Rhodes Crowell; Tedra Cobb & Scott Shipley

IN PARTNERSHIP

Unitarian Universalists have long avoided having a creed -- a fixed formula of religious beliefs that church members must acknowledge as a condition for inclusion. In the process of trying to summarize what we do believe and stand for, we are currently guided by our seven principles. Individuals are free to test these out, but they should know that the UU congregations have agreed to affirm and promote them.

These principles have been changed over the years, as UUs have evolved in their understanding of how to express what is most religiously important to them. In fact, the by-laws of the Unitarian Universalist Association require a periodic review of the Principles to see if they still are adequate guides for where UUs are today. Such a review is currently underway, led by the UUA=s Commission on Appraisal. They are soliciting input from congregations on whether or not there are suggestions for changing the seven principles. Anne and I will be exploring ways to hold some discussions within our own church, but would welcome any ideas you may have in the meantime.

As a reminder, here is a reading we used to close our March 18 service.  UU minister Scott Alexander presents our principles within the context of the kind of world we live in today:

 

·        In a world with so much hatred and violence,  we need a religion that proclaims the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

·        In a world with so much brutality and fear,  we need a religion that seeks justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.

·        In a world with so many persons abused and neglected,  we need a religion that calls us to accept one another and encourage one another to spiritual growth.

·        In a world with so much dogmatism and falsehood, we need a religion that challenges us to a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

·        In a world with so much tyranny and oppression,  we need a religion that affirms the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process.

·        In a world with so much inequality and strife,  we need a religion that strives toward the goal of world community, with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

·        In a world with so much environmental degradation, we need a religion that advocates respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.

·        In a world with so much uncertainty and despair, we need a religion that teaches our hearts to hope and our hands to serve.

-- Wade

PRESIDENT=S COLUMN

Our Fair Share

Much of the discussion during the congregational budget meeting in January focused on the status of the Young Adult Coordinator position.  It was pointed out that if we were a UUA Fair Share congregation, we would be eligible to apply for a grant in support of this position along with many other benefits and services. 

For a number of years, we have been trying to attain the goal of being a Fair Share Congregation.  We have gone from contributing $800 in Anne and Wade=s first year as co-ministers to $13,704 or 86% of what we need to give budgeted for 2007.  Each fall the Budget & Finance Committee wrestles with funding the entire Fair Share assessment from the operating budget.  But budgeting 100% directly from the operating budget has competed with other important items and we continue to depend on the special Fair Share Offering each April to meet our partial funding goal. 

Wouldn=t it be great to incorporate this offering into our annual canvass pledge decision-making process?  At our March meeting, Council approved a resolution requesting that our 2008 budget include a Fair Share budget line at 100% on the expense side and recommendations from the Budget & Finance and Stewardship committees on how to achieve this on the revenue side.  

How do we benefit from being a Fair Share Congregation?  Good question!  Please take a few minutes to read the newsletter article below that details some of the benefits of being a Fair Share Congregation.  Yet I believe being a Fair Share Congregation goes well beyond how if benefits us.  Even though we are part of the larger Unitarian Universalist denomination, we are a minority in the religious world.  Like most minorities, we are challenged to be heard, to be taken seriously and to be understood.  Our Fair Share Offering funds our denominational voice and, through the beliefs, values and actions of other Unitarian Universalist congregations, the voices of other under-represented groups who are often marginalized by society.

Back in January Betsy Northrop astutely assessed our discussion regarding the Young Adult Coordinator position and the Fair Share Offering as Aour wake-up call.@  In order to become a Fair Share Congregation for the 2007 year at the UUA, District, and Unirondack levels requires $15,904 or $78 per member ($156 per couple).  We have allocated $9,504 from our operating budget leaving a balance of $6,400 to be raised from our Fair Share Offering. 

Last year the Fair Share Offering raised $4,200 from 49 of our 201 members or 24% of the congregation.  You will soon receive your Fair Share appeal in the mail along with a reply envelope.  The Social Action Shared Offering on April 29 will benefit our goal to become a Fair Share Congregation.   You can send your gift in advance or bring it with you to church on April 29.  Let=s not sleep through Betsy=s wake-up call.                      

B Pete Beekman, President

WHAT AFAIR SHARE@ MEANS

Being a AFair Share@ congregation means paying our annual dues to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the St. Lawrence UU District, and Camp Unirondack. To date, we have never contributed 100% of our Fair Share, although we=ve been inching closer each year. Council has made a commitment to achieve this goal by 2008.  Of course, we could get there sooner if the response to this spring=s Fair Share appeal and Shared Offering is great enough!

Above and beyond the satisfaction of doing our part to support the work of our denomination, there are many advantages to becoming a Fair Share church. The list below is an overview of some of the UUA programs where Fair Share matters.

Fair Share is required for:

$       Grants for young adult and campus ministries, including funding for campus coordinators and programming

$       Matching grants to enable congregations to have a ministerial intern

$       Low-interest loans for renovating or buying church buildings

$       AGreen@ construction pilot program for church buildings

$       Discounted rates for consultants for capital campaigns, stewardship drives, and social justice programming

Fair Share congregations get preference for:

$       Grants for new social justice programs

$       Grants for new outreach initiatives

$       St. Lawrence District grants for ministerial interns

           - Kathy Wyckoff, Vice President

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

The Religious Education Program has enjoyed a March full of social action ideas and events.  There has been both discussion and action related to food security, the importance of supporting the various people that make up our community, and the big effects of small acts of kindness.  The AWarm Stories for a Chili Night@ event was a great success, raising a total of $1720 for Heifer International, half of which will remain with our local chapter.

Our series of monthly storytelling workshops continues, with our most recent workshop held on March 18^th.  We are working on combining our vocalization and movement skills to become more effective tellers of our peace and social-justice themed stories.  The children in preschool-first grade remain focused on their group story, while those in second-sixth grade continue to fine tune their individual tales.  Most have brought a copy of their stories home, so please encourage your child(ren) to share their stories, or even to practice telling to a wall or mirror.

As everyone looks forward to Spring, the RE Program invites you to consider two warm weather treats:  an opportunity to sign up to volunteer during the 07-08 church school year and ice cream!  We will be holding the second annual RE Sundae during Social Hour on Sunday, May 6^th, an opportunity for those interested in teaching or assisting to view next year=s curriculum, ask questions of the RE Committee, sign up to volunteer in the program, and create and eat a delicious ice cream sundae!  We hope that you=ll join us for this fun and important event.  Happy Spring!        

B Jan

JOYS AND SORROWS

$       We send healing thoughts to Rajiv Narula, who is recovering from injuries suffered when he was hit by a car.  It was great to see Rajiv in church, walker and all, for our new member welcome ceremony!

$       We also send good wishes for a speedy recovery to Karen Wells, who is home recuperating from hip replacement surgery.

$       We are glad to know that Kathleen Horton is recovering from a broken leg suffered in a home accident.

$       And our thoughts are with Pam Short, who was badly shaken up in a car accident on snowy roads.

$       We hold Mark Berninghausen and his family in our hearts as son Charles begins a long road to recovery from wounds suffered in Iraq.

$       Congratulations to Katie Smith and John Kennedy, who are now formally engaged and plan to be married in the summer of 2008.

$       Congratulations to Bryan Thompson on another great Out at the Movies GLBT film festival!

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!!

$       Thanks to everyone who assisted with AWarm Stories for a Chili Night@ by baking, serving or cleaning up:  Esther Katz, Emma Bentley-Hicks & Sarah Bentley-Garfinkel, Dave Bradford, Natalie Panshin, Ann Spies, Barb Davis, Bill Romey, Debbie St. Germain, David Barnes, Randy Merrill, Maggie Wood, Anne Malone, Emmy Stevenson, Charlotte Ramsay, Evelyn Barton, Irene Gardner, Betsy Northrop, Lois Cutter, Weissbard-Wells Family, Matthew and Zachary Barnes, Gretchen Koehler & Joel Foisy, Barbara Beekman, Janet Green, Valerie Ingram, Todd Moe, Lonie Bogett, Judy DeGraaff, Anne Marsh, Betsy Kepes, Max and Sage Romey, Marilyn Mayer, Jarrett Family, and Heron Hetzler.

$       Thank you very much to the story tellers, musicians and speakers who donated their time and talent during AWarm Stories for a Chili Night@:  Bill Smith, Don Woodcock, Gretchen Koehler and Brian Bennett.

$       Thanks to Paul Hetzler for telling such a fun and funny story at the March RE storytelling workshop.

$       Thanks to the many chefs, wait-people, and clean-up folks from our church who made our Lenten Luncheon such a success. Special thanks to our coordinators, Anne Spies and Stevie Michaelson.

$       Thanks to Marilyn and John Ross and Joan and Dick Kepes for generous gifts to our Caring Fund, which is used by the ministers to help members of our congregation or the community in need.

OLYMPIA BROWN SOCIETY AND PLANNED GIVING PRESENTATION

An informal presentation on the Olympia Brown Society and ways to support the church through planned gifts will take place on Wednesday, April 25, at 7:00 pm in the Upstairs Room at the church. Tom Pynchon from the Budget & Finance Committee will lead the session.

The Olympia Brown Society honors individuals who have placed the church in their estate plans. This is usually done by leaving a bequest to the church, but there are other ways, such as naming the church as the beneficiary of a retirement plan, or through a planned gift such as a charitable gift annuity.

Tom will also describe a special giving opportunity that is available for 2007. Gifts can now be made directly from an IRA to the church, without tax consequences, for those 70-and-a-half or older. In the past, this type of giving was not recommended due to adverse tax consequences, but many individuals are now taking advantage of this one-year opportunity to support charities.

A sign-up sheet for the April 25 presentation will be on the kiosk. Please call Tom at 379-0949 if you have questions.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Our annual Pancake Breakfast will be Sunday, April 29 from 9:00-10:00 a.m.  Come early to church and enjoy a free breakfast - pancakes with maple syrup, sausage, fruit, orange juice and coffee or tea.  The Membership Committee is sponsoring the breakfast and would appreciate volunteers to help with set-up and clean-up.

SAC NEWS

The April Social Action Shared Offering will be taken on Sunday, April 29, to support our Fair Share contribution. We hope you'll contribute generously to this collection taken in conjunction with our annual appeal for the UUA, St. Lawrence District, and Unirondack. More on that from Pete Beekman and Kathy Wyckoff elsewhere in the newsletter.

We were delighted to host a panel presentation and spirited discussion about the war in Iraq in mid-March. We hope to offer more opportunities like that for people in our community to gather to share ideas and opinions in a safe and tolerant environment. If you missed this event, you can listen on North Country Public Radio=s website, www.ncpr.org.  Click on AUpNorth Forum: Iraq - Where to from here?@

Because of public school vacation, the next meeting of the Social Action Committee will be Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. at church. Please join us. If you wish to have your name added to the Social Action Committee email list to receive news of SAC activities at our church as well as social justice efforts in our district and the wider world, please email me at tpynchon@twcny.rr.com

Social Action Award

Each year our church recognizes an individual who is making a difference in our community with an annual award established in memory of Rachel Somers Grant. The Social Action Committee is now seeking nominations for the 2007 award. 

Rachel Somers Grant was a teacher and activist who lived in Canton from 1977 until her death in 1990. She was involved in a variety of community groups, including the La Leche League, Friends of Choice, the Preschool Playgroup, the Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church, Work on Waste (an anti-incinerator, pro-recycling group), and a support group for women with cancer. In most of these she took a leadership role. Rachel believed grassroots movements were an effective means of achieving change. She challenged the lack of responsiveness of elected officials on issues important to her community, and she was a strong advocate for causes affecting the welfare of women, families, and the environment. She had a gift for organizing diverse groups and a talent for gaining the respect of supporters and opponents alike.

The Rachel Somers Grant Social Action Award honors people who work, as Rachel did, to make ours a more humane and progressive community. Recent recipients of the award have included Phil Harnden, Director of GardenShare, the non-profit organization working to end hunger in the North Country, and Paul St. Amand for his work with the local chapter of Veterans for Peace.

Nominations for the 2007 Rachel Somers Grant Award, which will be presented in June, should be submitted to the Social Action Committee c/o Carol Pynchon (tpynchon@twcny.rr.com) or the church office uucanton@verizon.net, Attn: SAC Award Nominations. Nominations should be made no later than Sunday, April 15. Please contact Carol Pynchon if you have questions.

CHOIR NOTES B AND A CHOIR FESTIVAL

The choir will rehearse and sing on the following dates.

April 1             9:15      rehearse

April 14            7:00pm sing at Spring Festival of Scared music and Text (see below)

April 15      9:15          rehearse and sing in church

April 29            9:15            rehearse and sing in church

The Ministerial Association of Potsdam has organized a Spring Festival of Sacred Music and Text at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 14 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (21 Castle Dr.) in Potsdam.  The event is free of charge and refreshments will be served.  Our choir will be singing, as will choirs from a number of Potsdam faith communities.  Some religious groups that do not have choirs, such as the Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu congregations, will offer brief readings from their sacred texts. 

This interfaith event is intended to bring together many faiths and share our sacred music and text with one another and the community.  It is a nice opportunity for us to be a presence in the wider community of churches.  We will be singing "Set Me as a Seal," which the choir sang recently in church, and "This Little Light of Mine" (UU version), which some of you may remember from awhile back.  We would be glad to have plenty of voices for this event, so if you are a singer,  consider joining us at rehearsal on the 1^st.  And, everyone, please come to the Festival!       --Carol Strome, Choir Director

INDIA IN TODAY=S WORLD

Join Clarkson grad students and church members Rajiv and Saravanan after church in the Romer Room on April 22 as they present an up-to-date overview of the place of their home country in today=s world. There are sure to be some surprising insights -- and some good pictures. Light refreshments will be served.

INTRO TO BUDDHISM

Join Wade after church on April 15^th for a brief outline of the basic beliefs of this religion, now increasingly popular in the West. We=ll concentrate on The Four Holy Truths articulated by the Buddha some 2500 years ago. These offer an analysis of life=s basic problem and a path to release.

TWO CLASSIC TEXTS OF MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

Join Wade on two Tuesday nights at 7 pm in the church, April 17 and 24 to read, analyze, and ponder two important -- but short! -- scriptures of the Mahayana (AGreat Vehicle@) form of Buddhism. The first describes the perfect Western Paradise (Sukhavati) where the Buddha Amitabha reigns. This exemplifies the kind of popular, devotional Buddhism found throughout East Asia, including in Japan today.

The second is on the Perfection of Wisdom, describing a surprising way to understand reality so that you realize that samsara (the painful round of birth and death) is the same as nirvana (the blissful escape from reincarnation). This is the approach behind most of the intellectual forms of Buddhism in East Asia, including Zen and Tibetan. It would be useful, but not essential, to take the AIntro to Buddhism@ after-church workshop on April 15^th, especially if you are new to Buddhism. Leave a message with Wade or the church office to get copies of the scriptures ahead of time.

WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS!

A warm welcome to all our newest church members, who were welcomed in a ceremony at the March 18 worship service: Evelyn Barton, Joan Collins, Susan Dillon, Arthur Freeheart, Bob Gardner, Irene Gardner, Bill Hesse, Charlie Hunnewell, Lila Hunnewell, Boris Jukic, Kim Jukic, Joyce King, Randy Merrill, Rajiv Narula, Anne Richey, Debbie St. Germain, Suppiah Saravanan, Dave Weissbard, Karen Wells, and George Yellott.  After the service, two more new members joined the congregation: Jackie Gotham and Paul Cutter.  Welcome, Jackie and Paul! 

If you, too, feel you have found a religious home in this church and would like to make the commitment of officially signing the Membership Book, talk with Co-Ministers Anne and Wade or with President Pete Beekman. The act of Asigning the book@ is simple, but for us it has deep significance, for it means you are in sympathy with the values of Unitarian Universalism and want to offer some of your time, talent, and treasure to help this congregation live out its mission to be a liberal religious presence in a world that needs our Agood news@ of justice and compassion, respect and inclusion.

FROM THE COOTS LIBRARY

Many of you have been intrigued by the displays of materials from the Coots Library set up in the Social Room following the services on Sundays.  When it was my week to set up and staff the table I had fun selecting the books and talking to people, young and older, who stopped to look and ask questions.  And half my display disappeared that day!  Thanks to one and all who have volunteered to set up the display.  If you=d be interested in providing this service some week, contact a member of the Library Committee.  It=s easy and fun.  We also need more book reviewers and we=d especially like to have some men contributing reviews to the newsletter.

   Adopt-a-Book Program

Those of you who have been with us since the fall of 2004 may recall our last Adopt-a-Book program.  This month we=ll be running it again.  Adopt-a-Book is our method of adding more new titles to the Coots Library.  Here=s how it works:  The Library Committee draws up a list of books we=d like to add to the collection for adults and children.  (If you=d like to recommend a title contact a committee member or the church office.)  We=ll gather a short description of each book and, in some cases, we=ll borrow a copy of the book from another library so you can take a look at it.  We=ll set up a bulletin board with each book represented by a piece of paper for you to select and Aadopt@ as your contribution to the Coots Library.  When you adopt a book you make a commitment to providing the funds to purchase that volume for the library.  The Library Committee orders the book and adds it to the collection with an acknowledgment permanently affixed to the book inside the front cover that reads: AThis book given by (your name here.)@  We=ll also create a poster listing all the books that have been adopted and thanking the donors.

We hope all those who can afford to do so will adopt an interesting book from the list.  (Of course, if you think of a wonderful title after we=ve finished the Adopt-a-Book program, donations are welcome and appreciated at any time.)   The Library Committee members are: Judy Gibson (chair), Joan Kepes, Debbie St. Germain, Ann Elmer,  and Jean Thompson.  B Jean A. Thompson

I JUST READ THIS...

A Chair for My Mother, by Vera B. Williams B A book review by Gaetan Foisy  I read a book from the Coots Library over school vacation. It was the story of a young girl and her mother that come home one day to find their house burning down. Everything they had was burnt, except their cat, so their neighbors helped them by giving them things for their new house. The girl, her mom and her grandmother, who also lived with them, were very grateful but they really wanted a big soft chair to sit on because when her mom came home from work her feet hurt and her grandma didn=t like to always sit on the hard kitchen chairs to sew. The family saved up their change in a big jar for a really long time andY you should read this book to find out what happened! I learned from this story to never lose hope and give up.

AND I JUST READ THIS...

Last June I came to the church to hear Richard Heinberg=s presentation about Apeak oil.@  It was a concept with which I confess I was not familiar.  Basically, what it refers to is the fact that we=ve discovered all the oil reserves there are on the planet and we=ve tapped into all those that can be extracted without expending more energy than will be harvested from the reserve itself.  We=re not Atapped out@ but we have Apeaked@ and it=s all downhill from here in terms of supply and uphill from here in terms of cost.  In other words, our current way of life in the developed world is not sustainable and hasn=t been for a long, long time.

Before long this reality is bound to catch up with us in harsh and startling ways and, in fact, it=s been catching up with us (creeping up on us?) for a long time.  But we in the U.S. have been comfortable enough to wrap ourselves in a blanket of denial while grumbling about the holes in our pockets, the obscene profits of the oil companies, the relentless efforts of politicians to plunder the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for some oil of our own and the war in Iraq.

What to do?  Are we like lemmings condemned to hurl ourselves over the cliff into the abyss?  An old saw from the >60s and >70s comes to mind: AIf you=re not part of the solution you=re part of the problem@ and a volume in the Coots Library caught my eye: Sustainable Planet: Solutions for the Twenty-First Century.  This is a volume of fifteen essays from the Center for a New American Dream that discuss ways to think about the problems and work toward finding a better way to live.  Some of the authors= names were familiar (Bill McKibben, Juliet B. Schor, Vicki Robin) as authors of their own books while others were new to me.  It=s heartening to know that there are many people working on finding answers and that the answers offer solutions to a host of modern ills.  The solutions offered, in fact, bode well for us in the North Country and may bring our area a long-sought revitalization.  After all, we already know a lot about meeting our needs locally and the true meaning of community.

So don=t despair!  Read and see how all our daily decisions and choices have a part to play for good or ill.  The library has two copies, so read it with a friend!       --Jean A. Thompson