Newsletter and Calendar

 

JUNE 2006

 


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

Phone: (315) 386-2498

E-mail: uucanton@northnet.org

Web site: http://web.northnet.org/uucanton/

Co-Ministers: Wade Wheelock and Anne Marsh

Director of Religious Education: Jan Hutslar

Deadline for next newsletter: Tuesday, June 20.

 

A MONTH OF SUNDAYS

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

June 4:    AMaking a Life@ - Anne Marsh and Wade Wheelock

Today, as we present the Rachel Grant Social Action Award to peace activist Paul St. Amand, it seems a good time to reflect on Winston Churchill’s famous saying: AWe make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.@  You’re invited to bring a brief story about someone you know who exemplifies that spirit of generosity.  You’re also invited to bring a contribution of non-perishables for our monthly food pantry collection.  After church, the Encountering Faiths book group discusses Original Blessing by Matthew Fox, and Veterans for Peace hosts a display on issues surrounding depleted uranium.

Greeters:         Peter & Becky Van de Water; Sally Van de Water

Social Hour:        Judy DeGraaff; Richard Grover; Carol Gable

June 11:  AOn Any Given Sunday@ - Wade Wheelock

What experiences, feelings, needs, and expectations do you bring to church, and don’t these change from week to week? How about the other people around you?  Each worship service tries to acknowledge this dynamic kaleidoscope, offering a variety of spiritual gifts at least some of which speak to every person’s situation. How might we all help this daunting challenge succeed?  With music by guest pianist Julie Miller.  Come to a Pancake Breakfast before church, and stay for a brief congregational meeting on proposed bylaws changes right after the service. (See articles below).

Greeters:     Cliff & Janice Westerling; Ruth Whitney

Social Hour:     Judy Greene; Bobbi Haldane; John Hammond & Kathleen Horton

June 18: ACelebrating World Religions@ - Jan Hutslar, worship leader

In our annual Religious Education Sunday, the children will share in song and story some of the wisdom gleaned from their year-long exploration of the world’s faith traditions.  A recognition of graduating high school seniors and a thank-you to RE volunteers will be part of the service.  After church, join the fun at our annual all-church picnic at Bend in the River Park (see below).

Greeters:      Theresa Witmer & Carol Strome; Jim Williams & Donna Dilworth

Social Hour:     Bart & Margaret Harloe; Ed Hildebrand

 June 25: AMidsummer Night’s Dream@ - Denice Szafran, worship leader

William Shakespeare brought us the summer solstice as a time of magic, merriment, and unintentional transformation.  Are we the mask, the maker - or both?  Denice Szafran takes a look at earth-centered beliefs on who we really are as midsummer passes.

Greeters:     Peter & Kathy Wyckoff; John Wood

Social Hour:     Helen Hutchinson; Kelly Johnson-Eilola;David Bradford


CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

As announced in the May newsletter, there will be a Congregational Meeting immediately after the service on June 11 to vote on the following by-laws changes recommended by Church Council.  New wording is underlined, deleted current text is marked with (strikeover).

Terms for Trustees (Section 8.2)

With regard to terms for trustees, currently 3 years with the possibility of one renewal, we recommend a change to read:  (Term of office for Trustees is two (three) years, three (two)Trustees to be elected each year.  Trustees may serve (two) three consecutive terms but will not then be eligible for election until a full year has passed.

We recommend allowing current trustees to complete their terms; any renewals would be for two year terms (maximum of two more terms).  Rationale:  We want to lower the threshold for people to accept nomination for this position, thereby inducing more capable people to serve on Council; to adapt to the reality that a number of elected trustees have not completed their three-year terms; to free up currently serving trustees to move up to another elected office without breaking their terms; to lower the threshold for a trustee to be willing to serve another term (or two).

Non-discrimination (Article 3)

The church affirms and promotes the full participation of persons in all its activities including membership, programming, hiring practices, and the calling of religious professionals without regard to race, color, gender, physical or mental challenge, sexual orientation, age, class, or national origin.

Rationale:  We wish to accept and encourage participation of people with mental illness or handicap in those church activities of which they are capable.

Quorum for Church Meetings (Section 5.5)

Twenty-five  (ten) percent (25%) [(10%)] of the membership of the church shall constitute a quorum at any business meeting of the church.

Rationale:  Current 10% requirement (which means about 20 people) seems too low for passing important business before the congregation. The proposed threshold of 25% still yields a number (about 50 members) that is reasonable to attain on any given Sunday yet more representative of the total membership.

Congregational Approval for Large Contracts (Section 9.2.b)

The Church Council shall not enter into a contract or obligation involving any expenditure in excess of 5%  (3%) of the annual budget without a vote of the church approving the same.

Rationale:  For our current budget, this means any contracts above $6,000 require a congregational vote (and a meeting, with two-weeks’ notice, etc.). This is cumbersome and probably needless for amounts this small. Council leaders should be entrusted with such decisions and allowed to act more quickly -- for example, to purchase a new furnace or roofing, to repair damage. We decided that congregational approval at the 5% level of expenditure was more appropriate.

Biennial Financial Review (Section 9.2.e)

The Church Council shallYhave a report on internal financial controls of the church made at least every 5 years (a biennial financial review made of the financial records of the church).

Rationale:  The past few years’ experience, coupled with knowledge of procedures in place at other churches and recommendations from accounting professionals, has led to the above proposal. This change also incorporates wording that more accurately reflects the nature of the reviews that are recommended.

IN PARTNERSHIP

I’m sure there are many in our congregation who’ve had the interesting experience of watching a porcupine up close snacking out in the forest. But it was a first for me recently. There, right in front of me on the new Red Sandstone Trail along the Raquette River, on a rainy Saturday afternoon, was this lumbering porcupine leisurely dining on the tenderest leaves of fresh saplings. Taste seemed to be the only sense that was still keen on this apparently old animal, for I stood there quite a while undetected.

I realized that both of us could be at this spot at this time, enjoying our respective  rare treats, because of our protective outer coverings. I, in my total-body rain suit, was enjoying a private viewing of nature, made intimate by the persistent, though to me unproblematic, rain. The porcupine felt confident trodding the forest floor with its formidable armor.

A feeling of self-confidence can help all of us venture out to try new and meaningful experiences. This confidence need not come primarily from armoring ourselves against hurt. It can come from building up inner strength, so that challenges, learning, and relationships are sought out rather than avoided. Our religious community can be a place where we develop such strengths. It can also be a place where we agree to provide sanctuary from fear- and hurt-producing encounters. We are gentle and caring with one another, allowing us to stretch out the soft-underbellies of our souls in rewarding exploration, instead of staying balled-up within the narrow safety of our dens.


Deciding it was time to move on, I gave a couple of claps to clear the path. It took a couple moments of bewilderment, but the porcupine finally took notice of me and clambered up a nearby tree. Our challenge is to find ways for having armor-free encounters that occur and endure beyond a rare couple of minutes on one rainy day in the woods.

                                 - Wade

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

The end of the year carries with it the excitement of something ending and a new thing arriving, but also the challenge of hanging in there to the end.  We are ready for summer mode.

First, let’s celebrate the church school year together, honor this journey we have taken with each other, the joys and challenges, the friendships.  We will culminate our Religious Education year with a worship service created from the World Religions we have studied. On June 18,  RE Sunday will feature all of the young people Pre-K through Youth Group who would like to participate. Please join us for music from members of the Youth Group, a special story written just for this occasion and performed by the 5th-6th grade class, and many other beautiful child-focused moments. And please come to honor the incredible staff of teachers, assistant teachers, RE committee members and childcare providers that make up our RE program.

Parents: Please try to bring your child or youth to church on June 4 and 11th for rehearsals and of course, on the 18th for RE Sunday!  See separate article on the fun RE Summer program starting June 25th. Thanks!

                                 Jan and Sarah

 

SUMMER RE PROGRAM BEGINS JUNE 25TH 

This year, the Religious Education summer program will be a fun game show complete with familiar characters, a game show host and lots of audience participation.  The UU principles will be explored in a fun and active way. We will be Aon the air@ each Sunday from June 25 through August 27th.  Labor Day Sunday will be a social gathering for the children and youth to talk, play games, eat, and get together. If you have questions about this program, see Jan or Sarah.

CHURCH PICNIC

The Annual Picnic for all ages will be held June 18 at Bend in the River Park in Canton following the church service.  The Social Events Committee will staff the grills and bring hamburgers, hotdogs, veggie burgers, drinks, condiments and chips.  Please bring a dish to pass -- salads and desserts are especially needed.  You’re also invited to bring along equipment for your favorite outdoor games.  Directions to Bend in the River Park will be available at the church on June 18.  Please join us for great food, fun, and fellowship.

JOYS AND SORROWS

$    Congratulations to our Music Director Nelly Case, who has been promoted to Full Professor at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam.

$    George Tait is currently staying at an assisted living apartment near his sister. His address is: Bernardine, Apt. 809, 417 Churchill Ave., Syracuse, NY 13205.  He’d enjoy cards.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

$    Thanks to Adam Adler for coordinating the visit of the Mississauga Festival Youth Choir, who were joined by seven UU kids for some wonderful music.  Adam is moving back to Toronto, so we say a fond farewell as well as thanks.

$    Thanks to Kathy Montan and Gretchen Koehler for their great contributions to our inter-generational A Singing the Interdependent Web@ service.

$    Thanks to Lonie Bogett and Jamie Haro for hosting Jim Scott after his May 12 concert here, and also for the beautiful hanging plants by the front entrance.

$    Thanks to John Marson and Al Wioskowski for donating a television and cart, which are now housed in the social room closet for use upstairs.

$    Thanks to the hardy crew who helped inside and out on our May 13 work day.  Much was accomplished by: Matt Barnes, Zachary Barnes, Barb Beekman, Pete Beekman, Christian Beekman, Mark Berninghausen, Judy DeGraaff, Carol Gable, Margaret Harloe, Ryan Hicks (and Caleb!), Stevie Michaelson, Jon Montan, David Nelson, Constance Nelson, Bill Short, Becky Van de Water, and Wade Wheelock.  And special thanks to Richard Grover for planning the landscaping and planting work.

$    Thanks to Miles Manchester for donating the songbook AEarth and Spirit Songbook@ to the RE Library.

$    Thanks to Pete Wyckoff, Miles Manchester, and Tom Sokol for helping with stained glass removal, as we continue our window restoration project.

$    During our study of Taoism and Confucianism, thank you Gretchen Koehler for teaching Tai Chi, and Carol Gable for casting the I Ching for the children and youth. Thanks also to helpers Judy Singh, Jane LaVigne, Kathy Curro and Doug Rubio.

$    From our Administrative Assistant Diana Richardson: Thank you to everyone on my list of volunteers who help put the newsletter together!

ENCOUNTERING FAITHS


The Encountering Faiths book group has been focusing each month on the world religions being explored by our children’s religious education program and by the adult services as well.  In May, the religion of focus is really many religions -- earth-centered traditions.  In keeping with this theme, the group will meet after church on June 4 to discuss Original Blessing, by Matthew Fox, whose focus on Acreation spirituality@ has inspired many (though it also got him removed from the Roman Catholic priesthood!).  All are welcome to join the conversation in the Romer Room, whether you’ve participated in previous sessions or not.  A light lunch will be served, and Denice Szafran will help facilitate the discussion.

FREE WILL DINNER

On June 14, it will once again be our turn to staff the Free Will Dinner at the Canton United Methodist Church.  We’ll need 6-7 people to come at 4:15 p.m. to be servers and waitpersons, and 3-4 people to come at 4:45 p.m. to help with dishwashing and clean-up.  The food is provided, and folks from the United Methodist Church supervise the operation.  All who have helped in the past have found it both rewarding and fun.  The dinners are a way to serve the needy in our area and also to provide an opportunity for community for all who attend.  Families with children age 10 and over are welcome to work together.  (Health Department regulations don’t allow younger kids to serve.)   Sign up on the kiosk if you’d like to help.  Thank you!

 

SUMMER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

From September-June, we assign everyone to a slot as a Greeter and a Social Hour Host.  But from July through Labor Day, we rely on volunteers.  Greeters welcome folks, hand out orders of service, and take the offering.  Social Hour Hosts put out juice and snacks (which the church provides); making coffee is optional during the summer.  The tasks are simple, but so very important.  For while summer services generally have a smaller attendance than those during the school year, we strive to be a welcoming church all year >round.  Please pick a Sunday and sign up on the kiosk.  Thanks so much.

PICTURE DIRECTORY

It’s time to get serious about signing up for a photo session for our new church picture directory!  Do you have trouble putting names and faces together? It’s been more than five years since our last photo directory.  There are many new folks among us and all those little kids have now grown up!  So it’s time for a new directory.

Fred Phelix will be in the Social Room after church for the next few Sundays to sign you up for a photo session dates on June 15, 16, and 17 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).  Photos will be taken by Olan Mills studios, and everyone who has their picture taken gets a free copy of the directory.  There is no obligation to buy any photographs.  If you’re not going to be in town on the dates the pictures are being taken, we can add a picture of your own, as long as it wasn’t taken by a professional photographer B this restriction is because of copyright laws. We hope everyone will participate, so that our new picture directory can be as complete as possible.

MARCH WITH PFLAG

The first Saturday in June (June 3rd) means Dairy Princess Parade in Canton and our annual opportunity to march with PFLAG (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) behind their banner to affirm our belief in equal rights for all. Every church member, young to old, could put on their walking shoes and be part of this expression of our core values B especially important in this year when the U.S. Senate is considering legislation to write discrimination against gay and lesbian couples into our Constitution.  Gather by 12:45 in the parking lot behind the Social Service building on Judson Street.  The parade begins at 1 p.m. and lasts about an hour.              

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Join us on June 11 at 9 a.m. for a before-church Pancake Breakfast, hosted by the Membership Committee. A great start to your day!  The breakfast is free, and all are welcome.

THE GENEROUS SPIRIT AWARD

The Stewardship Committee announces the introduction of the Generous Spirit Award. This award will be given to a church member or friend who has consistently demonstrated a generous and caring spirit. A good candidate for this honor might be someone who is especially kind or thoughtful in his/her interactions with others, someone who gives selflessly of their time or resources, or someone who is especially generous in our local or global community.

We plan to bestow this recognition on some unsuspecting individual from time to time, and we would like your thoughts about who should receive this award. Please email your suggestions, with a few supporting reasons, to committee chair Pete Wyckoff, at wyckoff16@msn.com, or to the church at uucanton@northnet.org, or drop a suggestion in the box at the back of the sanctuary marked Generous Spirit.

The first Generous Spirit Award will be given on June 25, 2006. This is one small way we can show our appreciation for those generous spirits in our midst.

CALL FOR CHALICE LIGHTERS

In case you missed my presentation in church on Chalice Lighter Sunday - May 7 - I would like to tell you a bit about the program and invite you to become a Chalice Lighter. To me, being a Chalice Lighter is one of the easiest and most meaningful ways to feel connected to the UU world beyond 32 East Main Street.


Here’s how it works. Each year our district awards two Chalice Lighter grants. A grant might help a new congregation get started or an existing one get a new minister; it might support moving into a new building or renovating an existing space; it could be used to fund improvements in important programming such as religious education. To finance these grants, the district puts out a call to all Chalice Lighters, who have pledged to respond to twice-a-year calls with donations of $15 or more.

When we renovated our building several years ago, we received a Chalice Lighter grant of nearly $5000 to fund our elevator, which makes our building accessible to all. Our friends in Saranac Lake also received Chalice Lighter support to help them get their congregation going.  This year, the goal is to increase the number of Chalice Lighters in the district to 600 and to bring $10,000 per call. Just think what a difference your $15 or $25 (or more!) contribution can make when it’s added together with other pledges. Think what a boost $10,000 would be to a church just getting started or to one working to realize important dreams.

 

Brochures that further describe the Chalice Lighter program are available at the back of the sanctuary or by calling the church office. Take a minute to fill out the form in the brochure and return it to the church office. Becoming a Chalice Lighter is a wonderful way to help further the principles and ideals of Unitarian Universalism in communities throughout the St. Lawrence District.

-     Carol Pynchon, Chalice Lighter Ambassador

SENIOR CHOIR

We had a fun season.  Thanks to all who sang with us or helped us out.  We are off for the summer and will re convene in September.  Watch this space for details.  Happy Summer!     --Robin Duncan

FROM THE COOTS LIBRARY

Here are two great suggestions for summer reading.  And while you’re in the library, check out the beautiful new shelves crafted by Ryan Hicks!

From Bill Kirchgasser:  Looking for a good summer read?  Find a shade tree far from the techno-noise and dig into Loren Eiseley’s All the Strange Hours, a  paperback in our UU Library. A memoir, a series of essays to be read in any order, a fascinating spiritual journey, the book is, as its subtitle says, An Excavation of a Life@ by the famed anthropologist and masterful writer from the last great generation. A sample from Chapter 1: A Time.  Either you ride away inexorably upon its back, or, if you stop, it goes by you with someone else waving farewell whom you will never meet.@

From Eileen Jarrett:  When I was asked to select a book from the library to review, I knew that I wanted it to be something relevant to my life and something I could act upon, so I chose Marie Sherlock's Living Simply with Children, a voluntary simplicity guide for moms, dads, and kids who want to reclaim the bliss of childhood and the joy of parenting.  Living simply is sometimes referred to as downshifting or downscaling -- it includes weeding out the "busy" unrewarding parts of our lives to have more time to spend with our friends and family. 

Some examples of simple living are thoughtfully choosing a car that gets good mileage, forgoing designer clothing and using the money saved to help worthy causes or even a family vacation.  Asking your child if they really NEED another pair of shoes, educating them on the marketing strategies geared toward kids and adults, and encouraging them to spend less time in front of the TV or on the computer are other examples.  Early on in the book, the author stresses the need for a "family meeting" to lay down a foundation of core beliefs and values to help guide your family through the simplicity process.  Many of the values listed as examples of what might be discussed at the initial family meeting are a direct reflection of our Unitarian Universalists beliefs, and I immediately thought, "Wow!  This is great!  What a wonderful way to really incorporate our UU values into everyday living." 

Feeling like I had no time to squeeze in a "family meeting", I decided to read the entire book and then start back at the beginning with the family meeting.  Well, I have yet to have that family meeting, but even without it, I immediately began to implement some of the suggestions of Marie Sherlock's book.  In fact, I was happy to learn that my family had already started on the path to simple living by moving to the North Country!  I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to take a breath and slow down.  It is not just for families with children.  Lastly, the great thing about this book is that the author acknowledges that everyone is at a different point on the path to simplicity.  Just as it is not about "keeping up with the Jones' ", it is not about keeping up with the "trend" toward simplicity.  It's much more "simpler" than that.  It's about taking one step at a time to make our lives and the world a better place.

THE OLYMPIA BROWN SOCIETY

An Interview with  Natalie Panshin and Erika Barthelmess

Having a will and making sure that the people and organizations that we value are included can seem like a mystifying task that many of us put off far too long. Natalie and Erika were willing to share their thoughts and feelings about this process in the following interview with Pat Glover. The Olympia Brown Society was established to make sure that everyone who has taken this step on behalf of the UU Church will be recognized during their lifetime. The Olympia Brown Society committee is currently in transition. If you have an interest in being a member of this group, please contact Pat Glover, 379-1418 or pglover1@twcny.rr.com.


Pat:  How did you first learn about the idea of including charitable giving in your will?

Natalie and Erika: Our families had been encouraging us to make wills for the last several years. The presence of the Olympia Brown Society made us aware that we could leave money to the church through our wills.  As well, our alma mater and other non-profits that we support have sent us information on charitable giving in our wills.

 Pat: Was it difficult to decide how much or what percentage?

Natalie and Erika: Not particularly. We both found the entire will-writing process to be somewhat surreal (since it involves a lot of thinking about what would happen if one person passed away and so on).  We both had several organizations and family members in addition to the UU church we wanted to include in our wills. We prioritized these items and came up with dollar amounts/percentages based on these priorities.  We figure that we will likely have to redo our wills over time, but felt that it was important to get something in place as a starting point.

Pat: What feelings and/or discussions were part of the process?

Natalie and Erika: We both feel strongly that the church is an important liberal presence in the North Country and both really wanted to support the church in a way that extended beyond our annual pledge. Though we recognize that the church will not likely see this money for quite a while, we feel it is important to be members of the Olympia Brown Society as a way to show our commitment to our church community.

 Pat: Do you have any suggestions for people who are thinking about their wills?

Natalie and Erika: For adults who do not have a will, we would encourage them to go to a lawyer and get this important document drawn up. It is very simple just to tell the lawyer that you want a certain percentage or amount of your estate to go to the UU church.

 Pat: Thank you for being willing to share this process with us.

RICHARD HEINBERG HERE

In our Sanctuary on Friday, June 9, at 7 p.m., well-known author Richard Heinberg will give a talk entitled AThe Party's Over: How Our World Will Change Because of Peak Oil.@  His latest books, The Party's Over and Power Down have become bibles for the growing number of people concerned with how to begin to transition into the coming world without oil.  How would you travel?  What would you eat?  What would everyday life look like?  Can alternative energy compensate for oil?  How can we develop local economies that don't require us to transport things around the globe?  Heinberg will address these issues and more.  His presentation will be followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience and a reception.  This event is co-sponsored by our church’s Social Action Committee.

SARANAC LAKE COOKOUT

On Sunday, July 23, the Adirondack UU Community will host a potluck family cookout at Mt. Pisgah Lodge in Saranac Lake for all in our St. Lawrence District.  Bring a picnic or grillable items and your favorite outdoor games and/or musical instruments.  AUUC will supply beverages and desserts.  Hike on Mt. Pisgah, catch some sun on the deck, and meet other UUs from our region.  Grills will start firing up around 12:30, but you’re welcome to join the fun any time during the afternoon.

SUMMER FUN

Our Unitarian Universalist camps and conference centers are swinging into high gear for their summer seasons, and you’ll find catalogues at the back of the sanctuary with information about many great programs for all ages.  We especially encourage you to check out the brochure for Unirondack, which is near Lowville.  Unirondack has it all: youth camps, family weeks, adult programs, canoe camping, backpacking trips, and much more.  Come to Unirondack and enjoy a relaxing time in an idyllic setting, where programs are grounded in UU values.  Pick up a brochure or visit www.unirondack.org.