Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence MONTHLY NEWSLETTER May 2016

Mark Your Calendars! Upcoming Events and Important Dates this Month

Saturday, May 7 Spring Work Day, 8-12 noon (food!) Saturday, May 7 Women’s Group, 2-4 p.m. (Barbara Schowen’s) Monday, May 9 Executive Board meeting, 7:00 p.m. at UFL Saturday, May 14 We serve at L.I.N.K. Sunday, May 15 Children and Youth Art Show Reception, 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 15 Special Congregational Meeting, noon (with lunch) Sunday, May 22 Annual Business Meeting, noon (also with food!) Sunday, June 5 Jon Coffee’s sermon, 11:00 a.m. Sunday, June 5 Jordinn Nelson Long’s ordination, 4:00 p.m., All Souls, Kansas City Sunday, June 12 Jordinn’s “Good-bye” sermon, 11:00 a.m. Reception following

SPRING WORK DAY THIS SAT., MAY 7, 8:00 a.m.-noon Buildings and Grounds Team invites you to help with a work task of your choice, and stay for lunch.

Goals for UFL Work Day include:

• upright mailbox • upright swing set • sweep stones off road by driveway and fill puddle holes • wash outdoor chairs and table(s) • wash windows • add mulch around swing set • add crushed white limestone around building perimeter • clean steps and vestibule at Founders Hall • trim low boughs on Bradford Pear trees

Bring your favorite cleaning tools and supplies. Coffee will be ready at 0800; lunch at noon

MINISTER’S MUSINGS Sunday, June 5: Ordination of Jordinn Nelson Long

We're so proud of our two members, Jon Coffee and Jordinn Nelson Long, who felt their call to the Unitarian Universalist ministry while at UFL. For the past three years, they've been students at Meadville Lombard Theological School in , and have just completed their congregational internships: Jon at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, and Jordinn at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Kansas City and The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF.)

In our UU tradition, ministers are credentialed and fellowshipped by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association. But only congregations may ordain a person to the ministry. On Sunday June 5 at 4:00 p.m., the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence will ordain our member, Jordinn Nelson Long, in conjunction with All Souls and CLF. This will be a memorable and meaningful event in the life of UFL -- the first time we've ordained one of our members! The ordination ceremony, which will require a larger sanctuary, will take place at All Souls in Kansas City. Members of Jordinn's Ordination Committee are working to organize food for the reception, carpooling to KC from Lawrence, and other important details (the committee members are Carol Eades Delnevo, Rebecca Gant, Joe Gant, Michelle Iwig-Harmon, Sydnie Kampschroeder, Vaun Kampschroeder, Jake Kipp, Barbara Schowen, and Dick Schowen.)

Many of our members have given ribbons to be woven into a special ordination stole as a gift to Jordinn. The UFL choir will join other members of the I-70 and All Souls choirs, and special music will be provided by UFL vocalists. Barbara Thompson, as UFL Chair, and Rev. Jill Jarvis will have formal roles in the ordination service representing our congregation.

It will be a day to be remembered! Jon Coffee will return from Tennessee to participate in Jordinn's ordination, and will lead worship for us at UFL on Sunday morning. Then we're all invited to proceed to Kansas City to ordain Jordinn at 4:00 p.m. and stay for the joyful celebration afterwards. Jordinn and her family will be moving in July to Fairhaven, , where she's been called to her first church.

SOCIAL ACTION/SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS Community Connections The Community Connection for May is Van Go The mission--To improve the lives of high-needs youth using art as the vehicle for self- expression, self-confidence, and hope for the future The organization--Van Go, Inc. is an arts-based social service agency that provides year-round after-school and summer job-training programs to high-needs and under-served youth, ages 14- 24. Using art as the vehicle, Van Go delivers constructive activities to youth at risk for drug and alcohol use, teen pregnancy, truancy or delinquency. Founded in 1997 as an innovative way to help fill existing gaps in social services, Van Go has been a lifeline for hundreds of kids and teens in crisis, providing them with valuable life and job skills as they create art for the community.

What Happens to our Sunday Collections for the Community Connections? See photos below.

Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence Social Action/Social Justice Team representatives present community connection checks for to Ecumenical Campus Ministries (left; April 18; with Rev. Jill Jarvis) and Centro- Hispano (right, April 19, 2016). Special Offerings on 5th Sundays 5th Sunday, May 29 “In order to continue our proud tradition of giving our collection to community agencies, it is important to look inward and give to ourselves. If we don't take care to insure the future of UFL, we will not be able to offer the gifts we cherish giving to others. It is in this spirit, at this time of true financial crisis, that the collection from this Sunday's offering will be donated to the UFL's 2016-17 budget, that we may continue blessing others in the spirit of love and generosity that define this congregation.” ~Elliott Smith Vacek, Member SAJT

Events May 9--A rally and press conference is planned for May 9 at the Kansas Statehouse to kick off a statewide grassroots campaign in support of KanCare (Medicaid) expansion. The campaign will help organize voters and leaders in communities across the state to help elected officials see that a large majority of their constituents support KanCare expansion. The event is sponsored by the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and will be 1:30-2pm on May 9 at the Kansas Statehouse, Room 582-N. May 21--The Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty is sponsoring a gathering at St. John’s Church on May 21 at 7pm. Speaking will be Floyd Bledsoe who was exonerated of first-degree murder after spending 15 years in prison. The meeting is in the Parish basement, at 1234 Kentucky. http://www.ksabolition.org/

T-shirts and Wrist Bracelets Social Action/Justice Team has wrist bracelets that say Black Lives Matter to Unitarian Universalists in adult, small wrist and toddler sizes. Please contact Barb Johnston or any one of the SAJT members to receive one, or more. Social Action/Justice Team has or can order a Standing on the Side of Love t-shirt for anyone interested. Please contact one of the SAJT members—Barbara Johnston, Pennie Von Achen, Jake Kipp, Graham Kreicker, Paula Monroe, Emily Russell. And there are youth t-shirts available at no cost.

SAJT Summer Reading Group As part of the Social Action and Social Justice Team's effort to bring issues associated with Black Lives Matter to the UFL congregation, Jake Kipp will be leading a reading circle devoted to Pulled Over: How Police Stops Define Race and Citizenship by Charles R. Epp, Steven Maynard-Moody, and Donald P. Haider-Markel. The book was published in 2014 as part of the Chicago Series in Law and Society. Professor Charles Epp addressed this research in his brief remarks at the Kansas Interfaith Action meeting in Topeka.

SAJT has purchased a copy of Pulled Over for the Fellowship Library. SAJT believes that this work can provide insights into a key aspect of Black Lives Matter. Those interested in taking part should contact Jake Kipp at [email protected] or phone: 785-841-2856. The schedule for the summer reading sessions is open.

SAJT-Related Events at UFL and around Town Join SAJT at ACLU Forum Featuring Leonard Pitts, Saturday, May 21 Kansas ACLU will hold their Free State Forum at Abe and Jake's Landing from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, 21 May. Afternoon sessions will offer a film about immigration issues, and panel discussions about reproductive rights and voter suppression in Kansas. Included in the $35 cost are a cocktail reception and dinner plus a presentation by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, Leonard Pitts, Jr. Eight SAJT members have already paid for one table. Let's join them with a second. Contact Graham Kreicker at 842-2332 or email [email protected]

UFL serves at LINK Saturday, May 14th Sign up sheet is in the lobby This is a wonderful way for meaningful service that takes just a few hours LINK (Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen) serves hot nutritious meals in a safe and welcoming environment to families and individuals at no cost. Every other month the UFL provides and serves a meal for LINK. We bring 15 or more meat dishes, two vegetarian dishes and one vegan dish. Homemade desserts are also welcome. Fifteen or so volunteers are needed to help serve and clean up. Please come join us as we put our UU principles into action to help our community. Food and volunteers need to be at LINK (basement of First Christian Church on the SE corner of 10th and Kentucky) by 12:30 PM. We serve from 1-2 PM, and clean up is usually finished by 2:45. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Gant at 832-1030 or [email protected]

LET’S PULL TOGETHER! Sadly, the little train representing our 2016-17 giving campaign was stalled in April. Thankfully, the Success Express has begun chugging up the hill again towards our goal of $179,000. Thanks to generous members and friends who have increased their pledges and have given additional donations, you have helped the Fellowship reach over $157,000 as of this week.

We still must raise $22,000 more to reach our goal, to retain and fairly compensate our staff, and to keep our essential and vital programs as successful as they are now.

As recently as 2014, UFL was named a “Breakthrough Congregation” for our growth and innovative programming. We have the potential to continue that legacy. In a recent email to our congregation, Reverend Jill has encouraged us to step up and pull together: “You already know that you can, because you have – many, many times. This is your great strength. This is your future.” You may help by:

1. Visiting http://uufl.net/giving for information about online giving. 2. Contacting Sydnie Kampschroeder at [email protected] or 785-424-0844 for questions or to request a pledge/donation form. 3. Sending a check indicating “General Fund 2016-17” on the memo line, payable to Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence. Mail to: 1263 North 1100 Road, Lawrence, KS 66047. ~Gratefully, Your Annual Stewardship Committee

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

On behalf of the Executive Board, the Program Council, our Minister, and DLL, I would like to invite and encourage your attendance to a congregational gathering immediately following the Worship Service on Sunday, May 15th. Many of you are aware that our pledge drive did not meet our goal, thus creating a shortfall that has left us with the likelihood of a deficit-based budget that is currently under development. We have postponed our Annual Meeting until Sunday, May 22nd and the purpose of our May 15th meeting will be to review our current circumstances and then to discuss and explore together how we might be proactive and creative in responding to this situation. Because the meeting is at noon and some of us will need a bit of sustenance, a light lunch will be served and childcare will be provided.

Please set aside this time to attend our May 15th gathering and come prepared to contribute to our important conversation. I have been reflecting on what the UFL and being a Unitarian Universalist means to me and how our congregation can best live out our new Vision and Mission. I ask that you also reflect on what the UFL means to you and the role it plays in your life, the lives of our members, and to our commitment as UUs, to make the world a better place for everyone. And, please give thought to ways in which we might overcome this shortfall. I feel sure that if we combine our creativity and intelligence, we will be able to address this concerning situation by developing strategies that are positive and effective. ~Barbara Thompson

Letter from our Minister [Editor’s note: The following letter from Rev. Jill Jarvis provides some meaningful perspective and inspiration as we rise to the challenges described in the previous two articles. You may have seen it when it appeared in our e-mail boxes April 22.]

Dear Congregation, This is a critical and transformational moment in the life of UFL.

Our impending budget shortfall is a crisis, only in the sense of being a turning point. From our founding in 1957 by a small group of dedicated Unitarians, through nearly six decades of the triumphs and struggles inherent to growth and change, we now find ourselves poised at the threshold of the next stage in our evolution.

Whether you're a founding member or a newcomer to our community, know that this is a moment in our history that merits everyone's full attention. We are stewards of a precious legacy. Only by understanding the danger that confronts us within the next several months, can we avert it. Only by knowing the power we have to live into our full (and incredibly exciting) potential within the next several years, can we realize it.

Your UFL leaders and other volunteers are nothing short of amazing! The depth of dedication, wisdom, enthusiasm, steadiness, and sense of humor even in difficult times is like nothing I've ever encountered in a congregation. They've been working tirelessly for many, many months to lay the foundation for our future stability and growth.

We must achieve our stewardship goal of $179,000 for the next fiscal year, in order to maintain stability for our leaders to proceed to the next step: Strategic planning, which will address the immediate and long-term issues critical to the future of our congregation.

Here is what we all need to understand about our situation: • This major budget shortfall is a situation encountered by many Unitarian Universalist congregations that have grown and changed. There are numerous precedents for successfully navigating it. The first step is to make everyone aware of how we got here, and to ask everyone to pull together. • UFL spent nearly fifty years as a small lay-led fellowship with little or no funds for staffing, and eventually declining membership. Our members rose to the challenge! We then experienced a time of rapid growth, raising funds to build our beautiful new sanctuary, call a Minister, and hire a new Director of Lifelong Learning • Five major factors -- brought about by the foresight and planning of our wise and wonderful members -- were foundational to our growth spurt: 1. Our new building 2. A capable and efficient Office Administrator 3. The visible presence of a Minister 4. A creative and well-run Religious Exploration program led by a popular Director of Lifelong Learning 5. Our amazing Music program, recruited and led by a highly dedicated Music Director

Traditionally, both directly and indirectly, these are all major reasons that newcomers return after the first visit, and eventually join and contribute to a congregation.

• And now we're faced with a real dilemma. UFL's budget -- for at least the past decade -- has been quite dramatically below that of other UU congregations of similar size within our region and across the country. There is no unusual factor unique to UFL to explain the remarkable and ongoing discrepancy, except for this: The full costs of Minister, DLL, and Music Director have never been reflected in our budget. A very significant percentage of these costs have been invisible to the congregation, as they have been essentially (and unsustainably) provided on a volunteer basis by our professionals. Our Board and other leaders are also very concerned that UFL's compensation for our religious professionals is well below the Fair Compensation standards for UU congregations

• It is a precarious situation. The cost to replace any of these positions will greatly exceed our current costs. When I retire, probably at the end of the 2017-18 fiscal year, UFL will need to present a competitive, full-time compensation package to attract ministerial candidates (there are currently more congregations in search of ministers than there are available ministers.) When our Music Director retires, UFL will have to create a staff position to replace her. Further, within the next year our DLL will be completing the professional credentialing program requested of her upon hiring by our Lifelong Learning Task Force. This new level of achievement increases the salary range for that position.

Hence, the Danger: It's virtually certain that within a short window of time, in the very foreseeable future, our budget needs will suddenly and dramatically increase.

It’s been a tough year. We've lost so many of our beloved longtime members to death. Uncertainty over our future direction has caused anxiety and loss of other members. No wonder our overall pledges are lower than usual. It is a natural, but difficult, time in any growing congregation's life cycle.

The Opportunity: Our leaders are fully aware of the situation; they are actively and competently working to resolve it as we head into a major strategic planning process. The Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence has laid the groundwork over the years to grow into our potential to be a visible leader for transformation in the Lawrence community. (This is already happening through our visible interfaith leadership with Black Lives Matter and Kansas Interfaith Action, through the efforts of our re-energized Social Action and Justice Team) and a vital spiritual home for individuals and families seeking depth and connection. We're in close collaboration with the Topeka and Manhattan UU congregations, both of which have successfully navigated similar situations before us. It's a new day for in Kansas, through the growth and renewal of our congregations. The Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence is a vital part of this future.

This is a time for action. At the end of this letter, I've listed several possible actions that each of us might take, right now, to help ensure our future.

In my Easter sermon last month, I talked about the difficulty of living in "the liminal space"....those times in life when we've experienced the loss of how things used to be, but we don't yet have a vision of what the future will look like. I shared with you that my husband Chris and I had just been through the wrenching experience of finally accepting an offer on our much-beloved home in order to downsize -- only to learn the very same day that the rarely- available condo we'd planned to live in had just been sold to a higher bidder. We'd reluctantly let go of our home, and now couldn't envision our future. (This has finally been resolved, and we will happily have a home. Please don't worry! We've appreciated all your concern.)

My spiritual director, on hearing this story, affirmed my own anxiety and sense of grief over the loss of the loved and familiar, and the sudden uncertainty of the future. Then she reminded me: "Look to your own history. You will get through this. You will do what you need to do, because you already know that you can."

And now I say to you, Dear Congregation: Look to your own history. You have been through tough situations. You have stepped up to do what you needed to do by pulling together. You already know that you can, because you have -- many, many times.

This is your great strength. This is your future.

Blessings, Jill

LIFELONG LEARNING Thank you teachers, lifelong learning volunteers and caregivers! Our programs and classes could not happen without our dedicated volunteers. They have infused our Lifelong Learning programming with their gifts and energy. To all of the work they have done this past year, they have added their creativity, knowledge and wisdom, attention to detail, compassion and so much more. They have tended to the enrichment and spiritual growth of our children, youth and adults and thus have helped shape our future. With abundant gratitude, thank you!

Our Whole Lives Training Workshop Registrations for the O.W.L. workshop are pouring in from all over the country! The workshop will be Friday 5 pm – Sunday 3 pm. We still have a few places for UFL members to become O.W.L. trained for FREE! If you are interested, please contact Rebecca Gant or Bonnie Blosser so that we can see if your interests match our needs. This past semester we had nearly 20 children in kindergarten and first grade take O.W.L. and we had to create a full second class! Having a full ‘nest’ of trained facilitators adds flexibility to everyone’s commitment.

Adult Enrichment Wednesday evening - Last 2 classes! Building Your Own Theology 2 May 11* – Justice & the Beloved Community: What is our Place in the World and Individualism & Community: What is the Role of the Church? May 25* – Suffering & Meaning: Why Do Bad Things Happen? And Death & Immortality: How Do We Celebrate Life?

Free childcare will be available for these evenings with 1 week notice to Bonnie Blosser at [email protected]

Book Review "Finding Your Religion: When the Faith You Grew Up with Has Lost Its Meaning" by Rev. Scotty McLennan, 1999. One of the inspirations for 's 's "Reverend Scot Sloan" character, McLennan writes a truly accessible book about religion and spirituality. He posits that there are several "identifiable stages of spirituality that people go through." He believes thus, "just as we grow emotionally and intellectually over the years, so we grow spiritually, if we allow ourselves." What I love and find most compelling about this book and the rich stories and examples shared in it, is the idea that while there is a Mountain, per se, there are numerous and wonderful paths, which we are invited and encouraged to choose to take. McLennan is a Unitarian Universalist minister and this gem of a book is in our library. ~Suzanna Emelio Youth Service Trip Our youth continue with preparation and fundraising for their service trip to the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal in New Orleans July 2 -9. They will be having a garage sale Friday June 3rd and Saturday June 4th at 1226 St. Small sized donations for this sale can be brought to UFL and placed in the lifelong learning office. Please deliver large items to 1226 Connecticut. Call 785-842-4029 to make arrange drop off.

Children and Youth Art Show Once again a sample of the creative work of our children is on display in Founder’s Hall. This art show will run through May and June with a special Artist’s Reception on Sunday May 15th.

Spirit Play religious exploration Sunday mornings Our summer Spirit Play programming has begun! We will have a mix of new stories, favorite stories and basket/feast days throughout the summer. May 8 – Creating Love for all of those mothers that have nurtured us May 15 – New Spirit Play Story: Promises May – 22 Spirit Play Flaming Chalice story – extension 1 May – Basket/Feast Day

Middle Youth summer Sundays ALL of our wonderful MY teachers have committed to continuing to meet Sunday mornings this summer! Please encourage your teen to be a Prefect at our Harry Potter Social Justice Camp August 1st – 5th in the afternoons. This will be a fun way for them to connect and develop emerging leadership skills!

Harry Potter Camp Plans are stirring and brewing already for our second Harry Potter Camp this August 1st -5th from 1 – 4 p.m.! Registration will open first for UFL members May 23rd – 30th via our UFL website. We expect to fill up fast! DO NOT WAIT TO REGISTER your child! On June 1st we will open up registration to all. We are capping enrollment for guardians of the sacred flame (campers age 5- 12) at 32. We are capping prefect numbers at 16 (ages 13-18). After enrollment is full, any child of UFL member who did not register by June 1 will be put on a priority wait list. I am hoping that many of our middle youth will be Prefects this summer. This will be a great way to get to know each other and exercise those leadership muscles!

WE NEED ADULT VOLUNTEER “PROFESSORS” for this camp week! We have agreed to provide a minimum of 4 adult volunteers each day to support Professor MagGonnagal. Be a “Professor” for 1 hour a day (make something with the kids in a potions class, teach an herbology class) or help supervise one afternoon. Contact Bonnie Blosser at [email protected] to sign on for this fun opportunity! Character dress is not required but the kids love it!

MUSIC NOTES

May is a quieter time than April for the UFL Choir. Wasn’t that I-70 Choir concert wonderful? Over 40 voices and a number of very talented instrumentalists presented an outstanding program and had a blast doing it! If you haven’t heard, we raised over $1,000 for the Kansas Interfaith Action efforts! Anyway, the choral year is winding down but it’s not over yet and your dedicated UFL choir will present several more selections before taking a summer hiatus. We will rely more on our talented individual musicians to provide solo and ensemble musical interludes over the next few months. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge our volunteer pianists that provide beautiful solos, accompany hymns, other service music and musical interludes. We are so fortunate to have willing and talented pianists to serve in our piano ‘rotation’. I deeply appreciate Amy Frost, Brad Wertz, John Brewer and Martha Burbank who share their considerable talents with us on a regular basis. I hope that UFL members will express their appreciation as well, for without them we would be forced to rely on recorded hymn accompaniments and service music. Our music program is a wonderful way to get involved at UFL. I encourage anyone who likes to sing or who plays an instrument to contact me and learn how to get involved. Don’t worry – you won’t be pressured to participate more than you wish! ~Susan Harper, Music Director, [email protected] 785-830-8487.

Social Media News A small group of members from the Communications Team have been meeting to revise our Social Media policy. There are several UFL Facebook groups which have been created over the past several years. If you are an official Member or Friend of the UFL, you should certainly join the “UFL Members and Friends” group. It is frequently updated with important and interesting information. Michelle Compton is currently our Social Media Leader and one of the administrators for all Facebook groups. Pending board approval, our new policy will soon be posted to every Facebook group. If you have ideas or suggestions for how Social Media can better serve our Members, please contact Michelle Compton or Pam Slawson. Look for more information about UFL Social Media policy in the June Monthly Newsletter. ~Pam Slawson Area Coordinator for Communications

Upcoming 9:30 Sunday Traditional Programs May 8 Celebration Sunday May 15 Bill Lindsey Buddhism in Japan May 22 Hamsa Stainton Religion in India May 29 Amber Watts June 5 Graham Kreicker “Israel & Jordan” June 12 Lisa Larson “City Commission Doin’s”

Auction Wrap-Up Auction Wrap-up Thank you to all who donated, attended, bid, and "Put on the Ritz" during our annual auction. Special thanks goes out to the fabulous Auction Team: Brita Calnon, Sara Vancil, Janis Kivett, Stacy Hutton, Rachael Gehringer, Jenny Ikenberry, Paula Monroe, and Denise Perpich (from Brazil!). It is always a pleasure to create this event with these amazing, talented, hard working people. The Auction takes five months of planning, and our team truly serves with joy. We also want to thank those who helped on Saturday night; John Roper and Belinda Holmes for providing the beautiful music, Rebecca Gant for helping with dinner and her kitchen warrior, John Brewer, Paul Calnon for tech help and helping in the bar, and our cocktail mixologist extraordinaire, Chris Gehringer.

We had another great event and raised almost $17,000! We still have some spots left in events and parties. If we fill all those spots, we will bring in $2,635 more. Let’s don’t leave that money on the table. Check out the sheets and see if you can sign up for something fun. We currently have openings for a brunch, Balderdash party, Scrabble party, Dinner with Friends, Best of Summer Dinner, Lowcountry Dinner, Sundaes on Sunday, Brazil Bash, S’mores etc., Beer Tasting with Food Pairings, Trivial Pursuit party, Valentine’s Parents Night Out babysitting, Homemade Pasta and Sauce, and It’s in the Cards Party. ~Shannon VanLandingham, Auction Chair VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES AT UFL Volunteering for one task, or several, is a way both to serve our community and to make lasting connections with other members. Each month in this space we will feature one or more specific tasks or teams that will welcome your participation.

USHERS/GREETERS Want to meet new people at the UFL? Being an usher or greeter is a wonderful way to get to know your fellow UFL members and be the first to welcome visitors and potential new members. These are very important roles that require little to no extra time out of your life. You only need to be one of the first to show up before the program or service, and you can sign up for the slots most convenient for you. If you can smile, introduce yourself, answer a few questions, and make others feel at home, we need you as a greeter! If you would like stand at the door and “usher” folks into the sanctuary, you will have the benefit of reading all of those nametags and meeting everyone who attends on Sunday mornings. Interested? Please see Rebecca Gant or Pam Slawson or sign up in the lobby!

Following is a list of some of our other teams and their contact persons. Traditional Sunday Morning Program (Ellen Reid Gold) Sunday Morning Coffee and Hospitality (Joe Gant) Music (Susan Harper) Social Action and Justice (Barb Johnston) Celebration of Life (help with memorial services; Jill Jarvis) Helping Hands (practical emergency short-term assistance, e.g., meals, child-care, transportation, errands; Kristen Spencer) Wednesday Night Cooking or Set-up or Clean-up (Judy Wilson) Special Occasion Hospitality (e.g., seasonal potlucks, receptions; Barbara Schowen) Buildings and Grounds (John Curry or Bob Harper) Auction (Shannon VanLandingham) Lifelong Learning, esp. Adult Enrichment or Children’s Activity Time (Bonnie Blosser)

More information about these and other teams can be found in materials in the lobby and in the “Get Involved” Section of our website www.uufl.net

We Unitarians We Unitarians: An Account of Unitarianism in Lawrence, Kansas 1854-1994 is available for viewing or downloading from our website. http://uufl.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/We- Unitarians-1854-1994.pdf

Every member should have or read a copy! It is a wonderful history of Unitarianism in Lawrence, Kansas from the very earliest settlement to the date of the account’s completion in 1994 and was researched and written by some of our current members: Earl Nehring and Lee Ketzel and some of our former members: Harriet Nehring, Mary Miller, and Trudy Travis. You will enjoy knowing more about our Fellowship and will recognize many of our current members and learn about their contributions.

UFL Women’s Group The UFL women's group will meet on Saturday, May 7, from 2-4PM at the country home of Barbara Schowen, a lovely place to spend a May afternoon. All are welcome, especially the newer and younger among us. You may bring a snack to share if you wish, but mostly please bring yourselves ready to spend a pleasant afternoon in conversation and getting to know each other better. Contact Lynne Bodle for a ride or for further information. Contact Barbara mailto:[email protected] for directions.

Mindful Meditation The Mindful Meditation class led by Dr. Jeff Nichols will not meet in May on our usual third Thursday May 19. We will announce the summer schedule early in June.

To contact the NewsTeam, please email [email protected]

Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence A Welcoming Congregation 1263 N. 1100 Rd. Lawrence, KS 66047 785-842-3999