THE UU-LINK April 2012 April Services on ense DDDonon SSSense – by Rev. Don Garrett April 1 April Fool! It seems that, having come in like a lamb, the month of March is leaving the Rev. Don Garrett same way – with delightfully warm weather and ample sunshine. Spring is This light-hearted service will explore the bringing us new sounds, new blossoms, and new opportunities for growth. use of humor in religion. One of our opportunities for growth is the April 1 congregational April 8 gathering, led by our Core Mission Task Force – right after our worship Easter Sunday service. We’ll talk in groups, Linding our answers to the question of what this Rev. Don Garrett church is here for. This is just the beginning of a process leading to a renewed Although Unitarian Universalists have sense of purpose, though. The next step is to meet in smaller groups – differing ideas about the life, teachings, and legacy of Jesus we still can Lind new committees, clubs, neighborhood clusters, as many kinds of groups as we and deeper meanings in the enduring have – to seek the core values that underlie those purposes. We need stories of death and resurrection. everyone to be a part of this community process so that it can be truly April 15 comprehensive. We need to be sensitive to the growth potentials of all living things. Heaven: Here and Now That’s honoring the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a Rev. Don Garrett part. Our church is a living thing, too, and it needs us to pay attention to its Time magazine’s recent article calling for Christian responsibility to create heaven growth potential as well. When we think of growth we often tend to measure on earth resonates with the thoughts of it in terms of numbers, such as how many new members there are. This is Leo Tolstoy, who was inLlluenced by the one kind of growth and we are seeing a delightful increase in the amazing Unitarian minister, Aiden Ballou. We’ll and wonderful people who have chosen to join our beloved community. explore Tolstoy’s thoughts on the subject. But there is another kind of growth which is more maturational than April 22 numerical. We have a great community but to reach our fullest potential we The Green Reformation of will need to think in new ways, be together in new ways, integrate our doing Sara Cynthia Sylvia Stout with our being and our being with our doing. Robin Capoor Rev Capoor will examine some of the darker Sermon Writing Class with Rev. Don Garrett and smellier sides of the Green Revolution as One new way to think, be, and do would be to explore new ways to reLlect we struggle to become carbon neutral in a and create. I’d like to extend an invitation to everyone: come learn how to world that has run too long amuck. Join her as we celebrate Earth Day and recommit write a sermon by writing one with me! This will be a low-pressure program ourselves to the monumental tasks ahead of intended to engage new potentials for growth and discovery. us if we are to continue to thrive on our good For Live Thursday evenings starting April 19, we will meet, read, . green earth study and discuss the process of writing a sermon. Each participant will write a sermon to share with the class. Come explore with me! Email me at April 29 [email protected] to register! Coming of Age Rev. Don Garrett See you in church! Our middle school youth celebrate the –Don completion of our Coming of Age program with reLlections on their experience and how it has shaped their values. The Link April 2012 Page 2 MARK MY WORDS it so much that you forget to make the UUCLV a part of your spring celebration. There’ll be a boatload of things to As I sit in my ofLice writing this column, do at 424 Center Street and lots of good fellowship to the window are open, a soft breeze wafts share, and since each of us brings something unique to the through the window and brings with it table, none of these events will be the same without you . the sound of birds warbling as if their Blessed be! lives depended on it, as well as the Lirst Mark Albright , President UUCLV stirrings of something dark and earthy and growing. The earth – at least my little corner of it – is beginning to warm and transform from a dormant version of itself to WHAT IS THIS CHURCH FOR ? something much greener and more pleasing. Already I’m As this newsletter went to press, the Core Mission Task beginning to hear the weather people speculate: Will we Force was hard at work preparing for the April 1st (no have a hot summer? Will fall come later and later? Is it fooling!) Congregational Gathering that would allow all of even possible next winter could be as mild as the one just us to answer this question. past? (My snowblower, which sits forlornly in our shed, By now, the Gathering will have occurred. Not seems to wonder why it was never trotted out and having the time-traveling capabilities of Dr. Who, we’ll allowed to do its thing this year.) In the end, I choose not have to project where we are on this quest from our to dwell on seasons past or speculate about seasons yet present time zone. to come. In the words of poet Robert Frost: We all have been challenged by Rev. Don Garrett Oh, give us pleasure in the Plowers today; to deLine our core mission. We began the work on April 1 And give us not to think so far away when we gathered to identify the most important reasons As the uncertain harvest; keep us here we are a church. Now those reasons are being examined All simply in the springing of the year. by smaller groups of us looking for the underlying values that draw us, sustain us and inspire us. From this will I don’t know about you, but whatever degree of seasonal come our core mission, the center of our church. Stay affective disorder may have impacted your life tuned to next month's UU Link for a more complete previously, there’s no cure for it like bright sunshine and report of what we as a congregation have deLined. fresh air, or taking a stroll around the block absorbing all The Core Mission Task Force is Ellen Bell, Cease the sights and sounds and smells of springtime. Like the Blocker, Cecilia Eberhard, Lisa Gerstenblith, Tom Repasch. crocuses popping out of hiding, various programs and See any of us if you have questions or comments, or email annual events shared by our congregation are also [email protected] turning up on the wheel of the year, conLirming that it really IS “that time again”. The seasonal events at the UUCLV you’ll want to mark on your calendar include: our TIME & T ALENT IN ACTION Easter Sunday multigenerational service on April 8 th ; the Thanks to the following folks who pitched in to make the Linal installment of our Second Sunday Concert series for March 11 Second Sunday concert such a success! this season, featuring The David Leonhardt Jazz Group ; Don Barry, Ilse and Allen Zinnes, Bob Cohen, our men’s spaghetti dinner on the 21 st ; our always- Karen and Bill Berry, Rory Lipkis, Barb Forry, Marie anticipated native perennial plant sale on the 28 th and Tweed, Sue and Jan Phillips, Julie Brooks, Janet Busse, 29 th (spotlighting the master gardening talents and spot- Carol Silkwood, Jeanne Scheerbaum, Don Garret (sound), on advice of our own Ilse Zinnes); and last – but not least Rocky Bayer and Kerry Jones for technical support, Tara – our Coming of Age (COA) service and festival for grades Stephenson, Pat Herring, Frank Stone, and our high pre-K through 3 rd on the 29 th . school volunteer, Payge Nyitray (Dezso’s daughter). My wish for you this month is that you truly take You are greatly appreciated! And we apologize if the time to observe and enjoy the world around you, we have missed anyone – some folks sneak reception especially this springtime version of it – just don’t enjoy The Link April 2012 Page 3 food in and we never Lind out who it came from!! Thanks to everyone that made Souper Sunday APRIL event a success. Our soup makers: Jean Davis, Pat BREAKFAST FORUM Herring, Robin Capoor, Dara Davenport, Phil Depietro, April 1 Ilse Zinnes, Marie Tweed, Julie Brooks, and Judy Claps. Thanks to Amy Cohen for handling logistics to A Recent View of Turkey and Turkish Life Erol Ulucakli and Barbara Forry, Presenters get the room set up. Thanks to Jan Phillips for setting up the electrical. Special thanks to Frank Claps as master of Erol, a native of Turkey, will review the latest political and economic developments in Turkey and neighboring countries. ceremonies, and Rev. Don Garrett for our entertainment. Barbara will offer her observations and experiences about Karen Rodgers, her children and Drew Keister Istanbul and Izmir and the life of ordinary people in Turkey. cleaned the Center Street Llower beds of sweet gum tree April 8 balls and dead branches and leaves, just in time for the spring Llowers. Thanks to Karen as well for the Spinoza Revisited wonderful miniature spring gardens she has created in Frank Stone, Presenter the four urns gracing our church entrances.