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Getting to Know . . .
Gary Schack, Our New AUUF President
1. How long have you been a member of AUUF? I began attending AUUF my first week in Amarillo in 1977. I immediately made friends, had a social life and felt like I belonged in the community. I am grateful for being made to feel so welcome.
2. 2. What are some of your goals as President? A) I want to see us grow. With a larger membership we can offer more programs and services to our members and increase our service to and influence in the community. If only 1% of our community is interested in a liberal religious alternative that would be 225 to 250 people. B) I'm very impressed by the Community garden and the large role we are playing in that project. I would like to see us partner with other churches or civic groups on other community service projects. I would like to see us sponsor some educational events on for example, racial justice or religious diversity and freedom. C) I would like to see us have a stronger presence in the community and be known as advocates of the oppressed and disenfranchised and proponents of truth, justice, and the American way.
4. What is your favorite thing about AUUF? I get to be with people that have a strong sense of values and ethics that are good role models for me.
5. Which of the seven UU principles resonates with you the most? Why? I frequently don't live up to it, but that we affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person resonates with me the most. The other principles seem to follow with that one.
6. If you could have dinner with Barack Obama, President to President, what one question would you ask him? Why he isn't a Unitarian Universalist. His grandparents attended a UU church when he was a child.
7. What piece of advice would you offer him? To "think outside the box". Be innovative and not partisan and ideologically rigid in his approach to world and national problems.
8. What is your passion? Nina, of course. Trying to understand national and world affairs. |
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We'd like to take this opportunity to offer a special thanks to Mary Emeny for her diligent efforts in producing the AUUF's monthly newsletter, "The Chalice Lighter" for the past several years. As we've worked on this latest (and our first) edition, we've implemented a few format changes. We encourage members of the fellowship to offer feedback and ideas on the content and layout.
Thanks, Amanda & Warren McCarty
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Worship Words: AUUF's Living Tradition
By Nina Stein
As a member for 28 years I have seen trends and changes in our worship service, as well as many things stay the same. When I started visiting the Fellowship, one of the things that intrigued me was "talk-back." "You mean I get to say what I think and offer my opinion?" I asked. What a great idea. I was sold. Somewhere along the way this part of our tradition was lost.
Joys and Concerns is a fairly recent addition to our church's living tradition. It began sometime in the 1980's brought with them by then new member's from another UU church. A controversial practice both locally and within the association, we have had a lot of discussion about it over the years. It seems to work best if you briefly share a concern that by sharing it with our faith community it will bring you the comfort you seek or magnifies the joy you feel.
We went through a period where we were almost mocking of other traditions different from our own. This seems very out of place for a church that values diversity, social justice, and the worth and dignity of the individual. That's one trend better left in the past.
We, currently, have a trend of greater diversity of beliefs of spirituality. This seems to me to be a healthy trend. Our third principle is to support each other in our spiritual growth. As we saw on Easter Sunday, we have a congregation full of people of many beliefs. Our Worship Team is working to reflect this diversity in our worship services.
We follow most Unitarian Universalist churches with the liturgical practice of lighting the chalice in our worship service. This is a practice we have followed since I have been a member and probably long before. I think it is a lovely practice and gives us a 00feeling of kinship with other UU's around the world. Like art, the meaning can be interpreted in many ways.
When I was at Dwight Brown Leadership Experience, we were divided into worship groups and each group worked together to provide one of our two daily worship services. The variety of liturgy, content, and practices was beautiful and inspiring. Some services were done sitting in straight, traditional rows, some in semi-circles, and others standing as we danced the International Dances of World Peace. All services were filled with love, joy, and the sense of the sacred.
With the likelihood of having a new intern minister this fall*, we will have the opportunity to experiment with new practices that may be unfamiliar. We can try on some things for "fit." We may decide to keep some that feel comfortable. We may discard some that don't work for us. We can certainly have a lot of joy in learning and experimentation. He will be a guest in our "home." Let us welcome him with open minds and hearts. We can teach him about what we do and he can teach us about what he does. What an adventure in our living tradition. Worship works.
*By the time you read this, we will have voted.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING!
EarthCircles - a covenant group
For more information and meeting times please call Cindy at 681-3955
Classes: Yoga with Terry Rudd - Tuesdays 5:30; Saturdays 10:30
Yoga with Sherry Tucker - Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:30
Shamanism: Thursdays - 6:30 - 8:00
Regular Gatherings: Men's Group - Wednesdays 7:00 p.m. Golden Light Cafe
Women's Group - Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. AUUF
Nothing Much Buddhist Study Group - 2nd & 4th Saturdays at 7:30 AUUF
Didgeridoo Jam Session - 3rd Mondays at 8:00 p.m. AUUF
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Happy Birthday to YOU!
Virginia Hebermehl June 2 Joshua Ferraresi June 14
Jerry Goebel June 4 Veronica Nichols June 15
Ariana Khu June 7 Jacki King June 27
Keith Jones June 7 J.P. Kelly, Sr. June 30
Johnny Phillips June 13
The following birthdays were unintentionally omitted from last month's newsletter:
Deborah Jordan May 1 Michaela Hartfelder May 23
Quanita Baldwin May 28 Meredith Perdue May 24
Jeremy King May 14 Sophia Perdue May 28
Happy Belated Birthday!
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Intern Committee Update: In the May 2009 Chalice Lighter, Minnie discussed the Intern Committee, which will have many responsibilities during the coming year when Joe Cherry, Intern, will be with us. The members of this Committee are: Amanda McCarty, Cindy Ferraresi, Donna Moseley, Frankie Francel, Garrett Lines, Jeremy King, Rick Todd, and me. One of our first tasks is to create opportunities for Joe to meet everyone in the Congregation after he arrives the second week in August. We'll get information out in July and August about these gatherings. He'll be doing a summer internship in Manchester, England, so he will have some experience when he comes to us in August. Negotiations are continuing for the Supervisor, who will be visiting during the year to assist both Joe and the Intern Committee to make sure that the process is going smoothly and successfully for all of us.
Ann Hicks.
In an effort to furnish an apartment for our new Intern Pastor Joe Cherry, the Intern Committee is
in need of essential household items and furniture. Those wishing to donate may
contact the following committee members:
Donna Mosely at dmoseley66@mac.com or 353-9307
Amanda McCarty at amarillomidwife@hotmail.com or 584-6214
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JUNE PROGRAMS:
June 7th
Keith Jones
"Music Potpourri" Potluck after the Service
June 14th
Rachael Kelly
"The Van Jones Conference" Board meeting
June 21st
Dee Kelley
"Masculinity Rocks, Father's Day/Summer Solstice"
June 28th
Arlene Kasselman
"How growing up in South Africa shaped my faith and values"
Check out our website for continual updates. www.auuf-amarillo.org.
Notice an error? Did we forget something? It was probably Warren's fault, but please let us know by contacting Amanda at amarillomidwife@hotmail.com
To receive "The Chalice Lighter" via email, simply sign up by emailing Amanda McCarty at: amarillomidwife@hotmail.com
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