the nUUsletter

Of Bins & Buddies

by the Rev. Jeff Briere

I have three bins and I have one buddy.

First, the bins. On the door to my office, right by the round table, are three plastic bins. The bottom bin contains a limited number of copies of recent services. Take one if you wish—everything is there, from the Prelude to the Postlude. If you have access to the Internet, you can also get a copy of a recent service by visiting our web site. Click on the “Recent Services” link.

The other two bins are for you—to ask questions and make suggestions for services and sermons. I will answer any and all questions (within reason) in the manner of your choice—phone call, e–mail or in person. With one exception. I cannot promise to answer a question in a sermon unless the question is relevant to the life of the church or the spiritual health of the congregation.

For those big questions, use the bin marked, “Sermon Suggestions.” Let me know about the abiding questions that haunt you, those questions that seem too big to be answered. I can’t promise that I’ll find an answer, but I’ll look around and report back.

Now the buddy. On February 6th, please welcome my buddy, the Rev. Jake Bohstedt–Morrill, minister at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. On that day, the Oak Ridge folks will welcome me to their pulpit.

Jake is back in Tennessee following sojourns in San Francisco, Texas, Iowa, Cape Town and Boston. He grew up in Knoxville and attended Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. After two years at Wesleyan University, he toured Texas and the South for two years singing with a rock band. [Ya gotta love this rock star!]

Following his graduation from the University of Texas, Jake entered the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where he earned a MFA degree, published stories, taught undergraduate courses, and staged original puppet shows. A James Michener Fellowship allowed him to write fiction for a few months in San Francisco. [Here’s a conversation starter for you: Ask him about his time in South Africa or his new son, Gus.]

He received a Master’s of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School in 2003 and was ordained at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.

Special Forum February 27

As we grow more diverse and as we welcome more families into our church, it is appropriate that we speak about the way children and adults interact in public. When every adult and every child knows what behavior is expected in public, our congregation will have a happier and healthier time in church.

Please join us for an important discussion and forum on February 27th after the service. Grab a cup of coffee and return to the sanctuary and you’ll have a chance to express your opinion and learn from others. We’ll begin at approximately 12:30, give or take a few minutes. Childcare will be extended and a light snack served to the children.

Circle Dinners Begin!

by Lee Adler

Come! Meet new and old members of the church! Circle Dinners start on March 5th. We will meet in homes in small groups. Everyone will be have the same menu, but you never know what the host(ess) may cook up! Signup sheets are posted on glass wall near the kitchen.

Thank You from Chattanooga Cares

We have received a “thank you” letter from Chattanooga Cares. Many of you participated in their Tree of Lights Program at Christmas. This program helped brighten the holidays for many of their client who are HIV and AIDS patients. Thank you for your continued generosity to community endeavors.

The Interdependent Web

by Steve Hollingsworth

Knowing nothing of where it might lead, I offered my column topic for one month to the highest bidder at the last Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga (UUCC) auction. I sat down for a lunch with Bill Berry, the winning bidder, recently and we talked over what he had on his mind. I hope he finds the result here a fair exchange. I certainly got enough out of it that I'd gladly make the deal again.

First, Bill wondered about the growing spiritual emphasis in the Unitarian Universalist movement. Was it all UU churches? Did the trend mean our own church would change? After all, the regulars at the long-standing Sunday Forum were getting long in the tooth-perhaps with the changing of the generations the most humanist-oriented institution in our church might wither and die. At the same time I learned a bit of UUCC legend. In the unspecified past, a member of UUCC resigned because the church had provided a free venue for presenting elements of astrology. Now I knew I had more than enough material for one column!

Bill Berry is drawing out a thread innervating all of our movement. Everywhere there is dynamic tension between head and heart, science and spirit. In a growing church like ours, the tension cannot even be eased by debating dueling philosophies. As we stand poised to grow past the point where we can be one church family in one room, we will necessarily become more heterogeneous. In the process of getting there, even a lot of understanding may not be enough for some.

Church growth is an intensely studied process. The Alban Institute helps many churches of many denominations deal with their organizational development. Their research underscores the difficulty of going from being a small church to being a middle-sized one and a key attribute of that transformation is typical members becoming more tied to an activity or subgroup within the church than to the congregation as a whole.

While I deeply respect principled disassociation, that member leaving over the presence of astrology in our space speaks to a our likely future. The larger and more diverse we become, the more immiscible combinations will inevitably occur. We must hope that most people can adjust as our institution grows and recognize that there may be a place for them within the church community that simultaneously remains apart from others in the same community.
At UUCC, the venerable Sunday Forum and well-established Buddhist Study Group actually give us a helpful glimpse of what the future can be. In a mid-sized congregation there would be no question that such groups were integral parts of the church. How can we best make it so?

Caring Committee

The Caring Committee has provided us with Paul Love’s address in Iraq. As most of you know, Paul will be working there for one year. If you would like to send a card or correspond with Paul the address is:
Paul Love
KBR
Camp Echo G6
APO AE 09332

Tapes of Worship Service Available

Rich Dwyer has tapes of recent services available. If you would like to hear any of these, please see Rich. As these are original recordings, they need to be returned after you have heard them. Thanks!

Book Club

The Book Club will meet at the church on Thursday, February 17, at 7pm to discuss Lousie Erdich’s book Master Butchers Signing Club. Linda Pehlman will lead the discussion. Everyone is invited.

Board Highlights

The Treasurer’s Report showed that income and expenses are as budgeted through six months of the fiscal year.

The Finance Committee will obtain two credit cards for the church. A policy for use of the credit cards was approved and will be added to the Policy Manual.

The balance of the Livingston Trust will be merged into the Endowment Fund.

A policy was established to allocate 50%-75% of any fiscal year surplus to the

Building Reserve Fund, retroactive to fiscal year 2003-04.

There will not be a rummage sale this spring due to declining response.

A catered dinner with professional entertainment is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2005. It is intended that this will be a fund-raising event attended by the public and members.

A gift of a United Nations flag from Bruce Hollingsworth was approved.

A gift of $3,000 from George and Linda Helton for the purchase of a commercial dishwasher was approved. This gift is in memory of George’s mother, Louise Miller.

The next Board of Trustees meeting is Wednesday, February 16, at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to all.

The Green Sanctuary

by Claire Hale

Have you noticed? Buying “green” and “social justice” coffee has just been made easy. On Sunday mornings during coffee hour, Equal Exchange coffee is now available in the fellowship area. A 12-oz. bag of regular coffee is $4.50; decaffeinated is $5.50. Reports are that it tastes wonderful!

Slightly more expensive than coffee bought at Wal-Mart (try not to shop there), it nevertheless is an inexpensive way to spread justice to Fair Trade coffee growers. Consuming Fair Trade coffee enables small growers in third-world countries to become self-sufficient; it enables them to send their children to school; it enables them to leave off drug-related agriculture. And shade-grown coffee is much preferred by migratory birds who dwell in the rain forest. No, they don’t drink it, but it preserves their habitat.

So, for a few cents you can make a world of difference as you drink your morning coffee! If you would like to help with this project, please contact Sandy Kurtz.

Interfaith Hospitality Network

We just don’t know how many families will wind up homeless when it’s our turn to host. We can accommodate 14 persons and sometimes we have had that many, but this was the first time we basically had only one family for the week. The pregnant mother who stayed with us Sunday and Monday went into labor and was taken to the hospital early Tuesday morning by Nancy Anderson. I’m sure a certain little new born named Darren was very glad Nancy was there to give his Mom a ride! Our other family (Dad, Mom and 2 children) were nourished with food and fellowship by a wonderful group of hosts. In spite of the fact that this was one of our easiest “hostings,” I would still like to thank each and every host for sharing time and self. From the remarks that were made, I know this family was deeply appreciative of the help they received. Also, a big thank you to the four new families who volunteered and took a chance on doing something new.

Angel Nuus

Angels continue to fly in and leave us presents. You’ll notice the new dishwasher, thanks to angels George & Linda Helton and those angelic plumbers, Paul Adler & Kent Slawson.

Now that angel Walt Jenison has nearly completed the new sound booth, we’ll need a sound technician very soon. Rich Dwyer has been doing this for some time, but cannot be in three places at once, even though he is angelic.

Another need of ours is a Kitchen Kahuna. A major responsibility of the Kitchen Kahuna is to monitor the contents of the cupboards and refrigerator and discard leftovers and food that is out–of–date. The Kitchen Kahuna should also know how to operate the coffee makers, stoves, microwaves and the new dishwasher.

On February 19th, please join us for a Mulch & Pizza Party! That’s not a typo. We did not intend to type munch and pizza. We really will have a mulch and pizza party at 9 am, February 19th.

Walt Jenison has done an outstanding job with the playground. What really challenged him, though was adding the mulch. What you see now represents about five truckloads of mulch—all picked up and spread by Angel Walt.

The playground needs several more loads of mulch. And so we ask you, the angels of pickup trucks to help transport mulch. And we ask you, the angels of pitchforks and rakes, to help us load and unload mulch on February 19th. Chattanooga’s best pizza and soda will be served to those attending this once–in–a–lifetime party. Time & Date: 9 am, February 19th.

Please contact the minister or the office if you feel angelic. We are sincerely grateful for all the work that all the angels, named and un–named, do for our church. Thank you so much.

40 Questions

by the Rev. Jeff Briere

In the history of the Christian church, especially the monastic orders, Lent was a contemplative time set aside for soul–searching thought about the coming of Easter and the mystery of the resurrection of Jesus. Although it seems eclipsed by Christmas, Easter has always been the central holiday for Christians, because it represents the triumph of God over death.

And so it was always appropriate to spend the days leading up to Easter Sunday in prayer and meditation. Beginning with Ash Wednesday and excluding intermediate Sundays, there are forty days which comprise Lent.

Writing an essay or a short spiritual composition for every day of Lent has been a tradition for many years. Lenten meditation manuals are published in many Christian denominations. Although not explicitly Christian, Unitarian Universalists also print meditation manuals through our publishing houses, Beacon Press and Skinner House.

Someday, I may write forty essays and publish it as a Lenten meditation manual, but for now, I have edited an illustrated pamphlet that I call, 40 Questions. It contains forty quotations and guided questions to help you focus your thoughts and your spirit during Lent. I invite you to read the booklet and register for seven discussion sessions during Lent.

We’ll meet every Friday during Lent at 6 pm for a reflection on the events of the week and a discussion of our thoughts and feelings stimulated by the quotations and questions and share the answers we found. The dates are February 11, 18 & 25 and March 4, 11, 18 & 25.

I will post a sign-up roster on my door. A special feature of the discussion will be the enjoyment of herbal teas and music composed especially for meditation. I hope you’ll join us for 40 Questions.

General Assembly

Every year, in late June, delegates from the congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association meet to discuss their common business and make plans for the future of the association. This event, which is held in various locations, is known as General Assembly, or GA. Depending on the business at hand, the delegates may elect a president, they may vote on Actions of Immediate Witness or they may vote on changes to procedures or by-laws.

The opening parade, with hundreds of congregational banners carried by representatives, is always a high-light. Other notable events are the Service of the Living Tradition and the Ware Lecture. In addition, there are many workshops and seminars covering every aspect of church life and spiritual development. A special area is always set aside for vendors, such as potters, painters, booksellers and others.

This year’s General Assembly is at the convention center in Fort Worth, Texas and the dates are June 23 through June 28. If you’d like first–hand accounts of the scene at recent General Assemblies, just ask Daidee Springer, Steve Hollingsworth, Mary Hunter, Jeff Briere or Kate Briere. Most people will tell you that you ought to attend once in your life. It really is an exciting and enriching event.

This church is entitled to send three delegates to GA, and we have two openings available at present. If you’d like to be a delegate, please contact Fred Tregaskis or the office administrator.

Religious Education Wish List

The Religious Education Department is in need of a folding door to divide the Nursery/Theater space. A vinyl door costs $800 and a wooden door (like the existing one in another downstairs section) costs $1600. Building chair Paul Adler says either type door would be okay safety-wise. A donor or donors to make this Wish become reality would be wonderful!

Exciting Events on Navajo Drive

by Fred Tregaskis

Recently the Rev. Jeff Briere looked into a crystal ball during a Sunday Service. He predicted several events that will contribute to the betterment and growth of our church.

A few days later, as I drove up the church driveway, I was pleased to see dump trucks coming and going and a bulldozer spreading gravel on our new parking lot. This project, managed by John Spehar and paid for by generous members and friends, was rapidly taking shape.

When I reached the upper parking area I noticed that a dumpster is in place and the messy trash cans are gone. Hooray! Inside the church the new dishwasher, which was don ated by George and Linda Helton, was neatly in place and declared operational thanks to the efforts of Kent Slawson and Paul Adler.

In the Livingston Hall, Walt Jenison was busy constructing a new music alcove for the sound system. After building the new playground, Walt continues to contribute his talent and time to the church. Also in the Livingston Hall new armchairs, which match the padded chairs, were in place thanks to Paul Adler.

To see all these changes in one visit was exciting! Our clairvoyant minister was right; good things are happening and these are signs of a growing, healthy church.

Be My Secret Valentine

On Sunday February 13, after the worship service, participants in this intergenerational activity will enjoy a Valentine banana split while meeting their Secret Valentine. As we have in the past, adults and children will be paired to share a little companionship. Adults and children are asked to make or purchase a Valentine card for their Secret Valentine. The purpose of this activity is to increase connections among our differing age groups and create an opportunity for feelings of specialness.