the nUUsletter

Fellowship Dinner

Members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga are cordially invited to attend a Fellowship Dinner on March 17, 2006 at the church.

Families with children are especially encouraged to attend. Cuisine will be appropriate for both adults and children, with vegetarian selections. A supervised play room will be available for restless children.

VERY IMPORTANT! Please RSVP to the office before March 11th. Call 624-2985 or e-mail the office. Let us know how many adults and how many children in your party and what special dietary needs you have.

Conviviality, jocularity and hors d’oeuvres commencing at 6:30 pm.
Familiarity, gaiety and dinner commencing at 7:00 pm.

Congeniality, amiability and hospitality throughout the night.
All–natural, organic festivity likely at any time.

Home–grown, hormone–free entertainment commencing whenever the performers get their act together.

Special appearance by the world–famous chattanUUgans and the ghost of Bob Hope.

A good time will be had by all.

CHIONS Meeting

CHIONS will meet March 11 from 10:30-12:00. Maria St. Goar will present an introduction and overview of anthroposophy, a study of the wisdom of human beings based on the works of Rudoph Steiner.

The Monique Lewis Bird Sanctuary

by: Daidee Springer

The deed is now in our name and the land which will become the Monique Lewis Bird Sanctuary officially belongs to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga. Two plus acres of land on the west side of our property will be developed as a wildlife and bird sanctuary. Wow! And how wonderfully appropriate that the donor chose to honor Monique Lewis. Monique has been a vital force in the life of the church for twenty-five years. She’s been the Director of Religious Education, Chair of the Religious Education Committee and now serves on the Board of Trustees as Vice President of Religious Education. But that’s only part of it. She’s also been Membership Chair, Canvass Chair, Interfaith Hospitality Network Coordinator, and Fellowship Coordinator. In addition, she served the Board of Trustees as a Member at Large, on the Personnel Committee, and on the Search Committee that recommended calling Jeff Briere. On top of all this, she’s positive, extremely organized, remarkably compassionate, and president of her garden club.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Go put your creed into your deed.” The Friend of the Church who so magnanimously bought the land and then deeded it over to us did just that. Thank you, friend. We look forward to walking the trails of the Monique Lewis Bird Sanctuary.

Interfaith Hospitality Network: Are You Ready?

It's almost time for us to host guests from the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)! We'll help out a few families from April 23rd through April 30th. Our new co-coordinators, Marge Pasch and Harold Linn, will be counting on you to volunteer. Are you new to this experience? You may wish to prepare dinner one night or be an evening host from 4:45 to 8:30 pm.. Look for the IHN "sign-up" board that will be in the fellowship area starting March 26th. Descriptions of each job will also be on the table or you may call Monique Lewis if you need more information.

Sharing your time with IHN guests helps them to help themselves!

Memorial Service

A memorial service for Shirley Nelson will be held on Saturday, March 4 at 1:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist of Chattanooga,
3224 Navajo Drive.

We will share memories of Shirley and celebrate her 80th birthday.

Green Sanctuary Initiative

by: Sandy Kurtz

Privet Patrol is here again! On March 11, the Green Sanctuary Initiative is sponsoring its seasonal privet hedge (and other non-desirable plants) removal. About 9:00, we gather with gardening tools, gloves, and such, and a pick-up truck if you have one. We will put in a morning’s work. Families are welcome. It is a fun and friendly affair. A light lunch will be served for those still with us at noon. Hope to see you there!

The Rachel Carson Dinner Date has been changed from April 29. Stay tuned for the new date! The dinner will feature vegetarian food (catered), entertainment, and an inspiring speaker. The greater community will be invited. An official planning committee is forming and will meet soon. Contact Linda Helton to help.

♪ If you are writing a “green” song, finish up and turn it in
without delay.

Meditation Trail Planning Committee plans to take a walk. A walk is planned soon for those who would like to help plan our Meditation Trail. Buck O’Rear will set a date convenient for those interested. If you wish to participate, contact him soon.

Walking in the Woods: With such mild temperatures this winter, it looks like we will have an early spring. It’s about time to begin frequent walks in the woods. Before new leaves emerge on trees, sunlight reaches the forest floor enticing our spring wildflowers to bloom. The first one you may spot is the Cut-leaved Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata). Less than 1 foot tall, the white flowers have four small petals. Leaves have three narrow lobes and are sharply toothed. This plant is part of the Mustard family and sometimes called Pepper Root since its rootstock is peppery tasting (though tasting is not recommended). Audubon Acres or the greenway between Camp Jordan and I-75 are good places for Toothworts.

Eco-tip: Check your tires for proper inflation. Did you know if everyone in the United States checked their tires to make sure they are adequately inflated, gasoline use nationwide would come down by 2 percent? (from www.stopglobalwarming.org)

Grateful Gobbler Thanks

Our church received a letter from Mary Ellen Galloway, Executive Director of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) of Greater Chattanooga thanking us for our generous donation to the Grateful Gobbler Walk. Our support makes it possible for the IHN to assist homeless families with children become stable, employed, and housed.

The Board Did It!

by Linda Helton

At their February 8th meeting, the Board

• Voted to increase the Minister’s housing allowance and decrease his salary by the corresponding amount. The total
  compensation package remains the same.
  
• Discussed requiring a church sexton to be present for all outside groups using the church, even those previously grandfathered in before the sexton requirement became policy.
  
• Stayed the course as Rich Dwyer, President Pro-Temp, ably manned the helm while President Daidee Springer was on vacation.

Strides of March

Dust off your walking shoes and join a walk to make a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS on Sunday March 26 at 2:00 pm. The Strides of March AIDS Walk offers an opportunity for our church community and the rest of the Chattanooga community to come together in a celebration of hope and remembrance of friends and family who are affected by HIV and AIDS. People of all ages walk to show they care about the community and to help raise needed funds for Chattanooga CARES AIDS Resource Center. You can walk as an individual or with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga team. For more information, visit www.chattanoogacares.org

Chattanooga CARES has a 23 county service area. Their services include case management, education, primary health care, HIV testing and much more.

Just a few statistics to ponder:

• Approximately 40 million people around the world are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS. 37 million are adults and 2.5 million are children under the age of 15.
  
• In the United States, 40,000 people contract HIV each year, with half of all new infections occurring in young people under the age of 25. That is more than 100 people per day.
  
• Nearly fifty percent of those new infections in the United States are among people of color.
  
• In Tennessee, there are 6,482 individuals who are living with HIV, not AIDS.
  
• In Tennessee, there are 5,753 people living with AIDS.

Angel nUUs

Although he attends an Episcopal church now, Ron Wigley attended this church some years ago. He remembers the people fondly and still supports liberal religion in this area. Ron gained his golden wings recently for crafting the bull nosed strips of wood on the front of the right side risers. Ray Solomon, an old-timey angel who earned his gold wings long ago, finished the strips with varnish.

Many angels were seen flying around as the refurbishing of the Emerson Room has progressed. Nancy Anderson and Richard Ralston painted the walls. Ron Pasch and Paul Adler installed the new lights. Buck O’Rear and Paul Adler picked up new chairs from Church Chair Industries in Rome, Georgia. Maddie Kertay and her sons assisted in relocating some of the furniture throughout the renovations. Lee Adler selected new blinds. Helen Solomon, Peggy Cottom, and Harold Linn removed all the books not being used by the libarary. Ann Heacker provided her expertise in color coordinating the room. This team effort has earned each of these angels new wings.

Thank you, angels!

Art on the Walls

Roslynne Steinberg, our artist for March and April, is another remarkable "late bloomer." A New Yorker, she discovered her talent for art only after moving to Chattanooga for her retirement years. She began painting in 1997 by joining an art class and sold a painting three years later. She now paints professionally, is an AVA member, and exhibits frequently.

I hope you enjoy the bold, bright, cityscapes and will recognize our city among them.

Wednesday Nights Out

Wonderful Wednesday’s with friends continue! Each Wednesday, church members and friends meet at a different restaurant for dinner at 6:30 with every one going Dutch. Call Leslie Walters for more information, or check the Community Calendar.

Young Religious Unitarians Conference

June 24TH- July 1ST
A week of revelation, relaxation, and refreshment with nourishment for the mind, spirit, and body. More information can be found on the web at www.starisland.org

Glue Sticks, Glitter, and Googley-Eyes

by Maddie Kertay

If you were lucky enough to have joined us in Religious Education in January, you know that we spent the month exploring the concept of social justice in keeping with the theme upstairs. February found us starting a multi-part series on Unitarian Universalist pride and how we can express it. I consider it very important for the children to know the historical roots of our religion that we explored at the first of the school year. Now, a deeper feeling of pride and an understanding of who we are in the present gives them the strength to answer questions about the church they attend. To that end each week we will focus on the tenets of our faith in simple but powerful ways that the children can understand. After all, we all know that it's cool to be UU!

Above all we are having one heck of a good time down in Religious Education. February 12th found us sampling some yummy heart shaped cookies and making some beautiful Valentines to go along with the sermon on love. We don't consider it a well rounded Sunday-School session unless we have pulled out the glitter and the glue sticks! I have found that the liberal use of quality craft supplies helps the kids take the lessons to heart in a way that other forms of education can miss. This lesson was driven home to me a few days ago when I ran into one of the Religious Education children at the store. There I was thumping melons and grousing about the price of organic spinach when I hear my name being bellowed and see a small child running towards me. With a screech he stopped just short of knocking me into the potato bin, and with breathless excitement he waved his arm in the air to show me the button bracelet he was still sporting two weeks after making it at church. He told me that he still remembers the story we had read about Oliver Buttons and how the button bracelet he made was to remind him to be careful and thoughtful with his words. Animated reactions such as his and hearing a gaggle of busy little kids extol the benefits of coming to our church above the option of hanging out at home for a pajama clad Sunday morning—I don't think you can get much better than that!

Now for a request. To be the best possible Religious Education Program we can be, it takes not only quality lessons and motivated teachers but the supplies to back up those lessons. Glue sticks do not grow on trees! Neither do snacks, construction paper, googley-eyes, felt or the myriad of other craft supplies we use. These things take money. Please remember this when it comes time to fill our your pledge towards the Stewardship Campaign for the Support and Ministry of the Church. The part of your pledge that funds Religious Education is directly nourishing the future generation of active and involved Unitarian Universalists. What could be more important that?