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Church
Life
monthly newsletter -
part 1
Our newsletter has been divided into two parts for quicker viewing. Part 1 will contain all church faith-related activities, including sermons, messages from the minister and religious instruction.
Part 2 will contain all other activities of church life.
The
Foreword
UPCOMING
SUNDAYS at 10:30 am
audio
sermons
March
2009
March
1 - An Unusual Teacher from Palestine Yes, I could say Jesus, but I
won't. I want all of us to think outside of the box. As with our deist ancestors
(for example, Thomas Jefferson), I am intrigued by the teachings of Jesus because
of their moral truth and unusual perspective. Can we find a very unexpected Jesus
who was nearly hidden from sight in just two generations after his death? This
man may yet speak to our age. – Rev. Tim Ashton
March
8 - Do Unitarian Universalists Have Rules? Many people confuse UU freedom
of belief with an anything-goes approach to life's issues. But if we look at the
UU greats, it would appear that UU's have been anything but slackers on moral
behavior. How does our freedom of belief lead to our moral clarity? –
Rev. Tim Ashton
March 15 - Passover, the Pagan Equinox, and the
Celebration of Spring Measuring the flow of time may be the most elemental
religious and communal activity of the conscious being. Once we are aware of ourselves,
we become aware of our brevity and number our days. Each spring we celebrate the
wonder of new life and rue the same passing of time that spells our own end. How
do we affirm life in the face of death? – Rev. Tim Ashton
March
22 - Living Our Lives for Ourselves Karen Kuhn's question for her Fantasy
Auction sermon is this: why are we doing what we are doing? Are we living our
own lives or are we still trying to make our parents or someone else happy? It's
time to take charge of our own lives and finally grow up. Perhaps that's what
becoming a UU is all about. – Rev. Tim Ashton
March
29 - The Cats of Jerusalem In Jerusalem, cats freely roam the streets.
The cats are happy and there are no rats. Here in the states, unattached cats
who don't find "Happy homes" are frequently euthanized. Dare we question
the things we take for granted? How do we know which way is the "right way"?
Is it possible to let go of the "right way" and work in the "right
now"? Raised Roman Catholic and now a Unitarian Universalist Youth Group
Advisor, let's see how my exploration of viewpoints relates to our quest and our
youth. - Michelle George
INVITATION TO MEMBERSHIP
If you are looking for a religious community in which to
seek spiritual growth...
If you are eager to consider religious questions
with others who are not always certain they have all the answers, but who are
determined to keep searching with an open mind, and acceptance of other peoples'
beliefs....
If you would like the fellowship of others for celebration and worship, discussion
and education, friendship and mutual support...
If you want children to be
helped to develop their own religious beliefs...
If you wish to preserve and
extend the traditions of personal freedom and human dignity against the dangers
they face today, you may find this church fills your spiritual and human needs.
If you wish to know more about us as you consider membership,
talk to our minister.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Minister; Reverend Tim Ashton 634-3010
Chairperson, Board of Trustees,Chris
Barry
Music Director, Marie Zak
Religious Education Director,
Anne Hibbert
Church Administrator/Newsletter Ed., Margot Shoemaker
634-3010, uuamherst @ roadrunner.com
CREATIVE
INTERCHANGE discussion
group Sunday mornings between 9:30 and 10:30
am. We meet in the Living Room by the fireplace and have an open talk on
any subject that comes up. Ros Magorian
Music
- Our UU Church of Amherst Choir weekly rehearsals
are on Thursday evenings
@ 7pm. We'll be performing a wide variety of musical styles not only in our anthems,
but continuing to introduce many selections to the congregation from the new UU
Hymnal Supplement, Singing the Journey.
Not enough time to commit to
the whole season but you still long to sing? Consider joining us for a season
or a holiday performance. We're flexible! All newcomers
are welcome to come join us and have lots of fun, so mark your calendars
and plan to be with us Thursdays, in the choir room! (upstairs in the RE wing)
EVENSONG Our Evensong gathering for
this month will be on Friday, March 13.
The topic of discussion this month is Your thoughts on traditional church practices.
Just
a reminder, we are committing to a 90 minute service, starting
promptly at 7:00pm and ending at 8:30pm. There will still then be time
afterwards for those who would like to chat over coffee and dessert! We think
it worked quite well for October's gathering.
Potluck
dinner will start at 6:00 pm in the Emerson Room and the service at 7:00
pm in the Living Room. If you can't make it for the potluck, you are still
more than welcome to come to the service and enjoy dessert afterward.
Specific items of discussion:
Do you value traditional church practices
such as prayer, meditation, Lent, sacrifice? If you do, which do you practice?
If you don't, why not?
Have you created your own traditional practices, if
so what are they?
How do these traditional practices help you in your every
day lives?
Do you find that some of these practices create some type of roadblock?
We
look forward to our time together very much. It is a special time for our family
to meet all our wonderful church family. All are welcome! Don't be afraid to join
us! Scott & Tammy Ulrich
Tentative Date
for the rest of the year (all Fridays):
* (no April meeting) *
May 8 *
Cadre of Caring wants to
know . . . about any of our members
- who are suffering physically
- who are housebound
- who are tending a seriously ill relative
-
who have lost a loved one recently
Call the church office, 634-3010, or Dabney
Smith, or email uuamherst @ roadrunner.com,
with name of person who needs our
caring.
The Campus Ministry Committee is looking for volunteers interested in working with this student ministry. We are looking for people who have daytime ability to sit at a table and talk to students about UU faith issues. If you are interested, please contact Scott Harrigan at seh @ buffalo.edu - Scott Harrigan
Check
out theAdult Lending Library in the Emerson
Room for some interesting reading. Some suggestions are:
My Subtle Shift
from Baptist Fundamentalist to Unitarian Universalist by Terry Jonathan Moore.
This is a compilation of 12 sermons that Moore preached before resigning his Baptist
church membership.
Fathering Daughters: Reflections by Men is a
collection
of essays edited by DeWitt Henry and James Alan McPherson.
For reading to children, we have Twilight Verses Moonlight Rhymes, compiled by Mary Joslin. The simple words are supplemented by delightful illustrations by Liz Pichon.
We are on the honor system, so all you need to do is sign out the books you wish to borrow. -Barb Brooks
The New U.U. (Unitarian
Universalist) is a two-session orientation
program for newcomers and any one else who might be interested. The purpose
of the program is to help new people become part of our church community, intellectually,
socially, and personally.
New
UU addresses this purpose in three ways. Participants will --
a)
Create a time line of religious turning points in their lives and share these
narratives with others in the new uu group. This is a great way to begin new friendships
and see how much we have in common in our religious journeys.
b) Explore
Unitarian Universalism by looking at the local church and the larger movement.
c) Identify and talk about important issues such as theological position,
approach to tradition, the tension between intellect and feeling, and the importance
of money, involvement and volunteering.
The program will begin on Sunday, March
8, from 7 to 9 pm in the Emerson Room
in the church building. The second session will be Sunday, March
15, also from 7 to 9.
Drop-ins are welcome. But we'd like to know
if you're planning to attend. Please call or e-mail the church office or the Minister's
study, or contact Joann Shafer to sign up for the New UU.
We offer this program
periodically so there will be other opportunities. If Sunday evenings don't work
well for you, let us know your schedule preferences. We may be able to offer this
program on a different schedule.
Tim Ashton, Minister; Joann Shafer, Membership
Committee
Religious Education
- From the Top of the Stairs
It
strikes me that it's been a while since I've given you a "tour" of our
church school classes, so here's an inside look at what's been going on in church
school while the grown-ups have been in the Sunday service:
Nursery
- Shawn and Debbie Kassirer, Linda and Eric Groat, Stefanie and Hannah Caparco
have kept our littlest ones happy and comfortable while their parents are
in the service. However, because of visitors and new registrants - a good problem
to have - the nursery can get quite crowded. I'm looking for one or two new members
of the nursery team. If interested, let me know. In the meantime, I'll call those
people who have volunteered to help out on an "as needed" basis.
Kindergarten/First
Grade - Amy and Gerry Hardick, Rosalind Sulaiman, and Kathryn Erickson
help guide this large group. They have been discussing the New Year and what
it means, learning about UU symbols by making their own clay chalices, and learning
about what's REALLY important in a lesson called "look inside your heart."
Second/Third
Grade - David Lotempio, Rick More, Vicki Knapp, and Myrth Roalsvig teach
this class. Jenny Rushlow has also joined this team as part of her Girl
Scout Gold Award project. They have been discussing the "Big Questions"
(each child wrote three that they wanted discussed), learning about the wonders
of nature by looking at shells and stones and drawing pictures of nature, and
learning about our Sixth Principle (working for a peaceful, fair and free world).
See their mural depicting this Principle in the downstairs hallway.
Fourth/Fifth
Grade teachers are Doreen Park, Betsy Weissman, and Lori Whitecar. This
class has been learning about famous UUs, as diverse as Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor
of the internet, and Peter Cooper, the inventor of Jello. And speaking of inventors,
the kids got creative in one lesson and designed their own inventions. How about
fake eyeballs to wear so it looks like you're awake when you're really not?
Sixth
Grade - Paul and Michele Beiter have spent the past few Sundays with
their small but active class planning a "fun fair" for the Kindergarten/First
Grade class, which they put on this past Sunday. Everyone had a great time. How
wonderful to see the different grade levels mixing! Watch for pictures on our
website.
Seventh/Eighth
Grade - Scott Harrigan and David Kofke. Interesting discussions
in this class, including one comparing the principles of various religions.
Coming
of Age - Scott Harrigan and Hella Jacob. Busy planning their
trip to Boston, studying Thoreau's Walden, developing their individual
credos, and learning UU history. Not to mention movie nights, book discussion
group and other activities.
Youth Group - The advisors are Michelle
George, Diane Bofinger, Amanda Free, Susan McClary and Holly Baxter.
The youth and their advisers have been involved in various projects, including
attending "cons," and social service projects (for instance planning
the River Walk clean-up). Their class discussions have included the role of plastics
in our environment (which the kids researched) and watching the movie "Who
Killled the Electric Car" and discussing it.
By the way, if you happen to see any of the above-mentioned adults, please stop and thank them for teaching church school.
Don't Forget: Pampered Chef Party Sunday March 1, right after the service. Do some shopping and help the Coming of Age group at the same time. 30 % of the profits go to Coming of age.
In the faith, Anne Hibbert, DRE
For a look at our Youth & Family activities,
please see our RE Calendar.
2nd
Sunday Interest Groups
Once a month beginning in October will be
our "2nd Sundays," our regular teachers enjoy a day off and our younger
children participate in Children's Chapel. We also have an alternative - the UU
Kids Book Club (info at Youth Education).
We
would love to offer another activity, especially for the older elementary age
range. If you are willing to share your hobby or special interest with a group
of children, please contact Anne or me. Some possible ideas are: Music Jamming
Session, music discussion/appreciation, crafting (crochet, knitting, painting,
scrapbooking), cooking/baking (including preparing something for Coffee Hour),
contemporary worship, chess, yoga, dance, etc. This is a great way for congregation
members to get involved in R.E.! Potentially there are six "2nd Sundays"
(Feb 8, Mar 8, May 10). You could offer to do something all year or fewer. –
Hella Jacob, R.E. committee
Coming of Age
Program Update The Coming of Age group is coming right along!
After our First Retreat to the Ontario shore, we have had two book club
meetings where we read about young people having to make important decisions.
The first book was One Good Punch, where a boy has to decide whether to
let his friend take the rap for something or accept responsibility and ruin his
running career, and Speak, about a girl who stops talking after being raped
and has to decide whether to keep her secret or let her attacker hurt others.
Our first movie night was a success with "School Ties" (1992), a story
of a working class Jewish football player who passes as Christian to attend a
boy's prep school and get into Harvard. We have also had two regular meetings
where we are learning about church history (we made it through the Middle Ages
and the disbanding of the Knights Templar!) and beginning to read important works
of early Unitarians, like Thoreau's Walden.
Thank
you for your donations to and continued patronage of the LOFT
SHOP! We do appreciate it.– Coming of Age class of 2009
Loft
Shop sales raise money for the Coming of Age group trip to Boston.We will be open
every Sunday after service for the next few months.
It takes a village to raise a child and you are the village to these youths; please help in ways that you can. Please contact the CoA Leaders: Scott Harrigan, Tammy Ulrich, or Hella Jacob, for how you can help. Thanks!
New
Year's Wish List
I wish burglars didn't exist
I wish smoking didn't
exist
I wish everyone was healthy
I wish good things upon people
I wish
everyone had homes
I wish all animals were loved
I wish people cared more
about earth
I wish people didn't litter
I wish everybody
didn't say bad words
I wish everyone would not be mean
I wish everybody
didn't judge people
I wish we aren't at war
I wish there isn't a drout [drought]
I
wish there is no crime
I wish our economy was better
I wish everybody a
happy life
I wish everybody had the opportunity to learn
– Written by Bridget Tague, December 2008,
(Vic and Ellen Doyno's
2nd grade granddaughter)
ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
PROGRAMS 
1)
World Religions will not meet Tuesday 3/3
or 3/17, as had been scheduled. The final meeting is Sunday, March 22 at 12:15pm
to discuss the last chapter, "Final Examination," (Chapter 10) of the
book World Religions by Huston Smith, 1991. Bring your lunch.
2)
Register now for Building Your Own Theology curriculum.
The first session will be held on Wednesday evening, March 4, at 7 pm (room to
be announced). Subsequent sessions will be on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the
month with perhaps a few Sunday evenings to complete the curriculum by the end
of the church year.
This 10-session curriculum is designed to help us explore
our individual theologies within the broad theology of Unitarian Universalism.
It uses a question/answer/discussion format to help us develop our own credos.
If you have not already done so, contact Diane Bofinger
3) Adult Religious Education Committee - Members are needed for an adult religious education committee. This committee will explore curriculum possibilities and help facilitate new curricula. Please contact me if you are interested. You won't be alone, two have already agreed to help out. Diane Bofinger
SPIRITUAL
CINEMA CIRCLE Come join us for a night
of movies. We would love to have you come and enjoy company, conversation and
some movies! Families with children are always welcome.
Details
for our gathering:
When: Friday, March 27
Time: We
will start the movie promptly at 7:15pm
Where: Ulrich house, Williamsville
What to Bring: your own beverages
and any other snacks besides popcorn that you would like to munch on (we provide
the popcorn!)
Cost: $3/adult. Children are FREE!
RSVP:
Scott or Tammy Ulrich
Films this month:
Common Practice
A simple and timeless gift, this film reminds us to listen for the beauty of everyday
life and the joy of everyday love. (11 minutes, no dialog. Written and directed
by Marcos Efron).
Flatland Starring Martin Sheen, Kristin Bell and
Michael York, this animated short film is based on the 1884 novella "Flatland:
A Romance of Many Dimensions" by Edwin A. Abbott. (36 minutes in English.
Written by Seth Caplan, Dano Johnson and Jeffrey Travis. Directed by Dano Johnson
and Jeffrey Travis).
Jack and Jill vs the World This magical feature
film is a beautiful story of love and awakening starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and
Taryn Manning.(89 minutes in English. Written by Vanessa Parise and Peter Stebbings,
directed by Vanesa Parise).
Tentative Dates for
the rest of the year (all Fridays):
* April 24 * May 29
If
you would like to learn more about the specifics of the circle, go to spiritualcinemacircle.com
Food
Donations - Thanks to everyone who has contributed food for the food pantry.
The food is distributed at the pantry at University Presbyterian Church to hungry
families from northeast Buffalo, Amherst and Tonawanda. With the declining economy,
the number of families being served is increasing and the food selection is diminishing.
More food donations would be welcome. Please bring non-perishable foods and leave
them in the large wicker basket next to the welcome desk in the entrance area.
Especially needed are:
+ Canned soups, fruits and vegetables.
+ Packages
of dried foods such as pasta, cereal, etc.
We can also use packaged flour,
sugar, coffee, cookies or cake mixes and the like, or toilet items (soap, toothpaste,
tooth brushes, etc.). The food pantry cannot distribute foods in opened packages,
homemade foods like jelly or canned fruit, or foods that have exceeded their expiration
date. - Jack Howell
Rev.
Tim's Bits . . . March 2009
Visiting
I
offer you a notable guest columnist for a little change of pace:
Dear Miss
Church Manners,
I am a member of a very friendly Unitarian Universalist
Church. We are the kind of congregation where we resolutely wear our name tags
because we know it makes sociability so much easier. We remember when we first
arrived and got the names all mixed up between Sundays. Those name tags helped
us remember names and feel free to go up to people we met last Sunday and renew
the acquaintance because we could avoid the embarrassment of admitting we forgot
their names.
But here's my problem, I know I should "do unto others as others have kindly done unto me." The Welcome Committee hitched me up with several great people who became good friends. And others came over to talk to me when I was new. Nonetheless, I hate to go up to newcomers and start conversations. Sometimes that one new couple can take up my entire post-church coffee hour visiting time. I ended up missing all of my friends. What do I do?
Gentle Reader, No one is ever expected to spend an entire social occasion with one set of people, nor should they. After all, what is the point of a social gathering but to visit widely. Otherwise, one would stay at home and invite a few particular friends for a long and well planned visit.
After a few minutes of conversation, especially if your new acquaintances are comparative new-comers to the group, and after you have gained a few facts about them from your interaction, look about the room nearby and pick out someone you know. Then just change the subject and announce,
"I shouldn't keep you all to myself. There are so many interesting people in this church that I know you will want to meet. Let me take you over to Alice and Bill Smith over there. I know they will want to meet you. Do come along with me."
And when you get to Alice and Bill, let them finish their sentences, and move in determinedly with a big smile. And say something like, "Alice and Bill, I want you to meet Phyllis and John. They are new to Buffalo. They just moved here from Minneapolis. They were very active in their UU Church there. I'd also like you to meet __________(whoever is with Alice and Bill) "
And then look at Phyllis and John and say, "I've had such a wonderful time talking to you. I hope you come back to our church next Sunday, I look forward to talking to you again then." And go on your way.
And don't feel as though you have burdened Alice and Bill with your social requirement, after a few minutes, they should do just as you did.
This is the simple but effective art of social visiting which, of course, accomplishes the purpose of any large social event, to visit with many people and provide an opportunity for newcomers find their way into the group.
It is, naturally, important
for everyone to be fully aware of the purpose of these sorts of meet-and-greet
social settings. When someone new is brought up to whatever group you are in,
quickly give up your conversation, open a space in your group, and pay immediate
attention to the newcomers. And never worry, the interruption only need to be
a few minutes before you do the newcomers the favor of passing them on to others
whom they will want to meet. -Rev. Tim
** Interested in reading
Rev. Tim's sermons? Volunteers are transcribing Tim's sermons from cassette to
a print version which you may read at our website or request a paper copy to read
if you do not use the internet. Call the church office, 634-3010.
P.S.
You may also listen to the sermons by clicking
the link at the top of this page.
Things You May Not Know About the Network
of Religious Communities - Mission statement: The Network facilitates interreligious,
ecumenical
and interracial cooperation among congregations and religious organizations in
WNY. Because our humanity is deeper than our divisions, we promote dialogue, facilitate
the sharing of spiritual resources and work together for justice, peace and the
common good.
Did you know . . . ?
1. The NRC operates a
food pantry staffed by volunteers from area congregations. The pantry is open
Monday - Friday each week from 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM and provides 3 days of nutritious
food to over 14,000 persons a year.
2. The NRC is responsible for promoting and resourcing the Food Stamp program in Erie County. We provide current food stamp information to all agencies and organizations in Erie County, promote food stamps through various broadcast and publishing media and maintain a hot line to assist persons who desire to apply for Food Stamps.
3 The NRC undertook the challenge of working with UB to organize and hold an Interfaith Service wiith His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
4 The NRC shares its facilities at 1272 Delaware Avenue with several organizations. They include the League of Women Voters, Indigenous Women's Initiatives, Immigrant Legal Services, Interfaith Peace Network, Outside the Box, etc.
Liberal Religious Hour - Podcast
For music and interviews on topics of interest to religious liberals, including
peace, justice, interfaith communications, fair trade and labor practices, environmental
concerns, etc., go to UURadio.org
Church
of the Larger Fellowship (CLF)
CLF brings Unitarian Universalism
to religious liberals throughout the world. Looking to explore your own spirituality?
The Church of the Larger Fellowship offers online classes and email discussions.
Go to clf.uua.org (Click on Resources), or call
617-948-6166.
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