UU LANSING NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2018

5509 S. Pennsylvania, Lansing, MI 48911 Administrative Office Hours: (517) 351-4081 Monday – Friday office@uulansing.org 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. www.uulansing.org Other times by appointment

Rev. John Newcomb Marsh, Interim Minister

…cordially invites the congregation to begin the month of November by welcoming back to UU Lansing a previous minister of this church, the Rev. Denise Tracy. Saturday Evening Potluck Reception Please join Rev. John Marsh and his support team in a welcome-back potluck reception for Rev. Denise Tracy (UU Lansing minister from 1976 – 1984). She will bring fond memories to many and new insight into our history. It will be great fun to review her time with our church and to participate in a sing-along with her. This event will occur on:

Saturday, November 3 in the Social Hall 5:30 p.m. gathering time 6:00 p.m. potluck dinner (chili, accoutrements, and wine provided by the church) Please bring a dish to pass to accompany this. 7:00 p.m. sing-along led by Barbara Stoddard

Sunday Morning Worship All are invited back at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, November 4, for a service entitled “Beloved Community” with Rev. Denise Tracy and music by Rev. Tracy and the Women’s Chorus. Onward,

Interim Minister Rev. John Marsh / jmarsh@uulansing.org / (517) 351-4081 ext. 103

AFTER WORSHIP ON NOVEMBER 4… Members of our church’s Stone Soup group host our monthly Sharing Sunday table (when anyone is invited to leave or take items that someone else may be able to use), popcorn sales to raise funds for our blessing box, and, at noon, a Pour Painting Party in the Social Hall for those who have registered. All are welcome to stay awhile after the service and find out what Stone Soup is all about!

theresa rohlck, ministerial intern Dear friends, A year ago, I wrote my second newsletter blurb; it ended with this paragraph: Seasonal transitions prompt reflection about change. I invite you as individuals, and as a congregation, to join me in reflection. What parts of you do you need to let go? Where do you want to grow? And where are your comfortable places right now? A year later, I’d like to add to those questions, even though I still reflect upon those questions daily. But given the direction of this country’s leadership, given the work I have ahead of me in dismantling white supremacy culture, given the news that the government is planning to erase the identity and remove civil rights protection of the law for at least one and a half million transgender Americans, I have to ask myself: Where is my discomfort right now? And what I doing about it? If you are willing to take on those last two questions for yourself, I welcome your company. May we find strength in this community and continue to be a place of sanctuary for ALL. In peace,

theresa rohlck, Ministerial Intern / trohlck@uulansing.org / (517) 351-4081 ext. 109

“400 Years of Living Unitarian History” mural at the Unitarian Church of Santa Monica

The Search for Our Next Settled Minister Thank you to everyone who participated in focus groups and took the congregational survey. You answered the call, and we exceeded our goal! You can hear about the results at an information session after the service on Sunday, December 2. We’ll celebrate this milestone with refreshments, share what we learned, give an overview of the search process timeline, and answer any questions you might have. And please mark your calendar for Saturday, January 12, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., when we will host Beyond Categorical Thinking, an anti-oppression workshop. All congregants are encouraged to participate in this UUA-facilitated program, which will include a Saturday workshop and Sunday service, to help us learn more about supporting full equality and opening our hearts to all possible ministerial candidates. Yours in the search,

Daniel DeVaney, Elizabeth Fedorchuk, Annemarie Hodges, Kathy Lovell, Andrew Quinn, Susan Rothfuss, and Barbara Stoddard

(You can reach us any time at uulansingmsc@gmail.com).

SUNDAY CELEBRATIONS AND EVENTS

We worship at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday.

Discussion groups meet at 9:15 a.m. in the Parlor (Let’s Grow) and Chapin Room (Forum) most Sundays.

Our cry room and staffed nursery are available every Sunday unless noted.

Children are invited to attend Religious Education classes after the Story for All Ages on most Sundays.

Our churchwide theme for the month of November is memory.

November 4: “Beloved Community” with rev. Denise Tracy and music by the Women’s Chorus Sharing Sunday is the first Sunday of the month, when we leave and/or take objects, produce, or shelf-

stable foods that may be useful to a new owner. All are invited to leave and take items. Popcorn sales by stone soup fund a blessing box to provide personal items to those in need. Pretty Good Book Group meets at noon in the chapin room to discuss blood in the water by heather ann

thompson. All are welcome to bring a sack lunch and attend any monthly book discussion. Pour painting party begins at noon for those who registered. Contact LMRay1012@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 11: “remembered | remembering | remember” with theresa rohlck and the chalice choir Through music, poetry, and meditations on this month’s theme of memory, we will explore ways we

remember our past and why that matters to our present and future. Our Second-Sunday Plate Collection Is accepted for Educando Vidas, a program for getting children into

school in an area near Antigua, Guatemala. Every $100 raised keeps a child in elementary school for a year, providing school supplies, shoes, uniform, backpack, and nutritional snacks. $150-$300/year serves a child in an upper grade. The funds are held by the Lansing Church of the Brethren and are transmitted to our local contact in Antigua, Vilma Garcia Garcia, who purchases supplies, provides food money to the school, and arranges with parents to send their children to school. With no paid staff, all funds except for transmittal fees go directly to the needs of the children. The program has grown to support over 40 children, many in the village of Chimaltenango. One of the students who received support from the program is now a teacher who has helped his younger brother stay in school. Give generously to show the UU commitment to keep these children in school, and come to enjoy Mid-Michigan Immigration Coalition’s annual fundraiser, Fiesta Pequeña, on Sunday, November 18, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. at UU Lansing. Vilma will be here from Guatemala to report on children in the program, and we will have musical entertainment by Cuban-born Michael Eyia of Ritmo. There will be craft shopping, marimba music by Kathy Lovell, food, and good fellowship. If you give via the plate on Sunday morning, no further contribution at the Fiesta is expected; just come and enjoy. Please write all checks to UU Lansing, and write “Educando Vidas” in the memo line to contribute to this program. All undesignated checks and cash collected in the offering baskets on Sunday, November 11 will be donated to Educando Vidas. NOVEMBER 18: BREAD AND CIDER COMMUNION FOR ALL AGES WITH TERESA PUTNAM, DLFD, AND THE CHALICE CHOIR Bring a bread that has been part of your family’s life to share with the congregation. You’ll have an opportunity to say a few words about it, and after the service, we will sample the breads and seasonal cider. Soup Luncheon is offered by the high school youth after worship. All are invited to stay for a lunch of soup accompanied by our shared bread. Donations are accepted, which will benefit an outside cause. NOVEMBER 25: “Your Morning Cup of Joy” With Barbara Stoddard, Barb Wilber, Mary Turner, & The Folk Band

Thanksgiving often brings a sense of gratitude and family memories – but not always good ones. Join us to explore how to create joyful memories even in troubling times. Warning: Tutus may be worn.

Music Notes

What a fantastic time to be involved in music at UU Lansing! Whether you play an instrument, sing with one of the groups, sing in the congregation, or just sit back and listen (or some combination of the above), the excitement this year is palpable. So far this season, we’ve had each of the groups play in service at least once, held the annual Variety Show, had pre-service hymn sings twice, and re-introduced the Hymn of the Month. Coming up in November, we’ll hear from the Women’s Chorus, Chalice Choir and Folk Band, have an evening Hymn Sing and Potluck, and start ramping up for the holidays. Our liturgical theme for November is memory, and we’ve chosen several pieces to reflect that. The Women’s Chorus will sing “Dancing in Memory’s Stream” by Bob Chilcott and “Wanting Memories” by Ysaye Barnwell; the Chalice Choir will reference the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I with a setting of “In Flanders Fields” by Paul Aiken and investigate the subject of aging with “When Memory Fades” by Janet Cool. Of course, we’ll have our annual Bread Communion service just before Thanksgiving, and the Folk Band finishes the month out with a nostalgic look at homecoming during the holiday weekend. And don’t miss the Potluck and Hymn Sing on Wednesday, November 7 (details below). HYMN OF THE MONTH Our Hymn of the Month for November is “We Sing Now Together,” #67 in Singing the Living Tradition. Many of us know this familiar Thanksgiving tune with the more traditional words “We Gather Together,” but this updated version focuses more on heritage and where we’ve come from to bring us together here in this community. It will be introduced during the Gathering Music on Sunday, November 4 by Kate Huizinga, our Women’s Chorus director, who will be leading music that day. HYMN SING AND POTLUCK This is a chance to sing old favorites and learn some new ones. On Wednesday, November 7, bring some food to share at 6:00 p.m. in the Social Hall, and then we’ll come together in the music corner of the Sanctuary to sing. We’ve had a lot of fun with these in the past, so we hope you’ll join us. WORSHIP MUSICAL GROUPS Each of our musical groups performs during selected worship services throughout the year. The choirs have regular weekly rehearsals, Folk is moving to a bi-weekly schedule, and Jazz Combo schedules rehearsal dates and locations to suit the members of the group. Contact me if you are interested in any of these groups.

The Chalice Choir has rehearsals at 7pm on Thursday nights in the Sanctuary. We are part of the service twice each month from September through May.

The Women’s Chorus rehearses Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary with our new conductor Kate Huizinga. The Women’s Chorus sings in service four to six times each year.

The Jazz Combo plays various styles of jazz in worship as well as occasional outside gigs, and has a variable rehearsal schedule.

The Folk Band plays traditional and contemporary folk music. Rehearsals/jam sessions this year will be the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7pm in the Sanctuary. JAM SESSIONS Randy Scott organizes monthly jam sessions for the purpose of music-making in fellowship. All are welcome to join these friendly get-togethers on the third Tuesday of each month. For more information, including location, contact Randy Scott or myself.

L.H. Brown, Director of Music / lbrown@uulansing.org / (517) 351-4081 ext. 105

Religious Education for Children and Youth

This month, children in our kindergarten – 6th grade classes are exploring the question, “How are we a people of memory?” How and what do we remember? We will look at the Sankofa symbol, which means “go back and get it” to many West African peoples. To some African Americans, Sankofa is used to symbolize the importance of going back and telling the missing stories of African-American people so we can move into a better future. To be a people of memory is to find the stories that haven’t been told and to tell them and understand them. In this session, we focus on how our movement is now retelling our UU history to include stories that we left out, especially those stories about our African-American Unitarian and Universalist heroes. The children will also explore “Remembering What Really Matters.” We will look beyond our consumerist culture’s love of money and stuff and work to remember what really matters, especially during the holidays when the messages all around us are about Holiday buying. Think Black Friday—will buying all this stuff make us happy? On Sunday, November 18, we celebrate that we are a people of memory with our annual Bread and Cider Communion worship service. This is an opportunity for everyone in the congregation to remember their family heritage. Think about your roots. What bread is served at everyday meals, or on special occasions, in your family? Bring a bread that has been part of your family’s life to share with the congregation. You’ll have an opportunity to say a few words about it, and then after the service, we will sample the breads with seasonal cider.

After the Bread and Cider Communion, stay for lunch! The High School youth are preparing their annual Soup Luncheon. There are usually three delicious soups that are served along with bread, some of which will most likely be provided by you! Donations will be accepted, with the proceeds going to a worthy cause chosen by the youth.

Children and youth are invited to join us on Sunday, November 25, after Thanksgiving, for our annual Holiday Card Making workshop. Kids of all ages will make fancy cards to share with our friends at Burcham Hills or to take home to share with others.

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, consider celebrating “Buy Nothing Day” or “OptOutside Day.” With family and friends, go for a walk, play games, buy nothing, or at least remember where your values are and spend money on that. What if we could spend money on our values? What do we value? Peace, happiness, love, friendship, family! Sending you peace as we begin the winter holidays! Teresa Putnam, Director of Lifespan Faith Development / tputnam@uulansing.org / (517) 351-4081 ext. 104

Making Memories at UU Lansing

You are invited to join us after worship in the Social Hall to greet friends and meet new people over a cup of coffee or tea and a delicious bite to eat. Stop by the Atrium to find out about what’s happening now. MONTHLY BAKING TEAM Are you interested in helping to bake made-from-scratch treats for our Sunday coffee hours? All are welcome to join us at the next monthly Baking Team meeting on Monday, November 5, 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Kitchen. For details, contact Beth Scanlon at bscanlon@uulansing.org or (517) 351-4081 ext. 106.

NEWCOMERS CLASS Are you new to UU Church of Greater Lansing? Join us for a brand-new course designed for folks who are curious about Unitarian Universalism and want to embark on a journey to get to know our community. Starting Monday, November 19 and running four consecutive Mondays from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the Marion Vaughn Parlor, newcomers will meet with Acting Membership Coordinator Beth Scanlon and various lay and ministerial leaders to learn more about Unitarian Universalism’s distinctive approach toward religion and church community, UU history, and our specific church’s history. We will discuss how listening, sharing, and spiritual reflection form deeper connections with ourselves, others, and ultimately the many vital groups that make UU Lansing what it is. Please email or call Beth to sign up: bscanlon@uulansing.org or (517) 351-4081 ext. 106. HANDCRAFTED HOLIDAY SALE All are invited to our 3rd annual HandCrafted Holiday Sale of arts, crafts, and cookies! Vendors and shoppers will enjoy live music during the sale, including a performance by The Dangling Participles from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. If you are interested in being a vendor at the sale or have any other questions, please email uulansingcrafts@gmail.com or contact Evy Jackson. SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP: A TRANSCENDENTALIST DISCIPLINE Join us on Sunday, February 3 for a potluck dinner in the Social Hall at 5:00 p.m., followed by the program at 6:00. The Rev. Dr. John Buehrens is well-known as a past president of the UUA (1993-2001), an author, and an activist. He was national co-chair of Freedom to Marry. He has recently completed a new book, Transcendentalist Disciples: Spiritual Friendships among Boston Activists for Anti-Slavery, Women’s Rights, and Social Reform, to be published in September 2019. He will give us a preview -- with examples of how our forebears in faith practiced spiritual friendships that transcended differences in gender, social location, theology, and race -- suggesting that it’s a practice we need more of in our own day.