by Kitty Merrill | Nov 1, 2016 | Justice Actions
How Do We Develop Our Faith and Beliefs?
James Fowler’s Developmental Stages of Faith provides us with a framework of the stages of faith development over our life span. It is interesting to read for anyone curious about spiritual growth.
Fowler states in the first stage of this development the child learns from their family and community what their faith is, what they believe in. At this stage they need to know that they are accepted and cared about and loved. What they learn is being “caught” from what’s around them. It’s what the people they trust and care about are doing so they do it too.
One way our church teaches our children and youth is each Sunday when they attend the beginning of our Worship Service. They get to know our religion learning about it by doing. All children and youth attend the first fifteen minutes of the Sunday morning services and also attend three to six intergenerational services in the course of the year.
When they attend services, young people learn our religious tradition through participating and doing: they sing and hear liberal religious music, they learn how to be in community with adults. They learn that sitting quietly is a form of spiritual practice. This is a way we use to intentionally deepen our children’s feeling of being a part of a community. Because we believe this is important for their growth and we want to prepare them to become Unitarian Universalist adults should they choose to become Unitarian Universalists when they are old enough to make their own decisions.
Joyce Faber, Acting DRE
by Kitty Merrill | Nov 1, 2016 | Justice Actions
During this time of transition in having Rev Dana as our settled minister, the committee has been meeting, and especially recently, revising and streamlining the instructions for Welcome Table Attendants on Sunday. Greeters’ instructions are also being amended and enhanced. Both of these volunteer teams are so very vital to our church’s Sunday Worship experience I wish to thank them again right now for their continued interest and devoted service!
The next big events on our calendar are the Pathway to Membership Orientation workshops starting this month. A complete schedule and detailed description may be found elsewhere in this Newsletter from Beverly Jordan, Membership Manager. Please look that over and when you see a newcomer in our midst, I invite you to extend an invitation to them to participate in these workshops, especially if they show an interest in learning more about Unitarian Universalism, our church, our congregation and minister. (Sign up sheets are located in Berg Hall near the Visitors Information Table).
In the meantime, please remember to wear your name tag (Rev Dana is eager to meet you) and speak to someone you don’t know and if you won a “Co-Exist” bumper magnet at the annual Service Auction, please display it!
by Gudrun Eastham
by Kitty Merrill | Nov 1, 2016 | Justice Actions
Making Plans and Real Life
At the beginning of our Sunday Service we ring the bell three times. Once for those who came before. Once for those who are here now. Once for those who are yet to come. It is a recognition of the circle of life, a cycling of the seasons that we, as individuals and as a congregation, experience. As each year passes I feel a deeper connection and appreciation with the message from the bell. Thoughts of gratitude come to my mind.
Those who came before: In the early days of this church some 58 years ago a few folks got together and met in small buildings and in homes. One of the original Founders of our church is Bobbi Schoenherr who still attends services and is one of the many dedicated and passionate members who has done so very much to make the dreams of the UUCV a reality. The complete history of our church is on our website, uuventura.org and worth reading. Even after 14 years as a member I don’t consider myself an old-timer. I can’t even imagine where the years went but I am amazed at what my experience as a UU has been and at what this church has accomplished. That’s what time can do for you. Yet we don’t live in the past and our accomplishments didn’t happen by accident. Progress was made by developing 5-year plans through the congregational process of visioning. We are standing on the shoulders of others.
Those who are here now: We are at a new beginning. During the past couple of years, we have experienced a transition in our staffing. You cannot say good-bye to a Minister, an Assistant Minister, a Religious Education Director and a Choir Director without experiencing some disruptions. The great thing is that we made it through those days together, and in good shape. We have a new Minister, Rev. Dana Worsnop; a new Choir Director, Carolyn Howard; a Membership Manager, Beverly Jordan; and we will be initiating a search for a permanent Religious Education Director. If you are new to the UUCV and wondering how to “fit in” the answer is to find an activity that appeals to you and get involved. Beverly Jordan can help you find your way. The daily life of the church is about the relationships we develop through participation. Every day that you help build the loving community that is the UUCV you create equity for yourself in the future of this congregation and you help change lives. That is why you being here today matters.
Those who are yet to come: One of the Jobs of the Board is to facilitate congregational visioning. We have a future to consider. Plans don’t always work out like we hope and they might not come to fruition as quickly as we would like. We are going to evaluate our progress with the 5-year plan developed in 2013 and see how it fits with our new beginning. At some point down the road, the congregation will begin to make new plans with the understanding that we are building a future for ourselves and for those who will follow. It is a deep responsibility to prepare what we have been given, by those who came before, for passing on to folks we do not know. We sing these words each Sunday; “From you I receive, to you I give. Together we share and from this we live.” That’s the real life of this church, and it’s the reason we make plans.
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, President
by Kitty Merrill | Nov 1, 2016 | Justice Actions
When I was serving a church in Canada in the fall of 2000, the Liberal Party Prime Minister called an election, likely to stem a rising conservative movement. Just 6 to 8 weeks later there was a new parliament, though the PM remained the same. I was stunned at how quickly the whole thing happened. Especially as it came just weeks after the U.S. presidential election, when we still didn’t know whether Bush or Gore had won. I became expert at explaining the Electoral College to bewildered Canadians.
After watching the months unto years of presidential campaigning in the U.S., the parliamentary system was so zippy I blinked and almost missed it. Sixteen years later I am still envious of my friends to the north. Especially in this particular election cycle.
This one will actually be over in a week. I encourage you to vote, fill out your ballots from the top of the ticket down through all the state and local seats and all those ballot initiatives. In some ways, those down ballot races are the most significant and are the ones where our votes can make the most difference. Democracy is about far more than voting though exercising our franchise is the central and essential right and ritual. The democratic process is one of our core principles as Unitarian Universalists.
Vote your values, vote your conscience, and vote with a discerning mind and caring heart. Try not to despise or disdain those who disagree with you. As disheartening as this election season has been, I still have a deep confidence and faith in our democratic institutions. Whatever the outcome, I believe what is good and strong and true (and self-corrective) about our form of government will out. Democracy is messy, which may have been what prompted Winston Churchill to say, “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others.”
And as I said above, democracy is about far more than voting. Whatever the outcome on Tuesday, we will have our work cut out for us. There will be much healing and action needed. I am so glad that I will get to be part of that and that we’ll be holding onto one another through it all.
So vote on Tuesday, and come to church on Sunday.
Together is the way we will make a difference.
With love and hope, Dana
by Kitty Merrill | Nov 1, 2016 | Minister
When I was serving a church in Canada in the fall of 2000, the Liberal Party Prime Minister called an election, likely to stem a rising conservative movement. Just 6 to 8 weeks later there was a new parliament, though the PM remained the same. I was stunned at how quickly the whole thing happened. Especially as it came just weeks after the U.S. presidential election, when we still didn’t know whether Bush or Gore had won. I became expert at explaining the Electoral College to bewildered Canadians.
After watching the months unto years of presidential campaigning in the U.S., the parliamentary system was so zippy I blinked and almost missed it. Sixteen years later I am still envious of my friends to the north. Especially in this particular election cycle.
This one will actually be over in a week. I encourage you to vote, fill out your ballots from the top of the ticket down through all the state and local seats and all those ballot initiatives. In some ways, those down ballot races are the most significant and are the ones where our votes can make the most difference. Democracy is about far more than voting though exercising our franchise is the central and essential right and ritual. The democratic process is one of our core principles as Unitarian Universalists.
Vote your values, vote your conscience, and vote with a discerning mind and caring heart. Try not to despise or disdain those who disagree with you. As disheartening as this election season has been, I still have a deep confidence and faith in our democratic institutions. Whatever the outcome, I believe what is good and strong and true (and self-corrective) about our form of government will out. Democracy is messy, which may have been what prompted Winston Churchill to say, “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others.”
And as I said above, democracy is about far more than voting. Whatever the outcome on Tuesday, we will have our work cut out for us. There will be much healing and action needed. I am so glad that I will get to be part of that and that we’ll be holding onto one another through it all.
So vote on Tuesday, and come to church on Sunday.
Together is the way we will make a difference.
With love and hope, Dana
