May 1

“Let’s Be Friends”

Nancy Copley

This time of the year truly springs awakenings, which include lost and ongoing relationships.  Eric Hoffer, one of America’s original philosophers declared this, “Nature is simple, human nature complex.”

May 8

  Mothers’ Day Flower Communion

an Intergenerational Service

“A Choir of Heroes”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

The founder of the flower communion, Norbert Capek, said those who spirits remained strong in the face of adversity were “Welcomed into the choirs of Heroes.”  There will be a goodly number of Mothers in that choir, whenever and wherever it happens to sing.

This is flower communion Sunday, so please consider bringing a few flowers to share during this annual ritual.

May 15

 “Everywhere a Sign”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

We are bombarded with all kinds of messages in our daily lives and sometimes we even stop to wonder what they mean.  When you're the one trying to get a message out, you'd best consider the medium as well as the language and culture of those you're trying to reach.

May 22

 Annual Congregational Meeting, 12 noon “Church with a View”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

Many things have gone well this year around church, though some things have been less than wildly successful.  And where are we headed in the coming year?  Herewith, the Minister's Annual Report.

  After 11:00 worship today, we'll gather in the Sanctuary for our Annual Congregational Meeting

SUMMER SCHEDULE BEGINS

From May 29 through September 4, we will have one worship service each Sunday at 10:00 am.

May 29

  One Service, 10:00 am

  Memorial Day Weekend

Title to be Announced

Eric Johnson

JUNE 3

RECOGNITION SUNDAY 

AN INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE

“Being Religious”

Rev. Khleber Van Zandt

What are you doing Sunday mornings?

Are you taking the opportunity that our church offers to grow in mind, body and spirit?  You can attend a worship service, attend a lively discussion group, or spend a quiet period in meditation.  Review your choices and make the decision to participate in one of the early morning activities at church.

May 1 - Humanist/Non-Theist Group on Chapter 4 of "Good without God" by Gregory Epstein.

May 8 - DVD Series: Lost Christianities with Dr. Bart Ehrman Part 2 (kindly provided by Jerry Johnson).

May 15 - Dr. Ron Glossop: Our topic will be the philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Rationalist like Descartes who argued on logical grounds that there could not be two different kinds of substances (physical and mental). Only one kind of substance is possible, which if viewed one way would seem physical while if viewed in a different way would seem mental. He argued that this one ultimate reality might be called "God" or "Nature."  Spinoza was a Jew who was excommunicated from his synagogue for his pantheist view.  Maybe because of that he also argued passionately for freedom of speech.  He was a lens-grinder and also one of the first persons to engage in Biblical criticism.

May 22 - Ethical Eating with Marcie Nagle

May 29 - There will be no Adult RE

A First Glance

What a peculiar group we are theologically - Buddhists, Religious and secular Humanists, atheists and agnostics, Christians, pagans, Jews.  Most of the time we do pretty well getting along socially in the face of our many differences.  Some of the time, we reach a deeper level with each other either because of or despite the different ways we view the world and our places in it.  It’s good to be a part of such an experiment in human community, whether our deeper need is the comfort of feeling accepted or the challenge that difference affords us.

Karen Armstrong, author of The History of God, wrote another book back in 2006 entitled The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions.  It took me a long time to get through it, but Ms. Armstrong does a good job filling in the history that she says lies behind our ways of thinking.

Covering the period of 1600 BCE to just before the time of Jesus, Ms. Armstrong examines pivotal events in four societies and the changes in religious and social ideas those events brought about.  In China, society became highly ritualized in order to further marginalize those who tended toward violence.  The Greeks thrived on violence and competition, but developed a reliance on reason and a strong sense of the polis, the city-state that became the heart of individual and corporate identity and led to the central ideas of democracy.  The Jews lifted their god, Yahweh, first out of the pantheon of all the gods and then into the divine stratosphere as the one-and-only God, making it possible to understand oneself and one’s tribe as the Chosen Ones.  On the Indian subcontinent, yogis, gurus, and spiritual seekers became more and more introspective, reaching deep into the human psyche for answers to life’s persistent questions.

Those sages who changed the world in earlier times developed an ethic of compassion, not in the tranquility of peaceful times, but in the maelstrom of frightening, war-torn times when all the old values they had inherited from earlier generations were passing away.  They did so, not by averting their eyes from reality or by remaining above the fray in ivory towers, but by participating fully in life, by confronting society in all its ugliness, and by engaging the most difficult questions.

With today’s news as it is, of a world consumed by violence and environmental disaster, you’d think we might have learned that the best policy is compassion for all Creation.  But we haven’t.

Our practice together as a congregation gives me hope that there’s still a chance, and that as we gather in a community of comfort and challenge, in a community of diversity, in a community of love, we will yet find a way forward that includes all our sisters and brothers and brings light to our broken world.

See you in church,

For UU&You! 3.0, we’ll follow John Buehrens and Rebecca Parker’s A House for Hope: the Promise of Progressive Religion for the 21^st Century to further deepen our understandings of current topics in UU thought. 

The book is arranged to correspond with six parts of Parker’s ‘theological house’ metaphor:  the garden, the walls, the roof, the foundation, the interior rooms, and the doorway.  You may wish to buy your own copy of the book in a bookstore, order one online, or borrow a copy from church.

Please sign up in the Kate Wuerker Room for the class, or contact the church office.

Rebecca Ann Parker is President of Starr King School for the Ministry and an ordained Methodist minister in dual fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association. 

John Buehrens is Minister of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist congregation in Needham, Massachusetts.  He served as President of the Unitarian Universalist Association from 1993 to 2001.

There will be a signup sheet at church or let the church administrator know that you’ll be attending this series by emailing church@firstuualton.org or calling (618) 462-2462 by Monday, May 2.    Free childcare will be provided if arranged when you indicate your intention to attend the classes.

Chalice

            Circles

Fifty-Plus (50+) Chalice Circle
Saturday, May 7 from 10:30 am to noon – At Church.
Contact Brynda McCoy if you plan to attend.  New members are welcome.  Those who wish to can go out to eat together after the meeting.

Parents Seeking Peace Chalice Circle

Sunday, May 15 from 12:15 to 1:30 pm – In Emerson Place at Church
Contact: Diane Thompson or Sayer Johnson

Belleville Chalice Circle

Thursday , May 19 at 7 pm – At the home of Jan and Don Allen in Belleville
Contact: Don or Jan.

Renegade Women’s Chalice Circle

Saturday , May 21 from 2 to 4 pm – At Church    Contact: Beth Bourland.

Men's Chalice Circle

Tuesday , May 24 at 7 pm – At Church    Contact: Khleber Van Zandt.

The GLBT Chalice Circle

Sunday, May 29 from 12:15 – 2 pm – In Emerson Place at Church
Look for us on facebook under “GBLT UU Chalice Circle - Alton, IL."
For updates on GBLT Chalice Circle topics, etc., please go to the website and join .
Contact Layne A. Simpson for more information.

In Remembrance

Phyllis Hallmark , a member of our church from 1988 until the mid-90s when she moved to Alabama, died on April 10.   She moved back to Wentzville Missouri several years ago and had reconnected with friends here at the church.    Rev. Van Zandt conducted her Memorial Service.   Our sympathy is extended to her children and grandchildren.

First Unitarian Church of St. Louis Clark Lecture

May 5 – 7:00 pm

The annual Clark Lecture honors the intellectual legacy of former First Unitarian Church minister Thaddeus B. Clark (1945-1969) by offering discussions on relevant and timely topics.   Thursday, May 5, renowned Islamic scholar and St. Louis native Thomas Michel, S.J. will journey from his home in Ankara, Turkey to present the Thaddeus Clark Lecture.   His well-timed topic for the lecture is “Islamic-Christian Relations in the Age of Quantum Physics: The Need for Interfaith Dialogue in an Age of Constant Change.”  The lecture at First Unitarian Church in St. Louis (5007 Waterman Blvd. – 314-361-0595) begins at 7:00 pm and will be followed by a reception and book signing of his most recent book:   " A Christian View of Islam: Essays on Dialogue," (edited by Irfan A. Omar).

FREE!  FREE FREE!
BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

It's Spring Book Clean-Up Time!  Come and take (financial contributions always appreciated) any of the books with a green dot on the spine. Any that remain by mid-May will be donated to one of the public libraries in the area. That will help us make room for you to do some spring cleaning of your own and bring some new books to church to share.

Sandy Shaner

Most people enjoy getting a card or email or phone call on their birthday.   Below is the list we have of church members and friends celebrating birthdays this month.  If you don’t think the church office has your birthday on file, please contact Becky Green at church@firstuualton.org) and give her that information.

  5 May - Mickey Gould-Oldt

  8 May - Hannah McMurray (2007)

  9 May - Nancy Sakalauski

11 May - Tracey Howe-Koch

11 May - Diane Thompson

13 May - Chris O'Steen

13 May - Mark Tade

14 May - Khleber Van Zandt V

15 May - Rose Hoshiko

16 May - Sharon Johnson

22 May - Jacob McMurray (2006)

26 May - River Johnson (2002)

26 May - Audrey Wiseman

28 May - Mark Antieau

28 May - Willis McCoy

INTEREST GROUPS

Anna Ds Women’s Alliance

The Anna Ds will be meeting on Thursday, May 5 at 11:30 am at Fazzi's Restaurant, 1813 Vandalia St. (Highway 159) in Collinsville, IL.
RSVP to Lorna McElhone by May 3.

All women in the church are welcome to attend.

Men’s Lunch Group

All Men in our Church Family are invited!

The Men’s Lunch Group will meet at 11:30 am on Thursday, May 12 at the St. Louis Buffet, 672 Wesley Dr., Wood River, IL. Contact Dick Blanton for further details.

SpiralScouts

Spiral Scouts will meet on Sunday, May 1 from 1 to 3 pm at the church.

Contact Stacey Wolff for further information about SpiralScouts.

SpiralScouts Meeting Dates and Badge Topics are as follows through June 2011:     May 01 Astronomy / June 05 Painting.

Choir Rehearsals

Choir rehearsals are held the first three Thursday evenings from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.   If you enjoy singing, please consider coming to a choir rehearsal to learn how much fun you can have and what a contribution you can make by being part of the choir.

May 5, 12, and 19

For further information contact Willis McCoy.

Community

Outreach Offering

On May 8 the Community Outreach Offering will be given to benefit the Senior Services Plus Meals on Wheels program.  Currently each year SSP Meals on Wheels delivers over 125,000 meals to homebound seniors in over 22 townships and cities throughout Madison and St. Clair Counties.

On May 22 the Community Outreach offering will be given to benefit Hope Animal Rescues, an Illinois licensed, non-profit, no-kill animal rescue center. http://www.hoperescues.com

4^th Saturday Lunch

The Fourth Saturday Lunch is a program the church has been running for awhile where volunteers create a hearty, healthy menu that is served to the area homeless and needy.  We also encourage our members to sit down with our guests and get to know them as they are our neighbors. There are many ways to get involved.  See Kathryn Chapman or the following people if you want to help.

May 28 – Belleville Chalice Circle (Don & Jan Allen)

June, July, & August – Mary Johnson

September – Linda Van Zandt

POT LUCK LUNCH

Sunday, May 22

If you can, bring something to serve 8 to 10 people.

THANKS TO SANDY SHANER we are becoming “greener” at our food events by using microfiber cloth napkins instead of paper ones that just get thrown away into a landfill.

Set-Up Help is needed with placing the tables and chairs, putting out placemats and silverware, and getting food onto the buffet table

Clean-Up Help involves clearing off and wiping down the tables, carrying dishes (not just your own) to the dish bins or the kitchen, scraping dishes, and washing dishes or preparing them for the dishwasher, folding up all but four tables, putting chairs away, vacuuming, and straightening up the furniture around the fireplace area.  Trash also must be taken out.  All this takes a long time if only a couple people are working at it, but if lots of people give a little time, then fewer people have to give a lot of time.

PLEASE help with either set-up or clean-up.

A through Mc will do SET-UP

Me through Z will do CLEAN-UP

Campfest 2011

 Looking Ahead to Summer
for First UU Alton!!

Love the great outdoors? Want to get to know your church community members better? Want to learn how to make a heck of a s’more?

Well, mark your calendars for the first Campfest!!

We have reserved a group camp at Pere Marquette State Park.  Camp:  Ouatoga
Arrival:  7/29/2011 to Departure: 8/4/2011

Rustic cabins ... swimming pool ... community meals games … talent show … chalice circles … memories for a lifetime … more details soon.

If you are interested in joining a FUN committee please see Sayer Johnson.

Movie Night – May 14

Join members of the Alton Area Cluster in viewing and discussing the film “Remember the Titans.” The film stars   Denzel Washington, Will Patton, and Wood Harris.   Set in suburban Virginia in 1971, where schools have been segregated for generations, one Black and one White high school are closed and the students sent to a single school under federal mandate to integrate. The year is seen through the eyes of the football team where the man hired to coach the Black school is made head coach over the highly successful white coach.  The team becomes the unifying symbol for the community as the boys and the adults learn to depend on and trust each other.

Food Ministries

Coffee Hour

We need people to take their turn in coffee hour clean up. I know everyone has a busy life and this is one of the main reasons we need to respect everyone and take our turn.

1. Stay until everyone is finished with their drinks and snacks
2. Clear away all of the dirty dishes and food leftovers (this may involve putting some things in bags or containers and placing them in the refrigerator)
3. Cleaning all of the used dishes by washing in the sink, drying and putting away or loading them into the dishwasher and running it.

Group Members

Anyone interested in being a regular member of the Food Ministries group (i.e. willing to set up coffee hour, work Saturday lunches, or be called on in the event of funeral services or other food related work) please make sure I have your name on my list so that I am able to call or e-mail you when we are in need of people to fill in or help out.

Reminder: There is a jar in the kitchen for collecting BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION.

Kathryn Chapman

Sunday

May 8, 2011

PLANT SALE

It’s Mothers’ Day

 Buy Her Something HERE

All Proceeds to Benefit

CAMPFEST 2011

Come buy plants from the Campfest Committee to help offset the costs of Campfest 2011.

Please Welcome our Newest Members

Aurora Andrews     [3/20/2011]

Jeff Cassens    [3/20/2011]

Andrew Unangst and Elizabeth Towell    [3/27/2011]

Stacy Hull    [4/17/2011] and Brian Hull

Louis and Leah Bailey    [4/17/2011]

Elizabeth (Beth) Browne    [4/21/2011]

Congratulations!

The “Buy a Teal Hymnal” campaign was a great success! 

Thanks to your generous donations to the Church we were able to purchase 50 new hymnals.

RE Thank Yous!

• To Eric Johnson for leading Children’s Chapel in April.
• To Suganya Dhanamitt for chaperoning senior high youth at the spring Senior CON in Palatine, Illinois.
• To those who attended the April parent forum, Simple Living with Children:  Amanda and Heather Kirk; Nancy Conniff, Tracey Koch, Cathy Tade, and Amanda and Tony Grippi.

May RE Program Calendar

Summer RE Program Calendar

Newcomers to RE!

When your children begin to attend regularly, please register your children in the RE Program — see Steven Mead, DRE for details.

Junior and Senior High, All-St. Louis UU Youth Campout, May 21-22

Youth from the five St. Louis UU cluster group are invited by Eliot Unitarian Chapel to Bergfried, Eliot’s 600 wooded acres, nine miles west of Hermann, MO at the confluence of the Gasconade and Missouri Rivers.  Bergfried is a peaceful retreat haven for camping, hiking, and spiritual renewal.  On the property are the Lingenfelder Shelter, picnic tables, fire pits, and the “Cistern” Chapel.  Planning is in its early stages, so pay attention to the Church This Week e-mails for information as it becomes known.  This is a great opportunity to meet other UU youth from Columbia, MO, St. Louis, MO, and Carbondale IL.  Stay for just the day or camp overnight.  Campers must bring their own gear.  http://www.eliotchapel.org/#/our-community/bergfried

Teachers!  Volunteer to Participate on First Unitarian’s Teaching Ministry Team

One of the vital components that makes First Unitarian a “Special Place,” the RE Program runs only by the dedication of volunteers who teach our children.  We have adopted team teaching consisting of four teachers per class.  To join our Team is a year-long commitment — about 10 Sundays for the whole year — but you can discontinue during the year if necessary.  You are supported by the DRE, the RE Com, your teammates, teacher forums, and quality curriculum and support materials.  The advantages of the team teaching approach as we see it are:

·         The adults on the team are able to attend worship services one or two Sundays a month and the children get to know more adults and share mutual interests and ideas with them.

·         New people can ease into teaching this way, without bearing the full responsibility for the class.

·         The team approach can adapt to those people who say they are willing to help, but do not want to lead, or they want to teach only every other Sunday, or just for a month at a time.

·         Working with a team is inspiring and builds friendships.

·         Can readily accommodate the need to find substitutes so that teachers can go hiking over the weekend, or visit relatives, or go to church without creating a big problem.

·         Can readily accommodate one child or a group of children who are demanding too much of the teacher's time and attention — a teammate will be able to deal with this situation without holding up the entire class.

Deepen your relationship to one another, to our community, and your faith experience.  To volunteer, please contact Steven Mead, Director of Religious Education (DRE).

New This Summer:  Chalice Theater!

Myth:  a true story that never was.  Chalice Theater is an exciting, active program for 1^st through 6^th graders.  For eight weeks beginning July 17th, we will explore what fable, folklore, legend, and sacred stories have to say to us about:  peacemaking, excellence, recklessness, boasting, self esteem, possessiveness, kindness, thankfulness, pride, and generosity.

Chalice Theater is minimal theater that explores the meaning of life through drama.  There is no memorization — scripts are held; there are no costumes — maybe just a partial or suggestive one; there are no sets.  We will learn a little about theater craft and a lot about ourselves and what it is like to “put ourselves in someone else’s shoes.”  At the end of each session, we will reflect on what our drama has to teach us about ourselves, our relationships, and our UU principles.  Led by Steven Mead in the Emerson Place room.

Teachers take a well-deserved summer break from June 12 through July 10.  There is no RE Program during these weeks — children remain in the sanctuary with their family.  Spirit Play resumes July 17 along with Chalice Theater — our full religious education program resumes after Ingathering in September.  Nursery care will be provided all summer long.

Steven Mead, DRE

314.239.5694 (cell)

dre@firstuualton.org

A Survey for Members and Friends of First Unitarian Church of Alton

Greetings!  The Strategic Planning Task Force needs your valuable input.   We have created a survey for members and friends of First Unitarian Church of Alton.  Please click on the link and use the password to enter the survey.  You must complete the survey in one sitting; it will not let you start, stop and start again.  

NOTE:  Every name that is entered into the survey system will be placed in the drawing for an IPod Nano Shuffle in your choice of color!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7FZLVWS

The password for our survey is: uchurchalton

Please take the time to complete the survey and help the Task Force complete its mission:  to gather the necessary information to help us formulate a five-year plan for the future of our congregation.

Deadline: Midnight, Sunday, May 8, 2011

Thank you from the Strategic Planning Task Force:

Co-chairs, Marty Moore Johnson & Linda Van Zandt

Members: Sarah Lazarz, Bob Chapman, Michelle Barbeau, Mary Johnson, Tracey Howe-Koch