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Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
www.cedarlane.org | eNewsletter Volume 4, Issue 32
February 3, 2012
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February 5, 2012
9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary
"Light the Chalice!"
The Rev. Evan Keely
We experience empowerment and joy when we reach out to help others in common cause.
Volunteers for the Service:
Ushers: 9 a.m.: Carol & Terry Ireland, Jack & Judy Rodgers
11 a.m.: Jane Barton, Rick & Julie Offner, Marion Carlson
Coffee Servers: 10 a.m.: Carol & Terry Ireland; noon: Val Carter
Audio: Jim Weiffenbach
Beacon Books Cart: 10 a.m.: Bob Harrison; noon: Carol Edwards
Board Member at the Office Desk: 10 a.m.: Betsy Devlin-Foltz
noon: Bonnie Beavers
Visitor's Center: 10 a.m.: Brent Garland, noon: Chris Garland
The flowers in the sanctuary are given by Sandy Dawsey in loving memory of his mother Elizabeth Skeen Dawsey's birthday. The flowers were arranged by Isabel Marbury-Mauro. The flowers in the chapel were arranged by Cindy Meredith.
In the Lounge: Adult Programs * Alliance Books * Beacon Books Cart * Concerts at Cedar Lane * Donuts & Bagels * Environmental Task Force * Fair trade coffee & tea * Passport to Adventure * Social Justice Council * Valentines for Veterans *
Sunday Morning Forum: Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective, with historian Dr. Sam Walker.
1st Sunday Smart Sacks is this Sunday. Please bring nonperishable single unit items, either that require no cooking or microwave only. They will go home in special backpacks to kids who need meals and do not have access to school programs over the weekend, all through Manna.
Please join us for the February Community Lunch in the Chalice House following Sunday's second service. This lunch is open to members and visitors. The Adult Programs Committee is hosting, with support from the Member Services Committee. In addition to a delicious meal, the Adult Programs Committee will provide a short program for attendees to learn more about Adult Programs at Cedar Lane.
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Weekly Devotional · February 3, 2012
"Without the balance of power even the most loving relations may degenerate into unjust relations and love may become the screen which hides injustice."
from Christianity and Power Politics, Reinhold Niebuhr
February is African-American History Month in the United States, a time for us as a people to recognize the rich contributions of Americans of African descent. In doing so, we are called to reflect anew on how those contributions were made in spite of barriers of injustice. No American of conscience can forget the outrages of the Middle Passage, the hideous crop of "strange fruit" garnered in vicious lynchings, or police brutality against nonviolent protestors on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Yet we know also that many of the injustices of a racist system have often been cloaked in a veneer of benignity; school segregation, for instance, was often "justified" on the grounds that it would be beneficial to both whites and blacks that their children be educated with "their own kind." The callous absurdity of dividing the essential unity of humankind into different "kinds" by means of skin color notwithstanding, this supposedly benevolent separation, of course, was nothing more than a demeaning paternalism that clung to an unjust status quo.
Yet we need not plumb the abominations of history in order to see how imbalances of power can infect even the most loving relations and corrode them with injustice. In our personal lives, in our workplaces and in our families, we are often tempted to assume that good will and love among us somehow supersede the need for a just balance of power. Even in congregations - places in which love for one another is enshrined - we must recognize who has what kind of power, and how that power is being wielded. Even in a church, it is possible for there to be an imbalance of power, and all the love in the world doesn't make that just.
Power isn't good or evil; it is merely the means to an end. Our challenge as people of faith is to use our power, tempered with love, for justice.
Prayer
O God, help us to recognize our power and to use it in the cause of justice always, and give us the courage, the wisdom and the strength to speak out when we see injustice, that we may rectify it. Amen.
Follow Rev. Keely on Twitter @evanvwk. |
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Transitions: Where Are We in the Process?
The TCC would like to keep you updated on our progress and answer all your questions about the upcoming transitions in leadership at Cedar Lane. Please check our website page for regular updates, or ask any of us when you see us.
- The BOT's Transition Coordinating Committee: Bonnie Beavers, Sara Deshler, the Rev. Heather Janules, the Rev. Evan Keely, Knick Knickerbocker, Michael Lentz, Rick Offner, Sandy Shaw, and Vicky Strella. |
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Upcoming Sundays
February 12, 2012
9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary
"To Nurture Community"
The Rev. Heather Janules
When "two or more are gathered," a community is made. But how is a faith community different than other gatherings of dedicated people? This service, the second of a three-part series reflecting on Cedar Lane's mission statement, explores what it means for a spiritual institution "to nurture community."
Forum: Current developments in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, with David B. Hawver.
Click here for future forums |
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We Care
The We Care program is a network led by volunteers who reach out to address short-term needs - food deliveries, rides to doctor's appointments, a listening ear in the event of a loss. The Cedar Lane congregation is organized geographically by "neighborhoods"; each neighborhood has at least one chairperson to coordinate support. Look at your nametag or the map in the church office to find your neighborhood.
Our hearts go out to Dave, Cindy, Joshua and Julia Meredith (Neighborhood 16) as they mourn the death of Dave's mother, Silfa, from the affects of a serious stroke. As Silfa was a long-time, active member at River Road UU Congregation, a Service in Celebration of her Life will be held this Saturday, 2/4, at 3:00 pm at RRUUC. All are welcome.
Hopes for swift healing are with Mike Harris (N19) who underwent a hip replacement surgery this week at Suburban Hospital. He will likely be discharged to home next week.
Best wishes are also with Dana Gunnison (N29) who received rehab care this week to treat sciatic pain. He will be transferred to the rehab unit at Riderwood soon.
And we send nine Cedar Lane members - Mike Burski, Emily Mellgren, Bob and Kate Harrison, Joyce and Paul Casso, Perry and Dianne Seiffert and Greg Falcigno - to volunteer rebuilding work in New Orleans this weekend with our hopes for safe travels and productive work!
Should you know of a member of our community in personal need, you are encouraged to reach out to them. If you learn that this person wishes to receive a response from the church, please contact Heather Janules at hjanules@cedarlane.org. All ministers offer pastoral care to our members so you are also encouraged to contact any member of the ministerial team.
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Music Notes From the Director of Music
Dr. Henry Sgrecci
February 5, 2012
We are pleased to welcome the Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church Choir and its Director, David Chapman, to today's services. The Choir joins with the Cedar Lane Choir in providing powerful, spirited, and uplifting musical inspiration. The massed ensemble begins with the close harmonies of UU composer Jim Scott's song of welcome, Come Into This Place. Stephen Paulus' Little Elegy has quickly become a favorite among UU Choirs. Paulus drew upon a poem about love from the nineteenth century poet, Elinor Wylie, in composing this anthem for the 2010 Unitarian Universalist Musician's Network (UUMN) annual conference in Madison, Wisconsin. The song's poignant lines ebb and flow from cool quiet to powerful happiness. The work was premiered during the closing worship service at First Unitarian Society of Madison on July 18, 2010 by a choir of more than two hundred UU musicians. Californian Frank Ticheli's anthems have been a welcome addition to the UU choral repertoire. His anthem There Will Be Rest is an extended setting of Sara Teasdale's poem of the same title. Teasdale was one of America's finest lyrics poets until depression diminished her gift of expression and caused her to take her own life at the age of forty-eight. There Will Be Rest was one of the last poems she wrote, conveying her long held belief that peace could be found in the stars above. With its varying moods, colors, and speed, Ticheli's anthem portrays the pure spirit and lyricism of Teasdale's poem. We Will Walk Together is a delightfully upbeat anthem, recently published by Clif Hardin, Director of Music at River Road UUC. This song employs a text created by Clif's wife, Jan Elicker, which encourages us to walk, sing, and dance together as we move toward the day when freedom will ring for all.
Special thanks to members of the Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church Choir and Director, David Chapman, for enhancing today's services with their strong voices and vibrant spirit! We are grateful for their contributions. |
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Calendar
Please visit the church calendar here.
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2012 LGBT LOBBY DAY IN ANNAPOLIS
In Support of Civil Marriage Equality in Maryland
Date: Monday, February 13, 2012
Time: 6:00 pm--Lobby Day Rally Location: Lawyer's Mall (in front of State Capitol)
Guest Speakers:
Candace & Rebecca Gingrich-Jones
Senator Allan Kittleman
Visits with District Legislators (organized by Marylanders for Marriage Equality)
Cedar Lane Carpool Plans: Contact Kathy Simpson at (krs4j@earthlink.net) or
301-565-1611 |
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Environmental Task Force
Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) DC is co-hosting a film screening and discussion at Bloombars in Columbia Heights next Tuesday.
We will screen Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action. The film profiles the against-all-odds struggles of Native American leaders who are taking on powerful energy companies and government agencies to protect the environment for all Americans. A moving tribute to the power of grassroots organizing, Homeland is also a call-to-action against the current dismantling of thirty years of environmental laws.
Afterwards, we will have a discussion along with Melissa Bisagni of the National Museum of the American Indian.
RSVP on the Facebook event page: http://tinyurl.com/homeland-rsvp
Film trailer: http://tinyurl.com/homeland-trailer
Suggested donation of $10.
@Bloombars, 3222 11th St NW (Columbia Hts Metro)
Tues, Feb. 7th, 7-9 p.m.
Click here to check out more updated Green Tips!
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Can you provide bed and breakfast for one night?
Can you provide a bed in your home, and breakfast in the morning, for someone attending the Joseph Priestley District Worship Arts festival on Saturday, February 25, at the Rockville UU church? Attendees will be coming in from all over the mid-Atlantic United States for this series of workshops. Most of the attendees are worship associates or musicians from other UU congregations. They will need a bed (maybe in your guest room) the night of Friday, February 24. They will know that they should have eaten their evening meal before they arrive at your house. If you could provide breakfast in the morning, and maybe some friendly conversation, then you will have done a good deed and maybe made an interesting acquaintance. Think you might be able to do this? Please contact Susan Clark, songsue@aol.com, or 301-565-5126, before February 10. Thank you!
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES
Linda Gianessi, Temporary RE Coordinator
Susan Clark, Chapel Coordinator
Vanessa Steck, Coordinator of Senior High Youth Ministry
Gale Ginther Luce and Jeannette Wilson, Administrators
For information and to register for classes and programs call 301-493-8300 x207 or e-mail RE@cedarlane.org.
Upcoming RE
F & S Feb 3 & 5 Harry Potter Musical
Sun Feb 5 Class Photos
1st Sunday Smart Sacks
Super Bowl Party
Fri Feb 10 COA Lock-In
Sun Feb 19 All ages begin in
sanctuary.
Fri Feb 24 Teacher Appreciation
Dinner
Youth Groups
Super Bowl Party, COA, HangOuts and More!
Young Adults
Winter Escape February 17
Adult Programs
* Register for spring classes this Sunday!
Don't miss:
* Our Theological House, Untold Stories of Afro-decendents, Beyond Black and White, Continuing Yoga, Free Alexander Technique, Retreat for Women
* Connection Circles: A is for Aging, Connections-Short Term, Get a Life!, Spiritual Practice for Busy People, and many more!
* Sunday Morning Forum
Find more RE. . . |
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Get Away to the Beach this April --
Bid Now!
Wouldn't you love to spend a week at Sea Colony in Bethany Beach-before the summer crowds? Bid on a stay at Jane Barton's Sea Colony condo in Bethany Beach! The condo is being offered as a pre-auction item so that interested bidders will have more time to plan a spring break vacation. Click here to learn more about the resort.
- Available April 2 through 8, coinciding with Montgomery County Public Schools spring break
- Two bedrooms, two baths (sleeps four people)
- One level, large deck
- Swimming pools and tennis
- Short walk to beach
- Easy access to Bethany restaurants and shops
How to bid:
Bidding is now open and will CLOSE at midnight, Friday, February 24, 2012.
- All bids must be submitted by email to auction@cedarlane.org.
- The highest bid received by the deadline will be the winner.
- If identical high bids are received, the bid with the earliest time and date stamp on the e-mail will be the winner.
- Submit your best offer-$500 minimum bid. Submitting an amount like $551 or $702, for example, will help minimize identical bids.
- The winner will be announced on Sunday, February 26, 2012.
Questions?
Contact auction co-chairs Kate Harrison at katekathie@cedarlane.org or 301-652-5018, or Mary Beth Nowinski at mnowin@aol.com or 301-949-9410.
Plan to attend the Passport to Adventure Auction on Saturday, March 24! |
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In This Together from CLARITY*
Upcoming CLARITY-sponsored Events
* "Beyond Tolerance: Ally-ship" workshop on March 31 will be co-facilitated by CLARITY members with Veronica Adams, a professional training and organizational development consultant (http://ridingthewave.net). This one-day program will be held at Cedar Lane, and is geared toward European-Americans who want to learn more about what they can do to recognize and address racism and xenophobia in its various forms in our institutions and social systems. We'll explore ways that we can leverage our various forms of privilege to be better allies to one another and create environments in which true multi-culturalism and equity can flourish. CLARITY will focus invitations to active Social Justice members, and will include others as space allows. Please email Ariel Mora at ariel_mora1@hotmail.com if you are interested.
Click here for more great info from CLARITY! |
| New! Affinity Groups at CLUUC
Currently CLUUC offers these small groups: connection circles, dinner discussion groups, and several support groups (p-flag, aging, l iving with cancer, and living with mental illness). Affinity groups, sponsored by the Membership Services Committee (MSC), are now another option. They form around common interests or background. Examples are Buddhist practice and study, Jewish ethnicity, LGBT, or being a young adult; these are sometimes called identity groups. Others might form around an activity like going to the theater or biking. They are self-organizing, self-directed, self-funded if funds are required, and on-going.
Join. If you would like to join one of these groups (currently in the forming stage) send an email to the contact person or give them a call.
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topic |
description |
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Buddhist Study & Practice |
for people interested in learning about Buddhism and meditation practice
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Andy Streich
astreich@cedarlane.org
240.281.7208 | |
Jewish Ethnicity |
for people with a Jewish background and their partners
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Kay Gottesman
kgottesman@verizon.net
301.530.5504 | |
Theater |
for people interested in going to live theater together |
Marlene Berg
mgkpberg@gmail.com
301.279.6790 |
Create. If you are interested in forming a new group or have questions please write to Cedar Lane's membership coordinator, Andy Streich, astreich@cedarlane.org. Affinity groups have no fees and can use church facilities for meetings. Your group must have a contact person and be responsible for communicating with its members. Andy will periodically publish affinity group information in the newsletter so the congregation is aware of what is available and how to get involved. He may also be able to help with other ways of attracting like-minded people to your group. Our intention is to be as flexible as possible as we launch groups and adjust as we learn how best to support them.
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Learning about UU and Cedar Lane
The Adult Programs booklet will be available soon, and the Member Services Committee is pleased to highlight these free opportunities especially for new members and visitors. We are also delighted when members who have been around awhile participate and share their wisdom. So register soon through Adult Programs and mark your calendars.
A5. New to UU, Wednesday, March 7, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Evan Keely, Interim Senior Minister:
This class investigates various aspects of what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist today, changes in Unitarianism and Universalism in the 20th Century, and the earlier history of our faith.
A7. Exploring Cedar Lane, Wednesday, March 14, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Andy Streich, Membership Coordinator: Through personal stories and discussion with lay leaders, participants learn how people come together in committees and other groups to operate the church. This is an opportunity to share your experience of the church as well as to learn from others about theirs.
A8. Welcome Workshop, Saturday, March 17, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m: Twice a year we offer this opportunity to learn about Unitarian Universalism, our spiritual community, how we operate, what we offer, and ways to get engaged. The workshop is hosted by the membership coordinator with interactive sessions led by each of the ministers. |
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Around the Church
Valentines for Veterans: Following each service this Sunday, everyone is invited to make "Valentines for Veterans" in the Lounge during coffee hour.
Since 2007, our Camp Fire USA scouting group has partnered with the Washington Veterans Hospital to provide Valentines. The Hospital in NE, DC serves approximately 365 veterans at any given moment, both in-patient and those in long-term care. It serves some of the most frail elderly and poorest people in the region. Craft supplies will be provided, just bring your creativity and good wishes for this annual intergenerational activity! Help Stand on the Side of Love by making a Valentine for a veteran who is feeling ill.
A Very Potter Musical Everyone is invited to this production by our teens! Shows will be held tonight, Friday, Feb 3, at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, Feb 5, at 4:00 p.m., both FREE performances will be in the auditorium. The teens performed one of the acts at last winter's coffee house to help support their New Orleans work trip this summer. They had SO much fun that this time they're performing the whole thing! Support their efforts by being an audience member! The show will be over in time for the big Super Bowl party, so bring your family (be aware that the musical's content is considered PG, appropriate for 4th graders and up) and stay for the Super Bowl Party.
Patriots vs. Giants Super Bowl Party
Join the fun for the annual Super Bowl Party, this Sunday, February 5, at 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium. We'll watch the game on the BIG screen and vote for the best commercial. Wear your favorite sports team clothing and bring snacks to share. This event is for all ages-no alcohol! Pizza and drinks provided; donations welcome.
Best wishes for a great workweek to our volunteer crew of 9 Cedar Laners leaving tomorrow for New Orleans to help rebuild housing damaged 7 years ago by Hurricane Katrina. This is Mike Burski's fifth year of leading our group, under the auspices of Rebuilding Together, Inc.
Interested in heading Cedar Lane's Seder this year?
Currently we do not have anyone to organize and run the event and will not be able to host the dinner if no one steps forward. The RE department will be able to contribute up to $200 towards the event. If anyone is passionate about having and a church-wide Seder this year as we have done in the past and are willing to organize the event, please contact Sara Davidson at sdavidson@cedarlane.org.
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Sara Deshler and Sara Davidson
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church www.cedarlane.org 301-493-8300
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