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Coming Soon
UU Passover Seder
April 23
Clothing Swap and Grounds Cleanup
April 30
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We are...
Current pledge total after 4/3 services: 411,554!
Remember that our pledge goal this year is $565,000 and we hope that many of you will be able to raise your pledge by 7.5%.
In gratitude, The Stewardship Committee
chalice painting by Patricia C. Coleman
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Sunday, April 10, 2016
9:15 and 11:15
A Tale of Two Trees: Earth Day Celebration Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, Reverend Douglas Wadkins and the Earth Day Planning Team This intergenerational service will include drama, singing, and time for personal reflection regarding our relationship with the earth as individuals and as a community. Members of our Green Sanctuary Task Force will share insights and we will have free trees! Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate with all ages. |
Sunday, April 17, 2016
9:15 and 11:15
Our Candidate for Associate Minister will preach!
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Thoughts about Candidating and Ministry
from Our Interim Minister
The past few weeks at UUCB have been an important time, behind the scenes, as the search committee prepares to make an offer to a candidate soon. There has been much careful thought about what sort of qualities and what set of skills and experiences would make for a good fit with this congregation.
The potential candidates for ministry have also been doing their own thoughtful discernment about the right ministerial fit for this time in their journey. A lot of careful work goes into being ready to engage in the process of candidating on all sides. Before the name of your candidate is announced to you all, much hard work and goodwill have been invested to prepare for that moment.
Perhaps you are wondering how a congregation can discover in the span of week whether the potential associate minister will be the right fit? It is a worthy concern. However, the care and concern that you have entrusted in your search committee is a crucial component. They have worked very hard to offer you the right fit or nothing at all. However, it is indeed very important for you to actively engage the candidating process, and it will require some intention on your part.
There will be a multitude of opportunities for you to get to know your candidate. There will be written materials to read. Take the time to read them, explore the candidating week schedule and plan to attend what you can. The candidating experience is a very full week with worship, social gatherings and meetings galore. It will go by quickly, and then you will be asked to make an important decision in voting to call your new associate.
I would just say that the essence of what you are looking for however is potential. Do you recognize in your candidate and does she/he recognize in you, as a congregation, the possibility of vibrant shared ministry? Will you be able to grow together? Are you willing to do the important work of building mutual trust?
As you prepare for the potential of welcoming a new minister may you enter it was a sense of hope. May you open yourself to the possibility of widening the circle of this vibrant community for a new era of ministry. In this next exciting time, my excitement, good wishes and encouragement go with you!
Warmly!
Doug
Reverend Douglas Wadkins
Interim Minister
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Our Folks...
Our sympathy and thoughts of healing are with Arzetta Hults-Losensky and Paul Losensky upon the death of Arzetta's father this week, in St. Louis.
Our healing thoughts to Edrice Baker who was recently hospitalized due to a fall. She is recovering well at the Brown County Health and Living Community. Cards are welcome. Cards are always welcome :)
Congratulations to Sue Ferentino for having her book, Interpreting LGBT History Museums and Historic Sites, chosen as the winner of the 2016 National Council on Public History Book Award for the best work published about or growing out of public history.
Congratulations to Colleen Haas who recently received the Faculty Aware for Community-Based Leadership and Scholarship from Indiana State University.
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We ordained a minister!
The Reverend Shari Woodbury wishes to thank all the members and friends of our congregation who attended her ordination here yesterday, and the many, many who helped to pull together the service and the reception. Look what we did -- we ordained, from among our own membership, a new minister!
Shari says, "This is truly a special place. I am so pleased that my home congregation bestowed this honor upon me and celebrated with me. When I leave our church to serve our wider UU movement in the coming months, I will take the blessings of this beloved community with me. And I will watch from afar with all best wishes for the renewal of this congregation as it moves into a new era. May you rise green, to bring a new day!"
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 UU Board of Directors Update
With great excitement we look forward to the week of April 17-24th, when the planned visit of a candidate for associate minister will represent a crescendo of four years of ministerial transition. Please watch the Prologue and search.uubloomington.org for details from the Ministerial Search Committee, and please mark your calendar for 1:00 pm on April 24th for a special congregational meeting to vote on calling the candidate.
Special Congregational Meeting
Sunday, April 24, 2016 1:00 p.m.
To vote on calling a new associate minister
All members urged to attend. A quorum of 170 members is required for this meeting.
Childcare provided.
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Ministerial Search Committee Update
We are getting close to making an offer to a candidate for our new Associate Minister. We will be able to make an offer on Thursday, April 7th.
If all goes as we hope, we will announce the candidate at Sunday service on April 10th. The candidate will then visit this congregation for what is known as Candidating Week April 17-24th, -mark your calendars-which will include a number of opportunities to meet and greet the candidate and to hear the candidate preach.
During that week, we will hold meetings and social gatherings so you can interact, ask questions, and get to know the candidate. We will post and send out a schedule of activities for that week after April 10th. The candidate is expected to preach at UUCB for both services Sunday April 17 and 24th
Following 2nd service on April 24 there will be a congregational meeting to vote to call this candidate as our associate minister. We need a quorum of at least 170 members of the congregation to attend and to vote and more than a 90% acceptance vote is needed to call the minister. It is the congregation who makes the decision. Please be there! See the ministerial search committee page for details.
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Come Help at the MidAmerica UU Regional
High School Bridging Conference Here April 8-10
Are you a night OWL or an early bird? Do you like to help in the kitchen? Do you want our youth to have an amazing conference? We need your help! Our congregation is hosting Mid America's High School Bridging Conference April 8-10. This is an exciting time for our congregation and many youth in our region. We need a few folks who would like to take shifts to help walk the halls while the youth and chaperones sleep, and we need some more folks to help with meal set up and clean up. You can contact Adrienne Summerlot dre@uubloomington.org for more information or you can sign up right here!
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 Shambhala Meditation Every Monday at Noon Join us at 12 noon every Monday in the Fellowship Hall for an hour of Shambhala Meditation, walking meditation, and Shamatha yoga with Sarah Flint. We have cushions available, but you may bring your own cushion if you have one. |
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Taiji Continues on Tuesdays and Saturdays
Brian Flaherty leads Taiji in Fellowship Hall on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. This form practices the "Wu (Hao)" style of taijiquan, including practice of standing exercises, forms, and "pushing hands." Anyone is welcome, even those with no experience. Please wear loose-fitting clothing.
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Our Congregational Ministry Themes April: Creation
January 2016: Resistance May: Blessing
February: Desire June: Simplicity
March: Liberation
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Adult Religious Education Opportunities
The Divine Feminine Within and Without
Starts March 24th, 6 sessions, Third Thursday of each month through August.
7-8:30 p.m. Room 210
We will explore ideas and images of the Divine Feminine in Her contexts and cultural perspectives. A variety of approaches will be used: discussion and sharing of our own experiences, music, contemplations on expressions of the divine feminine, and reflecting from writings of others. You will be given resources to use. Maximum class size: 20 participants. To register, send an email to office@uubloomington.org, or call 812-332-3695, ext. 204. If you will need childcare to attend the June or July meeting, request this from Adrienne at dre@uubloomington.org by May 15
Owning Your Religious Past
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, Jan Armstrong, Clarke Miller
May 6th, 6:30pm-8:30pm
May 7th, 9am-4pm (Juice and Bagels at 8:30am)
This mini-retreat provides some simple tools through which people may reexamine and retrieve positive aspects of past religious connections as well as discern their needs from negative experiences. Owning Your Religious Past addresses the affective elements of these connections, rather than dogma. The workshop is designed to provide both group sharing and private exploration. If you have questions please contact one of the facilitators.
The class is currently at capacity, however you can still attempt to register by
sending an email to Deeva at office@uubloomington.org or call 812-332-3695, ext. 204 to be added to the wait list. If you will need childcare to attend the class, contact Adrienne at dre@uubloomington.org by April 15.
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Welcome to Our New Bookkeeper
We welcomed a new member of our administrative staff in mid-March--Bookkeeper Jessica Bailey. A native of Lawrence County Jessica has a degree in accounting, and we appreciate her help! She works for us 5-6 hours per week on bill paying, payroll, and other accounting tasks.
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Women's Alliance Meets April 7
Our March 3rd meeting was, Clearing the way; Home Reorganization (best way of getting rid of stuff / organizing; downsizing) with Min Gates. Our April 7th meeting is My Sisters Closet with Sandy Keller. She helps ladies dress (with second hand clothing) for job interviews. Hosts: Lois Holl and Sharon Wiseman
Not a member? No problem; all are welcome to attend. Come and join us for the meeting, conversation and dessert. The Women's Alliance meets the first Thursday of each month at 11:30 am at the church, unless otherwise indicated. Meetings begin with a brown bag lunch; drinks and dessert are provided. The program begins at noon, followed by the business meeting.
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Ready to become a member of UU Bloomington?
If this is your community, if you feel at home here, join us! If you would like to make the commitment and become a member of UU Bloomington, the next opportunity is Sunday, April 24, at 10:30am in Room 207B. (We ask for participation in our "Exploring UU" class prior to signing the membership book.) To make arrangements to sign the membership book, or for questions, please contact Shari Woodbury, Connections Coordinator, at 332-3695 or connect@uubloomington.org, by Wednesday, April 20.
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UU Seder, Saturday, April 23, 6:00 p.m.
Please join us for this beloved non-kosher UU celebration of Passover in Fellowship Hall on Saturday, April 23. The price for Seder dinner is $9 adults and $3 children, with a limit of $25 per family. Dinner will start at 6:00 p.m. Deadline for reservations is Sunday, April 17. Send your reservation request to Ruellen Fessenbecker, rfessenb@indiana.edu . Seder Tickets will be sold between the services on Sunday April 10 and April 17, in the Commons.
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Exploring Unitarian Universalism
Class Meets April 10 & 17
Are you interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism and this congregation? Whether you are considering membership or are just curious, this class is for you. The Exploring UU Class will be held on Sunday, April 10 and Sunday, April 17 from 2-4 p.m. in the Ralph and Annetta Fuchs Library. Sign up by Sunday, April 3 at the welcome table in the foyer, or by emailing connect@uubloomington.org. Childcare is available if requested in advance by contacting dre@uubloomington.org. Class facilitated by Jack King and Melinda Swenson, with participation by a minister and our Connections Coordinator.
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Green Sanctuary Task Force Spring Clothing Swap April 30
The Green Sanctuary Task Force encourages all of us to examine our habits of consumption. What do we buy? Where does it come from? What happens to it when we're finished with it? What impact does our consumption have on the earth and its inhabitants? Each spring and fall, we hold a Clothing Swap to offer an alternative to buying new clothes. This spring's Swap will be held on Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon with drop off starting at 9:30 am. If you need childcare in order to attend, contact Stephanie Kimball (Kimball.stephanie@gmail.com) by March 25.
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Grounds Day April 30--Save the Date
Engage in our Seventh Principle of Caring for the Earth! We plan to hold a spring grounds work day on Saturday April 30th (rain date, May 1st). Help us implement a few changes from our Green Sanctuary Task Force-led visioning. Help our grounds reflect who we are --and wish to become-- in the community and greater world. --Rhonda Baird and Molly O'Donnell, co-chairs
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Auction Time! Sunday, May 15
If it's Spring, it must be UU Auction time! Mark your calendar for Sunday, May 15th. Lunch will be served from 12:30-1:30, registration starting at 1:30 and the auction at 2:00. Darrell Breeden will again be the auctioneer. Stop by the auction table in Fellowship Hall between services to see how you can help support this fun and vital fundraising event.
-- Debbie Fish
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UU SUMMER CAMP JULY 3-9, 2016 -- MUUSA!
Consider joining fellow UUs this summer in the Missouri Ozarks at the annual Midwest Unitarian Universalist Summer Assembly (MUUSA). The weeklong camp offers many workshops and activities for families, couples and singles of all ages. This year Reverend Krista Taves will lead the daily Morning Celebration service on this year's theme: "The UU House of Soul."
Come gather in the beautiful forests and rolling hills of the Missouri Ozarks at YMCA Trout Lodge, where you can connect with old friends, make new ones and participate in a wide variety of activities. Registration is now open. Get all the details at www.muusa.org.
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Chalice Sparx Family Camp July 12-17
You won't want to miss Chalice Sparx family camp this year! Join us from July 12-17 for fun, connections, worship services and great workshops. Michelle Richards, author of Tending the Flame: The Art of Unitarian Universalist Parenting (and former member of First Unitarian-South Bend) will be presenting the series of keynote presentations, exploring some of the many challenges UU parents face such as talking about death, encouraging religious literacy in our children and raising them with values of acceptance along with generosity. Chalice Sparx camp is held at Amigo Centre in Sturgis, Michigan and there are a variety of overnight accommodations. More info here: www.chalicesparx.org
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Kroger Community Rewards - Please Re-Up to Support the Church
Kroger Community Rewards, which sends 5% of each purchase made using your Kroger Plus card, requires us to re-register each calendar year in order to participate. If you would like a percentage of your purchase amounts this year to be donated to our congregation, please follow these instructions:
Select "Sign In" or "Create an Account"
Scroll down to Community Rewards and follow instructions.
Our church's organization number is 10159.
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Hospitality for Those with Allergies
As a courtesy to our friends and members who have allergies to fragrances, we are designating the west section of the Meeting Room (next to the sliding glass doors and tall narrow windows) as Fragrance Free. Please do not sit there if you have used any fragrances. Anyone else is welcome to sit in this area. Thank you for your consideration.
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UUs Who Can Provide a Variety of Professional Services -
List and Waiver Form Now Available
The Elder Focus Task Force has compiled a list of Unitarian Universalists who are available for hire for a variety of tasks including Pet Sitting, Home Healthcare, Organizational Skills, Carpentry, Counseling, Sewing Machine repair, Building Construction. The list and the liability waiver form are posted here:
UUs for Hire and Liability Waiver
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Attendance and Membership
Certified Membership as of 2/1/2016: 464 Current Membership: 468
Attendance
Sunday, March 27 9:15 148 ; 11:15 155 ; RE: 79 Total:382
Sunday, April 3 9:15 108 ; 11:15 176 ; RE: 94 Total:378
Non-Pledge Offering
3/27 - $850
4/3 - $620
Total to be donated to Monroe County CASA - $369.02
Grocery Card Sales
(Bloomingfoods, Marsh, or Lucky's)
March 27 $600, income to UUCB $30.00
April 3 $1200, income to UUCB $62.50
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Community Connections
Our Faith in Action in the Community
Germanic Studies Creates Labyrinth April 7
There will be a labyrinth walk "Walking the Labyrinth: Rediscovering an Old Tradition," at the Global and International Studies Building, 355 N. Jordan Avenue, on Thursday, April 7, 7-8:30 p.m. Sponsored by Germanic Studies.
Voces Novae Presents "Supporting Players" April 10
Voces Novae Chamber Choir presents a concert exploring celebrity, notoriety, and the people who stand in the shadows of brighter lights. Sunday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. in our Meeting Room. $10 general adminission, $7 students and seniors. www.vocesnovae.org
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Diaper Drive For Reproductive Justice Task Force
The Reproductive Justice Task Force is working with the All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center to collect disposable and reusable diapers for families in need. Please buy diapers and bring to the Commons, where we will have our Diaper Depot. This effort will continue through April 30.
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Still Seeking Women Builders 
The Habitat Women Build team being organized by the UU Habitat Task Force is looking for about 10 more members to join our team on Friday, May 13, for the 15th annual Women Build. Most team members are women in the UU Church, but we welcome women from other faith communities and the community at-large. We need 35 members to fill up the team by April 22, the fund-raising deadline. On May 13, the next to the last day of the build, we'll be doing a variety of jobs -- counter tops, trim, siding, and other work -- so there will be plenty of options. You don't need experience and team leaders will give you instructions. We're constructing two homes in the Trail View neighborhood off of the B-line.
To be on the team, each woman needs to donate or fund-raise a minimum of $250 by April 22. Donated funds are available to supplement fundraising. If interested, please register online and set up fund-raising page to send out requests. Our team page is: https://shar.es/14yLd5. The Women Build site is:http://womenbuild.kintera.org. We also need a site host, who would not need to make any financial contribution, but would spend most of the day there to help set up snacks, lunch and do other non-building tasks. If you have any questions, please contact Barb Berggoetz, UU Habitat Task Force co-chairman, atbarbberg@bluemarble.net or call 812-320-8422.
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UU Humanist Forum Meets on Alternating Sundays
This group offers an opportunity for regular, open, wide-ranging discussions of issues relating to morality and ethics, human development, and the nature of the universe. The forum will meet next on Sunday, April 10, in Room 208 after religious education classes end at 12:45. The topic will be "Is America a Christian Nation?" led by Sandy Dolby.
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UU Freethinkers Group Enjoys Free Ranging Discussion
The purpose of the UU Freethinkers bi-weekly meeting is to create the opportunity for participants to raise questions and engage in open and non-structured discussion of issues of social concern, political concern, and theological/religious concern. UU Freethinkers meet on alternating Sundays after children's religious education classes end, in Room 208. UU Freethinkers meet next on Sunday, April 17, at 12:45 p.m. Info, contact John Crosby.
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UU History for You
The Marquis de Condorcet
 The Marquis de Condorcet (Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas de Caritat) lived 1743-1794. He was born in Aisne, France and excelled as a scholar in school, especially in mathematics. He extended the mathematics of calculus and applied mathematics to social conditions and problems. He supported the American Revolution, opposed slavery, and joined the French Revolution in its overthrow of the Monarchy. As the Revolution broke into factions, he went into hiding and wrote Progress of the Human Spirit (1795) in which he summed up his teaching and argued that the more one learns, using reason and science to explore life and the universe, the more humanity moves toward perfectibility. Monarchies would be replaced by democracies and republics, women and men would be treated as equals, discrimination against races would end, equality of opportunity would emerge, and moral behavior and compassion would dominate our relations. Condorcet was arrested and taken to prison and died two days later. The cause was never found out. His optimism about reason and science was embraced by idealists in North America before and after the American Revolution and it entered into Unitarian thinking and helped those motivated to try experimental Utopias. - Elof Carlson, designated historian |
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Contact a Minister
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, our Senior Minister
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 201 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons
Our Interim Minister,
Reverend Douglas Wadkins
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 207 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons
In case of a pastoral emergency after office hours, please call his home study number,
812-369-4179.
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, our Minister of Religious Education
can be reached at 812-332-3695, ext. 203
on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
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 Who Ya Gonna Call about Building Problems and
Facilities Maintenance?
If you notice a problem with the building, please contact Carol Marks, Church Administrator, admin@uubloomington.org, 812-332-3695, ext. 200, and she will contact the experts to get it taken care of.
Weekday office hours are generally Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exceptions are posted on the office entrance. Sunday office hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
--Carol Marks, Church Administrator
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Livestreaming of Sunday Services
As archived videos of service become available they will also be at the link listed above.
If there is a problem with livestreaming, please contact Andy Beargie, Multi-media Specialist, media@uubloomington.org
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Calendar of all our congregational events can be found at www.uubloomington.org
In the left hand column, click on "Calendar" and then on the top link on the page or Click Right Here and then click on today's date. Information is also available on our public Facebook page: www.facebook.com/uubloomington You do not need a Facebook account to read our page.
Prologue Publication Schedule: Next issue, April 4.
Deadline for articles about congregational events and projects is 10:00 a.m. on date of publication, to admin@uubloomington.org. The Prologue is published on the first and third Mondays of each month, with exceptions for Monday holidays. Upcoming publication dates: 4/4, 4/18, 5/2, 5/16.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, 2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington IN 47408, 812-332-3695
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| Masthead photo by John Woodcock |
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