June newsletter - Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship

June 2016
Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship
www/Fairhopeuu.org
A Member of the Unitarian Universalist
Association
June 5 IRENE WEGNER: Stories That Have Shaped American Cultural Values
Did you know that Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk fame) had a dysfunctional family? Why were storytellers asked
not to tell Br'er Rabbit stories in the 1980s? What modern storytellers reach our hearts and souls? FUF member Irene
Wegner will touch on these questions with the stories she will tell. A former member of the Chicago Storytelling
Guild, she has been telling stories for over 39 years and has also taught storytelling techniques to UU teachers and
DREs in the Midwest. Irene’s favorites are humorous tales and stories from American, Russia, and Europe.
Introduction by: Pinky Bass
June 12 RONDA THOMASON: Safe and Affirming Schools and Communities: Anti-bias Perspectives
The FUF Welcoming Statement: The Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship welcomes and embraces people of any age, race,
gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, language, or cultural background.
Rhonda Thomason, a longtime educator and board member of the Alabama Safe Schools Coalition, will share insight
into resources to help our schools and communities improve school climate so that all students and families feel safe
and welcome. The information will generate and deepen conversations to develop and enrich the process of
becoming a Welcoming Congregation. Having created widely used anti-bias professional development and
curriculum materials for school settings and online audiences, Rhonda has been actively engaged in safe schools
work for over two decades at local, regional, and national levels.
Introduction by: Jane Finger
June 19 DON SAWYER: Climate Change Action – Mobilizing Jamaican Youth
Climate change is a reality affecting all of us, but in some nations, the impact is already so dramatic and devastating
that government and non-government agencies are ramping up efforts to engage their communities in understanding
the basic science of CC and promoting mitigation and adaptation strategies. Through photos and data, Don's
presentation will examine concrete examples of CC-related issues facing the people of Jamaica as well as how Don
and his team developed a program that has now graduated more than 1,000 young Jamaicans as Climate Change
Action Agents. An educator and author with more than 30 years of field experience implementing and administering
community-based development projects in West Africa and the Caribbean, Don is the former director of the
Okanagan College (OC) International Development Centre, the origin of unique programs for the training of rural
community development workers in Ghana and The Gambia.
Introduction: Michael Patrick
June 26 MIKE TURNER: Songs with Social Conscience
Folk and traditional music have a rich history of addressing social issues and concerns such as poverty, war and
injustice. Topical and socially conscious songs have been used as a form of protest, to inform, and even to serve as a
call to action. Amateur musician and songwriter Mike Turner will give a history of and perform some of these
inspiring songs. Mike serves on the board of the Eastern Shore Institute for Lifelong Learning, where he has taught
courses in the ukulele. A member of the Bay Area Songwriters and Port City Songwriters associations, Mike has
written more than seventy-five songs, many receiving streaming and broadcast radio play in the US, the U.K., Europe
and on the Armed Forces Radio Network. After a career in the Federal Government he and Pamela, his wife, moved
to Fairhope in 2007 and sail an historic schooner on Mobile Bay.
Introduction by: Carl Couret
SUNDAY SERVICE 11 AM.
MUSIC PRELUDE BEGINS 10:45 AM
All visitors are warmly invited to participate as our guests.
Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship welcomes and embraces people of any age, race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation,
socioeconomic status, ability, language, or cultural background.
TED discussion group 9:45 a.m. Current Events discussion group 10:15 am.
Children’s Fellowship 11 – noon (September through May)
June 26: Last Sunday of the Month Potluck: Bring a dish and join us for fellowship and conversation.
1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL 36532. Tel. 251-929-3207
www/ Fairhope uu.org
[email protected]
MONTHLY FELLOWSHIP BUSINESS
June Board Meeting Agenda
Summary – May 13 Board Meeting
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Friday, June 10, 2016, 10 a.m.
The new projector is fully operational.
Jim Gardiner donated a computer with
updated software to be used with the
projector.
The Unity Church Auction raised $250 for
FUF.
The May 7 Yard Sale raised $616.
Phil Striniste was commended at the
Board Meeting for the excellent job he is
doing keeping the building in working
order.
1. Approve May 2016 Board meeting minutes
2. Treasurer's Report
3. OLD BUSINESS
A. Consideration of upgrades to Sound System
4. NEW BUSINESS
A. Program Committee Report
B. Membership Committee Report
C. Publicity and Events Committee Report
D. Building Committee Report
To add agenda items, please promptly notify
Rodney Hoffman or Diana Gardiner. Board
meetings are open to all friends and members.
Submitted by Lynne Switzky, Recording Secretary
Submitted by Diana Gardiner, Chair
Financial Summary
April, 2016
April
Actual
YTD
Budgeted
YTD
Surplus/
(Deficit)
Support and Revenue
Contributions
Other Revenue
Total Support and Revenue
3,669
1,214
4,883
14,250
2,049
16,299
15,000
3,000
18,000
(750)
(951)
(1,701)
Expenses
Building
Committees
Donations
Total Expenses
3,735
1,907
0
5,643
12,456
4,905
450
17,811
12,083
4,817
1,100
18,000
(373)
(88)
650
189
Net Operating Increase/(Decrease)
(760)
(1,511)
0
(1,511)
RECENT PROGRAMS
Performed to a full house, this trio’s Irish music was promoted as
“powerful.” Wow! Was it ever, and more! Fiddler Liz Knowles’s
compositions, harmonies, and arrangements, Kieran O’Hare’s
encyclopedic knowledge of tunes and the uilleann piping tradition, and
the rhythmic bedrock bouzouki and
world-class singing of Dublin-born
Pat Broaders captivated their
audience. The (unknown to many of
us)uilleann pipe had us wondering
and wanting a closer look to find out
how it got it’s air.
OPEN THE DOOR
FOR THREE
Thanks, Don Sawyer, for providing
this very enjoyable opportunity for us
and the broader community.
FUF Teen Fellowship’s May 8
Presentation and Photography Project
Acknowledging our multi-local, multi-layered complexity, Fairhope UU
Teen Fellowship’s presentation and photography project focused on people’s
faces and the stories they tell, including their countries of origin. Their
creative format included music, dance, costumes, art, multimedia, and
commentary as they entertained and enlightened their audience, reminding us of our interdependence with all
that exists and that, as Unitarians, we embody a “reverent, respectful religious pluralism….”
Thanks to
ALL the
UU teens and kids,
teachers Kate & Melita
for a
terrific program!
(including the kid with the zebra hat)=>
(cont’d on next page)
“Awesome people who also happen to be Unitarians”
Photography by Kate Mercer
MAY 22 READING: OP-ED PIECE READ BY RUTH GERACI
Incarcerated Kids Deserve a Second Chance.
I went to prison for gang-related murder when I was 13. My public defender was able to convince the judge to sentence me to
25 years, which was less than prosecutors sought but still nearly twice as long as I had been alive. I served 13 years. While in
prison, I grew up, earned a college degree, and committed to working for change on behalf of the victim in my case. In short, I
transformed.
Next month, we mark the 4th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Miller v. Alabama. Thanks to that case, it is
now unconstitutional to impose a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole on a child. The ruling guarantees
that more children convicted of crimes will get a second chance in society, just as I did—but the potential for rehabilitation
and change doesn’t end with release from prison.
. . . Already, dozens of my peers throughout the country have connected to share and support each other in their advocacy
efforts. Recognizing our responsibility to humanity, we hope to serve as motivation to others that it is never too late to become
a positive force in the community.
Though they often go unacknowledged, people throughout the country who were incarcerated as youths are working hard to
create safer, stronger communities. They work as directors of child safety initiatives, youth program coordinators, and
outreach workers, and others are taking on leadership roles in public policy. Others still are simply living quietly, investing in
their families and friends. We are not pariahs or ne’er-do-wells. We can and do contribute to society. We are community
leaders, family people, and taxpayers. We know that there are people on the inside still serving life without parole who have
the same capacity and desire to give back to their communities.
We accept responsibility for the harm we have caused, and we ask people to join us in changing the conditions that led us to
commit violent acts. Many of us experienced almost unimaginable abuse and neglect. As children, my siblings and I faced
poverty and bounced from address to address following numerous evictions. After we were removed from our home because
of abuse, we went to a foster home that was as bad or worse. I joined a gang looking for a sense of family and protection. By
the time of the murder, I had already been arrested 18 times. Both the prosecutor in that case and my probation officer said I
was incorrigible—that I could not and would not change.
But I did. Since my release, I have earned another degree and continuously sought opportunities to better my community—
whether as an intervention specialist for Catholic Charities, as a part of a diversion program, or, most recently, as a field
researcher for a Northwestern University study on the mental health needs and service utilization of formerly incarcerated
youths like myself.
As I look back on the four years since the Miller decision, I can see progress—but I also see that there is still a long way to go.
A growing number of policy makers, opinion leaders, and others are calling for reform, and some states have implemented
laws that bring us closer to holding kids accountable in age-appropriate ways. Other states are still working from the premise
that we are defined by the worst thing we have ever done, even though brain science tells us that children have a unique
capacity for change.
"I am a firm believer that NO CHILD IS BORN BAD...and that all children deserve another chance for positive change."
Written by Xavier McElrath-Bey, a youth justice advocate at the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth
SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE NEWS
Pet Food & Supplies Needed
In June and July, we will be collecting pet food and supplies for Baldwin County Humane Society (BARC.) and/or
the food pantries. Families who qualify for food stamps are not allowed to use them for pet food.
Books For Fairhope Jail
Last week Serena Low and I delivered a large number of paperback books to the Fairhope jail. My trunk was full,
and prisoners unloaded the books. Thanks to all who donated. Since we won’t start collecting books again until the
police let us know when there is a need for more, save any soft-cover books (no magazines) until we resume this
collection.
Submitted by Lynne Switzky
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
UUA Matching Grant Received
The Welcoming Congregation sub-committee of Membership is excited that it received a grant from the UUA
to use tools that the UUA is developing for reaching new and different populations. This will help with
reaching our Welcoming Congregation status but also with other events that FUF is sponsoring. It will help us
coordinate some committee work as we reach out to diverse communities.
“Soup”er Sunday Is June 12th!
Our speaker, Rhonda Thomason, will stay to discuss her program with FUF members
and Baldwin County school counselors, who have been invited to attend. This should be
a very interesting discussion. Please sign up at FUF on Sunday or call Irene Wegner,
517-7248, if you would like to attend. We really, really need a head count--please sign
up!
Submitted by Irene Wegner
NEW HELPING HANDS SERVICE
There are moments that some of us need a helping hand to fix something in or around the house.
It could be as simple as exchanging a light bulb on a ceiling or a door handle or door hinge that is loose.
But it also can be help to move things around or hang a
painting or do something more extensive.
If you have trouble doing these kinds of chores you can
contact Ben Gall, our member and "handy man" or,
as they are called in his native Dutch, "manus van alles".
The help is free but if you can afford it hand him before
leaving a modest check payable to the FUF.
The best way to contact Ben is email:
[email protected] but you can also call 610-889244.
Don't be shy, Ben loves to do stuff and it keeps him out of
trouble :)
Submitted by Ben Gall
FUF GROUP DETAILS
FRIDAY NIGHT PICNICS
Every Friday night around five o’clock, weather
permitting, a group from FUF gathers at the far north
end of North Beach Park to enjoy the sunset with food
and fellowship. Everyone brings a dish to share and
own beverage, eating utensils, and chair. In case of
rain, we meet under the pavilion. All are welcome—
the more the merrier!
GENTLE YOGA UPDATE
There will be no Gentle Yoga classes during June and
July. The August starting date will be posted in the
Weekly Bulletin the previous Sunday (and possibly in
the August Newsletter and on the FUF website and
Facebook page).
WEDNESDAY MORNING COFFEE PLUS
Every Wednesday morning, people gather at 10:00
and enjoy coffee and conversation until 11:30. Some
bring craft projects and others just come for the
pleasure of getting together. There's no need to sign
up...just show up. Everyone is welcome!
Newsletter
Submit calendar events or articles specific to the
Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship by the date noted in the
newsletter calendar section.
For events, please include all pertinent information.
Members and Friends are invited to submit poems,
quotations or other brief words of wisdom to be
published as space allows.
Provide written copy or email to editor at:
[email protected]
EDITOR/PUBLISHER: JANE FINGER
DISTRIBUTION : Helen Garrett & Ruth Geraci
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Regularly Scheduled Events
Sundays:
9:45 – 10:45 TED Discussion Group (Please be on
time)
10:15 Current Events Discussion Group
10:45 Pre-program Music
11:00 Sunday Program
Third Sunday: Social Action Committee, 12:20
Last Sunday of every month: Pot Luck Lunch, noon.
Tuesdays:
3:30 Choir Practice
Wednesdays
10-11:30 UU Coffee Plus
3:00- 4:30 Back Porch Folk Singers
5:00 Weekly Bulletin Deadline
Fridays
5:00 Potluck Picnic at the Beach
Other Events
Thu., June 2: Nonfiction Book Group, 9:30 am
Fri., June 3: Welcoming Congregation Sub com, 1:00
pm
Fri., June 10: FUF Board meets, 10:00 am
Sat., June 11: Game night, 6:30 pm
Thu., June 16: Nonfiction Book Group, 9:30 am
Tues., June 23: July Newsletter deadline, 5:00 pm
Sat., June 25: Game Night, 6:30 pm
Thu., June 30: Nonfiction Book Group, 9:30 am
CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is a holiday
commemorating the announcement of the abolishment
of slavery in Texas in June 1865. This occurred two
and a half years after President Lincoln signed the
Proclamation. It is a portmanteau of June and 19 and
is celebrated in Texas and throughout the Confederate
South. Local traditions include public reading of the
Emancipation Proclamation, singing songs (e.g.
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot), and often a barbecue.
Submitted by Harvey Switzky
SUNDAY BULLETIN INFO DEADLINE
Wednesday at 5:00 pm is the deadline for information
to be included in this weekly bulletin.
Submitted by Mary Matthews