March - Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

 THE UCH REPORTER: News and Views for all UUs March 2012 The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg is an inclusive, gloriously diverse, deeply connected spiritual community dedicated to the practice of radical service.
Minister’sMessage
We at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg take pride in being open and inclusive of everyone. We do our very best to provide a warm, welcoming atmosphere for members and visitors alike. And we do a good job of this except in one glaring area. Neither of our church buildings is accessible to people in wheelchairs or people who have trouble climbing stairs. We are not handicapped accessible. And this should make us all uncomfortable. Our Clover Lane church has had an elevette for many years. It has served us well. And it is now simply worn out. We have tried numerous times to fix it. After a fix the elevette will run for a month or so until it simply stops suddenly with someone in it, stranding him or her between floors. Most members of our congregation wouldn’t go near the elevette, no matter how much they might need it. We must replace this piece of worn out equipment with a proper elevator. Our Market Street church has an old chair lift that the members of The Shared Ministry have relied on for many years to get to and from the sanctuary. The chair works—if you have someone to run it for you and you don’t mind squeezing into the little chair and inching your way up the staircase. Most people are not comfortable with the chair lift. What the Market Street church needs is a proper elevator between Fellowship Hall and the sanctuary. There is space enough to install it. We have even researched companies to supply the elevator. Additionally, we need to reconfigure the education wing door at the Market Street church to make it wheelchair accessible, too. So what do we need to do to make both our churches accessible? First, we need you to care about this issue and authorize your Board of Trustees to do something about it. Both buildings can accommodate elevators. It simply takes money to make the needed renovations. We could have a functioning elevator in each building by September if we only had the money. So here is what you can do. Talk to any Board member about the need for two elevators. Trustees Dennis Hursh and Rob Wimer are on a task force that is looking into the matter. Talk to them. Encourage the Board to raise or borrow the money to install the elevators. We can always pay off an elevator loan with the upcoming capital campaign. But most of all don’t be content to be part of a congregation that is not welcoming to people with mobility needs. We need two elevators and we need them soon. This is a justice issue. We have to do better. And we can. See you in church. Love, Howard MarchServices
Mar 11 – 9:00 a.m. Forum at Clover Lane, 11:00 a.m. Worship at Market Street All other Sundays: Two services as follows; 9:00 a.m. at Clover Lane, then 11:00 a.m. at Market St Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
March 2012 At-a-Glance
DATE
9:00
Sun 4
11:00
Mon 5
Tue 6
Wed 7
Sat 10
6:30
7:00
5:30
6:00
9:00
4:00
9:00
Sun 11
Mon 12
Tue 13
Wed 14
Sun 18
Mon 19
Tue 20
Wed 21
Sat 24
11:00
7:00
6:30
7:00
5:30
7:00
9:00
11:00
a.m.
6:30
7:00
7:00
5:30
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7:30
SPEAKER
Sunday Worship Service, Rev. Howard Dana,
“The Seven Principles”
“My Piece of the Pie” (p.11)
Amrit Yoga, Ed Sykes
Mindfulness Meditation, Chuck Daley
Getting Ahead, Session 8, Sparkie Radcliffe
Queen Spirit, Kandy Melillo
Community Café, Clay Lambert
Families with young children, Pete/Kendra
Trufahnestock
Moral Issues Forum, David Spear
Music for the Soul!
Multi-Generational Worship
Philosophy and Literature, Dick Hoke
Amrit Yoga, Ed Sykes
Mindfulness Meditation, Daley
Getting Ahead, Session 9, Radcliffe
UCH Board of Trustees, Judy Linder
Sunday Worship Service, Rev. Dana,
“Our Duty to the Poor”
OLIVER COLLECTIVE Art Sale (page 5)
Amrit Yoga, Sykes
“Hospice/End of Life” forum, Kathie Teeter
Silent Mindfulness Meditation, Daley
Getting Ahead, Session 10, Radcliffe
Clover Grove, Ed Hazell
Coffee House with Dan Schatz, $15 ticket
includes $5 donation to LaGrone fund
OLIVER COLLECTIVE Art Sale
Mon 26
9:00
11:00
a.m.
6:30
Tue 27
7:00
Mindfulness Meditation, Daley
6:00
7:00
9:00
TBD
Getting Ahead, Session 11, Radcliffe
Harrisburg Area Humanists, David Spear
Community Café, Clay Lambert
All-Church Pie Party
Sun 25
Wed 28
Sat 31
TIME
The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Sunday Worship Service, Rev. Dan Schatz,
“Walk Together, Children”
OLIVER COLLECTIVE Art Sale
Amrit Yoga, Sykes
Market Street Event
Page 1 President’sMessage
One of the unique aspects of UCH is our sense of community. Last month two of the services focused on the diversity of beliefs within our community. The youth presented a fascinating collection of questions about what we believe (including a puppet show for the children's message that I hope will be repeated). One of the things the youth asked the congregation was "What do you believe?" They invited us to stand, crouch, or sit as each belief was read. It struck me that we have as many beliefs as we had members present. The next Sunday Howard spoke about “UU hyphenated,” concluding that it isn't so much the details of what we believe, but what we do. In a recent editorial in The Wall Street Journal, philosopher Alain de Botton wrote about lack of community in modern society: "One of the losses that modern society feels most keenly is the loss of a sense of community. We tend to imagine that there once existed a degree of neighborliness that has been replaced by ruthless anonymity, by the pursuit of contact with one another primarily for individualistic ends: for financial gain, social advancement or romantic love." We are so fortunate to have a sense of loving community at UCH. This is in contrast to the (non)community that FinancialNews
de Botton describes ("centered on the worship of professional success...We sense that we are brushing up against its gates when the first question at a party is 'What do you do?,' our answer to which will determine whether we are warmly welcomed or conclusively abandoned.") He also addresses the diversity of a congregation, saying: "Those in attendance...are a random sampling of souls united only by their shared commitment of certain values. We are urged to overcome our provincialism and our tendency to be judgmental...Here no one asks what anyone else 'does.' It no longer matters who is the bond dealer and who the cleaner." (Surprising words for the Wall Street Journal?) It is interesting to note that his basic question is, "How did religion once enhance the spirit of community [and] can secular society ever recover that spirit without returning to the theological principles that were entwined with it?" I think that we have recovered that spirit without becoming entwined in theological principles. Because of the diversity of the principles held by us at UCH we have enhanced our spirit of community. We move forward, doing very real projects for social justice. We feed the hungry, stand up for gay rights, support protecting the environment, and are a strong liberal voice in the larger community. Judy May we all be well, happy, and peaceful! Extracted from Reports Submitted by Tom Winner, Treasurer, UCH Board of Trustees $70,000
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
Last year
$30,000
This year
$20,000
$10,000
June
Apr
May
Mar
Jan
Feb
Dec
Oct
Nov
Sept
July
$0
Aug
We are tracking within a few thousand dollars of budgeted income and expenses. Year‐to‐date (YTD) income is $362K against $337K in expenses. Pledges, which represent more than 70 percent of income, continue to match last year (chart). The Operating Asset reserve is just over $25K, well below the $52K (one month’s expenses) historically required by policy. Based on current trends, the UCH will end the year with a small reserve. Some of the reasons can be attributed to cuts in programming, decreased staff expenses (savings on benefits, lower professional expenses, bookkeeper position not filled, lower honoraria and guest musician cost), and reduced utility costs due to the mild winter. Full reports are available at the members‐only portion of the website.
StatusReportonUCHListens
Ed. Note: the Board of Trustees voted in November to support a new “listening campaign” spearheaded by Jim Cavenaugh.
The “UCH Listens” team is wrapping up final interviews at press time. The team has found significant interest by the interviewees (UCH members) in both the immediate process and the long‐term outcomes. The core team (Jim Cavenaugh, Dennis Darling, Andrea MacDonald, and Cathy Montes) will meet March 2 for our first work session, with a goal of reading the interview write‐ups and drawing similarities and themes. As part of our process, we will also meet as a group later in March with the other interviewers (Nan Cavenaugh, Jessica Chuckalovcak, Kevin Geist, James Henninger‐
Voss, Mary Henninger‐Voss, Alex MacDonald, Marilyn McHenry, Ron Skrabut, Lois Voigt, David Spear, Randa Todd, and Barbara Van Horn). This will involve team appreciation, sharing what we learned, and brainstorming ways of making this process (or something like it) an ongoing part of the life of the church. The team will prepare a final written report to the Board of Trustees and the congregation. Many thanks to all who agreed to be interviewed, and many, many thanks to all the interviewers! – Submitted by Jim Cavenaugh The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 The UCH REPORTER Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
Published monthly by: 1280 Clover Lane March 2012 Harrisburg, Pa 17113 Page 2 DetailsonUCHEvents
March2012
An expanded calendar, with information on UCH activities. Sun 4 11:00 Mural Dedication The UCH will dedicate the UU mural during the March 4 service, honoring the work of the Membership Action Council (MAC), UCH friend Susan Norris, and four local artists in creating this amazing bit of drama and color. The four artists are Brad Gebhart, Lancaster; Michelle Waters, Harrisburg; Tom Drye, Camp Hill; and Alaysia Brittina Smith, Carlisle. The mural was a collaborative outgrowth of brainstorming by all parties, arising from MAC’s desire to create a warm and welcoming entryway to our sanctuary that also showed, reflected, or depicted our seven principles. Working with Susan, aka Chief Creativity Guru, the committee began brainstorming on ways to visually capture the spirit and challenge of our seven principles while simultaneously sending a welcoming message of inclusion to everyone. Susan listened intently and then began to work behind the scene with her network of local artists, broadcasting the message that UCH wanted to partner with someone to create a bold wall mural at the new campus. It took over a year for everything to align in the form of four talented muralists willing to donate their time, vision, energy and gift to help our dream to come alive. Once the team of artists was identified, we needed to effectively communicate in words, feelings and pictures exactly what our principles mean to us. The artists then took what they heard, felt and saw from/through us and translated it into a series of seven linked pictures that, together, form a wall of bold color and powerful messaging that pops off the wall in the welcome area at Market Street. The mural was unveiled in the Fall for Association Sunday. And it worked – grabbing the attention of those visiting with us that day and every day since then. – Submitted by Leta Beam Mon 5 6:30 Amrit Yoga (weekly) Amrit yoga is a form of hatha yoga developed by Yogi Amrit Desai. The entire process moves and stretches every part of your body for an energetic workout and includes a calming, meditative relaxation at the end. Two one‐hour sessions led by Ed Sykes, [email protected]. No experience necessary! Repeats every Monday. Tue 6 7:00 Mindfulness Meditation (weekly) Two 25‐minute periods of meditation with a short reading, discussion and rest between. Coordinated by Chuck Daley, [email protected]. Repeats every Tuesday. Third Tuesday (March 20) is silent meditation. Wed 7 5:30 Getting Ahead: A Pathway to Prosperity, Session 8 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for APRIL, MAY The Getting Ahead Program is in full swing on Wednesday nights at the Market Street campus. The sessions are lead by the county to help people get out of generational poverty. By hosting, we are as a congregation providing food and child care. At present, we need volunteers to cook, clean up, and take care of GETTING AHEAD: A PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY the children in April and May. If you and your friends can take care of an 16‐WEEK SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAM entire evening, that's great. If you want to be a part of a team but don't have a team, we can fit you in! You can provide child care or help provide dinner. You can provide the entire dinner for the evening or just bring bread and butter, veggies, or that special dish that you like to make. There are also opportunities to help with clean‐up. All help is welcome! Every Wednesday, through May 16 (later if weather cancellations). Contact Wendy Colby, [email protected]. – Submitted by Wendy Colby The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 3 Wed 7 6:00 Queen Spirit: Archetypes QueenSpirit is a co‐created women’s spirituality circle. Bring a favorite Freedom
dish, dessert or beverage to share, and bring your place setting and serving spoons and plates. Outlaw
This month, Nikki Stone and Rebecca Waldemar facilitate a circle on Explorer
Jester
the topic of discovering your archetype and letting it guide you. We’ll Creator
Lover
Hero
Caregiver
be working with the 12 standard archetypes and individual archetype Ego
Magician
callings. Join us as we explore this fascinating area and learn more Everywoman
Sage
about ourselves in the process. Innocent
Ruler
As always, we cherish this time together to share our stories, be nourished and affirmed in our journeys, and provide and receive Order
spiritual enrichment. Potluck at 6:00, followed by the circle. Contact Kandy Melillo, [email protected]. Social
Wed 7 7:00 UCH Board Meeting Board meetings are open to members. For an agenda, please contact Judy Linder, [email protected]. Sat 10 9:00 Community Ground Café The UCH is now in its third year of operating the Common Ground Café twice a month at our Market Street campus, and attendance continues to increase! The café opens at 9:00 a.m. on the second and last Saturday of the month, and you can be a part of the action! No experience necessary, and drop‐ins welcome. To join the e‐list of volunteers, please contact Clay Lambert, [email protected]. Event repeats March 31 (last Saturday of the month). Sun 11 9:00 Moral Issues Forum: Homelessness and the YWCA The Second Sunday Forum meets monthly for lecture and discussion on moral and ethical issues from a non‐religious viewpoint. They are planned and conducted by the Humanism Lay‐Led Ministry. A speaker presents his/her views on a topic with ethical and moral implications for approximately 30 minutes. After the presentation, the floor is open for discussion and questions. People in attendance share their views on the day’s topic so that we learn, not only from our speaker, but from each other. This month, our speaker is Julia Hoskins, Director of Housing and Homelessness Services at the Harrisburg YWCA, and daughter of “our own” Doug/Joyce Hoskins. Julia was raised at the UCH and does amazing work with the women of Dauphin County and Harrisburg: working to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For more information, please contact David Spear, [email protected]. Sun 11 7:00 Philosophy & Literature Group The Philosophy & Literature Group meets each month on the second Sunday, except in May when it moves to the third Sunday to avoid Mother's Day. This month the group meets at Clover Lane to discuss The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements, by Sam Keane. From Publishers Weekly: Science magazine reporter Kean views the periodic table as one of the great achievements of humankind, "an anthropological marvel," full of stories about our connection with the physical world. Funny, even chilling tales are associated with each element, and Kean relates many. The title refers to gallium (Ga, 31), which melts at 84°F, prompting a practical joke among chemical cognoscenti: shape gallium into spoons, "serve them with tea, and watch as your guests recoil when their Earl Grey ‘eats’ their utensils." Along with Dmitri Mendeleyev, the father of the periodic table, Kean is in his element as he presents a parade of entertaining anecdotes about scientists (mad and otherwise) while covering such topics as thallium (Tl, 81) poisoning, the invention of the silicon (Si, 14) transistor, and how the ruthenium (Ru, 44) fountain pen point made millions for the Parker company. Contact Dick Hoke, [email protected]. The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 4 Sun 18 7:00 OLIVER COLLECTIVE: Scholarship Fund Spring Sale The Oliver Collective offerings will be on display at Clover Lane following 9:00 a.m. services March 18 and March 25, as well as during the coffee house March 24 (see below). Included will be paintings, framed photography, ceramics, collage, crafted wearables such as totes, vests, coats, scarves and capes. Also hand‐made lamps and chopping boards. All items are created by the many talented artists and craftspeople of our church. A "boutique" of items will also be on display at Market Street on both Sundays (March 18th and the 25th) following the 11am services. All proceeds from these sales go to LaGrone scholarships for graduates of Harrisburg High School. In past years our modest scholarship awards have been the largest locally offered to the young people of the city of Harrisburg. There are many deserving teens, and the scholarships are awarded after much consideration by a panel that includes UCH adult members, a UCH teen, and members of the Harrisburg community. Repeats March 24/25 (Clover Lane) and March 25 (Market Street). – Submitted by John Gilbert Mon 19 7:00 Presentation/Workshop: End‐of‐Life Issues How many of you would take a trip without some type of preparation? As surprising as it may sound, that is exactly what happens in countless families when people do not take the time to have “their affairs in order.” Whether or not death takes us by surprise or gives us the time necessary to make our wishes known, we cannot escape that inevitability. The Pastoral Associates of UCH invite you to an informative evening with Susan Resavey, Director of Clinical Services at Hospice of Central Pennsylvania. She will make a brief LIMITED SEATING – RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
CONTACT KATHIE TEETER TO REGISTER
presentation on “Hospice, End of Life Care and Advance Directives,” followed by question and answer period. Materials will be handed out to assist you in making your own end‐of‐life decisions. UUs are always in the forefront of education, and this should be no exception. This topic does not have to be a somber one. There is no greater gift to your spouse/partner, children and friends than to be decisive about your wishes and relieve them of that burden. For those of you who really enjoy control, this is the ultimate! Seize the moment and put it in writing. We can accommodate no more than 30 people so please RSVP to Rev. Kathie Teeter no later than March 16 at [email protected] or 717‐964‐1817. Wed 21 7:00 Clover Grove: Monthly Meeting Clover Grove is a chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) and is a group of earth‐centered and pagan spiritualists. This group meets monthly to discuss spiritual issues related to those of a similar path and celebrates with ritual the phases of the Earth and Moon. All are welcome. Topic this month TBD. Contact Ed Hazell, [email protected]. The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 5 Sat 24 7:30 Clover Lane Coffee House $15 admission Clover Lane Coffee House is pleased to welcome Dan Schatz to the monthly coffee house at our Clover Lane campus and to conduct services the following morning at both campuses in Harrisburg. Dan is a Grammy‐nominated singer/songwriter, a lifelong UU, and minister of the BuxMont UU Fellowship in Warrington, PA. Admission is $15 at the door. This includes a $5 donation to the LaGrone Scholarship Fund, receipt available at LAGRONE FUND RAISER
the door. All are welcome. Dan has been playing folk music since his childhood in Maryland, where he grew up at the Cedar Lane Unitarian Church in Bethesda. Nurtured by the active folk music community in and around Washington, D.C., he has performed concerts, festivals and workshops since the age of 12. His first album, The Road to Somewhere Else (1991) was published when he was 19. Since then he has published two other solo CDs, Bring the Morning Home (2007) and The Song and the Sigh (2010). He was also instrumental in organizing, compiling and producing Singing through the Hard Times – A Tribute to Utah Phillips, nominated for a Grammy award (2010) as “Best Traditional Folk Album.” Dan co‐produced it with fellow musicians Jacqui and Kendall Morse. The two‐
disc compilation of 39 Phillips songs was performed by 36 leading folk singers, including Pete Seeger, Ani DiFranco, Gordon Bok, Emma’s Revolution, Emmylou Harris, and Tom Paxton. Dan also led a special tribute to Utah Phillips at the 2010 General Assembly in Minneapolis. Phillips (1935 – 2008) was a prominent social activist, labor organizer, and UU as well as an iconic folk singer, storyteller, and poet. Dan is a talented multi‐instrumentalist who plays 6 and 12 string guitar, autoharp, Appalachian dulcimer, and banjo. His music reflects a deep respect for tradition, poetic creativity and a strong sense of social justice. His most recent work, The Song and the Sigh,” contains lyric/music compositions that are songs of hope, meaning and community arising from his ministry. It includes a 65‐page book of lyrics and personal reflections. His academic bio appears with the sermon listing, below. Sun 25 9:00 & 11:00 Guest Minister at Sunday morning services We welcome to the pulpit today the Rev. Dan Schatz, minister at BuxMont UU Fellowship in suburban Philadelphia, preaching on the topic, “Walk Together, Children.” From the deep South to the Middle East, creative protest has changed the world. In preaching and in music, this service will explore the roots and relevance of non‐violent protest, and its significance for Unitarian Universalists. Dan’s academic background includes study at Earlham College, an undergraduate degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin (1994) and a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School. He served as Director of a Youth Job Corps program in Maine, hospital chaplain in Virginia, hospice chaplain in New Hampshire, and college instructor in Comparative Religion prior to his ministry. He was ordained in 2001 at the UU Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes in Tamworth, NH, and has served as minister at Buxmont since 2002. In 2006, his response to Hurricane Katrina, “And Justice for All,” won the Joseph Priestley District’s Journey Toward Wholeness award for the best sermon on anti‐racism. More recently, “Reflections of a Unitarian Universalist Pacifist” was honored with the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Commission on Social Witness Sermon Award. Wed 28 7:00 Harrisburg Area Humanists: Secular Coalition for America The Secular Coalition for America is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization whose purpose is to amplify the diverse and growing voice of the non‐theistic community in the U.S. Its member organizations are established 501(c)(3) nonprofits who serve atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers and other non‐theistic Americans. Their purpose in founding the coalition was to formalize a cooperative structure for visible, unified activism to improve the civic situation of citizens with a naturalistic worldview. For its March meeting, the Harrisburg Area Humanists have invited a staff member of the Secular Coalition for America to provide a status report on the organization and current work in progress. Contact David Spear, [email protected]. The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 6 NewMembers
Please welcome these new members to our congregation! They all signed the Membership Book in January and were presented to the congregation on February 12. JasonStrunkandChandraHill
Chris/KimCain
Jason Strunk and Chandra Hill are Harrisburg natives. He studied computer networking at Kaplan University in Davenport, Iowa, and is currently seeking employment; she works for a collections agency. They live in the City of Harrisburg with daughter Aaliyah, age 5. They enjoy going to the Whitaker Center, reading, working out and making each other happy. They chose the UCH because it is a very comfortable environment where they can be enlightened, uplifted and ready to start the next week. Their Connection Coaches are Karen Mallah and Paul Moore. Chris and Kim Cain live in Camp Hill with their three children, Madeline, 7; Ella, 5; and Grayson, 3. Kim is a speech language pathologist at Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU), working with preschoolers; Chris is a route supervisor for Dempsey Uniform and Linen Supply. They have been attending UU churches for the past 10 years, most recently in West Chester, PA. They were particularly attracted to the UCH for its city location. Their family enjoys hiking, swimming, reading, and dancing. Chris enjoys bird‐watching. Their Connection Coaches are Jack Thomas and Karen Grimm‐
Thomas. JoshandChristineCysyk
BethDombert
Originally from Maryland, Josh and Christine Cysyk of Hershey have been attending the UCH for the past 18 months with their three children: Matt, 7; Gwen 4.5; and Casey, 2. Josh is an assistant professor in the Division of Artificial Organs at the Penn State College of Medicine and a research scientist with multiple publications on cardiac electrophysiology and artificial organs. Christine is a fulltime homemaker at present, active in the PTO at Hershey Elementary; she writes in her free time. They enjoy spending time outdoors as a family. They found the UCH via the internet and were attracted by our liberal religious view, social conscious, and tolerance/ acceptance for people of all religious beliefs. This is their first exposure to Unitarian Universalism. Their Connection Coaches are Chris and Jen Ziegler. Beth Dombert grew up in a United Church of Christ (UCC) congregation in Lancaster and started attending the UCH in November after moving to Harrisburg to live with her boyfriend. She first heard of us through Silent Witness, after participating in Lancaster‐area Witness events. She enjoys working with children, writing, being creative in general, and annoying her boyfriend by coloring or doodling in church. She has also posted short‐short stories to the Gloaming Gap website. Her Connection Coach is Maria Thiaw. SavetheDate:
„ April 28, next New Member Class „ May 3‐17, UCH 101 The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 7 RGLNews
News from our Religious Growth and Learning program. NurseryVolunteersNeeded
The UCH is looking for UU to help out in the nursery on an occasional basis! We can use an extra set of hands (and eyes) at both campuses to provide general TLC and help with children’s play. The nursery opens 15 minutes before each service and stays open until 20 minutes after the service. Children are babies and toddlers to age 3, such as Sophie Gilbert (left), daughter of Lori and Scott Gilbert, and Emma Rothermel, daughter of Erin and Sam Rothermel . Please contact RGL Director Trish Brandon at [email protected] to add your name to the helper list. MessagefromTrishBrandon
Dear Friends, Wendy Shaver has decided to pursue new opportunities teaching high school. She will continue to work as Youth Director through July 2012. Wendy has provided dedicated, dynamic leadership in the youth program and has had a great impact on UCH. Wendy transformed the youth program that started with a handful of occasional attendees into a group of over thirty teens. She instituted an annual week‐long mission trip each summer, and incorporated worship, learning, fun, leadership development, community building, and youth‐adult relations and other social justice initiatives into the program. Beyond the job requirements, Wendy has provided an abundance of TLC to teens and their families over the years. While Wendy will be sorely missed in her leadership role, she has nurtured a vibrant group of wonderful youth advisors who will carry on. Wendy and her family plan to continue to attend regularly and remain active members of the UCH congregation. I want to personally express my appreciation for the work Wendy has done and wish her well in all of her future endeavors. My plan for filling this position is to form a hiring committee which will include representation from youth, parents, youth advisors, and the Board of Trustees. Together we will select a person to coordinate Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Young Adult Ministry oversight is a new component of the position. Our Young Adult Ministry has not been successful in getting started despite attempts over the years. We will be seeking a reliable individual to provide guidance and support to young adults ages 18 to 30 in addition to youth ministry. If this sounds like you, or if you know someone who would be good, please contact me at church or [email protected] for a job description and application. In faith, Trish Brandon
MessagefromWendyShaver
Dear Members and Friends of UCH, After eight marvelous years of working with the youth at UCH, I have decided to pursue a full‐
time public school teaching job for the 2012‐13 school year. As I begin this new phase of my life, I will be resigning as the Director of Youth Ministry at the end of July 2012. In the meantime, I will be working with the other UCH staff to find a fabulous replacement so that the youth program can continue to thrive. Of course, I will continue to be a proud and active member of the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg. Love and peace, Wendy Shaver
The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 8 NewsfromUCHMembers
News from our community YasminBrown,ArtsAward/HallofFame
Queen Spirit Sister Yasmin Brown was inducted by the Lebanon County Commission for Women into the 2011 Lebanon County Women's Hall of Fame as the recipient of the “Women Contributing to the Arts” Award. Each year the organization recognizes “hidden heroes in the community” in 10 different categories. Yasmin is a self‐taught artist who has been creating since childhood. Her mediums include charcoal, watercolor, and acrylic. While she paints portraits tightly to capture the likeness of the subject; she also delights in using impressionism to cull the essence of a still life or for capturing spiritual subjects such as the feminine divine. She is also responsible for the “Spirit of Life” wall hanging at Clover Lane (photo). Although her 'first love' is painting, in 2006 she started a successful glass art business, Spirit Dancer Designs, and donated a portion of all sales to Lebanon County's Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center. Additionally, she provided support to numerous other non‐profits including Children's Miracle Network, American Cancer Society, Lebanon Family Health Services, Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Heart Association, Janus School, and the Humane Society. This spring semester, Yasmin began studies to obtain her Master in Social Work from Temple University in Harrisburg. She looks forward to establishing a clinical practice in the future and hopes to incorporate art into it. – submitted by Randa Todd RobKeithanOrdination
Rob Keithan, son of “our own” Jim and Nan Cavenaugh, will be ordained to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry on Sunday, March 18, 2012, by the congregation of All Souls Church, Unitarian, 1500 Harvard Street NW, Washington, DC. The ceremony begins at 4:00 PM, with a reception at the church immediately afterwards. Acrobats will be performing during the service and after. UCH members are all invited to attend. Jim and Nan commissioned “our own” Cordell Affeldt to create the minister’s sole (photo), which he will wear for the first time at his ordination. Rob was attending UCH in utero, participated in our religious education (RE) program from infancy through high school and, in his words, has "enormous love and gratitude for UCH" as the congregation that started him on the journey towards UU leadership and now ministry. His ordination committee includes Michael Mark (his junior high RE teacher) and former UCH member Dennis Strain, now at the Unitarian Society of Germantown (USG) in Philadelphia. Rob is completing a year of part‐time consulting ministry at USG and recently started a new position as Director of Public Policy for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from American University and a Master of Divinity degree from Wesley Theological Seminary. If you are interesting in car pooling to DC, contact Michael Mark, [email protected]. – submitted by Michael Mark BabyBellanca
Former UCH members Andrew and Amy Bellanca, now living in Baltimore, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Alex, on Feb. 3. He weighed 2 pounds, 9 ounces, and was born 10 weeks early. He is now up to 3 lbs. 3 oz. and will remain in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for several more weeks. Amy reports she and Andrew miss PA and the UCH and hope to move back some day. The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 9 SpotlightonaScholar
Durrell Burns, the 2011 Oliver LaGrone Scholarship recipient, is currently in his second semester at Millersville University. Nick Wilson, his UCH mentor, recently had lunch with Durrell and reports that Durrell is doing really well. He is getting good grades, is active in the Christian Student Union, and choir. Durrell was recently asked to manage the choir, an honor for a freshman, showing that he has exhibited leadership qualities. Nick has enjoyed communicating via text with Durrell and describes Durrell as responsible and filled with integrity. For his part, Durrell says that he is very grateful for the Oliver LaGrone Scholarship. SavetheDate:
„ April 21‐29, LaGrone Scholarship “Book Shuffle” LookingAhead
Kaleidoscope:ACelebrationoftheLivelyArts
Do you have a talent that you’d like to share with your fellow church folk? Is this talent something you can share with people of all ages? If so, the Music Ministry has just the opportunity for you!! Kaleidoscope – a Celebration of the Lively Arts ‐ will be held at 7:30 pm May 4‐6 at the Clover Lane campus. Singers, instrumentalists, dancers, actors, comedians, and other entertainers are all welcome. Do you enjoy hanging out with singers, instrumentalists, dancers, actors, and the like? Can you help with staging or refreshments? If so, the Music Ministry has just the opportunity for you, too!! If you’d like to perform in Kaleidoscope, simply contact Sparkie Radcliffe at [email protected] or 717‐234‐0842. She will arrange a time for an audition. If you’d like to help, either backstage or with refreshments or ushering, contact Donna Hoskins Helm at [email protected] or 717‐671‐0245. Your name will be added to the roster of helpers and you will be contacted closer to the performance dates. If neither of these opportunities is a fit for you, please be our audience. Without an audience – it’s just a rehearsal!! Tickets will go on sale on April 1st at coffee hour. In addition, the Craft Group is creating the table decorations for the performance and will sell them as part of their annual fund‐raiser. – submitted by Sparkie Radcliffe RegistrationOpenforChaliceCamp
Registration forms for Chalice Camp Hogwarts (“The Magic Within”) are now available!!! Chalice Camp will be held from July 23‐27 and is for wizards entering grades 1‐7 for the 2012‐
13 school year. Don't miss out on the magic! Early‐bird registration, with its associated lower cost, ends on April 30. Final registration closes on May 27. Forms are available at church or by contacting Headmistress Wendy Shaver at [email protected]. HARRISBURG
CAMPUS
We are also looking for additional faculty for the camp, including the perennially hard‐to‐fill position teaching Defense of the Dark Arts! We also have positions for Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. – submitted by Wendy Shaver The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 10 MyPieceofthePie:StewardshipCampaignMarch4–31
The UCH kicks off its annual Stewardship Campaign at both services on Sunday, March 4. Our theme this year is “My Piece of the Pie.” Most members will remember we are in a three‐year pledge cycle; this is Year 2. During the pledge period last year, one‐third of the congregation participated in small‐group dinners. This year, we’ll bring the food to you! One‐third of the congregation will receive a home‐baked pie, hand‐delivered during the month of March along with their pledge card. This is a thank‐you for your past generosity, and please “tip” the delivery person by filling in and giving him/her your pledge card! The “UCH Pie Patrol” will be calling in early March to schedule the home deliveries. “Un‐pied pledgers” can pick up their pledge card at church beginning March 11. You can then turn in your updated pledge directly to your pie person (if you are one of the lucky 33%) or to a member of the Steward Campaign Team at church any Sunday in March. We also have a “last call” scheduled for April 1. ON MARCH 31, we have scheduled an all‐family party at Clover Lane. All members are invited to partake of our collective pie, with a pie party. Details forthcoming. IN CASE YOU’RE WONDERING where to find a little extra slice in your own budget, the Stewardship Campaign Committee has done the homework for you! The accompanying charts (pie, of course) show how your fellow Americans spend their money. Your pledge comes from the “All Other” category (19 percent of after‐tax income). We’re hoping that all members and pledging non‐members will take a look at their own budget to find something extra for the UCH. As most of you know, pledges represent the large majority of income for our church budget. MANY THANKS to this year’s Stewardship Committee: Meg Conners, Dave Edinger, Maria Katulis, Judi Heh, Betsy Heefner, Judy Linder, Larry Linder, Debbie Manlove, Ann Sitrin, and Kathy Stewart. If you are interested in baking a pie, please contact Dave Edinger or another member of the committe. And UCH President Judy Linder promises to bake a special post‐pledge pie for anyone who increases his/her pledge by 25 percent or more! – Submitted by Dave Edinger et al The UCH Reporter, Vol. 47, No. 9 March 2012 Page 11