The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbia

2701 Heyward Street * Columbia, SC 29205

Unigram

return mail requested

June 9, 1998

Staff

Minister: Rev. Patrick Price

Director of Religious Education: Susan Corbett

Office Administrator/Newsletter Editor: Laura Ingram

Youth Coordinator: Terry Murphy

Custodian: John Squire

Board of Trustees

President: Don Mohr

President Elect: Mary Maclachlan

Treasurer: Tony Ganong

Secretary: Ann Johnson

Members at Large: Sandra Carnesale, Gertrude Edge, Alice Leeper, Isabel Oake, Doug Smith, Lynne Sparrow, Mark Tompkins

Reach us at....

Office telephone/Voice Mail: (803) 799-0845

Events & CoffeeHouse Info: (803) 799-1746

E-mail: UUFC@Bigfoot.com

Nearly all of us have a certain amount of difficulty, loss, and even violence to deal with in our lives. Researchers and psychologists are uncovering more and more of the factors that constitute our strength to recover from these tragedies and even to thrive. Why do some people seem to more resilient? What are some of the factors? Are there things that we can to do encourage resilience in our selves and our children and how can Unitarian Universalism help?

9:30am Forum: "Are human beings genetically inclined to be religious?"

On this Fathers’ Day we'll consider some of the tensions and issues facing fathers and men in general in a world where societal expectations of men are in flux. What's a sensitive UU guy to do when gender roles are often ambiguous and even contradictory?

We will recognize our outgoing board and committee chairs, and covenant with our new board and officers for the next year. This will also be a child dedication service. If you are interested in having your children dedicated, please contact Rev. Price by June 19.

9:30am Forum: "Does the government have the right to legislate sexual morality?"

 Note: Child Dedication Service

If you are interested in having your child dedicated, please contact the office or Rev. Price.

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Patrick's Ponderings.... "Covenanting"

This is wedding season and I generally have a larger share of them to do in May and June than most of the year combined. In working with a couple to help them to create and plan their ceremony, I facilitate a process by which they reflect on their relationship and write their own vows. Key to this is helping them to understand the covenantal nature of their vows and marriage in general.

We start out by exploring the dif-ferences between a covenant and a con-tract. Basically a contract is an ends- oriented agreement in which it is decided in advance who will get what, when and why. A covenant on the other hand is essentially a process-centered agreement, which while having general goals, is more concerned with the how those goals will be approached by those in covenant with each other. A pre-nuptial agreement is a contract, while wedding vows are a covenant.

As a religious community, the Unitarian Universalist Association, including this congregation, is a covenantal body de-scending institutionally from covenantal bodies going back to the May Flower Compact and the Cambridge Platform of 1648. As a congregation we are in cove-nant with other congregations and organizations of the UUA, such as our local district, through our charter and the Principles and Purposes. As members of this congregation we are in covenant with each other by declaring our "sympathy with the spirit and purpose (our cove-nantal statement) of this Fellowship... (and) signing a membership register..." (UUFC By-Laws). In this we emphasize the ways in which we commit to walking and working with each other in building the Beloved Community we envision.

Currently a committee appointed by our UUFC Board is examining the possibility of an annual process by which we would renew our memberships and covenants with each other as a congregation. There will be more specifics about this coming from this ad hoc committee and the board in the near future.

Even if we do not change the way we actually define membership in the by-laws, I feel this is an exciting opportunity for us to collectively reflect on the meaning of membership, our covenant with each other and the meanings inherent in the regular renewal of our relationships with each other. Over the next several months I hope to help us explore more of the nature and meanings of our covenants with each other, in this column, in meetings and classes, and in worship. If you have input or questions on this topic please feel free to share them with me or ad hoc committee chair, Don Mohr. See you at the Fellowship.

Peace, Patrick

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*Mark Tompkins made a motion which was seconded and approved nominating Don Mohr as chair of the Long Range Planning Committee effective July 1, 1998.

*A motion was made, seconded, and passed that the Board endorses the general concept and ideas of the charter with added input from Roger Comstock and some refinement of language.

*A motion was made, seconded, and approved to remove the following names from the membership rolls: Jim Green, Donna Rhoades, Scott Frieberg, Heather Robson-Frieberg, Wray Britton, Dan King, Nina Benedetto, Inge Spencer, Leon Spencer, Fran Porterfield, Susan Hunter, Jonathan Watterson, Kirsten Dow, Bob Kennerley, Peggy Kennerley, Deborah Carter McCoy.

*A motion was made, seconded, and approved to endorse the finance committee’s proposed budget and recommend its approval to the congregation at the annual meeting.

*A motion was made, seconded, and approved to commend the Finance Committee for their hard work.

*A motion was made, seconded, and approved to challenge members to pay their own dues to the association.

Update

Patrick’s Sermons

are now available for $2 each. Please contact Laura Ingram in the Administrator’s office for more information. Proceeds go to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund.

Joys,

Concerns,

& Milestones

Be sure to take a look at the latest UU World, which features an article (yes, another one) by our own Will Moredock and a profile of member Pete Tepley.

Welcome New Members:

John and Kristy Peterson

Charles DeKrafft and Cheryl Wissich

Let’s Go Dancing!

Monthly (or biweekly or whenever we feel like it) night out to check out Columbia’s hot dance spots! Days will vary: sometimes Friday, sometimes Saturday, once in a while a week night. First date: Saturday, June 27 at Have a Nice Day Cafe. Call Loren at 251-0333 if you’d like to join us.

Administrators Note:

If you need to make a phone call on Sunday, please use either the kitchen phone or the one in Room One, which are available for the use of the congregation. Our Religious Education and Administrative staff often work on Sundays before, during, and after the service -- please respect their work areas.

UUFC E-Mail List: If you are a UUFC member or friend who has sent an email to the fellowship in the past few months, you are likely part of the email address list being prepared for distribution with the new membership directory. If you do not want your email address listed, please communicate with me about this.

Party

in the

Yard!!

Bring your

chainsaws,

hedge trimmers,

rakes, sidewalk edgers. We’ll supply refreshments --including beer & soft drinks--, child care, and a sprinkler to keep you cool. Let’s do it at 9am on June 13th. Rain day, same time on June 20th.

Summer Solstice Improv Jam

Sunday, June 21, 7pm

A special jam to celebrate the arrival of summer through music and movement. Bring instruments and objects that symbolize summer or have special meaning for you, including poems and other readings. All ages and experience levels welcome.

Call Loren at 251-0333.

General Assembly Is Coming

Are you going? If so, would you like to be a delegate. If so, call Don Mohr (782-9468) before June 21.

General Assembly will convene in Rochester, New York, from Thursday, June 25, to Tuesday, June 30. Our congregation is entitled to four delegates.

Calling all Poets !!

Do you wax poetic? Are you a lover of metaphors and meters? Is there a haiku you have written and want to share? Do you have a well-worn copy of a poem that inspired your senses or touched your heart or brought a smile to your face?

Well then: Friday, June 26th is the night for you to join fellow poets and poetry lovers at the UUFC. Bring an old favorite, an original, or just come to watch and listen! It is an anything-goes-poetic night in a friendly and smoke-free environment. We will begin at 7pm and light refreshments will be served. For space scheduling considerations, please contact Heather Cunningham at 732-1745 (email thechick@logicsouth.com) or Laura Ingram at 799-0845 (email uufc@bigfoot.com) if you will be able to attend, although drop-ins are welcome. If you will need child care, please contact us with number and ages of children by June 19th. Thanks!

UUFC Social and Community Action

The Fellowship members have been asking for more activities in which they can take part as a group. We are organizing four projects for the next 12 months and are seeking participants. Sign-up sheets will be in the social hall. Also, if you have questions, please feel free to call any of the following people: Dave Sparrow (779-8271), Jessica Porter or Joe Kyle (808-6536), Leslie Sackett (776-0987), or Pat Mohr (782-9468).

The projects are:

1. Clothing Sorting for Cooperative Ministries- Participants would sort and size donated clothing so that it may be distributed to over 150 organizations that are in contact with those in need. The expected time requirement is 3 to 4 hours on Saturdays between once every month to once every three months. It would start within a month or two.

2. Adopt a Highway- This activity involves maintaining the cleanliness of road right of ways in the Richland and Lexington County areas. The UUFC would be recognized by having signs erected with our name on them. The expected time requirement is 3 hours on Saturday between 3 and 9 times a year. It would start in the autumn after safety training.

3. Habitat for Humanity- This activity involves assisting in the construction and renovation of homes for families that cannot afford to purchase homes on their own. No building expertise is required. The expected time requirement is 6 hours on Saturday between 6 and 12 times a year.

4. Adopt a Family- This activity would involve providing assistance to one or several families. The assistance could be food, tutoring, housing, job training, etc. The UUFC could work alone or together with another religious group. The expected time requirement is 6 hours a month. It could be during the week or on the weekend. Organizational work would take place this summer. The activity would start in the autumn.

Please sign up now!

The Mountain Has Something EVERY MONTH For EVERYBODY!

July 5-10: Family Camp '98 For Campers small and BIG - a week's worth of adventures for 'kids' of ALL ages!

July 10-16, 1998: RE Week - Connecting our Differences: Multicultural Experiences for Religious Education.

July 26-August 1, 1998: Leadership School-- Dedicated to development of skills in UU lay leadership.

For more information on events at The Mountain, contact The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, Inc. at (828) 526-5838 or email: mountain@dnet.net OR http://themountain.uua.org/mountain/. You may also contact Sarah Osborne at 772-8748 or email: SarahOsborne@juno.com.

Make Plans NOW to attend Fall Shamanism ‘98 Workshops w/ Bekki Shining Bearheart and Crow Swimsaway

Thursday, September 10 - Sunday, September 20

~Grounding and Centering for a Smoother Existence w/Revs. Patrick P. & Crow S.

~Basic Shamanism (Last Chance for this ONE--Don’t let this opportunity slip by!)

~Shamanic Rattle-Making ~Shamanic Weekend for Women w/Bekki

~Lecture: The Shamanic, Spiritual, and Ritual Aspects of Healing Tattoo

~Rooted in the Heart, Seeded in the Soul: Shamanic Journeying with Plant Spirits

~Feng Shui: Intuitive Chinese Geomancy w/ Crow

Call the UUFC Office (799-0845) for more information

<!-- ************************************************* CALENDAR: -->

• Wednesday, June 10
• 5:30pm Tai Chi (Peter Kandis, 736-2623)
• Friday, June 12
• 7:00pm Music Listening Group (Rusty Wenerick, 749-2843)
• Saturday, June 13
• 9:00am Outdoor Work Day
• 6:30pm September Set (Molly Jones, 732-2747)
• Sunday, June 14
• 9:30am Forum
• 9:30am Religious Education Committee
• 9:30am Youth/Adult Committee (YAC)-teen room
• 11:00am Worship Service
• 12:30pm Senior High Advisors
• 2:30pm Spring Thing: Iced-Tea Dance Workshop
• and Cabaret w/ Charlotte and Wolfgang Elfe
• Monday, June 15
• 7:00pm AIDS Care Team @ Jennifer Cobb’s
• 7:30pm Sierra Club
• 7:30pm Coffee House: Bill Staines
• Wednesday, June 17
• 5:30pm Tai Chi (Peter Kandis, 736-2623)
• Saturday, June 20
• Outside rentals all day! Please check with office in advance before making any plans to use any space in building.
• Sunday, June 21
• 9:30am Forum
• 11:00am Worship Service
• 1:00pm Unigram Deadline (please be on time!!)
• 3:00pm Sanctuary Rental-- Wedding
• 7:00pm Improv Dance Jam (Loren Freed, 251-0333)
• Special Solstice Celebration
• Monday, June 22
• 7:00pm Men’s Group
• Tuesday, June 23
• 1:00pm Unigram Folders
• Wednesday, June 24
• 5:30pm Tai Chi (Peter Kandis, 736-2623)
• 7:30pm Playreaders (Sue Folk, 731-0438)
• Friday, June 26
• 7:00pm Poetry Night
• Saturday, June 27
• 7:30pm Dances of Universal Peace