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First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit4605 Cass AvenueDetroit, MI 48201Phone 313-833-9107Fax 313-833-0127June 19, 2005 |
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First Unitarian Universalist Church
Organizational Chart 2003 - 2004 Officers Moderator Jim Harvey Vice Moderator Dan Weist Immediate Past Moderator Colleen Dolan-Greene Board Secretary Leonard Zettel Treasurer Dan Secrest Staff Interim Minister Rev. David B. Park Minister Emeritus Rev. Larry Hutchison Director of Religious Education Jennifer Teed Music Director Todd Ballou Choir Director Lyle Brown Church Secretary Wendi Winston Building and Grounds Joe Brimmer Trustees Lencha Acker Alicia Biggers Jim Brown Linda Darga Carolyn Ludwig Mary Lou Malone Jackie McNaughtonM/I> Irene Schultz Newsletter Irene Schultz |
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I have had a terrific year with you, in spite of being mugged near Lafayette Park last September and in spite of two serious accidents, one north of Boston in late November and the other while on holiday in Athens, Greece in January. We have worked together to maintain a vital and relevant congregation here at Cass and Forest. I thank you, each and all, for your support this year. Especially I thank Colleen Dolan-Greene, immediate Past Moderator, and the Board for their support during and following my convalescence in January and February.
At the recent Board planning retreat (18 June) each of us present was invited to name one accomplishment from the past year. I mentioned the UU University, our adult education program that resulted in two courses this spring, "The City" and "The Hebrew Prophets."
My extended list included the dialogue period following the sermon, a percentage-of-income standard for financial pledging to the church, and fortnightly staff conferences on building maintenance priorities. A thousand memories tumble into my brain as I recall our year together. I am happy to welcome the Rev. Diana Heath, a longtime friend, as my successor in ministry.
In a recent telephone conversation with Rudi Gelsey, First UU's minister 1973-83, Rudi asked me to give his love to everyone in the congregation.
As many of you know I am moving to Boston, "the Hub of the Universe." I have spent many years in this wonderful city, including six years 1981-87 when I edited UU World, the journal of the UUA. Three of my six children live in southern New England--Robin in Boston, Ted in Brewster on Cape Cod, and Alison in Portland, ME. My son Richard lives in Austin, TX, John in Prince Frederick, MD (near Washington, DC), and Bill in Buffalo, my native city. My official retirement date is 14 August, the final day of my contract with First UU.
My priorities in retirement are study, writing, and travel.
If I have one word for you upon departing, it is Persevere. The ideals which brought this church into being, initially as separate congregations, and in 1934 as the first fully integrated Unitarian-Universalist congregation in the world, are as luminous and life-giving today as they were at the founding. We are the instruments of those ideals in this place and time. The responsibility for implementing them, here in Detroit and around the globe, rests upon our shoulders. A year ago you entrusted to me the ministry of this church. It has been and remains a deep privilege. Thank you. David.
To help save our funds, Rev. Parke will not be hiring professional movers for his departure from Detroit. This means we will rely on the help of able-bodied members of the congregation. The event will begin at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 16th and should take about two hours. If there is any interest, we will follow up with beverage and pizza. If you can help, please contact Mark Bendure.
There will be two Newsletters during the summer. The deadline in July will be the 17th and the one in August will be the 21st. The regular schedule will resume the first Sunday in September, the 5th. Thank you. Irene Schultz, Editor
The next meeting of the Women's Book Club will be on Sunday July 17, 2005 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM in Memorial Hall. (Please note date change for July only) The book to be discussed will be Ahab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Nasland. At the August 7th group, we will be talking about Testimony of an Irish Slave Girl by Kate McCafferty. Please contact Maria Majer for additional information. All are welcome.
Please send a note or card to our Sunday Kitchen Assistant, Leonard Swint. A few weeks ago, Leonard took a bad fall in his home. His knee was shattered. He is now home recuperating and should be back in the fall. Please send notes and cards to him at 660 Seward, Apt. 106, Detroit, MI 48202.
The First Unitarian Universalist Board has retained Rev. Diana Heath as our new interim minister for 2005 – 06. The congregation is invited to attend a meeting on Tuesday, June 28 at 7:30 P.M. to meet Diana.
On Tuesday, June 7, the Board convened to consider the recommendation of the Screening Committee that the Board should retain the services of Rev. Diana Heath as Interim Minister to begin in August 2005. The Board unanimously agreed to accept the recommendation of the Committee.
Diana, like David, is an Accredited Interim Minister. She has served in the last several years as an interim minister for First UU New Orleans (`97-`98), Bay Area UU Houston (`99-`00), Wilmington, Delaware (`00-`01), Oak Ridge TN (`01-`03), and most recently, Kennewick, WA (`04-`05). She graduated from Perkins School of Theology (SMU) with a Masters in Theology in 1980, has completed her work for a Doctorate degree in Ministry (with the exception of a Thesis in progress) in the area of church consulting. She is also certified as a clinical pastoral counselor, and has an undergraduate degree from University of Oklahoma in 1977.
Diana comes highly recommended and is noted to have particular skills with respect to the quality of her preaching and worship services, the accuracy of her diagnoses and prescriptions of church ills, her loving candor, and the support and encouragement gives to the leaders. Diana describes her theological orientation as a “reverent agnostic,” a religious person who has faith in life, a sense of the holy, the creative spirit, and the spirit of goodness in others. As well as those transforming experiences which allow us to act out of the greater integrity and the best which is in us.
We welcome Diana to her new Detroit home. In that vein, she will be investigating housing choices, visiting with the Board, reviewing policies and procedures, speaking with David, and most importantly, looking forward to meeting the congregation on Tuesday evening, June 28 at 7:30 in McCollester Hall. Desserts will be provided for the congregational meeting. Please be sure to attend this important event.
Jim Harvey, Moderator
Newly elected Board members and others continuing their term of office met from 9:00 – noon on June 18 to get acquainted and familiarize themselves with the operations of the Board. Colleen Dolan-Greene led an effective meeting helping the “newbies” (as Alicia Biggers described it) to gain a greater understanding of the various tasks which exist in maintaining/creating an effective church organization. Janet Thompson was kind enough to prepare hard copy materials for each Board member which included the anticipated schedule of meetings of the Board in the future, suggestions regarding Board members responsibilities and a copy of the Constitution and by-laws of the Church. Lynda Smith, past Moderator, also described work she had done on indicating Board member portfolios and areas of responsibility.
Recognizing that Diana Heath will be our new interim minister and honoring her views that it would be best to concentrate on nuts and bolts responsibilities (and avoid until her arrival some of the thornier problems relating to strategic planning), the meeting reviewed the Committee structure used in the previous years as well as the Task Force structure used last year.
The Board also considered the issue of three Board appointees to the Search Committee for a new settled minister. The Congregation had determined at the Annual Meeting that the members of the Search Committee would be Marilyn Mitchell, Kathe Stevens, Sharlene Gage, and Ivan Cotman.
The Board issued its determination regarding its prioritized list of candidates to be added to the Search Committee. At this writing (one day after the Retreat), the Moderator has communicated with the candidates regarding their selection, but is awaiting consideration of the invitation to serve on this important Committee. Further works on this subject to follow in a later Newsletter.
Jim Harvey, Moderator
Anyone
interested to fly to Washington state and drive a U-Haul to Michigan
to assist Diana Heath in her relocation?
The UUA guidelines indicate that when we retain the services of an interim minister, the relocation expenses are the church's responsibility. Diana has indicated a willingness to consider using the services of a Detroit congregation member to fly out to Spokane, be picked up by Diana, and to travel one-way in a U-Haul type vehicle to Detroit. This could help reduce the relocation cost involved for First UU. This move would occur in early or mid-August. If we have a person in the congregation who has a willingness to make this trip to Washington state by air or rail and return driving a truck, please advise Jim Harvey, Moderator.
Thanks to Janet Thompson and Ruth Harvey for helping at the garage sale June 17 – and to Ozzie, my dog, for keeping me company on June 4th. $215.00 was made for the church budget. Thanks also to Mildred Robinson’s relatives, the Cotmans, Nicole Kozub and Marisa, John O’Connor, my neighbors the DeLaura’s and Janet Thompson for contributing items. Please call or see me during coffee hour if you would like to help or are interested in purchasing children’s clothing at 50 cents and item, or ladies size 4 – 6 clothing. We also made $40 from the sale of tickets to the Detroit Reparatory Theater.
Margaret Beck
I gathered some information about a Free Computer Training Class for teens (12-18yrs). The classes begin Tuesday July 5, 2005 and end August 19, 2005. The classes are two days out of the week, Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Upon successful completion of the training, youth will be awarded a computer, monitor, hard drive, and software, Windows 98, absolutely Free (only 1 per family).
The address is Dexter Elmhurst Community Service Center, 11825 Dexter Ave, Detroit, MI 48206 (between of Elmhurst and Tuxedo). Contact is Ms. Swint.
Just thought I would share because it is going to be a hot summer and our youth are going to need something constructive to do. Gwen Winston
I am proud and excited to announce that the Rev. Lisa Presley will begin serving as our Interim District Executive August. 10. This interim year will be an exciting and challenging milestone in Heartland District's history. My dream is that we will come out of this year equipped for a dynamic future in which we realize the promise that Unitarian Universalism and our district's Unitarian Universalists hold for this world. Lisa's skills, experience and knowledge are the perfect match for this dream. Just so you can know a little more about her, here are some details, provided by the Rev. Harlan Limpert, UUA Director of District Services, when he made our announcement to UUA staff. Lisa has an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School and is a D.Min. Candidate at Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary. She is currently the interim minister at the DuPage UU Church, served the Northwest UU Church in Southfield, Michigan for eight years, and has served several other congregations as interim minister. She is a police chaplain and has been involved in many committees and taskforces. She chaired the Commission on Appraisal for three years of her six-year term. She is currently a Ministerial Settlement Representative in Heartland.
I want to be sure that how District Executives are employed is clear. Heartland District, through its Board of Trustees, and the UUA District Services office, through its director, are co-employers of our District Executive. We are grateful to Harlan for all his leadership and support during our transition. We will continue to work with him this year on the search for a new, permanent District Executive whom we expect to join us in July, 2006.
Connie Haas Zuber
President
Heartland District Board of Trustees
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Moving
Charlotte Allen will be moving around the 30th of June. Her new address will be 1923 Hileman Road, Falls Church, VA 22043-1429, phone 703-356-1473. She will still have her cell phone number.
4. Mildred Robinson, Woodrow Brown
5. Rose LaBolle, Dan Fitzgerald, Ruth Seifert
7. Tracey Martin
11. Alex Mercer
12. Edie McKnight
25. Stuart Smith
We had such a wonderful Juneteenth celebration at church Sunday, June 19, 2005. A big thank you goes to everyone who was so instrumental in helping to make it such an overwhelming success. We thank our member Dr. James A. Robinson for delivering such a thought provoking, informative message. We also thank all of our participants who helped set up the churchyard for the picnic. This holiday emphasizing the importance of freedom, is especially important and meaningful to us at First Church because we are a demonstration and manifestation of a truly diverse congregation demonstrating the principles of Unitarian Universalism.
By Gwendolyn Winston June 2005
In April, the Worship Committee petitioned the Board to institutionalize a Sunday in March as Viola Liuzzo Sunday to commemorate her murder in Selma, Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. As you know Mrs. Liuzzo was a member of First UU. We're waiting for the Board's response.
It is our understanding that Councilwoman Barbara Rose Collins is seeking to change the name of a location downtown in honor of Viola Liuzzo. We are in touch with a gentleman in New York who has petitioned the Mayor to recognize Mrs. Liuzzo. Are you interested in this service? Call the Office or put a note in the Worship box.
We welcome the new, emerging leadership for the Worship Committe's work. Nora Holt and I are changing...and so are Jerry Williams and Yvonne Fowler who have agreed to co-lead the work of scheduling ushers. Thank you Mr. Williams and Ms. Fowler! Is anyone interested in co-chairing the committee?
Nora, thanks for a first aid kit in the bride's room in the narthex; planning and hosting ushers' affirmation day; recruiting Jerry & Yvonne; writing ushers' procedures, and attending every meeting! You are a jewel!
A special thanks to Hillard Williams and Cyndi Hill for going unexpected places with us and to Todd Ballou for suggesting that we extend our thinking about sacred space and got us to those unexpected places. Todd will soon lead us in Feng Shui analysis of our historic complex. Look for details! Applause! Applause! to sisters and brothers of First UU who were Sunday morning speakers: Len Zettel, Dave Robinson, James Robinson, Ph.D., Barbara Stevenson, Lynda Smith, Charlotte Allen, Dan Secrest and Jennifer Teed, RE Dir.
We were blessed by the service of our lay leaders: Len Zettel, Dave Robinson, Barbara Steevenson, Charlotte Allen, Sumarah Smith, Trey Greene, James Robinson, Sally Borden, Jim Brown, Mark Bendure, Maryli Secrest, Carmen Mendoza King, Mildred Robinson, Jon Schultz, Joe Samples, Mary Lou Malone, Carter Stevenson, Colleen Dolan-Greene, Cyndi Hill, Janis Thompson, and Gwendolyn Winston. Interested? Look for fall training
The following suggestions were taken from a workshop presented at General Assembly 2004 in Long Beach, Calif, by Wayne Clark, UUA director of Congregational Fundraising Services:
In the post election time, Bill Sinkford, UUA President, suggested that we "return to the work of raising our liberal religious voice in the public square and to continue building relationships in our communities." We engage in this work through study and advocacy and are led by our Social Justice Committee, our MOSES Core Team, and the Recycling Coalition. Summer Services is a series of Advocacy & Witness Sundays: 7/24 Hotter Than July & Gay Marriage; 8/14 Affirmative Action & Elections; 8/21 Gay Adoption; 8/28 Faith, Values & Action, MOSES Core Team; 9/1 Labor Sunday Song Fest, Speaker Millie Hall, President. Coalition of Labor Union Women. Invited guests Janitors on Strike Movement. This service is the last day of the Bernie Firestone exhibit at the Walter Reuther Library, WSU where we are tentatively to be.
Our chalice lighting is the focal point for worship. Len Zettel has reminded me several times that the act of lighting our chalice should be done ceremoniously. Now Lay Leaders light the chalice from the candles on the chancel. Do you have suggestions to enhance this ceremony? One suggestion is for Lay Leaders to say these words for a period of time during the lighting: "No one meaning or interpretation is official. The flaming chalice, like our faith, stands open to receive new truths that pass the tests of reason, justice, and compassion." Please leave your thoughts in the worship box.