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First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit 4605 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201 Phone 313-833-9107 Fax 313-833-0127 March 20, 2005

First Unitarian Universalist Church Organizational Chart 2003 - 2004 Officers Moderator Colleen Dolan-Greene Vice Moderator & Strategic Planning Jim Harvey Immediate Past Moderator Lynda Smith Board Secretary Kathe Stevens Treasurer Bob Lauer 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 Charlotte Allen Mark Bendure Linda Darga Carolyn Ludwig Kathleen Rock Irene Schultz Dan Secrest Ruth Seifert Dan Wiest Newsletter Irene Schultz

Upcoming Services Services begin promptly at 11:00 A.M. March 27, 2005 "Who Wants to Live Forever?" Rev. David Parke What is the fundamental message of religious liberalism? To me it is a call to live life to the fullest in this world. The "next" world, whatever that is, holds little interest for me. How about you? April 3, 2005 "The State of the Nation" Rev. David Parke The presidential election was five months ago. How are things in Iraq? Are family values more secure? Is Amtrak still in business? How are we doing? April 10, 2005 Change and Transformation Sunday Harry Cook - Guest Speaker April 17, 2005 "Turning Points" Jennifer Teed and David Parke At this intergenerational service we celebrate major life transitions, including the dedication of children, high school and college graduation, surgery and recovery from illness, retirement, and the renewal of our faith community here at First UU. What transition are you celebrating -- or enduring? Potluck Sunday - Let's keep those deliciously delightful, delicacies coming! Newsletter Deadline The next deadline is Sunday, April 3, 2005, no later than 12:30 P.M. Newsletter Articles Please leave legible contributions in the Newsletter box located outside the church office. Please include your name and a contact number should there be any questions. Articles may also be emailed to me, by the deadline date and time. If you email items, please specify they are for the Newsletter.

From the Interim Minister

A member of the church, aware of the congregation's ongoing assessment of its present needs and future possibilities, asked me recently if I might emphasize the positive aspects of our faith, and our community of faith, in coming weeks. I said yes, I will do so.

Unitarian Universalism is an unabashedly positive faith. Since we are a tiny minority among the major American denominations, we must be explicit about what we affirm and what we deny. We must differentiate ourselves from our more formal or tradition-minded neighbors who comfortably accept the label "orthodox."

Most Unitarian Universalists choose this form of faith rather than being born into it. According to a UUA survey in the 1960s, 89 per cent of adults responding had been born into a non-UU community of faith, or none at all. Some of us, however, born into UU families and homes, imbibed religious liberalism with our mother's milk. Your interim minister, both of whose maternal grandparents (Richard and Harriet Boynton)were ordained Unitarian ministers, falls in this category. We have never known any other form of faith.

Although once-born rather than a convert, I proudly proclaim my Unitarian Universalist faith and welcome every opportunity to introduce newcomers to its disciplines and liberties.

By its very nature, Unitarian Universalism is a religion of experience. We are all empiricists, pragmatists, or existentialists in insisting that inward experience is the only warrant of belief. Absent its anchorage in experience, truth wanders far and wide in the swamp of speculation or the desert of dogma, unverified by conviction. Truth anchored in experience, in contrast, bears the marks of crisis, passion, suffering and persuades by the force of absolute engagement with the world.

Since the fourth century, the insistence on the supremacy of God and the subordination of Jesus to God, the central doctrine of historic Unitarianism, has been condemned as heretical by orthodox Christianity. Have you ever looked at the word heresy? It is derived from the Greek word "hairein," meaning "to choose." To be a heretic is to choose one's faith against the grain of the environing culture, religious or secular. Our "heretical" forbears in Europe and America were those valiant men and women who chose their own path of faith centered on divine sovereignty, rather than submitting to the orthodox Trinitarian creeds which assigned equal rank to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Unitarian Universalism is a positive faith to the extent to which we, its adherents, choose our own spiritual path, stand firm in our own principles, and proclaim and practice an explicit faith.

It is ironical that many UUs define themselves by negation: I don't believe in the Trinity, Original Sin, the Pope, etc. If we used as much energy stating what we DO believe as we seem to use in stating what we DON'T believe, everyone in the United States would know about us and our churches would be full every Sunday.

This final word. The recent UUA emphasis on 30-second capsule summaries of Unitarian Universalism (appropriate to elevator talk) fails to take account of the richness and power of other more extended and nuanced forms of religious discourse, including conversation, study, and the discipline of theology itself.

In my opinion, every Unitarian Universalist ought to be able to give a convincing and persuasive explanation of his or her personal faith to anyone who asks, any time, anywhere. We acquire this skill by experience, by reflection, and by speaking truth to power. I will gladly yield the pulpit for three minutes whenever you'd like to share your faith statement with the congregation. Limit: one per Sunday. Call me! Spring is here--enjoy! David.

Thank You

Many thanks to the members and staff of this church for your sympathy and helpfulness when Jim died. You made it easier for us to get through a very difficult time in our lives. Janice Berry and family.

Canvass Information

• Pledges are being solicited for the church fiscal year which runs from July 2005 – June 2006.

• Member pledges enable the church leadership to budget expenses including the salaries of the minister, music director, choir director religious education director, office administrator, and building maintenance personnel.

• Dan Secrest is coordinating the canvass this year. Please contact Dan via email or phone to make a pledge, or if you have any concerns. His contact information is provided below.

• Dan suggests that you pledge a percent of your income. The Unitarian Universalist Suggested Giving Guidelines recommend a pledge of 3% of income for someone earning $50,000 per year. Of course, your pledge will vary according to your financial capability, your level of commitment to the church, and other personal considerations.

• Live a generous life. Please keep the liberal religious flame alive in Detroit.

Dan Secrest

dsecrest1@comcast.net

313-864-0177 (home)

313-983-2173 (work)

Women’s Alliance

The next meeting of the Women's Alliance will be Wednesday, April 20, 2005. Lunch will be served at 12 noon followed by a talk to be given by Alex Mercer on the history of 1st U.U. The charge for the lunch is $6.00. All are invited. Please make reservations by calling the church office at 313-833-9107, or Eiko Takemoto.

Women’s Book Club

The next meeting of the Women's Book Club will be on Sunday April 3, 2005 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM in Memorial Hall. Our selection will be The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith by Irshad Manji. Please contact Maria Majer for additional information. All are welcome.

Choir

Our choir is open to all who enjoy singing and being with some really nice people. Rehearsals are in Memorial Hall, unless otherwise noted, and begin at 9:30 A.M. The schedule follows:

April 3, 10, 17 with performance on the 17^th. April 24 – off

May 1, 8,15 with performance on the 15^th

May 22 & 29 off

June 5, 12, 19 with performance on the 19^th.

Circle of Creativity

Are you interested in learning how to sew, knit, quilting, crochet? If you already know how to do any or all of these things you are welcome to join us, as well, for an evening of creativity and conversation. Join us the first Wednesdays of the month, beginning April 6^th at 7:00 P.M. We will be meeting in Memorial Hall at First UU Church. Bring your projects and a light snack to share. For more information call Peggy Wilkie or Irene Schultz.