First Unitarian Universalist

First Unitarian Universalist

Society of New Haven

608 Whitney Avenue

New Haven CT 06511

203-562-4410

E-mail:

Website: uunewhaven.org

Board of Trustees:

Francis Braunlich, Pres.

pro temp

Paul Raspe, Treasurer

Ben Ross, Vice Pres.

Elizabeth Neuse, Clerk

Steve Hall, Trustee for

Worship

Maria Pinango, Trustee

Mark Mitsock, Trustee

Gaianne Jenkins, Custodian

Office and Library: 2nd floor

Children’s Program in the Children’s Preschool: in rear

New Haven/Leon Sister Cities Project: office 2nd floor

Newsletter Editor: Elizabeth

Neuse

Newsletter deadline: 20th of

every month. Comments, announcements welcome!

E-mail:

Worship Services at 10:30 a.m.

Child Care provided

Sept. 5: “Knowledge and Responsibility.” The inaugural service of the new worship year looks at the relationship between knowledge and responsibility. There are times when our course of action may be forced by what we have learned, for good or for ill. Coordinated by the Worship Committee.

Sept 12: “An Introduction to Islamic History.” A short examination of the historical basis of Islamic culture and history, to include the relationship between Islam and other religions. Coordinated by Steve Hall.

Sept. 19: “The Wave and the Force: The Ritual Use of Energy.” A Mabon celebration will focus on the issue of “energy” and its use. Coordinated by CUUPs.

Sept. 26: “Biotech: Two Meanings” In Technics and Civilization (1934), Lewis Mumford predicted that what he termed 'biotechnics' would become the dominant social force over the next century. Instead, a form of biotechnology diametrically opposed to what Mumford envisioned seems ready to take the lead. We will reflect on these two types of biotech and what they mean for our future. Coordinated by Mark Mitsock.

Calendar of Other FUUS Events

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m. Worship Committee meeting, planning services for the fall. Submit suggestions to the committee: Francis, Gaianne, Terri, Sheila, Steve, Elizabeth, Mark.

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m.: CUUPs meeting. Contact Francis (203-562-0672) or Gaianne (203-563-4410) for more info.

Friday, Sept. 10, 8:00 p.m.:Christian Fellowship meets. Contact Bob or Terri for info and to confirm, 203-467-7868.

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m.Buddhist Dharma Group. All are welcome!

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m. Board of Trustees meeting, conducting the business of the society.

Tuesday, May 25, 7:30 p.m. Ultimate Tuesday Drumming at the Meetinghouse. All ages, all acoustic instruments welcome. Info: Steve 203-288-0303 or Gaianne 203-562-4410.

Community Events

Sunday, Sept. 5, 1 - 4 p.m.: Join Us at Connecticut Institute for Psychosynthesis Open House at Act 11 & Synthesis (next to the Stratford library). Mingle with other seekers and explore psychosynthesis. A program which helps you to center and to find your direction in work, study, relationships and life purpose. RSVP to Cynthia Russell, PhD, 203 377-2421, . FYI - if you can not make this date, RSVP Cynthia and she will arrange another for you.

Monday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m.Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice marks the cost of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by placing the August stone on the Memorial Cairn, corner of Broadway, Elm and Park St., inscribed with thedeath total of US military and the approx. numbers of Iraqi and Afghani civilians killed during August. The wars are not over.

Friday-Sunday, Sept. 10-12: CT Folk Festival & Green Expo with Nanci Griffith, Susan Werner, Gandalf Murphy and many more. Friday: Grassy Hill Song Circle (7:30 p.m.-tickets nec.). Saturday: The Green Expo and Family Concert (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.-free), Main Stage Concert (5 - 10 p.m. Tickets nec). Sunday: Dava Hoot (1 - 4 p.m.). Edgerton Park, Edgehill St. entrance. Info: ctfolk.com/ctff

Saturday, Sept. 18, Potluck 6 p.m., Talk 7 p.m. “In the search of local resiliency: People in different contexts going in different directions.” Domingo Medina talks about the Venezuelan Guiana Shield, where many indigenous communities are under pressure to change their ways. 1st UU Society, 608 Whitney Ave. New Haven Bioregional/Transition Group. Info:

officelive.com/default.asp

Sunday, Sept. 19, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

The Center for Disability Rights 2010 Wheel-A-Thon to benefit young people with disabilities. Savin Rock Conference Center, 6 Rock St., West Haven. Info: or (203) 934-7077.

Wednesday, Sept. 22, 6 p.m. Sandy Point Fall Equinox Full Moon Walk. Visit one of the magical

spots of New Haven, a land spit that extends into the New Haven Harbor at low tide. Meet at 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot at UU Society, 608 Whitney Ave. to carpool or at 6 p.m. at Captain’s Galley, West Haven. New Haven Bioregional/Transition Group. temp.newhavenbioregionalgrouporg.officelive.

com/default.aspx

Thursday, Sept. 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

NHFPL Independent Filmmakers Series, William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe, with filmmakers Sarah and Emily Kunstler, at NH Main Library, 133 Elm St. A PBS POV documentary about the filmmakers’ famous attorney father.

Saturday, Sept. 25, 10 a.m. Amistad Committee Honors Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first African American woman to be appointed to the Federal Court system. A graduate of New Haven public schools, she worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on many Civil Rights cases that opened schools and universities to African Americans. Jacqueline A. Berrien, Chair, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, will speak. Hillhouse HS, Sherman Pkwy. Info: .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SYNOPSIS OF RESULTS, PROTO-PLANNING SERVICE, MAY 16, 2010

The following questions were presented to the congregation by the Proto Planning Committee:

1. What is our specific mission or vision as a congregation?

2. Why do I attend this congregation rather than another?

3. What distinguishes our congregation from others?

4. Who are the people with whom we can connect? And how do we reach them?

1. The UUA has advised that we ought not count on income from investments remaining at the level it has been in the past. In the event that our endowment income shrank significantly, what would you be willing to do to insure the Society’s being able to continue its ministry?

We counted off and formed five breakout discussion groups to tackle these questions; each group was free to choose one question to focus on.

Group I

We have no mission, don’t do any outreach. Are we a club? Do we come here to socialize? We have no commitment to growth. The money issue brought these issues into focus. What is our mission? Do we have a religious purpose? Can we continue to exist as we are? The meeting was a car crash — everyone going in different directions. (Terry, Gaianne)

Group II

We began of course by settling rather quickly on question 5, as ultimately it seemed most interesting and most far-reaching. Francis opened with the issue of building space: would we lose much by not continuing to operate in the current space (in other words, giving up the building)? He felt not really.

Francis and Elizabeth pointed out that the current investment structure is yielding zero or close to zero, and interest alone cannot be guaranteed. Costs—among which maintaining the present facility takes a large share—are outpacing income. Option: meeting in private homes on a rotating basis. But does this encourage growth? How will people find us?

Two ideas vined out from this: 1. how can growth (and solvency, in the form of possibly taking over investment strategies) be encouraged? and 2. the “vision” and the undeniably vital, though for now undefined, core values of the group be maintained? What are these core values?

All were in favor of ‘whatever it takes’ to become more efficient, more ‘green,’ in line with Fred’s concept of an eco-society. Option: a small group to handle/school itself in stock market and try to build a growth investment portfolio, working with a small fund set aside by the group for this purpose. (Note: this was famously done and a book ensued by a small group of women in New Jersey, I believe.)

We felt we had found our answer in the question itself: Our mission is to become a sustainable (ecologically, economically, socially, philosophically) earth-responsible, growing/thriving entity—and in our mission is our vision.

[I’d like to add one thing that occurred to me later on: I think this is also an unusually creative group. A regular (say, monthly, or two big ones a year) ‘showcase’ or ‘arts collective’ for the Society—combining musical salon, gallery, poetry slam, workshop, miniplanetarium—imagine the possibilities. I did this once for students enrolled in a self-designed Baccalaureate program at CUNY—they were mostly adults who had already had careers, which we counted toward the degree—and incredibly talented group.] —Written report by Anne Cherry

Additional ideas: Investigate UUA’s investment strategy and see if we can propose an alternative that could generate more revenue (more investment in green energy, international investments). Seek grant monies. Possibly Bioregional Group could attract more grants. I don’t like the idea of selling the building and meeting in homes. If an organization has space, it shouldn’t be too difficult to come up with alternative sources of funding or develop projects that generate revenue. —Written communication from Yanique Joseph

Group III

(Question 1) Our mission: a commitment to being a “fellowship” (i.e., a congregation without professional leadership), both as an end and as a means. The group asked Paul and Sheila what have been the positive results of being a fellowship. Answers: More diversity, because we are taking individual responsibility for the services. It is important that the services are not just lectures, but also include singing, discussion, etc. Also, as individuals we have an opportunity to grow and go deeper. Being responsible as a community for our own spiritual life, which is a struggle, enables us to attract people who are willing to go through this sort of process. Diversity is both good and bad; but the good outweighs the bad. What holds us together? All of us want to have some kind of social action as a congregation. (Maria)

Group IV

(Question 4) Who are the people with whom we can connect? Folks from the general community who are exploring faith without doctrine, making a spiritual quest, socially conscious. Working together for the good of us as a group, and the planet. How to do it? Working with groups who have similar values—websites, facebook, publicity—to make it happen. (Raymond)

Group V

(Question 4) How we present ourselves will affect whom we can connect with. We need some folks ready to roll up their sleeves and do some of the heavy lifting required to keep something like this going. We need to have something that people are passionate about. You can accept the hard work because of the payoff. Dig in the dirt in order to get the food. (A passion for eating) Participatory is desirable. An earth spirituality dimension, we have already. Jess said divinity school students already have an idea of a congregation/church similar to what we are doing.

People think of a church as a social service institution; you go as a consumer in order to get some spiritual food to keep yourself going. But if we are not a social service organization, then the members are the ministers. Question: Have we really taken the implications of this on board?

That is, that since we don’t have a minister, we have to do it ourselves.

A huge part of life is about knowing what is really important. The sense of something being really important can revolutionize your life. So that all of a sudden you’re going to meetings every day, you’re handing out food on the Green, whatever if may be. You change your life because you have had a revelation of what is important. Our mission has to do with being galvanized by the common sense that we have something really important to do and to share. (Fred)

Splinters from the Board Meeting, Aug. 25

The Proto-Planning Committee put as first priority a handicap accessible ramp for the building. Fred will research possibilities and costs. Second in priority is repair of the roof to fix the leak in the library on the second floor. Elizabeth will contact Chris Wuerth, restoration contractor, to do the work. The society office windows on the second floor also need repair.

Plans to redecorate the first floor are proceeding: the choice of carpet has been narrowed down and Ray of Grand Paint will bring more paint samples. The ceiling in the meeting room also needs painting. In order to make more room in the meeting room, Steve would like to move them to another area–a closet on the first floor might be possible. Prioritizing the tasks to be done is still open.

The next Board meeting is on Sept. 15, instead of CUUPs, which will meet on Sept. 8.