Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lawrence MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 2019

Upcoming Events and Important Dates Ahead

Saturday, January 5 Men's Group, 9:00 a.m. at UUCL* Saturday, January 12 LINK* Saturday, January 12 Women’s Group (2:00-4:00 p.m.)* *See body of newsletter for more information on all these upcoming events Please also note in the Social Justice section the many Social Justice events scheduled for January

UPCOMING 9:30 SUNDAY TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS January 6 - "Stories from the Past." Members Lawrence Bodle, Judy Wilson, Ted Wilson, Ellen Reid Gold and some materials from Jean Dirks, will explore memories of living in the Unitarian Fellowship and look toward the future.

January 13 – Hossein Gerami, president of Copy Company in Lawrence, will talk about his experiences as an entrepreneur, stretching back to his teen years in Tehran, where he owned a distribution business for water pumps and generators with international clientele.

January 20 – Martin Luther King Day will be commemorated by our own Jonathan Andrews. January 27 - Voices from Our Neighbors: Immigration Journeys to Lawrence. This presentation is the result of joint service-learning course at KU taught by Professors Marta Caminero-Santangelo and Tamara Falicov. In the course, “Bridging Borders: Latin

American Immigration in Literature and Film,” the students studied representations of border crossing, immigration and culture. The students also worked closely with local nonprofit Centro Hispano to meet immigrants new to Lawrence and hear their stories. Marta and Tamara will discuss the processes of their students in compiling these stories into a documentary that we will view. Member Lydia Diebolt from Centro Hispano will also be in attendance as a special contributor.

Soul Matters Theme for January

What Does It Mean To Be a People of POSSIBILITY?

Of all our topics this year, possibility is arguably most central to our faith. It has distinguished Unitarian Universalists from the start. Historically, when others saw depravity and sin at the core of human identity, we saw potential--sometimes with hardly any boundaries. When many were preaching that this world was fallen, and we should look instead to the hope of an afterlife, we found ourselves falling in love with the possibility of heaven on earth. Theologically, you might say that we were the people that believed that God hadn’t given up on any of us and so we shouldn’t give up on each other or this world. Psychologically, it’s led to us being a people of “why not?” Why not give people another chance? Why not fight what seems a losing battle? Why not risk a little failure? After all, to us the possible has always seemed more likely than not! So that’s our religion. But what about us personally? How open have you been recently to “Why not?” How’s your faith in possibility doing? As we honor our religion’s trust in what’s possible, we need to allow space for the reality that trusting possibility isn’t so easy for many of us. Here’s how one Soul Matters member puts the challenge:

“When I think of possibility, I think of all the people and opportunities we close the door on. Such as: ‘I will never see eye to eye with my sister.’ ‘I couldn't possibly leave this job to start my own business’ ‘I will never have close friends like I had where I used to live.’ ‘I will never really make a difference, so why bother?’ ‘UU's will always be a small faith.’ “

We tell ourselves so many small things about who we and others are. And we know that’s not really because we’re pessimistic. More often than not, it’s about protecting ourselves. There’s comfort in convincing yourself that the work is hopeless; that way you don’t have to try and risk failure, hurt or disappointment yet again.

All of which is to say that maybe being a people of possibility has more to do with being a people of vulnerability and courage than we’ve thought. The work isn’t just about believing in possibility. It’s about being willing to endure a few wounds along the way. It can hurt to be hopeful. Especially with all that is going on in our world and society right now, we need to make room for that.

So maybe the question this month isn’t “Are you ready to lean into possibility?” but “Who’s beside you and who are you bringing along?” “Who have you gathered to patch and pick you up when the path gets bumpy?” After all, no one makes it down the road of possibility alone. And perhaps that’s the real secret: remembering that “Why not?” is something we all have to say together.

JANUARY WORSHIP SERVICES 11:00 a.m.

January 6 Let Go and Hold On Rev. Aaron Stockwell January 13 The Possibility of Being Wrong Rev. Aaron Stockwell January 20 The Songs and the Speeches of the Struggle Rev. Aaron Stockwell January 27 The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Pluralism Rev. Aaron Stockwell

UUCL serves at LINK Saturday, January 12.

Sign up sheet is in the lobby

or use sign up genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090449AEAE2EAAF49-link LINK (Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen) serves hot nutritious meals in a safe and welcoming environment to families and individuals at no cost. Every other month the UUCL provides and serves a meal for LINK. We bring 15 or more meat dishes, two vegetarian dishes and one vegan dish. Homemade desserts are also welcome. Fifteen or so volunteers are needed to help serve and clean up. Please come join us as we put our UU principles into action to help our community. Food and volunteers need to be at LINK (basement of First Christian Church on the SE corner of 10th and Kentucky) by 12:30 PM. We serve from 1-2 PM, and clean up is usually finished by 2:30. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Gant at jomarooki@yahoo.com.

MESSAGE FROM OUR MINISTER Dear UUCL, Do you know the history of New Year's resolutions? For centuries, people have used the new year as a time to make new commitments to better themselves. The ancient Babylonians used this time of the year to make promises with their gods to return loaned objects, and settle their debts. The Romans used the new year as a time to re-covenant with the god Janus. Some Christian traditions have

Watchnight Services, held late at night on New Year's Eve. They often involve goal setting, praying, singing, reflecting on the last year, and confession. In African American churches, Watchnight holds an additional significance, looking back to December 31st 1862 when they gathered to await news and confirmation of the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln.

The efficacy of New Year's resolutions is questionable An Australian study found that the typical reasons for failing a New Year's resolution were that a goal was unrealistic, they

were unable to keep track of their progress, or that they just forgot about it. Others said that they made too many resolutions. Another study from the University of Bristol showed that 88% of all people who made resolutions did not ultimately keep them or achieve them.

Every year around this time, I try to avoid making a New Year's resolution. Some years, it seems the only resolution I can succeed at is remembering to write the correct year on checks or while journaling. Even the most Specific, Measurable, Achievable and Timely of resolutions or goals I avoid making. Why? The times when I have made a New Year's resolution, I find that by the second or third week of the year I've usually completely forgotten about it. Then, I get pretty frustrated with myself. Does this happen to you? You commit to going to the gym, to staying in touch with family, to avoiding fast food, to sleeping eight hours a night, or to become more environmentally conscious. Likely, that goal works for a while, and then it falls by the wayside. You slip up, and then you get frustrated with yourself for slipping up.

Our world lacks self-compassion. While I forgive when others slip up, I am often my harshest critic. The supervisor during my first unit of clinical pastoral education would remind us to challenge any absolute statements you’re making in your head. She'd then ask us to imagine that you are telling that person who might be a friend, a mentor, minister or colleague, what you’re thinking, ask us to think what they might say in return. And finally she'd remind us that none of us were able to predict the future, so she asked us to label whatever you're worried about as a fearful or worrisome thought.

I am all for self-improvement, but as I said before, I don't like making New Year's resolutions. Instead, I select a word or phrase that I will use as my touchstone or ballast through the year. The word that I will go back to when times get tough or when I need to make a decision. Ballast to keep myself upright in whatever storm I'll need to endure this year. This year we will start with two rituals. The first is a ritual of letting go of the burdens from the previous year. I will provide some paper that dissolves in water for people to write down the things they want to release, either from the last year or from life in general. We will place the strips of dissolving paper into water. You let your burdens dissolve in comfort and care of the community. It is powerful. I won't know what you write, but I think that is fine. In this same service, I'll invite people to write on rocks a word or phrase that will help them keep steady in the storm, a word that they can go back to when times are tough or when decisions must be made. I hope that after these rituals, people can feel prepared to start the year, burdens lifted and balanced as well. We'll be doing this on January 6th, I hope you will join us! What are the things you need to release? What will provide you with a sense of balance throughout the year?

Peace, The Rev. Aaron M. Stockwell

Interim Minister

LETTER FROM OUR MINISTER AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

Dear UUCL, On December 8th, your UUCL Executive Board and Rev. Aaron met for their Interim Ministry Start-up workshop. This day-long start-up workshop is standard operating procedure after 2-3 months into a new Interim Ministry. These sessions, facilitated by a regional consultant, help congregational boards and ministers get clear on priorities. It's held at this time so that congregations and interim ministers have had a chance to know each other and know the scope of the work involved. One of the useful exercises we took part in involved the board and the minister coming up with lists of the various roles and functions of our congregation--the activities, offerings, and programming. Still working separately, we then took on the next task, looking at our list to discern who was “responsible” or who had “authority” for those various roles and functions--the executive board or the minister. After lunch, we came back together with the two lists and compared them. As we discussed the functions of our congregation, we realized that we had a consensus on many areas. We also came to realize that while the shorthand terms of responsibility and authority were useful, there was more to them than that. We were talking about who were the primary partners with each of the offerings of our congregation. We were talking about who were the primary energizers and troubleshooters. We recognized that this work involves setting expectations and negotiating. With that in mind, we developed the following list, jointly identifying the various functional aspects of the congregation and who, we (Rev. Aaron and the Board) agree, has responsibility for them: Interim Minister: Worship Service / Associates; Pastoral Care / Associates; Faith Development / Staff; Program; Provide prophetic witness / social justice; Transition Team/conflict resolution; Music; Being aware of trends in religious life and acting accordingly; Rites of passage; Supervision and evaluation of staff; House. Executive Board: Building & Grounds; Budget; Staffing Committees; Finance / Endowment; Fundraising & Stewardship - to be coordinated with minister; Audit; Understanding and embodying role of congregation as employer; Committing to Vision and Mission; Strategic planning – coordinate with minister; Sunday morning scheduling – in coordination in partnership with minister; Small groups and social gatherings that facilitate a sense of community; Communications and publicity – with staff coordination; Evaluation of programming offerings – with minister; Safety; Hospitality Teams / Internal - Wedding & Funeral Support; Awards Team; Evaluation of minister; Rentals; Fair Compensation / with minister; Policy Development / Management; Aesthetics / with minister; Membership / Connections / Connecting Newcomers; Leadership Development; Annual Meeting. As our interim minister, Rev. Aaron writes, “While I am accountable to the Executive Board, I am ultimately accountable to the mission of the congregation I serve. Though it can seem like verbal gymnastics to say ‘the congregation, I serve’ when I could have said ‘my congregation,’ the difference is clear, and it is always a good reminder for me. Responsibility is then answering the questions ‘how do I see working with the devoted

members of the congregation on the various functions of this congregation?’ and ‘How can I help?’ Authority is then answering the question ‘how do I ensure that each function of this congregation connects and furthers the mission of the congregation?’ When I, a team/committee, or the Executive Board come to realize that an offering or function of the congregation isn’t furthering the mission of the congregation, how then do we negotiate changes and improvements?” As our Executive Board Chair, Valerie Roper writes, “The Executive Board and I are also committed to working collaboratively with teams, committees and Reverend Aaron to fulfill our responsibilities and use our authority thoughtfully. We see the questions above as a guide for doing that, respectful of the strengths, creativity, and capacity for change in this congregation.” Our congregation does a great many things well. The world needs places like ours, where people love inclusively, nurture spiritual growth and connection, freely explore life’s big questions, and act for justice. We seek to live more fully into that mission statement. Exploring ways that we do can that is what this interim ministry is all about. Rev Aaron Stockwell Valerie Roper, Chair UUCL Interim Minister For the UUCL Executive Board

SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM

JANUARY MONTHLY NEWS

Earth Care Legislation for the 2019 Kansas Legislature. Sunday, Jan. 6, 9:40-10:45am, First Presbyterian Church, Fireside Room, 2415 Clinton Parkway. This is the first in the

2019 series of Earth Care Forums, sponsored by the Lawrence Ecological Teams United for Sustainability (L.E.T.U.S.). The presenter will be Zack Pistora, the Kansas Sierra Club Lobbyist to the Kansas Legislature. For more information, contact Thad Holcombe at <tjholcombe@gmail.com>

And on Sunday, Jan. 13, the next in this series at First Presbyterian, 9:40-10:45am, will be Tom Sloan, retired after 24 years in the Kansas House of Representatives. He will speak on the topic of "Funding of the Kansas State Water Fund."

Kansans to the Capitol: the 3rd annual KS People's Agenda will be on Tuesday, Jan. 15 in Topeka, to demand that our legislators do the PEOPLE'S Business: expand Medicaid, care for the poor, protect the rights of EVERY person in Kansas, and more. A mass rally, 11:30am-1pm, will be followed by the chance to meet with YOUR legislator so that they hear YOUR voice. Speakers will address issues such as voter rights, immigrant rights, economic justice, gender equity, criminal justice reform, and more. Show up to demonstrate your support, and register at https://kansaspeoplesagenda.org/

Kaw Valley Eagles Day, Saturday, Jan. 19, 8:30am-4pm, at Billy Mills Middle School, 2734 Louisiana in Lawrence, a FREE event for the whole family. There will be arts and crafts, informational booths, presentations, live critters on display, owl pellet dissection, a hike through the wetlands, and eagle-viewing field trips. Come for an hour or the whole day. Hosted by Jayhawk Audubon Society and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For more info go to - https://www.facebook.com/events/369119073832050/.

See the Sustainability Action Network Weekly Newsletter at http://www.sustainabilityaction.net/newsletter/ and learn about local and national issues related to environment/ecology.

Monday, January 28, 6-9pm, Lawrence Public Library Auditorium. Lawrence Revolution School presents... REVOLUTIONARY REELS, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1966). One of the most influential political films in history, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS, by Gillo Pontecorvo, vividly re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. Facilitator: Miguel Roel (he/him) is a local educator and organizer. A co-founder of Lawrence Revolution School, Miguel teaches revolutionary history. For information, see Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/2223143591233750/

The Social Justice Team at the last meeting heard recommendations of 3 members who researched and identified new agencies to support, and agreed to continue currently supported organizations, making a new list of Community Connection recipients. The Social Justice team approved this list unanimously. The recipients are: Lawrence Community Shelter, Centro Hispano, Douglas County Dental Clinic, Kansas Equality Coalition, Headquarters, Kansas Advocates for Better Care, Willow Domestic Violence Center and the Sexual Trauma and Abuse Center (funds split for these 2), Social Service League, Kansas Land Trust, Operation Wildlife, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, and Indian Health Service at Haskell Indian Nations University. SJT extends a warm thanks to our congregation for reaching out to the community with this program.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION FOR JANUARY 2019

January Community Connection: Lawrence Community Shelter, a non-profit charitable organization, is the only emergency homeless shelter servicing Lawrence and Douglas County in Kansas. The mission of the Lawrence Community Shelter is to provide a safe shelter and comprehensive programs that set

individuals and families facing homelessness on a path to a positive future by helping with beds and meals, medical services, employment and housing.

FAITH DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

Erin Grant Will Serve as a Co-Leader of the UUCL Youth Group

Paul Calnon our excellent UUCL Youth Group leader has been searching for a Co-Leader. We are very happy to share that Erin Grant, who just completed our New to UU class and became a UUCL member this December, has agreed to serve with Paul Calnon as a Co-Leader of our UUCL Youth Group! Erin is the mother of Henry, a second grader and member of our UUCL Spirit Play group and Harold, who is 2 years old and enjoys the UUCL Nursery. Erin is also an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice/Legal Studies in the School of Applied Studies at Washburn University in Topeka, KS. In a recent article in the Washburn Review (10/18/18) titled Erin Grant: Professor par excellence, Chris Rosell, a senior criminal justice major, shared the following description of Erin.

She understands that life happens, countless times a semester she is there for students that are having a hard time at home or in another class, talking them through any issue they come to her with. Grant is one of the most real professors in Washburn, as one can talk to her about anything, and she will treat every subject with care and nuance, without pretension."

The article went on to state that, “Her [i.e. Erin] renowned mentorship and interpersonal skills are evidenced by her winning the Achieving Excellence Award, which is given based on nominations from students and staff.” We are very appreciative of both Paul’s and Erin’s willingness share their outstanding skills and commitment to the development of our youth and feel very fortunate to have such outstanding leadership for our UUCL Youth Group.

Karina Novelo Is Returning to Our UUCL Faith Development Program

GOOD NEWS!! Karina Novelo, who was a valued presence in our Faith Development program for children between 2013 and 2016, is returning to assist with our UUCL Faith Development Program classes and activities. She will begin on Sunday, January 6th, and will support our Faith Development classes, Child Care needs, and Children’s Activities from 9:30 through noon. When available she will also provide childcare for our various activities and meetings. Karina is originally from Caye Caulker, a small Caribbean island off the coast of Belize. She is now a part of the Kipp family and lives with Jake and Masha. She works with children ages two through six at Raintree Montessori School. In her time outside of work, she enjoys jogging and hiking with her dog, Kyro. As a Sunday morning Faith Development teacher, Program Coordinator for Life Long Learning Program Area during the first years of our Program Council, and a Board Chair, I had many opportunities to both observe and work with Karina during her years at UUCL. As a former classroom educator of children and as a teacher educator charged with preparing future teachers of young children and of children with special needs, I was immediately aware of Karina’s exceptional skills in working with children across age groups, personalities, abilities, and needs. Children love Karina and the classroom environments that Karina leads can be described as calm, accepting, creative and well organized. If you have not yet met Karina, please introduce yourself and welcome her back! Barb Thompson, Interim Director of Faith Development

UUCL Book Reading Group

Book discussion group (2nd and 4th Sundays) will begin again on January 13. We’ll be reading Justice on Earth, people of faith working at the intersections of race, class, and the environment. Lynne Renick has a few copies. (785) 550-0679

Note: Our UUCL Book Reading Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month and any adult who wishes to attend is welcome! Lynne Renick serves as facilitator and we meet from 9:30 to 10:30 in the conversation area of the basement. Our book choices are based on book recommendations from UUA and reflect current issues and initiatives that help us to both reflect upon and identify ways to live our liberal religious values. The selected books are usually available for loan as well as for purchase at discounted price. The specific book selected for study is listed in the weekly announcements and a single book study typically last for three to four weeks.

MUSIC NOTES

Thank you so very much to all who contributed to give me a totally unexpected and generous holiday gift! Your loving support means so much to me and I treasure you all. I hope each and every one has a peaceful and joy filled New Year.

We in the UUCL Music Community welcome all who would like to share their talents with the UUCL Greater Community. For information, please contact: Susan Harper, UUCL Music Director, UUCLMusic@sbcglobal.net , 785-840-6474

ART IN FOUNDERS HALL

Mixed media artist Yvonne Chanel will be exhibiting from January 7 to February 25. More to come!

UUCL MEN’S GROUP The Men's Group will meet at UUCL at 9am on Saturday, January 5 for pastries, coffee and conversation.

[Regular meeting times: 9:00 a.m. the first Saturday of each month.]

UUCL WOMEN’S GROUP

The UUCL women's group will meet at Emily Russell's, Presbyterian Manor (1329 Kasold), townhome G-2, on Saturday, January 12, from 2-4PM. All are welcome, especially the newer and younger among us. Bring a snack to share if you wish, bring yourselves, bring a friend, bring an idea for the new year. We look forward to seeing everyone as we see what 2019 will bring. Contact Lynne Bodle, 843-8263, for more information or for a ride.

UnitarianUniversalistCongregationofLawrence

AWelcomingCongregation1263N.1100Rd.Lawrence,KS66047,785-842-3999

www.uufl.netTocontacttheNewsTeam,pleaseemailuflcommunications@gmail.comOthercontactinformation: The Rev. Aaron M. Stockwell, Interim Minister Rev. Stockwell may be reached through this link: https://calendly.com/rev-aaron-stockwell/ or by phone 785.330.5665 or by email: rev.aaron.stockwell@gmail.com Getting in touch with Rev. Aaron I'm available for meetings by appointment. Your best bet is to schedule time to meet through this link: https://calendly.com/rev-aaron-stockwell/. This link is also part of my email signature. If the time is showing as free, I am available to meet, click to schedule the time. My cell phone is 785.330.5665, if I don't pick up, please leave a voice mail. I will try to listen to voice mails as soon as possible. You can also reach me at my office here at the congregation's building at 785.856.1016, but my cell phone is the best bet. I only receive emails at 9am, 1pm, and 4pm at rev.aaron.stockwell@gmail.com. So, if it's something the requires a more urgent response, call me. Monday is my sermon writing and worship planning day, and I will respond to email less frequently. I also try not to check email on Friday and Saturday as those are my sabbath days. I will accept any Facebook friend requests, but I will not initiate them. I've been on Facebook since 2005, so my feed is full with people from high school, college, and seminary. If you post a pastoral concern to Facebook, I will likely miss it. Helping Hands Teamuflhelpinghands@gmail.com or call UUCL office, 842-3339 This team provides short-term practical assistance, e.g., meals, respite, rides. Transportation Line 785-842-7529 (to UUCL events or medical appointments) Administrative Office Hours: AdministrativeofficehoursaretypicallyMonday10:00a.m.-5:00p.m.Tuesday1:00-5:00p.m.Thursday8:30a.m.-4:30p.m.Friday1:00-5:00p.m.Pleasebesuretocallfirst,785-842-3339,ifcomingoutduringtheweek,asdoorsarekeptlocked.