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April 2003
A welcoming congregation that seeks to be a spiritual home to people of
free faith regardless of race, sexual orientation, class, or any of the
other differences that might separate us
SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAM SCHEDULE
ALL ARE WELCOME
Sunday School: 9:30 - 10:30 AM OUUF Forum: 9:30 - 10:30 AM
Social Gathering 10:30 - 11:00 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM Child care: 10:45 - Noon
Care for the very youngest children available during services and forums
A MINISTRY EVALUATION FORM
will be circulated to the congregation in April. Please participate.
FROM THE MINISTER...
As I prepare this month's column, I
do so with a radio broadcast in one
ear. Like many of you, my "normal"
has been affected by the war taking
place in Iraq. Whether we support the
war effort, support the troops but
not the war or are flat-out opposed
to the entire notion of armed aggres-
sion, we share this moment in time.
And we long for a swift end to the
death and suffering that is part and
parcel of any war, this one included.
By virtue of being connected to our
religious community, we also have a
"shared normal" - the cycles and
patterns of congregational life. That
shared normal cannot be ignored, even
though it may be muted by our own
versions of a radio broadcasting in
one ear. Right now, our shared normal
means the pledge drive.
As I've stated many times, in many
different ministry posts, I'm never
shy about asking folks to join me in
financially supporting a UU fellow-
ship or church. Never. Why? Because
the basic principles we seek to
advance together are the very same
principles I seek to advance individ-
ually: religious freedom with respon-
sibility, religious community with
diversity, social action with compassion.
Put differently, our congregation is a
fine vehicle for the values I want to
live and promote. Add to that the
smiles, support, challenge, wisdom,
music, history, vision and diversity
that is this UU society, and why
would I be reluctant to ask you to
give of your resources? It's a good
deal, this little congregation! Such
a deal!
The folks who are directing our
pledge drive fully understand the
financial uncertainties of the
current stock and job markets; none
of us is being asked to give more
than she or he can afford. The point
is to determine what each of us can
afford in light of the needs and
dreams. As for myself, I've decided
to give $600 to each of the congrega-
tions I currently serve. In my case,
that's serious money. But I'm not
about to ask you to increase your
pledge unless I'm willing to do like-
wise.
So please take the time to look at
next year's budget, (it's primarily a
bare bones proposal) and consider the
worth of our congregation in your
life. I invite you to join me in
increasing your pledge.
Thank you!
Peace, (soon!)
Don
UNDERGROUND COFFEEHOUSE CONTINUES
This month's coffeehouse has been
moved to Friday, April 25 to accommo-
date the community Good Friday ser-
vice. As usual, we'll meet at First
United Methodist Church and start at
8:00 P.M. A $1 donation and canned
food item are requested.
DON'S SCHEDULE
Our minister, Don Rollins, is
available for emergencies at any
time. Monday is his day off, and
Friday is usually reserved for
writing sermons. Feel free to contact
him by phone (366-1027) or e-mail
at your
convenience.
OHIO-MEADVILLE DISTRICT SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTION COMMITTEE
now has information on the District web site:
http://www.omd.uua.org/social_justice/sja_committee.html
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Refreshments on Sunday morning are
supplied by members and friends of
the congregation.
We invite you to please participate.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Spring Greetings OUUF families! Ah!
How nice to inhale some warmer spring
air! This past month the grades 6-8
class participated in a Quaker
Friends meeting as part of their
"Neighboring Faiths" curriculum. In
April they plan to visit a synagogue.
It is a rich curriculum covering many
world religions. Teachers Katie Styer
and Ed Miller have been so dedicated
coordinating all these excursions! I
can't wait to see this class's pre-
sentation! The youngest class, pre-
school-kindergarten, spent the month
of March painting flower pots and
planting seeds; talking about rain
and making rainmakers! They hope to
meet new born kittens in April!
A reminder that the grades 1-3 class
is still collecting board and card
games to go to families in need of
services from Oberlin Community
Services.
We will be celebrating Earth Day as
youth and children of the Fellowship
on Sunday, April 27, with a special
Earth Day scavenger hunt, music and
games! These activities will replace
the RE classes. We will celebrate
Earth's birthday with a birthday cake
too, at the end of it all! Andy
Frantz, our music coordinator, is
interested in assembling a youth/kids
choir that morning to perform at the
service that day. All you need to do
is show up at 9:30am.
Parents, by the end of the month, the
RE committee will be passing around
evaluations for you to fill out with
your children to help us get some
feed back on how this past year went.
On Sunday, May 4, Ohio Meadville
District Religious Education consult-
ant, Karen Lapidus will be visiting
us! This will be a time for us to
discuss next year curricula ideas,
and draw upon her years of experience
with a broad range of religious edu-
cation ideas. I will be setting aside
a time for her to meet with teachers
and another time for her to meet with
parents of youth aged 12-15 years
old. Please highlight that day in
your calendar and plan to join us as
we do some planning for the coming
year! Specific times have yet to be
made. Stay posted!
JUNE YOUTH & CHILDREN ACTIVITIES:
The
children and youth will be giving
their RE presentations on Sunday,
June 8 during the service time. RE
classes will meet as usual to prepare
for the service.
Sunday June 15, 22 and 29 are days
that are currently open for any of us
to book some time with the kids. The
adults will continue to meet for
forums, and services will continue as
well from 11am to noon. We will need
people who have games, projects or
talents to share with the kids to
book a time to be with them. If you
are interested, please contact Kim
Peters, or
776-0132. As well, if you know your
children will not be around any of
these last 3 Sundays, please let Kim
know so she can get a general idea of
how many children will be around.
Thanks!
Finally, any adult interested in
working with our children next year
as a teacher, please contact Kim as
soon as possible. There still are
classes that need you!
Kim Peters
R.E. Director
EARTH DAY ON JONES FARM
Saturday, April 26, 2003
An Intergenerational Earth Day event
with the College LUUV students will
be held at Oberlin Sustainable Devel-
opment Project (Jones Farm), 9 am to
noon. Planned events include: Digging
outdoor beds to prepare for planting
-- fairly strenuous but involving no
special machinery or skills. Con-
struction of moveable chicken coops
for traction tilling or of a fence
for the orchard: fairly strenuous,
using drills and hammers, for those
comfortable with or interested in
learning such work. Making a nature
path in the woods: mildly strenuous.
Painting the greenhouse walls with
fabulous colors: not strenuous, an
excellent and creative activity for
all ages. Making and painting bi-
lingual crop signs to put in the
fields once they're planted: also not
strenuous but fun and creative.
Followed by a potluck lunch and
bowling, 12:30-2:30 at the Oberlin
College Bowling Lanes.
HUMANIST GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROGRAM
"If Not God, What? A Humanist Elevator
Speech"
Panel: Rev. Dr. Sarah Oelberg
and Dr. David Schafer
Fri 6/27 10:00 am; Sat 6/28 1:30 pm
(Annual mtg follows Sat presentation)
"Is There a Humanist Language of
Reverence?"
Dr. David Bumbaugh
Monday 6/30, 9:45 am and 4:00 pm
Each session is 75 minutes long.
Sponsor: HUUmanists (formerly Friends
of Religious Humanism)
FREEDOM AT RISK?
Ignore your rights
and they might go away.
Protecting Our Civil Liberties
A Social Justice Forum
Saturday May 17, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
**registration begins at 8:00 am**
On the Baldwin-Wallace Campus:
John Patrick Theatre
in the Kleist Center for Art & Drama
95 East Bagley Road, Berea, Ohio
Sponsored by the Northeast Ohio
Unitarian Universalist Congregations
and the UU Service Committee (UUSC).
Also supported by the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU).
MORNING:
National Leaders of the UUA, UUSC and
ACLU will tell you what the situation
is and why you should be concerned.
AFTERNOON:
A variety of workshops on the crisis
in civil liberties and what action
can be taken.
SEATING IS LIMITED; REGISTER BY MAY 7
Boxed lunches will be available to
purchase; reserve when you register.
Or, you may bring your own lunch.
Beverages will be available.
440-816-1686, ,
.
OBERLIN COMMUNITY YOUTH
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
has helped one or two Oberlin
students every year since 1998 invest
in an advanced education. The Fund's
goal is to raise $5,000 by April 30
of each year and provide $1,250
support in each of four years for one
or more students in need. Contact:
Oberlin Community Youth Scholarship
Fund, c/o The Access Program, 1005
Abbe Rd North, Elyria OH 44035.
BOARD NOTES
A board retreat focusing on govern-
ance issues, facilitated by Rod
Thompson, occurred on March 2.
The board, at the recommendation of
the Finance Committee, has decided to
move most of our assets from equities
to bonds. The board also approved a
preliminary budget to be used by the
canvass committee.
The board, at the recommendation of
Don Rollins, voted to begin a mis-
sion/covenant process.
The board discussed the nominating
committee for board members and com-
mittee chairs. Barbara Fuchsman will
be the board representative on this
committee. [NOTE: THIS COMMITTEE HAS
BEEN FORMED AND IT WILL BE SEEKING
NOMINEES IN APRIL -- Editor]
The RE committee's positive evalua-
tion of Kim Peter's work was present-
ed to the board.
The board enthusiastically welcomed
Andy Frantz as music director.
The next board meeting will be April
20 (yes, that is Easter) at 7:00 at
Tom Phinney's house. Visitors are
always welcome at Board meetings, the
input of OUUF members is both welcome
and guaranteed under our Bylaws.
Katie Styer
Board Secretary
MITCHELL'S PLAIN MATH PROJECT
OUUF Social Action Committee supports
the involvement of Rudd Crawford in
improving math instruction at Port-
land High School in Mitchell's Plain,
South Africa. Rudd reports sharp
improvement in math test scores at
Portland High. He is going back this
summer. Tax deductible contributions
in support can be made through OUUF.
ANNUAL CANVASS
The Canvass Committee is responsible
for providing our members and friends
with an opportunity to contribute
financially through an annual pledge
so that the goals of the congregation
may be realized. On Sunday, April 6,
the two-week Canvass will begin, and
at that time, members and friends
will be provided pledge forms and the
tentative budget for July 1, 2003
through June 30, 2004.
Keith Koenning
Canvass Committee Chair
OHIO-MEADVILLE DISTRICT
ANNUAL MEETING
April 4th & 5th at First Universalist
Church of Youngstown, 1105 Elm St,
Youngstown OH. Theme is "Growing by
Doing Church Better".
HELP WANTED: SERVICE AUCTION & DINNER
A service auction and dinner is being
planned for May 17. If you are inter-
ested in helping with the food for
the dinner please contact Cal Frye.
If you are able to coordinate solic-
iting services and goods or help with
soliciting services and goods please
contact Barbara Fuchsman.
AND SAVE THE DATE (May 17th) for the
Auction and Fund Raising Feast!
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Sunday, April 6, 2003
Yes Yes for OBERLIN SCHOOLS
fellowship forum -- 9:30 am
Beverly Reep, Cal Frye, Don Rollins,
Forum Leaders
Our system for financing public schools in Ohio has been declared
unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court. Our vision of school
funding is presently rather murky. Dr. Beverly Reep, Superintendent of
Oberlin City Schools, will be our guest for a discussion of the
financial issues facing Ohio schools and Oberlin in particular. Bring
your questions, we'll hope to have answers.
All are welcome.
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY: TWO TALES
morning service -- 11:00 am
Reverend Don Rollins
As we begin our pledge drive, Don
will lead us in the telling of the
history of the UU Fellowship of
Oberlin, as well as a familiar tale
about a rabbi's gift.
All are welcome.
WEAR YOUR TARTAN
Lisette Burwasser (Clan Donnachaidh)
reminds Scottish-descended OUUFers
that April 6th is National Tartan
Day. Why not wear yours to church
this Sunday?
Sunday, April 13, 2003
(snowed-out February 23rd program)
THE CONTINUING LEGACY OF
SOCIAL JUSTICE AMONG UU
COLLEGE STUDENTS IN OBERLIN
morning service -- 11:00 am
LUUV: Service Leaders
Liberated UU Voices (LUUV) is the
Oberlin College student UU group.
It's good to have them back in the
OUUF pulpit. All are welcome.
RELIGION, RACE, GENDER AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN EARLY OBERLIN
fellowship forum -- 9:30 am
Prof Carol Lasser, Discussion Leader
This talk will explore how the evan-
gelical founders of Oberlin envision-
ed their work to make heaven on
earth. We will think about the impor-
tance of the founders' sense of human
agency and responsibility, with its
gendered implications, and the influ-
ence of this vision on the commitment
of the town to radical notions of
racial equality. I also want to think
about the tensions between moral
commitment and tolerance for diver-
sity that emerge from Oberlin's utop-
ian experiment.
Prof Lasser teaches History at
Oberlin College. We welcome her to
the OUUF pulpit.
All are welcome.
Sunday, April 20, 2003
SHARING THE TABLE: AN
INTERPRETATION OF JESUS'S
RADICAL COMMUNION MESSAGE
Easter service -- 11:00 am
Ed Vermue, Service Leader
Traditional Christian theology tries
to teach us that the ritual of the
last supper is Jesus saying a fare-
well to his disciples, predicting his
own death and resurrection, and ex-
plaining how he will become incarnate
in bread and wine.
I would like to examine this ritual
in light of the writing of John
Dominic Crossan.
Crossan instead understands the
Jesus-inspired Communion ritual as a
gesture against strict Jewish rules
regarding ritual purity and observa-
tion of the social hierarchy in
choosing one's table companions.
Examined in this light, communal
meals which welcome the outcast to
the table, become a radical challenge
to the unjust social framework of
society and the religious authority.
All are welcome.
THE GLOBAL AIDS EPIDEMIC
fellowship forum -- 9:30 am
Noah Heller, Forum Leader
AIDS is found on every inhabited
continent and is devastating Africa.
It is repeatedly moralized and stig-
matized as appertaining to some unde-
sirable "other". Noah Heller is a
student at Oberlin College; we
welcome him to the OUUF pulpit. All are welcome.
Sunday, April 27, 2003
CELEBRATE OUR MOTHER EARTH
morning service -- 11:00 am
Janet Hutchison, Barbara Fuchsman
Carol Wilde: Service Leaders
Taking the time and energy to care
for our environment is at bottom a
religious effort. Janet, Barbara and
Carol will show how that is so while
rejoicing in our wonderful world. All are welcome.
GLOBAL WARMING
fellowship forum -- 9:30 am
Steve Wojtal, Forum Leader
Global warming is not just about hot-
ter days and warmer nights. Solar
energy powers the climate engine, and
more retained solar heat means more
extreme weather: hotter summers,
colder winters, higher floods, deeper
droughts, etc.
Professor of Geology Steve Wojtal
brings the evidence provided by the
great time depth and global purview
of the geological perspective. We
welcome him to the OUUF pulpit.All are welcome.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
CURRICULA
PRESCHOOL - KINDERGARTEN
Kerry
Langan, Rebecca Cross. Parent helper:
Mary McKee.
"Celebrating me and my
world" An exploration of a child's
world through literature, (Aesop's
Fables), poetry, music, movement,
arts & crafts.
GRADES 1-3
Barbara Fuchsman, Kim
Peters.
"Stories About God" An explora-
tion of God: in image, in world reli-
gions, by emotions, values and the
children's personal experiences.
GRADES 4-5
Peg Tucker and Phyllis
Smith
"Holidays and Holy Days" We will
be learning about and celebrating
holidays which honor a universal
human response to life and highlight
the values we, as UUs affirm. The
holy days give us an opportunity to
examine the religious beliefs of
others, and in the process, our own.
GRADES 6-7
Katie Styer, Ed Miller.
"Neighboring Faiths" We will learn
about the great religions of the
world and visit their places of
worship. Before the outings, parti-
cipants will need to sign a waiver
(provided at the first class).
GRADE 8-9
Keith Koenning.
"Thinking
the Web: Moral Issues and Systematic
Thinking" The class will be discussing
current medical, societal and global
issues. Participants will learn how
to be aware of their thinking pro-
cess, develop discussion skills and
gain understanding of consequences of
decisions made.
Kim Peters
Religious Education Director
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