Perspectives for September 2023

From L to R: Abby Gitlitz, President; Drew Schrader, at large; Regina DiLavore, Secretary; Bill Lonnberg, Treasurer; Linda Pickle, at large; Mary Craig, at large; Jane McLeod, Vice President

On September 2, the Board of Directors met for our annual retreat, where we came together for an intense and focused time of exploration about UUCB. We affirmed that we are taking the necessary steps during this period of interim ministry to continue our transition from the Policy Governance model adopted in 2008 to a Partnership model, i.e., a close partnership between Ministry and Board. A primary goal of the retreat was to identify our areas of focus for the next 12 months. Through guided thought-provoking exercises and deep discussions, the board determined three main areas for us to focus on:

Support our ministerial search process – How can the board best support the search committee and the congregation as we work together to call an outstanding settled lead minister?

Nurture ourselves as the congregation we are now – This congregation is ever changing. How can the board help nurture our congregation in this moment, serving the needs of the people who choose to make this congregation their home now, even as we lay foundations for the future?

In this Partnership model, the Board takes care of the resources of the congregation, including finances, property, and personnel, in partnership with volunteers, staff, and minister. Everything we all do – including making policies – is in service of the programs and ministry of the congregation. This includes mundane activities like making sure we have a functioning HVAC system so the sanctuary is comfortable, as well as supporting social justice task forces and other groups or encouraging the formation of new adult religious education courses. 

Increase clarity in our organizational systems – How can we communicate and celebrate the vibrant structure of UUCB? This includes the ongoing work of adopting new bylaws [learn more about our Bylaws Revision Process] and further clarifying what a Partnership model of governance can look like for us. It will entail revising board policies to accurately reflect who we are and how we do things. We also hope to work with the congregation to diagram where each part of our large and complex organization fits, from task forces to interest groups to teams and committees, staff and ministers to elected positions so we can increase awareness and participation.

This next year is an exciting one for us as we look ahead to calling a new settled lead minister. The board is energized and ready to do what we can to help us thrive as a congregation.

In deep appreciation for all who call this congregation home.

Abby Gitlitz

For more information on a Partnership Model of governance, watch this video by Dan Hotchkiss.

From our Director of Lifespan Religious Education, Stephanie Kimball

September: the month when so many of our calendars start filling up with classes, entertainment, football games, kids’ activities, and so much more. For some it may be a time of harvest, or time to enjoy these last glorious weeks of summer, or time to turn your attention to preparations for winter. Whatever your calendar looks like, I hope that you will carve out some time amidst the busy-ness to focus on your growth as a Unitarian Universalist, whatever that may mean for you!

This year we have offerings for all ages, stages, backgrounds, interests, and styles. There are opportunities for spiritual growth through art, poetry, reading, writing, and discussion. You can learn about the variety among early versions of Christianity, or explore the evolution of Unitarian Universalism. You can pursue your own journey toward racial justice, possibly including joining our Indigenous Studies Working Group to learn more about the people upon whose lands our community was built. Or explore important UU topics through the lens of well-known Humanist writers. Perhaps it’s time for you to write (or revisit) your own UU credo. There will be a new cohort forming to pursue the inner work of aging, and, for the first time in many years, we are offering the adult level of OWL (Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education). On September 10, you’ll have a chance to meet facilitators, review materials, and ask questions at our Religious Education Fair in Fellowship Hall after the service. If you’d like a sneak peak at the wide range of classes, workshops, book groups, and other activities, please click here.

Note: The following classes begin soon! Please sign up NOW: Creative Expressions, Listening In, and Credo-Building Workshop.

Parents, please make sure you have enrolled your children for this year’s religious education programming – whether they are infants or toddlers attending childcare, children participating in Spirit Play or Kids’ Club, or youth interested in middle and high school youth group opportunities. Keeping your family’s information up-to-date ensures that you’ll receive relevant and timely information, including announcements about OWL, invitations to baby dedications, Age of Reason celebrations, and more; it helps our teachers prepare and be ready to welcome everyone into their classes; and it helps keep kids safe by letting us know about allergies, who their parents and siblings are, and any special information you wish to share. (Note: you won’t find the registration page in Church Center sign-ups; it is a form that you can access through this link!)

Fall Sunday morning programming for children begins on September 17. Our 4-6 year-olds will continue with Spirit Play, exploring beloved stories that highlight our UU principles, traditions, values, and history, as well as wisdom from other religious traditions. Kids' Club will focus on the Toolbox of Faith curriculum, reflecting on the qualities ("tools") of our faith and gaining insight into what makes our faith important in our lives.

In January, we will begin OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality education classes for K-1 as well as grades 4-5. (OWL for 7th & 8th graders will be offered again next year.) Please watch for announcements of mandatory parent/child meetings coming up later this fall! There is no registration form for these classes, as children are only enrolled once their caregivers have attended the appropriate information meetings and submitted signed consent forms. (Again: please make sure your child's age and grade information is up-to-date in our database, so that you receive appropriate notices.)

Whatever your age, stage, interests, background and style, may life's fullness be a blessing for you. And may you continue on your journey of seeking, learning and growing!

Stephanie Kimball
Director of Lifespan Religious Education

So much of what I, other staff, and our UUCB leaders (and we can all be leaders), do involves the creation of space, programmatic structures, and the facilitation of connections that allow the community to grow. While I cannot experience or participate in community activity on behalf of UUCB congregants, I can focus attention on what is needed in order to allow that participation to occur.

Yesterday, the UUCB Welcoming Team met for our first meeting (David Keppel, Libby DeVoe, Emily Phelps, Jackie Hall, Joan Caulton, Lynn Struve, Rev. Connie, and Anabel Watson). We focused attention on a parallel endeavor, the creation of a welcoming environment. Strengthening the welcoming-ness of our community environment similarly encourages participation and experience of our offerings as it helps folks feel invited in.

Keep an eye out on Sundays for congregants wearing blue peony nametag sashes (pictured) – the peony is the state flower of Indiana. We will, along with any of our typical Sunday activities, be focusing on the cultivation of a welcoming environment and addressing gaps that may arise in the needs of our community space. As the Welcoming Team roles are still solidifying, we have identified some initial projects and pursuits that we hope will caringly nourish our community’s welcoming atmosphere. These include items such as (but not limited to): organizing name tags in a more navigable manner, working on accessibility-focused materials, orienting newcomers by the Welcome Table, and ensuring orders of service are accessible to all.

As the Welcoming Team works to make our space more welcoming, we also encourage everyone to help do the same in a few simple ways. You can:

• make sure to wear your name tag
• be aware of the seating needs of folks with mobility needs in the Meeting Room (it is OK to move a chair to make room)
• update your photo and contact information in the online directory
• look for pronoun stickers for your name tag if needed
• help direct newcomers to the Welcome Table to fill out a Guest Card or request a name tag

Thank you for any of these actions, and more, that you consider taking in order to help enhance the welcoming atmosphere of our community.

On a programmatic level, UUCB has various offerings in the coming month that will more literally “welcome” folks into the community. We consistently offer “New to UU” on the first Sunday of the month. This is a brief introductory class that I facilitate after the service for folks looking for orientation, understanding of Unitarian Universalism and current activities at UUCB, and more focused discussion with others visiting for the first (or nearly first) time. “Exploring the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington” is a more in-depth class that folks completing “New to UU” are invited to attend. All looking to become official UUCB members or who are desiring a deeper dive into and understanding of UU’ism and our church community are also very strongly encouraged to attend. This summer/fall’s offering of Exploring UUCB will occur on September 17 and 24, facilitated by longtime congregants, various staff, and a representative of our Stewardship Team. If you know of anyone who might appreciate this class, please help us welcome them with an invitation to participate, link HERE. Similarly, if you are aware of any young adults looking to learn about Unitarian Universalism, or who might enjoy being a part of our community, feel free to welcome them to attend the after-service Pizza Gathering on September 17. A public Facebook event is accessible HERE.

I am continually grateful for the welcoming energy I have received from you all in the past year-and-a-quarter. I am grateful and inspired by the desire within this community to be a welcoming, inclusive, and nourishing place. I hope that you will give some thought today toward what you can do to continue this endeavor within our community.

With gratitude,

Anabel Watson
Connections Coordinator

Greetings from Denise Breeden-Ost, Chair of the UUCB Ministerial Search Committee. We’re ramping up and we want to engage with you this fall! How can you stay informed about what we’re doing and how can you connect with us? Thank you for asking…

First, as I expect most of you know, our congregation is in the process of seeking a new settled minister. Our interim lead minister, Rev. Connie Grant, will be with us until the new minister starts in August 2024. The Ministerial Search Committee is charged with finding a good match for our congregation among the ministers who are seeking a congregation. This is a long and careful process and after our orientation retreat last Sunday, we're wading into it in earnest.

Over the course of this fall, much of our task is to understand as much as possible about what this congregation wants and needs from a new minister. We'll be sending out a survey to all members and friends; search committee members will meet with different groups in the congregation; and we'll host open meetings where anyone can come and share their thoughts. Everything we hear will be brought back to the Search Committee and will guide our work: both as we present our congregation to potential ministers, which happens near the end of this semester; and in our discernment process after ministers apply in the New Year.

How do you find out more? How can you participate? Three things:

• Check out the display in the hallway outside Fellowship Hall by the childcare rooms. You'll find photos and bios of Search Committee members, along with a timeline of the whole Search process showing where we are now. Other updates about the search will be posted there too
• Read your UUCB Friday Update and Perspectives Newsletter! We’ll regularly have articles and events reminders.

• Talk to us! We're relying on you to share your questions, your needs, your wants, your concerns, and your dreams for this congregation. This includes taking part in the Congregational Survey, showing up for listening sessions, and talking with individual committee members. You can find us by our green-lettered name tags during Community Hour or can reach us anytime via email to search@uubloomington.org.

I'm excited by the energy, openness, and commitment I see in every member of this committee. All of us look forward to sharing this journey with all of you.

Denise Breeden-Ost, Chair of the UUCB Ministerial Search Committee

Jill Courtney directed our Children's Choir for 19 years. As of the summer of 2023, she has stepped down from this position to prioritize other parts of her life. We hope you enjoy reading her reflections on her history with our church and what she'll be focusing her energy on moving forward.

Note from Susan Swaney, our Music Director:

We have been so very lucky to have Jill making music with our children for 19 years! She is an enormous asset to our church, and we won’t try to replace her. Instead, we will have a time of discernment about what to do in the future. In the meantime, we will have some opportunities for “Family Choir,” where people of all ages can join the choir on a Sunday to learn and rehearse a piece to perform together at that week’s service. Keep a lookout for announcements!

In the early 2000’s, after growing up in a United Methodist church, I walked through the doors of UUCB as an adult and knew right away it was home. Reusable coffee mugs! Liberal religious community! And the icing on the cake, Sue Swaney was directing the fabulous choir! At heart, I think I had always aligned with Unitarian Universalism, but I had to find my way here on my own as a “grown up.” As a lifelong musician and music teacher by profession, the music aspect of my church experience has always been important to me, and UUCB is so rich with music! I was thrilled to find my place in the choir. Not long after I became a member, it happened that our church was looking for a children’s choir music director. I had worked under Sue before in the IU Children’s Choir, so I happily accepted the position. I’m grateful to Sue for entrusting me with this role, because it was a joyous 19 years of working with the young singers in our congregation. 19 years filled with beautiful voices, and wonderful collaborations in special programs like Boom!, All You Need is Love, The Lorax, Hymnody of Earth, and more. Many years of gifts of music for the beautiful Solstice and Equinox services, as well as Earth Day, Water, and Flower Communion services. And then the pandemic, when I learned how to assemble pre-recorded gifts of music, which was a challenge but also an absolute joy; truly one of the most fulfilling things I did during those difficult times.

What some may not know, is that all during these years, I have been teaching full-time public school elementary music, the job I knew I wanted to do since I was very young. Growing up in Bloomington, I was so fortunate to have the best musical experiences and mentors to help me achieve that dream. It is a fulfilling but very demanding job, and now as I head into year 27 of teaching, my life also includes chauffeuring my children to their many extracurricular activities. This leaves very few precious hours for true self care and family time, and as I get older, I find myself needing to prioritize my time outside of work in different ways. Though the decision was not easy, I knew it was time for me to let go of directing the beloved UU Children’s Choir.

Please know that the timing of this decision is wholly my own, and is not related to any staff or leadership transitions at our church. I have no doubt that there will still be a place for the children and youth of our church to contribute their voices, even if it looks different than it did during my time as Children’s Choir director. I love our UUCB dearly, and I look forward to a long future of this being a place for me and my family to grow, to seek the spirit, and be in community. One of the first priorities for my spiritual health is to re-join the Adult Choir, which I haven’t been able to do since my children were born, and have missed so dearly. Family time, yoga, gardening, and sound healing also all join the list of things that feed my soul, and deserve more of my time. And every once in a while, I’m looking forward to having enough time to just sit down on my deck and listen to the birds sing!

It has been an absolute privilege to work with the children’s choir, and I will always cherish their beautiful voices and personalities. As a teacher of young children, I don’t always get to see where their paths will lead, but it’s such a joy when I run into singers I have worked with who are all grown up now and shining their lights in the world, knowing we shared some special musical times together in the past. One of my favorite bumper sticker messages is “Plant Seeds and Sing Songs,” which is something I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to do for so many years with the UU Children’s Choir, and will continue to do in other ways on my life journey.

- Musically yours, Jill Courtney

Welcome to the inaugural UUCB Tech Talks! This month I will highlight a few interesting areas of the new website, as well as go into plans for this column going forward.

As of the evening of Friday, August 18th, our new website is now live! I hope everyone has had a chance to check it out. I’ve been reading feedback from the form linked on this page (New Website), and it has been very helpful! Please keep sending in your suggestions and comments.

Here are some areas which I think will be of general interest:

It all starts with the home page. This will be most newcomers’ first experience of our congregation, and first impressions are very important. In recognition of this, we’ve designed this page to really lift up the level of activity we have here.

First, the new “This Sunday’s Service” area automatically displays the next service’s information as we’ve entered it on the upcoming service’s page. This reduces staff effort, as we only have to enter that description in one place. There are convenient buttons to see information about past and future services, to see more information about the upcoming service, and for general information applicable to newcomers.

The archive of past services has also been greatly streamlined. We see a list of titles and short descriptions, from which you can click to see all the information (including the order of service and archived video) all on one page. This should make it much easier for interested people to see what we’re about on Sunday mornings, and also for existing members to view the video archives.

Continuing on the home page, the next area we see are what I’ve called “cards”. These are places for a brief introduction to something happening at the church, and aren’t meant to be permanent. We will be updating these cards periodically, to make sure the homepage continues to feel fresh.

Below the cards, we have a list of upcoming events at the church. These events are automatically drawn from our church calendar, so this section never has to be manually updated.

I hope this provides some useful insight into how the home page (and some of our Sunday service information pages) are designed. We’ve worked hard to make the home page of our website a place where anyone can see a high-level overview of what the church is doing at any given moment, while requiring minimal staff effort to keep updated. This is the philosophy that we’ve used throughout the website, and we will continue to use as we add more features.

In the coming months, I plan to continue writing Tech Talks columns. Subjects will include how our live stream works, deep dives into the design of other kinds of pages you’ll find on our website, and other ways that technology can and does impact our congregation (from lighting in the meeting room, to multiplatform meetings, to other projects which are coming soon). I love to talk about this stuff, and to hear any feedback you might have. Feel free to reach out via email, which can be found on our church staff page.

Until next time,

Hans Kelson
Technology Coordinator
UUCB

Chalice Circle Sign up has begun! There are three ways to sign up:

• In Fellowship Hall after the services on Sept 3, 10, and 17
• Online starting September 8
• If neither of these ways works for you, call Ruellen Fessenbecker at 812-837-9550

Chalice Circles are groups of 7-10 people that meet once or twice a month to practice deep listening. Circles will start meeting in late September or October and meet through May of 2024. Chalice Circles are a good way to get and stay connected to other people from the church. Circle facilitators are trained to present the monthly topic and facilitate deep listening.

Hear from two members of last year's circles:

Chalice Circles, the program of small group ministry in our congregation, will launch its eighteenth year this fall. Our program is based on the formation of groups whose members will engage in deep listening to promote intimacy and spiritual growth. In addition to deep listening, Chalice Circles also request participants to create a covenant to guide their interactions with one another, keep an open chair for new members, and engage in service projects for the congregation and the larger community.

I have participated in Chalice Circles for almost the entire time that they have existed at UUCB, both as a participant and as a facilitator. I plan to be involved, as a facilitator, again this year. I agree with Rev. Thandeka, a Unitarian Universalist theologian, who referred to the work of small group ministry as “an act that brings about spiritual transformation.” This transformation is accomplished through attentive listening, rational thought, empathy, and compassion. You learn as much about yourself as you do about other people. For an introvert like me, Chalice Circles are a perfect opportunity to connect with others. I love Chalice Circles! Please join me.

Alan Backler

In my experience, Chalice Circles provide a unique opportunity to both tell your story and participate in listening to others. Because each session has a theme, many of the stories bring out related issues and often blend together to demonstrate both commonality and disparity of human experience. Because each story is told without interruption, it is understood more deeply. This type of sharing provides an atmosphere for empathy, compassion and appreciation of others that is rarely found in normal conversations. Over the several months you become a group of loving friends.

Janeth Welch, group member and facilitator

The perfect way to meet newcomers and old timers in small, convivial groups!

At Fellowship Dinners, you share a potluck meal with a small group of friendly UUs in someone’s home. Once a year you host, if you are able. Dinners will take place in October and November 2023 and January through April 2024.

Sign up here for the months you would like to participate!

Fellowship Dinners Signup (2023-24)

The Fellowship Dinners coordinator will send a list of guests to the host, who will contact the guests, establish a mutually agreed upon date for the meal, and prepare the main dish. The guests bring the rest of the dishes for the meal: appetizer, salad, vegetable, dessert, beverage, etc. Be creative and carefree! The Fellowship Dinner can be a dinner, or it could be a breakfast, brunch, lunch, or picnic! Learn more.

Contact coordinator Kathy Gilbert with any questions at fwpdinners@uubloomington.org.

It’s time to consider applying for a fall social justice grant! Think of ways our congregation can make an impact on Monroe County.

Applications will be accepted in October. Once the applications are received, the committee meets to determine the recipients. Preference is given to the following but others will be considered:

• Being a part of a Social Justice task force
• The number of UU members involved
• Consistent with the mission of the UU church
• Does this empower the organization to empower others?
• Is this seed money rather than for maintenance?
• Will our contribution make a real difference in their budget?
• Do they have finite goals?
• Have they received UU social justice grants in the past?
• The monies cannot be used to pay for professional services or salaries.

Fall Grants announcements are made in November and the recipients have one year to use their funds or they will be returned to our SPF account. They are also asked to write a review for our newsletter of how funds were used.

UU Social Justice Funds Committee:

Denise Ogren, Steve Mascari, Scott Sanders, Sarah Kopper, Sandy Davoren

The Hope for Prisoners Task Force will be featuring the art exhibit “Songs of a Caged Bird” during the month of September in the halls of UUCB. This exhibit was first on display for the month of June at Bonne Fete Art Gallery. Funds from HFPTF, the Racial Justice Task Force and a Social Justice Grant made this exhibit possible. Thanks also to Resilience Productions for the performance of selected poems last June. An abbreviated version of the performance will be held on Sunday, September 24th following a Habitat SJTF luncheon.

The artwork is that of UUCB member, Phillip Stroud. Some is digital art while others are his drawings with pastels or pen and ink. The large 4 part poster of his poem IamYou is best viewed from a distance to see what Danielle Bruce has hidden in it. She also did the screen prints of Phillip and two other poets, David Runyon and Birt Ford. Please consider taking time to sit and read their many poems displayed in notebooks under their photo. A framed explanation of the impetus for this art show, written by Chair Debbie Fish, is on the social justice table.

The task force will also be tabling in Fellowship Hall each Sunday of September to sell notecards with the art works of Phillip that represent 4 of our task forces. Some of these he had to create with a rubbery type of pencil as he had no other supplies. In addition, we will be selling stickers of his drawing to stop gun violence. All donations will help us to continue to purchase basic hygiene products for inmates who have no one else. They all express deep gratitude that someone “sees” them.

From Debbie Fish, Hope for Prisoners Task Force Chair

Dear UU Members & Friends -- Back in April many of you made very generous donations of non-perishable goods and money to support tornado victims in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. This relief effort was organized by Second Baptist Church (SBC) of Bloomington, whose members delivered the supplies and gift cards to Rolling Fork. It was an honor for me to take your donations to SBC for the first leg of their journey. I am *finally* getting around to passing along the Thank You received in May from Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Rose, Pastor of Second Baptist Church.

You may also be interested in the April 23rd service at SBC where members talked about the trip to Rolling Fork and shared photos. You can view the segment on YouTube at this link.

– Ruth Aydt, Racial Justice Task Force

The 2023 UU Bazaar, our 64th, will be held on Dec 1 and 2. The church will be transformed into a holiday wonderland with over 25 artisans in the main meeting room, cookies and gourmet treats for sale in Fellowship Hall, a used book sale, a white elephant sale, offerings from some of our Social Justice Task Forces, and a cafe serving soup, sandwiches, and desserts.

The Bazaar is in line with our mission of Seeking the Spirit, Building Community and Changing the World. We create a holiday spirit, one of cooperation, honoring the talents and gifts of church members and community members alike. We build community by reaching out to the general public, bringing them into the church in a welcoming way and by giving church members a chance to get together to staff booths, serve soup, shelve books, and work together in the festive atmosphere. Changing the world happens as new friendships are formed, money is raised for task force projects and artists are supported. And, we raise funds for the general budget of the church.

There are so many ways for church members to be involved in the Bazaar:

• Donating books and white elephants -- donations accepted starting Sunday, November 26
• Bake or make a gourmet treat
• Bake holiday cookies. Cookies are sold by the pound, so make heavy, colorful ones! Last year, we ran out of cookies. Let's not let that happen again.
• Volunteer to help coordinate the cookie sale, the white elephants, or the book sale
• Volunteer later in November for the many tasks involved in the Bazaar
• Volunteer to pick up persimmons, process persimmons or bake something using last year's persimmons.

When you are ready to volunteer, please contact Ruellen Fessenbecker, rfessenb@indiana.edu.

A few important notes about BOOKS, from Glee Noble:

1. Our Book Table Crew has been short staffed.
2. Our UUCB Fuchs Library committee could use more help.
3. The Bazaar Book Sale is only three months away!

What can congregants do about these things?

1. Please start looking over your bookshelves to donate used books to the UUCB Book Table (anytime) and books & CDs to the Bazaar Book Sale (for Dec. 1-2).
2. If you love books and like to talk about them with other people, please consider donating an hour of your time on Sunday after the service to work at the BookTable. Minimal training is happily provided if you contact gleenoble@yahoo.com.
3. If you love books and serving this beloved community, please consider working at un-boxing, at shelving and at selling the hundreds of books we anticipate we will receive for the Bazaar Book Sale! (November 27-30; Dec. 1 & 2.)

We could all use a friend. Someone who'll listen to our thoughts without judgment.

Guess what? You've got one; yourself! Come be with yourself in the company of others. In this busy and fractured world, we may not take the time to sit down and let our own thoughts be heard. Here, no one else needs to know. We have a safe space to sit down and breathe together. Meditation has so many health and mental benefits. If you've never tried meditation, our gentle instruction will help you settle into a session of knowing more about yourself, or feeling heard (by yourself), or just using the time to rest from our busy monkey minds. As with any discipline, it takes practice. That's why we offer an hour of meditation every Monday from 12 to 1 pm, upstairs in the church library and online. Led by Leigh Grundhoffer and Susan Middlestadt.

What is Shambhala Meditation? Learn more at shambhala.org.

To join online, click on the Shambhala Meditation event listing on our calendar to find the Zoom link.