Perspectives for December 2023

• Publication Deadlines: The deadline for submissions to the January issue of Perspectives, as well as BOTH the Dec. 22 and Dec. 29 Friday Updates, is December 20. 

• Office Hours: Amanda Waye, Director of Administration, will be on vacation Dec 11-22. Amanda will be monitoring her email periodically (admin@uubloomington.org) during this time and you can expect a response within 48 hours. Jo Bowman, Administrative Assistant, will be in the church office Tues. and Thurs. December 12 and 14 and December 19 and 21, as well as Sundays from 10 - 1. 

• The office will be closed Monday Dec 25 through Jan 1, reopening Tuesday, Jan 2. In the event of a pastoral emergency, please contact Rev. Connie Grant at 847-840-8542 at any time.

Sunday, December 10
10:15 a.m.
Music Sunday
Dr. Susan Swaney, Music Director
The UU choir, an orchestra, and a stunning in-house vocal quartet will perform Franz Schubert’s thrilling Magnificat and J.S. Bach’s Dona Nobis Pacem, the final movement of his magnum opus, the B Minor Mass.

Sunday, December 17
10:15 a.m.
What I Believe In
Facilitated by Reverend Connie Grant
As Unitarian Universalists, we formulate our beliefs in terms of credo (“I believe”) not creed (“we believe”).  Our own stories are among our sacred texts, and we are responsible for developing our own beliefs in light of our experience and conscience. Participants from our recent credo-building workshop will share their belief statements. 

Wednesday, December 20
6:15 p.m.
Winter Solstice
Led by Stephanie Kimball 
Come celebrate the turning of the season as we reflect on the gifts of winter. This contemplative service features a spiral procession to light candles with the yule log, representing the return of light and warmth. Music provided by Ray Fellman, Colleen Haas, and the MoonRing Quartet.

Sunday, December 24
10:15 a.m.
Participatory Pageant for All
Led by Reverend Connie Grant and Stephanie Kimball, with a cast of many
Have you always wanted to be a star? Or maybe an angel, a wise person, or a shepherd? This is your chance! We’ll enact the Christmas story and reflect on its meaning. No advance preparation is required: costumes, props, and stage directions will be provided on the spot. A worship service for all ages.

Sunday, December 24
7:00 p.m.
Each Night a Child is Born is a Holy Night
Reverend Connie Grant, musicians, and readers
Christmas Eve service with stories, carols, and candle lighting, celebrating the spirit and the potential born in every person.

Sunday, December 31
10:15 a.m.
The Paradox of (Im)perfection
Reverend Connie Grant
Jason Michalek, Worship Associate
A simple or not-so-simple question for this time of resolutions and new beginnings: How do we know when we are "perfect enough?"

Note to Parents/Caregivers:

There will be no Religious Education classes or regular childcare on December 24 or 31. On December 31, children of all ages may gather in Fellowship Hall for special activities. Please contact Stephanie Kimball if you’d like to help.

By Reverend Connie Grant

Interim Lead Minister

As you prepare to call a settled Lead Minister, I offer my thoughts, written for a multigenerational audience on the ordination of a colleague, about what ministers do.

A minister

• helps people live in ways that are true to their own spirits and true to the spirit of life.
• tells stories and helps people figure out what they mean.
• listens to other people’s stories and helps them figure out what those mean, too.
• shows up to be with people when they are sad or afraid, so they know they are not alone.
• marks special times in people’s lives, like birth, death, or marriage.
• encourages people to share their best with others.
• helps people find possibilities, and meaning, and hope in their lives.
• represents a religious community and helps people belong, and participate, and represent that religious community, too.
• devotes a life to these ways of ministry and to helping other people minister to each other.

In faith and hope,
Connie

Rev. Connie Grant
Interim Lead Ministergrant@uubloomington.org

by Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator

As the season calls us to dive inward and convene with community, I realize that these needs exist yearlong. These chilly months challenge me, with the added drear of bare branches and dulled colors. Yet, I am committed to bundling up and gathering with folks outdoors and continuing to build community both within my role as UUCB’s Connections Coordinator and in my personal life. I deeply feel that community sustains us throughout the many changes of the year. 

I have been leaning into the creative and initiative-based elements of community. I have been organizing a community walk in my neighborhood and networking with organizers of an upcoming wellness initiative in Bloomington. I have also been practicing the grounding art of “showing up.” I am so deeply grateful for the folks around me who bring their visions to reality and invite consistent gatherings of those interested. For me, participation in the choral ensemble Cloud 7 and meditation group Open Mind Zen Indiana have offered the opportunity to actively engage and find grounding within UUCB-affiliated communities.

While considering what to share this month, the saying “by the people, for the people” – which turns out to be attributed to Unitarian minister and abolitionist, Theodore Parker – kept playing through my mind. Our UU community is strong due to our collective action, our passion, our joy, and our engagement (just contemplate the wonderful feat that is our annual Bazaar). I hope that, if you love an offering or activity at UUCB, you feel empowered to continue showing up and consider taking initiative to help keep that activity thriving. And, if you aren’t quite sure what is needed, what would be helpful, or need a refresher on how things work, just ask. UUCB staff are here and more than happy to help you help the community!

My column in last month’s newsletter mentions several areas that would benefit from the active engagement of more community members: the Membership Anniversary Call Team, Exploring UUCB facilitation, Young Adult Ministry events, and Sunday morning hospitality roles. Please reach out to me if you are available to help!

Notably, we need volunteers to help with food prep and cleanup on Sundays. Providing something to eat along with coffee, tea, and juice on Sunday mornings makes a real difference for many people in their ability to stay for meetings, classes, and events; in other words, it enables people to participate more fully in our community. However, it is taking too much staff time on most weeks, so more volunteers are sorely needed! If you are a leader of a group in our church, consider the possibility of your group adopting a Java Crew shift on a regular basis, i.e. once a month or quarterly, or sponsoring a lunch - it’s a great opportunity for team-building as well as promoting your group’s activities. To help with coffee, sign up for a Java Crew shift here! To help with lunches, email me or Stephanie Kimball for details and scheduling.

On a separate note, the staff recently discussed gathering and sharing resources from our collective community to help make our space as welcoming and accessible as possible to every individual who walks through our doors. Are you fluent in American Sign Language (ASL)? Do you live with or support others navigating vision or hearing loss? Do you know of a local resource that could improve the experience of folks across the spectrum of neurodiversity, or benefit those with mobility needs? (Check out the local Mobility Aids Lending Library if you are in need of a cane, walker, or other aid!) Have you engaged with our local Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Service? (You can visit alzresourceindiana.org for more info, and also view a recording of our recent congregational training with Dayna Thompson of IU Health.) If you are knowledgeable in any of these areas, please do reach out to let the staff know. This will help us maintain a record of our resources and will also help us provide accurate representation to prospective ministers. Thank you for your engagement!

I feel that this has been a month full of interconnection and community. I look forward to continuing to show up, to pool our resources, and to actively create a thriving space as diverse as we are together.

With gratitude,

Anabel

Anabel Watson

Connections Coordinator

connect@uubloomington.org

By Hans Kelson, Technology Coordinator

As you’ll know if you’re a regular reader of the Friday update, we are introducing a new option for voting at this month’s congregational meeting. This is in accordance with our bylaws, and with more completely practicing our democratic principles.

If you are a UUCB member watching the livestream of a congregational meeting from a remote location, you can now also vote online!

The new online voting system is located at vote.uubloomington.org, and it is ready for you! Everyone who is going to use this system must create an account. This can be done in advance.

In this article, I will be describing in a bit more detail what has gone into this system, and some of the considerations I had to make in designing it. 

First, I’ll make note of what this system is not: This does not replace paper ballots for in-person voters. That would be needlessly complex for everyone voting in the room, for no real gain. In person, we will stick with what we know.

Second, even online, this system operates on the principle of the secret ballot. There is no way for anyone (even the database administrator) to see how an individual person voted in a meeting. Here’s how that works:

When you cast a vote, the system creates a digital ballot containing your answer, and saves that to a database. Your account is then marked as having voted, but the actual selection you made is not linked to your identity in any way. This preserves the secrecy of your votes, while also making sure that no one can vote twice.

But how do we make sure that only members are allowed to vote? Well, I’m glad you asked. When you create an account, you are asked for an email address. Before you’re allowed to sign in, the voting system makes a call to our Church Center database. It asks Church Center two questions:

1. Does this email address appear in your records
2. If it’s there, does it belong to someone who is listed as a member of the congregation?

As long as the answer to both of those is yes, you are allowed to go ahead and create your account.

Once you’ve created your account, you must verify that you have access to the email address you entered. This is how we truly know that only members are allowed to cast ballots: If your email address is associated with a member, and you’re able to verify that you have access to that email address, then you are allowed in.

There’s one more step, though, before you can actually vote on anything: Just like when we meet in person, you must check in and be recognized before you can vote. There are two reasons for this:

1. It allows people voting remotely to be counted towards our quorum. Our bylaws require that 15 percent of our membership be present for a vote. Allowing those members present remotely to count towards our quorum is a big part of fully living out our democratic ideals.
2. It prevents people from voting twice, whether accidentally or on purpose. There are two ways you can check in: In person, at the registration desk, and online. If you’ve checked in via one of those options, the system will not allow you to also use the other.

In conclusion: This is probably more complicated than you guessed it would be. However, I think it’s worthwhile. Our democratic processes are extremely important, and allowing everyone to have equal access to those processes is a high priority.

If you found this article interesting, or if you have any questions, please let me know! I love talking about this stuff, and I’m open to any feedback you might have. Always feel free to send me an email at hkelson@uubloomington.org.

Thank you! Over 200 of you completed the Congregational Survey and over 120 of you attended one of the twelve Cottage Meetings we hosted. Your time and input has been incredibly valuable in helping us paint a picture that captures the joys and longings of our congregation.

You may now find our summaries of the survey and the meetings on our website:

Congregational Survey Summary

Since we do not need to think alike to love alike, you can imagine the wonderful and diverse thinking we heard. Our strength as a congregation is akin to a quilt with many different perspectives forming a colorful picture. If there is a central image, it would be Sunday services and the community around those events, which are clearly very important to a majority of us. What we each seek from that image varies: challenging sermons, moving music, community hour, inspiration from religions around the world, intergenerational connections, addressing current events, exploration, and so forth. And we surround our focus on Sunday service with various passions: choir, social justice, activism, religious education, Chalice Circles, Humanist/Freethinker discussions, the Bazaar and other fundraising, committee work, Fellowship dinners and other gatherings for community, and more.

What’s next? We have completed our Congregational Record, a deeper description of our congregation's history and identity that will serve to inform ministers about us. The Congregational Record is now published on the UUA ministerial search site for ministers to view. Please tell any ministers you know that we are in search, and ask them to tell their colleagues. Any UU minister will know what that means and how to find us. We will start interviewing applicants in January and hope to see as many applicants as possible.

In February and March we will continue our discernment, protecting the confidentiality of our applicants, and then the week of April 21st is candidating week. Our goal is to introduce to you our candidate minister and have them visit us that week. They will preach on both Sundays and meet with the congregation in between. Please be around and available that week, especially the afternoon of April 28th for the special congregational meeting and vote to call the candidate.

You can review all the steps of the Ministerial Search process on our Timeline page.

Again, thank you for your support. It has been a pleasure for us to get to know so many of you more deeply in this process and we’re honored to be working on your behalf.

Your Ministerial Search Committee:

Ann, Christine, Denise, Mary Beth, Olaya, Michael, and Von

By Bill Lonnberg, Treasurer

UUCB relies heavily on pledge income to fund its ministry and operations. For the current fiscal year, pledge income is 81% of the budgeted income. To date, the percentage of pledge income we have received since July 1, 2023 lags behind that of prior years. As of the beginning of December, only 36% of the budgeted pledge income has been received. In the previous three years, the average received through November has been 51%.

If you have gotten behind on your intended pledge payments, we ask that you catch up as you are able. If you are finding that you will not be able to achieve your pledge amount, please contact Bill Lonnberg at treasurer@uubloomington.org.

You will receive an email statement of pledge payments received during calendar year 2023 early in 2024.

You may also check your pledge activity online anytime on Church Center, which is available as a website or mobile app. You can download the mobile app here: uucb.churchcenter.com/setup

1. Follow this link to navigate directly to your pledge record on the My giving page of Church Center: uucb.churchcenter.com/giving/profile/pledges
2. If you are not already logged in, you will be prompted to log in to Church Center by entering your mobile phone number or email address to receive a login code.
3. A screen will appear which shows your pledge activity for the 2023-24 fiscal year, and for the two prior fiscal years (if applicable). The current fiscal year runs July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

To find the My giving page in Church Center, without the direct link: Click or tap your round profile icon located in the upper right corner of any Church Center page, to the right of the bell icon - this is your “Me” page where you can find options to update your profile and see things you have signed up for at the church. The link to My giving is towards the bottom of this page.

Your ongoing support of and participation in the UU Church of Bloomington are deeply appreciated!

Bill Lonnberg, Treasurer

By Molly O'Donnell

On December 4th, the replacement inverter for half of the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall solar arrays was installed, bringing that system up to full production! Donations to the Solar Maintenance fund raised $3,000, which covered this purchase. We wish to thank all of the donors who contributed to this fund, especially at a time of year when many are already stretched thin, financially.

The less good news is that funds raised to purchase the inverter did not cover the cost of its installation. Nor will the funds cover the cost to repair over 1/3 of the panels on the roof over the Religious Education wing that are still not transmitting electricity. We therefore decided to keep the fund drive open for contributions. The link to contribute online is uubloomington.org/solarfund. You can also write a check with the memo “Solar Maintenance" or donate cash in clearly marked envelopes added to the Sunday plate or taken to the church office. Thank you!

By Stephanie Kimball, Director of Lifespan RE

Winter can be an ideal time for learning and reflection. And this winter, there are many opportunities to engage in this type of growth while enjoying the warmth of community at UUCB! Please read below and sign up for many opportunities to explore UU values and how to put them into practice.  

I hope that you will also find time for rest and contemplation amidst the hubbub of the holidays.  Whether that comes in the form of our Winter Solstice service, Parents’ Day/Night Out, or something else, I wish everyone moments of peace and stillness and a growing sense of connection to self, community, and the universe. 

With love and gratitude,
Stephanie
kimball@uubloomington.org

Upcoming Offerings

Parents’ Day Out: Saturday, December 9, 1-4 p.m.

Register here by noon on Friday if you’d like to drop off your child(ren) for a fun play date at the church from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 9 while you... do some holiday shopping? Take a nap?... Imagine the possibilities!...
Suggested donation: $30 (pay what you can)

Parents’ Night Out: Friday, December 15, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Register here by December 13 for this second amazing special childcare opportunity of December. Let our childcare staff hang out with your kiddos while you... do whatever you want! Suggested donation: $30 (pay what you can)

OWL (Our Whole Lives) 

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education program. We are fortunate to have a strong team of volunteer facilitators who have undergone extensive training in preparation for leading these programs at UUCB.  

This year, we offer classes for children (grades K-1 and grades 4-5) as well as adults. Next year we will offer a class for youth (grades 7-8). Additional courses are available for grades 10-12, Young Adults, and Older Adults but are not currently scheduled. Please contact Stephanie Kimball if you are interested in any of these additional programs.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) Grades K-1
Sundays, Feb. 4 - March 10, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Facilitated by Cara Snyder and Margie Schrader
Register now for the January 14 orientation meeting

Our Whole Lives (OWL) Grades 4-5
Sundays, Feb. 4 - March 31, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Facilitated by Emily Phelps and Pat Slabach 
Register now for the January 21 orientation meeting

Our Whole Lives (OWL) for Adults
12 sessions spread out between January 10 - May 8
Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Facilitated by Abby Gitlitz and Matt Stonecipher
Learn more and Register here

The Inner Work of Age

Every other Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon, Starting January 10

Facilitated by Stephanie Kimball

Register here

In this program, participants explore the gifts of aging and the process of becoming an elder. We look at how retirement and other transitions of late life call us to shift from “role” to “soul,” and discover the wisdom available when these transitions are undertaken as opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation. In the words of Connie Zweig, “Aging is our next frontier - a physical, emotional, moral, cognitive and spiritual frontier. Its mysteries and its terrors need to be faced consciously and mindfully, and this book offers the inner tools we need to do just that. We can only truly reinvent late life from the inside out.” Together, we will work through Zweig’s book The Inner Work of Age: From Role to Soul, taking time to do the work ourselves and support each other in the process.

Sound Baths for Relaxation

January-April

Once a month on Saturdays from 11:30-12:30

Register here

You are invited to join Jill Courtney for a group sound “bath” experience, offering the opportunity to relax, look within, and listen deeply. Don’t know what a “sound bath” is? Here is a clue- you don’t get wet! Think more like a yoga/meditation class, except all you have to do is be present, settle in on a mat or blanket, and enjoy the profound benefits of sound healing, including stress reduction, emotional well being, balanced energy and clarity of mind. Lie back and receive the healing vibrations of the sounds of instruments such as crystal singing bowls, Himalayan singing bowls, gong, buffalo drum, voice and more.

Article II Study & Reflection

January 22 & 29, February 5 & 12

Monday evenings, 6:00 - 7:30

Register here

Last month, I wrote about the background and next steps for the proposed changes to Article II of our UUA Bylaws. But what about the content? What does this new version say, and what does that mean for each of us? How well does the proposed version express our shared Unitarian Universalist outlook and priorities?

I hope you will join me in a 4-week deep dive into the proposed Article II ahead of the vote at General Assembly next June. The first series will take place in person on Monday evenings, 6-7:30, on January 22 & 29, February 5 & 12. The second series is tentatively set for Thursday evenings, 6-7:30: March 21, 28, April 4 & 11. Additional series may be scheduled depending on interest, so if you’d like to attend but neither of those sets of dates work for you, please contact me at kimball@uubloomington.org.

Wills and Financial Planning

Sponsored by our Planned Giving Committee

January 28, 12 - 2 p.m.

Register here

Planned Giving is sponsoring a class about wills, trusts, and estate planning, including end-of-life planning. The class will focus on how to avoid a court guardianship should you become incapacitated, choosing your decision-makers, and how to make sure your wishes are carried out in the most efficient way possible. There will be a discussion about the differences between Wills and Trusts, what probate is and how it might be avoided, and other related topics. Attorney Lance Like from the Like Law Group will be our speaker. There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Handouts will be provided for all attending put together by the City of Bloomington which contain information about the Like Law Group and other Estate Planners as well as other kinds of end-of-life resources.

Each Fall the Social Justice Funds Committee seeks applications from the UU Social Justice Task Forces for grants that further the mission of the Bloomington Unitarian Universalist Church. Funds are available from interest on the Lundin SJ Endowment Fund.

This year the social justice fall grant is going to the RISE Task Force, helping the Bloomington Refugee Support Network. $1000 was awarded for dental work and surgeries for refugee families in Monroe County. This grant was submitted by Barb Backler - learn more below.

UU Social Justice Funds Committee: Denise Ogren, Steve Mascari, Sarah Kopper, Sandy Davoren, Scott Sanders

From Barb Backler, Refugee and Immigration Support and Education Task Force:

The UUCB RISE task force has a great partnership with the Bloomington Refugee Support Network. They support us with their wisdom and years of experience in supporting refugees. We support them by helping to make sure they are financially able to do their good work. We were able to offer them 25% of our Sunday morning offering for a year in 2022. Also, we nominated Pete Lenzen to receive the Be More Award for 2023. $1000 was given to RSN in his honor.

Right now, there is a pressing need for dental work and surgeries and RSN is very low on funds. Local dentists no longer accept Medicaid insurance and the local Healthnet nonprofit medical office provides very limited dental care. Pete Lenzen, the pretty much full-time volunteer for RSN, has been taking refugees to Indianapolis to the IU Dental School for root canal repairs and other oral surgery. One refugee mother has had 6 trips to IU Endodontics Dental School this year, with 4 more visits needed, then to be followed by 6 cavities to be taken care of. Another refugee mother has 5 difficult deep cleaning appointments (4 visits just to remove the plaque) at Healthnet Indy SW, and then 12 cavities. There are three women from Colombia with very difficult problems that need different surgeries. These women are working in pain every day and the conditions seem to be getting worse.

We are grateful to the Social Justice Funds Committee for the $1000 grant. It will not cover all of these expenses, but it will certainly help. Fundraising for BRSN is an ongoing process, and BRSN continues to welcome new immigrants who often bring more serious needs. In 2023, BRSN added 31 new families to the list of clients. With new immigrants coming to Bloomington each month the needs just keep increasing. If you would like to make a personal donation to Bloomington Refugee Support Network, please send a check to BRSN, P.O. Box #8143, Bloomington, IN 47407. You can also use Paypal or Venmo, both linked to bloomingtonrefugees@gmail.com.

By Marcia Veldman

On September 28 Senator Braun introduced the Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area and Wilderness Establishment Act of 2023 (S. 2990). The bill would more than double the size of the existing Deam Wilderness, increasing it by 15,300 acres on existing Hoosier National Forest land. Additionally it would create the Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area on 29,382 acres in the HNF, establishing the first National Recreation Area (NRA) in Indiana.

This bill needs the support of Senator Young and Representative Houchin in order to get across the finish line and become law. The Green Sanctuary Task Force asks that you take action today and ask Senator Young to co-sponsor the bill and Representative Houchin to introduce a companion bill in the House.

Senator Braun has worked with diverse partners and constituents in the development of this bill. This collaborative process has created a bill with multiple economic and environmental benefits from protecting Lake Monroe as a water and recreational resource to protecting old growth forest such as the following.

• Mature and old growth forests have an immense capacity for holding water which is especially critical during flooding events that are happening more frequently in our area. Specifically, the passage of this bill will help protect Lake Monroe as a water supply for over 150,000 people, making it integral to the economic vitality of Bloomington, Ellettsville, and outlying areas in Brown and Lawrence counties.
• As the largest lake in Indiana, maintaining Lake Monroe’s health for tourism is critical to the regional economy.
• The bill provides a balanced approach - protecting old growth forests and fragile landscapes while increasing the recreational profile of the HNF by turning existing HNF acreage into a National Recreation Area. This, at a time when people’s interest in outdoor recreation is growing. While the bill calls for the public to be engaged in the development of the management plan for the Benjamin Harrison NRA, we know it will allow for diverse outdoor recreation opportunities, as long as they don’t threaten the water quality in Lake Monroe.
• The expansion of the Deam Wilderness, provides an unmatched opportunity in the lower Midwest for people to enjoy old growth forests with extensive opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and horseback riding.
• Most importantly, science tells us that forests play a critical role in storing carbon pollution and cleaning the air. By doubling the size of the Deam Wilderness, we will help ensure that these old trees can store that carbon and purify the air now and for generations to come.

It is for these reasons that the Green Sanctuary Task Force asks you to contact Senator Young and Representative Houchin in support of this bill.

By Ruellen Fessenbecker and Steve Krahnke, co-chairs

Dozens of UU volunteers helped by baking, making soup and sandwiches, staffing booths and kitchens. Many others moved chairs and tables, managed the finances, made items for various task forces, sorted recycling, wrangled computer programs, and made signs. Many others donated used books and quality collectibles, or priced and sorted those items for sale. Others came to buy artisan items, lunch, dinner, cookies galore and many other offerings. It is truly a group effort and every effort helped to make the bazaar a success.

Photos by Linda Mjolsnes. View more photos here!

We put our best face forward to the Bloomington community. We had many visitors who are not otherwise affiliated with the church. They saw us being friendly, helpful, and committed to social justice.

We got many opportunities to work and laugh with each other during our tasks. We got a sense of belonging and purpose. We met new friends.

We earned money for the church. The preliminary profits listed here are not the final numbers, but we are so happy with the financial side, we just want to share what we know.

Expenses and other incomes are still coming in, but so far we have tallied a total income to church efforts of around $20,000 - $7,000 of this was earned by Social Justice Task Force booths.

Congratulations and thanks to all who participated!