Perspectives for June 2024

Summer Solstice Service

Thursday, June 20, 8 p.m. in the Courtyard (rain location: Fellowship Hall)

Summer is the season of the radiant sun, of succulent fruits, long days, short nights, dancing flowers, fireflies, steamy weather, and radiating heat. It is the season when the warm intensity of our sun signals vegetation to leap into fullness. The steady flames of the sun ignite a passion in the land, urging the fertility of all living things to produce an abundance.

There are striking similarities between this season of fruitfulness and our inner life. Our interior summer is also full of light and growth. During this time, we are especially drawn toward activity that gives meaning to our life. The light of our mind provides clarity and perception so we can more easily find direction for our journey. There is less confusion and hesitancy in our thought and decision making.

During our inner summer, we know we are growing. There’s a robust surge of spiritual vitality. We long to be faithful to our truest self. The desire to become more healed and whole grows stronger in us. Our interior summertime moves us toward fullness and ripening.

The shadow side of our spiritual summertime is that we can get overly involved in using our gifts and talents and begin to burn ourselves out just as the hot sun burns the green foliage and withers it. If our thrust into activity and productivity is not balanced with leisure and play, our productivity will soon limp and our ability to maintain high energy will dwindle and collapse.

Like all seasons, however, this one will not last. It will move into the season of autumn where we will be challenged to let go of the fullness of summer. We will be asked to leave behind some of the joy, light, and enthusiasm we have cherished in our precious summer passageway. Like each of the four seasons, summer will return again to our hearts when it is time, for every season’s entrance and departure is part of the ever-turning circle of life.

• Excerpted from “Introduction to Summer,” by Joyce Rupp & Macrina Wiederkehr

May your summer be filled with energy and rest, growth and play.

Join us for a special Summer Solstice service in the Courtyard on June 20 at 8pm. A dessert potluck and bonfire (weather permitting) will follow. Questions? Please contact Stephanie Kimball (kimball@uubloomington.org).

Farewell!

I do hate goodbyes, but in my line of work as an interim minister, goodbyes come with the territory. In some ways it feels as though we’ve only just said hello! Over the next few weeks I’ll be tying up some loose ends and letting some loose ends go. June 30 will be my last Sunday in your pulpit. I’ll be available for meetings and conversations through the end of June. I'm still your Interim Lead Minister through July 31, and will be reachable in the usual ways if needed. I’ll be moving from Bloomington the first week of July, and taking time for a vacation before I begin my next interim ministry with Birmingham Unitarian Church in Bloomfield Hills, MI on August 1.
The major goal of our time together has been to help you get ready for your new settled minister. You are ready, and Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray is ready to join you on August 1.
One of the tasks of an interim minister is to hold up a mirror to help a congregation see themselves: who they are and who they want to be. I hope the image you see reflected back is one of confidence and excitement as you look to the future.
You will always have a special place in my heart.
Connie
-Reverend Connie Grant, Interim Lead Minister

Summer is here! That means three things for religious education: 1) Most adult programs are paused for a couple of months; 2) Sunday morning programming has shifted to summer mode; and 3) it is time to register children and youth for Fall! Read on for more about each.

Adult religious education offerings will begin again in the Fall, though we do have two Death Cafes scheduled for summer. On Sundays June 9 and July 21, join us in Fellowship Hall for cake and life-affirming discussion as we share our thoughts, hopes, fears, and questions surrounding the one thing we know with certainty: we all die. Death Cafes are not therapy or grief support groups, though participants often say they feel supported and that the gatherings are therapeutic. We are just people who want to explore the great mystery that frames our lives, allowing our increased awareness and ability to talk about it to enhance our lives now.

Register here for the June 9 Death Cafe!

Register here for the July 21 Death Cafe!

If you have an adult religious education course you’d like to propose for the coming year, please fill out this form by June 15.

Summer Mode for Sunday Morning Programming: Childcare is available for children 3 and under in Room 108, and Spirit Play continues for ages 4-6 in Room 105. Children and youth ages 7 and up meet all together in Room 208 for all kinds of fun activities. Some highlights planned for June include celebrating Juneteenth, exploring the power of the sun, and pancakes! (Note: On June 9, children/youth ages 7+ will stay in the service for Resilience Production’s preview of Juneteenth: The Legacy of Opal Lee. There will be no separate religious education for this age group on that day.)

Time to Register Children and Youth for Fall!

Follow this link to our new and improved registration form. Registering now helps us plan for the fall, and ensures that you will get all appropriate mailings, notifications, and invitations in a timely manner!

-Stephanie Kimball, Director of Lifespan Religious Education

kimball@uubloomington.org

Last Young Adult Activity of the Church Year!

Join UUCB’s Young Adult group (ages 18-35) for pizza and a short hike on Sunday, June 23rd. The group will meet in the church library at noon to share pizza and engage in discussion with other YA UUs. In the time between the end of the worship service and the beginning of this event, all are encouraged to socialize in Fellowship Hall during our weekly post-worship Community Hour or enjoy Library Hour in the library. As the recent YA hike at Lake Griffy was a success, we will once again be congregating for a short hike after pizza in this beautiful natural area close to UUCB’s property. All in the 18-35 age range are welcome to attend both or either of these activities. Newcomers welcome! Questions? Contact Anabel, Connections Coordinator, at connect@uubloomington.org

4th of July Parade!

We have registered to participate in Bloomington’s annual 4th of July Parade! While we won’t have a boat float this year, we plan to embody the same enthusiasm as we represent UUCB to the broader community. If you are interested in participating, please register HERE so that we have a rough estimate of our group size.

We will reach out to those registered to gather folks who might be interested in planning. Questions? Contact Anabel, Connections Coordinator, at connect@uubloomington.org.

Upcoming Opportunity to Join Membership!

Are you looking to join the official membership of UUCB? If so, register for the Exploring the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington two-part course occurring on June 9 (in-person) and 16 (virtual), 2 - 4 p.m. The first date will meet in the church library and the second date will take place via Zoom. Please click HERE for the registration link. All participants will have the opportunity to attend a Membership Book Signing on the Sunday following the culmination of the course. If you have been curious about membership or have wanted to dive more deeply into Unitarian Universalism and the history of UUCB in particular, you are welcome to take this class and discern whether membership feels right to you. Topics will include: the UU Principles, role of the UU minister, the history of Unitarian Universalism and this church (including a building tour), how to get involved, what it means to be a member, and much more. Becoming an official member is a personal decision involving many factors; and we would love to welcome you into UUCB membership if it feels like a good fit!

Everyone ages 14+ is welcome. Snacks provided!

Questions? Email Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator, at connect@uubloomington.org.

Membership Anniversary Call Team Seeking Members!

Are you a member of UUCB? Do you like chatting on the phone and meeting new people? If so, you might enjoy volunteering as a member of the Membership Anniversary Call Team! Each month I send out a list of official church members who joined membership during that month of a previous year. Each member of the call team calls a portion of the list to congratulate members on their anniversary, thanks them for being a part of the community, and enjoys networking within the community. If you are interested in joining this team or committing to helping during particular months, please email Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator, at connect@uubloomington.org

-Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator

connect@uubloomington.org

General Assembly is coming soon! This year, the annual gathering of UUs across our faith will be happening online. It's an important time, as this general assembly is where we will make a final decision on the proposed revisions to Article II of the UUA Bylaws.

Certain events at GA are available to the public, and will be available via live stream. These are:

- Thursday, June 20th, 1:00-2:00 p.m. - General Session 1

- Thursday, June 20th, 4:00-6:00 p.m. - General Session 2

- Friday, June 21st, 2:30-6:00 p.m. - General Session 3

- Saturday, June 22nd, 2:30-6:00 p.m. - General Session 4

- Sunday, June 23rd, 1:00-2:30 p.m. - GA Sunday Worship

- Sunday, June 23rd, 3:00-5:00 p.m. - General Session 5 and closing

All are welcome to come to the church and experience these live streams in community with your fellow Bloomington UUs! If you plan to attend any of these public events here in person at UUCB, please sign up here so we know how many people to expect. Note: amendments to the proposed revisions to Article II will be discussed in General Sessions #2, 3, and 4; the results of the final vote will be announced in General Session #5. For details, see this page. The text of the proposed Article II revision and the proposed amendments can be seen on the agenda for the Business meeting.

To register for GA in order to attend the many workshops and presentations, go to https://www.uua.org/ga/registration.

Additionally, if you are registered for GA and would like to watch any of the non-public programming in person at the church, please email Hans at hkelson@uubloomington.org. I plan to be in the building for all of GA, and would love to have others join me!

If you are interested in serving as a delegate from UUCB in order to vote on Article II and other matters, please contact Board president Abby Gitlitz at pres@uubloomington.org You can register as a delegate with “business only” access to attend and vote in General Sessions at no charge. To register for the full online General Assembly, including non-public programming, the registration fee is $400.

-Hans Kelson, Technology Coordinator

hkelson@uubloomington.org

A Note on the Kitchen Fridge

The UUCB staff would like to remind all to please mark food whenever it is put in the kitchen fridge. We are grateful for the kind intentions behind leftover food left as a donation to the church. However, there is no way to discern what the intended use of any food is when left unmarked. For this reason, we frequently have food that has gone bad in the fridge, which creates waste and can be difficult to clean up. Please ensure that food is marked and that, if you leave food in the fridge, you take responsibility for its disposal and/or use. There are markers, tape and note paper in a drawer near the coffee makers. Thank you!

A Message From Your Congregational President

After almost five years of serving as an officer on our board of directors, first as vice president and then president, my tenure will end on June 30. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve this church in this capacity. It was not an easy five years, and the church has gone through many changes in that time. Through it all, I have been amazed and awed by the resiliency and commitment of the people in this congregation. We are a people who show up and care deeply. We are a people who get involved and take care of each other. We are a people who stay at the table, even when we don't agree.

Our current board of directors is an amazing group. I have served on many organizations' boards over the years, including prior stints on UUCB's board, and never have I worked with a group more committed to speaking truths, respecting this beloved community, and working together. They have always kept the best interests of this community in mind, even when navigating difficult situations. I have so much respect for each and every one of my fellow board members. If you have never attended a board meeting, I invite you to come check one out and see the board in action. Meetings are open to the public on the third Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m.

I am sorry that I will no longer be on the board when Rev. Susan arrives in August, but I am looking forward to seeing how this church continues to grow and change under her leadership. I am also looking forward to taking some down time to think about how I can best serve this church in the years ahead.

With deep appreciation and gratitude,

Abby Gitlitz

Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday, June 9
12 p.m. in the Meeting Room

Join us for the June Congregational Meeting! Participation is available in person and virtually. Click here to view the meeting agenda. Per our bylaws, we will provide an online option for participating and voting during the June 9th congregational meeting. If you’re a member and will be unable to attend in person, please visit https://vote.uubloomington.org in advance to set up your account! If you set up an account on the voting system for a previous meeting, the same account will still be active. A practice meeting is now live, so you can make sure your entire system is working

The Pastoral Associates Care Team, working with the lead minister, extends care and attention in a ministry of one-to-one presence and support to those who are experiencing illness, loss, isolation, or other life situation or event. 

PACT members are a presence for those needing practical and emotional support. Pastoral Associates Care Team members provide nonjudgmental, empathetic listening, while maintaining the privacy of congregants. They share in moments of joy, celebration, and sorrow, and assist people in finding community resources. PACT members have participated in orientation and training, and gather together regularly to reflect and learn.

PACT members are Ruellen Fessenbecker, Celeste McGregor, Sally McGuire, Niki Motz, Brian O'Donnell, Melinda Swenson, and Allison Tomusk. After many years of service in this role, Sharon Yarber will be leaving the team as she moves to Chicago in July.

The Pastoral Associates Care Team can be reached at pastoralassociates@uubloomington.org.

Upon referral from the lead minister or a PACT member, the Caring Committee provides practical assistance with meals for congregants following surgery, a death in the family, or the birth or adoption of a child; occasional rides to medical appointments; or refreshments for a reception in conjunction with a memorial service.  If you are willing to be on a list to occasionally provide one or more of these things for your fellow congregants, please visit the CARING TABLE in Fellowship Hall during Community Hour on June 16.

Volunteer Opportunities

Get on the UUCB Caring Committee Meal Train! – sign up to help our team provide meals to UUCB members who have special meal requests during health recovery or other related emergency situations. Sign up on June 16 during Community Hour at the table in Fellowship Hall or email Sandy Churchill using this form to join this important team. This is a great way for you to get involved helping our UUCB community. All Aboard!

A big THANK YOU to two Chalice Circles who made soups for the UUCB Caring Committee Meal Train as their community projects this year. Members of each Chalice Circle cooked together to make soups that were then frozen for the Meal Train until needed. These Chalice Circles community projects have helped fill an important need in our church.

Sunday, June 30

Our last Sunday with Interim Lead Minister Reverend Connie Grant before she leaves UUCB this summer will be Sunday, June 30. ​Please join the Ministerial Transition Team for a pot-luck Summer Salad Luncheon after service that day in Fellowship Hall to thank Rev. Connie for her ministry during these past two years of dedicated service. During this time she has guided the congregation, the staff and the board through thoughtful reflection and a range of organizational changes to prepare us for the settled ministry of our newly called minister, Reverend Susan Frederick-Gray.

If you would like to contribute to the luncheon, please sign up here to indicate what kind of salad you would like to bring. Questions? Please contact Andrew Appel or Kathy Sideli

Register for MUUSA (UU summer camp)!

UU summer camp, known as MUUSA, will be held here in Bloomington at our church this Summer, July 3 - 7. This all-ages camp includes workshops, hikes, arts and crafts, UU celebration each morning with Rev. Misha Sanders (a UU minister), and lots of singing and group activities. The theme this year is "Play,” which describes the fun we have at camp. This is an especially affordable experience for those of us who choose to sleep at home and come to the church each day for the fun.

Registration for camp includes lunch on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, all workshops from Wednesday eve through Saturday eve. If you don't want to register for camp, UUCB members will be invited to join the morning celebration on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. without a fee.

To register for camp or to see more details on activities and prices visit MUUSA.org

Help needed for MUUSA Summer camp

UUCB is hosting the UU summer camp, MUUSA, and we are asking for help of many kinds: 

-Camp will be preparing and serving lunches for camp days, Thurs, Fri, Sat. July 3 - 5 and dinner on July 4. Donations of cookies for lunches and pies for the July 4 dinner will be gratefully accepted.

-We could use volunteer help to prepare and clean up lunch on Thurs, Fri, Sat. We could also use a volunteer to serve and clean up after the July 4 dinner (which will be catered).

-We need someone who is not a camper to wash dish towels and bring them back the next day.

To volunteer help for the camp, please contact Jane McLeod at this link.

To all Legacy Circle Members: SAVE THE DATE!

Our 2024 Legacy Circle celebration will be held on Saturday, Sept 14th, from 3 - 5 pm. Personal invitations to follow!

For anyone who is new to the congregation or not familiar, our Legacy Circle is made of members and friends who have included our UUCB in their Estate or End of Life Plans. Each year we hold for them a party to thank them while they are still with us for their generous spirit and foresight. If you have interest in joining UUCB’s Legacy Circle or just have questions about ways to give, please contact the Planned Giving Committee (Charlotte Appel, Ann Kamman, and Harlan Lewis) using this form.

UU Bazaar, Dec 6 - 7, 2024

It's not too early to be thinking about this year's Bazaar. After our record-breaking bazaar of 2023, we want to follow up with another impressive event. Be thinking ahead of ways you can help with the bazaar. As you plant your garden, put in a little extra for the jams, chutneys, soups and other treats you can make for the Gourmet Galaxy. If you are moving or downsizing, we can store books and a few white elephants until the Bazaar in December.

There are some important sub-committees that need chairs:

- Treasurer: Our beloved Deb Hutton is moving away and we need someone to join with Dee Morris to handle monies.

- White Elephants: We need a co-wrangler of all the donated white elephants. You'd be working with Doris Wittenberg.

- Persimmon chair: This person keeps track of persimmon trees to be harvested and people willing to pick up persimmons. It is also helpful if this person can organize the persimmon pulping party in November. This is a sit-down job. You don't have to be able to pick up persimmons to do this job, but you might want to do it a few times in solidarity.

- Volunteer coordinator: We use a sign-up genius to provide a way for the many people needed to make a successful bazaar. This person works with Jo in the office to manage the sign-up genius and helps people sign up on Sunday mornings if they are computer challenged.

Being part of the great group of people that put on the bazaar is rewarding in many ways. Please join us. Contact Ruellen Fessenbecker using this form.

Racial Justice Task Force

The Racial Justice Task Force works to dismantle racism in ourselves and our institutions through education and action.

The UU 4th principle calls us to affirm and promote “A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” In the context of racial justice, the truth and meaning of the pervasiveness of racism throughout the history of our country have been suppressed, both intentionally and unintentionally. The Racial Justice Task Force searches to discover what we have not known, supports each other in the discomfort of our ignorance, and finds hope for a more racially just future as we act from our ever-increasing understanding.

Over the past year, the Task Force has (1) provided and served refreshments for performances of original works by Resilience Productions celebrating contributions of African Americans; (2) hosted a screening and discussion of “Reviving the West Baden Colored Church: A Labor of Love”; (3) participated in the Bloomington Multi-Faith Alliance Faith for Racial Equity’s community read of Poverty, by America; and (4) made donations to the IU First Nations Center, the Monroe County African American Cultural Sites project, and the Banneker Community Center to purchase books highlighting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) authors and characters. More details are available here.

This month, the Racial Justice Task Force encourages you to:

• Attend the June 9th UUCB Sunday service at 10:15 am, where Resilience Productions will be presenting a special preview of their original work Juneteenth: The Legacy of Opal Lee, written by Gladys DeVane, directed by Danielle Bruce, and featuring Liz Mitchell and Avery Njau.
• Attend the unveiling of the first Monroe County African American Culture Site marker at 2 pm on Saturday, June 15th at Switchyard Park. This marker will acknowledge the Black Underground Railroad conductors who lived and worked in Bloomington who often go unseen in history books. Take in other Juneteenth Celebration activities while you’re at the park.
• Attend service at West Baden Springs’ historic First Baptist (Colored) Church on Sunday, June 23rd at 11 am. This is the church featured in the documentary “Reviving the West Baden Colored Church: A Labor of Love”. If you haven’t yet seen the film, you can read about it here and watch it here. More information about plans for this outing are available on this page, please check it out if you are interested in attending.
• Help the task force purchase inspirational books written by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) authors featuring BIPOC characters for schools and nonprofits in our community. We have collected wish lists from Templeton, The Project School, and Middleway House for our current round of donations. If you missed the chance to contribute at our table on June 2 and are interested in helping, please see this page.
• Take a Walk through Bloomington’s African American History and learn more about the city many of us call home. Local historian, Elizabeth Mitchell also offers a narrated driving tour in her vehicle for $25 per person. If you are interested in finding out more about this option, please email Ruth Aydt (aydt@icloud.com).

Our next meeting will be Sunday, July 14th at 2 p.m. in the Library. All are welcome!

June Task of the Month

The June Task of the Month flier suggests ways to “stay cool wisely” to save energy and money. Take advantage of cooler nights in June, but when it doesn’t cool off at night, close your window blinds and run your AC early to reduce humidity, and then adjust or program your thermostat for comfort when home but turn it up when away. And run a fan in the room you’re in, dress for the weather, and drink cool liquids to stay comfortable.

Please plan to join us on Sunday, June 23 during Community Hour to write postcards to environmentally conscious voters in Michigan’s primary. Make sure your friends and family vote!

-Molly O'Donnell

Current Member Number: 447

Attendance-

05/05/2024: 178

05/12/2024: 153

05/19/2024: 187

05/26/2024: 184

Offering Total for May 2024: $1,714.96

25% Donated to All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center: $428.74