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January 4, 2023

Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana

Congregation founded 1949 | LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation since 1995 | Green Sanctuary since 2007

Seeking the Spirit | Building Community | Changing the World

Join us on Sunday mornings

One service at 10:15 a.m.

In person in our Meeting Room

2120 N Fee Ln, Bloomington, IN 47408

Or watch the livestream

All are welcome!

Masks are optional at all church activities and events, including worship services. Coffee hour has returned to Fellowship Hall. Pandemic-related guidelines are posted on the front page of our website.

Hearing assistive devices are now available at the AV Tech booth in the rear of the Meeting Room for use during Sunday worship services.

Upcoming Services

Sunday, January 8, 2023

10:15 a.m.

Having the Time of our Lives

Reverend Connie Grant

Reverend Emily Manvel Leite

The writer Annie Dillard notes that “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” An exploration of how we perceive time and how we use it.

Religious Education for children resumes this Sunday, January 8.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

10:15 a.m.

The Beloved Community

Reverend Connie Grant

Reverend Emily Manvel Leite

What did the “beloved community” mean to Rev. Martin Luther King, and what can it mean for us?

Choir Resumes This Week! Thursdays, 7 pm

It’s a great time to join the choir, and we now have childcare available during rehearsals! No audition required. Just show up in time to collect your music and be in your seat by 7:00 pm on Thursdays in the Meeting Room. Choral singing is transformative!

From our Ministers and Board

Connie's Column

Are We There Yet?

When my family took long car trips when my children were young, they would often ask, “Are we there yet?” And I often responded “Yes, we are.” Of course, we hadn’t necessarily arrived at our destination, but “there” we were.

By one measure, we’re nearly 25% of the way through our planned two-year transitional time together as Interim Lead Minister and congregation. We are where we need to be in this process: we are here. This is a time of preparation.

One of my most important roles is to be the minister I am, which I believe paves the way for your next settled lead minister to be the minister they are.

Of course, ministers come and go, however long they stay. And the congregation goes on, with its own history, personality, and culture. One of the things I appreciate most about you individually and collectively is your commitment and dedication to the congregation—to the friendships you have built here and to the church as an institution, important in your lives and in the community.

In the coming months, invitations will be extended to congregants for some collective conversations about your experiences or concerns. Opportunities to “heartstorm” (more fun than brainstorming) your hopes and dreams are also planned. Watch for more information about these and other participatory events!

I am happy to talk with you about anything that’s in your heart or on your mind, about what’s going on in your life or in the church. Please be in touch!

In faith and hope,

Connie

Reverend Connie Grant

Emily's Post

The new year has arrived, and with it, our labyrinth. For the rest of this week, it will be available for you to visit in the sanctuary if you live nearby:

Wednesday, January 4: 10 am - 4 pm and 6-8 pm

Thursday and Friday, January 5 & 6: 10 am - 4 pm

Saturday, January 7: 10 - noon

Please enter at the office entrance during regular office hours and at the sanctuary entrance on Wednesday evening and Saturday. If you live far away, or are unable to come over, here is a site where you can find finger labyrinths to travel on your computer screen or print out.

Traveling a labyrinth is a wonderful way to begin the New Year--by setting aside a time for reflection and contemplation. This month, our congregational theme is Finding Our Center, so we invite you, if you would like to, to consider what is at the center for you in your life and for our congregational life as you move through the labyrinth. If you are so moved, record a word or phrase at the center of the congregational labyrinth (or email it to leite@uubloomington.org) to mark what you discover is central for you. I hope that our words may inspire one another and spark conversations in the coming weeks as we begin a new year, once again, together.

With love,

Emily

Reverend Emily Manvel Leite

Minister of Story and Ritual

From Our Board of Directors

As many of you heard at the December Congregational Meeting, long time board member Stuart Yoak has stepped down from his role as vice president so he can spend more time with his extended family. Stuart served this church as president from 2019-2022, through Reverend Scott McNeill’s resignation, the changes brought about by Covid, the departure of Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, and the hiring of Reverend Connie Grant. Behind the scenes he met with congregants, made sure our budgets were reasonable, and served as delegate at multiple UUA General Assemblies. His dedication to this church and its mission has been tremendous.

At-large board member Jane McLeod has stepped in to fill Stuart’s term as vice president, and Mary Craig has joined the board to fill Jane’s vacant seat.

Mary Craig grew up in Oberlin, Ohio. She met her husband, Markus Vodosek, at an opera festival in Germany, and the two have lived across the U.S. and Germany. Previously a UU member in Portland (OR), Ann Arbor, and Salt Lake City, Mary is active in church music. She serves on the Board and sings with Voces Novae. Before arriving in Bloomington (six months ahead of the pandemic), Mary and Markus lived with daughter Miriam for nine years in Germany's southwestern wine country. Mary’s work as an editor/translator/poet/educator travels with her. As does the family cat, Sam.

Thank you to all our board members, past, present, and future, who help keep this community of faith strong and healthy.

Abby Gitlitz, President

Open Discussion on Proposed Major Amendments to the UUA Principles

Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 12 p.m.

in the Meeting Room

Join us after the service - Childcare provided

Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association Bylaws includes our familiar seven principles, from #1, the inherent worth and dignity of every person, through #7, respect for the interdependent web, as well as our sources, purposes, and values of inclusion and freedom of belief. The Article II Study Commission was tasked with reconsidering Article II, and has recommended a wholesale revision which would delete the current principles, replace them with an entirely new statement, and make other important changes. You can read their three-page proposal here.

The Denominational Affairs Committee and Director of Religious Education invite you to a discussion of the proposal after church on Sunday, December 8, at noon in the Meeting Room. Please join us. Refreshments will be served, and childcare will be available.

Guy Loftman, on behalf of the Denominational Affairs Committee

Stephanie Kimball, Director of Religious Education

Seeking the Spirit

Spiritual Development and Lifespan Religious Education

Calling All First Graders!

Each year, we honor our first graders in the Age of Reason ceremony, which celebrates the journey of independent learning they are beginning. This year, the ceremony will be offered during the service on January 22. If you have a first grader and would like to participate or learn more, please contact Reverend Emily Manvel Leite at leite@uubloomington.org. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Visiting the Labyrinth: January 4-7

If you are near Bloomington, you are invited to travel the labyrinth which has been installed in our sanctuary. Moving through a labyrinth is a wonderful and accessible way to set aside time to reflect upon what is important to you, and, if you wish, to set intentions in your life. This year, the labyrinth is available in our sanctuary Wednesday, Jan 4, from 10-4 and 6-8pm, Thursday and Friday, Jan 5 and 6, from 10-4, and Saturday, Jan 7, from 10-noon. Please enter at the office entrance during regular office hours and at the sanctuary entrance on Wednesday evening and Saturday.

Legacy Museum Trip: Seeking Travelers for May

Stephanie Kimball, Director of Religious Education, and Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, Minister of Story and Ritual, travelled to Alabama in November, where they visited the Legacy Museum in Montgomery. We found it to be a transformative experience, and one that we would very much like to share with members of the congregation, so we are tentatively planning a congregational trip in late May. We hope to take a small group this year, in the hope that it will inspire future trips to the Museum. If you might be interested, please fill in this survey by January 8 to assist in our planning:

Legacy Trip Planning Survey

Save the Date: Tea with Reverend Emily and Friends

4th Wednesdays, 3-4 pm, in the Library, starting January 25

We invite you to come over to the church on 4th Wednesdays from 3-4pm, beginning January 25, to share a cup of tea. Enter at the office entrance and join us in the library for an hour of fellowship and conversation. Reverend Emily will be there, and other staff may also drop by.

Writing as a Spiritual Practice

A Drop-in Group on Zoom with Rev. Barbara Child

Tuesdays, 1:00 - 2:00 pm

January 10 - February 28, 2023

You are invited to join me on a journey of personal exploration

through autobiographical writing in community on Zoom. Season 9 of this gathering will happen Tuesday afternoons 1:00-2:00 pm, January 10 through February 28. You are welcome at any or all sessions with no commitment in advance. Even if you took part in one or more sessions during Seasons 1 through 8, you will need to register if you would like to attend one or more Season 9 sessions:

You need to register only once and will then be able to attend as many Season 9 sessions as you choose, using the same link each time. You may register up to a few minutes before a session begins.

Here is a description of “Writing as a Spiritual Practice” and what happens in our Zoom room on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00.

Saving Us: Responding to Climate Change

7 sessions on Zoom, facilitated by Molly O'Donnell

Begins Monday, January 23, 7 pm

UUs affirm the inherent worth of every life and have respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. We strive to practice justice, equity, and compassion in our relations. How do we respond to daily news of floods, fires, and record temperatures due to climate change, which we know especially affects the poor and those who have contributed the least to the causes? Can we find ways to make a difference, and inspire others to join us, thus transforming our “climate anxiety” into hope?

Begins Monday, January 23. Meets 7-8:30pm every other Monday until April 17 (7 sessions total) on Zoom. Facilitated by Molly O'Donnell.

Tai Chi and Qigong Meets on Mondays & Saturdays

Taiji (tai chi) and qigong practices will begin again in the new year on Mondays 2:15 to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays 9 to 10:30 a.m. Brian Flaherty will lead the practices here at our church, and all are welcome. The practices are free of charge. Usually in Fellowship Hall. Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes. All are welcome.

Open Mind Zen at Friends Meeting House

Open Mind Zen with UU member Sensei Frank Seisho Diaz meets weekly at the Bloomington Friends Meeting House (most recently Mondays at 7 pm). If you'd like to participate, visit openmindzenbloomington.org for more information.

Connecting and Volunteering

Your Welcoming Energy Needed on Sunday Mornings

Help further a radically welcoming and inclusive community by volunteering on Sunday mornings! Join the mailing lists for Java Crew, Greeters, or Flame Keepers to stay up-to-date on opportunities, actively contribute to our thriving congregation, and share the joy of hospitality with fellow congregants, both old-timers and newcomers. Your help is valuable and so appreciated!

UU Book Table Seeking New Volunteers

We are also looking for new volunteers for the UU Book Table! The Book Table is set up in Fellowship Hall after the Sunday service and is a place for browsing and buying both used and new books. If you love books and want a volunteer position where you can sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and chat with people, then this is the place for you! Sales from the Book Table support our UU Library. Contact Glee Noble at gleenoble@yahoo.com to join the volunteer list.

Looking for additional ways to get involved?

If so, please fill out our online connections form so we can learn about your talents and interests. You can also sign up here for upcoming activities and events: uucb.churchcenter.com/registrations. Our Connections Coordinator, Anabel Watson, would love to connect with you! Just reach out to connect@uubloomington.org.

Membership Book Signing

Sunday, January 8, 12 p.m. in Room 112

Did you attend a virtual Membership Ceremony and miss signing the Membership Book? If so, please RSVP for the next book signing coming up on January 8, 12 p.m. in Room 112. Signing the membership book is a significant symbolic act in our tradition that actively marks one's affinity with our faith. I am so grateful to help facilitate this important moment and hope you will join us. Please RSVP and/or direct any questions to Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator.

Are you new to UU Bloomington? Join us on Sunday, January 15 for a short introduction, after the service

If you are new to our congregation, a very warm welcome to you! On Sunday, January 15 from ~11:30 to 12:15 p.m. you are invited to join in a brief introduction to Unitarian Universalism and this congregation. This short introduction will take place after the worship service in the church library upstairs.

Have you attended New to UU and want a deeper dive? Are you looking to become a member? Sign up for Exploring Unitarian Universalism!

January 22 and 29, 2 - 4 pm, in the Library

In these small group gatherings you will dive into the UU Principles, role of the UU minister, the history of Unitarian Universalism and this church, how to get involved, what it means to be a member, and much more. Plan to attend both dates as different topics will be discussed in each session. We request completion of these sessions before becoming a member of the church. Everyone ages 14 to 100+ is welcome as well as those unable to make prior dates. Snacks will be provided!

Questions? Email Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator.

Building Community

Upcoming Events and Ongoing Groups / Classes

Women's Alliance New Year Tea Party

Thursday, January 5, 2023

11:30 am - 1 pm

Please join your friends in the Women's Alliance for a New Year Tea Party this Thursday, January 5 at 11:30 in Fellowship Hall, or virtually by Zoom link. Since we had to postpone our Christmas Tea in December, we are doing it this month as a New Year Tea! We will enjoy hot tea, finger sandwiches, scones, and other treats while listening to Kaden Larson at the piano. We won't be singing carols, but we can remember our Christmases and New Years of past years and places. Bring remembrances to share if you wish. Masks when not eating/drinking and festive garb encouraged!

Additionally, we will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Lorraine Hawking (which was December 16) who will be in attendance. There will be a pastry with candles, a bouquet of flowers, and we will sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

UU Humanists Meet Sunday, January 8, 2023

12:00 pm in person and on Zoom

The UU Humanist Forum will meet next January 8 at 12 noon in person in Room 208 at the church, with an option to join online. Mary Yoke will facilitate a discussion on "Unpacking Behavior Change." To join via Zoom, contact Ann Watzel or Harold Ogren.

UU Freethinkers Meet Sunday, January 15, 2023

12:00 pm in person and on Zoom

This bi-weekly meeting creates the opportunity for participants to raise questions and engage in open and non-structured discussion of issues of social, political, and theological/religious concern. Every other Sunday in person in Room 208 at 12:00 pm. To join via Zoom, contact Ann Watzel or Harold Ogren.

The Heartland String Band Rises Again!

Third Thursdays in Fellowship Hall, 6 pm

Join us this month on January 19

The Heartland String Band, a part of our music program, was founded by Carol Marks in August of 2001, but because of Covid they have not been able to play together in a while. Sally McGuire has graciously agreed to lead this merry band beginning in January. The band will practice from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, beginning January 19, in Fellowship Hall. They play old-time and Celtic music as well as folks songs, and all lovers of this music are welcome. Dulcimers, fiddles, cellos, pennywhistles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, even accordions!

Discover Your Inner Leader: A Storytelling Workshop

with Suzanne Fodor (For Teens & Adults)

Saturday, January 21, 10:00 - 11:45 a.m.

Discover your inner leader through a storytelling workshop sponsored by the UUCB Leadership Cultivation Committee. Though "leadership" can seem intimidating or attached to title or position, we all have a leadership voice and practice leadership in our daily lives. In this session, we will explore times within our lives in which we led or took action. Often our leadership voice comes from the life moments in which we had the most purpose. Let’s define and discover this voice through sharing of stories and creativity. You need not be in an official leadership position at UUCB to participate -- all teens and adults are welcome. This workshop will be led by Suzanne Fodor (she/her), CPCC, PCC, Associate Director, Graduate Career Services at IU Kelley School of Business, and Executive Coach.

Limited to 20 participants, so click here to register soon!

Changing the World

News from our Social Justice Task Forces

4th Trimester Team Seeks Volunteers to Support Families with New Babies --

In-person Training January 15

The 4th Trimester Team offers in-home support to families with new babies, such as light housekeeping, babysitting, or running errands, or by being a listening ear that is heartfelt, confidential and non-judgmental. This is a social justice endeavor sponsored by the Reproductive Rights Task Force to reduce Indiana maternity deaths. Training session for new volunteers is Sunday, January 15, 12-2:30 pm at the church. Learn more here. To register, please email 4thtrimester@uubloomington.org.

Green Sanctuary Invites You to Join the UU Community in Zero in Bloomington

Zero in Bloomington is an initiative to help individuals and groups track their progress toward reduced emissions. When you sign up, you'll see an array of actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. Although this is a City of Bloomington initiative, you don't have to be a resident to participate.

Sign up today and join the UU Community group already established in Zero in Bloomington. We can then support each other by forming teams that share ideas and help keep us motivated. If you've already done everything you're willing to do, you can become a team leader and help others on their path to reduced emissions.

For support in signing up or general questions, email Zero.GSTF@uubloomington.org.

Calendar Year 2022 Statements Coming in January

We will send everyone an email with their Calendar Year 2022 giving record by the end of January. Any questions, please email Mandy or Monica at office(at)uubloomington.org. To review your giving record online, visit uucb.churchcenter.com/profile and click on the "My Giving" tab on your profile page.

Please Send Info for Prologues and Updates to the Office Email:

office@uubloomington.org

Deadline for Prologue: by 10 am on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays

Deadline for Update: by 10 am on Thursdays

Mandy Skinner, as our new Communications Coordinator, will be in charge of editing our email publications from now on, as well as postings to our website, Facebook, etc. Oversight and proofing of these publications will still be one of the Director of Administration's tasks.

From now on, please send all information for the Prologue (note the publication date change -- now going out on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month) and the Friday Update (sent out every Friday) to office@uubloomington.org.

Grocery Gift Cards Now Available for Sale on Sundays

Office Assistants Monica Overman or Mandy Skinner are available to sell grocery gift cards on Sundays between 11:15 and 12:00 noon in the church office, Room 204. To check on how many cards we have on hand, click here. Proceeds from the sale of grocery gift cards for Bloomingfoods and Fresh Thyme support our operating budget.

COVID-19 Vaccination News

For information, call 211 or visit this website: vaccine.coronavirus.in.gov
Indiana Department of Health info: coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine

Some Details

Email SCAM Alert

Our ministers, staff, and board members or other members will never send you email asking you for any money besides your pledge payment!

How to Recognize an Email Phishing Scam:

Is the email impersonating a member of our staff or one of our ministers? Are they asking you to purchase gift cards? Wait! Don't do it! We will never send you emails like that. To double check, look at the email address of the sender. Is it from an address at uubloomington.org? If not, that's the second good reason to delete it!

Office Hours, Calendar, Deadlines

Office hours: M-F, 9 am - 3 pm.

The Church Office can be reached via text or voicemail during office hours at 812-287-9615. Email: admin@uubloomington.org or office@uubloomington.org.

Calendar: For our full calendar of events, visit uucb.churchcenter.com/calendar.

The Prologue is published on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Next issue: January 18. Deadline is 10 am the day before date of publication, to office@uubloomington.org

Church Mailing Address: UU Church,

PO Box 8132, Bloomington IN 47407.

Details on Membership & Offering

Membership: 561 certified members as of 2/1/2022;

560 current members.

Attendance (online and in person):

December 11: 263

December 18: 132

Non-Pledge Offering:

December 18; $276

December 25: $278.50

25% Sunday Plate Fund Recipient: Bloomington Refugee Support Network

Online giving: To make a contribution for the Non-Pledge Offering (Sunday Plate), or to make a payment towards your pledge, visit our Giving page: uucb.churchcenter.com/giving

Free Money from Kroger!

Fresh Thyme and Bloomingfoods

Grocery Cards Available by Mail or In Person on Sundays

Did you know that Kroger sends our congregation over $1,600 each year? This is made possible by those of you who participate in Kroger's Community Rewards program. Register your Kroger Plus card online at this link.
We are also still selling grocery cards for Bloomingfoods and Fresh Thyme by mail. Click here to see what kind of cards and how many are available. Send your check to the church (UU Church, PO Box 8132, Bloomington, IN 47407) with a note to let us know the type and value of card(s) you want, and we will mail them to you. You do not need to send a return envelope. We also have grocery cards available on Sunday mornings between services, in Room 204 from 11:15 to 12 noon.

Our Ministers & Staff

Reverend Connie Grant, our Interim Lead Minister

Email grant@uubloomington.org, 847-840-8542

Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, our Minister of Story and Ritual

Email leite@uubloomington.org

Amanda Waye, Director of Administration: admin@uubloomington.org

Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator: connect@uubloomington.org

Monica Overman, Administrative Assistant: office@uubloomington.org

Mandy Skinner, Communications Coordinator: office@uubloomington.org

Stephanie Kimball, Director of Religious Education: kimball@uubloomington.org

Susan Swaney, Music Director: music@uubloomington.org

Andy Beargie, Hans Kelson, and Brady Egan, Multimedia Managers:

mediateam@uubloomington.org

Masthead photo by Marcia Hart.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana

Mailing address: PO Box 8132 Bloomington, IN 47407

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