September From the President. The Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association

Transcription

1 UUMA News The Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association From the President I readily confess I had only the haziest of ideas of what the officers of our Minister s Association do on our collective behalf, until I became one. It occurs to me that perhaps I am not alone in that erstwhile unawareness, and that it might be of interest to our whole constituency to know something about our activities. One important place to start is with the network-building meetings the Exec holds with representatives of many different groups after Professional Days are over and G.A. has begun for most folks. Our Friday and Saturday are devoted to these conversations, and then to processing them as a group and assigning responsibility for follow-up. In Quebec City, we began with a breakfast with ministerial students, including candidates and seminarians from Meadville/Lombard, Boston University, Emmanuel College in the University of Toronto, Andover Newton, Starr King, Claremont School of Theology, Wesley Theological School, Vancouver School of Theology, and Harvard Divinity School. Although she was not able to attend G.A. this year, we are grateful to colleague Kathleen Rolenz for taking on the role of UUMA liaison to students, with the goal of helping the Exec keep in touch with student issues and concerns, and to help welcome those who have achieved candidate status into UUMA student membership. As always, it is a pleasure to interact with the very promising men and women who will become our colleagues and successors. We hosted lunch with several ministers presently serving in Canada, who reminded us that not all UU ministers serving Canadian churches are themselves Canadian. We discussed the current transition of the relationship between the UUA and Canadian churches, reaffirming our mutual desire to retain a single Ministerial Association. We agreed on some next steps in striving for clarity about the differences and similarities of working in the two nations, including exploring a link between the UUMA and UU Ministers Of Canada (UUMOC) websites, perhaps offering advice and important questions for ministers considering moving either way across the border. We also agreed to have the UUMA Nominating Committee get in touch with UUMOC regarding possible candidates for the Exec and other UUMA roles. We held Suite Meetings with representatives of many groups, the first of which was with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) and UUA Board Ministry Working Group. Our conversation centered on the work of the Specialties Project. More information about the progress of that project can be found in another article in this newsletter. At our meeting with officers of The Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA)we discussed the progress of our joint task force, looking into concerns about working conditions of UUA field staff, and we agreed that it would be useful for the presidents of our organizations, at least, to gather with leadership from the Administrators organization and the UU Musician s Network. We talked about ways in which the UUMA could learn from and contribute to the LREDA mentor training (Continued on page 2) September 2002 Survey on Socially- Responsible Investing (p. 4) Community Ministers Organize Focus Group (p. 4) UUMA Grants Support Our Ministries (p. 6) Sermon Awards (p. 6) Safe Congregations (p. 8) Journey Toward Wholeness Committee Update (p. 9) Address for 50-Year Ministers (p. 10) And We Remember (p. 11) CENTER-fold (p. 12) 25-Year Address (p. 16) Meeting the Ministerial Alliance (p. 18) Continuing Education at Starr King School (p. 19) Specialties Project (p. 19) A Minister Mother Muses About Sunday School (p. 20) UUMA Publications (p. 22) In Print (p. 22) Publications Information (p. 23) Selected Essays Submission Guidelines (p. 23) Administrator and Executive Committee (p. 28) 1

2 (Continued from page 1) process, and agreed to explore linking the two organizations websites and cross-newsletter communications, as well as more joint programming on a local chapter level. It was observed that, each year, LREDA feels more included in Professional Days, and they would like to be kept updated on the progress of the Specialties Project and have opportunities for input. They will research how many of their members are also UUMA members (a piece of data we were all surprised no one knew), and look at what it would cost to send Selected Essays to their members, if Fahs lecture were included. We also met with the Ministers of Religious Education (MRE) Focus Group and heard their concerns about the Specialties Project. The Exec agreed that it would be appropriate for the UUMA to publish a collection of success stories of best-practice models of relationships between parish and religious education ministers. At our meeting with representatives of Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), we considered how DRUUMM and the UUMA can be more intentional about coming together on the issues before our ministry, and DRUUMM urged the Exec to do more to support the diversity of community ministries that have been springing up. The Exec continues to support and fund the work of the Committee on Ministry for anti-racism, antioppression, and multicultural work, and we agreed to arrange a meeting at next year s GA between DRUUMM, the Exec, and the Committee on Ministry for anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multicultural work. We also agreed to support joint grant applications as DRUUMM seeks funding for seminary students who bring diversity to our ministry. We welcomed representatives of the newly forming Hispanic Ministerial Caucus for the first time, and agreed to review the process for receiving financial assistance to attend Professional Days. We also suggested that the UUMA could support their Spanish language hymnal project with gentle nudging to the publisher and publicity to our members. We also met with the Journey Toward Wholeness Transition Group, and discussed their hope that they could be seen as a monitoring committee rather than a program. The Exec agreed it would be helpful for us to find a time for more extended conversation outside of GA. These meetings also provide an opportunity for us to connect with subgroups of our own constituency, such as the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association. Together we discussed ways of helping UURMAPA to receive more funding for its activities and membership recruitment, with particular concern for spouses of deceased ministers, of whom the UUA in general can easily lose track. We also agreed that we should identify a particular contact person on the Exec, as we have done with several other groups. We hosted a lunch with the newly forming Community Ministry Focus Group, who urged us to examine the UUMA covenant to see how it includes or excludes community ministry colleagues, and pay attention to language issues. We agreed that it would be helpful for the focus group intentionally to use their representatives to the Exec and the MFC. Similarly, the Exec needs to know whom to contact about community ministry issues. It was suggested that the focus group think of a contact person in each chapter, and that the Exec members consider joining the Society for the Larger Ministry so as to be in the loop of communication, with the SLM advertising in the UUMA newsletter. We also discussed the possibility of creating UUMA website segment for more information about Community Ministry. The Exec urged representatives of the Accredited Interim Ministers to identify themselves as a focus group, which can then be supported by the UUMA along with the other groups like MREs and Community Ministers. We were pleased that UUA President Bill Sinkford was able to spend an hour with the Exec at the end of our meetings. We had a very wide-ranging and fruitful discussion of many issues raised in the course of these conversations. Though this sequence of meetings takes time and focused energy, and keeps us from participating in other GA programs, I find it a very valuable strengthening of connections throughout our Association. Many potential misunderstandings are averted by attentive listening and direct communication, and the Exec comes away with a much clearer vision of how we can best serve our colleagues. It is a rewarding process, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it. I would like to thank publicly two members of the Exec; both Gretchen Woods, who has undertaken the challenge of arranging the schedule and participants for these meetings, and Lisa Friedman, upon whose intelligent and comprehensive minutes my own memory is entirely dependent. I hope that this outline offers a sense of some of the ways in which we seek to contribute to the work of our movement and its ministry. Kendyl Gibbons, UUMA President 2

3 Dear Gentle Readers, Summer is almost over and a new season of ministry is upon us. I hope it has been as much a season of rest and renewal for you as it has been for me. I am enjoying the opportunity to serve you in the area of UUMA Publications and Online Communications. Updates, New Stuff, and What s Coming Up The next issue of our annual volume of Selected Essays will be coming out soon. We will have another issue of the UUMA newsletter in November. Our system of aliases seems to be working quite well, for more than two hundred of us at last count. I m looking forward to creating an online ordering system for all the publications the UUMA offers. This year s Center Day, Berry Street Essay, and Fahs lecture will soon be available on videotape. The last two years Berry Street Essays, and all of the lectures and worship services from Convo, are available now on videotape (see UUMA Publications article). The project I am most excited about has to do with our hymnal: When Singing the Living Tradition was published in 1993, I asked if the tunes in it were available in MIDI format. MIDI (short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a music industry standard communications protocol that lets MIDI instruments and sequencers (or computers running sequencer software) talk to each other to play and record music. I discovered that since the hymnal had been published via Finale, a sophisticated computer program, all the tunes were available in MIDI format. Unfortunately, the UUA lost the data files! Try as I might to recover the missing files, even with the help of then moderator Denny Davidoff, I was unable to do so. However, earlier this year, Andrew Hill, our colleague in Edinburgh, Scotland, managed to track down Andrew Budmen, who typeset the music for the hymnal, and discovered he had the files! I contacted Budmen, and he forwarded the files to the UUA, which in turn forwarded them to Andrew Hill and to me. The reason I ve wanted the tunes in MIDI format is simple: I can t read music well enough to decide whether a hymn I m not familiar with is suitable for next Sunday s worship service. In 1993 there were many hymns in SLT that fit into this category. I ve become familiar with many of them since, but there are still quite a few I might use if I only knew what they sounded like. Now that I have the MIDI files, I can hear what any tune sounds like. Any computer with a soundcard and speaker can play MIDI files--the software is standard with the operating system. In order to make the files available to you, we need to negotiate permission from all the copyright holders to publish the tunes in MIDI format. It s unclear how much that will cost. It s possible that some of the copyright holders will not allow us to publish the tunes in that format for any price. If we can find a co-sponsor within the UUA, we won t need to pay the UUA for the rights they hold. Once we have all the permissions negotiated, we will then burn all the files on a CD and include a simple index that will allow us to search for the tune we want to play by title or by number. We hope to keep the cost of this CD under $30.00, but that will depend entirely on how much we need to pay for the publication rights and on the number of CD s we expect to sell. Craig C. Roshaven, UUMA Publications and Online Communications Publications@UUMA.org Cell: (817) SMS text: ccr@tmomail.net Home: (817) fax:

4 Enclosed in this issue of UUMA News is a survey from the UUMA SRI Task Force. The goal of the survey is to learn about the use of socially-responsible investing among ministers and the institutions they serve. SRI socially-responsible investing is about your economic footprint. It seeks a financial return consistent with your deepest values. In these days of corporate fraud and scandal, more and more people are demonstrating new interest in learning about this growing field. The SRI Task Force will be working with the UUA Committee on Socially- Responsible Investing to develop resources for congregations and organizations to make fuller use of the various strategies of sociallyresponsible investing as tools for positive social change. Investment is one strategy of the SRI movement. Moving from the anti-alcohol and tobacco screens in the 1920s, and gaining strength in the 1970s and 80s in response to apartheid in South Africa, SRI has burgeoned into an international movement which screens not only negatively screening out companies that pollute or use sweatshops but also positively, choosing companies with exemplary records in, for example, fair workplace policies or advanced environmental practices. Its vision is the maturation of capitalism, in which corporate behavior is governed by a double bottom line: both financial AND ethical criteria. Those criteria will vary in differing companies and individual investors, so there are many choices. But overall, the infusion of economics with values according equal value to UUMA NEWS Survey on Socially-Responsible Investing Community ministry is the fastest growing segment of our UU ministry, already over 15%. Community ministers are expanding Unitarian Universalism in the wider world through their ministries of justice and healing. As the numbers of community clergy increase each year, we are challenged to find more ways to make our professional organization supportive and inclusive of all forms of UU ministry. The recent creation of a UUMA Community Ministry Focus Group hopes to widen our understanding of ministry and the structure and practice of UUMA, so all ministers can share in the full range of our ministry and our professional association. social as well as environmental standards is paramount. Two other strategies have the potential for great impact and are excellent ways for UUs to participate in social change. Shareholder activism involves investors participating actively in the decisions of the companies in which they hold stock. Community investment involves banking with, and investing in, community development financial institutions that are committed to working...sri has burgeoned into an international movement which screens not only negatively screening out companies that pollute or use sweatshops b u t also positively, choosing companies with exemplary records in, for example, fair workplace policies or advanced environmental practices. closely with local communities to empower and nourish them. We appreciate your support of this effort to learn more about sociallyresponsible investing as part of our ministry by filling out this questionnaire and sending it to UUMA, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA Deadline is Oct. 15, A copy of the survey can be downloaded from the UUMA website, Members of the UUMA Task Force on Socially-Responsible Investing are Jim Brown, Dorothy Emerson, Marni Harmony, Angela Merkert, Sydney Morris, and Jim Sherblom. For more information about the UUMA-SRI Task Force, please contact Dorothy Emerson, , RevEmerson@aol.com. For more information about socially-responsible investing in the UUA, visit the website developed by the UUA Committee on Sociallyresponsible Investing: Community Ministers Organize UUMA Focus Group In March, representatives of the UU Community Ministry Center and the Society for the Larger Ministry gathered 25 community clergy attending the UUMA Convocation, and formed a Focus Group for this expanding aspect of our UU ministry. The clergy attending represented the 120 community clergy who are UUMA members, and a potentially larger number who have given up their memberships. In a series of three meetings, the group met with members of the MRE Focus Group to share their experience and agree on a general direction for the future. They identified a steering committee of 9 members. They (Continued on page 5) 4

5 (Continued from page 4) have formed teams to begin the work of the group. Among those teams were: Suzanne Owens-Pike (Hospital Chaplain, Minneapolis, MN), Ann Galloway-Egge (Hospital Chaplain, Minneapolis, MN), and Dorothy Emerson (Women's Heritage Society, Boston, MA), Bonnie Meyer (Hospice Chaplain, Lexington, KY) and Deborah Pope- Lance (Ministerial and Congregational Ethics, Sudbury, MA), Roger Brewin (Ceremonies on Location, Chicago, IL) and Anita Farber-Robertson (Adjunct Professor at ANTS, Swampscott, MA), Jeanne Lloyd (Co-Chair of SLM) and Jody Shipley (Staff for the UU Community Ministry Center). Patricia Jimenez, Community Ministry Representative on the UUMA Executive Committee, is in close contact with this group. At General Assembly this past June, the Community Ministry Focus Group met with the UUMA Exec to begin the dialog and set the agenda for the future. A key issue of concern is the proposed change in the credentialing process involving tracks of ministry. Now that there is a critical mass of community ministers, it is important that those who are doing this work engage in defining the parameters of our ministries. As we define those parameters, we will also be considering ways the new Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group can provide settlement and other support services. Some basic consciousness-raising is in order. A place to start is with inclusive language. Be sure that your programs and communications speak to all ministers. For instance, with input from a community minister, this year's CENTER presenters began to talk about "transforming congregations and organizations by engaging identity-based conflict." It may mean adding a few extra words and seem awkward at first, but the results have the potential to transform our understanding of ministry and perhaps our UU movement. In the future, the CM Focus Group will work on developing and distributing resources to help community ministers and those in congregations to work together. Right now, we recommend that all congregations obtain a copy of Guidelines for the Affiliation of Community Clergy with Unitarian Universalist Congregations, by the Rev. Jody Shipley. Send $20 (includes postage) to UU Community Ministry Center, PO Box 2370, Berkeley, CA or contact the center through Susan Abbott This book can help congregations develop an awareness of how to work together with community ministers in their areas, by encouraging one or more to affiliate with their congregation. For more information about community ministers in your area, please contact membes of the CM Focus Group listed above or its Convenor, Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance, , Revdpl@aol.com. UUMA Grants Support Our Ministries At its meeting every October, the Executive Committee considers applications for support of projects that will enhance the ministry of our movement and the work of the UUMA. Of particular interest are current priorities of the UUMA: anti-racist ministry, ministerial development and assessment, etc. In 2001, the Exec granted $1,000 to Starr King School toward editing and publishing of the memoirs and archives of the School s former professor of religious education, Til Evans. If you have a project or an idea for one, here are some details you ll want to know: Applications should include a project budget, showing any matching funds already received or applied for. Please specify a measurable result of the outcome of the project, and file a report of the results within a year of the application. Letters of support from colleagues will enhance an application. Applications should be sent to the Treasurer and President by October 1; funds are disbursed in January. Grants normally are no more than $1,000, which allows the UUMA to fund a number of projects. Grantees may apply for a grant renewal in the second year. Please let me know if you have questions: Treasurer@uuma.org. Roger Jones, UUMA Treasurer Applications come from organizations, not individuals, and should demonstrate that the money will benefit a significant number of UUMA members and will further the purposes of the UUMA. 5

6 Sermon Awards The Dana McLean Greeley Annual Address Award January 7, 2003 Submission Deadline The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office invites all Unitarian Universalists to participate in a competition for the outstanding sermon or address on developing a peaceful and just world. Within this general subject, there is latitude for diverse themes and subject matter. Broader philosophical and religious approaches as well as elucidation of a particular social, cultural, economic, or political issue are appropriate. Adaptations of existing papers and talks are acceptable. The person whose entry is selected will receive a cash award and have the opportunity to deliver the sermon or address at the 2003 General Assembly in Boston. If you are interested in participating in this program to contact the UU United Nations Office for additional guidelines. uuuno2@aol.com; Phone: (212) Social Witness Sermon Award 5:00 p.m., March 3, 2003 Submission deadline Open to any Unitarian Universalist minister, lay leader, ministerial student or layperson. Sermon Topics: Either of the two current Study/Action Issues: Economic Globalization (2001) or Civil Liberties (2002). The person whose sermon is selected will receive a cash award of $500 and have the opportunity to deliver the sermon during a worship service at the 2002 General Assembly in Quebec City. Entries may be submitted via mail, fax, or . Mailing Address Social Witness Sermon Contest, c/o Susan Leslie, Office of Congregational Advocacy 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA Fax: SLeslie@uua.org submissions may be in PDF, MSWord, WordPerfect, Rich Text Format, or Plain text. On a cover page separate from the sermon text include your name, address, phone number, congregation, and title of this sermon contest (Social Witness). All submissions become the collective property of the contest sponsors including all copyrights. Sponsored by the UUA Commission on Social Witness (CSW) and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA). Questions? socialwitness@uua.org UUSC Vision of Justice Sermon Award March 31, 2003 Submission Deadline The Vision of Justice Sermon award was established in 1992 to promote the mission and programs of the UUSC. Sermons will be judged for their clear expression of Unitarian Universalist principles as they are put into practice through current UUSC international or domestic programs. Past winners have been outstanding in their references to and reflections upon UUSC s rich history of social justice advocacy and service, as well as their promotion of current action and their artistic merit. Sermon submitted must have been delivered before a UU congregation between April 1, 2001 and March 27, The recipient for the year 2002 will receive a cash award of $500 and have his or her sermon serve as the basis for UUSC s membership Celebration Event. Send entries to Public Affairs UUSC 130 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA APF/UUMA Sermon Award March 31, 2003 Submission Deadline The Annual Program Fund/UUMA Sermon Award, established in 1984, is given annually for the sermon judged most effective in exploring and promoting financial support of Unitarian Universalism on the local, district, and/or continental level. To be eligible for the 2003 Award, the sermon must have been delivered before a UU congregation between 1/1/2002 and 3/30/2003 by a UU minister or ministerial student at least in her/his second year. The subject of money should be directly addressed as it relates to affirming our UU faith, vision and future. (Continued on page 7) 6

7 (Continued from page 6) The person whose sermon is selected will receive a cash award of $750 and have the opportunity to deliver the sermon during a worship service at the 2003 General Assembly. The sermon will be put on the UUA website as well as printed. Copies of sermons selected for the Award in previous years may be requested from the APF Office or accessed at Send entries to Mary L. Miles, Director Annual Program Fund Unitarian Universalist Association 25 Beacon Street Boston, MA Or by mmiles@uua.org Albert Schweitzer Sermon Award April 1, 2003 Submission Deadline Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (UFETA) announces the fourth annual Albert Schweitzer Sermon Award. The award, which carries an honorarium of $400, will be given to the Unitarian Universalist presenter of a sermon that best exemplifies Schweitzer's principle of "reverence for life." The sermon must have been delivered before a UU congregation between April 1, 2002 and March 31, Recipients must also be planning to attend the 2003 UUA General Assembly, where they will deliver the prizewinning sermon in a special worship service and be honored at the Awards Breakfast. Please submit sermons, contact information, and when and where the sermon was preached in hard copy, as well as an attachment to LoraKim Joyner amoloros@juno.com Unitarian Universalist Community of El Paso 4425 Byron Street El Paso, TX MSUU Sermon Award April 15, 2003 Submission Deadline The MSUU Sermon award is sponsored annually by the Ministerial Sisterhood Unitarian Universalist. Sermon topic: The living, personal theology of a Unitarian Universalist woman or women; or, furthering the vision of women within the UU movement. Open to any UU: Lay or clergy; male or female Award: $500 and an invitation to preach the sermon at the MSUU worship service at the 2003 General Assembly. Rules: You must have preached the sermon to a congregation between April 15, 2002 and April 15, Submit FOUR copies of the sermon with one title page which includes your name, regular and addresses, phone numbers, and the date and place you delivered the sermon. The manuscript itself must contain no references which might reveal your identity to the judges. It must be cross-referenced to the cover sheet by title only. Send submissions to Liz McMaster Unitarian Church of Los Alamos 1738 N. Sage St. Los Alamos, NM UU Men's Network Sermon Award April 15, 2003 Submission Deadline Ministers & laypeople, men & women, are encouraged to participate. The Unitarian Universalist Men s Network (UUMeN) is a membership organization for UU men. Women are also welcome.. Sermon entries must have been delivered to a UU congregation between Apr. 1, 2002 and Mar. 31, Entries should be between 2,000 and 2,500 words in length and explore a men s issue related to the purpose and objectives of UUMeN. Our purpose is to foster a mature liberal religious masculinity. Our primary objectives are to Develop a continental resource network; Support the personal and spiritual growth of men at the local, regional, and continental levels; Work with other UU groups committed to social justice. See more about our purpose and objectives on our website, Mail two single-spaced copies with cover letter, but without identifying references in the text, to UUMeN P.O. Box 3070 Madison, WI

8 Are our congregations places of peace, liberty and justice? Do justice, equity, and compassion govern their relationships? Too often our congregations have mirrored the alarming incivility of the secular culture. In a tradition that seeks active engagement with the struggles of the secular world, this is not surprising. It is, however, disappointing. For many Unitarian Universalists it is profoundly disturbing. Many of our congregations have become unsafe. All are at risk. Nancy Bowen. Creating Safe Congregations Hotel listings, home hospitality sign-up, and handouts will be sent after registration and check (made out to "UUCA Workshop") is received. For further information, please call Fred Muir at or contact by minister@toadmail.com This is an important event and we hope you will make room for this opportunity. This workshop has been CREATING SAFE CONGREGATIONS Toward an Ethic of Right Relations A WORKSHOP FOR MINISTERS, RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS, CANDIDATES AND LAY LEADERS October Meadville Lombard Theological School, Chicago, Illinois Rev. Margaret Corletti Minister of Religious Education, First Unitarian Church, Cleveland. Rev. Corletti is a former member UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee. Safe Congregations Workshop co-leaders: Rev. Fredric Muir Parish minister of the UU Church of Annapolis. Rev. Muir is on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Subcommittee on Candidacy and a contributor to the Creating Safe Congregations Workbook. Friday 3 p.m. 9p.m. A Systems Approach to Safe Congregations We Are All Responsible Congregational Leadership Saturday 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Boundaries and Misconduct A Healthy Religious Education Community Aftercare Healing and What to Expect Prevention: Signs and Covenanting Registration cost of $100 includes Safe Congregations Workbook, reprints, Friday and Saturday meals and snacks. Home hospitality and hotel information, directions, readings and agenda will be sent upon receiving registration check made out to UU Church of Annapolis. Mail check and registration form to Safe Congregations Workshop, UUCA, 333 Dubois Road, Annapolis MD Full refund on cancellations 3 weeks prior to the event, 50% after. T h e U U P a n e l o n T h e o l o g i c a l E d u c a t i o n h a s p a r t i a l l y u n d e r w r i t t e n t h i s w o r k s h o p. CREATING SAFE CONGREGATIONS REGISTRATION Name Phone number Address Congregation or seminary Do you wish to have home hospitality? 8

9 Update from the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWTC) Your colleagues serving on the JTWTC appreciate the invitation from our UUMA Exec to be in touch with you, our brother and sisters in the UU ministry. Here is a summary of who we are, what we ve been up to, what s in the works, and how you can help! Who We Are The Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee is a volunteer group, created by the Board of the UUA after the General Assembly mandated the Board to work on helping the UUA becoming anti-racist, antioppressive and multi-cultural. It is a group of people who work to strategically plan, coordinate, monitor, guide, and assess the transformation of the UUA. It does not create programs, but it stewards the mandate. The members this year were Rev. Susan Suchocki Brown, chair, Taquiena Boston, Robette Dias, Rev. James Hobart, Rev. Kurt Kuhwald, Susan Leslie, Leon Spencer, Rev. Linda Olson Peebles. Beginning in the summer of 2002, the new members are: Sofia Bettencort and Emily Ricketts. The Journey Toward Wholeness is an ongoing process, a journey that was started many years ago. It got the name "Journey Toward Wholeness" in 1997 when the General Assembly delegates in Phoenix, Arizona, voted to demand that there be a way for us all - the UU Association of congregations, our congregations, and UU people - to become actively anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and multi-cultural in how we work and learn and worship together. Since then, some elements of the journey haven t been popular or understood, even among the colleagues of the UUMA. And yet, Unitarian Universalists are very committed to the vision of a justice-seeking, antioppressive institution. It is important that we all are mindful that specific programs, policies, or people aren t THE Journey. Our programs, our activities, and our initiatives are all just PART of the Journey, steps along the way. What We ve Been Up to In the Last Year The JTWTC co-sponsored two gatherings on January 26, 2002 (one in the Washington, DC area and one in the Bay area)entitled Finding Common Ground On The Journey Toward Wholeness, in order to take stock of the Journey Toward Wholeness, gather stories and feedback, including critique, determine future directions and needs, and build relationships between congregational leaders and the JTWTC. The gatherings were well attended: almost 80 people came together at River Road Unitarian Church in Bethesda, and over 90 at the UU Society of San Francisco! UUA Moderator, Diane Olson, and Director 9 of the Washington Office, Meg Riley, participated in the Washington area event, and UUA President Bill Sinkford addressed the folks in San Francisco. People from over 50 churches came in congregational teams that included ministers, religious educators, social action chairs, antiracism and diversity team members, Interweave, congregational board presidents, membership coordinators, and others. In both regions there were a representative number of people of color. It was noted at both gatherings that some of the more outspoken "critics" of the JTW initiative were not in attendance. What We Heard There was a wide range of familiarity and engagement with the Journey Toward Wholeness among the participants. Some have been very involved, while others are totally unclear about what it is and have felt alienated from it as a "top down" initiative. Some recognized the complexity of dismantling oppression, and others were asking for the "10 Step Program." We learned of really wonderful work happening in some congregations, and frustrations in others. Tension was expressed around wanting leadership and feeling dictated to. As one small group report put it, "Respect our congregational polity. Tell us what to do!" The main questions included how to get ministers on board,. how does this work apply to white congregations in non-diverse regions, and how do we sustain ourselves in this work. What We Learned (and "Relearned") The Journey Toward Wholeness has a major PR problem. There is still a lack of clarity and preponderance of misinformation about JTW (and the JTWTC). It is essential that the JTWTC be in relationship with congregational leaders and members as JTW stakeholders. People doing the work need support from the institution. In particular, people of color leaders, white allies, district anti-racism transformation teams, and the youth and young adults need funded gatherings. JTW needs to be connected to the spiritual and justice-making aspects of our congregations. JTW is about coming to terms with issues of privilege and power and, as Bill Sinkford put it, "claiming a larger voice for Unitarian Universalism" and becoming a highly visible force for justice. (Continued on page 20)

10 Address for 50-Year Ministers R e v. P h i l l i p H e w e t t Annual UUMA Worship Service June 2002 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Chers amis: puisque naus soyons à Québec, il me semblait convenable à l'occasion vous adresser en francais --au moins, ma sorte de francais -- mais malheureusement, je crains qu'il y aura peut-être quelques personnes entre vous qui ne comprendront pas, et je veux être compris. Je parlerai donc en anglais. Relax! The rest is in English --no doubt better English than my French. I am conscious of the distinction that has been accorded me in asking me to represent those who have served fifty years in the ministry. I was talking about this to some- one after church a couple of Sundays ago, and he shot back, "Fifty years --just like the Queen!" I must confess that hadn't previously occurred to me. Perhaps there may be some parallels, but in terms of the odds for survival, I think those parallels might have to be I think I'm unique among those celebrating this occasion in never having been ordained. You see, I began in England, where Unitarians abandoned the rite of ordination in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, on the grounds, so far as I can understand, that it suggested too great a distinction between ministers and laity. drawn with less stable monarchies than that of the United Kingdom. I have to say that my ministry has not been typical, even for such an unconventional religious body as ours. In the first place, I think I'm unique among those celebrating this occasion in never having been ordained. You see, I began in England, where Unitarians abandoned the rite of ordination in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, on the grounds, so far as I can understand, that it suggested too great a distinction between ministers and laity. At any rate, I began my ministry by receiving the right hand of fellowship from a distinguished leader to whom I still look back with affection and respect, Dr. Alfred Hall. When at the following year's General Assembly a formal welcome was extended to those entering the ministry, I received it in absentia, being in Canada at the time. If I never experienced an ordination, at least I experienced 10 an installation --but only once in my career, which I suspect must also be a record among those who reach the half-century. My first ministry was as assistant in Montreal, in some ways very much like what in these days would be an internship, so installation was never even discussed. When I returned at the end of that year to England, I undertook an experimental ministry to a congregation that was almost defunct --the average Sunday attendance for the previous year had been seven. I went there for a six-month trial period to see whether signs of life could be revived, and when at the end of that time the results seemed positive and I was prepared to continue, we had been living in sin for so long that a formal marriage ceremony seemed artificial. Incidentally, in my two years there the attendance quadrupled. Candidating there had been no more than a formality; they would have taken anyone prepared to come. So only once in my career did I go through a candidating process, though for those going through today s procedures its nature will sound unbelievable. I received a letter from the secretary of the search committee in Vancouver saying in effect: "We have heard of you. Would you be interested in coming to be our minister?" What could I say? The opening seemed to be just what I was looking for, but the timing was wrong. I had only recently completed the six-month experimental ministry and told the Ipswich congregation I was prepared to continue on a more regular basis. Things were beginning to pick up. So I reluctantly wrote back to Vancouver to say that I could not in good conscience leave my current position at that point. To my amazement, I got a letter back saying, "If we wait a year, will you come?" That I couldn't resist, and there ended my only candidating process. When I eventually arrived in Vancouver, the church was packed for the first service, and I don't know whether the congregation was more uptight than I, or vice versa. We knew we were stuck with each other for at least a minimal period of time, even if it was a total disaster. Well, as it turned out, I stayed 35 years; whether or not that stands as a recommendation of the candidating process I leave for others to determine. But we did have a modest installation a month or two after I came. There are pros and cons to a long ministry. I arrived and retired in the same years as Ernie Pipes did in Santa Monica; I think we were just about the only two to stay around that long during those sometimes tumultuous years. But I don't hold the record for length of a ministry, even in Canada. Only on two or three occasions during those 35 years was I seriously tempted by an opportunity elsewhere, but I always ended up by deciding to stay. I told people I would just as soon live with my own mistakes as with someone else's, and in any case the congregation changed so much during that period of time (Continued on page 21)

11 AHLBU RN COWAN JABLONSKI KRICK The Reverend Thomas Edward Ahlburn died Tuesday, August 13, He was 63 years of age. Reverend Ahlburn was born August 4, 1939, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, and received an M.A. from Oberlin College and a B.D. from Vanderbilt University. In addition, he did advance study in theology at the University of St. Paul in Ottawa, Ontario. He was ordained April 7, 1968 by the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, and served congregations in Ottawa, Ontario; Springfield, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. The First Unitarian Church of Providence named him Minister Emeritus in He was active in community affairs and was especially concerned about the issues of reproductive freedom and gay rights. In Springfield, Massachusetts, he was chair of the 1972 McGovern for President Committee and was Rhode Island chair of the 1984 McGovern for President Committee. He was a former Religion Page columnist for the Providence Journal. His wife, Ruth Lawrence, and daughters, Heather Ahlburn of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Megan Ahlburn of Tahoe City, Nevada, survive Reverend Ahlburn. Messages of remembrance may be sent to Ms. Ruth Lawrence P.O. Box 269 Greensboro, VT The Reverend Roger A. Cowan died Wednesday, August 28, 2002, after suffering multiple heart attacks. He was 73 years of age. Reverend Cowan was born April 24, 1929, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. He received a B.A. from Maryville College in 1950, a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological School, and did graduate study in Political Science at the University of Tennessee. He was ordained in 1954 by the Presbytery of Pittsburgh and received Fellowship in the Unitarian Universalist Association in He served congregations in Saco- Biddeford, Maine; Orlando, Miami; and Palm Beach County, Florida. Upon his retirement in 2000, the First Unitarian Church of Palm Beach County named him Minister Emeritus. He was Director of Public Relations for the Unitarian Universalist Association from 1980 to And We Remember... NEMSER PHILLIPS WEARY WETZEL Reverend Cowan was President of the Florida Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association from 1991 to He was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the American Civil War Society, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. In 1968, and in 1976, he was the State Chair for Senator Eugene McCarthy and was a nominee for the United States House of Representative in He was President of Roger Cowan Associates (fund raising counsel) from 1972 to His sons, Christopher of Chelsea, Michigan; and Donald of Cincinnati, Ohio; and three grandchildren survive Reverend Cowan. Messages of remembrance may be sent to Chris and Don as follows: Mr. Christopher Cowan 730 Darwin Drive Chelsea, Michigan Mr. Donald Cowan 24 East Sharon Avenue Cincinnati, OH The Reverend Dr. John Robert Jablonski died July 4, 2002, of cardiac arrest, three days following bypass surgery. He was 77 years of age. Dr. Jablonski was born July 27, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received B.S. and M.S. Degrees from the University of Pittsburgh; a M.Div. from Boston University School of Theology, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He was ordained June 2, 1985, by the Unitarian Church of Sharon, Massachusetts. He served congregations in Sharon and Marblehead, Massachusetts; and Freeport, New York; and was active in both the Mass. Bay and Ballou-Channing Districts. Surviving are his children Christopher Holton Jablonski, J. Robert Jablonski, and Kristine Tomlinson. Also surviving is his former wife, Dr. Susan A. Holton. Messages of remembrance may be sent to: Mr. Christopher H. Jablonski 1622 Oxford Street Berkeley, CA The Reverend Dr. Gerald (Gerry) Krick died peacefully at his home in Newton, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, (Continued on page 14) 11

12 The C.E.N.T.E.R.-fold CENTER DAY 2003 June 25, 2002 ~ Boston, MA Building the Vocal Community Presented by Ysaye Maria Barnwell, Ph.D. One of the strengths of African American choral and congregational singing is its ability to create a powerful community bond through sound. This program will provide an opportunity to witness and participate in such a community with composer and vocalist, Ysaye Barnwell who, since 1979, has performed with the internationally acclaimed a cappella quintet, Sweet Honey in the Rock. Through participatory singing calls, chants, spirituals, ring shouts, hymns, gospel songs, and songs of resistance we will explore how the music responds to and continues to be shaped by its historical and cultural context, its spiritual traditions, political and social struggle, and grounded in an African American worldview. Among the goals of this program are to explore the ways in which leadership emerges and can be shared, and to personally experience the centrality of community. Such an experience can enrich our personal lives, our congregations, and our communities. Dr. Barnwell is a native of New York and currently lives in Washington, DC. She is a vocalist with a range of over three octaves and appears on more than twenty-five recordings with Sweet Honey in the Rock as well as other artists. In her first year with Sweet Honey, she provided leadership in making the group's concerts accessible to individuals with hearing impairments through sign language interpretation. The daughter of a violinist, Dr. Barnwell began her 15-year study of the violin with her father at the age of two and a half. After coming to Washington, DC, she founded, and for three years directed, the All Souls Jubilee Singers (at All Souls Church, Unitarian) where she began 12 composing and arranging music for vocal ensembles. She composed and arranged music for many recordings, and has worked as a commissioned composer on numerous and varied projects, all of which are outgrowths of her combined understanding of creative arts inextricably bound to society. For more than twenty years, Barnwell has conducted workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Australia integrating African and African American history, values, cultural and vocal traditions to work with singers and non-singers alike. She holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Speech Pathology and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Cranio-Facial Studies, as well as a Master of Science degree in Public Health and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Spirituality Retreat Close out this church year with a time of deepening and spiritual growth. The 2003 Spirituality Retreat will take place June 21-24th at St. Stephen s Priory in Dover, MA ( at a cost in the range of $210-$290, depending on whether we are able to get grant money to help subsidize the program. This retreat will welcome all colleagues from deeply committed practitioners to those searching for an appropriate practice. It will be a time of renewal for those seasoned in ministry and a time for those new to ministry to explore spiritual practice for ministerial life and work. The Retreat will begin late Saturday afternoon with orientation for small group leaders and an opportunity for socializing. The evening includes a theme talk, introduction to small groups, and worship. From Sunday through Tuesday at noon, there will be theme talks from respected colleagues on the importance of ministerial spiritual practices and how they fit into ministerial life and work, as well as workshops, small groups, and free time, including 23 hours of silence from Sunday evening through Monday. Participants will be asked to participate in spiritual direction groups. Those who (Continued on page 13)

13 Chapter Programs A Chapter Presenter Program is a six to twelve hour workshop for UUMA chapter meetings or retreats. Some opportunities include: Featured Presenters Whose Job Is This, Anyway? Another Look at Anti-Racism. Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt (Fourth Universalist Society, NY City) and Rev. Charles Blustein Ortman (Unitarian Church, Montclair, NJ). Integration of Worship and the Arts. Rev. Barbara Pescan (Unitarian Church, Evanston, IL) and Dr. John Tolley (Meadville Lombard Theological School). Preaching Seminars. Rev. Dr. Jane Rzepka (Church of the Larger Fellowship, Boston, MA) and Rev. Kenneth Sawyer (First Parish, Wayland, MA). Chapter Presenters Conflict Management for Clergy. Dr. Helen Bishop , hhbishop@aol.com Issues of Class: Implications for Ministry. Rev. Lynn Thomas Strauss , lstrauss@rruc.org Leadership Skills for Effective Public Ministry. Rev. John Buehrens jbuehrens@aol.com Small Group Ministry/Covenant Groups. Rev. Calvin Dame CalDame@aol.com Unitarian Universalist Theologies. Rev. Dr. Paul Rasor , ext. 140 paul@pendlehill.org For additional information, see the UUMA web site: www:// uuma.org The C.E.N.T.E.R. Committee C.E.N.T.E.R. has as its charter to: Identify and articulate the roles and function of continuing education in ministry; Strengthen collegiality; Provide support and assistance to ministers in the design of our own personal programs for continuing education; Be a clearinghouse; Provide continuing education programs; and Find funding. Paul Ratzlaff (Chair), Morristown, NJ 973/ , ext. 204, revpaul@muuf.org Michelle Bentley, UUA Depart of Ministry Liaison 617/ , mbentley@uua.org Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, Tampa, FL 813/ , mbowenswheatley@uua.org Ian Evison, Bethesda, MD 800/ , ievison@alban.org Sam Trumbore, Albany, NY 518/ , strumbore@uumin.org Lynn Ungar, San Leandro, CA 510/ , revlynn@aol.com Gretchen Woods, UUMA Exec Liaison 541/ , Center@uuma.org (Continued from page 12) Kendyl Gibbons, UUMA President, ex officio wish may also pair up for further discussion. Some workshops will offer repeated practice of various spiritual disciplines (yoga, sitting meditation, contemplative prayer, meditative journaling, etc), while others will be one-time offerings such as art or chanting. Participants may attend whatever workshops they wish, or may spend time walking, reading, or practicing their own spiritual disciplines. A small group of colleagues is working on the details, including Christine Robinson, Sue Spencer and Parisa Parsa. Program Staff is still to be determined. The planning group would love to hear from colleagues who would like to offer ninety minute workshops on spiritual disciplines such as art, chanting, or physical disciplines such as yoga, as well as from those who have a special interest in leading small mutual spiritual direction groups. Please contact Christine Robinson at CRobinson@uuabq.org to nominate yourself or to recommend a colleague. 13