Listening Assistance Devices available, see an usher for assistance. The building is handicap accessible. Child care for children under age six is available during both services. Please note the times for services for the summer.
Ministry & Leadership
Minister
Board President
2010-11 Board of Trustees
1
1
6
Vision
GA Report
Membership Action Council
6
4
6
Religious Growth & Learning
RG&L News
Women’s Religious Retreat
5
7
Lay-Led Groups & Committees
Alcohol/Addiction Recovery
Mindfulness Meditation Group
Philosophy & Literature
QueenSpirit
8
9
10
9
August Services at Clover Lane
1
10:00
Roots & Wings: Spiritual Journeys to UUism
8
10:00
Roots & Wings: Spiritual Journeys to UUism
15
10:00
What I learned at General Assembly
22
10:00
The Devil & Frank Haas
29
10:00
The Spirituality of Addiction & Recovery
Q
August Calendar
2
Directory Changes
4
Treehouse Tea!
6
Making an Impact
10
I am happy to let you know that the UCH
Board of Trustees has granted me a three-month
From Your Minister sabbatical this winter. This will be my second sabbatical as your minister. I am looking forward to it.
The Reverend
I will be away this coming December, January, and
Howard N. Dana February doing the kind of personal and professional work that helps me stay connected with my
own spiritual life and the ministry of our congregation. My plan is to spend three
months in Mexico.
As many of you know, I speak adequate Spanish. I have no trouble understanding and being understood. But the Spanish I speak is a 2nd grade level (on my best
days). I would very much like to spend part of my sabbatical immersing myself in
Spanish language study so that my speaking, reading, and writing abilities might improve. As our congregation becomes more and more involved in the City of Harrisburg, my ability to speak both English and Spanish will open door to us. Our Market
Street Church sits at the edge of the largest Spanish-speaking neighborhood in Dauphin County. We have dozens of Spanish-speaking people literally on our doorstep
each day (most of them to eat the excellent tacos served at the taco truck). Increas-
Hawaiian UUs
11
(Continued on page 9)
As I See It
7
Community Outreach
Helping Women in Prison
Clover Lane Coffeehouse
Bloodmobile
LaGrone Scholar Update
6
10
10
7
Common Ground Breakfasts
Save the Date!
8
5
Congregational Life, Etc.
First a Vision, Now Strategies
It doesn’t seem long ago that the Congregation got together to develop vision statements that would guide us
through the next few years. Those statements ultimately became a unified vision statement, which you will find later in
this REPORTER. It is very close to the draft vision you saw in
this column in the spring.
Every vision is only a beginning. To realize our dreams,
we must have strategies and goals to guide us toward the vision. In April the Board adopted these eight strategies based on
themes from the visioning work, work with consultant Michael
Durall, and Board and staff planning:
Develop, communicate, and implement a comprehensive
financial plan.
n
Co-create, share, and implement a
comprehensive communication plan.
President’s
Refine and implement organizational
and governance structures.
Message
Maintain and enhance highly effective
Cathy Montes
day-to-day operations.
Develop, communicate, and implement
a comprehensive plan for intentional
Church community.
Transform UCH Market Street campus into a vibrant, welcoming worship and community center that sits as the hub
of a social justice zone in the South Allison Hill neighborhood.
N
(Continued on page 3)
Sunday
Monday
1
2
Service
10:00 AM
at Clover Lane
Zphb!7;41!qn!
!
!
Hellman
COUCH 7 PM
Explore UCH
after services
Tuesday
Wednesday
3
4
Membership
Action Council
QueenSpirit
strategic planning
6 pm
Mindfulness
Meditation
Group 7 PM
Finance
Cmte
7:30 PM
Thursday
5
Potluck &
Circle
6 PM
At the home of
Anne Moore
Friday
6
Saturday
7
UCH Playgroup
10:00 AM
New Member
Class 9 AM
Unisingers
7 pm
Al-aNOn 6 pm
Helping Women in
Prison 7:30
8
9
Service
10:00 AM
at Clover Lane
Phil & Lit Group
7:30 PM
10
Cmte on Ministry
6 PM
!
Zphb!7;41!qn!
11
MMG 7
PM
REPORTER
deadline
12
al-ANOn 6 pm
Board Mtg 7 PM
at Clover Lane
off site, see page
15
16
Service
10:00 AM
at Clover Lane
17
!
!
Zphb!7;41!qn!
!
Hellman
COUCH 7 PM
18
PrideFest
Meeting
6:30
PM
MMG 7
22
23
Service
10:00 AM
at Clover Lane
PM
24
Cmte on Ministry
6 PM
Zphb!7;41!qn!
!
MMG 7
Clover Grove 7 PM
Community
Cmte 7 pm
25
PM
Membership
Action Council
7 pm
Unisingers
7 pm
UCH Playgroup
10:00 AM
20
21
Coffeehouse
8:00 PM
Unisingers
7 pm
26
al-AnON 6 pm
14
Market Street
Second
Saturday
Breakfast
UCH Playgroup
10:00 AM
19
Al-aNOn 6 pm
13
UCH Playgroup
10:00 AM
Unisingers
7 pm
27
28
Market St.
Last Saturday
Breakfast
Alcoholism &
Addiction
Recovery
Ministry:
Awareness,
Prevention &
Recover Fair
Noon to 4 PM
29
Service 10
2
30
!
AM
Zphb!7;41!qn!
31
MMG 7
PM
August 2010
The REPORTER • August 2010
(Continued from page 1)
Establish a 501(c)(3) entity that is separate structurally
from UCH. (Completed)
Re-imagine the Clover Lane campus into a center for spiritual growth and learning, an oasis for inner focused retreats, a channel for innovative worship services and special events, and the administrative headquarters for UCH.
For each strategy, teams of trustees and other volunteer
leaders, pastoral staff, and members are developing draft
goals, which provide yet more details for our path forward.
The teams will present the draft goals to the Congregation for
comment after the beginning of the Church year in September. Then based on your feedback, the goals will be revised.
Finally, later this fall you all will have the opportunity to vote
on these goals. Then we really get to work making it all happen!
You can do your part by doing these three things: 1volunteer to participate on one of the eight strategy teams
(see contacts at the end of this article), 2-provide your candid
feedback on the goals when they become available, and 3-as
always, vote!
Contacts: Contact Rev. Dana or Rev. Marsh to participate in
strategy teams for effective day-to-day operations, transforming the Market Street campus, or re-imagining Clover Lane
campus. Contact the Board at trustees@harrisburguu.org to
participate in developing goals for a financial plan, a communication plan, governance, and Church community.
2010-2011 Board of Trustees
In May the Congregation elected the following trustees:
Three-year term: Phil Hoskins-Helm, Judy Linder, and
Warren Hardman
Two-year term: Karen Grimm-Thomas
One-year term: Dennis Darling
The following trustees are continuing on the Board:
Cathy Montes, Chris Williams, and Tom Winner.
In July, The Board elected the following officers of the Board
and the Church:
President: Cathy Montes
Vice-President: Phil Hoskins-Helm
Clerk: Karen Grimm-Thomas
Treasurer: Tom Winner
Board Meetings
Regular board meetings are held the second Wednesday of
every month at 7 PM.
The public is welcome to observe meetings. Ten minutes at
the beginning of every meeting is reserved for public comment.
Board meetings are held in alternating months at 1608 Market Street and at 1280 Clover Lane. Market Street (oddnumbered months): January, March, May, July, September,
and November. Clover Lane (even-numbered months): February, April, June, August, October, and December.
To contact the Board, e-mail trustees@harrisburguu.org, or
call and leave a message at the UCH Office, 564-4761.
August 2010 • The REPORTER
VISION
The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg is an inclusive, gloriously
diverse, deeply connected spiritual community dedicated to the
practice of radical service.
Radical Service Begins within each one of us at UCH as we individually take
responsibility for deeply nourishing our own spirits and, in
this way, becoming our best selves.
-Calls forth from each of us an unswerving caring, support,
and understanding for one another.
Requires that we make a meaningful contribution to the
greater Harrisburg community through innovative social
justice work.
Transformation happens here.
In this segment of The REPORTER, we want to explore our
perspectives on the new UCH vision statement.
What does “radical service” mean to you? What might
your answer be? We thought it would be valuable to
gather answers from a number of members and guests. Ryan
Szuch, of Lower Paxton Township, offered to get us started on
this exploration of radical service. Here's what Ryan believes:
To help me think about the term “radical service” as it
applies to UCH, I needed to start by looking up some dictionary definitions of the word “radical.” I came up with these two
that seem to apply. Radical means: (1) departing markedly
from the usual or customary; extreme, (2) favoring or effecting
fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices,
conditions, or institutions.
After reflecting on these definitions and thinking about
why I associate as a UU, I began to come up with my own definition of what “radical service” means to me. (I consider this a
work in progress.) I feel that radical service means that we
broaden and deepen our sphere of concern for those around us,
and we consider new ways, small and large, that we can help
others and our environment. We broaden our sphere of concern by learning how others in our communities, neighborhoods, and the region are struggling or fighting against some
form of injustice and, importantly, by also considering how
such struggles affect us. We deepen our level of concern by
trying to better understand our neighbors and environment
through education and by listening to each other. We can practice this listening and learning not only at Sunday Services but
also throughout our lives. Finally, we take action to help right
the wrongs that we perceive in our world. This starts with a
sense of personal responsibility (realizing that I can, and
should, do something to help), and our action can manifest
itself through donations, volunteerism, or simply as personal
life choices that we make about how to behave. A favorite quote
of mine, by Gandhi, parallels this sentiment… ”We must be the
change we wish to see in the world.”
NOTE: This vision is the result of the collective work of
our Congregation and its leadership. The Board unanimously
adopted it in April 2010. The vision will guide the activities of
the ministers and pastoral staff, committees and lay-led ministries, the Board, volunteers, and members for the next five
years. To provide your reflection on “radical service” or any
other part of this vision, contact the Board by e-mailing trustees@harrisburguu.org.
3
GA Report:
Directory Updates
First-Person Account by a First-Time Attendee
General Assembly, commonly known as simply GA, is an annual gathering of Unitarian
Universalists. It is held in June, in a different city in North America every year. Member
congregations send delegates and conventioneers to participate in the plenary sessions,
workshops, district gatherings, and worship services.
Plenary Sessions at GA consist of discussing and voting on Study Action Issues and
Statements of Conscience; elections for Board of Trustees, officer and committee positions; and reports from the President, Moderator and other leaders of the UUA. Example
actions taken at GA meetings have included the 1984 decision to approve religious
blessing of same-sex marriages, making the UUA the first major church to have done so.
A lecture is given each year by a distinguished guest; for example, Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. delivered the annual Ware Lecture at the 1966 GA. – Wikipedia.com
Kate and I attended our first GA last June and had a wonderful time, such a blast
in fact that we’re already making plans for Charlotte (2011) and Phoenix (2012)!
This is an absolutely biased, first-person account of our trip, written as a series of
highlights. Any errors in religion, politics, or geography are entirely my own.
The “Opening Session and Plenary 1” was Wednesday night. Imagine 3,400
fellow UUs in one room and you’ll have an idea of the convocation. There were large
video projections on each side of the stage, similar to those used at the Democratic
and Republican conventions every four years, with professional camera and sound
crew present throughout the session. With the close-ups of speakers and our moderator, Gini Courter, you begin to develop a personal relationship with people from afar.
With her droll sense of humor, Gini makes you feel like you’re at a local meeting of
City Council or a nonprofit board of directors.
Outside the main hall, a secondary hall is full of books, recordings, and other
materials – basically, everything you might be interested in thinking about or delving
into. Before the weekend is over, we’ve accumulated two CDs and 8-10 books, including just-published Love in Condition Yellow: A Memoir of an Unlikely Marriage,
written by a Berkeley progressive who married a West Point graduate (and incidentally spent a year at the Army War College in Carlisle).
Thursday and Friday were primarily seminars, two full days of 75-minute session on a zillion topics. Imagine being in high school again, with a schedule of
classes. At any one class period, there are dozens of choices, aligned into 18 topical
themes, e.g., “Advocacy and Organizing,” “Environmental Justice,” and “AntiRacism, Anti-Oppression, Multiculturalism.” Some of the UCH folks (Tom Conners
comes to mind) pre-planned their entire schedule; others like me were not that organized. Besides, how do you choose between three equally interesting seminars such as
#2010, #2017 and #2021? These are, respectively, “Get Serious about Renewal: Revision Your Congregation,” “Our Journey Stories: Creating Multiracial and Multicultural Congregations,” and “Multigenerational: More than a Buzzword.” With a mild
form of despair, I opt for none-of-the-above and select #2020 on “Faith Formation
2020: Called to Read the Signs.” Who can resist this description, especially when I
know they’ll send me the PowerPoint afterward?
While nobody knows what the future will bring, we can see the trends and forces which
might influence it: What will faith formation in our congregations look like in 2020? This
workshop will examine 13 trends and four scenarios that hold the key to the future of UU
faith formation.
Over the course of these first two days, Kate and I attend half a dozen seminars
on multiculturalism, youth, stewardship, policy governance, etc., while having to miss
the ones on GBLT issues, music ministry, and the environment. Howard and Suzanne
presented a seminar on Market Street (“How to buy a $4.5 million building for
$300K”), attended by Tom Conners, Alice and Tom Winner and myself; Howard and
Suzanne also represented our Church at one of the “Breakthrough Congregation”
(Continued on page 11)
4
Please log into the Online
Directory for change for the
following people:
CONTACT INFORMATION
Blaise Liffick and Alanna Berger
EMAIL UPDATE
Don Brown
Barbara Pearce
Sonnya Nieves
ADDRESS UPDATE
Sonnya Nieves
TAKE
NOTE!
TELEPHONE NUMBER UPDATE
Jim Armstrong
Joys & Concerns
Please sign in to the Member
section of the UCH’s website for
information about Joys, Healing
Thoughts and Concerns and Deaths
within the UCH congregation, family
and friends.
Don’t find fault.
Find a remedy.
Henry Ford
The REPORTER
PUBLISHED MONTHLY
UNITARIAN CHURCH OF HARRISBURG
1280 CLOVER LANE
HARRISBURG, PA 17113
The REPORTER • August 2010
Religious Growth & Learning
The elementary children’s program continues through August
on Sunday mornings at 10:00. Participants enjoy hearing from a
Church member about an aspect of how they live their faith.
Child care is provided every Sunday. All are welcome!
In honoring and celebrating Reverend Dana's ten years at
UCH the children and youth prepared the children's message to him for the service. They shared children and youth
responses to three questions about him.
These are some of the things we like about the children's
message time with you.
You plan it and talk to us and it's kind of relaxed.
We like how it's funny and serious too and teaches us something
Sometimes you show us things and ask us questions.
We learn stuff like how we are Unitarians and Universalists.
There was a cool animal one and some stories about when
you were growing up.
There is a nice view from up there.
When we tell people about our minister we say things like:
You’re nice and very kind.
You wear a tie and fancy suit.
You like kids and care about us and involve us.
You’re awesome - you can deal with us kids and you're
happy to do so!
You sound happy and you're friendly.
You’re really brave, you swallowed a worm, we'll never forget it.
You’re fun and you have a good sense of humor.
You’re creative and good at art.
You’re smart, effective and interesting.
You wear glasses like some of us do.
You’re encouraging and a good listener.
You’re enthusiastic and energetic.
You’re welcoming.
You’re insightful when it comes to UUism.
You’re really thankful.
We have lots of memories and experiences from our time
together. Some of the things shared were:
The first time I came to Church he welcomed me.
He taught us about the Advent wreath.
He always does the pageants and it's really fun.
There is one boy who feels special because he has the same
birthday as Howard
He came to my house for dinner and we had a really great
time.
He cares a lot about the youth service and he listens to us
and makes sure it works
He took us on the Boston Heritage trip, the whole thing was
awesome and he treated us with respect.
It was surprising when we went swimming in Walden Pond
and found out Howard had a tattoo.
Howard didn’t get mad when I touched the display bread in
the Concord Museum to see if it was real and set the security alarm off.
When we played sardines at a Church overnight Howard
stayed smushed with us for a long time because others
couldn’t find our fabulous hiding place.
Just talking to him, he's very understanding and open about
his views.
He shared his personal beliefs and what Unitarian Universalism means to him.
He comes to stuff at Church when it's not Sunday and you
can just talk to him.
Trish Brandon
Director of Religious Growth & Learning
Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA
Save the Date: Second Sunday in September!
Please mark your calendars for Sunday, September 12, 2010 –
and tell your friends! Plans are under way for the “second annual” Neighborhood Potluck at Market Street. This will kick off
our 2010-11 season of Second Sunday in the City services, and
we intend to celebrate! You can expect a fabulous service, followed by food, fun, and festivities for all. We are inviting the
other Churches to participate, too.
We are planning a communal potluck this year, with details
forthcoming in the September newsletter. Please contact Clay
Lambert or Tom Conners if interested in volunteering: Time
(servers, setup, cleanup); Talent (baking, entertainment, children’s activities), or Treasure (donations always welcome)!
Submitted by Clay Lambert & Tom Conners
Photo by Marybeth Williams
August 2010 • The REPORTER
5
Membership
Action Council
Monthly Report
The Membership Action Council
(MAC) has been active over the summer
at encouraging attendance at the “Roots
and Wings” summer sermons, preparing
for the upcoming new member class,
and doing strategic and tactical planning
for 2010-11. We start the new Church
year with 410 members enrolled.
MAC encourages all members to introduce themselves to other people in the
congregation, including members you
may not yet know. On an average Sunday, we have 10 to 15 guests in attendance at our services, and you can look
around you to identify them. Don’t be
shy! For many of them, “Church” is not
necessarily part of their active vocabulary, and they will form first impressions
based on YOU and the other folks sitting near them. Almost all have “visitor”
name tags, and we have a committee
goal to create a pre-printed name tag for
each visitor within one week of their
first visit.
As we go into August, we have eight
people already enrolled for the next new
member class, scheduled for August 7
from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Clover
Lane. Current UCH members are also
welcome to attend this refresher course,
covering topics such as “UCH 101” and
“Who’s Who Among the UUs?” In addition, if you are interested in serving as a
“Connection Coach” for a new member,
please contact Leta Beam or Bart Carpenter.
submitted by Leta Beam
A delightful summer’s “Treehouse Tea” was held on Friday, July 9th, at the home of
Anita Mentzer. This auction event, run by Anita and Karen Sykes, featured delicious
dainties, such as Mushroom Tartlets, an assortment of tea sandwiches, Midsummer’s
Torte and scones. A lovely peach tea and a tea punch were also served. Conversation
abounded including topics that one can only find at a UU event! Plans are already in
the works for a 4th tea to be held next summer. When the Auction rolls around, consider signing up for fun conversation and delicious delectables to be held on a delightful summer afternoon in the treetops next year. Photo by Nathalie Hoke.
Submitted by Karen Sykes
Helping Women in Prison & Their Families
Change or Die.
All are invited to the discussion of this book by Howard Deutschman. He profiles
three groups resistant to change; criminals, heart patients and workers. Deutschman
clearly shows that while all have the ability to make changes in our behavior for the
better, few of us ever do. He demonstrates that anyone can achieve lasting, revolutionary changes that are positive, attainable and absolutely vital.
We will gather at 7:30 PM at Church on August 3rd.
Action
is Eloquence
William Shakespeare
The committee is also, once again, hosting the Prison
Action October breakfast at 1508 Market street. This
festive event, to be held Saturday October 23rd, is
popular with local residents of work release centers
and half-way houses. UU's have earned a well deserved reputation for great Saturday breakfasts. Help
us with this gala for a different target population. Keep the date in mind and talk to me or any
committee member.
One by one - a little at a time.
Submitted by John Hargreaves
6
The REPORTER • August 2010
UCH Selects 2010
LaGrone Scholar;
L Seeks a Mentor l
On Sunday, June 6, Sci Tech High School Senior
Dana Washington joined the elite cadre of local youth
who have been named Oliver LaGrone Scholars. Ms.
Washington will graduate second in her class of 565
and plans to major in
biochemistry at the
Penn State Main Campus in State College.
Dana told Scholarship
Committee member
Laura Barta that she
was looking forward
to “a new experience
and a new independence.” Ultimately, she
would like to practice
medicine.
Like all of the
LaGrone Scholars
before her, Ms. Washington was chosen not
only for her academic
achievement but for
her diverse talents and
Photo by Cordell Affeldt
activities. She has actively contributed to the Multicultural Student Union
and to Archonette, a youth affiliate of Zeta Phi Beta
whose service projects range from nursing home visits
to fundraising for the March of Dimes. In her free
time, Ms. Washington enjoys softball, music and
dance.
Administered by the UCH Finance Committee,
the Oliver LaGrone Scholarship Fund annually awards
$5000 (distributed $625 per semester) to a single
graduate of Harrisburg High School; but more than
that, the program provides each scholar with a personal mentor to offer whatever practical guidance and/
or emotional support a particular scholar may need as
they move up from high school to the far more complicated world of college. At this time the Committee is
still seeking a volunteer mentor for Ms. Washington;
anyone interested in making this vital contribution
should contact Margaret Carrow at (717) 260-9449.
LaGrone Scholars are selected for their motivation; financial need; and knowledge and skills that
foreshadow future success. It is the largest such fund
currently servicing Harrisburg High that is managed
by a non-profit or non-military entity. You contribute
to the Oliver LaGrone Scholarship Fund when you
participate in our craft fairs and theater benefits—and
of course with your generous donations.
Submitted by John F. Katz
August 2010 • The REPORTER
Letter to the Editor
As I See It
I am fortunate and happy to be a Unitarian Universalist.
As with all living things, words and meanings evolve. In the beginning was the word. A Unitarian believed in the unity, rather than the
trinity, of God. Today, the unity of God has evolved to include: God,
one source, ground of all being, nature, the big bang. In the beginning,
a Universalist believed in salvation for all. Today, I embrace Universalism to mean universal truths and universal understanding.
In a recent conversation with Rabbi Carl Choper, he related some
of his family history and their experiences in World War II in Vienna
and Nazi Germany. He talked about the struggle between Universalism
and Nationalism. Universalism was defeated; nationalism triumphed
and the world has never fully recovered. This conversation gave me
new insight into the word Universalism and its profound importance.
Universalism is “a principle that asserts that all people are under
the love of God or “source,” and that the living truth is seen as more
far-reaching than national, cultural, or religious boundaries.
Nationalism is “devotion to the interests or culture of one’s nation, the belief that nations will benefit from acting independently
rather than collectively.”
In the convergence of the environmental, economic, and social
crises that face humanity today, I believe the universalist approach is
the only way to prevent catastrophe on every level. I respect and admire Rabbi Choper’s efforts in the Religion and Society Center to promote understanding, cooperation, and good will between cultures and
religions. This effort needs our support. As Howard has said many
times, the world needs Unitarian Universalism. Now more than ever,
we are in the right place at the right time.
- Rachel Mark
Joseph Priestley District presents
Women & Religion Fall Retreat
October 1 - 3, 2010
At St. Raphaela Center, Haverford, PA
For directions, go to www.acjusa.org
The Theme Within:
An experiential weekend
self-discovery
Intuitively access your inner wisdom through the
process of collage. Facilitated by Dana Knighten and
Nancy Evans, certified Soul Collage facilitators.
www.soulcollage.com. Women 16 and older welcome;
10% discount for those under 25.
Friday Dinner through Sunday Lunch: $200. Reduced
rate (TBD) for commuters.
For further information contact: Anne Slater, Registrar:
610-896-6468 or slater.anne@gmail.com. Watch for
updated information on www.jpdwr.org.
Submitted by Randa Todd
7
Alcoholism/Addiction
Recovery Ministry
The Common Ground Cafe
Community Breakfasts
seven months and counting …
YOU ARE NOT
ALONE
I put my hand
in yours and
together we
can do what
we could
not do alone.
Hello all. As I write this summer is just beginning and
schools are letting out - it’s
slightly disconcerting to realize
that it will be August when
you read this. Besides being
the end of the lazy days of
summer, August will also be
the month for our first Alcoholism/Addiction Awareness,
Prevention & Recovery Fair
(herein simply known as “the
Fair”) to be held Saturday,
August 28 from 12:00 – 4:00
PM at Clover Lane.
What’s at the Fair for me you ask? The following
is just a sampling of the free seminars and workshops on offer: “For Parents: Alcohol & Drug
Awareness and Prevention,” “The Legacy of Addictions: Adult Children of Alcoholics,” “The
Mind Body Spirit Approach to Healing from Addictions,” “Overcoming Nicotine Addiction,”
“Understanding Sexual Addiction,” “God of Our
Understanding: Developing Your Own Concept of
God” presented by Reverend Howard Dana, and
the list goes on.
Free consultations with licensed recovery professionals will be offered. There will also be exhibits
from Al-Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, Blue
Mountain Zendo, Mazitti and Sullivan, SMART
Recovery, etc. For a complete schedule including
presenters, times, etc., please keep an eye out for
our brochures or check the AARM section at
www.uuharrisburg.org.
Many of you have expressed your support for the
AARM and programs such as the Fair. If some of
you would like to help us in a way that does not
involve a significant time commitment, I have a
request for you. We would like to offer snacks and
beverages during the Fair - what’s a party without
food? If you feel like contributing food or drink
(non-alcoholic of course!) to the event, please email me at mhepburn1965@verizon.net. Even if
you can’t attend the Fair, you can support the
cause with store-bought items or your own homemade goodies. Thank you!
Submitted by Maria Gregg
8
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time
on Saturday mornings and helped make the Common
Ground Café’s community breakfasts a huge success. Over the last seven months the Common Ground
Cafe has provided HIV/Aids and blood pressure
screenings while serving over 2,700 hot breakfasts. Along with members from the Shared Ministry congregation we have partnered with the
Harrisburg Young Professionals, students and
faculty from Messiah College, and UCC congregations in Camp Hill and Colonial Park to provide the community with
books, toothbrushes, toilet paper and health screenings. The kids have
enjoyed making all sorts of crafts in the Kids’ Corner while we danced
and sang along with musicians from UCH and throughout the neighborhood. We are making a difference in the community and your continued
dedication to this effort has been remarkable. The bonds we are building
and the connections we are forming have been more than I ever imagined.
Recently I took part in a short community walk in Allison Hill with
Howard and a few UCH teenagers. Twenty of us recently traveled to
New Orleans to participate in a week of post-Katrina service work and
our group took some time to watch a documentary and think about how
that community might be similar to our own. As we walked the
neighborhood- from Market to Derry Street, then to Mercado’s Pizza
and back, we were stopped four times by neighbors who recognized us
thanking us for the breakfasts and the resources being provided.
I promise you, your efforts are not going unnoticed or underappreciated and it is important to recognize that each one of you who
has volunteered your time these last months has helped the Common
Ground Cafe become a place where the community now expects they
can come together to enjoy a good meal, hear great music, and be
treated with dignity and respect. A place where someone will listen to
your story. A place not focused on charity, but dedicated to promoting
solidarity throughout Allison Hill. And a lot of responsibility comes
with this work as well. We must continue to be everything you have
been up until now and we need your continued support to make it happen.
Please let me know if you would like to volunteer for upcoming
community breakfasts on August 14, August 28, September 11, September 25, October 9, and October 30. (clay.jh.lambert@gmail.com,
234-0536). There are three shifts available: All-day, 1st shift, and 2nd
shifts. The All-day and 1st shift volunteers should arrive between 7:05
and 8:15. The first shift ends end at approximately 10 AM. The 2nd shift
should arrive between 9:45 and 10:00 and ends at 11:45 AM. Individual
jobs are assigned as you arrive on Saturday morning but please don’t
hesitate to email me if you have a particular job or shift in mind. We are
also looking for small groups of two or three individuals who would be
interested in leading the preparations for future breakfasts.
Thanks again for everything you have done for UCH and our community on Market Street. This is only the beginning and we will continue to build on these successes moving forward.
Submitted by Clay Lambert for the
Racial Justice and Cultural Understanding Lay-led Ministry
The REPORTER • August 2010
QueenSpirit
Potluck & Circle
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
6:00 to 9:00 PM
Held at the home of Anne Moore
745 South 61st Street, Harrisburg PA 17111
Bring a favorite dish, dessert or beverage to share
Bring your place setting and serving spoons and
plates
Bring a CD to play to share music sung or performed by women that moves your spirit
Music that Moves Our Spirits
Anne Moore will facilitate the fourth annual circle on Music
that Moves Our Spirits. As the summer comes to a close, we
will have a peaceful check-in with music. Participants will
bring songs sung or performed by women that speak to us and
share them with each other, listen to them, dance to them and
discuss what we love about them. Is it the words, the sound, a
memory? In addition to CDs, you may choose to sing songs
or play instruments.
Technology note: MP3 formatted songs on a CD can be
played. If your music is on an iPod, then you will need to
bring it and speakers.
For directions, call or email Anne, or Google and MapQuest
will get you there.
QueenSpirit is a co-created women’s spirituality circle.
Submitted by Kandy Melillo
B From Your Minister b
(Continued from page 1)
ingly Spanish-speaking people come to Community Hours on
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They come to the twicemonthly breakfasts. And they will come to worship with us,
too.
Beyond a personal hobby of mine, speaking Spanish is a
way to remember that I am a citizen of a global community.
Spanish connects me with Latin America in very real ways,
helping me remember that the struggles and triumphs of my
brothers and sisters there are my own. Speaking another language helps me connect to another culture like nothing else. It
makes me care about people in a deeper way. Speaking another language is a deeply spiritual practice. It is about reaching beyond my comfort zone. It is about being willing to appear the fool. It is about loving other people enough to make
an effort to know who they really are. Monolingual people
live in a very narrow world. I would recommend language
study to everyone. It will open your eyes and your heart.
The UCH staff and I are making plans already to ensure
that Church runs smoothly during my sabbatical. Rev. Suzanne Marsh will be the head of staff. She will get a chance to
shine for a while as the Church’s sole minister. I encourage
you to be of help to her. Both Sparkie Radcliffe and Trish
Brandon have been through a minister’s sabbatical before.
They will help Suzanne in many ways. And, of course, we
have Sandy Wilbern, Alanna Berger, and a host of lay leaders
to keep things running smoothly. This is a shorter sabbatical
than is typical. My hope is that it will not disrupt the Church
year too much. And I believe it is long enough for me to get
the kind of rest, relaxation, and perspective I need for the
years ahead. I thank each of you in advance for allowing me
this much-needed time off. We all will be richer for it. See you
in Church.
Love, Howard
Mindfulness Meditation Group
A vacation is a
sunburn at
premium prices.
Hal
Chadwicke
August 2010 • The REPORTER
Patience is a virtue. Seersucker is a fabric.
- Bazooka Joe Whether you have a need to contemplate the deeper meanings of life or simply
wish to take a practical look at the everyday mundane, an awareness practice can help
take each moment and turn it into a moment that counts. The Mindfulness Meditation
Group meets every Tuesday evening at 7:00 in the Margaret Fuller Chapel creating
the space where even the “so what?” moments of life are welcomed. The August 17th
meditation will be held in complete silence.
Guest Speaker Daishin McCabe from Mt Equity Zendo will be joining us on
Tuesday August 31st at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary. This is the second time we have the
opportunity to host Daishin at one of our fifth Tuesday of the month events. Details of
his talk will be posted in the weekly reminder and on the website closer to the date.
Please direct questions regarding MMG to Jeanne at mmg_of_uch@comcast.net
or 774-1479.
Submitted by Jeanne Shellman
9
Philosophy &
Literature Group
Clover Lane Coffeehouse:
Jazz + Dulcimer = Great Music
Clover Lane Coffee House closes the summer with a special youth-oriented coffee
house at 8 PM Friday, August 20, featuring the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz
(CPFJ) Youth All Star Band and an opening act by singer/songwriter Ross Butch of
Chattanooga, TN. Admission is $5 at the door; proceeds from the evening go to the
band’s Scholarship Fund.
CPFJ Youth All Start Band is directed by local jazz musician Ron Waters and includes “our own” Adam Malarich as well as other jazz-infected teens.
The Philosophy and Literature
Group will meet on Sunday, August 8th,
at 7:30 PM at the home of Jim Thomas to
discuss Copenhagen, a play by Michael
Frayn.
This play opened on Broadway in
2000 and won the Tony Award for Best
Play. It is based around an event that
occurred in Copenhagen in 1941: a
meeting between the physicists Niels
Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. At issue are moral objections to scientists
working on nuclear weapons.
Please contact Jim at thomasjthom@aol.com for directions to his
home, and to let him know that you will
be attending. All are welcome, but it
helps the host to know how many will
be there in order to ensure adequate
seating.
submitted by Dick Hoke
Butch is a 20-something musician enroute to the Philadelphia Folk Festival. We offered him an opening act based on this web bio:
Butch Ross can’t do anything right.
1. He plays the mountain dulcimer.
2. He plays it standing up like a guitar.
3. He holds it upside and strung backwards.
4. And Butch Ross plays rock’n’roll on it.
Besides, it’s pretty clear that Led Zeppelin always intended for “Stairway to Heaven”
to be played on the dulcimer. It just took Butch to figure it out.
Submitted by Bart Carpenter
Thanks to Our Blood Donors
We Gave the Gift of Life!
The Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank and Blood Club Chair Karen Sweer send
thanks and gratitude to all involved in any way to make our first blood drive such a
success. We registered 56 donors and collected 41 units of blood. (CPBB was hoping
for 20 collections from us as a first-time group.) When broken into components, our
donations will be used to help 123 patients. What an inspiring gift from us! Thanks
also go out to the Cynthia Tyger and the COUCH group which provided valuable
support throughout the process. To all who donated or attempted to donate, thank you
once again for helping us make this event so successful and we hope to see you at
future blood drives at the Church!
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR NEXT BLOOD DRIVE: Sunday, November 21, 2010, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Sign-ups at Church will occur in November. For questions, please contact Karen at
ksweer@aol.com or call her at 795-7089.
Submitted by Karen Sweer
10
Making an Impact
The New York Times environmental
reporter on Saturday, July 9 did an
entire article on the work Don Brown
and his colleagues do at Penn State on
the ethical dimensions of climate
change. The article was posted on
DOT.EARTH, the New York Times
environmental blog, probably the best
read environmental blog in the United
States.
Don’s articles can be found at ClimateEthics.org, part of the Penn State
Rock Ethics Institute website.
The REPORTER • August 2010
GA Report:
First-Person Account by a First-Time Attendee
(Continued from page 4)
A Special Invitation for
Unitarian Universalists
This is too good! Our Honolulu
UU congregation is organizing a very special fundraiser from September 22 to
29. Church members will provide B&Bstyle accommodations in their homes, a
full seven nights stay, for just $840/couple
(or only $490/single). Yup, that comes to
$120 a night for a couple, and $70 a night
for one. This is amazing.
Your hosts and new friends from the
First Unitarian Church of Honolulu will
also offer optional group activities to make
your visit that much more special. The
annual Aloha Festival will be in progress,
with its colorful parade, fascinating cultural events and more. Or maybe you’ll
want to check out the 5 AM Honolulu Fish
Auction, explore the Kapiolani College
Farmers’ Market, snorkel at Hanauma
Bay, tour the historic sites of the Manoa
Valley, hike to the Makapu'u Light
House, tour the Bishop Museum with a
feminist anthropologist, or visit an ancient
Hawaiian temple site with its garden of
native plants in Kailua. Then, of course,
there’s the worship service on Sunday
morning, followed by a spaghetti lunch
prepared by the congregation’s Youth
Group!
There are several tempting options
for accommodations. Choose from great
views, close access to shops and nightlife,
being near a beach or close to the zoo.
If all this leaves you hearing ukuleles
and wanting to get your toes in the sand,
take a look at their website link @ http://
www.unitariansofhi.org/brochurePort.pdf
for more information, and contact Carla
Allison at cbm@hawaii.rr.com with any
questions.
Submitted by Carla Allison
presentations, which I did not attend. I was too busy learning about how to use
twitter, Facebook and other internet tools as part of congregational outreach….
Basically, every class would give me ideas about things to do “back home.”
I attended a stewardship presentation by Wayne Clark, UUA Director of Congregational Stewardship Services at the UUA. I ended up buying his book, Beyond
Fundraising: A Complete Guide to Congregational Stewardship, at the conveniently located convention bookstore and skimming it so I could attend a separate
breakout session. Basically, we are doing all the right things at the moment (thank
you, Alanna) ~ and we have to plan way, way ahead for anything like a capital
campaign (gulp). I do fund-raising for a local nonprofit (the Susquehanna Folk
Music Society), so I figure I’ve killed two birds with one stone on this one. I also
attended a different stewardship-related seminar, with Tom Winner and Jim
Cavenaugh also in the attendance.
Kate attended a panel discussion, and I attended a smaller presentation, led
by Marlin Lavanhar from Tulsa, OK. His church is the one that absorbed a mostly
African-American, Pentecostal congregation of 300 people after their minister
had a vision that God saves everyone, not just those who accept Jesus as Lord and
Savior. Kate and I had visited this UU church last year when we were in Tulsa,
and we were interested to hear the latest report. Marlin also referred me to an interesting book, Who Stole My Church? What to Do When the Church You Love
Tries to Enter the 21st Century, which I subsequently ordered from Amazon and
have started reading.
Saturday and Sunday were mostly business, but believe it or not, the plenary
sessions were interesting. I have, like, zero opinions on most of the topics under
debate, but the mechanics of parliamentary procedure in action were fascinating
to watch. The agenda was created months and months ago, so the course of events
was relatively formal. For any motion presented, a separate breakout session (one
of the seminars) was assigned for detailed debate. Basically, the detailed discussion had to occur outside the main hall, so that the facilitated debate in front of
3,400 would occur more smoothly. “Our own” Greg Boyd facilitated one of these
meetings, and got a standing ovation at the end. In the main hall, there was 20
minutes for full debate, maximum two minutes per speaker, and you could see the
clock ticking on the screen as they were speaking. You could also see Gini cut
them off (nicely) when they ran over. One guy from Bloomington, Ind., spoke out
on three separate topics over the course of the convention, and he got cut off
every time. Twice with a smile, once without. What was interesting to me was the
politeness and respect created by the parliamentary structure, and the obvious
roots in 19th Century Americana.
All in all, “a good time was had by all.” We attended Minneapolis PrideFest
(conveniently located a few blocks away) and used the fabulous transit system to
get around town. If you want a less-biased or differently-biased opinion, other
UCH folks present (in addition to those cited above) were Rachel and Michael
Mark, Margaret Carrow, and Trish Brandon. And did I mention that GA is in
Charlotte next year?
Submitted by Bart Carpenter
Deep summer is when
laziness finds respectability.
Sam Keen
August 2010 • The REPORTER
13
The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
1280 Clover Lane
Harrisburg, PA 17113
Non-Profit Org.
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Harrisburg, PA
Time Dated Material: PLEASE EXPEDITE
August 2010
Return service requested
Check here & return unopened
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The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
Phone: 717-564-4761
FAX 564-4780
E-mail: office@harrisburguu.org
Web site: http://www.harrisburguu.org
MINISTER
Rev. Howard N. Dana
ASSOCIATE MINISTER
Rev. Suzanne M. Marsh
CHILDREN & YOUTH RELIGIOUS
GROWTH & LEARNING
Trish Brandon, Director
Wendy Shaver, Youth Advisor
CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR
Sandy Wilbern
MUSIC MINISTRY
Sparkie Radcliffe, Director
Jim Haines, Associate Director
Julie Slaybaugh, Unisinger Accompanist
STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR
Alanna Berger
SEXTON
Bob Kershner
GROCERY GIFT CARD COORDINATOR
Anne Moore
Affiliated with the
Unitarian Universalist
Association
Newsletter Information
The REPORTER is published monthly by the Unitarian Church of
Harrisburg. Paper copies are mailed when requested; contact the Church
Office. Electronic versions are available online at harrisburguu.org.
Della Hoke-Uvick is the Editor.
Submissions to The REPORTER are due on the 10th of each month.
Please include a name and phone number in case of questions.
Submissions may be
Mailed to or dropped off at: 1918 Princeton Avenue, Camp Hill, PA
17011 (by 8:00 PM);
emailed to: dellahoke@yahoo.com. Please note that there will be a
return reply acknowledgement - if you do not receive an
acknowledgement within 24 hours, please call Della!
or dropped off in The REPORTER mail slot at the Church by 2:00 PM;
Call Della at 737-9251 with questions, please, no calls after 9:00 PM.