the

The Newsletter of the

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Of Huntington, New York A Liberal Religious Faith

Rev. Jude Geiger, Minister

April, 2014 Vol. LVII, No.10

Beacon

THE THEME OF THE MONTH - DEVOTION

UPCOMING SUNDAY SERVICES

April 6: The Agnostic Disciple In a pluralistic tradition, what does evangelism mean? How do we grow disciples? What's our purpose? When not knowing is good enough, what stirs our spirits? The choir will sing at this service.

Rev. Jude Geiger April 13: The Nine Types of Intelligence Professor Howard Gardner's theory provides us with a way of looking at human intelligence as a combination of abilities. Join us as we explore how these aspects of intelligence influence our lives and our spiritual journeys.

Andrew Feigin For the Sunday Program Committee

April 20: Easter Sunday Living a Life of Meaning Join us for our Easter service. Children will remain with us until the sermon, and then leave for a fun Easter egg hunt! Following the service, weather permitting, we'll be offering a special blessing of the Community Garden. Our garden grows food for our cold weather shelter program. The choir will sing at this service.

Rev. Jude Geiger

April 27: Bridging Sunday (Multigenerational) Join us for our annual Bridging Service celebrat-ing our youth who are graduating from Religious Education this year. I will be preaching, and sev-eral youth will be offering reflections.

Rev. Jude Geiger

FROM THE MINISTER

I want to encourage you to consider attending this year’s District Annual Meeting in Morristown, NJ on May 2 and 3. You can register at http://uumetrony.org/am14/index.htm. This Friday night and Saturday daytime event will have about 30 different workshops to choose from to learn more about all areas of UU and congregational life. I will be leading a Friday night workshop on Multi-generational Community Building. On Saturday morning, I’ll be leading and preaching for our dis-trict’s annual worship and for the first time it will be designed as a family-friendly service! The key-note speaker is Carey McDonald who serves as the UUA’s Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. On Saturday afternoon, our Fellowship will receive the Mendon W. Smith award for our “outstanding dedication to our UU purposes and principles and to the strengthening of our liberal religious faith.” I would be so happy if we’re in force to accept this award that was named in honor of a beloved former member!

Rev. Jude

April, 2014 2 The Beacon

AUSTEN’S MUSINGS

Success! Let’s celebrate our wonderful volun-

teers! Lisa Moskowitz, Susan Rizack, Michael

Goldsmith, Debi Tracy, Dave Hirsh, Robyn Bello-

spirito, Rozie Angus, among many others helped

make the Sources Supper a tremendous suc-

cess! We had about 75 folks come out to read

and talk about our Unitarian Universalist heritage.

All that, and we had delicious food, childcare, and

some of our children were in the Main Hall con-

tributing to the discussion. A marvelous multigen-

erational learning experience. Thank you to all

who attended, and major kudos to those who

made this important event happen!

Austen Petersen, Transitional Director of Religious Education

CHIEF’S BRIEFS – UU HAIK-UU This year I was reading and re-printing the old Beacons from the 1960s. They had some pretty inter-esting articles that ran the gamut from sublime to ridiculous. They often printed poetry from congre-gants whenever the Muse inspired

them. In tribute, I am submitting my own verse that veers far more closely to the ridiculous than the sublime. I challenge the congregation to do better (which should be easy now that the bar is set so low!). Sunday shoes muddy It’s a long walk from the school Wish they paved the lot! Dinner is pot-luck Another committee meets A long while ‘till sleep The crocus grows The red-breasted robin sings Why is it still cold?!? Kids in RE Minister on the pulpit

President at rest Children play on swings Flowers bloom, loved ones recalled Names engraved on bricks A Town Hall was held Fellowship business discussed Just came for bagels

There was a young man from Huntington

Who thought serving on the Board would be

lots of fun

He went to the meetings

And did the Board greetings

And was amazed that everything got done!

Michael Goldsmith, UUFH Board President

SOURCES SUPPER SUCCESS

The Ides of March may have been a bad day for Ceasar, but it was a very good day for the UUFH, which hosted its second Sources Supper. About 75 members attended, and were treated to great food, good fellowship, and a lesson and conversation about the sources of our faith. It was a great night to

be a UU. It was a truly intergenerational event, and I think everyone learned something about our history and about each other. We covered many of our historical sources from Michael Servetus to William Ellery Channing to Ralph Waldo Emerson to John Dietrich. We are hop-ing to make this an annual event, and change the program a little each year so it stays fresh. This event would not have been possible with-out the contributions of Lisa Moskowitz, who was in charge of the menu, and the delicious food and drink. Susan Rizack, along with Lisa, did much of the organizing, created a beautiful logo, sent out the invitations, and was an all

The Beacon 3 April, 2014

around help. She also led the discussion on Mi-chael Servetus, Francis David and King Sigis-mund. Robyn Bellospirito wrote the entire section about our Sixth Source, Earth Centered practices, and led its presentation. Robyn also led us in a fun Native American chant at the end of the night. She was wonderful. Debi Tracey, event planner extraordinaire, organized the actual event. Andy Feigin and Ben Testa created a slide show to sup-plement the program. Pat Testa and Cathi Zill-mann helped set up and usher. Ben Testa and Bill Hecker helped set up and led the discussions on Transcendentalism and Humanism. Harriet McKenna provided angelic harp music. David Hirsch helped in the kitchen and with the sound. I helped with the organization, served as the unoffi-cial master of ceremonies, rewrote and led the discussion on American Unitarianism and Univer-salism, and finally figured out how to turn the lights on in the main hall with the funny looking key. Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Edu-cation, and the Religious Education Committee helped foot the bill, as the cost of the event came from the REC budget. Even the children got in-volved. Ben Moskowitz helped with the set up, and even went so far as to vacuum clean the gal-lery, and Vanessa Rizack and Jocelyn Rizack also helped with the set up and created origami candle and pencil holders for each table. It was truly a team effort to make this event a success!

Michael Goldsmith, UUFH President

BOARD MESSAGE BOARD

It always amazes me just how many food donations magically appear for our Second Sunday Potluck, and March 9 was no exception. Everyone was heavily fortified for the Board forum that followed, our second of the Fellowship year. Our goal is to

share with you some of the projects we’re working on and get the chance to hear your feedback. The main topic of discussion at the forum were very preliminary parking lot plans. The winter was not kind to the parking lot— or to our cars and our ability to walk safely to the building—so I think no one disputes that something needs to be done. In the fall, the Board asked the Parking Lot Commit-

tee—Jim Thomas, Frank Sappell and Jon Nielsen—to come up with plans to be pre-sented to the congregation in the spring. The 30 people in attendance at the forum got to see the highly creative plans that Jim drew. The plans offer unique ideas, like moving trees, having one entrance in the front of the building to control traffic flow, and most im-portant, the concept that we can conceivably break this project into separate ones if need be. But let me be clear: That’s all we have for now. We do not have final plans. We do not have a list of suggested materials. And we do not have any final costs. Further, the Board is not planning to conduct a capital campaign to fund a new parking lot. We don't expect to be able to raise the amount of money we need for the parking lot in any giv-en year. The Board will consider various op-tions including loans.

Meanwhile, the Fellowship is currently con-ducting our annual canvass, which is fo-cused on improvements to programming so that we can integrate newcomers, friends, and visitors as new members. We are asking our membership to be as generous as possi-ble and increase your pledge as you are able. If you have already pledged and have not increased your pledge because you were planning to contribute to a capital campaign, please contact Sue McGovern at 631-239-5683 to adjust your pledge. At the meeting, Rev. Jude mentioned that we had been approached in the fall by a phone company that wanted to consider our proper-ty for a cell phone tower rental. We hadn’t heard anything more until this week when we were approached by a different company. We have since learned that we’re located in an area that simply won’t cover enough cus-tomers to make it worth the while of most cell companies. I know it seems like déjà vu, par-ticularly for me since I was on the Board 12 years ago when we last discussed this as a congregation! But it never hurts to hear what these companies have to say. If there’s ever

April, 2014 4 The Beacon

anything new to report, we promise to share it with you. There is always something new going on at the UUFH. It’s one of the things that make us such a vibrant congregation. We will continue to keep you updated about these topics. But mean-while we have much to do with all of our current plans, so we can’t let preliminary discussions about fu-ture ideas get in the way of the very real needs we have today.

Liza Burby Vice President

2014 REPORT FROM THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Below are biographical sketches of candidates that the Nominating Committee has nominated to serve. We will be voting on the slate at our congregational meeting on April 27.

Submitted by the Nominating Committee, Jan Brenner, Ben Testa, Judy Greene,

Jenna Kern-Rugile, and Lee Kurfist, Chairperson Jennifer Thieke: Vice President I have attended the UUFH since 2005, and have been a member since shortly thereafter. My hus-band Tim Thieke, a high school teacher, and I have four children: Natalie, 11, Charlotte, 9, Wil-liam, 7, and Thomas, 5, who were dedicated at UUFH and are active in the Fellowship’s reli-gious education program. I hold a B.S. from Fordham University, a M.S.W. from Hunter Col-lege School of Social Work and, a J.D. from New York Law School. I have worked as a drug treatment counselor, a social worker in the Bellevue Hospital Criminal Court Psychiatry Clinic, and an attorney working in the field of medical malpractice.

I was raised a Unitarian Universalist in Salem, OR. From 1991- 2002 I attended All Souls Uni-tarian Church in Manhattan. Tim and I were mar-ried at All Souls in 2001. After moving to Long Island in 2002, we visited the UUFH. I immedi-ately felt the familiar comfort of being with like-minded people. Our family has come to value

the church as a meaningful part of our lives. Dur-ing the past eight years, our family has looked to the UUFH for spiritual, social, and intellectual ful-fillment. From 2010-’13 I served on the RE committee, serving as the co-chair for one year. I’m currently teaching the pre-K/K class in the religious educa-tion program. In past years I have taught the first, second and third grade classes. For the past three summers, Tim and I have worked with UUFH youth at Camp Sophia Fahs in Shelter Is-land. I have volunteered at HIHI for the past four years. I am consistently present to lend a helping hand at Fellowship events such as Centers, the Christmas pageant, the children’s gallery, Social Action Sundays, the Halloween party and the teacher training luncheon. Tim and I regularly at-tend the Services Auction and we pledge annual-ly to the Fellowship. Through my involvement, I have come to realize how much the Fellowship means to me and my family. I am committed to giving back to the Fel-lowship through service as vice president on the Board. Realizing that I may have taken for grant-ed the very existence of the Fellowship, I want to do my part to insure its growth, development, and healthy continuation for years to come. Kim Schultze: Secretary I work as a Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Huntington. Pri-or to working with Coldwell Banker Residential, I spent 22 years working in technology on Wall Street in New York City for top-tier financial firms. I came to UUFH with my partner in 1993 looking for a spiritual home that would be accepting of our same sex relationship. I became a member in 1995. The UUFH has given me so much through the years that I want to give back when-ever I can. In my 19+ years as a member of UUFH I have assisted with religious education, been an usher for Sunday services, helped in various roles with the Renaissance Faire, done some Second Saturday Shared Maintenance, been on the Canvas Committee and the Endow-ment and Investment committees, coordinated several Gay Pride Services, volunteered on Sun-

The Beacon 5 April, 2014

2009. Everything about the Fellowship and UU felt right. I signed the book that spring. I began a discussion group centered around the Speaking of Faith programs. Those discussions and the wonderful people who shared in them have given me great solace. I began sitting with the meditation group on Friday mornings, a source of peace and equanimity. I asked to participate in the activities of the Sunday Program Committee while Susan Kenler was chair and found myself immediately at home with a great group of crea-tive, beautiful, spiritual folks. I have now served as SPC co-chair for 3 years. I joined the Castle Care team since I love tinkering and feel a bond to our spiritual house. In 2012 I attended the LILI program and the “Justice” General Assembly in Phoenix. I sensed how much the congregation might benefit from a video display in the worship hall and led the task force to get one installed. I formed the Presenta-tions Committee that prepares the screen presen-tations every Sunday. I got to know and love Les Swan and in his memory, worked to refurbish the north wall chalice he had created many years ago. This spring, I have begun to volunteer as an RE teacher. All of these activities have nurtured my spiritual growth and a deepening sense of connection and compassion in my world. I am glad to be asked to serve on the Committee on Ministry. David Schulman: Committee on Ministry I gratefully acknowledge my nomination to the UUFH Committee on Ministry. As a leader trans-formation coach, I create developmental partner-ships with organizational leaders to find refreshed, re-energized ways of thinking, being, and doing and amplifying those results system-wide. From my grandfather, a brilliant entrepreneur, I inherited a fascination with enterprise of all kinds. From my father, a human relations master thinker and train-er, comes my commitment to a lifetime of service and my capacity for connection with people of all kinds and their challenges. My 30-year experience arc as a special education teacher, police officer

day night with HIHI, have been chairperson of Interweave and have served as a Board trus-tee. I have been nominated as secretary on the UUFH Board and I accept the responsibility and look forward to giving back to UUFH in this ca-pacity, even in a small way. Thank you for your trust and confidence. Brian Cohen: Trustee My wife Debbie and I have been attending the UUFH for almost 15 years, and have been members for the past 10, and enjoyed the times that I assisted and taught RE. I began serving as the finance chair in 2013.

I grew up in Brooklyn, and for the past 20 years have lived in Greenlawn with Debbie and our two daughters, Amanda and Rebecca, and our pooch (poodle/shih-tzu mix), Buddy. I have been in the financial services field for close to 30 years, including a number of years on Long Island as a Branch Manager for Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments, and most re-cently joined as a partner with the investment advisory firm Core-X Wealth Management. I continue to serve as a nember of FINRA’s Board of Arbitrators, which I have been with since 2001. In addition, I served as a volunteer board of director for the Townwide Fund of Huntington for 10 years.

I am honored to be nominated to serve the Board as trustee. Andrew Feigin: Committee on Ministry Prior to discovering this Fellowship and Unitari-an Universalism, my longing for spiritual mean-ing was strong but without direction. Always in search of a path, I had found great meaning in the conversations I heard through the radio pro-gram, Speaking of Faith (now OnBeing). But I was alone in my spiritual journey and began longing for a community. That longing led me to the UUFH. I attended my first service on Jan. 4,

April, 2014 6 The Beacon

and law enforcement leader, psychotherapist, and NYU-trained executive coach makes me relent-lessly inquisitive, deeply insightful, and highly col-laborative. I sing, sail, and doggedly pursue my lifelong quest to create the perfect vinaigrette dressing. My mate-for-keeps, Emmett Hughes, and I live in Huntington with our fabulous 4-year-old daughter, Ayla. Kathryn Johnson: Endowment Committee I’ve been a member of UUFH since 1987. I am honored to be nominated for a position on the En-dowment Committee. Through my years of mem-bership, I have served various terms on the Board of Trustees: president, vice president, treasurer and trustee. I have also worked with the Steward-ship team as finance chair and canvass chair. As treasurer, I was ex-officio member of the Invest-ment and Endowment Committees. I hope that this experience and understanding of the UUFH governance policies will make me a capable stew-ard of the Fellowships endowment funds. REGISTRATION FOR 2014 GA IS NOW OPEN

LOVE REACHES OUT is the theme for this year’s Annual General Assembly Meeting being held in Providence, RI from June 25 - 29. Fostering change both within our congregations and in our relationship to the larger community, especially those who are in search of a liberal religious home, will be the focus. Providence, a small city with excellent restaurants and active art and mu-sic scenes, will offer lots to do after and between sessions. The 2014 Ware lecturer will be Sister Simone Campbell, a leader of the Nuns on the Bus move-ment, an attorney with extensive experience in public policy and advocacy for systemic change. She is also a poet. Sister Simone is an outspoken social liberal who decided as a young girl to be-come a nun while participating in a lunch counter sit-in in the early days of the Civil Rights Move-ment. Early registration, which is in progress, continues until April 30. Participants are welcome to register

right up to the start of the GA sessions; how-ever, the fees become higher beginning May 1. Registration is quite flexible and it is possi-ble to register for only part of the conference. Accommodations are available through the UUA website or by contacting various online travel services such as airbnb.com and be-dandbreakfast.com. Discount cards can be bought at Costco and on Ebay. Royal Forest is coordinating the UUFH dele-gation, so please let her know that you plan to attend.

Sue Kenler

SPLIT PLATE FOR APRIL

This month’s split plate is in support of ani-mals in our township. The League for Animal Protection of Huntington, Inc. (LAP) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization established in 1973 and dedicated to the rescue, care and rehabilitation of stray, abandoned and abused animals in Huntington Township. Our goal is to continue this crucial work on behalf of all of the animals that have passed through our doors. In 1982 under an agreement with the Town of Huntington, the Grateful Paw Cat Shelter was built. This refuge without cages, which is a temporary home to kittens and cats is man-aged and staffed by dedicated volunteers and supported solely by contributions to the League. All of the shelter’s felines are vet checked, FELV and FIV tested, inoculated and spayed or neutered before being placed for adoption. Volunteers from LAP assist the Town of Hun-tington in their Dog Placement Program. The volunteers evaluate, exercise, socialize, train, and groom the dogs housed in the shelter. Some dogs are placed in foster care until they are able to find a permanent home. Most im-portantly, they are given a LAP volunteer’s love and attention. The primary goal is to place an animal in a permanent home. LAP carefully screens all potential adopters and follows up to ensure

The Beacon 7 April, 2014

that both owner and pet are adapting well. LAP maintains a lifelong commitment to its companion animals. Support from our congregation will help the shelter continue its excellent tradition of car-ing.

Amy Olander

UUFH WOMEN’S GROUP TUESDAY, APRIL 1

Brian is coming! Brian is coming! The next meeting of the UUFH Women's Group will be Tuesday, April 1 at 7:30 pm. Brian Cohen, our own financial industry "maven" and chair of our UUFH Finance Committee, will be with

us to help us with the vagaries of the world of fi-nance. We all want to understand our financial situation as well as we can, so that we make the best possible decisions for our present and our future. Please join us on the First to get the latest on your money and your life! We begin with snacks and social time, leading in to our evening event, and we're hoping you'll be here with us!

Judie Gardner

NOT NECESSARILY SENIORS APRIL SCHEDULE

Wednesday, April 2: Bill Hecker will present a film titled “Smarter Brains” by a Harvard professor. Wednesday, April 16: Please bring in a memory of your service to the community. For example, serving: on jury duty, in your local PTA, as “Rosie the Riveter,” in the military, as an election inspec-tor, in the HIHI program, etc. Both meetings will begin at noon in the social hall with a bag lunch (yours) followed at 1 pm by a presentation. Everyone is welcome so come join us. Coffee, tea, and cookies will be available.

Dorothy Burns NNS

UUFH SEDER SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 6:00 PM

“WHY IS THIS NIGHT DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER NIGHTS?”

April 19 is the night of our annual Fellowship Passover Seder Dinner. On this night, we re-visit the story of Passover and human freedom as we read and sing through our Unitarian Universalist Hagaddah. Come enjoy a deli-cious, traditional home-cooked Passover din-ner. Watch our talented children and some courageous adults perform this year's UUFH Passover skit. Guests are welcome. Look for the Seder sign-up table in the social hall after the service. Deadline for sign-up is Sunday, April 13.

Debbie Cohen & Harriet McKenna

ACTORS NEEDED FOR SEDER SKIT

On April 19, our annual Seder Dinner will take place and our long-standing UUFH tradition is to have a youth/intergenerational skit per-formed that evening. There will be speaking and non-speaking parts, with rehearsals on Sunday, April 6 & 13, 12:15 pm —1:15 pm (with bagels for the kids) and April 19 at 5. We will choose a skit from our repertoire from prior years based on the number of performers. Since some prep time is needed for costumes/props for some of the skits, please let me know ASAP if your child (ren) would like to be a part of this and will be available for the re-hearsals.

Thanks, Harriet McKenna – 631-242-3986

APRIL GALLERY: LINDA LOUIS

The inspiration for “The Universe From My Win-dow” comes from the artist's self-examination and the intensely person-al perspective we experi-

April, 2014 8 The Beacon

ence as significant beings through the firmament of our own existence. Growing up with severely handicapped children gave the artist a firsthand look at how even the smallest can have power.

Louis’ work is in many private and public collec-tions. She has been represented by prominent NYC galleries and has taught art in NY and NJ and entrepreneurship in art at Hofstra University. She is originator and curator of the highly suc-cessful series, Art After Dark, at the Art League of LI and is a member of the board of directors of the Huntington Arts Council. Her art education

includes Parsons, MFA and Adelphi U., BFA. All are invited to meet Linda and view her beauti-ful work on Sunday, April 6 at a reception after the service.

Lauren Singer

CASTLE CARE FOR APRIL

Now that the weather is becoming a bit more pleasant, you are all invited to join us on Satur-day morning, April 12 to make the grounds more attractive for spring festivities, et cetera. Of course, there are plentiful items needing attention inside the building as well! The workers who appeared on the last two Sec-ond Saturdays have been very much appreciat-ed. In addition to the Castle Care Committee (listed below), they included Marsha Tovim, Alice Link, Tony Chiarelli, and Larry Buckley. They all deserve our thanks. Hope to see you all at the April 12 “work party!”

The Castle Care Committee:

Frank Sappell, Scott Yanuck (co-chairs), Jon Nielsen, Susan Peters,

and Ginny Kushnick.

MISSION NEWS

As you are all aware, the Committee on Ministry has been working with the congregation to facili-tate the writing of our mission statement. Through

meetings, small group conversations, e-mails and much collaboration, we have all created a motivating and empowering mission statement. Please join us at the Congregational Meeting on April 27 to vote for our Mission. It is… In religious community, we nurture our indi-vidual spirits through caring for one another and helping to heal the world. Mary Sussman

Committee on Ministry

DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAM Pastoral Care has been in touch with the Family Association of Daytop Village Parents and they have agreed to do another educational program for us. It will be an evening of updating us as to the current drug situation in our area and ways of identifying and dealing with this issue. Mark your calendar for 7:30 pm, Friday, May 16 at the Fel-lowship.

Evelyn Krell for Pastoral Care

ANNUAL PLANT SALE SATURDAY, MAY 17

The UUFH Annual Plant Sale will take place on Saturday, May 17. Itchy for spring? Aren’t we all! Hopefully, relief is on the way! It’s never too early to plan your spring and Summer gardens.

Our 2014 plant sale will help your gardens be the best ever and raise money for the UUFH while beautifying your life. A list of available flowers will appear in the Beacon and in your Order of Service. Sorry to report that flats of impatiens will not be available again this year because of downy mildew. There will be a photo posting on our website showing plants available for sale this year.

Jean Marra The Plant Sale Committee

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AMAZON AND iGIVE CONTRIBUTIONS

Thank you to everyone who does their shopping by going to our web site and using the link to Ama-zon.com and iGive.com. All you need to do is log on to www.uufh.org and scroll down to the bottom and click on SUPPORT THE UUFH AS YOU SHOP! Go to our Stewardship Page for ways to help. Ask your relatives and friends to shop through our website.

Jean Marra Treasurer

THANK YOU

IN MEMORY OF FRANK POMES

I was never fond of the expressions, "You're on-ly given what you can handle in life," and "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Having experienced a lot of pain and hardship myself, I have often felt that it just made me more worn out. But, no matter how many life experiences we have, there is always more to learn. The outpouring of caring we have received from our UU family the last two weeks has meant more to us than words can adequately describe. Rev. Jude gave my girls and me the meaningful guid-ance that helped us support my brother togeth-er through this very difficult time. And the warmth, understanding, and support that have been so widely and generously offered have deepened our heartfelt appreciation even more fully for our home here with you. Thank you all - for all you have done, and continue to do - to enrich our lives and make us better people.

With love, The Rizacks

CONGREGATIONAL COVENANT Our Fellowship thrives in an atmosphere of trust, respect and cooperation. As members and friends of this congregation, we covenant to: Accept responsibility for our individual acts. Communicate with kindness, support and sensitivity. Allow for vibrant discussion in which we actively listen and clarify what we hear. Cultivate a respect for different perspectives and opinions.

Acknowledge human fallibility. Act in good faith and assume good intentions. Show respect, gratitude and appreciation. Respect confidentiality in our interactions with other congregants and as appropriate in partic-ipation in Fellowship committees and activities.

Participate and serve with compassion and commitment.

For Care/Share

Needs and Concerns Please contact Judie Gardner

631-549-9191

Judiedelano@aol.com

REMINDER Please send announcements to webmaster@uufh.org and indicate if it is for the Beacon, Flash or printed Sunday announcements.

Thank you

April, 2014 10 The Beacon

BEYOND OUR WALLS

DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR THE SPLIT PLATE AND GRANT PROGRAMS FEBRUARY 13, 2014

For background information on these programs and the history of funding, go to http://uufh.org/faith-in-action/giving-congregational-philanthropy/ Proposal: Split Plate: The Split Plate will go to any charity, congregational or denominational program which is either locally based or global. Applications are accepted at any time and decisions are made as ap-plications are submitted. Rationale: While many are concerned that our money should be “Beyond our walls” and not given to UU based programs, we recognize the need to support programs when they arise. Since needs arise which cannot be put into the UUFH budget, it is important to be able to support these programs through Split Plate. To date, only a small percentage of Split Plate recipients have gone toward UUFH or denominational programs. Since this is a voluntary contribution, congregants can partici-pate as they see fit. Grant Program: Grants will go to a community based organization with emphasis on local charities. The grant program is given in May. Funding for this grant is based on a percentage of actual pledge money. The percentage is as follows:

1. Funding will be allocated based upon gross pledges actually paid to the UUFH operating budget in the previously completed fiscal year, including payments made up to two months in arrears (for that specific fiscal year).

2. Funding for BOW will be allocated as the sum of the following: a. 1% of the total amount paid (see above) b. 10% of amount paid in excess of $300,000 but less than $350,000 c. 15% of amount paid in excess of $350,000

Rationale: Grants will not be given to UUFH or denominational programs in order to increase our reach into the community. Grants will be awarded for either local or nonlocal charities in order to al-low for flexibility in funding depending on the applications received. As always, member’s involve-ment in the charity is weighted heavily. Funding will remain the same as in the past. Comments: This giving program is one of the strengths of this generous community and we want it to remain strong. Your comments are essential to this process. Please email the committee at BOW@UUFH.org. Feel free to post your comments using post-its on the poster in the social hall. There will be an informational meeting about the proposal draft and any changes on Sunday, April 6 at noon. The proposal will be voted on at the Congregational meeting on April 27.

BOW Committee:

The Beacon 11 April, 2014

TIME CAPSUULE #7 By Michael Goldsmith

This is from Beacon Volume XVIII, No. 30, April 9, 1968. It speaks for itself. TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING The following is an excerpt from an article by Dr. King in the March/April 1968 issue of the Humanist: “I can still sing “We shall still overcome.” We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, and it bends toward justice. We shall overcome because Carlisle is right, “No lie can live forev-er.” We shall overcome because William Cullen Bryant is right, “Truth pressed to earth, shall rise again.” We shall overcome because James Russell Lowell is right, “Truth forever on the scaffold, worng forever on the throne, yet that scaffold sways the future.” With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountains of despair the stone of hope; with this faith we will be able to transform the jan-gling discords of our cities to a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. We will be able to speed up the day when people all over this nation, white men and black men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands, and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we’re free at last.”

UUFH Time CapsUUle

On the Death of Martin Luther King When will we learn To love? The Supreme Concern of all Who walk this earth should be To love. But do we give it this priority? Fortunes come first. Position comes first. Fun comes first. Yet, without love, none of these Is fully experienced. What do we teach our children? Status comes first. Winning comes first. Owning comes first. I think our blind mistakes must be That live is free for the asking – It takes some doing: Motivation, Will, Caring. Oh, when will we learn To love? HJ – 4/5/68

This column, and all future UU Time Capsuules are dedicat-ed to our wonderful archivists, past, present and future, who so lovingly preserved our heritage, so we can hear from our elders, and speak to your descendents.

On the Death of Martin Luther King, Jr.

A man of peace is dead. What of life is in us? What of death is in us? Sounds of violent hate salute The death of a man of peace. Sorrow and fright flow out with tears – In mourning or self-pity? A man of peace is dead. Life goes on. How? Where? Why?

Ben Ruekberg

April, 2014 12 The Beacon

SUMMER CAMPSSUMMER CAMPSSUMMER CAMPS

Sophia Fahs UU Camp in Shelter Island, NY:http://www.liacuu.org/Fahs Camp for grades 3-12, August 10-15

Goldmine Youth Leadership School:http://uumetrony.org/events/events.htm

Goldmine Youth Leadership School East, August 17-23 at Unitarian Church of Staten Island, NY

Goldmine Youth Leadership School West, July 6-12 near Oberlin College in Ohio.

Murray Grove UU Camp in Lanoka Harbor, NJ:www.murraygrove.org for grades 4-7, August 10-14

Unirondack UU Camp in the Adirondacks:http://www.unirondack.org/

BARTON youth week for ages 9-12, June 29-July 5

CHANNING I youth week for ages 12-14, July 6-12

CHANNING II youth week for ages 12-14, July 13-19

PARKER I youth week for ages 14-16, July 20-26

PARKER II youth week for ages 14-16, July 27-August 2

HIGH PEAKS ADVENTURE for ages 15-18, July 27-August2

BALLOU I for ages 15-18, August 3-9 (FULL for girls)

BALLOU II for ages 15-18, August 10-16 (FULL)

FAMILY CAMP for families of all kinds, August 17-23

Star Island, NH: http://www.starisland.org/

Youth Empowerment and Spirituality for ages 15-22,June 21-28

All Star 1 Family Conference If a Tree Talks in the Forest.Eavesdropping on the Dialogues of Plants, June 28-July 5

All Star 2 Family Conference The Wonders of Language from the Eyes of an Anthropologist, July 5-12

Lifespan RE Evolution, Devolution, Revolution: On Church, Change, and Choosing a Full Week Faith, July 12-19

International Affairs Family Conference Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities, July 19-26

Life on a Star 1 Family Conference Playing for Social Good: Building a Better World Together, August 9-16

Life on a Star 2 Family Conference Civilized to Death,August 16-23

More at http://starisland.org/conferences/2014-conference-listing/

Southeast UU Summer Institute (SUUSI) in Radford, VA: http://www.suusi.org

Intergenerational and Family Retreat, July 20-26

UU Mid-Atlantic Community in Center Valley, PA:www.uumac.org

2014 Retreat, July 13-19 with programs for children, youth and adults

UU Camp & Conference Center in Rowe, MA:www.rowecenter.org

Young People's Camp for ages 8-11, July 13-19 & 20-26

Transitions Camp for ages 11-13, July 13-26

JR High Camp for ages 13-15, June 22-July 12

SR High Camp for ages 15-18, July 27-August 16

Adult Camps also available. Visit the website.

The UU College of Social Justice:http://uucsj.org/youth/

New Orleans Youth Justice Training for grades 9-12,July 12-20

Boston Youth Justice Training for youth grades 9-12,July 19-August 1. Apply by May 11.

Ferry Beach

Ferry Beach is a retreat, camp, and conference center located on the coast of Southern Maine. Founded in 1901 by

Universalist minister, Quillen Shinn, Ferry Beach is committed to positive personal and community transformation.

Visit their website for an array of opportunities.

The Beacon 13 April, 2014

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