Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham

4300 Hampton Heights Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209 Tel: 205.945.8109 Fax: 205.945.8111

Email: office@uucbham.org Web: www.uucbham.org

Greetings, members and friends of the UU Church of Birmingham: this is your weekly All-Church E-mail for

Friday, May 13th, 2011.

~*~

This Sunday, May 15th, 2011 “The Troll's Mirror”

The Rev. Lone Jensen Broussard ~*~

What we believe matters. It shapes our behavior, it colors our outlook and ultimately determines our spiritual well being. Join us as we examine how our own internal "fun house" mirrors can help or hinder us. Since we are a congregation that welcomes many different beliefs it is for us a deeply religious issue as well.

TWO MORE WEEKS: GBM's Mothers Day Food Drive: Please bring canned or boxed foods to UUCB, starting next Sunday, May 8 thru Sunday May 22, for Greater Birmingham Ministry's food pantry for children during the summer months, when school is out. Even more families will be in need because of the devastation of recent tornados. UUCB will provide a box or basket in the Narthex for collection of the food items.

Scott Elementary School, on the edge of Pratt City, is collecting items for relief of tornado victims in its hard-hit area. They need things for babies, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products, ladies

deodorant, flashlights and batteries, gallon-size zip lock bags, old luggage-back packs-and gym bags, and men's clothing. Taking items to the school gets them quickly to people in greatest need. All donations greatly appreciated!

Tornado Relief Donations One of our youth, Jessie, is collecting donations for families as part of her leadership in the Homewood ROTC. Donations that are needed currently include clothing and toiletries. Please bring items to church and look for the box labeled "Homewood ROTC".

The UUCB Nominating Committee continues to be hard at work in preparing a slate of candidates to fill various leadership positions. We will present to the Board in the very near future. If you have recommendations, please submit to the Nominating Committee.

We are: Erica Anderson, Darryl Hunt, Kim Spidell, Mary Williams and Deborah Young.

Positions to be filled: President Vice President Treasurer Secretary 3 for Board of Trustee members 1 for Endowment Committee 2 for Nominating Committee

Help Feed the Homeless

Participate in the UUCB Pathways Casserole Drive

Every third Sunday of the month, bring a frozen casserole to church and I will deliver it to Pathways, a

shelter for homeless women and children.

This Sunday, the 15th is casserole day for the

month of May.

This is a great project for an individual or for a family to do together. All you need to do is to make (or

buy) a casserole. Freeze it in a disposable aluminum casserole pan and wrap it tightly in foil. Please label

what it is and the date. One or two casseroles can make a meal for the downtown shelter’s guests. So even

just one casserole really helps and they appreciate it very much. If you have questions or would like to be

put on the email reminder list, email me, Carrie Crenshaw at ccrensh@charter.net Otherwise, just bring

your casserole!

Feed Someone and Make a Difference

And a Big THANK YOU to those of you who have already made a

difference by participating! Keep on Cooking!

Under the guidance of their teachers, Kerri Barnstable and Jennifer Riddle the

1st – 3rd grade RE class made 11 casseroles!

Chuck Jeffries and Helen Rivas Tamale Pie with Turkey

Ruth Vann Lillian Shepherd’s Pie Casserole

Sue Garrick Corn Casserole

Anne Bloomer Chicken, Green Bean and Rice Casserole

Jackie Mazzara Macaroni with Meaty Sauce

Barbara Koehler Macaroni and Cheese

Marcella Little Scalloped Potatoes and Canadian Bacon

Jeanne Weaver Macaroni and Cheese

Gerda Carmichael Cheese Souffle

Franciska Dyck Cheese Ziti

Ashley and Winn Chatham 20 Boxes of Girl Scout Cookies!

Sundaae Morning Forum Discussion Group at 9:00 am will be watching the lecture series “The Medieval World” on the 2nd & 4th Sundays each month. Everyone is welcome. Consecutive attendance is not essential. Want to be a Service Leader?

We would like to invite people to submit their application to be part of our evolving worship program here at UUCB. If you would like to find out more about being a Service Leader (SL) and take part in the upcoming ½ day SL training offered on May 7th, please contact Chauma Smith-Guss at chauma.guss@gmail.com or Patti Steelman at PattiSteelman@gmail.com.

Have you ever wondered how we can reach the people who are Unitarian Universalists at heart but do not know that this congregation is here? A Membership Outreach Committee is being formed and looking for members who will help with this task. For information please contact Buck Williams: phone 925-0938, cell: 223-7060, email: buckeysan@gmail.com. Techies! Help Wanted! Can you turn a Word document into one that can be filled out online and emailed? The Software Task Force would like to have our questionnaires online for church people to fill out and email to us. We have the documents - do you have the skills to help? Please email Anne Bloomer at annebloomer@me.com. UUCB Prom, June 4th, 6:30-10 pm Ever wish you could go back and re-do your prom experience now that you're finally as cool as you thought you were in high school?? Well, get ready to break out those dancing shoes!! The first ever UUCB Prom will be Saturday, June 4th from 6:30-10 pm. Hors-d'oeuvres will begin at 6:30, and the band will start up around 7. UUCB's own Jason Hollon and his band will play songs from the last several decades! There will be plenty of food, drink, and even a real photographer to capture those Prom memories. We need your help--help us find a theme for the Prom and get a prize! If you have an idea for a theme for the Prom, please submit it to Kim Shoemaker in the church office (office@uucbham.org) or to Anthony Hamley (ahamley25@gmail.com) by Sunday, 5/15, at 10:30 am. Prom tickets will be ready for sale as soon as we have a theme. See you there!

What’s Happening in Religious Education?

A note to the congregation: a number of you have asked recently about what's happening with my office. Lone and I are switching! With a young toddler and a new baby on the way, I do quite a bit of my work from home and have somewhat

limited office hours here at the church. I'm also available by appointment at other times, and often meet with congregants as needed outside the church. As you can imagine, our minister is here quite a bit of time, and during her time here, she needs a private location for pastoral counseling, small group meetings, etc. So, we decided to switch. It puts me closer to the hubbub of the "central office," which I enjoy, and gives her a quieter spot for the many things on her plate. So, we hope you enjoy coming to visit us in our new spaces. We're both very excited about the move!

Sharron Swain, Director of Religious Education

1. Thank you to everyone who made contributions to our Stewardship Jar!

2. This coming Sunday will be the last day of classes for the 2010-11 school year. We encourage parents and children to create and bring a small gift of appreciation - this could be something homemade, a card, etc. for your child(ren)'s teachers or childcare workers. They put in untold amounts of time this year helping to nurture our little one's spirits this year, and they deserve extreme gratitude from our ENTIRE church community.

4. We'll be having childcare and classes as usual.

5. If you have not yet turned in your pledge forms for next year, please make it a priority to do so this Sunday. Last Sunday before the Board and Finance Committee create the budget for next year. Even if you can only give a little bit each month,

please do go ahead and give that little bit. And if you can give more, please do that, too!

What's Happening in Adult RE?

The Sunday Morning Meditation Group meets form 9-10 in Room 114 downstairs. All are welcome. No experience needed.

If you are planning to attend the 50th Anniversary UUA General Assembly, June 22-26 in Charlotte NC, please go to www.uua.org to register and obtain housing information, and contact Sharron Swain at dre@uucbham.org so we can organize a contingent from our congregation. This is a wonderful way to meet other UUs and come away feeling energized and inspired!

TOMORROW

TICKETS FOR POLITICALLY INCORRECT ON SALE NOW!

"Sophisticated ... outrageous ... and always progressive ...

the only continuing political satire cabaret ensemble in the US"

Tickets to the Berlin-style cabaret performance by The Politically Incorrect Cabaret,

"P.I.C -- Enemy of the State," May 14, 8:00 PM, are on sale!

Seating is limited and by prepaid reservation, only.

Three ways for you to reserve & purchase:

Offline by Credit Card: 205.838.1391 [leave call back number]

Online at: http://www.politicallyincorrectcabaret.com/shows.html

Postal Mail/Checks to:

The Politically Incorrect Cabaret, %Diane McNaron, 136 Roebuck Drive, B'ham, AL 35215

$20 table seating, BYOB

$15 row seating

May 14, 8:00 PM,

Birmingham Performance @ Homewood Community Arts Center

[Home of the Children's Dance Foundation]

1715 27th Court South

Homewood, AL 35209

Directions at: http://childrensdancefoundation.org/WhoWeAre/Directions.aspx

205.838.1391 for information

TOMORROW

UUA ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP -- Saturday, May 14, 2011

By Larry Wheeler, UUA Stewardship Consultant

I will be visiting with you on Saturday, May 14, 2011, to present a 6 hour Assessment Workshop from 9:00-

3:00 (or 10-4) at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham. With such workshops, our hope is to have

as large a turnout as possible. Child care is offered, and lunch will be provided; however, please confirm your

attendance with Anthony Hamley (either email at ahamley25@gmail.com or call 205-253-4965) no later than

May 7, 2011, so that lunch can be reserved for you. The lunch will be provided to you free of charge though

donations to pay for lunch will be gratefully accepted.

This type of event is what UUA Stewardship Consultants regularly recommend to congregations as they

consider new Vision and Mission statements, a Strategic Plan, and when considering eventually undertaking a

Capital Campaign. The reasons for this include:

1. We want congregations to be successful in this overall process. History has shown that if they are not

successful, it often impacts them negatively for years to come.

2. In the workshop, we review what we've learned about where you are and where you say you want to go,

and we will discuss with you the steps you've indicated you plan to take to get you there. Often, in this

process, it becomes obvious that not everything has been considered or that certain assumptions or

plans should be reviewed further and possibly adjusted.

3. We bring solid backgrounds to the process. In my own case, I have been a UU for 44 years with a long

history of fundraising and financial experience, the last 18 years as a UUA Stewardship Consultant. I

have belonged to small, medium-sized and large UU congregations and served 8 years as a UUA Board of

Trustees member representing both the Florida and Mid-South Districts. At the end of the workshop, I

will highlight my observations and recommendations and upon returning home, will immediately send you a

written report.

4. By the way, this workshop is offered to congregations who are "Fair Share" contributors to the UUA at

an all inclusive rate of $1080 -- a real bargain given the amount of time that a consultant puts into

preparing for and conducting the workshop. The UUA considers the process that important and has

found that it regularly helps congregations to reach stronger consensus as they move forward.

Please do plan to attend the workshop! If you have questions, contact Anthony Hamley at

ahamley25@gmail.com or at 205-253-4965.

Please RSVP to Kim at office@uucbham.org.

Sanctuary Art Exhibit Greetings from Earth

Our sanctuary artist for May and June is Dale Short. His exhibit of photographs is titled “Greetings from Earth.” Opening reception will be Sunday, May 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Dale Short fell in love with photography in elementary school, and his parents supported the endeavor even when it required commandeering the bathroom for his darkroom. He later went on to work as a photojournalist, and eventually switched to advertising photography in search of big bucks. After years of running through airports with a hundred pounds of lighting equipment, he became so burned out on photography that he refused on principle to own a camera. This impasse ended on the day his granddaughter was born and the objects in the world took on a whole new glow. Several thousand photographs later, he's assembled two dozen for an exhibit

titled "Greetings from Earth"--based on his finding that when you start looking at things closely enough they appear to be from another planet. One ongoing series is "The Holy Church of...", based on his theory that everything looks holy when seen in the right kind of light. A native of Shanghi, Alabama, Dale has worked as a newspaper and magazine editor, a television producer, book editor, layout designer, advertising photographer, radio DJ, corporate communications consultant, public radio commentator ,journalism instructor for 17 years at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, an instructor in fiction and playwriting at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and has done readings and seminars at colleges across the U.S.

From the Committee on Ministry The Committee on Ministry’s mission is to evaluate the shared ministry of the congregation and the minister of the UUCB. A shared ministry comprises the work of the members of the congregation, the standing committees of the church and the efforts of the minister. In addition, in concert with Rev. Broussard, we will continue to guide the work related to the covenant which began last year. As we go through this church year, we hope you will share your thoughts with us. We need to learn what works and what needs improvement in our shared ministry. You are encouraged to share your thoughts with any of the committee members. You can recognize us by our salmon-colored nametags. Please note that while we cannot accept anonymous comments, any that we receive will remain confidential within our committee. Committee on Ministry members for 2010-2011 are: Juanzetta Flowers, Chair; Andy Duxbury, Vice-Chair; Tan Crochen, Mary Williams, Dale Hogeland, Winn Chatham, and Anthony Hamley, who serves as the transition member from last year. We welcome your input to our mission. Contact Juanzetta Flowers or any member of the Committee on Ministry if you have any questions or if you want to volunteer to be a part of this process.

From The Armed Services Welcoming Committee

seeks to reach out to veterans, family and friends of veterans, to welcome them to a spiritual home and ensure that they are needed, wanted and accepted at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham. We will do so first through in-reach within our own congregation and afterwards through outreach to our broader community. For more information, contact samguss@gmail.com

From the Flower Committee The flower committee is seeking new members. No experience required. Contact chair.flower@uucbham.org if you’d like to be part of this fun committee.

UUCB has a facebook page!! To find it, just search for UU Birmingham. Please click on "Like," and off you go. Tell your friends! The page is in its beginning stages, so let us know what the page should offer. Please send any positive feedback or ideas for improvement to Donald at extant4@hotmail.com.

Podcasts of recent sermons are available at www.uucbpodcast.net.

~Please remember to go through the church office to schedule all meetings and/or events held at the church. Thanks, Kim!

To see all scheduled meetings/events at the church go to: http://uucbham.org/calendar.shtml

Upcoming Sermons

Sunday May 22. What does it mean to belong? Each of us has a longing to belong to something greater than ourselves, whether we are teeny tiny babies or adults in the late seasons of our lives. On this Sunday, we will explore the many ways in which we find ourselves in relationship with each other, how these relationships impact who we are and who we are becoming, and why this matters to all of us. This is our annual Religious Education Sunday, and we hope to see you there! Sunday May 29. Speaker: Chauma Smith Guss Our Wars of Reconciliation, a thoughtful look at Memorial Day. How do we reconcile our urgent desire for peace and an end to suffering with the unfortunate reality of war?

This Sunday at the church:

9 am - 10 am

SUUndae Morning Forum - Gathering Room

9 am - 10 am

Casserole Drive w/Carrie Crenshaw - Narthex

11:55 am - 1:25 pm

Information Forum for Visitors - Pickett Room

12 pm - 2 pm

Worship Partners Meeting - Reading Room/114

1:15 pm - 7:15 pm

Diane Mcnaron Voice Lessons Room 102