UU Fellowship of North Central Iowa

Meets at Community Kitchen Center, 606 No. Monroe Ave., Mason City, IA

10:00 a.m. Coffee & Fellowship, 10:30 a.m. Service 

        Across the hill and dell, valley and upland, smooth as a blanket across the world, softly falling, falling, quietly, gently as a mother’s kiss on the face of her sleeping child, the snow drifts down, touches, settles, lies on tree and shrub, on field and woodland, like a soft mantle, making all thing new.
        So be my heart this day:  the pain of things done and injuries unmended, the fears of things unseen and long dreaded, the ache of failures and mistakes of time past, the sudden angry passion and the bitter regret, and strength ebbing away with the inexorable beat of time, all forgotten, or restored by innocence, clothed in gentle purity, the universal forgiveness which whispers to me,
“Behold, I make all things new!”

Greetings to all UUFNCI members and friends,

        Early March is always the most difficult time of the year for me; I still have two weeks before Spring Break and a chance to go south.  Even though this winter has been comparatively mild, the constant cold wears me down and I long for a warm, sunny gulf coast beach.  We have made great headway on the 1500 piece jigsaw puzzle firmly held in place with our new felt protector but the sense of waiting permeates our household.  Forced bulbs show signs of leafing, herb seeds are sprouting and Pedro impatiently checks each day’s mail for word from a college accepting him for fall enrollment.
    My impatience is softened some by the anticipation of upcoming PSD events, which will give me the opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow UUs, rekindle friendships and develop new ones.  These are always invigorating for me and I hope you will consider attending one of the following events.

        First on the calendar is the PSD Youth CON-versation 2003 which is being held in Mason City Saturday, March 22, at the Country Inn & Suites.   The goal of this facilitated conversation on youth cons in the Prairie Star District is to be supportive of our District youth.  We currently have only two teens in our fellowship with the potential of three to five more joining us.  I would like us to be able to encourage these young people in a manner that works for them and us and hope that some of you in the fellowship are willing to help with this effort by participating in this workshop.  Our congregation has agreed to provide a potluck lunch for the attendees; let me know if you have a particular dish you would like to contribute and/or if you can attend the CON-versation:  423-1793 or  memo@netconx.net

        First UU Church of Rochester, MN, will host the PSD Annual Conference April 4-6 at the Holiday Inn City Centre.  The theme for this year’s conference is “Congregations in Changing Times: 40 Years in Prairie Star District.”
        Registration, UU Bookstore and exhibits open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.  An optional Tapas Buffet dinner, featuring Spanish foods, including vegetarian, will be offered from 6-7 p.m.  The opening celebration begins at 7:00 p.m. and the keynote address is at 7:45 p.m.  Stefan Jonasson, UUA Coordinator of Services for Large Congregations, will deliver the keynote address; his topic is “The Enduring Frontier: Continuity and Change in Prairie Unitarian Universalism.”
        Weekend activities begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday with breakfast and continue through Sunday’s 9:30 a.m. worship service.  Rev. Carol Hepokoski will present the Judy Lecture Saturday at 9:00 a.m.  Her topic is “The Place of Ethical Faith.”  Rev. Hepokoski was interim minister at the Ames fellowship and serves now as Assistant Professor of Religious Ethics at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago.
        Breakout workshop topics include “What’s A Unitarian Universalist?” “Becoming A Welcoming Congregation,” “New Frontiers in Congregational Life,” “Integrating Youth into the Life of Your Congregation,” “Growing Within: An Exploration of Retreats for UUs” and many others.  The Saturday evening banquet includes entertainment by the talented Kindred Spirits singing group.  The conference closes with the Sunday morning service at nearby Mayo Civic Center with music by the Conference Choir (Yours Truly will be singing).  A special youth program has been planned and the returning Labyrinth Walk will be located in the host church, shuttle transport will be provided.
        Registration forms are available at fellowship Sunday mornings, on our website  http:/uufnorthiowa.org or call Mary Ellen Miller if you need one snail mailed to you.  Fee is $110/adult or $45/youth (includes Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday breakfast); optional Friday evening dinner is $15.

        Camp Unistar is a family program camp located on Star Island in Cass Lake, a part of the
Chippewa National Forest in Northern Minnesota.  During the summer season, the camp offers ten family weeks with various programs, an opening workweek, a youth week, Boundary Waters canoe trips and September group retreats.  The lake encourages water activities, the forest trails attract hikers, and sunrises and sunsets invite meditation.  Each year Unistar campers return for peace, quiet and serenity to an island retreat with no roads or commercial entertainment.
        The rustic facilities include Anderson Lodge, Clagett Dining Hall, staff quarters, five camper cabins and a camper tenting area.  The Lodge has a large porch overlooking the lake, double fireplace, lots of room for relaxing, reading, rocking and talking.  The Dining Hall is also used for children’s programs, dancing and music making, and the weekly talent show.  The Marg Weaver Kitchen provides wholesome, delicious, plentiful food (guaranteed, as Yours Truly is Food Service Director).  Each cabin is equipped with a fireplace, simple kitchen, sleeping rooms, shared bath with tub and hot water, and a screened porch.  Shower houses are also available in the cabin and tenting areas.  Campers bring their own personal bedding and towels; pillows are provided; blankets on request.
        Canoes, sailboats, kayaks and fishing boats are available for camper use.  Camping week begins and ends on Saturday.  Smoking is limited to the lodge porch and outside areas.  Pets are not permitted.  Weekly rates are $300/adult, $225/youth, $95 child in cabin or lodge and $215/adult, $155 youth, $65 child in tenting area.
        Adult programs this year include “Tai Chi and Shiatsu,” “What Happened to the Truth?” “New Approaches to Law,” “Living Cells, Evolution and Function,” “The Joys of Folk Dancing,” and others.  Children’s program is available each day 10:00 a.m. to noon coinciding with the adult program.  Youth program is staff guided
        Camp Unistar offers the beauty of northern Minnesota in the quiet of Star Island during a week filled with new and old friends, thought-provoking programs and memorable experiences.  Registration forms available on our website http:/uufnorthiowa.org or snail mail by request, 423-1793.  This is a truly unique camp!

        For the first time since 1882 the Davenport Quad City Unitarian Church will ordain and install a minister!  Roger Butts will be so honored the weekend of March 22-23.  The theme for the two-day event is “The Language of the Heart.”
        Opening event Saturday, March 22, 6:00 p.m., is a lecture and discussion of “The Language of Democratic Faith” with Denise Dutton, Interim Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Princeton University.  She will explore the thought of William James, Emerson, Niebuhr, Tocqueville and John Dewey.  Denise and Roger taught together in Washington, D.C.  Denise is a life-long UU and member of All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
        The Sunday 10:00 a.m. forum topic is “The Language of the Core of Unitarian Universalism” led by Rev. Roberta Finkelstein, Minister, Unitarian Universalists of Sterling, VA, and member of the UUA’s Commission on Appraisal, a national body that explores and writes on large issues confronting Unitarian Universalism.  The Commission is taking up a consideration of what is at our core as a religious movement.  Roberta was Roger’s first ministerial supervisor when he was Visiting Seminarian at Sterling.
        During the 11:00 a.m. service Rev. Vanessa Southern, Minister, Unitarian Church of Summit, New Jersey and author of the recently published meditation manual, This Piece of Eden, will share her vision of what sustains us as a movement, “The Language of the Heart.”  Vanessa and Roger preached and taught together at Universalist National Memorial Church, Washington, D.C., where Vanessa was minister while Roger was at Wesley Seminary.
        Roger’s ordination and installation will happen at 5:00 p.m. Sunday.  The sermon “Watch Your Language: Religious Language in the 21st Century” will be given by Rev. Fredric John Muir, Parish Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis and author of Heretic’s Faith: A Vocabulary for Religious Liberals.   Fred served as Roger’s internship supervisor in Annapolis.
A potluck dinner with live music will follow the 5:00 p.m. service.
        This is a most exciting and momentous milestone for this congregation.  It is customary for congregations to send emissaries and I do plan to represent us by attending the weekend festivities.  Others are most welcome to join me.

        Our website continues to evolve; I do suggest you visit at least weekly to catch the latest as it is always a moving target.  A Humor page has been added; feel free to send your contributions to Loren Toomsen, our website designer and administrator.  This page is intended to provide a humorous look at our denomination and I do ask that you keep your submissions within that construct.
        I have added a Gleanings page to my newsletter site.  This will include pieces from other congregational newsletters within the District and is well worth a regular visit.  There is much going on in our broader UU universe that is most interesting.  Featured Sermons is another page that will change periodically, but should you want to review past sermons Loren has set up an archive for just that purpose.
        We certainly owe Loren a very big “Thank You” for doing such a terrific job in designing our website.   It is difficult for us non-techies to fully appreciate all the skill that has gone into this effort but appreciate it we do.  Loren shared where we are at with the website at our February 23 forum.  Several good ideas came out of the discussion and I suspect that more will be forthcoming as we ponder the possibilities.
        Loren defined our website as a three-legged stool, which was most helpful in enabling us to better grasp the site's full potential.
        LEG #1) Group Coordination with the schedule and reminders serving as a quick way to keep the congregation up-to-date and connected.  But Loren helped us look beyond just how the site serves ourselves.
        LEG #2) Ambassador to Our Local North Iowa Community was a new concept but I can see what an important help this will be to better identify us to the larger North Iowa area.  Loren made visits to the Clear Lake and Mason City Chambers to make sure they had information about us and our website.
         LEG #3) Our Telescope into the Larger UU World is probably bigger than we fully appreciate.  I like our links to other UU groups but had not considered that as we look out at them they can also look in on us; another important connection for us.  My guess is that this leg will see much expansion.
        I do confess that I commit one of the Seven Deadly Sins every time I visit our site:  PRIDE!   It is a truly wonderful reflection of the congregation we can become.  Be sure and visit regularly to catch the latest evolution.

        As I consider our website I begin to see that its potential for transforming our fellowship is very large.  It already is doing marvelous things by keeping us in touch with each other as well as our larger UU universe and enriching us with its vast information and it even tickles our funny bone.  I anticipate that it will bring us together in even more new ways as we all add our thoughts and suggestions.  It is indeed a new road to our future and as we journey together I am reminded of these words by Tom Crum, shared by my friend Martie Olson, DRE at Peoples Church UU in Cedar Rapids:

The world is an interdependent, vitally alive organism, of which you are an integral part.  The energy of our differences can produce a precious gift we could never have experienced alone.  When we choose cocreation we end separation – the root cause of conflict.  Choosing to cocreate will transform “your” vision into “our” vision.  Support will arise from everywhere.

March 9         Forum:  “Expectations – Meeting Needs!”           
Maria Shaune and Doug Nelson will offer their perspectives as newcomers to our fellowship.
 
March 16       Book Discussion:  “The Varieties of Religious Experience” by William James.  Dick Tierney, Mary Curtis & Ruth Graf will lead the discussion.

March 23       Safe Place to Explore Your Beliefs Forum:  “Inventing the Bible” by Ken Morrison (copy on website).  Ruth Graf will facilitate the discussion.             Potluck follows forum.

March 30        Visitation Sunday, no program, visit a congregation of your choice.

April 6             Guest Program: “The Jewel of Awakening: Fulfilling the Vow” will be presented by Marilyn Myo-O Habemas-Scher, Minnesota Zen Center.

        I will be leading a three-part New UU Orientation course for all interested newcomers.   The classes will focus on personal journeys, Unitarian Universalism – past and present, our congregation’s history, and include a look at ways to participate in the life of our fellowship today.   My initial thought on scheduling, since many of our newcomers come from outside Mason City, is to hold the classes 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Sundays before our regularly scheduled program.   I am considering March 16 and April  13 and 27.  I would very much like to hear from those of you that would be interested in this course.  Should Sundays not work we can consider a weeknight.  Please give me a call, send me an email or speak to me at fellowship about your interest.  

        When solitaries draw close, releasing each solitude into its blossoming when we give to each other the roses of our communion … when we taste in small victories sometimes the small, ephemeral yet joyful harvest of our striving, great power flows from us, luminous.  Yes?… Then great energy flows from solitude and great power from communion.

In the spirit, Mary Ellen