This morning, our own Sharon Morgan presented a special service from the UUA about living out the promise of our faith with regard to centering Black UU voices.  UUFJC members read messages from four Black UU women who shared ways in which UUs have fallen short of our welcoming promises and need to be called into greater growth.  Rebekah Savage shares how centering whiteness leads us to blindly injure others and fall short of our theology of love and interdependence.  Rayla D. Mattson shares the experience of coldness at a UU retreat, and how she reflexively hid her pain to protect others.  Kimberly Quinn Johnson shares the gifts of Black contemplative practices and communal joy, and points out that common stereotypes of Black worship don't begin to describe the richness it can bring to our shared spiritual life.  And Carol Thomas Cissel reminds us that words matter, that when we call ourselves "welcoming" and profess to "celebrate diversity," we must commit the resolve and planning to put substance behind the words.  (The full messages are available at the links and are highly recommended.)

More than one of the writers used the common metaphor of the "welcome table."  How does it feel, in a church that sings those words, to come to a meal and find no place at the table for you --- perhaps literally?  Who is looking for a place at our table, and how can we make room and welcome them?

Next Sunday, April 7th:

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
"Dementia," Michael H. Brownstein
Brownstein will discuss his latest book, "A slip not into somewhere else," which he describes as "a poet's journey into the borderlands of dementia."

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
Message: "What Does Wholeness Mean When We Are Still On the Journey from Birth to Death?" Rev. Mike Adamek
Salvation is living eternally without sin as angels live. No pain. Pari-nirvana is achieved after at least 10,000 lifetimes. No pain. What does wholeness look like when pain on this journey from birth to death is necessary?
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during the Service, please submit it by noon on Friday through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html

Plus Children's RE --- "Wholesome and Widening the Circle, The Practice of Inclusivity"

UUFJC News and Events this week:

Our April newsletter and print calendar are ready.  Paper copies are available in the wall box near the coat rack.  Electronic copies are available to view or download here: Newsletter, Calendar

​Did you participate in our Reverse Offering earlier this month?  Have you had a chance to share what it inspired you to do?  We now have a sheet of poster board and markers available on the bulletin board in our Sanctuary, and participants are invited to write in their choices.

We are currently in our annual Pledge Drive.  For all those who support our Fellowship, we thank you.  Please, if you can, fill out a pledge form and estimate what you plan to give; this is a great help to us in planning.  For Fair Share giving suggestions and pledge forms, please contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler.

This Thursday, April 4th, the local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America meets in our building at 7 pm.  Contact Susan Randolph.

This Friday and Saturday, April 5th and 6th are the 2nd annual Capital Area Interfaith Alliance “Festival of Faiths.”  This event is aimed at promoting understanding and appreciation among members of different religions in Mid-Missouri.  The festival begins with an Interfaith Concert at Quinn Chapel AME Church, Friday April 5th at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30).  Activities continue Saturday, April 6th with a day of speakers and workshops at Lincoln University's Scruggs Center from 9 am to 3 pm (doors open at 8:30).  Admission is free for the concert and $10 for the Saturday event including lunch (this is a correction to the information in our April newsletter).  For more information, contact Frank Rycyk.

Next Sunday, April 7th, our building is reserved by a community group starting at 6:30 pm.  Please allow privacy.

Community Events this week:

This Friday, April 5th at 7 pm in their Art Gallery, Missouri River Regional Library presents their First Friday Film: "If Beale Street Could Talk."  In early 1970s Harlem, daughter and wife-to-be Tish recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny. Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together, but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.  Contact Madeline Matson.  For more Library events, visit MRRL.org.

This week, Capitol City Cinema presents "Arctic" (Thursday through Sunday).  For showtimes, more events, and more information, visit capitolcitycinema.org.

For yoga and even more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Have a great week!

This Sunday, our own Stephen Carew continued our month of reflections on Journey with thoughts based on his own personal journey and a folkloric one.  He encouraged us to heed our own unique call to journey and adventure, reflecting how travel introduces us to diversity and broadens our outlook.  He also called on us to be mindful of those throughout the world who have had and continue to have journeys forced upon them, and to work for justice for refugees.  He concluded with the Plains Native American story of Jumping Mouse (from the book "Seven Arrows"): called by a unique perception he can't describe to those around him, Jumping Mouse begins a journey thinking that he can solve this little niggle and go home, but as new situations arise and he responds with courage and generosity, it turns out there is no going back --- his life is miraculously and forever transformed.

Next Sunday, March 31st:

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
"Working Together," Jerald Jones Woolfolk
Woolfolk, Ph.D. and President of Lincoln University, will share how working together can lead to positive results.  Note a correction: in one published draft of our March newsletter, Dr. Woolfolk was erroneously referred to as “he;” the correct pronoun is “she.”

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
Message: "The Promise and the Practice," Sharon Morgan
Sharon presents a UUA program about centering the voices of people of color.  (Rescheduled from February due to weather cancellation.)
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during the Service, please submit it by noon on Friday through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html

Plus Children's RE --- "Journey Endings"

UUFJC News and Events this week:

We are seeking a delegate to represent our Fellowship at MidWest Regional Assembly, coming April 5th through 7th in St. Louis.  If you are planning to attend and willing to be a voice for UUFJC, please contact Katherine Connor.

We are currently in our annual Pledge Drive.  For all those who support our Fellowship, we thank you.  Please, if you can, fill out a pledge form and estimate what you plan to give; this is a great help to us in planning.  For Fair Share giving suggestions and pledge forms, please contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler.

The Worship Service Committee meets this evening at 6 pm.  If you would like to get involved in creating our Sunday services, please contact Lisa Sanning.

Tomorrow, Monday, March 5th at 6:30 pm, Faith Voices for Jefferson City holds its monthly assembly at Quinn Chapel AME Church.  Contact Rev. Kim Woodruff: [email protected]

Community Events this week:

This Tuesday, March 26th at 7 pm in their Art Gallery, Missouri River Regional Library presents: "Franz Schwarzer: The King of Zither Manufacturers."  Franz Schwarzer, a Missourian, became known throughout the United States for his zithers and won a prize in the 1873 Vienna Exposition, thereafter becoming known across most of Europe. Walt Larson, curator of the Washington Historical Society Museum, writes about Schwarzer in a new biography. His presentation on this distinguished Missourian will also include music and a demonstration of zithers.  Contact Madeline Matson.  For more library events, visit MRRL.org.

This week, Capitol City Cinema presents "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" (Wednesday only) and "The Wedding Guest" (Thursday through Sunday).  For showtimes, more events, and more information, visit capitolcitycinema.org.

For yoga and even more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Have a great week!

This morning, Rev. Nancy TannerThies continued our Monthly theme of "Journey" with reflections on the literal faith journey of pilgrimage.  For UUs, if we're asked where we would go if we went on pilgrimage, we may have many different answers.  For our Muslim neighbors, there is one clear answer: the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the Pillars of Islam.  On that journey, believers retrace the steps of great prophets --- and also those of Hagar, a black woman, a slave, a single mother, the discarded concubine of Abraham in the shared scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  As UUs, we also walk in a path laid down by prophets and kings, and also by discarded people and martyrs.  On our own faith journeys, Rev. Nancy encouraged us to remember and honor those in whose steps we walk --- even those whose paths we have rejected, for this too helps us find our way.  And, she told us, look back; we too are making footprints for others to follow.

We also held our annual Election of Officers at today's service.  Kim Connor was elected to succeed Gennifer Monteer as our Director of Religious Education; Kim will take over after our Annual Meeting, coming May 12th.
Our board otherwise remains unchanged:
President: Katherine Connor
Vice President: Lisa Sanning
Treasurer: Bob Antweiler
Secretary: Barb Koenig.
Thanks to Gennifer for her service, thanks to Kim for stepping up, and thanks to all our continuing board members for your commitment!

Next Sunday, March 24th:

Newsletter Submissions Due.
Please submit your items for our April newsletter and print calendar to Laura Gilkey by e-mail ([email protected]) or in writing.

Submissions for our Adult Forum - 9:15 am
"Teaching Immigration," Warren Solomon
Warren will document how four different teaching methods can lead to varying results.

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
Message: Stephen Carew
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during the Service, please submit it by noon on Friday through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html

Plus Children's RE --- "Journey Beginnings"

UUFJC News and Events this week:

We are currently in our annual Pledge Drive.  For all those who support our Fellowship, we thank you.  Please, if you can, fill out a pledge form and estimate what you plan to give; this is a great help to us in planning.  For Fair Share giving suggestions and pledge forms, please contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler.

We are also asking our members and friends to fill out a Time and Talent survey.  If you would like a copy of the survey or have any questions, please contact Bob Antweiler.

Monday, March 18th, our building is reserved by a community group starting at 6:30 pm.  Please allow privacy.

This Friday, March 22nd is our monthly Salvation Army meal.  Please see Roberta Dunkel if you can help provide or serve food for those in need.  Serving begins at 5 pm; please arrive early to help prepare.

This Saturday, March 23rd, the Hola Amigos Spanish Speakers meet in our building from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.  Contact Patt Behler.

The Worship Service Committee meets next Sunday, March 24th at 6 pm.  If you would like to get involved in creating our Sunday services, please contact Lisa Sanning.

Community Events this week:

Tomorrow, Monday, March 18th at 7 pm in their Art Gallery, Missouri River Regional Library presents: "American Dialects."  As anyone who has traveled the state knows, Missouri is rich in dialect diversity. Missourians from different areas have distinct words, variable pronunciations, and even different grammatical usages. Some of these dialect features, such as the pronunciation of the state’s name, are well known, but many others go largely unnoticed. Dr. Matthew Gordon will explore variation within Missouri English and how the state fits within the larger dialect picture of American English. Dr. Gordon teaches courses in linguistics and the structure, dialects, and history of the English language at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is currently researching linguistic variations in Missouri.  Contact Madeline Matson.  For more library events, visit MRRL.org.

This week, Capitol City Cinema presents "The Wedding Guest" (Thursday through Sunday).  For showtimes, more events, and more information, visit capitolcitycinema.org.

For yoga and even more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Have a great week!

This week, our service focused on Generosity.  We shared a TED Talk by Michael Norton showing how generosity can create happiness.  Our president, Katherine Connor also shared reflections on generosity and abundance.  The basis of generosity, she said, is gratitude.  It is when we appreciate what we have that we can give back, and it is when we give back into a community that we create abundance.

It was in this context that we began this year's UUFJC Pledge Drive.  If you're able, we ask you to please support our Fellowship --- and to please let us know how much you can help, so that we will be able to plan for the future.  If you can give financially, please fill out a pledge form.  Wondering how much to give?  The National UUA publishes Fair Share giving suggestions.  Time and talent are equally important gifts; if you feel moved in this way, please fill out a time and talent survey.  For both of these, contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler.

But support of our Fellowship is not a one way street; our Fellowship gives back to its members, and today we radically put that into practice, spreading the spirit of generosity with a "Reverse Offering."  Those present received small amounts of money with the charge to use it for good (and thus increase their happiness, if our TED Talk was correct).  Already, we've heard back from members supporting Planned Parenthood, as well as climate action through Gold Standard projects (note these are individual choices, not recommendations on behalf of the Fellowship).

In addition, Katherine shared a reading by Rev. John Wolfe, minister emeritus of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which spoke to her own feelings and resonated with others present:

“There is only one reason for joining a UU Church.  That is to support it. You want to support it because it stands against superstition and fear. Because it points to what’s noblest and best in human life. Because it is open to men and women of whatever race, creed, color, or national origin.

You want to support a UU Church because it has a free pulpit. Because you can hear ideas expressed there which would cost any other minister his or her job. You want to support it because it is a place where children can come without being saddled with guilt or terrified of some ‘celestial peeping Tom,’ where they can learn that religion is for joy, comfort, for gratitude and love.

You want to support it because it is a place where walls between people are torn down rather than built up. Because it is a place for the religious displaced persons of our time, the refugees from mixed marriages, the unwanted freethinkers and those who insist against orthodoxy that they must work out their own beliefs.

You want to support a Unitarian Universalist Church because it is more concerned with human beings than with dogmas. Because it searches for the holy, rather than dwells upon the depraved. Because it calls no one a sinner yet knows how deep is the struggle and how great is the hunger for what is good.

You want to support a Unitarian Universalist Church because it can laugh…because it insults neither your intelligence nor your conscience, and because it calls you to worship what is truly worthy of your sacrifice…”

Next Sunday, March 17th:

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
“Fellowship of Reconciliation," Jeff Stack
Jeff Will share some of the social justice work of his organization.

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
Message: “In Whose Steps?,” Rev. Nancy TannerThies
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during the Service, please submit it by noon on Friday through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html

Plus Children's RE --- "Journeys of Justice"

UUFJC News and Events this week:

We are asking our members and friends to fill out a Time and Talent survey.  If you would like a copy of the survey or have any questions, please contact Bob Antweiler.

The UUFJC Lecture series has been placed on hold for the time being.  Please see the March newsletter or contact Frank Rycyk for more information.

This Thursday, March 14th at 7 pm, the local chapter of the American Association of University Women meets in our building.  Contact Charlotte Parsons for more information.

Community Events this week:

This week, Missouri River Regional Library and ABLE holds their annual Used Book Sale at the St. Martin's Knights of Columbus Hall.  Help the library and enjoy a huge event for book lovers of all kinds!  The sale begins Wednesday, March 13th from 4-8 pm; the first day, there is an admission charge of $5 per person including all children.  The sale continues with free admission 9 am - 8 pm Thursday and Friday, and concludes Saturday from 9 am - 1 pm.  For more information and other library events, visit MRRL.org.

This week, Capitol City Cinema presents "Stan and Ollie" (Thursday through Sunday).  For showtimes, more events, and more information, visit capitolcitycinema.org.

For yoga and even more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Have a great week!

Our March Newsletter and Print Calendar are now available to view or download:
Newsletter
Calendar

Our services today were canceled due to weather conditions.  As we begin our month of reflections on "Journey," this reminds us to always look to the conditions of the path ahead and choose our times and places of travel with care in mind for ourselves and others.

Next Sunday, March 10th:

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
“Doug’s story, BCB’s beginnings," Doug Wright
Doug will share his troubled background which led to the creation of “Building Community Bridges.”

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
Message: Stewardship Service, Katherine Connor and Lisa Sanning
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during the Service, please submit it by noon on Friday through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html

Plus Children's RE --- "Journey Out - Pilgrimage"

Potluck Lunch after service - Please bring a favorite dish!

UUFJC News and Events this week:

The March Newsletter and print calendar are ready.  Paper copies will be available in the wall box near the coat rack as soon as we can get them there.  Electronic copies are available at the links above.

We are asking our members and friends to fill out a Time and Talent survey.  If you would like a copy of the survey or have any questions, please contact Bob Antweiler.

This Tuesday, March 5th, UUFJC's own Don Love will make a presentation on "Documenting Good Police Work" at our building at 7 pm.  This presentation looks at law enforcement through the lens of the Vehicle Stops Report.  Contact Don for more information.

This Thursday, March 7th, the local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America meets in our building at 7 pm.  Contact Susan Randolph.

Next Sunday, March 10th, the UUFJC Board meets at the Fellowship at 6 pm.  All are welcome to attend our board meetings.  For more information, see our president, Katherine Connor.

Community Events this week:

This Tuesday, March 5th at 7 pm, Missouri River Regional Library hosts an Author Talk: Learning to See: A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America by Elise Hooper.  Learning to See portrays pioneering documentary photographer Dorothea Lange’s transformation from San Francisco’s leading society portraitist to a reformer and creator of the most iconic images in American history. Set during the first half of the 20th century, this new novel is a timely account of a woman who risked everything for art, activism, and love. Hooper is also the author of The Other Alcott.  Contact Madeline Matson.  For more library events, visit MRRL.org.

This week, Capitol City Cinema presents "Stan and Ollie" (Thursday through Sunday).  For showtimes, more events, and more information, visit capitolcitycinema.org.

For yoga and even more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Have a great week!