Second Congregational Meeting House Society
Unitarian Universalist 11 Orange St. ~ P.O. Box 1023 Nantucket, MA 02554 (508) 228-5466
Nantucket Unitarian Universalist Newsletter ~ September 2012
WHERE LAND AND SEA MEET
Reflections on the life and lives of a religious community by Rev. David M. Horst In the March Weathervane, I commended you, members and friends of the Nantucket congregation, for all you had accomplished in the seven short months of your first transitional year. At that time I asked you two questions: Who are you now? What do you want to be? Conversations around these two questions continue. A more detailed assessment is in the offing and a clearer vision is beginning to emerge among the Board and leadership of the congregation. Regular congregational meetings ensure that all points of views are being heard. Having completed 13 months of service as your Interim Minister, I’m taking some time now to identify what I see as the key transitional tasks to be completed before my departure at the end of July 2013. Here are my plans to date: •Assist you in clarifying your identity and envisioning your long-term future. •Provide ideas and direction for your third year of transition beginning in August 2013. •Prepare you for your future ministerial leadership, both transitional and settled. •Determine the level of volunteer and staff resources needed to sustain and grow the music, religious education, and social justice programs. •Restructure the youth group program focusing on programs, leadership, Unitarian Universalist identity, and connections with other Unitarian Universalist youth. •Identify leadership training opportunities or organize leadership training workshops. •Help create and promote the 2013 “Summer at the Meeting House” program of music and worship services, the Noonday Concert Series, Meeting House docent tours, the What’s Now! series, and other special summer pro- grams and activities. •Support your efforts to broaden the pledge base and increase the average pledge per individual, couple, or family. •Offer ideas and direction to better organize and integrate the financial management, investment, facility rental, and bookkeeping functions. •Bring consistency to staff compensation and benefit levels, update job descriptions and work hours, and estab- lish communication procedures. •Connect you with the resources of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Ballou Channing District and urge you to pay your “fair share” of annual dues. I’ll continue with my regular ministerial duties as well: Leading Sunday morning worship, preaching, providing pastoral care, staff supervision, and leadership support. I continue to find my ministry with you to be greatly rewarding and delightfully challenging. I‘m feeling positive about the future direction of the congregation as much as you are. Keep your spirits high and your focus sharp as you address the challenges that lay before you, I’m here to help. “Where land and sea meet” is my Nantucket analogy for congregational life. A church lives in a tidal zone where our private and public lives meet and converge like the meeting place of the land and sea.
SOUTH CHURCH PRESERVATION FUND NEWS by Mary Beth Splaine, SCPF President
The South Church Preservation Fund (SCPF), with permission of the Board of Trustees of the congregation, has scheduled repairs of a minor leak in the dome to be completed in September. We express our gratitude and appreciation to SCPF Treasurer Jim Sutherland, who retires September 1 and passes the books on to newly elected Treasurer, Libby Oldham. We also are grateful to the congregation for dedicating a permanent space (the closet in the hallway between Hendrix Hall and the Activities Room) as a place for the storage of the records of SCPF. Archivist Joanne Polster has been instrumental in assisting with the transfer of files from the parsonage. The next SCPF meeting is on Monday, September 11 at 4:15 p.m. Our meetings are open to any member of the congregation interested in keeping abreast of the plans for ongoing work in the preservation of the Meeting House.
SCPF President Mary Beth Splaine accepts a check for $10,000 from the David Stewart, executor for the estate of Ray Dawson. A check for $10,000 was also presented to congregation president Bob Hall.
JOIN US FOR “SEPTEMBER SONGS AND STORIES” Mondays from Noon to 12:30 p.m. Part of the Noonday Concert Series September 10 Cynthia Csabay Broadway Songstress
YOUTH GROUP BEGINS “NEIGHBORING FAITHS” The youth group is being restructured and refocused this fall. Neighboring Faiths: Introducing the Religions of the World, published by the Unitarian Universalist Association, is the curriculum for this high school program.
September 17 Jessie Lambrecht Operatic Soprano September 24 Meeting House Barbershop Quartet
Meetings will be held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month from 6 - 7:30 p.m. in the Activities Room from September 13 through next June. Eighteen meetings are planned plus visits to a variety of houses of worship both on- and offisland.
(Bob Lehman, Craig Spery, Chris Lohmann and Al Fuller)
American Classics October 1 Bob Lehman Yours for a Song
David Horst and Yve Shevalier are the youth advisors and teachers. Register for the youth program on Sunday, September 9.
Admission is free. Donations accepted.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2012 SUMMER DOCENTS!
Jack Reindel Bob Hall Peter Richards Val Hall Alyson Gaylord-Loy Karin Gockel
Mary Beth Splaine Jack Weinhold Christine Sanford
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Paul Lancaster David Horst Susan Lancaster Brian Girard (Emeritus) John Rivera (Coordinator) Debby Merritt
FROM SUMMER TO AUTUMN WITH THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM by Susan Richards, RE Committee Co-Chairwoman
September is a transitional time as we say farewell to our summer friends and activities and move into an exciting new fall program! Speaking of exciting.... August was full of new experiences for our field trip-happy RE class participants! Our travels included a trip to Greater Light where we explored the beautiful grounds, marveled over the lovely architecture of the building, and enjoyed our snack under the spreading birch tree... Thanks to Georgen Charnes for coordinating this trip!
Also in August,Val Hall coordinated a trip to the Brant Point Marine Lab. Marine Biologist Tara Riley gave us a tour complete with scallops, oysters, and algae! A trip to the Atheneum garden with a story followed by a scavenger hunt was also a part of August’s activities. Quite a few of us were also part of a Sketching Fair Street trip where subjects like the Unitarian Meeting House dome, an arbor, the parsonage and more were captured by our young participants under the artistic leadership of Anne Sutherland.
Our final activity of the month was a trip the Old South Rd. Labyrinth. There we learned about the difference between mazes and labyrinths, colored our own labyrinths, made a mini-labyrinth out of stones, and, of course, walked and experienced the sacred labyrinth itself! For our Fall curriculum the RE committee--Anne Sutherland and Susan Richards - Committee Chairwomen, Casey Bokus, Yve Shevallier and Sissy Girard--has chosen the theme “Creating Home.” This curriculum will: • Guide participants to identify the characteristics of a home and the functions home serves • Help participants articulate and affirm the location and the members of their individual family homes. • Provide opportunities for participants to observe homes in nature and investigate how different kinds of animal homes provide security and sustenance for their inhabitants • Build participants’ vocabulary of faith and religious language • Draw connections between participants’ family home experiences and the roles, responsibilities, and rewards of belonging to a “faith home” • Help develop participants’ sense of belonging in their Creating Home group and in the larger congregation • Introduce practices from Unitarian Universalist heritage – such as the spiritual rituals of hospitality, saying grace, lighting a chalice, and sharing stories – and invite participants and their families to consider using these on their own • Provide multiple opportunities for participants to practice artistic self-expression and have fun.
Our annual Hungarian Dinner will be held Saturday, September 15 at 6:00 p.m. All proceeds benefit our partner church in Transylvania, Romania. Cost is $25 per person. The dinner includes an authentic main meal, accompanied by wine and dessert. Seating is limited. Call the church on weekday mornings for reservations or sign up at Sunday Service.
Sunday, September 9 after the service will be our Religious Education fall registration and program kick-off date. We look forward to seeing you and your children! In the meantime, if you have any questions at all about our fall program, please don’t hesitate to contact a Religous Education Committee member or David Horst.
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SEPTEMBER WORSHIP, MUSIC & RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Sunday, Sept. 2 • 10:45 a.m. “Honoring the Workers” On this Labor Day holiday weekend, we take time to honor the workers who make the products, farm the fields, mine the earth, fight the fires, patrol the streets, provide the transportation, build the buildings, attend to the sick and injured, teach the children, and do all the things to make ours a safe, healthy, and prosperous society. We welcome musical guests The Shepcats, the island’s popular guitar, bass, and mandolin trio. David Horst, Interim Minister, leads the service with music by Diane Lehman, Acting Director of Music, and the Meeting House Choir.
Sunday, Sept. 9 • 10:45 a.m. “Parenting as a Religious Journey” With the start of the new school year, children take the next steps in their journey of growth and learning. Parents grow and learn every year, too, with the love and support they give their children. Today we’ll look at parenting as a religious journey, one fraught with hopes and fears, expectations and doubts. How does parenting change and transform us? What religious resources can parents draw from to keep themselves grounded and whole? David Horst leads the service with music by Diane Lehman and the Meeting House Choir.
Sunday, Sept. 16 • 10:45 a.m. “Mutual Care: Unitarian Universalists in Association” The Cambridge Platform of 1648 established non-hierarchical congregational polity in America, meaning that churches would be independent of outside authority. The document also put into place the idea of the “communion of churches” to provide “mutual care.” This is the philosophical basis of the more than 1,000 independent Unitarian Universalist congregations that care and support each other through the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. Come learn more about the association of which our congregation is a part. David Horst leads the service with music by Diane Lehman and the Meeting House Choir.
Sunday, Sept. 23 • 10:45 a.m. “Honoring the High Holy Days” We welcome special guest Rabbi Judith Edelstein of Congregation Shirat Ha Yam on this occasion when we join our Jewish neighbors in celebrating Rosh Hoshanah, the Jewish New Year (5773) and by honoring the meaning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Jews ask forgiveness of one another and the forgiveness of God. Come learn about the holiest of Jewish holy days and how they can inform your own religious beliefs and faith commitments. David Horst leads the service with music by Diane Lehman and the Meeting House Choir.
Sunday, Sept. 30 • 10:45 a.m. “Funding the Dream” Spirits are high, hopes are renewed, and the future of Nantucket’s historic Unitarian Universalist congregation looks bright. Members and friends have recommitted themselves to sustaining and growing the congregation with their support of a full-time minister, expanded music and education programs, and greater community engagement. Nantucket Unitarian Universalists have a dream, and now is the time to fund the dream through increased participation and financial support. David Horst leads the service with music by Diane Lehman and the Meeting House Choir. Pledge “Launch Lunch” follows the service.
Each Sunday, start the day with Morning Meditation at 9 in Hendrix Hall. Infant and toddler care provided by Jen Dunbar beginning at 10:30. Enjoy coffee and conversation following the programs. Bring brunch food to share except for the Pledge “Lunch Launch” on Sunday, September 30.
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
by Bob Hall, Board of Trustees President What kind of congregation do you want? What do you want for the future of our church? The time for decisions is approaching. At the August 14 meeting of the Board of Trustees made the following vote: “The Board is committed to calling a full-time minister to start in August 2014 which will require a third year of transitional ministry.” There are three reasons we cannot call a settled, permanent minister. First, we have not completed our congregational profile, just the first step in the search process. We would have to have the full congregational packet prepared by mid-September. Second, we do not feel we have the leadership and energy to form a search committee. Third, we project that our finances will not allow us to offer a financial package for a full time minister in 2014. By far, the need for a third transitional year was driven by financial concerns. Most congregations support themselves through individual annual pledges. The reality is that our pledge revenue is 27 percent, less than a third of our budget. We are far too dependent upon our endowment. Our endowment currently supports about 34 percent of our budget, just over a third. Not only are we taking funds from the principal, we are using all of the interest and dividends. Both of these withdrawals are imprudent. The congregation voted in July of 2010 to stop using the principal from our endowment to fund the operating budget. This is an encouraging (and very important) first step. The consequence of that sound decision is that we need to increase revenues from other sources. We could be a fundraising congregation. That is, we could spend most of our volunteer time and energy raising funds to support our programs. Fundraising can be hard work with the heavy burden falling on a few individuals who may soon tire or “burn out.” But the real question is this: did you join our congregation to spend your time raising funds? I suggest the answer is no. We come to services and events for inspiration, to feel spiritually refreshed at least once a week. We have just over 100 active regular members with an additional 40 associate members. It is reasonable to suggest that we raise the additional funds we need to support ourselves from pledging. Our congregation must support itself. Jack Weinhold has prepared an excellent report that describes exactly what we can expect from our pledges. Note that the left column gives the “worst case” scenario, no pledges. Although this seems improbable now, in the past the Second Congregational Meeting House Society has fallen on hard times. In fact, at one time our beautiful building was up for sale. Had it sold our congregation would not exist. Can you imagine Nantucket without the voice of liberal religion? Can you imagine Nantucket without a place for us liberals to come together in mutual support? Our voice is needed now as much as it has ever been needed. Over the past 203 years our congregation has weathered hard financial times as well as internal conflict many times. We are doing so now, and I feel quite successfully. I hope you agree.
FOUR TABLES DESCRIBING OUR 2012 PLEDGING
2012 Budget Revenue Sources Amount Percent $68,000 27 Pledges 7 Other contributions $17,500 $58,000 23 Rentals $23,600 9 Fundraising 19 Interest & dividends $49,010 $37,500 15 Principal $253,610 100 TOTAL: Amount of Pledge Less than $500 $500 - $1000 $1000 - $2000 Over $2000 Total pledge units
Number 18 24 14 12 68
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Total Pledge Units Total Members who Pledge Total Regular + Associate Members Percent who pledge
90 140 64.3
Number of 2-Member Pledge Units Pledging less than $1000 Pledging $1000 - $2000 Pledging $2000 or over Total 2-Member Pledge Units
10 6 6 22
SCENES OF SUMMER AT 11 ORANGE STREET
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Second Congregational Meeting House Society 11 Orange St. ~ P.O. Box 1023 Nantucket, MA 02554
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Second Congregational Meeting House Society Unitarian Universalist 11 Orange St. ~ P.O. Box 1023 Nantucket, MA 02554 (508) 228-5466 (Office) www.unitarianchurchnantucket.org uuchurchnantucket@verizon.net
Church Staff David M. Horst, Interim Minister ~ Edward B. Anderson, Minister Emeritus Diane Lehman, Acting Music Director ~ Kim N. LaRue, Office Administrator Mimi Jones and Dennis Santangelo, Sextons Board of Trustees Bob Hall (President), Christine Sanford (Vice President), Susan Richards (Clerk), Jack Weinhold (Treasurer), Brian Girard, David Hall, John Rivera, Linda Spery, Marina Sutro Church Office Hours Monday - Friday ~ 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Minister’s Office Hours Tuesday (10 a.m. - noon) and Friday (noon - 2 p.m.)