April 2018
The Flame
The Monthly Newsletter of First Unitarian Church of Omaha
Page 2
Pages 4 & 5
Page 9
Sunday Services
Church Events
Letter from Church President
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Church Services
Sunday Forums
Sunday, April 1 at 10:30am “Kairos” Rev. Frank Rivas What if the story of resurrection was never intended to be taken literally?
Forums are held at 9:30am in the Common Room. If you have a topic you would like to share, please contact the Forum Coordinator, Bebe at forum@firstuuomaha.org.
Sunday, April 8 at 10:30am "I Wrestled a God Once" Collin Hatcher Jewish scriptures tell the story of Jacob wrestling with God and gaining the name Israel. Perhaps we are not much different.
Sunday, April 8 at 9:30am Why Are We Learning to Stream Our Services Over the Internet? with Bill Ross Some time ago, church leaders agreed that the future would require us to be able to reach members, friends, and other interested parties using internet technologies. We are streaming to learn what audience we can reach, how we can serve them, and what skills and equipment we need to master.
Sunday, April 15 at 10:30am “Let Us Now Praise Famous Women” Rev. Frank Rivas Great leaders sometimes make a difference, but it’s women and men whose names will never be in history books who carry us safely from generation to generation. Sunday, April 22 at 10:30am CUUPS Earth Day Our Seventh Principle calls us to celebrate and protect the interdependent web of life. Join Mystic Sojourn CUUPS in a service of celebration, reflection and renewal in honor of Earth Day. Sunday, April 29 at 10:30am “Eden, Nebraska 681∞” Rev. Frank Rivas Maybe, just maybe, we have everything we need.
No forum on Sunday, April 1st
Sunday, April 15 at 9:30am Job Coaching with Bethany Cook What does it takes to get, keep, and perform well at a job? Get some tips on what an employer is looking for in a resume and interview.
Sunday, April 22 at 9:30am Why Vegan? with several church members Join us for an educational discussion on the why and how of a vegan or plant-based diet. Marcia Leise will provide us with a short overview on nutrition, including the protein myth, as well as how a plant-based diet lowers risk of many chronic diseases. Also, appropriately for Earth Day, Cy Leise will briefly cover the impact our choice of food can have on the environment. Mark Loscutoff will discuss cheese and dairy, including the issue of addiction to cheese. Come expecting an informative talk with a lively discussion! Sunday, April 29 at 9:30am Lets talk dirt! with Anne Rivas Composting! What is it? How does it work? Where do I start? Come learn the basics of composting and let me answer some of your questions about dirt.
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Rev. Elations
Monthly Column from our Minister, Rev. Frank Rivas As I write this, I await my official UUA exit interview. I know the first question, and I consider it as I write this column: What have I achieved in my time here? I would name two broad accomplishments, that I’ve helped us move out of anxiety and have helped us move toward a broader understanding of our tradition. I would also name a third set of more specific accomplishments, that I’ve helped a few individuals move toward a greater acceptance of themselves and their lives. I also want to answer the unasked question: What have you, the congregation, achieved in our time together? You’re the ones who did the actual work of lessening anxiety and of inviting a broader demographic into our church community. You’re the ones who had the courage to face hard realities from a death in the family to a change in vocation. You’re also the ones who invited and nurtured and formed my ministry, and I will always be grateful. You will receive this newsletter in April. At the end of May, I will retire. Our time together gets shorter each day. Know that what we have accomplished together, although it will never be written in any history book, will always be ours. Yes, there will be new connections, new growth, new changes, more love; yet love does not erase, but remembers. Those whom we love are with us forever. Blessings, Frank
Notes from Religious Education By Jan Wilson, Director of Religious Education
Our religious education classes on Sunday have been focused on the common stories of the three Abrahamic religions. I made toys that allow the children to play Moses and the stories of the Israelites’ time in Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land. Moses, of course, received the Ten Commandments, which remains a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian ethics. The Petrow family, Jody and Greg, provided our families with an enactment of the Passover Seder, which tells the same evolution of the Hebrew people out of slavery to freedom in their own land. We look forward to learning about the Christian traditions of Easter. Our Spring Carnival and Easter egg hunt are on Easter Sunday, April 1. This event is always a big attendance day with the fun activities, games and candy that children love. It is a joyful time of laughter and conversation for adults, too. For me, Easter is the beginning of spring gardening and the end to the coldness of winter. See the Spring Carnival flyer on page 6.
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Final Stewardship Feedback Circle Group Saturday, March 31, 2-4pm in the Common Room. Learn about pledging and how our church operates. Give feedback to board members, Rev. Frank and the Stewardship Team. If you haven’t attended a circle yet, this one is for you! Childcare will be provided. To learn more about Stewardship and what our church needs to operate, read the Treasurer's article on page 8 of this newsletter. Spring Carnival Happens April 1st Join us on the east lawn for games and egg hunts. Celebrate spring with us. All the fun starts at 10:30am on Sunday, April 1st. People’s Film Festival Monday, April 2 at 7pm in the Common Room. We will watch PK. A general description of this movie is that it's a sci-fi, comedy, musical, spiritual and touching love story. Compassionate Communication Group (Practice Group) 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm starting April 3 in the Whitney Young Classroom. Using Compassionate Communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg, PhD, we'll learn about connecting with ourselves and others with empathy, living more authentically and acting in greater harmony with our values. Learning to communicate more compassionately can be like learning a new language and takes practice. For more information, please contact Suzanne at nvcsuz@gmail.com. If you need childcare, please email: childcare@firstuuomaha.org. 3F Book Bonanza First Wednesday of each month. Next meeting: April 4 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. Mystery, Adventure, Fantasy, Love, Life—the JOY of reading. Come join us as we enter the world of fiction and read our way through the year. For April we’ll read In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende. In May we’ll read 1916 by Morgan Llywelyn. Please reach out to Denise (denise.allain@yahoo.com) if you have any questions.
Church Events
CommUUnity Night Friday, April 6 5:30pm in the Common Room. If you haven’t participated before, this is a fun, laid-back all church event. We gather for a potluck of side items (the main dish will be provided by R.E.) and we don't worry about who is bringing what. Kids are free to play. There is always plenty of food and what we really want is YOUU. Teams Meeting Saturday, April 7 at 2pm in the Common Room. This meeting is for church leaders and volunteers. If you need an item added to the agenda, please email MTC@firstuuomaha.org. Hamilton & Eggs Brunch: Stewardship Wrap-Up Sunday, April 8 during Coffee Hour. All are welcome to attend! We will celebrate the pledges and donations of our church members and friends. See page 7 for details. Pathways to Membership Class Sundays, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Room (downstairs classroom). This class explores who we are and what we believe and provides opportunities for members to share with newcomers what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. Whether you are new to the church, or have been coming for a while, this is a great opportunity to learn more about this community. Questions? Want to RSVP? Need childcare? Contact Carrie: coordinator@firstuuomaha.org. Women’s Alliance Monday, April 9 at 6:30pm in the Common Room. Women, and those who identify as women, are invited to attend with socializing and beverages to start at 6:30pm with dinner following at 7pm. Our program will be given by Peg Pidgeon. She will teach English Country Dancing and speak about Jane Austen. Wear your comfy shoes! You won’t want to miss this! Dinner will be prepared by Sandy Host. She’ll make an African stew (vegan and gluten-free). The stew has peanut butter in the recipe. If you’re allergic, please let Jeri know. We ask
for $15 which goes to the cost of food and the Merritt Education Fund. Firsttime attendees, please be our guest and let us know if you’re a first-time attendee. Need childcare to join us? When you RSVP please include your child’s name, age and any dietary needs. Macaroni & cheese will be provided to the children unless you note a dietary restriction. PLEASE RSVP by April 4 by EMAILING Jeri Thurber at jeri.thurber@gmail.com. The Flame Newsletter Deadline April 15 at noon. Word limit: 200. Send submissions to admin@firstuuomaha.org. People’s Film Festival Monday, April 16 at 7pm in the Common Room. We will watch Deepwater Horizon. On April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil well drilling platform tragically claimed the lives of 11 people and started the largest offshore marine oil spill in U.S. history, releasing millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over a period of 87 days.
Lunch with the Minister Thursday, April 19 at noon in the Common Room. We meet once a month. Pack a lunch and come join us. Women’s Religious Studies Covenant Group Thursday, April 19 at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. This group meets the 3rd Thursday of each month. We welcome all self-identified women, and if you are interested, please contact Rae at raeb1@hotmail.com. Young Adult Game Night Friday, April 20 at 6pm in the Common Room. All are invited to join the Young Adults for this event. We will have childcare! Bring snacks and board games. Leadership Talk Back Sunday, April 22 at 11:30am in the Common Room. The church board and Ministry Team Council (MTC) want to hear from you and discuss issues that are important to you. See more events on next page.
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Church Events Continued...
Taoism Discussion Group Announces Special Guest Speaker for April Meeting Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30pm in the Common Room. Mindfulness Talk with Johnathan Woodside from Mindfulness Outreach Initiative. Johnathan Woodside is the Founder and Executive Director of Mindfulness Outreach Initiative, an Omaha-based nonprofit organization established in 2012 that works to make comprehensive secular meditation instruction and mindfulness training accessible to all. As an insight meditation teacher in the Theravada tradition, Johnathan is engaged in bringing mindfulness and self-inquiry into the mainstream of wellness programs and daily life through his personal interactions and MOI collaborations with nonprofits and professional businesses. Introduced to practices of selfawareness and self-inquiry in his preteens, he has been exploring different forms of meditation for the past three decades. His enthusiasm for introspection matured into a formal meditation practice nearly two decades ago and reached a degree of unwavering commitment over the past ten years. He has been publicly teaching insight meditation since 2011 and encourages his students to approach meditation with practicality and diligence. Johnathan is an influential leader in the development and support of Omaha's growing community of meditators. He inspires individuals to practice meditation daily and to live mindfully with kindness, generosity, and wisdom. Johnathan teaches classes and retreats on mindfulness meditation for individuals to explore and deepen their understanding of the practice. Have questions? Contact Geoff, group leader, at gerickson03@gmail.com.
(seades.hamilton@gmail.com) or call/text: 402-306-6339).
POPS (Parents of Preschoolers) Saturday, April 28 at 5:45pm in the Common Room. All parents of preschoolers are invited to attend POPs Nights to connect with other parents from both First and Second Unitarian communities. Childcare is provided. Grown-ups gather for food, fun and fellowship while kids eat and play. For questions or to RSVP, contact Sarah Eades Hamilton at
Insight Meditation Every Thursday, 5pm to 5:50pm in the Whitney Young Classroom. If new to meditation, you may wish to attend the 6pm meeting (see below).
Book Club Monday, April 30 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. The book for this month is Reformation: The World in Turmoil by Andrew Atherstone. Questions? Contact Dave at drichardson821@gmail.com. Recurring Events NAMI Connections Meets every Wednesday at 1pm in the Whitney Young Room. This is a peerrun group for persons living with mental health challenges. This group will meet every Wednesday at 1pm. If you have questions, please email Terri Lynn at quburrt77@outlook.com. YRUU—Youth Group Wednesdays at 7pm in the Common Room. Our weekly youth group at church meets September - May. Need more information? Contact the advisors at yruuomaha@gmail.com. Choir Wednesdays at 7pm in the Sanctuary. Would you like to join the choir? Contact our Choir Director William at choirdirector@firstuuomaha.org. We will not meet on April 18th or 25th. Women's Religious Studies Group This group meets every Thursday, except for the 3rd week of the month at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. This group explores a wide range of religious beliefs through reading and discussion. New members welcome. We’re reading Idiot's Guide to Philosophy by Jay Stevenson. For questions or information, please contact Linda Parker, lparkerlib@gmail.com.
Dharma Chautauqua Every Thursday, 6pm to 7:30pm, in the Whitney Young Classroom. This group reflects a free and open-minded exploration of ideas and practices
found within Buddhism, mindfulness, and spiritual, psychological, and recovery literature. Bridge Group Meets the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month in the Conference Room at 11:30am. If you've played before, come for some entertainment and time at the game table. Novices welcome too. Contact Scott Kemper at scott.kemper@gmail.com. Heart & Hand Auction April Events with Open Spots Buy tickets for Heart and Hand Auction events online at www.auctria.com/ auction/2017HHAuction, or email auction@firstuuomaha.org, or pay at the door for larger events. All proceeds go to the church. Sunday, April 8: A strology 101 at 4pm (host-Moucka, $15/seat) Saturday, April 14: Multi-Generational Origami Session at 2pm (host-Soto/Cruz, $10/seat) Saturday, April 28: Spring Fling Party at 6:30pm (host-Anderegg, $25/seat; offsite) Future Events Dueling Sopranos Concert (H&H Event) Saturday, May 12 at 7pm in the Sanctuary. See page 16 for details. Annual Meeting Sunday, May 20 at noon. Team Reports due to the office by April 13. See page 8.
UU Summer Kids Camp 2018 June 11-15. Contact Jan at dre@firstuuomaha.org for info. Vocal Recital: Fundraiser for Black Lives Matter Sunday, July 1 at 2pm in the Sanctuary. Enjoy an afternoon recital featuring our talented baritone choir member, Bill Tull. Childcare provided with RSVP. See the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/ events/2039897176251221/.
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Finance Matters
By Walt Jesteadt, Church Treasurer Last month’s Flame article unfortunately included text from an article written a few years ago. The correct version can be found on the stewardship page of the church website, but even it does not reflect changes in the budget associated with Frank’s retirement. Our budget next year will be $340,000, the same as it is this year. We have a pledge goal of $265,000, which was our initial pledge goal last year. We ended up last year at $250,000, so even with a level budget, we need an overall increase in pledges. Our cost per member ($340,000/242 members) is $1,405. That is below the cost per member in most UU churches. We also know that a lower percentage of our budget comes from pledges than is true of most churches because we do well in fundraising and renting the church for weddings and we have investment income. The obvious conclusion is that our pledges are lower, on average, than in other UU churches. We have looked closely at the results of the previous stewardship campaign to learn as much as possible about our own pattern of pledges. We had 137 pledges in last year’s campaign, covering about 170 members and we had 224 members at the time. The big increase in membership alone will help us reach our goal this year, but we also know that 25% of our members last year did not pledge. Of the 137 pledges, 15 were from friends and visitors. We welcome pledges from non-members. If you rank order the 137 pledges, the midpoint or median was $960 and the most common pledge was $1,200. Those are not small numbers. We want the church and its programs to be available to everyone regardless of their ability to provide financial support. To do that, however, those of us who have the ability to make contributions that are well above average need to do so. Many members recognize that. Eleven percent of our pledges last year were $5,000 or more. We have benefitted in the past from a pledge by Dick Holland that was far larger than the others and one of our goals is to make up for his missing pledge. That will require help from those with above-average pledges who are able to do more. Please visit http://www.firstuuomaha.org/stewardship to download the pledge form and to read more about our pledge campaign.
ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE The 149th Annual Congregational Meeting of First Unitarian Church of Omaha will take place at the church on Sunday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m. Eligible voting members* of the church will adopt an operating budget for the 2018-19 church year and elect a President-elect, President, members of the Board of Trustees, a Trustee of the Trust Fund, and Nominating Committee members; hear select reports from church leaders; vote to name Rev. Frank Rivas a minister emeritus of this church; vote to approve changes to the Capital Trust; and reveal our Unitarian of the Year! The Capital Trust information, including recommended changes, will be posted to the church website soon. Childcare will be provided and your Board of Trustees will host coffee hour following the 10:30am service and provide snacks and drinks to help tide you over during the meeting. We encourage all members to attend this important church event. If you are not able to attend this meeting in person and would like to view it online, please contact the church office (admin@firstuuomaha.org) by Tuesday, May 1st to let us know. We will attempt to stream the annual meeting online for those who cannot attend in person. Please note: our streaming process still faces some technical challenges, and we cannot guarantee that it will work perfectly. We will not stream the meeting unless we have church members who have notified the church office that they need the meeting streamed online. *Individuals are eligible to vote who have been members of the church for at least three months and have made a financial contribution in their name to the church between April 20, 2017 and April 20, 2018.
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Letter from the Church President: A Two-Year Interim Minister Is in Our Future By Alan Vovolka
The board approved the interim search committee's request to look for an interim minister to serve us for two years starting in August of this year. I was happy to support this request for two reasons: First, the pool of interims willing to serve a two year term is larger, since two years is becoming the norm for a ministerial transition. Second, I was concerned that the last two times our church followed the UUA's process for a ministerial transition, we planned for a one-year search and had to add a second year anyway. A two-year interim allows us to have the guidance of the interim minister when we select a search committee. Lisa Presley, of the MidAmerica region, has some recommendations for including input from the entire congregation when pursuing this task.
So to summarize, we should expect the interim search committee (Catherine Plumlee, Joe Schaaf, and Maria Wallace) to find an interim minister who will start in August 2018. The interim will help us select a search committee about January of 2019. This settled minister search committee will be charged with presenting the congregation with a candidate in the spring of 2020 for a week before a congregational vote on hiring. If the congregation decides to offer that candidate the job, the minister would start with us in August of 2020. In other board business, the board plans to recommend changes to the Capital Trust Agreement at this year's annual meeting, to have at least one board member at each of the stewardship circles, and to participate in Rev. Frank's exit interview with Sharon Dittmar from the MidAmerica region of the UUA. Last, but not least, the board unanimously recommended Reverend Frank Rivas for the honorary title of Minister Emeritus of the First Unitarian Church of Omaha. This will become an agenda item at this year's annual meeting where we will all have a chance to enthusiastically approve it!
What is the Sarah Joslyn Society? Sarah Joslyn, a member of this church for 47 years, signed the membership book in 1893. She was a trustee and she and her husband George were strong financial supporters at the time of the 1918 dedication of our building. The Sarah Joslyn Society was created in her memory in 2004 to recognize and honor those members of First Unitarian Church who have made a commitment to leave a bequest to the church. How can you do the same? Include First Unitarian in your will. If you already have a will, add a codicil. Or make the church a beneficiary on a life insurance policy. You can give a dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or even stock. Only you will know the details. You don’t have to part with your money right now. This is about looking forward, about investing in the future of this church as Sarah Joslyn did. “We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant. We drink from wells we did not dig.” What have you received from First Unitarian? What do you love about it? Why not ensure that future generations can find a place of religious freedom as you have. Will you join the other 70 members of the Sarah Joslyn Society who have decided to provide security to our church by investing in its future? After you do, you will receive an invitation to our annual luncheon in October where we will welcome new members and reaffirm our thanks to old members. For more information, contact Deb Duggan at debduggan1117@gmail.com or 402-553-5477.
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Gratitude Team Seeks Suggestions The church has instituted the creation of a Gratitude Team whose purpose will be to insure that members of our church community are appropriately recognized for their time and effort in helping our community reach its stated Mission and Goals. Initial team members are Joe Schaaf, Mike McAtee and Nadine Keith. If you have suggestions of individuals who should be recognized contact team members or email names to: gratitude@firstuuomaha.org.
Team Leaders: Annual Reports Due Soon The Church Annual Meeting happens Sunday, May 20 at noon. Team reports are due to the Church office by Friday, April 13th at noon. Please send your report to admin@firstuuomaha.org with "Annual Report" in the subject line of your email. Here's the format for a team report: <Team Name>
We need YOUR Help Nominating Our Future Leaders and Recognizing Awesome UUs! Your Nominating Committee needs your help! Each year the Nominating Committee is tasked with putting together a slate of leaders for the future church year as well as deserving members for our Annual Awards. Who better than you to help us decide?! Please suggest names of church members you would like to see recognized for their particular service to the church and to the community. There are a couple of ways you can nominate people: 1. Fill out the form (go here: http:// www.firstuuomaha.org/ nominating) 2. Email the Nominating Committee at nominations@firstuuomaha.org. 3. Fill out the forms that will be in the Orders of Service the first couple of Sundays in April or see next page for the annual awards form. All forms and nominations need to be in by Sunday, April 15 at the very latest. Getting nominations sooner rather than later helps your Nominating Committee immensely! If you or someone you know is interested in holding a position at the church either on the Board, the Nominating Committee, or Capital Trust please contact the Nominating Committee as soon as possible as we are actively working to fill these positions. Thank you! The Nominating Committee - Molly Dewell, Kathi Oliver, David Olson, Carol Ramsey, Marie Sedlacek, Ben Wallace; Jacqueline Anderegg, Convener
Leader(s): Members: <list all of your members. This is a record for our archives.> Activities & Projects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2017-2018: <list all of your teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities in a brief narrative or bulleted format. Be complete but concise. This is a record for our archives.> Help us celebrate your efforts this church year and document your team and its projects and successes for archives. If you have questions, please contact the office. See last year's annual reports by clicking here or contact the church office.
New: Comment Box At the beginning of March, we placed a comment box along with comment cards in the foyer. We want to hear from you! Please be sure to include your name, your phone number and the best time to reach you. All comments will be reviewed by the staff and given to the appropriate team/committee. Please give us two weeks to respond to your comment. Thank you!
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Annual Awards Form 2018 First Unitarian Church would like to take this opportunity to recognize some of our own outstanding volunteers. The Nominating Committee is seeking input from the congregation for recognition in the same general categories as have been used in the past. They are: Unsung UU Award affir ms those UUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whose actions inspire, support, and express Unitarian Universalism but have not been previously recognized. The award is given to a person or group whose lifetime activities have made a significant contribution to the cause of Unitarian Universalism. Suggested Recipient(s):____________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ Keeping the Faith Award was established to r ecognize people who live by UU pr inciples. It is presented to persons who have worked to keep Unitarian Universalism alive in their community and who touch the lives of congregation and community members in a positive way. Suggested Recipient(s):____________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ Social Justice Award pays tr ibute to those who witness to the ideals of social justice and r esponsibility so important to our UU heritage. Suggested Recipient(s):____________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ Religious Education Award to honor an individual or individuals who have made a significant contribution to religious education. Suggested Recipient(s):___________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ The Heritage Award to r ecognize an individual or gr oup who have made a significant contr ibution to preserving, understanding, and celebrating our Unitarian Universalist history. Suggested Recipient(s):___________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ The Young Adult of the Year Award to r ecognize an individual (18-35 years old) who has played a vibrant and critical part of our community.
Suggested Recipient(s):___________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ The Youth of the Year Award to r ecognize an individual (ages 13-17) who has contributed to our church and community. Suggested Recipient(s):___________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ Additionally, at the annual meeting each year, a member of our church receives our Unitarian of the Year Award to r ecognize an individual or individuals who have made a differ ence in our Congr egation over the past year. Suggested Recipient:______________________________________________ Reason for Nomination:___________________________________________ Please submit your suggestions by filling in the names and supporting comments in the spaces above and return this form to the church office, drop it in the offering plate on Sunday, or send an email message to nominations@firstuuomaha.org. New this year: fill out the form online! Go here: http://www.firstuuomaha.org/nominating
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Hope in Action
Our church believes in community, and that is what Hope in Action, a sub-team of the Caring Team, is all about. Any one of us might need assistance, and we want to make it easier for you to ask for support and easier for you to offer support when others are in need. WHO IS SERVED? Church members, friends, regular attendees and their spouses are eligible for assistance from Hope in Action.
WHO CAN HELP? Everyone! Hope in Action is an opportunity for everyone in our church community to support each other by sharing knowledge, skills and resources. Hope in Action will use church communications, including the enews, to let our church community know when help is needed to respond to a request for support. And we will report back to the church community about how we were able to respond. All communication will be done in a manner that maintains the degree of confidentiality requested by the person seeking assistance. WHAT SUPPORT CAN BE EXPECTED? Hope in Action is there when people are dealing with a medical problem, need transportation or help around the house, can use assistance with referrals to social service agencies or just need someone to talk to about the ups and downs of life. Our response will vary depending on the type of support that is needed in our church community and what resources we have available. Although Hope in Action is not able to respond to emergencies, short-term financial assistance may be available for lodging, food, clothing, medication, transportation and utilities. Financial disbursements are not made directly to the person making the request for assistance.
HOW TO ASK FOR SUPPORT Requests for assistance must be made directly by the person needing help. Hope in Action does not respond to any anonymous or third-party requests for assistance. Here are the ways you can ask for support from Hope in Action. You may send an email to hopeinaction@firstuuomaha.org or use the Hope in Action link on the church website. Or, you may simply complete a Caring Card, located in the church pews and place it in the offering plate. WHO DECIDES WHAT SUPPORT WILL BE OFFERED? Hope in Action will use a team approach, so at least three members of Hope in Action must participate in determining the nature of the response.
bags to people who come to the church door from our area. Your change makes a difference! Thank you for your generosity!
SHARE THE PLATE
Each month one-half of the loose currency collected in the offering plate is donated to a local cause that advances important principles of Unitarianism. Our Share the Plate recipient for April is Community Meals. See the column to the left for more information.
OUTSIDE EVENT
Nebraskans for Peace Special Event Featuring Author Miko Peled Miko Peled, internationally-known Jewish-Israeli author of The General’s Son, is coming to the Midwest! Jews, Christians and Muslims alike will be interested in what he has to say about the issues of Israel and Palestine. Peled’s background gives him a rare inside view of the formation of Israel Every Saturday, churches in our area in 1948 and the subsequent repercusjoin together to cook a meal, serve their sions for us all. He is the son of a neighbors and bring a sense of prominent Israeli general in the 1967 community to our neighborhood at First war and grandson of a signer of IsBaptist Church. Our church has rael’s Declaration of Independence. committed to the following Saturday Both were instrumental in creating the Israel we know today. Peled courafor Community Meals: Sept. 22nd. Please mark your calendar and contact geously advocates for peace between me if you are interested in helping. We the Palestinians and Israelis. He offers real solutions for peace. Come hear will need people to help with desserts, “the rest of the story” of Israel’s cooking, serving and cleaning up. Thank you to everyone who has already founding and the present-day situation in the Holy Land. helped with meals earlier this year. Dates and locations on events in Thanks! Diane Withem, Nebraska:
COMMUNITY MEALS
dianewithem@gmail.com
CHANGE FOR CHANGE
Each week generous people put change in the collection plate. This change goes to the Sunday School kids who decide what to do with the money. In the past they have helped Community Meals and International Bridges for Justice. The kids are now donating this change to the Neighborhood Ministry Team, which pur chases bus tickets and food cards and gives out blessing
Tuesday, April 10—7pm to 9pm at St. John’s Church (in the Sanctuary) on the Creighton University Campus 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE Wednesday, April 11—7pm to 9pm at Unitarian Church of Lincoln, 6300 A Street, Lincoln, NE A $10 free-will offering is suggested. For more info, go to the Facebook event page: https:// www.facebook.com/ events/969941146496604/.
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Ways You Can Get Involved Sunday Morning Help Do you enjoy the EMR and the Choir? Do you want to join the EMR or Choir but don't sing or cannot play an instrument? Did you know that YOU could still be a key player? How? Join the Sound Team. If you can use a laptop or a smart phone, you can help with the sound system! Contact the church office today to find out how you can get involved. Help us make Sunday mornings sound even better. We need you! Email: admin@firstuuomaha.org. Hospitality Teams Help out on Sunday mornings by greeting guests, setting up coffee hour, and making people feel welcomed. Commitment is only six times a year! Interested? Contact Carolyn at caylamc@cox.net
Midwest Leadership School
MidWest Leadership School is a week-long intensive program in leadership and group dynamics. Led by lay and ordained staff with a deep understanding of UU congregations, MWLS: -develops both youth and adults into congregational leaders, -provides leadership tools and skills -deepens Unitarian Universalist identity. This is an extremely intense week of workshops, discussions, intimate small groups, worship preparation, personal theological exploration and growth. For more information, go to https://www.mwls.org/. In exchange for wholehearted commitment to a strenuous schedule, MWLS offers a lifechanging and congregation-nourishing opportunity. Dates: July 15-21, 2018. Location: Luther College in Decorah Iowa.
Parking at Church
Parking is directly west of the church in the surface parking lot or on the street. If you are able to park in the Midtown Crossing garage to the west of our parking lot, it would leave our small parking lot for visitors and those who need to park closer to the building. You may park in the Midtown Crossing Parking Garage to the west of the church lot. The entrance to the parking garage is on Farnam Street. Have your ticket validated downstairs in the Common Room. Find the ticketvalidating machine on the south side of the Common Room on the bookcase. You must have your ticket validated for free parking. Questions? Contact the church office at admin@firstuuomaha.org.
General Assembly 2018 June 20-24 General Assembly 2018 will take place at the Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W 13th St, Kansas City, MO 64105 Next year, the MidAmerican Region will hold its Annual Business Meeting in conjunction with General Assembly in Kansas City. From the MidAmerican Region website (https:// www.midamericauua.org/events/regionalassembly): It seemed counterproductive to entice you all to a Regional Assembly just weeks before we’ll gather for General Assembly in Kansas City. Keep this in mind—we want to see you there! Early registration for GA began March 1st. See this site for all the information and pricing: https://www.uua.org/ga/registration.
Have you pledged?
Now is the time! Every pledge is important and valued. Please help us reach our pledge goal of $265,000. See the treasurer’s article on page 8 in this newsletter and click here to access the pledge form online or pick a form up at church—pledge forms are in the sanctuary pew pockets. Want to learn WHY you should pledge to First U? Join us for the last Feedback Circle on Saturday, March 31, 2-4pm in the Common Room (childcar e provided). Rev. Frank, a board member, and member of the Stewardship Team will answer your questions about how the church operates. Plus they want to hear YOUR feedback about the church and its programs. Thank you for your generosity.
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Partner Church Council Note from Rev. Roger This note was sent to Rev. Frank and the Partner Church Team. We share it here with you so everyone knows what the next steps are for the Partner Church Team and its relationship to the church in Romania. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to your church and Omaha. I am grateful for the arrangements and hospitality. Thank you. Please convey to the team, the Board, and the young adult community my deep gratitude for their time and engagement. I talked about some recommendations during the closing meeting we had following the service. Here is a summary of my recommendations: 1.) Broaden the leadership of the partnership team. I recommend creating a small leadership team. I further recommend that this team reflect the diversity of the church and your partnership team, including by having young adult(s) on the leadership team. It will be very important that the partnership leadership shift from a main leader to a broader leadership team in order for the partnership to continue thriving for the next 25 years. 2.) Create a follow-up plan for people who signed the sheet indicating interest in the partnership after the service. Assign someone from the leadership team to talk to each person on the list about how they might want to get involved. This will be particularly important to do with people who aren’t already involved in some way. 3.) Do the covenant process internally that I shared, then talk with your partners about doing it jointly with them. 4.) Multiply the communications links between people in both congregations, particularly though young adult and youth electronic connections. 5.) Concentrate fundraising on strengthening the relationship between you and your partners, particularly by supporting travel so that no one in either congregation who wants to visit the partner congregation will be prevented from doing so by a lack of personal wealth. 6.) Engage with the ministerial transition at your church, and let your partners know about key events in the transition. They will have some anxiety about the transition and will be reassured to be updated and to know the partnership is being considered in the process. 7.) Always bear in mind that the goal of the partnership is mutual relationship, not charity. I hope the weekend and these recommendations are helpful. Remember that I’m here and the UUPCC’s commitment to your partnership didn’t end when I boarded the plane back to St. Louis. I will be honored and delighted to offer any assistance I can as you move forward. Thank you for all you do to help your partnership with Firtos thrive! Gratefully, Roger Rev. Roger Bertschausen Executive Director Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council
In next month’s Flame, we will publish a report about this visit and next steps the church can take.
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Pathways to Membership Class Sundays, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Room (downstairs classroom) This class explores who we are and what we believe and provides opportunities for members to share with newcomers what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. Whether you are new to the church, or have been coming for a while, this is a great opportunity to learn more about this community. Questions? Want to RSVP? Need childcare? Contact Carrie: coordinator@firstuuomaha.org.
Schedule: Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29
Introductory Class & Religious Education History and UU Roots Church Governance and Elements of Unitarian Universalism Membership, Stewardship and Fundraising
Why I Am A Member of First Unitarian Church By John Hruska
I am a UU because I know when I enter a UU church I will find some like-minded individuals who will tolerate my beliefs even if they don’t agree with them. We are experiencing unbelievable assaults on UU principles from the president and others in power. We now live in a country where more and more people are not allowed to peacefully dissent. Whether it’s a black football player (Kaeperrnick) who has been banned from playing NFL football for peacefully protesting racist police violence or a teacher who is arrested and forcefully removed from a public meeting for criticizing a pay raise for a superintendent of schools in Louisiana. I am a UU because when I travel I can usually find another congregation with like-minded people who welcome me into their community and I don’t feel so disconnected. Our children are UUs in Alaska and when there (quite often) we can count on UUs to make us feel at home. Many of our best friends and longest-lasting friendships have been with UUs. Lastly I believe in UU principles, not dogma.
Sanctuary Window Project The window renovation project is off to a great start thanks to the generous support of Dean Christensen. We are moving forward with repairs and could use your help. If you would like to make a contribution to preserving our beautiful church windows, there is an account set up for donations. Please help us by making your donations payable to First Unitarian Church and simply put “Window Project” in the subject line. Our church is on the National Historic Registry and this is a great project for our future. Many thanks! Questions? Contact Floyd at prine@cox.net.
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Minister Frank Rivas minister@firstuuomaha.org Director of Religious Education Jan Wilson dre@firstuuomaha.org Membership Coordinator Carrie Helmberger coordinator@firstuuomaha.org Church Administrator Catharine Dixon admin@firstuuomaha.org Organist Pat Will Choir Director William Miller choirdirector@firstuuomaha.org Choir Accompanist J. Gawf EMR Director Stan Harper Minister Emeritus Ronald Knapp Nursery Coordinator Jenny Hastings childcare@firstuuomaha.org Nursery Aide Gale Callaghan Custodian Bobby Medrano Nominating Committee Molly Dewell, Dave Olson, Kathy Oliver, Carol Ramsey, Marie Sedlacek, Ben Wallace THE FLAME
Deadlines are the 15th of each month. Word limit: 200. Send submissions to admin@firstuuomaha.org.
Editor/Designer: Cat Dixon Proofers: Lana Hammel, Scott Kemper, Lois Norris, Debbie Hunsberger Flame Mailing Team: Debbie Hunsberger, Lois Norris, Linda Hruska, Kim Callaghan
First Unitarian Church www.firstuuomaha.org 402-345-3039
Meet Our Leaders
Board Members Alan Vovolka (President), Maria Wallace (President-Elect), Catherine Plumlee (Secretary), Geoff Erickson, Linda Parker, Floyd Prine, Joe Schaaf, Donna Tubach-Davis Email: board@firstuuomaha.org Trustees of the Capital Trust Evelyn Whitehill (2018), Daniel Byrd (2020) Committee on Ministry Bruce Godfrey, Collin Hatcher, Carol Ramsey, Donna Tubach-Davis Ministry Team Council Rev. Frank Rivas, Nellie Chenoweth, Dave Richardson, Maria Wallace Email: mtc@firstuuomaha.org Ministry Teams and Team Leaders AHA—Sheri Conner Archives/Heritage Task Force—Dave Richardson & Janet West Baby Welcoming Team—Becca Hatcher, Katrina Schmidt, & Sara Switzer Black Lives Matter—Rene Harper Caring—Louise Jeffrey Chalice Guild—Kay Lynn Goldner Community Meals—Diane Withem CUUPS—Steve Switzer Early Morning Risers—Mary Kay Peters & Sarah Copeland Fellowship Team—Judith Wright, Nadine Keith & Nellie Chenoweth Finance Team—Walt Jesteadt Forums—Bebe McCammond Garden—Sharon Conlon Fundraising Team—Donna Neff & Katrina Schmidt Hope in Action—Kim Dunovan Hospitality Teams—Carolyn McNamara House and Grounds Team—Pierce Carpenter Listening Circles—Katrina Schmidt Membership Team—Mike McAtee & Janet West Midtown Helping Hands—open Office Team—Carolyn McNamara Omaha Together One Community—Janet West Partner Church Team—Janet West Recycling Coordinator—Jeri Thurber Social Justice Coordinator—Peg Pidgeon Stewardship Team—Mary Kay Peters & Peg Pidgeon Wayside Pulpiteer—Kim Dunovan Women’s Alliance—Catherine Plumlee Worship Arts Team—Maria Wallace Young Adult Group—Collin & Becca Hatcher YRUU—Geoff Erickson & Carolyn Miller
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Final Stewardship Feedback Circle Group Saturday, March 31, 2-4pm in the Common Room. See page 13. Spring Carnival Sunday, April 1. See page 6. Church Office Closed Monday, April 2. People’s Film Festival Monday, April 2 at 7pm in the Common Room. See page 4 for details.
Church Events Leadership Talk Back Sunday, April 22 at 11:30am in the Common Room. See page 4 for information. Taoism Discussion Group Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30pm in the Common Room. See page 5 for details. YRUU Lock-In Friday, April 27 in the Common Room. POPS (Parents of Preschoolers) Saturday, April 28 at 5:45pm in the Common Room. See page 5.
Compassionate Communication Group 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm starting April 3. See page 14.
Book Club Monday, April 30 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. See page 5
3F Book Bonanza Wednesday, April 4 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. See page 4.
Recurring…
Future Events… Dueling Sopranos Concert (H&H Event) Saturday, May 12 at 7pm in the Sanctuary. See page 16 for details. Annual Meeting Sunday, May 20 at noon. Team Reports due to the office by April 13. See pages 8 and 10. UU Summer Camp June 11-15. Contact Jan at dre@firstuuomaha.org for info. Vocal Recital: Fundraiser for Black Lives Matter Sunday, July 1 at 2pm in the Sanctuary. See page 5.
CommUUnity Night Friday, April 6 at 5:30pm in the Common Room. See page 4.
Dungeons and Dragons Group Meeting (NOW MEETS OFFSITE) We meet at Kitty Brougham’s house: 2002 Deer Park Blvd on the oddnumbered Sundays at noon.
Teams Meeting Saturday, April 7 at 2pm in the Common Room. See page 4.
Bridge Group Meets the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. See page 5.
Hamilton & Eggs Brunch Sunday, April 8 in the Common Room. See page 7.
NAMI Connections Meets Wednesdays at 1pm in the Whitney Young Room. See page 5.
Find our closed Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/77808136080/
Pathways to Membership Class Starts Sunday, April 8. See page 17.
YRUU (Youth Group) Meeting Wednesdays at 7pm in the Common Room. See page 5.
You must ask to join the group before you can see the posts.
Women’s Alliance Monday, April 9 at 6:30pm in the Common Room. See page 4. Board Meeting Tuesday, April 10 at 7pm in the Common Room. Lunch with the Minister Thursday, April 19 at noon in the Common Room. See page 4. Flame Deadline Submit your newsletter articles to admin@firstuuomaha.org by April 15 at noon. People’s Film Festival Sunday, April 16 at 7pm in the Common Room. See page 4. Young Adult Game Night Friday, April 20 at 6pm in the Common Room. See page 4.
———————————————— Social Media & First U Find our public Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ firstuuomaha/
Choir Rehearsals Wednesdays at 7pm in the Sanctuary. See page 5.
Find us on Twitter here: @FirstUUOmaha
Women’s Religious Studies Group Meets most Thursdays at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. See page 5.
Be sure to like the church and follow us!
Insight Meditation Every Thursday, 5pm to 5:50pm in the Whitney Young Classroom. See page 5. Dharma Chautauqua Thursdays at 6pm in the Whitney Young Room. See page 5.
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Mission: Fostering the Whole Person, Compassion, and Justice Vision: An inclusive Community that Listens, Engages, Inspires, and Acts We covenant to: Listen to understand and grow Seek and value all voices Model respect and kindness Assume good intentions Resolve conflicts directly and compassionately Contribute time, talent, treasure Respect people’s time Celebrate, support, appreciate
First Unitarian Church of Omaha 3114 Harney St. Omaha, NE 68131 www.firstuuomaha.org
Adopted May 14, 2017