July 2018
The Flame
The Monthly Newsletter of First Unitarian Church of Omaha
Page 2
Pages 4 & 5
Page 13
Sunday Services
Church Events
Ways to Help
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Church Services Sunday, July 1 at 10:30am “Ron Knapp’s Theory of Everything” Rev. Ron Knapp Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking both spent a lifetime working on what is called a unified field theory, or, in popular parlance, “a theory of everything.” In a way, so have I. Einstein and Hawking did not find theirs. I found mine! Sunday, July 8 at 10:30am “Supporting the Spiritually Disabled” Rev. Sarah Voss Rev. Voss takes a look at those who are disabled and those who are “spiritually” disabled and what kinds of support the church can provide. Sunday, July 15 at 10:30am "Medicine, Then and Now” John Goldner Henry Lemon Sermon I will include some of my memories of Dr. Lemon and give a perspective of how medicine has changed in the last 60 years. There will be some stories. Sunday, July 22 at 10:30am “Rumi Today?” Rev. Sheila Mee Is there anything that a Sufi mystic who lived and died in the 13th century could possible say to those living in the 21st century? We will explore some options. Sunday, July 29 at 10:30am "My Evolving Prayer Practice” Ed Kelly Jr. I will share how my practice of “prayer” has changed from the loud fiery Pentecostal hooping to the quiet relaxing moments of humanistic reflection. I will also share two poems from my two favorite poets on prayer, Czeslae Milsez and Mary Oliver. A Note on Sunday Forums: The Sunday Morning Forums take the summer off. The first forum in the fall will be on Sunday, September 9th, and its focus will be the NEW Soul Matters Programming that will begin this fall. See page 14 of this issue for more details about Soul Matters. A Note on First Unitarian Book Orders: It’s NOT too late. Order your copy of our Anniversary book, Pillars & Dreams. See page 16 for details.
What it means to be a Church Member The meaning of membership is different for every individual. It may be that you’re choosing to support the presence of free religion. It may mean your membership acknowledges deeper recognition that you have found a spiritual home. It may be that you are choosing to add your name in support of the kind of religious education your children are receiving here or of the social justice programs we are creating together. It is likely that the meaning of membership will change and expand for you over the years.
As a member, we ask you for the following: Presence – Attend church services and programming, as you are able. Participation – Get involved in the life of our community in ways that grow your soul. All members are asked to serve on a Hospitality Team to assist with Sunday services six times a year by greeting visitors, ushering and providing refreshments after services. Pledging – All members are required to make and pay a regular pledge of financial support. Passing it on – Share your pride in our religious community by talking to people about our church and what it means to you! Interested in learning more about First Unitarian Church? Please see page 6 for information about upcoming membership classes.
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Letter from Our Church President Dear Members and Friends of First Unitarian Church of Omaha, Like many of you, I have been doing a great deal of thinking, reading, and conversing about race and culture. In my short time so far as President, the question I’ve been asked most frequently is: How do we increase the racial diversity in our congregation? I wish I had a ‘right’ answer. When facing a huge obstacle (like writer’s block while writing a Flame article), it is easiest to give up in exasperation and helplessness. Does not knowing how to solve this problem mean we just keep doing what we’ve always done and hope by being good UUs we are making a difference?? Absolutely not. There are MANY steps we need to take to increase our knowledge and alter our actions and practices if we are to become a radically inclusive congregation. What is our church culture? What are our implicit cultural expectations? Some SIMPLE questions to consider about our culture: Is it okay to wear jeans to church? What is your definition of ‘on time?’ How much space should you leave between you and the next person in the pew? Is it appropriate to shout out during church? Should we condone alcohol consumption at church events? How should people handle complaints and concerns? Is it okay to joke about Christianity? Do you believe you have the ‘right’ answer to any of those questions? Your answer depends on your cultural norms. Many of our cultural norms are ‘understood’ but never spoken about. We must become aware of and question our cultural expectations. We must learn to accept that when engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, we cannot expect our own cultural expectations to be met. We must realize and check our privilege. We need to not be afraid to admit our white privilege, our racism, and the fact that white supremacy does indeed permeate everything around us, including our church. We need to not be afraid of words, of having difficult conversations. We must realize that our liberal views and good intentions are not enough. We need to do actual hard, HARD work. We must be willing to be wrong and uncomfortable. As we engage in this work, it is vital to care for each other, especially our members of color who have been hurt by this country and by us. We need to respect and value their voices and experiences even if we do not yet understand them. All of us are at a different point in our journey. Those of us who are farther along need to lovingly offer a hand to others, instead of shaming them for not knowing as much. Those of us who are just beginning this journey must listen deeply and trust those who are ‘calling us in.’ Let’s create a safe space to be bravely introspective and do this hard work. Together. Woyaya. In Leadership, Friendship, and Service, Maria Wallace
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Young Adult Group Sunday, July 1 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Classroom. This group welcomes everyone ages 18-35 from all over the Omaha metro. Taylor Eman will lead this week's discussion about rules assigned to us, selfimposed rules, and rules dictated by society. Please contact youngadults@firstuuomaha.org with any questions. The Terrestrial and the Celestial Vocal Recital: Fundraiser for UU Black Lives Sunday, July 1 at 2pm in the Sanctuary. Enjoy an afternoon recital featuring our talented baritone choir member, Bill Tull. Childcare provided with RSVP to katrina.schmidt@gmail.com. All are welcome to attend. See the Facebook event here: www.facebook.com/ events/2039897176251221/ See flyer on page 7. People’s Film Festival Monday, July 2 at 7pm in the Common Room. The film we’ll watch is Hacksaw Ridge, the true story of Desmond T. Doss, the conscientious objector who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery by saving 75 men during the bloodiest battle of WWII, without firing a single shot. You Are Invited Bill Tull and Bill Braymen invite you to join them in celebration of their commitment ceremony to be held at church on Sunday, July 8 at 2pm in the Sanctuary. Refreshments will follow in the Common Room after the service. Please RSVP by July 1st to Bill at swim610@gmail.com. 3F Book Bonanza In July, our book is Girl in Disguise by Greer McAllister, and we will meet on July 11 at 7pm in the lounge. For August, we will read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Please reach out to Denise (denise.allain@yahoo.com) if you have questions.
Church Events The Flame Newsletter Deadline July 15 at noon. Word limit: 200. Send submissions to admin@firstuuomaha.org. Leadership Talk Back Sunday, July 15 at 11:30am in the Common Room. The MTC and the Church Board want to hear from you. Have questions? Suggestion? Please join your church leaders at a table in the Common Room during coffee hour. We will now hold the Leadership Talk Back on the third Sunday of each month. CUUPS Summer Solstice Ritual Sunday, July 15 at 4pm in the Common Room. History and Heritage with Mark Tipton. An exploration of pagan history and tradition, from ancient mythology to modern times, come retrace the steps of the modern earth-centric movement. People’s Film Festival Monday, July 16 at 7pm in the Common Room. We will watch The Awful Truth, a satirical TV show that was directed, written, and hosted by filmmaker Michael Moore. Before Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine, Mr. Moore had politicians and big business on the run with his Emmy nominated series The A wful Truth. Enjoy a look back at some hilarious stunts, scathing observations, and trademark rants. Women’s Religious Studies Covenant Group Thursday, July 19 at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. This group meets the 3rd Thursday of each month. Our book is Lifecraft by Forrest Church. We welcome all self-identified women, and if you are interested, please contact Rae: raeb1@hotmail.com. Game Night Hosted by the Young Adults Group Friday, July 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.
WAYS TO HELP: Omaha Peace & Justice Expo Saturday, July 21. Offsite at UNO. Volunteer to help at our booth. See page 13. Pool Party Hosted by Callaghans Kim and Brian Callaghan are hosting a pool party on Saturday, July 21, 79pm. They’ve rented the newly renovated Gilbert Pool (located at 414 W 30th Ave, or W 29th Ave and Jackson in Bellevue) for a pool party (mostly for the kids, although adults ARE welcome). There is no charge, although bringing a snack or drinks would not be frowned upon. No alcohol. Questions? Contact Kim at kjcallaghan@hotmail.com. First Steps: A Class for Visitors Sunday, July 22 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Room. Join us for an informal introduction to Unitarian Universalism and our community. All are welcome! See page 6 for details. WAYS TO HELP: YES Meal Prep Monday, July 23 at 9am in the kitchen. We will serve pinwheel wrap sandwiches, chips, fruit, and dessert. Want to help? Contact Kim at kjcallaghan@hotmail.com. See page 13 for more information. Taoism Discussion Group Tuesday, July 24 at 6:30pm in the Common Room, Join us to discuss anything and everything related to Taoism! As Taoism is best understood through practice rather than theory, the goal of this group is to provide a participatory space to explore how Taoism is applied in daily life, with an emphasis on experience. For more information, contact Geoff at gerickson03@gmail.com. H&H Event: Summer Evening of Song Saturday, July 28 at 7pm in the Sanctuary. See flyer on page 8 for more details. This event is a fundraiser for the church and the cost is $15/ ticket. More events on next page.
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Recurring Events
Church Events Continued...
Women's Religious Studies Group This group meets every Thursday, except for the 3rd week of the month at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. We’re reading Idiot's Guide to Philosophy by Jay Stevenson. For questions or information, please contact Linda Parker, lparkerlib@gmail.com. Insight Meditation Every Thursday, 5pm to 5:50pm, in the Whitney Young Classroom. Join us for meditation. If you're new to meditation, you may wish to attend our Dharma group first (meets at 6pm/same location). Dharma Chautauqua Every Thursday, 6pm to 7:30pm, in the Whitney Young Classroom. This group reflects a free 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. Future Events CommUUnity Night Friday, August 3 at 5:30pm in the Common Room. No event in July. Compassionate Communication Group (Practice Group) Tuesday, August 7 at 7pm in the Common Room. Using Compassionate Communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg, PhD. Please join us even if you have not attended a session yet. For information, please contact Suzanne: nvcsuz@gmail.com. We will not meet in July. WAYS TO HELP: Brush Up Nebraska Saturday, August 18, offsite. The painta-thon is a community-based volunteer program that paints homes of qualified
low-income elderly and permanently disabled homeowners in the Omaha metro area, so that they may maintain their property, increase energy efficiency, and beautify the community. Each year, our church has a paint team. Interested? Contact Alan at alan.v@cox.net. See page 13 for more information. Book Club Monday, August 27 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. At this meeting we discuss what we read over the summer. Questions? Contact Dave at drichardson821@gmail.com. This annual event is well-attended and also serves as a welcome to new book clubbers. So even if you have not attended before please check us out. Our September 24th book, Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker was chosen as an "over the summer read" due to its length (576 pages). Dave says: “I have read about half so far and I find it fascinating reading (especially for Unitarians.)" Get Connected Fair: A Small Group Sign Up Extravaganza. Sunday, Sept. 9 during Coffee Hour in the Common Room. Various small discussion groups, including those focused on the Soul Matters topics, will showcase information about their groups and meetings during coffee hour. This will be a great opportunity to plug in and meet new friends at First Unitarian! Be sure to save the date!
Next AHA Meeting will be Thursday, September 13th We will resume meeting on Thursday, September 13th and will subsequently meet every other month after that through the month of May. AHAST (the AHA Steering Team) will continue to meet throughout the summer on the third Thursday of every month at 7pm in the Common Room. If you are interested in helping plan programming for next year’s AHA meetings, please join us. We will meet again on July 19th, and August 16th. POPS: Parents of Preschoolers Saturday, Sept. 29 at 5:45pm in the Common Room. All parents of preschoolers (from littles through primary
grades) are invited to attend POPs Nights to connect with other parents from both First and Second Unitarian communities. Childcare is provided onsite. Bring a dish to share and BYOB. Grown-ups will gather in the Common Room. Kids will eat and play in the nursery. Kindly RSVP (for adults and children) to Sarah Eades Hamilton (email: seades.hamilton@gmail.com). Anniversary Celebration: SAVE THE DATE Sunday, September 30 after the Sunday service. Join us as we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of our beautiful and historic church. More information will be shared next month. Heart & Hand Auction: July Events with Open Seats You can still snag seats for the auction events listed below. To get info and buy tickets click here, use the “Auction” button on the main church webpage, or email auction@firstuuomaha.org). All proceeds go to the church.
July 15—Beach Balls, Beer & Brats! 1-5pm (host-Hayes, off-site, $20/seat) Note: The hosts have a pool and loads of sunscreen. Supervised kids are welcome-beach bodies not necessary. Questions? Contact Andrea at dreahayes@gmail.com
July 28 at 7pm in the Sanctuar y— “Summer Evening of Song. Join Kabin and Mary Thomas, and their friend, Collin Hatcher, for a casual evening of song on Saturday, July 28 in the Sanctuary, followed by a relaxed reception in the Common Room. Kabin will perform solos on his tuba, and he will accompany Mary on a few songs that she'll sing, and they'll sing two duets accompanied by Collin on guitar. Collin will sing songs, too! Snacks, treats, and beverages (pop, water, box wine) will be provided during the reception; you are welcome to bring your preferred beverages and enjoy! This event is for adults only. Childcare provided with RSVP. Cost: $15/ticket. See the event flyer on page 8. See page 13 for ways you can get more involved at First Unitarian!
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New to Our Church? Join us for an informal introduction to Unitarian Universalism and our community. The First Steps Class will take place on Sunday, July 22 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Classroom (downstairs on the west side of the church by the nursery). If you are interested, RSVP to Carrie at coordinator@firstuuomaha.org or stop by the Welcome & Engagement Table (in the Common Room downstairs) on the 22nd and we’ll get you to the right room. Grab a cup of coffee and we will see you there!
Pathways to Membership—Save these dates! Sundays: Sept 23, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Room. This six-week class will take a more in-depth look at what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist and to be a member of First Unitarian Church of Omaha. Class is open to anyone interested in learning more about our church—non-members and members alike! Questions? RSVP to Carrie Helmberger, Membership Coordinator at coordinator@firstuuomaha.org. Learn more about church membership at our website: www.firstuuomaha.org/membership.
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A Note from Jan—Summer Camp 2018 By Jan Wilson, Director of Religious Education
Every year we select a theme for our week-long summer camp. This year, since we were studying the Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle in Sunday school, we learned about the culture of Ancient Greece. We learned the Greek alphabet, we made Greek black and red ware pottery with papier-mâché, and we made wax encaustics and created nameplates with our names in Greek. Shields as those seen in Greek pottery were an art project as well. We spent the mornings making art and hearing stories of the Greek myths. After an outdoor picnic lunch under the tree, we played games and bonded as a group of friends. Afternoons were spent on field trips. First, we went to Gifford Farm where we learned about farm animals in Ancient Greece. Next we were treated to a visit to Doe’s and Diva’s Goat Farm in Honey Creek, Iowa. Sheep and goats were a main source of food and fiber on the rocky lands on the Mediterranean. Bee-keeping was a source of wax and honey. Experienced bee club keepers shared their hives with us at the Bohemian Cemetery. Joslyn Art Museum was our next destination to see the permanent collection, which has mythological themes as well as their incredible collection of Greek pottery. Lastly, we celebrated with our families at the restaurant, The Greek Islands, where we sampled classic Greek cuisine. Seth Conner did a presentation of Aries, god of war. Simon Soto-Sanchez presented on Poseidon, god of the sea. Every camper, wearing their toga and olive leaf wreath, was anointed with olive oil and presented with a graduation certificate. Immense thanks to our parents who supported the camp with timely attendance and willingness to drive to field trips. Special thanks to Jody Petrow, who provided transportation, companionship, good humor, and lots of work all week.
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The Promise and the Practice of Our Faith Campaign Imagine what our faith would look like if we upheld and centered the history, the perspectives, the voices, and the leadership of Black Lives of Unitarian Universalists...
What is ‘The Promise & the Practice’?
It’s a turning moment; a choice to listen deeply to the stories in our movement that have not been heard, and taken to heart, by all Unitarian Universalists. It’s a lamenting of what our Unitarian Universalist tradition and congregations have lost by being unable – or unwilling – to center people of color (or even, at times, to merely include them). The Promise and the Practice is a celebration of our shared commitment to live into a new chapter in the story of our UU faith.
The Promise and the Practice of Our Faith Campaign is our opportunity to take the lead as a faith
denomination in addressing our history of upholding white centeredness. Together, we can collectively work to dismantle it and amend a long broken promise to the Black Lives within our Association. Join the UUA and its congregation as we do something different in this extraordinary moment to connect our finances with our theological values as we enter a new chapter within our faith.
How does the congregational match work?
In order to qualify for a match, each participating UU congregation must collect or raise at least the equivalent of $10 per member (as self-reported on the pledge form). Congregations are being asked to submit their pledge by June 30, 2018, with the pledges being fulfilled by June 30, 2019. The First Unitarian Church of Omaha Board of Trustees voted at its June meeting to take part in this campaign. Our congregation has submitted its pledge and NOW we are asking for your donation please. Our goal is $2,440.
Every gift matters. The UUA wants each and every congregation to be part of this vital work for our faith. If our congregation is able to meet the threshold of $10 per member, your contribution will be matched, dollar-fordollar, by generous donors. Make your donation by writing "BLUU" in the memo line of your check (make your check out to First Unitarian Church) or fill out the insert in this Sunday's order of service and leave cash and the insert in an envelope or fill out the form below. Thank you! For more info, visit: www.uua.org/giving/areas-support/funds/ promise-and-practice. Mary Kay Peters, church member, has more to share about this effort. Please see next page. ————————————————————————————————————————————
Name: ________________________________ Amount of donation to First Unitarian Church’s The Promise & The Practice of Our Faith Campaign Pledge: $ _________ Please send this form and your check to First Unitarian Church of Omaha, 3114 Harney St., Omaha, NE 68131
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The Promise and the Practice of Our Faith Campaign—More Details Every day in our world, and in our congregation, people are feeling vulnerable, frightened, disheartened or heartbroken. We are a beloved community united in love and thirsting for restorative justice. But if you look around, you see that we are a white-centered community, and we have only begun to examine our whiteness. We ask ourselves once again, where do people of color find places of true affirmation and empowerment within Unitarian Universalism? The Promise and the Practice of our Faith Campaign will fund a people-of-color led movement within Unitarian Universalism—Black Lives of Universalism (BLUU). It’s an offering to a new group formed within the Unitarian Universalist denomination that represents the perspective of black Unitarian Universalists who have struggled to find belonging in our tradition—or who have been disappointed and hurt by our UU people of faith. BLUU is an investment in self determination for black leaders in the church and black Unitarian Universalists. The board has approved a First Unitarian congregational pledge amount of $2440 which amounts to $10 per member and allows BLUU to receive a dollar-for-dollar match of this same amount for their fundraising campaign. We are gathering donations to reach this congregational amount. Donating is voluntary and confidential. You can fill out the form in your order of service on Sunday and put it in the offering plate or fill out the form on the previous page and send it to the church office with your donation. Be sure to write “BLUU” on the memo line of your check. Many people have asked for more information about BLUU goals and projects. One example is Public Witness 2018 at the UU General Assembly in Kansas City which was hosted by BLUU. The “Anatomy of a Bailout” Panel Discussion was held Thursday, June 21 at GA. (Link: www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2018/witness). This discussion shed light on how the money bail system currently in use in America disproportionately affects low income, marginalized, and people of color. BLUU and the UU General Assembly join national efforts to end the exploitative and unjust bail system. A series of toolkits have been created to focus on education, advocacy and action to help UU Congregations plug directly into the important work already taking place in their communities to End Money Bail. The Black Lives of UU Ministerial Network is a collective of Black UU ministers, religious professionals and lay leaders providing pastoral care to Black UUs. This is an online devotional space for Black UUs that will be curated and regularly updated by the BLUU Ministerial coordinators with an eye toward bringing black voices across the diaspora to black UUs, as part of faith development. This spiritual sustenance catalogue will be housed on the Black Lives UU website. These projects are just two examples of what BLUU is providing for black UU congregants. Let us once again pray together for the courage to both speak up and to listen, even when the words are hard to hear. May the universe give us the wisdom to lovingly have the conversations we need to have with each other, in order to grow this faith in radical love and inclusion. Link to the official Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Website: www.blacklivesuu.com/ Adapted from the Justice Pulpit Talks at First Unitarian Church of Omaha on Sundays, June 17 and June 24 given by Mary Kay Peters and Peg Pidgeon.
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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.
Ministry Team, which pur chases bus tickets and food cards and gives out blessing 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 July is OTOC (Omaha Together One Community) and its vision is to create a connected community that bridges race, social and economic status that works together to influence policy about issues that we care about. To learn more go to: http://otoc.org/.
COMMUNITY MEALS OTOC Events Every Saturday, churches in our area join together to cook a meal, serve their neighbors and bring a sense of community to our neighborhood at First Baptist Church. Our church has committed to the following Saturday for Community Meals: Sept. 22nd. Please mark your calendar and contact me if you are interested in helping. We will need people to help with desserts, cooking, serving and cleaning up. Thank you to everyone who has already helped with meals earlier this year. Thanks! Diane Withem, 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
Summer Training Planning a Listening Campaign in your Congregation & Community on July 9 Join OTOC leaders on July 9 at 7pm at Augustana Lutheran Church (3647 Lafayette) to learn how to hold "house meeting" campaigns in your congregation and community to identify leaders, uncover issues, and get to know one another. See more events at this web page: www.firstuuomaha.org/otoc.
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Ways You Can Get Involved Omaha Peace & Justice Expo: Peg Pidgeon is asking for a few people to plan how we will present ourselves at our booth at the upcoming Omaha Peace & Justice Expo. Volunteers to attend the booth will also be needed. Info about the event: The 7th Omaha Peace & Justice Expo happens Saturday, July 21 fr om 1 to 5pm at UNO's Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom (www.peaceexpo.org) Please email Peg at sjconnect@firstuuomaha.org for more information.
Another Way to Help: Give a Lift As our congregation grows, it is apparent that some of us are not able, or reluctant for health or safety reasons, to drive to church. The Caring Team would like to help make it easier for everyone to get to church. As a first step, we will extend an opportunity for those who drive to put themselves on a call list for those wanting a ride.
Soon you will find cards in the pews at church on which you can indicate willingness to request or receive a request for a YES Meal Prep: M onday, July 23 at 9am in the ride. For drivers, this is not duty nor a commitment. It is kitchen. We will serve pinwheel wrap sandwiches, chips, fruit, and dessert. Want to help? Contact Kim simply an indication that we may be willing to give an occasional ride to someone who does not live too far from us, at kjcallaghan@hotmail.com. Can’t help with the usually in our or an adjacent zip code. We can always meal, but want to donate? There’s a marked donation box in the Common Room. In July, we’re decline a request, no guilt. Sometimes we don’t plan to attend asking for donations of toilet paper and feminine church on a particular Sunday. Sometimes we have plans for hygiene products. Almost every month Kim and her right after church. Sometimes our car is full. For some of us it team prepare a meal for Youth Emergency Services is not possible to offer at all because of other church, work, (YES). See this website for more info: or other commitments. Those of us requesting a ride will www.yesomaha.org. have a list of several people we can call and understand that sometimes no volunteer driver will be available. Brush-Up Nebraska: Saturday, A ugust 18, offsite. The paint-a-thon is a community-based volunteer program that paints homes of qualified low-income elderly and permanently disabled homeowners in the Omaha metro area, so that they may maintain their property, increase energy efficiency, and beautify the community. Each year, our church has a paint team. Interested? Contact Alan at alan.v@cox.net.
Sunday Morning & YOU: 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.
Wakonda Tutoring: Fir st Unitar ian is looking for volunteers to tutor at Wakonda Elementary School this fall. The time slot is 2:00-3:05pm, Monday-Friday. The need is great for volunteers. Wakonda had received a major grant, but the funds are running low. The Omaha Public School District has cut its budget. More helpers will be needed this fall. Volunteers are vetted by OPS, so the sooner volunteers apply the better. If you are interested in participating for one or more days a week, please contact Mark at mark.loscutoff@gmail.com.
For safety reasons, we will limit this effort to church members and frequent visitors. We will not ask anyone to pick up strangers to the congregation. We will ask those requesting a ride to church to call by Saturday, so that there are no lastminute requests. At this time, we will limit this effort to church on Sunday, rather than extending it to other church activities. However, let’s all continue with the informal process of giving rides informally to those who want or need them! We will be looking at this again in a few months, to see if we are meeting congregational needs. And the Caring Team is interested in your feedback. Send it to louisekjeffrey@hotmail.com.
Ways to Help: Sanctuary Task Force The Omaha Area Sanctuary Network (OASN) made a commitment to sponsor a family of six when the husband (Moises), who had been in detention in Georgia, was granted humanitarian parole so he can be free while going through the asylum process. Moises’ release happened very suddenly on Sunday, May 13th. A condition of parole is that the parolee is not allowed to have a job for the first six months of his parole. They may be able to get some assistance from local food pantries but this is very limited. Now the group is preparing meals for the family and they need people to help cook and deliver the meals. To sign up or learn more, please go to: www.firstuuomaha.org/sanctuarytaskforce or email Jeri at jeri.thurber@gmail.com.
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“Soul Matters” Is Coming to the First Unitarian Church of Omaha! By Mike McAtee, Soul Matters Team Leader
I’m happy and excited to announce that the Ministry Team Council agreed at its April meeting to adopt the “Soul Matters Sharing Circle” program beginning with the 2018-2019 church year! The Soul Matters Sharing Circle is a network of UU congregations who have adopted the Soul Matters’ small-group curriculum. As with other smallgroup programs, its main goal is to foster circles of trust and deep listening. However, Soul Matters adds five components. One of the most important of these is that the Soul Matters small groups “are designed as a companion program to a congregation’s worship and religious education ministries.” I invite you to go to the Souls Matters website (https://www.soulmatterssharingcircle.com ) to learn more about the program and the extensive resources it provides. If you like what you see and want to help get this program off the ground and successfully established please contact any member of the Souls Matters Team (Mike McAtee, Tom Seguin, Katrina Schmidt) directly or email us at soulmatters@firstuuomaha.org.
Music & UU The music at First Unitarian has our affirming hymns performed with gusto; a lively band called the Early Morning Risers with EMR Director Stan Harper, and an outstanding Choir led by Choir Director William Miller and Choir Accompanist J. Gawf. These groups are the foundation of our musical strength, complemented with guest musicians and annual concerts. Interested in the choir? Contact William Miller at choirdirector@firstuuomaha.org. Interested in EMR? Contact Stan Harper at EMRdirector@firstuuomaha.org Photos by Scott Kemper
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Farewell to Rev. Frank Rivas Our congregation said “farewell” to Rev. Frank Rivas on Sunday, May 27 with a special coffee hour featuring a special toast with juice and a delicious cake. Rev. Frank is retiring after being at First Unitarian Church of Omaha for six years. We wish him the best in his retirement. The congregation voted at the annual meeting on Sunday, May 20 to make Rev. Frank Rivas a minister emeritus of First Unitarian Church. Below are photos of his last Sunday service and the coffee hour reception. Photos by Carolyn McNamara.
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Odds and Ends Anniversary Celebration—SAVE THE DATE Sunday, September 30 after the Sunday service. Join us as we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of our beautiful and historic church. More information will be shared next month. Last Chance: Lost & Found The Lost & Found items will be on display on a table in the Common Room on Sundays, June 24, July 1 and July 8. After July 8, the things on the table will be donated. Many of these items have been in the Lost & Found for months. Please retrieve your items your items before July 8th. Thank you! —The Chalice Guild Taking Care of the Church Building Please be sure that if you move furniture, tables or chairs around that you return everything to the way you found it. You’re more than welcome to move items, but please be kind to the people coming behind you. Thermostats sometimes need to be changed, (especially in the summer heat) but please return the temperature to the setting you found it at. We have the Sanctuary set to 75 and the classrooms and Common Room set to 73. If you have questions, contact the office at admin@firstuuomaha.org. Thank you! Partner Church Facebook Group A Facebook group was created to help us build a better relationship between our church and our Partner Church in Transylvania. We will be using Facebook to host digital listening circles to spawn group discussion. If this is something you would be interested in participating in please go to: www.facebook.com/groups/1659501324127230/ Share Your Thoughts: 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. Share Your Thoughts: Comment Box Earlier this year the church staff 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! Recycling at Church We have two large blue recycling bins in the kitchen. Please be sure to clean out plastic containers, glass bottles, and cans before placing items in the bins. Thanks to Jeri Thurber for her volunteer work with church recycling. If you have questions, please contact the church office. Streaming Sunday Services Missed a Sunday? Loved the sermon last week and want to hear it again? Visit our Streaming Services web page at www.firstuuomaha.org/streaming-video. There you will find the current Sunday sermon. You will also find the archives of past Sunday services below the current Sunday video. Note: Sometimes we have technical difficulties. If we encounter a problem, we will post the service to this web page as soon as we can. Questions? Contact the church office at admin@firstuuomaha.org. 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. The entrance to the parking garage is on Farnam Street. 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 chur ch office at admin@fir stuuomaha.or g.
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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 Choir Director William Miller choirdirector@firstuuomaha.org Organist Pat Will Choir Accompanist J. Gawf EMR Director Stan Harper Minister Emeriti Ronald Knapp Frank Rivas Nursery Coordinator Jenny Hastings childcare@firstuuomaha.org Nursery Aide Gale Callaghan Custodian Bobby Medrano 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
Meet Our Leaders
Board Members Maria Wallace (President), Joe Schaaf (President-Elect), Catherine Plumlee (Secretary), Sharon Piehler, Floyd Prine, Carol Ramsey, Tom Seguin, Donna Tubach Davis Email: board@firstuuomaha.org Trustees of the Capital Trust Ellen Shurson (2019), Daniel Byrd (2020), Bob Hess (2021) Ministry Team Council Nellie Chenoweth, Dave Richardson, Joe Schaaf Email: mtc@firstuuomaha.org Nominating Committee Royal Carleton, Kate Godfrey, Kathy Oliver, Carol Ramsey, Marie Sedlacek, Ben Wallace 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—Taylor & Jessica Eman YRUU—Geoff Erickson & Carolyn Miller
First Unitarian Church of Omaha www.firstuuomaha.org 402-345-3039
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Church Events
Young Adult Group Sunday, July 1 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Classroom. See page 4.
Omaha Peace & Justice Expo Saturday, July 21. Offsite at UNO. See page 13.
Vocal Recital: Fundraiser for Black Lives Matter Sunday, July 1 at 2pm in the Sanctuary. See page 7.
First Steps: A Class for Visitors Sunday, July 22 at 11:45am in the Whitney Young Room. See 6.
People’s Film Festival Monday, July 2 at 7pm in the Common Room. See page 4.
YES Meal Prep Monday, July 23 at 9am in the kitchen. See page 13.
Church Office Closed 7/4
Taoism Discussion Group Tuesday, July 24 at 6:30pm in the Common Room. See page 4 for details.
Private Wedding Saturday, July 7 at 3pm.
Private Wedding Saturday, July 28 at 3:30pm.
Bill Tull and Bill Braymen Ceremony Sunday, July 8 at 2pm. See page 4.
H&H Auction Event: Summer Concert Saturday, July 28 at 7pm in the Sanctuary. See page 8.
Board Meeting & Training Tuesday, July 10 at 5pm in the Common Room. 3F Book Bonanza Wednesday, July 11 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. See page 4. Leadership Talk Back Sunday, July 15 at 11:30am in the Common Room. Flame Deadline Submit your newsletter articles to admin@firstuuomaha.org by July 15 at noon. CUUPS Meeting Sunday, July 15 at 4pm in the Common Room. See page 4.
People’s Film Festival Monday, July 16 at 7pm in the Common Room. See page 4. Women’s Religious Studies Covenant Group Thursday, July 19 at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. Private Wedding Friday, July 20 at 2:30pm. Young Adult Game Night Friday, July 20 at 6pm in the Common Room. See page 4.
Recurring… 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. Bridge Group Meets the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. See page 5. YRUU (Youth Group) No meetings in the summer months. Choir Rehearsals No meetings in the summer months. Women’s Religious Studies Group Meets most Thursdays at 1pm in the Merritt Lounge. See page 5.
Heart & Hand Auction events help our fundraising budget. See the list of these upcoming auction events on page 5. Note: RSVPs and purchase of a seat required. See July 28th concert flyer on page 8.
Future Events… Brush Up Nebraska: Paint-a-thon Saturday, August 18, offsite. See page 5. Book Club Monday, August 27 at 7pm in the Merritt Lounge. See page 5. Get Connected Fair: A Small Group Sign Up Extravaganza. Sunday, Sept. 9 during Coffee Hour in the Common Room. See page 5. Anniversary Celebration Sunday, September 30 after the Sunday service. Join us as we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of our beautiful and historic church. More information will be shared next month. ———————————————— Social Media & First U Find our public Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ firstuuomaha/ Find our closed Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/77808136080/ You must ask to join the group before you can see the posts. Find us on Twitter here: @FirstUUOmaha Be sure to like the church and follow us!
———————————————— CALL FOR PHOTOS! Like to take pictures? If you capture a great photo of the Sunday service or the garden outside or an event in the Common Room, please send your photo to the church office at admin@firstuuomaha.org. We are always looking for new photos we can share in our newsletter, on the church website and social media. Thank you!
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