Updated and new information between newsletters, from our Sunday Order of Service announcements. The deadline for Sunday printing is 9pm Tuesday. Please bring them to the office or email Nancy Harms at .
Announcements – May 19, 2013
Newcomer Corner
Welcome Newcomers! Whether you're a first-time visitor, curious individual, or person wishing to connect with others at BUUF, the Membership Committee invites you to get to know us.
WELCOME CHAT: after each Sunday service
We would like to get to know you better, give you a chance to ask us questions, and find out what we might be able to do for you. Whether this is your first time here, or if you have attended for a few Sundays, you're invited to join us the minister's office after the Sunday service. Feel free to get a cup of coffee, and follow the signs from the south vestibule.
OUTREACH
CREATE COMMON GOOD is MAY'S PLATE RECIPIENT
This month's social justice offertory recipient is Create Common Good. Every year in May, the Religious Exploration youth choose the organization we support for that month. This nonprofit is new to us, and we are delighted to be entering into a partnership with them. Their mission is to "use food to change lives." In their own words:
"We provide training and employment to refugees and others in need. Our experiential programs transform lives by teaching others to fish and by bringing access to fresh, conveniently prepared, local food products."
The benefits of their program are not limited to training and feeding people; rather they see that by serving refugees and other people in need through training and healthy food access programs, they are also addressing unemployment, dependency on public service, rising health care costs and obesity.
CCG has recently acquired a production kitchen that will allow them to meet the increasing demand for healthy, local food production for school lunch contracts, corporate cafeteria clientele, retail partners, and high volume customers like the Co-op and Whole Foods. With this new kitchen, they will be able to train more people for high level jobs in the restaurant and foods trades, and to feed more people. Their primary source of funding is from individual, foundation and corporate grants, but approximately 12% of their funds derive from their food service production. We are pleased that our contribution of May's offertory will arrive just in time for them to use in their new facility.
25% of the unpledged plate offering will to this cause. If you want 100% to go to Create Common Good, write "outreach" in the memo line of your check.
BUUF PAINT THE TOWN Volunteers Needed
Paint The Town, sponsored by Neighborhood Housing Services well be on Saturday June 8th. Volunteer teams paint the homes of elderly or disabled people who cannot manage painting on their own. If you would like to volunteer for this fun and rewarding experience please contact Bill Hall at 345-8222 or e-mail . You may also Buy a Bucket of paint for a $10 donation. No painting experience is required, just come out and have a fun time with good friends.
WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING?
Help us Build a Habitat for Humanity Home! Habitat for Humanity was BUUF's Social Action Outreach for April. Thanks to everyone who contributed so generously to this.
If you would like to contribute your time and effort to help build a home we need 10 people to help build on Saturday, June 22, and again on Saturday, July 13. No experience is necessary. We will also need someone to provide lunch for 25 people (our own volunteers and others) on both dates. Contact Bryan or Wanda Jennings at 362-7563 or to sign up.
OUR GOAL: 52 Cards by the end of May!
- Talk about it: Decide what treat you want to swap for a gift card
- Act on it: Buy the gift card and bring it to RE
- GIVE it away: Give cards to your RE teacher
Congregational Care Team GIFT CARD DRIVE for the BUUF PANTRY
What if... the next time you went to the store with your parents, you chose to do something different?
What if? The purchase of ONE $5.00 gift card from your family's favorite grocery store could let you know that YOUR CHOICE helped another BUUF Family keep food in their home at time when they really need a little help?
Think... What's one treat that you would give up to provide a gift to a BUUF friend or family? Chips... cookies... broccoli?
Talk About It. Talk to your parents, your friends, your RE teacher. Learn more about BUUF's Pantry and how it helps all of us. If you haven't seen the pantry, ask someone to show you!
Don't forget to check the web calendar for coming events!
CURRENT and COMING EVENTS
FLOWER COMMUNION
This year's Flower Communion will be Sunday, May 19. People each bring a flower or two and then in the middle of the service everyone picks out a different flower to take home. The flower communion was an idea of Norbert Capek's, minister of a large Unitarian church in Prague in 1923. He thought that flowers help us understand our beliefs, that we are all different and yet we all have worth, we each have our own beauty. Also, that we, like flowers, not only bloom where we're planted, but we travel — send out seed, send out tendrils to find better light and better soil. We adjust for conditions.
By exchanging flowers, we show our willingness to walk together in our search for truth, disregarding all that might divide us. Each person takes home a flower brought by someone else—thus symbolizing our shared community. This communion of sharing is essential to a free people of a free religion.
ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
This Sunday, May 19, join us for the Annual Meeting 6pm. Meeting will be held in the Sanctuary. Please plan to attend and participate in selecting next year's Board of directors and Nominating Committee members, and reviewing the 2013-2014 BUUF Budget.
Although only members are able to vote, friends are most welcome and are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions. All are also welcome to join us for a potluck dinner at at 5 pm in the Sanctuary.
TRANSFORM IDAHO SAYS GET OUT & VOTE!
VOTE on Election Day - May 21 at your regular polling place. Local positions such as these are often training grounds for future legislators. Voter turnout is historically low for an off-cycle election like this, so every vote will count!
Voter information for times, locations, candidates and issues can be found on the Ada County Elections and Canyon County Elections websites.
SAGE FIN de SIÈCLE
In endings, beginnings; at the next meeting of the BUUF Sages, Dr. Chuck Lauterbach brings us a trio of playwrights from the end of the 19th century, Russia and Norway: Anton Chekhov, August Strindberg, and Henrik Ibsen. Join us for a no-host breakfast and interesting conversations; newcomers are most welcome. We meet at the Kopper Kitchen (2661 Airport Way), Thursday, May 23; curtain time 9:30am. Contact Tom von Alten (378-1217 or ) for more information.
UUS FOR JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST -
Come meet with us to learn more about the facts on the ground, about why the U.S. has a major impact, and what we can do to make a difference. Bring questions, ideas, thoughts. Thursday, May 23, 7pm, Channing Room, at BUUF
JUNE SILENT AUCTION
If you are doing some Spring Cleaning, or have unwanted new or gently used items, please save them for our June Silent Auction. Gift certificates can be made for services such as hand weeding, consultations of some sort, sewing, and sew on. Make special arrangements with Becky Groff or Claudia Fernsworth if you must deliver your items before May 26.
The Silent Auction will take place in the South Wing Hall from Saturday June 1 to Sunday June 16 after the service or during office hours. Plan to check it out on June 1—before or after Elizabeth's Farewell Party! Bid early and bid often!
Donation forms can be found on our website or across from Nancy's desk and on the Hospitality Table. To keep up to date on items, visit the June Silent Auction web page.
Help is also needed with pricing and organizing May 28 to 31. Contact Becky Groff or Claudia Fernsworth.
You are cordiality invited to
Elizabeth Greene's Retirement JUUbilee
It will be a joyoUUs celebration for all ages, a Come and Go event at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 6200 Garrett.
3:00-6:00 on Saturday, June 1, 2013
Would you like to do something special for Elizabeth as she retires? Gift suggestions:
Bring a small, pretty rock or stone for Elizabeth's patio. You might want to write a fortune or note to Elizabeth and wrap it around the rock. Or write the date 6/2/13 on the rock.
Bring canned food to donate to the Idaho Food Bank in Elizabeth's name
Elizabeth loves to receive restaurant, coffee shop, and movie gift cards.
SUMMER TIMES ARE COMIN'
As of June 2 we will go to a single service at 10 a.m. June 2 is also Elizabeth's last day in the pulpit. Music! Poetry! Colorful stoles for everyone! A glorious farewell as Elizabeth and her guests cross our bridge, celebrating 25 years of a wonderful relationship, and looking forward in hope and jubilation. Don't miss this single-service morning—10 am—Elizabeth's last appearance in the BUUF pulpit. Here we embody the old hymn that says we celebrate our past and also trust the dawning future. Bring your picnic lunch for sharing after the service. BUUF Choir, Mike Lemieux, Patti Raino, Susan Nelson-Sangiorgi, John Sangiorgi, Will Smith, Michael Stevenson, Music.
THE OTHER BOOK CLUB
Come join us for a lively discussion on books and other topics. We meet
on the second Sunday of the month from 7 to 8:30pm. Future meetings'
books:
Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, May 19
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, June 9
If you would like to be on our e-mail list, send your address to Happy Reading in 2013!
FRIENDSHIP DINNERS
Dinner groups meet on the 4th weekend of each month. The next one will be Saturday, May 24. Please sign up on the clipboard on the hospitality table. The dinners are a great way to meet people in the fellowship and are excellent for integrating new people in the fellowship. We have two hosts for the dinners. For more information, contact Nancy Harms 658-1710. Please join us!
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTERIM MINISTRY TEAM
The Interim Ministry Transition Team (IMTT) is now available to you, to hear concerns and ideas, as well as possibly calling on you for your unique contribution to developing our next chapter at BUUF. Specifically, the calling of the Transition Team is to:
- Facilitate closure on this last chapter in the congregation's history
- Gather feelings and ideas about congregation in a time of change
- Provide a forum for focusing future hopes and aspirations
- Assist congregation to move to a state of readiness for a new chapter
- Involve the congregation in accomplishing developmental tasks of the interim period.
We are an advisory team, and will do our best to make your voice heard. Feel free to contact any of us with thoughts, comments, and feedback on the transition process:
- Jeanette Ross, Co-Chair - ; 208 378-1217
- Ann Sabin, Co-Chair - ; 208 369-9450
- Elaine Durbin -
- Jackie Groves -
- Jay Wechselberger -
- Miriam Woito -
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU
Mitchel Bethel
Morning Coffee is a tradition for Sunday Services and a great way to meet others. But to do that we need help and people willing to spend some time in setup and clean up. This is a quick way to help the fellowship and make it a better place one cup at a time.
If you can help out please email or leave a message at 208-695-7912. Thank you.
ARE YOU A STAY AT HOME PARENT?
Want to get together with other BUUF stay at home parents? Come join the BUUF playgroup on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 10:00 until 11:30 in the Fahs room and Playhouse. We'll chat and let the kids play together! All ages are welcome.
GIVING STOCK
Ed Davis
Have you considered donating appreciated stocks and mutual funds to BUUF? Making a donation of this kind can be a highly effective gift, especially if you hold investments in stocks and mutual funds that have increased in value. Capital gains tax may be avoided by donating appreciated stocks you have owned for more than one year and the full value of the stock could be tax deductible. Talk to your tax adviser to find out if this would be advantageous for you.
CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Conversation starter to find out what wonders were discovered in our classrooms today.
Which "Power" did you most enjoy this year? How can you apply that power for positive change?
We honor our guides, advisors and nursery angels
Every Sunday over 20 volunteers commit their time, energy and love to the youngest members of our community. Today we are making a special effort to show our appreciation and gratitude to our beloved guides, advisors, and nursery care providers with a special breakfast before our worship services. We couldn't be who we are and do what we do without these dedicated and creative volunteers. Deepest gratitude to all who help make Religious Exploration what it is!
WE NEED YOU – Sign Up with SignUpGenius
We need you! Signing up to help in our children's RE classes is now even easier than before. Here's the scoop:
- Go to our SignUpGenius page.
- Click "Sign Up" for the time slot you would like to volunteer for.
- Asks if you are a SignUp Genius member; if you are, great! Just sign in. If not, all they ask for is your name and email address There are a couple of check boxes as well; please be certain to click the box next to "Create an account..."
Would you like to provide child care here at BUUF during BUUF events and functions?
A special training will be scheduled for all youth and adults who wish to provide child care at BUUF. Our Safe Congregations Policy and BUUF routines will be discussed. Individuals who have taken this training will be on a list to provide child care for BUUF committees and functions. Please contact Emmie Schlobohm at 658-1710 or if you would like to be on the child care team here at BUUF.
GAME DAY May 26
The weather is beautiful! Our grounds are delightful! Let's go out and play! On May 26, your young people's Religious Exploration program would like to invite you to come out and play with us. During our two services, our young people will be out on the grounds for our traditional Game Day led by guides, advisors, and youth. After both services, everyone will be invited to join in the fun and play some games out in the fresh air!
...Where Children are Wise and Adults Can Play...
Teachers needed for next year!
Our young people are a miraculous bunch! They bring smiles, laughter, and joy to us all every week. If you haven't spent time in one of our Religious Exploration classrooms, you're truly missing out on a whole lot of fun, wonder and awe. Religious Exploration for children and youth is looking for teams of guides and advisors to lead and follow our youth through next year's explorations, discoveries and transformations. If you would like to join in on the phenomenon that is Religious Exploration, please contact Emmie Schlobohm, Director of Religious Exploration at 658-1710 to find out more about teaching in our classrooms - nursery through high school.
