BUUF News – May 2013

Contents

EverGreene

Rev. Elizabeth Greene

Writing from Boston, where I arrived for a Unitarian Universalist Board meeting, two days after the Boston Marathon bombing. One day of our meetings was conducted while the city was under lockdown, everyone advised to "shelter in place." We kept a fairly close eye on the news, of course.

The general sense, until they caught the second bomber, was dark, frightening, memories for some, mental pictures for the rest of us, of fire and black backpacks and chaos. Even after he was apprehended, there was a twofold sense of having been sobered, plus a feeling of release. (Big party on Boston Common that evening.)

All this contrasted amazingly with the perfect spring weather. Fruit trees were blooming gorgeously on the Statehouse lawn; the sky was blue; the weather a springlike warmth with a nip in the air.

I don't know at this point what to make of it all. Deploring the violence so rife in our beautiful country. Wishing more young men had better ways of dealing with their frustrations and/or fanatic ideologies.

Maybe, more than anything, determined to love as fully as I can, to care and hang in through the tough parts, and not pick the easy, sometimes brutal, ways out.

Maybe that's why church exists: to make love more likely, in our hearts and among each other and in the world; to teach each other and learn from each other, the hard paths of commitment and caring. I hope so.

President's Message: So Near and Yet Far!

Judy Holcombe Board President

Dear fellow BUUFers, Your congregation needs you now. We are drawing to the end of our Annual Pledge Drive and approaching the Annual Meeting on May 19th in which the Board submits next year's Annual Budget for congregational approval. We do not want any unhappy surprises at Elizabeth's last meeting with us, so we are telling you now.

Our annual pledge drive is projected to fall approximately $18,000 short of what is needed to sustain our existing level of expenses, and one-time expenses associated with our transition year. This may not seem to be a huge sum of money, but it makes the difference between austerity cuts including possible staff reductions – or going forward in a thriving manner with morale high. Interviews with Interim Minister candidates begin next week and we wish to be competitive - nationwide, there are more openings than the number of available candidates.

During our drive, some have reduced their pledges for understandable reasons, and some with no indication. Others have indicated that they are waiting to see what happens with the Interim Minister, a new and possibly scary unknown. Please have confidence in what is known.... the long history of this congregation successfully growing through other periods of transition.

We are asking you to revisit this year's pledge, or perhaps lack of pledge, and see if there is any room for a stretch. If a number of you make even a small increase, it could make the difference to close this gap. We have asked the Finance Committee to develop some alternate scenarios to a balanced budget. There are smaller changes that can be made on the expense side but most acceptable scenarios require something further on the income side. Please don't wait to see what happens. Be a part of making positive things happen. You will be supporting the community of souls that we now are and our shared future. It is your congregation. If we thrive, we will grow, and have exciting opportunities ahead.

Financial Corner

Welcome to the BUUF Financial Corner. This month we have a tale of two stories. First the good news- pledges and plate offering picked up nicely during March and we are back on plan for the 2012-2013 budget year. Thank you for your support and please keep working to complete your pledges for this year. Expenses are running right to plan so we are looking pretty good as we are 3/4 of the way through the year.

The challenge for the coming year is to find the right balance of income and expense to support the transition work of the interim ministry. The current AGD is coming in about $18,000 below what is needed to sustain BUUF at last year's funding level. This is without any staff raises or hours and with committee spending at the same level. Please read the President's report above and consider the message that you wish BUUF to portray as we start the transition year.

Religious Exploration

A View From a Room

Harry, the monster, for Emmie Schlobohm, Director of Religious Exploration

"I really do believe that all of you are at the beginning of a wonderful journey. As you start traveling down the road of life, remember this: there are never enough comfort stops; the places you're going to are never on the map; and once you get that map out, you won't be able to re-fold it no matter how smart you are...."

Greetings! Harry here. I'm the monster that sits in Emmie's office. Yeah, the one with the pink Easter Bunny ears. I just love the sparkles! That quote up there is the beginning of one of my favorites from Jim Henson and it's a great thing to remember when you start a journey, especially that part about the map. I'm pretty bright, but without thumbs, folding maps is just impossible. You should try it some time.

Listening and watching everything going on in Emmie's office, it sounds like there are some pretty exciting journeys starting around here. We just launched our graduating seniors into the wide wonderful world of young adulthood. Our junior high youth will be heading off to Boston early in June just a couple of weeks after they present their faith statements at the Coming of Age service on May 12. And finally, we'll all say goodbye to Elizabeth on June 2 and welcome an interim minister sometime in August. Journeys ending and new ones beginning all the time. What a great place to call home!

The end of that Jim Henson quote really sums it up for me.

"...So forget the map, roll down the windows, and, whenever you can, pull over and have a picnic with a pig. And if you can help it, never fly as cargo."

Young People Nowadays... Coming of Age Youth

Emmie Schlobohm, Director of Religious Exploration (DRE), 658-1710,

Mark your calendar and make plans to attend one of our most poignant and amazing Sunday services!

On May 12, our Coming of Age youth will share their statements of faith that they have developed over the years and through the journey of discovery that has been our Coming of Age program for the last eight months.

Play date for all ages!

Emmie Schlobohm, DRE

Are you a friend of religious exploration? Do your children, grandchildren, or a young person you care about participate in religious exploration here at BUUF? Would you like to know more about the extraordinary happenings going on in those hallways on a Sunday morning and beyond?

If so, mark your calendar for an all-age play date on the afternoon of Saturday, May 18. We will be gathering in the grove and the north wing for fun and fellowship before the Second Saturday potluck. Good times will be had by all!

Summer RE Coordinator Needed

Emmie Schlobohm, DRE

Summer brings a different look to Religious Exploration for children currently in preschool through sixth grade. Starting June 9, children in kindergarten through sixth grade will meet together and explore the world around them, while the preschoolers will enjoy their own special program. The Religious Exploration program is looking for an individual to coordinate these two important programs. The coordinators' primary responsibilities include scheduling and confirming volunteers, obtaining necessary class supplies and facilitating the in-class chalice lighting and opening ritual for each Sunday during the summer. If you are interested in learning more about this very part-time paid position, please contact Emmie Schlobohm, Director of Religious Exploration, at 658-1710 by May 5.

...Where Children are Wise and Adults Can Play – Teachers needed for next year!

Emmie Schlobohm, DRE

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 advisers 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, DRE, at 658-1710 to find out more about teaching in our classrooms - nursery through high school.

Appreciation Breakfast for Teacher/Guides, Youth Advisors, and Nursery Care-givers

Emmie Schlobohm, DRE

It's time once again to give thanks for a year of good work given with love and care! Our Teacher Appreciation Breakfast will be on May 19 starting at 8:30 am in the north wing classrooms. If you'd like to help with this most important celebration of gratitude and recognition, please contact Emmie Schlobohm at 658-1710 or dre@boiseuu.org. Breakfast, fellowship, and merriment will reign!

Game Day – May 26

Emmie Schlobohm, DRE

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, advisers, and youth. After both services, everyone will be invited to join in the fun and play some games out in the fresh air!

COMMITTEES

Fundraising News: June Silent Auction

Claudia Fernsworth

Our next Silent Auction will take place Saturday June 1 to Sunday June 16, 2013 in the South Wing Hall. Come check it out before or after Elizabeth's Farewell Party! Bid early and bid often.p>

Your new or gently used items or certificates for items or services are most welcome. Look around your home and see what you do not need any more or think of a service or food item you can do or make— then donate it using our handy online form. Forms will also be available on the Hospitality Table and in the box across from Nancy's desk. Claudia will call you about when and where to bring donations.

To keep up to date on items, check out the auction page on our website.

Help is also needed with pricing and organizing May 28 to 31. Claudia Fernsworth's contact information is in the directory. Contact her if you can help.

So far, we have:

• A certificate from "Meats Royale" for a natural turkey (a value of about $50) They are located at 6300 Overland. They sell natural beef, lamb, pork +wild game and rabbits as well as wonderful beef bacon.
• A certificate for a Summer Tune Up for your air conditioner from our own Janice Eby
• A certificate for the nail care of your choice from Kayla Ross
• A hand decorated wooden stool
• 6 tart shell pans with removable bottoms
• A metal wine rack for 6 bottles—grape vine design

All proceeds go to the BUUF General Fund

Gift in Memory of Mark Knodell

On Sunday, March 31, we announced a gift given to BUUF by Don and Mary Knodell. The gift is a $10,000 donation in memory of their son, Mark Knodell who passed away in 2001. Don and Mary had thought about leaving the gift in their wills, but they decided to give it this year to see BUUF enjoy the benefits – in memory of their son.

Don and Mary have designated the donation be used for the following:

• Moving expenses for the Interim Minister
• Professional expenses for the Interim Minister to make sure he or she remains connected to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) through conferences, events, or other activities
• At least $500 for Religious Exploration needs

Thanks to Don and Mary and the wonderful memories of their son Mark.

If you are thinking of making a donation to BUUF – now or in planned giving, contact Jane Breckenridge at 208-841-4889 to talk with someone from the Planned Giving Committee.

A View From The Bridge

Jolene Schow

Even though the Bridge Event Center has been around since 2007, you may not be familiar with the crew that oversees the attempt to raise money for BUUF by renting out our "excess" space to people needing an event venue. Here they are (left to right): Suzanne Woodcock, Mary Schwartzman, Cathy Carmen, Jolene Schow, Karen Raese.

In 2008 the Board requested BEC assist anyone planning an event – both BUUF events and outside renters – to insure protection of our building and grounds and everyone using them. BEC helps identify all aspects of the event: getting on the Master Calendar (which also advises the heating/cooling settings); custodial, garbage, AV/Sound, setup, storage, emergency and security precautions, parking, cleanup, building access, grounds preparation if needed, coordinating with other groups and MANY other items that many event planners might not think of.

Please give Karen Raese or Cathy Carmen a call (891-8081) if you have any questions. Our website has lots of helpful information: www.bridgeeventcenter.com. Take a peek at the changes since our new update!

BEC's MVP for May

We love to acknowledge people who help BEC function. This month a BIG encore thanks goes to our one-and-only Tom von Alten. Tom has invested countless hours and much talent in helping us maintain our website. Recently he helped make the site more compatible with smart-phones and tablets. We've discovered that most people finding us via the internet now use this technology and weren't able to view our photos. Tom responded to the problem quickly and cheerfully. In addition, he helped us display many new photos which show off what we have to offer. A toast of THANKS to Tom from the BEC group!

JUSTICE Outreach

May's "Plate Partner": Create Common Good

This month's "Plate Partner" (our social justice offertory recipient) is Create Common Good. Every year in May, the Religious Exploration youth choose the organization we support for that month. After the Senior High group had whittled down a number of nominations to three, the youth voted, and this organization was chosen. 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.

Help us Build a Habitat for Humanity Home!

Boise Valley 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.

To reserve your space please contact Bryan or Wanda Jennings at 362-7563 or .

Habitat for Humanity's ReStore sells new and used residential home improvement materials for that summer do-it-yourself project at prices up to 50% below retail. All proceeds support Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity in building affordable housing in Ada County. ReStore is located at Five Mile and Overland. Volunteers are needed to help in the store, and the store accepts donations of new and used building and home improvement materials that are clean and in working condition. Call ReStore at 375-5256.

If you live in the far end of the valley, the Canyon County Habitat for Humanity office, along with its ReStore is located at 5214 E. Cleveland Blvd., Suite C, in Caldwell, phone 459-1758.

One of BUUF's larger projects several years ago was helping the Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity in building their first "green" house. With our continued help they are "thinking green" in all of their new homes.

A Place at the Table: One Nation. Underfed

This engaging documentary will be screened at the Egyptian Theater Friday, May 10 at 7:00pm.

Fifty million people in the U.S.—one in four children—don't know where their next meal is coming from. The story is told through the lens of three people struggling with food insecurity - a Philadelphia single mother, a Colorado fifth grader, and a Mississippi second grader. Their stories are interwoven with insights from experts regarding the issue of hunger.

A Place at the Table explores how hunger poses serious economic, social and cultural implications for our nation and that it could be solved once and for all, if the American public decides—as they have in the past—that making healthy food available and affordable is in the best interest of us all.

A panel of local experts will lead a discussion after the screening and the book will be available for sale. The Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Social Justice Strand is sponsoring/underwriting this showing along with other local faith groups and social justice organization.

Tickets are $10 for the general public and $7 for students and seniors. They are available on-line through the Egyptian Theatre Featured Events website. Tickets will only be available at the door if they are not sold out through advance sales. Please contact Rick Groff at 794-2505 if you have questions.

The organizers hope to use this screening as the springboard for action in the local community.

BUUF Members and Friends Are Invited to TransForm Idaho's

First Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

Thursday, May 9th from 6 o'clock to 9 o'clock in the evening

Gekeler Farms Apartments Clubhouse*

Please bring a side dish, salad or dessert. The main dish will be provided.

BYOB. Partners welcome.

Please RSVP to Ann McClanahan at 860-8679 or email Judy Scott at by May 1.

*3218 South Gekeler Lane. The clubhouse is located next to the red silo. Parking is limited; please carpool if you can. Parking is also available on Carter Street.

BUUF Paint The Town

Spring is here and it is time for the annual Paint The Town event, sponsored by Neighborhood Housing Services. Volunteer teams paint homes of elderly or disabled people who cannot manage the painting on their own. Saturday, June 8 is this year's Paint The Town Day. If you would like to join the BUUF team, please contact Bill Hall at 345-8222 or e-mail .

You can also buy a bucket of paint for a ten dollar donation. So if you have some spare time please come out for this fun and rewarding experience.

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Elizabeth's Retirement JUUbilee June 1 – 3:00-6:00pm

Mark your calendars for June 1st as we celebrate 25 years with our beloved minister, Elizabeth Greene, in a joyous celebration for all ages. Plan to take an hour out of your day to attend this come and go event in the gorgeous courtyard at BUUF. Have your fortune told by Elizabeth, help create several special mementos (shhh, they are a surprise), enjoy music by BUUF musicians, participate in activities lead by our youth, and enjoy the wandering clowns! Please bring a small plate of finger food (that means no utensils needed) to share. We hope you all come to celebrate Elizabeth's retirement and send her off with lots of love and good memories.

We anticipate large crowds to attend both Saturday's party and Sunday's service (yea!) However, our parking lots will overflow (oh, dear!) Here is what we need to do: carpool with everyone you know, ride your bike or walk. The greenbelt connections to BUUF are great! Our home page has a map, linked to Google Maps which can show bike routes. Consider parking at the newly paved greenbelt lot on the east side of Glenwood at Marigold. More parking is in the area near the Garden City post office and city hall. Additional parking spaces will be reserved at BUUF for those who need it most.

For more information or to volunteer your much needed assistance, please contact Karen Raese (853-3865 or ).

BUUF Annual Meeting

Our BUUF Annual Meeting will be held Sunday, May 19, at 6pm. The Annual Meeting is the time when we elect new members to the BUUF Board, as well as vote on the budget and other business items.

A potluck will precede the meeting at 5:00 pm. All members and friends are welcome. Only members may vote at the meeting.

Picnic June 2

After the (one and only) 10:00am worship service on June 2 you may want to bring your own blanket and picnic to enjoy on our beautiful grounds.

In search of a winning formula

Jeanette Ross

What do a successful Korean chef, a tennis champ and a hit Indie Rock group have to tell us as we move into an entirely new phase of life at the Boise UU Fellowship? Willing to play a larger role in the fellowship, the BUUF humanists will be looking at the current model for worship and considering it with the eyes of superachievers in many other fields.

What do we have in common? Chef David Chang, Martina Navratilova and many others have found success by starting in the way also recommended by UUA advisors to congregations in the same transition as BUUF. Those who found their niche in business, entertainment, sports and the arts faced obstacles and challenges the same way, with a "fairly merciless self-examination that prompted reinvention of their goals and the methods by which they endeavored to achieve them," according to a recent book on that subject. At the humanist's April 21 meeting, discussion will begin with the essential guide to structuring worship services and will then consider whether that model meets our needs and the needs of others in the community. We will already have moved to a related topic by the May 18 meeting. Join us for always stimulating talk in the library, 11:15am. Oh, check out the Indie Rock group OK Go.

BUUF Travel Group

Karen Raese

Greg and Val Duffy and Laurel and Loren Case will share experiences and pictures from their cruises through the Panama Canal at the BUUF Travel group on Thursday, May 9, 7:00pm at BUUF. All are welcome to come and enjoy the travel presentation and the camaraderie of new and old BUUF friends. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Patty Nakaoki (409-0807) or Karen Raese (853-3865) for more information.

BUUF Camping July 26-28, 2013

Karen Raese

We have made reservations for BUUF camping 2013 and we still have room for you! To join the fun, mark July 26-28 on your calendar to camp at Ponderosa State Park in McCall. The fees per couple/family are about $38.00. Please let Eileen Geddings (853-0822 or ) or Karen Raese (853-3865 or ) know if you are interested in reserving a space (we'd be happy to take your payment now) or if you need additional information.

The Other Book Club

Come join us for lively discussion on books and other topics. We generally meet on the second Sunday of the month from 7 to 8:30 pm except for the month of May.

May 19 (the 3rd Sunday) we will be reading the Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. We will meet at the home of Mindy Arnold at 7790 West Devonwood Dr., Boise, Id 83714. 853-2337.

June 9 we will be discussing the Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. We will meet at the home of Carol Wilke.

We will take a hiatus in July and return in August with Wild by Cheryl Strayed, at Jane Breckinridge's in Star.

In September we will read A Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (A 2011 Booker Prize Winner).

If you would like to be on our email list send your address to Erin Logan at .

Happy Reading!

Come Join Us – May 18, 5pm

Marti Gudmundson & Nick Molenaar

It all started at a UU summer camp in Minnesota in 1961! Our knowledge of each other began at Lake Camp and was interrupted by life. Two years ago, nostalgic Nick contacted Marti regarding photos she posted of Lake Camp days and, as they say, THE REST IS HISTORY!

Please help us celebrate our love for each other by attending our Commitment Ceremony on Saturday, May 18 at 5pm in the BUUF Courtyard. Elizabeth will officiate. We are so grateful for the support and love we share with the BUUF community that we want to share the event with all of you. Potluck dinner in the sanctuary will follow. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up and potluck. Please RSVP by May 10 via: email ; or phone – (208) 454-3444.

We hope to see you there!

Interested in Exploring Pagan/Nature Spirituality?

Exploring the UU Seventh Source and the UU Seventh Principle? For details, and date, time & place, contact .

UUA Ministerial Sustenance Fund

The proceeds from the June 2 Sunday service offering will be sent to the Unitarian Universalist Ministerial Sustenance Fund. Many of our UU ministers do not receive a large salary, so are sometimes caught short when an emergency arises. (Elizabeth received help when she had two surgeries in five weeks, about a dozen years ago.) In addition, there are still retired ministers who essentially live in poverty, because they worked when there was no official UUA Retirement Program. Come prepared to give generously!

The Mind of the Heart.

The Heart-Mind. Come share and discuss with us about what our hearts know and feel! Fringe Topics Discussion, Thur May 16, 7PM, Channing Room, South Wing, BUUF

UUs for JUSTICE in the Middle East -

come meet with us to learn more about the facts on the ground, about why the US has a major impact, and what we can do to make a difference. Details TBA. Thurs, May 23, 7PM, Channing Rm, BUUF

The Flower Communion will be Sunday, May 19

In this ceremony, members of the congregation are asked beforehand to bring a flower to the Sunday service. Upon entering the sanctuary, each person places his or her flower on the altar or in a shared vase. The flowers are blessed by the minister or congregation during the ceremony, and the sermon usually reflects upon the flowers' symbolism. At the end of the service, each person brings home a flower other than the one that he or she brought.

Reginald Zottoli wrote "The significance of the flower communion is that as no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Together the different flowers form a beautiful bouquet. Our common bouquet would not be the same without the unique addition of each individual flower, and thus it is with our church community: it would not be the same without each and every one of us. Thus this service is a statement of our community."

The Flower communion service was originally created in 1923 by Unitarian minister Norbert Capek, who founded the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. The service was later brought to the United States by his wife, Maya.

Celebrating Flower Communion is an excellent opportunity for Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations to express their commitment to our Sixth Principle: We covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.

From "How Flowers Changed the World" by Loren Eiseley from The Immense Journey:

"Once upon a time there were no flowers at all.

"A little while ago—about one hundred million years, as the geologist estimates time in the history of our four-billion-year-old planet – flowers were not to be found anywhere on the five continents.

"Wherever one might have looked, from the poles to the equator, one would have seen only the cold dark monotonous green of a world whose plant life possessed no other color.

"Somewhere, just a short time before the close of the Age of Reptiles, there occurred a soundless, violent explosion. It lasted millions of years, but it was an explosion, nevertheless. It marked the emergence of the angiosperms – the flowering plants... Even the great evolutionist, Charles Darwin, called them 'an abominable mystery,' because they appeared so suddenly and spread so fast.

"Flowers changed the face of the planet. Without them, the world we know ... would never have existed...today we know that the appearance of the flowers contained also the equally mystifying emergence of [humanity].

"Can you imagine it? Can you imagine "a soundless, violent explosion" of seed-born plant life millions of years ago? Can you imagine the Earth suddenly alive with colorful flowers? Isn't it amazing? The power of a flower!"

Loren Eiseley ends his essay with these words: "Without the gift of flowers and the infinite diversity of their fruits, [humanity] ..., if they had continued to exist at all, would be today unrecognizable... [humans] might still be a nocturnal insectivore gnawing a roach in the dark. The weight of a petal has changed the face of the world and made it ours."