WOW: What is the Sound of One Hand Clapping?

The sound of your hand hitting your forehead... Duh!!

Under the heading of inherent worth and dignity of all:

"Timely Cancer Diagnosis Linked to Insurance Status"

The invisible hand is going to come out and slap some people silly...

Ms. Sam goes to Annapolis

Hey, one of our own makes the front page!

Congratulations Samantha for testifying and garnering publicity for the cause of marriage equality.

Here is a link to the article online.

Myron

The Great Circle Re-Org Has Begun!! Tom Cooke Helps A lot Simple Living Circles Form As I Type!

Tom Cooke writes: "I'd like to address the concerns of several of us, regarding our starting to meet before the Great Realignment of Circles occurs. I asked Adam Styles (Grand Wazir of Realignment) for his feedback, and it's as follows:

creating one or two simple living circles is fine with me. I think they should be known to the congregations...
circles usually are created in a meandering mode even when the great re-org is underway....

In other words, there's no reason for us to hold off. Beyond that, I've agreed to help Adam with this year's reorganisation (letting him retain his Grand Wazir status); so I expect that process to begin imminently anyhow. You should soon see some announcements. I add this just so you'll know that that constraint will soon be removed, and there'll be no lingering justification for guilt over this. The Congregation has been invited to join this circle through a variety of media, including this month's newsletter, live announcement at today's service, initial proposal at the January 13th Green Sanctuary service, and in the weekly bulletin. While I have no objection to admitting anyone else who wishes to join us, I don't think anyone can feel left out. It might behoove us to publicise our first dinner in a forthcoming weekly bulletin, but I don't think we need to do much more than that -- anyone who is interested should feel invited at this point."

MarneyB wrote:
"Hi All - ... Lovely that there might be enough folks for two circles!"

If you would like to host a Circle please let Tom Cooke know.

Not all Circles will be simple...

Peter Mayer Will Be Here on March 15th!!

You might want to make a reservation.

I feel like Buddy in the movie Elf only I say:

PETER MAYER! OH MY GOD! PETER MAYER'S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!

That's Not A TeleMarketer!! That's the Wonderful Sam from Sugarloaf!!

If you have visited us recently Sam will contact you soon to see how you're doing... Please speak to her she's a wonderful person...

Report from the Congregational Meeting!!

On February 10, a congregational meeting was held to debate and approve three action items; the results were as follows:

1) Growth Plan: the primary elements of the growth plan were to create a volunteer coordinator' position to help people find their place in the congregation, to be consciously welcoming and hospitable and to move to 2 Sunday services at some point in the future. There was unanimous approval of the plan, signifying the congregation's commitment to implement it.

2) Application for a 'First Home' grant from the UUA: There was unanimous approval to apply to the UUA for a 'First Home' grant of $25,000.

3) Transition to two services on Sunday in the spring: the majority of your elected Board of Trustees, the consulting interim minister, the treasurer and the RE coordinator are in agreement that this action should be taken not just for growth, but for our continued survival. There were also many in the congregation who argued that we didn't need to do this at this time. A straw poll was taken after an hour of debate and the vote was 17 in favor of the move and 14 against. Although the majority was in favor of the move, there was a significant minority who were not, and the decision was made by the chair to not go forward with the plan at this time. This outcome leaves unanswered the question of the appropriate timing for this transition, and additional work will be required by the congregation to resolve this question.

The meeting was adjourned. As chair, I would like to stress that although we are not going forward with the 2 services option at this time, other efforts can and should be made to improve the welcoming atmosphere in the yurt. I urge all members and friends to sit close to the front of the yurt, leaving free chairs in the back for visitors to use. More seating will be available if, when children come in, they sit on the carpet in the front of the room or on parental laps. Other helpful ideas are welcomed.

Jean Carr, Chair of the Board of Trustees
SCUU

A new SCUU volunteer job - image 1...

WOW! Ya got to love Anna Quindlen!

We went to the Million Mom March, seems like yesterday, and the main quote that I remember from all the speeches was one during Anna Quindlen's speech: "And if they ask you why we should have gun control, you quote what every mom has said at one time or another throughout the ages; Because I Said So!!". The crowd roared. On our way to the car we saw a protest sign with those words abandoned on a wall and we've had it in our house ever since.

Another quotes: All parents should be aware that when they mock or curse gay people, they may be mocking or cursing their own child.

One more quote, ok it's more like an excerpt, from a Anna Quindlen commencement speech... of course I'd widen the age range:

"Whether you are 24 or 54, begin today to say no to the Greek chorus that thinks it knows the parameters of a happy life when all it really knows is the homogenization of human existence. We need to eschew that way of being today more than ever before, to the extent that we have defined ourselves sometimes in this nation in terms of false gods. We have to turn toward the true because perhaps soon the true will be all we will have. There was once a forward march in this country, ditch digger to cop to lawyer to judge in four generations, that’s how we learned it in Irish households. Our children would do better than we had done. But maybe we’ve topped out and that progression is no longer true. I think in some ways this is a very good thing. Because perhaps we will learn to redefine what doing better really means. After all, it’s hard to escape the notion that we have sometimes become spoiled and a little lost. People who once thought that TV was a miracle now feel impoverished if there isn’t one in every room, then wonder why their kids don’t read more.

Twenty years ago we’d never heard of the Internet. Ten years ago most of us had never gone online and today we go ballistic if we can’t sign on in seconds. You millennials, bombarded by a culture that sends you so many divergent messages—to wear khakis, to smoke cigarettes, to live clean, to drink Bud, to take jobs your parents hate, to pierce your navels, to dye your hair, to have casual sex but seek enduring love—have had to puzzle out for yourselves what truly has meaning. That is disconcerting, difficult, and wonderful. Socratic is better than rote. Discussion teaches more than dictums and paths set in stone are, as we’ve discovered, often rocky when we move along them. By giving us a model of individuality, tolerance, adventure, and risk-taking you have already taught us a good deal about living fulfilled in the future. You’re the bungee-jumping generation.

We could never do it ourselves but our hearts leap and our adrenaline rises at the sight of all of you, arms outstretched, poised to do—what? Something great. Camus wrote: “Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” So: follow Camus, go. Party hearty. Sleep late. Work hard. Love someone better than yourself. Give all to the present and the future will take care of itself. The future has already done so, I am convinced, because I look out at all of you today and I see the future and it looks so good.

Samuel Butler once said, “Life is like playing a violin in solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes along.” That sounds terrifying, doesn’t it, and difficult too. But somehow you have always known that that way lies music. Look in the mirror tonight. Who is that man? Who is that woman? She is the work of your life. He is its greatest glory, not some out there, they, view of what he or she ought to be. I know you will not dare to diss them by dressing them up in someone else’s spiritual clothing. So pick up your violin and lift your bow and play, play your heart out, live well, because you are our role models."

WOW! Feeling a little Crispy.... Or "You want that on whole wheat, white, or rye Toast?"

TO RSVP Please Use Email Link: [OFFICIAL WOW RSVP EMAIL LINK].; Thank! & take care...

My Dad is fighting cancer. He's like a bouncing ball. When he hits the floor he's in the ICU or ER. Then he recovers, and he's functional again, and he's flying through the air. We're trying to help him spend more time in the free air. He says he's not an invalid. He has bestead all the odds. He's functional. Who am I to say he can't if he can? We've setup in home care to lessen the hard bounce off the floor.

I think I have joined the ranks of the Sandwich Generation. JP told me this when we had lunch on Teusday. I now think "well if I'm a sandwich then I'm a toasted sandwich"; I definitely feel a little toasty.

When we visited Dad today, later after he said "your being here means so much to me"; he said to my sons: "I hear you're having a tough time in some of your courses at school. Well you have to remember to keep on trying. Just keep trying and trying and eventually you'll have an epiphany; and, you'll get it. That's what happened to me".

It was so uplifting to me to hear those words. They define me. I breath those words.

Then I remembered I had a WOW tonight... Doh!! My folks used to say "you can't spread yourself too thin like butter on toast"... Trying to be two places at the same time is not simple...

OK, actually I remembered before that -- but it sounds good for dramatic effect. Vic called me at 5:35pm just as I was walking in the door. I spoke on the cell in the hallway. Jim called me to talk of other things at 8:36pm. So I was on the phone a bit in the presence of my dad.

When I got home I found Gwen's message. Gwen called the house and left a message at 7pm.

To manage the crispy feeling, I now think, I now know, that I need an RSVP before I'll show up for the WoW. I need a quorum. You can contact me via my email [Email Link]. You can call me using the phone number in the order of service or directory. And let me know that you're going to attend. If I don't hear from anyone before Saturday Morning then we are in "At a Mutually Agreed upon Time" Mode.

I definitely want to arrange to meet anyone who wants to be welcomed and who wants to talk about becoming a member of this great community -- which is what the WOW is all about.

We'll arrange the "personalized, flexible, and movable" WOW...

Later when we got home I asked my son: "Do you remember what granddad said?" My dear teenage son who is as tall as me and has bigger feet said "something about school?". You got to love him for his honesty. I told him what granddad said in what I hope was a gentle and loving manner.

Just keep swimming.

There's no place like change.
There's no place like change.

The most important manifestation of change is the act of learning...

Learning and loving are very intertwined...

Next Stop Abilene...

Thanks! & take care,
Adam

SCUU WOW: Our Mission Statement

Sugarloaf Congregation
of Unitarian Universalists
is a spiritual Community
that welcomes questions,
explores answers,
and shares the lessons of life.
We celebrate theological and cultural diversity
and are united by our caring for humanity
and the earth.

Please note: The link "Our Mission Statement" also appears on the "About Us" page... http://www.scuu.org/aboutUs.html

WOW -- Cheer up; we’re only happy when we’re miserable...

I found this article a while back. It's not often that you find a person willing to argue with a published GOD, and being a good UU I always like a decent arguement, so when I read these paragraphs I reached for the blog:

"More objectionable than anything else is Lencioni’s thesis that “the universal causes of anguish and frustration at work” are: (1) Anonymity. Management shows little interest in you, your background or your life; (2) Irrelevance. You have no idea your work matters to anyone; and (3) Immeasurement. You have no objective way of gauging your performance.

My objections, conveniently, are threefold: (1) “immeasurement” is not a word; (2) While “anonymity”, “irrelevance” and “immeasurement” can make people unhappy, they do not do so “universally”. If you simply see work as a way of making money, then these qualities could make a job attractive; (3) There are evidently more than three signs of a miserable job and to discover how many more you need only ask some miserable friends and colleagues."

It's enough to make an absurdist existenstialist UU with sort of quaker leanings cry.

Everybody sing "Put On A Happy Face" Link to Article

WOW!! The Greater UU Community!! The SCUU Digest Part II Section 3

GREATER UU COMMUNITY BASED ANNOUNCEMENTS

Seeking Administrator: River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation seeks a Director of Administration. See job description at www.rruuc.org. Send resume to job@rruuc.org.


7th Annual Music and Worship Arts Festival: February 23, 2008, 9-4, Unitarian Society of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. $35 Early Bird Registration (through February 17) (includes food and music). Workshops! Singing! Music! Worship!
Workshops for lay leaders and religious professionals on exciting and useful topics. Join over one hundred fellow musicians and worship leaders for an all-day festival that will send you home singing. Contact Kathy Smith by e-mail at essandell@yahoo.com.

JPD Women and Religion and The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Pottstown
invite you to the 2nd Annual Drumming Circle for Women to be held on March 8th, 2008 from 10am to 1pm. Mid-session snack and beverages will be provided. Childcare will be arranged with advance notification of need. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Pottstown, 1565 S. Keim Street, Pottstown, PA 19465. http://www.uupottstown.org/ for directions
or google the street address. Further information will be posted as it becomes available.
Check our web site: http://www.jpdwr.org

JPD Workshop - Voices of Justice, Hands of Change: March 28-30, 2008
Doubletree Hotel, Bethesda, MD. Join neighboring UUs, for a weekend of leadership development, UU worship, inspiration, and celebration. The conference will include Childcare, Elementary, and Middle School programs, plus select workshops for High School Youth and a full-length Bridging Program for graduating high school seniors. Bring the whole family! Look for registration information and workshop descriptions in early February, 2008. Workshop proposals and volunteer applications are due January 2, 2008. Check http://jpduua.org for updates and previews.

For more JPD announcements, check out http://www.jpduua.org/pages/jpd-packet-2008.php

The current edition of Interconnections is available online at: http://www.uua.org/publications/interconnections/index.shtml

WOW!! The 2 Service Task Force Strikes Back!! The SCUU Digest Part II Section 2

SPECIAL REPORT OF THE 2 SERVICES TASK FORCE

(12/07 VERSION MODIFIED)

The mission of this group is to present to the Board a plan for the transition to 2 services. The task force held its third meeting on December 16, 2007.

What is happening?
The SCUU Board asked this Task Force to consider the reasons for and against going to two services, to determine what would be needed to do so, and to present a proposal to the Board.

Why go to 2 services?
The Task Force feels that going to two serv ices would allow SCUU to offer its members and the community additional opportunities for worship, fellowship, and religious education. Going to two services would help SCUU grow, help relieve overcrowding in RE, and make us more welcoming to visitors.

What is currently proposed?· A start date of March 16, 2008 is being considered – this is the first anniversary of our moving into the yurt and would be a wonderful time to publicize this new transition and to celebrate our growth.
· Going back to a single service in the summer when attendance is usually reduced is recommended. This would allow time to identify any glitches and work them out during the summer before restarting two services in the fall.
· Having the two services at 9:15 and 11:15 is also recommended. The experience of other churches suggests that both times should be different from 10:30, an hour in between is ideal, and having start times other than on-the-hour may encourage people to be on time.

How can you get more information and express your opinion on this?· Read each month’s update on the 2-services Task Force in the SCUU Digest and newsletter.
· Talk to a task force member.
· Attend a special Congregational Conversation on Sunday, January 6 at noon.

The January 6th meeting included:

One-page handouts showing the basics of the proposal.
· Full proposals.
· A Task Force representative to walk everyone through the one-page proposal.
· An impartial facilitator to guide questions and answers with two members of the task force taking notes on flipcharts.
· The notes were transcribed into minutes to be sent out to the congregation and provided to the board along with the proposal, for discussion at the January 7 board meeting.
· The board will decide at its January 7 meeting whether to accept, reject, or modify the proposal. This has been changed. The Board decided to submit the question to the congregation for a vote. See, special notice of Congregational Meeting, above.

WOW!! We're Not Standing Still!! The SCUU Digest Part II Section 1

When you sign the visitor log and give your email address to us, you become one with the SCUU communication machinery. One cog in the machinery is the SCUU Digest. The digest used to be published by a single brave soul. Now we've "automated" it in a file that as a community we update. The file then get's blasted out on a weekly basis via email. Or to paraphrase George Carlin, "That's not stuff, that's my announcements."

Here at this moment in time is the latest Digest. I'm breaking it up and serializing it into three blog entries; Sections 1, 2, & 3...

I now have this vision of the beginning of each Star Wars movies with the words scrolling off into starry space and the orchestra playing. Only now I see the digest... It helps to sing or hmm the music as you read -- just not too loud or people will stare. Help SCUU Digest your our only hope....

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SCUU Meetings: Congregational Discussion February 3, Board February 4, 7:30; Sunday Services February 5, 7:00; ***Congregational Meeting, February 10, Noon, Choir Wednesdays at 7:15; Spirituality Group February 12, 7:30; Oakley Circle, January 29, 7:30.

Upcoming Services: February 3 – Mental Health and Mental Illness in Our Lives, Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes; February 10 – Evolution Sunday: Do Those Words Go Together? Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes; February 17 – “Don’t Go Back to Sleep!” Consulting Interim Minister Myron Andes; February 24 – "African American History and Music” Lay-led by Chris Hager with the Takoma Park Community Band.

Community Concert and Sing-along: February 1 (tonight) at 7:30 pm, bring a Snack to Share. At the Yurt! Sponsored by the SCUU Choir
.
Next Wow, Second Saturday of the Month, February 9. Orientation begins at 5:30. We encourage everyone, especially new friends, new members & visitors, to attend a WOW and to join a Circle. For details: Contact Adam Styles; or Google "Sugarloaf WOW" or “SCUU WOW. or go to http://scuuwow.blogspot.com/

Congregational Discussion: February 3, Noon. Open topic.

Special Notice of Congregational Meeting: February 10, 2008, Noon. Note from Jean Carr -- As we all know, our lovely yurt will eventually become too small for our burgeoning congregation and we will have to have 2 services to accommodate our growth. We have all talked about our many ideas about when this should happen and it is clear that an important decision like this should be made by congregational vote. Therefore, we are announcing an official congregational meeting at noon on February 10, 2008 to discuss and then vote.

To facilitate a discussion of all of your ideas, I would appreciate it if those of you with suggestions about this would e-mail me a short description of the choice you currently favor (I really mean short). We will lay out all the options, discuss them all and then vote. My new e-mail address is: jecarr@ihv.umaryland.edu I look forward to seeing you all on February 10.

At this meeting, we will also be presenting the Growth Plan and the UUA Grant application (which requires congregational vote).

Spirituality Group meets February 12 at 7:30 in the house. The topic is shared music. Bring a couple of your favorite songs to share. Sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scuuspirit/ to receive e-mails relating to Spirituality Group and Oakley Circle gatherings.

Newsletter Content: Please send, by the 15th of the month, newsletter text to Kathy at kathbell666@yahoo.com and hi-res pictures to Marida at marida@dogdaysgraphics.com.

Oakley Circle: March 18, 7:30. Celebration of Spring Equinox. This is an open pagan circle that shares in a variety of ceremonies and rituals. Sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scuuspirit/ to receive e-mails relating to Spirituality Group and Oakley Circle gatherings.

Hymnal Drive: Ongoing. Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists needs more hymnals, “Singing the Journey” for use during services. For a donation of $12.80, you can give a gift that will keep giving for many years in many ways. Your name or someone you wish to be remembered will be on the nameplate of your gift to SCUU as a thank you. Please contact Gwen Stamper, Music Director, with your gift. We will apply this to our order for a quantity discount. You will be supplied with a receipt upon request.

Coffeehouses: Peter Mayer, Marianna Previti & Annette Wasilik: Saturday March 15, 2008, 7:30pm, Open Mic 7:00pm (reservations recommended) Suggested Donation: $15.00; Jennifer Cutting's Ocean Quartet - April 19; Wishing Chair - May 17; Emma's Revolution - September 20th

Equality Maryland Lobby Day: February 11. For the past 4 years, SCUU has sent a group of people to Annapolis to lobby our delegates and senator for equal rights for lesbian, gay and transgendered people. Lobby Day is organized by Equality Maryland (www.equalitymaryland.org) and consists of a rally to gather constituents to the correct district, and then all of the district constituents have appointments to meet with their 2 delegates and senator. Lobbying is in the early evening, and we usually carpool to Annapolis. If you are interested in attending, let me know and I will make sure you are included. Jean Carr (jecarr@ihv.umaryland.edu).

Thanksgiving in February -- Dine Out Tuesday February 26 and some percentage of proceeds will go to Interfaith Works (including Germantown HELP). Contact Chris Hager by February 10 if you are interested in forming a group. Go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scuu_announcements/files/ and click on “Thanksgiving” for a list of participating restaurants.

Note to Committee Chairs: Please check your mail box at the end of the hall, past the bathrooms. Thank you.

Special Request for Books -- From Este Armstrong: One of my elementary school runs services a poor part of Rockville. Yesterday, I put some of the elementary level books that Cecilia and Josephine used to read out on my dashboard. I was surprised at how much the kids on the bus wanted the books. Half of my riders are boys and all of my books targeted girls. Also I didn’t have easy readers for the very young. Alphabet books would be awesome!! If anyone has books that your kids have outgrown and can give them to me to pass out, I’d appreciate that! And the kids would, too.

Playground Task Force: Green bins are for equipment donations.

Food and Toiletries Collection: Please drop off food and toiletries in the clear plastic boxes usually located in the Yurt.

Take the SCUU Green Sanctuary Challenge! SCUU (through the Green Sanctuary Committee) is volunteering to help preserve our country's energy resources and fight against global warming by encouraging our members, families, and friends to change at least one light at home to one that has earned the government's Energy Star rating. SCUU is doing this as part of the national Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World campaign. Go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=cal.pledgeForm and click on “Join Us! Take the Pledge” to fill out the form. Be sure to choose Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists from the “Which organization” drop box to properly credit your pledge to SCUU. You may count bulbs that you have replaced since Earth Day 2007 toward your pledge as long as you haven’t already counted them in the Change a Light campaign. We will report our progress toward the goal in future Green Corner articles.

Adult Advisors: For Youth Program activities. High school group in development. Contact us! Lynda Warner, tlwarner@hotmail.com or 301-466-7418.

Caring Committee: Volunteers needed to help fellow members of the congregation on a short term basis.

Giant Debit Cards: Betsy Riggs sells Giant Debit cards in $100s, $50s, and $20s. SCUU makes 4%. See, Betsy Riggs (3-wheeled walker) by the piano in the house.

Germantown Help: Drivers wanted to deliver groceries on the 1st Wednesday of the month. Only 1-2 hours of your time (later afternoon or evening) can assist this major social justice project of SCUU. Contact Kathleen Walker, dillerdwellers3@verizon.net.

Landscaping: Volunteers needed to care for grounds, cut the grass and help with landscaping tasks. Contact Min Kyung Kim or Arlin Stoltzfus