BUUF News – July 2010

Contents

EverGreene

Reverend Elizabeth Greene

Rev. Greene is on summer break. She will return to the pulpit in September and her column will resume in September's issue.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Debra Smith

Sometimes I wonder what kind of person I would be had I not met you, beloved congregation. Where would I have found a place that would let me pronounce tentative truths from the pulpit? Where would I have found a people who would help my children and me lay my husband's memory and his ashes down into that pond high in the Sierras? Who would have anticipated my need to return to ritual after having eschewed it as hollow for so many years? Where would there have been a place for the blossoming of my children, their potent voices nurtured and celebrated? It is an honor to serve the community that has so often sustained my family and me over the 18 years we have been within its fellowship.

Along with many members of the board, I am studying a book on governance by U.U. minister and consultant Dan Hotchkiss. In Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership, Hotchkiss writes, "The stability of a religious institution is a necessary precondition to the instability religious transformation brings. The need to balance both sides of this paradox—the transforming power of religion and the stabilizing power of organization—makes leading congregations a unique challenge."

"...the instability religious transformation brings." Or is it the instability that brings religious transformation? Whatever its genesis, you won't find religious transformation a scheduled item on any agenda. Like grace descending, its trajectory cannot be predicted. And yet for this miraculous thing to happen, somewhere, someone must be scheduling items on an agenda.

I have known religious transformation first hand. This church has saved me. It has brought me back from despair, and it has called me to generosity. In times of need it has provided my family food; in other times I have played the generous host. I am grateful that some of you have been attending to the institution of church all these years: balancing budgets, documenting decisions, communicating a common purpose.

Now it is my turn. A new fiscal year begins; a new governance board takes up the mantel. And now comes another opportunity for all of us to recommit ourselves to this place; this stable place with its history, its traditions, its rituals, its people, its governance; this stable place that makes possible religious transformation.

In her paean to the dignity of the work that must be done, the poet Marge Piercy reminds us that "the work of the world is common as mud." William Henry Channing spoke of the desire to "let the spiritual, the unbidden and the unconscious rise up through the common." Surely this is why you serve on committees. Surely this is why you pledge your time and your money. This is why you support with your love this place where the windows must be washed, the refrigerator cleaned out, the bills paid, the salaries negotiated, and the board reports filed. You are making a place where schedules and structures allow for the unpredictability of grace.

I can only imagine how much smaller a person I might have been without you. There, but for the grace of god—and my beloved, hard-working congregation rooted in this place—go I.

RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION

It's Summertime in Children's Religious Exploration!

Summer Religious Exploration/Education at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship runs between June 13 and September 5, inclusive. Children ages 0- 2 years will be in the nursery for nursery care. Children ages 3-5 will be in the Sophia Fahs Preschool/Kindergarten room, the first room in the north wing, for their guided activities. Children who are entering 1st through 6th grade will meet in the Olympia Brown room in the north wing to enjoy our We Are All Connected curriculum which is all about exploring our interconnected web of life through butterflies and creepy crawlies.

Children will participate in the first part of the service with their families and then recess to the religious exploration classes as the congregation "sings them out." Please make sure to accompany and sign your children in on the attendance sheets in the classrooms so that we may get to know them. Youth, grades 7 through 12, do not meet formally during the summer. Youth are welcome to attend the service.

For more information about Religious Exploration for children and youth at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship please see the Newcomer Information packet on the greeter's table, the Religious Education/Exploration prospectus (available in late summer) located in the BUUF Information Rack, here on our web site or contact Emmie Schlobohm, Director of Religious Exploration, at 658-1710.

COMMITTEES

Leadership Appreciation

BUUF Leaders 2009-2010

Please join the Leadership Appreciation Task Force in recognizing the following leaders who have given of their time and talents to make BUUF a better place during the past year.

Leadership appreciation Task Force Members: Sue Philley, Bev Harley, Arlene Baldwin, Wanda Jennings. Appreciation Party Helpers: Jim Lyons, Karen Raese, Suzanne Woodcock

SOCIAL JUSTICE

"Name That Committee" Contest Winner

The winning entry in the Welcoming Congregation Committee's (WCC) "Name That Committee" contest was selected at the WCC's June meeting. The committee's new name will be the Rainbow Outreach Committee.

The winning entry was submitted by Steven Martinson, who had attended BUUF for only two weeks when he saw the contest announcement in the order of service.

The reason for the contest was to find a name that better describes the mission of the Welcoming Congregation Committee, which is BUUF's liaison with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

In addition to implementing the new name, the committee has decided to use an expanded and more-inclusive abbreviation: LGBTQIA—to include all facets of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and ally community. Using this acronym also will provide a means of educating BUUF members, friends and others.

Queer is a term that has been reclaimed by some in the LGBTQIA community and is now their preferred identifying term. Questioning is a stage many go through while sorting out their inner reality in a culture that has taught them from birth that there are only two genders and one appropriate sexual orientation. Intersex people are those whose biological gender is ambiguous because of genetic, hormonal or anatomical factors and who therefore do not identify with either of the two genders generally accepted in our culture. Allies are people who identify as "straight" and who actively support and relate to the LGBTQI community.

Food Stamp Purchases at the Capital City Public Market

Using food stamps for purchases at the Capital City Public Market (City Market) is a win for all concerned. Local growers benefit from the sales and purchasers benefit through eating fresh and healthy produce.

Food stamps users may not shop at the City Market because of the perception that it is too expensive. Wholesome Wave is providing a $5,000 grant, which must be equaled by $5,000 donated locally to the program. The $10,000 will be used to match purchases made with food stamps on a one for one basis up to a maximum of $10 in matching credits weekly.

As of June 12, another $1,500 needs to be collected locally. The July plate offering will be donated to the City Market as match for the grant.

Other farmers markets have demonstrated the beneficial effect of supplementing food stamp purchases at farmers markets in attracting food stamp users. Locally, food stamp users have been greatly pleased to convert $10 from their food stamp debit card into $20 in credits for use at the City Market. BUUF volunteers are exchanging food stamp benefits to tokens at the market. Please visit us. We are located at a booth in the middle of the intersection of 8th and Idaho at the Saturday morning City Market.

Twenty-five percent of the nondesignated plate offering and 100% of checks that are marked "outreach" in the memo field will go to enhance food stamp purchases at the city market.

BUUF Events & Activities

The Many Facets of BUUF's Landscape

And that includes the 'people part.' 'Landscape' is really a conglomeration of groups of volunteers who do different things depending on their interests. For instance, the Gardeners are those hardy souls who faithfully show up on specific Saturdays to actually work on the grounds, tending to the growing things. When you look at a lovely flower bed or marvel at the design of plantings as they complement walkways or hardscape, it is because a Gardener has been there. These are the folks who love getting up close and personal with dirt, all under the guidance and direction of our Head Gardener and Assistant Head Gardener.

Then there is the Mower and Whacker Crew who keep The Pasture, The Courtyard, the Play Area, The Grove and the areas along the creek and the strip that divides the north parking lot tidy, each area having its special needs. They use the rider mower, the push mower, the wheeled power whacker and the hand power whacker and they do it every week during the growing season.

The Landscape Committee is a group of folks who can handle going to meetings. They determine direction, make decisions, coordinate, prioritize, and are responsible to the Board/ BUUF community to make certain that things that need to get done get done. The Committee meets 9 times during the year, but lest one think this the least desireable of all Landscape elements, be advised that every meeting is accompanied by gourmet FOOD that defies description. Some members have been known to join just to eat—at least that was one rumor making the rounds. The Plant People are those who are Master Gardeners or Botanists. We're lucky to have five!

If it sounds as if these are strict divisions, fear not. Folks choose the areas they like, some go for just one, others two or three or even four. The really great thing is that we are really multifaceted, multitalented and multi-fluid (new word that hasn't hit Funk & Wagnalls yet)—yes, we FLOW. When it comes to Work Parties, we know how to party. When it comes to meetings we usually begin on time. And when it comes to precision, we know EXACTLY what the blade height on the mower should be, given the humidity and temperature.

We're inclusive and influencial (in certain circles) and we've love to have you join us, in whatever capacity you choose.

As for Jeremiah's Adventure Garden, that is a whole different department—not Landscape. Jolene and Patrick Schow's gift of an interactive children's (of all ages) garden is maintained and developed by them. While we are not directly involved, there can't be a single person who has not delighted in what can be discovered there.

Correction Regarding BUUF's Iris Beds

Mary Anne Hedrich, for the Landscape Committee

Jan and Jim Kosglow are actually the folks responsible for our amazing iris beds. They began as Jan's project for her Master Gardener program, and ever since they have faithfully tended the beds, even to the point of flying back from their Colorado home to divide the plants properly. We have no doubt that Betsy Dunklin and Chip Cole would have been exceptional iris-bed developers had they chosen to do so, but they were incorrectly credited in last month's BUUF News with being responsible for the spectacular iris beds BUUF enjoys.

Varieties of Humanist Experience

Jeanette Ross

When you read this, our solstice picnic will be a happy memory and we will be back to our favorite meeting time and date, the second Sunday of July, 11am in the library, for Gene Barrett's presentation on pioneers in the field of health care. At our August meeting we will plan topics and share responsibility for leading our upcoming program year.

I'll end this program year honoring the memory of William James, who died 100 years ago. Read "The Varieties of Religious Experience" for a reminder of how much he contributed to UU attitudes, humanism in general, and two fields of intellectual pursuit, philosophy and psychology. He told us to begin with direct, rigorous and testable observations of human behavior before we formulated theories of how we behave and why. He inspired Unitarians and Universalists, suggesting that we gain from diverse sources and ideas. Although he thought dualism unhealthy (and cognitive psychologists agree) he was lifelong friends with Harvard's great champion of idealism, Josiah Royce. Royce, I remind you, was the professor who inspired Martin Luther King's vision of Beloved Community. He saw no point in trying to establish universal 'truth,' and suggested that the 'true' was what was helpful and healing for any particular individual. Realists, existentialists, those engaged in that most frustrating of causes, the search for meaning, all return to William James for a dose of reality and an original thought, still fresh after 100 years.

The Other Book Club

On July 14 (Wednesday) we will gather at 6:15pm for a BBQ followed by a discussion of the Murder Room by P.D. James at the home of Erin Logan, 1702 W. Ridenbaugh St. Boise, ID Please RSVP is you plan on attending. 336-4960.

We will not meet in August. On September 11 our book selection is Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. We will meet at Kathleen McGown's home, 3496 Holl Dr, Eagle at 7pm.

Our October selection is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. This is also a BSU first read selection.

Happy summer reading!

WIDER COMMUNITY

BUUF Honored by LGBTQIA Community

BUUF was honored by the LGBTQIA community at the Les Bois Awards, a traditional part of Boise Pride Week, on Friday, June 19. The Les Bois Awards include 13 separate awards given to individuals and organizations in recognition of their contributions to the well-being of the LGBTQIA community.

This year, Louise Jacobsen, chair of BUUF's Welcoming Congregation Committee, was nominated for and received the Alder Award, which is given to an individual who fosters an understanding of sexuality and spirituality, and works to eliminate religious homophobia. This award is presented in memory of Robert Cross, a former minister at Boise's Metropolitan Community Church.

"Although this award is given to an individual, it reflects the efforts of everyone on the Welcoming Congregation Committee, the commitment of this Fellowship to be inclusive, the financial contributions of members and friends to LGBTQIA organizations and the commitment of BUUF's leadership to provide a venue for workshops and other activities that broaden minds and promote understanding and acceptance," Louise said. "BUUF is making a difference to LGBTQIA people and their families in the Treasure Valley, and they very much need us to continue our efforts on their behalf."