Community Unitarian Universalist Church, San Antonio, Texas

CUUC Newsletter,
April, 2009
Editor, Steven Botts,
(210) 275-2056
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WE COVENANT TO PROMOTE:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equality, and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth,
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right to conscience and the use of the democratic process;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all,
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.

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In this Issue:
1. Schedule of Events 
2. Announcements
3. Upcoming Services
4.Articles and Reports
5.Affinity Groups
6. Directory

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Notice to Contributors
Be advised that the newsletter deadline is the first Sunday after the CUUC board meeting on the second Wednesday.

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#1

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

March 23
Women’s Group, 7:00 PM

March 24
Non-Violent Communication Class, 7:00 PM

March 28
Fellowship Dinner, 7 PM

March 29
Beauty in the Beast, Rev.Phil Schulman
Yoga With Kitty Bevis, 1:30 PM

March 31
Non-Violent Communication Class, 7 PM

April 5
Relaxation with Veronica
The Power of Negative Thinking, Mark Walls
Brown Bag Socrates Café, 12:15 PM
Yoga With Kitty Bevis

April 8
CUUC Board Meets, 7PM
Explorations of Christianity for the Discontent, 7 PM

April 12
Relaxation With Veronica
Easter Service – Resurrecting Faith, Rev. Phil Schulman
Yoga With Kitty Bevis
Men’s Group, 6:30 PM

April 13
Women’s Group, 7:00 PM

April 15
Explorations of Christianity for the Discontent, 7 PM

April 19
Relaxation With Veronica, 9:30 AM
Trickster Redemption, Rev. Phil Schulman
Yoga With Kitty Bevis

April 22
Explorations of Christianity for the Discontent, 7 PM

April 26
Relaxation With Veronica, 9:30 AM
YRUU Service
Yoga with Kitty Bevis, 1:30PM
Men’s Group, 6:30 PM

April 27
Women’s Group, 7:00 PM
April 29
Explorations of Christianity for the Discontent, 7 PM

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#2

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fellowship Dinner
Ron Clarke, Congregational President

It’s that time of the year again.     It’s time to get together and celebrate ourselves, our church, and our Church family.

When:  Saturday, March 28, 2009 – 7:00pm

Where: CUUCSA Church

LIVE MUSIC FROM A TRUE MUSICAL TALENT - - -

This will be very similar to the Auction Dinner (but without the auction)  Just us all getting together in a relaxed, fun atmosphere and having a good time.

Please Email RCLARKE2@satx. rr.com with your food donation - - in case you didn’t figure it out – I will be making Italian food!

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Deep Relaxation Group

The Deep Relaxation group will now be meeting Sunday mornings with Veronica Gard, 9:30-10AM until further notice.

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CUUC Garage Sale

Mary Grace Ketner GSCEO

We'll be having our world famous garage sale in May(date TBA), so as you begin your spring cleaning**, set those no longer useable (to you) and duplicate items aside and bring them to church with you.  We don't include clothing in this event, but anything else you'd like to recycle into another home is fair game.

**spring cleaning (spreeng cleen'-ing) 1.  n. archaic annual ritual cleansing of domicile formerly celebrated in the spring but now done, oh, perhaps once a decade-- or not.  2. v. going though one's possessions with the goal of setting aside those which no longer serve, then either throwing them away (ecologically unsound and very uncool) or donating them to the CUUC Garage Sale ( So wise! so generous! so cool!).

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Annual UUHAC Meeting
Glenna Jones-Kachtik
Thursday 3/26
1st UU Church
6 PM

Election of Board, Please Attend

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#3

UPCOMING SERVICES

3/29
Beauty in the Beast
Rev. Phil Schulman

At times, each of us loses touch with the beauty of humanness as it resides in ourselves and in others.  The ability to shift our consciousness and perception from beast to beloved is something that can be learned and practiced.   It's more than sentimentality.  Come receive this challenge and gain support on how to take it.

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4/5
The Power of Negative Thinking
Mark Walls

How do the things we say and think affect what goes on in our subconscious mind and shape our attitudes toward ourselves others, and life in general?

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4/12
Easter Service, Resurrecting Faith
Easter is not a rational or irrational event.  It is the celebration of love, the power that issues and transforms life. Join us in celebrating the resurrection of the holy, sacred and eternal into this world of mortality.  Special invitation to all religious skeptics and cynics who are willing to find reason to rediscover the power residing in our hearts.

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4/19
Trickster Redemption

In the April tradition Feast of Fools, we'll look to trickster deities to challenge and inspire us. Life is too important to take too seriously.   Want to play along further?

1 Submit "spirit of the trickster" offerings; poems, songs, readings etc asap.

2.wear a hat, accessories and/or costume to church today.

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4/29
Youth Service

The YRUU group from first church will present the service today. Come and see what young UUs can do.

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ARTICLES AND REPORTS

From Our Pastor
Phi Schulman
Ancient Wisdom

If you ever read the Christian Bible or watched movies of Jesus’ life’ you probably have a picture of the ancient temple in Jerusalem.  In those days, it was THE place where the Jewish people worshipped and practiced their religion.  It was the most sacred and holy place for the Jews.

There was a great order to the layout of the structure and to the observances that took place there.  There was a door through which every person entered, and a different one through which everyone was to exit.   However, it was custom that when someone in the community died, their family members were to enter through the exit, and exit through the trance.

The wisdom of this custom and what it accomplished has been commented upon by rabbis through the years.  First off it was a symbolic representation and expression that for the bereaved the sense of order in their lives had been turned around, and for a time would be out of sorts.  Moving in the opposite direction of the crowds, the mourner felt the friction, the difficulty of not being with the flow.

Moving against the current, they became visible to the community and the community became visible to them.  Many people who experience a loss report that they need time and space for solitude.  It seems natural to want to turn away from a normal flow of events in the outer world.  In bereavement, there is someone and some things that cause us to turn our attention inward.  It is part of grieving to put attention on what is no longer with us.  The wisdom of the ancients put a limit upon this tendency.  At a time that mourners might be tempted to keep their attention toward their loss, they were required to also look upon their community.

Presumably in those days as now, there was likely a discomfort around death that could result in avoidance.  At one time or another, each of us has avoided someone that we love because it was painful to look at them in the eye.  Going against the flow put the bereaved in direct view of the community.   This tradition symbolically required community members to face the mourners among them.  Presumably this also caused the community to put some attention upon death.

It’s worth noting the temple was designed to encourage people turn toward God, the holy, that which was held by the community as sacred.  Without the requirement to see and be seen, the bereaved and the community might have carried on their communal worship as if nothing had changed.  Without acknowledgment of death, the value of turning toward the eternal might be forgotten.

If not encouraged to look upon death and the bereaved among us, we might conclude that feeling good (happiness, contentment, peace etc) is the way to approach and recognize that which is most sacred.  However, sometimes a sense of the sacred emerges in times of pain.  Sometimes when things are out of sort, when the order we have come to rely upon is no longer present, we are forced to look upon life with new eyes.  When the luminousness of our loved one may no longer be apparent, or when our own light seems to be very dim, we enter and exit our place of our worship.  We look upon each other in community.   May we find in our congregation the holding of a space for all that is sacred, including our grief.  May we find here the presence of a light that can never be extinguished.

From the Editor
Steven Botts

After the soup lunch on 2/22, we met to discuss the goal of our church and suggest ways that these goals might be met. I suggested that those of us who have attended other UU churches during out-of-town travels might bring back and share some of the things we have seen done in other churches that might be that might work here. A few examples below:

I have adopted a technique I observed in Topeka, Kansas of joining the “Joys and Concerns” part of a service to a short, guided meditation .

I have also heard some really good stories in other churches, and I have, with the teller’s permission, used some of them at CUUC.

I once observed an unusual offertory style in a small UU fellowship in Lawton, Oklahoma. It featured a “noisy” offertory and a “quiet” offertory. The noisy offertory was carried out by children carrying tin buckets. They would pass the buckets down the rows, and contributers would drop in their pocket change. The kids would give the buckets a few good shakes when they got them back and take them to the front. Following that, there would be a traditional quiet offering of bills and checks.

I thought this was a good way of involving the kids, and also a way of showing them that there is a time to be noisy and a time to be quiet. Besides, it gets more money in the Sunday collection because everybody wants to give the kids some coins to rattle.

If you should run across a different way of doing things in church that might be worth a try, please let me know, and I’ll print it here.

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RE NEWS

Glenna Jones-Kachtik, DRE

We are finishing up Buddhism in the month of March.  We read the story of the Mustard Seed and learned that service to others often takes our mind off our problems or things that we don’t have.  We made Mandalas and Stephanie did a lovely guided meditation.

We also had a wonderful day when Veronica came into our classroom and shared her practices of Buddhism with the class.  She brought along her larger meditating Buddha and a very special Buddha (the Fearless Buddha) that had been given to her by her son.  We took apart the shrine we had already made and Veronica had the children choose things for a less complicated shrine.  She did a meditation with the children; having brought pillows and little stools and shared with them 2 stories one of the 3 sights the Buddha saw (touched on in the poem that Mary Grace performed last week in “That boy Billy Buddha” written by a UU Minister) – and the story of how the Buddha was fearless and tamed a bloodthirsty man who had slain 99 people, cutting off a little finger from each one that he wore around his neck.  There are pictures up on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Last week, Crystal Grant and Laura met DUC (a 7 yr old Vietnamese Buddhist) from a World of New Friends.  They decided that he looked much like Sumalee but with shorter hair.  We also talked about Tet, the Vietnamese New Year and we played a game called Da Cau – where you try to flip a coin on your foot and keep it going.  We took those coins and made a Tet gift envelope (these are given during the New Year & people often have trees that they hang the envelopes on.  They received a packet of Buddhist tales and mandalas to color.  They had some New Years treats for snack:  Brown sugar candy; milk chocolate stones, and a mixed nut moon cake.

Kane & Joseph have been doing March Activities all month.  They have been reading the book CATS with things to feel and squeak, push & pull.

One Sunday they planted seeds; they have collected items; explored over, around, through etc with hula hoops; strung yarn around a chair to make their own “spider web” and they have looked for the color green 2 Sundays.  They also explored the weather.

Thanks so much to Kelly & Pierce, Mark, Von, Joan & Mary Beth; Robert and most of all to Steph for helping out in RE – We turned in our list to John B. of items for the playground and to fulfill what the church wants for the RE Program.

Anna Thomason turned 10 this year on March 6, and we celebrated her being another year older.  Last week we grieved with Michael Parmley and Mark & Steph at the loss of his grandmother and Stephanie’s Mom.  We were glad to see that Anna & Ritchie and their family Lauri & Ray are putting down roots here in San Antonio.  We were glad to hear that our stepping stones made good money for the service auction.

We are exploring ways for the RE Program to help with the growth of the church.  More on that later….

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SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS
Glenna Jones-Kachtik

Mary Beth & Glenna met and counted up the GAYT boxes.  I think there is still at least one or two boxes outstanding; but so far we collected $55.00.  Thanks to those who turned in their boxes:  Ron Clarke, Henry Halff, Laura/Kane Presley, Mary Beth Romeo & Glenna Jones-Kachtik.  I am sure that many of you placed money in the collection plate or sent money directly in to UUSC. Unless you tell Mary Beth or me, we will not know who.

Social Actions left in March:

EARTH HOUR – 3/28  Turn lights off at 8:30 for 1 hour.

We will be into our Fellowship Dinner at that point – perhaps we can use candles for the rest of the dinner.

JUSTICE SUNDAY - 3/29

SOCIAL ACTIONS/CALENDAR FOR APRIL

Action of the Month – Environmental Justice

9-15     Passover

12      Easter

15      TAX DAY

16      National Day of Silence (BGLT Solidarity)

22      EARTH DAY

26-28      Nat’l Center for Transgender Equality

So, strike a blow for the environment in April – plant a tree, plant some seeds; save some water; reduce, reuse & recycle; be more green!!!!

Glenna Jones-Kachtik & Mary Beth Romeo

Social Justice Co-Chairs

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REMARKABLE FILMS
Glenna Jones-Kachtik

If you missed TAKING CHANCE from last Sunday, you missed a great movie!  The care taken in bringing the soldiers who have died in war – back to their families to be buried was told in remarkable detail.  No sermons; no we should or shouldn’t be there; no debates – just the story told from the point of view of Lt Col Mike Strobl as he escorts PFC Chance Phelps home to be buried.  Kevin  Bacon turned in a great performance and we thank Ron Clarke for bringing the film to our attention.  There is a copy at the church if someone would like to take it home and watch it.

Not sure what we have in store for next month.  I was thinking of trying to get SICKO – would anyone want to watch that movie and follow it up with a discussion of Health Care in America??? A good series is the PBS series Sick in America…..

People pretty much decided they did not want to see “W” and “Frost/Nixon” was also a no hitter.  What would you like to see?

Send your picks to me @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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AFFINITY GROUPS

Explorations of Christianity for the Discontent
Stephanie Walls
7:00 pm Wednesdays

A group which is founded on the 4th Principle "A free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Bring yourself, your Bible, your thoughts, and your questions (especially those questions pushed aside by preachers!). Our meetings are meant to encourage exploration of the Christian life as presented in the New Testament with focus on the differences between Jesus' teaching and those of his followers (such as Paul).

Discussions will include how to live such a life in the present world, and whether or not we find representations of this life to be accurate in modern Christianity. Our main method in accomplishing this is meant to be reading of and discussion of our personal interpretations of pertinent bible passages. Do you pray? Do you meditate? We can take this opportunity to learn from one another on these topics as well.

The group will be limited to church membership/friends initially until such a time as we see fit to expand to the community at large.

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Relaxation with Veronica
Sunday Mornings, 9:30-10 AM

We will be meeting in the fireplace room for a deeply spiritual experience that prepares our psyches for the worship service and daily life the purpose is to reach personal bliss and ecstasy (with practice) and remove us from the distresses of modern life and make us more sensitive to spirituality.

Participants don't need to bring anything, especially not cell phones .

No children, please.

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Socrates Café
Marilyn DeKing

The Brown Bag Socrates Cafe will meet at 12:15 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month at Community Unitarian Universalist Church. Bring your lunch and join us for a satisfying philosophical session.

At the beginning of each session, participants submit and vote on the question to be discussed. Resolution is not the goal of the discussion. We usually end with more questions than we began with.

Everyone is welcome to participate in Socrates Cafe or to visit and see what it is about

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Women's Group
Jean Halff

The Women's Group is open to CUUC women and friends of the church. We meet every 2 weeks, on a Monday night at the church, starting at 7 p.m. and usually finishing before 9 p.m.

Each woman usually talks for about 10 minutes about anything she wishes. However, you don't have to talk if you would rather not. What is divulged is kept confidential unless otherwise stated. It is a great way to get to know the women in the church on a more personal level in a safe environment. We invite you to come and join us and let us get to know you.

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Men's Group
Steven Botts

The CUUC men's group meets every second and fourth Sunday from 6:30 - 8:30 PM All CUUC men or visitors are welcome to join us.

Group leadership rotates from meeting to meeting in alphabetical order of the members. . The leader for each meeting is also the host, and he is responsible for furnishing snacks and drinks.

We usually  start off meetings with a clearing, in which each member is allowed to talk about recent events in his life, if he wishes to, for as long as he sees fit. Next, the facilitator introduces the topic for the evening. This may involve a short reading - a poem, an article or other text. The subject could be just about anything that the facilitator would like the group to address: What's going on at CUUC, religion, economics science, health, family, friendship, etc.

Around 8:30, we wind things up by deciding who is going to facilitate the next meeting, declare this one finished, clean up, and leave.

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Remarkable Film Group
Glenna Jones-Kachtik & Shiloh Richter

The Remarkable Film Group consists of members and friends of CUUC who gather each month to view one feature film and discuss it afterward. Everyone is welcome to attend. The films are presently being shown at church at 3:00 PM on the third Sunday of each month.

Films are shown in a series. The attendees select the theme, and content of each series normally composed of four films on that theme, whether directed by the same person or featuring a specific actor or actress. Current leader of the group are Glenna-Jones Kachtik and Shiloh Richter Any questions about this group may be directed to them.

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#6

DIRECTORY

Officers:
Ron Clarke, 210 - 845 1638 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Secretary - Mary Grace Ketner210- 271 0628 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Treasurer - June Kachtik, 210-342-0135 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
At Large - Marilyn DeKing, 210- 299 4005
At Large, Veronica Gard, 210 - 499 4118 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Coordinators:
Programs Committee - Nancy White, 210 - 650 4785 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Member Services - Mark and Stephanie Walls 210 - 681-8188 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Operations Committee - John Bradshaw, 210-341-8506, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >and Mary Beth Romeo, 210 - 694 5233 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Staff
Minister - Phil Schulman, 210-614-2014, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text83137 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Director of Religious Education, Glenna Jones-Kachtik, 956-451-5925, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >