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Hello everyone!
It's flower communion weekend, and at my house anyway, the dandilions are in full bloom. Pick something from your yard or the Farmer's market and bring it with you for this moving service.
This weekend is also...
the last Saturday Service until fall, and
the last day of Children's Religious Education until fall.
and the weekend of the Governance and Budget forum. It follows the 11 am service and will feature a light lunch from the Food Haulers.
This forum is an important moment to absorb the proposed fiscal priorities of FUS for next year, learn about proposed by-law changes (hint: we hope to complete the process ot adopting Policy Governance) and generally educate ourselves for the June Parish Meeting.
You'll find a full set of documents to look over for the forum at /fiscalbudget.
Hope to see you all at the Meeting House!
Harry Carnes, Director of Communications
(and former Czar of Publications)
This Weekend... May 18/19
"Life Among Flowers"
with Kelly J. Crocker and Karen Gustafson
This is our annual flower communion. Join your beloved community for a celebration of life and color and coming summer. Bring a flower to share if you have one or just come with an open mind and an open heart. Be filled with the spirit of beauty and the blessings of abundance! Note the related article on page 12.
Musically, on Saturday, the Teen Choir, directed by Heather Thorpe, will sing. Sunday, the Cherub and Choristers Choirs will sing for Flower Communion.
All Atrium services will be webcast
live at fusmadison.org/webcast
May 26
“God and Guns”
by Michael A. Schuler, Parish Minister
(Saturday Services discontinued until September 7)
The United States has a love affair with violence. We possess more guns per capita than any nation in the world, save Somalia. It pervades our popular entertainment and has too often informed our foreign policy decisions. We have no Department of Peace but do have a hydra-headed military establishment whose interests and priorities are almost never challenged. If an outsider were to guess which god Americans worshipped, he or she might say Mars, the god of war.
Musically, members of the FUS String Band will play Scottish, Irish and American folk tunes.
June 2
“Whistle While You Work?”
by Michael A. Schuler, Parish Minister
Do you work to live, or live to work? It is a curse (Genesis) or a blessing (Freud)? Through the ages human beings have exhibited a great deal of ambivalence toward work, and as we enter the more leisurely and reflective summer season, it seems an opportune time to dig more deeply into this meaty subject.
Musically, the Society Choir will sing Randall Thompson’s classic Choose Something Like a Star and Linda Warren will play harp solos by Nino Rota.
June 9
"Of Ministry and Other Matters of the Heart "
by Karen Gustafson, Associate Minister
So, is it really over? What is this minister/congregation relationship, any way? In these closing words, Karen will reflect on her understanding of these questions and upon what makes love last.
Musically, The Meeting House Chorus will sing Jason Shelton’s All Lifted Hearts and If God Is Love, Then… by Michael Bomier.
Cabaret Second Chance Weekend
Did you miss Cabaret? There are still some things left for you bid on. Be sure to stop by the table in the Commons this week, take a look, and make a bid!
Partner Church Collection
This weekend’s collections will be dedicated to the Partner Church program. Your contributions this year will support young students in Nagyajta, Romania, as they graduate from the eighth grade, engage in summer enrichment activities, and some prepare to attend high school in distant towns where higher learning is available but the expense is significant. The program also hopes to arrange a future youth exchange between our congregations, and always offers a small but sustaining stipend to the church music director, who would otherwise remain uncompensated. Please give generously, and then join us in the Commons after services to sample Meggyes Piskóta (Hungarian Cherry Cake), see pictures of the village, and learn more about our partnership. Köszönöm! Thank you!
Last weekend of classes; what’s next?
This is our last weekend of classes for the 2012/2013 school year. We hope you and your children can join us for our goodbyes. Next week will begin our Summer Fun program for children 4-12 and our kids will be engaged in decorating Peace Poles. Kids 3 and younger can go to the child care room for a different version of fun! There is no pre-registration needed for our free Summer Fun program, but please do check in with Abby Whisler, our Summer Fun coordinator. She will be stationed at the Atrium entrance to sign you in. Kids will still start out in service for the intergenerational message. Thanks for a great year of religious education!
Budget and Governance Forum • May 19
Don't Miss this Sunday's 2013 Budget and
Governance Forum at 12:40 p.m. !
The board of trustees and staff will share the proposed 2013-14 budget as well as the proposed revision to the By-Laws so that they are in accordance with our new governance model. Please take the time to review these documents before the forum.
Traffic Report: From now to July 20, there will be a wee bit of road construction around FUS. On weekends in mid-May, there may be one-lane traffic with flag persons on University Bay Drive. The VA parking lot will still be open to FUS on Sunday mornings, but construction may close off access to Marshall Court from the East. Please allow a little extra time because of traffic delays.
Young Adults (18-35+) Sunday Brunch • Sunday, May 19 • Meet after the 11 a.m. service, upstairs by the name tags, or at C's Restaurant and Bakery in Middleton at 12:30 a.m. RSVP to Elizabeth Bohuski, ebohuski@gmail.com.
Summer Fun Begins Memorial Day Weekend! Beginning Sunday, May 26, all children 4-12 are welcome to join us after the "Message for All Ages" for Summer Fun! There is no fee, just please sign in with Abby Whisler at the Greeter's table before service. This summer we will be exploring our 7 Principles with many fun activities - growing seedlings, treasure hunts, decorating Peace Poles and much more! Hope to see you there! Any questions contact Abby Whisler awhisler@uwalumni.com
Peace Poles It is time to prepare to plant the annual Peace Poles and demonstrate FUS’s visions for peace along University Bay Drive. This year the date has been changed to Memorial Day, May 26. See Roz Woodward in the Commons area after the service for more information, or contact her at 251-1074 or rozw@tds.net to reserve a pole!
Plant-based Eating Group and Bratfest?
Yes! Bratfest is again offering a vegan option this year. Field Roast Frankfurters will be available and we're going to show our support for a plant based option. The plant-based eating group will be going together after the 11 a.m. services on Sunday, May 26. We will meet in front of the FUS library around 12:15, and carpooling will be an option. For questions contact Sara sandrewsbibliophile@gmail.com or (608)957-2392
Peace & Justice Book Club Cancelled The Peace and Justice Book Club meeting on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day) has been cancelled. Tea and dessert will not be served! Watch for our June meeting... Questions? Carole Ayres at gone.knitting@hotmail.com.
The Spiritual Topics Book Group will meet Tuesday, May 28, at 7 p.m. in the Gaebler Living Room. Mark Shults and Denis Collins will facilitate a discussion of The Devil in Dover: An Insider's Story of Dogma vs Darwin in Small Town America by Lauri Lebo. Questions? Contact Judith Miller at 274-9288.
"Israel, Human Rights and Judaism"
Tuesday, June 4 • 7 to 8:30 p.m. • Landmark Auditorium. First Unitarian Society and Congregation Shaarei Shamayim will present “The Israel I Cherish: A discussion of the connection between Israel, Human Rights and Judaism” on Tuesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. This talk will be given by Rabbi Arik Ascherman and presented by Rabbis for Human Rights. Join us!
Job Seekers Support Group
meeting in June
Anyone looking for or worried about career and employment situations is invited to attend this informal session for sharing and understanding how best to deal with their external and internal forces. How can we update your resume or broaden your network? No need to register – just show up Thursday, June 6, 7 p.m. in Courtyard E. Questions? Contact Bob Radford at radfam@tds.net or 845-3523 for more info.
Celebrating Rev. Karen Gustafson
Sunday, June 9 • 12:30 p.m. • Commons
• HUGE Pot-Luck…Sign up to bring a dish!
• Create a message for Karen (or bring one)
• Donate to her retirement gift
• Join the celebration!
Help Light
the Flame!
Haven't pledged yet? It just takes a minute. Go to fusmadison.org/pledge and fill in the form. (paper forms available in the Commons.) Thanks!
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