Volume 15, Number 7 –January 2014
Upcoming Services
Services are on alternate Sundays at 10 AM
January 12: Rev. Denise Tracy "No Regrets! Living Life to the Fullest" A few years ago Paul Braunstein sent me a statement that I have kept in a file on my desk. I have wanted to create a worship service on life's greatest moments and regrets. This service is dedicated to Paul. It was nearly 25 years ago that he and Irma approached me, when I was District Executive of CMD-UUA, to start the Northwoods congregation. I am grateful to Paul for his friendship to me over the years.
January 26: Bob and Cheryl Hanson "An Examined Life is a Sweet Life: How sweet is yours?" Based on the book The Longevity Code by Zorba Paster, M.D., we will discuss the five spheres of wellness—physical, mental, social, spiritual, and material—that encompass a well integrated life. Our purpose is to challenge listeners to examine those spheres for themselves in order to live fuller, sweeter lives.
Events:
Adult R.E.: Adult RE is on alternate Sundays at 10 AM. Starting on January 19, 2014 we will begin “Conquest of the Americas” taught by Professor Marshall C. Eakin, Vanderbilt University
01-19 Three Peoples Collide; The Native Americans
Tai Chi Workshop
On January 11 from 9:30 AM to noon, join us at NUUF to learn a simple meditation of movement which will increase your inner peace, help your balance and give you a new way to explore spirituality. Tai Chi is an ancient spiritual art which is fun to learn. You only need to wear comfortable, layered clothing and wear non tread shoes. Slippers or heavy socks are also fine. Cost $15.00 or whatever you can afford. If you cannot stand and need to sit, this is fine. Rev Denise Tracy has studied and taught Tai Chi for over 35 years. She used to teach Tai Chi at the Fellowship once or twice a year. Bring an open mind, your best laugh and a willingness to relax and learn.
Dinners at Frederick Place
We will be fixing and serving dinners at Frederick Place on January 26 & 27. Please contact Diane Reupert if you can help.
Regional Assembly will be held the weekend of April 12-13. There will be four gatherings across the region, linked electronically for the key note address and business meeting. One of those gatherings will be in Wausau! This is a great, convenient opportunity to attend meetings about our new region. Please consider attending for a day or a weekend. More details later.
Save the Date: NUUF turns 25 in 2014! We're planning a dinner party and celebratory service the weekend of August 23 and 24. More details later. Questions? Contact Elinore, Chair of the Anniversary Committee.
Meet Your Board Member--Rich Uspel
As a kid, I grew in a pretty nice Roman Catholic home. My parents were both great people; my Dad was a really sweet guy; my Mom a very bright woman; their son? A doubter. I really have no gripes with the Catholic Church. I don’t hold to its teachings, but I met some really cool people who were Catholics: my parents.
The Catholic Church’s Baltimore Catechism, Question #6, asked, “Why did God make us?” It wasn’t a sincere question, even a kid could see that, because the next line gave a canned response:
“God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.” Even as a kid, I thought this was a pretty poor description for a god: I mean, if someone asked a couple why they were having a baby? And the husband or wife said, “We’re having a baby so our baby can know us, love us, and serve us in this world and in the next”? Even as a I kid would probably have asked that couple, “ . . . you’re not planning on staying in our neighborhood for long, are you?” (Any kid could see, “Gee, you seem like nice people, but your kid is going to turn out SO messed up!”)
As an adult, my attitude toward religion is: Religions are part of the beauty of the world. Religions express humanity’s yearning for meaning. Many parts of religions are delusional, but so too are a great part of humanity’s other yearnings, as politics, our understanding of history, our definitions for progress, etc. Religions need to be understood. Religions need to be monitored. Religions, beautiful as they can sometimes be, can be dangerous to humanity’s health.
For me, Unitarian-Universalism is a best choice. Unitarian-Universalism asks me to bend my life in the direction of less: Less unhappiness for myself and others, fewer disappointments for myself and others, fewer frustrations for myself and others, fewer delusions for myself and others. Unitarian-Universalism asks me to have a purpose for my life. It tells me that I was not created to love, serve, and act happy around a god. Unitarian-Universalism asks me to get to work for less unhappiness in this life. It promises me nothing. No one goes around, bubbling at our coffee hours or during our potlucks, saying, “Rich, you are just absolutely going to love Heaven!”
Less is more. Fewer rituals. More meaning for myself and others. Less ceremony. More commitment to myself and others. Less custom. More community for myself and others. Less regimentation. More respect toward myself and others. Yes, for me U-Uism is a “Less is more” religion. It does not make false promises. It asks for my work in this life. It asks for less warring factionalism; it ask for more collaborative peace-making.
That’s how I wound up on your Board. And while I’m at it? N.U.U.F. needs your active participation in the life of the Fellowship. Please volunteer early & often. We’re a fellowship of people doing good, not one where we petition Heaven to do the hard work for us.
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Milestones
Tony & Sherry Zoars 01-01
Barbara and Don Bratcher 01-04
Minetta Koblings 01-05
Sharon VanRaalte 01-07
Bob Feser 01-07
Cindy Rusak 01-09
Jessica Rosenberg 01-09
Melanie Cyra 01-10
Harley & Ruth Erbs 01-12
Kimberly Norris 01-12
Richard Thieret 01-16
Ed and Jeanine Semon 01-18
Connie Lefebvre 01-27
Dwight Logan 01-28
Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
P.O. Box 1881
Woodruff, WI 54568-1881
John Viste, President
The NUUSLetter is published monthly. Newsletter Deadline: 27th of the month. Please send submissions to Elinore Sommerfeld at esommerf@aol.com.
For distribution of announcements between newsletters or email/address corrections, contact Candy Sorensen at sorencan@yahoo.com.
