Passions [33:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

What passions are pursued by our fellow congregants and community members? What have they learned in the process of those pursuits? Join us when we explore the passions of some members of our community including Kay Ulrich, Warren Houghteling, Claire Cox, and Jerry Richard. The range of passions in our community may surprise you!

Presented by: Stephanie Richard, Ann Shafer, Warren Houghteling, Kay Ulrich, Jerry Richard, and Clair Cox

We’ve just finished one of the busiest months of the church year.  While I’m looking forward to a little recharge and renewal time, there’s still a lot going on over the next few months and on into the coming church year, which begins on August 16th.

Some of you had a chance to meet or speak with our UUA consultant, Mary Gleason, over this past Mother’s Day weekend.  Many of you attended the town hall meeting Mary facilitated that Sunday.  Given the holiday, many more of you were unable to attend.  Throughout this issue of The Voice you’ll read about the results of that weekend.  With regard to our progress on the building project, you’re going to be reading one word over and over again — vision.

The questions we’ll be asking ourselves over the next several months, and which we’ll be afforded the opportunity to explore throughout this coming fall are, “Who are we?” and “What must we be doing?”  The answers we arrive at together will be our guide for not only our building project, but also our wider mission in the world.  As Mary said many times throughout her weekend here, “The building is a tool for carrying out the church’s vision.”

Over the next few months, I would ask that you reflect on these two questions; and because it will take the blending of all of our hopes and insights to create a complete and compelling vision, I encourage you to take part in the conversations when the time comes.  This is a moment when we need to hear everyone’s voice.

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Remember that beginning this month, we move to our more relaxed summer schedule, with one service at 10 a.m. and a coffee hour following.  The worship committee has put together some great programming for our summer services, and I’ll be in the pulpit four of the ten Sundays with a series on film and theology called “Summer Blockbusters”: Big Fish (PG-13) on 6/21, The Fisher King (R) on 7/12, Once (R) on 7/26, and Contact (PG) on 8/2. Each sermon will be preceded by a “Dinner and a Movie” night on the Saturday evening before the service, with a chance to see the full film.  While seeing the whole movie isn’t essential for the sermon, it’s a good chance for some fellowship during the summer months.  Please join us.

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I’m pleased to announce that the RE Committee and I have selected our new interim DRE.  Benette Sherman joins us on July 15^th for the next two years.  She comes to us with nearly two decades of religious education experience, from volunteer teacher on up through earning Credentialed Religious Educator honors form the UUA.  Currently, Benette is serving as Program Consultant for the Northern New England district of the Association, and prior to that served as DRE in Ames, Iowa.  She introduces herself in an article this month.

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Our Covenant Circles program continues during the summer with “Open Circles” on the 17^th of each month.  For Circle participants who feel the need to keep in touch with the covenant sharing process, and for those who are curious about our small group ministry programming and would like to sample it before regular circles begin again in October, I invite you to join us on the 17^th of each month at 7 p.m.  One of our facilitators will be there to lead the circle for the month.  For more information, please contact Jess Cullinan.

Rev. John Cullinan

Hello Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, 

Even though I haven’t met any of you (except Joyce), I’m quite excited to join you as your interim Director of Religious Education starting July 15.  I know staff transitions can be quite challenging for everyone and I hope this short introduction will be the first step in knowing more about me.

I was a member of the UU Fellowship of Ames, in Ames, Iowa for fifteen years (1992-2007), with eight of those years as the DRE.  I served on several committees within the congregation as well, such as adult RE, caring committee, women’s spirituality group and a few others.  While a DRE I expanded the religious education program by creating and leading a summer camp, more structured summer RE classes, a more in-depth Coming of Age program, two mission trips, and Boston heritage trips.  I also served as a representative of our church on a faith-based, community-organizing group.  I became a credentialed religious educator in 2003 and am currently a mentor in the credentialing program.

I loved that faith community but left in 2007 to take the Northern New England District’s program consultant position.  I’ve been living in Concord, NH, where the district office is located.  Working as a program consultant includes providing workshops for congregations (and at the UUA General Assembly) on a variety of topics, working with individual congregations and DREs, creating resources, and offering general counseling on congregational life.  It has been a rich and rewarding job, but requires much travel, which has been a trial for me.

Here’s a quick synopsis of my faith journey.  My early years were spent in Oklahoma as a Southern Baptist until about age 17 when I went through a few years of agnosticism.  I have many fond memories of my former church—the singing, the fellowship, the sense of the holy, youth retreats.  Fortunately, I later learned about Eastern religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufism all of which fill my heart and spirit.  In the late 1970s, a few others and I started a yoga ashram, essentially a spiritual community in upstate Wisconsin where I met my husband, Peter (sadly now ex-husband, but still close friend).  I only stayed with that community for 2 ½ years but it was a most joyful (and challenging) time.

Peter and I have two sons who are now 23 and 26.  I was first introduced to UUism in W. Lafayette, IN where Peter worked as a professor.  Our neighbor was the DRE at the local, small UU church.  I ‘tried’ it out a few times, but did participate too much.  When we moved to Ames, IA, I knew I wanted a spiritual home for my sons so I joined the UU Fellowship.  Unitarian Universalism offered me the space to include the best of my Christian experience (Universalism’s focus on love), mystical humanism, and the wisdom of Vedanta (quite similar to Transcendentalism). 

To further my sons’ experience of UUs in community, we attended the Western UU Life Festival (WUULF), which meets at Ghost Ranch, NM for about six years in a row.  As I’m sure you all know, Ghost Ranch is not so far from Los Alamos.  On our free time we became more familiar with the area and visited Los Alamos and Bandelier a few times, so I know your town a little bit (as a tourist).  I love the Southwest and am so happy to have the opportunity to work with you and to be in such a beautiful area.

When I’m not talking about religious education, congregational life or UUism, I find much enjoyment from hobbies such as gardening, reading, contra dancing and international folk dancing, hiking, going on retreats, and just being with good friends.

I look forward to meeting you and the children and youth, and in helping you navigate this important transition to continued growth and health.

Best regards and in faith,

Benette Sherman 

We have almost met our fundraising goal. You may hear more from us over the summer. We are only $150 short, so if you would like to directly contribute to our debt please do!

Summer EVENTS!

VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL: We have changed the dates for Vacation Church School (Harry Potter Camp) from the dates that were listed in last month’s Voice. The dates for Vacation Church School this summer will be July 20-24 with a sleepover on Friday, July 24^th. Registration forms are available on the Greeter’s table in the church solarium. Please put the registration forms in my box located in the office or email them to me at youthcoord@uulosalamos.org. I will be the Director of this vacation church school this year.

19^th ANNUAL UU KIDS’ CAMP: Bigger and Better! 6 days/5 nights of outdoor adventure, close friendships, artistic creativity, and children and youth growing together in an environment of UU principles and spirituality. Camp runs from Sunday, July 26, through Friday, July 31, 2009. All children completing 2^nd grade through High School have a place at camp. Forms must be RECEIVED by June 9, 2009. For more info please go to: <http://www.uuabq.org/UUCampBrochure2009.pdf>.

UNITEENS RETREAT This year the weeklong uniteen retreat will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne, WY on July 8-12. Please see the Uniteens bulletin board for more information.

We are having our MONTHLY MOVIE NIGHT June 5^th at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Bring family, friends, dinner, and popcorn for an evening of fun!

REQUEST TO OUR CONGREGATION: I am planning a human scavenger hunt for the kids. This will provide our youth an opportunity to converse with the adults during coffee hour. If you have a fun story about yourself please share it with us, the kids would love to find you! Expect to have numerous kids approaching you and asking questions.

FOR EXAMPLE: “They were 18 and dated for one week before running off to Las Vegas and getting married. WHO WHERE THEY?” Or, “This person won a contest for eating their weight in ice cream. WHO WAS IT?”

We need more contributions! This will be conducted during the fall. Please submit all of your contributions to me ASAP.

Sara Rose Dickens
youthcoord@uulosalamos.org