Unitarian Church of Los Alamos » President

I’ll Just Remind You About a Couple of Things

Larry Schultz — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:01:26 +0000

[printprofilepic]It is absolutely gorgeous outside today. If I had started writing on time I’d be done by now and I could go out and enjoy it. Story of my life… However, it is pretty sweet to sit here with the window open and look out at the kids playing in our little neighborhood. There’s this . . . → Read More: I’ll Just Remind You About a Couple of Things

Give It a Shot!

Larry Schultz — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:01:28 +0000

[printprofilepic]Last month I wrote about how the church budget planning and pledge drive come together in the final few months of the church year. This process leads up to congregational review and approval of next year’s budget at the Annual Meeting in April.

Another important thing that happens this time of year is that nominations . . . → Read More: Give It a Shot!

A Small Change

Larry Schultz — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:01:08 +0000

[printprofilepic]This month I’m going to discuss a small change in how we’re dealing with financial planning at the church this year. It’s a simple change but going over it also offers me the opportunity to explain a bit about how finances are managed.

Three years ago, before I joined the Board, I would have . . . → Read More: A Small Change

We Have Much More Work to Do

Larry Schultz — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:03:59 +0000

[printprofilepic]Writing these columns is a little weird because of the difference between when I write and when you read. For instance, I was talking with Kristine Coblentz this morning, December 18, about the Solstice Celebration coming up (from my perspective) on December 21. Kristine and a few other folks started what has become an annual . . . → Read More: We Have Much More Work to Do

If I Can’t Get Inspiration Here I Ought To Just Hang It Up

Larry Schultz — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:01:48 +0000

[printprofilepic]Well, it has come to this… here I sit in the church library on Sunday morning, during the last few hours before our Voice editor gives up on me, trying to think of something to write. Well, if I can’t get inspiration here I ought to just hang it up, right?

Janet Van Cleave, our . . . → Read More: If I Can’t Get Inspiration Here I Ought To Just Hang It Up

Spending Time with UU’s Outside Our Congregation

Larry Schultz — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:01:05 +0000

[printprofilepic]Hi all, I hope you are enjoying the changing season as much as I am. Autumn in New Mexico is about as good as it gets.

Early this month a handful of adults and teens traveled to Colorado Springs for the MDD District Assembly. In the last couple of years the district has combined one . . . → Read More: Spending Time with UU’s Outside Our Congregation

We’ll Just Have to Agree to Disagree

Larry Schultz — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:02:01 +0000

[printprofilepic]Most of us have probably had discussions that ended with the phrase “well… we’ll just have to agree to disagree.” For me, at least, using that phrase usually signifies that I’ve exhausted (at least for the time being) my arsenal in my quest to get the other guy to see it my way. In other . . . → Read More: We’ll Just Have to Agree to Disagree

That’s a Nice Word

Larry Schultz — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:02:08 +0000

[printprofilepic]Many of you may be aware that Rev. John is introducing “themed ministry” this year. He probably wrote about it in his column, and if you read his first (and I wouldn’t blame you – as a matter of fact, I’m pleased as punch that you are reading mine at all!) then you probably know . . . → Read More: That’s a Nice Word

But Anyone Can Talk About Themselves, Right?

Larry Schultz — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:01:49 +0000

[printprofilepic]I gotta say, I’ve been both dreading and looking forward to this moment—writing my first “President’s Page.” Over the last year, I’ve often had ideas for columns and thought, “That’s kinda cool… I need to write that down.” In typical Larry Schultz fashion, however, I never did so. So here I am, on deadline day…

. . . → Read More: But Anyone Can Talk About Themselves, Right?

Transitions

Dean Carstens — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:01:49 +0000

[printprofilepic]Already it is June, a time of transitions: some new board members, some new council members, and a new DRE coming in July. And my tenure as vice president, then president is over. Although I still have a year as past president, that‘s fairly easy—all you have to do is make an occasional sage comment . . . → Read More: Transitions

Board Summary

Dean Carstens — Sun, 01 May 2011 14:01:35 +0000

[printprofilepic]This has been an exceptionally busy period for the Board, one in which we had a number of important changes to discuss and vote on.

First and foremost: the hiring of a new Director of Religious Education (DRE). For the last several months, the DRE search team, led by Mark Peterson, has been hard at . . . → Read More: Board Summary

Getting Out Of Their Way

Dean Carstens — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:01:56 +0000

[printprofilepic]Recently, a friend of mine asked me a specific question about some aspect of the church. I replied that I didn’t know. “Why not, aren’t you President?” I explained yes, but his question had something to do with one of the committees, and Larry Schultz, who runs the Council would be the one to ask. . . . → Read More: Getting Out Of Their Way

Shared Visions

Dean Carstens — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:01:53 +0000

[printprofilepic]During the Second World War, my mother, a widow with two sons, supported us by working as first, a riveter, then a teacher. Raised on a farm, her vision was to continue as a teacher, and at the end of the war, she left us with our grandparents and went off to college to get . . . → Read More: Shared Visions

Progress Towards the New Building

Dean Carstens — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:01:26 +0000

[printprofilepic]By the time you read this, we will all know the results of our Congregational vote on the selection of an architect to develop our conceptual building plans. This is the next major step towards a new church building. The Architect Selection Task Force has worked hard over the last several months to interview four . . . → Read More: Progress Towards the New Building

State of the Church

Dean Carstens — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:01:07 +0000

[printprofilepic]Recently, a long-time friend and church member called me to ask how the church was doing. This person had heard some worrisome rumors concerning the state of the church. Since there may be others with similar questions, I think it would be appropriate to summarize a few facts. Bottom line: we are keeping the doors . . . → Read More: State of the Church

Building Plans

Dean Carstens — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:01:53 +0000

[printprofilepic]Some of you may have noticed that Earle Marie and I have been away for most of November. As it happens I sat down and wrote the December column before I left; unfortunately, I forgot to send it to the Voice editor, Danise Begnaud, and it’s home on my computer! It was a stirring article on . . . → Read More: Building Plans

Learning to be Unitarian

Dean Carstens — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:01:06 +0000

[printprofilepic]Like many, I drifted into Unitarianism during college. I was influenced in that direction by two friends, both of who actually grew up in the Los Alamos

Unitarian Church. But I knew little about the Unitarian church other than that it was quite liberal with no universal creed or set of beliefs. Despite my general . . . → Read More: Learning to be Unitarian

Sound Familiar?

Dean Carstens — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:01:03 +0000

[printprofilepic]I recently came across an interesting article in the Fall 2009 UU World. The article was entitled “The Gospel of Inclusion,” by Kimberley French. It described the changes in a particular Unitarian Church that occurred when they held a new service led by a Pentecostal minister, Rev. Carlton Pearson. A typical new service begins with . . . → Read More: Sound Familiar?

Not All the Same

Dean Carstens — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:01:43 +0000

[printprofilepic]Like other churches, the Unitarian Church tends to attract a group of people who are fairly homogeneous in their beliefs and ideals. It might be tempting to believe that all of our members and friends share the same thoughts and ideas.

Making this assumption can be a mistake. Three examples:

1) Many years ago I . . . → Read More: Not All the Same

President’s Page

Dean Carstens — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:59:36 +0000

[printprofilepic]The Unitarian Church of Los Alamos has seen many changes during its life. Beginning in 1953 as a fellowship with 53 members and friends, it became an official church in 1960. Over the years, led by nine (called) interim, or informal ministers, it has grown to a congregation of roughly 150. I estimate that something . . . → Read More: President’s Page

The “Hang Of It”

Rebecca Howard — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:01:59 +0000

[printprofilepic]“Our life is an apprenticeship to the truth that around every circle another can be drawn; that there is no end in nature, but every end is a beginning, and under every deep a lower deep opens.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson

As I begin to write my last column for the Voice I feel a sense of . . . → Read More: The “Hang Of It”

A Heart Full of Grace

Rebecca Howard — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:01:36 +0000

[printprofilepic]“Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t even have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve… You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love…” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A . . . → Read More: A Heart Full of Grace

Long Range Planning

Rebecca Howard — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:01:54 +0000

[printprofilepic]“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” — Henry David Thoreau

Last month I wrote about “End Statements” (a condensed version of the goals identified at our January workshop) and the formation of a strategic . . . → Read More: Long Range Planning

Resources

Rebecca Howard — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:01:52 +0000

[printprofilepic]“Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion because life truly does give back, many times over what you put into it.”—Maya Angelou

On January 29 almost 90 people came together to create vision and mission statements for our congregation. Everyone was engaged, giving all they’ve . . . → Read More: Resources

Falling in Love

Rebecca Howard — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:01:25 +0000

[printprofilepic]“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, . . . → Read More: Falling in Love