Holiday project
December 8, 2008
As someone who has worked in social work for many years, it is clear to me that during the holiday season many of us are inspired to share our blessings with others. Often, families with children are targeted to receive gifts by many different social service agencies. Eight years ago, Tom and I became keenly aware that some people tend to fall between the cracks during this time. These people are alone. They may have recently come out of alcohol or drug rehab, they may have a chronic mental illness or may have recently left an abusive relationship. The reasons are myriad but the bottom line is the same- they go through the holidays alone and unnoticed.
Eight years ago, we adopted a rooming house in Woonsocket. Up to 25 single people live there in one-room apartments, sharing bathrooms with others on the same floor. We obtain the first names and sizes of all of these people and then we go shopping. Beginning four years ago members of Bell Street became involved. We have found that performing this service to others enriches our lives and helps us to connect with the sacred during this time of year.
If any of you feel moved to help with this project please sign up at our table during coffee hour this month. There are many ways you can help. On Dec. 14, we will be putting names on 25 stockings with glitter and glue, so come on down and get in the spirit. Some of you may choose to pick a name and a size and purchase either a sweater or hoodie for that person, bringing it to church with you before Dec. 21. Others of you may choose to purchase apples, oranges, candy or cookies for the stockings. Still others might like to help wrapping all the gifts on Dec. 21 at coffee hour. And finally, one or two of you may wish to volunteer to deliver the gifts. I’ll close with one of my favorite sayings–Many hands make light the work!
~Tom and Annette Briand
Revision of Bell Street Chapel antiwar resolution
December 8, 2008
The Bell St. Chapel Parish and Social Concerns Committee has been working on a revision of the antiwar resolution passed by the congregation prior to the Iraq invasion. Here is what we plan to present for approval to the entire congregation at its January meeting:
“As Unitarian Universalists we hold to the goal of a world community with peace, liberty and justice for all. In following that belief, our congregation called on our national leaders in January of 2003, “…to use creative, peaceful means to resolve conflict with Iraq, to stand with other nations in the international community who are working for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, to support the international promotion of human rights and to cease advocating preemptive war.” Unfortunately, our leaders chose a different path; one which has cost many thousands of lives, billions of dollars and created reason for the world to question our moral judgment. Six years later this war continues, without compelling justification.
“Therefore, the Religious Society of Bell Street Chapel calls on the United States of America to begin military withdrawal from Iraq with deliberate speed. We further urge our national leaders to use creative, peaceful means including proactive diplomacy to resolve both current and future conflicts throughout the world. Our country needs to stand with other nations in the international community who are working toward peace; to support the international promotion of human rights; and to reject policies of preemptive war. We support the members of our congregation who are taking public stands for peace and encourage them to witness for our religious community.”
We invite all members and friends to come to the Parish and Social Concerns Committee meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish House. There, we anticipate a lively discussion to make any changes to this resolution before presenting it for a vote at a congregational meeting in January. Please come and make your voice heard on this important matter.
Eating Art Show
December 8, 2008
Opening
Dec. 13, 7 p.m.
$10 Donation Suggested
Please come and see what your fellow Bell Streeters and artists from around the state think and feel about food. The mediums and viewpoints will be varied. The artwork will stimulate your appetite for contemplation and discussion about how we grow, process, eat, share and relate to our most basic indulgence: food.
The show will run Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. until Jan. 3.
December 2008 Calendar
December 8, 2008
Our legislative ministry: Objectives
December 8, 2008
This year our board voted to make Rhode Island Unitarian-Universalists for Social Justice (RIUUSJ) our Legislative Ministry. This enables us to join other U.U. congregations in the state, acting as a denomination of over 1,000 members, to advocate each year for the laws and funding that represent our religious principles. RIUUSJ has been doing this for six years, but heretofore with no official tie of any sort to our six U.U. congregations.
Each congregation chooses and conducts its own activities for social justice: in no way is the Legislative Ministry intended to replace U.U. congregations’ committees for social justice and good works. Rather, it is intended to focus almost exclusively on the community of Rhode Island, on its needs to correct the injustices of poverty, inequality, bigotry and the rending of our safety nets for the poor and for those fallen and falling into the ranks of the needy.
The annual legislative program of RIUUSJ consists of a very limited set of objectives involving particular bills that deal with those basic concerns cited above. Members of its Steering Committee, drawn from all of our participating churches, work with some of the major organizations active in our areas of concern. On the basis of these contacts, the Steering Committee submits its suggested annual program of advocacy at an annual membership meeting, and invites modifications and alternatives for discussion and decision.
These decisions rest with the membership. RIUUSJ was initiated to make and support such decisions. Were each of our congregations to develop its own legislative agenda, much less to reach consensus with six other U.U. churches, the annual legislative process would have ended before we could act. Effective advocacy depends on the numbers mobilized, and these would increase tenfold were RIUUSJ to have the commitment of the ministerial and lay leadership of our 6 churches to a common denominational effort.
Therefore, a congregation’s decision for RIUUSJ to act as its Legislative Ministry is not a delegation of authority for it to act in the name of each of our churches, but rather a commitment to support its efforts to mobilize the participation of its members and friends in a concerted denominational effort. This includes, primarily, membership in RIUUSJ, and participation in the annual meeting to decide on the annual program. Clearly, the larger each church’s participation in the annual meeting, the greater its impact on the decisions made, and the greater the likelihood of its membership’s participation in the work of advocacy – inviting senators and representative to meet and talk with us; letters, e-mails, phone calls, petitions, etc.
Four of us here at Bell Street are members of the steering committee- Dan and Greg Greco, Tom Lamora , David Gleicher – and will answer any questions you may have and, hopefully, record your application for membership. This means a commitment to attend one annual membership meeting involving three hours on a Saturday or Sunday in late February or sometime in March, and a few hours of advocacy – e-mailing, etc. – usually after Sunday services.
Bell Street has played a critical role in the six years of RIUUSJ’s life, establishing our denomination’s name as a reliable and effective participant in advocacy for social justice. Numbers count. We need to grow. There is so much to do, and we need your participation.
~David Gleicher
Religious Education news
December 8, 2008
Four children in kindergarten through sixth grade met on Nov. 9 and talked about the fifth Unitarian Universalist principle,“All people have the right to think for themselves and vote on issues that concern them.” We had a lively discussion.
Our next session will be Dec. 14. The students will attend the first part of church with their families and listen to the Story for All Ages. Then they will go downstairs to their classroom with two teachers and discuss the story and how it relates to the Unitarian Universalist Principles and Purposes and the Sources. The children will hold a short worship service and share their joys and concerns. Then they will come upstairs and join in the closing “Carry the Flame” circle with the congregation.
All are invited to attend the next Religious Education meeting on Dec. 14 at 11:30 a.m. in the R.E. classroom We will plan the R.E. sessions for the next six months. For more information, contact Kate Gillis at (401) 823-7929 or ksgillis@netzero.net.
~Kate Gillis, Chairperson
Policies and Procedures
December 8, 2008
Progress on the update of our church’s Policies and Procedures Manual is moving along, with a goal of completion in February by a Governing Board subcommittee consisting of Jim Gillis, Jen Shimkus and myself. At this point, our work on the finance policies is just beginning, but we have worked our way through most of the administrative, membership, religious education and communications policies. Along the way, we’ve encountered many challenges in developing policies that address sticky issues, and have tried to keep focused on addressing likely problems clearly, simply, fairly and in keeping with our Unitarian Universalist principals. It hasn’t been easy.
One of the most contentious the policies we are addressing is the policy governing announcements during service. Last year the Board received complaints that the length of announcements was detracting from the spiritual nature of service. When we tried to cut them down and changed the policy to allow only those late-breaking announcements that didn’t make it into the Order of Service, the result was that people didn’t have a live reminder of church activities, and participation in them fell. Both Rev. Josè and Rev. Bill Robinson before him told us that this is a common conundrum at U.U. churches.
We’re trying to aim for a point between those two extremes. Our subcommittee will propose a policy that does not prohibit people from making an announcement at the microphone if it is also printed in the Order of Service, but instead urges speakers to be brief and avoid becoming repetitious. Our goal is not to just develop laws that spell out just what is specifically prohibited, but in this case to create guidelines that ask church members to be judicious and considerate of the service and those attending. Ours is a covenantal church, and we believe that part of that covenant should be that we ask and receive that respect from each other. We don’t expect that this policy will work out perfectly, but to expect perfection of any such policy would be unrealistic.
We are also developing a chapter on social justice activities as well as one on safety policies, which we expect to include fire safety, confidentiality of records and the sex offender policy, among other issues.
If you have any questions or suggestions about policies or procedures, please speak to one of us. Our meetings are open (they do tend to be held at irregular intervals due to our packed schedules, so check with one of us if you’d like to attend) and we would be more than happy to speak with you about any policy.
~Meredyth Waterman
2008 Contributions
December 8, 2008
After the first of the year, Bell Street Chapel will be sending out statements to church members about their pledges. It will verify how much you contributed to Bell Street in the 2008 calendar year, and you should keep the statement as documentation if you itemize your income tax deductions.
Contributions to the minister’s discretionary fund given as the Christmas Eve offering are not counted toward your pledge, although they are counted as a contribution to Bell Street for income tax purposes.
If you have bought any services or products at our auction, the money you paid to Bell Street is not counted as a contribution for income-tax purposes and will not be included as part of your pledge.
Please remember that if you contribute with cash instead of check, we have no way of documenting what you have contributed unless you clearly identify your contribution in a separate envelope.
~Jim Gillis, Treasurer
Pictures
December 8, 2008
In our efforts to spruce things up and at the same time display the spirit of Bell Street, we will be adding a section of photos of Bell Streeters to the left of the stairs down to Eddy Hall, with captions below each stating “What Bell Street Means to Me.” This changing gallery would also create a better balance to the new bulletin board which is on the right side of those stairs. These would be 5-by-7s or 8-by-10s (yet to be decided) of individuals, couples, families and/or kids with your words of What Bell Street means to you below the photo. Tom and Betty Lamora will begin the project, so give some thought to a short message which you would like with your photo. If you have a photo you would like to use and can e-mail it to them at tblamora@cox.net that would get them started. Otherwise they will be sneaking about like Alan Funt with their camera for the next several weeks, so be prepared.
Early deadline for Columns
December 8, 2008
Due to the holidays, the deadline for the January issue of Bell Street Columns is going to be a week earlier than usual Dec.16 at 8 p.m. Even though it is early, please be advised that there will be no exceptions to this deadline. If you miss it, your article will not run next month. Please submit your articles as a Word attachment – not in the body of the e-mail – to Meredyth Waterman at MeredythW@aol.com.