UUSC has been working for 25 years to help displaced Rohingya families

For 25 years, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) has provided life-saving care for Rohingya families who have been displaced over decades of systematic persecution by the Burmese military. These families face heavy or complete restrictions on their employment, access to health care, education, and other services. To address these needs, UUSC is partnering with grassroots organizations in Kuala Lumpur providing community-based support to Rohingya refugees.

Rohingya Women Development Network is a women’s refugee center focused on livelihood development and education. Another grassroots group, Elom Empowerment, offers general capacity building such as language and computer classes, and mentorship for young men.

Community centers are integral to healing, health, and wellness, providing care and avenues for self-determination inside the world’s largest refugee camp. One space designed for women, and run by women, in the Bangladesh refugee camps focuses on providing places of peace and privacy for breastfeeding, showering in privacy, and quiet reflection. Other community centers supported by the UUSC focus on educational programs so Rohingya children can receive the basic education from which they’ve been banned in Burma.

You can read more here about how UUSC, with the help of UUs like you, has made such a difference in the lives of so many Rohingya families.

Your contenMid-week Email

Leadership Orientation:  Covid19 has brought some changes! So, whether you’re new to leading a committee or other team or you’ve been doing it for years, you’ll want to catch up on the latest information to help you do what you do. We’ll be providing the scoop on what’s new, what’s different, what hasn’t changed about how to get things done. Administration, communication, budget and expenses, resources available–we’ve got it all! And, of course, it’s virtual.

Join us Sunday, Aug. 16, at noon for an information-filled session. Here’s the link: https://zoom.us/j/95371243861 The session will also be recorded for those who are unable to attend the live session.

Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH) Happenings

Mendes Budget Passes: Metro Nashville City Council passed a budget early Wednesday morning June 17^th 2020 that included a 34% property tax hike. The budget will raise property taxes $1.006 per $100 of the property’s assessed value. It’s the largest property tax increase in Metro Nashville history and the first hike since 2012. With more than 80% of council members’ approval, a substitute budget offered by Council member Bob Mendes passed that included a plan to increase funding to Metro Nashville Public Schools and the Metro Nashville Police Department. Mendes’ budget was adopted over Mayor John Cooper’s, but the mayor tweeted following the budget decision Wednesday morning, showing support for the council’s decision. Mendes budget is a win because it:

• essentially guarantees passage of a budget that would add a $15/hour minimum wage for 1500+ school employees,
• added $7.5 million more for schools,
• allows community centers to open on Saturday mornings,
• adds a new Chief Diversity Officer position,
• adds a new Workforce Diversity Officer position,
• doubles the funding for the Nashville GRAD program,
• increases the Opportunity Now program for meaningful teen summer jobs by a third,
• adds an IT position to the Juvenile Court Clerk’s office to help Judge Calloway’s restorative justice program be able to work remotely,
• doubles a grant to TSU, and more.

Compared to Mayor John Cooper’s tax increase plan, the Mendes budget avoided sharp cuts to arts grants; put more money into community centers, summer youth employment and nonprofits; and prevented the closure of Nashville Community Education. In return, the administration made an amendment to strip out the Metro employee (not schools) step increases and add $2.6 million back in for the police department. Based on all of the circumstances, to avoid defeat of his budget proposal, Mendes decided to agree to not work against the administration’s amendment and voted to abstain. Councilman Bob Mendes said his budget will get the city back on a firmer financial footing, while still being able to help people. “Really, people who are hurt the most, we’re trying to get something in the budget for. I feel like we did that tonight.” He also states, “As difficult as this budget season has been, it should be thought of as the beginning of a several year process to get Metro on solid financial footing”. FUUN members please thank your council members for voting for Mendes budget.

NOAH’s Affordable Housing Task Force members wrote to their council person to support the Metro Budget that was passed (Mendes Budget) which gives the Barnes Housing Trust Fund $10 million for this year. While the property tax is going up, Metro has two property tax assistance programs for elderly and disabled low-income homeowners. The task force distributed information throughout its member congregations and Nashville about the programs.

NOAH’s Education Task force had four public meetings between June 30th and July 9^th of candidates for the school board elections. Their June meeting included a conversation with Rep. Harold Love who discussed the Basic Education Program (BEP) funding formula and how to strategize around getting it changed so that it is more effective for all of public school students. The education task force is engaged in an on-going effort to promote restorative practice and social emotional learning as alternatives to punitive discipline in Metro Nashville Public Schools, as documented in recent articles in the Tennessee Tribune. They welcome members of First UU to participate in the work of their task force. Meetings are the 4th Monday of each month currently via Zoom. 

Criminal Justice Working Group. Their June meeting was focused on removing the Police Chief but they are now having open dialogues because of the recent retirement of Chief Anderson that transpired after their regular scheduled meeting the fluid situation with policing in Nashville. At a recent meeting with Mayor Cooper, he committed to have a member of NOAH on a Committee studying use of force and making recommendations to the Mayor about policy and job description for the new police chief. Members also plan a town hall meeting about community policing/defunding the police using an online discussion and chat room call and explaining what defunding and community policing means. This group also focuses on Mental Health diversion and reforming the Bail system which requires cash so discriminates against the poor.  They meet by zoom on the 1st Monday of the month from 6:30-8 pm.

NOAH’s Economic Equity Task force  advocated for a moral budget including $15 an hour for all school system support staff and cost of living increases.

The UUA disaster fund granted $9,000 toward tornado relief to the North Nashville area. A group of people from GNUUC who wrote the grant request, Roddy Biggs, co-chair of Social Justice and reps of the A Team chose organizations to distribute the money to. The funds were distributed to Gideon’s Army, New Covenant Christian Church, and Pray for Nashville a relief fund set up in partnership with the North Nashville YMCA. See https://www.gofundme.com/f/gc492-prayfornashville/update/24447464/gallery/0 for a sample of their work.

Integrated Voter Engagement (IVE)

IVE is: listening to voters instead of pushing them to vote, holding town hall meetings, helping to educate voters about pertinent issues and how they can mobilize their ideas and helping interested people to become viable contributors to change. NOAH is offering workshops to this end.

NOAH is offering information and training to guide interested people who desire to become more involved in getting the vote out, but are not always sure how to do that.

“Tennessee is 45th in Voter Registration and 49th in Voter Turnout. We can do better.

For more information contact info@noahtn.org.

Important Communications Notice from your staff team:

The Weekly Email will be on hiatus the first week of August (Tuesday, August 4).

To this end,

• Announcements necessary to get out before the weekly email on August 11 will be included in the July 28 email and should be submitted by noon on Tuesday, July 28.

Additionally,

• The deadline to submit announcements related to the first half of August for other outlets (website, pulpit announcement) is Wednesday, July 29.

This is part of staff self-care (we are all trying to schedule accrued time off, so important in this time of pandemic) and in anticipation of Rev. Diane Dowgiert’s first week with us.

We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we all traverse this season of transition.

Rev. Denise Gyauch (for Staff)

Safe Haven Family Shelter continues to closely monitor developments around COVID-19 and implement procedures to ensure the health and safety of the families they serve. They have suspended the shelter program for now, and are housing families through housing and hotel options to make sure they have a place to call home. They evaluate this process weekly and will let us know when they plan to reopen the shelter. They are on target to serve over 330 families this year.

While we will not be serving dinners until the families are back in the shelter, they welcome donations. If you would like to make a donation, of any size, please visit safehaven.org/give/.
Pat Lynch
Safe Haven Action Team
safehaven@thefuun.org

Community reading of Ibram X. Kendi’s How To Be An Anti-Racist

Spurred on by the terrible killings of black men and women in the early part of this summer, many people have been inspired to redouble their efforts to bring true racial equity and justice to our country. Part of this effort, especially for people who have not had direct experience of unjust treatment based on the color of their skin, has been trying to learn more about antiracist work. As you probably are already aware, Kendi’s How To Be An Anti-Racist is one of the books that people have turned to most often. Maybe you’ve read it; maybe you’ve been meaning to read it; maybe you haven’t really thought about it but, with a little encouragement, might be interested in reading it.

Well, if you fall into any of these three categories, the Beloved Community Committee is here for you. We will be sponsoring a Community Read of How To Be An Anti-Racist late this summer (via Zoom). You can either read the book ahead of time or read along with us when it happens. We’ll divide the book into three sections, discussing them over three Sunday meetings. Here’s our proposed schedule:

Aug. 30:  Discuss chapters 1-6
Sept. 13:  Discuss chapters 7-11, 13-15
Sept. 27:  Discuss chapters 12,16-18

Read our weekly e-mail for more details and updates. (Subscribe on the right hand column, if you aren’t already receiving our email).

A Virtual Masterclass with Creative Director and Scholar Patrick Dailey

A Stirring in my Soul: The Negro Spiritual and Social Justice Movements

A Fine Tuning Virtual Masterclass presented by the National Museum of African American Music, First UU Nashville, and UU Church of Huntsville. Join us for a clinic on Hall Johnson’s setting of “I’ve Been Buked,” a discussion of dialect, text, and melody, and much more.

A Stirring in My Soul: The Negro Spiritual and Social Justice Movements:  As our society wrestles with major systemic issues, we will explore the intersections of musical creation and resistance through the root of all American music, the Negro Spiritual. Our work will identify traits, styles, and designations of these storied songs as well as draw correlation to contemporary music and expression through demonstration, lecture, performance, and conversation. This will provide a strong introduction to those looking to build bridges and further understand where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.

Outline and Topics:

 Clinic with UU Quartet – Hall Johnson’s setting of “I Been Buked”

 What’s in a name? A case for the genre’s name

 Dissecting the sound and root: exploring dialect, text, and melody

 Drawing the lines of the Negro Spiritual to Freedom Songs and Hip-Hop

 Systematic Issues in the Performing Arts and Worship

Presented by Patrick Dailey, accomplished international countertenor whose credits include Opera Memphis, Queens Baroque Opera, and the Boston Early Music Festival, he has earned a reputation as a scholar of the Black Voice, lecturing at Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, and Vanderbilt University, to name a few. He is a graduate of Morgan State University and Boston University, and serves on the voice faculty at Tennessee State University.

For more information, please visit PatrickDaileyCT.com.

We hope you will join us for this exciting webinar: July 25, 2020 11 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUkcuyvpz0vEtBcL9aFhSWE89yjlHTlZjmK
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The webinar is free of charge.

This webinar is presented as a collaboration between the National Museum of African American Music, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville.

FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/648554212725880/

Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUkcuyvpz0vEtBcL9aFhSWE89yjlHTlZjmK

or 

https://bit.ly/323IZwn

After three years of deliberation the Commission on Institutional Change has completed their work. The product is a document called Widening the Circle of Concern. This is a detailed report on how to become a more open and multicultural community. The report can be found at uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening.

The Beloved Community Committee welcomes the opportunity to share this work with FUUN and help any way we can with adopting its recommendations in ways that matter to us. It is exciting to have a national organization so committed to the work of Beloved Community.

“Your ordinary acts of love and hope point to the extraordinary promise that every human life is of inestimable value.” -Desmond Tutu

In the early morning hours of Friday, June 26, an 18-year-old Unitarian Universalist woman of color—Althea Bernstein—was attacked in what is being investigated as a hate crime. (If you want more information, there is much online.) She will recover, but it will be a long journey.

To support her in that journey, will you perform the “ordinary act of love and hope” of sending cards for Althea and her family? Send them to the attention of Marguerite Mills at FUUN, 1808 Woodmont Blvd, Nashville, TN 37215.

All cards received by Saturday, July 4, will be packaged and sent to her church, where they will see that Althea gets them. Email Marguerite at mmills@firstuunash.org if you have questions. Thank you.

Let the music get down in your soul–a musical celebration with Tony Jackson and Friends

On July 24, Tony Jackson and Friends will perform a live online benefit concert for FUUN. It’ll be a party with a purpose.

Many of you know Tony from his almost 14 years of membership at First UU Nashville and his participation in the choir. Joining him will be fellow church and choir member Debrina Dills, and her father Jack Dills, local sessions player and veteran of the Opry stage. They’ll play their signature mix of Pop, Rock, R&B, Country, and Blues.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. It’s $20 for the live stream, $10 for the recorded link. Even while we’re apart, we can still enjoy live music together!

To purchase your reservation, please fill ou the form below: then, you will be redirected to our online giving form (to pay now or later).  Once we have received your payment, you will receive the link(s) purchased via Email or text, whichever you prefer.

Thank your for supporting FUUN.

SUUSI is virtual this year.

Virtual SUUSI 2020: Kaleidoscope

Registration opens Sunday, June 7th at noon!

To register for Virtual SUUSI, just log in to SOLIS, the SUUSI Online Information System. Registration will involve a slightly simpler version of our usual process. A few special notes:

• There is no charge to attend Virtual SUUSI.
• It is very important to make sure that your email address listed in SOLIS is the one you want to use to get emails during SUUSI and to log on to our virtual conference space.
• Workshops will not have a fee, but you do need to register for them. Some have attendance limits.
• New this year, in the “personal details” section you will be asked to select pronouns for each person you register. 

Join Scott Weaver as he hosts a FUUN coffee hour chat Sundays at noon.

We will be inviting various committees to host with him.  If your committee is willing to sign up for a Sunday, please let him know.

This will give us a chance to connect and see each other, check in, and share. It’s set up for one hour. Feel free to drop in for all of it, or part of it.

Here is the info to join this chat:

Click here to join

Contact Metro Council BEFORE TUESDAY about Metro Budget

The death of George Floyd has created a maelstrom of protest in the United States and in Nashville.  Protest can create a time for significant change.  The 2021 budget for Nashville is now being voted on!  What significant change will we see?

NOAH’s membership voted to support a budget with a substantial property tax increase if it includes:

• Funding for the Barnes Affordable Housing Fund,
• More property tax relief for seniors and other low-income homeowners,
• Adequate funding for Metro Nashville Public Schools, and
• A moral budget maintaining current levels of employment and services.

We support the budget proposed by Council Member Bob Mendes with a $1.066 property tax increase as the one that is the most equitable and that meets our requirements.  This budget includes:

• $15/hr for all school employees, $12.5M in additional school funding
• Cost-of-living increases for thousands of public workers
• Implementing police body cams; Does not increase police department funding
• Summer youth employment; Opening community centers on Saturday mornings

(See other items in the comparison of Council Member Bob Mendes’ budget to Mayor Cooper’s budget HERE.)

Our budget needs to reflect more investment in people, schools and communities than in the “public safety” line item which includes our police department.  We believe our community will be safer if we invest in community services such as affordable housing, health care and jobs that pay living wages. 

An example of this is North Nashville, zip code 37208. Due to past and present discriminatory policies resulting in concentrated poverty and the problems poverty brings, this area has the highest rate of incarceration in the nation. Major damage occurred there when the tornado hit March 3rd.  Investment in housing, in schools, and in people is needed to stop gentrification and displacement in the wake of the tornado.

We believe that the budget presented by Council Member Mendes makes a beginning on this kind of investment in people.   (More info on NOAH’s statement on the budget is HERE.)

CAN YOU TELL THE METRO COUNCIL to support the Mendes budget as the most equitable budget? 

Metro Council will be considering these budgets THIS TUESDAY at 6:30 PM at Metro Council.    (Watch online at stream.nashville.gov, Comcast channel 3, or AT&T Uverse channel 99.)

Email all Metro Council Members BEFORE TUESDAY NIGHT at councilmembers@nashville.gov.  A sample email is below:

SUBJECT:  NOAH Asks Support for Mendes’ Budget!

Dear Council Member,

The death of George Floyd has brought forth protests across the United States and in Nashville.  Protest can create a time for significant change. What significant change will we see in our Metro Budget?

Competing budgets are before the Metro Council.  A tax increase is needed, but no one wants to burden homeowners.   Downtown developers have benefitted greatly from Nashville’s past growth and need to pay more to deal with the problems of growth.  A higher tax rate will cause homeowners to pay slightly more — but will generate much more from commercial property owners, since they pay on 40% of their appraised value and residential owners pay on only 25% of assessed value.

Members of NOAH (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) voted that we could support a budget with a substantial property tax increase if it includes:

–  Funding for the Barnes Affordable Housing Fund,
–  More property tax relief for seniors and other low-income homeowners,
–  Adequate funding for Metro Nashville Public Schools, and
–  A moral budget maintaining current levels of employment and services.

Our budget needs to reflect more investment in people, schools and communities than in the “public safety” line item which includes our police department.  We believe our community will be safer if we invest in community services such as affordable housing, health care and jobs that pay living wages. 

We believe that the budget presented by Council Member Mendes makes a good beginning on this kind of investment in people.  Please support the Mendes budget with a $1.066 tax increase.

Sincerely,

(NAME)  (ADDRESS)

Click pictures for larger images.

All singers past, present, and future, are welcome to join our Music Ministry team on Thursdays starting June 4. Jaie and Holling are teaming up to provide educational programming, sing-a-longs, discussion, and rehearsal for distance-sings. Ever want to be in choir but too shy to try? Join us, and sing and learn from your own home!

https://zoom.us/j/91081865539
password: music

or email Jaie at music@firstuunash.org for full ZOOM links.

All ages are welcome to participate with a parent present. No commitment necessary, but weekly attendance is encouraged.

FUUN Church is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic:   Summer Choir at FUUN Online
Time:    Every week on Thursdays, 7 p.m. (CT)                June 4 until July 30, 2020

June 4, 11, 18, and 25 
July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://zoom.us/meeting/tJUtf-igqD4vGd0ukf6rCvKGLauGDMGqjhAn/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCprjMrEtKQtRqORowcAoqgd_zwpiVYjacNiRTjVTJwdCjRGuNXFZZSN8na

Join Zoom Meeting:  click here.
Password: music

Dial by your location:  +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 910 8186 5539
Password: 246052

Dinner in the Twilight Zone
Wednesdays, July 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
6-7:30 p.m. on Zoom:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81910948911
Have dinner at home while watching a Twilight Zone episode with our FUUN community, after which we’ll have a conversation about the Unitarian Universalist sensibilities and values reflected in the episode. Did you know that Rod Serling (1924-1975), creator of the Twilight Zone, was Unitarian Universalist? He was known as the “angry young man” of Hollywood who clashed with television industry leaders over issues that we hold near and dear to our hearts today. We’ll start with The Monsters are Due on Maple Street, and future episode choices will be made by participants. This is a multigenerational evening that the whole family can share.

If you are interested in learning the broad strokes of Unitarian Universalist history and getting a quick overview of the history of our own congregation, join Revs. Gail and Denise for a 75-minute online class, Friday, May 29 at 1 p.m.

The class will be held on Zoom and open by registration only, with preference given to prospective members. (It is one of the prerequisites to church membership!)

Please email Denise (assistantminister@firstuunash.org) for more information or to sign up.

There will be a memorial service for Jean Smartt on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 1 pm here on WebinarJam, followed by a Zoom reception at 2 p.m.

Links and instructions to join in for both online events will be posted here shortly. The re-play video will also be posted to our YouTube channel after the service.

To join the Celebration of Life on WebinarJam:

Step 1: If you are joining us live, you simply click the event url here.

Final step: Wait until the service begins.  The picture below shows what it will look like as you are waiting, if you join before 1 p.m. (which is recommended to test your speakers).

We may not be able to gather together to say goodbye to Rev. Gail, but we’re still going to wish her well before she retires this summer. The Lead Minister’s Advisory Committee is organizing a physically distanced farewell for Rev. Gail.

Please start gathering your photos and thinking of your favorite stories to post on our digital scrapbook (link coming soon!), and save the date for our farewell Zoom: June 7 (after church and the all-ages activity). Details to follow.

This year we missed our annual gathering, Dining Out For Life, that supports Nashville CARES by dining at a participating restaurant.  That’s a lot of good times, good food, and fundraising dollars that became one of the many casualties of the pandemic and safer-at-home practices.

It was 35 years ago when Nashville CARES began caring for those affected by another new and mysterious pandemic that eventually became known as HIV. In light of the novel COVID-19 virus, the mission of Nashville CARES is as important as ever – to care for the most vulnerable in our community through education, advocacy and service.

In an effort to recoup some of the lost donations that would have been raised during DOFL, Nashville CARES is participating in The Big Payback, Middle Tennessee’s 24-hour day of giving from 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, through 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 7.  Please consider donating the amount that you would have spent at dinner by giving here (thebigpayback.org/FUUN-DIFL). But you don’t have to wait – donations can be made beginning Wednesday, April 29.

Richard Bird

DOFL@thefuun.org

2020 Vision: Stewardship Campaign Update: Thank you to our 247 pledgers!  We have reached a RECORD TOTAL of $611,371!!  We have now heard from almost everyone and will no longer be doing any follow-up. If you have not yet pledged, please do so now using the online here, or by sending an email to stewardship@thefuun.org. 
                                                -Bob Day, Stewardship Chair

Visit our Stewardship Page 
if you need more information before making your pledge.

April 17-26 is Faith Climate Action Week and Wednesday, April 22 is also Earth Day. Activities we had hoped to carry out, as well as those of other groups, have had to be changed due to COVID-19, but many are still happening, just in different forms. Some 1500 congregations are coming together online through Interfaith Power and Light to act to protect the Earth and all the people who live on our planet.Prayers are held at noon local each day of the week. By the time you receive this message there will still be four days of possibilities.

• April 22 – Rev. Susan Hendershot, President, Interfaith Power & Light, “We Hold this Earth,” downloadable at faithclimateactionweek.org/prayers-and-climate-blessings/.
• April 23 – Rev. Dr. Ambrose F. Carroll, Senior Pastor – The Church by The Side of The Road, Berkeley CA and Founder of Green The Church. He will lead a prayer from his own yard.
• April 24 – Rev. Brooks Berndt, Minister of Environmental Justice, United Church of Christ, will share Pope Francis’ prayer, “A prayer for the earth,” which will be accompanied by images and music. The prayer is accessible at the same site above.
• April 25 – Rabbi Fred Scherlinder-Dobbs, Adat Shalom Congregation, Washington D.C., and IPL board member will lead the final prayer.

Also, of potential interest is a documentary, The Human Element by environmental photographer and filmmaker James Balog and the Earth Vision Institute. According to IPL, the film “captures the lives of everyday Americans on the front lines of climate change. With rare compassion and heart, The Human Element relays captivating stories from coast-to-coast, inspiring us to reevaluate our relationship with the natural world.” The form to request the link, which can be emailed to you up to April 26, can be found at faithclimateactionweek.org/organizers-kit/join-the-nationwide-climate-prayer/.

Additional activities offered by IFPL are described at faithclimateactionweek.org/about/.

Finally, in support of increasing the population of monarch butterflies, packets of milkweed seeds, plants that are their favorite food, with be available to you for free, with pickup available from outside the church, date TBA. If interested please email kathyaganske@gmail.com.

 -Kathy Ganske

What: Online Family Friendly Party Games

When: Sunday, April 26, 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom (get the link by emailing us at trans@thefuun.org)

Why: Family-Friendly Fun and Fellowship!

The Trans Affirming Collective had so much fun hosting you at our first online party game last Saturday that we decided we must do it again! So, Sunday, April 26, at 3 pm, please join us via Zoom for Round 2!
We’ll play games like Fibbage, Bidiots, and Quiplash XL (check them out here). Up to 8 people can play at a time with everyone else able to participate as audience members. Bring your pandemic pantry snacks and join us for some family fun!

Email us at trans@thefuun.org for the Zoom link.

There will be a free screening of American Heretics on April  25,  3 p.m. (CST), hosted by All Soul’s Church with a Q&A zoom to follow with Bishop Carlton Pearson, Rev. Marlin and others from the UU community. 

This documentary explores the intersection between race, politics, religion, and current polarization of people and communities. We will provide more information once we have it, in the meantime watch the trailer in the link below: and watch for updates as we get them.

There will be a free screening of American Heretics on April  25,  3 p.m. (CST), hosted by All Soul’s Church with a Q&A zoom to follow with Bishop Carlton Pearson, Rev. Marlin and others from the UU community. 

This documentary explores the intersection between race, politics, religion, and current polarization of people and communities. We will provide more information once we have it, in the meantime watch the trailer in the link below: and watch for updates as we get them.

April 10, 2020

Dear Treasured Health Care Providers and your families,

We wanted to reach out to you to assure you that your community at First UU Church is here to support you as you move through these incredibly complex, uncharted days of being a health-care worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been written that many health-care workers are suffering from something akin to anxiety, but rooted much deeper, more disturbing and altogether less about excessive worry and more about what lies ahead. Dr. Alison Block of San Francisco has termed this “pre-traumatic stress disorder.” It’s a sense of knowing that psychological distress lies just ahead. It’s as if one begins to experience the impact of the trauma informed by the knowledge of how the onslaught of COVID-19 has played out for colleagues not only in New York City, but also around the world.

If this finds you in such a place, please know that pastoral care is available for the asking. Additionally, members of First UU have offered a few services to support those who might need them. Please let us know how we may be of service to you as you selflessly serve our community during these extraordinary times. It may be that you need one thing this week and something totally different two weeks from now.

 First thoughts of possible support include:

• Arranging supermarket shopping to be done for you and/or your family
• Picking up prescriptions for you and/or your family
• Setting up a pastoral conversation with Rev. Laurel or Rev. Gail for you and/or your family members
• Provision of cloth masks for family members who are venturing out

With many blessings,

Rev. Laurel Cassidy, RN— affiliated.laurel@thefuun.org, 615-74-0462. 

Rev. Gail Seavey – leadminister@firstuunash.org, 615-973-2203

Our second session of Our Whole Lives for Adults begins Jan. 19. This session of OWL is open to those 18 years old and above, and will delve into spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality. Please contact Religious Education Coordinator Jonah Eller-Isaacs if you’d like to participate.

Our Whole Lives, or OWL, is our UU lifespan sexuality education curriculum. This remarkable program, integrated with faith but based on facts, begins in Kindergarten and goes all the way up to courses for Adults. This year, because of the generous response to a special ask at our 2018 auction, FUUN can offer OWL for Adults. Thank you to the many donors who made the return of this class possible!

We’re offering Adult OWL in three sessions of five classes each. Our first session wrapped up in late November and our next sessions will start after the new year. You CAN attend one session without attending the others, though we do ask that you commit to all five classes. Apart from the introductions, none of the workshops repeat; each session is almost entirely new material.

Session Two
Jan. 19 – Intro to OWL/Sexual Attraction & Early Relationships
Jan. 26 – Sexuality & Developing Relationships
Feb. 3 – no class
Feb. 9 – Sexuality & Committed Relationships
Feb. 16 – Sexual Diversity
Feb. 23 – Sexuality & Family
Mar. 9 – Flex/make-up date

Session Three
Mar. 29 – Intro to OWL/Sexuality & Communication
Apr. 5 – no class
Apr. 12 – Discovering the Sexual Self
Apr. 19 – Experiencing the Sexual Other
Apr. 26 – Sexuality & Aging
May 3 – no class
May 10 – Sexual Health
May 17 – Flex/make-up date

Classes are on Sundays, 10:30 AM to noon in the Morgan House (room TBD). Adult OWL is open to anyone eighteen years and older. If you’d like to participate in the Winter and Spring sessions or have questions about the program, please email Religious Education Coordinator Jonah Eller-Isaacs at RECoordinator@firstuunash.org. You can also talk to either of our excellent Adult OWL co-Facilitators, longtime FUUN Members Keith Wilson and Debrina Dills. Childcare for children ten and under is available upon request; if needed, please include name(s) and age(s).

Wednesday Night Dinners (WND)- 6 p.m. in the social hall on all the but 5th Wednesdays of the month.

The last catered meal will be Jan. 8. To help cover expenses, the catered meal will be $10 for an adult and $5 for a child. Families are encouraged to attend, and will pay a reduced fee depending on family size.

The rest of the year until May, the dinners will be potluck.  There is no charge for the Potluck and beverages are provided.

Join us for our long-standing Wednesday Night Dinners. We have about 35 people who regularly attend our dinners, so come sit down with us.

Due to holidays, there will be no dinners Dec. 18 and 25, or Jan. 1 and 8.

 There will be no dinners on fifth Wednesdays (Jan. 29, or Apr. 29).

Questions?  Email wnd@thefuun.org.

We could really use your help with our Wednesday night dinners. If you can volunteer, please sign up below!  Thank you!

Financial contributions can be made online, by mail, or during our services before the end of the year. Contributions received  before or on Tuesday, Dec. 31 will be treated as 2019 gifts. Contributions received on Wednesday, Jan.1 or after will be treated as 2020 gifts.

5:30 p.m. Family Celebration:  
Every child and adult will receive masks and props to help us tell the Christmas story, sing carols, reverently re-dedicate ourselves to caring for our children, and light candles in the silent night. If you would like to participate in the child dedication during this celebration, please let Rev. Gail Seavey know by Dec. 14.

9 p.m.  Lessons and Carols: 
Music and Storytelling carry us through the dark night as we make our hearts ready to receive the promise of peace through carols and candlelight.

 Please see our welcome team announcement  if you can usher either of these services.

The Church Office will be closed for the Holidays Wednesday, Dec. 25 through Jan. 1, 2019. Office hours will resume on Thursday, Jan. 2.

Reminder, the office is always closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

Non-Holiday Office Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
P. 615-383-5760 | F. 615-383-5785
administrator@firstuunash.org

The FUUN staff wishes everyone a very Happy Holiday!

Are you new here? Interested in learning more about our congregation or becoming a member of the church? The New Member Class on Saturday, Jan. 11, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the social hall is a great opportunity to learn more and meet interesting people. Join Assistant Minister Denise Gyauch and others for an orientation to Unitarian Universalism and First UU Church of Nashville. Brunch, childcare, and good company provided. Those who attend this class may choose to sign our membership book in New Member Celebrations during Sunday services soon after. Please email Denise at assistantminister@firstuunash.org to register by Thursday. Jan. 2.

Join us for our 9th annual Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 – 4 pm.

Start your holiday shopping with thoughtful and unique gifts. The Craft Fair offers a range of items made by local artists, including baked goods, fiber arts, pressed flower art, and handmade soaps, candles, jewelry, and home decor.

New this year, is a book fair with various titles on spirituality, religion, and social justice brought to you by the Unitarian Universalist bookseller, InSpirit.

Enjoy live music in the sanctuary throughout the day of the craft fair. Local group Silversonix will play two sets of their blend of classic rock and country/pop.

RSVP to the Holiday Craft Fair on Facebook to receive updates!

Facebook Events

Click here to view the report by Barry Finklestein in our archives. You will need the membership password (which is the same as our previous member’s area password.

Early Bird Registration Open!

For more information, see uua.org/ga

We’re seeking greeters, cashiers, bakery sales, book sales, set-up, clean-up, and more during our Holiday Craft Fair. Come, spend a few hours with other First UU Nashville congregants and help us build community as we add to the financial health of the church.

Spots are open Friday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 7. Sign up here (or using the button below) today or contact Jeannie Haman at holidayfair@thefuun.org.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to sell Poinsettias this year as part of our Holiday Craft Fair fundraiser. 

If you’ve already paid for your order, we will be refunding your money. If you paid by credit card, the refund will be on your credit card statement.  

Please contact fundraising@thefuun.org with questions.

4^th Wednesday Talkback on the 3^rd Wednesday: STEM for All

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 7-8:30 p.m., social hall (main building)

Dr. Chris Vangas of the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach (CSO) will share about their programs, which are dedicated to enhancing literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the establishment of unique partnerships between University scientists, K-12 educators and students, and the local and global science community. The Center for Science Outreach has developed and implemented a number of educational programs in partnership with local and national K-12 classrooms. These efforts, funded through a variety of state and national public and private agencies, have reached thousands of children, supported teachers in residence on the Vanderbilt campus, hosted summer professional development courses and workshops for teachers, offered summer programs for students, and placed teachers and students in research laboratories.

Childcare may be available. Wednesday night childcare depends on staffing levels and must be reserved at least two weeks in advance. Email requests to childcare@thefuun.org; you will receive a reply letting you know if childcare can be available.

The Church Office will be closed Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 to allow staff time to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday with their families. Office hours will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 3 (as the office is always closed on Mondays). 

It will also be closed for the Holidays Dec. 23 through Jan. 1,  resuming Thursday, Jan. 2

Non-Holiday Office Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
P. 615-383-5760 | F. 615-383-5785
administrator@firstuunash.org

The director of Communication is going to take her paid time off for the first time. In order to do this, there must be some breaks in our usual communications. For the first time in four years, there will be only one weekly bulletin in December, Dec. 15, and no bulletin Jan. 5. We will resume our normal weekly bulletin schedule on Jan. 12. There will be no weekly email on Nov. 26, Dec. 24, or Dec. 31.  Special Thanks, in advance, to Jeannie Haman for assisting with the weekly emails during my (non-holiday week) vacation time so we have fewer gaps. 

With these communication gaps, if you have announcements for the end of the year, be sure to get them in early so they can be published in the November bulletins and the Dec. 15 bulletin. Please note that all announcements will continue to be posted to our website and social media, so please look there for updates. Many thanks for allowing this much-needed break.

Guest at Your Table is UUSC’s annual intergenerational program to raise support for and awareness about key human rights issues. Since UUSC works in more than 20 countries, with over 60 grassroots partners, there are thousands of individuals involved in and who benefit from the work that our members make possible. The program is an opportunity to celebrate grassroots partnership, support human rights, and learn about just four of these individuals — the “guests” in Guest at Your Table.

Here’s how it works:

* Pick up a colorful box at the back of the sanctuary on Sunday.
* Read the stories on the box and place it on your dinner or coffee table.
* Encourage family members and friends to place loose change or dollar bills in the box throughout the holiday season.
* Bring the box back to the church in early January, and we’ll send the funds raised to the UUSC.

The boxes serve as a reminder of the tireless work that the UUSC and other partners are doing to defend human rights. You can also make a donation at uusc.org/givetoguest.

2019-2020 Theme is Women

Leaders, Strong Communities

Since our founding, UUSC’s work has been shaped and sustained by women’s leadership. Today, we are proud to partner with women leaders who are increasing representation for women in their communities, while strengthening access to justice for all. During this year’s Guest at Your Table program, please join us to learn more about women leaders from UUSC partner organizations taking on some of today’s greatest human rights challenges.

Poinsettias are available for pre-order now through Thursday, Nov.14. 

This year we’re offering 6.5″ ($12) or 8″ ($24) pots of red, white, pink or marbled pink-to-white plants. See Jeannie Haman in the social hall after services, or order by emailing fundraising@thefuun.org. 

Thanksgiving potluck, vegan and turkey count requested
Our annual Thanksgiving Dinner potluck will begin at noon in the Social Hall on Thanksgiving Day, Thusday, Nov. 28. You can sign up in the social hall or below.

The Fellowship Committee provides turkey and a vegan main dish and beverages. The rest of the meal is a potluck. Please let us know what you’ll bring, whether you prefer a vegan or turkey entrée and if you are available to help set up or break down. 

A reminder that you get an extra hour this weekend.

The Habitat Action Team would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who helped in the Fall Unity build including the builders and the food assisters, and to everyone in the congregation who has pitched in to help us during the year.
The builders were: Mike Bolds, Daniel Levin, Harmon Nine, Fred Guenther ,Bill Taylor, Hal Potts, Gary McVety, Jeff Stein, Drake Morano, Scott Winston, Carleen Dowell, Paul Yoder, John Stowe, Ayla Dumont, Phillip Vest, David Dickinson, Kathy Ganske, Bethany Rittle-Johnson, Margy May, and Joshua Johnson. The food helpers were Steve Edminster, Sara Plummer, Fran Wolf, Pat Lynch, Suzanne LeBeau, Carole Copple, Kathy Hardin, Ann Morse, and Charlene Nixon. 

Oct. 29, 2019

October 2019

I’ve been a member of the adult choir off and on since I first came to this church. In addition to preparing for our role in worship, we form a community together. The choir is the church’s largest small group ministry — we’re a covenant group of 40. I’ve laughed, cried, celebrated, worried, and mourned with my choir friends and I’ve been supported through the ups and downs of my life.

One Thursday morning in May of last year, my husband woke up in the wee hours with severe abdominal pain that was radiating to his chest. He’s something of a stoic, so if he was that miserable, he needed to be seen by a doctor right away. So, I called his mom to come stay with the kids, and we headed off to the emergency room. He was quickly seen, although once they ruled out heart trouble, he was just as quickly parked in a hallway to wait. I had to put my own fears and anxieties aside to care and advocate for my husband. I summoned all the non-violent communication skills at my command, and he was discharged after five hours with a diagnosis of gallstones and a referral to a surgeon. Maybe it only would have been four if I’d ever honed my NVC skills in a practice group.

When we got home, he was feeling well enough to take a shower and go to work. I, on the other hand, was feeling severely sleep-deprived and had an adrenaline hangover so I let the kids go mostly feral for the afternoon, since I don’t do well in that state. I was tired, had no attention span, and was discombobulated. I could keep them safe and fed, but engaged, fun mom can only show up if I’ve had seven solid hours of sleep.

Nonetheless, that evening, when my phone told me “Traffic is moderate, leave in 10 minutes for choir rehearsal,” I did. It didn’t occur to me until I was literally walking into the sanctuary that a wiser person would have sent Jaie a message explaining the circumstances and stayed home. At that point, although I recognized the absurdity of having showed up, going home felt equally absurd — I’d already made the effort to show up, which was the hardest part. But in the end, I was glad I did because that night, my people took care of me. I’m fairly sure I was musically useless, possibly a drag on the tenor section, but I was loved through being a hot mess.

I think maybe my subconscious knew that after a day of heavy-duty caretaking I needed some care and sent me to choir that night. Because that thing we say is true: we are a really big covenant group. That night, at the end of rehearsal when we have the opportunity to share our lives, the story of my day was heard, and for the first time that day, I was able to feel some of the feelings that I had shoved to the side just to get through what needed to be done — to be an effective advocate, to be the world’s okayest, basically not to be a quivering, anxious, useless lump. I was able start feeling those things do that because the choir offered me a safe compassionate space. This is why I give to FUUN — to support these types of spaces for all of us — and it is why I am grateful to everyone who gives of their time and finances in support of our church. Thank you.

–Jessica Moore-Lucas

Choir member and Social Justice Committee Co-Chair

Mid-week Message
From our Lead Minister

Oct. 15, 2019

Are you new here? The Membership Committee hosts Meet the Minister Luncheons for visitors and newcomers several times a year. 

The Membership Committee is hosting a Meet the Minister lunch after the second service on Sunday, Oct. 20, 12:30 p.m. in Classroom A. Children are welcome; no reservations are necessary. 

If you are interested in learning more about our congregation and Unitarian Universalism, bring your questions and your appetite, and join us for a light lunch, fellowship, and conversation.

The next luncheon will be on Sunday, Nov. 17, following the second service. 

From our Lead Minister
Oct. 1, 2019

“So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height. For the people had a mind to work.” Nehemiah 4:6

I had never read the book of Nehemiah, one of the biblical Jewish histories, before I heard several African American preachers telling its story to rousing affect at NOAH (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) gatherings. It is a history of different Jewish families and professions coordinating their efforts to rebuild the city of Jerusalem after it was destroyed by the Persian Empire and most of the Jewish people were sent into exile. NOAH came together to rebuild the city of Nashville after rapid development was sending many of our poorer and mostly black neighbors into exile.

In the ancient story, varying small Jewish groups joined as allies, each re-building one gate and a section of the wall. They were mocked by the other cultural groups in the area, just like in Nashville when NOAH was mocked at its formation by the Chamber of Commerce who saw only the upside of development decisions that brought in money and jobs for a few, but not for the many. The Chamber then predicted NOAH would only last six months. For five years since that prediction, some 60 faith communities including historically black and white churches, mosques, and synagogues, as well as labor unions and community organizations plus a couple of colleges, have persisted restoring falling walls and rebuilding city gates. Now the Chamber of Commerce admits that the growth in Nashville has been very uneven. For instance, in those few years, the wages of whites have risen, the wages of Latinos remained the same and the wages of African Americans have fallen 10%. The rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer.

In the Nehemiah story, the builders of the city blow a trumpet when they are attacked by others. That trumpet calls us all to come forward as allies, each building our own section of the wall even as we help others to build theirs. The people of our community have a mind to work to both build our part of the wall, and to work with all our allies for justice as we rebuild the whole city for us all.

With faith and love,
Gail
leadminister@firstuunash.org

If you missed the Open Mic Night Spoken Word event, you may purchase a link to the video for $5 using our website Give button, or a check with “open mic night video” in the memo line.

You must also provide your email address to the Director of Communication so she may send you the link to the private video.  Email communication@firstuunash.org.

Thank you for your support.

Adult OWL, Our Whole Lives, our UU lifespan sexuality education curriculum, returns to FUUN Oct. 20. This remarkable program, integrated with faith but based on facts, begins in Kindergarten and goes up to the newest course being published this fall, for Older Adults 55+.  For the past few years, FUUN has proudly offered OWL for elementary and middle school levels. This year, because of the generous response to a special collection at our 2018 auction, FUUN can present Our Whole Lives (OWL) for Adults. Thank you to the many donors who made the return of this class possible!

Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior and equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, OWL not only provides facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality. (Unitarian Universalist Association, adapted)

We’re offering the class in three stand-alone sections of five workshops each, the first running Sundays, Oct. 20 to Nov. 24, 10:30 a.m. to 12 pm, Palmer Room, Morgan House (no class Nov. 3). Adult OWL gives us the opportunity to shape the class to the interests of its participants. While Workshops #1 (Sexuality & Values) and #2 (Sexuality & Communication) are already set, the content of Workshops #3-5 will vary based on what the group wants to learn and discuss. Longtime FUUN Members Keith Wilson and Debrina Dills are our co-Facilitators.

Adult OWL is open to anyone 18 years old and above. If you’d like to participate in the Fall section of Adult OWL or have questions about the program, please email Religious Education Coordinator Jonah Eller-Isaacs at RECoordinator@firstuunash.org by Oct. 13. Childcare for children 10 and under is available upon request; if needed, please include name(s) and age(s) of children.

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Practice Groups are open to anyone, regardless of past experience here or elsewhere. To change one’s mindset and habit patterns from a right vs. wrong model to a compassionate and connecting model takes practice. To connect empathetically with others, and with oneself, takes practice. To begin to live in the world we dream about takes practice. Feel free to drop in on a group to see what it’s all about.

• 2nd and 4th Sundays: 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, Fireside Room (main building)
• 2nd and 4th Mondays: 6:30-8:15 p.m., Capek Room (Morgan House) (childcare is not available)
• 2nd and 4th Wednesdays: 7-8:30 p.m., Alcott Room (Morgan House)

Covenant Groups are made up of five to 12 people, each led by a facilitator, that meet twice a month, often in participants’ homes, for the purpose of supporting individual spiritual growth and deepening a sense of community among participants. Each session gives participants an opportunity to reflect with one another on an engaging topic, which might include: Generosity, Bitterness, Faith, Longing, Racism, etc.

Covenant groups are an opportunity to listen and share with a subset of the congregation. Several groups still need members; email mmills@firstuunash.org with your questions.

Mid-week Message
From our Lead Minister

Sept. 24, 2019

Fall Senior Brunch:  Senior brunch is held twice a year in the social hall. Our next Fall Senior Brunch is Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.– noon. If you plan to attend, RSVP to the church office at (615) 383-5760 by Friday Oct. 18. We hope you will join us for delicious food and stimulating conversation. All are welcome whether or not you receive an invitation. We’re looking forward to seeing you.

NOAH has been busy! So busy that we are looking for a full-time Administrative Assistant! Do you know someone who might be a good fit with NOAH? Responsibilities include:

GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
DATABASE AND MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
COMMUNICATIONS – Phone calling, eblasts, messages on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
FINANCES AND FUNDRAISING – Assist Treasurer and Finance Committee as needed
FLEXIBILITY – Other duties as assigned
Interviews taking place now! Please tell others! (Here is the full job announcement, and how to contact us.)

All proceeds from Sunday, Sept. 29th’s food table will help the FUUN AIDS Walk reach its goal of $2,500 in the fight against AIDS and HIV in Middle Tennessee. The Nashville CARES AIDS Walk is Saturday morning, Oct. 5, at Public Square Park. Stop by the table to meet the team, learn about the Walk and Nashville CARES, buy some treats or make a donation.

Hi Everyone,
 
We hope this message reaches you surrounded by love. We are facing the reality that we are headed toward climate disaster. We are experiencing sea-level rise, more frequent and devastating hurricanes and tornadoes, and an increase in wildfires across the country.  
 
On Friday, September 20, 2019, young people around the world are engaging in a Global Climate Strike to demand bold and immediate action by world leaders based on values of compassion, love, and justice. We at the Unitarian Universalist Association and our President, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, are joining with other faith leaders to support this call to action. Rev. Frederick-Gray will be at the New York City strike on the 20^th.*  We ask that you join her by signing the multi-faith letter below AND committing to #StrikeWithUS.
 
First, we ask that you join us by signing up for the Climate Strike on our customized UU link here.
 
We leaders of faith have the opportunity to disrupt “business as usual” and lift our moral voice to say, “NOT in our name, and NO MORE!”.  
 
It is also our hope that UU clergy and congregational leaders will sign on to the People of Faith for the Climate Strikes letter of support, and encourage others to #StrikeWithUS. 
 
This is the time for us to come together in unity, across faith traditions, to be in solidarity with this fight against climate change and environmental injustice.
 
Thank you for joining us. 
 
We look forward to seeing you in the streets! 
 
In Solidarity, 
 
Susan on behalf of the UUA Organizing Strategy Team
 
P.S. See the webinar Side with Love sponsored last week with UU youth and others here along with resources for organizing for the Climate Strike.
 

*Details for NYC if you want to join the UU contingent there:
 
Join Rev. Frederick-Gray and our UU contingent at Community Church of New York UU 40 E. 35 St., NY, NY 10016
 
 
See https://www.brightest.io/cause/fridays-for-future/activity/new-york-city-climate-strike-with-greta-thunberg/ for more information.

Susan Leslie  |  Congregational Advocacy & Witness Director  |  Organizing Strategy Team
Phone (617) 948-4607  |  Cell (617) 272-5386   |  sleslie@uua.org   |  www.uua.org/justice
uua.org  |  Twitter  |  Facebook

Expect the weekly email on Wednesday, Sept. 4 instead of Tuesday, Sept. 3 this week. Meanwhile, stay informed with our website announcements.  

Help Wanted In The FUUN Zone! [child caregiver]

The First Unitarian Universalist Church in Green Hills is seeking two part-time caregivers for our Church Nursery. The job involves caring for and playing with children ages 6 weeks to 10 years, maintaining a welcoming, safe, and child-friendly environment, as well as working with a great team of people. The caregivers will be supervised by the Church’s Child Care Coordinator.

Hours: Average 4-6 hours weekly (about 16-20 hours monthly). Must be available Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings, with occasional extra hours for Wednesday evening events or other special events based on various Church activities.

Must be at least 18 years old and pass a background check satisfactory to the Church, and be CPR-certified. (The Church will pay for you to become certified if you are not already.) Please email your resume to Personnel@thefuun.org with a note stating your previous childcare experience, why you are interested in this job, and include the names of 3 references with their contact information (phone and email).

Childcare experience is required. If you do not have such experience, please help us by not applying for this job.

Job Type: Part-time; no benefits paid by the Church

Hourly rate: $12.00 per hour

Introducing ENACT, FUUN’s ENvironmental ACTion Team 
Are you concerned about the environment? Do you want to do something about it but are unsure where to start? Do you wish you could do more? Are you a young person who wants to have a future? Do you want to have a voice in setting FUUN‘s environmental agenda? 

ENACT is mobilizing to take action on these and other environmental concerns. Please join us on Sunday, Sept. 29, 12:30 p.m., room TBA, as we forge our path ahead. Also, mark your calendars for our Oct. 13, 12:30 p.m. meeting. For more information, contact David Dickinson and Kathy Ganske, co-chairs, at enact@thefuun.org.

You are invited to Join Dinners for Nine to share a monthly potluck dinner with a consistent group of couples and singles in the comfort of each other’s homes in order to know folks here at FUUN better in a small group setting and eat at the same time. What could be better?  Ask questions and sign up at the Dinners for Nine table in the social hall on Sundays, now until Sept 15.

Click here for details and to sign up online.

Harvest Moon Drum Circle:  Friday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m., social hall. Gather/set up/warm up begins at 7 p.m. drumming officially begins after our 7:30 opening circle. Everyone is welcome! Bring a potluck snack to share, plus drums, dancing jingles, etc. This is a child-friendly event! The Harvest Moon is about the bounty of the growing seasons. What seeds did you plant before that have now borne fruit?

Do you have a few wacky hybrids you didn’t expect? What blessings do you hope to find under the wide, cool leaves?

Melodic Minors, our Children’s Choir for grades 3-8, begins rehearsals on Sunday, Sept 8. Please register at the RE table in the social hall. Questions? Contact Karina Daza or Jaie Tiefenbrunn at music@firstuunash.org.

“For while scholars of literature like to say that we use stories to ‘think with’ we also use them to ‘feel with’–that is, to find words for what otherwise we could not say.” from Why Religion? A Personal Story by Elaine Pagels

Elaine Pagels is a religious scholar who has written several popular books that I cherish because they show how stories and images shape our cultural imaginations so that we can think and feel about our lives. In this memoir, she shows how the most painful tragedies in her life shaped those books. She wrote Adam, Eve and the Serpent: Sex and Politics in Early Christianity while she was experiencing the fresh agony after the death of her 6-year-old son who was born with a congenital defect and needed special medical care his whole short life. She felt as if she was being punished by his death, even though she knew she and her husband had faithfully cared for, loved, and lived joyfully with him. She turned to the story of Adam and Eve because it was interpreted by some of her religious ancestors as an origin myth that explained death as a punishment for doing a bad thing. Her intellectual exploration of that history helped her appreciate that people have always struggled with grief and created stories to explain why bad things happen.

A year later, her husband of 20 years died in a tragic hiking accident.  Her grief totally overcame her, and she noticed that some people started avoiding her as if she had been doubly cursed and it would rub off on them. The story of Job, a good man who suffered one blow after another after a bet that “the satan” made with God, caught her interest. Again, she approached it as a scholar, wondering first how people so long ago tried to explain why lots of bad things could happen to one good person. In her book, The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans and Heretics, Pagels’ research showed how Satan became a full-blown character with a rich back story that could be blamed for much of the suffering in the world. Writing both these books helped her think about and feel her suffering while at the same time, re-learning to cherish her life while loving and caring for others. In the end, she says they helped her see that her interdependence with others is what saved her life.

Reading Elaine Pagels generous book was a blessing. She shows how we can allow the arts of story, music, poetry, and ritual to hold us up without having to literally accept them as objective truths. She reminded me to be grateful for all of the arts that help me think about and feel my life and connect me to the rest of human kind. 

With faith and love, Gail

The FUUN Men’s Group meets the first and third Sundays of each month, 6-8 p.m. in the Fireside Room. All FUUN men are welcome to join us Sept.1. Come tell us what you’ve been up to and hear from other FUUN guys. Bringing food or drink is optional. 

Realizing our dream of a new church home on our present campus: Our next step is a visit from capital campaign consultant Barry Finkelstein Oct. 5, 6, and 7 to help us make plans for a campaign to raise funds for the new facility. There will be many meetings with members and leaders of the church. On Saturday, Oct. 5, 2-3:15 p.m., he will lead an interactive workshop to discuss this campaign with any members or friends wishing to attend. Childcare will be provided. This should be of interest to new and established members of the church, as well as friends of the church.

Did you get to the NOAH Mayoral Candidate Meeting this past Sunday with David Briley and John Cooper?   You can see the video HERE and the Tennessean article HERE.

BUT THE METRO COUNCIL IS ALSO A CRITICAL DECISION-MAKER!

Each of us has a District Council Member (Find yours HERE.)  But ALL OF US vote for the five AT-LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS who are to represent the city as a whole!

On August 1st, only one At-Large Candidate received enough votes to be elected (Bob Mendes).  In order to fill the remaining FOUR At-Large Council seats, EIGHT people are running in the Run-Off Election on Thursday, September 12. 

Want to know more about these eight candidates?

“At-Large Forum – Chicken and Biscuits”

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 – 5 PM

Nashville Farmers Market

900 Rosa. L. Parks Blvd

5:00 PM – Forum

6:00 PM – Chicken & Biscuits

Chicken & Biscuits provided by Vice Mayor Shulman

This is a chance to meet the At-Large Candidates, get answers to questions submitted by NOAH and others, and have a little FUN!

RSVP at WPCTN.com.

Please tell others!  A flyer is HERE.

Early voting times and locations are HERE.

 
NOAH
http://www.noahtn.org/

“When you open up your life to the living
All things come spilling in on you
And you’re flowing like a river
the Changer and the Changed
You’ve got to spill some over…….
Spill some over
Over all” from “Waterfall” by Chris Williamson

When it rains it pours. At least it has the last few weeks when the baking heat builds for several day until we can no longer stand even the short trips from air conditioning to air conditioning and then we are relieved by a down-pour. Maybe relieved isn’t the right word, because some of those down-pours have been downright scary and I am not even talking about the violent thunder, lightning and wind. It rained so hard one day last week that the whole church campus was one big waterfall, flowing 360 into the diagonal ditch/river that runs through until there were powerful white-water currants roiling from one corner to the other. It was awesome—literally—beautiful and frightening at the same time. Then rain often stops as suddenly as it started, it is a bit cooler and a bit less humid, with a bit less pollen in the air, for an evening or, if lucky, a day or two. Then the heat builds again. I wonder if we will eventually have a monsoon season.

Life often feels like that awesome waterfall. People moving away. Lots of new people around. Betrayals and break-ups. Falling in love. Getting divorced. Planning a wedding the second time around. Becoming deathly ill. Seriously injured in an accident. Leaning on friends to get through the day. Losing a job. Starting a new one. Becoming a new parent. Children doing active shooter drills at school. As the singer-songwriter Chris Williamson sang “When you open up your life to the living, all things come spilling on you.”

That is why most weeks we mark our joys, sorrows and concerns by placing a stone in water. Living is like standing in the middle of all that water falling and spilling 360 from heart to soul, roiling currants threaten to sweep us away, powerful white water knocks us upside down or flowing waters spilling over fling us up onto unfamiliar territory. We are the changers and the changed. But the water we use on Sunday morning is in a beautiful bowl that holds all of those experiences ever so safely in community, in support, and in love.
This Sunday we hold our annual celebration of Water Communion for the 25th year. Each person is invited to bring water that symbolizes your life. It may be from a special place you have gone or from your sink, you name its meaning in your life. We mingle the water together that each person brings. By its mingling, it becomes this community’s holy water. Then we spill some over—over all—as we use that water to bless our children, remember our dead and hold the stones of joy, sorrow, and concern that you place there week after week, for the year to come.

With faith and love,

Gail

September Theme: Vision, Perspective
Sept 1: Perspectives on Labor in the Market, Household, Commons and State. Rev Gail and Worship Associate Rachel Rogers.

“When you open up your life to the living
All things come spilling in on you
And you’re flowing like a river
the Changer and the Changed
You’ve got to spill some over…….
Spill some over
Over all” from “Waterfall” by Chris Williamson

When it rains it pours. At least it has the last few weeks when the baking heat builds for several day until we can no longer stand even the short trips from air conditioning to air conditioning and then we are relieved by a down-pour. Maybe relieved isn’t the right word, because some of those down-pours have been downright scary and I am not even talking about the violent thunder, lightning and wind. It rained so hard one day last week that the whole church campus was one big waterfall, flowing 360 into the diagonal ditch/river that runs through until there were powerful white-water currants roiling from one corner to the other. It was awesome—literally—beautiful and frightening at the same time. Then rain often stops as suddenly as it started, it is a bit cooler and a bit less humid, with a bit less pollen in the air, for an evening or, if lucky, a day or two. Then the heat builds again. I wonder if we will eventually have a monsoon season.

Life often feels like that awesome waterfall. People moving away. Lots of new people around. Betrayals and break-ups. Falling in love. Getting divorced. Planning a wedding the second time around. Becoming deathly ill. Seriously injured in an accident. Leaning on friends to get through the day. Losing a job. Starting a new one. Becoming a new parent. Children doing active shooter drills at school. As the singer-songwriter Chris Williamson sang “When you open up your life to the living, all things come spilling on you.”

That is why most weeks we mark our joys, sorrows and concerns by placing a stone in water. Living is like standing in the middle of all that water falling and spilling 360 from heart to soul, roiling currants threaten to sweep us away, powerful white water knocks us upside down or flowing waters spilling over fling us up onto unfamiliar territory. We are the changers and the changed. But the water we use on Sunday morning is in a beautiful bowl that holds all of those experiences ever so safely in community, in support, and in love.
This Sunday we hold our annual celebration of Water Communion for the 25th year. Each person is invited to bring water that symbolizes your life. It may be from a special place you have gone or from your sink, you name its meaning in your life. We mingle the water together that each person brings. By its mingling, it becomes this community’s holy water. Then we spill some over—over all—as we use that water to bless our children, remember our dead and hold the stones of joy, sorrow, and concern that you place there week after week, for the year to come.

With faith and love,

Gail

September Theme: Vision, Perspective
Sept 1: Perspectives on Labor in the Market, Household, Commons and State. Rev Gail and Worship Associate Rachel Rogers.

Choir rehearsals for Water Communion and our Fall season resumed on Thursday, Aug. 15,  7 p.m. Choir is open to members and friends age 16 and up. Never sung in a choir before? That’s okay. If you are enthusiastic, willing to commit to weekly rehearsals, sing at Worship two Sundays a month, and can carry a tune, you are welcome. Email Jaie at music@firstuunash.org to schedule a brief meet and greet for voice placement.

Some of our staff telephones are not functioning.  If you attempt to call and do not reach anyone, please email staff instead until further notice.

Thank you.

Operations Council invites you to participate in our fun bi-annual Spiff-Up Day and lunch, Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Everyone is invited to come join the fun sprucing up our space! We’ll be painting, cleaning the windows, deep cleaning and working on the grounds. Lunch will be provided around noon, so please let us know if you will be here. Sign-ups will take place before-hand in the social hall on Sundays, but walk-ups are always welcome. Many hands make for quick work!

We have one shift this time. Work the whole or part of the shift and plan to enjoy the community lunch at noon. Please bring your mops, buckets, gloves, sponges, and any other cleaning armaments you wish. If you don’t have those, we’ll have extra. We hope you can be part of the party. Let us know by emailing operations@thefuun.org or signing up below so we can plan for the day and for the lunch.