Huntsville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens." --Carl Jung

Huntsville UU Services
Services are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the Laura Chapel of Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Visitors are always welcome. For more information, call 295-3170.

Sun. Dec. 4: The Houston Emerson Unitarian Church reports that Dr. Frank Schulman will be honored on December 4 at their 11:15 service. We are invited to join their congregation for the presentation "Lips Touched by Fire: Honoring Reverend Frank Schulman." The President of Meadville Lombard Theological School will then confer an Honorary Doctorate upon Dr. Schulman, and a special reception will follow.

Those from our Huntsville UU Fellowship who would like to attend will carpool from the front parking lot of the Huntsville Memorial Hospital at 9:15. Please call Carla at 435-1876 or Roberta at 295-2178 by Thursday if you plan to attend so that they may let the Emerson Church know how many of us to expect.

Sun. Dec. 11: Don Post, PhD., will speak on "Building a Religious Resume."

Historically people have worried about how to please God. In this sermon, Dr. Post will discuss ways for you to pad your resume in order to make an excellent impression.

A former professor of sociology/anthropology and Dean of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Dr. Post is also a Methodist minister. As a writer and lecturer he has over 30 years experience working in Asia, Latin America, the former Soviet Union and many parts of the Mid-East.

Please Note: There will be a special offering on this day to benefit the Community Child Care's building fund. As the holiday season approaches, let us remember to be generous.

Sun. Dec. 25: There will be no service on this Sunday. Merry Christmas to all!

Annual Church Christmas Party: Kelley and Anne Sigler have volunteered to have our UU Christmas gathering at their house (1321 Greenbrier Drive in Elkins Lake) immediately after the church service on December 11. Come join in the fellowship and bring a dish to share.

Huntsville UU Women
Wed. Dec. 7: UU women are invited to attend the Red Hat Society Christmas luncheon at Waterwood.

Wed. Dec. 14: The Women’s Sharing Circle will meet at Gail Phillips’ house at 10:30 a.m. for a Winter Solstice Celebration and Christmas Luncheon. Members are asked to bring the following items to share with the group:

A small slip of paper upon which you have written a brief description of your lowest point during the past year (It could be about hurts, worries, resentments, illnesses, death, or depression.)

A star tree ornament to symbolize an insight or illumination which you gained during the past year (If you donąt have one, you can easily make one from paper or foil. Nothing fancy needed!)

A picture or object that symbolizes unconditional love and/or nurturing

Be prepared to name an ideal or principle that you want to live by in the coming year

A Salad and Dessert Luncheon will follow the ritual. Please bring either a salad or a dessert to share. Drinks and table service will be provided. RSVPs are appreciated. If you need directions, please call Gail at 438-8569 or e-mail her at philgs@wt.net.

UU Book Club
The UU Book Club will meet next in January. Contact Beth Williamson if you would like to host this meeting or be the book reviewer.

Schulman's Philanthropy as Impressive as His Ministry
If you haven't read it yet, turn to pages 66-67 in the most recent issue of UU World, where you will find yet another testament to the kind of person Frank Schulman is. He and Alice have committed about 4.5 million from their estate to the Unitarian-Universalist Association, the largest single bequest in its history. It's a wonderful article and includes Frank's intention to practice his ministry to the very end of his life: "Part of my ministry now is showing people how to die with dignity."

We in Huntsville have been so blessed to know Frank and Alice, and we continue to send them our love and prayers as they battle with Frank's cancer. Following are some excerpts from a recent letter from Frank:

Dear Friends,
The health plans changed again. This time I hope we're settled. There will be no operation on 21 November, maybe not at all. The cancer has invaded the brain but seems to be contained. . . I'll go for some testing and they will prescribe chemotherapy. Fortunately, it will be pills that I'll take at home and go in for testing from time to time. . . I'll let you know from time to time if there are changes. Meanwhile, thank you for your help and support. It helps to know friends care. And do keep your letters and good thoughts coming.
Frank

Our Condolences To Anita Plummer And Her Family
Anita's sister Monica died on November 27, and Anita will soon be leaving for Michigan for the funeral and burial. Sylvia DeVoss, who also cared for Monica intensely these past weeks, plans to stay behind and await a memorial service which will be held in Houston in January.

Did you know? Our very own Anita Plummer is a published poet. Congratulations, Anita!

The Lost Hunter

What did you get for growing old?
The deer hunters go to the woods without you.
The grass is cut by neighbors.
The old truck is up on blocks, and the screen door off its hinges.
The garden has no squash, or peas, beans or potatoes;
Only weeds that don't flower.
Those prize watermelon seeds would grow,
If you could get out there and plant them.

Knees and hips: bones frozen to canes and walkers.
Eyes and ears: function vanishing in a thick, binding jungle of stimulation.

Lost hair, crooked fingers, and wrinkled skin:
distinction, even privilege,
Slaps on the back of accomplishment.

The able body that drove the wheel of accomplishment.
The able body that chopped the trees and bore the babies.

When the sun rose and life went on breathing.

(One of two poems published in The Texas Observer, Vol. 97, No. 20 / A Journal of Free Voices Since 1954; October 21, 2005; p. 17)

Huntsville UU Newsletter Deadline: To submit news to the UU newsletter, e-mail Gail Phillips. Please have any news or announcements that you would like to have in this newsletter to the editor by the 20th of each month.

Annual Meeting
On May 1, 2005, we elected officers and approved appointments to various positions listed below for the church year 2005-2006.

Officers

President: Carla McAdams

Co-Vice Pres./ Program Chairs: Scott and Anita Plummer

Treasurer: Lee Stringer

Secretary/Membership Chair: Joan Stringer

Immediate Past President: Karl Mahaffey

Appointed Positions

Organist: Dixon Lichtenauer

Keyboardist: Sylvia DeVoss

Co-Song Leaders: Melissa Templeton-Mahaffey, Beth Williamson, Dixon Lichtenauer

Co-Reading Leaders: Ann Staples, Richard Lane

Newsletter Editor: Gail Phillips

Order of Service Editor: Roberta Krock

Publicist: Stuart Williamson

Hospitality Coordinator: Pam Johnson