Huntsville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember this whole thing was started by a mouse." --Walt Disney, 1901-1966, Artist and Film Producer

Huntsville UU Services
Summer services are held on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the Laura Chapel of Huntsville Memorial Hospital. In September, services will return to the regular schedule of meeting on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. Visitors are always welcome. For more information, call 295-3170.

Sun. Aug. 13: The Good News Singers, Randall and Betty Welborn, will present Gospel music.

Sun. Sept. 10: Terry M. Thibodeaux, a professor in Speech Communications at SHSU and former Dean of Humanities and Social Science, will speak on Cajun culture.

Huntsville UU Women
Wed. August 3: The Women’s Sharing Circle will meet at 10:30 a.m. at Joan Stringer's house, 1800 Camellia Drive in Elkins Lake to continue their study based on the book Simple Steps, a guide to getting control of your life. Roberta Krock will facilitate the discussion.

Discussion Group on "What is Healthy Spirituality?"
Sun. August 20: This is a Sunday afternoon gathering at the Phillips's from 3 to 5 p.m. to hear a thought-provoking tape on spirituality by James Hollis, Director of the Jung Center in Houston. It will be followed by a discussion facilitated by Ralph Phillips. All interested persons are invited. For more information or directions to the Phillips's, call 438-8569.

New Minister Chosen at Special Congregational Meeting
A special meeting was called after the church service on July 9 for the purpose of considering the appointment of Rev. Tom Capo for the position of consulting minister for the Huntsville UU Fellowship. Twenty-three out of twenty-nine (and the others were out of town) members attended, and Rev. Capo was chosen by a unanimous vote. He will begin his duties in September. Welcome, Rev. Capo and Martha. We look forward to getting to know you.

Message from Our New Minister
First, I want to express my great excitement about your inviting me to become your minister. I hope to get to know each of you as I come to Huntsville to lead worship once a month. I have already had the opportunity to talk with many of you during the lunches after the service. Besides preaching monthly, I am available to the members of the congregation for consultation, weddings and funerals.

I also hope to be a resource for the fellowship--I have been a Unitarian Universalist for a little over 27 years, as well as recently becoming a UU minister (This is my fourth year as an ordained UU minister), and I have accumulated a tremendous library of Unitarian Universalists books, sermons, tapes, CD's, and religious education materials which I will be happy to share.

The first time I stepped through the doors of a UU church (First Jefferson Unitarian-Universalist Church in Fort Worth) and heard people sharing divergent ideas and beliefs on theological and social issues, I knew I was home. Martha, my wife of over 25 years, soon joined me at First Jefferson, and both our children, Aaron (18) and Jacob (16), were raised in UU churches. The boys don't attend much lately, but I remember I did the same at their age. I occasionally bring them to hear me preach, and sometimes they even bring their friends--my task then is to try not to embarrass them in front of their friends.

Martha, the kids, and I live south of Houston, near the Johnson Space Center. We love to be near the water--Clear Lake is only a few hundred yards from our home. Both Martha and l have family in the Houston area.

From time to time I plan to write a short article for your newsletter which will hopefully help us to get to know each other better, so if you have questions or suggestions, please feel free to send them to me.

Blessings, Rev. Tom

( Rev. Capo may be reached at 281 532-0818 or e-mail tcapo@houston.rr.com:

UUer's Support Cultural Diversity Foundation
Joan and Lee Stringer and Carla McAdams represented our fellowship at the July meeting of the Huntsville Cultural Diversity Forum. The discussion focused primarily on how to get more involvement from the youth in our community.

Joan reported that the meeting was well run, and she encourages other members of our fellowship to attend these meetings also, as our attendance is a way to give substance to the belief in the dignity and worth of every individual which is at the core of Unitarianism.

The Cultural Diversity Forum meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. The location changes each month. In August it will be in New Waverly at the St Joseph's Catholic Church.

Annual Church Picnic Planned for September 30
We're having "Old Time Gospel Music" in August--so how about an old-fashioned church picnic in September?

Mark your calendars now!

Come to the Phillips on September 30 at 5:00 p.m. and enjoy this annual UU social gathering with a prize this year for the covered dish "most like Grandma made." (Ladies, bring Grandma's best recipe too if you have it and we'll share our favorite comfort foods with each other.)

We've chosen the last Saturday evening in September for its promise of perfect picnic weather. Please bring your lawn chairs and any activities or games you would be willing to share. Performing musicians welcome too! (They don't even have to be Unitarian!)

Your host will provide table service, coffee, tea, and soft drinks. If you'd like something else, please feel free to bring it.

Join us to relax, eat, sit on the deck and watch the sun set on Elkins Lake, or you can even fish if you bring your own pole. (We don't call ourselves a "fellowship" for nothing.)

PS: Does anyone out there have the capacity to make homemade ice cream for this event?
Please call Gail at 438-8569 if you can help. Thanks!

Invitation from Anne Sigler
Try a Triathlon: For an inspiring, joyful experience with the women you love, join us for the Mother's Day Triathlon at Disneyworld on May 13, 2007. The Triathlon is to honor cancer survivors and loved ones lost to cancer. It is open to women 14 years of age and up, women of all shapes and sizes and athletic ability.

This Triathlon is the shortest and easiest in the U.S. The swim is 400 yards, biking--9 miles (on a flat course), and walking/running--2 miles through the Disneyworld complex. If you do not feel comfortable doing the swimming, biking and walking/running, you can do a relay.

We have Lauren Jones, an SHSU Senior in Kinesiology, who will help us train--very slowly and without stress. Please contact your mother, daughter, sister, best friends to join you in a very worthwhile endeavor. You will have an unforgettable memory to share with loved ones for the rest of your life.

Contact Anne Sigler at 936-295-8810 or e-mail kasigler@cox.net for more information.

A Sample of Elder Woman Wisdon from Maya Angelou
In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older, and she said it was "exciting." Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such an honest woman with so much wisdom in her words.

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."

"I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life."

"I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life'."

"I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance."

"I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision."

"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one."

"I've learned that I still have a lot to learn."

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

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 20, 2006, we elected officers and approved appointments to various positions listed below for the church year 2006-2007.

Officers

President: Carla McAdams

Co-Vice Pres./ Program Chairs: Anne True, Rick Norman

Treasurer: Mardi Sale

Secretary: Brenda Barr

Appointed Positions

Music Director: Dixon Lichtenauer

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

Co-Reading Leaders: Ann Stpls, Richard Lane

Membership Chair: Simone Woodall

Newsletter Editor: Gail Phillips

Order of Service Editor/Webpage Editor: Roberta Krock

Publicist: Paul Culp

Hospitality Coordinator: Anne Sigler