Huntsville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." --George McGovern

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." --Erma Bombeck

Huntsville UU Services
During the summer months of June, July and August, services will be held once each month at 10:30 a.m. in the Laura Chapel of Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Our next service will be July 29, the 5th Sunday of July (not the 4th). The August service will be on the 4th Sunday, August 26. For more information call (936) 295-3170.

Sun. July 29: Rev. Tom Capo’s sermon will be “Fear, its limits, its effects, its blessings.” People usually think of fear as a negative emotion, and definitely to be avoided at all costs. Mental health professionals diagnose people with problems with fear as having anxiety or panic disorders. Some spiritual leaders tell us not to let fear control us. Why do we have this emotion and how can it be helpful to us on our spiritual journeys?

Huntsville UU Women
The Women's Sharing Circle will suspend meetings for the summer months of June, July and August. Meetings will resume in September with a report on the trip to San Miguel de Allende that was made by members and friends of our fellowship during the month of August.

Mission Statement
The committee to write our mission statement has drafted a statement that incorporates the five attributes that our congregation indicated were the most important. We appreciate the committee's hard work in this matter. Please consider the following proposed statement; we hope to vote on its adoption this fall.

Proposed Mission Statement: Firmly grounded in our Unitarian-Universalist principles, we join together on the path of spiritual and intellectual growth to promote knowledge and caring for one another and celebrate community, acceptance, and tolerance for a more equitable world.

Our Seven Principles: We, the congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm and promote:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.

Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

Respect for the independent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Book Review: Roving Mars by Steve Squyres
Squyres was the principal scientist for the Mars Exploration Rover mission. This is a very personable account of the mission. His style is very enjoyable and not at all stuffy and he makes scientific ideas very understandable. On CD - 14 hrs and 20 min. --Submitted by Ann Stpls

Annual Meeting
On May 6, 2007, we elected officers for the church year 2006-2007.

Officers

President: Mardi Sale

Vice Pres./ Program Chair: Beth Williamson

Treasurer: Richard Lane

Secretary: Mary Welborn

Appointed Positions

Organist: Dixon Lichtenauer

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

Reading Leader: Kathleen Donovan

Membership Chair: Simone Woodall

Newsletter Editor: Anne True

Order of Service Editor/Webpage Editor: Roberta Krock

Publicist: Paul Culp

Hospitality Coordinator: Anne Sigler