Sunday, May 20
“Headed for a Train Wreck: When Politics and
Reproductive Justice Collide”
Rev. Vincent
Lachina, Northwest Regional Chaplain for
Planned Parenthood
Rev. Lachina, who speaks regularly to Jewish, Christian,
and Unitarian Universalist communities, will bring his
message to TUUC.
Special music will be performed by
the TUUC choir.
Coffee Hour between services
10:30 a.m. - Youth Group
11:15 a.m. - Bible Study
12:15 p.m. - Computer Club
12:30 p.m. - "A Year to Live" class
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Religious Exploration Parent Potluck
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., in the social hall. Meet with other UU parents for food and fellowship. We'll have an informal potluck lunch followed by a half-hour of facilitated discussion about UU parenting and family issues |
Click here to read the May Board of Trustees and the agenda for the June 10 Congregational meeting
Why Sign the Pledge to Support Equal Marriage in Washington?
In February, the Washington State Legislature passed a landmark marriage equality bill. However, the law has not taken effect. Opponents are paying to collect 120,577 signatures to put marriage equality on the ballot in November.Should R-74 pass in November, equal marriage becomes law.
Washington United for Marriage wants to show how strong the support is for marriage equality by matching them signature for signature. That means we need to get 120,577 people to pledge to approve Referendum 74.
Show you support for marriage by signing the Pledge to Approve 74.Through May, pledge cards will be available in a rainbow-decorated basket at the back of the sancutary
Monday, May 21
Monday Night Meditation
TUUC sanctuary,
7 - 8:45 p.m.
f you care to, join us on Monday evenings for meditation in the Vipassana tradition. We typically sit or walk in meditation for 30 minutes, listen to a recorded dharma talk, and then have a short discussion in the spirit of awareness. No previous experience or preparation is necessary. All are welcome. Next session this Monday May 21st, Jean facilitating.
For questions or to be added to the email list, please contact Mark Backus, backusm@harbornet.com
Wednesday, May 23
Noon WEEKLY & SUNDAY SERVICE notes DUE - editor@tuuc-wa.org
Wednesday Evening Adult Religious Education
Women of Islam
Two consecutive sessions, May 23 and May 30
Facilitator: Kishwar Feroz
Last September we did a series of three sessions on Islam. During that time we had some questions we wanted to ask women about feminism and wearing of the veil. We wondered … What is it like to be a Muslim woman in Tacoma? A member of the Islamic Center of Tacoma, Kishwar Feroz attended the “Building Bridges” Service we had last October. She agreed to come and speak with us for two consecutive Wednesday evenings. Then we are invited to attend the Islamic Center of Tacoma on Friday June 1st.
Thursday, May 24
Yoga
6:00-6:45 p.m. in the Sanctuary
We meet for yoga every Thursday from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. in the church sanctuary. You do not need to
have experience with yoga, only a willingness to learn. We stretch and twist for relaxation and good
health. We recommend that you wear loose, comfortable clothes, and bring a yoga mat. We also ask that
you show up a couple minutes early so we can start on time. Please join us! Contact Loretta SkochenkoDhaese 863-0595 at loretta@worldstar.com
Social Action Committee
May Change for Change
C4C will be given to Coffee Strong, a GI coffeehouse within blocks of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Coffee Strong provides a safe place for service members and veterans to discuss issues of common concern: war, multiple deployments, traumatic stress, GI rights and benefits, counseling for veterans and their families, and referrals for legal, financial, educational, and housing needs. |
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From Creating Peace/Social Justice
So many, many thanks to everyone who signed pledge cards to support the present marriage equality law. As you know, through the anticipated referendum 74, this law will most likely be affirmed or voted down in the Fall election. At last count more than 70 congregants have signed cards, and we have more in the back of the sanctuary through May. The "Standing on the Side of Love" bumper stickers have finally arrived, too, and will be available between services Sunday along with other bumper stickers supporting marriage equality. Look for the bright yellow tee shirt on someone holding a basket! On behalf of Creating Peace/Social Justice programs thanks so much for your support of this important equal rights issue.
Other News of Interest
CPR Classes
Free CPR classes are taught by the Tacoma Fire Department to citizens living within the City limits of Tacoma, Fife or Fircrest. These classes are taught with funds from the EMS levy. All classes are taught by firefighters who bring real life experience to the class. You must pre-register for these classes by calling
594-7979.
Class Dates for May, June, and July:
Saturday May 19, 9:30 – 12:30, Fire Station 16, 7217 6th Avenue
Thursday June 7, 5:30 – 8:30, Fire Station 8, 4911 S. Alaska
Saturday June 16, 9:30 – 12:30, Fircrest Comm. Center, 555 Contra Costa
Thursday July 5, 5:30 – 8:30, Fire Station 16, 7217 6th Avenue
Saturday July 21, 9:30 – 12:30, Fire Station 16, 7217 6th Avenue |
Help Wanted @ TUUC
Annual Picnic Planning Meeting
The annual TUUC Father's Day picnic is coming up quickly (June 17)! Join the fun and camaraderie of planning this major church event. Our only planning meeting will be on Sunday, May 27, immediately following the service. We'll meet in the social hall for about 30 minutes. The time commitment is small, and the reward is large. Please contact Bruce Rowan (253-230-9264) if you would like to be part of the team. We'd love to have you!
Volunteer Listings Coordinator:
This position is responsible for maintaining a current list of all open positions and submitting the list to James Venturini for publication in the Dialog and the E-news. The Program Council representatives provide input. The job takes about two hours per month and can all be done in the comfort of your home. If you have limited time but would like to serve TUUC, this is a perfect position for you. Please contact Laura Gardner at 253-460-9678 or lmgardner@comcast.net. – she will provide training.
Sunday Coffee Service:
Do you enjoy drinking coffee and tea while chatting with our fellow UU’s? We need volunteers to prepare, serve and clean up about one Sunday per month. Maria Crowley and Art Bowen have volunteered to take over the coffee service responsibilities from Tim Battin. Please make their jobs easier by stepping up and helping them! Contact Maria at crowleymaria@aol.com or Tim at spatialresearch@yahoo.com.
Ushers:
Ushers hand out the Order of Service, hymnals and miscellaneous items from other activities. They also pick up and count the offering. There are no meetings! It’s a great way to greet old friends and meet new ones while helping the Sunday service run smoothly. Please contact Loretta Skochenko-Dhase at lloretta@worldstar.com to volunteer.
Circle Dinners Coordinator:
Circle dinners are held in host homes four or five times a year. These dinners are a wonderful way to meet other members of TUUC. This position recruits the hosts and participants at Sunday services and with notifications in the Dialog
and E-news. The coordinator assigns the attendees to the host; the host organizes the food. Each circle dinner takes about two to four hours to organize (depends on how many people sign up). If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Laura Gardner at lmgardner@comcast.net.
TUUC News
A New Church Home? An Interesting Possibility ...
We have been approached about a possible church swap with the First Congregational Church (FCC) at the intersection of “I” and Division Streets. A handful of people from TUUC have toured the main church building and adjoining church school building and think that it is at least worth considering. There are many questions to answer and the multi-step process outlined by our own Kris Kauffman would include independent assessments of TUUC building and grounds and FCC building and grounds to determine value before we could begin to strike a deal.
We are in such early stages of considering this possibility that the TUUC Board has not yet had a chance to talk about this at a meeting. Neither have the Trustees of the First Congregational Church met over this idea. Our TUUC Board meets next on May 8. In the meantime, we think it would be helpful if more people from TUUC could tour the First Congregational Church buildings to expand the dialogue. If you are interested in a tour, please contact Rob Ramsey at 253-274-5666. He has arranged for tour times of: Monday at 2:00 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. for the next two weeks. The tour takes approximately 90 minutes.
--Submitted by Jack Bregger, President, and Rob Ramsey, Secretary, of the TUUC Board of Trustees
New Task Force Formed
The TUUC Board of Trustees has commissioned a task force to create a policy concerning registered sex offenders attending TUUC. In this article, we’d like to give some scope and background, tell who is on the task force and why, and invite members and friends to bring their suggestions and concerns to the task
force.
The Religious Education program has a Child and Youth Protection policy, which is carefully followed and updated from time to time. This includes such precautions as all RE leaders must have background checks, all classrooms and meeting spaces have a window, and children are always supervised by at least two adults. We do not, however, have an explicit policy in the congregation concerning the request by a sex offender to attend, or the discovery that a person attending TUUC is a sex offender. The creation of a policy is overdue.
Last fall, an individual contacted Rev. Graves asking about attending TUUC. He identified himself as a registered sex offender, and was willing to attend with restrictions. Rev. Graves responded that there would need to be a process of discernment around safety policies, and that in the meantime the individual can find a spiritual community with the Church of the Larger Fellowship (see clf.uua.org). Rev. Graves then consulted with church staff, the Committee on Ministry and the Board of Trustees, and some initial inquiries were made with the person’s probation officer, but since that time, there has been no further interest expressed by that individual. The request did prompt the creation of this task force and brought to light the need for clarity and conversation around this issue.
The task force consists of Richard Rhine, Lori Fernholz-Hartman, Barb Lutzewitz, and Jennifer Johnston. Richard is a current member of the Board of Trustees. In addition, he brings experience as a social worker whose title for many years was Sexual Abuse Specialist. He worked primarily with children and youth who had been abused and their families. Barb brings years of experience in Behavioral Health; primarily with alcohol and drug relapse prevention programs. She has worked with people serving prison time for sexual offenses. Lori brings her expertise as a professional Religious Educator, and her concern for the safety and well-being of all of our congregants in the context of learning and living our UU principals. Jennifer worked as a professional sexuality educator, is a national trainer for the Our Whole Lives program, and served on the Board of Trustees several years ago when we convened a Day of Listening.
The task force members would like to invite members and friends to let us know your thoughts, concerns and suggestions as we formulate this policy. We would like to have a suggested policy to bring to the Board by the end of May. We’ll keep you informed of our process as we move along. Currently we are doing the homework of reading Rev. Debra Haffner’s “BALANCING ACTS— keeping children safe in congregations.” We are also looking at policies from congregations of both UU and other denominations. We also attended a webinar entitled, “Healthy Boundaries and Appropriate Behaviors” March 26.
In formulating a policy, we are considering the following: the health and safety of all who attend TUUC; juveniles and adults who attend or wish to attend TUUC who have been adjudicated (convicted) of a sex offense; individuals who have been attending and it is discovered that they are (registered) sex offenders; adults who request to attend and have a treatment plan; individuals who are accused of a sexual offense while attending; the concern of members and friends for the safety of all who attend, with particular attention to the well-being of vulnerable individuals in our community; providing support for those who have been or are being sexually assaulted; and finally, means to address these issues in a way that demonstrates our commitment as a congregation and individuals to our UU principals and the covenant of our community.
The scope of this task force is to create this portion of a safety policy for our congregation. It is the hope and recommendation of this task force, however, that this become part of a larger, codified Safe Congregation Policy, as modeled through the UUA and many UU congregations.
Please feel free to contact task force members via email or phone:
Jennifer Johnston, jpjohnst@aol.com, 253-732-1899,
Richard Rhine, richardrhine@harbornet.com, 253-761-1604
Barb Lutzewitz, blutzewitz@gmail.com, 253-514-5454
Lori Fernholz-Hartman, dre@tuuc-wa.org, 253-306-7836
--Submitted by Jennifer Johnston, Task Force Facilitator
Coming Events
TUUC Camping at Dosewallips August 10-12!
If you'd like to camp with your friends from TUUC now is the time to reserve a campsite.
Follow this link
https://secure.camis.com/WA/DosewallipsStatePark%2fB(Sites31-80%2cCabinsC74-C76)%3fMap
and reserve #49, #50, #68 or #69 to be near other TUUCers. If these are taken fill in the #65 circle of tent spaces.
Around the PNWD
General Assembly
General Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona: June 20-24, 2012
Have you thought about maybe attending the UU General Assembly this summer? Are you wondering what’s it all about? Here is a link for you to explore. www.uua.org/ga/2012/index.shtml General Assembly (GA) 2012 will be a gathering with multiple ways of engaging in justice work for people of all ages. Joining with the people of Arizona, we will worship, witness, learn and work together. Registration Cost is $320 (apply to volunteer and your registration is paid for). Early Registration ends April 30. If you’re interested, send me an email, and we can plan together. Maria Crowley crowleymaria@aol.com
We at Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Congregation are a
liberal religious congregation of about 200 members, plus
friends, who share our lives, our values and principles, our
questions, and our faith and spirituality with one another. We
have Sunday services, and we have other activities and
programs all week. We are one of over a thousand
independent congregations that voluntarily belong to the
Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), headquartered in
Boston, Massachusetts.
TUUC's Online calendar
Please look here and send a message to your adminIstrative staff members with
corrections and additions a soon as possible. Thank you! Mike Field |
