In a community that weekly affirms that "service is its prayer", we will take a Sunday to look at what that really means.

Inspired by a quotation from Thomas Merton that asserts that:

The Frenzy of the Activist neutralizes
his (her) work for peace. It destroys
his (her) own inner capacity for peace.

Joining Jeremy on the Chancel will be Pastoral Care Minister Rev. Fred Rabidoux, Worship Associate Michael Walker, Anna Sylvester, and Mia Shackelford.

Tom McAfee, who works with Interfaith Witness for Mid-East Peace, will present a short DVD to the Forum to remind us of the devastating consequences of the demolition of Palestinian homes and villages.

Tom will share information on the work of such groups as Rabbis for Human Rights and the Israel Committee Against House Demolitions who work with Israelis and Palestinians to secure a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land.

The free program will start at 9:45. Come at 9:30 for conversation, coffee, and (for a slight charge) a light breakfast.

from Betty Skwarek
Acting Director of Religious Education

Children and Youth Religious Education classes will be focusing on responsibility during the month of January.

Younger children's classes will work on maps of a town called Fuzzyland that they will change to meet challenging conditions in the community.

The 3rd-5th grade class will figure out how to spend $1000 in the best way, and the Junior Youth will be working on time machines that will take them to a time when they can solve an important issue.

Senior Youth prepared and presented a worship service for chapel last week. All these activities require the students to address problems and to be responsible for their group roles.

Betty will be attending classes out-of-state this week. Please contact Nancy Buffum if you have questions about Religious Education before Betty's return on Monday (January 14).

Small Group Ministry will sponsor a pizza lunch Sunday after the service. For a nominal amount you can grab a slice to nourish your body during coffee hour!

After eating, those interested in gathering together will be led by Small Group Ministry facilitators to spend an hour exploring a topic and getting to know one another better.

Small Group Ministry leaders invite everyone -- all members, friends, visitors, those new to Small Group Ministry and those already participating in a Small Group -- to meet together in groups of six to ten people.

You can reserve a spot at the discussions by signing up at www.uusfsgm.org or simply sign up on the day of the event. Childcare will be available.

Fallen tree damages Jonathan Silk's home

This is -- or was -- a 91-year-old bay tree that slammed into Jonathan's roof just above his bedroom at around 4:15 last Friday. Jonathan was home at the time -- luckily no one was hurt.

Jonathan says that he's thankful that insurance will pay for damage to the home... but not to cut and haul away the tree!

Special thanks to volunteer Eric Rawlins for coming in on short notice to manage sound and recording for last Sunday's service in Jonathan's absence.

The Faithful Fools open their doors to all comers Saturday starting at 4 for their free monthly poetry reading. At 7 pm they will continue the community evening with a screening of A Time for Burning.

The 1967 film, directed by San Francisco filmmaker Bill Jersey, captures the controversy over a young preacher who, upon being taken on as minister at a Lutheran church in Omaha, initiates a program of outreach to try to bring integration to the all-white congregation.

The film was shot in a cinema verite style which limits the editorializing of the filmmaker to showing what is captured by the camera in the moment of filming (that is, no voice-over narration or talking-head interviews). The film conveys a feeling of being transported back to 1967 and standing in the same room with the contending parties.

The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary in 1968, and more recently was named to the Library of Congress's list of "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films."

For more information, contact the Fools at 474-0508, or just stop by on Saturday.

Hikes, dinners, clean closets, errands, room paintings, children's outings... all types of services will be auctioned in late February at a community fund- and fun-raising event.

The preparations for this $15,000 service auction will begin in earnest Sunday at an open gathering for volunteers at 10 in the Kincaid Room.

Helping with the auction requires no previous training, and it's a great way to join in community for the benefit of the community!

Please come to the brainstorming session or contact Joan Rost or Liz Strand for more information.

Saturday, January 26th marks the fifth annual all-church Sing Along Broadway Dinner! This popular event gives everyone an opportunity to sing favorite Broadway tunes, led by Director of Music Dr. Mark Sumner, and enjoy solos and small ensemble singing by some unexpected stars (who can forget Liz Strand and the feather boa from a few years ago?). Bill Ganz will be at the keyboards.

The evening begins with a delicious dinner catered by Donald Johnson. After dinner, guests join in singing favorite Broadway tunes and relax over glasses of wine to listen to some fabulous solo offerings that are interspersed throughout the group singing.

Interested soloists should contact Mark Sumner at 778-4580 to talk about song selections and work out piano parts.

This special evening costs just $20 and begins at 5:30. Sign-up Sunday to avoid being disappointed -- the night sells out!

Worship Associate Alison Rittger told the Congregation last week that she has no 2008 resolutions to become a better person.

Rather she is listening to the wisdom of the Buddhist nun Pema Chodrin who says a better plan is to befriend who we already are.

The Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, the principal venue for the 2008 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA), lies within the perimeter of the Port of Fort Lauderdale and is subject to federal security regulations that mandate that all people eighteen years of age and older show a government-issued ID at the entrance to the facility.

Leaders of the UUA have expressed their concern over this restriction (read their statement).

Stephen Schwichow suggests that the organizers' proposed amelioration is no real solution to the issue.

Eugenia Perez stopped in the wind and rain last week to collect fallen branches to use for chancel flower arrangement. Wow -- thank you! The Society doesn't expect hurricane heroics, but if your backyard is starting to bloom (camellias, fruit trees, lilies...) please contact Judy Payne to offer your greenery. Now is also the perfect time to check your calendar and book Sunday arrangements to dedicate to the special people and anniversaries in your life.

We can't stop the rain, says Executive Director Nancy Evans, but we can stop the flooding of our classrooms and chapel!

Last week 8 tennis balls were removed from the gutters in the children's play area, and 5 other balls from courtyard rooftops.

Three balls in the gutter were the specific cause of the recent big flood in the art room which did quite a lot of damage.

Since balls are usually not visible, it is only after a flood that we know a gutter is blocked. Please help us keep our chapel and classrooms dry - do not bring an untethered ball to the church!