5/7/10 Weekly Update
This blustery, rainy, cool weekend brings us to an Annual Event for UU Congregations around the country, and even the world. The Flower Communion is celebrated at different times of year in different churches, but almost every church has fallen in love with the special symbolism and quiet strength that the flower communion symbolizes. First created by Norbert Capek, a Czech Unitarian minister serving in Prague at the time of WWII, he felt compelled to create a way to invite is congregation to find some small measure of hope in times that were very dark indeed. He asked everyone to look about and bring to Sunday service a flower, or a spray of flowers from a tree, or even a simple stick if that's all you could find. As people brought them up the offered their symbol of hope to the community at the altar. And then at the end of the service, each person came forward to take a flower, to remind them that we each do provide hope for each other. This is the very nature of belonging to a church. Norbert Capek didn't survive the war to share this ritual with us, but his wife later came to the US and shared the ritual with her local Unitarian congregation. And it has spread from church to church as we all accept with joy the simple message of hope that flowers, gift of a fellow church member can bring.
See you in church!
Sunday 5/9/10
8:30 am Music Rehearsal (sanctuary)
8:30 am Teachers' Tea (fellowship hall)
9:30 am Service "Festival Sunday: Spring is Busting Out All Over"
The Festival Team & Maureen Murphy as Worship Associate.
Join Rev. Eva for our annual Flower communion service. Please bring a flower to share (either from your garden or purchased) as we honor the place of hope in our hearts. New Member Welcome ceremony. And the choir is singing!
10:45 am Fellowship Time
Today, during our fellowship time, we are honoring all of the new members who have joined us since last summer. Please join us after the service and welcome our newest UU's. There will be cake!
11:00 am Children's Chapel
11:15 am Sunday School for children & youth
11:15 am Adult Classes
Sixty for Six: We will be introduced to Ken Atkinson.
Circle Way: Join us to celebrate Beltane. Anyone wish to help with the May pole?
Calendar Updates for this Coming Week
Tuesday
7:15 pm Religious Services Council
Wednesday
5:00 pm Children's Choir
5:30 pm Dinner (Please RSVP)
6:15 pm Adult Choir
6:30 pm Cedar Valley Meditation Group (high school room)
Artistic Fun Workshop
7:30 pm Theoretical String Band
Thursday
7:30 pm Buddhist Path (balcony)
Saturday
6:30 pm UU Card Club
Other items
UU's in Nashville TN and KY face flooding
Right now, Unitarian Universalists (UU) in Nashville, TN and Kentucky
are currently facing a devastating crisis and need your support.
Dan Rosemergy, minister of Greater Nashville UU Church, and Gail Seavey, minister of the First UU Church of Nashville, are reporting that a number of their congregants' homes and life possessions have been washed away in the recent flood. Many of them do not have flood insurance to replace and repair their lives. They are living with family and friends, in hotels, or in other accommodations while the extent of the damage is being assessed. In tragedies like this, community support is critical to recovery. As members of this faith community, please help these individuals deal with the anguish of devastating loss and rebuild their lives by making a donation to the Tennessee and Kentucky Flood Relief Fund at the
following URL: http://bit.ly/bR5NbC
Its purpose is to bring practical financial assistance, ministry, and spiritual care to those affected by the tragic floods. Gifts will
demonstrate to the affected congregations and their members that they are not alone during this challenging time. This fund is a partnership among the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Thomas Jefferson District, the Mid-South District, Greater Nashville UU Church, and the First UU Church of Nashville.
Please give generously at http://bit.ly/bR5NbC Thank you.
PHOTOS ANYONE? General Assembly is coming soon! We've been asked to collect digital photos of UUs in Prairie Star District, to show on Wednesday evening before the Opening Ceremony begins. Photos of church buildings would be okay, but the GA Planning Committee is really hoping for photos of PSD UUs at various events - having fun, at social justice events, etc. Send two or three of your favorite pictures to District Executive Nancy Heege at nheege@psduua.org
"IN THE SHADOW OF THE RAID" -- A segment of this Frontline documentary will air on Tuesday, May 11 at 9:00pm on Iowa Public
Television. This documentary examines how the biggest immigration raid in US history severed an economic lifeline to one of
the poorest corners of the Western Hemisphere, pushing an Iowa farm town to the brink of collapse and family members in
Guatemala further into poverty.
POSTVILLE ANNIVERSARY PRAYER SERVICE -- The Intercommunity Peace and Justice Task Force of Northeast Iowa will sponsor a
prayer service for immigrants and immigration reform on Wednesday, May 12, starting at 7:00pm in downtown Waterloo. The
prayer service will mark the second anniversary of the raid on the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, on May 12, 2008.
The prayer service will begin in Lincoln Park and end with a walk and prayer at the Black Hawk County jail. For
information, contact Sr. Kathleen Grace at 319-504-9093.
WEATHERIZATION PROJECT (NEW DATE/LOCATION) -- The date of the community weatherization project co-sponsored by the Catholic Parishes in Waterloo and Green Iowa AmeriCorps has been changed to Saturday, May 29. The day will begin at 9:00am with a training workshop in Scallon Hall at Queen of Peace Parish. Then volunteers from the parishes will join AmeriCorp volunteers in weatherizing local homes. To volunteer contact Dave Cushing at 319-234-9912.
Pastoral Update
Ralph Burr is having exploratory surgury today to see if the heart stent he had put in last fall has failed, after a period of not feeling very well. Please give him support if you can, especially since he lives alone. You can call him at 215-2463 (cell) or 277-2271 (home). He may need some help with yard work, or other chores for a while. I'll keep you posted as I know more about his health. I'm sure he'd welcome cards: Ralph Burr, 932 W 12th St Cedar Falls IA 50613
Heather Flory's step-father died this past week. Please hold her, and her mother Floralyn in your thoughts and prayers. Condolence cards and notes can be sent to: Heather Flory, 16504 Vista Ave, Dike IA 50624
minister
Unitarian Univesalist Society of Black Hawk Co.
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-610-6605
www.uusbhc.org
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