WELCOME TO DISCOVER UU and UCN UCN’s Path to Membership INFORM-INSPIRE-ENGAGE SESSION 102

INTRODUCTIONS FACILITATORS/LEADERSHIP/PARTICIPANTS

“PROVIDING THE LIGHT OF RELGIOUS FREEDOM IN THE WARMTH OF A CARING COMMUNITY”  When we see people light the chalice/candle at the beginning of our service every Sunday and meetings, we can enjoy it because it is a lovely thing to do. But we can also remember the story of the flaming chalice and the strength it has given people for hundreds of years. We use it to let others know that Unitarian Universalists believe in helping—others.

CHALICE LIGHTING 2nd SESSION The central task of the religious community is to unveil the bonds that bind each to all. There is a connectedness, a relationship discovered amid the particulars of our own lives and the lives of others. Once felt, it inspires us to act for justice. It is the church that assures us that we are not struggling for justice on our own, but as members of a larger community. The religious community is essential, for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen, and our strength is too limited to do all that must be done. Together, our vision widens and our strength is renewed. -Rev. Mark Morrison Reed Let us say this together.

OBJECTIVES FROM SESSION 101 Engage participants, answer questions and provide a better understanding of UU’s & UCN Elevate awareness of our own unique spiritual journey Inspire you to learn more about UU’s and UCN

OBJECTIVES FOR SESSION 102 Elevate a deeper awareness and understanding of UU history/UU Church structure/Polity Learn about the different committees and their important roles at UCN and importance of becoming actively involved Understand UCN’s income & expense budgets and the importance of financial support/pledges Provide invitation to join UCN

WHO ARE WE?

WE ARE: People of all ages, people of many backgrounds, and people of many beliefs. We create spirituality community beyond boundaries, working for more justice and more love in our own lives and in the world.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM Affirms and promotes seven Principles, grounded in the humanistic teachings of the world’s religions. Our spirituality is unbounded, drawing from scripture and science, nature and philosophy, personal experience and ancient tradition described in our six Sources.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST “Unitarian” developed, meaning the oneness of God “Universalist” believed in universal salvation, since God is merciful and would not condemn anyone to eternal damnation in a fiery pit. . Unitarians and Universalists have always been heretics. We are heretics because we want to choose our faith, not because we desire to be rebellious. “Heresy” in Greek means “choice.” During the first three centuries of the Christian church, believers could choose from a variety of tenets about Jesus. Among these was a belief that Jesus was an entity sent by God on a divine mission. Thus the word “Unitarian” developed, meaning the oneness of God. Another religious choice in the first three centuries of the Common Era (CE) was universal salvation. This was the belief that no person would be condemned by God to eternal damnation in a fiery pit. Thus, a Universalist believed that all people will be saved. Christianity lost its element of choice in 325 CE when the Nicene Creed established the Trinity as dogma. For centuries thereafter, people who professed Unitarian or Universalist beliefs were persecuted.

UCN’S HISTORY 50 Years and On in the Barn In 1962 a group of nine men and women gathered to form a new liberal religious fellowship on the North Shore of Milwaukee. They called themselves the North Shore Unitarian Fellowship of Milwaukee and began meeting in people's homes. In 1963 they received a charter from the UUA, and in 1969 renamed their congregation Unitarian Church North. Since then we have grown to about 150 members, built a church home in 1986, and an addition to that home in 2005. We have been served by a full time minister since 1976 and a Director of Religious Education since 1991. In the first half of 2013 we celebrated our founding in January 1963, and the highlights of the subsequent half-century of faith and fellowship in our welcoming congregation.

MISSION OF UCN IS TO: create a diverse and inclusive community; promote free religious expression; inspire spiritual and ethical growth; and work for justice in our world.

WE BELIEVE THAT FAITH IS A JOURNEY THAT WE TAKE TOGETHER We believe that faith is a journey we take together.  Religious education takes a lifetime. It happens both within and beyond a congregation's walls. We support one another as individuals, families, and communities in an ongoing search for truth and meaning. We strive to guide one another—all ages among us—in religious questioning, personal change, and discovering ways to better live in faith.

YOUR HISTORY/PERSONAL RELIGIOUS ODYSSEY Personal religious odyssey or spiritual timeline-Please draw a line that represents your life. Please write the significant events and changes in your religious history at appropriate points on this time line.

FINISH YOUR TIME LINE WITH… “Why did I come to this UU congregation?” Please feel free to take a break when you have completed and we start again at____________

PLEASE SHARE YOUR TIME LINE

HOPES and EXPECTATIONS:

EXPECTATIONS and HOPES: QUESTIONS… What do you hope to get out of these sessions? Do you have a question about something that may puzzle you about this community or Unitarian Universalism? What do you hope to get from this church? What do you hope to offer this church? Note card exercise.

UU HISTORY/UU CHURCH STRUCTURE/POLITY This flaming chalice is a symbol for Unitarian Universalists just as the cross and the Star of David are symbols for other religious groups. The story of how the flaming chalice became our symbol is an interesting one and it begins during the Second World War. Many Unitarian Universalist churches and fellowships start their worship service on Sunday morning by lighting a flame inside a chalice. This flaming chalice is a symbol for Unitarian Universalists just as the cross and the Star of David are symbols for other religious groups. The story of how the flaming chalice became our symbol is an interesting one and it begins during the Second World War. During that war, a lot of people living in Eastern Europe—Unitarians, Jews, and others—were in danger of being put in prison or killed by Nazi soldiers. A group of Unitarians came together in Boston, Massachusetts, to form the Unitarian Service Committee and their plan was to help the people in danger from the Nazis. The director of the Service Committee was the Unitarian minister Charles Joy. Rev. Joy had an office in Portugal so he would be near the people he wanted to help. He was in charge of a whole secret group of agents and messengers who worked hard trying to find safe routes for people to escape. Rev. Joy and his assistants often needed to ask governments and other organizations for their help to save people who were in danger. They would send messages to anyone in government who might give them money, transportation, or a safe route. Because they were a new organization though, not very many people had heard of them. This made it much harder for Rev. Joy and the people in the Unitarian Service Committee to get the help they needed. In those days during the war, when danger was everywhere, lots of people were running away from their own countries. Often, people who were escaping and people who wanted to help didn't speak the same language. Rev. Joy decided it would be much better if the Service Committee had an official symbol, or picture, to help identify its members. With a picture or symbol, it wouldn't matter if people couldn't read the language. It looked like Rev. Joy would need to find an artist. He went to a very talented man named Hans Deutsch for help. Deutsch had escaped from the Nazis in Paris, France, where he was in danger because he drew cartoons showing people how evil the Nazis were. Rev. Joy asked Deutsch to create a symbol to print on Service Committee papers to make them look important. He wanted the symbol to impress governments and police who had the power to help move people to safety. For his drawing, Deutsch borrowed an old symbol of strength and freedom from Czechoslovakia—a chalice with a flame. Rev. Joy wrote to his friends in Boston that the new symbol seemed to show the real spirit of the Unitarian religion. It showed a chalice, or cup, that was used for giving a healing drink to others. And it showed a flame on top of the chalice because a flame was often used to represent a spirit of helpfulness and sacrifice. And so the flaming chalice became the official symbol of the Unitarian Service Committee. Many years later, the flaming chalice became the symbol of Unitarian Universalist groups all over the world. By the early 1970s, enough Unitarian Universalists had heard the story of the flaming chalice symbol that they began to light a flaming chalice as part of the worship service in their churches. Over the years, this practice has spread over most of the United States and Canada. What does it mean to have a symbol like this? Well, one thing it means is that wherever you see a flaming chalice, you know that there are Unitarians and Universalists nearby. Having a symbol also can remind you of what's most important to you—and sometimes a reminder can make a very big difference. One very old woman told how the flaming chalice of her homeland, Czechoslovakia, helped her while she was in a Nazi prison camp. Printed under the picture of the Czech flaming chalice was the motto "pravda vitezi," which means, in English, "truth overcomes," or "truth prevails." Every single morning in that terrible camp, the old woman said, she traced a picture of a flaming chalice in the sand with her finger. Then she wrote the motto underneath it. "It gave me the strength to live each day," she said. Whenever she drew the chalice in the dirt she was reminded that some day the world would remember the important truth that every single person is important and should be free to think and believe as he or she chooses.

UU HISTORY-NEW WORLD Seeking religious freedom Seeking guidance from the New Testament Seeking ideas from other religious groups-Puritans

UU CHURCH STRUCTURE Self governing 5th Principle- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process in our congregations and in society at large Independent & Interdependent

POLITY-CHURCH GOVERNANCE Congregational polity is concerned not only with interrelationships among congregations, but also with the governance process of each congregation. Under congregational polity each congregation is self-governing, choosing its own leadership, handling its own finances, and choosing its own delegates to the General Assembly. However, this independence does not imply that we must reinvent our governance process in each congregation. Yet we provide few guidelines for congregations to follow.

UU CHURCH STRUCTURE

UCN-GOVERNANCE Unitarian Church North is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, whose members are elected by the congregation to serve three-year terms, and by Officers, who are elected to serve one-year terms. The church year runs from July 1 through June 30. Leadership Board Officers Co-Presidents: Jennifer Barton and Janet Jensen Co-Presidents-Elect: Paul Gasser and Chuck Winter Secretary: Jennifer Goetz Financial Secretary: Ed Ahrenhoerster Treasurer: Bob Prestby

UCN-GOVERNANCE (cont) Leadership Board of Trustees Ruth Duenk ’16 Rosa Gomez ’16 Jenny Elsner-Miller ’16 Stephanie Loehr ’17 Mark Ludwig ’17 Karen Ringlien ’17 Brian Monroe ’18 Jackee Orozco-Domoe ’18 Katie Egan-Bruhy ’18

Path to Membership Financial Snapshot 2015/2016   Items of Note: We run on a fiscal year – July 1 through June 30th Our budget reflects our values and our gifts of time, talent and treasure. For a member to be in good standing they must make a pledge and a payment. Our pledge campaign takes place in February (for the year beginning in July) New members pledge for a partial year – from date of membership to June 30th Budget Process is completed and presented to Congregation to vote by April 15th We currently have 90 pledging families.

Where Our Revenue Comes From Offertory 5%-Fundraisers 10% Rental 5% RE Fees 1% Interest 0% Pledges 79%

Where We Spend Our Revenue Denominational Support 2%-Ministry-11%- RE 14%- Social Justice 3%- Admin Staff 12%- Administrative/Professional/Office Exp 11%- Professional Speakers/Musicians 8%- Building Exp 16%- Mortgage Exp 23%

Being a Member of UCN Church attendance Spiritual growth Come to church as often as you can. Regular attendance at the Sunday morning service enables us to connect with one another and with the spiritual heart of the church. Spiritual growth We believe that each of us is responsible for working toward our own spiritual growth, seeking our own understanding of religious truth within the context of a caring and supportive community. The spiritual heart of any community is centered on a covenant, not a creed. Service to the church In becoming part of this church, you become part of our shared ministry with one another and with the community at large. Members are encouraged to participate in some way in the support of both the church and the wider community.

Being a Member of UCN (cont.) Service to others Each of us is encouraged to commit our faith to action. Our church provides opportunities for social action and community ministry, but many other opportunities exist in each of our lives. It is our responsibility as Unitarian Universalists to commit to these acts of caring. Financial support Membership in our religious community carries with it the inherent expectation that we will pledge a financial gift that reflects both our own personal circumstances and the church's needs. Connection with the wider movement Unitarian Universalist churches are individually responsible for their own governance and policies. We are also part of a larger religious movement -- local, district, and national. Honoring the connection to other UU congregations and to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is an important part of being a Unitarian Universalist.

Being a Member of UCN (cont.) Membership carries responsibility, but it also transcends a sense of obligation. We hope that each member experiences a sense of appreciation for the joy and richness of belonging to a lively and compassionate community.

UCN MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS Sign our UCN Membership Book Complete a Pledge Form for the remaining church year Make a pledge payment

UCN MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS (cont.) Provide a picture for display in West Lobby Provide a bio for publication in Northliner/Friday Flyer Participate in New Member Recognition at a Sunday Service

Would You Like to Become Part of Our Welcoming Congregation?

ONGOING WORK Explore your folder contents Visit UCNorth.org Visit UUA.org Ask questions Visit Leadership meeting Read Adult Enrichment

THANK YOU