In Touch First Unitarian Universalist Church of Wichita Founded 1887
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In Touch
First Unitarian Universalist Church of
Wichita
Founded 1887
President’s Letter: Inauguration
- Holger Meyer
February 2021 Two thousand years ago in the Roman Empire those who we would likely
call priests today were called augurs, derived from the Latin verb augere,
which means "to increase", "to develop", "to make grow". An augur was
someone who (supposedly) could see hidden connections, who could
increase meaning and wisdom and who could see and predict the future.
It is interesting that this is the root of the word “inauguration”. It does not
just refer to the start of something new, but also puts importance on the
observation of this act, the seeing and understanding of what is happening.
After four years of lies and 'alternative facts' it is good to look more deeply,
examine carefully the threats of white supremacy, climate change, injustice,
ecological destruction, and more. It is good to act in ways that reflect the
broad diversity of this country and this planet. As the Unitarian Universalist
Association prepares for the General Assembly with a Statement of
Conscience on Undoing the Intersectional White Supremacy, some of the
first actions of the Biden administration have revoked the Keystone XL
pipeline permit, thus protecting the environment, indigenous peoples, and
the climate; initiated re-joining the Paris Climate Accord in 30 days from
inauguration day; and strengthen the Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals, DACA, thus significantly contributing to social justice and
countering the white supremacist’s agenda. It is good to see an
administration that reflects many of the values and principles of Unitarian
Universalism.
A part of President Biden's inauguration festivities was the 'moment of
remembrance', a tribute to the 400,000 Americans who have died from
COVID-19. At 5:30 p.m. on the East coast churches around the country were
ringing their bells and buildings everywhere were lit up in unified
commitment to remember the victims of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and
individually and collectively fight the pandemic by wearing masks,
distributing vaccines effectively, and so on. Our First UU building does not
have a bell and, being one time-zone away from the East coast, turning on
the lights at 4:30 p.m. would not have been very noticeable. First UU instead
participated by changing the usual rotation of messages on the church sign
to the 'moment of remembrance' message on black background.
Continued on page 3
With the new year, a new president in Washington, and the shortest days of
the year behind us, may we all have the optimism and the patience necessary
to get through the spring maintaining all the safety precautions and look
forward to all the activities we will be able to engage in when the pandemicIn Touch, February 2021
Religious Education (RE) Corner
In Touch - Denise Jackson-Simon
The newsletter of the First
Letter from the President
Unitarian Universalist Church It seems the perfect time to explore what it is to be a Beloved
of Wichita is published Community. February lessons from our Soul Matters material look
monthly. at a Beloved Community as a special kind of community where:
www.firstuu.net
Member
● Black Leaders are Honored (Antiracism & Black History
Unitarian Universalist Month)
Association ● Love Grows beyond Boundaries (Valentine's Day)
● Wounds are Healed (Antiracism)
President: Holger Meyer ● We Don’t Run Away When Things Get Hard (Antiracism)
As always, the lessons include some wonderful activities and stories,
Office Manager:
and this month, there are some great stories/videos of black leaders
office@firstuu.net
(316) 684-3481 including Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and one I especially like,
Anita Culp "Preaching to the Chickens; The Story of a Young John Lewis".
M, Tu, & F: 9:30am – These stories help children begin the process of understanding racial
2:00pm identity, removing the stigma around talking about race, and
W & Th: 1:00 – 5:00pm normalizing these conversations.
Director of Religious Valentine's Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. Of
Exploration: course, I would prefer to celebrate in person. But the lesson
Denise Jackson-Simon provided this month will help children understand the
simontrio@aol.com
(316) 644-2022 Universalists' belief in universal goodness..."the call to continually
expand our love to wider and wider circles until all of humanity,
and the natural world is embraced".
Newsletter Staff
Copy Editor: Dania Laubach In the meantime, I will continue to send weekly lessons on Fridays
dania.laubach@gmail.com for each Sunday. Please reach out at simontrio3@aol.com. Wishing
you a month filled with Love, Peace, and Understanding.
Layout Editor:
Rolando Gomez
shadoe7@mac.com
The deadline for In Touch
and for the monthly calendar
is the third Wednesday of
each month. Please send
submissions to
dania.laubach@gmail.com
2In Touch, February 2021
Presidents Letter, continued
to the 'moment of remembrance' message on black background.
With the new year, a new president in Washington, and the shortest days of the year behind us,
may we all have the optimism and the patience necessary to get through the spring maintaining all
the safety precautions and look forward to all the activities we will be able to engage in when the
pandemic ends in summer, or early fall. This gives us time to “augere” ourselves in the direction of
the futures we hope to see come to fruition.
The Renaissance Food Pantry – Update from Christmas
Jennifer Connelly, Kent Rowe, and Carla Jackson Patton brought plenty of holiday cheer to
families and individuals in a Northeast Wichita community where they have been providing meals
every two weeks to from 12 to 18 households for over a year. Jennifer and Kent enjoy visiting these
Wichitans who’s everyday struggles have been made worse by Covid; including but not limited to,
job loss, and isolation. “They get to know you and you get to know them.”
In fact, right before Christmas, the Renaissance Food Pantry (RFP) was low on funds. Jennifer says
RFP decided “to take a leap of faith and go ahead and do what we planned.” Her optimism and
hope was well placed in the hands of our First UU members, as our community came through with
enough donations for food and gifts, including used bicycles, gift cards, books, and puzzles, for
children, teenagers, and even our new senior friends!
Carla smoked turkeys and Jennifer baked rolls for the holiday feasts. There were scalloped
potatoes, green bean casseroles, and undoubtedly the high notes to each meal were jars of
homemade cookies which complemented abundantly.
Jennifer announced that Christmas went marvelously. Everyone got to play Santa’s elves and she
wanted to let the church members know how much they appreciate our congregation’s support.
Renaissance Food Pantry is not just a labor of love but an outreach of the church’s Social Action
Committee. There are plans to apply for grant money and open an account for the RFP and
perhaps later expand the food program. If you would like to help with this ongoing project, you
can donate through the church website or contact Jennifer Connelly at 316 409 7178.
3In Touch, February 2021
Spotlight on the Ecofest Committee
-Holger Meyer
The Ecofest Committee organizes Ecofest, our annual one-day signature
outreach, awareness-raising, and fund-raising event. To organize an event
like this requires all kinds of skills and talents: talking to vendors and
organizations who want to exhibit at Ecofest, organizing the reuse-sale of
donated items and the book sale, helping with advertising on radio and in
the neighborhood, organizing kids events at Ecofest, feeding volunteers and
guests during the event, keeping track of the budget, the webpage, inquiries
from the public, and much more. If this seems overwhelming, don't worry.
We have gotten good at assigning manageable tasks to each volunteer, no
matter if you oversee all the activities in the sanctuary on Ecofest day, help
move furniture as we set up for the event, or make sure there is an extension
cord for every booth that needs one. There is a role for anyone interested in
taking part! Please contact Lucy (lakirkhamcochener@gmail.com) or
Holger (holgerme@gmail.com) if you are able to help with Ecofest 2021
which we anticipate to happen in September 2021!
Spotlight on the Building and Grounds Committee
- Anita Culp, Co-Chair
This committee facilitates the maintenance and appearance of the church
structures and landscape. The Committee works with other committees to
provide a pleasant aesthetic experience in a well-maintained destination for
members, friends and visitors. Committee members and volunteers help
with painting, small repair jobs, and moving furniture for rental events. The
committee is also responsible for maintaining the church grounds and
landscape beds. A gardening subcommittee weeds, waters, prunes, removes
winter vegetation, and mulches the flowers, shrubs, and trees in the flower
gardens and landscape plantings throughout the grounds; volunteers are
always needed for this work. The Building and Grounds Committee does
not have regular meetings and instead communicates through email. Co-
chairs are Bruce Roby (Building) and Anita Culp (Grounds). If you would
like to become a committee member, volunteer, or receive email
announcements about upcoming work, please contact Anita at
anita.culp@att.net or Bruce at broby8@cox.net.
4F e b r u a r y 2021
Su n Mon Tu e Wed Th u Fri Sa t
1 2 3 4 5 6
6:30p Zen Friends (+Z) 7:00p UU Craft Group (Z) 7:00p Committee on 6:00p Pagan Circle (Z)
Ministry (Z)
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
10:00a Caring
9:45a Adult Relig Explr(Z) 10:00a Small Group Committee (Z)
11:00a Worship Service (Z) 3:00p Worship Ministry (Z) 3:00p Valentine Tea
At Home Children’s RE Committee (Z) 7:00p Membership Sale (curbside)
6:30p Zen Friends (+Z) Committee (Z)
6:30p Holiday Party
Group (Z)
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
9:45a Adult Relig Explr(Z) President’s Day 11:00a Eclectic Readers(Z)
11:00a Worship Service (Z) Church Office closed
At Home Children’s RE 6:00p Board of Trustees (Z)
3:00p Valentine Tea (Z) 6:30p Zen Friends (+Z) 11:00p Newsletter and
Calendar Deadline
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
9:45a Adult Relig Explr(Z) 10:00a Small Group
11:00a Worship Service (Z) Ministry (Z)
At Home Children’s RE 6:30p Zen Friends (+Z) 7:00p UU Humanists (Z)
12:15p Social Action
Group (Z)
(Z) - Meeting via Zoom
28
(+Z) - Meeting in person
9:45a Adult Relig Explr(Z) and with Zoom
11:00a Worship Service (Z)
At Home Children’s RE Call church office, 316-684-
3481 for Zoom information.
5
In Touch, February 2021In Touch, February 2021
UU Common Read: Breathe: A Letter to My Sons
Below is a link about the 2020 UUA Common Read, Breathe: A
Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry. The UUA Common Read can
build community in our congregations and our movement by giving
diverse people a shared experience, shared language, and a basis for
deep, meaningful conversations. Breathe offers a broad meditation
on race, gender, and the meaning of a life well lived as well as an
unforgettable lesson in Black resistance and resilience.
https://www.uua.org/read
Seven members of our church are currently signed up to discuss this
book via Zoom the end of February (date TBD). If you would like to
join this group, please let Marcia Ellsworth know.
(mjelsworth@aol.com)
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Wichita
Annual Fundraiser: Valentine Tea for Two “In a
Box”
This year First UU’s virtual drive-thru Valentine Tea “In a Box” allows
you to indulge in a delicious tea party for two or more in the comfort of
your home. You can even join us for a tea party on Zoom!
Tea for two includes two of each of the following: Fancy tea sandwiches,
scones, cheesecake slices, baklava, brownies, banana bread, chocolates,
decorated heart cookies, conversation hearts, and tea bags. Increased
sanitary and food safety protocols have been followed in preparing
contents of boxes.
Win a beautiful gift from The Spice Merchant. One chance per box
purchased to be drawn on Sunday.
Cost per box is $15. Payment the day of pick up can be exact cash, check,
or credit card.
Pre-order and reserve your boxes before Friday, February 12 by calling Kay
at 316-945-0773. Quantities are limited, so order early.
Pick up your box or boxes on Saturday, February 13, between 3pm and 5pm
in the parking lot at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 7202 E. 21st Street
N.
Delivery will be available in Wichita for $2 extra, check or exact cash
payment.
Join us for a Zoom Tea Party on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 3pm.
Gloves, hats, and fancy dress are optional but fun and conversation are
mandatory.
6In Touch, February 2021
First UU Pagan Circle
- Anne Bailey
We will gather once again in our virtual circle at 4:00p on Saturday, February 6, via Zoom. This will
be just a few days past Imbolc which is traditionally celebrated beginning at sundown on February
1 through sunset on February 2nd. Imbolc or Imbolg, also called Brigid's Day, is a Gaelic traditional
festival marking the beginning of spring. It lands halfway between the winter solstice and the
spring equinox. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of
Man. We will be talking about what we expect and look forward to with the returning of the
growing time and planning for when we may once again meet in person. You may request Zoom
information from the Church office (office@firstUU.net) or from me (annebailey@earthlink.net).
Imbolc Scones
Because Imbolc reminds us of the rising milk in ewes and returning light to the spring horizon, I
love to wake early and bake scones. You can add berries, poppy seeds and lemon rind, or whatever
you’d like to flavor, but enjoying a warm scone on a quiet morning while the world wakes up
around you, ensures a lovely day ahead.
The Best Scones
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup milk
1 beaten egg
Preheat the oven to 400º. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Cut in butter.
Then mix in milk and egg. Roll to a 1-inch thick circle on a floured board, and then transfer to a
baking sheet. Cut to make 6-8 wedges, without separating. Bake for 25 minutes. Yield: 6-8 wedges
Source: Amber and Azrael Arynn K, Candlemas
Holiday Party Group: President’s Day
- Judy Wherritt
The Holiday Party Group has gone virtual! We’ll meet via Zoom, Saturday, February 13th, 6:30 – 8p in a
come-and-go conversation starting with a theme of best/worst US Presidents. Contact the church office for
Zoom information. office@firstuu.net
7In Touch, February 2021
Caring Committee
- Linda Jordan
The Caring Committee is the arm of the church that responds to
events in the lives of congregants. We send birthday and
congratulation cards in joyful times and sympathy and get well
cards when appropriate. We offer support by providing
transportation to church, medical appointments, and errands.
During bereavements and illness we sometimes provide light
housekeeping, a few meals, and help with receptions after memorial
services. Happy Birthday to our church members and friends! We
wish you many blessings as you celebrate your special day.
If you feel you have cabin fever, check out the zoom opportunities
in this newsletter or the weekly updates for chances to participate.
If you care to contribute to the Caring Committee Emergency Fund,
we thank you for helping us make it through the pandemic. Send
your contribution to the Church Office with “Emergency Fund” on
the notation line.
The Caring Committee sends thoughts and prayers to all that are
dealing with the COVID 19 virus either as a recovering person,
caretaker, and grieving losses or otherwise impacted. We may be
able to help or find you help. The Church has Dillon’s gift cards for
some groceries or gas. Church members remember Joe Mohr is
available to talk with. Call him directly to schedule an appointment.
Joe Mohr: 580-729-0781.
We welcome new members to join us, whether as committee
members or to help periodically with needs that may arise. Also, if
you know of a need in the congregation, please contact us.
What touches one of us touches us all.
8In Touch, February 2021
From the Worship Committee
- Kay Davis
As UUs we express our desire to create the “Beloved Community,” but we encounter a dilemma
when trying to define exactly what we mean by this term. Is it a place or an aspiration? Is it a world
in which we honor, make room for and value pluralism in all its forms? Or, is it something else
entirely? How do we bridge the gaps between diverse cultural traditions while still honoring the
integrity of those traditions? We will explore these and many other important questions this month
as we seek to clarify what it means to be a “Beloved Community.”
02/07 “The Interdependent Web of Our UU Community”
We come from diverse beliefs, and even if we don’t always agree with each other, our enduring
Seven Principles create a space for honoring shared values. Through commitment and
determination, First UU has maintained an ongoing community presence in Wichita for over 130
years. Lara Pollock leads a presentation that will include various First UU members sharing their
personal experiences of being a part of our Beloved UU Community.
02/14 “Stewards of a Safe Place”
Andrew Davis explores the challenges and rewards of creating and maintaining a beloved
community. Beloved Community sounds so comforting that our desire for comfort can actually
keep us from creating and maintaining the beloved community we all desire. It is fitting, then, that
the UUA Soul Matters team has asked us to think about what it means to be a beloved community
while we are also beginning to think about stewardship. Our Seven Principles call on us to be both
creators and stewards of the beloved community, which means, as Henri Nouwen tells us, that we
must work to create and maintain “the place where the person you least want to live with always
lives,” and that at times “you might be that person.”
2/21 “The Beloved Community: a Universe of Diversity”
If you look long enough, even at the smallest picture, you quickly notice how the universe expands
and explodes with diversity. No two things are alike. This diversity brings forth all manner of
adventure and enjoyment. However, it also poses the challenge of sharing our existence with those
of different walks, cultures, and values. Join us as we explore how the concept of The “Beloved
Community” helps us overcome our personal prejudice while living together. This service will
feature a special guest speaker, Crystal Saiyge. You are invited to see some of her work on her
YouTube page, https://youtube.com/channel/UCrbtviJZqYiRoNIpaGwbKtA
2/28 Tom Neilson returns (virtually) to First UU Wichita
Tom began performing at the age of three. He has worked and traveled around the world and has
performed his music in 22 countries on five continents. Among his many awards, he has received
two Song of the Year Awards from Independent Musicians. If you ask him, he will tell you that he
is just a farm boy with a guitar who loves a good ball game and human rights. Tom last presented
a concert and church service for us in February 2019, so we are looking forward to hearing from
him again.
9In Touch, February 2021
First Unitarian
Universalist Church
7202 E. 21st
Wichita, KS 67206
www.firstuu.net
The Eclectic Readers Book Group: The Log of a Cowboy: A Narrative of the Old
Trail Days by Andy Adams
Our selection for February is The Log of a Cowboy: A Narrative of the Old Trail Days by Andy Adams. It is an
account of a five-month drive of 3,000 cattle from Texas to Montana during 1882 along the Great Western
Cattle Trail. Although the book is fiction, it is based on Adams's own experiences, and it is considered by
many to be literature's best account of cowboy life. Adams was disgusted by the unrealistic cowboy
fiction being published in his time; The Log of a Cowboy was his response.
Originally published in 1903, it is still in print, and even modern reviewers consider it compelling. The
Chicago Herald claimed, “As a narrative of cowboy life, Andy Adams' book is clearly the real thing. It
carries its own certificate of authentic first-hand experience on every page."
We will meet via Zoom on Friday, February 19th beginning at 11:30a if you wish to join us to chat over
lunch and discussion will start at noon. Copies borrowed from the Wichita Public Library are available at
the Church. Please let Anita know if you would like to borrow a copy and receive the Zoom login
information.
10You can also read
