ROOTS OF INJUSTICE, SEEDS OF CHANGE 

Sunday, July 3, 1:00 - 3:00PM, at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln

Limited Seating

Developed by the Friends Peace Team, this in-person participatory workshop lays the groundwork for understanding the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery as it affected both indigenous people of North American and the European Colonizers. Educational in purpose, the two-hour program includes some harsh but true stories of our collective past offered by Indigenous leaders, settlers, descendants of colonizers, and historians laying the foundation for repair, reconciliation, and right repair. Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change is, like other scheduled summer talks and events, at its core the faith work called for at the 2012 General Assembly when the UUA congregations came together to condemn the Doctrine of Discovery. All Unitarian Universalists were called upon to study the doctrine and its impact on current-day policies, programs and beliefs. Registration required because of limited space, so sign up today HERE.   

Note: Masks and vaccines are highly recommended for this event as social distancing cannot be guaranteed. Childcare will be provided if requested. 

What can Right Relationship and Reconciliation look like? Mark your calendars and join us for two films, Two Rivers and Dawnland that tell the stories of a rural community in Washington State and the State of Maine as they begin and continue an open dialog between Native and non-Native residents of the area. See what concrete steps toward relationship and reconciliation look like. Both films - Two Rivers, Saturday, July 9 at 4:00-6:00PM and Dawnland, Friday, July 15, 7:00-9:00PM will include time for discussion to follow.  

Throughout summer, learn more about the first peoples who lived on this land and continue to be part of our community.  We have produced a Resource Guide that is full of information about our Summer of Reckoning & Reconciliation. The accomplishments of our Sunday sermon presenters, details about land acknowledgements, legislation, literature, media, organizations, and websites of the Native Americans who live and work among us today can be found in our Resource Guide.

​For more information contact: Nancy Harris, Carrie Holloway, Mary K Stillwell, Arden Hill, Suzanne Shackelford, Emily Cameron Shattil or Judy Hart.

SUMMER OF RECKONING & RECONCILIATION 
  
to download a PDF of the full calendar, click HERE

JULY & AUGUST 2022

July 3   10:00 - 11:00AM   UCL    Gettng Our House in Order by Mary Kay Stillwell

July 3      1:00 -   3:00 PM  UCL    Roots of Injustice Interactive Workshop

July 9      4:00 -   6:00PM   UCL    Two Rivers Film and Discussion

​July 10  10:00 - 11:00AM   UCL   In Search of Reconciliation on America's Stolen Lands
                                                          Dr. Margaret Jacobs, Director, Center for Great Plains Studies

July 15     7:00 -   9:00PM   UCL    Dawn Land Film and Discussion

July 17   10:00 - 11:00AM  UCL   Niskithe Prayer Camp Next Steps
                                                         Kevin Abourezk, Lakota Journalist and Activist
                                                         Short film Return of the Pawnees shown after the service

July 23    Podcast                         Indigenous Unlearning Conversations 
                                                         Kia Bordner (details TBD)

July 24   10:00 - 11:00m    UCL    Indigenous Unlearning Conversations
                                                          Kia Bordner TIGUA/YAZUE-UUA Minister

July 30   10:30AM - 2:30PM          Contemporary Indigeneity @ Great Plains Art Museum Tour
                                                           (registration required)

July 31    10:00 - 11:00M     UCL     There is More Truth
​                                                           Becky Seth and Christine Davis

August 5   7:00PM               UCL     Pow Wow Customs at the Lincoln Indian Center
                                                           Mike Wolf, Omaha Elder

August 6                                             Pow Wow at the Lincoln Indian Center
                                                            (Exact times TBD)

August 7  10:00 - 11:00AM   UCL     Sacred Seed:  Post-Colonization:  Indigenous Environmentalism and Living Red
                                                             Taylor Keen, Cherokee/hOmaha, Sacred Seed Project

August 7    1:00 - 3:00PM    UCL    Land Acknowledgement Discussion with congregation and Native guests

August 18  7:00PM                           Third Thursday Service - Antelope Park

August 21  1:00 - 3:00PM    UCL    Land Acknowledgement Discussion with congregation and Native guests



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In preparation for the Spring Congregational Meeting, there will be two Town Halls on May 8 and May 15 at 11:00AM. They will be in-person and on YouTube simultaneously. These are an opportunity to ask questions, get clarification, and raise any concerns about items to be voted on. You will also hear from the Board of Trustee candidates themselves on the importance of leadership as we all work to reground our community post-pandemic. YouTube links will be published in the eblasts.

At the Spring Congregational Meeting, members will vote on Board of Trustees and the 2022-2023 Share the Plate Recipients. We will also hear updates from key church leaders: Board of Trustees, Program Council, Minister, and Director of Religious Growth and Learning. Zoom links for the meeting will be sent out in the
eblasts the week prior to the meeting. You will find the agenda and all related documents on the governance page of the website.

This month will see the return of a special event that first happened nearly three years ago! It is with great excitement that on May 19 Oscar, the A Street Band, and our affiliated minister Rev. Kimberley Debus will present a progressive tent revival - old school faith meets modern values.

I've spent my entire adult life as a working jazz musician. But, having been born in Kentucky, my early childhood was filled with those old-time hymns and bluegrass favorites. My grandmother used to take us up to the country
store in Williamsburg, Kentucky, where we could rifle through various thrifted items and hear the local bluegrass jam. Her radio was always turning out Johnny Cash, the Carter Family, Willie Nelson, Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, you name it. It's a part of my musical heritage that I hold very close.

I hope you'll join us out on the patio on May 19 at 7:00PM for what promises to be a very special evening. See you there!

All the best,

Bob Fuson DMA
​
Music Director

​The Annual Church Auction is Here!
Fill Your Bag at Our Auction

For a successful auction, we need you to donate baskets/bags, artwork, handmade items, meals, events, services or tasty treats.

DROP OFF TIMES:  Wednesday, April 13 fro 9:00AM to oon, or Thursday, April 14, from 10:00AM to  1:00PM.
 
BIDDING STARTS:  Bidding begins Sunday, April 24 at NOON.  Bidding ends Sunday, May 1, at NOON.  Check eblasts for the bidding link and instructions. 

QUESTIONS?  Contact Karen Heafer (kheafer@neb.rr.com), Barbara Pearson (barbarapearson@neb.rr.com) or Julie Enersen (julieenersen@gmail.com).

Spring Congregational Meeting - Save the Date!

Our Spring Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 22, at 11:30AM. We will hold the meeting as a multi-platform meeting, much like we did for the Winter 2021 Congregational Meeting. Ballots will be provided ahead of time in the mail to
those who wish to use paper. For those who prefer electronic voting, a Google form will be linked to their email so votes can be submitted by completing the form. Voting will occur for 48 hoursfollowing the Congregational meeting.

To be ready for the Congregational meeting, we will host two Town Halls. These will occur on May 8and 15, using a multi-platform method of in-person and YouTube simultaneously. This is where we can ask questions, get clarification, and raise any concerns about items to be voted on. We’ll hear from our Board of Trustee candidates as well.

UnSung UU

It’s that time of year again: time to honor one among us as the 2022 UnSung Unitarian! The UnSung Unitarian Award is annually conferred to a church member demonstrating amazing leadership ... but having done so quietly andbehind the scenes. Nominations are offered by the congregation - but it is the Board who votes on the winner. The deadline is April 30, 2022.
Nominations will be passed along to the Board of Trustees for their May meeting on Wednesday, May 11, at 6:30PM on Zoom.
Members are invited to attend the meeting as observers. Email Lori Straatmann(unitarianchurchlori@gmail.com) to get the
Zoom link. The 2022 UnSung UU will be announced at the Spring Congregational Meeting on Sunday, May22. Nominate someone by emailing the church office admin@unitarianlincoln.org by Friday, April 30.
You can review a list of the award's past honorees HERE.  


Share the Plate

It is time to nominate local non-profit organizations or national Unitarian Universalist related organizations that express
our principles to be considered for Share the Plate for August 2022 through July 2023. Each year, we select (about) one Sunday a month in which the offering is given to a local or UU organization. Download the form HERE or email the church office (admin@unitarianlincoln.org) for the form. Please provide three pieces of information on or before Friday, April 29:
1) Nominator's name (you),
2) Nominee (the organization),
3) A short, descriptive paragraph (200 words or fewer) of your nominee's activities, goals and/or purpose.

Ten Share the Plate recipients will be voted on during the Spring Congregational Meeting on May 22. Past Share the Plate recipients can be found on the church's website HERE.

My show in the Art Gallery is called Multiples. Often one plate can get lost on a wall or look insignificant.  In this show, multiple pieces are tied together either with color, shape or subject matter. There are collections of fruit, animals, truc de l’oeil cutting boards, and a cornucopia to test out my idea. 

People often ask why I paint on porcelain.  It is an old-fashioned, if not archaic medium. Not much in fashion. It is simply because I love porcelain. Clear, hard, shiny and smooth it is a perfect surface. The overglaze paint, I use is clear and clean not muddied by oils and solvents. Overglazes are applied thinly in washes. So I can create fine detail and tonality. I have been painting for thirty-five or more years and I’m still not finished. 

So come see my obsession with porcelain on display and join me for an open house reception from 1:00 to 3:00PM on Sunday afternoon, March 6.

There will be some coffee, maybe with a little Irish, and some sweet treats. 

  - Peg Pelter

The Nebraska Chamber Players held their first concerts of the 2022 season at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln in Feburary with great success! The Chamber Players performed selections from Beethoven, Mozart, and Poulenc while introducing their newest member, oboist Darci Gamerl.

On March 11 (7:30PM) and March 13 (3:00PM) they will present a concert of works by Beethoven and Glinka in the sanctuary. Whether enjoying from the seats at 6300 A Street or on the livestream, the Players appreciate our continued support of them and the arts. A special thanks to Linda Brown, chair of the A/V committee, for all her assistance.

The partnership between the church and our state's premier chamber ensemble is a joyous one. ​The Nebraska Chamber Players and the Unitarian Church of Lincoln look forward to more concerts throughout the year!