The fall at FUUSN is a busy season. I write this at an altitude of thirty thousand feet as I hurtle toward Chicago, to enjoy a much needed two-day retreat from the cares and duties of Membership Coordinator and to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo, where the famous dromedary Alexander Camelton can expect my familiar hail from across his enclosure before we (Elizabeth and I, not the camel) take the El to a performance of Hamilton, the musical about my behumped friend’s near-namesake from another time. For your Membership Coordinator has been at work on a variety of projects, and over the next few weeks there are a number of exciting FUUSN events, which I warmly invite all of you to mark on your calendars.
Ferry Beach is this weekend, and after the idyllic weekend on Sandy Island last spring, I am looking forward to spending time with those of you who are attending. I’ll be leading the worship service on Sunday morning, and all of you at Ferry Beach are welcome to join us for some song and reflection and (hopefully) sunshine not sea spray.
On the following Sunday, October 15, we open our new series of multigenerational lunch events Pizza & the Principles, ably expounded by Rowan and Theo last Sunday. Our monthly “Pizza & the Principles” lunch will provide a way to explore, through games and activities for adults and kids alike, the Seven Principles of UU. Come for the food, the fun, the fellowship, and the First Principle on Sunday the 15th from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall.
Those of you joining Chalice Circles this year will also have a chance to explore the Principles in a small group setting. And if you have kids, look out for the monthly social action projects for children, coordinated by Julia Huston, in the Headstart Room during coffee hour, where the kids will have their own opportunity to explore the Principles in a fun, hands-on way. If you are parent and would like to get involved with these monthly projects, perhaps to organise one, get in touch with Julia or myself. We would love to hear your ideas and to brainstorm with you!
A week later on Saturday, October 21, we will hold our long awaited New to UU Workshop from 9:00 a.m. to noon, in the Children’s Chapel. This will be a fun, low-key opportunity to get to know other newcomers to the FUUSN community, share your own spiritual journey, hear from key leaders, have a guided tour of our historic building, and engage in a conversation about what it means to be Unitarian Universalist in 2017. All are welcome, however new or old you may feel, but newcomers to the congregation are especially invited to attend, partly for an orientation to help navigate FUUSN and UU, partly for the chance to make your voice heard and to retrace the spiritual path that brought you here.
And on Friday, October 27, FUUSN will host the ever popular Family Fun Night, a party for kids and their parents (and grandparents!) in the Parish Hall, this time to celebrate Halloween. There will be Halloween themed crafts and games for the kids, a costume competition, delicious food, and some spooky dancing for all ages. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and we will eat and make merry till around 8:00. And if you want to bring friends, even the odd ones who have never set foot in FUUSN, they are welcome to join the party. Fun Night seems like a great opportunity to bring new people and new families to FUUSN.
Much of the hard work that goes into these events is shouldered by volunteers, and I would like to thank Julia Huston for bravely taking on the monthly social action projects for kids; Vern Ellis, for making Ferry Beach happen; Ann Woodbury, for creating the Chalice Circles; and Cathy Morocco, Laurel Farnsworth, Susan Bartlett, and Lynn Holbein for the wisdom fired by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm tempered by wisdom, that they will surely bring to the workshop on the 21st.
Deep gratitude is also due to the members of our hard-working Membership Committee, but above all to Pat Rohan, whose tireless support of these various events and initiatives, not to mention his patient mentorship as I have grown into my role, is something to be celebrated. Cheers, Pat.
I have landed in Chicago. Tomorrow, the zoo. -Samuel Foster, Membership Coordinator