Spring 2023
The Congregation is the Curriculum
By Nick Wallwork, DRE
The number one thing I talked about with the team that hired me was “Bridging the Upstairs/Downstairs Divide” which has been so prevalent at the Fellowship. And in learning about the history of the Fellowship, this is an intentional design. This “Silo-ing” was common in churches in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early aughts. But scholarly study and writing have repeatedly found that this no longer works. Some argue that it never actually did work.
UU Religious Educator Kim Sweeny wrote extensively on this. She writes, “Religious educators are being invited to engage the entire congregation in faith formation.” and shares a quote from UU leader Connie Goodbread, “Faith development is all we do. Unitarian Universalism is the faith we teach. The congregation is the curriculum.”
One more time for those in the back: The Congregation is the Curriculum.
Lifespan Learning
By Hazel Bell
Connections and networks are essential in navigating our lives. The MUUF Network helps link many areas of our Fellowship including facilities, welcoming, social justice groups, lifespan learning and more. Our spotlight today is adult lifespan learning programs.
Learning and spiritual growth are not limited to Sunday mornings. While worship services are an important part of our Fellowship, there are a variety of Lifespan Learning programs and opportunities throughout the week that allow us to deepen our understanding of ourselves, our community, and our place in the world
Let’s Have Some Fun at MUUF
By the Fun/Community/Connections Team
The FUN ministry started about 6 years ago with a focus of facilitating safe, fun, and low/no cost activities for the entire MUUF community. During Covid precautions, in-person Cinema Circles (like a book club but with movies) shifted to Zoom meetups to help keep us together and connected.
In Autumn 2022, as the pandemic waned, the Fun Team launched new offerings with the well-attended “Back in the Swing of Things” concert starring our own Darrell and Mary Courtley.
What is Value Engineering
By Gateways Committee (Steve Parker, chair; Helene Ferm, George Hays, David Horst, Sandra Persichetti, Toby Tyler)
The date for voting on the New Addition budget has moved from April to June. You are probably wondering: Why?
The answer in two words is: “value engineering”. Which leads to the next question: What is value engineering? The explanation may be easier by starting with another question: “Who are the players and what are their roles?”
Transylvania Tidbit
By Gabor Kiss
This year, 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Fellowship’s relationship with our Partner Church in Sinfalva, Romania (Transylvania). This relationship was initiated by Rev. Paul Ratzlaff in September 1993, in a letter written to Rev. Dénes Pálfi.
The Partner Church Committee maintains the relationship with the Fellowship’s partner church in Sinfalva, Romania (Transylvania (Erdély)), which was Hungary until after WW I. Sinfalva is about 15 miles from Torda, the birthplace of Unitarianism. The committee raises funds, disseminates information about the origins and history of Unitarianism and its state in modern-day Romania, and encourages contacts between the members of the two congregations.