Prairie UU Society, 2010 Whenona Drive, Madison WI 53711–4843 (608) 271-8218 admin@uuprairie.org Located off the south frontage road (West Beltline Hwy Rd.) near the Seminole Hwy exit. PRAIRIE FIRE August 25, 2006 "As the prairie stretches out until it becomes one with the sky, let us reach out to touch and be one with the natural world and with one another." (Bond of Union) Prairie Fire is the semi-monthly newsletter of Prairie Unitarian Universalist Society. The two most recent issues may be seen at http://uuprairie.org President: Mike Briggs (608) 835–0914 Editor: Dan Proud, admin@uuprairie.org; (608) 661–0776 PRAIRIE CALENDAR Sunday, August 27 *10:00 a.m. "Ingathering" led by Barbara Chatterton 10:00 a.m. Religious Education classes start. *12:00 noon. Humanist Union potluck and discussion Tuesday, August 29 5:00 a.m. Prairie serves breakfast at Men's Shelter. Wednesday, August 30 6:30 p.m. Midweek Meal @ Prairie *7:00 p.m. Building Progress Meeting Sunday, September 3 *10:00 a.m. "How Relevant Are Unions Today?" presented by Tracy Suprise Wednesday, September 6 6:30 p.m. Midweek Meal @ Prairie Sunday, September 10 10:00 a.m."Sacred Voices: A Pilgrimage of Story and Poem Into Sacred Traditions," presented by Andy Fraenkel Wednesday, September 13 6:30 p.m. Midweek Meal @ Prairie Friday, September 15-Sunday, September 17 *Prairie Retreat at Bethel Horizons NEXT PRAIRIE FIRE DEADLINE: Sunday, September 3 DETAILS OF COMING PROGRAMS Sunday, August 27 We gather together to reconnect and share our summer travels and experiences by bringing some of the waters from places exotic and domestic to mingle together in a common bowl. Please bring a small container of water and a few sentences describing your summer experiences. This will also mark the beginning of the Religious Education year for our young people, who will have their own ingathering ceremony. Sunday, September 3 Tracy Suprise, a registered nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, will be our guest speaker for this Labor Day Sunday. Tracy is a past president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199W/UP (Wisconsin’s United Professionals). This is the largest union in the U.S., the largest healthcare union in the U.S. and the largest nurses' union in Wisconsin. This Union represents health care professionals working in the Madison area for University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority (UWHCA), Meriter, Dane County, City of Madison and the State of Wisconsin. The Union is a leader in the fight for affordable health care for all, safe staffing in our health care facilities and the rights of working families to a living wage and stability. One issue related to safe staffing has been curbing the use of forced overtime. In 2005 the SEIU and the Teamsters both disaffilated with the national AFL-CIO. To find out more details about this union, go to http://www.seiu1199wi.org/ Sunday, September 10 Andy Fraenkel (www.sacredvoices.com) travels extensively. offering multicultural and sacred storytelling programs at schools, colleges and a variety of venues. He is also an author and workshop leader and the recipient of a WV 2005 Artist Fellowship Award. He and his wife resided in Madison in the early 70's and was a member of the Broom Street Theater. OUR SOCIETY ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES Do you wish you could stop global warming, but wonder what good one person could possibly do? Consider this . . . Switching ten 100-watt incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescents is the equivalent of taking one SUV off the road for a year. Wow! EnAct STUDY GROUP Did "An Inconvenient Truth" get you fired up to save the world and stop global warming? But you wonder what one person could possibly do? Have I got a deal for you . . . The EnAct program (Environmental Action) is packed with tons of ideas for how you can conserve in areas like solid waste, energy, transportation, etc. There are ideas for the newbie to conservation as well as for people who are already doing a lot. By implementing some of the actions, you could potentially save up to $400 a year. One of my neighbors (who was on the team we had last winter) is on target to do just that. And this is a guy with a daughter and twin sons all under the age of 5 (and not a lot of spare time). The EnAct team will meet once a month for 6-8 sessions. Watch the Prairie Fire for details, or call me. Judy Skog, 273-4813 HUMANIST UNION MEETS AUGUST 27 The Madison Humanist Union will meet at Prairie August 27. 12 noon-1:30 p.m for a potluck, followed by a discussion of "Public Attitudes Toward Atheists and Effective Responses," led by Warren Hagstrom. (Reference, The American Sociological Review, April 2006, "Atheists as 'Other'".) GATHERING TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON PRAIRIE'S NEW BUILDING Prairie's Capital Fundraising Committee has scheduled an informational meeting for friends and members to share the progress that has been made with fundraising for Prairie's new home, and to brainstorm on where we go from here. Members of First Unitarian Society and of Reeb are especially welcome. The model of the new building will be available for inspection and the Building Committee hopes that any comments or suggestions you may have will be written on paper that will be provided. This is your chance to hear all the facts that we have, and to learn what you can do to help transfer Prairie's RE Program into a superior learning environment. The Building Progress Review takes place at Prairie at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, immediately after the Wednesday evening potluck supper. Friends, well-wishers, members -- all will be welcome to both. PRAIRIE RETREAT NEWS OK, folks, put on your thinking hats! A highlight of the Prairie year is our annual retreat at Bethel Horizons, scheduled this year for Friday night, September 15 through Sunday noon, September 17. What makes it good is you! As the program planner for this year's retreat, I need your bright ideas for what you'd like as workshops and activities. Think BIG! Think OUT OF THE BOX! But more than that, I need you to volunteer to lead these workshops and activities or to support another person who will plan and carry out the activity. If you have a suggestion but aren’t able to lead it yourself, mention how much time it will need, and suggest a leader if possible. We definitely need some strenuous and fun activities for kids, craft activities for kids and adults, some discussion sessions on specific topics, perhaps some sharing of inspiring workshops or services attended at GA, something for the writers or photographers among us, maybe a drama workshop or a Toastmasters session, or you name it. Think of what you always wanted to learn or do, but haven’t yet. Think of skills or enthusiasms you may have that you haven’t shared with us. Contact me, Mary Mullen, by replying to this e-mail or by phone, 298-0843, the sooner the better. Here’s what we have so far – clearly not enough. - Book Club discussion of MARCH by Geraldine Brooks – about the father in "Little Women". - Workshop on stress management and relaxation techniques by Rachel Long. Some techniques are imaging, breathing, and muscle relaxation. - World’s Best Treasure Hunt, organized by Rick Ruecking. - Nature Hike, by Bethel Horizons naturalist - Nature Center Registration Details Registration forms are available at Prairie or from Robin Proud. Please submit these as soon as possible. Make checks to Prairie uuSociety. Scholarship money is available; we want to be sure no one stays away because of financial concerns. Options include staying in the lodge, outbuildings, camping, or just attending for a day. Carpooling is encouraged. Maps will be in the next Prairie Fire and available at Prairie. What to Bring Sheets, pillowcases and towels (or add another$7.00 per person to use Bethel's linens) Snacks for Friday night, preferably finger foods Props, instruments, or music for a Talent Show act Mary Mullen A NEW COMMUNICATION CENTER As people attend events at Prairie, they will notice the new communication center in the foyer. This desk/cabinet is the result of my personal challenge, as expressed at the recent Prairie Board retreat, to enhance communication between Prairie folk at all levels. It not only will serve as a place to display information about Prairie and UUism, but it also contains a desk where folks will be encouraged to leave messages for one another. Since we all thrive on hearing kind words about the efforts we make, I would like to personally encourage folks to stop off at the desk and pick up one of the feedback forms to make a comment about some of the good things you observe happening to make Prairie an exceptional place to invest oneself. Also, if anything rubs you the wrong way, please bring it to our attention so we are able to give it appropriate attention. On the provided forms, to help both the writer and the receiver determine the best way to direct comments, there are check boxes for various roles, positions and committees. Note that they are there only as suggestions and you are welcome to ask your note to be directed to other people as well. Of course, you're also welcome to use whatever is handy to write on when you think of something you'd like to share... including napkins. As a co-coordinator of the Program Committee, I would personally love to hear comments, good or bad, about any aspect of Prairie programming that you might choose to make. Over time I've had ideas for programs that I would have liked to suggest, except that there really wasn't a convenient way to make them. That is, to a large degree, what is at the root of both my participation on the Program Committee and my desire to set up this center for all of us. So, please, help make it an effective communication tool. If you notice something that needs attention about the property, if you want to give kudos to an RE teacher, would like to give feedback to a program presenter or participant, have a question or comment related to any committee work, or any number of a variety of possible issues, positive or negative, please take a moment to leave a note. Feel free to make it anonymous if you prefer. Dorothy Krause CIRCLE DINNER SIGNUPS The signup sheet for Circle Dinners has been circulating at Prairie the last few Sundays, and there are already more than 40 people on the list. If you would like to be included in a Circle Dinner group, you have until September 10 to sign up for the first round of dinners. You can always do this later, too, but you would be added to an existing group. The groupings will be announced the weekend of the 15th; if you are attending the retreat, you will receive the information there. Everyone who signed up will receive the names of those in their group. You may contact Karen Deaton or me to get your name on the Circle Dinner list. (Paula Pachciarz: 273-4806, pachwack (at) sbcglobal.net Karen Deaton: 278-8480, karendeaton (at) tds.net ) For those of you unfamiliar with them, Circle Dinners are dinner parties for small groups of Prairie members and friends who like to eat delicious food and engage in stimulating conversations. It is a great way to meet newcomers and old timers. The style is casual and potluck, the talk is good, and the food delicious. Here's how they work: The Membership Committee organizes names on the overall list into groups of usually 8-12 people. Usually 3 or more households are represented in a Circle Dinner group. The households can be composed of families, couples and singles. We will ask one household to convene the first dinner, usually at their home, but the dinner can be held anywhere that is agreeable. It can be held at a park, at Prairie, etc. Once the Membership Committee sets up a group, it is up to members of that group to finalize date, time and place to meet. We will honor preferences as best we can. Some people prefer groups that love to engage in political discussion. Some really like to play and sing music. Some people prefer groups with no youngsters. But there is one preference we won't be able to honor. Not everyone can be in a Circle Dinner group with a new family. There aren't enough of them to go around! Paula Pachciarz DANISH DESK TO A GOOD OWNER I'd like to give away a very nice, moden Danish desk with keyboard pullout. It is too big for me: 63" wide, 30" deep and 28" high - for a donation to Prairie. Call Rosemarie at 255 7039 or e-mail at rklester@wisc.edu. PLAYREADERS HOSTS SOUGHT Prairie Playreaders is looking for hosts to hold playreading get-togethers. Hosts get to choose the play being read. Comedy, tragedy, drama, all are welcome. You can also provide a treat to entice readers, of course. Please contact Susan Hagstrom at (1) 238-4970; (2) SusanTanyaAmI@aol.com or hagstst@dhfs.state.wi.us or hagstst@yahoo.com; (3) 916 Shorewood Blvd, Madison, WI 53705 if you would like to host a playreading and let her know which month (or date) would be preferable to you. SPANISH SPEAKERS ON VACATION Spanish Speakers potluck and discussion will take the month of August off. The next meeting will be September 21, 6:30 p.m. at the home of Mary and Andy Somers, 4467 Crescent Rd., Fitchburg, 276-8397. Rosemary Dorney CHICAGO MUSEUM TRIP SEPTEMBER 30 Saturday, September 30: Save this date for Prairie's fundraising trip to Chicago's Field Museum for the exhibit "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs." There will be more information in later editions of the newsletter, or contact Pat Watkins. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER The beginning of the RE year is almost here! It's going to be another great year. We will begin August 27 with the Water Communion. As always, we will take the water you collected from your summer travels, or the kitchen sink (!), and place them in our communion bowl. If you haven't collected any water there's still time. After the ceremony, we will have getting-to-know-you games outside. September 3 will kick off the RE school year. We still have two openings for teachers, so if you would like to be a teacher and make a difference in the lives of our children let me know. For anyone who is interested, the curricula have arrived. If you would like to view the lessons before the first day of class, contact me or one of the RE Committee members. This year's theme is UU Heritage and Principles. The RE Committee and I have chosen curricula and workbooks that will closely reflect the UU principles as well as the principles of Prairie UU Society. Our goal is to see more connection between our RE program and the congregation. I hope that all of us, whether we are teaching or not, will help educate our children and make this another successful year. I look forward to hearing about your summer adventures! Rebecca Malke youthcoordinator (at) uuprairie.org or 695-3435 MEMBERSHIP NEW DIRECTORY Please report any corrections for the new directory to Dan Proud at 661-0776 or by e-mail to prouds (at) tds.net. Errata will be distributed in September. IN MEMORIAM We extend our condolences to Jean Matos. Her mother, Josephine Malec, passed away on August 13. UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST NEWS JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS NEWS The UUA has joined the interfaith National Alliance to Restore Opportunity to the Gulf Coast and to Displaced Persons in A Season of Prayer and Call to Action. See http://www.linkedfate.org/. The suffering of those who lived in this region prior to Katrina continues. Many residents have become part of a new American Diaspora, unable to return to their homes in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast. The Alliance has initiated the Petition for Fairness & Opportunity demanding the federal government to do much more to restore hope and opportunity to our brothers and sisters inside and outside the region. Please bring it to your congregation - to download see http://www.linkedfate.org/documents/Petition%20for%20fairness%20opportun ity-081706.pdf (petition form in pdf format). The UUA continues to raise funds for our community partners in the Gulf and to work for a just recovery in the Gulf. For news see http://www.uua.org/ and http://www.uua.org/news/gulfcoastrelief/advocacy.html. As fall approaches, please mark your calendar for two important anti-oppressive social justice opportunities: 1) The UUA Socially Responsible Investing Teleconferences this fall. Mark your calendars and invite a group from your congregation to join the call. See details at http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/. 2) A searing documentary about Iraq and the experience of US troops is being released on September 15th and will be shown in major cities. Several UU congregations in selected areas will be showing the film in as well. Additionally, all congregations will have the opportunity to host a Ground Truth Gathering on OCT 11th and show the DVD. Go to http://www.thegroundtruth.net/ for more information, to order a DVD, and to sign up for a gathering. Audra Friend Assistant, Office for Congregational Advocacy & Witness Unitarian Universalist Association 25 Beacon St Boston, MA 02108 (p) 617.948.4656 or 617.742.2100 ext 656 (f) 617.742.0321 www.uua.org/justice ESCAPE TO VERMONT SEPTEMBER 22-24 Twelfth Annual B&B Weekend offered by the UU Church of Rutland, VT.  Enjoy the beauty of Vermont, UU hospitality, and a choice of guided activities:  hiking, canoeing, visiting the studios of local artists, touring historic sites and quaint towns, and much more.  Registration after August 1, $275 (single) and $475 (double).  For more information contact uufoliagevermont@yahoo.com or (802) 438-2095. OTHER NEWS INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY NETWORK BULLETIN (A monthly e-bulletin from Interfaith Hospitality Network) Did you know that IHN and the YWCA met our goal for the apartment project? With the help of our challenge grant, and due to the wonderful response of the community, we have added nine new apartments this summer! By September, there will be 17 formerly homeless families living in Second Chance Apartments. This is enough to meet our HUD goals and use all of our match grants, but we hope to recruit 3 more sponsors this fall for an even 20 – there are still plenty of families in need. An IHN guest who has been kind, soft-spoken, and very depressed showed us a huge smile we had never seen when her family was approved for the project. This family needed an extra interview to get through the screening. It had been so long since anything good had happened to them that they couldn’t think of what to hope for! But when they came back, they were full of plans and dreams about what they could accomplish in the next two years. Rachel Krinsky, MSW, IHN Executive Director MIDDLE EAST SERIES OPENS IN SEPTEMBER The cradle of civilization is now the world’s biggest tinderbox. On the fifth anniversary of 9/11, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters will open its 2006/2007 Academy Evenings season in Madison’s Overture Center for the Arts with "Understanding the Middle East," a special five-part weekly series on issues pertaining to the Middle East. Noted theologian Martin E. Marty, Chevron executive Jan Kalicki, sociology professor Joe Elder, and a number of other experts will shed light on problems in the Middle East and examine possible solutions. Programs will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, September 13–October 11 at the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State Street in Madison. All programs are free and open to the public. Free tickets are recommended to ensure seating and will be available beginning August 1 in the Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery at Overture, third floor. Summer hours: Tues./Wed./Thurs. 11–5, Fri./Sat. 11–8, Sun. 1–5, closed Mondays. The "Understanding the Middle East" series is sponsored by the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation. The Wisconsin Academy thanks the foundation for its generous support. The Roots of Conflict—Joe Elder September 13, Capitol Theater, 7–8:30 p.m. An overview of the region’s history and the root sources of conflict. Rx for “Oil Addiction”: The Middle East and Energy Security—Jan H. Kalicki, September 20, Capitol Theater, 7–8:30 p.m. Kalicki proposes ways to remedy our “addiction to oil” through a foreign policy strategy that encompasses both national and energy security. The Dilemma of Fundamentalism—Martin E. Marty September 27, Capitol Theater, 7–8:30 p.m. On the dilemma of fundamentalism as opposed to constructive religious practice, with an emphasis on how this problem pertains to the Middle East. Beyond the U.S. Veil: Women in the Middle East—Mary Layoun, October 4, Promenade Hall, 7–8:30 p.m. A discussion of the status and promise of women in the Middle East. Paths to Peace—Nadav Shelef and Ali Abootalebi, October 11, Overture Lobby, 7–8:30 p.m. Presenting their views on possible paths to peace in this embattled region. Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, 1922 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726, www.wisconsinacademy.org PRAIRIE UU SOCIETY FALL RETREAT Bethel Horizons Center, September 15-17, 2006 Names: ______________________________ Phone: ______________ Address: ____________________________________________________ ACCOMMODATIONS: Requires bedding and towels, and soap. Accommodations have heat, electricity, and showers, except cabins & campground. Adults Children (under 12) Prairie Center: (4-5/room, private disability-accessible bathrooms, 72 beds total) 2 nights: # ___ x$52 = $____.__ 2 nights: # ___ x$26 = $____.__ 1 night: # ___ x$32 = $____.__ 1 night: # ___ x$16 = $____.__ Note: The Prairie Center will be fully booked and possibly less private than the Barn Retreat Center. Please propose people with whom you would be comfortable sharing a room: ______________________________ Barn Retreat Center: (26 single beds, shared bathroom) 2 nights: # ____ x$38 = $____.__ 2 nights: # ___ x$19 = $____.__ 1 night: # ____ x$28 = $____.__ 1 night: # ___ x$14 = $____.__ Farmhouse/Bunkhouse Center: (17 single beds, shared bathrooms) 2 nights: # ____ x$34 = $____.__ 2 nights: # ___ x$17 = $____.__ 1 night: # ____ x$24 = $____.__ 1 night: # ___ x$12 = $____.__ Camping ($8/person or $20/family per night): $____.__ Day Fee (no room): #____ x$12 = $____.__ Subtotal of Accommodations: $____.__ MEALS (Vegetarian Options on the Meals, indicate number of persons: #____) Adults Children Saturday breakfast: #___ x$5.50 = $___.__ # ___ x$2.75 = $___.__ Saturday lunch: #___ x$6.50 = $___.__ # ___ x$3.25 = $___.__ Saturday dinner: #___ x$8.50 = $___.__ # ___ x$4.25 = $___.__ Sunday breakfast: #___ x$5.50 = $___.__ # ___ x$2.75 = $___.__ Or All Meals: #___ x$26.00 = $___.__ and # kids ___ x$13.00 = $ ___.__ Subtotal meals: $ _____. __ My family needs a partial scholarship of: $___.__ (subtract) Donations for scholarships: $ ____.__ (Make checks payable to “Prairie UU Society”) Total Due: $____.__ Send this form to Robin Proud, 114 Glen Hwy, Madison, WI 53705 (608-661-0776) or bring to Prairie by Sunday, September 3. Rooms are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis after accommodation for age & disability.