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 October 6, 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, October 8 9:00 a.m. Choir rehearsal *10:00 a.m. "Against the Amendment" presented by Fair Wisconsin *11:30 a.m. EnAct Kickoff Meeting Sunday, October 8--Sunday, October 15 Interfaith Hospitality Network Week Monday, October 9 7:00 p.m. EnAct Study Group Meeting Tuesday, october 10 *7:30 p.m. New Member Orientation at Prairie Wednesday, October 11 6:30 p.m. Midweek Meal @ Prairie 7:30 p.m. Prairie Board Meeting Sunday, October 15 9:00 a.m. Choir rehearsal *10:00 a.m. "Peace Art" presented by Russ Gardner *11:30 a.m. Congregational Meeting on the Building Monday, October 16 *6:30 p.m. Spanish Speakers 7:30 p.m. Membership Committee meeting Tuesday, October 17 *7:30 p.m. New member orientation Wednesday, October 18 6:30 p.m. Midweek Meal @ Prairie 7:30 p.m. Program Committee meeting Thursday, October 19 *6:30 p.m. Lundin-Skog Covenant Group social hour *7:00 p.m. Covenant Group discussion at Skogs' Saturday-Sunday, October 21-22 *Fall Frolic weekend for kids Sunday, October 22 9:00 a.m. Choir rehearsal *10:00 a.m. “Ministrone for Healthier Congregations,“ presented by minister candidate Ralph Tyksinski *11:30 a.m. Congregational Meeting on a Minister Tuesday, October 24 *2:00 p.m. Prairie Elders at Oakwood West Wednesday, October 25 6:30 p.m. Midweek Meal @ Prairie *7:30 p.m. Deaton-Park Covenant Group meeting Thursday, October 26 7:30 p.m. Social Action Committee meeting Sunday, December 10 *Fundraising bus trip to Old Orchard Center, Skokie, Ill. (registration deadline November 19) NEXT PRAIRIE FIRE DEADLINE: Sunday, October 15 DETAILS OF COMING PROGRAMS October 8, 2006 Prairie is officially a Welcoming Congregation to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. As such, and also because we believe in “the inherent worth and dignity of every person” and “justice, equity, and compassion in human relations”--the first and second principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association-–the Program Committee has arranged for a service on the proposed amendment to the Wisconsin constitution. Come to Prairie’s Sunday service on October 8 both to be entertained and to learn about the proposed amendment to the Wisconsin constitution that would bar both gay marriage and any legal status similar to marriage for any unmarried individuals, gay or not. Madison’s high school-aged theatre troop Proud Theater will offer a comic dramatic scene called “Ten Reasons,” showing why people fear gay marriage. Afterward, Fair Wisconsin speaker Mark Noel, currently chair of the lesbian and gay law student group, QLaw, will make a presentation about the effects of the amendment, how Fair Wisconsin is fighting the amendment, and what you can do. October 15, 2006 Russell Gardner will talk about his involvement in "Peace Art." A Wisconsin native who spent 40 years out of state as an medical person centered in psychiatry, he retired from the University of Texas to live in Madison. From 1965 he also viewed himself as an artist, working first with welded assemblages of iron and steel and now in many other media such as ceramics, wood, drawing, and painting. In 2003 when the bombs began their falling, he with neighbor Robin Chapman began the Epidemic Peace Imagery (EPI) project. On June 1, 2003, 43 small works (12x16 inches) went on a display that has continued without interruption in more than 50 venues in Madison and Wisconsin, and as far away as Davis, Califonia (in a Unitarian congregation building!). EPI hopes that peace imagery might spread in epidemic form similar to infectious agents and war fever. Now 333 people have signed on in the exhibit, and a number of additional people have signaled their intent to participate. EPI is scheduled for one venue or another through nearly all of 2007. October 22, 2006 In the program, “Ministrone for Healthier Congregations,“ Ralph Tyksinski will explore some of the hallmarks of a healthy congregation as a type of guide that ministers use when they visit congregations. You will be invited to compare your own checklist of elements that mark healthy congregations on the rise with elements that seem to describe congregations struggling to survive. Ralph will also be sharing a perspective on “Shared Ministry” as Prairie UU Society moves forward with this newer face on its vision for the future. Ralph is a native of Chicago. He studied philosophy and religion at Knox (Lombard) College and at the University of Chicago Divinity School. He has taught school (Evanston and Chicago); held administrative positions in medical education, FEMA, and National Endowment for the Humanities (Oregon and Maryland); and served as UU minister (Orange, Mass., Marietta, Ohio, and Delafield, Wis.). OUR SOCIETY EnACT STUDY GROUP KICKOFF MEETING OCTOBER 8 The EnAct team will have a kickoff meeting on Sunday, october 8, after service. The EnAct program (Environmental Action) is packed with tons of ideas for how you can conserve in areas like solid waste, energy, and transportation. There are ideas for the newbie to conservation as well as for people who are already doing a lot. The regular sessions will be on Monday nights once a month, starting on October 8. For more details, contact Judy Skog. PRAIRIE ORIENTATION PART II The Membership Committee is offering the second orientation session, Tuesday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m., to discuss Unitarian Universalism in general and Prairie Society in particular. A third evening may be scheduled to accommodate your needs. All are welcome. Participants do not have to be new to Unitarian-Universalism or to Prairie to enjoy this evening of conversation among friends. In the second session we will share the history of our Society, how Prairie works (the secret handshake, etc.), and how each of us can find a find a home and contribute to its success. Please contact Rick Ruecking at 838-8540 so we can plan accordingly for child care and light snacks. Rick Ruecking SPECIAL PARISH MEETING Prairie will have a special parish meeting at 11:30 a.m. on October 15 to consider and vote on our options for a new meeting house. Come share finger food. Child care will be available. Please come to this meeting. The decision we make on October 15 will shape Prairie’s future for years to come. Members will choose among four options: 1. Build a new meeting house at the Fitchburg Center. 2. Buy and remodel the building at 5029 Raymond Road for use as a new meeting house. 3. Both 1 and 2, i.e., make an offer on the Raymond Road property, but continue our Fitchburg Center planning in case the offer isn’t accepted. 4. None of the above, i.e., for now stay at 2010 Whenona Drive. What We Want Before we consider our options for a new meeting house at our special parish meeting, it would be good if we reminded ourselves what we’ve said we want in a new home. At the start of the process for planning Prairie's growth, everyone was asked to contribute ideas and dreams about Prairie's physical environment. Every committee was asked to comment. R.E. wanted more space, with big windows, at ground level so the kids could run outside when the weather was good. R.E. also wanted one large room so that all the kids could meet together once a month, for spirit circle. And it wanted a much more adequate kitchen for kids’ snacks. The folks who set up for Sunday programs wanted a room large enough that they did not have to set up the chairs anew each time Prairie met. People wanted a much bigger kitchen. Hospitality wanted more lobby space for greeting people. People wanted a minister's office and general office space. And lots of room for storage and notice boards. Everything to be accessible, of course, and green, and in the Madison metropolitan area. A place that could be Prairie's home for the foreseeable future, because we did not want to go though the difficulties of deciding to move twice. Can We Do It? Let's look at possible modifications of each of the choices critically: what changes might need to be made at either site to make it work well for Prairie's present and future needs, and would those changes add to or subtract from the official sticker price? For example, if the Fitchburg Center site is too costly, could we live with a building 20% smaller, and expand later when we are bursting at the seams? If the building on Raymond Road has the kitchen on one floor, the meeting room on another and R.E. on yet another, would an elevator solve the problem, and what would it cost to install one? What requirements are so basic that we cannot compromise them (accessibility, legal requirements for parking) and what can we put up with, either for a while or forever? Designing and Budgeting There will be architect's plans of both choices available on your computers soon, and they will be posted on the walls at Prairie by October 8, for those of us who find downloading onto small screens a chore. Note the dimensions of each of the rooms: is a classroom 13 feet 7 inches by 11 feet 3 inches large enough? Or is a classroom 25 feet long by 15 feet 6 inches wide bigger than we need? If one is too small and the other too big, which would be easier to change? And think about money: can we raise the whole sum (whatever it is) in six months or a year? How much could you give, over what period of time? Would you give to whichever choice is made by the members as a whole, or more or less to one alternative or the other? Procedure for the Meeting I hope that the meeting won’t last more than an hour and a half. Here’s what I propose: 1. Any member who wants to speak can do so for two minutes. While that person is speaking, no one else interrupts. 2. After a member has spoken, others can ask questions. 3. After all have had a first turn, members can have a second turn for no more than two minutes each, if time permits. 4. At about 12:30, we’ll vote using paper ballots with all four choices printed on them. Members will be asked to mark the choices in order of preference. If there is no clear majority of first-preference votes for any option, the other preferences will be factored in. Become Informed If we’re going to keep the meeting as short as possible, all members must do their best to read the information that will be made available by October 8. There’ll be electronic and paper versions of everything-–drawings, budgets, narratives. Please read them carefully so that we can avoid lengthy presentations on October 15. Stay Polite and Factual over the years, many people have done a lot of hard work to plan for a new meeting house. All of them have Prairie’s best interests at heart. Let’s remember that when we meet on October 15. Let’s meet in a spirit of loving kindness–-let’s be kind to each other, and let’s stick to the facts. Peace, Mike Briggs, President SPANISH SPEAKERS Spanish Speakers will meet for potluck and conversation on Monday, October 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Prudence and Ray, 5410 Esther Beach Rd, Monona. For information, call Rosemary Dorney, 238-4382. ANNOUNCEMENT OF PARISH MEETING OCTOBER 22 Recommendation for our Consulting Minister Position The Minister Search Committee recommends that Prairie accept Reverend Ralph Tyksinski to be a quarter-time consulting minister for Prairie. Ralph and his wife Karleen met many Prairie members and friends at the Bethel Horizons retreat. Ralph will give a presentation during our program on Sunday, October 22. After the program on October 22, we will have a parish meeting, starting at 11:30, to vote on accepting Ralph for our consulting minister position. This is the official notification of the Parish meeting and the agenda. Please bring finger food to share. Ken Skog, Chair of the Minister Search Committee PRAIRIE ELDERS OCTOBER 24 Prairie Elders will meet Tuesday, October 24, at 2:00 p.m. More details will follow. The Exercise Room will be open at 1:30 for those who wish to come early for casual conversation. Participants are welcome to come and go as necessary for appointments, rides, chair attendants, etc. Refreshments: Please bring a handful of snacks to pass, if convenient. Beverages are furnished. About us: Prairie Elders aims to provide good times and mutual support for Prairie UU Members and Friends over 65. We also welcome other UUs who live in the facility where we meet. FUNDRAISER: SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP ON DECEMBER 10 Join the fun while supporting Prairie on December 10. Visit the 187 stores at Old Orchard, one of Chicagoland's premier shopping centers. Shops include Tiffany's, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Elisabeth, Fourth & Towne, Sephora, Sigrid Olson, and Armani Exchange. Enjoy one of the many fine restaurants (including Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's Little Italy, and California Pizza Kitchen). And "Shop 'til you Drop"! Pat Watkins has organized charter bus transportation leaving from UW Credit Union, UW Humanities Building, and South Towne Mall. Pickups will be between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and you will return to Madison at approximately 8 p.m. The transportation cost is $44.00, payable to Prairie U.U. Society. Payment must be received by Pat no later than November 19. Indicate boarding location and your telephone number on your check. Meals are on your own. However, you will receive a goodie bag with discount coupons to many of the mall's stores and restaurants. Written confirmation and detailed schedule will be sent to you by December 1. For additional information, call Pat at 233-5795. PROGRAM SURVEYS NEEDED Please return your program surveys at church. Copies are available from the desk in the foyer. Your feedback on the choice and quality of the Sunday programs will be invaluable to the Program Committee as it schedules Sunday programs for next year. PLAYREADERS Playreaders will have its first reading of the year on November 18 at the home of Paula Pachciarz. All members and friends are welcome. COVENANT GROUPS 2006-2007 Many Unitarian Universalist societies have found Covenant Groups provide a valuable experience for their members. “Covenant groups give us a way of structuring our interactions so that all of us, the quiet ones as well as the verbally quick, may be heard and made to feel a part of the whole. Any viable form of small group organization that produces mutual trust and service to others is a benefit to our faith.” --Robert L. Hill Purpose: Provide an opportunity for friends and members of Prairie to develop deeper connections and wider service within Prairie through small-group organization. Goals: To provide regular opportunities for expanding one’s mental and emotional horizons. To help people get to know and be known in more depth by about 10 other people in a thoughtfully organized group. Group organization: The small groups meet a minimum of once a month in a member’s home or at Prairie. The groups have trained facilitators, have a regular format, and prepare a covenant on how they will relate to each other (see details below). The groups plan and complete a project to serve the larger community. Groups are always open to new members when space is available. Prairie UU Covenant Groups Though Covenant Groups are more than study groups, they are usually developed around topics. The following two groups are planned for Prairie this year. If there is sufficient interest, an additional group may be formed. 1. The Left Hand of God Discussion of Rabbi Lerner’s book, The Left Hand of God. Lerner challenges the Left to give up its deeply held fear of religion and to distinguish between a domination-oriented, Right-Hand-of-God tradition and a more compassionate and hope-oriented Left-Hand-of-God world view. Meeting time: The 4th Wednesday of each month at Prairie, October through May, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (after the Wednesday potluck dinner). First meeting: October 25 Co-Facilitators--Karen Deaton and Barb Park 2. Everyday Spiritual Practice Using the book of the same name by Scott Alexander. Have you wondered how to integrate your heartfelt beliefs into your daily life? Here nearly 40 contributors ponder this creative dilemma and share their discoveries. Creating a home altar, practicing martial arts, fasting, quilting-—these are just some of the ways they've found to make every day more meaningful and satisfying. Meeting time: The 3rd Thursday in October, the 2nd Thursday in November, through May. First meeting: October 19 at Ken Skog’s house, 626 Orchard Dr., Madison at 6:30 for refreshments and chatting; group meeting from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Location of further meetings to be decided by the group. Co-Facilitators – Anne Lundin and Ken Skog To Join a group or ask questions about the groups, contact Karen Deaton at 278-8480 or karendeaton@tds.net. Necessary, Defining Elements of Covenant Groups • SIZE-–About 10 people. At least six, but no more than 11. Whenever a group drops below 10 or so, they welcome a new person. To symbolize those who have not found a Covenant Group yet, each open group includes an Empty Chair. • FREQUENCY of meeting-–Once (at least) or twice a month, or every three weeks, in someone's home or at church if there is a quiet, private, living-room-like setting available regularly. • FORMAT-–Combine worshipful and/or centering readings and personal check-in periods at the start and at the end. (See the Every-Meeting Format, below.) • FACILITATORS-–One or two people who have received training to facilitate covenant groups. Facilitators meet with a coach in a covenant group for facilitators so the training is ongoing and shared. • COVENANT-–By the second or third meeting, agree on how to be with each other, on what members are willing to promise each other to help make the group a positive experience. (For example, many groups covenant to listen without interruption.) Revisit this covenant often, especially when new members join the group. • SERVICE-–Agree on one service to perform for the church each year. Once a year: find a way of doing something beneficial in the larger community as a group. The Every-Meeting Format OPENING READING: From a Unitarian Universalist source (this can be anything that is in keeping with our UU Principles and values). The back of our hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition, has many good readings. Lighting the chalice would normally accompany the reading. CHECK-IN: Each person is asked to briefly state her/his answer to a question such as, What's on your mind today? How are you feeling? What do you need to leave behind for a couple of hours in order to be fully present here? As members of a group get to know each other, they may want to each share a joy or sorrow about their personal lives. THE FOCUS OF THE MEETING: Whatever topic, session or activity the group prefers, as long as it is consistent with our Principles. The focus should be on sharing, not debating. It is a time for deep listening. Also, the focus of a Group gathering is always secondary to opportunities for deepening relationships among group members. CHECKOUT (LIKES & WISHES): The facilitator asks each person for a word or phrase that says something about how she or he is feeling as the meeting draws to an end or gives members a chance to say what they liked about the meeting and what they wish were different. Checkout can also be used as a time for members to assess how well the group followed its covenant. CLOSING READING: Again, from a Unitarian Universalist source. Extinguishing the chalice would accompany the reading. MEMBERSHIP Member update: Jerry Simmons 663-0726 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FALLING INTO AUTUMN Autumn is not only a beautiful time of year (and my favorite). It's also a busy time of year. There are so many fun activities to do indoors and outdoors. Inside, our classes are off to a great start. Our preschool class' curriculum "Chalice Children" has our preschoolers learning about Prairie, UU symbols and doing projects like making chalices out of clay. Students in the K-2 class are learning about Prairie people and our church. They have had tours of the building and had a chance to interview several Prairie members. Grades 3-5 students are learning about UU principles in their workbook "Love and Help" and are working towards earning a chalice patch at the end of the year. Middle school students are learning about our beliefs through music. Students have had the chance to listen to music from artists such as Nirvana and from last Sunday's presenter Celia Farran. Humanism classes have our high school students discussing the History of Humanism, ethics and, this Sunday, the Nature of Relativism. Outside events will start with Fall Frolic, our annual overnight event. This year it will be Saturday, Oct. 21-22. Permission slips are downstairs. If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know. We are looking for people to supervise games in the park and to stay overnight. There will be dinner that evening and breakfast the following morning. First Unitarian Society has invited Prairie teens to come to their annual Medicine Walk in Spring Green. This will be a meditation walk through the woods. It will be a time to reflect on Mother Earth, each other, and ourselves. Afterward we will meet at FUS for pizza. This will be a great opportunity for our youth to meet other area UU teens. Parent/Teacher Coffee sessions have begun. This week we'll have parents of middle school children meeting downstairs for coffee and discussion. On October 29, parents of students in the 3-4-5 classes will meet; and K-2 has been rescheduled for November 5. This is a nice occasion for parents to meet the teachers and address in questions or concerns they may have. Lately I have been very busy downstairs and unlike this summer I have not had the time to say good morning to many of you. I miss hearing from you! I am always ready to chat about RE or anything else you may want to talk about. If you see me around the building, please feel free to stop me to say hi or to address any questions or concerns you may have. I am always ready to hear suggestions and feedback. Rebecca Malke (YREC) youthcoordinator@uuprairie.org WHERE ARE THEY NOW? They attend Prairie RE classes for years. We sing them downstairs on Sundays. They establish a place in our hearts. Then they leave. Where did they go? What are they doing now? This semi-regular column is an attempt to fill in some of those blanks about some of our former RE youth, now adults. Emily Owens is the oldest daughter of Rick Owens and Amy Wilcox. She attended Verona High School and "graduated" from Prairie RE in 1999. She’s been a camp counselor and waterfront manager in northern Minnesota; she’s worked at the circulation desk of the Verona Public Library; she’s taught “a million swim lessons” from Wisconsin to Washington State to Texas. She majored in Geology and Environmental Studies at Whitman College in Washington state, and spent her junior year abroad in Senegal. And where is she now? She left Wisconsin in August for a two-year stint in the Peace Corps in Micronesia. There she will be completing her MS in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University, in conjunction with a stint in the Peace Corps, through a program called “Master’s International”. Emily chose Environmental Engineering because it is an area of environmental science that offers opportunity for doing hands-on and people-oriented work, which she has a strong interest in. Actually, this is Emily’s second attempt to complete her Peace Corps experience. Her first assignment, in East Timor, ended abruptly this spring because of violence and demonstrations over the firing of almost half the country’s soldiers. Peace Corps and other international aid workers were pulled out because of concerns for their safety. Emily was driven through the capital city of Dili during a lull in the demonstrations. In an article for the Madison chapter of the East Timor Action Network, she wrote: “As we drove through town, I saw the charred shells of several buildings near the protesters’ headquarters on the west side of Dili. Things seemed eerily quiet and I was shocked to note such a dramatic transformation in the atmosphere of Dili within the space of a week. The Peace Corps driver drove to the east side of Dili, and hundreds of people were lined up on the side of the road, loaded down with their most important possessions, and waiting for any available transportation to get themselves out of town. It was clear that these people had been through this before, and were taking no chances this time...they were getting out as quickly as possible.” Micronesia is likely to remain peaceful during Emily’s stay there. She expects to complete her Masters International, but also aims to participate in some of her favorite activities. She still loves “to swim, bike, hike, run, and pretty much do anything outdoors and active.” Emily’s current email address is: emilylowens@gmail.com She won’t have regular access to the internet, but will respond to emails when she can. Emily says that, if she’s learned one thing in life, it’s “the importance of patience, flexibility and humor”. Good advice for anyone. UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST NEWS GENERAL ASSEMBLY VIDEO NIGHTS AT FUS IN OCTOBER Prairie members are welcome to enjoy video nights at First Unitarian Society (FUS) on Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. The FUS Denominational Affairs Committee will show the following DVDs from the 2006 General Assembly: October 16, 7 p.m. Congregational Discussions 1. What are the Traits of Growing Congregations? What are the Common Traits of Congregations with Stagnant and Declining Membership? What Can We Do? 2. What Do We Need to Teach-–As Best We Can-–to Our Children and Youth? October 23, 7 p.m. Friday, 2006 GA Worship Service: “What Are We Doing Here?” with the Rev. Josh Pawelek of the UU Society of East Manchester, Conn. As silence graces the mountaintop, Elijah steps to the cave entrance. A voice breaks through the silence, asking, “What are you doing here?” In search of right relationship, we will encounter such moments of silence, followed by this very potent question. Our answers will make a difference. Excerpts from Plenary II Being Allies to People with Disabilities Report of the Special Review Commission on 2005 GA Events that Affected Community of Color, Especially Youth Report of the Commission on Appraisal-–Review of Article II, The UU Principles, Sources, Purposes and How Well We Do (Our Community Covenant) Report of Social Action Commission How Study Action Issues Work for Congregations and the UUA Changes to the Study Action Issue Process Introduction of the Study Action Issue Proposal, Peacemaking ***JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS NEWS*** POLL WATCHERS FOR DEMOCRACY--SIGN UP FOR NOVEMBER 2 The Poll watchers for Democracy (P4D) action has gone live nationwide. Poll watchers for Democracy, an effort by Mainstreet Moms, Working Assets, VotetrustUSA, and Verified Voting encourages everybody to participate actively in the voting process. Please go to http://themmob.org/pollworkers/ and sign up with Poll workers for Democracy to work at the polls or, if that is not possible (too late to sign up for this year, or if your party registration status excludes you from working at the polls) to be a poll watcher. Please sign up with P4D even if you are already a poll worker. We will provide you with information, training and, after the election, with an online reporting form for election incidents you have observed. This information will be entered into a national database of voting incidents. Please take action. There is an effort to privatize our election. Do not allow them to do that! UUs for Verified Voting ********************************************* FREE 1-HOUR SRI TELECONFERENCES The UUA Committee on Socially Responsible Investing is proud to present five free one-hour learning teleconference sessions, including a repeat of our three successful sessions from last spring. The theme is "Making a Difference with Ideals, Impact and Involvement." Each session will teach one of the key strategies of the socially responsible investing movement. You'll learn concrete steps to get strategies implemented in your personal life or within your congregation. Each session is on a Saturday morning for one hour from 12:00 noon to 1:00 Central time. **Saturday, October 7: Where Is Your Congregation Along the Spectrum of Involvement? **Saturday, October 14: Impact--Community Investing **Saturday, October 21: Ideals--Investment Screening **Saturday, October 28: Involvement--Shareholder Activism **Saturday, November 4: IW Financial--A Screening Tool Details for all calls are on the flyer posted at http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/SRI-TeleConference-FlyerFall06.pdf Please join us for one or all of these. Register at least three days before the session by emailing Audra Friend with your name, phone number, congregation or other affiliation, and your role/title at: afriend@uua.org. She will reply providing the call in numbers needed to participate. Susan Leslie Director for Congregational Advocacy and Witness Unitarian Universalist Association 25 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02108 (617) 948-4607; sleslie@uua.org www.uua.org/justice OTHER NEWS MORE SEATING AVAILABLE FOR MIDDLE EAST SERIES The Wisconsin Academy has had an overwhelming response to its “Understanding the Middle East” series. To accommodate more people, “Paths to Peace” with Nadav Shelef, UW-Madison professor of Israel studies, and Ali Abootalebi, UW-Eau Claire political science professor, the last program in the series (7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 11), has been moved to a larger venue, the Capitol Theater, at the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St., in Madison. ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOP SCHEDULED IN MADISON How can white community members do our part to build a stronger movement for social, racial and economic justice? Join us for a six-week Anti-Racism Workshop where we will examine how racism and white supremacy impact our lives, institutions, and movements for social justice. We will discuss the history of systemic racism, hear stories of resistance from leaders of color, and analyze how white privilege plays out in our communities, working spaces, and organizations. Through this process we will develop strategies to take action for racial justice individually and collectively! This workshop is organized for white European Americans, but is open to ALL. When: October 8 - November 12; Sundays from 3:00 - 6:00pm Where: YWCA, 101 East Mifflin St, Madison WI 53703 Cost: $50 - $100 sliding scale fee; Scholarships Available What else: Childcare available upon request! We will work to make this workshop accessible to all. If you have specific needs or accommodations, please let us know. For more information or to receive an application, please contact Terry Ross at 279-2710 or trtrtr@charter.net.