Prairie UU Society, 2010 Whenona Drive, Madison WI 53711–4843 (608) 271-8218 admin@uuprairie.com Located off the south frontage road (West Beltline Hwy Rd.) near the Seminole Hwy exit. PRAIRIE FIRE BULLETIN "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." May 6, 2009 In this issue: -calendar -programs ********CALENDAR********** Saturday, May 9, 2009 9:00 am - Prairie Women's group (WOW ) meets at Prairie for breakfast potluck. Sunday, May 10, 2009 9:00 am - Choir Rehearsal. 10:00 am - service - "Women Composers; or Who was Hilda Neupert?," presented by Jim Reilly. 11:45 am - Hospitality committee meets. Monday, May 11, 2009 7:00 pm - Spanish Speaker's Potluck at the home of Kate Tucker, 221-2168, please call for directions or information. Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:00 am - Choir Rehearsal. 10:00 am - service - "Transition Sunday," presented by Religious Education. 12:00 pm - Ethical Humanism study group potluck, presentation by Ron Solomon at 12:45. Wednesday, May 20, 2009 7:00 pm - Program committee meeting at Prairie. Thursday, May 21, 2009 7:00 pm - Movie group (tentative.) Saturday, May 23, 2009 8:00 am - noon, UU Blood Drive at First Society, walk-ins welcome. Sunday, May 24, 2009 9:00 am - Choir Rehearsal. 10:00 am - service - "Minding the Gaps in our Lives," presented by Rev. Ralph Tyksinski. 11:45 am - Prairie Book Club meets to discuss Loving Frank. Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:00 am - Choir Rehearsal, last of the season. 10:00 am - service - "The Zen of Gardens and Gardening," presented by Mary Mullen. 2:30 pm - Humanist Union picnic. Save the Date! June 24-28, 2009 UUA General Assembly in Salt Lake City. July 26, 2009, Annual Joint Service with area UU congregations, at Sauk City. October 23-25, 2009 Prairie's Annual Family Retreat at Pine Lake Camp ***************UPCOMING PROGRAMS************************** Sunday, May 10, 2009, 10:00 am - “Women Composers; or, Who Was Hilda Neupert?” presented by Jim Reilly. Join us for a program of music by women composers, from Baroque times to the well known Romantics (Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, and the American Amy Marcy Cheney Beach) to little known figures such as Hilda Neupert. With an American excursion at the end into songs by Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday, just for a little non-classical balance. Jim Reilly has been director of music at several Twin Cities churches, including First Congregational Church of Minneapolis, Mindekirken (The Norwegian Memorial Lutheran Church in Minneapolis), and, in the 80's, First Universalist Church of Minneapolis. He has been a frequent guest performer in the Friday noon series at First Unitarian Society in Madison (and will perform there on May 8 just before he visits us). He was raised in Universalist Churches (before the merger) in New Jersey and Syracuse New York before coming to Minnesota in the 1960's, and at the age of twelve he met and became a friend of Prairie's choir director Barbara Park. Sunday, May 17, 2009, 10:00 am - “Transition Sunday,” presented by Religious Education. Prairie will celebrate Transition Sunday, an annual event which marks the end of the Religious Education year. We will recognize our youth who are about to embark on a new journey in their educational lives. We will also honor those, especially teachers, who have helped meet each child's spiritual and educational needs throughout the year. Music and readings will be provided by Prairie youth of all ages. Sunday, May 24, 2009, 10:00 am - “Minding the Gaps in Our Lives,” presented by Rev. Ralph Tyksinski. On this observed Memorial Day weekend our reflection will be on the expanded scope of Memorial Day. It is now a day on which we commemorate the “gaps”, or “empty places” that all those, including family, friends, and loved ones who have died, leave in our lives. The central purpose of Memorial Day is captured in its name: Memorial Day is a day to remember. Sunday, May 31, 2009 - “The Zen of Gardens and Gardening” presented by Mary Mullen. Although still in the planning stages, this service will for certain provide facts into how a number of us came to be gardeners or garden appreciators, insight into what keeps us going when our backs may ache and the bounty is too much, too much, too much, and a description or “picture” of what it is about gardens and gardening that sustains our souls – in short the Zen of gardening. There’s likely to be a sprinkling of the literary as well. Whether or not you love gardens or gardening, expect to come away with a certain amount of sustenance for your soul. This service is being organized by Mary Mullen. If you want to contribute to it in any way, please contact her at . Input Deadlines: Calendar items and program descriptions are due on the 1st and 15th of each month. Feature articles for the full Prairie Fire are due on the 15th of each month. Please send to Kate Liu at admin@uuprairie.org or call 271-8218. The full featured Prairie Fire, including calendar items, programs, and articles, is published on the 22nd of every month.The Prairie Fire Bulletin is a calendar- only newsletter that is published on the 6th of every month. Both are published by Prairie Unitarian Universalist Society of Madison, WI. View past issues at www.uuprairie.org Contact Us: Minister Rev. Ralph Tyksinski minister@uuprairie.org 873-6041 Youth Coordinator Rebecca Malke-Eliganti youthcoordinator@uuprairie.org 695-3435 Editor/Administrator Kate Liu admin@uuprairie.org 271-8218 President Rachel Long 608-328-4899 Prairie UU Society 2010 Whenona Dr. Madison, WI 53711 608-271-8218