Prairie Fire Nov. 22, 2011

Prairie Fire

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The Prairie Fire is published by Prairie Unitarian Universalist Society on the 6th and 21st of every month. View past issues at www.uuprairie.org/ newsletter/

Input Deadlines:
Calendar items, announcements, and program descriptions are due on the 1st and 15th of each month. Please send to Dan Klock at admin@uuprairie.org or call 271-8218.

November 22, 2011

Calendar

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
1:30 Prairie Elders meets at Oakwood Village West. The topic will be Earliest Memories.

Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving Day

Sunday, November 27, 2011
8:45 Choir rehearsal.
10:00 Service - “We the People,” presented by Carter Dary.

Monday, November 28, 2011
7:00 Program Committee meets.

Sunday, December 4, 2011
8:45 Choir rehearsal.
10:00 Service – Worker's Cooperatives
7:00 Memorial Party for Dave Johnson

Friday, December 9, 2011
5:00 Interfaith Open House

Sunday, December 11, 2011
8:45 Choir rehearsal
9:30 Nifty Gifty
10:00 Service – First in a series on Women: UN/Human Rights Day
11:15 Parish Meeting

Sunday, December 18, 2011
8:45 Choir rehearsal
10:00 Service – Intergenerational Service – Symbol Tree

Saturday, December 24, 2011
TBD Christmas Eve service

Saturday, December 31, 2011
TBD New Years Eve party

Upcoming Programs

Sunday, November 27, 2011, 10:00 a.m. "We the People,” presented by Carter Dary.

Carter Dary is a retired ELCA Pastor/Chaplain who will be speaking on his statement: "We the people" are living in a dangerous time. There is a genuine threat to this democracy and it is expressing it self every day. I quote Sinclair Lewis: "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross". That is happening now, as we speak. Distressing? NO, terrifying.

Sunday, December 4, 2011, 10:00 a.m. Workers Cooperatives

Sunday, December 11, 2011, 10:00 a.m. "First in a series on Women: UN Day/Human Rights Day" - presented by Saideh Jamshidi.

Sunday, December 18, 2011, 10:00 a.m. Intergenerational program focusing on poverty and homelessness, with our annual symbol tree.

Saturday, December 24, 2011, 4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service – Carol Sing

Sunday, December 25, 2011 Christmas Day – No Service

Contact Us:
President
Barbara Park
barpark@gmail.com
608-273-8775

Director of Religious Education
Rebecca Malke-Eliganti
dre@uuprairie.org
695-3435

Editor/Administrative Assistant
Dan Klock
admin@uuprairie.org
271-8218
Office hours: M – F
10:00 to 1:00

Prairie Websites:
Home Page
http://uuprairie.org

News Group http://groups.yahoo. com/group/prairie news/

Views
http://groups.yahoo. com/group/prairie views/

Social Action http://socialaction. madisonwi.us

Humanist Union http://humanist. madisonwi.us

News & Announcements

PRAIRIE ELDERS MEETING: Tuesday, November 22nd at 1:30 pm. We begin with a “round robin” for all who wish to share personal news. Topic discussion from 2:00 to 3:20. Site: Nakoma Room, Heritage Oaks building, Oakwood Village West. Call contacts for directions, parking or a ride. If convenient, bring your own beverage cup and a few snacks. Newcomers welcome.

TOPIC: Earliest Memories. This may well be another sharing session full of surprises. Sure, we may have unwittingly added creative touches to our memories over the years but who among us will know the difference? If photos help trigger memories, bring a few.

ABOUT US: Prairie Elders aims to provide good times and mutual support for Prairie UU Members and Friends over 65 and UUs living at Oakwood. Contacts: Donna Murdoch 238-3802, Gordon Cunningham 230-3367, Rosemary Dorney 238-4382 or Rose Smith 233-3363. Call Donna to add your name to the mailing list.

A memorial party for Dave Johnson will be held on December 4 at 7:00pm at Prairie. Join Marcia and her children for a slide show of Dave's life. Refreshments will be provided.

The Fall Parish Meeting will be held on December 11, 2011. Agenda items include an update on governance and Congregational Study/Action Issues.

The next Spanish Speakers Potluck will be held on Monday, December 12 at 6:30pm at the home of Marcia Johnson, 305 S. Segoe Rd. Please bring food if you can, but all are welcome! Call Marcia at 441-0271 for directions, or Rosemary Dorney at 238-4382 with any questions or to arrange a ride.

Humanist Union Meeting Dec. 4^th In December the Humanist Union will meet as usual on the first Sunday of the month, starting with a potluck lunch at 11:45 am. However, rather than having a speaker and discussion following the potluck we will have an informal planning session for our main event of the month, the 2011 HumanLight Celebration. This annual holiday party is now sponsored by the Madison Area Coalitions of Reason (MadCoR) of which the Humanist Union is a founding member. This year the HumanLight party will be on Friday Dec. 23 from 5:30 to 8 pm in the Gaebler Living Room of the Landmark Meeting House, 900 University Bay Drive. The evening will include a potluck dinner, music by Ken Lonnquist, a family friendly environmental presentation by Dr. Shahla Werner of the Sierra Club, and other things yet to be organized.
Governance Process
Prairie has now had three sessions to consider options for changing our governance structure. The discussions have been very productive, and the Board now has a good sense of what our congregation wants to do going forward. The Board has charged a bylaws drafting group with writing a first draft of proposed substantial changes to how we organize and govern ourselves. We are very hopeful these changes will make our Board more focused on strategic planning and more nimble in responding to changing needs of our congregation. We believe it will make service to Prairie on Committees or on the Board more satisfying, enjoyable, and productive. We hope the new structure allows us to be more effective in our core mission of empowering us to improve our world and to support each other.
Watch for the draft bylaws changes that will come to you by email or mail (your preference) within the next couple of weeks. READ THESE CAREFULLY. We want your thoughtful feedback. We will have two meetings in December and early January for the congregation to discuss modifications, and also welcome your individual responses online, by phone or in person to any of us in the bylaws drafting group. We intend to publish the final proposed changes by mid-January in preparation for a vote at a special Parish Meeting January 29, 2012.
Thanks to all of you who have participated in our excellent discussions so far, and for your continued contribution to the health and effectiveness of your Society.
Bylaws drafting group members:
Rachel Long, Long Range Planning Chair
Al Nettleton, Housing & Property Chair
Nick Abts, Program Committee Chair
Barb Park, President
Denominational Affairs
October is designated as United Nations Month, but this news item was delayed due to my lack of computer skills; mea culpa! R.E. will, no doubt, report to you on the outcome of it's Halloween work in support of UNICEF, so I will report on the UN-UNO's Blue Ribbon Awards program, which began in 2009. In order to be considered for a Blue Ribbon Award, a congregation must fulfill four requirements: have a UN-UNO envoy (our envoy default is Denominational Affairs), have a yearly UN Sunday service (ours will be in December), give the UN-UNO a line in its annual budget (we do this), and have at least five percent of its congregation (i.e. 5 or 6 of us) be members of the UN-UNO. We are in compliance with the first three. Picking up a membership form at the desk in the lobby and joining would bring us into compliance with all four reguirements, make us a Blue Ribbon Congregation and ensure our recognition as such at the 2012 General Assembly. Please join the UN-UNO.