Sunday Morning Program Committee of the UUFA
The Sunday Morning Program Committee (SMPC) plans and implements
year-round Sunday morning services during times when our minister
doesn't speak. The committee works with our minister to facilitate
and to plan shared programs. Members arrange for speakers from
within and from outside the Fellowship.
Committee Members
Programs in 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Current Working Schedule Jan. - Sep. 2010
(question marks indicate an uncommitted idea or person)
January 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
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January -- Class Distinction Series: Inclusiveness, Inclusivity,
Diversity, and Racism
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Jan 3 "Don't Make My Blindness Speakers: Clay & Jamie Gurganus, Andrew Williams [52,72]
Your Disability: My Vision Facilitators: Linda Barnes & Greta in for Sarah Carlson
of Our World" Accompanist: Guest Accompanist - Curtis Chong
Special Music: Curtis Chong
Sound: Donald Lewis & Sam Wormley
As part of our series on acceptance and inclusivity the Gurganus' offer
their insights into becoming blind. Come and listen as they share
moments along their journey and, perhaps, gain a greater appreciation of
their views.
Jan 10 "Religious Pluralism and Spiritual Convergence " Speakers: Mary Sawyer [49,61]
[Kids Down 15 min] Facilitators: Mary Richards & Kelly Cheney
Accompanist: Amber Anderson Mba
Sound: Donald Lewis & Sam Wormley
Special Music: Daniel Apatiga, piano
In the last half-century, America has become a religious marketplace in
which individuals can "shop around" for a religious home or spiritual
expression that meets their particular needs at a given point in their
life. We will examine the meaning of this expanded religious pluralism
for our society as a whole, and also explore the freedom that this
pluralism creates for configuring our personal spiritual values and
perspectives.
Prelude: Thea Brenner
Jan 17 "And the truth is marching on" Speakers: Preston Daniels [50,80]
Facilitators: Mark Witherspoon, Jess Higgins
Accompanist: Paul Ferrone
Sound: Donald Lewis & Sam Wormley
Special Music: Jess Higgins & Liz Gull
Barack Obama's election as president was a glorious victory for equality
in the United States. But the struggle for civil rights for everyone is
far from over. Preston Daniels, director of the Iowa Department of Human
Rights, will provide insight into how we can keep moving forward to keep
the dream alive.
Prelude: Emma Runquist, flute
Jan 24 "Rootedness vs Parochialism" Speakers: Linda Barnes [54,91]
[Kids Down 15 min] Facilitators: Amy Slagell & Jess Higgins
[Congregational Meeting 10:15am] Accompanist: Ginny Molgaard
Sound: Donald Lewis & Sam Wormley
[Iowa Grown Meal follows] Special Music: Recorder Consort
This service will explore inclusivity as it pertains to our sense of
place. When does a sense of place or rootedness in a community become
parochialism? Can we be rooted in our communities and keep an eye
toward the wider world, particularly when making decisions that impact
both the wider world and our community in conflicting ways?
Jan 31 "DRAWING A CLUMSY CIRCLE: Speakers: Chuck Richards (Chris White - Shepherd) [48,68]
Viewing Life Through an Facilitators: Sam Wormley & Mary Richards
Artist's Eyes" Accompanist: Peggy Earnshaw
Sound: Donald Lewis
Special Music: Upstairs Drummers
Drawing can be an obsession. Making marks on paper is the purest and
most basic of all art forms. Imagine traveling down a long, twisting
path, crossing through places you had visited before and finally winding
up back where you started. A drawing of that journey might look like a
large, clumsy circle. This is life's path. Drawing teaches me ways to
connect with the world, to learn about myself, and to communicate with
others. I hope our paths cross on Sunday, January 31st.
February 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
Linda Barnes 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (Includes Facilitators Workshop)
in Storm Lake -> 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 <-- Possible PSD Program Council Meeting
28
Prelude: Eden Marek, piano
Feb 7 "Stewardship Sunday" Speakers: Rev. Mark Stringer [61,57]
[Kids Down 15 min] Facilitators: Mark Witherspoon, Sam Wormley with Deb Kline
Accompanist: Paul Ferrone
Special Music: Charlotte Mann, harp
The Rev. Mark Stringer, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Des
Moines, helps us kick off our stewardship campaign, Defying Gravity,
with reflections on how we can transform our Fellowship in this time of
transition and in these hard economic times by putting our generosity
where our vision, our hearts, and our minds
are.
Prelude: Orff Players?
Feb 14 "The Challenge of Love" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger [75,50]
(Jesus) Facilitators: Kelly Cheney & Amy Slagell
William Ellery Channing Accompanist: Barb Evenson
Good Samaritan Special Music: Fellowship Voices & Orff Players
New Quartet: Deb & Kendal Kline, Barb Evenson and Sam Wormley
In a program last fall, I asked whether love could be sufficient grounds
on which to base our religious convictions and ethical actions. My
answer was: not really. After much reflection, I've decided that this
idea deserves more than one Sunday's attention. This week, I'll explore
how a deeply relational understanding that we can call love may serve us
well.
Feb 21 "Do No Harm (Jainism)" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger [63,76]
[Kids Down 15 min] Facilitators: Kelly Cheney & Mary Richards
[UUA GA Chalice] Accompanist: Ginny Molgaard
Special Music: Paul Jasper & Patrick Jasper
The Jain tradition has an ideal of Ahimsa, meaning to do no harm. This
admonition extends to believers' actions, their speech, and even their
choices of profession. What can we learn from this central tenet of the
Jain faith? How does one function in the world with such a lofty goal?
Feb 28 "Youth Sunday" Speakers: UUFA High School Youth [56,132]
Facilitators:
Accompanist: Anne Kimber
Special Music:
March 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 <-- Spring Break (Ames Schools)
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
Mar 7 "Zen and the Art of Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger [65,80]
Bagpiping" Facilitators: Mark Witherspoon & Andrew Williams
[Kids Down 15 min] Accompanist: Peggy Earnshaw
Special Music: Kristin and Barb (harps)
What could Zen Buddhism and bagpiping have to do with each other? You
don't see the similarities between sitting quietly, allowing the mind
to settle, and blowing furiously to make a sound that would scare the
fleas off a dog? What do they have in common? More than one might
think.
Mar 14 "Fatal Fallacies" Speakers: Rev. Evan Keely
(no Fellowship Voices rehearsal) Facilitators: Sam Wormley & Toby Ewing
Accompanist: Amber Anderson Mba
Special Music:
There are misconceptions about every religion. These misunderstandings
are not only found among those outside a religious community: adherents
to any given faith don't always clearly comprehend what they've
committed to. We are no exception. There are a number of commonly held
fallacies about Unitarian Universalism among us that do not serve us
well.
[Vernal Equinox Mar 20 12:32 PM]
Mar 21 "Mental Illness Today: Speakers: Kelly Cheney, et al
A Community Issue" Facilitators: Jess Higgins & Kay Puttock
[Kids Down 15 min] Accompanist: Anne Kimber
Special Music: Hanna Vollbrecht, horn
In a program last fall, we asked you to hold hands with individuals with
mental illness. Your response was what do we do next? To understand the
answer to that question we will look at the issues affecting individuals
with mental illness and how mental illness has evolved into a community
issue. Then we will explore how can help respond to this matter in the
greater community, personally, and within our congregation.
Mar 28 "Justice Sunday" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
[Justice Sunday] Facilitators: Amy Slagell & Mark Witherspoon
Accompanist: Barb Evenson
Special Music: Fellowship Voices
Three topics that too often are viewed as competitors for our energy are
actually intricately related. Join us for this special justice Sunday
program, where we will explore these interlocking issues and describe
how the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee represents us while
seeking to improve lives around the world.
April 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 <-- PSD Conference (April 23-25, 2010) in Davenport
25 26 27 28 29 30
Apr 4 "Easter" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
[Kids Down 15 min] Facilitators: Jess Higgins & Kelly Cheney
Accompanist:
Special Music: Fellowship Trio
Anne Kimber, piano; Larry Burkhalter, violin; Christopher Hopkins, cello
Prelude: Ian Werbel, violin; Michiyo Hattori, piano
Apr 11 "This I Believe" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger, et al
Facilitators: Andrew Williams & Mary Richards
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Apr 18 "Earth Day" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
[Earth day is April 22 every year] Facilitators: Mmy Slagell, Andrew Williams and Linda Barnes?
[Kids Down 15 min] Accompanist:
Special Music: Fellowship Voices
Apr 25 "TBD" Speakers: Kali Hayslett (confirmed) 0.2k
PSD (April 23-25) in Davenport Facilitators: Chris White & Kelley Cheney
Accompanist:
Special Music:
May 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
Brian in 1
Des Moines --> 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 <-- May 14 Friday Night (2hr) PSD, Hawkeye, Dawn
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Bennett, Community
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31
May 2 "Stories From the Journey" Speakers: Music Committee Members
[Annual Meeting after single service] Facilitators: Kay Puttock & Sam Wormley
[Kids Down 15 min] Accompanist:
Special Music:
May 9 "Mother's Day" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
[Mothers's Day] Facilitators: Sarah Carlson and Mary Richards
[Peace Sunday] Accompanist:
Special Music: Fellowship Voices
May 14 "The Life of Brian" Speakers: Many
Facilitators: Brenda, Mark, Andrew, Andrew & Kelly
Accompanist:
Special Music:
May 16 "Fine Art Sunday (with Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
Deb Kline)" Facilitators:
[Kids Down 15 min] Accompanist:
Special Music:
May 23 "Youth Experiences" Speakers: Clair Barnes-Runquist & Alex Askew
Facilitators: Linda Barnes
Accompanist:
Special Music:
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Transition to single 10am service from two services at 9am and 11am
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May 30 Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
[Memorial Day observed May 31] Facilitators: Sarah Carlson
Accompanist:
Special Music:
June 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 <-- GA 2010 Minneapolis, June 23-27
27 28 29 30
Jun 6 "Flower Communion" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger
Facilitators: Mark Witherspoon
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Jun 13 "Affirmation" Speakers: Rev. Dr. Brian Eslinger & SMPC
[Picnic in the Park] Facilitators: Wormley, Linda, Kelly,
Accompanist:
Special Music:
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Summer Spirituality Series - Potential Topics and Speakers (contact person)
o Andrew Severin (Jess Higgins)
o Jasper Boys (Clair Barnes-Runquist) - Music
o Jim Coppic (Kay Puttock) - "Sex, Sweat & Tears", etc.
o Ron Schuck (Kay Puttock) - Running
o Knitting Group - Conscientious Crafters (Mary Richards)
o Birding Group (Sam Wormley)
o David Denhaan & Carolyn Myers (Jess Higgins) - Cooking, Kiaking
o Liz Gull (Chris White) - Science
o Passionate Photographers (Mary Richards) - Helen, Nancy, Sam, etc.
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Jun 20 Speakers:
Summer Solstice Jun 21 6:28 AM CDT Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Jun 27 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
July 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Jul 4 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Jul 11 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Jul 18 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Jul 25 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
August 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
Aug 1 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Aug 8 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Aug 15 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Aug 22 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Aug 28 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
September 2010
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
Sep 5 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
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Transition from single 10am service from two services at 9am and 11am
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Sep 12 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Sep 19 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Sep 26 Speakers:
Facilitators:
Accompanist:
Special Music:
Stonetree Congregational Resources
Backup ("hip pocket") Programs
o Singing Sunday (congregational member choose their favorites)
o Congregational Sharing (topical)
Potential Program Ideas
o Lori Allen
-UUFA Member and Author, Jim Coppoc
o Greta Anderson
-Integrating Cultures
-AIDS Program
o Sarah Carlson
-Do we really embrace diversity?
o Amanda Feeley
-Health Issues - Medical cannabis
-Reclaiming Religion in Home Schooling
o Paul Ferrone
-Music Program (200th B'day Felix Mendelssohn, F. Chopin and/or
Robert Schumann)
o Ginny Molgaard
-Gardening, the spirituality of
-Poetry (organized by subject matter)
-Stories behind new hymns from "Singing the Journey: Supplement
to Singing the Living Tradition"
o Chris White
-"Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices"
-Karen Armstrong, "The Battle for God"
o Amy Slagell
-Nature Focus