UUFA Sunday Morning Program Committee
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.
Current Working Schedule
Programs in 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Agenda for upcoming meeting
Facilitator Duties
Workshop Notes
Committee Members
Resources
Fellowship Musicians
Programs Presented in 2008
January 2008
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 (Sam in Twin Cities)
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
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While Brian is on Study Leave in January, we will continue the
August Sustainability Series with one in January
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Jan 6 "We the People" Speakers: Brenda & Mark Witherspoon & Sam Wormley [48,86]
(common Commons) Facilitators: Marty Helland & Sam Wormley
Accompanist: Peggy Earnshaw
Special Music:
Given the current political climate, how might we UUs put
our principles into action? Come explore the relationships
between individuals and the common good.
Jan 13 "Meditation" Speakers: Joel & Meditation Group [57,134]
(we vs me) Facilitators: Jean Marie
[Children - 1st 15 min] Accompanist: Ginny Molgaard
Special Music:
The "finding me" in mindful meditation can transform the
me into a we through lovingkindness.
Jan 20 "Spirituality of Poetry" Speakers: Mary Richards, et al [44,74]
Facilitators: Linda Barnes & Sam Wormley
Accompanist: Anne Kimber
Special Music: Christine, Anna and Kitty
with Barb Evenson
Join us to explore life and UU philosophy as expressed
through the words of poets.
Jan 27 "Stone Soup" Speakers: Chris White & Linda Barnes [47,81]
[Story right at the beginning] Facilitators: Matt Keller & Dan Cullinan
[Children - 1st 20 min] Accompanist: Mary Richards
Special Music:
Please bring up to one-half cup of a vegetarian soup
ingredient that is ready (Ingredients should be partially
cooked or finely chopped) to add to our delicious pot of
Stone Soup in this celebration of sharing and community
that truly demonstrates that the whole is greater than the
parts.
February 2008
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 (in youth room)
24 25 26 27 28 29
Feb 3 "Greenman's Dreams" Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger [70,94]
(Pledge Drive Kickoff) Facilitators: Mary Richards & Tom Janicki
Accompanist: Ginny Molgaard
Special Music: Recorder Ensemble
The dreams we have for our community, for the Fellowship,
and for the wider world are not isolated from even the
wondering Green Man. How might the dreams of this mythic
figure, who sometimes meets with me on my forest
wanderings, inform the green dreams of our Fellowship?
Feb 10 "Prejudice: The Everyday Speakers: Rev. Tom Capo [47,70]
and The Malignant" Facilitators: Jean Marie & Sam Wormley
[Children - 1st 15 min] Accompanist: Barb Evenson in for Anne Kimber
Special Music: Fellowship Voices
We all have prejudices. We develop these as we have
experiences in the world. Some of these prejudices we are
aware of and some we are not aware of. The more aware we
are of them the better we can manage them. But sometimes
prejudice can become malignant and destructive--this can
happen on a personal, community or even a societal level.
Feb 17 "Elements of Life: Gaia" Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger {38,42] Winter Storm
Facilitators: Chris White & Sam Wormley
Accompanist: Peggy Earnshaw
Special Music:
The symbol of the mother goddess and an ecological
principle of interdependence, Gaia may be a unifying
principle for humanity today. Join us in this inner
exploration of an old idea made new.
Feb 24 "Youth Sunday" Speakers: High School Youth Group [52,81]
Facilitators: None Needed
[Children - 1st 15 min] Accompanist: Mary Richards
Special Music:
The youth have been gathering their thoughts, music,
poetry, and other materials to bring together this unique
service. Visions from our youth relating to the work they
wish to do in their futures regarding faith and politics
will form the basis of this service.
March 2008
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
Brian in --> 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Des Moines 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 <-- Spring Break (Mar. 16-23)
Easter ---> 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31
Mar 2 "The Interdependent Web" Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger [78, 118]
[New Member Sunday] Facilitators: Mary Richards, Linda Barnes
Accompanist: Peggy Earnshaw
Special Music: Jim Scott
Join in this celebration of song and story as we explore
our interrelationship with life. Jim Scott will join the
Rev. Brian Eslinger for the morning. Jim is a well-known
folksinger who brings great joy and enthusiasm to his
earth-conscious songs.
Mar 9 "In Praise of Disengagement" Speakers: Michael Bugeja [70,81]
Facilitators: Joel Geske & Sarah Carlson
[Children - 1st 15 min] Accompanist: Anne Kimber
Special Music: Free Spirits
Youth Prelude: Charlotte Mann
As tuition spikes beyond the means of students who own the
laptops, iPods, and cell phones being used in the
interactive classroom, the blurring line between
entertainment and learning grows as distracting as it is
expensive. Michael Bugeja recommends less emphasis on
interactive engagement and more on commitment.
Mar 16 "Don't Know Much about Speakers: GA group [49,67]
[Our] History: You and Our Facilitators: Matt Keller & Dan Cullinan
Denominational Connections" Accompanist: Mary Richards
Special Music:
Members who attended last year's Unitarian Universalist
General Assembly in Portland, Ore., and various Prairie
Star District conferences and workshops will explain how
you can enhance your UU connectivity.
Mar 23 "Resurrection of Life: Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger [60,98]
An Easter Question" Facilitators: Jean Marie, Sam
[Easter Sunday] Accompanist: Mary Richards
[Equinox Mar 20 5:48 UTC] Special Music: Tom Russell
The Easter story I grew up with centers around the bodily
resurrection of Jesus. I no longer celebrate that story as
part of my faith - so what does Easter mean to me?
Join me in my quandary.
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Sunday, March 30, 2008
On Justice Sunday, UU congregations unite in action on a single
important and urgent human rights issue. UUSC provides materials to
organize action for change. http://www.uusc.org/justicesunday
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Mar 30 "Ethics or Ontology, What Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger
is the role of religion?" Facilitators: Chris White, Linda Barnes
[Endowment Committe Skit] Accompanist: Mary Richards
Special Music: Rev Dr Kendyl Gibbons' Music
Special Music: Brian, Pam Schwab, Tom Russell, Barb Evenson
What, you may ask, is ontology? We've all got one. We
don't carry it around in our pockets or purses or jackets,
but it shapes what we believe and how we act in the world.
Along with ethics, ontologia are a major aim of religions,
but should they be? Oh sure, it sounds dry and boring -
but I promise you'll take home stories to
tell!
April 2008
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 <-- Sunday Morning Program Committee Meeting
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 <--- PSD Annual Conference and Meeting (April 11-13)
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
Apr 6 "Being a Good Neighbor" Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger and Tamaria Wright [58,105]
Facilitators: Jean Marie, Mary Richards
[Children - 1st 15 min] Accompanist: Peggy Earnshaw
Special Music:
Join us to experience the meaning of the word neighbor and
to learn about what we are doing and what we could do to
be good neighbors in our community. Tamaria Wright is the
director of the Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance
Cooperative.
Apr 13 "Iowa: Feed, Food, Fuel Speakers: LaVon Griffieon [69,81]
and the Family Farm?" Facilitators: Linda Barnes, Dan Cullinan in for Kay Puttock
Accompanist: Anne Kimber
Special Music:
Iowa is only 0.098 percent of the world's land mass -
pretty insignificant. Yet, according to the United States
Department of Agriculture, Iowa has between 10 and 25
percent of the world's finest soils. When those soils are
combined with our climate and rainfall, we have the
greatest potential on earth to grow food. That makes us
Iowans far from insignificant as the stewards of a
nonrenewable global treasure.
Apr 20 "Earth Day Celebration" Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger and Lori Allen, DYCM [115,141]
Facilitators: Mark Witherspoon in for Joel Geske, Mary Richards
[All-congregational] Accompanist: Barb Evenson
Special Music: Fellowship Voices
Special Music: Free Spirits
Hippopotamus song (Flanders and Swann) and This Pretty Planet
Special Music: Brian, Pam Schwab, Tom Russell, Barb Evenson
Join in our annual salute to the planet that makes it all
happen - Mother Earth! We'll give a rousing three cheers
in story and song, and, if we're not careful, we may even
learn a little bit before we're done.
Apr 27 "Just Be Natural" Speakers: Rev. Brian Eslinger [80,90]
Facilitators: Dan Cullinan, Matt Keller
Accompanist: Mary Richards
Special Music: Peggy Earnshaw & Mary Richards Piano Duet
Special Music: David Hickok, tuba solo
As I've explored what it means to be a responsible citizen
of the world, one of the questions that keeps popping up
is "What is natural?" In terms of environmental ethics,
great importance is placed on how we define this term.
Join me in my musings and explorations as I seek a natural
answer.