Monthly Archives: June 2015

Saturday, July 25: Picnic at Dierkes Lake

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Greetings MVUUF Friends and Members,

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship will be having a picnic Saturday, July 25 at Dierkes Lake. We have the South Shelter reserved from 8 AM to 11 PM so let’s take advantage of it!

We will be organizing some activities for kids and adults (more to follow). If you have ideas for activities, please let Dale Bostock (208-539-9880 ) or Susanna Terry (208-208-421-1781) know.

Dale will be organizing potluck meals and dispersal of front entry tickets. She will have sign-up sheets available at the Sunday services prior to the picnic for both the potluck meals and the front gate tickets.

Also, does anyone have a canoe or small boats they would like to share with the group for the day? If so, please let Dale know.

We will provide directions and more detailed information as we get closer to the picnic day!

Thanks and Take care,

The MVUUF Board

Diekes Lake

Sunday, June 28, 2015: “Ramadan: A Month of Spiritual Fasting”

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Host: Don Morishita
Ramadan is one of the most holy months for the one billion plus Muslims of the world when adults must perform the very strict and obligatory fast from dawn to sunset for 30 days. This month in the Islamic religion is believed to be when the Angel Gabriel conveyed the Word of God (the Holy Quran) to Muhammad.

The fast involves abstaining from all foods and liquids (including water), smoking, and sex. Fasting helps one to experience how a hungry person feels and what it is like to have an empty stomach. It teaches one to share the sufferings of the less fortunate. Muslims believe that fasting leads one to appreciate the bounties of God, which are usually taken for granted. Good deeds, extra prayers, and charity are given more weight during this time period and therefore these are further encouraged during Ramadan.

Overall this month carries a heightened sense of spirituality for Muslims. Ramadan ends with a big celebration called Eid-al-Fitr where the entire Muslim community gather en masse to pray and give thanks to God for His blessings. They then traditionally exchange gifts, visit relatives and friends and eat delicious dishes prepared for this occasion.

Below are two short music videos I am sure you will enjoy:
Ramadan Moon – Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)

Ramadan Is Here! – A Child’s Poem – (And Other Videos)

As Unitarian Universalists, we have a proud tradition of responding to the imperatives of love and justice to work with those of us who are marginalized and oppressed in society and the world. Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Child care is available. Please join us Sunday at our new location located in the Vendor Blender and Event Center, 588 Addison Avenue West, at 10:30 AM. Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are handicapped accessible. The Vendor Blender is located near the old hospital near the intersection of Martin St. and Addison Avenue West. Please park in the rear of the building and use the entrance on the west side of the building.

Sunday, June 21, 2015:  “A Fathers’ Day Service”

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Host/Presenter: Ken Whiting

The Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will celebrate Fathers’ Day, Sunday, June 21st. Our service will be dedicated to all the fathers, step fathers and other men who entered our lives and taught us about living, loving and caring.

Ken Whiting will present the service with stories and readings about the amazing and important role of fathers and the others who have fathered us. Some members of the congregation have been invited to also share stories about their fathers.

As Unitarian Universalists, we have a proud tradition of responding to the imperatives of love and justice to work with those of us who are marginalized and oppressed in society and the world. Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are handicapped accessible. Child care is available.

Please join us Sunday at our new location located in the Vendor Blender and Event Center, 588 Addison Avenue West, at 10:30 AM. The Vendor Blender is located near the old hospital near the intersection of Martin St. and Addison Avenue West. Please park in the rear of the building and use the entrance on the west side of the building.

Sunday, June 14: “Summer Solstice”

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Host/Presenter: Karen Fothergill

Sunday, June 14th, Karen Fothergill will present the topic for our service, the history of human celebration of the “Summer Solstice.”

Please join us to learn more about how the Summer Solstice is celebrated among various religious paths.

As Unitarian Universalists, we have a proud tradition of responding to the imperatives of love and justice to work with those of us who are marginalized and oppressed in society and the world. Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are handicapped accessible. Child care is available.

Please join us Sunday at our new location located in the Vendor Blender and Event Center, 588 Addison Avenue West, at 10:30 AM. The Vendor Blender is located near the old hospital near the intersection of Martin St. and Addison Avenue West. Please park in the rear of the building and use the entrance on the west side of the building.

Announcement from Elizabeth Greene:

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I will be in town on Friday afternoon, doing a worship workshop on Saturday morning, to plan for next year. Have you sent your worship-service hopes, ideas, comments, etc. to Karen Fothergill or me (uurev@pobox.com)? This is your chance to influence our weekly central congregational event, for the coming year! Looking forward to seeing you, this final Sunday of the 2014-2015 program year! In faith, Elizabeth

TEXT from May 18 service: “A Spiritual Retrospective”

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20150517 A spiritual retrospective This the text of Elizabeth Greene’s service of May 17, “A Spiritual Retrospective” The text includes our comments as a congregation, submitted during the service, indicating what we hope for by our participation in this fellowship. In Elizabeth’s words:

You might want to pay special attention to the part you “wrote,” that is your replies to my question, “Spiritually/emotionally, what do you hope for, from your participation in this congregation?”  They are eloquent expressions of our visions and hopes for the Fellowship.

Please share your ideas for the Worship Committee by June 6th

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Worship Committee is meeting from 10 am to noon at Karen Fothergill’s house on Saturday, June 6, to start planning worship for next year. Please send any ideas you might have, or suggestions of any kind about subjects, speakers, music, or anything else worship-related, to Ken Whiting. He will see that the Worship Committee and Elizabeth Greene get everything you send.

Rev. Greene sends you a reminder: “I am arriving on Friday, mid-day, and am available for a mid-afternoon meeting with anyone who wishes, also available for dinner that evening. Don’t be shy!!”

Sunday, June 7: Potluck Meal following service.

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Hello Members and Friends,

Our Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship is having an ALL CONGREGATION POTLUCK this Sunday, June 7th, following our service beginning approximately 11:30 AM.

Please bring a dish to share. If you are unable to bring a dish, don’t worry your presence is all we need.

As you all may know, this Sunday will be Rev. Greene’s last service for our current program year. Rev. Greene will return to serve our congregation beginning the Sunday in August.

Our new location, for those who may not have visited us recently, is The Vendor Blender & Event Center, 588 Addison Avenue West, located near the intersection of Addison Avenue West and Martin Street (near the old hospital). Click here for a map. There is parking in the rear lot. Please enter the building from the west side, as a courtesy to another group using the north end of the building.

Sunday, June 7: Flower Communion Ceremony

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Presenter: Rev. Elizabeth Greene

On Sunday we will have the ceremony of Flower Communion, and Rev. Greene will preach on the life of Rev. Norbert Capek, a brave and wonderful Czech minister who created the Flower Communion.

Be sure to bring a flower (or several) to church. In this inter-generational service, everyone—of all ages—will bring a flower and place it in the large vase in front of the congregation, before church starts. In the service, just before the kids go to their room, we will sing “Mother Spirit, Father Spirit.” While that is being sung, we will all file forward and take a flower that someone else has brought, symbolizing the bonds of community.

Of course, sometimes people forget to bring a flower, and there are often newcomers who do not know that we are doing Flower Communion—which is why we suggest that some of us bring more than one. Just as community involves reaching out to each other in times of abundance and also in times of scarcity, we provide beauty for each other, even if someone has forgotten.

One more thing, about which you will hear more in a few days: the Worship Committee is meeting from 10 am to noon at Karen Fothergill’s house on Saturday, June 6, to start planning worship for next year. Please send any ideas you might have, or suggestions of any kind about subjects, speakers, music, or anything else worship-related, to Ken Whiting. He will see that the Worship Committee and Elizabeth Greene get everything you send.

Rev. Greene sends you a reminder: “I am arriving on Friday, mid-day, and am available for a mid-afternoon meeting with anyone who wishes, also available for dinner that evening. Don’t be shy!!”