Second Congregational Meeting House Society

Unitarian Universalist11 Orange St. ~ P.O. Box 1023

Nantucket, MA 02554(508) 228-5466

Nantucket Unitarian Universalist Newsletter ~ August 2012

WHERE LAND AND SEA MEETReflections on the life and lives of a religious community

by Rev. David M. Horst

How do opinions get heard and decisions get made in a congregation? These questions arise routinely in congregational life; but because members of congregations commit themselves to the often messy democratic process, the answers are not always clear cut.

The process of communications and decision-making is especially important right now as the Board of Trustees and members of the congregation consider the future of ministerial leadership. You have made the twin commitment of keeping the reserve funds from further depletion while continuing to fund a well-compensated, professional ministry position following my departure one year from now. The most pressing issue is the choice between full-time and part-time ministry. Is there potential for conflict and division among congregational members on this question? Yes, but if everyone commits to an open, inclusive process the likelihood of conflict and division can be minimized or even elimi-nated.

Here are a few guiding principles and commonsense procedures you may wish to consider:

Maintaining good relationships with one another is the most important thing. Honest, respectful relationships are both the means and the ends of congregational life. Nothing matters more.

Trust that everyone connected to this religious community -- from the most committed Board or committee member to an occasional attendee -- has the congregation’s best interests at heart. Speak and act in good faith and know that others are doing likewise.

Following “loose-tight” leadership principles may be helpful, especially for members of the Board. Free and candid ex-change both in formal and informal settings is vital. Keep the conversation loose and open, but stay tight in adherence to the vision and values of the congregation.

It’s natural to talk with those who agree with you and to join a group of allies; but take care not to factionalize. There’s no us and them -- only us. Don’t allow yourself to be merely a “promoter” for or a “dissenter” against a particular point of view. Disagree with and challenge one another, certainly, but no fort building.

Let the process work, give it time, and be generous to one another. There is not one “right” way, but a variety of possible options. Frame questions as challenges to be met and not problems to be solved. I know you have the creativity and wherewithal to figure it out.

Get advice. Consult with staff at the Unitarian Universalist Association and our Ballou Channing District. I will assist with this. Through the Association you learn about “best practices” followed in other Unitarian Universalist congrega-tions. In the end, however, you make your own choices.

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On July 9, the board of the South Church Preserva-tion Fund (SCPF) elected new officers: Mary Beth Splaine (President), Libby Oldham (Treasurer), and Chris Lohmann (Secretary); Sissy Girard was reelected Vice President of the organization. With the major restoration of the Meeting House now successfully completed, a few smaller but impor-tant items still remain on the agenda, most particu-larly the lighting fixtures and the windows. Part of the original budget for the overall restoration ef-fort, these final projects are not expected to require additional fundraising. However, as the board’s attention is now shifting from full-scale restoration to long-term maintenance, further efforts will have to be made to increase and administer the organi-zation’s Permanent Maintenance Fund.

The board recognized that, while a large number of people, through their volunteer, professional, and financial contributions, have played significant parts in the restoration process, none stands out more than Les Ottinger. In his role as president over a decade, he guided the work of the board; he nudged all hands-on projects forward through every obstacle and difficulty; and he deftly resolved practical and personal conflicts without ever losing his sense of humor or his clear perception of the ultimate goal.

The board read into the minutes a resolution that includes the following language: “. . . without [Les’s] leadership and persistence the wonderful restora-tion work would not have been accomplished so successfully and expeditiously. The members of the SCPF board, the Unitarian congregation, and the community as a whole are deeply grateful for his dedication to this important project.”

The board also sent a special letter of thanks to Joan Ottinger for her tireless and highly successful work as chair of the fundraising committee.

SOUTH CHURCH PRESERVATIONFUND NEWSby Chris Lohmann, SCPF Secretary

THE STORY OF THE CHURCH MODELby Christine Sanford

This model was built in 1939 by Ning Der. He was 17 years old and a pupil the Academy School. He came to Nantucket with his father from Canton, China, to join his grandfather, who operated the Canton Laundry on Straight Wharf for many years.

The model is made of plywood and construction cardboard. The roof is fine sandpaper with a thin coat of black paint. There is real glass in the windows. Ning first used an old bicycle bell for the dome, but it proved to be of unsatisfactory proportions and he subsequently found that a turkey egg, emptied and cut in half, was the perfect size.

One of his teachers wrote: “Ning was never satisfied with halfway measures. He went to the church and re-corded its dimensions; he counted the rows of shingles in the walls and the number of shingles in a row; he counted the panes in the windows.”

The model had been stored for many years in the earthen-floored cellar. During the 1982-86 restoration, it was retrieved and restored to its original condition by Jack and Jim Hendrix. When the steeplejacks finished the tower work on the church and gilded the dome, they saved a little of the 23-karat gold leaf and gilded the dome on the model, which originally had only been painted gold. In 2011 after sustaining damage it was completely restored again by Leon Lancaster, an island resident and model-building master.

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Ultimately a vote will be taken at a congregational meeting. Ideally, a consensus will have been reached or, at the veryleast, no one will actively seek to block the decision. I will do everything in my power to facilitate the process, keep thecommunication lines open, and respond to any build up of stress or anxiety.

I realize now that the decision about the full or part-time ministry may be the most important transitional task you face as a congregation and the greatest challenge I face as your interim minister. You have accomplished much in one short year, and I’m immensely gratified to be a part of your transitional process. Serving as your Interim Minister has enabled me to grow and learn in ways I never imagined.

Now we must listen in love, speak in truth, and seek what’s best for the future ministry of this beloved congregation on this beautiful island of Nantucket.

“Where land and sea meet” is my Nantucket analogy for congregational life. A church lives in a tidal zone where our private and public lives meet and converge like the meeting place of the land and sea.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REPORTby Casey Sayre Boukus, RE Committee Member

On July 1 we kicked off the RE Summer Program with anArt Gallery Tour led Anne Sutherland and Mary Beth Splainefor the older children. Talking, choosing and sharing somephotos of art throughout time started a conversation aboutwhat art means to each of us. The pocket park at Fair and Main was the perfect venue. Afterwards we toured Robert Foster’s Fine Art Gallery and once again found our favorites in each room. Robert talked about the artists and was a wonderful host to us. Artist Elizabeth Congdon spoke about her work too. Each child responded to the art with a painting of their own on canvas using oil pastels.

On the following Sunday the children visited the Maria Mitchell Natural Science Museum, one of the island’s very spe-cial resources. Director of Natural Science Andrew McKenna-Foster led the group on a tour of the reptiles housed in the museum. The RE group was full of questions and Andrew patiently answered each one as he allowed the students to touch and feed the various specimens. After the visit to the museum, the group enjoyed juice and snacks on the picnic tables on the MMA campus opposite the historic birthplace of astronomer Maria Mitchell. Leading the group were Linda Spery, Val Hall and Bob Hall.

On July 15 the RE class enjoyed a wonderful walking architectural tour of the area around our beautiful church, led by David Barham. Beginning with the Quaker Meetinghouse, David spoke in his quiet, gentle, eloquent voice about the his-tory of the building, the meaning behind its style and the people who gathered there. We then crossed the street to learn about its loftier neighbor, St. Paul’s, and again David wove design details, history and spiritual belief into a story of the building, its construction and the people who worship there. The children were able to view the insides of both buildings and compare the differences of the structures as well as the religious beliefs of the people who created them. They were encouraged to discuss their thoughts as well as favorite details. David provided them with historical photos to view the buildings and the town then and now and pointed out details about lifestyle as well as architecture. Thank you David for a wonderful tour and visit to your beautiful garden!

There is plenty more exploration and inspiring outings for the older children to come in the weeks ahead, including gar-dens, farms, the Atheneum, sketching the beautiful town streets and walking the Labyrinth! Younger ones remain in the loving professional care of Jen Dunbar. Parents or grandparents are encouraged to join in if you feel so inspired!

Robert Foster welcomes the RE class to his art gallery.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING: AUGUST WORSHIP & RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Program for children and youth - Literary scavenger hunt at the Atheneum gardenIt ain’t easy being a religious liberal! Conservative religious affiliation dwarfs that of liberals. Conservative values dominate conversations about religious belief and political orientation in the media. Right-wing culture war-riors delight in attacking (and misrepresenting) liberal values. What’s an good liberal to do? Come and get some ideas and pointers. David Horst leads the service and presents the sermon “How to Be a Liberal.” Rev. Horst also responds to the presentation by Stephen Prothero, Boston University Professor of Religion, given the evening before as part of the What’s Now! series. Music with Diane Lehman, the Meeting House Choir, and guest artist Jessica Heuser, soprano. Children and youth enjoy stories and games in the Nantucket Atheneum garden with Susan Richards, Linda Spery, and John Rivera. (Snack provided.)

Sunday, Aug. 5 “How to Be a Liberal”

Sunday, Aug. 12 “The Garden of Eden Revisited”

Program for children and youth - Brant Point Marine Biology LabJack Weinhold made the winning bid at the auction in May to select a topic for a Sunday morning sermon. He has asked Rev. Horst to consider what meaning the Garden of Eden has for us today. Are we born into sin or blessing? What is the nature of good and evil? Are our gender roles predetermined? Let’s take a 21st century look at the Western world’s foundational creation myth. Music with Diane Lehman, the Meeting House Choir, and guest artist René LaPierre, organist. Children and youth visit the the Brant Point Marine Biology Lab with Anne Sutherland, Val Hall, and Yve Shevalier. (Transportation and snack provided.)

Program for children and youth - Sketching on Fair StreetUnitarian Universalism is a justice-seeking faith. In our words, music, prayers, and actions we call for justice and the end of oppression and inequality. But is there also a place for mercy? Are there situations where justice cannot be done and only mercy can bring reconciliation and healing? Rev. Horst discusses this idea in his sermon, “Can We Be Merciful?”, and responds to the talk by J. Wells Dixon, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitu-tional Rights, presented the evening before as part of the What’s Now! series. Music with Diane Lehman and the Meeting House Choir. Children and youth enjoy a sketching on Fair Street with Anne Sutherland, Yve Shevalier, Alyson Gaylord-Loy, and Tamzin Hutchinson. (Snack provided.)

Sunday, Aug. 19 “Can We Be Merciful?”

Each Sunday, start the day with Morning Meditation at 9 in Hendrix Hall. Infant and toddler care provided by Jen Dunbar and Linnie Hall beginning at 10:30. Enjoy coffee and conversation following the programs. Bring brunch food to share.

Sunday, Aug. 26 “A Celebration of Music”

Program for children and youth - Walking the LabyrinthToday we welcome the STARS Youth Chorale conducted by Jessica Heuser to our Celebration of Music. Music with Diane Lehman and the Meeting House Choir. Rev. Horst presents a reflection on the role music plays in our emotional and religious lives. Children and youth walk one of the island’s labyrinths at with Susan Richards, Georgen Charnes, and Linda Spery. (Transportation and snack provided.)

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PRESIDENT’S REPORTby Bob Hall, Board of Trustees President

On Sunday July 22 we held a Special Congregational Meeting in Hendrix Hall to discuss the future of our ministry. For those who could not be there I am devoting this report to that topic. I began the meeting by thanking all of those who have worked so hard these past months. The list includes over 30 names on nine committees.

Our interim minister, Rev. David Horst, will depart a year from now on July 31, 2013. What to do next?

We will be spending the next six months determining the future of our ministry. The search for a settled minister be-gins with a committee that develops a detailed profile of our congregation and a clear statement as to what we want for a minister. That in itself is an involved process. We also need to determine a financial package to offer the prospective candidates, but at this time it is difficult to see what we can offer. It is the opinion of the Board and Rev. Horst that we need a third year of interim ministry. There are still many tasks to be completed.

The members of our congregation agree how important it is to practice responsible financial stewardship. We voted in 2010 to no longer use the principal from our endowment for our operating budget. We voted to reduce our draw over a three year period. For the current year, 2012 we reduced the draw by reducing the budget by about $30,000. In 2013 we will reduce the draw by an additional $12,500, and in 2014 by an additional $25,000. In 2015 there will be no draw from principal. We feel we can meet the goal for 2013 through increased rentals and fundraising, but it is difficult to see how we can bring in an additional $25,000 in 2014.

My goal, and that of the Board of Trustees, is to show clearly the need for increased income. Have you made your pledge? We invite your participation.

OUR VISION STATEMENT

“We would like to be known as an open, diverse, loving and respectful, compassionate and supportive congregation. Building on the foundation of Sunday worship services with uplifting music and inspiring and challenging sermons, we would like to be known as a place where there are exciting, provocative, interesting, and fun year-round youth and adult programs that motivate involvement of the congregation in the direction of community outreach and social justice.”

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, February 18, 2012

Andrew McKenna-Foster of Maria Mitchell Association teaches the RE class about snakes at the MMA museum.

The RE class takes a break during a recent architectural landmarks walk-ing tour around downtown Nantucket led by David Barham.

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NOONDAY CONCERT SERIES SHOWCASES LOCAL TALENT

Join us for five more Noonday Concerts in August at the Meeting House. The weekly, 40-minute con-certs take place every Thursday at noon. We thank ReMain Nantucket for its underwriting support as well as the organizing efforts of the Music Committee and Diane Lehman, Acting Director of Music. A donation of $5 is requested.

Thursday, August 2Jim Sulzer, classical guitar, performing works from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.

Thursday, August 9Nigel Goss, bass, Aiden Sherry, guitar, and Jessica Heuser, vocal, performing a blend of jazz, blues, and Bach.

Thursday, August 16Mollie Glazer, cello, and Mary Keller, harp, performing a medley of classical, folk, and jazz music.

Thursday, August 23Carson Cooman, organ.

Thursday, August 30Meeting House Choir under the direction of Diane Lehman, Acting Director of Music.

WHAT’S NOW! SERIES FEATURES PROTHERO AND DIXON IN AUGUST

The new cultural series called “What’s Now!” at the Meeting House continues in August. Funded by the M. S. Worthington Foundation, the series presents speakers on two Saturday evenings in August. Naomi Arenberg, a popular Boston-area NPR personality and currently a host on WUMB and WBUR public radio stations, is the series host. Admission is $10.

On August 4, the series presents Stephen Prothero author of the just-published American Bible: How Our Words Unite, Divide, and Define a Nation and a professor in the Department of Religion at Boston University. Previous books include God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World and Why Their Differences Matter and the New York Times bestseller Religious Literacy: What Americans Need to Know. He comments on religion on dozens of National Public Radio programs, and on televi-sion on CNN, NBC, MSNBC, FOX, and PBS. He was also the chief editorial consultant for the 2010 WGBH/PBS television series “God in America.”

J. Wells Dixon, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, concludes the series on Au-gust 18. Mr. Wells works on the Guantánamo Global Justice Initiative, which is challenging the detention of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. He represents clients in federal court and before the military commis-sions at Guantánamo Bay, including men from Algeria, China (East Turkestan), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia. Mr. Wells lectures and comments frequently on national security issues, executive deten-tion, and torture.

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SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGSUMMARY

by Bob Hall

This past Sunday, July 22, we held a special meeting of the congregation in Hendrix Hall. The meeting was attended by just over 25 people; we had a serious discussion of the future of our ministry when Rev. David Horst leaves after July 31, 2013.

With all the changes we faced in January, the Board simply could not take on the task of starting the search process for a settled minister. Because of the requirements and schedule for a formal search, we cannot expect to have a settled min-ister by August 2013. We will have a third year of interim ministry, not an unusual situation for many churches.

The most important question was if we will hire a full time or a part time minister. The decision is driven by our finances. It was clear from the meeting that most do not want a part time minister and for good reasons.

Here is the budget as presented by our treasurer. We have 102 active members. We have 69 “pledge units” which rep-resent 91 members (couples, for example, make up a pledge unit.) The average pledge is $1022 for a total of $70,518 (The budgeted figure was $68,000; others came in after the budget was made.) Income from weddings, rentals, gifts and fund-raising was budgeted at $99,100.

In addition we use 100% of the interest income from our endowment. This year we are drawing $37,500 from prin-cipal to fund our operating budget of $216,100. The budget includes the minister, a modest music program, a small amount for RE, the necessary funds to pay insurance, utili-ties, and the office staff, and an amount for building mainte-nance and our two sextons.

We are fortunate to have a number of associate members, some of whom are very generous. And we are incredibly fortunate to have the SCPF, which has taken on the full responsibility for maintaining our historic building. In the immediate future the congregation must step up and share some of this responsibility.

If we hold up a mirror and look at ourselves as a congrega-tion we see that we are, in fact, a very small congregation. Our median pledge is $600. Most of our members pledge.

This year we have reached out to the community in an effort to increase our membership through our exciting and fun music and RE programs, with interesting and enjoyable Sunday services, and with our two summer programs, What’s Now cultural series and the Noonday Concerts.

At the meeting several people offered to form an ad hoc committee to study our situation carefully and to come up with alternatives to help our congregation make a de-cision concerning our next minister. It is clear what we have to do: we must increase pledging and we must try to increase membership.

For all who came to the meeting on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I thank you.

Tours of the historic Meeting House continue!Invite your visiting friends and guests to stop by for a tour of the historic 1809 Meeting House on Or-ange Street any weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. through August 30, Guided by a docent volunteer, visi-tors learn about the history of this historic structure, view the recently restored tromp l’oeil paintings, and see the magnificent Goodrich organ.

Chris Lohmann at the traditional July 4th event at the Meeting House.

Second Congregational Meeting House Society11 Orange St. ~ P.O. Box 1023Nantucket, MA 02554

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Second Congregational Meeting House SocietyUnitarian Universalist

11 Orange St. ~ P.O. Box 1023Nantucket, MA 02554

(508) 228-5466 (Office)www.unitarianchurchnantucket.org

uuchurchnantucket@verizon.net

Church StaffDavid M. Horst, Interim Minister ~ Edward B. Anderson, Minister Emeritus Diane Lehman, Acting Music Director ~ Kim N. LaRue, Office Administrator

Mimi Jones and Dennis Santangelo, Sextons

Board of TrusteesBob Hall (President), Christine Sanford (Vice President), Susan Richards (Clerk), Jack Weinhold

(Treasurer), Brian Girard, David Hall, John Rivera, Linda Spery, Marina Sutro

Church Office HoursMonday - Friday ~ 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Minister’s Office HoursTuesday (10 a.m. - noon) and Friday (noon - 2 p.m.)