Author: Jude Genereaux

Dr. Jeanette Gabriel, U Nebraska, Omaha, will address Blue Hills Unitarian-Universalists Sunday, April 2^nd, examining the strengths and limitations of online genealogy research. Practical advice will be shared to research family history and find information important to you.  Dr. Gabriel points out that “Many have explored family histories online, but the information can be confusing.”  Individual family stories will be considered within the larger context of local, regional and national history.

Dr. Gabriel is a Wisconsin native, currently the Director of the Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at the U Nebraska-Omaha.  She received her PhD in Social Studies Education from University of Iowa, after an MD in Labor, Employment Relations at Rutgers University, and a BA  in History UW-Madison.  Her current research interests involve studying collaboration and conflict between ethnic groups, such as Jewish and Arab populations in Israel as well as Black and Jewish communities in the Midwest.

Blue Hills UU Sunday Services begin at 10 a.m.  All are invited to be with us in our sanctuary, 230 W. Messenger, Rice Lake, or on Zoom. The Zoom link is sent to members; all others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com. Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged. https://bluehillsuu.org

What might one expect to find when reading the poetry of Dante?  Member David Gold will share his discovery of how Dante planned to build a better earth, and other impressions with Blue Hills UU’s during the Sunday, March 26^th service, “Lessons Learned from Reading Dante.” 

Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri, circa 1265-Sept 1301, most often referred to as Dante, was instrumental in establishing the literature of Italy.  Creator of Italy’s “Divine Comedy”, Dante helped establish the modern-day standardized Italian language;  his passion for the politics of the church and poetry resulted in his exile from Florence, Italy in 1301. 

Blue Hills UU Sunday Services begin at 10 a.m. -and may we remind everyone that Daylight Savings Time begins this day! Come be with us in our sanctuary, 230 W. Messenger, Rice Lake, or on Zoom. The Zoom link is sent to members; all others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com. Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged. https://bluehillsuu.org

Rice Lake’s Blue Hills Unitarian-Universalists will welcome Chaplain Dennis Peters on March 19^th to conduct the 10 a.m. Sunday Service, focusing on “Tomorrow’s Child.”  What kind of lives will the next generation be living, compared to the culture and traditions we’ve grown up with?   Ch Peters challenge is to “Let’s look at the world that tomorrow’s children will be part of,  and what we’re doing to fashion that world.” And in the process let’s also look at those children, and how we might prepare them for all that is to come.

Third Sundays each month, BHUU also gathers after the service for our traditional Pot Luck gathering – bring a dish to pass and be with us as we gather downstairs for fellowship and gnoshing.   All who seek insight are welcome at BHUU, 230 W. Messenger in Rice Lake.  The 10 a.m. Service may also be accessed via Zoom;  the link is sent to members, and all interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  https://bluehillsuu.org

On Sunday March12^th Blue Hills, Unitarian-Universalist fellowship in Rice Lake will share Rev Randy Lewis’ sermon “Black Like Me”, originally given at All Souls Unitarian church in Tulsa, OK where he served as student pastor.  Now in Raleigh, NC, Rev Lewis is Managing Director of  “Clergy 211”, an organization of inclusive, progressive clergy providing non-judgmental rite-of-passage ceremonies for all people, from all walks of life.   Rev Lewis is also described as “a passionate progressive thinker, social-justice advocate, entrepreneur, writer, and songwriter.”   

Blue Hills UU Sunday Services begin at 10 a.m. -and may we remind everyone that Daylight Savings Time begins this day!   Come be with us in our sanctuary or on Zoom.  The Zoom link is sent to members;  all others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged.  https://bluehillsuu.org

The March 5^th Service at Blue Hills UU will include a presentation on “Justice” and what that means.  Former member of BHUU, Ken Hood will be with us once again through the magic of Zoom, to share insight on a program known as “Jonah – Advancing Hope”, a non-profit that has been active in the Chippewa Valley for over 15 years.  

Ken will be joined by organizers Lynn Buske and Michelle Pride to introduce us to JONAH, an interfaith organization working in partnership with religious groups who choose to work with individual activists and donor members of all faiths.  “We believe that our work is about building community and building capacity to address the root causes of poverty and injustice;  we come together for this important and public work because when every person does better, everyone does better.”

Come be with us in our sanctuary Sunday at 10 a.m., or on Zoom.  The Zoom link is sent to members;  all others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged.  https://bluehillsuu.org

There are many ways we choose to get through the winter months:  hobbies, winter sports, travel – and reading.  We of BHUU might fairly well be described as “book worms”, as my guess is the per capita number of books read by members is above the national average.  

The Service this last Sunday of February will feature our own Book Reviews – with all attending invited to share some of their most engaging finds of the past few months.  Member Judith Barisonzi will host the hour, and keep a list of titles brought forth to share with all after.

Come be with us in our sanctuary Sunday at 10 a.m., or on Zoom as we explore the treasure to be found in books.  The Zoom link is sent to members, and all  others interested who may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged.  https://bluehillsuu.org

We’ve all heard of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, but did you know she was a Universalist?  In conducting our service Sunday February 19 at Blue Hills Unitarian-Universalist, Chaplain Dennis Peters will highlight some of the other facets of this impactive nurse, schoolteacher, patent office worker’s life.

Ch Peters notes that “At 5 feet nothing, Clarissa Harlowe Barton was one of the giants of her time, pushing for women’s equality in treatment and pay.”  During the Civil War, Barton provided care for soldiers on both sides of struggle;  Peters reports “When a cause was important to her, she pushed, bullied and badgered to make change – including President Lincoln!”

Sunday the 19^th marks the return of our “Third Sunday Pot Lucks” at Blue Hills UU;  bring a dish to pass and be with us as we gather downstairs for fellowship. 

All who seek insight are welcome at BHUU, 230 W. Messenger in Rice Lake.  The 10 a.m. Service can be accessed via Zoom;  the link is sent to members, but others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged.   https://bluehillsuu.org

As in all groups, growth may bring change;  so too the Unitarian-Universalists on a national scale.  Our UU Association has chosen to review and re-write some of our founding statements, and the Blue Hills fellowship has been energetically investigating the controversy that has emerged within our denomination, both as to the process and specific wording of proposed changes. 

Article II of our UUA by-laws contains the description of what we stand for, and is seen as the foundational statement of our beliefs.  A controversy surrounds not only the proposed language to replace our current “Principles and Sources”, which have traditionally focused on our most important values, but also in how we grapple with the thorny issue of racism.

Our service on February 12 will review what is being proposed and to help us decide what position, if any, we choose to take as a fellowship as this long, complicated approval process moves forward.   Be with us Sunday at 10 a.m., either in the sanctuary or on Zoom as we take on this most important challenge to our association in stating “Who” we are and what we believe.  The Zoom link is sent to members, but others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged.   https://bluehillsuu.org

Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Rice Lake will honor Black History month by focusing on the history of progress UU’s have made in our efforts to be inclusive to people of all cultures, races and backgrounds.   Arthur Thexton of  Wauwatosa’s UU West congregation will present a short exploration of our Unitarian and Universalist histories as they relate to race and racism during our February 5^th service at Blue Hills UU, 10 a.m.

A frequent guest speaker at BHUU, Arthur successfully attended the Meadville Lombard Theological School, then studied at the University of Chicago before obtaining his law degree from the UW Madison.  He served as Assistant District Attorney in Barron County during the mid-1980’s and lived with his family in Rice Lake.  

All who seek insight are welcome at BHUU, 230 W. Messenger in Rice Lake.  The 10 a.m. Service can be accessed via Zoom;  the link is sent to members, but others interested may request it from patriciashifferd@gmail.com.  Wearing masks is optional for those attending in person, although recommendations of the CDC are followed;  we do expect all to be fully vaccinated.  Gathering for fellowship & coffee after the service is encouraged.   https://bluehillsuu.org

The seven Principles and six Sources of Unitarian Universalism included in Article II of the Bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association, are viewed by many of us as the essential founding documents of our faith.

Article II is currently being revised by a special Commission, whose most recent draft proposes eliminating them altogether, and replace with a set of values that focus on dismantling structural racism, building a beloved community, and ensuring accountability from member congregations.

In our Sunday service January 29^th our Board Chairman will lead us in examining the origin of the Principles & Sources in hopes of better understanding the controversy this proposal has engendered.   

As time permits, we will look at the most recent draft from the “Article II Commission” to consider what position Blue Hills UU wants to take,and what action, if any, we wish to engage in.