Author: Jude Genereaux

PR 2021-0117

Blue Hills Unitarian Universalists welcome back to Rice Lake an old friend and fellow UU Arthur Thexton of the Milwaukee area, to lead us at Service this coming Sunday, January 17^th.  10:00 a.m.

Arthur describes himself as an “upraised UU,” having grown up at the Unitarian Church in Summit (NJ);  later attending Meadville/Lombard Theological School, he received his M.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago Divinity School in 1974 after graduating cum laude from Beloit College in 1972.  Then earning a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1977, he  spent the majority of his career in Madison, Wisconsin, but for a short time he served as our Family Support counselor at Barron County in the 1980’s.

Mr Thexton speaks regularly at UU congregations in Wisconsin, calling himself “a part-time, itinerant, circuit-riding, lay preacher in the UU tradition.” He served as a part-time night chaplain at Meriter Hospital in Madison for two years, and was active in community affairs, serving on the boards of the Wisconsin Coalition Against the Death Penalty, the Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic, the Williamson Street Grocery Coop, the James Reeb Unitarian-Universalist Congregation (which he helped found) and the North Madison Youth Soccer Club.  

On January 17^th. Arthur will explore with our Blue Hills UUs the question of what it means to be spiritual for a UU – why it’s a good thing, and how we do it.  

Blue Hills UU fellowship continues to meet via Zoom – the link will be sent to members, although all interested in these Services are invited to attend.    Visitors may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org < for the link needed to join the service.  Those lacking cyberlink connection or equipment to enable participation and want to attend service are invited to meet IN the fellowship building located at 230 W Messenger, masked and distanced, to watch the presentation on large screen ZOOM.

Rice Lake’s Blue Hills Unitarian-Universalist fellowship will once again depend on the magic of ZOOM to bring us Eva Apelqvist, our guest speaker for the approaching Sunday service.    As a writer, a librarian, an aggressive reader and a Unitarian, Eva has recognized the ways our UU principles and purposes are in sync with the point of view of public libraries.  Observing that “These principles work very well in a public library context”,  Eva will share this perspective with us beginning  at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, June 7^th.

BHUU members will find the link needed to connect on ZOOM sent to them by email later this week.   We welcome all to participate at Blue Hills UU;  serious parties wanting to take part may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to join the service.

This coming Sunday, May 31^st will mark a new beginning for Blue Hills UU’s – and an ending of sorts as we conclude the 2019-2020 year of activity.   A first will be holding this, our ANNUAL MEETING on Zoom.   While we hope this won’t continue much longer (Zoom) it has at least brought us opportunity to hang together through the mutual strain and anxiety of living through a pandemic, learning how to cope with it on many levels.

We will have a shortened Service, then enter into the Annual Meeting to bring members information on the activities BHUU has been involved in (which are pretty darn notable considering our size!) by way of reporting from our officers and committees.   And perhaps most important, we elect new officers and adopt a Budget for the coming year.  

All current members received snail mail correspondence from Treasurer, Pat Shifferd in the last few weeks addressing these matters.   As not everyone is able to participate via Zoom,  the mailing gives all an opportunity to review both the proposed budget  and the slate of new officers suggested by the Nominations Committee.  Voting on these matters will take place during the Zoom meeting on Sunday, or your ballot sent via snail mail. 

We will begin at 10:00 a.m.  The Zoom link will be sent to members later this week.  “See you” then!  

This coming  Sunday, May 24^th.,  our BHUU Service will be conducted  by member Judith Barisonzi, as we consider “My God and Your God.”  Judy will lead us in continuing the ongoing discussion from last week “on the possibly problematic nature of belief and the origins of religion.”   Offering a slight shift this Sunday she will talk about the Old Testament as well as some personal experiences, and assures “We’ll have plenty of time to share our multiple viewpoints.” 

With a more stable ZOOM link in the world of cyberspace this week, we’re all looking forward to gathering again at 10 a.m.   Members will find the link needed to connect on ZOOM sent to them by email later this week.   We welcome all to participate at Blue Hills UU, so serious parties wanting to take part may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to join the service.

May 17, 2020

“Incoherent Rants!” ~?~

Our friend, visiting pastor Dennis Peters, returns to Blue Hills UU this coming Sunday, May 17 as we once again gather on ZOOM for our service at 10:00 a.m. Dennis warns us ahead of time: “I’ll be taking apart some cherished ideas, beliefs, and emotional ties here, walking down corridors that we’ve all visited… but with an axe this time.” Further explaining that “sometimes there is a need is for clarity – the clarity after lightning strikes, and the air is newly fresh, and the building you were standing in is now in charred ruins around you” his topic meshes with the times we are living through.

Those unafraid to challenge their beliefs will find the link needed sent to them by email later this week. All are welcome to participate however — serious parties wanting to take part may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to join the service.

Our own James Bradley comes home to Wisconsin through the magic of ZOOM this coming Sunday, May 10^th.  Retired Professor of Science and Humanities, Auburn University, Alabama, Jim challenges us to recognize “Modern brain science poses an interesting and perhaps urgent charge to Unitarian Universalists seeking to live by our first UU Principle:  to respect the inherent dignity and worth of every person.”

“Researchers are growing tiny brain-like organoids in the lab in order to help prevent, treat or cure many diseases and disorders. But what if these little assemblies of cells become conscious? Some personal observations about intersections of science, the humanities, and human values may help us think about this and other quandaries posed by modern science and technology.”  

We expect Bradley’s engaging question will inspire you to join us on ZOOM once again this Sunday;   BHUU members will find the link needed sent to them by Email later this week, although all are welcome to participate. Serious parties wanting to take part may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to join the service.

Looking forward to this Sunday May 3^rd, BHUU’s guest speaker will be Joshua Berg, a student at the UU seminary Meadville Lombard, Chicago.  Joshua’s sermon, Grace in the Unknown encompasses the month of May’s “Souls Matter” theme of “Thresholds”, and the sacred word “Surrender.”   

Berg expands this topic, sparking our interest by sharing that: “A threshold can be an entrance or exit over which we step, or it can mean the limiting force we have to surpass to take that next step. In these very uncertain times, thresholds seem to be tougher to cross as we have been forced to surrender to the unknown.”   How do we embrace the increasing list of unknowns with grace in order to step forward and through them?   Berg will also share the Reading “This Too Shall Pass: Tracing an Ancient Jewish Folktale” –

Once again we will gather through the magic of ZOOM > BHUU members will find the ZOOM link needed on their “April Calendar”, and more than likely a prompt will arrive later this week.   All are welcome to participate however, so serious parties interested may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to take part in the service.

An award winning poet and author of non-fiction, Richard Terrill of Mankato, Minnesota will lead the Blue Hills UU’s in service Sunday April 26.  An accomplished musician as well, retired academic Terrill is steeped in the creative passages;  his message will consider the “Free & Responsible Search – UU Principles & the Creative Process”. Terrill comments “The way in which many artists go about their work can help us to appreciate the richness that following this principle can lend to our lives”. The morning is fairly sure to stoke our passions and imagination.

Once again we will gather through the magic of ZOOM > BHUU members will find the ZOOM link needed on their “April Calendar”, and more than likely a prompt will arrive later this week.   All are welcome to participate however, so serious parties interested may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to take part in the service.

Blue Hills UU’s will commemorate EARTH DAY again this April 19^th, gathering together via ZOOM for our service.   Noted social justice leader Kent Shifferd will lead the service, bringing a message inspired by Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day.  The focus of Kent’s sermon will be renewal of  commitment of creating a better world once this pandemic is behind us.

Members will find the ZOOM link needed on their “April Calendar”, but all are welcome;  serious parties interested in participating may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to take part in the service.

After a good start gathering on ZOOM last week, the Blue Hills Unitarians will be together again for Easter Sunday, this April 12th – via ZOOM. Members will find the link needed on their “April Calendar”, but all are welcome, so serious parties interested in participating may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed to take part in the service.

Pat Shifferd will lead the service through BHUU’s usual rituals of lighting the chalice, joys & concerns and our closing circle; her message will focus on the two most significant religious observances in Western culture: Jewish Passover and Christian Easter. What do these mean to you personally? And to us as Unitarians? Each person attending will be offered time to share their reflections.

We’ll begin @ 10:00. Hopefully we’re getting the hang of linking in and can begin with a full house. Our cyber-space Guru Ken Hood will be available to help those who need it at the above link. “See you” on Sunday!