UUShoals Programs

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Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for December 2007

December 2, 2007 - Emily Kelley, member of Temple B'nai Israel in Florence, will present, "Jewish Celebrations of the Season".

December 9, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, AUM Professor of Writing, will present, " Creating a UU Christmas". From rewriting lyrics to traditional Christmas carols to allowing others to sing the traditional carols in their original forms, the Unitarian Universalist Church celebrates, protects and nurtures individual choice within an ever-expanding and diverse community year round and during the holidays. In this presentation, the congregation will revisit Christmases past captured in the nostalgic storytelling carols, but move toward a fresh retelling of the biblical narrative, considering the Christ as a prophet of unity and a revelation of God's love.

December 13, 2007 - The Winter Solstice Celebration at 7:00 p.m. Celebrate the season of light with a relaxing evening of harp music presented by Annette Harman. Refreshments following the service.

December 16, 2007 - Kay Parker, Director of the Healing Place, will speak on the work of the Healing Place in the local community. The Healing Place provides counseling and services for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, especially caring for the needs of grieving children. Following the service, the children of the UU Congregation will present a Christmas play.

December 23, 2007 - Marylou and Gene Kreves will present, "Open the Door to Christmas". Yes, open the door to Christmas with stories and a message. Bring family and the children and the folks from out-of-town. We will begin our celebration together. Marylou, who has been a professional storyteller for two decades, will share Phyllis McGinley's "Christmas Without a Santa Claus" and excerpts from Dylan Thomas' "A Child's Christmas in Wales." We will transition into Gene's message "Christmas As Protest and Affirmation" with Christmas music. The short talk affirms that Christmas is indeed a time to greet one another, to affirm our brother and sisterhood, our deep concerns for social justice, for world peace, for reserving the environment. More than gilt-wrapped presents under the tree, it is a time of protest and affirmation, a time to offer encouragement to one another, for the biblical Christmas story is encouragement, hope, and faith in humankind. We promise we will send you home by 12 o'clock, unless you want to stay for cookies and other goodies and more conversation and stories.

December 30, 2007 - Kathryn Rice, Artist, will present, "The Star Thrower: a Tribute to Loren Eiseley on the 100th Anniversary of His Birth". Often called "the modern Thoreau", Eiseley has left behind in essays and stories a legacy of reflection on the nature and future of humankind and the universe.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for November 2007

November 4, 2007 - UU member, Phillip Oliver will give an illustrated lecture on Dumbarton Oaks, one of America's most celebrated gardens, located in the Georgetown district of Washington, D.C. When Robert and Mildred Bliss purchased the property in 1920, the hillside tract included cow paths and farm buildings. Over the next twenty years, the grounds were transformed into gardens by Beatrix Jones Farrand in collaboration with Mrs. Bliss. Dumbarton Oaks was donated to Harvard University in 1940, but Mildred Bliss continued to oversee the garden until her death in 1969. Today it is considered one of the best examples of the American neoclassicist garden.

November 11, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, AUM Writing Instructor, will present, "John O'Hara" Often eclipsed by the reputation of F. Scott Fitzgerald, John O'Hara was a brilliant novelist and short story writer whose short works ( he wrote over 400 short stories) appeared in and helped define "The New Yorker." Like other writers of his generation who often worked on scripts for Hollywood movies, O'Hara not only helped write or "doctor" Hollywood movies, he also wrote novels that became famous movies. Two of his more popular are "From the Terrace" and Butterfield 8." "Pal Joey" was based on his popular "Joey" stories. This presentation will focus on O'Hara's hard-drinking life, prolific works, and pervasive and lasting contributions to American culture through literature and cinema.

November 18, 2007 - Dr. Larry Bates, Professor of Psychology at the University of North Alabama, will present, "The What and Why of Religious Thirst". This presentation will discuss the quest for the More, God, spirituality, enlightenment, righteousness, or whatever name we call it. Specifically it will examine some of the ways in which this is manifested and some of the theories of why religious thirst seems so prevalent.

November 25, 2007 - Dolores Hydock, nationally known actress and storyteller, will present, "Abundant Blessings: Stories for Thanksgiving". What does pumpkin pie have to do with just desserts? How can going fishing help you grow up? Find out in these stories of sibling rivalry, sweet potato casserole, sudden disaster, and the amazing gift of getting much, much more than you deserve.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for October 2007

October 7, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, AUM Instructor of Writing, will present, "Frank Lloyd Wright: Con Man and Architect". A biographer wrote of Wright: 'His integrity was a flexible thing.' This presentation will discuss the narrative arcs of Wright's dramatic life story and how his philosophy of a traditional American family shaped his designs of American homes. That philosophy seemingly had no disciplining effect on Wright's personal life that included his notorious abandonment of his family-- an act that later produced the setting for the also notorious murders in his home, Taliesin.

October 14, 2007 - Local songwriter and musician, David Walton will present a program of original music on acoustic guitar and bamboo flute. David resides in Sheffield, but has recently been on tour in the northwestern United States.

October 21, 2007 - Wayne Sides, an image-maker with a career that has spanned more than thirty years will present a documentary that tells the larger story of the Ku Klux Klan. Between the years of 1974 and 1980 the Ku Klux Klan re-emerged as a powerful political force in the southern United States. This surge of resurrected ideology came at the end of the civil rights movement. Many of the reforms set about by the Civil Rights Act served as fuel for a growing discontent among the majority white population. The Klan, which had been in a state of remission for many years, suddenly seemed to gather strength and support among white politicians, clergy, and law enforcement. One of the strongest concentrations of this new Klan activity was in north and central Alabama. Traveling to rallies and meeting with Klan members, Mr. Sides quickly gained a rapport with them and was allowed unprecedented access to their world. Through these images Mr. Sides wishes to educate, spark conversation and remind people of this history. To remind others of the times from which these images come is to hopefully ensure that this kind of hatred will, someday, give way to compassion.

October 28, 2007 - The Gay-Straight Alliance of the University of North Alabama will present a program on the mission statement of the organization, their goals for the coming year and activities that they are planning.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for September2007

September 2, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, Instructor of Writing at AUM, will present, "Something to Talk About: Salutations, Benedictions, and the Phenomenon of Intercessory Prayer". Whether we are greeting people in the name of love or sending them off with blessings for the road, there is in our culture the tradition and impulse of speaking words of hope and possibly power over people. The most imaginative of these modes is that prayerful ambition of intercessory advocacy that is quite different than the classic prayerful modes of contemplation, meditation, or even petitions and pleas. Famous healers like Agnes Sanford are known for them. Intercessory prayer is distinctive unto itself, and like salutations and benedictions often indicates by its very presence a faith in a Creator who will, if moved by these beseechments, act.

September 9, 2007 - The congregation will celebrate the "Blending of the Waters" service. In the past, many Unitarian Universalist churches dismissed for the summer and came back together in September. To celebrate their coming together, they would bring water from their summer travels and blend it together to symbolize that they are again together as a church and the new church year would begin. Even though most churches do not dismiss for the summer these days, the ritual of coming together is usually observed in September to symbolize the oneness of the church. Members and visitors are asked to bring a small amount of water to participate in the service.

September 16, 2007 - Gerald Crawford, retired University of North Alabama Professor of Marketing and Cindy Crawford, Teacher in the Florence City School System, will present, "New Zealand, Past and Present". The Crawfords will share their experiences, observations and photographic memories of a stunningly beautiful country and the wonderfully warm people they met during their four week trip in July.

September 23, 2007 - Ken Sizemore, singer and songwriter from Panama City, Florida, and formally of Nashville, Tennessee will present an acoustic musical program of original songs.

September 30, 2007 - Cynthia Alby, Professor of Education at Georgia College and State University at Macon, GA and member of the High Street Unitarian Universalist Church in Macon, will present, "Meditation". What are the various reasons people mediate? How might meditation fit into the spiritual journey of a UU? It is even worth the time? New research shows that there are some surprising benefits to even short meditation sessions that you may not know about. Those who already have a meditation practice may wish to share a little bit about what they do and why.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for August 2007

August 5, 2007 - UUCS member, Bill Parkhurst, will present, "Jenkin Lloyd Jones - Radical Unitarian".

August 12, 2007 - Bill Matthews will represent, "Taking the Five-Hundred Mile Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrimage in Spain". Mr. Matthews will show slides of his 500 mile walk and discuss various aspects of the trip.

August 19, 2007 - Dr. Clark Mueller, Professor of Political Science at the University of North Alabama and avid bonsai enthusiast will present a program on "The Art of Bonsai". He will show slides and discuss his experiences.

August 26, 2007 - Dr. Larry Bates, Professor of Psychology at the University of North Alabama, will present, "Re-Creation". Somewhere during the creation versus evolution battle we lost the earth. Well, it's still here but somewhat overlooked through the smoke of the argumentative battlefield. Perhaps it is time to again look at the whole thing; not how IT got here as much as just look at IT again, and enjoy IT. This presentation will use Genesis as an outline to look at earth and that stuff that surrounds it.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for July 2007

July 1, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, AUM Writing Instructor, will present, "At the Feet of Boaz". When the widow Ruth laid herself down at the feet of Boaz on the threshing room floor at harvest time in a move that meant she wanted to marry him, Ruth was negotiating her financial and personal future. She is one of many women engaged in both diplomacy and negotiation in the Bible, and who successfully navigated the often treacherous waters of a patriarchal society. Queen Ester solved problems through diplomacy that Queen Vashti had created by not jumping at the king's command. Good wife Abigail foresaw that her husband had endangered his own life and hers by refusing to help David when he was on the lam from King Saul's pursuit. (Abigail negotiated peace--then married David.) And finally, a distressed mother pleads successfully for mercy from an apparently unsympathetic and initially dismissive Jesus for healing for her daughter. These women all know something that Donald Trump does not: humility and tact can function powerfully in the art of the deal. This presentation will take a look at the unpopular concept of submission and see how its real power can have benefits for people seeking justice today.

July 8, 2007 - Linda and Larry Newkirk will discuss the work of the local chapter of the Kidney Foundation. Larry will share his story of being a kidney recipient and the importance of being an organ donor.

July 15, 2007 - Retired Unitarian Universalist minister, Rev. Gene Kreves, will present, "Religious Rubbish".

July 22, 2007 - Start the week off right and join us as we kick off the W. C. Handy Music Festival with The Blue Navigators. The band consists of members Tim Kelly, Ernie Fite, and Toni and Kenneth Brooks. They offer a collection of music that ranges from blues to rock to folk and country. View the collection of blues prints in our art room after the performance.

July 29, 2007 - Robert Ingram, President of the Ingram Institute and adjunct instructor of English at the University of North Alabama, will perform some of "Shakespeare's Best Monologues" from Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and other plays.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for June 2007

June 3, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, Writing Instructor at AUM, will present, "Rodgers and Hammerstein: The American Musical" When "Oklahoma!" debuted in America to unprecedented praise, Rodgers and Hammerstein didn't recite the words from their own famous lyric "Don't throw bouquets at me." Instead, Rodgers asked Hammerstein if he wanted to go somewhere quiet and discuss their future or to the famous restaurant Sardi's, and show off. Hammerstein said, "Let's go to Sardi's, and show off." After Sardi's, more musicals followed, until the partnership of Rodgers and Hammerstein became a brand name that guaranteed a great night at the theater. This presentation will revisit the American musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstrin, and go backwards in time to Rodgers's first partnership when he was also known as half of Rodgers and Hart.

June 10, 2007 - Dolores Hydock, nationally known actress and storyteller, will present, "Newfangled Meets Old-School: Stories about high technology, high-school romance, and self-help secrets from long ago."

June 17, 2007 - The UU Congregation will celebrate the annual Flower Communion Service. Guests and congregation members are asked to bring a fresh cut flower to participate in the ceremony.

June 24, 2007 - J.C. Hester, local actor and director will present, " Theatre as Therapy". Mr. Hester received his B.S. in Theatre at the University of North Alabama in 2002. He has acted in approximately 50 plays and directed seven. He played Deputy McGhee in "When I Find the Ocean" and Boom Boom ( lead role) in "Birth of a Legend: The Story of the WAWA".

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for May 2007

May 6, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, Writing Instructor at AUM, will present, "Jesse Owens". Originally named James Cleveland Owens, Jesse picked up his new nickname in school when a teacher misunderstood him. "J.C.," he mumbled, and the name Jesse was born. It was a name that would become famous worldwide as Jesse became an athlete, beating Germany during the 1936 Olympics which confounded Hitler's view of Aryan supremacy. After his moment of glory, Owens went from outrunning Hitler to racing horses in order to make a living. In spite of many successes and great popularity, Owens struggled all his life with issues that were as much about being born into poverty as being a man of color. This lecture will work from Owens' "spiritual autobiography" written in 1978 and incorporate views of more contemporary biographers.

May 13, 2007 - Dolores Hydock, Actress and Storyteller from Birmingham, will present, "Momorabilia". A collection of funny and affectionate stories about mothers, children, and the peculiar ties that bind them together.

May 20, 2007 - Dr. Mongi Bahloul, Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the University of North Alabama, will present, "Political and Social Islam". The idea of separating politics from religion is alien and irrelevant to most Muslims in the Arab world. Unlike Jesus, the Prophet Muhammad was involved ( from the beginning) in politcal and military matters and after his death these tasks were transferred to his companions. This presentation will look at this deep-seated theocratic belief in contemporary Islamic societies. It will be argued that the concept of Islamic governments is seen by the majority of Muslims, particularly in the Middle East, as the only way to reinstate the former glory of Islam and help the Umma ( the Nation of Islam ) to regain hegemony over the West. The focus will be on North African countries where social behavior and cultural thought seem to plead in favor of 'Political Islam'. And advocate 'Islamization' as an antidote to 'Globalization.'"

May 27, 2007 - Lay Leaders of the congregation will conduct an abbreviated service of readings and songs after which will follow the Congregational Annual Business Meeting.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for April 2007

April 1, 2007 - Bill Parkhusrt, longtime UU member will bring us a message to welcome in the month of April, "Vedanta and the West".

April 8, 2007 - David Walton, local musician and songwriter will share some of his original music on acoustic guitar and bamboo flute.

April 15, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, Writing Instructor at AUM will present, "Chopin's Magic". When Barry Manilow allowed himself to be "inspired" by Chopin's "Prelude in C-Minor" to write the pop hit "Coul It Be Magic" he knew what he was doing. The pop culture musician borrowed from the classical master, but Chopin learned about romance from real life and from the famous Paris salons where lively minds and artists gathered to foment and express new ideas--passionately. After Chopin fell in love with female writer George Sand, their relationship became the subject of gossip, biographies, legends, and certainly shaped his music. This presentation will revisit Chopin's love affair with Sand and some of the music we know by him.

April 22, 2007 - Dolores Hydock, nationally known actress and storyteller, will present, "Through the Back Door: The Music that Bridged the Bayou". They say in Southwest Louisiana that you can be a Cajun in one of three ways: by blood, by the ring ( marriage) or through the back door ( by befriending the culture). This program paints a portrait of Cajun and Creole music and musicians and the role that music played in allowing non-Cajuns to slip "through the back door" into the world of the spirited people of Southwest Louisiana. This presenattion includes stories, and anecdotes collected from more than 50 Cajun and Creole musicians as they talked about the importance of music in their own lives and the lives of their families. The stories are funny, touching, sometimes irreverent and often deeply moving. The presentation includes samples of the music itself, both in its early style and its modern-day sound. This is an Alabama Humanties Foundation Roads Scholar Program.

April 29, 2007 - Dr. Lisa Jennings, UU Lay Minister with the UU Church on the River in Memphis, Tennessee and Vascular Research Scientist with UT Memphis will bring us a message to close the month of April.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for March 2007

March 4, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, Instructor of Writing at AUM will present, "The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness". Often John the Baptist is eclipsed by the story of Jesus. This relegation to non-entity status happens naturally out of Johns' own admission of humility ("One mightier than I is coming whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.") and because of the ignominy of his death ( He was, of course, famously beheaded). This presentation will look at the narrative line of John's life and consider his pre-birth connection to Christ, his life's role as a harbinger of repentance, the major intersections between his life and Jesus, and the challenges to readers of the Bible caused by the mode of his death.

March 11, 2007 - Dr. Lisa Jennings, Professor of Medicine and Director at the Vascular Biology Center of Excellence at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, will present, "The Big Blue Marble: How Do We Have A Socio-Economic System in the World That Maximizes Human Dignity?" This presentation focuses on the issue of globilization from a theological humanist perspective.

March 18, 2007 - Dolores Hydock, acclaimed actress and storyteller from Birmingham will present, "Oh! Henry: The Surprising Stories of William Sydney Porter". "O. Henry" is one of the most famous pseudonyms in American literature. It belonged to William Sydney Porter, who is often called "the master of the American short story." His stories are famous for their surprise endings and ability to show that people and circumstances are rarely exactly what they seem to be. There were some surprises in William Sydney Porter's own life, too. ( He was, at various times, a pharmacist, sheep rancher, land-office clerk, bank teller, publisher, cartoonist, and fugitive from justice.) In this program, Will Porter's personal story is interwoven with updated tellings of some O. Henry stories that serve as a reminder of why he was one of the most popular writers of his era, and why his stories continue to entertain, inspire, and surprise. This program is sponsored by the Alabama Humanities Foundation, Road Scholar Program.

March 25, 2007 - Ken Sizemore, singer and songwriter from Panama City, Florida will present a tribute to John Denver entitled, " John Denver-- A Song's Best Friend".

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

Calendar of Events for February 2007

February 4, 2007 - Daphne Simpkins, Professor of Writing at Auburn University at Montgomery, will present, " Unforgettable Nat King Cole". Nat King Cole not only lived the American dream; he helped create it. As one of the strongest voices in American popular music, Nat Cole literally went from rags to riches while singing about love, loss, the Mona Lisa and a Nature Boy ( his most popular novelty song). Although originally a jazz pianist, Cole moved into performing popular music because it paid better. He had made that same practical choice years earlier, when he did not pursue a very promising career in professional baseball. Instead, as a pop singer, Cole gave voice to the lyrics that reflected the romance of daily life in America. Cole's life story parallels the growth of jazz in America ( the only classic American music) but his is also an interesting success story which occurred, in part, during the Civil Rights movement. Second only to Frank Sinatra as the voice of American dreams, this musical genius from Alabama was an artist, a performer, and a superior businessman. This presentation explores his legacies.

February 11, 2007 - Robert Ingram, Writer and Adjunct Professor of English at the University of North Alabama, will present, " Exploring Ethics through Literature". Good literature is about more than plots and characters. Good literature also teaches us important lessons about life, particularly about the choices we make in life. In this presentation, Mr. Ingram uses Linda Pastan's poem, "Ethics," Ann Petry's short story, The Necessary Knocking on the Door, and Susan Glaspell's play, Trifles, to explore the topic of ethics.

February 18, 2007 - Dr. Larry Bates, Professor of Psychology at the University of North Alabama, will present, "Christianity: Born to Lose?" The mantra in much of Christianity is "spiritual growth." But maybe we have that wrong. Once upon a time, a prominent television personality had to apologize, after the uproar, for calling Christianity a "religion for losers." But perhaps Christians should apologize for not accepting that criticism as truth. This presenatation will examine the issue of whether real loss is a major principle of Christianity and whether it should be. Should the focus be numerical, economic, political, or even spiritual growth or something akin to crucifixion?

February 25, 2007 - The Blue Navigators, will present a muscial program with an electic mixture of blues, pop, rock and roll and folk. The band consists of members, Toni and Kenneth Brooks, Ernie Fite and Tim Kelley.