Ginkgo, cottonwood, pin oak, sweet gum, tulip tree: our emotions resemble leaves and alive to their shapes we are nourished.
Have you felt the expanse and contours of grief along the edges of a big Norway maple? Have you winced at the orange flare
searing the curves of a curling dogwood? I have seen from the air logged islands, each with a network of branching gravel roads,
and felt a moment of pure anger, aspen gold. I have seen sandhill cranes moving in an open field, a single white whooping crane in the flock.
And I have traveled along the contours of leaves that have no name. Here where the air is wet and the light is cool,
Arthur Sze, 1998I feel what others are thinking and do not speak, I know pleasure in the veins of a sugar maple, I am living at the edge of a new leaf.
What does it mean to be radically welcoming? In the vision statement that we as a congregation created and adopted last year, we pledge to “transform ourselves and society through the practice of radical welcome.” Through radical welcome, our vision statement says, we will become a spiritual community of belonging, fueled by love and justice.
My inner poet thinks our vision statement is beautiful. My inner editor stops at the phrase “radical welcome” and says, “Sounds nice, but what does it mean?”
Etymologically, the word “radical” comes from the Latin word radicalis, meaning “having roots,” and radix, “root.” As UUs, what are the roots of our moral obligation to invite others into our community? What is the essential core of our sense of welcome? Surely our belief that every person we encounter is inherently worthy—worthy of our compassion, our care, our patience, our grace— must be a part of this root, if not the soil itself.
The roots of our welcome also wind through our commitment to a free and responsible search for truth and meaning, because as UUs, we share the project of meaning-making with each other, and much of that meaning is in the community that we build together. Newcomers bring their experiences, their questions, their ambitions, and their wisdom, and welcoming each other wholly means opening ourselves to new possibilities for truth and meaning.
It’s also important to consider which roots no longer serve us. In his opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Alito wrote that the right to abortion is not “deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and traditions.” Okay, sure, but that’s because the
only rights “deeply rooted” in our constitution are those that protect wealthy white men. Do any of the roots of Unitarian Universalism broadly—or the roots of FUS more specifically—impede our ability to throw open our doors to a more diverse and inclusive future?
This brings me to the familiar definition of “radical,” which has to do with upheaval and change. As we think about “radical welcome,” we can also think about what it looks like to reimagine our notions of welcome from the ground up. What would a revolutionary approach to welcome look like?
For me, radical welcome means eagerly embracing the possibilities for disruption and change that each newcomer brings to our community. It means being excited to be nudged and challenged by people with different stories and perspectives, letting go of the way things have always been and being open to how they could be, seeing how much more expansive and loving and wild we can all be together. It means honoring our past without allowing it to restrict our bold and creative visions for a better future.
In this month’s issue of The Madison Unitarian, you’ll find several meditations on welcome—an idea that may seem simple at first glance, but proves to be more complicated and interesting the longer you wrestle with it. What is welcome? What do we owe to each other? What does it mean to belong? As we move through the month, I hope you’ll reflect on your own notions of welcome—especially radical welcome—inside the walls of FUS and beyond. Only by working together will we grow into the radically welcoming community of belonging that we aspire to be. ◊
We are guests in each other’s lives,” a wise friend once told me. It was one statement in a much larger conversation between a whole gaggle of agitated people in a hot and crowded room; a plea for folks to be more gentle and understanding with one another in the midst of an acrimonious debate that was trending towards the personal and unhelpful. At the time, that friend and I were on different sides of that larger conversation, seeing things from different directions, and truth be told, in the moment his words did not land with me as very helpful. But they did stick with me.
So I want to invite you to join me in his framework, even if just for the few minutes while you read this. In each encounter with another person, we become guests in their lives and they in ours. Each human connection—however brief or tentative—is at least a toe over the threshold of the heart. And if a guest owes humility and a basic openness to the customs of the home they visit—as I believe they do—this invites the question of their reciprocal duty. If all of us are guests in the lives of others, then we are each constantly playing host to one another, too. Which means that how we welcome our guests is perpetually at issue in the work of living, from day to day and even minute to minute.
To welcome a guest requires both intention and effort; it has intangible as well as tangible qualities. The size of the guest room and thread count on the sheets matter very little if the offer of a place to stay is disdainful or indifferent. And a warm smile can do many things, but it cannot serve as shelter in a literal storm, or offer heat to stave off the actual cold. To feel welcomed, we all need some combination of heartfelt feeling
and practical action. To be better hosts to each other and better guests for each other, we need to know first what the right combination of elements is to make us feel welcome ourselves, and to get curious about what might be necessary to make others feel the same way.
We can apply this framework to moments as casual as passing exchanges with strangers on the bus—any time when we have a chance to make another person feel more welcome in the world we share. But in the context of spiritual community, a real and effective welcome requires more than just a nominal openness. Because being welcomed isn’t a one-time event. In truth, we all need to be welcomed and re-welcomed here, over and over, whether we are newly arrived or long-established. That’s how we build something together that we are each simultaneously hosts of and guests in.
As we reflect this month on the spiritual theme of Welcome, I invite you to consider with me: if we are to treat each other as guests in our lives, how can we—individually and collectively—make the expression of welcome that implies real hospitality for our newest visitors and for everyone who is a part of FUS? ◊
What is it about a place that makes you feel welcome? Is it like the Cheers theme song, “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came…”? Is it because you know people there? Because you fit in? Because someone greets you and shakes your hand?
I feel welcome in a place when I feel accepted for who I am, and I feel like I belong. Churches have a fine line to walk in creating a sense of welcome and hospitality. Attending church is (usually) optional. It’s not like work, school, or the home where you have less say in the matter. People can find another place of worship or choose to sleep in on Sundays. Changing workplaces or home situations is a little more time-consuming.
When my husband and I were seeking a new spiritual home about ten years ago, it took a few tries to find the place we felt most welcome. I wonder if your experience was like ours. We had grown up in Catholic and Presbyterian households. We wanted a religious education program for our children, but not like the one-size-fits-all curriculum we experienced. In our quest, we visited a few Protestant churches and one other Unitarian Universalist church. In some we felt lost in the shuffle and overwhelmed. In others we didn’t see anyone in our age group. In one we felt put on the spot when they asked everyone new to raise their hands and current members descended on us. In another, we all held hands, which was a little too much for us on the first day. In most, the theology felt restrictive.
Finally, at FUS we found a place we belonged. The most important criteria for us was somewhere we could be spiritually open, questioning, and curi-
ous. We also enjoyed the music and message, and the Religious Exploration program met our desire for our children to be exposed to different points of view.
To be honest though, FUS was a bit overwhelming at first. The coffee hour was bustling, and the volume of programs and opportunities was intimidating. It took some work for us to find our niche. Going through the New UU program helped us feel grounded.
This past Sunday, I saw many visitors with their sticky nametags after service. I never want to corner a newcomer like an overeager car salesman, but I want to greet them and answer their questions. One couple said they had been considering coming to FUS for a while, and now seemed like the right time: with the worst parts of the pandemic over (hopefully) and a new program year starting. It also seems like more familiar faces are returning to the building. I know that many people in our community are seeking a spiritual home like the one we offer.
It seems that a spirit of beginning and possibility is in the air at FUS. Now is the time for us to welcome members old and new to find their place. And that really takes all of us, not just staff and ministers. As members of the congregation, we are charged with extending to others the warm welcome and spirit of belonging we have found here. What can you do to make someone feel welcome? What would have made those first visits (or return visits) more comfortable? What makes you feel like you belong here? I challenge you to reflect on those questions and live out our vision of practicing radical welcome. ◊
The language of cranes we once were told is the wind. The wind is their method, their current, the translated story of life they write across the sky. Millions of years they have blown here on ancestral longing, their wings of wide arrival, necks long, legs stretched out above strands of earth where they arrive with the shine of water, stories, interminable language of exchanges descended from the sky and then they stand, earth made only of crane from bank to bank of the river as far as you can see the ancient story made new.
Linda Hogan, 2011
Our in-person autumn-themed Cabaret, Saturday, October 21, is just around the corner! This will be a day of joyful activities for the entire family. I have found that planning events with families at the center opens a whole new realm of opportunities. Once again, member and staff engagement is the quiet theme for this year’s gathering. Our event hopes to offer something for everyone, believing that when we come together as an extended community, fellowship happens.
As with any event leaning on Mother Nature’s goodwill for pleasant fall weather, we are planning a full range of inside and outside activities for the whole family. The Landmark Campus is home to all auction and raffle-related features —tables of silent auction favorites and raffle baskets in the auditorium and spilling into the Loggia. You don’t want to miss our LIVE Auction! The Gaebler Livingroom will be bustling with tables of craft-making, including creations for your Thanksgiving table, a warm fire in the hearth, and humming with voices of all ages. You can make your way to the Atrium Campus to decorate the Commons with the warm colors of the season. We’ll celebrate with music and laughter, new and familiar faces, friends of all ages with the joy of being together.
Outside the Landmark Hearth doors our fire pits will be blazing! Enjoy our FLW-approved heaters, tables in the shelter tent to enjoy the hot cocoa and hot cider station, and s’more making supplies to warm you from the inside. We’ll have food carts in the parking lot until 3 pm—more detail on our food options coming soon. And back by popular demand will be animal guests from Haven’s Petting Farm. This
includes pony rides. Other activities include a hike in our prairie, filling bird feeders, or perhaps carving a pumpkin.
This event also expands to supporting our Madison-area community. We’ll be collecting your non-perishable food and personal care items for Healthy Food For All, supporting food pantries and neighborhood centers in Dane County. Learn more about this amazing organization at www.hffadane.org. Barrels for your donations will remain at FUS entrances through the week.
Autumnfest Cabaret is the collaborative effort of staff and members to gather us together in fellowship and highlight our values of inclusion and stewardship. This event is also our most important fundraiser of the year. Your advance ticket purchase helps us with planning to make sure we have enough fun for everyone. For those unable to participate in person, you can still support the event by becoming a sponsor or by donating an auction item (by Monday, October 16). More information is available at www. fusmadison.org/cabaret/. Tickets are also available at the door. (If purchasing a ticket presents a financial hardship, please let me or Rev. Kelly Crocker know so we can be sure to provide you with tickets.) We are still looking for volunteers for both final plans and the day of activities, so please contact me at cheryllm@fusmadison.org to learn more. ◊
Greetings! As we move into October and the fullness of autumn, there are many opportunities this month to celebrate the change of seasons and to share together in community. October is always full of possibility, abundance, and occasions for deeper connection. Consider stretching your mind, engaging your heart, and enlivening your spirit through engagement at FUS.
Journey Circles return this year and provide the opportunity to strengthen our connections to life, to others and to ourselves. Journey Circles invite and encourage the giving and receiving of welcome, of hospitality and of deep listening. New to FUS? Longtime member? Participation in a Journey Circle allows all of us to meet new people, become reacquainted with others, and connect in new and meaningful ways within our faith community. Journey Circle participants enjoy focused discussions of topics that are foundational to our faith. Our large First Unitarian Society community becomes a bit smaller, and we feel a richer connection to the whole as we gather.
As theme-based covenant groups, Journey Circles are small groups (6-8 individuals) that meet once a month at FUS for 90 minutes to two hours . The groups are led by trained facilitators who are FUS members. In a format that encourages deep listening and thoughtful discussion, the Circles provide new perspectives and understandings of the congregation’s monthly worship themes. Worship themes for the 2023-
2024 church year are: Finding Our Center, Welcome, Generosity, Mystery, Delight, Liberating Love, Transformation, Interdependence, Justice and Equity, Humility, Faith, and Wisdom. Resource materials are provided for each theme and include readings, poetry, discussion questions, bibliographies, films to consider, and more.
Through Journey Circle participation, those involved have said they feel more connected to FUS. Newcomers feel a greater sense of welcome, and longtime members appreciate the opportunity to meet newer members in a format that encourages a strong new bond.
Journey Circles begin in October/November 2023 and meet through June 2024. They are open and welcoming to all. More information is available in the Commons, on the website, and in the Red Floors. Contact Janet Swanson; janets@fusmadison.org or 608-233- 9774 x124 for answers to your questions. ◊
“Welcome is a gift that once received, longs to be given away.” Soul Matters
This November we welcome the return of Art in the Wright Place to its original time period—the weekend before Thanksgiving. For this year, that means we’ll host the event on November 18, 10 am – 5 pm, and November 19, 10 am – 4 pm; perfectly timed for your holiday shopping. We are excited to FINALLY return to our pre-Covid schedule!
Also exciting is the number of new artists who will be joining us. Almost half of our 40 artists are new to our event, and we are so pleased to welcome them. We have a truly spectacular selection of artistry to look forward to, including woodworkers, quilters, potters, painters, jewelry makers, and more! You can find a list of this year’s
artists on our website at www.fusmadison.org/ artfair/. Their art will fill our historic landmark Unitarian Meeting House, a masterpiece in its own (W)right.
As you may know, this event serves as an important fundraiser for First Unitarian Society, supporting us in living out our mission and vision. In addition to the booth fees paid by artists, 15% of their sales go to FUS. This means that the more they sell, the more they, and WE, will yield. It’s an excellent way of supporting area artists AND First Unitarian Society in one fell swoop!
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We hope you’ll make shopping with us a priority for that weekend. Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase some raffle tickets; if you’re lucky, you’ll walk away with something beautiful!
Of course, we couldn’t possibly host an event like this without the help of many volunteers. There are various opportunities, so you can choose something(s) that aligns with your time and interest. We need people power to offer hospitality and shuttle parking for our artists, help set up and tear down the event, staff our raffle table, and to serve as floaters, responding to the unexpected needs that creep up and relieving artists
for brief periods of time. You can check out the volunteer opportunities on our web page: www. fusmadison.org/artfair/. Look for the blue button labeled “Volunteers Needed!” Volunteering is an excellent way of supporting this event and FUS! Questions? Please contact Leslie Ross at leslier@fusmadison.org. ◊
STEPHANIE BARENZ
ARI BAULT
WENDY BAUMANN
KAREN BECK
VICKI BERENSON
RUTHANNE BESSMAN
HARI CARNES
GEKE DEVRIES
KAITLIN ESCHE-LYON
KERRY EVANS
SUE FALK
KAREN FALLER
JANE FOOS
LINDA FRANZBLAU
SHARON FUJIMOTO
BRUCE FURLIN
CHAD GROB
TODD HUBLER
SANDY & GORDON
JAMES
SUE JOHNSON
KIPP INGLIS
KATHY KING
LINDA LINDNER
MAYA MADDEN & WAYNE FARRA
NAN MARSHALL
ANDREA MASON
JOHN MIX
DEBBIE OLIN
SHAWN OLMSTEAD
STEPHANIE OLSON
ADAM PANKRATZ
LESLIE PHILLIPS
TAD PINKERTON
JULIE RAASCH
JILL SCHIENLE
KERRI SHANNON
STEVEN STANDISH
ANGELA STEENHAGEN
JULIE SUTTER-BLAIR
SARAH SWEET
JACOB ZELL
Humans have sung together for longer than history has been recorded. Our evolved capability for speech is exceeded only by our ability to turn that speech into song. And to turn those songs into community. A 2014 study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience describes music as a “core human experience...because it [promotes] human well-being by facilitating human contact, human meaning, and human imagination of possibilities, tying it to our social instincts.”
Choral singing is one of the oldest formalized art forms, with a repertoire that stretches back more than 2,000 years. That is some impressive staying power! It invites the question: Why? A body of modern research shows many benefits to singing in a group. It boosts mood, improves outlook, and supports physical health. Choir singers report better relationships, a higher quality of life, and greater overall wellness than non-singers. It reduces anxiety and even strengthens the immune system. Plus, it’s fun!
As for children, one study has shown that, in addition to all the benefits listed above, children’s brains develop faster with exposure to music. Children are born wanting to laugh, dance, and sing. These things make us human! We should encourage them and help them improve. (We happen to have a world-class music educator on staff who will teach your child to sing for free!)
It is no wonder the National Endowment for the Arts calculates that nearly 54 million Americans currently participate in at least one singing group. But why don’t even more people sing in choirs? There are a few reasons I encounter again and again.
There is a perception that in order to sing, one must be talented. People seem to think they have to be naturally good. But it is okay to just be “fine!” Physiologically speaking, almost everyone can sing. This Zimbabwean proverb is right on: “If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.” All that’s left, then, is to sing on pitch, which is easily taught. It certainly takes talent and a lot of extra work to become an Olympic sprinter, professional dancer, or superstar singer, but just about everybody can run, dance, and sing for their own enjoyment. One of my favorite quotes comes from Henry Van Dyke: “Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.”
There are many activities vying for our attention. The idea of getting in the car and driving to rehearsal seems onerous. But, in a society that encourages isolation, we must make the effort to get together.
FUS is home to five choirs, two for adults and three for children and youth. None requires an audition, and you can join at any point in the year. Here is the schedule:
Cherub Choir
For 4 year olds through grade 2, Cherub Choir meets Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 6:55 pm.
For children in grades 3-7, Choristers meets Wednesday evenings 7:00 to 7:30 pm.
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Teen Choir
For teens in grades 8-12; meets Wednesday evenings 7:45 to 8:15 pm.
meeTing house Chorus
Our Wednesday adult choir, Meeting House Chorus specializes in “world” music, popular styles, and songs of justice. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:15 pm.
soCieTy Choir
Our Thursday adult choir, Society Choir specializes in classical masterworks. Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Singing in a choir can be therapeutic, enjoyable, educational, and contributive. Consider singing in a choir at FUS! There’s always room for one more!
“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.” Ludwig van Beethoven
In-person worship services: Saturdays @ 4:30 pm & Sundays @ 9 & 11 am
Online worship service: Sundays @ 9 am
Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson
Deep in our theological roots as Unitarian Universalists lies the belief that no human being is or can be beyond the ultimate circle of compassion and care. And yet, we live in a society which places certain people outside the boundaries of sympathy and grace. What does this collision challenge us to do? What does it mean to apply our humanizing and liberating theology to the realm of crime and punishment? Michael BB will play jazz and classical selections on piano. On Sunday, Society Choir will sing a spiritual and a piece by Elizabeth Alexander.
Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson
To be a good host in the modern world might be seen as a sign of good manners, but in much of the ancient world, the welcoming of strangers was a cardinal virtue. As the social fabric of our society frays more and more, perhaps it is time to restore the discipline of welcome to its place of honor. In this service, we will explore stories of hospitality as a spiritual practice. Join us in order to be welcomed, to welcome others in return. Meeting House Chorus will selections from The Justice Choir Songbook and Into the Woods. On Sunday, Marilyn Chohaney will play flute solos by Persichetti and Rutter.
Rev. Kelly Crocker
Theologian Martin Buber said, “All real living is meeting.” We know that we are creatures of belonging and that loneliness is one of the most painful experiences of life. Our lives are often structured around times of meeting, and we are deeply impacted, changed even, by our interactions with one another. Yet at times, even within a community, we experience separation, alienation, and rejection. How do we create communities of respect, care, and mutual belonging that come from our places of joy and gladness as well as our experiences of hurt? How do we choose to come together again and again? Piano duets by Norman Dello Joio and Felix Mendelsson as well as two hymn settings featuring Olivia Montgomery and Linda Warren.
Rev. Kelly Crocker & Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson
On this weekend of remembrance, when we honor All Souls Day, we reflect on those lives which, though ended, continue to shape our own. This weekend we will call the names of those members of FUS who have died in the past year and remember the names of members’ loved ones. Please join us to remember and celebrate the dear ones who live on in our hearts. Solos by soprano Heather Thorpe, and a Schumann piano work. On Saturday, Cherub Choir & Choristers sing. On Sunday, Teen Choir will sing.
We send our love to Pat and Lloyd Eagen as Pat recovers from recent heart surgery. Our hopes for strength and healing are with Pat as he begins the journey of recovery.
With sad hearts we share the news of the passing of Ken Ragland on September 1. Ken was a kind and gentle man who was always ready to climb the Landmark Roof for badly needed repairs or head down to the basement and work on a boiler. We will miss his generous spirit and warm smile. We send our love to his wife, Nancy, their children and grandchildren, and families. A memorial service will be held October 1.
If you have a life transition you’d like to share with the readers of this newsletter, please send it to mollyb@fusmadison.org.
Please take note of the upcoming remembrances of our beloved members. All services will be held in the Landmark Auditorium.
Ken Ragland, October 1 at 2 pm
Joan Schuette, October 15 at 1 pm
Martha Popp, October 22 at 2 pm
Can you hear the cheers?! Our first Saturday Potluck of the year will be October 14, 2023, following worship. Watch the Red Floors for details. Contact Janet Swanson to volunteer! janets@fusmadison.org or sign-up in the Commons.
New UU is an orientation class for newcomers and friends of FUS with introductions to Unitarian Universalism and the life of our faith community. We will meet on Saturday, October 28, from 9 am to 11:30 am. Childcare is available upon request. Please RSVP by October 25. Registration is required: www.fusmadison.org/newuu/ Questions? Contact Janet at janets@fusmadison.org.
Save the date! Women’s Autumn Retreat with Rev. Kelly Crocker and Janet Swanson, Friday evening and all day Saturday, November 3 & 4, 2023. $40 per person (to cover food and supplies). Contact Janet at janets@fusmadison.org for more info and to register.
Rev. Kelly J. Crocker, Co-Senior Minister kellyc@fusmadison.org x.112
Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson, Co-Senior Minister kellyaj@fusmadison.org x.113
Monica Nolan, Executive Director monican@fusmadison.org x.115
Janet Swanson, Director Membership & Adult Programs janets@fusmadison.org x.124
Leslie Ross, Director Children’s Religious Exploration leslier@fusmadison.org x.119
Kristi Sprague, Social Justice Coordinator kristis@fusmadison.org x.125
Xan Hendrick, Program Assistant alexandrah@fusmadison.org x.116
Dr. Drew Collins, Music Director drewc@fusmadison.org x.121
Heather Thorpe, Children & Youth Choir Director thorpeh2@gmail.com
Linda Warren, Assistant Music Director linda.warren@tds.net
Molly Backes, Communications Coordinator mollyb@fusmadison.org x. 117
Cheryll Mellenthin, Project Coordinator cheryllm@fusmadison.org x. 130
Tom Miskelly, Facilities Manager tomm@fusmadison.org x. 120
Dan Carnes, A/V & Event Specialist danc@fusmadison.org
Steven Gregorius, Event Specialist
Jenny Seeker Conroy, President
Chuck Evenson
Joy Stieglitz Gottschalk
Emily Cusic Putnam, Secretary
Emily Smith
Ann Schaffer
Ed Zapala
Zizi Brandt, Youth Liaison
Mira Roffers, Youth Advisor
Mason Shadle, Youth Advisor
Our lay ministers provide a confidential, caring presence to congregants undergoing stressful life challenges or joyous occasions. Under the guidance of our called ministers, they promote the spirit of community through direct service in visiting the ill and healing, facilitating support groups, and more.
Contact a lay minister at 608.233.9774 x. 126
Get information about upcoming services and events, see photos and videos, and connect with other FUS folks on our social media platforms!
FUS Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/fusmadison FUS Community Virtual Gathering Space (FB Group) https://www.facebook.com/ groups/fusmadison
https://www.instagram.com/fusmadison/ YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/fusmadison
The vision of First Unitarian Society is to be a spiritual community of belonging. We will transform ourselves and society through the practices of radical welcome, deep listening, and compassionate, authentic connection. We envision a world fueled by love and justice.
At First Unitarian Society, we question boldly, listen humbly, grow spiritually, act courageously, and love unapologetically.
