UUCS Draft (unless the deadline is here) Newsletter Submission

[John Gear]

Since I am not sure if the deadline for the next UUCS newsletter is today (I think it might be), I'm calling this a draft, but also including the newsletter editors as cc: on this, and asking them to run it if the deadline is today.

However, in case the deadline isn't here, I  would also welcome feedback on this newsletter article.  

I am also copying the communications team and asking that they put this on our website with a prominently teaser/link on the home page.

So if you have changes to propose to this article (507 words including headline), please send them to me at gea...@gmail.com.

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You’re a fascinating person – someone we want to know more about

Imagine for a moment that you are a famous author or composer or artist or film-maker: You are someone everyone else seems fascinated by, so much that strangers call up and ask if they can interview you.

Well, guess what, it’s no fantasy, or at least not the part about you being fascinating. 

We definitely want to know more about you and what makes you tick. How did you come be among us here at UUCS? What do you do when you’re not here at UUCS? What inspires you?  What are your proudest moments? What makes you mad?  What do you want to be remembered for?  What groups do you belong to? What causes motivate you?  What do you see that needs changing?

Now you’re probably asking, who is this “we” in all this? 

We are members of the UUCS Social Justice in Action group, and we are embarking on a big new project for the year: sitting down and really listening to all the members and friends of UUCS (or at least doing our level best to reach them all) so that we can really get a good look at the mosaic that we form as a community.

Our goal is to give every single person at UUCS the opportunity to really express themselves in conversation with another UUCS member, so that we begin to create the conditions for strengthening our connection to our shared community and to each other. That way, we can deepen our understanding of the concerns of all the congregants at UUCS, so that we can do a better job, as a community, in helping each other realize our goals and in making our larger communities (Salem, Oregon, the US, the World) into better places.

There won’t be any pitch during these conversations.  You won’t be asked to sign up for anything, give any money, or join any committee.  We’re not sizing you up for pledge drive or for additional volunteering.  The only thing we’ll ask from you is for some time – about a half-hour or so – to sit down with a fellow UUCSers who wants to have a conversation focused completely on someone fascinating: YOU.

Because we have a lot of fascinating people to hear from this fall – over 200 for sure, maybe over 300 if you include non-member friends of UUCS – we will need to be a little organized in our approach, so, yes, we will be using sign-ups sheets. But we’re also willing to be flexible and to make other arrangements to accommodate your busy schedule and the other demands on your time.  (In other words, don’t think for a minute that you can get away with “I’m too busy.”) To make a good mosaic, we need all the bright and shiny pieces to put into the picture, especially the one representing you. So please plan to take part, and look for more information in the weeks to come. 

-- John Gear, Social Justice in Action team member