TJ CONNECTION
Thomas Jefferson District
Unitarian Universalist Association
May 12-16 UU Womenspirit Spring Institute and Gathering, The Mountain, Highlands, NC, call 919-969-7425 for info.
May 14-16 Workshop on Growth for Small Congregations, cancelled
May 24-26 RE Retreat
May 27-31 ACESS Retreat, The Mountain
June 24 UUA-sponsored conference on giving: "From the Myth of Scarcity to the Reality of Abundance." Salt Lake City, Utah, For further information, contact Alan Kleinfeld (akleinfeld @uua.org) or Mary Miles (mmiles@uua.org).
June 24-June 29 UUA General Assembly, Salt Lake City, Utah
July 25-31 Leadership School, The Mountain;
¨ SUUSI, Radford University, Radford, VA
October 8-9 Fall Leadership Conference, UU Fellowship of Hendersonville, NC. Keynote speaker, Bill Murry, President, Meadville/ Lombard Theological School.
Comings and Goings...
The Rev. Julie Denny-Hughes has received her Final Fellowship
from the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee.
QIYAMAH A. RAHMAN CHOSEN AS
NEXT TJ DISTRICT EXECUTIVE
One of the highlights of the 1999 TJ District Annual Meeting was the announcement of the appointment of Qiyamah A. Rahman to succeed Roger Comstock as the next TJ District Executive. The Search Committee that unanimously recommended her was headed by Ed Wilde and included Leon Spencer, Judy Turnipseed, Rev. Wayne Arnason, and Elizabeth Swope.
Ms. Rahman currently serves as co-president of the Thurman
Hamer Ellington UU Church and Ministry in Atlanta and served for two terms
as a member of the Board of the UU Women's Federation. She received her
BA in Education in 1984 and an MSW in 1986 from the University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor. She is completing a doctorate in Africana Women's Studies at
Clark Atlanta University. She has had extensive job experience in organizational
development, community organizing and advocacy, training and consultation,
counseling, conflict resolution and crisis intervention. The list of her
publications and training programs is extensive. Her most recent positions
have been as Program Director for the Georgia Department of Human Resources,
Division of Family and Children Services, from 1989 to 1994, and currently
as Human Relations Consultant to the Georgia Human Relations Commission.
Williamsburg UUs Host Annual Meeting Honoring Roger Comstock
More than 170 delegates from throughout the TJ District attended the1999 Annual Meeting held at the new building of the Williamsburg, VA UUs April 9-10. Many came to honor keynote speaker, Roger Comstock, who will retire at the end of June as the District Executive after 14 years of service. A banquet Saturday evening opened with remarks by Larry Wheeler, Development Director at The Mountain, who recalled working closely with Roger on the boards of both SUUSI and The Mountain before he became District Executive. Tom Warth announced the establishment of the Roger W. Comstock Leadership Training Fund at The Mountain (contributions can be sent to PO Box 1299, Highlands NC, 28741; more information at mountain@dnet.net). Other speakers were Eunice Benton, Mid-South District Executive; Krissa Palmer, TJ District Administrator and Goddess, and Margaret Beard of the UUA, co-editor with Roger of a recent book published by Skinner House, All Are Chosen: Stories of Lay Ministry and Leadership. The evening was capped off by a rousing rap song and chorus line by past and current TJ District Presidents: Mary Miles, Eunice Benton, Doug Walters, Lewis Walker, Barbro Hansen, Judy Turnipseed, Mason Moseley, and Linda Lane-Hamilton.
Business of the meeting was conducted expeditiously due to good preparation by Board working groups. A five-year Long-Range Plan developed by a committee headed by the Rev. Julie Denny-Hughes was approved. The next year's budget, presented by Treasurer Betty Corbin, was also approved as were updated bylaws of the TJ District revised by a committee consisting of Betty Dickinson, Paula Robbins, and Pal Palmore.
Finance Committee chair, Bill Ball of the UU Fellowship of Hendersonville, NC, announced the formation of a special fund-raising team to raise money to support the initiatives approved in the Long-Range Plan for anti-racism work and for a Religious Education Program Consultant. The members are Cindy Bailes of the Oak Ridge TN UU Church, Paul Clipp of the UU Fellowship of Clemson, SC, Ken Dorsey of the UU Fellowship of Raleigh, NC, Bob Gross of the Thomas Jefferson UU Church of Charlottesville, VA, Mason Moseley of the UU Fellowship of the Peninsula, Newport News, VA, Krissa Palmer of the UU Church of Charlotte, NC, Tom Turnipseed of the UU Fellowship of Columbia, SC, and Doug Walters of the Westside UU Church, Knoxville, TN. Initial pledges were received from Judy and Tom Turnipseed for $5,000 and Margaret Beard of the UUA for $1,000.
The Rev. Wyman Rousseau of the Piedmont UU Church of Charlotte, NC, co-chair of the Extension Committee, announced award of Chalice Lighter funds of $15,837 to the UU Fellowship of Clemson, SC for support of a minister and of $15,014.21 (thus far) to the Westside UU Church, Knoxville, TN for construction.
Linda Lane-Hamilton presented The President's Award to Ed Wilde of the UU Church of Spartanburg, SC. The Community Church of Chapel Hill, NC was designated for the O. Eugene Pickett Award, given to the congregation that has shown the most growth. The TJ District's nominee for the Unsung UU Hero award is Milton Rahn of the UU Church of Savannah, Georgia. The Best Newsletter Award for 1999 went to the newsletter of the UU Church of Asheville, NC, Sydney Wilson, editor. Excellence in Congregational Leadership awards were presented to Beryl Lawson, Harrisonburg, VA, UUs, Ann Sawyer and Joe Straley, Community Church of Chapel Hill, NC, Jim Flanagan and Ellen MacMillan, UU Fellowship of Raleigh, NC, Val Rosado, UU Congregation of Hillsborough, NC, Marjorie and Arnold Gelbin, UU Fellowship of Winston-Salem, NC, and Virginia Banks and Deane and Gwen Aboudara, UU Church of Roanoke, VA.
The following new officers were elected for terms beginning July 1, 1999: Leon Spencer, UU Fellowship of Statesboro, GA, one-year as vice-president to fill the unexpired term of Ed Wilde, UU Church of Spartanburg, SC, who was elected UUA Trustee; Amassa Fauntleroy, UU Fellowship of Raleigh, NC, for a 3-year term as Trustee; Rev. Vernon Chandler, Red Hill Universalist Church, Clinton, NC, for a 3-year term as Trustee. Pat Mohr of the UU Fellowship of Columbia, SC was elected to a 2-year term as Secretary, and Betty Corbin of the First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, VA will serve another 2-year term as Treasurer. Lillie Searles of the Eno River UU Fellowship of Durham, NC and Rev. Dan King of the UU Church of Augusta, GA were elected to 2-year terms on the Nominating Committee.
Friday evening's worship service was led by members of
the Anti-Racism Team, and Kathleen Carpenter, DRE at the UU Church
of Charlotte, NC gave a brief presentation regarding the proposed Religious
Education Program Consultant. The superb local arrangements provided by
the Williamsburg UU committee were organized by Doug Shipman.
Other District news is available by e-mail at listproc@uua.org.with message:
Thomas Jefferson District Office:
9704 Mallard Creek Road, Charlotte NC 28262
Phone: 704-549-0750; fax: 704-549-0751
District Executive: Roger Comstock,
Rcomstock@uua.org
District Administrator: Krissa Palmer, KrissaTJD@aol.com
President: Linda Lane-Hamilton, llaneham@widomaker.com