We are all called to be something greater than ourselves and to be ministers to each other. Join us this Sunday to examine these special calls in our lives and how to open ourselves up and answer them.

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The speaker will be the Reverend Kate R. Walker.

    The dryness of the earth has created a dusty spirit. I think I’ve been hit with the summertime blues. The high heat and blaring sun have slowed my movements and made me close up my house to turn on the air conditioning. Although the coolness is a welcome relief, I feel like a prisoner. No fresh breezes, no walks, and a stomach bug to boot. My daughter spent an entire night of vomiting and bathroom visits. Every time she moved in her sleep, I shot awake ready to rush her to the safety of the toilet. By morning my hands were visibly shaking even before my coffee! So I’ve been housebound, and my life has revolved around house-hold duties of laundry, dishes, vacuuming, cleaning. My husband, a contractor, has worked long days outside in the heat and comes home to collapse until morning. On top of it all, we’ve had little opportunity for travel this summer so an escape is unlikely at this point. Yes, I have been feeling a little sorry for myself.

    On one particular frustrating evening (as the kids argued in the background and my husband snored on the couch), I decided to go outside to suck in some fresh air and count to 100 (maybe 1000). I closed the front door and sank onto the front stairs. As I stretched my neck, I glanced up toward the night sky. The planets and stars hung still in their places. The cloudy milky way stretched across and disappeared over the roof. I sought out a few simple constellations and sighed. All was right with the universe, I guess. As I sat and breathed, I mentally let go of my daily struggles. I prayed for patience, for strength, for guidance. I said a few words to my mom, waited for a falling star, and then got up to return into the house. It didn’t take long, 5 minutes, perhaps, to say my prayers, but the connection stayed with me through bath time and bedtime stories. As I kissed their cheeks that night I could see the stars in their eyes.

    The heat continues, and the struggles go on, and each night I step outside to get a look at the bigger picture. All is right with the universe.

    The school year looms ahead! Can you believe it? And our religious education rooms are getting ready to go! In preparation for the new year, I will be highlighting curriculum for the 2005-2006 year in the next few upcoming Oracles.

    The PreK-K group will be using the Chalice Children curriculum written by Katie Tweedie Erslev. This curriculum nurtures a child’s spiritual growth and creativity. The program also helps young children learn about their church and gain a sense of belonging to their religious community and UU faith. The lessons allow them to have concrete experiences using UU rituals, rhymes, role play, finger plays, stories, songs, games, arts and crafts activities, and much more. This program sets the stage for a child’s future experience with the UU community.

There will be a very important RE COMMITTEE MEETING which will be focusing on preparation for the new year.

_ September 4, Sunday _

This Sunday will be RE REGISTRATION DAY. Registration forms (for students from grades PreK-youth group) will be available at the front desk and at the RE display during coffee hour.

_ September 10, Saturday _

There will be TEACHER TRAINING for all RE teachers from 9:00-2:00 in the Parish House.

_ September 11, Sunday _

This is the FIRST DAY OF RE CLASSES. There will be registration forms still available (for students from grades PreK-youth group) at the front desk and at the RE display during coffee hour.

    Each small group needs a leader. Small Group Ministry facilitators facilitate the life of the group. They make sure that the group starts and stops on time. They remind people of the next meeting. They contact group members who’ve been absent to let them know they are missed. At the meetings, they read from the Session Plan and help guide the discussion. They also have the option to delegate the above responsibilities, if necessary.

    These groups are neither therapy nor a course in religion. The only qualification for a facilitator is good commonsense. Another vital role of the facilitator is to be the connection between their group and the larger Small Group Ministry Program and the congregation. Leaders will need to meet once a month with the minister and/or Adult Religious Education Committee.

    "Very positive. Facilitating is not a burden. Still allows me to fully participate in the group topic. I do feel responsible to ensure that all people are heard and that all who wish can take part in the conversation."

    "Being a facilitator has been an enriching experience for me this year. I have enjoyed keeping a group of wonderful people connected with one another."

    "Energizing! Allows me to make real bonds with others. Rewarding to be part of building a caring community."

    The above information taken from Small Group Ministry Resource Book prepared by Rev. Calvin O. Dame.

    In the next few months reflect on a role you would like to take in our Small Group Ministry Program. Are you being "called" to be a facilitator? The Adult RE committee will be on the look-out for facilitators to help lead our small groups.

Stay tuned.

    For the month of August, the gallery beyond the Artist’s Cup will display selected images by Hilary Hoffman, Photographer, sponsored by Meadville Fine Art Prints. The show is titled "Searching." All are invited to the Opening Reception on Friday, August 12, from 6:30 to 9 pm.

    Hilary’s travels in Jerusalem, Paris, Holland, and New York City’s Chinatown are represented by stunning pictures. You will also find works of beauty wherever he sees it.

    He will be glad to greet you at the Reception, but if you can’t make it, drop in any time Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 am to 4:30 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm for a lovely experience. Come early in the month while the collection is still intact. It’s a small but choice exhibit!

    The Divine visits us through our children, our parents, our homes, our poems, and, well, there is nothing you couldn’t add to this list. This month’s moon group celebrates divinity in its myriad manifestations.

    Come hold hands with God Saturday, August 20, 7 p.m. People of all faith journeys welcome. RSVP by August 17: call Francesca De Grandis at 814-337-2490.

    A month and a half ago, the world paused to catch its breath. The planting was in and the first sprouts showing. The longest day of the year gave more time for celebrating and for rituals that would encourage the plants to grow into full, tall crops, rich with bounty. This was Litha, or the Summer Solstice.

    Now the early corn is harvested and the first wheat. My peas alas succumbed to the heat, as did my potatoes. I do, however have a bright red tomato waiting to be plucked and enjoyed. I would also have a fine set of broccoli plants were it not for a chipmunk that could even find his way into the cage and enjoy every one of the leaves. My herbs, however are glorious, and ready for the first harvesting and drying.

    It’s time to celebrate Lughnasadh (Loo-nuh-sub) or, as some prefer, Lammas. In some traditions, this festival is held on or about August 2. In others, it lasts from August 1 to August 7. It is the feast of the first harvest and the first grains are set aside to bake special breads and cakes. For those of you who are gardeners, it’s time to thin out those overgrown plants to make room for a better harvest, and trim back those whose upward growth is out of control.

    The festival is named for Lugh, the Celtic god of fire and light. As Lugh of the Long Hand, he led the Tuatha de Danann (the people of the goddess Dana) against the Formorian army, driving them out of the land that would become Ireland.

    As Lughnasadh is the first harvest, Mabon, or the Autumnal Equinox is the celebration of the final harvest. With the last of the harvest in and the fields lying fallow, there is time for dancing, eating and giving thanks. The last stalks of grain are braided into corn dollies and kept through the winter as a reminder of the bounty of the goddess.

        We are planning Circle Suppers for the two dates of November 5 and January 14. There are several people who have expressed an interest in participating in these gatherings, but have not had an opportunity. There will be sign-up sheets in the Parish House. Please sign up if you would like to attend either or both Circle suppers. Please also indicate your phone number and if you are willing to be a Host or Co-Host for either of these dates.

    The date is December 4, and the time will be following the church service and coffee hour. We would like to have two (2) volunteers to host these Open House events for the Christmas Season. Each host will have at least 3 helpers to assist with preparation. Please contact Carlin Almes or any other Fellowship Committee member if you are willing to volunteer to host an Open House.

    Ed Nelson has been sporting a magnetic nametag. If you are bothered by the holes made by the pin nametags, or by the fact that your clip-on appears sideways, check his out. They can be ordered at Staples – various styles and colors. The person I talked to says they cost from $8- $12, depending on your choice. Membership will continue to order the traditional tags at $5, but if you are interested in a magnet one, go to Staples and order one there.

    The Membership Committee is in need of Greeters for the months of August, September, October, November and December. If you haven’t been a Greeter this year and can help out, please see Carolyn Chase.

    The Membership Committee is seeking new members. If you would like to join us, we can use your assistance. Please see Carolyn Chase.

    It takes more than the Membership Committee to welcome new-comers and visitors. When was the last time you made a special effort to speak to a visitor? Please don’t depend on the membership committee to do it all. Sometimes most of our committee isn't even at coffee hour. Or, perhaps, we are visiting with a friend that we haven’t seen for a week, or talking to someone about church business.

    Making visitors and newcomers feel welcome is a congregational responsibility. Please...do your part. Don’t be afraid to say:

1. Have we met before?

2. What are your interests?

3. What brought you here today?

Let’s make our visitors feel welcome. Thank you,

    The 29^th Annual Ice Cream Concert will be held at Christ Episcopal Church on Sunday, August 14 at 7 p.m. There will be vocal, choral, flute, trumpet, bagpipes, piano and organ selections. An ice cream social will take place at 6 and 8 p.m., with ice cream donated at Casey’s.

    A small hardy group of Forked Lake campers returned home after a week of hiking, climbing, cooking, swimming, museuming, boating, canoeing, camp-fireing, gabbing, loafing, reading, loon-watching, game-playing, geo-caching, biking, eating, sleeping, and all around having a great time together. The weather was perfect – the one night and morning of rain turned into a beautiful day. You always want to have rain at least one night, because there’s just something about sleeping while the rain is pattering on the tent which is indescribably cool! We did miss a hoped-for thunder and lightning show, but you can’t have it all. Once again, no bears, though we did hear stories of a bear visiting a site the ranger would not name.

    A tradition has developed over the years of "the game" – a friendly competition of sorts which is different each year. It all started when Kate stated she could get to the camp sign-in area by foot before Bruce could by motorized boat. Rules were drawn up, and off they went! Kate ran the foot-path, followed by Mark who provided inspiration by chanting the theme from "Rocky". Bruce and Marty took off in the boat, but were slowed by canoeists who have first dibs on the channel through the rocks. Kate was also slowed by a "walker" on the narrow trail, but won anyway; and thus a delightful tradition was born. It has been agreed that each year’s loser will develop a new game for the coming year.

    Through the years we have had various contests: Forked Lake monopoly; righting a canoe in deep water; Adirondack camping trivia; last year’s game was a wonderful evening of music – everyone brought his/her favorite music, and we had to figure out who brought it, the title, the composer, and the performer. Most points were earned by "who brought it", and thus we gained more insight into each others’ minds and interests. We had so much fun we played many more rounds and all enjoyed the variety.

    "The Game" this year was Adirondack Jeopardy, developed by Ross Bell and Maria Sylvestri, who did much research in Adirondack libraries and the Blue Mountain Museum (a beautifully presented museum which most of us have visited more than once) to arrive at groups of categories and questions. The categories covered Ted (the Forked Lake care-taker), history, industry, nutrition, weather, famous people, local lore and geography. In playing the game, we discovered we actually knew quite a bit about this wonderful area, and learned quite a bit more.

    We have found that even packing to come home can be fun. This year across the lake we watched a mom and dad loon couple training their offspring. We think they were trying to prepare him/her for the coming migration in the fall. All work stopped while we watched these fascinating birds. During the week at Forked Lake we often heard their haunting calls, symbolizing wilder-ness, solitude and mystery. They make Forked Lake a special place in our hearts.