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Who Do You Know in Mount Vernon?

One thing about this Fellowship -- things never stay quiet for long! And one never knows what might be coming! For instance, would you have guessed that we'd be invited to support a very interesting opportunity for the spread of Unitarian Universalism in southern Illinois in Mount Vernon?

You may know Randy Farrar, a member of the Fellowship who lives up there. As you might suspect, Randy sometimes finds it a challenge to make it down to Carbondale for Sunday services and evening programs, so he wants to get a UU congregation started up in Jefferson County. And he's not just talking -- he's taken an audacious first step by buying a church building there. I visited the building about a week ago, and it is roughly comparable in size to our old Fellowship building. There are many differences: it's in better physical condition, is in a primarily residential neighborhood, has a 30-car parking lot, has fixed pews, and the list could go on and on . . . but it's certainly a fine building for a congregation to start with! And it has good karma -- both the original Lutheran congregation and the subsequent Baptist congregation that met there have outgrown it!

Randy and I spoke with Dr. Angela Merkert, Unitarian Universalist Association Central Midwest District Director of Congregational Services, about her suggestions for next steps. Obviously, one of the next steps is to put together an organizing committee, that is, a group of people who are interested in working to get a new congregation formed and off the ground. Some of those may be from Carbondale, but most of them should be from Mt. Vernon or its immediately neighboring areas. After the organizing committee is formed, it will begin planning and publicizing activities that will draw people in and help them connect with each other . . . public information sessions, for example.

As Angela pointed out, one of the big questions that we here in Carbondale will need to consider is "How can we support this effort?" Our support may be crucial to the success of this venture. Geographically, we are the closest UU congregation, and I hope that you will agree that it will be of significant value to us to have a sister congregation in southern Illinois, (only an hour away!), even as we recognize that Mt. Vernon and Carbondale are different places. That recognition has (at least!) two important implications. First, we in Carbondale cannot make a congregation happen in Mt. Vernon. Though we can help plant seeds, they will only grow into maturity if there is significant interest and commitment there. Second, though we may help with the planting, as the seeds do grow into maturity, their fruit will probably not look exactly like ours. A UU congregation in Mount Vernon won't be a clone of our Fellowship, and it shouldn't be!

The Board will begin to consider Angela's question at its February meeting. In the meantime, just to help us begin thinking about "how we might help," let me ask each of you to reflect on these two questions . . .

1. Who do you know that lives in the vicinity of Mount Vernon (or for that matter, lives in any zip code beginning "628") that might be interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism?

2. What ideas do you have for ways that we -- either as individuals or as a Fellowship -- might help "plant the seeds" of liberal religion in Mount Vernon?

If you have any ideas in response to these questions, I'd like to hear them! I believe that our liberal religious tradition is of great value, not only to us, but to others. I believe that it grows as we share it with others, and that it can speak not only to us, but to people throughout this region. I hope you will join Randy and me in that work! Once again, my thanks to each of you for your willingness to face questions like this on behalf of our Fellowship and our larger UU movement!

Yours in the faith, Bill S.