Teaching Thursdays 2017

Dear Members and Friends of 1stUUPB,

The season for Teaching Thursdays has arrived. Each Thursday evening for the next three months our Congregation will offer an entertaining educational program from 7 to 8:30. A social hour including an optional meal will precede the programs beginning at 6:00.

Here is your Teaching Thursdays schedule for January:

January 5 -- CIVIL WAR HEROINE CLARA BARTON AND THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN AMERICA, presented by Janelle Bloodworth. (in Ministers Hall)

               Hillary Clinton may not have broken the glass ceiling, but women have made much progress in the past century and one-half, haven’t they? Find out for yourself as retired history professor and Civil War expert Janelle Bloodworth uses Clara Barton’s story to reveal what Clara Barton faced as a would-be woman nurse during the Civil War.   

January 12 – OUR UU CONGREGATION’S COMMITMENT TO RACIAL JUSTICE, presented by the Justice Action Ministry (in Ministers Hall)

               Wouldn’t you know that Judy Bonner has second act up her sleeve? She will be retiring as our JAM chairperson only to take on her new passion, racial justice. Plan to attend this Teaching Thursday program to find what you can do as an individual and what we can do as a Congregation to promote racial justice.

                

January 19 – WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD: SMOOTH PAVEMENT, SKID MARKS AND CRASHES? --THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES, presented by Allen Maxwell (in Minister’s Hall).

               On the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration our resident and retired Professor of Political Science Allen Maxwell will present his thoughts and ask you to join him in speculating about whether or not, “It could happen here.”

January 26 – BEYOND THE ONE-MINUTE ELEVATOR SPEECH, presented by Rev. C.J.McGregor (in Ministers Hall)

               How do you describe our faith to family and friends? What about visitors to our Congregation? Do you get tongue-tied, seize up unable to articulate? We’ve been at UUs to develop a rote elevator speech to describe our faith. We are learning that this canned speech may not be the best way to attract new people or articulate our faith. Join this session and learn the art of being able to describe the beauty and power of Unitarian Universalism anytime and anywhere.

Meet Some New Members

Mini Bios of Recently Recognized Members:

Ashley Snyder

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and moved to Florida in 2004 to attend graduate school at FSU for Classical Archaeology and Museum Studies. After I graduated, I moved to West Palm Beach to work in the Curatorial Department at the Norton Museum of Art and became a stay-at-home mom after our daughter was born. I now teach Art Appreciation as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach State College and help out at our family business. My husband and I will have been married for seven years this December and we have two children, Teddy (6) and Maisie (3) and a long-haired Jack Russell Terrier, Neko (10). David is a life-long Palm Beach County resident and he has been running and really transforming his family business, Able Printing, since 2012 (@ableletterpress).  We just recently moved to North Palm Beach from Northwood in West Palm, where we lived for eight years. We are so grateful to have found this community, it has really been a blessing for our family and so welcoming to both me and the kids. Thank you so much for the warm welcome and I look forward to getting to know everyone more in the coming years.

Gail Burwell

Hello, my name is Gail Burwell and I am looking forward to a long, loving, and productive relationship with the 1stUUPB Congregation.

I was born and raised in Northern Wisconsin and I find the weather in the Florida to be far more friendly.  

I earned my bachelors degree and did some masters work in business administration and for many years I worked in various companies and corporations in administrative and human resources positions.

My husband, daughter and I now reside in Palm Beach Gardens.  I've lived in various states including Texas, Missouri and Connecticut and truly appreciate the diversity our country offers.

My hobbies include reading, bicycling and crafts.  I look forward to growing spiritually through the various programs, ministries, and teachings of the 1stUUPB Congregation.

Carol Baxter

was born and raised in New York City.  She lived in Staten Island, Long Island and Manhattan.  She moved to Connecticut in 1980 and raised two daughters there.  She is a clinical social worker and was told by colleagues, while working at Yale, "You are a Unitarian."  We explored that in 1984 at the Unitarian Church in Westport.  We joined that year and remain a member there to this day.   I so enjoyed all the roles I have had there and the many relationships that were made.

Fred Smith and I moved to West Palm Beach in October and I look forward to participating in the life of this community.  I have two daughters.  One lives in Palm Beach and the other in Chevy Chase, Washington, DC. with their husbands.  I also have a brother in Palm Beach. I enjoy most sports, draw and paint, love exploring biking and hiking.  I have been enjoying getting to know the members of this wonderful church family.