First, the fellowship should be proud of all the hard work done this past year by the '05 - '06 President and Board Members. Bylaws were updated, building funds raised, land purchased, on top of the regular functions and social action activities of our small group.

Here are some plans for the year ahead:

The theme for our services will be The living traditions and sources of Unitarian Universalism. We are excited about the schedule Bill Bradshaw is putting together. We hope to attract some guest speakers, and possibly a traveling minister for some of the services.

Although we currently do not have a Social Action Committee Chair, we have already approved two social action activities. We participated in the Community Build program earlier this month (Janet Hoffman). Just ahead is the Crop Walk (see Bill Bensel’s article for details). Stay tuned for further details.

The Religious Education Committee has set a goal to provide flexible RE programming for all ages, including day care. With this plan in place there will be a meaningful program for all children who show up, regardless of age.

We plan to participate in regional UU activities including the Mountain Desert District Conference October 6 - 8 in Denver. Please contact me if you are able to attend. We hope everyone is looking forward to an exciting season. It's shaping up to be a banner year for SUUF! Phil Gilmore jgigi@fiberpipe.net

As a reminder, the 6 Living Traditions (not to be confused with the 7 Principles) forming the foundation of our Church are:

"Direct Experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life."

"Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love."

"Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our spiritual and ethical life."

"Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves.

"Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature."

We won’t schedule services around the traditions in the order they are printed, but will try to make clear which tradition is being considered by printing the appropriate tradition on the Program for each service.

A few years ago we spread the word about the Sheridan Fellowship by underwriting several shows on Wyoming Public Radio. We’d like to try it again with a slightly different wrinkle this time. Rather than doing it by ourselves, we are joining forces with the Gillette and Casper Fellowships. This way, we can get UU exposure for most of the time that our Fellowships are meeting. Of course each group will only get airtime that they can pay for, but based on our past experience (thanks to Bill Bensel), it should be significant for the Sheridan Fellowship.

There are lots of different options for sponsoring shows so we’ve narrowed it down to some combination of Prairie Home Companion (ironic eh?), Car Talk, and New Dimensions.

If you’d like to contribute, make your contribution check to Wyoming Public Radio and send it to me at 706 Adair, Sheridan, 82801. I will coordinate with the Gillette and Casper Fellowships and Wyoming Public Radio to secure air time for the Sheridan Fellowship commensurate with our total contribution. If you have questions, please contact me at Fishhead@vcn.com  . Bill Bradshaw

The Long Range Planning committee (Liz Howell, Phil Gilmore, Victor Ashear, Gerry Brinkers, Bill Bensel & Kris Korfanta) met in July to discuss the plans for the newly acquired property at the Shining Mountain Business Subdivision. The Shining Mountain property was successfully purchased on June 23, 2006 for $53,000. Thanks go out to Phil Gilmore and Janelle Gray for their brilliant and creative financing assistance.

The LRP committee concluded that we should develop plans and costs to build an energy efficient green building which could help lead the community in a vision for future construction that must be considered in our world sooner rather than later. We would use this opportunity to inspire us all to work harder to raise the necessary funds.

We’re planning a rammed earth construction with in-floor heating in a concrete poured & stained floor and thermal solar heating. A 1500 square foot building would suffice to fit the approximately 13,000 sqare foot lot. The floor plan would include a large meeting hall for 60 people (800 sf) kitchen area (120 sf), a hall entry (100 sf) closet space for storage (100 sf), and three RE rooms that would double as an office. The plan would include a walk out basement and an upper level ground floor. We might need to build the lower level first as a temporary meeting space, with the upper level to follow as funds are available. With sufficient funds, we could do it all at once.

A wonderful donation of a basic architectural drawing has been offered by a local architect who will attend an upcoming meeting to listen and learn who we are.

To put the plan into action, we hope to form a LRP subcommittees to develop

a series of phases/goals to achieve for each building activity and

a consistent fundraising timeline and strategy to be integrated into the plans in collaboration with the Treasurer and Membership Chair.

We welcome input and any volunteers excited to be involved, and of course, any donations—small or large--to kick off the fund drive! You can reach me at liz345@bresnan.net  Liz Howell

The scary Bensel & Korfanta household will host their annual UU Pumpkin Carving on October 21 at 3:30 PM. This isn't just an event for the kids! Adults are urged to attend and have fun, too!

We'll BBQ hot dogs at 5;30, so if you wish to bring a side dish, desert or drink you are welcome to do so. Bring your own pumpkin, carving tools, paints, etc. We hope to judge various categories from funniest to creepiest!

Our place is just South of Ranchester. Directions or questions? Email Bill or Kris at bensel@ccorb.com .

Bill Bensel

The Sheridan Ministerial Association will be sponsoring CROP WALK, Sunday afternoon September 24. CROP Walk has been a successful fund-raiser to help stop hunger in the Sheridan community and around the world. The event will begin at 2:00 PM in front of the First Congregational Church (100 West Works, just North of Sheridan Co. Courthouse).

Event organizer, Reverend Doug Goodwin of the First Christian Church, stated that "CROP has assisted people who are victims of natural disasters and war, notably in the Darfur region of Sudan, Pakistani earthquake victims, drought areas in Africa and along the U.S. Gulf Coast as communities continue to recover from Hurricane Katrina."

The walking route will start at Congregational Church (Home of Lunch Together soup kitchen) and end at the Homeless Shelter at Sheridan V.A. Medical Center (Approximately 3 miles one- way). Some transportation back to Congregational Church may be available, but walkers are encouraged to arrange for their own return trip.

Currently the Homeless Shelter is at capacity and the Lunch Together soup kitchen serves an ever-increasing number of people five days a week. Twenty-five percent (25%) of funds raised at this event will stay in Sheridan and be provided for support of these helpful community programs.

The event offers the opportunity to join others in fellowship in a community-wide effort to help needy people locally and world-wide. For more information, contact me bensel@ccorb.com Bill Bensel

The Billings Unitarian Universalists are hosting the 2007 Mountain Desert District Conference in October of 2007! What an opportunity to experience a big UU gathering. This is the closest it has ever been, or is likely to be. Mark your calendars for next year. If you have time to volunteer, contact Lyda Adair ladair@tgrsolutions.net 

All our members and prospective members will be receiving a membership renewal card in September. This is your opportunity to offer your talents and pledge your support of the Fellowship during the coming year. On this card you will be asked to pledge an amount toward the operating fund, which provides dues to the Unitarian Universalist Association and Mountain Desert District, pays the rent for our Sunday meeting space, reimburses guest speakers, supports religious education, etc.

You will also have an opportunity to pledge an amount toward the building fund. Now that we have a building lot, we hope to maintain momentum toward the goal of building a meeting place that reflects our values and answers our specific needs.

A draft budget will be distributed with the pledge cards so that you can see our projected sources and uses of funds this year. Given our current membership of around 30 adults, this will give you an idea of average membership contributions required to meet our Fellowship needs and goals. If you wish to make a full or partial payment toward your pledge, you can just include a check with the returned pledge card. If you make your Sunday contributions with a check (or cash in an envelope with your name) you will be credited toward your pledge. Statements will be sent out next Spring to indicate amounts pledged and amounts paid in both the operating and building funds.

Thanks in advance for your generous support of the Fellowship. Ronn Smith

We will be asking members, both long-standing and new, to sign our membership book this Fall. This will serve two purposes: First, it will allow the Fellowship to have an accurate count for our annual dues to the District and the UUA. Second, it will provide the Board a current list of our member contact information that will be distributed. Victor Ashear

The meditation group will reconvene at 7 p.m. Sundays, Contact Eileen Lyons pelyons@wavecom.net for more information,  October meeting place tba.

President, Phil Gilmore

Vice President, Victor Ashear

Treasurer, Ronn Smith

Secretary, Eileen Lyons

Program Chair, Bill Bradshaw

Long Range Planning Chair, Liz Howell

Religious Education, Kris Korfanta

Social Action, open

Membership, Victor Ashear & Bill Bensel

Caring & Concern, Bev Rawlings

God, to me, it seems,

Is a verb

Not a noun,

Newsletter Editor, Janet Ashear