Cairns: The Unity Church Journal of the Arts

Why contribute to Cairns?

As a congregation, we choose a spiritual path with an implicit agreement to explore religious terrain together. A literary journal is a space waiting to be filled with not only the diversity of thought we treasure, but also with a variety of expression. We are all artists and writers. When you pick up a pencil or brush, the images or words tell your story, vision, belief, understanding, and truth. But, as Emerson said, even the most profound thought is buried as if in a mine unless it is communicated to others.

You contribute. We publish. The congregation is enriched.

When? Next Issue: Fall 2012

2012 Submission Deadlines: Art & writing will be accepted for the next issue anytime between now and the final deadlines. For early consideration of your work, please submit by May 25, 2012.

• Final art deadline: Oct. 1, 2012
• Final poetry & prose deadline: Oct. 8, 2012

Who may submit?

Unity Church members, pledging friends, staff, current participants, and youth in RE or Tower Club, or youth of members and pledging friends.

What to submit?

• Art
• Poetry
• Meditations and reflections
• Drawings
• Paintings
• Short Stories
• Prints
• Collage
• Memoir
• Photographs
• Humor
• Outreach Stories
• Unity or UU history
• Fiction
• Hymns: new lyrics to old tunes
• Art & writing related to the 2012 worship themes:

January: Authority

February: God

March: Suffering

April: Compassion

May: Transcendence

 June: Awakening

How much may be submitted?

You may submit up to:

• six poems
• two works of prose of 1500 words or less
• six works of art.

How to prepare your art submission:

• If possible, format art in a digital format at 300 dpi or higher; JPG preferred.
• Clearly label your digital files or hard copy pieces with your name, title, and media, as should be published. Note whether the work is the original piece of art.

Note: When submitting hard copies of art,  the pieces will need to be scanned or photographed and possibly resized to be included in the journal. Art appears in black and white in the interior of the journal.

How to prepare your poetry or prose submission:

• If possible, type your work in a word processing document or in the body of an email.
• Clearly label every page with your name and the title of the work, as it should appear in publication.

Note:  All text is reformatted in a consistent style, in the font and font size used throughout the journal, as single-spaced, and laid out on 7 x 10 pages. Lines of poetry that exceed the width of the page will be carried over to the next line.

How to Submit:

1. Complete a literary journal submission form online–click here, or in hard copy located in the kiosks at Unity Church.
2. Attach art and writing to an email. E-mail us: literaryjournal@unityunitarian.org   orplace your submission in the Cairns box in the Unity Church copy roomormail to:

   Unity Church-Unitarian
   732 Holly Ave.
   St. Paul, MN 55104
   attn. Cairns Committee

What Happens Next? Click Here.

Cairns is a project of The Unity Library & Bookstall Team, Cairns Committee, and is published annually.

Any questions? E-mail us: literaryjournal@unityunitarian.org

Photo: “Quetico Cairn” by Ann Hite