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In This Issue
Passover & Easter events!
President's Message
Music Notes
Upcoming Events
News Bites
Projects for the Homeless
Jumping Spider returns!
Red Lake Reservation
Adult Classes
Volunteers Wanted!
Loose Change Update
Guest at Your Table
Work for Marriage Equality
Shop for NUUC
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District News
     
  
Passover and Easter Events!

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

 

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held after service on Easter Sunday, April 24.  Bring your little ones and a basket or bag for them.  This event will be held in the area around the church building and in the field behind the church unless conditions are too wet, in which case we will stay inside.  For information or to help, please contact Social Committee Chair Jan Bourke at [email protected]

 

Passover Seder

 

Our annual Passover Seder Dinner (family friendly!) will be Wednesday, April 20, at 6 PM in Fellowship Hall.  Rev. Susan will provide her famous smoked brisket; all other dinner elements, potluck, please!  Please sign up to let us know how many to expect, and a rough idea of what you might bring.  Sign up on the Bulletin Board in Fellowship Hall (right by the door to the kitched) or through email,, [email protected]. 

 

 

President's Message 

As the new board president, I would like extend a greeting to all members of our congregation. Because board minutes are open to all members, it is my intention to not write a column each month, but to only do so when there is something interesting or exciting that the board would like to call specifically to your attention.

 

As it happens, that is the case this month. As many of you may have noticed in the minutes over the last few months, the board has been working with Susan to find a way to accommodate a ministerial intern within our congregation for the September 2011-May 2012 academic year.

 

I am extraordinarily pleased to announce that, thanks to some creative adjusting of her own schedule and compensation, Susan has made this possible.  As of March 19, the board has extended an invitation to Rachel Baker, one of Susan's students from Starr King Seminary, to be an intern minister with NUUC for the dates listed above.

 

Rachel's path to the ministry became a goal when she watched from her place of employment in New York City on 9-11, the fall of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. As she worked alongside many others on that day to help survivors, she made the decision to move her life into one of service.  Over the months ahead, I am sure that we will have many opportunities to hear about this event and many others that led Rachel to become one of Susan's best students. (And as such, how could we expect her to be anything less than good for us?  :)

 

You may not be aware that one of the issues facing potential UU ministers is the paucity of internships that are available to those interested in small-parish ministries-which, ironically, is where there is the greatest need. The availability of internships of this sort only supports a small percentage of those applying.  So, in addition to helping ourselves, we will also be helping the greater cause of Unitarian Universalism, extending our faith and supporting future UUs. After all, in the end, it is the congregational family who completes the minister's education.

 

While Rachel is with us, she will spend time learning about and supporting the various committees in our organization, will provide us with alternate perspectives from the pulpit, and will assist Susan with her many, varied responsibilities. Rachel will ensure that when Susan is at Starr King or doing her work for the UUA that the congregation has extra ministerial support.

 

In the next few months before her arrival, you will hear more about Rachel, both in The Northern Lights and from the pulpit. I hope you will be as excited about this event as am I.

 

As always, you may approach me or any of our board members for as much information as we have. We will try to keep you "in the loop" about all the preparations.

 

Darlene Tschudy

Music Notes 

 

April Music Notes

 

The NUUC Choir continues to grow in numbers. Lately, it seems that half the congregation stands up and comes forward during the musical interlude. As music director, it's my job to make sure that the musical life of the church is vibrant. It's a joy to see the vocal talent in our congregation, and yet I know there are more of you out there with great voices. (I am listening during hymn singing so don't be surprised if I try to recruit some of you for choir!) When will I stop recruiting? When I know that everyone who has vocal talent and ambition is a member of the NUUC Choir! We have an informal audition process and new members are welcome anytime. In this spirit, please join me in welcoming the choir's newest member, Sue Frederick, to the alto section.

Don't forget that Music Sunday is May 22. I still have space on the program for a few more performers.


Here's what the choir is preparing for the month of April:

April 3: "Scarlet Tide" from the movie Cold Mountain

 April 10: "Rise Above the Walls" is a new addition to our repertoire

April 17: "Sim Shalom" is a prayerin Hebrew for Passover

April 24: "Shenandoah" seems the perfect American folk song to celebrate spring and Easter.

Musically yours,

Marlene Hartzler, Music Director

 [email protected]

 

 

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Upcoming Events 

Fair Trade Sale. The Social Action Committee will hold its monthly Fair Trade Sale after the service on the second Sunday of the month.  Your purchase of fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate supports economic justice in coffee-growing communities.  See Brandy or Paul Montgomery for more info ([email protected])

 

 "Faith on the Margins" Discussion on April 12

Dr. Linda Mercadante of the Methodist Theological School in Ohio will present "Faith on the Margins: Spiritual But Not Religious" on Tuesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. at Beehive Books, 25 N. Sandusky St.   Dr. Mercadante has conducted interviews with people across the country for an upcoming book on the topic. She will offer insights gained from her cutting-edge research, followed by an open discussion. During the talk, Dr. Mercadante will include information she gleaned from interviews with gays and lesbians, who often feel shunned from their home churches after coming out.  Sponsored by ACT OUT Delaware and the Delaware Gay Straight Christian Alliance, the talk is free and open to the public. See www.actoutdel.org or www.dgsca.org for more information

 

News Bites 

NUUC T-Shirts Are Coming Soon!

 NUUC t-shirts will soon be available in your choice of green or blue.  They will have our name, a chalice, and "25 years of covenant" on the front upper right and our covenant on the back.  The cost is only $9.00.  Please contact Laura Howe ([email protected]) to order your size and color.  To all our "creative" NUUCers - white 100% cotton t-shirts with grey lettering will also be available for your tie-dying fun!

 

The NUUC Directory of Members and Friends was updated in November, 2010 and was distributed via e-mail to save printing and postage.  The next update is anticipated in early April 2011.You can receive

an electronic or paper copy at any time upon request; please contact Jeri Dill at [email protected] or 740-657-8081, ext. 1, noting whether you want to receive via e-mail or get a printed copy (please note whether you are able to pick it up at church to save postage or you need it mailed to you.)Help us keep the directory information current--please notify Jeri if your address, phone, or e-mail information needs updating (submission deadline for April printing is March 30.)

 

 

Projects for the Homeless 
ChaliceLit

 

Sleeping Bag Project:  If you have used (but stain-free) towels and washcloths that you would like to get rid of, please consider donating them to "Share" for their use in making sleeping bags for the homeless.  (Other items that are needed are fabric, blankets, and men's ties.)  Donation is easy-just  leave the items on the white desk in the corner of Fellowship Hall with a note marked "for Share project."  

 

Personal Care and Clothing:  "Share" has also sent out appeals for help with toiletry and personal care items and warm men's clothes in good, clean condition.  Toiletry items especially needed are: new or gently used washcloths/towels; toothpaste/brushes; *men's deodorant; disposable razors; *men's socks; safety pins; sewing kits (Dollar Tree has great name brand health items!).  There is also a great need for Men's jeans, long johns and sweat pants.   They need fleeces and sweat shirts too....

(Please note women on the streets usually wear men's clothing because it's warmer, and will use men's toiletry items, but men won't use women's)

 

  

 


April 2011 Newsletter

Spring has officially sprung!  Even if there was snow on the poor daffodils this week, there was also a lovely flowering of New Members this Sunday, as well as the hint of our favorite spring activities in the air. 

We had a NUUC record for the number of new members we welcomed this past week--a total of seventeen lovely and fascinating folk.  I know that we will enjoy getting to know them better.  An official NUUC welcome to Dee Burlison, Chuck Lynd, Shelia Fox, Bettye Best, Carol Focke, Rarin Ole Sein, Kevin Becker, Sue Fredrick, Pam Patsch, Becky Johnson, Lorien Dana, Brad Dana, Diane Conley, Stephen Conley, Kay Corlett, Brad Watson, and Emily Watson! 

And we have our traditional spring events to look forward to--the Easter Egg hunt (oh yeah, and the Easter worship as well) and the Passover Seder Dinner are upon us (I'm cleaning the smoker for my famous BBQ Brisket). 

Time to unfurl!

To Life!

--Rev. Susan

 Merrily Easter 

Who is that sitting with Miss Merrily, NUUC's own Director of Puppet Ministries?  Find out at the Easter Intergenerational Service!

Community Supported Agriculture Returns to NUUC 

 

Jumping Spider CSA is seeking members for the 2011 growing season.  What is CSA and why should you join?  Community Supported Agriculture is a direct way to connect to a local and sustainable food source.  As a CSA member, you receive a weekly share of the fresh, nutritious produce available seasonally from our 2 acre vegetable garden in Ashley, Ohio.  As a consumer, you make many choices every day.  By joining a CSA, you choose to keep your food dollars in the local economy, support a healthy and sustainable method of food production and enable a farm family to subsist on the fruits of their labor.  For $615 per season, a share in Jumping Spider CSA provides enough freshly harvested and nutritiously delicious vegetables for an average family.  For example, a week's harvest in spring may include 1-1/2 pounds of asparagus, 3/4 pounds of lettuce mix, and a bunch of radishes.  A week's harvest in summer may include a bunch of Swiss chard, 2 zucchini, a pound of green beans, 6 pounds of tomatoes, a pint of cherry tomatoes, and a bunch of basil.   A week's harvest in fall may include a bunch of onions, 2 heads of lettuce, four red bell peppers, and 2 winter squash.  Vegetables vary with the season, and with local rainfall and growing conditions.  Your investment in Jumping Spider CSA contributes to operating costs such as seeds, irrigation, soil amendments, equipment, fuel and labor.  In return, you share the risks and bounty of the growing season with our family. Deliveries are made weekly right to NUUC on Sunday mornings.  Join us! Interested? Contact Paul and Sarah Etheridge at [email protected] or call 740 747- 0389.  If you are interested in sharing a share with another NUUC family, contact Rev. Ritchie at [email protected] and she will try to partner you up.

Red Lake Reservation Update

 

 

Let me say thank you all for your donations to the Red Lake Nation Project.  Our partnership with the students of the Red Lake Nation continues and so far we have collected the following:

 

59 journals

7 gift cards

Pens and pencils

Underwear/bra

$217.79 from the January loose change and additional money donated to project in January

$175.00 from the Social Action budget

 

I have been corresponding with Donna Hrabcakova, our contact at the reservation and would like to share some of her comments with you.  She is very grateful for our outpouring of support.  Here are some of the things your gift cards and monetary donations have gone towards:

Excerpts from Donna:

"I have used monies to buy groceries, deodorant, feminine supplies, more journals on sale at Target dirt cheap, hair supplies, cough drops for some of my girls that were sick, and more underwear, to name a few." 

 

"I did get the last box that had all the journals in it, gave them all out.  For the twenty dollar
card at Target I bought much needed art supplies, for the ten I bought more paper supplies because
the kids love to write and draw.  Then with the two 50 dollar cards I helped two homeless senior girls
whom have lost their mother, father and brother--some recently--and have been living place to place and
are in great need to everything from clothes to food.  THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!!"

 

We will continue to collect items and if you wish you can bring in journals and gift cards to Target or Wal-Mart and place them in the box in Fellowship Hall, or you may make a cash donation by making your check out to North Unitarian Universalist Congregation and put "Red Lake Nation Project" in the memo line.

 

Also, mark your calendars!  Donna will be here on May 29th to offer a service where she'll speak of her life on the Reservation and our partnership with her students.

 

Yvonne Clippinger

[email protected] 

For Donna's complete letter, click here 

 

  Adult Enrichment Class 

 PulpitChalice

NUUC is pleased to offer the following Adult Education class for this Spring; see sign-up sheets on the bulletin board to register.  Child care will be offered upon request.  For questions concerning these offerings, contact Rev. Susan Ritchie at 740-657-8081, ext. 2 or [email protected]

 

UU Theology.  What and how do UUs believe about God, evil, human nature, the nature of truth, and just about everything else all packed into one workshop (we will schedule more follow up sessions if there is a demand)!  Offered by Rev. Ritchie, Sunday, April 10, 12-1:30PM, Nielsen House (sign up by Sunday, April 3).

 

churchdoorVolunteers Wanted 

 

Explorers Teacher:  We are looking for a volunteer willing to take a small handfull of dates between now and June willing to teach the primary grade religious education class.  Curriculum, assistant, and much love provided!  Contact  [email protected].

 

Refreshments:  One NUUC tradition that carries on week to week is coffee, cookies, and conversation after services.   A very special thank you to all of you who have taken a turn at setting up and clean-up after our weekly refreshment tasks this year.   The process is easy--all you have to do is follow instructions that are already posted in the kitchen on where everything is and how to make coffee.  And then clean up after and put things back.  Everything is provided for you.  (But, feel free to try out a new cookie recipe or bring a dessert left from a meeting or family function!)  We are currently scheduling through April-see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for available dates, or please contact Teri Cornell at [email protected]  or 614-891-59. 

 

 All Eligible Blood Donors: Mark Your Calendar for June 6, 2011

If you missed last month's newsletter, mark your calendar for June 6 for the NUUC annual blood drive.  The (new) schedule will run from 1:00p.m. - 7:00p.m.  Watch the for the donor sign-up schedule to appear soon on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall.

 Did you know that:

 

  • Cancer patients can frequently need blood products during their care and treatment.
  •  In some cases, leukemia and other cancers can cause anemia or internal bleeding. Transfusions of red blood cells and platelets can help.
  •  Most chemotherapies and radiation can lower blood counts for red cells, white cells and platelets. Some patients receive red cells and platelets while undergoing these procedures.
  •  Patients undergoing cancer-related surgery may experience blood loss and need transfusions of red cells.
  •  The need for blood products varies by patient and type of cancer. For instance:
    • o   a leukemia patient may need 2 to 6 units of red cells, and 6 to 8 units of platelets daily for 2 to 4 weeks.
    • o   a prostate cancer patient may need 2 to 4 units of red cells during surgery.
    • o   a bone marrow transplant patient could require 6 to 8 units of platelets daily for  4 to 6 weeks.

A special note for regular donors:  as you no doubt know, you can give blood every 56 days.  If you want to donate at NUUC, don't schedule an appointment to give elsewhere after April 15 (tax day, an easy way to remember) and be sure to reserve June 6 to "give the gift of life" at NUUC instead!  If you have questions, contact John Rodeheffer (740-369-9659 or   [email protected])

 

Mowing Help Needed!

 

For this coming mowing season, the Building and Grounds Committee plans to handle the mowing using the same approach as last year, which will avoid us having to contract out the mowing and save about $2,400 in the budget.  We plan to handle the mowing on a rotating basis with a little help from the congregation.  We have 3 committee members (John Rodeheffer, Roger Orwick, and Bob Keith) willing to mow once a month, and we plan to ask for a 4th volunteer from the congregation each month.  This will spread the work so each committee member will mow only once a month, and each congregational volunteer would mow just one time during the season.  The area to be mowed includes both the church yard (bounded by the driveway and the parking lot) and the yard around Nielsen House.  The field at the rear of our property will be mowed by Gary Rusk, who has volunteered to mow it for the season.  We have a riding mower, which is used for almost all of the mowing.  For a few small, tight areas, which the riding mower cannot handle, we use a push mower.  Also, the volunteers won't need to do the grass trimming since Don Dillemuth will handle that activity.

 

Therefore, we would like to get one volunteer each month from the congregation to mow one time.  The mowing season runs from mid-April through early November.  But volunteers from the congregation will be needed only for the months of May through October, which is 6 months, so we need 6 volunteers.

 

Please consider volunteering to mow one time this season.  If you like the smell of cut grass or would like to help the church handle the mowing, you can sign up on the mowing sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall.  Just pick a date that works for your schedule.  If you have questions or would like more information, just contact Bob Keith at 740-369-1919 or [email protected] .

 

Social Action:  The NUUC Social Action Committee typically meets the first Sunday of the month, after service, in Nielsen House.  For more information please feel free to attend a committee meeting or talk to any member of your Social Action Committee.  Contact Chair Tracy Steinbrenner at [email protected] for questions and to confirm the next meeting date.  Won't you join us?

 
Loose Change Update
 

Your Social Action Committee will continue its "Loose Change" project in 2011 by collecting your loose coins during the worship service on Sunday, April 10, as it has on the second Sunday of each month throughout the past several years.  The Loose Change collections for February and March will benefit the annual "Guest At Your Table" project (see article elsewhere in this newsletter for more details about the outcome of the GAYT project).  Additional deserving recipients of our monthly Loose Change collections are always under discussion.  For questions regarding the "Loose Change" project or to suggest a recipient, contact Chair Tracy Steinbrenner at [email protected] or any member of your Social Action Committee.  $117.95 was raised in February, and $161.92 in March.

Guest at Your Table Update

 

NUUC raised $1,872.12 for the 2011 Guest at Your Table campaign.  Now, this is before adding the amount the UU Congregation of Shelter Rock, Manhasset, N. Y., has offered to match for every individual gift of $100 or more.  Breaking down this year's donations, there were nine gifts of $100 and one of $500, totaling $1,400.  Matched, this number becomes $2,800.  Other gifts totaled $192.25, and the two "loose change" collections came to $279.87.  The final amount, then, is $3,272.12.

 

Once again, everyone, thank you for your help and support.

 

Marty Keith

[email protected]


 

Work for Marriage Equality

 

North UU Congregation is working with First UU Church of Columbus to help Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI)  pass their  equal marriage rights for same sex couples.   Once a month for the next 3 months, First UU Church (93 West Weisheimer Rd., Columbus, 614-267-4946) will be hosting phone banks from 10:30am-1:00pm.  By helping Rhode Island pass their same sex marriage campaign it will help Ohio pass rights for our GLBT community.  As more states extend rights to the GLBT community it will have an impact on Ohio Law Makers.  To participate in the phone bank, a cell phone is needed, along with a laptop computer.  By logging in to the MERI website, their name (and not your name or number) appears on caller ID's when making calls.  If you don't have a laptop computer but would like to participate in the events, there are a few computers available upon request.  The next two phone bank efforts are planned for Saturday April 2 and Saturday, May 7 (a phone bank training session will take place from 10:30am-11:00am, and lunch will be provided).  For additional dates and times or for more information, please contact Tracy Steinbrenner ([email protected] or 614-885-0324)  or Lyn Herron ([email protected] or 614-519-5378) of your Social Action Committee.

 

Shop for NUUC 

 

Our Kroger rewards continue to add up - NUUC received $235.77 in Rewards in March.  Way to shop, NUUC!  If you haven't already registered (or renewed) your Kroger Plus card with the Community Rewards program, please consider designating NUUC as your recipient.  Individual participation must be renewed annually, so be sure you have updated your record.If you haven't registered or need to update your participation:  Go to http://www.kroger.com and select Kroger Community Rewards at the bottom of the page.  You'll need your account information or your Plus card number to complete the registration.  It is a little cumbersome, but the sooner you do it the sooner your purchases start counting toward another nice donation from Kroger.  (Should you need it, our NUUC Nonprofit Organization Number is 84869).

 

The Delaware County Community Market is a fascinating new venture in downtown Delaware.  A year-round, non-profit market, you can shop there for groceries, handmade foods and other items, and household goods, and then direct 20% of the profits to your favorite non-profit.  (Yes, NUUC is on the list of nonprofits to choose from!)  The market is open 7 days a week (10-6 weekdays and 10-4 weekends).  For more information, go to www.dccmc.com.  The store is located at 222 East William Street.

 

Assitance for Japan 

 

Members of NUUC generally donate money to aid humanitarian causes, most notably through the UUSC (the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee).  To contribute to the UUSC efforts for aid in Japan,click here.   

 

Even though her own family is far enough away to be in no immediate danger in Japan, Hitomi, Marty Keith's daughter-in-law, is extremely upset about the crisis there.  She has asked Marty to share with you some suggestions she received for persons wishing to provide aid to Japan:

 

  The Red Cross (click here)                                                     

                                 

 Globalgiving.com (click here)                                 

 

Marty adds that our local Red Cross center on Hills-Miller Road makes donating easy; they will send your check on to their headquarters in Iowa (P.O. Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018).