Community Discussion Group Topics*
January 2 - "Best Books of 2009." Moderator: Open Forum
January 9 - "Your 'Seinfeld Moment'." Moderator: Diane Bohlander
*This adult group meets every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Founders' Room for fellowship and thought-provoking discussions led by member volunteers. For a more detailed listing of topics, please see the Sunday bulletin.
St. Vincent de Paul 2nd Saturday Lunch*
January 8 Menu: hamburger buns, green salad, fruit salad, baked beans, 2% milk
(Pulled pork will be generously donated by Adina & Rita Reeve)
*All items must be delivered heated and ready to serve 15-20 people. Donations should be taken to 120 W. Apple St. by 10:30 a.m. Sign up in the Gathering Space or contact Kristin in the Fellowship Office.
New Study Group
A new course of study will be offered beginning on January 9. The study, "Spirit Awakening", will explore several channeled books which describe the human experience from the perspective of the soul and spiritual reality. For more information, contact Bill Hill.
Daytime Book Club Title*
January 19 - Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery & Alison Anderson
February 16 - The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba & Bryan Mealer
*We meet one Wednesday a month, at 10:30 a.m., in the Fellowship Library. We then go out for lunch together. All are welcome!
Evening Book Club
Please join us at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at Christopher's Restaurant (2318 Dorothy Ln., Kettering). For more information, contact Ann Snively.
January 11 - Oil on the Brain, by Lisa Margonelli
February 8 - Lush Life, by Richard Price
Humanitarian Giving Action Group Collection
During January , the Humanitarian Action Group welcomes plate offerings for the YRE Social Action project. YRE is asking its youth, "what would you do with $100? How would you give back to your community and make your money stretch as far as it could go?"
And We Want Your Ideas, Too!
The Humanitarian Giving Action Group will be placing a suggestion box in the Gathering Space starting in January. They are soliciting your suggestions on ideas for giving for 2011.
Food Fanciers
We will meet on January 21 at 2 p.m. in the kitchen. Get ready to indulge, as Shirley Gezinski will be preparing eggplant parmesan!
Joining a Covenant Group
A covenant group is a small group (4-10) of people who meet regularly with the purpose of deepening relationships, spirituality, and a sense of community in an intimate setting. We have two such groups currently meeting. They have been meeting for about 7 months. These groups will be meeting for another three-four months. They have room for a few new people. One group meets every Monday night and one group meets twice a month on Sunday nights. If you would like to join one of these groups, please see Amy. New covenant groups will form in March.
Harvest the Power - Leadership Curriculum
Join us for a four-week adult religious education program titled, Harvest the Power. This is the second in a 3-part series, but you need not have participated in the first part to join us. The topic is "Purpose: What ends do we serve?" This workshop will help leaders explore several aspects of the experiences, challenges and responsibilities of their role. New and existing leaders are encouraged to participate. The class will be held from Tue., January 11 through Tue., March 1 from 7-9 p.m. Please contact Alice Diebel with questions, or sign up in the Gathering Space or with Kristin.
Congregational Meeting
The next congregational meeting will be Sun., January 9 at approximately 12:20 p.m. following the service. Childcare will be provided. The agenda items include: election of all Board members and half the Program Council members. We will also award the Unsung UU award. Finally, we will decide whether the Draft Statement of Conscience, Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice, should be placed on the final agenda for the General Assembly in 2011.
Slate of Candidates
The Nominating Committee will be presenting the following slate of candidates for election at the January 9 Congregational meeting.
Board members:
Alice Diebel - President Alysoun Taylor - Vice President
Catherine Queener - Secretary Joe Law - Trustee A
TBD - Trustee B Kate Halpin - Prog. Council Chair
*All Board positions have a one year term, March 1 - February 28.
Program Council members:
Dawn Bellinger - Membership (completing second year of two year term)
Bob Lewis - Social Justice Rita Schindel - Activities
Sean Halpin - Operations
*All P.C. positions have a two year term beginning on March 1.
Open positions:
Public Relations Music Worship Internal Communications
Non-Violent Communication
Join us at the Fellowship for a one day workshop in Nonviolent Communication with Eric McLellan on Sat., February 5, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Lunch is included.) The cost is $25 per person limit of 30 participants (limited sponsorships available).
Non-Violent Communication (NVC) is a tool in communication, self-care, and personal development. Developing skills in NVC can reduce personal reactivity, guilt, and resentment, while increasing empowerment and connection. This workshop is for beginners as well as those who have practiced Nonviolent Communication. Attendees will apply and practice the four-step process involved with NVC. Learning to speak and listen compassionately is like learning a foreign language, engaging in a spiritual practice, and working for relationship enhancement all rolled into one (with another or yourself!) . NVC is fun! Participants will gain new perspective.
Attendees are encouraged to come with an agenda. Bring problems, concerns, and conflicts. In order to get the most out of the experience, it would also be helpful for you to come with the following intentions:
-a commitment to give up personal suffering,
-a willingness to see more of reality, and
-a desire to deepen one's experience of authenticity, hope, and faith.
The presenter, Eric D. McLellan M.Ed. PCC, has counseled, consulted and taught for 27 years. He has studied, practiced and taught NVC 10 years. Dynamic and witty, he has provided workshops on relationship, personality and communication in the Criminal Justice Program at Wright State, to Dayton Police peer counselors, the staff at Saint Vincent, school principles, school students, as well as several public workshops each year.
To register, please notify Genevieve Harvey of your interest and any special accommodations needed for your participation (e.g. dietary restrictions). This workshop is open to the first 30 registrants, not limited to members of MVUUF.
January Chalice Night
Our second Chalice Night will be Fri., January 14 at 6:30 p.m. We'll start with some icebreakers to get to know each other, then share dinner, followed by games for all. You can choose to play Apples to Apples, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, or bring your favorite game to share. All ages are welcome! Child care is available.
Sponsor a Guest At Your Table
The Guest at Your Table program began on December 12 and will end Jan 30. Dates have been extended this year, to give plenty of time after the Christmas season. Donations after January 30 should be sent directly to the UUSC. Since 1975, the Guest at your Table program has been putting UU faith in action, by raising funds to help people struggling for basic human rights both in the U.S. and around the world. The UUSC partners with self-help groups to fund the projects these groups have developed for their communities. Through December and January, there will be a table in the Gathering Space with information on the UUSC's activities, as well as envelopes, boxes for contributions, and "Stories of Hope" highlighting UUSC partners in four target areas. Guest at Your Table boxes encourage families and individuals to reflect on others' human rights and needs and to make an appropriate daily contribution to sponsor an imaginary international visitor at their table.
If you can total the coins and bills in your box, enter the requested information on the box, and write out a check for the corresponding amount made out to UUSC by January 30, it cuts down the delay in submitting all our contributions. However, you can also just bring your box to church marked with your name and I'll sort and total your donation. You may also bypass the box and simply submit your check made out to the UUSC in one of the envelopes available at the table. Don't forget to return your contribution to me or to the office by January 30.
Guest at Your Table is an ideal time to become a UUSC member or to renew your membership. I have a list of current UUSC members, if you wish to check the status of your membership.
Basic UUSC Membership rates are: $40.00 -regular, $75 dual regular (2 adults), and $20 Seniors (65 and over), $10 for Students and Youth. If you are able, please consider making your contribution go twice as far. Donations of $100 or more from a family or individual are matched by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock.
~ Maureen O'Meara
Adult Sexuality Education: Our Whole Lives
Your sexuality is a major part of your identity. It grows and changes-it's part of your health and relationships and your age and your self-image. But our Western culture trivializes sexuality and often has an underlying current suggesting that sexuality is only for the young and beautiful.
The Our Whole Lives program for Adults allows people to have adult conversations about an adult subject. Using values, communication skills and spirituality as starting points, OWL explores sexuality issues for adults of all ages inviting adults to strengthen connections between their sexuality and spirituality, between their values and their behavior, and between themselves and their religious community. Besides, why should the kids have all the fun of learning (or relearning) about sex! OWL for Adults affirms diversity and helps participants accept and affirm their own sexuality throughout their lives.
Our Whole Lives for Adults, led by Leslie and Chris Woodward on Sun. evenings, January 23-March 27 from 7:30-9:30 p.m., first come first served with a maximum of 12 participants. A donation for materials and curriculum will be appreciated from participants who are able to contribute. Contact Kristin Freeman at 436-3628 to register.
Green Sanctuary Project
Our journey toward achieving Green Sanctuary accreditation by UAA has begun, but the pathway to get there can be likened to embarking on an ongoing journey rather than arriving at a final destination.
UUA's Green Sanctuary Manual provides explicit details of the procedures to be followed to achieve the Green Sanctuary designation. The process consists of the following ten steps:
(1)Establish a Green Sanctuary team. The Environmental Action Group, a subgroup of the Social Action Committee, is working in the capacity of a steering committee as our MVUUF Green Sanctuary Team;
(2)Conduct an environmental assessment. This assessment consists of two components -- a professional energy audit and a congregational assessment. A team from the University of Dayton's mechanical engineering department was engaged to do the energy audit, and they recently completed a walk-through inspection of our facility and operating procedures. A written report is forthcoming.
(3)Create and action plan. The action plan will involve our choosing twelve major projects to complete related to four areas - worship and celebration, religious education, environmental justice, and sustainable living. These will be large scale projects that will require the support and participation of many members, youth, and friends.
(4)Apply for Green Sanctuary Candidacy. The application we will submit to UUA will include our congregational profile, a summary of the environmental assessment, and a description of our action plan projects.
(5)Review feedback from a Green Sanctuary review team. We will receive feedback with possible suggestions for modification
(6)Make appropriate modifications to your action plan. Based on the feedback we receive or if circumstances have changed, we will modify our action plan as needed.
(7)Complete your action plan. Typically the action plan projects take one to two years to complete.
(8)Apply for Green Sanctuary accreditation. We are required to submit a comprehensive document that will include congregational information, a description of the outcomes of the action plan projects, and an evaluation of our progress.
(9)Receive recognition as a Green Sanctuary. If our application passes muster, we will receive a letter designating MVUUF an official Green Sanctuary. At the next General Assembly we will be recognized along with other newly accredited congregations and receive a framed certificate to display in our building.
(10) Continue your commitment. Hopefully we will strive to continuously live up to the Green Sanctuary standards by implementing environmentally sustainable practices as a congregation and in our daily lives
Yes, to join the ranks of other UUA Green Sanctuaries will be challenging and it will require widespread dedication and participation. And it is an ongoing journey, because even on arriving at our destination, living out our seventh principle is an ongoing quest. To learn more about the specifics of Green Sanctuary program, go to the UUA web site, www.uua.org. At the bottom of the home page, click on the Environment/Sustainability link. The Environmental Action Group invites your participation in the greening of MVUUF.
