Music, Music, MUSIC!

Sunday, May 1st, 4pm    

"Missa Gaia - Earth Mass"

Presented by the UUCG choir and local jazz musicians

All are welcome to attend this free concert in celebration of the Earth

Worship Services,  Join us for Service each Sunday

May 29th - "The need for a Memorial Day" - the Worship Committee

The members of the Worship Committee will explore why we celebrate Memorial Day.      

Expressions - exploring the arts and spirituality

From the Board Vice President - Vance Archer

Facing hard realities while living in Covenant

I remember a time from my childhood where my family had to face hard realities. At the time I didn't understand what was really going on, although I now know that my father was between jobs and attended a job training program that didn't pay him well until he finished it. What I mostly  remember from the time was many nights of macaroni and cheese and my parents telling us children that our 50 cent a week allowance was being terminated and we couldn't make purchases of new clothes, toys or even the 10 cents that paid for the Saturday afternoon movies downtown.

It turns out my parents had looked hard at their ability to support us and decided that a career change was needed to provide adequately for our family. During the transition every one of us had to make do with less and contribute more to keeping our family together. Today I remember it as a time where the relationships I share with my brother and sisters grew as we discovered the fun we could create for ourselves without spending money. My family is more closely knit today because of this time of scarcity and the opportunity we had to face hard realities together.

During this month's Board of Trustees meeting, our Board made some very hard decisions. We accepted the financial condition of our church and adjusted our staffing hours and our committee budgets to match the amount of money that has been pledged by our church membership for the upcoming fiscal year. We decided that we could neither run our church at a deficit nor make rosy assumptions that might further endanger our future if they prove incorrect.

We had to face the fact that our community has not raised as much money as we have in the past or as much as we need to operate at our present staffing level. Indeed, at our current pledging level of $164,000 we are down $22,000 from last year and down $35,000 from the pledge total that our Board believes we need to operate at full potency.

Yet we need to preserve our core function as a Covenanted Church and stay in Covenant with our staff members who are working under reduced compensation and significant financial hardship. Yet we must keep our mission to our movement and maximize our potential for future growth to meet our region's needs.

The plan we came up with establishes a budget based of the current pledged amount and our standard methods of accounting.  

1.The most drastic decision we had to make was with regard to staffing. We decided that to protect our church's mission requires the role of each of our staff positions. We therefore drastically cut back hours for each staff member. The partition of hours chosen was recommended by our staff and enjoyed broad board approval
2.We have cut our committee budgets to their lowest possible level.
3.Our Congregational Administrator has found ways to cut our expenses to an absolute minimum.

4.Our chosen staffing levels will allow us to hire a specially trained Interim Minister full time starting in September to help us work through the process of self-examination and search for our next settled minister.  Both our Board and Staff agree that this is the best way forward for our church

What can Friends and Members do?

During this time of reduced staff hours our Friends and Members will need to contribute additionally to our active and vibrant church. First, if you can afford to give more money to the church, please increase your pledge. Secondly, you can personally help to replace some of the critical functions that our staff will no longer be able to do because of their reduced hours.

Here is a list of specific things that our church will need volunteers to cover.

·We will be need office volunteers to keep our phones answered and church administrative business completed. 

·Fellowship and Membership committees will need to be prepared for fall. We must prepare for welcoming visitors and returning old friends.

·Our LRE program and committee will need an energized and enlarged level of participation to help our DFD be successful at reduced hours.

·Building and Grounds will be undertaking a larger repair and maintenance burden.

·We will also need continued participation in our Music, Worship, Social Action, and Communications committees. These Committees will need to fulfill their charters with fewer financial resources.

I believe that this time of facing hard realities will strengthen us as we move forward together. I am proud of our staff, who have accepted this sacrifice and are remaining in covenant with us. I am proud of our Board of Trustees which has squarely faced our looming budget deficit; and I am proud of being a member of a community that is willing to join together to build a Unitarian Universalist future for the UUCG and our region.

News from the Director of Faith Development

Religious Education - 3r-5th grade class

 What's Happening in the 3rd-5th grade Sunday School Class?
 
The 3rd through 5th grade Sunday School class has been using the "God Images" curriculum with additional material brought to the class by the teachers.  The children got an overview of different religions including traditional Unitarian and Universalism.  The life of Jesus and several parables have been discussed.  The 7th principle was considered as it relates to the ecology of the church property as well as cosmic evolution.  The children rebuilt the terrarium (a small ecosystem of their own) in their classroom.

UUCG Annual Dinner

Make plans to attend the UUCG Annual Dinner on Saturday evening, May 21, at 6:30.  This is a time to celebrate our church year in fun and fellowship!

Come to the Annual Dinner on May21st

 
UUCG annual dinner is one of our biggest celebrations of the year.  This is the event where we celebrate the end of the church year and honor those who have given so much of their genius, time, talent and sweat for the well-being of our church and its congregants. 

Sign-up by May 15 on the bulletin board in the hallway by the kitchen.

The dinner will be organized by tables of 8-10 people.  Each table will have a theme determined by the table host.  We will be randomly assigning people and couples to tables.  Table hosts will be contacting you about what you can bring to the dinner.  Our volunteer table hosts will determine the table's cuisine and coordinate the table's menu.

Be a Table Host at Our Annual Dinner

 
Each table has a host that decorates the table according to some theme they have chosen and provides all the decorations and plates and everything else that is needed to eat a meal.  Some bring their own dishes from home and some use paper products, whatever goes with their theme.
In the past there have been Christmas in May tables and garden party tables.  There was once an Australian Outback table and another was decorated with the host's finest crystal and china and lit with her silver candelabras.  One host even fabricated a rainbow that arched from one side of the table to the other.

Being a Table Host is an easy way to contribute to the success of our annual gathering.  You can decide on a type of cuisine (e.g., vegetarian, ethnic, or anything that inspires you).  All you need do is contact the 8-10 people assigned to your table, coordinate their contributions to the dinner, and arrange for table decorations. 

Child care will be provided. 
 
Want to know more?  Contact Cindy Williams at 674-0535 or cmmrw@triad.rr.com    or Vance Archer 632-9264 or vance_d_archeriii@yahoo.com.

General Assembly 2011
June 22-26, Charlotte, North Carolina
 
General Assembly is the annual meeting of Unitarian Universalists from all over the continent.  Thousands of UUs all in one place celebrating our faith.
 
For more info:
http://www.uua.org/ga/index.shtml
 

World Labyrinth Day

World Labyrinth Day

A global celebration of the labyrinth

The first Saturday in May

May 7^th, 2011

"Walk as One at 1"

Be part of a rolling wave of peaceful energy

as the earth turns.

Walk a labyrinth at 1 PM in your time zone.

World Labyrinth Day, a project of The Labyrinth Society, is a day designated to bring people from all over the planet together in celebration of the labyrinth as a symbol, a passion, a practice and a tool for healing and peace.

The UUCG Labyrinth Committee is planning a walk in our sanctuary.Doors will open at Noon and the walk will begin at 1:00. The Labyrinth will be open for walking until about 2:00. All are welcome.

Blood Drive

On Monday, May 23, UUCG will sponsor another blood drive.  Beginning in mid April, the sign-up sheet for those planning to donate blood will be available on Sunday mornings.

 Chellie Mason and Dottie Borei, co-coordinators, will need a lot of assistance for this event.  If you can help set up the sanctuary, greet donors, telephone to remind  people of their appointment, provide funds for the canteen, or help in the  cleanup-we need you! 

Please contact Chellie chelliemason@msn.com or  Dottie drvborei@gmail.com to let one of them know how you can support this very important activity.  Everyone can play a role in building a successful blood drive-those who donate or those who provide assistance.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Michael Servetus Event

Dining for Friends 

Thanks for your support!

Congregational Culture Task Force

Living the Healthy Congregation

Editor's Note:  This section will contain a monthly article from the Congregational Cultural Task Force highlighting examples of "good health" they observe in our congregation. 

Last Month's Board Activities

1. voted on a Budget Proposal to be presented at the Annual Meeting for congregationalapproval.
2. will continue to contact Members and Friends who have not pledged asking them to consider pledging.
3. agreed that the staff will operate as a self managed team until the arrival of an Interim Minister, consulting with the president , another church officer, or a Board member on issues that require outside consultation.

Birthdays this month 

Attendance and Collection

UUCG Covenant 

• Promote a search for personal meaning, respecting individual truth in a community process of quest
• Speak and act with caring, courtesy and love thereby maintaining emotional, physical, and spiritual safety for all
• Support UUCG and denominational efforts with our resources
• Combat injustice while promoting equality
• Nurture our children on their spiritual journeys
• Hold ourselves to this covenant, especially during times of conflict and disagreement

UUCG OFFICERS 

TRUSTEES

Karen Madrone (2011)                                                                                           kmadrone@juno.com
Ken Williams (2011)                                                                                                 williams@ncat.edu

Michelle Lee (2011)                                                                                          nc.dogwood@yahoo.com
Carolyn Crumpacker (2012)                                                                                      msjazzzz@aol.com
Janet Eley (2012)                                                                                                 eleyjanet@yahoo.com
Steve Andrews (2013)                                                                                              sand3420@aol.com  
Charlotte Hamlin (2013)                                                                                        chamlin1@triad.rr.com
Thomas Clayton                                                                                                          tnt@riseup.net

UUCG STAFF

Congregational Contacts