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UU News
Monthly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro
An Intentional Liberal Religious Community February, 2012
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Greetings!
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Welcome to the February edition of our church Newsletter!
Love is in the air this month! Check out all the activities and events in February that are sure to warm your heart!
If you have any submissions for the newsletter or questions for the editor, please send them to commuucg@bellsouth.net.
Happy New Year!
Katie
Newsletter Editor
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Liberal Religious Community
|  ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS CHURCH
Distinctions of power, privilege, and estate, which apply outside these doors, do not apply within them. Women, men, and children; persons of any color, culture, age, ability, economic status, or affectional orientation; skeptics and those pursuing common or unorthodox religious paths...
All Are Welcome Here!
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Worship Services, Join us for Service each Sunday
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February 5th Is This a Christian Church? (Part 1: Maybe Not) Rev Posa
A new member signing will be held during the main service on Sunday, February 5. If you would like to become a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro on that day, please tell Rev. Eric Posa or the Membership Committee Chair Ann Dickinson at 674-2035 or ardpuppy2@aol.com. The next one will be held on March 4.
February 12th Is This a Christian Church? (Part 2: Maybe So) Rev Posa
February 19th Dressing Up for Mardi Gras Rev Posa
It is also Hat Day on Feb 19th! See the note below for details!
February 26th The Settled Minister Search Process Ms. Denise Rimes
Ms. Rimes will speak on the Settled Ministry Search process which we will soon begin
Unless otherwise noted we have 2 services each Sunday: our "Beginnings" Service at 10am which is a mulitgenerational offering, and our "Traditional" service at 11am where the topics listed above will be shared. |
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Annual Hat Day Celebration!
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Hat Day, February 19!
We've been celebrating Hat Day since the late seventies. It's a tradition started when a minister exchange took place at our Unitarian Church on Monterey Drive. Our minister, Wyman Rousseau, was away at another church. At the end of the worship service the visiting minister suggested that we surprise Wyman the next Sunday morning by wearing a hat. Since then we've been celebrating Hat Day.
We've found some very creative hats throughout the years. Some folks spent a lot of time creating the most unique hats,hats made to look like kites, hats made from plastic milk jugs, hats made from newspapers and sundry products. Some were favorite hats, baseball caps with team logos, company logos, class reunion numbers. There were chic hats, sunbonnets, foreign country hats, even helmets. It was a morning of elevated spirits because of the presence of hats.
I'm looking forward to seeing you in a marvelous hat!
Janet Plummer
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Expressions
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Expressions is a short service on Wednesday nights at 7pm where we explore the intersection of the arts and spirituality
February 1st Windfall, blues/pop/R&B
February 8th Jac and Jason Grimes, brass
February 15th Patrick Lui, classical guitar
February 22nd Marie Houck
February 29th Mark freundt, Piano Many Hands
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From the Board President Jim Kalinowski
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With a little help from my friends
While it may be argued that I really do need a lot of help, I'm really writing about our church, our collective we. Soon you will be hearing about some exciting ideas from our Governance Task Force (GTF). Yes, I know the words "Governance Task Force" and "exciting" may seem a curious match in the same sentence but I think some of you will like all they propose and all of you will like some of their proposals (my apologies to President Lincoln).
But, those proposals are best described by the GTF. I really what to tell you about how you can be involved now. And, I would like to involve many of or newer members more fully in the life our our church. In addition to the Sunday service, the Wednesday Expressions service and the preceding potluck meal, a great deal of church life revolves around our committee structure. It's a great way to get involved and to get to know other people in the church and for those people to get to know you. We have committees that would meet any possible interest you may have - we have a LOT of committees.
Now, before I get in too much trouble with our editor, I will concern myself, for now, with only two of our committees that I think can benefit from the insights of newer members - Membership and Fellowship. Membership staffs the visitors table and is responsible for greeting visitors, following up with visitors, enrolling new members, and maintaining the membership roles. I know that one of my real joys is hearing the stories of those who visit and decide to stay with us. You inspire me, you make me feel whole. Unfortunately, we have many visitors who don't decide to stay. So, I think the perspective of our newer members, and friends, can help us address this problem. This was one of the first groups I got involved with in the church and I still enjoy talking to first time visitors.
Fellowship plans a lot of activities that draw us together. Again, you newer members and friends can help keep us fresh with your ideas, your energy. You can help us plan those activities that will interest a wider range of people.
Our first principle calls on us to affirm and support the inherent worth and dignity of every person. In these contentious times, I think this is a message of hope. One that we are called to share. Share not only with each other but with the wider community in which we live, with this troubled world. So, get involved! If neither of these two committees interests you we many other ways for you to be involved. I would be happy to put you in touch with a committee chair in your area of interest. Stop me any Sunday or call me.
In covenant,
Jim Kalinowski |
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Cabaret Auction is one month away!
|  The Cabaret Auction date is set!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 10th, 2012.
To make this fundraiser a success, we need your help! Please consider donating something to this fun-raising and fund-raising event. Here are some suggestions for you think about: - Host an event - dinner at your house, outing to a museum or vineyard, a games night
- New or very gently used items of good quality and good value - jewelry, electronics, decorative items
- Handmade items - paintings, woodwork, jewelry, knitting, baked goods
- Services - lawncare, babysitting, dog-walking, car washing, tutoring
- Large items (this is a new category) - furniture, sports equipment
To donate, fill out a donation form in the church lobby and leave it in the box, or see Charlotte Hamlin, our donations team leader. Can't wait to see what treasures await us this year! |
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International Dinner
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International Dinner
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 6:30pm
Enjoy international music, games and story tellers.
Bring your favorite ethnic or international dish to share.
Please label your dish including its country of origin and what is in it.
This is a family event where adults and children are welcome.
In an effort to be green, please bring your own plates and silverware.
For more information contact: the fellowship committee
Cindy Williams at 674-0535 or cmmrw@triad.rr.com
Karen Madrone at 2532362 or kmadrone @juno.com
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Fellowship Theater Outing
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HIGH POINT COMMUNITY THEATRE'S
OLIVER!
UUCG Fellowship Committee is hosting a theater outing on Saturday, February 25th, to see the High Point Community Theatre production of Oliver! Directed by UUCG member Dan A. R. Kelly, this performance will be at the fabulous High Point Theater in downtown High Point. This classic musical by Lionel Bart, based on the novel by Charles Dickens, has been a favorite of children and adults for decades. Some of the famous tunes include "Consider Yourself," "I'd Do Anything" and "Food, Glorious Food." Follow little Oliver as he shows that even the smallest orphan can do great things. The HPCT production features a cast of 75 talented performers between the ages of 6 and 76 and is a perfect show for families to enjoy together.
Tickets are $16.00 for adults and $13.00 for students and seniors (which is the Group Discount rate).
We will be meeting for dinner before the show at Sumela Restaurant, 805 N. Main St., High Point, NC. They are highly recommended by theater staff, and they feature Mediterranean cuisine for both vegetarians and carnivores alike!
The address for High Point Theater is 220 E. Commerce Ave, High Point, NC.
Dinner at 6:00pm
Seating opens at 7:30 pm
Show starts at 8:00 pm
A sign-up sheet has been posted on the bulletin board. (We do encourage you to sign up sooner rather than later, as Dan is holding seats especially for the UUCG group.) All tickets must be paid-preferably by check, but cash is acceptable-by Sunday, February 19th. Please turn in payment to Dan Kelly. Checks should be made payable to "High Point Theater."
Please let us know if you plan to attend both dinner and the show, or just the show, as we will make reservations at the restaurant. Questions? Dan Kelly can be reached at WalkintheParkPictures@gmail.com
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Introduction to UU Class
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Come ask questions, share your stories, hear an introduction to the UU faith and discuss the meaning of membership in this two hour class led by Rev. Eric Posa and Marie Houck. The class will be held in the library, (formerly Julie's office), and will start shortly after the service on Sunday, February 12.
While this class is intended for visitors, newcomers, people considering becoming members and new members, interested members may also attend. A light lunch will be provided. Please sign the sign-up sheet in the hallway or RSVP to Membership Committee Chair Ann Dickinson at ardpuppy2@aol.com or 674-2035. Childcare will be provided for those who request it by January 29.
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Regular Events
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Feeding the Hungry at Urban Ministries
On the first Monday of each month a group of volunteers from our church shop for and cook a meal for the homeless at Urban Ministries. We are in the process of building a new team to carry out this important project. If you would like to be part of the action, contact Ken Knight at oldpeacenik@gmail.com or at 288-0103.
Men's Night Out, Monday, February 13th
Join us at our next at Men's Night Out beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Ham's Restaurant on Wendover and Hwy 68 (5840 Samet Drive).
Ladies' Night Out, Monday, February 27th
It's at 6:30 at the Saigon Restaurant at the corner of High Point Road and Merritt Drive. A room is reserved for our group. The Vietnamese cuisine is tasty; the fellowship is delightful; the humor is uplifting and the conversation is enlightening. Newcomers are welcome. Please contact Mary Davis (586-0188) or Janet Plummer (294-6364) if you plan to attend this evening of laughter and good food. Men's Night Out 2, Monday, February 27th
A second Men's Night Out is held the last Monday of each month. We will meet at the Applebees at 3200 Battleground Ave at 6 p.m. for dinner and fellowship.
Healing Touch Circle
A new group calling itself the "Healing Touch Circle" will offer energy healing at the church on the first and fourth Wednesday's of each month for all who wish it. We will be available from 5:00 pm until 7:00pm. All are welcome. Please contact Bill Haney, facilitator for an appointment.
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From our Nominating Committee
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At our annual meeting in May, the congregation will elect a new President, Vice President, two Board of Trustees members, and one member of the Endowment Committee. In January and February, the Nominating Committee will be identifying members to run for these offices. We are seeking members of the congregation who will provide strong leadership to help UUCG continue to make changes in our governance and culture to enhance the health of the congregation and help prepare us for a new settled minister.
If you have a desire to serve the church, know someone who does, or if you have recommendations for others, please contact a member of the committee and/or fill out one of the nomination forms that will be at the church on Sunday mornings in January and February.
On the fence? Thinking about running but wonder what serving on the Board is like? Talk with one of our current Board members; their names and photographs are on the bulletin board in the hall outside the kitchen. Talk with someone who has served in the past. You'll hear what a rewarding and, yes, at times challenging experience it is. Service to the congregation is an important way that we act on one of the 7 UU Principles, "the use of the democratic process within our congregations."
In addition, nominations for the Nominating Committee will be made from the floor and elected at the May meeting, so be thinking of and talking with people you believe would be effective members and willing to serve in that capacity.
Thank you for your help in assuring that UUCG has strong leadership in the coming year,
Dottie Borei (852-3608; drvborei@gmail.com)
Sue Cole (854-3346; suelyle@bellsouth.net)
Lauren Houck (542-5547; houck.lauren@gmail.com)
Betsy Lindsey (854-0730; betsylindsey1@gmail.com)
Cindy Williams (674-0535; cmmrw@triad.rr.com)
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Peanut Butter Alert!
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Thanks to everyone at the Unitarian Universalist Church who contributed to the 66 pounds of peanut butter collected last month for the Greensboro Food Bank. Let's keep up the good work for the next month.
THANKS,
Becky Floyd
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Flowers for the Sanctuary
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We depend on members and friends to volunteer to bring flowers for Sunday services. Please think about signing up on the large calendar sign-up poster on the wall opposite the kitchen. If you cannot get the flowers to the church in time for the early service, that's ok! We are happy to put a line or two stating that flowers are given in memory or honor of someone, in the church order of service. Feel free to call Caroline Cook at 373-9059 evenings, if you have questions. Thanks for brightening our sanctuary on Sundays!
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Adult Religious Education Winter & Spring Offerings
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We have a number of opportunities to participate in Adult RE starting this Winter. Here are a few of them:
Here I Stand, Nelson Stover's adaptation of Building Your Own Theology, starts the week after the Super Bowl. It will run on Sunday afternoons for 10 weeks. Don't miss this opportunity to examine your own beliefs with others.
We will start a forum series in late January. The concept is to take an interesting topic from religion, society, politics, or anything else we find intriguing and take an hour or so to discuss it with a few other UUs. The Forum will run most Sundays from 9:45-10:45.
Compassionate Communication will meet monthly on Sundays and Thursdays. These sessions will build on the work begun last Fall. The core group plan to continue exploring the work of Marshall Rosenberg. They are open to all, both those who had the previous class and those new to this practice. Compassionate Communication Practice Sessions this month are Thursday, Feb. 2 (7 pm) or Sunday, Feb. 5 (9 am). You are welcome to attend if you have read Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication or seen his DVD.
Harvest the Power; this is a Leadership Development curriculum developed by the UUA as part of the Tapestry of Faith program. There will be three all day Saturday sessions offered. The first will be in late January or early February with the others to follow every couple of months.
There will be other opportunities as well. If you are interested in any of these, or if you have an idea for a class, please contact Steve Pearsall, Laura Graham, or Sue Beck.
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Lowe's Foods Gift Card Fundraiser
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As an ongoing fundraiser we are selling Lowes Foods Gift Cards. These gift cards come in denominations of $25, $50, or $100. They spend like debit cards, you don't have to spend it all at one time. The church receives 6% of your purchases. If you shop at Lowes, even occasionally, this is an easy way to help out UUCG. They also make great gifts. Look for Suzanne Deering to purchase yours.  |
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Denominational Affairs
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Communication
Steve Pearsall, Katie Klod and I attended a meeting of our UU cluster on Saturday, January 14, 2012. Our discussion began with talk about film licenses, copyrights, music licenses, etc. for churches. This subject matter is very complicated, but some guidance can be found at the UUA's website http://www.uua.org/worship/143066.shtml. CVLI is an organization used by some of the cluster churches to provide film licenses. The license is good for one year and there is no admission charge if less than 200 people view the film. When recording a worship service, music must be recorded separately and requires a different license. Church Music Publishers Association has a very informative Guide to Copyright Information FAQ,
Katie Klod gave a demo of "Constant Contact". UUCG uses this to prepare its newsletter and to send the weekly email announcements from our Office Administrator. The charge is $16/month. We may want to check out an online survey feature of this software, not currently used by UUCG.
Food Fight
The cluster churches will participate in the third annual Food Fight. During the month of February, bring your nonperishable items of food to UUCG for Greensboro Urban Ministry. The church with the most items (not pounds) of food per member wins the Food Fight and bragging rights!
Marriage Amendment
We discussed some ways to counter NC's proposed Marriage Amendment. In addition to panel discussions and connecting with local groups to phone potential voters to get out the vote on May 8th, UUFR (Raleigh) has prepared a Statement of Conscience supporting ALL families. Their congregation will vote on this on April 29th.
We tossed around the design and wording on a button we plan to order. Katie Klod came up with the best idea: "Protect All Families" in a circle around the edge of the button with "Vote NO" in the center. Glad you were at the meeting, Katie! We plan to distribute the buttons in our congregations.
Next Meeting
The date of our next meeting would normally be April 14. Since that is also the date of the UU choir festival, our meeting date moves to April 21 at UUFR if space is available. If space is not available in Raleigh, we will meet in Fayetteville.
Submitted by Chellie Mason
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Last Month's Board Activities
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Summary of the January UUCG Board meeting ·The Executive Committee completed the interim minister evaluation with input from the Transition Team. ·Treasurer Lonnie Houck presented several very early budget scenarios. Most produced a deficit budget. ·The board approved a new rental contract with the Learning Pallet. ·A request from a congregant to be authorized to perform weddings under the auspices of UUCG was given to the Policies and Procedures committee. ·The board moved to "abstain" from a UUA Congregational poll on selecting study/action issues.
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Birthdays this month
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Dorothy James
Steve Pearsall
Janet Plummer
Ann Galiger
Susan Hill
Steve Andrews
Paula Marra
David McLean
Bridget Hodge
David Tatzel
Sylvia Goodfriend
Zachary Rose
Vance Archer
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Attendance and Collection
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1/1/12 Total 86 Intergen Service $1,798.00
1/8/12 Adults 161 Youth 23 $3,072.37
1/1512 Total 110 $2,803.03
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UUCG Covenant
| We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro, do covenant to:
- 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
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TRUSTEES
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Michelle Lee (2012) nc.dogwood@yahoo.com
Breeze Dunham (2012) breeze1770@gmail.com
Stephanie Blake (2014) cicciblake@triad.rr.com
Myra Anne Geese Dean (2014) myraannegeese@yahoo.com
Steve Andrews (2013) sand3420@aol.com
Charlotte Hamlin (2013) chamlin1@triad.rr.com
Suzanne Deering (2012)
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UUCG STAFF
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Reverend Eric Posa, Interim MinisterOffice Hours: Please call church office for appointments Office Phone: 856-0330, Cell: 508-7568 E-mail: uucgminister@bellsouth.netJulie Hamilton, Congregational AdministratorOffice Hours: Please call church office for appointments
Office Phone: 856-0330, Fax: 856-0384 E-mail: uucgadmin@bellsouth.netBeth Walden, Director of Faith Development Office Hours: Please call church office for appointments Office Phone: 856-0330, Fax: 856-0384 E-mail: dreuucg@bellsouth.net
Mark Freundt, Director of MusicOffice Hours: Please call church office for appointments Office Phone: 856-0330, Cell: 908-1103 E-mail: uucgdirmu@bellsouth.net Walter McCorey, SextonTuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday (times vary based on needs). Cell Phone: 414-0163 (in case of building emergencies) |
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Congregational Contacts
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Building and Grounds Merrit Wyatt
Care Team Suzanne Andrews & Joy Hamlin
Communications Committee Katie Klod
Newsletter Katie Klod
Website Mariella Perez-Simons
Congregational Culture Taskforce Laura Graham
Council of Committees Vance Archer
Denominational Affairs Chellie Mason
Endowment Fund Rob Cary
Fellowship Karen Madrone & Cindy Williams
Finance Committee Steve Pearsall & Mike Stoller
Annual Commitment Time (ACT) Vance Archer
Fundraising Charlotte Hamlin
Cabaret Auction Kay Radebaugh & Katie Klod
Governance Task Force Charlotte Hamlin
Labyrinth Steve Pearsall & Ken Williams
Lay Pastoral Care Associates Janet Eley & Liz Harrell
Lifespan Religious Education (RE) Laura Graham
Membership Ann Dickinson
Music Committee Sue Sherwood & Marilyn Clayton
Nominating Committee Sue Cole & Betsy Lindsey
Policies and Procedures Michelle Lee
Social Action Committee Ken Knight
Green Sanctuary Sue Cole, Elaine Stover
GLBTQ Karen Madrone
Worship Committee Barbara Hands
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