UU News

Monthly Newsletter of

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro

An Intentional Liberal Religious Community   March, 2012  

Worship Services,  Join us for Service each Sunday

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. 

Expressions

 Like a lot of people, it took me awhile to find my vocation in life. As a young man, ministry was not on my radar - I was raised unchurched, and by the time I started college at age 18, I had no interest in religious community. But I had no clear sense of what I did want to do. All I knew was I wanted not simply to earn a paycheck, but to engage work that would be meaningful, to myself and to others. I wanted not just to be employed, but to be of service. But I didn't know how. 

Yet even at this early stage, I already sensed that three different kinds of activities each left me with a sense of fulfillment I was unable to find elsewhere. The first was my ongoing desire to study and learn new ideas, and talk with others about these views of the world. So I studied philosophy, planning to take up the life of a college professor. But that work lacked something for me. It felt good, but incomplete.  

At the same time, I was inspired by those women and men who engaged the work of seeking justice and peace. In college, this led me to throw myself into volunteer activities with political groups, the local AIDS Services agency, and others. I was making a positive contribution, but my activism did not fit exactly with my planned career.  

Also, I loved to listen as friends and loved ones shared their struggles with me over the life challenges they faced, and I felt moved to help ease that suffering when I could. I wasn't sure what to do with this desire, so I stayed on my academic path, but I always felt like I was settling.  

But once I found Unitarian Universalism at age 22, all the other pieces fell into place. The love for learning and imparting truth, the thirst for social justice, and the desire to nurture and heal my brothers and sisters-I recognized them finally as separate but interrelated roles of ministry. Finally, I had found that meaning that had eluded me - finally, I heard my call to serve.  

At its best, church can and should be a place where all members are empowered, equipped, and freed to find our ministries in the world - how we each are called to be of service. Perhaps you are looking to deepen your service within the church, or to strengthen the service you already provide as a lay leader.  

Our lay leadership training program on March 24, based on the UUA's Harvest the Power curriculum, will explore the theme of community, the ways in which you, as a leader, interact with the community you serve. Please consider joining us to learn perspectives and strategies for interacting with the UU Church of Greensboro in a leadership role, be it one you currently hold, or a future role. (See the article below for more info on this lay leadership training.) May we each be open to hearing our own call to serve.

UU Christian Fellowship Revival

In on of his sermons last month, Rev Posa mentioned a group within Unitarian Universalism called "Unitarian Universalism Christian Fellowship".  Below is their announcement for their upcoming Revival. 

From the Board President Jim Kalinowski 

The GLBTQ subcommittee of the Social Action Committee is planning a multi-faceted approach to defeating Amendment One, an amendment that has far reaching effects for both same-sex and opposite sex relationships. To learn more about the amendment itself, please see the special issue newsletter later this month.

UUCG will host a Dance for Equality to benefit the Equality NC Foundation on Saturday, April 28! There will be a Family Dance from 5:30 - 7:30 and an Adult Dance from 8:00 - 11:00. There is no ticket to buy but donations are encouraged. This is a community event, all are welcome!

A planning meeting for the Dance for Equality will be held on Sunday March 4 at 12:30.

In addition, UUCG will be working with Protect NC Families to work a phone bank. More information will follow soon.

Leadership Development Class 

The Leadership Development Team (LDT) at UUCG is excited to be offering a series of leadership training classes designed to support the important work we are each called to do as volunteer leaders at UUCG. The class, based on the UUA's 4 part Harvest the Power curriculum, is fun and engaging and gives us an opportunity to learn together and grow in community. We strongly encourage each of you to take advantage of these sessions designed to provide:

• Skills training for leading in a liberal church community
• Common language for leading and communicating
• Relationship-building among the participants
• Shared experience in leading more authentically

We will accomplish this by:

• Sharing Personal, Congregational, and Denominational stories
• Examining relationships
• Studying our personal Faith
• Dealing with demands of leadership
• Developing coping skills
• Studying Family Systems Theory

We held a pilot class last fall which prepared to offer this program to the entire congregation. The feedback we received has made the program stronger. We have incorporated many things we learned from the pilot to improve the program.

WHEN: Saturday, March 24, 9am to 3:30pm Pastries and coffee, soda and snacks will be provided. Lunch will be supplied.  

WHERE: UUCG Sanctuary  

WHO: Board members, committee chairs and other congregational leaders

QUESTIONS: The Leadership Development team will be facilitating the training, so please contact anyone on that team with any questions you have: Rev Posa, Steve Pearsall, Marty Bergman, Lonnie Houck, Katie Klod, and Jac Grimes.  

Please RSVP by Sunday, March 18 to: Steve Pearsall at: scpearsall@yahoo.com so we can prepare in advance. We are limiting participation to the first 25 who sign up.

The LDT

Six members of the congregation, Sue Beck, Marie Houck, Karen Madrone, Bill Haney, Larry Graham, and Laura Graham, are attending a UU Southeastern District workshop on Healthy Congregations. They will be sharing strategies with the members of the Congregational Culture Task Force as they begin to develop recommendations for the Board as directed in the Board's charge to the Task Force. Marie Houck has begun the process of seeking opinions on the health of the congregation.

Members of the congregation who have attended any of the Compassionate Communications sessions are continuing to improve their skills during monthly practice sessions.

The next meeting of the Task Force will be on Sunday, March 18.

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)

Game night!

 WHAT'S YOUR GAME?

Thanks!

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 Practice Sessions this month are Thursday, March 1, (7 pm) or Sunday, March 4, (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.

Spring Food Drive

Last Month's Board Activities

• The ACT committee reported that about 40% of the members have pledged.
• The board approved Marie Houck as chair of the Membership committee for the remainder of church year.
• A motion will be considered next month on a statement of conscience concerning the proposed NC constitutional amendment on gay marriage.
• The board approved a Social Action/GLBTQ Dance for Equality fundraiser for Equality North Carolina foundation.
• Next month the board will consider renewing Rev. Posa's contract for a second year
• At the March meeting the board will determine if UUCG should revisit its mission statement and create a vision statement

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

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) 

UUCG STAFF

Congregational Contacts