News from UUCNWT

Alternate title: How Does My Garden Grow? I have no idea because I'm here in Central Oregon, "where the forest meets the desert. Walking around town I pass under trees in shades of green, yellow, red against a backdrop of dark green conifers and evergreens. I passed one magnificent blue spruce. The last roses are finishing their blooming and the gardens are developing a forlorn look. An article in the paper gave advice on what to do in October. Give your lawn a final mowing, leaving the cut grass on the lawn for winter mulch. Clean and put away your tools and mower. Prune conifers and evergreens. Get rid of the last vegetation in your garden and cover with a mulch. The article also explained how to store the last green tomatoes. I think making green tomato relish would be easier. From Sept. 22 to Oct. 2 the weather was magnificent. Highs were~in the mid 80's well above the norm. Now it's fall and it was down to freezing a couple of nights.

What does this have to do with my garden in Tucson? Nothing! I'm trying to garden long distance telling Don what to do. He did get one serving of green beans (4 beans but they were long) and picked okra but says the okra is slowing down. There were two large squash plant that barely produced, one yellow and one zucchini. I had one from each. There were two other zucchini and both disappeared. Don went out to get the last yellow squash and it was gone. Nobody would have been in our yard stealing. Rabbits would have nibbled on the covering leaves. The dog would have left signs of chaos. That leaves pack rats. Do they steal squash? Why not? They steal everything else.

I had radishes coming up before I left town and I quickly plant a bunch of other stuff. When I get home I'll find out if any of is growing. My seeds are independent. They grow when they feel like it, or not. It does make life interesting.

More later. Alberta

	Fundraising for Camp de Benneville Fundraising for the Camp de Benneville scholarship fund is ongoing. We are still selling FLOWER BULBS for planting in your yard or in a pot on your porch. You can come see the youth at the table before or after church.

Kaleidoscope Gallery Presents Barbara Amyx

turtle Amyx

Barbara Amyx will be exhibiting her art in our sanctuary from October 23 until December 4. You are all cordially invited to her reception after services on October 31 (from noon to 2 PM). Barbara has exhibited in many venues locally and taught workshops after moving here from California, She enjoys working in different media and approaches. As she says: "My 'Signature' is the interplay of color and texture using subjects drawn from life or my imagination. I then project my feelings and emotions through my paintings. I leave it to my intuition to decide on the interpretation of a subject. Some will require impressionism or realism while others will lend themselves to an abstract treatment. I utilize collage in many of my paintings because I enjoy using different media in exciting ways, with materials chosen for their textural excitement & visual beauty. In the future I will continue to explore color and texture, anticipating the thrill of a new combination to intrigue the eye and stir the soul of the viewer."

RE Parents: Read This

Did you read the article about the system of awarding scholarship money for kids and youth going to Camp de Benneville Pines? It was explained in an earlier newsletter, but if you have questions about it, please contact either Lara Brennan (larabuggy3@gmail.com or 744-7660) or Sybelle van Erven (uusybelle@gmail.com or 520- 471-3807) or any member of the R.E. Committee.

Are you earning points? I bet you are! Have you (or has your family) done anything to help make our Mountain Vista UU Congregation a better place? Or did you do something just to keep it going? Anything you do for UUCNWT earns you points, but you need to report your activities to either Lara Brennan or Sybelle van Erven, for recording. This is best done on a monthly basis. We all get busy and you don't want to miss out on your children's chance for a scholarship, because you did not report anything. Many of you are quite active in church, so let's hear from you!

	Don't Forget The Entertainment Books are Here Don will be selling them after Sunday Services Only $30 Get your book now before they're gone

RE News

Connecting with the Community

On Sunday, 10/10/10, the RE Students celebrated Connection Sunday at the Mountain View Care Center. Connections were made across generations as seventeen students pushed wheel chairs, distributed hand-made greeting cards, and sat in the garden visiting with residents.

Being around children seemed to trigger nice memories in the Alzheimer's patients. One sweet little lady grabbed one of the little girls, hugged her close, and smiled into space as she softly hummed a lullaby. One of the older gentlemen seemed almost giddy as he recounted his younger days to another student. One of our younger students bravely entered the rooms of the more seriously ill patients and cheerfully read the greeting cards to them. It was heartwarming to see the UU children interacting so nicely with the older generation, and acting so compassionately. Some of the students even inquired about possibly volunteering at the Care Center on a regular basis. (A special thank you goes out to chaperones/drivers, Gwen Goodman and Wally Gerrard.)

Next Connection Sunday will be Sunday, November 14^th: "Connecting to the Congregation". Students will help prepare a luncheon for church members. Proceeds will benefit the Camp de Benneville Pines Scholarship Fund. Please plan to attend.

Halloween Costume Drive

The RE Students will be collecting new and used Halloween Costumes to be distributed to needy children. Many parents in Tucson cannot afford to buy Halloween Costumes for their children, and the children feel left out from the festivities. A collection box will be in the Goldblatt Building from now through Halloween. Thank you for your support.

YRUU(Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, for students in grades 9-12), meets the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays of the month, 10:30-11:45, in the Goldblatt Building.

RE Snack Closet (crackers, pretzels, wafers, etc.) needs replenishing Also needed: lemonade mix, napkins, and small cups. All donations are appreciated!!! Please place in RE Snack cabinet beside dishwasher. Thanks!

If you have any questions or suggestions for the RE Department, please contact Donna anytime at mklo@earthlink.net or 867-1400.

Accessing and Printing the Newsletter

It has been reported to us that some folks like to be able to print their newsletter and have a hard copy to read. Some also like to be able to access back issues. And some want to be able to forward copies to friends and relatives. Fortunately, all these things are possible, but if you haven't yet figured out how to do them, here are the instructions.

To print the Newsletter, simply go to the Print icon on your e-mail software and it will print the newsletter--not in the color that you see on your screen, but the text only, so it is clearly legible.

To forward the Newsletter to someone (and this is an excellent way to reach out to potential members), scroll down to the very bottom of your e-mail, and you will see Forward email. Click on it, and a box will appear in which you can type the person's e-mail address. There is also room for a personal message.

To access back issues of the Newsletter, go to the link in the sidebar that says Newsletter Archive, or click here.


Congregational Lunch October 24 There will be another lunch to raise funds for the Community Garden on October 24 at 11:30. Suggested donation is $5.00.

Green Speaker Series

Life in the Hothouse October 24 12:30 pm

On October 24, 2010, Dr. Melanie Lenart will be speaking about her book, Life in the Hothouse: How a Living Planet Survives Climate Change. Written in a journalistic style, it explores how the planet responded to previous temperature extremes, in both modern times and the distant past, for guidance on how to prepare for our future in this warming world.

Dr. Lenart is an environmental scientist and writer with a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Global Change (2003) from the University of Arizona. Since 1989, she has dedicated most of her time to understanding how natural systems change with climate -- and conveying this information to the public.

Lenart has worked to help inform a variety of stakeholders throughout the Southwest on climate variability and change. Her research has involved field work studying carbon cycling, the effect of high carbon dioxide levels on plants, tree-ring dating and tree uprooting dynamics. She has worked in tropical, subtropical and temperate forests, exploring both physical and social questions. Since 1996, she has continued to report on climate and its impacts for a variety of venues, including the Southwest Climate Outlook, published by the IE's Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) project.

Share Produce

veggies

Please bring your homegrown produce to the Sunday Green Lectures to share with our collective ministry initiatives. Price your produce consistent with prices in our local supermarkets and plan to donate the proceeds to the Collective Ministry initiatives.

A couple of weeks ago Marion Erickson brought a huge bag of fresh basil from her garden. She sold some of it to other members, and the rest was made into pesto, which will be for sale to benefit the Community Garden.

Activities and Events

Bookaholics Unanimous October 27

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke remains a sci fi classic, nearly 60 years after its first publication as a book. Though the Overlords take control of earth and usher in a Golden Age, the story isn't about rebellion but the evolution of humanity into its next stage. You'll find this book both relevant and compelling even today. Bring your thoughts and comments to our discussion on Wednesday night, October 27th, at 6:45 in the Fireside Room. Start soon on November 17th's book: Little Bee by Chris Cleave; it's another read well worth your time. We don't meet in December, but you can get a jump on 2011's choices: January 26th: The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein; February 23rd: The Lucuna by Barbara Kingsolver; and March 30th: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. There's comfort in knowing you have good books to see you through the holidays.

Contact: Elaine Harris azbooklover@comcast.net

290-1026

Remember Our Luau

Service Auction November 6

It's almost that time again! Time to get together for a night of fun and frolic to benefit our congregation. Please make plans now to come to our largest fundraiser.

WHAT: A Luau Evening and Auction

WHEN: Saturday, November 6, 2010

WHERE: UUCNWT

TIME: 5:00 pm Appetizers/Silent Auction Begins

6:00 pm Dinner Served

7:00 pm Live Auction Begins

Help is needed in the form of donations of food, labor, auction items, cashiers, etc.

Roberta Price is in charge of setup. She needs helpers to set up tables that morning at 9:00. If you have a strong back and can help please contact her at berta194366@yahoo.com or 406-2259.

Donation forms are available online, please give to Jan Hatunen or Clare Toth. Contact Jan at 622-2812 or Clare at 887-6240 for more information.

The W3 (Way We Were) Archiving Project

The W3 Project is a group activity with the purpose of learning and applying a range of techniques for recording and preserving the unique history of our congregation, as well as that of our own personal lives.

It is envisaged as a relatively informal, fun, open-ended group activity with a strong social component that could result in serious practical and artistic outcomes. Our congregation already has available a wealth of historical records of various kind, and several members are experienced in a variety of archiving techniques and are willing to share knowledge and contacts in their various areas of expertise: scrapbooking, the recording of oral histories, video recording, and genealogical research

The project will meet every Tuesday morning in the large RE room and is open to all those in the congregation who are interested. If you have questions please talk to David Greene (dgreene145@msn.com) or Meg Kidwell (mgkaz@comcast.net ) and come and share your ideas with Dale on Tuesday mornings.

Mountain Vista's Alternative Gift Market for the Holidays

Glad tidings of great joy! Mountain Vista will be sponsoring our 2^nd Annual Holiday Gift Market, reaching out with donations to 41 different projects selected and promoted by Alternative Gifts International; and also providing gifts or gift cards to our local charity, Tu Nidito Children and Family Services.

Our kick-off lunch will be Sunday, October 31 after church (a $5 donation per person requested); our information table will be set up outside the Goldblatt Bldg. after Sunday services on Nov. 7, 14, 21, and 28 to acquaint you with the projects and how you can brighten the holidays for many others and yourself. More information will follow in the next Newsletter!

Mexican Buffet Lunch November 14

The RE kids and youth will be putting on a Mexican Buffet for lunch after the service on Sunday, November 14. There will be taco shells, tortillas and tostadas with all the fixings, so you can build your own. We hope to also have tamales or enchiladas. And of course there will be something to drink. Suggested donations will be $5, but no hungry person will be turned away! The proceeds will go towards the fundraising efforts for scholarships for Camp de Benneville pines.

Please join us for good food and good company on November 14!
For questions or to donate food for the lunch, please contact Sybelle at UUSybelle@gmail.com or 471-3557 or in person at church.

UUCNWT Safety Policy

At the beginning of the school year, all RE Teachers and Helpers sign a copy of the Safety Policy. Some highlights of the policy are below:

1. There will be a minimum of two adults scheduled to supervise each group of students. The DRE or Minister may make exceptions to this two-adults rule on a case by case basis.

2. If only one adult is alone with a group of youth, the window coverings and classroom door will remain OPEN.

3. If an adult other than a parent or guardian has a private on-site, one-on-one meeting with a youth, another worker in the program will be notified about the meeting, and window coverings and door will remain OPEN.

4. Corporal punishment or abusive language will not be used under any circumstances. (Parents have a right to choose the way they communicate with their children, but are encouraged to keep to UUCNWT guidelines while at church.

5. Drivers must be 25 years of age and provide proof of license and insurance. Everyone in car must wear seat belt.

6. No driver may consume alcohol or use ANY drug which can affect physical or mental performance as a driver.

7. Any relationship developed between an adult and a youth outside of UUCNWT must be with the knowledge and consent of the youth's parents/guardians, and the DRE should be notified. This is for the protection of the youth AND the adult.

8. If an adult learns that a youth is a victim of abuse, is suicidal, has a serious drug problem, etc., it is UUCNWT policy that this information be communicated to the Minister or DRE immediately.

If you would like to see a complete copy of the Safety Policy, please see Donna.

Adult Religious Education

We have a number of Adult RE courses in the offing: Voluntary Simplicity by Sybelle van Erven, Growing Your Own Wisdom by Kathy Kouzmanoff, Bible Stories for UU Adults by Margaret Fleming, and two courses by Rev. Joy on UU history or theology or whatever is wanted.

What we don't have is a committee to coordinate these courses and perhaps recruit members to offer others. If you would be interested in serving on such a committee, please speak to Donna Pratt or Margaret Fleming or Rev. Joy.

Sunday Services for October

October 17th: Association Sunday

"Growing our Faith: Unitarian Universalists and the 'E' Word"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

This year, the Unitarian Universalist Association and its member congregations celebrate our 50th anniversary. It has been 50 years since the Universalist Church of American and the American Unitarian Association merged to form our present UUA. Join us to celebrate our faith and its future, and learn how you can be part of our growth as a local UU faith community. What is the "E Word?"

October 24: United Nations Sunday

"Loving the World"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

There is much in today's world that is heartbreaking and worrisome. But there are glimmers of hope in many places, one of which is in the ongoing work and special projects of the United Nations. The sermon will explore how United Nations programs help to carry out some of the values that we Unitarian Universalists hold dear, and that we share with those who would build world community.

October 31: Halloween / El Día de los Muertos Service

"Sympathy for the Devil"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

We Unitarian Universalists have long rejected the idea of hell and a literal devil figure, but what might the "devil" in human experience symbolize? The sermon will explore aspects of good and evil in human experience. We will also observe the Day of the Dead traditions of Central and South America with an altar, to which you are invited to bring pictures of loved ones who have died. Children will process in costume during the first part of the service, and adults need not be left out-come in costume if you like. It's Halloween!