SUNDAY SERVICES

10:30 am

Children & Youth

Religious Education

10:30 am

Minister

Rev. Joy Atkinson

revjoy@aol.com 

262-8480

Office Hours:

10 am - 3 pm, T, W, Th

 
Director of

Religious Education 
Donna Pratt  406-5121

mklo@earthlink.net   

Choir Director

Lyle Brown

579-7094

lbrownvh@yahoo.com 

Congregational

Administrator

Donna Pratt  579-7094,   406-5121

office@uucnwt.org  

Office Hours:

8 am - 1 pm  MWF

Newsletter Editors  John and Margaret Fleming
888-7059

margefleming@earthlink.net 

Deadlines: 12th & 24th

Board of Trustees

President:

1st Vice President:

Treasurer:

Jim Gessaman 

Global Issues Forum Feb. 19

The UU Congregation of Green Valley has invited any interested persons to attend a forum on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, 10-11 am. The forum will address the impending collision of a number of major global issues, how they will impact our lives in the near future, and how we as individuals and small communities can prepare; i.e., how we can build resilience. For more info: email kildahls@netzero.com

TIHAN Annual Meeting Feb. 23

TIHAN's Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, February 23 at St. Michael's and All Angels Episcopal Church (602 N. Wilmot on the corner of 5th Street and Wilmot). The reception begins at 5:30pm and the annual "year in pictures" slideshow and awards ceremony runs from 6:00pm-7:00pm.

This event is a great way to meet up with all the people who work so hard at TIHAN, to acknowledge TIHAN's dedicated volunteers, and to reflect back on 2011 while indulging in good food and good company!

Featuring hors d'oeuvres, our annual slide show highlighting the people and events of 2011, presentation of the 2012 Board of Directors, and our Volunteer Recognition Awards.

Free admission-all are welcome! RSVP to adminassistant@tihan.org or call 299-6647

Firewood for Sale

Help SAWUURA raise funds to protect the 100 acres owned by UUs of Arizona:

Please ask friends and neighbors if they need firewood. Trailer load is $150 for ¾ cord and can be divided into ¼ cord deliveries.To arrange a purchase, please call SAWUURA Board Member Eb at 520-622-6966 or email eb@dakotacom.net

SAWUURA is the Sierra Ancho Wilderness Unitarian Universalist Religious Association. The SAWUURA-owned camp is located five miles south of Young, Arizona at an altitude of 5500 feet. SAWUURA is a
beautiful 109 acres of wilderness nestled in the heart of the Sierra Ancha Wilderness and surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest. For more information, visit www.SAWUURA.org

GA/DA Reminders

By Carolyn Saunders, District Board VP and District Coordinator for GA

Important Dates

April 27-28  District Assembly--, First Unitarian Church, Las Angeles  For more information: http://www.pswduua.org/pages/district-assembly.php

June 20-24 General Assembly--, Phoenix
For more information: http://www.uua.org/ga/2012/index.shtml

Registration and Volunteer applications will be available on the website on March 1. Full adult early registration is $320; late registration (after April 30) is $365.

The main GA hotels are the Hyatt and the Renaissance where 1000 rooms have been blocked for UUs at $125 a night. But registration at these hotels must also be done online through the UUA housing office after March 1.

District Executive Ken Brown reminds us that as we get nearer to General Assembly, our own PSWD web site has a section on Migration and Border Issues which keeps getting bigger. This section is a resource for individuals and congregations in the PSWD and across the nation. Most of the material is there because in some way the issue or report may be part of events or education at GA and maybe our own District Assembly.Click here to access it.

Lending Library

After the service, please feel free to check out books from the lending library in the Fireside Room. The lending library is open to everyone. It's easy! Select the book you want to borrow, sign the card inside the book, place the card in the plastic bin and that's it. Return the book when you are finished, and replace the card in the book. There's a wide selection of topics to explore. Children's books will be coming soon.

Aluminum Cans

Please bring your empty aluminum cans to church and place in the special bin.. Proceeds from cans go to the Camp de Benneville Pines Scholarship Fund. Thank you to Emily Ricketts for sponsoring this worthwhile project.

Home Hospitality Needed

As part of our spring planning for the General Assembly, the UU Ministry for Earth Board of Directors will meet at MVUU this March 1-4, 2012. Your help will be greatly appreciated. In particular, we will be looking for homestays for the other six members. What has worked best in the past are nearby places with room for more than one spare bed, as most of the board will not have cars. In most cases, the board members make a donation to the church in lieu of paying for hotels.

Please contact Vincent Pawlowski by email at uuvince@ultrasw.com or phone at 520-887-4101 or 520-400-7517 with your offer, or for more information.

Q and A Session February 19

The guest speaker at our service, Judy Snyderman, will be available in the sanctuary following the service for an informal session. It will be a chance for you to explore more extensively, and get more information on, the right to die with dignity and the options available. Ms. Snyderman is on the board of directors of Final Exit Network. www.FinalExitNetwork.org  

Visioning Workshop March 4

Please save the date, Sunday March 4 after the service, from 12:15 to 3:15, for an interactive experience with MVUU members and friends, as we look together toward the future and create some specific goals in various areas of our congregational life. Our Interim Minister will lead the workshop. A lunch to benefit Religious Education will be available before the workshop.  A sign-up sheet is on the table by Rev. Joy's office.

Monthly Activities 

 Movie Outing Sunday, February 19

Weekly Activities

Book Group on Sundays, 8:30 am 

13) You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself, by

Based on the popular blog of the same name,

You Are Not So Smart is a celebration of self-delusion. It's like a psychology class, with all the boring parts taken out, and with no homework. You Are Not So Smart collects more than 46 of the lies we tell ourselves everyday,

Anyone interested in writing is invited to join the Writers' Workshop on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 to 12:00. Participants share their writing, critique each others' work, and offer suggestions for such aspects of writing as plot development, organization, tightening, and word choice. Come any time for one session or a series of sessions. If you have writing to be critiqued, please bring at least 5 copies.

For more information, contact Margaret Fleming at 888-7059 or www.margefleming@earthlink.net .  

Games on Thursdays, 1 pm 

Come play games with us every Thursday at 1:00 pm. We have a lively group that meets in the Fireside Room to play games together. It's fun and casual. Games are a great way to improve memory, too. No need to sign up in advance. Just show up ready to enjoy yourself! If you need more info, contact Clare Toth at 887-6240.

Ministerial Search Update

We are getting close!

Close to candidating week, that is. Right now the Ministerial Search Committee is evaluating pre-candidates. On March 15 we will let our final candidate for called minister know about our choice. This date is prescribed by the UUA and all congregations in search use this same date.

The candidate and the Negotiating Team will then spend some time discussing different aspects of the position and a preliminary agreement will be signed. We will also complete a criminal background check on the minister. As soon as we are done with these two items, we will let the congregation know our candidate's name. We will share everything we know about the minister. But hearing simple facts, like age and work history is only part of what there is to know.

For you to make an informed choice whether to call this minister or not you need a lot more!

This is what candidating week is for. On Sunday, April 8 (Easter Sunday) everyone has the opportunity to hear our candidate's sermon. How exciting is that?? We are expecting a full house that day. The minister will stay in Tucson the entire week following that Sunday. Anyone and everyone in the congregation will have opportunities to engage with the minister. There will be meals, meetings and more. The plans for this "candidating week" are being developed by the Ministerial Search Committee right now.

We will need your help with suggestions for and implementation of ways to accommodate as many congregants as possible meeting the minister personally. Please, in the coming weeks let us know if you have any ideas. We will ask congregants to take on organizing events or get-togethers during that week. Naturally the minister will be meeting with the Board, Choir Director, DRE and administrator, and different committees and groups, but it is very important that each member and friend of MVUU have a chance to be with the minister.

Though we will have told the candidate a great deal about our congregation, candidating week is a time of mutual discovery and a time to get to know the real people. At the end of the week, on Sunday, April 15, the candidate will again give the sermon during the Sunday service. This day is of paramount importance to our congregation. After the service we will have a congregational meeting at which all members will vote to either ratify or reject the Search Committee's choice of candidate.  

Sybelle van Erven and the MSC

OWL for Children Ages 9-12

We will be offering Our Whole Lives for boys and girls ages 9-12 in March. Since the OWL facilitators' calendars are somewhat booked we have decided to do something different this time around.

We will have 2 overnights and cover all sessions in those two times. The dates are as follows:
Friday, March 23 5:00 pm through Saturday, March 24 2:30 pm and
Friday, March 30 5:00 pm through Saturday, March 31 2:30 pm 

A parent orientation will take place on Sunday, March 11, from 11:45-1:00 pm. We are asking all parents to attend this orientation.

The class will be taught by Lara Brennan and Sybelle van Erven, both trained OWL facilitators. We are looking for a fun-loving guy to complement our team! (You do not need to be trained as a facilitator, but you do have to want to have fun with kids ages 9-12.)

If you have questions about what OWL is or why we recommend your child take it, contact Sybelle at UUSybelle@gmail.com or 471-3557

R.E. News

Classes

The Tigers continue with their Holidays and Holy Days curriculum. The TAMS class is having visits from different congregation members who have some experience with immigration issues. YRUU kids are busy planning their service for March 25. The Documentary Group has been shooting footage for their immigration documentary and is now getting ready to start editing.

Youth Activities

On February 24, the following persons will be attending a YRUU Con and a Spirituality Mini-Camp in Phoenix: Steven, Clarissa, Bibiana, Daniel, Ali, Ashlen, and Ingo. There is a Youth Con in Santa Barbara April 20-22 that Daniel and Bibiana are planning to attend. Steven and a young woman who is a member of the Phoenix church will present a service there on March 11.

Adult RE

Bob Wallace is currently offering "The God within Us," Monday nights in February. Rev. Joy will offer "Building Your Own Theology" on Thursdays,  March 1 through April 5. Look for a signup sheet. Margaret Fleming will offer "Bible Studies for UU Adults" in March and April also. Exact dates TBA.

Green Basket Charities   

Thanks to the generosity of members and friends, MVUU was able to collect the following totals to contribute to these local charities:

January: Literacy Volunteers $732.25
February: Wingspan $393.75
March: Interfaith Community Services $560.57
April: International Rescue Community $718.23
May: No More Deaths $656.00
June: Primavera $387.49
July: TIHAN $454.09
August: Habitat for Humanity $483.25
September: TROT $261.00
October: St. Elizabeth's $590.70
November: Pamphlets for Service Persons $378.00
December: Emerge $447.00

The Green Basket for February is Angel Charity for Children, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children in Pima County. www.angelcharity.org   

Come Camping!

Easter Weekend, April 5-8, 2012

Eb Eberlein of KXCI Radio, The Unitarian Universalist Church of Northwest Tucson and Eb's Camp Cookin' invites music lovers to a music weekend at the SAWUURA Camp near Pleasant Valley, Arizona on Easter weekend of April 5-8, 2012. Enjoy fellowship around the campfire as a player or a listener, and relax in the mountains. While playing and listening to music is the focus of the weekend, bird watching, hiking, meditation, star gazing and great conversation will also be enjoyed. In the evenings, the music can move inside to the cozy winter cabin.

The Sierra Anchas Wilderness Unitarian Universalist Religious Association (SAWUURA) is a 109 acre camp nestled on 7 Mile Creek in the heart of the Sierra Anchas Mountains of the Tonto National Forest. About a 4 hour drive from Tucson or Phoenix, this remote and beautiful valley is lush with pine, juniper, oak, walnut, manzanita, and wildlife of all kinds. The stream is usually flowing at the start of April and this winter's precipitation to date seems to promise that again this year.

There is no charge for this weekend. Eb will provide 2 meals for everyone attending; one breakfast and one dinner. The remainder of the meals will be potluck. A cool part of camp is that there is no electricity; a well supplies drinking water and two solar showers.

As the location is remote with about an hour of dirt road driving please contact Eb at 520 622 6966 or AZTrails@comcast.net to confirm directions and details.
If the weather is inclement we'll have a get-together at our home in Tucson on Saturday, April 7th.

Diary of a Misplaced Gardener

By Alberta Gunther

This is Central Oregon high desert, where the sun is usually shining. Not!! Most days have been overcast and foggy. Foggy!! Here!!

Actually the sun did shine yesterday, and it is partly sunny now after morning fog and a sprinkle of snow on the ground. May snow tomorrow. Mother is not settling into the assisted living too well, but I guess it takes time. In the meantime I've been cleaning out drawers in her house, sorting and tossing. Found enough paper clips and staples to start my own store.

Back to gardens. When I left Tucson, the peas were starting to bloom. If anyone would like some spinach, see Don. He doesn't eat it and there is a good two or three batches. I'll write again next month.

Volunteers of the Month

John and Helen Wilcox

A lot of the essential running of an organization takes place behind the scenes. We have many volunteers who are not visible in the pulpit on Sundays or in other prominent places, but who perform valuable services. John and Helen Wilcox are two who have contributed much to our congregation over the years but who have done so quietly and mostly unnoticed.

Any time there is material to be copied-for handouts, for brochures, for RE material--John Wilcox is the man who does it. People leave their originals, and Presto! In a few days their copies are made, collated, stapled, and delivered to their boxes. John has done this cheerfully for years.

Helen Wilcox has for many years been a contributor to various social functions that involve food. At memorial service receptions and other special events Helen is often seen in the kitchen helping to organize and serve the refreshments. She has also been active in the choir and on other church committees, such as Membership.

John and Helen were among the earliest members of our congregation when it was established over 20 years ago. John was finishing his degree in library science after retiring from a career in the Foreign Service. At that time, they did a little of everything, as did all the members of our small group. One thing Helen did was participate in the Primavera Foundation's monthly dinners, a social action program that is still going strong. When John got his degree, they moved to Georgia, but after he retired from his second career there, John and Helen returned to Tucson, where they have been valued members of our congregation ever since.

For a long time, John and Helen have sponsored the monthly Movie Night, either in their home or at another venue. They choose a film, arrange the meeting place, and lead a discussion afterward. Sometimes there is a dinner or refreshments included.

There are probably other things that this talented couple has done that have not come to mind immediately. We have all been enriched by their contributions to our congregational life.

Sunday Services for February

February 19, 2012
"Whose Life Is It Anyway?"
Judith Snyderman

Judith Snyderman's early interest in death with dignity started when she gained first hand knowledge of how terminally ill patients were being kept alive in Intensive Care Units. She was selling medical instrumentation that monitored these patients and set off alarms so "life saving" treatments could be administered if necessary. She realized she never wanted to be in that position --no voice in the choice of care being given, no quality of life, no control over bodily functions, no dignity, and no contribution to society. She knew there had to be a better way! She will explore with us the right to die with dignity and the options available. Margaret Fleming is Worship Associate.

Judith joined Hemlock sometime in the 70's; it evolved into End of Life Choices and then Compassion and Choices. She joined Final Exit Network as well. She was instrumental in forming a Cincinnati Chapter of Compassion and Choices and served as its president from 2003 until 2007. She was elected to the Board of Final Exit Network in 2008 and to the position of Treasurer in 2010.

February 26, 2012
Auction Sermon: "Stonehenge to Chartres: Our Sacred Spaces"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

This year's auction sermon topic was purchased by Connie Armstrong. The sermon will explore the significance of special places in human history, in our lives and within religious communities. What makes a particular place "sacred?" What do the features of a sacred space say about the people who create and/or care for it? Irene Sattinger is Worship Associate. The choir will sing.