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First Parish in Bedford cordially invites the members and friends of North Unitarian Universalist Congregation to witness and celebrate the Ordination of Rachel Allen Baker to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
at 4:00 p.m.
Clergy and seminarians are invited to robe and process at 3:30 p.m.
75 The Great Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730
Reception to follow.
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May 16th - Save the Date!
2015 NUUC Service Auction
Join us for "An Evening of Enchantment: Tropical Paradise" on the evening of Saturday, May 16 at 6:15pm. Our Service Auction is moving to spring! It will have a new format, a theme, and more activities. This will be a gala event for the entire family. Activities will include: Silent Auctions, Gift Basket Auction, our exciting Live Auction, and even a Kids' Raffle Auction plus decorations and refreshments.
This big event is fast approaching and we need everyone's support to
make this the best Service Auction yet! So... get your creative thinking
caps on about what your contribution(s) will look like this year! Here are some ideas to inspire you:
Dinner and dining experiences of all kinds are always a hit!
Themed baskets- pets, cooking, entertainment
Condos, vacation home, use of an RV, passes to museums and
entertainment, gift cards, behind the scenes tours of fire stations,
sports arenas, zoo etc.
Service donation ideas:
Photography session, private musical performance, children's party or
entertainment such as facepainting
Tutoring or classes, teach a skill such as singing, cooking, canning,
photography, fly fishing, golfing or sailing
Consulting on organization, decorating or fashion
Pet, computer, yard, cleaning, shopping, errand, financial consulting
Lead an experience like horseback riding, camping, canoeing or 4-wheeling
So, get creative, dig deep and help make this the BEST Service Auction YET!
The Deadline for Donations is Tuesday, March 31, 2015. Please submit your form online (click here) or fill out the paper form and put it in the Service Auction Submission Box in Fellowship Hall.
-The Service Auction Magic Makers (SAMMs) (Bob Keith, Marty Keith, Becca Morse, Erika Castro, and Katrina Timson)
P. S. We can still use more volunteers! Sign up to help with decorations, food, auction setup and more using the All-In-One Form (click here). For even more information on the Service Auction Event, including
our FAQ and previous years' catalogs, click here.
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EVENING COVENANT GROUP
After a brief hiatus the evening covenant group led by Teri Cornell will begin meetings again on Wednesday March 11th at 7:00 pm.
We will discuss future meeting topics as well as this months topic "forgiveness". Please join us if you are a past group member or would like to be.
Questions? Call Teri cornell at 624-843-8300.
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The NUUC Recorder Ensemble has full wind in its sails once again. We would like to invite you to join our
tootling fun! For more information, contact Becca Morse at beccamorse@gmail.com
(or 614-805-6680)
or Nathan Morse at zefquaavius@gmail.com.
We rehearse together on the second and fourth Fridays of each
month at noon at Friendship Village of Columbus. If you're interested, but the rehearsal time doesn't work for you, just go for Baroque and contact us anyway:
If enough people are interested in an alternate time, I'm sure we can work out a second rehearsal schedule. Just because a hobby blows doesn't mean it's not fun! |
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INVITATION!
Commissioned Lay Leader Teri Cornell and Rev. Susan would like to invite all Pastoral Care Associates, all Casserole Brigade members, and anyone interesting in serving in those capacities to join us at church
March 12 7:00 PM (Rescheduled from February). We'd like to streamline and refine how we communicate, and also just have a discussion about how we are and how we might grow in meeting the congregation's needs. Our hope is to both expand our numbers and improve our efficient so that no individuals have too much to do, but there is a chance for all to make meaningful contributions. So please join us! Join us f you like to cook OR sending cards OR making a few organizing phone calls OR leading joys and sorrows OR just checking in with fellow members after service or by phone. |
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For grades 6 through 12
Questions?
Contact Kristin Grimshaw
for the meeting schedule!
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Hello, writers! The topic for the March 18 "Mindful Writing" session is "Love of a Place."
Anyone wishing to attend has even more freedom than usual with this topic. Simply "wax lyrical" in
your preferred form (poetry or prose) about a place or places you hold dear. For those who do not
already know, my childhood neighborhood held all sorts of magic for me. It still does. I will enjoy writing about it, and probably about a few other special locations, too. If you have not come to a session before, I hope you will give us a try. We've really been having a good time!
Mindful Writing meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:15pm in Fellowship Hall. I, Marty Keith, will answer any question you have about this Adult Enrichment adventure. |
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Meets at Noon the Third Tuesday of the month. Get all the details by clicking here. |
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Ways and Means
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Share your passion for fair trade and UU-ism with others by giving gifts whose labels proudly display these values. If you are interested in volunteering for these opportunities, or if you have other ideas for fundraising opportunities for our congregation, Please contact Becca Morse at beccamorse@gmail.com.
Thank you!
Sign up for the
Kroger Community Rewards card
Do your regular grocery shopping, and earn money for NUUC at the same time! If you need help signing up. someone will be available on the second Sunday of each month to walk you through the process. Did you know? We are a registered Non-Profit organization at the Delaware County Community Market. You can buy groceries from Local vendors AND have a portion of your purchase donated to us! Check it out! http://www.dccmc.com/
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 RevElations!
Somewhere on the webstie for the Unitarian Universalist Association it says that if you have questions about governance, to write to the UUA Secretary. Well, that is me, and frankly, I don't get much correspondance along these lines. But sometimes an inquiry really sticks with me.
This month it was the email from the gentleman who told me I needed to force his congregation to accept absentee ballots to their annual meeting, even though they had voted against doing so. I explained that our association doesn't work that way, that there is no higher authority than that of the memership voting. Wondering if perhaps he had a mobility issue that would keep him from attending the meeting, i asked him why absentee voting matters so much to him. His answer stunned me. He said that if he was concerned that if he went to the meeting that the conversation would change his mind about how to vote. I so appreciated his honesty! And it reminds me just how sacred our conversation based democracy is.
To Life!
Susan
P.S., I am really hoping that you can attend our annual meeting, after the worship, on March 22. Babysitting hours have been extended?
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Welcome New Members!
We were delighted to welcome seven new members last month, and are introducing them a few at a time in our newsletters and updates. Today we'd like you to meet Erin Fisher Kenny and Jennie Merna.
Jenny Merna Erin Fisher Kenny (far left)
Here's what Jennie Merna says about herself:
Background:I grew up in upstate New York, then spent five years living in Seattle, WA before moving to Columbus for graduate school. My plan was to move back to Seattle until I met my current husband Mike. We have been married for 10 years and have two children, Evan (8) and Audrey (6). We live in Worthington. Religion: My father is a Presbyterian minister. I have spent my life looking for the right religious path, and was so happy to discover Unitarian Universalism to help guide my journey. I was a member of the First Unitarian Universalist church for several years before coming to North UU. I am excited to have found a truly welcoming spiritual community that will support me and my family as we navigate our individual religious paths.
Erin Fisher Kenny is a theatre and film nerd working on a second degree in nursing. She is happily married and has two cats, and would adopt every cat out there if she thought she could get away with it. Erin loves the color green, coffee, fresh air, October, bonfires, crows and philosophical debates. She will one day finish learning German.
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Broad Wings, Deep Roots!
2015 District Assembly, March 27-28, 2015
Joint District Assembly with St. Lawrence District
Keynote Speaker: Rev. Scott Tayler
Niagara Falls Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY
What's happening with the Central East Region and our OMD District? How is the Primary Contact support program for our congregations progressing? What are the plans for next year?
Why attend District Assembly? Bob Keith notes: "I have attended many District Assemblies (DA) and find them very energizing every time. Two highlights always for me are the interesting workshops and making connections with UU's of other congregations. From both of those, I learn many valuable things. This year I'm particularly interested in leadership and ways to make our congregation better. The DA will provide ample opportunities to learn about both. I encourage you to attend the DA and get energized too."
District Assembly is a chance for congregational leaders and ministers to meet, ask questions, get some valuable training, provide input on the direction of our districts and region, and learn from one another through workshops, the keynote address, the Gould Lecture and the Marketplace. It is an opportunity for leadership development and networking in a stimulating UU setting.
The Rev. Scott Tayler is our keynote speaker and his address is titled The Space Between: Building a New Day by Strengthening theTies That Bind. The Gould Lecturer is Rev. Thomas Chulak, speaking on The Sum of the Parts.
Please consider attending along with others from NUUC. We would like to send a team that will represent our congregation. Don't miss this chance to have our voice heard, gain knowledge, and engage in some valuable workshops that will help NUUC. You can register at the door, but March 15th is the early bird registration date and will allow you a better chance to get your desired workshops. Youth Caucus registration is due March 15th in order to stay overnight at the church. Also, there is a March 1st registration date if applying for a scholarship or registering for children's activities.
To learn more about workshops and to register, please see: http://www.ohiomeadville.org/program/da
Workshops options include:
Regionalization Small Conversation Groups
Stewardship Re-envisioned: A Budget to Fund Your Vision
Cultivating a Culture of Service in Your Congregation
Anxious Leadership: Identifying and Managing It In Self and Others
Coming Together: Best Practices in Congregational Partnering
Let's Talk - (recent events like Ferguson, Cleveland, NY and racism & accountability)
Youth/Young Adult/Adult Fishbowl
Is Your Congregation Technologically Literate?
No More Lone Rangers: Developing Teams of UU Leaders - (synchronized leadership)
Stewardship Re-envisioned: Moving Beyond the Pledge Drive
We Are in This Together! (communicating & collaborating across generations)
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News from your Social Action Committee (SAC) - March 2015 Newsletter
ACTIVE HOPE:
On March 8, 2015, the Social Action Committee will be offering the service on climate change. You are invited to join us on a time travel adventure followed by a celebration of The Great Turning. Our service is based on the book Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We Are in Without Going Crazy by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone.
"Active Hope is about finding, and offering, our best response to the crisis of sustainability unfolding in our world. It offers tools that help us face the mess we're in, as well as find and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society. At the heart of
this book is the idea that Active Hope is something we do rather than have. It involves being clear what we hope for and then playing our role in the process of bringing that about. The journey of finding, and offering, our unique contribution to the Great Turning helps us to discover new strengths, open to a wider network of allies and experience a deepening of our aliveness. When our responses are guided by the intention to act for the healing of our world, the mess we're in not only becomes easier to face, our lives also become more meaningful and satisfying. The book guides the reader through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, spirituality and holistic science. This process equips us with tools to face the mess we're in and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, towards a life-sustaining society." - from the Active Hope website.
We have purchased 2 copies of this inspirational book for the SAC library.
JOIN COMMIT2RESPOND FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE MONTH: "From World Water Day (March 22) to Earth Day (April 22), Unitarian Universalists and other people of faith and conscience will embark on a spiritual journey for climate justice. Working for "climate justice" means we are grounded in acknowledging and combating inequality. Low-income, people of color, Native, and non-industrialized communities are often the first to experience negative impacts of climate change and environmental degradation." Individuals, families, groups, and congregations have the opportunity to get faith-filled resources, engage in powerful practices throughout the month, learn together, and discern how to most effectively shift to a low carbon future, advance human rights, and grow the climate justice movement. Climate Justice Month is being organized by Commit2Respond, the new climate justice initiative led by UU groups across our faith movement. Join Commit2Respond at www.commit2respond.org to participate. "Be inspired, get connected with other people of faith and conscience committed to climate justice, and commit to long-term actions that will help save our world. This is your movement. You have the power to make a difference. How will you respond?" During the service on March 8th, you will have the opportunity to share an action you are committed to taking to bring
about climate justice, build resistance to climate change, and create a sustainable world. Our commitments will be shared on the SAC bulletin board in Fellowship Hall to inspire each other and strengthen community. You are welcome to add ideas throughout Climate Justice Month.
"One person can't avert the crisis that is in progress. But united together we have the power to create a better world and save the only home humanity has. Caring about our planet's future isn't a question.
We are called to honor life's interconnectedness and save our home. As people of faith and conscience, we Commit2Respond. "
MARCH AND APRIL LOOSE CHANGE OFFERING: As part of our focus on environmental justice, the Loose Change Offering in March and April will be donated to the UU Service Committee Blue Bucket Campaign.
"Water is essential to human life. We need water to cook, drink, bathe, and more. But access to water around the world is endangered by many factors, including climate change. Since different communities are impacted in different ways, some of the most successful solutions to protect human rights in the face of climate change start at the community level. UUSC has seen this firsthand in our work with grassroots leaders near the Kakamega rain forest in Kenya. There, periods of drought and of excessive rainfall are wreaking havoc on
crops, and Kakamega now has only one growing season rather than two.
But the people of Kakamega, with support from UUSC, are finding creative ways to respond. They are using rain barrels, cisterns, and sand berms to collect water for use during the dry season. They are promoting the growth of indigenous crops, including those that can withstand evolving weather conditions. With their ingenuity and your support, the people of Kakamega can protect their most basic human rights: the rights to food and water. In addition, they have planted hundreds of thousands of trees, making a positive contribution to climate change mitigation.
Climate change requires regional, national, and international cooperation. At the same time, Kakamega is an example of how innovative solutions can start at the local level. The local university and the Kenyan
government's agriculture department have taken an interest in the promotion of indigenous agriculture in Kakamega as a model that could be useful for other communities!"
UUSC's Blue Buckets campaign invites individuals and congregations to support the people in Kakamega and other communities to protect their access to water. Bring in your loose change on March 8th and April 12th to help NUUC meet the suggested donation amount of $175, which is enough to enable the participation of two families in the sustainability program in Kenya and support other human-right-to-water projects!
FEBRUARY LOOSE CHANGE OFFERING: In February, NUUC donated $158 and collected 25 bags of pet food for Faithful Forgotten Best Friends (FFBF), an organization committed to reducing hunger and providing veterinarian wellness checks for the pets of the homeless and less fortunate in the downtown Columbus and Franklinton areas. To learn more about FFBF, visit their homepage. Feel free to contact Erin Fisher Kenny at erinfisherkenny@gmail.com with any questions, and thank you for your donations!
UUJO MeetUp4Justice: An Educational, Empowering, Enjoyable Workshop on March 18, 2015, 6:00-9:00 PM at First Unitarian Universalist Church: Take the next step in active citizenship - meet with your State Rep., but not without preparation! And not on your own. We will train UU's to go in groups, with a few designated speakers and others there to give moral support. Amanda Hoyt will lead UUJO's team-building MeetUp4Justice workshop for Central Ohio UUs at 1st UU Columbus, 93 West Weisheimer. Amanda directs strategic communications at Faith in Public Life's Ohio office and was the Minority Chief of Staff at the Ohio Senate for three years where she led her legislative team in policy, communications, strategy and political
maneuvering. Handouts and workshop role playing exercises will prepare designated speakers for group meet-ups with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Team leaders identified at the workshop will then arrange follow-up meetings with different lawmakers for groups that may include a UUJO Board member, representatives of different Justice Congregations and of different action teams, including activists unable to attend on March 18. Email Howard Tolley at howard.tolley@gmail.com to register, providing your contact information and church affiliation.
SOCIAL JUSTICE LIBRARY: The Social Action Committee has started a lending library of books and DVDs on social justice issues such as immigration, poverty, LGBTQ, environment, and human rights. Check out our selection on the bookshelf in Fellowship Hall and please consider donating appropriate books or DVDs to add to our collection.
SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE BULLETIN BOARD: Check out the folding divider in Fellowship Hall with information about upcoming SAC activities as well as issues and actions at the local, state, and national level. If you have information about social justice issues you want to share with the congregation, please post it on the bulletin board or email it to Pam Patsch at pgp723@aol.com.
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Treasurer's Report of January 2015 Results, February 27, 2015
Hi everyone,
January financials started off on a good pace with Income exceeding expenses by $887. Pledges exceeded Budget by $1,053. Total income of $15,876 was $673 over budget. Expenses of $14,988 were $191under budget. Minor differences are due to timing of expenses and I fully expect these will smooth out as we progress through the year.
Please keep in mind that the congregation expenses will average $15,000 each month throughout the year and most of our income comes from pledges. So a regular pledge payment to the church will help us pay our staff and other bills in a timely manner. Thank you for your pledge and support.
Respectfully submitted
Jerry Schardt, Treasurer
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North Unitarian Universalist Congregation
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YTD January 31, 2015
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INCOME
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Actual
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Budget
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2014 Pledges
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500.00
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0.00
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2015 Pledges
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13,619.00
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13,066.00
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Non-Pledge Offering
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219.00
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0.00
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Rental Revenue
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100.00
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125.00
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Trf from DRE Restricted Funds
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1,345.63
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1,346.00
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W & M Fundraising
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92.00
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666.00
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TOTAL INCOME
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15,875.63
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15,203.00
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EXPENSES
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TOTAL Administrative
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482.71
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362.00
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Bld & Prop Ins
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0.00
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0.00
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Bld Mortgage
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785.00
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775.00
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Bld Property Tax
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137.04
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135.00
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TOTAL Building R&M
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155.58
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505.00
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TOTAL Building Utilities
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932.74
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943.34
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TOTAL Committees
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0.00
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240.00
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TOTAL Compensation
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11,482.22
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11,205.50
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TOTAL Dues
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1,013.00
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1,013.00
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Payback to Capital
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0.00
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0.00
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Pledge Canvass
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0.00
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0.00
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TOTAL EXPENSES
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14,988.29
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15,178.84
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OVERALL TOTAL
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887.34
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24.16
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Board of Trustees & Leadership Council Feb. 2015 Board Minutes Feb. Leadership Council Minutes |
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