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It is safe to say that most of us have our everyday routines, in contrast to the rituals of our lives,
those celebrations that mark major events. But some of our routines might be meaningful enough to be
called rituals, if we choose to see them that way. "Ordinary Rituals" is the topic for April's Mindful
Writing session. In recognition of the Children/Youth RE theme for this month, "Embodiment," let's
explore how our ordinary rituals express what is important to us on a day-to-day basis. We writers
meet on the third Wednesday of each month. Please join us on April 15 at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall
if you'd like to share your written thoughts about any of your "small" significant rituals. Marty Keith is
happy to answer your questions about this adult enrichment adventure!
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Music notes
Calling all musicians! Music Sunday will be May 3 this year. I will be putting together an ensemble for instrumentalists in grades 3-8. Additionally, there are a couple of spots for small ensembles or soloists of any age and instrument/voice. Please get in touch with me before April 12 if you are interested in participating in the Music Sunday program.
Musically yours,
Marlene Hartzler
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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.
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4C
Building Better
Communication, Connections, Collaboration, and Community
Within NUUC
Over the next month or two, the Membership Committee will be reaching out to everyone in our NUUC community as part of our 4C Event. It is our goal through this activity to involve the entire congregation in helping to improve the communication among members, build connections and collaboration between individuals and groups, and strengthen the NUUC community.
To accomplish these goals it is important that we have input from all members about what is working for them and what is not; what can be improved; and what can be added to our church programs or changed about our organization. To this end we will be holding three different kinds of meetings:
- A community potluck to be held on April 26 which will be followed by breakout groups of approximately ten people (child care provided).
- Lunch/dinner meetings for approximately 10 people hosted by facilitators with dates in May TBD based on group needs.
- Individual contact for those who prefer one-on-conversations.
Please sign up for one of these options by April 10. If we don't hear from you, we'll assume you want individual contact. You can click this link to sign up, fill in a sign-up insert from your Sunday order of service and drop it in the offering basket, or sign up on the list in Fellowship Hall.
We look forward to our collaboration with you.
The Membership Committee
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Mowing at NUUC - We Need Some Help
For this mowing season, the Building and Grounds Committee plans to handle the mowing using the same approach as last year, which will avoid us having to contract out the mowing and save about $3,000 in the budget. Our plan is for the B&G Committee to handle the mowing on a rotating basis with some help from the congregation. B&G Committee members will mow 3 weeks of each month, and the 4th week and sometimes the 5th week will be handled by a different volunteer from the congregation. This approach will spread the work so each committee member will mow about once a month, and each congregational volunteer would mow just one time during the season. Our approach will keep everyone's work commitments reasonable. The area to be mowed includes both the church yard (bounded by the driveway and the parking lot) plus the yard around Nielsen House. We have a riding mower, which is used for almost all of the mowing. For a few small, tight areas, which the riding mower cannot handle, we use a push power mower. The southern field at the rear of our property and the west side of the parking lot are excluded and will be mowed separately compliments of Gary Rusk, using his large tractor. Therefore, we would like to get 1 or 2 volunteers from the congregation each month to mow one time in the season. The mowing season runs from mid-April through early November. But volunteers from the congregation will be needed only for the months of May through October, which is 6 months. Two of those months have 5 weeks and will require 2 volunteers, so we need a total of 8 volunteers. Please consider volunteering to mow one time this season. If would like to help the church handle the mowing, you can sign up on the mowing sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall. Just pick a date that works for your schedule. If you have questions or would like more information, just contact Bob Keith at 740-369-1919 or bobkeith@frontier.com
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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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For grades 6 through 12
Questions?
Contact Kristin Grimshaw
for the meeting schedule!
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Meets at Noon the Third Tuesday of the month. Get all the details by clicking here. |
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 RevElations!
Recently, some of our Pastoral Care Associates and members of the former Casserole Brigade met to do some reorganizing so that we can better meet the needs of our members and friends. A lot of the change is behind the scenes, but there are two main things that you are likely to notice. First, on the backs of the pews when you are attending on Sunday Morning, you will see a "Caring Card." This can be placed in the offering basket in order to either indicate a caring need you are aware of, and/or offer up a joy or sorrow that you would like to have read during that part of the worship service. If you know of a caring need, or want to offer a joy or sorrow and you can't attend worship, please just email RevRitchie@aol.com.
Also, as someone who receives the newsletter, you might from time to time see a notice from me with an indication that someone could use the help of the Casserole Brigade. In the past, we had a number of dedicated members who would try to help with food needs as they arose as church members experienced emergencies. In our caring meeting, however, we realized that ideally, the whole congregation is the Casserole Brigade, and that people's ability to respond to food needs might have everything to do with both timing and location. So as you see these notices and have the bandwidth to respond, we are ever grateful to involve as many people as possible in the care we offer to one another.
To Life!
Susan
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Join Us for Passover and Easter
Come celebrate Easter with us at 10:30 AM on April 5. Our service is intergenerational (no religious education classes). As is our custom, we will observe the Flower Celebration. If you can bring a cut flower for each member of your party, we gather and redistrubute them during the services to symbolize the varied gifts we give to and receive from religious community. Don't worry if you can't bring flowers--we always have extra! After services on Easter, we will have an Easter Egg hunt. This year, children will be sent out to hunt their eggs in groups organized by age (no more mad dash!). We will have familes wait in Fellowship Hall with their children after the service, and then we will invite children to begin--youngest first, and then leaving the harder to find eggs for our older hunters.
Also, please join us for NUUC's annual Passover Seder--the traditional Jewish dinner on the theme of liberation! We'll have a Potluck style dinner featured our famous NUUC Smoked "not your Grandmother's" Brisket), and observe the ritual elements of the dinner in a family friendly style.Potluck items: Please bring a salad, side dish, dessert, or one of the ritual elements. We don't exactly keep kosher, but it is respectful to avoid pork, shellfish, and mixtures of meat and dairy.Ritual elements: Wine, matzah, bitter herbs (romaine lettuce, horseradish, or endive), parsley, charoset. Sign up on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall, or online at http://nuuc.org/passover-dinner/
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2015 NUUC Service Auction
"An Evening of Enchantment: Tropical Paradise"
Join us for "An Evening of Enchantment: Tropical Paradise" on the
evening of Saturday, May 16 at 6:15pm.
Who is ready for Some Tropical Paradise? We sure are! The Service
Auction is fast approaching, and will be more exciting than ever. This gala event for the entire family is going to be HOT!!
The Deadline for Donations Has Been Extended until April 7!
There is still time to donate:
● 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.
● 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 FINAL Deadline for Donations is Tuesday, April 7 2015. No
donations will be accepted after that date!* 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.
Thank You!
-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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News from your Social Action Committee (SAC) - April 2015 Newsletter
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?" Please share an action you are committed to taking in order to bring about climate justice, build resistance to climate change, and create a sustainable world. See what others are doing and add your commitment to those already posted on the SAC bulletin board in Fellowship Hall. You will also find information about the Columbus Green Spot rain barrel program, Citizens Climate Lobby, Columbus Bill of Rights, Northwest Earth Institute classes and more. If you have information about activities or groups that address climate justice, we encourage you to post it on the bulletin board to inspire others. Be sure to put your name on the information so others can ask you about it.
"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. "
RUMPKE RECYCLING FACILITY TOUR: Ever wonder what happens to the items you put in your recycling bin? How are items sorted? What items can be recycled and what happens to those that are not recyclable? A recycling tour begins with a brief history of the company and an overview of what can be recycled in Rumpke's programs and what happens to the material once processed. Tour participants then suit up with provided safety equipment and enter the plant to see a series of machines and people quickly sort through tons of recyclables in a matter of minutes. Tours are offered on some Tuesdays between 10am and 2 pm. If you are interested in going on a group tour, contact Pam Patsch at pgp723@aol.com. If you can't make the tour, go to Rumpke's website for a virtual tour. It is pretty impressive! One way you can positively impact climate change is to reduce waste and recycle what you can. Don't forget the most important "R" is REFUSE!
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 their 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.
UUSC's Blue Buckets campaign invites individuals and congregations to support the people in Kakamega and other communities to protect their access to water. The suggested donation amount of $175 is enough to enable the participation of two families in the sustainability program in Kenya and support other human-right-to-water projects. We collected $95 in the March Loose Change Offering. Bring in your loose change on April 13th and help NUUC meet or exceed the goal.
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.
NEXT SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING: Due to the Easter holiday, our April SAC meeting was held on March 29th. The next SAC meeting will be on Sunday, May 3rd at 11:45 am.
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Treasurer's Report of February 2015 Results, March 1, 2015
February financial results: Expenses exceeded Income by ($3,804). Pledges were less than Budget by ($4,468). Total income of $10,237 was ($4,968) under budget. Expenses of $14,041 were $789 under
budget. Minor differences are due to timing of expenses and I fully expect these will smooth out as we progress through the year.
February YTD financial results: Expenses exceeded Income by ($2,952). Pledges were less than Budget by ($3,915). Total income of $26,112 was ($4,296) under budget. Expenses of $29,064 were $944
under budget.
Hopefully the reduced level of pledges is only weather related. If not, then I am encouraged by reading the Leaders Council minutes and learn that the Board will be monitoring NUUC's money situation. I look
forward to hearing more about the plans in place and what actions are proposed.
Finance (Scot Hardin)
Scot expressed concern that the DRE's (Director of Religious Education) pay of approximately $15,000 will take quite a bit of the pledge amount and wondered how we might be proactive in insuring the overall availability of funds this coming year. Rev. Ritchie said that a plan is in place to have the increased money by the time it is needed. Children's RE seems to be doing very well, with more children per Sunday than before, said Eileen Watters. Lauren Richards remarked that the Board will be monitoring NUUC's money situation.
Respectfully submitted
Jerry Schardt, Treasurer
Board of Trustees & Leadership Council
March Board Minutes
Feb. Leadership Council Minutes
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