Evening Book Club
Please join us at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at Christopher's Restaurant (2318 Dorothy Ln., Kettering). For more information, contact Ann Snively.
November 13 - Cleopatra: A Life, by Stacy Schiff
*We will choose books for the next several months at the November meeting, so bring your ideas! 

Daytime Book Club Title*
November 14 - Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power, by Rachel Maddow

December 12 - Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter

**December's meeting will be at Starlite Diner, 4090 Wilmington Pk., at 10:30 a.m.**
January TBA - Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See
February TBA - Lifeboat, by Charlotte Rogan
March TBA - The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri

*We meet one Wednesday a month, at 10:30 a.m., in the Fellowship Library. We then go out for lunch together. All are welcome! 

Community Discussion Group*

November 4 - "Thinking Outside the Box - Economic Infrastructure." Moderator: Randy Mayle

November 11 - "Ask the Doctor." Moderator: Tom Starr

November 18 - Thanksgiving Sunday - NO CLASS

November 25 - "War Stories - Events That Shocked, Confused, or Amused." Moderator: Sherry Davis

*This adult group meets every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Founders room for fellowship and thought-provoking discussions led by member volunteers. For a more detailed listing of topics, please see the Sunday bulletin.

Planned Parenthood Book Fair
The largest book fair in Ohio is coming soon! Planned Parenthood's biggest fundraiser, their annual book sale, will be held Nov. 9 - 11 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Coliseum. If you've been putting off donating your books, be sure to drop them off in our book barrel in the RE hallway ASAP! 

 Fall Bazaar
 Come one, come all to the Fall Bazaar: Our annual Fall Bazaar & Craft Festival is on November 10, 2012, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. We'd like YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS to attend and support the fall bazaar! To attract and keep our vendors from year to year, it's important to have as many participants as possible. While we do advertise to the community, our best resource for customers is our own fellowship and our closest friends. Please invite your friends and neighbors for a fun-filled day of food and shopping! We have both new and returning vendors selling wares, food and drink items available for purchase, and even a donation based MASSAGE stop to reduce your stress! We also have raffles galore, so don't miss out! Check out all the special baskets at the Sunday service and buy your tickets in advance or at the door. You can win as many times as your tickets are drawn, and you do NOT need to be present to win. All proceeds support our MVUUF general operating fund!  We need volunteers to help with set-up, clean-up, and food for the day of the Bazaar.  Please contact Kristin Freeman at kfreeman@mvuuf.org or 436-3628 to sign up or sign up in the Gathering Space.

Thanksgiving Service and Dinner - November 18
 Thanksgiving at MVUUF is just around the corner (November 18) and it's time to start signing up to let us know what you will be bringing.  Signup sheets are in the Gathering Space. Please remember we always need helpers for cleanup. It's a great bonding opportunity for your small group dinner group or your committee.

St. Vincent de Paul Second Saturday Lunch
December 8 Menu: chili, cornbread, salad, 100% juice, 2% milk
All items must be delivered to St. V. de P. Hotel at 120 W. Apple St. in Dayton, already heated if applicable.  Please sign up in the Gathering Space.
NOTE:  The lunch for November 10 has been CANCELLED.

 Humanitarian Giving
During November, the Humanitarian Giving Action Group welcomes non-pledge donations to benefit the Suicide Prevention Center. The mission of the Suicide Prevention is to save lives threatened by suicide by offering 24-hour crisis hotline and support groups; to foster prevention of suicide by offering specialized training programs and programs for school children; and to encourage community involvement in suicide prevention efforts to affect change.

MVUUF Bulletin Boards

In our hallway where we pick up nametags, there are bulletin boards maintained by the Youth Religious Education, Social Concerns, and Membership areas of the fellowship, and there are a couple that will be labeled for "MVUUF Insiders" and "Community Connections". They contain helpful information about community resources, business cards of members and friends, and events notices. However, there are some items that seem to be left behind long ago and we're not sure who posted them. It seems like a good time to tidy up our bulletin boards to make them more user-friendly and attractive.

It's time for some new procedures! Those who are posting information on the MVUUF Insiders and Community Connections boards are requested to put their own name and contact information along with the date on the posting and to limit the size of the item to 3x5 for an item that will be posted from one to six months (e.g. business card or flyer) and 11x 14 for an item that is posted for a month or less (e.g. concert poster). All items shall be of a nature believed to be of interest to MVUUF members and friends and in accordance with our principles. They may remain in place for six months, after which the date will be need to be refreshed or the posting will be removed. November 15 will be "Clean sweep" day, when any unmarked postings will be removed.  If you have postings you want to keep up, please mark them accordingly.  The exception to this requirement will be human service flyers for things such as Planned Parenthood, AA, and Artemis House. On a related note, items posted on the doors of the fellowship should be for events open to and involving the congregation only, not events hosted by outside groups. These may remain in place no more than two Sundays. Thank you for your help!

~Genevieve Harvey

Voices and Stories: Tales from Diverse Religions
 The Centerville and Washington Township Diversity Council offers a presentation highlighting the diverse religion of people in our community. Voices and Stories: Tales from Diverse Religions will be offered on Wed., November 14 at 7 p.m. in the Central Theater at Centerville High School. Some of the participants sharing their stories include our own Bob Lewis and Shannon Hansen. Come hear these stories and how their religion impacts their lives.

The Nominating Committee and You
 The "due democratic process" is one of our very important principles. Each year at the January annual meeting we elect the officers of the board of trustees, and members of the program council. Details for each position are documented in the bylaws of MVUUF. The Nominating Committee will offer a list of candidates in the December Forum. The following Fellowship members' makeup the Nominating Committee, and yes we look forward to speaking with you about our "Beloved Community", and opportunities for you in governance: Iris Carter, Ruby Powell, Ruth Rowley, Joan Albrecht, and Phil Wise. *Please seek us out, and discuss your involvement in MVUUF leadership.

Office Volunteers Needed While Kristin's on Maternity Leave
You may heard through the grapevine that I'm expecting a baby on Jan. 10. I will be out on maternity leave for 6 weeks, and am looking for volunteers to cover some of my office duties while I'm out. This will ensure our office runs smoothly and our community will be able to stay

connected. These duties would consist of: checking the mail, recording our phone sermon, a little typing, stuffing bulletins, and answering the phones. I am splitting the days into two parts: 9 a.m. - noon, and noon - 3 p.m. Feel free to sign up for an entire day or just one shift. And also bring a book or a project! If the phone doesn't ring, you'll have some free time! The following days/times need to be filled. Please email me at kfreeman@mvuuf.org or call me at 937-436-3628 to sign up. And thank you!

Tuesdays noon - 3 p.m.  Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12

Wednesdays noon - 3 p.m.  Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 6, 13

Thursdays 9 a.m. - noon  Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb. 7, 14

Fridays 9 a.m. - noon  Jan. 11, 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, 15

Chalice Light Gallery
 Rosie Huart is an award-winning artist living in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from the University of Dayton, receiving her Bachelor Degree in Art and Psychology and also an Associate Degree in Mental Health Technology from Sinclair Community College. It is the path of papermaking that opened the door to Rosie's creativity. In the 80's she studied Japanese papermaking in Japan and today teaches both Eastern and Western methods. Rosie also teaches classes and workshops in mixed media and gives retreats. She has one scheduled in May, 2013, at Maria Stein. You can contact her for further information www.rosiehuart.com or email rehuart@aol.com.

Immigrant and Refugee Justice

The Immigrant and Refugee Justice Action Group of the Social Action Committee will meet on the first Sunday of the month after the service.   Our next meeting is Sunday, November 4. Two sessions of the class "Immigration as a Moral Issue" will have taken place; in November, the class will be completed by sessions on Thursdays Nov. 1, 8, and 15 at 7 p.m. in the Founder's Room. While the class will provide a basis for the future decisions of the Action Group on what will be the most appropriate focus for Fellowship action in this area, you do not have to have attended the class to be a part of the action group or vice versa. For questions regarding either of these, please contact Maureen O'Meara at omearamf@udayton.edu.

Grocery Cards

For those Kroger shoppers who have not yet signed up for their new program that replaced Grocery Cards, please do. Step-by-step instructions are available on the desk in the Gathering Space. If you need further assistance, please contact Maureen O'Meara at omearamf@udayton.edu to arrange for a preliminary sign-up session at the Fellowship. When you sign up, you need the following information: your Kroger Plus card number (all 10 digits, including the 2 beyond the bar code, the Kroger where you got this card, and the Fellowship's number 80077.  

Cards for Dorothy Lane have been ordered in $50 and $20 denominations and will be available for purchase in November. Please sign up with Maureen O'Meara to purchase Dorothy Lane cards in the future with an estimate order for 3 months. Cards will be ordered from Dorothy Lane only when there are pre-orders for 80% of the cards. It is not necessary to pay in advance. Dorothy Lane pays 5% on these cards, so if you shop at Dorothy, please support the Fellowship in this way. This is different than the Community Giving Program for Dorothy Lane which pays a much smaller percentage. This change has been necessary, since Dorothy Lane requires an order of $1000 and a pre-payment when cards are ordered. In the recent past, only two people have regularly purchased Dorothy Lane cards, so at times it has taken months to recoup the purchase price.

City of Centerville Seeking Volunteers

We are looking for individuals, families, youth groups, clubs and other organizations to assist elderly residents with leaf-raking and/or snow shoveling. The City of Centerville is compiling a list of individuals, groups, and organizations willing to assist elderly and disabled Centerville residents with leaf-raking and snow removal at no charge. The list will be maintained by City staff and available to residents. The City will also maintain a list of individuals and companies that perform these services for a fee. Once residents receive the resource information from the City, it is their responsibility to contact someone from the list and make the necessary arrangements. Interested? Call Centerville City Offices, 433-7151.

Homeless Teens Start A Local Business!
Lindy & Company is Daybreak's newest pet treat bakery and part of Daybreak's work-readiness program for homeless youth. Stop by to make your purchase and see the youth in action - baking, selling, and ringing up your sales! Lindy & Co. is located at 823 Wayne Ave. in Dayton. Hours are Wed. - Fri., 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sat., 8 a.m. - noon. You can also visit their website at www.lindyandcompany.org

Bread Delivery Volunteer Needed

Over the past many years, we've had a few volunteers who have been managing a

significant volunteer undertaking - delivering bread donated by Dorothy Lane Market in Springboro to Wesley Center and St. Paul's Huffman Place. These volunteers need some help. If you are available on Thursday mornings, once or twice a month or even just to fill in once in a while, we need your help. The job on Thursday mornings is this:

- pick up bread at DLM in Springboro between 9 and 9:30.

- deliver bread to St. Paul's at Huffman Place near 5th street

- deliver rest of bread to Wesley Center in West Dayton

We could certainly break this job up if people were willing to do one part of the delivery. So, let us know whatever part you are interested in. For questions talk to Pete Davis at 429-4204, or call/email Kristin in the office to sign up.

Environmental Learning Forum Book Club

The Environmental Learning Forum Book Club will meet in the Founder's Room at 7:00 p.m. on Mon., November 19 to discuss Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, by New York Times columnist William Bryant Logan. In a series of essays, the writer examines the soil beneath our feet from both a scientific and poetic perspective. The Los Angeles Times Book Review states,   "Whether Logan is traversing the far reaches of the cosmos or plowing through our planet's crust, his delightful, elegant, and surprisingly soulful meditations greatly enrich our concept of dirt, that substance from which we all arise and to which we all must return." Copies of Dirt may be available from local libraries. We have also ordered a few copies from Amazon.com at a discounted price of $9.11 (List price is $14.95). If you would like to reserve one of these copies, contact Environmental Action chairman Gary Courts at 436-1094 or mrcourts@aol.com.  All MVUUF members and friends with an interest in environmental and conservation issues are invited to be with us on November 19 for our monthly discussion.  

Treasury Notes

At the risk of sounding like a broken record I must report that we were $8500 behind in pledge income as of the end of the first quarter of our fiscal year. If we project that loss across 4 quarters it's $34,000 for the year. That's a scary thought! I can only assume that the income flow improved some because at the beginning of October we didn't have enough money in the bank to cover payroll, but no one has called me in a panic saying we're out of cash. That's a happy thought!

Each of us has a home budget to manage, and bills to pay. Most of us have some kind of income. What if that income were erratic? What if we never knew from week to week or month to month how much would be coming in? We know what our bills are; we know our creditors aren't very forgiving or flexible. It's gut-wrenching to deal like that with our financials on an on-going basis. Recently a few members of MVUUF got together to talk about our financial situation.   A phrase that came up during that conversation was: time, talent and treasure. These are what we have to offer the Fellowship: our time, our talents and our treasure. In return we each have what we treasure about our time here and our ability to use our talents for the greater good. It is a mutually beneficial relationship.  

It also needs to be a sustainable relationship. At the same meeting where I heard the phrase "time, talent and treasure" we talked about stewardship. Merriam-Webster defines stewardship as "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." We are, each of us, individually and collectively, entrusted with the care, management and sustainability of our Fellowship. The "fire of commitment" we recite each Sunday has to be more than words! If our Fellowship is to be the strong, vibrant community we want it to be, now and into the future, we must all practice good stewardship.

~Pat Whitney, Treasurer

CUUPs

Chalice of the Willow is the local CUUPS (Covenant of the Unitarian Universalist Pagans) chapter here at MVUUF.  Our regular meetings are a discussion group the 2nd Sunday of the month (next meeting is November 11) at 12:30 p.m. in Classroom 1 and a workshop/lecture the 4th Saturday of the month (next meeting is November 24) from 7-9 p.m. in the Founders Room, all at MVUUF.  Topics are announced on the MVUUF email group, our Facebook page ( ttps://www.facebook.com/ChaliceoftheWillow), and the Google Calendar on our website (https://sites.google.com/site/chaliceofthewillow/) as they are decided on.

All Chalice of the Willow events are open to the entire MVUUF community.  You do not have to be a Pagan to come, we have many members that are Pagan, some are Pagan interested, and others just want to come and support us. We welcome all!  For more information contact us at
chaliceofthewillow@gmail.com.