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UU News
Monthly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro
An Intentional Liberal Religious Community December, 2012
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Greetings!,
| Welcome to the December edition of our church Newsletter!
The Winter Holiday season is upon us and we invite all to participate in the many special events we will celebrate this month as well as in the life and mission of our covenanted community.
If you have any submissions for the newsletter or questions for the editor, please send them to commuucg@bellsouth.net.
Vance Archer
Newsletter Editor
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Liberal Religious Community
|  ALL ARE WELCOME IN THIS CHURCH
Distinctions of power, privilege, and estate, which apply outside these doors, do not apply within them. Women, men, and children; persons of any color, culture, age, ability, economic status, or affectional orientation; skeptics and those pursuing common or unorthodox religious paths...
All Are Welcome Here!
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Sunday Morning and Holiday Worship Services
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December 2 Lights of Advent Rev. Posa
December 9 Lights in Hanukkah Rev. Posa
December 16 A Dickens Story UUCG Players Worship for All Ages
December 23 Lights in Yule Rev. Posa December 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Rev. Posa Worship for All Ages
December 30 Labyrinth Service Rev. Marian Stewart Worship for All Ages
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Sunday Morning Schedule
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9:30-10:30
| Adult and Children's RE
| All are welcome. There are offerings for all ages, (Nursery services provided)
| 10:30-11:00
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Face to Face
Gathering
| Informal Gathering in preparation For Worship. (Nursery Services Provided)
| 11:00-12:15
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Adult and Youth Worship
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Both adults and children start our service together. On most Sundays the children adjourn to their own Sunday Worship which also ends at 12:15. On Services labeled as "Worship for All Ages," the service will be shared by both children and adults.
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It varies
| Typically Rev. Posa meets visitors who wish to know more about our movement. There are often a variety of ministry team and special interest meetings to attend if you wish to participate.
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From Rev. Posa
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 I'm writing this column a few days after Black Friday, and I'm relieved to have avoided all major shopping centers for the entire day. You may know that "Black Friday" is the day after Thanksgiving: for many years, it has been the busiest shopping day of the year. The nickname for this day refers to the trend that this is the day when many retail stores, even if they've been operating in the red since January 1st, finally start running in the black. I always thought the name sounded more ominous than that, and perhaps with good reason.
What surprises me most about the multitude of sales and promotions is the way that so many consumers will respond to the retailers. Several years ago, while I served an interim ministry in San Antonio, Texas, was the first time I personally saw a line of tents and sleeping bags lined the sidewalk in front of a store (more specifically, a major electronics store)-dozens of people had been camped out for days at the store, to be first in line to purchase a new video game console debuting that week. These were people who had placed the importance of their jobs, their interpersonal relationships, and certainly of their comfort and convenience, below the importance of owning a consumer good a few weeks before other people.
These actions reveal the highest functional values in a person's life. By "functional values," I mean the values one lives by, whether or not they're the same values a person claims to hold. When people place owning a video game unit ASAP over employment, family, and permanent shelter, they say loudly and clearly what they value, even if they would deny such values vocally. Not just what they value, but what they revere; what they worship.
Emerson pointed out that each and every person worships something. It's just a short step from worshiping that which we value, to treating it like a god in our lives. If the ancient Jewish prophets Isaiah or Hosea were alive today, I think they'd denounce the campers lined up outside that electronics store as idolaters-worshippers of false gods. But in this case, the idol was not the video game console, it was the lust for ownership and possession that trumps everything else.
I'd be tempted to join the prophets in their exhortations, but first I'd need to step back and examine my own functional values. Are there any things that my actions show me to worship inappropriately? Do I have any idols in my life? It's a good question for each of us to ask ourselves as the year comes to an end and the holidays approach, because there's a lot of false "gods" out there-consumerism, success, safety; food, sex, drugs-and worshipping these less tangible idols is a real danger, even for us religious liberals. I hope, in the absurd busyness of this holiday season, we each will make time to reflect on our deeper values, as well as our functional ones, and consider how we might live out of our deep values more fully and more consistently.
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From Cindy Dillard, RE Coordinator
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Part of my job as RE Coordinator has been to assemble and maintain registration records and to reach out to families. While compiling a 2009-2012 registration summary, I was surprised to learn how many different communities our friends and members live in. Some folks come from 30 or more miles away just to attend UUCG--a real testament to our church. But it also illustrates a challenge we have here that I was not accustomed to at my previous congregation. First UU Church is located smack in the middle of Columbus OH. Many friends and members live close enough to church to walk to services. Most children attend schools together and participate in extracurricular activities together. It is a neighborhood church. But UUCG serves a region. When we come together, it is not necessarily just for worship or RE. When we come together, we might not have seen each other for a whole week, or for weeks or months on end. When we come together, fellowship and community building are a vital component.
One great way to build community is by breaking bread together. UUCG does this weekly at the 6pm potluck that precedes the Expressions musical service. At our recent Hanging of the Greens celebration, children, youth and young adults gathered over pizza, and were later joined by the entire congregation, sharing desserts and song.
Another great way to build community is through cooperative activities, such as our recent work day or our yard sale. In RE we have started using games as a way to build fellowship, first used among adult RE volunteers at the teacher orientation, followed by adults and children playing those games together in the classroom. The kinds of games we play are cooperative, non-competitive games that help everyone learn to value one another and to have fun together. Circle Worship (our 6th Grade thru young adult worship group) recently built a giant yarn web. Younger folks have played games like "Rattle Snake" and "Who's Ever?"
One of my hopes for RE in the new year is to incorporate cooperative games as a regular component of continuing to build community. To support this, I have started to assemble a "games bin," for use by any group in the church.
 | | Worship with Web |
The cornerstone of this bin is a copy of Steffens & Gorin's "Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: Games and Activities to Teach Sharing, Caring and Compromise," a book that will help anyone lead games. Also needed for the bin are some very simple items, some of which you might have in your homes and might be able to donate: bandanas, cones (as in obstacle course-type cones), all kinds of balls (ping-pong, tennis, squiggly, tennis, nerf, etc), Frisbees, jump rope, masking tape--to start. If you have any of these items (or have something else you think might be a good addition to the games bin,) please contact me at uucgre@att.net. And I look forward to lots of community-building games
in the coming months.
Namaste,
Cindy Dillard
RE Coordinator
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From the Vice President - Karen Madrone
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 The board is working hard on implementing the new governance structure the church voted on at the May congregational meeting and getting prepared for implementing the new developmental model of ministry which was voted on at the October congregational meeting. At the November board meeting, the charters for the Accountability Committee and Strategic Planning Committee were accepted. We now need people to serve on these important committees. If you have the time and inclination, please contact Charlotte Hamlin. Two new committees now have chairs: Sue Beck is the chair of the Healthy Congregations Committee and Sharin Francis is the chair of the Archives Committee. We are grateful to both of them for their ongoing service and support in these areas. The board heard from members of the Annual Commitment Time (ACT) Committee and discussed their plans for a new model for doing the pledge drive in 2013. More details will follow as soon as final decisions are made. Exciting possibilities are being reviewed - stay tuned! Weight Watchers has informed the church that they will no longer be renting space from UUCG. This will have a big impact on church finances: we will have $600 less every month that we had counted on for this year's budget. The Finance Committee is looking at ways we can reach out to other groups we can rent space to and they are investigating other options as well. The Coordinating Council is creating an exciting volunteer opportunity for people to contribute to the life of the church. Many people have said they want to be involved but do not have the time to serve on a committee or team. Instead, they want to do a specific time-limited task. In January the Coordinating Council will kick off a program called "Many Hands." A chalice with paper hands will be placed in the foyer. Interested members and friends can pick up a hand that has a task they are willing to do. Most projects will be a finite task that a committee or team needs help with. At the December Coordinating Council meeting, the details of this project will be finalized. It takes many people to make our church run. All tasks are important, whether it is taking out the trash after events, arranging events, or setting out coffee for the service. We are truly an interdependent web and we need each other. |
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Ministry Notes - Dec. 2012
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1) Holiday Worship - This moth of December is a month of holidays, in many traditions that have influenced us as Unitarian Universalists. This month we will lift up three of these holiday traditions during Sunday worship, with a three-sermon series focusing on the theme of light, a common theme that weaves through each of these holidays, albeit in different ways. On Dec. 2, we celebrate (the first Sunday of) Advent, in the Christian liturgical year, with the lighting of the Advent wreath. On Dec. 9, we light the menorah in celebration of the Jewish season of Hanukkah. And on Dec. 23*, the Yule log will be lit in honor of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice.
*We pause from this sermon series for a week on Dec. 16, for our Worship for All Ages this holiday season. Our service will be based on the classic story "A Christmas Carol," by 19th century Unitarian author Charles Dickens.
2) On a personal note - Many of you know that two days before Thanksgiving, my spouse Suzi had minor surgery. The procedure was very successful, and she has recovered well. As a result, though, we were not able to attend the Thanksgiving dinner at our church. We want to extend our thanks to all those who did attend, for signing the thoughtful get well card, and for the many leftovers from that potluck meal that were saved and delivered do us that afternoon. They allowed us not only to have a Thanksgiving dinner, but additional meals as well to get through Suzi's recovery period (without subjecting her to my poor attempts at cooking). Special thanks to Myra Anne Dean for delivering the food and card to our apartment. We really were touched by this generosity from the congregation that went above and beyond. Thank you, all. |
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Expressions and Pot-Luck - Wednesday Evenings
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 Join us as we explore the connections between art and spirituality. 7pm every Wednesday.
Dec 5 - East Indian Dance Group
Dec 12 - Music from Steve Andrews
Dec 19 .- Stephanie Ezerman
Dec 26 - Labyrinth ( Group Participation)
Each Wednesday at 6pm, please also join us for a pot-luck dinner. Bring a dish to share and your own plates and flatware.
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Adult Religious Education in December |
 Sunday Mornings from 9:30-10:30
December 2, 9, 16, 9:30-10:30 Adult RE
A Serious Way of Wondering, The Ethics of Jesus Imagined
by Reynolds Price
Poet and Author Reynolds Price taught a course at Duke for many years on writing Gospels, and wrote a few himself. The experience led him to write this book, which goes beyond the Gospel to make some assumptions based on modern scholarship about what Jesus actually said. The three gospels are:
Jesus and a Homosexual Man
Jesus and a Suicide
Jesus and a Desolate Woman
Each Sunday we will read one aloud and follow with discussion
It is not necessary to read the book ahead of time, but if you would like to it is available from Amazon
Please let Steve Pearsall know if you are interested in this class
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Adult Religious Education in 2013 |
Starting in January and running into May, we will have a number of different Adult  RE opportunities on Sunday mornings and Thursday nights
Sunday Mornings from 9:30-10:30
Rev Eric Posa will lead classes at various times, topics to be determined
Charlotte Hamlin will lead a 4 part Communication Styles RE Adult Ed workshop in February.
Thursday Nights
Tapestry of Faith for 10 weeks
Spirit in Practice, By Erik Walker Wikstrom
Spirit in Practice was created to help Unitarian Universalists develop regular disciplines, or practices, of the spirit-practices that help them connect with the sacred ground of their being, however they understand it.
Days and times to be determined Transformative Mediation
Donya Lucas is working towards a Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies at UNCG. From January through May she will facilitate of workshops designed to create a mediation team at UUCG.
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Regular Events
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Feeding the Hungry at Urban Ministries, First Monday of each month
On the first Monday of each month a group of volunteers from our church shop for and cook a meal for the homeless at Urban Ministries. We are in the process of building a new team to carry out this important project. If you would like to be part of the action, contact Ken Knight at oldpeacenik@gmail.com or at 288-0103.
Men's Night Out, Monday, Second Monday each month
Join us at our next at Men's Night Out beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Mi Pueblo,3911 Tinsley Drive in High Point at 6 p.m. for dinner and fellowship.
Ladies' Night Out, Last Monday each month (* We're Not Meeting in December!)
Ladies Night Out occurs the last Monday of the month at the Saigon Restaurant at the southwest corner of High Point Rd. and Merritt Drive. It's yummy Vietnamese cuisine with delightful and revealing conversation amidst lots of laughter. We meet at 6:30 pm. Newcomers are always welcome. Coordinators Mary Davis (586-0188) or Janet Plummer (294-6364) should be contacted before 5 pm is you plan to attend.
Men's Night Out 2, Last Monday each month
A second Men's Night Out is held the last Monday of each month. We will meet at Applebee's on Battleground Ave.
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Celebrating the Season Part 1
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Saturday, December 1 
6:00-8:00pm
Adults are invited to participate in progressive dinners in the homes of UUCG members and friends. And children/youth/young adults are invited to participate in their own kick-off to the season at UUCG.
ADULT PROGRESSIVE DINNERS This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know other members of the congregation. Participants sign up to either host or attend a dinner, and the host organizes the dinner. You will be contacted by the host to let you know what you need to bring to share for dinner. A sign up sheet will be on the bulletin board by the kitchen.
CHILDREN/YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT DINNER Adults participating in the progressive dinners are invited to bring their children/youth to UUCG for dinner and festivities with Cindy Dillard, RE Coordinator. Young adults are invited as well. A pizza dinner will be provided at a cost of $3/per person (RSVP cynthia.dillard6@gmail.com), but please feel free to provide your own dinner as well. AND BE PREPARED TO PLAY. One of the things we will do is make FLUBBER.
For more information contact Karen Madrone - kmadrone@juno.com or Cindy Williams - cmmrw@triad.rr.com fellowship team
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Celebrating the Season Part 2
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Saturday, December 1
8:00 pm
ALL are welcome for "The Hanging of the Greens"
After the dinners, we will all gather back at the church for a Dessert buffet, a Festive carol sing-a-long led by Mark Freundt, and Café style entertainment sponsored by the music team. You don't have to attend a dinner to come to the Hanging of the Greens. A fun time will be had by all!
For more information contact Karen Madrone - kmadrone@juno.com or Cindy Williams - cmmrw@triad.rr.com fellowship team
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Social Action Committee Project - Holiday Sharing With Partnership Village Family
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The Social Action Team invites you to share your holiday spirit with a family now living at Partnership Village. This is a transitional housing resource that encourages families to move from homelessness to independence while remaining together in a safe, supportive apartment community.
Here is some information on our family:
Dad - John 40, underemployed
Mom - Denise 35, P/T 15-20 hrs. per week
Daughter - Jackie 15, Sophomore in high school
Son - Brandon 12, 7th grade
Twins - 5, Boy Darryl & Girl Jessie, Kindergarten
Ann Morelli, the director, suggests that WalMart gift cards will be the most useful to them. You may purchase a WalMart card and donate it, or you can donate money toward the purchase of cards. Checks can be made out to UUCG with Holiday Family noted. We want to get the cards to the family soon after the 16th so that the parents can make Christmas purchases if they wish.
Beginning November 25 thru December 16, SAC members will be at a table in the foyer or you can see Sara Bourquin, Sue Cole, Becky Floyd, Nancy Powersmith, Chris Voorhees or Ken Knight. You can call Sara at 632-1616 for additional information.
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Sharing our Abundance on 4th and 5th Sundays in 2013 | 
Each month, our church takes up a special collection on 4th and 5th Sundays to support organizations that work for justice in Guilford County. The Social Action Team is responsible for selecting the organizations that we will support for 2013.
If you have an organization that you would like us to support, please send us the name of the organization and your reasons for why we should support it.
Send your nominations to Ken Knight at oldpeacenik@gmail.com.We will meet after church on December 9 to make our final decisions. If you want to come make a personal pitch for your organization, please join us. |
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Thank you Weaver House Team!
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At this time of giving thanks, it seems appropriate to recognize those who've made it possible for us to serve dinner at Greensboro Urban Ministry's Weaver House to hundreds of homeless people in the past year. Assisted in set-up and serving by members of Hinshaw Methodist Church, the following volunteers have shopped, cooked, served, or all the above,so that we could feed the homeless on the first Monday of each month.
Dottie Borei, Nancy Brotherton, Nora Byrd, Paula Cash, Nick Divicti, Sharin Francis, Charlotte Hamlin, Bill Haney, Jack Harrell, Barbara Hughes, Ken Knight, Carol Owens, Marty Stover, Earle Wrenn, Lynett Wrenn and Heidi Stucki
The always popular cookies for dessert have been baked and provided by these folks:
Dottie Borei, Sara Bourquin, Sue Cole, Suzanne Deering, Sharin Francis, Nancy Granat, Manessa Greene, Phoenix Putney, Liz Harrell, Michele Hutchins, Leslie Kalinowski, Mary Alice Knight, Jeannie Laidlaw, Carol Owens, Michelle Puzio, Marianne Royle, Paula Swongeur, Marty Ward
Thank you to these people and to anyone who helped this year but whose name was inadvertently overlooked. We are grateful also for those who helped in years past and for congregational support of the Social Action Committee, sponsor of this ongoing community ministry.
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Cabaret!
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The Cabaret Auction date is set! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 9th, 2013.The Theme for this year is " Comedy Tonight!" To make this fundraiser a success, we need your help! Please consider donating something to this fun-raising and fund-raising event. Here are some suggestions for you think about: - Host an event - dinner at your house, outing to a museum or vineyard, a games night
- New or very gently used items of good quality and good value - jewelry, electronics, decorative items
- Handmade items - paintings, woodwork, jewelry, knitting, baked goods
- Services - lawn care, babysitting, dog-walking, car washing, tutoring
- Large items - furniture, sports equipment
- Time at your cabin/beach condo/time share
To donate, fill out a donation form in the church lobby and leave it in the box. Can't wait to see what treasures await us this year! If you have any questions about the Cabaret or would like to volunteer to help with this great annual event, please contact Co-Chairs Katie Klod or Lauren Houck. If you would like to perform on-stage at the "Comedy Tonight Cabaret" please contact our stage manager Kevin Houck.
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| Help for the Holidays - by Sue Beck | 
How do the holidays affect you? Do you feel like a child again? Are you looking forward to fun, excitement, social activities? Is this a sad time? Are you plagued by unhappy memories, worries about money or family problems? Do you wish it would go by quickly? Do the burdens of the holidays overwhelm you?
Whatever your feelings may be, remember to practice self-compassion.
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| December Compassionate Communication Practices- by Sue Beck | 
This month our Practices will be on Sunday, Dec. 2nd at 9 am and Thursday, Dec. 6th at 7 pm. We will use the GROK cards to identify feelings and needs we experience around the holidays. We will do some self-empathy to create compassionate space in our lives and to refresh and renew ourselves. Our Practices are open to everyone.
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| BLOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS | 
We hit our goal at Monday's blood drive: 28 pints of blood collected by the Red Cross. Thank you, donors, for giving back to our community in this life-saving way.
Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make it happen: Martha Stover, Suzanne and EJ Deering, Sara Shapiro, Sue Cole, Phoenix Harmony, Jeanie Laidlaw, Dottie Borei, Gisela Pollak, Linda and Dan Shuee, Ken Knight and Sharin Francis. And to Charlotte Hamlin for all the food and juice.
Phoenix Harmony coordinator
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Summary of the November 2012 Board of Trustees Meeting
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The Accountability and Strategic Planning committee charters were accepted.
The board affirmed Sue Beck as chair of Healthy Congregations committee and Sharin Francis as chair of Archival Records.
The Finance committee was asked to explore how we might better rent our space.
Nelson Stover and Joe Gecienger discussed plans for a pledge campaigh
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Birthdays this month
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 Sharin Francis, Gary Farley, Anita Campitelli, Joy Hamlin, Lou Finkle, Joe Gecinger, Betsy Lindsey, Suzanne Andrews P.J. Parker, Maile Epperson, Laurie Gengenback, Dean Perez-Simons, Melissa Carroll, Matt Amick, Gavin Pecoravo, Charles David McFayden III
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Attendance and Collection | |
Worship Counts -
Adults RE C A Collection
October 21 No counts 23 8 $1,830.00
October 28 No counts 20 7 $2,417.14
November 4 95 22 10 $2,519.00
November 11 129 28 10 $5,807.00
November 18 99 22 10 $1,870.00
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UUCG Covenant
| We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro, do covenant to:
- Promote a search for personal meaning, respecting individual truth in a community process of quest
- Speak and act with caring, courtesy and love thereby maintaining emotional, physical, and spiritual safety for all
- Support UUCG and denominational efforts with our resources
- Combat injustice while promoting equality
- Nurture our children on their spiritual journeys
- Hold ourselves to this covenant, especially during times of conflict and disagreement
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UUCG OFFICERS | Charlotte Hamlin, President chamlin1@triad.rr.com
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TRUSTEES | |
Michelle Lee (2015) nc.dogwood@yahoo.com
Stephanie Blake (2014) cicciblake@triad.rr.com
Myra Anne Geese Dean (2014) myraannegesse@yahoo.com
Steve Andrews (2013) sand3420@aol.com
Suzanne Deering (2015) zanned@earthlink.net
Katja Brown (2013) sabrown@ieee.org |
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UUCG STAFF
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Reverend Eric Posa, Interim MinisterOffice Hours: Please call church office for appointments Office Phone: 856-0330, Cell: 508-7568 E-mail: uucgminister@bellsouth.netJulie Hamilton, Congregational AdministratorOffice Hours: Please call church office for appointments
Office Phone: 856-0330, Fax: 856-0384 E-mail: uucgadmin@bellsouth.netMark Freundt, Director of MusicOffice Hours: Please call church office for appointments Office Phone: 856-0330, Cell: 908-1103 E-mail: uucgdirmu@bellsouth.net Cindy Dillard, RE Coordinator Office Hours: Please call church office for appointments Office Phone: 856-0330 Cell (614)975-0126 E-mail: uucgre@att.net
Walter McCorey, SextonTuesday, Thursday & Friday (times vary based on needs). Cell Phone: 414-0163 (in case of building emergencies) |
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Congregational Contacts
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Building and Grounds Jim Roeder
Care Team Suzanne Andrews & Joy Hamlin Communications Katie Klod & Vance Archer Newsletter Vance Archer (Editor) - Katie Klod (Associate Editor)
Website Mariella Perez-Simons Congregational Culture Taskforce Laura Graham Coordinating Council Karen Madrone Denominational Affairs
Endowment Fund Dennis Hands
Fellowship Cindy Williams & Karen Madrone
Finance Steve Pearsall
Cabaret Auction Lauren Houck & Katie Klod Governance Task Force Hope McLean & Sharin Francis Labyrinth Steve Pearsall & Ken Williams Lay Pastoral Care Associates Janet Eley & Liz Harrell Lifespan Religious Education (RE) Laura Graham Membership Vance Archer Music Sue Sherwood & Marilyn Clayton Committee on Leadership Development Harold Gunn Policies and Procedures Michelle Lee Social Action Sara Bourquin, Sue Cole, Becky Floyd Green Sanctuary Sue Cole, Elaine Stover GLBTQ Karen Madrone Worship Barbara Hands
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