February is the month for lovers, right?  With Valentine's Day arriving on the 14th, and it being the time to share a card, a gift, flowers or chocolate (!) to declare your affection for those you hold dear, I thought that it is probably time for me to share a chronicle of how I feel about you.  So here goes:

Dear UU Church of Greensboro,

Before I arrived to meet and greet many of you way back last July, I had heard warnings.  They are a challenge!  They need a lot of help!  Any minister that goes there is going to need really thick skin!  I heard myself tell the people who worried about me that my skin is thick and I love a challenge, and everybody needs help!  But even though I may have appeared confident, I was worried.  Will we get along well enough to do good ministry together?  Will we learn to love each other?  The first month, as I started to be with you full time, all the time, I remember I needed help.  Help getting the microphone set right so I could be heard.  Help to understand how much was enough to say about certain things, and how much was too much to say about other things.  Then, all of a sudden September brought the untimely death of a beloved matriarch, who I had only had a conversation with one time.  Thank goodness for that one time full of instant connection!  I felt so grateful for that opportunity, so that I could know what the overwhelming affection for that dear woman was all about.  You needed help to say goodbye.  I needed help to know how to lift up what was so dear.  I felt the presence of grace.   The month of October brought another big crisis, which the board dealt with quickly and effectively.  I felt the presence of health.  Trust took a big growing leap that month in what had been an ailing system, now so obviously on the mend.  Then November brought my doing my very best (inadvertently, of course) to make sure several key leaders were really angry with me.  As all good angry feelings ought to lead us to do, we explored the pain and hurt, two by two, figuring out how to make up and move on.  I felt the presence of forgiveness.  By early December more of so many changes in a row were enacted.  Rather than cause anxiety, they seemed to open more channels for more trust to grow.   

The last two Sundays there have been more people in church than we have had on a Sunday morning the whole short time I have been here.  There is an enthusiasm and a hope in the air that is contagious.  17 new members have joined this church since August.  Ministry Team leads meetings and Board of Trustees meetings are pleasant and efficient.  Not really measurable by metrics perhaps, but I can feel the growing affection, mine for you and yours for me.  I am no longer worried!

Love is in the air!  Will you be my valentine? 

I'll be yours.

Rev. Ann Marie

Over the years, I have experienced how empowering it is to learn about political issues and raise my voice: as a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1981, demonstrating about the poisoning of Iranians; as one of the concerned citizens in Seattle who closed down I-5 in protest of the 1991 bombing of Baghdad; as a UU marching the Pride Parade in Columbus and the CropWalk in Greensboro; AND as a voter in every election-presidential and off-term-since I was eligible to vote.

During the past few weeks, the children and youth in our YRE classes have been learning about voting rights in general, and voting issues specific to North Carolina.  They have been exploring practical applications of our 5th UU Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.   Or as the UUA has interpreted it for children: We believe that all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them.

Our 5th principle empowers us -- no matter how old (or young) -- to learn about issues that are important to us, and to do our best to support them.  One such opportunity is coming up: Moral March on Raleigh, Saturday, February 8.  Many people from many places will be gathering to raise their voices.  And UUCG will be a presence at the rally, along with over 300 UUs from across the country.  For more information as to how you might participate, please contact Rev. Ann Marie (amalderman@uuma.org), Steve Pearsall (scpearsall@yahoo.com), or me.

Namaste,

Cindy Dillard, UUCG Youth DRE (uucgre@att.net)

SAVE THE DATE:

2/2 (Sun)-YRE Team meeting (after church-all are welcome!)

2/8 (Sat)-Moral March on Raleigh

2/13 (Thurs)-Taking It T-UU The Streets Carebag Assembling

2/16 (Sun)-Intergenerational Service (no 11am YRE-Chalice Club will meet)

3/9 (Sun)-All-Church Potluck

4/19 (Sat)-Passover Seder

 February 2 at 9:30 we will continue our series of First Sundays with Compassionate Communication.

A People So Bold  February 9, 16, and 23 at 9:30

In 2009, thirty-two leading Unitarian Universalist (UU) theologians, ministers, and activists gathered to reflect on how might congregations be beacons of UU values for the larger world.  How do we understand suffering, oppression, injustice in the light of our faith?  Out of those conversations came A People So Bold, a DVD and online curriculum materials designed for congregational use as well as individual viewing and reflection.

• How does our faith ground us in social justice, theologically, historically, with spiritual practices?
• How does our faith hold brokenness, injustice, suffering?
• How do we develop prophetic voice?
• How do we create prophetic congregations?
• How do we mend a broken world?

Congregations which thrive focus not only on serving their members, but understand that serving the larger world is central to their mission.

This book, DVD, and convocation were a partnership between the Unitarian Universalist Association and All Soul's in Washington, DC, and engaged four Unitarian Universalist congregations.

Please join Nina Namaste and others as we hold a dialog about A People So Bold over the next several weeks.

One of the reasons people come to church is to make connections with other people.  However, we are no different from any other collection of human beings:  when we get together, there will inevitably be some conflict.  With that in mind, we've been reviewing a book by Bonnie Fraser titled "Connections:  A Self Care Approach to Conflict Management" .   

In the continuing series of adult religious education classes being offered by the Healthy Congregations Committee, on February 2 at 9:30 am we will look at how to listen for connection:  what are some of the things we could do better when someone approaches us?  As always, there will be some improvisational theater, and opportunities for your questions and observations.  In March, we will take up the other side of communication:  how to talk for connection.

Sunday, Feb 2, 2014 9:30 a.m.

Starring The Healthy Congregation Com.:

Becky Floyd, Bill Haney, Donya Lucas, Larry Graham,

Marie Houck, Phoenix Harmony, Sue Beck

Audience Participation is Encouraged!

We need you!

Please plan on going to Raleigh to show support for the North Carolina's Moral Agenda.  A number of UU ministers in North Carolina,including our own, have called for us to Stand on the Side of Love against repressive, discriminatory laws.  You can read their original letter of call here.  UUs from across the state and the nation will join together on February 8 in Raleigh.  Read more here.

If you can come, please sign up at www.Tinyurl.com/UUMoralMarch and www.SurveyMonkey.com/S/GoingToSSLinRaleigh.  

We are organizing shared transportation leaving from church Saturday morning.  Please speak with or contact Steve Pearsall for more information.  We'll develop a clearer picture of how to proceed early in the week before the march. 

Taking It T-UU The Streets (TTS) is a cooperative project of UUCG's Social Action and YRE Teams.

Thanks to everyone who has donated financially (either on Sunday in RE classes, or in the lobby collection box) or materially to this ongoing social-action project.  A special thanks to Robb & Karen Fulkerson, Larry & Laura Graham, and Sharin Francis for their support of this project last month.

If you would like to help with Taking It T-UU The Streets, here's what you can do:

• Drop off needed item(s) into the basket in the lobby:
• single-serve non-perishable food items (granola bars, fruit packs, water bottles, juice boxes, individual peanut butter packs, etc),
• individual health items (soap, shampoo, tissues, toothpaste/brush, floss, lip care, razors, tampons, washcloths, socks, etc)
• life-affirming items (pens, pads, notebooks, paper, envelopes, stamps, playing cards, dog food, etc.)
• Help assemble care-bags, every second Thursday of the month:
• This month, Thursday, Feb 13, 6-7 pm (preceding Rev. Ann Marie's Adult Ed class)
• Take into your car (or your backpack or your scooter) a care-bag or two to reach out to our most needy, to support them and to affirm their inherent worth and dignity-living our 1st UU principle,

For more information, please contact: Cindy Dillard, Youth DRE (uucgre@att.net)

We need your help! Please consider donating something or volunteering your time to this fun-raising and fund-raising event.

Suggestions for you to donate:

• 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.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help with this great annual event, Contact: Lauren Houck 509-9779 or Rhoda Glover (919) 257-0929.  Items can be given to Rhoda Glover, Ann Dickinson or Lauren Houck.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Thank you to those that have already donated, we have about 60 items so far. Thank you also to those that have volunteered.

Saturday, March 1st, 2014

If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help with this great annual event, Contact: Lauren Houck 509-9779 or Rhoda Glover (919) 257-0929. 

• January: Urban Ministry
• February : Interactive Resource Center and Servant Center 
• March: New Arrivals Institute and Faith Action International House
• April: Environmental Stewardship and Out of the Garden   
• May: Guilford Child Health and Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine  
• June: Community Housing Solutions  
• July: Urban Ministry
• August: Mental Health Association
• September: Guilford Green Funding (funds GLBT high school youth) and Local Homeless  Education Liaison at Guilford Cty Schools 
• October: Guilford County Animal Shelter Rescue and Foster
• November: Guilford Hospice and High Point Hospice
• December: Triad Health Project

At our annual meeting in May, the congregation will elect a new President, Vice President, two Board of Trustees members, and one member of the Committee on Endowment. From February through April, the Committee on Leadership Development will be identifying members to run for these offices. We are seeking members of the congregation who will provide strong leadership to help UUCG continue to grow spiritually and in numbers as we face together the challenges of the world around us.

If you have a desire to serve the church, know someone who does, or if you have recommendations for others, please contact a member of the committee and/or fill out one of the nomination forms that will be at the church on Sunday mornings.

On the fence?  Thinking about running but wonder what serving on the Board is like?  Talk with one of our current Board members; their names and photographs are on the bulletin board in the hall outside the kitchen.  Talk with someone who has served in the past.  You'll hear what a rewarding and, yes, at times challenging experience it is.  Service to the congregation is an important way that we act on one of the 7 UU Principles, "the use of the democratic process within our congregations".  In addition, nominations for the Committee on Leadership Development will be made from the floor and elected at the May meeting, so be thinking of and talking with people you believe would be effective members and willing to serve in that capacity.

Thank you for your help in assuring that UUCG has strong leadership in the coming year,

Ann Dickinson Co-Chair (336 674-2035; ardpuppy2@aol.com)

Donya Lucas Co-Chair (336 686-0851; donyalucas@hotmail.com)

Harold Gunn (336 288-7926;  tgunn1@triad.rr.com)

Benn Kuecker (928 380-6609;  shavonta@hotmail.com)

Request forms for both Lay Pastoral Care Associates and the Care Team are available on the table near the back window in the sanctuary.  If you would like help with something or know of someone who may need support,please fill out a form and place it in the care box.  

The Care Team, headed by Sara Bourquin ( Sara's Email Link or 632-1616), assists with meals and transportation.  Janet Eley (Janet's Email Link or 617-4666) oversees the Lay Pastoral Care Associates, who provide a confidential, caring presence to congregants undergoing stressful life challenges.

Submitted by Sharin Francis