The Cuyahoga River concert Series presents The Kent Community Sing (a-long)
7- 8:30 pm in the Sanctuary
Did you know that the UU Church of Kent has the best acoustical space for group singing in Kent? Yes, it’s true. Join Hal Walker and WKSU’s Matt Watroba in a warm evening of singing to bring in the new year. All are welcome! 7-8:30 pm
A Chance To Live Your Values!
The Coming Of Age program at the Kent UU church challenges 8th, 9th and 10th graders to begin the important passage into adulthood through discussion and activities. As one of their activities the group is going to prepare and serve a meal for Kent Social Services. They need donations to purchase food items. Randy Leeson will be manning a table in Fessenden Hall during coffee hour on January 8, 15, 22, and 29. He will graciously receive your donations for this wonderful growing opportunity.
January 8, 2012 Sunday Services: Social Justice: Then & Now
Led by: Caroline Arnold, Paulette Thurman, and Mac Goekler
Our Kent Church is well known for its social justice programs. Three members of the Social Justice Committee will tell the history of our justice seeking church while bringing the congregation up to date on current efforts. We have much to be proud of and we want to celebrate and honor our social justice past, our present, and share our future dreams.
Special Offering for Heifer International – Jan. 8, 2012
Heifer International is a nonprofit, humanitarian organization dedicated to ending hunger and poverty and caring for the Earth. Heifer currently provides livestock, trees, seeds and training in environmentally sound agriculture to families in more than 50 countries, including the United States. Heifer’s recipients agrees to share one or more of their animals’ offspring, and also the training they receive, with others in need in what Heifer calls Passing on the Gift.
“Lucky to Have You” reception on January 13th is for those individuals who raised their pledges to 2 1/2% or more of their income —- not BY 2 1/2% as stated in the newsletter.
Congregational Information Meeting Scheduled between services on Sunday, January 15
The Feasibility Team recently had another meeting with Doug Fuller and Tim Coerver of Fuller Design Group. We don’t yet have final financial estimates for our proposed sanctuary reorientation project; we hope to have final figures by the end of January. However, we do have many updates to share about our recent asbestos survey and the forensic analysis the Fuller Design Group completed as well as initial sketches of how the reoriented sanctuary and balcony levels would look upon completion. Please plan to attend the brief congregational meeting held between services on January 15 for more information.
Denominational Affairs Meeting
On Jan. 15th after 2nd service a Denominational Affairs open meeting will take place in the Annex to solicit input for the UUA congregational certification section on social justice. We will review the list of potential new study action ideas to be voted on at the Phoenix GA and develop a response for the Commission on Social Witness on our work on Immigration Reform study action issue. Details of what we will be doing can be found using this link:http://www.uua.org/statements/
All are welcome.
Mac Goekler
The UU Service Committee’s Guest At Your Table Program Donations will be Collected on January 15th.
We are joining Unitarian Universalists across the country in supporting the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee by our participation in their “Guest At Your Table” program. Doing so allows us to both financially support and learn about our service committee’s human-rights work and to read this year’s featured “Stories of Hope”.
It’s not too late to take home a donation box or, if you prefer, a donation envelope. On each side of the box there is a photograph of one of the people from a Story of Hope. Use the box as a symbol of hospitality and generosity as you “feed your guest with your donations” . Many folks like to put the box on their dining table as a reminder of our faith in action. The boxes, donation envelopes and booklet which includes the stories of hope are available in the lift lobby by the coat rack. We will be collecting the donations for the UUSC on Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday, which is January 15th.
The Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, January 17 at 7 pm in the home of Betty Kendrick at 175 Graham Rd. Apt. 12 in Cuyahoga Falls. This month we are reading Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah. The dying wish of a loving father ignites a family drama that brings two sisters and their acid-tongued, Russian-born mother together in a story that reaches back to WWII. In February we will be reading Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. In 1665, a young man from Martha’s Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Upon this slender factual scaffold, the author has created a luminous tale of love and faith, magic and adventure. In April we will be reading the book Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghesse. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.
Dear UU Church of Kent members and friends,
I wanted to make sure you all knew about a wonderful leadership training opportunity coming up before it’s too late!
Our cluster is offering a “Heathy Congregations” training series, which I believe every congregational leader and potential leader should experience. You can find out more about Healthy Congregations here:http://www.cerguua.org/
I will be co-leading the first session with the Rev. Matt Alspaugh at the First UU Church of Youngstown on Saturday, January 14th.
Registration is only $33 for Saturday sessions (it’s usually much more, but the facilitators are doing this series without charging for their time). If you are interested and available, register here by this Saturday:https://ohiomeadville.wufoo.
I hope you will join us!
In faith and service,
Rev. Renee Zimelis Ruchotzke
Affiliated Community Minister
Thank you to Ann VerWiebe for creating a beautiful, new handmade Embracing Meditation book. This book is always available at the front of the sanctuary on the low, curved wooden table for those who would like to share a joy, sorrow, milestone or memorial with the members of our caring ministries. Anyone who would like to share more privately is always welcome to contact the minister.
The Christmas Eve coffee hour committee would like to thank all who contributed cookies and other goodies to the evening’s celebration. We received many expressions of appreciation for the quality and variety of the refreshments and for the “decor”. We couldn’t have done it without your generous help; it is a joy to be a part of such a responsive community. Happy New Year to all.
Marion Yaegler and Ann Waters
Sheetz Coupon Book Fundraiser
Purchase your Sheetz coupon books at coffee hour for only $10. The coupons are worth a minimum of $25. The church earns $4 for each booklet sold.
The Paper Retriever is here!
Please deposit your newspapers, magazines, office and school papers in the green and yellow bin behind the annex. We earn money for every pound of paper we collect.
UUCK 6th Annual “Soup”er Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 5 is the date for our annual “soup”er bowl to collect cans of hearty soup (as well as chili, stew & ravioli) and cash/coin for Kent Social Services. Please bring your cans and all your spare change that you’ve saved during January on Sunday, Feb. 5 and look for the football themed table in Fessenden Hall – before, between and after services. Make a donation and enter to win a pot of homemade soup of your choice from Creative Cuisine. It’s a win-win game!
Questions? E-mail Coach Bowen.
We regret that we have to announce that our Sexton, Cindy has resigned effective immediately; we wish her the best in her future pursuits. In the meantime, Michelle Bores is volunteering to fill the most essential duties for a few weeks allowing the Personnel Committee the time and opportunity to find a replacement as soon as possible. Thank you Michelle, we appreciate your help and assistance!
With winter weather arriving, we are aware that there may be occasions when we need to cancel programming at the church. Though we are unlikely to need to cancel Sunday services entirely (Rev. Melissa, our minister, and Hal Walker, our music director, live within walking distance), we may choose to have only the second service if the weather or the roads warrant a delay. It is more likely that we may need to cancel our religious education program in inclement weather as our Director of Religious Education, Karen Lapidus, and many of our volunteer teachers and advisors drive some distance to get to church.
If the weather or the condition of the roads cause you to wonder whether we are proceeding with our programming as scheduled, please check for cancellations before you head out.
You can check in one of three places:
- our church’s Facebook page,
- call the church number and listen to the message on voicemail
- tune in to any television or radio station connected with iAlert.
Listed below are the TV stations, radio stations and websites that i-Alert notifies this year:
Television Stations powered by iAlert
WKYC-TV Channel 3
Radio Stations powered by iAlert
Newsradio WTAM 1100, AM
WMVX, Mix 106.5 FM
WMJI, Magic 105.7 FM
WGAR, My Country 99.5 FM
WAKS, KISS 96.5 FM
WMMS, 100.7 FM Cleveland’s Rock Station
WHLO, 640 AM
WKDD, 98.1 FM
RADIO FREE OHIO 1350 AM
90.3 WCPN ideastream
WCRF, 103.3 FM
WCLV, 104.9 FM
Websites
640whio.com
1350radiofreeohio.com
WKYC Severe Weather Website
http://www.wkyc.com/weather/