Donations Needed Now for the Holiday Gift Fair!

The kickoff of the new Holiday Gift Fair will be on Sunday December 2, 2012 during coffee hour and will run for 3 Sundays in December.  December 2nd, 9th and 16th.

The Holiday Gift Fair is a bit different from year’s past.  We are accepting donations for Gifts made from the Heart – handmade items like crocheted or knitted gifts, sewn or decorated items like aprons, T-shirts, potholders or cat nip toys, pottery bowls or cups, soaps, jewelry, etc.  Gifts made from the Hearth – homemade goodies like canned vegetables and fruits, jams and jellies or maybe your very own salsa.  And finally Re-gifted items that are new or like new.

We will also be taking orders the first two Sundays for our NEW commemorative holiday ornaments.  If you were at the Thanks 4 Giving Auction you saw a few that were generously donated by Perfect Circle Designs.  This year they feature our colorful graphic design of the church, our church name and the year 2012.  The ornaments are very pretty and look frosted!  They come in a crush proof box for easy storage.  These are special order items made just for our church!  They will sell for $15 each and we plan on introducing a new design each year!  They will be delivered on Sunday December 16th or 23rd, depending on the number ordered.  The more we order the longer it may take to make them but there shouldn’t be a problem having them in time for the Christmas Holiday.

Another new addition to the fair is a Gift Wrapping Station!  The youth will man a gift wrapping station and for a free-will donation they will be glad to wrap your holiday purchases from the Holiday Gift Fair or items you bring already boxed or packaged.  Please note we cannot handle overly large items.  Shirt box size or small electronic box is our limit.  We will have some lovely decorator gift boxes available for a small donation if you need a box or container.

Look for the donation tote in Fessenden Hall beginning this Sunday and drop off your donations for the new Holiday Gift Fair.  Every item you donate must be tagged with a price sticker, but not to worry we will have stickers available for you to use!

Thank you for your support of this UUCK tradition.

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Weekly e-nUUs, November 28, 2012

Worship & Music

 

Services are offered at both 10:00 and 11:30 AM

 

Join us Sunday, December 2  for Yes!

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Elaine Bowen – What might happen if you were to say yes to the possibilities tugging at your spirit?  This first Sunday of Advent we will consider Mary’s yes and the difference it made.

 

Cuyahoga River Concert Series featuring Bill Staines

UU Church of Kent

Friday, November 30 at 7:30 pm

$10 at the door

 

 

Lifespan Learning

 

“TED” and Pizza

for Teens and Adults Co-facilitated by The Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Joel Slater

Sunday, December 9   12:45 – 1:45 PM   Fessenden Hall

TED is a non-profit organization devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.”  Though it first began as a conference, many people now learn about the organization through its online TED Talks. TED Talks are offered on a wide range of topics and themes by inspiring voices in a variety of fields.  TED Talks have attracted a global audience

Please contact the office if you will be attending so we may have a head count for ordering pizza.  Thank you.

 

Leadership Education Opportunity! 

The Smart Church Workshops will enable your Leaders to help shift the culture of your congregation. We begin with an overview of the concepts, then go deeper into how systems thinking will help you in various parts of congregational life, providing a foundation for real and lasting change.

Why take the Smart Church Training? Congregations whose leaders participate this training and incorporate it in their practices experience less destructive conflict and more growth.

Who should participate?
Ministers, Religious Educators, Board Members, Committee Chairs, etc.

What is the cost? $15 per Saturday or $50 for the series includes lunch and materials. Participants are also asked to have available Peter Steinke’s Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (available during online registration).

Dates

January 12 – Systems Thinking
February 9 – Leading Change
March 16 – Smart Leadership
April 6 – Practice and Tips

Interested in Participating?  Visit  

 

Community Within

 

Deck the Halls!

On Sunday December 2, immediately following the second service, the board of trustees will be holding a pizza party for everyone who would like to come help us deck the halls for the holidays.  Come for pizza and stay for an hour or two to help us make the sanctuary festive for Christmas.  Please contact the church office to let us know if you will attend so we can be sure to order enough pizza.

 

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Barbara Robinson

Dynamics Community Theater presents Barbara Robinson’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” on Dec 7 and 8, 2012 at 7:30 pm at the Tallmadge High School Auditorium featuring Gia and Spencer Marfy. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” tells the story of a traditional church Christmas pageant that somehow gets hijacked by the Herdmans.  This family of misbehaving children manages to bully their way into all the best parts.

After the show you are invited to complimentary punch and cookies, and a visit from Santa.  The Tallmadge High School Acapella Choir will sing in the lobby before the show.

Tallmadge High School is located at 140 N. Munroe Rd. in Tallmadge.  Tickets are $8 for adults, and $6 for students and seniors (60+).  Tickets can be purchased by calling 330-217-1227 or by emailing [email protected].  All seating is reserved.

 

The Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, December 11 at 7 pm at the home of Kay Wind.  This month we are reading a Ruth Reichl book of your choice.  In January we’ll be sharing books we got as gifts or any book of your choice. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.

 

Holiday Family Movie Night & Potluck Dinner, December 14  at 7 pm.  Our movie will be a forgotten gem from the nineteen forties called “Tenth Avenue Angel”. This film stars Margret O’Brien as a twelve year old girl from New York City’s poor section. The lack of social justice around her convinces her that there can be no God. She goes on a quest for the miracles taught to her by her mother, to test her faith. These include mice that transform into money, and cows that kneel in worship. If she can find just one real miracle, she will believe, if not, she will not. This is both a fun film, and a heartwarming one.  Questions?  Please contact Cheryl Spoehr.

 

Outreach


Kent Social Service Toy Drive and Gifts for Homeless Veterans Programs Ending Soon!

Our annual new toy collection will end on Sunday, December 9th.  The toys that we donate will be distributed by Kent Social Services.  They especially need toys for boys and gift cards from WalMart or Target for teens.

Our drive to collect donations to give gift cards to the veterans at Freedom House homeless shelter will end on Sunday, December 16th.  We will purchase gifts cards for the residents.   If you are writing a check, make it out to the church with “Freedom House” in the memo line.

 

Income Generation

 

Donations Needed Now for Holiday Gift Fair!

The kickoff of the new Holiday Gift Fair will be on Sunday December 2, 2012 during coffee hour and will run for 3 Sundays in December.  December 2nd, 9th and 16th.

The Holiday Gift Fair is a bit different from year’s past.  We are accepting donations for Gifts made from the Heart – handmade items like crocheted or knitted gifts, sewn or decorated items like aprons, T-shirts, potholders or cat nip toys, pottery bowls or cups, soaps, jewelry, etc.  Gifts made from the Hearth – homemade goodies like canned vegetables and fruits, jams and jellies or maybe your very own salsa.  And finally Re-gifted items that are new or like new.

We will also be taking orders the first two Sundays for our NEW commemorative holiday ornaments.  If you were at the Thanks 4 Giving Auction you saw a few that were generously donated by Perfect Circle Designs.  This year they feature our colorful graphic design of the church, our church name and the year 2012.  The ornaments are very pretty and look frosted!  They come in a crush proof box for easy storage.  These are special order items made just for our church!  They will sell for $15 each and we plan on introducing a new design each year!  They will be delivered on Sunday December 16th or 23rd, depending on the number ordered.  The more we order the longer it may take to make them but there shouldn’t be a problem having them in time for the Christmas Holiday.

Another new addition to the fair is a Gift Wrapping Station!  The youth will man a gift wrapping station and for a free-will donation they will be glad to wrap your holiday purchases from the Holiday Gift Fair or items you bring already boxed or packaged.  Please note we cannot handle overly large items.  Shirt box size or small electronic box is our limit.  We will have some lovely decorator gift boxes available for a small donation if you need a box or container.

Look for the donation tote in Fessenden Hall beginning this Sunday and drop off your donations for the new Holiday Gift Fair.  Every item you donate must be tagged with a price sticker, but not to worry we will have stickers available for you to use!

Thank you for your support of this UUCK tradition.

 

Thanks to all who continue to support the Good Search fundraiser; during Oct. 2011 – Sept. 2012  $254.67 was raised through your efforts!  

What’s Good Search? This is a fundraiser where you use Good Search.com as your search engine.  It is powered through Yahoo! and the site donates about a penny for each search.  Simply go to www.GoodSearch.com  and choose the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent as your charity to support.  The pennies will add up quickly if many people use this free tool.  While on the site check out www.GoodShop.com and www.GoodDining.com also.  If you’re an online shopper or like to eat out, many stores and vendors will donate a percentage of your purchase back to the Church and the Good Dining participating restaurants will donate a percentage of our tab back to the Church.  This is truly fundraising made easy!

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December 2012 Sermon Topics

2 December     Yes!

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Elaine Bowen

What might happen if you were to say yes to the possibilities tugging at your spirit?  This first Sunday of Advent we will consider Mary’s yes and the difference it made.

 

9 December     Bright Possibilities

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate John Marfy

There was only one day’s worth of oil left in the Temple.  The miracle of Hanukkah is that the oil burned for eight days.  This morning we will consider again the story of Hanukkah and consider what inspiration there might be in the story for our own lives.

 

16 December     Seeking Serenity

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Sophie Smith

It is the most _________ time of the year.  You fill in the blank – wondrous, exciting, beautiful, stressful, lonely, challenging . . . .  This year more than one of those words might fit for you.  Whichever words you choose, this service will invite you to settle into a space of serenity and just breathe peace.

 

23 December     Chances Taken

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus, Worship Associate Bonnie Harper, Music Director Hal Walker, Rev. Rod Thompson and many more!

It has become our custom to celebrate with a special multigenerational service the Sunday before Christmas.  This year we look forwarding to sharing what happened when Emmet and his Ma took a chance with the delightful story of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.

 

24 December     Christmas Eve Candlelight Services

Led by the Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Kristina Spaude

6:30 pm               A special family friendly service of lessons and carols to welcome the spirit of Christmas into the world.

8:30 pm               A special service of lessons and carols to welcome the spirit of Christmas into the world.

 

30 December      A Loaf is only Half a Loaf Unless We Share It

Led by Lois Weir and assisted by Liz Bright

We will explore and celebrate the ancient rite of bread making. Service is adapted from the Worship Arts Clearing House of the Department of Education and Social Concern UUA 1975.

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Weekly e-nUUs, November 20, 2012

Worship & Music

 

Services are offered at both 10:00 and 11:30 AM

 

Join us Sunday, November 25 for Living Life at Life’s Terms

Led by Mike Hovancsek with Worship Associate Joel Slater

This service will tie together spiritual and therapeutic concepts about acceptance and healing.

 

 

Community Within


Deck the Halls!

On Sunday December 2, immediately  following the second service, the board of trustees will be holding a pizza party for everyone who would like to come help us deck the halls for the holidays.  Come for pizza and stay for an hour or two to help us make the sanctuary festive for Christmas.  Please contact the church office to let us know if you will attend so we can be sure to order enough pizza.

 

Pancakes!  Sunday, November 25th

 

The Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, December 11 at 7 pm at the home of Kay Wind.  This month we are reading a Ruth Reichl book of your choice.  In January we’ll be sharing books we got as gifts or any book of your choice. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper .

 

Here We Have Gathered, a small collection of essays about the life of the Kent UU Church, and those who have contributed to it, will be on sale Sunday, November 11th in Fessenden Hall after both services. The first purchased copy will be $4.00; successive copies will be $2.00. These would make excellent gifts for former members who are no longer in the area. All profits from the sale will benefit the Library acquisition fund.   We gratefully acknowlege your support of this fundraiser.

The Library committee deeply appreciates the work of Caroline Arnold, Editor, and  all contributors to the collection: Paulette Thurman, Ted Voneida, Mary Ann Kasper, Robert Fildes, Andrew Rome, Mark Stephens, Martha Kluth, Joe Kuemerle, Karen Lapidus, and the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer. The committee also thanks Carol Gould who so generously underwrote the publication of this collection.

 

 

Outreach

 

Toy Drive for KSS and Gifts for Homeless Veterans
This year the RE Committee will again be sponsoring two winter holiday giving opportunities.

 • We will be collecting new toys which will be distributed by Kent Social Services to families in Portage County.  There will be a donation box in Fessenden Hall from Sunday, November 11th through Sunday, December 2nd.  Please note the early deadline!

• Each year we support one of the two homeless shelters in Kent, either Miller Community House or Freedom House.  This year we will support the shelter for homeless veterans, Freedom House.  Our monetary donations will go toward purchasing gift cards from area stores to be given as Christmas presents to the veterans from us.  Collection will take place from Sunday, November 11 through Sunday, December 16th.  Checks can be made out to the church with Freedom House in the memo line.

 

Income Generation

 

The Fundraising Committee is pleased to announce our new Holiday Gift Fair!  The kickoff of the new Holiday Gift Fair will be on Sunday December 2, 2012 during coffee hour and will run for 3 Sundays in December.  December 2nd, 9th and 16th.

The Holiday Gift Fair is a bit different from year’s past.  We are accepting donations for Gifts made from the Heart – handmade items like crocheted or knitted gifts, sewn or decorated items like aprons, T-shirts, potholders or cat nip toys, pottery bowls or cups, soaps, jewelry, etc.  Gifts made from the Hearth – homemade goodies like canned vegetables and fruits, jams and jellies or maybe your very own salsa.  And finally Re-gifted items that are new or like new.

We will also be taking orders the first two Sundays for our NEW commemorative holiday ornaments.  If you were at the Thanks 4 Giving Auction you saw a few that were generously donated by Perfect Circle Designs.  This year they feature our colorful graphic design of the church, our church name and the year 2012.  The ornaments are very pretty and look frosted!  They come in a crush proof box for easy storage.  These are special order items made just for our church!  They will sell for $15 each and we plan on introducing a new design each year!  They will be delivered on Sunday December 16th or 23rd, depending on the number ordered.  The more we order the longer it may take to make them but there shouldn’t be a problem having them in time for the Christmas Holiday.

Another new addition to the fair is a Gift Wrapping Station!  The youth will man a gift wrapping station and for a free-will donation they will be glad to wrap your holiday purchases from the Holiday Gift Fair or items you bring already boxed or packaged.  Please note we cannot handle overly large items.  Shirt box size or small electronic box is our limit.  We will have some lovely decorator gift boxes available for a small donation if you need a box or container.

Look for the donation tote in Fessenden Hall beginning this Sunday and drop off your donations for the new Holiday Gift Fair.  Every item you donate must be tagged with a price sticker, but not to worry we will have stickers available for you to use!

Thank you for your support of this UUCK tradition.

 

Just a reminder as you prepare for Thanksgiving:  Acme Community Cash Back Program

Please save your ACME grocery receipts from September 22, 2012 until early February so we may benefit from 5% of the Community Cash Back program. This is an easy fundraiser for UUCK. Last year, we were rewarded with $248, up from $162 the year before. Let’s aim for $300 this year! Acme and Food Club branded items are eligible; prescriptions, alcohol and nationally branded items are not.

Bring your receipts in weekly or monthly and place them in the box covered with Acme flyers in Fessenden Hall. It’s that simple; I’ll do the rest. Questions? Contact Elaine Bowen.

 

Thanks to all who continue to support the Good Search fundraiser; during Oct. 2011 – Sept. 2012  $254.67 has been raised through your efforts!  

What’s Good Search? This is a fundraiser where you use Good Search.com as your search engine.  It is powered through Yahoo! and the site donates about a penny for each search.  Simply go to www.GoodSearch.com  and choose the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent as your charity to support.  The pennies will add up quickly if many people use this free tool.  While on the site check out www.GoodShop.com and www.goodsearch.com also.  If you’re an online shopper or like to eat out, many stores and vendors will donate a percentage of your purchase back to the Church and the Good Dining participating restaurants will donate a percentage of our tab back to the Church.  This is truly fundraising made easy!

 

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Cultivating a Grateful Heart – November 18, 2012

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus and Worship Associate Bonnie Harper  – Grace, gracious, grateful – these all share the same root. This morning during our special multigenerational celebration of Thanksgiving we’ll lift up the connections. Special music and a Thanksgiving communion will be part of our celebration this morning. (The song sung by the choir in podcast below, “We Give Thanks,” is copyrighted by Wendy Luella Perkins, www.wendyluellaperkins.com)

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Weekly e-nUUs, November 14, 2012

Worship & Music


Services are offered at both 10:00 and 11:30 AM

 

Join us Sunday, November 18 for Cultivating a Grateful Heart

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus and Worship Associate Bonnie Harper  – Grace, gracious, grateful – these all share the same root. This morning during our special multigenerational celebration of Thanksgiving we’ll lift up the connections. Special music and a Thanksgiving communion will be part of our celebration this morning.

 

Zeng Quartet offers a free concert of classical music at the UU church of Kent.

On Friday, November 16 at 7:30, KSU’s “Zeng Quartet” will offer a free concert of Beethoven and Brahms.

The quartet includes violinist Yang Zeng and violist Haojian Wang from China and cellist José Herrera and pianist Pedro Martínez from Mexico.  What a great opportunity to invite a new friend to our church!  See you there.

 

 

Lifespan Learning and Spiritual Growth & Development

 

Spiritual Cinema This Saturday – The Wave

How evil are you? What are you capable of when under pressure from authority?

Please join us for Spiritual Cinema on Saturday, November17 at 7:00 PM. We will watch the independent motion picture, “Die Welle (The Wave)” (2008). The movie is 107 minutes and will be followed by a short discussion of some of the topics raised by the movie. This month we will be screening the movie in Fessendon Hall. Please RSVP to Dan at [email protected].

Our next movie will examine a very difficult question, “How could the German populace claim ignorance of the slaughter of the Jewish people? How could the townspeople, railroad conductors, teachers, doctors, claim they knew nothing about concentration camps and human carnage? How can people who were neighbors and maybe even friends of the Jewish citizen say they weren’t there when it happened?” In 1967 an American teacher named Ron Jones sought to find out the answer to these questions through a social experiment in his high school class. The movie we will watch is a fictionalized story based on those real events. ? Dan Flippo

Please consider reading the following related article written by Ron Jones, the teacher who conducted the real-world social experiment in 1967 prior to the movie night:

The third wave, 1967: an account – Ron Jones

You can view the movie trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9vdfb2f-B0

 

 

Community Within


There will be a memorial service for Pat Pownall on Saturday November 17 @ 10 am at the Church. 

We are asking for some help to set up help, clean up and need people to bring food. Since the reception will be at 11 am, we are thinking baked goods and maybe a few brunch type foods or fruit and cheese.

Please sign up through the link below if you would like to help. If you can be a part of the clean up or set up crew please indicate that next to your name as well.

http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=AROS7224

 

 

Early Bird Breakfast  9:00 – 9:55 am Sunday, Nov. 18

Join in for a delicious breakfast served before 1st service as Jennifer Gregg  will provide a warm and hearty meal.  Enjoy both good food and good fellowship to help start our day.  Suggested donations for a light breakfast is $3 and $5 for a full breakfast.

 

 

Once again the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent will host a Thanksgiving dinner at the church on Thursday, November 22 beginning at 2pm.  Our host, Bonny Graham Esparza, will be preparing a turkey for the feast.  Thanks to a generous donor, the turkey has been provided.  There will be no charge for anyone; we will take a free will offering to help cover the cost of a few supplies and some other treats.    All who attend are asked to bring a favorite Thanksgiving dinner side dish or dessert to share.   A variety of alcohol-free drinks will be provided.

The dinner will be held in Fessenden Hall.  If you plan to come, consider bringing your favorite game to share if you’d also like to enjoy time relaxing with others after the meal.  In order to prepare, please let us know if you are coming.  A sign-up sheet has been posted in Fessenden Hall.  Alternatively, you can email your reply to the church office.  If you do reply via email, please let us know what you will be bringing and whether you are free to help with set up or clean up.

 

 

New UU Class on Sunday, November 18

Everything you wanted to know about the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent in particular and Unitarian Universalism in general, but were afraid to ask.  Well, maybe not everything, but we try to give you an overview, a starting point.  Some history of both, some organizational details. Come join the conversation.  And, if you’re curious about membership, this is the place to be.

Part 2 will be on Sunday, Nov 18, from 9-11 am.  You are encouraged to attend even if you weren’t at the class last week.  Different topics will be covered.  We will gather at the Annex, the yellow house next to the church.  If you have any questions, contact Claudia Miller or Marion Yeagler.

 

 

Art in the Sanctuary

The November art exhibit, “White and Word,” is provided by Hartville artist, Rae Hallstrom. “White” is composed of inorganic material applied to canvas, and then painted white.  “Word” is photography on archival paper with an overlay of haiku. Prices are provided.  Sales tax must be added to the price, and 20% of price is suggested to add for a donation to our church.  If you are interested in buying a picture, contact John or Martha Kluth.

 

 

The Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, December 11 at 7 pm at the home of Kay Wind..  This month we are reading a Ruth Reichl book of your choice.  In January we’ll be sharing books we got as gifts or any book of your choice. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.

 

 

Here We Have Gathered, a small collection of essays about the life of the Kent UU Church, and those who have contributed to it, will be on sale Sunday, November 11th in Fessenden Hall after both services. The first purchased copy will be $4.00; successive copies will be $2.00. These would make excellent gifts for former members who are no longer in the area. All profits from the sale will benefit the Library acquisition fund.   We gratefully acknowledge your support of this fundraiser.

The Library committee deeply appreciates the work of Caroline Arnold, Editor, and  all contributors to the collection: Paulette Thurman, Ted Voneida, Mary Ann Kasper, Robert Fildes, Andrew Rome, Mark Stephens, Martha Kluth, Joe Kuemerle, Karen Lapidus, and the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer. The committee also thanks Carol Gould who so generously underwrote the publication of this collection.

 

 

UU and Interfaith Connections

 

The November Kent Community Dinner will be held on Saturday, November 17 at 5:30m pm at the Kent United Church of Christ, 1400 E. Main St., Kent.

The theme will be “Celebrating World Cultures through Music” with performances by the Celtic Clan, the KSU African Ensemble, Native American C. J. Lyons from the Red Bird Singers, Rockin’ Robin and Hal Walker.  Come celebrate Unity in Diversity with music.

Bring some food to share to this traditional American potluck, something you’ve made yourself or something you’ve bought.

Questions? call 330-678-8760

 

 

Outreach


Toy Drive for KSS and Gifts for Homeless Veterans
This year the RE Committee will again be sponsoring two winter holiday giving opportunities.

  •  We will be collecting new toys which will be distributed by Kent Social Services to families in Portage County.  There will be a donation box in Fessenden Hall from Sunday, November 11th through Sunday, December 2nd.  Please note the early deadline!
  • Each year we support one of the two homeless shelters in Kent, either Miller Community House or Freedom House.  This year we will support the shelter for homeless veterans, Freedom House.  Our monetary donations will go toward purchasing gift cards from area stores to be given as Christmas presents to the veterans from us.  Collection will take place from Sunday, November 11 through Sunday, December 16th.  Checks can be made out to the church with Freedom House in the memo line.

 

 

THANKSGIVING NEEDS!!!

Thanksgiving is coming upon us quickly (Nov. 22) and the Kent Social Services Food Pantry is in need of donations for holiday food baskets for clients. While out doing your own shopping, please (pretty please???) consider the following: canned vegetables and sweet potatoes, canned fruit & cranberry sauce, mashed potato flakes or scalloped potato mix, box stuffing mix, cake mix, gelatin mix, and any type of turkey gravy – jar, can or dry mix. Please leave your item(s) in the lower level closet next to the elevator or on the sanctuary level outside the elevator. I’ll do the rest.

If you prefer, $10 gift cards for either Acme or Giant Eagle are most welcome to purchase perishible items AND you can buy & donate those during coffee hour between services right at church!!!

Thank you in advance for your generosity and blessed be,

Elaine Bowen

 

 

Income Generation

 

Just a reminder as you prepare for Thanksgiving:  Acme Community Cash Back Program

Please save your ACME grocery receipts from September 22, 2012 until early February so we may benefit from 5% of the Community Cash Back program. This is an easy fundraiser for UUCK. Last year, we were rewarded with $248, up from $162 the year before. Let’s aim for $300 this year! Acme and Food Club branded items are eligible; prescriptions, alcohol and nationally branded items are not.

Bring your receipts in weekly or monthly and place them in the box covered with Acme flyers in Fessenden Hall. It’s that simple; I’ll do the rest. Questions? Contact Elaine Bowen.

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Reminder: Spiritual Cinema This Saturday – The Wave

How evil are you? What are you capable of when under pressure from authority?

Please join us for Spiritual Cinema on Saturday, November17 at 7:00 PM. We will watch the motion picture, “Die Welle (The Wave)” (2008). The movie is 107 minutes and will be followed by a short discussion of some of the topics raised by the movie. This month we will be screening the movie in Fessendon Hall. Please RSVP to Dan at [email protected].

Please consider reading the following related article written by Ron Jones, the teacher who conducted the real-world social experiment in 1967 prior to the movie night:

The third wave, 1967: an account – Ron Jones

Comments by Dan:

Our next movie will examine a very difficult question, “How could the German populace claim ignorance of the slaughter of the Jewish people? How could the townspeople, railroad conductors, teachers, doctors, claim they knew nothing about concentration camps and human carnage? How can people who were neighbors and maybe even friends of the Jewish citizen say they weren’t there when it happened?” In 1967 an American teacher named Ron Jones sought to find out the answer to these questions through a social experiment in his high school class.  The movie we will watch is a fictionalized story based on those real events. The conclusion I draw from the article and movie is that the seeds for fascism are a part of the human condition and it is only through a respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every individual that we avoid dictatorship.

“You thought that you were the elect. That you were better than those outside this room. You bargained your freedom for the comfort of discipline and superiority. You chose to accept that group’s will and the big lie over your own conviction. Oh, you think to yourself that you were just going along for the fun. That you could extricate yourself at any moment. But where were you heading? How far would you have gone? Let me show you your future.” With that I switched on a rear screen projector. It quickly illuminated a white drop cloth hanging behind the television. Large numbers appeared in a countdown. The roar of the Nuremberg Rally blasted into vision. My heart was pounding. In ghostly images the history of the Third Reich paraded into the room. The discipline. The march of super race. The big lie. Arrogance, violence, terror. People being pushed into vans. The visual stench of death camps. Faces without eyes. The trials. The plea of ignorance. I was only doing my job. My job. As abruptly as it started the film froze to a halt on a single written frame. “Everyone must accept the blame No one can claim that they didn’t in some way take part.”

? Ron Jones, The Third Wave

As a bonus, here is the 1981 After-School Special that covers the same story.  The production values are much less than the German movie but this might be interesting for people who don’t like subtitles.

Description from Amazon.com:

Germany today. During project week, a popular and unorthodox high school teacher, in an attempt to stir up his lethargic students, devises an experiment that will explain what totalitarianism is and how it works. What begins with harmless notions about discipline and community builds into a real movement: The Wave. Within days, The Wave s uniformly attired students begin ostracizing and threatening others, and violence boils just below the surface. Sensing danger, the teacher decides to break off the experiment. But it may be too late The Wave has taken on a life of its own and is out of control. Based on a true story, THE WAVE chillingly shows just how easily the seeds of fascism can be sown.

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What’s Luck Got to Do With It? – November 11, 2012

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Justin Czekaj – Does luck have anything to do with grace? Theologically, what is the difference? And practically speaking, what differ-ence does any difference make in our lives? This morning we’ll dive deeper into the questions.

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Thanks 4 Giving Auction Results!

Our 2012 Thanks 4 Giving Auction was a HUGE success!!!  And we aren’t done yet

If you missed the auction you still have a chance to purchase some great dinners and events.  There are even a couple items left from the silent auction.  Those items will be set up in Fessenden Hall for the next 2 weeks so come take a look.

We have attached a listing of the Dinners & Events with seats still available so take a look and get ’em while they last!  We will have extra program booklets in Fessenden Hall for the next couple of weeks if you want to read the details of the events still available.

If you couldn’t make it but would like to give a free will donation we will be accepting those at the Thanks 4 Giving Auction table in Fessenden Hall for the next couple of weeks also

Thank you again one and all for making this year’s auction so fun and successful,

Your 2012 Thanks 4 Giving Auction Committee

Meg Milko – Chair

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An Unexpected Gift – November 4, 2012

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate MaryLou Holly – That is my favorite definition of grace – an unexpected gift. This morning will serve as an introduction to the theme of grace. What other definitions are there? What is grace all about? How do we make space for it in our lives?

 

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November 2012 Sermon Topics

4 November      An Unexpected Gift
Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate MaryLou Holly
That is my favorite definition of grace – an unexpected gift. This morning will serve as an introduction to the theme of grace. What other definitions are there? What is grace all about? How do we make space for it in our lives?

 

11 November      What’s Luck Got to Do With It?
Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Justin Czekaj
Does luck have anything to do with grace? Theologically, what is the difference? And practically speaking, what differ-ence does any difference make in our lives? This morning we’ll dive deeper into the questions.

 

18 November      Cultivating a Grateful Heart
Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus and Worship Associate Bonnie Harper
Grace, gracious, grateful – these all share the same root. This morning during our special multigenerational celebration of Thanksgiving we’ll lift up the connections. Special music and a Thanksgiving communion will be part of our celebra-tion this morning.

 

25 November      Living Life at Life’s Terms
Led by the Mike Hovancsek with Worship Associate Joel Slater
This service will tie together spiritual and therapeutic concepts about acceptance and healing.

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