Worship & Music
Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.
Sunday, Jan. 13 Blessings and Curses
Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Justin Czekaj
We often speak of blessings and curses as entirely separate and completely opposed. Could it be, though, that at times the line between the two isn’t quite so clear?
Cuyahoga River Concert Series Presents: Russian Duo
Jan. 12, 2013 @ 8:00 pm
$10 at the door
Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent
Also, performing as an opening act is Reed City. Come enjoy the show!
Lifespan Learning
Smart Church Training Deadline Extended to Thursday, January 10!
The 4-part Smart Church / Healthy Congregations training starts this Saturday just down the road at the UU Church of Akron. Led by our own affiliated community minister–the Rev. Renee Ruchotzke–this training provides a grounding in organizational dynamics using family systems theory. Though it is geared toward church leaders, the information is also useful in family and work life. For more information and registration visit:
On Sunday January 13 you are invited to join us for TED and pizza after the second service in Fessenden Hall. TED is an organization dedicated to “ideas worth spreading.” Each TED and pizza gathering will last for around 75 minutes and will include a pizza lunch, viewing of a 15-20 minute TED talk and conversation.
On Jan. 13 we will show a TED talk by psychologist Barry Schwartz who studies the link between economics and psychology. His talk explores “The Paradox of Choice” which is also the title of his 2004 book in which he argues that an abundance of choice in today’s western world is making us miserable. If you plan to attend and would like pizza, please send a quick email to the church office so that we can be sure to order enough. If you’d rather, you are also welcome to bring your own lunch.
What Moves Us: Unitarian Universalist Theology
Co-facilitated by Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Rev. Christie Anderson
Tuesday evenings 7pm to 9pm in the Founders Lounge
January 22 – February 26
This series, begun last fall, provides an opportunity to consider the intersection of our theology and our emotions. Each session stands alone, thus new participants are welcome to join us at any time. No prior experience is required for this series which will be of value for both new and long tenured Unitarian Universalists.
This curriculum provides an opportunity for personal reflection and Unitarian Universalist education. In every meeting we offer an opportunity to learn about the life experiences of some noteworthy Unitarian Universalist theologians, highlighting that which caused in them a change of heart, a new direction, new hope, and a deeper understanding of their own liberal faith. These are offered as a launching ground for our personal theological reflection, not as an intellectual exercise, but as a process of meaning-making that equips us for living in the world. Created by the Rev. Dr. Thandeka, the program offers a pathway for developing not only our own personal theology but also for deepening understanding of the threads of our Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist theological heritage.
Statements from people who participated in this class in the fall:
“ I found this adult RE class engaging because it combined the historical figures in our religious movement with the theology of our religion.”
“Taking one aspect of one prominent Unitarian or Universalist’s theology and discussing it through our present day lens’ is illuminating and spirit building in a non-academic, relaxed format.”
“Exploring theology is too often left to the theologians, while the lay members rarely get a chance to analyze and think about how to apply theological insights into their own lives. Theology tends to be abstract and somewhat removed from day to day life, something it shares with philosophy. But this series helps its participants to move in both directions of theology to experience and experience to theology. How do we see the specific and individual as part of the whole, and how does the larger theological view help us to put our experiences into a larger and holier perspective?”
If you are interested in participating in the What Moves Us theology class but would need childcare in order to do so, please let Rev. Melissa know. If enough people need childcare, we will try to arrange it through the church.
Community Within
Pancakes and Chat: An Update on Issues January 27 at 12:45 pm. Join the Board following second service for pancakes and a discussion.
Art in the Sanctuary
We want to thank Amber Strock of our church for providing the art exhibit for
the month of January, 2013. She loves photography, having begun this hobby in 1995 with her first 35 mm camera. She presently uses a Nikon D80. The series of photographs on display in the church are part of her “Small Town America” exhibit which was taken in various small towns in and around northern Ohio. The photos are not for sale.
A reminder for the Library Speaker’s Forum on Sunday, February 3rd at 3:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
Mara DeMattia will speak about the work of artist, Robert Wood, and her efforts to archive his considerable collection. This event is free and open to the public.
New additions to the Library; reviews by Martha Kluth.
George E. Valliant, M.D., Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life, from the Landmark Study of Adult Development, (New York, Little Brown, first paperback ed., 2003). This ground breaking book is a perfect place to begin exploring how best to grow old. Recommended by our minister in a sermon this summer. Family Life category.
Marjory Zoet Bankson, Creative Aging: Rethinking Retirement and Non-Retirement in a Changing World. (Woodstock, VT, Skylight Paths Publishing, c2010). In a practical and useful way Bankson explores the spiritual dimensions of retirement and aging. She offers creative ways for you to share your gifts and experience, particularly when who you are is no longer defined by your career. Recommended by our minister in a sermon this summer, Family Life category.
The newly renamed Pat Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, February 12 at 7 pm in the home of Jennifer Gregg. We will meet at the church at 6:30 to carpool. This month we are reading Beautiful Lies: A Novel by Lisa Unger. If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door–a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie. Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a literary thriller. The author takes the reader on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine. In March we will be reading The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper. All are welcome.
Outreach
Environmental Justice “Write a Letter” Day
The Environmental Justice Task Force is organizing a legislative advocacy event during Coffee Hour on January 20th. Issue-focused tables will offer an opportunity to write a letter which the Task Force will mail. Please consider staffing a table for an environmental issue about which you are passionate and plan to stop by during coffee hour on January 20. Contact Andrew Rome for more information.
Once again, we want to thank you for your generosity and caring! The special collections for December have been tallied and the total donations received are as follows:
Minister’s Discretionary Fund: $3381.30
Community Action Council of Portage County Emergency Energy Relief Fund: $636.58
Income Generation
Wine & Cupcakes anyone?
We have one ticket left for the Wine & Cupcakes night being held on January 19, 2013 in Twin Lakes. Marion Yeagler, Claudia Miller and Meg Milko offered this delicious event in the Thanks 4 Giving Auction. The ticket cost is $115 and you begin the evening with an overture in white. White cupcakes and white wine that is! Fresh and vibrant this harmony will resonate with you well into the evening.
As we move to the intermezzo we will feature a melodic assembly of cheeses, homemade hummus, crudités, charcuterie (smoked meats), artisan breads and crackers. Before we head in to the finale we will tempt your taste buds with homemade soups, prepared with our wine tasting in mind, so as not to be dissonant.
The finale will include three tasty chocolate cupcakes paired with red and dessert wines that will strike just the right chord in your mouth!
If you are interested in purchasing this ticket to help support the church please contact Meg Milko.
Holiday Gift Fair . . . A huge success!!
Over the holiday season we held our new Holiday Gift Fair for three weeks in December. As your generous donations came pouring in we were able to offer everyone a wide array of gifts and goodies for yourselves or someone you love.
The Holiday Gift Fair Fundraiser raised $1,174 thanks to your generosity!
We are already planning next year’s fair and would love to see more affordable items that children can buy for their loved ones or items made by children for children. We’ll be putting a call out much later in the year when we are ready to take donations but we wanted to give everyone time to plan and maybe make some items. Also keep us in mind when you are doing your spring cleaning and set aside new or like new items to donate to the fair later in the year!
If you’d like to be a part of the successful fundraising efforts of our church please let one of the Fundraising Committee Members know the next time you see them. They are: Meg Milko, Andrew Bores, John Bores, Noah Kerns, Connor May, Ann Verwiebe or Colleen Norris. We can always use new ideas and more man power.
Thank you again,
UUCK Fundraising Committee