Worship & Music
Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.
Sunday, Jan. 20 Justice and Mercy
Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Joel Slater
Shall we extend justice or mercy? Or shall we extend justice and mercy? Is that even possible? That is what we will explore this morning during our annual celebration of the life and ministry of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our service this morning will be multigenerational with children in grades 1 and higher will stay for the entire service.
Lifespan Learning
Our Director of Religious Education, Karen Lapidus, will be on vacation from Tuesday, January 23rd until Monday, January 28th. Please contact our minister, the Reverend Melissa Carvill-Ziemer for any urgent concerns in Karen’s absence.
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.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander has been selected as the 2012-13 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Common Read. Alexander, an attorney who is a civil rights advocate and litigator, asserts that crime-fighting policies and systems in the U.S., such as the “war on drugs” and the incarceration system, disproportionately and intentionally affect Americans of color. She describes multifaceted, lifelong discrimination and disenfranchisement that affect people who are branded “felon.”
A Common Read invites participants to read and discuss the same book in a given period of time. A Common Read can build community in our congregations and our movement by giving diverse people a shared experience, shared language, and a basis for deep, meaningful conversations.
Lee Brooker will facilitate a discussion of Michelle Alexander’s book on Thursday, 1/31 at 7:00 pm in the Annex. The discussion is geared toward those who have read the book. In addition, Lee would like to suggest a field trip to go hear Michelle Alexander speak at the University of Akron on Thursday, 2/7 at 7:30 pm in EJ Thomas Hall. Her lecture is a keynote address as part of the annual Rethinking Race conference at UA. Tickets are $10 for the general public, less for UA affiliated staff and students. Purchase tickets at http://uaevents.com/site/page.php?id=126&event_id=1386 and then email the church office if you are interested in being part of a carpool to the lecture.
Community Within
Church member Becky Haines has surgery scheduled on February 12. Until then, she isn’t able to do very much standing or walking and is experiencing a great deal of pain. Becky is in need of help from people who are able to prepare and take her meals. They are open to anything and have no allergies; they only ask that the meal serve four to include Bob as well as Becky’s grandchildren. Because they will need assistance up until and for several days beyond the surgery while Becky recovers, we are sending this list out to the whole church rather than just the Helping Hands Network. If you are able to help, please sign up on the following site http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=GTLE2619 If you are able to prepare a meal but are not able to deliver it, you can deliver it to the church and we can make other arrangements to get it to Becky’s home. Just be sure to contact the church office to let us know you will be dropping something off here.
Pancakes and Chat: An Update on Issues January 27 at 12:45 pm. Join the Board following second service for pancakes and a discussion.
NEED PHOTOS FOR DIRECTORY
The Membership Team is busily working on the new church photo directory. It is not too late for you to submit your own photo for the directory. Please email it to Marion Yeagler.
The Library’s guest speaker for the 2013 Speaker’s Forum will be Mara DeMattia, who is researching the collection of artist, Robert Wood. Her presentation will be Sunday,February 3rd, at 3:00 P.M. in the Sanctuary followed by a discussion period. A reception will be held in Fessenden Hall after the program. This event is free and open to the public.
Robert Wood, long a singular personality in the Kent community and among area artists, died unexpectedly at the age of 68 on February 5, 2012. His large body of work includes a variety of techniques including oils, watercolors and computer generated designs. Ms. DeMattia has begun to research, document and date all paintings, record pertinent biographical information related to each work, such as location and circumstances of the work, teachers, colleagues and friends who may have been a part of his artistic circle, and any any professional exhibits in which he may have been included. The process becomes a fascinating detective project, particularly when works are scattered all over NE Ohio and the East coast. Since coming to Kent, DeMattia has had a longstanding interest in Wood’s creative output. Her initial interest was sparked by John Kluth of the John Kluth Gallery in Kent. They are working together on an Oral History of Mr. Wood as part of a planned biography of the artist.
DeMattia’s previous work as an archivist began when she was contracted by the Herman Miller Furniture Company, (Zeeland, Michigan). Over a 3-year period she organized their extensive photo collection of innovative pieces manufactured since 1917. She documented the pictures and selected images to build a visual history of the company which are now displayed throughout the company. These photos may also be found through archive codes designed by DeMattia at Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan.
DeMattia received a Bachelor of Arts degree in drawing and sculpture from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was a volunteer Lecturer in Art History at Lorain Community College, and a set designer for area community theaters in the mid 1990’s. DeMattia lives in Kent with her husband, Rick, and their three daughters, Rosalyn, Eleanor and Lillian.
Book Reviews by MARTHA KLUTH
These books are being processed and will be available to the Congregation in February.
Greg M. Epstein, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. (New York, Harper Collins, c2009).
Epstein is the humanist chaplain of Harvard University. This is a wise and warm explanation of the humanist world view. Humanism Category.
William R. Murry, Becoming More Fully Human: Religious Humanism as a Way of Life, (New Haven, Religious Humanism Press, c2011). Murry is past president of Meadville Lombard Teological School in Chicago and author of 3 previous books on liberal religion. Emphasizing what Humanism affirms rather than what it denies, this book offers religious Humanism as a personally satisfying and morally responsible way to live with meaning, hope and joy. Humanism 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.
UU and Interfaith Connections
Last year there was dancing in the aisles!
Whether or not that happens again, you can count on a lot of fun… an interfaith and multicultural concert celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, beginning 4 p.m., Sunday, January 20 at Kent United Church of Christ, 1400 E. Main St. Featured musical guests include The Brotherhood from the United Church of Jesus Christ in Ravenna, Choralworks from Kent Roosevelt High School and the Kent African Drum Community. The concert will be followed immediately by dinner (freewill offering requested) in the church’s VanMeter Hall.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Canton sends a hearty thank you to UUCK for the donation we made to them for the repair of their roof after Hurricane Sandy. That donation made the difference in them being able to get the work done now, instead of having to worry about waiting for insurance money and the situation to worsen before getting it taken care of. They ended up having the entire roof replaced because the damage was so extensive and the roof in such poor shape that if they’d done only the part that was damaged, they would have had to tear that up in a few years to replace the rest of it. They are very thankful for our support.
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
ACME COMMUNITY CASH-BACK PROGRAM ENDS FEB. 9
All ACME grocery receipts must be dated by Saturday, Feb. 9 to be eligible for the 5% cash back fundraiser. Please collect all receipts you have stashed at home, keep shopping through Feb. 9 and bring in all register tapes in by Sunday, Feb. 10. The collection box is in Fessenden Hall and is on the ACME & Giant Eagle grocery card sales table – you can’t miss it; it covered in an ACME ad!!!
Thank you for helping with the least labor intensive, easiest fundraiser ever!
Elaine
“SOUP”ER BOWL SUNDAY – FEBRUARY 3
The UU Church of Kent annual “Soup”er Bowl will be held in Fessenden Hall on Sunday, February 3 before, between and after services. What is the “Soup”er Bowl??? It’s an amazingly generous outpouring of donated hearty canned soups/stew/chili/ravioli and coin/cash for the Kent Social Services food pantry and hot meal program.
There will be a table, festively decorated in a football theme, ready with boxes to be filled with canned soups and other non-perishible ingredients for soup and an empty soup pot for your spare coins/cash/check or donated Acme grocery cards. ALL will be donated KSS for the hungry and food insecure of Kent.
Please help your neighbors in need.
Thank you in advance for your generosity,
Coach Bowen:)