Join us for a guided tour of the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland permaculture gardens on Sunday, November 9th.  We will leave from the church at 1:15pm and begin the tour of First Unitarian Church of Cleveland gardens at 2pm. We will see the finished product of a four-year effort in creating a unique welcoming garden that expresses the values of Unitarian-Universalism. We will discuss the garden – its beginnings and how it brought together the congregation and has become a destination site for the neighborhood, including attracting new members.?

?Allow an hour for discussion and touring. For those wishing to tour another garden, a friend from the West Shore UU Church will be at their much newer permaculture garden? in the afternoon also on Sunday, Nov. 9 and would be happy to talk about both their permaculture course (which we will offer the course in the spring) and their project garden. West Shore UU is about a half hour’s drive from First Unitarian.

For more information and to join the group, please contact Mary Lou Holly: [email protected]

Per Sunday service on October 26, we were reminded that generosity is a muscle that needs to be routinely exercised. Kent Social Services (KSS) could really use some exercise from us with the ingredients for Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets given to clients.

A short list of items in need are TURKEY GRAVY (jar, can, dry mix – ANY form), stuffing mix, mashed potato mix, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, cake & gelatin mix. The food pantry is also in great need of all types of boxed CEREAL for families. Donations of any and all non-perishable items are welcome.

If you’re not a shopper or tend to forget items at home, $10 Acme gift cards are for sale in Fessenden Hall between services every week. KSS gives these to clients to purchase produce and other perishable items.

Please drop items off in the lower level closet by the elevator or the basket next to the elevator on the sanctuary level.

 

Appreciatively,

Elaine Bowen

Hunger and Economic Justice Task Force

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, November 11 at 7 pm in the home of Kathy Kerns.  This month we are reading The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker. A poignant and inspirational love story set in Burma, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats spans the decades between the 1950s and the present.  When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be…until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago, to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father’s past, Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and passion that will reaffirm the reader’s belief in the power of love to move mountains. In December we will be reading Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel and in January we will be reading A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

The Library committee is grateful to the congregation and to friends of the congregation for their support of the first two Symposiums, “Art and Allah.” The 3rd and final Symposium will be held on Monday, November 17th at 7:00 P.M. in the Sanctuary and will feature Mohammad Ja’far Mahallati, Presidential Scholar in Islamic Studies at Oberlin College. Professor Mahallati will speak on “Persian Poetry: The Gate to Islamic Mysticism.” He will discuss a few works from classical Persian poetry, including the Sufi poet, Rumi, each conveying an important concept in the Islamic worldview.

After his studies in Islamic theology from Khan Seminary (Shiraz, Iran) and receiving a B.A. in Economics and International Affairs from National University in Tehran, Mahallati received degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Kansas and in Political Economy from the University of Oregon. His Ph.D. in Islamic Studies is from McGill University. He is presently working on a book, The Return of a Civilization: Reflections on the Contemporary Iranian-Shii Thoughts on War and Peace. He has taught graduate courses and given lectures at Columbia, Princeton, Yale and Georgetown Universities. Besides his interests in religious studies, Mahallati enjoys pursuing his interests in Islamic art and literature, specifically Sufi poetry and sacred calligraphy. He has co-translated into English two published volumes of poetry by the contemporary Iranian poet, Sohrab Sepehri.

Professor Mahallati will answer questions at the end of his presentation, followed by refreshments in Fessenden Hall. This is a special opportunity to learn about Islamic culture through poetry. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Photo Source:  https://omnidawn.wordpress.com/

Join Us for this Multigenerational Activity

Sunday, November 16 from 1:00 – 2:30 PM in Fessenden Hall

What makes the holidays in December meaningful for you? This is a chance to gather in community to talk about the kinds of activities, rituals, practices and experiences that most help you connect with the wonder of the winter holidays.  After a brief conversation, everyone will be invited to make their own Advent Calendar to reflect your intentions.  You can make a calendar on your own or as a family.  People of all ages are welcome to participate.  Please eat lunch prior to coming, we will have coffee, tea and light snacks when you arrive and you will leave with your very own Advent Calendar.  All supplies will be provided. Please RSVP to the church office by 11/12 so we can be sure to prepare enough supplies.

We have:

• Planned for weeks!
• Requested donations!
• Hired auctioneers!
• Sold ads in the program!
• Rented the hall & and another room for more auction space!
• Sang you a jingle
• Offered you a testimonial
• Requested volunteers
• Taken donations of dinners, pottery, paintings, baskets, etc.

You can:

• Buy your tickets now!!!
• Donate an item or more for the auction!!!
• Offer to volunteer!!! – We need two babysitters right now!!!

We can’t make this a success without you, our beloved congregation. Tickets are only $20 and you get a great meal, a fun time and a chance to fill your calendar with wonderful events and win cool items all while supporting our wonderful church. So bust out your cowboy hats and boots. Don your favorite pair of jeans, tie on a bandana and join in the fun.

We have lots of NEW donors this year, great items and some beloved favorites. There is something for everyone.

• Come check out the exotic dinner offerings and wonderful events.
• Take a vacation to the Munro’s home in Vermont.
• Take a ride in a hot air balloon.
• Take a chance on FREE Organic Valley products.
• Visit wine country right in our own back yard with a local wine tour.
• Get your car ready with an oil change or two, or four, or more!
• Enjoy a great meal at a local restaurant.
• Read a good book by a UU author.
• Grab a quick bite of fast food when you are pressed for time.
• Create an UGLY Sweater and wear it to church one Sunday in December.
• We also have a “UU’ll be SURPRISED” donation. The UU’ll be SURPRISED is three different reusable bags filled with goodies you can bid on. The catch is ONE bag is FILLED with UU goodies and has a value OVER $75!!!! Will UU take a chance?

 

All this and MORE at your annual Thanks 4 Giving auction being held on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 6pm at the United Church of Christ at 1400 E. Main at the corner of Rt. 59 and Horning.

 

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent held a formal congregational vote on Sunday to pass the following resolution in favor of endorsing the Kent Community Bill of Rights, Issue 21 on the November 4 ballot.  The resolution was passed by the necessary 85% super-majority of the necessary quorum of members.

 

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalist congregations covenant by our Second and Seventh Principles to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part; and

 

WHEREAS, the climate crisis threatens Earth systems through warming, destabilization of the atmosphere and climate, sea level rise, and the acidification of the oceans, of which the brunt of the burden has fallen and will fall on the poorest people in the world, who are least responsible for the crisis; and

 

WHEREAS, the 2006 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly approved a Statement of Conscience on the Threat of Global Warming/Climate Change declaring “that we will not acquiesce to the ongoing degradation and destruction of life that human actions are leaving to our children and grandchildren”; and

 

WHEREAS, we have a moral responsibility to Earth, to all beings, and to future generations to do everything in our power to bring about a swift transition from fossil fuels to a sustainable energy economy; and

 

WHEREAS, a significant body of evidence has emerged to demonstrate that hydraulic fracturing and injection wells are inherently dangerous to people and their communities. Risks include adverse impacts on water, air, agriculture, public health and safety, property values, climate stability and economic vitality; and

 

WHEREAS, the Community Bill of Rights will allow residents to prevent the extraction of hydrocarbons and the drilling of injection wells within Kent and will assert individual rights over those of corporations;

 

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent required a super-majority passage of 85% congregational approval in order to speak with one voice in support of this resolution.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent supports the passage of Issue 21: Kent Charter Amendment (Community Bill of Rights) on November 4th, 2014.

 

 

The November 8 UU Justice Ohio Justice Assembly in Columbus will feature Democratic State Rep. Nickie Antonio, West Shore UU, and lobbyists from UUJO allies and partners such as the ACLU and Equality Ohio offering guidance on how to impact issues before the Ohio General Assembly. Issue Group workshops on Immigration, Economic Justice, Criminal and Racial Justice, LGBTQ, Environment, Voting Rights, and Reproductive Freedom will promote education, service and advocacy through lobbying, litigation, media, public witness, and civil disobedience. Lunch work groups include a Ministers’ Caucus and a Youth Caucus.

Program workshop details and a flyer are posted on the UUJO website. http://ohiomeadville.org/uujo/?page_id=600

Voting delegates will approve Bylaws and elect the UUJO Co-Chairs and Board of Directors.

JA online Registration.  https://ohiomeadville.wufoo.com/forms/q1koa89q1mbqj65/

The Social Justice Council invites all church members and friends to join us on Sunday, November 2nd immediately after the second service in Fessenden Hall to learn about our social justice activities.

Find out how you can get involved in social justice efforts that interest you and make a difference in our community and our world.  We promise a lively discussion.

Pizza will be served.

We’d like to form a group at church on Wednesday afternoons at  2 pm. We’d like people to donate or bring their old yarn, unfinished projects and patterns. We’d like to make baby blankets, small lap blankets for our ill members and friends, items that could be sold at the annual auction or you could make things that you would like for yourselves. We’d be happy to teach anyone of any age or gender how to knit, crochet or needlepoint. Please call Carol Gould with suggestions, questions or comments. Please appear at our first get-together on Wednesday, November 5. We will have fun doing this together.

For all those interested in learning (some or more) about permaculture and how we might garden and live in greater harmony with nature, we have a great opportunity to tour some permaculture gardens before winter puts them to sleep. If you would like to join Tom Gibson, our guest permaculture expert from Cleveland Heights, and members of the Green Sanctuary team at UUCK, please contact Mary Lou Holly: [email protected]. Tom will also be offering a course on Permaculture later this fall. Information on that will follow.

Everyone is invited to the 30-something annual Church Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 25th. The party will begin in Fessenden Hall at 6 p.m. with finger foods and drinks; please bring something to share. We’d love to see your costume! At 7 p.m. the mild version of the youth haunted house will open followed by the wild version at 7:30. There will be fun for the WHOLE family with games, crafts and lots of tricks and treats! Hope to see you there for this UUCK tradition!