Worship & Music
Services are offered at both 10:00 and 11:30 AM
Join us Sunday, December 9 for 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 tugging at your spirit?
Winter Solstice Service Scheduled for December 21 at 7pm
Featuring the music of the Celtic Clan and led by Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus and Worship Associate Justin Czekaj, our Winter Solstice service will celebrate the return of the light following the longest night of the year. This multigenerational service will include time for reflecting and rejoicing at the turning of the year. Nursery care will be offered for children ages 3 and under. A wassail party will follow the service.
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
The Lost & Found is once again overflowing!
Please check in Fessenden Hall for any items that you may have left at the Church, including any serving dishes. After Sunday, Dec. 9th any remaining items will be donated.
Looking for an easy way to serve the church and meet new people?
Volunteer to be a coffee hour helper! We need people to help with set up and with clean up. Set up involves coming half an hour before the first service to put out snacks and help prepare the drinks. Clean up involves staying half an hour or so after either service, primarily to wash cups. It is more fun and lighter work if you volunteer with a friend. So grab a friend, and contact the church office to get yourselves on the schedule.
Also, two special opportunities for social hour hosting are coming up. We need people to organize a reception between the two services on Christmas Eve as well as a wassail party after the Winter Solstice service on December 21. Thank you for all you do to help create Beloved Community!
“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, e-mail c.spoehr1223.
The Library committee would like to thank all those who purchased copies of Here We Have Gathered. We hope your generosity is rewarded by learning the rich and interesting history of our church, past and present, contained in these essays. We remain indebted to Caroline Arnold and all the contributors who worked so hard to complete this project, and to Carol Gould who covered the printing costs. Proceeds from the sale will support new acquisitions for the Library, and help fund the Library’s special event in February. All copies were sold last Sunday, but extra copies can be printed upon request. Please speak to any Library committee member if you want a copy.
BOOK REVIEW
Most of us have some involvement with parenting practices, whether as a parent, a grandparent, or a judgmental outsider. I think two books from the Family Life category of the church Library are especially pertinent in this area.
Living Simply With Children: a voluntary simplicity guide for moms, dads, and kids who want to reclaim the bliss of childhood and the joy of parenting by Marie Sherlock, (New York, Three Rivers Press, c2003). It covers such topics as how (and why) to live simply and find more time to be with your children, realistic ways to reclaim your children from corporate America, and how to focus on the “good stuff” with less stuff.
The second book is Last Child in the Woods: saving our children from nature-deficit disorder, by Richard Louv, (Chapel; Hill, NC, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, c2008 rev. and expanded ed.). From the author: “The children and nature movement is fueled by this fundamental idea: the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and health of the Earth are inseparable.”
Submitted by Martha Kluth
Ann Waters, Library Publicity
Outreach
Poinsettias Fundraiser to Support Safer Futures & Help Decorate the Church too!
10.5” pots available in Red or White – $15.00 each
Please email the Church office to order your flowers before Dec. 14, 2012.
Please include the following information with your order:
Name
# and Color of Poinsettias
Dedication: In honor of
In memory of
In celebration of
In appreciation for
Other
None
Flowers will be available for pick-up on Christmas Eve following the 8:30 pm service.
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
The new Holiday Gift Fair got started last Sunday with a flourish. If you haven’t stopped in to see what is for sale, please do so either this Sunday or December 16th during coffee hour and after second service. There are MANY gift items to choose from and our congregation really stepped up with wonderful donations.
We are still 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. Every item you donate must be tagged with a price sticker, but not to worry we will have stickers available for you to use!
We will also be taking orders for our NEW commemorative holiday ornaments. 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. All proceeds from the Gift Wrapping Station will go the RE Committee.
Any items not sold at the fair will be donated to local charities.
Thank you for your support of this UUCK tradition.
Just a reminder as you prepare for Christmas: Acme Community Cash Back Program
Please save your ACME grocery receipts through 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.