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During this time of social distancing, would you like more time for informal conversation with church members?  Times when you can get more variety in your day by talking to someone other than your roommates or yourself…  Get to know more about those folks at church you may only know vaguely… Get ideas for daily living… Help build community at church.

You can do so by dropping into our two weekly scheduled zoom calls for social connection. There is no need to sign up in advance, just join calls if you want to participate.  Each session will be an hour long (Tuesdays 11:30AM – 12:30PM; Thursday evenings 7 – 8PM), and the conversation will focus on a specific theme. The sessions will be lightly moderated just to make sure that by the end of the call everyone who wants to do so has a chance to chime in.  Below is the schedule for the first few sessions and links to the Tuesday and Thursday zoom sessions.

Questions?  Suggestions for future topics?  Contact Kathy Kerns.

• Thursday March 26, 7 – 8PM.   Topic: Meet the UU Church Pets! Let’s meet the important members of our households who do not participate on Sunday mornings.  Come share about your pet and/or meet the pets of other members.

• Tuesday March 31, 11:30AM – 12:30PM.  Topic: Making meaning in daily life. What are some things you’ve done in the last two weeks that were especially meaningful or important for you, or that helped you get through this time of social separation? 

• Thursday April 2, 7 – 8PM.  Topic: Nature. Where is a place you like to go in nature, and why is that place special to you?  Or, would you like to share a specific time you were in nature, where you were and what happened?

• Tuesday April 7, 11:30AM -12:30PM.  Topic: Keeping ourselves fed (and enjoying it).  Have you changed your approach to eating the last few weeks?  How have the changes been for you?  Or maybe you would like to crowd source ideas for family meals!

• Thursday April 9, 7 – 8PM.  Topic: Hobbies.  Share with us your hobbies, and find out who else at church has interests similar to yours.

• Tuesday April 14, 11:30AM – 12:30PM. Topic: Share your creative/artistic side! Do you have creative or artistic things you’ve been working on or doing that you want to share with us?  Do you want suggestions for future projects?  Do you have something we could all do together during the call? 

Below are links for the two sessions:

Tuesday Mornings starting March 31 at 11:30 AM  (11:30 am – 12:30 pm)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/638532533

Meeting ID: 638 532 533

One tap mobile

+16468769923,,638532533# US (New York)

+13126266799,,638532533# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 638 532 533

Thursday Evenings starting March 26 at 7 PM (7:00 – 8:00 pm)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/781042042

Meeting ID: 781 042 042

One tap mobile

+16468769923,,781042042# US (New York)

+13126266799,,781042042# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 638 532 533

Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 11:00 AM

Important:  This will be a separate meeting from the worship service and you will need to navigate to the meeting using the Zoom link below.

Topic: UUCK Town Hall Meeting
Time: Apr 5, 2020 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/165367519?pwd=Zm9GVEVQUWV3VTNnNWRjalJvVnkvQT09

Meeting ID: 165 367 519

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,165367519# US (New York)
+13126266799,,165367519# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 165 367 519
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abTQ74erR

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I’m pleased to announce that we have voted to approve the start of construction of the Fellowship Hall. We are able to move forward with the contract immediately due to a generous bequest from Olive Hobbs, a beloved and long-time member of our church. I wish to also extend my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the capital campaign fund and the planning committees around the building expansion over the years for your commitment and faith in our congregation. With everyone’s generous support, we are able to begin fulfilling our vision. 
 
In celebration,
Jennifer May
UUCK Board of Trustees Moderator

A short vespers service will be offered this evening at 7 pm..  Please join us in sharing, reflection, and mutual care.

Please note that Vespers will take a short break during the month of July — information on new services will be posted as the schedule is created.

Not familiar with Zoom?  Click here for instructions.

March 13, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of the UU Church of Kent,

Our Seventh Principle, which affirms the interconnected web of existence of which we are all a part, calls us to our responsibility as a religious community to care for one another.  I was hoping that it would be longer before it was necessary to be in touch with you again regarding the coronavirus but it is time to take further action to protect your well being.  With schools across Ohio being closed, plus a recommendation from the UUA to limit gatherings to no more than 25 people, the proximity of diagnosed cases of the virus in Ohio, and in collaboration with our Board of Trustees and the UUCK Staff, it is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that we are moving into Phase II of our response plan. 

We are suspending all in person activities, including Sunday worship and Religious Education, immediately. 

This will be in effect until further notice.  We strongly encourage smaller groups to meet via Zoom ( https://www.zoom.us/ ) or other virtual means and to limit in person contact as much as possible. 

We will continue to be a spiritual community that inspires love, seeks justice, and grows in community.  It is only the ways we will be together as a community that need to change for the time being in order to protect your well being and help slow the spread of the virus.  I realize this is a sudden change and I ask your patience as your staff and leadership work on the details of how to remain together in community and care for one another in creative ways that do not involve face to face contact.

We are exploring ways to use technology to connect with one another and we will start with worship.  This Sunday we will have one service at 10 am online using Zoom. 

Here is the link to the order of service for Sunday: https://kentuu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/OoS-3.15.2020.pdf

Below is a link to join the worship service:

Time: Mar 15, 2020 09:45 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
          Every week on Sunday until further notice
          Mar 15, 2020 09:45 AM

To Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/764615105?pwd=SitTNUpMZDIvMUtqQk83Rk52a3kyQT09

Meeting ID: 764 615 105
Password: 980570

You can also join by phone using one of these numbers:
+1 646 876 9923
+1 669 900 6833
+1 408 638 0968
Meeting ID: 764 615 105


Follow the link below for basic instructions for using Zoom:
https://kentuu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/How-to-Join-a-Zoom-Meeting.pdf

I know that the internet is not an ideal way to connect and that it is not a way some of us connect at all.   I invite every one of us to reach out to each other in other ways because our congregation is based on relationships and it is critical right now that we attend to our relationships with one another. It is my hope through this challenging time that no member or friend of this congregation feels alone, isolated or unsupported.  

AND:   Please continue to stay calm, do not spread rumors, be a community of mutual care and support, and strive to be our best and most loving selves.   

For more information on personal prevention measures you should practice, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.  

May you be well, may you know peace in these times of fear and worry, and may you join in the work that love calls us to do,

Rev. Steven

Don’t Miss Our African American History Series in March

The Race for Justice (R4J) team of UUCK is sponsoring a 6 part PBS documentary series about African American history.  In “Many Rivers to Cross”, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a Harvard University Professor, recounts 500 years of African American history.  Discussion of each video will be facilitated by Rev. Steven following the showing.  R4J will provide light lunch and refreshments. 

When:  Each part of the video series will be shown at 1:00 on consecutive Sundays Starting on March 1 and the four following Sundays.  The sixth episode will be shown on an afternoon in April. 

Where:  Fessenden Hall

RSVP:  Please RSVP to Mary Beth ([email protected]) by the Thursday prior to each Sunday’s showing, to assist with planning. 

Questions?  Contact Rhonda Richardson at [email protected]

More details about the series: Gwen Ifill sits down with Gates to discuss the journey of black Americans who created hope and persistence in the face of brutal discrimination.  The series Commences with the origins of slavery in Africa, and recounts African-American history through five decades right up to the time when America is led by a black President, yet the country remains deeply divided by race.  The series explores the evolution of the African American people, as well as the multiplicity of cultural institutions, political strategies, social and religious perspectives they developed in forging their own history, culture and society–against unimaginable odds. 

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Topic: Building Task Force Report

Led by Vivien Sandlund, speakers also included Rev. Steven Protzman and Kathie Slater.

Click here to view the visioning video presented at the meeting.

The Town Hall meeting was recorded for those not able to attend. Listen below.

Podcast: Download

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The Right Relations Covenant workshop will explore these and related questions as to how we as a church community can engage in healthy conflict, dialogue and interaction.  The Committee on Shared Ministries will provide pizza lunch and refreshments.

When: Sunday, February 23 from 1:00-4:00 PM

Where:  Fessenden Hall 

Invited: all UUCK members and friends

Facilitated by:  Committee on Shared Ministries

RSVP:  Please RSVP to MaryBeth at [email protected] by Thursday , Feb. 20 so we may best plan for purchasing lunch and refreshments.

The purpose of a Covenant of Right Relations is to guide us in accepting one another in our shared journey and in encouraging spiritual growth as individuals and as a community (our third principle).  Workshop participants will create a draft Covenant of Right Relations to be placed on the annual meeting’s agenda for approval by the congregation. 

Through small group discussion, large group dialogue and the democratic process, participants will explore such questions as:

• How do we have disagreements with an individual or group, do so in love and respect, and continue to stay in community? 
• How do we seek to live the principles and values of Unitarian Universalism by acting with compassion, respect and a high value on interdependence? 
• How do we make space and engage in creative dialogue about our individual theologies, the ways in which we make meaning of life and seek to live lives of meaning? 
• How do we interact with others in ways that promote a community of integrity, honesty, and open communication? 

Order deadline: Sunday, December 15, 2019 Click here to print an order form.

Plants will be available for pick-up on Christmas Eve following the 8:30 pm service.

There may be occasions when we need to cancel Sunday services or programming at the UU Church of Kent due to winter weather conditions.

If the weather or the condition of the roads give you cause to wonder whether we are proceeding with Sunday services or other programming as scheduled, please check for cancellations before you head out. 

You can check in one of three places: 

• our church’s Facebook page,
• Your email – a message will be sent to all members and friends on our e-nUUs mailing list
• tune in iAlert on Channel 3 or any TV, radio station, or website powered by iAlert (see below)

Listed below are the TV stations, radio stations and websites that i-Alert notifies:

Television Stations powered by iAlert

• WKYC-TV Channel 3 
• WVIZ/ PBS Ideastream
• WKYC-TV DT2

Radio Stations powered by iAlert

• Newsradio WTAM 1100, AM
• WMVX, Mix 106.5 FM
• WMJI, Magic 105.7 FM
• WGAR, My Country 99.5 FM
• WAKS, KISS 96.5 FM
• WMMS, 100.7 FM Cleveland’s Rock Station
• WHLO, 640 AM
• WKDD, 98.1 FM
• RADIO FREE OHIO 1350 AM
• 90.3 WCPN ideastream
• WCRF, 103.3 FM
• WCLV, 104.9 FM

Websites

• https://www.wkyc.com/closings
• https://wviz.ideastream.org/
• https://wtam.iheart.com/
• https://1065thelake.iheart.com/
• https://wmji.iheart.com/
• https://wgar.iheart.com/
• https://kisscleveland.iheart.com/
• https://wmms.iheart.com/
• https://640whlo.iheart.com/
• https://wkdd.iheart.com/
• https://sportsradio1350.iheart.com/

he TV stations, radio stations and websites that i-Alert notifies:

Hello Dear Ones,

Each year the RE program chooses two organizations to “adopt” during the holidays. This year we are pleased to once again support Caring for Kids and Kent Social Services. Will you help us to bring some cheer this year?

Beginning THIS Sunday, outside the sanctuary doors, there is a tree that holds the names, ages and gift requests of children and youth in foster care and teens who are “aging-out” or in residential treatment.  As you are able, please choose a bulb off the tree. Write your name on the green slip attached to the bulb and place it in the basket. Purchase the gift listed on the bulb. Place your unwrapped gift (with the bulb/label attached) under the Gratitude Tree in the Sanctuary. 

“Caring for Kids, Inc. is a private, non-profit adoption, foster care, and birth parent services agency. We believe that each child, regardless of gender, race, nationality or special need deserves a family.

Our mission is to provide children of all ages with the safety and security of a healthy and loving family. Our experienced and professional team is committed to providing the most complete and compassionate services to birth families, adoptive families and foster families.”  https://cfkadopt.org/about-us/

 
We are also collecting for Kent Social Services. KSS distributes Christmas gifts to families in need. During your holiday shopping this year please consider picking up an extra gift for a child or teen and bring it with you to church. Toys can be placed in the large donation box in Fessenden Hall during the month of November and early December.

On behalf of the religious education committee and staff, thank you for spreading joy to these children and families.

In Faith,

Colleen

On Sunday, October 6 the UUCK Board of Trustees held a Town Hall Meeting to to review and discuss this years Congregational Goals.  Below is an audio recording of the meeting for those who were not able to attend.

Click here to review the goals.

Podcast: Download

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