A new group is forming in Kent called the Kent Inter-Faith Alliance on Reconciliation and Justice.  I have keenly felt the absence of such a group over my years serving here and thus wanted to support this emerging effort with my presence.  I was thrilled to find representatives of many diverse area faith communities seated around the table and the promise that the invitation to participate will eventually be sent to all faith communities in our area.  The group is forming specifically to seek faith based collaboration in embodying reconciliation and social justice.

As a first event, the group is inviting faith based communities to participate in a march this Sunday, August 2, from First Christian Church of Kent (Disciples of Christ) to Spelman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.  The march will step off at 11:00 am and is 8/10 of a mile.  We are invited to march with a symbol of our faith tradition.  When we arrive at Spelman, each faith community will be invited to place their symbol on an altar.  The pastor at Spelman, Dr. L. A. Gatewood, is preparing a special sermon on reconciliation and justice which will be delivered once the marchers arrive.

I will be attending and I hope that some of you will join me.  If you do, you might be inclined to wear Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts.  However, as a sign of respect for our hosts at Spellman Chapel, I encourage you to consider dressing up a bit for church.  If you’d like to participate but aren’t up to walking that far, please feel free to meet us at Spelman Chapel around 11:20 or so at 910 Walnut Street in Kent.  Outdoor amplification will be arranged with the hope that we will not all be able to fit inside the church.  If you would like to march, First Christian is just up the street from our church at 335 West Main Street.

 

Yours in faith and hope,

Melissa

Our congregation has worked hard to develop the plans to live out our church vision.  The Capital Campaign Team is pleased to announce the launch of our church’s capital campaign to raise over $1,000,000.  Our 3 phase plan is to build an addition with a new social hall, kitchen, and RE rooms, renovate the basement into bigger and better RE space, and renovate the sanctuary.  We take an important step forward the weekend of September 26 – 27.

Saturday Sept. 26, 9am to 1PM: training of canvassers for the campaign.  We are asking anyone who might be willing to be a canvasser to come to the training provided by our consultant Bill Clontz.  After you hear what will be involved, you can let us know if you are willing to be a canvasser.

Sunday September 27: official launch of the campaign during Sunday morning service.  After second service, we will have a campaign launch celebration with a simple catered lunch.  We hope everyone will come be part of the celebration!

Sunday September 27 (7PM):  The band Hey Mavis will hold a fundraising concert for the church at the Kent stage.  The band is donating all concert proceeds to the capital campaign. Please join us in this fun way to support the campaign.  To purchase your ticket(s) visit The Kent Stage: http://www.thekentstage.com/

Before the concert, there will be an opportunity for members to meet at the Kent Hotel for drinks and food (special pricing will be offered).

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, August 11 at 7 pm in the home of Kathy Kerns.  This month we are reading any book by the author Anne Tyler.  In September we will be reading Margot by Jillian Cantor and in October we will be reading The Care of Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway.   If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.

All are welcome.

The group will resume their weekly meetings in September.  Many, many thanks for all their efforts in knitting and crocheting several afghans and lap quilts to used for pastoral outreach.

Please join in a school supply drive for children served by Family & Community Services. They are in need of new backpacks, 1″ 3-ring binders, 1 subject spiral bound notebooks, composition books, pocket folders with prongs, pens (black, blue & red) colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, pink erasers, 24 count Crayola crayons & Elmer’s bottled glue/glue sticks.

Bring items to church Sunday, July 25 & August 2; there is a box in the lower level closet or you may see me either day. I’ll get all donations delivered to The Center of Hope.

Thank you for helping children have what they need for school!

Grateful for your generosity,

Elaine Bowen

This summer is packed with wonderful lessons on how our kids can care for the planet and for themselves. This Sunday July 26th our children will be guided through breathing, meditation and yoga by Jen Walton-Fisette. Come join us!

Summer RE is offered at 9:45 for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Preschool and nursery care are also available.

 

Stop by our table in Fessenden during Coffee Hour!

Favorite performers “Magpie” will start off the Fall 2015 Season on Saturday, August 15th at 8:00 pm.  Come and enjoy the beautiful harmony and powerful voices of Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner.  An outstanding guitarist, Greg’s playing and fingerstyle approach form the solid basis of their sound.  They describe their eclectic repertoire as a musical rainbow, so come prepared to hear traditional, classic country, swing, blues, or contemporary songs written by themselves and others.
Plan ahead:

• September 19:  Hal Walker / Matt Watroba
• September 27:  Special “Hey Mavis” concert at the Kent Stage – part of the Capital Campaign Kickoff weekend
• October 17:  Neil Jacobs

At our table:

• Purchase discounted tickets in advance
• Purchase discounted Fall 2015 Season Passes
• You can now purchase your tickets with a credit card

?Please visit our table or contact Cara Constance if you are able to donate food for the hospitality time during intermission.  Our warm, inviting intermissions are a wonderful part of these intimate concerts.?

Please join Sevim McCutcheon and an international student to learn about opportunities for UUs to connect with college students from around the world!

Informational meeting on Sunday, July 19th, at 12:45 p.m. in Fessenden Hall. 

Snacks will be provided. Feel free to bring a lunch.

For more information, contact Sevim McCutcheon.

If you can’t make it to this meeting but want to get involved, contact Sevim.

Nearly 3,000 international students from scores of countries will attend Kent State University this fall.

They come to the United States hoping to engage in local activities and make connections with people who live here.

Often, international students arrive in the United States alone and without family members or friends in the area to assist in the transition into their new surroundings. In this situation, support from the local community in the form of a “friendship partner” can be a key to adjusting to culture shock and connecting with their new hometown.

In this proposed Friendship Partners program, American individuals, couples and families are introduced to an international student or two, with potential for building relationships and sharing culture in unique and fulfilling ways.

Friendship partners can engage in a variety of activities with their international students, depending on mutual interests and schedules.  Possibilities include informal meals, holiday traditions and celebrations, outings to local festivals and sporting events, shopping, and hikes in nearby parks.

Given UU values and principles, Sevim considers the UU congregation to be especially well suited for reaching out in positive and accepting ways to international students of many backgrounds, religions, and cultures. Sevim will gather contact information from interested Americans and interested international students and facilitate the initial connection.

In addition to the Friendship Partners program, for those with a spare bedroom who are interested, there are opportunities to host international students in your home. This can be temporary (a few days to a week, giving students a “home base” from which to find more permanent housing) or longer term (a semester or more).  Housing needs are especially acute for new, incoming international students in August, just prior to the fall semester.

While Sevim meets international students and learns about their needs and situations because she works at KSU, this pilot program has no formal affiliation with Kent State University.

 

 

Click to Download the Flyer  (Right-click the link and choose “Save Link As…” to save the document to your computer)

 

Documents Needed to Apply for a Marriage License in Ohio:

• ID Requirement:  Government issued ID such as drivers license, visa, passport, state ID. You need to know your social security numbers.
• Residency Requirement: Do not have to be a resident of Ohio. You must apply in the county in which you want to get married.
• If previously married: Bring certified copy of divorce decree or a copy of deceased spouse’s death certificate.
• Application Requirement: Both parties to a marriage should appear in person to obtain the license.
•  Waiting Period: No waiting period.
•  Blood Tests: No tests.
•  Under 21: If you are 18 to 21 years of age, you will need to show your birth certificate.

Finish Reading: Our ‘Freedom to Marry Celebration’ is On! – July 3, 2015

Judge Robert Berger of the Portage County Court of Common Pleas Probate Division has issued an Order in preparation for the upcoming Supreme Court decision on marriage equality.  Although the copy of the Order shown below is not signed by Judge Berger, it is in effect.  At Judge Berger’s request, we are sharing this information to help inform as many people as possible on the process of applying for a marriage license and the ability to be married at the Portage County Courthouse immediately following a favorable decision on marriage equality.

It has come to our attention that if either of the partners hoping to get married are previously divorced, they will need to take a notarized copy of their divorce decree when applying for a marriage license.

 

Click to Download the Court Order (Right-click the link and choose “Save Link As…” to save the document to your computer)
Finish Reading: The Supreme Court Decision on Marriage Equality & Portage County Court of Common Pleas Probate Division

Howard will have a table during the pancake breakfast on Sunday, May 31 where he will share information about Kent UU’s role as a member Justice Congregation in our statewide network engaged in education and advocacy on economic justice, immigration, criminal/racial justice, the environment, reproductive justice, LGBT issues, voting rights and peacemaking.  UUJO offers Guest for Justice in Your Pulpit speakers, provides leadership training, publicizes justice events, facilitates MeetUp4Justice sessions with lawmakers, engages UUs statewide with partners and allies and holds an annual Justice Assembly in Columbus (11/14/15).

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, June 9 at 7 pm at the home of Bonnie Harper. This month we are reading The Love Song of Miss Quennie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce. From the author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, this is the love story about Queenie Hennessy, the remarkable friend who inspired Harold’s cross-country journey. This parallel story to Harold’s saga, brings Queenie Hennessy’s voice into sharp focus. Setting pen to paper, Queenie makes a journey of her own, a journey that is even bigger than Harold’s; one word after another, she promises to confess long-buried truths–about her modest childhood, her studies at Oxford, the heartbreak that brought her to Kingsbridge and to loving Harold, her friendship with his son, the solace she has found in a garden by the sea. And, finally, the devastating secret she has kept from Harold for all these years. A wise, tender, layered novel that gathers tremendous emotional force, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy underscores the resilience of the human spirit, beautifully illuminating the small yet pivotal moments that can change a person’s life. In July we will be reading Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen. We will meet on July 21 to accommodate those attending Summer Institute.

If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

Most of us are very familiar with our Seven Principles, but how familiar are you with the Six Sources?  If you would like to deepen your UU theology, explore faith traditions from across the globe, or just participate in thoughtful conversations, please consider joining me for the following sessions!  Each is meant to stand alone, but participants will gain the most by coming to each one.

5/28: Transcending Mystery & Wonder

6/4: Prophetic Men & Women

6/11: World Religions

6/18: Abrahamic Religions

6/25: Humanist Thought

7/2: Earth-Centered Traditions

7/9: Sharing of Our Personal Theological Statement

Sessions will be held in the Annex from 7-9 pm on the above dates.  Please contact Lori McGee if you decide to attend so she may plan accordingly.

Sunday, June 7, 2015  at 12:45 PM in the Sanctuary

Your attendance is important as a quorum will be required for voting matters.  Absentee Ballots will be available through the Church Office, [email protected].

The Information Meeting has been rescheduled to Friday, June 5. The evening will begin with a potluck dinner at 6:00 PM.  Please bring a dish to share.   The Information Meeting will begin at 7 PM in the Sanctuary.

Click to Download the FY2015 Annual Meeting Packet  (Right-click the link and choose “Save Link As…” to save the document to your computer)

Special Congregational Meeting called by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent Board of Trustees in accord with their authority to call special meetings established in the bylaws.  The special meeting will be held on Sunday, June 7, immediately following the Annual Congregational Meeting. The Board of Trustees is calling this special meeting to invite the congregation to consider a resolution representing our Unitarian Universalist and congregational commitment to racial justice and equity.

 The proposed resolution for the Special Congregational Meeting is as follows:

The history of racial injustice and the ongoing persistence of racial inequity call us as Unitarian Universalists to stand on the side of love and to work for racial justice and equity. As we work together and with others to build the beloved community, we affirm our commitment to justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.

Finish Reading: Annual Meeting of the Membership: Fiscal Year 2015