Worship & Music

 Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.

Sunday, May 12                Family Matters

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate John Marfy

We often say that families come in all shapes and sizes and that love is what makes a family. This morning we will again affirm the many ways in which families are formed and nurtured as we reflect upon why it is that families still matter.

What are you passionate about?

Would you like to lead a Sunday service about it?  The Sunday Program Committee meets on May 24^th, and is seeking proposals for lay-led services for Summer and Fall.  We believe that that the Sunday Service is best reflected in a variety of voices and experiences.   Lay-led services allow us to share our individual spiritual journeys, experiences and diverse world views — an important part of our rich Unitarian Universalist heritage.  If you might be interested in presenting a service, please complete a proposal, which may be downloaded from our web site at:  //kentuu.org/docs/spc/sunday-proposal-e-form.pdf,   and send it to Lois Weir.

Not sure about how to put together a complete service?  Members of the committee can provide you with the help you need, so don’t be shy!  General information about proposal preparation may be found at //kentuu.org/ministry/sunday-program/.   Still have questions?  Contact Lois.

Community Within

Annual Meeting:  Information Meeting     Thursday, May 30    7:00 PM

                                    Voting Meeting                 Sunday, June 2      12:30 PM

The Library committee is working on a brief, online survey of your Library needs and suggestions. It will be posted in the EE-News and the May Chalice. Your response will be most appreciated. We continue to explore ways to serve our congregation more effectively.

Do stop by the Library to see the display of books recommended by Rev. Melissa. These books are available for checkout,and we plan to rotate titles every two weeks.

New UU Classes in May
Everything you wanted to know about the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent in particular and Unitarian Universalism in general, but were afraid to ask.  Well, maybe not everything, but we try to give you an overview, a starting point.  Some history of both, some organizational details. Come join the conversation.  And, if you’re curious about membership, this is the place to be.

Part 1 will be on Sunday, May 12, from 9-11 am. Part 2 will be on Sunday, May 19, from 9-11 am.  You may attend one or both, although attendance at both is encouraged.  Different topics will be covered in each.  We will gather at the Annex, the yellow house next to the church.

If you have any questions, contact Claudia Miller or Marion Yeagler.

Art in the Sanctuary

The Middle School Youth have been considering these three central questions in their RE classroom this year:  What is a family?  What does a family do?  Who defines family?   Their Family Photography Project is the culmination of that study.  It includes photographs and the text from interviews with six of our church families.

Surprise Friends: please remember, to leave your notes on Sundays May 5 and May 12 and the “big reveal” is May 19!  Make sure you are there for coffee hour to meet your Surprise Friend in person. In the past, Surprise Friends have exchanged small tokens of friendship during the special revealing celebration. Can’t wait to see you there!

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, May 14 at 7 pm in the home of Mary Ann Kasper.   Please bring a non-dessert snack to share. This month we are reading Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo. The only thing certain about a journey is that it has a beginning and an end-for you never know what may happen along the way. And so it is with this journey into the minds and souls of two very different men-one of them in search of the truth, the other a man who may have already found it. Witty and inventive, this book takes readers into the heart of America and in the process shows us a man about to discover his own true heart. In June, we will be reading a biography of your choice. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

UU & Interfaith Connections

The May Community Dinner will be held on May 18 at Plum Creek State Park at Cherry Street near Mogadore Road in Kent. Kent continues the celebration of our Natural Heritage at the River Day Dinner followed by a program by the KSU Native American Student Assiciation (NASA). There will be a Celebration of Running Water with drumming, dancing and singing around a central fire. The dinner will be 6-8 pm, and the NASA program 8-10 pm. The Crooked River Stompers will provide dinner music. The Portage County Historical Society will provide a teepee. The Fire River Singers will later perform drumming and singing.

Bring food to share to the potluck at 6 pm. Bring a blanket for the ground so that at 8 pm you can find a place around the central fire for the final NASA led event of the day. Questions? Call 330-678-8760.

“Mother Wove the Morning” presents an uncensored view of the experiences of women through history, casting light on little taught realities of endurance and triumph that will leave the audience wiser and more appreciative of women’s collective journey. Three actors bring sixteen different women from 20,000 b.c.e. to the present to the stage to share their lives.

Queen Bee’s adaptation of Pearson’s play provides an opportunity to include current events dramatically increasing our investment in these women’s lives and putting them in a global context.

The performance will be held on Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 7:00 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron, 3300 Morewood Rd, Fairlawn, OH, (across from Summit Mall.)   $10 suggested donation at the door.  A talk back with the actors will follow the production.  Refreshments will be served. Childcare provided.

We know some of you are perhaps a road trip distance away.  If a group from your church would like to come and arrive early for dinner, give us a call and we can recommend some local eateries.

Don’t hesitate to call if you have questions.

Thank you!  And see you soon!

Linda Ryder, Program Chair, UUWA of UUCA

[email protected]

UUCA church office 330-836-2206

Last Call! Urban Notes Fundraiser Concert, May 18

Don’t miss a delightful evening of music in a relaxed coffee house atmosphere.

Our ‘Urban Notes’ fund-raiser has become a popular event with Cleveland area UUs, and this year, we’ll be performing at West Shore UU Church, 20401 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River.

Our star-studded line-up of performers includes  Mary Grigolia, Marge Adler, Pam Wetula, Barry and Vicky Irvin and April Stoltz.   Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m.

The concert begins at 7:00 p.m.   Advance reservations $10.

Contact Anne Osborne at 440-617-9000 or [email protected].

$12 at the door, $5 child, $25 family

Outreach and Social Justice

Empty Baskets = Empty Stomachs

A gentle reminder and nudge to honor UUCK’s committment to collect non-perishible food items and Acme gift cards for Kent Social Services’ food programs. The two baskets have been a bit empty lately . . . please remember the hungry and food insecure in our community when doing your weekly shopping. Basic everyday food staples are always needed – peanut butter & jelly, tuna, canned fruit & vegetables, macaroni & cheese mix, rice, beans, pasta & spaghetti sauce, cereal, 100% juice and “meal-in-a-can” items or meal mixes.

Let’s fill the baskets and feed some people – one basket is in the ground floor closet next to the elevator and the other is just outside the elevator on the sanctuary level. Acme cards may be purchased and donated at the grocery card sales table in Fessenden Hall between services every Sunday. Large brown paper grocery bags are also an on-going need for the food pantry.

Thank you in advance for your generosity,

Elaine Bowen for the Hunger and Economic Justice Task Group

Income Generation

Tupperware Fundraiser

The Tupperware fundraiser which began on Sunday, May 5 will remain open for 2 or 3 weeks so make sure you get a new catalog and start showing it around to family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. People love Tupperware and it really keeps your food fresh and reduces waste.  Good for your pocket and the environment.

A link on the website will be up soon and I will have a link to an online party if you want to buy online and have it shipped directly to you or someone else.  Call or email me for the online party link.

Meg Milko, Fundraising Chair

Attention All Leaders and Committee Chairs

All Annual Reports to be included in the Annual Meeting packet are due May 1, 2013. Please submit or email reports to MaryBeth at [email protected]. Annual Meeting packets will be available to the congregation on May 15. The Annual Congregational Information Meeting is scheduled for May 30 @ 7 PM and the Voting Meeting will be held on June 2 @ 12:30 PM.

Worship & Music

Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.

Sunday, April 28     Does Life Long Learning Have to Be ALL My Life?

Led by the Rev. Elaine Strawn and Worship Associate Bonnie Harper –  Continuing Education requirements never end…neither does spiritual development. We will try to integrate psychological and spiritual ideas to understand where we are in the scope of things. Rev. Elaine Strawn is the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne County. Along with Melissa, she is participating in a three congregation pulpit swap this morning. Melissa will be leading services at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Meadville, PA.

Can You Share Spring Flowers?

Now that the flowers are blooming again, perhaps you might consider sharing some on Sunday morning.  If you have some flowers growing in your yard you would be willing to bring for a Sunday morning service, please sign up on the flower sign-up sheet in Fessenden Hall.  In addition, the offer always stands to make a contribution and have the church provide flowers on your behalf.  If it is easier, you are welcome to call or email the church office to make arrangements for bringing or purchasing flowers.  Thank you for helping to add beauty to our Sunday mornings!

Cuyahoga River Concert Series: Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen

April 26   8 PM

Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent

Tickets are $10.00 at the Door

Steve and Cindy and their partnership Compass Rose Music represent the very best in contemporary and traditional folk music.   http://www.compassrosemusic.com/

Lifespan Learning

Theological Meet-Up, Part ll

This Sunday, April 28, another opportunity will be offered to make theological connections.  At the pancake breakfast following each service, tables will be marked with the theological labels from the spring 2012 congregational survey.  All are welcome to sit and chat about theology with others at the tables, even if you’re not indulging in the pancake meal.   It’s informal, so feel free to visit multiple tables.

Building Your Own Theology 1 (BYOT)

BYOT is an adult religious exploration class of 10 sessions that guides and encourages to the participants to explore and define their individual belief systems related to religion and spirituality. Classes are 2 to 2 1/2 hours long and will be facilitated by Elaine Bowen, a BYOT veteran of 3 previous sessions. What’s involved? 1) a commitment to attendance (at least 7 – 8 of the 10 sessions) and participation and 2) the willingness to work toward the drafting of your personal credo, a statement of belief(s).

Classes will be held on the following Thursday evenings: May 9 – 16 – 23 – 30, June 6 – 13 – 27 (no 20th due to General Assembly), July 11 & 25 (no 4th for the holiday or 18th due to Summer Institute) and the final session, a sharing of credos with a potluck dinner on August 1. We will begin promptly at 7:00 pm in either Fessenden Hall or the Annex (I do not have reservations made yet) and will try to wrap up by 9:15 pm.   There is some “homework” – primarily reading (and thinking); journaling is recommended. During class, there is discussion, activities and personal sharing (we can skip the role playing if you want to!)

A BYOT 1 workbook is necessary; there are a few available for check-out from the church library (do not write in them!) but it is suggested that each participant purchase one from the UUA online bookstore. If that is a financial hardship, please see me and we will work something out.

For the class to work as it is intended, a minimum of 6 people is needed and a maximum of 12 can be accommodated. Please contact me, Elaine Bowen, with any questions and to sign up by no later than May 5th. If there is not enough interest, this offering will be cancelled.

Community Within

New UU Classes in May
Everything you wanted to know about the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent in particular and Unitarian Universalism in general, but were afraid to ask.  Well, maybe not everything, but we try to give you an overview, a starting point.  Some history of both, some organizational details. Come join the conversation.  And, if you’re curious about membership, this is the place to be.

Part 1 will be on Sunday, May 12, from 9-11 am. Part 2 will be on Sunday, May 19, from 9-11 am.  You may attend one or both, although attendance at both is encouraged.  Different topics will be covered in each.  We will gather at the Annex, the yellow house next to the church.

If you have any questions, contact Claudia Miller or Marion Yeagler.

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, May 14 at 7 pm in the home of Mary Ann Kasper.   Please bring a non-dessert snack to share. This month we are reading Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo. The only thing certain about a journey is that it has a beginning and an end-for you never know what may happen along the way. And so it is with this journey into the minds and souls of two very different men-one of them in search of the truth, the other a man who may have already found it. Witty and inventive, this book takes readers into the heart of America and in the process shows us a man about to discover his own true heart. In June, we will be reading a biography of your choice. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

Art in the Sanctuary

Jan Noden’s artwork consisting of her many recently created collages, watercolors, and monotypes will be on display this month. She is a signature member of the Ohio Watercolor Society and the National Collage Society.

The Sanctuary Carpeting Has Been Newly Steam Cleaned . . .

and we would like to keep it clean!  This most recent cleaning revealed a fair amount of spilled beverages and ground in food.  To preserve the carpeting (and the pew cushions) as long as possible, we request that you do not bring food or beverages except water into the sanctuary.  Thank you!

Supporting Our Loved Ones Living With Memory Loss

Please join us for a discussion of memory loss, an introduction to the different kinds of dementia and how it effects the brain, and how we can support and care for the people in our life who have memory loss. The workshop is presented by Rev. Katie Norris and sponsored by our Care Team. Rev. Katie is a caregiver for her mother who was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia seven years ago. Through this experience and her work as the Executive Director the Carolyn L. Farrell Foundation for Brain Health (farrellfoundation.com), she has been helping to raise awareness about dementia and help communities and families communicate and care for their loved ones with memory loss. We will engage in discussion, discover local resources, and even try a few dementia-friendly activities.

This event will take place on Sunday, May 5 from 1 to 3 pm.  A light lunch will be offered immediately following the second service in Fessenden Hall.  Please RSVP to the church office so that we can be sure to have enough food available.  This event is open to the public so please feel free to invite family and friends to join us.

Surprise Friends: please remember, to leave your notes Sundays April 21 through May 12 and the “big reveal” is May 19!  Make sure you are there for coffee hour to meet your Surprise Friend in person. In the past, Surprise Friends have exchanged small tokens of friendship during the special revealing celebration. Can’t wait to see you there!

UU & Interfaith Connections

“Love and Help” Boy Scout Program

Have you noticed the scouts in uniform among us on recent Sunday mornings?  We are offering a 5-week program for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts who are working to achieve the “Love and Help” emblem.  Daniel Flippo, Eliot Flippo and Lucas Pierre are joining Karen Lapidus and Dan Flippo to complete the requirements of the program.  Each scout completes a workbook which leads them on a discovery of levels of responsibility to themselves, their family, their friends, their church and ultimately to the greater community.  Their service project will be to clean up the grounds around the Annex.  The emblems will be awarded during the RE Sunday worship service on June 2nd.

District Assembly convening in Niagara Falls April 26-27
This year our Ohio-Meadville District, in a historic move, is having a joint District Assembly with St Lawrence District.  And the Rev Peter Morales, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association,  is the keynote speaker!  This promises to be an energizing event not to be missed!  Deadlines are fast upon us.  Some partial scholarships are available, and must be applied for by March 29.  If you would like more information about workshops and timelines, please go to https://www.uua.org/central-east/events .  You may also contact Marion Yeagler, Ohio-Meadville District Board of Trustees.

Outreach and Social Justice

We are convening a meeting of the Social Justice Group’s Human Rights Committee.  This will include areas of focus that will include Immigration, Race, LGBTQ rights, and Women’s Rights.  The opportunity to provide advocacy, empowerment, education and understanding and transformation in these areas will be the energy driving this committee.  In the arena of Immigration we, as UUs, have a history of affirming human diversity, advocating to break down barriers and challenging human rights abuses.  The committee focusing on Race has the ability to challenge racism and oppression and  to advocate for racial justice by being inclusive of all races and cultural backgrounds.  The LBGTQ group will promote acceptance, inclusion, understanding and advocacy opportunities for interested committee members and the Women’s Rights committee will reflect the UU principle of recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every person as we protect and affirm the lives of women.

Your energy and ideas as we work to develop and envision the process and focus of these groups will be welcomed and embraced.  We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, April 25^th as we continue the legacy of social justice espoused by this community and congregation.

Hunger and Economic Justice Task Group Update

Sincere thanks and gratitude to our generous and be-loved community for the phenomenal collection for the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank on Easter Sunday. We donated $887.25 which funds 3,549 meals for the hungry and food insecure in an 8 county service area. Thank you for sharing the love. And . . . for your support of the KSU Campus Ministers’ “April Showers” collection of personal hygiene products for shower kits for the homeless. In a 2 week period, you showed your faith in action through toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, washcloths and a variety of other goods. Well done, UUCK, well done!

The task group is looking for a volunteer leader and a dedicated small cadre of folks to work a monthly (or twice monthly) two hour shift at the County Clothing Center on Rte. 59 in Ravenna. We are trying to revive our efforts to be a volunteer presence in helping sort & fold clothes & assist clients. Plastic grocery bags are always needed and can be dropped off in the closet next to the elevator on the lower level of the church.

Do you enjoy meal planning and cooking??? Would you like to be one of 7 or 8 people to prepare and serve a Sun-day evening meal for clients of KSS? I’m trying to gauge interest in this activity and would like for you to let me know. It is a volunteer opportunity that you can try once and you’re not locked in to doing it again.

I’d like to hear from you if you would like to work on small projects for the hungry and poor of the community. I know you have ideas . . . please contact Elaine Bowen.

Want to save our Earth?  Join us for the Environmental Justice meeting on Tuesday April 30th, 7-9pm in Fessenden Hall!  We’ll discuss environmental special collections, project priorities for the year, and the Green Sanctuary program.  Contact Andrew Rome with questions.

Income Generation

Annual UUCK Book Sale Transformed

The Annual UUCK Book Sale has been transformed into the UUCK BookBook Sale!  In addition to our usual collection of great reads, a Tupperware book party will be concurrently held in the Sanctuary. But wait . . . THERE’S MORE!  We will also be hosting a bake sale and a lunch counter. Books, food and Tupperware; how could it possibly be better? The UUCK BookBook Sale will take place on Saturday, May 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Be there and be transformed!

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.  –  Abraham Lincoln

I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware. – Joan Rivers

A DIFFERENT WAY TO BUY STUFF:

At the grocery card table, someone pointed out that Giant Eagle sells all kinds of gift cards for other establishments, including theaters, restaurants, department stores, hardware stores etc…dozens if not hundreds of stores. I checked into this, and Giant Eagle gift cards purchased at the church can used for any of these cards. You still get the fuel perks too! They even have a “Parent-Student” card for your college student: just buy a gift card at the church, and use it to purchase or re-load the student’s card with money at Giant Eagle. Their general rule is: “Use a Giant Eagle gift card in the Giant Eagle store, just like cash”. Our thought is: “Don’t spend cash at Giant Eagle or Acme, buy a gift card from the church, its like donating 5% of the card value to the church, but it costs you nothing”. Contact Bob Erdman if any questions, or other great ideas!

Spring Forth With the Giving of Books. 

The time of year has come once more when Robins sing in the rain, the flowers poke their heads up from the warming earth and books appear as if by magic in Fessenden Hall. Yea, the  Annual UUCK Book Sale is nigh, riding in on the southern winds, returning with the geese who had flown south but two short seasons ago. As you perform the ancient ritual of Spring cleaning, please set aside all your gently used books, DVDs, and CDs to donate to the Annual UUCK Book Sale. Just leave them in the designated space in Fessenden Hall through April 30 and the book sprites will whisk them away, only to be returned on that foretold day, May 4, where they will take their honored place in supporting the growth and well-being of the UUCK. In addition we will be hosting a bake sale table as well. Please consider contributing your favorite home baked cookies, brownies, muffins and other goodies. You may drop them off in the kitchen on Friday May 3rd or Saturday May 4th. Please label them “Book Sale” so we know they are intended for that purpose. Thank you in advance for your generous, heartfelt donations.

Spring—an experience in immortality. -Henry D. Thoreau

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. –Author Unknown

Worship & Music

Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.

Sunday, April 21     Growing Greener

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Mary Lou Holly

Join us for our annual celebration of Earth Day! This year we will lift up a few of the many ways individuals and communities are exploring to grow greener lives and a greener planet.

Did you love the Zeng Quartet?  Well then you’re in for another treat!

Andrea Beltran Landers is a cellist from Peru who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in performance at Kent State University.  She will be offering a free concert on Sunday, April 21 at 7:00 PM in our Sanctuary.  Free will offerings in support of our UUCK Music Committee will be gratefully accepted.  Spread the word!

Can You Share Spring Flowers?

Now that the flowers are blooming again, perhaps you might consider sharing some on Sunday morning.  If you have some flowers growing in your yard you would be willing to bring for a Sunday morning service, please sign up on the flower sign-up sheet in Fessenden Hall.  In addition, the offer always stands to make a contribution and have the church provide flowers on your behalf.  If it is easier, you are welcome to call or email the church office to make arrangements for bringing or purchasing flowers.  Thank you for helping to add beauty to our Sunday mornings!

Cuyahoga River Concert Series: Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen

April 26   8 PM

Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent

Tickets are $10.00 at the Door

Steve and Cindy and their partnership Compass Rose Music represent the very best in contemporary and traditional folk music.   http://www.compassrosemusic.com/

CD Subscription for Sunday Services?

Thanks to volunteer extraordinaire Brad Bolton, much of each Sunday’s service is podcast on our website.  Many people who are unable to make it to church use the podcast as a way of catching the services they missed.  People who are thinking about checking out the church often listen to services before they come and some folks forward links to friends or family who they think might be interested in a particular sermon.  Due to the restrictions of copyright law, only the original parts of each service are included in the podcast.  However, Brad records the entirety of the service and is willing to turn those recordings into cds if there are people who might be interested in receiving a weekly subscription.  So long as we are mailing cds to people who are members or friends of the church, we can share the whole service without violating copyright law.  We are thinking this option might be appealing to folks who do not make it to church regularly and who either do not have a computer or are not comfortable with the technology required to listen to podcasts.   We would like to know if such a service would be useful.  If you would be interested in being mailed a cd of the Sunday service each week, please call or send a note to the church office.

Community Within

Attention All Leaders and Committee Chairs

All Annual Reports to be included in the Annual Meeting packet are due May 1, 2013. Please submit or email reports to MaryBeth at [email protected]. Annual Meeting packets will be available to the congregation on

May 15. The Annual Congregational Information Meeting is scheduled for May 30 @ 7 PM and the Voting Meeting will be held on June 2 @ 12:30 PM.

Interested in Being Part of a Men’s Group

On April 21 at 1:00 pm in the Annex, Max Grubb will lead a group for men who are interested in the possibility of participating in a men’s group at the church.  Several years ago we had an active men’s group that eventually disbanded for a variety of reasons. It seems at least one of those reasons was a lack of a clear sense of purpose for the group.  One of the goals of this initial meeting, in addition to finding out how many people might be interested, is also to find out what kind of men’s group people might be interested in joining.

Max has been a part of a men’s group for over 20 years and has lots of experience with different forms and styles of men’s groups.  He is happy to share that experience with our church and is looking forward to exploring what kind of men’s group might work well here.  Please RSVP to Max  if you plan to attend.

Art in the Sanctuary

Jan Noden’s artwork consisting of her many recently created collages, watercolors, and monotypes will be on display this month. She is a signature member of the Ohio Watercolor Society and the National Collage Society.

The Sanctuary Carpeting Has Been Newly Steam Cleaned . . .

and we would like to keep it clean!  This most recent cleaning revealed a fair amount of spilled beverages and ground in food.  To preserve the carpeting (and the pew cushions) as long as possible, we request that you do not bring food or beverages except water into the sanctuary.  Thank you!

Supporting Our Loved Ones Living With Memory Loss

Please join us for a discussion of memory loss, an introduction to the different kinds of dementia and how it effects the brain, and how we can support and care for the people in our life who have memory loss. The workshop is presented by Rev. Katie Norris and sponsored by our Care Team. Rev. Katie is a caregiver for her mother who was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia seven years ago. Through this experience and her work as the Executive Director the Carolyn L. Farrell Foundation for Brain Health (farrellfoundation.com), she has been helping to raise awareness about dementia and help communities and families communicate and care for their loved ones with memory loss. We will engage in discussion, discover local resources, and even try a few dementia-friendly activities.

This event will take place on Sunday, May 5 from 1 to 3 pm.  A light lunch will be offered immediately following the second service in Fessenden Hall.  Please RSVP to the church office so that we can be sure to have enough food available.  This event is open to the public so please feel free to invite family and friends to join us.

Surprise Friends: please remember, to leave your notes Sundays April 21 through May 12 and the “big reveal” is May 19!  Make sure you are there for coffee hour to meet your Surprise Friend in person. In the past, Surprise Friends have exchanged small tokens of friendship during the special revealing celebration. Can’t wait to see you there!

Electronic Giving Now Live!

We are excited to announce that after many months of research and planning, we are now able to accept financial contributions on our website.  We are using PayPal in order to provide this service which will allow you to decide the frequency of your giving and also enable you to direct your gift to a particular program or ministry.  Find the yellow Donate Now buttons on left side of each page.  Many thanks to Dan Flippo for his help in setting up this service!

ONE MORE CHANCE

To see “Your Basic Treasure Chest of Humor”, in case you missed the April 5th performance.  DVDs of the entire performance will be available for anyone wishing to have one, for the modest price of $5.00; all benefits, of course, going to the church.  If you are interested in receiving one (or more), please enter your name on the signup sheet, which will be available at Coffee Hour this morning.

                                     Thank you, Ted Voneida

UU & Interfaith Connections

The April Kent Community Dinner will be held on April 20 at 5:30 pm at the Islamic Community Center at 152 East Steels Corners Road in Cuyahoga Falls.  The Islamic Society of Akron and Kent invites the people of Kent over to get to know them.  Reservations are required.  Call 330-922-9991. Speakers will include Mr. Haleem Najeeullah of the Board of Directors of  the Islamic Society with a keynote address by Dr. Kara Ellis Skora of the Department of Religious Studies of the College of Wooster.

It is a dress affair.  Modest attire is a must in this group. Bring a dessert (no gelatin, lard or pork). Transportation is available. Meet at 4:45 pm behind the United Church of Christ.  Questions?  Call 330-678-8760.

District Assembly convening in Niagara Falls April 26-27
This year our Ohio-Meadville District, in a historic move, is having a joint District Assembly with St Lawrence District.  And the Rev Peter Morales, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association,  is the keynote speaker!  This promises to be an energizing event not to be missed!  Deadlines are fast upon us.  Some partial scholarships are available, and must be applied for by March 29.  If you would like more information about workshops and timelines, please go to https://www.uua.org/central-east/events .  You may also contact Marion Yeagler, Ohio-Meadville District Board of Trustees.

Outreach and Social Justice

UUs to Consider Fracking

If you haven’t registered yet, be sure to do so for the Ohio Meadville-Saint Lawrence Joint District Assembly to be held in Niagara Falls, NY on April 26-27.    www.ohiomeadville.org/districtassembly/deregistration

Annual Garlic Mustard Pull
Join us on Saturday, April 20th from 9am-11am pull invasive Garlic Mustard from the parks along the river. This weed chokes out native species and must be pulled before the prolific seed heads open. Afterward, saunter downtown for the Who’s Your Mama? Earth Day festival, knowing you’ve done your part. Meet in the church parking lot across the street and ask Andrew Rome for more information.

Income Generation

A DIFFERENT WAY TO BUY STUFF:

At the grocery card table, someone pointed out that Giant Eagle sells all kinds of gift cards for other establishments, including theaters, restaurants, department stores, hardware stores etc…dozens if not hundreds of stores. I checked into this, and Giant Eagle gift cards purchased at the church can used for any of these cards. You still get the fuel perks too! They even have a “Parent-Student” card for your college student: just buy a gift card at the church, and use it to purchase or re-load the student’s card with money at Giant Eagle. Their general rule is: “Use a Giant Eagle gift card in the Giant Eagle store, just like cash”. Our thought is: “Don’t spend cash at Giant Eagle or Acme, buy a gift card from the church, it’s like donating 5% of the card value to the church, but it costs you nothing”. Contact Bob Erdman  if any questions, or other great ideas!

Spring Forth With the Giving of Books. 

The time of year has come once more when Robins sing in the rain, the flowers poke their heads up from the warming earth and books appear as if by magic in Fessenden Hall. Yea, the  Annual UUCK Book Sale is nigh, riding in on the southern winds, returning with the geese who had flown south but two short seasons ago. As you perform the ancient ritual of Spring cleaning, please set aside all your gently used books, DVDs, and CDs to donate to the Annual UUCK Book Sale. Just leave them in the designated space in Fessenden Hall through April 30 and the book sprites will whisk them away, only to be returned on that foretold day, May 4, where they will take their honored place in supporting the growth and well-being of the UUCK. In addition we will be hosting a bake sale table as well. Please consider contributing your favorite home baked cookies, brownies, muffins and other goodies. You may drop them off in the kitchen on Friday May 3rd or Saturday May 4th. Please label them “Book Sale” so we know they are intended for that purpose. Thank you in advance for your generous, heartfelt donations.

Spring—an experience in immortality. -Henry D. Thoreau

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. –Author Unknown

Worship & Music

Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.

Sunday, April 14      “Like” this Service

Led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Max Grubb

A colleague recently asked me whether I have ever used the teleprompter app on an iPad when preaching my sermons.  I didn’t even know a teleprompter app existed! There are so many technologies being devised to help us work, learn, connect and play better and more efficiently. How do we decide when technological developments can help and when they might actually hinder our growth?

Bring your phone, tablet or laptop with you to church on April 14 (but don’t worry if you don’t have one or don’t want to bring it with you – you won’t be excluded!)

Our April 14 service will be exploring the ways in which technology generally and social media in particular can help and/or hinder our spiritual growth.  We hope the service will be interactive and would like to invite you to bring your phone, tablet or laptop with you to church that day.  We will be inviting you to post responses to questions we raise in the service on either Facebook or Twitter and those responses will be projected so that they are visible to everyone in attendance.  In order to make this as accessible as possible, we will have both sites up at the same time.  If you do not have a smart phone, tablet or laptop that would allow you to post to Facebook during the service, you can post to Twitter with any phone that has texting capacity.  To sign up for a Twitter account go to https://twitter.com/signup

Did you love the Zeng Quartet?  Well then you’re in for another treat!

Andrea Beltran Landers is a cellist from Peru who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in performance at Kent State University.  She will be offering a free concert on Sunday, April 21 at 7:00 PM in our Sanctuary.  Free will offerings in support of our UUCK Music Committee will be gratefully accepted.  Spread the word!

CD Subscription for Sunday Services?

Thanks to volunteer extraordinaire Brad Bolton, much of each Sunday’s service is podcast on our website.  Many people who are unable to make it to church use the podcast as a way of catching the services they missed.  People who are thinking about checking out the church often listen to services before they come and some folks forward links to friends or family who they think might be interested in a particular sermon.  Due to the restrictions of copyright law, only the original parts of each service are included in the podcast.  However, Brad records the entirety of the service and is willing to turn those recordings into cds if there are people who might be interested in receiving a weekly subscription.  So long as we are mailing cds to people who are members or friends of the church, we can share the whole service without violating copyright law.  We are thinking this option might be appealing to folks who do not make it to church regularly and who either do not have a computer or are not comfortable with the technology required to listen to podcasts.   We would like to know if such a service would be useful.  If you would be interested in being mailed a cd of the Sunday service each week, please call or send a note to the church office.

Lifespan Learning

Spiritual Cinema has been rescheduled! 

Please join us for Spiritual Cinema this Friday, April 12 at 7:00 PM. We will watch the motion picture, “The Da Vinci Code” (2006). The movie is 174 minutes and will be followed by a short discussion of some of the topics raised by the movie. This month we will be screening the movie in Dan Flippo’s home.   Please RSVP to Dan at [email protected].

Comments by Dan

Since it is Easter, I thought it would be interesting to watch a movie that brings up many controversial questions about Jesus Christ.  For two thousand years there has been a debate over whether Jesus Christ was a man, god, or both.  Originally, the term “Unitarian” was intended to be an insult of American liberal ministers who questioned the holy trinity concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Famously Thomas Jefferson created his own version of the Gospels in that time period eliminating all miracles and ending at the crucifixion   While I am aware of the creative license that Dan Brown used while writing the Da Vinci Code, I believe it is very effective at raising questions about how much of the gospels is based on historical events and whether it is possible that there are living descendants of Jesus.  Ours is a faith that welcomes these questions and I hope you will join me in a discussion of the historical Jesus after the movie.

Community Within

Church Directory Complete!

We thank everyone for updating their information and reviewing the draft of our new Church Picture Directory.  Please see the attached file for our now complete Church Directory.    Updated directories will be sent our approximately every 6 months from here forward.  We also would like to extend our appreciation to the members of the Membership Committee for undertaking this arduous task – thank you!

Electronic Giving Now Live!

We are excited to announce that after many months of research and planning, we are now able to accept financial contributions on our website.  We are using PayPal in order to provide this service which will allow you to decide the frequency of your giving and also enable you to direct your gift to a particular program or ministry.  Find the yellow Donate Now buttons on left side of each page.  Many thanks to Dan Flippo for his help in setting up this service!

ONE MORE CHANCE

To see “Your Basic Treasure Chest of Humor”, in case you missed the April 5th performance.  DVDs of the entire performance will be available for anyone wishing to have one, for the modest price of $5.00; all benefits, of course, going to the church.  If you are interested in receiving one (or more), please enter your name on the signup sheet, which will be available at Coffee Hour this morning.     Thank you, Ted Voneida

Surprise Friends: please remember, to leave your notes Sundays April 21 through May 12 and the “big reveal” is May 19!  Make sure you are there for coffee hour to meet your Surprise Friend in person. In the past, Surprise Friends have exchanged small tokens of friendship during the special revealing celebration. Can’t wait to see you there!

UU & Interfaith Connections

The April Kent Community Dinner will be held on April 20 at 5:30 pm at the Islamic Community Center at 152 East Steels Corners Road in Cuyahoga Falls.  The Islamic Society of Akron and Kent invites the people of Kent over to get to know them.  Reservations are required.  Call 330-922-9991. Speakers will include Mr. Haleem Najeeullah of the Board of Directors of  the Islamic Society with a keynote address by Dr. Kara Ellis Skora of the Department of Religious Studies of the College of Wooster.

It is a dress affair.  Modest attire is a must in this group. Bring a dessert (no gelatin, lard or pork). Transportation is available. Meet at 4:45 pm behind the United Church of Christ.  Questions?  Call 330-678-8760.

District Assembly convening in Niagara Falls April 26-27
This year our Ohio-Meadville District, in a historic move, is having a joint District Assembly with St Lawrence District.  And the Rev Peter Morales, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association,  is the keynote speaker!  This promises to be an energizing event not to be missed!  Deadlines are fast upon us.  Some partial scholarships are available, and must be applied for by March 29.  If you would like more information about workshops and timelines, please go to https://www.uua.org/central-east/events .  You may also contact Marion Yeagler, Ohio-Meadville District Board of Trustees.

Outreach and Social Justice

UUs to Consider Fracking

If you haven’t registered yet, be sure to do so for the Ohio Meadville-Saint Lawrence Joint District Assembly to be held in Niagara Falls, NY on April 26-27.    www.ohiomeadville.org/districtassembly/deregistration

Annual Garlic Mustard Pull
Join us on Saturday, April 20th from 9am-11am pull invasive Garlic Mustard from the parks along the river. This weed chokes out native species and must be pulled before the prolific seed heads open. Afterward, saunter downtown for the Who’s Your Mama? Earth Day festival, knowing you’ve done your part. Meet in the church parking lot across the street and ask Andrew Rome for more information.

Thanks to all who donated items for the April Showers outreach project.  Rev. Melissa dropped off and car-load of toiletries donated by you!  We know the generosity of the folks here at UU Church of Kent will be very much appreciated!

Income Generation

Another successful slice of the PIE!!
Thank you SO much to everyone who helped to make the 2014 Stewardship campaign another success!   Because we came in above last year’s total, we will be able to add some of the programming that we hoped to.  If we can get the six or seven pledges that we are still short, we will be able to do even more.  It’s not too late;  the Finance Committee is meeting on Sunday, the 14th, to set the budget.  You may call the office with your pledge, 330-673-4247, or send it via email, [email protected].  We will report the final numbers next week.  And thank you again to everyone who made a financial commitment!

Wanna buy a bunch of cards?  OK!

We sell gift cards for Giant Eagle and Acme stores every Sunday at coffee hour.  This helps the church since we receive 5% of the value of the cards sold, and is convenient for the buyers, since they pay for the face value of the card and use it like a debit card. We rarely run out, but some people occasionally are disappointed when they want buy several hundred dollars’ worth of cards and we only have a few hundred available left to sell. In order to address this issue, we now will guarantee that we have any amount $500 or more available for you on a given Sunday if you email me the previous Sunday or earlier (please allow a minimum of 7 days). Sometimes we have them available in any case–if we have them, we’ll sell them to you. But if you want to be sure, email me and we will arrange to have them reserved for you the following Sunday.

Thanks for buying gift cards through the church rather than using cash at Acme and Giant Eagle stores.

Bob Erdman, Grocery Card Coordinator.

Spring Forth With the Giving of Books. 

The time of year has come once more when Robins sing in the rain, the flowers poke their heads up from the warming earth and books appear as if by magic in Fessenden Hall. Yea, the  Annual UUCK Book Sale is nigh, riding in on the southern winds, returning with the geese who had flown south but two short seasons ago. As you perform the ancient ritual of Spring cleaning, please set aside all your gently used books, DVDs, and CDs to donate to the Annual UUCK Book Sale. Just leave them in the designated space in Fessenden Hall between the dates of April 14 and 30 and the book sprites will whisk them away, only to be returned on that foretold day, May 4, where they will take their honored place in supporting the growth and well being of the UUCK. In addition we will be hosting a bake sale table as well. Please consider contributing your favorite home baked cookies, brownies, muffins and other goodies. You may drop them off in the kitchen on Friday May 3rd or Saturday May 4th. Please label them “Book Sale” so we know they are intended for that purpose. Thank you in advance for your generous, heartfelt donations.

Spring—an experience in immortality. -Henry D. Thoreau

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. –Author Unknown

Worship & Music

Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.

Sunday, April 7      Youth Sunday Change and Growth as Young Unitarian Universalists

Led by the Youth Through music, readings, ritual and individual reflection, our high school youth will offer the congregation a window into what it means to grow up UU. Join us for this beloved annual worship experience. See p. 4 for comments about Youth Sunday from Karen Lapidus.

Did you love the Zeng Quartet?  Well then you’re in for another treat!

Andrea Beltran Landers is a cellist from Peru is currently pursuing a master’s degree in performance at Kent State University.  She will be offering a free concert on Sunday, April 21 at 7:00 PM in our Sanctuary.  Free will offerings in support of our UUCK Music Committee will be gratefully accepted.  Spread the word!

CD Subscription for Sunday Services?

Thanks to volunteer extraordinaire Brad Bolton, much of each Sunday’s service is podcast on our website.  Many people who are unable to make it to church use the podcast as a way of catching the services they missed.  People who are thinking about checking out the church often listen to services before they come and some folks forward links to friends or family who they think might be interested in a particular sermon.  Due to the restrictions of copyright law, only the original parts of each service are included in the podcast.  However, Brad records the entirety of the service and is willing to turn those recordings into cds if there are people who might be interested in receiving a weekly subscription.  So long as we are mailing cds to people who are members or friends of the church, we can share the whole service without violating copyright law.  We are thinking this option might be appealing to folks who do not make it to church regularly and who either do not have a computer or are not comfortable with the technology required to listen to podcasts.   We would like to know if such a service would be useful.  If you would be interested in being mailed a cd of the Sunday service each week, please call or send a note to the church office.

Lifespan Learning

Please join us for Spiritual Cinema this Friday, April 5 at 7:00 PM. We will watch the motion picture, “The Da Vinci Code” (2006). The movie is 174 minutes and will be followed by a short discussion of some of the topics raised by the movie. This month we will be screening the movie in Dan Flippo’s home, 2650 Easthaven Drive, Hudson OH 44236. Please RSVP to Dan at [email protected].

Comments by Dan –

Since it is Easter, I thought it would be interesting to watch a movie that brings up many controversial questions about Jesus Christ.  For two thousand years there has been a debate over whether Jesus Christ was a man, god, or both.  Originally, the term “Unitarian” was intended to be an insult of American liberal ministers who questioned the holy trinity concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Famously Thomas Jefferson created his own version of the Gospels in that time period eliminating all miracles and ending at the crucifixion   While I am aware of the creative license that Dan Brown used while writing the Da Vinci Code, I believe it is very effective at raising questions about how much of the gospels is based on historical events and whether it is possible that there are living descendants of Jesus.  Ours is a faith that welcomes these questions and I hope you will join me in a discussion of the historical Jesus after the movie.

On Sunday, April 7 you are invited to join us for TED and pizza after the second service in Fessenden Hall.   We will be screening the talk What Makes Life Meaningful by Michael Steger.  Steger is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University. He has spent more than a decade researching people’s ability to find meaning in their lives and the benefits of living a meaningful life. In his talk, he asks the question “What Makes Life Meaningful?” and will share what psychological science can tell us about the answer. He is the co-editor of ‘Designing Positive Psychology’ and the forthcoming ‘Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace.’  If you plan to attend and would like pizza, please send a quick email to the church office so that we can be sure to order enough.  If you’d rather, you are also welcome to bring your own lunch.

Joel Slater has been the driving force behind our monthly TED talks this year and he is ready to take a break from this role in order to pursue some new ideas he has brewing.  Many thanks to Joel for all his good work!  If you have enjoyed this series and would like to step up lead it in the future, please let Rev. Melissa know.

Community Within

Electronic Giving Now Live!

We are excited to announce that after many months of research and planning, we are now able to accept financial contributions on our website.  We are using PayPal in order to provide this service which will allow you to decide the frequency of your giving and also enable you to direct your gift to a particular program or ministry.  Find the yellow Donate Now buttons on left side of each page.  Many thanks to Dan Flippo for his help in setting up this service!

Please be aware of the revised time!

“Your Basic Treasure Chest of Humor” presented by Ted Voneida and Cast 

Friday, April 5, 2012   7:30 PM

An Afternoon of Card?Making – Saturday, April 6, 2013

Come spend an afternoon making cards with friends, NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Michelle Bores will lead you in the making of 6 different cards, 2 of each card and a note pad with cover. Michelle will supply all of the cards, envelopes, paper, double sided tape & any other items needed. She will also bring the ideas, patterns, instructions, Stamps, ink pads, paper cutter & Sizzix die cutting machine. If you have scissors, pencil and a ruler, please bring them. If you have any other “tools” and would not mind sharing, please let her know. Some examples of the cards we will make are birthday, anniversary, thank you, blank note cards, etc… This event is family-friendly, for adults and kids in 5th grade or older.   This is a service auction event, please call Michelle if you would like to attend.

Date: April 6, 2013

Time: 1 – 4 pm

Location: Fessenden Hall

20 seats offered – 10 left

Surprise — it’s that time of year again!

Want to make a new friend in the church? Looking for a way to celebrate spring? Here is your chance! You are all invited to participate in this fun, intergenerational activity of friendship and caring! We will have a sign up table outside of the sanctuary Sunday, April 7. Participating adults will be matched with children in the congregation on April 14 and encouraged to exchange notes and artwork on Sundays, April 21 through May 12.  Adults will remain anonymous until the “big reveal” on May 19. Sign-up forms will be available until April 7.

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, April 9 at 7 pm in the home of Kathie Slater.  Please bring a non-dessert snack to share. This month we are reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak  (young adult fiction, 2006). It is 1939 Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier and it will become busier still. By her brother’s graveside, Liesel Meminger’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden by the snow. It is The Grave Digger’s Handbook, left there by accident and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library; wherever there are books to be found. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up and closed down. In May we will be reading Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

UU & Interfaith Connections

The award-winning documentary, “The House I Live In,” (pbs.org/independentlens/house-i-live-in/), directed by Eugene Jarecki, will air on PBS April 8, 2013. Michelle Alexander, author of “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”, appears in the documentary. Her book was selected as the current Common Read by the UUA.

The April Kent Community Dinner will be held on April 20 at 5:30 pm at the Islamic Community Center at 152 East Steels Corners Road in Cuyahoga Falls.  The Islamic Society of Akron and Kent invites the people of Kent over to get to know them.  Reservations are required.  Call 330-922-9991. Speakers will include Mr. Haleem Najeeullah of the Board of Directors of  the Islamic Society with a keynote address by Dr. Kara Ellis Skora of the Department of Religious Studies of the College of Wooster.

It is a dress affair.  Modest attire is a must in this group. Bring a dessert (no gelatin, lard or pork). Transportation is available. Meet at 4:45 pm behind the United Church of Christ.  Questions?  Call 330-678-8760.

District Assembly convening in Niagara Falls April 26-27
This year our Ohio-Meadville District, in a historic move, is having a joint District Assembly with St Lawrence District.  And the Rev Peter Morales, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association,  is the keynote speaker!  This promises to be an energizing event not to be missed!  Deadlines are fast upon us.  Some partial scholarships are available, and must be applied for by March 29.  If you would like more information about workshops and timelines, please go to https://www.uua.org/central-east/events .  You may also contact Marion Yeagler, Ohio-Meadville District Board of Trustees.

Outreach and Social Justice

UUs to Consider Fracking

If you haven’t registered yet, be sure to do so for the Ohio Meadville-Saint Lawrence Joint District Assembly to be held in Niagara Falls, NY on April 26-27.    www.ohiomeadville.org/districtassembly/deregistration

Annual Garlic Mustard Pull
Join us on Saturday, April 20th from 9am-11am pull invasive Garlic Mustard from the parks along the river. This weed chokes out native species and must be pulled before the prolific seed heads open. Afterward, saunter downtown for the Who’s Your Mama? Earth Day festival, knowing you’ve done your part. Meet in the church parking lot across the street and ask Andrew Rome for more information.

April Showers Service Project

The Campus Ministers’ Organization at Kent State University hopes to make showering a little bit easier for the homeless and transient populations in Portage County with the April Showers Service Project. As a congregational member of the Campus Minister’s Organization, we will collect new, unopened travel size hygiene items for the people at Family and Community Services. These items will be assembled into personal hygiene kits by students and anyone else who passes through the main lobby of the Kent Student Center on Tuesday, April 16 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. These kits will be given to Family and Community Services, who will distribute them to persons in need.

All new, unopened, travel size personal hygiene items will be accepted, but we are particularly encouraging donations of toothpaste, toothbrushes, disposable razors, deodorant, shampoo, bar soap (can be regular sized), and wash cloths.  Please drop your items in the box located in the Founders Lounge by April 7.

Income Generation

It’s not too late to make your pledge of financial commitment

The PIE may be all gone,  but we’re still waiting for a few of the faithful to make their annual pledges of financial commitment for fiscal year 2013-14, which begins on July 1, 2013 and ends on June 30, 2014.  We are still working toward our goal, so if, for one reason or another, you haven’t turned in your pledge, this is the week to do it.  There are many ways to accomplish this:  email the church office with the information,  put your pledge card in the offering basket, or give the information to your canvasser when he or she calls.

Please help us to be able to plan a realistic year of church programming by making your pledge now.

Wanna buy a bunch of cards?  OK!

We sell gift cards for Giant Eagle and Acme stores every Sunday at coffee hour.  This helps the church since we receive 5% of the value of the cards sold, and is convenient for the buyers, since they pay for the face value of the card and use it like a debit card. We rarely run out, but some people occasionally are disappointed when they want buy several hundred dollars’ worth of cards and we only have a few hundred available left to sell. In order to address this issue, we now will guarantee that we have any amount $500 or more available for you on a given Sunday if you email me the previous Sunday or earlier (please allow a minimum of 7 days). Sometimes we have them available in any case–if we have them, we’ll sell them to you. But if you want to be sure, email me and we will arrange to have them reserved for you the following Sunday.

Thanks for buying gift cards through the church rather than using cash at Acme and Giant Eagle stores.

Bob Erdman, Grocery Card Coordinator.

Spring Forth With the Giving of Books. 

The time of year has come once more when Robins sing in the rain, the flowers poke their heads up from the warming earth and books appear as if by magic in Fessenden Hall. Yea, the  Annual UUCK Book Sale is nigh, riding in on the southern winds, returning with the geese who had flown south but two short seasons ago. As you perform the ancient ritual of Spring cleaning, please set aside all your gently used books, DVDs, and CDs to donate to the Annual UUCK Book Sale. Just leave them in the designated space in Fessenden Hall between the dates of April 14 and 30 and the book sprites will whisk them away, only to be returned on that foretold day, May 4, where they will take their honored place in supporting the growth and well being of the UUCK. In addition we will be hosting a bake sale table as well. Please consider contributing your favorite home baked cookies, brownies, muffins and other goodies. You may drop them off in the kitchen on Friday May 3rd or Saturday May 4th. Please label them “Book Sale” so we know they are intended for that purpose. Thank you in advance for your generous, heartfelt donations.

Spring—an experience in immortality. -Henry D. Thoreau

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. –Author Unknown

Worship & Music

Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and 11:30.

Sunday,  March 17, 2013    Poetry Sunday

Led by Lay Leaders Joe Kuemerle and Lori McGee

Poetry is an important part of many people’s lives here at the UUCK. We are reviving the long-held tradition of Poetry Sunday, a tradition that has fallen to the wayside for several years. This service will include poems sent in by members and poems chosen by Joe and Lori which will be woven into an uplifting and inspirational service.

Celtic Clan of Kent Concert.

Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Eve! The Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent will host a family friendly concert of traditional Irish music on Saturday, March 16th at 7 PM. There will be toe tapping jigs and reels, beautiful songs and dancing too! This is a church fundraiser.

Adults: $7 donation, children 12 years and under, free.   Light refreshments will be served following the concert.

Lifespan Learning
 

Family-Friendly Easter Offerings
Our Middle School Youth will again be hosting the egg hunt for younger children on Sunday, March 31st at 11:00 am, immediately following the 10:00 am Family-Friendly Easter Worship Service.  Candy-filled plastic eggs will be “hidden” on the grounds around the main building and in the backyard of the Annex.  Parents will be asked to supervise their young children.  Watch the e-nUUs, Thread and email for more details.

Have you been intrigued by our Chalice Group program, but missed the sign-up this past fall? Perhaps you’re interested in checking it out for a spell before committing to a full season next year. The Thursday Night Chalice Group has some available openings and would welcome your presence. We meet about twice a month on Thursday Nights from 7pm to 9pm, and will be meeting through the month of May.. Please e-mail Leah Gillig  if you’re interested.

Community Within

I will be away this week from Thursday through Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Allies for Racial Equity (ARE) annual conference. As the president of ARE, I have significant responsibilities presenting workshops and leading meetings at the conference, but I will make a point to check my email at least once each day and will be available via cell phone for urgent concerns.  I’ll be concluding my responsibilities by leading worship Sunday morning at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford.  I only regret I will miss Poetry Sunday back here with you!

Peace, Melissa

Please note that the Church Office will be closed for the next several Mondays.  The Office will be open each week Tuesday – Friday 9:30 am – 4:00 pm.  Thank you.

The Library Committee urgently requests all overdue books (2 weeks after checkout date) be returned as soon as possible. We are trying to account for all the volumes listed in the collection in order to create another data base for easy access.  We are most grateful for your cooperation.

Surprise — it’s that time of year again!

Want to make a new friend in the church? Looking for a way to celebrate spring? Here is your chance! You are all invited to participate in this fun, intergenerational activity of friendship and caring! We will have a sign up table outside of the sanctuary on March 24, 31 and April 7. Participating adults will be matched with children in the congregation on April 14 and encouraged to exchange notes and artwork on Sundays, April 21 through May 12.  Adults will remain anonymous until the “big reveal” on May 19. Sign-up forms will be available until April 7.

Have you served on a committee in the last five years?  Did your committee read a book together?  Do you still have that book at your house?  If so, we’d appreciate it if you would bring it to the church office.  We are trying to gather the leadership books committees have used in recent years to keep them available in one central place.  That way future leaders might also benefit from these resources.  Thank you!

LANDSCAPE TEAM:  The growing season is about to SPRING upon us!  Aren’t you just itching to dig in some dirt?  A few people have signed up to take charge of some areas around the church, and we have a person dedicated to mowing, but we need a few more hands to keep the workload light and the weeds at bay.  A few hours a month through the growing season is all the commitment that is needed, and there are NO MEETINGS!  Email Georgia Quinn to sign up.

Save the Date: Friday, April 5, 2012   7 PM

“Your Basic Treasure Chest of Humor” presented by Ted Voneida and Cast

Outreach and Social Justice

This spring, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass compassionate, comprehensive immigration reform. As people of faith, we must raise our voices for an immigration reform bill that promotes justice, compassion, and keeps families together. Are you interested in learning more about how we can help?  The UUA Witness Ministries and Standing on the Side of Love staff will be hosting a webinar on TONIGHT, March 13, 8:00pm ET.  Please let Rev. Melissa know if you can attend the webinar and she’ll send you more information.

Close to someone with a mental illness? Attend a free program that has helped many Ohioans. The Portage County Family-to-Family Education Program will run Saturdays starting March 16, 2013 for 12 weeks. The course will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Church in Aurora, 146 S. Chillicothe Road, Aurora 44202. The program is sponsored by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County and NAMI Portage County. The course is open to anyone who has a family member or a friend with a brain disease, including schizophrenia, manic depression, clinical depression, an anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. It is taught by local residents who have a family member dealing with mental illness. Register by March 14. Call 330-673-1756, ext 201. You can also register by emailing [email protected].

CONTACT:        Amie Cajka

Director of Community Relations

Mental Health & Recovery Board, 330 673-1756, ext. 207

Income Generation

St. Patty’s Day Potato Bar Fundraiser!

On March 17th after 2nd service we will feature a potato bar fundraiser for your enjoyment.  (If the potatoes are done around 11AM and you are hungry we’ll be glad to feed you then)

We will have hot baked potatoes with ALL kinds of toppings!  Come enjoy one topped with Corned Beef and Cabbage and don’t forget the mustard or horsey sauce!  Maybe you are a purist and want butter only, that’s fine too.  We will have butter, sour cream, scallions, cheese, bacon bits, salsa and whatever else we can think of that might be good on a potato.

Our usual donation of $6 per adult and $4 per child under 12 is all we ask!

Thank you,

Your Fundraising Committee

Stewardship Campaign is off and running!

Our Stewardship Campaign is in full swing and the pledges are coming in strong;  to date, we’ve received approximately 60 pledges.  We’ve heard wonderful heartfelt stories about how this church, OUR church, has inspired our members to give and contribute of their time and talent because of what they receive in return.  We’ve heard how an increase in overall giving can add so much to our community.  We’ve sold PIE raffle tickets and given away several delicious pies!

If you haven’t committed to your pledge yet there is still time to do so!  The campaign doesn’t end until March 24th.  Don’t forget this is for next fiscal year which runs from July 1, 2013 until June 30, 2014.  If you aren’t at the 3% giving level yet and can make that stretch to give 3% of your adjusted gross income that would be ideal and really help with future planning.

If you have already turned in your pledges we thank you!!  If not you can turn in your pledge cards during the offertory on Sundays or at the Stewardship table during coffee hour.  If you need more information or just want to chat with fellow members we have some dessert nights still available.  You can sign up for one of them at the Stewardship table during coffee hour.

A classic pie to share with someone special –  Be sure to get one of these homemade apple pies, each in its vintage Ovenex 6” pie pan.   Carolyn Schlemmer makes apple pies with a mixture of Granny Smiths for tartness and Golden Delicious for sweetness so that only a little sugar is needed.  A touch of Saigon cinnamon and real butter enhances the apples’ flavor.  The pie pans belonged to Carolyn’s Granny Edna, and the light crust is made with Granny Edna’s recipe.  Each pie provides two people with a generous half a pie.  Only six pies will be offered, and all proceeds go to our own “slice of the pie” stewardship fund.

We will have a special silent auction of these delicious homemade pies.  Get your bids in at coffee hour!

Thank you,

Your Stewardship Committee