Worship & Music

 

Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM.

 

September 1 – Strong is What We Make Each Other

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

For many, Labor Day is the marker that connotes the end of the summer.  This morning we will return to the stories that gave rise to the Labor Day holiday and consider again the ways in which we are all lifted up by the power of union.

 

U.U.’ve Got Talent!

“We know you’ve got it, it’s time to let it out!”

On Saturday, September 28, the UU Church of Kent music committee is hosting a musical fundraiser. WE ARE IN SEARCH OF TALENT. This is your opportunity to perform solo or to invite other members of the congregation and friends to create a small ensemble. This is your chance to release that creative spark within you. Before Sunday, September 15, please contact Hal Walker with your idea. We are looking for a diverse range of 3 to 5 minute musical selections that express your unique talent. Only a limited number of spots are available, so start getting ready now!   All ages welcome!

 

SAVE THE DATE!

U.U.’ve Got Talent!  “An Evening of Musical Variety”

Please SAVE THE DATE!  On Saturday September 28^th, the UU church of Kent Music Committee is hosting a musical fundraiser. We are hoping to raise $800 to pay for the services of an accompanist for our beloved choir.  Join us at 7:30 that evening as we transform the Kent sanctuary into a venue for highlighting the remarkable talents of local UU’s and Friends!  $10 is the suggested donation, but please give what you can – hope to see you there!

 

It takes all of us to create a welcoming environment on Sunday mornings.  All the members and friends of this church are needed to extend hospitality to our visitors.  On any given Sunday, some people volunteer to be a part of our hospitality efforts in particular ways.  We have a large team of people who volunteer to help greet and usher on Sunday mornings, to prepare an inviting coffee hour and to donate flowers to add a focal point of beauty to our services.  In order to make it easier to participate, we are using a new tool that will allow you to see what Sunday morning hospitality positions are available and to decide when and how frequently you might be able to help.

If you are a member or an active friend of this congregation, we hope you will consider finding at least one time this fall and early winter when you might be able to volunteer in one of this very easy but extremely important roles.  Of course, there is no limit to the number of times you can volunteer!  Also, we want you to know that children and youth are welcome to participate in any of these roles.  Thank you for considering how you might be part of helping us practice the fragile art of hospitality every Sunday.

Sign up at:  www.SignUpGenius.com/go/904054FA9A62BA57-sunday

 

 

Lifespan Learning

 

Small Group Ministry:  Food for Thought Groups and Chalice Groups

Please keep an eye open for this year’s Small Group Ministry brochure and sign-up form  that will be attached to next week’s e-nUUs!

 

Our Religious Education is back to its regular schedule. The RE committee is very excited about the curriculum.  And we are even more excited about the amazing group of teachers who are graciously giving their talents to the awesome kids of our church!  It’s going to be a great year!

Please see the website for detailed information:  //kentuu.org/education/childrens-religious-education/

During the 9:45 service we will offer:

• Nursery
• Preschool for ages 3 + 4
• Early Elementary for grades K-2
• Upper Elementary for grades 3-5

During the 11:30 service we will offer:

• Nursery/playtime for babies through preschool
• Multi-age class for school-aged children
• Middle School Youth Group for grades 6-8
• High School Youth Group for grades 9-12

With the new RE year comes fall registration so that our information is current. Please stop by the registration table during coffee hour on 8/25 and register the children in your family. For more information on registering your family please contact RE Assistant Colleen Thoele.

 

Have you ever wanted to volunteer at church but cannot make a continued or lengthy time commitment? Do you enjoy spending time with infants and toddlers? If yes, then volunteering in the nursery is right up your alley! Every Sunday we ask that 2 adults or older teens (1 for each service) assist Michelle in the nursery. We are scheduling for nursery helpers now and we NEED you! To volunteer to be placed in the potential pool of nursery helpers, please email  Colleen Thoele.

 

Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.; Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology, Harvard medical School.

The group will meet from 6:00 to 7:30 at the Eldredge Annex on the following Sunday evenings:  September 8 & 22, October 6 & 20, and November 3 & 17.

Upcoming Meeting Topics

September 8:    There will be a general overview of the book as well as examination of what we each believe about our brains.  The authors present us with five myths about our brains we can work to dispel as well as three brain Super         Heroes.

September 22:  The topic will be depression.  Additional materials will be presented.

Feel free to join us as you are able for an exciting examination of who we are as humans and as individuals.

Questions? Call May Maske.

 

Community Within

 

Ministries Fair:  September 15

Please join us on Sunday, Sept. 15 when we highlight the many programs and ministries here at the Church.  Following each of the services, representatives from each team and committee will be available to help you explore varied opportunities to get involved.  We hope you’ll find something that both interests you and helps build your faith and sense of community here at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent.

 

 Art in the Sanctuary

Thoughts on the Human Brain

This year, President Obama announced a $100 million project to map the human brain. This got me thinking about exploring the relationship between what we know about the brain (anatomy) and what we still don’t yet understand (imagination). Perhaps we are more than the sum of our parts. I have cited the literary inspiration for each painting.

About the Artist

Lyndse Rae Faba studied painting and illustration at Pratt Institute, under the guidance of Charles Goslin, who she still refers to as “Goose,” despite his having rejoined the force in 2007. She eventually completed her BFA at the University of Akron where she majored in graphic design and minored in illustration and drawing with the support of Vlada Vukadinovic.

She has a long-standing love affair with jazz guitar and includes among her hobbies the study of physics: longboarding, sportmotorcycle riding and obstacle course running.

 

The Library Symposium on Faith Vs Reason, with Bill Moyers’ interview of author Mary Gordon, and philosopher Colin McGinn is coming faster than we realize. (Where did summer go?)

Please join us Wednesday evening, September 11th, at 7:15 in Fessenden Hall for a lively discussion of the arguments presented in Moyers’ program, recorded on DVD. We will view the video, then discuss the conflicting points of view. Harry Noden will be Moderator.

Reservations Not Necessary.  Come; enjoy stimulating conversation and tasty refreshments. The program should conclude by 9:00 P.M.   We look forward to seeing you.

 

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, September 10 at 7 pm in the home of Trish Johnson-Kwartler.  This month we are offering a choice of two older novels: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis or Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser.  Main Street tells the tale of a big-city girl who marries a physician and settles in a small town in the Midwest, only to fall victim to the narrow-mindedness and unimaginative natures of the town’s residents. Sister Carrie is a novel about a young country girl who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own American Dream, first as a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, and later becoming a famous actress. In October we will be reading The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

 

Outreach and Social Justice

The Human Rights Social Justice Committee will meet on Thursday, September 12^th at 6:30 pm in the Annex.  All are welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worship & Music 

 

Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM.

 

August 18 – Heirlooms, Curiosities, and Castoffs

Rev. Renee Ruchotzke with Worship Associate Justin Czekaj

Our lives are influenced by the legacy of those who preceded us.  How might we choose what to keep and what to set aside as we attempt to live lives of authenticity and purpose?

 

August 25 – The Spiritual Wisdom of Children

Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus, and Worship Associate Sophie Smith.

Everyone is invited to join together for our annual multigenerational, ingathering service. During this special service for all ages, we will celebrate coming together again for the start of a new church year as we lift up children and youth as a source of spiritual wisdom for us all. Nursery care will be provided for our littlest ones during both services.

Please bring a small vial of water and/or a small amount of earth from a place you have been this summer which has nourished your own spirit.

 

Cuyahoga River Concert Series  presents Mignarda

Come enjoy and evening of music featuring the both voice and lute.  THIS FRIDAY, August 16 at 8:00 pm in the Sanctuary.  Admission is $10 at the door.  For more information on this duo, please visit www.mignarda.com

 

Expanding our music program!

As September approaches, we look forward to the beginning of a new season of our wonderful adult choir.  This fall, we return to an old tradition of Sunday evening rehearsals from 6:30-8:00.  If you’re interested in singing, we’d love to have you join us.  Please contact Hal Walker for a conversation about where in the choir your voice would fit best.

This year, we’re also excited about the start of our own “UU Folk Orchestra.”  A “folk orchestra” combines the unique instrumental talents of the congregation.  Music reading skills are required.  We will rehearse on Thursday evenings from 7-8:15.

Finally, we will be creating a youth choir for treble voices from 3rd grade-7th grade. The weekly one-hour rehearsals will be Wednesdays from 5-6 pm.

As a kickoff to a great year of music, Hal Walker will be hosting an open house potluck at his house for anyone with any interest in either singing in the choir or playing in the folk orchestra. The open house will be merely for fun and information… No commitment required, yet.  If you are able to, please bring a dish to share.

Singers and Musicians Open House Potluck!

Sunday, August 18 at 6 o’clock.

Hal Walker’s house

all are welcome…

 

Lifespan Learning

 

How Do You Like to Play?  

Last Sunday for Summer RE

for Children Preschool through Grade 5

It is still  not too late to participate in Summer RE!    On Sunday, August 18th, the Thiel/Smith family will be sharing the science of bounciness.  Does that sound cool, or what?   We will light the chalice promptly at 9:45 am in Fessenden Hall. Nursery care is available for our littlest ones at both the 9:45 and 11:30 services.

 

Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.; Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology, Harvard medical School.

The group will meet from 6:00 to 7:30 at the Eldredge Annex on the following Sunday evenings:  September 8 & 22, October 6 & 20, and November 3 & 17.

Upcoming Meeting Topics

September 8:    There will be a general overview of the book as well as examination of what we each believe about our brains.  The authors present us with five myths about our brains we can work to dispel as well as three brain Super Heroes.

September 22:  The topic will be depression.  Additional materials will be presented.

Feel free to join us as you are able for an exciting examination of who we are as humans and as individuals.

Questions? Call May Maske.

 

Community Within

 

Retirees Luncheon: August 20   12:00 PM in Fessenden Hall

We’ll meet for an hour to an hour and a half depending on the number of people who attend so everyone has an opportunity to check in with the group. All retirees are welcome to join us. Bring your own lunch, beverages will be provided.  Please remember that we have shifted our meeting time to the third Tuesday of each month.

 

Walden Information Meeting – Sunday, August 25   11:00 – 11:15 am in the Sanctuary

Come fine out what we’re all about and we’ll answer any questions you may have about Walden.  We hope you’ll consider joining us for this fall’s Walden trip.   More information about  this fall’s Walden trip can be found in the announcement below.

 

The Lost & Found is once again overflowing!

Please check the Lost and Found, located on the coat rack shelf outside of Fessenden Hall, for any items that you may have recently left at the Church.  After Sunday, August 25^th any remaining items will be donated.

 

New UU Classes in August

Our New UU classes cover 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 2 will be on Sunday, August 18, 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.

 

Sacred Song Circle
Join us for another Sacred Song Circle on Thursday, August 15, at 6:30 in the Founder’s Lounge for 30 minutes of sacular stimulation and community harmony.  You don’t have to consider yourself a singer to be able to participate.  It’s free and open to all.  The more voices the better!  Bring your friends and a water bottle if you’ll need it.  Hope to see you there.  Saunis

 

Bill Moyers, one of television’s most perceptive commentators, is known for his thoughtful interviews with guests from many fields.  Many of these programs have been recorded on DVD, and we have a number of them in our Library. The Library committee is preparing two programs on Wednesdays, September 11th, and October 9th. Both programs begin at 7:15 P.M. in Fessenden Hall and should conclude by 9:00 P. M.  We will view one of Moyer’s programs, and then have a discussion of the issues presented. Refreshments will be served.

The first program on September 9th is a dialogue on faith and reason, described by Moyer’s this Way:

“One of the intriguing questions about faith and reason is how is how two finely-honed minds can examine the case for belief and come to totally different conclusions. Consider Mary Gordon and Colin McGinn. One is a novelist, the other a philosopher. Both were born into Catholic families.  One remains a believer, the other an atheist. Yet both are champions of reason.

If you enjoy discussion on questions like these, come and join us. Harry Noden will be Moderator for this program. We promise a stimulating evening of lively exchange.

 

My dear friends at UUCK,

I’ve had a handful of people ask me recently, “When are you coming back to church?!” The short answer that I know for sure is October 6, when I’ll be serving as Worship Associate when George Buchanan leads worship. The long answer is that I’ve recently become the new Director of Religious Education at SouthWest Unitarian Universalist Church in North Royalton (the church where Evin Carvill-Ziemer is currently serving as half-time Interim Minister).

I accepted the position in June and have been traveling there some Sunday mornings, when I haven’t been in Chicago for classes or preaching or doing professional development (I went to the OWL training the last weekend of August – it was excellent!).

SouthWest has a smaller congregation, and the RE program is only about 20 children right now, but they are looking forward to growth. The DRE position is quarter-time, which works really well with my studies and program requirements. I am learning all sorts of new and wonderful things, and am just in awe of the many, amazing resources we have in our denomination, as well as the amount of support.

Apart from these new adventures in ministerial formation, I’ve just finished my first year at Meadville Lombard (at this point, I’m expecting to be at it another 3 years or so), plan to start Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in the fall, still involved with the Kent Community TimeBank, and enjoying our now 4 cats and sweet puppy.

I miss being in community with all of you – it has meant so very much to me in the almost 7 years I’ve been attending services and participating in service at UUCK, but I am very thankful to have this opportunity to use and develop skills, sharing with SouthWest all I’ve learned from you. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch, and I look forward to seeing some of you in October!

In peace and with love,  Kristina Spaude

 

The Library committee is planning a fall issue of the church publication, Here We Have Gathered, about people and activities of our church.  The planning is well underway, but if you would like to submit an article (500 – 1000 words), please contact Martha Kluth or Ann Waters.

The Library Committee is also planning 2 fall Symposiums. Each event will include a one-segment viewing from the Bill Moyers Faith and Reason series, followed by a discussion and refreshments. Each program will

begin at 7:30 and should end by 9:00 P.M.  The schedule is:

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7:30 P.M. in Fessenden Hall, “The Mirror Image”.

Moderator – Harry Noden

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 7:30 P.M. in Fessenden Hall, “Richard Rodrigues”

Moderator – Carolyn Schlemmer

We hope you will be able to attend and look forward to seeing you. If you have any questions, please speak to any Library committee member.   Ann Waters

 

 

Outreach and Social Justice

 

Thank you to everyone who supported last week’s special collection.   Together we raised $362.00 along with several bags of school supplies in support of Family and Community Service’s Annual School Supply Drive.

 

Income Generation

 

Hot Dogs & Ice Cream anyone?

Your Fundraising team would like to have hot dogs and ice cream Sunday, August 18 during coffee hour and after 2nd service.  It’s more of a Thank You for all you support this past year than an actual fundraiser, but if you’d like to make a free will donation we won’t turn it down since it all goes to the church.

Hope you can come enjoy!

 

SAVE THE DATE – ANNUAL THANKS 4 GIVING AUCTION – November 2, 2013

Our annual Thanks 4 Giving Auction will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at the Kent United Church of Christ.  Stay tuned for details in the coming months as planning gets under way.

Also, if you want to get involved in a VERY fun committee, the Auction Committee is looking for a few good people to join us!  We begin meeting in August a couple times a month to plan and execute our annual auction.

Let me know if you are interested.

Meg Milko

Auction Chair

 

 

Worship & Music 

 

Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:00 AM.

 

August 11 – Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!

Led by Kathy Walker and Saul Flanner

In this multimedia service, Kathy and Saul will explore the interdependent web of which we are all a part. We are not qualified to do so, but we think you’ll appreciate our attempt as we share our limited experience with the seventh principle of Unitarian Universalism and the spirit animals that keep pestering Kathy to lead this service.

As we will be enjoying the services led by Kathy and Saul, Rev. Melissa will be leading services at the Akron UU Church.  We look forward to her returning from study leave to lead services along with Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus and Worship Associate Sophie Smith on Sunday, August 25 at our multigenerational ingathering: The Spiritual Wisdom of Children.   In the meantime, Rev. Renee Ruchotzke along with Worship Associate Justin Czekaj will lead us next week, Sunday, August 18, focusing on Heirlooms, Curiosities, and Castoffs.

 

Expanding our music program!

As September approaches, we look forward to the beginning of a new season of our wonderful adult choir.  This fall, we return to an old tradition of Sunday evening rehearsals from 6:30-8:00.  If you’re interested in singing, we’d love to have you join us.  Please contact Hal Walker for a conversation about where in the choir your voice would fit best.

This year, we’re also excited about the start of our own “UU Folk Orchestra.”  A “folk orchestra” combines the unique instrumental talents of the congregation.  Music reading skills are required.  We will rehearse on Thursday evenings from 7-8:15.

Finally, we will be creating a youth choir for treble voices from 3rd grade-7th grade. The weekly one-hour rehearsals will be Wednesdays from 5-6 pm.

As a kickoff to a great year of music, Hal Walker will be hosting an open house potluck at his house for anyone with any interest in either singing in the choir or playing in the folk orchestra. The open house will be merely for fun and information… No commitment required, yet.  If you are able to, please bring a dish to share.

Singers and Musicians Open House Potluck!

Sunday, August 18 at 6 o’clock.

Hal Walker’s house

all are welcome…

 

 

Cuyahoga River Concert Series  presents Mignarda

Come enjoy and evening of music featuring the both voice and lute.  Friday, August 16 at 8:00 pm in the Sanctuary.  Admission is $10 at the door.  For more information on this duo, please visit www.mignarda.com

 

 

 Lifespan Learning

How Do You Like to Play?  Summer RE ~ Just two more weeks of Summer Fun!

Summer RE is going so well and it is not too late to join in the good times!  The children and the various leaders have been experiencing a wide variety of fun activities.  On Sunday, August 11th, the Barzizza-Young family will be sharing the fun of science.  A nut-free treat will be served.  We will light the chalice promptly at 9:45 am in Fessenden Hall.  Nursery care is available for our littlest ones at both the 9:45 and 11:30 services.

 

Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being

Just a reminder that this book group will be meeting twice monthly during September, October and November in the Annex from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.  Meeting topics will be published in the September Chalice Flame.  Attendance at every meeting is not mandatory to participate; please join us as you are able or interested.  For more information please contact Mary Maske.

 

 

Community Within 

 

New UU Classes in August

Our New UU classes cover 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, August 11, from 9-11 am. Part 2 will be on Sunday, August 18, 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

Geoff Hill Photography:  Awake in Nature

Geoff Hill is a fine art photographer and nature enthusiast. Through his work, he hopes to bring to light awareness and preservation of our natural Earth.

With roots in Kent Ohio, Geoff has expanded his travels to several areas along the eastern US, documenting wildlife and landscapes along the way. His experience in the arts has also included music, drawing & painting, and poetry. Through his time as a photographer, he has discovered his solace in nature, as well as an understanding of how precious and fragile life is.

This exhibit features Geoff’s work during his stay in Florida. Special thanks to Frederick Kluth and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent for allowing this opportunity.

Geoff will be having an artist reception Sunday, August 11, 1:00 – 4:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent.  He hopes you’ll come to meet him and learn more about his work.

Enjoy!

 

 

Change of plans for the Patricia Pownall UU Book Group. The book group will be meeting on Tuesday, August 13 at 7 pm in the home of Bonnie Harper. We will not be meeting at the home of Annie Brightbill.  This month we are reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.  Dellarobia Turnbow is a restless farm wife who gave up her own plans when she accidentally became pregnant at seventeen. After a decade of domestic disharmony, she hikes up a mountain road behind her house toward a secret tryst, but instead encounters a shocking sight: a silent, forested valley filled with what looks like a lake of fire. She can only understand it as a miracle, but it sparks a raft of other explanations from scientists, religious leaders and the media.  In September we are offering a choice of two older novels: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis or Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. In October we will be reading The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

 

 

Sacred Song Circle
Join us for another Sacred Song Circle on Thursday, August 15, at 6:30 in the Founder’s Lounge for 30 minutes of sacular stimulation and community harmony.  You don’t have to consider yourself a singer to be able to participate.  It’s free and open to all.  The more voices the better!  Bring your friends and a water bottle if you’ll need it.

Hope to see you there.    Saunis

 

 

The Library committee is planning a fall issue of the church publication, Here We Have Gathered, about people and activities of our church.  The planning is well underway, but if you would like to submit an article (500 – 1000 words), please contact Martha Kluth or Ann Waters.

The Library Committee is also planning 2 fall Symposiums. Each event will include a one-segment viewing from the Bill Moyers Faith and Reason series, followed by a discussion and refreshments. Each program will

begin at 7:30 and should end by 9:00 P.M.  The schedule is:

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7:30 P.M. in Fessenden Hall, “The Mirror Image”.

Moderator – Harry Noden

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 7:30 P.M. in Fessenden Hall, “Richard Rodrigues”

Moderator – Carolyn Schlemmer

We hope you will be able to attend and look forward to seeing you. If you have any questions, please speak to any Library committee member.

Ann Waters

 

 

Fall Walden Scheduled for October 4-6, 2013

Mark your calendars for the first weekend in October (4-6th) to participate in the annual campout and celebration of our seventh principle knows as “Walden”.

The group site reserved this year is located in the “Buckaloons Recreation Area”, which rests on the site of a former Seneca Indian village, six miles west of Warren, Pa.  Buckaloons is the only camping and recreation area within the Allegheny National Forest that is along the Allegheny River.  There are also 50 family campsites (15 with electrical hookups) for those who have Rv’s and pop-ups.

Some suggested activities include a visit to the Audubon Center and Sanctuary near Jamestown, N.Y., canoeing/kayaking the Allegheny River or the Conewango Creek (where you may spot an otter), hiking the many trails of the Allegheny National Forest or just connecting with the natural world on your own terms.

There will be an upcoming informational meeting between services in August.  Members of other U.U. congregations have expressed interest in this event also.

Questions?  Contact [email protected]

 

 

Outreach and Social Justice

 

August Special Collection

On August 11, a special collection will be taken to benefit Portage County Family and Community Services in support of the organization’s school supply drive.  This program will assist families with school age children that are in be prepared for the upcoming school year.

In response to this need, the children who attended the summer RE class last Sunday decided to hold a drive to collect school supplies for children in Portage County.  We have a quick turn-around time and will only be collecting on Sunday, August 11th.  The school supplies will be collected in Fessenden Hall before and after the services on Sunday, August 11th. Please note that the first 4 items listed in bold print are especially needed.

• Pocket folders (with prongs)
• Rulers
• Pencil sharpeners
• 1” Binders
• Wide-ruled paper
• Wide-ruled spiral note books
• Crayons
• Markers
• Glue bottles
• Glue Sticks
• Black and blue pens
• Pencils
• Pink erasers

We appreciate your consideration to support this worthwhile cause.

 

 

UU and Interfaith Connections

 

Jim Scott in Concert at the UU Congregation of Greater Canton, Friday, August 9!

“Jim’s lyrical melodies, well-crafted words, guitar mastery and humorous surprises moved Pete Seeger to call him ‘some kind of magician.’ Cultivated in his days with the Paul Winder Consort, Jim brings warmth and authenticity that turns any concert into an intimate gathering.”

Potluck dinner at 6 pm, Concert at 7 pm.

Suggested donation: $5 (“more if you can, less if you can’t”)

Print and recorded music will be available, too.

The potluck was Jim’s suggestion as an opportunity for all to talk with him about music, Sunday worship services, and anything else before the concert begins. More about Jim can be found here: http://jimscottmusic.com/ The UU Congregation of Greater Canton is located at 2585 Easton St NE, Canton, OH  44721.

 

Income Generation

 

Hot Dogs & Ice Cream anyone?

Your Fundraising team would like to have hot dogs and ice cream Sunday, August 18 during coffee hour and after 2nd service.  It’s more of a Thank You for all you support this past year than an actual fundraiser, but if you’d like to make a free will donation we won’t turn it down since it all goes to the church.

Hope you can come enjoy!

 

 

SAVE THE DATE – ANNUAL THANKS 4 GIVING AUCTION 11-2-13

Our annual Thanks 4 Giving Auction will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at the Kent United Church of Christ.  Stay tuned for details in the coming months as planning gets under way.

Also, if you want to get involved in a VERY fun committee, the Auction Committee is looking for a few good people to join us!  We begin meeting in August a couple times a month to plan and execute our annual auction.

Let me know if you are interested.

Meg Milko

Auction Chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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