volume 40, issue 02 always available online at www.uuccharlotte.org January 28, 2015 The Mission of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte is to inspire children, youth and adults to discover and articulate deeper spiritual meaning evidenced in lives of integrity, compassion and stewardship of the earth. La misión de la iglesia Unitaria Universalista de Charlotte es: inspirar a los niños, jóvenes y adultos para que descubran y articulen un significado espiritual profundo, evidente en una vida de integridad, compasión y en el manejo de los recursos de la tierra. “CELEBRATE COMMITMENT” COMES ‘ROUND AGAIN Stewardship 2015 It’s the most wonderful time of the year… No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu. I’m not singing about Christmas, but about the kickoff of the annual Stewardship campaign! This year, we’re keeping with the “Celebrate Commitment” theme we introduced last year. Our reason for that is twofold: Firstly, we mean it! We believe that stewardship is not something we think about once a year (my musical introduction notwithstanding), but an ongoing relationship between our members and our collective enterprise that is the UUCC. It’s a commitment, and we do celebrate it. Secondly, we like it! Why not celebrate the wonderful thing we have going here? It’s certainly worthy of a celebration or two. Let’s bring on the music, the sparkly lights and the merriment! So what do you have to look forward to? Glad you asked. We have mailed pledge materials this week. You may have received yours already; if not, they’ll arrive soon. I know you are itching to mail your pledge card right back, but if you are planning to come to church Sunday, February 8, we ask that you hang onto the card and bring it with you to the service that day. February 8 will be Celebration Sunday – a day when everyone can come to the front of the sanctuary and deposit their pledge card in the basket, in a visible act of commitment and community. However, if you don’t plan on being at church that day, by all means, send that pledge card back to us! In your pledge packet, you’ll find a brochure called “Baking Up the Budget Pie.” This is your Stewardship Team’s (Continued on page 6) UUCC SOCIAL JUSTICE AUCTION The UUCC Social Justice Team is excited to announce that Hardin Minor will preside over the 2015 AH-HA! Social Justice Auction. Hardin is a fixture around Charlotte, performing solo presentations as Captain Rainbow, Professor Letterhead, Whistlestop Willie, Dr. Know and Banana Claus, to name a few. He is also Charlotte’s Mime-inMotion at Omimeo Mime Theatre and Charlotte Youth Ballet’s perennial Herr Drosselmeyer. Combining unusual theatrical techniques in unique contexts, Hardin can be counted on to delight audiences with the full force of his imagination and energy. So, put May 2 on your calendar! And remember that all funds raised through the AH-HA! Social Justice Auction are granted to Charlotte-based agencies working to address the root causes of homelessness in our community. This is our one and only fundraiser for these funds. Your participation makes it possible for us to make a real difference to our homeless neighbors and the organizations working to support them. STEWARDSHIP CALENDAR OF EVENTS Sunday, February 8 “Celebration Sunday” kicks off the campaign Saturday, February 14 “Sweethearts Serenade” Valentine’s cabaret and dance Saturday, March 14 “We’re in the Green!” St. Paddy’s celebration and dance Sunday, March 15 All pledges due by this date. Page 1 FROM THE MINISTER One of the readings in the back of our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal offers this prayer: “May we know once again that we are not isolated beings but connected, in mystery and miracle, to the universe, to this community and to each other.” This is an inspiring aspiration, especially since many, probably most of us feel at times like “isolated beings.” We experience things, we ponder things, we struggle with things that can make us feel disconnected, leaving us wondering who else would understand, much less care about our particular issues. So, part of the role of the spiritual community is to venture into the deep experiences of life, to risk talking about things that are often silenced or avoided. We take on life’s tough stuff in part because, if it is not OK to admit such things here, then where might we go for some sense that we are connected to something larger than our own personal experiences? On Sunday, February 1 our service will consider one of life’s really tough realities—suicide. We’ll reflect on this subject through the larger lens of our liberating religion, asking how our core values relate to this most difficult subject. Not many of us who live for very long escape some personal experience with suicide—a family member, a friend, some colleague or public figure whose choice to end her or his own life in such a way that it has a deep impact on us. And yet, how rarely do we discuss these experiences, how few are the places where we can go to admit our own struggles. I want to be clear about what we will consider. There are those now actively advocating for the right to make end of life choices that may include a compassionate death, the timing of which one chooses in concert with family members and medical professionals. We have an upcoming Adult Religious Education/Spiritual Development (ARESD) offering on mortality that will include consideration of this possibility. However, on this upcoming Sunday that is not at all what I have in mind. This day is devoted to a more tragic reality—the choice some make to take their own lives out of some sense of despair or feeling of worthlessness or experience of intense disconnection or struggle with some debilitating mental illness. Page 2 It is never our intent to offer any service that would be morose. So, on Sunday, February 1, our services will not linger in the morass of overly somber emotions. Nor, however, will we avoid the admission that many of us carry the pain of connection to some suicide that hurts deeply. We might even hope for some healing, some small step forward if only through the sense that we are not “isolated beings” alone in our experiences. After each service we will offer brief open discussion sessions in the Bernstein Room. These will not be intended as therapeutic encounters but more modestly simply as times to come together and share from our own experiences, to know that we are connected “to this community and to each other.” Regardless of your personal experience, I hope you’ll plan to be a part of the 9:15 or 11:15 service on Sunday, February 1. This may be helpful in enabling you to reflect on experiences you’ve had. Or, this may help prepare you for some experience yet to come. Or, your presence may help assure others here that they are not alone and isolated but are a part of a caring, connected spiritual community. Peace, Jay CONGREGATIONAL CARE NEWS If you know about a need in our congregation—an illness or injury, a hospitalization or surgery, a death— what can you do? Please inform a member of our professional staff. HELP US HAVE FRESH FLOWERS IN THE NICHE Commemorate a birthday, an anniversary or acknowledge a special person or event by donating fresh flowers for the niche. Call Alesia in the office (704) 366-8623 to reserve the Sunday you want. Then send a check for $55 to the office, and we’ll handle the rest. WHAT’S NEW! TEAM SPOTLIGHT THE NEW UUCC WEBSITE: Community Building Team UPCOMING CUSTOMER-SATISFACTION SESSIONS Over the last several months, a task group at UUCC has been working on the redesign of the uuccharlotte.org website that you will be able to access from your desktop computer, laptop, and mobile devices. In March 2015, the site will go live, with new features and a new look and feel. Before the site goes live, we would like your input. In February, UUCC member Paul Turner will conduct customer-satisfaction sessions with members and nonmembers. These one-on-one, in-person sessions with Paul will take place at UUCC on two Sundays, February 15 and February 22, before and after Sunday services. Each session takes 45 to 60 minutes. For your convenience, we can also schedule these sessions at UUCC on other days (daytime and evening slots). If you are interested in participating, please contact Paul by email: [email protected] Your UUCC Website Task Group NEW ENTRANCE CONTROL REGIMEN TO TAKE EFFECT FEBRUARY 9 In an effort to make life easier for UUCC members and staff, we will switch to a new entrance control system as of Monday, February 9. The new system will rely on numerical keypads which have been installed at both main doors into the vestibule. Here’s what you need to know: Everyone who attends a scheduled meeting or activity at the UUCC will be given a 4-digit code that will open the vestibule doors. These codes will be given to the leaders of our teams, groups, classes and activities who will, in turn, be responsible for passing them out to all their group’s participants. The only time we will need keys is when the electricity is off in the building, and so we will “decommission” all existing keys as of February 9. Anyone who needs to get into the building who doesn’t have a code (or who forgets their code) can use the call boxes that have been added to the system. The call boxes are tied into our telephone system and once you are identified, you can be “buzzed in” from any phone in the building. Please bear with us as it will inevitably take a few weeks to work through any kinks in the new regimen. Your staff feels confident this new system will be a big improvement while still providing the level of security we need. Contact Alesia in the church office if you have questions or concerns. Thanks for your cooperation! We, the Community Building Team, are always looking for ways to support our mission and ends as a “joyful, dynamic community of people who care about and are connected to each other.” This month Rita Heath Singer joined us as the new chair of the Community Building Team. She has a long history in our congregation. You may know her as a supporter of Congregational Care, and as a writer and performer of our annual Follies production. Speaking of Follies, Mic Elvenstar heads our zany Theater group and it’s rumored that they’ll have a part in an upcoming social event in March. Stay tuned! Shannon Bradley is invaluable as our organizer of the Coffee Service on Sundays in Freeman Hall. We thank her and all of the members who show up on a regular basis with their smiling faces to make coffee early Sunday mornings, and then stay to clean up well after everyone leaves. Karen Achor plays a vital role behind the scenes as she keeps our kitchen organized with necessary supplies. We also don’t know what we would do without Pete Parks who makes sure we don’t run out of paper goods. Tables for Eight have been a huge success this year under the leadership of Althea Clark. It continues to be a great way to get to know folks in the more intimate setting of members’ homes on the last Saturday of the month. Lisa Hagen and her family have brought high energy and enthusiasm for Potlucks and Game nights on Friday evenings, two Picnics in the early fall and late spring, a very successful Christmas Day dinner. We also need to thank all who contributed for the Solstice and Christmas Eve receptions—an annual highlight for many families. A special thank you to Bernice Mar for her additional support this year during those two events. We look forward to a Potato Bar and Game night March 6! A Seder is also being planned for the first Saturday in April. Ralph Hanson plans hikes for the Outdoor Adventure Group, usually on the first Saturday of the month. A Parent Support Group meets for potluck and discussion on the second Friday of the month. We thank all who have supported these activities and we hope you’ll join us as we strive to make the UUCC a vibrant, welcoming home. We hope it becomes easier for all members to be involved and find deep connections. Rita Heath Singer, Chair Martha Kniseley, Staff Page 3 ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION DiscoverGroups 2015 Last chance to sign-up for this year! Deadline is Monday, February 2 “I appreciated the opportunity to express my thoughts, on profound or deep subjects, in a safe environment. The worry was taken away about saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, since everyone else was there for the same purpose and agreed to a covenant of respect. Conversely, the opportunity to deeply listen to the experiences and ideas of other folks was enlightening. What a soul-satisfying way to connect to church members and build friendships.” —From a current member… DiscoverGroups meet once a month for a year. The 12-member groups are led by two co-facilitators. Each session is based on the Second Sunday topic, and includes Chalice Lighting, Check-in, Readings, and Sharing Questions. In this smaller setting, you are invited to “share your concerns and focus through attentive listening to what matters most to the human soul.” We hope you’ll join us as this experience can be TRANSFORMATIONAL and make a real difference in your life at the UUCC. For more information contact Martha Kniseley at [email protected]. TED for the Soul (Evening Version) Tuesday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the Bernstein Room Can you think of someone you have known who truly exemplifies the qualities of compassion, empathy, passion, vulnerability, openness, and intensity? This TED speaker posits a theory that modern society systematically suppresses these ways of feeling. Join us in the Bernstein Room on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. to watch the talk and work together as a group to define and understand this provocative message. 2 Sunday Topic Discussion nd Sunday, February 8 at 10:30 a.m. in the Bernstein Room This is an opportunity to meet with the Minister to share your thoughts, ask questions, and hear others’ views relative to the sermon topic for that day. Begins promptly at 10:30 a.m. in the Bernstein Room. February Topic: Generosity. Childcare provided. Page 4 Exploring Humanism Thursday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary Marshall Brain, founder of How Stuff Works, has tackled a new subject in his book How God Works: A Logical Inquiry on Faith. "Does God exist? Using an intellectually rigorous, scientific approach, Marshall Brain sets out to resolve the eternal debate once and for all. With a compelling sense of curiosity, he breaks down mankind's search for a higher power, tackling such quandaries as: Who is God? What are his attributes? What is God doing and why? How does God interact with humanity? And ultimately, how can humans know with certainty whether God is real or imaginary? How God Works is an enlightening journey in critical thinking that challenges readers to boldly approach the subject of personal faith and put aside intuition in favor of objectivity and logic." Join us on Thursday, February 5, 7:00 -9:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Conversations About Our Mortality What Do You Want for the End of Your Life? This course will focus on the decisions that we and our family members will inevitably face as we approach the end of our lives. The six sessions will include: Hospice and Palliative Care (Carol Anne Lawler, M.Div., Hospice Faith Community Educator) Advanced Care: Considering Your Documents (Marilyn Morenz, BSN, Advanced Health Care Planning Consultant), End-of-Life Choices (two sessions with Dan Carrigan, Compassion and Choices Charlotte Friends), Dying a Good Death (Janet Frederick, LCSW, Hospice Social Worker) Some Practicalities: Planning Your Own Memorial Service and Other Matters (Jay Leach, UUCC Senior Minister) Classes are full, but wait lists are available. Evenings: Mondays, February 9 & 23, March 9 & 23, April 6 and May 4 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Days: Tuesdays, February 10 & 24, March 10 & 24, April 7 and May 5 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Sign-up at the Adult Programming Table or email [email protected]. Please indicate which version you will be attending. Mystics & Metaphysics Group Walking the Shamanic Path-Living the Sacred Connection to All-That-Is Thursday, February 19, in the Sanctuary from 7:00-8:30 p.m. with optional Q&A until 9:00 p.m. (Note: Date and room change from our regular schedule) Come join guest speaker Marcela McBride to explore what it means to be an urban shaman in our modern times. Marcela will share her experience of walking this sacred, ancient path and then lead our group through a sound healing journey using the native tools of Tibetan singing bowl, Native American drum, bells, rattles and voice to restore life force energies to your Body, Mind & Spirit. Many feel release of tension and energetic blocks, receive clarity on their path, and messages from Spirit (and perhaps meet an animal totem or guide ;-). You will walk away feeling relaxed, energized, lighter and more deeply connected to yourself and the world around you. You may participate in the sound journey lying down or seated. Feel free to bring a mat and blanket for your comfort. Mystics and Metaphysics is an open group and all are welcome to attend! More info: Carol Smith, [email protected], (704) 953-4146. Third Friday Film Night February 20 at 7:00 in the Sanctuary and Bernstein Room Join us for Third Friday Film Night on February 20 at 7:00. We’ll watch a film based on the Second Sunday topic— Generosity—and followed by a discussion with Bob Gorman. A separate film is also offered for children. (Adults) Big Miracle (US, 2012) Starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski. Directed by Ken Kwapis. In a film based on a real life event, native Alaskans and residents of a small town in Alaska work tirelessly in an attempt to save a pod of whales trapped under the ice. Rated PG for language. 107 minutes. (Children) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (US, 1971) A poor boy wins a special ticket to tour a chocolate factory where he learns lessons in generosity and understanding along the way. Rated G. 100 mins. Save The Date for the first in the series of the UUCC Authors Nights Are you an avid reader? Do you enjoy how a great book can transport you to a new dimension of thought, time and space? Have you experienced how words can conjure a made-to-order world of fantasy, fact, or fiction? (It’s okay to admit it!!) Have you ever been curious about the life of a writer and the highways and byways through which an author’s writing moves until the finished product reveals itself? If any of your answers were “Yes!” please join us for engaging conversations and an opportunity to meet and greet several UUCC authors – and learn about a wide variety of their published works. We will gather together for the first of three “UUCC Authors Nights” on Thursday, March 12 in the Sanctuary from 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. for a bird’s eye view into the experiences of our talented, thought-provoking authors and hear their personal stories. This special event will include individual presentations by each author, a panel discussion and a light reception afterwards. Beginning around midFebruary, the books that will be discussed in this series will be shown in the display cabinet on the first floor. Podcasts of Jay’s Sunday Sermons Available on UUCC Website If you have missed a recent Sunday service or you would like would like to hear a podcast of just Jay’s Sunday sermons, please visit our website at http://www.uuccharlotte.org/all_podcasts.asp. Sermons are also available on iTunes, our RSS feed and via our Facebook page. Audio Copies of Sunday Services If you have missed a service and would like to hear it, there is a loaner copy available in the Library that can be checked out. If you would like to purchase a CD copy of any of our Sunday services you may do so for only $5. Stop by our bookstore in Freeman Hall after Sunday services to request a copy or contact Bill Cooke at (704) 364-2107. If you currently have copies of the Sunday Services checked out, please return them as soon as possible. Page 5 How It Works: UUCC Stewardship in 7 Easy Steps 1. The UUCC operates on a Julythrough-June fiscal year. We are a little over halfway through fiscal year 2014-2015. 2. The stewardship campaign that is just beginning is to obtain pledges of financial support for fiscal year 2015-2016 that begins this coming July 1. 3. If you joined within the last six months and pledged as part of the joining process, your pledge was for the current year that ends June 30, not the upcoming year. We are only now beginning to accept pledges for the new year. 4. 5. 6. You do not have to make a pledge to be a member of the UUCC. Our bylaws require only that you make “an annual contribution of record.” However, you are strongly encouraged to pledge because we rely on our members’ pledges of support to make a budget for the upcoming year. The budget will be prepared this spring based on the results of the stewardship campaign. The budget must be approved by the membership at its annual meeting in June. You decide for yourself what you are able to pledge. Whereas many mainline denominations ask for a “tithe” – 10% of their members’ household income – we aspire to a pledge of 5% of your household income and hope that you will also support other worthy causes of your choosing. 7. We realize every member’s circumstances are different. Pledge what you are able. We do believe that a substantial financial commitment to your religious community leads to a deeper engagement with that community. We invite that deeper engagement. Page 6 Join Us for ‘Sweethearts Serenade’ Valentine’s Day, February 14! The Stewardship Team and Music Program invite you to a delightful evening of love songs – jazz standards, Broadway tunes and opera – on Saturday evening, February 14, beginning at 7 p.m. in Freeman Fellowship Hall (magically transformed). Featured musicians that evening will be singer Sheila Lay, re-united with her former band member and noted jazz pianist Alan Kaufman, singer Kaarin Leach of the Pandora Trio, opera singer Paul Turner and pianist John Herrick. A dessert buffet will be served and childcare will be available. The evening will conclude with dancing to the music of in-house DJ Doug (“It’s-Raining-Men”) Swaim. The event serves as a glamorous kick-off to the 2015 Stewardship Campaign. You’re encouraged to wear party attire and invite a sweetheart or friend. Please sign up online or in the UUCC office to bring a dessert or wine. (“CELEBRATE COMMITMENT” continued from page 1) attempt at making the UUCC’s finances more meaningful and understandable to the members. You want to know how your dollars are making a difference? “Baking Up the Budget Pie” will show you just what your pledges are accomplishing in our UU community and the larger community. It’s pretty impressive what your dollars are doing, and I encourage you to read it. Baking Up the Budget Pie also presents our major stewardship challenge for the upcoming year. If we are going to follow through on our long-held intention of hiring a Second Minister, then next year’s pie must exceed this year’s by about 10%. And that’s quite a challenge! Finally, along with your card and the “pie” brochure, you will be getting your membership survey. I’ll be honest, it’s going to look substantially like the survey you got last year, and the year before that. But wait – don’t stop reading! There’s an important reason we send out this survey each year. One of the few ways we can track our progress serving our members and pursuing our stated “ends” is to compare apples to apples – or in this case, responses to the same questions – from year to year. So while it may not be the most scintillating thing you do this week, it provides important information for us. We would really appreciate it if you take ten minutes to fill it out and send it back, or use the online option (there’s a link in the package) to respond electronically. Your reward for all this hard work? Not one but two great parties: A kickoff event on Valentine’s Day, with our own UUCC crooners, luscious desserts and a hint of romance in the air (see “Sweethearts Serenade” above), and an end-of-campaign Saint Patrick’s Day party on March 14, with a deejay spinning dance music and everyone reveling “in the green.” Which brings me to the final piece of information: On March 15, the party is over, and the dreaded canvassing stage of the campaign begins. (Did someone say, “Beware the Ides?”) Please have your pledge in by March 14, whether by putting the card in the basket on February 8, by mailing it in, or by filling out your pledge online. Thanks – we’re counting on you! Catherine Barnes Stewardship Team COMMUNITY BUILDING Display Case Showcases the Sacred Feminine “Just as our congregation’s spiritual journey is nourished by both the women and the men among us, we also thrive individually when we honor and understand our feminine and masculine sources of wisdom. Our culture, however, has largely abandoned the sacred feminine. We hope in this service – and in the Luna Rising gathering next Saturday – to reclaim some of the power of the sacred feminine that has been lost over the years.” If you attended the service on January 25, you heard these opening words which also included an invitation for all those present to be open “to new ideas and possibilities.” Whether you attended the service or not, you are encouraged to check out this month’s display in the vestibule cabinet (near the name tags). The display is dedicated to the sacred feminine, to our congregation’s annual celebration of that concept - Luna Rising - and to all the wonderful women and girls who attend that gathering. The display was created by Luna Rising Planning Team member, Kimberly Melton. Kimberly, a long time member of this congregation, has been a central part of the women and girls programing of this church. She has organized and led a variety of girls’ groups including GAG (Girls Are Great), LYLAS (Love You Like A Sister), and HUUGs (Heavenly UU Girls), as well as the first UUCC Moon Ceremony for girls and was also the creative force behind the first Luna Rising. Save the Date: First Friday in March Potato Bar and Game Night! 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6 Community Seder Saturday, April 4, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. in Freeman Hall All are invited to this holiday celebration of freedom and family. Passover is a major Jewish spring holiday, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special service called the Seder (order) and a festive meal. Please join us as we conduct an intergenerational Seder complete with readings from the hagaddah, which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Passover Seder. Additional information and sign-ups will soon be available. For additional information please contact Rita Heath Singer at [email protected]. GATHERINGS OF INTEREST Young Adult Group (YAG) Looking for people your age and trying to figure out where the younger professionals and "new adults" hang out? Want to find a social place to meet friends? The Young Adult Group is active, and if you are between the ages of 18-35 (ish), you are invited to join us every third Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the Schweitzer room, and each first Sunday evening in the Bernstein Room at 5:00 p.m. for a game night and potluck! We occasionally schedule other outside events and hang out, so please come join us and get to know everyone! Our next meet-up is on January 30, to see the movie Selma, at Regal Cinemas Phillips Place Stadium 10, 7:00 p.m. showing. Please email [email protected] to get in touch with the group, or ask for one of us after service (and grab some coffee and come meet some like-minded people)! Green Sanctuary Group Meeting Sunday, February 15, 1:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary A group of like-minded environmentally focused UUCC members are interested in the UUA Green Sanctuary Accreditation program. Please join us learn what this program might bring to the UUCC on Sunday, February 15 in the Sanctuary at 1:00 p.m. Contact [email protected] with questions. Page 7 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH (CYRE) Youth Mission Trip Forms and Payments Due March 1 (or earlier!) Spring Mountain Conferences (CONS) Our annual high school youth trip to Hartsville is scheduled for Sunday, June 14 through Friday, June 19. The trip focuses on the construction of one or more Habitat houses in this small South Carolina town by our youth, with supervision and/or construction advice from UUCC adult volunteers. Our group is hosted by a local church which provide places to gather and sleep (on air mattresses on the floor) and eat. Other churches and the local habitat for Humanity Board host most of the dinners. Registration is Open All parents with children interested in attending one of the spring Mountain Cons, please note both the con dates and OUR deadlines. As a reminder, although you register for the cons on-line with the Mountain, you are not officially registered with our church until you ALSO bring your $30 transportation fee to the CYRE office by the stated deadline. We (the CYRE staff) must know in advance how many youth are registered so we can recruit advisors and line up transportation. As a further reminder, parents who want to be advisors should write that request on the envelope containing their child’s transportation fee. March 13-15: Elementary, Grades 3-5 (deadline February 22) March 20-22: Middle School, Grades 6-8 (deadline March 1) April 10-12: High School, Grades 9-12 (deadline March 22) All this information will be sent directly to parents in midJanuary. Consider this a heads-up. New Parent Group Meeting Sundays A new parent group has been formed that is meeting Sundays at 1:30 p.m. through March 1 (and longer if requested). Although it was created for the parents of children in this year’s Our Whole Lives classes, the parent group welcomes any parents of children 5th grade and older in the CYRE program. While issues around sexuality will come up (since there will be an attempt to link discussion to the classes), the group prefers to remain informal, as more of a support group around topics of interest to parents of middle (and soon-to-be middle) and high school youth. Childcare is not provided unless requested a week earlier. The group will meet in the Bernstein Room on a drop in basis. Expect lively discussions! Contact Kathleen ([email protected]) with questions. Page 8 This trip is open to all youth in our 2014-15 high school program. And because we do not want anyone to be denied the privilege of volunteering because of the $300 fee, contact Kathleen to request a reduction if cost is a deterrent. UU Kids Living Out Their Values Let us hear about YOUR kids! Has your child demonstrated his or her commitment to our values through personal achievement/leadership? If so, send a few lines to [email protected]. OPEN DOOR SCHOOL (ODS) Open Door School News Open House If you are interested in learning more about the preschool that is a mission of the UUCC, please join us for an Open House on February 3, from 6:30 - 8:00. Open Door School follows a discovery learning philosophy from progressive education — the belief that learning, growing, and developing are natural, intuitive, and inevitable processes. We offer classes for children ages two to five. If you want to learn more and are unable to attend the Open House, please contact Amy Crew or Sheila Locklear at [email protected]. Link Your Harris Teeter Vic Card Remember to link your Harris Teeter VIC card to support Open Door School. You can enter code 2752 or search under Open Door School, online or at the store. Toiletry Drive The Open Door School is collecting toiletries to be brought to A Child's Place. There will be boxes outside of each classroom during the week of February 9-13. A Child's Place is committed to working to erase the impact of homelessness on children and their education. MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT TRUST (MET) MUSIC NEWS The MET Is Making History! Please Join Us for Our Singing Valentine on Sunday, February 15! The UUCC Memorial Endowment Trust is poised to do something it has never done before in its 35 year history. An endowment trust has much to do with securing the future of a beloved institution or organization. And, an endowment fund often supports endeavors in the present that are consistent with the institution’s mission. Do you remember hearing something late last spring about a change in the MET’s Agreement in relation to the distribution of Trust funds? This all-important change means instead of distributing income to the UUCC operating budget each year as required under the old MET Agreement, the MET may distribute annually up to 5% of its assets to fund—through a grant process—internal projects that will further the mission of the UUCC. Proposals for the grant monies must originate or come through one of the UUCC teams or recognized groups within the church, and grant monies will not be given for expenses ordinarily included in the annual budget. (The Trust still requires that it be managed to provide a perpetual, stable source of income to support this new grant process.) The MET Board of Trustees is delighted to announce that the amount available this year to fund new and dynamic endeavors at the UUCC is $27,500!!! For more information, check the Grant Guidelines and the Grant Application Form, which are available on the UUCC website. It is important to note that this money does not support the UUCC Annual Budget, and, thus, we still need to make generous pledges to support the Stewardship Campaign. Additionally, the MET Board of Trustees wants to thank you for making contributions to the fund over the years, encourages you to continue to do so, and hopes you share in our excitement about the now expanding role the MET will play in the UUCC’s dynamic present and future! Laurie Reed MET Board of Trustees COORDINATING TEAM MINUTES Each month the Coordinating Team creates a report for our Board of Trustees. This report is comprised of vignettes created by professional staff that reflect our progress toward the achievement of our congregation’s Ends. A hard copy of the entire report is posted on the office area bulletin board. A full copy of this report is available here. All are invited to join UUCC singers as they take songs of love to assisted living facilities in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon, February 15. The group will render sweetheart standards, such as “Moonglow,” “Chapel of Love,” “Love Me Tender” and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” in addition to other favorites. Afterwards, singers are invited to the home of Nancy and Eddie Wielunski for a potluck supper. The Singing Valentine singers will rehearse on Sunday, February 1 and Sunday, February 8, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary (following the second service). On the day of the Singing Valentine (February 15), we’ll meet at 1:15 p.m. in the sanctuary for a 30-minute rehearsal before heading to our first destination. This event is one of the musical highlights of the year! WANT TO HELP CRITIQUE OUR SPIRITPLAY STORIES? The Children and Youth Religious Education Program (CYRE) is looking for educators, writers, and creative types to join us as we critique the stories currently being used in the SpiritPlay classes of our Children and Youth Religious Education Program. SpiritPlay is a story-based approach to curriculum delivery that allows our youngest children to hear a story (told using small manipulative figures) and then respond both verbally (to “wonder” statements) and through activities. In addition to critiquing the current stories, we will brainstorm what types of new stories should be added to our collection. We may even need some writers to write a few more for us! Most of this work can be done from home and we only anticipate a couple of meetings. It should be fun! Contact Kathleen ([email protected]) by February 6 and you will be informed of the first meeting date and time. Page 9 SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS (“Social Justice Auction” continued from page 1) Your participation could be through making a donation or volunteering on one of the auction committees (or both)! We are seeking donations in the form of an item, service, or event. Be creative – think about your talents, what you like to do, and what others might enjoy having or doing. We Need a Few Good Adults Youth Mission Trip Our annual high school youth trip to Hartsville is scheduled for Sunday, June 14 through Friday, June 19. The trip focuses on the construction of one or more Habitat houses in this small South Carolina town by our youth, with supervision and/or construction advice from UUCC adult volunteers. Our group is hosted by a local church which provide places to gather and sleep (on air mattresses on the floor) and eat. Other churches and the local habitat for Humanity Board host most of the dinners. “Snooty French Dinner Party” – serve a French-themed dinner party to 8 or 10 bidders Guided nature hike on your favorite trail Professional consultation (legal, design, computer, financial) This trip is a great way for non-parent adults to support our teens while enjoying the satisfaction of helping provide low income housing. Adult volunteers are needed both for the full week and for 2-3 day shifts. Since Hartsville is only two hours from Charlotte, volunteers can easily come for a short time. All adult volunteers must be UUCC members and must be vetted, including a background check. They must also enjoy teens (and FYI: our teens are fabulous!). Contact Kathleen Carpenter ([email protected]) for additional information or to volunteer. For more information or to get involved, contact auction cochairs Craig Miller ([email protected]) or Trish Hevey ([email protected]). Room in the Inn Examples to inspire you: Trish Hevey Our Food Bank Recipients Thank You Close to 100 individuals in 29 families receive food from our church food bank once a month. It helps them stretch their precious food dollars and the canned goods provided by UUCC members help them provide nutritious meals. Please remember to bring canned goods to the barrels located in Freeman Hall. A SPECIAL THANKS goes out to those who volunteer their time to help sort food at Second Harvest Food Bank: Tom and Louise Cleveland, Eileen and Ed HansonKelly, Pat Parks, who has recruited her friends, Alice Daugherty, Barb Amico, and Ginny McGirr. Their volunteer hours help us get other items at Second Harvest to fill the monthly boxes. Eileen Hanson-Kelly Food Bank Coordinator Page 10 Where will you be sleeping tonight? Room in the Inn, an interfaith program sponsored by Urban Ministry, provides a warm bed and 3 meals each day from December through March for folks who would otherwise be out in the cold. We provide shelter for 9 adults each Sunday night. The simple goal of Urban Ministry’s Room in the Inn program is to keep homeless people from freezing on cold winter nights. If you would like to consider being one of the approximately 20 volunteers who make this shelter happen each week by setting up, driving, cooking, hosting, and/or cleaning, please email Rocky Hendrick at [email protected]. Habitat for Humanity Book Drive Please don’t forget to continue to bring in your donations for the book drive. Please keep in mind that not only are books acceptable donations, but DVDs, VHS tapes, and CDs are as well. The bin for donations can be found in Freeman Hall just inside the doors to the left. If you would like to sign up to transport the books for any week, contact Grace Clements [email protected]. MEMBERSHIP VISITOR’S CORNER We Want to Know You! “Getting to Know Us” Have you found yourself in an engaging Freeman Hall conversation with someone whose name you really wished you could remember? Imagine how difficult it is for new members, meeting the almost 700 of us for the first time! Please wear your name tag and help us to welcome newcomers and create more connections among members. Every 1st Sunday after each service, visitors are invited to an informal Q&A with a long-standing UU Church of Charlotte member. Grab a cup of coffee from Freeman Hall and meet downstairs in the Conference Room immediately following either 1st or 2nd service. Hear about another person’s journey to finding her/his spiritual home here at the UUCC. Sunday, February 1 The UUCC Welcomes the Following New Members “Meet the Minister” Sunday, February 15 You’ve seen him behind the pulpit…now here’s an opportunity for visitors to get to know Jay Leach on a more personal level. Stop by the Conference Room for an informal chat on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Audio Copies of Past Sunday Services Louise Cleveland Available at Visitor Table Stop by our bookstore in Freeman Hall after Sunday services to request a copy or contact Bill Cooke at (704) 3642107 (cost $5). Visitors can also check out audio copies of past services at the visitors table on Sunday after services. Jill Morin ONGOING GROUP MEETINGS Newcomers and drop-ins are welcome! For more information about these groups please visit www.uuccharlotte.org and select “Programs/ Get Involved.” Meeting Location/ Room Time Contact All Things Considered Schweitzer Ron Maccaroni [email protected] Exploring Humanism Healing Threads: A Prayer Shawl Ministry Jabberwocks Sanctuary Home of Joy Bruce Conference 7:00 p.m. 1st Wednesday (February 4 ) 7:00 p.m. 1st Thursday (February 5) 7:00 p.m. 2nd Monday (February 9) Steve Bivens [email protected] Kathleen Moloney-Tarr (704) 661-5409 10:00 a.m. 3rd Friday (February 20) Doris Thomas Browder Lotus Path Schweitzer 8:00 a.m. Sundays Mystics and Metaphysics Sunday Morning Meditation Sanctuary Schweitzer 7:00 p.m. (February 19) 8:30 a.m. Sundays Richard Kushmaul [email protected] Carol Smith [email protected] Debbie George (704) 763-2193 Straight Spouse Support Group “T.E.D for the Soul” (Day) Conference Bernstein “T.E.D for the Soul” (Evening) Bernstein 7:00 p.m. 1st Tuesday (February 3) 12:00 p.m. 3rd Monday (February 16) 7:00 p.m. 1st Tuesday (February 3) Women’s Circle Schweitzer 7:00 p.m. 2nd Tuesday (February 10) Young Adult Group (YAG) Schweitzer 12:45 p.m. 3rd Sunday (February 15) Sage Brook (704) 366-7983 Melissa Mummert [email protected] Susan Cox [email protected] Trish Hevey [email protected] Sandy Vermillion [email protected] Please RSVP to Sandy to attend. Lincoln Baxter III Page 11 [email protected] Periodical Non-Profit Organization Postage Paid Charlotte, NC Volume 40, Issue 02 USPS 346-850 Published biweekly by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte 234 N Sharon Amity Rd Charlotte NC 28211-3004 Postmaster: Please send address corrections to above. The deadline for the next is: Sunday, February 8, 2015 for the next issue which will be published on Wednesday, February 11, 2015. Please include your name and phone number on your submissions in case there are questions. The Voices editor reserves the right to edit all submissions to the newsletter for brevity, grammar, clarity and consistency as space will allow. The preferred submission is by email to: [email protected] Address Label Church Office hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Phone: (704) 366-8623 / Fax: (704) 366-8812 E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.uuccharlotte.org Staff Member Professional Responsibilities Kathleen Carpenter Director of Religious Education for Children & Youth [email protected] ext. 6034 Children and Youth Religious Education Denominational Connections Young Adult Group Donna Fisher Children’s Choir Director [email protected] John Herrick Director of Music [email protected] ext. 6037 Alesia Hutto Office Administrator [email protected] ext. 6030 Martha Kniseley Adult Programming Coordinator [email protected] ext. 6036 Kelly Greene Membership Coordinator [email protected] ext. 6039 Jay Leach Senior Minister [email protected] ext. 6032 Belinda Parry Administrative Assistant [email protected] ext. 6033 Page 12 Doug Swaim Interim Director of Administration [email protected] ext. 6032 Children’s Choir Music Worship Team Administrative Support Communications Adult Religious Education and Spiritual Development Community Building Congregational Care New Members Visitors Volunteer Coordination Chief of Staff Coordinating Team Social Justice Team Worship Team Part Time Administrative/CYRE Support Building & Grounds Coordinating Team Memorial Endowment Trust Stewardship Communications Finance Open Door School
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