Worship & Music
Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM.
January 26 – A Lion’s Heart
This multigenerational service will be led by the Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer, Director of Religious Education Karen Lapidus and Worship Associate Justin Czekaj – I don’t think I’ve ever taken a Disney movie as a text for a worship service, so this will be a first. What can The Lion King teach us about mature courage? Not just for kids, everyone is invited to join us for this lively, multigenerational celebration of life.
Seeking Reflections on the Power of “We”
Our capabilities as individuals are enhanced by the shared creativity of others. Members and friends of the congregation are invited to illustrate the power of collaboration by contributing true personal reflections for the Music Sunday service. The Feb. 2 worship theme will celebrate the power of an ensemble of people to inspire new possibilities. Brief personal reflections from any type of setting are sought that highlight a new opportunity that emerged from a group effort. Contributors are urged to express the emotional tone of the experience.
Selected submissions will be read aloud during the service without revealing authorship. Please note that based on the number of submissions, it’s possible that not all will be able to be included for this particular service. Email your reflection to both Hal Walker and Christie Anderson by Sunday, Jan. 26. Thanks!!
Lifespan Learning
Feeling Chilly?
The children in the Grades 3-5 class made three fleece blankets in December. One was given to the family that we “adopted” at Miller Community House, one was given to a homeless person from Kent and the other was given to the members and friends of the church. If you are feeling chilly or just need to feel held in the embrace of our community, you are welcome to wrap yourself in the fleece blanket during the worship services. The blanket is stored in the foyer on top of the little desk. It has fringe and a planet pattern.
RADIOLAB AND PANCAKES will return during 2nd service on Jan.26th. Our short is “Cosmic Habituation”.
“Cosmic Habituation explores the ways that new scientific discoveries can invalidate old, our Unitarian Universalism puts science and reason among our spiritual sources, what happens to our spirits when something we have long considered fact is proven false? That is the start of our discussion for Jan.26th.
We will return on Feb.23rd during 2nd service, our short then is “Ally’s Choice” “Ally’s Choice” is about a girl who lives in a very racist environment. How will her friends and family respond when she decides that she is not “African-American” but “White”, and is accepted as such by the racist leaders in her school? This short challenges all our preconceptions about “race” and identity.
Thank you for attending RADIOLAB AND PANCAKES throughout the previous year, I promise to bring the most interesting and thoughtful Radiolab shorts to our discussion group throughout the coming year. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Spoehr.
Community Within
Are you raising a little UU? Come and join the Parents of Young Children group!
Starting in February we will meet once a month. We’ll begin by sharing a meal all together (adults and kids). Childcare will be provided during a our meeting. The Parents of Young Children (PYC) group will resemble our small group ministry but would focus specifically on the issues, concerns, joys and challenges of raising children and creating balance in our spiritual life and parenting roles. This group is for parents and caregivers of kids in kindergarten and under.
For more details, please see Colleen Thoele or Karen Lapidus
Looking for a Ride
Do you drive anywhere near the intersection of Summit Road and South Prospect Streets in Ravenna on your way to church? Kay Wind lives near there and she is looking for a ride to and from church on Sundays. She is happy to come to either service and is even willing to stay for both if needed. If we could find a small handful of people who can help, perhaps we could set up a monthly schedule. If you can help (even only in one direction), please let Rev. Melissa know.
Save the date February 2
Recently the UUCK Membership Team decided to celebrate the membership of some of our longstanding Church members by designating them as Jubilee members. We envision such Jubilee membership status would be recognized first at twenty years of service and each five-year interval thereafter (i.e., 25, 30, 35, etc.). In honor of those members who have reached such landmark membership anniversaries in 2013 and 2014, we are holding our first Jubilee Anniversary Celebration during coffee hour on Sunday, February 2. We hope that you will be able to join us so that we can recognize these long commitments to our beloved church.
New UU Classes in February
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, February 9, from 9-11 am. Part 2 will be on Sunday, February 16, 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, February 11 at 7 pm at the home of Kathy Kerns. This month we are reading Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne. This book spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanche. In March we will be reading The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper. All are welcome
The Library Committee would like to thank all those who purchased the 2013, volume 3, of Here We Have Gathered. Your support of the Library is deeply appreciated and will give us the resources to continue adding new books to our collection. A few copies remain. If you would like one please see any Library committee member.
The Library Committee is pleased to welcome Jane Krimmer and Gene Wenninger as active committee members. We are indeed grateful to you both for agreeing to help us with this important work.
A brief heads-up: the final Symposium for this church year will be held on Tuesday, February 25th at 7:00 P.M. in Fessenden Hall. We will view a discussion between Bill Moyers and the the author, Margaret Atwood. Refreshments will be served after the viewing, to be followed by a discussion. Joel Slater will be the Moderator. Do plan to join us for a thoughtful and stimulating evening. The program should conclude around 8:45 P.M.
Book Review
Madiga, Arthur J., ed. How to be a Perfect Stranger: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People’s Religious Ceremonies. v.1, 1996; v.2, 1997; Jewish Lights Publishing, Woodstock VT, 2nd ed. Coedited by Stuart M. Matlins. This 2 volume set was recently donated to the church library collection and is located in the category, “Celebrations and Passages.”
Ecumenical interaction has always been a part of the UU tradition, whether in the RE program visiting other churches or when adults participate in various community groups. Vol. 1 covers the basic service and ceremonies of all major religions and denominations in America. Vol. 2 covers other religions and denominations in America with smaller memberships. This group includes Unitarian Universalists. In both cases the material is based on information obtained directly from each group. Submitted by Martha S. Kluth
With winter weather arriving, we are aware that there may be occasions when we need to cancel programming at the church. Though we are unlikely to need to cancel Sunday services entirely (Rev. Melissa, our minister, and Hal Walker, our music director, live within walking distance), we may choose to have only the first service if the weather or the roads indicate limiting programming. It is more likely that we may need to cancel our religious education program in inclement weather as our Director of Religious Education, Karen Lapidus, and many of our volunteer teachers and advisers drive some distance to get to church.
If the weather or the condition of the roads cause you to wonder whether we are proceeding with our programming as scheduled, please check for cancellations before you head out.
You can check in one of three places:
- our church’s Facebook page,
- call the church number and listen to the message on voicemail
- tune in to any television or radio station connected with iAlert. (WKYC-TV, Channel 3)
We’d like to remind our members and friends of the online tool we are using to help schedule volunteers for Sundays. It would be really helpful to the Sunday Volunteer Coordinators if you would be willing to use this tool. Please see the link below. Thank you.
All the members and friends of this church are needed to extend hospitality to our visitors. We need a large team of people who volunteer to help greet and usher on Sunday mornings, to prepare an inviting coffee hour or 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.
Sign up at: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/904054FA9A62BA57-sunday
Outreach and Social Justice
It is with much appreciation that we acknowledge the special collection donations received to benefit the Minister’s Discretionary Fund (MDF). To date, $2,570.25 has been received in support our UUCK community’s pastoral outreach. Please know that donations to benefit the MDF can be made at any time throughout the year; please designate your donation by writing MDF on the memo line of your check. Thank you.