Weekly e-nUUs – March 26, 2014

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Please note the following staff schedules for this week.

Karen will be attending the LREDA/UUMA Retreat March 26 – 28; MaryBeth will be away and the Church Office will be closed Friday, March 28; and Rev. Melissa will be attending District Assembly March 28 – 29.

 

Worship & Music

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

 

March 30 – Generosity of Spirit

Led by the Rev. Elaine Strawn, Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne County and Worship Associate Max Grubb – What if generosity means a deep call from within-what energizes you, calls you to share from yourself, and challenges you to leave your mark on a better world?

 

From the Library

 Rev. Melissa’s sources for her Homilies on ” If Earth Could Speak”, Sunday, March 23rd, include a report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science called What We Know: the Reality Risks and Responses to Climate Change, which is available on line at http://whatweknow.aaas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/whatweknow_website.pdf   The second source is

Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World, by Joanna Macy and Molly Young-Brown.

 

Hal-elujah!  Hal Walker CDs Now Available

I have compiled Hal’s best performances during Sunday morning services at church over the last 6 years into one critically acclaimed* CD, now available at church on Sunday mornings.  They are $10 each, with all proceeds going to the music program at church.   Revel in Hal’s original masterpieces!  Wonder at his ability to play two instruments at once!  Be amazed at John Marfy’s jaw harp prowess!  Hear Hallie transition from a girl into a young lady!

Get your collectible “Hal-elujah” CD during coffee hour starting this Sunday, or anytime from Brad Bolton.

*Christie likes it.

 

The UUCK and the Cuyahoga River Concert Series present.

Magpie

April 12  8:00 pm

$10 donation at the door

call 810-265-4007 to reserve tickets.

Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner began to play music together in Kent, Ohio in September of 1973.  In the years since then, they have traveled and toured extensively, performed in concerts, at folk clubs and festivals around the world, and recorded many times.  Magpie has always embraced a musical rainbow, and with impressive proficiency in each different genre. From traditional, classic country, swing, and blues of the nineteen twenties and thirties, to contemporary songs written by themselves and others, Terry and Greg cover a lot of musical ground.

Pete Seeger wrote:

“Greg and Terry can show us all what a wonderful thing it can be for two voices to harmonize together. How lucky I am to have lived to see and hear more links in the chain.”

Sing Out magazine writes; 

“This recording (Give Light)  absolutely radiates light, glowing with great songs in radiant performances… Their music is their religion, and Give Light comes very close to the divine.”

 

Lifespan Learning

 

What We Choose: Ethics for Unitarian Universalist adult education class will next meet on April 3 at 7:00 PM in Fessenden Hall.

 

The Grades 3-5 RE Class works hard to make our world a better place and so they are collecting new and gently-used pet toys for the dogs and cats at the Humane Society of Greater Akron, in Twinsburg.  They will deliver the toys to the center on April 19th.  They are making pull toys for dogs from discarded t-shirts, too.  Toy collection boxes are located in Fessenden Hal and the foyer by the sanctuary.  The pet toy collection takes place from now until April 6th.

 

Younger Young Adult Care-Packages Follow-up – The parents of our college-age young adults recently gathered on a Sunday afternoon to create care-packages for their sons and daughters.  In addition to all the goodies (think chocolate, lip balm, socks, popcorn, chips, etc.), the young adults received a card signed by so many of the members of our congregation.  A number of young adults photographed the contents of their care-packages on Facebook to express their gratitude for our continued care and support.  Logan Bialik asked that this message of gratitude be shared with everyone:

 “I received my care package today in the mail and just wanted to express a word of gratitude! It has reached me at a time of high stress and little sleep, and I found it to be a tremendously uplifting and strengthening act of love and support. A feeling of community is evidently an incredibly powerful remedy to stress and anxiety, and I can’t thank you enough for reminding me of the loving UU community that I am a part of.  Thank you so much!”

 

Community Within

Do you want to become a Surprise Friend this year? Complete a sign-up form and place it in the Surprise Friends Box in Fessenden Hall no later than April 6th.

 

Calling All Bakers!

We are celebrating another successful Stewardship Campaign by offering free pie to everyone on Pie Sunday, March 30th.  We would love to offer homemade pies and need a few bakers to help us out.  If you can bring a homemade pie (or pies) on Sunday morning before 10am to share with everyone it would be greatly appreciated!

No need to let us know ahead of time, just stop by the kitchen with your pie(s) in the morning.

Thank you!

The Stewardship Committee

 

We Need You to Help us Become a Green Sanctuary!

 The Green Sanctuary Steering Committee, Mary Lou Holly, Andrew Rome and Patty Miller, warmly invite you to come out for an evening to explore how you might become involved in helping us become a Green Sanctuary.  To accomplish this goal, we need participation from every area of congregational life – from worship and religious education to the library and buildings and grounds and more.  Whatever your area of interest in congregational life, there is a way you can support this process.  Please consider joining us in Fessenden Hall on Tuesday, April 1 from 7:00 to 8:30 to learn more and to share your ideas.

 

Coffee Hour Connection

Did you know that our coffee hour is provided by volunteers?  Every week Deb Biggins, Shirley and Jonathan Kiernan come to church early to set up for coffee hour so that there is hot coffee, tea and treats available for folks at church to enjoy.  It is a wonderful labor of love.  If you haven’t recently, would you please thank them for their contributions.

Deb and Shirley have received several requests to provide particular condiments for coffee hour that are not in our budget to provide.  However, if you want to bring your favorite tea or a particular type of milk or sweetener to be available at coffee hour, please feel free to bring it in to share.  And if you have ideas about how you’d like to see coffee hour go, please approach Deb and Shirley and let them know that you would be glad to volunteer.  They’d be happy to have your help!

 

The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 pm in the home of Kathie Slater. This month we are reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel by Rachel Joyce. Fry is convinced that he must deliver a letter to an old love in order to save her, meeting various characters along the way and reminiscing about the events of his past and people he has known, as he tries to find peace and acceptance. In May we will be reading Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper.  All are welcome.

 

Outreach and Social Justice

Our special collection this Sunday, March 30 is for CoCoDA  (Companion Community Development Alternatives), an organization that works in El Salvador.  Our church has been affiliated with them since 1980.  CoCoDA works to develop education for youth with limited economic resources from rural El Salvadoran communities. Thirty-five youths from the village of Santa Marta graduate each year from high school. Normally, fewer than 10 have been able to realize their life dreams of attending a university because of economic conditions. As a result of CoCoDA’S efforts, 32 Santa Marta students are presently provided basic housing and tuition to attend the university in San Salvador.  They are required to return to their villages on weekends to provide community service in the areas of health care, social action and education.  Our contributions will contribute to their efforts.  Please make your checks out to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, and note CoCoDA in the memo line.

 

Kent Social Services – Food & Grocery Card Donations

March is rapidly coming to a close and with it, National Nutrition Month and Harvest for Hunger. Sadly, the food baskets have remained nearly empty all month. Won’t you please consider donating non-perishable food items this weekend? The Super-Six remain much in need – PB (and jelly, of course), canned veggies, soup, beef stew, tuna and cereal – as well as other staples such as pasta, spaghetti sauce, rice, beans, canned fruit, crackers, meal-in-a-box & meal-in-a-can & macaroni n’ cheese mix. Children often enjoy pudding cups, fruit snacks, granola bars, raisins, and other wrapped snack items.

No fancy style at this welcome table . . . just quality, basic food for meals and snacks; please, no open packages, outdated boxes or rusty cans. Won’t you please consider donating? Baskets are available on the lower level inside the closet next to the elevator and on the upper level outside the sanctuary. [If you are in need of groceries or any other help, please contact Reverend Melissa for confidential assistance.]

If you are not grocery shopping this week, donations of $10 Acme grocery cards are most appreciated so KSS clients can purchase fresh foods or non-edibles that food stamp benefits do not allow.

Thank you in advance for your generosity,

Elaine Bowen.

 

Noreen Kumm-Gory has shaved her hair to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research. The event was sponsored by an organization known as the St. Baldrick’s foundation. Childhood cancer research is extremely underfunded, so we can all help through your donations. To support Noreen and do your part in helping out children suffering from cancer, please go to Noreen’s donation web page, http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/685372/2014.

 

UU and Interfaith Connections

 

Celebrate Spring with a Concert at East Shore UU

Two talented women come to East Shore

UU Church in Kirtland with their bands on March 29  at 8:00

for an evening of bluegrass/newgrass/acoustic fusion music.  Missy Raines & The New Hip is one of the most respected, popular and trailblazing figures in bluegrass and a huge award-winner for her bass playing.  Opening for Missy is Rebekah Jean, a Burton native who has roots in West virginia coal country but grew up  within earshot of Cleveland’s rock-n-roll scene.  Her original music and voice will have audiences fall in love.  Tickets are $16 at www.blueskyfolkfest.com, $20 at the door, under 13 free.  8:00 PM.  Bring your friends!


Income Generation

 

PIE SUNDAY – FREE PIE FOR EVERYONE!

A heartfelt thank you to all who have pledged to our 2015 Stewardship Campaign.  We are CELEBRATING the official end of the 2015 Stewardship Campaign by serving everyone a free slice of PIE!  Several of our pies are delicious HOMEMADE contributions! Come to Fessenden Hall during coffee hour or after second service, and join the party!

Have you made your pledge of your financial commitment for the upcoming fiscal year?  Our Finance Committee relies on our pledges to set the budget for next fiscal year. Every pledge is important so we may continue our programs and ministries.  If you haven’t had a chance to make your pledge yet, you can do so in many ways:

  • In Person on Sunday March 30th at the Stewardship Table
  • In the Offertory on Sunday – Pledge cards are in the pews
  • Online Pledge card on the website kentuu.org
  • Email your pledge to the church office [email protected]
  • Call in your pledge to the church office 330.673.4247

Thanks to everyone who has helped make this a successful campaign!

The Stewardship Committee

Sandy Eaglen – Co-Chair

Kathie Slater – Co-Chair

Meg Milko – Co-Chair

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