The North Unitarian Universalist Congregation Newsletter

October 2010

Page 2

October News and Events!

Coming of Age Program for Youth is Coming Soon! Coming of Age is a program, a passage, and a pilgrimage. It is the culmination of our Children’s Religious Education (CRE) program, and is the most significant rite of passage we offer to our youth, celebrating their passage from childhood to youth. Beginning mid January 2011, youth involved in the program will strive to define who they are and what they believe. They will grapple with some of the Big Questions in life: Is there a God? What happens after we die? What is faith? Why do bad things happen? What does it mean to live our UU principles? Youth will meet regularly with individual mentors who will help them explore and define their own beliefs. Each youth works on the development of a personal faith statement with Rev. Susan Ritchie, and is involved in creating the Coming of Age worship service at the end of the year where they will present their credos. In addition to requiring a commitment to regular attendance for the Sunday morning class held during usual Religious Education time, the youth will participate in one weekend retreat, and one service project. See Rev. Ritchie, Melinda Rosenberg, or Dick Leavy with any questions. Cost for the whole program (including overnight and retreat) is $75/youth. We need a commitment by Monday, Oct. 11 to make this program work. Contact RevRitchie@aol.com to sign up. Orientation to Our Congregation Set for Oct. 3 Sign up for the next “Orientation to our Congregation” session Sunday, October 3, 11:45am-1:00pm. Rev. Susan Ritchie and a Membership Committee rep. will explain the denomination’s (and our congregation’s) history and the meaning of membership. Babysitter service available upon request. New and recently joined members will be recognized during service Sunday, October 10. If you would like to join the congregation on or prior to this day, let Rev. Ritchie know - RevRitchie@aol.com or 740-657-8081. Brown Bag Book Group Please join us on Tuesday, October 19 at noon in Fellowship Hall to discuss the book “The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America” by Steven Johnson. The following description appears on Amazon: "National bestselling author Steven Johnson tells the fascinating story of Joseph Priestley--scientist and theologian, protégé of Benjamin Franklin, friend of Thomas Jefferson--an eighteenth-century radical thinker who played pivotal roles in the invention of ecosystem science, the discovery of oxygen, the founding of the Unitarian Church, and the intellectual development of the United States. As he did so masterfully in “The Ghost Map,” Steven Johnson uses a dramatic historical story to explore themes that have long engaged him: innovation and the way new ideas emerge and spread, and the environments that foster these breakthroughs.” For more information and a complete synopsis, check it out at www.amazon.com ) For those of you who like to plan ahead, we have also chosen books for the following three months! For November, we’ll be reading “Sum:  Forty Tales from the Afterlives” by David Eagleman;  for December, “Half Empty” by David Rakoff;  and for January, “Little Bee: A Novel” by Chris Cleave.  (Be sure to get on the waiting list for “Little Bee”--it  may take quite a while to get it.) Our small group continues to grow, and we are having lively discussions each month.  Remember, we meet the third Tuesday of the month at 12:00 noon.  We look forward to seeing you! For questions, please contact group facilitator Ruth Rusk at ruthrusk@midohio.net . Happy Reading Fall Yoga Want to improve your health, your mood, your flexibility? Come try us out! Certified Yoga Instructor Abby Dorn has returned to offer a 10-session class of yoga on Thursday nights through October 28. Cost is just $8.00 per drop-in class.  Abby offers a blended style of hatha and vinyasa yoga with modifications and options suitable for all levels of fitness and experience, including beginners. No previous attendance or experience is required--all are welcome to come (our class is attended by both males and females). No need to purchase special equipment to visit--a limited supply of mats and other aids are available to use that night. Classes are sponsored by the NUUC Adult RE & Enrichment Committee. For questions and more info about the fall session, see the bulletin board or contact Jeri Dill at the church office at 740-657-8081, ext. 1 or Adult RE Committee member Ruth Rusk at ruthrusk@midohio.net. “Women of Spirit” Program NUUC's women's group, “Women of Spirit,” continues a new program that might best be described as “Looking for the Feminine Soul.” The program consists of 10 sessions and meets every 6 weeks (session one began on June 27, but you can come whenever you like). Meetings are from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall or another agreed-upon location whenever noted. We will be reading these novels: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker, and/or The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan. There also will be readings (provided) from The Dance of the Dissident Daughter (Sue Monk Kidd), The Goddess in the Gospels (Margaret Starbird), When God Was a Woman (Merlin Stone), Toward a New Psychology of Women (Dr. Jean Baker Miller), and the UU curriculum Rise Up and Call Her Name (Elizabeth Fisher). Men are welcome to attend meetings. They may be interested in “archetypes” or the bits of history that will be studied (see session six). Women and men: come to as many (or as few) sessions as you like. The remaining sessions: 4 (Oct. 31) Doing Our Own Naming 5 (Dec. 12) Reflecting “The Great Goddess,” inside, out 6 (Jan. 23, '11) Inviting Men Into the Quest: What's In It For Them 7 (Mar. 6) Assessing the Hard Facts: What is Still at Stake 8 (Apr. 17) Assessing, part 2 Book(s) discussion: The Temple of My Familiar, The Kitchen God's Wife, or other 9 (May 29) Backing Away from Power: Why is That? The importance of conflict 10 (July 10) Unlocking It Just what have we “locked up”? The “Water Blessing” Contact person: Marty Keith (740) 369-1919 or martykeith@verizon.net NUUC Directory The Fall update to the NUUC Directory of Members and Friends will be disseminated via e-mail about mid-October (soon after the New Member Recognition scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 10). Please notify Jeri Dill in the church office by Friday, Oct. 8 if your address, phone, or e-mail information needs updating. If you ever need a re-send of the directory, or you have no means to print out a copy of the directory and/or just wish to have a paper copy, kindly let Jeri know at nuucjdill@aol.com or 740-657-8081, ext. 1, noting whether you are able to pick it up at church (to save postage) or you need it mailed to you.

October Calendar Preview: (N) = Nielsen House (F) = Fellowship Hall (S) = Sanctuary October 2 10:30am – Covenant Group October 3 11:45am – “Orientation to our Congregation” (N) CROP Walk (no Social Action Committee Meeting) October 7 7:00pm – Yoga (F) October 9 5:00pm – Stewardship Meeting (F) tentative October 10 New Member Breakfast (F) Loose Change Sunday Fair Trade Sales after service Congregational Meeting after service October 11 Commitment deadline for “Coming of Age” program October 12 Worship Committee Meeting October 14 7:00pm – Yoga (F) October 16 9:00am – Board Meeting (F) 7:00pm – Nathan Hamm Recital at First UU October 17 RE Open House after service (N) October 19 Noon - Brown Bag Books (F) October 21 October newsletter submission deadline 7:00pm – Yoga (F) October 28 7:00pm – Yoga (F) October 31 11:45am – Cause Fair (F) 4:00pm – Women of Spirit group (F) October Music Notes If you have attended a worship service lately, you have noticed that the NUUC Choir has added several new members. Please help me welcome back Allison Fagan and new members Becca Morse, Nathan Morse, Nancy Kuhn, Fred Kuhn, Brad Dana, and Lyn Herron. We have an ambitious performance schedule, with the choir singing at every worship service through Christmas Eve. This season will feature contemporary music, including a world premiere! During the month of October, the choir will be singing two new songs and bringing back three favorites. Here’s a sneak peak at what we’re preparing: October 3: “Ancient Mother” is a new song to our repertoire. The Native American text is set to haunting music with Gregorian Chant-like sections. October 10: Wittenberg University professor Dr. Busarow wrote the music for “The Best of Rooms” in 1996. This will be our second performance of this song. October 17: The choir will be performing a four-part arrangement of “The Gift of Love,” one of the songs in our hymnal. October 24: Back by popular demand, the choir is working hard on the Beetles tune “Blackbird,” which has been arranged for unaccompanied choir. October 31: Be sure to come and hear the world premiere performance of “Truth” with text from Chief Seattle and music by Mark Jon Gottschalk, a friend of JB Lawton. I’ll see you on Sunday! Marlene Hartzler, Music Director marlenemetz@yahoo.com Reminder: Renew your Kroger Plus Cards NUUC continues to receive meaningful rebate checks ($199.61 in August!), thanks to your registering your Plus card with the Community Rewards program and designating NUUC as your recipient. Thank you! Individual participation must be renewed annually, so be sure you have updated your record. Go to http://www.kroger.com and select Kroger Community Rewards at the bottom of the page. You’ll need your account information or your Plus card number to complete the registration. It is a little cumbersome, but the sooner you do it the sooner your purchases start counting toward another nice donation from Kroger. (Should you need it, our NUUC Nonprofit Organization Number is 84869). Fair Trade Sale Oct. 10 Fair Trade Sales of coffee, tea and chocolates will resume on Sunday, October 10 after service (typically held the second Sunday of the month).  Your purchase of fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate supports economic justice in coffee-growing communities.  See new coordinators Brandy & Paul Montgomery for more info (brandy.montgomery@gmail.com ) Activities at First UU Church Our friends at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus (93 West Weisheimer Road, Columbus 614 267-4946) have sent us an invitation to the following special events: --On Saturday, Oct. 16 Nathan Hamm will be holding a solo piano recital at the First UU Church of Columbus at 7:00PM.   Program to include a Choral Prelude of Bach, the Etudes plus a Nocturne of Chopin could evoke, Debussy, a Piano Sonata of Liszt. The visionary world of Screenless Fantasia awaits you! --Equality Ohio Film Festival: First UU Church will be the site for the film "Fish Out of Water" to be offered Friday, October 22 at 7:00pm, with post-film discussion and refreshments. (For the rest of the film festival schedule go to Equality Ohio website at www.equalityohio.org). NUUC is Going Green! Thanks to the help of the Building and Grounds Committee, we will soon have the opportunity to recycle glass, plastic (#1 & #2), aluminum, and paper/cardboard. Please look for the correct bins to place the items to be recycled.  They are located both in the kitchen and in Nielsen House.  While helping the planet, we may even be able to make money from recycling our pop cans!  Please contact Cathy Rodeheffer with any questions (614-370-5202). Delaware County Community Market The Delaware Country Community Market is a fascinating new venture in downtown Delaware. A non-profit market, you can shop there for groceries, handmade foods and other items, and household goods, and then direct 20% of the profits to your favorite non-profit. Yes, NUUC is on the list of nonprofits to choose from—we recently received our first check!) The market is open 7 days a week (10-6 weekdays and 10-4 weekends). More information at www.dccmc.com. The store is located at 222 East William Street. Go to: Page 1 Page 3 Page 4