November 27. Newsletter of the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Transcription

1 November 2016 Newsletter of the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation 1296 Montgomery Avenue at McGraft Muskegon MI Sue McIntire Music Director Tim Hamlin Director of Religious Education Sunday Services at 11:00 AM Religious Education for Children and Childcare Provided Sunday Worship Services November 6 November 13 November 20 November 27 Living by Heart in Insane Times Rev Kayle Rice, retired minister from Marquette Unitarian Universalist Congregation *** Noisy Offering *** I Think I'm a Hindutarian Fred Stella November is the Penultimate Month David McIntire *** Community Connection Collection for Family Promise *** *** Choir to Sing *** The Internet as a Spiritual Place Jenna Holmes Please wear your name tag on Sunday Please submit information for the December Newsletter by 5:00 PM Tuesday November 22 nd to dmargules1951@gmail.com Please submit information for the Order of Service by 10 AM Friday morning prior to the service to marpeghumphr@yahoo.com Caring Contact for September: Eli Fox or elizabeth.anne.fox@gmail.com

2 President's Letter Hello friends, We have a busy month coming up with lots of ways to participate and be involved at Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation. The Buddhist meditation group has resumed, and meets Tuesday at 7 PM in the nursery. You do not have to be Buddhist or skilled at meditation to participate, and all are welcome. On Saturday November 12 th we will be holding a Junque (junk) swap/ free cycle event from 12 to 2 PM. This is a good opportunity to clean out your cupboard or pick up some new-to-you treasures. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and there will be two write-ins on Saturday the 5th and 19th from 2 to 4 PM. See Anna EldenBrady if you would like more information. Also starting on November 5 th and continuing the first Saturday of each month will be a bluegrass jam session starting at 6:30. This is open to players of various skill levels. Contact Jim Thompson for more information. Have a wonderful November. Peace, Rebecca Endowment Grants Endowment Grant Cycle Opens for Applications for grants from the HUUC Endowment Fund are now available. The Endowment Committee chaired by Poppy Hernandez, who serves along with Margot Haynes, Sue McIntire, Ty Newton and Marie Cisneros, encourages everyone who has a project in mind that fits with the grant guidelines to apply. Copies of those guidelines and grant applications are available on our website. At least $5000 will be granted annually for special projects separate from our operating budget. Applications are due by December 1 st and must be submitted by to poppysh@me.com or in person to the committee chair, Poppy Hernandez. Caring Ministry The Caring Ministry (Margot Haynes, Darlene VanderKolk and Eli Fox) invites members and friends of HUUC who suddenly find themselves in need of assistance to contact one of us. We cannot promise emergency availability, but will do our best to find someone to help with your need. Contact for November: Eli Fox at or elizabeth.anne.fox@gmail.com Some of the situations the caring team can help with are: Rides to medical appointments and errands, meals or other support. Respite for caregivers we will sit with your loved one while you take a breather. Prepared meals for new parents in their first month of parenthood. Nonjudgmental listening. The Caring Ministry affirms our connection and our interdependence. We encourage each other to live fully and love generously by both giving and receiving acts of kindness and service. Sharing our vulnerabilities and helping each other when we are in need nurtures our spiritual growth. Discretionary Funds are now being administered by the Caring Ministry. Please submit requests to Margot Haynes at or margot.haynes@gmail.com if you have need of temporary/emergency funds.

3 The Caring Team is in need of another member. We meet once a month on the first Sunday at 12:20. Contact Margot if you wish to join or margot.haynes@gmail.com Announcing... Acoustic Music Jam Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation All Skill Levels Listeners also Welcome Separate Rooms for Small Jams Mentors to Help Beginners Doors Open at 6:30 First Saturday of the Month November - May for more info, please contact Jim Thompson at jimasa@aol.com Calling All Writers! From Anna EldenBrady 50,000 words. 30 days of creative abandon: November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and there is a local network of participating writers. HUUC member Anna EldenBrady will be hosting two write-ins at HUUC with friends from the Muskegon NaNoWriMo group. All HUUC members and friends are welcome to come write with us or to join the NaNoWriMo challenge see nanowrimo.org for more information on this event. Dates: Saturday 2:00-4:00 PM November 5 and November 19 If you are willing and able, writers always need fuel, so anyone willing to bring a snack to share is also welcome to do so. ~ Thank you. Thanksgiving Dinner at HUUC Thursday November 24 4:00 Appetizers 5:00 dinner followed by game night Margot and Bruce will supply the turkey Others to sign up to bring appetizers, a side dish or dessert Sign-up sheets available Sunday October 30 This was such a great success in 2015, that we are doing it again this year. Dinner is early enough so that children can participate and still get home to bed on time Older folks like getting home early and to bed, too, especially after all that turkey!

4 PEOPLE Many thanks to Kurt Troutman for his years of service on the Caring Ministry. In addition, Kurt has also served as chairman of the Finance Committee for over 10 years and will soon be serving in a newly redefined role as Treasurer for HUUC. Best Wishes for a Speedy and Complete Recovery to Jon Torrey who is doing well following surgery to his left leg after being struck by an automobile. He is undergoing rehabilitation and would love to hear from you: wyndlass@lycos.com Heartland Health Care Center - Fostrian, Room 112 B, 540 Sunnyside Dr, Flushing MI to Eric Stark who continues lengthy stroke rehabilitation at Heartland Health Care Center in Whitehall he would welcome a visit or note from you: 916 E Lewis St, Whitehall Jackie Macdonald's son Rick who is now home and doing well after open heart surgery to repair his mitral valve at Spectrum. He now has fewer mysterious symptoms that confound his doctors. Comfort and peace to all who have lost a beloved family member or friend, whose grief remains or has resurged with an anniversary or birthday. We hold gently in our thoughts all who consider HUUC their home and are coping with on-going concerns COMMITTEES & GROUPS Board Meeting second Wednesday of the month 7:00 PM at HUUC. Next meeting November 9 th. If you have a concern to bring before the board or an item to be placed on the agenda, please contact Rebecca StClair at rebeccastclair1974@gmail.com by Sunday November 6 th. Caring Ministry Next meeting Sunday November 6 th at 12:20. This is a closed meeting. Choir Practice every Thursday 6:00-7:30 PM. Finance meetings occur regularly the 2 nd Wednesday of the month one hour before the Board Meeting at HUUC. Next meeting Wednesday November 9 th at 6:00 PM. Liberal Voice HUUC television ministry created by Jeff Holmes and hosted by Kwame James. Muskegon Comcast Cable Channel 7: Sunday 2 PM, Wednesday 7 PM, Saturday 3:30 PM Grand Haven Charter Communications Cable Channel 96: Monday 9:30 AM MomCom Thursday November 10 th meet at Kangaroo Palace bounce house at 3524 Green St just off Seaway Dr in Norton Shores at 6:30 PM. Saturday December 3 rd meet at 9:30 AM at HUUC to join our caravan to Fredrick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids to see the Christmas Trees from Around the World display. We will stay for lunch if the children are in good spirits, so bring a sack lunch or your lunch money for the cafe. This is a yearly tradition and the HUUC community is welcome to share the wonder with us. Noisy Offering Taken the first Sunday of each month to support the education of a student in Nepal and other religious education projects. Please collect your loose change to make a big noise to support them. Religious Education Committee 1 st Thursday of the month 5PM at HUUC. Next meeting is Thursday November 3 rd at 5 PM.

5 Refreshments Do you like to have a little nibble as you enjoy coffee and conversation with others after the service? If so, please do your part by signing up to make coffee, bring light refreshments and clean up afterward. If we each take our turn, we'll each only have to do this 2 or 3 times a year. Sign-up sheet is in the Social Hall. If you would like to help, but need assistance with funds to purchase treats, please call Margot, or the Caring Ministry Contact for the current month. Social Action Next meeting Sunday November 13 th at 12:30, and Soup Luncheon Sunday November 20 th after the service to raise money for the activities of the committee $5.00 donation suggested. Supper House HUUC serves Mission for Area People (MAP) on the 3 rd Friday of each month 3:45-5:00 PM at Temple United Methodist Church on Hume St between Sanford and Jefferson across from Muskegon Hts High School. Sign up in the Social Hall for Friday November 18 th. For more information, contact Kwame James at kwamekamau@yahoo.com. Non-perishable goods for people and pets are collected on behalf of MAP on the first Sunday of the month, but can be left anytime look for the large-ish clear plastic bins in the Social Hall. Worship & Music Tuesday October 18 th at 6:00 PM at HUUC 3rd Tuesday of every month City of the Dead a Rousing Success by Tim Hamlin This year's City of the Dead was a great success. Nearly 600 people attended over the 2 days of the event. (2015 attendance was nearly 200, largest to date at that time.) Work began in April with the selection of 21 cast members (16 from HUUC, 5 non-uu) as well as at least 8 crew members. Our membership in the Arts & Humanities Festival (AHFest) helped to boost publicity. We attended several public forums in character and were gratified by the number of people already aware of our event and by the number who enthusiastically requested fliers. Thanks to the entire cast and crew, and especially to Anna EldenBrady whose strong direction, guidance and tremendous energy made the event possible. Special thanks to Kurt Troutman who portrayed Clarence Zylman, The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B, and to George Maniates, history professor at MCC and a strong advocate for City of the Dead; their efforts brought in about 50 MCC students who attended the event with note pads in hand. Thanks to Bruce Froelich for his heartfelt rendition of Potters' Field. Thanks also to Adam Winters who depicted Winfield Gerrish for the second year. Adam represents the Muskegon Heritage Museum where he spread the word among museum staff who are now very interested in participating in next year's event. We took in almost $3000 to yield a net profit of about $2000 for HUUC. Even more gratifying than the financial success is the wonderful profile we were able to project to the community that well represents our Unitarian Universalist values. One of the most exciting things about this year's event was that we were able to project our deep honor and joy in remembering our ancestors. Our event touched many who attended. Some of the feedback we received included statements such as: This event keeps getting better every year, Truly amazing, It was well worth the wait (there were some very long lines), The event was wonderful. Those of us who made City of the Dead happen hope all of our UU members and friends take great pride in this event, and consider joining us next year in this gratifying and fun experience. (This version is heavily edited. Contact timhamlin@comcast.net for full text.)

6 REMINDERS If you have a joy or sorrow to express, but wish to do so privately, place your feather or stone in the joys and sorrows bowl before or during the Prelude. HUUC has a transmitter that broadcasts the services throughout the church building on frequency 98.0 FM. Portable FM radios and earphones are available from the sound personnel on duty at the back of the sanctuary. The service also is broadcast on the radio in the Nursery on the lower level. HUUC Board of Trustees Rebecca StClair President Jeffrey Ochsner Vice President Bruce Froelich Treasurer Tim Hamlin Secretary Poppy Hernandez, Peggy Humphreys and John Wilkinson Members at Large HUUC Mission Statement Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation is a safe haven inspiring people to seek their own spiritual truths through worship and learning in community as we build a better world together. HUUC Vision Statement The people of Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation envision a community where connections are strengthened and deepened, where families are supported, and where diversity is celebrated.

7 Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation 1296 Montgomery Avenue at McGraft Muskegon MI