UU UU UPDATE UPDATE JUNE 13, 2014 OCTOBER 10, 2014 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS OF TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY A WELCOMING CONGREGATION Why? John Snodgrass — Sunday, October 12 Sunday Sermon In our time we are witnessing a great tug-of-war over theories of human origins and purposes. Should we take Biblical creation stories literally? Have scriptural explanations been disproven by scientific theories? And what difference does the way we tell our origin story make? I will explore questions of origin and meaning, assisted by Enlightenment thinkers, including Voltaire and Mark Twain. Sunday Children’s Programs Nursery care will be provided during both services. During the 11:00 service, Emily Atkinson will conduct Spirit Play in the classroom for children Ages 4-8, and Heather Layton will conduct Riddle & Mystery for Grades 4-9, starting out in the Sanctuary and moving to the library. “May your life preach more loudly than your lips.” – William Ellery Channing, Unitarian minister UPCOMING EVENTS at UUTC Christians in Exile – MON at 3:30 p.m. Mindfulness Group – MON at 7:00 p.m. Men’s Group – TUE at 9:00 a.m. Highlights Inside Mythology & Religion – TUE at 5:30 p.m. Page 2 — Youth In Focus Eclectics Jam – WED at 9:00 a.m. Page 3 — Usher Schedule Being Group – WED at 1:00 p.m. Page 4 — Wonderful Wednesday Page 5 — Crop Walk Page 6 — Safe’s Designer House Page 7 — UUTC Contact Information Soup & Soul*– WED at 6:00 p.m. *Soup & Soul will be on hiatus from October 22—November 19 Youth in Focus Heather Layton, Children’s Religious Exploration Lead Teacher “Earth is so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest.”- Douglas Jerrold Last month the Youth Group and Teen Group gathered together to watch the documentary film “A Place at the Table.” This film follows three families across the USA who deal with hunger on a daily basis. The youth and I have been talking lots about this topic for several reasons. One, the September Social Action recipient was Backpack Buddies which helps feed youth in Transylvania over the weekends. Second, the annual CROP Walk is coming up in the next couple of weeks, which is an interfaith, community-wide walk to help raise awareness of hunger issues locally and abroad. Lastly, we have been feeling so blessed with the autumn harvest and the change of seasons. Pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, apples, pears, greens are so apparently abundant. As one youth commented, “The earth gives us everything we need to sustain our bodies, how can people be hungry?” Good question! The documentary taught us about “food deserts”, pockets of places in our country where it is difficult to find fresh fruits and vegetables. What is easy to find in these food deserts are cheap, processed food, which correlates to obesity and hunger in our country. “So sad”, said another youth. There was lots of talk of politics, specifically related to subsidizing farming, the Child Nutrition Act, cost of processed food being low, veggies and fruits costs so high, due to changes in government through the 80’s and 90’s. I like to believe they picked-up on some of these connections to hunger in our country but I also know it was a lot of information. I highly recommend this film (it’s on Netflix:) We played a game called Global Four Square the Sunday after we watched the film. You remember playing four square as a child? Well, in our game the squares were very uneven. The number 1 square was huge as it represented humans living in poverty. The squares got smaller, square 4 being tiny, representing the wealthiest in the world. The kids soon learned it was very difficult to de-throne the person in square 4. The lucky few who made it into square 4 loved it! They got to play the whole game and make all the rules! No one else got to make rules! After sometime, Ian F. made it into square 4. He decided as the rule-maker he was going to even things out. He made rules that enabled those in the other squares to help themselves and better their personal square, which of course, put his own tenure in square 4 at risk. If Ian ever runs for President, I will be the first person at the polls! What a lesson our world leaders could learn from a 12 year-old boy playing 4 Square. The youth and staff of the CRE at UUTC hope you are all enjoying the autumn harvest and all it has to offer. Emily Bronte said "Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." And as our minister says, "It's great to be alive in Transylvania County", and I say, "especially in the fall." Caring Corner Sue Ziegler is recovering nicely after shoulder surgery and will be in a sling for 6 weeks. Please remember that Nick Craddock’s memorial service will be on Friday, October 24 at 11:00 a.m. followed by a reception with light refreshments. Keep David Warinner and Christine Schmidt in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. October Usher Schedule Please e-mail Susan Freeman if you can fill in the open slots ([email protected]). 9:30 a.m. Oct 12 Oct 19 Oct 26 11:00 a.m. Carol MacAllister Helga Balducci Joan Bliss Karla Maar Marilynn Weber OPEN Lelia Graham OPEN Ed Carroll Devonne Johnson Nancy Carroll OPEN Western Carolinas Cluster Fall Leadership Training CANCELLED Due to very low registration for our Fall Leadership Training, scheduled for Saturday, October 18 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, the Steering Committee has decided to cancel the event. We are going to be focusing our energies on the spring gathering which will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville. That date will be determined shortly, and Save-the-Date notices will be going out in January, 2015. —Rev. Dianna Ritola Western Carolinas Cluster Steering Committee Coffee Volunteers Sought The Sunday Coffee Team is looking for a few new volunteers for November, December and January. Taking a turn for Sunday Coffee is a great way to meet UUTC friends and members and it only requires one Sunday per quarter. You are needed – and we'll help you the first time! Pease contact Vicki Held at [email protected] or Jean Bullivant at [email protected] to serve UUTC in this way. WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS: POETRY AND MUSIC TOGETHER Poetry and Music have always been in harmony with each other. Many poems have been set to music and most music includes poetry. This four-week series will give everyone the opportunity to experience outstanding music and favorite poems. October 22 will start us off with a delightful music program entitled A SHOW TIME SING-ALONG. Led by musicians Ed Hauschild, John Austin, Melody Richardson, and Jim Hardy, songs with a common theme from Broadway shows will be featured. The themes to be explored include Hypothetical Love Songs, Current Events, and Creative Writing. The evening will close with a show tune expressing Unitarian Universalist principles. October 29 and November 5 will be a reprise of a favorite Wonderful Wednesday series from the past: A FAVORITE POEM AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME. This will give you a chance to shine and share one of your favorite poems. The concept is simple— select a favorite poem, read it to the audience, and tell why this poem is special to you! Note: it must be a published poem, not a poem you or a friend/family member has authored. If you would like to share a poem on either evening, please send an email to [email protected] with the following information: Your name, the poem title and author, and, if you have a preference, which date (10/29 or 11/5) you would like to read your poem. November 12 will feature John Austin and John Carter highlighting MUSIC OF THE WESTERN CAROLINA MOUNTAINS.. Each evening will begin with dinner at 5:30, followed by the program at 6:30. There is no charge for the dinner, but donations are gratefully accepted. Dinner Reservations are necessary and can be made by contacting the church office or using the sign-up sheet at the office desk. All are invited to enjoy this special series of Poetry and Music Together! Social Action for October— Minister’s Discretionary Fund Our Social Action funds this month will provide a Minister’s Discretionary Fund. Ernie uses this fund to assist people who are facing an emergency or crisis but are not eligible for other community services. Please place your contribution in the offering basket in a specially-marked envelope. If you are contributing by check, please make it payable to UUTC and write “Minister’s Discretionary Fund” on the memo line. “We’re realizing that we’re more alike than we are different… That love is love regardless of who feels it.” – Zach Wahls, UU, author of ‘My Two Moms’ Change the World Relief Organization (Backpack Buddies) thanks UUTC for the many kind folks who donated $1626 to help feed Transylvania County’s hungry children on the weekends. You Rock! Join the CROP WALK! The community-wide, interfaith, annual CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) WALK is slated for Sunday, October 19. Walkers find sponsors to raise money to fund community and worldwide hunger relief efforts. Last year about ten UUTC walkers participated . UUTC raised $400, the fourth highest local amount! A total of $7,939.00 was raised, 25% of which goes to local charities such as The Sharing House. The CROP Walk will begin and end at the Church of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, taking walkers on a three-mile supported walk through the downtown Brevard communities. Last year Heather and her husband and son met lots of great folks from other churches. To participate in the CROP WALK this year, contact Heather Layton via email or phone, [email protected] or 553-3810. There will be more information in the foyer, including donation envelopes and a sign-up sheet. So mark your calendars and start walking for a great cause. “We are the certain and the seeking, the lifers and the newcomers, the beloved and the brokenhearted, the insiders and the rejected, all of whom have found a home in the extraordinary, yet intimate, communities of Unitarian Universalism." Melissa Harris-Perry, MSNBC host UUTC Mission Statement Join Us! Our mission is to create a community that Discover what it means to have a personal encourages free spiritual discovery and faith that is anchored by diversity and growth, celebrates personal and religious acceptance. Join in Sunday services with the diversity, and promotes active, responsible Unitarian Universalists of Transylvania County. involvement in the larger community. Contact information is below. K E E P U P W I T H W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G ! ! ! View our church calendar at this link. (Ctrl + click) Access previous issues of UUpdate at this link. (Ctrl + click) Send news for this newsletter by close of business on Wednesdays. Please include date(s), a description, and the contact person’s name and telephone or email address. Send to [email protected]. Schedule events on the UUTC calendar by sending an email to [email protected] with the date, start and end times, space to be used, and contact person. C O N TA C T U S Our minister is the Rev. Ernest L. Mills, Jr. Church office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until noon. The church telephone number is 828-877-6121. Our mailing address is UUTC, PO Box 918, Brevard, NC 28712. Our email address is [email protected]. Our church is located at 24 Varsity Street, at the corner of South Broad Street, in Brevard. Come join us for worship on Sundays at 9:30 or 11:00 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship between the services.