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Beacon Spiritual Theme of the Month
~ Faith ~
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Submissions must be in by Wednesday at 4:00 pm to be included in the newsletter.
Heather Thornton, Beacon Office Manager
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~ Town Hall Meeting ~
TOWN HALL MEETING
DEC. 3
We hope everyone will join together after service on
Dec. 3 to discuss the Financial Feasibility Study report that our consultant Kay Crider is providing us as the next step in the Building Expansion plans. The Town Hall will be an opportunity for us all to share and discuss the results and ask questions. You don't want to miss this important opportunity to evaluate what our next steps will be!
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~ Building Expansion ~
BUILDING EXPANSION NEWS
Last week, UUA consultant Kay Crider was at Beacon for three days to interview a cross-section of the congregation for the Financial Feasibility Study. The study was designed to ascertain the ability of the congregation to support a capital campaign to update and expand our building. On Saturday evening Roz and Rich Clark hosted a potluck dinner for Kay and the Building Expansion Team. After dinner, Kay held an impromptu Q&A about the process and function of the feasibility study, indicating the kinds of information that can be gleaned from her interviews. She will compile and analyze data, and send a report in several weeks.
Kay's report will be forwarded to the congregation in advance of a
Town Hall meeting, Sunday, Dec. 3
after church, so that everyone will be able to peruse it and formulate questions and ideas prior to the meeting. At that time and during the ensuing weeks we will have opportunities to discuss her findings and ask questions about the next steps of the expansion process. Then on
Sunday, January 7, a Congregational Meeting
will convene after church to vote on whether to proceed with a capital campaign to expand the building.
Highlights of the expansion plan (posted in the kitchen) will be moving the minister's and office manager's offices down to the first floor, enlarging the foyer, increasing access to the kitchen, installing ADA-compliant restrooms, and adding a large multi-purpose room that can be rented to a tenant during the week. The attic will be removed, increasing the auditory and visual effectiveness of the sanctuary. A remote video screen and sound system will allow the multi-purpose room to serve as overflow space should the sanctuary reach capacity.
The Building Expansion Team eagerly anticipates Kay's report, as it will let us know the outcome of our work to date on upgrading and expanding our cramped facility. Aiming for full transparency, we urge everyone to attend the Town Hall so that we may share information, answer questions, and address concerns.
In community,
The Building Expansion Team: Paul Black, Christina Boyd, Carl Taylor, Holly Taylor, Rev. Kevin, Dennis Spurlin, Theresa deBoer, Dora Harrison, Bobbie Eccleston, Cheryl Eccleston, Dan Davis, Marsha Owen, Bill Towler, Steve Zeldes, Kevin Parkes, Skip Brimlow, Amy Huntereece, Dick Stockinger, Norm Lowe, Barry Brenneman, Carleton Sheppard, Carol Hixson, Rich Clark, Anne Wittke
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~ From the Ministers Desk ~
Happy Thanksgiving, not in the pilgrims and Plymouth, MA kind of way, as that has certainly become a tarnished and whitewashed version of real and true giving of thanks. No, a thanksgiving for community that gathers in hope and faith in seeking a different way of being together one to another, with the quest for truth a key value. Truth beholden within each individual waiting to become known, also to shift and to change with new learning, new ideas, new comprehensions, a free and living truth. With love as the core central point of community, peace, freedom and kindness a part and service to others a key value. This is the blessing of thanksgiving to each of you, to your families near and far, bloodline and chosen, to those you hold close to your heart; may this thanksgiving be a time of deep remembrance for the true gift of relationship, memory and love - Gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Rev. Kevin
A Blessing of
Gratitude
by Swiftwalker,
Let's start with the people we love
and those who love us,
thankful they are in our lives
obliging us to open our hearts.
Let open hearts embrace the Earth,
the sea and soil and stars,
blessed by bold beauty,
the bounty of being.
Then with hearts open to beauty
let us embrace the arts
and the generation of learning
that we should have wisdom.
Let what wisdom we have,
wan and wanting, lead us to
strive so the seventh generation
hence can live more fully.
It is in that work, and that alone,
that we can express our thankful spirit.
May we make it so.
For the opening to make it
so, let us be truly grateful.
Amen
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~ Call for Volunteers ~
Can You Help? Beacon Hospitality Event!
Saturday December 9
th
,
Prior
to the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Holiday Parade.
We're looking for a few volunteers to work with Rev. Kevin, our Office Manager Heather, and Custodian Caleb to offer some Beacon Hospitality to those in community who'll be gathering and staging their entries for the parade right here in front of Beacon and on our adjacent blocks. What a GREAT Opportunity to share Beacon UU Congregation with our larger community!
Vora Financial Holiday Parade of Lights presented by the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce with support from APS -
Date:
December 9, 2017
Time:
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM MST
Please contact the Office ([email protected]) to sign up on the Volunteer Roster, a simple community gathering to share our congregation with the greater Flagstaff Community. We will gather at 3:30 pm and offer Hospitality from 4 - 6pm. Then close up and everyone can still go meet others who have held a spot for them and enjoy the parade. See you Saturday the 9th.
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~ Religious Exploration ~
If you haven't had the chance to get your
Guest at Your Table box yet, there will be a few on the kitchen table!
Our RE students are learning about how collecting small change can affect big changes in raising support for and awareness about advancing human rights around the globe.
Be sure to stop in and get your box to collect "Change for Change" this month!
~ OWL ~
Twenty-three adolescents explore Our Whole Lives at Beacon this fall
Twelve fifth and sixth graders and eleven seventh and eighth graders filled the largest ever Beacon classes in the UUA's OWL sexuality education program.
The elementary-level kids participated in five fun and informative sessions Sunday afternoons, with their parents attending the first session, involving a total of 16 hours. The middle-schoolers occupied the whole building all day on four Saturdays, for a total of 28 hours. This fall the adult leaders, all trained and certified by the UUA, were Mary Poore, Joe Wegwert, Kay Doggett, Cassie Dakan, Dee Wegwert, Nora Timmerman, and Andy Hogg. About half of the participating families were current or past members of Beacon; the others experienced Beacon's offerings for the first time.
In both classes these youths were introduced at age-appropriate levels to a full range of knowledge, and openly explored their own values and experiences of topics. The OWL curriculum, written by nationally renowned sexuality educators and curriculum specialists, proudly and responsibly covers topics rarely included in public school sex education programs.
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~ Community Action Committee
The following charitable organizations have been approved by the CAC:
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December: Shelter Services
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January: Sun Sounds, a radio program serving visually impaired people
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February: The Literacy Center, increasing basic English language literacy skills
These contributions are possible thanks to Beacon's commitment to "share the plate" with approved community partners: Undesignated Sunday morning offering money-above $300 for the month*-is presented to that month's community partner.
If you would like to nominate an organization to be a community partner, pick up the one-page application form in the CAC folder at the bottom of the stairs. The nominator's responsibilities are described on that form.
The CAC is comprised of Joanne Parkes, Sue Strobel, Lynda Dorweiler, Rev. Kevin Lawson and Rich Clark.
With thanks for Beacon's generosity and especially for CAC members' thoughtful, persistent efforts toward living our UU Principles,
Rich Clark, CAC chair
*$300 each month becomes part of Beacon's operating income.
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~ Touchstones Journal ~
November Theme
Faith
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Beacon Calendar
Sunday Service & Religious Exploration
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Qi-Gong
Tuesday, November 28
6:15 pm
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Touchstones Chalice Circle
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Touchstones Chalice Circle
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Flagstaff Family Food Center
Wednesday, November 29
3:30 pm |
If you would like to submit a calendar event, send an email to
[email protected]
. With all requests, please indicate the following: proposed start and end time of the event, the space/room preferred, and a rough group size. On the occasion of a cancellation or rescheduling of an event, please let the office know in a timely fashion to ensure that your event is correctly represented in the newsletter and order of service. Thank you!
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~ Classifieds ~
Sunday cash counters needed! You've been looking for how you can help out at Beacon, here's your chance! We're seeking to build a pool of cash count volunteers to work in teams of two, for one half hour after service to count the offering and prepare cash count sheet. Please contact the office with your interest. Thank you to those who have expressed interest, we need three or four more people to schedule a training, and are looking forward to implementing this program in the coming weeks!
Photos!
Requesting photos with permission to use them on the Beacon website! Photos can be of congregational events (please make sure everyone in the photo is named so that I can obtain a release to use them!), the church itself, the grounds, or even just of around town! Help us show the public the beautiful community that is Beacon UU!
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Beacon Office Hours
Rev. Kevin
Lawson:
Tues: 11:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Weds: 11:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Other times available by appointment
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Director of Religious Exploration,
Amy Hunterreece
Sun: 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Tues:
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thurs:
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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Office Manager,
Heather Thornton
Tues: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Weds: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Thur: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
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Office phone (928) 779-4492
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~ Website Members and Friends Access ~
Interested in accessing the directory and board documents on the Members and Friends page on
BeaconUU.com
? You can get the password over the phone (928-779-4492) during regular office hours, or by requesting it from a board member after Sunday Services.We will not be providing it by email.
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If you are not on Beacon's exclusive google group, you are missing out on an important communications link within our congregation. It is useful for spreading information about something going on in Flagstaff, informing others of social action activities, offering an item for sale or to give away, sharing enthusiasm about a book or movie, requesting information or recommendations -- and more! It's simple to sign up! Email Heather, our Office Manager, at
[email protected].
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~ Fundraising the Easy Way! ~
We have added new, easy ways to give back to Beacon!
Do you shop at Fry's? Use the Beacon phone number, (928) 779-4492, at checkout, and Beacon receives donations from Fry's through their Community Rewards program!
Or, use smile.amazon.com! Just set Beacon as your charity of choice, and when you use the smile.amazon.com portal to shop, Beacon receives donations from Amazon.com!
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