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Adult Enrichment Updates
Dessert Potluck and Game Night: Fifteen people attended this event December 16, and we had a great time! We all became better acquainted, and I, Marty Keith, learned about a few new games. The next planned "eat and meet" occasions will be some dinners this spring, starting in March.
NUUC's Women's Group: The Women's Group is still discussing Yaa Gyasi's novel, Homegoing, a story about the descendants of two Ghanaian sisters, "Effia's" family remaining in Ghana and "Esi's" living in America. At our next meeting, January 15, we will look a little more at the treatment and roles of women in the novel, particularly the significance of marriage, fertility, and motherhood, comparing those roles and experiences with the situations of women today. Also, we'll consider the overall themes of "weakness" and "strength" and human rights.
Mindful Writing: "Mindful Writing," NUUC's opportunity for people who like to write (poems, stories, journals, literary forms never before seen...), will resume January 17. "Mindful Writing" typically meets in the evening on the third Wednesday of each month
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Save the Date! Our annual service auction will be on Saturday April 14 in the evening starting at 5 PM.
Theme! NUUC's 2018
service auction will be an exciting event with the
theme of "Country Bash."
Break out of winter with a
fun-filled evening that will
be an experience to
remember.
Multiple events for the whole family! This will be a gala event with many activities for everyone - our exciting Live Auction, a Silent Auction, a Theme Basket Auction, and even a Kids Raffle Auction! In addition, there will be country-related activities for everyone. We'll take time to gather as a community and celebrate with merriment and, of course, great refreshments!
More Info! For more information about the service auction, go to www.nuuc.org/service-auction/ to see our FAQ information, previous catalogs, and our online All-In-One Registration/Donation/Volunteer Sign-Up Form. Put on your thinking cap and come up with your service donation. More information will also be available in special announcements/skits, the order of service, and from members of the planning team.
Thank you!
-The Service Auction Planning Team: Dee Burlison, Jan Bourke, Lynn Foreman, Marty Keith, Trina Timson, and Bob Keith (chair)
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NUUC Entering an Exciting New Year!
The Steering Committee is delighted to report that following our Next Steps Weekend which was held December 1-3, our feasibility consultant, Barry Finkelstein, has given us an enthusiastic "thumbs up" for our mission-driven building project! During the weekend he held multiple conversations with congregants about our mission as a community, what is special about our congregation and our hopes for the future of NUUC.
To make this project a success, Barry encouraged all of us for whom NUUC is an important part of our lives to make this project a high priority in the coming year. He pointed out the need for us to talk with each other so we can keep in mind our hopes and dreams, as well as address concerns and obstacles. Building a strong community will help us succeed with this project, and also importantly, it will help us live out our mission.
Barry also underscored our place as a liberal religious congregation in the rapidly growing community of Lewis Center. We provide a voice for acceptance, love, justice and reason at a time when many people hunger for just such values. Sharing those values beyond our four walls is an act of love and hope.
With such a positive, inspiring report the Steering Committee is very excited about what lies ahead in the next few months. We welcome your input and participation. We encourage you to talk with any of the Steering Committee members, or submit your questions/comments to us at our email address: <steering@nuuc.org>
Which brings us to an invitation: t
he Steering Committee invites your participation in our next very important step, our congregational meeting on January 14, immediately after our morning service. At the meeting, members will vote on the 2018 budget. We will also vote on the authorization of funds for the next step of our architect, Dave Kerr. He plans to begin conversations with congregants about what we need in a building in order to fulfill our mission and have vibrant programming. It will also include a vote on proceeding with Barry Finkelstein's financial feasibility study in late spring. This study will give us a good idea of how much our congregation is likely to contribute to our building project.
Both of these steps are necessary for us to move forward with the design and funding of a new building. So - PLEASE MARK YOU CALENDAR TO ATTEND THE CONGREGATIONAL MEETING ON JANUARY 14. We need, and want, your presence and your input.
The Steering Committee
Allison Fagan, chair Teri Cornell
Chris Jones-Leavy Dick Leavy
Rod Myers Lauren Richards
John Rodeheffer
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Janu
ary Social Justice News
LOOSE CHANGE FOR THE HOLIDAY FAMILY
: Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Holiday Dinner for the women in the Horizon Prison Initiative program at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie prepared dinner for over 100 people. The menu included baked ham, roasted vegetables, fresh salad, vegetarian lasagna, Clementines, and 200 cookies. Members of NUUC also provided beverages and desserts. The women loved the wonderful meal as evidenced by the orderly stampede for seconds and complete lack of any leftovers. More importantly, they appreciated being remembered in such a generous way by people outside the prison walls. See the bulletin board for photos of the Nativity scene made by one of the women and given to our church.
JANUARY LOOSE CHANGE:
Our Loose Change Offering on January 14, 2018 will be donated to the Columbus Mennonite Church to contribute to their ongoing sanctuary for Edith Espinal, an immigrant from Mexico facing possible deportation. The following information is from their website:
Beside our church sign there's a yard sign that says "No matter where you are from, we're glad you're our neighbor." These signs were created by a small Mennonite church in Virginia and are now in communities across the country, including Central Ohio, and this neighborhood. "Love thy neighbor" is one of the most basic teachings of any faith or even non-faith. There's an active component to neighborliness. As people of faith, we believe that worship of God cannot be separated from how we treat the children of God.
We lament that we frequently fall short of this.
In light of this calling, we have welcomed Edith Espinal into sanctuary in our church building. Edith is a neighbor. Edith is a mother. Edith is a child of God who fled violence and sought refuge in our country many years ago and wishes to stay united with her family in this city that has become her home. When Mennonites tell our history we remember a time when we too sought sanctuary from violence, and came to places like this country. Now we are in a position to offer sanctuary. We as a congregation have heard Edith's story. We've been inspired by her courage. We are compelled to offer our church building as a place of safety and support where she can stay united with her three children and her husband. We are grateful for the outpouring of support from the wider community. This is a major team effort. As we do this, we know that we are joining with people of goodwill everywhere who affirm the basic moral law of loving one's neighbor and protecting the vulnerable.
UUSC FAIR TRADE COFFEE:
Shop for delicious Fair Trade coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate after the service on Sunday, January 7, 2017. Your purchase of Fair Trade products means that workers along the supply chain are provided a living wage. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) supports a number of worker-owned, local producers who are in danger of being replaced with multinational corporations that have little respect for workers' rights. Making consumer choices that are aligned with our UU Principles is one way to help create a more just world community
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New Class: Spiritual Exploration
Join Dick Leavy for a three-evening exploration of your spiritual side. The sessions will involve members in reminiscence of past spiritual experiences, sharing of ideas, a smidgen of lecture, and activities to foster spiritual growth in the new year. Activities will include drawing a timeline of religious/spiritual events in the past, identification of current barriers to and facilitators of spiritual growth, and use of a gratitude journal. Sessions are scheduled for three consecutive Wednesday evenings, February 14, 21, and 28, from 7:30-9:00 pm. Depending on the size of the class, sessions will be held in Neilsen House (if 8 or fewer attendees) or Fellowship Hall for more than 8). Add your name to the sign-up sheet posted in Fellowship Hall by
clicking here
(sign up deadline January 31). A questionnaire to spark discussion in the first meeting will be sent out to participants by February 7.
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Treasurer's Report - for the month of November 2017
Roots & Wings balance as of November 30, 2017....$35,351.76.
The board has approved up to $13k for architecture fees and $3k for Step 1 of the Feasibility Study from this fund. Paid $1,000.00 to the Feasibility Consultant for the Next Steps Weekend.
The Youth Bake Sale and Silent Auction collected $393.25 for NUUC! Thank you to the youth, the bakers, and buyers who made this event such a success. A special note of thanks to Becca Morse and Jen Aultman for coordinating this event with our youth!
November Loose Change Collection -Holiday Family: Horizon Prison Initiative.......................$209.00
Financial Snapshot thru November 30, 2017:
YTD Actual YTD Budget Difference
Pledges and Other Revenues
162,992.79 156,040.84 6,951.95
Expenses
154,832.50
161,520.18 6,687.68
Net Income (Loss)
8,160.29
(5,479.34) 13,639.63
If you have any questions about the financials, please send an email to
Treasurer@nuuc.org.
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