Chalice                    Miami Valley 
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

8690 Yankee St.  Dayton, OH  45458

 

 

    937-436-3628  www.mvuuf.org 

 

MVUUF's Forum for August, 2018

  visit our website  HERE          visit the UUA's website    HERE

 
Service Topics for August, 2018

Sunday, August 5th     11:00 AM 
Bless the Mess with
Rev. Kellie C. Kelly

  Sunday, August 12th     11:00 AM
a lay-led service  with
Ria Megnin, MVUUF member 

Sunday, August 19th     11:00 AM
News Where We Live with
Rev. Kellie C. Kelly

Sunday, August 26th     11:00 AM
The Heart of this Mosaic:  
Unitarian Universalism at Home and Abroad  with 
Rev. Liz Weber

August News
 
FROM OUR NEW SETTLED MINISTER

Dear MVUUF Members and Friends,
[For those of you didn't have a chance to check out my website and welcome letter before/during candidate week, I have updated it and we have posted it here. If you would like another opportunity to read my past newsletter columns, listen to past sermons, and/or learn more about me, you can go to www.kellieuukelly.com .]

#OMSL! Oh My Spirit of Life, I am so happy to FINALLY be here!
 
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be YOUR called minister! I will now try to downshift my enthusiasm to a sustainable level so that you don't feel overwhelmed by my exclamation points while you read the rest of my letter, hee hee.

Since actively pursuing my ministerial call over the last 6 years, I have loved every position that I have held: Director of Religious Education, teacher for incarcerated women, hospital chaplain, nonprofit leader, and parish minister. However, during this time, parish ministry had captured my heart and my imagination, unwilling to let go.

I saw the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) December 1st, 2017 and was cleared for preliminary fellowship. I graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School May 20th, 2018 with a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies. I was ordained into the Unitarian Universalist ministry June 9th, 2018 by my intern congregation, Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation. 

When I imagined my future congregation, I had no idea what size it would be, what it would look like, or where it would be located. The only thing I knew for certain was the spirit I sought in the congregation members and staff. I was looking for people willing to commit to authenticity, the hard and often messy work of spiritual transformation, and the practices of humility, forgiveness, and humor. I found this spirit in Miami Valley's search committee and knew instantly that they were my people. I was ecstatic when I found that the feeling was mutual! (Sorry about the exclamation point-- I just couldn't hold my excitement in any longer, hee hee.)
 
I believe we all have important ministries to share with the world. My job as your minister is to create an environment where all of them can thrive individually and create something magical together, that magic can transform each of us and our greater world.
 
I can't wait to meet each and every one of you-I am excited to see how love will transform us!
 
 
With MUCH gratitude,
 
Rev. Kellie


CELEBRATING OUR NEW MINISTER!
Please join us for a
Cookie and Coffee Reception
to welcome Rev. Kellie C. Kelly
to our congregation!
It will be held after her 
first service with us 
on Sunday, August 5th.
 
Coffee and cookies are being provided for all.
Join us as we celebrate starting
this next chapter  at Miami Valley
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. 

For further information, contact the organizers, 
Bonnie Thompson and Laura Vondenhuevel. 
 

 
    
A MINUTE FOR MUSIC
I'm really excited to begin regular Wednesday night Choir Rehearsals on August 22nd! And as a "prelude" to the new choir season, I'll be holding "Vocal Music 101" sessions on August 1st, 8th and 15th, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM. No commitment required--come when you can!

Anticipating our ministry with Rev. Kellie, I've been reminded of an instrumental work called "New Beginnings" by Peter Boyle (lest you think I'm only interested in piano and vocal music.) It opens with a bold, dramatic brass fanfare but at 2'30", a contrasting "chapter" starts--an English horn playing a heartbreakingly beautiful melody. I've included a link HERE if you want to listen.

We have so much to look forward to and so much to offer the wider world. Here's to new beginnings!
---Sara Davis, Director of Music
 

YRE NEWS
2018-2019 Youth Religious Education Registration is now open!!! To register, please click HERE.
 
Beginning this September, religious education at MVUUF will be implementing the Soul Matters curriculum for grade levels P - K; 1st - 5th. This is a theme-based curriculum that will run for ten months. The 2018-2019 themes will be:
 
What Does It Mean to be a People of...
September:      Vision
October:            Sanctuary
November:       Memory
December:        Mystery
January:            Possibility
February:          Trust
March:               Journey
April:                Wholeness
May:                  Curiosity
June:                 Beauty
 
In addition to the base Soul Matters curriculum, we will also be using the Crossing Paths curriculum for the older youth at MVUUF. Starting with Unitarian Universalism, this curriculum will explore various religious traditions using the Soul Matters themes as a framework. For more information and links to Soul Matters, please visit the MVUUF website.
---Phillip Green, Director of Religious Education
 


READING THE BIBLE AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME POSTPONED A WEEK
Our regular meeting for Sunday, July 29th, has been postponed because several of us will be attending the retirement service for Rev. Richard Venus (former minister at MVUUF) in New Madison.  Please join us one week later on Sunday, August 5th, at 9:30 AM in classroom #4 when our MVUUF Bible Study group will discuss Chapter 3 of   Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously but Not Literally , a Bible overview by Prof. Marcus Borg, a leader in modern Liberal theology.  
 


HVAC FUNDRAISING UPDATE
Thank you to all who have donated and promised to donate. Here is a quick update on where we are now.
 
  •  Current goal is $15,200 for contract to address the HVAC units     servicing the   Sanctuary.
  •  Collected on Sunday: $6,524. Thank you!
  •  Total collected as of July 22nd: $10,324.
  •  Total promised: $4,200, $2,100 of which has been collected.
  •  Bottom line including donations collected and promised = $12,424.
  •  This leaves $2,776 left to pay for the current contract of $15,200.
 
As we get close to reaching our goal for the current contract, let's take a moment to celebrate the generosity of our congregation. While donating to HVAC systems may not be the most inspiring part of our Fellowship, it is absolutely necessary. Giving love and care to the space in which we come together says a lot about how much we value this beloved community. That includes all the people who have and will donate, as well as all the people who spend time and energy to care for this space we all share.
 
We have much to celebrate. I would be remiss in my duties as Fundraising Chair if I didn't remind us, though, that this contract is the first part of the overall HVAC need. Please know that if your donation puts us over the current goal of $15,200, there are additional repairs and replacements coming soon with three more units in need of     replacement and additional work to improve the system. If your donation is marked HVAC it will indeed help the HVAC project beyond the current $15,200 goal.
 
EVERY DONATION HELPS! Please know donations of all sizes are needed to reach this goal. No donation is too small. Your help is needed!
 
How can you donate?
  •  Write a check with HVAC in the memo line.
  •  Donate cash in an envelope marked HVAC.
  •  Donate online and choose "HVAC Repair"
  •  Promise a specific amount and indicate if you can donate by July 29th for the required deposit or by August 26th for the balance due after the work.
 
This Sunday there will be envelopes labeled HVAC available again to make it easier to donate to the HVAC fund. Place your HVAC envelope in the plate along with your charitable contributions or hand it to any Board member. Your help is greatly appreciated.
 
Background Information about this Fundraising Goal:
The budget passed by the congregation includes $17,700 fundraising line item for the first and most pressing part of this building maintenance project. Now the funds must be raised.
 
We have a quote for $15,200 which will address the most urgent need for the units in the Sanctuary. The quote expires on July 29th. The cost has already increased since our original quote and the cost is expected to continue to increase. To avoid additional costs, it is in our best interest to accept this quote.
 
A 50% deposit is required when we accept the quote at the end of July. That is $7,600. The remaining balance is due within 30 days of completion, which is expected near the end of August.



SPECIAL CONCERT & MEDITATION EVENT!
Music Meditation and Conscious Concert
with Bob Sima and Shannon Plummer
at
Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
8690 Yankee Street, Dayton OH 45458
on
Wednesday, August 29th,
7:00 PM
 
 
" Hurt people hurt people.... healed people HEAL people ", as one of Bob Sima's songs articulates. We want to be those healing hands, that force for good. We have aches and regrets, broken relationships and losses to heal for ourselves, so that we do not inadvertently pass on that pain and hurt those who we love.  I'm not saying one night of meditation and music will heal the world, but Bob and Shannon have some tools to offer, and I am honored to be able to facilitate that offering.  
 
I (with the support of MVUUF leaders) decided to host a concert on my first day back to school this August 29... Can you say LEAP OF FAITH!?  I said yes, because I know that we, (individuals, community, extended community) can always use  tools for healing, or sustaining our own well-being.  In these trying times, we need them more than ever.  I hope you will join us and bring your friends.
 
Bob and Shannon create a multi-dimensional experience of inspiring message-rich live music, conscious breathwork, silence, poetry, guided meditation, and intentional journeying--all interwoven to take listeners on a beautiful inward journey.  The hour-long inner journey meditation will be followed by an hour concert.  
 
Suggested donation: $15-25 at the door 
 
To learn more, check out Bob Sima or Boldly Going Nowhere 
 
To show your support and let us know you will be there, you may RSVP  
HERE.   If you have any questions, please ask Genevieve Harvey .
 


FLOWERS IN THE WORSHIP SERVICE
Have you ever wondered where those beautiful flowers come from that add to the allure every Sunday morning in the Sanctuary? A team of volunteers is responsible for sharing this beauty, and they'd love having you join their ranks!
 
All that is required is a small commitment--a chance to give back to MVUUF--just once every 3-4 months. On your scheduled Saturday morning you pick up the donated flowers (between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM) from the Kroger store at Cornerstone (Feedwire Road), take the flowers to MVUUF and arrange them in vases in the Sanctuary so they'll be ready for Sunday morning. After Sunday's service, the volunteer clears them out of the Sanctuary and places them on the table at the front doors of the building so that people can take them home if they want. After everyone has taken what they want, the volunteer cleans everything up. Very simple, and a beautiful way to give back a bit of what you get from MVUUF!
 
If you're interested in serving this way, please contact Iris Carter at 937-433-9828 or [email protected] .
 


                                            DAYTIME BOOK CLUB
The next gathering of this well-read group will take place on Wednesday, August 15th, 10:30 AM in the Library at MVUUF, and they'll be discussing Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama.
 
Upcoming choices for discussion are:
September 19th         Facism: A Warning by 
                                     Madeline Albright
October 17th              Educated:  A Memoir  by 
                                     Tara Westover
 
All are welcome to join them!
 


SMART CHOICES BIRTHDAY LUNCH
Members & friends of MVUUF (that identify as women) are invited to join this fun-loving group as they celebrate birthdays on Thursday, August 9th, 11:30 AM, at MCL Cafeteria, in Kettering. Please RSVP to Allie Petersen at  [email protected].
 


ST. VINCENT DE PAUL LUNCH
Please join us in providing food and/or serving for our long-standing second Saturday lunch ministry for women and families staying at the St. Vincent de Paul Shelter. You can sign up for the Saturday, July 14 lunch for food donations and/or serving on the clipboard in the Gathering Space, or you can contact Lynn Buffington at  937-657-0426 (call or text) or [email protected] . You can also check on what is needed at SignUpGenius  (no need to log in unless you also want to sign up through Genius). 

If you would like more information regarding volunteering, please take one of the info flyers near the sign up sheet.

Thanks to ALL who pitched in by providing food and/or serving the July meal! We served 59 diners with 26 in the women's group and 33 in the family group. Food items were provided by 12 MVUUFers, including the six pictured below who also served the lunch.
 
August 11th menu : Our needs this month include sandwich filling (BBQ pulled pork/chicken/beef, sloppy joes, or chicken/egg salad) vegetable dishes (pasta salad with LOTS of veggies, cole slaw, or other vegetable - steamed broccoli with Italian salad dressing has been popular!), green salads, fresh fruit/fruit salads, 100% orange juice and reduced-fat milk (we use buns from St. Vincent's pantry for the sandwiches). We need several donations of most items, with each donation serving 15-20 people. Please bring all items---heated if   applicable---to 120 West Apple Street (the St. Vincent de Paul Gateway Shelter) by 10:45 am.
 


WE ARE A FRAGRANCE-FREE FELLOWSHIP
Remember...due to allergies, asthma, and other sensitivities, we ask you to please refrain from wearing scent when at the Fellowship (perfume, aftershave, scented hair products, lotions, etc.). Thank you for helping us to be a safe as well as welcoming congregation!
 


      FAIR TRADE COFFEE SALE!
Remember to place your order for Fair Trade coffee on the first Sunday of the month (this month it's on August 5th ) !

Coffee will be ready to be picked up on or after the third Sunday of the month (this month, August 19 th ) . 

There are many varieties and bean grinds to choose from, including several that are organic!  Contact  Lynn Buffington  at:    (937) 657-0426  or  [email protected]
 
 
     
DON'T FORGET!
Y ou can keep up-to-date with all the happenings at MVUUF by viewing the Fellowship's calendar online, from a link to our website  HERE  
 
The calendar is updated daily, so it's always the place to check and see what's going on!

       
*****   *****   *****   *****   *****   *****   *****   *****   *****   *****    


 

We are a liberal religious community that embraces diversity and respects the inherent worth and dignity of every person.  ALL are welcome here, no matter their race, sex, sexual/affectional orientation, gender expression, or ability.

 

Please visit us on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. for our worship service---

we'd love to see you!