The Newsletter , February 2020   
           



Our theme in worship and religious education this month is RESILIENCE

Building Committee Update
Our archictect Kay Onwukwe is busy assembling the topographical studies that he needs to present a final site plan that accounts for adequate drainage.  Once he completes the site plan, we return to the township for approval of all of our plans--construction drawings for the building, and the site plan.  Then, we can start begin making a construction schedule!
Caution: Church email Scam 

UU churches around the country have been reporting a scam whereby 
members and friends receive an email that appears to be from the minister, asking for gift cards, cash, or a money transfer to help a person in special need.  Please consider any request for funds to be donated outside of either our secure online giving platform (accessible on the front page of the website) or by mail to NUUC at our PO Box to be fraudulent. 
Service Auction Coming in April! 

 
Save the Date! Our annual service auction will be on Saturday April 25 in the evening starting at 5 PM.
 
Theme Revealed! The theme of this year's service auction will be "Monopoly Built the UU Way!" Instead of buying and selling properties to amass a fortune, we will buy and sell services and offerings to raise money for the church. Also, instead of trying to become rich by bankrupting others, we are changing the rules so everyone can participate and become a winner by building community just like we are doing by building our new exp anded building.
 
Multiple activities for the whole family ! The service auction 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! Furthermore, there will be additional activities for both adults and kids, plus a free dinner will be provided. Also, free childcare will be provided.
 
What to do : Please donate services or goods!
●   It might be a theme dinner, lunch, or party you could host.
●   It might be something you are skilled at doing, such as music lessons, fitness training, or photography.
●   It might be a much-appreciated service, such a ride to/from the airport, or yard/house work.
●   It could be some article you can make, like a piece of art, a scarf, jewelry, or gourmet food (a brisket! pies!) .
●   OR, you might put together a theme basket.
 
To give you ideas, the catalogs from the past 8 years are available on the NUUC website (see weblink below) and in Fellowship Hall. Another good idea source is the Theme Basket Idea Book located in Fellowship Hall. This is NUUC's only fund raiser during the year, so please consider making a donation.
 
Two Options New to this Year's Auction:

We want more people to feel like they can participate, so we are introducing something call Fixed Price Items as part of the silent auction. That way, someone can offer an activity, service, or something else for a set number of people at a fixed price, like a game night with light snacks, or leading an informative nature hike, and each person pays the same price. But there will still need to be many dinners, social gatherings, and theme baskets to bid on like in the past. Talk to one of the service auction planning team members if you are interested in doing a Fixed Price Item.
 
The second new option is we will have a Wish List. You can write down things that you wish someone would offer that you would be willing to pay for. We'll compile the Wish List and send it out to see who will decide to offer what is requested. Look for the Wish List Basket located in Fellowship Hall to make a wish.
 
Deadline for Donations is Monday, March 16 . You can submit your donation using either the All-In-One Form available online at www.nuuc.org/service-auction/ or t he paper version of the form located in Fellowship Hall.
 
Questions ? Please contact Chris Aultman ( chris.aultman@gmail.com or 614-365-0944, or one of the other "Service Auction Magic Makers" (SAMMs): Dee Burlison, Marty Keith, David Jon Krohn, Debbie Shaw, Harold Shrock, Trina Timson , and Bob Keith (chair).
 
With your help, NUUC can have a great Monopoly Built the UU Way! service auction.


Adult Enrichment activities for this next month include:

 
Planned activities for Adult Enrichment in February include:
 
Second Monday Morning Covenant Group, February 10, 10:00 until noon at the church-Discussion about "Staying Positive in a Negative World"
 
Brown Bag Book Discussion Group, February 18 (Tuesday), at noon in Fellowship Hall-Willa Cather's Death Comes to the Archbishop
 
NUUC's Women's Group, February 23 (Sunday) after service in Nielsen House-An exploration of how to become more politically involved, especially in the interest of women's issues. The group plans to read Margaret Atwood's The Testaments in the near future.
 
If anyone would like to have NUUC's "Mindful Writing" begin again, see Marty Keith. At "Mindful Writing" meetings, participants share their short pieces of writing, either poetry or prose. Meetings are once a month, evenings.



 

SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS

FAITHFUL FOOTPRINTS: HOME ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM : Would you like to lower your energy bills while caring for the Earth? Our faith calls us to be good stewards of the Earth. One way to be a good steward is to be efficient with the natural gas energy we use in our homes. The Interfaith Association of Central Ohio (IACO) is partnering with Ohio Interfaith Power & Light and Columbia Gas to provide energy efficient solutions for us. Through the Faithful Footprints Program you can sign up for a home energy audit performed by a trained energy professional. The audit takes about 2-4 hours. Afterward, you'll receive a personalized report of your home's energy efficiency with potential savings of up to 50% off the cost of energy-efficient upgrades. A home energy audit is valued at $500, but is currently only $25.
 
The Home Energy Audit includes:
  • A comprehensive test for air leaks
  • Infrared scan of walls to detect insulation levels
  • A safety check of your natural gas furnace
  • Interior/exterior inspection
  • Installation of free energy-saving products as needed (e.g. programmable thermostat, energy efficient showerhead, faucet aerator, water heater pipe wrap)
  • A Report Folder which includes:
-       A list of any eligible energy efficient improvements through the program which can include attic insulation, wall insulation and duct sealing
-       Testing results
-       Information about rebate offers for energy-efficient home upgrades
-       Application for rebates
-       Contractor options for scheduling efficiency upgrades
-       Information on heating system rebates available through Columbia Gas
 
A home energy audit helps you conserve energy and save money with installation of free energy-saving products, expert home improvement recommendations, and rebates to make those improvements. And saving energy not only lowers your monthly bill, but also helps our community move toward a brighter, cleaner, healthier future for everyone. If you live in Whitehall or the Near East side of Columbus, there may be additional discounts for completing energy saving projects.
 
Signing up for a home energy audit is easy! Simply visit www.ColumbiaGasOhio.com/EveryRoomMatters or via phone 877-644-6674. Be sure to use promo code: IACO so that IACO gets $20 for every audit completed. If you have questions, contact Deb Steele of Ohio Interfaith Power & Light at dsteele@ohipl.org