April 2021 - Revised Edition
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PLEASE READ
Because there was more than one error in the April newsletter that was sent out earlier today (March 31) around 9:00 a.m., I have decided to update the newsletter and resend it to everyone. My apologies for any confusion.
Please delete the first version that you received and use THIS version as a reference. The list of Sunday services had errors so it is important that you refer to only this edition.
Thank you,
Elaine Deaver
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Embracing a free and responsible search for truth and meaning while demonstrating our strong belief in the interdependent web of all existence.
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Don't Miss A Thing...Be sure to scroll through the entire newsletter! |
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Resurrecting Joy (and Hats) on Easter!
Here’s a little history for you.
The first Easter parade was in New York after the Civil War. People had basically been dressed more like they were in mourning, in black, but that Easter they really wanted to come in bright clothes and Easter hats. The history and the tradition behind the hats really stems from that. For years, people were known to buy new hats and new spring clothes to wear for Easter.
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As years have passed, people have dressed less formally for church (for those who still attend) and the hats have disappeared. However, in some churches in the south (especially African American congregations) they have never left. Sadly, Unitarian Universalist congregations were among the many that ceased wearing hats. However, many years ago, one of the members of UUCG, the late Myra Albert (pictured), began encouraging others to wear hats for Easter and a new tradition was born. Last year, when UUFS met jointly with UUCG, I encouraged Statesboro folks to join in the tradition. So, this year, our second (and hopefully last) Easter of the pandemic, we will once again don our Easter hats for our Zoom Service. Now you don’t have to buy a new one, of course. You can resurrect an old hat by decorating it with a scarf or flower. Perhaps the resurrection of hats can assist us in resurrecting some JOY this Easter, which is the real focus of my message. See you on Easter in my Easter hat!
Joyfully,
Jane
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Unitarian Universalism 101
We are a small religious association. Yet, I believe we have SO much to offer at this critical time to people in our communities. And UUs have much to offer to one another within our communities. The first step is an understanding of Unitarian Universalism, because we are, indeed, different – in a good way!
I am going to be sharing a UU 101 class online this April 18 at 9:00 am and I invite you to come and/or invite others to come to find out more about our wondrous faith. We especially invite you if you are new to UU and are interested in becoming a member or a more committed friend. I’ll be providing some historical summaries of both the Unitarian and Universalist faith traditions as well as our history since our merger in 1961. There will be some overview of our associational governance and an exploration of how our movement has "Sided with Love" through the generations.
Please share this link and information with others who may be interested in learning more about our faith tradition. Feel free to email me if you have questions at RevJanePage@gmail.com.
Thanks!
Jane
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April 4 - EASTER SUNDAY
“Resurrection of Joy and Hats"
Rev. Jane Page, Worship Leader
After so much difficulty in the past year, Easter seems an appropriate time for us to resurrect some JOY in our lives. In her message, Rev. Jane will explore ways can we work intentionally ourselves and with one another to do this? One way is to follow the tradition of wearing hats on Easter Sunday. We will not be together on this Sunday, but we invite you to don your favorite hat or Easter bonnet then come to our Zoom Sanctuary!
Anthems: "De Colores" and "Lo, the Earth Awakes Again" - UU Virtual Choir
And, join us for an Easter Egg Hunt at 3:00 p.m. today during our Parking Lot Gathering!
April 11
“Spirit of Life RE class: A Celebration of our Flower Communion”
Carolyn Wallace, Worship Leader
The Spirit of Life RE class, led by Carolyn Wallace with participants from both the Brunswick and Statesboro congregations have planned this service for all of us. Come participate and commune with beauty!
Anthem: "What is Beauty?" - Abby Thompson Trio
April 18
“Exploring Water: Essential Source | Essential Symbol” - “We All May Need A Good Cry.”
Beth Sutton, Worship Leader
Anthem: "The Storm is Passing Over" - UU Virtual Choir
April 25
“We Are…” (SJ1051)
Rev. Jane Page, Worship Leader
Rev. Jane continues her series using songs from the Singing the Journey (aka the Teal Hymnal) as sacred text and inspiration. Unitarian Universalist and musician extraordinaire, Ysaye Barnwell, wrote the words and music. The song has inspired Jane to think and share more about our identities and connections as we look to the future.
Anthem: "We Are..." UU Virtual Choir
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Join a UUCG online service or meeting on your computer or smart device. (You will be asked to download ZOOM software if you haven't before. It's safe!)
Enter this MEETING ID when asked: 479 325 3254
Even when Jane is not conducting our online services we use this Zoom link & ID.
NOTE: Be sure to log into the special Zoom room on November 29th. (See below)
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In our efforts to provide access to all who want to participate in our joint services, we have recently added the option for closed captioning of what is being said.
You do not have to have the captions on – and for those who are hearing fine through their computers or headphones, it may even be distracting. But it IS available. There is also the possibility of making the font size larger. We want to be as welcoming as we can be for all folks during these difficult times. And we are glad to be able to provide this service.
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We really Need Photos of You!
Greetings!
At our Sunday service on April 11, we will be having a Flower Communion ceremony to celebrate our congregational communities and the beauty of spring. This service is being organized by the Adult Religious Education workshop group, Spirit of Life, members. During a flower communion, UUs typically share flowers to show how we make a big beautiful bouquet! Since we are currently on Zoom, we are going to do this part electronically by presenting a slide show of flowers or greenery, along with our members and friends.
We need photos of you! In anticipation of our Flower Communion service on April 11, we would like every member, visitor, and/or family to send us one to two photos of themselves with flowers or greenery. Please take a picture of you with flowers or greenery from a special place, from your yard, or with your favorite flower. Also, let me know what name or names we should identify with your photos.
Send these photos directly to Carolyn Wallace at carolynswallace@yahoo.com. (Please do not send an email to Reverend Jane or by replying to this email.)
Please submit your photos by Friday, April 2!
Thanks so much. We’d love to see you there!
Carolyn Wallace
And, if you have already submitted your photos...thank you!
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IF you prefer to receive only our monthly newsletter and NOT our weekly email updates, please send your request to:
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A Big Hug From Your Auction Committee |
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Myron Waldman - Team Leader,
Creator & Publicist
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Beth Stevenson - Board Advisor |
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Elaine Deaver - Hero Helper |
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This past December it was suggested to me that Dining for Dollars, our annual fundraiser, could not take place due to COVID. Did I have an alternative? After some searching, I found that online auctions really worked well with larger congregations. Could we make it work for us? I set up a whiteboard online and we explored the possibilities. It was agreed that it could work. And it did with the Board’s help.
We agreed that a focus on providing a quality experience was fundamental to success. By limiting the auction to four categories would encourage creativity and provide a unique bidder experience.
Our committee worked untold hours online with Zoom and web apps along with some gumshoeing to organize, solicit and produce “Until We Meet Again,” our online auction this year. I want to thank my fellow committee members and also offer a “Hero” award to Elaine Deaver without whom we would not have been so successful. She enthusiastically managed all my document changes, designed email layouts, and was still able to get us into all our church weekly and monthly emails and also deliver our special email blasts for the auction.
To the committee, thank you for your hard work and belief in this project. To donors and bidders, thank you for believing in us.
Myron Waldman
Chair, Auction Committee
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A Quick Note from the UUCG Board
While we can not meet in person, we certainly are a vibrant community. Huge thanks to Myron Waldman, Kim Merck and Emma Krull for all the amazing work to get our auction off the ground and to all the people who donated -- we are a generous and creative group! This month take time to send a thank you note to Sally Revoile who has been our membership chair for over 15 years (just wow!). We are all so grateful for her generous gift of time over the years. If you joined UUCG in the last 15 years, then Sally was the person who welcomed you and helped you connect. Sally will continue leading our efforts in landscaping, but will be stepping back from her membership role. She is passing the baton and her wisdom on to Carolyn Wallace who will be taking up the membership chair role. Thank you to Carolyn for filling the critical role. Next board meeting will be April 18 at 2:00.
Beth Stevenson
President, Board of Trustees
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TED DAVIS, Treasurer
I grew up in a small, rural community in Cobb County Georgia. My family was Methodist which meant Sunday was church day with Sunday School, preaching, and MYF in the evening. We were expected at Wednesday night services as well and there was always a revival meeting in the summer. At the time I was very comfortable in that environment. I was able to attend Georgia Tech and after active duty in the army I attended the Harvard Business School.
My army duty took me to Fort Ord, California, where I met JoAnn, a native of Carmel, California. After our marriage, we settled in Atlanta where I started my business career as a CPA. My business career then took me to Columbus, Ohio, where we lived for 28 years raising our three children there. In Ohio I was the founding director and CEO of Dorcy International, a flashlight and lantern company. I remain a partner with Dorcy.
Upon returning to Georgia and settling on St. Simons Island, we visited several churches and discovered the small Unitarian congregation meeting in the old post office with the leaky roof. We are fortunate to have been accepted into the congregation and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I served one term as president of the congregation and am in my second term as treasurer. I feel that our congregation is in an excellent position to continue on the foundation of service that we have built in our community.
Some other current interests in Brunswick are board positions with the Golden Isles Youth Orchestra, Habitat for Humanity, and the Saint Simons Optimist Club.
Pictured with me is my great friend Moose. Knowing of our my lifelong fondness of beagles, our granddaughter found Moose in a shelter in Virginia and drove him down to Georgia as a gift for us.
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Sunday, April 18 at 9:30 a.m.
ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Book Discussion Group
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
by Cathy Park Hong (One World/Random House: 2021)
“A ruthlessly honest, emotionally charged, and utterly original exploration of Asian American consciousness and the struggle to be human.
‘Brilliant . . . To read this book is to become more human.’—Claudia Rankine, author of Citizen
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times • The Washington Post • NPR • Time • New Statesman • BuzzFeed • Esquire • The New York Public Library • Book Riot” (Amazon website)
IMPORTANT - NEW LINK for RE
There is a SPECIAL ZOOM ROOM set-up for the ADULT RE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP.
Meeting ID: 93962934425
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Green Tip of the Month
PLASTICS, AGAIN. Since the pervasiveness of plastics in our environment and unfortunately, in our bodies, is such an important issue, I'm going to be continually reporting on developments. A recent John Oliver show had some important stats: 50% of plastic now existing has been produced since 2005 - so this is an alarming upward trend. Only 8.7% of our plastic is being recycled, and that's because much of it cannot be recycled, even though we would like to believe otherwise ("wishcycling" - we throw it in the bin hoping it will be recycled, but it ends up with regular garbage.) Watch for (and support) EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) legislation which will assign the producer of plastic responsibility for its end life.
Here's a positive trend in laundry products: Detergent sheets. Think about how many of those big plastic jugs could be eliminated. The real objective is producing less plastic in the first place. Here's a link to a good article that takes a look at laundry options:
BE WELL, BE PROACTIVE!
Sharon Ehle
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Please remember those in need... |
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If you are able, please take some items to Sparrow's Nest Food Bank.
Especially during these difficult times there are many families in need. They can use canned fruits, meats, pasta and sauces, beans, rice, cereal, diapers, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc.
Cash or checks payable to FAITHWORKS are also always welcome.
Sparrow's Nest is located at:
2911 Altama Ave, Brunswick, GA 31520
PHONE: 912-261-8512 x110
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You see men and women in our community carrying their life's belongings in shopping bags and back packs walking to get out of the elements or looking for a place to sleep. Doorways, under bridges, abandoned houses or cars become their homes, or for a lucky few the couch of a friend or relative.
The Well is a hospitality center for people who are homeless , providing resources such as a shower, laundry room, phone, internet access, and address for correspondence. By providing this venue, FaithWorks helps those who are homeless with opportunities to reconnect with family members, access important services to help them leave the streets, and recover from sickness and disease. Our guests often regain employment and restore hope in their lives.
Guests at The Well are always in need of towels and toiletries.
Please drop them off at The Well . It is located at
1101 Gloucester Street - Brunswick
HOURS: 7 Days/Week from 7 AM- 5PM
PHONE: 912-261-8512 x 119
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The Robert S. Abbott Race Unity Institute envisions a community where healing and reconciliation are commonplace amongst
people of all identities, social justice is upheld and honored, and people honestly engage in history in order to live more truthfully
in the present. Ultimately, we strive to influence thought, which leads to changed hearts, which leads to changed behavior.
The Abbott Institute is a 501 (c) (3) organization established in 2007.
Mail: P.O. Box 1834 | Brunswick, GA 31521
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Our UUCG CARING FUND was established for the benefit of UUCG affiliated folks. The Fund is intended for members and friends of our congregation who are undergoing hard times, such as extensive medical bills, loss of home, etc. There are times throughout the year when we specify that a certain amount of our offerings will go to this fund.
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Just click on the image to
view (or print) a copy of these community directories.
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Diane Knight
UUCG Social Justice Coordinator
Home Phone: 912- 634-1367
Cell: 912-577-8168 (call or text)
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The Virtual Choir of Statesboro and Coastal Georgia is composed of a dozen singers whose individual recordings are combined to form our Sunday anthems.
Recent recordings can be viewed on YouTube at:
John Cowlishaw, Music Director
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Rev. Jane Page, Minister
(912) 682-3566
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Interested in joining UUCG?
Contact...
Rev. Jane Page
OR
Carolyn Wallace
Membership Team Leader
C: 478.279.2769
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Rev. Bill Phillips, Pastor Emeritus
Phone: 912.635.3512 (home) or 912.434.4140 (cell)
John Cowlishaw, Music Director
248.891.4498
Elaine Deaver
Newsletter Editor/Part-time Administrator
912.230.2675
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President: Beth Stevenson
Vice President: Judith Longfield
Treasurer: Ted Davis
Secretary: Erin Lee
Trustee: Lollie Bohannon
Trustee: Kim Merck
Trustee: Heather Turner
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Our location is 1710 Gloucester Street - Brunswick, Georgia
PLEASE SEND MAIL TO: UUCG, P.O. Box 1056, Brunswick, GA 31521
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