Your monthly news & updates |
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The theme this month in worship, religious education and small groups is "Deep Listening"
To receive a copy of this month's "Soulful Home" packet please email the request to minister@nuuc.org
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Benediction from the September 27 Worship |
You are asked to forgive the past
and remember the dead, to gaze
across the desert in your heart
toward Jerusalem. To separate
the sacred from the profane
and be as numerous as the sands
and the stars of heaven.
To believe that no matter what
you have done to yourself and others
morning will come and the mountain
of night will fade. To believe,
for these few precious moments,
in the utter sweetness of your life,
and say Amen.
adapted from Phillip Schultz
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The Second Monday Morning Covenant Group, meeting October 12 from 10:00 until noon via “Zoom,” will discuss elements of racism. To join this group contact Marty Keith at martykeith @zoho.com
At September's meeting, NUUC's Women's Group explored our “personal rituals.” Perhaps on October 25 (Sunday), at the 12:00 Zoom session, people who had to miss that meeting can share their rituals, too. In addition, while possibly not “rituals,” there are times when we find ourselves to be active versus times we are more dormant—perhaps on a yearly, daily, or even hourly basis. Similarly, we might have a variety of ways of brewing ideas before pouring them out and starting projects. Also, some of us have to work through fear before taking a risk. And sometimes we have to confront the myth of “total control” before admitting that some events and outcomes are out of our hands. What is the process here, for all of the above? This is another topic to discuss. Other ideas? Questions? Want the Zoom link? Please contact Marty Keith marthkeith@zoho.com
Wednesday Noon Check In
Join us using the regular NUUC zoom connection at noon everyday Wednesday for informal check- ins and chat with your fellow members.
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Soul Matters Small Groups
We currently have three different Soul Matters Small Groups virtually meeting, for regular in depth check ins, and for exploring together different spiritual themes. New members are welcome at any time, write to minister@nuuc.org
New Adult Enrichment opportunities to be announced in the October newsletter. Look for two new classes to help get you through late fall and winter: one by Rev. Susan Ritchie and another by Intern Minister Liora Malicdem
On Tuesday, October 20, the Brown Bag Books group will physically meet on the church's lawn to share thoughts about The Daughters of Erietown, a novel by Connie Schultz. Please bring a lawn chair. We are not supposed to enter the building, so please attend to restroom needs earlier. In case of really inclement weather, we'll make other plans!
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Fall Mowing at NUUC – We Need Some Help
The Building & Grounds Committee is requesting help with the mowing. They would like to get 1-2 volunteers each month from the congregation to mow just one time during the season through October. The other weeks will be handled by B&G Committee volunteers. We will be taking recommended virus precautions for volunteers.
We have a zero-turn riding mower, which can be used for almost all of the mowing. For a few small, tight areas, which the zero-turn mower cannot handle, we then use a self-propelled push power mower. Using a zero-turn mower is fun and allows the mowing to be done in about half the time. If you are not familiar with using a zero-turn mower, we will give you some brief training for about 15 minutes that gets you familiar enough with the mower to comfortably mow the main parts of the yard. You will still trim the edges of the yard with the self-propelled push mower. But, some people prefer to use the push mower to mow the entire yard instead of the zero-turn mower.
Please consider volunteering to mow one time this season. If you would like to help the church handle the mowing, you can see the mowing sign-up schedule posted at this weblink: tiny.cc/NUUC-mowing To get scheduled, just pick a date that works for your schedule and then contact Bob Keith at bobkeith@zoho.com or 740-369-1919. You also can contact Bob if you have questions or would like more information.
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Religious Education Programs 2020-21
WELCOME!
We’re so glad you’re here to find out about NUUC’s Religious Education (RE) programs, whether you’re a caregiver, a prospective volunteer, or both! In 2020-21, we will hold our RE programs virtually due to Covid-19 in order to care for the health of others, in support of our values.
Planning an entire year of RE is a challenge, especially when many kids and adults are understandably already feeling “Zoomed-out” after 6 months doing so many activities (school, work, family gatherings, lessons, etc.) in a remote environment. But with the full participation of children and youth, caregivers, volunteers from the congregation and visitors from other congregations and faiths, we can craft a meaningful, multi-generational RE experience that transcends the distance between us!
After reading the descriptions below, sign up your child/youth or sign up to volunteer at the appropriate link. We’d love to have you!
IMPORTANT: Programs begin on Sunday, October 4
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Preschool-3rd grade Storytime and More Oct 4 kickoff: Caregivers and prospective volunteers for Storytime and More program are asked to join for the first session on Oct. 4 if at all possible so you can see if you think this format is a good fit for your child. Caregivers are always welcome to join in Storytime to help manage technology use for the youngest kids, especially. The link for the year is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81091700254?pwd=aWhYSVB0UFYyRnB3VnVpdVlZUitFZz09 .
SAFETY
We require all regular RE guides to have background checks, and we require two unrelated adult volunteers to work with each group of children/youth. This is one of the reasons we need you to volunteer!
DESCRIPTIONS OF AGE-BASED PROGRAMS
Preschool-3rd grade: theme-based stories, crafts, movement and sharing
Our youngest children, from preschool to 3rd grade, need connection, fun, and a time to share the important things happening in their lives. Their attention spans are also on the short side! The foundation of our program for these children rests on two pillars:
- Theme-based weekly Zooms: Most Sunday mornings before service, from 9:30-10:00, this group will gather for stories and lessons tied to our monthly themes (below), sometimes including crafts and movement. The goals for this age are connection--with each other, with adults, with UUism—and fun!
September: Renewal
October: Deep Listening
November: Healing
December: Stillness
January: Imagination
February: Beloved Community
March: Commitment
April: Becoming
May: Story
June: Play
4th through 12th grades: Crossing Paths, a “neighboring faiths” faith formation program
This year, we are engaging youth of a wide range of ages in the Crossing Paths (https://www.soulmatterssharingcircle.com/crossing-paths.html) spiritual journey. This program is an updated version of the beloved UU “Neighboring Faiths” curriculum. It has been revised for fully online delivery, and helps older children (and their adult guides!) learn about UUism and other religions, considering connections between different faiths, differences in the types of questions they ask and answers they provide about human experience, and learning how to interact with people of other faith traditions. These faith traditions include:
Unitarian Universalism
Judaism
Christianity, including a diversity of denominations
Hinduism
Buddhism
Islam
Paganism
We acknowledge that 4th graders and 12th graders have different capabilities to consider diverse religious experiences and traditions, so we will use Zoom breakout rooms to allow for age-appropriate conversations for different levels. But we’re sure that all ages from 4th grade to adult volunteers will benefit from participating in Crossing Paths!
The Crossing Paths curriculum will require a number of adult volunteers—preferably 4 for each session—with a core teaching team of 8 adults and numerous other adults to help facilitate breakout room conversations. We need you! Please email Jen Aultman at jaultman@nuuc.org to learn more about or sign up for these roles, or sign up directly at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0845ACA92BA13-202021 . Thank you!
SUMMARY
This is a lot of program information, so below is a summary chart. Please contact Jen Aultman, Director of Religious Education, with questions, ideas or concerns at jaultman@nuuc.org and please register at the links above. Thank you for taking the time to learn about our programs--we hope you’ll join us!
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OCTOBER 2020 SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS
A message from UU the Vote: People know Unitarian Universalists for showing up and playing our part. This election, we must all play our part and show up for justice because that’s the call of our faith.
· Unitarian Universalists advocate for policy changes to expand access in our communities.
· We give our time and resources to sustain life-saving ministry.
· We protest injustice, siding with love and resisting hate.
· As a living tradition, Unitarian Universalists are called to make beloved community here on earth.
We show up because showing up is what Unitarian Universalists do. Commit to showing up for your values when you vote in the 2020 election. While we know voting alone won’t save us, we also know that the difference between policies and politicians can literally mean life or death, especially for the most marginalized. There may not be a perfect candidate or policy, but that can’t stop us from voting.
We can make a difference in 2020 by voting for people and policies that will do the least amount of harm in our communities. We can do everything we can to create justice, equity, and compassion in the world by voting with collective care in mind.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN TAKING ACTION AROUND VOTER ADVOCACY? You can sign up with UU The Vote at http://bit.ly/uujonovoc. There are many ways to get involved such as: text banking, phone banking, and postcard writing virtual parties; offering Community Conversations on Zoom; contacting elected officials about legislation related to voting; drive through voter registration; providing educational information and much more. The UU The Vote Facebook page offers tools, information, connections and support for Ohio UU’s doing the important work of voter advocacy. To learn more go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/uuthevoteohio/.
INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL OHIO (IACO): Rev. Joan Van Becelaere and Rev. Dr. Susan Smith provided an excellent webinar on Facebook Live titled “Voting and What Keeps Us Up At Night in a Time of Pandemic.” To learn more about voter suppression, voting in Ohio in the November election, and how to get involved in voter advocacy, you can access the webinar at https://www.facebook.com/InterfaithOhio.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GENERAL ELECTION 2020 TO MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS
Election 2020 to-do list:
- Confirm your voter registration is up-to-date. Ohio is one of the states that purges the voter rolls. Don’t assume you are registered even if you voted in a recent election. Another purge is expected prior to the November election.
- Make a plan to vote now and stick to it!
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Vote by mail: Avoid the rush and request an absentee ballot TODAY
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Early in person: see below for early voting hours
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Election Day in person: stay tuned for any changes to Election Day polling locations
- Help your friends and family confirm they are registered to vote and request an absentee ballot
- Become a poll worker, poll monitor, or social media monitor
· Verify your registration is up-to-date
· Request an Absentee Ballot
· Pledge to Vote
· Find key voting information
2020 KEY DATES
OCTOBER
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October 5: **Deadline to Register to Vote** (BOEs open until 9:00 p.m.)
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October 6-9: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (February 19 – Absentee Voting by Mail & Early In-Person Voting begins)
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October 12-17: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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October 20-24: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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October 25: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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October 26-30: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
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October 31: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot)
NOVEMBER
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November 1: Early Vote 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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November 2: Early Vote 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date)
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November 3: **General Election Day** – Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Voters are able to drop off absentee ballot at their county board of elections office until 7:30 p.m.)*
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