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WORSHIP SERVICE AT THE LANCASHIRE BUILDING
July 14th through September 1st
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SUNDAY July 14 through September 1
Worship Services will be held at the Lancashire Rd building (2728 Lancashire Rd, Cleveland Heights) which has air conditioning! There is also a stair lift, but no elevator.
Parking at the building is limited, but there is a lot of street parking, as well as a few nearby city lots. In case you need them, bring quarters for parking in the city lots which are on both sides of the Lancashire building.
The Lancashire building has a stair lift for those are not able to climb stairs alone. It does require that you are able to get into and out of a seated position (with assistance).
While we're celebrating in a smaller space, please remember to place your purses, bags and other belongings on the floor to free up seats for others.
We'll return to the sanctuary in Shaker on September 7th for the big Reunification Service and the Water Communion on September 8th.
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This Week's Worship Service
Hope, Love and Forgiveness
Service Lead by Melissa Jeter and Jack Ulman
Music by Karin Tooley
Sunday, August 11th at 11:00 am
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Twilight Zone & Theology
A new monthly discussion of pop culture and faith
Starts Sunday, September 1st
Have you always loved Twilight Zone? Do you enjoy philosophical discussions? If so, you should check out our Twilight Zone and Theology series. Once monthly, we will randomly choose a Classic Twilight Zone episode, watch it together, an then discuss what we think fellow Unitarian Universalist Rod Serling was trying to teach the viewing audience.
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Choir Rehearsal & Potluck
August 28th
Come for the meal, stay for the music!
Come one, come all to UUCC's Shaker Heights location on Wednesday, August 28th! Join our Music Director Mike Carney and members of the choir for a potluck dinner at 6:00pm in Fellowship Hall. But wait...there's more! The meal will be followed by the first choir practice of the new church year at 7:00. Whether you are an experienced vocal musician or more of a musical greenhorn (or anything in between), you are invited to raise your voice in song. All are welcome - see you there! If you have any questions, contact Mike via email at
mike.carney@uucleveland.org
.
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Save the Date!
Inception Celebration Service and Reception
Saturday, September 7th at 4:00 pm.
Before we officially kick off the church year at Ingathering on September 8th, we warmly invite you to join us for a special worship service and reception celebrating the reunification of First U and UUSC, and the inception of UUCC!
We've invited our UU siblings from across Northeast Ohio, as well as leaders from our nearby faith communities. We hope you can join us!
Please RSVP by August 26th to Erin Justice
(erin.justice@uucleveland.org or 216-751-2320 x102).
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Strategic PlanningTask Force -- Listening Sessions
Nine Opportunities to Connect and be Heard!
Strategic Planning Listening Sessions are designed to help us discern who, how, and what we want to be as UUCC. We are opening our ears and hearts to our members, friends, staff, and community stakeholders. Each session will last about 90 minutes and participants will be asked to complete and discuss a questionnaire* designed by the Strategic Planning Task Force.
The Task Force has arranged for nine listening sessions in August and September. You only need to register for one of these sessions. These small-group discussions are limited to 12 attendees, who will be hosted by a facilitator from the Strategic Planning Task Force. If the session you hope to attend is full, please contact Erin Justice (
erin.justice@uucleveland.org
) and Laurie Albright (
ljalbright@hotmail.com
) to make alternate arrangements. We may be able to create a second group at that date and time.
The first session is this Saturday, August 24th at 10:00 am in the Conference Room (215) at the Shaker building. We need at least 5 more people to register for this session. Register here:
https://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=bg4lwidab&oeidk=a07egj3vkkgd99e50a8
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Sunday Book Group
September Read:
A Gentleman in Moscow
September 8th at 7:00 pm
Join the UUCC Sunday Book Group on September 8 when we discuss
A Gentleman in Moscow
by
Amor Towles
. In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel near the Kremlin. An indomitable man of erudition and wit, the Count had never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history unfold outside the hotel's doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances are full of riches and provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count's endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose. (Source: Goodreads.com)
We gather from 7 to 8:45 PM in Fellowship Hall at the Shaker building. If you are so inclined, bring a goodie or wine or other beverage to share.
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YoUUth Choir Rehearsals Start September 11th!
All 4th - 8th graders are welcome to join, no experience required.
We rehearse on Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 pm in the sanctuary, beginning September 11, 2019. We sing at least once a month during service.
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Sharing our Joys and Sorrows
From the Worship Team
As members one great joy is that we love and support each other in joy, sorrow and life challenges. One opportunity to hold and embrace those in our community is through Joys and Concern Stones.
As the service has evolved some members have shared they feel more disconnected with fewer being read by the worship associates. Please remember you can email Erin Justice (erin.justice@uucleveland.org) with recent events you wish to celebrate, honor or acknowledge even if you will be in attendance or not.
Although we have the book in the back, the emails are helpful to worship associates because it’s sometimes hard to read the handwriting in the book.
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Just for fun...
Drum Circle on August 26th
No experience necessary! There will be extra drums for all(or bring your own). Relieve stress with hand drumming; enjoy the meditative quality of the vibrations. We will meet Monday, August 26th at 7:15. Fellowship hall.
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Limited Opportunity to Purchase History
The words “Firs Unitarian Church” have been prominently displayed on the front of our Shaker Heights location for more then 60 years.
As part of our reunification, we are removing them, and we will not be replacing the letters.
You have an opportunity to buy one of these 20 symbolic souvenirs of our history.
The letters are selling quickly! Your choice may not be available -- there are a few I, R, T, C and N letter remaining.
An in-person sale of any remaining letters will be held in late August. Watch this space for more details.
Please note: the 2 uu letters are reserved.
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UU Ministry for Earth
"Connecting and inspiring an active community of UUs for environmental justice, spiritual renewal, and shared reverence for our Earth home.”
If this calls to you, please join us at our next meeting and learn how you can become involved with the Ministry for Earth. We are a group of individuals working in many “In my own back yard projects” making the world better one step at a time.
Join us! We teach kids to grow food, protect pollinators, read about and learn how to garden, promote 100% renewable electricity, and create community through concern and reverence for all life.
Our next meeting on Sunday 9/8/19 at 12:30 in the Baker Room. We will gather and report on our ongoing projects, suggest new projects and seek help if needed.
How to reduce school lunch waste:
- Our kids are back in school, they need to eat lunch and snacks. Here is a cute video and a few tips on reducing waste while providing healthy food, or not so healthy food.. but still less waste. These tips apply to all of us who eat outside of the home but not at a restaurant… that is another story of waste.
- Reusable lunch bag/box
- reusable container for all food (doesn’t need to be new, it can be a reused margarine tub, or lunch meat container, plastic wrap is not needed to keep sandwich moist)
- bring home food scrapes for composting
- cloth napkin and utensils from home. (or buy a few at the resale shop in case they get lost)
- usable bottle for beverage is best
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The Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus
One of the best ways to keep up with justice-related events happening in and around Cleveland is to visit the website of the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus (CCPC) and sign up to be notified of upcoming events. Programs and actions on issues such as anti-lead initiatives, HB 6, supporting public education, anti-racism, women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ issues are advertised on the CCPC website (
www.cuycpc.org
). If you sign up with CPC, you will receive notices of upcoming “justice events and actions” delivered to your email address.
Submitted by Mark Weber
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Join the fight for justice at the Cuyahoga County Jail
with Cuyahoga County Jail Coalition
With fresh outrages at the Cuyahoga County Jail continuing to pour out every week - including the news that
more than 30 juveniles have been transferred to the jail this year
- and the jail population STILL hundreds of people over capacity, it is more important than ever that we continue to organize as a community to demand change. The Coalition to Stop the Inhumanity at the County Jail was one of a dozen organizations
who recently sent an open letter to County Prosecutor O'Malley
demanding that he ban his prosecutors from requesting cash bails for low-risk, nonviolent defendants, an action that would help reduce the number of people being unnecessarily detained in the jail. Unfortunately, the letter has been met by continued inaction on O'Malley's part. We need your help to build public pressure on him and other elected officials to take real action on this crisis and enact bail reform!
Join the Cuyahoga County Jail Coalition for their next full coalition meeting next week on Thursday, August 22nd from 6:30PM-8:30PM at the Khnemu Lighthouse, 966 E 105th St, Cleveland, OH 44118, where they will lay out our next steps forward and offer concrete ways folks can get involved in the and step into leadership in the work. The meeting will be potluck-style as usual, so feel free to bring a dish if you are able.
Click here to RSVP and invite your friends to the Facebook event!
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After Church Potlucks are moving to 4th Sundays in September!
Our communal meals will continue during the 2019-20 Congregation year as the “4th Sunday Potlucks.” The date was adjusted to create a bit of space between the 2nd Sunday Breakfast and the Potluck. Here are the 2019-20 dates:
September 22 2019 (adopted by Strategic Planning)
October 27, 2019
November 24 2019
December 22 2019
January 26 2020
February 23 2020
March 22 2020
April 26 2020
May 24 2020
Adopt-a-Potluck
Groups are needed to adopt Potlucks. What does that mean? If you would like to use the Potluck event for a presentation or discussion with the congregation, please send a note to
potluck@uucleveland.org
to get it on the calendar. Groups that adopt a Potluck will need to recruit volunteers to staff the meal--the volunteers do NOT need to be limited to group members.
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Soup Kitchen Serving at Urban Hope
UUCC has made a connection with Urban Hope, an Ohio City facility that supplies meals to area people. Each Thursday through Sunday, various area religious organizations take a day to cook and serve the meal. The UU day is Sunday. So far, our congregation has had a couple of test runs, serving approximately 100 people each time.
With that experience, we formed a task force to broaden the project to the entire congregation. We are committed to continuing on the 5 th Sundays of 2019 – September 29 and December 29 and hope to increase to once a month after the first of the year.
There are many opportunities for involvement: shopping/collecting food and supplies, cooking and of course serving. That takes place approximately 3-5 pm on the Sunday. Because the Urban Hope kitchen and the entire facility are very small, there is room for at most 6 congregants to assist onsite. We’ll need to rotate jobs each time so everyone has a turn. Our menus have included store-bought fried chicken, homemade mac & cheese, bean casserole, grilled vegetables, rolls and butter, lettuce salad and dressing, fresh fruit and homemade cookies. We welcome suggestions for recipes that are inexpensive, expandable and easy to prepare.
Please let us know if you are interested and how you’d like to help.
Jean Sycle Martin jeansycle@gmail.com
Jean Ellsworth-Wolk jeanewolk@yahoo.com
Michael Lau mmblau@outlook.com
Laurie Holmes kitch53@gmail.com
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Crash
the next movie in our Racial Justice Film Series
"
Los Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption." - IMDB
Join us at the Lancashire building (it’s air conditioned!), share some pizza at 6:00 pm, and start the film around 6:30. Bring a finger food if you wish.
Crash
Friday, September 20th, 6:00 PM
2728 Lancashisre Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH (upstairs in the sanctuary)
Future Screenings (mark your calendars!)
- Friday, October 18 – Race, the power of an illusion, part 2
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Panel Discussion - The Challenge of Islamophobia
September 19th
“The Challenge of Islamophobia” is the title of a panel discussion program that is sponsored by Cleveland Peace Action. It will be held at the CH-UH Main Library at 2345 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, OH 44118.
This program will be held on September 19th with registration at 6:00 pm and the program at 6:30 pm. Panelists will include the following: Isam Zalem, activist on issues affecting Arab Americans; April Stoltz member of Westshore Unitarian Church and coordinator of Teatime for Peace; and a Board Member of CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations). The program is free and open to the public.
For further information, please contact Mark Weber at 440-519-0220.
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Community Forums Return September 15th!
The Fall/Winter 2019 Season of Community Forums is almost here!
Facebook. Palliative medical care. Ohio bail reform. Alzheimer’s and functional medicine. Look for these and other programs when UUCC’s Sunday morning community forums kick off this fall. Stay tuned and watch the weekly Blasts and Facebook page for details.
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Sign Up for Our New Social Justice eBlast!
With all of the opportunities to engage in Social Justice work in the Greater Cleveland Area, we've set up a weekly email blast just for Action Opportunities.
This email is sent on Tuesdays and has information from GCC, Cuyahoga County Jail Coalition, UU Justice Ohio, and many other groups.
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UU Justice Ohio
(UUJO)
September Events
“Do Something – Stop Gun Violence.”
A march and rally demand an end to the growing culture of violence and hate.
Sept 18, 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm
- The march will start at 12:30 in the Columbus Commons. Rally will be at 1 pm on the High Street side of the Statehouse.
- We are then planning an action on the 4th St side.
- We will be demanding that the Ohio Legislature pass a a series of gun control measures: pass a Red Flag law; institute universal background checks; raise the minimum age to purchase a firearms to 21; a ban on gun possession by those convicted of domestic violence; a ban on trigger cranks, bump stocks and devises that allow firearms to act like an automatic firearm; a ban on assault and military-style rifles; and a ban on high capacity magazines. And maintain the need for permits, training and checks for those who carry concealed guns. This list is a work in progress so there may be some additions.
- Many of these measures have already been proposed in the Ohio Legislature, but sit ignored in committees.
- Legislators needs to stop sitting on these bills and “Do Something” to end gun violence.
“Freedom Demands Action”
A lobby day and action to stop Ohio SB 33
Sept 19, all day
- SB 33 is a bill that was originally written by the oil and gas industry and the Koch brothers’ ALEC organization to stop protests like the one that occurred at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota.
- The bill makes it a potential felony to protest – even non-violently- at so-called “critical” infrastructure sites -- like pipelines, fracking wells, oil refineries, oil and chemical and gas storage sites, energy plants, water treatment sites, mines, railroad property, and so much more.
- The bill would fine churches and non-profits up to $100,000 if they are found to be ‘complicit’ when one of their congregants or members is charged with felony protest.
- “Complicity” is not defined.
- Churches and non-profits would be fined for helping pay a protestor’s fines or any civil action damages.
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New Staff Phone Extensions!
We recently updated our phone system, so the extensions for staff members have changed.
Rev. Joe Cherry, Minister - 104
Dr. Allan Georgia, Director of RE - 106
Mike Carney, Music Director - 107
Shirley Nelson, Office Administrator - 103
Angie Coats, Bookkeeper - 105
Erin Justice, Community Relations Director - 102
Welcome Office - 101
Our phone number has not changed. Give us a call at 216-751-2320!
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We've Launched our new Facebook page as UU Congregation of Cleveland!
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WORSHIP SERVICE AT THE LANCASHIRE BUILDING
July 14th through September 1st
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