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Piedmont Unitarian Universalist Church
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October 2020 Newsletter
BLACK LIVES MATTER
A Word from the Minister
Rev. Mary Frances Comer
Mary Frances Comer
Could a greater miracle take place
than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?            
~Henry David Thoreau

Dear Folks,

Welcome to a shift in the seasons! Our theme for the month of October is Emotional Intelligence. October is not only Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month; it is also Mental Health Month, and it’s the perfect time (i.e., presidential debates!) to take a moment to assess where you are in terms of both.

While, there are many theories regarding emotional intelligence (and you’ll see some of those in this month’s edition of our Touchstones Journal), the Harvard Business Review notes that...

October's Touchstones Journal: Emotional Intelligence
Click on the image above to read the full journal.
From Your Music Director
Kaarin Record Leach
Have you wondered how all that music for our online services is being created? Well, then check out this short video. This month is part one in a 3-part series on the process our Piedmont musicians are using to create their beautiful virtual choir recordings. Enjoy!
Calling ALL Families & Caregivers of Children
Holly Brown, Ministerial Intern
holding hands
Are you a caregiver? Perhaps a Grandparent or Aunt/Uncle or parent(s) who may be spending additional amounts of time with the children in your lives due to pandemic restrictions? If you fall into any of these categories, we invite you to check out the RE Newsletter for stories and activities that relate to our monthly themes.

Where can you find these newsletters? Email info@puuc.org to be added to the RE mailing list for it to be sent directly to your email address.

The RE staff continues to work to create content to help connect children to the church and to Unitarian Universalism in general. The content has been adapted to be utilized for families at home or even over Zoom if you are connecting with extended family.

Coming Soon…
More ways to connect through online activities. If you are interested in being involved, email me at holly@puuc.org as we envision and create opportunities to reconnect with our larger community.
Musician Spotlight: Elaine Deck
elaine
Our Musician Spotlight this month is focused on Elaine Deck. Her rich musical background continually enhances our music, and we’re so happy she’s dedicated herself to the Piedmont UU Music Program! — Kaarin Record Leace, Director of Music

This California girl has always loved music. I remember singing “How Much Is That Doggie in The Window” for a PTA pageant in first grade with my sisters. Being triplets was a novelty, and we were a trio from the start. We always had music playing on the radio. We’d learn the songs and then make up harmonies so we could each have a part. I even sang the descant. Both my parents loved big band music and jazz. Though my father never learned to read music, he taught himself to play the saxophone, drums, harmonica, and a bit of guitar by ear. He could listen to a song once or twice and have it memorized.
When folk music became popular, I asked my folks for a...



Upcoming Newcomer Orientations
If you're a newcomer to Unitarian Universalism or to Piedmont UU Church and would like to learn more about either, or if you're interested in becoming a member, we welcome your participation in this event led by Rev. Mary Frances and Membership Team members. RSVP to the membership team at membership@puuc.org for the meeting details and Zoom link.

  • October 17th at 10:30 a.m.
  • November 14th at 10:30 a.m.
  • December 12th at 10:30 a.m.

Other times available by request. membership@puuc.org
Peanut Butter Jar
First SATURDAY Food Drives in Salisbury
Same place, same time, with a new drop off day. For the Salisbury Gathering, please bring your donations to the temple between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on SATURDAY, October 3rd. There will be someone in the parking lot to accept your donations.

For the University Gathering area, please drop off food directly at your favorite pantry.

Thank you for your generosity.
Rabbit and Puppy
Photos for this Special Service!

Our Annual Blessing of the Animals Service is this month. Please send us photos (with names) of your beloved animal friends and family (with or without you in the photo)! We welcome photos "In memory of" as well.

Our deadline to submit photos is Monday, October 5th. Following the service during Coffee Hour, we may offer opinions on the cutest dog, the cat most likely to ignore us, or the horse most likely to play the role of a unicorn! This year, ALL of our animals may be "present" to receive our online blessings!

Email photos to contact@puuc.org.
Save the Date: Online Show and Tell (Zoom and Tell!) — Friday, October 23rd, at 7 p.m.
We enjoyed our first "Zoom and Tell" in September. We saw pottery, paintings, micro-cross stitch, and handsewn historical outfits! Join us this month. Bring your art or hobby to share — old or new. A craft, a quilt, a rock, a fossil, a birdhouse, a recipe, anything at all! We look forward to enjoying this time of fellowship and sharing as we spend time focused on creative outlets, fun, and wonder. Please RSVP via this quick form with your name and what you'll be sharing! ALL are welcome!
Next Month! Where's Waldo? Auction
Waldo's trying to hide behind the Deluxe Edition of the Where's Waldo Book? This great book can be YOURS! It will be a door (Zoom?) prize drawing at the auction finale. For every auction donation that you make, we will put your name in a drawing for the book. So, visit our website to fill out the online donation form as soon as you can! The auction this year will be virtual and will be online from Nov. 5th at 9:00 am until closing at 8:00 pm on Nov. 14th at Bidding Owl Website. Information about getting on the website will be sent before the auction begins. Questions? Contact pat_and_doug_wall@hotmail.com.

Coming in November—A New Adult RE Workshop
Mapping Your Spiritual Autobiography with Art Workshop/Sharing Group

Fellowship Options
Sundays
Ethical Explorations
Meeting (online) Sunday mornings, this is an open group that collectively choose books, magazine articles, etc. to focus attention on various ethical questions. If you have questions or would like to be added to the group email list, please contact George Bame (gbame@pobox.com). The group is currently discussing Every Time I Learn the Meaning of Life, They Change It by Daniel Klein.

Sunday Morning Interactive Service, 11:00 a.m. (Zoom Room opens at 10:45)
Please note there is no interactive service on October 4th.

Mondays
Piedmont Meditation Sangha
Monday Night Meditation
Meditation and discussion Mondays at 7 pm.
All are welcome. Contact Pema Tara for more information at 413-358-2626.

Attend by using any of the following options:

Wednesdays
Music at Piedmont UU
Virtual Choir Rehearsal
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
All are welcome! Visit puuc.org/music/musicschedule/ for the complete schedule and Zoom links, or contact kaarin@puuc.org.

Thursdays
Thankful Thursdays
Thankful Thursdays with Rev. Mary Frances at 12:15 p.m.
Bring your lunch to the computer screen as we dine together and chat. We will begin with a check-in and sharing of something we are grateful for as we seek to focus our gaze on what is right in the world and what we're thankful for in our own daily lives.

Financial Updates

Piedmont UU Church Financial Health: August 2020

Monthly Income   $11,835
Monthly Expense   ($19,715)
Monthly Mortgage Principal Payment ($1,698)
Monthly Cash Flow ($9,578)

Year to Date Income   $135,305
Year to Date Expense  ($155,981)
Year to Date Mortgage Principal Payments ($13,505)
Year to Date Cash Flow  ($34,180)

Part of the income deficit you see is Covid-19 related (for example, significant loss of rental income or families whose income has been affected.) If you are able, please consider helping us bridge the gap during this time of pandemic.To contribute to the financial health of our congregation, click here to make a donation now. Again, thank you for your commitment of Beloved Community.

Collection Plate
This Month's Shared Offering Plate
Time Out Youth
Time Out Youth

For the month of October, our Shared Plate partner will be Time Out Youth. Time Out Youth Center is a place where you can experience a sense of belonging and community. Whether you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, a straight ally – or just don’t want to be labeled, you will be welcomed here. Some of our youth are out, some are partially out, and some are not out at all. Time Out Youth Center offers a safe space for all and fully respects the journey of each individual. While at Time Out Youth, you are not expected to be anyone or anything except who you are.

The Shared Plate partner for the month receives 50% of undesignated/non-pledge offerings. You can support our Shared Plate partners even when we aren't meeting in person via the website. Select Give Now under the generosity menu and select "plate collection" for the fund.Thank you for your generosity!
Interactive October Services
Sunday Schedule (Except this week, October 4th):

Attend by using any of the following options:
Sunday, October 4, 2020
We will forgo our interactive fellowship today to join UUs around the country for a special service related to the upcoming elections and our role as Unitarian Universalists. To watch this special service at 11:00, look for an email Sunday morning with the link or visit our website.

"Vote Love: Organizing for the Long Haul" — A Special Service brought to us by UU The Vote and the Unitarian Universalist Association (No Coffee Hour Today)
Today we join congregations across the country in viewing this service created for us as we approach the upcoming election. "Voting matters, but it is not the end; it is the beginning," says UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, who will speak of our common destiny and connectedness in the context of a culture that promotes fear. She notes it is a "radical act of faith to not only believe in our 7 Principles but to demand them...to protect one another and our values." UU The Vote stands for justice, for love, and for democracy
Sunday, October 11, 2020

"Today is National Coming Out Day!"
Whoever you are and wherever you are on your journey, we welcome you. We also welcome back Rev. Kathy Beasley as our guest speaker today. Stay tuned for more details in next week's announcements.
Sunday, October 18, 2020

"Sentient Beings"

On this special day, we celebrate our Annual Blessing of the Animals. All creatures, great and small, are welcome to attend this virtual service! We will feature photos you sent in of your animal friends and family, but we'd also love to meet these fellow creatures in (virtual) "person" on Sunday during our time of fellowship* immediately preceding or following the service. Today we focus on the sentient nature and worth of all creatures as we contemplate our monthly theme of emotional intelligence.
*Following the service during a time of fellowship, we will share animal stories and may offer opinions on the cutest dog, the cat most likely to ignore us, the chicken who came home to roost, or the horse most likely to play the role of a unicorn! This year, ALL of our animals may be "present" to receive our online blessings, and all of our humans can be present for this allergy-free online service!
Sunday, October 25, 2020

 "Emotional Intelligence - A Service of Poetry, Art, and Song"
As we conclude our monthly theme of emotional intelligence, we offer this Service of Poetry, Art, and Song to nourish our spirits. Albert Einstein said: "Creativity is intelligence having fun" and so, today, we focus on this special form of intelligence in its many forms. May your spirit be fed and your own creativity kindled! 
NOTE: We would love to include images of YOUR art in the service. If you have a creation you'd like to share, please send an image to contact@puuc.org by midnight on October 11th. 
Upcoming services in November include Legacy Sunday and Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Piedmont UU Church Covenant of Right Relations
Love is the spirit of this church
and service its prayer. 
We covenant to honor all spiritual paths
with hospitality, 
To assume the best of one another
from our highest selves, 
To dwell together in peace through kindness, 
And to serve others with compassion,
Honoring one another as members of Beloved Community. 
Community
March for Medicaid Expansion
Poor People's Campaign Salisbury Circle March for Medicaid Expansion on October 3 @ 12:00 pm
Poor People's Campaign, Forward Justice & the NAACP Legal Defense Fund are looking for 200 poll monitors. If interested, you can register for a training online.
Upcoming Webinars ~ Taking A Collective Breath: Deepening our Alignment with the Movement for Black Lives

UU the Vote, Side With Love, and UUSC are excited to invite you to Taking A Collective Breath: Deepening our alignment with the Movement for Black Lives, a series built around the elements of the BREATHE Act and created in a collaboration between Side With Love and UUSC. The webinars will explore the components of the BREATHE Act and utilize its structure as a way to focus our energies to effectively support ongoing racial justice work. Come learn and build with local and national partners who are shaping conditions to make liberation possible. This is an invitation to locate yourself in this moment as well, we each have a role to play.

Final Session:

October 13 at 7pm
Webinar 5: Holding Officials Accountable & Enhancing Self-Determination of Black Communities
Panelists: Minister Sheena Rolle, Deputy Director Faith In Florida; Nicole Pressley, National Organizer UU The Vote and Let My People Vote Campaign

Visit the registration page for more information. Thank you!
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Quick Links
Piedmont UU Church website: www.puuc.org 
Piedmont UU Church blog: https://puuc.org/blog
 
Contact Us: 
Ali Allen, Administrative Assistant — ali@puuc.org 
Holly Brown, Ministerial Intern — holly@puuc.org
Rev. Mary Frances Comer, Lead Minister — maryfrances@puuc.org
Deb Davelka, Congregational Administrator — deb@puuc.org
Emma Gardiner-Parks, Religious Education teacher — emma@puuc.org
Sean Glover, Religious Education Lead Teacher — sean@puuc.org
Kaarin Record Leach, Director of Music — kaarin@puuc.org