June News from UUCG

JUNE 2021

Embracing a free and responsible search for truth and meaning while demonstrating our strong belief in the interdependent web of all existence.

Oh, how I love to go to UUA General Assembly each June! When you are in a rather small congregation, being with thousands of other Unitarian Universalists can be just SO exhilarating. Of course, there are concerns about us having these big annual meetings where we learn and conduct our associational meetings. One of them is that it is expensive to travel, have decent housing, and register for the meeting. At one time, only those who had expense accounts or those who had the money could participate. UUA has done a good job in the last several years of making possibilities more accessible for all by providing volunteer activities that allow you to waive attendance fees and scholarships for some folks. They also have had possibilities for delegates to participate online, so that they do not have to travel to have a voice in associational decisions. And of course, last year and this year, the pandemic has necessitated completely virtual gatherings. I admit that I will miss being with other ministers and UU friends in person, but this gathering offers the opportunity for even more folks to participate.

You can find out more about what is going on and how you can register or volunteer by going to this link: https://www.uua.org/ga

Now, you don’t have to register to experience some of General Assembly. For three of the services, you just go to this link: https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2021

Service of the Living Tradition

Thursday, June 24, 2021

7:00 - 8:15 p.m. EDT / 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. PDT

Led by the Ministries and Faith Development Staff Group, this service honors fellowshipped and credentialed religious leaders; remembering those who have died, recognizing those who have completed active service, and welcoming those who have received fellowship or credentialed status in the past year.

Synergy Bridging Worship

Friday, June 25, 2021

7:00 - 8:15 p.m. EDT / 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. PDT

This is a transformative multi-generational worship. Come be inspired and illuminated at a celebration of treasured worship elements, rites of passage and brilliant contemporary musical performances.

Sunday Morning Worship

Sunday, June 27, 2021

10:30 a.m. EDT at a special link you will be receiving before that Sunday.

Join us for the largest annual gathering of UUs joining in worship.

Whether you register or just come to one or more events open to the public, I do hope you will experience some of this exciting 2021 General Assembly!

Peace and Love,

Jane

Because we are changing from one Zoom Room to another throughout the month of June, the correct Zoom Room link is included with each service description.

June 6

“Ruby Sales: How we can start to heal the pain of racial division”

Beth Sutton, Worship Leader

ZOOM ROOM: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/4793253254

June 13

“UU’s Experiencing the Holy”

Kay Golan, Worship Leader

It will be a workshop in the form of a service to enhance UUCG’s planning process and put people in touch with what is holy for them, what is holy about UUCG.

ZOOM ROOM: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/4793253254

June 20

We will be joining All Souls UU Church in D. C.

Speakers: Rev. Louise Green, Minister of Congregational Care and Jen Heyman, Director of Music and Arts.

Denise Anderson has arranged this and suggests to go directly to the All Souls Church website: https://all-souls.org and click on the link to the Sunday service from there.

OR go to this Zoom Room link: https://zoom.us/j/91875814433 or dial in: 301.715.8592 and use meeting ID: 91875814433

All Souls Church service begins at 10:30, but Zoom room is open at 10:15. We may go to their coffee hour if you like or leave. We will not have a separate chat room.

June 27

Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) General Assembly (GA) Sunday Morning service led by the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis.

JOIN US AND MORE THAN 10,000 OTHER UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS FOR THIS SUNDAY SERVICE.

First Universalist has been a model of shared ministry and what it means to put the work of dismantling white supremacy and building anti-racist, anti-oppressive practices at the center of their ministry. They have been on the front lines in support of the Movement for Black Lives in Minneapolis, bringing spiritual care and oral leadership in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police and the important uprisings for justice that followed.

Our plan is to stream the service for you from our regular UUCG Zoom at our regular service time of 10:30 a.m. We will send a confirmation and reminder out on Saturday, June 26th when we receive the we blink from UUA. Afterwards, Beth Stevenson will lead breakout rooms and those of us who have attended the UUA General Assembly will share some of the things we have learned in the GA VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS & GATHERINGS.

PLAN TO CONTINUE TO ZOOM INTO OUR SUMMER PROGRAMS

Our summer programs team has planned an exciting zoom summer series for June and July, and 1st two Sundays in August. Come hear some blue grass music, some meetings at General Assembly, a visit to service at All Souls UU Church, Washington, D.C. , very moving service about jazz great Billie Holiday presented by UU Church of Atlanta, and much more. You can join in on Rev Jane’s zoom ID just as you have all year.

DON’T MISS IT!!!

AUCTION WINNERS WITH SALLY REVOILE

Hike and picnic along the river and Rails-to-Trails in Woodbine.

THE HIKERS

Kent Goering

Corinne Bachman

Sharon & Doug Ehle

John Cowlishaw

Sally Revoile

June Sherwood

(June is taking this photo so she is not shown here.)

and... Lily & Colette

Picnicking.

Wide smooth walkways.

Thanks to the many people who completed the Social Justice survey. The responses were wonderful and filled with the passion, creative ideas and the networks to help UUCG continue to play a strong partnership role in our community. Mostly, it was great to see how many at UUCG said, "Yes, I want to roll up my sleeves and help make a difference." More to come as the board weaves the responses and congregation input into plans for the future.

Also, thanks go to Denise Anderson who has volunteered to help Carolyn Wallace in co-leading the Membership Team -- we are lucky to have two wonderful new members carrying on Sally Revoile's membership roles!

Time to Assemble! Several of us are attending the annual UUA General Assembly (GA). It is virtual once again -- so lots of the energy and learning and community -- without the travel and expense. We have 1 delegate position still to be filled -- so let Beth Stevenson (echstevenson@gmail.com) know if you are interested in attending as a delegate. Everyone is welcome to attend -- and this year's Ware Lecture features Georgia's own Stacy Abrams. You may register for GA ($200) , but there are a few open sessions that everyone can attend. Learn more about what is available to registrants and what is available for free.

Beth Stevenson

President, Board of Trustees

Pride Flag

from The Welcome Renewal Team

In June of each year the LGBTQ+ community celebrates Pride Month, commemorating the achievements in its struggle for justice. The official Pride Flag is an internationally recognized symbol of solidarity and identity for this community. It was created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978 when tasked by Harvey Milk, newly elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The Baker flag replaced the pink triangle, used by the Nazis to identify gay people. The original design of this rainbow flag had eight horizontal stripes:

Pink for sexuality,

Red for life,

Orange for healing,

Yellow for sun,

Green for nature,

Turquoise for art,

Indigo for harmony and serenity,

Purple for spirit.

Later, when the flag went into mass production, some colors of fabric became hard to find, leading to the six-stripe flag we know today. The pink and turquoise were discontinued. New designs continue to appear, and the Philly Flag debuted in 2017 with the addition of both black and brown stripes to represent people of color.

Carolyn Wallace is now heading up the membership team and Denise Anderson is assisting. We would like to have another couple of people on the committee, so we can move forward with some reconnecting and recruitment activities. If you would like to be on the membership committee (open to all members), please contact Carolyn at carolynswallace@yahoo.com. We'll plan on a zoom meeting to get organized sometime in June.

Thanks!

Carolyn Wallace

Membership Team Leader

Sunday, June 20 at 9:15 a.m. (NOTE: New time!)

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Book Discussion Group

The themes of energy and climate will continue for the June 20 meeting of the Adult RE book discussion group. The book to read in preparation for the discussion is The New Map, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and global energy expert Daniel Yergin. Yergin was named Energy Writer of the Year by the American Energy Society for this account of how energy revolutions, climate battles, and geopolitics are mapping our future.

Amazon.com: The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations (Audible Audio Edition): Daniel Yergin, Robert Petkoff, Penguin Audio: Audible Audiobooks Also available in hardcover and kindle.

“A master storyteller and global energy expert, Daniel Yergin takes the listener on an utterly riveting and timely journey across the world's new map. He illuminates the great energy and geopolitical questions in an era of rising political turbulence and points to the profound challenges that lie ahead.”

Discussion Group Leader: Dorin Schumacher 912-266-6558 or drdorin@earthlink.net

IMPORTANT - NEW LINK for RE

There is a SPECIAL ZOOM ROOM set-up for the ADULT RE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP.

Join THIS Zoom Meeting at https://uuma.zoom.us/j/93962934425

Meeting ID: 93962934425

Attending UU General Assembly is easier than ever!

How would you like to attend General Assembly Sessions , June 23-27, 2021, where UU governance and policy decisions are discussed, Workshops are held to share techniques and guidance for local congregations, Incredible music is presented from UU voices across our nation, and Inspirational messages come to you from people you will likely never have the opportunity to meet in person? For the second year in a row G.A. will be held online only because of the pandemic. This year the parade of banners will return from the in-person years, and our own UUCG banner will be pictured. You can attend online with no hotel bills, no airfare, and still get all the inspiration.

The announcement of the Ware Lecturer each year always brings much excitement, and 2021 is no exception. Stacy Abrams, who needs no introduction to Georgians, and Desmond Meade, well-know to Floridians for his leadership in expansion of voting rights are the Ware Lecturers this year.

Green Tip of the Month

I read this in May Costco Connection - such valuable info that I wanted to share. Even though it's getting hot, we can still plan:

TIME IN NATURE

Ten minutes of gardening or a weekly visit to a public garden can alleviate depression.
Twenty minutes spent hiking among trees, bird-watching or pursuing other activities in nature reduces cortisol, the stress hormone.
Thirty minutes of sitting or walking in a park setting can lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Forty-five minutes or more of hiking in the mountains results in less fatigue and higher alertness than the same amount of time spent indoors on a treadmill.
Sixty minutes spent interacting with nature, such as walking in urban parks or on tree-lined streets, can boost memory and attention span by 20%.

GET YOUR VITAMIN "N!"

Sharon Ehle

The Virtual Choir of Statesboro and Coastal Georgia is composed of a dozen singers whose individual recordings are combined to form our Sunday anthems.

The Virtual Choir has completed its 2021 performances, but past anthems are viewable at:

https://www.youtube.com/user/cowlisha/videos

John Cowlishaw, Music Director

Please remember those in need...

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

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

More about FAITHWORKS including Sparrow's Nest & The Well.

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.

Website: theabbottinstitute.org

Email: RaceUnity@theabbottinstitute.org

Mail: P.O. Box 1834 | Brunswick, GA 31521

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.