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Congregational
Mission
Statement
We are a Congregation creating a better world by nurturing the heart and expanding the mind.
We provide a safe, caring community where all can freely explore diverse religious thought.
We work for justice and equality with the power of compassion and compassionate power.
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UUCGT Quicklinks
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If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter
the Beacon
please contact
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This Sunday, November 1st, 2020 at 10:30 AM
"LOVE LIVES ON AND ON...."
Dear Ones -
Sunday's Service will be lay-led and honors the gifts left to us by loved ones who have passed away but still hold room in our hearts and minds. Margaret Wozniak has coordinated the Service with ample assistance from (as we said growing up in South Carolina) a whole passel o' folks. There will be memories shared through sight and sound, and the day's music is especially beautiful and memorable.
Please join us via Zoom: the service begins at 10:30 AM but you can start signing in at 10:00 AM to visit; the link is below. And a Cottage Conversation follows the Service!
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse
Rev. Cathy Harrington, Interim Minister
Sunday morning's Order of Service
and the lyrics to songs
Click on the link below to join the Service:
The Meeting ID is 817 7744 8560
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You are cordially invited to Cottage Conversations
Following Sunday Services Nov.1 and Nov. 8 in Breakout Rooms
Topics of conversation:
What are your goals in our congregation and how can a minister help you achieve those goals?
What do you see as the most important role of a minister for our congregation?
Looking back 3 years from now, how would you describe a successful ministry?
Sincerely,
Your Ministerial Search Team
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As for the Weekly Ministerial Search Team REPORT:
The Team has put some real time, effort, and (especially) creativity to create a report that is fun and entertaining as well as informative! Our e-newsletter software doesn't allow me to copy it directly into the Flash as it won't let us recreate the fonts. So: I've uploaded the document on line;
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- from Mary Anne Rivers -
SMALL GROUP POSSIBILITY: "GROWING YOURSELF UP"
Are there any of us who don't have some growing work to do? We are all "works in progress," and if you are interested in digging into your self and your relationships, Growing Yourself Up is a good guide. Combining reading, discussing, and art exercises, we will work our way through this important guide written by Jenny Brown, and based on the theory of Dr. Murray Bowen. No drawing skills are needed.
Dr. Bowen, a psychiatrist and researcher, developed a theory describing different levels of maturity in relationships. This theory is related to marital satisfaction, capacity to handle stress, make decisions, and manage social anxiety. Dr. Bowen refers to the differentiation of self, which, simply expressed, refers to the ability to think as an individual, while staying meaningfully connected to others. This small group will begin on the 2nd Tuesday evening in January, and will be lead by Sylvia Walworth and Mary Anne Rivers. With any questions or for further information, please contact..
or
- from Alison Ernst -
READING AND WRITING WHITENESS: PART II
The second round of "Reading & Writing Whiteness" will start on Tuesday, November 10, 6:30 - 8 p.m. and will run for 6 weeks.
Though the group will primarily be discussing the book White Fragility other readings will be incorporated during the workshop.
- from The Safe Harbor Team -
We are so happy to report that Safe Harbor is opening for business and we need your help and support to make this happen. More information will be available soon; the Team will be hosting a Zoom discussion and we'll let you know as soon as that has been scheduled!
*Our week for service at Safe Harbor is November 28th - December 5th and Christmas Day.
*No midnight shifts this year.
*Numerous mindful safety protocols have been put in place.
*Very limited contacts with guests.
*Mandatory masks for team members and guests.
This year will look a bit different, due to the pandemic, but health and safety will be a top priority. Please stay tuned for more information to be coming soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your UUCGT Safe Harbor committee members:
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MUSIC: "A Few Notes"
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- from Renée Russell-
Please note that there will be no VE rehearsal this evening.
This week we honor and highlight dia de los Muertos. I used to live in Los Angeles and it was a beautiful and moving day of celebrating those we have loved. My step-father's family are part of the Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and hold a "ghost dinner" every year. Music was always an important part of my family celebrations and a way I stay connected to family members who have passed. I thought I would share a few of the special songs that fill my heart with their presence and love:
- from Claire Crandell -
Our theme on Sunday, October 25th, was Listen to Nature.
We talked about our Seventh UU Principle which "encourages us to affirm and promote Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."
We talked about how being in and listening to nature is healing. We named various natural sounds (crickets, birds, waves) that help to calm us and help us realize we are all connected to nature. Someone said that "when we are out in the woods or wilderness and sit quietly, we realize how 'jangily' we have been in our minds and bodies."
After a 5 minute meditation to focus on our inner peace where comes our strength, we shared some of our favorite sounds of nature. Then an excerpt from our Soul Matters UU Resource Book was read about a well known singer who was asked to come into a recording studio and to sing with crickets as a background. At first she was a bit offended. Then she heard how the recording artist had lowered the pitch and lowered the pitch of the crickets until they wound up sounding like a well-trained choir. The end recording was amazing and she said, "people do not know that they're listening to crickets unless they're told that that's what it is. "
We were inspired to perform our own "cricket symphony" and using combs and a piece of plastic began our song. Laughing, we hummed our tune and recorded and saved it to "The Cloud" where sadly it floated away! ???:(((
Our closing poem was:
"And bending across the path
as if saying prayers to welcome the dawn,
were long grasses which were
completely overpowered
by the thick dew".
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UUCGT Calendar - Stay Up to Date!
Sunday Services, meetings and classes are hosted on Zoom until further notice. Note that as of September 30 2020 Zoom requires a passcode and/or an enabled "Waiting Room" for ALL newly scheduled meetings.
Requests should be made by Wednesday at noon for the next day's FLASH, please, if you want your meeting or event included - especially if you are requesting a Zoom set-up!
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Friday, October 30
1:00 PM
Zoom rehearsal for Sunday Service
8:00 PM
Sunday, November 1
10:30 AM
You can sign in beginning at 10:00 AM to visit! Cottage Conversations to follow the service!
Monday, November 2
11:15 AM - Note new time!
Stretch & Strengthen
2:30 PM
Ministerial SearchTeam
Zoom link is here; mtg ID: 839 8133 9396. Passcode is required and available to Search Team members.
Tuesday, November 3 - ELECTION DAY
10:30 AM
Volunteer Comm. Lunch, Friends Church. For info contact Mary Kiner.
1:30 PM
Sunday Service Coordinators via Zoom here.
Wednesday, November 4
11:15 AM
Stretch & Strengthen Class
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
5:30 PM
BYO Dinner together, NOW VIRTUAL!
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UUCGT Bulletin Board
(more invitations, really!)
A LOVELY, GENEROUS OFFER of
TECHNOLOGY HELP (!)
from CHRIS LAUTZ:
Given up trying to attend Friday Vespers or Sunday Services because of that blasted ZOOM program, your computer or both? We have UU members who would be willing to come to your home and help you get set up, so you can attend and participate with our UU community.
WEDNESDAY DINNER MEETINGS
The Wednesday dinner group has tried to stay connected these past months, socially distanced picnicking in the UU parking lot when we could, on ZOOM when it was rainy. We are going to weekly ZOOM now, 5:30 every Wednesday. If you would like to join us, contact Mike and Sandra McDonald for the ZOOM invite. You may bring your glass of wine.
POST-ELECTION VIGIL & GATHERING
The Unitarian Universalist Association and the Side With Love nonprofit are hosting a virtual gathering. "No matter the results of the election," says the UUA Facebook page for the event, "we know we will want to gather in community. Please save the date and time" - Thursday, November 5, 8:00 PM Eastern - "and join the UUA, UU the Vote, Side with Love, and UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray for this event."
CHRIS & RICK WALTER SHARE THE FOLLOWING:
To complement UUCGT's focus on white supremacy and institutionalized racial bias during key book discussion groups and writing sessions in adult RE, we highly recommend learning more. Go to www.titletrackmichigan.org t o learn about the Understanding Racial Justice 5-week on-line class taught right here in Traverse City by local facilitators. The next session is Nov 9 - Dec 7, 5:30 - 7:30 pm and is sponsored by Indivisible Grand Traverse, which regularly met at UUCGT prior to the pandemic.
Register SOON, but by Nov 2. There is a sliding scale payment plan or scholarship availability. Some UUCGT members, friends, and visitors have already taken the class and highly recommend the experience. We can all be part of the solution. Questions? Contact Rick or Chris Walter
And Emmy Lou Cholak reminds us to:
Please remember the Unitarian Universalist Theme of #Vote LOVE #Defeat HATE as you consider all your choices. Emmy Lou points our attention to these (nonpartisan) ballot initiatives:
Proposal 20-1
This proposal would amend the state constitution so that money from oil and gas revenues could be used at a higher percentage for property maintenance rather than for land purchase. Available land for preservation only comes available once, usually never to be repeated. If we are unable to purchase and preserve & salvage good land for wildlife, excellent views, unusual habitat, etc., when it is available, the likelihood it would be developed for commercial use is inevitable. Voting no would maintain the percentages as they are, preserving the monies available when needed to purchase the land for public rather than commercial use.
Proposal 20- 2
This proposal seeks a constitutional amendment requiring anyone claiming to need access to your electronic data and communications to obtain a search warrant as is currently needed to search your house or other physical property. Consider voting to require warrants for digital or virtual property as well.
County Proposal re: Roads, Streets, Bridges, etc.
Please note that this proposal which seems only to request funding for common-sense infrastructure would likely support a Boardman River bridge and/or bypass both of which have repeatedly been voted down by the public.
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End Notes:
"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o'er wrought heart and bids it break."
- William Shakespeare
"I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."
- J. R. R. Tolkien
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Most of the UUCGT building is closed until further notice;
however the office will generally be staffed* Tuesday-Friday.
with any questions or concerns.
*With thanks to Alison Ernst for suggesting
the gender-neutral language here!
Stay up to date on the UUCGT website
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