 It’s hard to believe that 2015 is a little more than half over as I write this column. I just celebrated the 58th year of my existence as a human being on this planet on July 9th. If the next 58 years go by as fast as the first.... well... what can I say? You get my drift. Life is to be lived and cherished for our lives are indeed like “ lightening flashing across the sky.” How I do love summer though, I always wind up complaining about how hot it is or how much hay fever is taking its toll on my summer days. Then comes the winter when I will complain about the cold, but at least the allergy symptoms will have diminished. Yet, I love the winter months as well, for in short I am in love with life. When the cool evenings of September and October come, I will once again be reminded that I too am in the autumn of my life. Yes, there are those who tell me, Michael, 60 is the new 40, and perhaps they are right. From the Minister, continued |
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Sunday, 9 August 2015, 11 am
Rev. Michael Carter
Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark
American Culture is afraid of the dark. The darkness of people of color, and the darkness and shadow side of our own personal and collective lives. We have become so “Enlightened” because of our love of the rational and because of our love affair with technology, that we have lost the meaning of what it means just to be and to let the darkness envelop us from time to time. Yet, in many ways this is beginning to change as we evolve personally and collectively into becoming more human. Join us as we explore how to embrace our shadow, our own darkness within and without, as we become more happier, more loving, and more creative human beings. See you there!.
Rev. Lois Cavanaugh-Daley
“Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life:
Karen Armstrong Shows Us the Way”
Noted religious historian and TED Award recipient Karen Armstrong outlines how we can all live a more compassionate life in our day to day encounters with our families, friends, co-workers and strangers. Reverend Lois Cavanagh-Daley will review the steps and also highlight why living compassionately is an urgent message for everyone and especially for Unitarian Universalists.
Reverend Lois Cavanagh-Daley is an ordained interfaith minister providing pulpit supply to Unitarian Universalists congregations throughout North Carolina. She is an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh where she has previously served as President-Elect, President , and Past President. Currently, Reverend Cavanagh-Daley is studying to become a certified chaplain, and she will begin a third unit in Clinical Pastoral Education at WakeMed in Raleigh beginning in August.
Sunday, 23 August 2015, 11 am
Rev Michael Carter
“Coming to Grips with Pain and Healing”
UUCSV Choir
This Sunday’s topic comes out of the adult education class after viewing The John Bradshaw, Homecoming Series. If you did not attend there is still something in this for you. If you did attend, just show up anyway (smile). The title says it all!
Sunday, 30 August 2015, 11 am
Rev. Michael Carter
“The Living Faith of Universalism”
UUCSV String Band
I want to review and to rethink what it means to be a Universalist in our denomination. This talk will include some of the history of the movement, but more importantly, what does Universalism have to say for people like us living 15 years into the 21st Century. Is Universalism still relevant? You bet your sweet %$#@*&!!! it is!
Sunday, 6 September 2015, 11 am Rev. Chris Andrews“How to Get Rich”How do we follow the dreams of the heart and not get sidetracked by the cultural agenda of getting more and more and being #1? The sermon will be about “following your bliss,” and living out of a sense of being called instead of just doing anything for a check. The Rev. Chris Andrews has lived in Louisiana for most of his life. Formerly a minister in the United Methodist Church for 42 years, he served at 1st UMC in Baton Rouge for many of those years. Chris now leads Jubilee Pioneers, an eclectic group of folks in Baton Rouge seeking ways to practice “good religion.” He is not a Christian, but instead calls himself a “follower of Jesus.”
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Greetings from the RE! The heat of August is upon us, but that doesn’t mean the weather is too hot for fun!!! In August we’ll be enjoying a tea party and a rescheduled lesson in making blueberry pancakes. Meditation continues and is a welcome new part of our opening ritual in RE each week.
One more thing that August brings is our annual RE registration. If you have children, please look for an email with a registration packet attached. It is super important that those registration packets get filled out and returned by the end of the month so curriculum planning can be finalized.
As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns don’t hesitate to contact me.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone for making my start as the Director of Lifetime Religious Education a smooth one. I look forward to working with even more of you all in the months to come.
--Beata Ball, Director of Lifetime Religious Education
(hereitsmine@gmail.com)
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The Three Stages of Loss, as reported by Milt Warden.
Stage One: When you are young and leave something behind like a jacket, sunglasses, a plate at potluck or maybe a water bottle during your busy day, you can think back through that day and recall where you left that item. You make a mental note to check for your missing item on your next visit.
Stage Two: As you age you find that you don’t miss items until days or weeks later, but you have no idea where you might have left that item. Just as likely you don’t even realize you have lost the item until you reach for it one day and it isn’t there. The strategy for Stage Two is to periodically check Lost and Found at places you typically visit. As you look through the box, you see a familiar scarf or notebook and pat yourself on the back for finding an item you probably didn’t know was missing.
Stage Three is similar to Stage Two because you understand the need to look through Lost and Found, but when you look at the items, you are not sure if they are yours or not. You had a jacket like that, but is it really yours or is yours at home in a closet? Or did you give that coat away last year? You think to yourself that you will claim it in a couple of weeks if no one else does.
Conclusion: Our current crop of lost and found items have been displayed for a couple of weeks and soon will be donated. In the future, feel free to peruse the Lost and Found box on a regular basis!
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Technical difficulties prevented the inclusion of photos of last month's new members. Better late than never, here they are:
Jackie Matlock John Shaff
 
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It's not too late to lend a hand to UUCSV's August 21 service project for Room in the Inn, a program which provides temporary lodging, meals, and transportation for homeless women. To join this effort, see the sign-up sheet in the foyer or contact coordinator Connie Krochmal
at cacti730@gmail.com or 686-3112.
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From the Minister (continued)
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Perhaps they are sincere when they tell me this to make me feel good; or perhaps they are sincere and they really believe this, which may or may not be a case of sincere denial being a form of delusion. Either way I am grateful for the sentiment, yet I know that no matter what, I am closer to the end of my narrative in this body on planet earth than to the beginning of it. Life is a gift. A gift I intend to enjoy.
I will be away from the church beginning July 26th until Sunday August 9th, as this is my vacation time. I will have office hours until July 26th if you need to see me. I look forward to my vacation time like a child in the western world looks forward to Christmas. I will come back relaxed and rejuvenated. At least that is the plan. Whatever you do this Summer, wherever your travels take you and yours, I wish the same for you.
And now the words of Max Coots:
...Summer is too full of itself in August---self satisfied. Summer seems like that, although I know it’s not. I’m glad September has to come and that I have no choice in it. I might choose only August if I could, and then have only a season and not a year....I could not live only in Summer’s Great Deception, as I could not live in Spring alone. I need to know of time and feel its passing motion on my face in some September wind, and know that life has time and time has life. And I, like days and seasons, am passing, being, and yet to be. Amen.
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If you or anyone you know needs Congregational Care for support please contact Ann Sillman at 828-335-1588 (cell) or crugerhansen@gmail.com. (Updates on members' needs will appear in the Current.)
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August’s Friday Fling, a fun party for grown-ups, usually every third Friday of the month, will be held on August 21st at the church. Red and white refreshments will be provided; please bring a potluck dish to share. The movie “Terms of Endearment" (1984, Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jeff Daniels) will be shown. Potluck begins at 6:30.
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In August, the UUCSV Choir will sing on the 23rd, for a service by Reverend Carter. We will rehearse on Sunday the 16th at 12:15 PM after the service, then on Wednesday the 19th at 7 PM, and then at 10 AM on the day of the performance. Please come and sing with us! We welcome new members.
Linda Metzner,
choir director
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At the July meeting, the Board elected new officers for the current year. David Groce will serve as President, and David Reid as Vice-president.
The annual Board retreat was scheduled for Sept. 12. Items for discussion are: church safety policy, improving communication, and individual board member goals.
The Board approved and accepted the bid from Greenkind Builders for enclosing the portico. The Portico project will be presented to the congregation in September, after which a capitol campaign will begin.
Following up on the issue of printing costs, the Board discussed changing the format for printing the Order of Service with the objective of decreasing cost while retaining quality and information needed.
David Groce |
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From the UUA Southern
Region Newsletter:
All Souls Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma (one of the largest UU churches in the country) and our Southern Region UUA
staff team are working together to provide an interactive, on-line seminar series which will focus on topics vital to the success and growth or your congregation:
.Intercultural competency
.Leadership
.Lifecycle of organizations
.Membership
.Organization.development
.Pastoral care
.Programs
.Religious education
.Small group ministries
.Social justice
.Stewardship
Learn from the leaders of
a thriving congregation, and discuss how to apply what you have learned to your congregation with The Southern Region Congregational Life staff---from the comfort of your church! The program will begin this fall.
Learn more about Leadership.Live in this promotional flyer, or on the website. Registration is open!
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Sincere thanks to new member Jackie Matlock, who will soon be assisting with Newsletter editing! The September Newsletter will be issued on or about the 3rd of the month, with the final deadline August 31st. Earlier submissions (by August 25th) will get priority attention! Please submit items to newsletter.uucsv@
gmail.com.
Ginny Moreland
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Board of Trustees:
Jim Carillon
Diane Graham
David Groce, President
Sarah Kirkpatrick
David Reid, Vice-President
Tina Rosato
Carol Sheeler
Dave Wells
Minister, ex-officio,
non-voting Board Member:
Rev. Michael Carter,
Treasurer:
Lee Reading
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