Nurture spirituality. Foster compassion. Engage in service.
November Theme: Forgiveness



Happy Halloween and good Samhain! The midpoint of autumn marks the end of harvest season and the beginning of the colder half of the year. It is traditionally a liminal (transitional or boundary) time. Tradition holds that at this time of year, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest, allowing spirits to enter the world of the living. Traditional cultures, with their shamans and ghosts and reincarnations, have understood intuitively something we've repressed. The dead don't die. They live on in our memory, in our hearts, in ideas and habits that we today embody even long after the source is gone from conscious memory. Indeed, everything that's ever been a part of anyone is a part of you.

This year, if you're feeling ready, try imagining, when trick-or-treaters knock on your door, that each costume represents some aspect of your psyche to which you don't often pay attention. Go ahead: reclaim the gift of this liminal period.

Practice of the Week: Notice You're All Right Right Now

"The brain's default setting of apprehensiveness is a great way to keep a monkey looking over its shoulder for something about to pounce. But it's a crummy way to live. It wears down well-being, feeds anxiety and depression, and makes people play small in life."
READ MORE...

November Journey Groups

If you're not in a Journey Group, sign up online. CLICK HERE.
The November theme is forgiveness. Please begin looking over the packet and preparing for your November Journey Group meeting. For document format, CLICK HERE. For blog-post format, CLICK HERE.

Saturday Zen: Nov 1

Zen practice at the Parsonage. 10:00 - 11:45a on Sat Oct 18. Come around to back door. New to meditation? Come 10 minutes early for a brief orientation. READ MORE...

"Our Story, Our Faith" Class: Sat Nov 15 & 22

At the Parsonage, 2:00 to 4:00 on two consecutive Saturdays. This two-session course is a great starter (or booster) on the Unitarian Universalist path. I'll lead discussion covering our history and what it means to be UU today (and how to describe it to others).

Thank you for being a Unitarian Universalist!
-Meredith
Rev. Meredith Garmon
Minister
Worship Nov 2, 10:00: Animal Blessing 

Rev. LoraKim Joyner

Bring your companion animal to church! Or bring a photo and memento. In this all-ages service we'll celebrate and bless the nonhuman animals who share our lives and share our planet.

Sunday's Music: Our choir will be singing celebrations of the animal kingdom. More on this Sunday's music: CLICK HERE.
10:00 - Music for All Ages (Participatory music time with Lisa Meyer, the CUC Choir, kids and adults)
10:10 - Inviting the bell & gathering song

 




I hope you have had a wonderful week and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Remember, daylight savings time ends Saturday night, so you will have an extra hour to come to the service rested. Please see the following seven (7) announcements:

1) This Sunday, Nov. 2, is the Animal Blessing Service for all ages at 10 am. There are no RE classes since this is a multigenerational service; K-12th graders will be attending the service. There will be child care available in the nursery.

Lisa Meyer and the choir will be doing the Music For All Ages presentation from 10-10:10 a.m. Children present will receive a king's treasure!

2) We are looking for a few older children and adults to participate in a skit this Sunday during the Animal Blessing Service. These are non-speaking parts, but may require some animal sounds and animation! Please let me know asap if you would be willing to participate.

3) Next Saturday, Nov. 8, meet other RE parents at the CUC Auction!
  • Find connection at this social fundraiser
  • Items for every budget. 
     
  • Childcare will be available in the parsonage, where children will have their own mini-auction. Please RSVP for child care.
     
  • Tickets are $40 but if you have registered your family in RE for the first time then you are an auction guest at no charge.
4) Chilldren and Youth Auction Baskets
There will be a themed basket from each RE class at this year's CUC Community Auction. Every child in the RE program can help by bringing in one or two new items to donate to their joint class basket this Sunday. Drop off items in the collection basket in the RE foyer. To see the theme and suggested items for each class to donate, CLICK HERE. Thanks for helping to make this year's auction a success!

5) Next Sunday, there is an RE Extraordinary Sunday activity related to Veteran's Day for children and youth in grades K-12, one for younger children and a separate one for older children. There will be an opportunity for a hands-on project. More details to come next week.

6) Parent-Teacher Meeting, Sunday, Nov. 16 at 9 a.m. in the sanctuary. This will be an opportunity to find out what happens in RE, meet your children's teachers, and ask questions. Discover our vision of RE and the specifics of each class. Childcare will be available.

7) Stone Soup on Sunday, Nov. 16 after the service
Members of Coming of Age and Youth Group invite you to enjoy the warmth of soup and connection. $5/adult; $3/children; $15/family

Please let me know if you have any questions or thoughts to share. We welcome your input and are here to create a meaningful experience together.

Sincerely,
-Perry
Perry Montrose
Director of Lifespan Religious Education and Faith Development
Links & Reminders

Hymnal Supplement coming. In November, we'll have copies of Singing the Living Tradition, and a chance to dedicate each one. About this supplement: CLICK HERE.

"What's In a Name?" Committee is coordinating a discussion about what we think the name of our congregation should be. READ MORE...

Our Child/Youth R.E. Classes Descriptions of each of our eight R.E. classes meeting on Sunday mornings: CLICK HERE.

The UUA Common Read for 2014-15 is: Paul Rasor, Reclaiming Prophetic Witness: Liberal Religion in the Public Square.  Order your copy! READ MORE...

General Assembly 2015 is in Portland, OR -- Jun 24-28. GA is amazing fun, enriching, deepening, and transformative! We encourage all CUC members to begin planning now to attend.

The web site for Community Unitarian Church: CLICK HERE.
November Monthly Theme Packet, "Forgiveness": CLICK HERE. Or CLICK HERE.
November issue of The Communitarian: CLICK HERE.

The Liberal Pulpit 2014 #4 (six sermons): CLICK HERE.
"My Spiritual Journey" by Rev Meredith Garmon: CLICK HERE.
The Five Foundational Spiritual Practices
 - Journal daily
 - Study daily
 - Silence daily
 - Group monthly
 - Mindfulness as much as you can
READ MORE...