UUCGT Flash  
   January 28, 2021   
           

A Fifth Sunday in January 2021...
GOOD NEWS (and lots of it!)
Note from Guy: receipts have been sent.
Sun 1/31: SUNDAY SERVICE
Fri 1/29 VESPERS
Search Team Report
Endowment Team Report: MORE GOOD NEWS!
Remembering a Cherished UU
Music & Religious Education
Call for Volunteers
Adult RE Workshops Space Still Available
UUCGT Calendar
UUCGT Bulletin Board, including another call to action!
Community Needs
End Note
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Congregational
Mission
Statement

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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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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
GOOD NEWS, & HEADS UP, EVERYONE!

"The Stewardship Team wants to thank all the members and friends whose generous donations to the 2020 Year-End Campaign activated the matching gift funds and resulted in an additional $13,300 being added to our general fund which will further support the programming and ministry of UUCGT. This has significantly bolstered our ability to provide many small group activities and support our wonderful music programming that Renée is providing."

The Pledge Drive for 2021-2022 officially starts on February 14th!  Brochures will be mailed early in February.  Meanwhile, watch for Special Stewardship Flashes that will share electronic versions of the Brochure, Rev.Cathy's special message regarding the Drive, and Pledge Forms themselves in the week of February 7th.
  
  
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A note from Guy...

Dear Friends - 
     This was the view from my desk all day yesterday, Wednesday, as I was finishing up contributions statements, juggling multiple other tasks, and completing this edition of the Flash...


      The snow only let up for brief periods, and was absolutely beautiful as it fell softly over the butterfly bushes and other dormant plants in the garden beyond the office window.  I don't have the words to express how grateful I am to work where I can enjoy such gorgeous and peaceful surroundings.
      If the office has an e-mail address for you, receipts for your contributions to UUCGT in 2020 have been e-mailed; perhaps a dozen or two dozen paper copies have been mailed today to the rest through the U.S. Post.  If you haven't received yours, one way or the other, by the beginning of next week, (or if there is an error in your statement) please contact the office right away, (231) 947-3117 or office@uucgt.org

      Peace to us all,
    



 

       Sunday's Service                  
                                            1.31.2021
"Imagination"
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For Sunday's Service the Zoom link is here.
The Service is at 10:30 AM but you can begin
signing in at 10:00 AM to visit.
 
Rev. Cathy leads this Sunday's Service, which has been coordinated by Amanda Mangiardi.  

Imagination has been the Soul Matters theme for January: What does it mean to be a "people of imagination"?  Poet Mary Oliver reminds us that, "Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imaginaton...͟."

Plus: the Feast of St. Valentine is on the way...


Again, the Zoom link for SUNDAY SERVICE is

Sunday's "Reminder" Flash will have a link to the Order of Service, which will be posted on our website homepage at uucgt.org as well.


Sunday Services are automatically recorded and posted to our Zoom account.  Click here to view the Service of January 24; the required passcode is 1r0q+Y=@

 
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   Vespers for Peace                       
Join us on Friday evenings for a calming time of
music, contemplation, poetry, and inspiration.
This Friday, January 29, 2021 at 8:00 PM
Begin signing in at 7:30 to visit
  
Sign in to the Zoom Service: Click this link

  
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MINISTERIAL SEARCH TEAM REPORT

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Your Ministerial Search Team has official records of meetings held since the end of August 2020.  From that time to the present, there have been over 50 Zoom meetings for an average of 10 a month.  Interviews with candidates, averaging 1.5 hours, are not included in the count, but post interview debriefings are.  The meetings alone add up to some 52 hours.
 
Meeting numbers are far outpaced by the number of hours team members spend on individual tasks and work done with partners. 

But who's counting?!  What really counts is reaching the goal of enhancing the already amazing UUCGT experience by bringing a settled minister into our wide embrace.  We are delighted to report that we believe we are on our way to that goal, though there is still much work ahead.

Your team, 
                                    
Mary, Geoff, Charles, Dusty, Jim, Chris, Jan
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ENDOWMENT FUND GOOD NEWS
 
      At its January 20th meeting the Endowment Committee voted to distribute income from dividends of $2,100.00 to UUCGT.  These funds will be distributed equally for:
  •  outreach into the community
  •  the wider UU mission of UUCGT
  •  the physical plant
For the 2020 calendar year the Vanguard Endowment Fund portfolio
increased from $120,467.00 to $135,921.84 for the following reasons:
  •  contribution to the Fund of Memorial gifts of $800 in memory of George 
     Ball, Barbara McClellan and Pinkie Hoffman
  •  dividends of over $2400
  •  growth in the stock market
We, on the Endowment Committee, are heartened by the fund growth and thank members for their gifts.  We remind you bequests, gifts from IRA Funds, as well as memorials, will assure the financial stability of UUCGT in the years to come.
 
Ellie Smith, Hal Gurian, Nancy Doughty, Don Pyne, and Karl Keinath
Members, the Endowment Committee

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IN MEMORIAM
  
              So runs my dream, but what am I? 
              An infant crying in the night
              An infant crying for the light
              And with no language but a cry.

                                                                               - Alfred, Lord Tennyson     
                                                                   In Memoriam A.H.H., Canto 54     
 

Kay Boyne shares with us the sad news that Jon Mead lost his battle with Lewy Body Dementia on 1/21/21 with his wife, Kay Boyne-Mead, and his daughter, Margaret Mead-Finizio by his side.  

He had a rich life as Benzie County's Photographer, a member of the Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra, and a Unitarian Universalist.  He and his wife traveled abroad almost every winter but spent the last dozen years at their home in Baja.


            A FEW NOTES
  
This week we explore finding joy in the roles of leadership and involvement we take within our beloved community. It is easy right now to feel tired and overwhelmed, I sure do, so I offer you this wonderful, joyous song  by the phenomenal group, Sweet Honey in the Rock. See if it doesn't get your toe tapping and your energy moving. 

For those who are looking for a way to add a little more joy to their day, our virtual ensemble is always open for more voices. We'll begin leading hymns each week starting in February, you can always check our webpage to find the songs (including vocal guide tracks to help you learn) that we are currently working on. All voices and instruments welcome!
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                                RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
 
On Sunday January 24 we read a UU statement "We are a People of Imagination." We discussed what this might mean to us. We talked about how looking through a telescope or binoculars - either end - might bring a world beyond what might be right in front of us.  And if we look closely at things with our own eyes, we might discover a world of amazement surrounding us. We shared the most wonder-filled things we have seen. Then we looked at a website for photos of ice flowers. A couple of us said we had seen these outdoors. We gave a challenge to look carefully this next week and if we see something amazing to ask our parents to take a photo of what we saw or let us take a photo ourselves and bring it to share next Sunday. 

 We imagined what we might say, do, or become someday; and imagined how everyone might make a better world by sharing and loving. We listened to a UU teacher from another church sing "In my Imagination". This coming Sunday our theme is again IMAGINATION and we will do some fun and creative things. Also, kids and families watch for our February Youth Kits which will be coming to you by snail mail soon. See you all on this Sunday!


RE-OPENING TASK FORCE: CALL for VOLUNTEERS

Friends - 
 
In anticipation of re-opening our sacred space sometime this year, your Board of Trustees is calling for volunteers to create a "Re-Opening Task Force," filled by you, our Congregants.  The Task Force will be asked to research all Local, State and Federal guidelines and requirements, along with gathering recommendations from the UUA.  All meetings will be electronic - no in-person meetings are necessary. We will make this decision based on science-backed data and will abide by all regulations related to COVID-19. We will gather information from all sources and make a recommendation to the Board about the timing of the re-opening.

Of course, we all hope this is sooner, rather than later, but will abide by the science and orders of our authorities.  If you are interested in serving on this Task Force, please contact Board of Trustees member Judy Myers at tcjlm@aol.com by February 15, 2021.

We appreciate any input and hope you will consider this important responsibility.

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UPCOMING ADULT RE OPPORTUNITIES
  


Antiracism workshops: 
             Co-facilitated by Alison Ernst and Rev. Cathy Harrington
 
WHAT:  Reading and Writing Whiteness, using the text White Fragility by
             Robin Diangelo.
WHO:   You and your non-UU friends - please invite others to participate
WHEN: Thursdays 6:30 - 8:00 PM, 6-week session, February 4 through
             March 11
 
POSTPONED:  The "How to be an Anti-Racist" book group will be postponed
              until mid to late March. Start date TBD. You can still sign up for it now,
              and I'll keep you posted.
              Alison Ernst - awa2write@gmail.com

OTHER CLASS/WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITIES
                                                    

WHAT:   Starting Points
WHO:    Anyone who might be new to UU, or who might want to be re-newed.
WHEN:  Saturdays 10:00 AM, beginning February 6

WHAT:   Soul Matters
WHO:    Anyone interested in exploring aspects of Unitarian faith
WHEN:  Once a month, based on participant group's availability
 
Contact Alison Ernst if interested in any of these options.
 
  





UUCGT CALENDAR
You can access the calendar online
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UUCGT Bulletin Board 
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AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION
TONIGHT
Democracy only works when well-informed citizens are engaged!





    
FROM MARY ANN RIVERS
  
GROWING YOURSELF UP

        Joining a small group can have many benefits beyond the subject anchoring the group.  One of the most important to us is finding and building a safe and trusting community.  Being together for learning can add to our daily lives - spiritually, socially, and intellectually.  We can learn and practice careful listening skills to better enhance our Healthy Congregation principles.  All these and more can be part of belonging to a small group.  

        Sylvia Walworth and Susan Lio and I are offering a study of the book Growing Yourself Up by Jennifer Brown.  The books are available for perusal with just a call to me.  The group will first meet on Tuesday, February 16th at 7 p.m.  We will then choose a time and day that works for everyone.

        Please consider joining us for this guided study of ourselves in the world today.  Call or e-mail me for more information or to sign up.
 
Mary Anne Rivers
231-267-5058
maryanne.riversfriese@gmail.com



  
  
MEN'S GROUP and THE STATE & BIJOU THEATRES

We all want to see the State Theatre and other local institutions
looking like this again. We might even want to be there!



Well, Mark Gustafson and the Men's Group have this to say about that:
  
In this time of pain and stress, I was thinking about what Jimmy Carter said 1979.  He implied that there was a "malaise" affecting America, a crisis in confidence.  And Jimmy didn't know about our present political climate.  Well, I feel that crisis now.  So what do we do?  For one thing we could help the State and Bijou Theatres come back to life. These movie theatres are the heart and soul of downtown Traverse City.  They show movies that make us laugh and cry and think.  They give us joy!  How can we help?  We can give money!   Our UU Men's group is having a fundraiser starting now and through January to help our theatres survive.  

If you would like to participate, please
make your checks out to TCFF
and send them to:
Mark Gustafson
1111 Lake Ridge Drive # 201
Traverse City, Mi. 49684.
  


WEDNESDAY DINNER GROUP
  
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.
  



 
  
End Note:
"Logic will get you from A to B. 
                   Imagination will take you                         everywhere."
                                  - Albert Einstein


  
The UUCGT building is closed until further notice;
however the office is again staffed (at least) Tuesday-Friday, 9am-3pm.