January 2025

January 5

"You Say You Want a Resolution...

Randy Tawes

With a new year upon us, what do we wish for this coming year and what exactly is a New Year's Resolution Anyway?

January 12

"Hold My Mule"

Clint Tawes

Worship often brings to mind images of hymns, prayers, and shared rituals, but at its core, worship is deeply personal - an expression of the spirit that takes many forms. Inspired by the story shared by gospel legend Shirley Caesar, this sermon invites us to consider the beauty of worship in all its diversity.

January 19

"The Time's They Are a Changin': Shall We Overcome?"

Rev. Jane Page

For this special MLK Sunday service, Rev. Jane continues her series using 60's and 70's songs as sacred texts. Bob Dylan penned "The Times they are a Changin' during the turbulent 60's, but the words have great meaning for 2025, especially considering possibilities for the next four years. Shall we Overcome?

January 26

"Becoming the Beloved Community"

Beth Sutton

Becoming the Beloved Community: "David Brooks - Making People Feel Seen: How to Do it Right"

RE Is Coming Back to UUCG!

With the new year comes new adventures and this year is no exception. Starting on January 5th, we’ll be welcoming the children of the neighborhood into our new, expanded Religious Education Program. This is an exciting time as we are doing something that, as far as we can tell, hasn’t been done before, at least not like we are doing it. We will be starting on the first and third Sundays each month with plans to expand to every week this spring. We have several people who are interested in volunteering and there are more opportunities to come.

Your RE committee, Beth Stephenson, Carolyn Wallace and Randy Blasch are working hard to make sure we provide a safe and enriching atmosphere for the children while building a new program to serve UUCG well into the future.

If you have questions or would like to participate, reach out to a member of the RE Committee. And watch this space for regular updates!!

Randy Blasch, Intern Minister

It’s a UU Tradition Please let Sharon Ehle know if you want to participate (sgehle@comcast.net)

More details to come!

A letter from President Sharon Ehle

Highlights From the December 1, 2024, Meeting

In accordance with our UUCG Bylaws, Board members in attendance moved to appoint Sharon Ehle as President-Elect to fill this vacant position through the end of 2024. On January 1, 2025, Sharon will automatically become President of the Board of Trustees and serve until December 31, 2025.

Further discussion took place regarding plans to implement a Children’s Religious Education program. A subsequent meeting was held on December 16 where specific objectives were established, and a committee was formed. The committee will present a plan at the next Board meeting on January 5, 2025.

The proposed 2025 budget was reviewed and approved to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Congregation.

UUCG Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting was held on December 15, 2024. After discussion, the budget was approved. New Board members were voted into office: Brian Merck as President-Elect and Chris Soule as Trustee.

We extend warm wishes to all our UUCG Congregation, as well as their family and friends for a Peaceful Holiday Season, filled with Joy!

Hosts for Clint

We are looking for people to host Clint Tawes on Saturday nights in February and March. He travels a very long distance to be with us so your help and hospitality would be appreciate. Contact Denise Anderson at uucgdenise@gmail.com

If you wish to become a member of UUCG...

please contact our membership team leader Carolyn Wallace at carolynswallace@yahoo.com.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are 3 things that you can do that WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Coffee for the Well
Underwear for the Well
Food and Paper Products (especially toilet tissue) for Sparrow’s Nest

Bring your items to church on Sundays and Dona & Carolyn will make sure that they get to the right location.

Please join us on Sunday, January 5, 9:00-10:15 AM

UUCG Bill Phillips Forum Room

Discussion leader: Jim Finklea

Topic: Pilgrimage

To be a pilgrim means many things. What a pilgrimage means depends on the definer. It’s your journey, your quest; or, what is it to you? Let’s begin a new year of fellowship and communion as pilgrims sharing with one another.

We’re uncertain and disquieted about what lies ahead. Let’s talk about it. What’s your plan? What gives you joy? Together we can move from the dark (as some characterize it) and share light we all have within us.

The Adult Forum is designed to encourage discussion by sharing our stories and wisdom so we may “learn more about being human.”

We meet to reinforce the “warmth or community” that calls us to attend church.

Meetings are on the FIRST SUNDAY of the month from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Ruth Trudeau

(214) 675-7331

A new Sisterhood group is forming that may especially be helpful for women who have work or travel limitations that prevent them from attending the groups that meet on weekdays.

Our organizational meeting will be a bring your own sack lunch meeting in the Bill Phillips Room on Sunday, January 19th after the children have left and the money counters have completed their work.

We can make decisions about future meeting times, places, and formats at that time. If you plan to be a part of this group, please email Jane at revjanepage@gmail.com so that we can form a group email list.

I will be offering a 6-week class in sight reading/vocal production starting Thursday, January 9th at 3 pm in the sanctuary of the church. The class will include note values, rhythms, key signatures, staff reading, pitch skipping, and vocal production, including breathing and sound clearance. There is no pre-requisite for this class all levels of musical knowledge are welcome.

Please contact me with questions. Drop me an email if you wish to sign up for this class even if you have already told me you want to participate so I can get an accurate class list. By the way, if you cannot make any specific class we will find a way for you to continue in the class. Contact me at lindalashford@comcast.net. There is no charge for this class.

Linda Ashford

Instead of the Abbott Institute January Unity in Diversity Luncheon, we invite all members and friends to volunteer at the Second Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Saturday, January 11, 2025, organized by our Community Partners, A Better Glynn, and Forward Brunswick.

Sunday, January 19, 2025 from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

(The special Adult RE Zoom Room information is below.)

Join an intellectually challenging and fun conversation with a

group of ardent readers.

Our next book is 1984

Nineteen Eighty-Four (also published as 1984) is a dystopian novel and cautionary tale by English writer George Orwell. It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell's ninth and final book completed in his lifetime. Thematically, it centres on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours within society.[3][4] Orwell, a staunch believer in democratic socialism and member of the anti-Stalinist Left, modelled the Britain under authoritarian socialism in the novel on the Soviet Union in the era of Stalinism and on the very similar practices of both censorship and propaganda in Nazi Germany.[5] More broadly, the novel examines the role of truth and facts within societies and the ways in which they can be manipulated.

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Dorin Schumacher

912.266.6558 or drdorin@earthlink.net

This is the ZOOM ROOM set-up specifically for the ADULT RE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP.

Join at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83199891898?pwd=RXRUNk92L1Z2ZHBCek9XTkt0RTFEdz09

Meeting ID: 831 9989 1898

Passcode: 950120 (Passcode must be used.)

CrossWord Puzzles

Looking for a crossword puzzle that is more interesting than the Brunswick News’? John Cowlishaw is creating many puzzles and posting them online at: https://tinyurl.com/47bxef38

Creating the Beloved Community at UUCG -- Get Involved!

Zoomer for our Tech Team -- We need a volunteer (or two!) who will take a turn being in charge of Zooming the service from the sanctuary. Simple task and Kim Merck will train and support you -- and this is part of simplifying our technology while we keep our services accessible for all. Contact Kim at Kimym31525@gmail.com.

Child Caring Volunteers -- When families with children come we want to be ready! Volunteer to be on call to take children out during the service. We are looking for about 12 people -- and have a great group of 6 to start with. Contact Beth at echstevenson@gmail.com.

Be sure you are signed up for all the ways you can get updates about UUCG. We have

a Facebook page: UUCG FB
a Facebook page for children and families: UUCG FB CHILDREN & FAMILIES
and our newsletters and announcements that you can sign up for on our website. SIGN UP HERE

Lots going on and we want to make sure you get the word!