UUCGT  Flash 
February 28, 2019
Vol. 13, Issue 575
 
In This Issue
Reflection
Sunday Service
Temporary UU Minister
Bulletin Board
Stewardship Message
Save the Date!
Social Justice
UUCGT Covenant Survey
Calendar of Events
End Note
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Congregational Vision


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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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Reflection....on faith

Wherever you stand,
be the soul of that place.

Your bright gaze will kindle this old shadow world
To blaze up once again with the fire of faith.

~ Rumi

Sunday Service 
Sunday, March 3 - Andi Kramer, coordinator
10:30 AM:   "Matters of Faith"

Together, we will explore the various spiritual practices that sustain us.

Children and Youth Programs
PreK-5th grade and Youth (5th-8th grade) programs are available, as well as  Nursery c hild care for  infants through age 4.


New Temporary Minister at UUCGT

The UUCGT Board is pleased to announce that we have engaged UU Minister,  Reverend Beth Marshall, to serve UUCGT as a half-time Minister starting in late March and running through July. 

Rev Beth lives in Oberlin, Ohio and will be here for ten days each month, including two Sundays, serving full time while she is here. As previously announced, the Board is working on getting a full time Interim Minister starting in August and Rev Beth will fill the gap until then. Following is a biography furnished by Rev Beth:



"As a life-long Unitarian Universalist, I can trace my path to ministry back to growing up in a small, lay-led fellowship. At the time, I believed that ministers were the prerogative of other faith communities. While ministry, as a vocation, showed up on aptitude tests in high school and college, I dismissed it as an anomaly because our fellowship did not have a minister. Years later, as a member of a UU church with multiple ministers, I began to explore what ministry might mean by teaching religious education, working on various committees, fundraising and serving as a worship associate....


UUCGT Bulletin Board 

SukukoJi Buddhist Community Meditation Retreat: Saturday, March 2, 9:00-4:00pm, UUCGT sanctuary. Beginning meditators are welcome and a simple lunch is provided. Suggested donation is $40.00*. See more information here

Seeking a new BEACON Editor:  Stan Cain has been the editor of the monthly Beacon newsletter for the past 8 years and is ready to step away from his volunteer position. Thank you, Stan! for all that you have contributed in keeping our community informed and involved during these many years. If you love to write, edit and design...contact the office at 947-3117 to volunteer!

Safe Harbor Volunteer Sign-ups continue this week:  UUCGT is providing the volunteers for the Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter during the week from Saturday evening, March 16 through Saturday morning, March 23. There will be a sign-up table in the Gathering Space for the next three Sundays both before and after the service. Volunteer positions are available for those who wish to act as evening or overnight hosts, or serve breakfast in the morning. We also need clean-up volunteers for Sunday and Saturday morning. Please come and sign up to help our neighbors experiencing homelessness. For more information contact Mike or Sandra McDonald at 231-935-3759 or  m_mcdonald@charter.net .

Heather Shumaker - Book Launch Birthday Party!  A big, hearty invite to all UUs to come celebrate the release of my very first children's fiction book - a lifelong dream! Thanks for all your literary support in the past. This book has a few characters and inspirations directly from our congregation! Come learn what they are. See you at TADL Main Library, Sunday, March 3 at 3:00pm!

Benzie UU: Wednesday, March 6, 6:30pm potluck, 7:30pm service @ Grow Benzie.  Misty Sheehan will speak on, "But, I CAN'T Meditate! - the value of different types of meditation to one's spirituality""

Save the Date - Saturday, April 27! (note date change)
Contra Dancing / Live Music & Instructor!

Saturday, April 27, 7:00-10:00 pm - Absolutely no dancing experience necessary! Just a Fun Time at UUCGT! $10.00 a person, children 16 years or younger are FREE, light snacks available. LIMITED to the FIRST 60 people who sign up. Non-UU members are welcome. RSVP to UU Office, 231-947-3117. For further information contact  Hal Gurian  or 410-340-7323

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Local Community Needs

Stewardship Update for the Congregation
 
Our Stewardship Pledge Drive is well underway!  A big   Thank You!    to all who have helped UUCGT continue  Building Momentum   by turning in your pledge for 2019-2020!

We have determined, with the guidance from the Unitarian Universalist Association and our Board, the steps we need to take so that we can find and fund a Settled Minister as soon as possible. Those steps, and the financing necessary to complete this process, are known to us.

To help the congregation better understand this process, the Stewardship Team will host discussions after Sunday Services for the next few weeks. We will focus on the administrative steps and their costs, and will also discuss different methods of paying our pledges. Please join us!

This is a most exciting time for our congregation. We can continue the tasks of evolving into an example of what a liberal congregation can become. We have been doing this work since we began in the early 1960's!
Last year, the 2018-19 pledge total was $216,000. An additional $34,000 of pledges is needed this year. Please pledge generously so we can continue BUILDING MOMENTUM!

For those who haven't yet had the opportunity to offer your support of UUCGT with your pledge, please click on  2019-2020 Pledge Form hereComplete the form and mail it to UUCGT, or drop it off at the  UU office, attention Accounting.

Our 2019-2020 Pledge Drive has been extended one week and will wrap up on Sunday, March 17. 

Dave Halsted & UUCGT Stewardship Team members
      Karl Keinath,  Penny Ort,  Rick Walter,  Jan Zerbel


Save the Date ~ Sunday, March 17
"Celebrate the Green"
4 leaf clover
Potluck Lunch
Everyone is Welcome!


Immigration issues will be presented on Friday, March 1
9:00am - 2:00pm at Milliken Auditorium, NMC, Traverse City. Event is free and lunch provided. Register:  www.nmc.edu/student-services/student-life/

Holocaust survivor, Irene Miller, will talk about her experiences on Monday, March 4,at 6:30pm in the McGuire Room, Traverse Area District Library . Event is free and open to the public.
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Emmy Lou Cholak, UU Social Justice Co-Chair

REVISITING OUR UUCGT COVENANT
 
At October's Visioning Session it was decided to revisit our current covenant so that it is  more concise.  This is the work of the whole congregation, so we would love to hear from you soon. A final version will be voted on at the Annual Meeting in June.  Please review the samples below, provide feedback on which one you find most appealing and why, or  make suggestions to change wording, insert or delete parts. Or, suggest a whole new covenant! 
Thank you!  Please respond by email to   Dusty Culton Jane Watts ,   Mary Van Valin

A Covenant of Right Relations is how we relate with one another.
 
Sample Covenants
  (1)  Respecting diverse points of view, we assume good intentions,                    communicate directly, listen willingly, and forgive easily.
 
  (2)  Broad  and inclusive values unite us, the Seven Principles guide us,              and loving action defines us.
 
  (3)  United in values as expressed in our Seven  Principles,
         I/we covenant to:
            *  Welcome all who gather here                                   
            *  Create a loving, diverse community
            *  Treat others with kindness, empathy and respect

  (4)  We grow awareness, we cultivate kindness.

  (5)  Ours is a religious home of love, action, and challenge.

  (6)  We covenant to live the seven principles in all of our interactions.

  (7)  We embrace diversity of thought with kindness.

A longer version:
  (8)  Living by our Universal Unitarian Principles:
        We covenant to:
W elcome all who come here and we assume good intentions.
E ncourage all voices to speak.
L isten willingly to understand.
C ommunicate honestly with kindness.
O penly encourage diversity.
M ake service, volunteer, financial and acceptance commitments.
E spouse to act with compassion.
 
A poetic version:
  (9)  Kindness is our North Star; Listening, our flowing stream; Gentleness,          the moon-lit night; and Forgiveness, the morning light.

UUCGT Calendar of Events

** Contact  office@uucgt.org  to schedule all meetings and events







- SokukoJi Buddhist Meditation: Tuesday, March 5, 6:30-8:30pm, 
     meditation room (former small classroom)

- Wednesday Potluck Supper : March 6 , 5:30pm, social hall, Join Us!


 

- Friday Night Out: Friday, March 8, 5:30-9:00pm, classroom

- Singing Sisters: Saturday, March 9, 10:00am-2:00pm, sanctuary

End Note...

Ice caves...Winter's gift

  

UUCGT office hours
Mon day - Thursday
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed Friday

(231) 947-3117       office@uucgt.org         www.uucgt.org