Sunday
Services
run from 11:00 A.M. to 12:15 P.M. Nursery
Care is provided and the religious education program is held concurrent
with the service. Coffee and conversation for adults and children
immediately follow the service. Parents should supervise their
children during coffee hour.
CAROL’S COLUMN:
GROWING IS A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT
In our mission statement, we boldly
declare our
fourth purpose to be “grow Unitarian Universalism as a free-thinking
religious sanctuary.” UUCNH exists, in part, to reach out and
draw others into our religious community. We want to serve more
people, to grow our membership, to share our love of UUCNH and our UU
faith tradition with others who might come to enjoy and appreciate our
religious community just as we who are already members do.
Realizing this mission requires everyone’s active participation.
This month I offer you a list of some of the many ways you personally
can help our church realize our shared mission to grow Unitarian
Universalism. Take a few of these suggestions to heart, act on
them, and the seeds you sow shall surely bear fruit!
Blessings,
Carol
Bring someone to a Sunday
service—especially on
Bring-a-Friend Sunday
Talk with someone you don’t know during
coffee hour
Wear your nametag at every Sunday service
Tell a return visitor that you’re glad
they came back
Greet a return visitor or newcomer by name
Make a point of sitting beside someone
new and
helping them to feel at home
Put a UU decal or bumper sticker on your
car or home
window
Wear UU jewelry
Use a UU coffee mug at work or home
Practice your response to the question,
“What is
UUism?”
Buy a copy of Singing the Living
Tradition (our
service book) for your home and put it out where visitors to your home
might notice it
Tell people about our UUCNH website:
www.uucnh.org
Tell people about the UUA’s website:
www.uua.org
Volunteer to be a greeter on Sunday
mornings
Write an article for a local newspaper
about a church
project in which you’re involved
Host a party and invite members of the
congregation
and non-members
Participate openly as a UU in a community
event or
effort that reflects UU principles
Help to get our UUCNH publicity team up
and running
Volunteer to join our Membership Team
Link your favorite social justice cause
to the
congregation
Wear a UU T-shirt
Invite a friend to attend your UUCNH
Community Circle
or other church activity/program
Give a testimonial, then give a copy of
it to a
non-member
Give a copy of a sermon you liked to a
non-member
Talk to non-members about our church
Display our 7 UU Principles at home or
work
Carry a “7 principles” wallet card or
bookmark and
give it to people when they ask about UUism
Give a copy of World magazine to a
non-member
Give a copy of the Intercom to someone
you think
would like to learn more about our church
Attend a district meeting on growth, or
the UUA’s
General Assembly
Share a meaningful thought or experience
you had at
church with a friend or colleague and invite conversation
Call a member you haven’t seen for a
while and check
in
Offer to take someone who can’t drive to
church
Include UU content on your personal
and/or business
website
Put a stained glass chalice in your window
Put a chalice in some place of honor in
your home
Visit a UU camp in the summer and bring a
friend
UPCOMING SERVICES
October
5:
A Portrait of
Unitarian
Universalism Bring-a-Friend
Sunday The Rev.
Carol Meyer
preaching
What is Unitarian Universalism? Or what do you say after coming
out as a UU? Come this Sunday with a friend and discover how one
artist answered the question by painting a still life of our faith
tradition. Sometimes a picture truly is worth a thousand words.
October
12:
Religious Language The Rev.
Carol Meyer
preaching
The President of the UUA, Bill Sinkford, has been speaking quite a bit
lately about what he calls a “language of reverence.” In essence,
he is challenging what has become a prejudice in our movement toward
certain words - such as “god,” “sin,” and “worship.” This morning
we’ll engage together the conversation Bill has been trying to open up
among us.
October
19:
Radical Acceptance The Rev.
Carol Meyer
preaching
Our third UU principle calls us to “acceptance of one another,” but we
cannot truly accept others unless we first develop our capacity for
self-acceptance. Come this morning as we explore what such
radical acceptance looks like and entails.
October
26:
Singing Our History Connie
Ritzert, lay leader
In coordination with the RE focus on UU history in October, this lay
led service will explore our history through hymns and songs.
Three narrators will shed some light on important issues from our UU
past, using songs that inspired or protested or praised. Join us
to sing some old hymns and listen to some songs that made a
difference. Feel free to join the Children and Youth in coming in
costume, dressed as a figure from our UU past.
FROM JOHN’S WOODSHOP . . .
Fall is a wonderful time to be in the woodshop. The air is brisk,
the leaves beautiful, and the projects plentiful. The
anticipation of all the neat (and not-so-neat) things needing attention
makes you want to just jump in and get something done.
Your Board of Trustees is also getting into autumn in a grand
way. In cooperation with the Facilities Planning Committee, we
have already enjoyed a very successful Special Congregational Meeting,
and we have met to establish our goals for this year.
In the coming weeks, a major effort will be required to review the
proposed new organization manual intended to streamline the functions
that make UUCNH “tick.” We also will be planning a process to
develop new goals for the church. Old committees that have been
working quietly in the background are being re-energized (They could
use your help.).
As you can see, there is a lot going on in the life of the
church. If you see something we should be doing, or doing better,
let us know. Our Board meetings are on the third Monday of each
month, 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Please join us.
John
FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE Given
Overwhelming
Approval By Congregation To Proceed
At a meeting of the congregation on September 14, 2003 the members
present gave their overwhelming support for the Facilities Planning
Committee to proceed with the next steps toward improving R.E., the
kitchen and our social space. There were approximately 65 voting
members present and approximately 17 proxies. 39 members are
required for a quorum.
MOTION #1 - stated that the subsequent
motions needed
to be approved by 85% of the voting members present. That motion
was amended from the floor to 75% and passed by a majority hand
count. The remaining votes were by ballot.
MOTION #2 - to approve a member loan to
help offset
the cost of the Architect and the Consultant. The motion was
approved by 91%.
MOTION #3 - to approve the hiring of the
Architects
to do the Schematic Design Phase. The motion was approved by 90%.
MOTION #4 - to approve the hiring of a
Capital
Campaign Consultant to do a Planning Study. The motion was
approved by 88%.
The F.P.C. would like to thank the Board of Trustees for their support
in managing the meeting. We, the committee, were very gratified
by the attendance and the percentages that the motions were approved by
and your support for the project that we're working on.
During the next few months we will be meeting with the Architect to
develop the Schematic Design Phase of the project. We, also, will
be holding congregational meetings with the Architect so that you can
have input to the developing design. Once the Schematic Design is
complete the Capital Campaign Consultant will be conducting a Planning
Study to determine how much we can raise for the project.
The next months of working with these professionals will give us
answers to two questions:
What will we build?
How much money can we raise?
We're very excited to get started and we thank you for your support.
PIIN
NEEDS YOU at the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN)
Public Meeting, October 9, 7-8:30p.m.
At Monumental Baptist Church. This meeting will be a follow-up to
the one last February. PIIN Task Force members will review the
commitments that PIIN obtained from public officials and present the
status and accomplishments so far. There may even be a surprise
new commitment made. Check out the yellow flyers in Friendship
Hall for more details. As of September 28, UUCNH has 6 people
planning to attend. We need at least 10 more. Sign up on
the sheet in Friendship hall or send an email to so we can try to
arrange car pools.
NEW COUNTY PARKS DIRECTOR WILL SPEAK AT
NAEC MEETING
The North Area Environmental Council (NAEC) will hold its annual
meeting at UUCNH, October 23, at 7:30 p.m. This meeting is open
to anyone who wishes to attend; NAEC membership is not required.
NAEC is honored to have Andy Baechle, the recently appointed Allegheny
County Parks Director, as the featured speaker at this meeting.
The establishment of a new Parks Department separate from the Public
Works Department is a tremendous opportunity for renewal and
improvement in our county parks. Come hear Andy’s vision and
plans for the parks.
"BRING-A-FRIEND" to UUCNH!
October 5th
is "Bring-A-Friend" Sunday - - the Sunday to invite that person you've
been thinking would enjoy our church. You know UUCNH is a special
place! It’s the perfect time to ask a friend, neighbor, co-worker
or relative to join you. Rev. Carol Meyer will share a portrait
of Unitarian Universalism during her sermon.
NEW UU CLASS
Are you interested in meeting other newcomers, learning more about the
church and Unitarian Universalism? Then the New UU Class is the
place for you! Becky Ridgeway will lead the series of three,
2-hour gatherings on Wednesday evenings beginning Nov. 5th.
Contact Becky to sign up or learn more about the class. A sign-up
sheet is also posted in Friendship Hall along with other adult
education opportunities. (Participating in the class does not
imply a commitment to join the church, only an interest in learning
more.)
USHERS NEEDED!
We are in urgent need of ushers for Sunday Services, so please check
your schedule and your commitment level to see if you can fit this job
in. This is an easy, yet important job, and you don’t miss the
Sunday Service. If you’re a new member, it’s also a great way to
become familiar with your fellow members and guests. Call Mark
Conaway if you can help just one Sunday per month (alternates can
cover those Sundays when you can’t make it).
OUR RE PROGRAM and NEIGHBORING FAITHS
The 7th & 8th students this year will be exploring Neighboring
Faiths. They will be studying and making field trips to various
churches this year.
Included will be:
Quakers
Islam,
Judaism
Roman Catholic
Protestant
The Black Church: Baptist, African
Methodist
Episcopal
Religions of the Goddess,
Native American Traditions,
Hinduism
Buddhism
Creation Spirituality
Fundamentalism & Cults
Assembly of God
A resource list is being developed to give us contacts to draw from as
we build our lessons and plan our field trips. If you have
contacts for churches in the area that we could add to this list please
contact Greta and give her the information. Greta will be
maintaining this list so the resource list will continue to be
available in future years.
Thanks,
The 7th and 8th
Grade RE
Teachers
ADULT RE FOR FALL 2003
Please sign up
for classes on the bulletin board, by phone or by email! Watch
the Orders of Service and the bulletin board. More classes in
Nov.! If you want childcare and/or the book for the course you
must sign up. Contact Carol Ballance for more information.
* Everything You Know Is Wrong:
Discussion based on the book by Lloyd Pye. Startling discoveries
have occurred all through history and were vigorously and consistently
rejected by mainstream science, religion and government until the
evidence became overwhelming. Held after church on Oct. 12.
Facilitator: John Bernhard. For info, call John Bernhard.
* Automatic Writing: Automatic
Writing is an excellent tool for developing your intuitive skills and
gaining insight into your life issues. This class will help you
communicate with your Higher Self and perhaps meet your spirit guides
or other entities using pen and paper. This class will begin Oct.
14 and continue for four Tuesdays until Nov. 4 from 7-9 p.m.
Facilitator: Roxianne Moore
* Make it Your Choice:
2-session workshop on planning your death and memorial service.
Cindy Sychak-Berry will lead the first session and discuss legal
aspects such as power of attorney, living will, wills generally
etc. The second session we will use a workbook to make plans for
a memorial service, compose an obituary and so forth. Will be
held on Nov. 2 and 9 after church. Sign up by Oct. 19 in order to get
the workbook. (Cost $5)
* A Chosen Faith: This book is an
excellent introduction to the UUism based on our six sources.
Whether you’re a longtime UU or just shopping this book is excellent
way to reflect on Unitarian Universalism. This class begins on
Nov. 11 and continues for four Tuesdays. Facilitator: Lance
Kennelty.
* Spiritual Growth: Set aside
some time twice a month to pursue your spiritual path. Purpose is
to provide companionship and sometimes insight as we proceed on our
spiritual journeys. Continues throughout the year on the second
and fourth Sunday. 9:00 –10:15 a.m. Facilitator: Carol
Meyer.
* Eve’s Seed: Come discuss the
origins and implications of the oppression of women in the development
of agriculture at the start of recorded history. Includes
mythological, and archeological evidence as well as that of modern day
“primitive” cultures. Impact on current attitudes to be
emphasized. Continues on the third Sunday of the month through
December. Facilitator: Tony Palermo.
* Simplicity Circle: Would you
like to lead a simpler life? Come share ideas with like-minded
folk. This group started with working through Cecile Andrews book
The Circle of Simplicity; however please feel free to join the group
even if you haven’t read it. This group continues on the first
Sunday of the month. 7-8:30 p.m. Facilitator: Carol
Ballance.
Success
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
And affection of children; to earn the
Appreciation of honest critics and
Endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best
In others; to leave the world a bit
Better, whether by a healthy child,
A garden patch or a redeemed
Social condition; to know even
One life has breathed easier because
You have lived. This is to have
succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Do you have a special interest in the
life,
times, and works of Ralph Waldo Emerson? The Sunday Services
Committee is looking for someone who is interested in performing as the
famous Unitarian (or a female to perhaps dress in clothes of the
period) for a special Sunday Service. Please contact Mark
Conaway or Lou Bartolomucci.
TO UUCNH MEMBERS AND FRIENDS:
Could you possibly help Mike Mordecai with his paperwork on a temporary
basis? Mike lives at Sherwood Oaks in Cranberry and is unable to
write due to Parkinson's disease. He has no one in the Pittsburgh
area except the good people of our church.
Janine Brobst, who has been helping Mike for several years, has to have
a knee replacement operation in October and will be unable to walk for
a while. As soon as she is able to, she will return to help
Mike. Normal recovery period for her operation is three months.
If you are considering this opportunity to help a fellow church member,
please email Sheila at the church. (uucnh@nauticom.net) The email at
the Brobst home is not operating at the present time. We can
arrange a time for you to accompany Janine to Sherwood Oaks and become
familiar with Mike's paperwork provided you call soon enough.
HUGE BELLWOOD KIDSTUFF SALE October 9 and
10, 2003
Bellwood Preschool and Kindergarten, in Franklin Park, will be holding
its Fall KidStuff Sale on Thursday, October 9
from 9:00am to 7:00 pm and Friday, October 10 from 9:00am to Noon. Friday is Red Tag Day with
selected items 50% off their original price. Gently-used infant’s
and children’s clothing, toys, books, furnishing and anything
imaginable for kids and expecting moms. Anyone with questions may
call Jan Ridenour.
GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
Samaritan Counseling Center, Inc. and Northmont Presbyterian Church,
Stephen’s Ministry Program, 8169 Perry Highway are co-sponsoring a six
week Grief Support Group. The group will be held on Monday
evenings beginning October 6,2003. This program is co-led by Phil
Jamison, M. Div., an experienced Bereavement Counselor and Gwen Spahr,
a Northmont Stephen’s Minister. The group, which lasts an hour
and a half, will provide participants with information about the
grieving process, managing your fief and emotional support. There
is no charge for this program, though registration is a must. To
register for the support group, please contact Samaritan Counseling
Center at 312-741-7430
UPCOMING PUBLIC
WITNESS EVENTS CO-SPONSORED
BY THE UUA
WITNESS FOR
CIVIL
LIBERTIES OCTOBER 24-26, 2003
October 26, 2003 is the 2-year anniversary of the passage of the USA
PARIOT Act, the last day before the Muslin holiday Ramadan, and the
450th anniversary of the martyrdom of Unitarian Michael Servetus.
The weekend is a fitting time for people of all faith traditions to
affirm and celebrate fundamental freedoms. Through education,
worship and community action, participating congregations can help to
ensure that freedom in the United States is truly for all people -
regardless of citizenship, nationality, race or religion. A wide
variety of resources are available at www.WitnessForCivilLiberties.org
for any congregations that wish to be involved.
An Event Coming
in April
The Save Women’s
Lives: March for Freedom of Choice event will take place
in April in DC. To demonstrate overwhelming majority support for
a woman’s right to choose safe, legal abortion and birth control, the
largest pro-choice majority in history will march on Washington on
Sunday, April 25, 2004.
This pro-choice march is a collaborative effort between the Feminist
Majority, NARAL Pro-Choice America, NOW and Planned Parenthood
Federation of America.
For more information, contact Kierstan Homblette, Legislative Assistant
in the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy, at khomblette@uua.org
or 202-296-4672.
AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY: PA
ABOLITIONISTS RALLY
October 11,
2003 State Capitol,
Harrisburg
A Rally for a Moratorium on Executions will be held on October 11th in
Harrisburg. Former Illinois Governor George Ryan, who received
international acclaim for his courageous decision to declare a
moratorium and later commute the sentences of every death row prisoner
in his state, will be the featured speaker at this momentous
event. The goal is to assemble more than 1000 people on the steps
of the State Capitol, followed by the spirited march to the Governor’s
Mansion calling on Ed Rendell to follow Governor Ryan’s lead.
For more information on the rally and the work, please call
215-724-6120 or check out the PA Abolitionist’s site at: http://www.pa-abolitionists.org
MARTHA'S
VINEYARD BIRDING WEEKEND
The weekend
starts on Friday
Oct 10 thru Sunday, Oct 12, with all meals, lodging in our members
welcoming homes and all local transportation. All you will need
is your sense of exploration and adventure!
We have planned a very special weekend this year with the emphasis on
Eco-tourism and Birding activities. We have also arranged for
Spooky Ghost Stories by a local celebrity. For those looking for
rest and relaxation, we have our beautiful beaches and coastline, an
afternoon stroll and time for shopping and sightseeing, as well as a
Delightful afternoon Tea. On Sunday, we are pleased to have
"Emily Dickinson" as our Speaker.
If you would like more information or wish to sign up the cost is only
$250 per person, please contact:
UUSMV,
PO Box 1236 Vineyard Haven,
MA 02568, 508-693-8982,
You are invited to attend the Down Under Coffeehouse on Saturday, Oct.
18th from 7:30-9:30 to hear Brad Yoder. Brad has been accurately
described as one of the area's more interesting and prolific
songwriters. The Down Under
Coffeehouse will be held the third Saturday of every month in
the basement of the Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, 416 West
North Ave, North Side. Suggested donation is $5.00. Please
call 412-322-4261 or go to the website www.trfn.org/auuc/dh
for more details.
SOCIAL ACTION FOCUS PROJECTS FOR OCTOBER
Here you will
find out
where and how our church is socially active within our community and
how you can become involved. If you know of a project or event to
add to the list, please contact Chris Hill and Sue Luebbert, co-chairs
of the Social Action Committee.
Here’s this month’s
list of projects
* EQUAL EXCHANGE COFFEE
Equal Exchange cuts out the middlemen, ensuring that more money reaches
the farmers. Their guaranteed minimum of $1.26/lb means a far
better standard of living for these farmers and their families.
UUCNH is proud to be selling Equal Exchange coffees. See Chris
Hill or Sue Luebbert to take some home today!
* IF IT'S MADE
OF PAPER,
RECYCLE IT!
At UUCNH, we collect all forms of paper and cardboard for
recycling. Most of the paper is recycled through Agents of Change
recycles, located on Rt. 8 just south of Glenshaw Glass.
We collect the following categories of paper and cardboard:
* Any Corrugated Cardboard can
be flattened and placed in the left-hand dumpster.
* Office Paper is any good
quality paper from mailings, photocopies and notepads. This is
the premium category, so please remove and place in separate bins any
glossy materials, woven or fiber products, or newspaper. The bin
for office paper is in the church office, in front of the desk.
* Paperboard includes cereal
boxes, shirt cardboard and other containers of non-corrugated
cardboard. Please flatted these containers and place them in the
bins in Friendship Hall, underneath the window to the office.
* Newspaper should be
collected in paper bags and placed by the bins in Friendship
Hall. Please remove all the glossy ads and magazines and place
them in the Mixed Paper bin.
* Mixed Paper is everything
else. And we mean everything-glossy advertisements, mailing,
catalogs, telephone books, other bond materials, woven or fiber
products (like Express Mail bags), even rinsed and flattened milk &
juice containers. These can be collected in your own bags, or
placed in the bin in friendship Hall.
We take the items down to Agents of Change every Saturday or two.
If you would like to help out one Saturday per month, we could use the
help. If you have any questions about the recycling system,
please speak with Chris Hill at coffee hour, or call him.
Thanks for recycling and SAVING TREES!!
* (NHCO) FOOD
BANK
Donations are requested for the North Hills Community Outreach Food
Bank for October. NHCO has requested that we bring “instant mashed potato and stuffing mixes”
to UUCNH. Laundry detergent, toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo
and bar soap are always needed. Our donation box is located in
Friendship Hall near the entrance of the church and the East
Room. The UUCNH Social Action Committee sponsors collection for
the Food Bank. Thanks to all who have contributed to reaching our
goal of 100 items a month!
* PLEASANT VALLEY MEN'S SHELTER
Thanks to everyone who has prepared and served dinners at the Pleasant
Valley Men's Shelter so far in 2003. The shelter is a thriving
organization because of your help. If you haven't volunteered,
please consider volunteering for additional dinners in 2003 or planning
ahead for dinners in 2004. The shelter has a list of dates
available for UUCNH members and friends. Contact Greg
Jarold with questions or interest. The UUCNH social action
committee sponsors our participation in this worthwhile program.
Check back
next month for
more information on social action at UUCNH.
UUCNH GROCERY CERTIFICATES
UUCNH is selling Giant Eagle and Ingomar Sparkle grocery
certificates. This is an excellent fundraiser for the Church and
it is so easy for the purchaser. You pay $100, $50 or $25 for a
certificate that is now the size of a credit card and is worth the same
dollar amount at the checkout counter. Please participate in this
easy church fundraiser.
Look for them during coffee hour!
INTERCOM SUBMISSIONS
The next Intercom will be published on October 26, 2003. That
makes the Intercom deadline Wednesday, October 22, 2003.
Submissions may be made in handwritten form, on diskette, or emailed to
the editor at WESDFS@nauticom.net.
Please include YOUR NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER on the submission so that
the editor can contact you should there be any questions or problems
concerning your submission.
Please email your submissions IN PLAIN TEXT ONLY; NO HTML emails - they
are NOT compatible with the Intercom format; check your format box on
your actual email and choose plain text. Diskettes may be in
Word, but please, PLEASE, do not format the article in any way.
Thank you!
