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INTERCOM
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The
Unitarian
Universalist Church of the North Hills
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Carol
Meyer
Minister
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March
20 2007
Volume XLVI, No. 8
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Marsha
Albright,
Board President
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Dawn FitzGerald-Swidal,
Editor, email
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CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Carol Meyer,
Minister:
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10:30 - 12:30pm, Thursday; Any other
time by appointment
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Greta
Porter, DRE:
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T, TH: 10:00
am -
Noon |
Sheila
McCall,
Secretary:
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9:00 - noon, Monday
through Friday |
Website:
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www.uucnh.org,
contact the website manager
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Beginning
September 10, 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.
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 Carol’s
Column:
Our recent congregational survey confirms that
UUCNH includes a rich diversity of religious and spiritual
identities. We are humanists, atheists, agnostics, panentheists,
believers in God, and mystics. We are Christian, Hindu, Jewish,
Buddhist and Wiccan. We describe our spiritualities as pagan,
earth-based and new age. Like most UU congregations, ours is an
eclectic mix.
Cause for celebration, to be sure. Diversity can enrich religious
and spiritual life enormously. From the atheists among us,
non-atheists may see that people can be happy and good without
embracing a belief in any understanding of God. From those who
believe in god, atheists may see the truth that rational people can
embrace supra-rational realities without losing their minds. From
the pagans, non-pagans may learn the power of drumming to move the
human spirit. And so on, ad
infinitum. The greater our diversity, the richer the
wellspring of faith, knowledge, experience, and practice from which we
draw to deepen and enliven our own individual faiths.
Religious pluralism can be one of Unitarian Universalism’s greatest
assets, but it can also be one of our greatest challenges or stumbling
blocks. Diversity means that we bring different needs, wants and
desires to religious community. These differences are enriching
when widely known, explored, accepted, appreciated, and honored.
When not so engaged, the same differences easily spawn elephants hiding
under the proverbial rug. Each of those elephants name a covert
tension related to our religious pluralism that thrives on silence and
writhes under cover of darkness.
What shall we do together on Sunday mornings, and how shall we do
it? Unless and until we learn to dialogue with one another about
our religious and spiritual identities, needs, and wants, we cannot as
a community truly begin to open up that tender, profound, and
oh-so-complicated question. No church can meet its members’
spiritual and religious needs without first having some shared clarity
around what those needs are. And shared clarity around spiritual
and religious needs in UU community cannot possibly emerge without open
dialogue around who we are as spiritual and religious persons.
As a congregation, UUCNH has repeatedly in recent years affirmed a
desire to grow in size. Yet recent survey results reveal that
some disagree in whole or in part with the statement, “Our congregation
sincerely welcomes people of all religious orientations and
beliefs.” Several respondents commented specifically on prejudice
against Christians in our congregation. Another elephant under
the rug. Are liberal Christians really as welcome here at UUCNH
as humanists, agnostics or atheists? Do we care as much about
meeting the needs of people who affirm some apprehension of God as
central to their religious identity as we care about meeting the needs
of people who yearn primarily for variety or intellectual
stimulation? Do we even know who feels welcome or unwelcome and
how so or why? I daresay no. And we never will until we
begin to make the work of interfaith or inter-religious dialogue among
us a priority in our communal life.
Until we truly know who we are, we’re also stymied when it comes to
defining what we want our church to be or become. We have a
mission statement. It’s printed on the cover of your order of
service. It was created by a dialogue process, and I think
heartfelt at the time. But that was six or seven years ago.
Many who participated in that process have moved on, and many newcomers
have joined us during this time. What is our heartfelt mission today? What
is our shared vision? Beyond completing our current facilities
improvement project, being beloved community and coming together, it
seems we’re not really sure. How could we be if we’re reticent to
dialogue openly with one another about what’s truly important to us
about church and religious life, about what we personally hold true and
why?
Reticence to engage our religious pluralism fully also contributes to a
culture of individualism and distrust in which personal comfort–having
the church be and do what I want it to be and do–sometimes takes
precedence over meeting the church’s wider mission to serve a diverse
and growing community of religious liberals. It contributes to a
kind of lowest-common-denominator culture in which the democratic
process can do more to mute our diversity than to help us weave our
diversity into a community enriched by vibrantly colored
textures. Thus we can fool ourselves into believing we’re serving
everyone when, in fact, we’re not fully serving anyone as well as we
might in a community more open to engaging and embracing its religious
pluralism.
Any conversation is difficult when we feel vulnerable; when our
self-esteem feels at risk; when our relationships with the people
involved or the issues being addressed or the outcome of the
conversation matter deeply to us. Dialoguing about our religious
and spiritual identities in pluralistic UU community can be very
scary. We fear how the conversation might make us feel about
ourselves, others in the church, the church itself, and our
participation in it. We risk feeling our self-image on the
line. We risk feeling alone in our beliefs, not feeling heard or
understood, not feeling as welcome as we had hoped or believed.
We risk exposing ourselves as outsiders rather than insiders. We
risk losing a perhaps already fragile sense of belonging, of feeling
“this is my church.” We
risk sensing ourselves not as powerful or influential within the
community as we want or need or thought ourselves to be. We risk
opening ourselves to change. We risk the humility of discovering
who and what we truly are, both as individuals and as a
community. We risk experiencing painful or difficult feelings of
our own, and exposure to the strong emotions of others. We risk
the vulnerability of being authentic, no longer hiding what we truly
think or believe or feel or value or have experienced. We risk
coming out, owning our true religious and spiritual identities.
No one can take away our fears. We all have scary thoughts like
the preceding, and fear inevitably arises for us when we do. The
best we can do is befriend our fear and learn to mentor the scared part
of ourselves. The best we can do is feel the fear and dialogue
anyway, knowing that we are not alone in our fear and share UU
Principles that encourage us to practice “justice, equity, compassion
in human relations” along with “acceptance of one another and
encouragement to spiritual growth.” The best we can do is use our
fear as a basis for connecting rather than distancing ourselves; for
appreciating our own and others tenderness and vulnerabilities; for
opening ourselves to mutual understanding, empathy, and compassion--to
what my colleague the Rev. Rosemary McNatt calls the “love that changes
everything.”
No one can take away another’s fear, but we can learn to dialogue more
skillfully. We can learn to dialogue in ways that make difficult
conversations easier rather than harder. We can learn and help
each other practice dialogue skills that will stand us in good stead
whenever and wherever difficult conversations arise for us. We
can open ourselves to sharing in ways that enrich not only our
relationships with each other, but also our spiritual and religious
lives. What better community than UUCNH in which to engage this
learning process?
What I’m proposing is simply this. Let’s get some
interfaith dialogue groups going here at UUCNH. Let’s get
together with others in small groups intentionally formed to be as
diverse as possible with respect to religious or spiritual
identities. Let’s begin in each group by reviewing some suggested
dialogue skills and covenanting with one another around how to make the
group safe, dialoguing first to reach consensus upon the group’s
dialogue practices. Then let’s dialogue openly with one another
about who we are as religious and spiritual persons, what we hold to be
true and why, our spiritual and religious needs and wants and
practices, how our religious and spiritual identities translate into
what we need from and want to contribute to UUCNH, into a truly shared
vision and mission for our church. Let’s engage our religious
pluralism that by deepening our awareness of who others in our church
truly are we may not only enrich our communal life and ourselves but
also free those elephants hibernating underneath the rug woven of
polite or fearful acceptance without engagement.
Following the service on March 4, thirty-six people signed up to
participate in these dialogue groups. If you have not already
done so, this is your invitation to join these folks and become part of
a dialogue process that has the potential to be a truly
transformative. Just email
the following information to me with the word “Dialogue” in the subject
line: your name, phone #, preferred meeting times (day of week,
day or evening), and a few keywords describing your religious or
spiritual identity. Or sign up at the church using the “Exploring
Our Diversity Dialogue Groups” sign-up sheet posted on the Adult RE
Bulletin Board in Friendship Hall.
In faith,
Carol
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April
1:
Forgiving and Forgiven
Rev. Carol Meyer
preaching
On this Palm Sunday,
we consider the topic of forgiveness so central to the Christian
celebration of Easter. What is forgiveness? When do we need
to forgive or be forgiven? Why forgive? What about when
forgiving comes hard?
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April 8:
Truth Broken and Whole
Intergenerational Service
Come for a joyous
celebration of Easter and Spring featuring the timeless wisdom of Old
Turtle (a Universalist at heart) and the little girl who helps humanity
learn about peace, love, acceptance, and the nature of truth.
Share in a stone communion and experience first-hand how broken truth
becomes whole.
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April 15:
Rocketing Into the Future
Celebration Sunday
Stewardship
Committee and Rev. Carol Meyer
Plan to spend the day,
beginning with a festive service followed by a scrumptious Italian
feast (rumored to include tiramisu–i.e., chocolate), spectacular
entertainment (sure to make you laugh) and fun activities for children.
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April 22:
UU Symbols
Lay-led
service featuring Paul Cox
If you want to know what really matters to people, you can try
analyzing their symbols. Today, We will consider some symbolic
objects and actions, familiar to UUCNH and to many other UU
congregations, whose values yield interesting insights into what makes
UUs tick. |
April 29:
Ecology and the Interdependent Web
Dr. Tim
Nuttle
Dr. Tim Nuttle, PhD, is a professor of biological science with the
University of Pittsburgh and comes to us today from Allegheny UU Church.
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APRIL COFFEE
HOUR HOSTS
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April
1:
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Kazimir &
Jamron Family
Karen Bryant
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April
8:
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Moore Family
Kepner Family
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| April 15: |
Robertson
Family
Draa Family
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April
22:
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Owens Family
Dutton Family
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April
29:
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Palermo
Family
Glencer & Zarone Family
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LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR: Look for
the yellow coffee cup sign in Friendship Hall to sign up to host coffee
hour one Sunday next year. When you sign up, you can choose your
date and your coffee hour
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Spring is in the
air. It is a big switch from the ice storms of February.
The days are getting longer and my energy level is returning. I
saw my first pair of robins today. And thus the cycle begins
again. It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since
you elected me to be president of the board. It will soon be time
to elect a new president. It has been a busy year, a year of
growth and discovery. I feel that it has been an honor and a
privilege to be given the opportunity to lead in many of these
endeavors. But we are not done yet. In fact we have just
begun what Tom Chulak, our Acting District Executive, calls the process
of appreciative inquiry.
We got what I think is an outstanding response
to the survey that we conducted in February. Even people
who are new to the church as well as those who are unable to attend
often responded. I feel this will give us a good sense of who we
are and what we need to do. It is not surprising to see from the
preliminary results that we are a diverse group in some ways. It
is also interesting to see that we have areas of commonality. Now
is the time for us to focus on our similarities, to build community
locally as well as globally. It is time for us to shift from our
inward focus to an outward one. The survey results indicate that
we are ready to expand from our 60’s culture of individuality to a more
current one of social action. Many of us feel a need for more
involvement at the district and denominational levels.
Our next step is to find our shared
vision, to find where our interests and energies lie, to find
our passions. Tom Chulak is willing to train 5-7 people to carry
out individual interviews to complete this task before he leaves his
post early this summer. The process may take up to a year but he
feels that the effort is well worth it. In fact he feels that the
benefits of the process are often as great as or greater than the
fruits of the final result. It is a way of helping us to know
more deeply who we are and what we want to do with our time
together. Defining one vision, one direction, will not be quick
or easy for us. I sometimes feel that we pull in many directions,
expending a lot of energy without getting too far in any one
direction. Trying to lead feels somewhat like herding cats at
times. If we can agree to move together, imagine what we could do.
I have never seen so many dedicated, hard working people as I have had
the great fortune of working with on the board and the many committees
at UUCNH. It has been my greatest joy during this year as your
president. I hope that you will all take the opportunity to get
involved with whatever area of the church that interests you.
Volunteer to do something that you enjoy. Meet some of the quiet
people that go about their work unnoticed day after day, year after
year. Share the load and give yourself the gift of being part of
something really great.
Working side by side with others often doesn’t feel like work at
all. The more I get involved, the more I find that I receive more
than I have given. I hope that you all get a chance to experience
this feeling. If you find something that isn’t working as well as
you would like it to, offer to help to improve it. We can truly
do amazing things together.
I have found that I have a passion for protecting this planet that we
live on. I have found joy and deep satisfaction in monitoring our
streams monthly for the last four years. I have also found
recycling to be rewarding for me. Since our dumpster doesn’t
accept flat board (cereal boxes, Kleenex boxes, etc.) or phone books, I
drop a load of flat board at Construction Junction once a week or so on
my way to choir rehearsal in East Liberty or after my trumpet lesson at
CMU. Please don’t throw that non-corrugated
cardboard away. Bring it to the church and leave it in the
bins under the tables in front of the office window and it will get
recycled. If you leave it in paper bags, it makes it even easier
because I don’t need to haul the bins. Phone books can be taken
to the dumpsters in the parking lot of the Giant Eagle at the
intersection of Routes 8 and 910 for the next couple of weeks.
After that, I can get them to Construction Junction so please bring
them to church if you can’t get them recycled yourself.
Sometimes I think that it hardly matters whether I throw out a Kleenex
box or recycle it. Then I go to church and see six bins full of
flat board and feel that maybe it does make a difference. When I
get to Construction Junction, I see a dozen overflowing dumpsters and
know that it does. I believe it was Margaret Mead who said,
“Never doubt the ability of a small group of dedicated individuals to
make a difference. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
I’ve been researching different methods of simplifying our recycling at UUCNH. CMU has a
great system in place with clearly marked bins for everything from
bottles and cans to newspaper and batteries. I am hoping to make
it easier for us to do the same. We already have a willing member
to fund the project. I have also asked the adult RE Committee to
hold a composting class so keep your eyes open for that in the near
future.
I am hoping to initiate the UUA’s
Green Sanctuary program
in the coming year, perhaps as an adult RE class. It is a
structured way for us to become a more environmentally friendly
congregation and to be recognized for it at the national level.
Many congregations have already done so in the few years that the
program has been underway and were recognized at General Assembly last
year.
Speaking of General Assembly,
I am happy to say that Greta Porter and Carol Ballance will be
attending in Portland, Oregon in June. If you are interested in
joining them, please let them know. It’s a great way to see what
Unitarian Universalism is up to in the world. If that doesn’t get
your blood moving, nothing will.
Celebration Sunday
is coming up April 15.
The purpose of this celebration is to collect pledges from members and
friends to fund the operational expenses of the church to make it
possible for us to continue to exist for the coming year. It has
proven to be quite an enjoyable event in the past and with Susie Wood
leading the planning this year, I can’t see it being anything but great
again this year. Please be generous with your pledges so that we
don’t need to struggle to keep our doors open. I have never
worked with a more conscientious group of people when it comes to
money. Your contributions will be used wisely. I would like
very much to see us meet our fair share with the UUA this year.
We have not been able to do this in the past due to our need to meet
our own budget. When we do not give our fair share at the
national level, we become ineligible for many benefits from the UUA
such as bridge loans for our renovation and grants to cover the cost of
meeting LEEDS standards in our building project, just to name a
few. Make it possible for us to do our part by giving your fair
share this year.
Our annual meeting is coming
up in May. We will have many decisions to make regarding our
renovation project, the use of the little house, election of a new
president and new board members and much, much more. Please put
May 20 on your calendars so that you will be able to attend.
The Facilities Planning Committee
is narrowing down our contractors to a final choice and researching the
necessary steps for us to meet LEEDS certification requirements.
We are hoping to begin construction in June so there is no lack of
excitement at UUCNH this coming year. If you haven’t had a chance
to contribute to the building project yet and wish to do so, please
contact John Brobst, our treasurer, so that we can become a LEEDS
certified church. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne
County in Wooster, Ohio has the honor of being the first LEEDS
certified church in the nation. It warms my heart to know that
the Unitarian Universalists are leading the country in this
direction. I hope that we can follow their lead.
I will stop writing now so that you can stop reading and move on to
other things like reading the rest of your intercom and then packing
your flat board into paper bags to take to the church on your next
visit. Remember, Board Meetings are every third Monday at 7 PM in
the East Room. Input is always welcome. See you at church.
Peace,. Marsha Albright
UUCNH Board President
(Board meetings are the Third Monday of month at 7 PM in the
East Room. Input is always welcome.)
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Under the able
leadership of our Chair, Susie Wood, Stewardship plans for this year’s
campaign are progressing well. Our theme is Rocketing into the
Future. As previously reported, we are planning a
Celebration Sunday format with a fabulous day planned for April 15. Save the date!
Watch for more communications, including an invitation with more
details on sign-ups, etc., as we get closer.
We have put together some of the best cooks in the Church (think Sybil
Baumwell, Alice Wells, and many more) to prepare a fabulous Italian
feast to follow the Sunday service. If you would like to
volunteer for setup, cooking or cleanup, see Susie Wood or Ed Rockman.
Connie Ritzert has graciously agreed to coordinate entertainment for
us. She is looking for volunteers (talent not a must, just a
desire to help). If you sing, dance or tell jokes, please contact
her. There will also be activities for the kids, so bring them
along.
You will find a pledge card in this Intercom. The pledge card has
our Fair Share guidelines to help you determine a Fair Share
pledge. Be sure to fill in the card and bring it to the big
event. Help us to Rocket into the Future.
Be sure to sign up in advance. We don’t want our cooks wondering
how much to make; nor, do we want you to go hungry. Remember
again – April 15 – for the
Church service and the festivities immediately following. Be
there!
Ed Rockman
For Stewardship Steering Committee
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The members of the
committee continue to work toward our goal of having a contractor start
construction on our project sometime in June.
Does that sound dull? It's actually a very exciting time for all
of us.
Initially five contractors were interviewed and the field was narrowed
to two. We asked those two to prepare cost estimates.
Today, Thursday March 15th, we met with them to review those estimates
and have an in depth discussion about the details of the project.
We selected a firm and will present our recommendation to the board
Monday evening.
There is still work to be done to bring the project in line with our
dreams and with the funds that we have available.
On April 22nd after the service we will hold a congregational meeting
to make design recommendations and present alternatives to be voted on
by the members. It's very important that as many of you as
possible be present for this meeting so you will all have a voice in
the final decisions.
Mark your calendars!!!
In the meantime check out the drawings displayed in Friendship Hall
showing what our finished project will look like.
Dorinda Depp, Chair,
Facilities Planning Committee
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There’s no better
way to meet people here at UUCNH than to be a greeter. We need
several additional greeters starting this month and going through the
summer. Can you volunteer one-half hour per month? That’s
all it takes. You arrive at church at 10:30 (9:30 during July and
August), and say hello to everyone! It’s easy and fun!
Please call Jeff Hutchins or email him.
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UUCNH will celebrate
Turn off the TV Week from April 22-28. Each evening, from Monday
through Saturday, the church will sponsor special activities that are
more fun than TV. Last year’s activities included a board game
night, writing poetry night, dragon boat activity, nature walk and folk
dancing.
If you would like to share a special interest or talent one of the
evenings, please contact Greg Jarold (email)
or Greta Porter (email).
Suggestions are happily welcomed.
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THE TEN MOST FAQ’S ABOUT THE DINNERS
AT THE PLEASANT
VALLEY MEN'S SHELTER
Many of you may be wondering what exactly happens when UUCNH members
and friends volunteer to serve dinner at the Pleasant Valley Men's
Shelter. Well, here are the ten most "Frequently Asked Questions"
from the past few years about the program:
1.
Where is the shelter? The shelter is located on Brighton
Road on Pittsburgh's Northside near the Mexican War Streets
neighborhood.
2.
How many volunteers are needed? Three or four people are
needed to serve dinner but sometimes more volunteers help with food
preparation at home.
3.
What dates are available for dinners? Volunteers serve
dinner almost every day of the year. Many churches volunteer for
a regular day or days every month. Those days not regularly
reserved are available for UUCNH and others.
4.
How many shelter residents will be there? There are
usually about 35 to 40 men at the dinner. They are all temporary
residents who stay about a month and take advantage of the services of
the Northside Common Ministries.
5.
Where do I prepare the food? Although the shelter has a
full kitchen, it usually works best to prepare the food at home and
warm things as necessary at the shelter.
6.
What time does the dinner start? Dinners start about 9:00
PM but volunteers should arrive between 8:00 and 8:15. The
residents have usually already set the tables. Dinner is served
buffet style.
7.
What do they like to eat and how much? The men at the
shelter are always graciously appreciative of our help no matter what
we bring and some have big appetites. A meat entree, perhaps
potato or pasta, a vegetable or salad, bread and butter and of course
dessert can be included in the meal. It's best to keep in mind
that there may be someone with a dietary restriction so variety is
good. There doesn't seem to be a formula for how much should be
prepared. "Suggested" serving sizes aren't always trustworthy.
8.
Who pays for all that food? Many times the volunteers
donate the food but there may be some money available in the Social
Action Committee budget to reimburse purchases. Please confirm
that first.
9.
Do I have to clean up and do all the dishes after dinner?
Not at all! The men cleanup, do the dishes and will even wash any
pots, pans or serving plates that you may have brought with you.
10.
How can I get involved? Call Greg Jarold to get
things started or to ask any questions that didn't make the top ten.
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THANK YOU!
The Board would like
to thank the Craft Rummage group for their considerable contribution
toward the new copier for the office. This copier can also be
networked and used as a printer, so it is a big improvement over the
old one. It would have been very difficult to afford it without
the help of the "Crafty Ladies.” Thank you!
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Sunday classes:
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Facilitator: Tony Palermo
First Sundays of Month after service:
Next: 4/8; 5/6
“Guilt? It’s this mechanism we use to control people. It’s
an illusion. It’s a kind of social control mechanism – and it’s
very unhealthy. It does terrible things to our bodies. And
there are much better ways to control our behavior than guilt.”
In this session, we’ll discuss how humans who have done evil cope with
their psyche’s own revulsion. One such human, Ted Bundy, spoke
the words above after a murder spree that left several young women
dead. His story will be part of our exploration.
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Facilitator: Karen Bryant
Sunday evenings 7-8:30pm; 12/10
Next: 4/15;
Every woman is on a journey, no matter her age or life situation.
We each have much to learn and much to teach. Come together with
others to celebrate and explore important issues from a woman's
perspective - relationships, parenting (and grandparenting),
creativity, spirituality, our place in the world, our place in the
universe, and more. We'll explore through discussion, activities
and field trips and draw from movies, books and the combined wisdom of
the group.
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Co-facilitators: Rev. Carol
Meyer
Barry Tupperman.
Contact: 412.366.0244
Sundays - 12:45 pm. Monthly through May - Tentatively scheduled
for 4/22 and 5/20.
This program is open to anyone in the North Hills interested in being
part of such an NSP Study Circle. We'll use Michael Lerner's
study guide. Participants need to get their own copy of the book
and commit to reading appropriate sections for each circle. The
circle will meet monthly through May.
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Facilitator: Rev. Carol Meyer
Third Sunday evening of the month from 7-8:30pm.
A uniquely UU spiritual practice called Living By Heart, a "devotional
practice" created by UU minister Harry Scholefield. "Sitting
attentively" and "wisdom words" (sayings, poetry, etc. that you
personally have found especially meaningful) are key elements of the
practice. If you love words and have struggled to find a
spiritual practice that works for you, this just might be exactly what
you've been looking for. Come, and see.
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- Everything You
Know is Wrong EYKW
Facilitator: John Bernhard
EYKIW meets after service in the library. We discuss Tellinger’s
book Slave Species of god.
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Facilitator: Tony Palermo
Third Sundays of Month after service
Next: 4/22; 5/20.
This class is a continuing discussion regarding Jesus. We’ll keep
you posted on each monthly topic See
Tony
Palermo for details. |
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Non-Sunday
classes:
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Facilitator: Carol Ballance
Monday evenings 7-8
Dates: 4/2; 5/7;
We are a group of like-minded folks who are trying to reduce the
clutter in our lives! Clean out the physical, mental and
spiritual mud! If you find it difficult to reduce your impact on
the earth and would like support in living simpler please join
us. Please
see Carol Ballance if you have question. (email)
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Facilitator: Carol Ballance
Friday evenings, 7pm at Members’ Homes:
Next: 4/20; 5/18.
Members pick the books a month or two in advance. Our interests
vary widely so keep watching to see what we're reading next
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April
Social Action
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Why Social Action is Important to Me and
Why I Would Love it to be Important for Our Church Community-
By Kathy Gorka,
Your UUSC Local Rep
Social Action. Social Justice. How do they relate to Our
Church Community? Well I would simply have us look at our UU
Principles 2, 5 and 6. All three of these relate to social action
or social justice in some way. Principle 2 actually starts out
with the word Justice. Principle 5, I believe implies helping
society at large attain ethical and spiritual ways of living life and
Principle 6 seems to imply working towards world peace. Obviously
reading these principles and interpreting them and putting them into
practice are interpreted differently by everyone. However, I do
believe that these specific principles do share the implied goal of
working towards social justice and social action.
Why is social action and social justice important to UUism? I
believe it isn’t just UUism that seeks to make the world a better
place. It is present within other religions too; many churches do
“mission work” that involve helping less fortunate people with housing
needs, building schools, teaching English, etc. Churches’ goals
of doing social action or mission work may vary, obviously. A lot
of churches’ do some sort of social action because it is “God’s work”
or they believe it will get them into Heaven or some sort of better
place in an afterlife. I believe we as UU’s should do social
action simply because it is the right thing to do to make life better
for those that need help and because it is part of our
principles.
The challenge with this issue is actually following through on doing a
social action project as an individual, a congregation or as a small
group. It is easy to say we stand for justice and peace but
working towards it is a different thing. It entails a commitment
of time; a true belief that social action is important to us as
individuals, as a congregation and to the world at large. I
believe we all have the right to choose which type of social action we
want to embrace. We all have different issues that are important
to us and may practice social action in different ways. For me
personally embracing the issue of peace is huge. I believe I
practice this issue by participating in anti-war marches and
encouraging others to do so, as well as marching on behalf of the
people of Darfur and signing petitions that are sent to Congress people
to encourage them to do SOMETHING about that issue. I have been
told before “Marching does nothing to stop the problem…nothing
changes.” At times of discouragement, I have momentarily believed
that myself but then I think, but if we all said that and we all did
nothing then FOR SURE nothing would change. But if some of us
decide to do SOMETHING then maybe something will eventually change.
I have two goals for us as a congregation; 1) I encourage all of us to
look deeply within ourselves to identify what social action issues are
important to us and to act on them whether it be by signing a petition,
marching, helping the less fortunate through home building, etc. and 2)
To think about what we can do as a congregation to make a difference in
this world because as the great Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become
silent about things that matter.”
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- HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PICKUP APRIL 28TH!
There will be a
Household hazardous Waste (HHW) pickup event at the North Park swimming
pool parking lot on Saturday, April 28th from 9 AM to 1 PM. They
can take aerosol cans, auto fluids, chemistry sets, cleaners, paint
products, pesticides, photo and pool chemicals. Cost is only
$2/gallon-cash only! See the flyer on the social action bulletin
board in Friendship hall for more details. If you only have a few
items or can't make it there that day, contact Chris Hill.
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- PHONEBOOK RECYCLING OPTIONS
First, DO NOT put your phonebooks in the PaperRetriever bin! This
is the one grade of paper that they don't take since it's the lowest
quality paper by the time it makes it into a telephone book.
Second, please look for the dumpsters that the telephone companies put
out for them. Right now, I've heard there's one between Staples
and Home Depot in Cranberry. If you see any other locations,
please tell Chris Hill. Third, you can bring them into UUCNH and
put them in the bins under the tables in Friendship Hall. Then we
need some volunteers to take them down to Construction Junction or
another recycling bin location. Let Chris know if you can help
out.
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- NEW RECYCLING
OPTION FOR BATTERIES!!
Several of you have asked about recycling your household batteries,
including alkalines, button cells, and rechargeables. The E-house
on Carson Street on the South Side will take all kinds of
batteries. They collect them as a public service. So, we'll
set up a box in friendship hall to collect them and take it down to
E-house whenever it gets full. We can take any kind of household
batteries except leaking ones or large car batteries (i.e. no lead
acid). Since they must pay $1 per pound to send them out, E house would
appreciate a contribution, but it's not required. For reference, 1 lb
is 3 D cells or 6 C cells or 15 AA cells or about 25 AAA cells.
If you have questions, or could help with a monthly (?) run down to E
house, contact Chris Hill.
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- PAPER-RETRIEVER RECYCLING RESULTS
We can recycle all these kinds of paper: Newspaper, magazines,
catalogs; paperbacks and soft cover books, (even hardcover books, if
you tear the covers and binding off), office paper and junk mail.
If you have more questions, contact Chris Hill
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Try some of our coffee - whole bean or drip grind; from Breakfast Blend
to French Roast to Decaf and flavored. Only $8 per bag. How
about some cocoa to ward off the cold of this resurgent winter?
Only $6 for a can of Baking or Drink Mix. Or try some of our
chocolate in six (6) flavors (Milk, Dark, Dark with Almonds, Dark with
mint, Dark with espresso beans or Dark with cocoa nib chunks) - $4 per
bar, $7 for 2 or $10 for 3. Look in the church office or talk to
Chris Hill at Coffee Hour
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- NHCO FOOD PANTRY "DONATION STATION”
For April: Peanut
Butter & Jelly
Please don’t forget to contribute to the "Donation Station" for the
NORTH HILLS COMMUNITY OUTREACH (NHCO) Food Pantry, located in
Friendship Hall near the entrance to the RE Hallway. The April
NHCO request is to bring PEANUT
BUTTER AND JELLY to church. AND laundry detergent, toilet paper,
toothpaste, shampoo and bar soap are always needed. Thanks
to all who have contributed lately.
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- PLEASANT
VALLEY MEN'S SHELTER
Dates available now for 2007!
Many thanks to everyone who volunteered at the Pleasant Valley Men’s
Shelter last year. The shelter has a list of dates available for
2007 for all UUCNH members and friends able to prepare and serve
dinners to shelter residents. Please consider planning ahead for
one of these dates. If interested, contact Greg Jarold.
The UUCNH Social Action Committee sponsors our participation in this
worthwhile program.
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~SUPPORT UUCNH ~
BUY GROCERY GIFT
CARDS
You can help balance the church budget by buying groceries! If
you shop at Giant Eagle, Festival or Kuhn’s, consider joining your
fellow church members by purchasing gift cards for these stores.
For every $100 in groceries you buy using the gift card, the church
gets $5. They are simple to use, convenient and cost you no extra
money. If you are interested in purchasing the cards, please see
Jim Noel during coffee hour.
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MAY INTERCOM
SUBMISSIONS
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The next Intercom
will be published on April 22, 2007. Thus,
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
will be the DEADLINE for the April Intercom. This is a HARD deadline - if your material isn’t in
by the deadline, it will NOT
be included in the next Intercom. If you need a deadline
extension, contact the editor (email)
to make arrangements.
If you email your submissions, please do it IN PLAIN TEXT ONLY; NO HTML emails -
they are NOT compatible with
the Intercom format Submissions may be submitted in the office mail
box, or emailed (preferred) to the editor (email).
HOW TO EMAIL IN
PLAIN TEXT: To go your format box on your toolbar in your actual
email and choose plain text. PLEASE,
do not format the article in any way. Thank you!
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OUUT & ABOUUT
Events occurring
around and beyond our area.
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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 April 16, 2007 at 7:00pm. This program is
co-led by Phil Jamison, M.Div, and experienced Bereavement Counselor
and Gwen Spahr, a Northmont Stephen’s Minister. The group, which
is an hour and a half, will provide participants with information about
the grieving process, managing your grief and emotional support.
There is no charge for this program, although registration is a
must. To register for the support group, please contact Samaritan
Counseling Center at 412-741-7430.
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10th ANNUAL NORTH HILLS INTERFAITH GATHERING
“Celebrating Our
Diversity Through Sacred Texts Or Traditions”
Sunday, April 29, 2007; 3 - 5:00pm
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
1965 Ferguson Road, Allison Park
A wonderful experience of cultures and traditions for people of all
ages that may include short interactive presentations by:
African American Baha’is
Buddhists
Christians Hindus
Jews
Mormons Muslims
Quakers
Unitarian Universalists
Also Music and ethnic Food! For more info, call 412-367-1835 or
412-367-0383
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EXTENDING THE CARE, ETC
An educational and resource series for seniors and their caregivers
offered at UPMC Passavant Assembly Hall. Healthcare professionals
will
present pertinent information; all sessions are interactive and the
speakers will be available to answer questions. Complimentary
literature will be available to take home. ETC is free of
charge.
Pre-Register by calling 412-367-6643. Your only investment is
your
time! |
Upcoming
seminars:
Tuesday, April
17th, 9-11am.
“Living with Arthritis” - Join
us and Keynote speaker Thaddeus Olias, MD, a board-certified
rhuematologist for Univ of Pitt Physicians Margolis Rhuematology
Associates-UPMC as he talks about what arthritis is; the different
types of arthritis; and what can be done to relieve the pain,
discomfort and movement restrictions that are associated with arthritis.
Tuesday, May
15th, 9 - 11am
“Stroke: Advances in Care” -
Keynote speaker Ravindra Vajjhala, MD, a board-certified emergency
medicine physician will talk about risk factors and symptoms of stroke,
as well as the latest advances in stroke prevention and treatment, and
a demonstration of the high tech telemedicine equipment used by the
UPMC Passavant/Cranberry stroke team and UPMC Stroke Institute.
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SUMMER VACATION FUN WITH UUS AND OTHER
SINGLE ADULTS
Brochures are now available on the bulletin boards describing the 2007 FUN AMUUSE VACATION CAMPS for SINGLE
ADULTS. Three camps are sponsored by AMUUSE (Adult Midwest
UU Dingles Enrichment) this summer:
Saugatuck, MI - June 17-22
Williams Bay, WI -
July 15-21
Saugatuck, MI -
August 5 - 10
Mornings at AMUUS camps offer you the opportunity to truly connect with
a small group of campers with similar interests in a week-long group
interaction on various topics. Afternoons are open for a wide
range of activities (recreational, social, crafts) of perhaps to just
relax and enjoy the idyllic surroundings. Evenings offer a
variety of fun activities - a coffeehouse, parties, campfires or a camp
show, followed by high-energy dancing, hanging out at the informal
hospitality area or other activities of your choice.
For more details, see the AMUUSE brochure available on the bulletin
board or visit www.AMUUSE.org. If this
sounds to you like the adventure of a lifetime, you’re right! Or
call the AMUUSE central registrar, Sharon Spencer at 847-816-3356;
email ssamuuse@aol.com or write
to: AMUUSE, PO Box 29369, Indianapolis, IN 46229-0369.
Thousands have attended our camps over the past 35 camp seasons, many
of them returning year after year. Our camp program creates a
magical feeling of connection, community and support for single
adults. Join Us!
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