UUCNH Newsletter

Members signing the beams at the UUnveiling party on November 4th. If you haven't signed a beam, please do so before the beams are covered forever.

Please remember - UUCNH is now an active construction site, so we must all be alert to ensure the safety of our members and children. Please move about carefully and watch the children.

We hear the question frequently. “What do you want for Christmas?” Some struggle to come up with answers, especially answers felt to be within the realm of gift-giving possibilities for the person asking. Others have long lists of practical wants and no difficulty at all enumerating what they would like.

Still, the deepest wants often go unacknowledged, or unspoken. “What do you want for Christmas?” How about a viable exit strategy to end U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan? How about an end to global warming? How about peace, liberty and justice for all? How about President Bush’s resignation? How about news that I’m pregnant, or cancer free, or healthy? How about physical and/or emotional well-being? How about truly affordable health care? How about a job, or meaningful work, or a career change, or some semblance of financial security? How about to retire? How about happiness and love, or an abiding sense that life is truly worth living? How about joy on my children’s faces? How about confidence that I’m being the best parent I possibly can be? How about freedom from fear, or to get through the holidays without anyone fighting, yelling, screaming, drinking too much, losing his or her temper, being mean, or getting hurt? How about a divorce, or a new start on my marriage? How about a whole new life, or a peaceful death for a suffering loved one? How about to stop drinking or drugging, to stay sober or abstinent in some way? How about to love and accept more, or to judge and criticize less? How about a few extra hours a day, or more sleep, or time to relax and enjoy just hanging out with the people I love? How about a large helping of hope, or a few good friends, or a new honey, or twenty more healthy years with my life partner, or to feel the presence of a loved one who has died? How about to keep my eyesight long enough to see my first great-grandchild?

What do you want for Christmas? In our heart of hearts, there’s so much that money can’t begin to buy. So much that no one else can possibly give us. So much that pulls far more at our heartstrings than our purse strings. So many yearnings, deep-seated desires and abiding hopes. So much that is the stuff of prayer for many, who dare to invite intimacy with themselves and the transcendent through this form of spiritual practice.

Praying is one way to give ourselves the gift of getting in touch with, bringing into conscious awareness, or naming our deepest wants and desires. Others include journaling, contemplation and deep sharing with a trusted confidant–what many clergy, spiritual directors, and therapists would call “hearing into speech.” The naming itself matters far more than the method, for making peace with the deepest yearnings of the human heart begins with conscious awareness.

So give yourself the gift of listening to yourself this year. Pay close attention. Notice your wants. Name your deepest yearnings. In this way, empower yourself to make wise choices. Will you take action to help bring your hopes to fruition? To draw something you consciously want into your life? Or might you suffer less and enjoy life more if you just let go, practiced acceptance and learned to want whatever is for you, the experience you’re already having rather than something different?

The choice is yours, or can be. May you choose wisely, and may your choices contribute only to your happiness in the New Year.

The third in our year-long consideration of our UU Principles, this service focuses on “acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth.” What does this principle mean? What does it ask of us? How do we practice it? Also plan to shop this Sunday at the opening day of the Craft Group’s annual Holiday Craft Sale.

In a word, this service is about individualism–what one might call the sacred cow of religious liberals in general, and UUs in particular. This Sunday we consider how individualism shapes our worldview, impacts communal life, and plays out on the global stage.

This year’s RE holiday service celebrates peace. Our children and youth will share many aspects of peace, complimented by the beautiful singing of the choir and the children’s choir. Bring gifts of mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for our Mitten Tree as a donation to North Hills Community Outreach.

“Metaphor of Metaphors” would be another title. We may not take the Christmas story literally, but the season and its stories are rich in metaphors that many UUs continue to find poignant and meaningful. On the eve of the Eve, we celebrate some ways in which Christmas continues to move and inspire.

Following our traditional 5:30 potluck, we’ll reconfigure the West Room for a short, informal service of celebration in word and song starting around 7:30 pm.

Amy Wilks and her 3-4th grade students, with Jill Mockenhaupt and Midge Miles will lead us in a discussion of New Year’s customs.

The service of Nov. 4 brought the image of the phoenix rising from the ashes to mind, on many different levels.

I was really inspired by the stories of our volunteers in New Orleans. The 6 wonderful folks from UUCNH plus the ~26 other area UU's who gave a week to help New Orleans recover are to be commended! (Our six were Jim Robertson, Diana Hull, Carol Meyer, Midge Miles, Jenny Butler and Kathy Gorka.) While it was discouraging to hear how badly the government has done it was heart-warming to learn how much our volunteers did and how much they were welcomed and appreciated. I think it's important to have a UU presence in the rebirth of New Orleans. There is talk of organizing another trip for adults in the spring and a youth trip in early summer. If you want to help raise New Orleans from the ashes contact Kathy Gorka.

On a literal level we are raising up UUCNH. It was wonderful to look up into the loft! It's been pretty dusty and dirty around the church recently. Soon we will all go upstairs, think how wonderful that will be. Also think about what we might do with the increased space. If you have some ideas pass them along.

My husband was ushering on the 4th and he tells me we had quite a crowd for a non-holiday service. Jeff Hutchins tells us we're having a lot of visitors lately as well. So we are rising on that level too. I hope the UUA's new marketing strategy pays off for UUCNH and the denomination as a whole.

On Nov. 11th, PIIN recovenanted with all of its member congregations. PIIN is the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network. We are a member congregation. Nine of us attended this event at St. Benedict the Moor Church, Hill District. PIIN's objective is to raise up the lives of the less fortunate in Allegheny County. Major concerns have been transportation, housing and currently national health insurance. If you want more information about PIIN, talk to Sue Broughton.

Carol Ballance

The Board will be considering a no smoking policy at the meeting on Dec. 17. Input from members on this issue is welcome.

If you can volunteer December 2 (or May 25 or June 15), please contact Patrice Noel or Diana Hull. Thanks!

Craft Sale will be December 2nd at the back of the West Room after the morning service. There will be a variety of handmade items for sale including hats, scarves, knitted items, wreaths, ornaments, pillows, toys - and much, much more! Special this year will be "cookies in a jar" ready for gift giving or home baking. All proceeds from the sale go to fund special church projects.

CONSTRUCTION/RENOVATION FINANCING

The good news is that we have $220,000 on hand thanks to many of you who fulfilled some/all of your pledges to the capital campaign. Thank you to every one of you for every dollar.

It appears that we will need to borrow from our construction loan early in 2008, as we will owe Sota Construction more than $400,000 by that time. Obviously, the more cash we have, the longer we can delay borrowing and the less interest we will have to pay. So, if you haven’t paid some/all of your pledge, please consider doing so as soon as you are able. If you want to take advantage of a possible charitable tax deduction for 2007, you must make your contribution by December 31, 2007.

If you haven't pledged to the capital campaign, or if you would like to make an additional gift, now is the perfect time to do so. Right now it's easy to add something to the project or to upgrade a component. It will be much more difficult to make changes as the project nears completion.

Remember, if you're 70-1/2 years old, there are special rules for making tax-advantaged contributions from your IRA. Unless the law is approved again, the deadline to take advantage of these rules is December 31, 2007. Please consult your advisors for legal/tax advice.

Thank you for all your interest in the project and for your continued financial support. We're moving up to the Promised Land!

Despite things being somewhat topsy-turvy this year, the Annual Christmas Eve Potluck Dinner will be held at 5:30 pm, with set-up starting at 4:00 pm. If you can help with set up, please indicate on the sign-up sheet that will be in the hallway to the West Room starting December 2.

We look forward to gathering with our UUCNH community to feast and then to celebrate the holiday of light. Please sign-up for the dinner by filling out the form provided or by contacting Dawn FitzGerald-Swidal by phone or by email.

Be prepared to bring a covered dish that will feed your party and eight more of your UUCNH friends. This year, with all the serving pieces packed away until the new kitchen is finished, we will provide an assortment of paper plates, napkins, plastic dinnerware and cups. If you would like to bring your own feastware and take it home to wash afterwards, please do. Also please remember to bring a serving utensil for your dish. Choose between a main dish, side dish, salad or dessert as your potluck offering. A Citrus Fruit Punch and hot mulled cider will be provided as well as hot water for tea and instant regular or decaf coffee.

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) invites us to engage our diversity by gathering in small groups for structured dialogue. It creates opportunities to make new friends and deepen relationships while exploring who we are, what we value, and our visions for our church. Sign up on line by sending an email to the church (uucnh@nauticom.net) containing your name, meeting times that generally work for you (day of the week, day or evening), a few key words describing your religious identity, and about how long you've been coming to UUCNH. Or put the same information on paper and bring or snail-mail it to the church. Get in on the conversation!

The theme for this year’s North Hills 11th Interfaith Gathering Meeting to be held on April 13th (mark your calendars…) is “Feasts, Fasts, and Festivals” Celebrating Our Diversity

The gathering this year will begin with an audio visual of music and photos from the various groups at worship, education, festivals, etc. Ben Kepner has agreed to produce the audiovisual. To make certain that UUCNH is represented, we need several pictures of UUCNH celebrations, services, RE etc… If you have photos that are appropriate to include please consider sharing them. Digital Photos can be sent to Ben. If you have photos that need to be scanned in, please give them in an envelope with your name on them to Greta or Carol. The photos are needed by January 6th. Photos that are to be scanned in will be returned.

Many thanks to the UUCNH members who attended the PIIN Re-Covenanting Event: Rev. Carol Meyer (UUCNH representative in the re-covenanting ceremony), Carol Ballance (banner carrier), Chris Hill (van pool driver), Tassi Bisers, Pete Lundquist, Pat McGlone, Peggy Redding, Diane Robertson and Sue Broughton.

The Adult RE Committee is currently developing the spring offerings for our 2008 program and would love to have your suggestions for programs. If you could also suggest a potential facilitator, that would be helpful, but not necessary. Please send your ideas in by December 3 to Beth Dutton. Thanks!

GIVE A UNIQUE GIFT FROM A FELLOW UU THIS HOLIDAY

Fellow UUCNH member Jeff Hutchins wants to remind everyone that he and Diane will be visiting their daughter in France starting December 15. If you want to buy either his new CD ("Homeland") or his book ("A Press Conference with God") for gift-giving this season, please contact Jeff ASAP. The CD costs $10, the book is $16.95; or you can one of each for $25.00. Call, or email him here. Info on both items can be found at www.jeffhutchins.com

* Call Janine Brobst to be sure no one else has offered flowers for that Sunday. Otherwise she will provide them.

* Call the church secretary (412-366-0244) by the preceding Thursday morning so that your name can be printed in the Order of Service. If your flowers are in memory of a loved one or a special event, tell the secretary.

* Flowers may be home-grown, or purchased or wildflowers from nature’s bounty or artificial arrangements. Branches trimmed from blooming shrubs are nice, too. Large vases are available at the church.

* Have your flowers in places before the pianist starts playing the prelude. The prelude starts at 10:55am.

As you are probably aware, the church's website has had a number of changes made to it lately, and being a programmer type, I'll continue to tinker with it.

Content-wise, I'll strive to keep it as up to date as possible. The front page in particular is intended to feature up-to-the-minute information that becomes available in between Intercoms. So if there is anything that needs to be posted immediately, send me the article at both my normal address, and the backup address (which I'm using while our server's phone line is acting flaky).

Besides the description of the upcoming service, you may currently find links to UU videos, the TIME ads, a religious leanings quiz and other changing items.

Several of the menus have had their contents rearranged, partly to accommodate a new one: "Social Action". Also, the organizational manual has been placed online, under the "Our Church" button. There's going to be a vote on updates in the near future, and it needs to be accessible to everyone.

If you like the way things are changing, I'm glad. If not, it's not my fault, um, Microsoft made me do it. Yeah, that's it.

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence” ~ John Adams, Dec. 1770

Every month, your Intercom is assembled and folded and prepared for mailing to your doorstep. Every month, our secretary sets to work printing out the pages. Every month without fail. It’s one of those invisible jobs that people take for granted will happen. Which is why I always call them the “Gnomes” - busy people who get things done well. So I would like to take a moment and express my appreciation to our secretary, Janet New Hilf and the Intercom Crew - John Ellis, Ann Cooke, Midge Miles, John Brobst and crew chief, Susan Duda. Thank you all for your dedication.

“I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

ADULT RE FALL/WINTER 2007

PSI is taking a winter’s break for December, but will be back in January to continue the discussion of How'd We Get Here.

JDG is taking a break for December but will be back in January to continue the discussion of the place of Jesus philosophy in the world of religious thought, as described in Stephen Mitchell's excellent book, The Gospel According to Jesus.

Simplicity Circle will meet at the church on Monday, December 3^rd from 7 – 8:30 p.m. We will discuss Chapter 8 “Vision of Sustainability” in Choices for Sustainable Living. Barbara Brock will facilitate. Anyone is welcome to join our discussion, if you have questions please contact Peggy Trevanion.

Tip for the month – next time you have the urge to buy a book. Check the library instead.

* BOOK DISCUSSION

The Reverend John Ames marries and has a child late in his life. When in 1956 he finds himself dying he decides to write his young son a letter to pass on his memories of being a minister and the history of the other generations of Ames men that all became preachers. This story is about how a dying man reviews and shares his life with a son he will never watch grow up and faces how his wife and young son will survive.

<>Please come and join us for an evening of lively and interesting discussion. RSVP here, or if you have questions, Jill Mockenhaupt.

Ah, it's November, one of my favorite times of the year. The leaves have changed color and some have fallen off the trees. As I am writing this, I realize we are in A Season of Thanks with Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas not far behind. There are so many things I am thankful for, from a loving family to great friends, to a supportive church community.

Having returned from New Orleans, Louisiana with the other Pittsburgh UU's and some non-UU's several weeks ago, I have had the chance to really think about what it means to be thankful. For example, I am so thankful I had the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful trip. We worked very hard and yes there were times of sadness and frustration due to the lack of progress that had been done over the past 2 yrs since Katrina but there were still things I believe we could be thankful for. I felt thankful I was physically healthy enough to be able to help the people of New Orleans who needed the help. How lucky I was to be able to put my mind, body and soul to work for a whole week of my life to witness how an individual and a group of many individuals could make a difference in the lives of others. How thankful I felt when at Ms. Severe's house, while taking the trash out to the dumpster from our days' work, residents would roll down their car windows and thank me for helping and traveling all the way from Pittsburgh!! How thankful I felt when I was able to give the Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School of Science and Technology kids' boxes full of brand new art supplies from our UU kids- something they sorely needed!! The director and art teacher were SO incredibly thankful as I am sure the kids were too; (unfortunately the kids weren't there that day but I am promised pictures of the day when they received the boxes!!)

As I write this, my husband Mike and I are getting ready for a week in San Francisco and Napa Valley CA. I am amazed at how fast this fall is going because I remember just planning this trip several months ago and now here it is already!

Many exciting things have occurred this fall within our church community. Renovations continue on our wonderful building as we wait with both patience and excitement to see what the "finished product" will be like; we have a committed and enthusiastic group of people that have decided to share their time and talents to the Social Action Committee; we have worked hard in our social action meetings coming up with several community outreach ideas for various age groups to participate in on a monthly basis. The development of the acronym LOFT-LIVING OUR FAITH TEAM by social action committee member Denise Haver will be a way for us UU's to show how we truly can LIVE OUR FAITH in our community.

Here is the tentative list for December '07-June '08. Some of these may change throughout the year and the specific dates will be forthcoming:

* January - Painting at Crisis Center North, February: Animal Friends- (something there, have to call),

* June - The Woodlands - possibly helping the staff get ready for their summer camp.

I encourage you all to participate in at least one of these! Details will follow in upcoming Intercoms, announcements; order of service, etc. so stay tuned and let's LIVE OUR FAITH!!!

On another note a couple thank you's: I just want to thank all of those who attended the Peace Palooza on 11/5 and 11/6. Carol Meyer worked hard to organize that and it was a very inspirational event. Great to see those UU's from our church who attended!! Also big thanks to Jim Robertson, Midge Miles, Diana Hull, Carol Meyer and Jenny Butler for travelling to New Orleans with me and truly working hard to LIVE OUR FAITH!! You guys rock!! I strongly encourage anyone who thinks they can spare a week in the Spring (details to come) to go to New Orleans and help! They really need it!

There is just something about giving back to a community, an individual or groups of individuals in New Orleans, Pittsburgh or half way across the world in Africa that is totally and utterly fulfilling and makes ME thankful to be able to give back to people in need. This season my wish for all of you is to reflect on what you are thankful for and how YOU can give back to those in need. You will be surprise how thankful it will make YOU feel!!

UUCNH Social Action December 2007

North Hills Community Outreach needs volunteers for a number of holiday venues this year. Included are bell ringers for two-hour shifts between Thanksgiving and Christmas. NHCO receives 90% of the donations collected as a Service Unit of the Salvation Army. They also need gift wrappers at the Northway Mall to benefit the food banks of the North Hills. See your orders of service for more information or call NHCO at 412-487-6316.

North Hills Community Outreach has a program for distribution of donated cars to people of low income. NHCO will accept cars in any condition. Those that are drivable are sold to clients for a purchase price typically between $1500-$2200. If you have a car you wish to donate (and receive a tax credit for charitable donation), please contact Randy Murchak at Community Auto in Gibsonia at 724-443-8300. See Diane Hutchins if you have any questions.

Why not show your social concern and give some delicious Equal Exchange items as presents this year? We have coffee and cocoa to drink, plus wonderful chocolate bars to eat! We have our usual assortment of French Roast, Breakfast Blend, Mind Body & Soul plus Decaf in whole bean and drip grind. Plus the Hazelnut Crème, Toffee Caramel and French Vanilla, all in drip grind. Only $8 per bag.

Chocolate bars are located in the office! We have six flavors of fair trade bars for only $4 each, 2 for $7 and 3 for $10!

You can pay cash, or by check made out to UUCNH (write Coffee Fund on the memo line) and leave it in the black lockbox by the chocolate in the office. Thanks for supporting small farmers while you enjoy great products!

We can recycle almost all types of paper products, as long as they go in the proper locations:

- Paper - all kinds, like newspaper, magazines, ad inserts, soft-bound books, etc., can go in our PaperRetriever bin (green and yellow) in the parking lot.

- Paperboard (non-hollow cardboard, like cereal boxes, etc) goes in the plastic bins in Friendship Hall-check toward the RE hallway during construction

- Telephone books - Please use the special dumpsters put out by the phone companies during the distribution of new ones. They can also be taken to Construction Junction.

The Guest At Your Table program is the primary fundraiser for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). The UUSC is an independent human rights organization, founded in 1939 to rescue victims of Nazi persecution, whose work is grounded in UU Principles and supported by more than 39,000 members. Place your Guest At Your Table box where you have your meals. As often as you sit together for a meal, insert some coins or bills in the box, while thinking of the many things we take for granted that many others around the world do not have.

We started to distribute the Guest At Your Table boxes on Sunday November 18th. If you didn't get one, look for them in the hallway to the West Room. Please plan to return them in early January. If you can count the money and write a check to UUSC, that would be really helpful. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Gorka, Greg Jarold or Greta Porter.

For December: Rice And Pasta Packages

Please don’t forget to contribute to the "Donation Station" for the NORTH HILLS COMMUNITY OUTREACH (NHCO) Food Pantry, now located near the church entrance. The December NHCO request is to bring Rice and Pasta to the church. AND laundry detergent, toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo and bar soap are always needed. Thanks to all who have contributed lately.

Plastic bags needed by North Hills Community Outreach: If you bring your extras to the church, drop them off at the NHCO Donation Station where they can be used to sort food at the food pantry.

Dates available now for 2008!

The Pleasant Valley Men’s Shelter will shortly release a list of dates available in 2008 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.

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. If you are interested in purchasing the cards, please see Jim Noel or John Brobst during coffee hour.

This is your November notice requesting your December submissions for your January's Intercom. Got that? Good. There'll be a quiz later! Our next Intercom will be published on December 16, 2007. That will make Wednesday, December 12, 2007 the DEADLINE for the January Intercom. If your material isn’t in by the deadline, it will NOT be included in the next Intercom unless you have contacted me to make arrangements.

If you email your submissions, please do it IN PLAIN TEXT ONLY; please, do not format the article in any way. Submissions may be submitted in the office mailbox, or emailed (preferred) to me here.

Interim Director of Religious Education needed at Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills, Mt. Lebanon PA. Part-time position (25 hours) for children and youth RE program. Congregation is midsize congregation with an average RE and youth attendance of about 75 children/youth per week. Please email or mail your resume to RESearchCom@sunnyhill.org or 1240 Washington Road, Pittsburgh PA 15228. If you have any questions, please email us. No phone calls please.

The DownUnder Coffeehouse

Don't miss the Winter Solstice Concert with Brenda Jean Searcy & Davy Sturtevant on Saturday, December 15, from 7:30-9:30 on Pittsburgh's North Side. The DownUnder Coffeehouse is pleased to welcome two well-known area Unitarian Universalist performers, Brenda Jean Searcy from Smithton and Davy Sturtevant from Erie. You might also know of Davy as former member of the acclaimed Pennsylvania-based folk duo Armor & Sturtevant. Brenda Jean and Davy will perform an evening of folk, country and blues, both together and separately, for our annual coffeehouse celebration of the holiday and solstice seasons.

The DownUnder Coffeehouse is open the third Saturday of each month in the basement of Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, 416 West North Ave, North Side. Seasonal desserts and warm beverages will be available. Suggested donation is $5. Call 412-322-4261 or go to www.alleghenyuu.org for more details