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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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February
20 2007
Volume XLVI, No. 7
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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:
I write on a treacherously snowy Valentine’s
Day, glad to be working safely at home, knowing accidents inevitably
will happen on this kind of day, hoping all who find a need to be out
and about journey safely. Like the ice of yesterday and last
night, the snow today is beautiful. Words of our hymn “All
Beautiful the March of Days” come to mind: “the hand that shaped the
rose hath wrought the crystal of the snow; hath sent the hoary frost of
heaven, the flowing waters sealed, and laid a silent loveliness on hill
and wood and field.” My eyes feast upon a gorgeous winter
wonderland this day, a beauty that yet reminds me just how fragile we
human beings are.
As most of you know, my mother died unexpectedly just over two weeks
ago, on January 29. She had been stable in assisted living at
Cumberland Crossing for the last year, frail but stable. Then,
soon after the holidays, she got the Nora virus everyone seemed to be
getting, was acutely ill for two days, and seemed better, except that
she kept saying she felt “miserable.” A week or so later the Nora
virus was back for another two days of intestinal ailments, leaving Mom
so weak that she nearly collapsed walking to the dining room. Two
days after that, she fell backward in her room, where she was soon
found lying on the floor, sent to Emergency, x-rayed, and pronounced
okay except for bruises, even though she was too sore to take more than
a few steps. Three days later she was sent to Emergency with “low
sodium,” found to have a urinary tract infection, and was about to be
discharged when I realized that she was completely disoriented and in a
severe delirium. So Mom was admitted on a Friday, and just
plummeted. By late Saturday she was completely delusional, unable
to feed herself, no longer always sure even who I was. Suddenly
it seemed clear to me that she was dying. By Sunday morning she
was unconscious or sleeping, no longer talking or taking anything by
mouth. I called my sister and brother, updating them on Mom’s
condition, sharing with both my sense that our mother was dying.
Barb arrived Sunday afternoon; Scott’s flight arrived at 11:00
pm. Mom was moved to a private room. On Tuesday we admitted
her to hospital hospice and made the decision to stop IV fluids.
She died at about 3:00 am on the following Monday, never having had
more than a few minutes of lucid wakefulness the entire week.
Sometimes the elderly are even more fragile than they seem.
When I went to church the Sunday before Mom died, I found out that
Angie Ellis, one of our founding members, had suffered a severe stroke
and was in intensive care at Allegheny General. The stroke
paralyzed Angie’s left side, and made it impossible for her to swallow
safely. When I saw Angie in the hospital on the following
Thursday, she was being fed through a nasogastric tube and wanting it
out. On Saturday the family honored Angie’s desire to stop
nutritional support and go home with hospice. The following
Tuesday afternoon, just eight days after my mother, Angie died
peacefully at home.
Unlike my mother, Angie never seemed fragile to
me. She worked out three times a week, having given up swimming
for a senior fitness program. She came to church every Sunday,
regardless of the service theme. She came to the Craft Rummage
Group every Thursday morning for over 40 years, making stuffed animals
and dolls and all kinds of things to sell in the annual holiday sale,
providing leadership when the group needed it, sparking all kinds of
interesting conversation, bringing birthday cakes, fetching tea and
coffee from the kitchen for those less agile than she. She did
coffee hour several times a year, helped our children make things out
of clay to sell at our art auctions, potted wonderful pieces to donate
herself, made clay chalices for our graduating seniors, organized and
spearheaded the monthly mailing crew that assembles and mails out the
Intercom, had the Crafty Ladies over to her house whenever there was a
KidStuff Sale going on at church. Angie was active in her
Community Circle and the church Book Club. She kept in touch with
all the Crafty Ladies, visited whoever needed visiting, made dinner for
her daughter Mary every night and son John several nights a week,
gladly babysat for her great grandchildren, and was active in politics,
working most recently for the Altmire campaign. And that’s just
the tip of the iceberg.
Two woman as different as night and day, both 88,
Angie just ten months older than my mother, died within a week of each
other, both deaths expected yet unexpected. Both deaths that
remind me never to take a moment with a loved one for granted, for we
truly never do know how much time we have left to be with each other
When I took my mother shoe shopping some 15 months
ago, she sat for a moment with her new shoes on, admiring them while
happily flexing her feet up and down. An older woman looking on
caught my eye, smiled, and said to me, “Enjoy her.” It struck me
as odd at the time, but she was right. My mother was utterly
enjoyable in that moment, delighting in her new shoes like a child with
a new toy. And we are meant to enjoy one another whenever we can,
for whatever assumptions we make about seeing each other again may well
prove unfounded.
Both my brother and sister had assumed that they
could come to visit Mom in Pittsburgh at their convenience. Both
had postponed visiting for over a year. Neither had thought the
last time they said goodbye to Mom in person would be the last time she
would be able to visit with them in person. She seemed okay on
the phone. I kept reporting that Mom seemed stable. But a
common virus unexpectedly started the dominoes toppling before anyone
even realized what was happening. And suddenly it was too late to
come for a visit, too late ever to really see Mom again, even though
both spent a week at her bedside. Suddenly there was time only
for a final goodbye
As life shall remain forever unpredictable, let us
remember that we can never know when death will come to someone whom we
love, or will miss, or might wish we had visited one last time.
So I urge you to seize the moment. Make the visit. Spend
the time. Enjoy whomever, now, while you still can. Make
memories, not regrets
In closing, let me thank all of you who have expressed your caring and
condolences, given me much needed hugs, sent cards, shared your
understanding, and offered help in this time of loss. Your caring
means more than you know, and I am deeply grateful for the warm embrace
of our community in recent weeks.
Also, let me remind you that Angie Ellis’s Memorial Service will be
held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 3. Please come and help to
celebrate the life of this wonderful woman who so graced our church for
so many years.
Blessing,
Carol
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Upcoming
Services
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March
4:
Engaging Our Diversity
Rev. Carol Meyer
preaching
UUism has been called
a great experiment in religious pluralism; the diversity of faith,
belief, and practice within our congregations our greatest
wealth. Yet we often shy away from exploring our differences,
from genuine “interfaith” dialogue with one another. This morning
we look at our shyness, why we might want to overcome it, and how we
might go about doing so. Come with an openness to participating!
PLEASE NOTE - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS
ON MARCH 11TH.
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March
11:
Shared Ministry
Lay-Led Service
Several members will
share their experiences as committee volunteers at UUCNH. Come
early and stay late! Stop by each table at OUR Committee Fair in
the West Room and find out how each one in is instrumental in the well
being of UUCNH.
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March
18:
Just War or Oxymoron?
Rev.
Carol Meyer
preaching
Continuing our
exploration of topics related to the Peacemaking Study/Action Issue
currently before the UUA General Assembly, this Sunday we consider the
question of war. What, if anything, constitutes a “just war”
today? When, if ever, can violence be justified as an ethical and
appropriate means for resolving human conflict?
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March
25:
Justice Sunday
"A Drumbeat for Darfur."
Social
Action Committee
The suffering endured by the people of Darfur is beyond
heartbreaking. But there is hope in knowing that we have the
power to alleviate their misery and to stop the genocide. The
ongoing atrocities in Sudan are a call to all people of
conscience. The humanist values of our shared UU principles
demand our attention be drawn towards those oppressed and beg the
question, "what can I do?" |
MARCH COFFEE
HOUR HOSTS
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March
4:
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Baumwell Family
Autenreith Family
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March
11:
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Doubleday
Family
Dale Newman
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March
18:
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John Bernhard
Thomson Family
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March
25:
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Albright
Family
Conaway Family
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Thanks to the
generous pledges of our members and friends the Facilities Planning
Committee is back in business. We are in the process of selecting
a contractor. A sub-committee, chaired by Carolyn Hrach,
interviewed five contractors who were interested in doing our
project. That number has been reduced to two. Our architect
Ken Doyno is now preparing the Design Development drawings. The
committee will meet with Ken on February 25th to review those drawings
and then they will be given to the two contractors on February 28th to
prepare estimates for our project. We will have another committee
meeting to review the estimates. Following that there will be a
meeting with the congregation to present the information. The
congregation will have an opportunity for input at that time. We
are telling the contractors that they will be able to start
construction after June 11th. That doesn't mean that construction
will start that week as that will need to be negotiated with the
contractor who is chosen to do the work.
We are very excited to be progressing with the project. I was
pleased to see that five contractors were interested. That gave
us a good field to choose from. The sub-committee did a terrific
job with the interviews and evaluations.
Get prepared for dust and disruption. And new classrooms, a
better kitchen and bigger social hall.
Yeah! Dorinda Depp, Chair, Facilities Planning
Committee
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Marsha's MUUsings
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The congregational
survey has gone out and we are collecting the responses now. We
will soon have a picture of how we are doing and where we need to
concentrate our efforts to strengthen any areas we could improve.
Thanks to everyone who responded. If you have not yet responded,
send it in and we will add it to the mix.
Our renovation project is moving along nicely. Contractor
selection is being finalized and details are being put in place for a
possible start in June. We will have a congregational meeting
before then to finalize the plans to select what we can and cannot
afford. It is exciting to see so many things happening at the
church. If you have been holding off on pledging to see if the
project will go through, hold off no longer. Now is the time that
making your intentions known will make a big difference. Talk
with our treasurer John Brobst, myself, our minister, Rev. Carol Meyer
or anyone on the Board, Facilities Planning or Finance
Committees. See the bulletin boards for names and photos.
This time next year, we will have a little more usable space to
continue to do the work of our church.
I hope that everyone is enjoying one or more of our wonderful adult RE
classes that are being offered at our church. It’s a great way to
get to know people and to learn something at the same time. See
the adult RE bulletin board to sign up or check the e-news at uucnh.org
on the web for details. We are offering a CPR and First Aid
Training in February and March. It will include instruction on
how to use an Automated External Defibrillator, which we hope to get
soon. There is still space available in the March 17th
class. Call Mandy Cousins at 724-816-3748 (cell) or 724-444-6523
(home) to register so that as many of us as possible will feel
comfortable with using the defibrillator once we get it. If the
March class fills up we will try to schedule an additional class if
needed.
It’s the morning after Valentine’s Day and the sun is rising over the
hill in my backyard and shining an orange light onto the ice covered
trees dusted with snow. They seem to be reaching out to the
light, glad that the big storm is over. I hope everyone fared
well during the severe weather. I shoveled my driveway yesterday
morning from 5-7AM to break through the ice-covered snow. It was
quite a workout. As I turned back to return to the house, I saw
the sun rising as a light snow fell onto the glistening trees. It
was a picture of peace and beauty in contrast to the icy rain,
snowplows and sliding ice covered cars. I hope you each take a
moment to enjoy the peace and beauty that can be found even in the
throws of a winter storm.
I have a clock in my kitchen that is not functioning properly at the
moment and I have not taken the time and energy to find out why
yet. It probably just needs a new battery but I have been
fascinated by my reaction to the time being off by several hours each
time I look at it to see what time it is. My first reaction was
irritation at the inconvenience of having to look elsewhere to find the
correct time. On occasion my reaction bordered on panic when I
feared I was running late for an appointment or meeting and I could not
figure out what time it was.
My reaction then became one of amusement at how often I look at the
clock expecting to see the correct time even though it has not been
working correctly for over a week and I am surprised each time when I
realize that the time on the clock has no connection with reality.
Gradually my reaction has become one of retrospection about time and
how much time we each have left rather than on what time it is.
So each time I look at the clock I wonder what it would be like if each
time we looked up we would see how much time we had left to live.
Would I live my life differently if I could see how many hours I had
left? Would the answer vary depending on the number of hours I
had? I thought about how I am spending the present moment and
asked myself if I am spending it the way I would want to spend the last
few moments of my life. If I knew that this was my last day, how
would I spend it? If this was my last week, my last year, what
would I be doing?
Some of us get a warning when the end is near and some of us
don’t. Life could end today without notice. Like the song
says, “I hope you get the chance to live like you are dying.”
Enjoy every moment. Like the Life is Good shirts say, “Do what
you like and like what you do.” If this is not the case for you,
take a small step in that direction today and make the changes you need
to make. Change can be scary but it can be worth it.
I’m leaving for Winter Institute tomorrow to spend President’s Day
weekend at Salt Fork State Park in Ohio with fellow UU’s from the Ohio
Meadville District. I hope to see many of you there. If you
weren’t able to make it this year talk with someone who was and put it
on your calendar for President’s Day weekend next year and enjoy the
fellowship. I will return for the Board meeting on Monday
night. Remember, Board meetings are open to
all.
Be happy. 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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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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Welcome to
Winter/Spring Adult RE! Please contact the class facilitator
regarding questions about the class. Sign up by contacting Sheila
McCall, our church secretary, at uucnh@nauticom.net
or by signing up on the UUCNH Adult RE bulletin board. If
childcare is needed for classes, please contact Anne Van Cott and it
will be arranged for those specific nights.
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Sunday classes:
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Facilitator: Tony Palermo
First Sundays of Month after service:
Next: 3/4; 4/8; 5/6
"First we will kill all the subversives; then we will kill their
collaborators, then...their sympathizers, then...those who remain
indifferent; and finally, we will kill the timid." This quote,
from one of the governors of Argentina in the mid-1970's, is one of the
more chilling examples of foresight in the gradual escalation of a
country's oppression. Most often, asserts R. Baumeister in Evil; Inside Human Violence & Cruelty,
the spread of Evil is less planned & less noticed...until it's too
late. We'll discuss How Evil Grows in the next session, Sunday,
March 4th, after the service in the East Room. See Tony Palermo
for details.
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Facilitator: Karen Bryant
Sunday evenings 7-8:30pm; 12/10
Next: 3/11; 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 3/18,4/22 and 5/20.
Study Circle for The Left Hand of God
by Michael Lerner beginning January 28 after church at 12:45.
This program will be co-facilitated by Carol Meyer and Barry Tupperman,
a local member of the National Spiritual Progressives, and is open to
anyone in the North Hills interested in being part of such a 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. Tentative dates are Feb. 25, March 18,
April 22 and May 20.
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Facilitator: Rev. Carol Meyer
Third Sunday evening of the month from 7-8:30pm.
Rev Carol: “One of my goals for sabbatical was to think about how
a uniquely UU spiritual practice might look. Then it came to me,
at the winter OMDUUPRL retreat. The practice already
exists. It's 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.
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Facilitator: Tony Palermo
Third Sundays of Month after service
Next: 3/25; 4/22; 5/20.
We’ve explored the origins of Afterlife Thinking [no, the next
existence wasn’t conceived as blessed relief for the downtrodden – it
was reserved for noblemen and other dignitaries], the contributions of
early Judaism [including those of Jesus] and the idea that Science,
surprisingly, doesn’t forbid the possibility. Conclusion:
historically, confidence in a pleasurable afterlife arose [sic] with
the belief in the value of the individual and a creator who empowers
that belief.
Next we’ll tackle What Comes Next. Just because one survives
death
doesn’t insure an eternity of consciousness, or, for that matter, how
one might fill such an infinity. Our source book, Death & Eternal Life
by John Hick [Clairmont College], suggests that the best insights might
be gleaned by examining concepts common to all religions and including
a generous helping of reserve, respect and open mindedness. See
Tony
Palermo for details. |
Non-Sunday
classes:
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Facilitator: Carol Ballance
Monday evenings 7-8
Next: 3/5; tentative 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. We will meet Feb. 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the church. We will
start Choices for Sustainable Living
by the Northwest Earth Institute. Please keep a list this month
of anything you purchase new! (Food doesn't count) Please
see Carol Ballance if you have question. (email)
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Facilitator: Greta Porter
Dates: Thursdays 3/1 from 7-9 PM at UUCNH
Parents will have an opportunity to reflect on their own childhoods
while sharing thoughts on the special challenges that face parents
today. Topics will include handling children’s religious
questions, nurturing our children’s religious journeys and imparting
strong values and principles in our children. We will use the
small sweet book, The Gift of Faith, by Jeanne Nieuwejaar, as a spring
board for conversation, which celebrates the importance of religious
community, both as a support for parents and as environment in which
spirituality of children can flourish. The book will be available
at the first class for $8.
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Facilitator: Chris Hill
Dates: Thursdays on 3/1, and 3/15 from 7-9 PM at UUCNH
The Gnostic Gospels
is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity. In
1945, an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic
Gospels, thirteen papyrus volumes that expounded a radically different
view of the life and teachings of Jesus. Pages explores a range
of recently discovered gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas and the
Gospel of Mary Magdalene, to show how a variety of "Christianities"
emerged at a time of extraordinary spiritual upheaval. Some
Christians questioned the need for clergy and church doctrine, and
taught that the divine could be discovered through spiritual
search. Many others sought enlightenment within. Such
explorations raised questions: Was the resurrection to be understood
symbolically and not literally? Was God to be envisioned only in
masculine form, or feminine as well? These early Christians dared
to ask questions that orthodox Christians later suppressed -- and their
explorations led to profoundly different visions of Jesus and his
message. The Gnostic Gospels
is a radical, eloquent reconsideration of the origins of the Christian
faith. Participants will need to purchase the book
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Facilitator: Carol Ballance
Friday evenings, 7pm at Members’ Homes:
Next: 2/16; 3/16; 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! For
March, we're reading The March
by E. L. Doctorow. In 1864 General William Tecumseh Sherman
burned Atlanta, marched his sixty thousand troops east through Georgia
to the sea, and then up into the Carolinas. The army fought off
Confederate forces and lived off the land, raping and pillaging as they
went. We'll meet at Sue Duda's at 7 p.m. on March 16. RSVP (email).
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- EYKIW
("EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG")
Facilitator: John Bernhard
EYKIW meets after service in the library. We will discuss the
chapter of Tellinger’s book Slave
Species of god on the human
brain and its infinite complexity, its interface with the physical and
spiritual worlds, its dramatic increase in size 200,000 years ago, and
why we use only a faction of our brains.
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- CPR and First
Aid Training
Facilitator: Mandy Cousins
Cell 724-816-3748; Home 724-444-6523
On 3/17/07, a CPR (with Automated External Defibrillator training) and
First Aid Class will be offered at UUCNH. Mandy Cousins (Cell
724-816-3748; Home 724-444-6523) will teach the class from 9:30 am-
2:30pm (bring your lunch to eat during the break). Review
information will be given to students before the class. The
official First Aid/CPR Training Book will be available in the UUCNH
Library for review before the class. Sign up soon since the
maximum for each class is only six students! A $40 fee can be
paid by cash or check on the day of the program. Graduates will
receive their certification card within 4 weeks of successful class
completion. Please call Mandy with any specific questions
regarding the class.
If there is a greater demand, we can plan additional CPR and First Aid
Training classes.
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The Craft Sale and
Quilt Raffle were successful and well supported. The grand total
earned this year was $963.00, and was turned over to the church
treasurer, John Brobst.
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March
Social Action
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- PIIN BANQUET SET FOR APRIL 28, 2007
The next major event is the 2007 banquet, which will be a little later
this year than in previous years. The date is April 28. A
special training for those willing to sell ads for the banquet program
will be planned, probably for a date near the end of February.
Most of the funds raised by the banquet are from the ad sales. We
need a few good people from UUCNH to help with this task. Call or
email Carol or Sue if you are interested.
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- PIIN ANNUAL AD
BOOK FUND-RAISER
UUCNH is a member of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, a
multi-cultural, multi-racial interfaith organization committed to
addressing the societal issues affecting our communities. PIIN is
putting together its Annual Ad Book Fund-raiser, and we'd love to see
an ad for your organization or business in support of PIIN. If
you would like to contribute on an individual basis instead, our church
will be taking up a collective donation. Please see Jim
Robertson, Diane Robertson or Sue Broughton if you are interested in
placing an ad or contributing to our church's ad.
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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.
Remember - no phone books or cardboard in this bin. We can take
flattened corrugated cardboard in the left dumpster by the trash.
We
do still have folks bringing in their paperboard-cereal boxes and
such. However, the only outlet for this material is Construction
Junction in Point Breeze. It's close by Whole Foods and Trader
Joe's,
so if you're heading down there, please consider taking a bid and
dumping it at Construction Junction.
If you have more questions, contact Chris Hill.
Thanks again - we ‘re making a difference! |
The citrus orders will arrive on March 3rd, for pickup at UUCNH on
Sunday the 4th. If you won't be at church that Sunday, please
contact Chris Hill (email) to
arrange for alternate delivery. Thanks to everyone placing
orders, as we sold over $900 worth this year.
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- WHAT DOES FAIR
TRADE MEAN?
Fair Trade means that farmers are guaranteed a minimum price for their
crop before planting. Sort of like knowing what your salary is
before you start a job. In many cooperatives, they can take out
an advance to pay for their supplies, thus avoiding going into
debt. These small farmers that receive a fair payment for their
products are able to afford basic necessities like medical care and
education for their children.
So buy 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.
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- REMEMBER TO
COMPOST THOSE COFFEE HOUR GROUNDS!
We have several plastic bins to collect the coffee grounds from coffee
hour. Our From The Ground UUp
Gardeners will take these down to our composting containers. So
if you have coffee hour, don't throw those valuable grounds into the
trash.
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- YOUTH GROUP SOCIAL ACTION BLOOD DRIVE -
FEBRUARY 24TH
The youth group is sponsoring a blood drive on Saturday, Feb 24,
2007. Following the service during coffee hour, we would like to
ask members of the congregation to sign up. Please help us be as
successful as we were last year. Questions? Please Call
Libby Powers or Jillian Strayhorn.
Thank you for your support, The Youth Group
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- NHCO FOOD
PANTRY "DONATION STATION”
For March: Crackers
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 February
NHCO request is to bring CRACKERS
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! Last
year we had a modest number of church members purchasing Giant Eagle,
Festival and Kuhns gift cards. If you shop at these stores,
consider joining your fellow church members by using the gift
cards. They are simple to use, convenient and cost you no extra
money. 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 during coffee hour.
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The next Intercom
will be published on March 18, 2007. Thus,
Wednesday, March 14, 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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UU MINISTRY SCHOLARSHIP
Considering Ministry? Meadville Lombard Theological School
announces the Spencer and Susan Lavan Scholarship for Excellence--a
full, merit-based scholarship for an incoming residential student in
our Master of Divinity Program in the Fall of 2007. Application
deadline for the scholarship is March 15, 2007. Please see the
Meadville Lombard Website (www.meadville.edu)
for more information on the scholarship and the Master of Divinity
Program. (More information on the scholarship can be found on the
UU World website.)
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SOCIAL JUSTICE OPPORTUNITIES
APPLICANTS SOUGHT
FOR 2-YEAR INTERNSHIPS WITH UUA
The Social Justice Internship Program’s goal is to combine service,
learning and faith development in order to produce energetic young
adults with the professional skills and strength of character to be
lifelong leaders in Unitarian Universalism and working for social
justice. Funding for the program comes from UU individuals and
organizations.
3 Internships available:
- Program Associate for Peacemaking.
Supporting UU congregational participation in the 2007-2010
Study/Action Issue, Peacemaking.
Application
deadline: Noon EST 3/1/07
- Legislative Assistant for Civil Rights and
Religious Liberty
- Legislative Assistant for Women’s Issues, UU
Women’s Federation Clara Barton Internship
Advocacy on federal pubic policy issues within the portfolio, including
monitoring legislation, working in coalitions, lobbying, mobilizing and
supporting UU congregations and activists.
Deadline for both:
Noon EST on 4/2/07
Full application- www.uua.org/uuawo.
See full flyer on Social Action bulletin board.
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