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The North Unitarian Universalist Congregation Newsletter October 2010 |
Page 3
From
your Board and Committees!
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PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE The church year has started and is
humming along nicely… I want to thank everyone who has agreed
to help with religious education classes this year. I am really excited
about the program. In talking to members, it is clear that our youth
are a vital component of this congregation and its future. We are having a congregational
meeting on
Until next month, Nina Webb-Lawton Congregational
Meeting Set for Oct. 10 Your Board of Trustees has called a
Congregational Meeting for after service Oct. 10. Under discussion will
be proposed bylaw changes; a report on the status of our dues to the UUA and
Ohio Meadville District; and our proposed new mission statement. You can read the proposed bylaws changes by
clicking here —the rationale for these changes will be
addressed at the meeting, although please talk to Rev. Ritchie or President
Nina Webb Lawton if you have questions in advance of the meeting. Proposed bylaws changes fall into
four categories: 1) substantive changes, including the addition of membership
category for youth having completed the Coming of Age program, and the
reduction in the number of total board members; 2) The proposed relocation of job descriptions
and policies and procedures from our bylaws into our policies and
procedures; 3) Housekeeping issues,
including clarification of prose, changes in numbering, etc… 4) Revision of some process issues, for
example not requiring the Board to vote on each removal from membership. The proposed new Mission Statement
reads as follows: We are an inclusive community of seekers pursuing deeper meaning
through the process of spiritual engagement, learning, reasoning and action.
NUUC and Me By Rev. Chris
Jones-Leavy, NUUC Member When I was 17, my friends in the
Methodist Youth Fellowship voted me most likely to become a minister. I was completely horrified. My plan was to leave the church that did
not welcome my outside-the-box thinking as soon as I graduated from high
school, and, with the confidence of youth, I was sure that I’d be free of
church forever! And, for many years I was on my own
private spiritual quest, completely church-free. However, when our son was about 12, he
began to ask questions about religion; Dick and I decided we’d better see
what was out there to satisfy his questions.
We didn’t know if there was a place that would welcome our differing
religious heritages – Jewish and Protestant - but we needed to investigate. We attended a service of the Delaware Fellowship
at which we sang the hymn, Spirit of Life.
I fell in love with that hymn instantly, and, hesitantly, I was
intrigued to learn what kind of religion embraced such a hymn. Later, as we investigated further and
talked with John Morgan, then the district consultant, and with Susan, the
consultant for the start-up When the Throughout my theological education
and my ordination process, this community supported me spiritually and
emotionally, encouraged me and cheered me on.
And now, thanks in part to all that support, all these many years
later, the prophecy for my 17-year old self has come true: I am a
minister. And I couldn’t be
happier! Who’d a thought it? NUUC is my spiritual home base, and
I’m grateful for that. |
Annual
Stewardship Drive Begins
As you may know, our
church is funded solely by the membership of its congregation—by you. However, unlike some religious
communities, you will not be pressured to give at a specific level. To help answer the question of how to
arrive at your individual pledge amount, you may find it helpful to reference
the 2011 “Fair Share Guide to Giving.”
The guide is a helpful tool which allows you to use your desired level
of support and income to determine a recommended giving amount. You may view the Fair
Share Guide to Giving and other Stewardship materials by visiting the website
by clicking here. Paper copies of these documents will also be
available from the Stewardship Team. We’re excited to
offer for the first time this year a new online pledge form. This is an easy to use, fillable, entirely
online form which can be e-mailed to the church and is an alternative to our
more traditional face-to-face meetings either at a stewardship party or with
a Visiting Steward. Click here for the online
financial commitment form. Of
course, we will still offer the traditional visits and the paper pledge form,
which you can fill out then or at your convenience and turn in later to your
Visiting Steward or by mail. As you consider your
financial pledge for next year, please think about what this congregation
means to you and your family. Many of
us are facing economic challenges, and the Finance Committee is working hard
to ensure NUUC is a good steward of your pledges. We hope you are able to support NUUC with a
generous pledge so that we may continue our journey to remain a place where
we as members can live our collective Unitarian Universalist values. For questions about
this year’s Stewardship process, contact Stewardship Chair Laura Howe at
614-436-0078 or howe_l@yahoo.com . Thanks
for your Faithful Giving… Fall is upon us, and it’s
back-to-school time. During this busy
time, your faithful and consistent giving is so appreciated and
necessary to staying on budget. Remember: you can always mail in an offering or
pledge check, even if your schedule keeps you away from services. Just mail it to: NUUC, Attn: JGD, Pledging statements for the period
through September 30 will be mailed out the middle of October. If you have
any questions about the status of your 2010 giving or other pledging matters,
feel free to call the church office at 740-657-8081 and talk to Rev. Ritchie
(RevRitchie@aol.com) or Jeri Dill (nuucjdill@aol.com).
September
18 Meeting of the Board of Trustees You may view a summary of the
September 18, 2010 Board of Trustees meeting by clicking
here or by requesting the file from the office (740-657-8081, ext. 1).
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