 This November we will explore the themes of Soldiers in War and the theme of Gratitude. Both appropriate topics as we acknowledge Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, not always the easiest holidays for everyone to experience. There can be a certain melancholia that descends on people this time of year for a myriad of reasons. We both honor and acknowledge this. And yet there is a certain beauty, at least for me, as we live life “ between two seasons,” Autumn and Winter, as November rapidly approaches. As usual in these times I turn to the grace, insight, and the eloquence of author Max Coots...
“Autumn comes in mingled moods, and might not come at all, if we had anything to say of it. It seems at times a season of regret, as growing old can sometimes seem to those who see but half the truth. For all the consolation color is to us, the maple’s oranges and rust, the elm tree’s yellow --gold, the sumac’s red, we do sometimes regret those last leaves so....These days Thanksgiving is not so obvious as it once was. There is too much artificial distance between us and earth. The squash comes packaged. The turkey too! Our only effort is to thaw and bake, to tear along the dotted line conveniently.
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Sunday, 8 November 2015, 11 am
Rev. Michael Carter
“A Veteran’s Day Dilemma”
I dislike war, yet I don’t dislike soldiers. I am deeply troubled about what I perceive as our country’s military adventurism, but I bear no grudge against those who serve our country’s military. President Jimmy Carter says that “War may be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good.” Is there a way to honor the Vet and still condemn the death and destruction that is the reality of war? This morning I want to share with you the story of one Vietnam Veteran, who wrestled with his tour of duty and his feelings about this sometimes confusing holiday we call Veteran’s Day. See you at church!
Sunday, 15 November 2015, 11 am
Dr. Marc Mullinax
“The Cracks Where the Light Gets In”
Conservative religion talks a lot about sin. It’s labeled a  s vice, or failure or even evil … something needing to be fixed. So we often dismiss these shrill tones out-of-hand, as primitive or immature speculations about human nature. Prof. Marc Mullinax will tempt us to listen again to sin-talk as a crucial guide to where we need to journey in our spiritual lives. It places the exact question we need to answer at that time and place in our lives. What some may call “sin” may be the very message our lives can teach us in that moment! If we do not befriend our shadow-sides, we become the poorer for the neglect. Come and let’s rehabilitate sin!!
Marc Mullinax is an ordained American Baptist minister and an Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Mars Hill University. He holds a B.A. from Mars Hill College, 1977; M.A., University of Tennessee, 1979; M.Div., Southeastern Baptist Seminary, 1984; and Ph.D., Union Theological Seminary, 1993
Rev. Michael Carter
" What Are You Thankful For?"
This year I wanted to try something a bit different to celebrate Thanksgiving. I want those of you who will attend the service to feel freeto get up and witness to what you are thankful for in your life as you look over the trajectory of your lives this year. We will have a wonderful service with the usual great music and fellowship, but perhaps we will forgo my homily and let the congregation speak. Hope to see you there. As for me, I am extremely thankful to serve this awesome congregation! See you on the 22nd....
Sunday, 29 November 2015, 11 am
Rev. Amy Brooks
"As We Age"
Aging is a process that can be one of graceful letting go or full of clinging and regret. At times it may be some of both, but let go we must. How do we approach these important life lessons and how does our faith community support us in this process?
Sunday, 6 December 2015, 11 am
Bob Falanga
"De-Constructing Jesus: Messages for UUs"
For centuries the early church applied exaltations and elevations to the person of Jesus. Can we remove these theological and political layers and find the Historical Jesus? Can we locate the core message of this Jewish itinerant teacher and mystic? What messages does the Historical Jesus hold for contemporary UUs? |
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This appeal is from our minister, Rev. Michael Carter:
Dear Adult Members and Friends of UUCSV...our children need you! Our RE teachers need you. All of you would agree I’m sure that we want our children to be educated in the ways that our 7 UU Principles promote our faith. We ask our members and friends to give of their time, their treasure, and their talents. Well right now we need your time and talents. Our dedicated teachers are predominately volunteers and they are asking, I am asking for your help. We simply do not have enough teachers for our youth!
Yes, we realize that we all have busy lives. This is part of living life in our culture today. Yet our children need your time and they deserve it. Any time that you can give will be deeply appreciated. As UUCSV member Milton Warden so eloquently stated at the RE Retreat this past Sunday, we want our kids to be educated in the UU tradition whether they (ultimately) attend this congregation or not. We know that traditionally, as our youth get older, they leave for other ventures perhaps even attending other UU places of worship. Yet we want to send them off with our guidance, our life experience, our love, and blessings, so they can make their own choices, make their own mistakes and create their own success stories.
We want them to realize the power of the statement Unitarian Universalist Sophia Lyon Fahs made when she reminded us that it truly matters what we believe. We want them to realize the powerful truth of the statement made by Unitarian Minister William Ellery Channing when he said that the great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own, not to give them a definite amount of knowledge, but to inspire a fervent love of truth. Not to bind them by ineradicable prejudices to our particular sect or peculiar notions, not to burden memory, but to quicken and strengthen the power of thought. In a word, the great end in religious education is to awaken the soul, to excite and to cherish spiritual life.
This is why we need your help, and if you aren’t excited or motivated yet let me try another tactic. Perhaps by spending some time with our children, with our youth, your own inner child may emerge and come out to play. At times the daily grind of life can cause us to forget about that precious little child that resides in each and every one of us. Perhaps it's time for that child to come out of hiding and to get in the game and have some fun. It’s a win/win for all involved. Please, if you can, if you can make the time, (not try and find the time, it won’t happen that way) we encourage you to lend your talent, your wisdom, your love of this congregation and community, for your example will be deeply appreciated. I have so much faith in you that I will thank you in advance on behalf of our RE staff and volunteers for your example.
Give Us The Spirit of the Child
by Sara Moores Campbell
Unitarian Universalist and former Interim Minister at UUCSV
"Give us the child who lives within.
The child who trusts, the child who imagines, the child who sings,
The child who receives without reservation, the child who gives without judgment.
Give us a child’s eyes, that we may receive the beauty and freshness of this day like a sunrise;
Give us the child’s ears, that we may hear the music of mythical times;
Give us a child’s heart, that we may be filled with wonder and delight;
Give us a child’s faith, that we may be cured of cynicism;
Give us the spirit of the child, who is not afraid to need, who is not afraid to love."
I would only add to sister Campbell’s eloquence--- Give us the spirit of the child, who makes the time to serve.
Peace & Richest Blessings to you All,
Michael
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Dismantling Racism Workshop
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Saturday, November 7 from 9am - 2pm (includes potluck lunch)
The Level I Dismantling Racism Workshop provides a safe place to talk about race and racism. It is non-confrontational and blameless. One outcome of the workshop is the adoption of a common language for our discussions of race and racism.
The workshop employs a combination of teaching and experiential activities to help with the learning. During the workshop,
- we share some of our past experiences related to race,
- we reflect on the legacies of our various racial heritages,
- we analyze the dynamics and nature of racism, and
- we explore the connection between anti-racism work and the Gospel. We give racism a common definition we can all understand.
More information can be found at the CDR Website.
Information on the Dismantling Racism Workshop:
Please email Roberta Madden at robertamadden@yahoo.com to let us know if you'll be able to participate. Hope to see you all there!
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From the Minister (continued)
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The paying for it all is antiseptic now, with no smell of earth or human hands to prove these things came from anywhere but some efficient cannery or some neon-lighted marketplace. Yet truth is truth. The earth abides.
This time of year seems a between-times time. Autumn’s gone...but Winter has not quite come.... Now, late Autumn or early Winter, or whatever its name may be is a time --see farther than we could when leaves cut off the view. Now the world reveals itself in more dimensions, and neither things no people can hide in the leafless woods....A clear view is one thing this time of year allows. Right now, between two seasons, I’d make a holiday of solitude, with that clear view the loss of leaves allows, and with a faith that in its time, my life, like that of the earth, is balanced out. Yet if I have patience enough to see, and if I make a time to touch the earth again, I will see the sense it makes of seasons and of me.”
Happy Thanksgiving To You All,
Michael 
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The November 3rd Luunch Bunch will discuss the subject of Bias. Just what is “bias” and how does it eventually end up destroying our relationships with one another, and eventually our very lives? There will be a brief showing of a film in the sanctuary and a discussion in the RE room.
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This month's Friday Fling will be held on Friday November 20th, at the church, with a potluck beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by a movie. This month's selection is "The Imitation Game", biopic about mathematician Alan Turing, who broke the Nazi Emigma Code during WWII. Bring something good to share; red and white refreshments are provided.
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In November, the choir plans to take part in the Thanksgiving /Youth Sunday on November 22nd. We will reprise a song composed by our director, Linda Metzner, called "A Garment of Brightness," as well as offering a song for Thanksgiving Day. We will meet on November 15th at 12:15, then again on Wednesday the 18th at 7 PM, before the service on the 22nd at 10 AM. Please come and sing with us! We are a fun bunch -- valderi, valdera!
Linda Metzner
Choir Director
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The Women's Group meets monthly on the second Friday at one PM in the Community Room across from 4D Lynx Drive, Black Mountain.
On November 13th Carolyn Shorkey will continue helping us with formulating our individual "This I Believe". This session will last until two thirty. Don't forget to bring your homework handout.
If you missed Carolyn's first class in October you can attend the November meeting only if you meet with Carolyn for a review of the first meeting. Meet with her in the same location on the 13th at 11:00 am for about an hour and a half. After catching up on part one, you can then attend part two at 1:00 pm. You must reserve a space with Carolyn. Contact her at C14shorkey@gmail.com or 299-9456. For more information, call Helen Bell at 551-6077.
Everyone is welcome. An opportunity not to be missed.
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Highlights from the meeting of October 19th.
---The first quarter is finished and Lee reported we are in good financial shape. The Appalachian Autumn Adventure raised $675.
---Portico Project permits are pulled, the contract signed, and down payment checks for labor and materials given to the builder with the expectation of the project starting the second week in November.
---The issue of whether to collect a love offering for Adult RE classes was revisited. After discussion it was unanimously agreed that we will not request offerings.
---A member asked if there is a policy regarding what solicitations can be included in the Current, our weekly email newsletter, specifically about sales and services by children, e.g., girl scout cookies or school fund raising projects. A policy is being developed and will be presented to the board next month.
---David Wells presented a Safety policy which was approved.
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A big thank you to Jean and Allan Brown for offering to host coffee hour on Sunday, November first. This will be the last coffee hour prior to construction work on the portico. Once construction is completed, we will resume hosting coffee hour after the Sunday Service.
You may wonder why we ask for donations for coffee. When budget cutting was required, we opted to reduce our budget and see if donations could supply the balance - and they are! We purchase locally roasted coffee which is bought directly from growers by the roaster. Disposable coffee cups cost about 10¢ each so using a ceramic mug saves money as well as keeping the church green. Thank you for your donations which supports the continuation of coffee hour. It is the lubricant that keeps conversations going!
A final note about coffee hour -- we are in need of one more volunteer to make coffee once a month. We provide training and support. There are no meetings to attend for this committee, just the willingness to set up, make coffee, and clean up on the Sundays of your choice.
Carolyn Shorkey
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The deadline for the December issue will be November 25th. Please submit items to newsletter.uucsv@
gmail.com The best format is simply in the body of an email. Thanks, Ginny and Jackie
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Board of Trustees:
Jim Carillon
Diane Graham
David Groce, President
Sarah Kirkpatrick
David Reid, Vice-President
Tina Rosato
Carol Sheeler
Dave Wells
Minister, ex-officio,
non-voting Board Member:
Rev. Michael Carter,
Treasurer:
Lee Reading
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