Unitarian Universalist Congregation East

February Board Meeting

Stan made quick work of the board meeting this month.  The minutes from last month were tabled because they had been left on a table that wasn’t the table where the board meeting was being held.  The Treasurer’s report was discussed pretty much the same way all the Treasurer’s reports are always discussed. The annual insurance policy was paid, so there was a big hole in the budget when looked at from the point of view of one unlucky month when that bill gets paid.

The Space Cadets have really cleaned up the sanctuary to make more… um… space.  The Statue of Liberty was bubble-wrapped and stored… ok, she was put out on the back porch but there is a foot of snow on the ground right now.  The easy chair was easily taken by Material Subsistence Providers who apparently take furniture and keep it until someone needs it.  I couldn’t find a link on the internet to this outfit so you have to take the Space Cadet’s word for it.

A group called Sustainable Reynoldsburg has contacted us to inquire whether we would be interested in participating in their community garden project.  We told them our garden project had guardn’ problems because the rabbits and raccoons feasted until the deer came to muscle them aside.  Anyone interested in participating in Sustainable Reynoldsburg can find out more at:   http://groups.google.com/group/sustainable-reynoldsburg?lnk=srq

The Potluck is canceled for February 2010.  We are all looking forward to March.  More snow tomorrow– President’s day.  Stay healthy.

Rick

Connie’s funeral Mass has changed times

We are all saddened by the passing of our friend Connie this last week.  Gordon was in attendance at Sunday services and there was, from Gordon’s point of view, endless hugging.

Today, Gordon informs us that Connie’s funeral Mass at St. Pius X has been moved up one hour.  The viewing will be at 10 and the Mass will begin at 11:00

St Pius is at 1051 Waggoner Rd in Reynoldsburg.

http://www.spxreynoldsburg.com/

17 January News and Notes

Kalen received his new member packet from Betty today.

Courage had surgery on his shoulder but has come  through the surgery well.

We were all asked to consider “Dreams” for Martin Luther King’s birthday.  Particularly, David asked us to define the “American Dream.”  Being Americans, we were all asked about whether we were happy, since the Declaration of Independence specifically mentions life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  Happiness is not being offered, only the right to pursue it.  Martin Luther King’s dream was, in part, to eradicate the effects of poverty in America.  When he died, he was helping out the sanitation workers.

This idea of the American dream is harder to figure out than it used to be.  Once it could have simply been that every American has the opportunity to move up in the world without regard to previous social status.  It was also tied to the hope and dream that one’s children had the opportunity to achieve a better life than you yourself had achieved.  This was certainly true in the 19th century when there was plenty of land to homestead and cities were growing up where there had only been grass and trees just a scant few years back.  Today, the American dream has changed into something different than it was.

Saturday, December 12th Candlelight vigil

Between December 9th and 18th, 180 world leaders will meet in Copenhagen in an attempt to hammer out a reduction in global levels of greenhouse gases (especially CO2). There is real urgency behind this meeting; representatives of island states and sea-level nations warn that their countries could actually disappear before the end of the century if global warming is not arrested. Additionally, climatic changes due to warming, coupled with unchecked population growth has reduced the world food supply to a near record low – with no new “green revolution” in the offing. Increasing droughts and loss of arable land will mean starvation, mass migration, war, and human suffering on a scale never before seen.

The 350.org group will be holding a candlelight vigil in Copenhagen to show the world’s leaders that we understand the seriousness of the threat the entire planet faces. The Reynoldsburg UU Fellowship and members of the local community will join First UU in our own candlelight vigil at 7 PM, Saturday, December 12th at First UU.

Please join us to show support for a strong international response to the growing global climate emergency. Future generations are depending on us.  If the weather is mild, we will walk the blocks from Weisheimer to Henderson and back; so dress warmly. If the weather is bad, we’ll gather in the Worship Center.

Thank you,

Tom Baillieul, Chair

The First UU Green Team

UUCE Grounds Committee meeting

The grounds committee met Nov 14, 2009 after services.  The committee decided to try to sub-divide that task into managable regions with Becca as overall coordinator.  Each region will manage its own planning and maintenance.

Regions:
Overall grass:  Will be mulching the leaves in place instead of raking them for ease of maintenance and smaller carbon footprint.

Fire Pit:  Will be mulching leaves because it is kind to the earth

Pond:  Will begin planning

Memorial area:  Will begin planning

Two flower circles:  Will continue planning

Rectangle bed under the sign:  Will begin planning

Area by street in front of railroad ties:  Planning?  What is Planning?