Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
1135 State Park Road Greenville, SC 29609
www.greenvilleuu.org
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #1322
GREENVILLE, SC
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
The Flame
Greenville Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship
Newsletter
October 2007
Sunday Services 11am
IN THIS ISSUE
Babysitting is provided beginning at 9:30am each Sunday
A Course in Miracles (LOR) Sundays, 9:45am, Contact:
Jean Blank (239-0110)
Tai Chi (FH) Mondays, 7:00pm, Contact: Tom Champion
(244-2982)
Zen Meditation (SY) Tuesdays, 7:30pm, Contact: Brad
Fohr (275-3384)
African Drum Circle (FH) 4th Thursdays, 7:00pm,
Contact: Joan Baker (292-6054)
Young Adult Group (FH) Every other Friday evening,
6:00pm—8:00pm, Contact: Tara Ferguson (230-3866)
Discussion Group (FR) Every Sunday, 9:45-10:45, as of
9/16/07 group will merge with theology class for 8 weeks.
Contact: Cliff Beck (848-9734)
Building Your Own Theology Part 3 (FR) Starting
Sept. 16th, Sundays at 9:45 am, runs for 10 weeks, discussion group will merge with this class, Contact: Jackie
Weddington (609-0844) & Keith Mundis (268-2334)
Intro to GUUF & UUism (ROR) Starting Sept. 16th,
Sundays at 9:45 am, runs for 9 weeks, Contact: Glen
Rowley (859-9992, Diane Lawrence (246-2305) or Barbra
Gill (313-1514)
Knitting for Peace (5th/6th RE Room) Every 4th
Wednesday, 7:00pm—9:00pm, Contact: Kat Carrig (7045003)
Senior Fellowship (FH) A potluck and program, 2nd
Thursday monthly, noon, Contact: Suzy Hart (235-1714)
or Mary Foley (232-6003)
Roots of Unitarian Universalist (FR) Starting Tuesday, Oct. 16th—30th, 7:00pm—8:30pm, Contact: Rev.
Norm Stewart (271-4883)
3
DLRE Column
7
Contacts
9
Rev. David R. Gillespie
NOTE FROM NORM...
2
On The Membership
Front
8
What can plain, ordinary me do?
Money. Fame. Military or physical prowess. None of these has
as much power as a quiet, ordinary life lived intentionally. Intentional, ordinary lives have an
extraordinary power to affect
the hearts and minds of others.
At least Flaubert thought so, as
did Thoreau and others.
12
Social Responsibility
4
UU World of
Children
6
Inserts:
October Calendar
November Calendar
Sparkler
October 14, 2007
Growing Our Faith: UUA Association Sunday
Rev. Norm Stewart
The Mission of the
Greenville Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship
Offer a diverse,
welcoming and
accepting community.
Women’s Book Group (WR) 2nd Sunday each month,
9:45am, Contact: Susan Cooper
Encourage spiritual and
intellectual growth.
Yoga (FH) Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm, Runs from Sept 11th
till Nov 13th, Contact: Bruce Cable at brucecable@hotmail.com or call Fellowship Office (271-4883)
Promote stewardship of
our community and
environment through
social action.
Vespers (SY) Beginning Sept 26th ongoing on the last
Wednesday of each month, 6:00pm-6:45pm, Contact:
Patty Davis (268-9570)
October 7, 2007
The Extraordinary Power of an
Ordinary Life
The BOARD’S BOARD
On Going Classes
Ongoing Adult Religious Education & Other Classes
“We are a deliberately diverse community.”
Today we join with hundreds of
Unitarian Universalist congregations throughout the country to
lift up and celebrate the connectedness between our over
1000 autonomous UU churches,
fellowships and societies. No
matter what we each may call
ourselves, we are better together! There will be a special
offering today to support the
growth initiatives in our movement. Please come prepared to
give generously to this important effort to grow our faith.
October 21, 2007
Talking Theology
Rev. Norm Stewart
If, as James Fowler and Paul Tillich allegedly posit, faith is about
being in relationship to that
which we are committed, and if
we are to some degree committed to something other than just
ourselves, how might we talk
about that “other stuff” in
meaning-filled dialogue with one
another within the context of
our beloved community?
October 28, 2007
Día de los Muertos
[Day of the Dead]
Rev. Norm Stewart
“Día de los Muertos ... mixes
celebration and mourning. Like
a good UU memorial service, it
both affirms life and gives us a
chance to share our grief.” We
will be decorating altar tables
with photographs, mementos,
flowers, candles, etc. to remember and celebrate the lives of
those we want to remember.
You are invited to bring something for the altars we will be
creating and to place it on one
of the tables either before or
during the service.
The Flame
NOTE
Page 2
FROM
October 2007
Page 11
NORM….
As we swing into high gear for the new church
year there are all sorts of things going on around
the Fellowship trying to entice you into a deeper,
richer, more fulfilling engagement with your faith
community. As you peruse this latest issue of
The Flame, I am sure that each of you will find
an array of options from which you can choose. I
have three suggestions that I’ll personally invite
you to consider.
UU Roots Course: This is a 4 week course for
anyone who wants more in-depth information
about our Unitarian Universalist tradition, history,
and theology before making the decision to sign
our Membership Book and join our Fellowship. I
will be facilitating this course and there will be
ample opportunity to ask all of your burning
questions about our liberal religious tradition.
Current Fellowship members are also invited to
participate in this course and share your own understanding of our faith with prospective new
members.
The course will be offered on four consecutive
Tuesday evenings (the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th)
from 7 – 8:30 p.m. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you
plan to participate in this course please R.S.V.P.
directly to me at minister@greenvilleuu.org by
October 4th so that we will have sufficient
course materials available for you to take home
at the first class. If, after taking this course you
decide you are ready to sign our membership
book there will be a new member recognition
and welcoming at our Sunday service on November 11th.
Association Sunday, October 14th - Plan now to
be in church for this special Sunday service when
we join with thousands of Unitarian Universalists
across the nation celebrating a shared commitment to growing our faith on Association Sunday. This service celebrates the bonds of our larger common purpose as we combine our resources to make Unitarian Universalism a
stronger voice for our live-saving religious values
OPERATION LETTER WRITING
throughout the country.
We are better together! We increase our spirit
and influence. We honor the “inherent worth and
dignity of every person.” Our UU values are
needed to help heal the wounded world. We will
be taking a special collection for the growth and
vitality of our congregations. Our offerings will
be pooled with all of the other participating congregations and used for a national marketing
campaign and for grants to congregations for
their growth and outreach projects. If you can’t
attend on the 14th, please send in a check with
“Association Sunday” on the memo line or you
can
donate
online
by
visiting
http://www.uua.org/giving
Día de los Muertos - Day of the Dead: On Sunday, October 28th we will celebrate Día de los
Muertos, a Mexican tradition that dates back
more than 500 years. The Day of the Dead is a
festival that reverently honors those who have
passed over to another realm. At the same time
it both embraces death and pokes fun at it as if
to say, we are not afraid of you. Please bring
photos and memorabilia of loved ones who have
died to help us build an altar of remembrance for
those no longer with us.
There’s a lot happening around the Fellowship
these days. Come on out and get involved. You
never know what might happen, do ya’?
Now We’re Cookin’ !!
The GUUF Annual Auction has moved from simmer to the front burner and we’re
turning up the heat!
Our recipe still needs
a few ingredients.
Would you check your cupboards for: Goods and
Services folks might bite at the auction. Have
any nice things you don’t use or need much anymore, that may be just right for some lucky bidder? Or maybe you have a special skill or talent
or service folks would buy.
What we cook up is only limited by imagination!
It also needs more scoops of
volunteers.
There’s no such thing as too many cooks in the
Auction kitchen to stir things up. We’ve got
openings for more: auctioneers, decorators,
phone teams, catalog creative writers and artists,
food and beverage hosts, and more!
Want to grab an apron and join in, or just want
more info? Call our Executive Chefs
Reed Humphrey, 234-4946 or John Emery, 8485085 or email to
waysandmeans@greenvilleuu.org
Makin’ the fixin’s is a great way to mingle and meet your fellow
GUUFers too!
Plan to be at the Auction November 17!
But get cookin’ now!
You know all those times you read about an issue
and say "I need to write a letter about that!" but
then the moment slips away? Well, now your Social
Responsibility committee wants to make this process
more accessible by sponsoring a Letter Writing Operation. Starting September 9th, please check out
the Letter Writing bulletin board in the Fellowship
Hall. This is an opportunity for you to quickly and
easily write letters to your public representatives, be
they US Members of Congress, US Senators, State
Legislators, County Council Reps, etc., about important issues the times may bring our way. We'll provide all you will need for sending letters
(descriptions of the issue, sample letters, envelopes,
stamps...we'll tell you who your representative is, in
case you don't know...AND we'll even mail the letter
for you!) This will be an on-going project. Come
check us out!! CURRENT: Postal Rate Hike; AntiDiscrimination Laws
For our Service on Oct. 28th, El Dia de los
Muertes, potted chrysanthemums will be used in
the decorations.
If you would like to contribute a plant in
memory of a loved one, please send a
check for $10 each with the memorial
information to the Fellowship office by
Oct. 23rd. A list of donors and memorials
will appear in the Order of Service. After the service you
may take home any chrysanthemums which you donate.
If you have not picked up your membership directory for
the year 2007-2008, please do so. If you are accessing
our newsletter via our website and do not want to receive
a paper copy, please contact the office via email
(office@greenvilleuu.org) or a call (271-4883) to let us
know. We will send you an e mail when the newsletter is
available for you to download.
Mother Earth will thank you!
Remember the Fellowship Work Day
These hot temperatures will not last until November so look forward to working in cool comfort on
Saturday, November 3rd, for the First Annual AllFellowship Work Day. Mark you calendar now for
this day. Lunch will be provided.
The Flame
NEW MEMBER RECOGNITION SUNDAY
New members who have signed the book since
May 20, 2007 will be recognized in a short but
special ceremony during the worship service Sunday, November 11. A special reception to honor
our new members will be held after the service in
Fellowship Hall.
If you are seriously considering joining our Fellowship, please contact our minister, Rev Norm
Stewart @ (864) 271-4883 to make an appointment with him to sign our Membership Book by
Nov. 4, if possible.
SOUTHERN IMMIGRATION PATTERNS
Greenville Technical College and the Huff Center of
Furman's history department are sponsoring a series of
community conversations. The four-part series will address
immigration to South Carolina from the 1670s to the present. The first lecture will be "The Colonial Era: British Migration into the Low Country and the Upstate South Carolina" with Dr. John Barrington of Furman University on
Monday, Sept. 24, 11am-12:15 p.m, at the International
Center of the Upstate, first floor of Greenville City Hall, 206
The Alternative Gift Fair is returning
to GUUF on Sunday, December 2nd,
from noon to 3 p.m. in the GUUF Fellowship Hall. Bypass the stress of the
holiday season and experience the joy! The fair is
open to the whole community—tell your friends!
Instead of buying your loved ones more stuff that
they don’t need and cluttering up their homes, you
can make donations to causes that fit their values,
then present them with lovely cards describing their
“gifts.”
Over the past four years, this event not only raised
over $25,000 for many worthwhile organizations, we
all had a fantastic time doing it! What a great way to
get your holiday shopping all finished while browsing
handmade crafts, listening to cool live music, sipping
fair trade coffee, munching on homemade baked
goodies, and chatting with friends.
Page 10
The date was chosen to allow those who wish to
take advantage of one of the following
courses optionally offered as information, education and preparation for membership: UUism and
GUUF, on Sunday mornings at 9:45 A.M. (See
info in this issue of THE FLAME), taught by Glen
Rowley and Barbara Gill; and/or the ROOTS class,
a UUA foundation class for membership to be
held 4 successive Tuesday evenings at the Fellowship (see details in Rev Norm's column in this
issue of THE FLAME.) This class will be taught by
Rev Norm Stewart. All are welcome to both of
these classes, whatever your membership status.
Please feel free to contact Glen Rowley @ (864)
616-1232 or Diane Lawrence @ (864-246-2305)
South Main St. The other three components of the series
are as follows: "Slave Trade: Introduction of African Americans" (October 2007), "19th Century Immigration to the
South: Irish and Others Moving to South Carolina "
(February 2008), and "The South Carolina Immigrants of
the 20th Century: Hispanics and Asians" (March 2008). All
programs are open to the public. For more information contact
Mary
R y a n- M o r r i s ,
( 8 6 4 ) 2 5 0 -8 8 2 8
or
mary.ryanmorris@gvltec.edu.
Volunteers are needed over the next 2 months to
help organize the crafts, coffee, entertainment, publicity, and decorations. We also need folks who
would be willing to put up posters in area businesses.
On the day of the event (Nov. 18) many volunteers
are needed to contribute baked goods, staff tables,
inscribe cards, etc. Please contact Nancy Fitzer
(scfitzers@yahoo.com or 370-3493) or Kris Beliakoff
(Kris.Beliakoff@gmail.com or 906-5368 with questions or to volunteer.
Energy Conservation for GUUF
As a follow-up to the Global Warming discussion group,
we are developing a program to save energy at GUUF.
The goal of this program is to make a noticeable change
in the monthly electrical usage at the Fellowship. If you
would be interested in participating in this program, call
(848-9734) or mail Cliff Beck (cliffhb@aol.com). We are
looking for both practical, economical ideas to save energy and help in implementing these ideas.
October 2007
Page 3
The BOARD’S BOARD
As I write this column, things outside are cooling
down while things inside at GUUF are heating up!
We are busily preparing for the Ministry Start-Up
workshop being held at the end of this month
with our District Executive, Annette Marquis. I
have no doubt that by the time you read this article that we will have had a gloriously successful
start-up and will be busily working toward implementing the goals we set at that event.
As I stated in my August Flame article, we will be
turning inward to organize and improve our inner
workings. One such change this year is that each
of the members of your board of trustees has a
particular focus for GUUF. As your President, I
act as an overall coordinator/problem solver. Any
time any congregant, friend or guest has a question or concern, I stand ready to assist and help
get that person to someone who can assist them
or work toward a solution. Our President-Elect
(Peggy Baker) coordinates the program council,
which is comprised of the chairs and co-chairs of
the various working committees in our congregation. Our Past-President (Jim Lee) is focusing on
leadership development and the transition of our
Nominating Committee process to a broader
process of leadership development. Our Chief
Financial Officer (Chuck Lawrence) is working to
improve our fiscal practices and increase our endowments to help fund quality programming
while assuring our fiscal stability. Our Trustee at
Large (Jim Buschur) is working on overhauling
our Bylaws to meet the needs of our growing
congregation.
Our other Trustee at Large
(Barbara Gill) is working diligently as our personnel liaison. In doing so, Barbara works closely
with our staff to assure a seamless and cooperative team effort between lay leadership and staff.
Our program council meets on the first
Wednesday of each month in the Founder’s
This Month, Candy Kern-Fuller, Board President
Room at 7:00 p.m. and the board meets on
the second Wednesday of each month at
the same time and place. Please feel free
at any time to drop in and join us. These
meetings are open to all congregants.
We are also please to announce that Kris Beliakoff has agreed to remove the “acting” from her
job title. She has also agreed to permanently
continue the supervision of the staff that she graciously took on last year. Her new title will now
be “Director of Lifespan Religious Education and
Administration.” So, if you have something you
need from a staff member or have feedback
about a staff member, I encourage you to speak
with Kris about it.
It’s an exciting time to be at GUUF! As always,
please do not hesitate to contact me on my cellular phone at 864-905-3610 or by email at
Candy@Powdersvillelaw.com. For your board, I
am
Sincerely,
Candy Kern-Fuller, President
Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
24th Annual GUUF Auction
Saturday, November 17
GUUF Fellowship Hall
Silent Auction and Social Hour 6:00 p.m.
Live Auction Starts at 7:00 p.m.
FREE appetizers!
FREE Wine! FREE Beer(adults)
FREE Soft Drinks! FREE Childcare!
With all that FREE you can bid & buy on all
Kinds of Great Items!
Come for the Company…
...Stay for the Bargains!
The Flame
Page 4
Social Responsibility
September has been a good
month for Social Responsibility.
We helped purchase clothing
for the school age child who is
our guest at the Rowland/McFerrin House. That was
fun; I just hope we selected
the clothes a girl in the third
grade will like.
We took a box of good things
and a bag of toiletries to Safe
Harbor. The Thrift Shop does
this too, so you can drop off
things at either the Book Nook
or at the Thrift Shop.
A Covenant Circle made lunch
for Southernside.
United Ministries is still sponsoring a Poverty Tour for people who are interested. Please,
if anyone would like to do this
contact me at jweddington0844@charter.net
Beth Templeton, who has been
the lead minister at United Ministries, is doing this work and
she really knows her way
around Greenville.
Now that Fall is here (or almost
here) I find myself challenged
to find and eat locally grown
food. It is really a healthy environmental practice. If anyone
has some recipes for winter
eating (that do not include food
driven or shipped here from
half way round the world)
please email them to me and I
will be happy to put some into
the Flame each month.
October is Domestic Violence
Awareness Month.
Attorney
General Henry McMaster has
declared Domestic Violence the
number one problem for South
Carolina. If you have a friend
who is in an abusive relationship please listen to her, but be
aware the most dangerous time
for someone in a violent relationship is when they are leaving or attempting to leave their
abuser. We do not have
enough “safe homes” for the
abused in South Carolina, few
states or cities do. The one I
am most aware of in Greenville
is Safe Harbor. If there are
others please let me know. We
also have a great Rape Crisis
Center here in town.
The Ethics Discussion Group
got off to a good start. We are
meeting with the “Discussion
Group” in the Founders Room
Sunday mornings at 9:45.
Please feel free to join us. It is
scheduled to meet for eight
weeks, but may go longer depending on the group’s interest...
The letter writing table is up; it
has been moved to the side of
the Fellowship Hall close to the
new membership area. Check
it out. If you have any ideas
just let us know, someone will
be at the table on Sundays.
Predatory lenders are a pet
peeve of mine. The folks you
see on television offering loans
that look so easy to pay back.
Sometimes they are side by
side at the strip malls too.
(Which is something else
Greenville needed more of.)
They will be so happy to lend
you money at three hundred
percent interest. If seems their
favorite customers are the
working poor and the elderly.
At the present time there are
no bills in the legislature of S.C,
to cap the interest rates. Both
Georgia and North Carolina
have voted caps on the amount
of interest these lenders can
charge.
Here is to October, the month
of goblins, witches and ghosts,
bonfires and the wonderful
smell from piles of leaves. Remember not everyone will have
a coat to wear this winter, look
through your closets, coat
drives will be happening soon.
Here is to October, the month
you just know is leading up to
something exciting. May peace
abound and be found every
where this October.
Thanks to everyone for all you
do. You are the ones that make
it happen.
In Peace,
Jackie
October 2007
Page 9
2007-2008
Board Members
Minister
2006-2007
Program Council
President:
Rev. Norm Stewart
Minister
1-4 Tue-Thu
Candy Kern-Fuller 224-8071
& other times by appointment
Alvena Chapman 232-7092
president@greenvilleuu.org
271-4883
Rebecca Greer
minister@greenvilleuu.org
bandg@greenvilleuu.org
Staff
Denominational Affairs:
President Elect:
Peggy Baker
244-8141
presidentelect@greenvilleuu.org
Past President:
Jim Lee 423-7273
pastpresident@greenvilleuu.org
CFO:
Chuck Lawrence 246-2305
cfo@@greenvilleuu.org
Trustee at Large:
Barbara Gill
313-1514
trusteeatlarge@greenvilleuu.org
Trustee at Large:
Jim Buscher
297-7639
trusteeatlarge@greenvilleuu.org
Youth Trustee:
Yet to be Appointed
youthtrustee@greenvilleuu.org
Minister:
Rev. Norm Stewart 271-4883
minister@greenvilleuu.org
About
The Flame
This newsletter is
published to
communicate news and information
about the congregation to members
and friends of the Greenville Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship. The deadline
for the next issue is the 18th of
this month at 5pm. Articles can be
emailed to office@greenvilleuu.org,
faxed to 271-6088, or left in the
Newsletter mailbox in the Fellowship
Office.
Kris Beliakoff
Director of Lifespan Religious
Education and Administration
9-12 Mon-Thu
271-4883
dre@greenvilleuu.org
Corry Clark
Administrative Assistant
9-5 Mon-Fri
271-4883
office@greenvilleuu.org
Kat Carrig
Youth Director
271-4883
youthcoordinator
@greenvilleuu.org
Joseph Hoover
Sexton
9-3 Mon-Fri
271-4883
sexton@greenvilleuu.org
UU World of
Children
Maureen Nery
Director
239-0607
uuworldofchildren
@greenvilleuu.org
Building & Grounds:
Pat Edwards
292-6046
420-7676
da@greenvilleuu.org
Membership:
Diane Lawrence 246-2305
Glen Rowley
859-9992
membership@greenvilleuu.org
Preschool Liaison:
John Emery
848-5085
preschool@greenvilleuu.org
RE-Adult:
Keith Mundis
268-2334
adultre@greenvilleuu.org
RE-Youth:
Anna Lucas
268-1298
Laura Christenbury 409-9181
youthre@greenvilleuu.org
Social Responsibility:
Jackie Weddington 609-0844
socialresponsibiity@greenvilleuu.org
Sunday Services:
Gordon Branson 963-4742
sundayservices@greenvilleuu.org
Ways & Means:
John Emory
848-5085
Reed Humphrey 234-4946
waysandmeans@greenvilleuu.org
Year Round Canvass:
Ed Proux
469-0103
canvass@greenvilleuu.org
The Flame
Page 8
The Book Nook
On the Membership Front Lines...
Welcome two new members! Two new members
have joined our membership and we all want to give
them a warm welcome to our Fellowship. We welcome Elizabeth “Betty” Gibson from Williamston.
We also welcome Larry Tyler Parker who lives in
Easley.
Look in your hymnal! The new bookmarks are colorful, cheerful and, more importantly, they remind us
to welcome and get to know our friends and guests.
Everyone has a story and our Fellowship is filled with
very interesting people, so…
Have you talked to someone new today? Make
it a point to welcome and really get to know more of
the great people who share our faith. During the
Coffee Hour after the Sunday Service, stop by our
new Welcome Banner in the Fellowship Hall and
meet our new interesting guests and prospective
members.
We come together and accept people of all beliefs
and faiths who accept the inherent worth and dignity
of every person regardless of race, creed, color, gender or sexual orientation. You are welcome to join
us.
If you would like to have a bookmark for your personal use, you are welcome to take one. If you wish
to give one to a friend so they can learn more about
us and what we are about, be sure to give them one
as well. If you have need of more for a special project or promotion, contact Glen Rowley.
UUism & Introduction to GUUF’s first class was a
great success with 17 newcomers to our fellowship.
A few are already new members of our congregation
and many others are interested in becoming members.
If you have wanted to but have not yet attended the
class, you are still welcome to come to the
remaining classes. Or, if you prefer, a new series
will begin again in January. The remaining classes
are:
Oct. 7 – History and Future of GUUF.
Oct. 14 – Local, District & Nat. UU Structure. Oct. 21 –
RE Programs for Youth & Adults.
October 2007
Page 5
Oct. 28 – GUUFers Social Activities.
Nov. 4 – Social Action & Social Justice.
Nov. 11 – Commitments Expected of Members.
Improvement Ideas suggestion box! We need
your suggestions, recommendations, comments,
ideas and questions to improve (y)our Fellowship, its
programs, services, and activities. What would you
like us to do so you’ll feel more comfortable here?
What would you like to have (y)our Fellowship do so
you’ll want to invite your friends to (y)our Fellowship?
At the Welcome Table in the entrance is a box made
of solid cherry thanks to the skills and contribution of
Bill Wunch.
The box says “IMPROVEMENT
IDEAS” and is there for your thoughts, ideas and
questions. Blue cards are beside the box for you to
fill out and put inside the box. Your card will be recorded and delivered to an appropriate person. Expect a quick response. Help our Fellowship be the
best place in the Upstate for religious liberals to be.
UU Fellowship Hike, Lunch & Wine Tasting
Saturday Oct. 20 at 9:00am.
Join us Saturday morning for a hike to Table Rock at
Table Rock State Park. Plan to meet in the Fellowship Parking Lot or at Muriel & Glen Rowley’s home,
510 Laurel Rd., Easley, SC at 9:00 am. Bring a
packed or picnic lunch to eat at the picnic site at
12:30. The winery visit will be around 1:30. There
cost is a $2 entrance fee and a $5 per person for the
wine tasting. Supervised youth are invited. Contact
Carolyn West, (Carolyn.Kelley-west@va.gov 9680713, Diane Lawrence, dianelawrence@charter.net
246-2305, or Glen Rowley, glenrowley@charter.net
859-9992, so a necessary count can be confirmed to
the winery.
This will be an excellent way to make new friends
from the Fellowship. We plan to have a family Saturday group social event every month.
Welcome ALL,
Diane and Glen
CORRECTION:
William Griffith’s email is incorrect in the new directory. Please make the
change to williamigriffith@gmail.com
Thanks to everyone who purchases books at the
Book Nook. We could use a helper for Sunday
mornings. Just to answer questions
and make sure money gets into the
red box.
This is a great way to meet people
and if you are a reader you will find
plenty to look at while you are waiting for customers. Please let me know if you can help
Jackie Weddington 609-0844.
Please if you buy a book don’t forget to put your
money into the little red box.
Thank you
This money goes to buy more books from Beacon and Skinner Press. The press that brought
you the Pentagon Papers and all of Mary Oliver’s
latest poems. The UU’s Bookstore is in Boston.
Choir Call
The G.U.U.F. choir is as deliberately diverse as the entire Fellowship! Whatever your
talents or experience you are welcome to join
us at rehearsals on Sunday mornings at 10:00.
We meet in the choir room just down the hall
from the sanctuary. Please contact Donny Harvey anytime at music@greenvilleuu.org or during the day at 244-7881 for more information.
Thanks,
Donny
The junior high youth want to provide 100
Thanksgiving dinners to Southernside this
year.
How can you help? You can sponsor a meal for
only $25 to help the youth with their goal and
give a family a nice warm meal for
Thanksgiving. There will be a booth
in the Fellowship Hall until November 4th to collect money. Please contact Kat
Carrig
at
7 0 4- 5 0 0 3
or
write
to
katrynie73@yahoo.com with any questions.
Knitting for Peace
… a desire to knit the world into a better place,
through handmade gifts of love and peace.
How can you knit for peace? Pick up a pair of
knitting needles or a crochet hook and create a
square! Cast on 35 stitches and create a piece
about the size of 7” by 9”. We will take your
square and create afghans for homeless people,
women’s shelters, orphanages, and children’s
centers locally and globally. Please place finished squares in the designated basket in the
left overflow room.
Need more information? Please contact Kat Carrig at 704-5003 or join us in our Knitting Ministry on the 4th Wednesdays of every month at
7pm in the 5th/6th grade room.
“If we have no peace, it is because we
have forgotten that we belong to each other”
Mother Teresa
The UU Women's Book Group …
...will meet again on Sunday, October 14 at 9:45
am in the Women's Room to discuss the book,
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime by Mark Haddon. A moving and fascinating
account of life from the viewpoint of an autistic
child. Discussion led by Susan Cooper. Questions? Call Susan at: 288-4912.
On the behalf of the Sunday Services Committee, the Secular Sound and Light Crew extends
their appreciation to Larry Parker for the donation of several pieces of audio equipment for use
in the Fellowship Hall and the Sound Booth.
Richard Fuller
The Flame
Page 6
UU World of Children
Maureen Nery
The UU World of Children has been granted
non-profit status by the IRS.
(and ate)—we couldn’t do it without you!
From our beginning in 1997, we were nonprofit
as a result of our being a program of the
Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
As we grew, it became obvious that we should
apply for our own 501c3 status.
We are beginning an accreditation process
with the Montessori Schools Accreditation
Commission. It is a complex series of tasks
involving everything from our curriculum to
our financial status and history to our parent
program. We surely could use some help! If
you are someone who has been involved in such
an endeavor in the past and would like to help
us, we would love to talk to you. Please call
the office at 239-0607.
In 2004 we began the arduous application.
Merridee Harper, too-little-sung hero of the
UU World of Children, with some help from
Jim Hennigan, spent hours and hours deciphering forms. We filled out forms, signed
forms, and re-signed forms.
Finally, after conversations to numerous to
count, we received word this summer that we
have been approved as a 501c3 corporation.
We are officially non-profit.
This legal status in no way changes our relationship with the Fellowship. We are still a
program of the church.
(Indeed, other
churches have similar programs, such as social
justice, that are non profit because of their
size and complexity). We are still indebted to
the Fellowship for our existence and its support. We are still grateful to the Fellowship
for all that we have become.
And speaking of being grateful, we made
$750 on our Spaghetti dinner September 9.
Thanks to all the volunteers who participated
Another possibility for a volunteer is an ESL
teacher. We have a few Hispanic parents and
could probably find a few more willing participants, if a knowledgeable person would be willing to teach. ¿Puede usted ayudar?
Maureen
October 2007
Page 7
Lifespan Religious Education
"I give you permission to come of age." One by one the
parents draped the beautiful satin jewel-toned stoles over
their teen daughters and sons. Embarrassed smiled, wispy
tears and hugs followed. The orientation to this year's
coming of age program ended in anticipation of a great
year. The teens will explore what Unitarian Universalism
means to them and whether or not they are ready to claim
the faith as their own. The adults have committed to assisting and supporting them on their journey. Some have
even asked to travel through some of the same discussions to explore their own relationship with the faith.
In discussion with the parents of the teens, it quickly came
to light that there is much need for this exploration and at
many levels. In anticipation of this need from many conversations over the past year, our lifespan programming
this year shifts from the emphasis on World Religions we
had last year to one of UU Identity. The teens and their
mentors and parents will participate in the coming of age
program. The junior high explore UU history and theology
in an upbeat curriculum called "Traditions with a Wink."
The 5th and 6th grade diverge a bit because this age
group alternates yearly in studying the Jewish scriptures
and the New Testament. This year they study the foundation of our faith found in the Jewish scriptures. The
preschool through elementary Spirit Play will also study
much about our faith through a mixture that involves UU
history but also theology and wisdom from world religions.
Additionally, during the service on the second Sunday of
every month, a highly reflective program for pre-school
and elementary aged children is offered which allows the
children to know the faith in even more detail and their
fellowship structure in more depth. Those children earn
their scouting badge if they are in boy or girl scouts, but
all should find the time helpful and enjoyable regardless of
whether they are a scout.
Adults currently have a selection of the New UU at GUUF,
a "Developing Your Own Theology" with emphasis on ethics, and soon a UU Roots course to help them know more
about the history and theology of UUs while exploring their
own relationship to the faith.
We are starting our
Wednesday night programs soon too (please keep up to
date with future Flames, Sunday morning program inserts,
and the GUUF email list). The intention of Wednesday
night is to allow us to expand our studies to include more
worship offerings (Evensong for Families), exploration of
alternative sacred practices, guest speakers on topics and
books, a Spiritual Cinema club, time for young adult programs and more while guaranteeing the doors are open,
childcare is provided, and maybe soon, even a meal is
available.
As we rev up our new year together, I would like to men-
Kris Beliakoff
tion that our wonderful, dynamic and much-loved Youth
Director Kat Carrig is leaving us for full time devotion to
family.
She has built up our youth program to new
heights with much attention and dedication beyond expectations. We will miss her tremendously, but we support
her in her decision to focus on tending to her new baby.
She has graciously agreed to work with the youth in their
coming of age program on Sunday mornings as a volunteer to keep the transition as smooth as possible and allow
her to maintain those relationships she has been building.
We are currently interviewing for Kat's replacement. Our
intention is to shift the position to an assistant coordinator
for religious education (we're still working on the title J )
with an emphasis on teen and young adults. This shift is
necessary as we grow and my duties expand to add staff
supervision in addition to the design, implementation, supervision and evaluation of programs for all ages. We are
seeking someone who not only assists, but strongly enhances (as Kat did) what we do.
As Candy's column indicates, I was asked by the Board to
remove the 'acting" from my title and add
"administration." An acting DLRE fills a position until a
permanent replacement can be found. When we lost our
previous DLRE last October, we were in the beginning of
our search for a minister. We were faced with searching
for both and minister and DLRE in the same year. The RE
committee asked that I fill the DLRE position while we
search for our settled minister. Once that minister was
found, we could begin looking for our permanent DLRE.
Well, the reverend Norm Stewart is now here, and it is
such an honor that the overwhelming sentiment be that I
accept the job as mine and no longer as a temporary assignment.
By dropping the "acting" I show you that I
intend to stay and continue to grow and improve what we
have built together this past year. It allows the staff
which I supervise to know that I intend to be around to
help not only now, but in the future. That the Board has
requested I drop the title shows trust and support for what
I do in this position. I no longer explore this position and
the fellowship no longer tests this fit. We both claim a
relationship, and in that way, have one more coming of
age.
Kris Beliakoff
Director
of
Lifespan
and Administration
Religious
Education
Please reach me at 906-5368 or in the office at 271-4883
Sunday through Thursday.