The Results are In!!

The results are in! On January 8, 2012, our congregation gathered and voted to name the rooms in our building for the following influential UUs:

1.) Susan B. Anthony (36 votes): (1820-1906) Suffragist and women’s rights leader. Unitarian.

2.) Rev. Lewis McGee (31 votes): First African American to be called to a predominately white congregation. Was a candidate for ministry at UUCF, but was not called.

3.) Clara Barton (30 votes): (1821-1912) Founder of the American Red Cross. Universalist.

4.) Auldin Nelson (28 votes): Former member of UUCF and architect of the newest edition of our building.

5.) Olympia Brown (26 votes): (1835-1926) First fully ordained woman minister in the United States. Universalist.

6.) Ralph Waldo Emerson (26 votes): (1803-1882) essayist and poet, author of Self-Reliance. Unitarian

7.) Martha and Rev. Waitstill Sharp (24 votes): helped hundreds of people escape nazi persecution during WWII.

8.)Henry David Thoreau (24 votes): (1817-1862) American poet, author, philosopher and abolitionist.

9.)Beatrix Potter (24 votes): (1866-1943) Author, natural scientist and conservationist.

10.) Julia Ward Howe (23 votes): (1819-1910) American abolitionist, women’s rights leader, poet, philosopher. Unitarian

11.) Abigail and John Adams (22 votes): second president and first lady of the United States. Unitarian.

12.) Charles Dickens (21 votes): (1812-1870): English Novelist. Unitarian


Staff Offices:

Religious Education Office:
Sophia Lyon Fahs: (1876-1978): revolutionized Unitarian Religious Education.

Music Office:
Amy Beach: (1867 - 1944) - The first successful female American composer

Minister's Office:
Rev. David Bumbaugh: was in the pulpit for 44 years before teaching at first Drew Theological Seminary, then Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. He has written two books Education of God and Unitarian Universalism: A Narrative History.


Thanks to all who participated in this process!

Ingathering Water Communion Worship service on 9/11

It's time to kick-off the 2011-2012 Program year! Join us this Sunday, September 11th,  for multigenerational celebration and Worship in the Sanctuary. We will "Begin Again in Love" with a traditional, intergenerational, water communion ritual. You are invited to bring a small container of water symbolizing your summer experience. If you would like, during the service you may also use a short phrase to share your understanding of the summer’s significance to you. 

Our children and youth will play an important role in our multigenerational worship; all children and youth are invited to help lead the congregation in our chalice lighting. Try saying these words at home to practice!

We Light this chalice to celebrate Unitarian Universalism;

The church of the open mind, loving heart, and helping hands;

We help our Earth and each other. 

If your child is sharing a reading during the service or has volunteered to help the ushers, please plan to arrive by 10am so that we may rehearse. 

The service will be followed by a huge gala, including food, children’s activities and great conversation. 

Food

* Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Veggie Burgers & Veggie Kabobs

* Ice Cream & Root Beer Float Bar

* Corn on the Cob

* Cake

* Pot Luck Salads & Desserts

* Watermelon

Entertainment

* Provided by our in house talents!

**If you sing, have a poem to read, dance, drum or more then sign up to help us celebrate this day! We want to see and hear all of your wonderful talents!

Children's Activities

* Bounce House

* Face Painting (Adults can join in too)

* Bubbles

* Side Walk Chalk Drawings

* Water Fun (Slip & Slide)

* Balloons

See you on Sunday!

Please note that nursery care is now available beginning at 9:30am every Sunday morning! We invite and encourage children and youth who arrive early but are not helping with the worship service to participate in activities and crafts in our nursery until the beginning of the service. 

A Moment For All Ages July 31, 2011: The Sources of Our Faith

In a Unitarian Universalist congregation, you will find many different ideas and opinions. When we are together, we share our ideas, and these conversations help each of us on our own path to discovery. 


Sometimes, we need to look not only to our fellow UUs for inspiration and wisdom, but outside our walls as well. 


While our Seven Principles are central to our faith, we also recognize that we draw our faith from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Where do you find inspiration and wisdom for your spiritual journey? 


Resources on this topic:
Six UU Sources workbook for kids from the UUA bookstore

A Moment For All Ages July 24h, 2011: Better Together

We've been talking a lot about why we come together as a church community; this week we explore how we can continue to be "better together" in community.

Many congregations write a covenant, or simply, an agreement or promise of the ways we want to behave when we are together. These promises are not always easy to keep and sometimes it is helpful to be a part of a loving community that can help us remember when we have lost our way or when we have forgotten the promises that we have made.

Staying in covenant takes practice, and we all need help every once in a while! Try practicing this at home by crafting your very own family covenant. Take a moment this week and think about the promises that you make to your family, your neighborhood community, your faith community, and your world community and write them down. Also think about the ways that we can peacefully and lovingly remind one another when we have broken these promises; how can we get back on track?

For more information on covenants, check out some of these resources!

Blog entry by Doug Muder
From the UUA website
Making a family covenant

Flower Communion this Sunday!

This Sunday we look forward to our annual Flower Communion Celebration!

Flower communion is A celebration unique to UU churches, dating back to 1923 when Norbert Capek introduced this tradition in his Unitarian church in Czechoslovakia. You and your family are invited to take part in our service; simply bring a flower or two to share! Flowers can be from your garden, from the store, or even from a field of wild flowers. 

We will also be taking some time during this multigenerational service to honor our Lifespan Learning volunteers from this year, so come and show your gratitude for our community! (Nursery care will be available for children 4 and under.)

Children and youth who wish to participate in this service are asked to arrive by 9:00am. 

There are some fun and easy ways to prepare your family for this Sunday's special occasion:

• Share the story of Flower Communion with someone you love!
• Our children will be invited to process in with our flowers at the beginning of the service; try holding a make-believe flower communion at home and practice walking and carrying pretend flowers. 
• Our children will be lighting the chalice at the beginning of the service: try practicing these words at home: 

"We light this chalice 

to celebrate

Unitarian Universalism;

The church of the 

Open mind,

Loving Heart,

and Helping Hands.

We help our Earth

and each other!"

• Our children and youth will be invited to lead the congregation in singing "The Magic Penny Song." Many of our children have practiced this song in their classes; ask them to sing it for you. Or, take a look at this adorable video!

Love is something if you give it away,

give it away,give it away.

Love is something if you give it away, 

You'll end up having more!

It's just like a magic penny,

Hold it tight and you won't have any

Lend it spend it and you'll have so many,

They'll roll all over the floor, For

Love is something if you give it away, 

you'll end up having more!

Verse 2: A smile is something...

Verse 3: A hug is something...

Verse 4: Love is something...