UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS
UPCOMING SUNDAY PROGRAMS 10:30 Coffee, 11:00 Service
August 26, 2018 – Ron Boyd with Return to the Mythic. In a world where science has distanced us from mythic ideas, has anything been lost that might be regained by returning to the mythic dimension?” For the past 20 years, Ron has been speaking on topics drawing from sources such as religion, spirituality, philosophy, psychology, mythology, sociology, science, mathematics, and ecology. More recently, he founded Mystic Spirit Presentations which serves to inform and educate interested parties throughout Ohio and beyond. He is currently president of Merging Hearts Holistic Center in Canton, Ohio, where he leads numerous programs on topics pertaining to spiritual growth, religious, and environmental education. He is an environmental activist and sees this as one of the most critical moral issues we are facing in our time.
September 2nd- Vision Boards– Katie Evans will lead us in an inter-generational craft to create vision boards. Using magazines, catalogs, scissors and glue we’ll explore our faith and future. Katie has been a UUFA member for a couple years as well as avid knitter. Coffee and tea at 10:30 am, service at 11:00 am. (service leader Katie)
September 9th – Water Communion and In-Gathering– Join us as we come back together and celebrate the beginning of a new church year with an inter-generational water communion. We invite you to bring with you a sample of water that represents a special place, event or memory from the past year. We’ll gather our water samples into a single container while briefly sharing the story of where it came from. Coffee and tea at 10:30 am, service at 11:00 am. A potluck will follow service. (robocall Katie, service leader Amber)
September 16th- Being Human, Under One Roof- As we ramp up for the new church year, UUFA’s minister, Rev. Don Rollins, will offer a take on what it means to be unique human beings, doing their falling-down best to live in peace and do justice. In other words, what’s at the core of our congregation? Coffee and tea at 10:30 am, service at 11:00 am. (robocall Katie, service leader Rev. Don Rollins)
September 23rd- Equinox (Amber or Roberta will lead us.) (TBA)
September 30th- TBA– Guest Speaker- Join us as we learn about the teaching program that has brought 50 families from Saudi Arabia to live in the Athens area. We’ll also hear about Saudi culture and how it interacts with American culture. Coffee and tea at 10:30 am, service at 11:00 am. (robocall Katie, service leader Wenda)
October 7th- Animal Blessing- Join us as we celebrate and bless our furry, scaly or feathery friends. You are invited to bring your friends with you as long as they are are on a leash or safely contained and can handle new people, a new place and other animals. We’ll hold service in the outdoor sanctuary, weather permitting. Coffee and tea at 10:30 am, service at 11:00 am. (service leader Katie)
RELIGIOUS EXPLORATIONS FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM
On Sunday, August 26th, the children will enjoy a special guest, Andy Ray, who will teach us about drumming!!! on the “oatmeal container” drums we’ve created over the past few weeks. If your child wasn’t able to create a drum with us, and doesn’t have time to decorate an oatmeal container at home, don’t worry! We have some extra “drums.” Children of all ages are welcome. Drumming is a part of religious expression in many religions worldwide, including Unitarian Universalism.
Stay tuned for news about an exciting multi-week unit for children starting around September 23rd.
UPCOMING EVENTS with UUFA MEMBERS:
Eighth Annual 9/11 Interfaith Peace Walk Tuesday September 11, 2018, 7pm. UFA members have been enthusiastic supporters of the Peace Walk in past years, so please plan to join us again. We’ll gather at 7 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, then step off at about 7:15. As in past years, the walk will proceed through uptown on Court Street, down Mill Street past Hillel, St. Paul’s, and Christ Lutheran, turn down Stewart past Christ the King, and on to the Islamic Center. We expect to arrive there around 8 or 8:15.
UUFA Work Day Saturday September 30, 2018 11am-4pm-ish. Come join us whenever you can during our work day. Every little bit helps. We’ll have work equipment, but of course if you have smallish tools for doing the following types of work, please bring them! Staple guns, weed wackers, buckets, rags, are especially useful. Possible projects: Reupholstering downstairs chairs. Wash sanctuary chairs. New straps for round table(s). Clean lower level and organize closets. Trim brush along parking lot retaining wall. Close and drain sanctuary fountain. Clean and paint cabinets in Ploghoft room. Weatherstrip entry doors by piano, under back stairs, and kitchen.
Athens Crop Hunger Walk Sunday, October 7, 2018 2pm. UUFA members have also participated in the annual Athens Crop Hunger Walk. Stay tuned for more information later, or visit the website to learn more now: https://www.crophungerwalk.org/athensoh
FOCUS ON MEMBERS
(This is a new feature! Please write up your own UUFA bio and email to wendasheard@yahoo.com with a photo, so we can focus on YOU!)
Brian Richards, our 2018-2019 UUFA President. Brian is a 33 year old father, teacher/trainer, and life-long learner. He is originally from the Athens area, though he has lived in 5 states. His professional backgrounds are in training, higher education, counseling, and management. He earned is BA in Psychology from Ohio University and MA in Communication Studies from UNC Charlotte. He currently teaches Speech at Hocking College. Brian describes himself as religionless, though his worldview has been greatly shaped by Buddhism, Christianity, Humanism, Transcendentalism, and Post-Structuralism. Brian cherishes his family, friends, two daughters, and Fellowship family. He is passionate about continual self-improvement and making the world a better place for generations to come. He enjoys disk golf, roleplaying games, reading, Netflix, and simply being in nature.
HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THE GREENSHEET
Please email items to wendasheard@yahoo.com and put “Greensheet” in the subject line. Or text Wenda at 740-818-1845. New ideas, new columns, announcements, artwork, photographs, biographies, joys, sorrows, birthdays, anniversaries, and whatnot all welcome for possible inclusion in the Greensheet. Deadline for each week: noon on Tuesday. Thanks!
UUFA TRIVIA
Why is our newsletter called “The Greensheet”? Because for decades we copied it onto green paper, and then stapled, folded, stamped, addressed, and mailed each copy.