SUNDAY PROGRAMS 10:30 Coffee & Community; 11:00 Service
September 23rd- Equinox – Twice a year, when winter gives way to spring and summer to fall, daylight and darkness share the day equally—they are, for a fleeting moment, perfectly in balance. Our busy lives can often leave us feeling anything but! This Sunday, we’ll take our lesson from the turning wheel of the year and seek out ways to find and create moments of balance in our cruel, crazy, beautiful lives. (Roberta & Amber, robocall Roberta).
September 30th- Food Insecurity: Locally and Globally – According to the Food Aid Foundation, 795 million people worldwide do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life, that is 1 in 9 people. What is being done to deal with food insecurity locally and globally? Come to the UUFA service on Sunday, September 30, 2018, to learn more about how you can help feed the hungry here in Athens County and abroad. Presented by Charlie Barman. (robocall Katie, service leader Wenda)
Charlie Barman, Professor Emeritus from Indiana University now residing in Athens County, has served on the Board of Directors and volunteered for the Athens County Food Pantry for the past 7 years. By working with this organization and meeting the grateful recipients each week, he has become knowledgeable about the need in this area and committed to providing assistance.
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 community at 10:30 am, service at 11:00 am. (service leader Katie)
RELIGIOUS EXPLORATIONS (RE) PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN
Special RE Unit by Natalie Barman: Sundays: September 23, 30, & Oct 7
Helping Others Have Enough Food. The children will be introduced to the needs of people around the world and how the donations to the CROP Hunger Walk help support them. We will also restart the local collection of canned and packages food to be given to the Athens County Food Pantry.
Please help spread the word about this three-week special unit for children that dovetails with both the September 30th Food Insecurity service for adults, and the October 7th Crop Hunger Walk for families. New children and new families are most welcome to participate.
CROP HUNGER WALK 2018 – October 7th, 2pm
CROP Hunger Walks are community-wide events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by religious groups, businesses, schools and others to raise funds to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. UUFA has been involved in the CROP Hunger Walk for a number of years. We hope that families will join the walk together. You may walk as far or little as you want. Kids, of all ages, can ride bikes, scooters or roller skate. More details to come, or see https://www.crophungerwalk.org/athensoh
FOCUS ON MEMBERS – Natalie Barman
Natalie Barman has been a career-long educator at the elementary, middle school, university, and adult levels. Her interest in teaching was evident at an early age when playing school in the neighborhood. Yes, she always wanted to be the teacher. The adults in her life were wonderful role models for teaching and learning; the two go hand-in-hand. Now in retirement, she enjoys helping people learn as well as learning herself in a few different capacities in the community.
Here at the UUFA, Natalie enjoyed teaching RE from 2014-17. A health problem caused her to bow out for a while but now is back with energy and enthusiasm. Natalie is looking forward to working with other UUFA people, including Wenda Sheard and Maggie Moreda, to provide Religious Exploration opportunities for children.
UUFA CHOIR NEWS from Megan
Rehearsals are Tuesdays at 7pm. Megan would like to schedule to sing September 30 during the service. So, please bring your calendars with you so we can make some plans.
JOYS AND SORROWS
It’s a joy that UUFA board members Katie Evans, Susan Westenbarger, and Brian Richards attended a UU Board Basics training on August 25, 2018. Thank you for bringing innovations to our UUFA leadership processes.
MONTHLY MORNING MEDITATIONS
Starting September 30th, join us every final Sunday of the month for a morning meditation before service from 10:00 am – 10:30 am. Newcomers welcome. Many thanks to Katie Evans for spearheading this offering.
UUFA RE & PROGRAMMING MEETING:
All are welcome to attend the next UUFA joint Religious Explorations & Programming Committee meeting, The meeting, SURPRISE!, will be online on the SECOND Thursday of October. Join us at 7pm via ZOOM. Email wendasheard@yahoo.com in advance for the Zoom log-in info. The programming committee intends to meet every month of the second Thursday at 7pm, with alternating in-person and online Zoom meetings.
UUFA BOARD MEETING
All are welcome to attend our next UUFA Board Meeting on the weekend of October 12th-14th when Rev Don Rollins is with us. Stay tuned for exact day and time.
SEPTEMBER 29th WORK DAY – OFTEN WITH PIZZA AND BEER!
Come join us whenever you can during our work day, starting at 11am and ending at 4pm or later. 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.
UUFA & THE WIDER COMMUNITY (A column about how our efforts, our pledges, our building, and our donations support the wider community—submissions welcome!)
Many thanks to UUFA members and friends who attended the Eighth Annual 9/11 Interfaith Peace Walk through the streets of Athens, including David Whealey, Natalie & Charlie Barman, Patrick Gordon, Barb Harrison, Susan Westenbarger, Robin Bowman, Robin Barnes, Lois & Bob Whealey, some of them wearing their UU “Standing on the Side of Love” shirts. (Apologies if I missed anyone.) Thank you!
Another bit: Thanks to the UUFA board and all members for allowing the League of Women Voters of Athens County to borrow our portable speaker system for a Candidates’ Afternoon in Coolville, a Candidates’ Night in Glouster, and perhaps other League of Women Voters events.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Coming soon: A way for UUFA fellowship members and friends to donate stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to the UUFA fellowship via a brokerage firm, thus avoiding capital gains tax, and thus stretching your dollars further for the benefit of UUFA and our wider community.
UUFA TRIVIA
Here’s a blast from our past nearly 50 years ago, when our fellowship building was under construction. We’re fortunate that forward-thinking UUFA members and friends donated their labors and monies nearly a half-century ago towards the construction of our building for future generations.
HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THE GREENSHEET
Please email items to wendasheard@yahoo.com and put “Greensheet” in the subject line. 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!
FROM OUR BULLETIN BOARD:
Our very own Fred Snell is inviting folks to his home for a Solar Open House as part of a larger effort. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 6th, 10am-1pm. Thank you, Fred!