During our potluck, join us for Gathered Here discussions. Gathered Here is a program of the Unitarian Universalist Association to discover our common aspirations and explore the future of our faith.
We will join other UUs across the continent who have participated in these structured conversations, and we will provide our stories and positive experiences to help to shape a collective vision for the UUA and the future of Unitarian Universalism. Additionally, we at UUYO hope the conversations will provide us with future direction, much as the Roundtable Conversations did. We hope you will be able to join us for this two-hour conversation.
Students in the RE Program, under the direction of Becky Ann Harker and their respective teachers, enjoyed doing art projects to exhibit in their yearly Student Art Show.
UUYO’s all-church auction theme is Livin’ La Vida “LOCAL” – a play on words that brings to mind keeping your entertainment budget right here in the local UUYO and Youngstown community. Come and bid on great local items and events donated by UUYO members.
Admission is $10 for adults (includes a delicious local-foods dinner). Admission for kids is free, and while the adults are bidding and enjoying dinner, the kids will enjoy their own fun time with pizza and a movie (with advance notice please, so we know how many kids to plan for!)
Watch this space in late May for a link to our auction catalog. A little taste of the items to be offered: a pontoon boat ride, dinners for 8, a barbecue and tractor pull, theatre tickets, group hikes and picnics, gift baskets, past-life regression, massage and more!
Tickets on sale Sundays after church in Channing Hall, or call the UUYO office to reserve yours.
After a successful potluck in March, we want to continue! We will have an all-church potluck luncheon after the service. The theme is Ethical Eating, so bring whatever items fit that definition for you: home made, or vegetarian, or locally produced, sustainably grown, fair-trade, etc. We’ll see what Ethical Eating means to us!
No, we’re not talking about a bucket list — take a balloon ride, or bungee jump, or take a trip to New Zealand. We’re talking about wills and estates and medical plans so that your wishes are made known and to care for those around you after you’re gone.
Whether you are making plans for yourself or are thinking about others — parents, maybe — who need to plan, this workshop is for you.
Dan Betts, an Certified Financial Planner, and Charlene Burke, an attorney, will discuss options available to you for estate planning, medical directives, wills and other tools should you become incapacitated or die unexpectedly.
We will have an all-church potluck luncheon after the service. Please bring whatever delicious food item suits your fancy. If this works, we hope to do it once a month.
Start digging up new Chili ideas! The annual Chili Cook-Off is this Sunday, February 12, after church. We need people to bring chili, as well as salads, corn bread, desserts, cheese, and condiments.
Taste as many kinds as you want; and we will vote afterward for the Best Overall Chili, Hottest Chili, Most Unusual Chili, Best Vegetarian Chili, and Most Sustainable (must provide ingredient list). Prizes will be given. There is no charge for the dinner, but donations are welcome.
Everyone is invited to bring a small, silly, funky, or goofy gift, maybe a gift that you are ready to re-gift. Please wrap your present; then we will have a fun gift exchange with these presents after the service. Extra gifts are always welcome for visitors or people who didn’t see this note.
Bring your singing voice and your creative, decorating talents, and help us welcome the season with an afternoon of carol singing and Christmas decorating! We will be celebrating after church.
Global Singer-Songwriter
James Durst
with Special Guest Vocalist
Madhumita Chakrabartti
Saturday, November 19, 2011
7:30 p.m. at UUYO
Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 at door
call 330-518-6971
‘Thinking Globally, Acting Vocally’
Original songs and some collected from numerous cultures (in some 2 dozen languages) reflect James’ global perspective, gleaned from 4 decades of international touring; upbeat, lighthearted, poignant, hopeful and often humorous.
Songs that encourage individual empowerment & responsibility, and remind us of our interconnectedness with one another and all of Life; bringing us closer to our world and each other.
James gave a concert here a few years ago to a very impressed and appreciative audience. Charles Darling has featured many of his songs on WYSU-FM’s “Folk Festival.” He has sung at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Come and enjoy an evening of music with James and his wife Madhumita.
Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase, along with James Durst CDs.
Are you looking for ways to get more involved at UUYO? Or are you just wondering what opportunities exist here? Join us at our fall Volunteer Fair, where many of the teams, groups and committees will be present to talk about their activities and how you can help. Wander around the tables, talking with each group, exploring the possibilities. Some volunteer opportunities are one-time events; other are ongoing. Whether you bring your special talents or your enthusiasm and willingness to help, or just your curiosity, we’d love to talk with you!
SUMMARYof UUYO Roundtable Discussions on Sunday, October 23, 2011
On Sunday, October 23, after church we had UUYO Roundtable Discussions, which invited people to ponder four points, and speak about them in small groups. We had 7 Roundtables, with 6 or 7 people at each table, about 45 total participants. Facilitators met immediately after discussions to compile data. Responses fell roughly into 11 categories:
On Saturday Nov. 5, from 9 AM-1 PM, there will be an all church retreat facilitated by Rev. Robin Zucker. This UUYO Visioning Retreat will focus on “Who we are as UUYO” and “Who do we want to become?” over the next half decade or more.
Robin Zucker is a UU minister who has served several UU congregations and currently provides community ministry services, including retreats, counseling, and life passage ceremonies. This is open to all — young, old, new, long timer, member, friend, newcomer — we’d love your input!
This Vision Retreat builds on the very successful Roundtable Discussions, held Sunday, Oct 23. While the Roundtable Discussions focused on questions about each of us (‘you’), the Vision Retreat will focus on questions about all of us together at UUYO (‘we’).
Childcare will be offered if you request it by calling or writing the church by Wednesday.
Sunday, October 30 — 12:15 PM — Schweitzer Lounge
Do you have musical thoughts, ideas, and talents that you’d like to bring to UUYO? We’re exploring how we can expand our use of music in worship (and other places) — perhaps organizing a choir, having other kinds of musical styles, other instruments… Our harpsichord building project is just one example where we’re broadening our musical possibilities. After service, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and join us for discussion and brainstorming with Matt and Marcellene in Schweitzer Lounge.
The topics will center around our mission and the 7 UU principles. The purpose is to share ideas on how UUYO can better exemplify these principles through our programs and outreach.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown (often known as UUYO) now has a new logo!
We had a logo design contest this summer and several designs were submitted. A jury consisting of Sandra Scika, owner of Design Within, a branding service, Susan Russo, former head of YSU Art Department, and Rev. Matt Alspaugh provided a blind evaluation of the designs.
The jury chose a design by Jim Rogers, a member of UUYO. The jury appreciated the bold geometric form of the letters, diversity of color, and the subtle but evident use of the chalice symbol, a common motif of Unitarian Universalism. We hope the logo will provide a consistent recognizable identity for UUYO at church and denominational functions and in the community.
The Grey to Green Festival is this Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. UUYO will host some presentations, as well as the Farmers Market, which will provide food for the festival.
We are happy to be a part of imagining what a green Youngstown might be.
Work Party Sat. 20 August, 10 AM-1 PM or thereabouts. I’ll be there with donuts and coffee by 9:30.
We’ll need to put the kitchen back together after the disruptions of painting, so that it can be disrupted again by floor work and. eventually, counters, modification of the island (maybe with sink and much ado about plumbing), etc.
The rest of the top layer of carpet in Schweitzer Lounge needs to come out.
I’ll assemble an additional list of things to do, mostly from the uncompleted Work Party agendas of the past several months. Not to worry about running out of work to do. [including weeding and yardwork, if the weather is nice]
Persons possessing all levels (or none) of mechanical aptitude, acquaintance with what goes where in the church, etc., can contribute usefully. Work Party is a fine opportunity to learn about how stuff gets done, or doesn’t, particularly if newbies
are prepared for the possibility that sometimes nobody else knows how to deal with a problem.
Martin Berger
Chair, B&G, Trash & Recycling
Plan to attend this wonderful fund-raising event for the church. Rodd Coonce and Company will perform Broadway tunes. Marcia Malmer, Joan Schwebel and friends will prepare a delicious dinner of ribs, chicken, and a vegetarian entree. There will be a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, and other exciting offerings.
Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Contact Karen O’Malia at karenomz@yahoo.com for further information.
Global Singer-Songwriter
Festival is this Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. UUYO will host some presentations, as well as the Farmers Market, which will provide food for the festival.