Friday, December 30, 2011

Weekly Update


Weekly Update of the
Unitarian Universalist Society of Black Hawk County
administrator@uusbhc.org  visit our website at  www.uusbhc.org  319-266-5640
Rev. Eva Cameron 319-610-6605 (cell)  minister@uusbhc.org


December 30, 2011

Hello!

With the soft rain falling, it seems like a good day to settle down by a fire with a good book, a cup of tea, and hopefully some loved ones (people, canine, or feline). Perhaps some of you are doing just that now. But whatever you are doing, as we prepare to enter into the new year, I hope you will take some time to do something that feels nourishing to you. This may or may not feel like cozying-up with a good book . . . . but you will know what it is. Perhaps taking some time to meditate, pray, or walk in the woods. Perhaps tea with a good friend. Perhaps making something you have meant to make this past year. Take this time as we begin the year to do what you can to start out feeling full, happy and content. This is a learned skill like any other, and there is nothing quite so satisfying as beginning something new with a sense of calm that comes from being prepared. Life is a spiritual journey as long as you accept the invitation to come along. . . .  I hope you will!
I wish all of you much joy and happiness in the coming year!

With gratitude for a ministry with you . . . .
See you in church!
~Eva

Sunday January 1st - No Service at 9:30 am
11:00 am Potluck Brunch
Welcome 2012 in the company of friends – old and new – at church.  
Michaela Rich will be hosting with Del Carpenter providing some reflections on the New Year.

NO Religious Education Classes
There are no children RE classes this Sunday, Jan. 1st. Classes will resume as normal Sunday, January 8th.
Calendar Updates for this Coming Week
Wednesday *WOW!*Workshops on Wednesdays
      5:00 pm Festival Sunday planning meeting
      5:15 pm Children's Choir
      5:45 pm Dinner: Pizza (+gluten free pizza), salad & fruit;      
      6:30 pm Adult Choir
      7:30 pm Theoretical String Band
Thursday
      7:30 pm Buddhist Path
Saturday
9:30 - 11:30 Yoga
1:00 - 3:00 pm Nature Lover's small group

**Change of Office Hours:
Administrator:  Janet Sanders will be out of the office Monday, January 2nd
but will have regular hours Wednesday & Thursday, January 4th & 5th.
        
Pastoral Update

Sending love and hope to anyone who is hurting in this season.

Do, please, let me know of any other pastoral updates to include from week to week. People want to know, and send you love, prayers or bring you a pot of soup!  ~Eva

Church Announcements

Mildred Pierce Memorial Service
We invite you to attend Mildred Pierce's Memorial Service on Sunday, Jan 15th at 11:15am. Please come with a story to share, and an open heart to listen to a life made rich with passion for our earth. If you know of anyone outside of the church who knew Mildred, please be sure to invite them.

Guatemalan Family
Heather Flory is still organizing all of the things and help needed for our Guatemalan family that arrived earlier this month. Housing has been located in Waterloo, and moving day is scheduled for Monday, January 2nd. For current information about the family and what help is still needed, please visit the new website and blog which have now been set up for Jimy and family: http://jimyandfamily.blogspot.com/
If you have furniture to donate or would like to help the family move, please contact Heather at heather.flory@yahoo.com

What happens after December? Will the UUSBHC continue to sponsor the family in some way? Although most of the family has now arrived in Waterloo, their journey is just getting started. The family members do not speak English, and most of them will not receive their work permits for several months. The NE Iowa Peace & Justice Center (www.neipjc.org) in Decorah will provide expense money for three months, however, additional support is needed in the local area. Join Sally Browne and Heather Flory on January 8 at 11:15am ET to discuss whether or not the UUSBHC would like to continue being involved with the family as a congregation. If so, in what ways would we like to help, and how might we use this as an opportunity to network with other churches and organizations in the local area? If we decide not to help the family as a congregation, there are still opportunities for those interested to help as individuals.


The Mitten Tree
The Social Action Committee and the children of our church have partnered up to gather mittens, hats and scarfs for the children of Khasi Hills. Please take an ornament off of the tree and return with a new hat, scarf or mittens for a youth or child and place your item under the tree. At the end of the holiday season, we will package up our gifts, along with messages from the children, and send it off to the Khasi Hills so our friends there can keep warm in their cooler months. Help us fill the bottom of our tree with colorful cold weather items!

Message from Rev. Mark:
Dear Eva Cameron

Greetings and hope you are fine and family ! Please send my warm Marry Christmas and prosperous New Year 2012 Greetings to all the Church members, Please thank them a lot for me for my support and Love they shown me when i visited.

Greetings

Rev. Mark Kiyimba.

Group Book Order:
Join us as we spend the some of January and February learning about what Karen Armstrong has to teach us about compassion. Her new book, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, provides practical advice on compassionate living. We can place a group order from Amazon and save on shipping. Cost is $14. Please contact Janet in the office, email Eva or sign-up in the Fellowship Hall by January 15th.

Stay Informed/Keep Us Informed:
Please send any information for the Weekly Updates to administrator@uusbhc.org or call 266-5640.

The January  newsletter is available as follows:
  • paper copies are available in the fellowship hall at church.


UU Christian Fellowship
You can change the world by keeping alive the free and radical spirit of Jesus in the world, especially in our historic home of Unitarian Universalism and through our UUCF life. Here you can join with us for the first time, renew or upgrade your membership, answer the call to contribute to specific projects and appeals or make special donations.

Are you already a Member of the UUCF? Great! Now is the time to renew your membership. Each and every year, the leadership team of the UUCF reviews the membership rolls and hopes that you will decide that the UUCF is important enough in your life to renew your membership.

The UUCF is a self-supporting and self-sustaining institution. The first and most important reason to stay connected to the UUCF is because we represent a liberal religious Christian presence in the Unitarian Universalist Association. We believe that Unitarian Universalism is broadened and deepened by our active presence and our faithful witness. We represent one of the few organization in the UUA that can claim an authentic theological position, and the only one that can claim a historical tradition that dates back to the beginning of our movement. We bring to one another spiritual support, meaningful worship, intellectual engagement, and serve as a powerful witness for liberal Christianity within our tradition as Unitarian Universalists.  Visit this link to join http://www.uuchristian.org/M_Join.html


Community Announcements
*******URGENT*******
The Greater Cedar Valley needs thousands of votes right now!
Your Blue Zone pledge improves The Cedar Valley's chance of being selected to become a Blue Zone Community and eligible to share $25 million for health and wellness projects in the Cedar Valley. This is a contest and lots of places in Iowa are competing and gathering pledges. If we don't get enough, we cannot win! We need thousands of people to do this and each person getting this needs to take the pledge for themselves, thenforward to family, friends, club friends and co-workers. We need people to be a part of it! Life will be better! It's an easy way to get resources in the community for real quality of health - the ultimate amenity!

The Cedar Valley's enthusiasm, shown by the number of residents that pledge to participate, will influence our chances for the $25 million!

With your pledge, it can be ours! Please complete the Blue Zone Personal Pledge toward living a longer, healthier and happier life. It only takes a minute and could change The Cedar Valley immeasurably!


What is a Blue Zone Project Community?

There are places in the world where people live healthy, happy lives well into their nineties or even 100s. Dubbed "Blue Zones" by National Geographic researcher Dan Buettner, these longevity hotspots share nine lifestyle habits - Power 9™ - responsible for their remarkable results.

About 75% of how long we live - and our chances of suffering from a heart attack, diabetes and certain cancers - is determined by our behaviors. By adopting Power 9™, we can transform our well-being and increase our longevity.

Blue Zone Project Scoreboard

Click here to see how our community compares to others in the state. We need to improve our score. Let this be a challenge to everyone! Please forward this email to  your family, friends and co-workers!

Contact Information

Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber
Sue Hansen
Admin. Mgr. Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber
shansen@CedarValleyAlliance.com
319-232-1156

City of Cedar Falls
Mayor Crews
joncrews@cedarfalls.com
319-268-5119

City of Waterloo
Suzy Schares
Mayor Buck Clark's appointed chair
suzy.schares@waterloo-ia.org
319-291-4522 #3008

Healthier Cedar Falls Task Force
MaraBeth Soneson, Co-Chair
msoneson@gmail.com
319.290.7733



Rev Eva Cameron
minister
Unitarian Universalist Society of Black Hawk Co.
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319-610-6605
www.uusbhc.org
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