Getting Involved
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Getting Involved – Being of Service – Sharing Your Light
There are many opportunities to be involved with and serve the church community as well as the larger community of which we are a part. Listed below is a summary of some of these opportunities.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”orange” border_width=”4″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]
Building Maintenance and Planning
Dominoes[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Faith Development (Adult)
Faith Development (Children/Youth)
Preaching By Parishioners
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Social Justice
Worship Weavers, Ushers, Greeters, Welcome Desk[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”orange” border_width=”4″][vc_column_text]
Mission-Focused
Faith Development (Adult)
Throughout the year, various opportunities for personal spiritual growth are offered. These include the ongoing Poetry as Practice and Humanist Book Discussion. Other covenant and focus groups will be found in Announcements, What’s Up Wednesdays, The Foreword and All-Church email.
Faith Development (Children/Youth)
Faith Education for our children and youth is a major focus of our congregation. From September through June, we offer formal faith development opportunities that stir the minds of our children, support search for truth and meaning, and encourage thoughtful, life-affirming choices and pursue lives of meaning and purpose. Although primarily aimed at children and youth, it also provides an excellent opportunity for personal growth and understanding about UU principles and history for adult volunteers, especially those who serve as teachers and help with special programs and events. We also provide professional nursery care for our youngest.
Caring For One Another
This group is composed of dedicated, caring and concerned volunteers who serve and support fellow UUCA members in need. Currently services provided are:
Social Justice
UUCA has an enduring commitment to promoting social justice. We work for justice, equity, and compassion in our relationships and seek systemic change in our society. MORE
Green Sanctuary
The earth is our home. We are part of this world and its destiny is our own. MORE
Humanist Book Discussion
For those who already are humanists or want to learn more about it, this group meets the first Friday night in the mansion living room to discuss/debate ideas expressed in the current book.
Poetry as Practice MORE
Community Building
Women’s Afternoon Study Group, Current Events Discussion and Luncheon
Meeting Tuesday afternoons at the church, women gather for a variety of programs including religious topics, spirituality, nature, book reviews, poetry sharing, history, politics, ethics, ecology, UU World, and other topics. The women sponsor two on-going charitable projects: the One Sight Eyewear Collection which matches our used prescription eyewear to people in other countries and Box Tops & Labels for Education collection which benefits our neighbor, the Gateway-Longview Youth Facility. They also maintain the church’s lending library of books related to spirituality and religion. On the 3rd Tuesday, we meet to have lunch together at 12:30 p.m. On these days, there is no formal program. We simply chat and lunch together. This is a vibrant group who enjoy getting together to learn and share.
Men’s Luncheon
On the first Thursday of every month all men are invited to get together for lunch and discussion at a local restaurant. It’s a time for sharing ideas about church life, community and world events, and personal joys and concerns.
Dominoes
Inveterate gamers meet on Mondays at 1:30 at the church for good conversation, good food and of course dominoes.
Cocktails and Conversation
This occurs the first Friday Night of the month at various venues, location announced via e-mail to all church members and friends.
Theater Lovers
Throughout the year, plays are selected and a group decides go together to enjoy the work. Often dinner follows accompanied by lively discussion of the play.
UUCA Book Discussion
Meeting after church on the last Sunday of the month (except July & August), readers get together for lively discussion on books covering a wide range of genres—fiction, nonfiction, mystery, social issues, women’s issues, history, to name a few.
UU Sunday Bridge
We play almost every Sunday after church in the Emerson Room. Want to join us as a table or as a sub? Contact Joann Shafer
Sunday Mornings
Creative Interchange and Conversation
On Sundays, an hour before service, a small group of people gather in the mansion living room to talk about whatever participants introduce – current events, science, last week’s sermon, philosophy, personal concerns…
Worship Weavers, Ushers, Greeters, Welcome Desk
Each Sunday volunteers are needed before and during service to prepare the sanctuary and to greet people coming through the door.
Choir (as scheduled)
The UUCA choir is starting up again for the 2016-17 church year! Open to adult and youth singers. Rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the Choir Room (Classroom Wing). Interested? Contact Music Director Fran Landis (fland88@aol.com or music@uuamherst.org) to let her know your availability. Singing Dates: 9/25 (rehearse 9/18 & 9/25), 10/23 (rehearse 10/16 & 10/23), 11/20 (rehearse 11/13 & 11/20), 12/24 (10 pm) (rehearse 12/4, 12/11 & 12/18)
Preaching by Parishioners
This program is an exciting interactive series of workshops developed and nurtured at UUCA that trains lay parishioners and members of other churches to deliver the very best Sunday service possible. MORE
Coffee Ministry
Coffee Hour in the Emerson Room after service is an important part of our Sunday morning experience. It is a time to get to know new people or to catch up with lives outside of church. The coffee ministry group is responsible for making, setting up, and cleaning up Sunday coffee hour. It is a great way to get to meet everyone by being the “coffee person” for a Sunday or two. Commitment is based on your availability.
Hands On
Grounds
We have unusually attractive and large grounds, which require attentive and loving care. A variety of mature trees require care and maintenance as well as shrubs and perennials. The church has received Green Sanctuary status. Therefore we do not use pesticides and depend on compost as fertilizer. We are replacing water loving plants with drought resistant varieties and replacing plants liked by the deer with native varieties they like least. We encourage church members and friends to volunteer in caring for the grounds. We meet periodically during the spring, summer and fall. All level gardeners are welcome.
Building, Maintenance and Planning
Our building is actively used by ourselves and many outside groups and therefore requires attention to be sure it is properly maintained, comfortable and welcoming. This group coordinates church volunteers with particular skills, and contracts with outside professionals when needed. Spring and Fall “Fix-up” dates are typical activities. If you have skills in carpentry, painting, plumbing, wiring, Wi-Fi, media or in organizing others, this is the group for you.
Web Site Task Force
Our Website is work in progress that will require fine tuning and creative input for the next several months. Thereafter, continued oversight will be needed to insure that it is relevant and current. Techies and creative souls will find a home here.
Our Crew currently consists of: Lauraine Marcus our leader, Carolyn Evans, Scott Harrigan, Joe Rautenstrauch, Max Stocker, Yvonne Stocker
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