Crisis Control Ministry – Donations for October

Crisis Control Ministry, is an organization that provides basic life needs to those facing a crisis in Forsyth and Stokes counties.

Look for our collection bin in the Foyer marked “Crisis Control.” – items in the basket will be delivered by our team of volunteers monthly or more often as needed.

October’s gift of the month is International Foods (Masa, Dried Chiles, Sauces, Refried Beans, etc.), AND they would also appreciate donations of any of the items listed under other months.

Questions? Contact sac@uufws.org.

Resources to Help Western NC

Dear UUFWS Community,

We’ve heard from you all, and other local congregations and organizations about how we can be a part of getting support to relief efforts underway in Western NC. The action items below are a way to start support, and we trust that there will be more ways in the coming days, weeks, months and years ahead.

May our service begin and continue,

Rev. Kayla Parker

Action 1: Join Local Effort in Winston-Salem to Support Buncombe County

Shared with us by Bishop Todd Fulton and Mt. Moriah Outreach Center:

Susan Frye at the Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a colleague in Buncombe County asking to send some help. She has asked our community to pitch-in, and this is a collaboration with local congregations and organizations to get some assistance to Buncombe County.

If you would like to donate material goods, the following items are especially needed and can be brought to the trailer in front of the Winston-Salem Sheriff’s Office from noon-6pm daily until Friday, October 4.

  • Water
  • Nonperishable food
  • Baby formula
  • Diapers
  • Cleaning materials

If you would like to make out a check, this can be made to Foundation 34, with disaster relief written in the memo. This is Susan Frye’s non-profit organization that will be able to purchase additional supplies and get them to where they are needed.

There will likely be the need for some of us to be on the ground to collect donations, make purchases with donated money – and needs we can’t predict now. As is the case in natural disasters, needs are always emerging and changing.

Action 2: Vetted Lists for Monetary Donations

As shared by our Social Justice Action alert, from “Women of Action Winston-Salem”:

Action 3: Hanging Rock State Park Donation Drop-Off

From Jae Furman with UUFWS EcoSolutions:

Hanging Rock State Park is accepting donations of water, medical supplies, clothing, toiletries and nonperishable food. If you would like to contribute, please drop these items off at the Visitor Center Auditorium.

Rangers are being deployed west in towns and shelters and will transport the supplies with them.

If you can’t make it up to the park and are around the Winston-Salem area someone can meet you and then transport the supplies to the park. Contact Jae (nature@uufws.org) to make arrangements.

Your effort is greatly needed and appreciated.

Addition Resource from the UUA:

The UUA’s Disaster Relief Relief Fund is planning to re-open their work due to the devastation caused by Helene. You can donate to their fund here: https://www.uua.org/giving/disaster-relief

Reflections For September

September Theme: Entering Together

 

Questions for Contemplation & Conversation:

  • What are you excited about for this year here at UUFWS, and in general?
  • How do you want to be a part of this good stuff?
  • What are you feeling worried or weighed down by? What could help ease that?

September 22: What is Shared Ministry?

It was an amazing Sunday. We began with a conversational sermon with Caron Armstrong and Rev. Kayla that sought to at least provide an answer to the question, “what is shared ministry?” We then had our “Celebration of Shared Ministry and Installation of Rev. Kayla” and whew was everything powerful from the greetings at the door to the reception, from the speakers to the music! (If you haven’t heard the choir yet this year, you want to!)

One very important part of the service that was not verbally acknowledged was the time for all of the Fellowship to bring up squares of fabric for a quilt we’ll make together for our Joys & Sorrows table (and maybe more?) I (Rev. Kayla here) made the decision to cut some time given the air issues. And then the heat of the moment (quite literally) caused me to forget this important invitation. But – have no fear, the basket containing the fabric will remain at the Joys & Sorrows table for over a month! Together, we’ll quilt together something that represents our unique selves and pasts coming together, into a unified and beautiful sight to behold.

September 15: Our UU House

This past Sunday, we set the foundation for our year together. Which will be about defining our theological house, our structure of belief, so that we are empowered to be in real relationship and community with one another. And so that we can powerfully speak of and act from our beliefs out in the world, that is so in need of Love.

To learn more about a source for this theme, you can check out the book A House for Hope – and stay tuned for a book group based on this book soon!

September 8: Water Communion & Homecoming

We celebrated our joining back together and the start of the program year with our Annual Water Communion & Homecoming, followed by a joyous and bountiful potluck. We followed the story and movement of water droplets as they searched for “home” and became stream, river, stream again and then reunited with the sea. Thanks to the preparation and support of the Choir and our Music Director Mignon Dobbins, we sang “Oh River” by Mamuse, and heard “Riversong” by Andy Beck. Some of us became the water droplets and moved joyously around the room, and many of us added our water to the collective and growing “UU (w)holy water”.  Many of us received little spritzer bottles that contained drops of past year’s (w)holy water, which can be used when we need a moment to breathe, a bit extra courage, or a reminder of the presence of this Fellowship.

If you did not receive but would like water and are able to drop by the Fellowship to pick a spritzer bottle up, you are welcome to do so. If you cannot get here, and are connected to someone on our Lay Ministry or Care teams, they can bring you one. If you’re not yet connected but would like to be, you can reach out to them at layministry@uufws.org or care@uufws.org.

News from the Mountain Retreat & Learning Center!

Fall is gradually making its way up The Mountain, and if you have never experienced the grandeur of the season here, we invite you to join us for the amazing explosion of color. Book a personal retreat and come see for yourself!

It’s also the season for our YouthCONs! We have lots of fun and adventures planned so let the youth in your congregation know all about it.

A message from our Nominating Committee:

Hi Ambassadors.

I’m on The Mountain Nominating Committee and we are seeking people for our Board of Trustees, Nominating Committee, and Endowment Board. We need your help identifying people who you think are capable of serving on these boards. We’d like the chance to open up conversations with potential candidates who could fill this need, now or later. Have them contact me, or if they say ok to a call/email, let me know their contact info. To learn more about The Mountain governance, please visit: www.themountainrlc.org/mountain-governance/

With appreciation.

Robert E. Smith, Nominating Committee Chair. remmettsmith@gmail.com

Looking for a great item for your congregation’s auction?

We’ve got a $600 gift certificate from The Mountain for your congregation! It’s a great way to raise funds and the certificate can be used towards personal retreats, registering for any of our amazing and insightful programs, and even MountainCamp!

To learn more, email development@themountainrlc.org

 

Here are the newsletter items for this month:

Fall YouthCONs

Youth CONferences are fun and entertaining weekend gatherings of Unitarian Universalist youth who attend as a part of a congregational sponsored group. CONs are planned by youth for youth and are supervised by Peer Advocate Leaders (PALs) and advisors. Each CON provides opportunities for youth leadership and empowerment through building community, connecting with friends, and engaging in personal reflection and spiritual growth. Participants stay in our cozy cabins and eat together in our Dining Hall, which prepares delicious meals suited to individual dietary needs.

Elementary CON (3rd to 5th grade) – October 18-20
Intermediate CON (6th to 8th grade) – November 1-3
Senior High CON (9th to 12th grade) – December 13-15

Learn more and register at: www.themountainrlc.org/youth-conferences/

 

Fall PAL Planning Weekend – September 20-22
Join Peer Advocate Leaders (PALs) and Mentors (Age 16 & up) for an amazing youth leadership experience as we gather to plan our upcoming Youth CONs. The focus of this weekend is to build a program for all ages that is aligned with our Unitarian Universalist values as a supplement to congregational Religious Education programs. Space is limited to 25 registrants for the weekend and please register only if you plan on attending one or more of the Youth Conferences during the season.

Learn more and register at: www.themountainrlc.org/youth-con/fall-pal-planning-weekend

 

Grateful Gathering – November 27 – December 1

Join us this Thanksgiving for a weekend of acknowledging and celebrating the gratitude in our lives. Even through challenging times, there is much to be grateful for ­– be it friendships, family, community, opportunities for expanding our minds, and all the wonderful and inspiring things in our lives. The weekend program includes engaging workshops, entertainment, hiking through the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, connecting with old and new friends, worship service, and outdoor adventures. This is a great opportunity to invite family and friends to share time together, and no one has to cook or clean up after the holiday feast!

Learn more and register at: www.themountainrlc.org/event/greatful-gathering/

______________

Join our team!

If you, or someone you know, is interested in a unique opportunity to work in an organization striving to make a positive difference in our world, then The Mountain may be the perfect fit!

  • Food Service Worker: We are hiring for all skill sets so come learn in the kitchen and serve good, delicious and healthy food to our guests!
  • Housekeeping: Work with housekeeping staff to clean and resupply guest rooms, meeting spaces and public areas in an environmentally friendly manner.
  • Advancement Director: This position is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all aspects of fundraising including major gifts, annual fund, planned giving, special events and Capital Campaign.

Check our current job board for these positions and more www.themountainrlc.org/jobs

Join The Mosaic Watch Party!

Trunks & Treats! Thursday October 24 at 5:30 pm

It’s almost Halloween! The UU Youth Team will host Trunks and Treats this year on Thursday, October 24th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Decorate your trunk and prepare to give out peanut-free candies and treats to our costumed little (and not so little) ones in the gravel lot beside the Fellowship Hall. Plan to arrive at 5:30 to get a participating parking space.

All are welcome! If you don’t want to pass out treats, feel free to park in the rest of the parking lot and Trick or Treat with us anyway. We’ll provide pizza, drinks, and chips. See you there!

Questions? Contact the UU Youth Team.

Coming in October! Rainbow Coalition Discussion

Stay Well, Stay Connected, and Care for Each Other

As we hear of increasing Covid cases we encourage everyone to help protect our immunocompromised friends by staying well, staying at home if you’re experiencing any symptoms or if you’ve been exposed, and staying connected to the Fellowship with Zoom.

To mitigate risk, the Fellowship continues to:

  • make masks in multiple styles and sizes available for anyone who prefers to remain masked.
  • encourage the use of air purifiers in closed rooms and the continued use of outdoor meeting spaces.
  • offer multi-platform programming (in person and Zoom).
  • extend covenantal courtesy by respecting the masking and distancing choices of others.

We request that:

  • members and friends attending in-person activities update their vaccines and boosters as eligible.
  • anyone with an illness or any new symptoms remains at home.
  • we all continue to practice covenantal courtesy by respecting the masking and distancing choices of others.

Be Wary of Suspicious Emails

From time to time, a phishing email may come into your inbox pretending to be from Rev. Kayla, a staff member or Fellowship leader. Remember that we will never email you asking for the membership directory, gift cards, money, or with a request for an urgent reply.

As a reminder, here are some best practices for handling emails asking for anything:

  • Use the “Report Spam” or similar features for any emails that look suspicious.
  • If you open the email, be sure to check the email origin as being the correct email associated with the sender. You may want to change your password if you open the email.
  • Do not reply to the email. If you do reply, delete all emails associated with that one and change your email password.
  • Also, if you do reply to one of these emails, it is important that you let a staff member know.

These attempts often come in multiples, so be on the lookout for others if you receive one that you know is phishing.