Around
the world and close to home we are facing a long list of challenges. How can we
respond?
Social Justice Action Committee’s Focus on Water
Taking action on the
right to clean, safe water, from the local to the global level
2010 Georgia UU Social Justice Conference
“To Learn and Be
Inspired” — this month in Macon, Georgia
The next
Path to Membership class is this month
The Long-Range Planning
Committee wants to hear from you
As
UUMAN grows, we need your help
Dish
Rinsing 101 — What everyone needs to know
The Sustainability Committee’s Tip of the Month
What is triclosan? And
why should I care?
Ministry with Children & Youth
Starting this month, we
are excited to include the complete MCY Monthly Newsletter inside the
UUMANTimes
The 6 Components of a Balanced MCY…
Fall Mountain & District Con Dates
Ministry Musings
Another summer has come and gone,
although you wouldn’t know it by the continuing steamy weather. The kids
are back to school, the minister is in the pulpit and we have returned to our
church and our shared religious life. We return to a world much as it was
before the summer began: wars continue to rage,
When we legislate
away human rights we open the door for it to happen to all our citizens. To
paraphrase Rev. Martin Niemöller: when they came for the trade unionists I did
nothing, and when they came for the communists I was silent, and when they
rounded up the Jews I was not one, so didn’t care, and finally when they
came for me there was no one left to save me. Is that to be the fate of
There is meanness in the air, born of fear and intolerance and frankly, racial and cultural prejudice. It manifests itself in the birther movement, the tea party and the immigration debate. Our politicians have become nothing more than nay-saying, self-serving demagogues interested only in getting reelected rather than serving the people they supposedly represent. They disappoint us at every turn and pander to our lowest baser instincts of hatred and fear.
We have lost our moral compass; people have turned their backs to the pain of their neighbors and the human community. For many, compassion and love have disappeared—it seems people just don’t care—it is easier to do nothing—to hide from reality—to attack the Other—rather than heal a broken world.
But, I believe it can be different and we who gather in this beloved community must pick up the shovel and do the heavy lifting of community-building and healing. We must “Stand on the Side of Love"—get arrested if need be, as our UUA president and your former minister Greg did—in the name of justice and compassion. We are called to strive to do the right thing—to protect liberty--to be the voice for reason and love when all about us are losing their heads and succumbing to hatred. It is our obligation as a people of faith to live our values not only in words, but in a deed.
We can serve the general good if for no other reason than that it is the right thing to do. It is morally responsible for UUs to fight for those who would be trampled, their rights abridged or denied. The history of our faith is bright when it comes to the cause of justice and love. We must become an example of living love to combat hatred and prejudice. I know we can do this because I have looked into your eyes and seen your goodness and compassion. Let us not forget that the struggle for justice is never-ending. Justice must become a beautiful, mighty river, flowing to the sea. We must be willing to jump in and swim, become an integral part of human history, not just observers from the shoreline. Join me in living our faith.
Social Justice Action Committee’s Focus on Water
After the ingathering services the UUMAN Social Justice Action Committee (SJAC) will have educational materials available about the organizations and activities that support healthy water sources locally, state-wide, nationally, and internationality. Please drop by our table on September 5 after the service.
Among the activities to be
highlighted is
The Social Justice Action Committee has chosen the over-arching theme of water for our activities. They will be carried out in conjunction with the UUA matrix of Service, Education, Witnessing, Advocacy/Lobbying, Community Organizing, with the goal of having local, state, national, and world impacts. The right to water is a basic human right. As the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee notes: “Access to clean, safe drinking water is one of the most fundamental necessities of life. It is therefore a basic human right. Yet too often this basic right is impinged upon or even denied by those in power for their economic advantage. Quite often those most severely affected are the poor and peoples of color. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) believes that sources of drinking water should be kept clean and safe, and that water should be available to all regardless of ability to pay.”
On July 28, 2010 the United Nations passed a resolution signed by 122 nations (the U. S. abstained) which voiced deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water and a total of more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. Studies indicate about 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year and 443 million school days are lost because of water- and sanitation-related diseases. In some countries water has been privatized, depriving poor people from safe and available drinking water. The World Bank predicts that by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will suffer from lack of clean and safe drinking water. For more information on the problems of water privatization, see the report of the Public Citizen "Water Privatization Fiascos: Broken Promises and Social Turmoil" (http://www.citizen.org/documents/privatizationfiascos.pdf) , or the websites of the Sierra Club (http://www.sierraclub.org/committees/cac/water/), the Center for Public Integrity (http://projects.publicintegrity.org/water/), and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (http://www.uusc.org/content/international_human_right_water).
To join the UUMAN Social Justice Action Committee contact one of the coordinating members: Kate Hudson, Michelle Liebergesell, Guillermo Kuhl, Marjorie Pomper, and Pat Carter.
— Pat Carter
2010
“To
Learn and Be Inspired”
Join your fellow UUs from around the state who are passionately involved in social justice. Some would argue that social justice is the foundation of our denomination. Our work in social justice is an important way that we live out our Unitarian Universalist values in the public arena.
Learn from the work of other UU congregations. Share information about the work your social justice committee or ministry is working on. Find out what has worked well and not worked as well in the work others have done.
Be Inspired. Sometimes our Social Justice ministries are one of the smallest groups within a congregation. It can be discouraging to feel as if you are one of the few who “get” the importance of working hard for social change. Meet others from throughout the state that are involved and mobilized on the same or similar issues.
Network. Brainstorm ideas for working on common projects together. Discuss how we can empower ourselves through collaborative work. Dare to put into reality a powerful voice united with other people of faith who share our values. Through unity we will maximize our strength.
Program:
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09:30a - 10:00a |
Check-In And Refreshments |
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10:00a - 11:00a |
Opening Worship |
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Rev Rhett Baird, High Street UU Church Keynote Speaker: Ana Garcia Ashley Associate Director, Gamaliel Foundation |
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11:15a - 12:30p |
Workshop Sessions (All repeat after lunch) |
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a. Immigration Reform b. Congregation Based Community Organizing c. Racial and Economic Justice d. The Environment e. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues |
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12:30p - 01:30p |
Lunch |
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01:45p - 03:00p |
Workshop Sessions |
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03:00p - 03:30p |
Afternoon Break |
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03:30p - 04:45p |
Report Back From Workshop Sessions “Where Do We Go From Here?” |
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04:45p - 05:00p |
Closing/Adjournment |
For further information, contact:
Debra Greenwood, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett, (404)
234-2478, 
Register Now: $25 per person, includes lunch and all snacks.
Deadline to register:
— Pat Carter
We are excited to announce that the
next Path to Membership class, which is a required step before membership, is
scheduled for Sunday, Sept 19th after service from
The next New Member’s
Ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 3rd.
We would also like to remind all of our Phantom Greeters to be on the lookout for visitors as we begin a new church year. "What is a Phantom Greeter" you may ask....Well, you can find out in November, when the membership committee will host our popular "Phantom Greeter Luncheon". Are you intrigued? Be on the lookout for more details next month!
— Laurie Wheeler
The UUMAN long range planning committee (LRPC) (Chairperson Marty Harvey, Joe Creech, Margot Harding, Janet Lacey, Mike Liebergesell, and Laurey Sherman) is in the process of charting the future of our congregation and we need everyone’s help. We are looking at future needs for: staff, finances, facilities and all other areas.
Please be thinking about the UUMAN you envision and how it will impact your family and the areas of UUMAN which have your passion.
Keep a watch for your opportunities to participate in the discussion.
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Now that everyone is getting back in their fall routine, we need to make a few changes to welcome a larger number of people on Sunday mornings. Please arrive earlier, carpool and park as far back in the parking lot as you are able (watch for reconfiguration of the rear parking area). In the Sanctuary, fill the seats opposite the door first. Before & after service, keep a path open through the greeting room to the coffee area and restrooms.
— Mike Liebergesell, for the LRPC
Dish Rinsing 101
Everyone has done such a good job helping the Cleaning Crew keep the UUMAN building clean lately. If you have been going into the kitchen lately, you have probably noticed how nice things have been looking, especially if you are just going in there on Sundays to put your coffee cup in the dishwasher rack. But if you are like some of us who are in and out two, three or even four days a week, you might have had time to look closer and noticed a few ants on the kitchen counter. If you follow those ants, they are attracted to the sugary coffee and juice drips that are under the racks.
Soon you will notice some new, nicely printed signs at UUMAN asking you to rinse your coffee cup or dish before you place them in the dishwasher rack. We have had some people wonder why we are asking members to do this because they are concerned about conserving water. We are glad you are being mindful about water consumption at UUMAN but there are a few things about our dishwasher you need to know.
Our dishwasher is an extremely efficient special commercial model that uses very little water. It actually recycles the water after each load, meaning we wash several loads with the same water. It reaches such a high temperature that the water is disinfected prior to each wash. So we conserve water each load that we run.
At home you may be able to get away with putting an un-rinsed cup in your dishwasher because most people run their home dishwasher every day or two. At UUMAN we don’t run the dishwasher very often. On a slow week it can take the entire 7 days to fill up the rack. Only then do we run the dishwasher. That means that the sugary coffee or tea in the bottom of your cup sits there all week attracting ants and their friends to a little UUMAN picnic.
Now, none of us wants to waste water but sometimes you have to choose between two “evils”. Would you rather waste a little water rinsing your cup and keep the pests away, or conserve water and then have to use pesticides?
So the Sustainability Committee and the Common Grounds Committee have come up with a simple solution to this dilemma. Starting immediately, the Coffee Maker of the week will make a dishpan of water in the kitchen sink so that people can swish out their coffee cup before putting in the rack. If you are there during the week, use just a little water to get the juice or sugary drink out of the bottom of you cup. Dishes with food need to be scraped and rinsed. Sometimes it is just as easy and uses the same amount of water to just wash the dish, dry it and put it away. We’ll let you decide about that.
Look for the signs. Thanks again for caring for this wonderful community.
— Rosie Popp
The Sustainability Committee’s Tip of the Month
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What is Triclosan?? …and why should I care? |
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Triclosan is a ubiquitous chemical found in many household products, cleaners and soaps. The non-profit Beyond Pesticides has been mounting a crusade to inform the public of the dangers of Triclosan since 2004. From their webpage: “Triclosan, one of the most prevalent antibacterial compounds found in products, is the focus of a campaign undertaken by a coalition of health and environmental groups led by Beyond Pesticides and Food & Water Watch, aimed at removing triclosan from the market. Studies have increasingly linked triclosan (and its chemical cousin triclocarban), to a range of adverse health and environmental effects, from skin irritation, allergy susceptibility, bacterial, endocrine disruption and compounded antibiotic resistant, tainted water, and dioxin contamination to destruction of fragile aquatic ecosystems. |
“When
introduced to the market in 1972, triclosan was confined to hospital and health
care settings. Since then triclosan has exploded onto the market place in
hundreds of consumer products ranging from antibacterial soaps, deodorants,
toothpastes, cosmetics, fabrics, toys, and other household and personal care
products. Triclosan’s impact on the consumer market has been aided by the
false public perception that antibacterial products are best to protect and
safeguard against potential harmful bacteria. However, an article in the
journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, entitled "Consumer Antibacterial
Soaps: Effective or Just Risky?" (2007), concludes that antibacterial
soaps show no health benefits over plain soaps. This follows a recommendation
by the FDA Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee on 
infections.
“http://beyondpesticides.org/antibacterial/products.htm
Research into triclosan’s health and environmental impacts is only just
underway, despite its widespread consumer use. Studies have found that it
persists in the environment, contributes to the increasing rates of bacterial
resistance, has endocrine disrupting properties and causes adverse health
problems in humans and wildlife species.
“Triclosan Facts:
Triclosan, used in hundreds of consumer products such as soaps, hand sanitizers, cosmetics, toys, plastics and textiles, is an antibacterial pesticide linked to numerous human health risks and environmental contamination. Studies have found triclosan in urine, breast milk and umbilical cord blood. It is also detected in large concentrations in surface waters and waste water treatment sludge as well as in fish and earth worms. Triclosan is also an endocrine disruptor, interfering with thyroid hormones, estrogen and androgen receptors, which can threaten the integrity of antibacterial and antibiotics in medical settings.”
What can you do about Triclosan?
· Avoid products that contain it
· Share this knowledge with friends and co-workers
· Encourage your local schools and business to use their buying power to go tricolsan-free.
· Write a letter to your local store or retailer,
· Support companies that do not use triclosan:
· Sign the individual pledge to not use products containing triclosan
· Join the campaign to ask manufacturers to stop using triclosan!”
Learn more at: http://beyondpesticides.org/antibacterial/triclosan.htm where you can find lists of companies and products that use Tricolsan and lists of those that don’t!
Sept 5 — Ingathering Water Service
This our intergenerational service where our children and youth take center stage, to celebrate our coming together at the beginning of a new church year. We invite our members and friends/visitors to bring water from around your town, or from wherever you might have traveled, to mingle in the common bowl of our shared humanity. Come, come, whoever you are.
Sept 12 — Begin Again
This season is a time of self-reflection and reevaluation of our lives. Ramadan is just past and Rosh Hashanah is upon us. It is a time for inner and global evaluation of our relations with all of humanity and this sustaining planet. It is not too late to change.
Sept 19 — Restore and Repair
We are all broken in some fundamental way, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. Now is a time to celebrate our humanity, flawed as it is. Now is the moment of forgiveness for all that we have breached the bonds of human kindness and relationship, and to hereafter resolve to begin again to build a better life and world.
Sept 26 — Pain and Suffering (and Healing) Lay-Led Service; Elizabeth Rohan – Guest Speaker
The complete September MCY
Newsletter begins here! We are very pleased to include all the MCY news along
with the UUMANTimes, both on-line and in print. We hope this will be a
convenient way for you to find all the UUMAN-related September activities.
There is also a link from the MCY web page directly
to this section, which may be helpful when you're browsing the UUMAN web site
for MCY information. — c.news
Welcome to UUMAN’s MCY. Welcome for the first time. Welcome
back…
…welcome to the place where you will always find a friend waiting, to a place where what you say, what you think, what you feel and what you believe really matters! Welcome to a place where you will find a promise that you will be valued, loved, respected and supported and where we will expect the same from you in return. Welcome to a place where Love & Justice are tenets of our faith, a faith that firmly holds us to our promises to one another. Welcome to a place where we ‘snuggle and struggle’ with ourselves and each other as we grow together. Welcome to your Church home.
I hope that you have all had a wonderful summer and now I am so glad that YOU are here! We have some great RE Teams shaping up and a fantastic MCY Council who have already been busy making plans for a year full of wonderful experiences for us to create and share. I am excited about seeing everyone on Sunday mornings as we explore the many sources of our developing faith and live into our Unitarian Universalist Principles in beloved community with one another!
Welcome to all the new families who are joining us for the first time. We are looking forward to having you become a part of this ministry that we all care about so much. We want you to play an active role in your MCY at UUMAN and I know that your community will support your contributions and leadership in any way they can.
Your MCY Council and I hope that you will all join us at a special MCY sponsored Potluck on Friday September 10th as we celebrate the beginning of a new year of ministry together…
So, I invite you all to join me with arms, minds & hearts wide open as we look forward to being together again!
One
Love, Toniann
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SEPTEMBER 2010 |
Office Hours |
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Sept 5 – Ingathering Sept 10 – MCY Potluck Sept 11 – MCY Volunteer Training ( Sept 12 – RE Begins! Sept 17-19 – Youth Retreat Sept 26 – MCY Council Meeting ( |
Tuesday Thursday Friday Sunday
Office Telephone: (770) 992-3949 Email: dmcy@uuman.org |
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Kit & Anna Hamblen – Co-Chairs OPEN (YOU?) – Vision Team Coordinator Danielle Downs – Secretary Kathy Hubbard – Curriculum Team Coordinator Sara Kuhl – Social Action Coordinator Margot Harding – Worship Coordinator Suzy Rezelman - RE Associate Coordinator Kara Sweeney - Family Ministry Team Coordinator |
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The 6 Components of a Balanced MCY… Worship! Multigenerational! Social Action! Learning! Leadership!
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Friday
September 10th |
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Saturday
September 11th |
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Sunday
September 12th |
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Family
Potluck
Bring your family and a dish to share. You are invited to
visit your RE Team rooms after supper |
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MCY
Volunteer Training Join your MCY Council and fellow volunteers for a morning
of learning, fun and fellowship. Breakfast provided at Childcare
by request |
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Religious
Exploration Begins! Sessions begin for Preschool through 12th
Grade. Children and Youth begin in their rooms at
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Young Religious Unitarian Universalists |
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‘RURAL VILLAGE EXPERIENCE’ SEPTEMBER 17-19th Pack your bags…we’re
off to ‘ |
We will spend the weekend together in a model Haitian village where we will experience first hand what it is like to live in another country, in conditions very different than our own. We will explore the world around us and the world between us, listen to inspiring missionary stories and come home with a changed perspective!
Are you interested in creating intergenerational community?
Are you intrigued by the idea of Youth/Adult alliances?
Do you like playing games, deep conversation & worshipping at midnight (followed by breakfast at Waffle House)?
Are you over a UUMAN member over 25 years old?
We have a program waiting for YOU!
Application packets are available at the
MCY Table on Sunday mornings
Fall Mountain & District Con Dates
MidSouth District YAC Meeting — Saturday October 9th
Jr Youth Mountain Con — November 19-21
MidSouth District ‘CONfront’ — November 19-21
Sr
Youth Mountain Con — December 3-5th
— Articles submitted by Toniann Read
The Inherent Worth and Dignity of Babies
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You may have noticed a few changes in our UUMAN population
recently. They are evidenced by an abundance of infant car seats in the
corners of Fellowship Hall, the odd cry or snuffling and lots of people
crowding around couples who looked elated, yet a little bleary eyed, sporting
some tiny bundles snuggled into baby-slings. Yes, UUMAN is in the happy
midst of a baby boom! It’s been a while since UUMAN has had so many brand new babies as part of it’s community and for many of us it’s very exciting, if even a little daunting. We are all very eager to embrace these new people and celebrate with their new parents, the joys and hopes that we tie up in the presence of new life. |
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In our exuberance to engage with our new parents and babies, I think it’s a good opportunity to consider the relationships we want to form with these wonderful new beings. Babies have a way of triggering many emotions from us adults and it’s easy to forget how things seem from an infant’s perspective. This brand new world is pretty overwhelming when we first enter it. As a loving community, we can be very deliberate and committed to a gentle and respectful approach to our babies (and young people, in general). This will not only provide an opportunity to put into practice our religious intentions, but will serve us in forming trusting, genuine, loving relationship with our community’s children. |
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So with that in mind, I would like to offer some suggestions for building a healthy relationship with our babies: |
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Forming a relationship with a baby is not very different from engaging any new visitor at UUMAN. Their verbal skills maybe lacking, but they are highly efficient communicators. So, when first approaching a baby, be respectful of their space. No one likes to be touched without permission, but a gentle touch is often welcome. For example, rather than grabbing a baby’s hand or body, offer your finger and wait for the baby to reach out. If they don’t reach back, don’t take it personally! You may have been the fifteenth person to approach them that morning and they are just exhausted or they may just be feeling uncertain. Smile and let them know everything is ok and how pleased you are to meet them. |
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If the baby is happy to engage with you, enjoy talking to them and exchanging gestures. If you’re interested in holding the baby, check in with the parent as to whether it’s a good time and watch to see how the baby feels about leaving the arms of the parent or caregiver. If it seems to unsettle the baby, then soothe and reassure but be happy to return them to where they feel most comfortable. Again, it’s not personal! From the baby’s perspective, being held by a new person is often overwhelming and scary. Sometimes only a parent will suffice to reassure their infant. By helping our babies feel safe and respected, we will communicate to our children that when they are ready to explore in our community, they will be listened to and protected. It’s understandable that the language of babies can seem elusive
at times. As a culture, little attention is paid to it and many myths
about babies being less human than adults have pervaded our medical and
social practices. But do not fret! Help is at hand. We have the
most expert and comprehensive translators, right here with us - the
parents! A baby’s parent will be able to tell you what that
gesture means, what that cry is about or what they need. So trust their
parents when they say, “oh, they don’t like that” or
“she’s really sleepy right now” or “I think
she’s had enough for today”. They really do know their
babies and again it’s not personal if they communicate that their baby
is not available for social time. They are just translating what their
child is communicating for us. On a final note, I want to encourage you to get to know our
babies. These words are not meant to discourage you from approaching
our families or questioning whether you are welcome in their world. Our
babies are looking for interaction and connection. They want a
relationship with you! Let’s show them what a loving and
respectful community looks like, so they can become part of our community and
share what they have to offer us. May you enjoy many baby smiles. J |
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— Kara Sweeney, MCY Council, Family Ministry |
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UUMANTimes
is the newsletter of Unitarian Universalist Metro Atlanta North (UUMAN), located
at 11420 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA 30075. We welcome nearly all imaginable
newsletter submissions, and publish almost of them in the process. We go live
with each issue by the first Sunday of the month; deadline for submissions is
typically close of business on the 20th of the month proceeding the issue date,
unless forgiveness is begged sincerely or creatively. Please email your
articles, photos, sonnets and songs to c.news.: 