Vespers 6:30 PM (in person and YouTube); Vespers Leader: Jeff Jones Justice Conversation, 7 PM; (in person and Zoom link available in the Wed. e-News) Serving at the El Paso Border -Speaker Jeff Jones For eleven and a half months beginning August 1, 2021, Jeff Jones served refugees and asylum seekers at the El Paso border. He will describe his experiences living in the shelters including daily activities serving the guests, their happy as well as heart-wrenching stories, and the intensity of the service.
NEXT WEEK Vespers Leader: Neal Jones (in person & YouTube) Program: “Café, Cultura y Conversación”; Facilitators: Rev. Claudia and Michele Gregory (in person only) If you are interested in joining us Wed. Oct 19 after Vespers for “Café, Cultura y Conversación” an opportunity for bilingual learning and conversation, we will be discussing the Asheville Art Museum exhibit “Border Cantos/Sonic Border.” If you have a chance to visit, use your cell to take a picture of what moves you in that exhibit. We will share in English and/or Español when we gather Oct 19.
Religious Exploration for adults is launched this month. Our lay team Jim Steffe, Kelly Weddell and Sherry Lundquist, supported by Kim Collins and me, has also been preparing for the new congregational year. A few highlights:
Soul Matters Groups. Facilitated by members of UU Asheville. Groups meet October-July. We have 8 groups that a ready to gather. There are three types of groups that gather to explore the monthly themes using the Soul Matters packets that include prompts and readings. Soul Matters Groups focus on dialogue; Creativity Matters groups focus on artistic expression; and UU Writers share written reflection. Questions? Contact Venny Zachritz
I will also be hosting a Bagged Lunch Dialogue on the bookSearchby Michelle Huneven, October 21 from noon-1PM in Sandburg Hall. Although the author broke covenant in writing the book and that is deeply troubling, it is a useful learning tool. I know some of you have read it and I think a conversation about it is important.
Y, tenemos un programa nuevo! And, we have a new offering to support spiritual deepening and the work of liberation. It is an opportunity to discuss novels (and an anthology) that invite us into covenanted, deep listening conversations that can be challenging. Rev. Cathy and I will be co-leading a 1st Thursday NOON Bagged Lunch and 7PM Zoom “Embracing Discomfort” Book Dialogue.
Nov 3 There There by Tommy Orange
Jan 5 Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed, edited bu Saraciea J. Fennell
March 2 Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
May 4 On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong
I look forward to seeing you at one of the many offerings at UU Asheville! Nos vemos!
Here are a few tips on fall care for perennials. Although I do encourage you to leave foliage and seedheads standing through the winter, some perennials do benefit from pruning back.
And don’t forget – we will have a congregation-wide Plant Exchange on October 30 after the service (12-2) in the gravel parking lot. As you begin to do fall clean-up, pot up any plants you wish to share. There are pots in the garage at 23 Ewin if you need them. Just remember to label the plants. And you may just come away with some new treasures!
Bearded Iris – the foliage has most likely begun to die back already, and it will be a haven for iris borers and fungal diseases. Cut back all the foliage completely after a killing frost and dispose of it instead of composting.
Beebalm – if you had mildew issues in summer, cut the plants back completely and dispose of the foliage. If there was no mildew, you can leave them on through winter.
Daylilies respond well to shearing. If you didn’t shear them back in late summer, mowing them down now will save messy cleanup in spring.
The perennial sunflower still looks great now and will until hard frost. Leave it up and the seedheads will feed the birds and catch snow beautifully.
Japanese Anemones are favorites of certain beetles and are often defoliated by fall. If not, the foliage of Japanese anemones turns black and unattractive with frost. Cut them back in the fall.
Peony foliage should be removed in the fall to prevent disease issues. Dispose of it instead of composting.
Phlox is prone to powdery mildew like beebalm. Prune and destroy all foliage and stems in the fall.
Perennial salvia benefits from several prunings during the growing season, and in fall, cut the whole plant back to the new leaves at the base.
Baptisia may split in the middle if not sheared back after blooming although the seed pods are beautiful in the snow. You can simply stake the pod stalks even though the foliage will turn black.
Please don’t hesitate to send an email or text if you have questions about your garden.
In the middle of October, when the nights grow cool and there is a hint of fall in the air, I love to sleep with my window open. It is a delight to smell the fresh, cool air and snuggle under the protective warmth of my comforter and my dear dog. I remember one morning, just before dawn, in an October morning in Chattanooga, I woke to the sound of crickets. Instead of realizing I was hearing real crickets, I fumbled for my iPhone thinking someone was calling me. Yes, my ringer was set to the sound of crickets, for nostalgias sake. OMG, how much do I love the sound of crickets? When I lived in Alaska and California, there were no crickets, and I missed them something awful. No crickets or fireflies, can you imagine?
Welcome to the 21st century, where your phone ringer can play music (any song you like if you are willing to pay for it), church bells, jazz guitars, motorcycles, dogs barking, and, will wonders never cease, an old-fashioned telephone. I once set my phone to sound like a barking dog for when my older son called but the problem was that I rarely answered in time because it sounded too realistic, it took time it to register that it wasn’t a dog but my phone! My son thought I was avoiding him, so the bark had to go.
My favorite time of day in Asheville is sharing a morning walk with my dog, Zoey. Most mornings we get in the car and drive to Lake Louise. The usual suspects are there with their dogs or their walking buddies. We nod with recognition of our shared morning ritual. The freshness of morning invigorates me as I listen to the ducks and the occasional geese and watch them feeding along the shoreline of the lake. Zoey sniffs every bloody inch of grass as if the landscape had somehow changed from the day before. Of course, it is has changed, there have been wild turkeys, bears, moles, and God knows what else passing through in the night. When the mornings are warm, I watch the edges of the lake for turtles peaking their head out of the morning mist. It’s a treat, and when I don’t see them, I feel a loss as if seeing a turtle everyday brings me luck.
I feel especially lucky when I hear that familiar honking overhead and look up to see a gaggle of Canada geese migrating in their “V-formation.” It’s magical. National Geographic reports “Geese can cover 1,500 miles in just 24 hours with a favorable wind! By flying in “V-formation” rather than in isolation, the whole flock adds 70% greater flying range. When the “leader” tires, he falls back to rest, and another takes his place. Teamwork and shared responsibility pay off, and I never tire of looking up to witness their wisdom. Lake Louise is a popular sanctuary for the Canadas as they head out on their journey in both Spring and Fall. But the wisdom of the morning doesn’t end here.
One morning, just as the sound of the geese began to fade, I heard an owl hooting in the distance. As I paused to savor the sound and thought about how as a society we have “adapted” to the noise of traffic, leaf blowers, construction sites, and the blather of endless political scandals of the day on the news or radio. I remember moving from Seward, Alaska to Berkeley, California, and the jarring culture shock I felt. I couldn’t fall asleep without earplugs for weeks but after a while I adapted, and the noise didn’t bother me. Adaptation is a remarkable survival tool, but what have we lost in our adapting?
It seems that everywhere I look, people are walking with earbuds or headphones listening to music or talking on the phone even when they are walking in the exquisite beauty and calm of nature, missing the gifts of its silence and gentle sounds. I think we should resist! The 21st century doesn’t have to mean that we stuff our ears, close our windows, and lose our sensitivity to noise and nature.
Sunday worship may seem old-fashioned or passe to some, but what if going to church on Sunday morning is a radical act of resistance? With its beautiful music, beloved community, deep reflection, a commitment to social justice, religious exploration, meditation, prayer, gathered hope, inspiration, and the joyful sound of laughter and children and friends as opposed to simply tolerating the unwelcome noise that insists on invading and poisoning our lives.
Resist! Renew your commitment to making life meaningful, joyful, and fun. See you in church!
COMMUNITY PLATE PARTNER BeLoved Asheville created the first homeless/formerly homeless street medic team in the nation to help improve health and prevent premature death of the most vulnerable people in our community. Trained by local medical professionals, team members learn how to perform health assessments and respond to emergency situations. See how medic teams and health fairs provide hope and healing to those living on the streets of Asheville by clicking this link. BeLoved Asheville
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES Support the Carolina Abortion Fund which offers a confidential, toll free hotline providing financial, practical, and emotional support to callers in North and South Carolina trying to access abortion care.
At UUCAvl Program – Reproductive Justice: Expanding Our Social Justice Calling. Facilitators: Jane Bramham, Neal Jones, Rev. Claudia Initially scheduled for the Fall, we decided encouraging engagement with UU the Vote this fall is the best way to support reproductive justice and access to abortion healthcare in NC for women and our trans and nonbinary siblings. The RJ program will be offered in January 2023.
MIDTERM ELECTIONS – OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION Carolina Jews & UUs Faith in Action Phonebank in Partnership with the New North Carolina Project Foundation.Thursdays from 6:30 – 8:30 from September 15th through November 3rd. UU Justice NC is teaming up with Carolina Jews for Justice to co-host this weekly Get Out the Vote phone bank in the run up to the midterm elections. We’ll be calling voters of the Global Majority across North Carolina empowering and equipping them to Vote Love and Defeat Hate. Register Here
OTHER EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES:
Do you know about the Moore v. Harper Supreme Court Case?
The next major challenge to American democracy comes from North Carolina. Experts say an extreme interpretation of the Constitution by the Supreme Court in North Carolina’s Moore v. Harper redistricting case would make it even easier for state legislatures to suppress the vote, draw gerrymandered election districts, and subvert election results, among other concerns. You may not know that the “Harper” in the case isBecky Harper, a UU from Raleigh! Below are opportunities to learn more about this important case directly from Common Cause NC, a lead plaintiff in the case. Learn more…Friday, October 14th at 11:00am at UU Justice NC’s Friday Action Hour. Zoom Link.
Concerned about education in NC? Watch this timely video produced August 29, and consider if this is an area of advocacy and engagement for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2ihL90I5GE
Beebalm
In the middle of October, when the nights grow cool and there is a hint of fall in the air, I love to sleep with my window open. It is a delight to smell the fresh, cool air and snuggle under the protective warmth of my comforter and my dear dog. I remember one morning, just before dawn, in an October morning in Chattanooga, I woke to the sound of crickets. Instead of realizing I was hearing real crickets, I fumbled for my iPhone thinking someone was calling me. Yes, my ringer was set to the sound of crickets, for nostalgias sake. OMG, how much do I love the sound of crickets? When I lived in Alaska and California, there were no crickets, and I missed them something awful. No crickets or fireflies, can you imagine?