Jan 13, 2023 | Sermons
Sunday, January 8, 2023 11am
Rev. Cathy Harrington, Interim Lead Minister
Historically, introverts have been unfairly misunderstood. They are not necessarily shy, though introverts often avoid social situations because they are draining. They are not misanthropic (distrustful of humanity), they are not anti-social, they are not timid or insecure, and they are not rude. They are just different from extroverts. You might be surprised to learn that there are many comedians and action actors who are introverts such as Harrison Ford and Steve Martin.
Jan 13, 2023 | Sermons
Sunday, January 1, 2023 11am
Rev. Cathy Harrington, Interim Lead Minister
Join me as we welcome the new year by taking a journey through four successive stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honoring our Pain for the World, Seeing with New Eyes, and Going Forth.
Jan 11, 2023 | Weekly Message
One of my centering practices is photographing things that bring me joy. Yesterday as I was bicycling home, I stopped to take in the beautiful light on Beaver Lake from the setting sun. I sat on the bench by the road for a moment of silence before heading home. I sat with a feeling of gratitude for the beauty before me, for the end of the workday, knowing I would be in my warm home soon on that chilly day.
I recently participated in a workshop on the practice of collaborative ministry and felt deep gratitude for the collaborative ministries in our congregation. A workshop facilitator explained why the title was “collaborative ministry” and not “shared ministry”. “Shared ministry” means that someone else “owns it” and allows participation. “Collaborative ministry” is an effort to acknowledge the egalitarian nature of ministry. What an important distinction! The work of this congregation is not just the responsibility of the board and paid staff. All members of the congregation have responsibility to co-create this Beloved Community we aspire to.
I see this in many areas of our work together. Staff, lay leaders and congregants working together co-create Beloved Community by supporting each other on our spiritual journeys. This happens with our congregational care team that is lay-led in collaboration with our lead interim minister. It happens in RE where our staff works with volunteers (at least 40 this year) to lead numerous programs that serve our children and youth. Where else do you see collaborative ministry at UU Asheville? How can your gifts contribute to our ministries during this exciting time in the life of our congregation?
Coming back into community after almost three years of being apart and developing new habits, has been awkward and slow. Some have not returned. Yet, there is so much happening in our congregation! We are welcoming visitors every Sunday. Religious Education is thriving. A new Soul Matters Small Group is launching this month. Our Justice Ministry partnership with BeLoved continues to deepen and engage volunteers. Our Search Committee is joyfully and earnestly going through the ministerial candidate packets on the journey of discerning who our next lead minister will be. There is much more I could list, but you get the idea. There is much to be grateful for.
Rev. Claudia Jiménez, Minister of Faith Development
Jan 11, 2023 | Scoop
Are you a coffee drinker? We are in our house so I have a cup or so of coffee grounds every day to deal with. I throw them in my compost bin so they do get recycled. But there are so many other ways to use them. Here are a few that might give you a little inspiration to start saving your grounds.
First of all, you can add coffee grounds, paper filters and all to compost piles, worm composting bins, and simply to the garden in sheet composting style (dig them under).
Use grounds to mulch your plants. They are attractive and actually provide a mild dose of slow-release nitrogen to your plants. If they start getting a bit of mold, simply take a fork and stir them around. This goes for houseplants as well as outdoor plants.
Add a cup of coffee grounds to a quart of potting soil when repotting indoor plants. They will help retain moisture and provide a mild fertilizer. This is a great practice as you get ready to repot houseplants in the spring.
Work coffee grounds into your garden soil before seed planting to improve water-holding capacity and air space. You can simply spread them on top or use lightweight cultivation to dig them in.
Coffee grounds mixed with crushed eggshells repel snails and slugs. Simply mix dry grounds with the eggshells and sprinkle around your hostas and in the centers of the crowns.
Mix tiny carrot and radish seeds with dry coffee grounds for better spacing. You can also use sand, but coffee grounds will also help retain moisture to help the seedlings break through the soil crust.
Spread coffee grounds and orange peels in flower beds to keep cats from using the garden as a litter box. I’m trying this in one of my pots indoors that my cat has taken a fancy to.
Make a big coffee “tea” bag for a gentle, fast-acting liquid fertilizer. Mix about a half-pound can of grounds in a five-gallon bucket of water and let it let it sit for 24 hours. The grounds will settle and you can pour the liquid off. Or, put a cupful in a coffee filter, staple it shut and drop it in a pitcher of water to steep. Water houseplants and outdoor plants.
In the kitchen, place a bowl with coffee grounds in the freezer to remove unwanted odors. And, rub coffee grounds on your hands to get rid of smells from chopping or cutting up pungent foods such as fish or garlic. You can also use coffee grounds to absorb odors in closets by filling old nylons and hanging them. Besides a bit of explaining to guests, it really works!
Kate Jerome
Jan 10, 2023 | Justice Ministry
30 Days of Love 2023! Side with Love’s annual month of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice, 30 Days of Love will go from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16) through Valentine’s Day (February 14). This year’s 30 Days of Love is a love letter to our whole beloved community – families, religious professionals, partners and communities that embody our values and work for justice and liberation year round. Each week will feature a spiritual theme overlapping with one of Side With Love’s intersectional justice priorities, and we’ll share an array of offerings to help nourish your spirit and give gratitude and affirmation. Learn More Here
- WEEK 1 (January 16-22)
Interdependence :: Democracy & Electoral Justice
- WEEK 2 (January 23-29)
Embodiment :: LGBTQIA+, Gender & Reproductive Justice
- WEEK 3 (January 30 – February 5)
Resilience :: Climate Justice
- WEEK 4 (February 6-12)
Healing :: Decriminalization
- BONUS DAYS (February 13-14)
Blessings :: Liberatory Intersections
“Love Thy Neighbor” Expand Medicaid Postcard Campaign. In 2022, NC lawmakers came closer than ever to Expanding Medicaid to over a half a million people in North Carolina. In early 2023, The NC Justice Center needs our help to get this lifesaving legislation over the finish line! They are inviting us to send postcards to members of the NC General Assembly. When you sign up, you will receive a packet of pre-addressed postcards and stamps that you can mail directly to lawmakers, along with some talking points to get you started. You can expect your packet in late January. Sign Up Here. DEADLINE Sunday, January 15th.
New to UU Asheville? Click below to learn about our on-going Anti-Racism Initiative
http://uuashevillecom.revaudettefulbright.com/uu-ashevilles-on-going-anti-racism-initiative-how-will-you-get-involved-dec-7/
