Democracy: The Fight

Dec 6, 2023 | Weekly Message

The warnings are, frankly, quite dire. I’ve been following Rachel Maddow’s tour for her book Prequel, which is an expansion of her essential podcast ULTRA, and she always notes: prepare for quite a year to come. But the same warning signs are up across the political spectrum, whether you listen to journalist Jonathon Karl (Tired of Winning, 2023), former “Anonymous” White House author/Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor (Blowback), Yale historian and Russian expert Timothy Snyder (The Road to Unfreedom, On Tyranny), professor and social media history interlocutor Heather Cox Richardson (“Letters from an American,” Democracy Awakening) or, of course, Liz Cheney (Oath and Honor) – we are in for the fight of our lives if we hope to be able to recognize the US as a constitutional republic after November of 2024.

I believe them, and I am preparing. In ways both private and hopefully, with you in ways that are public, I am readying myself to be a staunch advocate for the institutions and guardrails of democracy, and to actively support a robust voter turnout effort next fall. It may be an uphill battle; there are storm signals in the wind that have nothing to do with the presumptive Republican nominee, and everything to do with general unrest and a wish that things – maybe everything – were different. In uneasy times, it’s tough to vote for those already with their hands on the wheel. And these are more than “uneasy” times – with actual wars devastating real lives and exacerbating tensions among people of genuine goodwill, our ability to listen to each other and work together has rarely been more challenging.

Which is why I mention all this here in December, as most of us enter into what is set forth as a holiday season. The thing is, we’re going to need each other to be at our most effective, as often as possible, and with as many hands on deck as possible in the coming year (and beyond). So we need to find cycles of activity and rest. We need to be able to take care of one another and ourselves, and to find both some joy and meaning in the work. We need to remember that all of it is life, and so celebration, song, sleep, friends, deep reflection and meaning-making are all part and parcel of doing important, hard work for a long time.

So I hope you are finding time for yourself. Enjoy the deepening dark; let it be a season of rest and reflection. Read more. Stare into the fire. Cuddle with someone you love. Celebrate all that is worth celebrating. That’s the only way we ever make anything better – together. 

With love,

Rev. Audette

Registration is Open! Opportunities for the New Year…

Dec 6, 2023 | Featured

The Adult Faith Exploration Planning Team invites you to consider the following offerings which launch in the New Year.

Soul Matters Group (conversational) – A new group convenes in January; 2nd Monday, 1:30-3:30 PM. Interested? Curious about our small group ministry?
Contact Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org 

Demonstrating Our Values Through Eating (DOVE)
A  6-week Adult RE program exploring our daily food choices and their impact on our own lives and on life on Earth. Informative documentaries, fun cooking sessions, and more! Jan 11- Feb 15, Thursday sessions, 4-6PM Sandburg Hall.
For more information & registration contact Rebecca Bringle rkbringle@gmail.com
Facilitators: Rebecca and Robert Bringle

World Religions: Sacred Texts
Beginning January 2024, UU Asheville member, Amy Wright Glenn, the founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death and a long-time Unitarian Universalist will facilitate a 5-month study of Sacred Texts. Participants will meet once a month (via Zoom) and draw from Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The aim is to carefully read and consider a foundational text for each of these five wisdom traditions with the intention of deepening an understanding of the central tenets, debates/discussions, and practices/rituals affirmed in each tradition. All are welcome!  
Dates: Jan 28, Feb 11, March 10,April 7, May 5
Registration information and details here.

Taoism 101 
Readings and discussion based on the translation of Tao te Ching: Power for the Peaceful by Dr. Marc S. Mullinax, Mars Hill University 
March 13, 27 and April 10, 24 ; 6:00-7:30 PM, Sanctuary 
Facilitator: Dr. Mullinax
Registration TBA

Adult Faith Exploration – December

Dec 6, 2023 | Faith Development

The Soul Matters December theme is “the gift of mystery.”
Our Soul Matters Groups will be exploring this theme through conversation, art and writing. 

Below is a blessing from the Soul Matters Team: Blessing of Mystery

In the ever-unfolding mystery that envelopes us as we move through our lives, may we open up, extend grace, act out of love and curiosity, and above all, appreciate –for the mystery is the gift.
May we appreciate the mysteries of within and without, knowing we will forever be discovering both the twists and turns, lights and shadows of our own minds, as well as the tumbles, dances, and dynamism of humans in relationship.
May we embrace the mystery of childhood, when so much is raw and new and full of life; of young adulthood, with its beauty, heartbreaks, and becoming;
of middle age, wrestling, reckoning and coming to peace; and finally, of elderhood, where all of our accumulated knowledge and experience seems to expand exponentially into the vast field of that which we do know and may never understand, and we are again raw and new.
May the mystery hold us. May the mystery inspire us. May the mystery move us toward the Love at the center of all creation.

Opportunities for Connection:  A new Soul Matters group launches in January; 2nd Monday 1:30-3:30 PM. Interested? Contact Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org 


Faith Development Calendar
Dec 6 – Dinner 6PM & Vespers 7PM
Dec 17  – Yule/ Winter Solstice Celebration in the Sanctuary. Sun., Dec. 17, 5:00 PM. Join Blue Ridge Spirit CUUPS for a festive ceremony of dancing, singing, and laughter to honor the return of the sun. It will also be a time of  reflection on the meaning of the shortest day and longest night of the year. Coming-of-agers and children of all ages are welcome! Please bring a dish to share for the potluck afterward. 

Registration is Open for Spring Classes!
Demonstrating Our Values Through Eating (DOVE) A  6-week Adult RE program exploring our daily food choices and their impact on our own lives and on life on Earth. Informative documentaries, fun cooking sessions, and more! Jan 11- Feb 15, Thursday sessions, 4-6PM Sandburg Hall. For more information & registration contact Rebecca Bringle rkbringle@gmail.com
Facilitators: Rebecca and Robert Bringle

World Religions: Sacred Texts Beginning January 2024, UU Asheville member, Amy Wright Glenn, the founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death and a long-time Unitarian Universalist will facilitate a 5-month study of Sacred Texts. Participants will meet once a month (via Zoom) and draw from Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The aim is to carefully read and consider a foundational text for each of these five wisdom traditions with the intention of deepening an understanding of the central tenets, debates/discussions, and practices/rituals affirmed in each tradition. All are welcome! 
Dates: Jan 28, Feb 11, March 10,April 7, May 5
Registration information and details here.

Save the Date
May 5 Small Groups Facilitator Meet-Up, 12:30-1:30 PM, SH

Spiritual Deepening Groups
Life Abundant – Join Rev. Audette any Thursday at 10 am via Zoom forLife, Abundant – a weekly exploration of spirituality, science, poetry, biology & more. Zoom access information on our UUAvl website calendar.
Covenant of UU Pagans – CUUPS. Contact: Sherry Lundquist sherry_lundquist@yahoo.com
Buddhist Sanhga – meets 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:30 pm in Sandburg Hall; Contact: Sequoyah Rich sequoyahrich333@gmail.com, or Stef Garvin stef@giftsintogold.com.
Soul Matters Groups – Conversation Groups, UU Writers Group and Creativity Matters group explore monthly themes Sept.- June.  Contact: Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org

December RE and Family Ministry Updates

Dec 5, 2023 | Family Ministry, Uncategorized

We’ve got some fun things happening this month that I will tell you about below, but I also want to talk about some “boring” housekeeping things, especially since we have so many new families with us who just may not know some of this stuff.

First, some safety stuff! In addition to providing an outstanding Religious Exploration program, we take safety very seriously! It’s the job of the staff, particularly RE and child care staff, to create and follow guidelines based on best safety practices for working with children and youth. This is for the safety of EVERYONE at UU Asheville. Here are some things you should know:

1. Children and youth visitors – We think it’s great when our children and youth want to share their church experience! Please help us out when bringing visitors whose parents/guardians are not on campus by bringing them down to RE and making sure that teachers and/or RE staff know who their adults are so we know who to contact in case of an emergency.

2. On campus supervision – Parents/guardians/caregivers are responsible for their children and youth whenever on campus, or at an off campus UU Asheville event. Outside of RE classes and activities, children in 5th grade or under should be with their families or another designated adult at all times. Children and youth who are in 6th grade or up have a bit more freedom to move around the campus, but you should still know where they are at all times while on campus. Children in 5th grade and under should be picked up from RE by a parent or other designated adult by 12:30 pm on Sundays. 6th grade and up groups will be dismissed to go find their families by 12:30 pm. This does not mean that kiddos in 6th grade and up have “free reign” on campus – the expectation is that they will be supervised by their folks once they leave class. There should always be adults present on the playground as well, please do not send your kids to the playground without making sure there will be an adult who agrees to supervise them.

3. Safety ratios – The safety ratios that we use in child care are state mandated and determined by the age of the youngest child in child care. This means that we may occasionally not have enough child care providers on hand because the ratio can change. This is one of the reasons that we encourage all parents who use child care to sign up to volunteer in child care several times per year. It means that we may occasionally ask a parent to stay in child care so that we can be in compliance. Our goal is to never have to turn someone away from child care, but I want you all to know the reason why it may happen sometimes. 

1) When any baby younger than one year is present, the total ratio of children under the age of 12 (in both childcare rooms) to adults (over 18) should never exceed 5:1. 

2) If a baby 12-18mos old is the youngest child present, the ratio should not exceed 6:1. 

3) If a toddler 19-23 mos old is the youngest present, the ratio should not exceed 7:1. 

4) If a child 24-36 mos old is the youngest child present, the ratio should not exceed 8:1.

5) At no time, regardless of the age of the youngest child, should the ratio exceed 9:1.

Speaking of volunteering in child care…I’m planning a training! No details yet but I will have more info in the coming weeks. If you want to sign up to volunteer in child care and/or sign up for the training, let me know and we will get you oriented! Now that our nursery is ready to accept babies, we could certainly use some more helping hands and loving hearts.

Please note that both of our child care staff members will be off on Sunday, December 24 and Sunday, December 31. We hope to arrange for volunteers so we can still have child care available on those Sundays, but please know that we may not be able to offer child care if we do not have enough volunteers.

Now for the fun stuff!

DECEMBER VESPERS

Wednesday, December 6th at 6 PM

Our December Vespers evening will be a special celebration. First, a very special guest will be joining us – Santa Claus! Kids of any age can visit with Santa and let him know what you want for the holidays. Our dinner time will include our time for reflection and centering, as well as some meaningful conversation. And after dinner, please join us in decorating UU Asheville for the holiday season! We’ll have hot cocoa and cookies, as well as holiday music and some ornament-making crafts. Bring a friend! The more the merrier as we decorate for the winter holidays at UU Asheville. RSVP Here.

Photos with Santa! – Sunday, December 10th 12:30-2:30 pmEveryone (pets included) is welcome to have a photo taken with Santa! There is a suggested donation of $10 and you will receive the photos. Special thanks to Joe Penno and Tobin Photography for making this possible!

Christmas Eve is on Sunday this year! Join us for all ages Worship with our Ministers at 11 am – all are welcome! Our candlelight service will be at 7 pm, featuring a mini concert from Dr. Les Downs.

We need chalice lighters! Does your family, child, youth want to have a small but significant part in worship? Sign up to be a chalice lighter! Email Kim at lrec@uuasheville.org to sign up!

Mystery Friends is coming and we need YOU! We need at least 2 more adults that can help plan and implement our beloved Mystery Friends program – we want to bring it back, but we need your support! We have one adult already signed up to coordinate so it will be a team effort! Mystery Friends is a fun, safe opportunity for children and youth to make connections and develop relationships with adults in the congregation. This helps to deepen our intergenerational ties to each other and can lead to lifelong friendships! Several of our past pairs have gone on to be mentors/mentees in our Coming of Age program! Email Kim at lrec@uuasheville.org