UUMANTimes January 2013 1

In this issue: Ministry Musings: The Gift of the New Year Season's Greetings from our Partner Church UUMAN's Life Events Gifting Program Now Underway! Coming Soon! The Annual Heart's Desire Auction — February 9th WhaleCoast Alaska 2013 Kroger Fundraiser — Order your cards January 13th UUMAN's Circle of Women — Next Gathering: January 8th Coffee House Update — Next Coffee House: January 19th From the Social Justice Action Committee

Sharing the Plate: 50-50 Sundays NFCC'S Santa Shop Update on North Fulton Community Charities March for Justice and Against Gun Violence on MLK Day

Membership Corner

Get to know more about UUMAN! Meet Our Members

A Month of Sundays More January Events About the UUMANTimes

Ministry Musings

The Gift of the New Year January 2013 Rev. Paul D. Daniel, Minister A new dance with a new rhythm begins on January first. The calendar is moved forward one notch to 2013, and we are faced once again with the challenge to write the story of our own lives. This is a story with an ending, hopefully in a future off in the distance of time; but whether it is a happy or sad one is up to us. Will we live a life worthy of emulation; a legacy studded with acts of kindness, love and compassion; or one filled with lost opportunities, broken promises, no forgiveness offer or received? The beauty of life is that we get to write this story and determine how this journey plays

out. Will our autobiography be a thriller, a potboiler, a romance novel, a poem, a song, a story of home and hearth, or an adventure of transformation and triumph over the challenges of being human? What a wonderful gift the New Year presents us... the ability to create our own destiny. Use it wisely my friends. As far as we know, we only have one life to create. Make it memorable.

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Happy New Year. Yours in Faith and hope, — Rev. Paul Back to Top

If you would like to send a holiday greeting to our partner church, Mawsynjri, please email in care of Mr. D. Banjop Mukhim

(Senior Journalist) at

or mail to: Mawsynjri, Kharang, P.O. Smit, Shillong – 793015. Meghalaya, India — Michelle Liebergesell Back to Top

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UUMAN's New Life Events Gifting Program Now Underway! Give a Living Tribute in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. All gifts will support UUMAN's Capital Fund for ongoing

campus expansion, improvement and maintenance. Many of us have attended birthday parties, anniversaries, funerals and other life events where you may have given a gift to a charity in lieu of presents or flowers. Others may have opted to give holiday gifts to organizations in honor of a family member or friend. This new, ongoing program now provides you with the option to consider UUMAN as the recipient of these gifts. We plan on printing the names of those who have contributed each month in the newsletter if consent is given, without mentioning the amounts given. However, we plan on announcing the combined total we receive on a quarterly basis. December’s Life Events Gifts

In the past month, as of the newsletter deadline (December 20th), we have received 10 Life Events Gifts:

3 donations in honor of a wedding

2 personal memorial gifts

Holiday gifts from: o Bev and Steve Jordan o Jan Wilson and Doug Stump o Marc Lee (for Carolyn Lee) o McPatti Langston o Diantha and Bill Horton

Please review (and admire) the wonderful poster hanging in the narthex by the back door, professionally and beautifully designed by Margot Bogue, a very talented UUMAN member. The poster explains the gifting process, shows a current Wish List of projects that need to be implemented around our campus, and displays examples of "life events" where gifting is appropriate. There are also envelopes in containers attached to the poster. Enclose your gift check in one of the envelopes and choose one of the following:

give it to one of the Life Events Committee members (Carolyn Lee, McPatti Langston or Linda Etheridge)

mail it to UUMAN

put it in the safe

or put it in the offering baskets on Sunday. Members of the committee will then send Tribute cards to the person or family members you are honoring. Thank-you notes will be sent to the donors as well. If you give gifts to organizations this year, why not consider UUMAN and the good works we do? If we have the financial resources available to fund campus improvements and expansion, ultimately we can increase our community social justice outreach and concentrate more on what we want to do to help others outside of our walls. A gift to UUMAN for capital improvements and expansion is also a gift to members who consider UUMAN a "home away from home". Questions? The poster should be able to answer most of them. Or stop and chat with Carolyn, McPatti or Linda when you see them. They would be happy to discuss this new, exciting program with you! — Carolyn Lee Back to Top

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Coming Soon:

The Annual Heart's Desire Auction February 9, 2013

Mark your calendars for February 9, 2013. That's the evening of UUMAN's annual Heart’s Desire Goods and Services Auction, our premier gala evening event and top fundraiser. First, thanks to UUMANs who have already volunteered to be a Patron Saint of the Hearts. These are the people who’ve already committed to be part of making this event memorable and impactful. Like them, you can:

Donate an item to be placed up for auction or sign-up

Create a new service to donate this year

Solicit a gift of service from another person or business

Tell me your idea for a service you’d like to buy: o Do you need someone to care for a loved pet when you go to Hawaii? o Do you need your car detailed or your kids watched for the weekend? o Do you need a flash mob to sing “Happy Anniversary” to a special friend or family member?

Tell me your idea and the committee will work to make it available!

Tickets,@ $10.00, can be reserved by email or picked up at UUMAN beginning January 6. Donate a ticket for other UUMANs, friends or colleagues to attend; this is a great way to introduce others to UUMAN. To the love and growth and fellowship of our community, — Kirk Bogue Co-Chairperson – Heart’s Desire Goods and Services Auction

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WhaleCoast Alaska 2013 Have you always dreamed of visiting Alaska? If so, WhaleCoast Alaska 2013 is for you! Four Alaskan UU fellowships invite you to experience our eco-cultural and spiritual program this summer! See Alaska through the eyes of local UUs in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Sitka with friendly homestays and unique tour activities. See wildlife, including moose, bear, whales, bald eagles, seals, and caribou. Visit Denali National Park. Experience Native Alaskan culture. Enjoy all that our beautiful state has to offer. Programs led by Dave Frey, a member of the Fairbanks, Alaska UU congregation, an expert in Alaska travel. To find out more about your Alaskan trip of a lifetime, visit www.WhaleCoastAK.org, or contact:

We would love to share our Alaska with you!

— Dave Frey, Director, WhaleCoast Alaska program Back to Top

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Kroger Fundraiser The first calendar year of our Kroger Gift Card fundraiser experiment has finished and I think we have a success: total sales were $27,435 resulting in a donation to UUMAN of $2,472.58. December was the busiest month. Gift card sales were $3,635, boosted

by the $460 purchased as gifts to North Fulton Community Charities. We are clearly a well-fed, giving congregation. Everybody buys groceries and participation in this program is easy: place your check in the offering basket on the second Sunday of the month and pick up your gift cards the following Sunday. Kroger/AMEX donates almost 10% of the face value of each card to UUMAN. Everybody buys gas, too. There is a Kroger gas station at the store just north of UUMAN at Crabapple Crossing. Kroger customers can fill up here at a discount, typically 10 or 20 cents a gallon. When we started this program in January, we discovered that the most expeditious way to purchase gift cards from Kroger was to use a credit card. We were surprised to notice, several months later, that the purchases were earning credit in the American Express reward program. The combination of the Kroger discount of 5% added to the AMEX reward of more than 4% results in the total donation of almost 10%. This is a small program for a small congregation but a different perspective is gained if the donation generated is viewed in terms of what it can pay for: an entire year’s budget for childcare, or MCY expenses or indoor maintenance. Not bad. January 13 is the first Kroger card ordering date next year. Circle the second Sunday on your calendar each month and join your

well-fed neighbors in keeping this generous program successful. Thanks for participating! — Bob Mihalik For the Finance Committee Back to Top

UUMAN's Circle of Women Started this past November, the new UUMAN Circle of Women has been meeting in the living room of Discovery Hall twice a month, the second and fourth Tuesday mornings, at 10:00 AM. Our purpose is to get to know each other better, develop stronger bonds of trust, and support one another on our respective journeys. We share our stories in confidence and offer caring acceptance. All women friends, and of course members of UUMAN, are welcome. Please contact the facilitators, below, for more information about the group or to inquire about the possibility of child care.

— Kate Hudson:

— Linda Etheridge:

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Coffee House Update Next Coffee House: January 19th UUMAN's Common Grounds Coffee House has been going strong ever since these monthly musical sessions began last June. The December 15th Coffee House was a great success, with our own Huu and Marielle Mai; Josiah Houben, one of Huu's talented students; and Louis Robinson, a British singer-songwriter and former BBC producer, based here in Atlanta. The January 19th show will offer 3 performers:

Opening the evening will be The Magic Man, Bill Packard,

(left) blending music and comedy into his magical effects. He is described as "an experienced, professional, full-time entertainer, with a reputation for amusing and amazing his audiences", and is sure to be a lot of fun.

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Alan Honeycutt, (right) a new, local singer/songwriter/guitarist

entertained us so well on September 15th that he is being enthusiastically welcomed back now. Alan has played shows at the Guinness World Record Breaking Event: 343 for Kids, and many popular local venues. By day he works in Security Software and by night he explores the world of pop/folk music. Alan's website, with samples of his songs is: http://www.alanhoneycutt.com. Or go to his latest release: https://soundcloud.com/alan-honeycutt/04-make-believe

Tea for Two delights audiences with toe-tapping swing tunes, heartfelt ballads, and cool bossa nova grooves. With guitars, flute and vocals, and an ever growing repertoire rooted in the Great American Songbook and an honest, heartfelt delivery, Tea for Two will keep you smiling and swinging all night! Please visit www.teafortwomusic.com for more information, recordings, and contact information. Please see Our Coffee House web page (http://www.uuman.org/coffeeHouse/coffeeHouse.htm) for more details on the upcoming and previous shows. — Janet Lacey

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From the Social Justice Action Committee

Sharing the Plate: 50-50 Sundays Once a month, UUMAN shares the proceeds of our Sunday collection with a local social justice organization. The Social Justice Action Committee is careful to select organizations with whom we can build ongoing and active relationships. Together, we form partnerships where our shared resources can make a difference as we affirm and promote our UU Principles.

Operation Comfort Warriors ( http://www.legion.org/operationcomfortwarriors), a program dedicated to meeting the needs of wounded, injured or ill military personnel by providing them with comfort items not usually supplied by the government, received $358.00 from our December 50/50 collection. Thank you to all the contributors. January’s 50/50 recipient will be The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The civil rights movement of the American south is one example, with special local relevance to Atlanta, of how a collection of people struggled to achieve recognition of their human rights.

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Making gains collectively and nonviolently, that movement resonates on every continent, among every group currently striving for freedom. Using the power of narratives and storytelling, The National Center For Civil and Human Rights will explore human rights including issues of religion, women's rights, sexual orientation, cultural expression and racial and ethnic conflict in communities in the United States and across the world. The Center For Civil and Human Rights will be the place that presents contemporary issues in their social and historical context and provides everyday citizens with the information they need to act on behalf of others. Please learn more at their web site, http://www.cchrpartnership.org/index.html. — Gary Uitvlugt Back to Top

NFCC'S Santa Shop

Julia, Mike, Ben, Barb, Marshall, Michelle, Kimberly Behind the camera: Bruce Langston

It's becoming an annual UUMAN tradition. UUMANs of all ages donated new toys for North Fulton Community Charity's Santa Shop, and the UUMAN Youth Group delivered them. A number of adults (pictured, left) accompanied the group and participated in the distribution. Kimberly Lipscomb summed up the day for everyone: "I had a wonderful time yesterday. Was very touching to spend time with the two mothers wanting to make the holiday special for their children. Sign me up for next year!!"

Carolyn and Riahna

— Michelle Liebergesell Back to Top

Update on North Fulton Community Charities Congratulations, UUMAN, on your wonderful contributions to North Fulton Community Charities. We collected 97 items for the Food Pantry and $460 in Kroger gift cards. UUMAN truly is a community that cares. Many thanks, —Susan Wilson, Sue Tromblee, Michelle Liebergesell

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March for Justice and Against Gun Violence on MLK Day “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.” Martin Luther King, Jr. In this time of difficulty, we need the hope and inspiration that Dr. King provided along with his call to action. This year's Martin Luther King (MLK) Day march and rally will celebrate 50 years since the "I Have a Dream" speech, and will continue to foster deep love, non-violence and action for justice. UUMAN members will march to stand with justice and carry a message that it is time to do all we can to end gun violence. Save the date! Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. March starts at 2 PM. Come and show you stand with the community for justice and an end to gun violence. This will be a family event. Please come and show our children that we stand with them in our belief that "unarmed truth and unconditional love" are powerful.

It's Easy to Attend. UUMAN Social Justice is organizing to make it easy for you to attend the Jan. 21, 2013 MLK Day march and rally. We are planning to provide van transportation to and from the march with lunch and refreshments, singing (as desired) and fellowship on board. "Door to door" drop off; no parking or finding your way to worry about, plus yummy lunch and snacks. Easy and fun! We expect to leave UUMAN around 12:30 PM and eat lunch on the way in the van. A donation of $5 per adult, (children under 16 ride free), is requested to assist with the cost of van and refreshments/lunch. However, please do not let the requested donation inhibit you from attending. There are funds to cover costs for those who are unable to donate. Sign up! Sign up in Fellowship Hall after service on Sunday, Jan 6 and Jan. 13. Our goal is to have at least 20 UUMANites

attend. Ten years ago, we had 20 members march. That number has dwindled in recent years, but this year will be different. Please come and show your support for our UUMAN community and demonstrate our UUMAN values to our children. Thank you for your participation and commitment. Contact the organizers below or any Social Justice Committee member to volunteer to help, or to sign up if you miss sign up after Sunday service:

— Steve Smith:

— Marjorie Pomper:

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Membership Corner Get to know more about UUMAN! Our next Path to Membership Class will be held Saturday, January 26, 2013, from 10:00 AM until 2:30 PM. We will have

coffee to wake you up and a light lunch about noon. Free child care will be provided upon request. This is a valuable learning experience for anyone wanting to know more about the Unitarian Universalist faith and UUMAN specifically. Once you complete the class you will be invited to become a member of UUMAN but there will be no pressure to do so. The class involves meeting others who are also interested in our faith, speakers from various UUMAN programs, personal exploration activities, a brief history of Unitarian Universalism and a tour of the campus. The class and activities will be coordinated by our own dynamic, personable Suzanne Rezelman. For planning purposes, please let us know if you plan to attend. There will be a PTM sign-up sheet on the Membership Table in Fellowship Hall or you may contact Jan Wilson at

or . We promise you an interesting day meeting new people and learning more about UUMAN, our faith and church. — Jan Wilson Back to Top

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Meet Our Members The Membership Committee is pleased to introduce some of our newest UUMAN members. If you happened to have missed the New Member Sunday services, you may also have missed the brief biographies that new members provide. These are from Tony Farino, sisters Shirley Titus and Claire Sullivan, and Brandon Wilkinson who joined this past September.

Tony Farino

Tony was born and bred in New York and on Long Island. He had stopovers in a few other places that involved jobs from a clammer on the water to being a desk jockey in an office. He has followed a religious path through Roman Catholic school, agnosticism, Buddhism, New Age and now UUMAN, where he feels at home.

Shirley Titus

Shirley Titus, an army brat, was born in Johnstown, PA, the first daughter of her wonderful parents, Lt. Col. Lee H. and Mildred B. Kostora who were both born in Johnstown, but lived and traveled all over the world. Her sister (also wonderful of course) is Claire Sullivan who is also becoming a member of UUMAN today. Shirley attended 17 schools including 1 pre-school, 3 kindergartens, 5 grade schools, 4 high schools and 4 colleges in states from coast to coast and Japan and Venezuela. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design at Washington State University and earned a teaching certificate after 30 graduate hours at Western Connecticut State University. Shirley was married to Vance C. Titus for 37 years. They are now divorced. Their only child Carolyn, nicknamed Casey, and Casey’s husband, Kenneth, nicknamed Ozlo, live in DeKalb County. Shirley worked in banks for 3 years; taught in middle schools for 3 years; and was a stay at home wife, mom and volunteer for 17 years. Twenty-one years ago Shirley went back to work for a bank in Maryland. That bank has been acquired several times and is today SunTrust where she is a vice president in bank operations in Atlanta. Shirley moved to Milton (thought she still calls it Alpharetta) 13 years ago. Shirley’s family has always been accepting of differences and she looks forward today to joining a group of people who feel the same way.

Claire Sullivan

Claire Sullivan, an Army brat, was born at Fort Belvoir, VA, the second daughter of her wonderful parents, Lt. Col. Lee H. and Mildred B. Kostora of Johnstown, PA. Her sister (also wonderful, of course) is Shirley Titus, who became a member of UUMAN as well. Claire attended schools in Augusta, GA; Johnstown, PA; Caracas, Venezuela; Elwood, IL; and Stamford, CT, where she graduated from Rippowam High School. She received her B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. Claire was married for 20 years to her beloved husband, the late Paul F. Sullivan of Warwick, RI. In CT, Claire worked at Cognitronics Corporation as a Product Support Manager; Ultimate Data Systems as Manager of Technical Publications; and Geotelec, Inc. as Documentation Manager. In PA, Claire was General

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Manager and Co-owner with her husband, Paul, of Sullivan Computer Services and later, was sole owner of Hometown Computer Store. Claire also worked for several other businesses in CT, PA, and GA in various part-time and temporary capacities. Claire retired in 2010 as a Research Specialist from ACS of Roswell, GA. In Johnstown, Claire was a member of the Garden Club of Johnstown, the Johnstown Symphony Auxiliary, Group One of the Conemaugh Memorial Hospital Junior Auxiliary, and the Westwood Kiwanis. Now a resident of Milton, GA, Claire is a member of the Alpharetta Garden Club and the “no-name” book and movie club. Claire has never willingly joined a church in her life before and is very excited about it!

Brandon Wilkinson

Brandon Wilkinson is an IT guy by day and a husband/ father/ actor/ homebrewer/ craft beer merchant by night. He has a beautiful wife Andrea, and 3 beautiful children: Rhiannon 18, Connor 17, and Harper 2. He was raised Roman Catholic and since then has been an agnostic, a Buddhist, a gnostic Christian, and now is some undefined combination of all three. I guess being a UUMAN being pretty much sums all that up. He looks forward to worshipping with and meeting as many of you as possible.

A warm welcome to these new members! Thanks for sharing your stories and for being part of our UUMAN community. — Jan Wilson Back to Top

A Month of Sundays Rev. Paul D. Daniel, Minister

Plus! Wednesday Evening Vespers Service: 6:15 PM till 6:45 PM

Note: No Vespers service on January 2nd. Vespers will resume on January 9.

Sunday Services: 10:30 AM Adult RE: 9:15 AM Children's RE: 10:15 AM

Please join us for coffee and conversation in Fellowship Hall right after the service.

Date Topic Speaker

1/06/13 Idle Hands Are...? Rev. Paul

Let's talk about the place of sloth in our lives.

1/13/13 Standing on The Side of Love Rev. Paul

We talk of love a lot. How do we make that a living reality?

1/20/13 Up On The Mountain Rev. Paul

I will talk of Martin Luther King Jr.'s journey of justice.

1/27/12 West Coast to East Coast McPatti Langston

My religious journey, shaped by geography.

— Rev. Paul Back to Top

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More January Events Sunday, 1/06

Tickets for Hearts Desire — on sale, after the service, at 11:45 AM in Fellowship Hall. $10 for individual tickets; discounted party packs also available. Please see the article above for more information.

Monday, 1/07

Nia, Joy of Movement — weekly classes resume, Mondays 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM, in the Sanctuary. With great music, joyful movement and meditative relaxation, Nia is a great way for Every Body to relax and re-energize. Try it ― your first class is free. 7 weeks of classes for $30, or contact Marjorie for more information.

Tuesday, 1/08

Circle of Women — 10:00AM, in the living room of Discovery Hall. All women are welcome. Please see the article above for more information.

Wednesday, 1/09

Vespers — weekly Vespers Services resume, Wednesdays 6:15 PM - 6:45 PM, in the Sanctuary. All are welcome to join in a brief session of worship and fellowship, with poetry, parable, music, and reflective silence.

Sunday, 1/13

21st Century Humanism — after the service, at 11:45 AM in the Sanctuary. After the recent Newtown school shootings, President Obama promised "meaningful action" to prevent further gun deaths of innocents. What, if anything, could such "meaningful action" be with regard to gun control? Everyone is invited to attend, bring their opinions, and

participate. For questions, contact

Thursday, 1/17

Board of Directors Meeting — at 7:00 PM in Fellowship Hall. All UUMAN members welcome.

Saturday, 1/19

UUMAN Coffee House — 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM, in the Sanctuary. $5.00 suggested donation. 3 exciting, fun acts are scheduled. Please see the article above for more information.

Monday, 1/21

MLK Day March and Rally — 12:30 PM, meet at UUMAN to travel together by van to the event. Transportation and lunch provided for requested (not required) donation of $5 per adult; free for children under 16. Please see the article above for more information.

Saturday, 1/26

Path to Membership class — 10:00 AM — 2:30 PM. We will have coffee to wake you up and a light lunch about noon. Free child care will be provided upon request. Please see the article above for more information.

Saturday, 2/09

Hearts Desire Goods and Services Auction — in the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. Tickets in advance and at the door. Please see the article above for more information.

Please see our calendar for the complete listing of events

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About the UUMANTimes UUMANTimes is the newsletter of Unitarian Universalist Metro Atlanta North (UUMAN), located at 11420 Crabapple Road,

Roswell, GA 30075, on the web at www.uuman.org. We welcome almost all imaginable newsletter submissions, and publish as many as possible. We go live with each issue by the first Sunday of the month. The deadline for submissions is close of business on the 20th of the month preceding the issue date. Please email your UUMAN

pictures, prose, poetry, etc. to c.news, at Back to Top