Photos from SUUSI 2008

http://ebeb15.multiply.com/photos/album/61#

Interesting book event

DR. PAVEL SOMOV, author of, Eating the Moment

Saturday, January 10th at 7:00pm at J.B. Booksellers in South Side Works

In Eating the Moment, Buddhist psychologist Pavel Somov introduces techniques, exercises, and tools to help overeaters slow down and become more aware of their food and food-related issues. Unlike many books about eating, Somov doesn't judge the reader for emotional eating, being triggered into eating, or eating out of boredom. He doesn't tell the reader how to eat; instead, he helps the reader become more aware of why he or she is eating at the moment, and helps the reader slow down, develop awareness of the experience of eating, and become more centered on his or her eating. There are 141 specific exercises in this book to promote mindful eating, as well as brief discussions of why we eat and stop eating, finding meaning in food, and developing a "philosophy of eating."

A word from our president.... Jay P

Thank you to all who participated in the four budget forums held between the end of the pledge drive and prior to the congregation meeting to vote on the proposed 2009 budget. Thank you also to all who participated in the budget meeting.

I do want to address Murray Zeldman's question about the boards follow-up and communication of issues raised at the four forums held to hear comments and responses to the board's draft budget. I need to take full responsibility for not addressing at the congregational meeting, the issues that were brought up and the board's discussion and responses to each point. I had intended to. I even said at the board meeting on the 8th that I would. Believe me, it was oversight. I actually spent all my preperation time on trying to properly address the Minister/Search Cmte issue, which we found was really the major thing that was on everyone's mind. Below, I'm pasting a copy of the draft minutes from the board meeting pertaining to the budget forums. Please keep in mind that the brevity of the responses to the (equally brief) concerns does not indicate the time spent on each issue. If you have any further concerns, or feel that issues were left out or not addressed, please let me or any other board member know.

Thanks,
Jay

---

excert from the draft minutes of the December 8th UUCSH Board of Trustees meeting regarding responses to issues raised at four public budget forums held prior to the congregational meeting to approve the 2009 budget.

Budget: The board discussed the issues raised during the budget forums, as follows:
Discount on pledge income: Because pledges now exceed the budget, a discount exists.
Sunnyhill-to-go: Overly ambitious? Since the fund raiser has raised more this year than has been projected for next year, it was felt that the projection was reasonable.

Maintenance and Supply: What is included in this item: Charlie will make a separate list of what was included in 2008, with the understanding that it is a flexible fund.
Cleaning services: Cover-All. Elizabeth has not gotten any complaints about the service; if anyone does have complaints, they should be brought to her.

Fees-for-Services: Some board members felt this would be useful to learn more about in the coming year for consideration at a later date.

Costs of copying: It was decided to monitor this item which can be done at the copier, just to identify what groups are using the most paper and to raise awareness.
Search committee/ministry: The budget as proposed funds Rod as full-time interim minister through the budget year. It does not fund a search committee. It was felt that this should be made perfectly clear to the congregation at the budget meeting

Pagent

Click To Play

Call for papers: Transhumanism? | Re-public: re-imagining democracy - english version

Call for papers: Transhumanism? | Re-public: re-imagining democracy - english version: "Are we in a position to redefine, to drastically transform our very human nature?


This is a question formed in the last 20 years by an international movement, deriving from a scientific current, advocating that if the human is a result of an evolution process of millions of years time, nothing rationally preempts its conclusion. On the contrary, transhumanism proposes that the convergence of nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, information and cognitive sciences provide us with a new opportunity, as well as, the responsibility to collectively participate and assume this evolution: it is, more than ever, possible to “form a better humanity” meaning better health for individuals, longer life expectancy, a more effective control of themselves, through enhanced skills, capacities and capabilities."

Church joins movement to spend money on those who really need it this Christmas

Church joins movement to spend money on those who really need it this Christmas Church joins movement to spend money on those who really need it this Christmas 'Conspiracy' against holiday gifts

There are no Christmas tree, no holiday decorations, no creche with the baby Jesus. No altar, no stained glass windows and no pews, either.

But make no mistake: The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at the Christ Community Church of the South Hills, which meets in the Eisenhower Elementary School gymnasium in Upper St. Clair.

Our Christmas Tree at Sunnyhill is a mitten tree. It is filled with hats, mittens and gloves for those in need.

Harrisburg UU Church on Dec 6

Please join with members of PUSH and Health Care for All PA affiliates for this important meeting. Health care reform is near the top of the national agenda but it's up to us to see that single payer - the only cost-effective, efficient, comprehensive health program that serves everyone - is passed into law.



Health care for all PA.



www.healthcare4allpa.org invites you to



“Call to Action" Health Care for All Convention
Workshops : "Media & Communications," "Networking, Organizing & Mobilizing for Reform," "The Economic Genius of Single Payer," "Winning Pa in 2009” “ Effective Citizen Lobbying at All Levels of Government."



Saturday December 6, 2008



10 am – 3 pm



Unitarian church of Harrisburg

1280 Clover Lane Harrisburg, Pa. 17113 717-564-4761
Norman Solomon
nationally-known media critic and a leader in the movement for a Single Payer Solution
in California, SB 840 & the u.s., HR 676



While the conference focus revolves around SB300/HB1660, PA single payer bills, and Congressional , "bridge" legislation, HR 506 & S.1069 the fastest track to HR 676, organizing and lobbying activities must center on all levels of government: municipal, county, state, national, using leverage points wherever they appear.



Info./Register: www.healthcare4allPA.org or pushforhealthcare@gmail.com

Carpooling from W. PA: bmasona@gmail.com

=================

Norman Solomon, nationally-known media critic and Single Payer Solution leader on California's SB 840 and Congress' HR 676, is the founder and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, a national consortium of policy researchers and analysts. His weekly column on media and politics, Media Beat, has been in national syndication since 1992. A longtime associate of FAIR, he has written op-ed articles on media issues for many papers, including the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Newsday, New York Times, Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and Baltimore Sun. His articles have also appeared in the International Herald Tribune, Canada's Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star and the Jordan Times. Norman Solomon's book War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death was published in 2005. His latest book is Made Love, Got War: Close Encounters with America's Warfare State.

molly.rush@verizon.net
PUSH PA. United for SinglePayer HealthCare
Health Care for All PA www.hfap.camp7.org
www.healthcare4allPA.org
Everybody In, Nobody Out

UU and Beijing Olympics - merger on t-shirt

This is Erik's t-shirt and his neck charm, a UU design.

Here is Erik with the traditional tie-dye t-shirt, still with his UU pendant but in front of Beijing's Bird's Nest. And, notice the hat. It is the "R" of Radford.

Okay to click on the images for larger views.

From A for Athlete

Does that look like a UU Chalice to you?

GOOD FILM - Save a date for Nov 16

GOOD FILM COMING UP FAST

The Middle East peace Forum sends this announcement to you at the suggestion of Rev zHermdon

JERUSALEM: EAST SIDE STORY


At 7:00 PM on Sunday, November 16, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East will present the Pittsburgh premiere of a new documentary video directed by Mohammed Alatar entitled "Jerusalem: East Side Story." Mr. Alatar himself, who previously directed "The Iron Wall," will be personally present to answer questions about this extraordinary new effort to present the history that has led to the present oppressive situation in Israel-Palestine. This presentation will take place at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, 605 Morewood Avenue, in Shadyside. You can learn more about this video by visiting http://www.eastsidestory.ps/index.shtml

Refreshments will follow the discussion. All are welcome.


Rev. David Herndon

Chalice Lighter Invite

This is an open invitation for you to become a Chalice Lighter in the Ohio-Meadville District. The Chalice Lighter Program is the single best, most effective way we have to directly support our fellow congregations who are working to reach out to others, who want to grow in health and numbers, but need a little help from the rest of us to get the job done.

Four times each year, the OMD Board chooses an outreach and growth project for funding from among those submitted by our congregations. Then individual Chalice Lighters throughout the district are asked to contribute $10 or more if possible. It’s that simple and easy.

Right now, in Fall 2008, the Oberlin Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was chosen to receive Chalice Lighter assistance to increase its outreach to address its lack of visibility in the Oberlin community. The congregation has no building of its own. It meets for Sunday service in a day care center and rents office space in a small building. There is no sign on the office building and only a hand-lettered sign outside the day care center on Sunday morning (see www.ohiomeadville.org for a photo).

If you join Chalice Lighters now by mail or through the OMD website (www.ohiomeadville.org), your donation will be used by the Oberlin congregation to:

1. Purchase signs so the congregation has an attractive physical presence throughout the week. This includes 4 highway signs to be posted by the main roads into Oberlin, a sign on the office building, and an attractive sign for Sunday mornings that can be read from both directions.

2. Purchase a demographic study from the UUA which will be used to help identify potential new members and create and target mailings and newspaper advertisements based on the information.

There is more information about Oberlin’s plans and the Chalice Lighter Program on the Ohio-Meadville District website – www.ohiomeadville.org – including examples of how other congregations have used Chalice Lighter money to reach out.

To become a Chalice Lighter, you can send a check made out to OMD Chalice Lighters for $10 to the address below. Be sure to send your email address, if you have one, with your check to receive future Chalice Lighter notices.

Chalice Lighters

Ohio-Meadville District, UUA

PO Box 157

St. Clairsville, OH 43950

Or visit the OMD website at www.ohiomeadville.org to sign up online and donate using a credit card.

And please consider increasing your donation to $15 or $25 or more if you are inspired to help this small congregation reach out to its neighbors in need of a welcoming spiritual home.

So -- why should you join the hundreds of OMD members who are already Chalice Lighters and sign up today?

Hope!

Hope for the Future.

Hope for the future of Unitarian Universalism in the Ohio-Meadville District and in the world.

Please visit the OMD website and show your hope and support for the faith that means so much to us all.

And many, many thanks to those of you who faithfully support Chalice Lighters. You are making a direct and much needed difference here in the Ohio-Meadville District.

Blessings,

Rev. Joan Van Becelaere

District Executive

Local Candidate Night Debate

Monday, Oct. 27th

Congressional District 18 Debate, live in Mt. Lebanon!

CD 18 spans four counties: Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland and Beaver, so come and hear the candidates speak for themselves. Co-hosted by the League of Women Voters, Mt. Lebanon PTA Council, and Greater Pittsburgh Student Voices.
7:30-9PM, Jefferson Elementary Auditorium, 11 Moffett St, Mt. Lebanon

Welcome back! (Message from the board president.)

As we move into the new church year, I’m more thankful than ever that there is a home for liberal religion in the South Hills. Ours is a truly unique community where diverse spiritual beliefs are not only tolerated but warmly accepted for what they really are; each person’s attempt to find deeper meaning in life and to connect with the world we all share. As many of us know, that kind of acceptance can be hard to find.

I’m also thankful for our new Director of Religious Education, Cheryl Kelley, and for our great volunteer teachers and the large, vibrant RE program we enjoy here. My son and daughter love coming to church every Sunday and seeing their friends. The values being taught in their classes reflect my own—love, respect, democracy, environmental stewardship, making good choices and living with the consequences of your choices. Indeed, lessons to truly be thankful for.

I’m thankful for Rod Thompson, our Interim Minister. Besides giving us a fresh perspective from the pulpit, I’m very excited about the series of workshops he has planned for us this year. They’ll help us start building the strong foundation we’ll need to move into the future. First, Rod will lead us through a Right Relations workshop. Many of us believe this should be our number-one priority, so we’re tackling it first. In January, we’ll offer an Identity workshop, where we’ll get to the heart of “who we really are” as a community. In February, we’ll have a Visioning workshop, where everyone will have a chance to tell us where they think we should focus our energy moving forward. In March, I’ll travel to the District Assembly in Cleveland, where I will publicly convey our thanks for the Chalice Lighter grant we’ll receive from the member congregations to help us rebuild after a difficult year. And finally, in April, we will take a thorough look at the church’s Mission in light of all the work we’ve done up to that point. We’ll then turn that mission over to a yet-to-be-formed Strategic Planning Team, who will create a solid action plan to bring our mission to life and ultimately lead us into the critical process of searching for a new minister.

And yes, because it’s that time again, I’m not only thankful, but thrilled about our exciting new Canvass; one that puts monetary contributions into a larger context of giving. It takes much time, talent and treasure to keep a roof over our own heads and food on our tables at home. This church is no different. It takes considerable time, talent and treasure to keep our shared house in order and to feed our own hungry spirits. From RE…to roof leaks. From programs…to plumbing. From staff…to software. We need your many gifts. And most of all, we need you.

In mid-October, you’ll receive your Canvass packet. Between now and then, I urge you to put some real thought into what you can pledge to this community moving forward. Do you want to see it embody everything you know it can be? I know I do. So I ask that, according to your ability and your faith in our future, you make a commitment. Make your voice heard. And by all means, make it resonate.

In Faith,

Jay Pullen

P-G blasts out DVD that is 'hate-filled'

A recent Sunday edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette included an obviously expensive, professionally-produced anti-Islamic DVD titled "Obsession." One of our OMD ministers who viewed the DVD frankly called it "hate-filled" and "lie-filled." It was also included in newspapers in Akron, Columbus, Canton, Toledo and other cities in Ohio; and, apparently, in still more cities in "battleground" states in the presidential election. The Cleveland Plain Dealer did not carry the DVD.

Many Unitarian Univeralists in the OMD have already expressed outrage that something which blatantly violates the principles of religious freedom and tolerance could be distributed in our community, and put into the hands of our children, under the label of "advertising". They are writing the newspapers which distributed the DVDs to let them know how they feel.

This is a non-partisan issue. Our congregations and the district are able to express their disgust with this kind of reactive messaging without any risk to their non-profit status. I believe that we are called by our values and principles as Unitarian Universalists to speak out against those who would promote intolerance and fear in our communities.

Some district congregations and the Ohio Council of Churches are organizing around this issue and leading protests. Your congregation can too. If you need assistance, please contact the district office at office at ohiomeadville.org.

You can write a letter to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Letters may be mailed to the Editor, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Letters may be faxed to (412) 263-2014 or sent via e-mail to letters@post-gazette.com or by clicking here

Drummer (newsletter) got a blurb about this space

Sunnyhill-dot-orgblogspot.com = unofficial blog

Sunday music from both the choir and the folk group, with the new wash tub bass player, are two recent postings at the unofficial Sunnyhill blog. All sorts of chatter is fair game at the unofficial blog. Many have signed up to be contributors. Others are welcome.

The blog allows for a main post and comments to sustain the discussion. Blog postings
are less invasive than blast emails. But, blogs are also able to be seen by others on the internet.

http://Sunnyhill-dot-org.blotspot.com

---

Also, this FORKED blog exists, FWIW,

http://Sunnyhillboard.blogspot.com

Nuff Said

All World News: My Afternoon With Doug Shields

All World News: My Afternoon With Doug Shields: "'Enough is enough,' he said criticizing Ravenstahl for saying that the settlement was 'protecting the public' while not actually saying what the mayor was protecting the public from. Shields guessed that the mayor's office 'felt panicked' by Ford's resignation letter and questioned Ravenstahl's description of a 'settlement of potential claims.' What claims? he asked. Ravenstahl claimed that Ford's letter was a lie. If that's the case, then why the settlement? Shields asked rhetorically.

Enough is enough of the all D political folly of Pittsburgh.

City council is not an investigative body. Doug is right. However, it is a funding body. It holds the purse strings. The members of council can cut off all pay to the URA and shut it down fully.

Don't pay someone to go away. Rather, have the entire URA go away. Liquidate it. Shut it. End its charter to make any additional transactions. Lay off the employees.

Unitarian Gospel Song -- tune up

From Joe Jencks house concert

Joe Jencks gets tuned up and does part of the introduction to the song, Come With Me. To catch the entire set -- come to our house concert on Wednesday, September 17, 2008. Arrive at 6 or after. Music starts at 7.

Do RSVP to Mark Rauterkus, Mark@Rauterkus.com, 412 298 3432.

From Joe Jencks house concert

River is a life giving stream, song.

Song at Service

New Minister in town -- and "pre-fired"

The new minister is at Sunnyhill. He comes to us "pre-fired." He is a temporary minister.

From people & vips