The Northliner

For the past two days, the office has not been able to receive any emails. We're sorry if you sent a newsletter article or anything else that we haven't seen yet. We hope to have this issue fixed soon.

Sunday services are held at 10:00 am. Currently our services are held live at UCN and also streamed on Zoom. Coffee hour follows the service. If UCN closes due to weather or building issues, the closing will be reflected on our website, on our office voice mail, and a special email will be sent out, if possible.

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/93364454692?pwd=U29yanFGZTUvOXAvcWM0UWQ1UFU0QT09
Meeting ID: 933 6445 4692
Password: 13800

Services begin promptly at 10 am. If you'd like to join in conversation before the service, you may join the Zoom meeting at 9:50 and wrap up your conversations shortly before 10.

January 19: Martin Luther King Sunday “Bending the Arc of the Moral Universe,”
Rev. Scott W. Alexander

Scott writes, with the recent disconcerting national election outcome, and a dangerous right-ward shift now occurring in Washington politics, this Martin Luther King Sunday presents us Unitarian Universalists with deep and worrisome concerns about the future of racial and social justice progress in America. This Sunday, I want to make one clear and specific racial justice proposal for your (and America’s) moral consideration.

January 26: “Affirming and Defending Transgender (and Gender-Non-Conforming and Fluid) Persons,” A “Chancel Conversation” with Rev. Scott W. Alexander and Special Pulpit Guest Johnna Swendson

Scott writes: This Sunday I will engage in a structured “Chancel Conversation” with a dear transgender friend of mine Johanna Swendson, who will join us via Zoom from her home in Vero Beach Florida. Johanna is an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, which I served for more than a decade, and she helped me to understand the challenges (and blessings) of being a transgender person in America today. This conversation takes on added importance because of the increased ignorance about -- and growing hostility and injustice directed toward -- transgender and other gender minorities. Do be with us for this important conversation.

The Search Committee for a new part-time minister would like your input about what qualities you want in a new minister and what questions we may have during an interview. We will hold a Barn Banter after the Sunday service on January 19. You also may contact any of the committee members: Gerry Schmitz, Leigh Hoftiezer, Laura Smith, Sherryl Andrus, Callie Thurow and Joy Schroeder.

On Sunday, 1/19/2025, we will be having our regular RE classes in our classrooms. Our K-2nd grade class will be led by Katie Egan-Bruhy & Tiffany Meekey, Session 10: Joy in Nature: Animal Play. Playing helps animals (including humans) learn and practice skills, develop social bonds, and relieve stress. Participants experience the joy of play in a session that demonstrates the well-being that results from maintaining a spiritual orientation of joy. The Faith in Action activity extends this learning by introducing the importance of animal enrichment. Participants are empowered to take action by donating toys they have made to a local animal welfare organization. We have our Pet Barrel for easy donating to Ozaukee Humane Society.

The 3rd-6th grade class will be led by Betsy Muellenbach with assistance from Pat and Cindy Kotecki; the theme is Generosity. https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/children/tales/session9

Giving brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous, we experience joy in the actual act of giving something, and we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given. — Buddha

The OWL class has off this week. The older students are always welcome to join us in the Sunday Service or help with RE on the weeks you have off.

Outdoor Hikes!

We are going to start doing an outdoor hike for RE class on the fourth Sunday of each month, exploring and discovering the seasonal highlights around our property together. This will be a combined class (K-2 and 3-6) focusing on the unfolding phenology of our natural world and celebrating our place in it. These phenology hikes will help us practice our 7th principle: "We believe in caring for our planet Earth, the home we share with all living things."

Similar to RE classes in the summer, we will start inside and then go out together. We will go out in sunshine, rain, sleet and snow. We will go out if it's cold because we will bundle up. We will not go out if it is storming or if there is any chance of lightning. One of the many lessons we hope to teach is that outdoors is for everyone, everyday. All the seasons are splendid! Weather is not bad but our clothing choices can be.

Could you please help your student/s be prepared for an outdoor hike by dressing for the weather? For the next couple of months it would be great if they could each have a winter coat, boots, hat, and waterproof gloves/mittens. We plan to start an inventory of extras, which I will maintain to keep clean and organized. If you have extra outdoor gear that you'd like to store here we can make sure your student has a hook for their belongings. If you have items your children have outgrown and would like to donate to our extras inventory, we appreciate it so much.

I taught outdoor education for twenty years at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center on Lake Michigan to students of all ages but especially preschool through elementary. I'm excited to incorporate the outdoors more into our RE classes during the school year. By taking a phenological approach we can anticipate seasonal changes and search for and celebrate the stirrings of each season, all year long!

Here's a list of our 4th Sunday Outdoor Hike dates. Our first one is coming up on January 26th. I will send out an email reminder on the Wednesday before.

4th Sunday Outdoor Hikes:

January 26th

February 23rd

March 23rd

April 20th

May 25th

JUNE, JULY & AUGUST: All of our Summer RE classes are outdoors with rainy day inside activities if needed.

Sept 28th

Oct 26th

Nov 23rd

Dec 28th

Interfaith Dinner and Conversation

You are invited for a simple meal and great conversation on Wednesday, January 29 at 6 pm. Cudahy United Methodist Church, 5865 S Lake Dr Cudahy, WI 53110 is hosting.

People of all faiths and no faith, all spiritualities and theologies gather in small groups to share a meal and participate in a moderated discussion using a proven model, evoking deep exchanges about lived experiences and the role of faith and/or spirituality in their lives. Through exploration and dialogue, participants learn about the beliefs and traditions of others within an atmosphere of respect and understanding, and are empowered to stand as witnesses for tolerance and inclusion.

You are Invited to join the dialogue. Change your life. Change the world.

REGISTER AT THIS LINK

Social Justice Reminders

• Support Black-Owned businesses: "MKE Black" offers a list of Black-owned businesses you can reference: https://mkeblack.org/

• If you would like to donate directly to Family Promise, the only shelter for homeless people in Ozaukee County, please send your donation to them, with “UCN Member” written in the memo line. This will give UCN credit for the donation. Their address is: Family Promise of Ozaukee County, 136 W. Grand Ave., Port Washington, WI 53074.

• The Social Justice Committee has an OPT-IN email list for anyone who would like to be notified on short notice to provide a physical presence at social justice activities. Please contact Sherryl Andrus, sherryla70@gmail.com, to be added to the list.

January Quilt Info

This month's quilt was made by Brian Bunzel. He started quilting because it was a creative outlet and occupied his time while recuperating from surgeries because of his injuries from a career in carpentry, and ADHD symptoms. The centers of the blocks were made by his mother.

We Welcome Our New Members

• Dawn Kraemer, West Bend

Please help them feel welcome.

Leadership Board Meeting

The next leadership board meeting will be held on Jan. 30 at 6:30 pm via Zoom. The meetings are open to all members, and members are encouraged to share their thoughts or issues at the Open Forum portion of each meeting. Contact the president for the zoom link.

UCN Game Day

Saturday, February 22nd 2-6 pm

Our next GAME DAY is only six weeks away! Hooray!! Time to gather our favorite games and get together at church for some fierce and friendly competition. Did you get a new game over the holidays that you'd like to share? I did! This is a free event. We'll have games for all ages. We will work to have a variety of game options but none will be electronic. Games and snacks will be provided and you are welcome to bring your favorite game and/or snack to add to the fun.

Grief Group

The Good Grief support group is on a short break, but generally meets every other week on Wednesday at 10:00 am in the James Reeb Room, right inside the lower level entrance. If you’ve experienced a loss and are in need of informal support, this may be a good resource for you. All are welcome. Contact Judy DeLillo at 720-935-0851 or judelillo2@gmail.com with any questions.

Events at UCN

• "Qi Gong and Tai Chi" will be held on most Saturdays at 11 am in the Fellowship Hall. Call Diane at 307-763-0903 for dates and details. First class is free for UCN members.
• The next Wis. Singer Songwriter Concert will be held February 8. Go to wsss.org for details.
• Al-Anon meetings, offering recovery for families and friends of alcoholics and drug addicts, are held every Tuesday morning at 8:30 am in the Fellowship Hall and online. During voting, meetings are held in the Sanctuary, upper level.
  

Thank you for supporting the groups that use our facilities.

Calendar through February 2

Meetings are held via Zoom, unless stated.

• Sunday, Jan. 19, after the service: Barn Banter - Sanctuary
• Sunday, Jan. 26, 10:00 am: OWL Class - Reeb (Jessy Knox)
• Sunday, Jan. 26, 11:30 pm: Speaker Meeting - Sanctuary (Julie Konik)
• Thursday, Jan. 30, 6:30 pm: Leadership Board (Bernie Booth)
• Saturday, Feb. 1: FSL Setup - Fellowship Hall
• Sunday, Feb. 2, 10:00 am: OWL Class - Reeb (Jessy Knox)
• Sunday, Feb. 2, 11:30 am: First Sunday Lunch - Fellowship Hall

The monthly calendar for UCN events, not including rentals, can be seen on our website at: https://ucnorth.org/calendar/

Please remember to contact Lyn, info@ucnorth.org, to reserve rooms for your meetings, rehearsals, ceremonies, etc. To hold an event or ceremony at UCN, contact Lyn for date availability, facilities use forms, and answers to your questions.

All church committee meetings are open; visitors are welcome. Contact the committee chair (listed on the calendar above) for details or to receive the zoom info for a meeting. For information on classes and groups that meet at UCN, as well as future meeting and event dates, please see the website, www.ucnorth.org, or call the office, 262-375-3890.

Service and UUA Information

• Service Assistants are needed for Sunday Services. Please contact Julie Konik (julie.konik@gmail.com) if you can help.

• The Sunday Services Zoom Team is looking "for a few good zoom hosts." Please contact Gerry Schmitz or Dan Lusk if interested.
  

• Sunday Announcements: The Sunday Services Committee encourages individuals and committees to make announcements via the attached form (below). Giving this form to the Sunday Service Assistant before the service can streamline our announcements and make the service more engaging. If you have any questions, please contact Sunday Service Committee Chair, Julie Konik, at Julie.Konik@gmail.com or 920-750-4385.

• Reserving the Projector: If you will need the projector for a given date, please remember to sign the “Projector Reservation Signup List” on the clipboard on the table outside the office in the north lobby.
• UU Women's Connection offers retreats, newsletters and resources for women: https://www.uuwomensconnection.org/. Fall retreat: October 18-20 at a new location near West Bend.
• You are encouraged to subscribe to MidAmerica Region's newsletter, News page. More information at uua.org/midamerica .
• GA is June 18-22 in Baltimore. See the schedule at https://www.uua.org/ga/program/schedule
• The UU 2024-25 Common Read is Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families (Skinner House, 2023). The Common Read builds community in our congregations and our movement by giving diverse people a shared platform for reflection and a shared focus for action. Authentic Selves invites us to explore the nature of living authentically and the ways connections among us help us thrive. Visit uua.org/read for more information.

General Information

• Becoming a Member of UCN is very easy. Simply make a pledge of record, sign our Membership Book, and provide contact information for our records. We also provide New to UU and UCN Classes in the Spring and Fall. It is not necessary to attend the classes, however they are very informative, providing information about Unitarian Universalism and our church (its history and how it operates). For more information, you can contact Dan Lusk (262-234-9406).

• Rev. Scott will never ask you to buy a gift card for him. Please don't fall for these scams.

• Our photo directory of members and pledging friends is sent out a few times each year. If you would prefer a printed color copy, we can print them for $5. Just tell Lyn if you want one.

• You can find copies of the Leadership List, Member Directory, Annual Report and Annual Financial Report in the library.

• Adopt A Room is still looking for people to get involved. See the display board in the north lobby to sign up, or contact Judy DeLillo at judelillo2@gmail.com for more information. We are requesting that members submit photo files for consideration to be printed on photo paper and included in our display in the west lobby. Please, send photo files with good exposure and focus to photos@ucnorth.org with identification of the event and people/children depicted.

• Caring Circle: a group of people who may be willing to bring meals, help with transportation, make visits, pick up groceries, etc. for members and friends of UCN in temporary need. Sign up at church or virtually: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A44ACA82BA75-caring

• First Aid Kits are located near the elevators on each level. Each kit is in a white box and mounted on the wall. AED Machines are near the first aid kits. Narcan (Naloxone) nasal spray, to reverse an opioid overdose, is also available there. If you have any questions, please contact Brian Bunzel, Building Committee Chair, at (262) 573-0045 or brianbuzel@yahoo.com.

• Are you or someone you know in need of help with basic food supplies? The Family Sharing food pantry is here when you need us. Our Mobile Pantry travels to locations in northern and southern Ozaukee. We also offer in-person shopping and deliver groceries to senior living complexes. Call us for more information. 262-377-0634 x125.

Monthly Fellowship Gatherings

• UUsOutToLunch meets on the first Wednesday of every month at noon, and sometimes at suppertime during daylight savings time. Couples, singles, men & women are all welcome, long-term commitment or not. Each month, a different member of the group takes the responsibility of choosing a restaurant at which to meet and eat, and emails the rest of the group with the particulars as to what and where, requesting yay or nay from the emailed recipient, so that reservations can be made if required. Join us! Email alicejkieren@gmail.com .

• First Sunday Lunch: Join us after the service in the Fellowship Hall for lunch and fellowship on the first Sunday of the month, November through June.
  

• Update: UU Ladies' Lunch meets on the third Thursday of every month at 11:30 at Crave Restaurant, on Port Washington Road in Mequon.
  

Fundraising and Donations

• UCN is now able to accept donations via PayPal.

• Food Barrels: Don’t forget to grab a food item out of your pantry for the food barrel as you leave for church. Donations go to the Ozaukee Food Alliance. We are also accepting donations for pet food and small containers of litter. These donations go to the Humane Society of Ozaukee County's Pet Pantry, serving individuals who need help feeding their pets.
  

• Scrip Fundraiser: Scrip Cards are still a great way to support UCN. Use cards for carryout or online purchase with ScripNow!. There are 3 ways to buy or reload your cards: ScripNow! (Pay online, use online or in person), PrestoPay (buy or reload cards) or at UCN. If you have a special request or questions about Scrip, contact Mark Muellenbach. To sign up, use the code for UCN: 1F3EE5A9248LL. And use the QR code above for easy enrollment. Presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q3rZ3dXo96XBGI9we5yhWzCZGS3na22O/view?usp=sharing

• If you order from Quill.com and tell them UCN recommended them, UCN will earn a $50 gift card.

Please submit articles for the Northliner to info@ucnorth.org. To keep the Northliner from becoming cumbersome, you are encouraged to keep these articles short, and to run them only twice. The deadline for submitting articles is every Thursday at noon. Items submitted later might not be proofed for errors or published.

Please contact Todd Zumach (zumacht@gmail.com) or Carissa Mooren (live4him56@gmail.com) to submit articles for our website.

Minister, Rev. Scott Alexander: cell phone (preferred): 772-359-0602. Office phone: 262-375-4748. Email: UURevScott@gmail.com . Rev. Scott will generally be in the pulpit the first three Sundays of the month and in his office the first two weeks of the month.

Jessy Knox, RE Coordinator

Jessy can be contacted at refpc@ucnorth.org or at 414-840-5377.

Wednesdays 10 am-3 pm: Office hours

Saturdays 10 am-1 pm: RE Prep (some of this time will be remote)

Sundays 8:30 am-12:30 pm: RE Sunday Time

UCN Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 9 am to 2:30 pm. Contact Lyn at 262-375-3890 or info@ucnorth.org. The office is closed for holidays and bad weather. Please do not reply to the Northliner; we do not receive messages sent to lyngust@mailgun.smore.com, but if you are having trouble receiving the Northliner, please add that address to your contact list.

Links

• Information on our Share the Plate Recipient

For more information about UCN, see our website www.ucnorth.org or call the office at

262-375-3890.

Email: info@ucnorth.org
Website: www.ucnorth.org
Location: 13800 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI, 53097
Phone: 262-375-3890
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/UnitarianChurchNorthMequonWI/