The Northliner

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.

Sept. 8: Autumn Intergenerational In-Gathering Service, "The New What and How of Unitarian Universalism," Rev. Scott W. Alexander

On this traditional first Sunday of the new UCN church year, we will gather as an intergenerational community, and (with our children and youth) celebrate the ending of summer and the beginning of Fall. We will share in the ritual of stones and water which will help us look both back (to the summer that has just ended) and forward to the Autumn (which now begins). After our children adjourn to activities downstairs, Rev. Alexander will preach a short sermon entitled “The What and How of Unitarian Universalism: Then and Now,” which will reflect on the new articulation of our UU faith adopted by the UUA as its annual General Assembly.

Sept. 15: “Learn: Revelation is Unsealed,” Sermon I in the 2024 UCN Year-Long Sermon Series

“The Five Smooth Stones of Religious Liberalism,” Rev. Scott W. Alexander

Scott Writes, The Greatest Unitarian Universalist Theologian of the 20th Century, the Rev. Dr. James Luther Adams of Harvard Divinity School, believed that there were “5 Smooth Stones” (or foundational operating principles) that defined the spirit and thinking of our liberal religious movement...and I believe still do today. This morning, I begin this 5-part series -- which will happen in separate sermon installments over the 2024-25 church year – with a sermon on the all-important core of UU epistemology. Do be with us as I launch this sermon series.

The PDF below describes the 5 Smooth Stones of Religious Liberalism series.

Here's the link for Scott's sermon, "Stumbling on Happiness," from Sept. 1: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v0G5I6OWI73uuA0hMmamBGafSnbfpTZk/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109072791973067277249&rtpof=true&sd=true

Below is Philip Chard's talk from Aug. 11.

Please join us in celebrating the new friends and members who have joined UCN in the past two years! Let’s step away from all of the busyness of church business and extend a warm, if belated, welcome to those who have chosen UCN. We acknowledge their presence, their gifts, energy and the many talents that they’re sharing with our community.

The September 15 Sunday service will include a special recognition followed by an extra special social hour following in the fellowship hall. Please plan to attend on this day and allow time for goodies and good conversation – it’s one of the things we do best!

Looking Forward to Fall RE

September 8th is an intergenerational In Gathering Service.

September 15th is the start of our RE School Year.

Classes will begin on September 15th but we will kick off the RE year with an Ingathering Service on September 8th. This is a time of reunion; regathering; re-covenanting as a community of faith; hospitality; returning home to the church community that holds us; hope; looking forward with excitement to church year. The service will be intergenerational in part with time for the children to bond among themselves and share summer adventures and hopes for the future!

Our Whole Lives (OWL)

UCN is offering the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curriculum (https://www.uua.org/re/owl) to our middle and high school students this coming year. We currently have nine (9) students enrolled from UCN and UU West Church and hope that more students may be interested in participating in the program.

The OWL curriculum has been developed by the UUA and UCC with the goal of helping participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. It provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality.

The classes will be offered from 10:00 - 11:30 AM, three Sundays a month, with breaks in December, Easter, Spring Break, etc. A mandatory, in-person, parent orientation will be Sunday, August 25th from 11:15 AM - 1:15 PM in the James Reeb Room.

Request for RE Teachers and Assistants

This coming school year for RE we are going from one class to three classes! Our classes will be K-2nd, 3rd-6th, and 7th-9th (OWL - Our Whole Lives). With the addition of these classes, we are in need of a few more RE teachers and assistants for each grade level. RE teachers and assistants typically teach about once a month with a curriculum that is already established by the UUA. Please consider joining our growing RE program at UCN. You'll learn as much from them as they do from you. If you are interested, please contact Jessy Knox (REFPC) refpc@ucnorth.org or Katie Egan-Bruhy (RE Committee Chair) egan.bruhy@gmail.com.

RE Office Hours

Jessy is in the office 10am-3pm on Wednesdays; call/text cell phone: 414-840-5377.

Save the Date

September 8, 11:00 am in the sanctuary

ADVOCATING FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE: A Non-partisan relationship building approach

The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is the oldest faith-based (Quaker) non-partisan lobby organization on Capitol Hill with 135 advocacy teams in 47 states. Founded in 1943, it is highly respected by members of Congress and their staff for its consistent reliability working together over many years. Learn how the local Milwaukee FCNL Advocacy Team reaches out to offices of WI Senators and Representatives and how the relationships we build influence our members of Congress regarding legislation on important issues of peace, justice and environmental stewardship. The specific topic for 2024 is targeting a budget requirement that bloats the military budget by about $23 billion dollars.

Roundtable News

Ozaukee County Equity Roundtable is now Ozaukee Community Equity Roundtable, and it's time to review what has been accomplished over the past two years, and talk about what's next!

YOUR voice is welcome and appreciated.

Come on out to the Grafton library on Sept. 9 at 6 pm to share your thoughts, and spend time in community with one another. Details at www.facebook.com/ozaukeecommunityequityroundtable.

EXPOnential 2024

An Invitation To Hope And All Its Possibilities

October 5, 2024

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, WI

We are excited to announce the Keynote Speaker for the EXPOnential Celebration of Life Gala: the inspiring Ms. Susan Burton! As the founder of A New Way of Life and the SAFE House Network, Ms. Burton has been recognized as a Forbes 50 Over 50 honoree, a CNN Hero, and NBC's Most Inspirational Individual. She is also the author of the powerful memoir "Becoming Ms. Burton." Susan is a true advocate for change and an inspiration to the lives she has touched.

EXPO's dynamic duo of MCs, Shannon Ross and Adam Procell, founders of Paradigm Shift, will ensure the evening remains lively and engaging. Their unique energy and passion will guide us through a night of powerful storytelling, heartfelt moments, and meaningful connections.

Don't miss out—secure your spot today and join us in celebrating 10 years of EXPO!

Tickets and Registration: EXPOnential 2024

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.

Visitors

The following people visited our church recently:

• Laura, Justin and Mira Debbink, Thiensville

Thanks for visiting us. We hope that you come back soon!

West Lobby Photo Board

The West Lobby Adopt-a-Room group has plans to refresh the photo collage with pictures that depict more recent members, children and activities of UCN. We are requesting that members submit photo files for consideration to be printed on photo paper and included in our display. Please, send photo files with good exposure and focus to photos@ucnorth.org with identification of the event and people/children depicted. Wait a week or so for email address to be set up. It is safest to ask for permission of all those in a photo to have their likeness displayed. Examples of pictures might include these: RE class, playground use, extracurricular events like Trunk or Treat, Social Justice Committee events, Holiday program, Choir performance, Guest in the Pulpit, Message for All Ages …

Thank you

Blood Drive

Monday, Sept. 9, 1-6 pm in the Fellowship Hall

I want to personally ask you to please come and join us to help save some lives. Summer is winding down, kids are going back to school, we are all busy with our lives. While we are out running around, enjoying the sun and buying school supplies, there are many others who are hospitalized or being treated in an emergency room and in desperate need of a blood transfusion to save their life. You can make a big impact for someone in need.

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.

Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!

Info/signup: Redcrossblood.org 1-800-RED CROSS

Hope to see you there! Sheri (262-707-1461)

Revised SCRIP Sale Schedule

In an effort to be more efficient, starting in September we are going to experiment with selling Scrip only on the first and third Sundays of the next several months. Watch for an announcement about a presentation by Rob Powell on how to maximize the benefit of Scrip sales to UCN. Coming soon!

Riding to Fight Cancer

I will be participating in the Great Cycle Challenge in September to raise money to fight childhood cancer. If you'd like to donate or sponsor me, go to greatcyclechallenge.com/riders/lyngust . Thank you! Lyn Gust

Grief Group

The Good Grief support group will resume meeting for the fall. If you’ve experienced a loss and are in need of informal support, this may be a good resource for you. All are welcome. Our first gathering will be Wednesday, September 11 at 10:00 in the Emerson Room off of the North Lobby. Future dates include Sept 25; October 9 and 23; November 6 and 20; December 4.

Contact Judy DeLillo at 720-935-0851 or judelillo2@gmail.com with any questions.

Events at UCN

• "Qi Gong and Tai Chi" will resume in September 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 first Wis. Singer Songwriter Concert of the season will be held September 21. 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.
  

Thank you for supporting the groups that use our facilities.

Community Events

Slowing Down and Showing Up for All That is Our Life: A Retreat for Male Identified Folks

Saturday, September 14, 9:30 am-3:30 pm at First Church

This retreat is an opportunity for male-identifying folks to slow down, show up, and courageously and honestly explore with one another what is most real and alive in their lives at this moment in time. This retreat will include:

· Short presentations and reflections (by Rev. Justin Schroeder) to be used as springboards for deepening conversation among participants.

· Guided embodied practices to help us all ground, settle, and arrive in the present moment

· Small Group time for men to listen and share whole-heartedly with one another.

· Snacks and a meal together.

· Deeper connections with one another!

Register here: https://onrealm.org/FUSM/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=YWRkM2FmNjMtZDViZS00MThkLWI0NDItYjFiYzAxNGI3NjE2

Questions? Please contact our ministerial intern and coordinator for the retreat, Steve Sieck, at steve.sieck@uumilwaukee.org

Calendar through September 22

Meetings are held via Zoom, unless stated.

• Saturday, Sept. 7, 9am-3pm: Building Work Day (Brian Bunzel)
• Sunday, Sept. 8, 11:00 am: Social Justice Speaker - Sanctuary (Leigh Hoftiezer)
• Sunday, Sept. 8, 11:30 am: Social Justice Meeting - Emerson (Leigh Hoftiezer)
• Monday, Sept. 9, 1-6 pm: Blood Drive - Fellowship Hall (Sherri Yelton-Mounts)
• Monday, Sept. 9, 7:00 pm: RE Committee (Katie Egan-Bruhy)
• Wednesday, Sept. 11, 10:00 am: Good Grief Group - Emerson (Judy DeLillo)
• Thursday, Sept. 12, 6:30 pm: Sunday Services (Julie Konik)
• Sunday, Sept. 15: New Member & Pledging Friend Recognition during and after the service
• Sunday, Sept. 15: Capital Campaign Letter Pickup - North Lobby
• Tuesday, Sept. 17, 7:00 pm: Membership (Dan Lusk, Liam Quackenbush)
• Thursday, Sept. 19, 7:00 pm: Finance (Sherryl Andrus)

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 .
• 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.

• 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.
  

• 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. 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 brendaberg@spectrum.net

• 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.

• 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/