

The Northliner
March 22, 2024
Sunday Services
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.
March 24: "A Religion with Vision," Rev. Sarah Oelberg
As the UUA contemplates big changes in its principles and purposes, we need to ask if ours is a religion with vision. There was a time when Unitarianism truly was visionary. I will look at that time, to see if there is anything we can learn from it.
Sarah Oelberg has been a special education teacher, has written special ed. curriculum for our U.S. Office of Education, was a faculty member at Yeshiva University in New York and at NYU, and trained special ed. teachers in Iowa. She followed her heart as the first in her six-generation Unitarian family to become a UU minister. After serving churches in Nebraska and Minnesota, she retired in 2001. She and husband Gerald raised four children and have six grand- and four great-grandchildren.
March 31: EASTER SUNDAY “Resurrection: An Easter Sermon for Unitarian Universalists,”
Rev. Scott W. Alexander
Scott Writes: Easter Sunday has long been a complex (and somewhat spiritually awkward) Sunday for Unitarian Universalists. While our many Christian neighbors gather to celebrate the supernatural resurrection of Jesus, and the promise of eternal life, we in the liberal tradition look for other meanings and messages. Do be with us as I try to thread our way through this theological thicket!
A Hearty Thank You!
On behalf of UCN, the Finance Committee would like to extend our sincere appreciation for your generous response to this year’s Pledge Campaign. We are pleased to report that aggregate pledges exceeded the amounts received for the current fiscal year because of generous increases in pledges and the happy addition of new members and pledging friends. Your support ensures that UCN will continue to thrive as a beacon of liberal religious freedom in Southeastern Wisconsin. Thank you.
Your Finance Team,
Peter Blain, Chair
Katie Egan-Bruhy, Financial Secretary
Julie Zumach, Treasurer
Linda Sanderson, Dean Johnson, Dan Lusk, Sherryl Andrus, Marilyn Blackmon, Pat Kotecki,
Kas Blain
B-Free and Quinten Farr Duo Concert - Friday April 19th
We are proud to present another wonderful evening of live music, featuring the musical stylings of longtime joint force & multifaceted husband & wife combo, B-Free & Quinten Farr. This incredible team received rave reviews after last year's concert and we are thrilled to have them back again.
Doors Open at 6:30, concert begins at 7:00 and ends at 9:00. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
Tickets available for sale before and after service for $25 and through Eventbrite UCN Presents: B~Free & Quinten Farr Duo Tickets, Fri, Apr 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite. Tickets are also available at the door, $30. Please join us!
Religious Education
The activity this week is popsicle stick Easter bunnies. Children will start in the sanctuary with the whole community, then have a craft activity in the downstairs classrooms.
The nursery will continue to be staffed weekly during the full service.
Outdoor Play
During the winter/spring months, if we have appropriate weather, we may have the kids play outside after class or during non-RE activity time. Please bring appropriate clothes for playing outside.
* Social and Racial Justice
Speaker on the Middle East
Marilyn Raschka, a friend of Joy and Brian from Peace Seekers of Washington County, will come next Sunday, March 24, to speak after the service, at 11:15 am, on her experience/perspective having lived in the Middle East almost 30 years. We will meet in the Clara Barton Room, offering a few Middle Eastern snacks to entice you to stay, to hear what Marilyn has to say, ask questions and discuss what to do about the current situation.
Topic: Perspective on the Middle East from an American Woman
Time: Mar 24, 2024 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92526944899?pwd=Q0tzSjNnc1h5Nm5SMmpiR1BxNjBaZz09
Meeting ID: 925 2694 4899
Passcode: 654289
We All Belong Campaign Special Event
Join MICAH congregations and organizations for a thought-provoking event that challenges the false promises of White Christian Nationalism. Noted theologian, author and activist, Jim Wallis, will discuss his new book, "The False White Gospel," which exposes the threat of White Christian Nationalism and argues for reclaiming true faith and re-founding our democracy. The event is free of charge. Mr. Wallis' book will be available for purchase during the reception following his remarks and a Q and A. See the poster: https://bit.ly/JimWallisPoster
Friday, April 5th, 6:00 p.m.
United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay, 819 East Silver Spring Drive
Register at https://bit.ly/FWGospel
Constitutional Amendment Questions
On your April 2 ballot, you will find two referendum questions about changing the state Constitution. On the face of it, both of them look reasonable enough, but you want to think about where they come from and what they might do.
1. The first proposed amendment on the April ballot would add language to the Wisconsin Constitution declaring that no state or local agency, officer, or employee “may apply for, accept, expend, or use any moneys or equipment in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum if the moneys or equipment are donated or granted by an individual or nongovernmental entity.”
A “yes” vote would forbid any private resources from being used in connection with any election or referendum at the state or local level. This amendment is in response to the 2020 election, when the pandemic created big problems (e.g. the need for personal protective equipment, the need to deal with many more mail-in ballots, etc.) that local election officials did not have the resources to pay for. So, they applied for private grants to cover the costs. This is something that police departments, fire departments and schools do all the time -- applying for available resources to cover costs that have not been covered in their public budgets. This amendment would make it impossible to get outside help to cover extraordinary expenses for running elections. In the meantime, the amendment does not require state and local governments to provide adequate funding for elections. This could lead to big problems in the future.
The amendment is also vague about what would be prohibited. Many churches and other non-governmental buildings are used as polling places. It is not clear if that would be prohibited in the future, or even if use of furniture or extension cords would be outlawed.
2. The second proposed amendment on the April ballot would prohibit “any individual other than an election official designated by law from performing any task in the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum.”
This amendment is even more vague than the first. Election officials often recruit volunteers to help with tasks like sending out mailings, or setting up polling places. It might even make it illegal to bring in experts to help with technical problems on election day.
Many believe that these amendments would present a danger of making Wisconsin's elections less efficient, leading to longer lines and more confusion. Many also make the argument that they are a "solution" that doesn't solve any real problem.
The rationale for these amendments comes from the report by former Justice Gableman, which questioned the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. After all was said and done, there was no evidence that the election was anything other than free, fair and well-run by Wisconsin's election officials at all levels.
Thank you for taking a moment to learn about these amendments before you vote. If you have found this helpful, please share it with others.
* Announcements
First Sunday Lunch
Join us for a scrumptious lunch at the April 7 First Sunday Lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the service. This month we are featuring a Potato Bar which will include a variety of toppings, salads/sides, and the usual irresistible desserts. If you have any questions, contact the meal coordinator, Ann Buchel, at 262-470-6355 or awbuchel@gmail.com
Leadership Board Meeting
The next leadership board meeting will be held on Thursday, March 28 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.
UU the Conversation
Join other UUs in a national conversation on Article II. Go to https://uutheconversation.org/ for details.
Photos Needed
If you haven't sent in a photo or had your picture taken by Jim DeLillo for our photo member directory, please send one to info@ucnorth.org. We want to see all your smiling faces!
Good Grief Group
Grief Group will be held Wednesday, April 10 and 24 from 10:00 - 11:30. Please contact Judy DeLillo at 720-935-0851 with any questions.
Events at UCN
- "Qi Gong and Tai Chi" is held most Saturdays at 11 am in the Fellowship Hall. Call Diane at
307-763-0903 for details. First class is free for UCN members. - There will be two Wisconsin Singer Songwriter concerts at UCN in March. 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 Clara Barton room and online.
Thank you for supporting the groups that use our facilities.
New scams to be aware of, according to AARP
1. Check cooking scam
Last year, the big thing was check washing, where thieves stole paper checks from postal boxes, mailboxes or even carriers and then washed the checks with chemicals, keeping the signature but erasing the amount and the payee so they could fill in a new name and amount. But now, they’ve discovered a less messy way to steal.
In check cooking, thieves take a digital picture of a stolen check and then use commercially available software to alter it. “It looks very real, even with the watermarks and all,” explains Michael Bruemmer, vice president of data breach resolution and consumer protection at Experian, a global credit verification and financial services firm. Criminals can print a new phony check or else just deposit the altered image using a bank’s mobile app, he notes.
How to stay safe: Consider using a safer payment method, such as a credit card. But if you choose to write paper checks, scammers still need to steal a physical copy. Make it harder for them. Instead of putting the check in a mailbox, drop it off directly at the nearest post office. And continually monitor your checking account and watch for any suspicious transactions.
2. Voiceprint Scams
Thanks to technological advances, it’s possible for thieves to capture a recording of your voice and then use a software program to generate an imitation “deepfake” version that can be used to impersonate you. “That voiceprint can be used to access your insurance or your financial institution or apply for a driver’s license,” Bruemmer says. The New York Times reported on a recent case in which a representative at a major bank received a call from a deepfake copy of a Florida investor’s voice, requesting that the bank move the man’s money elsewhere. Fortunately, the fraud attempt was spotted by the bank before the real investor lost his savings.
How to stay safe: To prevent your voice from being duplicated, “don’t answer the phone,” Bruemmer advises. “If someone needs to get hold of you, they can text you.” Bruemmer even is cautious about answering calls that appear to be from people on his contact list, since the call could be coming from a phone that’s been stolen or had its SIM card cloned, he says.
3. Delayed-action sweepstakes scam
New variation: instead of trying to get you to pay taxes or other fees in advance to collect the nonexistent prize, the scammers will ask for personal information so that they can validate you and set up the payout.
How to stay safe: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you get a call from someone claiming that you’ve won a huge prize, the safest bet is to just hang up. And never, ever provide any personal information.
4. Virtual celebrity scam
How to stay safe: If you get a direct message from someone claiming to be a famous performer or superstar athlete or representing them, be skeptical. It’s almost certain to be a scam.
5. Multistage grandparent scam
This is a new, more sophisticated version of the old grandparent scam, in which crooks call and pretend to be a grandchild who’s been arrested and needs bail money to get out of a legal jam. After posing as grandchildren who’ve been jailed after a car accident, they’ll provide a case number and instruct the target to call their defense attorney or the local prosecutor. “When Grandpa calls up, they say, ‘Oh, do you have the case number?’” Foss explains. It’s actually a subtle psychological trick to see whether the grandparent is compliant and will follow their instructions to send thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
How to stay safe: If you get a call from an unfamiliar number from a family member claiming to be in trouble, don’t panic. Instead, after you’ve finished talking — and certainly before sending money — the Federal Communications Commission recommends that you call or text the person at his or her usual number and check to see whether the family member is actually in trouble. If they don’t answer, contact other family members or friends if you have any concern that the emergency could be real. Scammers plead with you to keep the situation a secret precisely so you won’t try to confirm it.
6. Paris Olympics scams
Criminals try to find ways to exploit big events that are in the news. It could work something like this: A scammer hacks someone’s email account, and shortly after, all of that person’s contacts will receive the same message — something to the effect of, “Hey guys, I’m over in Paris and my wallet got stolen! Can anyone please help me out by sending gift cards or a Venmo deposit?” (Sounds like the scammers who pretended to be Rev. Scott, doesn’t it?)
To the recipients, it’s a potentially convincing ruse. “You’re thinking very quickly, well, Amy was in Paris two years ago, and she loves the Olympics, so it all makes sense,” Nofziger explains. “Yeah, I’ll send you money.”
Also, Olympics officials are warning ticket seekers to avoid bogus ticketing sites and scam emails purporting to be from Paris 2024 (the official website for the games) or the Olympic committee.
How to stay safe: Resist the urge to react immediately if you hear from a friend in Paris needing cash. Instead, follow the Federal Trade Commission’s advice and try another way to contact the person who supposedly is in need, such as calling them on the phone. Alternatively, reach out to a trusted source who knows the person and would be aware of whether or not they went on a trip to Paris.
And, f you’re intending to go to Paris and receive emails regarding tickets to the games, the official website for Paris 2024 notes, “You will never be asked for the login details for your ticketing account (ID and password)” or “banking details.” Check the sender’s email address; scammers will often change one letter or number, or use .com rather than .org, hoping recipients will mistake the fake address for the legitimate one.
Helpline
Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline toll-free at 877-908-3360 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET, if you suspect fraud or have fallen victim to a scam.
* Calendar
Calendar through April 7
Meetings are held via Zoom, unless stated.
- Sunday, March 24, 11:15 am: Speaker on the Middle East - Barton (Joy Schroeder)
- Thursday, March 28, 6:30 pm: Leadership Board (Ed Ahrenhoerster)
- Monday, April 1, 7:00 pm: Building Committee (Brian Bunzel)
- Wednesday, April 3: UUs Out to Lunch (Brenda Berg)
- Saturday, April 6, 10:00 am: FSL setup - Fellowship Hall
- Sunday, April 7: RE Classes (Betsy Muellenbach)
- Sunday, April 7, 11:30 am: First Sunday Lunch - Fellowship Hall (Ann Buchel)
- Sunday, April 7, 11:30 am: New to UU Class - Barton (Dan Lusk)
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.
* Reminders
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: If you would like to have an announcement read at the service, please prepare it using the Spoken Announcement Guidelines, and send it to Joy Schroeder (peacenow@charter.net) or Julie Konik (julie.konik@gmail.com) or that Sunday's Service Assistant by the FRIDAY BEFORE the service, and they will relay it to the worship assistant.
- 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/
- You are encouraged to subscribe to MidAmerica Region's newsletter, News page. More information at uua.org/midamerica .
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The MidAmerica Region is coming together - both online and at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 of 2024 for a multiplatform Regional Assembly! Please join us, online and in-person: MidAmerica Regional Assembly!
- Join us June 20 - 23 for an all-virtual General Assembly 2024. For information, go to https://www.uua.org/ga/registration.
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.
- 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.
UCN is now able to accept donations via PayPal.
Food Barrel: Don’t forget to grab a food item out of your pantry for the food barrel as you leave for church.
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
If you order from Quill.com and tell them UCN recommended them, UCN will earn a $50 gift card.
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.
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.
UUs Coffee & Conversation (Ladies' Lunch & Levity) meets on the third Monday of every month at Mequon Fiddleheads, 10530 Port Washington Rd. Stop in anytime between 12:00 and 1:30 for something to eat, a good cuppa, and chewy conversation. We meet in the back room.
* Submitting Content for our Publications
Please submit articles for the Northliner to info@ucnorth.org. To keep the Northliner from becoming cumbersome to read, 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) to submit articles for our website.
* Contact Information and Links
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.
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.
Unitarian Church North
Email: info@ucnorth.org
Website: www.ucnorth.org
Location: 13800 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI, 53097 USA
Phone: 262-375-3890
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitarianChurchNorth/