UUCSJS Midweek Message

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Email admin@uucsjs.org or call Jess at 609-965-9400 if you need assistance

• Upcoming Sunday Services
• Faith Development
• 2023 Service Auction
• Announcements
• Events This Week
• Last Sunday
• Connect to Our Larger Faith
• Caring Team

Creating Joy, Relieving Stress, and Letting Go

Presented by Gina Roche, UUCSJS Music Director

Join our music director Gina Roche and friends for an interesting take on how to enjoy life and mitigate stress through the creative process.

BIO: Gina ROCHÉ (vocalist/guitarist/songwriter/uke player/vocal coach/tap dancer and most recently music director for UUCSJS and loving it!) Gina studied voice with opera singer and teacher Frank Capelli in Philadelphia. Gina is known for her exciting live performances and imbues a Brazilian twist into her unique blend of pop, jazz, blues and original compositions. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she has toured with her band, The Gina Roché Group in Grand Cayman, Aruba, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Philly, the West Coast, UK and Japan and has also performed on Good Morning America and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. An original member of the all-female Latin group “Ellas,” Gina sings in 4 languages; English, Portuguese, Spanish and French....ok she knows a few songs in French! *smile* The most beloved part of Gina's bio is that she married her best friend John Rosenberg 21 years ago. Together they are raising two daughters and continually learning how to "go with the flow."

PLEASE NOTE: This service will be in person at UUCSJS and streamed live on our Facebook page. A recording will be available later in the day on our YouTube Channel.

There will be a second collection this Sunday to benefit Murray Grove Retreat and Renewal Center. You can learn more about this important Universalist Heritage site HERE.

When we talk about heritage we often think about those who came before us - our ancestors who passed their gifts down to us. But heritage is so much more than what we are given. It is also what we give to those who come after us! The gift of heritage is that it is a chain and we are responsible for linking the past, and the gifts we received, to the future and the gifts we will pass on.

There is a beautiful rite of passage specific to our faith called a "Child Dedication." Child dedications are an opportunity for parents to bring their young children to be blessed and welcomed into community. It is also a way for the congregation to offer their blessings and support to parents and children. It is the public recognition of the importance of honoring the young lives in our congregation and their families. It is also a time when parents and the congregation as a whole are asked to dedicate themselves to the fullest unfolding of the growth and personality of the child and to nurturing a community of peace in which all children may grow.

You may have noticed that the sanctuary is a little busier, a little noisier than it's been in awhile. We are welcoming all families to worship together on Sunday mornings! Families are welcome to sit in the family seating area and people of all ages are encouraged to use the Soulwork activities to keep hands busy while minds are occupied.

If you are not bringing a young person to church - you can still be a part of the heritage of our faith and our congregation in a young person's life!

Here are some tips to help you engage with the families coming to UUCSJS:

• Introduce yourself to the children as well as adults.
  
• Recognize your role as models for children in worship - demonstrate and talk about our values as well as expected worship behaviors.
• Share the experience of worship with children near you. Families with children are often thankful for an extra helping hand. Share a hymnal, build a tower with soft blocks, color a picture, offer to supervise other children if one child needs to take a break with their parent.
• Show patience and gratitude for the blessing of children in our midst. It means our faith is still growing! Keep your heart and mind open to what we can learn from each other as an inclusive, loving congregation.

Sitting still and quiet for an entire worship service can be difficult for young children. We would like to begin staffing our nursery/toddler room again! If you are willing to volunteer to watch our youngest UUs, please email Jess at religiouseducation@uucsjs.org.

And remember - you are passing on the gifts of what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. What gifts are you giving?

Please RSVP by clicking on the image below!

Now that you’ve made your donations to the 18th annual UUCSJS Auction on November 18th – you’ve made them, haven’t you? – let’s discuss the types of auctions you’ll likely encounter on Auction night.

Silent Auction

The Silent Auction is anything but! It’s the largest of the auctions in that it includes events, items, services, handmade items and baked goods. It gets awfully noisy in what we call the “sanctuary.”

Let’s discuss bidding in the Silent Auction. Each item or event or service has a sheet on which you write your name and bid. Bid high, or check back, because someone may outbid you! If the bids are a fixed price, as with events, you win it when you write your name on one of the pre-numbered lines.

The “Win it now” price means that if you really, really, really want the item, you can write your name on the bottom line next to the “win it now” price and give the sheet to the table monitor. You pay that price – which is usually closer to the estimated value of the item – but that perfect item will be yours before the evening is out!

Live Auction

The Live Auction is when you get to hold up a paddle with your number to bid on something as the auctioneer calls out the offered bids. This is the big time, the main event, the show, the major leagues, the cat’s pajamas. This is when – unlike when you were in grade school and had to use the bathroom – holding up your hand could get you in serious trouble. But this is also the most fun part of the auction! Don’t dare wave to someone in the front row, or you could be the proud, new owner of a gold-plated birdcage.

Chance Auction

The Chance Auction is when you buy tickets, and then place a ticket in the cup in front of the item you want to win. Later, we call out the numbers, and if we pick your number, it’s all yours! Definitely fun for everyone!

To have your announcement placed in the Midweek Message, please send an email to admin@uucsjs.org by Noon on Wednesday.

You are invited to join Steve McGahee and Ivette Guillermo McGahee for a Day of the Dead Bonfire Party on Saturday, October 28, 2023!

On the Day of the Dead, it’s believed that the border between the spirit world and the real-world dissolves. During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance and play music with their loved ones.

At this bonfire, you will celebrate, and learn more about the Day of the Dead, which is a Mexican tradition and holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives. You will have an opportunity to learn about the origins of this special day, celebrate with traditional delicious food & drinks, create a literary calavera, and enjoy traditional music. You are invited to bring a picture of your loved one who passed away and something s/he loved to add to the ofrenda (altar).

This event will be held at the home of Steve and Ivette in Pleasant Mills section of Hamonton. They have frontage on Lake Nescochague, which is where the bonfire will be. If the weather does not permit, it will be held inside their home.

To reserve your place for the event, visit the signup table in the sanctuary or email admin@uucsjs.org.

The cost is $30 per person.

Don’t end up like this poor soul, who goes around in disguise because they forgot about the auction!

November 18th

Doors Open 6:30, Auction at 7:00

Click on the graphic below or visit the calendar at uucsjs.org for more information on events and meetings.

CLICK HERE to reserve the Zoom Room or to add your event to the calendar.

October selection: THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead

THE NICKEL BOYS describes life in a reform school from the point of view of a young Black teenager. Whitehead based Nickel Academy on the real life Dozier School, a Florida facility that ran for over a century, until a university investigation publicized its racist and abusive practices.

Book club will be meeting October 20th at 7:00 pm on ZOOM (www.tinyurl.com/uucsjszoom) .

All are welcome to join the discussion.

November selection – DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver

Oct. 22 will be the next Pomona Rd. cleanup. Meet in the parking lot at 8:30 am and this will give us 1 1/2 hours to clean both sides of the road.

Grabbers, gloves, and bags will be provided. A sign up sheet will be on the table in the back of the sanctuary if you want a reminder.

Any questions contact Nancy Watson.

Here you will find ways to learn about and connect with our faith and opportunities to connect with other UU's from outside our congregation.

Click on the images for more information.

Click on the graphic above to read more about the following and more:

• Featured Resource: Disaster Relief Fund
• Covenant Calls Us In: The Why of Covenant
  
• CER Events at a Glance
• News from the UUA

Contact a member of the Caring Team

Team members can provide you with support during/after an illness, a death in the family, or other loss or hardship. They can find you resources, run errands, or provide meals in time of need.

Reach out to:

• Tracey Catino at (609) 674-8721 email: Traceysnaps@msn.com
• Helen Utts at (609) 338-3391 email: HelenUtts@aol.com
• Tony Zitelli at (201) 463-2800 email: happy85a@aol.com
• Barbara Morell at (215) 805-7599 email: morellb@msn.com
• Janet Longo at (609) 748-8608 email: jilportnj@comcast.net
• Denise O'Meara at (610) 316-7495 denome53@gmail.com

Caring Team is looking for members who are willing to attend monthly Zoom meetings and help out when congregants are sick or suffering from hardships. Please contact Tracey Catino if you can join our confidential group.

Sunday Services 10:30 am in person and livestreamed on Facebook.

Email: admin@uucsjs.org
Website: www.uucsjs.org
Location: 75 S Pomona Rd, Egg Harbor City, NJ, USA

Mailing Address: PO Box 853, Pomona NJ 08240
Phone: (609) 965-9400
Facebook: facebook.com/uucsjs
Twitter: @UUCSJS