WAYS YOU CAN HELP

•   Our UU Principles in Action – The Search for Taste and Merriment
Help needed to plan and produce our annualish, fabulous Chili Cook Off scheduled for January 23, 2010.  Contact Bill Ross, Producer.

•  Partner Church Committee is Looking for Additional Members.  First Unitarian Church has had a continuing relationship with the Unitarian Church in Firtomartonos, Transylvania, Romania since the early 1990s.  A number of members of First Unitarian Church have visited the Unitarian village, the latest in 2008.  This relationship is a “partnership” in which the churches enrich each other with our histories and traditions.  Do you want to know more about Transylvanian Unitarianism?  Do you want to strengthen 1st UU’s relationship with our partner church?  Come to a short committee meeting this Sunday, November 8, 10:35 A.M.  (between the two services) in the Merritt Lounge.

• COSTUME DRIVE.  The Nursery seeks to expand its chest of dress-up clothes.  Now that you’ve had so much fun on Halloween, please drop off your great hats, costumes, gloves, face paint, and other dress-up goodies in the Nursery.  Contact Shawna Foster.

• Prairie Star District Annual Awards.  The Prairie Star District gives annual awards to Unitarian Universalists in the district who have made significant contributions in the areas listed below.  Our church's Nominating Committee is charged with selecting and submitting the nominees to the PSD.  We are asking the congregation to offer names of potential nominees.  Please submit your suggestions by any of the following methods: 1) Putting the PSD form from this month’s Flame into the collection plate on Sunday 2) Submitting the form to the office by US Mail or email; 3) Sending the form to the Nominating Committee convener, Marie Sedlacek, or any member of the committee.  Please submit names by November 26.
    —  Unsung UU Award affirms those UU's whose actions inspire, support, and express Unitarian Universalism, but have not been previously recognized.  The award is given to a person or group whose lifetime activities have made a significant contribution to the cause of Unitarian Universalism.
    —  Keeping the Faith Award was established to recognize people who live by UU principles.  It is presented to persons who have worked to keep Unitarian Universalism alive in their community and who touch the lives of congregation and community members in a positive way. (Established in 2000)
    —  PSD Social Justice Award pays tribute to those who witness to the ideals of social justice and responsibility so important to our UU heritage.  Two awards are presented: one to an adult and one to a youth (under age 18).
    —  O. Eugene Pickett Award is presented annually to a congregation that has made an outstanding contribution to the growth of Unitarian Universalism.  The PSD recipient of this award will be our nominee for the UUA O. Eugene Pickett Award.
    —  Ellie Morton Award to honor an individual or individuals who have made a significant contribution to religious education in our District.  The award recipient is selected by the Lifespan Faith Development Council.
    —  Betty Gorshe Heritage Award to recognize an individual or group who have made a significant contribution to preserving, understanding, and celebrating our Unitarian Universalist history.  The award recipient is selected by the Heritage and Archives Committee.

•  Share the Plate.  The Share the Plate recipient for November is the Siena/Francis House.

Learn to DanSpeak

• Learn DanSpeak – Easier than Esperanto, more fun than Pig Latin.  Our blueprint for governance change is Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership by Dan Hotchkiss. Dan uses a number of terms differently than you might expect.  Today’s DanSpeak Quiz definition is:

 “A _____ is a star to guide by.  It is an imagined future state of the church as it becomes a better vehicle to serve our mission.  Strategies, goals, and objectives describe the plan for crossing the gap between our current state and the _____ over time. The Board expresses its strategy to move toward the _____ in its _____.”

Is the missing DanSpeak word: a) Ministry,  b) Annual Vision of Ministry, c) Strategy, or d) Vision?    Learn more about our governance change process.

SUNDAY – November 8

•  Sunday Services.  9:30 A.M.:  Eclectic Service;  11:15 A.M.:  Traditional Service
Roots and Sources:  Religious Humanism

•  Partner Church Committee Meeting — 10:35 A.M — Merritt Lounge

•  UU & You  — 12:30 P.M. — Whitney Young Room.  We’ll provide a light lunch and information about the church, our programs and activities. Please RSVP by calling the church office at 345-3039. Childcare is available upon request.

•  7:00 P.M. — Creative/Art Night — Whitney Young Room
Need a little quiet time to feed your creative impulse?  Bring your passion — writing, painting, journaling, quilting, drawing, etc., and simply work without interruption.  Contact Kate Godfrey.

•  Omaha Unitarian Universalists for Tolerance (OUUT) Second Sunday Movie has been canceled for November.

NEXT WEEK

•  November 9 —Women’s Alliance — 6:30 P.M. — Common Room
Join us for a delightful evening of fun and friendship.  Alliance women will be sharing their hobbies such as crafts, art work, woodcarvings, collections, etc.  How did they get started?  How long have they been doing these things?  Come find out the answers to these mysterious questions.  To share your hobby just tell Janet West when you make your reservation.  Come for the social hour at 6:30 P.M. and a roast beef or vegetarian dinner at 7:00 P.M.  The program begins at 8:00 P.M.   The cost is $10.00, but if you are joining us for the first time, please be our guest.  For reservations, contact Janet West by Sunday, November 8.  All women of First and Second Unitarian Churches are welcome.

•  November 10 — Board Meeting — 7:00 P.M. — Common Room

•  November 11 — Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) Meeting — 7:00 P.M.
The YRUU is a youth group for 7th to 12th  grade UU youth from First and Second Unitarian Churches of Omaha which meets every Wednesday from 7:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. at First Unitarian Church during the school year.  Contact Cheryll Wallace.

•  November 11 — Choir Rehearsal — 7:00 P.M. — Sanctuary

•  November 11 — Holland Lecture Committee — 7:00 P.M. — Offsite

•  November 12 — Women’s Religious Studies Group— 1:00 P.M. — Merritt Lounge

•  November 12 — Wine, Cheese, & Choice — 5:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. — Common Room
Be our guest at a celebration for Pro-Choice Nebraskans.  Share your stories about fighting for and having reproductive choice.  RSVP or for more information email trustwomen2009@gmail.com.  This event is sponsored by the Social Justice Committee and Pro-Choice Coalition.

•  November 13 —YRUU Game Night — 5:00 P.M.

•  November 14 — Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium — 9 A.M. to noon —
Common Room
Come together with people who care about what’s happening in the world, our community and with our families. Look at challenges and opportunities today and explore a new global vision built on Sustainability, Spiritual Fulfillment, and Social Justice. Registration is at 8:30.  No cost but free will donations will be accepted.  Registration is requested by November 12. To register contact Elaine Wells or Helen Deffenbacher or via the sponsoring organization's website: www.awakeningthedreamer.org.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

•  November 15 — Sunday Services.  9:30 A.M.:  Eclectic Service;  11:15 A.M.:  Traditional Service
About the “T” in GLBT
                                                                                         
•  November 15 — The Flame Deadline

•  November 17 — Membership Committee Meeting — 6:30 P.M. — Merritt Lounge

•  November 19 — R.E. Council Meeting — 7:00 P.M. — Common Room
All who want are interested in religious education and want to hear what is happening and be a part of the planning for upcoming activities are invited to attend. The evening will begin with a dessert buffet catered by Cheryll Wallace. Please make your reservation by contacting Tom Foster.

•  November 22 — Women's Alliance Annual Bake Sale — Common Room

•  November 30 — Fist Unitarian Book Club — 7:00 P.M. — Merritt Lounge
For November we decided to do something on the lighter side.  We will discuss humorist, David Sedaris' collection titled When You are Engulfed in Flames (available in paperback from Amazon for $9.35.).  We chose to forego a December meeting and next meet on January 25 when we will discuss Half the Sky; Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (available in hardbound from Amazon for $15.97).

•  December 12 — Annual Holiday Dinner — 5:30 P.M. 
Save the date and be sure to turn in your RSVP form that was in this month’s Flame to reserve your spot!
 

Please visit the Social Justice/Green Sanctuary web page. Don't miss the GREEN TIPS OF THE WEEK! Submit your own Green Tip to Ken Deffenbacher or Glenn Pollock.