Sunday - April 14, 2024

10:30 am (EDT)

Discerning, Deliberating, and Deciding

Rev. Lee Anne

Life is full of options. Determining which ones to take and which ones to leave behind can make all the difference. Join us on Sunday as we explore the relationship between discernment, deliberation, and decision-making. Sunday’s service will include a new member’s ceremony, as well. After the service, the UUCNH Call Process Task Force will share its report and recommendations.

Are you interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism, about our church, or about the meaning of membership? If so, you are invited to join Rev. Lee Anne and the Connections Team this coming Saturday, April 13th from 9:30 to 2:30 (a free lunch will be provided).  

Using a course developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association, we will explore:

• Theology and Worship,
• How We Grow in Faith,
• How Decisions are Made, and
• The Meaning of Membership

This course is also open to longtime members, friends, and anyone else interested in further deepening and developing their connection to Unitarian Universalism and our Beloved Community. A new members ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 14th.

By noon on Friday, April 12th, please send an email to Michael Horwitz and Rev. Lee Anne to let us know of your intention to join us and if you have any dietary restrictions or preferences.

Rev. Lee Anne

Michael Horwitz and the Connections Team

Don’t forget! After the church service this Sunday, we’ll have an all-congregation meeting to continue our discernment process here at UUCNH. We’ll start with a presentation of the findings from the discernment sessions, followed by time for Q&A and discussion. This will be our last opportunity to meet as a congregation before we take a vote on April 28^th on whether to call Rev. Lee Anne to settled ministry at UUCNH.

Meanwhile, we appreciate your continued input into the discernment process through your responses to last week’s survey. Twenty-four people responded to five questions in the general category of spiritual growth. For purposes of reporting the findings below, we assume that people have a high level of agreement with a statement if they respond 8, 9, or 10 on a scale of 1-10 (where “1” means they strongly disagree and “10” means they strongly agree).

• 54% say they believe in a sacred force at work in the world.
• 46% say they would like to see church focus on the perspectives and teachings of other religions and traditions.
• 67% say they would like to see church focus on ethics and moral principles that don’t necessarily have a theological underpinning.
• 50% say they are OK with the use of the ‘G-word’ (God) in church.
•  25% say their beliefs align pretty closely with those of another established religion or tradition.

Please keep the input coming! To respond to this week’s questions, please click the below Survey Questions link and provide a response, if possible, by Saturday evening.

Your Board of Trustees will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, April 16, at 7:00 pm on Zoom.  Meetings are open to all members and we welcome your participation. Attendees will be muted upon joining and we respectfully ask that questions and comments be reserved until the end of the meeting.

Please click here to join the meeting with Passcode UUCNH

The Board of Trustees welcomes communication, comments, questions, and suggestions. If you would like to contact the Board, including to request time on the agenda at an upcoming board meeting, please email the Board. The Board committees are encouraged to consult with their Board Liaison. Emails will receive an acknowledgment and will be reviewed by Board members at the next available opportunity, recognizing that Board members are volunteers. Smaller questions and comments may receive a response within a week, while more detailed or substantive questions and comments are typically discussed at the next monthly Board meeting.

UUCNH is exploring the possibility of hosting an elementary OWL training session this fall. OWL, short for Our Whole Lives, is comprehensive age-appropriate sexuality education that fosters informed, responsible, and values-based decisions about sexual health and behavior. If you are interested in becoming an OWL instructor, please reach out to the CYFD Team. The UUA asks that we demonstrate interest from the congregation before beginning to plan a training session, so don’t be shy!

WOW!

We have almost reached our goal!

$330,221

95 Pledge Units

Deadline to pledge is: April 20, 2024

WILL YOUR PLEDGE PUT US OVER THE TOP?

UUCNH will be a new polling place for Franklin Park Ward 3, Precinct 3 for the Primary election to be held on Tuesday, APRIL 23rd. Poll workers will arrive at 6 AM.  The polls will open at 7 AM and remain open until 8 PM. Poll Workers will perform closing operations for another hour or so until finished. UUCNH  welcomes our neighbors and members who vote in person in Franklin Park Ward 3, Precinct 3.  Please be aware that church activities will not be held in UUCNH on election day.  

The Board of Trustees thanks you in advance for your welcome to our neighbors and for our community service to Allegheny and our region.

If you missed viewing the Minister's Message that was sent out last week you can still view it through the link below.

CRAFT SALE MAY 5, 2024

The Annual Spring Craft Sale will be held in the East Room before and after the service on May 5. 

Wonderful handmade crafts and plenty of freshly baked goodies!

CASH AND CHECK ONLY

TRAVEL ROLL WITH CRAYONS

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

HANDMADE CARDS

March News

• NAACP statewide leaders hosted a very informative candidate forum featuring Primary candidates for PA Attorney General, in which five Democrat candidates participated. If you are voting in that Primary, we strongly recommend you view the Forum Video Recording before voting. Passcode: @%k4%qCc
• ACTION REQUESTED: HB 1776 - Establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission will finally end gerrymandering in our state, if passed. The Co Sponsorship Memo is circulating. Please urge your PA House Representative to co-sponsor HB 1776.

Future Events

• April 23: Pennsylvania Primary Election. Please vote by mail or in person. YOUR VOTE MATTERS! View key voting deadlines and your primary ballot at Vote411.org . PAID POLL WORKERS ARE STILL NEEDED
• April 25 at 7:00 pm: Deadly by Design will be presented at St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, 2365 McAleer Rd, Franklin Pk. This compelling storytelling video is an initiative of CeaseFirePA in which gun violence survivors not only share their losses, but also connect the shooting directly to a policy failure that allowed it to happen.
• May 7: End Gun Violence Advocacy Day at the State Capital in Harrisburg. Free CeaseFirePA buses from Pittsburgh and other locations will be available. For additional information and registration, Please click here.
• Summer & Fall, 2024: SCT members are planning one or more Potlucks -Writing GOTV Letters to Voters event at the church. Stay tuned for further details in the Enews. 

WANT TO ATTEND AN SCT MEETING? Email Liz Perkins for a Zoom link, helping with any of our activities, and/or about being a paid poll worker this year. The next SCT Meeting is on Mon, May 6 at 7:30 pm.

Read about Future Activities: APRIL CER Newsletter

• April 19-20 Mid Central Regional Assembly - Online - great worship, discussions, and workshops from your home! Register Today!
• April 27 Beyond the Binary: Building Beloved Community Event, Online & in person at First UU Society of Syracuse NY. Full details & registration at the CER website.
• June 20-23 ALL VIRTUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY - UU annual gathering, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Theme: Love Unites, Stories Ignite Registration is open
• July 7-13 CERSI (Central East Region Summer Institute), a multigenerational camp. Speaker, Rev. Julian Soto, UU minister and activist will present "Unlikely Superheroes: Skills for Practicing Faith and Ethics in Tough Times." Join us at PennWest in California, PA. Learn more and register at the CERSI webpage. Deadline for scholarships from the CERSI scholarship fund is May 31, 2024.

Highlighted Resource

• Proposed Article II bylaws Revision: If you are interested in talking to other UUs about Article 2 and the proposed amendments, the place to do that is at the UUA Forum at discuss.uua.org. Join the important conversation. Amplifying the Charge Resource kit is available. 

 And …MUCH MUCH More in the new APRIL CER Newsletter

Use this tool to find out more about the candidates running in National, State, and Local elections. The candidate supplies their photo, bio, and answers to a few questions. You can find who is on your ballot, register to vote, or check our registration status by clicking on the appropriate tab.

A Joy & Sorrow from Erin & Amy Terrizzi: On Friday, Evie and Erin attended my Uncle Barry's funeral. It was a celebration of love and life. Because of how many lives he touched, the Methodist church was standing-room only. My father, a former minister himself, gave all those in attendance and those waiting in line a mission: lift others up and at the same time, invite them to join the group of those who lift others up. This is my shared mission to this church. May my Uncle Barry's memory live on.

Note: There are times when you may not be able to share during service but want the Congregation to know what is on your heart. In that instance, just contact a member of the Lay Pastoral Care Team (LPCT) in person or submit your Joys & Sorrows electronically by clicking here. Once submitted, the form is sent to all LPCT members. (Chris Hill, Ruth Horwitz, Susan Powers, Lynn Richards, Lynne Herchenroether, Inga Burton-Smith). Please be sure to submit your item by NOON on Saturday at the latest, so we get it in time for Service. Also, LPCT emails are forward to all members of the team. We welcome your sharing and would be honored to carry forth your message.

Click your calendar choice below, then choose to view by list, day, week, or month.

UUCNH Policy for In-Person Gatherings

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UU Church of the North Hills

2359 West Ingomar Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15237

Phone: 412-366-0244

Rev. Lee Anne’s Work Schedule

Work Week: Tuesday – Sunday

Office Hours: Tuesday 10:00 - 6:00 by appointment

          Sunday 8:30 - 3:30 

Friday: Message Preparation

Monday: Sabbath