Order of Service - Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Greenville Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship
The Fragile Time of Beginning
December 21, 2014
Rev. Pat Jobe
Minister
Rev. Michelle McClendon
Associate Minister
Christian Elser
Music Director
Kathleen Anderson
Director of Lifespan Religious Education
Maureen Nery
Director, Our UUWoC
Stephanie Green
Fellowship Administrator
Want to Contact Us?
Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
1135 State Park Road, Greenville, SC 29609
864-271-4883
www.greenvilleuu.org  [email protected]
Office Hours  Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm
Greenville Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship
December 21, 2014
Order of Service
Welcome
Pat Jobe
Chalice Lighting
Lisa Lipscomb
Prelude
Jon Grier
Opening Words
Pat Jobe
*Opening Song
#231 Angels We Have Heard on High
Story for all Ages
Pat Jobe
Children's Benediction
Community Caring
Anthem
All Sing
#413 Go Now in Peace
All Sing
Please share your joys and sorrows
in our Community Memory Book
before or after the Service
Merry Christmas Baby by Baxter/Moore
Offertory
Choir
Jon Grier
Sermon
The Fragile Time of Beginning
*Closing Song
#245 Joy to the World
Pat Jobe
All Sing
Closing Words
Pat Jobe
Postlude
Jon Grier
Benediction
Pat Jobe
*Please rise in body or in spirit as you are willing and able.
Please turn off cell phones before our service begins.
“Joys and Sorrows”
You may write your Joys or Sorrows in the Memory Book
on the table in the front of the sanctuary. These will be read during the
"Community Caring” segment of the service. If you are not inclined to write in the
book, you may simply light a candle in silence.
~ Thanks to Our Service Associates ~
Worship Associate
Lisa Lipscomb
Accompanist
Jon Grier
Music Director
Christian Elser
Ushers
Annette Garver & Sarah Fletcher
Greeters
Debbie Plonkey & Ernest Glenn
Sound Crew
Richard Fuller, Teresa Hall, Charles Fulks
Sound Crew Assistants
John & Dillard Robertson
Coffee Baristas
Liz McGrory & Page Barwick
Jon Grier teaches music theory at the Greenville Fine Arts Center.
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Newcomers! To learn more about our Fellowship, please fill out the
yellow card and drop it into the offering basket.
Recordings of Sunday Services may be ordered and picked up
opposite the wooden entrance doors to the sanctuary where the
Audio Stand is located or by email to [email protected]
If you would like a hearing device, please ask an usher.
December 24, 2014 @ 6.30pm
Christmas Eve Service
Pat Jobe (and lots of singing)
Please bring a holiday snack to share, a spirit of Christmas, whatever that
means to you, and a willingness to sing and celebrate. Joy to the World!
The light has come.
Getting to Know You!
Coffee, snacks, and fellowship have moved to the new Fellowship Hall at
the opposite end of the building from the Sanctuary (on the same floor).
Please join us after service; all are welcome. We look forward to getting to
know you better, even if you think we already know you pretty well.
Flowers
If you would like to have flowers put on the Chalice Table in
remembrance of a loved one, a thank you, or special joy,
please contact Sylvia Skipper at 864-608-4484. The cost is $10
and a note about your gift will be included in The Spark.
Congregational Care Items
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We extend our loving support to:
A candle of concern – sometime between late summer/early fall one of
the locks went missing off one of the pods and we are missing two twodrawer file cabinets and the legs to the much-loved foosball table. It
saddens me that someone would steal from a church – Laura
Christenbury.
Thoughts and prayers for Pearl Kinard on the loss of her mother.
We celebrate with:
I have a new granddaughter. She was born on 12/8. Her name is Elyssa
Eve. I’m so glad she is here! – Marlene Slater.
Cliff Beck would appreciate visits. A small number of visitors at a time
please.
I have a joy – Carli had a sleepover and we built a fort. It was great. At
the end of service, please say Happy 10th Birthday – Kriya Kouyoujiam.
Diane & Stuart are grateful for a beautiful Sunday morning, wonderful
friends and this Fellowship – Diane Bagwell.
GREATEST SPEECHES OF ALL TIME
The Sunday Services Committee is considering creating a
service that would be comprised of dramatic
reading/character acting of some of the greatest speeches of
all time. Many people know of these speeches, but they
become more powerful when heard in person. That's not possible anymore,
but this is a wonderful option to hear the words lived, and alive.
We are asking the congregation to make recommendations for what you all
think some of the greatest speeches are that you might like to hear
delivered.
Also, if you would like to lend your talent as a performer, we are looking for
you as well.
There is no date set yet for this.
To express your ideas or intent, go to
greatestspeechesofalltime.blogspot.com and leave your comments.
AUDREY’S CLOSET
For those of you who are fairly new to GUUF and don’t
know, Audrey’s Closet (our own thrift shop located in the
downstairs portion of the Cottage) is manned strictly by
GUUF volunteers. The Thrift Shop is open Thursdays and
Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, and it is open
until 1:00 pm after services on Sunday.
This is a fun place to work (if you can call it work!) and we always
welcome new volunteers to help out in a very friendly environment.
We especially need people on Saturdays – and most especially we
will need extra help during the Renaissance Faire. If you are
interested in getting involved with the Thrift Shop and would like to
be on the roster to receive our sign-up e-mails, please contact Linda
Turner (275-2637) or Donna Goethe (246-0371).
If you can’t volunteer to work in the Thrift Shop,
we would encourage you to bring us your
recyclables: clothing, shoes, books, toys, kitchen
items, bric-a-brac, small appliances, electronics, and
small furniture pieces. We ask that you only bring us items that are
clean, gently used and in good working order. We are not a repair
shop. Also, please do not leave items outside the thrift shop door as
they might get rained on. All donations are tax deductible.
Greenville Stock Club
Every third Tuesday, 7-9pm
The club is designed for you to learn about evaluating
stocks and use this knowledge to responsibly invest club assets. We
are a single-tier organization, with all members participating and
benefiting equally. We are part of the National Association Of
Investors Corporation. Interested? Contact us at
www.wilddave.com/sk/
Highlights in Lifespan Religious Education
From Babies to Sages
December 21, 2014
Classes and Events Today
9:30 Childcare Opens
Choir Practice
Long Strange Trip: UU History—Women’s Room
9:45 Discussion Group—Founders’ Room
A Course in Miracles—New Conference Room
RE Classes for Children and Youth
11:00 Senior High, Coming of Age and Middle School
Youth attend service. No classes.
11:15 After the Story for All Ages: Children’s Chapel for
children in K5-5th grades, led by Kathleen Anderson
11:20ish Nursery Class (3s & 4s) Story Time: Room for a
Little One—the story of The Nativity.
Parents, please
remember to
monitor your
children closely
when they are
in your care.
Ongoing Adult Religious Education
LONG STRANGE TRIP: UU HISTORY
Led by Jackie Weddington and Karen Conrad
Sunday mornings through December 28
9:30-10:45, Women’s Room
This fascinating video and discussion series from the UUA explores
the history of Unitarian and Universalist thought and practice,
beginning with the early Gnostics to what we know today as
Unitarian Universalism. The journey has been an exciting one, full of
heretics, truth-seekers, mystics, and people who have loved justice.
It is the amazing story of how we became who we are today.
DISCUSSION GROUP
Sunday mornings, 9:45-10:45, Founder’s Room
In the spirit of Unitarian Universalist search and inquiry, the
Discussion Group offers a lively hour of discussions covering a variety
of topics. Everyone’s contributions are welcomed and encouraged.
The third Sunday each month is devoted to a selected short story,
distributed in advance. There is coffee, and participants are welcome
to bring treats of their choice if they wish. For information, or a copy
of the short story, please contact Herb Reeves at [email protected]
A COURSE IN MIRACLES
Facilitator: Jean Blank
9:45-10:45, Conference Room
Participants work with the spiritual practice of forgiveness. Contact
Jean Blank at [email protected] for information.
WOMEN’S BOOK GROUP--2nd Sunday each month
9:45-10:45: Senior High Classroom Downstairs
For information, contact Genny Hill, [email protected]
DATES TO REMEMBER
Neighboring Faiths--Judaism Field Trip
Friday, January 9, 7 PM
Middle Schoolers and chaperones will attend services at Temple
Beth Israel on Summit Drive. Meet in the Temple parking lot at 6:45.
FELLOWSHIP OFFICE
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The Fellowship Office will be closed for the
holidays December 24, 25 and January 1. The
Fellowship Administrator’s Office will also be
closed December 26 and 31.
Please remember to get your Order of Service/Spark and Flame
information to the office for the following dates:
OOS/Spark – Proof to be sent December 22, final print
December 23 (for both December 24 & 28 services).
Flame – Final print will be December 22.
Membership Sunday
Membership Sunday takes place on the first
Sunday of every odd-numbered month
immediately following the service. Anyone
wishing to join the Fellowship is invited to meet in
the
choir room where you will “sign the book” and we will share
stories of our spiritual journeys. You will also be provided with
a packet of information about the Fellowship at that time. If
you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one
of our Membership Co-Chairs, Debbie Plonkey at (864) 3225174 or Liz McGrory – (410) 924-6245. During construction, if
the meeting place changes we will announce it during the
service
There are seven principles which Unitarian
Universalist congregations affirm and
promote:
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The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual
growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic
process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and
justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of
which we are a part