Tri-Cities
U.U. Review
Volume XLVIV, No.15 March 30, 2008
The Newsletter of
Serving the Tri-Cities
Area of Upper East Tennessee and
Headlines
. . . .
·
The HVUUC calendar is continually updated and always
available online at www.hvuuc.org, click on
the calendar link.
·
Upcoming Sunday Worship
Services
April 6th: “Vocabulary for Religious
Liberals”, Reverend Jacqueline Luck
April 13th: “Storytelling, etc.”, Joe Adams
April 20: "Paul, NPR and Prayer",
Reverend Jacqueline Luck
This service is one which explores "not praying" as prayer. Join us
as we think outside the box.
April 27th: “Our Work Towards a
The Senior Youth will present their annual service which will focus on the work they have been doing to further the dream of a US Department of Peace. Come and learn about this effort and what you can do as well.
Mark Your Calendars…….
April 2nd: A representative from Highlands Bioproduce, Inc, a Co-op of growers located in
Southwest VA and
April 5th: Work Party - Come help spruce up
the grounds at 9:00am
April 4-6 & April 18-20 -
Creating a Culture of Peace Workshops at 1st Presbyterian in
Elizabethton
April 18th & 19th – Circle Suppers
April 19th – Coffee
House @ HVUUC
April 27th - Annual Congregational
Meeting
May 3rd - 7:00pm HVUUC Variety Show
May 9th –10th – Church
Governance Training
May 17th - Coffee
House @ HVUUC
September 7th, 8th, & 9th – Michael
Dowd and Connie Barlow
For
Parents of Young Children
PARENTS! This is a
gentle reminder that even though there are many adults around on Sunday
morning, supervising your children is your responsibility. Running children are dangerous
for folks with mobility issues. Children also need help learning good hygiene
and manners at the goodie table. And with our ongoing
landscaping, there are hazards outside. For everyone's safety and comfort,
please keep an eye on your children. And accompany them at the
potluck/coffee hour tables. We all appreciate your considerate parenting!
Kim Ray
How to Make a
Motion for the Annual Congregational Meeting
As part of the democratic process
by which we run our church, each year we hold an annual meeting. This is where the congregation’s members
elect officers and put forth what they would like to see the church do. First the
congregation approves the candidates for the Board, approves the slate of
candidates for the Nominating Committee and approves next years
budget. After this business is taken care of, there is what is called an “open
floor”, where members can make motions. Last year we had three motions from the
floor, which were approved. If your idea takes money, you should be considering
now what your idea will cost and get it into the budget. The Finance Committee
has been asking you during this time of the annual pledge drive to put down
what your dreams are. This article is about one way to make the congregation
aware of what you want.
Motions are short statements that
describe what you want to happen. After the chair of the meeting has recognized
you, state your motion. Generally they start out “I so move that we”, what you
propose needs to be concrete. As an example, last year Ed Schell proposed that
the church purchase hearing devices for congregants and guests who need hearing
assistance. Next you must also state a timeline for your motion to be completed
and what the maximum expenditure is. To continue the example of Ed Schell’s
proposal, he said that this should be done before Fall ingathering and be less
than $1000.
After you make your motion, it has
to be seconded by a member. The Board’s secretary will record this. Discussion
will follow; you will be allowed to be the first speaker. Save all of your
explanations to this point. If you try to explain your motion while making the
motion, the motion will become hard for people to follow. Make the motion
short, save your words for the few minutes you will be allowed to speak in
favor of your motion.
Motions need to be concrete items
that require something to be done by the church. It is a good idea to discuss
your idea with a Board Member; I offer my services to anyone who needs help. If
you submit your motion to the President or Secretary prior to the annual
meeting you can get your motion scheduled first. This will also help in
planning how long the meeting will be if we know how many motions we will have.
Be aware that once the motion to open the floor is made, if no one speaks we
will close the floor to motions, so be prepared. There is no requirement that
motions from the floor have to be reviewed by anyone prior to the meeting.
Past President - Greg Kramer
Our church made a commitment years ago to support the local
homeless family
population by volunteering to cook dinner and stay overnight as a
'chaperone' for those families that are part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network, when our 'turn' came
around. Well, our turn is coming on Monday and Tuesday, April 14th and 15th. We
need both male and females to stay overnight either or both nights as well as
folks to plan for, shop and cook the evening meal for the families on those 2
nights. As usual, we'll be cooking and staying at Hopwood Christian
church, located on the
Circle Suppers are coming up on April 18th and 19th
and we hope everyone will sign up to attend. Circle suppers are a
long-time tradition in this church and many friendships have been cemented
there. The way they work follows. Sign-up
sheets will be on the counter in the church. You can sign up to attend
and you’ll be asked to fill in the blanks -- Would you like to host? If so, how many? Can you accommodate children?
Do you prefer a supper without children? You get the idea. Then all
the information on the sign-up sheets is processed to determine hosts and
guests. Hosts will receive a phone call telling the names of their guests
and then it's up to them. The hosts usually provide the "meat"
and the guests provide the rest -- appetizers, salad, bread, dessert,
etc. So it's a potluck with people you go to church with and may not know
very well. It's a real opportunity for all of us to get to know each
other better. There is no "agenda" for the suppers; the purpose
is to have a good time. Please sign up by April 6th and join
us.
The date of the first annual HVUUC Variety (sometimes
referred to as "Talent") Show has been rescheduled from Saturday,
April 12th to Saturday, MAY 3rd beginning at 6:30 p.m.. The Variety Show is a service learning
fundraiser sponsored by HVUUC's Junior Youth in support of the
HERE’S HOW
IT WORKS:
1. Sign up in one of the following
(physical, not mental) age categories:
Pre-school
K-2nd
grade
3rd
– 4th grade
5th
– 8th grade
9th
-12th grade
Intergenerational
Adult
(a sign up sheet is
available at the north wall counter in the sanctuary)
2. On the evening of the show, the
audience votes for each act with their wallets. A plate is passed at the conclusion of each act to
collect those “greenback votes”.
3. Votes are tabulated at the end
of each age category, winners are announced, and prizes are awarded before
moving on to the next age bracket.
A FEW RESTRICTIONS:
Acts involving fire, fireworks,
and firearms are strictly prohibited. Lions, tigers, bears and other acts
involving animals are also not permitted. Acts should be between one and five
minutes long (our apologies to anyone who planned to read the complete works of
the Transcendentalists as his/her act). Family-oriented humor only (although
double entendres may be allowed pending the approval of the HVUUC subcommittee
on puns).
So, pull out those rusty clarinets, shine those tap shoes,
moisten those lip-synch mouths, and get ready to laugh the night away. For more
information, contact any member of the Junior Youth class or Junior Youth
instructor Mary Williamson (marybetsy@comcast.net).
Spring is here which means....Milder weather (we hope) and volunteers needed to help with HVUUC landscape-garden-grounds projects ASAP. If you have some time and would like to help out please contact Douglas Chapman (email: druglus@aol.com or unkltoop@yahoo.com; phone: 423-647-3188). Let me know a convenient date and time (weekday, Saturday, Sunday following the church service... ) we can get together to begin the adventures. Below is a list of outdoor projects to attack this spring: · Clean up perennial beds in front of church:
Cut back and remove dead material (last year's growth, leaves... etc) from perennials. Add some new plants. Mulch where needed. Ready to begin on this yesterday.· Continue (and hopefully finish) landscape project at right side of church:
Dig up and transplant 3 River Birch ASAP, pull weeds, spread topsoil, plant a variety of shrubs and perennials, and mulch area.· Landscape entrance to Memorial area:
Create planting bed at outer edge of forest (trim or remove some small trees, till soil, then add topsoil and soil amendments as needed), plant native shrubs and perennials, then mulch the area. (I have all of the plants here at my place in JC ready to go).· Planting in front of new building:
I have a half-dozen or so shrubs and vines ready to go. Just need some folks to help move the plants into place and then dig the holes.· General landscape and grounds clean up:
Seems like there is always something around the church grounds that needs to be fixed, picked up, moved, trimmed... etc. And spring with its milder (but not yet hot) temperatures is a great time to get these things done. (Alex Stollberg might be the man to see about some of these).