It’s a New Year, and We’re Stepping It Up!
– Rev. Nancy Reid-McKee, Minister
While we continue to come to our congregation where we find moments of renewal, experiences of deepening, and satisfaction of connection with others, we are also faced with a sense of outward action. This coming year we will move into working in the world, bringing our universal values into manifestation.
There are three arenas we will focus our attention on:
• Climate Justice
It is time to increase our participation in demanding an adequate response to the environmental emergency surrounding us. We are starting a monthly Climate Emergency Response Effort that will look at ways our congregation can step into leadership action. Our first meeting will be at the Wild Rover, in Kirkland, on Thursday, Jan. 30th at 6:30.
• Elections
This is a critical year for elections. If we don’t do our part to make elections fair and representative, then we lose our moral imperative to complain about how policies and funding are allocated. We can be active in electoral politics as long as we make sure we don’t campaign for particular candidates or parties. Please join me to discern what we can and will be doing this election year. Jan. 12th at noon there is a national UUA webinar to start off this new program titled “UU The Vote.”
• Getting Proximate
We are going to learn how to have relationships with those most effected by government policies. This can be done several ways, which we can discuss. But the first effort is going to be organizing a trip to the Arizona/Mexico border where we can meet the people most affected by our immigration policies. If you are interested in this learning trip, please contact me so we can begin the conversation.
Let’s move into the new year with a sense of purpose and determination.
Northlake Group Spotlight: Women’s Group
– Carolyn H.
The Northlake Women’s Group welcomes the participation of all Northlake women – members, friends and visitors. It is a great place for newcomers to get acquainted through outings, potlucks, game nights and discussion of timely topics. From September through April, monthly meetings are usually held on the fourth Monday of the month at the church. A typical meeting format is 6:30pm social time, 7:00pm chalice lighting and check-in, 7:45pm discussion of designated topic, 8:30pm closing. From May through August the group schedules Saturday meetings, which usually are outings, often to a museum, followed by a lunch at a restaurant. Here’s what two of our participants have to say about the group:
Uzma: “I have found the women’s group to be a great place to make new friendships. In my experience, I have found the women to be caring, fun, adventurous and intellectually stimulating! I enjoy my time with them, and I am also thankful to be welcomed and included in the activities.”
Sue: “The NUUC Women’s Group is a wonderful way to not only meet new members to the Church, but also to join in the ongoing camaraderie of longtime members. The Women’s Group has many different kinds of topics for meetings, intriguing outings, and just plain warm and engaging times for us all to count on being together on a regular basis.”
Joyce: “We women tend to make friends in our youth, especially grade school, high school and college. It becomes harder to establish new meaningful friendships in adulthood. Women’s group is a refreshing opportunity to connect with other women the way we did in our youth.”
The Women’s Group maintains its own e-mail distribution list which you can join by sending a request to Carolyn H. You can also find further information about the group on the church website: https://northlakeuu.org/groups/womens-group/. You will notice that we could use some help updating our webpage. We’d welcome a volunteer to help with that.
• Next Meeting: Monday, January 27, 6:30 pm
• Topic: Personal values
An introduction for the topic of the January meeting can be found at: http://www.commonsensereflections.info/blog/2019/12/15/kindergarten-values-in-a-quid-pro-quo-world
Northlake’s Membership Team
– Cyndy J.
The Membership Team at Northlake gets to meet new people all the time!
The smiling faces of the Greeters are an integral part of welcoming visitors and everyone else who comes in the door. We try to make visitors comfortable and answer questions. The Greeters are the first part of the Membership experience.
Upon a return visit, visitors get a printed nametag. The printed nametag lets them blend right in to the crowd so the greeters try to get the visitor introduced to the friendly folks hanging around in the foyer. Make sure to talk to the new faces as well as your buddies. Who knows who you may find!
Soon it is time for a visitor to attend the Newcomer Café or the (Re)NewUU class, both of which happen quarterly, typically on the second Sunday of the month. These classes are for those who are interested in becoming members or in learning more about Northlake. Long-time members are encouraged to join in the repast and the camaraderie, to add to the diversity of the newcomers’ experience. The “path to membership” includes one of these classes and a chat with Rev. Nancy.
Some of other tasks that the Membership Team takes care of include: contacting members who have slipped away, publishing the Northlake Directory (aiming for twice a year), and facilitating involvement in the life of the church through the Time and Talent survey.
The Membership Team thrives with an array of personalities and talents. We utilize the church database to analyze attendance (computer nerd), there are many behind-the-scenes activities (shy folks), as well as hosting and facilitating the classes (outgoing folks). Greeting is a great way to meet lots of people (extrovert) with a defined task (introvert).
It definitely “takes a village” to facilitate growing our congregation, and new “villagers” are always welcome on the Membership Team.
Team Meetings are the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm. Contact Cyndy J. for more information.