Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church

UU CHOIR FESTIVAL

Mark your calendar for Sunday, March 21st at 3:00 p.m. Our Church choir will be participating with six others in a Choir Festival at Northwest UU Church. Each choir director has been asked to choose two selections that all the choirs are rehearsing. At the Festival the singers will combine into one massed choir of about 100 voices to perform all the chosen pieces. This will be a gala occasion with a wide variety of excellent choral music, ranging from a piece based on plainsong chant to African-American spirituals. Northwest UU church is in Southfield by the Lodge Freeway at 23925 Northwestern Highway, Southfield.
There is no charge for attending.

Please make sure you have this Saturday's Fellowship Dinner on your calendar.  If you have not been invited by a table captain, contact Nancy Cole at 313-882-1605. 

As we get together for fellowship, dinner and to kick off the pledge drive for the next church year, we will be considering the following:

• There were no employee raises last year; we should consider a 3% raise this year.
• The Religious Education program is growing; we would like to increase the DRE position from 20 to 26 hours per week.
• With the growth in the RE program, childcare costs are increasing.
• The Welcoming Committee is a new committee that will require funding.
• As we try to increase our presence in the UUA, there may be a need for more funding for registration expenses.
• The Ministerial Search Committee is continuing at least one more year and will require funding.
• We should start to set aside some funds to renovate the bathrooms to make at least one of them handicap accessible.

 On the bright side, our new boilers should
begin to save us money on heating costs next year.  Also, of course, there is lots of new energy in the church as we grow through this transitional period.  Come prepared to enjoy good food and camaraderie as we renew our commitment to our church.

Russell Chavey, Canvass Committee

Call for WELCOMING CONGREGATION STEERING COMMITTEE volunteers
Citing the first principle of our Unitarian Universalist faith, that we: “Covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all persons”; the delegates of the General Assembly voted in 1989 to initiate the Welcoming Congregation Program. It was a call to make our congregations truly welcoming places for people of all sexual orientations, including: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations.

This year, with the blessing of our board, we are beginning the process by which GPUC will become a Welcoming Congregation.
At this time, I would like to invite anyone who thinks they may be interested in participating in an active committed capacity (as a steering committee member) to attend an initial
meeting for the purpose of learning what is involved in this process.

We will explore:

• Action Steps to Become a Welcoming Organization
• The curriculum and guidelines
• Components included in the following areas:

Education; Organizational Life; Community Outreach

Our purpose will be to set up and carry out the curriculum of workshops for congregation members. If you think you may be interested, please join us after service on December 6th at 11:45am in the church library.

Sincerely,
Janet Peplin

CHRISTMAS BASKETS ARE NEEDED!
 The Outreach Committee has contacted Crossroads East to choose 15 of their neediest families to receive Christmas Baskets from our church.  You may volunteer to fill a half or a whole basket or round up a group of friends to buy the items on the list.  In the past, some people have preferred to donate money for the hams that we provide for each basket. Checks may be made out to GPUC with "Crossroads" in the memo line.  Any amount is welcome. See Susie Boynton or Jo Ann Kelly to obtain the list of needed food.  Please bring the bags or boxes to church on Sunday, December 20, knowing you've helped make the holidays happier for 15 families.
--Susie Boynton for Outreach