Sunday, September 30, 2012

SCUU **NEW** Weekly Digest!

WOW!! We're Not Standing Still!! We have a new digest that you will receive as an eflyer email.


Link to the first one. 

If you don't want to use the link, here is a preview in a scrollable frame too..  In a browser it's scrollable and on a tablet the whole freaking complete weekly digest eflyer just automagically appears...  This also answers the question:  How do we  archive the new spiffy digests?  We just save the links of course.



Many Thanks to Christine and the eTaskForce!!!

Weekly News from Sugarloaf...

Saturday, September 29, 2012

The View From the Tractor...

Showed up on work day and there was a lot of work going on at the Sugarloaf house. There was a punch list on a tripod on the deck and everyone was signing up for stuff and most of the guys brought their own tools. Tools as in "let's replace the door and add a new commode" tools.

Noticed that no one signed up for the mow the field -- it's not a lawn in my book -- task.  The grass was high. Fundraising idea alert:  plant cash crop on field... but i digress.

Spoke to David. He gave me a course -- a don't crash course -- on how to drive the tractor. We scheduled it for me to mow sometime the following week.  He described the route to take as concentric rings clockwise around and around the field starting near the sandbox and going up the hill along the fence.

The next Saturday, filled up the tank, start the tractor in the early afternoon to avoid morning activities at the yurt, back it out of the shed, and drive down to the field. Start driving in concentric circles.. My phone is a dumb phone -- crap tech -- with a camera. The butterflies and grasshoppers are jumping out of the way. You have the feeling you're herding butterflies.

The picture: going up the hill is just before I went rouge. On the 3rd and 4th time up the hill the tractor stalled out and the wheels started spinning on the steep part. So I took a hard turn to the right -- physically -- and started mowing in multiple concentric rings across the field to avoid the long uphill drive. Broke the field up into maybe 8 sideways concentric circles. Drove in loopy de loops that might have looked random to the untrained eye. Definitely freaked out more butterflies that way.

Maybe next time try a labyrinth pattern.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Infinity Cheers and a Million Billion Flowers for Misty!!

Misty writes:  Due to my busy travel schedule, I will be unable to continue to send the weekly digest. Rest assured the task force is working hard on transitioning the weekly digest process. Please ensure that your announcements are submitted via the Member's Section of the Website, as I will be unable to check e-mail for much of the next three weeks. Misty

Thank You Thank You Thank YOU Misty!!

The Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists Sponsors Mindfulness Meditation

SCUU Sugarloaf Mindfulnes Classes Continues to Continue 

Mindfulness helps you manage anxiety, reduce stress, quiet self-criticism and judgment, and develop compassion for greater situational awareness, balance, joy, and peace of mind.

Thursdays 7:15 to 8:15pm

No experience necessary. Drop-ins welcome. You need not come every week. Come and learn or share what you know with a group of like minded people.

Each class will include: guided meditation, instruction, opportunities to practice and time for discussion, questions, and answers.

Contact Chris Mauck at :cmauckscuu@gmail.com

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up." - Paul Valery


Do you want to help forge the path to the future for SCUU's youth?


Do you want to help forge the path to the future for SCUU's youth?

The RE Committee is currently recruiting for new members. We meet once a month to delve into the activities listed in the Volunteer Spotlight. With an increase in members, we could resume some programs that we have set aside recently, such as Trick or Treat for UNICEF, Guest at Your Table and the ever popular Unplug the Holidays program - including crafty ideas for kids to make holiday gifts, Magic Gift Shop (a toy exchange opportunity) and decoration of the yurt and Sugarloaf house.

RE Volunteers, including the RE Committee, find themselves spiritually enriched by the children we serve. This was heard recently during Joys and Concerns in one of our classrooms: "I have a joy, that my parents found this church, so I could come and have fun in RE!"

The web of Life: Wanted -- Toilet Paper

Wanted -- Toilet Paper: That’s right, SCUU goes through an average of 4 rolls of toilet paper a week. One roll of toilet paper per month from each family could really make a difference. One four pack every few months would be great too! Thank you.

Sugarloaf Property Available for Rent

Did you know that the SCUU property and buildings are available to you for rent at reasonable rates? Contact Chris Mauck at :cmauckscuu@gmail.com

Religious Education Registration Open for 2012-13

Sugarloaf SCUU RE Registration Open for 2012-13: Please assist us with early registration of children and youth for 2012-2013 Religious Education classes. This includes Sunday morning classes and Nursery, and the Coming of Age program, an exciting elective for 7th to 9th grade youth. Please contact RE Coordinator Vic Caldarola or any RE Committee member. Thank you.
Contact: Vic Caldarola
vcalda@msn.com


RE means Religious Education!!!

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE! The Auction Committee is coming to get you.


YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE! The Auction Committee is coming to get you. We need offerings of services from people like YOU. The Auction date is Saturday, November 10 beginning at 7 PM. Please come and please donate a service or two or a dinner. Help us make this event a success.

The Sugarloaf Auction Revamp: We're revamping our auction leadership so that we can continue to offer fun, energizing auctions every year with lots of great offerings for the discerning shopper. The Board has taken the auction off of the plate of the Fundraising Committee, to free it up for other work, and is now looking to constitute the leadership and the helpers to run next year's auction.

Some skills needed include: data entry, event coordinating, possible meal planning, publicity, organizing, and more. There's a task for any sort of person - no amount of helping is too small. It's a short term project that can help you get to know folks at SCUU - and help SCUU meet its budget, too!

So: Do you like to help with auctions? Would you like to chair or co-chair an auction task force, with the helpers already lined up? If you are a leader OR a worker bee, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact Rev. Megan (minister@scuu.org) or Susan Vaughan (susanandmatt@msn.com) RIGHT NOW if you can help in one of these ways next year.

Laura Judy New Volunteer Coordinator!!! Whoo Hooo!!!


Dear SCUU Member,

The work of SCUU is dependent on volunteers like you. SCUU wouldn't be able to operate without your help. Many hands make light work.

As the new Volunteer Coordinator, it is my hope to match volunteers to the available tasks at SCUU. The goal of this survey is to identify as many volunteers as possible and give people tasks they enjoy doing. We also aim to give members the opportunity to change their volunteer duties and try something new or different.

If you are already serving on a committee or working on a project you enjoy, please skip the survey at this time. Otherwise, we would love to hear from you. What are the ways you can help? Please fill out the survey to let us know!

Volunteer Survey Form

You can also contact me through email, but I will only be checking it about once or twice per week.

Thanks for your service to SCUU!

Best regards,
Laura Judy
volunteers@scuu.org

November voting update from Rev. Megan

November voting update from Rev. Megan I've spoken and written several times about my desire to see our marriage equality bill upheld in November, and also see our Maryland DREAM Act bill upheld, which allows all Maryland residents to pay instate tuition regardless of whether they are documented or not. The ballot questions are now determined, so if you are also in favor of voting for these bills, you should vote YES FOR FOUR (Question 4: tuition rates) and YES FOR SIX (Question 6: Marriage Equality). Let's see these important initiatives turned into Maryland law!

Thank You for Work Day Participants!!


Thank You for Work Day Participants:The programs at SCUU exist only through the many contributions by its members. The SCUU Buildings& Grounds Co-Chairpersons thank everyone who generously gave us their time, talent and participation in last Sunday’s (and Saturday’s) work-day: Anneke Sengers, Barbara Patton, Laura Cole, Yancy, Morgandy and Isabel Bodenstein, Adam Styles, Michael Youngman, Gus Vandermeeren, I.J. and Jan Hudson, Antonio and Rosetta Johnson, David Klein, Chris Mauck, Faith Schmidt and Kathy Bell. If you missed last Sunday’s Work-day don’t despair! There is still work to be done, and another Work-Day will be coming up in a few weeks. Special thanks to Min Kim and Arlin Stoltzfus who defended SCUU’s Behavioral Covenant by standing up to three angry wasps on Saturday. --Jim Schmidt; Chris Johnson

Mindfulness Classes being held at SCUU


Mindfulness Classes being held at SCUU Jerry Hartman will lead a class in mindfulness meditation at SCUU on Thursday evenings from 7:15-8:15 pm, beginning September 13. Mindfulness helps you manage anxiety, reduce stress, quiet self-criticism and judgment, and develop compassion for greater situational awareness, balance, joy, and peace of mind. No experience is necessary. Come and learn or share what you know with a group of like-minded people. Each class will include: guided meditation, instruction, opportunities to practice and time for discussion, questions and answers. No set fee is charged. Donations are gratefully accepted to cover expenses. Suggested donation is $5-10 per class.

Contact Chris Mauck at :cmauckscuu@gmail.com 

For more information contact Jerry Hartman at 301-540-8091 highlighting or at mongo2@usa.net.

Jerry Hartman is an eight year practitioner of mindfulness meditation who has taught meditation to students in the Washington, DC area and at his workplace since 2007. He is a member of the Insight meditation Community of Washington (IMCW) and is an IMCW teacher-in-training through the Mindfulness Teacher Training Institute.

Curious Yet? Our first Curiosity Cafe was a smashing succes!!

Curious Yet? Our first Curiosity Cafe was a smashing success, and we hope you'll join us for the next one on October 14thand November 11th. Gathering with your fellow congregants to ponder Sugarloaf's identity and purpose has never been so much fun. Join us! 11:45-2 in the yurt. Contact: Megan Foley

Come Explore Your Beliefs at First Monday Class!

Come Explore Your Beliefs at First Monday Class! Always wanted a chance to discuss what you really believe, but haven't found the opportunity, even at church? Our first First Monday class of the year is your opportunity to do so in a safe and supportive environment. Not sure what you believe? What better place to start thinking about it? Join Rev. Megan on October 1, 7:30-9 in the yurt. Contact: Megan Foley 

Unique High Holy Days experience with Yonina Andrea Foster, Ph.D., rabbinic student and Founder of Zra'eem


Participate in a unique High Holy Days experience with Yonina Andrea Foster, Ph.D., rabbinic student and Founder of Zra'eem. Each program will include chanting, singing, quiet time, walks, spiritual dance, and sharing. Rosh Hashana programs will be on September 16, 17, and 18, and Yom Kippur on September 25 and 26. Please see the SCUU website for more information. Everyone of all faiths is welcome and encouraged to participate. Contact: Chris Mauck

Newly formed SCUU eTask Force

The newly formed SCUU eTask Force has been working hard to produce a shiny new format for email subscribers. Misty has worked very hard since 2008 and is retiring from the task. No action is necessary if you already receive the SCUU Weekly Digest, but if you don't and you would like to; please email Christine Frost 

Coming of Age Orientation for Parents and Youth:

 All are invited to an orientation for this year's Sugarloaf SCUU Coming of Age outreach program for 7th to 9th grade youth: Sunday, September 30 at 11:45 a.m. Youth from our congregation, as well as friends and neighbors, are invited to participate in this eye-opening, interfaith journey beginning in January. Space is limited and we will be accepting enrollment materials on a first-come, first served basis. Pick-up a brochure or contact RE Coordinator Vic Caldarola for more information.

Sunday Morning Meditation at Sugarloaf Yurt



Sugarloaf’s 8:30 – 9:30 A.M. Every Sunday Morning Meditation Service Is:
• a spiritual practice to deepen our Unitarian Universalist faith
• a time to listen for the meaning behind the words of inspirational readings and religious conversation
• group conversation built from expressed personal experiences
• a circle of equals with no authority figure to sermonize from the podium

an opportunity to be in community to comprehend and integrate the realizations arising from our own reality checks

If you would like meditation pointers or an overview of our process arrive at 8:10 AM
For more information contact Helen Popenoe

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

We Are Like A Big Tent

Where many people can come and be part of a community and share in each others search for truth and meaning. 

There's a campfire and the sparks fly high into the night; there is singing and story telling and meditation; and sharing of the blissful joy of life...

sometimes we vote on where to go next; sometimes there are arguments; but we share what we have and seek consensus;

and always remember the golden rule.

We assume good intentions because we don't care if we look like an ass...