Sunday, February 20, 2022 - 11:00 a.m. 
“John Brown"
Rev. Michael J S Carter
Music: Linda Metzner, piano
John Brown was charismatic, inspiring, con-founding, courageous, mysterious, intimidating, given to religious zealotry and even at times a bit boring. Harriet Tubman met John Brown in Canada in 1858. He nicknamed her “General” Tubman because of her impressive skills in leading escaped slaves to freedom. Brown told her about his plans to create a slave uprising and requested her help. Had she not fallen ill in the fall of 1859, she may have been convinced to accompany Brown on the Harpers Ferry raid and may have thus added martyrdom to her legend as The Moses of African Americans. Frederick Douglass, also a friend to John Brown, decided not to accompany Brown and his little group to Harpers Ferry, VA, during those ill-fated days of October 16-18, 1859. Let's explore the life and legacy of John Brown, a willing ally in the struggle to free America's enslaved population in those pivotal years before the Civil War... by any means
necessary.
Order of Service
Gathering Music: “Wild Man Blues” (Jelly Roll Morton & Louis Armstrong))
Welcome & Announcements: Sally Smith
Opening Words/Chalice Lighting: Diane Graham &
Rev. Michael J S Carter
Opening Hymn: #114 “Forward Through The Ages”
Reading: Quotes of John Brown
Joys and Concerns
Meditation: “We Have a Beautiful Mother” (Alice Walker) - Annelinde Metzner
Offertory – “Battle Hymn of the Republic” (Julia Ward Howe & William Steffe)
Hymn: #123 “Spirit of Life”
Sermon: “John Brown” – Rev. Michael J S Carter
Closing Hymn: #108 “My Life Flows On”
Closing Words: Rev. Michael J S Carter
Postlude Music: “Satin Doll” (Strayhorn, Ellington & Mercer)
Music: Linda Metzner, piano
Religious Education: Nursery/Pre-K caregivers: Childcare at this time is limited, and is performed as needed by either Susan Enwright Hicks, DRE or one of our trusted childcare volunteers
Video: Evan Yanik
Sound Team: Bill Altork, Rhea Bockhorst, Larry Pearlman & David Reid
The YouTube video of today's service will be available Sunday afternoon, as well as all previous Sunday Services at UUCSV Productions. Click to go to YouTube here.
Mask Mandate Update
At noon on Wednesday, Feb 16, 2022, Buncombe County allowed the indoor mask mandate to expire. Though mask wearing will be optional in many indoor spaces now, the County Board continues to strongly encourage the wearing of masks in “crowded indoor spaces”. Buncombe County also recognized the option for private businesses and organizations to continue to mandate mask wearing inside their establishments.
The UUCSV Board of Trustees have reviewed these recent actions and
determined that our congregation will continue to observe mandatory mask wearing for all indoor meetings, events and services held inside the building. The weekly new cases of Covid-19 have dropped from 19.5% to 15% per 100,000 population in Buncombe County, but this number remains much higher than the 5% new infection rate that indicates that we’ve reached a level of controlled spread of the virus.
By continuing our mask mandate, we will continue to protect our congregants from possible Covid infection contracted during a church-sponsored event. We have been very fortunate thus far that we have had no outbreaks, so will continue our mask-wearing practices until new cases in our region reach an appropriately low threshold.
Joys & Concerns:
We want to hear from you about your joys and concerns. If you cannot attend in person and would like to be heard, please send your message to Rev. Michael Carter by noon on Friday so he can read it during the Sunday service.
For online offertory and/or pledge donations:
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February 20, 2022
Starting next week Virtual RE will move to 10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m. - Valentine take-home pick-up/childcare by request at UUCSV
Susan Enwright Hicks, RE Director
Greetings RE families,
Please note that February 20, 2022, there will be no formal RE at 11:00a.m. Childcare can be made available if needed and will be provided this week by Anna Marcel de Hermanas. Please contact Susan no later than Friday at 9:00 p.m. to arrange supervision for you children (828 450-5319).
Take-home Valentine’s activity bags are in Evelyn’s Room (main RE space) and can be picked up by families who would like them anytime the building is open or by special arrangement.
RE Stories will be earlier starting next week. A request has been made that we try moving Virtual RE to 10:00 a.m. and on next Sunday, February 27, 2022, that’s what we will do. This week Susan is away so there is no live RE component. Here is a link families may use to watch the story “ Our Table” by Peter H. Reynolds on their own if they wish. This is a story about the importance of putting down devices and spending quality time with those most important to us.
Looking for information on reducing screen time for yourself or your children? Following are some resources:
The RE Committee is seeking several new members! If you have been a known member or friend of UUCSV for at least six months and have an
interest in helping to craft future programs for children and youth please
contact Susan Enwright Hicks, DRE (828-450-5319) for more information and to express your interest. We hope to have our first committee meeting of 2022 in early spring.
*Due to recent Covid surges Susan and the Board have determined it is
appropriate at this time to offer fewer in-person RE lessons. Current efforts will instead focus on take-home, virtual activities and plans for Special Programs in the spring. Thank you for your understanding.
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February 27, 2022 - 11:00 a.m.
“Surviving A Pandemic - Stoically"
Rev. Michael J S Carter
Many of us have seen or experienced what a pandemic can do to members of a society, both physically and mentally. This morning I want to focus on how we may learn from our past from those who have lived before us in calamitous times, but with a more balanced and realistic perspective.
The Book of Revelations describes an end-time scenario where the world
suffers from infectious disease, divisions in empires, social oppression, and finally, the downfall of an empire. Does this sound familiar to any of you? Some would argue that John the Revelator was prophesying about the times that we are living in today. Yet this time is not the first scenario in human
history to be called apocalyptic. Rather than finding dread in such a situation, perhaps with a Stoic (and/or Buddhist) approach, there is room to grow and an opportunity to be had in such a crisis. Let’s explore.
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News from UUCSV Groups & Committees
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Stewardship Committee Meeting - February 17, 2022, at 4:00pm
The Stewardship Committee will be meeting in person at the church today at 4pm. If you would like to join, but do not feel comfortable please feel free to join via Zoom. Thanks!
UUCSV Board is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Stewardship Meeting
Time: February 17, 2022, 4:00pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 918 7319 0081
Passcode: 253049
Access to the UU
To enhance the safety and security of those who attend UUCSV, the Building & Grounds Committee has been asked by the Board to periodically update the key code, which provides access to a set of building keys.
Building & Grounds will update the key code on a quarterly basis, with the next change being February 28, 2022. Here is a list of those who are eligible to receive the key code:
- Board of Trustees
- Building & Grounds Committee members
- Committee Chairs
- Choir Director
We recognize that individuals, other than those listed above, may require
access to the building, such as those who sign up to clean. It will be the
responsibility of the Building & Grounds Committee and Committee Chairs to coordinate their access, which may include giving them the key code.
Please direct all questions to Deb Evenchik (615.351.4364).
Announcement: New Covenant Group
This is a friendly reminder that we are planning a new covenant group this spring to assist members and friends in our 8th principle work to "accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves...." We hope to offer two groups, one in-person and one via Zoom. The group will use some of the ideas and exercises of Resmaa Menakem's "My Grandmother's Hands," so it would be helpful if members become familiar with the book prior to our start, sometime in late March. For questions or to join, contact Anna Marcel de Hermanas annamdeh@gmail.com or Deb Vingle debvingle@gmail.com.
Afghan Refugee Project Update - Circle of Welcome
Continued thanks to our ever-widening Circle of Welcome for our new American family living in the downstairs apartment in the Carroll/Reid home. We will have our 1st Circle meeting on Zoom on Monday February 21, 2022.
Please send your contact information to Katherine at katherinet@gmail.com and she will respond with the Zoom meeting link. This week our family was able to finally have a visit with other family members also placed in the area. They will be looking for a large long-term home so they can be together. If you know of anyone in the area that has a 4-5 bedroom rental, please contact Anna or Katherine. Please keep those gift cards coming in!
Your Circle of Welcome coordinators - Katherine Tharp katherinet@gmail.com) & Anna Marcel de Hermanas ( annamdeh@gmail.com)
 Volunteer Opportunities
opportunities for being of service to UUCSV. Note that some of these links have changed for 2022. Thanks to all of our volunteers. We couldn't be here without you!
We are always in need of Sunday Greeters. Please sign-up and volunteer to be a Greeter!
If you would like to volunteer to supervise the collection plate, please sign-up here.
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Many, many thanks to Bill, Milt and Rhea for removing our very old, inefficient water heater and replacing it with a tankless water heater. There was some great problem solving going on amid the creaking joints and jovial laughter.
Call to Action - Bounty & Soul Healthy Food Drive
Throughout the month of February, Bounty & Soul is sponsoring a healthy food drive, to bulk up their market boxes during this lean season when local foods are less abundant. Think nourishing, shelf-stable foods like quinoa, beans, brown rice and low-sodium canned veggies. You will see a box in the Portico where you can leave your donated food this Sunday, February 20. Thank you for your help!
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Church office: (828) 669-8050 (email preferred during social distancing)
Michael Donnan, Office Manager (Tuesday & Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Rev. Michael J S Carter, (Monday - Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)Rev. Carter is available for pastoral care in the church office or virtually via Zoom or Skype. For in-person meetings, protocols of social distancing and face masks are followed. Please email Rev. Carter to schedule an appointment.
The deadline for submissions to The Current is Tuesday at 12:00 p.m., please send yours to admin@uusv.org. For more information and guidelines on submissions for our newsletters, website, online calendar, social media, Order of Service, and member news, please see our Publishing Guidelines.
UUCSV
500 Montreat Road
Black Mountain, NC 28711
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