Sunday, February 27, 2022 - 11:00 a.m. 
“Surviving A Pandemic - Stoically"
Rev. Michael J S Carter
Music: Sue Stone, piano; Linda Metzner, choir director
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.
Order of Service
Gathering Music: “Longing” (Mark Hayes)
Welcome & Announcements: Jackie Franklin
Opening Words/Chalice Lighting: Susan R. Hicks & Diane Graham
Opening Hymn: #42 “Morning So Fair To See”
Reading: #721
Choir Anthem: “The Lone Wild Bird” (Southern Harmony, arr. Marty Haugen)
Joys and Concerns
Meditation: Rev. Michael J S Carter
Offertory: Choir Anthem: “What Wondrous Love Is This” (Southern Harmony, new words by Connie Hart)
Sermon: “How To Survive A Pandemic – Stoically”– Rev. Michael J S Carter
Closing Hymn: #348 “Guide My Feet”
Closing Words: Rev. Michael J S Carter
Postlude Music: “Tomorrow” (Martin Charnin & Charles Strouse)
Music: Sue Stone, piano; Linda Metzner, choir director
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 27, 2022
10:00 a.m. - Virtual RE
11:00 a.m. - Service/Childcare by request
Susan Enwright Hicks, RE Director
Greetings RE families,
Please note that on February 27, 2022, there will be no formal RE at 11:00 a.m. Childcare can be made available if needed. Please contact Susan no later than Friday, February 25, 2022, at 9 p.m. to arrange supervision for your children (828 450-5319). Susan will be doing the opening words in the
service this week, so any children needing childcare may be invited for the first few minutes of the service.
Take-home Valentine’s Activity bags are still 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 held at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 27, 2022. This week, in honor of Mardi Gras and the end of Black History Month, we’ll enjoy the book “ Trombone Shorty” as read by the incomparable Angela Bassett.
Topic: UUCSV Virtual RE
Time: Feb 27, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 799 6781 8413 Passcode: UUCSVRE
Have you made your cards for our new American friends yet? If you picked up a Valentine’s bag you have some blank postcards to create
greetings (friendly drawings) for the newly arrived families from Afghanistan. If you’d like to work on them as a group Susan, will be hosting a Zoom
opportunity to do so next week. If you’ve already made your cards please be sure to send them back to the following address so that we can get them into the hands of those we’d like to welcome.
UUCSV
500 Montreat Rd
Black Mountain, NC 28711
The RE Committee is still seeking new members! If you 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/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, as well as plans for special programs in the spring. Thank you for your understanding.
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March 6, 2022 - 11:00 a.m.
Kissing Cousins: The shared values of Ethical Humanists and UUs”
Jacki Simms
In 1926, fifty years after establishing the New York Society for Ethical Culture, founder Felix Adler wrote, “We [of the Ethical Movement] share an implicit religion created by each person, following their own reason and experience, insight and
understanding. We seek to retain what is vitally true in the moral teachings of the past; but we restate what is morally true, in terms that are meaningful and
relevant today.”
Our guest speaker, Jackie Simms, is the current president of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville, which she co-founded in 2001. She first
became a member of Ethical Culture in her native St. Louis, MO, so as to
ensure her daughter had a strong grounding in ethical, nontheist thought. Today we’ll hear how members of both the Ethical Humanist Society and the Unitarian-Universalist faith go about re-imagining, and re-creating, our “
implicit religion” and moral teachings each day—and how similar we are in doing so.
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News from UUCSV Groups & Committees
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Tidings Newsletter - Submission Deadline - February 25, 2022
We've already received some great articles for the next Tidings publication (March 1, 2022)! Thanks so much! If you want a topic to consider, let's look to "Silence." I'm happy to see Rev. Michael also had a Sunday sermon on that same topic this month! Whenever you wish, please send your poem, essay or photos related to "Silence" to blackmtnbarb@gmail.com by February, 25, 2022.
Access to the UUCSV - UPDATE
The inner door leading from the portico into the sanctuary was left unlocked last Sunday, February 20, 2022. Please remember to lock-up if you're the
individual in charge of doing so, or the last one to leave. Please be mindful of keeping the facility secure!
Thank you,
Michael Donnan
Office Manager UUCSV
Let's All Gear Up!
 Habitat for Humanity is gearing up to build a new House of Faith, starting this April. All UUCSVers – members and friends – are invited and encouraged to join our volunteer building team. But, first, we need someone to raise awareness of the House of Faith in our
congregation and to build our own volunteer team. No experience needed – only a passion to help create a
decent place to live for one special family. You would coordinate our volunteers and work with the Habitat Volunteer Coordinator to schedule our time.
Habitat will host a kickoff meeting for the coordinators from all faith
communities on Thursday, March 10, at 3:30 pm on Zoom. At this meeting,
coordinators receive details about the build and information about forming the volunteer team. If you are interested in leading our fine group of UU
volunteers and can attend the kickoff meeting, contact former coordinator Susan Culler, susanc7733@gamil.com by March 4. Jim Carillon jimcarillon@gmail.com (also a former coordinator) would be happy to answer your questions about the project.
The 4-bedroom, 2-bath, single-family home will be built in the New Heights neighborhood of west Asheville. New Heights is a multi-generational neighborhood located six miles from downtown Asheville (off Old Haywood Road). Including single family homes, two-story town homes, and single-level town homes specifically designed for aging adults (55+), this neighborhood will be
accessible to people in all stages of life; a place where 98 households of all ages and backgrounds will build strong, stable futures. Click here for more
information about New Heights.
During construction, Habitat will have COVID precautions and
protocols in place.
Our 2022 Faith House will be similar to the New Heights home pictured here.
Women's Group To Resume In March
The second Thursday of March (3/10 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.) is the planned date for a re-envisioning session for UUCSV Women's Group after our winter/pandemic hiatus. We will meet in the church portico and prop doors open (if weather allows) in order to follow COVID safety guidelines. Please RSVP if you plan to join us in the re-envisioning process by March 9, 2022 to Sally Smith at salasm@aol.com or Anna Marcel de Hermanas at annamdeh@gmail.com. More information to follow next week.
Getting Involved
Would you like to serve your community and find out more about how your town government works? I recently joined the Black Mountain Zoning Board of Adjustments and 4 more members are needed. If you'd like to consider it, call Larry Pearlman at 602-501-8471 or email me at larryRpearlman42@gmail.com and we can discuss.
Announcement: New Covenant Group - UPDATE
The new covenant group planned for this spring (see February Tidings for more information) has 7 people interested, 2 for Zoom and 5 in-person. Please let Deb Vingle or Anna Marcel de Hermanas know if you are
interested in attending either an in-person or Zoom meeting this spring. The group is based on some of the ideas of Resmaa Menakem. This is a great opportunity for us to live up to the 8th Principle which was passed last year. debrvingle@gmail.com or annamdeh@gmail.com
"New Americans" Circle of Welcome - Update
First, a huge thank you to Jane and David and all the members of our Circle of Welcome that have assisted with transportation, shopping, food, outings, language skills, baby needs and general support for the young family UUCSV has taken in. About 10 of us have had direct contact with the family but many more of you have assisted with donations of money, gift cards and other
necessities. As with all young families, one of the most pressing needs is
diapers (size 4) and Similac advanced formula. Another critical need in the next few months will be permanent housing and jobs, so please let us know if you know of a rental home that will be available soon that can house 10
people (our UUCSV family and their relatives now living in another temporary residence here in Black Mountain). You can send information to join us or
participating and demonstrating what the 8th principle is all about.
Rev. Michael J S Carter - Vacation Reminder
Rev. Carter will be on vacation March 18 - 25, 2022.
 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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Sacred Circle Dance Resumes At The Light Center on March 6, 2022
After a pause for winter, we will gather in Black Mountain in the glorious Light Center on Sunday, March 6, 2022 for a monthly Sacred Circle Dance, led by Maggie Moon, from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. All are welcome! Each dance is gently taught, no experience or partner needed.
Please come and bring a friend. At this time the Light Center is still asking everyone to wear a mask.
Let's celebrate the return of Spring with the joy of a Sacred Circle Dance!
For more information contact Maggie at oneill.maggie9@gmail.com
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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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