Worship Service on December 1, 2024,Livestreamed at 10:30 am
“Gesundheit!”
You sneeze in the English-speaking world and odds are that someone says: “Bless you.” So, what does it mean to give and receive blessings? And what is a blessing, especially if you don’t believe in a spirited world?
EECM is December’s Share the Plate charity!
Founded in 1970, East End Cooperative Ministry serves thousands of individuals and families in the Pittsburgh region. Through three essential programs, Community Food Services (CFS), Housing and Employment Services (HES), and Children and Youth Services (CYS), we provide:
· Free meals and groceries for those struggling with food insecurity;
· Assistance with securing permanent housing for homeless individuals;
· Emergency shelter for the homeless and for those recovering from addiction after successfully exiting a drug rehabilitation program;
· Case management for individuals/families struggling with poverty, addiction, and mental health issues;
· Education and training for those with barriers to employment; and
· Mentoring to help urban children/youth succeed in school, make healthy decisions, and value themselves.
The Annual Quilt Show and Quilt Sale starts this Sunday.
The sale is a one-sunday event. You can take home a quilt for yourself or as a holiday gift. The quilters are hosting a coffee hour to celebrate the show's opening.
Bring your tea or coffee and join Mac Perkins-High for a dialogue on the Theme of the Month (Blessing) in the Priestly Room at noon.
From your Board of Trustees
Annual Budget Meeting December 8 at Noon Join us for the online presentation of the draft church budget for 2025. Church treasurer Kyle Gracey will present the budget, and then take questions and comments from members. A Zoom link will be emailed prior to the meeting. The meeting will also be livestreamed in the Undercroft Gallery. Following the budget discussion, we will announce the winning vote for the new banner.
Church Staff and Holiday hours
We will be on light duty the week between Christmas and New Year's (Dec 25- Jan 1), so we will not follow normal office hours. Please get in touch with the office if you have questions.
Wish Lists for Mathilda Theiss!
As has been our tradition for many years, we will be collecting toys and gifts for the children served by theMathilda TheissHealth Center in the Hill District. Please look for the tree in the Garden Lobby.
Due to Thanksgiving being late this year, the timeline is very short. Please consider using Mathilda Theiss's wish list to send the gifts directly to the Center.
Please use the Amazon and Target links below to send gifts directly to Mathilda Theiss's children. If you prefer to shop in person, please leave your gifts under the tree in the Garden Lobby by December 8. Make sure you choose "Mathilda Theiss" when asked to select an address. Thank you!
Art News
December 15 is the last day the Art Committee can receive your photos(s) for the January exhibit. We are excited to get your work ready for the Exhibit. Call Kirsti Adkins (kirstiadkins323@gmail.com) or Joe Jencik (josjencik@gmail.com) if you have any questions.
Check out the quilt hanging in the Garden Lobby (photo above). It is being auctioned on the UU website, Faithify. You can participate in the auction. All proceeds will go to the UU Disaster Relief Fund.
The Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon
Wow! What a beautiful day for our beloved community. Thank you to everyone who planned, volunteered, and organized this special event.
Men's Group
The Dec. 11th meeting will be from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. It will be an - IN-PERSON meeting - in our usual spot - The Priestly Room. Our leader will be - Mac Perkins-High - our relatively new Intern Minister, who received an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School in 2023 and an EdM from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2024. His topic will be - the Massachusetts' Quabbin Reservoir. I expect you've never heard of it. I'll let Mac explain. In brief, he will describe how a displaced community reconstructed their homeland. (also a chance to get to know Mac)
For more information, contact Jim Reitz, j5650r@comcast.net
OMBUDSMAN
Need an answer to a question and don’t know who to ask? Want to pass along some feedback and not sure who to contact? Reach out to your Board Ombudsman Ebe Emmons. Ebe will coordinate with staff, committees, and the board to get an answer or pass along feedback. Ebe can be reached at firstuupghombudsman@gmail.com