The recent work to reclaim and publish black history has brought a lot of pain forward into the minds and hearts of the American public. The reaction has been swift as books and curriculum are banned so the pain is buried back into the cold underground of denial. Yet, those who have suffered from oppression have learned again and again that reclaiming and naming the pain of history is the only true path of perseverance. The February theme is “perseverance.”
Nominating Committee News
Valentine's Day is coming! Wouldn't it be sweet to nominate yourself or another church member you would recommend to serve on First Unitarian Church’s Board of Trustees? Now is your chance!
The Nominating Committee welcomes nominations of church members who would like to serve our church in the following capacities:
three (3) candidates to join the Board of Trustees (3-year terms),
three (3) candidates to join the Nominating Committee (3-year terms)
New Board and Nominating Committee members will be elected by the congregation at our Annual Meeting on May 19.
Please come to our Board Leadership Smorgasbord event after the worship service on February 11 to hear from current Board and Nominating Committee members and consider whether you or someone you have gotten to know here at First Unitarian might be interested in these opportunities to be involved in our Beloved Community.
The deadline for nominations is February 25.
For more information or to nominate candidates, please contact Sue Oerkvitz (oerkvitz@verizon.net).
News and Updates
*Rev. Kate is on vacation from Feb. 16 - February 25. In case of emergency, please contact Board President Raeann Olander, raeann.olander@gmail.com
*Communication coordinator Cicely Moultrie has returned from parental leave. If you have an announcement for the newsletter or would like to make a reservation, please contact her after using the online form.
*Kris Rust is taking a personal leave of absence from March 20 to August 20. While he is getting a well-deserved break, the choir will be directed by Lee Saville-Iksic and Rev. Deryck Tines.
Join the Church Gardening Committee!
Stopping at the light at the corner of Morewood and Ellsworth in the summer, you may notice the colorful blossoms, spiky grasses, and abundant greenery that embellish the corner of our Church lawn. The planting and its maintenance is the work of the Church Gardening committee. Or perhaps you enter through the garden entrance and encounter the anemones and coral bells that welcome visitors to that space. That is also cared for by, among others, the Church Gardening committee. You, too, could experience the satisfaction of knowing that you planted and nurtured the plants that are so appreciated. Join the Church Gardening Committee! We meet once a month to plant, water, weed, and trim the flora on the church grounds. If you enjoy being outside, getting your hands dirty, and making things grow, this could be just the activity for you. Experience is a plus but not necessary. For more information, contact Laura Wenneker at lwenneker@verizon.net
New classrooms are being built at the Annie Margaret Barr school in the Khasi Hills. You can see concrete footings with rebar to start the project. The work is funded by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Dallas, which raised money when Nangroi Suting visited them after his trip to Pittsburgh last summer. You can also see the students are completing their final exams for the year in Nov. 2023. So far, all our high school students have passed their national exams with flying colors! The classroom we funded in the past is next to the new construction. Many thanks to the Social Justice Endowment, which funded Nangroi's trip from India to Pittsburgh, without which none of this would have happened!
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Join Rev. Kate for a showing of “Rustin.” This Sunday, 2/11/24 in the Schweitzer Room, 7 - 9 p.m.
This Netflix movie is about activist Bayard Rustin facing racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. Popcorn provided. Bring your own drink.
Men's Group Program
Wednesday, February 14th, the meeting of the Men's group will be from 7:30 to 9:00. It will be an - IN-PERSON meeting - in our usual spot - The Priestly Room. Our leader will be - Jim Reitz on the topic - Do you have any TRUE male friends? We KNOW a lot of men. But do YOU have male friends? A look into our own lives. I'll send a think-piece document later. For more information, contact Jim Reitz j5650r@comcast.net
Racial Justice Task Force News The next meeting of the Racial Justice Task Force will be on Monday evening, February 19, from 7 to 8:30, multi-platform. We hope that you can join us as we pursue ways to bring the love and justice that Rev. Kate has so eloquently preached about lately into the world. We will be meeting monthly on the third Mondays: March 18, April 15, May 20, and June 17. For more information, email
Denice Galpern (dgalpern47@gmail.com) or Jean Schmidt (jaschmidt.pgh@gmail.com).
In anticipation of the March 17 Table Talk that Rev. Kate has planned with Rev. Dale Snyder and others from Bethel AME, we will be working to explore their recommended book, Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair, by Kwon and Thompson. over the next seven weeks. RJTask Force members will have a table at coffee hour each Sunday to talk about Bethel AME and have the book available. We have also planned discussions on sequential parts of the book on Sundays, February 25, and March 3 and 10. These will be after church from 12-1, with food! More details will follow in subsequent newsletters. Come take a look at coffee hour.
The Black & White Reunion will present the re-scheduled 26th Annual Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit online on Zoom from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 24. The theme is "From Othering to Bridging: Reconnecting for Social Change".
Dr. Audrey J. Murrell will deliver the keynote speech. Dr. Murrell is a Professor of Business Administration, Psychology, and Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Business. She conducts research on mentoring, careers in organizations, workplace/supplier diversity, and social issues in management. Her community service activities include serving on and chairing a number of nonprofit and community boards. A panel of a diverse group of leaders will discuss their experiences in working to bridge divides to promote racial justice in the Pittsburgh area. Facilitated breakout sessions to engage participants in building collective action for racial justice will follow. To register or for more information, please visit https://prjs.org/.
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 atfirstuupghombudsman@gmail.com
