We UU’s are a lovably funny bunch. We often focus on the rational and humanist strains of our faith. And yet, we also affirm the power and wisdom of our “direct experiences of transcending mystery and wonder.” In this month, when we explore emergence, let’s reflect on what it might mean to embrace moments of mystery and wonder that emerge from our everyday experiences. How might these spiritual experiences give us life and sustain us in the work of seeking justice?
This Sunday's Guest speaker is Pittsburgh-born and bred Michael DeSantis (they/them) is a proud “yinzer” and Aspirant for UU ministry. During their ministry formation, Michael has served as a mentor to Indigenous teens, a public policy advocate, and a hospital and nursing home chaplain. This summer, Michael will graduate from Union Theological Seminary in New York and begin a ministry internship at Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, CO.
The Share the Plate for March, is our Khasi Hills School Partnership
Daemika Marsharing is one of the two teachers we are sponsoring in the Khasi Hills. She started on March 4 to replace the teacher we signed cards for on the birth of her baby (who got a job closer to home). As of the beginning of the month, just $3600 is needed to fully fund the two teachers’ yearly salaries ($4800 each). The Khasi Hills Team is hoping that this month’s Share the Plate will close the gap and invite you to please give generously on Sunday. Daemika was previously a student at the school and happy to be back. On the school Facebook Page, she writes: “I’m so glad to be here after 14 years as a teacher!! I’ll do my best and put every effort!”
News and Updates
Rev. Kate is out of town on Study Leave from March 19 to 26. She’s working, just not from the office.
RE program celebrates Easter and spring - and we need your help! The First UU Religious Education program will celebrate spring and Easter with craft activities during the service on March 31. We need a few more adult volunteers to supervise craft stations for pre-K-3rd-grade children during the service. No experience is required! Contact HeatherBCunningham@gmail.comif you can assist. It will be fun!
After service, we'll have an egg hunt on the church lawn. Collect eggs and trade them for prizes!
We’re excited to begin the second year of our Refugee “Welcome Home”
Set up program and support our fifth refugee family in Pittsburgh!!! (Our church members helped set up homes for a total of 22 refugees in the past year). We are waiting to be assigned a new family and will be providing them with all the needed items to move into their permanent home! HOW CAN YOU HELP? We are attaching an initial Sign-up Genius below. Follow the instructions to make a donation, either by ordering it for delivery online or purchasing it and dropping it off at our collection site (Joan’s front porch), just around the corner from the church. CLICK HERE A BIG THANK YOU from the First UU/JFCS Refugee Team members: Joan Harvey, Louise Jencik, Pat Schuetz, Peggy Bonnell, Audrey Masalehdon, Betty Duquesnoy, Ebe Emmons, Betsy Mullaugh, Mary Redford, Janet Pohl, Emily Anderson, Anna Lotze and Linda Fleming
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Postcard Party - Thursday, March 28 Everyone is welcome! Come join in making our UU values heard in Harrisburg. Women’s Alliance will be sponsoring Postcard Parties over the next few months. We will be using recommendations from a few of the Justice Teams of UUJusticePA. We will be in the Schweitzer room at 10:30, with info, postcards, stamps, food and drink. At our church’s Building a Culture of Inclusion workshop last fall, Paula Cole Jones called UUJusticePA and other UU legislative action networks (LANs) “the best kept secret of Unitarian Universalism.” What we do matters!
Songwriter Showcase at SongSpace! Liz McBride, Lenni Green, Ol' Whitetail& Louie Castle Saturday, March 23, 7:30 pm
In March we bring together four of the freshest singer-songwriter voices in Pittsburgh. Liz McBride will share music and conversation with Lenni Green, Louie Castle and Ol’ Whitetail!
The Humanist meeting will be held in person and on Zoom @ 7:30. Email HumanistGroup@first-unitarian-pgh.org to get the link.
Take a stand against Gun Violence! END GUN VIOLENCE ADVOCACY DAY, May 7, 2024
Harrisburg*4,600 Pennsylvanians are injured or killed each year from gun violence – suicides, homicides, mass shootings, domestic violence & unintentional shootings. Saving lives from gun violence is in line with our UU Principles and our call to Love. By joining with CeaseFirePA we are advocating for common sense measures to keep gun violence out of the hands of dangerous people and for peaceful solutions to conflict. We know the gun violence crisis can feel overwhelming. But this past year, CeaseFirePA with the help of people of faith and others, has made historic, bipartisan progress on advancing life-saving legislation in Harrisburg. But it hasn’t reached the Governor’s desk yet!!
*Buses from and returning to Pittsburgh will be available, or car-pooling is possible. Meeting appointments will be arranged for you, you will have others with you at the meetings and if you can’t make the training, we will try to have our own, brief training on zoom (but the CeaseFirePA training would be better if you can do it!) Questions? Email jmharrison@aol.com.
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
