Activities

Expressions

Exploring the Arts and Spirituality, every Wednesday evening from 7:00-7:25, a contemplative service to renew people at the middle of the week.

Deep River Sangha

Practicing mindfulness meditation in the tradition of Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, members of this group meet weekly on Sunday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. for sitting and walking meditation, discussion, shared readings, and more! Visitors are welcome! For further information, contact Bill Patterson at deepriver@triad.rr.com or visit the group's Yahoo Group page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DeepRiver/, where schedule changes and special announcements are posted.

Care Circles:
Building Community

Care Circles were formed last spring as a way for UUCG friends and members to get to know and support one another. Most of the 22 Care Circle groups include about 10 people who live in the same general vicinity. Some of the groups have already established a regular cycle of activities, and meetings have included potlucks, a pool party, a coffee house, an art project, and a luau.

If you have not been contacted about joining a Circle or if you have questions about the Circle you are in, please contact Mary Davis.

CUUPS

CUUPS Chapter Meeting, First Friday of every month, 7pm - general discussion, voting and decisions regarding CUUPS policy, procedures and events. Pagans' Night Out (PNO), First Friday of every month, 8pm - Sometimes a discussion or lecture, sometimes crafts or workshops, occasionally ritual and worship. Always followed by a general social gathering. Triad CUUPS also celebrates various sacred days throughout the year with formal rituals representing a variety of paths and beliefs. Visit www.triadcuups.org for specific details about rituals and upcoming PNOs.

Learning Palette Preschool

The Learning Palette Preschool meets at UUCG Monday through Friday form 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. throughout the regular school year. We will be accepting applications for Fall enrollment beginning February 1, 2006.The application fee is $50.00 per child for children ages 2+ through 5 years. Spaces are limited so enroll early.We will also be creating a waiting list for children to enroll mid-year (January 2007).
The Learning Palette also has two summer camp sessions for children ages 3 through 8 years old. The weeks of the camp are June 12 - June 19 and July 17—July 24.Each session is two weeks long and the fee is $100 per week per child.
For more information contact either Debra Fortune at 908-1049 or Debbie Devine at 392-2056.
The Learning Palette Staff
Debra Fortune, Debbie Devine and Norma Milazzo

Groups/Committees

The groups/committees listed here reflect the variety of ways that UUCG members may get involved in the ongoing growth and organization of the church as it seeks to do the important work of liberal religious community.


Buildings & Grounds Maintenance Committee: This committee maintains the physical space of the congregation-- repairing, landscaping, cleaning, and beautifying inside the building and the outside grounds.
Canvass Committee: This committee organizes and runs the annual Canvass to promote pledges to fund the church's operating budget, as well as canvasses new members.
Choirs: UUCG welcomes any interested singers who want to share their voices. Adult and children's choirs rehearse regularly and provide music to Sunday services.
Committee on Ministry: This minister-appointed committee supports the minister, reviews the programs and activities of the church and relates how these serve the congregation, and works with the minister to strengthen the quality of ministry.
Communications Committee: Working with the staff and governing board, the committee provides communications expertise and supports the internal flow of information within the church and the external flow of information to the larger community.
Covenant Groups: These small groups are formed periodically to allow members to know each other on a deeper level as participants relate personal stories on their spiritual path. Groups meet regularly for three or four months.
Covenant of UU Pagans (CUUPS): Triad CUUPS strives to provide a safe place for Pagans to gather for worship and fellowship, to honor and support those on Pagan/Earth Centered Paths, to maintain an environment where people of differing age groups and ability levels are free to participate, and to share the collective wisdom of the past and the present. CUUPS also encourages leadership participation of all members; works to enable Pagan and UU networking; and seeks to incorporate the Principles and Purposes of Unitarian Universalism in all workings of the chapter. The group celebrates the eight Sabbats and 13 full moons with open ritual.
Denominational Affairs Committee: The primary responsibility of the Denominational Affairs committee is to provide a liaison between the UUCG congregation and the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Thomas Jefferson District.
Finance Committee: This committee prepares and controls the budget, monitors pledges and congregational debt, maintains church checking accounts, and reports on issues related to the budget.
Human Resources Committee: This committee creates and maintains personnel policies and procedures for full-time and part-time employees of the church.
Lifespan Religious Education Committee: Working closely with the Director of Religious Education to provide childcare and religious education for the UUCG congregation, the committee recruits, trains, and coordinates teachers and advisors for adult and children's programs.
Membership Committee: This committee helps assimilate new members and visitors into the church community and provides ongoing support for members and friends. This committee also plans a variety of social and fellowship activities.
Music Committee: Working closely with the Director of Music, the committee ensures quality music each week for both Sunday services.
Nominating Committee: This committee, elected for one year at the annual congregation, recommends candidates for the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
Pastoral Associates: Although they do not replace professional counseling or medical care, pastoral associates offer sympathetic ears to listen, shoulders to cry on, comforting arms to embrace, and compassionate hearts to care. Pastoral Associates can help congregants respond to crises and are committed to supporting our church community's emotional health one person at a time.
Program Council: Chairs of congregational committees and affinity groups meet monthly to share plans and activities, to communicate needs, to problem-solve issues of concern, and to recommend actions to the Board of Trustees for their consideration.
Social Action Committee: Working for social justice, this committee maintains ongoing outreach to the community. Its activities include serving dinner at the homeless shelter, peanut butter collection for donation, annual emergency food drives for the Urban Ministry, Care Partners, Christmas gifts for refugee families, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Triad Health Project, Dining for Friends, Crop Walk, and Winter Walk for AIDS.
Strategic Planning Committee: Members are appointed by the the Congregational President pending approval of the Board. The Strategic Planning Committee develops and facilitates a process to determine our congregation's future.
Visual Arts Committee: This committee provides aesthetic guidance for the church environment, including organizing art exhibits, displaying art, and commissioning special items as needed.
Worship Committee: This committee supports Sunday morning worship by providing service leaders and filling the pulpit with guest speakers.
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU): This service organization for Senior High youth (ages 14-18) functions at four levels: local, regional, district-wide, and continental. It is best described as "a united Unitarian Universalist youth movement that embraces a philosophy of youth empowerment through youth and adult co-operation and co-leadership, through encouraging social and spiritual questioning, and through providing a challenging, accepting, and loving community." Each local church youth group determines its own program, goals, and vision guided by the goals and purposes established in the formation of YRUU.