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, see our website http://www.deepriversangha.org/.
Join the group's Yahoo Group page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DeepRiver/, where schedule changes and special announcements are posted.
Contact Bill Patterson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The Learning Palette
The Learning Palette, a unique preschool and kindergarten, continues to share it's success and life with the UUCG community, partnering in church workdays and fund-raisers to enhance the shared space.
The school has grown since first arriving in 2003, with many children and additional staff, teaching: academics; art; music; yoga and computer (new in 2008). The Mother’s Morning Out program (for children under age 2) has also grown and there are now classes offered for a two or three day program.
The Learning Palette, staff and family would be honored to have more UUCG families join us during the week. The Learning Palette meets at UUCG Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 2:00 pm, throughout the regular school year. Applications are downloadable from the website, www.learningpalette.com, along with more specific information. Spaces are limited and waiting lists will be in effect on a first come first serve basis. The Learning Palette does accept students mid year, if space is available.
The Learning Palette also offers two summer camp sessions, for 3 to 8 year olds. Continental Camp is a two week session that is offered each summer to study more about cultures around the world. There have also been pirate camp, books and author camp, along with arts and science camp for the second two week session.
Please contact Debbie Devine at 392-2056 or Debra Fortune at 908-1049 for more information.
The Learning Palette Staff
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.
- This committee organizes and runs the annual effort to promote pledges to fund the church's operating budget, as well as stewarding new members.
- This committee maintains the physical space of the congregation-- repairing, landscaping, cleaning, and beautifying inside the building and the outside grounds.
- UUCG welcomes any interested singers who want to share their voices. The choir rehearses regularly and provides music to Sunday services.
- The Committee on the Ministry serves to strengthen the quality of ministry within the congregation. There are six members of this committee serving terms of three years with two appointments made each year. Appointments are staggered over a six-year period, with two members appointed by the Committee, two members appointed by the Board of Trustees and two members by the Minister.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- This committee prepares and controls the budget, monitors pledges and congregational debt, maintains church checking accounts, and reports on issues related to the budget.
- This committee creates and maintains personnel policies and procedures for full-time and part-time employees of the church.
- 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.
- This committee helps welcome new members and visitors into the church community and provides ongoing support for members and friends. This group also provides the congregation with a variety of ways to stay connected and to have fun together through social and fellowship activities.
- Working closely with the Director of Music, the committee ensures quality music each week for both Sunday services.
- This committee, elected for one year at the annual congregation, recommends candidates for the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Lay Pastoral Care Program is a ministerial program to provide a confidential, caring presence to congregants undergoing stressful life challenges. These trained Associates are an extension of our Minister’s own pastoral care effort. This is a ministry independent of the staff and committee structure of the church. Strict confidentiality is stressed throughout the program.
- A second and very important care program is the Care Team. This team of volunteers will be helping with food delivery, appointments, and errands for the congregants who request help. Another aspect of this program is visiting and maintaining contact by card, phone or email.
- This committee provides aesthetic guidance for the church environment, including organizing art exhibits, displaying art, and commissioning special items as needed.
- This committee supports Sunday morning worship by providing service leaders and filling the pulpit with guest speakers.
- 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.
- Board of Trustees, Capital Expansion Task Force, Committee on Staff, Endowment Fund, Executive Committee, Ministerial Intern Committee, Policies and Procedures Task Force, President's Council, Sabbatical Committee, Safe Congregation Task Force
