Harbor UU Guest Book

Would you like more information on the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation? Please sign our guest book and we will get back to you.

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Endowment Fund

HUUC Endowment Fund Grant Proposals Invited!

The HUUC Endowment Fund Committee is excited to announce that grant funds are available from the HUUC Endowment Fund! Applications for funds are due no later than October 1, 2007. Application/Proposal forms are available in the HUUC Social Hall, and below , or you may request that a packet be e-mailed to you by e-mailing Mindy at harboruu@harboruu.org

Applications/proposals will be accepted until October 1 for the following:

For grants or scholarships to support educational opportunities such as training, UU-related camping, or leadership conferences that will enable the applicant to grow in faith and service to Unitarian Universalism. To apply for such a grant, please use the HUUC Endowment Fund Application Packet for Grants for Educational Opportunities.
For grants to support community outreach, special programs, the wider mission of the UUA, or for the physical plant of the Congregation. To apply for such a grant, please use the HUUC Endowment Fund Grant Proposal Packet.

Criteria and procedures for each type of grant are detailed in the respective packet. Applications/proposals will be accepted until October 1, 2007. These will be reviewed by the HUUC Endowment Fund Committee, which will in turn make recommendations for funding to the HUUC Board of Trustees. Final approval for funding will by made by the HUUC Board of Trustees, and notice of application status will be mailed by December 15, 2007.

Please note:

The Endowment Fund also provides scholarships to its members to attend college, theological, or medical school. Individuals applying for these scholarships must apply directly to the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, following their deadlines and procedures.

This is an exciting opportunity for our congregation and for YOU to carry out our vision and mission! If you have any questions regarding either of the grant packets, please contact a member of the HUUC Endowment Fund Committee:

Bill Wright, Chair

Irene Baker

Marv Johnson

Mindy Schertenlieb

Jim Stier

Harbor UU By-Laws

The By-Laws of the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

The above by-laws where revised in 2002. Below is a Word Document Version.

Word Document Version of 2002 By-laws

Events Calendar

Welcome to the Events page. Below you will find a calendar of upcoming events for the HUUC.
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Sermons

Come join us every Sunday at 10:30 AM for our service.

Current Sermons from Reverend Gary Gallum

Day care is provided for infants and children starting at 10:00 AM. Parents have the option to let them stay in the nursery instead of bringing them up with the rest of the kids for the first part of each service .
Children and Youth Religious Education activities start around 10:30 AM

Silent Joys & Sorrows:

You have an opportunity to light a candle to represent your joy or sorrow before the service. Please come forward during the Prelude, light a candle & place it in the receptacle. If you wish to speak to the minister or a member of the Caring Ministry, please write your name on the form provided.

Spoken Joys & Sorrows:

This Congregation has a long history of including a time for personal Joys and Sorrows within the Sunday worship service as a way to ease hearts or share the joys of our larger family – births, deaths, serious illness, milestone anniversaries and the like. In the interest of time, it is important that we adhere to these traditional limitations. Please do not include mention of the legal or social issues of our time even though they are often deeply felt.

If there is a social issue you would like to see addressed by this congregation, please refer your interest to the Adult Education Committee to see if the topic might be more fully explored in that context. Also feel free to post in the appropriate section of our Forums. The link can be found to the left on the side bar.

Refreshments and ConversationPlease stay with us after the sermon (around 11:45 AM) for snacks and conversation in the Harbor UU social hall.

Periodic Activities

Noisy Offering

Our kids are the noisiest kids around! Once a month HUUC’s Youth collect spare change during service for the Religious Education’s “Noisy Offering”… the student’s vote on a charity to collect for and donate the money to that cause, in the past profits from the noisy offering have gone to Hurricane Relief and paying tuition for Bikram Rai of Nepal.

Past Sermons

Below are a list of past sermons available in adobe acrobat format. If you need plain text or some other format for these sermons please contact us by email at harboruu@harboruu.org.

2007 Sermons

2006 Sermons

Welcoming Sermon

Welcome

Private: Annoucements

Hear Ye!

On this Page you will find the annoucements related to UU life that are not date dependant or run on an ongoing basis.

Special Offers

Fair Trade Coffee and Tea is for sale before and after Sunday services. Support cooperatives that provide a fair and living wage to farmers, enjoy organic, shade grown coffee - and a small % goes to HUUC too! We are looking to possibly expand our selection of items for sale and to sell these products at the Saturday Farmer’s Market. For more details on Fair trade products click here.
A Reminder: Please enter our sacred space with consideration for those who wish to experience peace & serenity within these walls. “I like the quiet of the church before the service begins.” Ralph Waldo EmersonCommunity Access Line of the Lakeshore (CALL) Muskegon now has 2-1-1 service. Non-profit service organization provides info & referrals for numerous services…. The Dial 2-1-1 cards are available in the social hall

Look for sheets to fill out at the welcome table. We are collecting birthdays of HUUC - year of birth is optional. Birthdays, anniversary date, biographical info will be printed in Newsletter & OOS.

We need volunteers for social hour treats.
The sign-up calendar is on a table in the Social Hall.

REMINDER OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICE POLICY ON ANNOUNCEMENTS to be included in those read from the pulpit must be provided in writing by Friday preceding the service. They must be limited directly to the congregation at large and/or to our congregational life. Please do not ask the Worship Assistant or Welcoming Board Member to include last minute announcements or to call on you during the service for such an announcement.

The Book Nook! We now have a Book Nook in our Social Hall. It was Jackie MacDonald’s idea, and Anne Rapoport and Linda Riehl donated book shelves. Paul Kidd made the clever sign, and several folks donated books. For $1.00 per hardback, and 50 cents per paperback, you can’t beat it! Let’s recycle those books, and bring in a little income for HUUC!

Adult Enrichment

HUUC Adult Enrichment is a series of courses and events offered throughout the year to bring people of our diverse faith community together to learn and explore and hopefully enrich their spiritual lives. The main page of the website will always have the listing of what is happening at the HUUC. Here we will also post whats coming and in the near future provide for event registration.

ADULT ENRICHMENT OFFERINGS!

Check back soon for our Winter 07-08 Schedule!

Private: Archive Files

Archive Files for the Harbor UU

Below are links to the archive files from the previous site.

2004 and 2005 Archives

Religious Education

Welcome!

Noisy Offering	Children’s UU Principles	R.E. Philosophy	Current Events Calander	RE Curriculum 2007-2008
Youth Group		Adult Enrichment		Teacher/Worker Background Form

What are we about?

Experiencing spirituality through: ceremonies, rituals, worship, prayer, mediation, introspection, stories, nature, music and song.

Learning how to be a UU by: learning about our principles & purposes, participating in the activities of the church community, and hearing and telling stories of our religious heritage.

Developing and understanding of our religious heritage by: studying the evolution of the UU faith, and our Jewish and Christian heritage.

Exploring the religious traditions of others including: various denominations in the community, the principles of major world religions, and the personal odysseys of other UUs.

Developing personal religious values by: studying UU purpose & principles, learning UU values, exploring a variety of ethical systems through what values others hold, determining what is important personally, reconciling conflicts of values, accepting ambiguity and paradox, and considering issues of birth, death, life-force, God and mysteries.

Expressing religious convictions through action by: investing time and resources in our church, demonstrating respect for people with other religious beliefs, showing humility and tolerance, acting compassionately, individually and as a congregation, speaking out about moral and social issues and participation in service projects.

When and where do meet?

Each Sunday children and youth join the rest of the congregation for the first part of the service in the sanctuary at 10:30 AM. They are dismissed to class when the congregation sings “Go Now in Peace” and rejoin the adults in the social hall at 11:45 AM.

Children age 3 and under have the option to start each Sunday at 10:00 AM in the nursery downstairs. We ask parents to pick up their children in the nursery by Noon.

Nursery & Toddlers (3yrs & under)

Experienced child care providers offer a warm and safe environment, making songs, stories, and snacks part of the morning activities.

Please sign your child into the nursery and make the child care worker aware of any health problems we need to monitor. If a child has trouble adjusting to the nursery for an extended period, we will contact the parent during the service. We encourage parents to stay a short while with their child on the first few visits to help them get comfortable with new surroundings.

Contacting Us

The RE committee meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Harbor UU, please join us if you interested in the planning aspects of our religious education program.

If you have questions or want more information or to schedule a visit you can contact our Religious Education Director by emailing: redirector@harboruu.org

Choir/Music Ministry

HUUC Music Program

We have a wonderful acoustical space, and music plays a large role in our Sunday service. It is a way for everyone to participate in the service.

We find that all music is religious. You will enjoy a wide variety of musical styles including popular, jazz, classical, spirituals, gospel, world music, and works with texts about our UU faith.

We would love to hear from you if you sing or play a musical instrument, have had some performing experience, and would like to participate in our service.

Choir

Anyone who loves to sing and is willing to attend weekly choir practice and to work on the music is welcome to join the choir. There are no tryouts.

The choir rehearses each Thursday evening, September to early June, from 5:30-7:00pm. The choir sings at the Sunday service approximately once a month, sharing special music and leading the congregation in singing hymns. Sometimes a subgroup from the choir may sing for services on other Sundays.

We are always welcoming new members to join the choir—it is a fun and meaningful way to be part of the HUUC community. If you are interested in joining or would like more information, please contact our choir director, Sue Huizinga at musicdirector@harboruu.org

Welcoming Congregation

Women Together - Lesbian Social Group

We meet the last Friday of every month in the Fellowship hall at 5:30 pm to whenever. Bring a snack, finger food to share and enjoy conversation, scrabble, or whatever you like to do while hanging out with friends! If you have questions you can contact the UU at harboruu@harboruu.org for contact info and phone number.

What’s A “Welcoming Congregation?”
A Welcoming Congregation works to foster acceptance, inclusion, understanding & equity for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender persons of all colors. Throughout the 2005-2006, our Welcoming Congregation Task force hosted movies, workshops, and panel discussions in the process of earning Harbor UU Congregation the title of being a welcoming congregation.

The Harbor UU did become a official Welcoming Congregation in 2006. Please join us in comfort and peace knowing our doors are open to all!

Still curious? We have lots of reading material.

If you have not attended any workshops but would like reading materials, or if you have attended workshops but are missing some materials, please feel free to contact me. We can leave the reading in your mail box at the UU. Email harboruu@harboruu.org for more information. Or please come to Sunday service or anytime and let the greeter know you are interested.
We have papers on our
- “Goals”,
- “Assumptions”,
- “Definitions”,
- “Twenty Questions about Homosexuality” and their answers, questions on
- “How We Learned About…”,
- “Definitions of Oppression” cards,
- An excerpt from the book “Homophobia: a weapon of sexism”,
- papers on “Biblical Perspectives” (excellent reading), and more.

Resources

PFlag - The Harbor UU is interested in starting a PFlag chapter and hosting it within our building. If you have an interest in joining or helping to run a chapter please email us at info@harboruu.org.
For more information on PFLAG please check out this link: http://www.pflag.org/

Caring Ministry

Help Members and Friends of HUUC
The HUUC Caring Ministry is forming teams of volunteers who are willing to be called for help with specific tasks. The tasks are divided into the following categories:

Transportation to church and appointments
Visitation at hospitals, nursing homes, at home
Phone Calls when members are in recovery
Card Writing to those who are recovering
Daily phone checks on frail persons
Respite care at home
Assistance with memorial services
Assistance to those who are sick (such as food, errands, deliver medication)

Be the first in your pew to volunteer for one or more of these teams!! Call Jackie Macdonald, Phil Margules, Linda Riehl, or Mary Wiggins (phone numbers can be found in our printed directory).

The Caring Ministry will be actively recruiting members. Join us in the rewarding experience of ministering to members and friends of HUUC.

Membership Committe

Getting to know us… If you are considering membership, this is what you do. First ask for a New Member packet from the Greeter at the Welcome Table out front.

We invite you to meet and visit with our minister at 12 noon on the first Sunday of the month here in the sanctuary. This is an informal time to ask questions and learn about Unitarian Universalism. This gathering is called Getting to Know Us and that’s just what we hope you’ll do!

If you are currently or recently a member of some other Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregation or fellowship, you need only have a discussion with the minister of HUUC, and then sign the membership book with two witnesses present, usually the minister and a board member. You may then, if you choose, be included in the joining ceremony which is done quarterly as a part of the Sunday service.

For those who are new to the UU way of fellowship and worship, the usual route to joining is to attend our Path to Membership Class, held the first month of each quarter of the calendar year (Jan, April, July, Oct) usually on the third Sunday of that month and usually at 5:00PM, time and date sometimes altered due to conflict with other church events. We find it advisable that newcomers attend services for at least a few Sundays before embarking on the membership process.

During the Path to Membership Class, the minister gives a brief history of the Unitarians and the Universalists and how they came to merge. Also at this class, representatives of the Membership Committee and of the Stewardship Committee, and the board president or vice-president, explain the rewards of being a member, the expectations that the congregation has of the new members (attendance, service and/or financial contribution), and programs and committees that are avenues through which a member can get more involved in congregational life.

After attending the Path to Membership Class, those intent on joining can sign the book at any time in the presence of two witnesses as described above. The more usual option is to wait and sign the book during the formal joining ceremony, which is usually one month after the Path to Membership Class, during the regular Sunday morning service.

All those joining HUUC are asked to fill out some paper work providing name, address, interests and talents, etc., and are also given a form for making a pledge to financially support our congregation. We are an “equal opportunity” congregation, we welcome people from all faiths and from no faith. We have no creed as such. We do not ask that you swear off beliefs that you presently hold, or give lip service to concepts that make you feel hypocritical.

We welcome all to explore what HUUC has to offer the person who is seeking a liberal religion.

Jackie Macdonald
HUUC Membership Chair

Liberal Voice TV Ministry

“A Liberal Voice” is the television ministry of HUUC which airs on cable television in Muskegon, Grand Haven, and Whitehall.

Every Monday, 9:30am Grand Haven Channel 7
Every Tuesday, 7:00pm Whitehall Channel 21
Every Wednesday, 7:00pm Muskegon Channel 7

Now Showing on “A Liberal Voice . . .”

HUUC Interview the our Music Director
The Golden Rule Economy Part 1

The Golden Rule Economy Part 2

Fair Trade Coffee

Holland Peace Makers

Community Drumming

PAX Christi

Code PINK

Private: Newsletters

Welcome to the newsletter page! Here you will find all the copies of our newsletter starting in 2006. Save the price of a stamp and a life of a tree and get your newsletters here!

Newsletter Issues

Monthly Newsletter	Mid-Month Newsletter
February 2008 January 2008	January 2008

Monthly Newsletter	Mid-Month Newsletter
December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 No July June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007	No December Mid Month November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007

Monthly Newsletter	Mid-Month Newsletter
November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006	September 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006

If you receive a paper copy of the HUUC Newsletter, please note that we have cut postage expenses by placing the latest issue in the mailboxes in the Social Hall.

Deadlines

Mid month newsletter deadline always the 12th of each month and the monthly deadline always the 23rd of the month.

Submissions

To submit announcements to the Newsletters contact Esther, Editor at newsletter@harboruu.org.

Private: Order of Service

Our sermons have a weekly guide and bulletin of announcements call the Order of Service.To submit an announcements or program for the Sunday Order of Service, please contact Laura by 5pm the Thursday before: Email: ooseditor@harboruu.org. Sorry, items not received by 5 pm Thursday cannot be guaranteed inclusion. All HUUC Bulletin political notices in the order of service have shall have an author, endorser, signator or whatever, so that the reader does not infer that the notice is the policy of the church, the board, or the pastor. To look at the files on this page you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. It can be found here .

Service, please contact Laura by 5pm the Thursday before: Email: ooseditor@harboruu.org. Sorry, items not received by 5 pm Thursday cannot be guaranteed inclusion. All HUUC Bulletin political notices in the order of service have shall have an author, endorser, signator or whatever, so that the reader does not infer that the notice is the policy of the church, the board, or the pastor. To look at the files on this page you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. It can be found here .

September 2007

September 2nd 2007 Order of Service

August 2007

July 2007

June 2007

May 2007

April 2007

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

Board of Trustees

The Board, our guidance team here at the Harbor UU. Our current board is:
President: Andy Fink
Vice President: Jessica Sheldon
Secretary: Deborah Margules
Treasurer: Marcia Hovey-Wright

Trustees: Brenda Bush, Carolyn Holmes, Ed Haase, Rebecca
St.Clair, Mary VanSlooten

WOW Women’s Group and Meat’n Potatas Men’s Group

WOW is a group of women from HUUC that meets on the second Friday of the month at noon for lunch and socializing during the winter months - during the spring and summer months they meet on the second Saturday at 6:00 PM for supper, i.e., during daylight hours according to the season. The venue changes each month. All are welcome to attend.

It is requested that those wishing to join us call Deborah at 231-780-4402, 48 hours in advance so that I may make a reservation for the correct number of diners.

Meat’n Potatas - is a group of Men and friends from HUUC that meet perodically for the same reasons as WOW. Please contact HUUC for more information.

Harbor UU Youth Group

Hey Come Join Us!

Hey Come Join Us! Teens ages 14 through 18 are welcome to join us at HUUC for Youth Group. Starting September 13th 2007 we will be meeting on Thursdays 7 - 9pm until further notice. HUUC Youth Group has four dedicated leaders who coordinate games, guest speakers, crafts, discussions, projects, and more for each youth group meeting.

Questions for WUUT Advisors

Guest Permission Slip

2007 - 2008 Activities

Coat Drive Plus

Its time for WUUT’s second service project of the year! Our members all chatted at the last meeting (which was a lot of fun by the way doing furoshiki) and decided that we could pull off a Coat drive plus! We are asking everyone in our congregation to clean out those closets for gently used winter coats, hats, scarves, etc. While your at it please ask friends, nieghbor’s and relatives for items to help our social service. Our due date to complete this coat drive is November 11th. Please bring your items to the HUUC and drop them off in the Fellowship hall, WUUT will gather and sort the items as they come in.

So get out there, get those items, any size or style as long as they are in good shape! Help make WUUT and the HUUC the best town!

Thank you all!

Sweetest Day Fundraiser

Our Sweetest Day fundraiser was a huge success for our group. We managed to sell all the Furoshiki wrapped fair trade chocolates that we had made. It was a fun event for our members to put together and also brought with it lessons on fairly traded goods, recycling, and reduction in waste by the use of re-purposed materials.

WUUT Visits West Michigan Society for the Protections & Care of Animals
On Saturday, September 8th, 4 youth and 3 adults from HUUC visited the West Michigan SPCA. We collected four boxes of donations including paper towels, cleaners, rubber gloves, and pillowcases and 2 boxes of cat litter. We were able to donate over $200 in cash and checks, part of this came from the noisy offering gathered on Septembre 4th, the rest were personal checks written from HUUC member to the SPCA. Thanks to everyone for supporting our Youth Group and the SPCA with your donations.

We went to the WMSPCA not only to drop off our donations but also to volunteer our time. Our job was to clean the “cat rooms”: two rooms filled with cats, litter, cages, and flying fur. The cats and kittens were very friendly and we spent just as much time playing and snuggling as we did cleaning… but in a couple hours we were done dis-infecting, scooping, sweeping, and laundering.

After a quick snack in the parking lot we went on a tour of the facilities. We heard stories of the wolf dogs, monkey, servals, coatimundis, and kinkajous. We got to see their newest arrival, a 4 month old bear cub who was hit by a car and abandoned in California. The deer were friendly, the fawns adorable, and the horses majestic. It felt good to be spending one of our last warm sunny days helping these animals and our local SPCA, and to be doing our work in the name of Harbor UU Congregation.

The SPCA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supported entirely on donations and staffed by volunteers. They are a no-kill shelter that does not receive support from state, federal, local government, or the United Way. Visit their website at www.detours.net/spca for photos and more info on the animals or to find out how you can make donations or volunteer (or phone 231-788-5933).

Our Staff Rebecca St. Clair - is our head Youth Group Advisor, working with youth is her job as a youth specialist at Muskegon County Juvenile Detention Center. Her hobbies and interests include choir, kitties, grad school to earn her MSW, reading novels, and travel. She had been to four different countries in the past four years, however, she only speaks English. She attended her first UU service to fulfil an assignment during her under grad: she had to put herself in a situation that might be uncomfortable… quite the contrary, she found out she was born to be a UU! With all the ways to serve at HUUC, why Youth Group? “I enjoy spending time with teens so youth group has been a natural fit for me. I am fluent in teen-speak which tends to make kids comfortable with me as well.”

Evert VanderBerg- is our Second Youth Group leader. Interests include: writing, photography, biking, baking, HUUC with the anti-war-peace-movement, computer repair, Anime/Animation, Role Playing games, computer games, cult movies (indie/weird/documentary), GBLT advocacy, and Pagan philosophy/ethics. He also claims to be an expert cat herder. Somehow he finds the time to also hold a full-time job as the Environmental Health and Safety Manager at Oliver Products in Grand Rapids. He started coming to HUUC with the anti-war-peace-movement, he stayed around for the other pagans he met, and also admits to enjoying the food. What does Evert like about being a youth group leader? “Helping the members find their voices, getting them to think a little about themselves, providing an adult ear that will not only listen but accept.”

Jessica Sheldon - is our third full time Youth Group leader who is a freelance graphic designer and overall creative spirit. In her free time she enjoys camping, hiking, gardening, studying history and theology. She confesses to being addicted to reading and watching re-runs of the Fresh Prince. Jessica comes to HUUC for faith and fellowship and leads Youth Group because “I learn so much from the kids, they’re absolutely amazing!”

Scott Sheldon - is our fourth full time leader and brings many years of experience from the Boy Scouts, Recreationist activities and his wonderful musical talents.

Kudos We also want to thank all who have donated time and energy to youth group meetings such as talks on faith exploration, relationship exploration, fun nights, public service activities, fund raisers, community events, and more! If you would like to donate time, energy, ideas, or money to the Youth Group, contact us to find out how you can help to fulfill this on-going branch of the HUUC. This is just a taste of some of the people and activities in the HUUC Youth Group. Please come and join us to find out more! If you have questions or want more information on the Harbor UU Youth Group, visit our spot on the huuc website www.harboruu.org or send and email to: harboryouth@harboruu.org

Previous Events

For the 2006-2007 session our themes where been exploration of different faith and belief paths and exploring different types of relationships. Faith Exploration: So far we have explored Humanism, Native American Faith, Ethics, Earth Based Spiritualism, and Buddhism. Relationship Exploration: We have talked about what a good relationship is in general, what it is to be friends, what our relationships with our parents are and could be, and we have begun to touch on dating. Fun Nights - Movies, documentaries, game nights, social nights, birthday celebrations, craft activities. We have done a public service activity with a fund/material raising event for the local SPCA. That project was a great success. We also attended Martin Luther King Day activities in Muskegon. These are just a taste of some the activities we have done with the HUUC Youth Group. Please come and join use and find out more!

Ground Rules for Parents

As a parent of one of our youth group members, we the advisors extend a warm hello to you. The HUUC Youth Group is about sharing our time, knowledge, experiences, and sense of fun with our members. We hope to provide an open hand as each member transitions from youth to adulthood. We wish to provide a safe haven for every member to grow into their potentials at their own pace.

As a parent we are not asking you for a lot. Most of what we need as advisors is the space in which to provide growth experiences for our members. However, we do have a few basic ground rules to help facilitate our efforts.

· Our meetings start currently at 7:00 pm on the scheduled day. Please show up no earlier than 15 minutes before the hour and leave the members un-supervised. The advisors always try to get there in that time frame but outside of that time we cannot provide an observed environment. Also, please be courteous and show up by 7:00 p.m. so we can all begin together.

· Please contribute some snacks on a monthly basis. We prefer non-perishable items. Examples: Packaged cookies, salty snacks (chips, etc), bagged candy. If you donate beverages please do it in single serving sizes (cans). This will allow us to adapt and waste less.

· If you want to bring fresh foods that’s great. Make sure you arrange it the week before.

· Our gathering place for our meetings is a safe and sacred space for our members and the advisors. We have laughs, we cry, we are silly and we are serious. All of this is done with the knowledge that it’s our shared experience only. Please do not come downstairs from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on meeting nights unless previously cleared with an advisor.

· Please pick up your kids at 9:00 pm. We may run a little late some nights, it’s one of the hazards of youth but we also always shoot for 9:00 pm. Some of the advisors work late or have other commitments so timely pick up is very much appreciated.

· Finally, the advisors are putting in a lot of time, resources, and effort to provide experiences for all the members that they will remember and cherish as they grow. If a member can not make it to a meeting, please send one of the advisors an email or take a moment to call. We ask that you give us 24 hours notice.

In return for these ground rules we will not ask a member (or parents) to pay for any activity. It is our goal to make sure every member does not have to worry about funding to enjoy our group.

Earth Based Spiritualists

Are you Pagan, Wiccan, Druid, Buddhist, Naturist, Mystic or think you might be? The Earth based Spiritualist group is a great place to come and safely talk about the thing you believe in and to find new ways of learning as we all share our experiences. Finding your path is a life long trip so why not pick up a few friends along the way?

We meet at least once a month with the Muskegon Witches Meetup for open Meet & Greet and some casual focused discussion.
We also do periodic open rituals and other celebratrions. If you have an interest in attending or just have questions you can contact us with inquiries harboruu@harboruu.org or see our see our front page for phone numbers.

Projects

We are working on some lead discussion projects with the Muskegon Witches Meetup. Our first pamphlet has just been completed and you can find it below.

Full Moon Temple

Starting in March of 2008 there will be a full moon temple held in the Sanctuary. This temple will be on the full moon day of each month but the times may vary so please check the HUUC calendar. This is an independent group working with HUUC pagans to provide a comfortable pause in the month for worship.

Private: Slow Food In Muskegon

Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Slow Food is also simply about taking the time to slow down and to enjoy life with family and friends. Everyday can be enriched by doing something slow - making pasta from scratch one night, seductively squeezing your own orange juice from the fresh fruit, lingering over a glass of wine and a slice of cheese - even deciding to eat lunch sitting down instead of standing up.Slow food can be more as well, it means becoming aware of your local food sources, preparing what is in season, visiting your local farmers market or making the effort to visit your local farmer’s and producers directly. Slow food means taking the time to bring food back into your life as an event, and a responsibility. Food is part of the chain of life and we should all be more than just consumers.

During the year our group will make special visits to members homes to celebrate special meals that focus on the season, and we also invite some of our local merchants and producers to join us and talk about the bounty they provide.

Living the slow life can also be done with others, because part of the pleasure of slow food and the Slow Food movement is in sharing. Our local Muskegon group meets monthly at the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation Social hall. Our meetings are the second Tuesday of each month starting at 6:00 PM. We ask that you come and join us to share a meal. If you decide to come on a regular basis we ask that you bring a dish to share with us all.

Special Interests

The Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation has many interest and causes that are shared by our members. Below are just the active groups currently operating in our Congregation. See something you like? Join us! Don’t see anything that strikes your fancy? Come and help us start it up!

Committees and Taskforces

Here at the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation we have a dynamic community that thrives on participation. Please take time to look at our committees and task forces and see if there is a place for you.

Volunteering

We need volunteers for social hour treats. The sign-up calendar is on a table in the Social Hall.

Supper House

The Supper House program benefits everyone. See Anne English Rappoport to find out how you can donate time, money, or goods to the cause. Every Third Friday of the month, we will be at Temple United Methodist Church in Muskegon Heights from 3:45p to 6p… join us to share conversation, serve dinners, and celebrate the “inherent worth and dignity of every person”.

Staff Biographies

Biography - Gary Gallum, Our Interim Minister

Throughout my ministry my family has been by my side and my greatest strength and resource. My wife, Louise, is the Executive Director of the Sarcoma Foundation of America, engaged in both fund raising and Lobbying Congress. Over the last eight years she has been a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. Louise was a Delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. She is also President of the local branch of the American Association of University Women. My son, Erick is married to Cathy whom he met when they were students at Reed College. Erick was awarded a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from UC Berkley in 2001 and is currently a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Boston University. Cathy is an attorney in private practice in Boston.

I grew up in a secular Jewish home and had observed members of the clergy infrequently. I attended seminary after having been a member of a Unitarian Universalist church for only a few years. As a result, my sense of ministry and sense of a calling to the ministry matured slowly.

Upon graduation from college I was granted exemption from serving in the military during Viet Nam as Conscientious Objector. I served two years of Alternative Service as a Psychiatric Social Worker at Shady Grove State Psychiatric Hospital in Catonsville, Maryland.

My wife and I discovered the Unitarian Universalist church when seeking a religious education for our young son. We quickly became very active in the church. I served on the Building & Grounds, Worship and Finance Committees. In a few years I was elected to the Church Board. It was here that I decided to return to school to become a UU minister.

Upon graduation from seminary I was called to a yoked ministry with the Unitarian Church of Norfolk and the UU Fellowship of the Peninsula (Newport News) as an Extension Minister.

The Unitarian Church of Norfolk is a church with a long history of commitment to social justice in the community. In the years before I was called to the church it had been embroiled in controversy internally over the issue of Urban Renewal in the neighborhood surrounding the church and the church’s commitment to the gay community. In addition, the previous minister became ill. As a result, the membership had decreased to the point that they could no longer afford a full-time minister. They entered the Extension Ministry program in order to return to a larger size and stronger financial condition. From the low point of about a dozen at worship, the dedication, energy, creativity and enthusiasm of the church members enabled us to achieve a high level of worship, programming and enthusiasm that resulted in tremendous growth in membership and finances. By the end of the three years there were over one hundred at worship every Sunday and they have been able to afford a full-time minister without a subsidy ever since.

The members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Peninsula had just built a new building after a fire had destroyed their previous location. The congregation, which had had about forty members for many years, had recently over a hundred members. The three years of the Extension Ministry was spent in assimilating the new members and moving from being a small fellowship to a small church.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis had also just purchased a building. However, in this case the congregation had decided to break off from All Souls Unitarian Church over a dispute with the minister. The need here was to deal with the anger toward ministers and work toward understanding the church as different from a corporate environment.

I then served two small churches. The Northwest Baltimore Unitarian Universalists (now Cedarhurst UUs) was a new church created with UUA and JPD assistance. The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Shenandoah Valley, which had been a Fellowship for many years but, after purchasing a building, had decided to attempt to grow and to call a minister. Both congregations thrived and both now have full-time ministers.

Next, I served the Seneca Valley Unitarian Fellowship for five years. This congregation continued to be comfortable as a small Fellowship. The finances, however, did not increase enough to continue to afford a minister.

For several years, while working 9 to 5 as a computer programmer, I served as an Affiliated Minister with the River Road Unitarian Church. I focused, there, on teaching in the Adult Enrichment program. I created and taught courses in UU theologies and philosophies, UU and religious history, Seeking a UU Theology and Film As Theological Text.

I attended the 75th Anniversary Celebration at the Norfolk Unitarian Church and was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and loving welcome that my wife and I received. I was gratified that my ministry there had jump started an era of growth that has continued resulting in a vibrant healthy mid-sized church. Some of the things that I brought to them have continued to flourish.

Shortly thereafter I attended the ground breaking ceremony for the first building for the Sugarloaf Congregation of UUs. A building fund that was begun when I was the minister of the Seneca Valley UU Fellowship along with assistance from other churches has at long last resulted in a new home for upcounty UUs.

Then I attended the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the Cedarhurst Unitarian Universalists. Like elsewhere my wife and I were greeted warmly and I was invited to preach several weeks later.

Last year I decided to return to full time parish ministry and entered the Interim Ministry program. I was the Interim Minister at the Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and decided to continue in the Interim Ministry program, obtain additional training, and work toward become an Acredited Interim Minister.

Unitarian Unversalist Philosophy

Unitarian Universalism’s 7 Principles

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Our Traditions

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an
openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

Philosophy for Religious Growth and Learning

Our Unitarian Universalist religious community engages in a life long search for faith, truth, and meaning through study of sacred traditions, and appreciation of the arts, sciences, and nature. Teaching and living love, tolerance and mutual respect, we strive to contribute to the well being of humanity and of our environment.

Our Goals for the Fulfillment of This Philosophy Are:

To provide for close, personal intergenerational connections and bonding.
To engage in learning experiences based on our Unitarian Universalist heritage and the sacred traditions of other world religions.
To encourage and nurture creative experiences in the arts, sciences, and nature.
To involve all ages in social action programs that express our Unitarian Universalist principles and purposes.
To help one another to live our Unitarian Universalist principles every day.
To become part of (or one with) the natural world.
To help one another learn how to get through the tough periods and rejoice in the tender ones.
To support and celebrate with each other the joys and trial of living.

About Us - The Harbor UU

HUUC Vision & Mission

At the March board meeting the Board of Trustees approved a new Vision and Mission Statement for HUUC. It will be approved by the Congregation at the upcoming annual meeting.
HUUC VISION

Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation is a dynamic liberal, religious community that protects and nourishes spiritual freedom, integrity, intellect and service.

HUUC MISSION

We welcome all and reach out to those who seek a liberal faith community.

Our religious education for children and our services and programs address spiritual, intellectual and ethical life issues.

We provide friendship to the lonely, comfort to the sick and distressed, assistance to the needy and fellowship to all.

We invite you to come walk with us.
Basic Info About Harbor UU

Who: Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

What: HUUC is a member of the Unitarian Univeralist Association and have celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Where: We are at 1296 Montgomery, on the corner of McGraft and Montgomery in the NIMS neighborhood of Muskegon, Michigan. For a map please click here.

When: Services are Sunday 10:30 a.m. Contact Us: Phone:(231) 755-2932

If your a member you can participate in our Congregation Forum by clicking here.

The minister may be emailed at minister@harboruu.org

The webmaster may be emailed at harboruu@harboruu.org

The order of service editor may be emailed at info@harboruu.org

Newsletter submissions can be emailed to: info@harboruu.org

The RE committee can be emailed at redirector@harboruu.org

The Youth Group Leaders may be emailed at harboryouth@harboruu.org

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About Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation

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