The Wheel of the Year

Beth Collins

"The Wheel of the Year" describes the turning of the seasons and the annual celebrations that accompany them.

Around the world, earth-centered religions celebrate solar and lunar holidays in a variety of meaningful ways that reflect the cycles of nature and remind us of our connections with the interdependent web of life.

 

High Street's
Service and Art Auction

Feb. 4, 6:00 PM

 

SUPERBOWL SATURDAY NIGHT
Annual Service and Art Auction – Feb. 4, 6:00 PM at Theatre Macon –

Mark your calendar and plan to attend one of the best High Street parties of the year. Silent auction, entertainment, live auction, food and drink, and all your High Street friends. Email Dick Creswell at RWCreswell@aol.com or pick up an auction donation form in the foyer to donate a dinner, a work of art, a party, a service, or any item of value.

Come to the Auction, for an evening of fun and entertainment and to bid on special occasions you won’t want to miss!

Admission is free and enters you in the raffles for lots of great door prizes.

Bring a finger-food dish to share. Beer, wine & softdrinks provided.

Childcare provided in safe and familiar surroundings at High Street, beginning at 5:45 pm.

Come in Superbowl related costume (player, cheerleader, fanatic fan, band member, majorette, referee) or come as you are, but come!

Donation Form to download and print.

Guest At Your Table

We will be collecting the Guest At Your Table boxes for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee throughout the month of January. Please bring your box by Sunday, January 29 and place it in one of the baskets located at the entrances. If you want to be recognized for your donation by the UUSC, please fill out the bottom of the box and enclose your check made out to UUSC. If you give cash, only High Street will be recognized. Our committee will send in your donation.

 

THE BIBLE FOR UUs AND OTHER RELIGIOUS LIBERALS

Sunday Morning Adult RE has begun a year-long exploration of the sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity. The Hebrew and Christian scriptures are part of our Unitarian Universalist heritage, and form the background for much of Western literature and thought. After a basic introduction to the Bible, the class will examine the Hebrew scriptures (what Christians call the Old Testament), the Apocrypha (Jewish texts accepted as scripture by some Christian communions) and the Christian scriptures (also known as the New Testament).
Class begins each Sunday at 9:30 AM. The primary text used for the class is John Buehren’s Understanding the Bible: An Introduction for Skeptics, Seekers and Religious Liberals. In addition, Timothy Beal's Biblical Literacy: The Essential Bible Stories Everyone Needs to Know will be useful to some as a secondary resource. Both books are available on High Street's book table during Coffee Hour. Each participant is also encouraged to bring a Bible to class (in the version or translation of his or her choice). The texts will be supplemented by a series of handouts from a variety of academic sources.

Reading Assignment for February 5-26 - Buehrens, pp 84-94 ("Exaltations: The Book of Psalms"); Beal, pp 144-153; and Psalms 1-150 in the translation/version of the Bible of your choice. Our focus during February will be on the largest "book" in the Bible, the Psalms. As you read, you'll immediately discover that not all Psalms are the same. Some are hymns of praise, while others are laments or cries of help. Some focus on giving thanks to God, while others call for revenge, retribution and punishment of one's enemies. In some translations or versions, you'll even notice that some psalms are acrostics, each verse beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Join us for a month-long examination and exploration of the "hymnbook of the Second Temple."

For more information, you can contact class facilitator E Arlen Goff by email at profgoff@gmail.com or by phone at 478-361-1376.

 

We continue to need items for the Safe House. If you have items for the Safe House (toiletries, first aid supplies, paper products such as paper towels and toilet paper, and umbrellas), please bring them to the Donation Center next to the elevator at the Orange Street entrance.

We are always in need of canned salmon for our Backdoor Kitchen, tab tops for Ronald McDonald House, and eyeglasses and cell phones for the Lion's Club.

Mid-South District Chalice Lighter Program

Mid-South District has a fine Chalice Lighter Program which invites congregations in the district to apply for Chalice Lighter Grants to help new initiatives and growth projects in their congregations.

Who is a Chalice Lighter?

A Chalice Lighter is a person who pledges to respond with a minimum $10 contribution when the call comes that it is time to light the chalice for a congregation in the Mid-South District. There will be only three calls during any one fiscal year (July 1 to June 30).

Chalice Lighters will be asked to contribute each year until they notify the Mid-South District office that they no longer wish to participate.

Become a Chalice Lighter – Enroll Now!

 

The Mountain offers camps, retreats and other events with a mission “embrace the diversity of life and inspire people to work for the common good of peace, justice and environmental stewardship.” Nestled in the mountains, just over the state line in North Carolina, it offers a wonderful natural sanctuary. The calendar of events is available here.

 

Check out the Mountain on Facebook

Interested in joining the Yahoo group for our High Street community? This group is intended to build community by providing a place for discussion, announcements, and other positive interaction among members and friends of High Street Unitarian Universalist Church, located in Macon, GA. To join, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HSUUC/ and click on "Join This Group". As this is a private group, your request will be sent to the moderator for approval.

COFFEE HOUR

If you would be willing to host a coffee hour after a Sunday service, please contact Ree Shoemaker at 478-922-1638 to volunteer for a Sunday.

Any requests for Order Of Service space (announcements, readings, hymn titles, etc) should be sent to profgoff@gmail.com by Wednesday evening with the tag "OOS for mmddyy". As space is limited, preference is given to events that are occurring in the following week.