Sunday Service January 22

“Lessons from the Struggle for Civil Rights: Movement and Change for Immigrant Rights in the 21st Century” Although there are definite parallels between these two movements for human rights, there are key differences that must be addressed if the immigrant right’s movement is to move forward. Guest Shelly Jarrett Bromberg is an associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Miami University.  Her work with Latino immigrants stretches back 25 years first as a member of the Sanctuary movement in Denver, Colorado and then as the coordinator of a program for 500 immigrants seeking permanent residency under the 1986 IRCA (Immigration Reform and Control Act) in Austin, Texas.  Her current research involves both public and traditional scholarship on Latino immigration and US/Latin American relations. Liz Woedl will be the service leader. The UU Council of Greater Cincinnati is planning a conference and other activities about Immigration on the March 3/4 weekend.

The New Year’s Day Movie

Pole participants have chosen “Iron Jawed Angels” for the New Year’s Day movie adventure at Hopedale Sunday, January 1, 2012, 2:30pm. See women fight for and win the right to vote! Since the film is all best for teens and grown ups, we will have something for the children downstairs. Popcorn will be served but participants may bring their own snacks.

* The organizers of this event deeply regret any scheduling conflict involving televised sports.

This Sunday at Hopedale, August 21

August 21-“Naming and Claiming Our Faith.” During a 1992 vice-presidential debate, Admiral James Stockdale famously asked “Who am I? Why am I here?” He got a lot of heat for seeming to not know what he was doing. But in fact, do any of us really know for sure? For his first service and sermon with us as minister of Hopedale, Bruce will explore the need to explore these timeless questions for ourselves and as a faith community. Knowing what we no longer believe is not enough to sustain us. We must strive to name and claim the spiritual truths that inform our lives and imagine new ways to put them into action to transform our world. Leader: Bruce Beisner, Student Minister.

This Sunday at Hopedale, August 14

Sunday, August 14, 10:30 – 11:30am, Seeking Solutions. We’ll gain a broader understanding of immigration from a faith-based perspective, and from our UU tradition and consider ways in which we can achieve a policy on immigration that is in keeping with Unitarian Universalist principles. We will have a special guest, Dr. Shelly Jarrett Bromberg, Associate Professor, Department: Spanish/Portuguese; Latin American Studies.

This Sunday at Hopedale, August 7

August 7 – STUDY ACTION SUMMER “Who Benefits from a Broken System?” We’ll discuss how immigration does not necessarily hurt U.S. workers, how corporations benefit from cheap labor and how corporations benefit from the business of enforcement.  Leader:  Liz Woedl.

• Bruce Beisner Comes to Hopedale

At its July 2011 meeting, the Hopedale Board accepted the recommendation of the Ministerial Search Committee and voted to offer a half-time, student minister position to R. Bruce Beisner. He has since accepted the position and the contract negotiations have been completed.

Bruce Beisner is in his final year at the Meadville-Lombard Theological School and just completed his formal internship at the Heritage Unitarian Universalist Church in Cincinnati, where Rev. Bill Gupton served as his mentor. Bruce plans to go before the ministerial fellowshipping committee in Boston late this fall and then search for a settled ministry position that would start in the fall of 2012. He has served as a student chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati; was an active lay leader at St. John’s for 14 years, filling many roles in that congregation; and worked and volunteered at Northern Hills Fellowship. His undergraduate degree is in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati and he co-authored two biographies for Darkening the Doors: Black Trailblazers in Unitarian Universalism, edited by Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed.

This is a nine-month (mid-August through mid-May) half-time position, and we look forward to Bruce being with us for about 18 Sundays. He is not the Reverend Beisner; he will be ordained by St. John’s in the spring, but he can be referred to as our minister. This position will fulfill a praxis requirement at Meadville and there will be a Hopedale Committee on Ministry to support him. During his time with us this upcoming year he is looking forward to leading adult RE classes and learning more about the stewardship process by getting exposure to what we do.

Many thanks to the committee who handled the entire search process in record time: Jennifer Blue, John Eicher, Judi Hetrick, Elinor Loucks, Genevieve O’Malley Knight and Liz Woedl (ex-officio).

Don’t miss Bruce’s first Sunday with Hopedale, August 21st,

when he will speak on “Naming and Claiming Our Faith.”

Bryan Bowers Tickets on Sale

Autoharp Master, Bryan Bowers will visit Hopedale on Sunday, November 13, 8pm. Word is getting out, the phone is ringing and tickets are starting to move! Tickets are going for $15, $10 for seniors. Proceeds will go to the Kiva projects supported by our Gathering to Give (G2G) group. For more information go to Hopedale’s Special Events Page.

This Sunday at Hopedale, July 31

July 31 -  “RENDITIONS OF THE CROSS”  Join us to discuss the powerful meaning different cultures have applied to the symbol of the cross.  Bring your own “cross to bear”  and stories of your “crosses” to share with each other.  Julie Bath Primack will lead our meditations/discussions on the cross with her experience with the Peruvian Cross”Chakana”.