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Organizational FAQsThis page tells you how you can do things, like get an announcement in the order of service, or on the website. There's also a general FAQ, for people who want to check out the congregation. A note: UUCN is an informal, distributed organization. While there is a Board of Management, authority for specific tasks is somewhat dispersed among members of the congregation and committees. If you have a specific question, you're often better off contacting the person who handles that type of issue, rather than going through the Board. Sunday ServicesWhat is an order of service / bulletin? An order of service (or bulletin) shows the layout for our Sunday services. It typically lists the hymns, readings, and such, and may include announcements or upcoming events. Who prepares the orders of service? Our Church Secretary / Clerk, Dianne Daniels does. Contact her via the email link below if you want to request that something be added. What's up with all the singing in services? I can't hold a note, much less read music. Our members love to sing, and we think singing adds an extra spiritual dimension to the services. UUCN is a 'no-fault' congregation where singing is concerned - please feel free to sing - even if you're not "professional" quality. Sing with gusto, or more softly if you want, or not at all. Only you can make that decision, and nobody will think any worse of you, no matter what you choose. What's with the responsive readings, where everyone reads the same text together? I don't want to chant something I don't believe. As with singing, our members feel it builds community. However, you're free not to read along, if you don't want to. The readings are taken primarily from the text "Singing the Living Tradition" Only you can make that decision, and nobody will think any worse of you, no matter what you choose. What sort of things are appropriate for the Joys and Concerns part of the service? Please restrict yourself to events that directly affect your life, like the loss of a friend, a child's graduation, a friend's grave illness, an impending marriage or anniversary, or the birth of a child or grandchild. They are items that you don't mind everyone in the service hearing about, items you want to be comforted around, or happy events you'd like to share. What sort of things are not appropriate? A good movie you saw, a book you'd like to recommend, and such. Save them for coffee hour. Partisan political statements are also inappropriate, as are statements bashing a particular individual, organization, or event. What if I'd like an event to be announced in a service? Write up a short announcement with the 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When and Why) and give it to the service leader (often the President of the Board of Management), or make the brief announcement when the call is made during services. Every service contains the opportunity to make announcements, but we do ask that you keep them short. Do all services follow the same format? No, they occasionally change. We have special services, like the Flower and Water Communions, which mark the beginning and ending of yearly services, and we sometimes have services for small groups within UUCN, like pagans. We also have other 'special purpose' services, like the "Guest At Your Table" event, during the church year. CommunicationHow often is the newsletter published? The church no longer prints a formal newsletter - news items are included on this website or in the church bulletin / order of service. How do I get something added? Talk to the Webmaster for online items, and the Church Secretary / Clerk for bulletin items. Can I suggest a topic for a sermon, or a group discussion? Yes! We'd love it if you did - you can talk to the President of the Board of Management, Lay Leaders, or any member of the Worship Committee. You can also email us ideas using the link below. Where can I find out what's happening in the future (sermon topics, group events, etc.)? Check out the calendar on the home page of this site. There's a button for it in the menu bar on the left. How are things added to the Website? Our Church Secretary / Clerk adds events to the calendar and maintains our website. See the contact information below for details. What if I have a great idea? Who should I tell? Find a member of the Board of Management, tell the President of the Board, or ask another member who coordinates the area your idea applies to. VolunteeringAm I expected to volunteer? Yes - but it's a very low-key expectation. You will not be "assigned" a duty without your complete and full cooperation. We do believe that many hands make light work, so help is always welcome, but please don't feel pressured. But I don't have time! If you can't make a big commitment, that's fine - we value our members' and friends' time, talent and interests as well as understanding that we all have multiple demands on our time. You could sign up for something easy, like bringing refreshments for Coffee Hour once every month or so or helping out on a Church Work / Event Day. Every little bit helps - and many hands make light work! I've just started attending UUCN, and am really excited! I want to volunteer for something major! We love enthusiastic people, and want to help you find your place within UUCN - but if you're new to the UUCN congregational family, take your time - there's always plenty to do, and we plan to be around for quite a while. We wouldn't want you to feel burdened or overwhelmed when you first join us. What should I volunteer for? Something that matches your passion and interests. Want to acknowledge your inner nerd? Consider writing an article for the Web site. If your talent lies elsewhere, let us know what you are interested in, and we'll do our best to match your time and talent with the needs of the church. You might even get something new and exciting started! MoneyAm I expected to pay? Yes. UUCN depends on the contributions and pledges of support from it's members to keep the doors open. We don't ask you to "pay for services" immediately if you are a visitor, but when you are ready to make a membership decision, we will ask you for financial support as well. We always welcome donations in the collection plate, and we also have members that have given memorial gifts in remembrance of their loved ones. Do you only want my money? No. We want much more than that. We want you (your heart, your mind, your talents and interests) as well as your money. But have no doubt: we want (and need) your financial support. It takes money to run UUCN, to keep the lights and the heat on, pay the pianist, buy hymnals, run the website, serve coffee, and so on. Doesn't the big Unitarian Universalist organization give you money to run the congregation? No. UUCN is funded by the congregation and by our own fundraising events like the annual Medieval Feast. There is a national organization - the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) - but it doesn't pay for UUCN to operate. It's just the reverse; UUCN supports the national operation., along with thousands of other congregations. Who gets paid from member donations? A UU minister is the only one who receives any compensation. Everyone else at UUCN - everyone - is a volunteer. They work for UUCN because they think it's worth doing, and because they value the place UUCN has in the community and in their lives. So, if I put $5 into the plate every time I attend a service, that's enough, right? No, unless you're on a fixed or low income, and simply cannot afford more. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), our national group, has guidelines you could look at, and we ask our members to re-evaluate their contributions during our annual pledge drive. Without the financial support of our members, UUCN would cease to exist. All this money talk makes me uncomfortable. The reality is that it takes money to run UUCN. If you want this congregation to be here for you, now and in the future, you should support it financially as well as with your time and attendance. Contact InformationTelephone : 860-889-1062 Electronic mail |
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Unitarian Universalist Church of Norwich
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