MINISTRY TEAMS

GARDENS AND SPACES MINISTRY

Marcia Kreycik

It will be the mission of the Buildings and Grounds Ministry Team to do everything possible to assure that “our home in the woods” is safe, clean, attractive, functional, and environmentally responsible.  The B & G Ministry Team also intends to work closely with the Green Sanctuary Group to foster environmental awareness and responsibility in all of its activities. It is our hope that by accomplishing this mission, and by fostering excitement about the future potential of our “home”, we can help attract and keep a vibrant and involved congregation.
   

COMMUNITY MINISTRY

Kaye McCall

All the ways we come together and care for one another describes the Community Ministry at Northwest. The Fellowship team prepares Sunday morning coffee and refreshments as well as coordinate potluck lunches and social events. Special interest groups such as book club, lunch, knitting circle, men’s, women’s and singles are housed here. Our Care Corps, in collaboration with the minister, support members in need of a little TLC by calling, visiting, sending cards, coordinating meals and transportation.  A large part of the ministry is devoted to Membership activities guided by chair Kaye McCall . She directs Sunday morning greeting, visitor orientation and follows-up, Northwest 101 class and new member events.   

LEARNING MINISTRY

Bill Cox and Elizabeth Hickman

The Learning Ministry embraces religious education for children, youth, and adults.  A Religious Education Committee works with Tami Hult .   Tami is our new Director of Religious Education and will implement the children and youth program.  The ministry team leader participates in the work of the RE Committee and guides the programming for adults.  Programs are conceived and conducted by interested members or the minister.   Topics are as varied as the people in the community and encompass the arts, religion, politics, spirituality, history, and self-improvement. Participants grow with the exchange of ideas and perspectives.  The library is maintained by this ministry as well. 
There are many fun ways to serve this ministry:

• Classroom teacher or assistant for the Sunday School program contact Tami Hult.
  
• To work with the Religious Education Committee contact the chair, Pam Freeman.
  
• To assist in the Nursery on Sunday mornings contact Tami Hult.
  
• Have and idea for an Adult Religious Education Class or want to teach one?  
  
• Wish to connect and grow with other adults?  Participate in the offered classes by signing up at the Adult RE table.
  
• Volunteer to help with the maintenance of the Library.

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OUTREACH MINISTRY

Marilyn Matlock and Rebecca Cabral

Working for social justice through The Outreach Ministry is a principle way for Unitarian Universalists at Northwest to express our faith. Outreach provides the means through which we articulate our values and reach out to our community. The Outreach Ministry supports and encourages members to share their passions for justice with respect to UU principles. We believe that religion is not about what we think, but it is about how we live. It is about action. We support such worthy organizations The Community Action Center, HandsOn Atlanta, My House, Partner Church Program, UU Service Committee, the Seventh Principle Project and more. Through Outreach we also hope to educate others about our liberal religion and learn from others about their faith in a world where racial, cultural and religious diversity is a reality.

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Neal Steffin

 Stewardship provides the financial resources for Northwest, its programs and its many community and member events and activities. We accomplish this through our generous members and friends and the many volunteers who enjoy the camaraderie and friendship of each other.
 
Areas to participate with your special talents and interests

• Facility Rentals and its Marketing and Promotion

• Pledge and Capital Campaigns

• Grant Writing

• Fund Raising Events, such as Dinner-Auctions, Holiday Bazaars, Sunday afternoon concerts, Neighborhood Yard Sales and Other creative events. 

• Endowment Plan            Linton Hopkins and Roger Johnson
  

• Bellwether Bookstores          Penny Raney   

• Recycling Program                 Bob Fletcher 

• Hungry Ear Coffee House        Tom Godfrey

• Art Displays                              

There is a place in Stewardship for everyone’s talents, creativity and interest where one can have fun while developing new friends and becoming a part of Northwest.

WORSHIP MINISTRY

Lynne Dale 

On Sunday mornings, the congregation – adults and children – come together in the Sanctuary to connect and to celebrate.  In its root meaning, “worship” is “giving shape to that which is of worth.”  That’s what we strive to do each week at Northwest.   (Children join their parents for the first part of the service, and then go with their teachers to their age-appropriate classes in religious education.)

Our worship services take careful planning on the part of our Minister Rev. Jim Macomber, lay Worship Associates, Music Director, Religious Education Director Tami Hult and numerous volunteers.  We try to make sure we’ve done our best to create a meaningful worship experience for as many people as possible.  Because of our theological and a-theological diversity, this is no easy task! 
Beyond the obvious dimensions of the worship service, the Worship Ministry encompasses several other areas of essential volunteer effort:

• Worship Associates work with the minister, learning the art of creating and presenting worship services, giving personal reflections on various topics, and coordinating lay-led services on Sundays when our minister is away.  Any member of the congregation may apply to become a Worship Associate. Contact Rev. Morris Hudgins  to find out about the program.
  
• Ushers assist people in finding congenial seating.  They also collect the morning offering during the service.  (Did you know that Northwest donates one Sunday offering each month to charity?  Read the Outreach Ministry Team description).  Contact Jack Edmonds  for information on ushering.
  
• Under the leadership of the Music Director, our Choir adds high quality musical inspiration to our mornings.  Our volunteer choir welcomes new voices Kathy Kelly-George  for more information or simply attend an open rehearsal every first Wednesday of the month (August 18 through May) at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary.  Everyone is welcome. 

• Acoustic Associates ensure that our sound system is set up to optimize everyone’s auditory experience during our worship services.  Contact Lynne Dale for more information or to schedule an orientation and training. 

An important part of Sunday at Northwest is the Fellowship Hour that follows the service – be sure to read more about this under the description for “Community Ministry.”

The best way to learn more about the Worship Ministry at Northwest is to come and visit on one or more Sundays.  You will be very welcome!
 

EARTH MINISTRY

Sandra Adams
 

Earth Ministry works to promote sustainable (green) stewardship activities throughout NWUUC and in the personal lives of our members. All of these are motivated by an underlying reverence for the earth, reflecting NWUUC’s growing congregational commitment to the UU Seventh Principle: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”
Particular areas of focus include:
·         Reducing congregational energy consumption through the installation of a full solar array (108 modules) on the roof of the Sanctuary building (20 modules are in place to date, making NWUUC the first faith community in Georgia to do so).
·         Implementing changes recommended by the Georgia Interfaith Power & Light energy audit of NWUUC campus buildings to further reduce our carbon footprint. To date, we have replaced most incandescent lights with compact fluorescents, replaced all exit signs with L.E.D. units, and we have installed low-flow fixtures in our restrooms.
·         Reduce/Reuse/Recycle: NWUUC has an ongoing recycling program that we are constantly improving.
·         Conducting Sunday services, religious education activities, Earth Day celebrations, and Second Hour programs.
·         Reaching out to NWUUC members through monthly Earth Ministry dinner gatherings, an Earth Ministry Yahoo Group email site and a web page on the NWUUC website, and the One Green Thing green tips published in the weekly NWUUC email newsletter to members.
·         Taking the initial steps to introduce the UUA’s Green Sanctuary Program to NWUUC and its members.