Khasi Hills is pleased to be included in the Alternative Gift Market! So if you missed the Fall Teacher Sponsorship Drive or are further inspired, this is a great time to spread some cheer. We once again hope to raise $9600 to sponsor the salaries for the two teachers at our new school. Pick up a packet or two of coffee, tea or spices from the region to give with the gift or enjoy as a thank you!
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​Congrats Amythyst Kiah, who was our guest at SongSpace in Spring 2018!! If you were there for her SongSpace performance you know how engaging she is as a performer and as a writer.

She's been nominated for composing the song "Black Myself" for the CD "Songs Of Our Native Daughters", a collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla and Allison Russell (a super CD, by the way). Now you can say, “you saw her when…”!

As has been our tradition for many years, First Unitarian Church is once again proud to be coordinating a toy drive and a mitten & hat drive for local children and families who receive services at the Matilda Theiss Center. The Center largely serves the Hill District.

If you are able to make a toy donation for a child this holiday season please take a tag (or several tags!) off one of the trees in the sanctuary, and purchase a toy for the child specified on the tag. Bring the unwrapped gift(s) back to church with tags attached, and place under the trees. Some families can use help with food and so Giant Eagle gift cards can be purchased in the Undercroft Gallery and designated for this purpose.

Donations of new mittens and hats can be placed on the tree in the Garden Lobby. Children's size items are especially welcome.

All donations should be brought back to church by Sunday, December 8 so toys and items can be delivered to the Matilda Theiss Center that following week.

The Matilda H. Theiss Child Development Center is the cornerstone of early childhood mental health services at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. For over 30 years, Matilda Theiss has supported person-centered, family-focused, positive approaches — as well as individualized models of care — across a continuum of services. The mental health programs at Matilda Theiss address the therapeutic issues of children with special needs related to: emotional and behavioral disturbances; prenatal drug and alcohol exposure; a parent’s mental illness diagnosis. The early childhood mental health therapeutic programs at Matilda Theiss provide a foundation for the enduring emotional and behavioral health of young children with psychiatric disorders, or those who are at high risk of developing psychiatric or developmental difficulties.
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Giving statements for the third quarter have either been sent out electronically or are being sent out by mail.  The statements include information from January 1 to September 30.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at church or via email at finance@first-unitarian-pgh.org.  If you need a refresher on reading the new giving statements produced by Breeze, please refer back to my April Blog post.

​If you ever wanted to do this pilgrimage, THIS is the year to do it since it will be the last trip led by long time Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (UUPCC) travel coordinator/tour guides, John Dale and Csilla Kolcsar, before they retire. You will surely have a smooth, engaging experience. The Pilgrimage is March 12-22, 2020 and the DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 5. The next Pilgrimage will not be until September 2021. Good news is that someone from our congregation is already registered, so that can be a comfort.
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What an opportunity for an adventure and to connect with our Khasi Hills partners, representing our church and strengthening the bond. For 10 nights of lodging, most meals, and transportation within India, $1629 is quite a good deal. In the past our Social Justice Endowment Fund and the UUPCC Travel Grant Fund have generously supported this social service and denominational initiative. The UUPCC Travel Fund Deadline is October 15. There is also an opportunity for fascinating pre-trip tourist extensions before the pilgrimage, a wonderful opportunity since you are halfway across the world.

For information go to https://uupcc.org/pilgrimages/pilgrimage-opportunities and/or contact Karen Litzinger at 412-242-7045.

Are you interested in deepening your exploration of Unitarian Universalism? We are looking for facilitators who would like to lead a book reading group or facilitate a class on an area of interest. It's easy, and you don't have to be an expert; materials are provided! Scheduling is often determined by participant and facilitator preferences. Some potential topics for the 2019-20 year are the following:

World Religions
UU history, older and recent
"Building the World We Dream About" - living out our hope of truly inclusive, multicultural engagement and community
"Spirit in Practice," Exploring spiritual practices
UUA Common Read book choice

Other topics of interest can be proposed, as well. Please contact Erica Shadowsong if you would like to know more about what is involved in facilitating. This is a wonderful way to contribute service to the church, as well as engage in community and enrich your own learning!
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The major news of the summer is that Rev. Connie Grant has agreed to serve as interim minister for our church. Along with welcoming an experienced leader to help the church on the next phase of our journey, the finance team and board are also happy that we now have clarity on what the 2019 budget will be for the remainder of the year. While there was no significant difference overall from what we expected, the devil is always in the details and it feels good to have that resolved.

The Membership Team extends an exuberant welcome to five new First Church members:
Sarah and Trevett Hooper and their children, who have been attending church for about a year; Robert Eshbaugh, who has been a friend of the church and of the Sunday Morning Forum for sometime; and brand new members Jayne and Chris Gall. Jayne did attend this church as a child. Thanks to all of you for choosing First Church as your spiritual home. ​

First Unitarian Church began using Breeze for its church management software in January. Breeze includes the capability to provide an online directory of church members and friends. After initial testing with a limited number of users, the church is ready to roll out the online directory to the church community.

Want to help us be a more welcoming congregation? Looking for a simple way to volunteer at the church? Like meeting new people? Then become an usher/greeter! This is something that requires very little commitment (just show up about 15 minutes before service starts) or training. Help is especially needed on the 1st Sunday of the month. Please contact Rob Schwartz at rob.j.schwartz@gmail.com if interested. 

It’s Time to Think About Voting!

Our antiquated Pennsylvania election laws limit participation in elections to those who register 4 weeks before an election. Make sure your friends are registered!

Here’s the link to download the English version of the Voter Registration form: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/documents/VoterApplication_English.pdf

Here’s the link to register to vote on-line. It’s in both English and Spanish. https://www.votespa.com/Register-to-Vote/Pages/How-to-Use-Online-Voter-Registration.aspx

What You Can Do About Abortion Bans

As you know, politicians in multiple states are passing laws that ban abortion at a point before most people know they're pregnant. What can we do here in Pennsylvania? CLICK HERE to find out how you can take action.

The Time is NOW to End Gerrymandering

Time is running out to end partisan redistricting in Pennsylvania before the next census changes our districts again for yet another decade.

Two bills in the Pennsylvania House – HB 22 and HB 23 – will end gerrymandering once and for all, by guaranteeing free and equal elections for all Pennsylvania voters.

Learn what you can do on the Fair Districts Website.

Tell Your Senator: Help Protect Families from Gun Violence

The PA legislature has the chance to do something that makes sense and saves lives: enact SB 90 / Extreme Risk Protection Orders. This bill creates a civil court process family members and law enforcement can use to temporarily bar access to firearms by a family member at risk of harming himself or others.

Ask your Senator to sign on, (or thank them if they already have!)

(Visit www.uuplan.org for more news and action alerts.)

If you ever wanted to do this pilgrimage, THIS is the year to do it since it will be the last trip led by long time Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (UUPCC) travel coordinator/tour guides, John Dale and Csilla Kolcsar, before they retire. You will surely have a smooth, engaging experience.

March 12-22, 2020 may seem a long way off, but the DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 5, AND IT MAY FILL QUICKLY because it is their last trip.

What an opportunity for an adventure and to connect with our Khasi Hills partners, representing our church and strengthening the bond. For 10 nights of lodging, most meals, and transportation within India, $1629 is quite a good deal. In the past our Social Justice Endowment Fund and the UUPCC Travel Grant Fund have generously supported this social service and denominational initiative. There is also an opportunity for fascinating pre-trip tourist extensions before the pilgrimage, a wonderful opportunity since you are halfway across the world.

For information go to https://uupcc.org/pilgrimages/pilgrimage-opportunities and/or contact Karen Litzinger at 412-242-7045.

The Annual Church Picnic is scheduled for June 2nd, immediately following the service and it’s a great way to enjoy each others’ company! Please consider volunteering for an hour or so to help make it a success. We could use help with set-up, keep-up, and clean-up. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Raeann Olander-Murray at Raeann.olander@gmail.com or 412-660-0012 (call or text).