Newsletter 9/10/26
Sept. 13 – Rev. Pat Jobe: ‘The Lies of September 8’
 Sunday Service, 3 P.M.: FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE 625 SOUTH ST., DAVIDSON Please visit our events calendar for more information. Mail: P.O. Box 991 Davidson, NC 28036 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE END OF THE NEWSLETTER Sept. 13 – ‘The Lies of Sept. 8’ After the gathering Tuesday night at the Mooresville town commissioners’ meeting, there was nothing to do but talk about it this Sunday afternoon. It was a remarkable drama lighting up the lies that define our current social order, and we have to consider it. Thanks to all who were there and all who were not but care deeply about religious freedom. The Rev. Pat Jobe joined our Fellowship on Aug. 1, 2020. He is married to his lovely spouse Gabe and is an enthusiastic supporter of UU Lake Norman, FeedNC, Heart of the Carolinas UU Animal Ministry, the Barefoot Ministry, and all work done by UUs in our area.  Services can be viewed live at 3:10 p.m. Sundays, and later for replays, by clicking here to reach them on our website. Information on upcoming services can also be found on our Facebook page. Sept. 20 – Rev. Pat Jobe: ‘Three Powerful Words’ We think we know the three most powerful words, but maybe they are not “I love you.” Maybe they’re “That’s all, folks,” or “Come on down.” From a little girl who broke her mother’s favorite vase comes a memory that may give us a different point of view.  This may feel a bit indulgent, but I talked a lot about love this past Sunday. One colleague asked me whether I ever talk about anything else. And as we gathered at Crafty Burg’r after the service, I talked about Gabriele, my beloved wife with whom I have shared meals and foot rubs for the last 18 years. Many of you met her at an auction several years ago, but only Sue Friday, Jim Price and Mary Nicholson have ever been able to spend much quality time with her. I believe I can speak for all three to say she passed anybody’s tendency to evaluate. She is a wonder. At 79, she still mows our almost one-acre town lot with a push mower, breaks sod in her garden, cares mightily for our dogs and loves the local discount grocery store where she has many friends and sometimes gets marriage proposals. She treats me like the butt of many good jokes and our playful respect for each other runs hither and yon. While she is deeply spiritual, paying homage to that which is deepest and best wherever she finds it, she has no religion in particular — which would make her a wonderful Unitarian if only she did not crinkle a little at the thought of a 130-mile commute and having to listen again to her husband talk. She gets enough of that back at the house. And the dogs need tending too. Most of you know I am rich in children and grandchildren. What a joy it would be for me to have all of you meet all of them. You have met enough to know they all have brilliant and kind and encouraging mothers and grandmothers. Gabriele appreciates you all and does think highly of all you do for me.   Unitarians of Lake Norman were among those who packed a tense Mooresville town commissioners’ meeting Tuesday night about a new mosque to be built in the area. While some speakers claimed the mosque invites Islamic extremism, supporters pointed out that its members have been peaceful neighbors for years and have the right to worship as they please. Town zoning allows the mosque to be built, and it’s expected to open in 2027.  Our recent guest speaker, UNC Charlotte Professor Chris Cameron, has invited Fish Stark, executive director of the American Humanist Association and a UU, to speak at UNCC on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The location on campus is yet to be determined. Stark will speak on “Confronting Christian Nationalism.” The talk coincides with the UU Justice Ministry’s upcoming Dogwood Faith Project aimed at the same issue. The event is cosponsored by the Humanists of Piedmont NC — click here to email the group.  Véronique Singerman and Andi Smith joined the Indivisible LKN Bridge Brigade on Monday at the Davidson exit of I-77.  At last week’s Action Hour, we learned about legislation now under consideration by the state Senate Rules Committee that would allow students to leave the school grounds for one to five hours a week for religious instruction. It’s part of the national expansion into North Carolina of LifeWise Academy, now providing Bible instruction for over 300 schools in 30 states. This would come at the expense of classroom instructional time. For links to videos about LifeWise and their strategies, go to the Google Document by clicking here. This week we will be looking at public schools and the need to protect them.You can find out how easy it is to speak your truth during UU Justice NC’s weekly Friday Action Hour, a Zoom gathering of justice-seeking friends where we take action together and nurture our spirits for the work ahead. It’s an opportunity to live our values.Information, phone numbers and suggested scripts for all actions are spelled out in the Google doc. Join us this Friday morning at 11 by clicking on this Zoom link. If Friday doesn’t work for you, please take a moment to look over the Google doc, which is updated every week to describe small actions you can take to support Unitarian values. Sign up for our Friday Action Hour weekly email by clicking here. Thanks!  Let’s send best wishes to our September-born members and friends: Sept. 2 Paula Guilfoyle Sept. 3 Mike Alicke Sept. 4 Leila Abney Sept. 8 Ed Boye, Theresa Woody Sept. 14 Jim Price Sept. 15 Agnes Fiore, Laurie Alicke Sept. 18 Gail Arnold Sept. 26 George Bame, Jill Crews Sept. 29 Lynn Henderson Mooresville Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Unitarians of Lake Norman will not meet at the Quaker Meeting House in Davidson on Nov. 15. Instead, we will take part in the Mooresville Interfaith Thanksgiving Service that day from 3-5 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 164 Fairview Rd. in Mooresville. It’s free to the public but donations of new gloves would be appreciated. For more information, click here to email the organizers.  UU Lake Norman’s Building Fund accepts donations to help ensure our future. For more information, please contact Alan Perkinson. FROM OUR TREASURERThanks to all who have pledged to keep our Fellowship strong. You can mail your pledge to: UU Lake Norman, P.O. Box 991, Davidson 28036. To set up easy online giving from our website, just click the “Pledge or Donate” tab at the top of the page. Join us? If you are not a member but would like more information on becoming a member, please contact Marjorie Flowers at Admin@UULakeNorman.org.  UU Lake Norman Minister Rev. Pat Jobe 2026 Board of Trustees Greg Davis, President Jim Price, Vice President Jim Arnold, Past President Véronique Singerman, Secretary Karen Abrams & Linda Heydenburg, Co-Treasurers Gail Arnold, Trustee at Large We walk diverse paths to find meaning and purpose, but we are united by our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all, and the obligation to express our faith through acts of justice and compassion. Join us as we create a diverse, spirit-curious, and justice-seeking community. Please send your newsletter items, suggestions or comments to news@uulakenorman.org. The deadline for each week’s newsletter is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Lake Norman UU Fellowship P O Box 991, Davidson 28036 www.uulakenorman.org   Copyright © 2026 UU Fellowship of Lake Norman, All rights reserved. |