News Articles

When the school year began last month, a student-painted mural at Nagel Middle School was painted over at the behest of the Forest Hills School Board and Superintendent Larry Hook. Though it no longer adorns a wall at Nagel, the mural—which had been specifically designed by middle school students as an expression of diversity and welcoming inclusion—has taken on a second, much more visible life.

Much like the word “diversity” did a couple of years ago when the same School Board cancelled Turpin High School’s Diversity Day, the image from the mural is now appearing all around the district, on yard signs (like this one at the church), on T-shirts, on bumper stickers, etc. In fact, it has become a conspicuous symbol for local students and parents who are concerned about hatred, bullying, exclusion, and a lack of awareness and sensitivity to diversity issues in our local school system.

Copies of the mural design are available in the lobby at church.

Hello Dear Heritage Friends,

To the questions, “Where’s The Other Bill?” or “Why is he so seldom at Heritage?” or “What has Bill Lyon been up to?” … here’s an update. It was less than two years ago that I shared with the congregation that I was working toward a Master of Divinity degree through one of our UU seminaries (Meadville Lombard). Here I am with one more academic year to go.

In the summer of 2022, I was enrolled in a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through Hebrew Union College. That coincided with serving as a student chaplain at Jewish Hospital. It was a truly amazing and humbling experience.

During the 2022-23 academic year, I continued taking courses at Meadville Lombard while also serving as the Ministerial Intern at the UU Church of Lexington. That had me in Lexington on most Sundays where I participated in worship and church activities roughly 20 hours a week in total. I preached about once a month. That pattern will resume for the coming year.

Over the summer, I was “off” from my normal duties there. That allowed me to “sneak” back into Heritage a couple of times. It also provided for some very rich UU-related experiences over this past summer. Along with several of you, I attend the General Assembly in Pittsburgh. I was seen “bouncing” between my “three congregations” (HUUC, UUCL, and my cohort at the seminary). I also participated in the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (which was a first for me). I was welcomed “with a rose” to their fold as a “Candidate Minister.”

Our family attended the Midwest UU Summer Assembly which I had been unable to attend for three years due to the pandemic and my chaplaincy work last summer. Then, it was off to Western New York for a week at The Chautauqua Institution. I attended courtesy of the UU Fellowship there as the recipient of their Chautauqua Award. Barb and I had always wanted to attend. I didn’t expect that my first time would be as a speaker/preacher. I served as their minister of the week and met many wonderful UUs from far and wide.

Then, in August, I attended The Parliament of World Religions in Chicago. First held in 1893 (during the World’s Fair), the Parliament has become considerably more diverse. Folks were there from all over the globe representing the depth and breadth of faith traditions. Each day brought unique spiritual experiences, deep dialogue, practical workshops, and inspiring plenary sessions.

As I head into my final year of seminary, there is a lot on the horizon. In addition to classes and the internship, I will be preparing to meet with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee this fall. If all goes well … I will then enter the “search” process. Graduation is expected in May. Depending on how the above go, I may or may not be serving a UU congregation next fall in either a “settled” or “contract” capacity.

It is an exciting time. And although I am not there often, I hold the Heritage family in my heart each day.

In Faith and Community,

The Other Bill (Lyon)

August 2023.

On Sunday, August 13, 2023, Heritage UU Church held a baby shower for Laci Lee Adams, our Director of Lifespan Education. We all wish Laci well as she prepares for a new little one in her home!

Image: Emily Popler (left) and Laci Lee Adams (right) hold their child Ben at a baby shower on August 13, 2023.

Image courtesy of Erin Walczewski. All rights reserved.

On Sunday, May 21, 2023, we at Heritage Church honored the retirement of our Music Director, Les Tacy, by celebrating the central role that Les’ music has played in our worship experience. Les was honored with cake, mementos, and words of appreciation in the Great Hall.

Photos courtesy of Rae Jane Araujo.

On Wednesday, March 8, 2023, Heritage UU Church members went to Inter Parish Ministry (IPM) in Amelia to volunteer to pack crates with dry goods, which will be given out at the weekly drive-thru pantry at the Amelia location.

More than 100 milk crates were each filled with three recycled grocery bags containing a variety of dry and canned goods.

In the past, the Freestore Foodbank packed boxes for IPM and delivered them to the locations in Amelia and Newtown, as well as to the more than forty mobile pantries IPM provides at various locations during the spring and summer.

This service is no longer provided by the Freestore Foodbank. Given the high cost of the cardboard boxes, IPM has resorted to a “do it ourselves” assembly line style pack-o-rama.

In addition to all of the other items given out (produce, milk, meat, eggs, bread, sweets, personal care items, diapers etc.), each family receives the contents of one of the crates (double for families of six or more).

Given that there are approximately 120-150 crates given out at the regular Thursday/Friday drive-thru pantries as well as others distributed to various social service agencies/affordable housing complexes, the need is ongoing.

Volunteers are also always needed for putting together power packs that are distributed to local schools, which then distribute the packs to food-insecure students over weekends and holidays.

Anyone interested in participating in a future packing event, or organizing a group, can contact Bob Drake.

People who participated in the pack-o-rama and/or assembled power-packs:

Images courtesy of Bob Drake.