The UUCW Message
November 24, 2015
In This Issue


Office Notes and Flyers



Office Hours
(Sept 1, 2015 - 
June 30, 2016):
Mon, Tues, Wed: 
9 am - 3 pm
Thursday 9 am - 2 pm
(Closed 2nd Wednesday
Oct - May)

Gmail Users - Please note that if you stop receiving the Message, Nugget, and Weekend Reminder, check your Promotions tab in Gmail. Often, you will find that church emails are in there! Please click  HERE for more information. Please share this information with your fellow congregants if they mention they aren't getting the Message!

PLEASE NOTE: Our trash and recycling is generally picked up once a month. Please be sure to break down all cardboard boxes before putting them in the recycling dumpster so it doesn't fill up too fast!

 

Congregational Mission Statement

"The members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester covenant to be a congregation of love, hope and justice inspiring people to take on the challenges of a changing world."

  

 

Welcoming Church 

Mission Statement 

The LGBTQI and Allies of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester strives to further the affirmation and celebration of LGBTQI individuals in all aspects of the church community. We also seek to increase the visibility of UUCW as a Welcoming Congregation within the greater community.

 

 

UUCW Covenant

In consonance with the principles and purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we the members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester covenant to sustain and support a courageous and caring community by:

 

* Bringing our best selves to form a welcoming, loving, and inclusive community of faith;

 

* Creating an atmosphere of celebration and worship in a safe environment;

 

* Providing opportunities where diverse people and points of view are respected and where open-hearted and open-minded discussion of our differences is encouraged;

 

* Treating each other with kindness and respect;

 

* Approaching conflicts with a spirit of humility and with the respectful intent for peaceful resolution;

 

* Engaging in and encouraging spiritual and intellectual growth across the lifespan;

 

* Fostering social justice and positive transformation in our community and in the world at large;

 

* Growing and maintaining the resources necessary to support the missions and ministries of this congregation;

 

* Fostering fellowship and enjoying each other and the unique gifts that each person brings to our community.
Current News at UUCW
Solar Panel Information Meeting - 
November 29 at 11:30 am SolarPanels
 
There will be an informational meeting after church this Sunday,
November 29, 11:30 in the class room closest to Fellowship Hall.

We'll answer any questions about how electricity could be made from panels on the roof of Fellowship Hall, how much free electricity the church could  get, how much it would cost (nothing!) and who would take care of the panels, et cetera.

We'll have more meetings in December so everyone understands what is involved.

THEN, we need a vote of the whole congregation at a special meeting, to be held in January. We'll need a quorum (Be There!) to vote approval on this project. It would be right after church, and probably wouldn't take long.
 
Holiday Vespers Tea Sign-up!VespersTea
  
Our Annual Holiday Vespers Tea will be held on Sunday, December 20th following the 4:00 PM Vespers Service.  We need folks to sign up to be part of the Set Up Team, Serving Team and Clean Up Team.  We welcome the assistance of all ages!  Please take a moment to sign up HERE.  Instructions and guidelines for these teams will be communicated prior to December 20th.  Please help us make this year's Vespers Tea the best ever!

Annual Poinsettia Sale - 
Starts November 29 Poinsettias
 
I will soon be selling those gorgeous red flowers again.  This year I want to do something a little different.  I have become aware of the desire for fresh flowers during the church year. This year you can purchase a flower with the understanding you will take it home after Christmas OR you can make a donation to the Flower Fund in memory of loved ones.  Either way the names will be listed in the Vespers Order of Service.

I will be taking orders this  Sunday -Nov 29th and the following Sunday Dec 6th.  Only Red Poinsettias this year. The price will be $30 and the suggested donation $20.  Again all names appear in the Vespers Order of Service, with the person's loved one and who is recognizing these individuals.

Thank you for your support and making our Sanctuary beautiful all year long.
 
Interfaith Hospitality Network NewsIHNNews
 
The Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) has begun a capital campaign called "Building a Stronger Foundation Together" with Congressman James McGovern as one of their honorary co-chairs. 
 
Key Campaign elements include:  
  • a fundraising initiative to raise $300,000 and pay off the June Street shelter mortgage, make critical structural
  • repairs and renovations, and establish a capital expense fund
  • an opportunity to increase community awareness about IHN and invite new congregations, schools,
  • community groups and individuals to partner with us and our families as we help them move toward selfsufficiency
  • a strategic positioning process that helps IHN plan for the future
The next open house at the 91 June Street shelter is from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on December 6 to answer questions and provide tours of the property.
 
To learn more about IHN and to donate, visit: http://ihnworcester.org/campaign

 
Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry News
LFFP

This past Saturday we held our Thanksgiving Distribution for the Pantry.  We helped provide food for 74 families that day.  Thank you for everything you continue to do for our clients - whether you donated a can of vegetables, gravy, vegetables, baking products or a gift card be assured that is was much appreciated!  Thanks as well to our volunteers who care for the clients with respect and dignity.  This is truly a mission of which I am proud to help lead.  If you have any questions, contact:  Dianne Mann, djmann@charter.net, (508) 963-0183.

UUCW Annual Giving TreeGivingTree
 

'Tis the season for our Giving Tree to make it's appearance in Fellowship Hall. 

The children help decorate the tree with Gift Card envelope ornaments-  For Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. Please take an envelope off the tree if you are interested in filling it with a $10 grocery gift card. (card should be returned to gray box outside of the office by December 18th.)
  
Also we decorate our tree  with hats, mitten and socks .  We will donate these items to folks who visit our Food Pantry for the Christmas distribution on Dec 19th.
 
As always, thanks for all you do to support our community in outreach.
 

 

For our Craft Fair on November 28th.    Cookies can be dropped off  fresh on Friday November 27th.
 
Please contact Lee Hill  lee.60.hill@gmail.com  with what you'll bake.  Thanks for helping with this church fundraising event!!
 
Robin Mitzcavitch and the Craft Fair Team
Our congregation is listed among eligible charities to receive 0.5% of the purchase price on eligible items through AmazonSmile.   When ordering items through amazon, go to smile.amazon.com, sign into your account and in the "supporting" area under the search bar, search for Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.  Items that are eligible through the AmazonSmile program will list ""Eligible for AmazonSmile donation" in their product description.  The church receives a quarterly check from AmazonSmile which becomes part of our fundraising total for the fiscal year.  
 
Touchstone Monthly Theme - 
Spirituality
November 24 - 30 TchstnQuotes
 

Nov 24: "Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ~  Denis Waitley
 
Nov 25: "Like those in the valley behind us, most people stand in sight of the spiritual mountains all their lives and never enter them." ~  Robert M. Pirsig
 
Nov 26: "The closer you get to real matter, rock air fire and wood, ...the more spiritual the world is." ~  Jack Kerouac
 
Nov 27: "There are many sources of spirituality; religion may be the most common, but it is by no means the only. Anything that generates a sense of awe may be a source of spirituality. Science does this in spades."  ~ Michael Shermer
 
Nov 28: "Crying is one of the highest devotional songs. One who knows crying, knows spiritual practice." ~ Kripalvanandji
 
Nov 29: "Fearlessness is the first requisite of spirituality."  ~ Mahatma Gandhi
 
Nov 30: "Perhaps the most 'spiritual' thing any of us can do is simply to look through our own eyes, see with eyes of wholeness, and act with integrity and kindness."  ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

Religious Education News
RE News For November 29, 2015RENews 

Dear Families

Here is a preview of what's happening in RE for the rest of the calendar year!
 


Saturday, November 28th  9 am - 3 pm.  UUCW  Craft Fair,  UUA Book Store, Fair Trade Table and Basket Raffle!   Cookie Sale!  Come stop in and join the fun.  Shop Small Saturday!!
 
Sunday Nov 29-  One Room School House in Fellowship Hall
10 am - All families begin in the Sanctuary and children will be dismissed following the children's coin collection.
THE GIVING TREE-  We set up and decorate  our annual Giving Tree and
talk about giving during the holidays with special projects.
Let's decorate the tree with  hats , mittens and socks!  All families are invited to bring in one or two to share with those who made need a little warmth this winter.
 
There will be NO  COA  or Youth Group in the afternoon and evening.
 
Sunday December 6th-  One Room School House- Hanukah and Pageant Prep
               This year , our annual Vespers Service and pageant is on  December 20th at 4 pm.   All children are invited to be in the pageant.  This year we will do  "The Holiday Window"  which talks about all the winter holidays and what they mean.  We always have a fun time preparing for this event.  All parts are simple costume and non-speaking. All ages are welcome and encouraged!
  • Our annual all -church read:  "One Church- One Book"  event starts.  This year we are reading  "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate.  Loree Griffin Burns has donated  copies of the book and the free raffle starts today and will run through the end of 2015.
  • In the evening we will have a wonderful "Blue Christmas" Soulful Sundown service that begins at 6pm .
Sunday December  13- One Room School House- Pageant Prep/ St Lucia Day
  • We have given space in the service for Child Dedication.  If you are interested in having your child dedicated or learning more about it, please contact Robin or Aaron.
Sunday December 20th- 10 am Winter Solstice Service. Final practice for major pageant parts- no RE.
3:30pm-  All pageant participants  arrive for costumes. 
4 pm - Annual Vespers Service featuring the pageant, followed by Annual Vespers Tea
 
Sunday December 29th-  Nursery available, no formal RE.   Rev. Jennifer Innis presides in pulpit.
 
Happy NEW YEAR!!!

  
Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Education
Sunday News
  
Sign Up To Be Part of a Sunday Morning Worship TeamSMWT
     
Worship at UUCW is the product of many voices, hands and hearts.  Each Sunday we look forward to hearing from each other about the important happenings in our lives and the world, and our worship experience is made rich and meaningful because of the variety of voices included in it.
 
We are looking for people to become part of one of our Sunday Morning Worship Teams as a Worship Associate (WA), Worship Reader (WR) or Chalice Lighter (CL) .  WAs work with the Worship Leader to help setting up the sanctuary prior to the service. WR work with the worship leader to  read the welcome, presenting the opening words, and sometimes introduce the offertory or assist with a ritual.  CL's work with the worship leader to provide the chalice lighting for the service. You do not have to have any previous training, we'll work with anyone willing to lend their presence to this program.
 
Congregation Leaders!  Do you have a special church program, project or group that you are promoting?  Becoming part of a Worship Team on the Sunday(s) before your activity gives you a moment to introduce the congregation to your activity.  
 
New to the congregation?  This is a wonderful way to become known and to have an opportunity to introduce yourself.
 
Willing to give it a try?!  Then please visit HERE to sign up on any upcoming Sunday morning.
 
Want more information or have questions? Please do not hesitate to contact our Minister. 

     
I would like to let you know that the 2015-16 year reflections have been posted on the web site. Some have asked me to let you know go to www.uucworcester.org and move the pointer to worship then move the pointer down to "SERMON ARCHIVES" and click to open. You cam also CLICK HERE to access the page directly.
HosT Coffee Hour NewsHosT
     
The HosT coffee hour team thank all the many church teams, groups, and committees who have signed up to HosT coffee hour this year!   
 
HosT (Hospitality Task Force) will provide the fair trade coffee, tea, water and juice.  (HosT depends on coffee hour donations to keep supplies in stock....your donations during any coffee hour are gladly accepted!)
 
Would you like to be involved with the HosT Team?  Let us know!!
 
 Groups on deck for HosT-ing:
November 29Members & Friends of UUCW
December 6Soup Sunday with Hospitality Team
December 13Popcorn Theology Team
December 2011:15 am: Members and Friends of UUCW
5:30 pm: Annual Vespers Tea, details to be announced. 

December 27Members and Friends of UUCW

Ongoing Event News 
Lunch With the Minister - 
Wednesday, December 2 at Noon!LunchwMinister

Join us for our seasonal "Lunch with the Minister" December 2 at noon.  Please bring a salad, vegetable, or dessert offering to share instead of a bag lunch.  Meatballs, cold cut platter, and bread will be provided along with beverages.  We especially welcome newcomers and returning friends to this festive occasion.  Our informal discussion is a great way to share thoughts with Aaron and catch up with church friends.
 
Readers Unite Afternoon Book Club - December 2!  AftBookClub

Our selections and meeting dates for the Readers Unite Book Group on the first Wednesday of the month at 1pm, following Lunch with the Minister.
 
Dec 2: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Audrey)
Jan 6: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Kim)
 
Read a book and join our discussion group!


Evening Book Club - December 9, 7 - 9 pm, Lounge  EveBookGrp

Decembers selection is Broken For You, by Stephanie Kallos. 

Evening Book Club Reading List:
Broken For You, by Stephanie Kallos (Cristina Heffernan)
The Innovators, by Walter Isaacson (Cristina Heffernan)
Girl in Transition, by Jean Kwok (Nancy Hancock)
Trapped Under the Sea, by Neil Swidey (Dianne Mann)
In the Heart of the Canyon, by Elisabeth Hyde (Nancy Hancock)
The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Gowda (Nancy Hancock)


Men's Group Meeting,
December 11, 7 - 9 pm, in the Lounge MensGroup 

The Men's Group meets monthly to share a meal and conversation.The group's members strive to build trust and close friendship with one another. Our next gathering will be in Fellowship Hall on Friday, 12/11/15 at 7 pm. All who consider themselves male are welcome.
 
 Food will be brought from a local restaurant and all those who wish to eat can split the cost of the meal. Please bring your favorite beverage to drink with dinner. Please R.S.V.P to willliamderr@hotmail.com or call the UUCW office at 508 853 1942. Please note whether or not you want food and any dietary restrictions.


What can we do about racism today? It is clear to us that the struggle for racial equality and justice in our country continues. Especially if we identify as White people, we need more opportunities to understand racism and explore what steps we can take to become anti-racist allies.
 
This book and movie discussion will invite us to explore race and racism in America through novels, essays, feature films and documentaries. We will explore historical moments and our present realities. We will follow themes from work to work: What is beautiful? How are dark-skinned bodies treated in America? How can racial equality be pursued and achieved? What has changed since the Civil Rights Movement, and what work remains to be done? As people of faith, what can we do?
 
Please CLICK HERE to view and download more information about this workshop series, including a schedule.

Rev. Sarah C. Stewart, Minister, First Unitarian

One of the exciting parts of the new Touchstones Ministry Themes program is the launching of Touchstones Small Group Ministry Groups.  These groups will meet regularly throughout the year to discuss the monthly themes published in the Touchstones Journal.  If you are interested in being part of a Touchstones Group, and/or becoming a leader/co-leader of one of our groups, please take a moment to fill out our short survey HERE.  We'll collect responses for the next month and hope to launch these groups in October 2015.
 
Reminder about Fundraising! Fundraising 

Please keep in mind that one of our fundraising programs is the two bins across the street in our parking lot for books and clothing.  We actually make very good money from this endeavor!  So, as you're doing your fall cleaning or whatever, please take a minute to fill the bins as well as you can!

Introducing SimpleGive!SimpleGive 

UUCW's New Online / Digital Giving Platform
 
For those of you who do your bill paying and giving online, now you can add UUCW to your list of online donations!
 
SimpleGive is an online giving platform that gives donors a variety of options to financially support the church.  Give one time or schedule giving throughout the year.  Become a registered user or give a quick donation without registering.
 
Now you can give right from your smartphone (iPhone click HERE, Android click HERE) or computer.
 
To reach the UUCW SimpleGive page click HERE.
 
Community News and Classifieds CommNews 

Unitarian Fellowship of Huntington, WV Fire - Request For Assistance - Linda Greer, President, UFH
The Unitarian Fellowship of Huntington, WV is trying to raise $8,000.00 by December 2, 2015 to help with building repair and replacement not covered by their insurance.  Please consider visiting our UU crowdfunding site at:
We are a small congregation that operates on 100% volunteer service.  All donations will be going towards the building repair, children's ministries, office supplies, and outreach. We are a member of the UUA and all contributions are tax-deductible.
 
Thank you for your time.
In Love and in Peace,
Linda R. Greer
President of the Unitarian Fellowship of Huntington, WV
Member of the UUA, Ohio-Meadville District
Contact Information

Phone:

508-853-1942

Email:

office@uucworcester.org

 

 

Website:

www.uucworcester.org

 

Emergency Phone:

800-859-6404

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