The UUCW Message
February 16, 2016
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
Linking Communities of Faith: Building Love and Compassion in an Age of Mistrust: Feb 16, 7 - 9 pm, Fellowship Hall 
LinkingCommunities

A panel discussion featuring members of the New England Islamic community sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, 90 Holden Street in Worcester, MA.  The meeting will be in the church Fellowship Hall on Tuesday, February 16, from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M.
 
Asima Silva is an Indian American who graduated from Wachusett Regional High School. She obtained her undergrad and graduate degrees at WPI in Computer Science. She is a software engineer and Master Inventor for IBM and is the co-founder and Director of Outreach for EnjoinGood.org.

Ellyn Sayers is a very recent American convert.  She obtained an undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of New Hampshire and a graduate degree in Regulatory Affairs from Northeastern University.  She is a Quality Assurance Manager for Bristol-Myers Squibb, certified Spin instructor, marathoner and avid fitness enthusiast and proud mother of two children.

Ahmad Abojaradeh is a recent WPI grad and current Worcester resident who is the co-founder and Director of Mental Health for Muslim Community Link, A Global Compliance Engineer for Avery Dennison, a Peer Support Specialist and a Novelist.

Madeline Errishi, known by her nickname, Dina. She is an American convert and has been a Muslim for the last 23 years.  She was raised in upstate New York in a Roman Catholic family, but she has been living in Massachusetts since 1987.  She is married and has a daughter and two sons.

Imam Abdul Latif is the resident Imam at the Islamic Center of Rhode Island in Providence and also a Chaplain for the state of Massachusetts Department of Corrections. He accepted Islam about 20 years ago and traveled extensively in the Middle East to study Islam and the Arabic language.
 
For more Information contact:
Linda A Miller, 508-853-8964, canoteur725djm@gmail.com , or
Rev. Aaron Payson, 508-853-1942, arpayson@charter.net


Escalating Inequality and Race Workshop: Black Lives Matter! Wed, Feb 17 - the Lounge 
EscIneq

This is the first of four topics in the ESCALATING INEQUALITY series being conducted in February and March. We are delighted to have Julius Jones with us who is the founder of the Worcester Black Lives Matter Chapter.
Julius serves as the Co-director at Worcester Roots Project, bringing the cooperative business model to low-income communities by incubating worker-owned businesses.  He also serves as on the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, Board of Directors, as VP. Julius is originally from NYC.

Julius is a Food Justice advocate, and expert urban farmer, having worked as Farm Manager and Community Gardens Coordinator of the Regional Environmental Council. While at the REC, he worked to double the amount of community gardens in the city to 50+, and began an organic seedling sale enterprise. Julius is a Love Warrior, and believes that Waging Love, fusing our intensity, passion, and righteous anger with an even greater compassion for each other, and our inherent humanity, is the way we will get Free. Freedom is a state that can only be shared, and Julius understands Black Freedom as the keystone to American and Global equality.
Please join us on Wed. Feb. 17th at 7 pm to hear more about the thoughts and insights of this community activist.

Please click here to download the flyer for this workshop series.
UUCW Fundraiser: 
8 Hour Hybrid / Electric Car Class for Auto Techs - Please share with yours!
Feb. 27, 2016 
HybridClass

What will you learn at this Hybrid / EV CLASS?
 
1.   What is NEW with HEVs and EVs
2.   Drive the Chevy Volt, others
3.   Fast Fixes and Tips
4.   Preventive Maintenance
5.   Battery Reconditioning
6.   Battery Replacement
7.   HV Motor Testing
8.   More Info at www.fixhybrid.com
 
How Much: $225.00   
  
$225 without the book. 
$300 with our B/W book or L3 Prep Guide
 
Where: ACDC Training Center
24 Wells Street
Worcester, Massachusetts 
 
$100 from each sign-up goes to: 
Universal Unitarian Church
 
Date: Feb. 27, 2016    Saturday   20 seats only 
 
When: 8:30 - 5:00     Lunch provided by Universal Unitarian Church of Worcester 
 
This is a fundraiser for our Church. We will do good things with our money, like help others eat, have shelter, stay warm, have hope, learn to be a good parent, smile and laugh again.  
 
How do I sign up? Call ACDC at 508 400 4656 or Email Craig@fixhyhbrid.com

ACE Volunteers Needed 
ACEVol

On Sunday, March 6, at noon, Kelsey Renner and Frank Murphy from the African Community Education Program will be at UUCW to meet with members and friend here who are interested in volunteering as a mentor, tutor or after-school volunteer for youth served by ACE. 
 
The African Community Education Program is a non-profit community-based organization that grew out of a 4-year old tutoring program run by the medical students of University of Massachusetts. The students had created a program offering one-on-one tutoring/homework help for refugee children from Liberia. Although the student initiative had expanded through the years and offered services to more children, occasional one-hour tutoring sessions, unfortunately, were not sufficient for facing the educational crisis faced by the refugee and immigrant population.
 
Many of the children we serve have had little or no formal education at all prior to coming to the U.S. due to the difficult situations in their home countries. Thus we saw children who were 12 years old who had never been in school but were placed in 6th and 7th grade. These children need a lot more attention than the medical students' program could offer. Additionally, there was an increasing number of children coming for help and a limited number of tutors to work with them.
 
As the need for a larger program became more obvious, several members of the Worcester African community and some medical students joined efforts in hopes to address the problem. It was decided to create an organization whose sole purpose would be to serve children from ALL African countries, who are refugees/recent immigrants/children of immigrants, who are behind in school, and who want help with their studies.  
 
Click HERE for a video introduction to ACE and its programs.
 
Interested in learning more about volunteering with ACE? Sign up HERE.

Thanks From 
The Cool Beans Coffee House! 
CoolBeansCoffeeHouse

Thanks to all of our performers , guests, and helpers.
We raised over $800 toward our  pledge to our partnership with IHN Family Shelter. 
 
We rocked the house! Please click here to see all of the photos!


Touchstone Monthly Theme - 
February Theme - Communion
February 16 - 22 TchstnQuotes
 

Feb. 16: "Whoever moves within the forest can partake directly of sacredness, ...drink the sacred water as a living communion, ...open his eyes and witness the burning beauty of sacredness" ~ Richard Nelson
 
Feb. 17: "Eating, and hospitality in general, is a communion, and any meal worth attending by yourself is improved by the multiples of those with whom it is shared." ~ Jesse Browner
 
Feb. 18: "Faith is not knowledge of an object but communion with it." ~
Nicolás Gómez Dávila
 
Feb. 19: "For mystics from the Abrahamic faiths..., the inward odyssey is also an upward odyssey, a quest for personal and vital communion with an infinite Being." ~ David C. Downing
 
Feb. 20: "True communication is communion-the realization of oneness, which is love." ~ Eckhart Tolle
 
Feb. 21: "The man or woman who proclaims devotion to the cause of liberation yet is unable to enter into communion with the people, whom he or she continues to regard as totally ignorant, is grievously self-deceived." ~ Paulo Freire
 
Feb. 22: "...The effort to discover an authentic self, ...and find a soul in a clear, unimpeded communion with the sacred is consonant with spiritual quests throughout the ages." ~ Cynthia Eller
Religious Education News
RE News For February 21, 2016
RENews 

Dear Families,
 
I would like to thank families  involved in the Cool Beans Coffee House.  Thanks to the UUCW teens and their folks who set up , worked the snack bar, baked, ran the 50/50, and performed!  
 
I would also like to say thanks to Kristin Munsey and  Grade 1 and 2 Wonderful Welcome Class for bringing us a fabulous coffee hour this past Sunday.  I know it was a cold day to come out, thanks for keeping us warm with coffee and goodies!
 
Reminders!
  • This Sunday , Feb 21 , begins the official Mystery Pen letter exchange.  If you've signed up, you'll get an email with a secret 3 to put on every letter.  Place your unsealed letter with the number in the big mailbox in fellowship hall.   Then starting on the 28th . not only will you mail another letter, you see the UUCW "postmaster , give them your name, and pick up a special piece of mail just for you!
  • This Sunday, Feb 21, is the final day to bring some cans of cat food or money for the Pat Brody Shelter.  The youth group will bring your offerings up to the kitties and their volunteer helpers on Sunday evening.  I  just adopted a shelter cat from Pat Brody's....and I know that it's a wonderful place doing amazing  things for cats without a home.
  • Save the date:  March 6th at noon:  Come listen to ACE speak about ways adults can help mentor and tutor refugee children of Africa in Worcester at their fine program at the Fanning Building.  I have personally been to the site and seen this program in action.  I would love to be able to help match you to a young teen who so desperately could benefit from 2 hours of your week.  Come check it out.  Do you need childcare in order to come to the meeting?  Let me know!!
 
This Sunday Feb 21st- 10:00am

CHILDREN'S CHAPEL in Fellowship Hall.  "Spirituality is Inside You"
      
All children will be dismissed to fellowship hall following the  "Change for Change "collection.  In "Children's Chapel" we will be going through the elements of a regular church service, with candle lighting, joys and sorrows, hymns and a reflection and an activity on what it means to have spirituality inside of you.  This is a great opportunity for children of all ages to worship together.
 
5;30-8pm Youth Group- Meets at 5:30 for pizza then heads to Pat Brody Shelter for the visit.  Please bring your food and $$ donations.

  
Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Education
Canned Cat Food Drive. Last Chance! Donations needed by Feb. 21!!CatFoodDrive 

Our Youth Group annually visits and helps support The Pat Brody Shelter for Cats in Lunenburg, MA.  This is a no kill shelter where cats live in open spaces full of cat structures and hiding places.  They also have an enclosed outdoor area for cats to play.  The Youth Group is bringing cat beds, and toys, and food .  We need help with canned food and /or monetary donations.

Donations needed by Feb 21st

If you would like to make a donation, please see any teen in our youth group or advisers Lee Hill, Bart Hill, Bruce Leshay , Lydia Proulx, or deposit food in the specially labeled box in fellowship hall   Look for the cat!!  The shelter  does not need dry food donated, only cans.
 
Thanks for your help!

Robin's new kitty Elvis, adopted from The Pat Brody Shelter last week!
 

Robin Mitzcavitch & The UUCW Youth Group

This Sunday-  Feb 21st.  BRING YOUR FIRST MYSTERY PAL LETTER!!!
You'll be receiving an email this week with your secret number.  Please include this number on all correspondence!!
  • Put your unsealed letter with your secret number in the large mailbox in fellowship hall.
Starting on February 28th, write another letter, put it in the mailbox,  and also check in with the UUCW postal clerk for your mail.  Tell them your name, and we will get you the letter that was mailed to you.
 
This will continue through the month of March...and the big Mystery Pal reveal Party will happen on Sunday April 1st in the lounge during coffee hour!
 
Have  Fun!!
   
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. 

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:
February 21Buildings & Grounds and Technology Committees
February 28Christine Lynch, Beth Posner-Waldren, Vicky Aberhart, Margaurite Lawler
March 6Board of Management
March 13Popcorn Theology Class
March 20Connections Class

Ongoing Meetings OngoingMtgs

Men's Group Meeting - February 19, 7 - 9 pm, Lounge

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, 02/19/16 at 7 pm. This meeting was originally scheduled for February 12, but has been rescheduled due to the Cool Beans Coffee House. All who consider themselves male are welcome. Food will be brought from a local... Click to read more

Join us Wednesday, March 2 at Noon for Lunch with the Minister.  Bring a bag lunch and something to share if you desire. We'll have coffee and a place set for you in the lounge.  Come join the conversation and camaraderie!  No reservation necessary. 

 

Our next book is Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand. We will discuss the book on March 2 at 1:15pm. 

Join us on March 9 at 7 pm in the lounge for UUCW's Evening Book Club.  We will be reading Under The Sea by Neil Swidey. Evening Book Club Reading List: March - Trapped Under the Sea, by Neil Swidey (Dianne Mann) April - In the Heart of the Canyon, by Elisabeth Hyde (Nancy Hancock) May - The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Gowda (Nancy Hancock) ... Click to read more

The Hooks and Needles Group meets on alternating Mondays at noon (February 15, and 29, March 14, 28, etc.)   in a classroom.  Bring your projects - knitting, crochet, cross stitch, quilting, to work on.  Or if you wish to do a prayer shawl or lap robe, we have yarn and patterns available. Want to learn a needlecraft?  We will be happy to teach you.

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.
 

Contact Information

Phone:

508-853-1942

Email:

office@uucworcester.org

Fax:

508-853-2065 

Website:

www.uucworcester.org

 

Emergency Phone:

508-853-1942 

ext. 108

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