The UUCW Message
March 8, 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
ACE Volunteers Exciting Recap! 
ACEVol

We had a great turnout last Sunday with interest for ACE mentoring and tutoring volunteer opportunities. If you missed out on the info session, we wanted to highlight great info given by Kelsey Renner and Frank Murphy from the African Community Education Program .
 
Info about  the ACE Program
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 for refugee children from Liberia.

 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

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.  
 
Things You Should Know About The Volunteer Opportunities:
 
Tutoring:
  • Min. 3 month commitment.  There is a large need for tutoring in  April, May and June.
  • 2 hours per week, between the hours of 3 and 5:30pm
  • Schedule mirrors the Worcester Public School calendar- so you would not tutor during school vacations or summer months.
  • Biggest need: helping students with finishing their homework, reading, or organizing their binders.  All tutoring is on site at the Fanning Building , 24 Chatham St , Worc. in the student room with support from the directors.
Mentoring:
  • Min. 1 year commitment.
  • 1.5 hours per week , between the hours of 3 and 5:30.
  • Monthly mentor/tee group activity where all mentors in program and their mentees meet.
  • Schedule mirrors the Worcester Public School calendar- so you would not mentor during school vacations or summer months
  • Mentors could work with mentee on homework, general discussion, art, goal setting, computer, supporting positive cultural exploration and exchange, friendship.
  • Materials and training provided.
  •   All mentoring  is  done on site at the Fanning Building, 24 Chatham St. Worc. in the student room with support from the directors.
If you are interested in more info or applications to apply for these volunteer opportunities , please contact Aaron, Robin , Kelsey Renner krenner@acechildren.org (mentoring), or Frank Murphy fmurphy@acechildren.org ( tutoring).
 
Click HERE for a video introduction to ACE and its programs.

2016 Stewardship Drive Update 
StewardshipRpt

March 6th was Stewardship Sunday.  Dave Showalter, John Odell and I are asking you to join us in making a financial pledge to "Build a New Way" at the UUCW. To show you what we mean we built a large chalice in the sanctuary.



The building blocks are the activities and missions of this church.  Your pledges are the flame.  We have 140 small individual flames ready to be placed in the chalice to create the large community flame.  Progress has been swift.  I am writing this note on Day 2 of the Pledge Drive and we are 20% of the way towards our goal of 140 pledges.  



For the most up to date results, more information on our church finances and more pictures of our building of the 2016-17 Stewardship Campaign Chalice go to the the UUCW website.

Cristina Heffernan, 2016 Stewardship Committee
A Fun Night and a Great Start for the Happy Arts Project. HappyArts
 
This past Friday night, we began our monthly outreach program of connecting local artists, musicians, crafters with the families living in the IHN Family Shelter .
 
I would like to thank Jane Houghton for kicking this first month off with a wonderfully creative collage project!  Thanks to helpers Jenny Delgizzi and Lee Hill !
 
Next month we bring drumming to the families and every month ( so far, stretching into march 2017!)  we have an art experience lined up for the benefit of bringing creativity, calm, and fun to families who are facing very  challenging situations.  Art heals, brings smiles and connection.  We are all looking forward to this adventure!





JeffHalper
 
Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry - Fill The Fridge Campaign - March 13 During the Service 
LFFPNews


On Sunday, March 13th we ask those who are able to donate fresh fruits and vegetables to FILL THE FRIDGE!!! The shopping carts will roll up the aisles and we envision them filling with carrots, peppers, broccoli, pears, oranges, etc.  The children in R.E. will take the food and fill the fridges before their activities in R.E. that day.
 
Loaves and Fishes received a very generous grant from the Rotary for new refrigerators to help increase our ability to distribute fresh, nutritious refrigerated foods.  The grant was for $3,000 for industrial refrigerators and was procured by our own Rev. Aaron Payson.  (Thanks, Aaron!)  They are now installed in the Pantry and waiting to be filled for the March 19th distribution.  We are extremely excited about the ability to distribute more nutritious food to our clients and to properly store what we get from the Worcester County Food Bank.  Sometimes when we go to the Food Bank there are dairy and vegetable item that we have been unable to take because there has not been enough refrigerator space.  That has changed for the better.  Fresh fruits and veggies are a treat for people on low income!
 
If you have any questions, contact:  Dianne Mann at djmann@charter.net or (508) 963-0183

Escalating Inequality Workshop - School to Jail Pipeline
With Dr. Sonya Conner and Lynsey Heffernan
Sunday, March 13, 2016   1:30 pm, UUCW Lounge
EscIneq

Sonya Conner, PhD.
Please note the time change.  This Sunday we host the 3rd 2016 Escalating Inequality Workshop led by Sonya Conner, PhD, , Assistant Professor of Sociology, Worcester State University, who will discuss the "school to jail pipeline" in the United States.  Dr. Conner currently teaches a course on this subject at Worcester State University and has presented on this topic for the Worcester Area Jobs Not Jails Coalition.  She is active in a variety of local justice movements including
Lynsey Heffernan
the JnJ Coalition and Worcester Black Lives Matter.  Dr. Conner will be joined by our own Lynsey Heffernan, who last presented at UUCW on the subject of the teenage brain.  Lynsey is a local lawyer, Detention Reform Specialist at the Department of Youth Services and State Coordinator of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. 


Interested in Helping Local Refugee Families? Information Meeting, Sunday, March 20, 11:45 am, Lounge 
Refugees

Come and hear about how UUCW can help Ascentria Care Alliance, March 20, @11:45 am in the Lounge.  Formerly Lutheran Social Services of New England, Ascentria Care Alliance works to effectively facilitate the economic and social integration of refugees and immigrants into American society, Ascentria is committed to providing the highest quality services throughout the resettlement period, foster the self-sufficiency of refugee and immigrant families, inform and educate the community about the refugee and immigrant experience, and partner with volunteers and the community to support our new neighbors.
 
A critical component of the service that Ascentria provides to New Arrivals is working with local faith communities who provide direct care and service to local refugee families as they settle into their new life in our community.  On March 20, Elizabeth Singley, Resource Developer for Ascentria's Services for New Americans will be on hand to talk about ways that UUCW can assist in this ongoing and critical endeavor.  If you are interested in this developing ministry at UUCW, CLICK HERE.  Please join us for this important meeting on March 20 following service. Also, please CLICK HERE to view a video about Ascentria's programs to help New Arrivals.

AndStillWeRise
 
UU Women's 14th Annual 
Runaway Weekend in Rockport - April 15 - 18 
WomensWeekend

Why come?
Join us for a weekend of no cooking, no cleaning, no one to take care of but YOURSELF! We hear all the time how important it is to take a respite, however brief, from the daily stresses and responsibilities of everyday life. So take this opportunity and return refreshed, renewed, ready to take on the world again!
 
Who can come?
We are now opening up our runaway weekend to the community. Invite your mother, mother-in-law, daughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts, friends and cousins to enjoy Rockport with you.
 
Where is it?
Our Runaway Weekend is at the Linden Tree Inn in Rockport http://lindentreeinn.com/, a 5-minute walk to Front Beach and a 10-minute walk to downtown Rockport. And we have the entire inn to ourselves.
 
What's the cost?
The entire cost for the weekend is $158 for a quad (2 rooms share one bath), $174 for a double or $204 for a single. This includes:
  • Lodging Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
  • Breakfast Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning
  • Dinner on Saturday night
  • Sunday lunch
 
What do you do there?
You get to do whatever you like-you may just want to curl up on your bed and read those books you've been meaning to read.  Or if you love shopping, downtown Rockport is a shoppers' paradise of art galleries, unique boutique shops and consignment shops. Or attend a performance at the beautiful Shalin Liu Center featuring musical performances on a stage opening to a view of the ocean!.  All of this within a short walking distance of the inn!
 
Or get into your car for a short drive to Halibut Point State Park or to Gloucester (more shops, restaurants, and beaches). Some of the places we've enjoyed visiting on previous runaways have been the Paper House, Wolf Hollow, Newburyport, Salisbury Beach State Park and Plum Island.
 
What's the best thing about Runaway Weekend?
So many things!  Escaping, time alone, being with friends, meeting new people, enjoying activities and leisurely conversations with like-minded women, discovering new treasures on the North Shore, the list goes on.....
 
If this interests you, send a check made out to Linden Tree Inn to hold your spot. Also include any food preferences/allergies you may have.

Mail to: Ruth Silver 
71 Angell Brook Drive
West Boylston, MA 01583 :

We Hope you'll join us. If you have any questions or comments, email Claire Breyton cbreyton@gmail.com.

2016 Annual UUCW Yard Sale - June 11! YardSale 

The date for this year's Yard Sale has been chosen - it will be on Saturday, June 11.  If you are interested in working either on set up or on that day, please let me know.  And, for all, please start setting aside all your goodies that you would like to give away this year - my goal is to make even more than the $7000 we pulled in last year.  More to follow...

Visit Our New Improved Website! NewWebsite
If you haven't seen it already, please visit www.uucworcester.org to view the new and improved UUCW website.  Thanks to a host of volunteer website junkies (Rachel Peckar, Cris Heffernan, Vickie Cox Lanyon, Betty Jenewin, Anna Bediako) working with our Office Administrator, Jennifer Landry and Aaron, we have launched and continue to develop our new website as a core component in our evolving strategic communications plan.  Forthcoming upgrades will include a members-only section, interactive adult faith development opportunities, and weekly communications that are more integrated with web content.  We welcome your feedback, which can be submitted through the "contact us" link on homepage.

2016 Congregational Survey - Deadline this Friday, March 11 at Midnight! CongSurvey

The Committee on Ministry is pleased to present the tri-annual All Congregation Survey. Every three years members and friends of the church are surveyed concerning their perspective on how we are doing as a congregation and which programs, projects and perspectives are most important. As in previous years, this year the survey may be taken online or in in paper form and sent back to the church. For the online version CLICK HERE. The paper version is available HERE in pdf format (you will need Adobe Reader to view this format). Please take a few minutes to complete this year's survey. Your feedback valuable and very critical to our planning processes. Thank you for your consideration and care.

The Committee on Ministry
Touchstone Monthly Theme - 
March Theme - Renewal
March 8 - 14 TchstnQuotes
 

March 8: "Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up."   Pearl S. Buck
 
March 9: "I can hardly wait for tomorrow, it means a new life for me each and every day."   Stanley Kunitz
 
March 10: "Renew thyself completely each day."   Henry David Thoreau
 
March 11: "He found that worry was a completely renewable resource. The more he had, the more he got."   Alex London
 
March 12: "It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully ...renews a weary spirit."   Robert Louis Stevenson
 
March 13: "The mountain has left me feeling renewed, more content and positive than I've been for weeks, ...as if my eyes have opened once again."   Richard Nelson
 
March 14: "Amazingly, even in midst of trauma, people continue to smile, to love, to celebrate, to create, and to renew."   David B. Feldman

Religious Education News
RE News For March 13, 2016
RENews 

Dear Families,

    
We will welcome spring weather this week!   Regular classrooms will be happening this week.   There is still opportunity to bring in Easter basket items for DCF children this coming Sunday.
 
Sunday March 13th- 
  • All children will begin in the sanctuary and will be dismissed to classes as announced!
  • The Connections Class families  - grades 3-5 will host coffee hour.
  • 6-8pm-  Youth Group

  
Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Education

Continue to BRING YOUR MYSTERY PAL LETTERS!!!  And don't forget to  pick up your mail at the Mystery Pal Post Office!  Stop by during coffee hour!

Please include your secret number on all correspondence!!
  • Put your unsealed letter with your secret number in the large mailbox in fellowship hall.
  • Pick up your mail by telling Kim or Jenny your name at the MP Post Office!
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
     

"Essential Elements: Oxygen, Gunpowder, Free Inquiry...and You"
Rev. Kevin Tarsa, Guest Minister

Unitarian minister Joseph Priestley isolated oxygen and invented soda water. With a glimpse at his life and work, and in his spirit, this Sunday we'll ask, "What are the essential elements of our religious tradition, without which this would no longer be Unitarian Universalism?" :

Rev. Kevin Tarsa serves the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort, SC as Interim Minister. He is a lifelong church musician, a religious naturalist, one of eight children, and a graduate of Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. His ministry is one of helping religion and religious community call people to their best selves, individually and together.  A native of Michigan and a lover of all the seasons, Rev. Tarsa has nonetheless been enjoying the warm South Carolina winters and the chance to harvest kale and plant snow peas in January.  

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:
March 13Popcorn Theology Class
March 20Connections Class
Easter Sunday - March 27Members & Friends of UUCW
April 3Meditation Group
April 10Linda Miller, Doris Horgan, Mary Plummer, Pauline Courchesne

Ongoing Meetings OngoingMtgs

Men' Group Meeting - March 11, 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, 03/11/16 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 ...Click to read more

THIS MONTH ONLY the Evening Book Club will meet on the third Wednesday of the month to discuss Trapped Under the Sea by Neil Swidey. Join us on Wednesday, March 16th at 7:00 in the Lounge. 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 ... Click to read more

 

Join us Wednesday, April 6 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! 

 

Please join us after Lunch With The Minister on April 6 for our Afternoon Book Club. Details to be announced. 

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!

Community News & Classifieds 

Panera Bread Fundraiser for Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)- Joanne Alley, Director, IHN of Greater Worcester
On Thursday, March 10th the "Eat Bread to Raise Dough" IHN Fundraiser will take place at Panera located at 120 Goldstar Blvd. in Worcester from 4 pm - 8 pm.
 
Plan on having a late lunch or dinner with the family, eat in or take out.  IHN has the potential to receive 20% of the tab of participating diners. The promotional flyer is required to get credit and we need a minimum of 50 to reap the best return - in other words separate tabs with a flyer. Please post the attached document for promotion of this fundraiser in your congregations and make copies (or supply electronic version for printout) for folks to take with them when they go to Panera. Actual flyers (color version not required, B&W printouts ok) are required to turn in to Panera when ordering.
 
Please click HERE or visit the Community Bulletin Board at UUCW to get a flyer to bring! Thank you for this and for all you do for IHN!!!

********************************

 
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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