The UUCW Message
May 24, 2016
In This Issue


Upcoming Events

Current News at UUCW

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.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST 
CHURCH OF WORCESTER  AnnualMtg 
 
Sunday, June 5, 2016, 11:30 am in the Sanctuary

Notice Pursuant to the by-laws of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, the Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester (UUCW) will take place at 11:30 am, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in the church sanctuary.

The meeting is open to all, however, voting is restricted to members of record of the UUCW. This is an important event in the ongoing business and life of our congregation and reflects the principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

During this meeting we will vote on minutes of past congregational meetings, the slate of church leaders to be elected, the FY 2017 budget and other items that may be posted in the Annual Report. 

Submitted,
Board of Management, Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester
Upcoming Events at UUCW
 IHNFamilyDay 

Please click HERE to download and print this flyer.
The Yard Sale is Upon Us - Saturday, June 11, 9 am - 2 pm! YardSale 
The Yard Sale will be here before we know it.  As you know, this is one of our largest fundraisers so we really want to go all out to be sure that it's as much of a success as it has been in the past.  Here are some of the specifics:
 
You can start dropping things off at church on the morning of Wednesday, June 8 at 9:00 am.  We would love to get everything by Friday at noon if possible so we can get it all organized and priced.
 
If you have big items that need to be picked up, Aaron will have a truck on Friday and can come to you to get things.  Please CLICK HERE for the sign-up form.
 
Some specifics on donated items:
 
Clothing -  please make sure it is clean and in good shape.  Pairs of shoes should be tied together.  Also, if anyone has an extra clothing racks that we could borrow it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Electrical items - please make sure they are in good working condition.  No large televisions or outdated pieces of equipment please.  If an object needs batteries, please supply them - people won't buy items that they don't know are in working condition.
 
For those new to the sale, we also take the following items:  dishes, silverware, utensils, pots and pans, mugs and cups, glasses, household items, art work, sports equipment, linens, blankets and quilts, books and magazines, holiday things, jewelry, furniture, fun items - in other words, just about anything. 
 
It would be greatly appreciated if all items are in good condition and are clean.  If you bring a large item and it doesn't sell, please be prepared to take it home at the conclusion of the sale as we do not have a way to get rid of it.
 
It takes a village to pull this thing off so if you are interested in helping out in any way - setting up (Wednesday, Thursday or Friday), pricing, being on "the floor" the day of the sale, helping Aaron with the big items on Friday or any other imaginative ways, please let me know. 
 
Thanks for helping to make this year's Yard Sale the best one yet!!!

2016 Annual Church Picnic - June 12, 11:15 am! ChurchPicnic 

Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for our ANNUAL ALL CHURCH PICNIC, Sunday, June 12 following the Sunday morning Worship Service.  Cost is $5 per adult and a dish (not dessert) to share if you can.  We will provide the entrée (burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, etc.) , lemonade, and watermelon. Please join us for this fun annual event! The picnic is on rain or shine-we'll eat in Fellowship Hall if necessary. Please be prepared to help with cleanup before you leave.
 
We need a people to help in four ways:
 
PREP TEAM: to help with set up, light food prep service-slicing tomatoes, making drinks,  We will start about 9:00 am and be finished prior to the service at 10:00 am.
GRILLING TEAM: to set grill and run entrée items to the serving table (to start about 10:30 am)
STAFFING TEAM: set out food and monitor serving line, replenish food items and clear serving area (11:00 AM)
CLEAN UP TEAM:  to clean up tables and area, store left overs, clean a few dishes, etc. (to start about 12:45).
 
If you are willing to serve on any of the teams above, please Sign Up Here or email Aaron Payson (arpayson@charter.net)

tent-camping-view.jpg
UUCW Summer Camping Events - 
August 26/27 & 27/28 CampWeekend 
 
Separate FATHER/DAUGHTER AND FATHER/SON CAMPING EVENTS are scheduled for August 26/27 (daughters/girls) and August 27/28 (sons/boys).  Activities include cooking on a campfire with games and story-telling.  The event is open to those identifying as men, and any young people that they know well and would like to bring.  All ages are welcome, but children under 13 should be accompanied by an adult.  The event will be held at Trout Brook Reservation in Holden.  Do not let a lack of camping experience or equipment stop you, as many involved have extra experience _and_ equipment!  The cost for the site for each night ($100 total) will be split among the participating men.  Please let us know if you plan to attend so that we can properly plan:
 
For Father/Daughter camping night:  Craig Van Batenburg, 508 400 4657 or Craig@fixhybrid.com
For Father/Son camping night:  Dave Schowalter, 508-688-7008, schowalter_david@hotmail.com 


Ferry Beach Registration Time! - September 16 - 18, 2016FerryBeach

Many of us begin the church year with a weekend of retreat and reflection at Ferry Beach in Saco, Maine (http://www.ferrybeach.org).The weekend is affordable and open to everyone. We join together with friends from First Unitarian for beach walks, dancing, polar dip, jumping rope, time to rest, a talent show, and a campfire!

Mark your calendars now for September 16th - 18th, 2016.  We will be taking registrations during our coffee hour after services in May and June. Prices include dorm style accommodations, food and activities. Camping is also available! We hope you'll join us this year!

On line registration is available by following this link: http://goo.gl/forms/u3UGIJ4Rh3.  We encourage you to register and pay online.  You may also get a registration form from us at Fellowship Hour or email us for one.

Please ask your Ferry Beach Coordinators, Maya Desai or Sean Divoll divolls@verizon.net if you have any questions.  

Maya Desai & Sean Divoll 
 
Current News at UUCW
UU ConnectionsUUConnections

As we near the end of the church year, there is one more opportunity to partake of a  UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) webinar workshop on Thursday June 2nd entitled "Embracing Who We Are: Unlocking the Aging Congregation's Gifts". It is being put on by the newly formed New England Region (replaced Clara Barton district) and features Kim Sweeney and Doug Zelinski.  It promises to offer timely and  relevant strategies for many predominantly gray-haired churches.  Cost for this 2 hour webinar is $25.  Please let Joan McGinn know if you are interested. Thanks!
 
There's good news on the social justice front.  UUMass Action, the political arm of UUism in Massachusetts, has announced that the Raise Up Initiative has passed the House by a big margin. This bill would pay fast food workers and big box retail employees $15 an hour by 2018.  Many of you signed the petition in this church, so it's encouraging to see the fruits of all this labor. This bill was passed in the House by a large group of small non-profit organizations who worked tirelessly for this achievement.  Our thanks go to Laura Wagner, director of UUMass Action, for her leadership and perseverance.

Joan McGinn, Liaison, UUA New England Region
 
Summer Services Ministry Team FormingSummerSvc

Our series of Summer Sunday Services will begin on June 26 and run through September 4.  Services are at 10 am. This series of 11 services is typically lay-led and often followed by a roaming fellowship hour/lunch at a local restaurant.  Our Summer Services Ministry Team seeks Presenters, people to offer a Summer Service presentation on a topic of your own choosing; people to serve as Sunday Assistants who would work with the presenter of the week to set up the lounge space and to help present parts of the service as desired by the presenter, and Service Coordinators who would be responsible for opening and closing the building, taking attendance, submitting pew sheets and securing the offering for the day.  If you are interested in serving in any of these capacities, please CLICK HERE.

Rev. Aaron Payson 
 
Solar Panels For UUCW - UpdateSolarPanelsUpdate

I sent a text to our contact person at Endless Energy today (Monday, May 23) asking if our panels will go up on schedule. He replied saying: "With in the next few days to a week you will get a call from your project manager to schedule the install. It could be even sooner than mid to late June."

Mara Pentlarge 
 
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.

Touchstone Monthly Theme
May Theme - Theological Reflection
May 24 - 30 TchstnQuotes
 

May 24: "See that's where it falls apart for me!" Anne cried. "What sticks in my throat is that God gets the credit but never the blame. I just can't swallow that kind oftheological candy. Either God's in charge or he's not...." ~ Mary Doria Russell
 
May 25: "The theories of the major philosophers of the 18th century secular enlightenment were biblical and theologicalin spite of themselves." ~ M. H. Abrams
 
May 26: "Who, then, is qualified for theology? Thetheologicaltask is implied by the very life of faith itself. Every ...[one] is therefore called to do theology in this sense." ~ Luke Timothy Johnson
 
May 27: "Wherever men are still theological there is still some chance of their being logical." ~ G.K. Chesterton
 
May 28: "Our theology, far from being mature in any evolutionary or historical sense, is in fact in its early stages." ~ The Free Church in a Changing World (1963)
 
May 29: "My heart is properly cultivated ... and is not left to wither under the burden of cold erudition, and my religious feelings are not deadened by theologicalinquiries." ~ Friedrich Schleiermacher
 
May 30: "Every dogma, every philosophic or theologicalcreed, was at its inception a statement in terms of the intellect of a certain inner experience." ~ Felix Adler


Religious Education News
RE News For May 22, 2016
RENews 

Dear Families,
 
Have you registered for RE 2016/17 yet?   Thank you for REGISTERING HERE!  

I would like to thank  Ana Gregory, Jane McKeag , Laura Secor, and Nora Werme for bringing such rich activities, discussion and experience to all of our children during our rotation classroom  "Connection".  The workshop has commenced, but please continue to weave outside so we can fill in all the spaces .  

      

I want you to know that over the weekend, we had a lot of activity around our community weave- with clients from our Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry actually weaving while waiting to get their food  distribution... and the visiting Muslim Student Association admiring the concept and the work!

We are so proud of our Youth Group as they hosted the Muslim Student Association from Shrewsbury High school for a night of pizza and conversation.  Talk about connection!  We had a night that was informational, inspirational, and full of love and hope .  These fine teens were astounding as they shared openly  together about their faiths.



Youth Group and MSA

Finally- Hip Hip Hooray for our newest Coming of Age (COA) class who had their "Kick Off COA Evening" this past Friday!   The COA Class of 2017 worked to set up our Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, then enjoyed an evening getting to know about the COA program, talking about their wishes and intentions for going through the program beginning in  September, making special COA Tie Dye Shirts and prepping their special COA materials.

  
COA Class of 2017


Sunday May 29th - 10 am
         
       "Bee Friendly" Sunday-  One Room Schoolhouse Experience-
 
Furthering our discussions about our connections to nature, we will be talking bees and how we can all try to help save the dwindling populations! Children will learn about bees and having bee friendly gardens,   do some planting here at church and to bring home. 
 
Children will be dismissed to fellowship hall following the children's collection.
 
YOUTH GROUP-   5-7pm   Interfaith Hospitality Network  91 June Street,  IHN Cookout and hosting.

  
Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Education
Sunday News
 

Aaron's 25th Ordination Anniversary - Sunday, June 5, 2016AaronOrdin

It has been 25 years since Aaron was ordained as a minister and plans are underway to celebrate the occasion!

It will take place during church on Sunday, June 5th (Annual Meeting is June 5th also, so there are two important events that Sunday.) We'd like you to participate!

If you want to help with the party planning process, or have ideas about it, please let Mara know.

If you were here 17 years ago when Aaron came to UUCW we'd love for you to share your memories with Mara.

And finally, you can congratulate Aaron on this. He knows about the plans!
Thanks - Mara Pentlarge 508 963-8683
HosT Coffee Hour NewsHosT
     
The Hospitality Team (HosT) thanks all of the members of the congregation who have provided food, labor and cash donations that have made our coffee hours so incredible.

At coffee hour we extend the hospitality we proclaim! Many people judge a congregation by its coffee hour hospitality - especially newcomers .  Please make it a point to speak to someone you don't know!

 
 
DateGroup on deck for hostingHospitality Team Contact
May 22Women's Runaway Weekend TeamRuth Silver
May 29Members & Friends of UUCWJudy Savage
June 5Hospitality TeamRuth Silver
Ongoing Meetings OngoingMtgs
Join us Wednesday, June 1 at Noon for Lunch with the Minister.  Please bring a salad to share and we will have a June Picnic this month!. We'll have a place set for you in the lounge.  Come join the conversation and camaraderie!  No reservation necessary! ...Click to read more

Please join us after Lunch With The Minister on on the first Wednesdays in June, and September. Our next book selections are: Sing Them Homeby Stephanie Kallos with discussion on June 1. The Rise of Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt, with discussion on Sept 7.

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.
 
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 CommNews

Covenant of UU Pagans Summer Event 
Join UU Pagans from across the country this August 26-28 in Salem, MA for the first CUUPS Convocation in a decade! Titled "Awakening Our Tribe," there will be ritual and music and special guest speakers Shirley Ranck, John Beckett, Byron Ballard, CUUPS President Amy Beltaine, and Gypsy Ravish. Organizers are working hard with local businesses to provide special deals for convocation-goers For more information and to catch the early bird special, register at http://couup.roundtablelive.org/event-285450. Please click here to download a flyer for this event.

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

Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer Conference, August 12-14 in Amherst, MA - Nicole Belanger, Communications Dir., NOFA?Mass nicole@nofamass.org
Cultivating the grassroots organic movement with three days of organic immersion, with 200 workshops to empower, educate, build skills and confidence. Immerse yourself with like-minded practitioners and curious learners eager to share their inspiration and ideas for organic food, farming, health, activism, and beyond. Young people can build their organic vision for the future at the children and teens conferences. Keynote speakers are Leah Penniman, food justice activist and farmer at Soul Fire Farm, and André Leu, international organic agronomist and President of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. Scholarships, work exchange and group discounts are available. www.nofasummerconference.org.
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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