The UUCW Message
May 31, 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. 

CLICK HERE for copy of Proposed Budget.

CLICK HERE for a copy of the Annual Report Booklet.


Submitted,
Board of Management, Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester
Upcoming Events at UUCW
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/u3UGIJ4Rh3We 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
Refugee MinistryRefugeeMinistry

Approximately two months ago a group of interested members of our Congregation met with Ascentria Social Services which is an agency that assists refugees in settling in Central Massachusetts.  A number of Churches throughout the area have agreed to assist individual families and we are so glad to be part of that effort.  Here's what we can tell you about our family at this point.  Ascende is the single mother of her five children.  Last week, Susan Crossley and Marilyn Martin met Ascende for the first time to get to know her a little and assess her needs and how we can help her.  In addition to cultural acclimation, English tutoring and tutoring for her children, one thing she will need help with is transportation to medical appointments for herself and her children, trips to the grocery store, laundromat, etc. 
 
We are looking for a few donated car seats for the youngest children.  One child is 16 months and is somewhat large for a child that age.  He weighs approximately 30 pounds.  This should be a rear-facing car seat.  The other child is 6 years old so a regular car seat should be adequate for him.  Please note that car seats have an expiration date.
 
If you have a car seat that you are willing to donate, contact:  Dianne Mann at (508) 963-0183 or djmann@charter.net
 
And if you are interested in hearing more about this ministry, contact anyone on the team:  June Davenport, Ruth Silver, Joan McGinn, Marilyn Martin, Hermes Baez, Christine Lynch, Susan Crossley, Denise Darrigrand, Dianne Mann or Beth Posner-Waldron.

Dianne Mann
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 
 
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
June Theme - Power
May 31 - June 6 TchstnQuotes
 

May 31: "I wish that there were more of a focus on [conversations about theology and beliefs] because I've been personally really struggling with it....
" ~ UU Youth, 2005
 
June 1: "Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power." ~ John Steinbeck
 
June 2: "I tell my students, ...if you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab-bag candy game." ~ Toni Morrison
 
June 3: "We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly." ~ Margaret Atwood
 
June 4: "Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." ~ Norman Vincent Peale
 
June 5: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." ~ Marianne Williamson
 
June 6: "With great power... comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later." ~ Rick Riordan



Religious Education News
RE News For June 5, 2016
RENews 

Dear Families,
 
Have you registered for RE 2016/17 yet?   Thank you for REGISTERING HERE!  Look for an email for where I have plugged you into our cooperative teaching and assistant calendar.  It takes a village of helping hands and loving hearts to bring our Religious Exploration and educational experience to the children and teens of UUCW.  Thank you all for being a part!!
 
Save the dates:
  • This Sunday, June 5th -  We have RE Fun Day and honor Aaron on his 25th year ordained..
  • Sunday June 12th- RE Sunday Service and picnic afterward!   Come help us say thank you to our wonderful RE teachers, Youth Group Advisors,  Nursery and Spirit Play helpers!  + say so- long  for now to our graduates and to Beau Rivers.
 
We had a fun, educational, and heartwarming day this past Sunday:  Bee Friendly Sunday and Memorial Day Sunday, and opening day at our IHN Family Shelter Hosting Week.  Please check out some pictures from the day and all the great things that happened with our RE kids.


        
Bee Friendly Sunday



Yellow Ribbons to Honor Those on Memorial Day



  
Youth Group Hosts a Cookout at IHN Shelter


Sunday June 5th - RE Fun Day
        
10 am - All begin in the sanctuary and will be dismissed to fellowship hall .  Hoping for great weather for outdoor games and activities...but either way, we will have nothing but fun . I'll speak to the children about the things they have enjoyed about RE this year and what they'd love to explore next year!!
 
6 - 8 pm - Youth Group Bridging.   Families of bridging YG seniors are invited to the first ½ hour-  in the sanctuary.  Then Youth Group conducts it's special ceremony from 6:45-8pm.  Post YG Graduates-  Please arrive at 6:45!!


  
Robin Mitzcavitch, Director of Religious Education
Sunday News
 

Aaron's 25th Ordination Anniversary - Sunday, June 5, 2016 - Baking Goodies for the Celebration!AaronOrdin

This year it has been 25 years since Aaron was ordained as a UU minister. To celebrate the occasion we will have a short event during the service this Sunday, and at coffee hour we're hoping folks can bring baked goodies for coffee hour. Also help with set up and clean up would be appreciated. If you won't have time to bake, maybe you know someone else who would like to bake but may miss this message, and maybe you could reach out to them and ask. Or, I have another idea for a way you could contribute your energy to the celebration. Send me a note, or call or text me.

Thanks - Mara 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 29Members & Friends of UUCWJudy Savage
June 5Hospitality TeamRuth Silver
June 12Annual Church Picnic
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.

Join the evening book group on June 15th (the 3rd Wednesday of the month for June only) at 7:00 in the Lounge to discuss Margaret Atwood's class dystopian tale of a future U.S. where women are not allowed to read (along with a multitude of other restrictions) and their sole purpose is to be a vessel of procreation. This is one of those life-changing books.  At a minimum, it will ...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.
 
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 


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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