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.

Upcoming Events at UUCW

Church Closed Tuesday March 14

Due to today's severe weather, all activities at the church have been cancelled, and the church office is closed. For up to date information about church closings and meeting cancellations, please call the church at 508-853-1942 and select option 4. Closings will also be placed on the church Facebook page. Please click here if you would like to see the Church closing policy.

Jennifer Landry, Office Administrator

A Message from Iron Blimp!

To all our fans!! Remember to return your pledge form by March 19! For more information on this year's pledge drive or to use an online pledge form go to www.uucworcester.org/donate.

ROCK ON!!

"Iron Blimp" accepts accolades during service on Stewardship Sunday, March 5, 2017. The band consisted of the Rev. Aaron Payson and members of the Stewardship Committee John Odell, Cristina Heffernan,
and Dave Schowalter.

Rev. Aaron Payson

LGBTQI Affirming & Welcoming Congregations Summit

Thursday, March 16, 7 pm

UUCW Fellowship Hall

UUCW is sponsoring a summit of local congregations who are LGBTQI welcoming/affirming to discuss current ministries, and to begin to discuss ways of cooperating in the future. The second of two meetings will be held on Thursday, March 16 @ 7 pm. Questions to begin the conversation include:

What is your communities mission/story related to ministry with the LGBTQI community;
What is the state of current efforts in your congregation regarding LGBTQI ministry; and,
What are the unmet needs/future issues that we face in this work?

This is a first attempt to bring congregations from across various faith-traditions together to talk about ministry with and to the LGBTQI community. Please contact Denise Darrigrand or Rev. Aaron Payson if you'd like to join us for either of these meetings.

Rev. Aaron Payson

Shintaido class Saturday March 18, 1:30 to 2:30 - Fellowship Hall

Come and enjoy an hour of mindful movement designed to help bring the body , mind and spirit into harmony. Wear loose comfortable clothing. Hope to see you there.

Any questions call Joe Zawielski 508 798 8638.

Joe Zawielski

Plug-in Electric Car Event - April 1, noon - 3 pm

Please click here to download a copy of this flyer.

Craig Van Batenburg

Annual All-Church Photo - April 9

Our annual all-church photo will be taken on Sunday, April 9 2017, immediately after church. We'd love it if you'd be there!

Betty Jenewin

Climate Action Meetings in Washington DC

APRIL 27: EDUCATION REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE

APRIL 28: LOBBYING

APRIL 29: MARCH

If you are interested in going, all the information you need is here:

http://www.eldersclimateactionday.org/

People attending from Cambridge/Boston are arranging their own transportation and lodging.

If you intend to go and are interested in car pooling or travelling with others from UUCW, contact Steve Ober at steven.p.ober@gmail.com. Include your name, email, phone #, and interest in car-pooling. Steve will then recirculate the list to all who respond so you can connect and make plans.

Steve Ober

Women's Weekend is Coming!
April 28 - May 1

~ Runaway Women of the UUCW ~

We have 6 weeks to go until our weekend away in Rockport.

Twelve women have registered (yeah!) and we have 11 beds left.

We plan to open registration to family, friends,

and women from other UU Congregations soon.

Secure your spot now!

2017 Rates:

$ 158 Quad - 2nd floor, private entrance, 2 bedrooms with 2 beds each, one shared bath)

$ 174 Double - Main House or Carriage House

$ 204 Single - Main House

These rates include:

~ Friday afternoon 4/28/2017 to Monday morning 5/1/2017, or any part thereof.

~Breakfast and Dinner on Saturday,

~Breakfast and Lunch on Sunday,

~Breakfast on Monday .

Please make checks out to the Linden Tree Inn,

and send, with specific information*, to Ruth Silver at:

71 Angell Brook Drive

West Boylston, MA 01583

*1) food allergies/preferences

*2) accommodation/roommate requests (not required)

This is a special annual weekend for UUCW women to pamper ourselves and enjoy each other's company in beautiful accommodations right in the heart of Rockport on Cape Ann.

Please email Claire for more information.

First timers are urged and encouraged to join us!

Claire Breyton

Current News at UUCW

Joys and Sorrows

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Sue Whitney (wife of Bob Whitney). Sue died at St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester on Monday morning this week, following a brief illness. She was surrounded in her final hours by her beloved husband and children. A Memorial Service is being planned for Saturday, May 6 at 11 am at UUCW. More details will be shared in the coming weeks. Notes of sympathy can be shared with Bob at whitsuebob@charter.net.

Rev. Aaron Payson

Pasta Dinner Thanks!

Many thanks to Dianne & Kim Mann, Paul & Diane Vigneau, Ken Bayse and Debbie Merrill and Kristen Payson for the wonderful Gourmet Pasta Dinner last week. The pasta and sauces were extraordinary! We raised about $300 toward the church fundraising goal!

Rev. Aaron Payson

News from the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry

We have been very busy these days keeping an eye on what might happen to State and Federal Funds for our clients. Many of our folks rely on our Pantry and the SNAP Program (formerly known as Food Stamps) to meet their daily nutritional needs. Last month clients at the Pantry had the opportunity to write on paper plates a message to the U.S. Congress what these programs mean to them. The plates were taken by representatives of the Worcester County Food Bank to Washington, D.C. last week. Representative Jim McGovern, who visited the Pantry last fall, read from those plates in an address last week. Thank you to Congressman McGovern for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hungry in our Country. Here's a link to the speech he made last week:

Dianne Mann

Parish Services is Looking for New Blood!

Parish Services is a group within the church that meets once a month to discuss people in need in our church community. We then arrange with volunteers to do things such as cook meals, give rides, write sympathy cards, etc. It's a great group of people but we have recently lost some key members and are looking for a few more people to join us. We would love to have you! If you are interested please contact either Susan Crossley (scrossley930@gmail.com) or Denise Darrigrand (ddarrigrand@gmail.com). Thanks!

Denise Darrigrand

Winter Heating Protocol

As we move toward the coldest part of the Winter, please note that the church heating system is governed by scheduled space usage. The church is heated in zones, which are preset each week depending on the usage schedule. When a zone is scheduled to be unoccupied the temperature will be a maximum of 55 degrees, when heated it is set to 68 degrees. Please make certain to submit requests for building usage at least a week in advance and check the main schedule in the front hallway near Fellowship Hall to determine which space has been scheduled. If you have any problems with the heating system, please call 508-853-1942 x 108 immediately.

UUCW Staff

Touchstone Monthly Theme
March Theme - Balance
March 14 - 20

March 14: "Without balance, a life is no longer worth the effort." ~ Olen Steinhauer

March 15: "True stability results when presumed order and presumed disorder are balanced. A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed." ~ Tom Robbins

March 16: "Value is not made of money, but a tender balance of expectation and longing." ~ Barbara Kingsolver

March 17: "There are those wonderful moments of clarity in life when one is reminded how irreparably flawed we humans are. Once, when I was nineteen, on the subway in Boston I lost my balance slightly and bumped into an elderly woman. I quickly apologized and she replied, "Well, hold on to something, stupid." There it is. That's it. That's it in a nutshell." ~ Paula Poundstone

March 18: "Food is an important part of a balanced diet." ~ Fran Lebowitz

March 19: "But it seemed to me that this was the way we all lived: full to the brim with gratitude and joy one day, wrecked on the rocks the next. Finding the balance between the two was the art and the salvation." ~ Elizabeth Berg

March 20: "The re-establishment of an ecological balance depends on the ability of society to counteract the progressive materialization of values. " ~ Ivan Illich

Rev. Aaron Payson

Fundraising News

Reminders about Fundraising!

Amazon Smile Shopping Reminder

Just a reminder - if you shop on Amazon there is an opportunity to earn money for the church. Just go to Amazon Smile and select the church as a place where Amazon will provide a contribution based on what you buy. We get a percentage of your total purchase. Even if you are using Amazon Prime it will still kick in but you have to go to Amazon Smile at the outset. Thanks - every little bit helps!

Denise Darrigrand

Photo of the Week

The Rev. Aaron Payson delivers the sermon "You Are The Salt of the Earth" during the service on Sunday, March 12, 2017.

Religious Exploration and Education at UUCW

RE News for March 19, 2017

Robin Mitzcavitch , Director of Religious Exploration

Sunday News

Weekly Worship

Sunday, March 19, 2017 - 10 am

New Member Ceremony -
Sunday, March 26

Sunday March 26, 2017 will our next New Member Sunday. On New Member Sunday those who would like to become members of the congregation are invited to participate in a ceremony during the 10 am worship service during which participants sign the membership book and are welcomed formally by the congregation. Participation in this ceremony is not a requirement for membership. Anyone who wishes to become a member may do so by inquiring with the Minister or Denise Darrigrand, Membership Chair, and may sign the membership book in private.

Thoughts On Membership

We are changed by any community we choose to join. Becoming a member of UUCW is about making a commitment to support and shape this congregation; it is also about opening yourself to be shaped within the context of this community.

Why Join?

Joining the church is a formal sign of commitment to our community. With it goes an understanding of both service and financial support, as you are able, to our community. It means lending your energy and talents to grow our young people, care for our elders, fight for our beliefs and passions, laugh together, cry together, and mark our transitions together. It buoys and strengthens the community-and that means each and every member-to know that we share a common bond.

Membership allows you to be a voting member on concerns vital to our church community. At Annual Meeting members vote to approve a budget, to accept new leaders, and to change by-laws affecting our governance. Historically our members have voted on important congregational questions such as whether to offer two services on Sundays, to install the rainbow window or to change the size of our Board of Management.

Path to Membership

While there are no formal tests to becoming a member of this church, we encourage you to follow this path.

Get to know us by attending worship services, fellowship events, classes and other programs.
Participate in a Deepening Conversation with a Member Services committee member.
Attend a New U class to meet other newcomers and learn about Unitarian Universalist history and principles, our ministry programs and the responsibilities and benefits of membership.
Set up an appointment with the minister.
Discuss with us the amount of financial support you expect to be able to give the church for the remainder of the current fiscal cycle.

If you are interested in becoming a member on March 26, please contact Rev. Aaron Payson no later than Thursday, Wednesday, March 22.

Rev. Aaron Payson

Announcing 2017 Wolfson Award

Recipient and Lecturer

The UUCW Wolfson Lecture Committee is pleased to announce that Maria Greene, Executive Director of the UU Huumanists has been chosen as this year's Dr. Irving & Anabel Wolfson Award Recipient and Lecturer. This year's lecture will take place on Sunday, April 2 during the 10 am Worship service with a reception to following in Fellowship Hall.

Ms. Greene's lecture is entitled, "Humanism and Unitarian Universalism: Better Together". She writes, "Recent events have convinced me that the world needs more of what we UUs have. Humanism is a positive lifestance that puts the responsibility for progress into human hands. We UUs are not all Humanists, but we do share the same humanistic values and the same appreciation for diversity and difference. The UU embrace of Humanism sets it apart from other liberal religions and its time for us to proudly proclaim and celebrate our welcome of all. Differences in metaphysics pale in importance to the need to provide support and hope as we navigate through challenging times together."

Maria Greene has contributed articles related to Humanism to the American Humanist Association, to the UUHA's journal "Religious Humanism" and the UUHA blog, and she has a chapter in the recently published book from Skinner House, "Humanist Voices in Unitarian Universalism". Ms. Greene is also a computer programmer with a degree in Computer Science from Brown University. Ms. Greene and her family currently reside in Acton, MA, where they are members of the First Parish Church of Stow & Acton.

Rev. Aaron Payson

HosT Coffee Hour News

The HosT coffee hour team thank all the many church teams, groups, and committees who have signed up to HosT coffee hour this year!

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!

Date	Group on deck for hosting	Hospitality Team Contact
March 19	Coming of Age Class	Robin Mitzcavitch
March 26	Parish Service Committee	Ruth Silver
April 2	Humanists Group	Nancy Hancock

Nancy Hancock

Ongoing Meetings

Lunch With The Minister - Wednesday, April 5 at Noon - Lounge

Join us Wednesday, April 5, 2017 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. All are welcome to enjoy conversation with Aaron and friends. We often bring up a topic of interest. The Reader's Unite Afternoon book group meets following lunch.

Standing On The Side of Love Task Force - Sunday, March 19, 11:45 am

The SSL Task Force will meet following service on Sunday in Classroom 2. Please join us to discuss ongoing efforts to respond to the peace and justice challenges we currently face in our community, country and world.

Hooks and Needles Group - 2nd & 4th Monday, noon - 2 pm, Meeting Room 3

This group will be meeting on the second and fourth Monday of each month from noon - 2 pm in Meeting Room 3. Bring your projects - knitting, crochet, cross stitch, quilting, to work on. Want to learn a needlecraft? We will be happy to teach you. Next meeting on March 27. Please join us!

Men's Group Meeting -March 24, 7 - 9 pm, Fellowship Hall

The UUCW Men's Group meets on the fourth Friday of the month in Classroom 1 (Across from Aaron's Office) from 7pm to 9pm. All who consider themselves male are welcome. The Men's Group is a community of men that help and support each other. The meetings are confidential and are an opportunity for men to share their thoughts and opinions in a respectful conversation. No food will be served, but ...continue reading

Please Click Here to view the UUCW Google Calendar

Community News

Katherine A. Henry '86 Memorial Health Lecture Series, Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Program College of the Holy Cross

"All the Fright We Cannot See: Recognizing and Responding to Trauma in Children and Health"

Lecturer: Heather C. Forkey, M.D.

Location: Rehm Library, Holy Cross College

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Time: 4:00 PM

Expanding evidence links the early experience of trauma with subsequent impacts on health, development, academic achievement, and mental illness. Thankfully, childhood experience is not destiny, yet research indicates that trauma should be identified and addressed early for best outcomes. This can pose a challenge, as children are not just "little adults". Even engaged and careful observers may miss the symptoms in children, which can mimic other common physical and mental health issues. How we can harness new research to support children and youth to prevent and/or recognize the effect of trauma will be explored. This will include implications for those who care for children - from caregivers and clinicians to administrators and advocates. We will also talk about how this work can impact those who take it on: the risks of secondary trauma and the joys of impacting futures.

Heather Forkey, MD is the Chief of the Child Protection Program and Director for the Foster Children Evaluation Service at the UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine. A pioneer in the specialized medical care for children in foster care, she has been a member of the UMass faculty since 2004, and has cared for children in Worcester exposed to abuse and neglect for more than a decade. A vocal advocate on both the local and national level for the appropriate care of children who have been exposed to adversity, Dr. Forkey has been instrumental in changing the medical culture and practice of care for children who have experienced trauma.

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