The UUCW Message
March 21, 2017
In This Issue




Office Notes and Flyers
 
 


Office Hours
(Sept 6, 2016 - 
June 29, 2017):
Mon, Tues, Wed: 
9 am - 3 pm
Thursday 9 am - 2 pm 
 
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
CORRSurveyMessage from the Committee on Right Relations
(AKA Committee on Ministry) 
 
Due to changes in responsibilities for the Board along with that of Minister and Leadership for the congregation (as outlined in the current Governance Experiment), the Committee on Ministry has recognized that much of what has been the responsibility of the committee have now been taken on by the Board.
 
Over the past couple of years, COM has been reviewing the feasibility of transitioning to a Committee on Right Relations or "CORR". There has been a movement within the larger Unitarian Universalist community to have a formal body that can help organizations with the difficult task of transforming congregational behavior and emotional systems.
 
During this exploratory stage, the members of COM have been discussing what this transition would look like, and what would be our role for helping members of our congregation.  Last October we attended a workshop in Barnstable presented by the UUA of New England called Living into Right Relations. We gathered additional information to help guide us through the transition, but what we learned most of all was that we are on the right track and already ahead of the curve when compared to other congregations.
 
Over the next several months, our committee will roll out more information and will communicate what we learn with the congregation. But we are going to need your help. Our first task which we are starting today is to ask you to spend some time over the next few weeks to think about our existing Covenant of Right Relations (The Covenant is listed on the sidebar of this email). As with many policies in place in different organizations, many of us are aware the covenant is in place and, while most of us live this covenant, we probably haven't paid much attention to it.
 
Our goal is to make our covenant a living document. Our community does not have a test of faith, but we do have a social contract in the covenant. Beginning this week as part of the Nugget, we will be adding one line item of our covenant per week for you to reflect on. We are also asking for input from you on each one, asking for your experiences and observations. Your responses will be confidential and the information will be shared anonymously. At future meetings the committee will discuss the comments and share with the congregation some of what we have learned.
 
 
At coffee hour, in the coming weeks, the committee will have a table where you can talk to one of the members about your experiences and thoughts regarding our Covenant. We welcome any comments and questions. Additionally you can email any member of the Committee at the addresses below.  
 
Thank you for your time.
 

Righteous Women of the UUCW - April 1, 4 - 7 pm  Women
 
Lynsey Heffernan has offered to host our next gathering of *Righteous Women of UUCW*.  This is an informal social gathering of UUCW women.  There will be appetizers, drinks, and sparkling conversation with other UUCW ladies.  It will be held Saturday April 1 from 4PM - 7PM.  Feel free to bring a snack to share, but it is not required.  25 Wachusett Ave Shrewsbury MA 01545.  Please let Maya  and/or Lynsey know if you are coming. 
Plug-in Electric Car Event - April 1, noon - 3 pm  ElecCar
Annual All-Church Photo - April 9  AllChurchPhoto
 
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!

Climate Action Meetings in Washington DC  Ober
 
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:
 
 
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.

Women's Weekend is Coming!
April 28 - May 1  WomensWeekend
 
~ Runaway Weekend in Rockport ~

We have 5 weeks to go until our weekend away in Rockport.

Most single rooms have been spoken for; doubles and the quad are still available.
We will open registration to family, friends,and women from other congregations next week, 3/27.
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:  
Lodging from 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!
 
Current News at UUCW
Winter Heating Protocol  HeatArticle
 
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.
    
Touchstone Monthly Theme
March Theme - Balance
March 21 - 27TchstnQuotes


  
March 21: "At the heart of science is an essential balance between two seemingly contradictory attitudes-an openness to new ideas, no matter how bizarre or counterintuitive they may be, and the most ruthless skeptical scrutiny of all ideas, old and new. This is how deep truths are winnowed from deep nonsense." ~ Carl Sagan
 
March 22: "Do not imagine that the good you intend will balance the evil you perform." ~ Norman Mac Donald
 
March 23: "I want to caution you against the idea that balance has to be a routine that looks the same week in and week out." ~ Kevin Thoman
 
March 24: "War is a time out of balance. When it is truly over, we must work to restore peace and sacred harmony once again." ~ Joseph Bruchac
 
March 25: "The balance of your personality is your temperament, all the biologically based tendencies that contribute to your consistent patterns of feeling, thinking and behaving." ~ Helen Fisher
 
March 26: "Life had taught him about something far more complicated than justice. Its name was balance." ~ Carsten Jensen
 
March 27: "I survive by finding the sweet spot between reason and unreason, between the rational and irrational." ~ Dean Koontz
                  
Fundraising News
Reminders about Fundraising! 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!  
 
Photos of the Week WeeklyPhoto
Carrick McCullough plays the piano at the beginning of the annual Youth Group Service on Sunday, March 19, 2017.


Members of the Youth Group perform the skit Strength In Unity during the annual Youth Group Service on Sunday, March 19, 2017.


Mary Hart sings Lean on Me during the annual Youth Group Service on Sunday, March 19, 2017.


People dance to the song All You Need Is Love as played by Carrick McCoullough during the annual Youth Group Service on Sunday, March 19, 2017.
 

Members of the Youth group take a bow following the annual Youth Group Service on Sunday, March 19, 2017.
 
   
  
Religious Exploration and Education at UUCW
RE News for March 26, 2017 RENews 

 
Robin Mitzcavitch , Director of Religious Exploration
 
Sunday News 
Weekly Worship WeeklyWrsp
Sunday, March 26, 2017 - 10 am
NewMem
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.
Announcing 2017 Wolfson Award 
Recipient and LecturerWolfson
 
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.
HosT Coffee Hour News HosT
 
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 26 Parish Service Committee Ruth Silver 
April 2 Humanists Group Nancy Hancock 
April 9 Loaves & Fishes
Food Pantry 		Nancy Hancock 
 
   SermonArchive
 
Ongoing Meetings Ongoing

 

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. 

 

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!

 

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

   

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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  Please Click Here to view or download this flyer. 

 
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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