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News & Events
October 18, 2016
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The deadline for newsletter submissions to this enews is noon on the Monday before Tuesday publication.
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The Rev. Sarah C. Stewart
Sarah is typically in the office on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00am to 4:30pm; Friday 10:00am to 2:00pm. To schedule an appointment please call the church at 508-757-2708, ext. 107. She can also be reached at
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Prudential Committee Listening Session
This Sunday, Oct. 23 at noon in the chapel
Now that we have adopted our new mission statement, how will we we live up to its aspirations? How will we know if we are suceeding? These two questions guided the PruComm in a daylong retreat last June, and lead to the creation of PruComm's goals for itself and for the congregation from now until 2020.
Come to a listening session with the Prudential Committee this Sunday after church to learn more about these goals, and to talk with others about how we can all become involved in the sacred work of living out our mission.
John Mirick will also be presenting a summary of the On-Site insight, our capital needs assessment and replacement needs analysis.
We hope to see you on Sunday (10/23) at noon in the Chapel.
Ellen Foley and Wendy Innis
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Most of us do not look up at the steeple soaring overhead when we come to worship on Sunday or to participate in programs at the church. Our steeple is a welcoming beacon that we take for granted - but from time to time it needs work. Under the leadership of Scott Hayman in 2015, your Building and Grounds Committee had the steeple inspected. It's in pretty good shape - but it needed immediate work on the 8 windows in the "lantern" immediately below the spire.
During the summer, the windows were removed, re-glazed, painted, and reinstalled. They look great!
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Voices Among Us
Fourth Monday of the Month
October 24
Other voices and visions offer ideas that help guide us throughout our lives. Their messages can suggest direction and meaning. Some among us have been sharing ideas at our summer worship. Now it continues. Come for the potluck at 6 PM and/or the program from 7-8 PM in the Chapel.
Monday, October 24
Gini Johnson invites us to imaginatively explore the obstacles and
possibilities for us to play a role in achieving our country's great vision. Probably every day you handle a dollar bill with the motto E Pluribus Unum carried in the beak of the eagle. It translates "From Many, One or Out of Many, One". This alludes to the union between the states and federal government. Perhaps more importantly for us, E Pluribus Unum describes an action: Many uniting into one.
Upcoming: November 28, Ken Mandile; January 23, Jay Lavelle;
February 27, Steve Knox; March 27, Lee Bona
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UU Sisterhood Monthly Potluck Dinner & Program
Please join us for the next UU Sisterhood Monthly Potluck Dinner and Program on Friday, October 21.
We will start the evening with our usual potluck dinner starting at 6:00pm. All women of the church are encouraged to attend, please bring a dish and drink to share. Our own Lorna Pezanelli will bring us a program that she has developed entitled, "Women of the 18th Century in Colonial America." Click here for more details.
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Stewardship Orientation
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 6pm
Come find out more about Stewardship at First Unitarian Church! Join us for a Stewardship Orientation on Wed Oct 26th. Sign up here and let us know if you need childcare in order to attend. At this orientation, you'll join other members and friends over dinner to learn more about our stewardship goals for this year, both in terms of financial support and in terms of connection. At the end of the orientation, you'll have the chance to sign up to visit members and friends of your choice to talk to them about their connection to First Unitarian Church, and to invite them to pledge for the 2017 church year.
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Court Hill Chamber Music Series in Full Swing
A small but appreciative audience offered standing ovations to international artist Liana Paniyeva last Saturday night. A virtuoso program including Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff filled the sanctuary.
The next program is Friday Oct 28 7PM by our own Coriolis Winds.
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It was a busy summer for the Refugee Circle! In July, eight-year old Vanessa had surgery for a cochlear implant, which went well. The Circle is now working with Olive to get her placed in an appropriate educational environment. We are hoping, with the help of an evaluation from the Boston Children's Hospital, to have her transferred to the Framingham Learning Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Vanessa now has an advocate from the Mass Commission for the Deaf for Vanessa, and we all continue to navigate the various social systems for additional support and resources. Other news: Olive has been working part-time at FedEx, Jordy is now in pre-school, and Angela is still in day care.
Over the summer we realized a need to revisit our goals and role in Olive's life. Through that process we created a mission statement for ourselves: "We are committing to assisting Olive to meet her own goals, for herself and her family, in a relationship of mutual respect, openness, and honesty, and with an ethic of caring and compassion."
Click here to find out more and how you can help
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The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola is a spiritual development retreat that has been used around the world for close to 500 years by people of many faith traditions. Jesse Anderson has participated in the retreat several times and is embarking on his next stage of the journey as a retreat director.
The version of The Exercises that he will lead spans approximately 30 weeks. Participants will be asked to commit to a weekly meeting with Jesse as well as some 30-60 minutes per day in prayer and meditation. To remain honest to the source and nature of The Exercises, Christian imagery and literature will be used, but participants are not expected to express Christian belief. Participants will need to purchase a copy of Fr. Kevin O'Brien's "The Ignatian Adventure," available on Amazon for about $10.
The retreat would start the week of October 30 and run through the end of May. There are a limited number of positions available. For more information or to express interest, please contact Deb Levering (dlevering@firstunitarian.com) or Jesse Anderson (jmanderson@charter.net).
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First Unitarian Sunday Readers Sign Up
Rev. Sarah Stewart is inviting members and friends to sign up to read the scripture passage during the service every Sunday. That same person (with their family, if they want) could light the chalice at the beginning of the service. Sign up to be the reader on an upcoming Sunday here or at the Welcome table in the Bancroft Room after services. (Note: You do not have to register for a SignUpGenius account to sign up to be a Sunday Reader, just skip that question in the sign-up process.)
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Is Your Name Listed Here??
Your name tag has been waiting for you at the Welcome Table. It needs you.
Chris Bates, Heather Brook, Sarah Carlson, Susan Chlapowski, Jennifer Daly, Cathy Dunphy, Edward Fernald, John Fronczek, Karin Goins, Michelle Goodrich, Lydie Guilbert, Jessica Miraski, Matthew Mullaney, Kate Mullaney, Tatiana Mullaney, Mariel Njuguna, Alison Barrows Ronn, Amy Sands, Jim Savage, Clara Savage, Maureen Seith, Cynthia Steil, Gil Steil, Michael Taylor, Bret Thompson,
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Dear Friends of the Garden,
Please join us for a fall garden clean up on Saturday, November 5th from 9:00 to noon. All are welcome for a morning of brisk outdoor fun! We will rake leaves, cut down perennials, pull a few weeds, maybe throw down some mulch and get the gardens ready for their long winter sleep. We have some garden tools at church but suggest you bring gloves and your favorite hand tools. We will supply coffee, cider and snacks. We have some great gardeners in this church, if you are a beginning gardener this is a wonderful opportunity to work alongside and learn from them. (rain date Nov. 12)
Your garden co-chairs Marjorie Connelly and Mary McAlister
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Pete Seeger Songfest - Jim Scott Remembers Pete in Song
7:00 PM, Sunday November 6
First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St. in Worcester
At 7:00 PM Sunday November 6, in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church, folk singer Jim Scott will hold a Pete Seeger Songfest as a benefit concert for the Center for Nonviolent Solutions. Suggested donation for the concert is $20 for adults and $10 for students.
The Center for Nonviolent Solutions is a non-profit organization that provides education and resources to help people in the Worcester area to understand nonviolence and peacemaking as a way of life and to reject the use of violence in resolving conflict. The center teaches middle school and high school students how to resolve conflicts peacefully through mutual respect, empathy cultivation, active listening and peer mediation. The center also provides training in peace-building skills to teachers and youth workers, and provides instruction in the history of successful nonviolent movements in the modern world.
Click here for more information.
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Sermon Discussions
In the Chapel - noon to 1pm
Begining November 6
Join our minister, the Rev. Sarah Stewart, once a month after church for a discussion of that Sunday's sermon. Bring your coffee to the Chapel on the first Sunday of every month for a chance to engage the sermon topic with other members and friends of First Unitarian Church. This is a chance for you to share what the sermon meant for you, how you are dealing with the spiritual issues it raises for you, and to listen to your fellow First Unitarians share what is meaningful to them. Dates: Nov. 6, Dec. 4, Jan. 8, Feb. 5, Mar. 5, Apr. 2, May 7, June 4.
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Early Bird Coffee & Conversation
Before worship on Sunday morning some friendly folks can be found enjoying coffee and conversation in the dining room. They gather around 9:30 a.m. or a wee bit later. That's when the coffee is ready. So, show up, pull up a chair, join some talkers and help warm the place with enjoyable chatter on range of subjects. In the joyful rush for coffee and treats after worship, the busy atmosphere can inhibit opportunities to get to know others more deeply. Early bird coffee is one way to engage with friendly people. Church school teachers, those on church committees or in leadership roles are encouraged to show up periodically and converse with those gathered.
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Community News and Events
UU Mass Action Newsletter - click here for October 3 Action Update.
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Important First U Links -
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