|
What Does It Mean to Be a People of Simplicity?
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent.
It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move
in the opposite direction. ~ E. F. Schumacher
Courage. It's not your typical place to begin. But maybe that's good. It reminds us of what we already know but too often forget: there is nothing simple about simplicity.
Indeed, to talk of simplicity requiring courage reminds us that the work of this month is not just about reduction, but confrontation. Yes, editing our To Do Lists and eliminating clutter from our lives is part of it, but the deeper challenge involves rejecting our culture's values and attributions of worth. To be a people of simplicity is not just about saying yes to sunsets, walks in the woods, and more dinners with those we love. It's also about saying no to status and society's affirmation. And that most certainly requires bravery.
And not just bravery -- but honesty, too. It's not just society that celebrates status, stuff, and overscheduled lives; we cling to them as well. The busyness of our lives is not just overwhelming; it's also seductive. Overscheduled lives don't just tip us over; they tempt us. They promise us power, affirmation, and proof that we are of more worth than the one standing next to us. There is a reason we go on and on about how busy we are. We aren't just complaining; we're bragging. To be busy is to have made it. To be overcommitted is to be wanted and needed. No wonder we have such a hard time giving it all up.
And why is this frame important? Why dwell on how addictive and seductive this crazy game of chaotic living is? Well, because it reminds us that simplicity is not a single-player game. We forget this, you know. We make the work of simplifying our lives all about our own will power. We treat our cluttered houses and full calendars like our problem and challenge alone. And then we beat ourselves up for being as materialistic and status-driven as everyone else.
But the fact is no one stands outside of the status quo by themselves. No one can reject and confront a community of broken values without the promise and support of an alternative community that celebrates a different equation of "worthy living." That courage and genius of which Schumacher speaks: it's just not something any of us can pull off on our own.
That may be the most important and kindest message of this month. May we help each other remember it. Please enjoy the spiritual practices, readings, books, and movies in June's resource materials on our theme of SIMPLICITY.
May you enjoy the blessings of a simple summer season.
With love and gratitude for all the ways we share our ministry with each other and the wider world,
Barbara
Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord
(From the Soul Matters Sharing Circle in which Rev. Barbara participates.)
|
|
Worship Services - Sundays at 10:30am
|
Multigenerational Service with Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord, Sandy Frades, Mark Schwartzberg, and Candy Shirey
We will be recognizing our volunteers, enjoying a slideshow of our congregational year, and singing! We will also be saying goodbye to Rev. Tamás Tófalvi and his family from Transylvania, Romania.After Church: This shorter service will be followed by the Annual Meeting, where voting members will make decisions about the operations of our congregation. To become a voting member, please contact office@uucm.org or 603-673-1870.
June 12 - Bridging, Flower Communion, and Celebrating Summer Multigenerational Service with Rev. Barbara McKusick LiscordThis is our final 'regular' worship service of the congregational year. We will honor our youth who are graduating from high school, commission those serving as our delegates to our Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in Columbus (June 22-26), and reflect on summer spiritual practices.  Please bring a blossom to share in our annual flower communion, which began in Czechoslovakia after WWI. Rev. Norbert Capek created this service to bring uplift into the lives of his parishioners, who had suffered through the dark time of war. After Church: Come picnic together in the UUCM garden. Bring a picnic and be prepared for fun and games!
Summer Services are smaller in scale and less formal than our regular services, and are a great way to get to know others in the church community and for newcomers to ease in. We sit in a circle and the facilitator for the day starts the discussion by supplying a word, phrase, or theme, which leads to an exchange of ideas that can evolve in any direction. New this year: Some sessions will begin with a short topical video (TED talk) to inspire conversation. There's no sermon and little ritual, but there is a wonderful feeling of nurturing our spirits by sharing our joys, concerns, thoughts, and inspirations in a meaningful way and to keep our connections alive through the summer.
|
|
Lifespan Religious Education
|
|
It has been a joy working with the children and youth these past many years. I am committed to continuing to work with the RE Committee and Jamie Ferrier, our RE Administrator, throughout the summer to help set things up to run smoothly in the fall. I will then step down from the REC Chair and leave the committee by summer's end. I plan to remain involved in multigenerational worship and continue on the Worship Committee and other UUCM activities.
It has been a pleasure to serve on the RE Committee and I will miss working with you! ~ Sandy Frades, REC Chair
RE Committee: Jamie Ferrier, Sandy Frades, Erna Johnson, Emily Jones, Kim Lavine, Barbara McKusick Liscord, Debbie Maloney, Sue Olsen, Donna Ryan, and Beth Soederberg. Direct any RE inquiries to Sandy Frades, REC chair (sandyfrades@comcast.net, 603-673-2955 or cell 603-533-2995) or Jamie Ferrier, RE Administrator (office@uucm.org or 603-673-1870).
June 5:
- 10:30am: Short multigenerational service to recognize our volunteers before the annual meeting.
- 11:30am: Middle School Youth Group hike to Federal Hill fire tower. Bring a picnic lunch.
June 12:
- 10:30am: Multigenerational Bridging Ceremony and Flower Communion service
- Noon: Church Picnic
- 4pm to 8pm: Worship Workshop (for ALL) led by Kim Sweeney
The High School Youth Group will meet. Youth will be notified of time and place.June 5 11:30am: Hike to Federal Hill Fire TowerWhile the adults are at the Annual Meeting, the MSYG will hike to the fire tower (Federal Hill in Milford) for a picnic lunch. There may even be a geocache. Bring a bag lunch. Hike leaders: Scott Blanchard and Crista Burrel.Summer FunOver the summer there will be a swim at Baboosic Lake and a trip to a stable to have fun with and learn about mini-horses.
|
Many thanks to our youth, who presented an excellent worship service about their trip to New York City to work with the Youth Services Opportunity Project in various programs serving people who are homeless. Everyone particularly enjoyed each youth's personal reflections on their experiences. Special thanks to: * Kim Lavine, who helped organize the trip, and, along with her husband, Mike, donated our transportation and drove us door to door. * Our chaperones, Ellen Groh and Paul Lavertu, who, along with Rev. Barbara, slept on the floor with the youth in NYC and accompanied them to their work sites. * Al Landeck, who greeted us at UUCM when we returned on Saturday night at 9:30 with snacks and, along with Rev. Barbara, chaperoned the Saturday night overnight. Al also provided the technical expertise that allowed the youth to show pictures and play music for the worship service on Sunday morning. * Cammie and Steve Opre for providing breakfast on Sunday morning before worship -- complete with oatmeal/ice cream sundaes. None of this would have been possible without the organizational follow up by our Office and Religious Education Administrator, Jamie Ferrier, and the support of our teenagers' families and the whole congregation for their generosity at our luncheon fundraisers. Thank you.
|
UUCM  News & Activities |
If you haven't yet met Tamás and Kinga, there will be more upcoming opportunities to do so. Meanwhile, check out a video and photo albums of their visit so far on our Facebook page. May 29 - Attend this Sunday's service when Rev Tamás will participate with Rev. Barbara.
May 29 - Come to a potluck picnic right after the service. Weather permitting, we will be picnicking next door in the garden. Please contribute by bringing food to share that does not require heating - appetizers, salads, sandwiches, desserts. Help is needed for setup/cleanup. Please contact Dona Eaton at donageaton@gmail.com. June 4 - Attend a Farewell Chicken Paprikash Dinner for Rev. Tamás and Kinga hosted by the UUCM Partner Church Committee. You should have received an email invitation. Please RSVP to that or contact Peggy Stokes ( peggystokes@comcast.net or 603-321-4686). June 5 - Join us as we say farewell as a congregation on this last Sunday with the Tófalvi family. Other Opportunities: Click here to view an evolving calendar of activities planned for the Tófalvis during their visit. |
UUCM will host this very special interfaith event of songs by the community for the benefit of the community. Participants include our own UUCM choir, the First Congregational Church Choir, the Church of Our Saviour Church Choir, Acoustic Breezes, and the Anam Cara Community Singers. We can model coming together from different beliefs to serve a common cause (and have fun doing it). Contact Linda Goodman ( linda.purpleturtle@gmail.com 673-6567) for more information. |
This important congregational workshop is for EVERYONE - for worshippers, sermon seminar participants (past, present, and future), lay leaders, and the Worship and Religious Education committees.
"We are hungry for worship that directs our whole self...not just our mind, ears, or eyes. I do not believe we are looking for some nice, added extra in the form of an occasional dance or dramatic piece in worship, but a radical shift in our awareness and experience of embodiment."
- Kathryn Sparks
Join us for an exploration of the following questions and more as we consider the whys and hows of worship that moves us:
- Why do some worship services fill us up while others fall flat?
- How might we approach designing worship that leaves people of all ages with a sense that they have just experienced and been a part of something of worth?
This workshop will help us create and lead a more embodied worship experience by:
- Exploring what kinds of worship elements "work" and why.
- Deconstructing the myths about multigenerational worship.
Dinner will be provided, so please sign up (see below). Childcare is available upon request.
For more information contact: Nancy Baker, Sandy Frades, Emily Jones, Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord, Sue Olsen, and Kim Sweeney. Please sign up in Barnum Hall or contact Jamie (office@uucm.org or 603-673-1870) so we know how many to plan dinner for.
|
|
Are you getting excited about going to Ferry Beach again this year? We sure hope so! Y ou can find registration forms and a scholarship request form at Ferry Beach 2016. Please don't hesitate to ask for a scholarship if you need one to attend. This will be GREAT fun! If you have any questions, please call or email suzedesch@gmail.com
|
Thanks to all who helped, we grossed about $450 from this event.
Special thanks to:
* Linda Goodman and her business partner for donating 50% of the proceeds from the sale of clothing from the Purple Turtle - and to them and Joe Pollock for being there both Friday and Saturday to oversee the sale.
* The High School Youth Group and parents who helped move clothes from Linda's home to the church.
* Dona Eaton, who helped with the clothing sale, made coffee, baked goodies, and sold things that day.
* Susan Durham, who organized the Plant Sale and sold plants and goodies all day.
* Jeff Hoye, who collected electronic equipment for recycling and helped with cleanup after the sale.
* Those who donated plants and baked goods for us to sell.
* Sarah Brown, Dona Eaton, Jamie Ferrier, Sandy Frades, Barbara Lavoli, and Betty Sweeney, who sold their items at the yard sale.
* SHARE volunteers, who came afterwards and took some of the leftover clothes for the SHARE Clothing Barn.
|
There will be two newsletters this summer - early July and mid/late August. Deadlines are June 20 and August 10. Send submissions to news@uucm.org. |
Summer hours might vary somewhat, so check the website or, even better, call ahead (603-673-1870) to be sure the church will be open when you plan to stop by. |
The past months have been busy for WITT, which supports women upon release from the Women's Prison in Goffstown. We have provided more than 40 rides since January, and a support group is underway. Two clients have received laptop computers that were donated to WITT. Training for drivers is ongoing. For more information, see the WITT brochure. If you are interested in becoming a WITT volunteer, contact one of the co-facilitators, Donna Ryan or Linda Pellerin.
|
|
Just ONCE this year! Give it a try! (You might like it.)
Volunteer at the Nashua Soup Kitchen
Every month we need 3 volunteers to help Meghan Hoye (424-3431 or meghan_jeff@comcast.net) serve Sunday lunch at the Nashua Soup Kitchen. When: 2nd Sunday of every month (next on June 12) Time: 10:30am-2:30pm Duties: Setup, simple food prep, serving, cleanup Who: Adults and youth 14 and older (accompanied by a responsible adult) Learn more: Talk to an NSK volunteer: John & Marty Miller, Jeff Hoye, Marti Kennedy, Dona Eaton, Barbara Coan Click here to volunteer for one or more Sundays. Thanks so much!
|
, 5:30-6:30pm (Third Wednesday Every Month)
Our suppers are becoming ever more popular! To learn more or to join the pool of volunteers, please contact Nancy Danzinger, UUCM Community Supper Coordinator, (ndanzinger@comcast.net, 673-9561), Barbara Smith (673-6629, brbsmith@me.com), or Dona Eaton (donageaton@gmail.com, 673-7526).
|
|
Greater UU Community Events
|
June 22-26 - Columbus, OHThis year's theme is "Heart Land: Where Faiths Connect". Read all about it online, including how to watch live-streaming and how to participate from afar.
|
Sundays, June 28 to August 21 - 11am at Peterborough UUNo one will be offended if you come to UUCM's summer services and leave 5 minutes early to catch world class speakers on a variety of topics at the Lyceum. (Or, if you prefer, you can hear the programs rebroadcast on NHPR the following Sunday at 10pm.) Live programs begin at 11:00am and run for an hour or slightly longer. A reception follows in the Parish Hall. Presentations are free, but donations are accepted. Parking is available next to the church, courtesy of People's United Bank, and the church is wheelchair accessible.Visit www.monadnocklyceum.org/ for the complete schedule and details about each week's speaker and topic.
|
August 26-28 - Salem, MAJoin UU Pagans from across the country 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. Got questions? Contact convocation organizer and CUUPS Board of Trustee member Jerrie Hildebrand at kishhilde@comcast.net.
|
|
Keep for future reference!
Monthly newsletter - 20th of the month - Send to NEWS@UUCM.ORG
Newsletter exceptions: No July deadline; August 10
Weekly update - Every Monday - Send to OFFICE@UUCM.ORG |
|
May: Barbara Smith, 603-673-6629, brbsmith@mac.com
June: Audrey Fraizer, 603-345-9809, fraizer@myfairpoint.net
July: Anne Rainey, annerainey@comcast.net
July 13 - 15 Marti Kennedy, mamamarti@mac.com
July 31 - Barbara Smith, 603-673-6629, brbsmith@mac.com
August: Carole Treen, Treencarole24@gmail.com
|
Please leave contributions in the SHARE basket in Barnum. This month's needs: Canned ham, side dishes (seasoned pasta mix, hamburger helper, etc.), ravioli & beefaroni.
Please observe UUCM's Food Allergen and Alcohol policies on the UUCM Policies webpage.
Weekdays before 6pm and Saturdays before 5pm: Park only behind the church or in the circular driveway in front (and NOT in front of the Garden Door). For more parking information (including a printable map), click here.
In the Members & Friends section on the UUCM website, you will find the latest directory, committee listings, and info about people who've moved. Or you can get a directory from the UUCM office. If your contact information is incorrect, email office@uucm.org with 'Directory Changes' in the subject line.
Minutes from Council meetings (http://uucm.org/members/governance/governance-council/), plus Treasurer's reports, newsletter archive, services provided by UUCM members & friends, rides to the airport or bus terminal, recipes, how to buy or consign goods with the proceeds going to UUCM -- plus links to hundreds of shopping sites where your purchase benefits UUCM, and much, much more!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
