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Unity Church of North Easton News
(Unitarian Universalist)
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"We Pledge to Walk Together..."
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Volume 3, No. 7, September 27, 2013
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Message from Our Minister
Dear Members and Friends of Unity Church, The violence this country and our world have suffered these last few weeks has deeply troubled me. My heart always breaks at the loss of life, and yet the tragedies from Syria to DC's Navy Yard to Nairobi somehow seem even more shocking alongside the natural beauty of the new season in New England. As the air turns cooler, as the scent of apples and cinnamon wafts through my kitchen and neighborhood, and as autumn begins to peek out through a few orange and red leaves, the absurdity of senseless violence feels oddly poignant. I'm sure my spirit is not alone in wondering how such evil can betray a world that is also host to such breathtaking beauty. At times like these, I remember the wise sentiments of a youth who was present the day Anders Breivik opened fire on the Norwegian Labor Party two summers ago. In a nutshell, she reflected that if one man was able to so much violence with hate, just think about how much good people can do together with love. In light of our current national and international struggles, and given our shared task of discerning Unity Church's vision for the future, I can think of no better way to frame the year ahead. This Sunday, as we join together to share the Greenstein's joy in dedicating little Jude and to hear Laurie Noble's sermon "Look Up, Look Out", and then as we explore the theme of "Calling" all through the month of October, let us remember that part of our purpose as a church is to speak with one voice and act in unity. And in so doing, may we discover how much good we at Unity Church can do - and are already doing! - together with love. Autumn blessings, Rev. Kristin
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New Ministry Start-Up Fall Leadership Retreat
Mark Your Calendars for November 9th
The Executive Committee invites all members and friends to our Fall Leadership Retreat, Saturday, November 9, 8:30am - 2:15pm in Parish Hall.This will be one of our most important Fall Retreats ever. Ballou Channing District (BCD) Executive Rev. Bill Zelazny will lead the workshop. This year the theme will be "New Ministry Start-Up." Rev. Bill will guide us through a series of discussions and exercises designed to help Rev. Kristin and church leaders get to know each other better and to help set mutual expectations for the coming year. All are welcome. The Executive Committee and Rev. Kristin ask all committee chairpersons to participate so that we can develop the foundation for our exciting year of visioning together. Won't you please put this event on your calendar right now? Beverages and coffee break snacks will be provided. Please bring your own bagged lunch. Contact Executive Committee Vice-President Jason Gold, jgold.nec at comcast.net, to sign up for childcare. And contact Jason or Executive Committee Clerk Ellen Dehm, edehm at comcast.net, with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there! The Executive Committee and Rev. Kristin. |
Unity Church Hawk Welcomes Us Back!
 Whenever you come to church, take a moment to gaze up to the top of the steeple - you may be surprised at how often you will see a hawk watching over us. When Ellen Dehm was setting up for the congregational photo before church on September 9, she found a beautiful hawk feather - as if to welcome us back. And right after church, sure enough, he came back to check in and make sure all went well. A nice ending to a wonderful start to our church year.
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Unity Worship Year Off to a Great Start
 On Sunday September 8, we gathered together in community and caring to share in worship with our new minister, Rev. Kristin Grassel Schmidt. At the start of the service, Executive Committee President, Chris Pender, introduced Rev. Kristin, who then warmly and enthusiastically led an engaging service complete with a Water Ceremony. It was good to be together again, and terrific to have Rev. Kristin there sharing her talents and engaging manner.
Afterwards, we gathered on the front lawn to update our congregational photo and then joined in fellowship in Parish Hall. The spirit of joy was palpable. We gathered again the following Sunday, with the theme of "The Best is Yet to Come" and blessed our children's backpacks and collected backpacks and supplies for the School on Wheels of Massachusetts. The Unity Church Choir, Handbell Choir, soloist, Susan Maffa, and Music Director, Richard Hill, did a great job enriching the services with their talents, and Jason Gold and Greg Wolfe added to the convivial spirit with their turns as Worship Associates. If you haven't had a chance to attend services yet this year, please join us - you'll be happy you did. See this Services Schedule for more details. 
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Fall is Upon Us!
Fall is upon us once again, and with it brings the restart of Religious Education! Over the summer, one of my children asked me the  following question: "What is prayer?" As I struggled for an answer, I came upon the realization that many Unitarian Universalist (UU) children may have the same question. And, unlike in many other religions, there is no set definition for prayer in the  world of a UU child. My child could have posed this simple question to everyone in our congregation, and received a different answer from each person. To one person, prayer may mean an Our Father or Hail Mary. To another, a question to Buddah. To yet another, a meditation with Mother Earth. And thus, our first large group activity was born! So - what is prayer? In simple terms - a personal prayer can be created by remembering the acronym THIS. T - something you are THANKFUL for.
H - something you are HOPEFUL for.
I - something you think you can IMPROVE.
S - something you are SORRY for.
Keeping THIS in mind, our children created Pra  yer Beads, or Intention Beads. These necklaces and bracelets are a mixture of beautiful beads, and have the letters T, H, I, and S on them, to remind our children of the parts of a prayer. When they want to pray, they can hold these beads and set forth their intentions! Who  or what they choose to send them off to is totally up to them. It could be God, Buddha, Mohammed, Mother Earth, the Universe, or simply to themselves. I am sure that, just like with the adults in our congregation, you could ask each child where their intentions are directed - and get a different answer from each child! by Deanna Greenstein, Coordinator of Religious Education
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Meet Our Nursery Staff - Part of Our Caring Network
Brittney MacDonald is our returning child care/nursery babysitter. You may have seen Brittney at the Water Communion Service earlier in September, or at Social Hour the past few Sundays. Parents who use the Nursery have been greeted by Brittney on Sunday. She is a soft-spoken, caring person who is a magnet for kids of all ages...Brittney's got the gift with children! Brittney lives in Easton and is a Freshman at Oliver Ames High School. She is an involved and positive young person who plays soccer, runs track and is involved in Drama. She enjoys Algebra and Wood/Tech Shop. Brittney also volunteers with the Oliver Ames H.S. Best Buddies program, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a Best Buddy, Brittney serves as a "Peer Buddy" who offers a "Buddy" the chance to explore a new way of life and feel included in the high school environment. " I love working with people and helping anyone," Brittney explained during a recent interview. " I've been babysitting for a few years and have been a nanny over the summer." In addition to working at Unity's Sunday Nursery, Brittney also volunteers at My Brother's Keeper, babysits, and tutors. Please welcome Brittney to our Unity Church community and consider her a part of our caring network during Sunday Services, Church meetings, and functions...and also for you parents who are looking for a reliable and skilled babysitter.
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Still Seeking Child Care Staff
for the Unity Church Nursery!
To be sure that Unity Church can provide consistent and quality child care during the Sunday Nursery and other church functions, we are still seeking caring and responsible child care providers or babysitters. In short...we still need your referrals!Nursery babysitters are paid $10 per hour and work Sundays from 10:15am to 11:45am. Candidates must be 15 years or older, complete an application, and an interview. In addition to Sunday services, on occasion, we need babysitters for meetings and other church functions. We will provide an orientation and training to ensure the comfort of both babysitters and parents. Interested candidates should email Carolyn McCafferty at Carolyn.mccafferty at comcast.net.
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Executive Committee News
At the beginning of every Executive Committee meeting, we go around the table and ask if there are any special affirmations anyone would like to make. Though they do make it into the EC meeting minutes every month, we thought it would be nice to express this appreciation in a more public way.
So, they are included in our Unity News regularly! Here are the
recent affirmations:
- Tom and Huguette May for their generous donation of two gas grills.
- Jason Gold, Greg Wolfe, Handbell Choir, and Choir for their leadership in worship during the past two services.
- The positive nature of re-gathering as a spiritual community.
- Rev. Kristin for her wonderful beginnings on all things ministerial.
To read all the EC minutes, click here to Login as a Member. If you have affirmations that you would like to pass on, please share them by sending them to welcome2ucne@gmail.com.
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Unity Church Tailgate Social Hour
(or, really, just an excuse to have a cookout with those new grills) When?- After Services October 13, Rain or Shine (You'll be home in time for the 4:25pm Patriots Kickoff)
What will we eat?
- Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Garden Burgers, & Drinks will be provided!
What do I bring? - Your favorite snack, side dish, or dessert to share. No alcohol, please.
- Lawn Chairs
What if I don't like football?
Come anyway and have some fun and food with us!
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Looking for Unity Church Member Contact information?
You can find it on our web site under the Member Access menu,
after you log in as a member.
Now in a more eco-friendly format of 6 (or 3, 2-sided) printable pages!
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New to Unity Church?
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Photo Credits for this Issue of the Unity News
Cathy Adler, Ellen Dehm, Deanna Greenstein, and Ernest Cohen
Unity News Contact Info
For questions or comments regarding this message, please contact Cathy Adler, Unity News Managing Editor & Web Administrator, at welcome2ucne@gmail.com . |
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