Unity Church of North Easton News
(Unitarian Universalist)

"Welcoming people into community to grow in  thought, spirit, and service to others."
Volume 4, No. 9, January  9, 2015

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In This Issue
Congregational Partnerships
RE News
EC News
Church Member Info
Restoration
DIstrict News
NEFFA
Memorial Fund
Frightful Weather
Event Photos!



 

 

 

Rainbow Flag
 

UUA Supports Pride 2014

 

 

 

UCNE Arch Graphic





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Cluster Group: Exploring Congregational Parnterships
by Carolyn McCafferty, Vice President

This year Unity Church began exploring how we could join or share common interests and experiences with other UU churches in our local area. The organizational process is called a Cluster Group, a self-selected group of UU churches joining together to enhance and support their missions, initiatives, programs, and communities. This is a practice that other UU churches around the nation have found to be a exciting and highly effective in growing congregational vitality.

In October, Rev. Kristin and I attended the first Cluster Group Meeting to explore common interests and desired or planned initiatives as a way to investigate if a Cluster Group would be in the mutual interest of our fellow, local UU churches. The Cluster Group being formed includes Canton, Foxboro, Sharon, and Stoughton.

Through our discussions, we identified Relgious Education, Adult Programming, Social Justice, and Worship as broad topics of shared interest and mutual benefit. Other ideas including sharing talent, space, and newsletters as well as fellowship were also identified as potential to share enthusiasm, spirit, and resources.

For me, it was very enlightening to learn about fellow UU churches and hear their stories of success and struggles. I truly felt a part of a large faith and was energized by sharing time and ideas with people who have a similar compass to life.

Our next Cluster meeting in this Saturday, January 10th at 10 a.m. at the Sharon UU Church.

We will be digging deeper into these collaborative areas and discussing plans for a multi-congregational pot luck gathering as a first step in fellowship (which we hope to host at Parish Hall).

If you would like to attend the meeting with me, please contact me at Carolyn.mccafferty at comcast.net. In a future Newsletter I'll share more about our ideas, work and potential partnerships.
Stole Detail
Hands & Flames What's New in Religious Education?

Unity Church of North Easton welcomes people into community to grow in thought, spirit, and service to others.

The mission statement of our church. These are words that we have all heard many times throughout the past year. Through many meetings and discussions, our congregants have chosen these words to represent what we, as a community, actually do. They seem rather clear cut. Or do they? 

We read these words as people who have chosen, by our own free will, to come to this congregation. People who have spent many years in school, and perhaps just as many (or even more) out of school, learning the different kinds of lessons brought by living in the real world. Though we each read the same words on paper, each of us will have a different interpretation of what those words actually mean, simply based on the path we have traveled to get to where we are. We do, however, share one more thing. We read these words as ADULTS. 

I wonder. I wonder what these words would mean if we placed them in front of our children. Our children, who have just begun their journey into learning. Our children, who have just begun venturing into the world. Do these words hold different meaning for the youngest members of our congregation? Our goal this winter is to find out. 

During our Winter Curriculum, our youth will be exploring what the mission statement of Unity Church means to them. Perhaps the answer will surprise us all. There is only one way to find out! Please join us as the children present their own view of the church's mission statement during the annual Children's Chapel Service, which will be held on March 22nd at 10:30 a.m. The children will run this entire service themselves, and it is always a highlight of the church year! 

A rehearsal for Children's Chapel will take place on March 21st in the sanctuary, with a family pot luck to follow in Parish Hall. Details will be available closer to the date! 

Please contact Deanna Greenstein, our Coordinator of Religous Education, with any questions at deanna.greenstein at gmail.com or 857-829-3285.


Executive Committee News 
by Melanie D'Aiello, Clerk

Affirmations
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: 
  • Rev. Kristin for planning and presenting the recent  interfaith worship service. 
  • Richard Hill, our Music Director and Organist, for putting together the Christmas concert.
  • Katelyn Haven and Jenn Gold for being lay leaders last month. They did an awesome job!
  • Fellowship Committee for a fun 2014 holiday party.
  • Cheryl Brigante for the cookie decorating party for the kids.
  • Marcia Tims for coordinating holiday decorations of the church and all of the volunteers who assisted.
  • UCAN for planning the holiday gift collection. 22 people will have holiday gifts this year thanks to our generous congregation members.

Looking for Executive Committee and Church Meeting Minutes, or Member Contact information?
You can find it all on our web site under the Member Access menu, after you log in as a member.

Here is the Member Login 

If you have any trouble logging in, just send a note to the Web Administrator  using the instructions on the Member Login page.

Were You Here During the Restoration?
If you weren't yet participating in the Unity community between 2005 and 2012, you might not remember the massive restoration that took place to save our historic and sacred space, that led to a 2012 Historic Preservation Award by the Massachusetts Historical Commission (see the poster at the bottom of the stairs in Parish Hall).

To enjoy an overview of what happened in those years, settle in and watch this 15-minute video, produced by Ellen Dehm, Chair of the UC Restoration Committee. This video, along with links to other articles and videos related to the history of the church, can be found under the Historic Unity Church menu on our web site.


From the District January 2015 Newsletter

Imagine A World Without Teens

by Karen Bellavance-Grace
Director of Life Span Faith Formation

Imagine a world with no teenagers.


 

I'm not talking about a nightmare future world without teenagers from a dystopian novel.


 

I'm talking about an actual time in our history, and not that long ago. According to the Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood in Society and History, teenagers have walked among us for only a little over 100 years:



  NEFFA Logo
Unity Church Bed & Breakfast Fundraiser is Back!


Remembering Someone - the Memorial Fund
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Ed White
The Unity Church Memorial Fund was conceived by long-time Unity member Ed White many years ago as a way to memorialize loved ones and to provide a means of funding special projects and purchases at Unity that fall outside of the operating budget and that we may not be able to afford otherwise.
 
In recent years, the Memorial Fund has either funded, or helped to fund, many projects that have enhanced the life of the congregation. Some of these projects include:
  • The Lift Project
  • Holly House renovations
  • LCD projector and cart
  • Parish Hall chairs and tables
  • Assistive listening devices
  • Announcement stands
How the Memorial Fund Works
Here's how to memorialize someone by making a donation to the Unity Church Memorial Fund:
  • Send a check and a note to the Memorial Fund Treasurer, Ellen Dehm via the church office. Be sure to include the name of the person you wish to memorialize and the contact information for the family/loved ones to receive notice of your donation.
  • The memorialized person's name will be entered into the
    Memorial Fund Book, located in the glass case in the Chaffin Room.
  • You will receive a thank you for your tax-deductible contribution to the Fund, and the family receives a note informing them of your donation. The money is placed in the Fund.
How the Memorial Fund is Used
In general, only the income of the fund may be spent, unless specifically noted otherwise by the donor. The principle continues to grow so that generated revenue continues over the years. Expenditures should be for entities worthy of a memorial project or item, that is to say, something of lasting value that would serve the congregation as a whole, and not part of the routine operating budget.

If a congregation member has an item or project that they think would be a good fit for the Memorial Fund, they submit their idea to the Memorial Fund Trustees for approval; if approved, the Trustees take the request to a Congregational Meeting. The expenditure must then be approved by a voting member majority at the meeting.
New Fund Treasurer
Ellen Dehm
Recently, Ellen Dehm was appointed by the Executive Committee and Memorial Fund Trustees to take take on the role as Memorial Fund Treasurer/Trustee. Ellen is replacing Greg Wolfe, who stepped down to devote more time to his many other volunteer positions at Unity, including Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee (EC), Unity Church Band leader, AV Committee, and choir member.

Anne Fredericks and Walter Tramontano (shown below) will continue in their positions as Memorial Fund Trustees. (Walter is also an EC Member-at-Large, and Anne is also serving as our current EC Treasurer.)
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If you have questions or would like to make a donation to the Memorial Fund in honor or memory of someone, please contact Ellen, Anne, or Walter.


When the Weather Outside is FrightfulSnowy Hoe Shop & Trees
For the safety of our friends and members, in case of extreme weather conditions, please call the church office (508-238-6373) after 8:00 a.m. on the day of the Service or church event for a message about whether the Service or event has been canceled.  
New to Unity Church?
New to Unity Church or want to Join Our Mailing List? 
 

Photo/Graphics/Video Credits for this Issue of the Unity News
Ellen Dehm

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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