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Maine Farm Supper ~ SATURDAY NIGHT!
Saturday, May 18th, 5-7 pm
Please join us for the 3rd and final
(until next year!) MAINE FARM SUPPER. Saturday, May 18th, 5 - 7 pm
First Universalist Church
97 Main St., Yarmouth 846-4148
Bring family & friends!
Pulled pork with smoky maple BBQ sauce (and a vegan version), cornbread, beans, apple-cabbage slaw, and rhubarb crisp a la mode.
Tickets are $12 adult, $8 children under 8. Available now at Rosemont Yarmouth and Royal Bean, as well as at the door.
Profits shared with Yarmouth Food Pantry.
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Channels Newsletter
May 17, 2013
Mission Statement for the
First Universalist Church of Yarmouth
Connected by Unitarian-Universalist principles,
We join hands in open-minded and caring community
To support spiritual exploration and growth,
To celebrate and honor life's journey,
And to inspire engagement in an evolving world.
Check out our WEBSITE.
"We are a Welcoming Congregation"
CHANNELS Newsletter Table of Contents
1. Worship
2. Programs
a. Religious Exploration
b. Faith-in-Action
c. Denominational Connections
d. Church Library
3. Member Services
4. From the Board
7. Blog Links
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The Quality of Mercy ~ Part I
w ith guest preacher Kate Connelly, M.Div.
RE Program: Children's RE - Children meet today with RE teachers Laina Clugston and Ursula Wilmot.
Youth RE - Jr. & Sr. Youth Groups will meet this Sunday at 4:30 as a combined group.
Worship Calendar May & June 2013
From May 12th through Sunday, June 30th we will preach our last theme of this church year: Mercy and Compassion, with explorations in practical theology, restorative justice, elements of accountability and forgiveness.
May 12th - Mother's Day - guest minister, the Rev. Erika Hewitt
May 19th - our own Kate Connelly, M.Div. will be in the pulpit
May 26th - worship will be truly be the "work of the people" on this Memorial Day weekend, with Rev. Jennifer
June 2nd - Flower Communion & Bridging Ceremony & New Member Recognition ~ Don't miss this very special Sunday of worship and celebration and the last Kids-In-Action and Children's Tea of the year.
June 9 - Kate Connelly is back in the pulpit with her sermon The Quality of Mercy, Part II
June 16, 23 & 30th will be explorations of the theme with Rev. Jennifer
Tuesday - Friday, 9:30 - 1:00
Please Note:
Rev. Jennifer is on pilgrimage and will not have access to email. She will return to the pulpit on May 26, and will get back to office hours and emails after that date. If you are experiencing a pastoral emergency, please contact Angie Arndt. If you need to discuss a non-emergency situation before the 26th or need help contacting Angie, please call the church office at 207/846.4148 and our Church Administrator, Suzanne Warfel, will assist you.
How to (ordinarily) find your minister:
Rev. Jennifer Emrich holds office hours Sunday - Tuesday
and on Thursdays. Please call or email to make an appointment.
If you are experiencing a crisis, including needing a hospital visit, you may call her on her cellphone: 207/356.1467 any time.
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Sanctuary is...
... A place to be safe, a place to explore spirit, a place to share... and so much more. It is a sacred space. The Worship Council seeks to preserve and protect our beloved sanctuary -- and all it can be -- with a few basic requests:
1. Please refrain from taking photographs (flash or otherwise) during the Worship Service unless special arrangements have been made with the Minister and Worship leaders.
2. Please do not bring food or drink (including tea, juice, or coffee) into this space. Water is fine.
Many blessings!
Sarah Witte, Nancy Read, Steve Thomas, Kate Connelly, Briana Robillard, and Brenda McKee
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Faith in Action
This month our half plate will be dedicated to our Partner Church in Gyepes Romania. We will be offering the 3-day overnight summer camp, with a focus on art, and other projects requested by our village partners. These funds will all go directly to Gyepes, for camper food and other projects supplies. Your generosity in supporting this valuable work of our Partner Church Committee is very much appreciated.
Good Friday Walk Report:
To date, we have collected $32,779.11 from the 140+ walkers who walked on Good Friday for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. With only $1600 remaining to collect, we will raise over $34,000 for Habitat! Thank you to everyone who walked, sponsored walkers, volunteered, baked food or opened your home as a way station. It takes a community (in this case, a tri-community) working together to achieve this year after year, so there are many reasons to feel good about what has been accomplished. A sincere thank you from the Good Friday Walk Committee.
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Partner Church Summer Camperships!
Help send a child from Gyepes to camp for three days
For kids in the rural villages of Transylvania, summer camp is a transformative experience. Since 2006, our congregation has made it possible for boys and girls from our partner church village of Gyepes to spend two nights and three days with children from neighboring villages, learning crafts, games and songs, putting on plays, practicing English, exploring new surroundings and taking a break from their farm chores. Our partners in Gyepes have told us how much they, as parents, value and appreciate the camp that we create for their children. Not only do we provide the financial support, we help organize the camp itself. It is a gift of money, time and love --and your "camperships" make it possible. Just $100 sends a child to camp for three days. We hope you will visit the Partner Church table during coffee hour and make a "campership" donation this month. For more information about the summer camp program, please contact Ann Swardlick, 653-4146 or aswardlick@swardlick.com. Thank you so much!
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Church Library
Mariana Tupper is our star contributor this month. We now have a copy of the book she put together, called The Church at the End of Portland Street: 75 Years in the Life of a Community in Yarmouth, Maine - an oral history. You probably have already seen it, bought it, or been interviewed for it but, if not, we have a copy for circulation from the church library. In addition, Mariana has contributed four new books for the use of Small Groups. We really needed these and are so glad she got them for us. The titles are: The Complete Guide to Small Group Ministry, Heart to Heart: Fourteen Gatherings, Soul to Soul: Fourteen Gatherings, and Articulating Your UU Faith.
Small Groups: Take advantage of these new resources. We also have a library copy of The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself, which has been used in an Adult Education course. If you weren't in the class, you might want to borrow and read it.
Housekeeping matters: When you check out books, please add a phone number or address beside your name - if you are new to the church and not in our directory. Returned books should be put in the flowered box outside the library door or the box on the shelves in the Kitty Corner.
Missing Book: If anyone has seen, or still has the library book Night Tree by Eve Bunting, please return it to the Church Library. Thank you.
Isabel Denham, Church Librarian
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3. Member Services
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Clam Festival Sign-Up Sheet
The Clam Festival will be here before we know it. Planning is underway. Please take a moment to look at the schedule of jobs and see where you can help. Thank you! Click here. |
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Jam Jars Needed!
As you clean out your basements and go by yard sales etc. this spring, please keep a lookout for unneeded 8-oz. jam jars (the kind that use the screw band tops) Soon it will be jam making season and I will start my usual supply for the Holiday Fair. All contributions gratefully received! Thanks so much.
Joy (jahrens1@Maine.rr.com)
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LIVING EARTH LANDSCAPE: Update
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions! The whole long list is posted in the Gathering Room. From it we will be selecting plants that suit our soil, sunny orientation, and which get along together. We're preferring native plants because of their place in the ecosystem (they feed the bugs and the bugs feed the birds and everything stays in check), and we'll try to avoid those that are too invasive or hostile (prickly!) to gardeners and visitors. We're keen to make the garden especially interactive and appealing to the children.
Our idea is to set out an annual garden this year and start just a few perennial herbs and flowers. We'll keep the ground covered with mulch to get a good living soil going underneath, and start planting perennials, like small trees and shrubs in the fall or spring (that would be after a winter green manure cover crop). This gives us time to re-imagine this space and put a lot of thought and research into a plan that will be interesting and beautiful all year round.
For now we're planning a sunflower and 3 sisters garden to grow tall by the church steps. This should be looking fabulous right through the fall. And, surrounding the sign out front, a mix of bright flowers (Coneflower, rudbeckia, milkweed, bee balm, zinnia, dill, poppies, millet), with a small raised bed for edibles (lemon balm, stevia, miner's lettuce, nasturtium, and some gherkins, sweet peas and morning glories to climb over our playhouse. Maybe we can have flowers and strawberries for the Clamfest (:
We are looking for donations of:
* Wooden birdhouses for the children to paint - we would put them on poles in the garden ($70 would buy a whole set)
* Small plastic pots for starting seeds
* Skinny saplings (1/2 to 2" diameter) to use for making tipis, bird box poles and a small play house. The children will help build this. (Do you have a patch you would like cleared or thinned?)
* A bird bath or low shallow garden dish
* Bird feeder? Bird seed?
* Milkweed plants (when it's warm enough to plant them) and a stevia plant
* A new hose, timer unit and a good sprinkler
* An animal proof compost or worm bin
* Scarlet runner pole s bean seeds (or others but hummingbirds adore the scarlet
flowers)
* Sweet Pea, Nasturtium and Morning Glory seeds
Thank you! Please let us know how you would like to be involved.
The AD HOC UU GARDENING GROUP: Briana Robillard, Cindy Guernsey, Sarah Witte, Nate Henninger & Toby Ansfield Contact Briana: ball_briana@hotmail.com
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URGENT! SUMMER SIGN-UPS NEEDED!
More chances to be part of our church's partnership with the
PREBLE ST. RESOURCE CENTERin Portland.
Hunger doesn't take a summer vacation. Volunteers are needed to fulfill our ongoing commitment to serve dinner at the PREBLE ST. RESOURCE CENTER on the first Tuesday of every month! This includes June, July, and August.
This is not only a chance to be of service to those who are less fortunate, but to do something for ourselves as well. Joining together, we can make new friends, and deepen our commitment to UU values
The job does not include bringing food, but reporting for duty at 4:30 and staying till 7:30, following instructions from the Preble St. staff. You are encouraged to commit to the entire 3 hours, but there is some flexibility for those who must come late or leave early.
To volunteer for the dinner service, look for the lists on the bulletin board at the back of the Gathering Room. Or contact Phyllis Chinlund, 781-8842, chinlund@maine.rr.com.
Please HELP! Your church and Portland's needy are counting on you.
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The First U Soup & Salad Cookbook ~
will be on sale ($15) until they're gone and make great gifts!
Check downstairs after services on Sundays!
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Buying Cards support First Universalist!
Why not plan ahead and purchase a buying card first to support 1st U?
Shopping at LL Bean? 1st U gets 18%!
How about Macy's? 1st U gets 10%!
Others include Cabela's - 11%, Book-A-Million - 8%, iTunes: 5%, Amazon: 5%,
Staples - 5%
Don't forget Hannaford and Shaws buying cards are also available!
For more information or to order your cards see Brian Peters on Sunday morning or emailbrpeters@maine.rr.com
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5. Community Announcements
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Peacemaking after Deadly Conflict:
Healing and Reconciliation in Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya
7:00 PM Tuesday, May 28, 2013
First Parish Church, 425 Congress Street, Portland, ME
Free and open to the public.
David Zarembka, Coordinator, African Great Lakes Initiative -
Friends Peace Teams
More information about David is available on a flyer located on the bulletin board near the church Common Room.
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Yoga will run through the end of May... 
Saturday morning Spring Multi-level Green Yoga classes (honoring the Earth), from 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM in the Church sanctuary. Classes will run through the end of May. Friday intermediate level classes as well 9:00 AM - 10:15 am. Suggested donation is $10 to drop-in. Funds collected go half to the Church and half to a charity selected with the class. Questions? Call the Instructor, Lois Howlett, at 847-3055 or email Loishowlett@yahoo.com. All welcome.
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Sponsored by Tri-Community Interfaith Council:
"Sick Around the World"
Wednesday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m., Cumberland Congregational Church, 282 Main Street, Cumberland, ME
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Hospice of Southern Maine
Offering June 2013 Hospice Volunteer Training. FMI, or to set up an appointment for an interview, contact Carol Schoneberg-Robinson at Hospice of Southern Maine at 289-3651 or cschoneberg@hospiceofsouthernmaine.org
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Star Island Natural History Conference
Come to Star Island's Natural History Conference for a week-long vacation, June 22-29, 2013.
Learn all about "The Mysterious & Misunderstood World of Mushrooms."
Information about registering for your stay can be found at nhcstar.org
Phone: 603-430-6272 Fax: 603-430-6270 Island Phone: 603-601-0832
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Star Island International Affairs Conference
Come to Star Island's International Affairs Conference for a week-long vacation, July 20-27, 2013:
Topic: "Europe and the Eurozone: The future of a united Europe and what it means for U.S./European relations."
Information about registering for your stay can be found at internationalaffairsconference.org or starisland.org
Phone: 603-430-6272 Fax: 603-430-6270 Island Phone: 603-601-0832
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6. Church and Office Information
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Storm Cancellation Information:
First Universalist service and event cancellations are announced on the following radio stations: WGAN (560 AM), WMGX (93.1 FM), WPOR (101.9 FM), WYNZ (100.9 FM)
First Universalist has a Facebook Page Along with many other churches, we have clicked into 'social media' with a Facebook page. All other means and modes of communication will continue; this is just another (excellent) way to share news plus have some visibility for the good stuff happening here. We hope you will like... and "LIKE" this page so that it shows up on YOUR page. Feel free to share it. Feel free to post information that might be of interest to others in our congregation, for example news from the UUA or photos from events at church.
page name: First Universalist Church - Yarmouth, Maine
Scheduling MEETINGS and EVENTS
Please remember to book meetings and events through the church office to avoid room scheduling conflicts. THANK YOU!
CHANNELS deadlines
The deadline for submissions to Channels is 9 am on Thursday.
Submit news & photos to:
office@uuyarmouth.org
1. To put items in the Sunday Morning News, submit items by 9 am on Thursday.
2. For spoken announcements before Worship:
a. place on the pulpit by 10 am on Sunday or
b. email by 9 pm on Saturday to Sarah Witte at sarahcoffinwitte@gmail.com
DID YOU KNOW THAT:
1. You can access the church's calendar of events from our website? Click here.
2. Minutes from Yarmouth First Universalist Board Meetings can be found on
our website? Click here.
3. You can access back copies of CHANNELS on our website? Click here.
4. Upcoming Events are regularly updated on our website? Click here.
Church Office Hours
9:30 am - 1 pm ~ Tuesday-Friday
Rev. Jennifer Emrich holds office hours Sunday - Tuesday and on Thursdays. Please call or email to make an appointment ~ yarmouthminister@yahoo.com
If you are experiencing a crisis, including needing a hospital visit, you may call her on her cellphone: 207/356.1467 any time. Please note that Friday and Saturdays are typically her days off - Rev. Jennifer does not check email on these days, but will answer any crisis or emergency calls.
First Universalist Church
97 Main Street
Yarmouth, Maine 04096
(207) 846-4148
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