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Sunday News - Worship & Religious Exploration
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Office Notes and Flyers
UPDATED
UPDATED
Office Hours
(Sept 5, 2017 -
June 28, 2018):
Gmail Users -
Please note that if you stop receiving the Message, Nugget, and Weekend Reminder, check your Promotions tab in Gmail. Often, you will find that church emails are in there! Please click
HERE
for more information. Please share this information with your fellow congregants if they mention they aren't getting the Message!
PLEASE NOTE: Our trash and recycling is generally picked up once a month. Please be sure to break down all cardboard boxes before putting them in the recycling dumpster so it doesn't fill up too fast!
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Congregational Mission Statement "The members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester covenant to be a congregation of love, hope and justice inspiring people to take on the challenges of a changing world." Welcoming Church Mission Statement The LGBTQI and Allies of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester strives to further the affirmation and celebration of LGBTQI individuals in all aspects of the church community. We also seek to increase the visibility of UUCW as a Welcoming Congregation within the greater community.
UUCW Covenant
In consonance with the principles and purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we the members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester covenant to sustain and support a courageous and caring community by:
* Bringing our best selves to form a welcoming, loving, and inclusive community of faith;
* Creating an atmosphere of celebration and worship in a safe environment;
* Providing opportunities where diverse people and points of view are respected and where open-hearted and open-minded discussion of our differences is encouraged;
* Treating each other with kindness and respect;
* Approaching conflicts with a spirit of humility and with the respectful intent for peaceful resolution;
* Engaging in and encouraging spiritual and intellectual growth across the lifespan;
* Fostering social justice and positive transformation in our community and in the world at large;
* Growing and maintaining the resources necessary to support the missions and ministries of this congregation;
* Fostering fellowship and enjoying each other and the unique gifts that each person brings to our community.
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SUPERBOWL LII PARTY @ UUCW
Sunday, February 4, 6:00 pm in the Lounge
Join Members & Friends of UUCW on Sunday, February 4 @ 6 PM in the lounge to watch the New England Patriots trounce the Philadelphia Eagles (Eagles fans, you come cheer your team on too - dog masks highly recommended!). Bring a dish to share and BYOB. UUCW will provide non-alcoholic beverages, ice, and a few good munchies. We'll watch the game together on the big screen. (Kim Mann, come prepared for the pool. . . just sayin.)
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Betty on the roof
directing a previous year's
All-Church Photo!
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All-Church Photo is Coming Soon - April 15
Stand together in community - on our front lawn - for our annual All-Church Photo, following the service on Sunday, April 15, 2018. Be there or be square!
Rain date is Sunday, April 22nd.
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Save the Date for the UU Women's 15th Annual Runaway Weekend
Rockport, MA April 27-29, 2018
We do not yet have the rates for the rooms at The Linden Tree Inn, but we are working to get them. Please stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
What is the Women's Runaway Weekend, you might ask? It is a weekend of no cooking, no cleaning, and no one to take care of but yourself!
It's an opportunity to spend time in conversation with like-minded women, read all those books you've been meaning to read, take a 5 minute walk to the beach or the Shalin Liu Center, walk to downtown Rockport in 10 minutes, or get into your car and discover the beauty of the North Shore.
We stay at The
Linden Tree Inn in Rockport
http://lindentreeinn.com/
and have the entire inn to ourselves from Friday through Monday.
The cost includes:
- Lodging Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
- Breakfast Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning
- Dinner on Saturday night
- Sunday lunch
Last year, we had a waiting list and had to turn some women away, so sign up early if you plan on coming. Your check holds your room. Please make checks out to the Linden Tree Inn and send to Ruth Silver, 71 Angell Brook Drive, West Boylston, MA 01583. Along with your check, include:
- Any food allergies/preferences
- Any special accommodations needed or roommate preference
Looking forward to another memorable weekend.
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New Service Available - Text Alerts from UUCW
UUCW has instituted a new communication service - TEXT ALERTS from UUCW is now being offered. In case of emergency, closures, cancellations, or last minute reminders, you can now receive alerts on your smartphone. To sign up for this service, text UUCWORCESTER to 84483. Please note that SMS fees from your cell phone carrier may apply.
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Ascentria Refugee Ministry News
We are excited to announce that we have made our first visit to our new refugee family. Linda Morse and I met the mom, Asende, and her two year old son Faraja. When we arrived, the apartment was cold. Apparently, Asende had already used a large portion of her fuel assistance for the month so she had turned off the heat. We are all aware of how cold it has been and how high our heating bills will be.
Asende herself seems very warm and friendly. She does not speak English at all, but she is attending ESL classes at Ascentria from 9 -3 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As you can imagine, establishing a relationship through an interpreter is challenging. We did not meet the two older boys, Ebanda, 14, and Medard, 11. They attend the School for New Citizens and are learning English. Faraja, 2, usually attends daycare but there was a problem with the daycare that day. He was an active, friendly two year old. The apartment was clean and very sparsely furnished. She does not have much and we will work with her to understand her needs. She did say she would like a small kitchen table and chairs.
She washes her clothes in the tub and hangs them around the apartment to dry. She said she needs clothes, but I think we might wait till we get a better sense of their needs and sizes. We asked her to identify her most pressing needs and she talked about a small kitchen table and chairs, diapers size 6 and our prayers. I have listed below some of the items she needs. Alternatively if you want to donate cash, we will certainly figure out how to help her most effectively (maybe that fuel bill?)
It is most exciting (and a bit daunting!) to start off on this new relationship! We welcome anyone who would like to join us in this precious ministry. You can contact me at
[email protected]
- kitchen table and chairs
- diapers - size 6
- warm blankets
- floor lamps
- bathroom mirror
- scissors
- eating utensils
- small saucepan
- medium pots
- toys for ages 2, 11, 14
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Website Team Seeking New Members!
The Website team needs you. If you know something about websites, or just want to learn, join us. Help us make
UUCWorcester.org "version three" the best it can be. Take a look at version two which is up now and join us in making it even better. We use WordPress and welcome experts, novices or even those of you who know nothing and want to learn!
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Emergency Homeless Shelter - Donations Needed
As some of you know Aaron and I have been volunteering at the Emergency Homeless Shelter at St. John's Church last year and this. This year we have had a major change - namely we now open up when it is 32 degrees or less as opposed to last year when we opened only when it was 20 degrees or less. This means that we have been open 11 nights already. Food has been provided primarily by the volunteers but this is proving to be challenging this year as we are open so much more. Financial contributions for food would be greatly welcome - the volunteers will still prepare the food but they would love to have some help paying for it. Contributions can be made through the site that Aaron created - Keep Worcester Warm
http://www.uucworcester.org/keepworcesterwarm
or
Net of Compassion -
http://www.netofcompassion.org/
and note Emergency Homeless Shelter. Thank you for helping our very needy clients.
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Please Save Your Coupons!!
 Do you get coupon inserts in the mail? Do you often throw them away? Don't! Bring them to church and put in the bin in Fellowship Hall. Our own Anne Harris will use them to purchase items for the Food Pantry. Bring your weekly coupons from the mail or the Sunday newspaper and let's all help the Food Pantry provide items for those in need in our community!
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Reminders about Fundraising!
 Amazon Smile Holiday Shopping Reminder
Just a reminder as you begin your holiday shopping - if you shop on Amazon there is an opportunity to earn money for the church. Just go to
Amazon Smile and select the church as a place where Amazon will provide a contribution based on what you buy. We get a percentage of your total purchase. Even if you are using Amazon Prime it will still kick in but you have to go to Amazon Smile at the outset. Thanks - every little bit helps!
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Touchstone Monthly Theme
January Theme - Justice
January 23 - 29
January 23:
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 24:
"When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist." ~ Dom Helder Camara
January 25:
"Justice without force is powerless; force without justice is tyrannical." ~ Blaise Pascal
January 26:
"Because we tend to be biased in favor of our own viewpoint, it is important to keep the standard of fairness at the forefront of our thinking. This is especially important when the situation may call on us to see things we don't want to see, or give something up that we want to hold onto." ~ Linda Elder
January 27:
"Law and justice are not always the same. When they aren't, destroying the law may be the first step toward changing it." ~ Gloria Steinem
January 28:
"The nature of the criminal justice system has changed. It is no longer primarily concerned with the prevention and punishment of crime, but rather with the management and control of the dispossessed." ~ Michelle Alexander
January 29:
"What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to
confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world." ~ Paul Hawken
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Sunday News - Worship & Religious Exploration
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Weekly Worship
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Religious Exploration & Education
Sunday January 28, 2018
Spirit Play: regular class
Grades 1 - 7: RE-UUnite program
Rainbow Rats: You are invited to assist with REUUnite
Teen OWL: meets at 12:30 pm
Youth Group: Meets from 6-8 p.m.
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HosT Coffee Hour News
The HosT Coffee Hour team thank all the many church teams, groups, and committees who have signed up to HosT Coffee Hour this year! If you would like to sign up to help host a Coffee Hour this year, please click HERE.
At coffee hour we extend the hospitality we proclaim! Many people judge a congregation by its coffee hour hospitality - especially newcomers . Please make it a point to speak to someone you don't know!
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Date
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Group on deck for hosting
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Hospitality Team Contact
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| January 28 |
Building Bridges Class |
Vickie Cox-Lanyon |
| February 4 |
Hospitality Team and
Soup with Kristen Payson
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Kristen Payson |
| February 11 |
Members & Friends
of UUCW |
Ruth Silver |
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 Help Needed! Sunday Morning Worship Team Sign-up!
We need your help. Not a long-term commitment, just a Sunday along the way this year. This is a congregation that relishes the many voices and passions of its people. We are looking for people to participate on Sunday morning's by signing up to:
- Light the Chalice - Provide your own words or words can be provided
- Read the Welcome - script available
- Read Opening Words - Provide your own words or words can be provided
- Introduce the Offering - Provide your own words or words can be provided
- Help set up the Sanctuary prior to Service - Orientation and training provided.
This is not a lengthy commitment. If each active member and friend of the congregation signed up for just 2 spots a year, we'd have the entire calendar covered!
LEADERS! Have a special event or effort that you want to highlight, this is a perfect opportunity to be heard. While providing any of the services above (sans Sanctuary set up) you can plug your special project.
ALSO, Aaron is looking for a handful of folks who would be interested and willing to be a Worship Leader on Sundays when we have a Guest Speaker. You will receive a full script of the WA parts of the service ahead of time and will be connected personally with the Guest Speaker to work out any other details. Training is also provided as desired. Contact Aaron ([email protected]) directly if you are willing to be a Worship Leader.
HERE is the link to sign up to be part of a Sunday morning Worship Team this year. Scroll to the desired date, and sign up on the element you'd like to do. You will receive a confirmation email and a reminder email prior to your scheduled day(s).
Thanks you for all you do!!
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Photos of the Week
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Sheri Linn and Sean Reynolds collect for the Offertory during the service on Sunday, January 21, 2018. It's the one year anniversary of the Women's March. Sheri wears a pink pussy hat, as was worn by many marchers last year, while Sean wears a blue one.
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Joan McGinn, along with Mara Pentlarge and Dianne Mann, spoke about experiences of sexual harassment, retaliation and objectification during the service on Sunday, January 21, 2018. The theme of the service was based on the #metoo movement.
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Mara Pentlarge reads a Facebook posting by church member Loree Burns, telling of Burns' experience of sexual harassment and intimidation, during the service on Sunday, January 21, 2018. The theme of the service was based on the #metoo movement.
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Dianne Mann, along with Mara Pentlarge and Joan McGinn, spoke about experience of sexual harassment, retaliation and objectification during the service on Sunday, January 21, 2018. The theme of the service was based on the #metoo Movement.
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Ongoing Meetings
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