Greetings, everyone! I am happy to be writing to you again in these final weeks of Rev. Barbara's sabbatical.
Our theme for December is Presence. There are some wonderful resources, as always, in the December Family and Adult
theme packets. The latter explores the dance between Presence as attentiveness and Presence as otherness:
Spiritually, presence can mean two radically different things. On the one hand, contemplatives talk of "being present." Presence from this perspective is all about awareness and remembering to "live in the moment." On the other hand, theologians tend to come at presence from the perspective of "otherness." Their concern is not just that we pay attention to the present moment, but that we notice a transcendent Presence that is woven through all moments.
This month, we refuse to take sides. Attentiveness or otherness? Who says we have to choose? Isn't it true that, more often than not, they dance together more than they compete? Isn't it true that when we are most present, a powerful presence emerges? Pay attention to your inner child and slowly a confidence and unique self unfolds. Pay attention to the flow of your breathing or the flow of the ocean and something bigger than yourself enters the scene. Look for a long time at a singular tree and eventually it presents itself to you as a world in and unto itself.
The underlying message here is that the world is full of unnoticed gifts and grace. It's a message perfectly fit for this month that so often celebrates presents over presence. In the face of commercials and billboards that tell us our lives will finally be complete if we stuff them with a few more shiny objects or plastic gadgets, our spiritual traditions come along and remind us that our lives are already complete. Their message: The greatest gift of the holidays is noticing the many gifts that have been sitting here all along.
So how will you engage this dance? What powerful and meaningful presence is waiting for you to be present to it? What gift is waiting and wanting to emerge? What will your awareness bring into being this month?
As December kicks off, I will undergo my next ministerial milestone. On Saturday, December 3, I will be interviewing in Boston with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) of the Unitarian Universalist Association. I know! -- it's the same day as the Holiday Fair! The MFC interview is a denominational step in my journey toward ministry, and the outcome will be an acceptance into "preliminary fellowship" of UU ministry (pending my graduation in May). It's quite a process and I am both excited and anxious for the day to be here! I won't "geek out" with all the details here, but I'd be happy to share with curious folks about my process to get here. And, I will gratefully accept any positive thoughts, prayers, and other forms of goodwill sent along that morning - while y'all are enjoying the amazing Holiday Fair!
Kali Fyre, Ministerial Intern
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Worship Services
Sundays at 10:30am
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Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord
Join Rev. Barbara as she returns from sabbatical for our second in a series of "I Created It" Sundays. We will begin in the Sanctuary with a short opening service and then return there after participating in your choice of a workshop or gathering:
+ Make holiday cards to keep or to send to UUCM shut-ins.
+ Sing your favorite carols and other songs.
+ Wrap and organize gifts for 4 needy families as part of SHARE's
Adopt-a-Family program.
+ Design and construct gingerbread houses.
+ Make origami peace cranes.
+ Join in a discussion about the Holiday season.
(Whole Congregation Worship)
 Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord & Carolyn McCreary, Music Dir.
Music of the Hannukah and Christmas season manifests light and hope during this darkest time of the year. This is a service for all ages!
If this service is snowed out, it will be held on Sunday, December 18.
(Whole Congregation Worship)
After Church: Plan to attend the All Church Meeting with lunch in Barnum.
Linda Goodman with Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord
A special ceremony filled with wonder, seasonal music and quiet anticipation for all ages, especially children. You will be invited to walk a large spiral path laid out in evergreen boughs. At the center, you will receive a gift of candle's light by an "angel". As you walk the spiral path out, you will place your light on a star along the path. After everyone has walked the path the room is filled with the light of many candles shining on sparkling crystals. Come share the wonder.  (Whole Congregation Worship)
Please call Linda Goodman with questions or to offer assistance with planning and setup.
If the Holiday Music service is delayed from last Sunday until today, the Winter Solstice Spiral will be held at 4pm this afternoon.
Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord, Sandy Frades, Kali Fyre
We have two services on Christmas Eve. This one is best for families with children and those young at heart. This year the first night of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve coincide, so our service will weave together Jewish  and Christian traditions. We will sing lots of songs and light candles for all babies born since last Christmas Eve. As is our tradition, at the close of the service we will light candles while we sing Silent Night. (Whole Congregation Worship)
Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord & Carolyn McCreary, Music Director
With candles, music, and readings, we celebrate enduring light in a dark season. Candles will be lighted for babies born since last Christmas Eve. As is our tradition, at the close of the service we will light candles while we sing Silent Night.
Christmas morning is often a time to stay at home with family and friends, so we will not be holding a Sunday morning worship service today.
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Music! Music! Music!
For more information about our music programs, contact our music director, Carolyn McCreary ([email protected] 978-772-5870).
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All singers are invited to join the UUCM choir. We rehearse Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30pm in the sanctuary and Sunday mornings before the service. Please join us!
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Learn more about the transition from Religious Education to Children & Youth Faith Formation at http://uucm.org/religious-education/welcome/
For more information about our Faith Formation programs or to register your child/youth, please contact Jamie Ferrier, our Office and Faith Formation Program Administrator (603-673-1870 or [email protected]).
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December offers multiple Whole Congregation Worship services, as described earlier in this newsletter. We encourage you to bring your entire family to these services. As we transition into the winter season, starting with this month's theme of Presence, please utilize the family-friendly take-home materials and resources listed for December on our Theme Resource page.
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See the website for more information about these and other upcoming events:
12/2-12/3 - Holiday Fair Community Service - See where your help is needed and sign up on the sheets in Barnum to volunteer for the job that's right for you. You can team up with others to work in the café, bake shop, or do other jobs before, during, or after the fair.
12/11 Movie & Games (Noon-3pm) Movie TBD by members. Popcorn is provided, but bring your own lunch. Contact: Crista Burrel (
[email protected])
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This time of year heralds a wide array of holidays, from Hanukkah and Christmas to Rohatsu and Pancha Ganapati. Bring your family and celebrate winter in a place that welcomes all faiths and people. There will be crafts for the kids while we learn about different holidays from around the world. There will also be games and light refreshments, including a cocoa bar! RSVP to [email protected]. After the party, meet others at 4:00pm in Barnum Hall to walk to the Oval for our Christmas Caroling Party.
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High School Youth Group (HSYG) & HSYG Alumni:
HSYG Alumni and current HSYG Members are all invited to come help with the traditional hanging of the peace cranes in the Sanctuary. (You are also invited to help make the cranes during the December 4 worship service.) Stay afterward for some games and a sleepover. Contact: Emily Jones ([email protected])
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UUCM
 News & Activities
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You can shop at Amazon and other vendors and UUCM will get a donation with no extra cost to you. It's simple! See two links in the left margin on our Home page at
uucm.org. Then use them every time you shop. Those extra clicks can add up for UUCM!
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Pick up a certificate from the Garden Door shelf or at the Holiday Fair -- or
print your own. A percentage of all purchases made at the Milford Toadstool on December 10 will go to UUCM.
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Come enjoy breakfast or lunch in the Cafe', and shop for unique, handcrafted gifts and laurel wreaths in our Crafts Room, homemade goodies in our Bakery, and inexpensive gifts and decorations in our Ritzy Boutique. Cynthia Treen will be back with her popular felt woodland animals. (See more details about the fair and samples of just a few of the crafts here.) Come begin your holiday season in the warmth and light of your faith community. We look forward to seeing you!
P.S. If you haven't signed up to help, it's not too late! See contact info
below.
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UUCM is providing gifts to families in need through the SHARE Adopt-a-Family program. Take one or more ornaments from the Christmas tree in Barnum, purchase the gifts requested, and bring them to UUCM by Dec. 4. The HSYG will wrap the gifts, organize them, pack and label them for delivery to SHARE as part of our December 4 service activities. Questions? Contact Sandy Frades at
[email protected]
or 673-2955.
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All Church Meeting: A Congregational Conversation
During the Oct. 2 meeting, we introduced the changes in Worship and Faith Formation. Today we continue this discussion. Please plan to attend! Your ideas and questions matter to our congregation. Lunch and childcare will be provided.
Who should attend? Everyone, especially if you have questions.
What will we talk about?
+ Answers to the questions from the October conversation
+ Feedback on Whole Congregation Worship services
+ Plans for the next few months in Worship and Faith Formation
Questions? Reach out to Leslie Bennett ([email protected])
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Dress warmly and meet in Barnum Hall. We will then walk to the Oval to sing carols. Latecomers can just meet us there. We'll provide songbooks, cocoa, and a SHARE donation bucket. Bring your smiles and happy voices and a small flashlight. Fa la la la la, la la la la! Sponsored by the Membership Committee. Contact: Barbara Livoli.
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We celebrate the Turning of the Light with lovely magical music and simple dances around a center of candles and greens, all wearing white or light clothing. Teens and adults welcome. No experience necessary. All dances are taught. Donation: $5 to $10 to share rental cost. Contact Mary Koon 487-2732; [email protected]
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Spread the word among family and friends to join us again this year. The kitchen will open at 3pm and feasting will commence at 5pm, followed by a regifting Yankee Swap for those who wish to participate. If possible, contact John Bigl if you plan to come and let him know what you'll be bringing.
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Click to view details about each event in the online Calendar. Details will also follow in the January newsletter.
Friday, January 6 - Friday Night Enrichment Series - A live "Tidbit' with Nancy Baker (like she did for some summer services).
Sunday, January 8 - Free lunch with the Membership Committee to learn more about what they do -- and get in on the fun they have!
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from Lynn Coakley, UUCM President
+ We started talking about Stewardship, and will discuss more at the
December meeting, when we will also begin discussing the sabbatical.
+ The Congregational Development Committee is trying to consolidate the
answers to the questions from the Congregational Conversation in October
and is planning another Congregational Conversation on December 11.
+ "A Fair Share Affair" has been scheduled for February 11. This will be an
evening of art and music to raise money for the UUA and District, and we
will coordinate our letter mailing to go out in early January with an invitation.
You can read minutes from all Council meetings
online.
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Creating a World That Works for All -
The author suggests that to restore balance to the earth and build community, people must stop blaming others, embrace inclusivity, and become "menders". He outlines three simple tests (for "enoughness", exchangeability, and common benefit) to guide people in transforming themselves and the world. This book gets 5 stars on Amazon where inexpensive used copies are available. There is also one copy that you can borrow from the UUCM library.
Can a Divided America Heal? In this 20-minute TED talk, Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America - and provides a vision for how the country might move forward.
Transcript and link to talk.
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House too small to host your holiday gathering? Need a venue for your office party? Consider renting space at UUCM. Members get discounted rates. Contact Jamie at
[email protected]
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Greater UU Community Events
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Pe rhaps you've seen a bowl of safety pins on the table with the "busy boxes" just outside the Sanctuary. The Safety Pin movement began in the UK and is now being embraced here with the rise of racist, transphobic, misogynist, and homophobic incidents since the election. The Safety Pin comes with a pledge that you can read in its entirety in the UU World. Here are some of the first lines:
The Promise
If you wear a hijab, I'll sit with you on the train.
If you're trans, I'll go to the bathroom with you.
If you're a person of color, I'll stand with you if the cops stop you and/or whenever you need me.
If you're a person with disabilities, I'll hand you my megaphone.
If you're LGBTQ, I won't let anybody tell you you're broken.
If you're a woman, I'll fight by your side for all your rights.
If you're an immigrant, I'll help you find resources.
If you're a survivor, I'll believe you.
If you're a Native American, I'll stand with you to protect our water, your burial grounds, and your people.
If you're a refugee, I'll make sure you're welcome.
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A number of UUCM folks recently met up with others from UU Nashua for a Supermoon hike up Federal Hill. See a new invitation below. To learn of other events you might enjoy at UU Nashua, check the UU Nashua calendar.
Winter Weekend at Cardigan Lodge - March 10-12, 2017 
UU Nashua has invited us to join them in their 20-year traditional weekend at Mount Cardigan Lodge. Inside the cozy lodge they share conversation, play games, read, sing, and play instruments. There are always some who hike the 4-hour round trip to the summit fire tower. Cost for 2 nights' stay and 6 delicious, plentiful, homecooked meals: $175 for age 18+; $150 for ages 13-17; $85 for 12 and under. Payment is due by January 8, so be sure to sign up soon! If you have questions or would like a registration form, email Dick Widhu.
Reminder: Free Self-Care for the Caregiver Workshop - Sat, Dec 3, 10am to noon at UU Nashua. Register at [email protected] with your name and affiliation (UUCM). Read more in the UUCM November news.
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(especially by Big Money)
Last summer's UUA General Assembly chose The Corruption of Our Democracy as the latest UUA Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI). First Parish in Concord, MA, has been studying this issue for awhile and invites members from UUCM and other churches to join them. If interested, contact Fred Van Deusen and mention you are affiliated with UUCM.
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Check the signup sheets in Barnum Hall or contact us at [email protected] or Marti Kennedy 673-6164 or Betty Sweeney (575) 636-4302 to be added to a team that needs your help. This is one of UUCM's biggest fundraisers -- not to mention fun! -- so be a part of it!
We especially need:
Set-up Crews: Weds. Nov. 30, Thurs. Dec. 1, and Fri. Dec. 2
Clean-up Crews: Sat. Dec. 3 after the Fair, and Sun. Dec. 4, after the service.
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This year, UUCM is using SignupGenius to allow you to sign yourself up to serve as Garden Door Greeters, Sanctuary Greeters, and Coffee Hour Cleanup volunteers. You can click here to sign up. If you have trouble signing yourself up online, please call Jamie in the UUCM office at 673-1870 between 9:30 am and 5:00 pm on Tuesdays - Thursdays. She can help!
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Volunteer at the Nashua Soup Kitchen
Every month we need three volunteers to help Meghan Hoye (424-3431 or
[email protected]) serve Sunday lunch at the Nashua Soup Kitchen.
When: 2nd Sunday of every month (next on
December 11); 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!
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Please leave contributions in the SHARE basket in Barnum Hall. This month's needs: Canned ham, side dishes (seasoned pasta mix, hamburger helper, etc.), ravioli & beefaroni.
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+ Thanks to all who donated paper goods and nonperishable foods for
Anne-Marie House and thanks to Cathy Goldwater for organizing this project.
+ Thanks also to Nancy Danzinger, Linda Higgs, and Lisa Rothman for
donating homemade jams toward a gift basket that is UUCM's contribution
to the December 1 Homeward Bound fundraiser.
Anne-Marie House is a residential program in Hudson, NH, that assists families who are experiencing homelessness. We appreciate the nine volunteers from UUCM who help every seven weeks when it is Milford's turn to volunteer. We are always seeking more volunteers to spend a few hours at Anne-Marie House. If you are interested or want to learn more, contact Jean Lovely, Congregational Coordinator, at 603-595-2611 or [email protected].
Thanks to the efforts of many, our church and grounds are tidy and safe once again. On November 12, we raked leaves, hauled away garden debris, dug roots, tidied the Founders Room, cleaned stained glass, cleaned nooks and crannies in the Sanctuary, put out the Holiday Fair Snowman, and cleaned the refrigerator, drawers, and windows in the Farmer Kitchen.
Volunteers: Jake & Eva Bouchard; John Miller; Leslie, Scott, Joe, & Henry Bennett; Ellen Groh; David Wheeler; John Shonle; Candy & Alan Shirey; Erna Johnson; Lynn Coakley; Nan Stearns; Beth Jasper; Cammie Opre; Christa Burrell & John, Evelyn, & Julia Dowd; Dona & Bob Eaton. See photos from the day's activities on Facebook. -- Thank you all for joining us on a beautiful fall morning! ~ Barbara Smith, for the Property Committee
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Check the
online calendar for details and contact information for these programs.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - Sats, 9:00-10:30am - Big Book 12-Step
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) - Mondays, 7:00-8:15pm
Sacred Circle Dancing - 4th Thursdays, 7:00-8:45pm
Second Friday Song Circle - 2nd Fridays, 7:00-10:00pm
Souhegan Valley Insight Meditation - Tuesdays,
6:00-7:30pm Read more.
Tree of Life Class - Some Tuesdays, 5:30-8:30pm
Yoga for Connection & Awareness - Sundays, 4:00-5:30pm
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December: Audrey Fraizer, [email protected] or 603-345-9809
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Why? Get the latest
Church Directory, Council minutes, newsletter archive, services provided by UUCM members & friends,
ways to shop to benefit UUCM, and more.
Contact [email protected] if you need help logging on.
That time of year might soon be upon us. In the event of bad weather, you can check whether the church is open in several different ways.
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.
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