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FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
WEEKLY CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER
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"A Body at Rest..."
Rev. Tina Simson, Preaching
Rev. Joel Miller, Co-Leading
Sunday, May 21, 2017
9:30am Music by Zachary Zwahlen
11:15am
Music by Zachary Zwahlen and
the First Unitarian Choir
This week, our Plate collection will help support
Next Weekend
:
"Do We Feel It?"
Rev. Carlos R. Martinez, Preaching
Roberta Buckle, Co-Leading
Next weekend will begin our summer schedule with only one weekend service on Sundays at 10:00am.
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Let Us Keep You In Our Thoughts and Prayers
The memorial service for
Esel Rasor scheduled for Saturday, June 2 is
now postponed. Please hold John Rasor in your hearts and prayers as he recovers from recent surgery.
Please hold
Rich and Gail Wilder
in your hearts and prayers; Lilibeth Gucker, their loving daughter-in-law, passed away Saturday, April 29. A memorial service will be held at our church this
Saturday, May 20 at 10:00am
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Our hearts are with long time member
Richard Anderson
for the loss of his wife, Maria Anderson, in December. Rev. Joel will officiate a brief service and internment of ashes of Maria on
Saturday, June 10 at 1:00pm
in the Memorial Gardens of our church.
"To live in hearts that love is not to die."
Our pastoral care notices will be provided only in our weekly newsletter going forward. We will no longer send additional Pastoral Care alerts between newsletters. If you have a concern for a member of the congregation, please don't hesitate to contact Rev. Tina at 271-9070 ext 104.
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Our online
Events Calendar is live! Be sure to view it view it regularly to see the many ways to listen, open and serve.
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Minister's Farewell Column
by Rev. Carlos R. Martinez
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Dear Friends,
My year serving as your Interim Assistant Minister is coming to its conclusion. It has been a heartfelt and distinctive honor to be among you and to serve you. Many of you may not realize this is my first year serving as an ordained UU minister. You are my first congregation post-ordination. My hope is you feel I have served you well. To read more, click here.
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Together We Thrive!
Your pledge is needed now!
There are still over 200 congregants who have not yet pledged. We need $139,013 to reach our goal. Pledges are needed by Sunday, May 21 so that the budget for 2017-2018 can be developed. Remember, each dollar of increase in a pledge will be matched. There are three ways to pledge: complete the pledge card you may have received from a steward, pledge online
, or stop by a pledging table after either service this Sunday. We are moving toward our goal of $834,000 thanks to those who have pledged! So far, $618,688 has been pledged, plus a match of $76,299 for increased pledges. Let's make it happen. Annual Budget Drive Committee: Paul Suwijn, John Solberg, Sue Ames, Cynthia Looney, Louise Paulsen and John Farrell.
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The May Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting began with Investment Committee Chair David Friedman reporting investment results from our money managers, Alesco Advisors. They have provided top quartile returns for the trailing five years on our church's moderate risk, low cost, growth and value index funds. Investment Committee member Annie McQuilken reported on progress toward divesting our portfolio of fossil fuels. "Green/clean" index funds are relatively new. The committee developed filters for tracking risk and return over the past two years, and working with Alesco identified two funds. One fund tracks favorably with our current portfolio's returns and is being considered. The church pays Alesco Advisors a low, competitive fee. The Investment Committee recommends continuing our relationship with Alesco Advisors, a local firm. Thank you to Chair David Friedman, Amanda Kish, Anne Perry, Ron Steinman and Annie McQuilken for their excellent work researching, reviewing and monitoring benchmarks for our church's portfolio.
To read more,
click here
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Happening in the Week Ahead
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Budget Roundtables
Budget Roundtables are scheduled for this Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 7:00pm and Friday, May 19, 2017 at 10:00am. Please RSVP your attendance to Anne Perry at ajperry@rochester.rr.com. |
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FirstLight Players Call
Enjoy moving to lively folk dance music? Come use these talents in a demonstration group for our congregation. We will lead church service attendees in a simple and brief interactive piece playing off of this month's theme of Embodiment. Ages 10 and up can experience being movement leaders. Partner not required, but do bring friends for the fun. This is a single service commitment with a 45 minute advance run-through this Sunday, May 21 at 8:45am or 10:30am. To sign-up, contact Lynn Kinsman by this Saturday, May 20 at 585-350-6211 or lynchestersings@yahoo.com
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Important News from the Nominating Committee
Candidate photos and Expression of Interest forms are now posted in the Lobby to fill the openings of Board of Trustees President and Clerk, two openings on the Nominating Committee, and four openings on our Board of Trustees. Nancy Wesson remains on as our Moderator for the second in a two-year term. Please take the time to review the candidates, and don't hesitate to seek them out to talk with them. Everyone is invited to attend a Meet the Candidates forum after the second service this Sunday, May 21. The vote to elect will be at the Congregational Meeting on Sunday, June 4 after the 10:00am service.
To read more,
click here
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Celebrate Twenty Years of Labyrinth Walk!
On
Monday, May 22, 7:00-9:00pm, celebrate the completion of 20 years of monthly labyrinth walks in Rochester with live music, restorative energy work with our many healers, massage, and refreshments. Sage-Thyme will raffle off an exquisite Tree of Life pendant. For more information,
click here.
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FirstLight Players Upcoming Auditions
Open auditions for
An Equal Right to Act: Remembering the Rochester Woman's Rights Convention of 1848 by Ira Srole. Auditions will be held
Wednesday, May 24 and Thursday, May 25, 7:00-9:00pm. The play is a dramatization of the historic convention in Rochester, thought to be the first in history to have a woman as presiding officer. The leading personages include Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Amy Post, with smaller roles for lesser-known participants, both female and male, plus a male and a female narrator. The age range is from young adult to middle age, although others may be able to participate in a non-speaking capacity. The performance will be at our church
Sunday, July 23, during the 10:00am service and is part of Rochester's celebration of the centennial of women's suffrage in New York State.
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Official Notice - Upcoming Annual Congregational Meeting
There will be an Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at 11:30am in the Sanctuary. According to the bylaws, business is limited to matters stated in the agenda. For the agenda, click here. Religious Education's Youth Group will provide a light lunch for purchase after the 10:00am service and prior to the meeting. Childcare is available for a nominal fee; please RSVP to Sheila Schuh at sheilas@rochesterunitarian.org by Thursday, June 1. |
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Support Connect & Breathe at Alex and Ani
On Wednesday, June 7, 5:00-8:00pm, all purchases at the Culver Road Armory store will generate 15% donations for our after-abortion, non-biased talk-line. If you are planning for a special event like graduation, know someone who loves charms, or if you just love Alex and Ani jewelry, please join us and support Connect & Breathe with your purchases.
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Still Time for Rummage Sale!
Sunday, June 11, through Wednesday, June 14, there will be tables in the Williams Gallery, Susan B. Anthony Lounge, and Sanctuary after services to collect your rummage sale items, followed by a pre-sale on Thursday, June 15. If you're bringing linens like sheets and spreads, please label as twin, full/double, queen, or king. If you're moving or need to get things out of the way before Sunday, June 11, call Ronna Abbott at 585-880-2849. For questions, contact Sandy Hollands at 585-703-2979 or sandy.hollands@gmail.com.
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Judicial Process Commission Luncheon
Many of us support the work of the Judicial Process Commission (JPC) in assisting the reentry of the incarcerated into society. Our Social Justice Council encourages church members to attend the annual JPC luncheon on
Thursday, June 15. We would like to have a UU table at the luncheon, and if you would like to join us, contact John Keevert at
jkeev@frontiernet.net or 585-473-0295. For more information,
click here.
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Honduras Task Force
Barbara Gawinski, Chairperson of the Honduras Task Force, has traveled to Honduras with the Eric Carle teach-the-teacher curriculum created by the Honduras Task Force members. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers
this week as she travels to Honduras, which holds one of the highest homicide rates in the world. When she returns, Barbara will present a summary of this work to the congregation at a potluck supper on Wednesday, May 31 at 6:00pm. Please come and learn.
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Environmental Climate Task Force Green Tip of the Week
Reasons to choose vinegar over harsh, toxic cleaning products:
If you dislike dandelions, pour about three tablespoons of vinegar directly on the base of the plant and keep your application focused, as it can kill surrounding grass. The acidity makes the soil less inviting, but may require more than one application. Vinegar also works as
a healthy, green insect repellent, leaving your exposed skin slightly acidic and refreshed. Insects don't like the acidity and will look elsewhere for a summer meal. As the vinegar dries, the odor will dissipate. Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.
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Church Office:
585-271-9070 (Monday-Friday, 10:00am-2:00pm)
Next deadline is Tuesday, May 23 at 10:00am.
For Emergency Pastoral Care:
585-330-9177
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Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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