Unitarian Universalist Congregational Society of Westborough
Weekly Update
January 17, 2019
Sunday, January 20 – 10:30 am
In the Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.
Beau Rivers preaching
As we celebrate the life of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. this Sunday, we will explore contributions of the #BlackLivesMatter movement to how we understand racism and the effect it is having on our denomination today. This is an important day to be in the pews.
This Week in Religious Education
RE classes: On January 20th we are beginning in the sanctuary at 10:30 for a story time with Bev and Beau and you can pick your kids up from Group RE at 11:45! Thanks!

Battling Horcruxes: This year our 5th/6th grade RE class is participating in the program Harry and the UU, which explores the injustices in the world today through the lens of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter book series. January’s horcrux is Sickness, and what is a better way to help someone who is sick than to make them soup?! Stop by after coffee hour and purchase a jar of soup to help fund our interfaith meal packing event!

RE Teachers: This is a friendly reminder to watch your email for a link to our signup genius for RE teachers. We greatly appreciate your time and talents that you have donated these past few months. As we are officially in 2019 now, we would love to have you signup for more sessions for this spring! You are what makes our RE program such a success! Thank you!

Youth Group: Thank you to all who were able to make it to our January meeting last week. Our next event is bowling with the Worcester UU Youth Group on January 27th from 6-8pm. Please let me know if you would like to attend. Our next meeting is February 3rd at 12pm. In between now and then please review the Google Doc sent around with ideas for trips, events, and service opportunities. We’d love to have you participate and help make youth group great!

Group RE: Come on by this week as we learn about Forgiveness and add a forgiving heart to our special panels. 
Friday Fun Night - January 25, 6:30 pm
Friday Fun Nights at UUCSW are a big hit! Stop by on the last Friday of each month at 6:30 pm to meet up with friends and decompress after a busy week. Bring a game, food and/or beverage to share, and join us for a fun time!
Buddhist Group First Meeting
The first Buddhist Group meeting will be held on Sunday, January 27, 1:30-2:30 PM at UUCSW. Erin Gold and Carol Palmer will be introducing some of the basic concepts of Buddhism and starting work on some meditation practices. All are welcome. If there are any questions before then please reach out to Erin ( kentuckybluerose@gmail.com) or Carol ( cgpl1fe@yahoo.com).
Westborough Interfaith Meal Packaging Event
Again this year Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will be hosting this annual meal packaging event on Saturday, February 9th at 1:00 pm. We here at UUCSW have pledged to fund $500 worth of meals at $0.25 per serving - that's 2,000 servings! In order to raise the funds for this wonderful service, we will be selling jars of dry minestrone soup during the fellowship hour. Please stop by our table to sign up for volunteering and consider purchasing a jar or donating towards this cause. You can also contact Cassie Lengel or Janet Purney-Balabanis for more information.
Stop & Shop Gift Cards Fundraiser
REMINDER: Pick up your Stop & Shop gift cards from Ken Young on Sundays before or after services. For every dollar purchased, the church receives 5%.

If you do not personally shop at Stop & Shop you can still join in this easy fund-raiser as it is very much appreciated when these cards are added to the monthly offering (1st Sunday of the month) that benefits the Minister’s Discretionary Fund.
Join the UUCSW Snow Removal Team!
When it comes to snow removal at the church, many hands make light work. We are forming a snow removal team to make clean-up after snow storms a breeze. If a storm is approaching, you will receive an email and whoever can make it will show up with shovels and a can-do attitude. If you can help out in this way, please sign up! Thank you!

Snow Cancellation Information
If the weather is inclement and you’re wondering if services are cancelled please check the following places: 

WEBSITE: www.uucsw.org
TV: WBZ, WHDH
RADIO: WBZ 1030 AM
PHONE: The church’s outgoing message (508-366-2635) will reflect weather-related closing.
NOTE: As many of our congregants and staff live in towns other than Westborough, please remember that we would close based on Westborough weather conditions only. Please base your decision on the conditions in your town, your safety is the most important factor to consider.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are in need of assistance due to weather, please contact Rev. Bev (508-481- 5397 (h) or 508-330- 1352 (c), and she will do her best to get someone to assist you.
Blood Drive in Honor of Corinne Sciarappa
Congregational Church of Westboro
Saturday, January 19
8:30 AM to 2:30 PM

Celebrate life and make a difference by giving blood. Blood is needed for many different kinds of patients. It could be a young child with a rare blood disorder, a family member fighting cancer, or a friend involved in a car accident. Please donate at this special blood drive. You'll feel good knowing you've helped change the lives of patients in need. Call 1-800-733-2767 or visit RedCrossBlood.org to schedule an appointment.
Upcoming Events At a Glance
Saturday, January 19, 8:30 am - Blood Drive
Sunday, January 20, 10:30 am - Beau Rivers Preaching
Monday, January 21, 10:00 am - MLK Jr. Day of Service
Monday, January 21, 6:30 pm - UU Knits
Friday, January 25, 6:30 pm - Friday Fun Night
Sunday, January 27, 10:30 am - Rev. Bev Preaching
Sunday, January 27, 1:30 pm - Buddhist Group Meeting
Sunday, January 27, 6:00 pm - Youth Group Bowling