WORSHIP
"Can You Imagine?"
Sunday, January 31, 2021, 10:30 am
Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, Minister
Marge Titcomb and Jane Makela
Sam Chandler, Music Director

Watch the service live on YouTube
Please note that Gathering Music begins at approx. 10:20 am.
MINISTER'S MESSAGE
“Consider that our lives are always unfinished business;
Imagine that the picture of our being is never complete;
Allow your life to be a work in progress.”
From “Life is Always Unfinished Business” by Rev. Richard Gilbert

Dear First Universalist Friends,

This Sunday, immediately following our worship service, we will gather for our Midyear Meeting. Now, I’ve had the Midyear Meeting on my calendar for months, but this week as I sat down to write my midyear report for the congregational meeting, I paused and exclaimed out loud, “Midyear Report!?” 

Mid-Year!” Can you believe it? We are already halfway through the church year!

I know some of you probably can’t believe that we are only half way through this church year. To think, when I entered search around this time last January (pre-Covid) the major collective challenge I imagined we would face this year would be the November presidential election. Hah! 

How strong, how steadfast, and how softhearted we’ve remained through these past six months though, don’t you think? Our mid-year meeting arrives six months into a church year unlike any we’ve ever experienced before, and yet we come to it intact, grateful to be here, grateful to have one another, and prepared to vote on endorsing the spirit of a new principle that calls us to embody anti-racist values. Wow! I am amazed by the compassion, the gratitude, the patience, and the innovation I see, hear, and feel in the meetings and gatherings I attend at First U. How grateful I am that my ministerial search led me to Yarmouth, where we are not simply weathering the storm of this age, we are working through it and with it to deepen our connections to our selves, to one another, to our community, and to our world. 

Midyear 2020-2021. A work in progress. A time for imagining. A time to be here. 

See you at the meeting.

Yours in the here and now, (and otherwise generally losing track of time), 
Rev. Hillary 
FINANCIAL TIMES OF FIRST U
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
MIDYEAR MEETING
Sunday, January 31, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
All are welcome to join in at the Midyear Meeting on Sunday, January 31st, in the Fellowship Hour from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Please join the Midyear Meeting on Zoom and enter password COMMUNITY.

We will hear reports from Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, President Joanna Landsman, and Stewardship Chair/Treasurer Marge Titcomb.

We will then hear a motion which has been drafted by the Board: “We endorse the spirit of the 8th Principle being developed by the UUA, committing ourselves to work together for diversity and against racism and oppressions of all kinds.” We will hear a second, discuss the motion and take a vote. Only members may vote, although all are welcome to participate in the discussion.
VALENTINES EXCHANGE
Share some UU love this Valentine's Day season with a postcard exchange. Come to the church picnic tables to pick up a packet with five postcards, postcard stamps, a couple of stickers, and a list of five names from our directory, say hello to Rev. Hillary or a member of Congregation Connections, and enjoy sending/receiving valentines!

Pick-up Days/Times
Thursday, February 4th, drop in between 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Sunday, February 7th, drop in between 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Want to participate but not in our directory? Contact Gwen (gwenatfirstu@gmail.com) and she'll be happy to add your name and address. (Even if you sent Gwen a note last time, please do so again, to ensure you receive postcards this time!)

Can't make it to pick up postcards? One of our friendly Congregation Connections members may be able to deliver it to your home! Just ask!
LUUNCH
Today, 12 - 1 pm, on Zoom
LUUnch will be with Rev. Hillary this week. The magic of breaking bread together is still a part of our weekly programming - even if it’s on Zoom. Stop by for this weekly event for conversation and connection, discussion, and fellowship. Come for all or part, drop-in anytime on Fridays, 12 to 1 pm.

To join the Zoom meeting, click here and enter password: YUM
To join via phone, dial: 1-646-558-8656
enter the meeting ID: 917 0538 2202 and pass code: 075311
RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION
THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 31st

Children's Chapel
9:45 - 10:15 am
Join Anna on Zoom where we continue our theme for this month: Imagination. Click for Children's Chapel and enter password: CHAPEL.

Senior Youth Group
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Join Joanna and Gwen on Zoom for check-in, community building, games, and fun. Click for Senior Youth Group and enter password: SPIRIT.
PEACE & JUSTICE WORK
NEW DAY RISING CONFERENCE
Is your congregation ready to take a new step in changing white supremacy culture? Want to learn what your fellow congregations are working on, and how you might apply it at home? Join a continent of UUs as we explore next steps in creating Beloved UU Communities.

On Your Own
Watch compelling video TED-talk style testimonials from selected congregations around the continent sharing their learnings, hopes and next steps in their quest for racial equity in their congregations

Together on Saturday, February 27, 2021, 12:00 - 9:00 pm
Worship - Workshops - Caucusing (with plenty of breaks!)

Register now! Please note that the cost is a sliding scale fee of your choosing, but because we plan to send a congregational team of three or more, you may opt to pay the lowest fee ($20), unless you want to opt to sponsor others to attend this conference. Need assistance paying the registration fee? Please confidentially contact Rev. Hillary at firstuminister@gmail.com.
FAITH-IN-ACTION 3D EVENT
Please note the date change: Saturday, February 20, at 7:00 pm*
Why BRAIN HEALTH? With all the big news in the world these days, where do we start if we want to help? I suggest the following three TED talks. Check out Wendy Suzuki's epiphany, Elizabeth Amini's offer, and Daniel Amen's insights. Like me, you may find hope here regarding all sorts of topics--from school shootings and domestic violence to crazy politicians and the way we've been caring for our planet. The good news starts with the fact that we each have a brain. Let's put them together and have a conversation?

You are warmly invited to join us at the next virtual 3D event. Watch our selected 3 films (14 min. each) anytime before the Zoom discussion at 7:00 pm on Sat., February 20. Please sign up by emailing Mariana at catalpa.girl@gmail.com so we can send you the Zoom link. See you for a fascinating discussion soon after Valentine's Day!

  1. The Brain Changing Benefits of Exercise with Wendy Suzuki
  2. Top 10 Tips to Keep Your Brain Young with Elizabeth Amini
  3. The Most Important Lesson from 83,000 Brain Scans with Daniel Amen

“Our imaging work... taught us that mild traumatic brain injury was a major cause of psychiatric illness that ruin peoples’ lives, and virtually no one knew about it because they would see psychiatrists for things like temper problems, anxiety, depression and insomnia, and they would never look [at a brain scan], so they would never know [it was due to a physical injury].” -- Dr. Daniel Amen

*Why the date change? So you have the opportunity to attend the New Day Rising National Conference! (see above)
ENDORSING THE SPIRIT OF THE 8TH PRINCIPLE
The proposed 8th Principle will call UU’s “...to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” The UUA is developing the wording of the 8th, and planning to vote on it at the General Assembly in 2022.

First Universalist's Anti-racism Working Group (AWG), part of our Faith in Action Council, has been hosting small group conversations and coordinating with Rev. Hillary on worship and fellowship, so we can be ready to embrace and "endorse the spirit of the 8th Principle" at our Midyear Meeting on January 31st. (Our Cottage Meetings are all filled up - which is AMAZING!)

Here is the specific motion on which we will be voting:
"We endorse the spirit of the 8th Principle being developed by the UUA, committing ourselves to work together for diversity and against racism and oppressions of all kinds."

If you’d like to speak with Rev. Hillary or a member of the AGW about any of this, please reach out. There will be many more learning and exploring opportunities in the months and years to come. We welcome you to check out the anti-racism page on our website that describes how “endorsing the spirit” will be part of First Universalist’s mission.

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” 
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
OUR HALF-PLATE THIS WEEK
This month’s offering is shared with the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine (RJIM). RJIM promotes a cultural and systemic shift to how Mainers approach wrongdoing by advancing the use of restorative justice across the state. Its community-driven projects include the Youth Justice Program for young people at risk and the Restorative Schools Program, recognizing the fact that students learn how to be in community inside our schools. Currently RJIM is working with Yarmouth youth and residents, following up on an incident last month, as it aims to forward a movement that builds safer and more peaceful communities from which we all benefit.

Please offer your gift by clicking the "Make Your Offering" button below (to contribute via GiveButter), dropping a check or cash in the mail, or sending via your bank's bill pay feature.
COMMUNITY NEWS
WHALECOAST ALASKA 2021
Have you ever wanted to visit Alaska? If so, WhaleCoast Alaska 2021 is for you! Four Alaska UU congregations invite you to experience our unique environmental and spiritual tour program this summer, when it will be safe to travel again. See Alaska through the eyes of local UUs, with friendly homestays and awe-inspiring tour activities. See wildlife, including moose, bears, caribou, whales, bald eagles, sea lions, etc. Visit Denali National Park. Experience Native Alaskan culture. WhaleCoast Alaska is an inspirational way to visit our beautiful state. Complete info at: www.WhaleCoastAK.org. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t want to miss!
FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE
Pastoral Emergencies
If you experience a pastoral emergency please contact Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, who can be reached on her cell phone: 207-740-3753. Please note Rev. Hillary is in the office Tuesday - Friday for non-emergency opportunities to talk.
Submit Your Announcement
To have your announcement included in this e-newsletter please email the information to Gwen Matthews, Director of Education and Communications, at gwenatfirstu@gmail.com by Wednesday at 12 pm.
 First Universalist Church of Yarmouth | 207-846-4148 | office@uuyarmouth.org | www.uuyarmouth.org