CHANNELS
First Universalist's weekly newsletter
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CHANNELS ON HIATUS
Channels
will be on summer break for the next two weeks. To have an announcement included in the Friday, August 16 edition of
Channels, please email your information to Gwen at
gwenatfirstu@gmail.com by Wednesday, August 14 at 12 pm.
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VESPERS IN AUGUST
Please note that Vespers will be held on Sundays, August 18 and 25 (NOT August 4 or 11) at 6:00 pm with a potluck at 6:30 pm. All ages are welcome to these short, sweet gatherings and we often meet in the Peace Garden for these summer evening services.
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LOBSTER BAKE & COOKOUT TO SUPPORT YCHI: SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 5 - 7:30 PM
You are invited to the 5th annual Lobster Bake & cookout to benefit the Yarmouth Compassionate Housing Intiative (YCHI)*. Saturday, August 17 from 5 pm to 7:30 pm at St. Bart's, 396 Gilman Road, Yarmouth. Tickets are available by calling 846-9244 or emailing
ychiyarmouth@gmail.com. Lobster dinner $25 Chicken $20 Kids 12 and under $10
If you would like to make a contribution to this event in support of our immigrants being served by YCHI, please contact Marge 846-4765 or
mjtbean@aol.com.
*YCHI, a collaboration of First Universalist, St. Bart's, and the Latter Day Saints, has been supporting asylum seekers in Maine since 2015.
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YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT ASYLUM SEEKERS IN MAINE
Over 200 asylum seekers, who are fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries, have come to Maine in order to keep their families safe.
They are currently living at the Expo in Portland, but need to find alternate housing by August 15.
Communities around Portland are coming together to support asylum seekers and have turned to faith communities for assistance. (Why faith communities? Because of the success of our own
Yarmouth Compassionate Housing Initiative
partnership which has provided temporary housing to 150 people since 2015.)
Here is how you can help:
- Provide a room, make a meal, drive, or provide childcare through YCHI (Yarmouth Compassionate Housing Initiative): Do you have room(s) to spare to host a family for emergency or short-term housing? Can you support hosts with meals, driving, playtime, etc? Contact YCHI at ychiyarmouth@gmail.com. There are currently about 70 families (275 people) at Expo (many speak at least some English) needing temporary housing before August 15. The greater Portland area, including Yarmouth, is committed to finding appropriate housing for all. Your home can make a huge difference, and you will be supported with many volunteers who are already participating in YCHI projects. Note that hosting all these families in homes means the Portland Family Shelter system can focus on other homeless populations for which they are well positioned to serve well.
- Prepare meals at Preble Street: They need double the number of usual volunteers; they are preparing all the Expo food (3 meals a day) at Preble Street that gets transported to Expo. Visit preblestreet.volunteerhub.com to sign up as a volunteer. Team up with a friend - one can provide a play date or childcare while the other adult(s) volunteer.
- Serve meals at the Expo Center (run by United Way): If you've already registered, you can help out! Tuesday they only had TWO people to serve lunch to 275 people. (United Way is not signing up new volunteers at this time.)
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OWL FOR 7TH - 9TH GRADERS: FALL 2019
About the Our Whole Lives Program
The Our Whole Lives program has proactive goals of helping youth to become sexually healthy people who feel good about themselves and their bodies, remain healthy, and build positive, equitable loving relationships. Two trained facilitators lead the group in activities and discussions that encourage the program values of self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, and justice and inclusivity.
Schedule
Sundays, October 6—December 15, 2019, from 12 pm—3 pm, with a break for lunch. The location will alternate between First Universalist Church of Yarmouth and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick at 1 Middle Street in Brunswick. We encourage and can assist with organizing carpooling.
If your 7th - 9th grader is interested in participating, please let us know by
no later than July 31
.
Contact Gwen Matthews for more information or to register:
gwenatfirstu@gmail.com.
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FAITHIFY CAMPAIGN FOR TRANSYLVANIA STUDENT FOLK DANCE GROUP
First Parish in Concord, MA’s Partner Congregation Committee (PCC) is hosting the Vadrózsák Néptánccsoport (Wild Roses) Student Folk Dance Group to tour New England from October 24 - November 5. They are partnering with several other Unitarian Universalist congregations, including First Universalist, to bring this group of 25 travelers from their partner congregation of Székelykeresztúr, Transylvania. First Parish in Concord needs to raise $36,000 to bring them here; they currently have $21,000 available so far. They have started a Faithify campaign to help raise some of the remaining needed funds. You can help them to provide hospitality with your donation at Faithify:
https://faithify.org/projects/bring-transylvanian-youth-
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FAITHIFY CAMPAIGN FOR REV. JAMES REEB MEMORIAL
Reverend James Reeb, UU minister and martyr of the civil rights movement, grew up and began his ministerial career in Casper, Wyoming. In interfaith partnership, the Unitarian Universalist Community of Casper is raising funds for a Reverend James Reeb Memorial Mural. This unique project promotes James Reeb’s legacy, social justice, community partnerships, and interfaith engagement. To learn more or donate, click on this link:
https://faithify.org/projects/reverend-reeb-memorial-mural/.
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PILGRIMAGE: THE PHILIPPINES
the UU Church of the Philippines (UUCP) is offering a pilgrimage called “Counter Narratives in Arts and Religions” from October 19-27, 2019. The cost of the pilgrimage is $1,000 plus a $150 non-refundable registration fee (airfare not included). For more information and to register, please visit:
https://uupcc.org/pilgrimages/pilgrimage-opportunities
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Pastoral Emergencies
If you have a pastoral emergency, you can contact Rev. Frieda Gillespie on her cell phone at 508-207-7566. Please note that most weeks she will be in Yarmouth Sunday - Tuesday and working from her home office in MA Wednesday - Friday. Saturdays are typically her day off, but she will answer calls for pastoral emergencies.
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Submit Your Announcement
To have your church or community event included in this newsletter or in print on Sundays please email the information to Gwen Matthews, Program Assistant, at
gwenatfirstu@gmail.com
by Wednesday at 12 pm
to have it included in that Friday's edition of Channels or the Sunday Morning News.
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