CHANNELS
First Universalist's weekly newsletter
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PRIDE PORTLAND! PARADE AND FESTIVAL
Saturday, June 15, 2019
This year’s Pride events mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Pride Portland! is commemorating Stonewall with the theme of “Resist. Remember. Rejoice.” Unitarian Universalists have been long supporters and advocates of the rights of the LGBTQ community and are invited to march in the parade under MUUSAN’s banner.
Gather on the steps of First Parish, in downtown Portland on Congress Street. Line-up for the parade begins at 11:30 am.
First Universalist members and friends are welcomed and encouraged to come to march! If possible, wear a yellow shirt. Loving signs and rainbow flags are welcome.
There is an interfaith service at 10 am at First Parish and First Parish will remain open for out-of-town UUs to use the bathrooms or rest. The parade itself begins at 1 pm and the festival is from 2—6 pm in Deering Oaks Park in Portland. Other Pride Portland! events begin on Friday, June 7 and continue through Sunday, June 16. Visit
prideportland.org
for a full schedule and for more information.
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FLOWER COMMUNION & ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Our last Sunday of the church year, June 16, will be Flower Communion—
please bring a flower or flowers to the worship service! (
any and all flowers are welcomed including wildflowers or flowers from your garden)—followed by our Ice Cream Social.
What is Flower Communion?
“An annual ritual for Unitarian Universalists that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.”
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HEALING CIRCLES
You are warmly invited to attend a
Healing Circle on Sunday, June 16 at 4 PM in our Gathering Room led by Rev. Frieda. These circles provide a small, safe environment to share any sadness or hurt from events in the recent past here at First U. They are also a wonderful opportunity to listen. The purpose is to facilitate healing and empower us to move into our future with optimism and compassion.
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Flower Communion
with Rev. Frieda Gillespie, Interim Minister
Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 10:30 am
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ADULT PROGRAMS
The next
UU Conversations, facilitated by Rev. Frieda, will take place on
Monday, June 17, from 6—7 pm in the Gathering Room, and will feature discussion about our 7 UU Principles. Members, friends, and newcomers all welcome to come to learn more and discuss what it means to live our UU principles.
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CLAM FEST 2019
It's time to get Clam Fest on your summer calendar!
Sign up for a spot to participate in the First U summer fun, make friends, and support your church. There are many ways to get involved.
Check out all the ways you can support one of our biggest fundraisers of the year.
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HANNAFORD GIFT CARDS
Do you shop at Hannaford? Would you like First Universalist to receive free money from Hannaford? You will be able to balance your checkbook easier with a Hannaford ‘gift card’. Dorothy McAloney will be able to set you up with a gift card, with no extra cost to you.
Twice a month, 1st and 3rd Sundays, I reload your card. You simply write a check to First Universalist Church, with any amount you would like, as long as the amount on the card does not go over $500. The church receives 5% of the amount of the total reload. You get the full amount on your card. Keep the same card and reload when needed. There is a $1 minimum for the card to keep it active. If interested, please contact Dorothy at
dmcaloney48@gmail.com.
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YOGA IN THE SANCTUARY
Spring Yoga classes continue on Saturdays in the church Sanctuary 10:00 - 11:15 AM. This is a multi-level yoga class. You can modify or stop at any time. Newcomers welcome. Ten dollars donation suggested per class. Half the funds go to a charity agreed with the class and half to the church.
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FURNITURE FRIENDS
Help out Furniture Friends with your First U friends! Sundays June 23 & 30 from 1—4 pm
, Furniture Friends needs assistance receiving a large donation of high—quality furniture from a large hotel in Portland’s Old Port who is remodeling. Furniture Friends is receiving 100 rooms worth of furniture over four weeks (25 rooms per week) and need volunteers who are able to help with this big move. First U would like to put together a team of 6—10 volunteers who are able to assist on Sunday, June 23 and/or Sunday, June 30. If you can help, please contact the church office to sign up or for more info (office@uuyarmouth.org or 207-846-4148). High schoolers and adults are both welcome to assist.
Assisting Furniture Friends in receiving this donation helps to enable the organization in its mission to provide gently used, good quality furniture to families in need throughout the greater Portland area. (Furniture Friends helped to furnish 95 Main Street for our New Mainer tenants.)
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OUR HALF-PLATE
Each Sunday, we donate half of our collection plate directly to projects and organizations that live and promote our shared values. This week’s half-plate is shared with the
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)
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ILAP provides free and low-cost immigration information and legal assistance, helping our New Mainers keep their families together, gain protection from persecution and domestic violence, attain residency and work authorization, and become proud U.S. citizens. ILAP builds stable families and improved opportunities, allowing Maine's immigrants to contribute to their communities for generations to come. ILAP is proud to uphold our nation's immigrant tradition. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
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DAWNLAND FILM SCREENING, June 14
Maine-Wabanaki REACH presents Dawnland, a documentary about cultural survival and stolen children, on Friday, June 14, 6:30 - 9:00 pm at the Greely Center for the Arts in Cumberland Center. This film screening is free, but donations will be accepted to support Maine-Wabanaki REACH.
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2020 CENSUS JOBS
The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people across the country to assist with the 2020 Census count. The Census Bureau are hiring for a variety of temporary jobs, including census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff, and supervisory staff. To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number, and be a U.S. citizen. Pay in Maine starts at $16.50/hour.
Apply online.
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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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