FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF WESTCHESTER |
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In-Person and Online Worship, Sunday, November 21
“The Journey of Becoming”
De Lise/Reynolds Program Group
10:00am - OUR NEW TIME
Worship this week is IN PERSON AND ONLINE, and our service BEGINS AT 10:00am. We gather in the chapel at South Church, 343 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry. In accordance with South Church and FUSW guidelines, everyone attending must be vaccinated (contact Rina at admin@fusw.org in advance to submit proof) and will be required to wear a mask while in the building. Seating is limited; please click here to sign up.
Free Sunday parking is available on the street or in the municipal lot behind the police/post office buildings adjacent to Oak St, around the corner from South Church (the lot has two EV charging stations).
We will also livestream the service on Zoom.
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Please check our website fusw.org and Facebook page for the latest info and updates about our Sunday services and other events.
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Upcoming Events
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Sunday, November 21, 12:00pm, Congregational Update (see details below)
Upcoming Worship
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Sunday, November 28, 10:00am - “Thanking the Divine in OurSelves, Each Other, and Each Day” ~ Lauren Jacobs
- Sunday, December 5, 10:00am - “TBA” ~ Tara Bedeau
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Congregational Update
Congregational Update, Sunday, November 21, 12:00pm, worship Zoom
The Board and Emergency Task Force will hold a Congregational Update session after service this week. Log in at 12:00pm using the service Zoom link at the top of the Scoop. We will cover:
- where things stand with the electrical/remediation work at 25 Old Jackson;
- where things stand with our investigation into selling the building;
- our current agreement with South Presbyterian Church; and
- future space options.
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Proof of Vaccination Required
In the spirit of love and concern for everyone's safety, the FUSW Board has approved a policy requiring that everyone who attends an FUSW event in person must be fully vaccinated, and provide proof of that vaccination. If you would like to attend in-person services and events, please email a picture of your vaccination card to Rina (dmin@fusw.org), or arrange a time to show her your card via Zoom or FaceTime.
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Pledge Letters
We are mailing out Pledge Status letters, so keep an eye out for yours. Our Annual Contribution letters will be sent in January, for tax purposes. Questions? Contact Art Lowenstein (artlowenstein48@gmail.com).
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Message from the Minister
One of my first memories is of my being eye-level with a desirable grape-jelly-on-Wonder-bread sandwich on the dining room table, in a house my family moved from when I was four. Memory of that sandwich, in that house, carries feelings of satisfaction and comfort. Memories are probably closely linked to their setting, so that when we visit a house or street from our past, such as our building at 25 Old Jackson Avenue, echoes from the past might play through our minds. Sunday services, weddings, bridging ceremonies, and memorial services have been important and abundant with feelings. The rich emotional background music playing behind newer events can carry subtle and varied nuance into each subsequent event, building a deeper understanding of our lives.
But before we get all marzipan-ish about memories, notice that painful and scary memories are usually stronger than pleasant ones. You can most likely remember vividly what you were doing and where on 9/11, but do you remember as brightly 9/7 or 9/8? Anxious, bittersweet, or even bitter memories can be attached to 25 Old Jackson Avenue as well. Life is messy and complicated.
Both kinds of memories may influence us as we consider what next to do with our building. Both kinds of memories may cloud how we think through our next steps as a congregation. However, the board needs to make a thoughtful decision in view of the facts as they present themselves right now. It appears that climate change, inattention leading to inaction by our local and state governmental agencies, and an escalating series of floods make our building untenable. I feel nostalgic and regretful about that. I also felt tears well up in my eyes as I looked out last Sunday at our devoted, courageous, hopeful, and sweet congregation meeting — once again — in yet another place to build a vigorous future. We have been thinking and working together for months to conceive of a different scenario than where we have previously invested feeling and thought. We need to continue a process of discerning where our energies can take us.
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Service Archive
Rev. Arlin Roy has shared a written version of their sermon for the Sunday, November 14 service, “Spirituality and Religion.” If you missed the service or would just like to read the sermon again, visit the Members page of fusw.org, click on Service Archive, and then select Sermons.
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From MLK Institute for Nonviolence
Community Vigil for Kenneth Chamberlain, Sr., Friday, November 19, 7:00-8:00pm, in front of the White Plains Dept of Public Safety, 77 South Lexington Ave, White Plains.
On this 10th anniversary of his killing, we gather to remember Mr. Chamberlain, to support his family, and to renew our pledge to advocate, educate, and build trust between communities of color and law enforcement. Click here for the flyer.
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In the Community
Fundraiser for Afghan Refugees, Sunday November 21, 4:00-6:00pm, South Church, 343 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Join Rivertowns for Refugees for an informative and entertaining evening in support of refugees from Afghanistan. Your ticket and donation will help support the resettlement of a newly arrived Afghan family. Click here to buy a ticket or donate what you can to this important and urgent cause.
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Neighboring Congregations: Webinar
Webinar: Habitat Gardening for Birds, Butterflies, and Wildlife, Tuesday, November 30, 7:00pm via Zoom
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Police Reform Update from UUCHV
Our sibling congregation, UU Congregation of the Hudson Valley, Croton, is sharing information on local Police Reform and Reinvention Committee (PRRC) efforts that they've gathered as part of their congregation's ongoing 8th Principle work. Click here to read their message.
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The Unitarian Universalist Association will host a national virtual event that includes workshops, networking, worship, and more. The schedule includes worship leaders Rev. Ranwa Hammany, Karishma Gottfried, and Rev. Bill Sinkford; music from the trio Rising Appalachia; thought-provoking conversations with poet Alexis Pauline Gumbs; and a special presentation from the UUA Article II Study Commission. Join fellow UUs to find our collective “compass” as we explore interdependence as a path to wholeness. Click here to register for Compass.
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Share the Plate for November: Hour Children
The mission of Hour Children is to help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and their children successfully rejoin the community, reunify with their families, and build healthy, independent, and secure lives. Incorporated in 1992, Hour Children has become a leading provider of prison- and community-based family services to support women and children as they reunite, stabilize, and transform their lives. We collect for our Share-the-Plate partner throughout the month. Visit fusw.org, click “Donate,” and select “Share the Plate.”
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FUSW Contacts & Information
Questions, Concerns, or Compliments for FUSW? Reach out to any member of our Board of Trustees, fusw.org/board-of-trustees (place cursor over picture, then right-mouse click to copy email).
The Board of Trustees usually meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings begin at 7:30pm. We are currently meeting online. Meetings are open to any member of FUSW. If the Board enters into executive session to discuss personnel or confidential matters, non-Board will be asked to leave for that portion of the meeting. At the end of the meeting there will be an open forum, moderated by the President, during which non-Board members can speak about topics of concern. We ask that you limit your remarks to two minutes. This forum will last from five to ten minutes, depending on the Board agenda. Please contact any Board member if you have questions or comments. To access the minutes from previous meetings, visit the Members page of fusw.org and click on Board Minutes Archive. Click here to join our meeting on Zoom.
Scheduling Online Meetings To schedule a Zoom online meeting for your committee or program group, contact Rina Schunk (admin@fusw.org) with the purpose, date, and time you need, as well as information you want included in the Scoop. Rina will check availability, schedule the calendar, and send you the invitation link.
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The Scoop e-newsletter is sent out each week. Have news to share? Submit articles to our administrator, Rina Schunk, at admin@fusw.org by Wednesday at 10:00am. To schedule events on the FUSW Calendar, contact Rina Schunk at admin@fusw.org
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We are a liberal religious community
shaping the world in our image of love
Deepening Spirituality · Nurturing Community · Advancing Justice
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