CANDIDATING WEEKS WITH REV. HILLARY COLLINS-GILPATRICK
Candidating weeks are almost complete! Rev. Hillary will be leading her second worship service for First U this Sunday, May 10, and then at 12 pm that day, members will be voting whether to call Rev. Hillary as First Universalist's minister and to accept the ministerial agreement.
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VOTE MAY 10 TO ACCEPT THE MINISTERIAL AGREEMENT
The Ministerial Agreement is provided by the UUA, and begins with stating the intention to “strive to dwell together in peace, to seek truth in love, and to serve one another and the larger community” and that the relationship “must be grounded on both sides in open communication, mutual trust, good faith, and an open and agreed-upon process.” There are then seven detailed sections defining all aspects of responsibility. The Agreement ends with “It has been drawn, offered, and accepted in the spirit of the Principles and Purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association.” The Agreement is deep and broad, unlike 2-page letters of past engagements. You can read a summary of
the Agreement.
Discussion of the Agreement details will NOT be part of the meeting on May 10, but you may contact board president Joanna Landsman
jslandsman@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns to be addressed.
For gardeners who love to get into the weeds, you can read
the full Agreement (22 pages, PDF).
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NURTURE NATURE
Sunday, May 10, 2020
will be delivered via email at 6:00 am
Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, Candidating Minister
Sam Chandler, Music Director
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PLEASE SEND IN YOUR SELFIES BY MAY 10!
Whatever you are busy with during this Coronavirus time, I hope you will take a moment to snap a photo of yourself and send it to me by email. Or send 2 or 3 photos!
Why? I'm planning a Spring Makeover for the bulletin board in the Gathering Room. I'd love to include photos of everyone! Snap a photo of yourself doing whatever, and send it to
catalpa.girl@gmail.com. The more the merrier!
I plan to get the photos printed and arranged on the bulletin board before our new minister arrives. I also plan to share the final product (a collage) online. Sooner or later, it should be visible to all.
Thank you in advance! Say cheese,
Mariana (for the Faith in Action Council)
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CONTRIBUTE VIA PAYPAL
You can pay your pledge, make a Sunday offering, or make another donation online via PayPal. Please make sure to indicate via the drop down menu what your payment is intended for. Thank you for giving!
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YOGA FROM HOME
Yoga teacher Marni Prince is hosting live video yoga classes. The next one will be happening this Saturday at 10 am. Anyone interested can email Marni to get on the mailing list for when she'll be holding classes and video details:
marniprince@gmail.com. Marni is not charging anything for the classes as of now, but is accepting optional donations. Might as well do some yoga if we can't leave the house!
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WHERE'S THAT EMAIL?!
Some congregants have been having trouble with receiving emails from the church and we've determined that there are most likely one of two issues going on:
- The email has been put in a spam, promotions, or other folder. You can prevent this from happening! These are step-by-step instructions on how to whitelist email addresses (for many popular mail programs including AOL, gmail, yahoo, verizon, etc.). The first thing to do if an email is missing is to check other folders that it may have been accidentally sorted into.
- Your internet service provider is delivering your emails late. Unfortunately, there is nothing the church can do to fix this, but you can contact your ISP to see if they can help. This may be happening with some emails and not others. It depends on time of day, how busy your ISP is at the moment, your email program, etc.
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WHAT DO YOU NEED RIGHT NOW?
Dear Parents,
As we navigate this shifting landscape of social distancing, virtual schooling, and a plethora of unknowns, we want to provide you with what feels right for the spiritual, emotional, and social needs of your family.
If and when you have a moment, consider what might be the most beneficial for you and your family:
- a parent's virtual UU small group with the opportunity to check in and chances to tend to your own spiritual needs
- a continuation of RE-inspire your week ideas for spirituality at home
- an opportunity for children ages kindergarten - fourth grade to attend a virtual Children's Chapel on Sunday mornings
- phone call, email, or live video one-on-one check-ins with you or your children
- some other idea that you'd like to share
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VIRTUAL YOUTH GROUPS
Both junior and senior youth groups are now meeting online. You can download the
Zoom app in advance to your smart phone, tablet, or laptop. You will need to create a free account with Zoom.
There will be no youth groups this week in observance of Mother's Day.
Youth groups will resume next week, Sunday, May 17!
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SAVE THE DATE: THE NEXT 3D EVENT IS COMING SOON
Saturday, May 16 at 7 pm, on Zoom
What & When: a screening and discussion of
"Capturing the Flag", a documentary about non-partisan efforts to protect the right to vote for every American. An exciting new film!
Available for you to watch for free anytime during the week of May 11 (not to be confused with the Disney animation story "Capture the Flag").
And: a discussion of this film via Zoom on Saturday, May 16 at 7:00 pm. More information is coming! (First Universalist Church does not have an official viewpoint on this issue; we host this event in the spirit of our seven principles.)
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HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST: A GROUP READ & DISCUSSION
Thursdays, May 21, 28, and June 4, 10 - 11:30 am, on Zoom
There has never been a better time to read and discuss
How to Be an Antiracist:
- the Poor Peoples Campaign challenges us to confront systemic racism, jails and prisons (including here in Maine) disproportionately incarcerate minorities
- daily news coverage informs us of the higher death and disease toll covid-19 imposes on African Americans and Latinos due to inequities in our labor force and health care system
With this context in mind, Andrew Tonks will facilitate a 3-session study-by-Zoom of
How to Be an Antiracist
by Ibram X. Kendi on Thursdays May 21 and 28 and June 4 from 10:00-11:30 am. To participate, please email Jane Makela at
janemakela@gmail.com so you get the Zoom link. Give yourself ample time to order the book online and begin reading: hard copies ($14.79) and Kindle version ($13.99) can be obtained from Amazon with about a 6-day delivery time
- and the Faith In Action Council will reimburse your book costs, either hard copies or digital versions!
Join us to consider what an antiracist society would look like and how we can be part of making it happen!
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MUUSAN NETWORKING MEETING: ELECTORAL JUSTICE
Saturday, May 9th, 10:00 - 11:30 am
MUUSAN presents a first-time-ever opportunity to attend one of its networking meeting from the comfort of your own home! Join other UUs from around the state to talk about what’s at stake for Maine and for the country in the 2020 elections. It’s free, but be sure to
register so you will get the link to join the meeting. This conversation will include special guests:
- Susan Leslie, Congregational Advocacy & Witness Director, UUA Organizing Strategy Team
- Nicole Pressley, UUtheVote National Organizer
- Evan Tess Murray, Education and Engagement Projects Manager, Maine League of Women Voters and the Democracy Project
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VOLUNTEERING AT PREBLE STREET
Our next first Tuesday to volunteer at Preble Street is June 2, 3 - 6 pm. At this time, Preble Street still really needs your support in putting together to-go meals for their clients who they serve daily. Help to feed some of Maine's most vulnerable people who continue to rely on Preble Street for food and other resources. Contact Ruth White (
rwhite7@maine.rr.com) with any questions or if you would like to sign up. Thank you!
Please note a few changes:
- There is now a limit of three volunteers per shift in order to ensure social distancing.
- Volunteers are asked to bring their own mask or face covering.
- The time for dinner shifts has altered slightly. It is now 3 - 6 pm (instead of 3:30 - 6:30 pm).
- You can view all of Preble Street's response information about COVID-19 on their website.
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The Church Office is Closed, But Minister and Staff Are Still Working!
Rev. Frieda, Gwen, Sam, and Andrea all continue to work from home to support the church community. You can reach them via email, call and leave a voicemail at the church office (messages are checked on Monday & Thursday), or call Rev. Frieda on her cell phone: 508-207-7566.
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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. Saturdays are typically her day off, but she will answer calls for pastoral emergencies.
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Submit Your Announcement
To have your announcement included in this newsletter please email the information to Gwen Matthews at
gwenatfirstu@gmail.com
by Wednesday at 12 pm.
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