How might embracing a more expansive understanding of “family” and “freedom” move us deeper into practices of interdependence, community, and collective liberation?

To join online, go to zoom.us/j/89214621289

Each month, UUCSW shares our Sunday collections equally with a non-profit organization that does work in the wider community that is aligned with our UU principles and values through our “Share the Plate” program. If you would like to nominate an organization as a future month's Share the Plate recipient, please submit your nomination ASAP using our Share the Plate Nomination Form. Our volunteer Share the Plate Review Board will thoughtfully consider all nominations. Thank you!

Please consider participating in a congregational food drive to benefit the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC). At this time, they are especially in need of: 6-8 ounce juice boxes/pouches; fresh fruit especially apples, oranges/clementines, pears; and 16 oz packages of bologna, thick sliced and pre-packaged.

There will be a collection for these items on Thursday, September 24th between 5:15 and 6:15 pm at the Ruggles Street door of UUCSW. Please reach out to Pauline at psciarappa@gmail.com if there's a better time for you. Food will be delivered to SMOC on Friday, September 25th. Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Community Hours over the past six months. We appreciated hearing from you. We have decided to put the Community Hours on hold while we explore other opportunities for connection.

DRUUMM invites Unitarian Universalists who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color to participate in our New England Caucus on September 19th from 10 am to 1 pm on Zoom. The event is free, with online registration required. Contact Dawn Robinson drobinson@uua.org if you have any questions.

Join UU the Vote for Gather the Spirit, a virtual mass mobilization on Wednesday, September 23rd at 7:30 pm ET. As we head into the fall push, it is time to meet this moment with the full capacity of our faith. Let us gather together to be nourished by the abundant, loving spirit of this beloved community. Join UU the Vote for this special event!

More information and the registration link can be found here.

The Friends of the Westborough Public Library are hosting a Book Sale on Saturday, September 26th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Donations of books, CDs, and DVDs (no textbooks or encyclopedias) will be accepted on Friday, September 18th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and Saturday, September 19th from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

Mark your calendar for a Special Meeting immediately following service on September 27th to approve the budget for the remainder of the year. All UUCSW Members are encouraged to attend and vote. Thank you!

So I'd like to help bridge the gap. Because our seven principles are a covenant, an agreement about how we're committing to live, and we live into them in the small actions of daily life, I'm committing to do a weekly post on Facebook called #smallactsbigprinciples and I invite you to join me. Let's gather together in remembering what grounds us, guides us, and reminds us of our agency in building the world we seek.

After my sermon about renewal on Sunday, it seemed wise to take my own advice and find a moment of stillness. Our third principle - accepting one another and encouraging spiritual growth - can seem pretty vague and elusive. What does it look like to encourage spiritual growth in ourselves and others?

My small act for this week was going on a hike by the water to nurture my spirit and find some quiet. And then, serendipitously (or because of algorithms), as I went to write this, a Faithify* campaign popped up in my Facebook feed. The campaign's goal is to provide spiritual support to UUs experiencing incarceration. Since our commitment is not only to our own spiritual growth, but also to supporting each other's, I made a donation to this fund.

What was your small act this week?

*Faithify is our UU specific crowd funding site