Thursday, February 10, 2022
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THIS SUNDAY'S
WORSHIP SERVICE
"Awakening to Life"

Rev. Greg Chute, guest speaker
Catherine Brooks, service leader
Al Martinez, musician

In-person & Zoom Worship Service

Sunday, February 13, 2022 | 10 am

When I think of our February theme of "Widening the Circle," I ask myself: "What is at the center? Who am I? What do I know? What don't I know? How do I see the world?" So the first step appears to me to be a profound self-knowledge and grounded orientation. Thoreau once quipped: "Only that day comes to which we are awake." And I unequivocally concur. Too often we are meandering through our days, paying little attention. How shall we wake ourselves up to see a wider world? — Rev. Greg Chute

So we can begin the worship service promptly at 10 am, please sign into Zoom (click here) by no later than 9:50 am.

If not attending the service either in person, or by Zoom, please submit "Joys and Concerns" and "Announcements" in advance by emailing them to the UUCR office (click here) by 9 pm Saturday.
Upcoming Services
Sunday, February 20 — In-person & Zoom

"Holding Our Center"

This year the UUCR stewardship team has invited us to consider how we hold our center during trying times. How do we each hold onto our core values when times are challenging? Where do we turn for fresh ideas and connection? Join Rev. Sue Browning as we reflect on the ways UUCR is making a difference in our lives and in the world during unprecedented times.

  • Rev. Sue Browning
  • Marilee Taussig, service leader
  • Barbara Parker, musician


Sunday, February 27 — In-person & Zoom

"The Life We Have Chosen"

Rev. James Gibbons Walker, Affiliate Minister of First Unitarian Church of Baltimore, invites reflection on what it means to live as a Unitarian Universalist in light of the words of William Sloan Coffin, “The leap of faith is not so much a leap of thought as of action,” and James Baldwin’s words, “I cannot believe what you say, because I see what you do.” 

  • Rev. James Gibbons Walker, guest speaker
  • Annie Lavin, service leader
  • Philip Dutton, musician
Helpful Links
Upcoming Events
This Week's
Worship Service



Previous Worship Service Recordings

are available on the UUCR YouTube channel


UUCR






UUCR Office hours:
W - Sa, 8:30-10:30 am
Su, 8:30 am-noon
Closed, M & Tu
(email & voicemail monitored outside
normal office hours)
FEB 13 | UUCR Worship
Service
In-person & Zoom
Rev. Greg Chute, guest speaker
Catherine Brooks, service leader
Al Martinez, musician

FEB 13 | Great Valentine's
C💘💘kie Giveaway

FEB 20 | UUCR Worship
Service
In-person & Zoom
Rev. Sue Browning
Marilee Taussig, service leader
Barbara Parker, musician

FEB 20 | Pledge Drive
Kickoff

FEB 20 | UUCR/UUFE Book
Discussion

FEB 27 | UUCR Worship
Service & Virtual Coffee Hour
In-person & Zoom
Rev. James Gibbons Walker, guest speaker
Annie Lavin, service leader
Philip Dutton, musician
If you know of another link or event that should be added, please contact
the UUCR office by email or phone 410-778-3440. Thanks!
Re-opening Task Force
GOOD NEWS
Re-opening to Hybrid Worship Services this Week
The UUCR Re-opening Task Force met last night (Wednesday, Feb 9) and after reviewing the improving Covid conditions has decided to return to hybrid services (in-person with a Zoom option) beginning this Sunday, February 13. You will receive a special email from the Task Force with further details and updated protocols later today (Thursday, Feb 10).
Minister's Column
Bragging on Our Congregations
Last week I was in San Diego for a ministers' conference. It was good to connect with those colleagues who were there in person, and it was a conference done in a new way. Many attended the conference virtually. The keynote speakers presented to us virtually (picture big screens in the room) and all of the smaller seminar sessions were virtual.
 
This all went well. We’ve learned that gatherings can work in multi-platform ways. Not glitch-free, but it worked. 
 
For those of us who were there in person all of the meals and snacks were served outside. There were tables of five or six set up on the grass and it was easy to join a table with colleagues (many of whom I’d never met) for a meal.
 
At these tables (in the sunshine!) we’d pretty quickly find ourselves sharing about our ministries and congregations. We’d share some challenges, but mostly we were ministers excited to share what was emerging in our settings. I heard about the UU Dinner ministry, outreach to campuses, practices of generosity, and more. 
 
I found I had much to share on the energy at UUCR and UUFE. I described our "tech" learning, and our shared UUCR/UUFE worship during the pandemic. I shared of our recent successes with outreach collections, our planned gender education program, and our experiments with bonfires, cookie sharing, and more.
 
Mostly what I heard myself saying, and heard reinforced by other ministers, is that our congregations have been amazingly resilient and creative during the pandemic. These in-person meals offered a sense of hope and excitement. Over the next weeks and months I’ll be sharing what I learned on my venture out to California.  
 
In renewal,
Rev. Sue 
Discontinuation of
Grocery Card Program
We currently have $1,000.00 worth of Acme grocery cards available in the following denominations: 1 - $200, 4 - $100, 8 - $50. These will be sold on a first come, first served basis and once gone, UUCR will discontinue selling grocery cards.
Stewardship Committee
PLEDGE DRIVE: "Holding Our Center in Trying Times"
We picture the heart in our logo spinning around with the people holding on tight, their bodies outstretched behind them, hair flying. In these trying times, it’s not always easy to hold on to that center, and we hope that UUCR has helped you to do that in this past year. Our pledge drive kickoff will be February 20 — your opportunity to support the good work of UUCR. Look for more information in Reflections, your inbox, and your mailbox.

Your committee members,

Jackie Mathwich, Catherine Brooks, Joy Kim, and Peggy McKee
PROC Committee
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee is excited about meeting again in person for Sunday services! We are looking for volunteers to sign up as “Greeters” — people to arrive early on Sunday morning to make sure everyone feels welcome, help people to "sign in," assure that masks and other Covid procedures are followed, make name tags for visitors and answer questions. Please let Diane Shields know if you can help.
Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee



Outreach Collection
You still have time to contribute to our January - February Outreach Offering for the excellent organization, Rebuilding Together. As our own Pam Vogel says in her moving segment (which you can listen to starting at 13:10 in the YouTube recording of a service here), “Almost all of the people that need Rebuilding Together’s services are elderly, many are veterans or people with disabilities. Often the repairs are serious and urgent — no running water, a non-working toilet or shower, leaking roofs, etc. These are people with a home, but find themselves in a circumstance where they cannot manage the repair.” Rebuilding Together addresses these critical needs. As you can imagine, after a winter like we've had, many aging houses will need help. 

You can contribute by sending a check to the church office, made out to UUCR specifying "Rebuilding Together" in the memo line, or you can donate online at the church website using the "Donate" button (click here) and "Custom Amount," specifying "Rebuilding Together Outreach Collection" in the comment section. Any questions, please contact Marilee Taussig, Co-chair of the SC/SJ Committee at marileetaussig@gmail.com.

Please make your donation by Friday, February 11th.
Fund Raising Task Force
SAVE THE DATE FOR SOMETHING "PRECIOUS"
Saturday, March 19, we will be holding a Precious Metals Event at the church that will raise funds with your donations of silver, gold, and coins. So start searching for those single earrings, high school rings, gold and silver jewelry, and silver serving pieces that you never use. We'll provide more details in the future, but don't hesitate to contact Lynn Dolinger or Gerry Edwards with questions. We'll also put brochures from the appraiser in the church office. Thanks, Lynn and Gerry
Leadership Development Committee
Collaboration with Other
Small Congregations
 
Two years ago, the Unitarian Universalist Institute (UUI) planned a meeting on March 14th, better known in some circles as Pi Day (3.14). Unexpectedly, a virus
showed up and postponed the event, indefinitely.

Now that we are experts at Zoom calls and "remoting-in," UUI has rescheduled the event as a remote networking opportunity, on March 12th at 3 pm. The workshop is designed to promote collaboration between small congregations and learning what others do well. Consider attending and if you would like to,
please let M.Q. Riding (mq.riding@comcast.net) know. Here’s a link to the description of the workshop: Second Slice of Pi: A Conference for Smaller Congregations .

Amy, Diane, & M.Q.
UUCR/UUFE Book Discussion
Book Discussion: Sunday, Feb. 20 from 4 - 5:30 pm
"Our Time is Now" by Stacey Abrams
Our Time is Now (published June 2020) is a comprehensive review of the election system by Stacey Abrams. We will have a UUCR/UUFE discussion of this book and opportunities to address voting rights on Sunday, Feb. 20 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. (on Zoom). The Zoom link will be provided closer to the date. The book is available in several formats (print copy, ebook, audiobook) at local libraries or for a reasonable price online. 
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Invitation from UUFE -
Gender Education
UNDERSTANDING THE GENDER SPECTRUM
& HOW TO BE A BETTER ALLY
What is the gender spectrum? Are you confused by gender-related terminology? Is a friend or family member struggling with gender identity? Would you like to become a better ally for those who are grappling with these issues?

The Social Justice Pod of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton is offering interactive sessions on gender education. For your convenience, they will be offered in-person as well as in Zoom. For your comfort, none will be recorded. Feel free to invite a friend to register. Sessions are limited to 15 participants so please register early to secure your spot.

In-person (Masks are required.)
  • 101 (Introduction): Sunday March 6, 2022, 12:30-3:30 pm at UUFE, 7401 Ocean Gateway (Rt 50), Easton
  • 102 (Continuation): Sunday March 27, 2022, 12:30-3:30 pm at UUFE

OR

Via Zoom:
  • 101 (Introduction): Thursday March 10, 2022, 6-8:30 pm
  • 102 (Continuation): Wednesday March 30, 2022, 6-8:30 pm

Please register in advance at --

Questions? Please contact Emily Cranwell at emilycranwell@hotmail.com
Anti-Racism Dialogues to be offered by Mount Vernon Unitarian Church
Sessions to be Offered this February-March-April
Since late 2020, almost 40 members of the MVUC community have participated in a series of enlightening and motivating Anti-Racism Dialogue Sessions facilitated by Sue Ries Lamb. The Anti-Racism Committee is delighted to announce that the course will be offered again starting in February. The format will be similar to the previous two sessions. There will be a series of six Zoom sessions on Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00. Each session will include whole group discussions and facilitated small group conversations.
 
The sessions will be held on the first and third Thursday of the month starting February 10. Subsequent sessions will be held on February 24, March 10, March 24, April 14, and April 28. The sessions will be interactive and will require one to two hours of homework for each session. Ideally, you should sign up only if you will be able to attend all six sessions, although exceptions could be made. In order for all participants to have their voices heard, the course will be limited to 16 people. The course will be appropriate for mid-teens and up. If you are interested in signing up for the sessions, or if you have any questions, please send an e-mail to the Anti-Racism Committee and put “Dialogue Sessions” in the subject line. Thank you.
UUA Online Events
As week 4 of 30 Days of Love begins, I’m thrilled to introduce myself to you. I’m Rachel Myslivy, Climate Justice Organizer for the UUA’s Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team. 
 
As someone who has worked in the climate movement for roughly fifteen years, I know that we all come to the work from different places with different perspectives and strategies. Climate justice requires us to see climate change not as a technical problem to be solved, but as a moral and ethical challenge that we as people of faith need to rise to meet and overcome. 
 
Climate justice requires us to act on the reality that the communities hit first and worst by climate change are the least responsible for climate impacts. Similarly, climate impacts exacerbate existing inequities. We must balance the urgent need for rapid action with the critical yet sometimes-slow process of building trust and developing collective strategy led by communities most impacted. On top of all of that, we need to dismantle institutionalized racism and systemic oppression while co-creating new systems that prioritize justice for all. Yet, we still need beauty, laughter, and love to truly flourish in the new world we create together.  
 
As my friend Marcus says, “healing begins at the wound.” Those most impacted know the best solutions for their communities, and we, as climate activists and organizers, must follow their lead and support their efforts. When I come to this work, I find grounding in the following quote from adrienne maree brown: “Humble yourself to what is. Accept that this is what has unfolded so far. Notice that you have your whole life to shape what comes next.”  
 
Throughout this last week of 30 Days of Love, we encourage you to listen, learn, reflect, and take actions through the lens of climate justice to shape a more just and equitable future for all.

We have the Order of Service posted for this year’s Side With Love Sunday, and will have the entire service available on February 7.
 
Climate change is a wicked problem that does not have one simple, easy fix, but rather holds an abundance of possibility grounded in hope for our shared future. I’m grateful to be doing this together with you.

In community,
 
Rachel Myslivy
Climate Justice Organizer
UUA Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team
Pastoral Care and Connection
You are encouraged to share your joys and sorrows with the UUCR Pastoral Associates (see below). This team is a mixed group — but all have had previous life experiences and a variety of professional training in counseling and philosophy. Please contact one, or several of us, if you “want to talk.”

Pastoral Care Associates: Kevin Brien,
Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley
Birthdays

FEBRUARY

24 - Philip Dutton
25 - Les Palmer
27 - Laura Mitchell
We want to help celebrate your birthday! If we didn't include your birthday, please contact the UUCR office by email (click here).
Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River 914 Gateway Drive | Chestertown, MD | 21620
Phone: 410-778-3440
Office hours: W - Sa, 8:30-10:30 am |
Su, 8:30 am-noon | Closed, M & Tu
END of REFLECTIONS for February 10, 2022