TONIGHT - A TIME FOR REFLECTION (VIGIL) FOR UUCR AND UUFE
WED, JUNE 3 AT 7 p.m. (via Zoom)
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Dear Members and Friends of UUCR and UUFE,
It is a difficult time in our country. This evening, June 3, at 7 p.m. via Zoom we will gather to mourn the murder of George Floyd.
Our hope is this virtual vigil will be a chance to pause and reflect on the pain and grief we are feeling and to extend our collective care to those who bear the brunt of racism. Our hope is many from both congregations will join, including our children.
How will this work?
The Zoom link for our gathering will open at 6:50 p.m.
We will begin at 7 p.m. with a chalice lighting and reading. (All are invited to light a candle in their homes.) Rev. Sue will offer a few words and we'll then invite those who would like to offer a brief response to the question, “Where is your heart tonight? What are your fears, hopes, or concerns?” to speak. On the call we'll provide more detail on how everyone will share. The gathering will end at 7:45 p.m.
If you have questions about our plans, or questions on Zoom, please email Rev. Sue at
sue.browning2@gmail.com
. This large Zoom call is new for us and we invite everyone to be patient as we figure out the technology.
Rev. Sue Browning
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THIS SUNDAY'S VIRTUAL SERVICE
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Sunday, June 7, Zoom Summer Discussion
"Coffee - The Unitarian Universalist Sacrament"
Vida Morley will present the first session.
-What were/are your coffee traditions?
-Do you recall your first Starbucks?
-What is the world’s most popular psychoactive drug?
-Do you know when drinking coffee was a “patriotic act”?
Join us by clicking the link
here
and activate your zoom audio.
If you have a joy or sorrow for the June 7 service, please share it with Vida Morley
Vida's email
by Friday June 5 at noon. Thanks for everyone’s flexibility.
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If you would like to practice participating in Zoom events, on
Thursday, June 4 at 4:00 p.m, members of our tech team will be available to help anyone become more comfortable with this new technology. Use this
here
.
It never hurts to have a little practice and we want everyone to be able to participate in the great things happening at UUCR !
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Join Us for Coffee Hour on Sunday!
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Do you miss UU “Communion," i.e., “coffee hour” after Sunday service? Why not take part in a session this coming Sunday?
Coffee Hour to immediately follow the summer discussion.
Coffee Hour will follow the summer discussion on Zoom which begins at 10:00 a.m. Click
here
to join us!
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Summer Discussion Update and Invitation
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Big thanks to Bob Bjork for his willingness to lead one or two summer discussions.
If YOU are hesitating to call and schedule your discussion topic for fear of ZOOM,
Rev. Sue has wisely arranged for tech support in the persons of David Biehler, Jim Lavin, and John Ramsey. They will be available to link people with Zoom, arrange for video and audio, accommodate faces and material on the screen. All you need to do is select a topic and plan to speak for not more than 5-8 minutes as an introduction to your topic and then the discussion takes over.
Call Vida (410-810-0340) for an available date in July or August.
Please call and join in this UUCR tradition of summer discussions.
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JUNE BIRTHDAYS
Rob Warner, June 6
Linda Dutton, June 8
Lynn Geisert, June 9
Meghan Ferster, June 11
Jan Whitney, June 11
Jane Hardy, June 15
Dean Tully, June 29
We want to help celebrate your birthday! If we didn't include your May birthday, please contact Jan Whitney at
UUCR email
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UPCOMING VIRTUAL SERVICES
June 14, UUFE Music Service
June 21, Rev. Sue Browning
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Bites—
nourishing spirit-filled families one bite
at a time
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Family Affirmation
I believe in myself, and I trust my inner wisdom.
Questions to prompt discussion:
1) Where does our inner wisdom come from?
2) How can we develop our inner wisdom?
3) Is our inner wisdom as a family unit the same as our individual inner wisdom? When might they differ? How do we respond?
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Welcome, Catherine Brooks, Our Newest Member
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Catherine and her husband Ted Ramsey (John Ramsey’s brother) have been living weekends at the Ramseys', and Catherine has attended UUCR services and other events in the recent past. They listen to the recorded services every Sunday afternoon with the whole Ramsey family. Ted will very soon be retiring and they will reside at “Ramsey-land” full-time outside of Chestertown. We look forward to getting to know Catherine!
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What Can You Do About Racism?
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If you’re an ally, what can you do?
Stand with us. Bear witness. Continue the discussion and support legal action. Refuse to accept racism in your midst, even in small ways — call out a cruel joke or rude behavior. Be brave and challenge it all. You can transform your own world through how you teach your children, and how you speak to your neighbors and co-workers.
It is up to you, not to a leader nor any single protest or petition. Your everyday commitment is what will start to bring the change you want to see. Start small, step forward and let your action join with others to become a rising tide that cannot be stopped.
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Opportunity to "Attend" UUA General Assembly 2020
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This year the annual UU General Assembly (GA) will be held as a virtual conference from June 24-28. The registration fee for the virtual conference is $150, which is notably less that the past fee for the in person conferences. The theme for GA 2020 is "Rooted, Inspired, & Ready"! If you are interested in learning more about GA, check out the
UUA website.
Anyone is welcome to attend. UUCR is open to paying for registration for up to two attendees. If you are interested in representing UUCR as one of its delegates or have questions about GA, please be in touch with Rev. Sue at
Email
.
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From your Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee
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As with many of our regular church activities, we’ve missed our speakers providing opportunities to support local organizations through our Outreach Collections. Some of our members suggested that we consider a virtual Outreach Collection for you to consider. While this was not an exhaustive search, we did try to identify local resources that are targeting the amplified needs created by the pandemic. We encourage you to send your donations directly to these organizations. We’ve provided websites where available and donation information. We look forward to the time when we can join together and, once again, host in-person Outreach Collections. On behalf of the Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee, we thank you for your thoughtfulness and consideration. Click
Non-profits List
for a complete list and links to these worthwhile organizations.
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LAST SUNDAY'S VIRTUAL SERVICE
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From
Sunday, May 31,
Lora Powell-Haney, MDiv,
"On the Threshold of Summer
"
Sunday, May 31, falls between the Celtic sabbats of Beltane, May 1 and Litha or Midsummer, June 21. Let’s spend some time preparing for our own personal celebration of the Longest Day. Even in the midst of sheltering at home, minimizing our face-to-face interactions, we can ready ourselves for summer, welcome the exuberant growth in the natural world, ground and nurture ourselves.
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Please peruse your photo stashes for snaps of UUCR events. We need them to include in our virtual services “Postludes.” Please send them to John Ramsey at
email.
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Pastoral Care & Connection
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We are here for you! We will focus on staying directly connected with our members and friends, especially those who may need assistance or support. The caring teams from our congregation is staying in touch, but if you need to reach out, please be in touch with any of the contacts below to stay connected (and see additional contacts below for RE families).
Please know your congregation is here. We can help you find connections. Please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what is helpful for you in this time.
Rev. Sue Browning, and the Pastoral Care Associates: Kevin Brien, Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and
Vida Morley
or for more information, contact:
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Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River
914 Gateway Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620
Phone: (410) 778-3440
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