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Dear First Universalist Friends,

Happy Pride!

An important part of this celebratory season in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community is dancing. At least, in my experience of Pride, dance parties have always played a large role. Though I admit, I’ve been disappointed in recent years by the corporate co-opting of Pride - I’ll never forget attending the Pride Parade in Washington DC and watching a rainbow Lockheed Martin float go by - no number of banks, fast food chains, tech conglomerates, or missile defense contractors will take from me the fact that this month is about revolutionary love.

Pride is a revolution of love - love for oneself, love for others, and love for life. And, as queer icon and radical anarcho-feminist Emma Goldman once declared, “If I can’t dance to it, it’s not my revolution.”

If you have ever attended a Pride Parade, you will know that the music doesn’t stop, Floats and groups go by blasting dance house beats and gay anthems from booming speaker systems one after another - Madonna, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga, the Village People - and so many more! These are songs that many in the queer community have come to love for their messages of self-empowerment, strength, freedom, and of course, love.

Though I know many in our congregation do not identify as LGBTQ, I invite you to celebrate this month with those of us who do by dancing to your favorite self-loving, self-empowering anthems. Seriously!

Just put on some music in your home and dance! Dance in your car! Dance in your bedroom, your kitchen, your shower! Dance in the backyard, dance in the street! Dance with your friends, family, animals, or just yourself!

I know, I know, I have the same stoic, disembodied Mainer hesitancies as you - dancing?! Really?! Do I have to? No, you don’t, but you are joyfully welcome to get up and move, shake, twist, and groove with us, queer folks this month (and all months!)

Pride is a month to liberate ourselves, be ourselves, and embody the joy and love that exists within us - no matter how you identify, I think we all can get down and boogie with that liberative hope in mind.

Happy Pride, my friends.

Yours in rainbows, sparkles, and ABBA all month long,

Rev. Hillary

Join the meeting on Zoom (password: COMMUNITY). During the Annual Meeting, we will receive reports, highlights, and voting members of the congregation will vote on candidates for the Board as well as the budget for next year. We will also celebrate a year of living our mission: EXPLORE-EMBRACE-ENGAGE!

First Universalist's Annual Report (2020 - 2021) is now available! Take a look inside prior to the Annual Meeting to see financial information, reports from committees and councils, information about our church, and more.

NEW THIS YEAR: TAKE THE ANNUAL REPORT QUIZ!

How well do you know First Universalist? Take the nine question multiple-choice one-minute-long "This Year at First Universalist" quiz to find out! Enter your email address at the end to be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize.

It’s time to do the Peace Garden down at the brick circle. Join us on Saturday morning (yup, tomorrow) around 9 am. Please come with mask, gloves, and the usual weeding/digging tools. Remember it’s much more fun to weed a garden other than your own! Plus… with friends!

FMI, write to Sarah Witte: sarahcoffinwitte@gmail.com

BYO picnic lunch and BYO blanket to Royal River Park in Yarmouth for an end of the church year picnic. Come to celebrate Father's Day, Juneteenth, Pride month, end of the school year, the Summer Solstice, or just to be in community together. All are welcome and invited!

Please fill out this nine question reopening survey on or before Sunday, June 20th. Thank you!

An EXTREMELY fond farewell to Jerry and Sue Myers who are moving to Connecticut this summer to be near family. Jerry and Sue joined First Universalist Church in the 1980s, and have been steadfast members involved in almost every aspect of congregational life. I met with them this week to hear what the church has meant to them.

They originally thought they would try all the churches on Main Street, but the UU Church and Rev. Peter Luton felt right, so they never went on with the search! Sue says, “I was looking for a community and I found it.”

Jerry worked on many projects like the new office and classroom wing as well as the Steeple Restoration. There were countless meetings at the homes of Ben Soule and Brent West, and Jerry created our very first membership database. (Some kind of folded paper with holes on the edges?!?) Jerry says he was running with John Dyer one Sunday morning when they realized that fixing up the parsonage had to be part of the next capital campaign. He also recalls that there were some negative voices doubting the Town would help to save our steeple, but it turns out that many outside the church did care and were very generous. It seems like the words ‘community’ and ‘working together’ are part of all their happy memories at First U.

Jerry and Sue loved the Bean Suppers and how everyone had a job – even if it was just delivering a casserole or a pie – and people were drawn in from the wider community, like our Farm Suppers now. She was part of the Book Group that got started… and is still going! Sue says that everyone did their best, and encouraged each other to keep learning. Many people will remember Sue’s friendly hello as the first they heard at church. And while you are remembering, there is no better lemon meringue pie than Sue’s!

In response to the question, “What kept you connected to First U through life’s challenges?” Jerry and Sue say that they felt loyal to their friends, and also had become proud of being UUs. Jerry saw a ‘TORTURE IS WRONG’ banner at the UU Church in Boston and thought: “Yes! That’s my church!”

For the years ahead, Jerry and Sue encourage their beloved First Universalist friends to keep growing, keep learning… and especially to keep creating good Adult RE opportunities where we can both explore and connect. As Sue says, “We give each other little gifts.” As for the heart of things: Jerry’s favorite UU hymn is Comfort Me, and Sue’s is Bring Many Names. Friendly, kind, open-minded and curious about people: Jerry and Sue are all these things, and these are the gifts they have given us for over thirty years.

Go in Peace, go in Faith, go now in Love, Jerry and Sue, and know you will be in our hearts always. We hope the UU Church in Manchester, CT will be a happy home for your lives now.

This newsletter will be on summer vacation starting the week of June 28th and returning the week of August 2nd. Wednesday emails with details of how to access online Vespers services will continue throughout the summer. Some notes about deadlines:

General Assembly (GA), the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists from around the country, is virtual again this year, making it easier and more affordable to participate. You can still register right up until it begins.

Click here to learn more or to register.

There are several events that are open to the public including Sunday Worship on June 27. We will share the link in Channels on June 25th.

Looking for a few (used, but in good condition!) books for children or grandchildren? We have some free picture books you can browse that are not needed for our new children's lending library. Contact Gwen Matthews (gwenatfirstu@gmail.com) or Anne Turner (annelewisturner@gmail.com) to schedule a time to pick out some free books!

The day is bright, there's a light breeze, and you feel comfortable in your body and peaceful in your soul. In the distance, you can hear people chatting, enjoying the day. More present is the sound of gentle, moving water. You pick up the book you were starting to read and while you feel present in this moment, you can still look forward to discussing it this fall amongst friends.

What book, you ask? Why, a First U summer read! This summer, you'll have the opportunity to read one (or both!) suggested books and then be able to participate in a book discussion when we gather together again in the fall.

Our two books, chosen by your RE Council, are:

We'll be ordering copies of these books through our local bookshop, Royal River Books on Main Street in Yarmouth. Please write to Gwen (gwenatfirstu@gmail.com) by Sunday, June 13th if you would like to reserve a copy. We will receive 10% off for special ordering through the store (as opposed to a big-name website) and an additional 10% off with the store’s book club discount. When the books arrive we will let you know, and you can pick up and pay for your copy at Royal River Books under the name "UU Book Club."

S.1 For the People Act will be voted on the week of June 22nd. Sign this petition from people of faith urging Senator King and Senator Collins to support S.1, the For the People Act, which empowers ordinary voters in every state by mandating same-day voter registration, restoring voting rights to people with prior convictions, ending partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, reforming campaign finance, and more.

This week’s Atlantic Black Box Project webinar follows up the first Portland Public Schools Parent University and focuses on how Portland, Maine benefitted from the Triangular trade in which enslaving Africans was one leg of the triangular trade.

Click to be taken to the webinar: Parent University, Session II 

You might also consider joining the Atlantic Black Box Project and learn directly about their upcoming educational events.

In honor of our 4th Principle for free and responsible search for truth, this month’s half plate recipient is Maine Public CONNECT. Partnering with Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) and Amjambo Africa (the inclusive immigrant-led publication) CONNECT will provide access for New Mainers about their immediate world around them in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Somali, even as they work hard to master English.

Please offer your gift by clicking the "ring Make Your Offering" button below (to contribute via GiveButter), dropping a check or cash in the mail, or sending via your bank's bill pay feature.

One of our church members is in search of somewhere to rent in Yarmouth, ideally offering one floor living. If you or someone you know has space for rent, please call or text Nancy Austin at (207) 650-0025.