Thursday, November 24, 2022
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THIS SUNDAY'S
WORSHIP SERVICE
"The Person Before You:
Reflections on Worth"

Dr. Michael Franch, Guest Speaker

Annie Lavin, Service Leader

Al Martinez, Musician

In Person and Zoom

Sunday, November 27, 2022

These are days of uncertainty when behaviors, perhaps even our own, bring into question our First Principle. Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote, as their First Principle, "the inherent worth and dignity of every person." This implies that we must treat everyone as a person of worth and dignity, and that can be really hard to do. Let's be honest, some individuals don't exhibit much worth and dignity. And sometimes our first impression of a person is not as an individual but as a group member. We see race, gender expression, or social status — all of which affect the life of the person before us but are not the totality of the person. If we really believe in worth and dignity, how do we live our lives?

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

Welcoming Families and Children on Sunday Mornings
Each Sunday, UUCR offers childcare and simple age-appropriate activities for children of all ages. If you have any questions about UUCR's programming for families and children, please be in touch with Rev. Sue. 
Upcoming Worship Services
Sunday, December 4 — In Person & ZOOM

"Which Story of Christmas Works for You (If Any)?"

The meaning of any holiday is crowd-sourced. Holidays take on new meaning each time they are celebrated. Is there some aspect of Christmas and the whole holiday season that is striking you as particularly meaningful this year? Are there winter holidays other than Christmas that touch your heart, or meet your need for celebration or quiet? At this service with Rev. Sue Browning we'll reflect on the many ways we shape the meaning of the holiday season again and again.

  • Rev. Sue Browning, Minister
  • Lynn Dollinger, Service Leader
  • Michael Casey & Dick Durham, Musicians


Sunday, December 11 — In Person & ZOOM

"Working Together for Social Justice: the Intersectional Imperative"

Author, teacher, and activist Luisah Teish has said, "Our fates are tied. We have this strange notion on this planet that our fates are not tied. If it were not so we would not be here together. It’s that simple.” It’s a reality that can’t be denied, so why do people seem to insist on defining ourselves through division and polarization? More importantly, how do we work through this human impulse, and move toward greater social justice? 

  • Maria Wood, Guest Speaker
  • Marilee Taussig, Service Leader
  • Kate Bennett, Musician
Newsletter Index
So You Don't Miss Anything!
  • This Week's Worship Service Information
  • Upcoming Worship Services Information
  • Newsletter Index
  • Helpful Links, Office Hours, Upcoming Events Calendar
  • Happy Thanksgiving
  • Minister's Column
  • The "Everyone at the Table" Service — November 20
  • Woodland Memorial Garden Accessibility Project & Mtg.
  • Soup Sampler Supper (and Sale)
  • Winter Solstice Celebration & Potluck
  • Worship Committee Seeks Service Leader
  • Pastoral Care and Connection Committee
  • Birthdays
  • UUCR Contact Information
  • End of Reflections Notice at the VERY END
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Helpful Links
Upcoming Events
This Week's
Worship Service



Last Week's Worship Service Recording

NOV 20 | YouTube link


UUCR



UUCR Office Hours:
W, Sa, Su — 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
M, Tu, Th, F — CLOSED
NOV 27 | Worship Service
In Person & ZOOM
Dr. Michael Franch, guest speaker

DEC 04 | Worship Service
In Person & ZOOM
Rev. Sue Browning, minister

DEC 04 | Woodland Memorial
Garden Accessibility Project Informational Meeting
(see details below)

DEC 09 | Soup Sampler
Supper (and Sale)
at UUCR (see details below)

DEC 11 | Worship Service
In Person & ZOOM
Maria Wood, guest speaker

DEC 18 | Worship Service
In Person & ZOOM
Rev. Sue Browning, minister

DEC 21 | Winter Solstice
Celebration & Potluck
in Rock Hall (see details below)

DEC 23 | Eve of the Eve
Worship Service — 7 PM
In Person & ZOOM
Rev. Sue Browning, minister

DEC 25 | No Worship Service
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!
Minister's Column
Again, Pain.
 
As I prepare for the holiday weekend, looking at possible recipes and tidying the house, the news is filled with continual updates from the tragedy in Colorado Springs. We are again witness to the horror of a mass shooting, this time at "Club Q," a place of connection for the LGBTQ+ community. The act was blatantly violent and was over in minutes. We know five were killed and many more injured. We extend our love to the Colorado Springs community.
 
Rev. Gretchen Haley, a UU minister in Colorado, who identifies as queer, captured some hard realities in a recent Facebook post. She shares,  
 
“For those whose gender expands beyond expectations and whose love doesn’t color in the lines, the gay bar has often been a safe place - a sanctuary not too different from a church. Especially in a city like Colorado Springs, home of Focus on the Family, where strategies to destroy queer people have been dressed up in bible verses for decades.
 
It is not news to LGBTQIA+ people that our lives, bodies, love, and very existence are a threat some cannot abide. In response, the queer community has claimed space at places like Club Q and made whole worlds from freedom, love, and glitter. On the dance floor, we proclaim our inherent worth, our right to unconditional love, and our right to pleasure and life, abundant.
 
We also know all too well that until the society beyond these sanctuaries’ walls is transformed with this same vision, even our safe places can become sites of terror.”
 
I'm struck by the contrast. In the blink of an idea, the shift from joy to terror. 

To all of our members and friends with LGBTQIA+ identities, I can just imagine the trauma, anger, sadness and vulnerability you may be feeling. My heart goes out to each of you. May you feel seen and loved at this time, and know you are supported by the full UUCR community.
 
We witness the pain, and re-commit to building a world where love and joy ward off hate. 
 
Blessings,
Rev. Sue
The "Everyone at the Table" Service
— November 20
At our service this past Sunday, we reflected on the season of gratitude through story and music and the sharing of bread and fruit.

Rev. Sue and Nancy Holland (our Service Leader) talked about the importance of tables. At one point, Sue asked congregants to pair up and describe a table in their life. You could feel the energy in the room as people shared their story. We considered the ways tables hold memories and open us to new possibilities, and reflected on the quote: "When you have more than you need, it is better to build a longer table than to build a higher fence." 
Philip Dutton and Nancy led us in singing the "Meditation on Breathing." Dick Durham and Michael Casey offered wonderful music throughout, student Theo Kehm offered a poem. and Linda Dutton organized the children for the ritual setting of the table.

Many brought bread and fruit to share and the bounty was distributed for folks to take home. (In the midst of it all Annie Lavin remembered to take a few pictures.)
Gratitude to all who made the service possible.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Woodland Memorial Garden Accessibility Project
& Informational Meeting
Jim Lavin, Terry Goldzier, and Penny McCrea have been working on options to make our Woodland Memorial Garden more welcoming and accessible.
Currently, in the hallway at church there is a plan drawing with the approximate location of the pathway as well as five photos displayed that represent the appearance of different types of materials for the pathway. With each photo, there is an estimated cost associated with the material choice.

We would like you to review the types of pathways and put a star (there will be stars in an envelope near the photos) on the type you would like to "vote" for. You can choose more than one, if you can’t decide between your favorites.

There will be a informational meeting December 4th, after the service, to bring members up to date on the accessibility pathway project. Everyone who is interested should plan to attend.

Thanks, once again to Jim Lavin for leading this project and to Terry & Penny for joining the task force and adding their expertise to the project. By next summer we will have a
pathway that will allow everyone to enjoy the Woodland Memorial Garden.

Accessibility = Welcoming
SOUP
SAMPLER SUPPER
(AND SALE)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 6 PM
AT UUCR
New Way to Buy Tickets!
New Way to Pay! You may buy tickets ($20 per person, cash or check) at church on either of the next two Sundays — Nov 27, or Dec 4 — after the service. Or, you can use your credit card to reserve tickets online by going to the UUCR website using the “Donate” button (click here) and “Custom Amount,” specifying “Soup Supper” in the comment section.
 
From your Fundraising Task Force — Lynn Dolinger, Linda Dutton, Jane Hardy, and Mary Pritchard
Winter Solstice Celebration & Potluck
Mark your calendar to celebrate the Solstice overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Once again our friend Anne Bricker has extended the use of her beautiful home in Rock Hall (at 4870 Huntingfield Road) for this occasion on Wednesday, December 21. Please bring a “potluck” to share and dress for an outdoor appreciation of the Solstice. Please contact Vida Morley if you have any questions.
Worship Committee Seeks
Service Leader
There is a need for a person to become a service leader for our Sunday morning worship services. In addition to leading the service, this person will coordinate the service with the speaker for that particular Sunday and also communicate with any musicians, as well as with Darlene, our office administrator.

The current members of the Worship Committee and Rev. Sue will offer guidance and support as the new person learns the responsibilities.

Please consider taking on this way to serve UUCR and contact any member of the Leadership Development Committee: Amy Warner at amylydia10@yahoo.com, Lynn Dolinger at lynn.thirdwish@gmail.com, or Diane Shields at dashdiane@gmail.com if you are interested.
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
NOVEMBER

06 - Carl Gallegos
13 - Rev. Sue Browning
18 - Jan Brandon
20 - Tim Ford
24 - Diane Shields
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, Su — 8:30 am-12:30 pm
Closed — M, Tu, Th, F
VERY END of REFLECTIONS for November 24, 2022