MARCH 20-24, 2023 - 10 Lyons Plains Road Westport, CT 06880 - Phone: 203.227.7205
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CAN YOU STEP UP TO A NEW LEVEL OF GIVING? |
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We are off to a great start! So far, we have pledges from 56 households, and we’re nearly 50% of the way to our goal of $500,000 for the 2023-2024 pledge year!
Congregants ask how much the right amount is to pledge. The answer is…it’s up to you! It’s important to support our individual growth as well as that of our spiritual home. Consider the value that you and your family receive from UU Westport – through the Sunday sermons, the music, the committees you are on, the programs your children are engaged in, the congregation whose community you enjoy. Use a quiet space to determine your pledge accordingly – and think of stepping up. If everyone moved up a step, we’d increase our annual pledge by over 20%! Refer to the step chart to find your pledge, and make your pledge HERE (https://uuwestport.org/pledge2023-2024/) or on Realm.
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JOIN US AT TRIVIA NIGHT! THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 24 AT 7:30 PM |
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Fun, friendship, and even a few prizes are in store for the evening. Bring friends, your thinking caps, and get ready for some friendly competition! BYOB. Childcare available upon request.
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SAVE THE DATE! MULTI-GEN BARN DANCE COMING UP,
SATURDAY APRIL 28. STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS!
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BOARD MEETS THIS TUES, MARCH 21 7:00 PM IN THE MEETING HOUSE
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The Board will be meeting this Tuesday at 7:00 PM in the Meeting House. A draft of the minutes from the February meeting can be found HERE. The Agenda for March is HERE.
All the ends for this year can be found on our website, HERE, including our priority end: “We become a financially sustainable, engaged, growing Congregation comprised of all generations.”
Board meetings are open except for executive session; please contact our Secretary, Stapley Emberling, if you would like to attend.
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REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION OUTREACH COMMITTEE:
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
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You’re invited to an information session to learn more about the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI) and how to get more involved. CIRI is offering an orientation session for Drivers and Community Navigators next Tuesday March 21st from 11:30 – 1:00 at Christ & Holy Trinity Church, Branson Hall, 75 Church Lane, Westport. Your time, effort, and dedication as a volunteer will make a world of difference in the lives of refugees, immigrants, and survivors in Connecticut.
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REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE INTRO PLANNING:
SUNDAY APRIL 16, 11:30 AM
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We have a new Social Justice committee! Please welcome Reproductive Justice! What is RJ? Reproductive Justice includes but is not limited to abortion rights, reproductive health care and related issues of access and rights. RJ's framework also includes the broader scope of social and political issues impacting one's health such as when and if to give birth, have children and raise families; transmisogyny; mass incarceration; domestic violence; immigration; poverty and more. Let's have a conversation about this after the April 16th service in the East Wing. Bring your coffee and ideas of how you would like to get involved! Questions? Contact Leslie Cenci.
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VULNERABILITY – HUMILITY – GENEROSITY – RECIPROCITY
WITHIN THE JOHN STREET BRIDGE COMMUNITY
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Over a lifetime we are blessed with profound moments of inspiration that feed our soul. At the beginning COVID, April Barron of Helping Hands, the Addiction and Recovery Ministry, and our Social Justice Ministry (through David Vita) joined forces to support people living with food scarcity. Since then, many of our congregants have prepared lunches… such as PB & J sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and drinks on a weekly basis. We have served over 30,000 lunches to communities in Bridgeport, including the community that gathers under the John Street Bridge... CLICK HERE for more |
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LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY IS OUR COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE
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The work that we do on legislation in the Ct General Assembly – legislative advocacy- IS our congregation’s commitment to social justice. It’s changing the law. Until the CT General Assembly session ends in June there will be info here every week about the legislation we’re supporting, and time sensitive actions everyone can take to protect and expand the rights of our CT residents. -- David Vita, Legislative Advocacy & Community Outreach
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MEDICAL AID IN DYING (M.A.I.D.) |
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SB1076 in the Connecticut General Assembly will allow residents to access medical aid in dying. M.A.I.D. is a widely supported, trusted, time-tested, safe guarded medical practice end-of-life option.
Click on the video to see our UU Westport member Lynda Bluestein giving testimony.
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Terminally ill, mentally capable adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live can request a prescription from their doctor they can decide to self-ingest to peacefully die in their sleep. M.A.I.D. was blocked in the Judiciary Committee last year. Major opposition from the Catholic Church. It’s imperative that people of faith contact the members of the Judiciary Committee to vote “YES” on this bill. For more information: Lawmakers should codify the inherent human right to shape one’s last days CLICK HERE. Representative (Wilton) Denning CLICK HERE.TAKE ACTION: CLICK HERE. |
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GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION: PART OF OUR DNA |
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Over 30 years ago members of our congregation were among the founders of Connecticut Against Gun Violence (CAGV), the states leading organization in gun violence prevention. For the past 17 years we have advocated for gun violence prevention legislation in every session of the Connecticut General Assembly, organized buses to rallies in Hartford, demonstrated in Newtown, provided our sanctuary for gun violence prevention programs, Share the Plate for community violence intervention organizations, CAGV speakers delivering Sunday sermons, and even had a blacksmith here forging gun barrels into garden tools! We take gun violence prevention seriously. In the current Connecticut General Assembly session we are working with CAGV to strengthen ghost gun regulations, the firearm storage law, and ensure funding for evidenced based community intervention programs. |
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Tuesdays. 11AM-noon. Interfaith Theology. Twice monthly. Check schedule HERE. Nancy McKeever. First and third Tuesdays 7-8:30 PM Women's Circle with Grandmother Nancy. ZOOM HERE Pat Francek.
Wednesdays: 6-7:30 PM via ZOOM Buddhist Practice Group Nina Nagy Let Nina know you are attending.Teachings offered on a donation basis. 7-8:15 PM A New Earth Bob Bevacqua
Fridays: First Fridays 9:30-10:30 AM Addiction Recovery Ministry. Jim Francek. Third Fridays 6:30 PM Women's Potluck. Location moves monthly. Eileen Belmont. Last Fridays: 7:30 PM UU Movie Group. ZOOM. Dorothy Rich
Saturdays and Sundays: Sat 12:00 noon- 4 PM; Sun 9:30- 9:50 AM John Street Bag Lunch Drop Off David Vita.
Sundays: 9 AM UU Meditation & Mindfulness (virtual and in person) Janet Luongo
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Our complete calendar is always on our website. Click HERE for quick access
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The Women’s Circle with Grandmother Nancy: Tuesday, March 21: 7:00-8:30 PM. (Meetings 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.) Talking circle - thought provoking and inspirational conversations lead by Grandmother Nancy. ZOOM HERE Contact Pat Francek
Black Lives Matter Meeting Online, FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 7:00-8:00 PM
ZOOM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2038931781. Come, engage in an exciting discussion of how we continue to build our Beloved Community! How can we make use of our “Hands, Head and Heart” to advance the cause of racial justice? Ideas include: collaborations with other organizations; discussions of "history-revealing" books, and field trips to social justice museums around the country.
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SAVE THE DATE! Our second annual Spring Fest! Saturday, May 6. 3:00 - 7:00 in the Sanctuary. Flowers, Festivities, Fun, and Food for all women over 13 and those who identify as women. Childcare will be provided for any children under the age of 13. Questions, contact Carol Hamilton.
Make new friends and meet up with old ones. Upcoming Potluck Dinners will be at the homes of: Sharon Poole, April 21; Eileen Belmont, May 19; Beth Cliff, June 16. For information, contact Eileen Belmont (email or cell: 215-350-3015)
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Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
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PASTORAL CARE
If you are going through a challenging time or know somebody in the congregation who needs support from our Pastoral Care Chaplains, call to leave a confidential message in the PCA voice mailbox 203-227-7205 ext. 19 or email pca@uuwestport.org.
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CARING NETWORK
Our support network is available to provide tangible help for friends in need: meal delivery, pharmacy runs, grocery shopping, a regular phone call of connection. Contact a minister or coordinators Dorothy Rich,or Diane Cano,
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ADDICTION RECOVERY
For individuals or families of our congregation seeking confidential support or information about addiction issues. Please contact our Addiction Recovery Ministry by calling 203-227-7205 ext. 19 or emailing pca@uuwestport.org
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The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport is a diverse and welcoming religious community, free of creed and dogma, and open to people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
WE INSPIRE and support individual spiritual growth.
WE CONNECT through worship, music, learning, and caring ministries.
WE ACT in the service of peace and justice.
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