UUCSC News and Updates
Weekly on Fridays
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Unitarian Universalist Congregation of South County, RI
All are welcome!
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Reverend Denis Letourneau Paul, Minister
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This Sunday, March 27, 2022 |
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Worship
In person 10:00 am
11:30 am.
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My Spiritual Journey Teachers and Teachings, From the UUCSC to Buddhism
Cindy West
March 27, 2022
As a member of the South County (R.I.) community for more than 2 decades, Cindy West has had the great good fortune of learning from a variety of communities, the most notable (spiritual centered) among them are the UUCSC and the Buddhist community in the Plum Village Tradition started by Thich Nhat Hanh, with Joanne Friday as her primary teacher. Grateful for the concept of Interbeing, and the Web of Life, she has drawn from these spiritual homes, as well as other opportunities for growth, by way of being a part of (raising) a family and working as a farmer (owning and operating Moonstone Oysters) with her husband, John.
Sermon Reflection to follow on Zoom at 11:30 am, hosted by Mary Fulton. facilitated by Kathy Swink. |
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Religious Exploration
In-person
10am-noon
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Our 3rd Principle
Acceptance and Spiritual Growth
We will explore our 3rd UU Principle this Sunday by brainstorming a list of "spiritual practices." This can be anything from gardening and yoga to stargazing, ice skating or lighting a candle. Then we'll do a drawing and building game and see if it feels like it might also be a spiritual practice.
The video above is the UU hymn, Spirit of Life sung with sign language. We will try singing this together on Sunday.
Here is our March newsletter with the theme "Renewing Faith" RE newsletter
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Lee Cowan, Director of Religious Exploration |
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Please help Show Your Love for UUCSC by sending your pledge card back today.
It is more helpful than you may imagine for you to return the pledge card that was mailed to you with a stamped envelope. Even if you are unable to make a pledge at this time, your helpfulness allows the Finance Committee to make better plans for 2022-23.
Submitted by Mary Fulton
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Concerns and Joys
There is much to be worrying about. The situation in Ukraine breaks my heart, to say nothing about Syria and all the other countries experiencing turmoil. The racial and class divisions in the United States feel worse than they did in the 60s when I was in high school. And the dire climate change news barely makes the headlines—70 degrees warmer in Antarctica? What!!?
Okay, I’ll stop. What I really want to talk about today is JOY. There is so much that is making me happy right now. I LOVE SPRING!!! Those little green shoots, the chatter of the birds, not having to pile on the layers of clothes for my daily walk. I can’t help but mention again the absolute heart-warming bliss that I am feeling due to the reconnection of my daughter and her wife with their former “foster children” after 5 ½ years of separation. And the kids, now 20 and 15, are even going to come down to have dinner with me! Bear with me, but I include a picture of the first night they got together, and I ask you to guess which one is my daughter.
Okay, okay, the real point of this article is that I am excited, REALLY EXCITED, about our upcoming auction. I am grateful that the Finance Committee allowed us to relax our fundraising activities during the past year (the stress of that potential endeavor combined with our other challenges caused a few sleepless nights). Now we need to get it in gear and make up for that lost time. I love this “church” (or believe me I wouldn’t be doing this job) and I know that it takes a lot for us to run it. An incredible amount of volunteer time is required and we do need mucho moolah too. We have to pay our new minister and our other crackerjack staff. We have to keep our charming digs in the best repair we can. We have to someday pay a sexton to clean so our amazing Clean Team volunteers can put their time to other volunteer needs.
Betsy Dalton and Trish Hindley have stepped up to lead this event and they will be sharing more details as they work them out. What EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US can do is PARTICIPATE. Host an event—you don’t have to be a great cook--you can host a cracker and cheese event or a hike without food, or a BYO Everything picnic in the church yard. Talk to Betsy and Trish for ideas and to fine-tune your own ideas. The other essential piece is to bid on the events. Attend as many as you can—I know I am feeling a tad socially deprived and this will be great fun. If you can’t host and can’t attend consider just donating some moolah. And if you can’t do any of these things, PLEASE give me a call. I will find a way for you to participate. The best way for this congregation to be healthy, financially and in all ways, is for EVERYONE to participate in whatever way you can. The rewards for this participation are enormous; I know that first-hand from the many times that I have given this congregation my all, always balanced by a more fallow time. I am going all out for this auction and I am going to have FUN. I hope you join me.
Peace and Joy,
Elizabeth Donovan
Mary Fulton, Clerk
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Dining 4 Dollars Plus is Coming! |
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It’s Spring, and the world is finally starting to open up. So are things here at UUCSC, and we are busy planning for a wonderful collaborative fundraising auction to start things off right! This year we’re offering the newly envisioned Dining 4 Dollars PLUS – a blend of events that can involve gathering and eating together in different ways (as we have loved!), and also events and activities of other sorts – like guided hikes, painting nights, trips to various interesting spots in RI, events specifically for children and families, and anything else that you might want to plan and offer for folks to enjoy. We need YOUR help to make this auction enjoyable, interesting, and profitable for all! Please put on your thinking caps and maybe partner up with a friend to submit an event that you’d like to host.
Click HERE to complete your event form by the April 15, 2022 deadline. The auction bidding will be held later in the spring, both online and in-person. Please join the fun and host an event!
Thanks for your support,
Trish Hindley and Betsy Dalton
Event Coordinators
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Nancy Rose Honored with Trailblazer Award |
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Long time UUCSC member Nancy Rose was presented the 2022 Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambsuch Trailblazer Award at the American Montessori Society (AMS) Event in Nashville, Tennessee.
AMS recognizes individuals who have made significant advances in raising the profile of Montessori education through this annual award. It is named in honor of education visionary Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch, whose vigorous efforts were vital to the founding of AMS and the growth of the Montessori Movement. Nancy Rose is a trailblazer and visionary in Montessori education, literally transforming schools, communities, AMS, and lives and helping Montessori be an inclusive place for all families, no matter what configuration. I am deeply thankful to Munir Shivji and the team at AMS for recognizing Nancy Rose with this meaningful award. #americanmontessorisociety #themontessorievent
Submitted by Ellen Perkins
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fPlease contribute to a collection for Sojourner HousePl
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Sojourner House is a Providence-based organization that offers support, advocacy, housing and education for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. We are partnering with a team of grad students in the Couples and Family Therapy program at URI.
They are collecting:
- toiletries i.e. deodorant, shampoo, soap, etc.
- diapers, especially sizes 4,5,6
- twin-sized bed linens
- gift cards i.e. Target, Walgreens, Stop and Shop, etc.
- RIPTA passes
- cleaning supplies
A drop box will be at the entrance of UUCSC from
Monday March 28 through Monday April 4.
Submitted by the Social Justice Committee
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List of organizations vetted by the Share the Plate Committee and the Airbnb option to support Ukrainians.
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List of Black owned businesses from RI Monthly magazine. Patronize these businesses all year long. This small effort can help undo racism. Please send pics and reviews to Etta for sharing here and on website.
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Includes lists of Black-Owned Businesses
Your search for truth and meaning begins here.
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How to Submit Info to This Newsletter |
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Send announcements and news with Newsletter Item in the subject line to Etta Zasloff, Editor, at zasloff.etta@gmail.com and Sara Kaplow, Congregational Administrator, at uucscri@yahoo.com by Tuesday Noon
to assure publication by Friday of that week.
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