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 Paul, Minister
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This Sunday, December 26, 2021 |
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There will be no worship service on Sunday, December 26.
The UUCSC office will be closed from December 24, 2021 - January 2, 2022 and Rev. Denis will be on furlough. See the Minister's Calendar for his full schedule. Join us to welcome in the new year on Sunday, January 2, 2022, with Rev. Denis at the pulpit.
Here's a little gift to brighten your day:
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We have had so many beautiful gatherings to bring an end to our year together. We got to make a giant Chalica star, have a glorious solstice play, and a meditative spiral walk. I'm so grateful for all of you. Plus, we have a beautiful new play structure in our backyard! The evergreens are still on our spiral, so I invite you to visit the RE backyard and walk the spiral!
I hope you enjoy the pictures and resources in this month's RE Newsletter here. Many blessings on your holiday time.
Lee Cowan, Director of Religious Exploration
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Conventional office hours never work.
There are two ways to handle them. Either you can mark a broad swath of your week as office hours, and during that time do whatever you need to do, including visits and meetings off site; or you can make one smaller part of your week office hours and be there come hell or high water. One way is broad and unpredictable. The other is narrow and reliable.
Either way, nobody ever shows up.
Seriously, in 18 years of ministry, there have only been two times when someone has shown up to talk during my office hours. And the whole point of office hours is to be available if someone wants to talk in person. Maybe that worked in the days before phones, when everyone walked to their congregations multiple times a week, but not so much today, when we have too many ways of reaching each other.
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In order to have more opportunities for connection and conversation, I’ll make myself available through what is commonly called “community office hours,” or what I’ve come to call “Beverages + Banter.” |
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The concept is simple. I’ll tell you in advance where I will be, including the date and time, and if you’re up for it, just stop by. I’ll schedule one B+B during each week I am “on” in my rotating schedule, so usually three times per month. I’ll plan one on a weekday morning or afternoon, one on a weekday evening, and one on a Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon.
Right now, it feels foolhardy to plan meetings in public, sharing food and drink, so until the Omicron variant plays itself out the way all the experts seem to think it will I’ll be hosting Zoom meetings, whose links are available on the congregation’s calendar at https://uusouthcountyri.org/calendar/
Once it feels reasonably safe enough to gather, masked, in public, I’ll begin scheduling gatherings with rotating times and venues.
I know the irregularity of it all looks confusing, but it serves a purpose. If we were to do it at the same time and same place every week, gatherings would only be available to some people and not others. By moving it around, everyone gets a chance to join in the conversation at some point, and we avoid this turning into the minister’s coffee klatch.
My hope is that sometimes several people will show up, and we can enjoy a group conversation as we all make new connections. And other times only one person will show up, and we can go deeper together.
Watch the schedule. Come and enjoy our time together without an agenda or deadline.
In Peace,
Rev Denis
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As I sat in silence at our annual Solstice Labyrinth walk, I looked around at the other participants. It was hard to recognize people between the masks, the hats and winter coats, the dark and my foggy eyeglasses, but it didn’t matter who was there. We were all there. Most especially for me, our dear friend Ann Seemann was there, along with her daughter, Victoria (Tori), who lost her years-long battle with her demons and her physical problems and who less than 24 hours earlier had taken her own life. I was struck by the metaphor of the labyrinth for life. As we each navigated the rather bumpy path of the walk we sometimes made wrong turns, sometimes we needed to be guided by others--it was very dark--and it was a hard walk. But as each flicker of a candle was added to the path it became a little easier to see. I thought of these words from the chalice lighting I have been reading at board meetings each month, taken from Soul Matters. Here I substitute candle for chalice.
Pulled in many directions by the demands of our days,
we light this candle to remind us of the still point deep inside.
Made unsteady by the winds of unpredictable paths,
we light this candle to remember the shelter of each other.
Longing for lights that lead us back to our truest selves,
we light this candle to illuminate the faces of friends and sacred companions,
recalling once again that we find our way through the willingness to take each other’s hand.
I am going to take a few minutes this busy week to reread parts of Tori’s memoir and be still with her words. Ann is obviously in great pain and her closest friends are in touch with her. She had previously made plans to relocate to Connecticut at the beginning of January and that will still be happening. Her contact information will be shared here when it is available. Meanwhile your thoughts and prayers, whatever you like to call your most loving energy will surely be of great benefit to Ann. I know I am holding her and Tori gently in my heart.
Blessed Be
Elizabeth
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Celebrating Kwanza with a Story
December 26 - January 1
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Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture which is held from December 26 to January 1, culminating in gift-giving and a feast of faith, called Karamu Ya Imani. It was created by Maulana Karenga and first celebrated in 1966.
Submitted by Barbara Holtzman
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Adult Education and Experience |
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Submissions for this column may be made directly to the newsletter editor or to me barbaralholtzman@gmail.com. Please include Newsletter Adult Ed in the subject line.
Barbara Holtzman, Chair
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SWIM 2021 REGISTRATION OPEN
SWIM is a week (December 27 – January 1) of virtual UU fun, fellowship and growth with workshops, concerts and special events. SWIM is an intentional, inter-generational community of Unitarian Universalists and friends, including awesome people like YOU! We normally gather in South Florida in December but will again meet virtually in 2021. For further information and to register, visit SWIMUU.org
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AWAY FROM HOME:
AMERICAN INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL STORIES
Traveling Museum Exhibition now through Jan 7th, 2022
Tuesday - Saturday | 10AM - 4 PM
(Admission is free, donations are appreciated.)
URI University Club | 95 Upper College Rd | Kingstown, RI
Click HERE for info about parking.
From Tomaquag Museum News
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Book Discussion Group
Weekly on Tuesdays
Starting January 11, 2022
7:30 PM on Zoom
Link will be sent to you, if you signed up with Larry Kelland, Discussion Group Leader. Link will also be available on the church calendar. Please read the introduction and Chapter 1 for the first meeting.
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Limited Seating. Covid protocols. Reservations Required.
Submitted by Nick Smith
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Helping Afghan Refugees
When refugee families resettle in Rhode Island, they often need basic necessities for setting up their new homes. Baha Sadr, our contact at Dorcas International, has let us know that the best way to provide the items they need to get started is by donating gift cards. Their preference is Walmart, Target, and Job Lot. Gift cards can be sent to Dorcas International, 645 Elmwood Ave., Providence RI 02907 c/o Baha Sadr/Afghani Support.
Submitted by Barbara Holtzman
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Rhode Island Adds 130 Beds For Homeless Shelters |
Rhode Island's leaders announced new measures to address homelessness Thursday, ending a weeks-long protest on the steps of the State House.
Submitted by Taylor Ellis
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Dorothy Devine adds to her personal narrative.
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 by Tuesday Noon
to assure publication by Friday of that week.
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