The UUFP Blast 

Live our UU Principles 

A weekly reminder of Fellowship & related activities

Issue 7/20/2023 

 Monthly Theme: The Path of Belonging

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Service Begins at 10:30am

"Cultivating Relationships"

Jolanda Jansen

Join us for Sunday Service via Zoom only.

You can join this meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone:

https://zoom.us/j/327711271 | Password: 792394

You can also dial in using your phone: +1 646 558 8656 

When asked, enter: 327 711 271# | Password: 792394

Thank You!

Thanks to all who came to the potluck on July 16! There was much delicious food, friendly conversation, and the opportunity to meet our new minister, Dan Miyake, and his wife Erica. Thanks to Marnie for the make-your-own sundaes, to Jolanda for supervising the setup, and to all the many hands who helped with setup and cleanup, too many to name here. I hope we have a chance to get together again soon. Meantime, see you on Zoom!

Except -- I will be away the next two Sundays, in Asheville, NC. I plan to go to UU services there, and will bring back stories. I will be checking my email and will try to respond as promptly as possible.

Summer Soul Matters Sessions

Rachael & Bruce Epstein will be leading Soul Matters Small Group sessions this summer, on Sundays July 23 and August 20 at 7 pm on Zoom. The topic for July will be The Path of Belonging; the topic for August will be chosen at the July meeting. These are opportunities for deep sharing in a Covenant Group setting.

Everyone is invited, whether you have participated in Soul Matters this year or not. Please email Bruce Epstein for more information and to be added to the participant list to receive the materials and Zoom link.

Lost Key

Last seen in a white envelope in the Office. If you have seen it please email:

office@uupok.org

On Ice

Quick summer meal possibilities:

Beet borscht (1); Gazpacho (1); and Seven meatballs with sauce (2). YUM!

UUFP Food Ministry

Thanks to all who have contributed to the UUFP’s food ministry. Throughout the Covid pandemic and beyond, our Fellowship has continued to provide monthly meals to the unhoused population of Dutchess County.

Despite our commitment to this ministry, our “food teams” have lost members through attrition. We had to consolidate these teams so that each one has enough members to prepare meals for 75 – 90 people. As a result, we are now left with three teams versus the six we had before the pandemic. With each team taking two months in the calendar year, we can now provide only six months of meals. Fortunately, members of the Quaker Meeting and the B’hais have agreed to assume responsibility for three months of meals.

We are trying to partner with other churches in the area to complete a year of monthly meals. If you know of any churches or groups who might be interested in sharing our food ministry, please ask them to contact Anne Lancellotti or Kathy Boone. Or, if you have friends who might want to form a group with YOU, please let Kathy and Anne know! For example, an Ad Hoc group made up of Fran Sunderland, Geri Wilmot and family, Pat Lamanna, Laura Bracken, Ellen Waggener, Paul Hirsch, Carol Miyake and Jeanne Woods will provide the June meals. (Thank you!)

Below are the new teams and their months of service, for your information. Kathy and Anne welcome any comments you wish to offer.

Team 1 July/November: Leader – Julie Colacchio

Cathy Augello, Robyn Wood, Jolanda Jansen, Sue Sciacca, Betsy and Paul Silverstein, Roseanne Ashby, Barbara Corona, Jim Weissman

Team 2 August/December: Leaders - Kathy and Anne

Paul Hirsch and Ellen Waggener, Jane Bartik, Roy Bartels, Fran Sunderland, Michael Philips, Gonul Wilson, Jeanne Woods

Team 3 October/May 2024: Leaders - Duncan Duncan/John Way

Laura Bracken, Rachael and Bruce Epstein, Paula Greenspan, Joyce Marra, Jill Barasch, Carolyn and Tom Ferrara, Pat Lamanna, Geri Wilmot

Committee on Ministry

The Committee on Ministry (COM) supports healthy connections between the congregation, the minister, other professional staff, and lay leadership. One of COM’s functions is to evaluate how well or not the congregation’s needs are being met and to provide evaluation and feedback when necessary. When improvement is needed suggestions are offered. COM also assists when conflicts arise and the involved individuals are unable to resolve the issues on their own. One of COM’s functions is to facilitate the development of Right Relationship communication and conflict avoidance skills with the goal of assisting members in resolving issues as they arise.

Current COM members are below:

Paula Greenspan (COM Chair), Rick Foster, Ellen Waggener, Jim Weissman

The Committee on Ministry can be reached at com@uupok.org with any question or concerns.

Membership Committee News

The Membership Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie (UUFP) is focused on the people of the Fellowship--its visitors, friends, and members. Our job as committee members is to find ways to help people feel welcome and serve their needs in whatever capacity.

We are the committee to contact if you have any questions or concerns about:

  * The history and background of Unitarian Universalism in general and/or the UUFP in particular.

  * How to become a “friend” of the Fellowship and what are the benefits.

  * How to become a “member” of the Fellowship and what are the benefits and obligations.

If you are interested in helping people feel welcome, then this may very well be the committee for you. You do not have to be a member of the UUFP in order to join our committee. In particular, we welcome people of all ages and backgrounds to represent the congregation at large. 

We usually meet the first Thursdays of the month at 7:00 p.m.

There has been a lot of talk lately about voting at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie (UUFP), and there are many important issues to vote for! However, only members in good standing are eligible to vote at corporate meetings.

  Are you a member? Did you one time become a member, but perhaps have forgotten to pledge lately? Perhaps financial or personal issues have made it difficult to think about the financial issues of the UUFP. Nevertheless, it’s not too late.

  All people, whether they are members or friends, are welcome here at the Fellowship and can participate in activities. However, only members can vote at corporate meetings. Our fifth principle, “the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large” is a core belief of our UU Faith.

  Would you like to know how to become a member and join us in our democratic process of self-governance? Contact Laura A.G. Bracken to learn more about how you can become a member or reinstate your membership.

Submitted by Carol Miyake and Laura A.G. Bracken

The Caring Circle

If you need caring, please send an email to: caringcircle@uupok.org  

Or contact either Betsy Silverstein or Kathy Boone directly.

Pat Lamanna Sighting

Sunday, August 6, 6:30-8:00, the Towne Crier, 379 Main St., Beacon -- On the 78th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, I will be part of a concert of "Songs of Peace" with fellow singer-songwriters Fred Arcoleo and Amy Soucy. The music is complimentary but you have to buy one of their delicious dinners.

Saturday, August 19, 7:30 p.m., UU Congregation at Rock Tavern, 9 Vance Road, Rock Tavern -- I will be part of a multi-media presentation called "Pete and Woody." Through pictures, songs and narration (by Richard Mattocks), folksinger Steve Suffet and I will tell the story of the decades-long friendship between Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. Following intermission, there will be a song circle with local folk musicians. This is a fundraiser for the congregation. Tickets are $20. For more information, contact Mike Landrum at mikelandrum1@icloud.com.

The weekly Blast is published on Thursdays.  

Please send input to TheBlast@uupok.org by Monday @ noon.

View as Webpage