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Weekly Newsletter of the
First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
October 16, 2024
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Worship Service: Love at the Center
Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner and Joel Miller
Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 10:15am
In June 2024, the General Assembly of the UUA overwhelmingly passed a revised statement of our values and principles. Come and learn more in our introduction to these changes in how we center our faith. Future services this year will cover each of these themes in depth.
You may also join us on Zoom: https://bit.ly/fuusn-worship-2024-2025
Submit your Joys and Sorrows here.
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Reminder: Sign Up for Appreciative Inquiry with Revs. Debra and Joel
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is defined as “an asset-based approach to organizational and social engagement that utilizes questions and dialogue to help participants uncover existing strengths, advantages, or opportunities” in their organizations, including congregations. We will create questions to help identify FUUSN’s strengths and opportunities. We want to hear what works well, when was FUUSN at its best, and what draws you to this congregation. We also hope that you’ll get to know us better as well. These conversations will help set the stage for our work with the congregation on mission, vision, governance, and strategic planning.
Please plan to attend only one session. Register here.
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Please Support This Week's Split Plate
Once again this week, the Sunday collection at worship will be split between FUUSN and the UUA Disaster Fund. We are splitting our offering to help the congregations so badly affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton.
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The UUA Disaster Relief Fund receives donations from congregations and individuals who want to support Unitarian Universalist congregations and their wider communities in need after a disaster. We are especially concerned that UU congregations in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina have been badly damaged after the recent hurricanes. Grants from the Disaster Relief Fund help congregations care for their buildings and the needs of their members, as well as supporting people in the wider community, especially those who may not be eligible for other grant programs.
Please give generously between now and October 21st. All offerings will be split between our congregation and those devastated by the hurricane. Text FUUSN to 73256 or give online at https://onrealm.org/FUUSN/give/sunday
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Bring Your Donations to the FUUSN Yard Sale Starting Sunday, October 20, 2024
It’s back: the FUUSN Yard Sale, also known as an incentive to clean out closets and recycle stuff. Drop off begins after church on Sunday, Oct. 20th. Put donations on the stage in Parish Hall.
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We welcome treasures of all kinds in good condition: toys & games, household goods, purses & scarves, holiday decorations, linens, artwork, crafts, tools & garden items, jewelry (to be sold in December), holiday decorations, etc.
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Please do NOT bring clothes, computers, monitors, big sports equipment, junk and/or anything broken or dirty. Kindly wait for the Holiday Fair to donate books. For more information on donations, see our web page.
Volunteers are the magicians who make the yard sale possible. We invite you to sign up here to help for as much or as little time as you'd like:
- Thurs. Oct. 24 from 6:00 to 7:30pm - set up tables and shelves and move goods from stage
- Friday Oct. 25 from 9:30am to 8:00pm - sort and price
- Saturday Oct 26 from 9:00am to 2:30pm - Sell to the public and clean up
The team who work on this are motivated by providing low cost goods to the wider community and keeping stuff out of the waste stream. Plus, we have fun working together. We invite you to join us and donate or work - or both. Invite your friends and neighbors to attend! Thank you!
Co-chairs Denise Bousquet and Connie Stubbs.
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UU The Vote - Get Involved
UU the Vote (www.uuthevote.org) is our national UUA Side with Love initiative to help empower voters in key states on issues protecting our democracy. Strictly non-partisan, it is issues based. Help turnout young, low income, and otherwise disenfranchised voters this November to protect the right to abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, fight climate change, and promote racial equality.
Each week, Rev. Debra will post information about how you can volunteer in the coming week to protect democracy. When you sign up, please identify yourself as a member or friend of FUUSN. If you'd like to take a bigger role in the next two months in organizing FUUSN members to write postcards, make calls, or visit battleground states, please reach out to Rev. Debra at rev.debra@fuusn.org.
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Make Calls to Voters with Center for Common Ground
UUTV Partner Event
October 20, 2024 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM CT - Texas (Virtual)
Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry (TXUUJM) is offering non-partisan phone banking / Get out the Vote (GOTV) opportunities through the November 5th election. We're better together as we contact underrepresented voters! We will be calling voters in Tarrant County using the Center for Common Ground's tool. We'll be joining UU Connecticut as they call into North Carolina. We will provide training/orientation so there is NO experience necessary. Just a desire to work for a multi-racial democracy where we can ALL thrive. Please join us! Register at https://www.mobilize.us/cfcg-rov/event/676614/
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UUMass Climate Justice Team
October 23, 2024 5-6pm
Thirteen days before the election, we invite you to ground into the effectiveness of Get Out the Vote efforts. Come for the connection, the facts on why this work is strategic, and leave nourished.
We invite you to gather with the UU Mass Action Climate Justice Team. We organize with Mass Power Forward (a statewide grassroots climate coalition) to win collective political victories for climate and environmental justice while also connecting and building community.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwodOurqj8vG9yBvcfgBvj8A-21PavQg7Uf . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Submit Poetry and Life Events for the Wheel of Life Service - October 27, 2024
The lay ministers have begun preparing for this year’s Wheel of Life service, which will center on the theme of “deep listening.”
During the past 12 months, have you experienced a change in jobs/marital status/address? Have you had a child graduate from a college or a school? (Even preschool counts!) Has someone in your family had/adopted a child? Have you experienced a significant loss in your family? Please share your life event in this form, and it will appear in the order of service insert on October 27, our annual Wheel of Life service.
Answer only the questions relevant to you. If it is not apparent, please make sure to include how the person is related to you. We may alter or edit the formatting to increase consistency within the order of service. If you prefer to email your events, you can send them to Ellen Metzger.
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You Can Now Receive Important Text Messages from FUUSN
FUUSN now has the capability to send text messages to those who sign up. We will send no more than 5 message per month, and they will be urgent and timely announcements, such as "FUUSN is closed due to a water main break" or "Please bring water to today's service." We strongly recommend that you opt in so we can better keep you informed.
SIGN UP HERE
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Over 60s Presentation: Common Sense Mindfulness in Challenging Times
Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 12pm, Alliance Room
Presenter: Marty Lowenthal, Author, Senior Buddhist Mentor, Meditation Teacher. He is a Founder and the senior teacher with the Dedicated Life Institute and on the faculty of Boston College and Harvard University Extension.
We will explore how Common Sense Mindfulness can help us to live and even flourish in these challenging times, as Buddha did in his time of warring fiefdoms, caste structures and turbulence. Marty will emphasize how to be present, engaged, and live in a challenging world with consciousness, love and service in everyday as well as spiritual life. Buddha presented an ennobling path of meditation and virtues that supports the development of personal and communal dignity, well-being, and inclusion.
Small bites for lunch provided. If you will be attending in person, please RSVP to Helen Jordan. Or join us on Zoom.
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UU Plant-Based Eating Club Potluck - October 20, 2024, 6-8pm
The UU Plant-Based Eating Club is hosting a plant-based potluck dinner on Sunday, October 20, at 6pm at First Parish UU in Waltham. While we intentionally welcome newcomers and anyone who is interested in eating more plant-based food regardless of where they are on their journey, all items brought to our potlucks must be completely plant-based and contain no cheese, dairy, eggs, etc. Recipe suggestions are available, and you are welcome to bring a friend! Our theme is Thanksgiving food!
Please register to attend at PBEC OCTOBER 2024 POTLUCK. Attendees must be vaccinated and boosted for COVID.
Join our Club’s e-mail list at uu-plant-based-contact-us@googlegroups.com to sign up for an event. After sign-up, registrants will receive info about locations, menu themes, potluck contact info, and other topics.
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Wednesday, October 16
7:30-9pm: Appreciative Inquiry, Alliance Room, register here
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Thursday, October 17
3-5pm: Soul Matters, Children's Chapel
4:30-6:30pm: Creationdance Rehearsal, Headstart Room
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Friday, October 18
10:30am-12pm: Appreciative Inquiry, Alliance Room, register here
6-6:30pm: Zoom Vespers, online
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Sunday, October 20
11:45am-1pm: Band Rehearsal, Sanctuary
12-1pm: Over 60s Presentation: Common Sense Mindfulness in Challenging Times, Alliance Room
3-5pm: JourneySongs Rehearsal, Children's Chapel
6-8pm: UU Plant-Based Eating Club - Large Group Potluck, First Parish in Waltham
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Tuesday, October 22
6:30-8:30pm: OWL Meetings, Headstart Room
6:45-8:30pm: Teen Depression Workshop for Trusted Adults, Alliance Room
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Halloween Family Fun and Games - Friday, November 1st, 5-9pm
Not just for kids! Come in your costumes or PJs. More details coming soon.
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Vanessa McClinchy Celebration of Life - November 2, 2024 at 2pm
A memorial service for Vanessa McClinchy will be held here at FUUSN on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at 2pm. A reception in the Parish Hall will follow. Appetizers and drinks will be provided. Dessert will be potluck-style, for those who wish to bring something. Casual dress is encouraged.
The family requests that you send pictures of/with Vanessa to include in the photo montage. If you are unable to attend but would like to participate, please send a memory you have with Vanessa to be printed and hung in the Parish Hall. Please send these and direct inquiries to Bob Varnum, 617-823-3687.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Home for Little Wanderers.
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Election Events at FUUSN
Election Night Viewing Party, November 5th, 7:30 pm to ?, location TBD
Join Fellow FUUSN members and friends to watch the election results together. Bring a dessert and beverage to share.
November 6th, 1-2:30 pm, Election Post-Mortem, location TBD
Join Rev. Debra & Rev. Joel for a post election day gathering. More information to come.
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Co-Ministers' Installation - April 6, 2025
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW:
April 6, 2025 INSTALLATION OF REV. DR. DEBRA W. HAFFNER AND REV. JOEL MILLER AS FUUSN'S 23RD and 24TH SETTLED MINISTERS
We're excited to announce the date of Rev. Joel's and Rev. Debra's installation. Please mark your calendars now. Dr. Janice Marie Johnson from the UUA will deliver the installation sermon.
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Thanks to everyone who helped make Ferry Beach a wonderful experience, especially Bill Dusett, Emily Gelbert, Sandra Teare, and Kate Thibeault.
Photos by Bob MacWilliams and Neal Klinman
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Have a news item you want to share? Want to schedule a FUUSN Event? Please use our web forms! Note that any event using physical space at FUUSN must be approved by Fran, and until you receive confirmation from her, that event will not be scheduled or added to our Events calendar.
Submissions for each newsletter must be sent in by the preceding Tuesday at 9am.
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First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton www.fuusn.org | 617-527-3203 | | |
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