WORSHIP
"Keep It Simple"
Sunday, February 7, 2021, 10:30 am
Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, Minister
Sam Chandler, Music Director

Watch the service live on YouTube
Please note that Gathering Music begins at approx. 10:20 am.
MINISTER'S MESSAGE
“Beloved Community is when we say 'we,' and we mean everyone.”
Rev. Mykal Slack, from February’s Soul Matters Materials
Dear First U Friends,

Have you heard about the UUA’s Thirty Days of Love celebration?
It falls under the Side With Love campaign, which aims to build and support grassroots efforts within our UU networks to “embody universalism and resist oppression.” Side with Love used to be known as “Standing on the Side of Love,” perhaps some of you even have one of the ubiquitous yellow Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts, bumper stickers, or banners that we UU’s often bring to protests. “Standing on the Side of Love” was renamed in 2017 to “Side with Love,” after friends in the disabled community expressed that the slogan was ableist. Just another instance of the UUA changing with the times!

The Thirty Days of Love celebration has been an annual happening in our faith the past couple of years, kicking off on MLK Day and ending on Valentine’s Day. It is a celebration that promotes intersectional racial justice through the lens of love. This year, the Side with Love organizers have put together a wonderful selection of spiritual, educational, musical, and creative resources for all ages on their Thirty Days of Love website and I encourage you all to check it out! Alexis and I are loving the Black Lives Matter coloring book, found at the bottom of the multigenerational activities page. It might be meant for kids, but it’s definitely prompted lively dinnertime discussion in our household. Thank you Gwen for pointing it out to me! The Thirty Days resources are so extensive, I had missed it in all my scrolling. It also brought me great joy to see and hear my friend and colleague, Rev. Abhi Janamanchi, Senior Minister of Cedar Lane UU, offer a prayer for peace this week’s page, week three of the Thirty Days of Love.

I’m curious what you all will discover in your exploration of the Thirty Days of Love! I’ve found many of the resources to be of great use as I center myself and prepare for our next steps following our vote to endorse the the spirit of the 8th Principle this past Sunday. Perhaps you will find the same inspiration as well.

On Valentine’s Sunday this year we will celebrate the Thirty Days of Love with UU congregations across the country and livestream a Side with Love service put together by the Worship Arts leaders of the UUA, and ministers, musicians and educators from across the country.

This Sunday, though, we’re going to keep it simple, and take some time to ground ourselves in who we are and what we need to bring our full selves to this beloved community we create, change, and keep moving forward.

Yours on the side of love,
Rev. Hillary
FINANCIAL TIMES OF FIRST U
At our 1/31 Midyear Meeting the Anti-racism Working Group summarized our process of voting to endorse the spirit of the 8th principle: How did we get here? What's next? For the full presentation click here.
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
VALENTINES EXCHANGE
Share some UU love this Valentine's Day season with a postcard exchange. Come to the church picnic tables to pick up a packet with five postcards, postcard stamps, a couple of stickers, and a list of five names from our directory, say hello to Rev. Hillary or a member of Congregation Connections, and enjoy sending/receiving valentines!

Pick-up Day/Time
Sunday, February 7th, drop in between 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Can't make it to pick up postcards? One of our friendly Congregation Connections members may be able to deliver it to your home! Just ask!
INTERESTED IN JOINING A SMALL GROUP?
Small Groups are regularly occurring monthly or bi-monthly meetings of a small number of committed folks from our church who gather to check-in with one another, explore spiritual practices, and ponder theologically enriching questions. This year all Small Groups are meeting online and many are using monthly Soul Matters theme based materials to structure their gatherings. Our First U Small Groups are very meaningful to many people in our community and currently we have several openings in our current small groups for new members. Please email Rev. Hillary (firstuminster@gmail.com) if you are interested in joining a group or learning more about our Small Group ministry. If there is enough interest, it is possible new Small Groups could also be organized at this time. 
LUUNCH
Today, 12 - 1 pm, on Zoom
LUUnch will be with Rev. Hillary this week. The magic of breaking bread together is still a part of our weekly programming - even if it’s on Zoom. Stop by for this weekly event for conversation and connection, discussion, and fellowship. Come for all or part, drop-in anytime on Fridays, 12 to 1 pm.

To join the Zoom meeting, click here and enter password: YUM
To join via phone, dial: 1-646-558-8656
enter the meeting ID: 917 0538 2202 and pass code: 075311
RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION
THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7th

Children's Chapel
9:45 - 10:15 am
Join Anna on Zoom where we introduce our theme for this month: Beloved Community. Click for Children's Chapel and enter password: CHAPEL.

Junior Youth Group
11:30 am - 12:10 pm
Join Gwen and Rev. Hillary as we explore the 7th principle of Unitarian Universalism: the interdependent web of all existence. Click for Junior Youth Group and enter the password: YOUTH.

Social & Learning Hour
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
An online version of coffee hour connection and a chance to reflect on the themes that arose during the Worship Service. Click for the Social & Learning Hour and enter the password: COMMUNITY.

Coming of Age
1:30 - 3:30 pm
This week's Coming of Age session will be in-person at Winslow Park in Freeport. We will explore spiritual practices involving movement, meditation, nature, and creation. We will be taking social distancing measures and wearing masks. Please remember to dress for the weather!
GENDER IDENTITY WORKSHOP
FOR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, & CAREGIVERS
Sunday, March 14th, 4:00 - 5:15 pm, on Zoom
Parents, grandparents, and caregivers help to shape a child’s healthy understanding of both their own gender and the gender diversity out in the world. This workshop, co-facilitated by Rev. Hillary and Gwen, calls participants to explore their ideas and feelings about gender and the values about gender they are teaching their children or grandchildren, explicitly or implicitly. The workshop introduces cultural and biological issues at play in gender identity and gender expression. Participants will find spiritual grounding for becoming comfortable with gender topics and integrating gender into conversations with their children or grandchildren.

Please register in advance for this Zoom meeting.
Please note the updates to the February RE calendar below. Thank you!
PEACE & JUSTICE WORK
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The Anti-Racism working Group congratulates our congregation for Endorsing the Spirit of the 8th Principle. In endorsing the Spirit of the 8th Principle we are committing to dismantle Racism and other oppressions in ourselves, our institutions, and when we can do so in our interpersonal relationships. This is our way of helping bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice for all.

We can be a small group of committed individuals and thus can make a significant difference.

In the weeks to come the Anti-Racism Working Group will continue to share resources, to support learning activities and to support organizations and causes which will help move us all toward justice.
FAITH-IN-ACTION 3D EVENT
Please note the date change: Saturday, February 20, at 7:00 pm*
Why BRAIN HEALTH? With all the big news in the world these days, where do we start if we want to help? I suggest the following three TED talks. Check out Wendy Suzuki's epiphany, Elizabeth Amini's offer, and Daniel Amen's insights. Like me, you may find hope here regarding all sorts of topics--from school shootings and domestic violence to crazy politicians and the way we've been caring for our planet. The good news starts with the fact that we each have a brain. Let's put them together and have a conversation?

You are warmly invited to join us at the next virtual 3D event. Watch our selected 3 films (14 min. each) anytime before the Zoom discussion at 7:00 pm on Sat., February 20. Please sign up by emailing Mariana at catalpa.girl@gmail.com so we can send you the Zoom link. See you for a fascinating discussion soon after Valentine's Day!

  1. The Brain Changing Benefits of Exercise with Wendy Suzuki
  2. Top 10 Tips to Keep Your Brain Young with Elizabeth Amini
  3. The Most Important Lesson from 83,000 Brain Scans with Daniel Amen

“Our imaging work... taught us that mild traumatic brain injury was a major cause of psychiatric illness that ruin peoples’ lives, and virtually no one knew about it because they would see psychiatrists for things like temper problems, anxiety, depression and insomnia, and they would never look [at a brain scan], so they would never know [it was due to a physical injury].” -- Dr. Daniel Amen

*Why the date change? So you have the opportunity to attend the New Day Rising National Conference! (see below)
NEW DAY RISING CONFERENCE
Is your congregation ready to take a new step in changing white supremacy culture? Want to learn what your fellow congregations are working on, and how you might apply it at home? Join a continent of UUs as we explore next steps in creating Beloved UU Communities.

On Your Own
Watch compelling video TED-talk style testimonials from selected congregations around the continent sharing their learnings, hopes and next steps in their quest for racial equity in their congregations

Together on Saturday, February 27, 2021, 12:00 - 9:00 pm
Worship - Workshops - Caucusing (with plenty of breaks!)

Register now! Please note that the cost is a sliding scale fee of your choosing, but because we plan to send a congregational team of three or more, you may opt to pay the lowest fee ($20), unless you want to opt to sponsor others to attend this conference. Need assistance paying the registration fee? Please confidentially contact Rev. Hillary at firstuminister@gmail.com.
OUR HALF-PLATE THIS WEEK
This week’s offering is shared with Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC). MPAC’s purpose is to reduce Maine's use of incarceration by creating a criminal justice system that is ethical, humane, and restorative in nature. The coalition includes, In addition to offenders and their families and friends, organizational colleagues - groups well known for their powerful commitment and continued struggle for human rights such as NAACP, ACLU, Maine Council of Churches, and individuals dedicated to social justice and humane treatment of all people.

Please offer your gift by clicking the "Make Your Offering" button below (to contribute via GiveButter), dropping a check or cash in the mail, or sending via your bank's bill pay feature.
COMMUNITY NEWS
FILM SCREENING & DISCUSSION: THE REUNITED STATES
The UU Church of Brunswick and Curtis Memorial Library are co-sponsoring a screening and discussion of the new documentary film, The Reunited States, on Tuesday, February 9, at 7:00 pm. The film, in a roadtrip across all fifty states, shows how deep the divisions are in our country and tasks us all to find our roles in reuniting the country across those divides. The discussion following the film will be moderated by Rev. Justine Sullivan, UUCB Interim Minister, with two distinguished guests, Hawo Mohamed and Richard Snyder, both of the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine. Please register soon as only five virtual seats remain.
MAINETRANSNET EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR PARENTS
This three week online training (Saturdays 3 pm-5 pm March 13th, 20th, and 27th) is for parents, especially parents of trans youth, hoping to build their knowledge on trans inclusive sex education, intimate partner violence awareness/prevention, and trans youth. The facilitators will be covering topics such as relationship building with trans youth, being trauma informed with young trans survivors, and answering the question "What if I mess up?" 30 slots are available for participation. Click here for more information and registration.
FREEPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES: FREEZE OUT
Freeze Out is a 17-year-long tradition in Freeport that supports the Carol Kaplan Fuel Fund. This fund provides emergency heating assistance to families in Freeport and Pownal because everyone deserves a warm, safe home. Freeze Out will look a little different this year, but it will always be about Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Community members are forming teams of 1 to 3 people to spend a safe, socially distanced hour outside of FCS to raise money for emergency heating assistance. Click here to learn more, register, or donate to the fund
FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE
Pastoral Emergencies
If you experience a pastoral emergency please contact Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, who can be reached on her cell phone: 207-740-3753. Please note Rev. Hillary is in the office Tuesday - Friday for non-emergency opportunities to talk.
Submit Your Announcement
To have your announcement included in this e-newsletter please email the information to Gwen Matthews, Director of Education and Communications, at gwenatfirstu@gmail.com by Wednesday at 12 pm.
 First Universalist Church of Yarmouth | 207-846-4148 | office@uuyarmouth.org | www.uuyarmouth.org