FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF WESTCHESTER |
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This Sunday's worship is ONLINE ONLY, VIA ZOOM |
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Sunday, May 22 Worship: ONLINE ONLY VIA ZOOM
“Self-Forgiveness”
Rev. Arlin Roy
In response to rapidly rising COVID-19 cases in Westchester, and with love and concern for the most vulnerable among us, FUSW is returning to ONLINE ONLY worship through August. The Board and others will look for ways to have outdoor in-person social gatherings at FUSW and elsewhere over the summer.
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Please check our website fusw.org and Facebook page for the latest info and updates about our Sunday services and other events.
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Upcoming Events
Upcoming Worship
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Sunday, May 29, 10:00am, “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” ~ Jane Thickstun
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Sunday, Jun 5, 10:00am, “Truth With Love” ~ Kates/Patton Program Group
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Save the Date - Annual Meeting
FUSW Annual Corporate Meeting, Sunday, June 12, 2021, following services, via Zoom
Please plan to attend! Details to come. To our committee chairs, please send your year-end reports to Rina (admin@fusw.org) by Thursday, May 26.
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Service Archive
Poems and More From Grace Paley
Michael Carman has shared with us the poems and quotes from her presentation, “Begin Again" from the Sunday, May 8 service, “Conversations With Our Mothers,” along with other information about Paley’s work that congregants had asked for. Visit the Members page of fusw.org, click on Service Archive, and then select Readings. You will find the most recent information at top.
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Message from the Minister
Grief and Survival
A million Americans have died from Covid, and that means that 20-30 million Americans are directly affected, so all of us mourn the loss of a reliably benign social environment. The numbers are staggering, and the full impact will not be understood for many years, but the increased anxiety and depression burdens us daily. We, in this congregation, also mourn the loss of our building and everything that it provided as a safe space for worshiping our central values, a holding environment for many memories, and a crucible within which we could refine our spiritual journeys. It represented a place for us to love and be loved.
The pandemic locked us all into an isolation where phone, text, email and Zoom are poor stand-ins for the rich interactions we have treasured. Hurt feelings, confusion, and polarization have increased greatly as a result. The manifest content of communication is hardly enough; the casual, nuanced in-person relatedness that means a great deal to us has been severely restricted. I mourn the subtle communications I once picked up from being part of the social mix with you.
How—without the social ease, without our sheltering building, without the in-person closeness we crave—do we survive and then thrive? In large part, we are getting by through a deep commitment to hope and our treasured values. It is more conceptual than I would prefer; it is cooler, less immediately feelingful than is best. But I and many congregants have a strong and durable will to make something good happen. We will look back on this time and know that we stood the test of isolation through strengthened purpose. We intend to make FUSW a place of growth and greater understanding, even during waves of grief.
Be kind to yourself, and if you need help with that, contact me (arlinroy@yahoo.com, and (C) 978-587-1148 or (O) 914-769-2483). If you have a practical problem you need help with—such as arranging for a meal, or getting help with shopping or transportation—contact Michael Carman (michaelannecarman@gmail.com), point person for the Caring Committee.
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UU Kidney Donor Appeal
Joan Bromley of First UU Church of Berks County, PA, is in stage 5 kidney disease and has been on the kidney transplant list for over 2 years. At her doctor's suggestion, she is reaching out personally to congregations and through social media hoping to find a donor. If you are interested in learning more about kidney donation, or in being tested to see if you are eligible to donate, visit www.nkr.org/nhy394. Neither geographic location nor blood type matter due to transplant centers across the country participating in the National Kidney Registry.
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FUSW Contacts & Information
Questions, Concerns, or Compliments for FUSW? Reach out to any member of our Board of Trustees, fusw.org/board-of-trustees (place cursor over picture, then right-mouse click to copy email).
The Board of Trustees usually meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings begin at 7:30pm. We are currently meeting online. Meetings are open to any member of FUSW. If the Board enters into executive session to discuss personnel or confidential matters, non-Board will be asked to leave for that portion of the meeting. At the end of the meeting there will be an open forum, moderated by the President, during which non-Board members can speak about topics of concern. We ask that you limit your remarks to two minutes. This forum will last from five to ten minutes, depending on the Board agenda. Please contact any Board member if you have questions or comments. To access the minutes from previous meetings, visit the Members page of fusw.org and click on Board Minutes Archive. Click here to join our meeting on Zoom.
Scheduling Online Meetings To schedule a Zoom online meeting for your committee or program group, contact Rina Schunk (admin@fusw.org) with the purpose, date, and time you need, as well as information you want included in the Scoop. Rina will check availability, schedule the calendar, and send you the invitation link.
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The Scoop e-newsletter is sent out each week. Have news to share? Submit articles to our administrator, Rina Schunk (admin@fusw.org), by Wednesday at 10:00am. To schedule events on the FUSW Calendar, contact Rina Schunk at admin@fusw.org
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We are a liberal religious community
shaping the world in our image of love
Deepening Spirituality · Nurturing Community · Advancing Justice
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