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 Letourneau Paul, Minister
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This Sunday, March 6, 2022 |
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Worship
In person 10:00 am
On Zoom 11:30 am
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“Building Bridges”
Rev. Denis Letourneau Paul
March 6, 2022
Our Unitarian Universalist Principles are the promises our congregations make to each other and the world. Each is meant to stand on its own, but they are best thought of as a complex system in which each depends on the other. When there were seven Principles, I had a metaphor that worked to understand their interconnection, but now that we are working on the eighth, I need a new metaphor. Join me as I share that metaphor, as an opportunity to renew our commitment.
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Religious Exploration
In-person
10am-noon
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Our 8 Principles
Continuing our journey through the 8 UU Principles, we will join the beginning of service in the sanctuary on Sunday with Rev. Denis. He will illustrate how our 8 principles are like a suspension bridge...by building an 8 foot long bridge! So come help us get the tension just right and hope that the suspension wires and pillars (our principles) stay strong!
The video above is a lovely retelling of the loaves and fishes story from the Bible, plus a song about faith by Lea Morris.
We have a new newsletter for the month of March with the theme "Renewing Faith. Check it out here: RE newsletter
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Lee Cowan, Director of Religious Exploration
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When you returned your pledge card you should have gotten a thank you for your loving support.
If you have not gotten a thank you, then a phone call or digital reminder requesting a timely response will be coming from the Stewardship committee, because the Finance committee appreciates knowing what is pledged before they work on the budget for next year.
We plan to have the Pledging campaign completed by mid-March.
Thank you for showing your love!
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Pledge forms sent out: 118
Pledge forms received by 2/25: 31
Annual goal: $200,000
Current pledge total: $87,000
It is gratifying to see approximately 45% of the goal already pledged.
It has been so much fun sending thank you notes! Looking forward to sending more!
Keep an eye out for another update and more good news.
Submitted by Mary Fulton
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Half of the plate and designated collections received by check or online
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If you have been in my office, you know that the names on my framed degrees hanging on the wall don’t match. That’s because 19 years ago, when I started seminary, I legally rearranged my name. I didn’t change it, I rearranged it so that Paul went from being my first name to being my last name. I joke that all I really did was insert a comma.
Nearly everyone I know in the UU world knows me as Denis Letourneau Paul. But there are still folks who remember me as Paul Denis Letourneau, and now that I am back in Southern New England, and spending time with a lot of those folks, some still keep calling me Paul. It sounds weird to my ear, and I keep reminding them that nobody calls me that.
Except people do. A few folks actually say to me “that’s not your real name and I’m not calling you that.” It’s the same kind of disrespect that they give to trans* folk by using their dead names or the wrong pronouns. It’s the same kind of disrespect that they demonstrate when they willfully use ancient terms to label all of those who were “otherized” through language. Refusing to change language is refusing to include people as equals. Or even as people.
Thank goodness most friends who’ve known me most of my life are at least trying to adjust and call me by my right name. That matters because language is important, so I try to be graceful when they mess up.
In a couple of my recent sermons, I used language that folks took exception to. In speaking of Crispus Attucks and Sojourner Truth, I referred to them a couple times as slaves rather than enslaved people, even though I’d used the preferred term at other times in the sermon, because I understand that that enslaved humans were (and are) so much more than enslaved. Crispus Attucks, I should have said, may not have even been enslaved. (Historians aren’t clear on that matter, near as I can tell.)
A couple weeks earlier, when I talked about the current threat to legal abortion and the special role of cis-gender men to be allies, I talked about women being pregnant and women having the right to choose, even though I personally know two men who have given birth as men. One of them has a 20 year old son I’ve known since birth, so I’ve been aware for a long time that it isn’t just cis-gender women who need reproductive healthcare.
And yet, I messed up. I don’t have an excuse. All I can do is say I’m sorry and ask your patience, and forgiveness, as I try. As we all try together.
This work of widening the circle, of being more inclusive by doing things like showing up for justice and using respectful language that honors the wholeness of each other’s beings, isn’t always easy. Because change is hard, even when we want to change, especially as we get older and our habits are more ingrained.
I’ll keep trying to change.
In Peace,
Rev Denis
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All Ages Hike this Saturday |
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You are invited to meet at the trailhead of Trustom Pond at 10am on Saturday, March 5th. Hosted by Lee Cowan and the RE Committee, we invite anyone from the congregation to explore this beautiful wildlife refuge with us!
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Jim Palmisciano, a member of the Richmond Town Council, made this suncatcher for me. He was going to make stained glass Christmas tree ornaments for all the Richmond Town Council members and staff, but his idea morphed into a project to make suncatchers for everyone that reflect their spiritual beliefs. He did some research about UUs and decided that my suncatcher should have the flaming chalice on it. It is hanging in the west-facing window in my office.
– Karen Ellsworth
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UUCSC Coordinating Council |
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Wednesday, March 9, 2022
4:00 - 5:30 PM
Committee chairs and other interested parties gather bimonthly to discuss what is happening at UUCSC and share ideas for how we can work together.
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Adult Education and Experience |
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This Year's Reading Across RI Selection is
"Firekeeper's Daughter"
With four-starred reviews, Angeline Boulley’s debut novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter, is a groundbreaking Young Adult (YA) thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community,
It is soon to be adapted at Netflix for TV with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground
Our Racial Justice Group encourages our congregation to join other Rhode Islanders in learning about Native teachings and culture through this very enjoyable and engaging book, soon to be a Netflix movie. The Ocean State library system has ordered a lot of copies to accommodate all the anticipated readers.
And, if you want to participate in a group discussion, in person or via Zoon, here is a list of options: https://ribook.org/rari/
Submitted by Barbara Holtzman
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The Star Island Faith Development conference is an inspirational week-long experience combining professional development for religious professionals and lay leadership, family, spiritual renewal, a Unitarian Universalist faith community, and Star Island magic. July 17th -24th, 2022. More information here.
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Giving and Receiving Love!
We had so many offers of love during both services on February 13!
We still have many available: offers of homemade food, rides, walks, phone calls, stand-up comedy jokes, coffee dates, borrowing tools and more! These lovely gifts can't be given without someone to receive them.
So please email Lee at uucscdre2@gmail.com to receive!
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List of Black owned businesses from RI Monthly magazine. Patronize these businesses, not only in February, but all year long. This small effort can help undo racism. Please send pics and reviews to Etta for sharing here and on website.
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Includes lists of Black-Owned Businesses
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 and Sara Kaplow, Congregational Administrator, at uucscri@yahoo.com by Tuesday Noon
to assure publication by Friday of that week.
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