WEEKLY UPDATE |September 19-25, 2021
September 19, 2021 | 10:00am
"Compassion Confusion"
Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein
Worship with us at 10:00am!

We have heard that "to understand all is to forgive all," but perhaps that is too easy a cliche for our social predicament right now. What does it mean to maintain compassion with those who stubbornly refuse to act for the common good? What are the limits of compassion? How do we approach and practice it without becoming moral pudding? 
 
We will be together in church and on Facebook Live [https://www.facebook.com/UUCGL]. The recording of the service will also be on our YouTube page which you can always access through our website, uucgl.org.
 
Join us for a Zoom Coffee Hour at 11:30am. 
Meeting ID: 869 5968 4645
One tap mobile: +16465588656,,86959684645# US (New York) +13017158592,,86959684645# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 869 5968 4645
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb3RNAEFPw
Did you miss last Sunday's Service,
or want to watch it again?

To view our Sunday, September 12th Ingathering Service, visit our website archive page here or our YouTube channel here.
Ferry Beach Retreat Weekend - October 15-17
Would you like to attend a fall
UUCGL Ferry Beach Retreat Weekend
October 15-17, 2021?

Let us know by this Sunday!

Since the pandemic hit, we have missed many cherished traditions, including our annual Ferry Beach retreat. We have good news, though: we have reserved the camp and conference center for a fall UUCGL Ferry Beach Retreat Weekend, October 15-17! Would you like to join us?
 
Ferry Beach has been taking careful precautions and has developed a good set of safety guidelines resulting in zero incidents of COVID during their program year. The latest guidelines are always posted on their website here, subject to change as the science and metrics of the virus warrant. For additional safety, the Faith Development Ministry Team has recommended the retreat for adults only, due to the increased exposure in close proximity to others in school this fall for unvaccinated and even for vaccinated youth. While we do not anticipate a large group of youth attending for this reason, programming will be available for all registered participants.
 
Please let us know by this Sunday if you would like to join us to unwind, find inspiration, and soak in the special healing power of Ferry Beach together October 15-17. Registration for the weekend includes lodging and five meals. The cost ranges from $235-355 for individuals depending on lodging choice, with an additional cost of $75 for each adult and $62.50 for each youth in your family unit.
 
Please reach out to Chris Scheller, our new Director of Community Life and Learning, to express interest and with any questions about the weekend.
 
Hope to see you there!
Faith Development Update
September Greetings!

Last Sunday, our children and youth had a lovely time outdoors under the canopy of oak and maple trees. We met in our Gathering Place. We began with an ice breaker and then moved into some of the familiar elements of worship, with a chalice lighting, sharing of joys and concerns together, and a story for all. From there we discussed outdoor safety guidelines and took a fun scavenger hunt through the woods for the remainder of our time, being sure to orient ourselves, learn to identify poison ivy, and gather branches for our upcoming life-sized wilderness shelter and Sukkah building project. We had a number of youth, grades 7+, who helped by acting out our story, and they joined us on our scavenger hunt in the woods, as well. It was wonderful to have everyone there and all are welcome.
 
This Sunday, we’ll begin to draw some connections between the Jewish holiday of Sukkot and our upcoming wilderness shelter building project. We’ll each design and make our own “sit-upons”, upon which we will sit outside comfortably each week, and we’ll venture into the woods again to scavenge if we have time. The weather looks great, but we are prepared to host outdoors in the rain, as well.
 
 
Abundant Blessings,
 
Chris Scheller
Director of Community Life and Learning
Our Church Family
Get Well Wishes

Our Get Well Wishes go out to Rowe Austin was recently hospitalized and is now at the Abbott House Nursing Home for rehabilitation. Get Well wishes can be sent to Rowe Austin, 64 Bates Road, Swampscott MA 01907, and Anne will be sure that he gets them.

Our get well wishes go out to Joanne Brine who was recently hospitalized following a stroke. She is improving and has been moved to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital 300 1st Ave, Charlestown, MA 02129. She is getting your cards and flowers and she is overwhelmed by the love and support and prayers and is very appreciative and wants to thank everyone! She can only have two visitors per day, so please schedule through her son Adam at mugwump_13@yahoo.com; he will also coordinate a facetime or whatsapp call when he visits her.
Lydia Breed Retrospective Exhibit

A retrospective exhibit for long-time church member Lydia Breed is being planned for this fall at the Lynn Museum. Jan Breed, Renee Covalluci, president of the Boston Printmakers, and the Lynn Museum are seeking contributions from interested church members both to help with exhibit interpretation and with expanding knowledge of Lydia’s extensive body of work. Below is a summary of Renne Covalluci’s request to the UUCGL Archive Committee.
 
She hopes that people will “recall individual projects or subjects Lydia may have contributed to (possibly how the large modernist wooden and frieze sculptures at UUCGL came about). Character wise, it would be nice to hear how Lydia is described/remembered.” She is also interested in hearing about any art instruction Lydia gave through UUCGL: “it would be nice to know if members participated in classes, type of teacher she was...were the lessons free?” She would love any dates as well—if you know the year or even the decade when any of Lydia’s activities with UUCGL took place. Renee concludes that church members should feel free to speak “about ALL and ANY thoughts of their own” about Lydia.  Please submit all recollections and images to the UUCGL Archive committee care of Kelly Slater, preferably through her email, so that she can compile them for both the exhibit organizers and for the church archives. Kelly’s email is kellyslaterart@hotmail.com.
UUCGL Reopening Guidelines
Guidelines from UUCGL's
Reopening Task Force

Our highest priority is the health and wellbeing of our congregation and community. In recent months we have learned that the Delta variant is much more contagious and dangerous than previously thought, particularly for unvaccinated individuals. We strongly encourage members of our congregation to take advantage of free vaccinations and testing to better protect the most vulnerable among us. In addition, we offer the following guidelines to give UUCGL’s congregation an active role in stopping the spread of the Delta variant while still allowing us to gather in person. These guidelines will be in place through December 31, 2021, at which point staff members and the Reopening Task Force will re-evaluate using community health data and UUA and CDC recommendations.

Click here for UUCGL updated guidelines.
Programming at UUCGL
Extreme Weather
Virtual Webinar via Zoom

Thursday, September 30 | 7 pm
Virtual Webinar host via Zoom
(Registration Required: click here)
Join us for this virtual workshop presented by the Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW) as the Senior Program Manager Rev. Vernon K. Walker will present how extreme weather is impacting Swampscott and surrounding areas and what residents can do to prepare for it now and in the future. This event is part of CREW's Climate Prep Week and co-sponsored by the Swampscott Conservancy, Swampscott Library, Town of Swampscott Conservation Commission, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn. Click here for more information.
 
Rev. Walker is the Senior Program Manager for Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW). CREW is a network of local leaders building grassroots climate resilience through inclusive & hands-on education, service, and planning. Learn more: climatecrew.org
Social Justice and Service Gathering

Tuesday, October 5 | 7 pm
At Church and on Zoom
Let's join together to share opportunities for activism and service for the coming year.
What are you working on? With whom are you partnering? What are your hopes, joys, sorrows and struggles in these projects and this work?
 
Rev. Vicki will prepare updates from ECCO and UU Mass Action. Please come with your own reports and ideas about how to engage the wider congregation and community.

Depending on the weather we can come at 6PM and eat dinner outside.
UUCGL and the Local Community
Can You Help My Brother's Table?

If you have been reading this Update throughout these pandemic months, you've read about My Brother's Table brown bag meal program! MBT’s response to the pandemic was to assemble a network of volunteers who work from their homes. These off-site volunteers assemble lunch and dinner bags to supplement the hot foods that MBT prepares and serves every day. MBT will not be reopening for in-house dining and will continue to provide to-go meals.
 
If you are interested in working with other church members to assemble lunch or dinner bags OR if you are interested in supporting this work with a monetary donation or a food donation, we would like to hear from you. For more information about MBT please contact Deb Boggs, Clare Campbell, or Michael Celona. To find out more about our efforts for local food pantries and our Social Justice Ministry Team activities, please go to our website page at https://www.uucgl.org/socialjustice.
UUCGL Financial Matters
UUCGL Pledge Payments

There are three easy options of paying:
  1. Send your check to the church (101 Forest Avenue, Swampscott, MA 01907).
  2. Set up a bill-pay system with your bank and have the check sent to the above address.
  3. Donate online. To donate online, click here for our website and click “Donate” in the upper right-hand corner. After you fill in the information page, click “Submit.” You will then be offered options to pay through your PayPal account, if you have one, or through your credit card.

Thank you for your support!
UUCGL Resources
Stay Connected with UUCGL

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or if we can help. Click below to email one of us. Stay well, stay connected!

Contact Information Reminder
Does the Office Know Your Current
Contact Information?
Please keep your name, address, phone number, and e-mail current in the church office. E-mail Elizabeth Muller with your correct information.
Not sure what information we have on file for you?

Call Elizabeth at:
781-595-8836, ext. 10
Weekly Update Schedule
September 26 Weekly Update Deadline: Wednesday, September 22, 9am

Please send your notices to Angie Kern (akern@uucgl.org).
Recurring UUCGL Programming
Visit Us
Sunday Zoom Schedule
Fellowship Hour: 11am

(781) 595-8836
Like us on Facebook, or view sermons on YouTube!