Rev. Melissa is attending the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly this week in Providence, RI. If you have an urgent concern, please call her cell phone. She will then be on vacation from June 30 through July 5. If you have an urgent pastoral concern while she is away, please contact our Affiliated Community Minister Rev. Renee Ruchotzke by phone from Monday, June 30 through Thursday July 3. Rev. Melissa will take emergency calls over the Fourth of July weekend.
Worship & Music
Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM. Please note that for the month of July only, one service at 9:45 am will be offered. We will return to our regular schedule of two services at 9:45 and 11:30 am on August 7.
June 29 – Cooperation, Covenant, Community
Led by Cal Frye with Worship Associate Elaine Bowen
The story of how the folks in Deadham, MA organized a church (in 1637!) should inform how we approach our covenantal community.
From the Library
References used by Rev. Melissa for her “Journey” sermons of the last two Sundays are: Pilgrim Heart, the Inner Journey Home, by Sarah York, and the UN report called, Children on the Run: Unaccompanied Children Leaving Central America, and Mexico, and the the Need for International Protection. This report is available at http://www.unhcrwashington.org/sites/default/files/UAC_UNHCR_Children%20on%20the%20Run_Full%20Report.pdf
Sacred Song Circle every Thursday in Fessenden Lounge.
Every Thursday a group of us gather to create sacred space for thirty minutes by singing together in community. This is a safe space where all levels of singing experience, comfort level and skill are welcome. There is no need to bring anything with you but water. Saunis Parsons leads the group in singing choruses, zipper songs, familiar hymns, camps songs, and sometimes even children’s songs. Sacred songs for us are songs which celebrate and encourage things like hope, peace, community, care for each other and the earth, forgiveness, and thankfulness. We gather in the sanctuary around 6:00 PM, and sing from 6:15 till 6:45. Typically folks come up the stairs to the back door of the sanctuary, but if you need to come in on the ground floor to use the elevator, just call Saunis at 330-472-0956. Hope to see you there!
Lifespan Learning
Summer RE
Our theme is “Simple Gifts”, which will be a series of easy, mostly stand-alone social action and social justice projects.
Summer RE will take place at 9:45 am only. At 11:30, the only option for children and youth is to attend the worship service with their parents/designated adult. During the month of July, we will only have services at 9:45. In June and August, we’ll have the usual two services at 9:45 and 11:30. This year we are adding a separate preschool program along with the multi-age group, which includes school-aged children and Middle School youth as helpers. Nursery care will be available for our youngest UUs during all worship services during the summer. The preschool will meet in the upstairs classroom while the older children will meet in Fesenden Hall.
Karen Lapidus, Director of Religious Education and the members of the RE Committee
The Summer RE Program is in need of clean, used t-shirts of various colors and patterns for a project we are doing on July 6th. Please leave your donations in the bin located at the northeast corner of Fessenden Hall.
Community Within
We regret to announce that Brian Mulloy, our Sexton, will be leaving us at the end of July. Brian wishes he could stay but the demands of his full-time job and raising a young family are requiring more of his time and attention. We wish him every success and hope that his family will continue to be a part of our community. Last week, we began advertising for the Sexton position and hope to have a new hire by the end of July or early August. If you know of anyone who may be interested in the position, please direct them to the Church Office to pick up an application packet.
Our Care Team invites you to stop by their table in Fessenden Hall after either service to start or sign cards others have started for people in our community who might appreciate the gesture of care and concern.
The Patricia Pownall UU Book Group will be meeting on Tuesday, July 22 at 7 pm in the home of Chris Hurlbut . This month we are reading The Peasant Prince: Thaddeus Kosciuszko and the Age of Revolution by Alex Storozynski . Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish-Lithuanian born in 1746, was one of the most important figures of the modern world. Fleeing his homeland after a death sentence was placed on his head, he came to America with little more than a revolutionary spirit and a genius for engineering. He quickly proved his capabilities and became the most talented engineer of the Continental Army. A lifelong champion of the common man and woman, he was ahead of his time in advocating tolerance and standing up for the rights of slaves, Native Americans, women, serfs, and Jews. Following the end of the war, Kosciuszko returned to Poland and was a leading figure in that nation’s Constitutional movement. He became Commander in Chief of the Polish Army and valiantly led a defense against a Russian invasion. He lived the remainder of his life as an international celebrity and a vocal proponent for human rights. This definitive and exhaustively researched biography fills a long-standing gap in historical literature with its account of a dashing and inspiring revolutionary figure. In the month of August we will be reading Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan or The Bookstore by Debroah Meyler. In September we will be reading Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Woman’s Prison by Piper Kerman. If you have any questions you may contact Bonnie Harper. All are welcome.
It has come to our attention recently that there are some members and friends that may not be receiving the Weekly e-nUUs and/or the monthly newsletter, The Chalice Flame. If you happen to be one of these individuals but would like to begin receiving either of these publications electronically, please send a request, including your email address, to the Church Office at [email protected]. Thank you.
Outreach and Social Justice
Many thanks to those who supported last Sunday’s special collection benefiting LoveLight, Inc.. $301.00 has been donated to support this outreach organization.
UU and Interfaith Connections
UUA General Assembly Mobile App Most of us will not be attending the annual General Assembly with Rev. Melissa, Max Grubb and Dan Flippo, however, with the GA Mobile App you will be able to view all program listings, speaker profiles, exhibitor profiles and maps. You can also create your personal General Assembly (GA) schedule and get connected via social media. This year’s mobile app is available in the iTunes App Store and in Google Play Store. All other devices should visit the UUA website.
You can also review the live video schedule here: http://www.uua.org/ga/virtual/2014/index.shtml
Save the Date: Friday, September 5, 2014
Join us for an evening in developing cultural and religious awareness presented by Mr. Isam Zaiem,
Islam 101 and Being Muslim Post 9/11 – Challenging Islamophobia, Profiling, and Marginalization
Mr. Isam Zaiem’s lecture, “Islam 101 and Being Muslim Post 9/11: Challenging Islamophobia and Marginalization”, on Sept 5 is the introductory event to 3 fall Symposiums, sponsored by the Library Committee. “Art and Allah: Increasing Our Understanding of Muslim Art, History and Culture” will be held at 7:00 P.M. in the Sanctuary on Wednesdays, September 24, October 22 and November 19. The first 2 events will be presented by Gingr Vaughn and will concentrate on Islamic Art as an expression of the Islamic belief system and culture. The 3rd event will concentrate on Islamic history with presenter TBA. Mark you calendar for the dates above. Recent political developments in the Middle East make this is a special learning opportunity for our entire congregation.
Anyone can participate in this year’s UUA General Assembly through the live stream of services and speakers online:
