January Minister Musings by Julie Lombard

Transcription

1 January 2016 Minister Musings by Julie Lombard In January I welcome the arrival of Justice as our monthly worship theme. There are many ways to explore justice and one of the perspectives I will share from my years of work resettling refugees. Welcoming immigrants is one way we can answer the call for justice in our community. Insiders seldom know the challenges immigrants have upon their arrival. Refugees come with special needs, sometimes with little education and few belongings. On Sunday January 10 th I welcome you to go deeper into an immigration story during worship. It s a tale of two sisters. Binita is a senior at Colby Sawyer College who became a U.S. citizen September 2014 and Basanta is a freshman at Keene State College who became a citizen shortly after. Hear how they were born without a country of origin and how they relocated to New Hampshire from a Bhutanese Refugee Camp in Nepal. I ll tell the story of how a church helped their family feel welcomed in this strange new land and gave them the hope to be the first in their family to graduate high school and go off to college. Their spirit is contagious as they continue to find joy in their new life. Also on that Sunday they will perform Bhutanese dancing from their culture during a story for all ages. As immigration reform is being debated across our country with another election looming, hear how immigration impacted one community outside of Washington. President Barack Obama said, What makes someone American isn t just blood or birth but allegiance to our founding principles and faith in the idea that anyone from anywhere can write the next chapter of our story. If Binita and Basanta are examples of the author of the next chapter of our story, they will surely make you one proud American. These sisters are leaders for their family and for us. They prove anything is possible. Please join us, brave the cold of January to hear their heartwarming story which could thaw even a frozen heart. Their journey is miraculous and soon it will lead them to your church door. Welcome these sisters and prepare yourself for the beauty of Binita and Basanta.

2 JANUARY 3 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Holy War? Unitarians and the American Revolution David Moffat, Writer and Historian at the House of the Seven Gables In this new year we face religious freedom challenges that go back to our founding as a nation, when First Amendment issues were front and center. As the American colonies came into violent conflict with their mother empire, the Unitarian church was forming in the United Kingdom and the rebellious colonies. David Moffat (who spoke in 2014 on the life and work of Joseph Priestley) will look at the role that Unitarian ideals played in the struggle. He will look at the heads of movements: Richard Price, Thomas Jefferson and the Addams s, as well as the common person caught up in that worldchanging time. JANUARY 10 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Arriving in Wonderland Julie Lombard Six years ago through reaching out in love, I experienced justice in action. This sermon tells the story of a church community's aim to resettle refugees. Through that work they learned the true meaning of hymn #402 From you I receive, to you I give, together we share, and from this we live. Please join us for worship and hear how you can travel the world while never leaving your community. We are blessed to have two young women demonstrating to us Bhutanese Cultural Dancing during the story for all ages. JANUARY 17 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Words and in Deeds Lois Markham We tend to enshrine our dead heroes, making icons of them. When we do that, we may lose sight of who they actually were and what they asked of us. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., accomplished great things during his short lifetime, and he was just getting started. How can we keep Dr. King's dream alive? JANUARY 24 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am The Justice Juggle Julie Lombard Over the years there have been more and more ways for us to roll up our sleeves and make the world a better place. Thank goodness for that, but sometimes it can get overwhelming to do it all. This is the appropriate month to sing the African American spiritual, hymn #169 We Shall Overcome. Perhaps we shall overcome being overwhelmed by our need to respond to the many ways to answer the call to justice. Please join us for worship as we explore this topic together. JANUARY 31 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Moving Beyond Awareness: The Role of Constituent Advocacy for Creating Effective Criminal Justice Reform Andrea C. James Our criminal justice system is broken. Its policies and outcomes are racist and punitive, with no attention paid to challenging the social injustices that contribute to overflowing prisons. What can we, as UUs dedicated to justice, do about it? Andrea James, author of Upper Bunkies Unite and Other Thoughts on the Politics of Mass Incarceration and co-founder of Families for Justice as Healing, will offer some suggestions for our involvement in reforming our broken system.

3 Writing your life, one story at a time led by Edit Fenton at the church Sunday, January 24 after the service (note change of date) You are invited to attend a two hour workshop, Introduction to Memoir Writing, on Sunday, January 24 after church. Begin putting those family stories on paper for your children, grandchildren and beyond. As time spins faster and faster, the lives we've led and those experiences that made us the persons we are may fade unless they are documented. No one else can tell your story with all its subtleties, complexities and historical context. Don't you wish you had your ancestors stories to read today? Your families will thank you for preserving your memories. Just bring pencil and paper and a bag lunch. If there is enough interest, we could form an on-going group. Call me if you would like to talk it over. Edith Fenton ( ). Drawing as a Form of Meditation Workshop led by Karin Peterson at the church Thursdays 10 AM - 12 Noon - Feb 4, 11, 18, 25 (snow dates when needed) Stop... If you think this workshop isn't for you because you believe you are not an artist, think again! It is for you, although "artists" may participate. Sitting and seeing and drawing bring (In the words of Frederick Franck) "a wonder of seeing, at last, of waking up to wondrous structure of leaves, roots, and grasses, to the sheer mystery of being. Please bring yourself and the following materials: 9"x12" drawing pad, and HP drawing pencil (or #2 pencil) and tea or coffee mug. Meet the Green Sanctuary Subcommittee Iain Goddard, Chair The Green Sanctuary Subcommittee (an offshoot of the Social Action Committee) was formed in Over the past year we have conducted the Earth Day service, held a recycling booth at the Danvers Family Festival, and coordinated an energy audit of the church building. But this is only the start! Our mission is to lead the congregation and the community in living our 7 th UU principle, "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." The subcommittee is made up both of stalwart regulars and passionate friends (who have less time, but no less dedication). We are organized around four main themes, with a coordinator for each: Environmental Justice Jean Koulack-Young Worship and Celebration Lynette Gray Religious Education Karin Peterson Sustainable Living (currently vacant, so it's Iain for the time being) Our philosophy is to accomplish things through collaborations. We will work with our congregation; with other UU churches and other denominations; and with local, regional, national, and global organizations. As Archimedes said about his new-fangled lever, "Give me a place to stand and I'll move the world." If you want to be more involved in service to the earth, talk to Iain or Lynette, or anyone in the subcommittee. It does not matter whether your involvement can be consistent or ad-hoc, we'll make a place for you. And we're especially looking for a passionate person (with some time) to coordinate the Sustainable Living work.

4 Policy for possible cancellations due to weather Along with the season come the threats of snow and ice storms. In case of a storm, and you are in doubt about whether services will be held, the following policy is in place to notify everyone. 1. Check our website at after 9 AM on Sunday mornings for service cancellation notice. Other event cancellations will be posted in a timely manner. 2. Call the church answering machine and listen to the recorded message at A church-wide notification will be sent to all members and friends. 4. If you know of someone that does not have , please give them a call. The main consideration will be the safety of the congregation in making these decisions; however, if the roads are safely passable, we will do everything possible to hold services. News from the Social Action Committee January 3 Food Sunday: January is typically a time when food pantry shelves are particularly bare. You can help the Danvers Food Pantry restock after the holidays by leaving nonperishable food items in the Food Pantry basket in the Fellowship Hall on Food Sunday, January 3, or at any other time. You may also make a donation of gift card or check made out to the Danvers Food Pantry. These can be given to Gwen, Nelson, or Daniel Scottgale for delivery to the food pantry. January 10 Operation Troop Support Sunday: NSUU is a collection point for Operation Troop Support. Donations for the troops (both male and female) include toiletries (razors, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.), socks, puzzle books, candy and other snacks. Donations may be left in the Operation Troop Support box in Fellowship Hall. January 10 Lunch and a Movie: Join the Social Action Committee for lunch and a movie as we begin exploring this year's theme of environmental justice. The movie is Flow, an award-winning documentary investigation of the world water crisis. Flow showcases interviews with scientists and activists who reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, while introducing the many governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab. Flow also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis. January 17 Ending Racism Discussion Group: The group will meet for one hour after the service to discuss questions raised in last year's common read, Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race. You do not need to have read the book to participate in the group. If you are interested, please let Lois Markham know. The questions for discussion this month are: What values and admonitions did you learn in your family? Think about education, work, lifestyle, money, expression of emotions, and so forth. Try making a list of ten principles, values, and unspoken beliefs. Now consider what conclusions you drew about people who did not appear to follow your family's belief system.

5 January 31 Share-the-Plate: The January share-the-plate will be donated to Families for Justice as Healing, an organization started by today's service speaker, Andrea James. FJAH organizes formerly incarcerated women to join the movement toward ending the incarceration of women. Its membership advocates for community wellness and rejects the current U.S. drug policies that prioritize criminalization and incarceration. The organization believes that if this country is serious about eradicating drug-related illness, crime, and violence, it must commit to the evidence-based solutions that address poverty, addiction, and trauma. If you wish to donate by check, please make your check out to "Families for Justice as Healing". February 21 Lunch and Discussion of the Common Read: This year, as the Social Action Committee focuses on the environment and environmental justice, we have chosen for our next common read Naomi Klein's recent book: This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate. Climate change is an alarm that calls us to fix an economic system that is already failing us in many ways. Klein builds the case for how massively reducing our greenhouse emissions is our best chance to simultaneously reduce gaping inequalities, re-imagine our broken democracies, and rebuild our gutted local economies. She documents the inspiring movements that have already begun this process: communities that are not just refusing to be sites of further fossil-fuel extraction but are building the next regeneration-based economies right now. We will have a discussion of the book after the service on February 21. The book is a bit long, so it's not too early to start reading! Sunday-Night Suppers at Lifebridge: Thanks to a dedicated crew of team leaders, who plan and organize, and volunteers, who buy food, cook, and serve, we provide a hot meal for about one hundred clients of Lifebridge in Salem on the fourth Sunday of each month. We welcome new volunteers. We are now signing up volunteers for the January 24, February 28, and March 27 dinners. The time commitment is 5:00 to 7:00 PM. You can sign up on the white board in Fellowship Hall. If you would like to donate money for the purchase of food, you can make out a check to NSUU, write Lifebridge in the memo line, and put your check in the offering any Sunday. Green Sanctuary: The Social Action Committee has formed a subcommittee to explore the process of becoming a Green Sanctuary. The subcommittee is open to anyone in the congregation. If you are interested in joining the subcommittee, please contact Iain Goddard. Family Promise North Shore Boston: Family Promise North Shore Boston is a non-profit, interfaith hospitality network that provides temporary shelter, meals, hospitality, and case management for families experiencing homelessness on the North Shore of Boston. The goal is accomplished through the participation of hundreds of volunteers from North Shore congregations. Currently, the Social Action Committee is developing a group of volunteers from NSUU. A volunteer commits to two hours of service four times a year. The service may take the form of providing a meal, serving a meal and visiting with the families, driving, spending time at the day center with families, etc. Cathy Sullivan-Bradley is the volunteer coordinator for NSUU. If you are interested in volunteering, contact her at catherinegaia@comcast.net or Lending Library: The Social Action Committee has a small collection of DVDs and books on social justice topics. They are located on a table in Fellowship Hall. If you would like to borrow a DVD or book, we ask that you sign it out and return it within two weeks so that others may borrow it. Share-the-Plate Applications: The Social Action Committee welcomes proposals for the share-the-plate program. If you support a charitable organization whose goals are consistent with UU principles, please consider submitting an application for that organization to share the plate. Blank application forms are posted on the Social Action Committee bulletin board near the front of Fellowship Hall. The Social Action Committee welcomes new members. Our next meeting is Sunday, January 3, after the service. Contact Lois Markham for more information.

6 Helping New Faces! Do you remember the first time you came to Northshore Church? Perhaps you weren't sure if this was the place for you. Maybe you didn't know anybody that attended, I didn't. You were likely greeted by a charming door opener, I was. You were also likely approached by a member who introduced themselves and chatted with you a bit, I was. You listened to the service, and maybe you were instantly struck with the minister s message and knew in your heart you found a home. Or, perhaps after your first visit you wanted to know more about the Northshore Church and the Unitarian Universalist faith. Each of you has your own understanding of Unitarian Universalism and Northshore Church. We'd like to give you the opportunity to share it. We are looking for people who are willing to share their vision, maintain connections, answer questions and be a resource for our new attendees on an individual basis. At times a new attendee may ask questions that you can't answer, and that is natural and expected. We will give you the tools to connect the newcomer to someone in the church who can help. If you are interested in connecting with a new member, please send a note to Chris Ruggles via at: cruggles61@gmail.com,and please tell me something about your personal and professional interests, and we will make the introductions. I am sure you'll enjoy making these connections! Chris Ruggles, Membership Team Chair Community Dinner The Membership Team is sponsoring a new attendee and member dinner on Saturday January 30 th at 5:00 PM at Northshore Church. We are inviting all new attendees and members to join the Membership Team in a Community Dinner. Children are welcome and encouraged! Minister Julie Lombard will be holding a New to UU? orientation session for those interested at 3:00 PM prior to the dinner. If you are new, newish, or interested in meeting new members, please RSVP to cruggles61@gmail.com so we can plan accordingly. Welcome NSUU s Newest Members by Julie Lombard There are many new faces at NSUU these days, besides your minister s. In the last few months we ve had four people sign our membership book! All have been putting into action the phrase many hands make light work. Some are new to NSUU while others are returning. Either way, they found a home here with us, so please be sure to congratulate and welcome them warmly. The four newest members are: Priscilla Tobey lives in Danvers. She has already rolled up her sleeves to help this church in many ways. You may recognize her name from the new Creative Circle that she hosts here two times a month on Wednesday from 1-4PM. Priscilla also helps with Youth Group, she has joined the Social Action Committee, and is a dedicated friend to the Green Sanctuary. Maria Duggan is back again! You may recognize her from years past. She lives in Peabody with her twelve year old twin boys, Andrew and Erik. You may see her singing with the Music Group, we love having another Alto around! Terri Hansen is another familiar face that has recently signed the membership book. Terri lives in Beverly with her husband, Fred. You can see Terri singing in the Music Group and in SoulSong. If you like the message in the weekly order of service to families with young children, please thank Terri! She also serves on the Membership Committee. Rev. Karin Peterson (retired) returns to NSUU this fall, too! It didn t take her long to join the Green Sanctuary to help get this effort off the ground. She lives in Gloucester, MA. Please do what you can to help these folks learn the way of the land here. NSUU is a good place to be! People are starting to hear the good news about all the exciting things happening here. The best way for that to continue to happen is through word of mouth and personal experience so, invite a friend or neighbor to come to church with you. Share with them the positive energy that flows from this sanctuary in the woods.

7 A letter to share This is a donation given in appreciation of the extraordinary loving support which was given to me during my recovery from my recent knee surgery. The Northshore Church community was there for and with me every step of the way. We are all greatly blessed to be a part of this exceptional community. With gratitude, Helen Brandt Excerpts from NSUU Church Board Meeting - December 8, 2015 Treasurer s Report: Vanessa reported that we are 67% through the Fiscal Year with pledges at 64%. The Harvest Festival total has been adjusted to $3,126, up 11% from The Bicentennial celebration came in with a net cost of $179, which everyone agreed was totally worth it. The Eva Turner endowment money has been deposited to the UUA fund. Vanessa spoke with Lois Markham about the Lifebridge balance which has been sitting at about $2,000. Lois and the Social Action Committee agreed to make a donation from that account to Lifebridge. Bob wanted to look at the Maintenance budget. The exterior wall repair was expensed to Projects rather than Maintenance. There is room in the Project line for other work as well. Vanessa asked current board members if anyone would be willing to step into the treasurer position next year. Jason indicated that he would be interested. He and Vanessa will talk about a transition plan. Holiday Lunch for Staff: Julie asked the board to approve the expenditure for a holiday lunch out with staff. This will be a good time for them to be together outside of regular office meeting time. All board members agreed that this was important and should be planned for this year and in the budget going forward. New Members: Julie reported that she has been talking with the Membership Committee about doing a new members class, workshop or circle dinner. She has been researching ideas and found some good models. There are currently four new members on the book and a few others are in the potential category. She and the Membership Committee are thinking of a new member welcome ceremony during a service in January. It was also suggested that the Committee look at written new member introductions for the newsletter as has been done in the past. Church Council: The first Church Council meeting is scheduled for Sunday, December 13, after the morning service. Since Brian will be away and unable to attend, Bob will chair this meeting and create an agenda for the meeting. Brian will send a reminder to the group. Vanessa will order pizza to be delivered for lunch. Nominating Committee: Audrey Merkle, Barbara Reeder and Marty Langlois have agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee. If Jason transitions to Treasurer, his seat will need to be filled, as well as a 3-year term to replace Jean Koulack-Young, 2-year terms to replace Brian Orr and Malcolm Bruce and the 1-year clerk position to replace Lynette Gray. Bob, Brian and Julie will meet with the Nominating Committee soon to discuss the openings and to brainstorm about possible candidates. Minister s Hours: Brian noted that it would take an increase of canvass pledging from $90,000 this year to $97,000 next year in order to increase the minister s time to a ¾ position for FY This goal will figure heavily in the canvass planning which was discussed later in the meeting.

8 Ministerial Review and Planning: Julie presented her communications with the Ministerial Credentialing Office at the UUA. She has been granted a certificate of Preliminary Fellowship for the Ministry, effective 11/30/2015. Julie has prepared a Learning Plan to address two key development areas suggested by the UUA. She has secured a mentor as requested by the UUA. The Plan consists of five goals regarding the Intercultural Development Inventory. The goals outlined in the Learning Plan are to be completed by June and include working with the NSUU congregation to host a conflict restorative process training program in the spring. This would be a 16-hour regional conference over a Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday morning worship. She is hoping to enlist an interfaith group to plan the event. The UU church in Concord, NH will facilitate the workshop for a $2000 fee that can be split among attendees. The host church usually asks members to provide food and supplies. Julie explained the concept of restorative circles and how this training helps individuals and congregations deal with conflict. As part of the fellowship process, the UUA requires the creation of a Committee on Ministry to work with Julie and to serve as an evaluation body which reports to the Board of Directors. She has spoken to the three individuals who volunteered to serve on the Transition Team, which is no longer needed as she has been granted Preliminary Fellowship. Carol Bullivant, Barbara Haight and Peter VanDeBogert have told her they would be willing to be nominees for the Committee on Ministry. Additional members may also be needed. Canvass Planning: Brian spoke with Chris Ruggles who agreed to serve on a committee to plan and conduct this year s canvass. Brian and Julie will also serve on the committee, and Cathy will consider joining. Jason will be a friend of this committee. Other Business: The issue of locking the building after Sunday service was discussed. It was agreed that Judy and Julie will continue to take responsibility for that and that a notice in the announcements would be helpful to alert everyone who may be using the building after services to check with one of them to be sure the door is locked. Bob and Leonard Swanson spoke with the Transportation Manager at Brooksby Village regarding shuttle service options for driving residents to and from NSUU on Sunday mornings. A sedan can be rented for $35 per week and a passenger van can be rented for $68.25 per week. Alternatives, such as private transportation by volunteers, perhaps organized by the Caring Associates, were discussed. No decision was made. Jason reiterated that he is willing to oversee the drafting of policies for the board and will draft a list and prioritize them. Vanessa and Bob have agreed to serve on this committee. A Disruptive Person policy was discussed, leading to a discussion of a safe church policy in light of recent events. It was agreed that these policies are important to formulate in a proactive way rather than in reaction to an individual or situation. There was also discussion of the snow cancellation policy and the timeframe for making the decision to cancel services. This information should be included in the next newsletter. Brian updated the board on future fundraising plans. Jeri Kroll has offered to organize a family talent show and potluck in late May. Brian has been in touch with a jazz group, who may be available to perform the first Friday in March, and Brendan and Katrina, who may be available in late spring.