MURRAY NOTES Murray UU Church 505 North Main St Attleboro, MA 02703

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1 MURRAY NOTES Murray UU Church 505 North Main St Attleboro, MA VOLUME 5 * ISSUE 23 June 15, 2017 IN THIS ISSUE CLICK BELOW: MUUC Annual Report Pride Parade Dedicated Offering Coffee Hour Cuba Summer Services Food Pantry Needs HelpingHandsNetwork Thank You! Writers' Workshop Help Needed Work Session Fellowship Hall Yoga at Murray BRING A FLOWER THIS SUNDAY! FROM OUR MINISTER Take Some Time to Be Idle this Summer We come to the close of another wonderful, rich, successful church year together. Now, it's summertime! That time of year that adults think about all year at their work desks and kids dream of as they count down the last days of school. The days are longer, the nights are shorter, swimming pools and beaches are open, parades are ready to march, fireworks fill the night sky and popsicles and ice cream cones are melting down your wrist. Summertime! Drink it in -- drink in the fun, the excitement, the adventure of it, in full gulps! Summertime comes but once a year and will seem over with all too soon. As the school year is about to come to a close, I wish you all a summertime filled with the love and laughter of quality time spent with family and friends. Perhaps you have some interesting, exotic travel adventure planned? Maybe a visit to a national or state park, or a trip overseas? Perhaps you've got a camping trip in the works, or there's a cottage waiting for you up north or on the Cape? Or maybe you plan to spend quality time in your own backyard. No matter what your summer plans, I encourage you all to make some time for quiet down time and reflection. Slow down, relax. Isn't that what the lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer and vacation time are all about? Consider unplugging and putting down the digital devices for a few hours every day. Perhaps you might create a digital-free zone in your home, or set aside some unplugged family time together each day, such as mealtimes? I invite you to seek out and experience quality moments that feed your heart. May you enjoy some amazing sunrises and sunsets. Or maybe you hope to catch some quality beach, lake, river or stream time in the weeks and months ahead. THIS SUNDAY As we celebrate the bicentennial of Henry David Thoreau's birthday in July, please consider getting outside to enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature. Take a walk in the woods - there are plenty of trails here in Attleboro, thanks to the preservation work of the Attleboro Land Trust. And, historic Walden Pond is less than an hour away. Maybe I might see you there this summer on the trail around the pond. I wish you cool, breezy summer evenings lit up by the magic of fireflies or sparklers or fireworks -- or all of the above! And I hope you find yourself out under the stars, away from city lights, on some summer evening -- perhaps far enough away from man made lights that you might actually see a little bit of the Milky Way. "Flower Communion" Rev. Gretchen Weis It's the last official Sunday of the church year - a time when we celebrate Flower Communion. It's also Father's Day, a time to honor the fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers and other men who love and nurture the In addition to the Milky Way, there are several other "heavenly" events to enjoy this summer. Check out the Perseid meteor showers with all those shooting stars peaking during the evening of August 12th and into the early morning hours of August 13th. And don't miss the total eclipse of the sun sometime between 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm on Monday, August 21st! From the New England Region we should be able to see the moon cover up about 60% to 70% of the sun's surface. Please be sure to acquire the correct safety glasses that will allow you to look directly at the sun to watch this spectacular event unfold. Stay tuned, as our resident star gazing expert, Andy Galasso, will be sharing more information about some eclipse watching parties in our area. [CONTINUE READING]

2 children in their lives. Everyone of all ages is invited to bring a flower to add to the community-wide bouquet we build together at the front of the sanctuary. Your individual flower symbolizes the many gifts you bring to our shared life together here at Murray Church. After we bless our gathered bouquet, everyone is invited forward to take a different flower home with them, to symbolize the many gifts you receive here. We will celebrate the end of the church year at coffee hour with ice cream cake! Circle of Life... Memorial Service for Dr. Jane Kiff this Saturday, June 17th at 3:00 pm It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Jane Kiff died unexpectedly on May 25th. Jane was the daughter of long-time member Ginny Kiff, and grew up in this church. Her medical career took her all throughout the U.S., but Jane had only recently moved back to the area to be nearer to her mother. We will hold a memorial service to celebrate Jane's life on Saturday, June 17th at 3:00 pm. There will be a reception afterwards in the Unity Room MUUC Annual Report To download a copy of the Murray Unitarian Universalist Church Annual Report RELIGIOUS EDUCATION click [HERE]. NEXT SUNDAY "Summer Solstice" Don Michaels In this service, we'll celebrate the first day of summer by looking at some rituals associated with this longest day of the year, what the day meant to our ancestors and whether it means something different for us today. SERMONS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE! If you missed a service, or simply would like to listen to a particular sermon again, our sermons are now available on our website and are downloadable as MP3 files. Use our website link below and click on the sermon link at the top of the page and either listen or download the sermon of your choice. You can also access current and back issues of Murray Notes. Just click on the Church News link. Thanks to Bill Jones for working on these projects! THIS WEEK Children: Sunday, June 18th -- This Sunday is our multi-gen Flower Communion. Please note that there will be no nursery provided. But the John Murray room will be available for children who may get restless and toys and coloring pages will be available. Have a great summer! Youth: Sunday, June 18th -- This Sunday will be multi-gen Flower Communion. Have a great summer! Camp Murray Quick Links Our Website

3 Facebook Follow Us on Our children had a blast during Camp Murray! Jun. 17: We are a Welcoming Congregation Click here to viewour Calendar: PROVIDENCE PRIDE PARADE Saturday, June 17th at 8 pm Downtown Providence Murray Church Office office@murrayuuchurch.org Please plan to join the Murray Church contingent as we meet up and march with other UUs in support of GLBT rights! We've had Murray teams of 25 to 30 people in year's past, including teens from our youth group. Providence Pride Parade will be THIS Saturday evening, June 17th. Our friends from Bell Street Chapel and First Unitarian Church in Providence have reserved a marching space, so we'll join with them sometime between 7:00 pm & 7:30 pm in their designated marching spot. Unfortunately, they haven't been given their exact parade line-up position as of our newsletter deadline, but like in year's past, you walk to the corner of Dorrance and Weybosset and start heading down Weybosset until you locate a bunch of folks wearing Standing on the Side of Love T-shirts and join in with them sometime between 7:00 pm & 7:30 pm.the parade is scheduled to kick off sometime between 8:00 pm & 8:15 pm. Plan to wear comfortable shoes and bring water! Please feel free to bring glowsticks and other glow in the dark "swag" to wear and hand to bystanders as give-aways. Parade officials prefer that we don't bring things to toss, or that are cheap enough to end up as litter that the city has to clean up... In year's past, some folks have met up for dinner at Morin's at 5:30 pm or so before carpooling/heading down to Providence. Or, others have met in the church parking lot to carpool down. A group of folks taught us a great secret - that you can park in the State Capital parking lot, which is a quick, easy walk to Dorrance and Weybosset... Jun. 18: This Month's Dedicated Offering: AHOPE - Americans Helping Others ProspEr For this month's Dedicated Offering, we are taking a collection of toiletries, which will be given to the homeless by AHOPE. (You may recall that we have enjoyed two Taste of Faith dinners and a picnic with AHOPE). We welcome your donations of tooth brushes, tooth paste, shampoo, soap, feminine hygiene products, diapers, and gift cards to pharmacies, grocery stores & dollar stores. There will be a basket or box at the rear of the Sanctuary this Sunday. We thank you in advance for your generous donation. It is heart-warming to be a part of this Murray community. Thank you. The Social Concerns Committee

4 Jun. 18: Volunteer for Coffee Hour this Sunday! On June 18th, coffee hour will be in Fellowship Hall, and there will be ice cream cake! Please sign-up at coffee hour. Step-by-step instructions and a friendly handson training and/or buddies are all available. Goodies may be bought or baked. Let's keep Murray members and friends caffeine and in the happy zone after the Sunday service. Questions? Contact Sheila Jacobs at sheilagjacobs@comcast.net or text , or Barbara Clark at barbjclark@gmail.com. Jun. 19: A Conversation About Cuba Join Judy DePue and Monica Staaf, at the Attleboro Public Library at 6:30 pm on Monday, June 19th to talk about Cuba. Two recent travelers to Cuba will share photos and conversations with Cubans on their country in transition. Hear about music, history, the revolution, art, salsa, cars, everyday living, and more. Monica will also present a summer service on Cuba here at Murray on July 16th. For more information or to register, click [HERE] Summer Services Murray Unitarian Universalist Church Produced by the Religious Services Committee JUN. 25 Summer Solstice Don Michaels JUL. 2 An American Musical Journey Ruth Debrot JUL. 9 History of MUUC Rachel Killion JUL. 16 Cuba Monica Staaf JUL. 23 Kites: A Workshop Worship David Laferriere JUL. 30 What's Your Altar? Marguerite MacLean AUG. 6 Religion & Resistence David Calusdian

5 AUG. 13 Faces of Forgiveness Richard Plumb AUG. 20 What Would Will Rogers Do? Len Yutkins AUG. 27 Service TBA Rev. Gretchen Weis SEP. 3 Building Interfaith Bridges Caleigh Grogan MURRAY FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS NEEDED... We have a great need for the following items: - Personal Care Items i.e., shampoo, bath & hand soap, lotion, deodorant, etc. - Dental Care Items, i.e., toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash - Paper Grocery Bags All donations are greatly appreciated, but, our clients are particularly grateful for the feminine care & personal care items. Thank you for your continued support! Murray Church Food Pantry Team Helping Hands Network Our covenant to help one another doesn't end with the church year. Please consider adding your name to the Helping Hands Network. This resource is basically an list of members, currently 21, who are willing to receive a message when a Murray member or friend needs help. No need to reply unless you can and want to help. How easy is that?! If you would like your address added to the list of helping hands please send an to Barbara Clark at barbjclark@gmail.com. Thank You! Team Rainbow Chasers once again pulled off another successful year! We raised an estimated $ We once again were in the top 25 for team funds raised. Diane Beauvais, Maura Zysk, Allison MacDonald & Laurie Lawes would like to thank our Murray Church family for their support throughout the year. And a HUGE thank you to Gary Lavoie for contributing 300 scratch tickets for our VERY popular raffle! Thank you! Thank you! If you missed donating we are still able to accept donations until August. For information to donate, please contact Laurie Lawes at ldl50on@gmail.com, or call

6 Jun. 25: Finding Your Voice: A Writers' Workshop to Tap Your Creativity Sunday, June 25th at 11:30 am in the John Murray Room Open to Murray Church members, family and friends. Adults, college age and teens interested in starting to write and those beyond are invited. Whether you are interested in writing poetry, prose, or plays, expressing images or emotions, my workshop is designed to open your mind to the possibilities within. Things to bring: Favorite writings of your own or other authors for discussion. Writing materials, something to munch or lunch, water and your open mind. The workshop is planned for 3 hours. We have readings from various types of writing and discuss the creative process. I will present prompts to stimulate several writing exercises. You will have the opportunity to read your written work if desired. This will be a supportive environment to develop your writing interest further. Presented by Richard Plumb a Murray Member, creative writer of letters, poems, stories, and more! Ten years in Writers Workshops at Ferry Beach UU Conference Center in Saco Maine. BA Clark University. Please contact Richard if you plan to attend: or richardmplumb@yahoo.com Jun. 28: HELP NEEDED to Unload Food Delivery Trucks We receive food twice a month, and we need help receiving the delivery. Food pick-up times are the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. The trucks need to be unloaded requiring some lifting. This is one way Murray reaches out and is visible in the community, but it takes many volunteers to receive and distribute the food. If there are any strong bodies available on those days who would like a light workout, please contact: Roger Boucher at , or at cedarzin@comcast.net Thank you! Image from johnlund.com Jul. 1 Work Session We are planning a work session for Saturday, July 1st (weather permitting). Work will begin at 9 am and continue through noon -- potentially longer depending on the condition of the exterior wall. All the activity will be in the back exterior of the church. Here is what we hope to accomplish: Finish wood repair and replacement (which will be going on prior to this work session). Stain the back wall and window frames Remove the playground Fix and stain the picnic tables Pick up debris and place it in the dumpster Clean up area around the perimeter so the cedar siding is not sitting in the dirt. Fix rear entrance A dumpster will be rented for this effort. This work depends on the number of people we have showing up. If you are able to assist, please contact Tom Stuart at tstuart@ximedica.com.

7 Refurbishing Fellowship Hall The Property Committee is looking for people to help in developing a plan for refurbishing Fellowship Hall. This will include things such as lighting, entrance ways, windows and floors, and developing a cost estimate and time frame for completing the work. It is the Property Committees hope that Fellowship Hall can become one of the 'jewels' of Murray Church. Please contact Tom Stuart at tstuart@ximedica.com, or Rob Hasselbaum at robert@hasselbaum.net, if you are interested in participating with this team. Yoga at Murray The yoga group will meet intermittently during the summer. If you aren't a regular participant please contact Barbara or Karla to make sure we're meeting on a particular Monday: Barbara Clark at barbjclark@gmail.com, through July 11th, then from August 28th through September 4th. Karla Bassler at klbassler@verizon.net from July 11th through August 21st. Take Some Time... (continued) May you dip your toe into the fullness of whatever summer has to offer you. And, may you come back in the fall, ready to start up a new church year refreshed, recharged and ready to go! And, please enjoy the fine summer worship services here, organized and lead by the wonderful folks of the Religious Services Committee. Please bring a flower on Sunday morning, as we celebrate Father's Day and our last official service of the church year with Flower Communion! I offer this poem to you as a closing blessing to have a safe, marvelous, rich and fulfilling summer. It is one of my favorite poems by Mary Oliver, titled The Summer Day. Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean-- the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-- who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

8 I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Whatever you plan to do with your one wild and precious life, may you create kindness and spread love and justice everywhere you go. Each of you is a unique and precious blessing, and each of you is called to be a blessing to the larger world. Now go put some beer on ice and fire that grill up! Love, faith, fun, and sunscreen, Rev. Gretchen