Blessed Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, and Merry Christmas!

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1 NORTHSHORE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH THE ADVANCE DECEMBER Locust Street Danvers, MA Reflections The holidays are here, and by the time you read this we ll all have had Thanksgiving with family, friends or perhaps serving meals to the homeless and needy. Now it s time to prepare for Hanukkah, Solstice and Christmas, perhaps Kwanzaa. This year we ll have services for at least the first three of these. As we learned in the Thanksgiving Service, it is in the darkest times that the need for counting our blessings is at its most urgent. Love casts out fear is what Jesus taught. Generosity gives us strength, courage and the sense of fullness of being that lifts us out of our worries about the future. Perhaps our best strategy, when we feel our worries increasing about the global financial crisis, is to reach out to others less fortunate than we. Did you know that Lynn shows up on a statewide chart of the cities with the highest rate of poverty? Peabody, Gloucester and Salem also show up on some charts. Even in Danvers there are about 1,000 children living below the federal poverty line (defined as $20,000 or less yearly income). And the numbers of poor and homeless families with children will rise as jobs are cut. How will they survive when funding for so many programs is diminishing? There is much that we can do: We can donate money to the many groups on the North Shore that support the poor. We can volunteer our time to help others. We can educate ourselves about the initiatives being considered in the state Legislature to work on eradicating poverty in Massachusetts. We can do our best to live sustainably and simply. Our holidays are meant to remind us of the many blessings in our lives and to celebrate the return of light out of darkness. They are to remind us that we have much more abundance than we realize if we can be open to receive it. They are to encourage us to believe in a world where all are treated with dignity, respect and basic human rights. May each of you be surrounded with love this holiday season and may you each contribute to another s joy. Blessed Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, and Merry Christmas! In faith, Frieda NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 1

2 DECEMBER 2008 SERVICES DEC. 7, 2008 ALL-CHURCH CHRISTMAS WORKSHOP 10:30 A.M. Come and create beautiful decorations for your home. Some singing and readings will precede the craftmaking. Bring a dish to share. Sponsored by the Religious Services Committee. DEC. 14 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 A.M. Voices and Bells Judy Putnam, Music Director, Rev. Frieda Gillespie, Members of the Religious Services Committee This is our annual Music and readings service. The Singing Group, Bell Choir and Children s Choir will share music of the season interspersed by readings. DEC. 21 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 A.M. But Wait! There s More Rev. Frieda Gillespie The Hanukkah story tells of a miracle in the midst of devastation. Does that miracle exist within us as well? Please come with your arms full of warm clothes: new socks and sneakers, and especially new outerwear (hats, coats, boots and gloves) for both children and parents. These will be delivered to the Inn- Between Shelter in Peabody. DEC. 21 WINTER SOLSTICE SERVICE 6:30 P.M. Join in this festive and contemplative family celebration of the return of light on the longest night of the year. DEC. 24 CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE 6:00 P.M. Come one, come all to our joyous celebration of the meaning of Christmas in word and song. DEC. 25 CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH FRIENDS 1 3 P.M. Christmas Dinner with Friends is open to anyone in the community. The dinner includes full turkey dinner and carol singing in the atmosphere of candles, red tablecloths, and the Joy Blocks. As in recent years our church, the Danvers Clergy Association, and Temple Beth Shalom will sponsor the dinner. Bob Ferris and Bob Cumming will be the overall coordinators DEC. 28 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 A.M. Reflections The year 2008 has seen many milestones for us as individuals, for our congregation, and for the world at large. Speakers will each reflect on one area of this year s milestones. NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 2

3 From Fred The Christmas lights are up; Thanksgiving must be near Welcome to the holiday season. Ever since I can remember I have heard the phrase The true meaning of Christmas is not about gifts,. but it is. On what we call the First Christmas a newborn baby was given gifts. Not just gifts, but really cool gifts. The aroma frankincense, for example, was said to represent life and was one of the most valuable perfumes available. Myrrh was used as an embalming ointment. The gift of myrrh was the gift of eternal life in the Egyptian hereafter. Gold is of course gold, and has always held great value. Maybe Christmas is not about giving just anything, but giving something great. Our children live in a confusing world where we talk about the commercialization of Christmas and then ask for a Christmas list. Our children are the targets of every advertising agency, and those agencies are good at their jobs. This is a wonderful time to talk about the wonderful, to reduce the value of the small stuff and elevate the importance of the big stuff. I invite you to sit with your children and explore what they want for the Holidays. When they tell you what they want I invite you to ask why. A fact about our faith: The Christmas carol It Came Upon the Midnight Clear was written by Rev. Edmund Sears, a Unitarian minister serving the Weston Church. I recommend that you read all five verses, but the last verse speaks loudly to me. For lo!, the days are hastening on, By prophet seen of old, When with the ever-encircling years Shall come the time foretold When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world send back the song Which now the angels sing. House work: There will be a sign-up sheet for nursery duty, and I do not use that word lightly. Currently our nursery is capably staffed, but Marly should not be working alone. Our church needs adult members to promise to join her for one or two weeks. She will continue to be responsible and in charge, but we need adults to support her and help create a safe place. NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 3

4 GUEST AT YOUR TABLE Thanksgiving is the time of year when we share our bounty with Guest at Your Table! Though people the world over appear to be in crisis of late, some experience it for their entire lives and generation after generation. Is anyone listening to the cry of the POOR? Yes, the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) is the human rights, social justice and disaster relief arm of our church founded during the early days of WW II, and continues to work tirelessly for those in need. As you consider UUSC membership, please view the display in the Fellowship Hall and take a copy of the Stories of Hope pamphlet. These stories will highlight the work of the UUSC in the areas of water rights in South Africa, civil liberties in Egypt, fair wages in Mississippi and protection of women and girls in Darfur. The beat goes on but we need your help to keep the rhythm alive. Your membership will help to support the work of the UUSC and will go even further through a matching fund benefit when you contribute $100. Other membership options are listed on the GAYT Boxes that were passed out at the November 23 rd service. Additional boxes and envelopes are on the table near the main entrance. The Boxes and envelopes will be collected at the end of the Socks & Sneaker Service on Sunday, December 21 st. THANKS IN ADVANCE!! 2008 CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH FRIENDS CHRISTMAS DAY We look forward to hosting the 27th Christmas Dinner with Friends. As the host, we provide a warm, caring, and decorated space for others to spend a portion of Christmas Day and enjoy a great dinner with friends or total strangers. The dinner is free and without an offering or any other request for a financial contribution. The dinner is sponsored by the Danvers Clergy with other congregations asked to help by providing food items to complete the holiday menu. Each church is asked to provide a cooked turkey or ham, along with an assortment of appetizers, side dishes and desserts sufficient to feed approximately people. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, squash, sweet potatoes, vegetables and pies are always welcome. Any left over food is sent home with the guests and transported to the Salem Mission. Dinner guests start to arrive around noon, dinner is served at 1 PM, followed by musical entertainment and good conversation. Guests and volunteers are typically headed home by 3:00 PM. Signup sheets for food provisions or for volunteers wishing to help will be posted in the Fellowship Hall. NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 4

5 FOR A DEEPER LOOK I d like to share some of the books I ve read or used in preparation for my services that might interest some of you. They are listed below. If you are reading something with a spiritual, religious, humanist, philosophical, or social/environmental justice theme, please forward the title and author with a brief description and what you found interesting in it) to me to share here. The Illustrated World s Religions: a Guide to our Wisdom Traditions, By Huston Smith. Huston Smith is a wonderful synthesizer of the philosophies and values that underlie each of the religions he talks about. Reason and Reverence: Religious Humanism for the 21 st Century by William R. Murry. Rev. Murry is a UU minister, who was president and academic dean of the UU seminary, Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago for many years. This is a recent book that summarizes the history of humanism in our movement and it s relevance today. A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin H. Friedman. Friedman, a rabbi, family systems therapist and teacher is known for his application of family systems theory to church life. This book addressed leadership of all kinds from family to the US Presidency from a systems perspective. Time to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind by Nancy Kline. This is not just another active listening book. Kline relates the findings of her studies into what allows us to do our best, most creative thinking. Her thinking group concept has some synergies to Parker Palmer s circles of trust and our small group ministry. Aging as a Spiritual Journey by Eugene Bianchi. Bianchi looks at middle age to elderly challenges of identity and meaning. Current reading: Saving Paradise: how Christianity Traded Love of this World in Favor of Crucifixion and Empire. by Rebecca Ann Parker and Rita Nakashima Brock. This is a study of early Christianity and how the idea of earthly paradise was eradicated from Christianity as it became institutionalized by rulers. Parker is president of Starr King School for the Ministry, our UU seminary in Berkeley, CA. See you in church! Frieda UPCOMING COFFEE HOSTS Dec. 7 Budd, Myers, Pomerantz, Goddard Dec. 14 Bradlee, Carpenter, Markham Dec. 21 Langlois/Lynch, Cayouette, Kennedy Dec. 28 Bullivant, Haight, Clark, Porter Jan. 4 Revill, Myers, Carpenter, Markham, Carter NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 5

6 Welcome to the new, improved NSUU.org Starting over the summer, we ve been making some dramatic changes and improvements to our church website. The address hasn t changed it s still online at But we have added a number of features and made it easier to find what you re looking for. Please take a few moments to see what s available. The site opens with our Church Blog, where you will see the latest news from our church and from the denomination. Every week we post information about our upcoming service, as well as other news items that come to our attention. Frieda regularly shares her thoughts and observations as well. We also offer a Calendar of Events, which is the most up-to-date source of information about what s going on at NSUU; MP3 audio files of sermons, which you can listen to on your computer or ipod; information about our Religious Education Program; newsletters, photos, news stories about our church, and even a few videos. We hope you ll like what you see. And tell your non-church-going friends about NSUU.org, too. It s a great way for would-be visitors to learn about who we are. Dan Kennedy, Webmaster STAIN PROJECT COMPLETED The exterior stain project that began a year ago October is now completed. There was no ribbon cutting or fanfare for the common man, woman or youngster, but now is the time to give a thumbs-up for a job well done! Done with the same commitment and spirit that makes things happen here at NSUU, and we extend a big thanks to the following: Bob Cummings, Frank Armstrong, Malcolm Bruce, Olivia, Katherine & Susan Timmins, Emily, Daniel, Gwen & Nelson Scottgale, Susan Cayouette, Carole & Neil Ayer, Martine Kellett, Barbara & Ray Haight, Tina & John Gibson, Amy & Aaron Steeves, Andrew, Eric & Maria Duggan, Leonard Swanson, Charles Wilson and Peter Van De Bogart. The labor cost savings for power washing, staining, siding repairs and assorted improvements was in the order of $15,000. We like saving money, so if you have special skills that keep things from falling apart, fix them when they break down or install upgrades, let us know who you are. We save money and build community at the same time. NSUU NEEDS YOUR HELP!! Contact John Gibson NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 6

7 Peter and Elaine VanDeBogert December 2008 Member Profile by Martha Ardiff Peter and Elaine VanDeBogert met in Somerville, where they lived in separate apartments within the same house. Elaine, with an M.Ed. from Cambridge College, was teaching and Peter was a graduate student who, with an M.Ed. special needs from B.U., was pursuing his second master s Antioch New England, in counseling/psych. The couple moved to Beverly when Peter became a school counselor in the Beverly Schools, a position he held until he retired in Elaine was a classroom teacher in the Gloucester schools and then became a reading specialist. After their daughter Erin was born in 1978, Elaine taught part-time at a Montessori school and then moved to library work. She still works full-time at Beverly Public Library and reads all the time. Their son Brian was born in Elaine initiated play dates with other NSUU parents with small children and the VanDeBogert children loved the NSUU Christmas Eve services. Erin, who was married this past August, lives in Framingham and works with autistic children. Brian was in with the Peace Corps from in Kenya, where Peter visited him. Brian visits NSUU when in town and now travels internationally with his job at John Snow, a company writing proposals for USA aid to other countries. Peter comments, He likes helping people less fortunate than he is and doing it on the international level. Maybe Brian caught the travel bug from Peter, who first traveled abroad when he tagged along with college friends who set out to see a solar eclipse in Kenya. The next year Peter initiated his own trip to Asia, visiting Nepal, India and Thailand. He took slides of both trips and continued his interest in photography, recently exhibiting some of his prints in a show at NSUU and in our Artisans Room at OctoberFair. Now he concentrates on making greeting cards. Peter also enjoys writing and wrote a parenting column for the Beverly Times for eight years. Elaine was raised in a strong Irish Catholic family and even spent seven years as a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur from ages By the time she left the religious order she had many doubts about the Catholic Church. Peter was a marginal Congregationalist skeptical about religion in general. Yet in 1976 they were looking for something. They found it in the nonconventional building without pews which a friend happened to mention. Peter and Elaine have each served as a member of the NSUU Board of Directors: Peter in the 80 s and again in the 90 s and Elaine in the late 80 s. At NSUU Peter led movie discussion groups for 3 years, has been involved in book discussion groups a writing group, and has participated in lay-led services at times. For years he ran the OctoberFair Book Room, which took care of my desire to own a book store. For three years Peter was one of the nine extraordinarily busy members of our Ministerial Search Committee. He was one of the initial members of the Religious Services Committee and he currently coordinates our new system of ushers. Peter particularly appreciates Elaine s support with his inner struggle between the wish to express himself (publicly at church) and then the stage fright. And he is thankful to have been clear of colon cancer for 10 years now. NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 7

8 December 2008 Calendar For up-to-date information, see our online Calendar of Events at NSUU.org Dec. 1 Monday at 7 P.M. Board of Directors Dec. 2 Tuesday at 10:15 A.M. Small Group Ministry Dec. 3 Wednesday at 7 P.M. Membership Team Dec. 6 Saturday morning Workshop Preparations Dec. 6 Saturday at 9:30 A.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 7 Sunday at 9 A.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 7 Sunday at 10:30 A.M. Christmas Workshop Dec. 7 Sunday at 12 noon Small Group Ministry Dec. 7 Sunday at 3 P.M. Piano Recital (rental) Dec. 8 Monday at 7 P.M. Religious Services Dec. 13 Saturday at 9:30 A.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 14 Sunday at 9 A.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 16 Tuesday at 10:15 A.M. Small Group Ministry Dec. 17 Wednesday at 7 P.M. Asperger s Support Group Dec. 20 Saturday at 9:15 A.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 20 Saturday at 11 A.M. Piano Recital (rental) Dec. 21 Sunday at 9 A.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 21 Sunday at 12 noon Small Group Ministry Dec. 21 Sunday at 5:30 P.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 21 Sunday at 6:30 P.M. Winter Solstice Service Dec. 24 Wednesday at 5 P.M. Singing Group Rehearsal Dec. 24 Wednesday at 6 P.M. Christmas Eve. Service Dec. 25 Thursday at 1 P.M. Christmas Dinner With Friends NSUU ADVANCE December 2008 page 8