Moxie The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.

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1 Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford (781) January 2010 Moxie The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage. Ten years ago I sat in my apartment in Auburn, Maine and wondered if a glitch in computer software would cause the lights to go out, and in deep winter of Maine keeping the lights on is important. Well as we all know Y2K didn't occur and it is interesting to think about all of the things that have happened in these first ten years of the twenty-first century. Since this is the season of making list of top ten movies/ songs/ of the decade here are my favorite books in no particular order. Happy New Year. - Rev. Hank 147 High Street Inside this issue: Upcoming Services, Upcoming Events Tuesday Programs 2 Acknowledgements, Buildings and Grounds Committee Report, Community Cupboard Mission, Events, Church Info 3 4 Life of Pi by Yann Martel: A magical book of a young boy in India whose life leads him from a religious quest to being adrift in the Pacific Ocean, trapped on a 26-foot lifeboat with a wounded zebra, a spotted hyena, a seasick orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner: One of the first books I ever got to write a blurb for, this is in part what I wrote: I never thought that any book could fit in German New Wave opera star Klaus Nomi, Japanese monster movie hero Ultra-man and a description of a practical theology but Brad Warner has done it, read it and then do as the Bad Brains commanded us and Destroy Babylon! Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer by Chris Salewicz: A wonderful touching biography of a much flawed and much admired lead singer of The Clash. One of his roadies had the best line in the book, Great hair begets great music! Killing The Buddha by Manseau & Sharlet: Two friends take a road trip across America looking for religion in everyday people's lives and boy do they find it. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell & Freakonomics by Steven Levitt: Both of these books have caused people to re-examine how they understand and see statistics about others. They question how we measure and evaluate what is presented to us as truth. X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking by Jeff Gordinier The title says it all. Photos from recent Events, Taskforce on Immigration I N S E R T The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why by Phyllis Tickle: She observes that Christianity is holding its semi-millennial rummage sale of ideas and theorizes what the next stage of church will be. Credo by William Sloane Coffin: This collection of credos by the former minister of NYC's Riverside Church is amazing, All of Chris Hedges books, whether he is pointing out the way war shapes our national self-understanding, or how the 10 Commandments can be applied today or even a liberal religious defense against absolutist atheists. He has been a moral compass to many of us, and I suspect will continue to be so.

2 JAN 2010 UUMEDFORD HIGHLIGHTS Worship Services for January PAGE 2 January 3rd: Called to Be Great Are we just called to be good, or are we called to be great? And what is our church called to? January 10th: Which King? Three Kings Day was celebrated on the 6th of this month as the day when the Magi arrived at Bethlehem. January 8th would have been Elvis Presley s 75th birthday. I will try to meld these two subjects into a sermon. January 17th: Invictus (Martin Luther King Sunday) William Ernest Henley s poem was one of many inspirations that kept Nelson Mandela focused during the long fight against Apartheid. On this MLK Sunday let us look at this contemporary of Dr. King who is still with us. January 24th: Hidden Treasures January 31st: Pulpit Exchange 11:00 - Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette Rev. Molly, senior minister at the First Church of Somerville, United Church of Christ, and I are taking part in an old Congregational church custom, the pulpit exchange. So today while I am filling her pulpit, she will be here with all of you. Meditation The UUCM meditation group meets 7-9 pm on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. This month, the meeting is on Nov. 17th. The evening will follow the same format as our previous meetings: sitting, standing and walking meditation; a tea ceremony; a reading; and time for participants to comment from the heart. You do not have to be a UUCM member to attend. UPCOMING EVENTS Yoga Starting on Sunday January 3, you are welcome to attend a Kripalu yoga class at 9:30 am every Sunday before service. Enjoy an hour of gentle yoga taught by Karen Lean Boyd, RYT. Bring your yoga mat if you have one, wear comfortable clothing and bring a blanket to keep warm. You can participate in a chair if you aren't comfortable on the floor or don't have a mat. This is yoga for everyone! Pay what you can $1 - $15. For more information please contact Karen at presentjoy@gmail.com or Namaste TUESDAY PROGRAMS for JANUARY! Every Tuesday through May, there will be a UUCM program starting at 7 pm. Please use the ramp door in the back of the church. It will be open at 6:45 pm. As we did last year, every program ends with a cookies & tea party. We aim for fun, relaxed Tuesday evenings where we can get to know each other and talk about our lives and our UUCM community. If you have any questions about these programs call Hank Driscoll at Jan. 05 Jan. 12 Jan. 19 Jan. 26 Rise Up Singing Sing-along with Paul Estin Open Board Meeting Meditation Group with Michael Glenn Backyard Sanctuaries with Kim De Andrade

3 JAN 2010 UUMEDFORD HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 3 COMMUNITY CUPBOARD FOOD PANTRY During the winter holiday season, many groups very generously contributed food and money to the Food Pantry. The Medford Rotarians and the Medford Elks prepared holiday food baskets for clients. Columbus School gathered a large amount of nonperishable food for us to distribute. Food and/or financial donations came from Temple Shalom and various churches: Grace Episcopal, West Medford Baptist, First Baptist, and West Medford Congregational. Citizens Bank brought us food, and donations were gathered for us from people attending the President's Holiday Party at Tufts University. From the City of Medford we received a check from City Trust Funds designated solely for the relief of poor and needy parishioners in the City of Medford (how far back does that go!). Also, individuals in the church and the larger community generously gave food and financial contributions. We are most grateful for all this support. Especially in the winter months when heating bills increase for everyone, the kindness of so many people is remarkable. We are very thankful. Liz Ammons, Co-Coordinator Worship Service Volunteers Acknowledgment Social Hour Hosts: Lorraine Corso, Michael Glenn, Susan Jhirad, Mark Koenig, Troy Liston, Camilla Fox, Emily Hanna, Omri Schwarz, Paul Estin, Heather Munn Christmas Eve Service Social Hour Hosts: Jenn Vento, Janice Dallas, Dan McKanan, Liz Ammons Greeters: Jenn Vento, Cathy Collins, Carol Schachet, Dana MacNamee, Elizabeth Dowey, Rebecca Kennedy, Steve Schmidt, Helen Silver Christmas Eve Greeters: Anne Stevenson, Bronson DeKoning and Reece Bell Ringers: Sophia Mahoney and David Concepcion Flower contributors: Phil and Annette Bloom, Karen Johnston, Michael Glenn & Susan Jhirad Buildings and Grounds Committee Report The interior of the church has been beautifully decorated for the winter holiday season. Thank you to Annette & Phil Bloom and Mary & Bill Stevenson for their efforts. Thank you to Rita Bamford for providing seasonal greens for the two pots in front of the church. Many of you may know that one windy day the church sign blew down. Part of the wood had rotted. Matt Haberstroh has repaired it for the time being. A new sign will be installed at some point in the future. Since the last B&G report, shrub roots have been dug up in front of the Osgood house. Thank you Matt Haberstroh. A couple of wheelbarrows full of rocks were also removed from that area. Work on the grounds will continue in the spring. B & G chairperson, Maria Muller Thank you Karen Johnston and Rebecca Kennedy for organizing the December 19 cookie extravaganza. Thank you Mary Stevenson for her creative and beautiful weekly flower arrangements Thank you to Russell Tripp for his ongoing and reliable help with making the coffee for Social Hour. Worship service volunteers will be acknowledged ongoing in this newsletter. Please let us know if we missed anyone. 3

4 JAN 2010 UUMEDFORD HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 4 Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford 147 High Street Medford, MA (781) Fax: (781) info@uumedford.org Church Office Hours Tues-Wed-Friday: 9 am 2 pm Thurs: 9 am 12 noon Rev. Hank Peirce, Minister revhank@uumedford.org (781) Office: (781) Esther Rosado Director of Religious Education dre@uumedford.org (781) Lynn Battinelli Church Administrator (781) info@uumedford.org Ongoing Events Please check calendar section on website for an updated listing. Wednesdays Al Anon 7:30 9:00 pm, Benker Hall Thursdays Community Cupboard Food Pantry 6:00 7:30 pm, Sanctuary Saturday Buddhist Meditation 8:30-11:30 am, Moore Room Keep in Touch Announcements List To join the announcements list, contact Colleen Squires at webinfo@uumedford.org. You will receive an confirming that you have been added to the list. Newsletter Submissions All articles for the newsletter are due the 20th of each month, for the following month s issue. Please send submissions to Meghan Chan at: newsletter@uumedford.org Thom Lissey Music Director (617) music@uumedford.org OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford is a diverse, welcoming community striving to provide a nurturing environment for the spiritual journeys of people at all stages of life. We foster social engagement among ourselves and seek to make a difference in our community and in the world at large.

5 JAN 2010 UUMEDFORD HIGHLIGHTS INSERT Photos from Recent Events A few photos of church volunteers who packed 165 Thanksgiving bags of groceries for the Community Cupboard Food Pantry. Benker Hall was filled with the smell of baking cookies on December 19, as a crowd gathered to make, decorate (and eat) holiday cookies and candy at the Holiday Cookie Extravaganza. Eddie, Reece, Sophia Helen Silver 5

6 JAN 2010 UUMEDFORD HIGHLIGHTS INSERT Report from the Task Force on Immigration The Task Force has been working on two main issues: (1) To help build a Greater Boston chapter of the New Sanctuary Movement. [The New Sanctuary Movement is a national interfaith organization dedicated to immigrant rights and to fair, just immigration reform. For more information about NSM, or to read its pledge, please check the Task Force bulletin board in Benker Hall or and (2) To get ready to shoulder work with the Metro North cluster of the Refugee Immigration Ministry. Along this line, we are hoping to have a client placed in Medford in early Our members participated in a candlelight vigil in Copley Square, Saturday, December 19 th in support of immigrant rights and immigration reform, and mourning the deaths of immigrants in detention. This event was organized by NSM and co-sponsored by Centro Presente, AFSC, and MA Resist the Raids Network. We also participated in collecting books and magazines for Spanish-speaking prisoners at the Suffolk County House of Corrections. Help came from the students and faculty of the Spanish Department at Tufts University and from members of RIM. We collected four cartons of reading material! Thanks to everyone who has helped us out in 2009!! 6