December 4 - Journeying Through the Darkness Inside this issue:

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1 The Chalice and Chimes UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF BANGOR 120 Park Street Bangor, ME Tel Worship Services December 4 - Journeying Through the Darkness (10:00 AM) Inside this issue: Advent is a time of waiting in the midst of growing darkness. To avoid the growing darkness, we we've created many celebrations and rituals that celebrate the light at this time of year. Service will focus on the darkness side of the equation. Worship December 11 - The Dickens of Christmas Religious Education (10:00 AM) This service will explore celebrations of Christmas past, present, and future through the lens of the classic Christmas tale A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens who was a Unitarian. Minister s Page Coming Events Council News Social Justice Worship Cmte Pastoral Care Team December 18 - Keeping Solstice (10:00 AM) Rituals surrounding the Winter Solstice are among the oldest rituals known to human beings. Their origins linger in many of the celebrations that are popular today, from Chanukah, to Christmas. This service will explore the importance of keeping solstice in our hearts and the spiritual wisdom this time of year has to offer. December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (7:00 PM) This service will celebrate the arrival of Christmas Eve and the birth of Jesus and the light of new hope through song, scripture, and lighting of candles. January 1 - Sleep-in Sunday (1:00 PM) Our service this Sunday will be a bit different. Instead of our traditional 10 AM service, we will be holding a brief intergeneration Chapel Service at 1 PM and then breaking into smaller groups to engage in small group and individual intention setting activities for the New Year. Some of the possibilities include Tarot readings, consulting Runes, journaling, and fun active group games for the kids. After engaging our spiritual practices, we will then join in a potluck featuring all your wonderful holiday left overs. Come, let us all join in winding down the holiday season and winding up the beginning of the New Year together in community. If you wish to lead one of the activities, please contact Rev. Drew by December 15. Treasurer s Report Membership News Calendar About Us Rev. Drew's Office Schedule for December Mon - Sabbath Day (minister's day off) Tues - 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM (appts. & meetings) 1:30 to 4:30 PM (walk-in time) Wed - 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM (appts. & meetings) 1:30 to 4:30 PM (walk-in time) Thurs - Sermon writing day (limited & phone) Fri - 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM (appts. & meetings) 1:30 to 4:30 PM (walk-in time) Sat - By appointment Sun - Worship (by appt. in afternoon/evening) Note: I will be away visiting family Dec

2 The Chalice and Chimes Page 2 Drew s Views December is a time of contrasts. The days grow shorter and the nights grow longer. The earth becomes cold, frozen and fallow. As I have listened to many people express their shock and utter disbelief over the outcome of the our most recent presidential election, I hear a lot a concern about the "impending gloom" that lies ahead. As the days become shorter we feel like the values expressed in our UU Principles, Purposes and Sources are being overcome by an ethic that is based on discrimination and privilege for some at the expense of the greater good. As we enter into the days leading up to the solstice, I am reminded that the many stories celebrated at this time of year are stories that speak directly to the somberness we are feeling. The story of Solstice and the returning of the sun that sustains all life on this planet. The story of Chanukah and how a small unlikely bad of Jewish rebels the Maccabees were able to overcome their Syrian oppressors and reclaim their temple against overwhelming odds almost two thousand years ago. We also celebrate the birth of a child who brought new hope and understanding to this world: an understanding that might does not make right, and that LOVE, compassion, mercy and preference to those who are marginalized is humanity's highest resolve. These stories contain seeds of wisdom that have fed the core values of our human culture ever since. There are times when they have been challenged by tyrants and dictators. Yet, so far in our human existence, there have always been people who have seen through truths that divide us. Instead, these people are called to the universal truth of our common dependency upon love and one another. The seeds are there our work now is to sit in the darkness and decide which seeds we want to water, cultivate and grow. In my work as your minister, I am seeing the unwelcome opportunity of the times. I am called to sit in the quiet stillness of the darkness, to connect with my inner voice and deepest longings, to reflect on what Spirit and my conscience is asking of me in these challenging times and then search for a way to move forward. Advent is a time of sacred waiting, a sacred time of waiting for something new to be born. In this rich time of growing darkness, may we all find a time to sit with our greatest fears and build a resolve that we will not give into those fears but instead use them as a motivator to move outward towards hope, love, and greater understanding of what it means to be in sacred right relationship with one another and the earth. May heaven and nature sing to you as you move through this time of advent and all of your holiday celebrations. Peace on earth! Good will to ALL!!! Namasté, Rev. Drew

3 The Chalice and Chimes Attention UUSB Committees, Groups & Individuals: UUSB Holiday Gift Basket Challenge is Here Again and so is Balenda s Boutique! At your next meeting, please figure out how you can create a gift basket that best represents your group/committee. We had some wonderful baskets last year and made over $1300! We will again open the bidding to the non-uusb public so that we can raise more money this year. Be Creative, Be Generous and share in the responsibility and fun! (We ll be putting together other baskets on December 3rd at the same time wreaths are being decorated, if you want to join us.) If you have any boutique-like items (jewelry, scarves, hats, purses, etc.) make them part of Balenda s Boutique for the holiday season. Page 3 UU Holiday Gift Basket Assembly Saturday, Dec. 3rd 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon Gift Baskets will be assembled, from donated new and gently used items, and packaged by theme. They are then placed on display for the following two Sundays in the Dorothy Memorial Fellowship Hall as a silent auction. Make a UUSB basket part of your December Baskets will be on display Sundays, December 4th and December 11th, for our Silent Auction; and Balenda s Boutique will be there thru December 18th for those last minute holiday gifts. holidays gift shopping experience. Questions? Contact Suzanne Kelly ( ). largest f-uu-nd Raisers. Come, join in the fun! Ask Suzanne Kelly for details. This is one of UUSB s The UU Holiday Wreath Decorators Saturday, Dec. 3rd 8:00-11:00 AM You too can be an elf and join in the fun of holiday wreath decorating and gift basket designing! We decorate over 70 wreaths which immediately go on sale from 11-12pm on Saturday and before the service on Sunday. As one of our elves, you get to create the bows and decorations using natural flowers, cones, and dried fruits. Wreaths sell for $18. The elves get first pick! Come and join the holiday spirit!!! Christmas Memorial Donations Each holiday season, the poinsettias, wreaths and garland decorating our church are generously and lovingly donated by members and friends of our community. Watch for the special donation envelopes in our orders of worship. Donations may be made in honor or memory of someone you want to remember. These remembrances are printed in our Christmas Eve order of worship with your name and the name of the person you are remembering with your gift. Donations may be made in the envelope provided and placed in the collection plate; or, you may choose to mail your remembrance and donation to Susan Vernal in the Church Office. Requested deadline is December 18th.

4 The Chalice and Chimes Page 4 RE: Religious Education This year the magnificent 2nd and 3rd graders at our church are exploring the Faithful Journeys curriculum, in which we explore our 7 principles through the theme of travel and energy for action. If you visit our classroom you will see our footprints and sign posts showing where we have been so far. We have spent time on the topics of respecting everyone, including everyone, and assisting each other in learning about the world and about fairness. One of the coolest things about our curriculum is that we get to learn from examples set by notable UUs from history, such as Hosea Ballou and Christopher Reeve. This year's grade 2-3 teachers are Wendy Erickson, Chuck McKay, Larry Viel, and Valerie Carter. We hope you will stop by and get to know us! ~ Chuck McKay RE Action League Meeting Sunday, December 4th, 8:30-9:45 AM, in the Vestry. All parents and church members and friends interested in supporting our awesome RE program are welcome and encouraged to attend! We will be discussing holiday planning, class curriculums, Ferry Beach, and much more! A light breakfast will be served. If you need childcare, please contact Connie McVey at conniemcvey@gmail.com. The Annual Mitten Tree at UUSB We need your help... We will be collecting mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, and other winter gear to decorate our tree (it's in the back of the Sanctuary) and help those in need in our community. This year, we will be donating to the Shaw House, with this in mind, we are looking for items for adolescents and youth adults. Questions? Check in with Laura Santilli. Thanks! Once again, the UUSB Choir and Women with Wings are joining to perform the Winter Solstice Ritual, the evening of Saturday, December 17th. Rehearsals have begun, and I want to extend an invitation for folks to come sing with us. Below is the rehearsal schedule; this year we are requiring that all who want to sing must attend at least two of the extended rehearsal times. Please contact me, if you have any questions. ~ Nancy Lewis, Music Director Practice Schedule: Dec. 1st, 6:30-7:00 PM Dec. 8th - 6:30-7:00 PM Dec. 15th - extended, 6:15-7:00 PM Dec. 17th - morning or afternoon, dress rehearsal TBA THIS SPRING: SAVE THE DATE!! April 30, 2017 (late afternoon) The Installation of our new minister, Rev. Andrew Moeller, followed by a reception. More details to follow.

5 The Chalice and Chimes Page 5 Greetings Dear Ones, The UUSB Council is thankful for all of the hard work that this congregation does to make our beloved community a safe, welcoming place for everyone! Many thanks to Reverend Drew for representing liberal religious values by performing the Invocation at the swearing in of newly elected Bangor city council members. Let our church be a beacon of love shining down over Bangor! Next month, Council will meet with the Committee on Shared Ministry to begin discussions on the Ministerial Evaluation. The Ministerial Evaluation will serve as a critical component for Rev. Drew's third and final renewal, enabling him to achieve Final Fellowship Standing as a Minister. Council Corner Council has also voted to form an Installation Committee, chaired by Charlie Boothby. The Installation Committee will be instrumental in planning Reverend Drew's formal Installation as Minister of UUSB. This will be a gala affair which, to quote Drew, will be an opportunity for us to show the world who we really are." As always, please feel free to reach out to myself or any other Council member with any questions, concerns or ideas you have to make our community even better than it already is now! Yours In Service, Eric Olson, Chair Social Justice Committee News We re Working Toward Justice We are all trying to make sense of the election, get back on our feet and respond in a loving and effective way. It s certainly not easy, but at least we are part of a spiritual community that can lend support and share the heavy lifting that will certainly be involved: paying attention, speaking out when necessary and creating a safe place for dialog and action, especially for our immigrant, LGBTQ, African -American friends and neighbors whose paths ahead may be more treacherous in the upcoming months and years. Our committee retreat on November 19th addressed much of the malaise and how we can move ahead. A major focus will be looking at ways our congregation can develop consensus about which ballot initiatives (e.g. referendums) and other social justice issues to officially endorse and actively support. This will involve a UUSB congregational decision-making process over the next few months. We will also be looking outside of our Bangor UU community for inspiration and a coalition to work with beyond our Park Street doors: The Maine Unitarian- Universalist Social Action Network (MUUSAN); sending delegates to General Assembly and knowing what UUs are working on across the country; checking out and supporting what the UU Service Committee is doing globally. Rev. Drew s series of workshops, Being White in the Black Lives Matter Movement, proves to be one way UUSBs can have informed discussions that will hopefully bring about energized, focused and helpful action. The Social Justice Committee and other UUSBs have been demonstrating our involvement locally. We have been effective advocates for expanding and improving our public transit system, the Community Connector; have recently done the final gleaning at the Brewer Farmer s Market; are volunteering at Solidarity Harvest; have been attending and speaking out at City Council meetings (recently advocating for a Multicultural Center that will be a welcome/information/networking center for immigrants who want to live and work in the Bangor area). UU Youth continue to be involved in several Social Justice efforts: helping at Solidarity Harvest, raising funds and planning for their Safe Passage trip to Guatemala; collecting and delivering foods and personal care items to the Bangor Shelter and Ecumenical Food Cupboard. December actions will slow down as we try to make room for the holidays, but let s participate in Soup Kitchen (1 st Monday), Bean Suppers and Bag Lunches (both on 4 th and 5 th Saturdays) and donate to the Food Cupboard, Laundry Money, and Personal Care Items collections. It will remind us about the joys of serving and sharing. Joy in Justice, Suzanne Kelly, Committee Chair

6 The Chalice and Chimes Page 6 Worship Committee News Please take note that as a worship committee, and with Rev. Drew's lead, we are NOT planning a service for December 25th. We hope everyone joins us for our beautiful candlelit Christmas Eve ritual and celebration, so that the next day, Christmas, we can all relax at home with our families. This will be the first Sunday on December 25th in many, many years that we will NOT be conducting a service. However, if anyone feels a strong need for the church to be open on Christmas morning for reflection, please contact someone on the Pastoral Care Team or Council or Membership/Fellowship so that we can begin a conversation as to how that might happen and who might be able to make it happen. Also, please continue to be mindful by reading your weekly E-news and the Order of Worship insert on Sundays that ANNOUNCEMENTS will now be done by Rev. Drew BEFORE the Worship Service begins, just before 10 am on Sundays. You will need to submit a brief statement of that announcement by Wednesday (or Thursday morning at the latest) to Susan V. in the office, so she can relay these to Rev. Drew. Any announcement offered in person on Sunday morning to the Worship team and to Rev. Drew, unless an "emergency or top priority," will not be accepted. We all appreciate your consideration of this change that started on November 6th. And another note: our beloved Vyvyenne Richie left us December 1st and has moved back home to her family in Toronto, Canada. She was an extraordinary member of our Worship team and a devoted Lay Coordinator who contributed so fabulously to the beauty of our altar with her home grown flower bouquets. We thus have a big hole to fill on our Worship Committee and are looking for a new member to add to our wonderful team. Please contact Phyllis or Laurie, Brenda, Rissa, Wendy, or John Arimond, if you are interested. Also know that we might be asking YOU to join us, if any of us see someone to personally invite! In faith and caring, Phyllis Havens, Chair UUSB Worship Cmte. The announcements during the Sunday services will no longer be presented at the end of the service. Starting in November, we moved mention of a few of the most important announcements to the beginning of the service after the ingathering songs. Please be sure that your get your announcements in to the office (uubangor@gmail.com) by Wednesday noon, so that your announcement can be considered for the verbal announcements. Only those announcements that are church-related will be considered. We appreciate your patience as we work on perfecting this system. The best method of keeping up with church activities is still to read the e-news and the printed announcements in the Order of Worship. From the Pastoral Care Team We continue, as a care team, to invite UUSB members to let us know if you would like to be included on our working list of "caregivers" for offerings of rides, home or hospital visits, and meals. When the need arises, it is a great gift for us on your Pastoral Care Team to have people to immediately call for responses to expressed needs. So thank you in advance, should you put your name forth. We are a small group, yet we are ever so powerful and effective in our caregiving with all of you there to help us! In faith and caring, Phyllis Havens, Facilitator of the Pastoral Care Team

7 December Happenings The Spirit of Drumming Circle will meet on Sunday, Dec. 4th, from about 11:30-1:00. Children over 12 are welcome, exceptions can be made for younger children with drumming experience and the ability to participate in the group. No experience is necessary, and we have lots of drums and percussion instruments to share. The group meets on the first Sunday, 11:30-1:00 and the third Monday of the month from 6-7 pm. Contact Laurie Cartier or LyAnn Grogan for more information. A Winter Solstice Singing Ritual December 17, 2016 at 7pm in the Sanctuary The W inter Solstice Singers will present a Celebration of the Darkness and the Light with Songs and Stories. This ritual is based on A W inter Solstice Singing Ritual by Julie Forest Middleton and Stasa MorganAppel. This opportunity to celebrate the return to the Light is a family friendly ritual with song, stories, and candle light! A freewill offering will benefit local UU Youth who will be traveling to Guatemala with Safe Passages in Summer The Chalice and Chimes Page 7 Treasurer s Report

8 The Chalice and Chimes Page 8 Membership-Fellowship News Welcome to our New Members!! On Sunday, November 20th, we welcomed seven new members into our congregation: Christophe Coshenet Lynlee Fox Judith Richardson Ray Peck Renee and Joe Montillo Tom Wheeler Thank you to all who volunteer for one of the Fellowship Hour teams. Each team brings snacks and hosts Fellowship Hour four times per year. We need a few more volunteers to round out the teams! Please consider signing up on the Dorothy bulletin board, or let Evan Richert know at (evan@richertplanning.com). In December, the hosting teams will be: Dec. 4 - Team K (coordinator Patty Alcott) Dec. 11 Team A (coordinator Connie McVey) Dec. 18 Team B (coordinator Laurie Cartier) Special Collections Reminders The second Sunday of the month is Food Cupboard Collection Sunday. Donations of non-perishables may be placed in the plastic tub by the entrance to the sanctuary. Cash/check donations are also gratefully accepted in the collection. On the third Sunday, of the month we have a Personal Items Collection for the area needy taken during the service. Please give what you can paper products, soaps and hygiene products, or money donations gratefully accepted! Any Sunday, please consider donating to the Bangor Homeless Shelter Laundry Fund. The current status of laundry funds at the shelter allows guests with no income to be able to wash their clothing on average once a month. Imagine only washing your clothing once a month! Please help and contribute any change (bills work too!) in the jug as you are leaving the Sanctuary on Sundays. Thank you for your continued generosity and caring! UUSB Church Cancellation Guidelines In the case of bad weather, the most important thing is for everyone to be safe. Please do not travel to the UUSB for morning worship if you feel that doing so would be unsafe. UUSB may need to be cancelled due to no lights, no heat, no water, disasters, and other unforeseen circumstances. The decision to cancel worship and religious education will be made by Sue McKay, the Rev. Moeller and Laurie Cartier, who will reach such decision by 7:00 AM Sunday morning. An announcement will be put on the outgoing phone message of the church office at , and announcements will also go out to the local network television and radio stations; and, if possible (power permitting), an announcement will be sent out via , on the UUSB Facebook page, and posted on the UUSB website at uubangor.org. Reminders While in the Dorothy for Fellowship: Buy a Hannaford Grocery Card These cards directly benefit our church with no additional cost to you Win-Win! Do you have a CLYNK Bag?? Be sur e to have one handy, so you can easily be collecting bottles and cans to help raise money for our UU Youths Social Justice Service Trip to Guatemala. The bags are in the Dorothy Memorial Hall. Please see Laura Santilli for details. Thank you for your support!! Buy a Bag of Equal Exchange Coffee - For each pound of fairly traded coffee, chocolate, tea, and foods Unitarians purchase through the UUSC Fair Trade Project, 20 cents per pound goes to the UUSC's Small Farmer Fund. Much appreciation I extend my sincere thanks to everyone for the cards, prayers and healing vibes during my recent surgery and recovery. It meant so much to me and was a great comfort. I have no doubt the many caring thoughts influenced a wonderful outcome for me. Bless you all! Your Church Administrator, Susan V.

9 The Chalice and Chimes Page 9 Please check the website for calendar updates! SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 4 8:15am RE Cmte Mtg Worship Service 11:00am Fellowship & Holiday Gift Basket Bidding Begins 11:30 AM Spirit of Drumming 11:45am Pastoral Care Team 11 Worship Service (Food Cupboard Collection) 11:00am Fellowship & Holiday Gift Basket Bidding cont d 11:45am Workshop: Being White in BLMM 18 Worship Service (Personal Care Items Collection) 11:00am Fellowship 11:30am Social Justice Cmte 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS NO Worship Service 5 9:00am Soup Kitchen Cook n Serve (off-site) 6 6:30pm Buddhist/ Meditation 7:00-10:00pm Coffee House/ Open Mic :00pm Committee on Ministry 19 6:00pm Spirit of Drumming 7:00-10:00pm Coffee House/ Open Mic 20 5:00pm Staff Mtg. 6:30pm Buddhist/ Meditation 7:00-10:00pm Coffee House/ Open Mic :00-10:00pm Coffee House/ Open Mic 7 6:30pm Shawl Ministry 14 11:00am AUW Guild 12:00pm Newsletter Deadline 6:00pm Bldg. Cmte 6:30pm Membership Cmte 21 5:00pm Temple Fem. Divine 6:30pm Council Meeting 28 Worship Cmte 1 5:30pm Women with Wings 8 5:30pm Women with Wings 7:15pm Executive Cmte 15 5:30pm Women with Wings 22 5:30pm Women with Wings 29 5:30pm Women with Wings 2 12:30pm Knitting Circle 2:00pm Wreath & Gift Basket Set-up 9 Budget & Finance Cmte 16 12:30pm Knitting Circle Penobscot Contradancers 3 8:00 AM Wreath Decorating 9:00am Holiday Gift Basket Assembly :00pm Winter Solstice Concert CHRISTMAS EVE Bag Lunch Prep 3:00pm Bean Supper Prep 7:00 Christmas Eve Candelight Service NEW YEAR S EVE Bag Lunch Prep 3:00pm Bean Supper Prep 5:00pm Private Wedding

10 ABOUT US Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor 120 Park Street Bangor, ME Worship: Sunday, 10:00 AM Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Telephone: (207) uubangor@gmail.com Website: Minister: Rev. Andrew Moeller Minister Emerita: Rev. Becky Gunn Music Director: Nancy Lewis Director Religious Education: Karen Childs Church Administrator: Susan Vernal Our Mission Statement The Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor is an historically liberal religious community, celebrating diversity and supporting spiritual growth and social responsibility in each child and adult. A Welcoming Congregation We welcome individuals and families of all religious upbringings, racial and ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations. We, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. A Green Sanctuary The UU Society of Bangor, recognized as a Green Sanctuary by the Unitarian Universalist Association, endeavors to incorporate care for the Earth into its worship and religious education while working to promote environmental justice and sustainable living. We covenant to affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part. The Chalice and Chimes Page 10 How to Reach Us Secretary s Office Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9 AM 12 Noon The office administrator is Susan Vernal. Office phone/voice mail: You may her anytime at uubangor@gmail.com Our Minister, The Rev. Andrew Moeller, may be reached by at drewuu2@gmail.com or by calling the church office at His schedule for the month is listed on page 1 of this newsletter. The Music Director, Nancy Lewis, may be reached by at Lewis@maine.edu or by calling the church office at The Director of Religious Education, Karen Childs, is available by appoint; you can her at uubangorre@gmail.com For information on how to reach the a Pastoral Care Team associate, call the Church Office at (207) and leave message; or, call Phyllis Havens' cell and leave message; someone will return your call. Church Council: Eric Olson, Chair; Chris Packard, Vice Chair; Rosemary Parsons, Treasurer; Michele Caitlyn-Strout, Clerk; Charles Boothby; Valerie Carter; Catherine Foxson; Cary Jensen; Rebecca Anderson Council meets at 6:30 PM on the third Wednesday of each month. About Our Newsletter The Chalice and Chimes is published ten times a year (Sept-June). The deadline for submissions is the 14th day of each month. Contributions are solicited and should be sent to the Administrator/Editor at the church office. An reminder is sent out to all member and friends on the church s database mailing list when the newsletter has been posted to the church website, where it may be viewed or down-loaded. It is also available in paper format on the table by the sanctuary entrance and by US mail (request from the Church Office). Editorial Policy Articles submitted for publication in the Chalice & Chimes must strive to include, in an unbiased way, only that information that is consistent with the UU faith. Articles should deal with issues of a spiritual nature meant to inspire, encourage, educate, or inform. Although every effort will be made to be inclusive, the Editor reserves the right to determine which articles are accepted for publication. The Editor has the right to edit for space, availability, libelous remarks, or unwarranted personal attacks. The Editor also reserves the right to refuse any item that may affect our Tax Exempt Status.

11 The Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor s Holiday Wreath Sale Saturday, Dec. 3rd 11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon Dorothy Memorial Hall All wreaths sell for $18 fully decorated. Newsletter Submittals We value your contributions and very much appreciate submittals. When sending contributions to The Chalice and Chimes: uubangor@gmail.com Plan to do some of your Holiday Shopping on Sundays Dec. 4th & Dec. 11th after church service (approximately 11:00 am) in the Dorothy Memorial. It s a Gift Baskets Silent Auction! Baskets will be created, with varying themes, which always makes for fun and surprise. Come partake of some holiday magic! Next Newsletter Deadline: December 14, 2016 at Noon Next issue is January First Class Postage 120 Park Street Bangor, ME 04401