The Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth

Transcription

1 The Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth Vol. 40, No Bucksport Road, Ellsworth, Maine April, 2008 Phone: (207) Web: A Month of Sundays (All services at 10:30 a.m.) April 6. Special Music by Jacob Pollien, violin Follow the Light What does this congregation mean to us? What brought us here? -Rev. Leela Sinha April 13. Becoming A Beacon Who shall we be to others? Why? -Rev. Leela Sinha April 20. Passover Seder Led by Melody and Richard Kane and Sandy Phoenix April 27. Saying Yes How are we transformed when we move toward a vision? This service will also feature our new members ceremony, when people who have prepared to join us sign the book, speak words of covenant with the gathered congregation and enter membership. It is a solemn and celebratory time; you won't want to miss it! -Rev. Leela Sinha Leela's sermons are archived on our website. From uuellsworth.org, click on the menu item -- "Sermons and Minister's Blog" -- for access to podcasts and printable text copy of the sermons of Leela and of some our guests as well.. Leela's Installation!!! May preview: save the date! May 4th will feature credo statements from our youth in the morning, and in the afternoon at 4 PM Leela Sinha will be installed as the 33 rd minister of this congregation. This is a formal ceremony of commitment between a congregation and its called minister, and everyone should take part. Rev. Brian Kopke, minister emeritus of our congregation in Ottawa will be preaching, and there will be a number of other distinguished visitors from far and near. Please don't miss it! Details to follow. Universalist Convocation May 2-4 Barton Center Oxford, MASS. Complete information will be available by March 1 at 1

2 Unexpected Grace Living around here it doesn't seem all that foolish to celebrate the new year on April 1. Janine and I have noticed that the light is different, now; the sun slips across the north side of the house as it sets, the nights are warmer, the days are longer, and snow or no snow, spring is in the air. The driveway is soggy. That's a sure sign. A few days ago two red squirrels sat on the woodshed rails, staring at us through the big living room windows. We've been watching them all winter but apparently now they're returning the favor. I think they're wondering if we're going to keep putting good things to eat on the compost pile. We're wondering if they're going to restrict their nesting to the boxes of paper in the shed, or if we need to worry about our kitchen cabinets. It's good to wonder about each other a bit. One year ago we were together for the first time here, you and I, wondering. After a year of deep work and self-examination you had decided to have a look at me, and I had decided to get to know you. It was a whirlwind week, an exciting week, full of hope and dreams and, toward the end, planning. It was wonderful and a little scary in the way that new things are, for all of us. And now, one year later, it's still exciting for me, as I hope it is exciting for you. Some of those dreams have happened, some have been changed or set aside, a great many have become plans for the near future. I still believe every bit as much as I did a year ago that this congregation can be everything we can dream. We have said we need more staffing, in the form of a lifespan religious educator and an administrator so that we can provide better organization and programming for everyone in the congregation. We have planned and raised funds for a new kitchen to facilitate the shared meals that are so much a part of the life of this church. We have begun to plan for childcare to improve accessibility for young families. We continue to maintain our facilities, to improve our welcoming skills, and to develop and diversify our offerings. You have done amazing work this year, and it is wonderful. I am thrilled. Transition isn't easy, but you have done it with grace. Now we plan forward. Committee budgets are due, and the stewardship visitors are coming. As you plan for next year, draw a picture of what could be. Dream in vivid Technicolor and share your vision. Vague and private hopes cannot raise money or support the way clear leadership and direction can. Remain flexible, talk with other leaders, and let's find out who we really can be! blessings, Leela Passover Seder A Passover seder service and meal will be led by the Melody and Dick Kane along with Sandy Pheonix and Suzanna Elkin on Sunday, April 20th. This has always been a popular service. Sandy and Melody will provide soup and the traditional Seder plate foods. There will be a sign up sheet for attendance and to bring traditional passover food and drink. Foods made with grains or leavening are not allowed. Recipes for possible dishes will be posted. We will need help with setup on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning and, of course, cleanup. If you can help, call Melody at [A late-breaking notice: We need more volunteers! Setup and clean up is a big job for four people!] 2

3 Food Pantry There is a serious problem stocking the shelves of our food pantry, Loaves and Fishes. Cut backs in funding at USDA, many fewer items available from our Good Shepherd sources, and Hannaford and Shaws meager contributions of fresh fruits, vegetables, and bread are alarming. So our contributions in money and goods are truly needed at this time. One bright spot is that Shaws is contributing one dollar for every one hundred dollars spent, if we save and turn in our receipts. There will be a box for the receipts, look for it and bring in your receipts. Other churches and individuals have already collected $12,000. That is $120 for the pantry to spend on needed items. It is amazing how quickly the receipts add up. Of particular need are protein (canned fish and chicken, peanut butter, beans), cereal, canned fruits, and pasta. If you have any questions or ideas please talk with Judy Rothrock or Ellen Hughes. Personnel Minister Reverend Leela Sinha: minister@uuellsworth.org President of the Board Kay Wilkins: president@uuellsworth.org Care Corner The Diaz family, Sara, Francisco, Jonah and baby Elena, arrived safely at their destination in State College, Pennsylvania and are busy putting their new home in order and getting settled in. They send their regards to all their UUCE friends and wanted to share their new address & contact information: 2114 Country Glenn Lane State College, PA home phone: office phone (Francisco): Francisco's office address: fjd10@psu.edu HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! If you see Dartha and Paul Reid before they depart for their trip to Ireland, be sure to wish them a Happy Anniversary. On April 17, they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. We send our best wishes for a happy anniversary as well as a wonderful visit with their daughter and family. Congratulations, Dartha and Paul! APRIL BIRTHDAYS: April 6 Frank Pollien April 14 Paula Marcus April 21 Joyce Hubbard Religious Education Chair Fran Stehman: Music Director Wayne Smith: Choir Director Wayne Smith: Newsletter Editor Lance Funderburk: lfunderburk@roadrunner.com 3

4 Spring 2008 Women & Religion Retreat - Wings Set Me Free Ladies Mark your calendars! May 30 th -June 1 st, Rockcraft Retreat Center, Sebago Lake, Maine. Registration forms will be in the churches by late March and the deadline is April 25 th. For a sneak peek of what is planned please visit our blog at Thank you, Leslie Lentz fbleslie@maine.rr.com More Bumper Stickers Here is another sampling of bumper stickers that our parking-lot prowler, Charles Bassett, has found. There will be a third listing in the next NUUS. Thanks Charles! End Domestic Violence Proud Parent of an Ameri Corp N CCC member We say "I Do!", The Right To Marry End This War If God Intended Us To Vote, We'd Have Been Given Candidates Somewhere In Texas, A Village Is Missing Its Idiot Maine Won't Discriminate Impeach Bush Artist Against Unilateral Attack Lord, Help Me Be The Person My Dog Thinks I Am Kakistocracy Online Courses Did you know that online courses are available from the Church of the Larger Fellowship? You do not have to be a CLF member to take these courses, and some are free! The Church of the Larger Fellowship's mission is to provide a ministry to isolated religious liberals, promote the understanding and growth of Unitarian Universalism, and institute programs to that end. Learn more about the CLF at Beth Murray Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) BMurray@uua.org The Building Maintenance Committee During the first week of March, ice dams formed on the roof of the community room and RE wing, causing major flooding and ceiling damage in the community room. Thanks to Margery Forbes, Helen Kazura, Sue Aubrey, and Margot Entwisle for dealing with the flood, to Jill McDonald for cleaning up the resulting debris, and to Scott Howell for chipping away much of the ice. Following upon earlier discussion of the necessity for roof repair and board approval of an initial bid to re-shingle the mid-section and sanctuary, a Roof Repair Task Force has been formed consisting of David Towle, George Marcus, and Scott Howell. The task force is examining not only roofing alternatives but also insulation upgrades throughout the building that will help to alleviate formation of ice dams in the future. A plan, which will undoubtedly be quite costly, will be submitted to the board as soon as possible. David W. Towle, Chairman 4

5 Join the UUCE and Community Supported Agriculture The UUCE Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Ad Hoc Committee is launching year 2 of the UUCE-CSA. Please consider subscribing for a season of fresh, locally grown, organic vegetables. All you need to do is contact us, prepay for the season and pick up your share weekly during production season running the first week of July through mid- October. The whys and wherefores follow: Why Is Community Supported Agriculture Important? You benefit from fresh, organic food at reasonable prices. Eat real Maine food. Our Church moves one step closer to being a green sanctuary. Direct marketing gives farmers and growers the fairest return on their products. Keeps food dollars in the local community and contributes to the maintenance and establishment of regional food production. Encourages communication and cooperation among farmers. Gives farmers a "guaranteed market" for their produce. Farmers can invest their time in doing the best job they can rather than looking for buyers. Supports the biodiversity and the diversity of agriculture through the preservation of small farms producing a wide variety of crops. Creates opportunity for dialogue between farmers and consumers. Creates a sense of social responsibility and stewardship of local land. Puts "the farmer s face on food" and increases understanding of how, where, and by whom our food is grown. Surplus food can benefit the Loaves and Fishes food pantry or perhaps we can purchase a share for the food pantry. The Real Deal Paul and Karen Volckhausen, owners of the Happytown Farm in North Orland are offering several choices for a UUCE CSA. Prices are the same as last year, but we have a new choice. Package Weeks (approx. dates) Height of 10 Season 7/13-9/07 Veggie 16 Lovers 6/30-10/12 Mini 10 Height 7/13-9/07 Mini 16 Lover 6/30-10/12 Bouquet 10 7/13-9/07 Bouquet Lover 16 6/30-10/12 Persons Price Weekly $ / Person 4 $240 $ $360 $ $160 $ $240 $7.50 $60 $6.00 $90 $5.63 We ll have a sign-up table in the Community Room during coffee hour over the next few weeks. You can meet Paul and Karen, learn about Happytown Farm and discuss your favorite vegetables. At least ten of us need to make a commitment soon in order for Paul to select his seeds and prepare his land. We would like to have pre-payment ready for Happytown Farm by April 1 st, but can arrange a plan for people who need to spread out their payments. Where do I get my real, fresh, organic, delicious food? Paul is a regular at the Ellsworth Farmers Market. He will be there Monday & Thursday, 2:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday pick-up at church can also be arranged. Each participant chooses from among these times for their regular pick-up. If you live outside Ellsworth, consider taking turns picking-up your orders. This is a community affair, a covenant with carrots. If you missed the sign up table, you can contact any of the committee members, anytime: Jim Fisher bassoon@gwi.net or Becka Gagne strivin@wildmail.com Sara Hayman shayman@hospiceofhancock.org Kay Wilkins kwilkins@alumnet.simmons.edu You can send your check (with a description of which package you want) to: Happytown Farm 1138 Happytown Road Orland, ME

6 Message from the President Last month, the final sentence in my message to you was as follows: The reason I ve been willing to serve as a leader here at UUCE is because I believe in our Downeast Beacon of Liberal Religion, where I can grow my faith, stretch my understanding and do so in the context of the service of others which helps build this beloved community. That seems to be a good place to start this month. As you know, the Board of Trustees decided that our mission statement, logo, tag line, take your pick, was that we are, in the words of our late member and poet, Helen Boucek, The Downeast Beacon of Liberal Religion. I ve been pondering the meaning of this. Downeast, I get. Liberal Religion, no problem, for me, at least. But Beacon? What is it that beacons do? One definition says A fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration. What does being a beacon challenge us to do? Here s one thing we ve already done. I attended the UU Church in Palo Alto, CA, a few weeks ago as you are reading this. As I greeted the minister, Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern, after the service and told her where I was from, she replied, Oooh, you have Leela Sinha as your minister, you are so fortunate! I agreed wholeheartedly. A friend of mine who attended Leela s Lenten service in Hancock gushed to me, Your minister is a poet! I invited him to read her sermons online. Calling Leela was definitely an act of courage and a demonstration of our desire to raise our profile, as it turns out, all the way to California. So what s next as we pursue our beacon role? No doubt we need a Director of Religious Education. Our volunteers, ably led this year by Fran Stehman and Anne Ossanna have done an estimable job, but they feel strongly the need of some professional leadership. Beacons light the way and providing a vibrant Lifespan Religious Education program sounds very beaconish to me. Surely, there is much more we need to do to be useful and visible in Downeast Maine and beyond. What are your ideas? We are about to launch our Annual Budget Drive (canvass). As we have personal stewardship conversations, this is an ideal time to ponder just what we all intend to do to let our little light shine. It is a rare and high privilege to be in a position to help people understand the difference they can make not only in their own lives but in the lives of others by simply giving of themselves. Helen Boosalis Kay Wilkins, President A Note From Merideth Norris Steve Votey and Ellen Hughes and I have been talking about doing something where we get Loaves and Fishes together with CSA, in the form of Adopt-A-Family. We are not sure how to do the logistics, but basically we hope to get at least one family adopted through Loaves and Fishes, and to make a collection for a summer market share of CSA. I already know one farmer who would be interested, and who could provide things like eggs and pork and chicken, and of course we have the CSA at church for veggies. We'd speak to the farmers, figure out how much a season share of veggies would cost, a season share of eggs, etc, and then have any interested members of the church donate money toward the price of this share. In this way, we are keeping the money local, allowing lower income families access to organic local food, and helping create a local palate that includes organic, healthy flavors rather than the massive amounts of processed stuff that sometimes wind up at food pantries due to their being eternally unperishable. Anyone who is interested in this project may contact me at witchdr910@aol.com. --Merideth 6

7 Membership Committee Many thanks to Sally Bell and Diana Cate for coconvening the Membership Committee for part of this past year, and to Diana for continuing alone until recently. Thank you to Barbara Hadowanetz, as well, for her efforts in coordinating our Sunday morning Coffee Hours and Pot Luck lunches. Barbara s work schedule makes it impossible for her to continue. This Committee has been meeting Sundays, generally once a month, for about an hour prior to the Sunday service. In addition to Sunday hospitality, the Membership Committee is concerned with greeting and integrating newer folks into the congregation, organizing lunches for newer folks to have an opportunity to spend more time with our minister and to get to know others, helping those who wish to join with their path to membership, publishing a directory of members and friends, making name tags, and maintenance of the UU World list. If you are interested in helping others become more comfortable in our community, do contact Peggie Geiger, Convenor or Sue Aubrey, UUCE Administrator. -Submitted by Peggie Geiger Just a Note from UUCE Music Director, Wayne Smith The UUCE music program is slowly moving along with plans for active participation in a variety of musical events in the upcoming months. UUCE choir members Matt Slater, David Towle, Nicole Leahy, and Wayne Smith will be singing in the District Choir at the NNE (Northern New England) District Conference on April 11 and 12 in Durham, NH. Wayne received an from Steve Finner, Director of Music at the Universalist Unitarian Church of St. Johnsbury, VT who is handling logistics for the choir, saying "Four singers in district choir, I think that's the record, Wayne." Whaddya know! Ellsworth is being put on the musical map at the district level! On May 9th, church choirs in the Ellsworth area will be participating in the annual Faith In Action Festival of Choirs, to be held this year at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Beth Van Dyk, music director of the Ellsworth United Church of Christ and sister of our former music director Kathleen Sikkema, has invited our choir members to join with them at their choir rehearsals at the UCC church which are held every Thursday night beginning at 7:00. Beth will begin rehearsing the music for the Festival of Choirs after Easter. All interested persons are invited to join in the music. Janine Galesky, who is now officially out of the closet as quite a singer, is interested in putting together a small vocal ensemble for special music in the church services. And a number of instrumentalists, including Jacob Pollien, grandson of Frank Pollien, and Grace Clayton, daughter of Marta Rieman, are among those who will be adding musical color to our services in the next couple of months. What about you? Do you have a musical talent that you're willing to share? Just contact anyone on the Music Committee, chaired by Jean Martin and Margery Forbes, and let us know. We'd love to hear from you! 7

8 Religious Exploration With the return of light the children have settled well into the rhythm of their classrooms. The children are arriving prepared to enter into a place of worship and have been very respectful of the sacred space and of each other. The Sr. Youth Group continues to explore the Coming of Age curriculum with thoughtful conversation and questions. They have met with students from COA and UMO to learn about life after high school, and discussed healthy relationships with professionals from the Ellsworth community. Looking towards spring, they will be sharing what they have learned during a Sunday worship service. The Jr. Youth Group while small in number, have thoroughly enjoyed meeting with Sue Clark while Fran was away. Fran has a wonderful program planned for the children through the remainder of the spring. The Spirit Play Class continues to learn about Our Promises through storytelling, movement, song and working together. The children have developed close friendships and enjoy just being together. The Nursery needs volunteers each Sunday during April and May. Please see Fran if you are able to help with the youngest members of UUCE. Calendar: April 6 th : Nursery - Volunteer needed. Spirit Play - Begin in the Sanctuary, Jean Martin will be the lead teacher. Jr. Youth - Begin in the Sanctuary, Fran Stehman will be the lead teacher. Sr. Youth - Begin in the Sanctuary, Carol Rosinski will be the lead teacher. April 13 th : Nursery - Volunteer needed. All other classes will begin in the sanctuary. Anne, Fran and Carol will be the lead teachers. April 20 th : Nursery - Volunteer needed. No Religious Exploration Classes. All children welcome to attend the Passover Celebration in the Sanctuary. April 27 th : Nursery - Volunteer needed. All classes will begin in the sanctuary. Anne, Fran and Carol will be the lead teachers. Our Whole Lives: Training is being held throughout New England for all age groups over the next few months. We are looking for committed volunteers to attend these workshops. Funding will be provided for tuition and travel expenses. Please see Fran Stehman for additional information. Respectfully Submitted, Anne N. Ossanna, LSW. Church Flowers I just finished the new member class at church and will be signing the membership book in the near future. In looking over possible tasks I could take on, the empty space beside flowers caught my eye. Yes, I said. That would be a job for me. Starting in mid -March, I will begin serving as flower jefa (boss). I welcome any help, suggestions, or contributions. I am aware that there are allergy sufferers in the congregation and want to be respectful of that. My allergy consultant from last summer advised me on flowers with high allergen potential and assured me that the flowers I did bring were not bothersome (to her). Please let me know of any flowers folks need to avoid or any I bring that cause problems. Thanks. --Karen Volckhausen 8

9 From The Board At the March Board of Trustees meetings, Vice President David Towle presided and Bill Clark was secretary pro tem. The biggest item at the meeting was a discussion of alternatives to repair our roof problems. Scott Howell attended the meeting and was an invaluable resource person. Several alternatives were explored - with cost estimates. A task force - John Fink, Scott Howell, George Marcus, Judy Rothrock, and David Towle - was asked to try to come up with the two best choices for consideration by the Board in May. Bill Clark, Bob Dickens, and Ruth Eveland continue to work on the Safe Congregation Policy - they intend to have a policy for the Board's consideration in April. And the Elections Committee - Sue Clark, Tom Martin, and Tom Stipe - are still seeking candidates. Candidates who have thrown their hats in the ring are Ruth Eveland for president, David Towle for vice president, Mary Ann Solet for secretary, and Anne Ossanna and Judy Rothrock as trustees. The committee is still looking for a treasurer! The following is the slate of officers and board of trustee members that will be voted upon at the May Parish meeting: Ruth Eveland, President David Towle, Vice President Mary Ann Solet, Secretary _Vacant, Treasurer Anne Ossanna, board of trustee member Judy Rothrock, board of trustee member Nominations may be made from the floor during the meeting. The following board of trustee members will continue their terms: John Fink, 2009 Becka Gagne, 2009 Toby Manring, 2010 Bill Clark announced his resignation from the Board effective June 1 because of health issues. Thus, following the election of board members and officers at the May parish meeting, the board must appoint a replacement to fill out the remaining two years of Bill's term. If you are interested such a possibility, please contact any current member of the board prior to the April board meeting on April 9th. - Bill 9

10 Notes from the Giving Corner With spring solstice and most of our church year behind us it is time to look at the state of our financial and volunteer activity and to plan for next year which begins for us on July 1, As you receive this newsletter the annual stewardship contacts for visits will have begun. Stewardship Sunday will be on April 6 th. Visits will be from April Results of the pledging will be announced on Sunday, April 20 th. During the past year at UUCE we have made many changes. We were able to call Rev. Leela Sinha into a full-time ministry. We have increased our outside giving, made necessary improvements to our building and grounds, begun redecorating the RE wing and bathrooms, have made major changes in the programs and committee structure of the church. There are new children in RE classes and new faces in the congregation every Sunday. This has been a year of growth and the beginning of necessary changes. It was made possible by the many loyal members and friends who during last years stewardship canvass supported the goals with generous pledges and enthusiastic response. These same people have contributed thousands and thousands of volunteer hours of involvement in numerous committees and events. Thank you, thank you, ALL. During the first two weeks of April, volunteer stewardship visitors will contact all persons from the congregation. This is a stewardship canvass for $$ pledges but just as important are the stewardship conversations regarding the gifts of our talents, time and interest. Your concerns and ideas will be noted and passed on by your visitor. In pledges amounted to $87, from 88 pledging units. Eight of the pledges are no longer available to us because of death or relocation. If the 80 pledge units that remain repledge at last years level we can count on $83, Pledged: $399 & under $ $ $ units 25 units 19 units 7 units 6.5% 18% 36.5% 39% We are not advocating for equal giving but for equal financial sacrifice and interest. Each of us determines what our own fair share will be. We aim for steady growth and healthy commitment. Many who gave token or beginning pledges last year have indicated they will raise their pledges this year. More good news is that we have new persons interested in joining and contributing to our fellowship. As the finance committee projects our needs for next year we need to raise at least an additional $15,000 in pledges. That will be needed for such requests as badly needed repairs to the church structure and grounds, an office manager(part time), a director of Religious Exploration (part time), increased generosity to others and program development. Using the results of the pledge totals, a budget will be proposed and voted on by the members at the spring meeting. We strive with you to create a church that enables us to make charitable giving a meaningful part of life. Generosity deepens our spiritual lives. If we want to have a healthy, vital church available to us, if we want to make a difference in the world, if we want to spread the good light of our liberal religion into Downeast Maine now and into the future we must support ourselves with as much generosity as we are able. Thank you for your caring and your continued support. --Evelyn Foster, Stewardship Chairperson 10