DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME NOVEMBER 4 FALL BACK SATURDAY NIGHT NOVEMBER 3 BEFORE YOU GO TO BED, TO BE ONTIME TO CHURCH SUNDAY MORNING.

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1 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME NOVEMBER 4 FALL BACK SATURDAY NIGHT NOVEMBER 3 BEFORE YOU GO TO BED, TO BE ONTIME TO CHURCH SUNDAY MORNING. Kearsarge Unitarian Universalist Fellowship P.O. Box 1578 New London, NH (603) November 2018 Assisting Ministers: Rev. Dick Dutton & Guests President: Jim Vashro Music Director: Martha Woodward Adult RE Coordinator: Marion Allen and Susan Nellen Children s RE Coordinator: Susan Nellen Unitarian Universalists affirm the worth and dignity of all human beings and advocate freedom of belief and an open search for truth. The Kearsarge Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets weekly on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. (September through June) in the Stone Chapel of Proctor Academy in Andover.

2 President s Message Jim Vashro Presidents Message November 2018 Hello and welcome to November (burr it has been cold out!) Where has the year gone? While the calendar year is nearly over, KUUF s church year is just getting going. Here are some words for thought suggested to me by our last board president. Wise words. There is no greater power than a community discovering what it cares about. Ask: What is possible?" not "What's wrong?" Keep asking. Notice what you care about. Assume that many others share your dreams. Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters. Talk to people you know. Talk to people you don't know. Talk to people you never talk to. Be intrigued by the differences you hear. Expect to be surprised. Treasure curiosity more than certainty. Invite in everybody who cares to work on what's possible. Acknowledge that everyone is an expert about something. Know that creative solutions come from new connections. Remember, you don't fear people whose story you know. Real listening always brings people closer together. Trust that meaningful conversations can change your world. Rely on human goodness. Stay together. Turning to One Another by Author and Teacher, Margaret (Meg) J. Wheatley Now, having gotten through Halloween, I hope you all have a great start to the holiday season, See you on Sundays, Jim Vashro (603) and jimvashro49@gmail.com )

3 KUUF Calendar November 2 6:30pm CIRCLE DINNER You will be contacted about timing, November 4 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS FALL BACK AND BE ONTIME TO CHURCH 11am food, and location Rev. David Robins Voting My Liberal Religious Values November 6 3:00-5:00 p.m. Women s Meditation Contact Fran s Preston s or Lizzie Klingler November 11 2 EVENTS TODAY 9:30 am ADULT RE POWER OF MYTH Joseph Campbell November 18 2 EVENTS TODAY November 25 December 16 NEXT MONTH November 4: Rev. David Robins. 11:00 a.m. 9:30am 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. After service at Coffee time PRESIDENT SUE STUEBNER In Search of Authenticity and Community Book Discussion The Soul of America: The Battle For our Better Angels. Jon Meacham, 2018 BETSY WOODMAN Crime and Punishment in a Himalayan Boarding School REV. DICK DUTTON The Final Judgment, not what we think, is it exclusive, heaven or hell? COOKIE and RECIPE EXCHANGE "Voting My Liberal Religious Values"... On this Sunday before midterm elections, those who hold a liberal religious faith have a unique intensity that expresses

4 both a "renewal of the spirit", and "a challenge to powers and structures of evil." November 11 President Sue Stuebner In Search of Authenticity and Community: I will share my thoughts on the importance of a sense of community in allowing individuals to be their authentic selves. How do organizations such as churches, colleges, communities, and even families, shape our individual development and sense of self? I will use a combination of personal and professional examples to reflect on these topics and discuss why fostering a sense of home and belonging may be more critical for this generation than ever before. November 18 Betsy Woodman Sermon Title: Crime and Punishment in a Himalayan Boarding School Summary: Scripture class three times a week. Dinner table arguments about salvation and damnation. Life at an American missionary boarding school in India in the 1960s provided quite a religious education and some ethical conundrums. I m still mulling over some of them. November 25 Dick Dutton The Final Judgment, not what we think, is it exclusive, heaven or hell?

5 THE FOUNDATIONS OF LIBERAL RELIGION Sermon October 14 Tom Maloof This was the title of KUUF s sermon on October 14. Since most if not all KUUFers are religious liberals, it is worth printing and rethinking the foundational ideas that bind us together. The five basic principles of liberal religion were first defined by James Luther Adams, a UU and Professor of Religion at Harvard until his death in Briefly stated, the principles are: 1. Revelations are part of our lives. They are not limited to stories from the Bible or other religious texts but are continuous and personal. New truths, new understandings, come to us through science, art, music, reading, interactions and other experiences throughout our lives. 2. All human relationships must depend upon mutual, freely-given consent. This is what gives relationships authenticity. A relationship not based on free choice is at best impersonal and superficial. 3. Each individual has a moral responsibility to work for the betterment of the community. Love and justice are as essential to the life of a society as they are to the life of an individual. Hatred and injustice are malignancies that damage spiritual growth. Allowed to flourish, hatred and injustice lead to the collapse of democracy and the rise of authoritarianism. 4. Social Justice must find concrete expression in the educational, political, economic and social structures of society. Laws must be changed, through legislation or the courts;

6 education must become more enlightened, for all; equality must be worked for and sometimes fought for. If not, a free, respectful and just society will not happen. 5. Religious liberals need to believe that the human potential for achieving meaningful change for progress justifies our attitude of optimism. We recognize the human capacity for destructiveness, hate, insensitivity and disdain for others and for the world; but a true liberal recognizes this element of tragedy in human nature, and is nevertheless sustained by the belief that there are also human capabilities for good that prevent our retreat into hopelessness. Other things that define a religious liberal include (a) engaging in the process of searching for the truth; for remaining open to new ideas and alternatives. We do not all think alike, but hopefully we are all thinking, with an open, ever questioning mind; and (b) religious liberalism is not one-dimensional. Our resistance against injustice, inequality, fascism, antisemitism and racism is not just liberal, but radical. Our support for environmental issues and resistance against the thoughtless depletion of natural resources is not just liberal, but conservative. The search for truth and justice wherever they may be found cannot be fully defined by a single word like liberal. It is so much more!

7 Membership Annual Membership Ceremony is the 4 th Sunday in October If you are interested in becoming a member Please contact Kathy Vashro or Thank you to those who participated in the Membership Ceremony on October new members were welcomed into KUUF with flowers and sayings. Our KUUF community/family is growing!!! Book Discussion 9:30 NOVEMBER 18 THE SOUL OF AMERICA: The Battle For OUR BETTER ANGELS, Jon Meacham, 2018 If you are shaken by the rise of Donald J. Trump and our current divisive and extreme politics, this is a look back at critical times in our history. While the American story has not always or even often- been heroic, we have been sustained by the belief of progress even in the gloomiest of times. Abraham Lincoln called this the better angels of our nature. Good Reads Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo, Zora Neale Hurston, 2018 Questions: Marion Allen 526-6

8 November ADULT RE 9:30am November 11 Susan Nellen and Marion Allen THE POWER OF MYTH A series of interviews with scholar Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers Love and the Goddess Love and the Goddess The Troubadours, Eros, romantic love, Tristan, libido vs. credo, separation from love, Satan, loving your enemy, the Crucifixion as atonement, virgin birth, the story of Isis, Osiris and Horus, the Madonna, the Big Bang, the correlation between the earth or mother Goddess and images of fertility (the sacred feminine). KUUF Children s Sunday School Susan Nellen Sunday School activities will be based on children s skill level and seasonal appropriateness. I will draw from a diverse array of UU readings, games and art projects, as well as my own 40 years of teaching to make the children s experience at Sunday school worthwhile and fun. Possible topics: -Comic characters and pagan Gods and Goddesses Possible and confirmed Famous UU s Beatrice Potter - author Maria Mitchell astronomer Louisa May Alcott - author Helen Keller author, speaker, motivator Contact Susan Nellen

9 FOOD PANTRY When you go to the grocery store, pick up something for the food pantry. There are always food needs in this area The Kearsarge Lake Sunapee Community Food Pantry will always accept coffee (regular, decaf, & instant), paper towels, toilet paper, peanut butter & jelly, cake and brownie mixes, and monetary donations are welcome. Monetary donations can be made to: KLS Community Food Pantry, P.O. Box 536, New London, NH Every Sunday morning you will find out about the current month s specific food needs. GUEST AT YOUR TABLE This year s collection for the UUSC Guest at Your Table program will begin in November. The theme is Justice Across Borders and focuses on helping Central American refugees. We will hear about the programs on Sunday mornings in November, and you can also read about them here: Stories-of-Hope pdf There will be forms available at the chapel, Thank you!

10 Toys for Tots again this Christmas! This year K.U.U.F. will again be participating in Toys for Tots. This program is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve and its mission is to collect new, unwrapped toys during November and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters and WE are going to help them do it! The Social Concerns Committee will be collecting donations toward this project during Coffee Hour every Sunday in November. You can bring new, unwrapped toys or make a financial contribution. These holiday gifts will mean a great deal to children right here in our area, which may not have a very Merry Christmas without your help. Thank you. Tuesday November 6 Only this month The Women s Meditation Group will meet from 3:00 to 5:00 on the first and third Tuesday of each month, at Jane Guise s home. If you have any questions, please contact Fran at (603) or Lizzie Klingler at (603)

11 CIRCLE DINNER Friday, November 2 Bettie Howard s Home 6:30 pm If you signed up to attend or Host this Circle Dinner, you will be notified about what you are to bring to share for this meal. If you haven t signed up and you want to sign up, please contact Kathy Vashro or sign up at church on October 28 NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARYS Liz Maloof 9 Don Bent 16 Nancy Stone 24 Lou and Bill 5 years - 30 Hope we can celebrate with you

12 Welcoming Church Searching for LGBTQ Senior Living and Assisted Living spaces in NH, I couldn t find any. Please help and search with me, so we can be a resource for those that are looking. Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns, than holding hands? Ernest Gaines Amended Membership Statement (2016) Membership in the Fellowship is open to all people in sympathy with its purpose and program, regardless of race, color, sex and affectional or sexual orientation. CONNECTIONS Do you have services or items you want advertised in this section. Contact Kathy Vashro for questions DRIVERS NEEDED There are members and friends of KUUF that are searching for rides to social events and appointments. Drivers are needed during the day, night, weekdays and weekends. COA is available during weekdays and UBER has moved into the area you may have anyone with a smart phone, or an UBER care for you from anywhere in the world!! (technology at it s finest) MOVING AND CLEARING OUT Items (plants and paintings) for sale and free MOVERS AND TRUCKS NEEDED to help those that are moving. HOLIDAY BAKERS have you had too many years of baking? Allow one of your church friends create your holiday desserts SPLIT WOOD DELIVERED Also available to you from our congregation is a baker, a chef, artists, a handyman, caregiver, organizer, reader, house cleaner, computer repair and computer tutor. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE UU? WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? Part 2

13 WHAT IS THE MOST SUSTAINABLE FABRIC? Two months ago you read about polyester and the environment, now you can read about leather??? WE WANT SUSTAINABILITY! HMMM, OKAY, WHAT ABOUT ANIMAL HIDES AND LEATHER - THAT S NATURAL, RIGHT? For the vegans in the house, this is obviously a no go, but a quick YouTube search will pop up some pretty heart breaking videos about the treatment of animals in leather industry making even the meat lovers in our audience cringe. I used to bypass this guilt by convincing myself that the hide of an animal is just a byproduct of the meat industry and so leather was at least some sort of atonement in that it was making full use of the animal. Wishful thinking. Sadly, animals used for leather are a whole other category unto themselves. Leather? What could possibly be wrong with this ubiquitous shoe, jacket, and everything else product? Sadly, quite a lot. It s worth noting that more than half of leather comes from China or India, where animal welfare and environmental regulations either don t exist or are not enforced. (Huffington Post) AND IF YOU DON T MIND THE REALITY OF WHERE YOUR STEAK AND LEATHER BOOTS COME FROM, WHAT ABOUT THE CATTLE INDUSTRY S IMPACT ON GLOBAL WARMING. "Methane, which is a byproduct of digestion by cud-chewing animals, is a gas 23 times more warming to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. A 2006 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization attributed 18 percent of the greenhouse gases produced each year to livestock." (New York Times) KEEPING OUR EARTH AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS, NEXT WE LEARNED OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS THAT THE PROCESS OF TANNING THE LEATHER CAN HAVE (AND NO, WE DON T MEAN SENDING THE HIDE OFF TO A SUNNY BEACH TO CATCH SOME RAYS). "The process of tanning leather is incredibly toxic. Most is chrome tanned, which results in carcinogenic chromium (VI) being pumped into

14 the water table. While most factories in Europe and America can no longer get away with this practice, the same cannot be said of the vast leather industry in China, where many bags, jackets, and shoes begin life - including many bound for the luxury market. While leather can be tanned used non-toxic vegetable dyes, chrome tanning is faster and produces a flexible leather that's better for high-end bags and coats, so there's no incentive for factories to switch." (The Guardian) IN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF CHARLIE BROWN... "UGH!", WHICH LEAVES YOU WONDERING WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?" Simple answer - just don t use leather. No animals harmed in the writing of that sentence, no environment detriment incurred. Easy peasy. Opting for vegan leather is the perfect answer, right? Not so fast, says Mother Jones: Most fake leathers are made of some kind of plastic product which was is almost certainly derived from petroleum. Some faux leathers are even made of polyvinyl chloride (better known as PVC), a product that contains, among other not-so-nice chemicals, phthalates. (Mother Jones) ADD TO THAT THE ISSUE WE ALREADY COVERED WITH POLYESTER AND OTHER SYNTHETIC FIBRES - NAMELY THAT THEY RE DERIVED FROM PETROLEUM AND THEREFORE SHED PLASTIC FILAMENTS ONCE IN THE HANDS OF CONSUMERS:...Scientists have not been able to fully quantify the scale of the problem, but early research showed that plastic fibers are among the most abundant environmental debris in the world, according to Mark Browne, a senior research associate at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. (New York Times) OKAY, I VE GOT, I VE GOT IT. WOOL! IT CAN T BE THAT BAA-AAAD! Find out next month about the fabrics you are using

15 NOVEMBER 16 AFTER SERVICE AND DURING COFFEE TIME COOKIE AND RECIPE EXCHANGE BAKE A DOZEN COOKIES OR TWO OR THREE AND TAKE A DOZEN OR TWO OR THREE. BRING YOUR RECIPE TO SHARE, DO YOU HAVE OTHER HOLIDAY RECIPES THAT YOU LOVE AND DON T MIND SHARING AND PRINTING IN THE DECEMBER NEWSLETTER? Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. Ralph Waldo Emerson COFFEE TIME HOSTS ARE NEEDED SIGN UP if you want to do coffee time and if you don t have someone to do coffee time with, the social committee people will find another person to create coffee time with you. PLEASE AND THANK YOU KATHY VASHRO WILL BE OUT OF TOWN, AND WILL PUT TOGETHER THE DECEMBER NEWSLETTER BUT NOT WITHOUT YOUR INPUT. SEND YOUR THOUGHTS, EVENTS, ARTICLES BY NOVEMBER 22 Kathy Vashro jvashro@gmail.com (Kathy) (jim)