Minister Musing by Rev. Julie Lombard Dan Brown in The Lost Symbol tells us, "Truth has power. And if we all gravitate toward similar ideas, maybe we do so because those ideas are true... written deep within us. And when we hear the truth, even if we don't understand it, we feel that truth resonate within us... vibrating with our unconscious wisdom. Perhaps the truth is not learned by us, but rather, the truth is re-called... re-membered... re-cognized... as that which is already inside us. Truth is our monthly theme in May. When it comes to truth, Dan Brown believes that truth is no original sin rather it is an original blessing. We are born with truth within us and it is waiting to be revealed. This truth may be what we dream of and hope for; while it can also be our worst nightmare. It may not make a difference whether the truth is positive, negative, or something in between. What matters is our understanding of it, the values we build upon its foundation, and how we act. This brings me to the Washington Post article from April 3, 2017 titled Turmoil Over Diversity Strikes Unitarian Universalist Association. It tells the truth behind Rev. Peter Morales' resignation as president of the Unitarian Universalist Association---the hiring of yet another white man to a leadership position. Although we pride ourselves as being a liberal religion that welcomes diversity, roughly 200,000 of our members are predominantly white. Morales, the first Latino UUA president, whose eight-year-term as president was due to end this June, had pledged to fight the status quo and apparently failed that fight after a white man retired from the leadership of the UUA s Southern Region and he was replaced with another white man by the religion s Director of Congregational Life, the Rev. Scott Tayler. This decision didn t sit well with many members. I have had to sit my sons down, fierce warriors of Unitarian Universalism who love their faith deeply, and explain the realities of racially discriminatory hiring, wrote Christina Rivera, a UUA trustee from Charlottesville, and a Latina who claimed she was the other finalist for the position that wasn t the right fit. She criticized the hiring process in a blog post and ever since an outcry among members has grown. Since the UUA turmoil unfolded, the UUA Board of Trustees have appointed the Rev. Sofía Betancourt, the Rev. William G. Sinkford, and Leon Spencer to lead the Association until the presidential election at General Assembly in New Orleans in June. Change is upon us, truth has been revealed. We must face the reality of what this truth looks like, build our values upon this new foundation, and act accordingly.
May 2017 May 7 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Truth: Strength Without Rigidity Rev. Julie Lombard Although we strive to do our best, sometimes we fall short. That is the truth we must face after a hiring scandal in the UUA s Southern Region. We are familiar with the saying, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Lemonade tastes sweetest after the Unitarian Universalist Association s Board of Trustees appointed the Rev. Sofía Betancourt, the Rev. William G. Sinkford, and Leon Spencer to lead as Interim- Presidents after Rev. Peter Morales recent resignation as President. What do these leaders have in common? A shared faith they love, they re Black, and they re passionate about leading us towards healing from our shortcomings. After a year of dedicated learning about racial justice here at Northshore UU Church through the Soul Work Forums, we learn that we are not alone on this journey of self-examination. Join us for this uplifting message about the positive path forward. The Northshore Church Annual Meeting will be held in the Meeting Room after the service. May 14 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Root Service: featuring Amanda Bartlett, Terri Hansen, and Susan Folkins Rev. Julie Lombard The Root Service is a beloved tradition in this church---a worship service where we hear faith journeys of those from our pews. On this Mother s Day, we will hear from three of our mothers as they tell us the truth of their spiritual journey and how it led them to arrive at our beloved community. Each story holds a mysterious reality which will reveal something new about the storyteller, and it may reveal something new in the hearts of each listener. Come and be a part of this long tradition as these sacred stories are shared. May 21 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Bible Super Heroes: a year in review Rev. Julie Lombard, Stacey Sherman, and Sunday School Gang This multigenerational service is a celebration of all that happened in our Religious Exploration Program this year! In the religious education curriculum, the youth have learned the many stories behind the super heroes found in the Bible, from Moses to Jesus. Come hear what our youth have been learning this year, how they learned it, and from whom. Join us for this joyous event that calls all hands on deck. May 28 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am Proceed as the way opens: A Quaker-inspired service Jennifer Revill, Service Leader Quakers ("Friends") traditionally base their worship services on expectant waiting. They take the Psalmist's advice literally: "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Meeting in unadorned rooms to avoid distraction, there is no minister leading the service; and with no prearranged prayers, readings, sermons, or hymns, the service becomes a container for Spirit to become present to each, and for each to respond in his or her own way. This may be a private revelation, or an inspiration to stand and speak to the assembled group. In our service, we will respectfully observe some of the traditional Quaker practices while staying true to our Unitarian Universalist church traditions. What happens when these two streams are blended? Come, sit quietly, and find out.
News from the Social Action Committee May 7 Food Sunday NSUU supports the Danvers Food Pantry with donations of food, checks, and gift cards. Nonperishable food items may be left in the Food Pantry basket in Fellowship Hall on Food Sunday, May 7, or at any other time. Checks and gift cards may be given to the Scottgales for delivery to the Food Pantry. May 7 Share-the-Plate The collection taken up on May 7 will be donated to The Massachusetts Bail Fund. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. The inability to pay bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastated families. The Massachusetts Bail Fund provides up to $500 bail for low-income individuals so that they can stay free while they work towards resolving their case, allowing individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. For more information: www.massbailfund.org If you want to donate by check on May 7, please make out your check to Massachusetts Bail Fund. May 14 Operation Troop Support Sunday NSUU is a collection point for Operation Troop Support. Donations for the troops (both male and female) include toiletries (razors, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.), socks, puzzle books, candy and other snacks. Donations may be left in the Operation Troop Support basket in Fellowship Hall. May 21 Soul Work Forum and Lunch Discussion of our common read, The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and the Rise of a New Justice Movement, by The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. The book is this year s common read for the entire UUA. Over the summer of 2013, the Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II led more than a hundred thousand people at rallies across North Carolina to protest restrictions to voting access and an extreme makeover of state government. These protests, the largest state-government-focused civil disobedience campaign in American history, came to be known as Moral Mondays and have since blossomed in states as diverse as Florida, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York. At a time when divide-and-conquer politics are exacerbating racial strife and economic inequality, Rev. Barber offers an impassioned, historically grounded argument that Moral Mondays are hard evidence of an embryonic Third Reconstruction in America. The first Reconstruction briefly flourished after Emancipation, and the second Reconstruction ushered in meaningful progress in the Civil Rights Era. But both were met by ferocious reactionary measures that severely curtailed, and in many cases rolled back racial and economic progress. This Third Reconstruction is a profoundly moral awakening of justice-loving people united in a fusion coalition powerful enough to reclaim the possibility of democracy even in the face of corporate-financed extremism. The book is available in paperback. If you buy it from Amazon, please go to Amazon through the church website, so that the church benefits from your purchase. Sunday-Night Suppers at Lifebridge Thanks to a dedicated crew of team leaders who plan and organize; and volunteers, who buy food, cook, and serve, we provide a hot meal for about one hundred clients of Lifebridge in Salem on the fourth Sunday of each month. We welcome new volunteers. We are now signing up volunteers for the May 28, June 25, and July 23 dinners. The time commitment is 5:00 to 7:00 pm. You can sign up on the white board in Fellowship Hall. If you would like to donate money for the purchase of food, you can make out a check to NSUU, write Lifebridge in the memo line, and put your check in the offering any Sunday. NSUU Support for Refugee Family Thank you to everyone who so generously donated to help provide new shoes for the refugee family from the Congo living in Gloucester. We have met our quota and plan to go on a shopping spree in the next few weeks. Thank you too for the donation of an almost new sewing machine and the possibility of computers. Our church is wonderful! Stay tuned for further opportunities to help this family as they adjust to their new lives in our country.
Family Promise North Shore Boston Family Promise North Shore Boston is a non-profit, interfaith hospitality network that provides temporary shelter, meals, hospitality, and case management for families experiencing homelessness on the North Shore of Boston. The goal is accomplished through the participation of hundreds of volunteers from North Shore congregations. Currently, the Social Action Committee is developing a group of volunteers from NSUU. A volunteer commits to two hours of service four times a year. The service may take the form of providing a meal, serving a meal and visiting with the families, driving, spending time at the day center with families, etc. Cathy Sullivan-Bradley is the volunteer coordinator for NSUU. If you are interested in volunteering, contact her at catherinegaia@comcast.net or 978-335-7878. Lending Library The Social Action Committee has a small collection of DVDs and books on social justice topics. They are located on the ledge in Fellowship Hall. If you would like to borrow a DVD or book, we ask that you sign it out and return it within two weeks so that others may borrow it. Share-the-Plate Applications The Social Action Committee welcomes proposals for the share-the-plate program. If you support a charitable organization whose goals are consistent with UU principles, please consider submitting an application for that organization to share-the-plate. Blank application forms are posted on the Social Action Committee bulletin board near the front of Fellowship Hall. The Social Action Committee welcomes new members. Contact Lois Markham for more information. Religious Exploration News Wow, we have been busy in Religious Exploration! You may recall last month we helped the Green Sanctuary Committee with their presentation on bees and pollination. We enjoyed decorating the wings and we enjoyed buzzin around the sanctuary. Hope no one got stung! Please send a special thank you to Karin Peterson for working with us to make this a fun event. We are finishing up our Religious Exploration program on the "Super Heroes of the Bible." In recent weeks we have been covering "Jesus The Traveling Teacher." We learned that even if we have done something wrong, we can say sorry, be forgiven and start over. We also learned about a Christian baptism. Thanks to our great teachers, Beth, Susan, Jenny, Anne and Margaret for helping us work through these lessons. Our older youth, that is the Youth Group, sponsored the annual Easter Bunny Breakfast. It was a great success and we even had live, yes, live BUNNIES at the event this year! The local 4 H club brought their own bunnies to share, and they were awfully cute. We hope they will be back next year. BTW breakfast was pretty good too! Aside from delicious pancakes, we had
bacon, sausage, fresh fruit salad, baked French toast, juices, milk, coffee and tea. YUMMY! Thank you to the parents for your support and youth for making this a fun event! See you next year! Oh, one last thing, we are now "breaking bread" in RE! Stacey, our Director of Religious Exploration, has been offering us a small snack during RE. If there is a food preference or idea, please let Stacey know. While we will still be excited to see our parents following RE, we will not be in such a rush to get to the table of treats! April 12, 2017 Board Meeting Excerpts Treasurer s Report Jason reviewed the Quarterly Report for the period April 2016 through March 2017. We have had more in this year than out. Much of the income stems from rentals. Some also comes from fund raising and cash collections. Pledges have exceeded $102,000. We have established a $30,000 emergency fund. NSUU has generally been on budget for expenses. Buildings and Grounds needed to go slightly above budgeted expenses. Committees have generally under-spent their budgets, notably the Religious Services Committee. Jason reviewed his prepared budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year to be presented at the Annual Meeting. A significant change from last fiscal year is the added expense line of $20,000 under Buildings and Grounds budget for window replacement. The Board requested that Nancy prepare a document explaining the window replacement project including windows to be replaced, reason for replacement and expense. This is to appear in Good Things Are Happening before the Annual Meeting. The Board agreed to additions to the forecasted budget as follows: Increase the projects line under Buildings and Grounds to $5000, anticipating purchase of a new security system. Increase the cell tower income forecast based on the new lease agreement. Add a line item for Special Events to initially be $2000. Special Event Fund The Board discussed having a special events fund line item in the budget to provide funds for such items as Julie s installation and NSUU s fiftieth anniversary celebration. It was suggested that $2000 be budgeted to this line item. Memorial Garden Jason reports that the Memorial Garden fund has greater than $20,000 in addition to the Aubin donation for benches. Chris reports that planning for the garden is proceeding. The committee would like to produce a tri-fold pamphlet giving information about the memorial garden and procedures for use of the garden and for any fees. Currently the plan is to have a place to scatter ashes, four large rocks with plaques mounted on them (names to be added as needed), two benches and perhaps some arbor vitae. Ed Lynn would like to be included in this planning. Installation Update The installation of Julie Lombard as our settled minister is scheduled for Sunday, June 4. Barbara and Bob report that food will be partially catered and partially covered dish. Planning continues. New Business Security System with remote access The Board reviewed a letter from Nancy and the Building and Grounds Committee regarding the installation of a security system with remote access. Building and Grounds will be
hearing a proposal from security rep Barry Kolsky about a key FOB security system. This system would default to locked doors. A FOB or card would open the door which would then default to locked after the individual entered. The system can be programmed to be unlocked for a specific, recurring period of time, for example 8am to noon Sunday. Nancy would be able to unlock the door remotely through an app on her phone. The Board wondered if a doorbell of some kind might be needed since the default is to have the building locked. It was also suggested that more price quotes be obtained, in addition, from Wayne Alarm. Building and Grounds is authorized to proceed with plans to install a security system, as long as it is under $5000. There is money allocated in the Project s line item under Buildings and Grounds. Music in the Woods The Board reviewed a letter from Brian Orr detailing observations and suggestions regarding Music in the Woods. It was suggested that NSUU needs a fundraising committee and this issue should go to such a committee. Jason will look for a policy regarding fundraising. Fundraising Barbara would like to schedule an Open Mic Music in the Woods for September. She will consult with Nancy re available dates. Barbara presented to the Board a fundraising idea for the month of May, 2017. She brought in a sample large tote bag that sells for $40 and would net the church $12.50 per bag sold. Barbara s daughter works for the company offering this product and this deal is available only for the month of May. After discussion the Board agreed that Barbara can hold this fundraiser, advertise it, and her daughter will be available on Sunday, May 21 from 11:30 to noon, to take orders and answer questions. Eleanor Koshgarian Bequest The Board received a letter from Leonard Swanson, Executor of the Estate of Eleanor F. Koshgarian, notifying us that we will be receiving a check from her estate for $2,866.37. These funds were not directed toward any specific program of NSUU, but Leonard noted that Eleanor was especially interested in the Memorial Garden. Condition of Library on Mondays Nancy notified the Board that the home school group has reported to her that on Monday mornings there is frequently food and old drink cups left in the library. This will be brought up at the church council meeting on April 30, so that committees using this room can be reminded to clean up the room after using it. Rail Trail Access Maintenance Karin Peterson has asked the Board to consider the liability of the Rail Trail access from NSUU property. This access spur is currently in poor condition and not safe to use. This will be referred to the Buildings and Grounds committee.