USH-Enews for January 17, 2008 Print Only Edition

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The USH-Enews is a weekly email newsletter produced for members and friends of the Unitarian Society of Hartford. The USH web address is: http://www.ushartford.com/ Check at the end of this USH-Enews for information on submissions, subscriptions and escape from the mailing list. And, to read the monthly Meetinghouse Messenger (newsletter) on the web or to find past issues of the weekly USH-Enews click here.

Office hours: Rev. Jamestone: Phone: 860 233-9897; Email: RevBJ@USHartford.com - Rev. BJ office hours by appointment.

Worshipping Together Since 1830 - Services at 9 & 11 AM

Sunday - 20 January - Rebalancing Your Intangible Assets - A fresh start, New Year’s Resolutions, and rebalancing our financial assets. January is also a good time to take stock of our intangible assets – mind, heart, body, and spirit – and rebalance them in support of a life of meaning.

Mike Roy, our speaker,and his family joined the Unitarian Society of Hartford in 1993. He became active in the Social Responsibility Committee and helped establish our former Social Justice Ministry for children. He served as chair of the Minister Search Committee that called Reverend Jamestone, and now serves on the Steering Committee for Small Group Ministry. Mike is a baseball writer for Shandler Enterprises. He enjoyed previous careers as a finance attorney, a homemaker, and a high school Latin teacher.

Music - The “rebalancing of mind, heart, body and spirit” is the topic for this Sunday, and the result of stirring music. The Celebration Choir connects them all with soul-felt music.

This music reflects the ideas of different varieties coming together to function as a whole. Soprano soloist, Katherine LaPorta will be singing “Mein Glaubiges Herze” by J.S. Bach, a wonderful cantata. Also, “I Am a Poor Wayfarin’ Stranger” will be sung. This popular folk song ties in with the Celebration Choir’s rendition of “Hush, Somebody’s Callin My Name.” Both songs, while different in many ways, speak of the calling of a divine or mysterious nature.

REflections on Children's Programming - Gandhi Biography Continued - The middle school class is invited to go directly to their classroom at the start of the service on Sunday, January 20th to view more of the Gandhi biography that began last week.

Family Programming - On Sunday, February 10th, we will be enjoying a Celebration of the Family: Experience it's Many Forms! Bring the whole family to lunch and this marvelous program of story telling, community building, and merriment!

Middle School Field Trip - Sunday, January 27, 2008 will see the middle school class taking a tour of the Connecticut Valley Hindu Temple Society in Middletown. Permission slips are available in Servetus. Please contact Gail with questions at: dre@ushartford.com.

Coming of Age - Our eighth and ninth grade students are invited to participate in our Coming of Age program, starting on February 3, 2008. Classes will be held at 10 AM in Fuller. Please contact Gail at: dre@ushartford.com with questions on registering and volunteering to assist with the program.

From the Editor:

This Week’s Feature Articles

Building the World we Dream About
An Interweave Chapter
Lay Listeners are Called to Action
Small Group Ministry
AP Offerings

Building the World We Dream About (also known as BTWWDA)

What is it? - An anti-racist, anti-oppression curriculum promoting multicultural UU congregations

What is involved? - Approximately 24 sessions, spread over the next year. We will commit to new intentional ways to being that dismantle racism's hold on ourselves, hoping to build habits and skills with which to build a multicultural world – the one we now dream about.

How can I learn more? - Sunday, February 3, at 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM, an informational meeting will introduce the curriculum, the facilitators, and set the schedule while we begin to get to know each other. You will sign up at that session for the entire program, if you decide that making a commitment to these 24 sessions together is for you at this time.

If unable to attend on February 3 or you have questions now, contact Bill Young by email at billyoung55(at sign)att.net no later than Monday, January 21.

An Interweave Chapter in Our Welcoming Congregation - Our congregation continues to grow and change in 2008. Recently, we have become affiliated with Interweave Continental. The Unitarian Society of Hartford is Connecticut’s first Interweave Chapter.

Interweave’s Mission and Vision is: -Interweave Continental is a membership organization actively working to end oppression based on sexual orientation and gender identity, recognizing that we will not be free until all oppression is a thing of the past. We are an affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, and our work is guided by Unitarian Universalist principles. We value and affirm the lives and experiences of Queer people of faith of all ages, races, ethnicities, income levels, and abilities. By providing and supporting leadership, and working in collaboration with other organizations of similar vision, we strive to connect and nurture all Queer individuals, communities, groups, and their allies.

To that end the Welcoming Congregation/ Interweave Chapter at the Unitarian Society of Hartford has a couple of social events and a couple of service projects planned for 2008. The goal(s) of these events will be to raise much needed funds for like minded organizations in the community, while striving to let the community know of the religious alternative available in Unitarian Universalism.

If you or anyone you know is interested in being a part of Interweave at USH please email Lisa T Gabrielle at lgabrielle(at symbol)sbcglobal.net - Lisa T Gabrielle

Lay Listeners are Called to Action in the New Year - When Reverend BJ first introduced the idea of a lay listener’s pastoral care team, she used these words to describe the program. “Whether smooth sailing or celebration, or choppy water and crisis, the idea of pastoral care is that the times of our lives can be more powerful and precious when awareness and attention from another person is present…”

While alone unable to connect with all members on a personal level, and thus to be attentive to all members of the Meeting House in both good times and bad, Rev. BJ has identified a group of 15 lay persons to assist her in extending a caring net to all members of our church family. The Lay Listener team will be reaching out to introduce themselves to a random sampling of congregation members, to strengthen existing relationships while also seeking to make new connections, both within and beyond our church building. With guidance and support from Rev. BJ and in collaboration with members of the Caring Network, lay listeners will also be calling to meet with individuals and or their families offering support and a listening ear, to ensure that no person feels isolated or alone during a difficult time or life transition.

Conversations with a lay listener will be kept confidential and only with the member’s permission will be
shared with Rev. BJ and/or the Caring Network team coordinator. Church members may request a visit with a lay listener by calling the church office or by contacting one of the co-facilitators, Geralyn Laut or Julie Smith (see Directory for phone numbers).

More information and a complete listing of the lay listener team members may be viewed on the USH website after a few days. Watch for weekly profiles introducing each of these caring and thoughtful individuals!

What Else is Happening & Announcements

Memorial Service Scheduled for Jean Friar: 1 PM January 27th in the Chapel.

Updated 2007-2008 Photo Directories - will be available in the Meeting House office in early February. Please let Business Manager Brian Mullen (bmullen@ushartford.com) know of any errors or omissions.

Concert Saturday Jan. 19, 2008
6:00 P.M. - In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Featuring and sponsored by the Hartford Symphony OrchestraI with this year’s Sphinx Scholarship winner as Soloist.

And an Interfaith Chorus including members of the USH Choir led by Brother Lawrence Bagwell (Music Director of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Bloomfield) Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008 6:00 PM Hopewell Baptist Church 280 Windsor Ave. Windsor.

Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, January 21, 2008; Lincoln Theatre, 11 AM - Noon

Sunday, January 20, 1 - 2 PM. Re-scheduled Program: Denise Ackeifi on Traveling and Living in Ghana - Joining Denise is Bridget, who has been living there since June, a student at Knust, the School of Science and Technology at Ghana University. Bridget is home for the holidays, but anxious to return to her studies of architecture. Both Denise and daughter Bridget have experienced Ghanaian culture for many years and traveled there frequently. They will present facts, stories, adventures, and pictures. Denise will probably share the story of how she got arrested this summer!

There is no fee nor reservation necessary for this program. You might want to bring a sandwich to eat during the noon coffee hour. The program will be held in the Chapel. More

You Can't be Neutral - The Information & Advocacy Sub Council is pleased to announce the showing of Howard Zinn's acclaimed film: "You Can't Be Neutral On A Moving Train" offered by the West Hartford Citizens for Peace & Justice at St. James Episcopal Church, 1018 Farmington Av., West Hartford. It will be shown on Tuesday, January 22 at 7PM. Doors open at 6 PM. Admission is free. More

Congregational Study/Action Issues (CSAIs) On these issues, all are invited to discuss these issues on January 27 and consider, as a congregation, endorsing them. There is more information on the issues while these links are current here and here. See also, More

Spring Small Group Ministry Gearing Up - We are busy gearing up for spring Small Group Ministry, where small groups meet to share meaningful readings and life experiences.

A special offering complements our USH theme of family: a family-friendly Small Group Ministry on Friday evenings at the Meeting House, facilitated by RE Director Gail Syring. This group will accommodate families with children by meeting only six times (from 5:30 to 8:00 pm) and providing dinner ($10 per adult total fee) and childcare.

You may also choose a Tuesday evening group in Simsbury facilitated by Bev Prager, a Wednesday evening group in West Hartford facilitated by Bill Shoemaker and hosted by Rebecca Schweitzer, or a Thursday evening group in Hartford facilitated by Carol Davidson and hosted by Bruce Robbins.

An afternoon group will meet on Tuesdays in Glastonbury facilitated by Barbara Fraher and hosted by Kathy Herzog. Future meeting dates are set by each group at the first meeting.

You may consult the upcoming Adult Programs Catalog for more information. Please sign up at the Adult Programs Fair on Sunday, January 27, or by contacting the church office. - Mike Roy

From the Adult Programs Sub-Council: One of the exciting new Winter/Spring offerings is a one day Haiku workshop on Saturday, February 9th (see below). Flyers will be available at the Registration Table this Sunday during coffee hours. Come to the Winter/Spring Programs Fair on Sunday, January 27th to find out about and register for the many new programs as well as the tried and true favorites.

January and early February offerings: Tai Chi will be starting a new eight week session on Wednesday, January 23 at 6:30 PM. Registration required.

Saturday, January 26, 1-3 PM. An Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction - Sharon Gutterman, Ph.D. Based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.- Full Catastrophe Living Offering. Registration required. More

Friday Dinner and Movie, February 8. The feature movie will be "Avenue Montaigne". You may register for this and the following programs at the Fair on the 27th!

Saturday, February 9, 10-3 PM. The Haiku Path: A Writing Workshop. Stanford M. Forrester is a past president of the Haiku Society of America and founder and editor of bottle rockets; a collection of short verse. He is one of the leading poets in the American spiritual haiku movement and has been a Buddhist practitioner for over 20 years. Participants will learn the skills necessary to compose, revise, and recite haiku through various exercises and methods. Everyone is welcome--no experience necessary.

Mondays, February 11, 25, & March 3, 7:30 - 9 PM. Peacemaking: A Congregational Study-Action Issue - A lecture/discussion series facilitated by Tom Kemble using the book The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community by David C. Korten. More

The MLK in Simsbury Comm. & CT Center for Nonviolence present a two day introduction to Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation at the First Church of Christ, 689 Hopemeadow St. on Friday, Jan. 25 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM, and Saturday, Jan. 26 9 AM to 5 PM. Learn nonviolent principles and techniques developed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Six Principles, six steps, types and levels of conflict, dynamics of conflict, Sources of MLK eclectic philosophy, application of nonviolence in King's campaigns. suggested donation $60.
call Pam McDonald 860-658-4543 to register. IASC

Caring Network - - On Achievement-"It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection,force of character, and judgment." Cicero - You are the ears of the Caring Network. Diana Heymann is the Chair of the Caring Network. Please tell Diana (heydiana(at symbol)comcast.net) 860.461.0908, or call the office when you learn of any of our members enduring the stresses of life so we can reach out to those in need. - Offer your services. A wide range of community services are available to help you. Call InfoLine at 211.

Further Down The Road (About 30 Days)

Watching Your Spending? Afraid you're Getting Ripped Off? Come to hear Hartford Courant Watchdog Correspondent George Gombossy talk on Consumer Awareness.

You've probably read his hard-hitting investigative columns on duplicitous websites, bait-and-switch selling, and other local maladies.

His talk will be at 1 PM on Sunday, February 3, free and open to all, without registration. It is another in the series sponsored by the UAMW, known as the Alliance.

The Youth Group will be selling soup during the noon coffee hour preceding the talk; you could also bring a sandwich from home to eat then.

An Evening of Heart and Soul at USH - On February 16, 2008, the Welcoming Congregation/Interweave Chapter at the Unitarian Society of Hartford will be hosting a Valentine's Dinner and Dance. There will be a professional DJ and full dinner for all partygoers age 18 and over. The event is BYOB. Tickets go on sale January 20, 2008 after services.

The proceeds will benefit True Colors, Inc. – a youth and family service organization created expressly for sexual minority youth.

Tickets are $25.00 per person in advance only. Tickets can also be purchased by contacting Brain Mullen in the USH office. Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover, cash and checks gladly accepted. Hurry, there are only a limited number of seats available. More Information PDF Flyer

Time for a New Round of Circle Dinners - Next Round of Dates : February 29, April 5, and May 10. - Enjoy being with old friends and meeting new ones. More

Trans Plantations at the Hartford Stage - March 19th Buy Your Tickets NOW! - Join us for a reception with cash bar and hot appetizers at the Hartford Stage beginning at 6:30 PM, followed by the performance at 8 PM. Come early and mingle with supporters of our many co-sponsoring organizations! A question and answer period will follow the performance, featuring Puerto Rican lesbian Janis Astor del Valle.

TRANS PLANTATIONS is a one-woman show written and performed by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Janis Astor del Valle and directed by Carolyn Kirsch. The play-- which Janis performs in a straitjacket-- explores her lifelong struggle with cultural and sexual identity as a New York-born Puerto Rican uprooted from her Bronx barrio and transplanted to rural Connecticut at age 7. More

Humanist Seminar – March Adult Education program - A few years ago a group of us met to discuss humanism as reflected in the works of Edward Said. This spring we can have a seminar that goes beyond. Secular thinking is having a resurgence. Humanism is also strongly challenged by the "spiritual" trend toward individual religious practices which Barry Kosmin's Center for the Study of Secularism books in the Meeting House Library have highlighted.

Our suggested sequence for this discussion in March (excluding Easter Sunday) will be the apostasy of secularists (based on Robert Coles secular mind essays) religion and brain science (depending on our ability to find an appropriate outside expert) the moral challenge of counterinsurgency (readings from the introduction to the new counterinsurgency manual of the US Army and Marine Corps) OR any other topics of interest to the group

for further information and suggestions, contact edsavage(at symbol)ushartford.com Seminar cost $15.00 including text.

Meeting dates: March 2, 9, 16, 30 at 1:00 PM at the Meetinghouse, room TBA.

On the Calendar

Thursday, January 17
6:30 pm Performing Arts, Clocher Home
7:00 pm NVC Practice, Emerson

Friday, January 18
5:00 pm Winter Spirituality Retreat begins, Ivoryton, CT

Saturday, January 19
thru 3:00 pm Winter Spirituality Retreat, Ivoryton, CT
6:00 – 9:30 pm Youth Social, Socinus, Fellowship Hall

Sunday, January 20
8:00 am Music Rehearsal, Sanctuary
9:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, CHAPEL
10:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
10:00 am Youth Choir, Chapel
10:00 am Disabilities Sub-council, Library
11:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:00 pm Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
1:00 pm Traveling and Living in Ghana, Chapel
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel

Monday, January 21
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR Holiday,
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
6:30 pm Survivors of Incest Anonymous, Fuller

Tuesday, January 22
6:30 pm Stewardship Sub-council, Library
7:00 pm NVC for Families, Emerson
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, January 23
6:00 pm Dharma Gathering, Emerson
6:30 pm Tai Chi, Fellowship Hall
7:30 pm Choir rehearsal, Sanctuary
7:30 pm NVC practice group, Emerson

Thursday, January 24
9:30 am International Women’s Circle, Fellowship Hall
7:00 pm NVC Practice, David

Friday, January 25
5:00 pm Univ. Hartford, parking lot usage

Saturday, January 26
10:30 am Rental, Chapel
1:00 pm Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction workshop, Servetus

Sunday, January 27
8:00 am Music Rehearsal, Chapel
9:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, CHAPEL
10:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
10:00 am AP Program Fair, Fellowship Hall
10:00 am Children’s Choir, Chapel
10:00 am Coming of Age, Fuller
10:00 am Council on Social Justice, Library
11:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:00 pm Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
12:00 pm AP Program Fair, Fellowship Hall
12:15 pm Family Celebration planning, Servetus
12:30 pm Congregational Study/Action Issues, Library
1:00 pm Jean Friar Memorial Service, Chapel
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel, then Fellowship Hall

Italicized entries are non-USH events.
Please notify Brian Mullen of all additions or changes to the calendar. Follow this Link to all our scheduled events!

External Events and Educational Notes

The Warming of Connecticut”, a CPTV documentary about the impact of global warming in Connecticut will be shown on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008 at 7 P.M. at the Unitarian Universalist Society: East (UUS:E) at 153 West Vernon Street in Manchester. More

Travel - Do you dream of inexpensive vacation travel to interesting destinations where you can stay in the homes of friendly people who share your ideals and are happy to provide directions and advice for their area? More

A Matter of Opinion: (space for comment on USH issues from members and friends) - Editor retains the right to make minor changes – letters should be issue oriented)

Did You Know? - A global warming teachin is happening at educational institutions around the nation and state at the end of January. Are Unitarians involved, here?

Nuts and Bolts: The member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm and promote: the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth in our congregations; a free and responsible search for truth and meaning; the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process, within our congregations and in society at large; the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.

Generally, USH-Enews will be posted on Thursday. Send email related to the USH-Enews to dcnewton at ushartford.com If you have announcements or articles you wish to be published, send them along with the subject line USH-Enews by 4:30 PM Wednesday evening. Comments are always welcome. If you wish to have your name removed from the distribution list or have learned of the electronic publication and wish to have your email address added, just ask. © Unitarian Society of Hartford