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50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105
Tel: (860) 233-9897 / FAX 233-1333
Email: firstunitarian@ushartford.com
Reverend Barbara Jamestone, PhD
USH-Enews March 5, 2009
Jump to: Calendar; What's happening; A matter of opinion; External events; Further down the road; Social justice journeys; Did you know?
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.
Did you know that our Greening in the Meeting House event this Saturday night is going to be as green as possible? Using local food and drink businesses and real tableware are ways that we are really trying to walk the green walk. Check it out at USH this Saturday at 7 PM.
It’s March—Let’s Get Green!
The Greening of the Meeting House, the Unitarian Society of Hartford’s annual fundraising event, will take place this Saturday, March 7th, at 7 PM in Fellowship Hall.
It will be a time to celebrate community, watch our co-congregants make fools of themselves in a hilarious skit, fill up on appetizers and desserts, quaff a few libations…and pledge a monetary contribution to our beloved congregation.
It’s a celebration for everyone in the USH community, and we want everyone to come!
We’re asking participants to bring their favorite appetizers and hors d’oeuvre to share. And in furtherance of our budding greenness, we’re asking folks to consider using the products of local food producers: (see below)SILENT AUCTION Pledge season is upon us, and the members of the Stewardship Committee recognize that some folks may be finding it more difficult than ever this year to increase their pledges or even to continue to contribute at their previous levels. That’s why this year’s March 7 pledge event, The Greening of the Meeting House, will include a silent auction of services. The silent auction is for folks who have services to offer—home maintenance, accounting, painting, you name it—to contribute services instead of cash.
Here’s how it will work.
The donated services will be posted on a table, and participants will be able to write in their bids throughout the evening. The services go to the highest bidder, who then pays the winning bid amount to the Unitarian Society of Hartford. The winning bid amount is considered a donation from the performer of the services.
Photo by Carol CooperWorshipping Together Since 1830
Sunday, 9:45 AM and 11:15 AMRemember, turn your clocks forward one hour Saturday evening!
Sunday - 8 March - The Power of Wishing - The second in a series of Rev. Barbara Jamestone's March sermons reflecting on the gifts and responsibilities of USH membership.
Music - Our own fabulous John Jesensky truly knocked our socks off with his rock concert last week. This Sunday he shows he can apply that styling to a Unitarian anthem, composed by a now-retired UU music director and professor of music. As we bravely plan, individually and collectively, for a new year of challenges and new beginnings, what better message than UU composer Adolphus Hailstork’s “I’ll Trust in the Lord and Do the Best I Can!”
REflections on Children's Programming -
Classes:
Spirit Play: The Flaming Chalice
Second & Third Grade: Buddha's Birthday
Fourth & Fifth Grade: We Believe: Dorothea Dix
Sixth, Seventh & Eighth Grade: The Simpsons: Saturdays of Thunder
Youth Group Activities: Discussion
UU Middle School Youth Rally: All Middle School Youth are invited to attend the 13th Annual UU Middle School Youth Rally on Saturday, March 7, 2009 from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM. More
What Else is Happening & Announcements
Who's That on the Back Cover of the Current Issue of UU World? - Our "Building the World We Dream About" consultant Dr. Mark Hicks has recently taken the position of Professor of Religious Education at our UU Seminary in Chicago, Meadville-Lombard. You can see him "holding forth" in one of these photos.
Mark brought great ideas and energy to our group discussion after the service on February 22, and we're actively imagining our next steps in building the multicultural, anti-racist, anti-oppression world we dream about, when our official program ends later this spring. Do consider becoming part of the conversation and commitment to this work that our denomination is calling us to do as a congregational member of our UU Association of congregations.
Adult Programs - The next always popular Friday Dinner and Movie will be March 13 featuring "A Thousand Clowns" (please see below and reserve by Monday, March 9 ). As we look forward to Spring, there are some terrific programs offered in April & May that require registration. You can read more about these programs in the Winter/Spring Programs Catalog available at the Registration Table or on the web. You can sign up this Sunday in Fellowship Hall following both services or by phoning the office (860 233-9897) and paying with a credit card.
Spring Spirituality Retreat, Friday, April 3 to Sunday, April 5. (More)
Tai Chi, Session 2, begins Wednesday, April 1, 6:30-7:30 PM.
Fabric Painting, 3 Saturdays, April 11, 18, May 2, 10 AM-1 PM.
Photo Alteration, Saturday, April 25, 10 am - 1 pm.
Water Color Painting, 3 Saturdays, May 9, 16, 23, 2 - 5 PM.
Friday Dinner and Movie, March 13 featuring "A Thousand Clowns."
"a happy-go-lucky non-conformist who attains some maturity
when a child welfare board threatens to take away his young resident nephew"
Variety review
Jason Robards, who created the Broadway role, stars in this adaptation of the popular show. He wants to raise his nephew "to be a human being, a person who enjoys himself ˜ not . . . a chair" (New York Times review). The 1965 film was nominated and championed by Fred Louis, who will lead the discussion afterwards.
Our Friday, March 13 movie will be accompanied by an Irish corned beef feast, complete with soda bread. Those who prefer a vegetarian option, please request it when making your reservation.
You can reserve at the registration table during Sunday coffee hours or by calling the USH office, 233-9897, using your charge card. Please reserve by Monday, March 8.Scholarships Available - We are excited to announce that applications for the '09 Brill Scholarships are now available. (They have also been sent out to guidance departments of all CT high schools) The Brill Scholarships are named for Bob and Helen Brill, who co-founded PFLAG Hartford in 1981.
Awarded annually, these scholarships are a joint project of True Colors and PFLAG Hartford. They are open to Connecticut students who are:
- Age 16 to 24
- Allies to, or members of, the LGBTI community
- Are involved in support, education and/or advocacy in their school or community.
- Planning to attend or are already attending a college, technical school or other accredited post-high school educational institution.
Information and application forms concerning the annual Brill Scholarships Program are now available from the PFLAG Hartford website: www.pflaghartford.org Applications and letters of recommendation are due not later than April 15, 2009.
Please pass along this information. We always have an amazing pool of applicants!
We also encourage you to make a donations to the scholarship fund by sending your gift to: Joan Jansen, PFLAG Treasurer, 12 Colchester Commons, Colchester, CT 06415 please denote "Scholarship Fund " in the memo line of your check. - Greg Nickett
Local Food Producers (see article above):
Alchemy Juice Bar, Hartford, www.alchemyjuicebar.com
George Hall Certified Organic Farm www.georgehallfarm.com
Sweet Wind Farm Maple Products & More: www.sweetwindfarm.net
Griffin Dairy Farmstead, Artisan Goat cheeses, East Granby
Four Mile River Farm Organic Meats & Eggs: www.fourmileriverfarm.com
Three Sisters Farm Organic Honey www.threesistersfarms.com
Shayna B's and The Pickle -Vegan Bakery: www.shaynabsandthepickle.com
Deeply Rooted Farm, Strawberries and Gourds
D. Bristol's fresh veggies, Canton CT
Planted Feather Farm, breads & salad greens farmbakery@netscape.com
Sierra Moon Farm Cut Flowers & Herbs www.fiddleheadantiques.com
Domain B'Udder Bar Luxury Goats milk soaps www.budderbar.com
New Gate Farms fruit, baked goods, plants and more www.newgatefarms.com
Formed For You hypertufa planters & ornaments www.formedforyou.com
Porter's Smokehouse, LLC-Bumpy Beer Mustard, Canton CT
Ballado Orchids, CT grown www.balladorchids.com
Honey Hill Pottery, Granby www.honeyhillpottery.us
Sweet Chow Granola www.sweetchow.com
Salsa Loca, fresh local salsa www.salsadelivery.com
Tranquil Morning Farm hand spun fibers www.tranquilmorningfarm.com
Cozy Eats, Local herb infused olive & grape seed oilsBean & Leaf, locally roasted organic fair-trade coffee www.bean-leaf.com
The Green Supply Company www.mygreensupply.com
Tulmeadow Farm homemade ice cream, West Simsbury CT
From the Editor: Suggestions for Contributors.
This Week’s Feature Articles
Stewardship Event Saturday!
President's Column
Spirituality Retreat
Why Do We Come Here?(Editor's comment. We need a count for this event so please immediately tell us if you plan to attend. Give the planners some help!)
7 PM Friday, April 3 through 3 PM Sunday, April 5, 2009 Money Back Guarantee! - If you aren’t feeling better at the end of this retreat, you can receive a $50 refund!
Come explore the expanding world of Mind-Body-Spiritual Healing and the connection between spiritual or repetitive practice and improved physical and emotional health. Participants will be able to experience different techniques such as aroma therapy, mediation and biofeedback to elicit the relaxation response and associated spiritual energy.
The CONNRI Conference and Retreat Center provides a comfortable and natural setting for group and individual enrichment. Group and individual activities are planned, along with crafts, fun, relaxation, and communing with nature. Cost is $140 per person for double occupancy and $170 for single occupancy. However, the CONNRI Center requires a minimum of 30 participants so don’t delay.
If you sign up by March 15, 2009 you will qualify for the Money Back Guarantee – if you don’t feel better at the end of the retreat, you can receive a $50 refund. Register today by calling the USH office at 860-233-9897.
For questions – see the USH Winter & Spring Programs 2009 Listings or contact Susan or Charles Huntington at (860) 651-6485 (home) or srhuntington(at symbol)comcast.net.
President's Column - Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the stress that most of us are feeling, particularly in relation to the dreadful economy. As I write this, I can imagine that many of you might be sick of reading about the recession and its impact, but I’m hoping you’ll bear with me anyway.
I have heard it said that the Chinese symbol for “crisis” (wei ji) is the combination of symbols for “danger” and “opportunity,” but I figured if I was going to quote it, I ought to find out if it’s true. A quick search on the Internet has lead me to the conclusion that wei does indeed mean “danger,” but that ji is more accurately translated as “crucial point.” I have to admit I find it comforting to think about the potential benefits of crises; that they might actually represent opportunities in disguise.
So while it’s not linguistically correct to say that the Chinese word for crisis incorporates the concept of opportunity, it is still a helpful construct. Even if I consider the less compelling “crucial point,” it also provides an optimistic way of viewing current realities. I know I might sound like a Pollyanna, but when I only focus on the “danger” aspect, I begin to despair. I have had periods of profound worry, and I expect I will have more of them. However, I am buoyed whenever I have the ability to see how the economic crisis might have positive transformative effects.
We are also experiencing a crucial point in the life of the congregation. The Board is continuing its review of the Strategic Plan. We are now beginning another review process, one in which we are examining the configuration of Sunday services. In September the service times were changed, with the understanding that we would assess them within a year. Last week, the Board met to begin that process, including reviewing attendance data, getting input from our recent past presidents, and sharing concerns we have heard from members of the Society. An ad-hoc group of Board members will be working to construct and implement a procedure for gathering from, and sharing with, the congregation information that will determine the optimal Sunday service configuration going forward.
Congregational conversations will be occurring this spring, and we are eager to hear your opinions! Thank you in advance for being part of this assessment process.
Another crucial point we have reached is more closely related with the state of the economy, and that concerns the fiscal health of the Society. “The Greening of the Meetinghouse” is this Saturday, at 7:00, and I am looking forward to a delightful evening…and hopefully a packed Fellowship Hall!
The goal of a 9% increase this year is challenging, and it provides an opportunity for us to support what is of great value to us all: the congregation and its programs. In this economic climate, we hope to avoid cuts that would undermine our ability to provide spiritual and emotional support in its many forms, and to avoid a potentially divisive experience of having to cut items that are dear to our fellow members. The reality is that it costs close to $1,800 per member to operate the Society. Not everyone can give at that level, but I hope everyone will contribute to the best of their ability.
My family is increasing its pledge this year, even though it requires us to cut back in other areas. We do this because we know that the Society relies on us all to thrive. I hope that each of you will give careful thought to what the Society means to you, and give accordingly. We are at a crucial point, and I hope that we each make a financial commitment that ensures that we, as a congregation, emerge from this moment in time even stronger than we were before. - Heather Ferguson-Hull
Why Do We Come Here? - There are both “top down” and “bottom up” reasons we come to the Meeting House, Reverend BJ suggested in Sunday’s service. “All human communities set aside sacred space,” she said. There must be hundreds of top down reasons where the church meets needs that could not be met by another group or another activity.
Some of these reasons include: the need to step outside our ordinary mental activity; to find a place where we feel comfortable, safe and nurtured, remembering we’re not alone; to belong and feel as if we fit somewhere; to find affirmation of our identity; to find and share ideas with others.
Ultimately, however, Reverend BJ said,” Bottom up reasons keep us going to church.” These are based on elusive thoughts, are ambiguous, impact our lives and give us a “reason to exist.” Her first experience at a bottom up moment came when she was in Damascus, a blend of a new/old city. The Arab world, she said, “is a good place to discover bottom up reasons.”
Reverend BJ described the mosque she was in, with its vaulted worship space. She found herself imagining the changes it had gone through; it had been, during its long life, a Christian church, a Byzantine church, a temple of Zeus. She imagined people gathering on this spot 2000 years ago. She thought about the “holy-charged earth below the building” and the crowd of witnesses—millions of them—from every era who had come there to belong, to rest, to be transformed.
“It was a moment beyond all thought,” she recalled. At that moment, “There was no me, there was just awareness.” A bottom up moment is a direct sensation. It confirms our dream, “that there is more.” Curiosity, openness, acceptance and love are part of this “transcendent mystery.” Reverend BJ urged her congregation to “set aside the top down reasons that brought us here to experience a bottom up moment.” - Kayla Costenoble
Social Justice Journeys (From the UUA) And from USH
New Display for March 8th, Green Building
Friday, March 6
5:30 pm Family Friendly SGM, Fellowship Hall
Saturday, March 7
7:00 pm Stewardship Event - GREENING OF THE MEETING HOUSE, Fellowship Hall
Youth Group Overnight
Sunday, March 8
8:45 am Building & Grounds, Murray
8:45 am Comfort Shawl Knitters, Lower Lobby
9:00 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
9:30 am Great Decisions, David’s Den
9:45 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
9:45 am Coming of Age, Fuller
10:45 am Coffee, Fellowship Hall
10:45 am Music rehearsal, Chapel
11:15 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:15 pm Coffee, Fellowship Hall
1:00 pm Interweave, Library
1:00 pm BTWWDA, Emerson
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
5:00 pm Music Associate Search, Servetus
Monday, March 9
7:00 pm Artist’s Way, Servetus
7:00 pm Rental, Ballou
Tuesday, March 10
5:30 pm Finance Sub-council, Library
7:00 pm Board of Directors, Library
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, March 11
5:00 pm Green Sanctuary Sub-Council, Library
5:45 pm Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Emerson
6:30 pm Tai Chi, Fellowship Hall
7:15 pm NVC Practice Group, Emerson
7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary
Thursday, March 12
9:30 am International Women’s Circle, Fellowship Hall
7:00 pm Rental, Ballou
7:30 pm Joyfuul Noise, Sanctuary
Friday, March 13
5:30 pm Friday Dinner & Movie, A Thousand Clowns, Fellowship Hall
Saturday, March 14
10:00 am Rental, Chapel
Circle Dinners, various homes
Sunday, March 15
9:00 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
9:20 am Joyfuul Noise, Sanctuary
9:30 am Great Decisions, Library
9:45 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
10:45 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
10:45 am Coffee, Fellowship Hall
11:15 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:15 pm Coffee, Fellowship Hall
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
5:00 pm Rental, Fellowship Halltalicized 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!Caring Network - It isn't the mountain that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe." AnonymousIf you know of any member experiencing some difficulty, please contact Diana Heymann, Chair of the Caring Network heydiana(at symbol)comcast.net 860.461.0908 or call the office so we can provide some assistance. A wide range of community services is also available to those in need by calling InfoLine at 211. Please contact Diana if you are able to volunteer your services.
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 HartfordLet us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 03/04/09 7:58 PM)
