USH-Enews june 17, 2010 Print Only Edition

Celebratory Dinner/meeting of Green Sanctuary Sub-Council
Photo by Barbara Prine

The members were toasting to the success of their efforts and those of supporters during the past year as their work moved us toward full certification as a Green Congregation. Well done folks!

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 or to find past issues of the weekly USH-Enews click here.

Sunday - 20 June - & June 27 Themes of Leisure or Ease as a Primary Human Need - What is the role of rest in healing of mind and body? We will reflect on sacred texts such as this one from the Hebrew Bible: “So eat your bread with gladness and drink your wine with joy for God has already approved of your works.” Can our faith offer some soul medicine that might be effective in the hurried and harried lives of the 21st century? - Rev. BJ

Summer Program This Sunday, June 20th will be the beginning of our summer program. Our first week will be a reprise of our Harry Potter program from last year, back by popular demand. The remaining summer weeks will be dedicated to Green Crafting: Protect the Environment while Having Fun!

Something Different for Summer Worship

This summer our theme is relationships. Immediately we think of family…moms, dads, kids and grandfolks, but how many other relationships define our lives? Do we have relationship with this community of faith? How about our relationship to the mystery of life, the ephemeral more? So many areas to explore, including one we might not have considered before…what is our relationship with the one person we know the best and who may still remain a cipher… our self?

The summer’s format will be in two week blocks. First we will have a Sunday service in the Sanctuary on one of these topics with a traditional sermon wrapped in the typical order of service. The following Sunday we will meet in the Chapel. The wrapping (the readings, music) will be the same but instead of a sermon, three or four questions will be posed to the congregation for personal reflection. People will have an opportunity to voice their thoughts…a Large Group Ministry if you will. - Worship Arts Sub-Council

First Summer Dyad-Relationship with the Congregation (with a Fourth of July picnic after service at the minister's home)

18 & 25 July : Second Summer Dyad-Relationship with Family
Sue Smolski, Liz Garmise & Niki Maskaitis, Worship Associates

1 & 8 August: Third Summer Dyad-Relationship with the Ultimate
Gail M. Syring, DRE & Carol Davidson and Randi Wuertz, Worship Associates

15 & 22 August: Fourth Summer Dyad-Relationship with Self
Jennifer Hunt, Liz Garmise and Sue Smolski, Worship Associates

8 August - Soundings: Improvisation and Song - What if it were true that song is the spirit made visible? How might we each claim this personal birthright, break free from our inhibitions regarding singing, so that our own spirits may be seen and shared more freely with others? Rev BJ has completed two full weeks of learning the art of musical improvisation (working with Paul Winter and David Darling) using the instrument that is available to everyone who can make a sound—singing! The sermon introduces theological and theoretical grounding for our singing focus in the coming church year.

August 29 August: Songs of the Spirit
Maggie Greene and Fred Louis

September

USH Unitarians are Remarkable People - From time to time, as many of you know, we look at ourselves, examples in many different ways of most remarkable people. We continue that effort now with a few words about some of our recently elected leaders

Liz Garmise, Treasurer - has been a member of USH for 13 years. She has been involved for many years with RE. She has been both a teacher and on the RE Sub-Council, serving as its Chair for two years. She is currently Chair of the Worship Arts Sub-Council. In the outside world Liz is employed by Gerber Scientific, Inc., in Tolland as the Master Scheduling Manager. Besides reading, dreaming of beautiful well manicured gardens and cheering for her boys' May sporting events, Liz has a passion for plopping on the beach, reading a book and watching the waves. Liz, her husband Stu and sons Ben and David, and Willi the Wonder Dog live in Marlborough. (Mostly quoted from the Annual Report) - David Newton

Arizona Follow-Up Article - This article articulates a view of the Arizona situation that well may be of interest to those of you following the matter. And thanks for your responses to the survey. Here is the article while the link is good.

Not So Light Summer Reading: Speaking of Faith, by Krista Tippett

It’s not too late for you to join 15 other UUs who have committed to gathering to discuss the book. You may attend either or both of the remaining sessions. Read the book or just come and enjoy the dialogue that will be guided by a covenant the group created on 6/16.

Dates: 6/16—Chapters 1 and 2; 6/29 - Chapters 3 and 4; 7/8- --Chapters 5 and 6 Time: 6:30-8 PM Servetus

These were questions discussed on the 16th, to give you a sense of the gathering:

1. In speaking later of what she as a young diplomat in Germany had been certain was a very solid Berlin wall, Tippet writes:

I hold to these memories now as a reminder that there is at any given moment much reality we do not see, and more change possible than we can begin to imagine.” (page 7.)

Do you have memories of beliefs and attitudes you held with confidence, which were subsequently disproved by some change you never dreamed would be possible? Is there one you would share?

Flower Power - “It is good to set aside time to tend to things that appear to have little utility” (i.e., growing flowers rather than vegetables), Reverend BJ said during the Sunday June 12 annual Flower Festival.

And what an incredible array of flowers the congregation brought. It has been that kind of spring—heavy rains, tons of sunshine and magnificent blooming. “Long after these flowers are gone, we will be feasting on the light they lend,” Reverend BJ said during her flower communion prayer.

Sunday’s service was another annual tradition—honoring and remembering Dr. Norbert Capek, who founded the Unitarian Church in what is now the Czech Republic, and gave us Flower Sunday. Dr. Capek came to Unitarianism by a circuitous route, as have many of us. He grew up Catholic, then became a Baptist preacher, and finally discovered, while in the United States, “liberal Christianity.”

At first, his Unitarian Church in Prague had no rituals, no candles, no singing, no robes, no banners, no prayers. He looked for, and found, other religious seekers of the truth like himself. But the bare church did not satisfy his congregation, so he wrote 80 hymns, and added prayers and ceremonies to his church.

One of his original ceremonies was Flower Sunday, considered a daring act of defiance; it was first used in Prague in 1923 and in the U.S. in 1940. During World War II, Dr. Capek was seized by the Nazis, charged with preaching freedom, and killed. The first service after his death was a flower service.

Reverend BJ said our present Flower Festival is a “powerful image of a congregational bouquet.” She called the candles we light a “reminder that we are not alone;” and it is the “light we lit that makes us strong.”

Our creative minister added a new twist to our Flower Festival. Members of the congregation came forward, were given a flower, then made a huge circle around the entire Sanctuary. Reverend BJ warned us not to become attached to the flower we were holding. Instead, we were to find three persons we didn’t know and exchange flowers three times. This led to exchanges of flowers, to exchanges of names, and to good feelings. - Kayla Costenoble

One More Chance To Register For Summer Small Group Ministry - Due to popular demand, we have added a second group for summer Small Group Ministry, where small groups meet to share meaningful readings and life experiences. This summer we are offering just one program in July, so this is your last chance to reserve your place. There are just four openings left. The groups will meet on four Tuesday evenings in July, beginning on July 6. One group will be facilitated by Ginny Allen and hosted by Janice and David Newton, and the second group will be facilitated by Bill Shoemaker. Both will meet at the USH Meeting House in air-conditioned space.

Interested persons can identify accessibility concerns (including assisted listening devices or allergies) with Mike Roy (860-561-4061) so we can address them to the best of our ability. Please call Janice Newton at 860-677-1121 or email her at dcnewton(at sign)snet.net to register for the Summer SGM. - Mike Roy

Adult Programs - We wish to thank all of you who planned and participated in the successful 2009-2010 Fall and Winter/Spring Programs for Adults and Families.

There will be no Programs Table during the summer, and we will look forward to seeing you in the fall.

We welcome comments or suggestions about the programs that have been offered during the 2009 fall and 2010 winter/spring terms - timing, content, etc. Please send them to Janice Newton: or Nancy Reed.

It's not too early to think about possible programs to offer in the fall term. Perhaps you or someone you know has an idea for a course, workshop, or Sunday afternoon program that you would like to see included.

To obtain a Program Proposal Form, you may go to our home page. From the Spiritual Life pull down menu (on the left side of the home page), click on Adult Programs. In the first paragraph, click on download the form in Microsoft Word. The form is also available at the USH office.

Please attach a detailed paragraph in Microsoft Word (if possible) about the program to the completed Proposal Form that can be used for promotion. Please email the completed Proposal to Janice Newton: or Nancy Reed no later than Monday, August 9 so that your proposed program can be reviewed and included with the other 2010 Fall Programs for Adults and Families.

Last Friday was the final movie in the 2009-10 series; now we are seeking your nominations for next season. Classic, new, romance, comedy, documentary, what movies do you choose? If you have not attended yet, but would like to during next season, you are welcome to nominate. Please send your five titles by the end of June to pickmovies@ushartford.com .

Voting will be in July. After the list is compiled, you will have an opportunity to tout your nominations; watch for an email about this lobbying time.

If you are not already on the Dinner & Movie listserv, please let David Newton know at dcnewton@ushartford.com so you can submit your titles and vote. If you do not have email, please call 860-693-4269 for postal mail.

Folks at that movie also filled out a this survey about the cost and format of the Dinner & Movie programs. If you are interested even though you have not attended, please fill out the survey and send to pickmovies@ushartford.com, also by the end of June. To receive a copy by postal mail, call the number above.

Questions about voting and/or the survey? Send to the listserv address or call number listed.

Caring Network -If you are not actively involved in getting what you want, you don't really want it. - If 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.- before 10:30 on Sunday. 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.

Green Topics - Did You Know? - Clothes dryers are typically the second highest electricity-using appliance in your home after the refrigerator. In Connecticut, they can cost close to $38 a month to operate. Using a clothesline or drying rack saves electricity and helps to reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; sunlight naturally bleaches, disinfects, and
provides a fresh scent to fabric, so you can avoid using chemical products. And, line drying helps clothes last longer since it is gentler on the fibers (the lint that collects in the dryer comes from your clothing and linens and signals that they are wearing).

Connecticut Farmers’ Markets

Various locations throughout the state

Did you know that Connecticut has over 100 Farmers’ Markets? Support local farmers, eat fresh food and prevent pollution. For locations and schedules, visit www.ct.gov/doag (type Farmers Markets in
search box).

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.

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