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USH-Enews July 9, 2009
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Welcoming the Occasional Sun This Summer
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. |
photo
Even
with one of the gloomiest of months, the Bluebird parents
succeeded in rearing these two.
Photo by Carol Cooper
Worshipping
Together Since 1830
Summer Schedule One Service 10 AM
Sunday - 12 July - Buddhism's Support of Other Religious Practices - The service will provide an opportunity to reflect on the Practice of Buddhist Meditation and some of the ways it may support other religious practices, such as Unitarian Universalism. The service will also provide an overview of the practice of USH members who gather at the Meeting House to meditate and reflect each Wednesday evening - Margaret Leacach
Margaret Leicach is a long term active member of USH, has been a Chair of the Council on Community Within, and Treasurer among many other leadership experiences.
Music – This
summer our wonderful Music Associate, John Jesensky,
will spend his final Sundays with us presenting music
that is thoughtful, enchanting, deeply moving, fanciful
-- in short, varied in many ways that enhance the services
and move the heart. On occasion other musicians
may join him, but most often it will just be John at
the piano working his artistry.
These past few years we have grown accustomed to hearing
music that deepens and transforms services in ways that
only music can achieve. Join us this summer and let yourself
be enriched.
REflections on Children's Programming
Harry
Potter Summer Program
This Sunday, July 12th, we will be discussion
the mystical meaning of spiders! We will also meet the
spiders in the Dark Forest who have information about the
Chamber of Secrets. Come experience the magic!
From the Editor: Suggestions for Contributors.
This Week’s Feature Articles
Andrew
Millard's Progress
The
Time Has Come
GHICEJ
Update
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Andrew Millard wearing a stole received at the end of
his internship
Editor's Note: For those of you who may not have known Andrew Millard during his time in Connecticut, he was an active member of USH from 2001-06, singing in the choir, working with the youth group, and serving as (co-)chairs of Social Responsibility, Adult Programs and the Council on Spiritual Life. With a background in the sciences and while working at the UConn Health Center, Andrew began to hear a calling to ministry and started to take classes at Hartford Seminary. After getting married in 2006, Andrew moved to Denver to continue on the path of becoming a UU minister, a process for which USH is his sponsoring congregation. Andrew's current status follows.
Dear
friends,
It’s been almost three years since Allison and I
moved from Connecticut to Colorado and I wanted to write
with some news.
For most of the last year I was actually in New Mexico,
doing an internship at First Unitarian in Albuquerque with
Rev. Christine Robinson. After two years of being
primarily occupied with academic work, it was wonderful
to be able to immerse myself in congregational life again. I
participated in most Sunday services, giving ten sermons
and homilies during the nine-months of the internship,
otherwise acting as liturgist, leading small-group worship
with a video sermon, or providing children’s worship. I
led a number of adult programs, including sessions on voluntary
simplicity and “Articulating (Y)Our Faith,” and
worked with the Social Justice Council to evaluate and
rebuild its programs.
I also visited a number of parishioners at home or in hospital, developed a group of members and friends at a local retirement community, and conducted wedding and memorial services, child dedications and bridging ceremonies. In October I led the church’s third group to New Orleans, to participate in the on-going clean-up work, and organized a multi-faith, multi-generational picnic and kite-flying event at a city park in early May as part of the international “350” campaign to raise awareness about the need to address global climate change.
I
also coordinated the production of a ten-minute video
about First Unitarian that was shown at June’s
General Assembly in Salt Lake City as part of the church’s
recognition as a Breakthrough Congregation; you can find
the video on the UUA’s Web site.
The internship counted as field education for the purposes
of my M.Div. program at the Iliff School of Theology in
Denver. I continue there with my last half-dozen classes
in January in order to graduate in June 2010. During
my internship I continued my work as Youth Chaplain for
the Mountain Desert District, attending youth “con”s
in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. I am currently
transitioning into an interim position as Youth Ministries
Coordinator, responsible for the initial implementation
of “Quuest,” the successor to YRUU in the Mountain
Desert District. Looming larger than all that, of course,
is my interview with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee,
which is scheduled for the end of September in Boston! If
the MFC approves me, then I’ll enter the search process
for settlement in 2010, looking for a congregation in New
England or on the East Coast.
After ten months in New Mexico, it’s nice to be back “home” in
Colorado, though it’s harder to find good green chile
here and the air seems humid by comparison. (I’m
sure we’re in for a shock when we visit Connecticut
in mid-July!) As well as broadened palates, we returned
from Albuquerque with a new cat and three more rabbits,
bringing the total numbers in our furry family to three
and six respectively. Allison has continued as an active
member of the House Rabbit Society, recently taking part
in two segments of the “bunderground railroad” to
get rescued rabbits to shelters across the country.
Well, that’s my news for now. As I said, Allison
and I will be in Connecticut this month, and I’m
looking forward to seeing you at the Meeting House on 19th
July! - Andrew.
The Time Has Come... To Talk of Other Things - We got a taste of India, the Ten Commandments, Quaker silence, and references to our UU “founding documents” (appropriate on this Independence Day weekend) in Reverend BJ’s Sunday sermon, her last until the September 13 Ingathering Sunday.
Reverend BJ told a story by Rumi--the 13th century Persian poet, Islamic jurist, theologian and mystic—entitled “A Story Full of Wisdom,” in which a parrot is caged and valued by itself and others because of the elegance of its voice. When it fell silent, its owner, an Indian merchant, was no longer charmed and let it loose so it was free to return to its parrot friends. Reverend BJ found many paradoxes in this tale. Who is the good guy? What is autonomy? What is acculturation? Which culture is worthwhile, viable and trustworthy?
The paradoxes continue. This story, she said, “implies the freedom to be charmed by the sound of our own voice.” “To me,” she said, “true freedom is to still my own voice and sing along with others.” But when we are caged and laid low by grief, “what master is it that both cages us and sets us free?” Reverend BJ said, “When someone makes a sacrifice for me, my life has meaning again.”
So,
during the Prayer and Contemplation part of the service,
Reverend BJ did not want to use the “charm of my
own voice.” Instead, she invited us to join
her in a Quaker-like silence. And it was very quiet in
the Meeting House.
Reverend BJ, who confessed she is very fond of the Old
Testament, said the Ten Commandments are “full of
awe” and continue to “define the limits of
cultural excess” in areas such as property, work
and relationships.
In the beginning, after we dutifully sang our musical dedication, “Spirit
of Truth,” then chanted our Great Covenant, ”Love
is the spirit of this church,” Reverend BJ reminded
us that these are our “founding documents.” They
contain our vision of the culture that holds us and are “posted
on the walls of our hearts.”
In her Invocation early in the service, Reverend BJ invited
us to open ourselves to the “freedom in this community” and
to think about its comfort, courage, conviction and clarity.
Later, during a Reading, she quoted Forrest Church, beloved
UU theologian and author, who asked, “Why, then,
do we choose to join together?” His answer? Experience
has taught us we need one another. We model our church
culture the way the world should be. During her sermon
conclusion, Reverend BJ urged us to “create and hold
in our hearts the memory of our beloved community…to
find a group that practices this…to invite those
who pass by to come in…to pass the torch to whose
who will come in and will stay.”
And thank you, BJ, for your many Sunday challenges. Love,
Kayla Costenoble
What
Else is Happening & Announcements
The Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity & Justice and the Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School Partnership Project
Summer 2009 Update *** GHICEJ Education Task Force
May
2nd Fundraiser a Huge Success
The elegant home of Dr. Peter and Annelieke Schauer
provided a wonderful backdrop for the 2nd annual Noah Webster
Partnership Project (NWPP) Fundraiser. As if on cue, the
sun appeared, after a gloomy start to the day, as over
70 guests arrived to attend the event. Attendees were treated
with wonderful appetizers and a display of over 25 pieces
of donated artwork by area artists who agreed to a fixed
price and contributed the proceeds of the sale to the NWPP.
The event raised over $7,000 for the NWPP and will be used
to purchase musical instruments, books for the library
and support the continued work of the partnership project
into the next academic year.
Principal Dee Cole thanked all of the tutors
and volunteers who contributed so much time and
effort this past year and noted the improvement
in reading scores, as a result of their commitment. A
highlight of the evening was the wonderful performance
of the Noah Webster string band, lead by the
Noah Webster music teacher, Mrs. Peet.
2008-2009 Tutoring Year ends on High
Note!
In September of 2008, as the academic
year began, the third grade at NW was still in
need of more volunteers to tutor students in
reading. Robin Otis, the NW Reading Specialist
requested more tutors and GHICEJ met the need!
The Education Task Force of GHICEJ which oversees
the Partnership Project had set a goal to meet
all the tutoring needs of grades 1-4 by the year
end. By June of 2009, not only were there
ample tutors for third grade but six more volunteers
had stepped forth to begin expansion into 4th
grade! The plan is to recruit enough volunteers
so that the tutoring needs of grades 1-5 will
be fully met by June 2010.
This past year, volunteer tutors came from all
six of the participating congregations, as well
as a significant number from The Town and County
Club, located in Hartford. The six participating
congregations are: First Church of the Living
God, Grace Lutheran, Immanuel U.C.C., United
Methodist, the Unitarian Society of Hartford
and St. Timothy’s
in West Hartford.
A Math Tutoring Program to Begin in fall
2009
Bill LaPorte-Bryan, a tutor and member
of the Unitarian Society of Hartford, will work
with Noah Webster teacher and Math Coordinator,
Darren Schwartz to initiate a grade 2-3 math
tutoring program, starting this fall. Students
participating in the program will be identified
and selected by 2nd and 3rd grade teachers and
GHICEJ will actively work with Bill in the tutor
recruitment process for this new program. Mr.
Schwartz will train the tutors so that they are
fully prepared to support the students and contribute
to their improved ability in math. If you are
interested in tutoring, please call Bill LaPorte-Bryan
at 860 953-0192 or email him at billlp@ushartford.com
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by
Principal Dee Cole and GHICEJ: NWPP Goals agreed
to for 2009-2010 Academic Year
Shai Cassell, GHICEJ Community Organizer
and Principal Dee Cole jointly crafted an MOU
between GHICEJ NWPP and the school that outlines
the role that GHICEJ NWPP will play at Noah Webster
School and how the school will cooperate with
GHICEJ to support its goals for 2009-2010. The
Principal and Shai Cassell also signed off on
the PP goals for this coming year. Some of the
goals include developing a Tutor Training Manual
for all incoming tutors this fall, sponsoring
a community-wide forum regarding Noah Webster
School, inviting area businesses, civic and neighborhood
groups, parents, teachers to talk about additional
ways to support the school and provide services
and programs that meet the needs of students
and families. Also included in next year’s
plans are continuing parent workshops and increasing
the number offered. As mentioned
above, GHICEJ and the school will work jointly
to initiate a grade 2-3 math tutoring program,
modeled on the reading program currently in place.
What is the Needs Assessment and Why was it done? The
GHICEJ ETF, in an effort to increase its understanding
of the NW Community and plan and respond to the needs of
students and families undertook a needs assessment: a 2
page questionnaire for parents and teachers. The questionnaires
asked respondents to identify what types of programs or
services might be needed at NW and what would be the ideal
time to offer them. Teachers and parents were also asked
about other organizations they were aware of that may be
approached to provide programs/services to NW. The results
of the Needs Assessment surveys will be tabulated this
month with results expected by the end of July.
More Tutors and Volunteers Needed!
Over the summer, the Education Task Force will
be recruiting for more volunteers to tutor reading in grades
one through three. The program requires that tutors commit
one morning a week from 8:30 am to 10:00am, seeing 2-3
students individually for 30 to 45 minutes each. If you
are interested in tutoring and would like more information,
please contact Annelieke Schauer at 860-233-8978 or email
her at annigje22@yahoo.com or
Bette Marafino at 860-233-1989 or email her at bettemarafino@sbcglobal.net
GHICEJ to Consider Expanding Partnership Program
to Rawson School
The partnership between GHICEJ and Noah Webster
has been very successful. Student’s test scores
have improved significantly and it’s clear that the
volunteer programs organized by ICEJ have been a significant
factor in that improvement. All of the stakeholders … students,
school staff and teachers, parents, volunteers and the
community … are involved in the work and pleased
with the results. As result, the ICEJ Education task
force is considering the possibility of starting a similar
partnership with Rawson School. While every school is different,
the basic approach of identifying local churches and organizations
to partner with the school and then involving all of the
stakeholders from the beginning should work equally well
at Rawson.
The task force realizes that significant additional people
and financial resources would be needed if they decided
to do this and that they’d need to be sure that sufficient
resources would be available to continue the successful
program at Noah Webster.
REACH - Last year an informal
coalition of several community organizations
joined together because of their shared commitment
to quality education and to advocate for policies
and programs that support closing the achievement
gap between Hartford and suburban students. As
a result, an organization called REACH or Raising Education Achievement Coalition
of Hartford was formed.
GHICEJ formally joined this coalition in April
with a Board vote. Other members of the coalition
are HART or Hartford Area Rally Together and
ConnCAN, Connecticut Coalition for Achievement
Now.
Most recently, REACH undertook a postcard campaign
urging the Governor to maintain full funding
of the Education Cost Sharing grant for Hartford
Public Schools and maintain payment in lieu of
taxes or PILOT at the same level as previous
years. To date, no budget has been signed
by the Governor.
Other GHICEJ News
SAVE THE DATE: On Sunday,
October 4th at 4pm at United Methodist Church
on Farmington Avenue in Hartford, GHICEJ will
host a musical celebration and fundraiser. Anne
Stowe, the principle second violinist of the
Hartford Symphony Orchestra will be performing
with pianist Pi-Hsun Shih, a piece by Gabriel
Faure for piano and violin. Also
performing will be an area Klezmer Band. There
will be several other performances yet to be
determined. It promises to be an exciting
night with a mix of eclectic music to delight
all! -Shai Cassell
Did
You Know? - Green
Sanctuary Sub-Council -The green table will be open for business the first sunday of the month during the summer months. Support our earth with healthy products for cleaning and living. .
Got an item to share with others? Post it on the bulletin board at the bottom of the stairs and help someone financially and environmentally.
Caring Network - Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out - John Wooden - 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. 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.
On
the Calendar
Thursday, July 9
5:00 pm NVC, David
7:00 pm Rental, Ballou
Saturday, July 11
10:00 am Rental, Chapel
1:00 pm Neighbor parking lot usage
Sunday, July 12
10:00 am WORSHIP, SANCTUARY
11:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
Tuesday, July 14
5:30 pm Lay Listeners, Davidson home
7:00 pm Board of Directors,
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, July 15
5:45 pm Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Emerson
Sunday, July 19
10:00 am WORSHIP, SANCTUARY
11:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
11:30 am Pathways, Library
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
Tuesday, July 21
12:00 pm Men’s Luncheon Group Picnic,
Memorial Patio/Fellowship Hall
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, July 22
5:45 pm Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Emerson
Thursday, July 23
5:00 pm NVC, David
Saturday, July 25
10:30 am Rental, Chapel
Sunday, July 26
10:00 am WORSHIP, SANCTUARY
11:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
Tuesday, July 28
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, July 29
5:45 pm Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Emerson
Sunday, August 2
10:00 am WORSHIP, SANCTUARY
11:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
Tuesday, August 4
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, August 5
5:45 pm Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Emerson
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!
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
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just ask. © Unitarian Society of Hartford