USH-Enews September 11, 2008

USH-Enews For September 11, 2008

Jump to: Calendar; What's happening; A matter of opinion; External events; Further down the road; Did you know?

Text only Printer Friendly Format

Dedication of the Peace Pole ( See story)

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
Sunday, 9:45 AM and 11:15 AM

Sunday - 14 Sept. - Uncertainty as a Spiritual Practice, Part 1 - Teacher of the Asian spiritual traditions, Alan Watts, wrote, “The Wisdom of Insecurity,” a treatise for Westerners on the Buddhist notion that as we accept “change” or “impermanence” as the only reality, we can come to peace. How might we apply the wisdom of uncertainty as antidote for our “age of anxiety?" - BJ

The new welcome banner shown here was created by Diane Cadrain for use at the Welcome Table. Nice work!

Music -Most sacred music of the past -- in fact, a lot of religious thought of the past and even the present -- expresses certainty, the reassurance that we know the answers to "life's persistent questions." As counterpoint to Rev. BJ's sermon on "Uncertainty," the singers on Sunday will musically express this feeling of absolute trust in faith. In August John played music by Gabriel Faure, the influential French Romantic composer and teacher. This Sunday at 11:15 the choir sings Faure's deservedly famous and beautiful "Cantique de Jean Racine," expressing total faith in divine certainty. At 9:45 Katie LaPorta sings a companion solo by Faure: "En Priere." Katie is just back from a summer in France studying voice, so this music is most appropriate for her. At both services she'll also sing "I'll Walk With God" from The Student Prince.

REflections on Children's Programming - "The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives." ~Robert Maynard Hutchins
Fall Religious Education Classes - This Sunday, 9/14 the Fall unit of Religious Education classes and the Youth Group meetings begin at the 9:45 am service. After the Time for All Ages, students will proceed to their classrooms for lessons, and to the Youth Room for discussion. Pre-K - 1 grade and 2-3 grade classes are downstairs off of Fellowship Hall, and 4-5 grade and 6-8 grade are upstairs in Murray and Servetus, respectively.

Classroom and Youth Group Registration -
All children and youth must be registered for Religious Education and Youth Group. Please contact Gail if your child is not registered.

Classroom Renovations -- Special thanks to the crew who worked on the renovations of the 2-3 grade classroom this summer! Our gratitude goes to: Skip Berrien, Ginny Berrien, Kathryn Ferguson, Leona Mae Page, Louise Schmoll, Bill Young and the Buildings and Grounds Sub-Council members.In Peace, Gail, DRE

What Else is Happening & Announcements

BJ had a bit of knee surgery 9/10 and sends along this comment, "I am fine and planning a tennis match for the weekend, after I see everybody at the MH for service on the 14th!"

UPA presents (poster)....the electrifying women's singing/dancing troupe LIBANA on Saturday, September 20th at 7:30. Libana has been wildly popular in appearances across this country and around the world, and has attracted big crowds to their performances. We invite the entire USH community to support this performance, which benefits our Society and reaches out to Greater Hartford. More

The September Meetinghouse Messenger is available.

Fall Small Group Ministry Gearing Up - We are busy gearing up for fall Small Group Ministry, where small groups meet to share meaningful readings and life experiences. New this fall is a Social Justice Small Group Ministry. This group is open to everyone and will combine social justice themed SGM sessions and actual social justice work. The themed sessions will explore issues such as why we do social justice work and what is the connection between social justice and spirituality. This group will convene at the USH Meeting House on Monday evenings starting October 20, and is facilitated by Mike Roy and hosted by Fred Louis.

Back by popular demand is a family-friendly SGM. This group is open to everyone, but will especially accommodate adult members and friends with younger children. It will meet on Friday evenings at the Meeting House starting October 17, facilitated by Greg Berg. This group will accommodate families by meeting only six times (from 5:30 to 8:00 pm) and providing dinner (cost shared by participants) and childcare. You may also choose a Tuesday evening group in West Hartford starting October 21, facilitated by Jeff Blanchette and hosted by Kathie Ferguson, or a Thursday evening group in Farmington starting October 16, facilitated by Charles Huntington and hosted by Janice and David Newton. An afternoon group will meet on Wednesdays in West Hartford starting October 15, facilitated by Bruce Robbins and hosted by Linda Ericson-Ebel. Each group at the first meeting sets the seven future meeting dates.

Interested persons are encouraged to identify accessibility concerns (including assisted listening devices or allergies) to Mike Roy so we can address these concerns to the best of our ability. You may consult the Fall Programs Catalog for more information. Please sign up in Fellowship Hall on Sundays or by contacting the church office. - Mike Roy

The Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice (GHICEJ) To Launch a Healthcare Disparities Project - GHICEJ is launching a healthcare disparities project with interested member congregations. So far, 10 GHICEJ congregations have signed on. This project is primarily an opportunity for those interested in the topic to gain more information and understanding about the racial disparities in healthcare access, treatment and delivery in Connecticut. It will also be an opportunity to meet and dialogue with members from other area congregations interested in the topic. If you would like to learn more about this project and how you might get involved, please email or call Shai Cassell at 930-4278 or shaileen@sbcglobal.net Thanks.

Adult Programs

The Fall Programs Fair will be held on Sunday, September 21 during coffee hours in Fellowship Hall. This is your opportunity to meet some of the presenters, ask questions about the offered programs, and register.

Please note the change in starting date for the new program "Dream Work, Your Mirror" to October 1 from September 17.

Be sure to pick up your copy of The Fall 2008 Programs for Adults and Families Catalog, this Sunday, September 14 at the Welcome Table in the front lobby and during Coffee Hours at the Programs Table in Fellowship Hall. This will give you time to think about the program(s) you'd like to register for at the Fair on the 21st. In order to be as green as possible, please take just one catalog per family.

Starting soon:

The popular Artist's Way will begin Monday, September 22, 7-8:30 pm for 13 weeks. Using the highly regarded, widely used text, The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron, this course will take you through a progression of exercises to help you reach and live by your inner artist. You will find that creating and admiring art can be an intensely spiritual experience. Diane Cadrain and Maggie Greene will serve as facilitators.

Ember Days, Wednesday, September 17, 12-2 pm, Friday and Saturday, September 19, 20, 6-8 pm. Led by Rev. Jamestone, this first of four seasonal observances on the wondrous cycles of nature will include spiritual exercises and time for personal introspection in silence. Come to any or all of the sessions.

NEW! An Exploration of Ragtime, Blues, Tin Pan Alley, and Jazz, 3 Sundays, September 28, October 5, 12, 1 pm. Sit back and enjoy an exploration of these four distinct musical styles on three Sunday afternoons. Dick Edwards will narrate the tour with the help of Sid Garvais at the keyboard. Come and hear the music "we grew up on and learned to love."

NEW! Dream Work, Your Mirror, This 4 session program will start Wednesday, October 1, 7-9 pm. Dream analysis allows us to discover some of our hidden talents, wishes, and fears. With facilitator Carol Davidson, who has experience with a number of dream work seminars, you will tell, discuss, and explore your dreams in a small, confidential group.

Dinner & Movies Series List to be Released at Programs Fair September 21 - This year we received the largest number of movie nominations ever and had the largest number of folks voting ever! Want to know if your favorite(s) made the list?

The final list of movies will be released at the USH Programs Fair on Sunday, September 21. After that, it will available on line all season through the USH Adult Programs page on the USH website. There's a real assortment, old and new, borrowed, and a bit "blue", too. The first movie will be held October 10, then every second Friday through June.

Keywords: big business, divorce, thriller, morality, mental illness - and that's just one of the movies!
Menus are being coordinated with the films; ask last year's filmgoers about the bouillabaisse, paella, or coq au vin.

Recession Creates Greater Need for Food - The cost of food has increased, as has the cost of fuel, and more folks need the food pantries today. Many grocers now charge discount prices for items formerly donated. Donations from the communities are down. Let's not be one of those communities with lower donations! More - IASC

Caring Network - - 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.

External Events and Educational Notes

Interfaith Witness Event - Hartford Seminary, 77 Sherman Street, Hartford
Friday, September 12, 2008 11AM – 12 Noon

“There is nothing new about poverty. What is new is that we now have the techniques and the resources to get rid of poverty. The real question is whether we have the will.” Dr. Martin Luther King

Poverty in the United States is worse than in the 1960s.

What is the status of ending child poverty in CT?

Everyday worldwide 40,000 persons die from easily preventable causes. A billion people live on under $1 a day.

At some point benign neglect and callous disregard of the world’s poor becomes a crime against humanity, and a sin in the Creator’s eye.

Join organizers Jon Denn-Billion Prayer March, & Dr. Carl Dudley –Hartford Seminary

Co-sponsors- Rt. Rev. Ahrens, Rt. Rev. Curry, The Rt. Rev. Andrew D. Smith, and Bishop Peter A. Rosazza; Hartford leaders Rev. Edwin Ayala, Rabbi Donna Berman, Imam Abdul Rathman, Rev. Michael Williams; social activists Michele Deegan-Hartford ONE, Flavia DeSouza-BREAD for the World, Sarah Lynch-CARE, and many others across America who want our state and national leaders to make poverty history.

Bring your fellow worshippers, next-door neighbors, and those who share with you in faith to a rally of kindred spirits who care about poverty … for face-to-face gathering with our political leaders or their staff, to let them know:
We want to end poverty in a decade –
We have resources, but do we have the will? - For further information see voteoutpoverty.org, Call 860-672-1000 x Jon Denn

Clara Barton District leadership conference planned for Sept. 20th. A number of USH folks are already planning on going (and carpooling) so you are encouraged to join us. The registration deadline is Sept 10th, so hopefully people will get back to us soon! - Heather Ferguson-Hull

Adams Forum September 19th - The Social Justice Committee at UUS:E Manchester is pleased to host a Friday night, September 19 Forum with UU author and activist Marc Adams. We will commence with decaf and dessert at 6:30. Our formal program will commence at 7:00. More

Further Down The Road (About 30 Days)

Circle Dinners Planned - Enjoy dining with friends and new acquaintances at various homes. More

Singles Potluck Planned - The UU Singles group will have a potluck supper on Sunday Sept 28 at 5:30 PM. It will be held at the UUSE Meeting House in Manchester. Let's get the year off to a fun start. Bring your good ideas for programs for the coming year. Meet your old friends and tell tall tails of summer adventures. RSVP to Larry, bigcheese636)(at symbol)yahoo.com At least three people must RSVP for this to be held.

Alerting ALL Women-Folk at USH - Retreat Save the Date: October 24-26. 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? - Green Sanctuary Sub-Council - will be meeting the first Wednesday of the month. All are encouraged to come to add their ideas and help create a greener USH and community.

If every household in the US replaced just one roll of 500 sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissue with 100% recycled ones, we could save: 432,900 trees; 1.00 million cubic feet of landfill space, equal to 1,600 full garbage trucks; 153 million gallons of water, a year's supply for 1,200 families of four.

From the Editor: On the way to this week's Enews, we encountered a detour. On Tuesday (9/9), David had spinal surgery. He is home today, feeling better than he did when we went to the hospital and we are trying to get this Enews to you in timely fashion. And, for those of you who know me, the big news is that I didn't get lost in the hospital and I found the car in the parking lot. We are sending this Enews to you with thankful hearts. Dorothy got it right, "There is no place like home!"- JCN

Please take note, this year the Messenger deadline for receiving articles for the following month's publication will be the 12th of the month.

This Week’s Feature Articles

B&G Comes Though Again
Musical Chairs, Part II
May Peace Prevail on Earth
Green Sanctuary Program Continues
Are You From the North, South, East or West?
Small Group Ministry Gearing Up

B & G Comes Through Again - No matter that the traditional fall work day, Saturday, September 6th, for cleaning up the Meeting House grounds occurred on a hot and humid day as Tropical Storm Hanna approached. Building and Grounds members turned out in force to clean up the area between showers and steady rain for the Sunday Ingathering Service.

Among the sweaty, wet and muddy crew working in the humidity, stalwarts John Bengtson, Stu Spence, Carol Sexton, Jim Venneman, Bill Barrnett, Louise and Bill Willett, Peter Magistri, David Newton and Leona Mae Page could be found. Collectively they removed loads of weeds from the gravel bays, and various other areas, weeded the Memorial Gardens, removed a dead birch tree, cleaned out the roof drains, planted the new Peace Pole, and cleaned up the youth room. And, Skip Berrien was seen putting the finishing touches on the new paint job on Classroom D.

Nice work everyone! We deeply appreciate those who come through in the best USH tradition! - DCN

Are You From the North, South, East or West? - “It will be a splendid year together.” This is what Reverend BJ promised the congregation as she introduced members of the USH Board of Directors and Religious Education leadership during Sunday’s splendid ingathering service. She told these leaders, “You are our trust. You have our deepest gratitude for the ministry you offer this year.”

During another part of the service, Reverend BJ invited members of the USH staff to join her on the chancel, and 11 persons offered philosophical descriptions of what they do and what they want to do. Office, music and religious education staff were there.

It was a participation-packed service using symbols galore. We did the usual—chalice lighting, covenant reciting, candles of memory and hope lighting. We did the annual mingling of waters from this summer’s travels and past year’s water to help us remember all the people in our lives.

Prior to the mingling, we discussed with the person next to or near us what direction we were coming from this particular Sunday morning, and we mingled our water (real or virtual) according to whether we were coming from the north, south, east or west. Reverend BJ suggested that we might be coming from one particular direction today but “Believe me, the winds will change.”

And we also did something for the first time. We went outside to unveil and dedicate the Tom and Joan Kemble Peace Pole. The tall, imposing six-sided wooden pole displayed the beautifully carved words “may peace prevail on earth” in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic and Swahili. This work of art was laboriously carved by John Bengston.

The Kembles described the peace pole history. It started in Japan and there are now 250,000 peace poles throughout the world. In our part of Connecticut, there is one at the Quaker Meeting House and one in Canton. Reverend BJ closed the unveiling ceremony with “Let us practice believing in peace.”

Your reporter attended the second sitting Sunday. According to counts made by the ushers during these first services at the new times, there were 112 persons (including children; both services were intergenerational) at the 9:45 service and 118 at the 11:15 service. - Kayla Costenoble

Musical Chairs, Part II, What about the Music?- Each Sunday our miraculous musicians add beauty and depth to our services with organ and piano works, anthems, solos and other ensembles. How and when do these pieces get prepared? A minister may prepare the sermon at her desk, a speaker may prepare at home in front of a mirror, but musicians need to rehearse together.

On Sundays the Choir will start rehearsing 45 minutes before the service at which they’ll sing. On the first Sunday of each month this will be the 9:45 service, so the rehearsal will be at 9:00 in the Sanctuary. (Some folks come early to sit in the pews and get a double dose of choral loveliness.)

Other Sundays will be a little trickier. The Choir will begin rehearsing at 10:30 in Fellowship Hall, then move up to the Sanctuary at 10:45 when the early service ends. This rehearsal might spill over into the final minutes before the 11:15 service, so more than a few folks might get that double dose. All this may require some adaptability from all of us, but hey — we’re all in this together aiming for the same cause, creating a worshipful morning each week.

At about five services each month the Choir is not singing. Who supplies the music then? Our talented soloists (more about them later), our amazing Choir volunteers, some remarkable musicians from the congregation, at times our sweet-voiced children….all these contribute their gifts to our services, but there’s room for more, especially You, whether by yourself or in a group.

This year I'd like to make fuller use of our two services by expanding the concept of "Choir." Our regular Chancel Choir will continue as always, rehearsing every Wednesday evening as well as Sunday, singing the finest anthems whether composed 400 years ago or yesterday. In addition, with *your* participation we can put together less-formal anthems with far less preparation. Sometimes these will be "congregational anthems," with everyone joining the singing. Other times we will invite you to rehearse in the morning right before the service. “No-Commitment; Show-Up-And-Sing”! Please be willing to do this. Courage has its rewards. You may have more ideas too - please share them! Find Mattie on a Sunday or email me at banz@hartford.edu

Children have musical gifts too. Katie LaPorta will be working with our talented teens soon to prepare some Sunday anthems. We’re still seeking solutions for the Children’s Choir, since Katie can’t continue doing it all. Here’s one approach: Some singers are also parents – or rather, some parents are also singers. They’d like a chance to sing too, but the choir sings at 9:45 only on First Sundays of the month, so we’re going to try a new “Moms & Kids” group singing together. (You don’t literally have to be a Mom….Dads are welcome too, as are non-parents.) There are many ways to be creative in making music at the Meeting House.

May Peace Prevail on Earth - This noble sentiment now stands tall in front of the Meeting House due to the persistent leadership urging of Joan Kemble, the carpentry expertise of John Bengtson, and planting efforts of Peter Magistri, John Bengtson, and Bill Barrnett.

Similar poles exist across the globe representing the universal desire for peace among members of various religions and groups. Various surfaces of such peace poles carry the simple yet heartfelt desire for peace in various languages. Ours has six sides expressing the thought, May Peace Prevail on Earth, in Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, Swahili and English.

The pine pole is finished with weather resistant coverings and below ground coated with gloop to retard rot and water damage. It is planted in a large hole filled with gravel and stone dust permitting draining away of water. It will take some time to bring about the desired peace, but let us hope this happens before the pole needs to be renewed!

This is a completed project of the Information and Advocacy Sub Council otherwise known as IASC. Now there is one more pole added to the approximately 250,000 poles in nearly every country dedicated as monuments to peace.

IASC, which stands for the Information and Advocacy Sub-Council within the Social Justice Council, undertook this project to focus our attention on the need for peace on our planet. They will welcome interested individuals to join them in their social outreach activities designed to bring about a better world. -DCN

L-R Ed Savage, Joan Kemble, Doug Christie, Tom Kemble, Edith Savage, Bill LaPorte-Bryan (Peter Magistri - see above)

Green Sanctuary Program Continues - We began the process of becoming accredited through the UUA as a Green Sanctuary this year. The mission is "To help our congregation live in harmony with and help create a healthier world environment by spearheading activities that will create greater education and awareness of our impact on the environment and how we can bring forth positive change in personal lifestyle choices, congregational activities and the broader community."

The process entails performing an assessment of current practices, developing an action plan of at least 12 activities/projects that will create a more earth-friendly style of living and carrying out and documenting these projects.

We now have a Green Sanctuary Bulletin Board at the bottom of the stairs to Fellowship Hall, which gives more information and solicits your comments. You can also submit your comments/ideas directly to Bev_Prager(at symbol)hotmail.com

Stay tuned to hear about the activities we decide on and how you can help. Better yet, help us decide by attending our meetings (1st Wed. of month at 5 PM at USH).

One of our early projects is the Did you Know section at the end of each USH-Enews. The purpose is to provide tidbits of information to help us reduce waste, conserve energy and other good environmental info/ideas.

Another very exciting project which will begin Sunday (9/14) is the Green Sanctuary Green Table offering an array of earth friendly products in Fellowship Hall during both coffee hours. Making these products as affordable as we can (buying on sale and in bulk) and as accessible as possible (at USH) we hope to promote the use of these "green" products as well as support the companies that produce them. Offerings will include: paper products that utilize a high percentage of post consumer recycled paper and non-chlorine bleach (paper towels, toilet paper); cleaning products that are phosphate and chlorine free, non-toxic, not tested on animals, without dyes or artificial fragrances, etc., as well as GUSH (Green USH) our own homemade all purpose cleaner! The best thing about this is that you can bring in an empty plastic spray container to fill with GUSH and use the sprayer over and over! Isn't that neat? The very small markup we will place on these items will go towards the slightly higher price needed to use these earth friendly products as USH. So please stop by. We will continue to have new items throughout the year. Check us out. - Bev Prager

On the Calendar

Thursday, September 11
9:30 am International Women’s Circle, Fellowship Hall
10:00 am Unitarian Alliance for Ministry to Women, Library
5:30 pm Caring Network Potluck, Fellowship Hall
5:30 pm Lay Listeners, Emerson
6:30 pm Unitarian Performing Arts, Library
7:00 pm Rental, Ballou

Friday, September 12
10:00 am Univ Hartford, parking lot usage
12:00 pm Wedding decorating, Sanctuary
5:00 pm Wedding rehearsal, Sanctuary

Saturday, September 13
10:00 am Rental, Chapel
1:00 pm Wedding, Sanctuary

Sunday, September 14
8:45 am Building and Grounds, Murray
8:45 am Comfort Shawl Knitters, Lower Lobby
9:00 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
9:45 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
10:30 am Music rehearsal, Fellowship Hall
10:45 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
10:45 am Coffee, Fellowship Hall
11:15 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:15 pm Coffee, Fellowship Hall
1:00 pm BTWWDA, Emerson
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel

Monday, September 15
7:30 pm Los Trovadores de America Mariachi Concert, Sanctuary

Tuesday, September 16
6:00 pm Worship Associates, Ballou
6:45 pm Caring Network Sub-council, Servetus
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, September 17
12:00 pm Ember Days, Emerson
5:45 pm Dharma Gathering, Emerson
6:30 pm Tai Chi, Fellowship Hall
7:15 pm NVC Practice Group, Emerson
7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Friday, September 19
1:00 pm Transitions Group
6:00 pm Ember Days, Chapel

Saturday, September 20
9:00 am Clara Barton District of UUA Leadership Conference, Dudley, Mass.
6:00 pm Ember Days, Emerson
7:30 pm Libana Concert, Sanctuary

Sunday, September 21
9:00 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
9:45 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
10:30 am Music rehearsal, Fellowship Hall
10:45 am Coffee, Fellowship Hall
10:45 am Music rehearsal, Sanctuary
10:45 am Programs Fair, Fellowship Hall
11:15 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:15 pm Coffee, Fellowship Hall
12:15 pm Programs Fair, Fellowship Hall
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel

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 electronic publication and wish to have your email address added, just ask. © Unitarian Society of Hartford

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 09/11/08 9:4AM)