50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105 Tel: (860) 233-9897 / FAX 233-1333 Email: firstunitarian@ushartford.com Reverend Barbara Jamestone, PhD

Home Page- Link Central Questions and Comments	USH-Enews September 17, 2009 Jump to: Sunday Service; Calendar; What's Happening; Feature Articles; USH Needs You!; External Events; Further Down the Road; Social Justice Journeys; Green Topics ; A Matter of Opinion; Text only Printer Friendly Format
	Quiet Morning 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. USH is a religious organization as we all know. However, USH also plays a significant role in our hyper frenetic dispersed society. It is a place, outside of work, where you can meet people who will become your friends, people who will remain your acquaintances and friends even when you lose or change your job, the kids grow up, or your neighborhood friends move on. In short, it is a place where somebody knows your name, an island of some constancy in a world of chaos. In honor of this point of view, we offer two significant opportunities for you to meet people and get to know them beyond the casual hello at coffee hour or in the sanctuary after the Sunday service. Family Potluck Supper and Games Night September 18th - Are you ready for some fun with your fellow congregants?  Here’s a chance to let your hair down and test your wits at Apples to Apples, your hand at Jenga, or your vocabulary skills at Fictionary Dictionary. Well, for Unitarians' sake, get yourself, your family, and your friends down to USH’s Family Potluck Supper and Games Night happening on September 18th at 6 PM. ALL ARE WELCOME! Bring your friends too.  All for $5 for families or $2 for an individual, which can be paid ahead of time by registering at the Programs Table during Coffee Hour, or can be paid the night of the event.   We prefer that you register ahead of time by calling the USH office (860) 233-9897) - so we will know how many tables to set-up, but walk-ins will be welcomed with open arms!  If you did not sign up, feel free to come, but do remember to bring a dish of food, a beverage, and any particular game you’d like to play, and come share in some fellowship. This event is family friendly, but no childcare will be provided.  In addition, we ask for your help reducing the Meeting House’s waste and energy costs, so please bring your own plates, cups and utensils.  This will also eliminate the need to hire a sexton or have one of us spend a significant part of the evening in the kitchen.  We hope to see you there! Sign Up For Small Dinner Parties - Note: The name “Circle Dinners” is bring changed to Small Dinner Parties. There’s an early deadline (9/20) to register for  SDP's.   Register in Fellowship Hall September 20. (Or call Marion Kelliher, 286-2740 and mail your $2.00 to USH.) Small Dinner Parties are scheduled for October 3, November 7, and December 12.  With advance notice, we can find a substitute if you must miss a date.  Fee is $2.00 per household for mailing expense. Enjoy being with old friends and meeting new ones. Six to 10 adults are randomly assigned in different groupings for each dinner.  Host furnishes the entree, beverage and bread.  Guests are assigned to bring appetizers, salad, side dish, or dessert. Not everyone can host, but we do need hosts, so if your home can seat six, please host one dinner. Fanciness isn’t required--paper plates are fine if more convenient.  Getting together is what’s important! Register in Fellowship Hall during the coffee hour September 20.  Please note the early registration deadline: September 20.
	Worshipping Together Since 1830 One Service 10:30 AM Sunday - 20 September - Honoring our Muslim Neighbors: Celebrating Leyla Al-Qadr (Night of Power/Excellence) - "Revelation" is a key concept in religion. We will reflect on its relevance to UUism through an exploration of the Islamic holiday honoring the revelation of the Quran to the prophet Mohammed. Special Offering - We kind of goofed up last week. If you missed the special offering, we will repeat it for this week. You will have the continuing opportunity to make a gift as part of the special Good Neighbor offering. You may write a check (Mark Circle of Caring, or Pay it Forward, in the memo line) or contribute cash, or contribute a grocery gift card that you can purchase at your local supermarket. This offering benefits members and friends of USH by making available prepaid grocery cards. Bring your generous heart! If you read the notice in the USH-Enews last week and wrote a check marked COC or Pay it Forward, Brian has deposited your donation in the proper fund. Music: Entrance Voluntary - We Thank You Lord - Dietrich Buxtehude Postlude - Fugue in C Major - Buxtehude REflections on Children's Programming Religious Education Classes Spirit Play: Water Communion Second & Third Grade: Introduction to Heart Talk (Nonviolent Communication) Fourth & Fifth Grade: Toolbox of Faith: Faith Sixth & Seventh Grade: Introduction to World Religions Youth Group Activities: Discussion and Poster Making Gail M. Syring, DRE What Else is Happening Art News - As we gather for our Fall "beginnings" we have a wistful glance back with Connecticut photographer, Bruce McClellan's extraordinary exhibit, The Last Roses of Summer. USH Needs You! Directory Plans Different This Year - More Chapel Sing - The third Sunday of every month, beginning in October,  join Rev. BJ and staff musicians  for a half hour  post service “Chapel Sing,” which will begin 15 minutes after the worship service ends. You’ll have the chance to call out your favorites, and to get better acquainted with our “Teal UU Hymnal Supplement” as well. - BJ Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice Presents - Health and Race - Justice for All - A panel discussion to: Educate on racial and ethnic disparities in Connecticut; introduce the work of the Commission on Health Equity; share what others are doing to address health disparities and explore the role of Faith communities in eliminainge health disparities. The event will be held Thursday, September, 17, 2009 at 7 PM at the Faith Congregational Church, 2030 Main Street, Hartford, CT - Moderator: Rev. Michael Williams - Callings Support Group organizing -- September 20th - Calling all people interested in a Callings support group.  Let’s have an organizational meeting down in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, September 20, after service and coffee hour at 12:30 PM.  Let’s get together to ascertain the level of interest in such a group, discuss possible ways of carrying forward, and plot our next steps.  If you have a life calling or yearning that you have struggled to follow because of fear, other commitments, or other obstacles, or if you are trying to discern your calling, come check out this support group. Gregg Levoy, the author of Callings and a workshop leader last spring here at USH, recommends a callings support group as one of the support systems you can use to reach your full potential and lead the most satisfying life possible.   Date:  September 20 Time:  12:30 PM in Fellowship Hall Contact:  Joshua Schreier,    Schreier.joshua(at symbol)gmail.com If you missed the earlier emailing, just send a request to Josh at the above address and ask to be added to the callings listserv. Need For Food Greater Than Ever - More 2009 Fall Programs for Adults and Families - On Sunday, during coffee hour, stop by the Programs Table in Fellowship Hall to look through the Notebooks that include the fall programs. We'll be happy to answer your questions and you may register at that time. In the meantime, all of the fall programs are now available on the web . Sunday will be the last day to register for The Artist's Way and Small Dinner Parties, or you may register by calling the office at 233-9897. Looking ahead to October, be sure to read about Menu for the Future, Our Chosen Faith, and the first Friday Dinner and Movie of the 2009-10 season. September Programs: Nonviolent Communication Practice Group, Wednesdays, 7:15 - 9 PM. Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Wednesdays, ongoing, 5:45 - 7 PM. Ember Days, will continue Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19, 6 - 8 PM.   Callings Support Group, this Sunday, September 20, 12:30. An organizational meeting for all people interested in a Callings Support Group as a follow up to the workshop held in the Spring. The Artist's Way, Mondays, September 21 - December 14, 7 - 8:30 PM. This ever popular program returns for its sixth year at USH - for all those whose inner artist is locked deep inside and struggling to get out. Using the highly regarded, widely used text, The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron, USH member Diane Cadrain will serve as facilitator. Participants will purchase their own books. Compassionate Communication Practice Group, Thursday, September 24, and 2nd and 4th Thursdays through November, 5 - 7 PM.  Paul Quin will facilitate this program to provide a safe space to give and receive empathy using the Non Violent Communication process. Participants must have a basic understanding of NVC by having read Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg and/or participation in a NVC workshop. Nonviolent Communication Practice Group,Wednesday night NVC Practice group welcomes anyone who has taken an introduction class, or has read the book, “Non-Violent Communication, A Language of Life”, by Marshall Rosenberg, or equivalent book introducing the elements of NVC. The Practice group meets weekly from 7:15- 9 PM, with the intention of furthering understanding and the use of the components of NVC. By “practicing” with each other using such activities as readings, exercises, and sharing personal experiences, the intention is to improve on our skills to incorporate NVC into our everyday lives. Facilitated by Jan Bennett. Contact the office if interested, or just come! Sign up Now for SGM - Groups are starting to fill up, so you should sign up soon for fall Small Group Ministry, where small groups meet to share meaningful life experiences.  Please note the spaces available in each group.   Afternoon Groups; 1. Wednesday afternoons in West Hartford (Bruce Robbins facilitating):  0 spaces left 2. Sunday afternoons in Hartford (meeting house)(Marye Gail Harrison facilitating): 7 spaces Evening Groups: 1. Tuesday evenings in Bloomfield: Special readings on faith (Rev. Barbara Jamestone facilitating):  2 spaces 2. Wednesday evenings in Simsbury: LGBT plus friends (Fran Carnavale facilitating): 0 spaces 3. Thursday evenings in West Hartford (Gail Syring facilitating): 1 space 4. Friday evenings in Hartford: Family friendly group with dinner (meeting house)(Bill Shoemaker facilitating):  4 spaces To register or to get more information, call the church office at (860) 233-9897, or stop by the Adult Programs table after Sunday services.    Caring Network - All of us collect fortunes when we are children - a fortune of colors, of light and darkness, of movements, of tensions. Some of us have the fantastic chance to go back to their fortune when we grow up. Most of us don't have the chance - that is the tragedy. Ingmar Bergman - 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. Further Down The Road (About 30 Days) National Equality March October 11th More The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Have you read this charming novel of  WWII, set on the isle of Guernsey?  It will be the focus of a discussion during the Women's Alliance Retreat Oct. 23-25 this fall. More Social Justice Journeys (From the UUA) And from USH GHICEJ Seeks Support - for event scheduled for October 4th More	From the Editor:Suggestions for Contributors. This Week’s Feature Articles Opportunities to Make Friends USH Budget, Long Term A Company of Comrades A Look at Budgeting - Long Term - Do you consider USH your spiritual home and community? How do you want tend to your home? Do you know the current financial state of your community? Do you know how much money we all pledge to our community and how it is spent? We have scheduled a USH Economic Summit on Sunday, September 27 after the service. The purpose of this gathering is to share information about the congregation’s economic status, resources, and issues, and to gather your input to help develop a vision of the congregation’s economic future. We will plan to meet from 12-2:30 PM in Fellowship Hall with a light lunch available. (Talking money can be  hungry work!). Are you concerned knowing that the money we all pledged to USH dropped from $347,000 in 2008 to $315,053 last spring, a decrease of nearly $32,000? Do you know our staff may be asked to take an unpaid two week furlough next winter in order to balance our budget? Do you know how our Music program has been affected by the decrease in income?   We think you do want to know more about how much money we have and want to talk about how we spend it now and in the future. We all care about the sustainability of USH. And we know that we want to hear you talk about all these issues. We are all in this together as we figure out how to tend our circle of care.   So, please keep reading. We need your input because our current and longer term financial stability is at risk. In last week's Enews article, congregation President Carolyn Cartland announced the Meeting.  We encourage you all to come help us think about our financial future, where our money can come from, and how it should be spent.  Your thoughts, wisdom, and concerns about our economic priorities are critical as we begin the early thinking about our 2010-2011 canvass and budget development. While we do not intend to review the current year budget in detail, we will discuss the process that was used and how decisions were made. Information-sharing will include brief presentations (including graphs and pictures) by USH members about the sources and uses of USH funds, key internal and external expenses, the status and use of the endowment, comparisons with some other congregations, and related topics.   Sharing will be two-way with the opportunity for attendees to provide feedback, ask many, many questions, and engage in some "what-if" scenarios. We think you will find this worthwhile and useful, even if the thought of balance sheets and financial statements normally makes you cringe. Please plan to come.   If you have any questions please call me at 233-3234 or send me an email at martha1551(at symbol)att.net. And, of course, we would like your questions and input even if you are unable to attend.   Sincerely - Martha Page, Treasurer   A Company of Comrades - If you are, as I am, one who seeks meaning in symbols, the September 13 Ingathering Sunday at the Meeting House was a day for you.  After days of rain and gloom—indeed, after almost an entire summer of rain—the sun shone brilliantly, the weather was crisp, and we were all together again at the new/old 10:30 AM service.  So how’s that for a great beginning?!   And yet, multiple meanings and applications of water were an integral part of the service.  Reverend BJ told us that the USH’s annual Mingling of Waters is our version of the UU water communion that began in 1980 to represent water -- necessary for life -- and community.  And so long lines of us, using real, borrowed or virtual water from places significant and important to us, filled large bowls at the base of the Chancel. These waters from many places will now be boiled, frozen and used for important occasions.   We had just such an occasion during the service, when some of our special water was used during the Infant Blessing and Dedication for young Nicholas Charles Maskaitis.  Nicholas brought with him one of the largest contingents of parents, godparents, grandparents, family and friends we’ve ever seen. The happy child loved touching the yellow rose given him, all of whose thorns had been removed, traditional during naming ceremonies.  You may remember that, during the May Youth Service, our eight high school seniors were given vividly colored roses — with thorns.   Reverend BJ’s reading was from the Bible and was the story about a pool in Jerusalem whose water Jesus used to heal the sick. Today, Saint Anne’s church in Jerusalem, with its tiny garden and long, narrow reflecting pool, bubbling up for hundreds of years, draws those who come hoping that “something bigger than me really might exist,” Reverend BJ said.   We keep hoping our lives have purpose, and that our need to be made whole will be met.  Reverend BJ said that we need protecting, nurturing, connecting with a comrade, affection, freedom, identity, something new and transcendent, understanding  ourselves and others.  “So we come to places like this,” Reverend BJ said, “to reflect on the question asked by Jesus—‘Do you want to be whole?’…The miracle of healing may be found in the person sitting next to you.”   As we have happily come to expect, the music for Ingathering Sunday was carefully and appropriately chosen.  The full choir’s (16 wonderful voices!) Musical Call to Worship was the lovely Come Travel With Me (“Let’s go!  Whoever you are, let’s go!”). Reverend BJ spoke these words as her Benediction and Sending Forth. Our first hymn, Rank by Rank Again We Stand  (“from the four winds gathered hither”) was from the “Entrance Songs” section of the hymnal.  Tune Thy Music, sung by the choir during the Offering of Gifts and Music, highlighted the voices of the section leaders: Melissa Paul, soprano; Shannen Hofheimer, alto; Brian Webster, tenor; Miguel Vasquez, baritone.  The text invited us to express our emotions with simple truth, to sing without strained effort, and to show love. - Kayla Costenoble On the Calendar Thursday September 17 5:00 pm  NVC Gathering, Minister’s Study   Friday, September 18 6:00 pm  Ember Days 6:00 pm  Family Potluck and Games Night, Fellowship Hall   Saturday, September 19 6:00 pm  Ember Days, Emerson Sunday, September 20 10:30 am  Worship, Sanctuary 11:30 am  Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall 12:00 pm  Chapel Sing, Chapel 12:30 pm  “Callings” Group Meeting, Fellowship Hall 3:00 pm  Rental, Chapel   Monday, September 21 7:00 pm  Artist’s Way, Servetus 7:00 pm  Rental, Ballou Tuesday, September 22 6:00 pm  Rental, Chapel 8:00 pm  AA, Fellowship Hall Wednesday, September 23 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, September 24 9:30 am  International Women’s Circle, Fellowship Hall 5:00 pm  Compassionate Communication, Emerson Saturday, September26 3:30 pm  Rental, Chapel 7:00 pm  Hennessey overflow parking   Sunday, September 27 10:30 am  Worship, Sanctuary 11:30 am  Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall 12:00 pm  USH Economic Summit, 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 Green Topics - Green Sanctuary Sub-Council -The Green Table is back in business every week at coffee hour. Stop by and purchase environmentally friendly cleaning and paper products at really good prices. Any proceeds go towards the greening of USH External Events and Educational Notes Jason & Demarco in Concert 10/25/09: Center Church - The First Church of Christ in Hartford An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ More A Matter of Opinion:
	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
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