USH-Enews for September 20, 2007 Print Only Edition

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Refurbished classroom reflecting the Board's concern to focus on the religious education of our precious youth, a theme also noted in President Young's address to the Men's Group and John Stowe's sermon. And, we hasten to add, by the hard working crew who carried out the improvements during the summer. Here are their names: John Bengtson, Jesse Richter, David Newton, Janice Newton, Cynthia Reichler, Charles Huntington, Gail Syring, Bill Young, Janine Chapdelaine, Leona Mae Page, Christopher Colaterra, Sheila Ward, Janabeth Ward, Abigail Ward, Ed Sax, Stu Spence, Ginny Berrien, Dan Wuertz, Louise Schmoll, Randy Wuertz, Peter Magistri, Nina Benin, Kathy Ferguson, Hugh Schweitzer, and last but not least, our organizer and project leader Skip Berrien. Let's hear an electronic cheer for the entire crew!

And while we are at it, many thanks to the members of the B & G and RE Sub-Councils and the staff all of whom helped and supported this important work.

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 line, or past issues of the weekly USH-Enews click here.

Office hours: M-F 9-3 (excluding W 10 -11); Rev. Jamestone: Phone: 860 233-9897; Email: RevBJ@USHartford.com - Rev. BJ office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday by appointment.

Contributors please take note. Next week's USH-Enews will be a double edition covering both 9/27 (9/30) and 10/4 (10/7) for next week.

Sunday - 23 September - Language as Key to Peacemaking - What we say and what we hear are often the crux and cure of any argument, whether between persons, groups, or countries. Rev BJ will offer an introduction to a communication model created by Marshall Rosenberg, called, Nonviolent Communication, which is being taught and used by families and UU congregations, as well as prisoners and political groups as a peace making tool.

Music - Moses Hogan was the master of gospel and spiritual compositions and arrangements, and is the musical ideal for all composers in that idiom. “Hear My Prayer,” a deeply-felt song of the spirit, is our musical offering for ICEJ this Sunday. Sylvia Goldstein is a remarkable composer who lives in West Hartford and creates simple, lovely melodies to Hebrew liturgical texts. In honor of the High Holy Days her song, “The Healing Path,” will be sung as a solo.

Musical Call to Worship - Passacaglia by Andre Raison (1650 – 1719)
Postlude - Gloria Tibi Trinitas by Thomas Tallis (? - 1585)

In our study of conversation and voice, our Musical Call to Worship and Postlude explore the concept of different musical voices coming together. The Passacaglia revolves around a constant melody in the lower parts of the organ while the upper voices are constantly shifting; supporting, and enhancing the melody. Gloria Tibi Trinitas uses only two musical voices throughout the entire piece. The two parts play off of one another, mimicking and arguing, but eventually finding their way to a pleasant musical agreement.

REflections on Children's Programming - What Did You Learn in Religious Education Today? - For every parent who has ever asked this question on the way home from services and heard the word "Nothing" from the back seat, the RE program is now providing "Car Questions" after every class. Car questions are a grade-specific handout that outlines the lesson of the week, and topics or wondering questions for further exploration on the ride home. If you have any questions or suggestions about this material, please feel free to contact Gail at: dre(at symbol)ushartford.com.

Please note - Rev. Jamestone's introductory lecture on, "Nonviolent Communication: Toward an 8th UU Principle," has been rescheduled to Tuesday, September 25, 7:30 PM. More

John Stowe's sermon, Alone Together, of September 16th is now on the web for your reading pleasure.

From the Editor: Contributors please take note. Next week's USH-Enews will be a double edition covering both 9/27 and 10/4. So, we will need announcements, and notices covering both Sunday 9/30 and 10/7 submitted next week.

A Sunday Morning View from the Parking Lot - A week ago Sunday, Bill Young and I attended both the earlier service at 9:00 AM and part of the11:00 service, so that we could fully experience the Ingathering “festivities”. It was a busy Sunday morning of intergenerational services, with 56 people at 9:00 and more than 240 at 11:00. When we left at about 11:30, we took a quick spin around the parking lot. It was almost completely full, including a few cars in unmarked, “illegal” spaces. It was clear that we were very close to capacity and that anyone arriving at 11:00 or a little after would have had trouble finding a space. In one sense, this is gratifying, but membership gurus tell us that visitors who encounter an overfull parking lot may have difficulty perceiving that there is room for them among us.

This year, Bill and I plan to regularly attend both services, but we know that parking is easier and more comfortable at the earlier service right now. If you haven’t yet experienced the 9:00 AM service, please consider it in the Sundays to come. It is a lovely, intimate gathering for you and for our visitors and we’d love to see you there. As Membership Chair, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. You can call me at 233-3234 or e-mail: martha1551(at symbol)att.net. - Martha Page, Membership Chairperson

Men’s Group Hears Stimulating Lunch Speaker - On September 18th the USH Men’s Group guided by Chris McClurg met for lunch and speaker, USH President Bill Young.

Bill’s experiences as a UU include most of his adult life, having been a member and President of UUS:E in Manchester some years ago when they were young and lacking traditions, and having held a variety of offices in USH and our District in recent years.

In his remarks, he noted we are addressing some major issues for UU’s everywhere. He said quite a few older small and medium congregations have closed their doors in recent years while other new groups have sprung up elsewhere. From an historic point of view, we Unitarians are probably at the close of trends and choices made after World War II. Today, we need to think about where our congregation might be in 2030 or 2040, because we may be setting the policies now that will influence the course of USH growth and change for the intervening years.

Bill noted we are doing a good job of looking to congregational health and stability. This is reflected in our ongoing effort to define the professional ministry. Just what is the minister expected to do as we vision our kind of congregation?

Stable finance is essential to congregational Health. The number of pledge units, a decent overall measure of financial health, declined at USH from 2000 until this year when the trend stabilized if not reversed. And, we are pleased to note, the average pledge size has increased significantly for this fiscal year. At the same time, in the last three years we have gained much better control, in the sense of understanding and cash flow, over our budgeting so that annual expenses do not spill over into subsequent fiscal years Meanwhile, congregational members have gained confidence in the budgeting process as " financials" are regularly published on the web and made available at the office for all to see and understand.

President Young noted we have simply failed to properly address leadership development in the past. The Board is now taking concrete steps to remedy this situation. All this is coupled with penetration of the practical aspects of the new governance structure down into the membership were the Council Structure is used for decision-making.

During discussion, Bill LaPorte-Bryan pointed out that most potential new members mention two factors when they consider joining. If they find themselves comfortable at USH, and they find the religious education programs their children need, they join. President Young noted the Board has placed a renewed and vigorous interest in the area of RE and results are beginning to show:

David Newton suggested among the three Unitarian choices in the greater Hartford area, perhaps we might aspire to having our identity described as the friendly congregation.

Our leadership has recognized the cycles occurring in RE attendance and have addressed it with what appears to be encouraging results this year. Emphasis will continue on that area of programming.

In passing, President Young mentioned the second year with a minister is a critical year in the development of the minister-congregational relationship. Something we all must consider as we move forward.

In terms of hopes and worries over the long term, we must consider our age structure, what we can offer to a hyper-busy younger adults, from both two parent working households, and single parent households. How we can provide not only a religious environment, but also provide a respite on Sunday from a crammed schedule while offering limited and defined opportunities to give back something to the Society? How can be even our demographic age distribution, recruit workers to fill the gaps of the present retiree groups fill with the labor, and offer a religion attractive to and valued by the culturally diverse communities that will predominate in the future?

The group with 18 in attendance adjourned into a bright and sunny afternoon, symbolic of the rising fortunes of USH! - DCN

This past spring, Peg Otto asked me to chair the Welcoming Congregation (WC) Social Justice Sub-council. We talked, we walked and then we talked some more. Eventually, I agreed to replace Peg as chair of the WC.

That was the easy part, as it was spring and I had several months before I actually had to do anything. GULP. Fast forward to fall 2007 and I realized I had little working knowledge of what the WC truly meant and the process our congregation went through to get where it is today.

I did some reading on the UUA website – this link was extremely helpful, and educated myself. I learned that a Welcoming Congregation integrates and celebrates LGBTQI lives and concerns in every aspect of congregational life. While work like this is ongoing, I see and feel our congregation doing this on a regular basis.

I thought the WC was a social outlet for a group of people who have historically been oppressed by religious institutions, and while it may serve this purpose, apparently that is not its mission, simply a part of it.

Imagine my joy as I looked at the long list of the WC committee members – upwards of 35 people – a large committee by any standard. Hopefully, many of these individuals will join me this year in visioning the future of the Welcoming Congregation at USH. My concern lies in the fact that the list is mainly comprised of LGBTQI folk along with very few allies. I know this is not representative of the very welcoming energy at our Meeting House.

This is anathema to what the WC is – and in my experience just plain wrong. My years as a Women’s Studies major taught me many valuable lessons about oppressed groups. Foremost among those lessons, I learned that oppressed groups cannot, no matter how hard they try, end their own oppression.

I invite our many allies at USH to consider joining with the WC this year to grow what Peg and all the dedicated WC committee have worked so hard to attain – our Meeting House as a truly welcoming place of worship – a place where people of all sexual orientations can come together in community without fear – leaving room, therefore, for true connection as full human beings in our congregation.

The first meeting of the Welcoming Congregation will be held at the USH Meeting House on October 5, 2007 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Brian has booked the library for the meeting, entitled – What is Ahead of Us? - I hope it will be too small to hold the joy, enthusiasm and number of USH friends and members who choose to attend. Peace. - Lisa Gabrielle

Thursday, September 20
9:30 am International Women’s Circle, Fellowship Hall
5:30 pm Univ Ha parking lot usage
6:30 pm Performing Arts Sub-council, Clocher Home
7:00 pm Rental, Ballou

Saturday, September 22
10:30 am Rental, Chapel
7:00 pm Tierra Mestiza Concert, Sanctuary

Sunday, September 23
8:00 am Music Rehearsal, Chapel
9:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, CHAPEL
10:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
11:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:00 pm Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel

Monday, September 24
6:30 pm Survivors of Incest Anonymous, Fuller
7:00 pm Artist’s Way, Servetus

Tuesday, September 25
7:00 pm Nonviolent Communication Lecture, Sanctuary
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, September 26
6:00 pm Dharma Gathering, Emerson
6:30 pm Tai Chi, Fellowship Hall
7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Thursday, September 27
7:00 pm The Dorothy Day Story, Sanctuary

Sunday, September 30
8:00 am Music Rehearsal, Chapel
9:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, CHAPEL
10:00 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
10:00 am Children’s Choir Intro, Chapel
11:00 am WORSHIP SERVICE, SANCTUARY
12:00 pm Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
12:00 pm Council on Social Justice, Library
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel

Italicized entries are non-USH events. - Please notify Brian Mullen (233.9897) of all additions or changes to the calendar. More general calendar information covering several months may be found here

Openings on Finance Sub-Council - The newly constituted Finance Sub-Council will meet at 6:30 PM on Monday, September 24th at the Meeting House. Core members include the Council Chairs, At-Large Board members, and key staff.

Any other members who have an interest in offering their perspective, talents, and efforts to the pool of fiscal wisdom of our congregation are most welcome to attend this meeting before deciding whether or not to commit themselves to actually being a part of the Sub-Council. Expect refreshments, information, and a warm welcome. Please contact Margaret Leicach at 214-3974 or mbleicach(at symbol)comcast.net to let her know that you plan to attend.

Mothers United Against Violence - will hold a "Street Revival for Peace" at the corner of Albany and Blue Hills Avenue Saturday, September 22 from 3 to 6 PM.

We are invited to join our neighbors there. For more information: Rev. Henry Brown, 538-5490. I will be in the church parking lot at 3; let's car-pool. - Joan Kemble, IASC

Change of Date for Circle Dinner: To avoid conflict with the Holly Near concert, the October Circle Dinner date will be changed from Saturday, October 20 to Friday, October 19. - Marion Kelliher.

Fool for Christ - A One-Woman Play Portraying the Life of Dorothy Day - September 27 More

From the Adult Programs Sub-Council - Don't miss out on the many Fall Programs offered! Come and Register this Sunday in Fellowship Hall following the 9 and 11 AM services. While there, be sure to pick up your copy of the new Fall Programs Catalog. The Catalog is also on the web.

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Programs starting soon: An asterisk * identifies the New Programs offered. Please note the daytime program starting on Thursday, October 4.

" Ember Days," Friday and Saturday, September 21, 22, 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Led by Rev. Jamestone, this first of four seasonal observances will include spiritual exercises and time for personal introspection in silence. Come to any or all of the sessions.
* "Tai Chi for Health," Saturday, September 22, 10:30 - 11:30 AM. This one session exercise program, using Tai Chi principles, will work on flexibility, balance, increased range of motion, and coordination. Instructor Monika Forstner will guide the class through a series of 'forms', each a series of succession of slow and relaxing movements with a focus on the breathing. Please call the office(233-9897) to register if you're interested in this or the following program.

* "The Six Healing Sounds," Saturday, 22, 1:00 - 3:00 PM. During this two-hour workshop with Monika Forstner, you will learn the sounds associated with the five elements - earth, water, fire, metal, and wood - that, in Chinese medicine, relate to our well-being. The Healing Sounds are combined with movement and will be done in a sitting position.

"The Artist's Way," begins Monday, September, 24, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Using the widely used text, The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron, this class is for those of you whose inner artist is locked deep inside and struggling to get out. Diane Cadrain and Helen David will serve as facilitators for this popular program.

* "View from the Center of the Universe," begins Tuesday, September 25, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Dick Edwards will lead a four session discussion based on a book by the same title and written by Joel R. Primack and Nancy Ellen Abrams. Matters of astronomical proportions will be discussed.

* "Nonviolent Communication: Toward an 8th UU Principle" October 3, 10, 17 & 24, 7:30 - 9:00 pm. Attend Rev. Jamestone's introductory lecture on Tuesday, September 25, 7:30 PM, no fee. You may attend the lecture and not the course, or the course and not the lecture, or attend both.

"Pathways to Membership," Monday, October 1, 15, 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

* "Mindfulness in Every Day Living," begins Thursday, October 4, 10:00 - 12:00 Noon. This course is for those wanting to bring more balance and joy into their lives. Led by Sylvia Gingras-Baker, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) and Patricia Barone, MSW (Masters of Social Work), LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), participants will be guided towards healing and renewal through meditation exercises, presentations, and discussions.

Sign Up for Fall Small Group Ministry Before It’s Too Late - The fall Small Group Ministry groups are filling up, so you should sign up soon. We still have openings in the following groups: Monday evenings at the Meeting House, a creativity-themed group facilitated by Carol Shoemaker and Lisa Gabrielle (one opening); Thursday evenings in Simsbury facilitated by Bev Prager and hosted by Louise Willett (two openings); and Thursday afternoons at Seabury facilitated by Mike Roy and hosted by Flo Grieb (three openings).

We may add another evening SGM group, depending upon interest, so please put your name on a waiting list if your desired groups are full.

You may consult the Adult Programs Catalogue for more information. Please sign up at the registration table on Sunday, September 23, or by contacting the USH office. - Mike Roy

A Ray of Hope - GHICEJ is cosponsoring A Ray of Hope, a fund raiser for an urban youth ministry in Hartford on Thursday, September 27th More

"Volver" Opens Friday Dinner & Movie Series - On October 12, "Volver" will open this season's Friday Night Dinner and Movie Series at USH. This 2006 movie is "ripe with female characters and embroidered with flourishes that hint at Hollywood's Golden Age, . . . one of Almodovar's finest films. It is also one of his “most emotionally delightful,” according to a Denver Post review. It is rated R for some sexual content and language.

Our catered meal will reflect the Spanish location of this "magical tragicomic melodrama" as it is termed on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

"Volver" was one of the nine films chosen by previous film attendees during this summer's voting. The other top-ranking titles include a recent hit ~ "Away from Her," a foreign favorite ~ "Avenue Montaigne," a literary adaptation ~ "The Color Purple," a political movie ~ "Letters from Iwo Jima,” and a cult classic ~ "King of Hearts.” The complete list with dates is available at the Programs Table and on the USH website. On the website, start on the home page (left side), select Spiritual Life and look for Adult Programs.

Dinner and Movie tickets include popcorn and beverages at the 5:30 PM social hour catered candlelight dinner with dessert (always a chocolate option!), coffee, and tea (6:00), followed by movie (7:00) on our new large screen TV, with optional discussion afterwards. Reservations may be made at the Programs registration table during Sunday coffee hours or by calling the USH office at 233-9897. Please indicate if you prefer a vegetarian meal when you reserve. Make reservations by the Monday of the movie week, so we have the correct numbers for our caterer.

There was a terrific number of films nominated for this season, and a terrific number of folks voting. A special thanks to all who participated!

Caring Network - "What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?" — Jean-Jacques Rousseau, French philosopher (1712-1778)
- You are the ears of the Caring Network. Diana Heymann is the Chair of the Caring Network. Please tell Diana (heydiana(at symbol)comcast.net) 860.461.0908, or call the office when you learn of any of our members enduring the stresses of life so we can reach out to those in need. - Offer your services. A wide range of community services are available to help you. Call InfoLine at 211.

Artist and Activist Holly Near in Concert - co-presented by The Unitarian Society of Hartford, and Love Makes A Family, Saturday, October 20, at 7:30 PM at the Unitarian Meeting House, 50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT. More information and ticket details.

Ministry Matters: Strengthening Lay & Professional Leadership - A program presented by the UU New England Conference - Saturday October 27, 2007 Beechwood Hotel, Worcester MA 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM ($90 per person). You can download the pdf brochure that is available on this web page.

Two Rooms, by Lee Blessing - Directed by Jared Towler - (Our own Debi Freund appears) 9/21-30 More

Fall Seaside Get-Away - The UU Society of Martha’s Vineyard is hosting its annual Columbus Day B&B week-end October 6 to 8. More

Connecticut Humanists meetings schedule and newsletter available on the web.