USH-Enews Ocrober 15, 2009 Print Only Edition

The Departing Season
USH-Enews is a weekly email newsletter produced for members and friends of the Unitarian Society of Hartford. The USH web address is: http://www.ushartford.com/ Check at the end of this USH-Enews for information on submissions, subscriptions and escape from the mailing list or to find past issues of the weekly USH-Enews click here.

Office hours: Rev. Jamestone: Phone: 860 233-9897; Email: RevBJ@USHartford.com - Rev. BJ office hours by appointment.

Worshipping Together Since 1830
One Service 10:30 AM

Sunday - Annual Pet Blessing - Bring Fido or her photo as we remember St. Francis and express gratitude for the love shared with pets. BJ Details

October 18 is the “third Sunday” of the month with a less formal and more interactive service. The music too is varied and encourages congregational singing with our cantor, Melissa Paul. Please join her enthusiastically and energetically as she leads hymns and songs for this service celebrating love for “all creatures great and small” and featuring the Pet Blessing ceremony.

MCW: The Happy Farmer – Robert Schuman (1810-1856) Cassio Fulop, Cello
Offertory: Colors of the Wind – Menken/Schwartz – Melissa Paul, Soprano
Postlude: I’ve Found a Friend – Robert Thygerson

After Sunday service, look for universal healthcare petitions to sign at the Information and Advocacy Sub-Council (IASC) table next to the UUSC/Equal Exchange coffee/tea/chocolate table in Fellowship Hall. Joan and Tom Kemble; Edith and Ed Savage, and Peter Magistri will be most grateful for your signatures.

REflections on Children's Programming

Multigenerational Worship Service

This Sunday, October 18th, we will offer the annual Pet Blessing Service to recognize the Feast of Saint Francis. Bring your pets (live, stuffed or imaginary) to worship to celebrate the great joy they bring into our lives. Please be sure to protect the health and safety of your pet by bringing a leash, harness, cage or carrier as appropriate.

There will be no individual classes this week as all children are invited to participate in the worship service.

Youth Group Social Justice Project

This weekend our youth group will Sleep Out In Boxes to raise awareness about homelessness. They will be collecting contributions to be given to My Sister's Place. Please give joyfully and generously.

Gail M. Syring, DRE

From the Editor: Suggestions for Contributors. Contributors will please note the deadline for the USH-Enews is 4:30 PM on Wednesday before publication later Wednesday evening. It is difficult to produce the USH-Enews in eight hours, more difficult to produce it with submissions arriving at the deadline of 4:30 PM and impossible to revise in the late evening including post deadline submissions.

This Week’s Feature Articles

Blessing of the Animals
Board Takes Action
Friends of Music
Honoring Life by Planning Ahead
Make a Difference now!
War Memorial Exhibit
Kristallnacht with World Premiere Performance
President Clarifies Ministerial Compensation

Blessing of the Animals Sunday, October 18 In the Sanctuary

Pet Owners!
We hope you will take this opportunity to receive a special blessing for one who is so special in your life. Please use your knowledge of your pet’s comfort-level around other animals to decide whether to

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bring the pet him/herself or a photo of your pet. Bring whatever you need (leash, carrier, aquarium, cage, harness, etc.) to keep your pet contained during the service and while they are on the grounds of the Meeting House. STUFFED pets are welcome for blessing as well. As you enter the Sanctuary, please follow the signs (“dogs,” “cats,” “other”) to sit in the section designated for your type of pet. “Pet Free” Zone will be available.

Pet Memorials
To honor the blessed memory of a deceased pet, you may bring a small memorial item (collar, photo, pet’s toy) and place it on the ‘pet memorial’ altar in the foyer as you enter the sanctuary. You’ll find cards and a basket there. If you wish, write the name of your deceased pet on the card and place it in the basket. After the service we’ll bury the cards in our pet memorial garden, and share a brief ritual for any pets who have died in the past year—please contact Gail Syring with information about the pet you want to remember and name in the ritual.

UFETA—Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals needs you! Introduce your child to the heartful component of compassionate giving and service to those charities which support our interdependent web. Consider making a contribution in honor of a pet -- http://www.uua.org/ufeta

Board Meets - On Tuesday night, October 13, the Board met and conducted the following business:

Passed a motion to create a Friends of Music Fund, the purpose of which is to raise $6,000 to support our music program this year. Contributions to this fund are intended to be above and beyond our current year pledges and must be donated prior to December 1. Should contributions exceed $6,000, excess funds will be applied to reduce any unpaid leave for our staff.

Decided that our second Economic Conversation will be held on Sunday, December 6 following the worship service. The focus of the conversation will be eliminating the need for an unpaid leave for our staff and discussing our priorities for next year as we begin the budgeting process for 2010-11.

Confirmed that eliminating the need for an unpaid leave for our staff is the first priority for use of any additional budget surplus. It will be the sole use of the excess holiday letter proceeds beyond $2,000 and the music fundraising beyond $6,000.

Passed a motion to experiment with our organizational structure in order to focus on our financial priorities and ensure increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Effective immediately, Amy Hines will move from Community Within in order to develop a planned giving and special giving program. Bill LaPorte-Bryan will move from Social Justice to replace Amy in Community Within. Bill Young, currently chair of Social Justice, will replace Bill LaPorte-Bryan as board member for Social Justice until June 30. We will ask Bill LaPorte-Bryan, Bill Young, and Karl Peters (board member for Spiritual Life) to function as both council chairs and board members in order to increase communication among the councils and to assess the need for/role of the chair position. Joe Rubin, chair of Administration, will remain in his position as it will become increasingly important as we attend to our financial challenges.

We have begun the church year in relatively good financial shape. Please go online for financial results and details

Friends of Music Seek Support - Friends of Music Fund Drive ( And we know that each one of you is a "friend" of some kind of music.)

During the months preceding the end of June, 2009, Mattie Banzhaf, Music Director and Reverend Jamestone worked together, collaboratively and diligently, to develop a music program outline for the 2009-2010 church year (July-June), which would assure that each congregant would be happy with most of the music most of the time. Working within the budget, to that end, musicians were auditioned, interviewed and hired.

At the very end of this process, the Board found it necessary to cut, by $6,000, the music budget, upon which the above plans had been based. This $6,000 is the amount we needed to pay our talented choir section leaders, who also are our soloists, whom you have heard perform during the past month. You have also heard the choir perform and you need to know that, without these strong, vibrant, secure professionally trained voices, the choir could not as ably perform the wonderful range of music we sing. So, again, without the $6,000 there would have been no section leaders.

Reverend Jamestone felt strongly that the music program should continue as planned and made the decision to personally guarantee the $6,000 so that this could happen. I was present when Reverend Jamestone made this pledge and, subsequently, decided that I wished to do something to assist her in making good on her guarantee and to provide the congregation an opportunity to support the music program. I asked Nancy Mandly and Carol Sexton to form, with me, the “Friends of Music.” We invited Mattie to a meeting and wrote a proposal, which was submitted to the Board and the Stewardship Committee, to institute a “Friends of Music Fund” for the initial purpose of raising the $6,000 to cover the current music budget shortfall. At their October 13 meeting, the Board approved the formation of “Friends of Music.”

Because “Friends” has promised the Board that our fund drive would in no way interfere with other stewardship activities, we need to conduct and conclude our campaign in October and November. In this vein, we also are asking contributors to make all donations in addition to their regular pledge and to not deduct a music fund pledge from an already made general pledge. Donations to the Fund are for the sole purpose of supporting the USH Music Program during the current fiscal year (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010). Should contributions exceed $6,000, excess funds will be applied to reduce any unpaid leave for our staff.

We, “Friends,” wanted to demonstrate our commitment to our goal, and so, on Wednesday evening, September 23, we asked fellow choir members to pledge to the Fund. By Sunday morning, September 27, we had collected $2,200 in pledges from current, and two prior, choir members. In addition, recently an anonymous member called me with a matching grant, a pledge of $500 to be given when any combination of new pledges from the congregation reaches the $500 mark. We are on our way.

Any contributions you wish to make to the “Friends of Music Fund” can be made by cash or check, by mail or in person, to the office staff or handed to Edith Savage,Nancy Mandly or Carol Sexton. Checks should be made out to “Unitarian Society of Hartford” with a notation on the bottom left, saying “Friends of Music Fund”.

All this so that the entire congregation, each Sunday, can participate in, be illuminated, transported, and emotionally uplifted by music, seamlessly enfolded into the worship service. Let us join our voices and hearts in sharing both communal and personal manifestations of faith, together, in the presence of love.

With sincere thanks,
Edith Savage
for the Friends of Music
Nancy Mandly
Carol Sexton

How and Where Can I Find a Way to Make a Difference, That Is Also a Match With My Ability to Participate Right Now?

Some version of that question is something I often hear, and my tendency is to respond with another question such as – What are you interested in and what is your ability to contribute? What are the barriers? What interests and excites you?

There are quite a few ways to become involved in social justice activities within USH and in some activities with groups with which we have close associations (such as the Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice – GHICEJ). Over the last few weeks there have been a number of examples and opportunities. Reading the USH-Enews over the next few weeks, will reveal others.

An opportunity I would like to point out is Hands on Hartford (www.handsonhartford.org), the successor organization to Center City Churches. It is a significantly different, modernized organization that both operates social service programs, and connects individuals and groups with specific volunteer opportunities. In addition, HoH has really moved forward in integrating technology, including Facebook, into its work. So, for example, as a Facebook fan of HoH, I received a notice on Monday this week of a need for coats at Sanchez elementary school in Hartford and who to contact (Kate Bradley at 728-3201 ext. 2011) for information.

It was a great example of a nonprofit organization using online social networking in addressing an immediate need. With all due respect for the wonderful things Center City Churches did, establishing 21st century capacity such as this wasn’t one of them. GHICEJ is also using Facebook now.

How social justice work is being done is changing, and in some cases changes rapidly with the technology. So, as we are trying to figure out as individuals and as institutions how to do the work we think is important, I suggest developing some familiarity with new and evolving approaches around us. - Bill Young, Chairperson, Council on Social Justice
phone:860-597-2627- email: billyoung55(at symbol)att.net

Council on Social Justice Sponsors Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial Exhibit 10/15 - 10/25 - The Iraq and Afghanistan War Memorial, exhibited by the Winsted Area Peace Action, is a memorial to the American soldiers and Iraqi and Afghan civilians who have lost their lives in the wars.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a large basket containing the portraits of 4,500 American soldiers including 4,000 killed in Iraq and 500 in Afghanistan. Each portrait was clipped from the New York Times and pasted to a little slip of folded paper. There is also a binder containing a partial list of Iraqi civilian deaths, and another with a series of photographs of Iraqi men, women and children, taken by a Maine peace activist. Finally, there is a book in which observers of the display can make comments if they wish to do so. We hope that those viewing the exhibit may better understand the enormity of the human suffering and the reality of the devastation caused by war.

The exhibit will be at the Unitarian Society of Hartford from October 15 through October 25. If you have any questions concerning the exhibit, please contact Bill Young, Chairperson of the Council on Social Justice by phone at 597-2627 or by email at billyoung55(at symbol)att.net.

Embracing the Other - (Editor's Note Please see the newsletter for the Sunday when BJ discussed Islam) Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding, inc, Hartford Seminary Jewish Community Relations Council and the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut

Invite you to an Evening Dialogue - “EMBRACING THE OTHER” - Tuesday October 20 , 6:45 – 8:30 P.M. - At: Beth El Temple, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford

Topic: How Religious People of Peace Can Transform Differences and Build Bridges of Understanding”

Presenters: HEIDI HADSELL, Ph.D., President of Hartford Seminary; Professor of Social Ethics

INGRID MATTSON, Ph.D., Director of Hartford Seminary's Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations; Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations; President, Islamic Society of North America

YEHEZKEL LANDAU, Director of Hartford Seminary’s “Building Abrahamic Partnerships" program and Faculty Associate in Interfaith Relations

We hope from this dialogue to:

Listen, learn, better understand, and move toward embracing the Other as a brother and sister;

Recognize what assumptions we make about the Other based on our differences of religions, nationalities, cultures, and genders;

Build bridges between us, break down barriers, and go beyond stereotypes;

Learn how others feel marginalized and shunned by perceptions expressed about their ethnic backgrounds and religions;

Learn how, wittingly or unwittingly, we contribute to and fuel misunderstandings that divide us and cast the Other as an enemy;

Identify, discuss, and resolve misunderstandings.

Program begins at 7:00 p.m. Please join us at 6:45 for coffee and dessert.

Advance registration not required. There is no charge for admission.

For more information please contact Jim Friedman, 236- 0580 or Courtney Bourns, 983-7894.

Community to Mark the 71st Anniversary of Kristallnacht with World Premiere Performance - West Hartford, CT 9/25/09 — “Darkness Descends,” a dramatic interpretation of one the most infamous nights in Jewish history, will premiere at Congregation Beth Israel November 7-9 marking the 71st anniversary of Kristallnacht. The play, featuring personal accounts of the Night of Broken Glass, is written and directed by West Hartford resident and congregant, Rae Tattenbaum.

“Eleven years ago, we presented our first Kristallnacht commemoration performance, focused on the tragedy itself” said Ms. Tattenbaum. “We decided to write and perform Darkness Descends in order to tell how and why it all started, explaining the story behind the story of what some say was the night the Holocaust began.” Kristallnacht was triggered by the assassination of a German diplomat by Herschel Grynszpan , a German-born Polish Jew. In a coordinated attack on Jewish people and their property, 91 Jews were murdered and 25,000 to 30,000 were arrested and deported to concentration camps . 110 synagogues were destroyed and thousands of homes and businesses were ransacked.

“It is our hope that the entire community will be able to join us during the three night run of Darkness Descends,” said Musical Director and Congregation Beth Israel Cantor Pamela Siskin. “It is our duty as Jews to re-tell the story whenever we can so it should never be forgotten.” Performances will be staged at Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, at 7pm on November 7th, 8th, and 9th. Tickets are $7.00 ($5.00 for students and seniors) and can be reserved by calling 860-233-8215 x233. - Diane Cadrain

Minister’s Compensation Clarification

At the Economic Summit held on September 27, one of the breakout groups reported concern that “the minister’s salary is out of line with a congregation this size and is significantly above UUA guidelines”. There is no need for concern; Rev. Jamestone’s salary and housing allowance is well within UUA recommendations.

The UUA recommends minimum, mid-point, and maximum amounts for salary and housing, based on congregational size, geographical location (we are geo index #5) and ministerial experience and education. The current guidelines include the following data:

Size	min	mid	max
mid sized 1 (150-249)	59,800	76,300	92,600
mid sized 2 (250-349)	67,000	87,100	10,7200
Average of 1 and 2 *	63,400	81,700	99,900

*When a congregation’s membership hovers around 250, the UUA “church staff finance office” recommends that an average of the suggested figures be used. USH reported 260 members to the UUA on February 1, 2009 and unfortunately our membership could decline further.

Rev. Jamestone's salary and housing compensation fall near the mid point in all three categories.

Should you have additional questions about Rev. Jamestone’s compensation package, please see her or me. - Carolyn Cartland

What Else is Happening

Adult Programs - On Sunday, during coffee hour, stop by the Programs Table in Fellowship Hall to ask any questions you may have about the fall offerings. Sunday will be the last day to register for the Women's Retreat at Senexet. You may also register by calling the USH office at 233-9897. Mark your calendars for the informative workshop, Honoring Life by Planning Ahead, on November
1st. (see story below)

You can read more about the fall programs on the web.

Our Chosen Faith, second and fourth Wednesdays, 7:00 PM, beginning October 14. Rev. Jamestone will lead this ongoing class to discuss Our Chosen Faith. This provocative handbook is a dialogue between two great Unitarian Universalist ministers based on the six sources of our living UU tradition. Please purchase and read the handbook ($16) before you attend. You can come to each, any, or all sessions. Copies will be available on Sunday at the Programs Table or call the office to purchase your copy.

Women's Retreat at Senexet, Friday, October 23-25. All women are invited to this wonderful Victorian retreat house for two days of rest, relaxation, and marvelous food. The weekend will begin with a fireside chat with Rev. BJ. Their will be a favorite book sharing, and special discussion of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. A list of optional pricing and other information is available at the Programs Table. more

Honoring Life by Planning Ahead: Making End of Life Decisions, Sunday, November 1, 12:30 PM. The Funeral Alliance of CT., Inc. will lead this informative workshop with openness, facts, and humor, on planning ahead about end-of-life decisions. There is no fee. More

Dinner and Movie Feature ~ November 6
“Gran Torino”

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On Friday, November 6 (note: a week earlier than usual), we will see this provocative 2008 movie from filmmaker and star Clint Eastwood.

Praise from two stunning reviews: “An extraordinary spiritual movie about an angry, lonely, bigoted old man [whose] his heart softened through his relationships with members of a Hmong immigrant family who live next door.” More

It is familiar, but only to a point. Suddenly, that point is past and much more serious questions come up, questions of responsibility, of vengeance, of the efficacy of blood for blood.” (Los Angeles Times )

Honoring Life by Planning Ahead, a joint Program offered by the Women’s Alliance and the Caring Network, will be presented by The Funeral Alliance of CT on Sunday, November 1st, following coffee hour, at 12:30 PM in Fellowship Hall. Soup may be purchased beforehand from the Youth Group. Drinks and desserts will be provided during the presentation.

Some of the topics to be covered (with openness, facts, humor and information) are: Health Planning, Advance Directives, Consumer Tips, Going Green and a host of other interesting and diverse topics. A large number of pamphlets will be available for participants to take home with them. Letting us know ahead, although not necessary, would help us plan for food, set up and allow our presenter to bring enough materials for all.

There will be a sign up at the Adult Programs table following Sunday Services on the 18th and on the 25th.

Interweave Meeting Planned - Mark your calendars! Our first Interweave (formerly Welcoming
Congregation) meeting will be on Sun., Nov. 8th at 12noon in the USH Library.

All friends of the GLBT Community are welcome to attend - looking forward to seeing you! - Greg Nickett

Healing America - The USH Men's Luncheon Group meets at Carmen Anthony's restaurant located on Route 44 in Avon. Meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month and begin at noon. The speaker for the meeting on Oct 20 is Tom Kemble.

The title of Tom's talk is - “HEALING AMERICA" Women are invited to attend.

On the Calendar

Thursday, October 15
3:30 pm Interfaith Religious Eco-Justice Network meetings, various spaces
5:00 pm NVC Gathering w/Rev BJ, Minister’s Study

Friday, October 16
5:30 pm Family Friendly SGM, Fellowship Hall, David, Emerson

Saturday, October 17
12:00 pm Rental, Fellowship Hall
Youth Group overnight event:
“Sleeping out in Boxes”

Sunday, October 18
10:30 am Worship, Sanctuary
11:30 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
11:30 am Blessing of lost pets, Pet Memorial Garden
12:00 pm Chapel Sing, Chapel
2:00 pm Small Group Ministry, David
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel

Monday, October 19
4:30 pm Menu for the Future, Library
7:00 pm Artist’s Way, Servetus
7:00 pm Rental, Ballou

Tuesday, October 20
6:30 pm Worship Associates, Ballou
6:45 pm Caring Network, Servetus
8:00 pm AA, Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, October 21
5:45 pm Meditation and Dharma Gathering, Emerson
6:30 pm Tai Chi, Fellowship Hall
7:15 pm NVC Practice Group w/Jan Bennett, Emerson
7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Thursday, October 22
9:30 am International Women’s Circle, Fellowship Hall
5:00 pm Compassionate Communication w/Paul Quin, Emerson
7:00 pm Membership Sub-council, Servetus

Friday, October 23
5:30 pm Family Friendly Small Group Ministry, Fellowship Hall

Saturday, October 24
10:30 am Rental, Chapel

Sunday, October 25
10:30 am Worship, Sanctuary
11:30 am Coffee Hour, Fellowship Hall
2:00 pm Small Group Ministry, David
3:00 pm Rental, Chapel
5:00 pm Rental, Fellowship Hall

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

Caring Network -“There are children playing in the street who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago." J. Robert Oppenheimer - 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)

Clara Barton District Fall Rally - November 7, 2009, Nichols College Dudley, MA 0157 More

Movie and Commentary - A Road to Mecca With Yahya Michot and Herb Brockman Wednesday, December 2, Hartford Seminary 6:30 PM, Free More

Social Justice Journeys (From the UUA) And from USH

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Green Topics - Green Sanctuary Sub-Council

You can request an item to share/borrow at the bulletin board outside entrance to Fellowship Hall. Check it out and see if there are items you can lend and help out our community and the environment.

External Events and Educational Notes

Hartford Chorale Chamber Singers - Saturday, October 17, 2009 7:30 PM Immanuel Congregational Church, Hartford For tickets see information see www.hartfordchorale.org

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