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USH-Enews For December 20 & 27, 2007
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Robin in a snow storm. The season of faith and hope is upon us. Photo by Carol Cooper
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.
Worshipping Together Since 1830 - Services at 9 & 11 AM
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Office Closed Schedule
Tuesday, 12/25
Wednesday, 12/26
Thursday, 12/27
Friday, 12/28
Tuesday, 01/01Sunday - 23 December - Let Christmas Come - an intergeneration service of reflections revolving around the season of Advent and the spirit of waiting with hope.
24 December - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas! The halls are decked with boughs of holly, the purple candles have been lit, and all that we need to celebrate the last Sunday in Advent is your family's holiday finery! Come to the December 23rd intergenerational services dressed as carolers, Santa, reindeer or one of the twelve days of Christmas. Wear your best blinking hats, shining ornament earrings and holiday socks. Or just come in your favorite Christmas morning feetie pajamas! However your family celebrates the season, please come dressed to share your joy with our church family.
4 PM Christmas Eve Service - Bring the entire family and your house guests to gather round the hearth and tree for a joyful family oriented service! Infants and toddlers are welcome at this family friendly service.10 PM Christmas Eve Service - A candle light service featuring beautiful music and a quiet, reverential atmosphere. In the December darkness we will emphasize connections to people and to Christmases past.
In lieu of a monetary offering, please bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the Horace Bushnell Food Pantry.
Sunday 30 December - Rituals of Releasing and New Beginnings - New Year's Eve is a time of reflection on the past and celebration of the future. What can be released from your life to make room for the person you would like to become? Elemental rituals will be explored.
Music - (23rd) Walter Gwardyak is the Dean of Music at the Hartford Conservatory and teaches Jazz Piano, Traditional Harmony, Acoustics, Jazz Ensemble &
Arranging. He is a former member of the Buddy Rich Band, and has performed in concert with numerous jazz greats as well as having performed at four Presidential Inaugurations in Washington D.C. He is the director of the New England Jazz Ensemble and received the Connecticut Commission on the Arts award for Jazz Composition and Arranging in 1999. He is a USH member.
Jazz musicians interpret music by creating new settings, providing new harmonies for existing melodies, and playing improvised variations on the original theme, etc., thus creating a uniquely personal view of the original music. The interpretations of this morning’s holiday themes combine various jazz styles, including swing, be-bop, jazz waltz, ballad, gospel and blues.
The Choir’s anthem is “Bethlehem Down,” a poignant setting of Bruce Blunt’s poem by his companion, British composer Philip Heseltine who published under the name of Peter Warlock.
"When He is King we will give Him the Kings' gifts, Myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown, Beautiful robes", said the young girl to Joseph, Fair With her first-born on Bethlehem Down.
When He is King they will clothe Him in gravesheets, Myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown, He that lies now in the white arms of Mary, Sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.
Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight, Winds for the spices, and stars for the gold, Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music, Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold. Here He has peace and a short while for dreaming, Close huddled oxen to keep Him from cold, Mary for love, and for lullaby music Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.
Katie and Megan LaPorta have been singing together in their mother’s church choir since they were very young. Katie received her Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from UConn last year and is continuing there towards her Master’s degree. Megan graduated last year from CCSU with a Bachelor of Arts in Performance and is continuing her vocal studies. Their sister Jessica LaPorta also will join us with the alto harmony for the Youth Choir anthem.
Our children’s choirs are directed by Katie LaPorta, assisted by Aubrie Nelson who leads the Chalice Children.REflections on Children's Programming
Guest at Your Table boxes should be returned on January 6, 2007 as part of our celebration of Epiphany Sunday. Special thanks to our middle school class who will assist in the counting and sorting of the change collected.
Family Programming - There will be several new family-friendly programs at USH this spring, including Small Group Ministry for Families; Nonviolent Communication for Families; and Evensong for Families. Look for these and other quality offerings in the Program Catalogue in January, or contact Gail Syring for details at: .
Arts Sunday - Sunday, December 30th will be an Arts Sunday, when all the children in attendance will participate in a multiage art project. Join the RE Family as we Make Our Own Calendars in the Spirit Play classroom after the Time for All Ages. Individual classes will not meet separately.From the Editor: This is a two-week issue. Thanks to those who responded to last week's survey. It helps to hear from our consumer-readers.
This Week’s Feature ArticlesDon’t Miss Hilaritas
USH and Jean
Spirituality Retreat
A Note from BJ
The Purple Wrist Reminders are HereDon’t Miss Hilaritas on the 23rd! - This Sunday the 23rd, at both services, we celebrate our winter holidays with the music of members and friends of our congregation, with special focus on the holiday of this week, Christmas, the core meaning of which is love. We will bask in that love as it comes to us in the time and talent many people have invested to bring this service to us. Thank you dear musicians all.
The word “Hilaritas” is loosely (not grammatically!) translated as, “Live joyfully and be proud of who you are.” And that’s just what we’ll do on this intergenerational Sunday with a wide range of music for all ages. Wear your reindeer nose or antlers, jingle bells, or other Christmas gear! Come dressed in PJs, as a caroler or Santa or even a giant present, as we sing out the joy of the season. Chancel choir will present at the 9 AM service and children at the 11 service. Jazz musician Walter Gwardyak brings us piano magic to both services, along with reflections from Rev BJ.
The Purple Gratitude Game Wrist Reminders are Here! - Pick up your ‘aid’ to the spiritual practice of gratitude on Sunday the 23rd and return it in worship on January 6th.
Throughout the holidays wear your bracelet each day, with it’s printed reminder to, “Speak Well and Live Gratefully.” When you find you must say something critical or hard to hear (about our church family, or family and friends elsewhere) if you remember to preface the statement with TWO kind, caring, and appreciative statements, then switch the bracelet to the other arm.
At the end of the day, make a mental estimate of how many times your wrist reminder switched arms!
I look forward to sharing the 4 PM Christmas Eve service with you, before taking a late plane to be with my family in Virginia for Christmas Day. Many of you have expressed gladness that I will be making this trip, and have shown many other expressions of your regard for me and my life and work among you in our shared ministry. Thank you for helping me to give our hearts and hands a home, a home from which we can love the world in each particular form of the incarnation presenting itself to us that day, and from which we can stretch our hands to help and to heal those we meet who are in need of what we have to give.
You are in my thoughts and prayers, with deep well wishing for joy and peace throughout the holidays, and as we move into another new year yoked for the work of the gospel—the good news of our faith that we are one, and there is more. - Rev BJ
Spirituality Retreat - Sign Up Today to reserve YOUR space at our Winter Spirituality Retreat next month!
WHO: Up to 35 members and friends of the USH. (Several spots are already taken...!)
WHEN: Friday (late-afternoon into early evening), January 18th (with dinner) through Saturday mid-afternoon, January 19th following a full breakfast and lunch.
WHERE: At Incarnation Conference Center In Ivoryton, Connecticut, a 45-minute drive down Route 9 toward the shore Check out this beautiful and historic Conference and Retreat Center online at incarnationcenter.org.
HOW: Send a check, noting "Retreat," or call the office to pay be credit card, for $135 per attendee by Friday, December 28. (January 4th is the final date to sign up, space permitting.)
BONUS! All who wish may stay another night and enjoy a potluck Saturday dinner and/or Sunday breakfast, exploration of the 700-acres of natural beauty and/or nearby sites -- for FREE!
ACCOMODATIONS: Each of us will enjoy our own, private single bed room so that we may read, recline, reflect and/or be refreshed at any point during our stay. All rooms come furnished with linens, blankets and towels; a lovely view through the window; and individual thermostats,) A number of shared multiple-use bathrooms are at the end of both short bedroom wings nearest to the main conference room.
RETREAT SPACE: The primary meeting space will be the largest of three conference rooms. This central room includes a massive, stone-walled fireplace (and all the wood we wish to use!), various up-to-date technical resources and a 24-hour kitchenette with a full refrigerator, microwave and hot-and-cold drink supplies. Two smaller meeting rooms will be used during smaller group sessions, and we will all enjoy some R&R in the four-season, window-walled porch overlooking nature's beauty.
If you decide to stay into Sunday, you might like to:
A Reminder: If you're tempted (or all set) to enjoy all this year's retreat has to offer, let the office know ASAP!!! Our Winter Wonderland Retreat must be paid in full by January 4th! - Deb Meny
USH and Jean Stewart Friar - I am not sure when Jean first arrived at the Meeting House pushing her walker with some difficulty and invariably wearing a smile on her face. Whenever it was, it was clear to all of us how much USH soon meant to her. She was consistently present at services, at the Friday night movies, and a spectrum of other events. Her mobility issues did not slow down her passionate interest in things USH and the lives of those who surrounded her.
When she moved recently we all missed her for a few Sundays while she worked out the arduous task of figuring out how to reach her car from new digs and thereafter making her laborious way to USH once again. When we called to see how she was doing during this period of time, she informed us of her struggles in the new accommodations and the friends who helped her out with the transition.
After Sunday Services Jean could frequently be seen at "Jean's " table chatting with John Barlow, members of the Bengtson family, Robert Wysocki, and various others. She radiated warmth and was surrounded by the warmth of others.
As you know Jean died last Saturday. She was 88 years old.
Frequently as Unitarians we are hard on ourselves presuming somehow because of certain of our intellectual underpinnings we fail at the normal human business of being warm, caring and cordial with one another. In this case warmth surrounded Jean at every event and after every service. We were clearly at our best.
Deep thanks are due Jean and all the other participants in this chapter of her remarkable life. We only participated in a small part, but our participation was unreserved, warm and caring!
Funeral services will be Thursday, December 20 at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, beginning with visitation at 5 PM and closing with a brief Service of Remembrance at 7 PM - DCN
What Else is Happening & Announcements
The Giving Tree - The Giving Tree will be collected this Sunday due to the cancellation of last week's Services.
Check Out Your Toys - In line with our directive to advocate for a healthy environment, we recommend you see www.Healthytoys.org where you can check out products, and learn about chemicals of concern. - IASC
Say YES to Yourself in the New Year - Do you long to be your own true self? See Program planned for January 5th by the Artists' Way More
CT Common Cause, a Founder's Perspective - Hear social activist and USH member Sid Garvais talk about the past and future work of Common Cause at 1 PM on Sunday, January 6 in the Chapel.
photoIn 1971, Sid offered the use of his and Betty's living room for the meeting which resulted in the formation of CT Common Cause. He helped "pry open the doors of government and shed light on a process that went largely unchecked."
He worked tirelessly for the creation of the State Ethics Commission and passage of comprehensive campaign finance reform.
No advance registration needed; no fee. The Youth Group will be selling soup at the noon coffee hour or you may want to pack a sack lunch.See This Great Idea - for holiday giving, or for yourself, on sale & taking orders in Fellowship Hall Sunday.
The Better World Shopping Guide - How Every Dollar Can Make a Difference
By Ellis Jones
This is the only comprehensive guide for socially and environmentally responsible consumers available. It contains over 15 years comprehensive research distilled into a pocket-sized, shopping-friendly format, ranking every product on the shelf from A to F - turning your grocery list into a most powerful tool to change the world. IASCFrom the Adult Programs Sub-Council: Ember Days will continue to be celebrated this Friday and Saturday, December 21 and 22 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Led by Rev. Jamestone, this second of four seasonal observances will include spiritual exercises and time for personal introspection in silence. Do come to one or both of the sessions!
Registrations for the two January Artist's Way programs will be taken Sunday the 23rd following the 11 AM service or you may call the USH office at 233-9897. See one and two. Fliers will be available at the Registration Table. You may also want to take a look at the interesting books for purchase at the Adult Programs Book Cart. Among the offerings are:
Collected Meditations: Gifts of Life by Patricia Frevert, Ed.
The Circle of Simplicity by Andrew Cecile.
Understanding the Bible by John Buehrens.
Hartford Unitarians 1844-1994 by Freeman Meyer.
Coming soon: Connecticut Common Cause, A Founder's Perspective, Sunday, January 6, 1:00 PM in the Chapel. Sid Garvais who was instrumental in the formation of the CT Common Cause will tell us about its past and future work. Registration is not needed. MoreSoutter Cards from Paintings Available 23 December - More
Disabilities Sub-Council Focuses on Mental Health Issues - More
The Holidays: How can I survive them? More
Caring Network - One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries."
A.A. Milne - 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.Further Down The Road (About 30 Days)
An Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction - Sharon Gutterman, Ph.D. Based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.- Full Catastrophe Living Offering on January 26th More
Re-scheduled Program: Denise Ackeifi on Traveling and Living in Ghana - 1 PM, Sunday, January 20, 2008 - More
Save the date - February 16th 2008 - An Evening of Heart and Soul at USH featuring dinner, dancing and lots of chocolate - Watch for details (prior date listed was incorrect).
Time for a New Round of Circle Dinners - Next Round of Dates : February 29, April 5, and May 10. - Enjoy being with old friends and meeting new ones. More
Follow this Link to all our scheduled events!
External Events and Educational Notes
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)
In Celebration & Gratitude - Our heartfelt gratitude to Skip Berrien and Kathie Ferguson for their continued efforts renovating the classrooms. Take a moment to see the new artwork in the nursery this week!
Did You Know? - One NASA scientist said the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free by the end of summer in 2012. What then?
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