March 1 - 7, 2018
The CommUUnicator
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Society of Germantown
Building Beloved Community
THIS WEEK:
We kick off the annual Stewardship Campaign this Sunday with Kent in the pulpit and a free lunch in the Dining Hall!
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In Worship, 10:30am
Church Goers Live Longer and Better Lives
Rev. Kent Matthies with
Music Director Mark Daugherty and the USG Choir
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You don’t have to believe me. I am a biased Minister. In 2016, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a report based on over 74,000 women which documented life quantity and quality increase with regular religious community attendance. Unitarian Universalism and USG save lives and multiply blessings. Shouldn’t we be generously dedicated (including financially) to supporting USG? Come out to joyfully celebrate Pledge Sunday!
And stay AFTER the service for the
Stewardship Campaign KickOff
(Free!)
Lunch!
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All are invited to attend the Stewardship Campaign Kick-Off Luncheon this Sunday following the worship service.
The strength of our congregation and its mission to build beloved community is more important than ever. The launch of our Stewardship Campaign this Sunday not only affirms this mission but also gives us an opportunity to express what USG means to us.
Nothing to bring except a good appetite. Lunch is free and begins in the dining room immediately after the church service. See you there!
Bon Appetit!
Christine Ginsburg (chair), Rick Rodes, Eric Foster, Tammi Talda, Kate Connolly, Eileen Whelan and Gerry Whelan
The 2018-19 Stewardship Committee
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In Child Spiritual Development
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This Sunday morning,
children and youth
will be in the sanctuary with their families until 10:45am, when they will be sung out to their classes.
Our High School program
changes weekly. The High School Group meets in the evening this Sunday, March 4 from 6:00 to 8:00pm.
For a detailed schedule of Youth Group Activities for the program year,
click here
and locate the Youth Group column.
Please
click here
for details of the Child and Youth Spiritual Development programs.
Childcare for children 4-5 years old and younger is offered this Sunday and most Sundays from 9:00am - 12:00pm in the Committee Room.
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Opportunities
Before the Worship Service
Meditate in the Meditation Room
On the First and Second Sundays, the Mindfulness Group follows this schedule:
- 9:15-9:40 - Sitting meditation (in the Grove or in Sullivan 3)
- 9:40-10:00 - Walking meditation
- 10:00-10:20 - Dharma reading and sharing
All are welcome to join in quietly at any transition point.
Drop off nonperishable food items to the designated carts in the Kitchen for delivery to St. Vincent's Food Pantry.
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Opportunities
After the Worship Service
Enjoy a FREE LUNCH, compliments of the Stewardship Committee!
At
1:00pm, attend the monthly
Ending Racism Committee (ERC)
meeting in Sullivan Chapel.
SignUp
is the reminder tool USG uses to organize volunteers for our upcoming activities.
Click Here
to go to our group page to sign up online.
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Sunday, March 11, 10:30am
A Priest, A Rabbi, and a Lawyer Walk Into a Bar
Guest Speaker Rev. Madelyn Campbell
Who is our neighbor, and what does it mean to be neighborly?
Rev. Madelyn Campbell, a member of the Joseph Priestley District Board, a neighbor to the south, will explore these questions with us.
Image attribution
:
He, Qi. Good Samaritan, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library
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Sunday, March 4, 4:00 - 6:00pm
Edna Jones Assembly Room at USG
Join Kristin Shipler, Rev. Kent, and your best pals for great dance music, snacks, some instruction and loads of fun! An open auction event.
Click here for details.
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ERC Movie of the Month:
I Am Not Your Negro
Wednesday, March 21, 7:00pm
Edna Jones Assembly Room at USG
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Book Launch for Marietta Tanner’s new novel:
Saturday, March 24, 2:00 - 4:30pm
Edna Jones Assembly Room at USG
Book Description: While recovering from a breakup with the man she loves, a young African American woman decides to drive from New York City to Mexico with three female friends. In 1954, during the height of Jim Crow, the decision is both brave and potentially dangerous. For more information, contact Nancy Anderson at
nbandter1833@gmail.com
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Black UU History Presentation
Sunday, March 25, 12:00 - 2:00pm
USG's Sanctuary
The history of Black UUs is a rich one
and very important in understanding where our faith movement is now. All are welcome to
this presentation
by Intern Minister Connie Simon. (
pictured here
).
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JOIN THE OTHER SUPER HEROES
At the USG
Service Auction
Saturday, April 21, 2018
5:00pm
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- Live auction starts at 6:15pm.
- Sign-up for fun poster events.
- Bid on interesting silent auction items.
- Admission $10 per person.
- First time attendees are FREE.
- Childcare provided.
- Delicious refreshments and libations.
- Credit card payment available.
COME EARLY; BID OFTEN
WE PUT THE
FUN
IN FUNDRAISING!
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SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, June 2
for an
All Church Retreat
at
Diamond Ridge Conference Center
in Jamison. It is 45 minutes from USG and has excellent facilities for all ages: pool, pond for boating and fishing, street hockey, basketball and tennis courts, fields, mini golf, a beautiful indoor space for workshops such as yoga or meditation, and more. Details to come, but please save the date.
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Job Posting:
Director of Spiritual Development at USG
You may have heard that we will be searching for a new DSD. Though Jason Bender is irreplaceable, we hope our next DSD will be equally so. If you or someone you know has
a passion for guiding the hearts and minds of children, youth and adults, please
check this post out
.
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Join the MLK Day 2019 Team!
Are you famous for your organizing skills? We need YOU!
USG needs a volunteer to act as deputy organizer of the supplies for MLK Day 2019. Help is needed for advance planning, obtaining and assembling donated materials. Interested? Please contact Carolyn Scott at:
cwelchscott@gmail.com
.
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Assistance needed to research electronic lock and entry systems
The B&G committee and the Security Task Force are looking for someone to assist them in researching electronic lock and accessible entry systems to improve the security and ease of access to our church building. If you would be interested in working on this project or would like more information, please contact Gloria at
usgadmin@usguu.org
. Knowledge of these systems would be great, but not
required.
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One new email address for USG Communications!
For any communications questions or blurbs (
for weekly SPIRIT, CommUUnicator, Sunday Announcements, slide shows, etc.)
we now have
ONE
email address that will reach
both
Gloria and Carolyn:
communications@usguu.org
.
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We are excited to announce our new Give+ Text option for making pledge and contribution payments to USG!
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To give via text, please do the following:
1.Send text to this 10-digit Give+ Text number:
215-607-6191
2.In the message field, put the amount and the fund you wish to donate to, either pledge or stp,
example
: 25 pledge ($25 would be donated to pledge payment) or 30 stp ($30 would be donated to Share The Plate).
3.Press send.
4.You will receive a registration link, click the link and enter your contact and payment information.
5.Tap “Process.”
6.After registration is complete, you will receive a verification text as well as a receipt via email.
For future giving, simply send a text with the amount and fund you wish to give, and it will process automatically.
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Have YOU sent in YOUR photo yet?
Or is this still what appears next to your name?
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Thank You, Villagers!
Thank you so much to all who participate in the Village Fellowship Hours! If you are willing to coordinate Fellowship Hour for your Village, please let Treva Burger, trevawb@gmail.com know. Below is the schedule for
Fellowship Hour Hosting in March.
- March 4 - Stewardship Committee
- March 11 - Village 1 (see Elaine Hills)
- March 18 - Village 2 (see Betsy Gabriel)
- March 25 - Village 3
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Greater Philly UU CLUSTER News
Jubilee Anti-Racism Training
March 2 -4, Mainline UC, 6:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Jubilee Anti-Racism Training helps participants understand what is involved in nurturing a multicultural community and working against racism in all of its forms. The training includes presentations, discussions, videos, exercises, small group work, worship services, and shared meals. This workshop requires a weekend commitment; and it is worth every minute of that commitment.
WHEN: Friday, March 2 (6:00pm to 9:00pm); Saturday, March 3 (9:00am to 9:00pm); Sunday, March 4 (8:30am to 5:00pm)
WHERE: Main Line Unitarian Church, 816 Valley Forge Rd, Devon, PA 19333
FEE: $155 per participant (includes cost for trainers, meals and materials).
More info here.
Enrollment is limited to 40 participants, so sign up today!
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A Greater Philly Cluster (GPC) Workshop
on
"Path to Membership"
Saturday, April 24, 2018
9:00am - 12:00pm
UU Church of Delaware
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Announcing...
...A Greater Philly Cluster (GPC) Choral Workshop
to help plan the mass choir repertoire for a GPC music concert next church year.
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Main Line Unitarian Church in Devon, PA
12:30 – 5:00 PM
(12:30 – 1:30 Brown bag lunch; 1:30 – 5:00 workshop)
All ministers, music ministry teams, directors, choir members, and any member/friend (who’d like to sing in the mass choir) from the 14 GPC congregations are invited to the workshop. The goal of this workshop is to determine the repertoire for the mass choir in addition to forming a steering committee to help launch the first concert.
Click here
and
here
to learn more and to register.
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SAVE THE DATE
Sunday afternoon, April 29
Philadelphia Interfaith Walk for Peace & Reconciliation
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Get Involved! Meet Fellow UUs!
Follow links below to join and find out more information about the events and groups at USG that occur usually once a month. Questions? Click on the contact links.
20's & 30's SGM Group
- Second Thursday, March 8, 6:30pm, Drop-in Young Adults Small Group Ministry group. For more information, please contact Stephanie Bonner at
slbonner2@gmail.com
or Carly Danielsen on Facebook where they maintain an active invite-only activities group.
CAMI (Citizens Against Mass Incarceration)
- Fourth Monday, March 26, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact
Nancy Anderson
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Caregiver Support Group
- Second Friday, March 9, 11:00am - 1:00pm. At USG. Contact
Maura Gallagher
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Choir Rehearsal
- (Almost) Every Thursday evening, 7:30 - 9:30pm. At USG. Newcomers welcome. Contact
Linda Smith or
Andrea Parry
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ERC (Ending Racism Committee)
- First Sunday, March 4, 12:00 - 2:00pm. At USG. Contact
Barbara Dowdall
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Exploring Elderhood
- Second Friday gatherings, March 9, 2:00pm. At USG. Contact
Gerry Whelan
, ASD Chair.
Finding Our Roots - Earth Honoring Traditions
. First Monday, except for holiday weekends: (September 10).
Next meeting March 5
,
7:00pm
. At USG.
Goodbye, Hello!
We soon say a reluctant Goodbye to consummately dedicated outgoing EARTH chair Dennis Strain and Hello to gracious new chair Donya Coldwell. Contact Donya at
earth@usguu.org
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NEW: Flute Circle for All Ages - Every other Wednesday, 7:00 - 8:00pm, until
April 11.
Next circle March 14. At USG. Please bring your instrument, although some will be available. Contact
Jason Bender.
Humanists - PUSH
-
Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
, Fourth Sunday, March 25, 12:00pm. At USG. Contact
Paul Teti
.
Men's Group
- Third Tuesday, March 20, 7:30pm. At USG. Contact
Mark Tuveson
.
Mindfulness Meditation with Rev. Kent
- Every Thursday, 5:30 - 6:15pm. At USG. Contact
Rev. Kent Matthies
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Nature Walking at Valley Green - Every Monday and Thursday at 10:00am, you can meet others - whoever shows up- at Valley Green in Chestnut Hill for a morning walk. Contact
Tim Beckham, who is usually there.
Needle Exchange, a Handwork Group
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First Wednesday, March 7, 1:30 - 3:00pm, off-site. Contact
Gale Gibbons
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Open Small Group Ministry
- Second Sunday, March 11, 12:00pm, Daskam Room at USG. This group is available to people who want to try out Small Group Ministry or attend occasionally. For more information, contact Mark B,
mark.bangela@gmail.com
, or just show up.
UU-101
-
Please note changes in day and time:
Third
Sunday
, March 18,
12:00 - 1:20pm
.
UU-101
is an Introduction to Unitarian Universalism, held at USG in the Daskam Room, and childcare is provided. To RSVP or get more information,
click here
or email
uu101@usguu.org
. Starting in May and June, we welcome new leaders Charles Gabriel and Eric Foster, and we warmly thank outgoing leaders Andi Bernstein and Gale Gibbons.
UUJPIP
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UUs for Justice & Peace in Israel & Palestine.
Third Sunday, March 18, 12:00 - 1:30pm.
At USG. Contact
Walt Ceglowski
.
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Join A USG Facebook Group!
You can join a USG Facebook group as well as meet in person!
To find out about special events, post photos, and stay in touch, here are some of USG's groups and their Facebook links:
ASD (Adult Spiritual Development) facebook
CSD (Child Spiritual Development)
YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) A Closed Group great to know about and if desired, ask to join.
YA - Young Adults
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE:
UU Greater Philly Social Justice is changing its name to
"Greater Philly UUs" as this FB will now include other items as well as Social Justice
P.U.S.H. Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
Exploring Elderhood
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Our thoughts and prayers are with...
...
Nancy Dearden
who entered the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania on February 26 to receive four days of inpatient treatment. Nancy and Dave very much appreciate all the support they have received from the USG community.
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Our Caring Team
Linda Bernstein (chair),
Bonnie McDairmant, Sarah West,
Rev. Kent Matthies & Intern Minister Connie Simon
If you are aware of any joys or concerns that should be part of our caring system, please let us know. You can email
caring@usguu.org
If you call a caring team member and do not speak directly, leave a voice mail and your call will be returned ASAP.
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Tuesday's
SPIRIT
(not every Tuesday in the Summer) - Friday by 3:00pm
Thursday's Weekly
eCommUUnicator
- Wednesday by noon
Sunday's Announcements
- Thursday by noon
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The Unitarian Society of Germantown
| 215-844-1157 | 6511 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19119
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