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The Weekly
Update
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August 16, 2018
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AA Meeting
Saturdays
5:00 p.m.
Covenant Group
1st & 3rd Sundays
11:45 a.m-1:00 p.m.
Dialogue Group
2nd & 4th Sundays
11:45 a.m-1:15 p.m.
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Visit our YouTube channel to view our sermons
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Can you help?
Our church, through its Social Justice Ministry Team, supports the Food Pantry at St. Stephen's Church in Lynn.
Donations of non-perishable food items
may be left in the marked box
in the front hall.
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Weekly Update
Sunday, August 19 - 25, 2018
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Sunday Summer Services Continue
August 19 - September 2
10:00 a.m.
Our summer services are more casual than they are the rest of the year: our choir takes a break, our minister takes some vacation time, and our formal religious education program for children and youth goes on hiatus until the fall. Children of all ages are always welcome and we will have a comfortable playroom for parents who may need to take them out of the service if they get fidgety.
Most of the summer services will take place in the air-conditioned Parish Hall.
What doesn't change, no matter the season, is our need to be together, to connect with old friends and welcome new ones. We gather in the spirit of peace and reverence, taking a deep breath to prepare our hearts, minds and souls for the week to come. If you have questions about our church or about Unitarian Universalism, please don't hesitate to ask someone on the staff or to e-mail our minister. You can learn a lot about us on our website but we want to learn about you, too. It is good to be together.
Summer Worship Leaders
August 19: Claire Wilson
August 26: Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein
September 2: Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein
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A Request, An Opportunity,
A Challenge
Dear Church,
We have been presented with a request, an opportunity, and a challenge by our faith partners of ECCO (Essex County Community Organization). As you know, there is a great need for the sheltering of immigrants from the Trump Administration's deportation machine. At this time, there are many congregations around us that are ready to support individuals or families who will be guests in sanctuary, but no congregation has been able to provide the actual space for such persons.
UUCGL has the space, and ECCO has a grant to do necessary renovations to the space. ECCO also has a staff person who is dedicated to immigrant issues who would be handling the volunteer coordinating to support those in sanctuary.
Sanctuary is not a casual commitment. It is personal, it is spiritual, it is legal, it is political. So, we need to talk! We need to pray, to learn, to discern. A decision whether or not to become a Level One Sanctuary Church is not one that the minister, the board of trustees or the staff can make. We are governed by the democratic process and this question must come to the community of voting members.
Please plan to attend our last two summer services which will be dedicated to this question.
August 26 and September 2, 2018.
Here is an article about the First Parish UU In Bedford, which is a level one sanctuary church:
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Sharing Our Sunday Offerings
We will resume our 50/50 sharing of our Sunday morning offerings in September. One charitable organization or cause will be chosen each month and announced in the Weekly Update and the Sunday Order of Service Announcements.
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A Summer Walk in the Woods!
Capping off the Green Sanctuary Ministry's Team year long celebration of forests and woodlands, on Saturday, August 4th, several members of the UUCGL and their guests took part in a "forest walk" at beautiful Breakheart Reservation in Saugus. Though the sky threatened rain, the group was able to get in a good hour or more of exploration of the wetlands along the Saugus River Trail. Many of the flora that they had come to see
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cardinal flowers, blue vervain, fringed loosestrife, monkey flowers, Joe-Pye weed, pickerelweed, buttonbush, and a variety of ferns-were all out and putting on a delightful display for the world to see. Raindrops ultimately shortened the visit, but not before the group was able to take in the marvels of a lush green wetland at the height of summer.
The GSMT's theme this coming church year will be "Fresh Water - Rivers, Ponds & Wetland"!
Keep an eye out for invitations to upcoming nature walks and other events hosted by the GSMT.
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Lynn Unitarian Universalist
Partnership (LUUP)
The members of the LUUP have been working hard since receiving their charge from the congregation to fulfill our Vision of Ministry's stated aim that UUCGL develop an alliance with a community partner in Lynn.
The LUUP will be holding informational meetings and programming during the church year, including a reading of Toxic Charity. More information to come!
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By invitation of LUUP (our Lynn UU Partnershi
p
Task Force), we are invited to learn more about how churches can do
harm just when they're trying to do most good by reading Robert Lupton's Toxic Charity together.
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Sand
Castle Building
Contest!
Send photos of your creations to:
[email protected] . Or
dro
p t
hem off in the Green Sanctuary mail
box in the front lobby of the church. Prizes will be awarded in the fall!
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Remember H A W C when you travel this summer and fall
Don't forget to save hotel/travel-sized toiletries for HAWC. For many years, the UUW has been preparing gift bags every Christmas to donate to Healing Abuse
W
orking for Change. They are always most grateful for our church's generosity.
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Stop By Our Fair Trade Sales Area
Our Sunday Fair Trade sales area in the Parish Hall, operated by the Denominational Connections Ministry Team, has a variety of coffee, tea, chocolate and olive oil available. The sale of these products help to sustain small family farms that adhere to ecologically responsible practices. Proceeds from sales at UUCGL help support the activities of the Denominational Connections Ministry Team.
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Help Us Welcome Newcomers!
It's so important to have a friendly, warm, and welcoming presence in the foyer on Sunday mornings before worship. You don't need to be trained or signed up. Just greet people as they enter, get folks name tags, and point the way to our summer worship service in the air conditioned Parish Hall. Let's all help
newcomers feel at home!
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Does the Office Know Your Current Contact Information?
Please keep your name, address, phone number, and e-mail current in the church office. E-mail Elizabeth Muller with your correct information. Not sure what information we have on file for you? Call Elizabeth at 781-595-8836, ext. 10.
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Weekly Update
and Announcements Deadline
In order to submit information to our church's website in a timely manner, all announcements and weekly update information should be sent to Angie Kern at [email protected] by Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. Please also cc Elizabeth Muller at [email protected] .
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Covenant Group
Covenant Group is open to anyone from the church interested in learning about and experiencing small group ministry. Gatherings are 11:45-1:00 p.m.
in the "Faces" classroom, the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. If you are interested in joining this group, or even just sitting in to see if you like it, please speak to
Lyssa Andersson or Suzanne Forgione.
We encourage visitors to try it out for at least three consecutive sessions to get a real feeling for the group. One need not be a UUCGL member, or even a Unitarian Universalist to join a covenant group here.
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Dialogue Group
"Dialogue" is a way of practicing deep listening that enables us to share personal experiences and thoughts in a way that collectively builds a more expansive understanding of ourselves and the world around us. We move from reaction to connection. The dialogue is preceded by a short "discursive meditation." Dialogue and the discursive meditation are part of the method of Cafh, a path of spiritual unfolding. For information about Cafh: www.cafh.org; the discursive meditation: http://www.seedsofunfolding.org/issues/08_11/inspiration.htm and dialogue,
http://seedsofunfolding.org/issues/04_06/features_1.htm
and
The Dialogue Group meets the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 11:45 a.m. All are welcome when able to attend. Contact Ron Fishman at [email protected] for more information.
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Green Sanctuary Ministry Team
The Green Sanctuary Ministry Team
will be holding evening meetings at a parishioner's house every other month starting in September. All are welcome! This year's meeting dates are: Sept. 14, Nov. 2, Jan. 4, Mar. 1 and May 3. For more information, contact Toni Bandrowicz at:
[email protected] .
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