June 14 - 20, 2018
The CommUUnicator
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Society of Germantown
Building Beloved Community
THIS WEEK:
On Sunday, we celebrate fathers and hear Rev. Kent's sermon on five ways to communicate love. We also look forward to General Assembly and the leisure, warmth and fun of summer as well as to some thoughtful reading and films.
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In Worship, 10:30am
How Do I Love You?
On Father’s Day people often experience a wide range of emotions, including gratitude, regret, joy and pain. One aspect of the complex relationships that people have with fatherhood involves the different ways in which people express love. In his book
Five Love Languages
, Gary Chapman identifies five specific languages of love: “quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service and physical touch.” How do we both develop and appreciate the abilities to speak these different languages of love?
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We Share The Plate this Sunday...
with Covenant House Philadelphia
CHP serves young people under 21 years old who are in desperate situations. They may be homeless, have HIV+ and/or are LGBTQ. CHP helps these young adults find housing and support in Philadelphia and eventually become self-sufficient. To learn about CHP's many activities,
please click here.
Please give what you can on Sunday.
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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 and friends.
Our CSD programs of the regular Church Year have ended. On Sunday, June 24, we begin our Summer CSD Program
.
Finding The Spirit Through Music
will be for 7-year-olds and older, unless parent and DSD feels it appropriate for a younger child to participate;
Summer of Arts and Crafts
will be for 6 years-old and younger, unless parent and DSD feels it appropriate for an older child to participate. Details will in next Tuesday's SPIRIT email and on the
Usguu.org
website under the Spiritual Development tab.
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
Meditation, reading, dharma and sharing are offered in Sullivan 3 on the
First and Second Sundays of the month between 9:15 and 10:20am. All are welcome to join in quietly.
On the other Sundays the space is open for those who choose to come and sit. For information on meditation,
click here.
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
At 12:00pm, attend
UU-101
in the Daskam Room.
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, June 24, 10:30am
Live Stream of Sunday Morning Worship at the UU General Assembly
Come to USG to join in this powerful, communal worship experience with the largest annual gathering of UUs via live stream from Kansas City.
The Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray (pictured here) will lead the worship this year. She is the ninth president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the first woman to hold the office. After leading the UU response to Arizona’s anti-immigrant laws in 2010, she became lead organizer for the Arizona Immigration Ministry and a key organizer of the 2012 Justice General Assembly. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Harvard Divinity School. She lives with her husband, the Rev. Brian Frederick-Gray, and their nine-year-old son, Henry.
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Ending Racism Monthly Movie:
10,000 Black Men Named George
Wednesday, June 20, 7:00pm, Daskam Room
The powerful docu-drama of the first Black-controlled union, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. When the Great Depression struck America in the 1920s finding work was hard, but if you were poor and black it was virtually impossible. Working as a porter for the Pullman Rail Company was an option, but it meant you could forget about being called by your real name — all Black porters were simply called “George” after George Pullman.
As A. Philip Randolph, a black journalist and socialist, agrees to fight for the Pullman porters’ cause and form the first black union in America, livelihoods and lives would be put at risk in the attempt to gain 10,000 signatures of the men known only as “George.”
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Midsummer Solstice Celebration
Sunday, June 24, 7:00pm, USG Grove
Join us for a Celtic Midsummer Solstice celebration in USG's Grove in back of the church (weather permitting). Chant! Sing! Bring your drum and watch the Oak King battle the Holly King. If we are lucky on this spirit night, perhaps a faery will join us around the bonfire. . . . As always, light refreshments and lively conversation follow. Contact Donya at
[email protected]
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Difficult Conversations: Patriotism
Tuesday, June 26, 7:00pm, Sullivan 3
For more details,
click here
or go to the Upcoming Events section on the USG website. We have more than a quorum but there is still room for a few more participants. If you would like to join in the Conversation, contact
[email protected].
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SAVE THE DATE
UUPLAN Leadership Day, Saturday, October 13
Members and friends of UUPLAN (our PA Legislative Advocacy Network) who are wanting to brush up on leadership and advocacy skills are invited to our Leadership Day in Harrisburg. Contact USG Liaison Dennis Brunn for more information (215-242-2099 or
[email protected]
).
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Join POWER in a March for
Wednesday, June 20, 1:00pm
Pennsylvania State Capital,
501 N 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA 17120
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ERC Book Group:
Welcome to the fifth annual summer reading series! Every summer, the Caucus of Working Educators and the Teacher Action Group – Philly organize book groups focused on social justice for educators, students, families, and community members in Philadelphia. The Ending Racism Committee at USG will sponsor three evening meetings (5:30 - 7:30pm) held in the Edna Jones Room at USG dedicated to the book,
So You Want To Talk About Race
by Ijeoma Oluo.
Dates: Thursday, June 28; Tuesday, July 10; Tuesday, July 24
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Lincoln Drive Closed This Weekend
Full weekend closure of Lincoln Drive from Wissahickon Avenue to Wayne Ave., starting 9:00pm Friday, June 15 until 6:00am Monday, June 18.
Read more.
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USG's Summer Office Hours
Last two weeks of June:
The office will be
open
from 9:30am until 2:30pm on M, Th, and F; it will be
closed
on Tu and W.
In July and August
, our hours will be 9:30am until 1:00pm, M through F.
We urge you to call ahead - 215-844-1157 - if you need entry to the building. You can also contact
[email protected]
.
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BOOKS NEEDED
Our brand new Little Free Library is in need of more books! It’s already close to being empty. Do you have books to contribute? Please feel free to put them in the library! If you have a box full (or more) to donate, please contact Jenn Leiby to arrange storage at
[email protected]
. Help us spread the joy of reading.
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Did You Know?
Since launching in March, the Annual Campaign has reached 82% of its 2018-19 $370,000 goal. We now have $304,000 in pledges, and 63% of our Members and Contributing Friends have made their pledge. We greatly appreciate your continuing support of this Beloved Community.
--The Stewardship Committee
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MAY 2018 UPDATE ON
USG’S ELEVATOR AND DRIVEWAY PROJECTS
We are very pleased to announce that we’ve moved even closer to making an elevator installation and driveway improvements realities! Final bids for the elevator project came a hair ($180) lower than the projections. In addition, we’ve been awarded $40,000 from the USG Chalice Lighters Grant Program; this amount reflects our full request and is the maximum that can be awarded. Even with this grant, though, we still need to raise an
additional $16,000
in order to complete the full project. Several generous congregation members have already increased their capital campaign pledges to help close the gap.
If you too are able to help us close the gap, please contact Bill Dowdall at
[email protected]
.
Kudos to Linda Bernstein who spent many long hours communicating with Chalice Lighters representatives, gathering background information and data, and drafting a compelling application narrative. Our successful outcome is a testament to Linda's high quality work and to the worthiness of our project.
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AUCTION EVENTS YOU CAN STILL JOIN
Help raise more money for USG AND have fun! If interested, please contact Kay Weiser at
[email protected]
or 215-527-3179.
Jewish Immigrant Philadelphia
with Lynne Kalish on
June 24
, 2018 at noon. 2 hour tour. 13 openings. Travel back in time walking through the Jewish Quarter of Philadelphia. Car pool from USG after the service at noon and start the tour at Society Hill Synagogue. Adults: $15.
Annual 4th of July Parade and BBQ
at Deb and Howard Silver's home in Glenside. There are 8 openings. Cost for an adult is $20. 3:00pm is the start time.
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USG Still Needs Cutlery
We
do
still need spoons
-
teaspoon size - and forks!
If you can help, please do! Shop your pantry, yard sales,
Smile.Amazon.com
and help USG avoid putting more plastic in landfills.
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Nicky Brown Scholarship Opportunity
If you are a pledging/paying member of USG or have been a contributing friend for two (2) years or more, your college-bound son/daughter can apply for a small stipend, the Nicky Brown Scholarship. Please contact Shawn Miller at the email or phone number below for an application. All applications are due by July 31, 2018.
[email protected]
, 215-631-9958.
Photo is of Nicky Brown.
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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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Please
click here
to learn how to use this convenient tool.
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Thank You, Villagers!
Thank you so much to all who participate! If you are willing to coordinate Fellowship Hour for your Village, please let Treva Burger,
[email protected]
know. Below is the schedule for
Fellowship Hour Hosting in June.
- June 17 - Village 8
- June 24 - Village 9
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Donations Requested:
Help First Universalist Church of Southold, NY, Rebuild
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Greater Philly UU Cluster
Spring & Summer Events
Please register by June 30!
A Labor Day weekend getaway filled with fun, relaxation and loving community. Join members and families of Philadelphia area UU churches for this fun fest at Camp Canadensis in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. MLUC has a minimum that they are trying to reach by June 30, so please register before then if possible. Thanks! For more info, visit:
http://www.mluc.org/community/community-weekend. See attached flyer.
Highlights: a group sing-along, annual talent show, and a book discussion with Rev. Neal of the UUA Common Read,
Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry
.
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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, June 14, 6:30pm, Drop-in Young Adults Small Group Ministry group. For more information, please contact Stephanie Bonner at
[email protected]
or on Facebook where they maintain an active invite-only activities group.
CAMI (Citizens Against Mass Incarceration)
- Fourth Monday, June 25, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact
Nancy Anderson
.
Caregiver Support Group
- Second Friday, July 13, 11:00am - 1:00pm. At USG. Contact
Maura Gallagher
.
Choir Rehearsal
- has now ended for the church year.
Dialogue
- The last session was Tuesday, June 12.
ERC (Ending Racism Committee)
- First Sunday, July 1, 12:00 - 2:00pm. At USG. Contact
Barbara Dowdall
.
Exploring Elderhood
- On Summer Hiatus until September.
Finding Our Roots - EarthSpirit Circle
. First Monday, except for holiday weekends: (September 10). Next meeting is July 2, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact Donya Coldwell at
[email protected]
.
Humanists - PUSH
-
Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
, Fourth Sunday, June 24, 12:00pm. At USG. Contact
Paul Teti
.
Men's Group
- Third Tuesday, June 19, 7:30pm. At USG. Contact
Mark Thompson.
Mindfulness Meditation with Rev. Kent
- This program has ended for the church year.
Nature Walking at Valley Green - Every Monday and Thursday at
9:00am
(please note new summer start time), you can meet others - whoever shows up- at Valley Green in Chestnut Hill for a morning walk.
NEW Point Person is
Steve Conrad, who is usually there.
Needle Exchange, a Handwork Group
-
Next meeting will be July 11
,
1:30 - 3:00pm, off-site.
(Usually
First Wednesday). Contact
Margaret Thompson
.
Open Small Group Ministry
- Second Sunday, July 8, 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,
[email protected]
, or just show up.
UU-101
-
Third Sunday, June 17, 12:00-1:00pm.
UU-101
is an Introduction to Unitarian Universalism, held at USG in the Daskam Room, and childcare is provided. Please let the leaders, Eric Foster and Charles Gabriel, know that you plan to attend by emailing them at
[email protected]. If unable to email, you can call Charles at 215-801-2711.
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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
Greater Philly UUs - Social Justice & Other Greater Philly UU News
P.U.S.H. Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
Exploring Elderhood
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Our thoughts and prayers are with...
...Beverly Gross Spencer
, our lovely alto soloist and her family. Beverly will be undergoing heart bypass surgery in the next few weeks at Lankenau Hospital. We will report on ways to help Beverly and Tim when their needs become known.
...our Music Man,
Mark Daugherty
, has re-scheduled his surgery for Tuesday, June 19. We will keep you updated as to any needs he has.
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We warmly congratulate...
...
Mark Bernstein and his family
. Mark, who served as a judge in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas until October of 2017, had his judicial portrait unveiled in a ceremony on Tuesday, June 5. The portrait now hangs in Room 246 of City Hall where it can be viewed.
...Rev. McKinley Sims,
a former Intern Minister at USG,
who has just been selected as the contract minister at our sister Philadelphia church, the UU Church of the Restoration on Stenton Ave. Kin will begin work at Restoration later this summer.
Caring Team
Linda Bernstein (chair), Sarah West, Rev. Kent Matthies
If you are aware of any joys or concerns that should be part of our caring system, please let us know. You can email
[email protected]
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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