Upcoming Sunday Services

10:30am

in-person in the Sanctuary

and on Zoom

June 2nd, 2024

Dancing with the Divine

Rumni Saha, Guest Speaker

Triveni Dance Company, Guest Artists

In the sermon “Dancing with the Divine” Rumni Saha explores Nataraja's dance of divine creation, destruction, and transformation, drawing parallels with the cycles of life and death as well as the interconnection of all things, the search for spiritual enlightenment, the quest for truth and the pursuit of justice which our Unitarian Universalist Principles uphold.

About the Speaker

Rumni Saha considers herself to be a proud Hindu, a fierce Unitarian Universalist, and a devoted Religious Humanist. She is an active member of the Unitarian Church of Sharon where she has lived with her family since 2001. Rumni was a long-time Public School Educator, a newspaper columnist, and a regular contributor to the Huffington Post before receiving a Master of Divinity Degree from Boston University School of Theology in May of 2023. She currently serves as the Hindu and the Unitarian Universalist Chaplain at Wellesley College. Rumni considers India, her home country, as having given her roots and her adopted country, her wings. 

About the Guest Artists

Triveni School of Dance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and performance of Indian Classical dance, social awareness, and the celebration of cultural diversity. It was founded in 1971 by Neena Gulati, an accomplished dancer from New Delhi, India. The curriculum includes three forms of dance: Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi.

June 9, 2024

Fresh Starts

Caro Barschow, Minister

This month's theme for worship is Renewal. Many of us have had fresh starts in our lives. Sometimes they come because we seek them and other times they surprise us. There are times we are hungry for change and other times that we resist it mightly. How does our spiritual life impact how we respond to the invitation to start anew?

June 16, 2024

Music Sunday: Flower Communion

Caro Barschow, Minister

Ethan Hackett, Music Director

Holding a Flower Communion is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, diversity, and community. This ritual entered our living tradition about 100 years ago at a Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. Bring to the Sanctuary a flower from your garden, or share from a common bouquet. This ritual will celebrate with music from the Singing Group, the Bell Choir and a four-hands piano performance by Ethan Hackett and Judy Putnam.

*This will be NSUU's final in-person service prior to a summer break.

Church Announcements

Staff Transitions

As announced at the past Sunday service, Ariana LaMey-Colón resigned her position as Church Administrator last week. This may come as a surprise to many of us who found her to be very personable, friendly and eager to respond quickly to any requests made of her. While this is true, it is also true that, as she said in her resignation letter, that the job was "not a good fit" for her. We have accepted her resignation. The Board of Directors is actively making plans to staff open positions and provide temporary office coverage.

Many thanks to Buildings and Grounds volunteers who are re-stocking paper goods and taking out the trash to provide Sexton coverage. On Saturdays, a contract cleaner will be in the building to sweep and wash the floors, as well as clean the restroom facilities.

General Assembly is June 20-23

Each June, Unitarian Universalist Association holds a national conference called General Assembly. This year, the conference will take place exclusively online . Registration and program schedule available now.

Article II Workshop

Rev. Caro will present 2 workshops to review proposed changes to the UUA Bylaws Article II and provide time to dialogue about the changes as a congregational community. At this year's General Assembly, delegates will vote on proposed changes to the Bylaws. Learn more from the Article II Study Commission. The final workshop is:

Sunday, June 9 

Noon-1:30p

in the Sanctuary and on Zoom

Your GA Delegates Seek Feedback

Many thanks to Judy Putnam and Marty Langlois who volunteered to represent NSUU at the General Assembly business meetings. As Delegates, they will vote on the Article II Bylaws changes and other denominational business. If you'd like to share your input on Article II Bylaws changes, please contact Judy at judeputnam@icloud.com and Marty at langloismartha@gmail.com . You can also offer feedback at the workshop on June 9th. For more information on the proposed changes: Article II Study Commission

Office Notes

We are currently in a transitional phase for our pledges, as we continue to collect payments for the current year while also initiating the process for the new pledge year. To ensure clarity and smooth processing, I kindly request that individuals sending in their pledge payments via check specify in the memo:

1. That it's intended for a pledge payment, and
2. Which pledge year the payment corresponds to.

Example: Pledge 2024-25, or Pledge 2023-24



Providing this information in the memo facilitates accurate depositing of payments into the correct account. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

From the Board of Directors

Minutes from April 17, 2024

Board of Directors Meeting -

click link below

From the Social Action Committee

THIS SATURDAY

Danvers Pride Flag Raising and Festival is on Saturday, June 1^st from 12 to 3:30 pm. The Social Action Committee will have a table at this event on the library lawn. Rev. Caro served on the planning committee and will attend. Please come and help us show our support to the LGBTQ+ community and show that we are a welcoming church.

North Shore Pride Parade and Festival

Saturday, June 22, 2024

NSUU has participated in this event for many years carrying our banner. The assembly of the parade starts at noon. Join us if you can. Email Cheryl for more information at cbferris@gmail.com 

Danvers Food Pantry and Operation Troop Support

We continue to collect items for these important causes. Place your donations in the baskets located in fellowship hall. Thanks for your on-going support.

From the Green Sanctuary

Danvers Styrofoam Ban Passes ! ! !

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” – Margaret Mead (used with permission)

Margaret Mead’s words were never so true as at the 2024 Danvers Town Meeting.  After a year and a half of steady work, Bob Gamer and Linda Leonard (supported by other Green Sanctuary members) brought an article to the Town Meeting agenda to ban Styrofoam in Danvers food establishments.  The article passed on a voice vote!  This follows the successful plastic bag ban that we worked on several years ago, and proves that we CAN make a difference.

For a video of the 11-minute debate and passage, click here

For more details, click here

P. S. an amendment to the article made an exception for meat counters, which may continue using Styrofoam trays for the time being.  Other grocery and restaurant use of Styrofoam containers, however, will be prohibited in Danvers.

From the Art Committee

New Exhibit!

Merrimack Valley Quilters Guild

The Merrimack Valley Quilters Guild was formed in the summer of 1980 to encourage and develop the art of quilting. Members come from all age groups and live in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire towns in the Merrimack Valley. Seven quilters are exhibiting 22 quilts during the months of June and July.

Local Announcements

Andrea Kaiser has been able to secure 30 tickets to Sol Y Canto's 30th anniversary concert at Shalin Liu Theater in Rockport on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 5 pm. These are prime center orchestra seats in Rows E, F, G and H and discounted from $26 to $20. We need to confirm early. Please feel free to invite friends. Later we will decide if we want add a lunch somewhere. We will help arrange rides for those unable to drive. Contact Andrea directly to reserve seats. Ccstpg@verizon.net or 781 789 4841. 

Community Events

ECCO Statewide Housing Action with Sen. Tarr

NEW DATE: June 4th @ 6:30pm

Rockport Library, Brenner Room (17 School Street)

Join us for our next community action to demand that the state create real access to affordable housing for all who live here! This will be a great opportunity to hold our state officials accountable, especially for Sen. Tarr's constituents in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Hamilton, Wenham, and Ippswich; but all community members are encouraged to attend.

ECCO (Essex County Community Organization) is a multifaith network of 59 congregations and the North Shore Labor Council that works to create a world where everyone belongs, where we all can thrive, and where we all have a say in the decisions that shape our lives.  

If you'd like to be involved in the process of selecting our issues, recruiting storytellers, or arranging logistics, please reach out to Allen Lipton at allen@eccoaction.org.

Minister’s Schedule

Rev. Caro Barschow weekly schedule:

Sunday-Thursday, occassional Saturdays

Monday is a writing/study day

Friday is a Sabbath day 

Minister’s Office Hours:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, by appointment (in-person or Zoom) 

Please call or email Rev. Caro directly to make an appointment.

Rev. Caro’s May Week off Saturday 5/25- Friday 5/31

Rev. Caro works full-time 3 weeks a month and takes 1 week off, to fulfill NSUU’s 3/4 time contract. During this time, Rev. Caro is available for pastoral emergencies - please call them directly by cell phone.

How to be in touch:

Email: rev.barschow@gmail.com

Cell phone: 978-473-7980

Church Administrator’s Schedule

The office will be lightly staffed for the next few weeks.

Please call or email to arrange a visit.

How to be in touch

Email: nsuu@verizon.net

Office phone: 978-774-7582

Online Calendar

The NSUU website features an up-to-date calendar of church activities. Follow the link to view the calendar. On the calendar page, hover your mouse over the title of the event to find out the time and location.

Good Things Are Happening

Please contribute announcements by Wednesday at noon for NSUU's weekly e-newsletter "Good Things Are Happening." You can do so by sending an email with the announcement to nsuu@verizon.net. Please put in the subject line "For Good Things Are Happening." Please indicate how long you would like the announcement to appear and a contact email or phone number for readers to get more information.

Deadline: Wednesday at noon 

The header photo is from Unsplash, by photographer Tina Xinia