October 4 - 10, 2018
The CommUUnicator
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Society of Germantown
Building Beloved Community
THIS WEEK:
We offer a Breakfast with the Minister at 9am Sunday, reflect on creating Sanctuary within ourselves, and invite you to participate in fellowship and social action, putting kindness and justice foremost.
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In Worship, 10:30am
Sanctuary of Self
Rev. Kent Matthies
In times of challenge and serenity it is possible to experience yourself as a safe, peaceful sanctuary. Thich Nhat Hanh says, “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” Whether you describe yourself as a theist, agnostic, atheist or other, there is a deep truth in the human capacity to find beauty and acceptance within self. Let’s explore how!
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In Child Spiritual Development
Children begin Sunday morning in the Sanctuary with their families and then at 10:45am are sung out to their classes:
- PreK - K - Sullivan 1
- Grades 1 - 3 - Nursery School, 1st Fl.
- Grades 4 - 6 - Sullivan 2 & 3
- OWL, Grades 7 - 8 - Bristol Room (meets 10:30am - 12:00noon)
- Youth Group - Daskam Room (meets 10:30 - 11:30am)
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.
If you are a
Visitor or New Member, you have been invited to share
Breakfast with the Minister in the Edna Jones Room, 2nd Fl. from 9:00 - 10:15am.
Drop off nonperishable food items for our annual
Fall Food Drive to the designated carts in the Kitchen. Donations in October and November will be divided and then delivered to both St. Vincent de Paul's Food Pantry and the UU House Outreach Program.
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Opportunities
After the Worship Service
Enjoy refreshments provided by Village 9.
Sign up to help
REBUILD PHILLY! The USG team will be working with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia on Friday & Saturday
October 19 and 20. Sign up for one or both days with George Buckmann and Barbara Ginn. Great camaraderie and significant accomplishment are the rewards.
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.
But wait! There's More >>>>>>
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Join USGers at Outfest!
Sunday, October 7, 3:00 - 5:00pm
Meet at Giovanni’s Room (AIDS Thrift and Bookstore) at the corner of 12th and Pine, then set off together to enjoy…
Philadelphia OutFest!
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Then return this Sunday evening at 5:00pm
for 90 minutes of a
Mindfulness Meditation in Nuturing Kindness
, led by Deborah Cooper. Whether you have attended a previous session or are here for the first time, you are welcome.
Click here
for details.
Look for signage on how to access the Sullivan Chapel.
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Sanctuary of Community
Rev. Kent Matthies
Sunday, October 14, 10:30am
An important Sunday at USG was when Rev. André Trocmé preached here. In 1942 Rev. Trocmé bravely led his French town, Le Chambon, to become a safe sanctuary for Jewish refugees seeking housing, food and passage to new countries. Today our neighbor church, The First United Methodist Church of Germantown, serves as Sanctuary for two families who do not have legal immigration status. How are WE called to participate in efforts to make a safe and caring community for all people to be themselves?
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Still-Open Auction Events:
Press Club Dinner
Friday, October 5, 6:30 pm
.
Diane Fiske gives USG people an opportunity to come to the oldest private press club in the US. Guests can view media memorabilia dating back to the early 20th century, enjoy gourmet food, wine and beer. Adults: $15. The cost of the dinner and drinks will be each person's responsibility. Carpooling from USG. 9 spaces available. If interested, contact
Kay Weiser
, 215-527-3179.
Fall Dog Day Afternoon
Saturday, October 6 from 3:00 - 5:00pm
Join Bonnie McDairmant, Carolyn Scott, other USGers and their furry friends for a romp in the Wissahickon. Room for 2 more of any age. $15. Contact
Kay Weiser
.
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Yoga on Mondays, 7:00 - 8:30pm
October 8 - November 12, Sullivan 3
Led by David McGuire
David is a life long UU and a practitioner of traditional Hatha yoga. The workshop incorporates breathwork, holding sustained body postures on a floor mat (provided), chanting and relaxing meditation. David will also bring in the philosophical and historical context of the practices. This workshop is appropriate for beginners and intermediate practitioners, as well as anyone interested in learning more about this ancient wellness and spiritual practice.
Please look for future Yoga announcements in Tuesday's SPIRIT email.
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Welcoming Congregation Refresher "Coming Out Day" Evening
Thursday, October 11, 6:00 - 8:00pm
6:00pm:
Light dinnertime refreshments (potluck) with conversation. Dining Room.
7:00pm:
Marianne Banbor, Librarian Supervisor at the Philadelphia Free Library, will speak on Gay History in Philadelphia with a focus on and tribute to Barbara Gittings. Sullivan Chapel.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Saturday, October 27, 5:00 - 7:00pm
USG is hosting a potluck reception in the second floor Edna Jones Room to celebrate the recent marriage of Mark Daugherty and his longtime partner Michael Wartell. More details to follow.
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SAVE THE DATES!
Friday, October 26, 6:00pm - PUMPKIN CARVING!
Sunday, October 28:
10:30am - DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION
7:00pm - SAMHAIN CELEBRATION
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Sign Up for
THE MEN'S RETREAT!
Friday through Sunday, November 2 -4
The Twelfth Annual Men’s Retreat will be held at the Temenos Retreat Center near West Chester, PA
(
Temenoscommunity.org
).
Every man in the Philadelphia area is invited to attend and experience a wonderful weekend. Activities will include workshops, yoga, hiking, drumming around a bonfire, good food, poker, topped off with a Sunday morning worship service. Come get to know and bond with the other men in USG and in the Philadelphia area congregations. The cost for the weekend is $200. This includes Friday supper, three meals on Saturday and Sunday breakfast.
If you plan to come, please pay the $200 fee at the
Payment Center
on the USG website (
USGUU.org
). Please let Hal Krieger (
haroldkrieger@verizon.net
) know of your plans. Space is limited.
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Interested in Joining USG?
We welcome people into membership four times a year. We ask that people take a UU-101 class (offered monthly, next: October 21) and a Membership Orientation (offered quarterly, next: September 30) before joining. There will be a New Member Signing on November 4. If you are interested in any of these events or for more information, please email Welcoming Co-Chairs Treva Burger and Lisa Dutton at
welcoming@usguu.org
.
In addition, you can visit our
Membership page
on our website,
usguu.org.
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Construction is Ongoing - Reminders
NEW FYIs:
Please stay on the
sidewalk
in the courtyard,
rather than cutting across the courtyard catty-corner to access the Sullivan Chapel.
During construction we plan to keep the
double doors to the Daskam Room
closed
most of the time. Entry will be through the single door to the right in the Edna Jones Room.
Courtyard parking is limited
to only those needing an accessible entrance. However, for those needing accessible second floor access, the
ramp into the Edna Jones Room is now also available.
REPEAT FYIs:
Please do not go inside the fenced-in area in the Grove. It is is a hard hat area
and access is limited to the construction workers.
Please look for signage about how to access the Sullivan Chapel.
The only access to the Sullivan Chapel wing is through the side door off the courtyard.
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Come Join the Choir!
The illustrious USG choir is looking for some additional singers! All that is necessary is the ability to match pitch and a desire to be a part of a venerable USG tradition that regularly rehearses (on Thursday evenings and on Sunday mornings) and sings at most Sunday services from September through the end of May. Interested? Please see
Mark Daugherty
, our music man.
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Enjoy working with Visuals? Interested in helping to videotape services?
If you would like to participate and give back to the USG community and have an interest in and talent for visuals and/or technology, we are looking for...
1) people who can work with Rev. Kent and the various guest speakers and worship associates on
Sunday worship slides creation
, and
2) other people who can
videotape the Sunday services
, which Jeff Smith has done for many years.
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Thank You!
Thanks to Roderick Ahrens for the vision of the Woods Outdoor Program Space and to the team of helpers who made it a reality.
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Thank You!
Thank you as well to the panel and moderator of
A New Philadelphia School Board - A New Day?
who gave their time and expertise on Sunday, September 30.
L to R: Moderator Jess Stanforth;
Kendra Brooks, Our City Our Schools; Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg, Public Interest Law Center; Ismael Jimenez, Working Educators Caucus, PFT; Lisa Haver, Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools.
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We are excited to announce our new Give+ Text option for making pledge and contribution payments to USG!
Please
click here
to learn how to use this convenient tool.
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A form for your questions, comments & suggestions is now available at the Welcome table on Sundays and in the foyer where the name tags are.
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Thank You, Villagers!
Thank you to all who participate in hosting Fellowship Hour! If you are willing to coordinate for your Village, please let Treva Burger,
trevawb@gmail.com
know. Below is the schedule for
Fellowship Hour Hosting in October.
- October 7 - Village 9
- October 14 - Village 10
- October 21 - Village 11
- October 28 - Village 12
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Have you registered to vote?
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Rebuilding Together Philadelphia---
USG's Major Hands-on Service Project
Friday - Saturday, October 19 and 20
Get involved! Help rehab a home!
Join USG and RTP staff members in Philadelphia’s Kensington section. On Friday and/or Saturday, October 19-20, you can complete project tasks for one day or for both days. Whether you’re skilled or not, you will improve the neighborhood. Up to 20 other organizations will renovate homes within a few blocks of each other. While we work with the homeowners, we will hear their stories and learn of their challenges and resilience. You can be a part of this amazing effort too.
For more information about volunteering for this event, talk to USG's new RTP leaders
Barbara Ginn
and/or
George Buckmann
during Fellowship Hour.
If you’re 14 years old or older,
volunteer for either one or both days
by sending an email to Barbara Ginn at
bsginn56@gmail.com
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Click below to hear what Rev. Kent Matthies said at the September 28 Rally of Sexual Assault Survivors to protest the appointment of Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
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Say NO to Indefinite Detention of Migrant Children
The Trump administration has proposed a regulation that will permit children crossing the border with their parents to be put into detention indefinitely. More information is here in this
New York Times
editorial,
"Don't Let Migrant Kids Rot."
There is a quick, easy, and very important action that anyone can do:
Please protest these cruel new regulations by submitting your concern on the Federal Register's request for public comments - go to
regulations.gov and enter DHS Docket No. ICEB-2018-0002
.
We want to flood the comment board with our objections to this continuing persecution of immigrant families.
The above comes from UUPLAN's Action Alert
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Immigration Justice
Meeting of the New Sanctuary Committee of St. Vincent DePaul
Wednesday, October 10, 7:00pm
St. Vincent de Paul's Hospitality Room
Directions: Park in the parking lot next to
Face to Face
on E. Price St. above Lena St., Philadelphia, 19144. After parking, walk away from E. Price and through a gate to the Hospitality Room. People will be outside to direct you.
Two families entered Sanctuary
at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG) on September 6. FUMCOG's Rev. Bob Coombe has declared their church a
Germantown Sanctuary
and has invited all congregations to care for and support the families. This meeting will discuss ways people can do just that.
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Fall Food Drive - October and November
In this season of harvest, let’s remember those who need support. Please bring canned and non-perishable foods when you come to USG and leave them on the designated carts in the kitchen. Donations will be shared between St. Vincent de Paul's Food Pantry and the UU House Outreach Program, which provides support to older people in the Germantown area.
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UUPLAN's "Leadership Day 2018"
Saturday, October 13, in Harrisburg
UUPLAN (our PA Legislative Advocacy Network) brings together UUs from all over PA for a "Leadership Day" of presentations, discussions and reflections.
Two keynoters will exemplify the challenges of bringing our faith in the dignity of all into the arena of policy and legislation: Rev. Dr. Neal Jones of Main Line UU in Devon, and Rabbi Michael Pollack of March on Harrisburg and the Daring Democracy book tour of earlier 2018.
When UUs gather from across PA to reflect on our justice work, I have found new hope and inspiration: We are not at all alone -- just like us in Philadelphia, UUs in Pittsburgh, Erie, Harrisburg, Reading and in 30 other congregations are walking the talk of justice. The connections we build through UUPLAN allow us to rapidly communicate and coordinate, and to build relationships of trust and effectiveness.
I hope you will be able to join me on October 13th.
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Greater Philly UU Cluster Event
Filling Your Justice Toolbelt: A Hands-on Advocacy Workshop
Saturday, November 3, 2018
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Main Line Unitarian Church
816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon, PA 19333
How can UUs make a more just and peaceful world? Find out at this legislative advocacy workshop. Join other area UUs in fellowship and learning as we explore strategies to get engaged at the member-level and congregational-level. Bring your experiences and best practice ideas to share with the group. Please register by
October 29
for planning purposes (e.g. refreshments, handouts, etc.) at:
greaterphillyuu.org/events/filling-your-justice-toolbelt/
Walk-ins accepted.
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Anti-racist and feminist activist Xan Joi will lead a discussion at 7:00pm on Monday, October 8 at BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Street Road near 611 in Warrington.
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Get Involved! Meet Fellow UUs!
Follow links below to find out more information about the events and groups at USG that occur usually once a month.
20's & 30's SGM Group
- Second Thursday, October 11, 6:30pm, Drop-in Young Adults Small Group Ministry group. For more information, please contact Stephanie Bonner at
slbonner2@gmail.com
or on Facebook where they maintain an active invite-only activities group.
CAMI (Citizens Against Mass Incarceration)
- Fourth Monday, October 22, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact
Nancy Anderson
.
Caregiver Support Group
- Second Friday, October 12, 11:00am - 1:00pm. At USG. Contact
Maura Gallagher
.
EarthSpirit Circle
. First Monday, except for holiday weekends. Next meeting November 5, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact Donya at
earth@usguu.org.
ERC (Ending Racism Committee)
- First Sunday, October 7, 12:00 - 1:30pm will be the
ERC Fall Open House and First BLUU Box session
. At USG. Contact
Barbara Dowdall
.
Humanists - PUSH
-
Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
, Fourth Sunday, October 28, 12:00pm. At USG. Contact
Paul Teti
.
Nature Walking at Valley Green - Every Monday and Thursday at
9:00am, you can meet others - whoever shows up- at Valley Green in Chestnut Hill for a morning walk.
Point Person is
Steve Conrad, who is usually there.
Needle Exchange, a Handwork Group
-
First Wednesday, November 7,
1:30 - 3:00pm, off-site. Contact
Margaret Thompson
.
Open Small Group Ministry
- Second Sunday, October 14, 12:00 - 1:30pm. Those new to SGMs can get a "sample" before making a commitment. For more information, contact
Mark Bangela
.
UU-101
-
T
hird Sunday, October 21, 12:00-1:00pm.
UU-101
is an Introduction to Unitarian Universalism, held at USG, and childcare is provided. Please let a leader, Charles Gabriel or Eric Foster, know that you plan to attend by emailing to
uu101@usguu.org. If unable to email, you can call Eric at 484-347-8998.
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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...
.
..all those in our congregation and beyond who face challenges and need support. Please do not forget to notify our Caring Team if you have specific needs or happy news.
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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
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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