July 19 - 25, 2018
The CommUUnicator
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Society of Germantown
Building Beloved Community
THIS WEEK:
Peter Walsh culls his poetry from the past year for us this Sunday; and following Fellowship Hour, GA attendees present what they learned. On Saturday, a tour of Philadelphia Black History sites and murals is offered.
|
|
In Worship, 10:30am
Poems: Science, Myth and Memory
Peter Walsh
with Tara Webb Duey on piano
Peter Walsh will read a number of his poems written over the past year.
Click here
to read a sample, entitled "Hawking."
Peter Walsh has been a member of the Unitarian Society of Germantown since 1973, when he, his wife, Marny and their children, Steve, Kathy and Beth, moved to Philadelphia from England. He has worked at Temple University School of Medicine as a physician and scientist. For more than forty years he has been writing poetry, some of which he has shared with members of the Church in seventeen previous services.
|
|
|
In Child Spiritual Development
Children will start their Sunday morning with their families in the Sanctuary. At 10:45am, they will be sung out to their Summer CSD program:
·
For 6-yr-olds and younger, Summer Arts and Crafts will be in the Committee Room and Dining Room.
·
For 7-yr-olds and older, the Feeling the Spirit Through Music program will be in Sullivan 2 and 3, this Sunday featuring
Flute with Meg Ryan and Kris Alutius.
Details about the programs and schedules can be found 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.
|
|
|
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.
At 9:30am, attend the
New Member Orientation if you RSVP to Treva Burger at
[email protected].
Please see below under CALL TO ACTION the
continued
urgent
need for food for our neighbors.
Drop off nonperishable food items to the designated carts in the Kitchen for delivery to St. Vincent's Food Pantry. Thanks to all who have already responded.
|
|
Opportunities
After the Worship Service
Enjoy refreshments, compliments of Village 1.
At 12:00pm, attend the
Humanists (PUSH)
meeting in the Daskam Room.
At 12:00pm, attend the presentation of
"What We Learned at GA"
in the Edna Jones 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.
|
|
Sunday, July 29, 10:30am
Hildegard von Bingen, Visionary Woman
Charles Gabriel
Hildegard von Bingen was a Benedictine nun and abbess who lived in the area of Bingen, Germany in the late 11th and early to mid-12th century. She experienced visions from early childhood throughout her life and stemming from these visions, she wrote books and painted, and was advisor and moral scourge to bishops, popes and emperors. Her religious philosophy centered on love, justice and the interdependent web of creation and was entirely consistent with modern day Unitarian Universalist beliefs.
Charles Gabriel joined USG in October, 2004 and has held several volunteer positions including Budget & Finance Committee member, Buildings & Grounds committee co-chair, Strategic Planning Council chair and Board of Trustees member. Currently Charles sings in the USG choir and is now retired from church leadership. This is his eighth sermon at USG.
|
|
|
Guided Sanctuary and Black History Tour:
The Church of the Advocate
THIS Saturday, July 21, afternoon (see times below)
This Ending Racism Committee-sponsored field trip will include discussion of church architecture, social history, and the African American History Murals. Topics may also include African American Church History, Church Art, Social Justice, Philadelphia Religious History, Church and Community, Religious History, Religion and Radicalism, Race Relations.
Suggested docent-led tour donation is $5 per person.
Please note following updated information:
Tour at 1801 W. Diamond St. will commence at
1:00 pm
instead of 2:00 pm. (Building closes at 2:00pm on summer Saturdays). Automobile tour of North Philly Black history sites will run from 2:00 to 3:00pm. Hence, carpooling from USG would depart from USG parking lot at
12:30pm
and return at 3:30.
Link to Church of the Advocate mural history;
|
|
|
What We Learned at UU General Assembly
THIS Sunday, July 22, 12:00-1:00 pm
The Unitarian Universalist General Assembly happens each year in the end of June. Join Eric Foster, Crystal Penn, Julie Rigano and Treva Burger to hear about their experiences this past June at GA in Kansas City, Missouri, and what they learned.
|
|
|
Lughnasadh Celebration
Sunday, July 29, 7pm
Lughnasadh, the third great celebration of the Celtic year, will be held in The Grove (weather permitting; otherwise, we'll be in the dining room). Traditionally the beginning of harvest season, Lughnasadh was considered more of a men's festival as it was based on a male folk hero, Lugh. Come hear about the original Tara, “Teltown marriages”, and Mary Mother's “fatling”! As always, enjoy chats and snacks afterwards . . .
A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
For details, contact Donya at
[email protected]
.
|
|
|
Urgent Need for Food Donations
Each month, nonperishable foods donated by members of USG are delivered to St. Vincent De Paul’s Food Cupboard. During summer months, supplies run low.
There is an urgent need for us to increase our donations.
If you’ve never given before or only infrequently, please consider making a habit of dropping off
beans, tuna, peanut butter, cereal, rice
- or any other non-perishable item or a
small bag of nonperishable groceries
- to the carts in USG’s kitchen each Sunday.
|
|
|
Educators' Book Group:
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. Please
click here
to
register.
Please direct any questions to Clarice Brazas -
[email protected]
Remaining session: Tuesday, July 24
|
|
|
Lincoln Drive Closed This Weekend
Lincoln Drive will be closed from Ridge/Kelly to Wissahickon at least the next two weekends (July 20-23, July 27-30) Friday night through Monday morning.
Find out more here
Tip - to get to Germantown and Mt. Airy, don't use the official detour up Ridge. Use Schoolhouse Lane instead to Wissahickon or Wayne.
|
|
|
USG's Summer Office Hours
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]
.
|
|
|
Putting Pronouns on Name Tags
The Welcoming (Membership) team in coordination with the Welcoming Congregation (promoting inclusivity of all LGBTQIA identities) Refresher Task Force, will begin to offer and encourage putting people's preferred pronouns on name tags. At the Welcome Table, there is a new
name tag request form
which asks for people's pronouns and we will also have stickers for the most common pronouns starting July 29. For more information, please visit
usguu.org/putting-pronouns-on-nametags/
|
|
|
USG Member Sarah Frazier will work this summer on behalf of Immigration Justice
Sarah Frazier is going to El Paso, Texas (across the border from Juarez, Mexico)
from July 30 to August 12.
She has been accepted to work with
Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
(
http://las-americas.org/
). Sarah will post updates each day on Facebook and also on her Wordpress blog "
Going to the Border"
, (
getgoingtotheborder.wordpress.com/
) so that we can be engaged in this endeavor. She will also do a presentation to report on the work when she returns.
In order to make the financial requirements of this trip more manageable, Sarah has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for travel, food and lodging. Any additional funds she earns will be donated to Las Americas.
If you would like to contribute visit
https://www.gofundme.com/going-to-the-border
.
(Image: Sarah at the 2017 Auction)
|
|
|
STP Donations Set A Record in 2017-18!
Thank You to all of you who contributed so generously to our Share The Plate Recipients this past year. We contributed a total of
$17,756
to organizations whose operations are in harmony with USG's social justice missions.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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 July - August.
- July 22 - Village 1
- July 29 - Welcoming Committee & New Members
- August 5 - Village 2
- August 12 - Village 3
- August 19 - Village 4
- August 26 - Village 5
|
|
|
Interested in joining USG?
The next New Member Signing will be on July 29
(Please note updated dates.)
Please take a
UU-101
class, offered
July 15
at 12:00noon (usually the THIRD Sunday of each month and a
N
ew Member Orientation
offered
July 22
at 9:30am (usually the third Sundays of October, January, April and July). There are New Member Signings usually on the fourth Sunday of January, April, July and October. Please visit the Membership page in the Home menu on our website,
usguu.org
.
For more information, contact - and RSVP to -
Treva Burger at
[email protected]
.
|
|
|
UU Multitracial Unity Action Caucus
Sponsors
The Battle Cry of Freedom: Remembering Gettysburg and the Victory Over White Supremacy
Friday, August 3 - Sunday, August 5
|
|
|
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.
Please note that some groups are now on summer hiatus and thus not listed below. Check back in September to see what's new!
20's & 30's SGM Group
- Second Thursday, August 9, 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.
Book Group on Friday Morning
- Will resume its regular Third Friday, 10:30am, discussions
September 21
at Cathedral Village. If interested in joining, please contact
Barbara Dowdall.
The 2017-2018 Book List is posted on
usguu.org> About> Affinity Groups> Book Group
.
In late August, the 2018-2019 List will be posted.
CAMI (Citizens Against Mass Incarceration)
- Fourth Monday, July 23, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact
Nancy Anderson
.
Caregiver Support Group
- Second Friday, August 10, 11:00am - 1:00pm. At USG. Contact
Maura Gallagher
.
EarthSpirit Circle
. First Monday, except for holiday weekends: (September 10). Next meeting August 6, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact Donya Coldwell at
[email protected]
.
ERC (Ending Racism Committee)
- First Sunday, August 5, 12:00 - 1:30pm. At USG. Contact
Barbara Dowdall
.
Humanists - PUSH
-
Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
, Fourth Sunday, July 22, 12:00pm. At USG. Contact
Paul Teti
.
Nature Walking at Valley Green - Every Monday and Thursday at
9:00am
(please note summer start time), 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
-
Next meeting will be August 1,
1:30 - 3:00pm, off-site.
(Usually
First Wednesday). Contact
Margaret Thompson
.
Open Small Group Ministry
- Second Sunday, August 12, 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, August 19, 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 leader, Eric Foster know that you plan to attend by emailing him at
[email protected]. If unable to email, you can call Eric at 484-347-8998.
|
|
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
|
|
Our thoughts and prayers are with...
...Linda and Dennis Brunn.
Linda's mother, Esmé Cahill, died peacefully on July 8 at age 91 in Concord, NH. Cards are welcome.
...the family of Beverly Gross Spencer,
our alto soloist, who underwent heart bypass surgery on Wednesday July 18 (postponed one day due to another patient’s emergency surgery.) As of this writing, Beverly is in the early stages of recovery, but all signs are that the surgery went well and the doctors are pleased with Beverly’s progress. Noelle Spencer returned to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh to be with her mom and dad for the surgery. Cards and emails are welcome. Thanks to all who so quickly responded to our call for meals.
...the family and friends of Wesley Smith
. It is with sadness that we announce the death of Wesley on June 22. Although he had not been active for several years, Wesley was a long-time beloved member of our church choir bass section. He had continued his love of music in the chorus at Cathedral Village, his home for the past eight years. His family is planning a memorial service for Friday, August 3 at 3:00 pm in Cathedral Hall at Cathedral Village. Wesley has a daughter, Moon Smith, and a son, Anthony. Cards can be sent to Moon Smith, 512 W. Allen 's Lane, Philadelphia PA.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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
|
|
The Unitarian Society of Germantown
| 215-844-1157 | 6511 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19119
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
