November 8 - 14, 2018
The CommUUnicator
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Unitarian Society of Germantown
Building Beloved Community
THIS WEEK:
Tonight, we have a
Coming Out Evening (
details here
)
; on Saturday, we celebrate the lights of Diwali; and on Sunday, we welcome Rev. Dr. David Parke back to the pulpit.
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Saturday, November 10, 6:00 - 9:00pm
6:00pm Diwali Vegetarian Feast
7:00pm Diwali program:
- Bharatanatyam Dance Performance by Usiloquy Dance Designs
- Sitar Performance by Thomas Wave & Raji Malik
- Diwali Diya Lighting & Rangoli Making
Led by Rev. Kent Matthies & Andrea Durham, this celebration is FREE and open to the public. For information, contact Andrea Durham at
akdurham@yahoo.com
.
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In Worship, 10:30am
Seed Time and Harvest
,
Rev. Dr. David Parke
Rev. Parke served as Minister at the Unitarian Society of Germantown from 1965 to 1971. David returned to our pulpit for the USG 150th Anniversary to great acclaim. Having recently celebrated his 90th birthday, David will reflect on what he has learned.
We also welcome New Members into the congregation this Sunday with the Signing of the Book of Records Ceremony.
If you are interested in our Path to Membership, please email Welcoming Co-Chairs Treva Burger and Lisa Dutton at
welcoming@usguu.org
or
v
isit our
Membership page
.
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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
Class beginning at 10:30am:
- OWL, Grades 7 - 8 - Bristol Room (meets 10:30am - 12:00noon)
Evening class:
- Evening Youth Group - Bristol Room & Kitchen (meets 6:00 - 8:00pm). There will be pizza!
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.
Attend the
Membership Orientation from 9:30 - 10:15am in the Daskam Room. Contact Treva Burger at
trevawb@gmail.com.
BRING IN nonperishable food items for our annual
Fall Food Drive and put them on
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.
Please check expiration dates.
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Opportunities
After the Worship Service
Enjoy refreshments provided by Village 2 and New Members.
Children's Book Drive. This Sunday is the last chance to donate any gently used children's books you don't need. Donated books will benefit the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Please bring your donations to the Welcome table in the Dining Hall after service for collection by the 4-6th graders.
And a special opportunity....
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...At 12:00pm, attend the
Romanian Pilgrimage
presentation by Susan Bockius in Sullivan 1.
Unitarians around the world have been celebrating the year 2018 as the 450th anniversary of the declaration of religious toleration by King John Sigismund of Romania. The year 1568, when this edict was proclaimed, also marks the beginning of the Unitarian denomination, according to many historians. Unitarian Court Preacher Francis David returned from Torda to the capital city of Cluj-Napoca (Kolasvar) where he preached and converted the entire city to Unitarianism. What a day!
Susan Bockius joined a “pilgrimage tour” in September and was able to visit key sites in the story in the company of Unitarian tour guides and fellow American UU’s. She will share highlights of this adventure this Sunday in Sullivan 1.
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Sunday, November 18
USG's Fall Community Day
9:15am - Spiritual Development Workshops
10:30am - Community Worship Service
11:30am - All Church Brunch
Thanksgiving is coming and one way that we celebrate Thanksgiving here at USG is by coming together in our annual Community Day, where we can celebrate and give thanks for…each other, our Beloved Community!
We start at 9:15 with a choice of workshops
, each designed to introduce or reinforce some form of spiritual exercise. You can choose from sitting in sacred silence during
mindfulness meditation
, stretching your notion of spirit in
yoga,
syncing your inner and outer self in
drumming
,
exploring social action
as a spiritual exercise, or praying twice by
singing in the Wannabe Choir
.
Then at
10:30
we all come together for an intergenerational worship service in which we will explore what it means and what it takes to really love and be loved in Beloved Community.
Finally, at 11:30,
a delicious finale: a genuine sit down brunch of egg casserole with all the trimmings. Eat slowly, savor your food, hang out a while. Don’t miss this special day where we all come together to celebrate…US!
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Welcoming Congregation Refresher "Coming Out" Evening
Thursday, November 8, 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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Church Archives: A Professional Viewpoint
Wednesday, November 14, 7:30pm, Edna Jones Assembly Room
SPEAKER: The Rev. Dr. Kim-Eric Williams, Archivist, Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia (LACAP).
Open to all interested USG members.
The Rev. Dr. Kim-Eric Williams has graciously consented to speak with our group about the Archives effort underway at USG. The Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia (see
lacphila.org/about
) manages the archives for Lutheran churches in Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Upstate New York, New York City and New England. Dr. Williams' appearance on Nov 14 will give all the benefit of a professional’s overview, as well as the opportunity to query on specific issues. Come hear Dr. Williams' presentation and explore how we might shape our future efforts. [Susan Bockius,
sbockius43@gmail.com
; Kay Weiser,
kweiser7325@verizon.net
)
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FAST APPROACHING:
20th Annual Empty Bowl Dinner
NEXT Wednesday, November 14
United Lutheran Seminary
Brossman Center, Benbow Hall
7301 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19119
three seatings:
- 4:00- 5:30pm
- 5:30-7:00pm
- 7:00- 8:30pm
Proceeds benefit Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (PIHN), which works to find lasting solutions to family homelessness. At the end of the meal, each attendee leaves with their empty bowl as a reminder that every night in Philadelphia, 1,000 children go without a meal or a place to call home. USG is a proud sponsor of the Empty Bowl Dinner.
Tickets: Adult $25, Students & Children $10.
Click here
to purchase your ticket & reserve your seat at the table.
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ERC Movie of the Month:
Red Cry
Friday, November 16, 7:00 - 9:00pm, Edna Jones Room
November is National Native American Heritage Month. In honor of that, the Ending Racism Committee invites you to a screening of
Red Cry
, a groundbreaking documentary created through the combined efforts of The Strong Heart Warrior Society of the Independent Lakota Nation (The Cante Tenza Okolakiciye), the Lakota Solidarity Project team, Lakota elders, activists, and grassroots people. The Lakota Solidarity Project team and USG's Ending Racism Committee encourage everyone to watch this movie.
The Cante Tenza Okolakiciye is an ancient Lakota warrior society as well as a modern day human rights movement working to protect, enforce, and restore treaty rights, civil rights, and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.
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Leaf Raking Day! SAVE THE DATE!
December 1, 2018
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Come for any amount of time. Bring the family, bring a friend, your gloves, your rakes, tarps and especially your leaf blowers! Join us for this annual labor of love to spruce up the church grounds. The more the merrier! Childcare, coffee and lunch will be provided.
Please
RSVP at this link
to let us know you are coming so we can plan accordingly for lunch.
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And in case you missed these Spiritual Development events in Tuesday's SPIRIT...
SAVE THE DATE for another special Oren Jay Sofer Mindfulness Event
:
Saturday, January 12, 2019: "The Art of Mindful Communication
:
Finding Clarity and Poise in Life.”
A mindful approach to nonviolent communication. How to find your voice, speak your truth, and listen deeply.
Led by Oren Jay Sofer, author, and teacher of mindfulness and communication.
Spaces fill up fast, so register soon
:
click here.
A new
Difficult Conversation: Abortion
,
with
USG folks and parishioners of Our Mother of Consolation Catholic Church in Chestnut Hill invited to participate. Contact
Gerry Whelan
if interested.
Please note:
The Tuesday evening Dialogues are being discontinued here at USG
. If you are interested in dialogues being held elsewhere or have any questions or comments, contact
Parvathy Mennon
.
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Service Auction Poster Items with Openings for December
Holiday Cookie Exchange
What better way to start the holiday season than with cookies? Participants will bring a batch of cookies and then get to take home a variety of the selections offered. Join Betsy and Charles Gabriel (who will serve snacks and drinks) at their home in Jenkintown on
Dec. 15, 2018, 2-4 pm
.
Adults only: $20.
Room for 2 more
.
MindEscape
MindEscape is a top-rated escape room adventure. Join Maggie Chapman and Janet Haas for an adrenaline-filled hour trying to escape a Thai prison. MindEscape is located at 521 S. 4th Street. Plan to meet at the location at 11:45 am for gaming, and those who wish, may join Maggie and Janet for lunch afterwards in the area. There is a $25 ticket cost for a minimum party of 10 adults and children, due at the time of admission. Children are welcome.
Sat. Dec. 1, 2018 at 11:45 am. Adult: $10, Child: $5. Room for 4-6 more.
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Bread Communion Bakers Needed!
We are looking for a few good bakers! Our annual Bread Communion ritual takes place November 18 on Community Day. During the service, we need some adults to help guide the children in the baking of rolls (and maybe even prepare them ahead of time). Children pass the rolls out as a symbol of the nourishment that community provides us. We will provide you with the secret baking instructions from the master baker, Susan Doering (who will be unavailable that Sunday). If you can assist, please email Ryan Hurd at
dsd@usguu.org
ASAP.
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The Archives Corner
The Archives Committee plans to display items of interest from our holdings in the two locked exhibit cases in the Narthex. These displays will change periodically.
The November display is two archival copies of sermons by the Rev. Dr. David B. Parke, former minister of USG and our guest speaker for Sunday, November 11. The sermons, "The Liberal Vocation," delivered January 23, 1966 and "An Inner Music," delivered December 8, 1965, are also scanned and available to interested readers on the USG website at
usguu.org/archives-corner/
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Upcoming Vigils and Memorials
Please
click here
to see a list of vigils and memorials being held at Philadelphia area centers of faith in the wake of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life tragedy.
A Letter from USG to Tree of Life Synagogue
Please
click here
to read USG's letter of condolence and solidarity, which was also sent to USG's neighboring synagogues.
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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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Building USG's Creative Teams
Do you enjoy telling stories with images? Working with PowerPoint or on a website? Are you a budding videographer?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, perhaps you would like to join one of our communications or worship creative teams. 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/or projector operations, and
2) other people who can videotape the Sunday services, which Jeff Smith has done for many years, and
3) folks to help create and maintain information about our programs and activities on our website.
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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 November.
- November 11 - Village 2 & New Members
- November 18 - Fall Community Day Brunch
- November 25 - Village 3
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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.
Please check expiration dates.
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Click here
to download the Fundraising for Lingelbach flyer above, which you will need when shopping at
five below
between October 26 - November 26. 10% of your purchases will be donated to Lingelbach Elementary School.
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Greater Philly UU Cluster Events
Missa Gaia
UU Concert
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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, November 8, 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, November 26, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact
Nancy Anderson
.
Caregiver Support Group
- Second Friday, November 9, 11:00am - 1:00pm. At USG. Contact
Maura Gallagher
.
Coffee Hour for Social Justice
- Next: December 16, 9:15 - 10:15am (none for November). Usually Third Sunday. Usually in Dining Room at USG. Get up. Get coffee. Get involved.
EarthSpirit Circle
. First Monday, except for holiday weekends. Next meeting December 3, 7:00pm. At USG. Contact Donya at
earth@usguu.org.
ERC (Ending Racism Committee)
- First Sunday, December 2, 12:00 - 2:00pm. Special Video Project Narrative. More information forthcoming. At USG. Contact
Barbara Dowdall
.
ERC Movie of the Month
- Usually third Friday, November 16, 7:00 - 9:00pm. At USG.
Humanists - PUSH
-
Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
, Fourth Sunday, November 25, 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, November 11, 12:00 - 1:30pm. Those new to SGMs can get a "sample" before making a commitment. For more information, contact
Mark Bangela
.
Racism Book Study Group - Next session: December 10, second Monday, 7:30 - 9:00pm. Contact
Treva Burger.
UU-101
-
Third Sunday, November 18, 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
It is a "closed" group, so find "Greater Philly UUs" on Facebook and click the button to request to join.
P.U.S.H. Philadelphia Unitarian Society of Humanists
Exploring Elderhood
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Our thoughts and prayers are with...
...all in our USG community and beyond who are struggling with one of life's problems or who are celebrating one of life's joys.
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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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