In the Spirit

Dolly was one of my favorite people. As I said to my sister and brother in our sibling text chat, “She was holding up so much of the goodness in the world.” I adored her humor, her spark, her faith, her music, her talent, her magnanimity of person and mission. Dolly Parton knew who she was and she knew what she wanted to do. She will be remembered for her music, of course (and she wrote a lot of hits that many people have no idea are hers), but she wanted to be remembered as a person who taught children how to read. Rest easy, Miss Dolly. You will always be a secular saint to me. “Shine Like The Sun” got me through a lot of the hardest days of the Covid shut-in. I just know you’re playing your guitar up in heaven with Jesus and your loved ones, because that’s what you believed and I believe it shall be.

We wind our way toward the end of summer, back to school, and Ingathering Sunday, which will be the Sunday after Labor Day. This Sunday, Dave and Paula Innis will convene the Service Sunday lasagna-making in the Parish Hall, which will feed folks at LifeBridge. There is no service on Labor Day weekend, and we will gather our waters from meaningful places when we see each other again in the sanctuary. 

Enjoy these beautiful days. 

In faith, hope and love, 

Rev. Vicki 

As the Faith Development Ministry Team was meeting this summer, we talked a lot about the importance of mentors for children outside of parents and paid professionals. While we search for a new religious educator, it is more important than ever that we have a strong network of people to help the children in our faith community start the program year with excitement, joy and connection.  

Depending on who registers, these are the programs we are planning to offer alongside the type of volunteer opportunities for the adults in the congregation:

• Chalice Children — for older toddlers and preschoolers; a Sunday‑morning classroom.
• Neighboring Faiths — for upper‑elementary children; field trips to local religious communities paired with co‑led conversations.
• Youth Group (in collaboration with the Marblehead church) — for high‑schoolers; service projects (e.g., cooking for Lifebridge, assembling bags for My Brother’s Table, making soup for congregants) and fun outings (e.g., ropes courses, mini golf, escape rooms).

If you would be willing to offer even one Sunday a month please sign up using this form. Rev. Vicki or one of us will call you to talk more about this ministry so that your expectations and the program’s commitments are a good fit. We're looking forward to working with you this year!

Celebrating Community and Creativity

The History Ministry Team is encouraging all UUCGL creatives to be part of our upcoming exhibit, Lydia Breed and Friends. The show will celebrate the legacy of Lydia Breed and all those who share her creative and community-building spirit. So don’t be shy! We want to celebrate and showcase your creativity!

The exhibit will run from September 27 to October 30 and will feature all types of media. The focus is on five themes: trees and forests, the sea, the inner light, nature, and social justice. Works will be displayed in thematic groups relating to one or more of Lydia's prints or three-dimensional works.

If you'd like to submit — or are willing to loan a piece of Lydia's art — please complete THIS FORM by September 13th. If you have any difficulties with the form or have any questions, contact Kelly. We can’t wait to see your creations!

Two of our church members who attend Qigong and Tai Chi classes at UUCGL engaged in their practices outside of the classroom this summer, while three practitioners from the Advanced Tai Chi class showed off their skills in public...

 Interested in joining a Qigong or Tai Chi class? The fall schedule starts in October and is posted at uucgl.org/taichi — try your first class for free!

For the summer season the Update will be mailed every other week instead of weekly. We'll resume our weekly schedule starting September 9th.

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