UUCM Monthly News
January 2022
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A Stable Faith
Sunday morning, December 19, 5:00am
It snowed last night. First real snow of the season. I awoke to the sound of the snowplow heading up my road. Why would that be necessary, I wonder? I cleared my driveway last night just after the road was plowed and it had stopped snowing. Wearily, I drag myself out of bed, peer into the dark of early morning, and realize we had more snow last night. I dress and head downstairs to clear the driveway… again. It’s Sunday morning, after all, and I have to get to church! First pass down the driveway and the snow blower dies.
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President's Message
Time to Step Up and Into Our Future
How important is UUCM to you? How important is UUCM to our larger community? How can you help UUCM to be a vital, vibrant, relevant force for good in Milford and the Souhegan Valley?
Not so long ago I stood in the pulpit and told you all that the Holiday Fair was an "all hands on deck" moment. This is another "all hands on deck" moment, one that will determine the future of UUCM.
Several leaders of the congregation that have been faithfully serving UUCM for years have signaled they are ready to step down. If you have become comfortable letting "someone else" step up, you are being called upon now. There is no one else. You are the "someone else". We are all being called to commit to the future of UUCM.
In the coming months, the Congregational Development Committee will need to fill vital roles on the Finance Committee, the Stewardship Team, the Property Committee, and many more. You will be getting a phone call. These roles are opportunities to help steer UUCM in meaningful ways, to bring new ideas and innovation to help us all STEP UP AND INTO OUR FUTURE.
We have already seen how successful innovation moves us forward. The Worship and Music Teams have been innovating for nearly two years, and their efforts continue to bring us connection and meaning in a virtual setting. The Holiday Fair Team has also shown us that being willing to think outside our comfort zones opens space for exciting, successful innovation.
Rev. Shayna, the Board, and the Congregational Development Committee need your energy and your commitment to build a vital, vibrant, relevant future for UUCM, and we have to start building that future right now. We have to make space for that future to flow into our congregation and our lives. Please find a way to say YES to this commitment.
Some of you held leadership positions in the past, and stepped back, due to harsh, unkind feedback for your efforts. We want you to know with certainty, should you choose to step up again, we will support you, and your service will be welcomed with gratitude and respect. Those of you who have shared your knowledge with generosity and grace, and given your support as we grew into leaders, please know how grateful we are for your patience and kindness.
Some may feel things are changing too quickly. We know some of our ideas and innovations are going to feel uncomfortable to some. It is tempting to hang onto nostalgia as a form of comfort in these uncertain times, but nostalgia will not get us into the future. Please trust that we love UUCM as much as you do, and that everything we do is approached with mindful intention, to ensure UUCM is an integral part of the Milford community for a long time to come, making a difference in people's lives.
In Faithful Service and Gratitude,
Marti Kennedy, Board President
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Save These Dates
Congregational Business Meeting: January 30, noon (online, in person, or both - TBD) The purpose of the meeting is a congregational vote on whether to approve a withdrawal from the endowment above and beyond the current approved amounts for the 2022-2023 church year. Informational sessions will be held on Zoom prior to this meeting and will be announced soon. Stay up to date by reading the Weekly and Monthly Newsletters.
Racial Justice Task Force Speaker Series: January 18, 7:00 pm on Zoom. The Board strongly encourages all who can attend to do so, as these sessions are laying the groundwork for social justice work that is timely and relevant. This is church-wide work, and we all need to be on the same page. One committee cannot work for racial justice alone! (Read more about upcoming RJTF events in a separate item in this newsletter and online.)
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Join Sunday Worship at 10:30am
Attend in person at UUCM or on Zoom
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Finance Committee News
for more information.
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Fundraising will be down this year, so we’ll need to take more from the endowment than planned. Our expenses will continue to be less than planned while we are partially shut down due to COVID-19 – but not enough to offset our losses in income. |
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Thanks for Making the Holiday Fair a Success!
Our second virtual Holiday Fair featuring handmade wreaths, Holiday Bakery, and Christmas Cupboard items was a success, thanks to technical support from Bryan Higgs and Dona Eaton of the Comm Team, the marketing skills of Cammie Opre, and participation by 22 others as wreath makers, bakers, cooks, and delivery elves. Members placed 45 food orders plus 15 orders for wreaths. It truly did take a village to make it happen! Thanks to you all!
Estimated 2021 Holiday Fair Proceeds:
Wreaths: $252
Holiday Bakery & Christmas Cupboard: $1219
NOTE: The Super Soup Sale has been rescheduled to February 20th. Stay tuned for details in the UUCM Weekly News.
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Racial Justice Task Force (RJTF) Events
We hope you will join us for this important discussion.
Widening the Circle of Concern
Jan. 18, 7:00-8:30pm on Zoom
Rev. Michael Crumpler will lead UUCM members and friends in a discussion focused on the "Hospitality & Inclusion" chapter of the UUA's Commission on Institutional Change report: Widening the Circle of Concern. We will consider hospitable and inclusive practices through the lens of the report and its findings, and apply them to our community.
Pre-January 18 “Listening Circles”
Jan. 4 (10:00am), Jan. 10 (8:00pm), or Jan. 11 (4:30pm)
You are invited to attend an hour-long "Listening Circle" where we will listen to and discuss the chapter ahead of time. Alternatively, you can listen to it and read more about it online. Check the UUCM calendar for more info or contact Amy: amy@amyconleymusic.com or 603-249-9560 (no text).
Stay abreast of RJTF projects and news here.
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The Surface of Mystery: a NEW Adult Education Opportunity
January through May 2022
Since the pandemic began, Adult Ed has been happening on Zoom twice a month as a way of keeping us connected and having a little fun together. This will continue once a month on Wednesday afternoons at 4 pm, but Nancy Baker is also offering a deeper, discussion-based opportunity once a month between January and May on Zoom. Each session will focus around a topic: truth, order,
virtue, theodicy (why bad things happen to good people if there is an all seeing and benevolent God), and eschatology (the study of last things). We’ll explore the topic through the lenses of philosophy, world religions, mythology, and art. Participants can attend one session or all of them and will get a handout ahead of time with some very brief reading material and questions to get discussion started. Since this is a discussion group, it would work best with 8 to 12 people. If you are interested in participating, please let Nancy Baker know soon so she can arrange a time that would work best for everyone interested. You won’t have to buy a book, but you will get a followup reading list if you are interested in thinking more about the topic. At the first meeting you'll find out what the title means.
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What in God's Name Podcast
Tune in each Thursday for this podcast with Rev. Shayna and Rev. Chris Owen that pushes back against the binaries of politics and economics to uncover the pearls found in theological and philosophical exploration of today's current events. Says Shayna, "We don't break the news. We break it down!" Each show runs about 20-25 minutes. To listen to previously released podcasts or to sign up to receive notices for new podcasts, click here.
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To contact UUCM leadership:
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Jamie, our administrator, is in the office Monday-Thursday from 8:30am-2:30pm. You can reach her at 603-673-1870 or at office@uucm.org.
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While Rev. Shayna is away through Jan. 10, urgent messages should be sent to the UUCM Board at board@uucm.org. Someone from the Board will respond to your message. Contact information for Board members is listed here.
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After Jan. 10, Rev. Shayna can be reached at minister@uucm.org.
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For Pastoral Care Assistance in January: Contact Nancy Danzinger or office@uucm.org
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Donate Food to SHARE in January
Please purchase and deliver Toothbrushes & paste, Deodorants, Shampoo & Conditioner, Bar Soap, Feminine Hygiene Products, Diapers, Wipes to SHARE this month. Click to see where to drop off donations.
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Weather Cancellations at UUCM:
It’s Snowing – Are Sunday Services/Programming Canceled? If so, you can still participate via Zoom. To find out whether we will be meeting in church:
- Call the Church at 673-1870. If in-person church is canceled, the answering machine will tell you.
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Check the calendar on the website. The title will say ‘Worship Service (Online Only) due to Snow’
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Check WMUR-TV (News 9) or http://www.wmur.com/weather/closings and look for “Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Milford” under the letter U.
Note that these closure notices apply to church services and programs only. It is up to group leaders, committee chairs, and renters to notify their people if a meeting is canceled.
Closings on Other Days:
If the office is closed, there will be a message on the answering machine. It is best to call ahead to ensure someone is in the office. For meetings or activities, check with the group leader.
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UUCM 603-673-1870 office@uucm.org
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