We are a spiritual fellowship dedicated to building beloved community

-- within and beyond our doors.

Minister Musings by Rev. Julie Lombard

While at Pendle Hill, Parker Palmer opened up to his anxiety and talked with others about it. Whenever he did this, he would be offered a response that is fairly typical among Quakers: “The way will open, proceed as the way opens.” It is a statement of

trust, of faith! It says, ‘relax, be patient with yourself, and trust that the next step will become clear.’ “Proceed as a way opens.”

~Rev. Doug Taylor

In March, we will consider what trust means and what place it has in our lives. Do you equate it with honesty, with finances, with faith, or all of these? This month when our stewardship season gets kicked off and we make promises for a brighter future, we might need to look honestly at our finances to think about how we want this faith to shine out upon the Souhegan Valley.

“All you can do is face the world with quiet grace and hope you make a sliver of difference. Humility does not mean self-abnegation, lassitude, detachment; it's more a calm recognition that you must trust in that which does not make sense, that which is unreasonable, illogical, silly, ridiculous, crazy by the measure of most of our culture. You must trust that you being the best possible you matters somehow. That trying to be an honest and tender parent will echo for centuries through your tribe. That doing your chosen work with creativity and diligence will shiver people far beyond your ken. That being an attentive and generous friend and citizen will prevent a thread or two of the social fabric from unraveling. And you must do all of this with the certain knowledge that you will never get proper credit for it, and in fact the vast majority of things you do right will go utterly unremarked... This is what I know: that the small is huge, that the tiny is vast.” ~Brian Doyle

This is what we are being called to do, to come together for a purpose larger than ourselves. This spring offers us opportunities to think about how we want to serve our community -- with trust and faith that UUCM is needed here.

From the President's Desk

Dear Fellow Congregants,

I hope this message finds you well. Our congregation is thriving in many respects and I am personally very excited about our potential at this moment! For instance, we are partnering with the Milford Town Recycling Committee to undertake a Sustainability Fair at the Boys & Girls Club on April 5. UUCM will have a table and some literature to share about UUCM’s efforts to create a Green Sanctuary and what that means.

Also, the Social Justice Committee is planning a Vegan Tasting/Learning/Potluck Dinner & Discussion on April 22 (Earth Day!) to educate not only UUCM folks, but our neighbors and friends. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, or even cooking a vegan meal now and then, can help not only our own bodies, but also affect climate change and our unhealthy relationship with nature.

Although there is much exciting news and signs of post-Covid activism to communicate, we still face some challenging circumstances. Several congregants have expressed surprise at the survey that we circulated seeking input on Rev. Julie’s ministry, preparatory to our vote at the end of the year to approve the Board’s recommendations. We will follow up on this survey with a congregational discussion on March 30 at which our congregation will be invited to discuss our shared ministry with Rev. Julie.

The Board is seeking input from all of you on this and other topics, but I have a request: We need to stay in covenant with each other! Our conversations should be respectful; we should seek and expect good intentions from all; and we should do our best to include those about whom we are speaking in our conversations. Expect to hear more about this work in our weekly and monthly newsletters.

Thank you all for showing up at UUCM. If you are interested in being part of the leadership at UUCM, please seek out me, any Board member, or Marti Kennedy, Chair of the Congregational Development Committee.

Sincerely,

Michael Conley, UUCM President

News from the Board

The UUCM Board is delighted to welcome two new members to its ranks: Bob Thompson and Candy Shirey. We were sorry to have Sherri Sinclair and Nancy Danzinger resign, and thank them for their service. Stu Davidson has kindly taken over the duties of the Clerk.

The Board's next meeting is on March 16. They will also be hosting Coffee with the Board after the service on March 9. These coffees are an informal discussion of board activity and priorities. All are invited to attend!

March Worship Theme: Living Love Through the Practice of Trust

This call to trust Life comes to us as a gift. After all, it can be quite easy to convince ourselves that life is a foe. So we need our faith communities to restore our faith that life is ultimately a friend. We need the reassurance that when we fall, we can count on being picked up. Read more.

March Worship Services

Sunday Services at 10:30 a.m. (in person and on Zoom). Details at uucm.org.

March 2 – Everybody's Fight

Rev. Julie Lombard

March is Women’s History month, which inspires us to look at our own UU Herstory. We look to a housewife and mother of five who was an active NAACP member in Detroit and horrified at the violence inflicted upon black protesters seen on television in the 1960’s. She heard of a 4-day, 54-mile walk from Selma to Montgomery to support voting rights, so she packed a bag. Viola Liuzzo told her husband, "It's everybody's fight." She kissed her children goodbye and drove south. She had trust in her ability to help a movement. Hear her legacy and contemplate what your gut tells you to do.

Reminder: Set your clocks ahead an hour on Saturday night!

March 9 -- Every Morning a Cheerful Invitation

Lynn Coakley and the Worship Team

Today we’ll hear musings on connecting with nature, even as winter continues. As we begin to see hope for spring, those of us who live with others may crave the silence of the outdoors. Those of us who live alone may welcome the increasing sounds of nature as the sun returns. It is still winter, but we can start to see signs of spring. Or not… Who knows? We could all be home on Zoom again! One way or another, we will gather for this service on Henry David Thoreau and a person’s relationship with nature through all the seasons.

After Church: Join us at coffee hour for Everyone’s Birthday cupcakes! There is also Coffee with the Board in the Fireside Room.

March 16 -- In God We Trust

Rev. Julie Lombard

“In God We Trust” is the U.S motto on our dollar bills, but is this what inspires your giving during a Stewardship Drive? We will look at what does motivate you and look to see what others seek trust in. We’ll look at a young character in a book who has recently moved to a new community where her new friends want to know which church she attends. This sets her off on an exploration of faith, not knowing where she truly belongs while having ongoing conversations with God. Join us for worship meant to make you wonder.

March 23 -- Nothing Comes from Nothing   

Nancy Baker and the Worship Team

“Thing” is a convenient noun that stands in for all we encounter in daily life. When we need to be less precise, we depend on “thing” and its friends (anything, something, and nothing) to measure and quantify our way of life. This service explores our strategies for coping with the eternal concept of nothing, its role in the universe, and the way it frames our individual lives. 

March 30 -- Seasons End; Our Commitment Continues (Family Sunday)

Rev. Julie Lombard

Did you know that there is an official Season for Nonviolence? It encompasses the 64 days between the anniversaries of the deaths of Mohandas Gandhi on January 30 and Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4. The Season was co-founded in 1998 by Arun and Sunanda Gandhi and the Leadership Council of the Association for Global New Thought (AGNT). With April 4th almost here, let’s contemplate our commitment to nonviolence. People around the world participate in the Season for Nonviolence by annually pledging to create intentional time to reflect on different forms of nonviolence and how it encourages them to make a difference every day. Join us on this journey where peace is part of our spiritual equation.

After Church: A congregational discussion about our shared ministry with Rev. Julie

Help with Sunday Services

On Sundays, you are encouraged to participate in or help with various aspects of the service that we all enjoy. Sign up to be a Worship Reader, Garden Door greeter, bring Sunday snacks, help with coffee hour setup/cleanup, or pass the collection plate.  Sign up here.

Children and Youth Committee (CYC) News

Co-chairs Marti Kennedy & Julie Adl-Zarabi

Children’s Circles will be held every Sunday in March except Family Sunday on March 30.

On March 9th, we invite everyone to join us at coffee hour to enjoy Everyone’s Birthday cupcakes decorated by our children.

On March 23 we will be assembling Blessing Bags to donate to SHARE. You can help by donating the following items. (Travel size items work best.)

• Toiletries: Shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, hand lotion, wet wipes, hand sanitizer
• Personal items: Comb, razor, chap stick, sunscreen, tissues, small first aid kit, socks

Please bring donations to UUCM and place them in or near the basket in Barnum Hall by March 23rd before the service.

Social Justice News

The Social Justice team has been very active:

• Laura Lynch stepped up to lead the Green Sanctuary 2030 subgroup.
• Laura is also heading up the UUCM table for the Sustainability Fair on April 5.
• Many of us are involved in planning and publicizing a Vegan Tasting/Learning/Potluck Dinner & Discussion on Earth Day, April 22.

Also in the works are the following:

• A Sustainable Gardening event on May 17th being headed up by Cheryl York-Cail and Brenda Perry
• A table at the Pride Day Fest on June 1st
• A Juneteenth celebration  

All are welcome to attend the SJC monthly meetings and to be on an email list to learn about other social justice opportunities in the larger community. To learn more about the SJC’s plans, agenda, and any schedule changes, ask Lynn Lippitt to add you to the SJC email list.

Our next meeting is on Monday, March 31, 5:30-7pm in Emerson. We’ll have an appetizers and desserts potluck, so please bring food to share as you are able. If you cannot attend in person, let Lynn know you’d like to join us on Zoom.

This Year's UUCM Stewardship Campaign: Stronger Together

This year’s stewardship campaign has the theme Stronger Together, and will kick off on Sunday, March 16th. This is our time to come together as a community and ensure the strength and sustainability of UUCM. Your generous support helps fund our programs, worship, social justice initiatives, and the welcoming space we cherish. Every pledge, big or small, makes a difference. Join us in building a future where our values thrive -- because we truly are stronger together!

Help make UUCM's 2025 Auction the best ever

Plan to be here on Saturday, March 1 at 6pm. 

• Silent auction from 6-7 with 44 gift cards and items.
• Live auction starts at 7 with 33 special items -- a variety of dinners, events, services, and beautiful handcrafted items.
• 10 baskets to be raffled
• Beverages of all sorts, snacks, and sweets

Additional details plus list of live items and proxy form here. If you cannot attend, submit your proxy bid before Saturday. Questions? Email auction@uucm.org or contact Lynn Lippitt or Dona Eaton.

Final Candlelight Vesper Service & Soup

6pm Wednesday 3/5/2025

Join us for our final winter Vesper service to soothe your soul with music, poetry, and prayer in our candlelit sanctuary, followed by a simple meal of bread and soup. Rekindle your flame with a little help from your friends at UUCM as we prepare to “spring forward”. Rev. Julie Lombard will lead this brief half-hour alternative worship service. Dinner will be waiting on the stovetop at 6:30pm, so please join us!

March Adult Ed

Washing up!

Mar. 12 @ 4pm on Zoom

During the recent pandemic we were told that washing your hands was a key to controlling the spread of COVID, but actually we've known the relationship between being clean and being healthy since antiquity. Soap, like so many inventions, has a history that is fascinating and a little surprising. Join us for a journey through the soap bubbles to discover why most soap is actually detergent, and to learn the difference between bath soap and toilet soap.

Questions? Contact Nancy Baker.

Join Zoom Meeting here. Meeting ID: 920 1671 2600. Passcode: 257737

The Surface of Mystery: The Alpha & the Omega: A Comparative Look at How Religious Traditions View Creation and the End of Human Time -- This month: Hinduism

Mar. 26 @ 4pm on Zoom

In the 2nd program each month, Nancy Baker will look at one religious or spiritual tradition and explore its ideas about how the world began and how it will end through the lens of theology, philosophy, mythology, art, and literature. The work of Huston Smith will anchor the comparative theology. The traditions included will be: Primal religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Native American perspectives. Questions? Contact Nancy Baker.

Join Zoom Meeting here. Meeting ID: 920 1671 2600. Passcode: 257737

Recordings of adult ed presentations are available here.

Rise Up Singing Night (formerly called Community Sing Along)

Friday, March 14 -- 7:00-9:00 PM

Held monthly on the second Friday in the Fireside Room, all are welcometo bring your voices, instruments, and snacks! Call Amy Conley for details(603-249-9560) or just show up! We use the Rise Again songbook, but you’re welcome to bring 15 copies of your favorite song lyrics and chords.

UUCM Free Community Supper

Weds., March 19, 5:30-6:30pm

Connect with church friends and members of the community for supper! Tasty, healthy meals and a veggie option are being served. Questions? Or want to volunteer to help? Contact Nancy Danzinger.

Lectio Divina at The Elms Center Dining Room

Tuesday, March 25, 2-3pm with Rev. Julie Lombard

This outreach Adult Education Program is a shared ministry in partnership with The Elms Center, 71 Elm St., Milford, NH. It is open to all who would like to learn with their beloved community and Rev. Julie.

Lectio Divina (Latin for "divine reading") is a traditional Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, meditation, and prayer intended to promote communion with all that is holy and to increase the knowledge of a text. It does not treat these words as texts to be studied, but as the Living Spirit to live by. Any text may be considered sacred when it shares the values we are being asked to embody. Therefore, they may come from any divine source composed by humankind practicing the various world religions -- the Bible, the Koran, the Veda, poetry, or hymns/song.

SHARE Needs Your Support

Please help stock the Food Pantry at SHARE with snacks, canned ham, mac & cheese, canned meats/tuna/chicken, pasta (all sorts), Progresso and Chunky soups.

Leave donations under the sign in Barnum Hall or click to see where to drop off food donations.

Pastoral Care Assistance

A Pastoral Care request can be made by clicking on one of these highlighted links: Rev. Julie Lombard, Jamie (Congregational Administrator), or Nancy Danzinger (Pastoral Care Chairperson).

Members - Get the Latest UUCM Directories

UUCM members: Click here for these directories:

• Leadership Directory lists members of leadership and committees with contact information.
• Church Directory lists all UUCM members & friends with contact info. An asterisk indicates those who have signed the Membership book. Keep yours current by sending updates and corrections to office@uucm.org.

Contact Info for UUCM Personnel and Leadership:

• Jamie, our administrator, has open office hours from 10am-2pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. To schedule an appointment, please call 603-673-1870 x1 or email office@uucm.org. On Wednesday and Friday, she works remotely and can be reached by email.
• Rev. Julie is available by phone or by appointment Sun-Wed, and Thurs in emergencies. Call or text her at 603-724-0978. Email is the slowest way to connect with her, so do not use email to relay emergency info.
• The UUCM Board can be reached at board@uucm.org.

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 603-673-1870. If in-person church is canceled, the answering machine will tell you.
• Check the calendar on the website. The title will say ‘Worship Service (Online Only) due to Snow’
• 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.

Find it on UUCM.org

The easiest and quickest way to find information on our website is to use the Search feature. Enter a word or two into the search box located at the upper right on any page.

UUCM 603-673-1870 office@uucm.org