We are a spiritual fellowship dedicated to building beloved community within and beyond our doors.

UUCM Sunday Services at 10:30am

In the sanctuary and on Zoom - Masks are optional.

Services this month will be focused on May's theme, "The Path of Creativity". Information on upcoming services is posted on the UUCM website and in the Weekly Update.

Theme for May - The Path of Creativity

Creativity is our ability to dream things up and make them happen. ~ Peggy Taylor

Dreaming things up. We’re all familiar with that part of the quote. Who doesn’t love conjuring up new ideas and images? Who isn’t impressed when someone takes pieces of what is and -- almost magically -- presents us with what could be?

However, the same can’t be said about the second half of the quote, the part about “making those dreams happen.” That side of the creativity equation gets short shrift. We celebrate the fun piece about dreaming and leave off the hard piece of making our imaginings real. Read more.

Share the Plate Nomination

At each Sunday service, UUCM shares its offertory with an external nonprofit organization whose mission is in line with our UU principles and values, and reflects UUCM’s priorities for social action. Recipients for the past two years. If you would like to submit a nonprofit for consideration, please complete this form.

From the President's Desk

I’m running again. Out on the trails. It isn’t easy, but it's worth it.

I haven’t really run very much these past several years for a myriad of reasons, pandemic notwithstanding. But as the weather began to warm up, I couldn’t wait to get out there again. I can put on my headphones and run to the soundtrack of my high school days. It might bring me back there mentally, but at a decidedly slower pace -- and that’s okay.

I ran varsity cross country and track in high school. It was a big part of my identity, and helped shape who I was at that awkward age. It provided me with a practice, a focus, and was a great way to manage stress. Unfortunately, I had to hang up my sneakers at the age of 17. I often tried, and failed, at getting back into it all through my 20s. The feet and knees just wouldn’t have it, and so I finally let it go.

Fast forward to a chance conversation at UUCM in my mid-30s (with someone I barely knew) where a particular “new running technique” was mentioned. And just like that, I was set on a new path.

I was starting from scratch, but I was running again! I was able to work my way up to longer distances than in my teens, and keep at it for many years in a row. I was in it just for the practice of it -- doing it so that I could keep doing it. It was a good meditation, and a great way to clear my head. (And when I was younger, it was a great way to justify eating a ton of carbs.)

So, thanks to this person I barely ever talked to, and probably haven’t seen since, I get to be 16 again whenever I run – even if only for 3 or 4 miles. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.You never know what shared interests we all have, and how our experiences may overlap and intertwine. Maybe someone has the secret you didn’t know you needed for a bigger yield from your garden, an opportunity for work (or play), or something else that you haven’t thought of in years. The more we talk to each other, listen to each other, and widen the circle, we can start to see the puzzle pieces of our lives fall into place.

It's amazing how a simple meandering chat could end up impacting someone's life in great and unexpected ways. And how, just as often, those people may never know the significance a passing comment or a kind word had made. We really do have the power to change the world -- for ourselves and each other. We'll never know how often we are thought of, positively or negatively, but when we are able to be present, sincere, and kind, we are actually shaping the world for the better -- even if for only one person in the moment. But that can result in ripples of kindness that extend far further.

So please… be present, be patient, and above all, be kind. Be the person you’d like to spend time with. It isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it.

Scott Blanchard (president@uucm.org)

UUCM Annual Auction Nets $11,562

Thanks to your generous donations of goods and services -- and bids! -- many in our congregation will soon be attending delicious dinners and events, taking mini-vacations, getting chores done around their homes, and enjoying the cool items they successfully bid on. Much gratitude to Laura Libby, Peter Lippitt, Leslie and Scott Bennett, Holly Hornor, Julie Adl-Zarabi, Jane Mika, and Bob Eaton for their work on the auction.

Thank you all, Dona Eaton.

From the UUCM Board

The Board will meet on May 21 at 12:30pm in Emerson Hall. Zoom is used if attendees cannot be there in person.

• Minutes of board meetings are posted here.
• Agenda for the next Board meeting is linked from the Weekly Update the Friday before the meeting. 
• If you wish to attend, please email board@uucm.org by end of day Saturday to let us know whether you will attend in person or via Zoom. Time will be set aside at the end of the business meeting for visitor comments on the agenda items that were discussed during the meeting. 

Piano Karaoke - Friday, May 5 at 7pm

Singers performing their favorite tunes, unrehearsed and on request, in their best vocal range or key, accompanied by a live pianist, in front of a live audience. A great place to try out your singing chops. This is NOT karaoke as you may know it, but a live piano player accompanying you with songs you bring to the table. Pop, rock, Broadway, the great American songbook, jazz.

Meet the author, Diane Kane - May 11 at 4pm

The Racial Justice Task Force invites adults and young adults to meet the author of I Never Called Him Pa, a coming of age story about a Black character who overcomes prejudice and plays a pivotal part in the growth and development of a white lad being raised by his grandmother. Details of this Zoom event are on the Calendar.

“The Year to Save the Earth” – A Multimedia Experience with Jim Scott

UUCM Sanctuary - Friday, May 12 at 7pm

Open to the public. Suggested donation: $15.00

Mixing powerful songs and beautiful projected images, “The Year to Save the Earth” takes us from celebration to grieving, protest to positive vision for the planet. Jim Scott’s lyrical melodies and outspoken poetry celebrate what’s beautiful, amazing, and fragile. In addition to facing hard reality, the program’s message is one of optimism with many invitations to join in the singing. Given the urgency of the environmental crisis, the songs challenge us to feel, to learn, and to act.

Prolific composer guitarist Jim Scott brings a warmth and humor with his jazz and world music influenced songs. He combines a prodigious mastery of guitar and a clear voice to touch hearts with his messages of peace, justice, and love for the Earth. Formerly a member of the Paul Winter Consort, Jim was a co-composer of their celebrated Missa Gaia/Earth Mass and sang their anthem song Common Ground. He has toured the world, recorded nine CDs of original music, and published a growing line of choral works. One of the originators of the Unitarian Universalist "Green Sanctuary" program, Jim also compiled the Earth and Spirit Songbook, an anthology of more than 100 songs that celebrate the Earth by many contemporary songwriters.

Community Supper - Wednesday, May 17, 5:30-6:30pm

Take a night off from cooking and join some friends at church for supper! The menu changes monthly, and we always offer a vegetarian option. Questions? Or want to volunteer to help? Contact Nancy Danzinger.

May 20 - Get a Table - Get Rid of Stuff!

• Reserve a table. Your neighbor or friend can have one too! Contact climate@uucm.org to reserve a table.
• Bring whatever will fit on or in front of the table
• Give it away, trade it, sell it.
• At the end of the event (10am-1pm) we will take your unwanted, boxed-up leftovers to Goodwill.
• Pay UUCM whatever you wish.

CAT welcomes your ideas and participation. You can contact the team at climate@uucm.org or join us on 1^st Wednesdays at 4pm on Zoom. (See the UUCM Calendar for the link.) Also share your ideas and resources on UUCM's Climate Action Facebook page.

UUCM Adult Ed: May 2023 (See Calendar for Zoom links.)

Make Art with Ann Sobel! May 10 (4pm)

Have some fun this month and flex your artistic muscles! Bring a ball point pen (waterproof may be best, but not absolutely necessary), colored markers, paint, colored pencils, or whatever sparks your interest and feels most comfortable for you. Also have on hand some paper, canvas, a wooden board, or even cardboard to draw or paint on. Ann will demonstrate what to do. Her artwork with wonderful color will inspire you! No art experience or training is necessary. This is just for fun! Ann will demonstrate while you try some techniques. If you need some help, you can call her during the program or use the chat feature and ask questions as we go along. 

Surface of Mystery Winter/Spring Series, Part V - Harmony

May 23 (7 pm) and May 24 (4 pm)

Is harmony a balance of things or is it the opposite of discord? Why do we prefer certain colors and shapes that work together to calm or excite our senses? Does music best express the harmony of sounds and voices we depend on? This program asks you to explore what harmony means to you, and brings together sources in philosophy, theology, mythology, and art history.

Contact Nancy Baker for more information. 

UUCM Needs a Social Media Guru – Maybe YOU?

To reach a wider audience, especially younger people, we should make more use of Instagram and TikTok instead of just Facebook. BUT… most Comm Team members are of a different generation. We need some younger, social media savvy congregants to apply their expertise and enthusiasm to bring UUCM into the lives of younger generations. If this interests you, email commteam@uucm.org or contact a team member. This article by a UU suggests some strategies and provides some insight into attracting Gen Zers.

SHARE Needs Your Support in May

This month, please purchase toothbrushes & paste, deodorants, shampoo & conditioner, bar soap, feminine hygiene products, diapers, and wipes for the Food Pantry at SHARE. Leave items in the basket in Barnum Hall, or click to see where to drop off food donations.

What in God's Name

"What in God's Name" is a podcast featuring Rev. Shayna and her good friend and colleague, Rev. Chris Owen. The weekly show runs about 20-25 minutes and explores current events through the lenses of theology and philosophy. Learn more or sign up to be notified about upcoming podcasts at Whatingods.com.

To contact UUCM leadership:

• Jamie, our administrator, has office hours Monday-Thursday from 8am-3pm. You can reach her at 603-673-1870 or at office@uucm.org. It's best to call ahead before coming to the church.
• Rev. Shayna can be reached at minister@uucm.org or call 603-673-1870 x2. For time sensitive or urgent/emergent situations, text or call 802-579-6066.  
• The UUCM Board can be reached at board@uucm.org.

For Pastoral Care Assistance in May: Contact Holly Hornor or office@uucm.org.

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