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“And this mess is so big, And so deep and so tall, We cannot pick it up, There is no way at all!”  

To view this service (it will be uploaded by Sunday morning), click here to go to the UUCR's YouTube channel. You may also go to the church's webpage by clicking here and find the service by clicking on the tab at the bottom of the "Keeping In Touch" column on the left side of the page.

If you would like to have a "Joy" or "Sorrow" included in the service, please submit it in writing to both Rev. Sue Browning's email and the UUCR's office email by 12 pm Thursday and she will read all submissions as a part of the service.

Please come join us for UUCR Coffee Hour at 11:00 am, on Sunday, January 31 at the Zoom link here.

It's a time to see and talk to one another, and the next best thing to being there!

What are the anecdotes you recall in our congregation’s history? Are there behind-the-scenes stories we could include? Do you have photos or pictures of memorabilia we could make a part of the slideshow? Are there people you want to be sure we honor February 7? As we prepare to celebrate the history of UUCR, we’re reminded that history is never static. Our story now needs to include activities from recent years, and to reflect the ways we have adapted this past year.  

We’d love to hear from you. Please send stories and photos to the office email [email protected], or get in touch with Nancy or me by phone. If you have questions on the best way to submit photos, Dave Biehler would be happy to help. 

"John and Susan LaFerla hunkering down in Bear, Delaware send fond wishes to our friends at UUCR. Although we all continue to struggle in various ways during this dark winter, we are buoyed and elated that better days are at last in sight. May our bonds of friendship give us strength and creativity as we evolve new ways of being together." JohnLaFerla

Your help is needed!

UUCR has been using a church software database program, ICON-CMO, to keep track of UUCR’s members and friends, and all of their contact information. It was used to create our recently published photo Directory. Keeping the information current and correct is a continual process.

We need additional people to help maintain the information, and more importantly, for more than just one or two people who can access, edit, and understand how the database works.

If you have a computer, an internet connection, and want to learn database management skills, UUCR NEEDS YOU. It does require patience and attention to detail, and consistency.

To volunteer, contact the church office by UUCR email or UUCR phone at 410-778-3440, or Diane Shields by email.

The goal is to keep them active as resources to connect with our community. If you have the time, and maybe a flair for communication, we could use you. The main requirement is being alert to what’s going on at UUCR (think of our social justice work, our sermons, our guest speakers, our community information) that might be of interest and importance to other Kent Countians. While we regularly post links to our services, we would also like to highlight particular “good bits” and stirring music from the service as “stand alone" Facebook posts. If you have or can obtain video editing software that would be helpful, but not absolutely essential. You job would be to help us be in the public eye.

Please contact John Ramsey at [email protected] or 443-480-9460

We will be passing out nifty boxes of homemade cookies from the UUCR church parking lot on Sunday, Feb. 14, from 1-3. The boxes will be safely packed by us at the church on the day before.

We are offering delivery for those who desire. An email will be sent out, so those who want this service can sign up.

Jane Hardy, [email protected], 410-639-7811, or

Darlene Wiggers, [email protected], 410-778-3440.

Their need for funds is more critical now than ever before, and we hope that our members and friends will contribute generously to this community need. Please send your check to the UUCR church office by February 15 (marking it "winter shelter special collection") or make your donation from the UUCR website through the “donate” button by clicking here. On behalf of the committee, we thank you for your generosity.

Amy Warner,

Co-chair

For those of you who have been navigating the path to scheduling a vaccination, you know that it is challenging! What we know now is that all residents age 65 and older are eligible to schedule and receive vaccinations. While recent information suggests that Maryland residents can schedule appointments anywhere in the State, vaccine shortages are very limited and it is best to start with your County of residence, as some counties are becoming more restricted to serving those who reside outside their counties. Bob Bjork and Lynn Dolinger continue to work to understand and update the process. The websites we've found most helpful are kenthd.org and marylandvax.org. 

As of this week, the Kent Health Department (kenthd.org) is sending out notices to those who have registered, providing an opportunity to schedule an appointment, so we strongly suggest that you register on this site (under "Hot Topics"). We also suggest that you enroll the help of a friend or family member if you need assistance with this challenging process. If you still need further assistance, please contact the church office by UUCR email or by UUCR phone at 410-778-3440. 

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After an effort that started in late October, a team of dedicated UUCR members, artfully led by Nancy Holland and Linda Weimer, was gratified to see their work culminate last week at the first home built by Kent Attainable Housing (KAH), a local charity dedicated to working with low income working families to break the generational cycle of poverty through home ownership.

As sunny skies helped buoy the mood, ten UU donors carried their furnishings to the charming, traditional two-story house at 204 College Avenue on Wednesday and Thursday. In support of the UUCR commitment to racial equity, the team spent countless hours helping the bi-racial family of five furnish their first home. The collection ranged from the big (a trundle bed for two kids) to the small (serving dishes for the kitchen) with plenty of mid-size pieces like compact storage. In addition to the UU donors, another six of our neighbors and friends made property contributions.

UUCR has been pleased to partner with Kent Attainable Housing to help this family move in to their new home and hopes to continue its work to support their successful transition to home ownership.

Join the Green Sanctuary in our annual environmental book read! We will be reading As Long As Grass Grows by Dina Gilio-Whitaker and discussing it in February, most likely on Zoom! This book is available on Amazon new or used as well as at the library. BookPlate is another source that is always accommodating. Happy reading and I hope to see you in February.

“Through the unique lens of “Indigenized environmental justice,” Indigenous researcher and activist Dina Gilio-Whitaker explores the fraught history of treaty violations, struggles for food and water security, and protection of sacred sites, while highlighting the important leadership of Indigenous women in this centuries-long struggle. As Long As Grass Grows gives readers an accessible history of Indigenous resistance to government and corporate incursions on their lands and offers new approaches to environmental justice activism and policy.

Throughout 2016, the Standing Rock protest put a national spotlight on Indigenous activists, but it also underscored how little Americans know about the longtime historical tensions between Native peoples and the mainstream environmental movement. Ultimately, she argues, modern environmentalists must look to the history of Indigenous resistance for wisdom and inspiration in our common fight for a just and sustainable future.”

Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley

Darlene Wiggers (Office) p: 410-778-3440 | e:[email protected]