UUCR Reflections - May 5, 2022

Thursday, May 5, 2022

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THIS SUNDAY'S

WORSHIP SERVICE

"The Holy Dove Was Moving Too"

Rev. Andrew L. Weber, guest speaker

Annie Lavin, service leader

Philip Dutton, musician

In-person & Zoom Worship Service

Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 10 am

We are each beautiful, amazing and divine. We need to nurture our own beauty by acknowledging and embodying our beauty. Let your religion ring through your actions, preach the gospel while holding your beloved, venerate the holy in times of exercise, let eating be a ritual or prayer and celebration, use your body to worship and to preach, embody this faith you hold so dear.

So we can begin the worship service promptly at 10 am, please sign into Zoom (click here) by no later than 9:50 am.

If you have an "Announcement," "Joy," or "Concern" that you'd like read at the service, please submit them in advance by emailing the UUCR office (click here) by 9 pm Saturday.

Upcoming Services

Sunday, May 15 — In-person & Zoom

"Happiness vs Meaningfulness"

Most of us have worked hard to craft a fairly unified personal story that allows us to understand our lives as coherent. But at some point, this coherent being must then decide on how to move forward in their story. Once you have this quasi-defined sense of self, complete with personal beliefs and values that guide your narrative, what goals should you steer in the direction of what floats your boat?

Matt Mielnick relocated to the Eastern Shore in October of last year to take on the job of Executive Director of The Mainstay in Rock Hall. He has been a performing arts administrator of various non-profits near his former home in Upstate NY for over 30 years. He is also a licensed occupational therapist, an acoustic guitarist, and the author of two published books (one fiction and one non-fiction).

Matt Mielnick, guest speaker
Marilee Taussig, service leader
Dick Durham, musician

Newsletter Index

So You Don't Miss Anything!

This Week's Worship Service Information
Upcoming Worship Services Information
Newsletter Index
Helpful Links, Office Hours, Upcoming Events Calendar
UUCR Office Hours Changing May 8
Annual Congregational Meeting Notice
Minister's Column
Thank You for Auction Input
UUCR Facebook Forum
Help Needed — Coffee Hosts, Greeters
Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee — Ukraine Special Collection, Kent County Food Pantry
Pastoral Care and Connection Committee
Birthdays
UUCR Contact Information
End of Reflections Notice at the VERY END

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Helpful Links

Upcoming Events

This Week's

Worship Service

MAY 8 | Zoom link to Service

Previous Worship Service Recordings

are available on the UUCR YouTube channel

UUCR

Calendar

Office email

Facebook (public)

Facebook Forum (private)

Website

Website donate button

YouTube channel

UUCR Office Hours:

W, Sa, Su — 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

M, Tu, Th, F — CLOSED

MAY 8 | Worship Service

In-person & Zoom

Rev. Andrew Weber, guest speaker

Annie Lavin, service leader

Philip Dutton, musician

MAY 15 | Annual

Congregational Meeting

MAY 15 | Worship Service

In-person & Zoom

Matt Mielnick, guest speaker

Marilee Taussig, service leader

Dick Durham, musician

MAY 22 | Worship Service

In-person & Zoom

Rev. Bran Lennox, guest speaker

Catherine Brooks, service leader

Matt Mielnick, musician

If you know of another link or event that should be added, please contact

the UUCR office by email or phone 410-778-3440. Thanks!

UUCR Office Hours Changing

The UUCR office hours are changing beginning May 8. The office will now be open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Notice of Annual Meeting

The annual congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, May 15th following the Sunday Service.

The business to be conducted at the meeting will include presentation of the:

Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Slate of Candidates for elected offices
Committee Reports
Other Business, as determined.

The Budget and Slate of Candidates will be voted on by the congregation. This requires a quorum of 20% of the membership, so please plan to attend the meeting. Members who have signed the Membership Book prior to February 14, 2022 will be eligible to vote.

In gratitude,

Nancy Holland, President

Minister's Column

Reproductive Justice

The reality that the Supreme Court will likely overturn Roe v. Wade is now front and center.

I came of age in the 1970s. I have only known a country where abortion has been a legal right. While there have been continuous efforts to impose restrictions, I've always counted on Roe v. Wade as the safety net.

Protecting access to reproductive choice is about caring for those who should have options, especially those with limited power and resources.

Unitarian Universalists have long considered reproductive choice a moral issue. The Unitarian Universalist Association passed its first statement supporting abortion rights in 1963. Without legal options, women were dying. Compassionate, safe access to abortion care mattered. Roe v. Wade altered the national landscape.

Over time, reproductive choice has been seen in the broader context of reproductive justice. Reproductive justice includes the right of people (i) to have the children they want to have; (ii) to not to have children they don't want to have; (iii) to raise their children in safe and healthy environments; and (iv) to express their sexuality without oppression. When choice is positioned as a justice issue, we can better understand its impact on all of us.

This potential action by the Supreme Court is unsettling. If it actually happens, it will be dangerous.

What can we do? In simple terms, engage. In the next few weeks there will be a plethora of groups (local and national) asking for our physical presence, financial support, and advocacy. Pay attention and respond as you feel called. As one option, next Tuesday (May 17, 8 pm), the national Side With Love Team will host a political education event, “Heart-to-Heart: Abortion Conversations & Action for a Post-Roe World.” Here is the registration link: https://bit.ly/FutureOfAbortionAccess.

This is difficult news to digest. If support would be helpful, my door is open.

In concern,

Rev. Sue

To:

David and Joan Biehler, Sydney Brookes, Catherine Brooks, Rev. Sue and Bill Browning, Bob Coleman, Al and Jackie Mathwich, Lynn and Ralph Dolinger, Linda and Philip Dutton, Gerry and Guy Edwards, Gayle Folger, Bob Fox, Carl and Brenda Gallegos, Lynn Geisert, Terry Goldzier, George Hardy, Nancy Holland, Annie and Jim Lavin, Lenard the Mighty, Melinda and Tom Lippincott, Jackie Lonergan, Margo Long, Mary Pritchard, Cynthia Ramsey, John Ramsey, Marcy Ramsey, Ted Ramsey, M.Q. Riding, Connie Schroth, Mary Selles, Diane Shields, Maggie Smith, Nancy Smith, Elisabeth Tully, Pam Vogel, Amy Warner, Linda Weimer, and Darlene Wiggers

for artistry, donations, time, and muscle-power expended to make our “Auction Week” a decided success – through your support we exceeded our auction income goal! Your gifts to UUCR are deeply appreciated.

Thank you as well to all you bidders and winners! Enjoy your prizes.

Jane Hardy, Auction Chair

UUCR Facebook Forum

Rhododendron photo by Linda Weimer.

John Ramsey has posted a photo of the New Member Welcoming Ceremony held on May 1 to the UUCR Facebook Forum page. He is also planning on posting Auction photos there in the near future. This is a private Facebook page, and you must be a page member to obtain access. To request membership to this page (click here).

Help Needed for Services

Coffee Hosts and Greeters are needed for our in-person Sunday services. There is a sign-up sheet on the white board, or contact Diane Shields (dashdiane@gmail.com) for dates that you can be available, or for questions.

Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee

UUCR Outreach Collection for May

Our May collection is for Ukraine. The Social Concerns committee sought to find, among the many worthy organizations helping Ukraine, a beneficiary in tune with the values of Unitarian Universalism.

We’re pleased to ask for your generosity for Faithify (a philanthropic arm of UU on behalf of many causes) in cooperation with the International Women’s Convocation for a specific drive on behalf of the Providence Charity Organization of the Hungarian Unitarian Church which, so far has been able to take the following humanitarian actions:

Attend to the needs of hundreds of Ukrainian mothers and children transiting through Kolozsvár/Cluj railway station
Provide housing and other support for 38 refugees in the Kolozsvár/Cluj area (more than half are children)
Transport urgent supplies to Transcarpathia (southwest Ukraine), consisting of nonperishable foods and other items needed by shelters housing internally displaced Ukrainians (cots, mattresses, sleeping bags, flashlights, light bulbs, hotplates)
Deliver a second shipment of medical supplies to a health center in Odessa (disinfectants, bandages, pain killers, syringes, flu medications, milk powder, and diapers)
Launch a kindergarten class for Ukrainian refugee children in the day care center of the Hungarian Unitarian Church in Kolozsvár/Cluj

Contribute by sending a check to the church office, made out to UUCR specifying "Faithify/Ukraine" in the memo line; or donate online at the church website using the "Donate" button (click here) and "Custom Amount," specifying "Faithify/Ukraine Outreach Collection" in the comment section. Any questions, please contact Marilee Taussig or Bob Bjorke.

Food Pantry Supplies Needed

The SCSJ Committee is launching a collection of personal supplies and limited food items for the Kent County Food Pantry. Most in need are personal care and cleaning items, as well as a few special requests for food items. Items can be deposited in the bin in the lobby. Some of the items requested include soaps, toothbrushes, shampoos, toilet paper, disinfectants, and deodorant. Food items include coffee, olive oil, and vinegar. Please check the lobby bulletin board for a complete list of needed items. Thanks so much for your consideration!

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Pastoral Care and Connection

You are encouraged to share your joys and sorrows with the UUCR Pastoral Associates (see below). This team is a mixed group — but all have had previous life experiences and a variety of professional training in counseling and philosophy. Please contact one, or several of us, if you “want to talk.”

Pastoral Care Associates: Kevin Brien,

Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley