WEDNESDAY, November 18, 2020 |
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THIS SUNDAY'S VIRTUAL SERVICE |
Sunday, November 22,
Rev. Sue Browning,
"A Time for Gratitude: Our Annual Bread Communion"
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All are invited to our virtual bread communion service, an intergenerational service where we remind one another of the power of ritual in harvest times.
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, uuofchesterriver.org, 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's email and the office email by 12 p.m. Thursday and she will read them each as a part of the service.
We will also have written versions of the service available that we can email to you or mail to you by US postal service.
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Join Us for Coffee Hour on Sunday! |
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Come join us for a time to see and talk to one another. It's the next best thing to being there!
(passcode 304416) at 11:00 am this Sunday.
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Reminders of Awe this Thanksgiving Season |
In this year of the unexpected, we feel compelled to study Covid statistics. We adjust to new school schedules, debate our holiday plans, and stare at election results. It’s hard not to be immersed in the specific; these details impact our lives.
Even during this unique year, I often find myself in awe of creation. When I look up, I am reassured by the beauty of the sky, and trees, and shorelines. I am drawn to the color, the
movement, and, most recently, to the warmth of late fall days.
Last year about this time I preached about awe – that feeling of being struck in amazement and wonder by the shear improbability of the many forces which aligned to make a moment possible. During the service I asked you to share a moment when you remember a sense of awe. Your
examples included…
- A beautiful sunset, sunsets anywhere
- A humming bird
- A pet Welsh Pembroke Corgi
- Baby births…childbirth…birth of
- son…birth of granddaughter…first born
- child…giving birth…watching a birth
- Bach in a cathedral
- Being between two dunes on Cape Cod in January
- Brilliant fireworks last night
- Bryce Canyon
- Early mornings looking at the ocean
- Winter sky at Dolly Sods, WV
- Grand Canyon
- Sunrise over Albuquerque
- Full moon (and realized man was there)
- Having climbed The Bubbles (mountains in Acadia National Park), the view…
- A timber rattle snake at Hawk Mountain
- View from summit at Mt. Washington
- Loons announcing moonrise on Lake Temagami
- Skiing in Vermont
- Seeing a peregrine falcon at Hawk
- Mountain in Pennsylvania
- Sight from Statue of Liberty
- Singing Beethoven’s 9th
- Sitting on the peak of mountain at 16
- Skiing alone/silence of the universe
- Snorkeling in ocean and seeing fish
- Spiderwebs drenched with dew at dawn
- Stars/Looking up at cosmos
- Sunrise over the Atlantic
- The sky at dusk
- The snow geese migration
- Trees
- Waking up well each day
- Watching children learn and grow
I offer these reflections from November 2019, and observe that it's possible they are even more appreciated in our challenging times. My hope is we each make a little time to note moments of awe this Thanksgiving season.
Blessings,
Rev. Sue
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NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Carl Gallegos, Nov 6
Sue Browning, Nov 13
Jan Brandon, Nov 18
Tim Ford, Nov 20
Sara Warner, Nov 21
Diane Shields, Nov 24
We want to help celebrate your birthday! If we didn't include your November birthday, please contact Jan Whitney at UUCR email
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UPCOMING VIRTUAL SERVICES
Sunday, November 29,
Bob Clegg, Virtual Service,
“Unitarian Universalist Survival, Relevance, and Meaning in the 21st Century"
Sunday, December 6,
Sana Saeed, UUA, Virtual Service
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From UUCR's Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee |
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Holiday Sharing is back, with a twist. We're not collecting individual gifts for a Department of Social Services (DSS) family this year, but we are collecting funds to provide gift cards for a deserving family selected by DSS.
You have two options for donating. You can send a send a check to UUCR at 914 Gateway Dr, Chestertown, MD 21620 clearly marked for Holiday Sharing, or click here to go to the brand new donate page on the UUCR website.
This is our first Outreach Collection for the year. The needs are even greater this year for all of us, so I hope that you can share to bring and find some joy in this unusual holiday season.
215-872-5773.
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UUCR Children's RE Program |
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UUCR's Children's RE program is collecting winter coats that are in good condition, adult and children's sizes. Coats must be laundered or dry-cleaned, free from tears and stains, and all zippers, snaps and buttons in good working condition. Adult coats will be donated to an addictions recovery center and half-way house; children's coats will be donated to local agencies.
DRIVE BY DROP OFF AT UUCR PARKING LOT:
Saturday, Nov 21 10:00-11:00 am
Sunday, Nov 29 1:00-2:00 pm
Questions? Contact Pat Bjorke at 410-708-9482
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UUCR Art and Paraphernalia |
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The lovely UUCR quilt is now mounted at the front of the sanctuary for all to admire and see on ZOOM. We have questions about the quilt and who all participated in making it. Did you make one of the squares? Do you know who completed and quilted it? We have heard that former member Sue Thompson was involved - do you have contact information for her?
The quilt is a part of our UUCR history and it needs to be recorded along with all the other art and paraphernalia we are fortunate to have. If you can help with thoughts or solutions, please give me a call at 410-810-0340.
Be Safe, Vida Morley
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IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW ...
Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River now has two Facebook pages. Our original UUCR Facebook Page now has a new look. This is thanks to Kate Livie, of Alosa Communications. (Click the image below to go to our original UUCR Facebook Page.)
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- Frequent posts are desirable not only because they keep our page updated with fresh content, this new content is carried forward into our followers’ newsfeeds. That’s an example of the interconnectedness of all things. We want our page to reflect a balance of news and information, not skewed too much in one direction. So far the bulk of our content is about upcoming services, ideas for family activities, and our work on racial justice. It would be helpful if we could expand our postings into other areas.
- Pat Bjorke has been posting from UU World about Unitarian Universalism so that folks not familiar with us will get some idea what we're about.
- Pat has also been posting her “BITES” on this Facebook page, as well as putting them in Reflections newsletter.
- PLEASE visit ... maybe once a week to see what's new even if you're not going to post.
- As well as our Website, our Facebook page is our public face in the now mostly virtual world. Do not post personal information about yourself or anybody else.
- If a Facebook page isn’t seen in the virtual universe, does it exist?
Our UUCR Facebook Forum is the new more personal space. Again, created by Kate Livie. (Click the image below to go to our UUCR Facebook Forum.)
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- This is a private Facebook page/group for UUCR congregants and friends only.
- One has to be admitted by someone already in the group.
- The intention is to give us a means of sharing experiences and possibly connecting in this time of distancing.
- Content posted to the private UUCR Facebook Forum group offers greater latitude than on the public Facebook page, and can include thought-provoking discussion topics, fun asides, and current local topics of interest. It is highly advisable to keep a definite boundary between the two Facebook pages.
- DICK HAWKINS MEMORIAL SERVICE -- A picture of the service has been posted on the Facebook Forum. This is your chance to join the group, if you have not already done so. Add your own pictures and remembrances. Feel free to start your own post.
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Pastoral Care & Connection |
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We are here for you! We will focus on staying directly connected with our members and friends, especially those who may need assistance or support. The caring teams from our congregation is staying in touch, but if you need to reach out, please be in touch with any of the contacts below to stay connected (and see additional contacts below for RE families).
Please know your congregation is here. We can help you find connections. Please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what is helpful for you in this time.
Rev. Sue Browning, and the Pastoral Care Associates: Kevin Brien, Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley
or for more information, contact:
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Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River 914 Gateway Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620
Phone: (410) 778-3440
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