Unitarian Universalist Congregational

Society of Westborough

Religious Exploration Classes at 9:30 am

Service at 10:30 am

Doing our Inner Work

October 6, 2024

Led by Rev. Erica Baron

In Judaism, the days between Rosh Hashanah (this year October 2-4) and Yom Kippur (this year October 11-12) are called the “Days of Awe.” This is a time for self-examination and for righting wrongs. How do we, as Unitarian Universalists, discern when atonement and repair are required of us, and how do we go about it? 

This service will be held in our sanctuary and on Zoom.

This service will be held in the sanctuary and on Zoom:

Join us online at zoom.us/j/89873989254

Join us by phone at 301-715-8592, meeting ID 89873989254

Oct/Nov "Mingle with the Minister" Circle Suppers

UPDATE

All circle suppers have hosts! We can accommodate up to 22 people total so email Kim at kkereshall@gmail.com to get your spot now. The dates are Saturday 10/12, Friday 10/25, Sunday 11/10, and Saturday 11/16.

All those interested in attending: SIGN UP BY TODAY OR TOMORROW PLEASE.

Remember to note all dates you can attend; you will be included in a circle supper on ONE of those dates.

Thanks,

Kim

Vote Forward Update



It is exciting to get these 880 letters ready to go to the post office tomorrow. And I received at least 100 letters on Sunday. And I hear that more are getting ready. This project was a big stretch with my goal of 1000 letter....which we have surpassed!

I am printing more letters for those who are interested. I will bring them on Sunday unless you want to come by the Willows a d pick up a bundle.



Our next Brown Bag event will be on October 20. Stay after coffee hour and help us to write more letters. I will make snall bundles of 5 and provide some suggested messages in case you need help with wording your message.

Sheila McPharlin 860-304-4668 

Sheilamcp@gmail.com 

Climate Justice Discussion Well Attended

Sixteen people stayed after the church service on Sunday 9/29 to participate in a climate discussion. We watched a climate justice video that helped frame ideas from the service in a world-wide context, shared many reactions and ideas and worked together to calculate the climate impact for a hypothetical UUCSW couple. Here are a few highlights

- the video mentioned for example that Americans produce 8 times the climate pollution as people in India and 50 times the climate pollution as people in Kenya while climate change impacts fall disproportionately on people in these and other developing countries

- the discussion was wide-ranging from native plantings to PFAS chemicals, MASS Save, composting, the lack of climate legislation in Massachusetts this year and other topics. So much to think about!

- our collective attempt to model the climate impact of a hypothetical UUCSW couple surprised many of us by estimating that this couple has a 30% higher climate impact than the average American couple! Where do you think you stand? Try the calculator and see for yourself.

The video we watched can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3s58Ang5qI

The climate impact calculator we used can be found here: https://carbon-calculator.climatehero.org

Whether you attended or not, please think about next steps we might take regarding climate justice. What more would you like to learn? How could we involve more people? What else should we cover? Whatever you do, please talk to your friends and neighbors about climate change and consider telling your state legislators that you want them to pass a strong climate justice law this year!

Many thanks to Nancy Siegal, Kris Allen, Sheila McPharlin and Kim Hall for helping to put this program together, to Evan Gold for critical tech support and to Sharon Barrett and Rev. Misty-Dawn Shelly for leading the Climate Justice Revival service that preceded this discussion

John Metzger

Musicians and Singers Needed!

As we welcome in the new church year, we are exploring new ways to elevate our musical offerings. In addition to continued discussions about re-integrating choral singing at UUCSW, we are extending an open invitation to all musicians and singers who are interested in sharing their talents! If you have a love of music and would like to participate in elevating Sunday services through song, please reach out to Kala Farnham at kala.farnham@uucsw.org. 

SMOC Food and Clothing Drives

SMOC food and clothing donations may be dropped off in the box in the Sanctuary every Sunday. Bologna may be stored in the upstairs refrigerator in the parlor. Other requested items are chewy granola bars and juice boxes.

October's SMOC collections will be delivered to the Worcester shelter on Friday October 25th. Donations may also be dropped off on the Thursday evening before, on October 24th. (Ruggles Street door from 4:30 - 5:45) If you need alternate arrangements for drop-off, please contact Pauline Sciarappa at psciarappa@gmail.com.  Thanks to all who help UUCSW support SMOC, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Racial Justice Committee “Brown Bag Lunches”

10/20 Vote Forward- Letter writing to encourage voting

11/3 Indigenous justice- podcast or short film and discussion 

Save the dates and watch for more details to follow.

Please pack lunch and join us!!

Thanks,’The Racial Justice Committee 

THE MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT TEAM (MET) needs you!

We need greeters/ushers for our Sunday services

It's a great opportunity to say hello to members and friends coming to our services, and engage with visitors interested in our church!

Please click below to find Sundays you can support:

UUA and Community News

October UU Immigration Justice Team meeting

Tuesday, October 8, 12-1pm

RSVP here! 

Join our October UU Immigration Justice Team meeting for a conversation about our upcoming elections in the context of our commitment to Immigration Justice. Together, we will reflect on how immigration has been impacted by previous administrations, explore how different immigration justice organizations are orienting to these elections, and ground ourselves in our commitment to show up for immigration justice in the long term locally and beyond. 

We will be joined by Nora Rasman, Democracy Strategist at Side with Love. 

Nora was born, raised and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has organized with Working Families Party, Mijente, and Showing Up For Racial Justice. Her political work began as a UU youth and grew into doing solidarity and advocacy work with Afro-descendant civil society organizations. She sees her work and contributions as accountable to liberation movements.