Weekly Update

Sunday Service

"Nurturing Laughter"

led by Meredith O’Brien

Some say laughter is the best medicine. After a multi-year pandemic, as a war rages in Europe, and inequalities continue to enrage, we could most definitely use some laughter. We'll discuss the beauty of shared laughter, shared smiles, the joy of letting go -- for a few precious seconds -- of our anxieties and revel in the physical and psychological benefits of humor.

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

Join us online at zoom.us/j/89873989254

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

Letter from the

Music Director

The benefits of community singing are numerous. Community singing nurtures the spirit and fosters a sense of connection and belonging; studies have shown that the hearts of people who sing together beat in unison! In fact, the benefits of singing in a group extend beyond the spiritual and emotional; it has been shown to lower heart rate, strengthen the immune system, soothe physiological pain, and boost mood and self-esteem.

According to Chorus of America (an organization dedicated to transforming communities through the power of singing), community singing is different from traditional choir: “a community sing is about ordinary people joining their friends and neighbors in a public place to sing, just for the fun of it. Everyone is welcome and there is no practice or performance. There is not an audience. Everyone sings.”

Here at UUCSW, we believe in fostering an inclusive and participatory culture in the music arts. It is a joy to announce that we will be hosting a weekly community sing after Sunday services through the end of the church year. Choral experience is not required; all are welcome!

Join us beginning this Sunday, May 8th at 11:30am to share in the joy of community singing.

Warmly,

Kala Farnham

Annual Reports

The Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 12. Please send your Annual Reports to Colleen in the office by Monday, May 23. Thank you!

Auction Update

The UUCSW Auction went out with a BANG!

The target was reached, thanks to all who donated those fabulous items and all those who bid on them.

Go team!

Circle RE News

Greetings all,

Please note that RE and Youth Group will be at UUCSW this week (64 W. Main St., Westboro), instead of UCMH, as previously noted.

This Sunday we will be planning for the Youth and RE Sunday happening on May 15th, and I'm hoping many of our kids will be able to join us! We'll be putting together music, readings, and learning what goes into a UU service.

Youth Group will also be planning their part of the service this Sunday! We'll be working on offering a creative component, and wrapping up our challenge/adventure program.

Hope to see everyone this Sunday at UUCSW!!

RE Calendar:

5/8 - RE & YG at UUCSW (Westboro)

5/15 - Youth and RE Sunday at UCMH (Hudson) - AM only, no afternoon YG

TBD - YG trip to Boundless Adventures

5/30 (Monday) - Circle RE Table at the Northboro fair*

6/18 (Saturday) - Circle RE Table at HudsonFest*

**kids are welcome to come to staff our table and share about our programs with the communities of Northboro and/or Hudson! Check in with Cynthia for more info.

Greeters Needed!

Now that we are back in the sanctuary, we need to have smiling faces greeting our friends at the doors. Can you help? Please sign up using this sign-up genius link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084BAFAE2DA6FC1-uucsw4

Announcement from the

UU Service Committee

With millions of Ukrainians displaced by the Russian invasion, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), is assisting refugees by partnering with two grassroots organizations in Eastern Europe, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and FemFund.

Both organizations are well-positioned to respond immediately to the people fleeing Ukraine for Hungary and Poland, respectively, having engaged in this work for years with people fleeing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.

Hungarian Helsinki Committee focuses on providing plain-language legal advice to asylum-seekers and civil society organizations, as well as combatting racist and xenophobic narratives about people on the move in Hungary. FemFund partners with community groups assisting women, LGBTQI+, and Black and People of Color seeking safety in Poland.

Donate to UUSC's Emergency Response Fund

2022-2023

Pledge Campaign

Annual Pledge Update

We are incredibly close! Please help the pledge committee by getting your pledge in as soon as possible. Don't forget this year's special matching feature - an anonymous donor will match any increase over last year's pledge which means your increased generosity counts for twice as much.

The easiest way to pledge is to simply email our treasurer, Lisa Shumway, at treasurer@uucsw.org with your pledge amount.

Or, you can pledge online in Realm here: AddPledge

Or, you can fill out and mail the pledge card found in the letter we sent you (and available at church)

Get in touch with Lisa if you have any questions.

Thanks so much! Let’s get there – TOGETHER!

Sincerely,

The Annual Pledge Committee

Pete Allen, Bruce Hall, David King, Rev. Laurel, Kathie Metzger, Lisa Shumway, and Juliana Spofford.