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Winchester Unitarian Society
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Highlights
March 16, 2017
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Sunday, March 19th: Let It Go, Let It Go, Let It Go
With Deborah Morgan Bennett
Worship Associate: Martin Newhouse
Life is filled with opportunities to hold on tightly. We can often become so accustomed to having our grasp firmly around that which we want that we fail to notice the pain that our holding on is causing ourselves and others. While we perceive letting go to be fraught with frightening risks, in fact letting go may be just what we need to realize our freedom.
We share our offering this week with the Concord Prison Outreach whose mission is to help reduce recidivism through developing and delivering educational and personal growth programs to those living in prison. Their programs address life and job skills, educational needs as well as programs in the arts and humanities. Their commitment is to "Human Kindness Behind Prison Walls".
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Music News.
Children's Chorale meets every Tuesday from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. in the Spirit Play room in the RE wing. This is a wonderfully spirited group of young singers (grades 2-6) who meets weekly to sing, play games, and learn about music. All are welcome and no previous singing experience is necessary. If you know of any young person interested in having a great time while making music, please be in touch with music director John Kramer at john.kramer@winchesteruu.org.
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Family Worship: Rebecca Kelley Morgan leads this 20 minute service designed for our younger members and their families.
This month, Risk: In our Worship services we will be exploring the theme of risk. What kinds of risks do we take? Avoid? This Sunday in Time for All Ages, “The Burden” we consider the risk of holding on to a closed mind.
Religious Education Morning:
In week three of our March program “experiment”, we will be breaking out into three groups; yoga stories, crafts, and story tellers after our chalice lighting and sorting. Rebecca oversees the morning Mia, Helena, and Georgia are our small group leaders. *Parents please note, all children who are NOT in the playroom will be meeting on the top floor for our chalice lighting and “sort” of the morning. All children younger than second grades will not be dismissed until they are connected with a parent or responsible adult/older sibling.
Childcare for babies and tots is available in the playroom.
Our Whole Lives: Meets Sunday at 4:30 in the Wallace room. This week, Jenny Nordan and Mark Shepherd lead the group. This week we learn about “safer” sex and contraceptive options.
F8th in Action: Meets at 4:30 in Michelson Room: This week, after last week’s detour, we finish the salad bowl game, make plans for spring and consider what it means to be homeless in New England. Vanessa Steck and Rebecca Kelley Morgan lead the group.
Mark your calendars
Next Religious Education Committee Meeting April 5th, 9:00 AM Michelsen room.
GROWTH AND LEARNING:
Exploring American Islam: March 26th (11:45 depart Winchester )Visit to the Islamic Center of New England (in Roxbury). Following the worship service, we’ll be carpooling to the largest Mosque Community in New England for a tour and opportunity to learn more about our Islamic Neighbors. To sign up for a carpool (either as a driver or rider) please contact Rebecca Kelley Morgan at Rebecca@winchesteruu.org. If you would like to have some background on Islam before the visit, our hosts recommend visiting whyislam.org and reading https://www.whyislam.org/islam123/articles-of-faith/
April 9th: Conversations that Matter: 2:30 PM Location: Lowey home. Exploring Islam. Join us for a relaxed and thoughtful conversation around what it means to be in a multi-cultural society, religiously speaking.
Next Growth and Learning Meeting April 12th, 7:00 PM Michelsen Room
We often have information and/or scheduling changes to share with families. If you have a child pre-k through 8th grades, please give us your current email address so that we may communicate more effectively with you. You can send it to rebecca@winchesteruu.org.
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WUSYG: Winchester Unitarian Society Youth Group
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Upcoming WUSYG Events:
March 17-19: Another World Is Possible: A UU Youth Justice Weekend. Last year our youth group participated in a multi-congregational youth service weekend together, and we are excited to do it again this year, but with a different twist! This will be a weekend with other local UU youth of envisioning and justice building with a variety of workshops, fun activities and a rally/vigil in downtown Winchester. Youth need to register here and we’ll send you the other forms once we know that you can come.
March 19: NO WUSYG. (Sam and Haley will be sleeping after the Weekend Retreat which includes Night Shifts for adults! 😁)
Please email the Director of Youth Ministries, Sam Wilson, for further information about WUSYG and Youth Ministry at WUS: sam.wilson@winchesteruu.org or WUSYouth@gmail.com
To subscribe to our newsletter and/or for more detailed information about contacting Sam and following him/WUSYG on social media, please
Click Here.
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Winchester Unitarian Society 2017 Annual Pledge Drive
Wanted: 100% participation by all!
The WUS annual pledge drive continues through
March 12
. Thank you for giving serious consideration to what you can pledge for the next fiscal year and making that commitment by pledging online at
http://winchesteruu.org/pledge-177.html
or by returning your completed pledge card to the church office by Sunday, March 12th.
We are 62% of the way to our $380,000
pledge goal. Please join in supporting this great community in nurturing each other and the world beyond.
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People's Climate March in Washington D.C.
A local coalition of labor unions, environmental justice groups, faith organizations, youth groups, and climate activism groups is coming together to send more than 1,000 people from the Boston area to the People's Climate Mobilization on April 29 in Washington, DC. Our WUS - based 350.Mass group is helping 350.Org bring this coalition together because we think this could be a transformative moment for the Massachusetts climate movement. Together, we can build a powerful, justice-centered movement that lifts up the voices and leadership of those most affected by climate change.
If you can’t attend the March, but want to join us in our local action, attend our meetings at WUS in Winsor Room every other Wednesday from noon to 1:30pm. Our next meeting is March 29th. To be placed on our email list, please contact Barbara Lieurance at
barblieurance@yahoo.com
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April Fool’s Day!
The Standing Committee asks you to HOLD the DATE!
What better day to come together to reflect on our WUS community and how we can deepen our commitments, strengthen our connections, and become more intentional in our collaborations?
With Heather’s second year well under way, the Standing Committee invites you to join us in a facilitated all church discussion about our ministries, connections, and collaborations. We have many ministries at the Winchester Unitarian Society: parish ministry, growth and learning, social action and outreach, lifespan religious education/growth and learning (including children, youth, adults), music, fellowship, stewardship, pastoral care, membership, building and grounds, and teaching. It is our hope that taking the time for a facilitated discussion will help us set a course for the year to come, while becoming even more inspired, connected and collaborative.
The discussion will be run from 10 am - 2:30 pm with a break for lunch. Hilary Allen, from the New England Region of the UUA, will facilitate and WUS program staff will be joining in the discussion as well. We hope many of you will attend.
Stay tuned for information about signing up for this important event. April Fool’s jokes welcome!
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From The Music Committee:
St Paddy's Day Celebration: On March 17th, we will celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with the legendary performer Robbie O’Connell. A native of Waterford, Ireland, Robbie started performing at the age of thirteen. After touring with the Clancy Brothers, he released his first solo album in 1982. He hasn’t stopped since and we are delighted to have him along with fiddler Rose Clancy. Mark your calendar and help us to spread the word about an evening that is bound to be a foot tapping, high-spirited event! http://www.robbieoconnell.com And, please, check out our fabulous outdoor banner designed by Kristine Kamikawa. Thank you, Kristine!
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JOIN US FOR SOUP & CONVERSATION, WED.,
APRIL 12, 12:30 p.m.
All are invited (and feel free to bring a friend who might like to learn more about WUS!) to our next
Soup & Conversation,
hosted by the Pastoral Care Associates, on
Wednesday, April 12, at 12:30 p.m. in the Parlor. Come
spend time with old friends and meet new ones while enjoying bowls of delicious and healthful soups, freshly prepared by a team of WUS youth and chef master Rebecca Kelley-Morgan. If you know in advance you will be able to attend, please RSVP to Sara Delano at 781-729-6800 or
sdelano1@msn.com
so we have an approximate head count. (Last-minute drop-ins are also very welcome.) Please let Sara know if you will need a ride.
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Qi Gong: Round Two
For those of you who could not attend our first qi gong class and for those of you who would like to continue your practice, please join Deb Bennett Saturday, March 18th from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. in the Symmes Room. We will review and practice the 5 Element Flow we played with at our first session so all can enjoy this rewarding spiritual practice.
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Social Action and Outreach
It’s not too late to buy Organic Fair Trade Coffee and Chocolate bars
. Sunday at the Social Action table. Regular coffee $6.50 for 12 oz. Orange, Mint or Dark chocolate bars are $2.50. You pay the wholesale price and help small farmers and the environment
The
History of Slavery and Freedom in Brookline
with Barbara Brown - Thursday,
March 23
, 2017. Larz Anderson Auto Museum, 7 pm. At 15 Newton St. Slavery began in Massachusetts in 1638. By the 18th century, slavery had become normalized in Massachusetts and legal in all of the 13 colonies. In Brookline, both enslaved people and their owners played significant roles in the history of the town.
“Believe in success” A job-readiness program for survivors of domestic abuse. Open House at UU Urban Ministry, Monday, March 27 at 6pm. Learn about volunteer opportunities for this new program. UUUM, 10 Putnam St, Roxbury. Info: Rev. Susan Chorley chorley@uuum.org
UU Advocacy Day!
When: Tues April 11th at 10:00 AM (Registration opens at 9:30 AM)
Where: Arlington St Church, 351 Boylston St, Boston
Cost: $25/$12 Early Bird registration ends March 20th! Fee increases to $35 on March 21st
Join UUs statewide to let our legislators know about our priorities. Learn more about the day’s agenda here: http://www.uumassaction.org/whats-the-plan-for-uu-advocacy-day/
Centro Presente & First Parish in Concord Present:
“The Invisible Crisis: The Female Face of Forced Migration”
When: Sun April 2, 11:30 - 1:00 PM
Where: First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Rd., Concord RSVP: Facebook Page
Centro Presente has produced this film to bring the stories of Central America women to light. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iINd0WG3-cI
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WUS Mental Health Awareness & Support Initiative (MHASI)
WUS Mental Health Awareness & Support Initiative (MHASI)
Creating ways to support one another whether we are living with a mental illness, facing a mental health challenge, or are close to someone who is.
UPCOMING PEER SUPPORT GROUPS
WUS Family & Caregiver Support Group, a drop-in group for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness, facilitated by Jacquie Serebrani-Kesner, of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Tuesday, March 28, 6:45-8:45 pm in Michelsen
Exploring Body Image and Eating Disorders, Sunday, March 26, 3 p.m., Temple Isaiah, Lexington.
Whether you’ve encountered eating disorders in your own life, or want to learn more about helping your children develop positive body images, this program, sponsored by the Temple Isaiah Mental Health Initiative, will increase your awareness and understanding of these complex and pervasive disorders. For more details on the program and speakers, click here
All WUS support groups are co-facilitated and provide a safe and confidential setting for mutual support and the sharing of resources.
Looking for other local support groups or resources? MHASI recommends contacting the Massachusetts chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),
www.namimass.org/NAMI
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"The WUS Mental Health Awareness & Support Initiative (MHASI) is sponsoring a Community Book Read on Wednesday, March 29th of "An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness" by Kay Redfield Jamison. There will be a discussion of the book from 7-9pm in the Parlor. All are welcome to attend. Contact KarenErikson@comcast.net for more information.
From the publisher: In her bestselling classic, An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison changed the way we think about moods and madness. Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attempted suicide. Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication. An Unquiet Mind is a memoir of enormous candor, vividness, and wisdom - a deeply powerful book that has both transformed and saved lives."
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The Photo Directory is here!
To obtain your very own copy, you may go to the 'Members' page on our website, winchesteruu.org, and click the link 'Directory March 2017'. It will bring up a .pdf that you are welcome to download. If you need the password to access the members' page, please email Jenny at adminassistant@winchesteruu.org. If you would like a paper copy, we will have extra copies available in the office and the mail room.
If you have a photo that you would like to add, be on the lookout for an email coming soon from Instant Church Directory. It will contain a link for you to click, bringing you to our online directory. Set up an account, and you can upload your favorite family photo! You can also download the mobile app for your phone!
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LET'S TALK WORSHIP!
– Sunday, March 19
After the 10:30 service on March 19th, the Worship Associates will share a summation of the results of the recent worship survey and begin a conversation about our worship ministry. What do you cherish? Dislike? Wish to try? Noon in the Sanctuary.
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The Grief Support Group
The Grief Support Group will meet Tuesday, March 21st from 7:30-9:00 pm (to be held in the Winchester Unitarian Society Parlor / go in the 478 Main Street circular drive door and to your right.) All are warmly welcome to attend.
The Grief Support Group is open to anyone in the community who has experienced loss and seeks a caring environment to process the complex feelings of grieving. If you have experienced a death of someone in your life and would like to explore your grief with other people who have also experienced loss, please consider attending a grief support group meeting. Everyone makes his or her own individual journey after experiencing loss. Our group has found that by sharing our journeys with each other, we are strengthened and comforted.
The grief support meetings start with a reading and then a check-in by participants. You can say as much or as little as you feel comfortable saying (you can also choose to pass if you want.) Usually personal check-ins last a few minutes each and should be uninterrupted. Then the conversation opens up. The facilitator usually starts off this conversation with a topic or question to discuss. The meetings conclude at 9pm. Our meetings are confidential- we ask that everyone observe the guideline that what is said in a meeting, stays in the meeting.
Upcoming Schedule for the Grief Support Drop-In Group
Wednesday, April 26th Parlor 7:30 - 9 pm
Please feel free to contact Karen Erikson (781-729-7249 or by email at "KarenErikson@comcast.net") if you would like more info on the Grief Support Program at WUS -or- feel free to just show up at a meeting. No rsvp needed.
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Community News
League of Women Voters Forum March 19th
The League is planning an event on Sunday March 19th at 2 pm at Jenks. The program is a 'meet the Town Meeting candidates' from 2 to 2:30, followed by 3 debates for Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, and School Committee races.
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Joys, Sorrows and Transitions
If you are facing a time of joy, sorrow or transition in your life, our ministers and the Pastoral Care Associates are available to offer a listening ear, compassionate presence and, if applicable, resources.
You may reach the Rev. Heather Janules or Intern Minister Deborah Morgan Bennett through the office at 781.729.0949. They can also connect you with a Pastoral Care Associate or the Caring Network (providing short-term, practical support like rides and meals.) To learn more about the PCAs, pick up a brochure when you are in the church.
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For the month of March, the Woburn Food Pantry needs canned soups such as chicken noodle and cream of mushroom, and ramen noodles. This week we collected 2 jars of peanut butter, 4 cans of soup and 2 12-package cases of ramen. Thank you! Every month the director of the pantry lets us know which items are in low supply so that our contributions can have the most impact. In the month of March and in months moving forward, donations drop off significantly although the need continues to grow. Please place your donations in the bin under the new-and-improved Social Action area in the Symmes Room. For additional information contact Mary Saudade at msaudade@comcast.net.
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Coffee Hour Refreshments
Do you need to sit while sipping and talking? If so, look for the card table set up by one of the cushioned benches at the back of the Symmes Room. If you don't see it, let Mike Donegan or Maggie Russell know.
For the upcoming church year, we need volunteers to bring refreshments for coffee hour on Sundays. Please go to http://winchesteruu.org/hospitality-171.html and click on 'Volunteer Sign Up Form' to sign up, or use the sign up sheets in the Symmes Room.
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Flower Dedications
Dates are available for flower dedications. You may dedicate flowers in celebration of, in memory of, or in honor of someone and it will appear in the Order of Service. The cost is $45.00 (or you can bring your own flowers, but let the office know). Please go
to http://winchesteruu.org/hospitality-171.html
and click on
'Volunteer Sign Up Form' to sign up, or use the sign up sheets in the Symmes Room.
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Staying Connected
For information about:
- Standing Committee Approved Minutes
- Society Members and Friends Directory
- Sign in information for the "Members" portion of www.winchesteruu.org
- Electronic Payment Options
- Sunday Worship Service CDs and Hardcopies of the Sermons
- Society Office Hours
- Parish Minister's Office Hours
Visit the "Staying Connected" section of the "Events" page of our website: http://winchesteruu.org/events-86.html
The deadline for all Highlights submissions: Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. and should go to adminassistant@winchesteruu.org. All articles submitted should be no more than 250 words.
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Winchester Unitarian Society | 478 Main St. Winchester MA 01890
(781) 729-0949 | office@winchesteruu.org | www.winchesteruu.org
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