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Winchester Unitarian Society
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Sunday, March 12th: Drawing the Circle Wider Still
With Rev. Heather Janules
Worship Associate: Lee Barton
Many congregations say they wish to grow in numbers but few consider the courage it takes to truly welcome newcomers into community. Why should a community "draw the circle wider?" What are the potential risks and blessings in seeking growth?
This Sunday, we will share our gifts with The Welcome Table, a UU organization providing food and cultural opportunities in the low income community of Turley, OK, which lost most of its building to fire last week. You may learn more here: http://www.uuworld.org/articles/fire-destroys-welcome-table
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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, “We Light this Chalice” and unpack the words of children’s chalice lighting which we use in Family Worship. What do they mean? Why do we say them? How do we make them come true?
Religious Education Morning: A note to our families: In the month of March our Worship theme is “Risk”, with our first Sunday on “Innovation”. The Religious Education Committee is going to take a risk and engage innovation, with some further Sunday morning program changes for the month of March.
We have already made changes in program content this year, aligning our Religious Education classes with the church wide worship theme. The Time for All Ages delivers the message for all ages and in each class/age group, children explore and integrate the message in various ways. Although this aligns the messages in “big” and “young” churches, we feel the need to be more responsive to our attendance patterns, and the social/learning differences within our age groupings.
In the upcoming month long trial, we will run the morning with one person providing direction and oversight for all leaders – rather like a camp program. The “lead” will be Jill Pylkkanen who has taught here for 4 years and has a graduate degree in innovative education. Jill will receive content guidance from Rebecca, and then develop a menu of integrative activities; discussion, interactive, experiential, gross or fine motor. Once we know who is at church, Jill can then direct teachers and aides in implementing that day’s activities to best serve the children present. We hope that this model will allow for more flexibility in the moment, additional cross mixing between our primary aged children, and further cultivation of our teen leaders.
At the end of March, we’ll take a look back, evaluate, and make recommendations for going forward. Please feel free to communicate your feedback or questions to any of us.
The Children’s Religious Education Committee with Rebecca Kelley Morgan
Families of 7th and 8th Graders, please note. Your middle schooler is invited to church on the first Sunday of the month. We invite our 7th and 8th graders to sit together in designated pews during the service.
Our Whole Lives: Meets Sunday at 4:30 in the Wallace room. This week, Jenny Nordan and Karen Caputo lead the group. This week we learn about options for an unintended pregnancy.
F8th in Action: Meets at 4:30 in Michelson Room: This week, exploring local/regional institutional class indicators and other kinds of risk Where is the risk in our lives? What risks are acceptable (if uncomfortable) Which risks are not? What risks are related to social class? Vanessa Steck and Rebecca Kelley Morgan lead the group.
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Next Religious Education Committee Meeting April 5th, 9:00 AM Michelsen room.
Growth & 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/
Sunday, April 9th: Conversations that Matter: 2:30 PM Join us at the home of John and Joi Loewy. Exploring Islam: What do you think? Join us for thoughtful conversation as we consider our 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 12: WUSYG Meeting, 4:30-6:30 pm
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.
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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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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"Risk"
from Rebecca Kelley-Morgan
Please enjoy some thoughts on this month's theme, Risk, from Rebecca Kelley-Morgan.
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Our Administrator, Emily Soule, is hosting an Open House on Tuesday, March 14th, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Stop by to say goodbye and wish her farewell!
If you would like to contribute to a farewell gift of gratitude to Emily to thank her for her many contributions to the Winchester Unitarian Society and to wish her well on her way, please mail a check or cash to the office to the attention of Kate Ebbott or drop it in the Treasurer’s box in the copy room at the church .
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What happened at “Addressing Classism in Your Faith Community” on March 4th?
About 40 members of WUS attended the “Classism in Our Faith Communities” workshop from 10:30 - 2:30 facilitated by Betsy Leondar-Wright from the Class Matters organization and Denise Moorehead from UU Class Conversations. We began the session by trying to arrange ourselves into a continuum of the class we experienced in our family of origin. We sorted ourselves based on questions that we thought would indicate class distinction such as “What level of education did your parents have?” “Did you have your own bedroom when you were 12?” “What did your family do for vacations?” “Did your family own or rent your home?” To read more, please click here.
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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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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. 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
How we can support area Muslims, a message from UU Mass Action
: The best actions we can take right now are to build relationships with our Muslim neighbors and then respond when we are called upon for support. Below are two excellent organizations that are providing crucial support and resources. Like their Facebook, sign-up for alerts and support them in any way that you can.
Muslim Justice League, Boston:
http://www.muslimjusticeleague.org/
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/MuslimJusticeLeague/
Immigrant Rights Update
The
Safe Communities bill
has a record breaking 94 co-sponsors! Both Senators Pat Jehlen and Jason Lewis are co-sponsors. Take a moment to email/call and say thank you!
STAND INDIVISIBLE -
Friday March 10 at 10 am
. Indivisible District 5 (which includes Winchester) is meeting in Metcalf Hall. “Indivisible” focuses on local action that can influence our national Congressional delegation. This meeting will include the deputy district director for Katherine Clark, our Congressional representative.
Spirit & Action at UU UM: Peacemaking Across Faith, a forum on the ways people and families of faith are traumatized by hate, and work together to stand for love.Tuesday, March 14. Dinner at 6:00 pm. Program at 6:30 pm:
Imam Abdul-Malik, Associate Imam for the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center and Rabbi Barbara Penzner, spiritual leader of Temple Hillel B'nai Torah in West Roxbury. Sign-up to car pool at the Social Action table.
Please check- out the new UUA
Congregational Action Guide
, developed by the UUSC, UUA, and College of Social Justice. The Guide offers a wide range of actions to make municipalities, counties and schools safer and more welcoming for all –
particularly undocumented immigrants, Muslims, people of color, and the LGBTQ community
.
The SAOC welcomes your ideas on how we can be allies to these groups.
You can find it at:
http://uucsj.org/solidarity-sanctuary-options-for-congregational-action/
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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 14, 6:45-8:45 pm in Michelsen
Tuesday, March 28, 6:45-8:45pm in Michelen
WUS Peer-to-Peer Support Group, a drop-in group for anyone who is living with a mental health disorder or is facing an emotional health challenge. The group is facilitated by a WUS member and a leader from NAMI.
Mental Health Support Group Meets
Tuesday, March 14, 7-8:30 pm in the Parlor
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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AN INVITATION TO “EXPLORING OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS”
– Sunday, March 12
Newcomers to Winchester Unitarian--and long-timers who would like to get better acquainted with them--are invited to lunch and discussion after church on Sunday, March 12, hosted by Rev. Heather and the Membership Committee. We will share brief experiences from our spiritual journeys: what brought us to Winchester Unitarian, perhaps; or what we find most inspirational or meaningful in our lives now. To sign up for the lunch, RSVP to Vicky Coccoluto (vcoccoluto@yahoo.com) or Barbara Keyes (barbk25@gmail.com) Membership Co-Chairs. A follow-on session for newcomers will be directed to Unitarian Universalist history--major figures and turning points in our religious tradition--and is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, April 30. All are welcome!
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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
“Constructive Conversations Across Differences” is the theme of the Multicultural Network’s annual free community workshop which will be held on Saturday, March 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Essential Partners (formerly the Public Conversations Project) will provide professional facilitation. Participants will learn skills that enable them to have constructive conversation with those whose perspectives differ from their own. Registration is limited. Please email office@wmcn.org. For updated information about Network activities, see www.wmcn.org
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.
Our condolences are with Bruce Bonnell and his family with the recent death of his wife, Miriam, after a long illness. A Service in Celebration of Miriam's Life will be held on Sunday, March 12th at 3:30 pm. All are welcome.
Congratulations are with the Kenerson family. Bob Kenerson's daughter, Andrea, will be given an award by the Red Cross on March 16th for saving Bob's life when, a number of months ago, he suffered a heart attack and Andrea used CPR. According to Dr. Kenerson, only 4% of individuals who have cardiac events outside of the hospital survive and, of those survivors, only 10% recover with no deficits, making Bob part of the fortunate .36% to survive and recover this completely.
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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