UUCGL Weekly Update

WEEKLY UPDATE | OCTOBER 21, 2026

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SUNDAY SERVICE

October 25, 2026 | 10:00am

“It’s A Sad Song,” What Tragedy Teaches Us

Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein, Worship Leader

Tragedies may make us cry but they also teach us deep lessons that make the tears worth it. Today’s service will feature the music of the Broadway musical, “Hadestown.”

Remembering Dean McKennon

We will be memorializing Dean on All Souls Sunday, November 1. Please let Rev. Vicki know if you would like to contribute thoughts or memories about Dean. “For all the saints, who from their labors rest.”

Worship with us on Facebook Live. Join our livestream of the service on Sunday by clicking the button.

Sunday Sign Up

Each Sunday we rely on volunteers to help the service and Fellowship Hour run smoothly. Can you help? Use the button at left to sign up for any future Sunday... and THANK YOU!

A Message from Francesca

Character is in the Details

This week for the older group, we did a lesson on Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein based on the new UUA curriculum, Woven Faiths (click here for more info). We had a discussion about what it feels like to not know something and acted out excerpts from the book. We also drew our own version of Frankenstein's monster based on how Shelly depicted it in her story.

This lesson got me thinking that all of our characters, not just fictional ones, are distinguished by the details. Not merely the physical nuisances, but the small actions that we take. There are details that I have noticed that speak to the character of the UUCGL community; a willingness to help...MORE

New Staff Member

Please join us in welcoming Sobha Makkena to the UUCGL staff as our new Finance & Administrative Support Specialist! We are delighted to have Sobha join our team and look forward to the skills, experience, and enthusiasm she brings to this role. You can read more about her on the staff page of our website. We’re excited to have you with us, Sobha!

Pumpkin Carving Event Recap

[Click on the image to play video]

Thank you to everyone who attended the Faith Development Ministry Team's Pumpkin Carving on Saturday! Between visitors and guests, we had 40 people attend the event. Not only did we see some amazing carving, there was pumpkin painting, apple cider, homemade pumpkin muffins, and we turned our courtyard into a pumpkin patch! Looking forward to dressing up for the Halloween party Nov. 1st and continuing to celebrate fall activities with the community!

(Special thanks to Kim G. for taking some wonderful photos.)

Medea Lecture Video

If you missed Rev. Vicki's October 6th lecture, "A Mother’s Rage: How We Watch Medea Today" you can watch it on the Public Events page of our website at uucgl.org/publicevents

Fall Programming for Children & Youth

Neighboring Faiths Returns This Fall!

First Meeting Date: November 1 | 9:30-11:30am | Mural Room

Youth in grades 5-8 (older youth welcome, too) are invited to explore the diversity of religious traditions in our community through this program. From Nov-May, participants will visit local faith communities, meet religious leaders and practitioners, and reflect on what they learn. Invite friends! The program is open to the public. Please sign your child(ren) up by 10/29 for this unique opportunity to learn, grow, and build understanding across faith traditions. MORE INFO HERE.

We are offering 8th-9th grade OWL this year!

This program is only offered biannually, so be sure to register your child HERE by 11/1. And spread the word to friends outside of church with similar values; they are absolutely welcome to join! MORE HERE

Featured Programming & Events

To see what else is happening, click here or visit our website Calendar Page

TONIGHT!

"Will My Vote Count? Does it Even Matter?"

An Informal Discussion about Midterm Elections

October 21 | 7pm | Parish Hall

When national leaders suggest we “shouldn’t even have an election,” it raises real questions about the state of voting today. Are our ballots secure? Who is being targeted by voter suppression? What threats are real — and what’s noise? And what’s actually on the ballot this year?

Join us for an open, community-centered conversation about the midterm elections with Liv Santoro, Deputy Field Director for Civic Engagement & Mobilization, ACLU of Massachusetts.

For those of you who cannot join us, we will be recording the event and will make it available to view shortly afterward. READ MORE HERE

Community Conversation

October 25 | 11:15pm | Skylight Room

It’s the 4th Sunday of the month and time for our Community Conversation. This month, the Board would like to continue our discussions from the September meeting regarding the transition plan. We were also very appreciative of the conversation about ways to increase member engagement. As the Board works to “right-size” our operations to meet the size of our church, we feel strongly that meeting the needs of our congregants and increasing engagement will be critical for our future. The meeting starts about 15 minutes after the service ends, so as always, grab a coffee and a snack or two and meet us in the Skylight Room.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Meal Making for My Brother's Table

October 27 | 1pm | Parish Hall

Come roll up your sleeves with us as we make sandwiches for My Brother’s Table in Lynn — a small act of service that adds up to real impact. All volunteers welcome; no experience needed.

Wings in the Moonlight: The Story of Bats

October 28 | 7pm | Parish Hall

Curious what bats are really up to after dark? Step beyond the myths and learn about the night‑fliers quietly holding our ecosystems together — and why protecting them now matters more than ever. Join us for a free presentation by Dr. Charles C. Chester on the ecological importance and conservation of bats.

Co-sponsored by The Swampscott Conservancy

UUCGL Annual Halloween Party

Sunday, November 1 | 11am | Parish Hall

Get Those Costumes Ready! The Faith Development Ministry Team invites everyone to our Annual Halloween Party during Fellowship Hour! Children and adults alike are encouraged to come to church in costume and enjoy holiday treats, games, and activities right after the service.

There's More...

There's a lot happening at UUCGL and all are welcome to participate!

To see a list of recurring group meetings and programs, click below or visit our website Homepage or Calendar Page for specific dates.

RECURRING GROUP MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS LIST

Adult Programs

Children/Youth Programs

Facebook Engagement

Are you on Facebook? You can help grow our church’s reach — and it only takes a second!

Whenever you see a post from UUCGL — whether it’s on our official page or shared in a local community group — simply click “Like,” leave a comment, or share it. Even a quick reaction (👍❤️) makes a real difference.

On Facebook, posts with more engagement are shown to more people. That means every time you interact with a church post, you help the algorithm recognize it as meaningful content. The result: our programs, events, and messages become visible to more neighbors across Lynn, Swampscott, and the North Shore.

A few seconds of engagement from you can help amplify our mission, strengthen our presence in the community, and bring more people into connection with the work we’re doing together. Thank you!

Financial Matters

Pledges Payments and Donations

HERE are 3 easy ways to make a donation to the church. Please indicate whether your payment is toward your pledge or for another purpose.

Thank you for your support!

UUCGL Resources

Items for the Weekly Update

Send your info to Mary at mkgualtieri@uucgl.org.

UUCGL Staff

Visit our Staff Directory HERE to contact any of us. We're here for you!

UUCGL Board of Trustees

Follow this link to meet the board.

Name Buttons

If you are new to the congregation and would like a name badge, or if you need yours replaced, simply email Misha and she'd be happy to make one for you.