Sunday Service "On Being Present as the Sun Returns"

In the midst of many festivals of light, Rev. Josh shares more thoughts on presence. And we'll sing all those carols that never make it into our Christmas Eve service!!! Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek.

Services at 9:00 and 11:00 AM

Sunday, December 22, 2024

Gathering music starts at 8:55 and 10:55 A.M.

Join the virtual service at 11:00 A.M. via our Zoom link:

Contact the Office for Zoom Link. 

Or join by phone. Call 1-860-646-5151 Meeting ID 357 815 420#. 

In Case You Missed It

View last week's Holiday Music service

"Dona Nobis Pacem" - December 15, 2024, here.

Note: UUSE will be holding a Christmas eve service, December 24, in person and on Zoom at 7:00 p.m. December 24. Additionally, next week's service on December 29 is a single service only and will be held in person and on Zoom at 10:00 a.m.

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Minister's Discretionary Fund

At this time of year, we invite you to make a holiday gift to the Minister's Discretionary Fund (MDF). The MDF's primary purpose is to help UUSE members and friends who are facing difficult financial times. With your generous donation, the Minister (in consultation with the Director of Children and Youth Ministry and members of the Pastoral Friends Committee as necessary) is able to respond to requests for financial assistance throughout the year.

A holiday gift to the MDF is just one of the many ways we live out our mission to be a welcoming liberal religious community that cares for one another. For your convenience, we will have self-addressed envelopes available on the Welcome Table throughout the holiday season. Please make your check payable to "UUSE" with "MDF" indicated on the memo line. Feel free to drop your donation in the mail or the donation basket on Sundays. Unless your check is marked otherwise, the offertory collection on Christmas Eve will go to the MDF.

Please note: Because the MDF fund has a dedicated, separate bank account, please do not combine your check with your UUSE pledge payment.

We thank you for your caring and your generosity.

Rev. Josh Pawelek; Emmy Galbraith, DCYM; Sue McMillen, Pastoral Friends Committee

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Holiday Origami Workshop

Sunday, December 22 from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. in the Meeting Room

Want to enjoy a nice afternoon with friends and family? Learn something new that may become a tradition? Come to the two-hour origami workshop with Kristen Dockendorf and learn how to make two different ornaments--an origami crane that we can hopefully use in the meeting room to decorate for the season along with a multi-piece ornament that you can use in your windows or on your tree at home. If you have favorite papers, you can bring those, but they must be square. If you have a paper cutter that you can bring, that would be great! This activity is for ages 10 and up. Suggested donation is $5. Hope to see you there!

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Rob Laurens and Friends in Concert

Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 7:00 P.M., come to the meeting house to experience award-winning, Boston-based singer-songwriter, Rob Laurens. Rob is currently celebrating the release of his new album, "Jubilee." Many UUSE members will remember his heart-warming original song, "You Are Welcome Here."

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance here or on the night of the show.

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Intro to UU

Sunday, January 12, 1:00 - 4:00 PM

UUSE Chapel/Rm1 or Zoom

Would you like to know more about Unitarian Universalism and Unitarian Universalist Society East? Please attend our Intro to UU Session.

Rev. Josh Pawelek and the Membership Committee invite you to an informative seminar, which will include:

➢ A brief history and background of our theology

➢ UUSE's mission, programs and facilities

➢ Opportunity to meet others interested in Unitarian Universalism

➢ Sharing of stories about what brings us together.

To register, please contact Annie Gentile at 860- 646-5151 or uuseoffice@uuse.org. Please RSVP by Thursday, January 9. (Let us know if you need childcare.)

Questions? Please contact Carole Boster or Janet Dauphin at membership@uuse.org.

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Care Package Thank You

from Teagan Mabrysmith

I just wanted to reach out and say thank you so much for my care package! I always love feeling connected to church even from another state, and these packages always make me feel so loved by the community! These gifts have definitely helped me get through my finals week!

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Pastoral Friends

The Pastoral Friends Committee has a rotating chair throughout the year. Should you need pastoral care during the month of December, please contact Ellen Williams.

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Picture Directory

Dear Members and Long-Time Friends

If you haven't received a copy of the picture directory, please email Annie at uuseoffice@uuse.org, and she'll send you a digital copy. Please note: The directory contains pictures only -- no addresses, phone or email info. Copies of the regular annual directory are available on the Welcome Table.

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A Request from our Partners at Verplanck Elementary

Every year there are children whose families can't afford to purchase anything from the school Book Fair. The librarian maintains a small fund so that those kids can pick out a book or two with their classmates. On December 29, our Community Outreach Offering will donate half the plate collection cash to this library fund. If you want to make an additional donation, you can write a check to UUSE and put Verplanck books in the memo line. Thank you!

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Yoga

Schedule change for Christmas and New Year's Days

Due to two Wednesday holidays, our UUSE yoga will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the Friday of the holiday weeks: Friday, December 27 and Friday, January 3. Thanks to Annie Gentile for arranging for these! Also, I've mentioned Atul Gawande's excellent book, available at the library (print, e-book, or audio-book): Being Mortal is not only wise and deeply moving, it is an essential and insightful book for our times, as one would expect from Atul Gawande, one of our finest physician writers." -- Oliver Sacks.

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Save the Date!

Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 5 P.M. at the Meetinghouse

Save the date for UUSE's 2025 Goods and Services Auction and .... drum roll please .... Sauce Competition!

We're mixing it up and will have a competition for the best sauce. Any kind of sauce that you would serve on a noodle -- marinara, Bolognese, alfredo, pesto. But don't limit it to Italian flavors. Mac & cheese sauce, stroganoff, tetrazzini, goulash, sesame or lo mein are great options too! Whatever your favorite recipe is!

Start thinking about how you'd like to contribute and send any and all questions to auction@uuse.org! From your saucy Auction Committee--Robin Byrne, Susan Gabriele, Jennifer Klee, Chris Larson, Stan McMillen, and Nancy Pappas.

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Ongoing Happenings at UUSE!

There’s Always Something Good Going On

• New! Adult Affirmation, 3rd Sundays at 1 P.M.
• Stop & Shop Gift Card sales after services on 1st Sundays
• Fair Trade Coffee/Tea/Chocolate sales after services on 2nd Sundays
• Yoga, every Wednesday at 10 A.M. (Friday, Dec. 27 at 10 A.M. instead of Christmas Day; Friday, Jan. 3 at 10:00 A.M. instead of New Year's Day)
• Manchester Women's Singing Circle, every Thursday at 7 P.M.
• Book Lovers, 2nd Tuesdays at 3:30 P.M. on Zoom.
• Women's Circle, 3rd Tuesdays at 7:00 P.M. (Zoom only December through March) Email Nora Alpers-Leon atuuseoffice@uuse.org for the Zoom link.
• Buddhist Group, 1st Tuesdays at 7 P.M.
• God Talk, 4th Tuesdays at 4:30 P.M.
• Humanist Group, 3rd Tuesdays at 4:30 P.M.
• Science and Religion Discussion Group, 4th Thursdays at 4:30 P.M. (Note: due to the holidays, we'll have one Nov/Dec Science & Religion meeting on Thursday, December 5th.)

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Our Mission

Unitarian Universalist Society East is a welcoming, open-minded spiritual community seeking truth and meaning in its many forms. We share responsibility for building a more equitable, peaceful, and sustainable world.

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UUSE Links and Information

• Monthly Newsletter • Website • Previous Sunday Services

 • Children & Youth Ministry • Facebook • 

New England Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association

uuse.org • 860-646-5151

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