September Newsletter

September 2024

Sunday Services Schedule

September Ministry Theme:Invitation

Fall Service Schedule. On September 8th we resume two services at 9 and 11 AM.

The 11 AM service is broadcast via Zoom. The Zoom login and call-in information is shared through the congregational eblasts on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

To subscribe to the eblast, please send a message to uuseoffice@uuse.org or call the UUSE office at 860-646-5151.

Sunday, September 1st: You're Invited.

As we begin a new congregational year, we come together to explore the spiritual practice of Invitation. How does Invitation relate to our UU values centering on Love? Are we taking action to invite and include? How do we respond to invitations in our own lives?

Coordinators: Stacey Musulin and Paula Baker

Sunday, September 8th: Homecoming.

All-Congregational Worship! Today we launch the new congregational year with morning worship and our Homecoming picnic following the second

service. We celebrate our liberal faith, our congregational community, and what it means to offer a wide invitation. Remember to bring your backpack, briefcase, workbag, pocketbook, etc. for

our annual end-of-summer “Blessing of the Backpacks.” Coordinators: Emmy Galbraith and

Rev. Josh Pawelek.

Sunday, September 15th:Sitting at the Messianic Table.

Our ministry theme for September is Invitation. Rev. Josh explores Jesus’ parable of the messianic table. Who is invited to sit at that

table? How does that invitation speak to us 2000 years later? Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek.

Sunday, September 22nd: TBD

Sunday, September 29th:Fire Drill. Are any alarms sounding in your world? If so, what are

you doing in response? How are you preparing for what may be coming? Rev. Josh examines

‘being prepared’ as a spiritual practices. We’ll also conduct a fire drill! Coordinator: Rev. Josh

Pawelek and the UUSE Emergency Preparedness Team.

Community Outreach Ministry

Charitable Giving for September

As always, thank you for your generosity.

“We do not gather our gifts only for ourselves, but to share with the larger community.” Continuing our practice of sharing our gifts with the community beyond our walls, fifty percent of our Sunday plate collections for the month will be split with:

• 
  
  Manchester Latino Affairs Council
• 
  
  She Leads Justice

Please contact Louisa Graver at uuseoffice@uuse.org, David Lacoss, or Nancy Madar at uuseoffice@uuse.org.

Checks made out to UUSE will be treated as follows. If the memo line:

✓ is blank or “pledge” is written, all will go toward your pledge.

✓ has “COM” or the name of the charity is on the memo line, all will go to the charity.

✓ has “1/2 pledge, 1/2 COM,” it will be divided equally.

September: Manchester Latino Affairs Council and She Leads Justice

2024/2025 Ministry Themes

September: Invitation

October: Deep Listening

November: Repair

December: Presence

January: Story

February: Inclusion

March: Trust

April: Joy

May: Imagination

June: Freedom

Minister's Column

Dear Ones:

As I craft my thoughts for September’s column, all I can think is that it’s been a hard summer for our congregation. Four long-time members have died—Frank Schiumo, Allan Driscoll, Beth Hudson Hankins, and Hélène Felicité Buker. May they each rest in peace.

Hélène was probably the least well-known of these beloveds. She was active at UUSE in the 1980s and was a mainstay of our choir in those years. Peg Richardson wrote to me about her late son Jim’s memory of Hélène singing “O, Holy Night” in French at a UUSE Christmas Eve service. I hope Hélène knew how much Jim appreciated her role in that service. I wonder who else remembers her singing that beautiful carol in French. I’m mindful there are so many ways we leave a lasting impression on others through our interactions at the meeting house, yet often we aren’t aware of the impact we have. I’m mindful there are so many ways we weave in and out of each other’s lives, and often we’re barely aware of the weaving. If you had a chance to witness the memorial services for Frank, Allan and Beth, you’ll know how large an impression they left, how lasting their impact has been, and how the weaving of their lives in and out of the lives of others was so important to so many. They will be deeply missed.

I take great pride in our UUSE “life-cycle” celebrations: weddings, child dedications and memorial services. While these are public ceremonies, there’s also a way in which they happen ‘behind the scenes,’ out of the Sunday morning spot light. As I begin my 22nd year serving as UUSE’s minister, I realize the memorial services are especially important to me. When a member or friend of the congregation dies, it’s imperative for me that the service speaks to who they were: the connections they made, the passions they pursued, the values that guided their living, the love they shared. It’s important to me that the service celebrates them as a full human being and names not only their achievements and successes, but their quirks, their challenges, the things that got under their skin. I take it as high praise when people approach me after a memorial service and express how meaningful it is to them that the minister (and the congregation) knew the deceased so well and loved them so much. I also take it as high praise when people approach me after a memorial service and say they want to learn more about Unitarian Universalism. It tells me that they experience something at our memorial services that they don’t experience with other denominations or religions. Yes, I am proud.

I am also indebted to our staff, our Pastoral Friends Committee volunteers, and our Memorial Garden volunteers. We couldn’t conduct the quality memorial services we do without their support, dedication and love. It makes such a difference.

It’s fair to say I’m bringing a lot of sadness into this 2024-2025 congregational year. But I’m also bringing a lot of excitement. I’m looking forward to Homecoming Sunday and our Homecoming picnic (don’t forget to bring backpacks, briefcases, bags, etc. for the blessing of the backpacks). I’m looking forward to being back in my regular Sunday morning routine. I’m looking forward to being together in multi-generational community for services and other activities. I’m looking forward to working with our Policy Board and Program Council leaders as we continue to build a resilient, creative, spiritually-grounded, safe and fun congregation able to meet all the headwinds that confront traditional religious institutions. I’m looking forward to engagement in the wider community with organizations such as the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance, Connecticut for All, HUSKY for Immigrants and many more.

I am looking forward to a good year at UUSE. I hope you are too!

With love and faith,

Rev. Josh Pawelek

President's Column

The family...our sustenance...and our pets

Families are a precious part of living; they sustain us through the travels and travails of life. As we already know, our beloved families come in different varieties. Sometimes the dearest and strongest connection may be with a family member who walks on four feet—our pets. Pets can be one of the most cherished family members largely because of the unconditional love they provide. They love without judgment or conditions. Their unwavering devotion sustains us through stress, anxiety and depression, giving us emotional support and comfort, particularly during difficult times. They are an antidote to loneliness. Speaking of the greatness of animals, James Herriot noted “If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.."

At the height of the Covid pandemic I recall going for a walk through Valley Falls Park. I noticed an elderly, disabled man working hard to get out of his car. It was slow-going, but his persistence was ultimately successful. After closing the driver's side door, he opened a passenger door and out jumped his dog. He picked up the leash, and the two of them started strolling down the path, “hand in hand". What a poignant scene to behold.

To focus a bit on dogs, the human species would do well to emulate some of their qualities. They exhibit loyalty at its pinnacle. We’ve all heard the stories of a dog not hesitating to sacrifice its own life to save the life of its human master. Mark Twain, a dog lover, once noted, “”Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit,, you would stay out and your dog would go in”. We can learn a lot from dogs' unwavering devotion, trust, how to love without judgment or conditions, and how to forgive, just to name a few.

As we happily accept the gifts offered by the animals in our lives, let’s not forget to give back to them. We owe them so much. Remember that there is a lot we can learn from them. As Anatole France believed “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened”. Let's pause and stand in awe and appreciation of those who give us so much, to whom we owe so much, our four-legged family members.

Peggy Webbe

President

Director of Children & Youth Column

Preparing for a program year in Children & Youth Ministry feels kind of like preparing to give birth. You spend months researching, asking questions, reading, setting up rooms, soliciting help, developing plan A, B, and C, doubting, more planning, and a bit of surrendering. All while knowing that once the oxygen hits and the baby begins to breathe on its own, an exciting journey will begin with challenges you never could have anticipated. Yet we do it anyway, filled with hope, joy, a bit of fear, all mixed with some overall relief to get this thing out of me already.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be given the opportunity to rebirth this program, with lots of help, this Fall and for many Septembers to come. Just like a baby, perfectly imperfect and unique, each year is different than the last.

Of course there are traditions to be carried on. As always we will offer childcare in the nursery for birth through 3 years of age during the 11 AM service, provided by our long-time Nursery Coordinator Molly Vigeant. But new this year is the addition of a paid Nursery Assistant, to ensure the most welcoming and safe congregation we can provide for our new and returning families with little ones. Be sure to say “congratulations!” to our very own high school youth Lilly-Rose Coleman who was recently hired for the role!

In keeping with tradition, the preschool and kindergarten class, Spirit Play, will embark on its second year of a two-year cycle. It’s always a joy to welcome our youngest students in beginning their religious education journey at UUSE. We are looking for 2-3 more “non-parenting adults” to join this teacher team! Whether you are familiar with working with young kids, or not, I guarantee that teaching in this class will aide you in living in the present moment and leave you feeling more alive. Their kind and curious spirits are contagious!

Newish this year will be an Elementary class learning about spiritual practice and the diverse religions of the world. While this has been taught before over many years in many ways, this will be yet another iteration. Thank you to folks who have already reached out to say they would be willing to pop in to share about their personal spiritual practice. And if you haven’t heard the pulpit announcement yet, I have asked folks who engage in any kind of spiritual practice to please reach out and let me know if they’d be willing to briefly share about it with the class. So please let me know if you are interested!

Brand new this year will be a dedicated anti-racism class for our middle school students. Similar to our popular OWL (Our Whole Lives) program which teaches children about physical and mental health, as well as relationship and life skills, the Children & Youth Ministry Committee and I envision a curriculum focused on teaching anti-racism/anti-oppression as a regular offering and staple in our Children & Youth Ministry program moving forward. There are several anti-racism curricula being piloted at UU congregations across the country right now, and we are very excited to take part and look forward to learning as we go. To support our work, members of the Social Justice/Anti-Oppression Committee at UUSE have very willingly agreed to collaborate to help guide our work with our youth, and to form a strong multi-generational team working for social justice in our community. (Be sure to check out our dedicated bulletin board on the Garden Level for details and status updates on this work beginning in September!)

Junior and High School Youth groups will continue on as they have with new members who bridged back on CYM Sunday in June. And lastly, there are a couple more additions to the Children & Youth Ministry program offerings, but I’ll let you hear about them for yourself at the upcoming Homecoming Service on September 8th! Looking forward to gathering with you all then.

Emmy Galbraith (she/her/hers)

Director of Children and Youth Ministry

Children & Youth Ministry News

Emmy Galbraith, Director of Children & Youth Ministry

Harvest Brunch: Sept 22, 2024

When my girls were little, we attended our first harvest brunch in September at UUSE. It was so meaningful for us, stirring feelings of joy, belonging, celebration, hope, and community. I can still feel what I felt on that day.

Community building and holding is essential for us all. That is going to be our focus over the next year. Please join us between services on Sunday, September 22 for a harvest brunch on the Garden Level, open to everyone in the congregation. Bring a dish to share if you can, but at least bring your appetite!

This will also be the first day of classes in the Children and Youth Ministry program. So there will be lots of excitement, and lots to attend to. If you are able to volunteer with this event, please reach out to me or the CYM committee. From decorating to set-up and clean-up, many hands will make light work. But most importantly, I hope to gather with you.

Trunk-Or-Treat: Oct 26, 2024

Last year we had what we now refer to as a "happy accident" at the annual Trunk or Treat. We marked the FB event as “public” which drew in a large crowd of young and diverse families from the area, and it dawned on us, this is a great opportunity for community members to become familiar with our congregation! This year we plan to do it again (on purpose), with extra candy on hand, and a Membership trunk with a package of goodies adorned by a QR code and quick blurb about the CYM program. We are hoping to draw a large crowd again, so we need some extra volunteers to help things run smoothly! This year's CYM registration form includes the volunteer option of assisting with events! So if you marked down an interest in helping with single events or plan to, put October 26 on your calendar and shoot me an email if this one interests you! Emmy Galbraith, dcym@uuse.org.

Spiritual Practice

Do you have a spiritual practice that you engage in? It could be daily, annually, or anywhere in between. Would you be willing to visit our Elementary classroom once this upcoming program year to simply tell or show them about your spiritual practice and why you do it? Need not be more than 5-10 minutes but can take as long as you’d like. If yes, please email Emmy Galbraith the Director of Children & Youth Ministry at dcym@uuse.org.

Join Us in Activities at UUSE!

Homecoming Picnic

and UUSE Committees Showcase

Sunday September 8, at 12:30

Food: UUSE will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, drinks and all the fixings. You bring your favorite side or dessert. Help our planet and bring your own tableware.

Fun: A bounce house for the kids and games for all.

Sign up in the lobby on Sundays or email uuseoffice@uuse.org and let us know you’re coming!

Ladies at Lunch

We will have lunch at The Main Pub in Manchester, Thursday, September 12th, meeting at noon. Let's hope for pretty weather so we can dine outside, enjoy the patio! All are welcome...join us if you can. If you can attend, please RSVP to Sharon Huber by Wednesday afternoon the 11th: uuseoffice@uuse.org or 860-646-5151. See you there!

Piano Bash 2024

On October 6 at 2 PM piano performers of all ages and levels are invited to play our two Steinway pianos in the UUSE meeting room. If you like to play the piano and want to perform or have questions send an email to Mary Bopp at music@uuse.org. Listeners are also welcome to attend. This is a free event.

Intro to UU

Sunday, October 6, 1:00 – 4:00 PM

UUSE Chapel/Rm 1 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, October 3. (Let us know if you need childcare.)

Questions? Please contact Carole Boster or Janet Dauphin at

membership@uuse.org.

Pastoral Friends Rotating Chair

PastoralFriends@uuse.org.

Sep – Oct: Sally Gifford

Nov – Dec: Sue McMillen

Jan – Feb: Sid Soderholm

Mar – Apr: Laurie Semprebon

May – Jun: Anne Stowe

Back-up Gene Sestero

Books, Classes, and Discussions

Adult Religious Education

NEW! Writers Group

We will rotate facilitators and hopefully someone will volunteer for the next meeting at each meeting. Hint Hint. Facilitators can offer portals/ prompts and or guest speakers, topics, etc.

Next meeting is Sunday, Sept 8 at 1 PM aka 12:30 at the meetinghouse in the Sanctuary with the portal/prompt, "what if I told you…" Bring something in based on portal or not.

We will be rotating facilitators and we are looking for volunteers for upcoming meetings.

Book Lovers

The Book Lovers meet in person and simultaneously on Zoom every second Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:00. You are welcome even if you haven’t finished the book. The link is sent out each month with the meeting reminder, usually the weekend before that Tuesday by Carolyn Gimbrone. Here are the books, with number of pages, for the next several months.

Goodreads descriptions.

• 
  
  September: How to Know a Person—The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks (271 pages) Discussion Leader Carolyn Gimbrone
• 
  
  October: It Can't Happen Here, by Sinclair Lewis (401 pages) Discussion Leader Lorry King (Note: Some members may want to also read Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism, by Rachel Maddow (416 pages) to add to the discussion.)
• 
  
  November: Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys (176 pages) Discussion Leader Janet Dauphin
• 
  
  December: The Wind Knows My Name, by Isabel Allende (272 pages) Discussion Leader - Louisa Graver

Buddhist Group

The Buddhist Group meets at 7 PM on the first Tuesday of the month for meditation and discussion of a Buddhist perspective on the monthly ministry theme. Email Nancy Thompson at uuseoffice@uuse.org for details or the Zoom link.

Yoga

All welcome to these gentle-to-muuseoffice@uuse.org. Yoga is one of the UUSE adult education offerings.

God Talk

A discussion group for UU theists

4th Tuesdays at 4:30 PM

This ongoing group explores how UUs can name and experience God in meaningful, useful ways. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Josh at minister@uuse.org for the Zoom link.

Humanist Group

3rd Tuesdays at 4:30 PM

This ongoing group explores Religious Humanism and its applications to life, both historically and today. All welcome. Contact Rev. Josh at minister@uuse.org for the Zoom link.

Science and Religion Discussion Group

Fourth Thursdays at 4:30 PM in the Chapel and on Zoom

• 
  
  September: Jessey Ina-Lee, Despite all we know about science, why is religion so prevalent?
• 
  
  October: Chris Larson, Dreaming
• 
  
  Nov/Dec: Mark Gilbert? Where do science and religion meet? Where are they in opposition? What about evolutionary biology, artificial intelligence, climate change, the brain, genetics? Members select favorite topics. Contact Linda Duncan for questions and Zoom link.

Hosts Needed for

UUSE “Community Harvest Suppers”

The Membership Committee is planning more potlucks at the homes of UUSE members/friends this fall, since they have been such a success this spring and summer. But we need your help! If you are considering hosting a potluck but need a little motivation, here are some great reasons: get your house clean and organized, show off your cooking and favorite main dish, foster community and fun!

If you would like to host a “Community Harvest Supper” at your home sometime in October or early November, please contact Sue Myers or Carole Boster via email or phone by September 15 and let them know the date & time for your event, and how many guests you can accommodate; they’ll send you back a quick questionnaire to gather further details for the sign-up sheet. Hosts are asked to provide a main dish; guests will bring the appetizers, sides, desserts etc.

We’ll put sign-up sheets in the lobby after each service in late September.

Questions? Ask Sue Myers or Carole Boster.

Green Sanctuary News

Did you know that UUSE has been a certified Green Sanctuary congregation since the spring of 2006? The Green Sanctuary program was developed and begun by the UU Ministry for Earth for UU congregations. The program at UUSE was led by the Sustainable Living Committee with approval and involvement of the policy board, staff, various committees and the full congregation. Goals and projects were developed in four different areas: worship, religious education, sustainable living and social/environmental justice. Our Action Plan for 2005 included 15 different projects, heavily focused on our response to global warming. It included implementing recommendations from an energy audit, starting our children’s organic vegetable garden program, starting recycling and composting programs, working with other state and local organizations on common goals, and much more. The congregation-wide support and success of the program led us to seek out the greenest way we could afford to implement our planned building renovation and expansion project.

Between 2007 and the spring of 2010 we were deep into the planning, fundraising for and implementation of our building project. The Growth of the Green Sanctuary Program allowed it to become a project of the UUA. And by 2011 we were encouraged to apply for Re-accreditation. Our application for Re-accreditation included various projects in the areas of worship and celebration, religious education, sustainable living, and active environmental justice efforts, such as helping to pass CT’s first environmental justice law, working with local groups to start school and other community gardens and to help low-income residents benefit from CT’s Home Energy Solutions program. We documented all the work done in the UUSE building project including energy conservation work, our geo-thermal system and eventual solar panel system, and Energy Star certification with a 98% score in 2013, as well as various ecological landscaping projects, and the Peas and Love Veganic Garden. On February 17, 2013 we received the notice we were awarded Green Sanctuary Recertification.

UUSE was the first accredited Green Sanctuary in CT and still the only recertified congregation. As of 2020 at least 30% of all UU congregations are Green Sanctuaries, 5 of which are in CT. But now UUA has revised and begun a new version called Green Sanctuary 2030. The Sustainable Living Committee endorses this new project but needs new people to take on the leadership of such a project. Does this interest you? We welcome anyone interested in this or other projects of the Sustainable Living Committee to join us for our monthly zoom meeting on second Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. Let Anne Vaughan, uuseoffice@uuse.org know so you can receive an agenda and zoom link for the September 10th meeting.

Newsletter Design Update

Introducing Carol Marion as your new newsletter editor. We are transitioning the newsletter into Constant Contact, the same method we use to bring you the weekly eblasts and announcements. This will make reading the newsletter on mobile devices easier and we can still print copies for pickup at the front desk. Let us know what you think? And, you can still submit articles using newsletter@uuse.org

UUSE General Information

UUSE Office Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Meetinghouse Office: 860-646-5151

Office Administrator: Annie Gentile email: uuseoffice@uuse.org

Minister: Rev. Joshua Pawelek, 860-646-5151, minister@uuse.org

Minister Office Hours: Tuesday 10 AM to 7 PM and Thursday 10 AM to 4 PM

Director of Children & Youth Ministry: Emmy Galbraith, 860-646-5151, dcym@uuse.org

President: Peggy Webbe, 860-646-5151, uuseoffice@uuse.org

Newsletter Editor: Carol Marion,860-646-5151, newsletter@uuse.org

Website Coordinator:uuse.web@uuse.orgUUSE Website:https://www.uuse.org

UUSE | 153 Vernon Street West Tax Exempt #E-5105 | Manchester, CT 06042 US

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