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Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Words of Welcome (Emmy Galbraith) Centering (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Prelude "Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella" Traditional French carol Arr. by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Excerpt from "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens gently adapted by Rev. Josh Pawelek Opening Hymn "Angels We Have Heard on High" Words by Earl Marlatt Music: French Carol Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo Shepherds why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What glad tidings do you bring Which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo See him in a manger laid Whom the choirs of angels praise Mary, Joseph, lend your aid While our hearts in love we raise Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo Reading Luke 2:1 1-14 (New Revised Standard Version) Silence Carol "In the Bleak Midwinter" Words by Christina Rosetti and Andrew Storey Music by Gustav Theodore Holst In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone, snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter long ago. Christ a homeless stranger, so the gospels say, cradled in a manger and a bed of hay; in the bleak midwinter, stable-place sufficed Mary and her baby, Jesus Christ. Once more child and mother weave their magic spell, touching hearts with wonder words can never tell; in the bleak midwinter, in this world of pain, where our hearts are open, love is born again. Story "Santa's God" Neale Donald Walsch Musical Meditation Offering It is our tradition on Christmas Eve to dedicate our offering to the UUSE Minister's Discretionary Fund. This fund is used throughout the year to provide financial support to people in our congregation and in the wider community who have fallen on hard economic times, or who have specific monetary needs they cannot otherwise afford. Offering Music "Christmas Time is Here" Vince Guaraldi Homily (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Silence Music "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" by Mel Torme and Robert Wells Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at your nose Yuletide carols being sung by a choir And folks bundled up in winter clothes Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe Help to make the season bright Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow Will find it hard to sleep tonight. They know that Santa's on his way He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh And every mother's child is going to spy To see if reindeers really know how to f ly And so I'm offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two Although it's been said many times, many ways Merry Christmas To you. Carols "Joy to the World" Words by Isaac Watts Music attributed to George Frederick Handel Joy to the world! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven, and heaven and nature sing. Joy to the world! the Savior reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders and wonders of His love. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" Words by Edmund Hamilton Sears Music by Richard Storrs Willis It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven's all-gracious King." The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled, and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world; above its sad and lowly plains, they bend on hovering wing, and ever o'er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing. And ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow, look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing! For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old, when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing. "Silent Night, Holy Night" Words by Joseph Mohr Music by Franz Xaver Gruber Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright. Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia, Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born. Silent night, holy night! Son of God love's pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth Jesus Lord, at Thy birth. Extinguishing the Chalice Closing Circle May faith in the spirit of life And hope for the community of earth And love of the light in each other Be ours now, and in all the days to come. Closing Music "Jingle Bells" Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a One horse open sleigh Jingle bells, Jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh. Dashing through the snow In a one horse open sleigh Over the hills we go Laughing all the way Bells on bobtails ring Making spirits bright What fun it is to ride and sing A sleighing song tonight. Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a One horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a One horse open sleigh. A day or two ago I thought I'd take a ride And soon Miss Fanny Bright Was sitting by my side The horse was lean and lank Misfortune seemed its lot We got into a drifted bank And there we got upsot. Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a One horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in a One horse open sleigh.

Gathering Music (Debbie Vinick, harp) Welcome Introduction Centering Chalice lighting and Opening Words "Forgotten Church" by James Crews The next time you pray for someone else, send whispered words on shaky wings up to the night sky, you might consider including yourself before the final amen. When you ask for your own happiness, plead for a flashlight to shine a path through whatever darkness you are facing, it's like stepping back into the forgotten church of this one body, and finding all the stained-glass still intact, every pew dusty but undamaged, just waiting for you to sit here again in worship to sing in praise of the actual heart that has never stopped working for you, resting only in the slimmest of instants between beats. Now place a hand on your chest and speak--not to the God above, but the one who lives always right here inside you. Music "Christmas Carol Medley" Arr. and performed by Debbie Vinick Reading #720 "We Remember Them" In the rising of the sun and in its going down, We remember them. In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter, We remember them. In the opening buds and in the rebirth of spring, We remember them. In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer We remember them. In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn, We remember them. In the beginning of the year and when it ends, We remember them. When we are weary and in need of strength, We remember them. When we are lost and sick at heart, We remember them. When we have joys we yearn to share, We remember them. So long as we lie, They too shall live, Fo they are now a part of us, As we remember them. Music "Pastorale from the Christmas Concerto by Arcangelo Corelli" Arr. and performed by Debbie Vinick Reading "We Hold Hope Close" by UU minister and activist Rev. Julian Jamaica Soto In this community, we hold hope close. We don't always know what comes next, but that cannot dissuade us. We don't always know just what to do, but that will not mean that we are lost in the wilderness. We rely on the certainty beneath, the foundation of our values and ethics. We are the people who return to love like a North Star and to the truth that we are greater together than we are alone. Our hope does not live in some glimmer of an indistinct future. Rather; we know the way to the world of which we dream, and by covenant and the movement forward of one right action and the next, we know that one day we will arrive at home. Sharing Music "Pachelbel's Carol" Arr. and performed by Debbie Vinick Reading "Winter Solstice" by James Crews It's as if the solstice took two Bare twigs and rubbed them together To give us a spark of rising sun, To keep it going on this December day. Not enough to heat the house Or light even a corner of the room, Still we learn to call it holy, knowing It holds the promise of shorter nights, As the candle lit for a loved one We have lost somehow flickers Their evergreen smile, small flame That brings us closer with just A thimble's worth of warmth. Music "Let There Be Peace on Earth" by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller Arr. and performed by Debbie Vinick Extinguishing the Chalice and Closing Words "On Those Days" by Donna Ashworth On those days, when you miss someone the most, as though your memories, are sharp enough, to slice through skin and bone, remember how they loved you. Remember how they loved you, and do that, for yourself. In their name, in their honour. Love yourself, as they loved you. They would like that. On those days when you miss someone the most, love yourself harder. Closing Circle May faith in the spirit of life And hope for the community of earth And love of the light in each other Be ours now, and in all the days to come. Postlude (Debbie Vinick, harp)

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude "Joy on Christmas Morning" by Audrey Snyder UUSE Choir Chalice Lighting and Opening Words #542 "Solstice" by Diane Lee Moomey Again did the earth shift Again did the nights grow short And the days long. And the people Of the earth were glad And celebrated Each in their own ways Opening Hymn "Winter Takes its Time" Music by Mary Bopp Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek and Mary Bopp Drone: Winter takes its time. Winter takes its time. Verses: Let us all heed winter's teaching. Let us not pass quickly by. Let us honor winter's wisdom. Let the darkness hold us close. Let us rest in winter's stillness. Let us rest the long night through. Time for All Ages Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering "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 of December will go to three area shelters: McKinney Men's Shelter (Hartford), East Hartford Community Shelter, Cornerstone Shelter (Rockville). Offering Music "I Believe" by Mark Miller "Where the Light Begins" by Susan Labarr Homily "Where the Light Begins" Rev. Josh Pawelek Music "Night of Silence" by Daniel Kantor Closing Hymn #55 "Dark of Winter" by Shelly Jackson Denham Dark of winter, soft and still, your quiet calm surrounds me. Let my thoughts go where they will; ease my mind profoundly. And then my soul will sing a song, a blessed song of love eternal. Gentle darkness soft and still, bring your quiet to me. Darkness, soothe my weary eyes, that I may see more clearly. When my heart with sorrow cries, comfort and caress me. And then my soul may hear a voice, a still, small voice of love eternal. Darkness, when my fears arise, let your peace flow through me. Extinguishing the Chalice "The Flame in Our Hearts" Music by Mary Bopp Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek The flame in our hearts, never ceases burning. Closing Circle May faith in the spirit of life And hope for the community of earth And love of the light in each other Be ours now, and in all the days to come.

< To Upcoming Services Dec 22, 2025 Evening Vespers 7 PM: Monday, December 22nd: Evening Vespers Service. In a season busy with ‘bright and merry’, we may also find ourselves sitting with sadness, grief, and pain in body or spirit. Join us as we pause in the quiet to acknowledge and support each other in bearing these burdens. We invite you to bring your chalice from home, where we will light it for the service. Coordinators: Sandy Karosi, Paula Baker, and Ellen Williams. 7 PM: Monday, December 22nd: Evening Vespers Service . In a season busy with ‘bright and merry’, we may also find ourselves sitting with sadness, grief, and pain in body or spirit. Join us as we pause in the quiet to acknowledge and support each other in bearing these burdens. We invite you to bring your chalice from home, where we will light it for the service. Coordinators: Sandy Karosi, Paula Baker, and Ellen Williams. OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Dec 24, 2024 7:00 PM. Silent Night, Holy Night Tuesday, December 24, 7:00 PM. Silent Night, Holy Night. All congregation Christmas Eve worship. On this sacred eve, we welcome the spirit and magic of Christmas. And we sing! Coordinators: Mary Bopp, Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek #JanuaryNewsletter Tuesday, December 24, 7:00 PM . Silent Night, Holy Night. All congregation Christmas Eve worship. On this sacred eve, we welcome the spirit and magic of Christmas. And we sing! Coordinators: Mary Bopp, Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek. #JanuaryNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

What's happening at UUSE? Lots of things. So many events here to keep your mind occupied and your hands busy. December Newsletter Website Edition Sign up here to receive the full newsletter by email Contact the office for details - email: info@uuse.org phone: 860.646.5151 Sunday Services Schedule December Ministry Theme: Choosing Hope Join us at 9 or 11 AM. The 11 AM Zoom service login and call-in information is shared through the congregational eblasts on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Subscribe to the eblast by sending a message to uuseoffice@uuse.org or call the UUSE office at 860-646-5151. Please note special dates and times below. ------------------------------ Sunday, November 30th: Awake My Soul . Rev. Josh continues his exploration of what it means to identify love as the center of our Unitarian Universalist faith. Jennifer Richard provides the music, including a rendition of Awake My Soul by Mumford and Sons (In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die / And where you invest your love, you invest your life.) Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. Sunday, December 7th: Choosing Hope . Many holidays with themes of Hope are celebrated in the month of December: Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, culminating in the optimism of a New Year. Is Hope a wish? an emotion? a choice? an action? a decision? Join us as we begin to reflect on this month's theme of Choosing Hope, and ways we can expand our ideas about what hope is, and how we can cultivate it. Coordinators: Stacey Musulin and Martha Larson. Sunday, December 14th: Where the Light Begins . This morning, we celebrate the holidays with our annual, all-congregational music service. Let us welcome the solstice; let us welcome Hanukkah; let us welcome Christmas in this season where the light begins. Coordinators: Mary Bopp, Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek. Sunday, December 21st: Solstice Reflections . How does the imperceptible planetary shift toward the sun on this day nurture our spiritual lives? Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. 7 PM: Monday, December 22nd: Evening Vespers Service . In a season busy with ‘bright and merry’, we may also find ourselves sitting with sadness, grief, and pain in body or spirit. Join us as we pause in the quiet to acknowledge and support each other in bearing these burdens. We invite you to bring your chalice from home, where we will light it for the service. Coordinators: Sandy Karosi, Paula Baker, and Ellen Williams. 7 PM: Monday, December 22nd: Evening Vespers Service . In a season busy with ‘bright and merry’, we may also find ourselves sitting with sadness, grief, and pain in body or spirit. Join us as we pause in the quiet to acknowledge and support each other in bearing these burdens. We invite you to bring your chalice from home, where we will light it for the service. Coordinators: Sandy Karosi, Paula Baker, and Ellen Williams. 5 PM: Wednesday, December 24th: Silent Night, Holy Night . Join us for Christmas Eve worship at 5:00 PM. Beautiful m usic, timeless stories, and more. Anything might happen!!! Coordinators: Emmy Galbraith, Mary Bopp, and Rev. Josh Pawelek. 5 PM: Wednesday, December 24th: Silent Night, Holy Night . Join us for Christmas Eve worship at 5:00 PM. Beautiful m usic, timeless stories, and more. Anything might happen!!! Coordinators: Emmy Galbraith, Mary Bopp, and Rev. Josh Pawelek. One service at 10 AM: Sunday, December 28th: Reflections and Hopes . Join us at 10 AM for shared reflections on the year gone by and our hopes for the upcoming year. Coordinators: Gianna DiMaiolo and Kate Kimmerle. Sunday, January 4th: Resistance ! A new year arrives. Rev. Josh considers our January ministry theme, resistance. The UU folk-rock band Meetinghouse provides the music! A potent mix indeed! Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. ------------------------------ Community Outreach Ministry Charitable Giving for December 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 shared with: McKinney Men’s Shelter (Hartford) East Hartford Shelter Cornerstone Shelter (Rockville) Please contact Louisa Graver at uuseoffice@uuse.org , David Lacoss, or Nancy Madar at n uuseoffice@uuse.org . Make checks out to UUSE. If the memo line: ✓ is blank or “pledge” - all will go toward your pledge. ✓ has “COM” or the name of the charity - all will go to the charity. ✓ has “1/2 pledge, 1/2 COM” - it will be divided equally. ------------------------------ 2025/2026 Ministry Themes September : Building Belonging October : Cultivating Compassion November: Nurturing Gratitude December : Choosing Hope January : Practicing Resistance February : Embodying Resilience March : Paying Attention April : Embracing Possibility May : Awakening Curiosity June : Flourishing Together ------------------------------ Minister's Column Dear Ones: I’ve been trying to prepare for our December ministry theme, hope. Full disclosure: though I experience myself as a hopeful person, the words aren’t coming—at least not yet, not in the middle of November when this column is due!! So I am borrowing liberally from a previous sermon I wrote on hope. These words are working for me! I hope they work for you. Hope is certainly an appropriate theme for December, the “darkest” month, the month in which so many festivals of light take place; the month in which so many lights symbolize hope at the darkest time of the year. I suspect there is something deep in our cultural DNA that yearns for light in the midst of darkness. I suspect our ancient human ancestors—especially those in the northern latitudes—experienced winter as a difficult time, a time of hunger, a time of worry—will we survive? The return of the sun at the Winter Solstice must have been a powerful and inspiring moment, one that generated profound hope in human hearts—the days are getting longer; we’re going to make it! I sense this deeper, ancient yearning at the heart of the Biblical Christmas story. I sense it at the heart of the Hanukkah story. I sense it at the heart of the Christmas tree ritual—a pagan ritual—the placing of an evergreen inside the home, decorating it, lighting it—an enduring symbol of hope at the darkest time of the year. Yet I also recognize that many people just don’t feel hopeful right now. As you’ve heard me say many times, we are living in an age of authoritarianism. For this reason, and others, hope is difficult to find. There are techniques for cultivating hope in an era of increasing hopelessness. In her 2010 book, The Gifts of Imperfection, the popular researcher/social worker/storyteller, Brené Brown, says, “hope is not an emotion; it's a way of thinking or a cognitive process. Emotions play a supporting role, but hope is really a thought process made up of [a] trilogy of goals, pathways, and agency.” Hope happens when “1) we have the ability to set realistic goals (I know where I want to go); 2) we are able to figure out how to achieve those goals, including the ability to stay flexible and develop alternative routes (I know how to get there, I'm persistent, and I can tolerate disappointment and try again); and 3) we believe in ourselves (I can do this!).” This may seem obvious to many of us, but there’s an important reminder here: hope can be learned! I like that. If you are among those who find it difficult to feel hopeful—and even if you aren’t—I have a threefold prayer for you. First, may the hope of this season wash over you, lift your spirits, connect you to that ancient experience of witnessing the sun’s return. Second, in this dark season, may you step back from the busyness of everyday life, engage in self-reflection, and discern where it is you want to go and how to get there. Third, may you believe in yourself. Or perhaps I can sum up this prayer in one short sentence: May you hope! With love, care and hope, Rev. Josh ------------------------------ Director of Children & Youth Ministry Column In the Flow: Reflections on Attending the LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association) Fall Conference Keynote presenter Elder Sharon Jinkerson-Brass refers to herself as a “’60s scooper”. This refers to a time in Canadian history when the government removed Indigenous children from their land, families, and communities and forced them into adoptions in white-parented homes. This took place en masse in the 1960s across Canada. Similar events happened in the United States. Elder Sharon was one of those children in Canada, removed from her home and family at a young age. Elder Sharon is a gifted storyteller, and I will not attempt to do the job for her. Her stories are her own, and more about her life can be found here . One of the people documenting and collaborating with Indigenous communities in Canada today is Elder Sharon’s friend, Amber Dawn Bellemare. Amber Dawn is a white woman and the Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Programming Coordinator of the Canadian Unitarian Council. For the last 10 years, Amber Dawn has learned how we as Unitarians can work towards healing and reconciliation with Indigenous people of North America, living through our denomination’s values, guided by the wisdom of those who have been harmed and oppressed by the colonization of North America and the forced spread of Christianity and suppression of indigenous, earth-centered spiritual and cultural practices. You can find out more about Amber Dawn’s work here . I left this conference feeling better equipped and educated to work with the children and youth at UUSE, and any that come into my care if even for a moment, in working towards a right relationship with the land and the first people to live on this land. I also left with a new friend in Amber Dawn, and a model and resources to spread this work of truth, healing, and reconciliation, where colonization and Christianity violently uprooted a harmonious ecosystem. We participated in an exercise designed for UU congregations, about the timeline and spread of colonization in North America, and its impact on the Indigenous people already living there. Some religious educators present had done this exercise with their home congregations. Others, like me, were profoundly moved by the new exercise, experiencing moments of self-loathing followed by resolve when history revealed Unitarians to be financial backers of the wide destruction, claims to land and resources, human lives lost, and generations tortured. I learned that the current reconciliation work is not only in line with our present-day denominational values and principles, but that we have a duty and obligation to do what we can to remedy deep wounds from the past, inflicted by our Unitarian ancestors. It has been a year of diving deep into elemental learning and knowing for me, as both a spiritual being and a religious professional. In the height and tail of summer, it was fire. Air made itself known as we slipped through the time of the ancestors. And this experience was all about water. In the literal sense, LREDA Fall-Con organizers advised attendees to “think Seattle” when packing for Vancouver. And the weather lived up to its reputation. As an Indigenous woman, Elder Sharon spoke frequently of water, both its spiritual and practical importance to her people, of which there is no real separate distinction. She talked about her gift of storytelling, which would bring the whole room to tears of joy through a telling of grief and loss, explaining that her gift was from her people. Indigenous people, when joined with their land and families, live “in the flow,” she explained. The prescribed and lonesome egocentric way of the colonizer (my words, hers are gentler) does not allow for the flow. The flow is happening, and you can move into it like water, or it can come onto you like a wave. The rain forest, the waterfalls, hot springs, the mist - the breath of the ancestors, are all the twinkling features of Vancouver and British Columbia. Water is heavy and slow, and powerful. And life-giving. Elder Sharon held a symbolic umbilical doll ritual with us all. Copper, the Earth’s blood, represented the blood of the first connection to the mother. At the close of our 4 days together, she and an Indigenous sister blessed us all with a water ritual upon our hands. The picture accompanying my column this week is of her listening to a religious educator’s child. Elder Sharon listens to everyone this way, with this level of attention, love, patience, and joy. Children are centered and revered in her culture in a way that is different from the best efforts to include children in an adult-centered world. I learned so much from her. I learned so much from everyone. Taking classes, reading books, and writing papers for my religious educator credentialing has its value. And this community space, where I am most deeply educated, is sacred. I am so grateful that I was able to take the journey to Vancouver, to Elder Sharon, to Amber Dawn, and to share resources and networking with a hundred other UU religious educators from across North America. This is where the seeds sit, where the nurturer is nurtured. It is my honor to usher the ripple I carry back to Manchester, Connecticut, where we will continue to learn and grow together. Emmy Galbraith (she/her/hers) Director of Children and Youth Ministry ------------------------------ President’s Column December 2025 When we are in turbulent times, many folks say to relax, to meditate, to center yourself to regain equilibrium. This is good advice for almost everyone, especially when bombarded by the constant noise and dissension in today’s world. However, anyone who knows me knows stillness and meditation would be a near impossible state. I am driven to be in constant motion. So, for me, my meditation and centering is achieved through running. I save up things to think about while I am running, but the truth is when I run, my mind goes wherever it wants! As I run through the backroads of the “last green valley,” my mind wanders from current events to pleasurable activities, to what I need to buy at the grocery store. I feel truly blessed to still be able to contemplate marathon training in my 71st trip around the sun. The pastoral theme for November was gratitude. Gratitude comes in many forms for me; I call it counting my blessings. When I look back, there is so much in my life to be thankful for—I have had a truly blessed life: I have traveled far and wide, I have had great work opportunities, and too many adventures to count. But the number one thing that makes me feel blessed is the amazing people I have been able to count as friends. Because in the long run (no pun intended) this is what makes us rich. I am firmly rooted in quantitative science, and so the neurophysiology and neurochemical correlates of cognitive function interest me. One of my dear friends gave me an interesting essay on the neurophysiological/neurochemical impacts of anger and revenge. In the Wall Street Journal, James Kimmel posited that revenge is addictive—it engages the dopamine in some of the same brain areas as drugs: the striatum and the nucleus accumbens. Negative feelings also reduce the hormone oxytocin and increase levels of cortisol (the stress hormone)—with negative feelings feeding into each other and making it hard to break free. James Kimmel also posited that forgiveness may be the antidote for revenge, but I also think another pathway for us to safeguard ourselves from the anger and revenge that is fraught in today’s political environment is finding a way to practice gratitude. Gratitude is associated with increases in dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in areas of the brain that control emotions, stress response, and anxiety. Gratitude is associated with an increase in oxytocin and reduced cortisol. The practice of gratitude, as a spiritual practice, has been suggested to cure excessive materialism, envy, resentment, disappointment, and bitterness. So in closing, my hope is that all of us can find our personal space that allows us to shut out all the angry noise and celebrate our blessings: our families, our holiday traditions, our friendships, until the world regains its balance, its sanity, and collective equilibrium. Patricia Lisle, UUSE President ------------------------------ Green Sanctuary News Have you noticed that plastics are everywhere? They are on our streets, in our homes, in our oceans. Research has shown it is in us, in our blood, in our organs– including our brains. It’s also in our soil, in the rain, in the air we breathe, and in the water we drink. How has this happened? And how concerned should we be? The first plastic materials came out in the 1950s and by the 1960s were showing up all over the place. Every year, more and more plastic is produced, which has a devastating effect on our earth, in its production by petroleum-based products that take, in some cases, hundreds of years to disintegrate. Single-use plastics, our fast food drink cups, bottles of water, etc., also degrade by being heated–whether by simply being exposed to the sun or having hot beverages put into them, releasing toxic chemicals as well as micro-plastics that quickly become part of our surroundings. “EPA researchers define microplastics, or MPs, as plastic particles ranging in size from 5 millimeters (mm), which is about the size of a pencil eraser, to 1 nanometer (nm). For comparison, a strand of human hair is about 80,000 nanometers wide. Primary microplastics are intentionally manufactured in small sizes for their use in consumer products, such as cosmetics or biomedical products. Secondary microplastics are plastic particles that break down from larger plastic materials, such as food wrapping, tires, and synthetic textiles.” It is the microplastics that we are breathing in, eating, and drinking. I remember the first time I read that apples growing in orchards have plastic in them, the horror I felt. Now reading that even the far northern Alaskan salmon are also carrying plastics in them continues the feelings of horror and helplessness. Since 2000, the amount of plastic the world produces has doubled. In the next twenty years,s it’s expected to triple. There is a huge lobby behind plastics, claiming they are necessary, which is going to be devastating to the environment as well as all the creatures that inhabit it, including ourselves. I didn’t start this article to terrify our congregation; I simply want you to consider the plastics you use every day and to find ways that they can be replaced and eliminated from our everyday lives. I realize I use plastic spatulas when a wooden spoon would work just as well. My plastic soup ladle needs to be replaced with a stainless steel one. One by one, my freezer containers are being replaced by glass containers. Needless to say, I NEVER heat any food in my microwave in plastic, I always use glass. To cover a glass container that doesn’t have a cover, use a microwaveable glass plate. Finding ways to replace products made of plastic is sometimes difficult. Take your tooth brushing routine, for example. From what I’ve read a bamboo toothbrush with soft bristles and silk floss is one of the best answers to the plastic toothbrush. Then there is the toothpaste. Brands that offer microplastic-free options include Bite Toothpaste, Unpaste, Davids, and Georganics, which typically use natural ingredients and sustainable packaging. We have to do our homework in this arena just as carefully as we read the news. Just Google microplastics and step into a world you may never have imagined. As in many things in our world today, you’ll have to calm yourself. In thinking about the microplastics we are daily ingesting, we realize that our bodies do have a system of removing toxins and microplastics. Be aware that fresh foods like fruits and vegetables help our bodies rid themselves of microplastics. Healthy eating has never been more important. We have a choice of products to use, and we can avoid plastic with due diligence. Being fully aware of the plastic around you is the first step. ------------------------------ Upcoming Events ------------------------------ UUSE Coffeehouse and Open Mic Sign-up starts at 6 PM-- performances will start at 6:30 PM  Join us on the first Saturday of each month , October through May, for an evening of music, poetry, stories, and community! Bring your own songs, poems, stories, or any creative offering — or simply come enjoy the warm, supportive atmosphere as part of our appreciative audience. Sign-ups begin at 6:00 PM, and performances start at 6:30 PM. We feature 12 slots, each about 10 minutes or two songs. BYOB, BYO dinner, and BYO friends — we’ll provide the coffee! Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT ------------------------------ Eclectica Concert Wheeling Through Time Friday, December 5, 2025 at 7:00 pm Eclectica is a Connecticut-based ensemble performing original arrangements of (mostly Western) music spanning centuries, continents, styles, and cultures, using voice and an eclectic variety of instruments including hammered dulcimer, Celtic harp, viola da gamba, violin, viola, accordion, and recorders. Eclectica has been arranging and performing together since 2016. “Wheeling Through Time” will take the UUSE audience on a soulful musical journey through time and place – from the 13th to the 21st centuries - with original arrangements of tunes from classical, folk, klezmer and more. Beautiful images accompany each piece in a slide show of art and photography curated just for this program, for a truly immersive experience. Visit Eclectica’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EclecticaCT $20 Suggested free will donation. Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT ------------------------------ High School Youth Group Holiday Bake Sale Sunday, Dec 14th Please join us after each service in the main lobby to support the High School Youth Group Holiday Bake Sale! Proceeds will be shared between the HSYG activity fund and the UUSE general fund. Contact Michelle Spadaccini at uuseoffice@uuse.org with questions. ------------------------------ UU History Trip to Boston During his Nov. 16th UU history sermon, Rev. Josh mentioned a recent trip to Boston and Concord, MA, with this year's Affirmation class. That got me thinking: why not offer a similar trip for the adult members of the congregation, both new and old, who would like to visit these historic places? Rev. Josh was very supportive of the idea, provided there is enough interest and if a few of us are willing to work together to organize the logistics. If this is something that interests you, please email Jackie Muschiano at uuseoffice@uuse.org . ------------------------------ 2026 Goods & Services Auction January 31, 2026 One of UUSE’s Biggest Fun(d)raisers!! Mark your calendar now for Fun, Food & Friends!! Here’s what to expect: Saucy Cook-Off 2.0: The competition is hot and heavy for the title of ‘UUSE Top Chef.’ Jump into the contest with your terrific tetrazzini or perfect pesto. Then everyone enjoys a luscious free pasta dinner prepared by UU friends who want YOUR votes! Going, going, gone!! Live Auction: Snag meals in members’ homes, special activities, vacation getaways, and Rev. Josh’s personalized sermon only at the meetinghouse on January 31! For the Kids: No grownups allowed! Lots of low-cost items at the Kids Bid Table, and ONLY children can bid! There will also be fun activities and childcare available. Watch your email for a special eBlast on how you can help FILL THE CATALOG WITH EXCITING DONATIONS! ------------------------------ Come Sing, Chant, and Reconnect With Us! Save These Kirtan Dates – L ed by Heart-Centered Kirtan with Libby Volckening, Dan Thomas, Zach Gregory, Chris Ball, and Brie Sullivan. No experience needed! Sunday, 3 PM, February 22, 2026 Sunday, 3 PM, March 22, 2026 Sunday, 3 PM, May 17, 2026 Suggested Donation: $20 (more or less is always OK—no one turned away). Scent-Free: Please no incense, perfume, or essential oils. Seating: Chairs provided. Some cushions. Best to bring a cushion if you prefer floor seating. For more info: https://www.uuse.org/regular-events/kirtan Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT Sudha, Central CT Community Kirtan And the UUSE Music Committee ------------------------------ Keep up to date on all UUSE happenings here . ------------------------------ Thank you for your Care Package Donations! The High School Youth Group would like to sincerely thank everyone who donated items for the young adult Care Packages. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to send 14 wonderful care packages to our young adults. We are very grateful for your support! Please enjoy these thank you notes from our Young Adults for their Care Packages! ------------------------------ Children and Youth Ministry News CYM is thriving and caregivers are doing a fantastic job teaching classes, but we need more support in our "Young UUs" class (grades 2-5)! This class is learning all about their Unitarian Universalist identity through discussion, games, music, movement, art, and time outdoors. We are looking for an assistant teacher on the following Sundays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7 & 21 . Lessons are all planned and prepped, and a lead teacher will guide you in the classroom. Please reach out to DCYM Emmy Galbraith at dcym@uuse.org to sign up for a classroom date! We all thank you! Are you a retired special education (or other) teacher? Or looking for meaningful ways to plug into the community? CYM is building a team of support for a 5-year-old in our congregation with an intellectual disability, who needs one-on-one support in the Spirit Play classroom this year. We have a few high school youth on the team, and we are looking for a few adults as well. Team members would take turns as their schedules allow. (Sitting on the floor is not required; team members would be offered a chair.) Please reach out to DCYM Emmy Galbraith at dcym@uuse.org to express interest in joining the team! ------------------------------ MACC Christmas Mitten/Gloves Drive! December at UUSE The Manchester Area Conference of Churches has put out a call for mittens and gloves in all sizes. UUSE is going to formally re-establish our holiday Mitten Tree. During the month of December, please bring mittens and gloves to decorate the Christmas tree in the UUSE sanctuary. For more information, contact Diana Creamer at 860-646-5151. ------------------------------ Strategic Planning Task Force Puzzle Me This The Strategic Plan Task Force is just starting the work needed to update UUSE’s Vision and Mission Statements (previously revised in 2011), in addition to creating a new strategic plan to meet set goals of interest to the congregation. To kick off this congregational work and to start some brainstorming, try the following challenge: Can you complete the crossword puzzle with some key pieces from the previous 2011 Strategic Plan? Enjoy the interactive puzzle and the opportunity to start thinking about new goals as we look to the future. The task force will present more information and discuss ideas with the congregation around this work in the coming months. Word Bank: Care, Fifteen, Five, Gifts, Justice, Mission, Rights, Strategic, Technologies, Vision, Youth ------------------------------ The Yuletide Festival Saturday, December 6th As we approach the Winter Solstice and the season of holidays and celebrations, the Unitarian Society of Hartford is planning a holiday event-- The Yuletide Festival. We would love to invite and include UU friends and families from nearby congregations to celebrate with us on what is sure to be a fun and festive day. The event will host craft workshops, a vendor area, and an ongoing lineup of musicians throughout the day. We invite members from your congregation to reach out if they would like to perform, participate, volunteer, or set up a vendor stall. We’re looking forward to sharing talent, sharing time, making new friends, and making magic this upcoming Yuletide! Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105, (860) 233-9897, Email: uuseoffice@uuse.org ------------------------------ Verplanck Tutoring Project The Verplanck Tutoring project could use three or four more volunteers to spend one hour per week helping kindergarten and first grade students learn to read. Most urgently, they hope to find two people who can jump in from now through the beginning of December. It's a structured one-on-one program with excellent teacher support, so please consider helping out. Email uuseoffice@uuse.org or text 860-646-5151. ------------------------------ Ongoing Groups, Activities, and Fun ------------------------------ Book Cart Volunteers Needed! Drop by the book cart to take or leave a book, or talk about books with our friendly volunteers. The book cart is in the lobby each Sunday during the summer months, after the 10:00 am service ------------------------------ Ladies at Lunch On Friday, December 12th, at noon , will meet for lunch at festively decorated Georgina's at 275 Boston Turnpike, Bolton . Do join us if you can ~ everyone is welcome. If you will attend please let Sharon Huber know by Thursday the 11th afternoon: uuseoffice@uuse.org or 860-646-5151. ------------------------------ Romeos for Lunch Romeos (Retired Old Men Eating Out) meet at noon on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for lunch and conversation at various local restaurants. If you are retired or simply have free time, feel welcome to participate. Contact Annie at the church office to be included on the email call list. ------------------------------ Yoga at the Meetinghouse Wednesdays at 10:00 AM All are welcome to these gentle-to-moderate yoga classes for all abilities. $5 drop-in fee. Bring a yoga mat (we have some extras). Bring a friend! Questions to: Susan at uuseoffice@uuse.org . Yoga is a UUSE adult education offering. ------------------------------ Women's Sacred Singing Circle Every Thursday at 7 PM We sing songs and chants from a variety of traditions, including some written by women from circles around the country, including our own. All are about the earth, healing, spirit, and, of course, women. Come late, leave early, or stay the whole time. Come every week or off and on, when you choose. But come! We have so much fun each week, we want you to join us in the laughter, song and community! For more information visit Meetup . ------------------------------  Pastoral Friends Rotating Chair November/December:  Laurie Semprebon. PastoralFriends@uuse.org. ------------------------------ Directory Updates Please note: The Vogels no longer have a land line. ------------------------------ Books, Classes, and Discussions Adult Religious Education ------------------------------ NEW! Meditation Group The Meditation Group will meet Monday, Dec. 15, at 3:30 PM in the sanctuary to meditate in community. The group will meet regularly on the third Monday of the month at 3:30. The group started because members of the Buddhist Group, which meets on Zoom, wanted to gather in person. You don’t have to be a member of the Buddhist Group or interested in Buddhism to join. Everyone is welcome; no experience required. Contact Nancy Thompson with questions, uuseoffice@uuse.org . ------------------------------ Book Lovers The Book Lovers meet in person and simultaneously on Zoom every second Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:00 PM . You are welcome even if you haven’t finished the book. The link is sent out the weekend before by Carolyn Gimbrone. Dec. 9th: West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge; discussion leader Louisa Graver ------------------------------ Buddhist Group The UUSE Buddhist Group will meet on the 1st Tuesday, at 7 PM on Zoom 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. ------------------------------ Humanist Group Join us in on the 3rd Tuesday 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 Where do science and religion meet? Where are they in opposition? Meet 4th Tuesdays at 4:30 in the Chapel, and on Zoom. Contact Chris Larson for the Zoom link. ------------------------------ 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. ------------------------------ Help Us Spread the Word Are you on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, etc?) please promote UUSE and its events by "liking" or sharing our posts on social media. Facebook: UUSEast , Instagram: uu_society_east . UUSE Happenings on Facebook is a private page for sharing things among members. You also can share events or posts in other groups on Facebook. If you have any suggestions for places to publicize events, email uuseoffice@uuse.org , the Communications/Technology Committee. ------------------------------ Newsletter Submissions Submit articles using newsletter@uuse.org or use this publicity form . Deadline for the Newsletter is the 20th of each month. ------------------------------ 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: Trisha Corey-Lisle, 805-750--3488, uuseoffice@uuse.org Newsletter Editor: Carol Marion, 860-646-5151, newsletter@uuse.org Website Coordinator: uuse.web@uuse.org UUSE Website : https://www.uuse.org ------------------------------