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< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Meals to tickle the tastebuds! Meals are our most popular offerings. Italian dinners, picnic lunches, wine tasting, pool parties, DIY dessert classes, brunches by a lake… all are popular! And you can buddy up to share the work, cost and space! Lend a Hand… It’s Fun and Rewarding The auction is more than a fundraiser, it’s the biggest party of the UUSE year. Can you spare an hour or two to help this event run smoothly? Contact auction@uuse.org if you can take a shift. Key Dates and Deadlines • NOW: It’s never too early to claim your spot in the Get Saucy Cooking Competition! • Throughout December: Plan your donations and email the committee at auction@uuse.org ! Include: Thorough description, Approximate value and minimum bid (optional), Time, date, number of spaces, several photos with plain backgrounds are best. • By January 2: Claim your basket theme. 10 basket limit and we want them all to be different. • By January 9: Submit basket description, list of contents, several photos. • January 12-15: Drop the baskets off at the meetinghouse. We can help package it. • January 16: Absolute deadline to send donation details to auction@uuse.org . Sooner is better. • January 17 and 24: Baskets are displayed in the lobby; raffle tickets sold • January 19: Online auction opens at 8 AM • January 30: Online auction closes at 10 PM. Set up crew works through afternoon. • January 31: Live Extravaganza at the meetinghouse with exclusive auction items, the Get Saucy Cooking Competition and free dinner starts at 5 pm. Snow date is February 14. #NovemberNewsletter Meals are our most popular offerings. Italian dinners, picnic lunches, wine tasting, pool parties, DIY dessert classes, brunches by a lake… all are popular! And you can buddy up to share the work, cost and space! Lend a Hand… It’s Fun and Rewarding The auction is more than a fundraiser, it’s the biggest party of the UUSE year. Can you spare an hour or two to help this event run smoothly? Contact auction@uuse.org if you can take a shift. Key Dates and Deadlines NOW : It’s never too early to claim your spot in the Get Saucy Cooking Competition! Throughout December : Plan your donations and email the committee at auction@uuse.org !  Include : Thorough description, Approximate value and minimum bid (optional), Time, date, number of spaces, several photos with plain backgrounds are best. By January 2: Claim your basket theme. 10 basket limit and we want them all to be different. By January 9 : Submit basket description, list of contents, several photos. January 12-15 : Drop the baskets off at the meetinghouse. We can help package it. January 16 : Absolute deadline to send donation details to auction@uuse.org. Sooner is better. January 17 and 24 : Baskets are displayed in the lobby; raffle tickets sold January 19 : Online auction opens at 8 AM January 30 : Online auction closes at 10 PM. Set up crew works through afternoon. January 31 : Live Extravaganza at the meetinghouse with exclusive auction items, the Get Saucy Cooking Competition and free dinner starts at 5 pm. Snow date is February 14. #NovemberNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Apr 7, 2024 People Need People. In keeping with our April theme of Interdependence, coordinators Anne Vogel and Martha Larson will explore what we as humans need to be more joyful. Featured musician Andy Ricci will sing and play guitar. Dorothy Bognar will be our pianist. Coordinators: Anne Vogel and Martha Larson #eBlast-04-03 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Jun 25, 2023 Exploring Effective Altruism What is it about giving of ourselves that helps make us feel complete? Join guest speaker Ryan O’Halloran for an exploration of altruism and the role that selfless giving plays in our lives. OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Jun 1, 2025 Affirmation Sunday Service: "Affirmation" Affirmation is our long-standing 'coming-of-age' program for youth. This morning we honor and celebrate two UUSE youth who have participated in the Affirmation class over the past congregational year. They will share their credo statements, and we will hear form their mentors. Coordinators : Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service #eBlast-05-28 Sunday Service: "Affirmation" Affirmation is our long-standing 'coming-of-age' program for youth. This morning we honor and celebrate two UUSE youth who have participated in the Affirmation class over the past congregational year. They will share their credo statements, and we will hear form their mentors. Coordinators : Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service Sunday, June 1, 2025 In Case You Missed It: #eBlast -05-28 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Aug 4, 2024 Sacred Words. August 4: “Sacred Words.”This Sunday we reflect on how poetry serves as an essential conduit to spirituality, featuring original poems and music from members of UUSE.Coordinator(s): Gianna DiMaiolo #AugustNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Trunk Or Treat Trunk or Treat Saturday, October 25th, 2025 - 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM Set-up at 5:30 PM Are you participating in Trunk or Treat this coming Saturday? If you plan to decorate your car and hand out candy from your trunk, be here in the UUSE parking lot for 5:30 PM to set up. Bringing the kids to Trick or Treat? Trunk or Treat runs from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. This event is open to the public. Hope to see you there! #eBlast-10-22 Trunk or Treat Saturday, October 25th, 2025 - 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM Set-up at 5:30 PM Are you participating in Trunk or Treat this coming Saturday? If you plan to decorate your car and hand out candy from your trunk, be here in the UUSE parking lot for 5:30 PM to set up. Bringing the kids to Trick or Treat? Trunk or Treat runs from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. This event is open to the public. Hope to see you there! #eBlast -10-22 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Dec 28, 2025 Reflections and Hopes 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. 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. #JanuaryNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

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< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Handler Levesque Guitar Duo Judy Handler and Mark Levesque Guitar Duo WORLD CAFÉ - A Musical World Tour for Mandolin & Guitar Sunday, April 21st, 3:00PM Come and enjoy a musical journey through many countries with Judy Handler & Mark Levesque. They perform their own inspiring arrangements on guitars and mandolin and will include music from the U.S., Europe, Eastern Europe, Brazil, Latin America and more! Audiences respond with enthusiasm to their extraordinary sound, passionate performance, amusing anecdotes, and the joyful spirit of their music. Judy Handler and Mark Levesque Guitar Duo WORLD CAFÉ - A Musical World Tour for Mandolin & Guitar Sunday, April 21st, 3:00PM Come and enjoy a musical journey through many countries with Judy Handler & Mark Levesque. They perform their own inspiring arrangements on guitars and mandolin and will include music from the U.S., Europe, Eastern Europe, Brazil, Latin America and more! Audiences respond with enthusiasm to their extraordinary sound, passionate performance, amusing anecdotes, and the joyful spirit of their music. Husband and wife duo, Handler & Levesque, have performed over 2,500 concerts together over the past 30 years throughout the United States & Europe. They create unique programs of guitar duets and music for guitar & mandolin. Their friendly and entertaining way of chatting with audiences immediately makes a personal and authentic connection. "It's a perfect musical marriage. A rich, zesty guitar gumbo, Handler & Levesque crackle with tasty elements of classical, swing, Gypsy, Brazilian and a dizzying array of world-music flavorings." Owen McNally, music critic, Hartford Courant “What made this eclectic concert so wonderful was the incredible unity of their two instruments, which to the ear sounded as a single instrument...They are so accomplished that if you hear them once, you will want to hear them again. But even once in a single performance their precision blend echoes in one’s memory.” Kevin T. McEneaney, The Millbrook Independent OOS Sermon YouTube

Music + Mantra: Kirtan at UUSE A welcoming community of music, meditation, and connection Join us for Music + Mantra, a recurring series of live kirtan gatherings at the Unitarian Universalist Society: East (UUSE) in Manchester, CT. Led by Heart-Centered Kirtan, these events offer a warm, inclusive space to connect through music, mantra, and shared presence. What is Kirtan? Kirtan is a form of participatory music that blends melody, rhythm, and meditation. Rooted in the devotional singing traditions of India, kirtan invites people of all backgrounds to join in simple, call-and-response chanting. You don’t need to be a singer or have any experience—just an open heart and a willingness to listen and participate. The focus is on community, not performance. Through music and repetition, we create a shared space for reflection, connection, and joy. Led by Heart-Centered Kirtan Our gatherings are led by Libby Volckening (vocals/keys), Ezra Landis (guitar), Reed Sutherland (bass), and Chris Ball (drums). Together, they bring a contemporary sound to this ancient practice—grounded in authenticity, openness, and community spirit. When and Where All Music + Mantra events are held on Sundays at 3:00 PM in the UUSE sanctuary: 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT Upcoming 2026 dates: February 22 March 22 May 17 Admission: By free-will donation ($20 suggested) at the door. No one is ever turned away. Chair seating is available, or bring your own floor cushion. Please note: UUSE is a scent-free space. Download the Flyer Click here to download the latest event flyer and share it with friends: Music+Mantra Flyer PDF . All Are Welcome These gatherings are open to people of all ages, backgrounds, and spiritual traditions. Whether you come for the music, the meditation, or the sense of community, you’ll find a place where everyone’s voice belongs. Stay Connected Join the local kirtan community on Facebook: Central CT Community Kirtan . About UUSE The Unitarian Universalist Society East is a welcoming congregation. Our Music + Mantra series reflects our values by creating opportunities for reflection, belonging, and shared expression through music for people of all backgrounds.

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Sunday, July 27th: Sunday, August 3rd: Bittersweet August. In this service, we explore the unique bittersweetness of August, when in the midst of our slow savoring of summer, we are reminded of its transition into shorter, busier, unfamiliar days ahead. Like all of life’s seasons, how do we remain present for the savoring and curious about the possibilities ahead? Coordinators: Sandy Karosi & Paula Baker Sunday, August 10th: Science and Spirit on an Island. Star Island, in the Isles of Shoals, operates as a retreat and conference center. “Shoalers” – those who attend – consider it a spiritual home. David and Jane have been part of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science for decades, and this year were joined by Stan McMillen. The service will share some insights from this year’s conference on Science and Spirituality. Coordinators: Jane Penfield & David Klotz Sunday, August 17th: Sacred Spaces. Affordable Housing as a Moral Imperative through MISAC. Join UUSE MISAC board members to hear the story of one of the most effective social outreach efforts involving UUSE. Learn how the Manchester Interfaith Social Action Committee (MISAC) has provided high-quality, affordable housing to Manchester families for 56 years, while awarding over $2.5M to housing-related grant projects over the past 12 years. Coordinator: Kate Kimmerle Sunday, August 24th: Coffee House Worship! Back by popular demand! This morning we bring the all-congregational coffee house to Sunday morning worship! Enjoy music, poetry, and community. Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek Sunday, August 31st: Weaving Our Lives General Assembly 2024. We will be presenting an edited version of the 2024 GA Sunday Worship service featuring inspiring stories and music focused on the interdependent web of life of which we are all a part. Coordinator: Vivian Carlson #AugustNewsletter Sunday, August 3rd: Bittersweet August. In this service, we explore the unique bittersweetness of August, when in the midst of our slow savoring of summer, we are reminded of its transition into shorter, busier, unfamiliar days ahead. Like all of life’s seasons, how do we remain present for the savoring and curious about the possibilities ahead? Coordinators: Sandy Karosi & Paula Baker Sunday, August 10th : Science and Spirit on an Island. Star Island, in the Isles of Shoals, operates as a retreat and conference center. “Shoalers” – those who attend – consider it a spiritual home. David and Jane have been part of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science for decades, and this year were joined by Stan McMillen. The service will share some insights from this year’s conference on Science and Spirituality. Coordinators: Jane Penfield & David Klotz Sunday, August 17th: Sacred Spaces. Affordable Housing as a Moral Imperative through MISAC. Join UUSE MISAC board members to hear the story of one of the most effective social outreach efforts involving UUSE. Learn how the Manchester Interfaith Social Action Committee (MISAC) has provided high-quality, affordable housing to Manchester families for 56 years, while awarding over $2.5M to housing-related grant projects over the past 12 years. Coordinator: Kate Kimmerle Sunday, August 24th: Coffee House Worship! Back by popular demand! This morning we bring the all-congregational coffee house to Sunday morning worship! Enjoy music, poetry, and community. Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek Sunday, August 31st: Weaving Our Lives General Assembly 2024. We will be presenting an edited version of the 2024 GA Sunday Worship service featuring inspiring stories and music focused on the interdependent web of life of which we are all a part. Coordinator: Vivian Carlson #AugustNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Dec 31, 2023 Beloved Mystery Sunday, December 31 One service only at 10:00 a.m. The service is also live-streamed. Gathering music begins at 9:50 a.m. "Beloved Mystery." December 31 is the end of the ancient winter solstice season, the sacred time between the solstice and the beginning of the new solar year. This sacred time belongs to neither the old year nor the new year. In this time of mystery, we'll come together to share our stories of grace, mercy, faith and hope as we ready ourselves to welcome the light of the new year. Coordinator: Vivian Carlson #eBlast-12-27 One Service Only at 10:00AM December 31 is the end of the ancient winter solstice season, the sacred time between the solstice and the beginning of the new solar year. This sacred time belongs to neither the old year nor the new year. In this time of mystery, we’ll come together to share our stories of grace, mercy, faith and hope as we ready ourselves to welcome the light of the new year. Coordinator(s): Vivian Carlson No CYM programming (nursery will be open for the 10 AM service as usual) OOS Sermon YouTube