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Sunday Services and Activities Sunday Service Settings Service Settings add an extra touch to our inspirational weekly services: a painting, flowers, candles, picture, or a favorite “thing”. Anyone can do it, and everyone is urged to take a turn at least once a year. Contact Dianne Cronauer at church or as listed in the Directory.
All services are on Sunday at 10:30 AM unless otherwise noted. Other activities are listed as scheduled.
Summer Service Schedule 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
10:30 AM: Flower Communion Sunday Music– Bruce Phillips Please bring a flower; intergenerational (No Spirit Play today)
11:30 AM: Hospitality HourSunday, July 6, 2008 10:30 AM: Discussion about “This Present Paradise” Jack Pendrak
Article in the Summer 2008 edition of the UU World
(Please read before the discussion if you get a chance)Sunday, July 13, 2008 10:30 AM: “Bird Paradise” Matt Parry and Debby Quayle
At the turn of the 20th century, the Reverend JB Wicks wrote about the birds of our area. In this presentation we will revisit the area Rev. Wicks knew as Bird Paradise and compare it to our own time as we review video footage of his bird “parishioners”.Sunday, July 20, 2008 10:30 AM: “The One Word That Matters” Rev. Dr. Jay G. Williams
Sunday, July 27, 2008 10:30 AM: “Why Utica Needs Liberal Religion” Rev. Dr. Randolph Becker
How we, looking at the current struggles of the congregation can be informed by
considering how essential its presence is to the larger community. "Randy" grew up in
the Utica UU church and now serves as minister of the UU Fellowship of Key West,
Florida.Sunday, August 3, 2008 10:30 AM: “First Fruits Celebration” Katrina Schell
For eons, agriculturally-based societies around the world have celebrated the “first fruits” of the harvest, usually the primary grain or root crop of the region. First fruit celebrations were very much a community affair, but also a tribute to the civilizations they supported. Through a Neopagan ritual, we’ll celebrate our community efforts as our contribution to humanity.Sunday, August 10, 2008 10:30 AM: “The Power of Play” Ellen Gooch
Ellen is a Counselor at SUNYITSunday, August 17, 2008 10:30 AM: “More than a vision – Commitment” Rev. Dr. Randolph Becker
Had Moses come down the mountain with the two tablets and then left them behind a bush somewhere to languish, religious history might be very different. Who knows what would have happened if Mohammed had decided that Mecca was too far away?Sunday, August 24, 2008 10:30 AM: “Tents for Darfur” Social Action Committee
We take a look at what the inside of a refugee tent and how the people of Darfur live. Drumming, music, skits, and art.Sunday, August 31, 2008 10:30 AM: “Presentation of My Trip to Rwanda and Uganda” Eve Stevens
Eve is a student at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y.September In-Gathering Service: The first Sunday after Labor Day, we will gather together to begin another church year. As is the tradition in many UU Churches, this congregation invites its members and friends to collect a small vial of water or perhaps a stone or shell from a place that has nourished their spirits over the summer. Sometimes this represents a great journey to a far away place, and other times it comes from the kiddie pool in the back yard! So as you make your way through the summer, remember to bring back a little bit of nature to add to what others have collected, as our lives re-merge in the fall. Thanks! -David
Communion Corner
The Worship Committee is planning two upcoming services that depend upon and celebrate community participation. The Flower Communion and the Water Communion are both services unique to Unitarian Universalism.
The Flower Communion will be celebrated on Sunday, June 29th. Everyone is asked to bring a flower to contribute, and during the service they will be blessed and redistributed.
According to Reginald Zottoli on the uua.org website, "The significance of the flower communion is that as no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Together the different flowers form a beautiful bouquet. Our common bouquet would not be the same without the unique addition of each individual flower, and thus it is with our church community: it would not be the same without each and every one of us. Thus this service is a statement of our community."The Water Communion will be celebrated on a Sunday in September when David is leading services again. (Please note---the Worship Committee has planned summer services; the complete schedule will be printed in the July/August newsletter.) For the Water Communion, everyone is asked to bring water that is special to them, perhaps gathered during summer adventures. The uua.org website says about the Water Communion, "The combined water is symbolic of our shared faith coming from many different sources". For each ceremony, children are encouraged to bring their own contributions, so they can be active and autonomous participants in sharing.
Children's Religious Education will resume in September.
Hospitality Hour will resume in September.Please take note: Choir Rehearsals will resume in September on the first, third Sundays (and fifth Sundays when they occur) at 9:30 AM sharp!!
Congregational participation in services If you are interested in doing a service / presentation related to one of the seven principles (or another topic of interest) on days when our minister is not available, please contact the worship committee chair, Carola Zavalidroga as listed in the Directiory or carola_zavalidroga@yahoo.com.
Save this date: The Fourteenth Annual B&B Weekend offered by the UU Church of Rutland, Vermont is September 26 – 28, 2008. Enjoy the beauty of Vermont, UU hospitality, and a choice of guided activities: hiking, kayaking, bicycling, antiques/arts, cider making historic tour, soaring tour, touring historic sites and quaint towns, and much more. Registration by August 1, $250 (single) and $450 (double). After August 1, $300 (single) and $500 (double). For more information contact uufoliagevermont@yahoo.com or (802) 353-7969, or go to www.rutlanduu.org .
Secretary’s office hours: Monday-Wednesday-Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 AM except in July and August.
This non-profit monthly newsletter was produced by Linda Williams and the UU Church.
Deadline for the September 2008 Newsletter is Friday, August 15th. All articles and announcements should be placed in the newsletter folder on the wall in the church office by the deadline, or e-mailed to Linda Williams at secretary@uuutica.org.Web postings, corrections & e-mail announcements can be sent to pencandle@roadrunner.com
You can also request personal announcements and address updates printed in the newsletter from this address.
Our policy is to avoid posting personal phone numbers, addresses or e-mail addresses.E-Mail: If you are new to our church, or have a new e-mail address and you would like to receive announcements in between newsletters, please send your current e-mail address to pencandle@roadrunner.com . To assure timely postings, leave a phone message with Bill's cell phone as published in the Directory. (Bill's e-mail address listed in the directory is out of date.) Thank you, Bill Gazitano
Our Web and E-mail Addressess
If you receive error messages for any of these addresses, forward them to welcome@uuutica.org
Accessing the church by web and e-mail is very simple. Our website is http://www.uuutica.org/. Our church e-mail address is welcome@uuutica.org. To send newsletter articles and other office related information to Linda, our Secretary, write to secretary@uuutica.org. For Rev. David Blanchard, write to minister@uuutica.org. Our Moderator, Deborah Quayle is at moderator@uuutica.org For the Social Action chair, Diane Stebbins socialaction@uuutica.org
If you have any questions or suggestions, contact Bill. Thank you.Ongoing Events:
Car Pool
Is anyone interested in being in charge of a car pool? The secretary’s duties keep her too busy to get involved at this time. Some folks would like to attend our church events, but they have no transportation. A list of possible drivers and their telephone numbers could be put up on the bulletin board. If you are willing to establish a car pool, or be considered as a driver, please contact the church office (724-3179) or e-mail secretary@uuutica.org. You are under no obligation...just give rides when you are able and in areas where you are willing to travel. The person in charge would connect these people with rides when they need transportation.IONS Community Group will meet the following Saturdays: July 5th & 19th and August 2nd & 16th from 10-11:30 AM. If you are interested please contact Jack Pendrak as listed in the Directory or e-mail: jpendrak1@roadrunner.com.
Lifelong Wellness meets at the church the second Tuesday of the month from 4:45 PM to 9 PM. Lifelong Wellness is an informal community providing avenues of learning, growth, self-discovery, and empowerment to free body, mind and spirit for full health in the celebration of life. They meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month. If you would like more information please contact Mary Ann Stockton as listed in the phone book.
SpiralScoutsmeet from 5:30 - 6:30 PM on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th (5th if applicable) Tuesdays of the month.
Chalice Circles group will not be meeting during July and August 2008. They will resume in September.
Social Action Committee Meeting: Second Sunday of each month at 12:00 Noon in the parlor. However, the next one is Septem ber 14 at 12:00 Noon at the Church parlor. All are welcome to attend.
RAISING UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS For our 10 to 13 year olds to guide and assist them in understanding their identity as Unitarian Universalists. This program will resume in September.
Unitarian Universalist Students At Hamilton College Contact Esther Kanipe for more information: ekanipe@hamilton.edu
Zen Meditation: will meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 5 -7 p.m. The dates are: July 16th , August 20th, and September 17th. For more information call Reiho Ellen Meyers as listed in the Directory.
"A COURSE IN MIRACLES" (ACIM) Bill Yoder is leading a study group on "A Course in Miracles" at his chiropractic office at 312 Oriskany Blvd, Whitesboro the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The class is free, and everyone is welcome. For more information contact Bill Yoder as listed in the Directory. Nothing is scheduled on 5th Thursdays.
Yoga classes Fridays from 5-7 p.m. If you have any questions please contact Julie Waldas as listed in the directory.
Green Sanctuary group usually meets on first Sunday of each month at noon.
HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America) of Utica
Third Tuesday of each month at 2:00 PM For more information contact Roger MacCasland as listed in the directory. The Hearing Loss Association of America will have its spring meeting on the third Tuesday May 20th at 2:00 PM. The next meeting will be in the fall.Duplicate Bridge - The Duplicate Bridge is a fund raising activity of our church and is seeking more players. This friendly, easy bridge game is on the 1st and 3rd Mondays, 7:15 p.m. at our church. Just find a partner, or ask if one is available, and bring $2.00 for the game, refreshments and prizes. Contact the Director, Paul Kempkes or church member Joan Garner for further details. They are listed in the newsletter & directoy, respectively. Come and enjoy!
Book Group is meeting on the Second Thursday of each month from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
CIRCLE SUPPER HOSTS WANTED The Committee on Ministry would like to set up several Circle Suppers for September and October. A Circle Supper is a potluck dinner, usually at the host's home. Members and friends of the congregation would be invited to sign-up for any of the suppers they wish. Anyone who is interested in hosting a Circle Supper please contact any member of the Committee on Ministry. COM members are: David Bell, Esther Kanipe, Alma Lowry, Carola Zavalidroga, and Jack Pendrak, as listed in the directory.
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Minister's page Children's Religious Education Social Action
News and Reports
Board News
The Board approved committing $5000 toward the minister's compensation package. If this sum is not raised through fund raising efforts over the summer, it will come from our financial holdings.The Board elected Elaine Griswold (via e-mail) to serve as its new moderator. Please welcome Elaine to the Board and to this position! Elaine will still be our Financial Secretary and be co-chair of the House Committee.We also welcome Joe Gee and Sally Carman to the Board.
The Minister’s contract has been negotiated for another year!
Board members: Phone numbers are in the church directory. Links to e-mail addresses are on the Committees page at http://www.uuutica.org/committees.html .
Elaine Griswold, moderator
Debby Quayle, secretary,
Rick Fenner
Denise Morgan
Malcolm Buffington
Sally Carman
Doreen Markson
Joe Gee
Phyllis BrockleyThank-you!
We received a letter of appreciation and gratitude from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations for our full pledge contribution. It is the stewards sitting in our church who make our budget possible.
New St. Lawrence District Officers
Ernie Hall , Niskayuna - President - hallel@nycap.rr.com
Karen Palmer, Oneonta - Vice President kpalmer@dmcom.net
Nancy Reed, Canandaigua - Secretary renown@ix.netcom.com
Trustees: the Rev. Frances Manly, Buffalo; Robb Smith, Wynantskill; Bill Parke, Buffalo;
David Friedman, Rochester.
Youth Trustee - Taylor Longo, Liverpool taylongo@aol.comDistrict News:
Our Utica church made news in the St. Lawrence District's latest round-up of district news with mention of our collection and donation of some 500 rolls of toilet paper given to local agencies that serve the poor.
It noted that our minister, the Rev. David Blanchard challenged members to donate 500 rolls during May to "help remind ourselves, through a very visual device, what a difference a relatively small group of people can make."
The Barneveld congregation was also mentioned for forming a Futures Team to "lead the congregation on molding a vision of the future, to help it set priorities, and to suggest a pathway to that future." Many of our members, as well as our minister, enjoyed the annual Barneveld Pilgrimage June 15, always a special treat with a well-planned service, guest speaker, choir and a luncheon made by members and served at nearby Unity Hall. It's a great opportunity to share a day with the Barneveld folks as well as others who have traveled from UU churches for the annual event.
Religious Education News and July – August News
There will be no regular Spirit Play or We Believe classes during the summer. However, we will attempt to have other activities if volunteers are willing to assist. Being considered are trips to the Shawangunk Nature Preserve in Cold Brook, Spring Farm Cares in Clinton and the Herkimer Diamond Mines.
Julie Pawelek and Malcolm Buffington will clean and organize the R.E. Rooms and do what needs to be done one day during the summer to make the best environment we can for the kids. If you would like to help contact either Julie or Malcolm.
The monies from the Change jar totaled over $130.00 from the Spirit Play Art Sale. Of that, $120 will be given for a library in Africa. The Blue Pig from the We Believe Class had over $21.00. The children/youth will decide what cause to donate their offering.
We would like as many children/youth in the congregation to come to our services and are looking for ways to fit this part of our worship into their lives. We will also be needing adult leaders who are willing to help with groups of children. Let us know if you can help.
The Next R.E. meeting will be held in August. Members of the committee will be notified by e-mail.
Julie Pawelek & Malcolm Buffington
Rummage Sale Sets Record
Hats off to Brenda Marris and her team in the most successful rummage sale in recent years. Their effort brought a much-needed $1,300 to the church.
Unless you have seen Brenda and her team at work, it's hard to imagine the labor that goes into this project before, during and after the sale. But, Brenda is a real trooper and volunteers this fund-raiser every year and we can't thank her enough.
She had some extra hurdles this year, working around the memorial service for Peg Hassett on the eve of the sale and preparing for her daughter's return after being away for a year. Know that your work is appreciated, Brenda and team! Thanks also to everyone else that helped and donated items to make this a huge success. Special thanks to Malcolm Buffington and Nancy Bender who took things to the Salvation Army, and to Malcolm and Joe Gee for getting rid of all the extra papers, boxes, and trash from the sale.
Welcome home Morgan!
We're happy to have Morgan Mielnick back from a year in Chili and hope to hear about her experiences during one of our Sunday services. She may be joined in that program by her friend and ours, Christian Jones, who is due back from Japan in August.
Morgan is the daughter of Brenda Marris and Matt Mielnick. Christian is the son of Ingrid and David Jones. Their younger son, Noah Jones, also deserves mention for his role in a recent piano recital at Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute. Way to go, Noah!
In Memoriam
The mother of one of our long standing members, Barbara Brookes, recently passed away. Barbara’s mother was Dorothy B. Pilkington and her memorial service took place on Saturday June 14, 2008 at the Hamilton College Chapel, Clinton, NY. with our minister, the Rev. David Blanchard, assisting the Rev. Jay G. Williams, religion professor at Hamilton College and a member of our congregation.
Social Action News
Children's Peace Week 2008
Children's Peace Week will take place August 18 - 22nd from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. each day at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Children who have completed Kindergarten up to those who have completed Eighth grade are invited to attend. Registration fee is $25/child. During this week children learn non-violent ways to relate to each other, their families, neighbors, the world and nature through art, drama, games, music and lessons.
Please contact Ibby Chiquoine, Sunithi Bajekal or Diane Stebbins as listed in the directory, for registration forms.
The Tents of Hope service will take place August 24th at 10:30 a.m. —– hopefully outside! We plan to have a tent approximately the size of one at a refugee camp in Darfur.
The committee is looking to borrow for one day an 8x10 tent with 8 ft. ceiling and 5 ft. high wall.
The inside will contain what would be typical for a Darfurian family, and the outside will be decorated with pictures of hope. There will be music, drumming, skits and art. Anyone interested in planning this service or taking part in it, If there is anyone in the congregation who has a canvas wall tent 8 X 10 ft. with a ceiling height of 8 ft. and wall height 5 ft. and is willing to lend it to us for this day, please contact Diane Stebbins as listed in the Directory.
For more information about the "Tents of Hope" go to UUSC website and look for "tents of hope" under the "What's new" section.
The Community Food Bank needs our help!
If you have a garden, plant a row for the Community Food Bank. Director Kim Strong said if 200 people would donate the harvest from five plants each, this would enable them to feed the ever increasing number of hungry people.
"We need all the help we can get to survive this year," she said. "People are saying they have enough to pay their bills but there is nothing left for food."
If you can lend a hand or have questions, call Kim and Denise at 733-0346The Family Nurturing Center of Central NY, Inc. sent a note of thanks for the paper products given to the Evelyn’s House. They are very pleased our
congregation is a part of the community’s efforts in assisting them in meeting the needs of young women and their babies who are in need of services.Previously Published
Home Current Events Our Minister Children's Religious Education Social Action Donations & Pledges Committees Chalice Lighters
I am happy to report the very impressive level of support from our congregation for the Chalice Lighter program of the St. Lawrence District. Our most recent Chalice Lighters are: Barbara Brookes, Kim Bywater, Sally Carmen, Alice Casey, John Casey, Ellen Gooch, Betsy LaPorte, Bruce Phillips, Brian Rahn, Mary Rahn. This is the largest group in any one year. It is not too late to enroll. If you did not attend on Chalice Lighter Sunday or misplaced the brochure that was included in the May newsletter, I would welcome the opportunity to provide you with more information.
Nancy Bender, Chalice Lighter Ambassador (Phone number is listed in the Directory.)House Committee
The Board welcomes Shirley Williams and Elaine Griswold as House Committee chairs so that they can tackle a couple of important tasks in need of attention (floor furnishings for the parlor, air conditioning to control humidity and addressing the mildew problem in the parlor furniture). The Board approved use of monies from the Memorial Fund to finance these expenditures.
Kids Change Jar
Each Sunday, the children are given the opportunity to contribute change to a big mason' jar when they come forward during the service. (One young lady even arrived one Sunday with the dollar bill the tooth fairy left for her!) As the church year comes to a close this June, the children will make a decision together about what to do with the money they have collected. It will be given to a worthy cause that the children care about. Habits of generosity can't be encouraged too early.
Food Bank
Thank you for continuing to support our ‘We Believe’ service project. Malcolm recently delivered 83 pounds of food. Please bring in some non-perishable foods for the Utica Food Bank. Please bring in some non-perishable foods. The collection box is in the kitchen. Thank you
Library News
Our thanks to Harv Brockley and Doreen Markson for donating two copies of the following book: The Chaos Point, written by Ervin Laszlo. This book describes how we are at a critical point at which our global society will collapse unless we take action to bring about global renewal. Copies of the book are available in the World Issues section of our library, (forth shelf down, on left hand side)
Adopt-a-Highway
Brenda Sears is no longer able to be in charge of our highway intersection (Route 8 and Kellogg Road in Washington Mills) and has asked if someone would like to take over for her. She has the paper work and trash bags if you're interested! Please see Debby Quayle or Brenda Sears.
Registration forUnitarian Universalist Leadership Team Institute 2008 is now open. Go to www.uulti.org for information about this exciting residential learning experience, and check out our cool new logo! Registration is on-line. Note the discount for those who register by May 15. Please look into cost-sharing with your congregation. We encourage you to come with a team from your congregation or cluster. Rebates are available to those who participate as part of a team. The St. Lawrence District has some scholarship money available. Feel free to contact me for info about scholarships, teams, or any other aspect of UULTI.
Our Pledge Drive for 2008:"Growing Together".Click on link for details.
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO PLEDGE!
Becoming the Change – Green Ideas
The following list was compiled during the last IONS (Institute of Noetic Science) Community Group Meeting. These are ideas of how each of us can demonstrate our commitment to reduce energy consumption and to reduce our impact on the environment. If you have additional ideas you’d like to share or would like more information about our group, please contact Jack Pendrak at email: jpendrak@a-znet.com. The next group meeting is March 29 at 10 A.M.
· Turn off lights/appliances when not in use
· Replace incandescent with compact florescent lights
· Keep up air pressure in your car tires
· Use environmentally-friendly cleaning/laundry products (some are concentrated which reduces containers as well as costs)
· Buy carbon offsets – One carbon calculator can be found at (http://www.carbonfund.org/site/pages/carbon_calculators/)
· Use canvas or other reusable shopping bags – (Saves on Plastic and is also a way to show your intentions publicly).
· Give eco-friendly Christmas gifts (florescent lights – carbon offsets – eco friendly cleaning products, reusable shopping bags are gift suggestions)
· Use a thermos or refillable bottle/ceramic not Styrofoam
· Garden organically – or support those who do
· Eat locally grown food
· Buy through co-ops (Utica Community Co-op and Little Falls Co-op are examples)
· Buy cruelty-free products
· Find out about the Better World Auto Club (www.BetterWorldClub.com)
· Use public transportation/bike/walk
· Compost
· Educate yourself/attend workshops
· Reduce water consumption/waste
· Reduce use of paper/plastic
· Reduce packaging
· Car Pool
· Reduce support for the meat industry
(The meat industry in the US consumes more fossil fuels than all passenger cars in US each year. Becoming a vegetarian keeps 2.5 tons of carbon out of the atmosphere as compared with 2 tons by switching to a hybrid car) .Board Priorities for Coming Year
· Building and nurturing membership
· Stabilizing our financial position and increasing revenue
· Strengthening committees and improving communications between committees and the congregation.These issues were found to be of greatest concern during a board retreat with the Rev. David Blanchard on November 11th.
We welcome any comments or suggestions as we begin work on these goals. The congregation will be invited to a meeting following a January service for an update on our progress and to solicit further input or feedback. The date will be announced later.Join a committee! Please remember there are many ways you can contribute to our church and one of them is
to volunteer for one of our many church committees. Although some positions are filled by
appointment, all committees benefit from new members. Please give your name, committee
interest, and phone number to any member of the Board so the appropriate committee chair can contact you. We need your support!1. Finance Committee 8. Religious Education Committee 15. Ministerial Relations Committee
2. Worship Committee 9. Adult Education
3. By-laws Committee 10. Social Events
4. House Committee 11. External Affairs
5. Hospitality Committee 12. Social Action Committee
6. Membership Committee 13. Green Sanctuary Committee
7. Public Relations Committee 14. High School Age Club
Volunteers needed! With services starting up again, your help is needed to provide service settings. It can be floral, a painting/sculpture, or a favorite thing. Please contact Dianne Cronauer as listed in the directory.
House Committee The entire church has had a thorough makeover except for the Minister’s Office and the Religious Education Rooms. A group of members from the congregation helped clean and polished the church from top to bottom. In addition to the cleaning and npainting of the Janitor’s Room and the Storage Room the House Committee has initiated several other projects.
If you would like to help with this committee, you may contact Shirley Williams and Elaine Griswold.
- There are several trees on the Church property that have died or have Dutch Elm disease. Cresswell Brothers have been hired to remove these trees with the help of Pat Sadler’s expert advice and council.
- Paul Bender has been hired by the Church as Outside Sexton to do mowing and trimming of church property as well as snow shoveling.
- The City of Utica Engineering Department was contacted concerning the legality of our Church being responsible for keeping the sidewalk clear of snow that runs along the property line on Higby Road. The city will reimburse us $4.00 a square foot to keep the sidewalk clear of snow. The maximum amount of the reimbursement is $1,000.00. Paul Bender has agreed to do the work and remove trash from the building.
- The furniture in the Church Library is heavily contaminated with mold and mildew. ABC ChemDry has been contacted and submitted a quote to clean all the upholstered furniture along with the couch that is presently in the Sanctuary. The House Committee sent the quote to the Board of Trustees for their approval of the necessary cleaning.
- The House Committee has finished the job of cleaning the rest of the church as of September 1.
- In addition to the above, the rug in the library has been removed because of mildew and mold. The rug in the sanctuary has been professionally cleaned and most of the stains have been removed.The House Committee with the blessing of the Board of Trustees has purchased 72 new mugs to replace the cup and saucers which were notorious for spilling coffee on the rug.
- To all members of our congregation, including thechildren, please take extra precautions when eating after the church service and other special occasions. A notice will also be given to those organizations that use our facilities. Thanks again to the cleaning crews!!
Church Use Procedure
To reserve church space for any function, the first step is to secure an application from our secretary, Linda Williams. Please complete the form and return it to her. The responsible person submitting the form will then be contacted and advised if the date and time are available. Occasionally, unusual requests are referred to the board of trustees for a decision.
As the church year comes to a close next June, the children will make a decision together about what to do with the money they have collected. It will be given to a worthy cause that the children care about. Habits of generosity can't be encouraged too early.
The UUSC has a new address:
689 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139-3302
Their phone number and e-mail remains the same.Hosting Hospitality Hour? Frequently Asked Questions Answered:
How did my name end up on a certain date?
Friends and members are randomly assigned a Hospitality Hour date.
When do I need to be at church?
Set-up for Hospitality Hour takes about 45 minutes, maybe a little less if you have done it before. We try
not to have distractions during the 15 minutes before a service begins, so plan to be at church by 9:30 a.m.
What do I have to do?
Minimally, set-up the cups, napkins, sweeteners and creamers, spoons and trash
receptacles, put out the juice with paper cups, and prepare the coffee, decaf, and hot water for tea. Then, clean it up after the service. The congregation deeply appreciates snacks, but these are not required. We provide the coffee and tea here at the church.
I can’t host Hospitality Hour this week/month!
It is your responsibility to find another friend or member who will host for you or exchange hosting times. It is also your responsibility to notify the office as soon as possible about the change, since we make
reminder calls to hosts on the week of their posted hosting and thank hosts in each Sunday bulletin.
Neither the Office nor the Minister are responsible for finding new Hospitality Hosts when your date doesn’t work for you.
I just did Hospitality Hour a few months ago!
Sometimes, with the congregational year ending June 30th, you might end up early in the following
congregational year’s calendar. If it is too soon for you, you can change with someone else.
Why me?
As a community, we are dependent on each of us caring for each other. We are not staffed with
professionals to offer coffee service. Your taking up the Hospitality Hour duties once a year is a way for
you to care for this community, and enjoy having Hospitality the remaining Sundays of the year.Ushering: Frequently Asked Questions Answered:
How did my name end up on a certain date?
Friends and members are randomly assigned an Ushering date.
When do I need to be at church?
Please arrive by 10:00, or half an hour before the service, so you may greet visitors, friends, and members.
What do I do?
You are the welcome to our community! Please greet each person, and especially direct visitors to the name tag table and the visitor information cards. Hand out the service bulletins and announcements. Help people know where they’re going, pointing out the restrooms, classrooms, teachers, Minister, and Director of Religious Education. If someone arrives in a wheelchair, please provide assistance as requested, particularly with moving chairs in the seating rows, for where the person would like to sit. Before everyone arrives, please check the seats to make sure they are in the proper configuration and number (posted on the inside of the main closet doors in the sanctuary), and that the hymnals are spaced for every other seat.
I can’t Usher this week/month!
It is your responsibility to find another friend or member who will usher for you or exchange ushering times. It is also your responsibility to notify the office as soon as possible about the change. Neither the
Office nor the Minister are responsible for finding new Ushers when your date doesn’t work for you. If you’re not there, and there’s no one substituting for you, our community has no welcoming face.
Why me?
As a community, we are dependent on each of us caring for and welcoming each other. We are not staffed to support a professional ushering crew. By ushering once a year, you care for this community and welcome others to it, and can enjoy being welcomed the remaining Sundays of the year.
his event which will take place at our church Friday night, April 27, and at the Hotel Utica on Saturday, April 28.
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Revised 6/25/2008