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Chalice & Chimes 120 Park Street Bangor, ME 04401-5024 Tel. 207-947-7009 [email protected] www.uubangor.org The Chalice and Chimes Newsletter February 2018 Sunday Services at 10:00 a.m. Inside this issue: Worship . 1 February 4 Minister’s Views. 2 "The Foundation of Beloved Community" Rev. Andrew Moeller Coming of Age . 3 Social Justice . 4 Our UU congregations are connected to one another through an organization- al structure based on intentional commitment to one another through mutual Pledge Cmte . .. 5 respect and autonomy. This Sunday, we will look at the basis of that connec- Happenings . 6 tion through the concept of covenant and how that concept plays a role in our internal life here in our beloved community. Calendar . 7 About Us . 8 February 11 "Our Growing Edge: Cultivating Our Spiritual Garden" Rev. Andrew Moeller This Sunday, we kick off our annual Financial Stewardship appeal. We will Unitarian Universalist be exploring our growing edges as a congregation and celebrating our com- Society of Bangor mitment to one another through sharing song, story, and a skit. Minister: Rev. Andrew Moeller [email protected] February 18 Schedule shown at right, “A Focus on Courage During a Frightening Time” or by appointment Rev. Charles Stevens, Guest in the Pulpit Minister Emerita: Rev. Becky Gunn February 25 Rabbi Darah Lerner of the Congregation Beth El, Guest in the Pulpit Acting Choir Directors: Linda Koehler Rissa Moore Minister's Schedule ~ February 2018 Director of Religious Education: Karen Childs Mon - Minister's day off [email protected] Tues - 10 AM to 1 PM, appointments & meetings Available by appointment 2 to 4 PM, office hours (walk-in time) Office Administrator: Wed - 10 AM to 1 PM, appointments & meetings Susan Vernal 2 to 4 PM, office hours (walk-in time) [email protected] Thurs - Sermon writing day (not in office, limited email & phone) Council Chair: Fri - 10 AM to 1 PM, appointments & meetings Eric Olson Sat - By appointment [email protected] Sun - Afternoon / evening by appointment February 2018 The Chalice and Chimes Page 2 Drew’s Views Dear Ones, Kharvari who have stepped up and helped support me in starting up our new Mindfulness Meditation Group The other day I watched the last half an hour of our that will begin on Tuesday, February 20. It is others President's State of the Union address on TV. It was like Denyse Wilson who is working with our youth not an easy watch. As I listened, I started thinking in the Maine Mid-Coast YoUUth Group help lead how increasingly important our liberally religious our youth in fundraising so that they can raise funds community is at this time—especially as we are necessary to attend the UU-United Nations Office's inundated with sound bites that deride people who Spring Seminar on "Advancing Just Migration for are struggling for fundamental human rights like All" in New York, City. This is how we grow as a safety: from abuse based on race, gender, sexual community - by encouraging one another and taking identity and religious beliefs; sustenance - like food, turns with stepping up and stepping back. Speaking clothing, and access to affordable housing and of growth… healthcare; and economic opportunity - such as jobs that pay a living wage. This month we begin our annual Financial Steward- ship Program with this year's theme "Our Growing While I feel the pain of these circumstances and Edge: Cultivating our Spiritual Garden." In this the frustration of not being able to do more at the year’s campaign, we are hoping to build on the suc- moment, I feel a great deal of hope as I see members cess of last year’s campaign by asking for a modest of our congregation stepping up to do the work that is increase over last year's goal. This small increase the antidote to discrimination, and blame and shame will allow us to keep our spiritual home in order. It in our world. I see members of our Social Justice will help us continue growing our financial strength, Committee involved working for progressive change; so we can support hiring a new Music Director and I see UUSB parents and members teaching our to help develop a capital improvement fund to help children about values of love, respect, and freedom. defray any substantial building repairs or improve- I see people in our congregation like Linda Koehler ments in the future. Please, please, please respond to and Rissa Moore who step up to provide leadership our pledge request promptly so that our dedicated for our music program in our time of need. I see oth- stewardship team doesn't have to track you down to ers like John Arimond, Chris Childs, Laurie Cartier, remind you. If you haven't made a pledge in the past LyAnn Grogan and Rosemary Parsons who ,despite for whatever reason - consider pledging for the first their busy schedules have stepped up to serve on our time as part of your growing edge in support of our new Musical Leadership Search Committee. beloved community. It is this type of commitment of living out our values In deep gratitude and in ComUUnity. of love, hope, equality, and inherent worth through leadership and mutual support that inspire me to take Namasté, on projects too like leading our Coming of Age pro- gram this year. It is the support of people like Ali NEW AT UUSB! A Mindfulness Meditation Group technique is compatible with all religious traditions includ- starts Feb. 20th, (tentatively) on 1st and ing those who are not religious at all, and those 3rd Tuesday nights each month, from 5:45 to 7 PM who are simply exploring a more engaged / less stressful Questions? Contact Rev. Drew Moeller lifestyle. Sessions will consist of a combination of sitting ([email protected]). and walking meditations and weekly Dharma discus- sions. Program designed to be flexible. If your busy one Description: week, come the next! This group is designed to create an intentional communi- ty where one can develop one's own meditation practice What to bring: in a friendly, non-judgmental community. No experience Please bring a meditation cushion or thick blanket, or necessary. The style of meditation will be primarily based yoga mat to use for sitting meditation (we have a few on vipassana or insight meditation which is designed to extras). Chairs will be available for those who wish to sharpen awareness, reduce stress and develop mindful sit. and wholesome practices for daily life. This meditation February 2018 The Chalice and Chimes Page 3 “A Sound Gift” If you've been attending Tuesday Night tion," said Rev. Drew. "In the last years of Open Mic Coffeehouse lately, you might her life, she developed significant hearing have noticed that UUSB has a new portable loss so it seemed appropriate to make a gift to sound system. The new sound system is a UUSB in the form of a portable PA system gift from Rev. Drew's mom's estate to UUSB that would allow people to be able to hear wherever they were in the building. My mom was also a therapist who worked most of her life to help people to 'find their voice,' so now we have no excuses!" This self-contained seven-channel sound sys- tem came recommended by Neil, our UUSB sound system consultant, for it's sound clarity and portability. It is useable anywhere that can be reached by an extension cord. The system is made by Fender (of Fender Guitars) and weighs only 43 lbs. It boast a full 375 watts of power. It also has a feature that allows it to link up to a Bluetooth source to play recorded music or speech. New UU Fender Passport Event Sound System Many thanks to Myra S. MacDonald and Rev. "My mom loved UUSB. She was so happy Drew for making this useful and practical gift that I was called to this amazing congrega- to UUSB. Coming of Age Program (COA) On January 13th, Rev. Drew, youth, and mentors of the UUSB Coming of Age (COA) program met for the first time. The goal of the program is to ask our high school aged youth to reflect on what they believe and how UU- ism has played a part in the development of those beliefs. This year's COA participant are: Aiden Childs, Cecil Wilson, Georgia Jones, Emma Paterson-Dennis, and Callie O'Neil. Over the course of the next couple of months, they will be meeting regularly to reflect on the role that UUism has played in their lives as they work towards the goal of creating a personal credo statement that they will present to the congregation at the April 22nd worship service. To help our youth in their journey, the following UUSB- ers are serving as mentors: Wendy Erickson, Joanie Ellis, Laurie Cartier, Nero Fyler, and Nancy Jacobson. The next scheduled COA events are: February 3 (noon to 6 PM), March 9-10 (COA - Sleepover), April 22 (worship service) and April 27-29 (pilgrimage trip to UUA Head- quarters in Boston). February 2018 The Chalice and Chimes Page 4 Social Justice February is Black History Month ourselves and make these opportunities available to the broader public. At a celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday orga- “We are striving to educate ourselves about how to be nized by the Peace & Justice Center (1/14/17), representa- effective advocates for African Americans. Last year Rev. tives from the UUSB and 16 other non-profits were asked Drew led a 6-week UUA reading/discussion group de- “what have you been doing to stem racism?” I’m not going signed to truly make us better allies in the Black Lives to reinvent the wheel, but will share an edited version of Matter movement.
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