August 4: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company (31 Hampshire Street, Mansfield, MA 02048). Newcomers are welcome!

August 5: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigils.  You’re invited to join the community of vigilers at the church for as long or as short as your schedule allows during the hour.  Signs will be provided.

Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA
6 Bird Street (on the common/Route 140), Foxborough, MA 02035-2301

A UUA Welcoming Congregation

* During your summer adventures, please don’t forget to collect some water for the Annual Water Ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 12, 2010.

Bird’s Eye View

Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association

6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002

Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.

Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!

A UUA Welcoming Congregation

June 2010

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

The time is fast upon us when our doors will close for the summer, and we leave the sanctuary to its own reflections. I am ambivalent about this practice, which is common in the denomination, especially in small churches with part-time ministers. It always catches me a little off guard and feels like someone is interrupting an enjoyable conversation. However, I choose to focus on my belief that there are many ways to worship, and that during the summer, the frog songs and flowers draw us outdoors into an equally significant communion with the holy.

Finding a sense of larger purpose, of belonging, and of the holy through a relationship with nature runs deep in American Unitarianism and Universalism. William Ellery Channing who proudly embraced and articulated Unitarianism in this country for the first time in 1806, found his call to ministry and his understanding of a loving and beneficient (rather than punishing) God while walking on a beach near his childhood home in Newport. Ralph Waldo Emerson saw nature not just as a metaphor for the holy, but God manifested all around us. Universalist and, later, Unitarian minister, Thomas Starr King was first and foremost a renowned mountaineer who wrote a guide book of the White Mountains that was seasoned with poetry and spiritual reflection. Throughout its history, Unitarian Universalism has been as bound to a reverence for the natural world as it has to its belief in good works and freedom of consciousness.

In an important way, it is an expression of our faith to nurture a garden, to walk a wooded path, to watch the birds at the feeder, to stay awake for a thunderstorm, and to work to deepen our relationship to it all. During the summers, when Sunday morning comes around, I often feel a particular call to pause and note the weather pattern or make time for a walk or just sit in our old row boat and drift. I hope your summer Sundays similarly call you to a Sabbath of sorts, to turn your attention to what really sustains you.

I will miss you this summer, but look forward to reuniting in the fall with all our tales of peace, beauty, communion, and service.

Faithfully,

Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings

This is the last issue of Bird’s Eye View for this church year. As you may have guessed, the title comes from our view of Bird Street, 6 Bird Street to be more specific. There was a long time that we thought we were 4 Bird Street, but the wisdom of the Post Office changed all that. I’m not sure if our perspective changed after all those years of being called 4 Bird Street, and now being 6 Bird Street. Sort of feels like the same place to me. A kind of special place which has been highlighted by this year’s Church Yard Sale. The willing cooperation to move and remove all those items, to sort them out in preparation of the sale, and to get everything ready for the Saturday event is really inspiring. The additional items brought in by townspeople is inspiring also.

As I write this, I don’t know how well we will do financially. I do know that the effort that has gone into the sale as of this point shows how great and caring our Church people truly are, and I thank you! This effort culminates a year of of change for us, as change that I believe bodes well for the future. We all spent significant time listing our ideas for a growth plan, and then the Board spent several meetings listing and prioritizing those ideas to formulate a 3-5 year plan for the Church. The results will be published shortly and will constitute the working plan for our Church for the near future. Again, thank you for all of the cooperative efforts you have made during the year.

Dick

Religious Education Happenings

On Saturday, June 5, there will be a Religious Education Sunday practice and picnic at the church. Please contact Lisa Benoit, Religious Education Director, at re@uufoxborough.org for details.

Don’t forget: We are now accepting registration forms for next year’s Religious Education classes. Please return the RE forms to Lisa Benoit.

Wayside Pulpit

Prejudice delivers instant opinions without bothering with all those facts. ~ Anonymous

First Thursdays Peace Vigils

Get involved in the ongoing Social Action project hosted from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the church the first Thursday of every month. The First Thursdays Peace Vigils community would like you to join them; candles and signs are provided. Stay for as long or as short as your schedule allows. Upcoming dates: June 3, and July 1, and August 5. Please visit events.uufoxborough.org to sign-up for the e-reminder list and find out more information about our ongoing peace work.

June 2010 Holidays

3 Corpus Christi- Catholic Christian

9 Saint Columba of Iona – Celtic Christian

11 Sacred Heart of Jesus – Catholic Christian

19 New Church Day – Swedenborgian Christian

21 Solstice

21 Litha – Wicca Northern Hemisphere

21 First Nations Day – Canadian Native People

29 Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul – Christian

Shimmy Thanks!

Thank you to Sumora, all the volunteers who helped behind the scenes, and all the dancers who performed in “Belly Psychadelli”, the 6th Annual Belly Dance Karavan fund-raiser on May 22, at the church! Belly dancers Za-Beth, Sumora, Anechka, Haleema, Goddess Delight, Anam Cara, Belly Dance Collective, Baseema, Jihanna, Neylan, Morgana, Nehira, *Samantha*, Ameena, Heather, Christina, Johara, Snake Dance Theater Company, Sadira, Dorothea, and Sabrina donated their time and outstanding talent to help in our goal of improving community accessibility to our historic building. All money raised this year and will go towards the Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative.

Milestones

Annie Adams Fields, Charles Sinclair Weeks, Anna Laetitia Aiken Barbauld, Harold Hitz Burton, and Celia Laighton Thaxter.

In UU History

• On June 25, 1863, Olympia Brown became the first woman to be ordained by any denomination in the United States. She was ordained as a Universalist minister.
• In 1877, Clara Barton, a Universalist, wrote to a founder of the International Red Cross and began the creation of the American Red Cross.
• June 21, 1985, Unitarian Universalists adopted seven unifying Principles.

Restocking The Shelves

The monthly Foxborough Food Pantry drive donation box is in the vestibule – eagerly awaiting a can or box or two. All items collected will be donated to the pantry to help others in our community. Please donate if you can.

Church Yard Sale!

Thank you to everyone who helped with the annual church yard sale! Many congregants helped out by: bringing in their own items and unsold items from other sales to the church; letting their friends and family know donations were welcome; hanging flyers around town; storing some of the larger items until sale day; delivering the food basket to the raffle winner; moving items into and out of the church office; going to town hall; staffing the sale; and, performing more tasks that needed to be done to insure a successful fund-raiser! Thank you everyone who pitched in and helped!

Interested In Joining The Board Of Trustees?

If you’re interested in serving, please talk to one of the members of the nominating committee as soon as possible. The slate for the 2010-2011 Board Of Trustees And Officers will be presented and voted on at the Annual Meeting in June. The church cannot run without a strong Board. Each Officer and Trustee position is a two-year term, unless you will be serving as an interim trustee or officer/finishing the end of someone else’s term.

Building Use And Rentals

Members and non-members are welcome to use the church building and grounds for meetings, weddings, baby showers, recitals, birthday parties, workshops, classes, or other events. The sanctuary has outstanding acoustics and the first level of the church contains a social hall, kitchen, and more. Please contact us via rentals@uufoxborough.org to schedule events at the church. First come, first served; we already have reservations in June and mid-summer, so please plan your events early. Visit events.uufoxborough.org to find some secular events occuring at the church; visit rentals.uufoxborough.org for more information.

Sharing The Good News Of UUism

• Don’t forget to check out Beacon Press (including their UU Guides), Skinner House Books, and the UUA Bookstore for your summer reading adventures.
• Grab a Principles and Purposes bookmarker, pamphlet, or walletcard to keep your place.
• Share these tomes and/or UU World (or UU & Me) with a friend, neighbor, or relative when you’re done reading!!

Destination ImagiNation

To help get them to the Global Finals Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee, the South Shore Home Learners (SSHL) held a fund-raiser at the church on May 16. The SSHL team manager provided a brief summary about Destination Imagination (DI) and described the Breaking DI News challenge to the audience. The kids performed their play about the story of an unusual friendship that formed between a baby hippo and tortoise. The structure held 651 pounds. With an audience of about 30 people, SSHL put on an entertaining show and raised some money! The South Shore Home Learners team came in 16th place in the “Challenge E: Breaking DI News, Middle Level” category. Congratulations to the entire team, including two of our congregants! If anyone is interested in learning more about DI, please visit www.idodi.org.

Other Notices And Events

• June 3, July 1, & August 5: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
• June 2, July 7, & August 4: Men’s Group Meeting. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• June 6: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting.
• June 13: (11:15 a.m.) Annual Business Meeting.
• August: Ordination Committee Meeting. This will be a meeting during the first week of August.
• Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, events.uufoxborough.org, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings and details.
• Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.
• Don’t forget to purchase products through our Amazon.com and Powell’s Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

General Assembly, A Meeting Of Congregations

If you won’t be in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) this year, you can kep up-to-date on the day to day activities during the meeting, also known as General Assembly (GA). If you have internet capabilities, visit www.uua.org/ga/ to find a schedule of the worship services, plenary sessions, events, and other activities that will be streamed live. On-line GA coverage will include print and photo reporting from UU World. Plenary I and Opening Worship will begin at 8:00 p.m. CDT, and Closing Celebration will be held from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT. Those with slow connection speeds may find the stream choppy and you might miss some of the words, but the on-line reporting and updates usually accurately reflect the days’ activities, so you won’t miss out on much.

Social Action News

• “The catastrophic oil disaster off the Gulf Coast continues to destroy the natural environment and people’s lives. As legislation currently stands, oil companies like BP only have to pay for up to $75 million for clean up costs – less than one day’s profit – and the rest is passed on to the American taxpayer.”
• President Obama has proclaimed June as “National Oceans Month” and “LGBT Pride Month”.
• Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR 1283), the legislation regarding the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, is working it’s way through Congress.
• Visit www.uusc.org, www.standingonthesideoflove.org, and www.uua.org for more information.

In The Community

Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); June 6 – Sumora’s & Sabrina’s Student Showcase at the church (2:00 p.m.); June 12, 13, & 26 – Events at church (afternoons); August 21 & 22 – Events at church (all day); June 5, 12, 13, 26, & 27 – Events at the stadium; June 8, 22, & 29 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; June 17 & 24 – Concerts On The Common (7:00 p.m.); June 18 & 19 – Foxborough’s Relay For Life at Ahern; June 6, 19, 20, 26, & 27 – “Rock The Plaza” free concerts at Patriot Place; June 1 – 6th & 7th Grades Band Concert at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); June 3 – 5th Grade Concert Band at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); June 4 – ImprovSoup at Burrell; June 5 – BSA Troop 7 Car Wash at Town Hall; June 5 – Foxborough Against Diabetes 5k Run and Walk (10:00 a.m.); June 6 – National Trails Day activities at CRRA (Cocasset River Recreation Area at 68 Mill Street); June 8 – Choral Concert at Ahern (5th & 6th Grade, 6:30 p.m.; 7th & 8th Grade, 7:30 p.m.); June 10 – All Strings Concert at Ahern (7:00 p.m.); June 12 – Foxborough Founders’ Day; June 26 – Dragonflies And Damselflies at CRRA; The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

Other upcoming events and opportunities: helping the Discretionary Fund by volunteering at or buying fresh, locally grown produce from the Community Farmstand, having a plot at the Community Garden, utilizing Museum Passes through Boyden Library and friends, joining or forming a town softball team, National Night Out on the common, block parties, and much more.

Bird’s Eye View
Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association
6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002
Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.
Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!
A UUA Welcoming Congregation

The Foxborough Universalist Church is a vibrant and caring congregation that welcomes all. Our mission is to nurture each other along our spiritual paths while working together for the betterment of our community and the world.

May 2010

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

A few years ago, my parents sold their house and moved into a much smaller rental while they decided where they wanted to spend their retirement years. They picked out only the minimum that they needed to live comfortably in their new down-sized abode for a couple of years and put all of the rest of it—the Katie and Wells Lawson grammar school art collection, the piano and other random musical instruments, extra furniture, sports equipment, etc.—in storage. Occasionally, while I was home I’d ask my mom where something was (my paperback “Little House on the Prairie” books maybe or a tennis racket) and typically she’d apologize and say it was in storage.

After a couple of years, my parents settled on the small Northern Californian town that would be home for the next couple of decades, found a house there, and went to retrieve their belongings from storage. “It looks like there might be a mistake,” they were told. A couple with a similar name had lapsed on their payments to the storage company, and so the company emptied their area and auctioned off all of their stuff—only they emptied the wrong area and sold off all of my parents’ stuff instead.

My parents responded with surprising equanimity. “What are you going to do?” shrugged my mom, “It IS just stuff.” They surprised themselves with how little of it they missed: my high chair, the old stand-up piano that was the first thing they bought together as a couple, and a couple of pieces of art. Occasionally, even now, one of us will ask, “Where’s that one picture?” or “Didn’t we have an ice crusher?” and after some thought, we’ll realize it was in the Big Sell-Off and that we hadn’t even thought about it for five years.

I’ve been thinking about the Big Sell-Off a lot as I peruse our belongings for things that could be donated to the church yard sale. I think, “Is this one of those things that I wouldn’t even notice was gone until five years later?” I’m trying to be honest and ruthless as I apply these questions to everything from the bicycles to the books:

1. Is this useful TO ME?
This is different than, “Is it useful?” A power auger is useful to a lot of people, but not especially to me. This requires some real honesty with myself, especially when it comes to things like exercise equipment, but I try to imagine all the people who could use those hand weights if they weren’t hiding behind my couch. I’ve found it a helpful guideline to think about whether I’ve used or worn it in the last year. (One year I got over-zealous and threw out most of my winter clothes thinking, “I haven’t worn any of this in MONTHS!”)

2. Is it beautiful?
Art isn’t especially useful, but it’s important.

3. Does it work?
I am plagued by a reluctance to admit that I will never get around to rewiring that lamp or stripping and re-finishing that table. Just because it’s possible, doesn’t mean that I’m going to be the one to do it. Great yard sale candidate.

4. Do I love this?
This one is the hardest, I think. It is life-long spiritual work to distinguish “Do I love this?” from “Am I attached to this?” or “Am I used to this?” It’s great to exercise this muscle on an old rug so that you are ready when it’s time to ask the same question about your job or the relationship you’re in.

All of these questions, in fact, can be asked of everything that fills our days and our lives. I invite you in joining me in thinking of the yard sale as SPIRITUAL exercise.

Many blessings as you try to look at your clutter with fresh eyes.
Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings

As you drive up Route 81 south of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of Pennsylvania, the road follows the ridge line of one of the Allegheny mountains for a number of miles. Off to the left there are a large number of windmills, huge windmills of the type that are proposed for offshore Cape Cod. They stick up from the tops of other mountains and stretch on for miles. They are ugly-much larger than the ones seen outside of Palm Springs in California, and, from my perspective at least, are an eyesore. The rolling mountains just don’t seem to be the right place for such noisy things, especially a place where coal mining has been dominant for so many years.

From my point of view, I believe that energy should be as inexpensive as possible, not taxed, and readily available. So far we don’t seem to have any consensus on what should be our path forward for energy, but it doesn’t seem that using those goofy-fluorescent light bulbs is going to be the path to energy salvation for the world. I mention this because we at one time were actively pursuing a ‘green sanctuary’ program and seem to have dropped the ball a little. Looking at those windmills reminded me that we have a lot to do, and that it should be able to be done more aesthetically. I think that next year would be a good time for us to revisit the ‘green sanctuary’ program. (And maybe find a better term than ‘green’ for conservation)
Dick

Don’t Forget!
The “Put-Your-Spirit-Into-Hymn” Hymnal Fundraiser And Contest is underway. Registration forms are available in the vestibule and should soon be returned to the box on the piano in the sanctuary. Please contact Minister Lawson for details about the fund-raiser and contest.

First Thursdays Peace Vigils
Get involved in the ongoing Social Action project hosted from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the church the first Thursday of every month. The First Thursdays Peace Vigils community would like you to join them; candles and signs are provided. Stay for as long or as short as your schedule allows. Upcoming dates: May 6, June 3, and July 1. Please visit events.uufoxborough.org to sign-up for the e-reminder list and find out more information about our ongoing peace work.

May 2010 Holidays
1 Beltane – Wicca (Northern hemisphere)
1 Samhain – Wicca (Southern hemisphere)
2 Lag B’Omer – Jewish
2 Twelfth Day of Ridvan – Baha’i
6 National Day of Prayer – Interfaith USA
13 Ascension of Christ – Christian
19-20 Shavuot – Jewish
23 Pentecost – All Christians
23 Declaration of the Bab – Baha’i
27 Buddha Day – Visakha Puja – Buddhist
29 Ascension of Baha’u'llah – Baha’i
30 Trinity Sunday – Christian
30 All Saints – Orthodox Christian

Belly Psychadelli
The 6th Annual Belly Dance Karavan Fund-raiser!
Come out to Foxborough’s belly dance oasis to see a groovy, psychedelic trip through the music of the 60’s performed by a plethora of wonderful belly dancers. This is a family-friendly show to benefit the church’s Accessibility Improvements Fund.

Belly dancers and troupes currently scheduled to perform: Sumora, Aneckha, Haleema, Goddess Delight, Anam Cara, Belly Dance Collective, Sabrina, Za-Beth, Baseema, Jihanna, Neylan, Morgana, Nehira, Samantha, Ameena, Heather/Christina, Johara/Snake Dance Company, Sadira, and Dorothea.

Tickets to the May 22, 2010, show are available at the door. Cost is $20. There will be an intermission with light refreshments. Show starts at 8:00 p.m.

If you want more information about the show or the dancers, please contact the event coordinator, Sumora, at ShimmyYogini@comcast.net. Updates will be posted to Sumora’s Web site (home.comcast.net/~susanmorgaine) and the church’s Community Events Web site (events.uufoxborough.org).

Each year, the belly dancers generously donate their talent and time to help raise funds to benefit our church. All money from the fund-raiser will go towards the Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative. The ramp, when completed, will allow the historic building to be more accessible to all. Please come to the show to support both the church and all the dancers!

Your Help Needed!
We need your help to make this month’s church fund-raisers successful. Please volunteer to help at:

• the Annual Belly Dance Karavan on May 22
• the intake times for the Church Yard Sale during the week before the sale
• the Church Yard Sale on May 29

Another way you can help is to tell your friends, family, and anyone else you know about our upcoming fund-raisers. Please feel free to post the flyers on the outside cover of the newsletter in places where the management allows.

Restocking The Shelves
The monthly Foxborough Food Pantry drive donation box is in the vestibule – eagerly awaiting a can or box or two. All items collected will be donated to the pantry to help others in our community. Please donate if you can.

Interested In Joining The Board Of Trustees?
If you’re interested in serving, please talk to one of the members of the nominating committee as soon as possible. The slate for the 2010-2011 Board Of Trustees And Officers will be presented and approved at the Annual Meeting in June. The church cannot run without a strong Board.

Milestones
Ezra Ripley, Pete Seeger, May Sarton, Horace Mann, Florence Nightingale, Edna Pearl Bruner, Thomas Bradford Curtis, Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Julia Ward Howe, & Horace Heffren.

Church Yard Sale!
Doing some Spring Cleaning and found some items you no longer need or just have some stuff you want to get rid of? If so, we hope you’ll donate it to the church yard sale!

Donations are currently being accepted for the church yard sale which will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on May 29, 2010. Please bring your small items to the church office on Sunday mornings between now and May 23. Due to the fund-raiser on the evening of May 22, larger items such as furniture need to be brought in the week of the sale.

Please let everyone you know donations from the community are also welcome and will be accepted at the church on: Sunday, May 23 (11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.), Thursday, May 27 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.), and Friday, May 28 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.). If the items you, your friends, and/or your family want to donate to our annual yard sale are too big for you or your vehicle to transport, please contact Dick – he has graciously offered to help get larger items to the sale! Don’t forget to include a suggested price for your donated items (write the price(s) on a piece of paper and leave with your items or in the chairperson’s mailbox). We reserve the right to edit the suggested price.

There will be a pricing party on Friday, May 28 (8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.). We also need volunteers to set-up and clean-up on sale day, as well as staff the sale. A sign-up sheet for all the available times help is needed is in the vestibule. If you can help and times are already filled up, that’s okay – please add your name into the schedule because we can always use another hand!

In addition to the usual items people donate, the bake sale, craft table, and Food Basket Raffle are being revived from our past Fall Bazaars! If you want to donate a plate or tin of your favorite dessert, please do; however, please note that the town requires a list of all ingredients accompany all food items sold. If you’re a crafter, we welcome the old skills back to the realm and look forward to seeing your handiwork!

If you have any questions about the yard sale or wish to sign-up to help, please contact Dick.

Annual Pledge Drive
If you haven’t received a pledge form for the upcoming Fiscal Year that begins July 1, 2010, and can’t bear to be without one, please contact Steve. There are many reasons to think about increasing your pledge to the church this year or pledging if you haven’t pledged before. We need your pledge information to prepare next year’s budget and present a fiscally responsible budget at the Annual Business Meeting in June. By pledging, you support out church and the liberal religious traditions that our faith community provides to our congregants and the wider community. Please return your pledge form by May 9. If you have any questions about Finance related issues, please contact Finance.

Other Notices And Events

• May 6 and June 3: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
• May 5 and June 2: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• May 16: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
• May 16: (11:15 a.m.) Ordination Committee Meeting. This will be a brief meeting after service.
• May 16: (2:00 p.m.) Building dedication at the Unitarian Church of Sharon. RSVP by May 10, 2010.
• Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings and details.
• Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.

In The Community
Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays & Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Saturdays – Yoga classes at the church (9:30 a.m.); May 1, 5, 15, & 29 – Events at the stadium; May 11 & 25 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; May 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, & 23 – “Rock The Plaza” free concerts at Patriot Place; May 1 & 2 – Neponset Choral Society at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church; May 1 – Medical Prescription Disposal at Public Safety Building (9:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m.); May 1 – Hazardous Waste Collection Day; May 1 – Pops Concert at FHS (7:00 p.m.); May 2 – Pops Concert at FHS (2:00 p.m.); May 3 – Town Elections; May 6 – First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church (6:00 p.m.); May 6 – Kennedy-Donovan Center 23rd Annual Founder’s Gala & Charity Auction (6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.); May 7 – ImprovSoup at Burrell; May 7 & 8 – Friends Of Boyden Library Annual Book Sale; May 8 – Post Office Annual Discretionary Fund Food Drive; May 8 – Senior Center Annual Spring Sale (8:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.); May 10 – Town Meeting; May 14 – Annual FMA Jazz Festival at FHS (7:00 p.m.); May 15 – MOMS Club of Foxborough Yard Sale at Igo (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.); May 20 – Chamber Music Concert at FHS; May 23 – Touch A Truck at Payson Road Complex; May 27 – 8th Grade Concert Band & Junior Jazz Band at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); May 29 – Foxborough Jaycees Annual Founders’ Day Boot Drive (7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.); May 29 – Church Yard Sale at Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA (9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.); The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

“Come As You Are” Spring Prom For LGBTQ And Allies
Channing Memorial Church’s Interweave Group and Marriage Equality for Rhode Island are proud to be hosting the first annual “Come as You Are” Spring Prom for LGBTQ and Allies. They hope you can join them! This is a fund-raiser for Channing’s Interweave group and MERI, and will held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, at the Fraternal Order of Police Hall in Middletown, RI. There will be a cash bar, music, and raffles for wonderful prizes. Tickets are $20 on-line ($2.50 handling fee) or $30 at the door. Details and registration at comeasyouare.eventbrite.com.

Green Sanctuary Program News
The first four Green Papers have been published on the UUMFE Web site (www.uumfe.org). These papers open the discussion on the history, connections, and implications of work for the environment and human justice. You are encouraged to share these Green Papers with our congregation and to contribute to the discussion of the issues and challenges we face as we develop congregational action plans. Other papers are in the pipeline on topical area such as climate change and toxics in food, and they hope that you will be inspired to submit topical papers of your own that will expand the understanding for all UUs.

Rebuilding The Gulf Coast
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) have released “Rebuilding the Gulf Coast: A Unique Partnership between the UUA and UUSC”, a 30-minute video documentary that chronicles the unique collaboration between the organizations to help rebuild communities in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. You can view the video and download a discussion guide for the video via www.uusc.org/gulfcoastvideo.

UU Notable News
Harvard Square Library offers books and other materials to read for free on-line. Current offerings at the library’s Web site (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org) include: Cambridge Forum National Radio Broadcasts; “South Africa in Dark Times” by Alan Paton and edited by Herbert F. Vetter; and “Art & Religion” by Von Ogden Vogt.

The Living Tradition: A Quick Exploration Of May Day
May Day was originally a pre-Christian observance and throughout the Northern Hemisphere the month of May was a time to celebrate renewal of life. May Day was called Beltane by the Celts, Walpurgis by the Teutons, and Floralia by the Romans. The Celts celebrated the day by dancing around a May Pole, creating garlands and bowers of flowers, and playing bagpipes and drums to traditional Morris dances; they considered this a celebration of the beginning of summer. For some cultures the May Pole represents the World Center or Tree of Life and putting a maypole up involves taking a growing tree from the forest and bringing it to your village. Wreaths and baskets of Hawthorn are sometimes used in honor of Maia, the Goddess of death and fertility, for whom May is named. Some other customs associated with May Day include “a-maying”, crowning a May Queen/King, leaving baskets of flowers by loved ones’ doors or windows, games, dancing, and jumping over a bonfire. Despite replacement of these ancient solar May Day festivals by the Christian lunar festival of Easter as the time of renewal and rebirth, some cultures and peoples still practice the traditional pre-Christian May Day rituals and festivities.

Wayside Pulpit
I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion, and I am proud that I never refuse to sing to an audience, no matter what religion or color of their skin, or situation in life. ~ Pete Seeger

UUSC/UUA Joint Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund
We are still participating in this ongoing social action. As of April 2, the Fund has received donations totalling $1,826,692.50. If you would like to donate, please place your donation (in an envelope marked with “UUSC/UUA Haiti Fund”) in the collection plate and/or contact our church Treasurer.

UUSC Celebrating 70th Anniversary
Join UUSC in Belmont, Mass. at 7:00 p.m. on May 1, 2010, for a celebration of UUSC’s 70th Anniversary. The featured presentation is a screening of the film “Journey to Freedom: Martha and Waitstill Sharp,” a documentary work-in-progress to be broadcast by PBS. William F. Schulz, former president of the UUA, former executive director of Amnesty International USA, and current interim president of UUSC, will deliver a keynote. Catherine Vakar Chvany, who was rescued by Martha Sharp in Vichy France, will also make a presentation. The cost is $10 per person and refreshments will be served. Please contact Jim Landfried at landfried@comcast.net to RSVP.

May Worship Services

May 2: Men’s Group

May 9: Mother’s Day – Our Children
What are our responsibilities not just to our own children but to all the children in our lives?

May 16: Letting Go
Letting go is difficult. We reassure ourselves with control and planning, but often what is most healing to the spirit is to loosen our grip on our destiny.

May 23: Invisible Selves
So many of us walk around hidden in important ways from the world. We may be keeping to ourselves a chronic disease or depression or our sexual orientation. At the same time, we make assumptions about others based on what we can see. How can we live authentically and openly in the world while respecting our own privacy? How can we be more sensitive towards our neighbor’s whole story, even when we may not know it?

May 30: Memorial Day – Just War
Katie honors those who have died serving our country and explores the concept of “just war” in a modern context.

Bird’s Eye View
Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association
6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002
Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.
Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!
A UUA Welcoming Congregation

The Foxborough Universalist Church is a vibrant and caring congregation that welcomes all. Our mission is to nurture each other along our spiritual paths while working together for the betterment of our community and the world.

Minister’s Message
Dear Friends,
Last week, a group of us met after worship for a productive two hours of strategic planning. The goal of the day was to take the three categories of the strategic plans and their goals and to create a concrete plan for achieving those goals in the next three years. I was impressed by the level of enthusiasm and the creativity of people’s thinking. I was struck with how simple many of the ideas were and how they mostly involved an effort to get organized in a certain direction. It’s true that some of what we needed to talk about are what we might call “big ticket” items (making the building accessible, for one), but truly so much of it revolved around limited but focused attention: organizing a book group every now and then, creating a good format for an orientation meeting for newcomers, getting together eight people who could perform as a vocal ensemble once every two or three months…These are things that will not only bring us closer to reaching the goal of the strategic plan (to increase the church’s ability to fulfill its mission by growing our membership and our programming and to become more relevant in the community), but that will be enriching for those involved as well. I hope everyone will find at least a small way to become involved in the larger effort to take the church into its next phase.
Following through on any strategic plan requires commitment, focus, and patience, and I hope that we will all balance our ambitions for the church with enjoying the beautiful place it is currently. As we mobilize our efforts to complete the tasks decided upon last week, let’s also be present to the opportunities for fun, advocacy, and spiritual growth that present themselves along the way.

If you were unable to be a part of the strategic planning round-up, but have an idea that would help to accomplish one of the goals put forth in the basic description for the strategic plan, be sure to contact me or a Board member.
Faithfully,
Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings
Thank you to everyone who participated in the after church planning sessions. We are now putting these detail items together in a presentable format for all to review. Like any other long term plan, this is a ‘living’ document, meant to be reviewed at least once each year to measure progress, and add or delete items that seem appropriate and that fit current member objectives. Some churches do this at an annual retreat, some do it ‘in-house’ so to speak. Either way it provides a path forward to ensure a commonality of purpose and direction. As soon as the draft is ready, we will have it available for all to review.

This is the time of year when we ask you to consider becoming a member of the Board Of Trustees. As you know, it is this group that provides governance for the church. Each year several members end their term, requiring us to request people to fill the open positions. We have a nominating committee to help in this process, but any member of the Board would be willing to discuss the participation and commitment needed. Meetings are once a month for the whole Board, at members convenience, and an additional meeting may be needed for an active committee with a program to plan. There are no outside members from either the District or from the UUA headquarters, everything we do is done by us at the local level, so your input is important. Think about it, and be aware that a member of the nominating committee may approach you with a request to join The Board.
Thanks,
Dick

Don’t Forget!!
The “Put-Your-Spirit-Into-Hymn” Hymnal Fundraiser And Contest is underway. Registration forms are available in the vestibule and should soon be returned to the box on the piano in the sanctuary. Judges will pick the winners after worship on April 11 and the winning hymns will be sung during worship the next week.

Belly Psychadelli
“Belly Psychadelli” is the theme of Sumora’s 6th Annual Belly Dance Karavan on Saturday, May 22 at the church. Many beautiful dancers have already committed to performing in this year’s show and it is shaping up to be a perfectly entertaining event. All the dancers donate their time and talents for this show and some travel from as far away as Lowell and Worcester to get here. For those of you unfamiliar with the beautiful, ancient, and spiritual art of belly dance, you might be surprised at what you see — it is beautiful, sacred, and entertaining. Please mark your calendars and participate on show night to support these beautiful performers as well as the church: attend the stunning show as an audience member or help out behind the scenes! Please also help our fundraising efforts by inviting everyone you know to this family-friendly show. As in the past, ALL proceeds go towards the church’s Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative! If you would like to help out, please contact Sumora at ShimmyYogini@comcast.net. Updates will be posted to Sumora’s Web site (home.comcast.net/~susanmorgaine) and the church’s Events Web site (events.uufoxborough.org).

Walk For Hunger
Save the date for Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger on Sunday, May 2, 2010. With more people than ever struggling to put food on the table, it’s good to know there’s help close to home. The 20-mile Walk weaving through Boston, Brookline, Newton, Watertown, and Cambridge will include entertainment and free snacks and will help raise $4 million to fight hunger. Register, donate, and learn more at www.projectbread.org/walk or call 617-723-5000.

Will You Be Silent?
On Friday, April 16, 2010, many schools and people across the nation will be observing the 14th “Day Of Silence” (DOS). What is the Day Of Silence? The Day Of Silence is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment — in effect, the silencing — experienced by LGBT students and their allies. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment in schools. Hundreds of thousands of students are expected to participate on April 16, so that those who endure anti-LGBT bias will not be forgotten. For more information about the DOS, please visit www.dayofsilence.org.

Standing On The Side Of Love News
SSL invites you to contact your members of Congress about the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. While the Administration announced changes in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on March 25, unfortunately, it’s still illegal to be gay or lesbian in the military. Current military policy bans bisexual, gay, and lesbian people from serving openly; the changes announced just make it a little safer in the closet. The President has expressed his commitment to repealing this harmful policy, and the military is already preparing to end it, but Congress must act on the issue. A new bill to repeal DADT has been introduced in the Senate. For details, please visit www.standingonthesideoflove.org.

April 2010 Holidays
1 Maundy Thursday – Christian
2 Good (Holy) Friday – All Christians
3 Holy Saturday – Christian
4 Easter – All Christians
5-6 Pesach (Passover) final two days – Jewish
11 Yom HaSho’ah – Jewish
14 Baisakhi – Sikh
19 Yom Ha’Atzmaut – Jewish
21 First Day of Ridvan – Baha’i
23 Saint George’s Day – Christian
28-May 1 Theravadin New Year – Buddhist
29 Ninth Day of Ridvan – Baha’i
30 St. James the Great Day – Orthodox Christian

Wayside Pulpit
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. ~ William Wordsworth

April’s Global Chalice Lighting
In the name of compassion and loving-kindness :
Following the paths of Ibn Arabi, a Sufi master, we let our hearts dilate to enable them to fit all spiritual or existential kinds.
For those who seek, our hearts have become church, temple, synagogue, mosque, sanctuary; stronghold for the poor, for those who are suffering, for minorities wherever they come from.
We believe in the religion of Love, which has no gender, and to which all personal stories are leading.
Because Love is our religion and our faith.

~ Yohann Amal

Conseil des Unitariens et Universalistes Français (CUUF)

http://unitariens.francais.over-blog.fr/

Milestones
Aurelia Isabel Henry Reinhardt, Deborah Webster Greeley, Dorothea Lynde Dix, Charles Bliss Bowles, Maja Veronica Oktavec Capek, Chester Greenough Atkins, Rev. Samuel Willard, Daniel Chester French, Winfred Overholser, Abigail Williams May, Richard Bowditch Wigglesworth, & Mary Wollstonecraft.

• In 1781, on April 22, Elhanan Winchester gave his first sermon publicly advocating Universal Restoration at Pennsylvania University.

Our Roots
If you’re interested in some people that contributed to the Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist faiths, some biographies are available on-line at many locations including: the church Web site, the Harvard Square Library Web site, and the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society Web site. Harvard Square Library has recently expanded their focus on Notable American Unitarians (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/) to include Notable American Universalists (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/universalists/). The Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography is looking for volunteers to write short biographies about famous Unitarian Universalists in history and can be accessed via www.uuhs.org.

UU Notable News
Harvard Square Library offers books to read for free on-line. Current books available include:

• “Sacred Service In Civic Space” by Kathleen R. Parker which celebrates the three hundred years of community ministry of Unitarian Universalism.
• (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/Community_Ministry/)
  “We Sing Of Life (with We Speak of Life)” edited by lifelong UU minister Vincent Silliman and in collaboration with composer and musicologist Irving Lowens. The book was designed especially for liberal religious education. (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/We_Sing_of_Life/Introduction.html)

UUSC/UUA Joint Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund
We are still participating in this ongoing social action. As of March 19, the Fund has received donations totalling $1,728,344.68. If you would like to donate, please place your donation (in an envelope marked with “UUSC/UUA Haiti Fund”) in the collection plate and/or contact our church Treasurer.

Transforming Our Prejudices – A Sensitivity Workshop
The Channing Church Interweave group will be hosting a Sensitivity Workshop from 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 3, at Channing Memorial Church (135 Pelham Street, Newport, RI). This workshop will give participants opportunities to do personal work on internalized and external oppressions as well as provide concrete ways to bring new learnings and tools into everyday life. If you are interested in attending, please contact Lee Whittaker at interweave@channingchurch.org to let him know how many will be attending. You may pay the $10 fee at the door. Make checks payable to Channing Church with memo: Interweave Workshop.

ShelterBoxUSA Tent-A-Thon
From 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 11, children, youth, and adults of the Unitarian Church of Sharon will erect a “tent city” on the front lawn of the church. Each tent on the church lawn will represent $200 in pledges gathered by participants from Sharon, Foxborough, Mansfield, and Norwood. For more information visit www.shelterboxusa.org. For more information about this event, contact Louise Marcoux, Director of Religious Education, at 781-784-3652.

UU Holdeen India Program
The UUA International Resources Office released “UUHIP: Partners for Justice in India” an introduction to the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Holdeen India Program. UUHIP supports the efforts of those peoples excluded or oppressed on the basis of gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, especially dalits (untouchables), adivasis (tribals), migrant, bonded and child laborers, domestic and home-based workers, and scavengers, helping them to participate fully in the social, economic, and political life of India. Available on-line for free at www.vimeo.com/10032783, the video features profiles of 5 Holdeen India Program partners as well as reflections by Program Director Kathy Sreedhar, former UUA President Rev. John Buehrens, and UU minister Rev. Abhi Janamanchi.

Ballou Channing District Annual Meeting
The BCD Annual Meeting on April 24 at First Unitarian Church of Providence will include reports about district operations; recognition of new and departing ministers and religious educators; election of District officers and directors, and the approval of the FY2011 budget. A Social Service Project will also be undertaken: an afternoon of work in the Brown University’s community garden project to help prepare the beds for summer plantings. Participants should bring boots and gloves. Contact the District Office at 508-559-6650 or via bcdoffice@uua.org if you have questions about the conference. Registration deadline is April 22, 2010.

April Worship Services
All services begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

Apr. 4: Easter

Apr. 11: Music Sunday
Come for a celebration of music including performances from members of the congregation. We will pause to reflect on the ways in which music speaks a different spiritual language and is often able to connect us to each other and to the holy in a totally unique way.

Apr. 18: Green Theology
Minister Katie Lawson explores the theological arguments for environmental protection.

Apr. 25: Inspiration Service
Join Rev. Patricia Hatch for a service that will lift your spirits and inspire you towards the life you want to live.

Other Notices And Events

• Apr. 1 and May 6: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
• Apr. 7 and May 5: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• Apr. 9: The Attleboro Area Council of Churches is hosting a benefit dinner, Hope on the Streets, to raise money to assist the homeless through their varied programs. Will be held at the Attleboro Elks and feature a presentation from Rev. Geralyn Wolf, the Episcopal Bishop of Providence.
• Apr. 11: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
• Apr. 28: (10:00 a.m.) UU Lobby Day begins at the UUA headquaters, 25 Beacon Street, in Boston.
• Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings and details.
• Contact rentals@ uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.
• Don’t forget to purchase products through our Amazon and Powell’s Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

In The Community
Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays & Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Saturdays – Yoga classes at the church (9:30 a.m.); Apr. 3, 10, 22, & 24 – Events at the stadium; Apr. 13 & 27 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Through Apr. 9 – Foxborough Reads; Apr. 8 – Norfolk Advocates for Children facility open house; Apr. 8 – Spring Concert at FHS; Apr. 9 – ImprovSoup at Burrell; Apr. 10 – Foxborough Lions Club Bottle & Can Drive; Apr. 10 – Community Trails Day at CRRA; Apr. 10 – Boy Scout Pasta Dinner Fundraiser at Bethany Church; Apr. 15 – Candidates Night; Apr. 16, 17, & 18 – “13 – The Musical” at Orpheum; Apr. 19-23 – FPS Vacation Week; Apr. 29 – Ahern Strings & FHS Symphony Orchestra at Ahern; The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

Summer Programs At Regional UU Camps
UUs looking for a “close-in” vacation may wish to check out the wide range of art, education, personal development, and music conferences and workshops as well as beaches and camps sites at the three New England conference and retreat centers.

• Ferry Beach in Saco on the coast of Southern Maine (www.ferrybeach.org)
• Star Island within the Isles of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast (www.starisland.org)
• Rowe Camp and Conference Center in Rowe, MA in the Berkshire Mountains (www.rowecenter.org).

Ethical Eating Core Team Presents The 40/40/40 Campaign
UUs across the continent are expanding Earth Day’s 40th anniversary on April 22, 2010 to last 40 days. How? By committing to large and small daily actions over the 40 days, for the sake of the Earth and all who live on it. Some UUs are even taking on-going lifestyle changes for a 40-day “test drive,” knowing that some aspects of global environmental justice begin with personal choice. When 40 people in one congregation make 40-day commitments, that congregation receives special acknowledgement from the UUA’s Ethical Eating Core Team.. For more information about the campaign and available reseources, please visit www.tr.im/404040.

What will this look like in congregations? Use the resources at www.tr.im/404040 to kick off the 40/40/40 campaign in worship and religious education. Those who take the “40/40/40 Pledge” receive a sticker for their church nametag, helping to spread the word. Participants enjoy support and community building both in the local congregation (which might hold a potluck or a special environmental justice event), and also nationally, sending their stories to the 40/40/40 blog at www.tr.im/40blog. At the conclusion of the 40 days, congregants gather to share stories—what they learned, what worked well and what did not, how their perspectives changed, and what comes next, as individuals and as a congregation.

DRUUMM
Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries has a new website! Please visit and pass the word on about www.druumm.org, where you will find information about DRUUMM, chat rooms, event registrations, and the means to connect to DRUUMM members across the continent.

IARF Congress
Being held in Kochi, India from Septemer 1-7, 2010, the 33rd Congress of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) will be a very special occasion for participants. The theme is “Beyond Conflict to Reconciliation: the Challenge of the 21st Century.” An international list of speakers includes: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dr. Karan Singh, President of the Temple of Understanding, Ms. Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on Religion or Belief from the United Nations, and Dr. Sheikh Ali, Muslim interfaith leader. Also, the International Association for Liberal Religious Women will be celebrating its 100th year with a special program for women.

The UUA has ten voting delegates so if you are interested in being one, contact the Rev. Eric Cherry at the International Resources Offi ce (international@uua.org). There will be important issues to vote on regarding the future of the organization. For more information on this special event, and to register, check out: http://bit.ly/IARFCongress.

What Torture’s Taught Me
Join the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) at 3:00 p.m. on April 11, at The First Church in Belmont as Bill Schulz presents his renowned talk, “What Torture’s Taught Me”. Bill is a former UUA President, former executive director of Amnesty International USA, and current interim president and CEO of UUSC. Bill Schulz first delivered this talk as the Berry Street Lecture at the 2006 Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in Saint Louis, MO. Suitable for everyone high-school age and older, his lecture will focus on torture in a theological — versus political — context. Alfa Radford (First Church of Belmont’s Minister of music) considers Bill to be one of the greatest speakers she has ever heard.

UUA Leadership Training Opportunities

• Join other UUs at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Highlands, NC, the first week of August to empower UU youth and adults who work with youth to be interfaith leaders in their congregation and community. Participants will explore religious pluralism and UU theology and history as related to interfaith work, share stories of faith and service, and participate in community building and outdoor activities. Registration, lodging, and meals are provided by the UUA. Participants are responsible for their own travel; limited travel scholarships are available. Apply at www.uua.org/interfaithyouth by May 1, 2010.
• Youth and Young Adults of Color aged 15–30 years old, are invited to come to Boston from August 13-17 for a Leadership Development Conference that will equip participants to be leaders in their local UU congregation or district, better understand racial/ethnic identity development, and foster inter-cultural collaboration and intentional relationship building. Conference registration is $200; travel and housing will be paid by the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. Apply via www.uua.org/yaya/ldc/color by May 15, 2010.

Get involved in the ongoing Social Action project hosted from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 pm. at the church the first Thursday of every month.

The First Thursdays Peace Vigils community would like you to join them; candles and signs are provided. Stay for as long or as short as your schedule allows.

Some upcoming dates: April 1, May 6, and June 3.

Directions to the church (6 Bird Street, On The Common/Route 140, Foxborough, Mass.) and more information available via http://events.uufoxborough.org .

Tags: 02035, First Thursdays Peace Vigils, Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA

Bird’s Eye View

Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association

6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002

Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.

Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!

A UUA Welcoming Congregation

The Foxborough Universalist Church is a vibrant and caring congregation that welcomes all. Our mission is to nurture each other along our spiritual paths while working together for the betterment of our community and the world.

Chairman’s Ramblings

Hi, The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is not an organization that I always agree with, but in reading their reports of the work being done by them in partnering with other groups and local Haitians they have a much more humanitarian way of distributing aid and providing resources than a lot of the volunteer groups there. First, the UUSC through appeals to local congregations has raised more than $1,000,000 in funds – significant for us, but not nearly enough to do the work that needs to be done. Second, by using their partnerships with local community action groups, they have passed out this aid in a dignified way to those who might not otherwise get it. Many aid groups have simply driven to a site, thrown out large sacks of rice – allowing the strongest to elbow their way to the front of the line – the young and the old have been short changed in this un-humane way of distribution. Third, being a charity and using local groups, more of the donated money has gone to aid, not administration.

I urge you to continue contributing to the UUSC fund for Haiti – it will be needed for a long while: unemployment is above 60%, wages are unconsionably low, and those who work in the garment industry work for 12 hour days-6 days per week and still have no place to live cannot afford decent food for themselves let alone the rest of their families. I also want us to all appreciate the gifts that we take for granted and how quickly they can disappear. Talk to you again next month.

Dick

Wayside Pulpit

The single largest pool of untapped resource in this world is human good intentions that never translate into action. ~Cindy Gallop

UUSC/UUA Joint Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund

We are still participating in this social action. As of February 19, the Fund has received 8,585 donations totalling approximately $1,130,000! If you would like to donate, please place your donation (in an envelope marked with “UUSC/UUA Haiti Fund”) in the collection plate and/or contact our church Treasurer.

Our Newest Members

During our worship service on February 14, we received new members into the congregation and held an ingathering service for all who have joined the church since Summer 2008. If you see some new faces at church, please introduce yourself to them!

The CUUPS Podcast Is Out!

The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) recently released the first issue of their new CUUPS Podcast. The first issue features an interview with British academic Michael York recorded at the December 2009 Parliament of World Religions. Basic information about CUUPS is also included in the podcast. The second issue features Margot Adler and Brian Schorr and music from Carole Eagleheart and Faith and the Muse. You can download a free copy of the podcasts either by going to cuups.libsyn.com or to the religious podcast section of the iTunes store.

Womensphere Spring Gathering

Please join Unitarian Universalist women at a Day for Women with Dharma Teacher Joanne Friday, Buddhist teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. The day’s theme will be “Listening as a Spiritual Practice, Hearing with the Heart”. The program will be Saturday, March 27, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth, 840 Sandwich Road, Falmouth Mass. The deadline to register is Friday, March 19. The fee of $20 includes registration and lunch. Scholarships are available. Contact dschmader@cox.net for more information and to register.

Trivia Tidbits

Did you know that many plants in the driveway garden came from the homes and yards of Sarah and Marion, the Joe and Susan provided the big flower containers, Charlie built the retaining wall, the yews on either side of the wayside pulpit came from Marion’s parents, Carolyn donated the sprinkler system to make sure the plants thrive, and the big evergreen tree was planted in memory of Gertrude Fitz? There are many more plantings, paintings, fixtures, objects, and upkeep around the church that have been done, placed, and maintained by numerous others (such as the children) through the years; this is just a small sampling. Our “Memorial Garden” is not restricted to a garden bed!!

Universalist Convocation 2010

The Universalist Convocation will hold its annual convocation May 14-16, 2010, at the First Universalist Society of Rochester in Rochester, New York. The keynote presenter will be the Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed, whose talk is titled “Dragged Kicking and Screaming to Heaven”. For more information go to www.nmuc.org/Convo.

March’s Global Chalice Lighting

English

Let all nations live together in unison

And praise GOD together.

Speak with one voice

To LOVE and accept the Word.

Let LOVE create great songs of praise

For all living souls to sing together.

Yoruba

Gbogbo Eda Dapo,
E Jo Yin Oluwa.
E Pa Ohun nyin po,
Lati Fe Oro Na;
K’ ife da orin ope nla,
Ki gbogbo eda k’o si gbe.

~ Olufemi Matimoju

First Unitarian Church of Nigeria

BCD Spring Conference

The Ballou Channing District (BCD) Spring Conference will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on April 24, 2010, at First Unitarian Church of Providence in Providence. We will explore the developing trends in demographic and religious practice and possible congregation responses. This year we will focus the theme through three sermons embedded in an extended, dynamic, morning worship followed by five conversation workshops. Our presenters will be: Rev. James Ford, First Unitarian Church minister, Rev. Eric Wikstrom, UUA Director of Worship and Music Resources, and Rev. Sue Sinnamon, Thomas Jefferson District Director of Faith Development. Plans are also under development for a community social service project. Please chek the BCD Web site (www.bcduua.org) and our church vestibule for more information and registration instructions.

March 2010 Holidays

1 Holi – Hindu

16 Vaisaki – Hindu

17 St Patrick’s Day – Christian

20 Equinox

20 Ostara – Wicca – Northern Hemisphere

20 Mabon – Wicca – Southern Hemisphere

21 Norouz (New Year) – Persian/Zoroastrian

21 Naw Ruz (New Year) – Baha’i

21 Passion Sunday – Christian

24 Ramanavami – Hindu

25 Annunciation of the Virgin Mary – Catholic Christian

27 Lazarus Saturday – Orthodox Christian

28 Palm Sunday – Christian/Orthodox Christian

28 Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zaranhushtra) – Zoroastrian

29 Mahavir Jayanti – Jain

30 Lord’s Evening Meal – Jehovah’s Witness Christian

30 Hanuman Jayanti – Hindu

30 Magha Puja Day – Buddhist

30-31 Pesach (Passover) First two days – Jewish

Milestones

Alexander Graham Bell, George Mortimer Pullman, Luther Burbank , William Fogg Osgood, Vard R. Johnson, Joseph Priestley, William L. Langer, Neville Chamberlain, Sarah Billings Doolittle, Dorothy Tilden Spoerl, Thomas Hiram Andrews , Fannie Merritt Farmer, & Bela Bartok.

Summer At Ferry Beach

Registration for summer conferences at Ferry Beach is now open to everyone! The summer conference season begins with “Work and Play Week”/family week and Quilting Retreat:”You Can Quilt!” from June 20-26, 2010. Some new conferences this year are “The Ferry Beach Group: A Ministerial Study Retreat”, “Filling the Well: younger women’s mini-week”, “Exploring the Maine Coast: A Family Nature Camp”, “Grand Buddies Camp”, and “Celebrating Our Living Tradition: UU History Course and Conference”. For more information on all of Ferry Beach’s programs, visit www.ferrybeach.org or check the vestibule for the current brochure. You can register on the Web site or over the phone at 207-282-4489. There is also a registration form on their Web site to download and mail in.

UU Lobby Day

UU Lobby Day is Wednesday April 28. Join folks at the UUA headquaters, 25 Beacon Street, in Boston at 10:00 a.m. Learn how you can help make a difference on climate change in Massachusetts and fund critically needed homeless prevention programs. You’ll also meet UUMassAction partners and connect with other UUs. For more information, please visit www.uumassaction.org.

Standing On The Side Of Love News

March 19-22: Ecumenical Advocacy Days: “A Place to Call Home: Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Peoples”. This year’s focus will be on Immigration. Details available at www.advocacydays.org. Please contact Kat Liu at kliu@uua.org, if you are participating.

March 21: Join UUs & others for a March for Change for Comprehensive Immigration Reform to rally together and Stand on the Side of Love with Immigrant Families. Details and registration available via www.standingonthesideoflove.org/take-a-stand.

June 26: UUA General Assembly 2010 attendees are invited to join in an Interfaith Community Public Witness Event at the Twin Cities’ Pride Weekend at the Stonewall Stage in Loring Park.

Volunteer To Help Haitians In U.S.A. Apply For TPS

The estimated 100,000-200,000 Haitians in the United States prior to January 12, 2010, are eligible to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This status will allow them to legally live and work in the United States for the next eighteen months without fear of deportation. The UUA and Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) are setting up and supporting legal clinics for Haitian TPS applicants. At these clinics, volunteers will provide free advice and assistance in filling out the necessary forms, as well as help in completing TPS fee-waiver applications. Volunteers need NOT be attorneys in order to participate, but do need to take part in a TPS training supervised by immigration attorneys prior to volunteering.

UUSC is hosting two TPS webinars – open to all – facilitated by immigration attorneys, to train volunteers to serve at these clinics. TPS Training Webinars will be held: Wednesday, March 3, (7:00p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EST) & Wednesday, March 10 (7:00p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EST).

Clinics where trained volunteers will help people fill out applications for TPS and fee waivers will be held: Saturday, March 6 , (11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) in West Somerville & Sunday, March 7, (2:00 p.m .- 4:00 p.m. location to be determined). Please visit www.uusc.org/resource/tps_training to register for the Webinar Trainings, then please RSVP to Nichole Cirillo at 617-301-4336 or ncirillo@uusc.org to let her know which training and/or clinic you will be attending.

Join NCTE For Lobby Days: March 14-16

On March 16, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) will be holding a Lobby Day in Washington D.C. specifically for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). In brief, this bill stops companies from firing or refusing to hire transgender workers simply on the basis of gender identity. This has drastic consequences which have included becoming homeless, being preyed upon by those who are in the sex worker industry, and worse. LGBT people and allies from around the country who support ENDA will be at the Lobby Day. For more information about the proposed legislation, the NCTE, and how you can participate, please visit www.uua.org/socialjustice/issues/bgltequality/employment/index.shtml and/or www.transequality.org

Magha Puja

Commemorating an important event in the life of Lord Buddha, Magha Puja Day takes places on the full moon day of the third lunar month. On this day, the Buddha went to Rajagaha city where 1250 Arahats,(Enlightened saints) who were the Buddha’s disciples, without prior appointment, returned from their wanderings to pay respect to the Buddha. They assembled in the Veruvana Monastery with the two chief disciples of the Buddha, Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Moggalana. Here, Lord Buddha recited the “Ovadha Patimokkha” (the Fundamental Teaching) to his disciples.

Clean Water For A Healthy World

International World Water Day is celebrated each year on March 22. “It is still a reality that an estimated 1.1 billion people rely on unsafe drinking-water sources. Therefore the theme of World Water Day 2010 is focusing on raising awareness of water quality under the theme ‘Clean Water for a Healthy World’“. The overall goal of the World Water Day 2010 campaign is to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity. Visit www.unwater.org/worldwaterday, www.uusc.org, and www.worldwaterday.org for more information.

American Red Cross Month

President Obama has proclaimed March is American Red Cross Month in the United States.

Tidbits: The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clarissa “Clara” Barton, a Universalist born in N. Oxford, Mass., & President Franklin D. Roosevelt began the tradition of proclaiming March as American Red Cross Month in 1943.

A 45th Anniversary

This month marks the 45th Anniversary of the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

Two UUs, the Rev. James Joseph Reeb and Viola Liuzzo, were murdered by white supremacists during this time. Rev. Reeb was attacked and beaten on March 9, 1965, and died two days later.

Viola Liuzzo, a mother of five children, had brought her car to help drive civil rights workers around the county and was shot and killed while doing so.

The police attack on the marchers and these two murders outraged many Americans and prompted President Johnson to institute the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Other March Osbervances

1 First National Park establised, 1872

2 Read Across America Day

3 National Anthem Day

8 International Women’s Day

10 First paper money issued in US 1862

12 Girl Scouts founded, 1912

14 Mothering Sunday (England)

14 Save A Spider Day

14 Potato Chip Day

14 Daylight Saving Time begins, 2010

15 American Legion founded, 1919

18 Camp Fire Boys and Girls established, 1910

19 Swallows return to Capistrano

19 Iraq War began, 2003

22 National Sing Out Day

25 International Waffle Day

27 Fly A Kite Day

27 Earth Hour

31 First US Copmbat troops ordered to Vietnam, 1965.

Weeklong Observances

Pet Sitters Week

Girl Scout Week

Poison Prevention Week

Crochet Week

Birthstone: Aquamarine, Bloodstone

Flower: Jonquil

Fundraising Ideas

Have a fundraising idea or want to help out at some of the upcoming fundraisers? Please submit your ideas to the Finance Chairman or Board Of Trustees and let the event organizer know you have time to help. You can do this in a variety of ways: in person; leave a note in the mailboxes in the church office; via e-mail; and/or on-line through committees.uufoxborough.org/Finance/.

* Don’t forget to purchase products through our Amazon.com and Powell’s Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

A Very Brief Look At Ostara

The Spring or Vernal Equinox is also known as Ostara and will occur here at 1:32 p.m. EDT, on March 20, 2010. Ostara is the Goddess of Fertility and Rebirth and she presides over this celebration. She is often depicted standing among spring flowers and vines, holding an egg in her hand, surrounded by bunnies at her feet, and birds flying above her. Ostara and the egg are symbols of newborn life.

Eggs and seeds are an important part of this festival because of the promise they each hold of new life springing forth. Seeds are Blessed and are either planted or saved for future planting. Eggs are colored in pastels and placed in baskets around the house and altar.

Ostara is also a time to remember our balance in the greater scheme of things, we are an important part of all that happens around us, our actions and deeds have effect on the Earth, Her people, and the Universe.

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. ~Luther Burbank

Other Notices And Events

• Mar. 3 and Apr. 7: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• Mar. 4 and Apr. 1: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
• Mar. 6: (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) “Thinking Outside the Pulpit: Beyond the Hymn-Sermon Sandwich Service” workshop at All Souls Church in Braintree, Mass.
• Mar. 6-10: End Mountaintop Removal Week. Please visit www.ilovemountains.org/wiw for details.
• Mar. 7: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
• Mar. 20: (10:00 a.m.) Annual Meeting of The Universalist Church School Union Trust at First Parish Church in Waltham, Mass.
• Mar. 22: Sex Education Advocacy Call-In Day. Details via www.uua.org/socialjustice/issues/reproductive.
• Mar. 27: (7:30 p.m.) Kim and Reggie Harris at Javawocky Coffeehouse in Brockton. Tickets and more informatio available via www.javawockyuu.com.
• Apr. 8-10: UU-UNO 2010 Annual Intergenerational Spring Seminar “A Climate of Change: Head, Heart, and Hands Around the Planet”. Details and registration forms available via www.uu-uno.org.
• Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings and details.
• Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.

In The Community

Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays & Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Saturdays – Yoga classes at the church (9:30 a.m.); Mar. 5-7 – “Rent” at Orpheum Theatre; Mar. 5-7 & 12-14 – Events at the stadium; Mar. 6, 9, 23, & 30 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Mar. 1 – Choral-palooza by Grades 5-12 at FHS (6:30 p.m.); Mar. 9 – McGinty Family Fun Day On The Common Planning Meeting at Public Safety Building (7:00 p.m.); Mar. 11 – Winter Skate at Patriot Place; Mar. 19 – The Un-Common Theatre Company Improv Soup at Burrell (7:30 p.m.); Mar. 23 – Bandorama by Grades 5–12 at FHS (7:00 p.m.); Mar. 29 – Apr. 9 – Foxborough Reads (tickets to related events available beginning Mar. 15); Mar. 31 – “Harriet Tubman’s Freedom Train” at Orpheum Theatre; The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

With canvass season (a.k.a. the pledge drive) upon us, it would be so tempting to list for you the many ambitions we have for the church and the standing financial commitments we need to honor as a community. However, I trust you are aware of these–that you have looked around the place and seen the many places where money could be well spent.

Instead, I’d like to focus our attention on the things we are ALREADY doing or have done in the past year thanks to your continuing generosity with your time, energy, creativity, and money. Here are just a few things you were able to do this year:

✔ Increase the number of members and people attending the church to roughly 70 people including a robust group of children. The Membership and Public Relations Committees have been hard at work making sure word of the church is getting out and that people are properly welcomed to the community. This has energized worship and efforts to reach beyond the walls of the church to help the community.
✔ Tune and re-key the piano.
✔ Offer our children a solid religious education program featuring not just thoughtful curriculum and instruction on Sunday mornings, but also other outings to build a sense of community amongst the younger cohort of our congregation.
✔ Increase salaries. Not only are we grateful for this, but it also brings the church closer to offering salaries that would help attract quality people in the future.
✔ Paint the front entry of the church and make other improvements to the interior decor of the church.
✔ Create the “Property Improvement Committee”, which has created a comprehensive aesthetic vision for our building – inside and out.
✔ Host the International Day Of Climate Action gathering in Foxborough.
✔ Re-write the church’s mission statement and begin the development of a three year strategic plan.
✔ Create and participate in a variety of high-quality lay-led worship services.
✔ Complete the process to become a Welcoming Congregation.
✔ Regularly feature guest musicians as a part of the worship service.
✔ Carry the monthly peace vigil into its third year!
✔ Via the Sunshine Committee, care for each other during times of stress or need.
✔ Change lightbulbs, vacuum, dust, bake, mow, sweep, teach, read, greet, etc.

The list could go on and on. In the midst of our aspirations for our church to serve as a center for spiritual growth and our urgency to provide needed and relevant care to our community, I hope that we can stop every now and then and recognize what we have accomplished together. As we move into the spring, I’m so excited about what’s on our immediate horizon: welcoming more new people and their ideas and talents, having our middle schoolers participate in the OWL program, getting a couple of good social outreach ideas off the ground, and completing the strategic plan that will take us forward as we try to “grow in our ability to fulfill the mission of the church.” You continue to foster a community that reminds us all of what love looks like. Thank you so much for all you do!

Faithfully,

Katie

The 1st Annual “Put-Your-Spirit-Into-Hymn” Hymnal Fundraiser And Contest

Choose your favorite hymn tune and write words for it that express something your spirit longs to have in song. Candidates will be played after worship on April 8 and voted upon by those who volunteer to judge that day. The winning hymns will be sung during worship on “Music Sunday” on April 11. The winners will also have a hymnal each donated to the church in their names. An under-sixteen and over-sixteen winner will be chosen. Original hymn tunes are also welcome!

Pick up a registration form from the front entry of the church. Your registration should be submitted to the box on the piano in the front of the sanctuary by April 1. A separate registration is required for each entry. A three dollar registration donation is suggested.

Upcoming Worship Services

All Worship Services and Religious Education classes begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

March 7: You Are Here

by guest minister Rev. Margie Allen

A look at how we know where we are on our spiritual map and where we want to go.

March 14: It Takes All Kinds

by Lay-leader Neda

March 21: James Reeb–Minister And Martyr

by Minister Katie Lawson and Worship Associate LeeAnn

The Rev. James Reeb was a white Unitarian Universalist minister who worked with poor people in Boston. In 1965 he journeyed with other UU clergy to Selma, Alabama, to protest violence by state troopers against civil rights marchers. Reeb and two other ministers were walking back after dinner to a meeting led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when they were attacked by a group of white men. One hit Rev. Reeb in the head with a club. The blow was fatal and Rev. Reeb died. Rev. Reeb’s murder drew national attention, and is credited with helping to hasten passage of the federal Voting Rights Act.

March 28: Passover Seder

by Minister Katie Lawson and Worship Associate Steve

We join together for a Passover Seder meal, remembering the Israelite’s escape out of slavery and rededicating ourselves to freedom.

Bird’s Eye View
Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association
6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002
Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.
Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!

February 2010

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,
As I write, I am sitting in a large log hall waiting for a group of seventh graders to return from a cross-country ski. We are at an outdoor education center and summer camp about a quarter of a mile from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. I first came here when I was twelve to go on a five-day canoe trip and then came back every summer until I was 24 years old in some capacity or another. Each of the cabins is labeled with a sign that I carved when I was twenty. I am as familiar with these old buildings and these acres as with any place on earth. When I come back, I feel like I return to a piece of myself that resides here.

It is interesting to be here with people who have never been here before, and to go out on snowshoes with young staff people who don’t know who I am and who don’t know I consider this home. This is my home, and it is being inhabited by strangers. I am watching them do things exactly as I did them 20 years ago—playing the same games, walking the same trails, sitting on the same benches—and my heart is so soft. I can almost feel time passing and time standing still simultaneously. I sometimes have to resist a proprietary feeling—like this is MY place and these new people don’t belong here the way I do. But then I remember that this is the beauty of this place: it exists beyond me. Its job is to carry ways of being forward. It is still my home, I still belong here, AND so do these whipper-snappers.

They’ve also made some changes at camp. The hall I am sitting in is twice as big and is winterized after a capital campaign four years ago. I believe I can remember when it didn’t have electricity. It looks and feels strange to my nostalgic eyes, but I have to admit, the program works much better this way.

All of this has made me reflect on the life of the church. I hope we can be true to what our predecessors built and successfully passed on, while also allowing for needed changes to be made. As the church continues to move forward and incorporate new people and new ideas, I hope we will do the work of institutions: remembering both that we are merely passing through *and* that it cannot survive and grow without us. I hope we will all imagine our predecessors watching us and believe that they could return and, in the most important ways, feel at home.

Faithfully,
Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings
It’s hard to believe – we are into February already. Daylight lasts longer, seeds and seed starter kits are appearing in the stores, and soon the Red Sox equipment van will leave for the start of spring training in Florida. Surely Spring will soon follow! I left out Groundhog Day; I’m not sure that seeing a shadow has anything to do with the seasons – but the Red Sox van leaving – that is the really hopeful sign of Spring. And, with the change in seasons, maybe there can be a change in optimism – for the economy, and for those who are looking for work so that they can get on with their lives.

One thing that will happen – as time moves along, images of the devastation in Haiti will lessen, the suffering of the earthquake victims will be shown less and less, we will think we have made a contribution, and move on – leaving aid workers to continue to try to pick up the pieces in the poorest country in the Americas. While we have made one collection for the UUSC/UUA Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, continued contributions are welcome. Just mark your contribution with “Haiti” on it in the collection plate, and we will forward them as received. By the way – I think the congregations’ choice of charity – the UUSC vs. the Red Cross – was the right one. Again, the Red Cross, in their collections in the stores, mentions that contributions go to all of their efforts, not just one particular one.

Thanks,
Dick

Newcomer’s Orientation
If you have recently started attending services at Foxborough Universalist Church or are contemplating doing so, this short introduction provides information about the church, how to become more involved (including how to become a member), and a brief history of Unitarian Universalism. From 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. on February 7, the minister and a board member will be in the church office to answer your questions. You do not have to be ready for membership nor a newcomer to our church to attend this orientation.

Women’s Group Meeting
The next Women’s Group Meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, in Mansfield. Please contact LeeAnn or Nancy for additional details.

February 2010 Holidays
2 Candlemas – Christian
2 Presentation of Christ in the Temple – Anglican Christian
2 Saint Brighid of Kildare – Celtic Christian
2 Imbolc – Wicca (northern hemisphere)
2 Lughnassad – Wicca (southern hemisphere)
3 Setsubun Sai – Shinto
7 Meatfare Sunday – Orthodox Christian
7 Four Chaplains Sunday – Interfaith
12 Maha Shivaratri – Hindu
14 Chinese New Year – Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist
14 Cheesefare Sunday – Orthodox Christian
14 Saint Valentine’s Day – Christian
14 Transfiguration Sunday – Christian
15 Nirvana Day – Buddhist
15 Great Lent – Clean Monday – Orthodox Christian
16 Shrove Tuesday – Christian
17 Ash Wednesday – Lent begins – Christian
21 Orthodox Sunday – Orthodox Christian
26 Mawlid an Nabi – Islam
26 Intercalary Days through March 1 – Baha’i
28 Purim – Jewish

Milestones
Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Blackwell, Adlai Ewing Stevenson, II, Pauline Agassiz Shaw, Charles Darwin, Lydia Estes Pinkham, Peter Cooper, Sallie Holley, Carroll Leander Coburn, Laura E. Howe Richards, & Linus Carl Pauling.

Sunshine Committee
January was a very busy month for the Sunshine Committee. Members attended services for Mrs. Stanley, made dinners for other members, and visited Ted. Hopefully, Ted will recuperate and be home soon! If you know of anyone in the church family that could use some sunshine, please let Lisette or Katie Lawson know.

Reception Of New Members
During our worship service on February 14, we will receive new members into the congregation with a reception of new members and an ingathering ceremony. If you are interested in joining the church, please see Membership Chairman, Chairman, or Minister Katie Lawson.

Ordination Ceremony
Due to schedule conflicts, Katie Lawson’s Ordination Ceremony has been moved to the fall. If you have any fundraising or other ideas for the event, please contact Dick.

Wayside Pulpit
Satisfaction of one’s curiosity is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life.
~ Linus Pauling

Standing On The Side Of Love News

• National Standing On The Side Of Love Day: The SSL campaign is asking congregations to participate in a National Standing on the Side of Love Day on Feb 14, and to help them reimagine Valentine’s Day. Resources to help with worship, organizing, and getting the word out are available at www.standingonthesideoflove.org/reimagining-valentines-day/.
• Standing On The Side Of Love With Immigrant Families: During February’s SSL Web-Cast Calls, participants will learn about how their congregation can create partnerships with immigrant communities. Best practices and resources will be shared. Join the calls: Wednesday, February 10 at 1:00 p.m. and Wednesday, February 17 at 8:00 p.m.
• The BCD office has a Standing On The Side Of Love banner available for congregations to display when engaging in social action projects and events such as attending a rally or march. Please contact the district office to reserve the banner.

UUWorld
UUWorld is available in several audio formats, including a magazine-on-tape service and mp3 files. If you’re a member of the church and would prefer to receive UUWorld on tape (or not at all), please let Ginger or Dick know.

Equual Access
Equual Access is a new affinity organization that promotes equality and access for Unitarian Universalists (UUs) with disabilities. The group is dedicated to ensuring that our faith community warmly welcomes all people including those with disabilities. Equual Access provides advocacy and support for their constituency through coalition building, education, creation of policies, and empowerment. To find out more about Equual Access, its caucuses (Hearing Loss, Mental Health, and Mobility), committees, officers, and structure, and the work they are doing to promote equality and access within our faith community, please visit www.equualaccess.org.

Pocketalker
The Rev. Dr. Devorah Greenstein, a member of the UUA’s Accessibilities Committee, wants all congregations to have assistive listening systems including a Pocketalker. A Pockettalker is “…a personal device that can be used with or without hearing aids that helps an individual to hear better in one-to-one and group conversations. It allows ministers to have comfortable pastoral conversations with people who are hard of hearing. Individuals can borrow a Pocketalker from Equual Access…”

February’s Global Chalice Lighting

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
~ Matthew 5:14-16
Transylvanian Unitarian Church
www.unitarius.ro

UUA Social Witness & Action Opportunities

Congregational Poll
Thank you to all who participated during the past two months in our congregational poll. The five most voted-for proposed CSAIs and the majority vote regarding the draft SOC was recorded with the UUA.

Don’t forget that we can still submit comments about the Draft CSAI “Ethical Eating” before March 1, 2010. Comment forms for the draft CSAI are on-line at www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/.

Award Nominations
Nominations for the Bennett Award, Holmes-Weatherly Award, Skinner Sermon Award, Donna DiSciullo Young Adult and Campus Ministry Award, Angus H. MacLean Award, and Social Witness Sermon Award are due by March 1, 2010. Please visit www.uua.org/giving/awardsscholarships for details.

Ethical Eating: Food & Environmental Justice
For the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this year, the UU Ministry for Earth is inviting UUA congregations to lift up the role our faith can play in the production and consumption of food.  We make daily decisions of what to eat, and every bite is an opportunity to vote for justice. Information and suggested actions on issues ranging from the field to the table are available on the UUMFE Web site (www.uuministryforearth.org), and include links to congregational stories, worship materials, and ideas for actions in our own community.

What’s Your Connection To Mountain Top Removal?
470 mountains have been blown up in Appalachia through an extreme form of coal mining called Mountain Top Removal. The process devastates the eco-systems, pollutes the water, and destroys the communities living there. Is the electricity that you use connected to Mountain Top Removal? Find out with the iLoveMountains.org tool (www.ilovemountains.org/myconnection/) and share this with your friends! If you want more information about the 2006 Action of Immediate Witness (“End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining”), please visit green.uufoxborough.org.

UUSC Justice Sunday
Every spring, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) encourages UUA congregations to participate in “Justice Sunday”. On Justice Sunday, Unitarian Universalists of all ages come together to take action on one pressing human rights issue. Justice Sunday participants gain in-depth knowledge about an urgent human-rights issue and take steps to create needed social change. This year’s theme is “Advancing Economic Justice” and the suggested date to hold the service is Sunday, March 28. To learn more about Justice Sunday and efforts to advance economic justice against the backdrop of the global economic downturn and access additional resources for educational and advocacy activities, please visit www.uusc.org/justicesunday.

Other Action Ideas

• Get Together! Attend a UUSC Economic Justice House Party and participate in a nationwide discussion with New York Times reporter Steven Greenhouse, author of “The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker”, on Justice Sunday, March 28, 2010. If you’re interested in hosting or attending a house party, please contact Nichole Cirillo, UUSC Campaign Manager, via
  www.uusc.org/get_together for more information.
• UUSC Coffee Project: Join more than 500 other congregations in this project which links UUs with small farmers and their families through fair trade. Visit www.uusc.org/coffeeproject for details.
• Look for fair trade labels on products, including coffee, tea, chocolate, and sugar. If your grocer doesn’t stock fairly traded products, ask them to do so.
• Demand that your school district, city, or state government or other institutional purchaser adopt a “sweatfree” purchasing policy to stop tax dollars from subsidizing sweatshops and abusive child labor. Find a local chapter of SweatFree Communities at www.sweatfree.org.

UUSC/UUA Joint Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund
We are participating in this social action. If you would like to donate, please contact our church Treasurer. To date, our church community has donated $422 to the fund. As of 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 29, there had been 4,701 donations to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and Unitarian Universalist Association joint relief effort for Haiti, and $471,766 has been raised. Thank you for your generosity!

Doolittle Home Support Auction
The annual Doolittle Home Support Auction will be held this fall. If you would like to get involved with and/or contribute the auction, please call the Doolittle Home at 508-543-2694.

Sacred Texts

“It is better to be alone; there is no companionship with a fool: travel alone and sin not, forgetting care as the elephant in the jungle. Good are companions in time of need; contentment with thy lot is good; at the hour of death, merit is a good friend, and good is the leaving of all sorrow. Good is reverence for mother and father: good, too, reverence for recluses and sages. Good is lifelong righteousness; and rooted faith is good: good is the getting of wisdom, and good the avoiding of sin.”

General Assembly 2010
GA 2010 will be held Wednesday, June 23, through Sunday, June 27, in Minneapolis, MN. Registration begins on March 1. During the annual meeting of congregations, there will be Worship Services, plenaries, workshops, voting on UUA policies and statements by congregational delegates, and more. Visit www.uua.org/ga for details, programs and schedules, and event updates.

February Worship Services
All services begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

Feb. 7: What Do You Do When And Why?
Whether we are aware of it or not, all of us have hourly, daily, yearly practices – habits of being that affect the focal points of our lives. What are the things that you do routinely and how do they shape your perspective and spirit? Choosing the routines that shape your days based on spiritual priorities will change the shape of our lives.

Feb. 14: The Purpose Of Marriage
We are hearing a lot lately about preserving the institution of marriage and respecting what it has always been. What has marriage always been? How does the spiritual center of marriage interface with the societal, cultural, and economic centers?

Feb. 21: Mean World, My World
The Mean World Theory describes the phenomena in which people who watch more television perceive the world they live in as more violent and threatening. How much is the world that we are living in one of our design and choosing and how much of it is the “real world”?

Feb. 28: TBA

Other Notices And Events

• Feb. 3 and Mar. 3: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• Feb. 3-7: Interweave Convocation in Dallas, Texas. Details via www.interweavecontinental.org.
• Feb. 4 and Mar. 4: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area
  residents are invited to participate!
• Feb. 6: (7:30 p.m.) Tripping Lily peforms at the Blue Moon Coffeehouse in Rockland.
• Feb. 7: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
• Feb. 23: (7:30 p.m.) “Mobilizing Church Volunteers” Webinar with Peter Bowden.
• Feb. 27: (9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) “Walking The Talk” Workshop with Rev. Richard Gilbert at Channing Memorial Church in Newport. Visit www.channingchurch.org for details.
• Apr. 8-10: UU-UNO 2010 Annual Intergenerational Spring Seminar “A Climate of Change: Head, Heart, and Hands Around the Planet”. Details and registration forms available via www.uu-uno.org.
• Apr. 24: (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) BCD Spring Conference at First Unitarian Church of Providence in Providence.
• Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings and details.
• Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.

In The Community
Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays & Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Until Feb. 12 – FHS Hockey team is collecting gently used and new hats, mittens, and gloves for Cradles to Crayons; Feb. 9 & 23 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Feb. 4 – Winterfest Concert at FHS (7:00 p.m.); Feb. 5 & 6 – 7th & 8th Drama Club presents “Macbeth Goes Hollywood” at Ahern; Feb. 11 – Combined 8th Grade Concert Band & FHS Wind Ensemble at FHS (7:00 p.m.); Feb. 12 – The Un-Common Theatre Company Improv Soup at Burrell (7:30 p.m.); Feb. 13 – Foxborough Lions Club Bottle & Can Drive to benefit FHS Swim Team; Feb. 15-19 – No School at FPS; Feb. 21 – Public Skate at Foxboro Sports Center (12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.); Feb. 27 – Girl Scout event at the church; Feb. 27 – Burrell Fun Day; Mar. 1 – Choral-palooza by Grades 5-12 at FHS (6:30 p.m.); The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

The Foxborough Universalist Church is a vibrant and caring congregation that welcomes all. Our mission is to nurture each other along our spiritual paths while working together for the betterment of our community and the world.

Feb. 3 – Men’s Group Meeting (7:30 p.m.)
Feb. 4 – First Thursdays Peace Vigils (6:00 p.m.)
Feb. 7 – BOT Meeting (8:00 a.m.)
Feb. 7 – What Do You Do When And Why?
Feb. 7 – Newcomer’s Orientation (11:15 a.m.)

Annual Holiday Breakfast Fundraiser

Join us for food, fellowship, and fun at our annual Holiday Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. on January 3, 2010. If you have any special requests for breakfast or would like to help, please contact Dick or put a note in the Chairman’s mailbox in the church office. There is a voluntary contribution of $4.00/adult and $2.00/child – completely voluntary. Please put your donation for the breakfast in the basket downstairs, not the collection plate upstairs in the Sanctuary; this is essential for our bookkeeping efforts. All the food is donated to the church, and all the money collected goes to the church.

Women’s Group Meeting

A Women’s Group Meeting will be held from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. on January 8. This is a BYOL (bring your own lunch) meeting. Please contact Leah or Nancy for additional details.

January 2010 Holidays

1 Mary, Mother of God - Catholic Christian 1 Feast of St Basil – Orthodox Christian 1 Gantan-sai (New Years) – Shinto 5 Twelfth Night – Christian 5 Guru Gobindh Singh birthday – Sikh 6 Epiphany – Christian 6 Feast of the Theophany - Orthodox Christian 6 Nativity of Christ – Armenian Christian 7 Nativity of Christ – Orthodox Christian

10 Baptism of the Lord Jesus – Christian 14 Maghi – Sikh 17 World Religion Day – Baha’i 18-25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Christian 19 Timkat – Ethiopian Orthodox Christian 20 Vasant Panchami – Hindu 24 Triodion begins – Orthodox Christian 25 Conversion of St. Paul – Christian 30-February 1 Mahayana New Year – Buddhist 30 Tu B’Shevat – Jewish

Many Thanks!

Thank you to everyone who: helped decorate the church for the Winter holiday season; participated in our beautiful Christmas Eve worship service; contributed to the Holiday Fund; purchased items through our partner programs!

Standing On The Side Of Love News

• SSL Grants For Congregations: Matching grants of $500-$1,500 are available to UUA congregations participating in the Standing on the Side of Love campaign. These grants will support congregations mobilizing at critical times to take action in a broad range of arenas where people are excluded, oppressed, or attacked based on real or perceived identities. Applications are available via www.standingonthesideoflove.org.

• National Standing On The Side Of Love Day: The SSL campaign is asking congregations to participate in a National Standing on the Side of Love Day on Feb 14, and to help them reimagine Valentine’s Day. National Standing on the Side of Love Day empowers each congregation to take action on issues that matter locally, and to pursue strategies that are effective and meaningful to them.

• SSL Web-Cast Calls in 2010: Join the SSL on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 1:00 p.m. EST and Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 8:00 p.m. EST for 45 minute web-cast conference calls. For more information, go to http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/ssl-webcast-calls/.

Reflecting On Who Are Our Neighbors?

The Unitarian Universalist Justice Action network is working to reform of our immigration system. UUA congregations are encouraged to find out more about our immigrant neighbors: What are our relationships? Does our congregation offer “welcome to the stranger”? Please see “Welcoming Our Neighbors: A UU Guide to Immigrant Justice” and www.uua.org/socialjustice/.

A Few New Year’s Traditions And Superstitions

• “First Night” community celebrations began in 1976 in Boston.

• Some people believe loud noises or lighting off fireworks will frighten evil spirits away.

• Some food related customs observed for good luck in the New Year: many Dutch consume doughnuts on this day to ensure good fortune throughout the year; common among American Southerners, black-eyed peas are eaten, often with hog jowls or ham, for luck and to attract money; consuming cabbage is also thought by some to bring good luck.

• “Polar Bear” swims are undertaken perhaps to ensure open eyes to face the New Year.

Let us know how you celebrate the New Year (www.uufoxborough.org/How_We_Observe.htm).

About Tu B’Shevat

This year is 5770 according to the Jewish calendar. The word “Tu” is the number 15 in Hebrew and “Shevat” is the eleventh month in the Jewish calendar. Thus, we find Tu B’Shevat (according to Beit Hillel) always occurring on the 15^th day of the eleventh month. This year that date falls on January 30, 2010 C.E. Tu B’Shevat marks the beginning of Spring in Israel and is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing. According to Leviticus 19:23-25, the fruit from trees which were grown in the land of Israel may not be eaten during the first three years, the fourth year’s fruit is for G-d, and, after that, the fruit can be eaten by you. Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B’Shevat, no matter when in the year it was planted. Therefore, if you planted a tree on Shevat 14, it begins its second year the next day, but if you plant a tree two days later, on Shevat 16, it does not reach its second year until the next Tu B’Shevat. There are not many customs or observances related to this holiday. One custom is to eat a new fruit on this day. Some people plant trees on this day. Many Jewish children collect money for trees for Israel at this time of year.

January Worship Services

All services begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

Jan. 3: Finding Innocence

How can adults regain the lost innocence of youth and rediscover a world full of possibility and immeasurable beauty?

Jan. 10: TBD

Jan. 17: TBD

Jan. 24: TBD

Jan. 31: TBD

Other Notices And Events

• Jan. 6 and Feb. 3: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!

• Jan. 7 and Feb. 4: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!

• The Worship Committee will be meeting in early January to plan the upcoming Worship Schedule. If you’re interested in helping plan the church’s course of Worship, participating in a service as a Worship Associate or Lay-Leader, or have anything to contribute or that you’ld like to have included in worship services, please contact Neda or Minister Katie Lawson.

• Please contact LeeAnn or Nancy if you’re interested in the Interior Design Committee.

• Jan. 10: (7:00 p.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.

• Jan. 12: (4:00 p.m.) Retirement party for Dot Embree, longtime Executive Director of the Attleboro Area Council of Churches. Please visit www.attleborocouncilofchurches.org for details.

• Jan. 14 & 21: (7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) “Financial Literacy For Young People” will be held at First Parish Universalist Church in Stoughton. This is a two part, free workshop for ages 15 and over. Preregister via Pamela McCarthy at 781-344-7125 or PMcCarthy2007@gmail.com.

• Jan. 21: MassEquality Lobbying Day at the State Building. Details at www.massequality.org.

• Please contact the UU-United Nations Office if you’re interested in becoming an “UU-UNO Envoy”.

• Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.

In The Community

Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays & Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Jan, 12 & 26 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Jan. 7 – Grades 5-8 Orchestra Concert at Ahern (7:00 p.m.); Jan. 14 – 8th Grade Concert Band and Junior Jazz Band at Ahern (7:00 p.m.); Jan. 18 & 29 – No School at FPS; Jan. 19 – U.S. Senate Special Election Day in Massachusetts; Jan. 21 – 6th & 7th Grade Concert Bands at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); Jan. 30 – Divine Drums and Sassy Sword Stylings workshops at the church; Jan. 31 – “A Mid-Winter Medley: Beginner To Professional Belly Dance Showcase” at the church (2:00 p.m.); The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

World Religion Day: World Religion Day is a Baha’i observance celebrated on the third Sunday of every January. Begun in 1950, the day “provides the opportunity to seek a unified approach to the spiritual challenges that confront humanity, and recognizes that the Earth is but one country and mankind its citizenry.”

Bird’s Eye View

Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association

6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002

Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.

Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

It was such a joy that so many of you were able to come to be together at the Potluck thisNovember. The conversation that occurred after dinner was productive, and it will beinteresting to see where it takes us next.

Amidst all of that productivity and hard work, what was most inspiring was simply seeing you talking and laughing and eating together. I was so glad to be reminded that in the midst of all each of you do on behalf the church and the community, it is so important to also just have funtogether. Laughter and relaxation, after all, are key components to any spiritual life. Thefact that Friendship Hour is such an integral part of life at the church is an indication of how critical opportunities for pure fellowship are to our ministry.

As we consider some of the wisdom offered to us by Bill Zelazny at the potluck and begin tocreate a strategic plan, I hope we all remember the ministry of good, clean fun. Let’s continue to look for new ways to enjoy being together.

Faithfully,
Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings

December!!! – At one point it seemed that December would be four months late this year. I was still waiting for summer when I found out that it was Halloween already. Somehow, despite the calendar, I’m still looking for summer to show up, a season when you plant things like tomatoes that grow to be larger than a half dollar in diameter, where it doesn’t take three to make one sandwich. We’ve settled in to our church year with weekly services, routine RE for the kids,and our winter holiday program planned.

I would like to challenge you to bring in food and grooming items for the food pantry. All of the Boston area food pantries are running way ahead in applicants looking for minimal food fortheir families. As soon as we get a reasonable quantity we will bring it over, and please -remember that the need does not end at Christmas dinner, it is needed throughout the year.

Also, one of our members works at Lemmuel Shattuck hospital – she says that they can always use adult clothing; again, at any time of year. Clients arrive with little and have needs for coats,gloves, sweaters, shirts, pants, etc, etc. Don’t throw away those outdated items; bring them in, and we will see to it that they get to a good home. Thanks!

Dick

Fundraising Through Partner Programs

We’re Amazon.com and Powell’s Books Associates. If you click through their links on the homepage of the church Web site (www.uufoxborough.org) and then shop at either of these on-line stores, part of your purchase price comes back to us. Please keep this in mind as you shop during the year!

Inclement Weather Days

As soon as any change in the church schedule is known on snowy or other inclement weather days, an announcement will be posted on Channel 5 (WCVB). If there’s another media method you think would be advantageous to utilize, please let thePublic Relations Committee know – thanks!

Wayside Pulpit

We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbors. That is how change takes place in living systems, not from above but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously.

~ Grace Lee Boggs

Religious Education

From The RE Director

On a shopping trip with my daughter before Halloween, she noted how the Christmas displays were in full force. On our way to my sister-in-laws on Thanksgiving morning, my husband noticed that several homes had their Christmas lights up and ready to go – something we haven’t even thought of yet, never mind dig out of the attic! Every year, it seems “Christmas” starts earlier. At least at the retail and grocery stores it does. Those of us who bemoan the commercialization of this holiday may cringe at the constant reminders to buy, buy, buy! Yet what have we as UU’s done to respond to this?

We receive the daily newspaper at our house, and, normally, I rifle through the paper and quickly remove the ever constant store sale flyer and dispose of them in the recycling bin before my kids arrive at the kitchen table. For some reason, the past few weeks, I have been remiss in this task – and, as a result, my kids have dutifully studied the numerous store flyers that have flooded the newspapers. My son suddenly has endless ideas for his “list” when he is perusing the pages of Toys”R”Us. Funny how he couldn’t come up with much just a few weeks before.

Over the years, I have tried to talk to my children about how we have so much more than most people on this earth. How we should be and are grateful for all we have. How so many others are living hand to mouth or in need of the most basic things especially in today’s economic climate. We talk about this throughout the year (or should I say, I mention it to them when it seems appropriate without trying to belabor the point). Each holiday season, we have typically made a donation to some organization or other – The Heifer Project is a popular one the kids like, or anything to do with animals. We give to the food pantry, donate some toys at the “Toys for Tots” collection box at their Karate Dojo. Dig up old coats for a coat drive, and so on. All of this and my kids still think of this season as one where they expect to receive “things”. Of course they do receive things – from family and from us and even a few token items from “Santa”. So, thus the tug of war I have with trying to find some balance.

Over the last several years in church and RE, we have focused on the Solstice – learning about how the different cultures from around the world and throughout history have celebrated this season. We touch on the traditional Christmas/Nativity story. If you are like me, these are traditions from somewhere else – they are not “our” traditions, not UU traditions. Yet, I cannot articulate UU traditions for my kids – they are a rehash of the others.

Just recently, I came across some interesting information about efforts to start a new (unofficial) UU holiday tradition called Chalica. This is what I found:

CHALICA is an unofficial holiday in the Unitarian Universalist tradition that celebrates each of the faith’s Seven Principles – one a night, for seven nights. The celebration begins on the first Monday of December, and is marked by the lighting of a chalice each day (or evening). Gifts that reflect the particular day’s principle may be given, but the focus tends to be more on mindfulness and action.

• Monday: We light our chalice for the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
• Tuesday: We light our chalice for justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.
• Wednesday: We light our chalice for acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.
• Thursday: We light our chalice for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
• Friday: We light our chalice for the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
• Saturday: We light our chalice for the goal of world peace, liberty, and justice for all.
• Sunday: We light our chalice for respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

I have found this proposal of a tradition intriguing and have been considering how we can incorporate this tradition into our holiday season at home. While I have yet to put it into practice, it is one that appeals to me and one my kids can consider as part of “our” faith while still respecting and acknowledging other traditions. I’m considering lighting a candle at the beginning of each day to meditate on that principle and discuss how we can focus on it throughout the day. We may not start on the first Monday – but to do it during a week that works for us – the beauty of a non-creedal, non-dogmatic faith – no?

What are your traditions? How do you make this holiday meaningful for your family? Does the concept of a UU tradition interest you? I would love to know!

Peace and Blessings for a holiday full of love,
Lisa

The Hogwarts

On November 13 the Hogwarts Group went to see “Joseph And His Technicolor Dreamcoat” put on by the Norton Singers. The Norton Singers is a group of actors/singers ages 7 to 70 from towns all around our area. Every year they choose a different musical to perform. This musical was playful as it provided a medley of musical styles. One of the kids’ favorite numbers was the “Pharaoh’s” Elvis imitation. As a special surprise, they provided each of our group members with a picture book of the story and a Joseph bead doll.
Leah

December 2009 Holidays
6, 13, & 20 – Sundays of Advent – Christian
6 Saint Nicholas Day – Christian
8 Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) – Buddhism
8 Immaculate Conception – Catholic Christian
12 Feast day – Our Lady of Guadalupe – Catholic Christian
12-19 Hanukkah – Jewish
16-25 Posadas Navidenas – Christian
18 Hijra – New Year – Islam
21 Solstice
21 Yule – Christian
21 Yule – Wicca northern hemisphere
25 Christmas – Christian
26 Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) – Zoroastrian
27 Feast of the Holy Family – Catholic Christian
27 Ashura – Islam
28 Holy Innocents – Christian
31 Watch Night – Christian

You and Me by the Christmas Tree

Jazz vocalist and musician Krisanthi Pappas and her band of piano, bass, drums, guitar, saxophone, and flute perform holiday favorites on Krisanthi’s CD “You and Me by the Christmas Tree”. This CD has been receiving great reviews from national magazines and radio station personalities. Normally $15, Kris is selling them for just $10 for the month of December. Please ask her for more details and log onto her web site to hear sound clips of the CD at www.krisanthi.com.

Ballou Channing District Young Adults

Jennifer Shattuck is our district’s new Young Adult Ministry Consultant. During the next few months, she will be providing information for Unitarian Universalists under forty and promoting avenues for UU Young Adults to connect with each other through programs, gatherings, social justice activities, and workshops. If you have any questions about the future of young adult ministry in the District, please don’t hesitate to contact her at 617-763-2799 or jennytuck81@gmail.com.

Also, beginning in mid-January, program notices, ministry resources, and short essays written by young adults and allies from around the District will be available on the BCD’s new Young Adult Ministry Blog at bcd-ya.blogspot.com.

UUA Social Witness Opportunities

Unitarian Universalists can participate in the UUA’s Social Witness process in a variety of ways including: voting in the Congregational Poll before February 1, 2010, submitting comments on the Draft SOC “Peacemaking” before February 1, 2010, and submitting comments on the Draft CSAI “Ethical Eating” before March 1, 2010. Comment forms for the latter two options are on-line at www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/.

As a congregation, we are also encouraged to vote for five of the six proposed SAI s for the 2010-2014 Social Witness Cycle. The proposed SAIs are:

• Ending Slavery
• Energy, Peace, and Justice
• Immigration as a Moral Issue
• National Economic Reform: A Moral Imperative
• Nuclear Disarmament
• Revitalizing American Democracy

The five proposals that recieve the most votes will be presented at the 2010 General Assembly; there they will be debated and then, once again, voted on in order to choose the next SAI.

December’s Global Chalice Lighting

Knowing we must die, we question what life means.

Final answers may elude us, but by living the questions,
we create and discover meaning where we can.

~ Rev. Forrest Church
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

First Thursdays Peace Vigils

Get involved in the ongoing Social Action project hosted from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 pm. at the church the first Thursday of every month. The First Thursdays Peace Vigils community would like you to join them; candles and signs are provided. Stay for as long or as short as your schedule allows. Upcoming dates: Dec. 3, Jan. 7, and Feb. 4. December will mark the 3rd Anniversary of First Thursdays Peace Vigils.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee News

• December 10 – Annual Rights Night: Mel King will be honored with UUSC’s Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award for his commitment to social justice and human rights. Attendees are invited to stay after the 7:00 p.m. ceremony to join activists from across Boston’s many communities in conversation about carrying the legacy of King’s work forward. All are welcome! The event is free, but please RSVP by e-mailing rsvp@uusc.org or calling 617-301-4381.

• PECAN, DO IT! UUSC’s Holiday Fair Trade Promotion: Purchase delicious pecan candies and fairly traded pecans from UUSC’s partner, the Southern Alternatives Agricultural Co-operative (SAAC), by visiting www.uusc.org/content/holiday_pecans.

• Don’t let your investment dollars fund genocide!: UUSC and their colleagues at Investors Against Genocide (IAG) need your help to end the practice of investing in genocide. Previous actions have successfully pressured TIAA-CREF and others to divest, so we know the efforts are making a difference! Please visit www.uusc.org and www.investorsagainstgenocide.net to find out about several ways you can help support this important work.

• Learn about and support immigrant rights!: See “Made in L.A.”, an Emmy award-winning feature documentary that follows three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a trendy clothing retailer. Please visit the film’s web site (www.madeinla.com) to learn more.

Vigil For Survival

After the successful International Day Of Climate Action in October, 350.org and Bill McKibben are asking folks to also hold a candlelight vigil on December 11 or 12 to send a clear message to world leaders deciding the fate of the planet’s future. Mid-way through the climate talks in Copenhagen, people around the world will gather in solemn solidarity with the nations and peoples who will be first to face the challenge to their very survival posed by climate change and for whom delay on climate action could mean extinction. To help plan a vigil or find out where one is happening in our area, visit www.350.org/vigil.

December Worship Services

(Worship Service & Religious Education Classes begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays, except as noted. Sunday morning events are followed by a Friendship Hour.)

Dec. 6: When To Say When
Our natures have a tendency to hold behavioral and attitudinal ruts (like saying ‘yes” to every invitation). Sometimes the ways we have come to respond to the world don’t necessarily work to bring us closer to the holy. How do we catch ourselves in the act of reacting automatically and free ourselves to a different way of being?

Dec. 13: Yes, And…
Often life calls upon us to hold two seemingly disparate ideas, realities, or possibilities at the same time. Our nature, however, is better able to manage either/or scenarios. How can we exercise our ability to accept paradox and ambiguity in our lives?

Dec. 20: Christmas Pageant – Intergenerational
The congregation is pulled into living theater to tell the Christmas story and sing carols.

Dec. 24: In The Deep Midwinter – Intergenerational Candlelit Christmas Eve Service (4:30 p.m.)

Dec. 27: Poetry Sunday
It has been said that the poets come closest to speaking in God’s native tongue. Come ready with the poem that has most moved or inspired you lately and discover new poets and poems to help illuminate your spiritual path.

Bird’s Eye View

Foxborough Universalist Church,Unitarian Universalist Association

6 Bird Street | On The Common | Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 | 508-543-4002

Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.

Katie Lawson, Minister | www.uufoxborough.org | All Are Welcome!

December 2009