Kim Cummins delivered four full bags of donated gifts to the Northern Rivers prevention and foster care programs last week, from the UUSS Holiday Giving Tree. Thank you all for your kind donations – Every bit helps in improving lives during this holiday season. – Rev. Wendy & Rev. Lynn

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services (except for Christmas Eve and December 29th). As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

Happiest of Holidays and Peace to all!
Love and blessings,
Robin

It is December 24th, the third night of Hanukkah, as well as Christmas Eve. We look forward to seeing many of you this evening in the Great Hall for a service filled with music, a story of hope and love, and lighting candles in the dark. For those of you who will be traveling, may your journeys be safe and wonderful. No matter where you will be, may you experience some of the mystery and wonder this time of year can bring. And, as the choir sang on Sunday (with ‘brothers’ changed to ‘people’):

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart. – by the Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman

with love, and in faith~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

We are sad to share that Joan Cheesman passed away on December 12th, while in care at Baptist Health in Scotia. Joan was a life-long resident of New York, having been born in Rochester, in 1931. She was 88. Joan, and her beloved husband, Bob, joined the congregation over 50 years ago. Her family intends to have a celebration of her life at UUSS sometime in the future. Bob currently is recovering from pneumonia, and so welcomes cards of care and support rather than phone calls.

Our congregation has had quite a few dear elders pass away in the last few months. This is a tender time, especially for those who have lost so many friends in such a short time. Please know that we here if you need us. With care, and in faith- Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

The complexities of world events and the logistics of life had me feeling a bit Grinchy a couple of Saturdays ago, before the Homemade Holidays gathering, but when I walked into the dining room filled with familiar faces and laughter, my heart immediately grew a little, and by the end of the afternoon it was back to a healthy size. Whether due to extended conversations about a common interest or just a shared smile of greeting, being together here at UUSS nurtures me. I’m excited about the upcoming week’s many opportunities to gather with this community, for Solstice and Christmas Eve celebrations and for the December 22nd worship and Cocoa, Cookies & Caroling party.

In my role as the Congregational Life Coordinator for UUSS, I am charged with helping new folks and members to get connected in ways that feel meaningful, and to reconnect in new ways as their lives change. The upcoming events offer a perfect way to grow your connections, and to help us all grow our hearts. Please join me at one or more of these gatherings if you are able. I’d love to see your face.

If you want to get more involved in congregational life as we enter the new year and new decade, I am happy to help you find ways to do that. Contact me at clc@uuschenectady.org or 518-374-4446 X7 to have a conversation. – Kristin Cleveland.

Dear ones,

As snow gently falls,
like powered sugar
on gray branches,
squirrels rush about
to fill their bellies
scattering the white crystals;
the shock of red and orange
as a pair of cardinals visit the feeder
and then flit away, no time for song;
these are moments of wonder.
Let us give one another permission to be
present to the mystery of beauty,
the balance of peace,
the quiet coming of the longest night,
the daring of hope,
and the power of love.
With mystery and wonder,

Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

This Sunday and next, there will be a candle assembly station for Christmas Eve near the fireplace on the piano side of the Great Hall. We need to slide bobeches onto 275 candles and place them in baskets. If you and/or family members can spend some time helping out, that would be great! These candles are distributed on Christmas Eve for the candle-lighting ritual and singing of Silent Night together. – Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

We were very sad to share that Bob Ringlee passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 27th, at his home. Bob was a longtime member of the congregation, and cared deeply about its well-being. He worked as an engineer, first at GE, then at Power Technologies, Inc, where we he was both a mentor and a colleague. He loved the outdoors, and had a long history of hiking and mountain climbing. He was a caring person, with a gentle sense of humour, and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. There is a Celebration of Life planned for Dec. 28th, at 2:00 p.m. All are welcome. With care- Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

Dear UUSS congregation,

This past Sunday, we explored the Mysterious Blues in the worship service, acknowledging that sometimes we know why we are feeling Scroogey and other times, its as if we’ve simply woken up on the wrong side of the bed. We noted that depression and sadness are not the same thing. So if you are experiencing debilitating sadness or deep apathy for longer than two weeks, that you seek assistance from a therapist or doctor. If you need support to do that, we can help.

After, we heard from some of you that it was meaningful to have the complexity of December holidays named. We witnessed people offering care and support to one another, and taking us up on the offer to hang an ornament on the tree, in honor of a loss, someone they are missing, or a challenge they are facing. What a gift, to know that we need not be alone during difficult times, and that there are many opportunities to celebrate, as well.

We also welcomed 12 new members with joy and singing! (thank you Choir and the Membership Team)

We hope you will attend many of the upcoming December services, (Sunday mornings plus evening services on the Solstice and Christmas Eve,). Whether you are at home, or traveling this holiday season, may you continue to live our shared mission of creating justice, growing in compassion, and celebrating life with joy!

And at this time of impeachment proceedings, may we choose sorrow rather than glee, for our nation that the situation has come to this. We have a long road to recovery from the damage that has been done to our own nation, to our relationships with other nations, and to the Earth. May we practice our UU values and further encourage leaders to act humanely and humbly moving forward.

In faith~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

This year our congregations has an opportunity to support children and families served by Northern Rivers, which provides help and hope to those who struggle with abuse, neglect, trauma, mental health challenges, and educational difficulties. The greatest need is for new, unwrapped gifts for youth aged 13-19 including: arts and craft supplies, board and cards games for all ages; hygiene supplies:body wash, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, combs, brushes (no aerosols, please), cosmetics (mascara, lip gloss, eye shadow, nail polish,) Books: books for all ages and reading levels, book sets and series for teens (Maze Runner, Hunger Games, Divergent, James Frye’s Endgame,) Sporting goods: Sporting goods (basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, etc,) For the full list click here. The gifts will be collected on December 17th.

There was a ritual of confession and lamentation for the wrongs we have done. Those were written on paper which was placed in water. The water dissolved the papers and then was used to bless the gift of a tree. The Rev. Jonathan Vanderbeck, serves as minister at Trinity Reformed Church in Rotterdam, said, “Following the service, the tree will be planted here, at the Unitarian Universalist Society, in honor of the ways that this particular faith community has chosen to model unity. May it be a witness and conviction to us to exist together and be against hatred. May the waters that have held our confessions be the waters that bring about restorative justice. May these things bring about new and good things for all.”

We are so grateful and honored that UUSS got to host this community event. Thank you to the folks who showed up on Saturday to set-up, the greeters (many of whom stood outside in the cold, to warmly welcome folks to our space), the kitchen crew who helped make sure there was kosher, halal, vegan, gluten-free, and peanut-free food for all of our guests, the clean-up crew, the choir, everyone who brought desserts, for folks who just jumped in and helped when they saw a need, including Christy Multer who made flyers. Thank you one and all.

We are so grateful for such a great staff who did a hundred behind-the-scenes and a few very obvious things to help this event be such a fabulous gathering. This event was made possible in part through funds from the bequest of William Kleinhandler and the Board of Trustees.

With profound gratitude,
Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

Worthy organizations all over the country are seeking financial support today on Giving Tuesday. Many of the values of Unitarian Universalism are under attack right now-integrity; compassion; the inherent worth and dignity of every person; the interdependent web of life on this precious Earth; Black Lives Matter; the right of conscience and the democratic process; there are many things to learn from studying religions of the world, philosophies, and science; people who are transgender, gender non-binary, and cis-gender are valued here; that the responsible search for truth and meaning is lifelong; that those whose sexual orientation is bisexual, gay, lesbian, heterosexual, asexual, or queer identified are welcome here, and so much more.

Your financial support helps sustain this congregation so that it, so that we all, can continue to proclaim our values of love, inclusion, justice, equity, and compassion. Please consider including UU Schenectady in your Giving Tuesday plans. You can give through Breeze if you are a member or you can donate through our website – by choosing ‘Non-pledge Contribution 43001’ from the dropdown menu. If you want to text a contribution: 1-518-282-0565 amount tuesday (ex. 20 tuesday).

Or visit the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) or UU Service Committee (UUSC) or UU Ministry for Earth and give to them! Together, we are more!
-Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

There is a poem by Amanda Udis-Kessler in the UUA publication Lifting Our Voices that includes the line, “The stars pierce our hearts, peace envelops us, we are blessed; we give thanks for the mystery and the miracle of wonder.” As we lean into the darkness, what mysteries await there? As we wind our way through December, what wonders might we behold?

Have you wanted to take UU Wellspring but the timing hasn’t worked for you? Or you travel and can’t make all of the sessions? Take the first year program with UUs across the country using the Zoom platform. You can connect wherever you are. The Sources class runs online Jan-Nov, except July. More info and registration here. Sign up deadline Dec. 15.  For more information contact Linnea Nelson, UU Wellspring Executive Director at uuwellspring.org, or Sandra Rouse UUSS Wellspring Coordinator on Breeze for more information, or at Sandra.rouse@gmail.com 

Continuing through the month of December, Green Sanctuary is selling Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, and tea. Stop by our table to learn about Fair Trade and buy these products. Contact Paula georgeandpaula@verizon.net or Nancy gs.uuss06@gmail.com

Thank you to all who nominated and all who turned in a ballot to determine this year’s special collections recipients. The Top 9 Vote Getters are (in alpha order): Electric City Bike Rescue; Environmental Advocates of New York; Girls, Inc. of the Greater Capital Region; Hamilton Hill Arts Center; The Legal Project; Miracle on Craig St.; Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, Lansing Farm Project; Planned Parenthood Schenectady; and UUSC Emergency Campaign to Support Migrant Justice. Each of these groups will be assigned to a month in which their work is somehow related to the topic of the service or the theme of the month.

Some other wonderful organizations that were nominated who met the criteria and didn’t get the most votes but are still worthy organizations are: Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region; Empire State Youth Orchestra/CHIME; In Our Own Voices; Safe Inc of Schenectady; Schenectady JCC; Sleep in Heavenly Peace; Spina Bifida Association of Northeastern New York; UUSC Asylum Access Mexico; Wildwood Programs. -Special Collections sub-team Chrissy Bisceglia, Kim Cummins, Crys Hammelink, Rev. Lynn, and Rev. Wendy

We are SOOO grateful to the many volunteers and staff who helped make the Schenectady Clergy Against Hate event so meaningful. We had over 200 people in the Great Hall gathered to acknowledge our grief and to express our gratitude. A couple dozen clergy and religious leaders of many faiths gathered and offered their wisdom, care, and grace in collaboration across different traditions.

There was a ritual of confession and lamentation for the wrongs we have done. Those were written on paper which was placed in water. The water dissolved the papers and then was used to bless the gift of a tree. The Rev. Jonathan Vanderbeck, serves as minister at Trinity Reformed Church in Rotterdam, said, “Following the service, the tree will be planted here, at the Unitarian Universalist Society, in honor of the ways that this particular faith community has chosen to model unity. May it be a witness and conviction to us to exist together and be against hatred. May the waters that have held our confessions be the waters that bring about restorative justice. May these things bring about new and good things for all.”

We are so grateful and honored that UUSS got to host this community event. Thank you to the folks who showed up on Saturday to set-up, the greeters (many of whom stood outside in the cold, to warmly welcome folks to our space), the kitchen crew who helped make sure there was kosher, halal, vegan, gluten-free, and peanut-free food for all of our guests, the clean-up crew, the choir, everyone who brought desserts, for folks who just jumped in and helped when they saw a need, including Christy Multer who made flyers. Thank you one and all.

We are so grateful for such a great staff who did a hundred behind-the-scenes and a few very obvious things to help this event be such a fabulous gathering. This event was made possible in part through funds from the bequest of William Kleinhandler and the Board of Trustees.

With profound gratitude,
Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

12/8: Everyone will begin together in the Great Hall. Following the Story for All Ages, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the church hallway. Children in grades 2-7 and 10-12 will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age Youth (grades 8 and 9) will attend the service and then meet in their classroom from 12-2 (be sure to pack a lunch!).

December 8th is our last RE “class” of the calendar year! We hope you’ll join us for the 12/15 and 12/22 multigenerational services as religious education opportunities, as well as the December 24th candlelight service, which will take place at 7 pm. There will be no RE on 12/29. RE will resume 1/5/20!

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

At this time of year, the UU Service Committee-the UUSC- invites congregations to participate in the Guest at Your Table program. Basically, you bring a box home and each time you have a meal, read a bit of the stories i.e. invite them as a virtual guest to your table. Then on Christmas Eve or early January, bring the box back and a check to the UUSC to help support their work locally and in the world. In order for this to succeed, we need someone to coordinate it. Interested? Contact Rev. Lynn at revlynn@uuschenectady.org

“What are the core values that shape our stewardship of money and how shall we express those values in our budget?”

We hope to get comments from as many members as possible by December 1, 2019. If you were not able to return your comments at the meeting, please email your thoughts to Gerry Schuth, Co-chair of the Strategic Advisory Committee at gerry@schuth.com. Thank you.

Have you felt the active hope that is alive and well in the congregation? We felt it as eleven new people joined UUSS Saturday morning at the membership class. We felt it on Sunday morning as we participated in worship, in the Coming of Age class, and then the Congregational Meeting! We are experiencing active hope as we prepare for a weekend of connection and community, singing in an interfaith choir, and hosting a community-wide Thanksgiving service and meal. The world we hope for is one of radical hospitality, compassionate communication, greater justice, deeper peace, a stronger community, a deeper love. And it will only become that way when each of us becomes that way.

When you arrive this Sunday morning, consider what it might be like to come into our building for the first time. Look around the place. Does it communicate the inclusive place we are striving to be? Is it inviting? Is the stuff on walls current? relevant? How does it feel here? We get to practice preemptive radical inclusion as we learned with CB Beal in October. You can learn more about the event down below. We hope to see you there as we host people of a variety of faiths including Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, Pagans, Christians, Druids, Catholics, Unitarian Universalists, and more!

With hope, and in faith~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

Sunday, 11/24: Everyone will attend the multigenerational Thanksgiving service.

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

Details about ordering meals will be published later, but for now, coordinators are seeking new volunteers. If you can deliver meals on the 11th or help cook on the 10th or 11th, contact Ellie von Wellsheim at ellie@mooncatcher.org or 518-859-5114. Or, to bake a couple dozen cookies to be included in the meals, please add your contact information to the clipboard by the Cookie Monster at the back of the Great Hall on Sundays or email Jill McGrath at mcgrathjm@icloud.com.

This month we explore the theme of hope. Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker writes, “Hope rises. It rises from the heart of life, here and now, beating with joy and sorrow.” James Baldwin and Audre Lorde spoke of revolutionary hope. How do we find hope when so much is wrong in the world? Let’s hope we find it in community, together.

Sunday, 11/17: Everyone except for Coming of Age will begin together in the Great Hall. Following the Story for All Ages, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the church hallway. Children in grades 2-7 and 10-12 will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age will meet with one of the ministers in their classroom from 10:30-12:30.

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

Director of Lifespan Religious Education Robin Ahearn will be out of the office for professional development on 11/10. If you have an urgent RE-related matter, please see Congregational Life Coordinator Kristin Cleveland.

On Tuesday we were out in the garden, tucking it in before snow possibly arrives later this week. We harvested the last of the green tomatoes, cut down the sunflower stalks, made a few bundles of herbs to hang and dry, and clipped the remaining marigolds to bring inside.We mulched some leaves, and then some more leaves, and put away the electric lawnmower, and made the electric snowblower more accessible. Time passes and seasons change…

Cycles of life and death are always present, and at this time of year, we may particularly feel sadness and loss. This is the time of year of remembering our ancestors, of giving thanks for lives well lived, of honouring those who have died. This feels particularly tender this year, with the recent passing of four UUSS elders, Ned Bigelow, Jean Wilkinson, Helen Webster, and Owen Sutton. We know that each loss is connected to all other losses. Let us be gentle with ourselves and one another. May we find hope in the memories of ancestors of our families, communities, and the congregation.

With care~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

Are you interested in making bread to share in the worship service on November 24th? Contact Rev. Lynn at revlynn@uuschenectady.org.

Sunday, 11/10: Everyone will begin together in the Great Hall. Following the Story for All Ages, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the church hallway. Children in grades 2-7 and 10-12 will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age (grades 8 and 9) will attend the service and then meet in their classroom from 12-2–they should be sure to bring along a bag lunch!

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

As the Religious Education program is a cooperative endeavor, volunteers are needed. Volunteer options include teaching classes as part of a teaching team, assisting in an RE classroom, and offering an extra pair of hands to help with crafts or other activities. Want to do some painting? Decorate a bulletin board? Contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) Robin Ahearn at dlre@uuschenectady.org for more information about volunteering.

Each year the Board chooses an Annual Focus of Ministry to help direct the work of the Ministers, Staff, and Ministry Teams, which impacts all of the programs of the congregation. This year’s Annual Focus of Ministry, (or AFoM,) is to boldly live our UU principles to transform ourselves and the world. Part of this is to “nurture and support one another,” and to “inspire and encourage one another to act personally and collectively in these challenging times.” This past weekend, we were grateful for the opportunity to host a workshop and a worship service led by CB Beal. They offered some tools and inspiration to do just that. CB particularly noted the importance of bearing witness to one anothers’ lives, perspectives, and to go within to examine where our beliefs about the world, come from. CB named the importance of being aware of our assumptions and to be careful to not confuse our opinions with the notion of fact. “It’s hard being a person,” they reminded us, and “Two things can be true at once.” Thanks to everyone who brought food and/or volunteered and/or attended… we really appreciate it!

Let’s continue to cultivate more self-reflection as we connect with one another. Let’s deepen our practice of bearing witness to one another as we commit to this community.

In faith,
Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

Green Sanctuary is collecting calendars for SiCM Food Pantry, so don’t throw them in the recycle bin! Please bring them to the box on the Green Sanctuary table on Sunday mornings between now and New Year’s Day. On other days of the week, place them in the Green Sanctuary mailbox in the bank of mailboxes outside the office. Please don’t leave them on tables, around the church or take them into the office. Questions about our calendar collection? Contact Nancy at gs.uuss06@gmail.com.

We were saddened to learn that Helen Webster died on Saturday, Oct. 19th. She passed away peacefully, with her adult children by her side. Helen joined UUSS in 1957, and has long-time friends in the community. We do not yet know if there will be a public memorial service. Our thoughts are with her family and all those grieving her passing. With care~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

Sunday, 11/3: Everyone except the 6/7 Building Bridges class will begin together in the Great Hall. Following the Story for All Ages, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the church hallway. Children in grades 2-5 will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. The 6/7 Building Bridges class will be visiting Temple Gates of Heaven in Niskayuna. Coming of Age and Senior Youth will remain in the Great Hall for the service with musical guest Emma’s Revolution (singers of UUSS favorite, Swimming to the Other Side!) The Coming of Age class will gather for a presentation on Joshua’s House and Shelter by Kevin O’Connor, from 12-1, in the youth classroom on the first floor of Waters House.

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

Yesterday afternoon we visited with the fabulous UUs who live at the Glen Eddy in Niskayuna. (Thanks to all of you who shared in the conversation yesterday!) We gather monthly for an hour or so… with a chance to hear how each person is doing, share news from the rest of the congregation, and this year we’ve been reflecting together on that month’s theme. Yesterday we asked about how each of them became connected with Unitarian Universalism, and/or UUSS. Of the 15 folks we met with, three are life-long UUs… two have been part of this congregation their whole lives, (with a shout-out to Dot Grey and Reba Mehan!) Some joined while in college, or as young parents. Some went searching for a faith community with some hesitancy, having been hurt or disappointed elsewhere. Some came with a family member, or having been invited by a friend.

On Sunday, we met with the folks who signed up for Getting to Know UU. Their stories were similar, (minus the life-long members.) And last night, the Board’s check-in question was how do their commitments help them feel more connected to UU Schenectady.

Whatever your journey here, we are glad you are choosing to be involved… or at least read Circuits! We’d love to hear your stories of connection, your stories of commitment and community.

With gratitude~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

Sunday, 10/27: Everyone will begin together in the Great Hall. Following the Story for All Ages, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the church hallway. Children in grades 2-7 will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age and Senior Youth will remain in the Great Hall for the service with CB Beal.

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

Director of Lifespan Religious Education Robin Ahearn will be out of the office 10/9-10/21. Email will be checked upon her return. If you have any urgent questions during her absence, please contact Congregational Life Coordinator Kristin Cleveland at clc@uuschenectady or (518) 374-4446, ext 7.

The Aninger Fund is a trust fund created for the sole purpose of supporting leadership opportunities for the junior and senior youth of our congregation. Some excellent opportunities are available through UUA and CERG and include but are not limited to: River Rising, General Assembly, District Assembly, Summer Seminary for Youth, Multicultural Leadership School (youth), and youth conferences.

There has been a few changes to the Aninger Scholarship application process. The fall deadline for both the individual AND group applications has changed to November 1st for review at the November Religious Education Team meeting. Applications received after the November 1st deadline will not be considered until the spring (if they are still relevant). The spring deadline for both individual AND group applications has changed to May 1st for review at the May RET meeting. Applications received after the May1st deadline will not be considered until the fall (if they are still relevant).

Applications may be downloaded through the UUSS website. Applications and questions can be directed to Robin Ahearn, Director of Lifespan Religious Education at dlre@uuschenectady.org.

Family Promise is a national network of faith communities and trained volunteers who provide temporary shelter, food, and assistance to homeless families. UUSS is part of the Capital Region Family Promise program, and hosts families for a week at a time at Waters House. The next hosting dates for UUSS are Oct 27 – Nov. 3. Sign up for a time slot if you can! Also, we are always looking for new volunteers. If you are interested in preparing and serving a meal or staying overnight with the families, contact Mary O’Keeffe at mathcircle@gmail.com or Lee Danielson at danielson459@gmail.com and we will set up a training time.

Anyone from 5 and up, who is part of our congregation can nominate up to two organizations. They must be local (NYS, the closer to Sch’dy the better), a non-profit, and fit with our UU principles and values. Another option, this year, is to nominate a program of the UUA or UUSC that is seeking donations for a specific justice project. CLICK HERE for the nominations form! There are a few paper copies of the nomination forms available in the back of the Great Hall for those who do not have internet access. You completing this form digitally really helps us volunteers with the data collection. Stay tuned for more details on voting!
– The Special Collections sub-team, Chrissy Bisceglia, Kim Cummins, Crys Hammelink, and Rev. Wendy Bartel

Yesterday morning we received a call that longtime UUSS member, Jean Wilkinson, had just passed away. Jean, and her beloved husband, John, had moved to Massachusetts this past year, after over 60 years in the Schenectady area. Our thoughts are with John, and their adult children, Beth and David, who is a regular participant in the congregation. Jean was kind and had a gentle wit. The Wilkinsons have deep roots and dear friends in this area, and plan to have a celebration of Jean’s life at UUSS in the coming weeks, when members of their family, including Jean’s sister from Canada, can be present. With care~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

You may be wondering, “What are Open Questions?” Open Questions are just that…open. They are not meant to lead to “easy” answers, but rather create opportunities for deeper sharing, dialogue and learning on issues that concern the congregation. Our application of these Open Questions is part of the larger framework of Policy-Based Governance change that we began 5 years ago. Our collective work on these Open Questions this year will help guide your Board of Trustees on how we should focus our Ministry efforts in coming years.

Yesterday we focused on the first two of the three Open Questions identified for this church year: How are we accountable to one another? How do we want to matter in our community?

As I listened to the responses offered, I found myself feeling so grateful for the chance to listen and learn from those in attendance. I had my own ideas and thoughts about accountability and what it means to “matter.” But my mind was further opened because I had a chance to connect with others and hear their diverse perspectives, shaped by their unique life experiences. My feeling of connection to, and understanding of others in our shared faith community was strengthened as a result…what a gift. I hope as more of these opportunities are presented in the coming months, that many more of you will attend to add your voices to the conversation. I and your Board want to connect with and hear from you. In doing so, our connections to one another individually and our community will be made stronger.

Would you like to respond to these questions in the next few weeks? Attend a Sunday worship service and then visit the table in the back of the Great Hall, hosted by a member of the Strategy Advisory Committee.

With thanks,
Sara Meixner

Sunday, 10/13: All Children and Youth–except Coming of Age and Building Bridges–will meet in Waters House at 10:30. Sr Youth will have a full-session class in their classroom, and K-5th grade will join Mati Grieco-Hackett and Jodi Lovegrove for Children’s Chapel. The Building Bridges class is welcome to attend the service. Coming of Age will be wrapping up their overnight trip to Hawk Circle Wilderness Education Center in Cherry Valley, NY.

Sunday, 10/20: Everyone will begin together in the Great Hall and stay through the Story for All Ages. Following SFAA, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the church hallway. The rest of the Children and Youth (except for Coming of Age) will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age youth will remain in the Great Hall for the full service as part of their RE experience. Much gratitude to Joel Best for serving as today’s Substitute Director of Lifespan Religious Education!

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

As our theme for October is Connection, Commitment, and Community, please remember–if you’d like to be a part of our fabulous RE program, let us know! There are many meaningful and fun ways to connect, commit, and share community!

Director of Lifespan Religious Education Robin Ahearn will be out of the office 10/9-10/21. Email will be checked upon her return. If you have any urgent questions during her absence, please contact Congregational Life Coordinator Kristin Cleveland at clc@uuschenectady.com or (518) 374-4446, ext 7.

The UUSS Caring Team is interested in learning who is willing to be part of a Caring Network, a list of people who are occasionally contacted by a member of the Caring Team to respond to folks in our congregation who need a little extra help or connection (eg: a ride, a visit, a meal). CLICK HERE! to see a list of Caring options, and to check any boxes that feel like things you want to do to help. Also, if you find yourself in need of some help or connection, please contact Rev. Lynn or Rev. Wendy or a member of the Caring Team (Mike MacLaury, Carol Neff, Nancy Tobiessen, Suzanne Brunelle, Lisa Temoshok, and Kristin Cleveland).

Green Sanctuary/Climate Justice Team want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came and supported our Locavore Lunch last Sunday.  We look forward to this annual celebration of the local harvest and we know many of you do too.  Your generous donations make it possible for us to continue our programs, such as purchasing carbon offsets for the youth service trip to Guatemala and paying for books, speakers, films etc.  We hope you continue to support local farms by visiting them and buying their products.  Thank you, Nancy Peterson, Green Sanctuary Chair at gs.uuss06@gmail.com.  

Later this month, everyone high school aged and up is invited to attend a workshop with C.B. Beal. (see more info below). And newer folks have an opportunity to take the Getting to Know UU classes in which we hope you will experience more connection to Unitarian Universalism and consider making a commitment to joining this congregation, formally, as a member.

A couple of resources you may find interesting are: teaching community-a pedagogy of hope by bell hooks and Community: The Structure of Belonging by Peter Block.

Those are the words of my first covenant process in this congregation in 1998. I was a teacher in the RE program, working with preschool age children. This month I am deeply engaged in a covenant process as a member of the Board of Trustees and as a Senior Youth Advisor.

Is a covenant a noun or a verb? Is it a process or a product? Yes.

As you are reading this, perhaps take a moment to reflect on covenants you may be creating with others this month. Verb or noun? Process or product?

Consider how a covenant is “both/and”: generous and strong, providing a spacious structure for mutual accountability and safe inquiry. The Board of Trustees engages with covenant by reading it aloud at the beginning of each meeting. At the end of each meeting, we turn toward the covenant to provide a moment of closure and reflection.

As we engage with one another, with our community and with our world and as we grapple with our Open Questions, may we, as a beloved community and as individuals within a beloved community, choose to embody our covenants, including the simple covenant of the “Share. Care. Listen” with love, faith and joyful play.

Lisa Temoshok

Sunday, 9/22: Everyone–except Coming of Age participants–will begin together in the Great Hall. Following the Story for All Ages, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the dining room hallway. The rest of the Children and Youth (except for Coming of Age youth) will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age youth will begin in their classroom right at 10:30 and will meet through 12:30.

Sunday, 9/29: Everyone will begin together in the Great Hall and stay through Story for All Ages. Following SFAA, K/1 Children will be led by their teachers to their classroom in the dining room hallway. The rest of the Children and Youth (except for Coming of Age youth) will meet in the church entryway and be led across the street to their Waters House classrooms. Coming of Age youth will remain in the Great Hall for the full service as part of their RE experience.

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

On September 20, three days before the UN Climate Summit in NYC, young people and adults will strike all across the US and world to demand transformative action be taken to address the climate crisis. Millions of us will take to the streets to demand a right to a future, and we’re inviting you to #strikewithus. Whether you’re 7 or 77, you’re invited to join the movement. For more information, please visit strikewithus.org.

As the Religious Education program is a cooperative endeavor, volunteers are needed. Volunteer options include teaching classes as part of a teaching team (we still have a few openings!), assisting in an RE classroom, and offering an extra pair of hands to help with crafts or other activities. Want to do some painting? Decorate a bulletin board?

Contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) Robin Ahearn at dlre@uuschenectady.org for more information about volunteering.

Dear UUSS~

On this beautiful Tuesday, we are grateful for the vibrant energy of the sun, the clear blue sky, and the yellows, oranges, and reds that are just peeking through the greens. Likewise, we appreciate the energy that we felt on Sunday and throughout the week, as folks showed up for trainings, for choir, for worship, programs, classes, and meetings. Thank you for bringing all of who you are to UUSS… your worries, your questions, your ideas, your compassion, and your joy. Please know that there are others who would love to attend, who could use a ride in order to get to Wendell Ave. Are you willing to give someone a ride on an upcoming Sunday, or midweek to a program or class? Please contact Congregational Life Coordinator, Kristin Cleveland, at clc@uuschechenectady.org.

And, if we haven’t see you lately because you have been elsewhere, here is an official invitation to attend a worship service soon. It would be great to see you!

– in faith, Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

EBWA calendar 2019-2020

Evening Branch of the Women’s Alliance

Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady

1221 Wendell Avenue, Schenectady NY

All women are welcome

Sept 26 “Immigration Justice in the Capital District and the US-Mexico Border”

  – Mindy Whisenhunt, Interpreter with The Legal Project and RAICES , Middle School Spanish Teacher and longtime Unitarian.

Oct 24 “The Promised Land — A Hidden Treasure in Albany’s Pine Bush”

– Beverly Bardequez,   President, Rapp Road Historical Association

Nov 21 “The Odyssey of a War Orphan: The test of one’s mettle is conflict

— Maria A. Beurmann, author, teacher, poet, photographer, ADK 46er

Dec 19 “Using DNA for Genealogical Research: An Over

view”

— Susan Kugler, retired State budget analyst, Vice President of the Capital Region Jewish Genealogical Society

Jan 23 “Tales from the Jewelry Box“

–with Marian Barba, vintage jewelry historian, collector, dealer

Feb 27 “Create the Life Well Lived“

–with Barbara Weatherwax, human potential coach, motivational speaker, spiritual counselor

Mar 26 “The Midwife Project“, Hope Neikirk, RN, Caren Baker, CNM,

From a book club of two to a community of caring

April 23 “The Writing Life – Making Words Count “Carol Bluestein

Novel/essay writer, political/ environmental podcast leader, gardener, and human/animal parent

May 28 “The Negro Motorist Green Book”

Gretchen Sorin, Ph.D., Director, Distinguished Service Professor

Cooperstown Graduate Program

June 18 “Women at Rest”

–tour of Vale Cemetery with “Victorian Lady”, Sue McLane.  Tour will leave Caretakers House on State St. by Vale’s van at 5:30 pm

All women are welcome. Come for wine/ juice and crackers at 5:45, or for a vegetarian supper at 6:15.  Registration required for the supper and program, call Gabrielle at 382-5685 by Tuesday at 8 pm or e-mail her at ellegr3@gmail.com  by Monday.  Cost for the evening is $15.

Networking begins around 7 pm and the program starts around 8 pm, or a little earlier.  We finish at 9 pm.  If you wish to attend the program only, no reservations are required, just show up around 7:45.  Cost for the program only is $3.

Like to sing? The UUSS Choir welcomes new members [age 15+] to join us at any time. We rehearse Sundays from 9:00-10:00 a.m., the first Thursday of the month from 7:00-8:00 p.m., and sing in worship about twice per month. Music reading skills and previous choir experience are desirable but by no means a requirement for participation. Our first meeting is Thursday, September 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Dining Room and our first service is Sunday, September 8. The Children’s Choir is open to youth in grades K-8. We rehearse Sundays after worship [approximately 12:15-1:00 p.m.] and sing in worship about once a month. Our first meeting is Sunday, September 15 at 12:15 p.m. in the Fireplace Room. Please contact Director of Music Tim Olsen at music@uuschenectady.org or say hello after worship.

Like to sing? The UUSS Choir welcomes new members [age 15+] to join us at any time. We rehearse Sundays from 9:00-10:00 a.m., the first Thursday of the month from 7:00-8:00 p.m., and sing in worship about twice per month. Music reading skills and previous choir experience are desirable but by no means a requirement for participation. Our first meeting is Thursday, September 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Dining Room and our first service is Sunday, September 8. The Children’s Choir is open to youth in grades K-8. We rehearse Sundays after worship [approximately 12:15-1:00 p.m.] and sing in worship about once a month. Our first meeting is Sunday, September 15 at 12:15 p.m. in the Fireplace Room. Please contact Director of Music Tim Olsen at music@uuschenectady.org or say hello after worship.

Hello UUSSers~

For this new fiscal year, UUSS will be exploring theme-based ministry. Each month, we are all invited into thinking about the theme in a variety of ways. Ministry Teams, Advisory Committees, classes, programs, the Board, the Staff, each and every one of you is invited into considering the month’s theme. This might include things like asking check-in questions related to the theme, exploring quotes, sermons, poems, and music on the theme, and including chalice lighting words in our meetings and gatherings with the theme. We look forward to seeing how creative folks can be with engaging with the themes throughout the year so if you have an idea for other ways the congregation can engage, let us know.

This coming Sunday we’ll mark the beginning of this year with an In-Gathering service and a Gathering of Waters ritual. Our first monthly theme is Covenant-the promises we make to one another about how we want to be in relationship with each other as we engage in building the beloved community.

Today we share an excerpt from a poem by Rev. Marta Valentín, from her book, A Long Time Blooming.

In gatherings we are stirred
like the leaves of the fall season
rustling around sacred trees,
tossed hither and yon
until we come to rest together,
quietly, softly . . .
We come to gather strength from each other.
We come to give strength to each other.
We come to ask for strength from the Spirit of All That Is and Is Not.

Spirit of the ¬circle that is Love,
as we twirl in this dance that is life
we give thanks for reminding us each day
of our task of ministering to each “other”
with a searching glance,
a safe touch,
a generous smile,
a thoughtful word…

Thank you for reminding us
that we are always building our beloved comunidad.

Thank you for reminding us
that through our covenant with you
we covenant with each “other”
and are made whole.

Amen. Paz. Blessed Be.

Rev. Marta happens to be on the cover of the new UU World. She had only just arrived in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. She has recently been hired to be the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Professional Development Director.

We look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday… Don’t forget to bring a bit of water for the ritual and then stay for the picnic!

In faith, Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

Thanks to all who brought in pens for the Schenectady Clergy Against Hate Back2School event… together we have gathered enough pens to share with the 300 students expected to participate in Sunday’s gathering at the pavilion in Central Park. All are welcome at this interfaith event, 1:00-3:00, with food, games, and connection, and students of all ages can choose the supplies they need Many thanks~ Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

Last week, on August 15th, Paige Gauvreau passed away following many years of living with Parkinson’s disease. Paige was a long time member of the congregation, although had not been active recently. There will be a celebration of her life this Wednesday, August 21, at 12:00 at UUSS, followed by a funeral service at the National Cemetary in Saratoga at 2:00. All are welcome to attend. Her son, Brad Warner, has asked that memorial donations in her memory be made to UUSS. With care~ Rev. Lynn and Rev. Wendy

The fall Ingathering Service and Picnic are scheduled for September 8, and RE classes will begin September 15!

I had the pleasure of attending RE Week at the Sea in Ocean Grove, NJ, last week! Thank you to Joel Best for covering for me Sunday, 8/11, while I was en route to the conference. The first half of the week, I participated in Building a Culture of Inclusion, which was led by Paula Cole Jones, who gave the Sophia Fahs lecture at GA this year (General Assembly) and is a former UUA president, and Sheila Schuh, ML-CRE. For the second half of the week, I participated in a Worship Renaissance Module for the RE Credentialing Program, which was led by Rev. Dr. Tracy Sprowls and Tim Atkins, Director of Lifespan RE, at Cedar Lane UU Church in MD. Each class met for 15 hours and included fascinating discussions, small-group work, storytelling, and presentations. It was five days of intense learning and collegial connection, and one of the best all-around religious educator programs I’ve ever attended! Thank you all for supporting my professional development to help me become a better DLRE (Director of Lifespan RE)!

Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn are on Study Leave with a few colleagues, considering what ministry is needed as we head into this next year in a nation that is becoming increasingly polarized and dangerous. We will need to all buoy our spirits for the time ahead. May you take some time this week for study, for spiritual practice, for connecting with loved ones, for considering how your gifts of time, talent, and treasure might serve the congregation’s needs.

Schenectady Clergy Against Hate is hosting our third annual Back2School Extravaganza on Sunday, August 25th, from 1:00-3:00 p.m, in the Central Park Pavilion. There is live music, food, (provided by Stewart’s Shops,) lawn games, and an opportunity to pick up school supplies, that are provided by the participating religious leaders and congregations. UUSS is asked to bring 300 packs of blue or black pens. We’ll be collecting them on Sunday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, August 18th or you can drop them off at the church between 9am and 4pm, M-F, by Aug. 23. If you can contribute packs of pens, please place them in the box near the welcome table.We know lots of folks are away so if you are around, we’d welcome your generous piles of pens! With gratitude~ Rev. Lynn & Rev. Wendy

A big THANK YOU to Jenny, Vinay, and Avvai Lippmann for leading Summer RE this past Sunday! Lots of colorful finger weaving and friendship bracelets were made and shared! Some of the children had techniques of their own that they shared with the group. It’s amazing how many different ways there are to make friendship bracelets! It’s also a great meditative activity and can be fun on road trips.

Summer Religious Education Continues! All Children, grades K-5th, will meet at Waters House from 10:30 through the end of service. Come, join the fun!

Still to come…

August 11: Nature Art with Lyndsi Holmes-Wickert and Mati!

August 18: Naturalist Walk in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau with Mati and Robin. Bring your curiosity and outdoor attire (dress for the weather!).

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

As the Religious Education program is a cooperative endeavor, volunteers are needed. Volunteer options include teaching classes as part of a teaching team, filling in as a substitute teacher (no curriculum preparation is necessary for being a substitute), assisting in a Religious Education classroom, and offering an extra pair of hands to help with crafts or other activities. Contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) Robin Ahearn at dlre@uuschenectady.org for more information about volunteering.

Registration for fall RE is now open! To register your child or youth, click here…

Happy August everyone and Happy Anniversary!
We have had a bit of time to explore the area and do a few activities to help us have a slightly better sense of this place that we’ve moved across the country for. (For those of you newer this summer to UUSS, we moved to Schenectady from ‘upstate’ California and began our shared ministry with this congregation Aug 1, 2017.)
We have spent quite a bit of time studying governance-both the Bylaws and Board Policy Book, as well as the Governance text by Dan Hotchkiss that the leaders of this congregation have been using to make this governance shift. We are heading into year 3 together and it is quite interesting to see what progress the Board of Trustees as well as the Congregation have made and to see which things we all still haven’t quite leaned into or figured out yet.
We have camped a couple of times, hiked a bit, attended an outdoor play and a few concerts in different venues. Hamiltunes was a blast in Central Park (esp. because we LOVE Hamilton). We were the first stop of Wendy’s cousin’s Rt. 66 cross-country adventure, and have shared time with other friends and family. We finally got our library cards, and enjoyed exploring the many resources there. We have spent quite a bit of time working on the worship schedule for the new fiscal year, juggling the various schedules that exist in the wider UU world as well as family functions, holy days and holidays, and as always, asking ourselves what is best or most needed for the health and flourishing of UU Schenectady at this point in our journey together.
Next week, we are blessed to have a week in the Adirondacks and we will have a mini-retreat with colleagues as we prepare ourselves for the ministries ahead in a world, at least in part, which seems hell-bent on perpetuating fear, destruction, violence, racism, and oppression. Our hearts, of course, go out to the families and communities of those in TX and OH, and also in Chicago and Oakland and Albany and every other place where gun violence wreaks havoc on communities and families. Not one more. What needs to change in each of our lives for that statement to become a priority? Not one more death. How might we enact laws for a saner, safer, country and still honor the essence of the 2nd amendment? And this phrase is also part of healing addictions work-not one more overdose. And then there’s the violence at the border. Not one more child in a cage. Our hearts break. Our minds race or withdraw with the pain of it all. You are not alone. Remember your spiritual practices. Take a nap. Come to worship and sit and be nurtured in a community that cares deeply about many of the things you do. Come and breathe together and raise your voice in song and listen and connect with the larger Love that holds us all. This self-care may allow a bit of ease, a bit of healing to prepare us for what’s next.
What we as a nation has been doing isn’t working. What creative solutions might we discover when we move out of the arguing and debating and lean into shared compassion for one another’s perspectives, intent on solutions that make our southern border hospitable yet boundaried? that provide mental healthcare as part of the everyday norm for all of us? that grapple honestly with the causes of addiction? that put some reasonable parameters around access to weaponry?
May some answers and perhaps more questions, emerge for us all.
In faith,
Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

Exciting Childcare Announcement: We have 2 fabulous new childcare providers on staff: Noah Best and Grace Schlembach, recent Sr Youth RE bridgers/now young adults–Welcome, Noah and Grace! We are absolutely delighted to have you join in caring for the Rainbow Children of the UUSS Nursery!

Sending heartfelt thanks to Mati Hackett for leading the Children and I in a Mindful Movement session–which incorporated yoga, breathing practice, meditation, storytelling, and joy–as part of Summer RE this past Sunday! Namaste!

Summer Religious Education Continues! All Children, grades K-5th, will meet at Waters House from 10:30 through the end of service. Come, join the fun!

July 28: Prepare to be surprised! Tamara Geveci and Mati!

August 4: Exploring Ideas with Jenny, Avvai, and Vinay Lippmann, and Robin!

August 11: Nature Art with Lyndsi Holmes-Wickert and Mati!

August 18: Naturalist Walk in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau with Mati and Robin. Bring your curiosity and outdoor attire (dress for the weather!).

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services.

As the Religious Education program is a cooperative endeavor, volunteers are needed. Volunteer options include teaching classes as part of a teaching team, filling in as a substitute teacher (no curriculum preparation is necessary for being a substitute), assisting in a Religious Education classroom, and offering an extra pair of hands to help with particularly involved crafts or other similar activities.
Contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) Robin Ahearn at dlre@uuschenectady.org for more information about volunteering.

River Rising: It’s not too late for Youth to register for River Rising, which we’ll be hosting 8/18-8/24! We currently only have one UUSS Youth attending… If you’re a Youth and you’d like to attend, be sure to check it out HERE!

If you have any questions or concerns, contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education Robin Ahearn at dlre@uuschenectady.org or (607) 435-2803.

What is study leave? The UUA says it this way, “In recognition that Ministers need extended time away from the stresses and demands of daily congregational life to deepen and expand their calling and practice of ministry, the Ministers will have four weeks of study leave per year. This may include but is not limited to, spiritual retreat, spiritual practices, continuing education, attending conferences and trainings, work-related reading and planning, study groups, writing, pilgrimage, or teaching/preaching at locations away from the Ministers’ primary congregation.’

The ministers have been hard at work since they arrived with us and they have not been using all of the time for vacation and study leave their Letter of Agreement offers. This week is week four of the study leave from fiscal year 2017-18. The next couple of weeks will be study leave from fiscal year 2018-19.

Should a Congregational emergency arise, please contact Church Administrator, Susan Marino admin@uuschenectady.org or Board President, Sara Meixner president@uuschenectady.org If someone needs a meal or ride type of support, contact Kristin Cleveland clc@uuschenectady.org.

The UUSS Caring Team is interested in learning who is willing to be part of a Caring Network, a list of people who are occasionally contacted by a member of the Caring Team to respond to folks in our congregation who need a little extra help or connection (eg: a ride, a visit, a meal). CLICK HERE! to see a list of Caring options, and to check any boxes that feel like things you want to do to help. Also, if you find yourself in need of some help or connection, please contact Rev. Lynn or Rev. Wendy or a member of the Caring Team (Mike MacLaury, Carol Neff, Nancy Tobiessen, Suzanne Brunelle, Lisa Temoshok, and Kristin Cleveland).

With sadness we let you know that on June 27th, long time member Glen Slack died surrounded by his family. Throughout his life, Glen and his wife Nancy traveled widely, making life long friends across the globe. We offer condolences to Nancy, his family and to their friends who are grieving his passing.

We share with sadness that long time member Jane Farrar passed away in Austin Texas on June 27th. Jane was passionate about quilting, helping children and was a member of the Women’s Alliance when she attended the church. We are saddened to hear of her passing.

Last week, we officially began summer worship services. There was lemonade and iced tea, rather than coffee. As it was a stunningly beautiful day, people headed out to their Sunday afternoon adventures more quickly than in other seasons. As we acknowledged on Sunday at the Summer Solstice service, we need the cycles of light and dark, or activity and rest, of action and reflection. This Sunday, June 30th, the summer Religious Education program will begin. (see more below.)

The ministry teams and advisory committees are encouraged to take July off from meeting, and, instead, devoting more time for play, rest, and reflection in your own lives as well as the shared ministry of the congregation. How has the year gone? What have we learned together? What ideas and hopes do we have for the coming year? These reflections will be part of the congregation’s Annual Report that will come out in August. You might consider how you might want to get more involved. There are one time opportunities as well as chances to get to know a great group of folks and work on projects within the congregation.

We know that your summers include a variety of plans: family time, work, internships, classes or camps, volunteering, vacation, time outside, gardening, music, reading, rest, and more. And, we know that one’s spiritual needs don’t go away, just because the temperatures rise. We still need community, we still need inspiration, and we still need ways to make a difference in the world. So, attend worship when you can… there are some fantastic services planned by members of the congregation and guests, as well. Consider attending one of the Summer Circles, for conversation and connection. There will be opportunities to support River Rising, a new youth leadership program that UUSS will host August 17th-24th. You might sign-up to volunteer for Family Promise.

We will be taking our own advice, and devoting time in July for exploring this part of the Earth, hoping to find a sense of place here, gardening, hiking, resting, playing, connecting with friends and family. We’ll also be reflecting on the past year. We will be attending a social justice training, as well as deepening our spiritual practices. We’ll be doing some visioning and planning for the year to come. We’ll be back at UUSS in August, to begin our third year as your co-ministers. Happy, happy summer!~ Rev. Wendy & Rev. Lynn

If you are not a member but still receive Circuits and would like to help this congregation carry on in to the future, we humbly ask that you consider giving a financial gift or making a pledge to help sustain this important institution in the city of Schenectady. Thank you all! Keep it coming! – Mark Hyland, Stewardship Chair on behalf of the Stewardship Team.

Justice, compassion, and joy. This has been the shared mission of the congregation while I have served as president. As my presidency comes to a close, I realize those words have become my mantra.  CLICK HERE to read the whole letter!

The Nursery is available for children five and under during services. As always, all Children and Youth are welcome to attend worship services. (Interviewing for childcare providers is going very well–we have a few promising candidates we hope will begin soon! Thank you for your patience during the nursery staffing challenges these last couple of weeks!) We welcome Jude Miller to our nursery staff.

Summer RE for grades K-6 will begin June 30th. Would you like to help out with one or more of the summer sessions? If so, contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education Robin Ahearn at dlre@uuschenectady.org.

River Rising! Some scholarship $$ still available! Central East Region’s new leadership school is happening July 28-August 3 at State College, PA, and August 18-24, here at UUSS! It’s for youth who will be in 9th-12th grades in the 2019/2020 school year. During this week in community youth will be challenged, learn together, create sacred space, deepen their UU values and build friendships that will last beyond the week. Among other highlights they’re planning a river trip! Registration is $525 before June 15 and matching congregation scholarships are available through CER for up to half. For more information and registration links: https://www.uua.org/central-east/youth/goldmine. To read how River Rising differs from Goldmine (the previous CER leadership school) see this blog post: https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/better-together/introducing-river-rising.

If you have any questions, contact DLRE Robin Ahearn at (607) 435-2803 or dlre@uuschenectady.org.

DLRE Robin Ahearn will be out of the office, attending General Assembly in Spokane, WA, 6/17-6/25. If you need help during her absence, contact Congregational Life Coordinator Kristin Cleveland at clc@uuschenectady.org.

This past Sunday in worship, we thanked the 2018-19 Board of Trustees, acknowledging some of the important work they’ve done this year and also that together, we made a few mistakes. (Your ministers serve as non-voting members of the Board.) This can be uncomfortable to do-to admit that we sometimes fall short of our aspirations. But it is a great antidote to perfectionism which is one of the characteristics of white supremacy culture. Others in the congregation have also made mistakes or fallen short or didn’t follow through with something this year. It is part of life.

Generally, folks don’t intend to err. Yet, the impact of our actions sometimes results in missing the mark. Anti-racism work invites us to focus on our impact rather than hide behind our intentions. Impact happens in multiple directions, often unintentionally-both pain and joy can spread. This year’s Annual Focus of Ministry (AFoM) encouraged us all towards holy curiosity and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. And lots of folks leaned in to learning and stretching.

The second part of the AFoM is to recognize the barriers to building beloved community. One of those barriers that recently surfaced was the availability of information in a timely fashion as articulated by the bylaws. We are going to put some additional practices in place to help us stay a bit more ahead of deadlines to see if that helps remove that info barrier. We need your help in this, though. If the Board sends out information or requests, please read and respond. Use the dry erase Boards to engage with the Open Questions there. (The Board will create new Open Questions at their retreat in August. Open Questions are one of the ways to stay in conversation about the direction of the congregation. They are open questions, because no one person or small group could effectively answer them alone.) If there are forums, attend them or send your questions if you can’t attend. This will help us know what information is getting across, what is needed, and to assess what none of us knows yet.

The third part of our Annual Focus of Ministry this year was to collaborate more with one another. The Communications Team and the Investments Advisory Committee worked hard on policies to recommend to the Board, with the assistance of the Governance Advisory Committee. The Oversight Advisory Committee created a process whereby each Advisory Committee and each Ministry Team shared its work with the Board as part of the oversight and monitoring function of policy-based governance. The Strategy Advisory Committee worked with the Anti-racism Team (ART) on the Chalice Challenges to grapple with Open Question 1 on dismantling white supremacy culture. The Adult Faith Development Team has created a process to help connect some of the long-term programs and also working with the ART and Green Sanctuary Team to create book discussion groups and with Ernie Hall on the UU history class. These are just some examples of collaboration this past year.

And there has been so much more good work done. The Annual Report is scheduled to be published in August and you can learn more about what has been accomplished this second year of the governance shift.

Big shoutout to the Fun for UUSS Team and all the volunteers and staff who helped make the year-end picnic so much fun!

In faith and with gratitude,
Rev. Wendy and Rev. Lynn

Do you love the beauty of the UUSS outdoor spaces, particularly the gardens and plantings? Do you like to get your hands dirty (literally!), or have experience or interest in landscape gardening? A new Gardens sub-team of Buildings and Grounds is forming, and its purpose is “the care, maintenance, visioning, and design of the UUSS garden plots.” We hope to revitalize some of the gardens, focusing on sustainable, drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, native plants and gardening methods consistent with Green Sanctuary principles. We welcome everyone, including experienced gardeners, interested novices, and those with physical limitations but ideas to share. If you are interested or want more information, please contact Ernie Hall at hallel1254@gmail.com or 518-265-3775.