March 2020 Newsletter

She gave her dress a little flip and smoothed her bunchy bodice.  She straightened her short legs so the sandals stuck straight out.  She ratcheted up those fiery socks and looked me in the eye.  I thanked her humbly for her example, and wholeheartedly I meant it. 

Later, in the afterglow of her costume and her gladness, I thought about that girl.  There are children all over this world, and some adults, scattered here and there, who unfailingly will punctuate their lives and their days with sacred celebration and with rituals signifying joy, no matter what they have - or don't - to work with, no matter what the fury the world outside is howling.  They will savor life and breath and all their days no matter what is dealt them.  It's the only way some people know how to live - with gladness and cacophonous color.  These are people who pray without ceasing, awake and aware, chanting (if they're old enough), "This is the life I'd risk anything to save."

"Gather yourselves," say the Hopi elders.  "See who is in the water with you and celebrate.  All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration."

There are things in this life that are so beautiful, so lovely, so simple - extraordinarily ordinary blessings - that the only response sometimes is thankfulness, the kind of thankfulness that clamors for oud colors on a Sunday.

Choose your clothing with defiance, with attitude, with joie de vivre and with intention.  Every action is a sacrament, every move a symbol, every color is a song.  This is a day we'd risk anything to save.

Victoria Safford

 The next UUCV Social Justice Committee March meeting is scheduled for March 18th at 6:30 pm in the Board Room.  All are welcome.

 

Opportunities to volunteer at the Farm Stand

UUCV’s Farm Stand volunteers are scheduled to help on the following
Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30:

        March 12 and 26

        April 9 and 23

        May 14 and 28

The work is not difficult and our efforts are very much appreciated.   

The Farm Stand is located at 12 Lincoln Street, Carlisle, PA.

Please sign up at Social Justice table.

 

 

WOMENFor Peace

Hadee Mosque has invited us to join them for a peace symposium on March 15^th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  This event is a Women Only Event.  The Mosque is located at 245 Division Street in Harrisburg PA.  The program includes lunch and remarks from various speakers.

If interested, PLEASE RSVP to Ayesha Ahmad at harrisburgmuavinapa@lajnausa.net

Do you support Fair Commutation instead of Mass Incarceration?

The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons current review process allows people who have rehabilitated themselves to go home from prison after many years of incarceration, when approved by the Chair of the Board of Pardons.  However, the Attorney General is currently blocking many commutations even though the Chair recognizes someone as worthy of mercy and release.

If you support Fair Commutation instead of Mass Incarceration…please sign the petition located on the Social Justice table.

 

How to Be an Antiracist - Ibram X Kendi

We are pleased to announce that Ibram X. Kendi’s event “How to Be an Antiracist” is rescheduled for Wednesday, April 1, 2020.  at the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium on the Dickinson College campus Ibram X. Kendi will present "How to Be an Antiracist."

 

When America's first black president entered the White House, Americans described their nation as "color blind" and the era as "post-racial." That was a short-lived illusion. In this deeply personal an empowering lecture, National Book Award-winning historian and author Ibram X. Kendi shifts the discussion from how not to be racist to how to be an antiracist. He shares his own racist ideas and how he overcame them, and provides direction to those who want not just Band-id programs but actual antiracist action that builds an antiracist America.

 

 

Change For The World - 

Pad Pantry.  The YWCA Carlisle and the Carlisle Area School District have teamed up to make sure menstrual hygiene products are distributed to local middle school students.

The Pad Pantry will provide "dignity and basic needs to young women and girls in Cumberland County," The products are expensive and may be out of reach for vulnerable populations including students, people facing an income crisis and those living in shelters, the YWCA said. Taxes on these products make the situation worse for many.

An Always Confidence & Puberty study showed one in five girls in the United States left school early or missed school entirely because they didn't have access to menstrual products. In fact, 143,000 girls in New York City alone have missed school because their family couldn’t afford period protection. The number is 88,000 girls in Los Angeles; 65,000 girls in Chicago; 57,000 girls in Atlanta; and 38,000 girls in Houston, the news release said.

Our CFTW donations will be used to purchase these products.

 

As with most churches, we rely on our pledges to fund our UUCV programs, staff, and operations. Our pledges make up 81% of our yearly operating budget, which now includes a full time Director of Lifespan Faith Development. We have already seen what a huge difference having a full-time RE director makes. All the wonderful children we see now in services, new families engaging in the church, and new programs like Adult OWL reaffirm that we made the right decision as a congregation to prioritize growing our church membership in a generational manner.

 

We are building our future together,  Stone Upon Stone, just as communities around the world and across time have done. Many cultures have a tradition of building  cairns, also known as  ebenezers or  inukshuk to mark important places, paths, or moments in the life of their community. These monuments point the way, serving as signposts to make the journey easier and safer for all who follow after them. The efforts of the entire group were required to build these massive stone piles. They are the result of a consensus of purpose, of focused action by a group united in its goal and labor, teaching us that each of our individual efforts is essential to the strength of the whole. Each stone, like each person in our congregation, supports, and is supported by, one another.

 

So it goes with our pledges. Every pledge serves as a ‘stone’ in our UUCV Ebenezer, honoring where we’ve been, celebrating where we are, and pointing the way toward a bright future for the many generations who will continue to share the light of liberal religious tradition in the Cumberland Valley.

 

This year, we are asking that each pledging household consider raising their pledge amount to help keep UUCV pointing the way for our current and future generations. Increasing gifts by $10, $20, or $30 per month for individuals, or $20, $30, or $40 per month for multi-person households would help us to fund our church for the next year and into the future.

 

It is my great hope that we would each see our pledge dollars as an affirmation of our commitment to one another, to our community here at UUCV, and more that that, that we would see it as an act of….dare I say… worship.

 

 

‘Rock’ On,

Chris Kapp

2020-2021 Chair of the Annual Budget Drive

Family Happy Hour - Wednesday, March 25: Desperate Times: 5:30 - 7:30 PM  1201 Carlisle Spring Road, Carlisle...Food, drinks, games!  All are welcome!

Winter-Spring Adult RE Class Schedule - 2020

These classes will be held on Sunday morning’s beginning at 9:00 am in the Board Room...All are welcome!

 

March 8: Yoga Nidra - The topic of this class centers on the practice and history of Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is a sleep based guided meditation practice.  Discussion leader: Courtney Wiley.

 

March 22: Mind and Cosmos - In his book Mind and Cosmos, philosopher Thomas Nagel challenges the dominant world view of our time—materialistic naturalism—the view that all of reality can ultimately be explained in terms of matter and the laws of nature.  Nagel argues that to the contrary, mind and consciousness cannot be fully explained in materialistic terms and this has implications for science as well as our understanding of the ultimate nature of reality.  Discussion leader: Keith Bittinger.

 

April 5: Establishing a Meditation Practice - Sure, I would like to meditate regularly but I can’t because…  Meditation would really help me but…  There are always barriers.  If you would like to start, or improve a meditation practice, OR, if you already practice and can share, please come and talk about it.  Discussion leader: Joe Osborne.

 

April 19: The Divine Within: From Krishna to Christ - The core teaching of Hinduism is often summed up in three words: “You are That,” by which is meant that the essential Self of every human being (the Atman) and The Ineffable Source of ALL That Is (Brahman) are one and the same.  In this class we will explore this concept further and also look at its possible links to the myths and philosophies of ancient Greece and to the “Christ in you” teaching of the apostle Paul.  Discussion leader: Don Hoffman.

 

May 3: Mormonism - In this class we will look at the origins, beliefs, and rituals of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church.  Discussion leader: Courtney Wiley.

 

May 17: Death Meditation - Do a Death Meditation? Seriously? Isn’t that kinda weird? Why would anyone want to spend time contemplating their own, or anyone else’s death?  But this practice often helps us understand and manage our life better and can be very liberating. This is about priorities and how we set them in the light of realities.  Since there’s no bigger reality than death, shouldn’t we start by looking at it?  Discussion leader: Joe Osborne.

In other words, please join in a joyful celebration for Cindy Terlazzo at her ordination as a Unitarian Universalist minister.  All are welcome and not only is your presence appreciated - you - the members of the Unitarian Universalists Congregation of York (UUCY) and the Unitarian Universalists of the Cumberland Valley (UUCV) play an integral role in this process for it is only the congregations who have the power to ordain a minister.

 

The Details:

The ceremony will be held at UUCY, 925 S. George St., York, PA 
on Saturday, March 28 at 1:45 PM. 

 A reception with light refreshments will follow. 

A special offering will be held to benefit the UU Living Tradition Fund. Nursery age childcare will be provided from 1:30 until 4 PM.

 

Cindy has asked Laura Rumley, Cindy Good, and Wendy Gebb to serve as coordinators of UUCV’s participation in her ordination ceremony. This involves gathering RSVPs from those planning to attend, organizing carpooling for anyone interested, and asking for donations of desserts for the reception following the ceremony.

 

During coffee hour beginning Sunday, March 1 there will a sign up table in the Social Hall where you can RSVP,  sign up to drive or request a ride, and sign up to donate a dessert for the reception. Even if you have already told Cindy that you plan to attend or donate a dessert, it would be helpful if you would also RSVP in this manner. Or you can respond by emailing Wendy at wendywinter@comcast.net.

 

Please plan to join in this special occasion. UUCV has benefitted in many ways from Cindy’s internship and it is our privilege to be one of the congregations sponsoring her ordination. Let’s share the joy as we greet the new Reverend!

Mid-Week Choir Rehearsals Are (Almost) Back!

The choir gathered after worship on February 23 to review the results of our rehearsal strategy survey, and to discuss rehearsal plans and policies for the future.  Keep your eyes peeled to the UUCV website, Facebook page, and PrE-Views for official announcements in early March regarding choir rehearsal times and how you can get started singing with the choir!  (Hint: Mid-week rehearsals are making a comeback!)

The Board also decided to solicit further funds for the upkeep and enhancement of the Memorial Garden from all those who especially care about this special place on our grounds. If you wish to contribute, you may drop your check in the collection basket on Sundays or send it directly to UUCV (P. O. Box 207, Boiling Springs, 17007) – Be sure to WRITE “MEMORIAL GARDEN” in the MEMO LINE.

If you have further questions or would like to volunteer for this project, please contact Cindy Good at cyagood4@gmail.com.

congregants in an entirely free-form fashion to give everyone the opportunity to contribute in any way they are inspired to. We will still aim to provide crudités, as well as the expected hot beverages.

 

The plan is to have “Bid Deal Coffee Hours” after Town Hall meetings, the Annual Meeting (with Middles member volunteers setting up snacks for hungry children in childcare before the Big Deal event) and other special occasions. There will also be cake and a festive coffee hour to celebrate child dedications and new member book signings.

 

We have a sign-up sheet in the Social Hall and eventually will have the sign-up sheet online; both requesting healthy options, sweets, set-up, and clean-up assistance. All congregants are welcome to contribute and participate. A donation of monetary funds to sponsor a coffee hour instead is also welcome and much appreciated. Candice Holsinger has volunteered to sync the physical and on-line sign ups.

 

The committee will not have regular committee meeting times, but will occasionally meet in-person. We will discuss most details through email, and take turns fulfilling responsibilities, such as coordinating food items. 

We are meeting again on March 1st to refine plans and tour the kitchen to assess what is available and determine what may be needed.  Do join us if you are interested in being part of the fun!

 

Working toward a more Environmentally Friendly Coffee Hour:

• We have asked the congregation for donations of mugs for reuse and have volunteers willing to wash them (thank you Candice and Ryanne!).
• We are looking into Composting Facility options for the current stock of disposable/compostable spoons and plates
• We will research and coordinate a worm composting project with the children as an educational and community service opportunity, to reduce the waste output of our Coffee Hour events.
• We welcome the congregation to donate extra paper products that they may have left from events.

 

Our first Big Deal Coffee Hour will be on March 8^th – a very big deal because we will be saying goodbye to our intern minister, Cindy Terlazzo.

Join us for some Fundraising Brainstorming!

Sunday March 1^st 9 a.m. – want to come and talk about Fundraising at UUCV?   Have a great idea or want to plan out some future events?  Just come and hang out and discuss future Fundraising efforts.  Yummy snacks and coffee will be provided!!

Grocery Cards – Easy fundraiser for UUCV

Don’t forget to stop by the Grocery Card table after service on Sundays to buy a Giant, Karns or Weis card to purchase all your picnic groceries.  This is a great fundraiser for UUCV – we receive 10% of the face value of every Giant Card sold and 5% for each Karns and Weis card sold.  Cards can also be purchased during the week in the church office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm and on Wednesdays from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.  And you can use your Giant card for gas, Carlisle Borough Trash Bags, prescriptions, and beer for those over 21!

UUCV Yard Sale

Are you saving a high priced item for our June yard sale?  If so, contact Pam in the office at 717/249-8944 or pam@uucv.net.  We are going to try selling high priced items on Marketplace on Facebook.  We've already tested this out with a large blanket chest and a snow blower and are happy to report both sold for a total of $300.00.   

NEWS FROM THE UUCV BURSARY COMMITTEE

The new school year is well underway in Mozambique.  The National Institute for Development Education (INDE) reported that 8.4 million students entered general education programs on 31 January 2020, the first day of the school year. This was a 4.7% increase over 2019. 

 

The INDE, however, is concerned about the fact that while 7 million students are enrolled in primary school, only 1.3 million are enrolled in secondary education programs.  There are many reasons why few Mozambiquan children complete secondary school, among them family poverty and the expense of living away from home while attending school in a faraway town.  Mozambiquan families also tend to prioritize education for their sons over that of their daughters.

 

Our Bursary donations enable female Mozambiquan teenagers to realize their dream of completing their educations.  The money raised by this congregation pays for room and board, school uniforms, and hygiene and school supplies.  Graduates of our bursary schools have distinguished themselves in education, health care, and agriculture.

 

In 2020, members of UUCV have the opportunity to learn about secondary education in Mozambique first hand.  During the latter half of July, a team of members will be visiting our bursaries in Malumbo and Namarroi to meet the students, parents, and teachers.  The trip will last about ten days.  If you are interested in going, please contact Dianne Dusman, Deb Genet, or Susan Rimby.

 

Susan Rimby, on behalf of the Mozambique Bursary Committee

From Auction Central - Cathy Dewalt

As the new auction chairperson, I feel it is pertinent that I commend Wendy for her tireless efforts she put in as auction chairperson for the past three years. Kudos to her and every last person who put in their valuable time and donations to make this the biggest fund raising auction to date! We've raised over $20,000 at this point! Wendy certainly left the job with a BANG! She also left me with some very big footprints to fill. Her and I have had countless meetings together and with others including most recently with Patti Hazell, chairperson of the Harrisburg UU auction committee. I have a lot of information that I hope to put to use to make our next auction a successful one.

  
With that said, it's back to business at hand. I am asking everyone to keep an eye on the auction table set up in the social hall. We have many sign-ups that have room for more attendees. Perhaps on auction night, you were over budget on what you wanted to sign up for or else were not sure you would be around on the date of the sign-up. Here's your chance to take a second look and perhaps get your name on one you missed. As Pam or I remove sign-ups that have expired, new ones will be added for later dates on a monthly basis. Keep the bidding going!

  
Before I go, I would like to thank the following ladies for helping with the auction closet. We basically, cleaned house. The closet needed this for window installation and so we took it a step further. Thanks to Jim Burton, we purchased a shelving unit for a more orderly storage of plastic boxes of "stuff" we use for the big night. So thanks to Rita van Alkemade, Deb Stille, Pam Wenger, Kim Stone, Mikki williams, and Char Klein. A special thank you to our custodian, Jim McLaren who had to lug two bags of trash to the dumpster because we had no way to tie the bags shut!

For full descriptions and pricing information of the events, click here

March 7 - Yoga Nidra for Grief (28 spots left)

March 12 - Bee Talk & Honey Pairing (2 spots left)

March 15 - Spaghetti after Church (3 spots left)

March 21 - Piano Bar Time (2 spots left)

March 28 - Sondheim Dinner (2 spots left)

March 28 - Dance like Fred & Ginger (10 spots left)

It takes courage to live into our values when we encounter conflict at work, in relationships, among our families, online, or in our communities.

Emily Crutcher and Wendy Gebb will facilitate this free workshop that will help you explore your relationship with conflict, and will offer some tools for handling challenging conversations with kindness. All are welcome - you only need to bring an open mind and heart.

 

Snacks provided and childcare will be available. For questions or accessibility requests, please contact Emily Crutcher (emilyuucv@gmail.com).

General Assembly is only a few months away...
                                     It's time to get Rooted, Inspired & Ready!

                                         Providence, RI

Registration is now open at uua.org/ga. Full-time registration is $400 for adults, $240 for high school youth, and $150 for off-site registrants. Register by March 15 for the lowest rate. Rates will increase on March 16 and again on May 1.

The UUA is committed to the goal of making GA accessible to as many attendees as possible. Go to uua.org/ga to learn about scholarships to support participation - particularly of those from marginalized groups - and volunteer opportunities (work in exchange for registration). 

In addition to a variety of nearby hotels, attendees will also be able to book dormitory-style accommodations at two local universities. Also, UUs from local congregations will serve as host families for Home Hospitality, which is B&B style accommodations. For more information, visit uua.org/ga. Make your hotel reservation beginning March 2 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern at uua.org/ga.

www.uucv.net
717/249-8944

Worship: Sundays 10:30 am
2 Forge Road
Boiling Springs, PA  17007