UUCV Newsletter

May 2020 Newsletter

From the Minister...

Dear Beloveds,

Well, what have y'all been up to? Anything new in your lives?

I wish I could ask these questions in sincerity. The last month has been very, very weird. I am really proud of the work that the staff and leadership has done to transition the church online, and to do it quickly and remarkably smoothly. I'm honored that so many of you have participated in our new online community. We have had record attendance for Sunday worship; I hope the services have provided solace at a much needed time.

You have probably noticed that we have transitioned to worship held entirely from individuals homes. As we go forward, we will be looking to recruit people to help with the technological elements of the service. Our hope is that we will continue to stream when we are able to return to the sanctuary. If this is something you are interested in helping with, please contact me.

We are in a mode of continually learning as we come together how to be the best possible virtual church. We are working to innovate while acknowledging that this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. I’m encouraging the staff to take good care of themselves and I would ask that you all do the same. We’ve got tough times ahead and we are going to continue to to need each other. Stay safe. Hug the people you already share germs with. I love you all.

In faith,

Rev Aija

Worship this Month

The Worship Theme for May is "Just as Long as I have Breath"

Normally the Sermon titles and blurbs are included in this section. However, our new normal is things change...every minute. Each weeks worship service will be inspired by the journey we are all on at the moment.

We look forward to you joining us Sunday's at 10:30 am. Connect with us at uucv.org/virtual

May 5: "Keep On Keepin On" Dancing, running, slogging, struggling - However you're moving through these strange days, don't give up. When we reach out to one another, we move forward together. Chris Kapp leads the service with worship associate Bev Motich.

May 10:. "Parent's Day" Blessed are those who take care, no matter their gender. Join us for UUCV's first ever Parent's Day. Rev. Aija Simpson preaches with worship associate Michele Burton.

May 17: "We, who are Blessed" What actions do our blessings call to us? What gifts do we need to give? Rev. Aija Simpson preaches with worship associate Chris Kapp..

May 24: "The Great Mystery" Who knows where we are going? Who knows when we will get there? Rev. Aija Simpson preaches with worship associate Gisela Roethke.

May 31: Service information to be announced.

This n That...

UUCV Book Group

The group meets the 4th Sunday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Yuuth Room.

Please note: We will be meeting via Zoom for the foreseeable future. The link is available upon request.

The May 17th selection is "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan. It is an exploration of the scientific method, offering critical thinking and skepticism as necessary skills to help one navigate a changing information landscape packed with pseudoscience. .

If you have any questions, please contact UUCV Book Group Coordinator, Riley Johnson at riles1806@gmail.com, or Pam in the office at pam@uucv.net or
717-249-8944.

UUCV Grocery Cards for Sale

We are still available for you to purchase grocery card sales for Weis, Karns and Giant...and remember you can use your Giant card for gas also.

Send an email to Pam with your order and the cards will be mailed to your home. You can pay by sending a check to UUCV, PO Box 207, Boiling Springs, PA 17007 or you can pay by credit card directly to Pam...indicate in your email if you want to pay by credit card and Pam will arrange the payment with you.

Thanks for continuing to support UUCV.

UUCV’s Garden Beds need YOU

If you missed the April plea, here is the rerun! While a few beds have care takers, many key areas still need volunteers. The more helping hands, the easier it is for all of us.

…….

Ready… Set… Spring!

Even during this odd spring- the days get longer, flowers bloom, and UUCV’s landscape beds need TLC. Yes, you can be on the church grounds, the yard is not quarantined! Gardening gets us outside, provides exercise, reduces stress and can be done practicing “social distancing”. If you are new to UUCV gardening what a great time to start.

UUCV’s Adopt a Flower Bed program matches each volunteer with one specific area. Some beds just need weeding and others involve planting flowers. Garden on your own or bring the whole family and pick a time that suits your schedule. Generally, you may spend around 30-40 minutes every 2 weeks.

When things are cleaned-up in the fall you are done. That’s it, no meetings and no long-term commitment.

Are you ready to say “Yes, I/We can help!” or have questions - Contact: Paula Terry – paterry31@gmail.com (No social hall sign-ups available this spring.)

Social Justice at UUCV

May Social Justice Opportunities

Change for the World
Community CARES

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Community Cares has moved into the Stuart Community Center in order to practice social distancing and has moved its most vulnerable and sick residents into hotel rooms to help curb the spread of the virus. They currently have a Census of approximately 60 people and are operating on a skeleton staff. Their resources are being stretched to the limit right now, as need is up and donations are down.

How you can help Community CARES now!

Keeping 60 residents safe and healthy during a pandemic, in a communal setting, is a herculean task that they are tackling with grace and proficiency. Please support Community CARES staff by donating to this month’s CFTW. They are the front line of protecting our most vulnerable citizens right now.

Here's what they need most right now. -- BOLD items are most pressing.

Laundry Detergent
Gallons of water
Wipes

Bleach
Bread
Tissues

Sugar/creamer
Coffee filters
Trash bags

Command hooks and strips [to hang up clothing and belongings at Stuart Community Center]

Milk
Microwavable meals

Canned meats

Gloves (plastic food service)
Ziplock bags (gallon & quart)
Sharpies

NOTE: PLEASE DROP OFF DONATIONS at The STUART COMMUNITY CENTER -
415 FRANKLIN STREET, CARLISLE. Non-perishable items may also be placed in the CARES collection container located near the door by UUCV’s parking lot.

Stone Upon Stone

Annual Budget Drive
Extended –

Hi all.

I hope you're staying well, staying HOME, and not taking for granite [see what I did there?] all the wonderful virtual programming that UUCV has been offering during the quarantine.

Just a note to give you an update on the Annual Budget Drive. As you might remember, our ABD was interrupted by the arrival of COVID-19, and we had to go virtual before we could have our ingathering service. Rest assured, we have not forgotten about it though. Our ABD team has been working diligently behind the scenes to keep entering pledges as they come in, and adjusting the budget accordingly.

We have a new date to re-launch our Annual Budget Drive -- May 17th. Our ingathering service will be done via Zoom, to comply with our current social distancing directives.

Covid-19 has changed so much in our world, in our personal lives, and in our church over the past 6 weeks. We understand that it's possible that your financial position has changed due to these unprecedented times. And we get it. After the service, you will be contacted by a member of our ABD team to check in and see if a revision to your pledge needs to be made. Please know that we do understand. We also want you to be aware that the expenses of the church have not changed during this time. Staff is still working to create digital experiences that are meaningful and connect us to one another, even when we can't be together physically.

It's been an extraordinary spring. This will be another rock we can add to our Ebenezer of church history. We will get through this....together.

Rock on everyone.

Religious Education

May's Featured Events

Check out our virutual opportunities to stay in touch with others this month. We look forward to seeing you all on our ZOOM events.

Sundays, May 3, 17, 29 - 9:00 Spirit Play Online

Mondays - 5:30 PM Family Happy Hour

Tuesdays - 7:00 PM Bedtime Story

And join us on Facebook

Fridays at 3:00 PM for Cute Animal Videos

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 AM for our UUCV Challenge

UUCV Announcements

Foundry Day - CANCELLED

Sadly, it's no surprise that the Foundry Day Festival scheduled in Boiling Springs on June 6 has been cancelled.

We will not be able to host one of our largest fundraising events....our Strawberry Shortcake booth...but stay tuned for some alternative ideas as we see how the social distancing restrictions are revised throughout the summer.

UUCV Yard Sale

Our annual yard sale that we hold in conjunction with Foundry Day will be postponed.

As we see how the social distancing restrictions are revised throughout the summer, we are going to plan to hold our yard sale when (if) it becomes safe to do so.

Hang on to all those treasures you found when you were cleaning out your homes during your stay at home order. Remember, no shoes, no clothes or electronic devises.

And, if you have large items, contact Pam and she will make arrangements with you to bring your items to UUCV (when it's safe to do so) for sale on the Facebook Marketplace.

Stay tuned for details!

Weekly Virtual Opportunities to Connect with UUCV Community

Monday:

10:00 - 10:30am: #UUCV Challenge:

Join us on Facebook Live to hear about the next in our series of UUCV Challenge by Choice!

10:30am - 1:00 pm: Open Zoom Space:

Every day a UUCV staff member will be available on Zoom to connect, chat, and hold space.

5:30 - 6:30: Family Happy Hour, Online Edition:

Grab your favorite beverage and come hang out with us on Zoom.

Tuesday:

10:30 - 1:00 pm: Open Zoom Space:

Every day a UUCV staff member will be available on Zoom to connect, chat, and hold space.

7:00 - 7:30pm: Bedtime Story with Emily.

Join DLFD Emily Crutcher on Zoom as she reads a bedtime story for little ones.

Wednesday:

10:00 - 10:30am: #UUCV Challenge:

Join us on Facebook Live to hear about the next in our series of UUCV Challenge by Choice!

10:30am - 1:00 pm: Open Zoom Space:

Every day a UUCV staff member will be available on Zoom to connect, chat, and hold space.

7:00 - 8:00pm: Vespers with Rev. Aija:

Rev. Aija will lead a meditative worship experience for those seeking a point of calm, stillness, stability, and community connection.

Thursday:

10:30am - 1:00 pm: Open Zoom Space:

Every day a UUCV staff member will be available on Zoom to connect, chat, and hold space.

8:30 - 9:30pm: Meditative Music with David

Join David for an hour of calming, meditative music.

Friday:

10:00 - 10:30am: #UUCV Challenge:

Join us on Facebook Live to hear about the next in our series of UUCV Challenge by Choice!

10:30am - 1:00 pm: Open Zoom Space:

Every day a UUCV staff member will be available on Zoom to connect, chat, and hold space.

3:00 - 4:00pm: Animal Videos with Emily:

Tune in for your weekly dose of fluff and cuteness. Emily will watch and comment on animal videos on Facebook Live.

Sunday:

9:00 - 9:45am: RE Lesson May 10 and May 24

Kids can join us for a special online RE lesson each Sunday before service.

10:30am - 12:00pm: Sunday worship service via Zoom

12:00 - 1:00pm: Online Coffee Hour: Stick around after service to chat. We will create breakout rooms and provide prompts for small group conversation and connection. Rev. Aija will host a "receiving line" on Zoom after worship and virtual coffee hour until 12:30pm.

How to Join In

To participate remotely in any of the above, we recommend accessing the link below (on a desktop or laptop computer or smartphone, with or without a webcam), and saving the URL as a bookmark in your preferred browser. (If you don’t already have Zoom installed on your computer, this link will prompt you to begin the installation. There is no charge to you for the software or its use.)

uucv.org/virtual

You may also choose to “listen in” via telephone, by calling 646-876-9923 and entering Meeting ID 942 810 6896

(Regardless of how you join the service, your microphone will be automatically muted, so you needn’t worry about interrupting anything by joining late.)

ZOOM Reservations

We are thankful for the technology that has allowed us to remain connected with our UUCV family.

It warms our hearts to see all your faces (or names) at worship on Sundays. And, many of you are also using our UUCV channels for your small group meetings, committee meetings, and monthly executive meetings.

Beginning May 1, we ask that the meeting leader reserve your ZOOM time by emailing Pam. A staff member will open up your meeting at your requested time and then turn over the HOST duties to the leader and staff will pull out of the meeting. We have multiple channels and happily, they are being used to keep everyone connected.

The ZOOM passwords will be changed May 1, so make sure you get your time reserved so the staff can greatfully connect you with your group.

UUCV Auction

May Auction Events - Cancelled

To comply with the Stay at Home guidelines set up for our County, we are requesting that all Auction Events scheduled for May be postponed.

Hopefully, there will be an opportunity for your event to be rescheduled when the guidlines are relaxed.

Your host will contact you when your event can be held.

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PO Box 207 2 Forge Road Boiling Springs, PA 17007

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