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Dear Beloveds,
I’ve been trying to move my Vespers service to Facebook live.
What an odd sentence. If asked, say, 4 months ago. I would have said that the church doesn’t yet have a midweek worship service, but when we do, I plan for it to be small, and intimate and a time for quiet reflection. I would not have mentioned zoom, or facebook live, or any kind of technology. I would have imagined a small group of people in a candle lit room. Experiencing the kind of silence that you can only share together. The kind of
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quiet that speaks to presence, not absence. I would have imagined soft light and the sound of the breathing of people much loved and long known.
I had an idea in my head about what a small worship service would be. It was reflective, it was beautiful and it didn’t exist. It didn’t exist for a number of reasons: we had other things going on, I wasn’t sure if we had the right space for what I was imagining, I wasn’t sure how we would navigate music. I was sure we would get around to it eventually...once we had the tools to make it shine. And we would have. But we...hadn’t yet. A lot of things in life are like that. We have a perfect image of what might be, which can keep us from making a slightly less perfect reality.
But my imagined perfection was interrupted by our brand new world. When we made the decision to suspend in person church services I badly wanted to have as much in place to maintain our beloved community as possible. So I returned to my Vespers idea. It wouldn’t be in a beautifully lit room - it would be in awkward places in my home (to date I have held vespers from the nursery, the kitchen counter, my bed…) There would be no communal silence - just the awkwardness of wondering if our zoom connection had dropped. We don’t reach out our hands, but rather gaze longingly at people’s little pictures. And is reflective, and it is beautiful and it is real. Our little community comes together, shares their joys and sorrows, breathes together and, I think, feels a little less alone. And now I, with my imperfect technological skills, am trying to live stream to facebook, a platform about which I will say merely: not a fan. But it is a tool, to help draw our connections a little wider and a little deeper. So I will use it. And I will use zoom, and maybe one of these days I will figure out instagram, and whatever comes next. We will use whatever tools we’ve got to keep our community connected, and breathing together.
The Vespers service I lead isn’t the one I imagined, but it is real, and it matters. How many things in our lives are like that now: not as we hoped, not as we imagined, but real, and vital? I’m going to take a moment, the next time the zoom call drops out, or the connection is lost, and be grateful for the tools we have, imperfect though they are.
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The Worship Theme for June is "We Would Be One"
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
June 7: "We Would Be One" We would be one? Really? What might we have to give up for this unity? Is it worth it? Rev. Aija Simpson leads the service with worship associate Molly Wilkinson.
June 14. "RE Sunday" This Sunday we will celebrate a wonderful year in RE with a multigen RE Sunday service.
June 21: "Now What?" As we go into this uncertain future, we ask, who will we be togeher? Rev. Aija Simpson preaches with worship associate Chris Kapp..
June 28: "GA" Join us and UU's from across the country as we gather for General Assembly worship. Details to follow.
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The UUCV Book Group meets the 4th Sunday of each month at 6:30 in the YUUth Room. Brochures with this year's picks are available in the Social Hall, and new members are always welcome to join us.
The June 28th selection is "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson. This Pulitzer Prize-winning author examines the untold story of the Great Migration, black America's mass exodus from the South. 6 million Americans left their homes in search of a better life, shaping the trajectory of our country for decades to come.
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
Please note: We will be meeting via Zoom for the foreseeable future. The link is available upon request.
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UUCV Grocery Cards for Sale
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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.
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Spiritual Dimensions of Healing
Dan Cozort is teaching his "Spiritual Dimensions of Healing" course for the last time in a summer session at Dickinson, starting on Friday, May 29, and meeting every weekday online from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Zoom. The class ends July 2.
He invites any members or friends of UUCV to sit in on the course, even if only for particular days or weeks. Contact him at cozort@dickinson.edu or just Zoom into
https://zoom.us/j/99914262531.
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June Social Justice Opportunities
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Dinner for 60 - June 28th
UUCV will be providing a meal for our CARES Community on Sunday, June 28th.
Please email pam@uucv.net by Tuesday, June 23rd to sign up.
Special thanks to Jen and Rachel Teates for volunteering to cook the burgers and dogs!
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Here is what we need:
1 dozen Hamburger Patties (not cooked) (6 signups needed)
8 pk Hot Dogs (7 needed)
8 pk Hot Dog Rolls (7)
8 pk Hamburg Rolls (9)
1 lb Sliced American Cheese (6)
Large Ketchup (1)
Large Mayo (1)
Large Mustard (1)
Large Relish (2)
Chopped Onions
Baked Beans
Potatoe Salad
Pasta Salad
Veggie Salad (Bean, Cucumber, etc.)
Sliced Watermelon (several sign ups needed)
Desserts (6 dozen)
3 Gallons Milk
3 Gallons Lemonade
3 Gallons Tea
As a reminder, The sides, & desserts need to be brought in nonreturnable, disposable containers.
All donated items need to be brought to the church parking lot between 3:00 and 3:30 on Sunday, June 28. If you need someone to pick up your donation, please call either Cindy Good 717-440-2069, or Mike Riesmeyer 724-822-4105. Any questions call Carol Riesmeyer, 724-822-6423.
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Change for the World
Community CARES - JUNE
Community CARES will be UUCV's Change for the World again in June.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Community Cares is continuing to practice social distancing and has moved its most vulnerable and sick residents into hotel rooms to help curb the spread of the virusThey 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. |
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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. |
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Here's what they need most right now.
Basic staple foods
Cleaning supplies
Masks
Gloves.
Non-perishable items may be placed in the CARES collection container located near the door by UUCV’s parking lot.
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June'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.
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
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Join a UUCV Small Group
We are all experiencing some degree of isolation from friends and family. This includes our UUCV family. This is the perfect time to consider joining a small group or forming a new one.
We have several small groups meeting on line from two to four times per month. The official organized small group meetings generally meet once a month. But, many feel the need to make contact more often. Please consider the opportunity to speak with and see your fellow UUer's.
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If you are interested, send me an email or call: 717-486-8600. If I don't answer, please leave a message and I will get back with you. I hope to hear from you soon.
Stay Well,
Jim Burton
Small Group Ministry Leader
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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. |
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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.
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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!
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Weekly Virtual Opportunities to Connect with UUCV Community
Monday:
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:
10:30am - 1:00 pm: Open Zoom Space:
Every day a UUCV staff member will be available on Zoom to connect, chat, and hold space.
6:00 - 7:00 pm: 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:
10:30am - 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:
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.)
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ZOOM Reservations
We are thankful for the technology that has allowed us to remain connected with our UUCV family. |
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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.
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.
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News from the Mozambique Bursary Committee
In these days when the Covid-19 pandemic takes up much of our consciousness, you may be wondering how the girls attending the bursary programs in Molumbo and Namarroi are faring. According to the Mozambiquan Health Ministry, there were 107 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the nation as of May 13th. As of that date there had been no deaths from the coronavirus. Currently, Mozambique is testing 140 people per million. The number of cases is rising daily, and the government has not been able to figure out how the virus is spreading.
The Mozambiquan government closed schools and sent students home in March, declaring a state of emergency on April 1st. No one knows when schools will reopen. Despite the pandemic, our Mozambiquan agents, Titos Macie and Sonia Assane Sauale, were able to perform many of the Bursary Committee’s objectives after the new school year began in January. Titos and Sonia held meetings with parents on March 6th and 7th. They reported that the parents were very supportive of the Bursary program, and agreed to collaborate with the educating mothers. Namarroi parents formed a steering committee to assist the educating mothers, and Molumbo parents agree to help with the repairs of the kitchen building. Additionally, Titos and Sonia distributed school supplies, uniforms, food, and hygiene materials to the girls. Currently we support 94 girls at the Namarroi and Molumbo Boarding Centers. We also support a girl who attends a teacher training institute, two girls attending health training institutes, and a girl learning public administration.
Titos and Sonia were not able to complete two program objectives, training graduates in short term professional courses and arranging meetings with successful female professionals, because of the pandemic. Currently, Titos and Sonia are preparing plans that will allow girls to return safely to school once the government lifts current restrictions. We may need to purchase additional safety and hygiene supplies for the girls. In the meantime, we wish good health to our friends and supporters in Mozambique.
Submitted by Susan Rimby
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