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August 2020 Newsletter

From the Minister...


Dear Friends,

Lately I’ve been thinking about the power of showing up.  These reflections have been complicated, but ultimately strengthened by, the fact that many of us are not able to physically be present right now.   In my musings, I came upon a reflection by the author Danielle LaPorte in which she lifts up the importance of showing up:

  •  A little bit of meditation is better than no meditation. Two minutes is better than zero minutes.
  •  A little bit of meditation is better than no meditation. Two minutes is better than zero minutes.
  • Consistency sends a signal to your whole system, to the divine, to the planet that you want to serve that you’re showing up, that your attention is there. Just give it two minutes on the days you’ve just got two minutes. You’re signaling your system that you’re committed; that you’re attending to all of you…You’re giving what you’ve got to give that day, and that’s the important part.
  • And when the days come when you’ve got fifteen minutes of open space—and maybe that fifteen minutes, for you, turns into twenty or thirty or it’s an hour to sit; whatever feels like nourishing grace—those are the days when you have it to give.
  • Just show up with what you’ve got to give that day. It makes all the difference.

Danielle is talking about meditation, but I think this is true for so many parts of our lives.  There are so many things that feel important, so important that they can feel daunting.  We face huge challenges:

  • COVID 
  • systemic and historic racism and white supremacy 
  • climate change 
  • our increasing inability to not only connect, but even see the humanity in the people with whom we disagree to name just a few

These can feel too big for our small efforts.  But every effort starts small, that is the way the world changes.  Sometimes they get bigger, and more people get involved.  And sometimes they stay small, and they still matter.  Whatever it is ours to do, big or small, what matters is that we keep working, every day.  We make the bold decision to act like our lives and actions matter.  And we keep showing up.

 

In faith,

Rev. Aija

Worship this Month
The Worship Theme for August is "Words that Unite/Words that Divide"

We look forward to you joining us Sunday's at 10:30 am.   Connect with us at uucv.org/virtual or “listen in” (without video) by telephone, by calling 646-876-9923 and entering Meeting ID 942 810 6896

August 2: - 
"Sin"'  Buckle up folks. 2020's got sin to spare. Can we face it? Rev. Aija Simpson preaches with worship associate Cathy Dewalt.

August 9. - "Holy"  Do we believe in the division of sacred and profane? Can we divide the world at all? Rev. Aija Simpson preaching with worsip associate Chris Kapp.

August 16:  "Shame"  If you stumble, make it part of the dance.  Rev. Aija Simpson preaching with worship associate Gisela Roethke.

August 23: "Salvation" Is it possible to embrace the idea of salvation while rejecting the notion that without i, we are somehow fundamentally flawed? What if the peril we need 'saved from' is ...ourselves?  Chris Kapp leads worship.

August 30:  "Sins of the Father"  Passed down from generation to generation--A new lens on inherited trauma; how it affects us individually and as a society.  Cheryl Parsons and Wendy Gebb lead the service.

This n That...
UUCV Book Group 

The UUCV Book Group meets the 4th Sunday of each month at 6:30 on ZOOM. The link is available upon request. New members are always welcome to join us.

The August 23rd selection is "The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper" by Hallie Rubenhold. This in-depth look into the lives of the five women murdered by one of the world's most notorious serial killers provides insight into who they were as people, and into the plight of economically disadvantaged women of 19th century London.

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.

 

 



New Member Sign-Ups


Are you interested in becoming a member of UUCV?  Or just want to learn more about Unitarian Universalism?

New Membership classes will be held in late September, early October via ZOOM.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Pam to sign up.

More details will follow...all are welcome!

Social Justice at UUCV

August Social Justice Opportunities
 Chicken Dinner for 60 - August 16

UUCV will be providing a meal for our CARES Community on Sunday, August 16 

Please email pam@uucv.net by Tuesday, August 11 to sign up.

Special thanks to Carol Riesmeyer for setting up these meals with CARES staff.

Here is what we need:

Variety of Chicken donations- Fried, BBQ, or Baked Chicken

Needed: At least 6- 8 donations of 12 pieces of Chicken (4 donations still needed)

 

Needed: 6-8 dozen of biscuits (6 donations still needed)

 

Needed: 2 lbs of butter, 1 container of honey

 

Needed:   8 Side dishes such as Mac and Cheese, Broccoli Cheddar Rice, Hashbrown Casserole, Pasta Salad, Pea Salad, Corn Salad, Cole Slaw,  Potato Salad, Greens Salad (3 donations still needed)

 

Needed:   60 Pudding Cups

 

Needed: Any fresh fruit like bananas, apples, oranges, plums

Bananas and Apples donated…can still use more as well as more fruit

 

Needed: 3 gallons of Lemonade (1 gallon still needed)

 

                3 gallons of Iced Tea (filled)

 

                3 gallons of Milk (1 gallon still needed)

 

 

All food items need to be sent in nonreturnable containers, such as foil pans or any disposable containers.   Food items will be picked up at the church parking lot on Sunday, August 16 between 3:00 and  3:30.  Or you can call Cindy Good (717-440-2069), or Mike Riesmeyer (724-822-4105)ahead of time for pick-up. Any questions, call Carol Riesmeyer at 724-822-6423.

 
THANK-YOU  for caring about the homeless population in our area. The needs at
CARES are increasing as the number of clients increases. When the state ban on
Evictions ends on July 18, these numbers are about to grow even more.
Change for the World
Community CARES - AUGUST


Community CARES will be UUCV's Change for the World again in August.

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. 

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.

Send checks made out to UUCV with "CFTW" or "CARES" in the memo line and send to UUCV, PO Box 207, Boiling Springs, PA  17007

Thank You Farm Stand Volunteers!

For the past couple of years, Project SHARE staff has depended upon UUCV to provide volunteers to help at the Farm Stand two times each month.  When the Coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-March, Steve (Farm Stand manager) reached out to UUCV to let us know he needed our help even more.  He asked if UUCV would

provide a small group of volunteers show up every Thursday morning at 9 AM and work for a couple of hours.  Steve informed us we would need to follow CDC Covid-19 guidelines while working at the Farm Stand.  Without hesitation our small group of volunteers said YES.  So for the past few months, 4 to 6 of us have shown up each week.  We wear our face masks and gloves and practice social distancing as we prepare donated fruits, vegetables, and breads for distribution.  I think anyone who has volunteered on our “team” would tell you the time they spend at the Farm Stand is very rewarding. 

As the unofficial team chief, I want to shout out a BIG THANK YOU to the following people who keep on showing up every week: Carole DeWall, Lenore Garder, Deb Genet, Donna Griest, Jackie Heath, Mike Riesmeyer, Kim Stone.

Giving a couple of hours to help someone in need receive fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to give back! Please let me know if this sounds like an opportunity you are interested in.  

Cindy Good

Other ways you can help our CARES community.  Here's what is needed most right now...

 

PLEASE NOTE: Drop off all items at Community CARES, 50 West Penn Street, Carlisle between 9am – 4pm, Monday-Friday Questions? Contact Karen Rhody at 717-249-1009 ext 2240 or krhody@morethanshelter.org or drop off at UUCV, 2 Forge Road, Boiling Springs, in the CARES bin by the office door off the parking lot.

MOST URGENT NEEDED ITEMS ARE LISTED BELOW.   Check their website for up to date lists of CARES needs.

Lysol Spray
Allergy Medicine

Disinfectant Cleaner/Wipes

All Purpose Cleaner

Toothpaste

Men’s Boxers XL & 2XL

Men’s T-Shirts XL & 2XL

Hand Sanitizer

Paper Towels

Floor Cleaner

Sugar

Coffee

Coffee Creamer

Bleach

Coffee Filters

 Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Disposable Gloves Medium, Large & XL

Cold/Cough Medicine

Adult Backpacks

Toothbrushes



A Win - Win Opportunity

UUCV has been actively supporting homeless individuals and families in our area with our Change for the World contributions, donations of needed items and supplies, and providing a monthly meal for Community CARES. There are also many homeless youth in our area who are on their own and could really benefit from our support. The organization Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) actively provides multiple types of support for these young people and having adequate food is an ongoing issue. So, what can we do?

 

Many of us purchase grocery cards from UUCV and know that a portion of the value of each card is donated to UUCV by the grocery store. The WIn-Win idea is that any of us who are able to could make a donation toward the purchase of a grocery card from UUCV that would be donated to ECYEH to purchase food and supplies. Both UUCV and ECYEH would benefit, and we would be living our mission of caring for the world.

 

The plan for how this needs to work, if you are able to make a donation, is as follows:

  • Donations need to be mailed to Pam Martin at UUCV, PO Box 207, Boiling Springs, PA 17007.
  • Donations need to be checks made out to UUCV, and only in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100.
  • Checks should have ECYEH marked in the memo line.
  • Donations will be combined toward the purchase of $100 Giant cards as these offer the best return to UUCV.
  • The grocery cards will then be given to ECYEH.

We recognize these guidelines are somewhat narrow, but they have been designed to minimize the book keeping and clerical effort involved. We all know Pam to be an enthusiastic and efficient administrator, and she is happy to process our donations to ECYEH using these guidelines. If you are someone who would like to support the area homeless but are not able at this time to contribute in the specified amounts, contributions in any amount to Change for the World are always gratefully received by Community CARES.


Thank you for considering this opportunity to support area homeless youth as we all navigate these challenging times.  Please contact Wendy Gebb with any questions.

Anti-Racism Efforts at UUCV
An Open Invitation

Dear Friends,

Anti-racism is at the heart of our Unitarian Universalist principles and the mission of UUCV. While our engagement in this topic is not new, the recent uprisings for justice have prompted us to renew our commitment to educate ourselves, support Black Lives Matter efforts, and create change in ourselves, our households, our community, and in our world. I see this effort as an intrinsic part of faith development and living into our values. I want to highlight some of the ongoing work our Beloved Conversations participants have been engaged in, our new initiative Anti-Racism in August, and plans for a vigil at the end of this month.

 

BELOVED CONVERSATIONS RESOURCE PAGE

During the fall of 2019 and winter of 2020, a group of UUCV’ers participated in  Beloved Conversations: Meditations on Race and Ethnicity. The program is a faith formation curriculum that provides a safe space for exploration of the impact that race, ethnicity, privilege, injustice, and all the various “isms” have on our lives. The curriculum also includes methods for beginning the process of re-forming the brokenness of racism into new patterns of thought and behavior.

 

The final sessions of the curriculum include brainstorming for ways participants might carry forward their new understandings to the UUCV and greater community. Our group has created a list of books and other materials we have found helpful, challenging, and enriching. Click here to view this new Anti-Racism Initiative page on UUCV’s website.

 

 

ANTI-RACISM IN AUGUST

"Justice in June" is a resource that was compiled by Autumn Gupta and Bryanna Wallace, two women who wanted to create a place for people to start learning how to become better allies to Black communities. Read more about their work at Justice in June.com.

We have converted "Justice in June" into the "Anti-Racism in August" project at UUCV. Many of us care deeply about racial justice, but may be at a loss for where to start and what to do. This project gives you an opportunity to focus on learning to do the important work of being anti-racist while in UUCV community. You can choose 10 minutes a day, 25 minutes a day, or 45 minutes a day during the month of August to enrich your understanding of anti-racism and to complete at least one action a week in support of anti-racism activism.

While there is no cost to participate, in the spirit of paying people for their labor (especially BIPOC), please contribute generously to the creators’ Go Fund Me page. Even a $10 donation will show them that people are engaging with their work and help them create future projects.

Join UUCV’s Anti-Racism in August Facebook group to help with daily accountability and create a space for reflection. Facebook not your thing? Attend one or more weekly Zoom sessions for a more interactive and personal space to reflect and deepen our understanding; these sessions will be hosted by Rev. Aija, Rev. David, Rev. Kathy, and myself. Click here to view the Anti-Racism in August page for more information.

 

VIGIL FOR VICTIMS OF RACIALIZED VIOLENCE

Riley Johnson and Ben Ramirez are planning a vigil in Boiling Springs for the end of August, date to be determined.The goals of this event are to honor the Black lives taken by police brutality and racialized violence, and to bring awareness to the continued injustices disproportionately affecting communities of color in America. Please stay tuned for more information about this event. If you are interested in helping with the vigil, contact Riley at riles1806@gmail.com.

 

The work of unlearning white supremacy and becoming anti-racism in our actions cannot be confined to a single month. Our learning and action must continue past the month of August, but each of us must start somewhere. I hope you will join us.

With love and solidarity,

Emily Crutcher, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Kids Corner
Important UUCV News
For the month of August, all evening ZOOM programming will take a hiatus.  This includes Vespers, Story Time, Piano Meditation and Happy Hour.  Our evening programming will return in September after our church year begins with re-thought programming.   Watch for more details.

Beginning August 3, Open ZOOM days and hours will now be held on Mondays (Emily), Wednesdays Rev. Kathy and Fridays (Rev. Aija) from 10:30 - 1:00.  

Mark your Calendars Our church year will begin on Sunday, September 13 with an in-gathering water ceremony to be held outdoors at the Cumberland Drive-In in Newville, PA.  Your staff is working to finalize all the many details and will have information finalized for the September newsletter. 


Cindy Terlazzo Ordination
Ordination - Take Two

Save the date for the ordination of our former intern -Cindy Terlazzo
.
Due to our altered world and a tremendous demand for more Zoom connections Cindy's ordination will take place on-line Saturday, October 24, 2020 @ 2:00 PM

Stay tuned for details.

UUCV Auction News

Hello to everyone!


I will be holding a Zoom meeting of the auction committee and those who are interested in assisting with one of our most important fund raising events at 12:15 on Sunday, August 16.  Zoom at 12:15 on Sunday July 19 ID# 572 887 2212  Any questions, please contact Cathy Dewalt 

 

Music at UUCV

The Choir Is Back! (In a manner of speaking…)

 

While singing together in person is still a far too risky behavior for us to engage in, our fearless intrepid brave guardedly optimistic music director David has been exploring ways to bring the sound of the choir back to UUCV worship, even during the pandemic.  It’s a new way of doing choir!

Singers of all ages and levels of experience (and, frankly, in any location!) are welcome to join the UUCV Choir during this “virtual” period.  In order to participate in the choir, you’ll just need a reliable internet connection and the ability to record your vocals in a quiet location while listening to accompaniment tracks through headphones.  Then:

  1. Email David to let him know you’d like to participate in the choir.
  2. David will respond with an emailed invitation to join “My Choral Coach,” the platform we’re using to record our vocals.  You’ll need to accept that invitation and set up your (free) account at My Choral Coach before you can participate.
  3. David will send you “Assignments” for each of the pieces the choir will be sharing in worship during the quarantine.  To have your voice included in the production, learn the piece and submit your recording (audio-only—we won’t be doing videos) before the published deadline (see the Choir page of the UUCV website for details).

That’s it!  David (and/or another tech-savvy elf) will compile the submitted audio files into a mixed choir recording, and you’ll get to hear it during the scheduled service!

Questions?  Contact David.

UUCV Announcements
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.

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 have been changed so make sure you get your time reserved so the staff can connect you with your group.

ZOOM Worship

Most of our activities will be held in our main Zoom channel, which is accessible in any of the following ways:

  • point your browser to uuma.zoom.us/j/9428106896 , OR
  • “listen in” (without video) by telephone, by calling 646-876-9923 and entering Meeting ID 942 810 6896

If you don’t already have Zoom installed on your computer, clicking any Zoom link will prompt you to begin the installation.  There is no charge to you for the software or its use.

 
UUCV Fundraising Opportunities
UUCV Yard Sale Update

We are  not currently planning our yard sale, but this may change so keep an eye out... 



UUCV Marketplace Sales


Do you have a large item or higher priced item you would like to donate to UUCV?  

Our church administrator will advertise and manage on Facebook's Marketplace with proceeds going to UUCV.

Contact Pam to make arrangements for drop off of your item to UUCV.
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