BEV: May 2010 Newsletter Highlights

Bird's Eye View
Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association
6 Bird Street * On The Common * Foxborough, MA 02035-2301 * 508-543-4002
Worship Service & Religious Education Classes, Sundays at 10:00 A.M.
Katie Lawson, Minister * www.uufoxborough.org * All Are Welcome!
A UUA Welcoming Congregation

The Foxborough Universalist Church is a vibrant and caring congregation that welcomes all. Our mission is to nurture each other along our spiritual paths while working together for the betterment of our community and the world.


May 2010

Minister's Message
Dear Friends,

A few years ago, my parents sold their house and moved into a much smaller rental while they decided where they wanted to spend their retirement years. They picked out only the minimum that they needed to live comfortably in their new down-sized abode for a couple of years and put all of the rest of it—the Katie and Wells Lawson grammar school art collection, the piano and other random musical instruments, extra furniture, sports equipment, etc.—in storage. Occasionally, while I was home I’d ask my mom where something was (my paperback "Little House on the Prairie" books maybe or a tennis racket) and typically she’d apologize and say it was in storage.

After a couple of years, my parents settled on the small Northern Californian town that would be home for the next couple of decades, found a house there, and went to retrieve their belongings from storage. “It looks like there might be a mistake,” they were told. A couple with a similar name had lapsed on their payments to the storage company, and so the company emptied their area and auctioned off all of their stuff—only they emptied the wrong area and sold off all of my parents’ stuff instead.

My parents responded with surprising equanimity. “What are you going to do?” shrugged my mom, “It IS just stuff.” They surprised themselves with how little of it they missed: my high chair, the old stand-up piano that was the first thing they bought together as a couple, and a couple of pieces of art. Occasionally, even now, one of us will ask, “Where’s that one picture?” or “Didn’t we have an ice crusher?” and after some thought, we’ll realize it was in the Big Sell-Off and that we hadn’t even thought about it for five years.

I’ve been thinking about the Big Sell-Off a lot as I peruse our belongings for things that could be donated to the church yard sale. I think, “Is this one of those things that I wouldn’t even notice was gone until five years later?” I’m trying to be honest and ruthless as I apply these questions to everything from the bicycles to the books:

1. Is this useful TO ME?
This is different than, “Is it useful?” A power auger is useful to a lot of people, but not especially to me. This requires some real honesty with myself, especially when it comes to things like exercise equipment, but I try to imagine all the people who could use those hand weights if they weren’t hiding behind my couch. I’ve found it a helpful guideline to think about whether I’ve used or worn it in the last year. (One year I got over-zealous and threw out most of my winter clothes thinking, “I haven’t worn any of this in MONTHS!”)
2. Is it beautiful?
Art isn’t especially useful, but it’s important.

3. Does it work?
I am plagued by a reluctance to admit that I will never get around to rewiring that lamp or stripping and re-finishing that table. Just because it’s possible, doesn’t mean that I’m going to be the one to do it. Great yard sale candidate.

4. Do I love this?
This one is the hardest, I think. It is life-long spiritual work to distinguish “Do I love this?” from “Am I attached to this?” or “Am I used to this?” It’s great to exercise this muscle on an old rug so that you are ready when it’s time to ask the same question about your job or the relationship you're in.

All of these questions, in fact, can be asked of everything that fills our days and our lives. I invite you in joining me in thinking of the yard sale as SPIRITUAL exercise.

Many blessings as you try to look at your clutter with fresh eyes.
Katie


Chairman's Ramblings

As you drive up Route 81 south of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of Pennsylvania, the road follows the ridge line of one of the Allegheny mountains for a number of miles. Off to the left there are a large number of windmills, huge windmills of the type that are proposed for offshore Cape Cod. They stick up from the tops of other mountains and stretch on for miles. They are ugly-much larger than the ones seen outside of Palm Springs in California, and, from my perspective at least, are an eyesore. The rolling mountains just don't seem to be the right place for such noisy things, especially a place where coal mining has been dominant for so many years.

From my point of view, I believe that energy should be as inexpensive as possible, not taxed, and readily available. So far we don't seem to have any consensus on what should be our path forward for energy, but it doesn't seem that using those goofy-fluorescent light bulbs is going to be the path to energy salvation for the world. I mention this because we at one time were actively pursuing a 'green sanctuary' program and seem to have dropped the ball a little. Looking at those windmills reminded me that we have a lot to do, and that it should be able to be done more aesthetically. I think that next year would be a good time for us to revisit the 'green sanctuary' program. (And maybe find a better term than 'green' for conservation)
Dick

Don't Forget!
The "Put-Your-Spirit-Into-Hymn" Hymnal Fundraiser And Contest is underway. Registration forms are available in the vestibule and should soon be returned to the box on the piano in the sanctuary. Please contact Minister Katie Lawson for details about the fund-raiser and contest.

First Thursdays Peace Vigils
Get involved in the ongoing Social Action project hosted from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the church the first Thursday of every month. The First Thursdays Peace Vigils community would like you to join them; candles and signs are provided. Stay for as long or as short as your schedule allows. Upcoming dates: May 6, June 3, and July 1. Please visit events.uufoxborough.org to sign-up for the e-reminder list and find out more information about our ongoing peace work.

May 2010 Holidays
1 Beltane - Wicca (Northern hemisphere)
1 Samhain – Wicca (Southern hemisphere)
2 Lag B'Omer - Jewish
2 Twelfth Day of Ridvan - Baha'i
6 National Day of Prayer - Interfaith USA
13 Ascension of Christ - Christian
19-20 Shavuot - Jewish
23 Pentecost - All Christians
23 Declaration of the Bab - Baha'i
27 Buddha Day - Visakha Puja - Buddhist
29 Ascension of Baha'u'llah - Baha'i
30 Trinity Sunday - Christian
30 All Saints - Orthodox Christian


Belly Psychadelli
The 6th Annual Belly Dance Karavan Fund-raiser!
Come out to Foxborough's belly dance oasis to see a groovy, psychedelic trip through the music of the 60's performed by a plethora of wonderful belly dancers. This is a family-friendly show to benefit the church's Accessibility Improvements Fund.

Belly dancers and troupes currently scheduled to perform: Sumora, Aneckha, Haleema, Goddess Delight, Anam Cara, Belly Dance Collective, Sabrina, Za-Beth, Baseema, Jihanna, Neylan, Morgana, Nehira, Samantha, Ameena, Heather/Christina, Johara/Snake Dance Company, Sadira, and Dorothea.

Tickets to the May 22, 2010, show are available at the door. Cost is $20. There will be an intermission with light refreshments. Show starts at 8:00 p.m.

If you want more information about the show or the dancers, please contact the event coordinator, Sumora, at 508-561-4229 or ShimmyYogini@comcast.net. Updates will be posted to Sumora's Web site (home.comcast.net/~susanmorgaine) and the church's Community Events Web site (events.uufoxborough.org).

Each year, the belly dancers generously donate their talent and time to help raise funds to benefit our church. All money from the fund-raiser will go towards the Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative. The ramp, when completed, will allow the historic building to be more accessible to all. Please come to the show to support both the church and all the dancers!

Your Help Needed!
We need your help to make this month's church fund-raisers successful. Please volunteer to help at:
the Annual Belly Dance Karavan on May 22
the intake times for the Church Yard Sale during the week before the sale
the Church Yard Sale on May 29
Another way you can help is to tell your friends, family, and anyone else you know about our upcoming fund-raisers. Please feel free to post the flyers on the outside cover of the newsletter in places where the management allows.

Restocking The Shelves
The monthly Foxborough Food Pantry drive donation box is in the vestibule - eagerly awaiting a can or box or two. All items collected will be donated to the pantry to help others in our community. Please donate if you can.

Interested In Joining The Board Of Trustees?
If you’re interested in serving, please talk to one of the members of the nominating committee as soon as possible. The slate for the 2010-2011 Board Of Trustees And Officers will be presented and approved at the Annual Meeting in June. The church cannot run without a strong Board.

Milestones
Ezra Ripley, Pete Seeger, May Sarton, Horace Mann, Florence Nightingale, Edna Pearl Bruner, Thomas Bradford Curtis, Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Julia Ward Howe, & Horace Heffren.

Church Yard Sale!
Doing some Spring Cleaning and found some items you no longer need or just have some stuff you want to get rid of? If so, we hope you'll donate it to the church yard sale!

Donations are currently being accepted for the church yard sale which will be held from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on May 29, 2010. Please bring your small items to the church office on Sunday mornings between now and May 23. Due to the fund-raiser on the evening of May 22, larger items such as furniture need to be brought in the week of the sale.

Please let everyone you know donations from the community are also welcome and will be accepted at the church on: Sunday, May 23 (11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.), Thursday, May 27 (7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.), and Friday, May 28 (7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.). If the items you, your friends, and/or your family want to donate to our annual yard sale are too big for you or your vehicle to transport, please contact Dick - he has graciously offered to help get larger items to the sale! Don't forget to include a suggested price for your donated items (write the price(s) on a piece of paper and leave with your items or in the chairperson’s mailbox). We reserve the right to edit the suggested price.

There will be a pricing party on Friday, May 28 (8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.). We also need volunteers to set-up and clean-up on sale day, as well as staff the sale. A sign-up sheet for all the available times help is needed is in the vestibule. If you can help and times are already filled up, that's okay - please add your name into the schedule because we can always use another hand!

In addition to the usual items people donate, the bake sale, craft table, and Food Basket Raffle are being revived from our past Fall Bazaars! If you want to donate a plate or tin of your favorite dessert, please do; however, please note that the town requires a list of all ingredients accompany all food items sold. If you're a crafter, we welcome the old skills back to the realm and look forward to seeing your handiwork!

If you have any questions about the yard sale or wish to sign-up to help, please contact Dick.

Annual Pledge Drive
If you haven't received a pledge form for the upcoming Fiscal Year that begins July 1, 2010, and can't bear to be without one, please contact Steve. There are many reasons to think about increasing your pledge to the church this year or pledging if you haven't pledged before. We need your pledge information to prepare next year's budget and present a fiscally responsible budget at the Annual Business Meeting in June. By pledging, you support out church and the liberal religious traditions that our faith community provides to our congregants and the wider community. Please return your pledge form by May 9. If you have any questions about Finance related issues, please contact Finance.


Other Notices And Events
May 6 and June 3: (6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
May 5 and June 2: (7:30 p.m.) Men's Group Meeting at Pike's Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
May 16: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
May 16: (11:15 a.m.) Ordination Committee Meeting. This will be a brief meeting after service.
May 16: (2:00 p.m.) Building dedication at the Unitarian Church of Sharon. RSVP by May 10, 2010.
Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings and details.
Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your ceremony, meeting, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.

In The Community
Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children's Center at the church (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.); Mondays & Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Saturdays – Yoga classes at the church (9:30 a.m.); May 1, 5, 15, & 29 – Events at the stadium; May 11 & 25 - Board Of Selectmen's Meetings; May 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, & 23 – "Rock The Plaza" free concerts at Patriot Place; May 1 & 2 – Neponset Choral Society at St. Mark's Episcopal Church; May 1 – Medical Prescription Disposal at Public Safety Building (9:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m.); May 1 - Hazardous Waste Collection Day; May 1 - Pops Concert at FHS (7:00 p.m.); May 2 - Pops Concert at FHS (2:00 p.m.); May 3 – Town Elections; May 6 – First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church (6:00 p.m.); May 6 - Kennedy-Donovan Center 23rd Annual Founder's Gala & Charity Auction (6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.); May 7 – ImprovSoup at Burrell; May 7 & 8 - Friends Of Boyden Library Annual Book Sale; May 8 – Post Office Annual Discretionary Fund Food Drive; May 8 – Senior Center Annual Spring Sale (8:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.); May 10 - Town Meeting; May 14 - Annual FMA Jazz Festival at FHS (7:00 p.m.); May 15 - MOMS Club of Foxborough Yard Sale at Igo (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.); May 20 - Chamber Music Concert at FHS; May 23 - Touch A Truck at Payson Road Complex; May 27 - 8th Grade Concert Band & Junior Jazz Band at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); May 29 – Foxborough Jaycees Annual Founders' Day Boot Drive (7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.); May 29 – Church Yard Sale at Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA (9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.); The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church's second level – please contribute!

“Come As You Are” Spring Prom For LGBTQ And Allies
Channing Memorial Church's Interweave Group and Marriage Equality for Rhode Island are proud to be hosting the first annual "Come as You Are" Spring Prom for LGBTQ and Allies. They hope you can join them! This is a fund-raiser for Channing's Interweave group and MERI, and will held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, at the Fraternal Order of Police Hall in Middletown, RI. There will be a cash bar, music, and raffles for wonderful prizes. Tickets are $20 on-line ($2.50 handling fee) or $30 at the door. Details and registration at comeasyouare.eventbrite.com.

Green Sanctuary Program News
The first four Green Papers have been published on the UUMFE Web site (www.uumfe.org). These papers open the discussion on the history, connections, and implications of work for the environment and human justice. You are encouraged to share these Green Papers with our congregation and to contribute to the discussion of the issues and challenges we face as we develop congregational action plans. Other papers are in the pipeline on topical area such as climate change and toxics in food, and they hope that you will be inspired to submit topical papers of your own that will expand the understanding for all UUs.

Rebuilding The Gulf Coast
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) have released "Rebuilding the Gulf Coast: A Unique Partnership between the UUA and UUSC", a 30-minute video documentary that chronicles the unique collaboration between the organizations to help rebuild communities in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. You can view the video and download a discussion guide for the video via www.uusc.org/gulfcoastvideo.

UU Notable News
Harvard Square Library offers books and other materials to read for free on-line. Current offerings at the library's Web site (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org) include: Cambridge Forum National Radio Broadcasts; "South Africa in Dark Times" by Alan Paton and edited by Herbert F. Vetter; and "Art & Religion" by Von Ogden Vogt.

The Living Tradition: A Quick Exploration Of May Day
May Day was originally a pre-Christian observance and throughout the Northern Hemisphere the month of May was a time to celebrate renewal of life. May Day was called Beltane by the Celts, Walpurgis by the Teutons, and Floralia by the Romans. The Celts celebrated the day by dancing around a May Pole, creating garlands and bowers of flowers, and playing bagpipes and drums to traditional Morris dances; they considered this a celebration of the beginning of summer. For some cultures the May Pole represents the World Center or Tree of Life and putting a maypole up involves taking a growing tree from the forest and bringing it to your village. Wreaths and baskets of Hawthorn are sometimes used in honor of Maia, the Goddess of death and fertility, for whom May is named. Some other customs associated with May Day include "a-maying", crowning a May Queen/King, leaving baskets of flowers by loved ones' doors or windows, games, dancing, and jumping over a bonfire. Despite replacement of these ancient solar May Day festivals by the Christian lunar festival of Easter as the time of renewal and rebirth, some cultures and peoples still practice the traditional pre-Christian May Day rituals and festivities.

Wayside Pulpit
I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion, and I am proud that I never refuse to sing to an audience, no matter what religion or color of their skin, or situation in life. ~ Pete Seeger


UUSC/UUA Joint Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund
We are still participating in this ongoing social action. As of April 2, the Fund has received donations totalling $1,826,692.50. If you would like to donate, please place your donation (in an envelope marked with "UUSC/UUA Haiti Fund") in the collection plate and/or contact our church Treasurer.

UUSC Celebrating 70th Anniversary
Join UUSC in Belmont, Mass. at 7:00 p.m. on May 1, 2010, for a celebration of UUSC’s 70th Anniversary. The featured presentation is a screening of the film “Journey to Freedom: Martha and Waitstill Sharp,” a documentary work-in-progress to be broadcast by PBS. William F. Schulz, former president of the UUA, former executive director of Amnesty International USA, and current interim president of UUSC, will deliver a keynote. Catherine Vakar Chvany, who was rescued by Martha Sharp in Vichy France, will also make a presentation. The cost is $10 per person and refreshments will be served. Please contact Jim Landfried at landfried@comcast.net to RSVP.


May Worship Services
May 2: Men's Group

May 9: Mother's Day - Our Children
What are our responsibilities not just to our own children but to all the children in our lives?

May 16: Letting Go
Letting go is difficult. We reassure ourselves with control and planning, but often what is most healing to the spirit is to loosen our grip on our destiny.

May 23: Invisible Selves
So many of us walk around hidden in important ways from the world. We may be keeping to ourselves a chronic disease or depression or our sexual orientation. At the same time, we make assumptions about others based on what we can see. How can we live authentically and openly in the world while respecting our own privacy? How can we be more sensitive towards our neighbor's whole story, even when we may not know it?

May 30: Memorial Day - Just War
Katie honors those who have died serving our country and explores the concept of "just war" in a modern context.