BEV: October 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.

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

Some of you may remember that at the 2009 annual congregational meeting, you voted to ordain me in your church as an expression of confidence in my ministry. This is a real gift and it seems so right to me that this congregation is the one that will ordain me. You will be, in essence, standing in for all the congregations I may serve and offering your blessing on their behalf. It is the day that I fully enter the ministry. Thank you for that honor.

Ordination in our denomination is an interesting process due primarily to the different approaches that the Unitarians and the Universalists historically took to ordination prior to merging. The Unitarians had a 300 year history of having individual congregations ordain ministers, while in Universalism it was seen as a broader denominational responsibility. The typical path to ordination now is a combination of both with special emphasis being placed on an individual congregation. Typically, to be ordained a Unitarian Universalist minister involves three steps: 1. earning a Master’s of Divinity 2. completing the Unitarian Universalist Association’s fellowship process which involves psychological testing, interviews with regional and national committees, and approval from the Ministerial Fellowship Committee 3. congregational vote. In many ways, the third step is the most important, because, no one should be better able to discern my capacity for ministry than you all.

At the completion of this process, I can legitimately use the title “Reverend” and feel the full authority of ministry. Technically, we completed this process with the vote, but in the case of ordination, the ceremony is seen as equally important as the vote. It’s like the difference between obtaining a marriage license and having a wedding.

Like a wedding, ordinations are of all shapes and sizes. However, typically ministers from the area will come to perform different functions in the ceremony, members of the Foxborough community will come to offer blessings, as will some of my friends, colleagues, and family members. It’s a big day for the church.

We have had to post-pone the ceremony a couple of times, but have now tentatively scheduled it for March 6 in the afternoon. I hope that as many of you who can will plan on attending.

Once again, many thank yous for this treasured honor.

Faithfully,
Katie

Our Newest Trustees & Officers
Welcome to the newest members of the Board Of Trustees: April, Leslie, Virginia, and Mike.

Wayside Pulpit

The earth laughs in flowers. ~ e.e. cummings

Religious Education Happenings
Another Church year has begun- Welcome back to another year of RE!

Fall is here and the leaves are already beginning to show their bright colors. Change is in the air! We have so many exciting things brewing this year – where to begin? First off, classes have begun and we have old and new volunteers helping us out – thanks to all of those wonderful parents. The Middle Schoolers are starting their year off in their newly painted room. It’s been refreshing and exciting to have a bright space – many, many huge thanks to the youth and Leah for helping making such a monumental task easy!!

The groups will be meeting for their regular classes and we are working on “extra-curricular” fun get-togethers for the groups in addition to regular Sundays. Parents or anyone who is interested in volunteering to chaperone an event is invited to contact me at any time.

Our next ongoing task is creating a NEW baby/toddler space. We are in the process of designing a space to be welcoming for families of small children and babies. While we have been spurred on by our minister’s upcoming addition – this has been a long time need that has been waiting to be filled and I am so thrilled to see the enthusiasm as everyone participates in helping to create this new space. If you have not been a part of this discussion and have ideas and suggestions, please let me know!

The OWL – Our Whole Lives – program is coming to fruition. Thanks to the Sharon Unitarian Church and First Parish UU Church of Canton, I am privileged to say we are able to offer for the first time this year, the comprehensive sexuality education program known as OWL. We will be offering a 5th-6th grade and 7th-8th grade class. The classes will be run by leaders who are trained in the age appropriate curriculum. If you are interested in learning more or have a child in 5th-8th grade, I am more than happy to speak with you.

This year promises to be a busy one with lots of exciting happenings to come – it’s been exciting and a pleasure to see everyone back at church. I look forward to working with all of you this year.

Peace and Blessings,
Lisa Benoit
Director of Religious Education

Birth Of The Bab
Siyyid Alí Mu?ammad Shírází (“The Báb”) was born on October 20, 1819, in Shiraz, Persia. He was a descendant from Muhammad through the Imam Husayn through both his parents. The Bab was the Prophet-Herald of the Baha’i Faith and his mission was to proclaim the imminent arrival of “Him Whom God shall make manifest,” namely Baha’u'llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith. On Oct. 20, Baha’is observe this Holy Day by abstaining from work. There are no prescribed ceremonies, but gatherings usually involve prayers, devotional readings, music, and fellowship. Baha’i days begin at sunset so celebrations may begin the evening of Oct 19.

October 2010 Holidays
1 Simchat Torah – Jewish
4 St. Francis Day – Catholic Christian
8-16 Navaratri – Hindu
11 Thanksgiving – Interfaith – Canada
17 Dasera – Hindu
20 Birth of the Báb – Baha’i
28 Milvian Bridge Day – Christian
31 All Hallows Eve – Christian
31 Reformation Day – Protestant Christian
31 Samhain – Pagan/Wiccan

Milestones
Hosea Ballou 2nd, Eliza M. Tupper Wilkes, Frances Dana Barker Gage, e e cummings/Edward Estlin Cummings, Joseph Sill Clark, Weston Edward Vivian, Ida Mabel Folsom, John Adams, and Lucy Hunt Ballou.

Reverse Trick-Or-Treating
October 31 was observed as “Begger’s Night” in England. The middle-class handed out special treats known as Soul Cakes to poor people/beggers who then promised to say a prayer for the dead. This practice was known as going “a-souling”. Over the years, “a-souling” and other end of October celebrations have morphed into Trick-or-Treating for some cultures. Youth can reverse this Halloween tradition and hand out a sample of vegan-friendly, Fair Trade dark chocolate to candy givers by participating in the fourth annual Reverse Trick-Or-Treating event. Free kits are available through Equal Exchange; participants pay for shipping costs. The deadline to request a kit is: October 8 (while supplies last). Visit www.uusc.org/rtot/reverse-trick-or-treating-2010 for details.

Guest At Your Table
Guest at Your Table fosters understanding and awareness of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s (UUSC) human-rights work and has been an important part of UUSC and Unitarian Universalist culture since 1975, when the program first began. Each year, the program strengthens connections to our shared principles and helps challenge injustice throughout the world. We can help make UUSC’s 70th anniversary a banner year for global human rights and help nurture a spirit of gratitude and “justice, equity, and compassion in human relations” by organizing Guest at Your Table for our congregation. November 21, 2010, is thekick-off date for this year’s program. Visit www.uusc.org/guest for information about this year’s guests, Stories Of Hope, and additional resources.

Ordination Fund-raising
If you have ideas about how to raise some funds for Katie Lawson’s ordination, please let Dick and the Ordination Committee know in person, via e-mail or committees.uufoxborough.org/Finance/, or leave a note in the chairman’s box in the church office.

Welcoming Congregation Bylaws Review
A committee has been formed to review the bylaws in order to suggest proposed changes to them so they will reflect the spirit and standing of our status as a UUA Welcoming Congregation. The committee will provide suggestions to the Board Of Trustees, who will then present the final proposal to the congregation for a vote to be taken in the next few months.

Ministerial Search Committee
A Ministerial Search Committee has been formed to seek a replacement for Katie Lawson. The initial steps will be to develop the review and update, if needed, the criteria for a new minister that we used last time and meet with Ballou Channing District (BCD) President Rev. Bill Zelazny and Board Of Trustees in October or November. The first meeting of the committee is being held at 11:15 a.m. on October 3, 2010. The Board Of Trustees will keep everyone appraised of the committee’s progress and seek congregational input as we travel on this path.

Spiritual Nurture
Visit www.uua.org/visitors/spiritualtopics/ for answers to some common questions from newcomers about Unitarian Universalism regarding everything from spiritual practices, to the concept of a higher power, to ideas about life and death, to sources of inspiration and guidance, to the use of sacred texts. Some videos and podcasts for inspiration and reflection are available via www.uua.org/multimedia/inspiration/ and www.uufoxborough.org/Newcomers_Area.htm.

UU Jewish Gathering Being Organized
UUs for Jewish Awareness is organizing a conference, with the theme “Let Us Be Counted!”, the first in over 20 years. The theme is inspired by the Torah portion that coincides with the Shabbat of our gathering, Ki Tisa: Exodus 30:11-34:35: “Let us come together to count our selves, not to wait to be counted but to affirm our belonging together!” The conference will be held on February 18 – 20, 2011, in Atlanta, GA. All UUs wishing to celebrate and explore their Jewish identity within Unitarian Universalism are welcome. Go to www.uuja.org for information about program details and how to register.

Green Sanctuary Program News

• Find information about the 10/10/10 Global Work Party via www.uuministryforearth.org/10-10-10.
• Learn how to become better stewards of your funds & creation; get connected with resources to help our congregation with energy efficiency upgrades at the ENERGY STAR Congregation Event beginning at 9:00 a.m. on October 23, 2010 at The First Parish of Needham, UUA. R.S.V.P. no later than October 9, 2010, to Wadi Muhammad at 617-918-1807 or muhammad.wadi@epa.gov.
• Mass Climate Action Network is holding a conference on October 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. Register via www.massclimateaction.net.
• Read the UUA’s Green Sanctuary Program blog at greensanctuary.blogs.uua.org.

National Coming Out Day
In 1987, over half a million people gathered in Washington, D.C., for the second national march for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. National Coming Out Day began one year later and is celebrated on October 11 every year. For a candle lighting, a reading, links for social justice opportunities, sample sermons, and other resources to help celebrate and participate in National Coming Out Day, please visit www.uua.org.

The Living Tradition: The Off-Center Cross

Combining a circle, a cross, and empty space, the off-center cross was created by four ministers during the Universalist General Assembly in 1946.

Each of the three elements used in this symbol represent different principles of Universalism:

• The circle represents that which has no beginning or end, infinity, the universe
• The empty space at the center represents the mystery at the heart of the universe that some people call “God”
• The cross represents the Christian roots of Universalism, but was placed offcenter to leave room for other points of view and paths towards God

The off-center cross was first used in a public service of worship on September 29, 1946, at the ordination of Earle McKinney in Foxborough, Massachusetts at our church.

In 1947, the off-center cross was officially adopted as a symbol of Universalism in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Universalist Convention.

Doolittle Home Support Auction
The seventh annual Doolittle Home Support Auction will be held on Saturday, November 6. The auction proceeds will go towards the purchase of an improved model of whirlpool tub for the nursing unit. Donations are accepted from anyone; please call the home’s office at 508-543-2694 to arrange to donate something. To preview auction items and pre-register for a Speed Bid number, visit www.doolittle-home.org.

Not just the “big green and white house on the corner or across from the Library”, the Doolittle Home has been a planned for retirement haven of U’s and UU’s for over 90 years. Support the Doolittle Home residents, our UU family, friends, and community, and the Home’s treasured UU Heritage!!!

Common Read
At General Assembly 2010, delegates selected “Immigration As A Moral Issue” as the new Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI). The UUA, in partnership with Beacon Press, has initiated a Unitarian Universalist “Common Read” as part of that study. For a 2010-11 Common Read, the UUA offers Margaret Regan’s The Death of Josseline: Immigration Stories for the Arizona-MexicoBorderlands. To find out more about how you can participate, please visit www.uua.org/publications/commonread/index.shtml. Study and facilitation guides are available.

UN Sunday
In celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN) on October 24, 1945, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) invites congregations and individual UUs to deepen our understanding of the United Nations by devoting one service in October to reaffirming the connections between UU principles and vital issues dealt with at the UN. The 2010 United Nation Sunday packet, “Ethical Aspects of Climate Change”, is available on-line at www.uu-uno.org.

A Wish List
Norfolk Advocates for Children (NAC) is a partnership of public and private agencies that work together collaboratively to help children who experience physical, sexual, and domestic abuse. Below is a list of remaining needs for the new facility in town. If you would like to donate any of these items, please call AnnMarie Sullivan at 508-308-0852. On-line at www.norfolkadvocatesforchildren.com.

• Kleenex
• Windex
• Facecloths
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Alcohol wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Liquid Hand soap
• Chlorox bleach
• Mop and bucket
• Towels (for nurse)
• Toilet bowl cleaner/brush
• Laundry detergent- liquid
• Lamps with woodland theme
• Cera Ve hand lotion (scent free)
• Changing Table and Changing Pad
• Water bottles (8 oz. and 16 oz. Sizes)
• Shower curtain for the medical room
• Sample sizes for shampoo, conditioner, soap
• Plastic/wire storage shelves for the closet in the medical room
• Individually wrapped crackers (pretzels, goldfish, animal crackers – no sugary snacks and no peanut butter)

PR News
If you’re a visitor, newcomer, newer member, or long-time member of the church and would like to receive a copy of the monthly newsletter and/or join our e-reminder lists, please let the PR Committee (prcommittee@uufoxborough.org) know. Please also let us know if you have something to include, articles, photos, etc. The newsletter is available via e-mail and surface mail.

Peace Candles & First Thursdays Peace Vigils
In April, 2003, we lit the Peace Candle that sits in the front window of the church and serves as a symbol of the congregation’s continued prayers for peace, especially in Iraq. In the Fall of 2006, we began the First Thursdays Peace Vigils and the community of vigilers have stood in front of the church with peace candles and signs once a month since then, with the plan to continue until the war in Iraq is over. Even though all combat troops have currently been removed from Iraq, 49,700 U.S. troops remain there. Since the combat troops left Iraq, U.S. forces in Afghanistan have increased to about 100,000. These numbers do not include the roughly 250,000 private contractors working for the Department of Defense in both Iraq and Afghanistan as of May 2010; about 41,000 of them are U.S. citizens. Please support this ongoing effort: LeeAnn has requested a replacement so please sign-up to be the monthly coordinator or join the vigilers from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. any first Thursday.

In The Community
Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Oct. 2, 16, 17, 23, & 31 – Games at the stadium; Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays in October – Haunted House at Orpheum Theatre; Oct. 12 & 26 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Oct. 2: Recommittal of remains from Foxborough State Hospital (11:00 a.m.); Oct. 6 – First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church (6:00 p.m.); Oct. 11 – No school; Oct. 22 – Reptiles Rock at Chapel Meeting House (7:00 p.m.); Oct. 24 – United Nations Day in town; Oct. 30 – Fall Festival at Igo; Oct. 30 – Halloween observances such as trick-or-treating in town; The Restocking The Shelves collection box for the Foxborough Food Pantry is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

Other Notices And Events

• Oct. 3: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting. All are welcome to attend.
• Oct. 3: (11:15 a.m.) Ministerial Search Committee Meeting.
• Oct. 6 and Nov. 3: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick at mensgroup@uufoxborough.org for more information. Newcomers are welcome!
• Oct. 7 and Nov. 4: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to join the commnity of vigilers! Details via events.uufoxborough.org.
• Oct. 8 – 10: Second Annual Leaf Peeper Weekend at Starr King Unitarian Fellowship in Plymouth, NH. Call 603-536-1179 or visit www.starrkingfellowship.org for details.
• Oct. 16: (7:30 p.m.) John Flynn returns to The Javawocky Coffeehouse in Brockton. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
• Oct. 23 & 30: “Basic Car Care Maintenance” fund-raiser in Attleboro. Details via www.goodnewsgarage.org.
• Oct. 24: (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Doolitle Home Open House.
• Oct. 25: (7:15 p.m.) Let’s Laugh Today (laughter yoga) at the First Universalist Society in Franklin.
• Oct. 30: Ballou Channing District (BCD) Fall Conference at First Parish Church in Duxbury, Mass.
• Please visit www.uufoxborough.org, www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, and the bulletin boards in the vestibule for more event listings, brochures, and details.
• Contact rentals@uufoxborough.org to reserve the church for your wedding, ceremony, baby shower, bridal shower, group meeting, band rehearsal, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.
• Don’t forget to purchase products through our Amazon.com and Powell’s Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

October Worship Services
All services begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

Oct. 3: You Loved Me Before You Knew Me

Oct. 10: Living With Weeds

Oct. 17: Building A Theological Home

Oct. 24: TBA – Guest Minister Rev. Christana McKnight, Minister of First Unitarian Parish of Norton

Oct. 31: All The Ghosts
Memorial Service for who have preceded us in death. Bring a photo or other contribution for our altar.

BEV: September 2010 Newsletter Highlights

Bird’s Eye View

Newsletter of Foxborough Universalist Church, Unitarian Universalist Association6 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.

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

After being away for most of the summer, it was such a thrill to walk into the church on Monday night! New boards on the porch, reconstructed columns, a new paint job downstairs, the reassuring smell of cleaning fluid….The building itself feels loved thanks to the relentless effort of the property improvement team and all of you. It was only missing its guts: warm greetings in the entryway, voices raised in song, the rollicking play of children, the different sort of quiet that prevails when we are being silent together, and the tender exchanges of mutual care. It will feel truly complete when we are all gathered together in the pews.

This June, at the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly, I heard Unitarian Universalist Rebecca Parker reflect on the writings of 19th century Universalist theologian Hosea Ballou with profound intelligence and a real regard for the relevance of his message today. One of the things to which she referred was Universalism’s faith that “underneath are the everlasting arms.” This is what I felt as I walked into the church. I could feel the everlasting arms. Together we all embody these arms. We hold each other and are held in them.

This year may you all feel as loved as our dear building. May we all feel the unwavering embrace of everlasting arms. And above all, may we open that embrace to all that we encounter.

I can’t wait to see you on the 12th for the annual communion of waters!

Faithfully,

Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings
Welcome Back, almost – well, welcome back Sunday, September 12, 2010. We have just had our August/September Board Of Trustees Meeting and have outlined some plans for the year.

Some things coming up:

* Our need for a Ministerial Search Committee to replace Katie (well, not really to replace Katie – she’s pretty much irreplaceable). Much of the Ministerial Search Committee information used last time should be suitable with updating.

* Next, we need to change the Bylaws to reflect where we are and where we’re going – to bring them up-to-date and to decide on an improved organization

* There is Katie’s Ordination – tentatively planned for mid-February.

* And, last, all of the ideas we need from you to help us serve your spiritual needs.
Dick

In Memoriam

Marjorie Erdman Roesch passed away on August 18. She was a church member who quickly jumped in to help at the yard sale. A memorial service will be held for Marjorie at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 11, at the Doolittle Home (16 Bird Street, Foxborough, Mass.). Our sympathy is extended to her family and friends.

Friendship Hour

Throughout the year, we need volunteers for Friendship Hour, a time for coffee, tea, water, light refreshments, and conversation after Worship Service and Religious Education classes. If you’ve never been in charge of coffee-time before or if you forgot how, there is a helpful hints/instruction guide located on-line via the Web site’s calendar page. You can also ask Ginger, the Membership Trustee, or someone who has hosted before about the details. Please sign-up on the bulletin board in the vestibule. If you see some new faces at church, please introduce yourself to them. Thanks in advance everyone!

Religious Education Happenings
On Sunday, September 12, 2010, the Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA, will be accepting registration forms to enroll your child/children in this year’s Religious Education (RE) Program.
Please contact the Religious Education Director at re@uufoxborough.org for further information about the RE program.

Choir Notes

Interested in the choir? Please contact Kris, the Music Director, or the Minister for details.

Newsletter

If you are a visitor, a newcomer, a newer member, or a long-time member of the church and would like to receive a copy of the monthly newsletter and/or join our e-reminder lists, please let the PR Committee know. The newsletter is available via e-mail and surface mail.

Also, if you have something you’ld like to have included, news to share, and/or want to write an article for our ongoing columns, please let us know and you’ll be added to the line-up!

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: October 7, November 4, and December 2, 2010. Please visit events.uufoxborough.org to sign-up for the e-reminder list and find out more information about our ongoing peace work.

Some Upcoming Events
Dates and time subject to change so please check with the offices.

* Sept. 1 and Oct. 6: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!

* Sept. 2 and Oct. 7: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!

* Sept. 19: Worship Calendar Planning Meeting after Worship service.

* Sept. 24: (8:00 p.m.) Benefit concert for UU MassAction Network at First Parish in Framingham, Mass. Jim Scott, Fred Small, Dean Arvidson, Justine Sullivan, and Matt Meyer will perform!

* Sept. 25-26: “Watering Our Seeds of Joy” – All women are invited to Senexet House, Woodstock, CT, September 25-26, 2010, for a retreat on Watering Our Seeds of Joy – an invitation to participate in an interactive dialogue of women bringing spirit into everyday life. For more information contact dschmader@cox.net.

* Sept. 26: (11:15 a.m.) Special Business Meeting.

* Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, events.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 wedding, ceremony, baby shower, bridal shower, group meeting, band rehearsal, recital, or other event. Payments are made through the Treasurer.

* Nov. 6: Doolitle Home Benefit Auction.

* Don’t forget to purchase products through our Amazon.com and Powell’s Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

Summer Work Party

The summer work party was held in early July. Everyone worked very hard and it was hot and humid! The group of about twenty devoted church members and RE students tackled repairing the front porch and back steps, cleaning the kitchen, church office, and Sanctuary, weed whacking, greenery trimming, weeding and watering, and brush removal. Good progress was made to improve the inside and outside of the church. A special thanks goes out to Dave who organized and supervised the porch project!

Wayside Pulpit Rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams – they all
have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do – they
all contain truths. ~ Muhammad Ali

In The Community

Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Mondays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Sept. 1, 4, 12, 25, & 26 – Games at the stadium; Sept. 4, 11, 18, 19, & 25 – Rock The Plaza free concerts at Patriot Place; Sept. 14 & 28 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Sept. 2 – First Thursdays Peace Vigil at this church (6:00 p.m.); Sept. 7 – First Day of School; Sept. 7 & 14 – Kids Club Storytime at CBS Scene (11:00 a.m./Free); Sept. 9 & 23 – Mass Cruisers Auto Club free Cruise Night at Patriot Place; Sept. 11 – McGinty Family Fun Day on the common (11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.); Sept. 16 – BIT Summer Raffle drawing (7:00 p.m.); Sept. 18 – Foxborough Music Association Bottle and Can Drive (9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.); Sept. 18 – Yardsale on the common to benefit Felines of Foxborough (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.); Sept. 18 – Troy Bourne at The River Coffee House (7:30 p.m.); Sept. 25 – Taiko Thunderdrums at CRRA (7:00 p.m.); The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

Weekly Belly Dance and Kundalini Yoga & Meditation For Women Classes

Starting the week of September 13, belly dancing and Kundalini Yoga and Meditation for Women classes will return to Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA. Both classes will be 8-week sessions. Awakening the Divine Feminine Through Belly Dance will be held Monday, 9/13-11/1/10 from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Kundalini Yoga for Women will be held Tuesday, 9/14-11/2/10 from 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

The instructor for both of these classes is Sumora, who has been a member of this church for 15 years. She is a Kundalini Research Institute Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor, is a member of the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association and has been teaching for 12 years. In addition, she has been belly dancing for 10 years and teaching for 5 years. She is a performer in many local shows and fundraisers, as well as producing fundraisers for the Foxborough Universalist Church for the past 6 years. She is the Coordinator of The Shimmy Sisters, *Belly Dancers Without Borders*, a MA/RI group of belly dancers which sponsors social events, workshops and does much in the way of community service by producing gala fundraising events on a yearly basis, most recently for Felines of Foxborough and CARE’s Fund for Haiti. Their next endeavor on November 13, 2010, is for The Magical Moon Foundation which will be held at the Ezekial Bates Masonic Lodge in Attleboro. You can reach Sumora at 508-561-4229 to register for class or with any questions you may have. Her Web site is at http://home.comcast.net/~susanmorgaine

Foxborough Never Forgets

Foxboro’ Never Forgets is leading the effort to create a monument to the victims of the terrorists attacks on September 11, 2001, and the many people that continue to serve to keep us safe, The group is currently selling T-shirts, bumper stickers, and raffle tickets. On the morning of September 11, 2010, Foxborough clubs, groups, and organizations will participate in town-wide community service projects; this will be followed by McGinty Family Fun Day activities from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on the common. All funds raised will go towards the McGinty Scholarship Fund and the monument which will be built at the Foxborough Public Safety Building on Chestnut Street. Visit www.foxboroneverforgets.com for futher details.

September 2010 Holidays

1 Ecclesiastical Year begins – Orthodox Christian

2 Krishna Janmashtami – Hindu

6 Laylat al Kadr – Islam

8 Nativity of Mary – Christian

9-10 Rosh Hashanah – Jewish

10 Eid al Fitr – Islam

11 Ganesa Chaturthi – Hindu

12 Paryushana – Jain

14 Elevation of the Life Giving Cross – Holy Cross Day – Christian

18 Yom Kippur – Jewish

23-29 Sukkot – Jewish

22 Autumnal Equinox

22 Mabon – Wicca/Pagan Northern Hemisphere

29 Michael and All Angels – Christian

30 Shemini Atzeret – Jewish

General Assembly, A Meeting Of Congregations

During this year’s General Assembly (GA) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA),delgates voted on and passed two Responsive Resolutions: 1. the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill now in Congress that would prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; and 2. UUs and UU congregations to focus on the development of youth and young adult ministry and the empowerment of our youth and young adults.

The delegates in Minneapolis voted in one Congregational Study/Action Items (CSAI): Immigration As A Moral Issue. This topic will be an integral part of the UUA Social Witness process until at least 2014. Five resolutions on urgent social issues, called ‘Actions of Immediate Witness’ (AIWs), were also voted on during the meeting.

Approved AIWs
* Clean Up the Clean Energy Bill

* Gulf Coast Environmental and Economic Justice

* Oppose Anti-Immigrant Measures

Failed AIWs
* End the Blockade of Gaza

* End the War in Iraq and Afghanistan

‘Green Revolution in Religion’, a Business Resolution submitted by the Ballou Channing District (BCD), was passed at the meeting. The resolution calls for UUA member congregations to reflect on the religious teachings and experiences that inspire Unitarian Universalists in our environmental related work. The resolution also requests that UUs make a special effort in the year 2011 to participate in the Association's continuing work for environmental justice, environmental stewardship, biodiversity protection, and environmental restoration.

News coverage from GA is available in UUWorld and on-line through www.uua.org/ga. Thirty events from General Assembly 2010 including worship services, plenary sessions, and talks are also available to watch on-line through www.uua.org/ga (click on “2010 Event Coverage” link). The next General Assembly will be held June 22-26, 2011, in Charlotte, NC!

“You are my favorite kind of church”. ~ U.S. Senator Al
Franken at GA 2010

CUUPS Sermon Contest

The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) has introduced a Sermon Contest that is open to anyone who has given a sermon on a Pagan and/or Earth-centered Spirituality related topic at a UUA church between Nov. 1, 2009 and Oct. 31, 2010. They need a copy of your sermon in text form and a copy of it in audio form by October 31, 2010. After your sermon is received, their sermon panel (the Rev. Kendyl Gibbons and the Rev. Joan Van Becelaere) will listen to and read them – then pick four finalists.

In early 2011 the four finalists will be played – one a month – on the CUUPS Podcast. At the end of this, the winner will be chosen by an on-line vote of the podcast listeners! The contest winner will be announced at General Assembly in Charlotte, NC. Please visit www.cuups.org/sermon/index.html for full details.

Social Action News
* Peace Ministry Network: The Peace Ministry Network is an independent outgrowth of the UUA Peacemaking Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI). For more information about this new volunteer network, please visit www.uupeacemakers.org.

* DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional: In July, a federal district court in Massachusetts ruled that critical portions of theDefense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violate the federal Constitution. The Respect for Marriage Act is currently pending in the House of Representatives. This bill would repeal DOMA and respect state marriages by providing federal protections for married same-sex couples.

* UUSC-UUA Joint Pakistan Flood Relief Fund: As of August 23, the Pakistani government estimates that 17.2 million people are affected by the floods – more than the Haiti earthquake, the 2005 South Asia earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami combined. Flooding has destroyed 1.2 million homes and millions of acres of crops. The growing enormity of this humanitarian disaster has compelled Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and the UUA to launch the UUSC-UUA Joint Pakistan Flood Relief Fund.

* Green Sanctuary Program News: Appalachia Rising will be held September 25-27, 2010, in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.appalachiarising.org or green.uufoxborough.org.

* 350.org is organizing a 10/10/10 Global Work Party to take a snapshot of a clean energy future. Visit www.350.org/oct10 for details and resources.

* Building Bridges For Civil Liberties: On Monday, August 9, UUSC and the UUA sent a letter to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg supporting the Islamic mosque and community center proposed for Lower Manhattan. Read the full letter via www.uusc.org/civilliberties.

* Additionally, in response to anti-Muslim hate speech and hate crimes of the past few weeks and the planned “International Burn A Koran Day” on September 11, Standing On The Side Of Love is encouraging those interested to sign up to host or attend a local event, rally, vigil, or worship service devoted to religious freedom, diversity, and tolerance on September 11.

Sunshine Committee

If you know anyone in our church family who is hospitalized, ill at home, in need of a helping hand, or otherwise could use some Sunshine, please let the Sunshine Committee (Lisette, Minister Katie Lawson, or Dick) know.

BCD Fall Conference

The 2010 Ballou Channing District (BCD) Fall Conference will be held on Saturday, October 30, at First Parish Church, 842 Tremont St, (Route 3A), in Duxbury, Mass. This conference will continue the examination started with the 2010 Spring Conference of the developing changes in demographics and religious interests and how it may affect our congregations into the future. The Keynote Presenter, Tandi Rogers, Pacific Northwest District Program Specialist, will discuss multigenerational and multii-cultural dynamics. There will be workshops on racial justice, the future of ministry, the role of family in faith formation, young adult ministry, and more. There will also be worship, music, and networking opportunities. Registration information will be available soon. For more information visit www.bcduua.org.

Barton Ride For Diabetes

Ride your motorcycle from the Central Massachusetts Safety Council to Camp Joslin and enjoy a cookout at the end of your ride. The event begins at 12:00 p.m. on September 19, 2010, at Central Massachusetts Safety Council located at 186 West Boylston Street, Route 12, Wachusett Plaza, West Boylston, Mass., and ends at Camp Joslin in Charlton, Mass. Get registration information and more details via www.bartoncenter.org.

* Oct. 2: (8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) Family Diabetes Day: Balancing a Healthy Lifestyle with Type 1 Diabetes at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass.

September Worship Services

All services begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

Sept. 12: “We Shall Gather” – Annual Water Ceremony (Intergenerational)

Every year we celebrate the beginning of the church year after a summer away with the Communion of Waters. Don’t forget to bring your sample of water from your summer travels (or a symbolic stand-in).

Sept. 19: Whose Are You?

This week marked the end of the Days of Awe in the Jewish tradition during which believers seek atonement for the ways in which they have strayed from their holy path and begin anew. How do we seek atonement in our tradition? To whom do we reconcile ourselves?

Sept. 26: The Divine Is In The Details

One of the values of living in a church community is to remind ourselves that there are many ways to take care of business and to practice getting things done in our families, at our businesses, and in our other involvements in a way that is consistent with the values we hold most sovereign.

BEV: June 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

June 2010

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

The time is fast upon us when our doors will close for the summer, and we leave the sanctuary to its own reflections. I am ambivalent about this practice, which is common in the denomination, especially in small churches with part-time ministers. It always catches me a little off guard and feels like someone is interrupting an enjoyable conversation. However, I choose to focus on my belief that there are many ways to worship, and that during the summer, the frog songs and flowers draw us outdoors into an equally significant communion with the holy.

Finding a sense of larger purpose, of belonging, and of the holy through a relationship with nature runs deep in American Unitarianism and Universalism. William Ellery Channing who proudly embraced and articulated Unitarianism in this country for the first time in 1806, found his call to ministry and his understanding of a loving and beneficient (rather than punishing) God while walking on a beach near his childhood home in Newport. Ralph Waldo Emerson saw nature not just as a metaphor for the holy, but God manifested all around us. Universalist and, later, Unitarian minister, Thomas Starr King was first and foremost a renowned mountaineer who wrote a guide book of the White Mountains that was seasoned with poetry and spiritual reflection. Throughout its history, Unitarian Universalism has been as bound to a reverence for the natural world as it has to its belief in good works and freedom of consciousness.

In an important way, it is an expression of our faith to nurture a garden, to walk a wooded path, to watch the birds at the feeder, to stay awake for a thunderstorm, and to work to deepen our relationship to it all. During the summers, when Sunday morning comes around, I often feel a particular call to pause and note the weather pattern or make time for a walk or just sit in our old row boat and drift. I hope your summer Sundays similarly call you to a Sabbath of sorts, to turn your attention to what really sustains you.

I will miss you this summer, but look forward to reuniting in the fall with all our tales of peace, beauty, communion, and service.

Faithfully,

Katie

Chairman’s Ramblings

This is the last issue of Bird’s Eye View for this church year. As you may have guessed, the title comes from our view of Bird Street, 6 Bird Street to be more specific. There was a long time that we thought we were 4 Bird Street, but the wisdom of the Post Office changed all that. I’m not sure if our perspective changed after all those years of being called 4 Bird Street, and now being 6 Bird Street. Sort of feels like the same place to me. A kind of special place which has been highlighted by this year’s Church Yard Sale. The willing cooperation to move and remove all those items, to sort them out in preparation of the sale, and to get everything ready for the Saturday event is really inspiring. The additional items brought in by townspeople is inspiring also.

As I write this, I don’t know how well we will do financially. I do know that the effort that has gone into the sale as of this point shows how great and caring our Church people truly are, and I thank you! This effort culminates a year of of change for us, as change that I believe bodes well for the future. We all spent significant time listing our ideas for a growth plan, and then the Board spent several meetings listing and prioritizing those ideas to formulate a 3-5 year plan for the Church. The results will be published shortly and will constitute the working plan for our Church for the near future. Again, thank you for all of the cooperative efforts you have made during the year.

Dick

Religious Education Happenings

On Saturday, June 5, there will be a Religious Education Sunday practice and picnic at the church. Please contact Lisa Benoit, Religious Education Director, at re@uufoxborough.org for details.

Don’t forget: We are now accepting registration forms for next year’s Religious Education classes. Please return the RE forms to Lisa Benoit.

Wayside Pulpit

Prejudice delivers instant opinions without bothering with all those facts. ~ Anonymous

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: June 3, and July 1, and August 5. Please visit events.uufoxborough.org to sign-up for the e-reminder list and find out more information about our ongoing peace work.

June 2010 Holidays

3 Corpus Christi- Catholic Christian

9 Saint Columba of Iona – Celtic Christian

11 Sacred Heart of Jesus – Catholic Christian

19 New Church Day – Swedenborgian Christian

21 Solstice

21 Litha – Wicca Northern Hemisphere

21 First Nations Day – Canadian Native People

29 Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul – Christian

Shimmy Thanks!

Thank you to Sumora, all the volunteers who helped behind the scenes, and all the dancers who performed in “Belly Psychadelli”, the 6th Annual Belly Dance Karavan fund-raiser on May 22, at the church! Belly dancers Za-Beth, Sumora, Anechka, Haleema, Goddess Delight, Anam Cara, Belly Dance Collective, Baseema, Jihanna, Neylan, Morgana, Nehira, *Samantha*, Ameena, Heather, Christina, Johara, Snake Dance Theater Company, Sadira, Dorothea, and Sabrina donated their time and outstanding talent to help in our goal of improving community accessibility to our historic building. All money raised this year and will go towards the Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative.

Milestones

Annie Adams Fields, Charles Sinclair Weeks, Anna Laetitia Aiken Barbauld, Harold Hitz Burton, and Celia Laighton Thaxter.

In UU History

• On June 25, 1863, Olympia Brown became the first woman to be ordained by any denomination in the United States. She was ordained as a Universalist minister.
• In 1877, Clara Barton, a Universalist, wrote to a founder of the International Red Cross and began the creation of the American Red Cross.
• June 21, 1985, Unitarian Universalists adopted seven unifying Principles.

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.

Church Yard Sale!

Thank you to everyone who helped with the annual church yard sale! Many congregants helped out by: bringing in their own items and unsold items from other sales to the church; letting their friends and family know donations were welcome; hanging flyers around town; storing some of the larger items until sale day; delivering the food basket to the raffle winner; moving items into and out of the church office; going to town hall; staffing the sale; and, performing more tasks that needed to be done to insure a successful fund-raiser! Thank you everyone who pitched in and helped!

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 voted on at the Annual Meeting in June. The church cannot run without a strong Board. Each Officer and Trustee position is a two-year term, unless you will be serving as an interim trustee or officer/finishing the end of someone else’s term.

Building Use And Rentals

Members and non-members are welcome to use the church building and grounds for meetings, weddings, baby showers, recitals, birthday parties, workshops, classes, or other events. The sanctuary has outstanding acoustics and the first level of the church contains a social hall, kitchen, and more. Please contact us via rentals@uufoxborough.org to schedule events at the church. First come, first served; we already have reservations in June and mid-summer, so please plan your events early. Visit events.uufoxborough.org to find some secular events occuring at the church; visit rentals.uufoxborough.org for more information.

Sharing The Good News Of UUism

• Don’t forget to check out Beacon Press (including their UU Guides), Skinner House Books, and the UUA Bookstore for your summer reading adventures.
• Grab a Principles and Purposes bookmarker, pamphlet, or walletcard to keep your place.
• Share these tomes and/or UU World (or UU & Me) with a friend, neighbor, or relative when you’re done reading!!

Destination ImagiNation

To help get them to the Global Finals Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee, the South Shore Home Learners (SSHL) held a fund-raiser at the church on May 16. The SSHL team manager provided a brief summary about Destination Imagination (DI) and described the Breaking DI News challenge to the audience. The kids performed their play about the story of an unusual friendship that formed between a baby hippo and tortoise. The structure held 651 pounds. With an audience of about 30 people, SSHL put on an entertaining show and raised some money! The South Shore Home Learners team came in 16th place in the “Challenge E: Breaking DI News, Middle Level” category. Congratulations to the entire team, including two of our congregants! If anyone is interested in learning more about DI, please visit www.idodi.org.

Other Notices And Events

• June 3, July 1, & August 5: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
• June 2, July 7, & August 4: Men’s Group Meeting. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• June 6: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting.
• June 13: (11:15 a.m.) Annual Business Meeting.
• August: Ordination Committee Meeting. This will be a meeting during the first week of August.
• Please visit www.bcduua.org, BCD In-Brief, the BCD and UUA e-mail lists, www.uufoxborough.org, events.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.
• Don’t forget to purchase products through our Amazon.com and Powell’s Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

General Assembly, A Meeting Of Congregations

If you won’t be in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) this year, you can kep up-to-date on the day to day activities during the meeting, also known as General Assembly (GA). If you have internet capabilities, visit www.uua.org/ga/ to find a schedule of the worship services, plenary sessions, events, and other activities that will be streamed live. On-line GA coverage will include print and photo reporting from UU World. Plenary I and Opening Worship will begin at 8:00 p.m. CDT, and Closing Celebration will be held from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT. Those with slow connection speeds may find the stream choppy and you might miss some of the words, but the on-line reporting and updates usually accurately reflect the days’ activities, so you won’t miss out on much.

Social Action News

• “The catastrophic oil disaster off the Gulf Coast continues to destroy the natural environment and people’s lives. As legislation currently stands, oil companies like BP only have to pay for up to $75 million for clean up costs – less than one day’s profit – and the rest is passed on to the American taxpayer.”
• President Obama has proclaimed June as “National Oceans Month” and “LGBT Pride Month”.
• Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR 1283), the legislation regarding the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, is working it’s way through Congress.
• Visit www.uusc.org, www.standingonthesideoflove.org, and www.uua.org for more information.

In The Community

Monday – Friday – Crossroads Children’s Center at the church (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); Wednesdays – Belly Dance classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays – Yoga classes at the church (6:30 p.m.); June 6 – Sumora’s & Sabrina’s Student Showcase at the church (2:00 p.m.); June 12, 13, & 26 – Events at church (afternoons); August 21 & 22 – Events at church (all day); June 5, 12, 13, 26, & 27 – Events at the stadium; June 8, 22, & 29 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; June 17 & 24 – Concerts On The Common (7:00 p.m.); June 18 & 19 – Foxborough’s Relay For Life at Ahern; June 6, 19, 20, 26, & 27 – “Rock The Plaza” free concerts at Patriot Place; June 1 – 6th & 7th Grades Band Concert at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); June 3 – 5th Grade Concert Band at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); June 4 – ImprovSoup at Burrell; June 5 – BSA Troop 7 Car Wash at Town Hall; June 5 – Foxborough Against Diabetes 5k Run and Walk (10:00 a.m.); June 6 – National Trails Day activities at CRRA (Cocasset River Recreation Area at 68 Mill Street); June 8 – Choral Concert at Ahern (5th & 6th Grade, 6:30 p.m.; 7th & 8th Grade, 7:30 p.m.); June 10 – All Strings Concert at Ahern (7:00 p.m.); June 12 – Foxborough Founders’ Day; June 26 – Dragonflies And Damselflies at CRRA; The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

Other upcoming events and opportunities: helping the Discretionary Fund by volunteering at or buying fresh, locally grown produce from the Community Farmstand, having a plot at the Community Garden, utilizing Museum Passes through Boyden Library and friends, joining or forming a town softball team, National Night Out on the common, block parties, and much more.

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.

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.

April 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.

Minister's Message

Dear Friends,
Last week, a group of us met after worship for a productive two hours of strategic planning. The goal of the day was to take the three categories of the strategic plans and their goals and to create a concrete plan for achieving those goals in the next three years. I was impressed by the level of enthusiasm and the creativity of people’s thinking. I was struck with how simple many of the ideas were and how they mostly involved an effort to get organized in a certain direction. It’s true that some of what we needed to talk about are what we might call “big ticket” items (making the building accessible, for one), but truly so much of it revolved around limited but focused attention: organizing a book group every now and then, creating a good format for an orientation meeting for newcomers, getting together eight people who could perform as a vocal ensemble once every two or three months…These are things that will not only bring us closer to reaching the goal of the strategic plan (to increase the church’s ability to fulfill its mission by growing our membership and our programming and to become more relevant in the community), but that will be enriching for those involved as well. I hope everyone will find at least a small way to become involved in the larger effort to take the church into its next phase.

Following through on any strategic plan requires commitment, focus, and patience, and I hope that we will all balance our ambitions for the church with enjoying the beautiful place it is currently. As we mobilize our efforts to complete the tasks decided upon last week, let’s also be present to the opportunities for fun, advocacy, and spiritual growth that present themselves along the way.

If you were unable to be a part of the strategic planning round-up, but have an idea that would help to accomplish one of the goals put forth in the basic description for the strategic plan, be sure to contact me or a Board member.
Faithfully,
Katie

Chairman's Ramblings
Thank you to everyone who participated in the after church planning sessions. We are now putting these detail items together in a presentable format for all to review. Like any other long term plan, this is a 'living' document, meant to be reviewed at least once each year to measure progress, and add or delete items that seem appropriate and that fit current member objectives. Some churches do this at an annual retreat, some do it 'in-house' so to speak. Either way it provides a path forward to ensure a commonality of purpose and direction. As soon as the draft is ready, we will have it available for all to review.

This is the time of year when we ask you to consider becoming a member of the Board Of Trustees. As you know, it is this group that provides governance for the church. Each year several members end their term, requiring us to request people to fill the open positions. We have a nominating committee to help in this process, but any member of the Board would be willing to discuss the participation and commitment needed. Meetings are once a month for the whole Board, at members convenience, and an additional meeting may be needed for an active committee with a program to plan. There are no outside members from either the District or from the UUA headquarters, everything we do is done by us at the local level, so your input is important. Think about it, and be aware that a member of the nominating committee may approach you with a request to join The Board.
Thanks,
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. Judges will pick the winners after worship on April 11 and the winning hymns will be sung during worship the next week.

Belly Psychadelli
“Belly Psychadelli” is the theme of Sumora's 6th Annual Belly Dance Karavan on Saturday, May 22 at the church. Many beautiful dancers have already committed to performing in this year's show and it is shaping up to be a perfectly entertaining event. All the dancers donate their time and talents for this show and some travel from as far away as Lowell and Worcester to get here. For those of you unfamiliar with the beautiful, ancient, and spiritual art of belly dance, you might be surprised at what you see -- it is beautiful, sacred, and entertaining. Please mark your calendars and participate on show night to support these beautiful performers as well as the church: attend the stunning show as an audience member or help out behind the scenes! Please also help our fundraising efforts by inviting everyone you know to this family-friendly show. As in the past, ALL proceeds go towards the church's Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative! If you would like to help out, please contact Sumora at ShimmyYogini@comcast.net. Updates will be posted to Sumora's Web site (home.comcast.net/~susanmorgaine) and the church's Events Web site (events.uufoxborough.org).

Walk For Hunger
Save the date for Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger on Sunday, May 2, 2010. With more people than ever struggling to put food on the table, it’s good to know there’s help close to home. The 20-mile Walk weaving through Boston, Brookline, Newton, Watertown, and Cambridge will include entertainment and free snacks and will help raise $4 million to fight hunger. Register, donate, and learn more at www.projectbread.org/walk or call 617-723-5000.

Will You Be Silent?
On Friday, April 16, 2010, many schools and people across the nation will be observing the 14th "Day Of Silence” (DOS). What is the Day Of Silence? The Day Of Silence is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment in schools. Hundreds of thousands of students are expected to participate on April 16, so that those who endure anti-LGBT bias will not be forgotten. For more information about the DOS, please visit www.dayofsilence.org.

Standing On The Side Of Love News
SSL invites you to contact your members of Congress about the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy. While the Administration announced changes in the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on March 25, unfortunately, it's still illegal to be gay or lesbian in the military. Current military policy bans bisexual, gay, and lesbian people from serving openly; the changes announced just make it a little safer in the closet. The President has expressed his commitment to repealing this harmful policy, and the military is already preparing to end it, but Congress must act on the issue. A new bill to repeal DADT has been introduced in the Senate. For details, please visit www.standingonthesideoflove.org.

April 2010 Holidays
1 Maundy Thursday - Christian
2 Good (Holy) Friday - All Christians
3 Holy Saturday - Christian
4 Easter - All Christians
5-6 Pesach (Passover) final two days - Jewish
11 Yom HaSho'ah - Jewish
14 Baisakhi - Sikh
19 Yom Ha'Atzmaut - Jewish
21 First Day of Ridvan - Baha'i
23 Saint George's Day - Christian
28-May 1 Theravadin New Year - Buddhist
29 Ninth Day of Ridvan - Baha'i
30 St. James the Great Day - Orthodox Christian

Wayside Pulpit
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. ~ William Wordsworth

April's Global Chalice Lighting
In the name of compassion and loving-kindness :
Following the paths of Ibn Arabi, a Sufi master, we let our hearts dilate to enable them to fit all spiritual or existential kinds.
For those who seek, our hearts have become church, temple, synagogue, mosque, sanctuary;
stronghold for the poor, for those who are suffering, for minorities wherever they come from.
We believe in the religion of Love, which has no gender, and to which all personal stories are leading.
Because Love is our religion and our faith.
~ Yohann Amal
Conseil des Unitariens et Universalistes Français (CUUF)
http://unitariens.francais.over-blog.fr/

Milestones
Aurelia Isabel Henry Reinhardt, Deborah Webster Greeley, Dorothea Lynde Dix, Charles Bliss Bowles, Maja Veronica Oktavec Capek, Chester Greenough Atkins, Rev. Samuel Willard, Daniel Chester French, Winfred Overholser, Abigail Williams May, Richard Bowditch Wigglesworth, & Mary Wollstonecraft.

• In 1781, on April 22, Elhanan Winchester gave his first sermon publicly advocating Universal Restoration at Pennsylvania University.

Our Roots
If you're interested in some people that contributed to the Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist faiths, some biographies are available on-line at many locations including: the church Web site, the Harvard Square Library Web site, and the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society Web site. Harvard Square Library has recently expanded their focus on Notable American Unitarians (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/) to include Notable American Universalists (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/universalists/). The Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography is looking for volunteers to write short biographies about famous Unitarian Universalists in history and can be accessed via www.uuhs.org.

UU Notable News
Harvard Square Library offers books to read for free on-line. Current books available include:

• "Sacred Service In Civic Space" by Kathleen R. Parker which celebrates the three hundred years of community ministry of Unitarian Universalism.
  
• (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/Community_Ministry/)
  "We Sing Of Life (with We Speak of Life)" edited by lifelong UU minister Vincent Silliman and in collaboration with composer and musicologist Irving Lowens. The book was designed especially for liberal religious education. (www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/We_Sing_of_Life/Introduction.html)

UUSC/UUA Joint Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund
We are still participating in this ongoing social action. As of March 19, the Fund has received donations totalling $1,728,344.68. 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.

Transforming Our Prejudices - A Sensitivity Workshop
The Channing Church Interweave group will be hosting a Sensitivity Workshop from 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 3, at Channing Memorial Church (135 Pelham Street, Newport, RI). This workshop will give participants opportunities to do personal work on internalized and external oppressions as well as provide concrete ways to bring new learnings and tools into everyday life. If you are interested in attending, please contact Lee Whittaker at interweave@channingchurch.org to let him know how many will be attending. You may pay the $10 fee at the door. Make checks payable to Channing Church with memo: Interweave Workshop.

ShelterBoxUSA Tent-A-Thon
From 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 11, children, youth, and adults of the Unitarian Church of Sharon will erect a "tent city" on the front lawn of the church. Each tent on the church lawn will represent $200 in pledges gathered by participants from Sharon, Foxborough, Mansfield, and Norwood. For more information visit www.shelterboxusa.org. For more information about this event, contact Louise Marcoux, Director of Religious Education, at 781-784-3652.

UU Holdeen India Program
The UUA International Resources Office released "UUHIP: Partners for Justice in India" an introduction to the Unitarian Universalist Association's Holdeen India Program. UUHIP supports the efforts of those peoples excluded or oppressed on the basis of gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, especially dalits (untouchables), adivasis (tribals), migrant, bonded and child laborers, domestic and home-based workers, and scavengers, helping them to participate fully in the social, economic, and political life of India. Available on-line for free at www.vimeo.com/10032783, the video features profiles of 5 Holdeen India Program partners as well as reflections by Program Director Kathy Sreedhar, former UUA President Rev. John Buehrens, and UU minister Rev. Abhi Janamanchi.

Ballou Channing District Annual Meeting
The BCD Annual Meeting on April 24 at First Unitarian Church of Providence will include reports about district operations; recognition of new and departing ministers and religious educators; election of District officers and directors, and the approval of the FY2011 budget. A Social Service Project will also be undertaken: an afternoon of work in the Brown University's community garden project to help prepare the beds for summer plantings. Participants should bring boots and gloves. Contact the District Office at 508-559-6650 or via bcdoffice@uua.org if you have questions about the conference. Registration deadline is April 22, 2010.

April Worship Services
All services begin at 10:00 a.m. and are followed by a Friendship Hour.

Apr. 4: Easter

Apr. 11: Music Sunday
Come for a celebration of music including performances from members of the congregation. We will pause to reflect on the ways in which music speaks a different spiritual language and is often able to connect us to each other and to the holy in a totally unique way.

Apr. 18: Green Theology
Minister Katie Lawson explores the theological arguments for environmental protection.

Apr. 25: Inspiration Service
Join Rev. Patricia Hatch for a service that will lift your spirits and inspire you towards the life you want to live.

Other Notices And Events

• Apr. 1 and May 6: (6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
  
• Apr. 7 and May 5: (7:30 p.m.) Men's Group Meeting at Pike's Peak Mining Company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
  
• Apr. 9: The Attleboro Area Council of Churches is hosting a benefit dinner, Hope on the Streets, to raise money to assist the homeless through their varied programs. Will be held at the Attleboro Elks and feature a presentation from Rev. Geralyn Wolf, the Episcopal Bishop of Providence.
  
• Apr. 11: (8:00 a.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
  
• Apr. 28: (10:00 a.m.) UU Lobby Day begins at the UUA headquaters, 25 Beacon Street, in Boston.
  
• 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.
  
• Don't forget to purchase products through our Amazon and Powell's Book partner programs: click through the links on the church Web site home page (www.uufoxborough.org) and shop!

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.); Apr. 3, 10, 22, & 24 – Events at the stadium; Apr. 13 & 27 - Board Of Selectmen's Meetings; Through Apr. 9 - Foxborough Reads; Apr. 8 - Norfolk Advocates for Children facility open house; Apr. 8 - Spring Concert at FHS; Apr. 9 – ImprovSoup at Burrell; Apr. 10 – Foxborough Lions Club Bottle & Can Drive; Apr. 10 - Community Trails Day at CRRA; Apr. 10 – Boy Scout Pasta Dinner Fundraiser at Bethany Church; Apr. 15 – Candidates Night; Apr. 16, 17, & 18 - "13 – The Musical" at Orpheum; Apr. 19-23 – FPS Vacation Week; Apr. 29 - Ahern Strings & FHS Symphony Orchestra at Ahern; The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church's second level – please contribute!

Summer Programs At Regional UU Camps
UUs looking for a "close-in" vacation may wish to check out the wide range of art, education, personal development, and music conferences and workshops as well as beaches and camps sites at the three New England conference and retreat centers.

• Ferry Beach in Saco on the coast of Southern Maine (www.ferrybeach.org)
  
• Star Island within the Isles of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast (www.starisland.org)
  
• Rowe Camp and Conference Center in Rowe, MA in the Berkshire Mountains (www.rowecenter.org).

Ethical Eating Core Team Presents The 40/40/40 Campaign
UUs across the continent are expanding Earth Day’s 40th anniversary on April 22, 2010 to last 40 days. How? By committing to large and small daily actions over the 40 days, for the sake of the Earth and all who live on it. Some UUs are even taking on-going lifestyle changes for a 40-day “test drive,” knowing that some aspects of global environmental justice begin with personal choice. When 40 people in one congregation make 40-day commitments, that congregation receives special acknowledgement from the UUA's Ethical Eating Core Team.. For more information about the campaign and available reseources, please visit www.tr.im/404040.

What will this look like in congregations? Use the resources at www.tr.im/404040 to kick off the 40/40/40 campaign in worship and religious education. Those who take the “40/40/40 Pledge” receive a sticker for their church nametag, helping to spread the word. Participants enjoy support and community building both in the local congregation (which might hold a potluck or a special environmental justice event), and also nationally, sending their stories to the 40/40/40 blog at www.tr.im/40blog. At the conclusion of the 40 days, congregants gather to share stories—what they learned, what worked well and what did not, how their perspectives changed, and what comes next, as individuals and as a congregation.

DRUUMM
Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries has a new website! Please visit and pass the word on about www.druumm.org, where you will find information about DRUUMM, chat rooms, event registrations, and the means to connect to DRUUMM members across the continent.

IARF Congress
Being held in Kochi, India from Septemer 1-7, 2010, the 33rd Congress of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) will be a very special occasion for participants. The theme is “Beyond Conflict to Reconciliation: the Challenge of the 21st Century.” An international list of speakers includes: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dr. Karan Singh, President of the Temple of Understanding, Ms. Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on Religion or Belief from the United Nations, and Dr. Sheikh Ali, Muslim interfaith leader. Also, the International Association for Liberal Religious Women will be celebrating its 100th year with a special program for women.

The UUA has ten voting delegates so if you are interested in being one, contact the Rev. Eric Cherry at the International Resources Offi ce (international@uua.org). There will be important issues to vote on regarding the future of the organization. For more information on this special event, and to register, check out: http://bit.ly/IARFCongress.

What Torture's Taught Me
Join the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) at 3:00 p.m. on April 11, at The First Church in Belmont as Bill Schulz presents his renowned talk, "What Torture's Taught Me". Bill is a former UUA President, former executive director of Amnesty International USA, and current interim president and CEO of UUSC. Bill Schulz first delivered this talk as the Berry Street Lecture at the 2006 Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in Saint Louis, MO. Suitable for everyone high-school age and older, his lecture will focus on torture in a theological — versus political — context. Alfa Radford (First Church of Belmont's Minister of music) considers Bill to be one of the greatest speakers she has ever heard.

UUA Leadership Training Opportunities

• Join other UUs at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Highlands, NC, the first week of August to empower UU youth and adults who work with youth to be interfaith leaders in their congregation and community. Participants will explore religious pluralism and UU theology and history as related to interfaith work, share stories of faith and service, and participate in community building and outdoor activities. Registration, lodging, and meals are provided by the UUA. Participants are responsible for their own travel; limited travel scholarships are available. Apply at www.uua.org/interfaithyouth by May 1, 2010.
  
• Youth and Young Adults of Color aged 15–30 years old, are invited to come to Boston from August 13-17 for a Leadership Development Conference that will equip participants to be leaders in their local UU congregation or district, better understand racial/ethnic identity development, and foster inter-cultural collaboration and intentional relationship building. Conference registration is $200; travel and housing will be paid by the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. Apply via www.uua.org/yaya/ldc/color by May 15, 2010.