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: 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.

January 2010 Newsletter Highlights

Annual Holiday Breakfast Fundraiser
Join us for food, fellowship, and fun at our annual Holiday Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. on January 3, 2010. If you have any special requests for breakfast or would like to help, please contact Dick or put a note in the Chairman’s mailbox in the church office. There is a voluntary contribution of $4.00/adult and $2.00/child – completely voluntary. Please put your donation for the breakfast in the basket downstairs, not the collection plate upstairs in the Sanctuary; this is essential for our bookkeeping efforts. All the food is donated to the church, and all the money collected goes to the church.

Women’s Group Meeting
A Women’s Group Meeting will be held from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. on January 8. This is a BYOL (bring your own lunch) meeting. Please contact Leah or Nancy for additional details.

January 2010 Holidays

1 Mary, Mother of God - Catholic Christian
1 Feast of St Basil – Orthodox Christian
1 Gantan-sai (New Years) – Shinto
5 Twelfth Night – Christian
5 Guru Gobindh Singh birthday – Sikh
6 Epiphany – Christian
6 Feast of the Theophany - Orthodox Christian
6 Nativity of Christ – Armenian Christian
7 Nativity of Christ – Orthodox Christian
10 Baptism of the Lord Jesus – Christian
14 Maghi – Sikh
17 World Religion Day – Baha’i
18-25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Christian
19 Timkat – Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
20 Vasant Panchami – Hindu
24 Triodion begins – Orthodox Christian
25 Conversion of St. Paul – Christian
30-February 1 Mahayana New Year – Buddhist
30 Tu B’Shevat – Jewish

Many Thanks!
Thank you to everyone who: helped decorate the church for the Winter holiday season; participated in our beautiful Christmas Eve worship service; contributed to the Holiday Fund; purchased items through our partner programs!

Standing On The Side Of Love News

• SSL Grants For Congregations: Matching grants of $500-$1,500 are available to UUA congregations participating in the Standing on the Side of Love campaign. These grants will support congregations mobilizing at critical times to take action in a broad range of arenas where people are excluded, oppressed, or attacked based on real or perceived identities. Applications are available via www.standingonthesideoflove.org.
• National Standing On The Side Of Love Day: The SSL campaign is asking congregations to participate in a National Standing on the Side of Love Day on Feb 14, and to help them reimagine Valentine’s Day. National Standing on the Side of Love Day empowers each congregation to take action on issues that matter locally, and to pursue strategies that are effective and meaningful to them.
• SSL Web-Cast Calls in 2010: Join the SSL on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 1:00 p.m. EST and Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 8:00 p.m. EST for 45 minute web-cast conference calls. For more information, go to http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/ssl-webcast-calls/.

Reflecting On Who Are Our Neighbors?
The Unitarian Universalist Justice Action network is working to reform of our immigration system. UUA congregations are encouraged to find out more about our immigrant neighbors: What are our relationships? Does our congregation offer “welcome to the stranger”? Please see “Welcoming Our Neighbors: A UU Guide to Immigrant Justice” and www.uua.org/socialjustice/.

A Few New Year’s Traditions And Superstitions

• “First Night” community celebrations began in 1976 in Boston.
• Some people believe loud noises or lighting off fireworks will frighten evil spirits away.
• Some food related customs observed for good luck in the New Year: many Dutch consume doughnuts on this day to ensure good fortune throughout the year; common among American Southerners, black-eyed peas are eaten, often with hog jowls or ham, for luck and to attract money; consuming cabbage is also thought by some to bring good luck.
• "Polar Bear” swims are undertaken perhaps to ensure open eyes to face the New Year.

Let us know how you celebrate the New Year (http://www.uufoxborough.org/How_We_Observe.htm).

About Tu B’Shevat
This year is 5770 according to the Jewish calendar. The word “Tu” is the number 15 in Hebrew and “Shevat” is the eleventh month in the Jewish calendar. Thus, we find Tu B’Shevat (according to Beit Hillel) always occurring on the 15th day of the eleventh month. This year that date falls on January 30, 2010 C.E. Tu B’Shevat marks the beginning of Spring in Israel and is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing. According to Leviticus 19:23-25, the fruit from trees which were grown in the land of Israel may not be eaten during the first three years, the fourth year’s fruit is for G-d, and, after that, the fruit can be eaten by you. Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B’Shevat, no matter when in the year it was planted. Therefore, if you planted a tree on Shevat 14, it begins its second year the next day, but if you plant a tree two days later, on Shevat 16, it does not reach its second year until the next Tu B’Shevat. There are not many customs or observances related to this holiday. One custom is to eat a new fruit on this day. Some people plant trees on this day. Many Jewish children collect money for trees for Israel at this time of year.

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

Jan. 3: Finding Innocence
How can adults regain the lost innocence of youth and rediscover a world full of possibility and immeasurable beauty?

Jan. 10: TBD
Jan. 17: TBD
Jan. 24: TBD
Jan. 31: TBD

Other Notices And Events

• Jan. 6 and Feb. 3: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining company in Mansfield. Please contact Rick for details. Newcomers are welcome!
• Jan. 7 and Feb. 4: (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at the church. Area residents are invited to participate!
• The Worship Committee will be meeting in early January to plan the upcoming Worship Schedule. If you’re interested in helping plan the church’s course of Worship, participating in a service as a Worship Associate or Lay-Leader, or have anything to contribute or that you’ld like to have included in worship services, please contact Neda or Minister Katie Lawson.
• Please contact LeeAnn or Nancy if you’re interested in the Interior Design Committee.
• Jan. 10: (7:00 p.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
• Jan. 12: (4:00 p.m.) Retirement party for Dot Embree, longtime Executive Director of the Attleboro Area Council of Churches. Please visit www.attleborocouncilofchurches.org for details.
• Jan. 14 & 21: (7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) “Financial Literacy For Young People” will be held at First Parish Universalist Church in Stoughton. This is a two part, free workshop for ages 15 and over. Preregister via Pamela McCarthy at 781-344-7125 or PMcCarthy2007@gmail.com.
• Jan. 21: MassEquality Lobbying Day at the State Building. Details at www.massequality.org.
• Please contact the UU-United Nations Office if you’re interested in becoming an “UU-UNO Envoy”.
• 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.); Jan, 12 & 26 – Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Jan. 7 – Grades 5-8 Orchestra Concert at Ahern (7:00 p.m.); Jan. 14 – 8th Grade Concert Band and Junior Jazz Band at Ahern (7:00 p.m.); Jan. 18 & 29 – No School at FPS; Jan. 19 – U.S. Senate Special Election Day in Massachusetts; Jan. 21 – 6th & 7th Grade Concert Bands at Ahern (6:30 p.m.); Jan. 30 – Divine Drums and Sassy Sword Stylings workshops at the church; Jan. 31 – “A Mid-Winter Medley: Beginner To Professional Belly Dance Showcase” at the church (2:00 p.m.); The Restocking The Shelves collection box is on the church’s second level – please contribute!

World Religion Day
World Religion Day is a Baha’i observance celebrated on the third Sunday of every January. Begun in 1950, the day “provides the opportunity to seek a unified approach to the spiritual challenges that confront humanity, and recognizes that the Earth is but one country and mankind its citizenry.”

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!

Some Upcoming Events

May 3: (7:00 p.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
May 6: (7:30 p.m.) Men's Group Meeting at Pike's Peak Mining Company in Mansfield, MA.
May 7: (6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA.
May 10: (11:00 a.m.) Love Makes A Family photo exhibit opens!
May 11: (7:00 p.m.) Women's Group Meeting in Mansfield, MA.
May 23: (9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.) Church Yard Sale at 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA.
May 30: (8:00 p.m.) 5th Annual Belly Dance Karavan fundraiser at 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA.
May 26: (9:00 p.m.) Newsletter deadline

From The Newsletter

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends,

As we have been engaging more intently in discussions about how we might “choose to bless the world” and engage in social justice work, I keep thinking of a pair of congregants from the church where I served as an intern. At Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul, a volunteer always maintained a presence at the front desk. One of those volunteers was a 91 year old retired law professor and ex-navy commander, with a piercing intellect and dignified presence, that we will call Henry. The year before I came to the church, Henry’s wife took ill with kidney disease and had to move into an assisted living facility. This was a difficult transition for Henry, though I understand he bore it with characteristic reserve. During coffee hour one morning he remarked to another congregant, a man with two young kids who worked for public radio that we’ll call Ben, that one of the hard things about living alone was wondering if anyone would know if something happened to him. Ben, who did not know Henry well, asked, “Would you like me to call you in the morning?” at which point Henry did not say “No.” And so the next morning Ben called, just to say, “Good morning.” And so it went for every day after that. Some days Ben would just say, “Good morning,” and Henry would say, “Have a good day.” Other days their conversations were a little longer. It had gotten to the point where Ben’s kids would remind him, “Did you call Henry today?” As I was leaving the church, Ben and Henry had shared this practice for two years without missing a day.

I have been thinking about Ben and Henry for a couple of reasons. First, this act of service, of blessing the world, came out of Henry venturing to share his real concerns to a member of his community. He may not have thought about it this way, but in doing so he was blessing Ben with the opportunity to care for someone and to build relationship. Second, this blessing came out of Ben hearing Henry. One of the most important aspects of social justice and service is listening, being attentive to where the need lies. Third, this became, for Ben, a spiritual practice. It wasn’t long before it was so integrated into his days, that he did not think about it as doing something for Henry, but as a part of what made his days feel whole. For Henry, it expanded his understanding of his support system, soothed his loneliness, and repositioned the church in
his heart as a part of his family.

This is social justice work as much as marching on Washington is. Granted we should still advocate for compassionate systems for caring for our elders. We should pay close attention to support systems like Medicare and Social Security. However, we should not dismiss the tremendous blessing that is brought upon people when they engage on a more intimate level in co-creating the world in which they want to live. As we approach our discussions about social justice and let ourselves think big about what is possible when we pool our energy, let us also maintain reverence for the smaller gestures we daily make in the name of building a more compassionate and connected world. In doing so, we are, in some ways, letting ourselves live in that world as we are creating it.

Faithfully,
Katie

Worship And Other Events In March

March 1: (10:00 a.m.) “The Relevance Of Church And Bowling”
March 4: (7:30 p.m.) Men's Group Meeting at Pike's Peak Mining Company.
March 5: (6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA.
March 8: (10:00 a.m.) “The Problem With Tolerance”
March 8: (7:00 p.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church.
March 9: (7:00 p.m.) Women's Group Meeting.
March 15: (10:00 a.m.) “This I Believe”
March 22: (10:00 a.m.) “The Possibility Of Peace”
March 29: (10:00 a.m.) Intergenerational Passover Seder

May Activities

May 2: Men's Group Meeting. Details: TBA.
May 3: First Thursdays Peace Vigil (6:00 - 7:00 p.m.)
May 6: Unitarian Universalism: A Religion?
May 12: Clean Up Party (9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)
May 13: Expectations: Great And Small
May 19: Annual Yard Sale 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
May 20: Cleaning Up Our Messes
May 20: Board Of Trustees Meeting (7:00 p.m.)
May 27: Wounded Hearts And The Road To Happiness

Choir Practice: Sundays at 9:00 a.m.
Belly Dance Classes on Mondays
Kundalini Yoga And Meditation Classes on Tuesdays


Ongoing: RE Sign-up, Membership Committee Fellowship, Community Outreach, Social Action Committee, Women's Spirituality Group, Sunshine Network/Circle of Friends, Book Club, RE Committee, Worship Committee, Meditation Group, Green Sanctuary Committee, Adult RE, & more!

Welcome To 2007!

Happening This Week:

• Thursday: Green Sanctuary Committee Meeting 10:00 a.m.
• Thursday: Peace Vigil 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday: Choir Practice 8:45 a.m.
• Sunday: “Unitarian Universalism & Christianity” and Religious Education Classes 10:00 a.m.
• Sunday: Board Of Trustees Meeting 7:00 p.m.