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.

May 23: Church Yard Sale!

Stop by the church yard sale on May 23.

Enjoy deals on furniture, housewares, clothing, electronics, books, kids stuff, and more! Shop from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., rain or shine.

Where: Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA, 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA
(on the common in downtown Foxborough)

* Donations are currently being accepted from the community for the yard sale.

May 23: Church Yard Sale!

Stop by the church yard sale on May 23. Enjoy deals on furniture, housewares, clothing, electronics, books, kids stuff, and more! Shop from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., rain or shine.

Where: Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA, 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA
(on the common in downtown Foxborough)

* Donations are currently being accepted from the community for the yard sale.

April 2009 Newsletter Highlights

Chairman’s Ramblings
Here it is - April already! Most, if not all of us, are hoping that warmer weather is soon to be here. Maybe time to do some yard work, or fix-up projects, and, yes, let’s not forget the church work party.

It is also time to start the process of asking for volunteers for the Board Of Trustees for next year. Each year several members come off the board as required by our bylaws, which means we need to replace those positions to keep the church functioning. As with many other Unitarian Universalist traditions, each church is a fully independent organization, governed by its own bylaws, charting its own philosophical and spiritual path. Because of this independence, it is important for each of us to consider serving on the board for a period of time. We try to keep the workload to just a few hours or less per month, and have an enjoyable experience in the process.

So, when someone from the nominating committee asks - please seriously consider serving. Descriptions of the board positions and duties are available at anytime.
Dick

Worship In April

April 5: “Your Life: Just in Time”
by Worship Leader Neda
Years ago Toyota revamped the way the car industry worked by ordering parts to the factory Just In Time rather than maintain large inventories, Just in Case. How can this management philosophy, so effective in business, inform the way we manage our own lives?

April 12: Easter Service
by Katie Lawson, Minister

April 19: Earth Day Service
by Minister Katie Lawson and Worship Associate Leah
Wendell Berry once said we should spend as much time enjoying the environment as we do protecting it. What does protecting the natural world have to do with our spiritual health?

April 26: “The Courage To Teach”
by Minister Katie Lawson
Teaching is a spiritual practice. Katie explores the rich spiritual life offered to those who put themselves in a position to teach formally and informally.

Middle School Group Happenings
This past month the middle school group has continued their exploration of world religions. They have started, and will be continuing next month, a unit on Buddhism. They also had the unique opportunity to have Neda come in as a guest speaker and talk to them about Baha’i religion. After viewing some Baha’i symbols the group’s members had the opportunity to create their own religious symbols. Many thanks to Neda for taking the time to share her knowledge with the group.
Vote For Your Favorite Poster
Over 70,000 fifth grade classrooms participated in this year’s National Arbor Day Poster Contest. The 2009 theme, “Trees are Terrific… in Cities and Towns!”, was “designed to increase student’s understanding of the importance of trees in a community”. From March 30 - April 3, 2009, you can vote on-line for your favorite entry via www.arborday.org/kids/postercontest/.

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

Ride Our Trolley In The Founder’s Day Parade!!
On Founder’s Day, Saturday, June 13, our church will participate in Foxborough’s annual Founder’s Day celebration. In previous years we have participated by chartering a trolley to ride in the parade in the morning, and by offering guided historical trolley tours of the town in the afternoon.

This year we are going to try something a bit different - we are going to tailor the tour to school aged children. Our very own Katie Lawson has generously offered to be our tour guide this year. With Katie’s energy and our new focus on families, I think this will definitely be an exciting year for this Founder’s Day tradition.

Look forward to seeing you on Founder’s Day!
Alison

Some Upcoming Events
* Apr. 1: (7:30 p.m.) Men’s Group Meeting at Pike’s Peak Mining Company (31 Hampshire Street, Mansfield, MA).
* Apr. 2: (6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) First Thursdays Peace Vigil at 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA.
* Apr. 5: (7:00 p.m.) Board Of Trustees Meeting at the church. All are welcome to attend.
* Apr. 13: (7:00 p.m.) Women’s Group Meeting.

International Engagement Database
The UUA’s International Resources Office (IRO) maintains a database of the many varieties of international engagement that Unitarian Universalist congregations are involved with. To date they have records from approximately 150 congregations in the database. Is our congregation one of them? If so, they’ld love to update our entry. If not, they’ld love to include information about our congregation’s international engagement. The IRO office can put congregations in contact with other congregations who are involved with similar international programs. More information is available via www.uua.org/aboutus/professionalstaff/advocacywitness/internationalresources/index.php.

May Yard Sale
Cleaning out your house or just have a few items you no longer need? Collect items to donate for our yard sale, which is tentatively scheduled for May 23. In addition to the yard sale, the public will be invited to view the photo exhibit which will be on display throughout May. Please contact Dick if you have any questions about the yard sale.

Belly Dance Karavan
“Belly Dance Goes To The Movies” is the theme of this year’s Belly Dance Karavan. This is Sumora’s fifth year coordinating the annual fundraising event for our church. All proceeds from the past two years have been earmarked for the Accessibility Improvements Fund ramp initiative. Help out on event night (Saturday, May 30, 2009) or come to see the graceful belly dancers put on a stunning, family-friendly show that’s sure to delight all! Please contact Susan to help or if you have any questions about the show.

Historical Trolley Tours
Take a fun ride on the trolley! Whether you help with the planning or during the parade, the tours afterward, or the clean-up, you can help make this fundraising effort a huge success. Please let Alison know if you’re interested in helping with this effort.

Partner Programs
If you are unable to find the book or item you want at a local store and are planning to use Amazon or Powell’s Bookstore instead, please consider doing it via our church web-site ( http://www.uufoxborough.org ). To help us out, you just need to turn your “cookies” to ‘on’ if they’re not already, go to www.uufoxborough.org, click the link to amazon.com or powells.com, and then make your purchase. You must stay within the web page linked to from our web-site and leave your cookies on until the transaction is completed. Please contact Sharon if you have questions about using the partner programs.

Crossroads
Crossroads is the Children’s Center located on the first level of the church. It operates 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday during the public school year.

Building Rentals
Community members and groups are able to use the building or grounds for their events. Tell your families, friends, and neighbors about the events being held at church and using our fantastic spaces for their events! Please contact the Board Of Trustees in person, by phone at 508-543-4002 or via rentals@uufoxborough.org to schedule events at the church. First come, first served, so please plan accordingly.

Our church is a small but steadily growing church with big ideas about how it wants to better serve our community and the world. Thank you for considering all these opportunities to help us. Whether you’re able to experience the good work of our congregation directly or not, we know that you will feel great about the ways we are putting values you hold into action.

Listen To The Latest ‘UU World’
Audiorecordings of the articles in the latest UU World are now available. Award-winning audiobook actor Dick Hill reads articles from the Spring 2009 issue. The recordings can be listened to in most browsers or downloaded to your computer for playback using an .mp3 player. The audio version of UU World is produced in cooperation with the UUA Office of Accessibility Concerns. We welcome your feedback about this audio service. Write to world@uua.org. On-line at www.uuworld.org/issues/audiorecordingsspring2009.shtml.

New Dollars, New Partners For Your Sacred Place
The New Dollars, New Partners training program, presented by Partners for sacred Places, is designed specifically for congregations with historic sacred places. It helps congregations build leadership; research and write a realistic and compelling case statement for funders, understand proven methods for reaching out to a wider community, and learn how to fund-raise effectively. The training consists of four interactive training sessions over a nine month period. In the sessions, participants from 8-15 congregations will learn with other congregations then return home to do their own planning with fellow congregants. The first workshop is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2009, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Providence. For more information about particpating in this progam, visit the Preseve Rhode Island web-site (www.preserveri.org) or contact Susanna Prull at 401-272-5101 or sprull@preserveri.org.

Massachusetts Youth Legislative Action Day
UUSC is again cosponsoring the Massachusetts Youth Legislative Action Day with Promise The Children and First Church Boston. The event will take place on Tuesday, April 21, from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough Street, Boston. It will feature a discussion of issues and how to lobby for them, a meeting at the State House with legislators and their aides, breakfast, lunch, and ice cream sundaes! It’s designed for youth (grade 6 and up) and their family, friends, and allies. One of the issues will include An Act to Promote Proper School Nutrition. To learn more about the event, visit the Promise The Children web-site (www.promisethechildrenuu.org/events/item/249/)

April’s Action Of The Month
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is partnering with Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (UUMFE) and Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) to bring you April’s Action of the Month: Environmental Justice. Leading up to and during the month of April, we invite Unitarian Universalists (UUs) to engage in environmental justice - recognizing the disproportionate impact that both environmental problems and proposed “solutions” have had on women, low-income families, and communities of color both in the U.S. and around the world. Join UUs across the country as we work on a variety of consciousness-raising actions, culminating in Earth Sunday services on April 26. You can find suggested activities and other items related to this action such as “The Water Justice Praxis Study, Action, Reflection Guide”, an Earth Day Service worship packet, additional information about the 2006 AIW End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining, and more via www.uua.org/socialjustice/actioncenter/128311.shtml.

UUA Presidential Candidates Forum Video
Watch the video of the UUA Presidential candidates’ forum from the recent Women’s Convocation. You can view it at portal.icuuw.com/icuuw/video/video3.cfm. This is a good opportunity if you want to learn more about the presidential candidates, you’ll be making decisions regarding completing absentee ballots, you’ll be directing delegates how to vote at GA, or for congregation delegates going to GA undirected.

Ballou Channing District (BCD) 2009 Spring Conference & Annual Meeting
Join other UUs from our district for “Exploring Paths of Inspiration & Transformation” on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Unitarian Universalism encourages individuals to explore and find their path to discover meaningfulness, quench a “thrist”, find heart. “Come, Listen, Learn, Experience” with us at First Parish (Old Ship) in Hingham, MA. Rev. Jeffrey Symynkywicz will present “SPIRITS IN THE NIGHT: The Healing Ministry of Bruce Springsteen” during his keynote address. There will also be music (Springsteen, who else?), worship, the UU Network Mall, continental breakfast and lunch, networking opportunities, and workshops to learn about and engage in personal exploration of various paths for inspiration. The Annual Meeting will include reports about district operations, election of District officers and directors and the approval of the FY2010 budget. Deadline for pre-conference registration discount is April 29. Pre-conference registration fee is a sliding scale $22-30 (upon ability to pay.) Youth (under 18) registration is $7 (Fee includes break refreshments and lunch). At the door Conference fee is $40 for adults, $7 for youth. Call the District office at 508-559-6650 or e-mail bcdoffice@uua.org to register.

Send A Love Letter To Salt Lake City!
Can you imagine a “Marriage is a Civil Right” banner waving over downtown Salt Lake City? This year, we have a unique opportunity to hang a three by ten foot marriage equality banner on the large tower of the Salt Palace Convention Center during General Assembly in June. In 2008, Utah residents donated $2.6 million - more than any other state outside California - to support the passage of Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California. Displaying our banner will send a strong message that we are standing on the side of love. $6,000.00 alone will make this advocacy event possible, but the Salt Palace will not reserve the space until payment is in hand. We aim to make the reservation by May 1, so the time to act is now. Gifts of $35 or more are especially helpful. Donations accepted on-line at www.uua.org/giving/donatenow/129603.shtml.

BCD “Looking Forward” Gatherings
A series of conversations for BCD congregation leaders, members, District staff and Board to discuss opportunities and challenges will be held during the next few months. “Looking Forward - Ministry to Youth” is scheduled for April 27, at Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven. The second conversation, “Looking Forward - Young Adult Ministry”, will be held on May 4, at FirstParishChurch in Duxbury. “Looking Forward - Our Congregations’ Futures” is the final conversation of this series. It will be held on May 16, at First Parish Church in Taunton. Although the gatherings are free, we ask that you register by calling or e-mailing the BCD office at 508-559-6650 or bcdoffice@verizon.net.

In The Community
Apr. 4, 6, & 25 - Events at the stadium; Apr. 7, 14, & 28 - Board Of Selectmen’s Meetings; Mondays - Belly Dance Classes at the church/6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA (6:30 p.m.); Tuesdays - Kundalini Yoga & Meditation classes at 6 Bird Street, Foxborough, MA (6:30 p.m.); Apr. 1: Renewable Energy Advisory Committee Meeting (6:00 p.m.); Apr. 2 - First Thursdays Peace Vigil at Foxborough Universalist Church, UUA (6:00 p.m.); Apr. 2 - Spring Concert: Symphony Orchesta, Concert Choir, and Concert Band at FHS (7:00 p.m.); Apr. 3 - Burrell Vendor Night (6:30 p.m.); Apr.3 & 4 - 7th & 8th Grade Drama Club’s “A Midsummer Night’s Western” at Ahern School; Apr. 3 - “Lhasa to Kathmandu, the Trip of a Lifetime” by Tony Gilby at Chapel Meeting House (7:00 p.m.); Apr. 4 - Spring Community Trails Cleanup Day at CRRA Nature & Walking Trail (8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.); Apr. 4 - Lions bottle & can drive to benefit Cub Scout Pack 70; Apr. 4 & 5 - All Day MICCA Concert Festival at FHS including FHS Concert Bands, Symphony Orchestra, and Ahern 7th & 8th Grade Concert Bands; Apr. 4 - Third Degree at Outlaw BBQ (9:00 p.m.); Apr. 7 - CORE Turfsup Meeting at Boyden Library; Apr. 11 - Third Degree at The Ancient Mariner (9:00 p.m.); Apr. 14 - “Choral-palooza”:Grades 5-12 Choirs at FHS (6:30 p.m.); Apr. 16: Candidates Night on FCATV; April 17-19 - “Les Miserables - School Edition” at Orpheum theatre; Apr. 20-24 - FPS Vacation Week; Apr. 23 - Mr. Suspender performs at Boyden Library (2:00 p.m.); Apr. 25 - Gypsy Dance & Zills Workshops with Zaharah; Apr. 27 - Foxborough Historical Commission Meeting at 7:30 p.m.; Apr. 30 - Ahern Strings & FHS Symphony Orchestra at Ahern School (7:00 p.m.).

Saturday, May 19: Annual Yard Sale (8:00 AM - 1:00 PM)

5/19 Church Yard Sale
Foxborough 6 Bird St.
8-1 Electronics, Books
Housewares, Comp., CDs
Sporting Goods, Games
Clothing, Misc. Items

&

Find some treasures on May 19!

The annual yard sale at the Foxborough Universalist Church, 6 Bird Street, will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May, 19. There will be electronics, books, housewares, CDs, sporting goods, games, toys, clothing, computer equipment, and other, miscellaneous items. We're also accepting donations. You can drop off your donation at the church: Wednesday, May 16: 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Friday, May 18: 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; and Saturday, May 19: 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.

The Yard Sale is being sponsored by the Green Sanctuary Committee and all money raised will go to the GSC Fund to make the church a greener place. If you have any questions or comments about the yard sale, please contact us via office@uufoxborough.org.

http://events.uufoxborough.org