March 18th - Newsletter

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Church Events

Sunday Services begin at 9:30; childcare provided. 

Services

March 19, 2017
Led by Calvin Dame
"To Bless the World"

March 26, 2017
Led by Kevin Carson
"Freeze Dried Religion"

Principles in Action March

Our March PIA collection will go to the High Fives Organization that supports the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness. It also provides resources and inspiration to those who suffer from life changing injuries. Mike Swartz has been involved in this program and was featured in the 2014 award winning "Helmets are Cool" video, partially filmed in Chester.

www.basics.highfivesfoundation.org Winner of the 2014 Reno AMA Ace Award for "Best Video" #HelmetsAreCool is the third installment of five for the High Fives Foundation B.A.S.I.C.S. (Being. Aware. Safe. In. Critical. Situations.) Program Service. The previous two B.A.S.I.C.S. documentaries inspired critical thinking regarding five critical mistakes that winter action sports athletes have made before suffering a life-altering injury; and backcountry safety with a concentration on avalanche awareness. #HelmetsAreCool focuses on helmet usage and safety while highlighting High Fives Athlete Danny Toumarkine’s recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered while snowboarding without a helmet along with three other featured athletes. Get your #HelmetsAreCool stickers at: https://highfivesfoundation.org/stickers/

Community Events
 

Ice Cream Social - March 24th

Our ice cream social to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation is going to be held on March 24 from 6:30 - 7:30. Children should arrive at 6:00 to set up. 

Prom Wear Sale at the Chester Andover Family Center

The Chester Andover Family Center is hosting a Community Service Event for area teens to find their perfect Prom Outfit. On Thursday, April 6, 2017, the CAFC will open its doors from 3-7PM for Prom Shopping. We have a large selection of Prom Wear for girls and guys, including over 100 dresses, suits and tuxedos. All are either new or in “like new” condition. You can also shop for accessories such as shoes, shirts, ties, handbags and jewelry to complete your “look”.

All teen shoppers can enter a FREE raffle to win prom flowers or manicure gift certificates donated by local businesses; Chester Flowers, Halladay’s, Salon 2000, Seventh Heaven Salon, Woodbury Florist and E-Clipz Salon. At a suggested donation of $20, prom goers can put together a dress or tux outfit with all the accessories. Please join us on April 6, from 3-7, for a fun and affordable shopping spree. We will have the music going and dressing rooms set up. The Chester Andover Family Center is located at 908 VT 103 in Chester. Follow us on Facebook or call the Center at 802-875-3236. Contact Information: Nena Nanfeldt, 802 875-4309, nnanfeldt@gmail.com

Two Rivers Indivisible Trump-Care Protest March – March 12, 2017

The protest was followed by a talk by Walter Wallace about Trump-Care at the Two Rivers meeting at the Church.

March Newsletter

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Church Events

Sunday Services begin at 9:30; childcare provided. Religious education for youth will be provided each Sunday during service except for March 19th's service.

This Month's Services

Sunday, March 5, 2017 Service
Led by Reverend Nick Boke
"Cultures Clash"
This sermon will be made up of vignettes from my several recent weeks working with Syrian, Lebanese and Ivorian teachers, encouraging them to revise their understandings of the nature of teaching and learning.

February 12, 2017
Led by Nancy J. Crumbine
"I Circle Around God"  
I’ve been circling for thousands of years…” Seeking help from Rilke, and a few other poets, in remembering the wisdom of serenity and the promise of rebirth, even in the darkest times. With a few inspiring stories thrown in….Keep the faith!

February 19, 2017
Led by Calvin Dame
"To Bless the World"

February 26, 2017
Led by Kevin Carson
"Freeze Dried Religion"

From the Board

There will be a board meeting Sunday, March 12, 2017. All are welcome to attend the Board Meeting, they will be held after the social hour in the Parish social hall downstairs. Principles in Action March - Our March PIA collection will go to the High Fives Organization that supports the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness. It also provides resources and inspiration to those who suffer from life changing injuries. Mike Swartz has been involved in this program and was featured in the 2014 award winning "Helmets are Cool" video, partially filmed in Chester.

Religious Education Program (RE) March

This upcoming month promises to be very inspiring, educational, rewarding and fun. On March 5 we will be making food for the North Springfield Warming Shelter. We are on the books for a main dish and we are planning a vegetable pot pie. Hopefully there will be enough biscuits left over for us! The most exciting news is that we will be beginning a series of sessions with Jamie Malouf, who is going to work with the children to create a medicine wheel on the property of the church, creating a permanent, sacred space of the children's own design. We anticipate this to take at least two to three sessions just in learning about medicine wheels, exploring possible designs, deciding on a design and what shall go in the medicine wheel (rocks, flowers, herbs, etc.), starting seeds, etc.

The first two sessions will take place on March 12 and March 26, so don't miss it!! (As previously planned, there will be no RE on March 19.) Finally, our ice cream social to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation is going to be held on March 24 from 6:30 - 7:30. Children should arrive at 6:00 to set up. I am going to be in charge of procuring the ice cream, and the children are each being assigned a topping to bring. Look for a separate email about that next week. I am very excited about this new project with Jamie and I hope your children will be too! In joy and gratitude, Lisa


Art

Tuesday from 2:00 to 5:00 Hello All, Doors at the UU will open for ART on Tuesday at @2PM this week. Come early if your schedule permits. Nena

Medicine Wheel Unit with Jamie Maloof and Other RE Happenings

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by Lisa Crocker, Religious Education Leader

This upcoming month promises to be very inspiring, educational, rewarding and fun.  On March 5 we will be making food for the North Springfield Warming Shelter.  We are on the books for a main dish and we are planning a vegetable pot pie. Hopefully there will be enough biscuits left over for us!

The most exciting news is that we will be beginning a series of sessions with Jamie Malouf, who is going to work with the children to create a medicine wheel on the property of the church, creating a permanent, sacred space of the children's own design. We anticipate this to take at least two to three sessions just in learning about medicine wheels, exploring possible designs, deciding on a design and what shall go in the medicine wheel (rocks, flowers, herbs, etc.), starting seeds, etc.  The first two sessions will take place on March 12 and March 19, so don't miss it!! (As previously planned, there will be no RE on March 26.)

Finally, our ice cream social to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation is going to be held on March 24 from 6:30 - 7:30.  Children should arrive at 6:00 to set up.  I am going to be in charge of procuring the ice cream, and the children are each being assigned a topping to bring.  Look for a separate email about that next week.  

I am very excited about this new project with Jamie and I hope your children will be too!

Church Family Night, March 3rd - Come out!

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There will be a church family night on Friday, March 3 with postcard writing, soup and games. Start time at 5:30 p.m. Please contact Meg Minehan (mminehan@vermontel.net or 802-875-2487) if you are willing to bring soup or bread to share.

 If you have any favorite games bring them along; we will have Rummy Kube, Clue, The Game of Life and a few others on hand but the more the merrier.

From Barbara Windham

This notice was omitted from the last First Parish Newsletter so I am sending out a special notice of the planned “family night”. I received the notice below from my brother-in-law who lives in Olympia, WA about postcard writing. This explains who we are writing, when we are sending it etc. So bring along a few postcards and we can write out a few to send to our president on March 15.

"On March 15th, each of us will mail Donald Trump a postcard that publicly expresses our opposition to him. And we, in vast numbers, from all corners of the world, will overwhelm the man with his unpopularity and failure.  We will show the media and the politicians what standing with him — and against us — means.  And most importantly, we will bury the White House post office in pink slips, all informing Donnie that he’s fired. Each of us — every protester from every march, each congress calling citizen, every boycotter, volunteer, donor, and petition signer — if each of us writes even a single postcard and we put them all in the mail on the same day, March 15th, well: you do the math. 

No alternative fact or Russian translation will explain away our record-breaking, officially-verifiable, warehouse-filling flood of fury.  Hank Aaron currently holds the record for fan mail, having received 900,000 pieces in a year.  We’re hoping to set a new record: over a million pieces in a day, with not a single nice thing to say.

So sharpen your wit, unsheathe your writing implements, and see if your sincerest ill-wishes can pierce Donald’s famously thin skin.

Prepare for March 15th, 2017, a day hereafter to be known as #TheIdesOfTrump

Write one postcard.  Write a dozen!  Take a picture and post it on social media tagged with #TheIdesOfTrump.  Spread the word! Everyone on Earth should let Donald know how he’s doing.  They can’t build a wall high enough to stop the mail.

On March 15th, mail your messages to:
President (for now) Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

It might just be enough to make him crack.  Not my original post but someone else's great idea!"

If you can't come to the family night you can still fill out a postcard and post it on March 15. And give some to your friends and neighbors to fill out and send also.

Thanks and hope to see you all on Friday March 3. I am making some pumpkin rising bread (A King Arthur Recipe) which I tried last month and hope everyone will enjoy it.

 

 

Painting the Safe Haven at Singing River Farm

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The painting of the safe-haven offers the members and friends of the First Universalist Parish a way to show our support for this most worthwhile endeavor to provide a home in the United States for families seeking asylum. Many people have been hard at work since late summer putting up studs and walls and installing heating and plumbing. Now we at First Parish have been given the opportunity to make our contribution to the community effort to build a home for displaced families.

Learn more about the safe haven project at Singing River Farm.

Steve Crofter thinks we will be ready in a couple of weeks to gather with paint, brushes, rollers and enthusiasm to contribute the finishing work of this very special home.

Needed are: primer, paint, (light colors), drop clothes, rollers, brushes, sticks for stirring….any and all the equipment that you have on hand for a painting project. We hope to receive gallons of latex paint, or near-gallons, that you will not be using. The colors need to be light; the paint may need to be mixed so we have enough of one color to complete a room.

Please call Gretchen McCabe if you have painting supplies or paint or if you would like to sign up for the actual painting. The apartment size will accommodate six (6) painters at one time. If you have a group of one, two or more who want to paint on the same day we can schedule you in for the day you are available.

Box lunches will be served to painters. Please let me know if you would like to help assemble the lunches.

If you are interested in helping, please contact us and we will put you in touch with Gretchen. 

Will Danforth and Big Woods Voices

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Will Danforth would like to spread the word that Big Woods Voices, his a cappella group, will be performing at the Old Parish Church in Weston, VT, as part of their Hearts and Voices series, on Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 4:00 pm. Admission is a $10 suggested donation to benefit the community fuel assistance-plus initiative, “Just Neighbors”.

Also that same weekend, if you feel drawn to First Friday in Brattleboro, they'll be performing in the parlor of the Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main Street, at 8p.m. on March 3rd. This is a benefit for the Brattleboro Women's Chorus, and for admission donations of $10-25 are requested.

Waffle Breakfast to Celebrate the End of Our Pledge Drive

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After this past Sunday's service, we all gathered downstairs for a delicious waffle brunch. Thanks to everyone who was at the helm of the Belgian waffle makers. The whipped cream went fast! It was a wonderful way to end our successful pledge drive. 

Thank you to the pledge committee and everyone else who played a part in setting up the breakfast and prepping the waffles, including Steven Davis, Dick Andrews, Melody Reed, Stephanie Rowe, Nancy Davis and Scott Wunderle.

Happenings in Religious Exploration: February-March

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By Lisa Crocker, Editor of RE at Chester Universalist

The RE program is embarking on a series of programs that teach the children about the UU Principles.  Last week, we began with Principle 1, the inherent worth and dignity of every person, explained to the children as we believe that each and every person is important.  The principle was illustrated with stories and games and lots of discussion about what makes us valuable, material things vs. human qualities.  The children had a great grasp of this principle! 

We also have incorporated a time at the end of each program for Worship.  During this time, we set up a special worship center, light a chalice, sing a prayer for peace, perhaps have a reading or a song, and close by holding hands in our circle and reciting the principle we just learned.  This is a wonderful time of peace and unity among us.

I would like to create more intergenerational opportunities within the program.  One way I can do this is by having a weekly RE volunteer from the congregation who comes down with the children and simply participates with the children, offering a helping hand when needed.  This would be an easy, stress-free way to experience the RE program while getting to engage with our amazing children. 

If you would like to choose a week to volunteer, just email me at lisaarlenecrocker@gmail.com and I will put you in the slot.  Right now, we have no volunteers, so the schedule is open for you to choose a Sunday that works for you or has a topic you are interested in exploring with the children. 

RE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT 7 WEEKS:

Sunday, 2/5
Principle 2:  Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
 - We believe that all people should be treated fairly and kindly.

Sunday, 2/12
Make A Wish Fundraiser

Sunday, 2/19
No RE

Sunday, 2/26
Fundraiser Prep

Sunday, 3/5
Warming Shelter Main Course

Sunday, 3/12
Principle 3:  Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
- We believe that we should accept one another and keep on learning together.

Sunday, 3/19
No RE

 

Pro-Refugee Rally Planned in Ludlow

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Say "Yes" to Immigration and Refugees and "No" to Trump’s Ban

When: Saturday, February 4th, 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
Where: On sidewalk in front of Ludlow's public library (opposite the town green) on Rte. 103 at the south end of town
Signs: Please make and bring signs in favor of welcoming immigrants and refugees to Vermont and the US, against the Trump ban, against Secure Communities (will allow/encourage local law enforcement across the US to work as border agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE), in favor of the VT immigrant community, farm workers, refugees…. This rally can also be an opportunity to express your indignation over the many pressing issues we face: the environment, cabinet appointments, shutting down the free press and other causes important to YOU. Feel free to pass this on to others.

News From the Board - January

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by Stephanie Rowe

January has been a busy and energizing month.

*First Scott Wunderle gave a presentation on the steeple repairs with fascinating anecdotes and visuals.
 *Laurie Danforth volunteered to send cards to people offering best wishes, comfort, or condolences. Please let Laurie know of anyone you think may need support. *Scott has proposed electrical work on the church. By an email motion and vote by the board, motion sensors will be repaired, thermostats replaced with timers, and our stained glass windows lit from 4pm to midnight to highlight our presence in the community.
*The pledge committee initiated this year’s pledge drive and will be serving a celebratory brunch on Sunday, February 5. If you have not yet made your pledge, please bring it on Sunday or send it to First Universalist Parish of Chester, PO Box 90, 211 North Street, Chester, VT 05156. Thank you.
*Olivia Bernier, on January 29, introduced after the service, a showing of the film, “He Named Me Malawa.” The moving, true story of the teenage Pakistani girl who defied the Taliban to work for education for girls in her country was inspiring. Thank you, Olivia.

A Reminder… Coffee hour has been more successful since a signup sheet has been organized. We need help in four ways to keep it successful:

  1. Sign up to help set up the social hall in the 20 or 30 minutes before service.
  2. Sign up to make coffee. Directions are now posted and it’s not as daunting as it seemed before. Any week you can bring refreshments (baked goods, fruit, cheese, etc.) or help clean up. Two notes