This Week at UUCD

Thursday, October 27, 2011

 

 

 

This Week at a Glance

 

4:00 p.m.         Claudia Volano’s Chalice Circle, 2nd floor Conference Room

Friday, November 11^th

7:00 p.m.         David Parr’s Chalice Circle, (make-up session) 2^nd floor Conference Room

Saturday, November 12^th

SUNDAY, November 13^th   

9:00 a.m.         Sunday Service – Creating Peace – Rev. Barbara Fast

11:00 a.m.       Sunday Service – Creating Peace – Rev. Barbara Fast

Monday, November 14^th      

Tuesday, November 15^th      

4:30 p.m.         Barbara Myers/Maredith Spector’s Chalice Circle, (make-up session), 2^nd floor Conference Rm.

Wednesday, November 16^th  

7:00 p.m.         Safe Congregation Policy Committee, Conference Room

Friday, November 18^th

Saturday, November 19^th

Barbara’s Wastepaper Record

“We believe that all people have a moral responsibility to create peace…Our commitment to creating peace calls us to do the work of peace building, peacemaking, and peacekeeping.” UUA Peacemaking Statement of Conscience

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day. Take a moment to think about those who served and sacrificed their lives. How their families live on without them. Think of those who served, sacrificed and survive. If you can, take a moment out of your day tomorrow and reflect on them.  Sunday our service will focus on peacemaking.

This Saturday, November 12^th, we will host the worldwide transformational symposium:  Awakening the Dreamer/ Changing the Dream from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m.  It will be a professionally facilitated, inspiring afternoon in support of our collective efforts to heal this broken world.  

There are now 7 billion people on this earth. What is your dream for this world? What can you do to make that dream more of a reality?  

If you are feeling discouraged, this will energize and invite us to envision a world that works for all of us, teach us about alternatives that exist, encourage us to support social and environmental action locally, and connect UUCD to the Greater Danbury Community.  Please see more below and invite a friend to come with you.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”

• Conversations meets on the second Thursday of each month from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Conference Room.  All are welcome.  The group chooses current topics of interest and their sources. Questions designed to stimulate conversation are emailed to all members. If you wish to receive our announcements and questions, please email at Bruce Buzby. Recently published books of interest are selected to stimulate and support discussions; reading the book is not mandatory in order to participate and enjoy the gathering.  November 10, 2011: Topic: American Failures.  Facilitator: Bill McWilliams.  Source: That Used to be Us: How America Fell…, T. L. Friedman & M. Mandelbaum, 2011, 622 pages, $15.23. America has a huge problem. It faces four major challenges, on which its future depends, and it is failing to meet them. In That Used to Be Us, Thomas L. Friedman, one of our most influential columnists, and Michael Mandelbaum, one of our leading foreign policy thinkers, analyze those challenges—globalization, the revolution in information technology, the nation’s chronic deficits, and its pattern of energy consumption—and spell out what we need to do now to rediscover America and rise to this moment.

• Calling All Women!!  It is time again to gather for our Fall Women's Pot Luck on Friday, November 11^th, in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 p.m. 

* Contribute ideas and volunteer * 
* Register to attend the 2012 Women's Retreat scheduled for May 4-6 2012 at the Guest House    

   Conference Center in Chester CT.
Please sign-up for the Pot Luck on the clip board in the Fellowship Hall or call or email Sue Tarshis.

• Movies with a Message - We believe that good experiences are even more fulfilling when shared with others.  To this end, our objective each month is to present films of substance in a living room setting and to provide an opportunity to discuss with friends.  Please join us on Friday, November 11^th, at 7:00 p.m. in the UUCD Conference Room.  As usual, all are welcome.  Pizza is provided for your culinary enjoyment.  Bring your own beverage.  Popcorn optional!  Contributions gratefully accepted, all of which will go to the UUCD.  (For more information on these films, check the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall, look under “UUCD Events.”)

            7:00 p.m. - God of Love – Because our feature film is, in truth, a love story, we’ll begin with a fanciful                             short about a common notion of love.  Winner of numerous awards, God of Love was Luke                                   Matheny’s graduate thesis for New York University.  Luke wrote, directed, and stars in this                                 light-hearted comedy.

            7:30 p.m. - Beautiful Dreamer – Joe and Claire grow up together, become sweethearts, and then man                               and wife.  When WWII breaks out, Joe reports for duty and Claire waits for his return.  When the                         news that is dreaded by all who wait arrives at her door, Claire faces a test of love that she could                                     never have expected.

Saturday, November 12^th

• Fall Clean-Up – CANCELLED 

• The powerfully moving Awakening the Dreamer/Changing the Dream Symposium comes to UUCD this Saturday, November 12^th from 1-6pm, followed by a pot luck dinner.  Use this link to register.

JOIN US for this inspiring afternoon in support of our collective efforts to heal this broken world.  This highly engaging, interactive, professionally facilitated symposium offers an opportunity to: 

o   Get energized about the very real opportunity to create a world that works for all of us

o   Learn more about the path we are on and the alternatives that exist

o   Support social and environmental action locally (this is an opportunity to showcase both our own efforts and those of other organizations)

o   Help connect UUCD to the Greater Danbury community

o   Raise money for our congregation (there is an optional $20/person donation)

            For more information on the symposium, watch this four minute video trailer. 

            Register today!  And please share this invitation with anyone you know who cares deeply about the fate             of our society and our planet.   Please see attached flyer.

• Services at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.  Rev. Barbara Fast will lead the services on Creating Peace.  “We believe that all people have a moral responsibility to create peace…Our commitment to creating peace calls us to do the work of peace building, peacemaking, and peacekeeping.”  From the UUA 2010 Statement of Conscience.  When Rev. Barbara candidate at UUCD one of you observed that since she seemed to be opposed to war, what did she think we needed to do to go about building peace?  On the Sunday after Veteran’s Day we will reflect on what we can do to create peace.    

• Religious Education  The 6 – 8^th Grade RE group is looking for beanbag chairs.  A comfy and kid friendly way for them to sit back and watch their "films with a message" during their group time.  If you have any that you could donate or that we could borrow for the year, please let Nancy Tramontana know.  Thank you very much!

• Winter Coat Drive begins November 13^th:  Don’t let these 60 degree November days fool you!  It’s time for the Social Action winter coat drive.  Please check your closets and car trunks for gently-used, large, lined polyester men’s jackets. We will be collecting winter coats starting November 13^th until December 5^th. Look for a large collection box in the entrance to Fellowship Hall.  We cannot use wool coats of any kind. These coats will be distributed to homeless individuals on December 8^th at Danbury’s annual Project Homeless Connect on the midtown campus of WCSU.

• on Being  - Krista Tippett's on Being - Drop In/Brown Bag lunch gathering meets on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesdays of the month at 12:30 p.m. in the Conference Room.  Join Claudia Volano for a selected 50-minute podcast followed by a brief discussion.  November 16: The Far Shore of Aging. We are living longer, for better and for worse. And the story of aging is one that too often goes untended. Jane Gross created The New Old Age blog at The New York Times after she accompanied her mother through unfamiliar territory in life: the way we live longer now, and die more slowly too. She tells us that we not only have to care for our parents — but for ourselves.

• The Deadline for the December Comment is Friday, November 18^th.  Please submit your articles to the office by 9:00 a.m. for inclusion. 

Saturday, November 19^th

• Meditation for All with Joe Gillotti and Rev. Barbara Fast.  It is all about experiencing the practice. Anyone can do it.  In our first class Joe and Barbara discussed some of the benefits of meditation and shared a bit about their practices. Come and find peace and joy as we let our breath calm our body and our mind. No experience necessary.  Bring your cushions if you have them or you can use a chair.  Everything gets better with practice!

• Saturday Night Fun For Families with Children - The next "FFF" is Saturday, November 19th, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Since the Harvest Potluck went so well, and the children had so much fun cooking applesauce, this time, after we share a pot luck meal (with recipes – if you like – you are all such great cooks), the children will bake cornbread with Mary and Allison during the discussion time with parents. We will have a cornbread tasting and then save the rest for the All Congregation Sunday Service Thanksgiving "Cornbread Communion".  Please RSVP to Yvonne Ruddy- Stein or the office at 203-798-1194 or SherryUUCD@gmail.com. 

 

 

 

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Tag Sale Thank Yous –

            Thanks to all who helped price items:  Christine Bonansinga, Valerie Cochrane, and Suzanne Perry.

            Thanks to all who helped set up:  Christine Bonansinga, Marcia Brooker, Valerie Cochrane,

                        Marie & Keith Dupree, Inge Hill & her grandson, Greg Pings, Jen Rocca, Carl                                               Tramontana, and Walt Sizemore.

            Thanks to all who “worked” the tag sale: Christine Bonansinga, Marcia Brooker, Valerie Cochrane,

            Thanks to all who helped clean up:  Christine Bonansinga, Marcia Brooker, Valerie Cochrane, Jim

                        Doyle, Leslie LaCroce, Donna Lawrence, Greg Pings, Jean Renjilian, Joe Teagarden, Carl

            Thanks also to everyone from the congregation who donated items.

The tag sale made $840.99 for UUCD!  Start saving your unwanted treasures for our spring tag sale, to take place April 13 & 14, 2012!!!

Feeling Like A Thanksgiving Leftover?   Some of us were having a discussion about where to spend our Thanksgiving this year and mused that we identi?ed with the leftovers after such meal, what does one do with

all of those  leftovers after the meal? Where will they go?  This led to where will I go?  Do I want to spend it where I was last year?  Do I want to travel that far again? I really didn’t like all those ball games during the whole 4 hours.  I don’t want to spend time with all those “friends of friends” this year.  Since some family structures have changed, I don’t feel like I belong with that group anymore. I feel like a “leftover” or a “left out” for sure. Or maybe I want a fresh change of faces this year.  If you identify with any of these or other reasons or have another one and would like to share Thanksgiving potluck dinner with some other UUs, please drop a note to Sherry at sherryUUCD@gmail.com and express your interest.  We are starting with limiting this group to adults only and no TV allowed.  We would hold it at UUCD where an oven for the turkey is available in the cottage and the stove in the Fellowship Hall is available for the rest. Express your food ideas for what you might bring or could help with.  Send your replies by Monday, November 14^th, since time is short, to Sherry or Joanne Wells. 

Auction 2011 Photos to Benefit UUCD - Were you seen at our biggest fundraiser of the year?  The UUCD Auction 2011 raised over $20K!  Now you can view and order the photos artfully crafted by your own UUCD Paparazzi Photographer, Elisabeth Levy, and 50% of the proceeds will go to UUCD.

            4 x 6 - $10.00  5 x 7 - $15.00  8 x 10 - $20.00

            Larger prints and JPEG files available upon request.

• Log onto uudanbury.org and go to the Member’s Page,
• Click on Goods and Services Auction Photos link.
• To access the photo gallery use password: redcarpetparty.

Orders will be taken until December 31, 2011.

Contact Elisabeth Levy if you have any questions.

First Universalist Church of Southold, NY, the oldest UU church on Long Island (1837) is desperately in need of a fresh coat of paint. The condition is so serious at this point that there is concern of structural damage if it is not attended to soon. The steeple is already in need of carpentry work to prevent further deterioration.
To help raise money to pay for the work, which is estimated will cost about $40,000, they are running a fruit sale. You can help their efforts by ordering some delicious Florida navel oranges or ruby red grapefruit for you, your friends, and family. They make a wonderful and thoughtful holiday gift. Your support is appreciated and will help them to maintain this special, historic building.
                        Large Box --  4/5 bushel   -     Oranges    $35 each      Grapefruit    $33 each
                        Small Box -- 2/5 bushel    -     Oranges    $24 each      Grapefruit    $23 each
                        Mini Bag -- 1/5 bushel      -     Oranges or Grapefruit    $12 each
Orders must be received by Saturday, November 12th. You can email your order to suepond@optonline.net.
Checks should be made payable to First Universalist Church and can be mailed to:  First Universalist Church,
PO Box 221, Southold, NY 11971, or given to Gale Alexander this Sunday, who will forward the checks received to First Universalist.  This is high quality fruit that many in our congregation have enjoyed in past years.  Delivery will be to UUCD in December, just in time for the holidays.  Thank you for reaching out to support this historic church.  If you have any questions or would like to order by phone, contact Gale Alexander. 

Mark your new 2012 Calendars for the rescheduled "Mahalo Hawaii" show presented by UUCD member Elisabeth Levy for January 8^th from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. here in the UUCD Fellowship Hall. Let's hope for better weather this time!

A Gentle Reminder:  If you arrive late to Sunday services, please be sure to enter quietly so as not to disrupt the service or distract those already in attendance.  Those who arrive early can help by sitting toward the front, leaving space at the back for latecomers to slip into a back row.  Thank you!