These are some of the activities and events we shared:
here at church:
New Member Sunday, June 23 during the worship service.
If You’ve found a spiritual home at the Washington UU Church, You’re invited to join the
congregation. Please speak with president, Sue Stukey or with Rev. M’ellen. We’ll have
another opportunity to join later in the summer.
Annual Meeting Sunday, June 23 after the worship service.
Please join us for a short meeting of the congregation to approve the budget and vote on the slate of candidates for the board. We hope You’ll join us as we attend to the important business of continuing to keep this congregation on a strong, positive track. Voting is for members. If You’re not yet a member and would like to join, speak with one or our Board members, Sue Stukey, Art Stukey, Roberta Carrier, George Plumb and Steve Finner.
Young Adult Potluck and Friends on the Path Spiritual Exploration Group
Wednesday, June 26, 6 PM
This is an opportunity for young adults (age 18-35) to get together for food, fun and deep
conversation. Facilitated by Rev. M’ellen Kennedy . The potluck will followed by a Friends on the Path group where we create and environment conducive to the purposes of developing friendship and exploring our spirituality. Looking forward to seeing
You. RSVP to M’ellen at mellenken@aol.com or 802-453-5469. If You’re interested and can’t make this date, let me know and we’ll try to find a date that works for You later in the summer.
Rise Up Singing! Potluck and Sing-Along
Monday, July 15 and August 12
Gather starting at 5;30, Potluck at 6, Sing-Along starting at 7.
Come lift your voice in song! We will gather together to sing songs from the Rise Up Singing songbook. Each erson will have a chance to choose a song or two, and the group will share the songs together. Bring your Rise Up Singing songbook if you have one, or there will be some extras to share. Erica Mitchell and friends will lead the singing.
HIKE – Friday, August 16, 2 PM
(to clear deer fly season, we’re hiking a week later than initially planned)
Rev. M’ellen will lead us on a short hike to a spectacular view of the Champlain Valley.
All are welcome. We’ll meet in Lincoln, hike up to a lookout where we’ll relax and have a snack. When we’re ready we’ll go back down. A stop for a swim at a lovely local swimming hole is an option for those who wish or perhaps go out to dinner at some local cool venue. This hike is a benefit for our Universalist University, our New Year Round Program. Suggested donation based on your ability. Add your name to the sign-up sheet at the church or contact Rev. M’ellen at 802-453-5469 or mellenken@aol.com
SUMMER BOOK DISCUSSIONS
We’re hosting some book discussions this summer on titles that some of us have been reading and are eager to talk with others about including the following titles.
Tuesday, August 6, Discussion of “Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife” by Eben Alexander Potluck at 6, Discussion to follow .
“When a neurosurgeon found himself in a coma, he experienced things he never thought possible—a journey to the afterlife.” A true story and NY Times bestseller.
Monday, August 26, “Caleb’s Crossing” A novel by Geraldine Brooks. “Set in the 17th century on Martha’s Vineyard, a new novel from Geraldine Brooks tells the tale of a Puritan family — and one daughter’s relationship with the son of a Wampanoag chieftain who would become the first Native American to graduate from Harvard.” (review by Alan Cheuse)
Dates to be Announced – “Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us” by Michael Moss
Date to be Announced – “Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart” A novel by Alice Walker, The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Color Purple , Possessing the Secret of Joy , and The Temple of My Familiar now gives us a beautiful new novel that is at once a deeply moving personal story and a powerful spiritual journey. In Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart, Alice Walker has created a work that ranks among her best achievements: the story of a woman’s spiritual adventure that becomes a passage through time, a quest for self, and a collision with love.”
Celebrate Poetry in Honor of the 10th Anniversary of Vermont Reads
August 29, 7:30 PM A poem “begins in delight and ends in wisdom.”– Robert Frost
The Washington Universalist Church and Calef Memorial Library invite you to take part in a Potluck Poetry Night with this statewide read of “Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry,” an anthology selected by former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins. This book is a selection of modern poems collected to beckon even nonreaders back to poetry with short, accessible poems that delight, inspire and challenge expectations. Copies of the book are available free at the library and church. Pick one up ahead of time, then join us to share a dish, some poems and your thoughts. All are welcome, so come even if you haven’t read the book and hate poetry! These poems might just change your mind. Facilitated by Sarah Costa, Washington Calef Library staff member and member of this church.
LOCAL TALENT NIGHT CONCERT?
Anyone interested in helping plan a local talent night with area artist? Please talk with Rev. M’ellen.
Universalist University: Our New Year Round Program
At the end of the summer, those who wish are invited to join our “Universalist University.” We’ll meet once a month to continuing our focus together on awakening our heart, learning to live love, and becoming more compassionate people. For a guide, we’ll drawn on the book “Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life” by Karen Armstrong. Used
copies of the book are available for purchase at the church. The year round program will be lead by Revs. M’ellen Kennedy and Laelia Tawnamaia. If You’re interested in participating speak with M’ellen, Laelia, or president, Sue Stukey, or add your name to the Sign Up Sheet at the church.
Preaching by Heart: An Extemporaneous Preaching Workshop
Facilitated by Rev. Dr. M’ellen Kennedy
Wednesday June 26, 2013, 10AM – 4:30 PM
At the Washington Unitarian Universalist Church, Washington, VT
“There is a place where words are born of silence.
A place where whispers of the heart arise.” Rumi
If You are moved by the message of Universalism, “God is Love”; and if You feel draw to exploring a different relationship with the sermon text, this workshop is for You. This is a faith-based approach to preaching. The art of preaching in this style has all but disappeared from our congregations and with it rich opportunities for deepening
ministry and connecting with the hearts and minds of our people. The workshop will incorporate short lectures, discussion, exercises, and small group work. It is open to ministers, seminarians, and lay leaders who preach. It is open to people of all faith traditions and with any level of experience with preaching. A version of this workshop has
been accepted as a continuing education program by the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association’s CENTER Committee.
Purposes:
• To help You fulfill your call in ministry;
• To assist You in continuing to find your authentic voice in the pulpit;
• To help You explore and forge a new relationship with the text that is authentic for You and your ministry;
• To help You explore and strengthen regular spiritual practices and your commitment to them — given that attention to the heart (i.e. regular spiritual practice) is the wellspring for preaching from the heart;
• To build community by getting to know one another.
Registration: Please fill out one form for each person attending and send it and your check by June 21th to Rev. M’ellen Kennedy, 1655 Lincoln Gap Road, Lincoln, VT 05443. Contact info: mellenken@aol.com 802-453-5469
Registration form available at www.preachingbyheart.org
elsewhere:
TAR SANDS FREE KINGDOM WALK – July 19-20
The Northeast Kingdom walk, to oppose allowing the Portland Montreal Pipe Line
to carry tar sands oil, will follow a 20-mile stretch of the pipeline from Troy to
Irasburg. This 60-year-old pipeline (which now carries conventional oil) passes
through Jay, Troy, Newport, Irasburg, Barton, Sutton, Burke, Victory, Lunenburg,
and Guildhall, VT. It also crosses the Missisquoi River (which flows into Lake
Champlain) and 13 other rivers and streams before crossing the Connecticut
River. Join in for the whole walk, part of it, the midway “Pizza Not Pipeline”
celebration, or at the end in Irasburg. Info will soon be at http://world.350.org/
vermont/ or contact Andy Simon: andy@350VT.org.
Let’s get a Washington Group taking this trek together. Anyone interested?
Contact Rev. M’ellen at mellenken@aol.com or 802-453-5469.
VERMONT INTERFAITH POWER AND LIGHT
VTIPL seeks to educate faith communities and individuals about the threat that global
warming presents to Creation and Earth, and to engage communities of faith in
promoting energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy as a solution.
The goal of the organization is to move Vermont’s faith communities toward sustainable
energy use and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, while living out our covenant
with the Creator. This summer the group has many worthwhile programs that it’s
publicizing. Some of them are listed below. Check out their June newsletter for more
info .http://www.vtipl.org/newletters
SOLSTICE CEREMONIAL FIRE & VIGIL
SUNRAY MEDITATION CENTER AND PEACE VILLAGE
Lincoln, VT, Thursday, June 20, 2013
7:30 pm – Lighting Solstice Fire & 24 hour Fire Vigil
All Welcome–There is no cost to attend the Solstice Fire Ceremony and Vigil. This free
event on Thursday is part of a weekend long program called the “Arbor
Renewal Weekend.”
You can find info on their web site sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com/
Directions are also on the site.
OUR CHILDREN, CLIMATE, FAITH – Strafford Symposium
This event, held in the Strafford Town House on Aug. 16 & 17, will be “an inclusive
symposium on moral, ethical, spiritual, and religious consciousness addressing climate
disruption, social justice, and the rightful future of all children.” The churches of
Strafford are co-hosting the symposium. A diverse roster of 16 speakers, including Bill
McKibben, will participate. To find out more and to register, go to: http://
faithclimateconference.org
DYING GREEN – August 23, 4:30-6:30 PM. Free and open to the public.
Green Burial: What is it? Is it new or old? Why do environmentalists talk about it so much? If you would like to learn more, you are invited to attend a short video presentation, Dying Green, at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. For more information contact: Mary Alice Bisbee at Eight Zero Two – Two Two Three – Eight One Four Zero or email mbisbee[at]myfairpoint[dot]net
