October Parish Messenger

Rev. Justine’s Message

Dear Ones of UUCB,

I am writing to you from my new place in West Bath.

As you can see, Callie is becoming something of a sea dog, though she hasn’t tried her hand (paws) at swimming just yet. But we both are enjoying the view.

You Maine locals are used to being surrounded by such spectacular beauty, but I continue to marvel at it, and I am so glad I found this place.

As I write this, we have had 3 in-person and live-streamed worship services together! I mention the live-stream right alongside of the in-person option, because I do think that the quality of the online option is excellent, and I hope that even if you are watching from home, the excellent audio and video and the energy present in the sanctuary make their way to you over the internet.

In so many ways, we are back: back to seeing one another, back to being able to laugh together (oh, soon may we sing together), but there are some things that just aren’t the same and may not be for a while. The youngest among us and those with frail immune systems can’t be vaccinated yet, and others of us need to be extra cautious to avoid even a “mild case” of Covid. I feel that fear, that worry – mixed with excitement at being together – among us. This is how it will be for a while, dear ones, as we learn to live with this new level of risk. How do we gather and do the work of church and still make sure that we are all as safe as we can possibly be? Your board, the Covid Task Force, and I are thinking about all of this and are watching the public health information, making the very best decisions we can and sharing information as it becomes available. If you have any questions or worries, please reach out to the board, the Covid Task force (the chair is Bill Clark) or me.

At the end of August I attended a worship service on Peaks Island the New Brackett Church on Peaks Island. This had been a Methodist church for over 150 years, but the congregation realized that they needed to leave the United Methodist Church because of their stands on LGBTQ inclusivity. After a period of discernment, they decided to become a federated church of both UU and UCC. I attended worship at the invitation of a friend of mine who is a member there and of their minister and lit their chalice, telling the story of the UU chalice (the history of which was not known to them) and welcomed them into our community of UU congregations. At a time when many churches are closing or shrinking, it is exciting to add a congregation to our association. I will invite their minister Will Green to lead worship with me at UUCB sometime soon. I’m sure we will give Will and the members of the New Brackett congregation a warm UUCB welcome!

I am grateful to all who attended and helped host the recent memorial service for Martha Lentz. The family has loaned us several of her photographs, which are hanging in our fellowship hall. The family was so appreciative of the opportunity to gather and remember Martha. This Saturday, October 2^nd, we will remember Albert Moore, who died in August. Albert (like his father Baxter before him) had been an active member at UUCB in the 1970s and 80s and then moved away for a job. When he returned to the area after retirement, he was less active in the church and so was not well known to many of us, but it will be good to gather and honor his memory. Special thanks to Jud Caswell, who has been providing both music and technical assistance for these recent memorial services.

In the coming weeks, we will be busy! Chalice circles are starting up, and your ministerial search committee will be reaching out to you to help them tell your amazing story – say yes! I will be asking you to help tell the UUCB story, too. I’ve been thinking about how to update the typical timeline project that congregations engage in during the interim time. Rather than lines on a page, taped to the wall, I think we might make an audio-video timeline, something you can enjoy for years to come and that the search committee can use for the materials they create. Stay tuned.

I have resumed the “Coffee with the Rev” on Zoom on Thursday mornings at 11. I’m also available for visits in person or online Tuesday through Friday. Just call or email to set up a time. I am here and want to meet more of you.

It is so good to be here with you and serving as your minister in this interim time. May we stay safe and well until we are (all) together again.

Peace and love to you,
Justine

UUCB Services in October

Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

Oct 3— Circles and Spirals: Looking Back and Moving Forward
Rev. Justine Sullivan. We will meet and celebrate our Ministerial Search Team, who were elected at an online congregational meeting this spring. Music by Derek Herzer.

Oct 10 — Indigenous Peoples Day—Cathey Cyrus
Ron Siviski brings music and words from his Maliseet ancestry.

Oct 17 — Ruth and Naomi: Such Good Friends
Music by Marsey Caswell, Stephanie Bernier, Louise Gephart, and Rev. Justine.

Oct 24 — Giving Up the Ghost—Sienna Done
Music by Janice Thompson.

Oct 31 — All Souls Day: Death and Dying
Rev. Justine Sullivan and Grace Lewis-McLaren . Music by Jud Caswell and Louise Gephart..

Join us in the sanctuary or watch us live on youtube at UUCB AV .

Religious Exploration

The Answer is Under Construction

This week, as I was preparing for a Religious Exploration meeting, I came across a story by Sarah E. Skwire called Answer Mountain. The moral of the story is that sometimes we don’t like the answers =”hat we are given and sometimes we don’t get an answer at all… we just have to wait and see. Waiting and seeing requires us to be flexible. After living through over a year and a half of uncertainty, most of us have had ample opportunity to stretch out of our comfort zone, to become more flexible. Personally, I like to think of myself as someone who has the natural ability to go with the flow, someone who is easily adaptable. Yet, I find that there is always room to grow.

This past Sunday was a great example of how things don’t always go as planned. I planned a great Religious Exploration outdoor meeting for the kids. By Thursday afternoon, I had collected all the supplies, set everything up to be ready to go, and emailed all the families letting them know the plan. I had a plan and I was prepared! What could go wrong? Well, the “possible showers” we were expecting turned into quite a bit of heavy rain making for a very wet ground. And… the tents I ordered for shelter didn’t come in time so, even with space that the library has been kind enough to let us use, there wasn’t a great outside option for us all. And I was nervous about moving everyone inside because we haven’t yet gotten the air filters for the children’s space. So, at 8:30am on Sunday morning I found myself feeling tight in my body, resenting the “Nos” that I was really expecting to be “Yeses”.

Then I remembered the moral of the story of Answer Mountain. Sometimes “the answer is under construction” and it requires a little help from our friends to figure out what to do. Luckily, UUCB has lots of flexible and quick thinking folks who were able to help me to loosen up and change gears. We ended up offering a hybrid meeting to meet families at their comfort level. We had a small group of kids attend a Zoom call in person from the Merrymeeting Bay Room where we opened up all the windows, masked up, and sat at a safe distance from people outside of our pods. We were able to have kids from both UUCB and First Parish Portland on the Zoom call with us. It was the first time we offered a hybrid meeting (which was something I had previously insisted I never wanted to do) and it turned out to be a really fun meeting. Families were able to be flexible enough to go with the new plan and we were able to all come together in a new way. So, maybe I’m someone who tightens up a bit when things don’t go as planned but Unitarian Universalism teaches me that I can practice stretching out of my comfort zone (with a little help from my friends). Afterall, it’s the stretching that helps us be flexible.

Toben Cooney-Callnan, DRE

Pastoral Care Notes

Joys

With remote work because of Covid, Barbara and Russ Jabaut’s son Peter and wife Julie were able to move to Maine. They both found good new jobs in Maine and are now in the process of building a house in Durham on land that that their parents gave them… right next to Mom and Dad. Barbara and Russ are looking forward to them as neighbors in this next year!

Susan Paluska joyfully welcomes her new granddaughter, Lucy Anne Tyrol Paluska, born on August 25 to Megan Tyrol and Peter Paluska.

Faith Woodman and Hugh Maynard are in Santa Barbara renting a house next to their daughter, her husband and their two small grandchildren. It is such a joy to be in such close proximity to them. They will be in Santa Barbara until the end of October when they drive back to Maine with their 14-year-old-golden retriever. They look forward to seeing all of us in November.

Louise Gephart and Bill Kunitz are thrilled to have celebrated the marriage of their son , Christopher, to Olivia Wingerath on September 12.

Loving Thoughts

Judy Chamberlain asks for prayers/love for her family as her cousin , Charlie Chamberlain, is dying of pancreatic cancer. The 10 Chamberlain cousins have been like siblings their whole lives. His passing will leave a hole in their hearts.

Jean Lay would like to thank the Pastoral Care committee for all of their well wishes and offers of help as she is starting treatment for colorectal cancer. “The positive thoughts have meant a lot to me. Right now my husband, Keary (pronounced Kerry), and my son Nathaniel, are home and taking excellent care of me. If we need help down the road, we will reach out to the committee.”

Mike Heath says he can’t adequately express his gratitude for all the support and love from the UUCB community and the friends who have become so close since Val died. Thanks to all.

See Albert’s Obituary

UUCB Board Update

We held our first live services in the sanctuary, and you attended! It’s hard to explain how wonderful it was to stand at the front of the sanctuary at the start of the service and see all of your smiling faces. Well, in reality, what I actually saw was your masked faces, but I felt your smiles through the masks.

By the time you read this we’ll have had at least three and maybe four or five live services. These services now have a live stream option via our YouTube channel (UUCBAV) so that anyone who can’t or isn’t ready to attend can worship in real time with us. A new camera and many hours of time testing and tweaking of the technology have made this possible.

If you haven’t ventured out to join us on a Sunday morning yet – either because you’re out of the habit, or because you don’t feel safe in a group – we’ll happily welcome you back when you are ready to attend. Know that we’re asking everyone that comes in person to be vaccinated if they are able, to wear a mask, and to limit their time indoors to what is necessary. Music by the choir is pre-recorded and streamed on video. We are not having a live coffee hour and ask you to catch up with people outdoors as you come in or leave.

Many of you have been asking when the church will be fully open again. Please know that the board and our covid task force are putting a lot of energy into making these decisions. What I do know is that we will open slowly and only if and as the data on the pandemic allows us to do so safely. Today we are only open for Sunday services, with staff having access to the church during the week. We are currently working on plans to allow some scheduled meetings of church committees and should have more information on specifics for you soon.

When I finish writing this article, I’m headed to the store to pick up some things for the Board of Trustees retreat tomorrow that will be held in my backyard. We’ll reflect a bit on where the last year took us and on where we are headed this year. I’ll tell you more about it in next month’s Parish Messenger.

David Kew, Board of Trustees Chair

Message from the Treasurer

At this year’s Board Retreat, we talked about our goals for the coming year, which focus on ways to re-engage with our church community—everything from getting back in the habit of attending church in person, visiting with one another, perhaps joining a new committee or cause, and of course supporting the church financially as we continue to build the culture of abundance that we have been so proud of at UUCB.

But these are different—and difficult—times. The church year we just completed ended with a deficit of close to $25,000, the result of a pandemic year that allowed no fundraising or rentals while requiring additional expense to produce a YouTube service every Sunday (and worth every penny!). In addition, our Pledge Drive last spring fell short of our goal, leading the Congregation to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2022 that was balanced only by the potential transfer of almost $38,000 from our Operating Reserve, with no guarantee that the modest fundraising included in the budget will be possible. And finally, we look ahead to the excitement of calling a new settled minister and hiring a Music Director, both of whom we will need to pay fairly and assure that we are in good financial shape.

As you’ve heard me say before, we are, indeed, in a strong condition. We have an operating reserve and an investment account that can support us in pandemic years, but not indefinitely.

Part of our re-engagement with each other will need to include a strong pledge drive next spring, creative fundraising, and continued efforts to attract new members to replace those inevitably lost each year. It may seem too early to start talking about the pledge drive, but I guess that’s part of my job. I have every confidence that this generous congregation will rise to the occasion when asked. As always, thank you for your continued generosity.

Cindy Parker, Treasurer

Back to Top

Have Jewelry for the UUCB Fair Jewelry Table?

Fall cleaning? Downsizing? Keep your eyes open for jewelry you no longer want. At some point we WILL have another fabulous Jewelry Sales Table as part of a church fair or festivities. As always, its success depends on the donations of costume jewelry from all of you. The jewelry team will clean and polish your long-loved treasures, and then will present them beautifully for someone else to purchase and love. Donations do not need to be elegant!

You can hold onto it for now, or drop it off at Lisa Durrell’s, or let her know if you’d like it picked up. There will generally be a jewelry basket in the back of the church. If you’d like to be part of the Jewelry Team and help with the sorting/polishing, we’d love to have you! Please email Lisa Durrell,

Ministerial Search Team Update

The UUCB Search Team is hard at work. We have an organized timeline that guides our work, and we have clear roles and regular meetings. The most immediate work ahead of us is creating a clear picture of our congregation. We hope you will help us with this step. Members of the search team are developing a survey which will reach you through a program called Survey Monkey. The survey is lengthy but important. It will give searching ministers a “picture” of our vibrant and complex community, a look at who and where we are, what is important to us, our needs, and how we want to grow as a church. More information will be forthcoming as we move into autumn.

Another upcoming opportunity to participate is a UUA sponsored workshop entitled Beyond Categorical Thinking. This program is strongly recommended for churches involved in search, and sends a strong message to searching ministers that our church is committed to full equality and ongoing learning about anti-oppression. Beyond Categorical Thinking, or BCT, is designed to help congregations look at and address any biases around race/ethnicity, gender/gender identity, visible and invisible disabilities and health concerns, and sexual orientation, whether these biases are overt or implicit. The program is delivered in two sessions of one and a half hour workshops over a weekend. Again, more information will be coming your way when dates are arranged. We sincerely hope you will join us for BCT training.

Music Committee

Search for Director of Music

In response to recent changes in the music staff at UUCB, the Board has charged a Music Committee to help with the continuing growth and development of music programs at UUCB. Heidi Neufeld has decided to resign as choir director after 16 great years of commitment to the growth and development of the UUCB choir. Derek Herzer resigned as choir accompanist and pianist, and Stephanie Bernier resigned as our able and committed Music Coordinator in order to devote her time to the Ministerial Search Committee. While these changes represent a big loss to the music program, they also provide opportunity. The Board has approved a new staff position of Director of Music. The part-time Director of Music will lead the choir, provide music for worship services, and expand the music program to Religious Exploration and other areas of our church life. The Music Committee is excited to embark on the process of recruiting and hiring for this position. In the meantime, we are also recruiting a temporary accompanist to provide music for Sunday morning services until we have a Director of Music hired and on board.
Members of the Music Committee are, Glenn Williams, Heidi Neufeld, Susan Michaud, and Louise Gephart. Please feel free to contact any of us with your questions and/or ideas. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Louise.

Louise Gephart, Convener of Music Committee

Cat Sitting

Working for Justice

Indigenous Awareness

Many events are being offered in October just before and after Indigenous Peoples Day. Below are several of special interest to us locally. For a more complete list, go to the Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group (MIAG) website: https://www.miag-group.org/

Monday, 10/4/21, 6-8pm, Walking with Our Wabanaki Neighbors: What Steps Can We Take? ZOOM event, offered by the Curtis Library and Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group (MIAG).

Due to the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, Maine is dead last among states in recognizing the legal rights exercised by nearly all other federally recognized tribes. As a result, Wabanaki people and their governments do not have the same rights and privileges as other tribes in the United States and, since 1980, they have missed out on the benefits from over 150 federal laws designed to assist tribal communities.

LD 1626, now pending in the Maine Legislature, addresses and seeks to remedy many of these inequities. The October 4th presentation will offer background about the legislation and its impact on Wabanaki life with information about taking effective action.

Presenters include Shirley Hager, lead author of the recent book, The Gatherings: Reimagining Indigenous– Settler Relations, and chair of the Friends Committee on Maine Public Policy’s Tribal-State Relations Committee; Greg Sample, retired attorney with Drummond Woodsum, with decades of experience working with Wabanaki tribes and the Settlement Act; and, Abbie Bradford, Outreach Manager of Maine Conservation Voters and active participant in the Wabanaki Alliance planning sessions.

You can register for this event via Curtis Library in Brunswick: https://curtislibrary.libcal.com/event/7921315

Sunday, 10/10/21, 10am UUCB Worship service The Land and the Waters: Thoughts on Indigenous Peoples Day weekend.

Pat Moore and Cathey Cyrus will reflect on their relationship to the land and waters of indigenous land we now call Maine. Ron Siviski will offer music and words from his Maliseet ancestry. Attendance is in person (In person attendees must be vaccinated, give contact information and wear masks.) or live streamed at UUCB AV.

Monday, 10/11/21, 10 am, Rally for Wabanaki Rights: Virtual Rally on Indigenous Peoples Day

Information about joining this rally is on the Wabanaki Alliance website: wabanakialliance.com

Wednesday, 10/20/21, 6-8pm

Voices from the Barrens: Native People, Blueberries and Sovereignty

Film screening and discussion with filmmaker, Nancy Ghertner and film participants. The film documents the wild blueberry harvest of the Wabanaki in Canada and the US — focusing on the challenges to balance blueberry hand raking traditions with the economic realities of the world market, which favor mechanical harvesting. Register for this event via the events calendar at Curtis Memorial Library. The film screening is a collaboration between Curtis Library and Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group (MIAG).

Understanding Dawnland Today: The Wabanaki and the State of Maine

Join members of the Working for Justice Steering Group on Wednesday, October 13 at 5:45pm in our sanctuary to watch Understanding Dawnland Today: Land Acknowledgement, the second in this 4-part series presented by the League of Women Voters. This Zoom presentation, streaming live at 6:00 will feature Dr. Darren Ranco from the University of Maine Department of Anthropology. Call Betsy Williams at 978-505-9467 if you’d like more information.
UUCB’s COVID protocols will be in place for sanctuary use. These include participation by UUCB congregation only, full vaccination, mask wearing, maintaining 6’ distance unless with a household member, and providing your name at the door for potential contact tracing.

Immigrant Justice

New Mainers and others enjoy the bounty from the garden on Washington Street in Bath – space generously shared by a Bath community member with local asylum seeker families. In addition to vegetables known well to Maine gardeners, new Mainers harvested amaranth, Jew’s mallow and African beans – vegetables enjoyed in their home countries.

Teen Center

Returning to school after their summer break, the teens at the Center reported feeling “weird and kind of strange” to attend in person after a year of remote classes. Newcomers are growing –12 now including one girl, and the “old timers” are coming back as well.

One teen who’s working weekends for a caterer got his very first pay check. Jordan explained what he made and got and paid in taxes.

Responses to the Back to School fundraising letter are coming in now, 35 so far. UUCB has designated the Teen Center as its Charity with Soul for November and First Parish Church added its support as well.

The teens asked for afternoon meals to resume so a call has gone out for “real food’ or donations. The UUCB Teen Center Magnificent 6 — Carol Briggs, Joanne Allen, Cuffy Chase, Pat Moore, Susan Snow, and Betty Wurtz — will be delivering food every 3^rd Wednesday of the month starting in October.

Carol Briggs, one of the Magnificent 6, was recognized as the Teen Center Volunteer of the Year. Carol is a member of the Teen Center Advisory Board and the liaison for the support group from UUCB. She has helped with food/snacks, rounding up funding, and stuffing and sealing funding letters.

Thanks to all your support, the Teen Center continues to grow and prosper.

Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network

A Legislative Forum – Oct. 24 – now postponed

The MUUSAN team members of Working for Justice invite you to a legislative forum on Sunday,
October 24^th. (Time to be determined depending upon an in-person or zoom event.) We’re calling it:
The Legislative Process: How it Works and How You Can Be Involved

Postponed!!!!
We are watching Covid numbers closely and will reschedule this forum when it seems safe to do so. We could also do it via zoom. It would be very helpful if we knew how many people are interested in attending. Please contact Lynn Ellis at by October 15 to express your interest or with any questions.

Charities with Soul

October’s Charity: Coastal Humane

Midcoast Humane is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to saving homeless and abandoned pets and helping Mainers find loving companions. We strive to enhance the human/animal bond in everything we do, and be a resource for pet owners and animal lovers in our communities, helping people become better caretakers and advocates for all of our animal friends through classes, camps, workshops, and collaboration with our knowledgeable staff people. We serve 40 municipalities throughout Midcoast Maine, and care for nearly 3,500 animals each year. Every animal that comes through our doors receives excellent medical care, spay/neuter surgeries, vaccines, care and comfort while they’re with us. We believe that every life is worth saving, and are proud of our 97% Live Release Rate.

In 2020, we purchased a 24,000 sq ft building to serve as our new home in Brunswick. The building will undergo renovations during 2021 to create a modern, healthy, national-standard shelter. To learn more about this exciting project and to view our adoptable animals, please visit midcoasthumane.org.

Concerts for a Cause

Let’s celebrate the reopening of Concerts for a Cause with great Jazz!

Novel Jazz Septet

Saturday, November 13 at 7:30 pm

The musicians of “Novel Jazz” have been performing straight-ahead jazz around Maine and New England for over three decades. They draw from the Great American Songbook and specialize in the works of Edward Kennedy (“Duke”) Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. The band members hail from all over Maine, and they have recorded 3 CD’s. Several two-hour programs dedicated to Novel Jazz have been broadcast on Maine Public Radio’s jazz show, “Jazz Tonight” over the years. Listen to Novel Jazz.

Tickets

Adults: $15 in advance, $18 at the door.
Students & Children: $10

Tickets will available on October 15th in the Fellowship Hall after church services, at the church office during office hours, or at Gulf of Maine Books.

All concerts are subject to UUCB’s Covid guidelines.

A Big Thanks
to Linda Mallard & Kathy Jacques for offering to be Refreshment Organizers for Concerts for a Cause

UUCB Art Gallery

This month we would like to feature the work of Martha Lentz. Martha was a beloved member of our community who passed away on May 2nd 2020. She was a gifted photographer and a member of the Gallery Committee.

Martha became interested in photography at age 11 when one of her photographs was published in American Girl Magazine. She ran a photography studio in Harvard Square after graduating from Bates College. After raising her family she rekindled her interest in photography and took classes at the Maine College of Art.

“Whether capturing a memorable moment experimenting with abstract concepts, photography allows me to express my personal vision of the world. No matter the subject, technique, or composition, implicit in the visual image is an emotional truth. I seek to represent beauty and simplicity in an attempt to balance the complexity and chaos in the world around us.”

October Parish Messenger

Rev. Justine’s Message

UUCB Services in October