Summer Office Schedule | July Services | THANK YOU! From Sylvia | Congratulations, Rev. Lucy Ijams | Religious Exploration | Board Update | Membership | Committee on Ministry | WORKING FOR JUSTICE | Black Lives Matter | Midcoast New Mainers | Indigenous Awareness | Gun Safety Awareness | Teen Center Updates | Charities with Soul | Holiday Fair | Art Gallery | Parish Messenger Deadline
Summer Office Schedule
If you have any pastoral care needs for the summer, please contact Julie Dahmer at or by phone at 207-865-9688. Our Pastoral Care Associates remain eager to support you if you need pastoral care, and several UU ministers have collaborated to ensure that our congregations have emergency support.
July Services
July 2nd
My Experience in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare: Striving For Health, Compassion and Justice
Led by Alexis Nolan, Music by Grace Lewis-Mclaren and Trillium (Louise Gephart, Susan Michaud, and Stephanie Bernier
Alexis will share what her work has taught her about the roles of compassion, empathy, and stigma reduction in providing good health care and how this leads to progress towards the intersecting goals that we share as Unitarian Universalists.
Alexis Nolan has been a nurse midwife for 13 years and is currently the Director of Clinical Care for the PPNNE (Planned Parenthood of Northern New England). When she’s not working you can probably find her at the beach, sipping coffee on her front porch or trying to change the topic to abortion at a social gathering. She lives in Brunswick with her husband Rob and their three delightful children Lennox, Solomon and Cleo.
July 9th
What is ‘Healing’ Within a Sick Society?
Led by Peter Blachly, Music by Peter Blachly
This reflection will be about the individual journey of healing from personal trauma.
Peter Macdonald Blachly is the nephew of former long-time Brunswick UU members Daphne Holden, on his father’s side, and Dr. and Mrs. Peter Haughwout, on his mother’s side. His life-long quest for answers to life’s big questions has encompassed philosophy, religion, yoga, meditation, music, art, science, politics, and psychology. He is the author of many published articles and a memoir, “The Inner Circle – My Seventeen Years in the Cult of the American Sikhs (Book One)”. Peter is a Trauma Recovery Coach, and is in the middle of writing “Book Two” of his memoir, tracking his own search for authenticity in the journey of recovery from a religious cult. Today’s hymn lyrics were written by Daphne’s grandfather, Johnson Oatman, Jr., and set to music this year by Peter.
July 16th
What Are You Doing?
Led by Reverend Al Boyce, Music by Grace Lewis-Mclaren
In the Old Testament story of Elijah having a conversation with the Divine, he is found by God hiding out from his perceived enemies in a cave. God asks: “What are you doing, HERE?” How often do our values challenge us to the point we just want to run away from them to some safe cave, knowing it’s not where we belong. Al’s sermon will reflect on this dilemma.
Rev. Dr. Al Boyce began ministry over 35 years ago as an evangelical minister. After attending Harvard Divinity School he became a Unitarian Universalist parish minister in 1988. Al also holds a Masters Degree in Psychology/Counseling and PhD in psychology. Al has served parishes in Chester Depot, Vermont, founded a Unitarian Universalist church in downtown Miami, Florida and served the Plainfield, New Jersey Unitarian Universalist congregation. Today, Al is a chaplain for Volunteers of America Northern New England while speaking regularly at Unitarian Universalist and Congregational churches. He lives in Dexter, Maine with husband, Andrew, and standard poodles, Luke and Louie.
July 23rd
U.U. and Me: Supporting A Continued Search for Truth and Meaning
Led by Janet Fournier, Music by Derek Herzer
As our hearts and minds learn to evolve together, our later years in life can truly be our best: full of growth, love, acceptance and understanding.
Janet Fournier is a member of UUCB, finding her ‘home’ here in September of 2022. She relocated to Brunswick on Halloween of 2020, with a strong desire to return to the coast. Janet serves as the Finance Manager for the Knox County Homeless Coalition in Rockland; she also performs guest ministry as an Interfaith Chaplain. In her free time, you’ll find her exploring local trails, beaches and preserves; pedaling her bicycle; enjoying her camp in Greenwood; curling up with a good book; spending time with her family and a wonderful collection of friends.
July 30th
“For Such a Time as This” – Esther 4:14
– Led by Sharon Brown, Music by Grace Lewis-Mclaren
This service will consider the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We will look back at the early struggles for Gay Rights and now at the bias, oppression and struggles of Transgenders just to be.
Sharon Brown grew up in a UCC parsonage and in the mid- 1970s joined the Unitarian Universalist church in Portland. She lives in Brunswick with her fur person Puma.
THANK YOU! From Sylvia
Dear reader: This article was erroneously omitted from June’s printed Parish Messenger. June’s online issues were corrected on 5/31. but I’m keeping it here for any who may have missed it. Many apologies to dear Sylvia for my oversight!
~ Rebecca Waddle, June & July PM Editor
UUCB Honors the Retirement of Rev. Lucy Ijams
Rev. Lucy Ijams, longtime member of UUCB, celebrated her retirement from ministry in the Unitarian Universalist Association in May of this year. Rev. Ijams was recognized for her service at the UU General Assembly Service of the Living Tradition in June. Most recently, Lucy served as the Hospice Chaplain at CHANS Home Health & Hospice. Lucy was ordained by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick on June 30, 1996. From 1996-2017, Lucy served in parish ministry serving the UU Church in Meriden CT (1996-2010), the UU Church of Utica NY (2010-2013), and the UU Fellowship of Bennington VT (2013-2017). Following several months of preparation in 2016, Lucy moved into hospice chaplaincy, serving VNA & Hospice in Bennington until moving back to Brunswick in 2019 to conclude her service at CHANS..
We are so proud of you and your ministry, Rev. Lucy, and give thanks for the many lives that have been touched and enhanced by your generous heart these many years. We are so glad to be your home congregation, to celebrate your ministry on this milestone occasion, and to benefit from your gifts. Thank you!
Religious Exploration
Greetings From General Assembly!
I am incredibly grateful that I was given the opportunity to attend the 2023 General Assembly in Pittsburgh, PA. I write to you all just having witnessed a Bridging Service that included young adults from all across the country. It was lovely to see so many young Unitarian Universalists gathered together, celebrating this milestone on their journey into adulthood! I have been deeply inspired by the youth and young adult leadership at GA including two young adults who have spent the last three years working as part of the commission tasked with reviewing Article II of our UU bylaws and suggesting revisions to it. This experience of witnessing youth and young adults in action has inspired and energized me as I do the work of brainstorming and planning for the upcoming church year. I look forward to sharing more about GA with you all when I return from my time off in July.
-Toben Cooney-Callnan
UUCB Board Update
For me, the annual meeting, which took place on June 11th, marks the end of one church year and the beginning of another.
Thank you to all who pledged a financial contribution to the church for the upcoming year. As some other churches struggle to survive, your financial commitments allow UUCB to not just exist but to grow into our dreams.
Thanks, also, to our outgoing Treasurer, Cindy Parker, and our finance committee for the significant work they put into developing the budget that we approved. Although this is the third year we’ve approved a deficit budget, pledges are higher than ever, we’ve had some great fundraising events, and the congregation is full of energy, so I believe that we can—and should—move toward a balanced budget in the future.
We also voted to lend our support to the MUUSAN resolution supporting the inherent sovereignty of the Wabanaki Nations of Maine. I am grateful for the members of our Working for Justice Steering Group that researched this issue and provided so many opportunities for us to learn about it before the vote. There is legislation related to this issue being considered, and if you want to know more about how you can get involved, please reach out to Faith Woodman or Cathey Cyrus.
It is impossible for me to adequately express my thanks to Rebecca Waddle, Cindy Parker, and Jessica Tracy for their contributions to the UUCB Board of Trustees over the past few years. We will miss them but are excited to welcome new members Keary Lay, Curt Neufeld, and Joanne Allen. Kurt will become vice chair and Keary treasurer. In addition, existing member Louise Gephardt will take over for Bill Clark as clerk.
I also need to thank Maryli Tieman for her excellent work moderating this and our other meetings during her term. I know we’ve all enjoyed her positive energy and efforts to make sure we all have a voice. Luckily, we will have another outstanding individual, Mike Heath, moving into this position going forward.
All these nominations were made possible because of the herculean efforts of our nominating committee. If you’ve ever been involved in nominations, you understand what an interesting game of chess it is to offer the right opportunities to the right people at the right time.
I am also thankful for our dedicated and competent staff – Mary, Tony, Shirley, Toben, Nell, and Rev. Kharma. We are truly blessed to have this wonderful group of people supporting UUCB every day.
At the last meeting of the “old” Board of Trustees on Thursday the 15th, we invited the incoming members to join us. We decided that the executive committee will meet this summer on an as-needed basis, so the full board will not formally meet in July and August and have planned to get together for a fall retreat on September 17.
While I know many of us travel and vacation during the summer, many will also attend the summer services that our Worship Committee has put together for us in July and August. Either way you spend your summer, I look forward to seeing you again soon.
David Kew
Board of Trustees Chairperson
Committee on Ministry
SAVE THE DATE!
On Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 2pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Brunswick, the Reverend Doctor Kharma Amos will be formally installed as the settled minister of our church. In a worship service followed by a celebratory reception, we will participate in the ceremonial recognition of Kharma’s role in our church community. Reverend Doctor Jim Mitulski, Pastor of the Congregational Church of Belmont, California and one of Kharma’s mentors will preach, and music will be offered by Nell Britton and our UUCB choir.
Unitarian Universalist churches democratically call their ministers by voting for a Search Committee that discerns the needs of the congregation and finds the best candidate they can to meet those needs. The search officially ends with a congregational vote to call the recommended minister. From the minister’s viewpoint, accepting a call is a choice freely made after careful consideration. Hence, an Installation service celebrates the mutual choice of congregation and minister, honoring both the freedom our religious tradition has always heralded and the responsibility that being together in covenanted relationship
demands. The heart of the Installation service will be the covenant all of us take up as we enter into a relationship based on mutual trust, commitment, and vision.
The Installation Planning Committee is busy preparing for this momentous and joyful occasion. We are creating and planning for invitations, programs, music, flowers, food, ushers, photographers, and set up/cleanup crews. Some of you have already said yes to helping to make this exciting event a celebration for all of us. The energy and creativity of others will be needed as well. We’ll send out a call for help in late August or early September.
…In the meantime, save the date!
Irene Austin
Stephanie Bernier
Cathey Cyrus
Penny Elwell
Mary Larson
Betsy Roper
Tom Rumpf
Jessica Tracy
Members of the Installation Committee
Membership
Join us after church for “Brown Bag Lunch”
on the Brunswick Mall
Sunday, July 9th and Sunday, August 6th
- Bring your own lunch and chair.
- Beverages will be provided.
- We’ll have time for an informal gathering and a chance to socialize.
WORKING FOR JUSTICE
Contact: Jane Danielson
Black Lives Matter Introduces Sacred Ground
Race and racism are at the forefront of our national discourse, but these issues can be hard to talk about. We may hesitate to express our thoughts because we anticipate an argument, or fear saying the wrong thing, or have other concerns that influence our ability to enter openly into conversations about these issues. The Sacred Ground program provides a structure to have these important conversations in a safe and respectful way.
Sacred Ground is an interfaith program administered by St. Paul’s Church in Brunswick and offered to the wider Brunswick/Bath community. The curriculum of readings and videos include, in eleven sessions, the histories of Black, Indigenous, Asian-American, and Latino people. In small groups led by trained facilitators, participants reflect on the
narratives of those histories that we, as individuals, have acquired. This process provides opportunities for open conversation and a shared understanding of ourselves.
A few of us from UUCB have participated in Sacred Ground, and we are enthusiastic about more people experiencing it. That is why the Black Lives Matter group will introduce the program to the wider congregation in September.
To give you a sense of the impact of this program, here are quotes from some Sacred Ground participants:
“I never imagined how my heart would be opened”
“This has planted a seed of hope in me that we can do better”
“Having the chance to talk openly about race has been liberating”
“I wish I did this program 20 years ago!”
You will hear more about the program over the next few months as we move toward September. For questions, contact Jane Danielson .
Immigrant Justice
The anticipated arrival of 60 new asylum seeker households to the Brunswick Landing apartments is postponed until August, awaiting completion of housing construction. Current understanding is that our new neighbors will be settling locally at the rate of 12 households per month over a period of 5 months. Oversight will be provided through the Town of Brunswick’s Office of Human Services with Director, Deb Crocker, as coordinator of volunteers and basic services. We expect that faith communities like UUCB will be encouraged to offer much-needed support. When UUCB has more information about how best to direct our efforts, we will call a meeting for those interested to help with planning and organizing.
In the meantime, volunteer English language tutors will be very much needed, and information about tutor training can be found at Midcoast Literacy’s website https://www.midcoastliteracy.org/index.php/our-programs/english-language-instruction.
Similarly, the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) https://www.mchpp.org/volunteer is actively seeking volunteers to support the anticipated increased demand on its services with the arrival of these 60 households.
Following is the link to sign up as a volunteer with the Town of Brunswick: https://www.brunswickme.org/FormCenter/Human-Services-13/Brunswick-Volunteer-Registration-Form-fo-77.
If you would like more information about becoming a mentor with Midcoast New Mainers Group (MCNMG), please contact Cathey Cyrus at .
Contact: Cathey Cyrus
At UUCB’s 6/11/23 Annual Meeting the congregation voted unanimously to endorse the
Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network (MUUSAN) resolution in support of tribal sovereignty for the Wabanaki Nations in Maine. Adding our congregation’s name to that resolution reinforced MUUSAN’s efforts to bring UU values and voices to the legislature. In advance of the Annual Meeting, our congregation became better informed about tribal sovereignty and the longtime broken relationship between the state of Maine and our Wabanaki neighbors. With our vote to acknowledge the Wabanaki right to self-determination, the UUCB congregation has taken one step towards healing the damage.
Back to Top
Contact: Lynn Ellis
Rev. Kharma and Lynn Ellis at the annual Wear Orange event in Augusta on June 3. Together we can End Gun Violence.
Back to Top
Contact: Carol Briggs
The Teen Center welcomed their new Bowdoin Fellow, Emely, who will be with them until August. To begin her stay Emely jumped right in to help paint a colorful Brunswick Downtown Association (BDA) “Have a Seat Downtown” chair. At the Brunswick Pride Festival, face painting was featured at the Teen Center table. And the Center Coordinator managed a Teen Center table at the final 2023 UUCB Concert for a Cause.
With the arrival of school vacation, the Teen Center will try extended hours—1:30 PM to 5:00 PM—to help with parent/guardian pickups. Many of the teens who have “graduated” from the Teen Center return to visit. Because of the increasing number of teens using the Center, a search committee is looking for a larger location.
To correct a recent misconception: The Teen Center is a gathering place for all teens in grades 6 –12 and is not limited to at-risk teens. Thank you to UUCB’s continuing support!
Charities with Soul
Contact: Stephen Wood
July’s Charity with Soul is Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) in Brunswick, Maine, is the largest hunger relief and prevention agency in the Midcoast Maine region. In pursuit of a vision where quality, nutritious food is available for all, MCHPP has been committed since 1983, to offering dignity and empowerment by providing neighbors in need with access to healthy food. Their goal is to remove barriers to healthful meals for anyone in need regardless of race, color, age, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity and to foster an environment of inclusion.
MCHPP operates two facilities in Brunswick. A downtown Food Access Center and a newly opened Warehouse & Administrative Facility on Brunswick Landing. Also operated are mobile and satellite pantries and direct-to-door deliveries to bring services closer to home for those experiencing transportation or mobility barriers.
Each year, these programs serve thousands in need because of the community’s generosity and commitment to this work. As we honor MCHPP’s 40th Anniversary, we encourage making a gift on our website (mchpp.org/donate) or via cash or check or with your contributions during the offering during July UUCB services.
Three ways to give:
- At uubrunswick.org, click “Donate Online” Choose the “Plate” option
- Text the amount of your donation to (855) 962-0440, and follow the prompts to complete your donation
- Mail a check to: PO Box 129, Brunswick ME 04011, Memo Line: “plate”
Holiday Fair Updates
Cleaning? Downsizing? Simplifying? Making?
Please save these items for the holiday fair!!
- Unwanted tools (always popular at the Fair)
- A couple of jars of your canning creations like Pickles, Jams or Sauces
- Clean pint & quart canning jars & lids (for Eats and Treats packaging)
- Decorative holiday tins, boxes, ribbons, etc.
- Winter holiday decorations
- Your used/completed summer reads
- Children’s toys & books – clean and intact for the White Elephant Room
- Costume Jewelry (Box on Membership Table)
- And if you are a knitter…
Join Us for a Summer Crafting Session!
On Saturday, June 24, we met to make these darling N0-Sew Fabric Star ornament
We made about 30. These sell for $5 each. You can see how a few fun crafts can add up to level up our fundraising for this important event. Want to help us make some more? Contact Lisa Durrell or Rebecca Waddle (207-671-2734) and we’ll see about getting you some materials and show you how to make them.
Jewelry Sorting – Monday, July 10 from 1:00 – 3:30
Come sort, clean, and card donated costume jewelry to sell in the Jewelry Room. No knowledge needed! Just patience and a sense of humor. Contact Lisa Durrell @ for location and questions.
CRAFTING: Book Angel Ornaments After church, Sunday, July 9th
Bring a bagged lunch and join us after church! Plan on 1-2 hours.
We’re going to make these: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/folded-book-angel-easy.html
Along with your bagged lunch, please bring: 1-2 old paperback books, around 7-9″ tall and ~100-200 pages long. These should be books you are OK parting with!
The following supplies are also needed, if you have them to share/donate:
-
-
- Small Christmas ornaments about 2″ in diameter (to donate)
- Holiday Ribbon, 1/4 – 1/2″ wide. Bonus if it coordinates with your 2″ ornaments! (to donate)
- Hot Glue Guns (To share — it will be helpful to have 1 for every 2-3 crafters)
- Exact-o Knives (To share — it will be helpful to have 1 for every 2-3 crafters)
- Questions? Reach out to Rebecca Waddle: (207) 671-2734 or
-
Art Gallery
You are in for a treat! This summer our church Gallery Committee presents our Members and Friends Exhibit. Please take time to enjoy beautiful, powerful, and whimsical paintings, photographs, assemblages, drawings and more. The show starts on Sunday July 2nd. Thank you to all the artists who share their work with us. The art will be displayed through August. If you don’t make it to church on a Sunday (it is a Maine summer!) you can view the art Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00-4:00 when Shirley Bernier is in her office. Here are just a few examples from the display.
Back to Top
Deadline for Parish Messenger Articles
