Minister’s Message | Scam Warning | February Services | Religious Exploration | Board Update | Working for Justice: | Immigrant Justice | Indigenous Awareness | MUUSAN | Charities with Soul | Mark Your Calendar | Concerts for a Cause | Parish Messenger Deadline
Minister’s Message
Dear Friends,
LOVE is our theme for February, and what a theme it is! To get myself in the mood, I decided to turn to the wisdom of the pop charts through the years. There are so many songs about love — how much we want it, how complicated it is, how much it hurts, how great it feels, and how much we don’t know about it.
Just for kicks, here’s a small sample of song title wisdom:
Types of Love: Good Love Questions: Good Love Answers: Surfing the Love Wave: Love Challenges:
You? (Rod Stewart)
This brief review confirmed for me what I thought I knew—i.e. love is complicated, elusive, miraculous, and essential. We spend our lives looking for love, sometimes in the wrong places, and we’re not always sure when we’ve found it or how long it will last. We’re not entirely sure what it is, though we know it comes in many forms and everyone needs it. Many of us are not so great at receiving love or loving ourselves (something many spiritual traditions believe is a prerequisite for loving others well). And, there are a host of challenges – from both internal and external sources – that get in our way of loving in the ways we want to love, as well as taking in the love we desperately long for.
No matter how you’re feeling about love these days (realizing that may change from minute to minute and context to context), your feelings are valid. Wherever you find yourself on the continuum from “Yes, please can we talk about love?” to “Please don’t say that 4-letter word” … you will find others in this community who are in the same place. This month, as we open our hearts and minds to a focus on love and its value/role in our lives, may we all be encouraged, enhanced, and empowered to make love more real.
Have a Love(r)ly February!
Kharma
IMPORTANT WARNING
Rev. Kharma and UUCB will NEVER email you asking for emergency assistance, gift cards, or cash. If you receive such an email claiming to be from Rev. Kharma (whose actual email is ), please IGNORE IT, or report it as spam.
UUCB Services in February
Worship Theme: Love.
February 5 – “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”
- Rev. Dr.Kharma Amos
- Music by: Nell Britton, The UUCB Choir, & soloist Ross Crolius
- Love is our February focus . In this first service of the month, we’ll explore why it matters so much. Love is complicated, messy, and sublime … and it means everything.
February 12 – “For the Love of Longfellow“
- Rev. Dr.Kharma & Maryli Tiemann
- Music by: Jud Caswell
- Our annual Longfellow service
February 19 – “For the Love of Harmony“
- Rev David K. North
- Music by: David K North & members of the workshop choir
- Harmonizing with David North: Making Music to Change the World. David will lead a choir workshop on 2/18 and 4 of the songs learned will be included in service on the 19th.
February 26 – “Love in the Balance“
- Rev. Dr.Kharma Amos
- Music by: Ambrosia (Heidi Neufeld, Irene Austin & Tammis Donovan)
- This final service on our theme of love will engage us in reflection about the balancing act required to love well.
Religious Exploration
I wrote this poem for the Spiritual Types Workshop last month, and promised to share it in this newsletter.
See also: Important RE Family dates below!
Toben Cooney-Callnan
Recipe For (Organic) Spiritual Growth:
<— For the Feb 11th date night,
RSVP to Tobin by February 8th:
<— For the Feb 23rd Fun Day,
RSVP to Tobin by February 20th:
UUCB Board Update
Even though the busy holidays are over, there is still plenty of “busy”ness going on at our very active church! We just finished a great workshop about our Spirtitual Types with Rev. Kharma and Toben. You can read about all the upcoming events happening in other sections of this newsletter:
- SoUUps On
- the Choir Workshop with David North
- the UUCB Auction
- Concerts for a Cause
- February Fun Day, Date Night with free babysitting
- fundraising campaign to help build a New Tedford Emergency Shelter.
MINISTRY FAIR:
There will be a Ministry Fair March 26 after the service where all the committees will have the opportunity to inform members and friends about their missions with the hope of gaining volunteers to join and help out. So committees should get together to see how they can best get the word out about your committee.
SOLAR PANELS:
The congregation voted to replace the old, inoperative solar inverter during the congregational meeting on January the 8th. The new, more efficient one is being installed as we speak.
THANK YOUS:
- The board would like to express their gratitude for the volunteers who stepped up to the plate to coordinate Coffee hour – thank you goes out to our coffee hour coordinators, Linda Mallard, Steve Martin, and Maryann Gessner!
- They would also express their appreciation for the great job the Worship Committee did with the Holiday Services, especially Mary Larson and Stephanie Bernier.
- Thanks also to Head Elf Sharon Brown, and all who contributed, the SANTA PROJECT was a sucess! Thank you to all of you who gave so generously. Because of you, we were able to contribute just over $1,000 towards gift cards for guests of The Gathering Place, enhancing their celebration of the holidays. This is, of course, in addition to the regular support that you so generously provide UUCB and our Charities with Soul throughout the year.
UUCB Plans to Support Tedford Emergency Shelter Project
Since its establishment in 1987, Tedford Housing has been supported by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick. This has taken place both through our active participation in the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council, which founded the organization, and our direct fundraising and partnership efforts over many years.
We are pleased to celebrate with Tedford the development of a new emergency shelter to house those experiencing homelessness in our community. The proposed approximately 17,568 square foot new facility will replace Tedford’s existing aging buildings and increase the adult emergency housing capacity from 16 to 24 beds and the family emergency capacity from 6 families to 10 families. You can learn more about the shelter’s plans here.
Recently, Rev. Kharma and Cuffy Chase attended a meeting for Faith Leaders in our community hosted by First Parish UCC, at which many of us gathered to learn more and begin thinking about how our congregations could support this joint community effort. Each congregation is being asked to consider their own context and determine the best way to participate.
The Board of Trustees of UUCB would like to announce our decision to participate with a specific fundraising campaign later this year. Specifically, we have set our initial fundraising goal at $10,000 – and our intention with this is to take one of the opportunities for naming/recognition and honor Rev. Sylvia Stocker, our Minister Emerita. While we will launch our fundraising efforts later, we are inviting those of you who already know you want to support Tedford to do so through UUCB so that your contribution will count towards our naming gift. We will be very proud to have one of the Family Units at the new Emergency Shelter as the Rev. Sylvia Stocker unit, and of course to continue to collaborate with Tedford in the future.
If you are interested in donating early to this effort, which will help us immensely as we plan our own fundraising efforts, you can donate to UUCB by indicating “Tedford Shelter” in the memo line of your check or letting us know in another way that your donation is intended for this. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Board of Trustees.
On behalf of the Board,Mike Michaud
Pastoral Care Notes
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Toben Cooney-Callnan and Pilar Nadal share the sad news that they had to let their beloved Cattle Dog mix, Penny, cross the Rainbow Bridge on New Year’s Eve.
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David Wiggin had surgery Jan. 2 and welcomes our support and concern as he recuperates.
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Doug and Julie Dahmer welcomed their second granddaughter, Hanna Julia Dahmer, born New Year’s Eve and joining big sister Livi.
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David Julin reported with joy the birth of his grandson, Roger, who weighed in at well over 9 pounds.
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Sue and Steve Loebs’s daughter Sarah started chemo in early January, marking 2 years since her diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. They welcome our support and healing energy.
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Sienna reports she is nearly cane-free and almost back to her “normal,” after her broken ankle.
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Barbara Jabout is happy and relieved that, after 105 days in the NICU, her granddaughter Gracie Mae finally came home Dec. 28.
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Judy Smith’s son Steven is doing well, following major surgery at Maine Medical. Please keep him, his wife, Alisa, and Judy in your thoughts and he continues his journey.
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Nancy Dorian is home again after several months in rehab and would love visitors.
To share your joys & sorrows:
- Write them in the book in the fellowship hall when you arrive for Sunday service
- Send them by email to
- All joys & sorrows are read by a pastoral care associate during Sunday worship service.
Working For Justice Justice
Immigrant Justice
A slow but steady arrival of new Mainers and their families to local communities is happening now – one person or family at a time. Different support groups are somehow finding housing locally. Recent arrivals are in addition to the larger number of immigrants that Brunswick has agreed to welcome and settle in the spring or early summer when new housing is available. Mid Coast New Mainers Group (MCNMG) and The Emergency Action Network (TEAN) as well as the Immigrant Welcome Center on the Landing are working together to mobilize resources to offer needed support in an intentional, non-emergency way. MCNMG is now recruiting volunteers to be oriented and supported to serve as community mentors (friends and partners) to these new neighbors. If you are interested in learning more about the role of a community mentor, please contact Cathey Cyrus at .
Event of Interest – Wednesday, 1/25, 5:00-6:30 pm
A Zoom book discussion hosted by the Maine League of Women Voters Cynthia Anderson, author of Home Now: How 6000 Refugees Transformed an American Town, will join the discussion about the 15 years of settling Somali refugees in Lewiston, Maine.
More information and link to meeting at lwvme.org. (Click on Events and then Calendar.)
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Indigenous Awareness
Following two helpful informational discussions about tribal sovereignty, the Working for Justice Steering Group (WFJSG) has voted to support the MUUSAN resolution in support of tribal sovereignty for the Wabanaki tribes in Maine. MUUSAN plans to send this resolution to state legislators, Governor Mills, and Maine’s congressional delegates.
View MUUSAN’s resolution here: http://www.muusan.org/uploads/1/2/7/5/127532690/muusan_resolution_re__wabanaki_sovereignty_in_131st.pdf
Upcoming Events of Interest:
Hoping to better inform the UUCB congregation and the wider community of the importance of tribal sovereignty to all of us living in Maine, WFJSG is collaborating with Curtis Memorial Library (CML) and Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group (MIAG) to plan a March Zoom presentation and Q & A on tribal sovereignty.
Planning group members are consulting with the Wabanaki Alliance to invite a speaker from the Wabanaki tribes who will be available both to present and answer questions. Planning group members will also be discussing the idea of organizing an in-person event at UUCB on a later date for further discussion and information sharing as well as an opportunity to write letters of support to legislators and local newspapers.
Below is a link to a thoughtful and informed commentary in the Portland Press Herald outlining some of the issues that have challenged efforts to get legislative support for tribal sovereignty: https://www.pressherald.com/2022/12/18/commentary-perplexed-by-sen-kings-response-to-wabanaki-legislation/
More information about these events will follow.
Coming Tuesday, February 28th th at 6:00 pm:
“Healing Begins with Truth: Understanding Colonization”
A Wabanaki REACH online educational offering
Co-sponsored by First Parish Church UCC Brunswick and the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council, this educational Zoom program is offered through Wabanaki REACH, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the self-determination of Wabanaki people through education, truth-telling, restorative justice, and restorative practices in Wabanaki and Maine communities. A two-hour educational experience, “Healing Begins with Truth” explores the differences between the worldview and culture of Indigenous peoples and settlers (and their descendants). Using historical and present-day examples, participants will examine the deliberate strategies of colonization and resulting impacts on Indigenous people, land, and culture, including the domination culture that maintains systemic racism and oppression. This program is intended to serve as a safe space for participants to join with peers and identify strategies to support healing in relation to each other and to the land. Whether you are new to Wabanaki REACH programming, or have previously attended “Interacting with Wabanaki-Maine History,” you will find “Healing Begins with Truth: Understanding Colonization” is a stand-alone program that will deepen your understanding. The program is free of charge. To register or for more information, e-mail Susan Beegel at .
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MUUSAN – Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network
Contact: Betsy Williams at The legislature has started to release bills that have been formally written and assigned to committees. They have released over 2,000 bills, so far. Of course, not all of these will be heard and decided on in this first session. If you are interested in checking out this list and reading summaries of the bills put forth, click on this link: https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/billdirectory_ps.asp?snum=131&ldFrom=1
Meanwhile, MUUSAN’s four issue groups are meeting regularly to choose 2 or 3 bills for each issue to support with full-on advocacy. Those of you on our Legislative List will receive notice each Wednesday of these bills when they have been chosen, as well as weekly “action alerts” to join the advocacy work. If you are not on this list and would like to be, please email Betsy Williams at .
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Charities with Soul
Our Charities with Soul are supported exclusively with contributions to the “plate” passed every Sunday during the service or virtually.
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”
February’s Charity with Soul: Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
MCHPP is a hunger prevention nonprofit in Brunswick, Maine. Our mission is to offer dignity and empowerment by providing all members of our community with access to healthy food. We aim to remove barriers to healthful meals for all of our community members in need regardless of race, color, age, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity and operate nine different programs throughout six counties.
MCHPP operates a soup kitchen, food bank, and food pantry out of our facility at 12 Tenney Way. We also operate mobile and satellite pantries and direct-to-door deliveries to bring our services closer to home for those experiencing transportation or mobility barriers.
Together, our programs served over 1.1 million meals to thousands of our neighbors in need last year. Healthy food and proper nutrition are the one of the bases for living an overall more fulfilling and healthy life.
MCHPP has been sustained for almost 40 years because of the community’s generosity and commitment to this work. Please consider partnering in this work by making a gift today on our website (mchpp.org/donate) or via cash or check.
For more information, please visit https://www.mchpp.org/
Mark Your Calendar!
There are many new event dates on the horizon — take time to review the events listed below AND under the various Working for Justice headlines, and make sure your calendar is up to date!
Mindfulness Workshop – Mondays January 30 through February 20
4 Weeks. Online only. 6:30 to 7:45pm. Offered through Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church
Jane Prairie is offering this workshop to those wishing to learn and practice a variety of simple ways to bring the benefits of mindful practices into daily life. Jane loves to teach skills that support behavior change which can bring more peace and joy into daily living. She has a gentle way of bringing out the wisdom in a group so everyone is learning from each other.
Anyone is welcome to attend – no prior experience is necessary, and people with experience are equally welcome. Join us if you have some intention to experience more mindfulness in your life now, with support from other people, during this quieter and introspective time of winter.
What is Mindfulness? A quick Google search offers some definitions. And there is much more to discuss and explore about the spiritual components in the origins of these practices and what brings ethical benefits to our practice, if the group decides it is interested in those kinds of discussions.
From The Oxford Dictionary: “…a mental state achieved by concentrating on the present moment, while calmly accepting the feelings and thoughts that come to you, used as a technique to help you relax.”
And from The Cambridge Dictionary: “…the practice of being aware of your body, mind and feelings in the present moment, thought to create a feeling of calm.”
Questions? Ready to Sign Up? Contact:
Concerts for a Cause
Bold Riley – February 4th at 7:30
$20 in advance, $25 at the door, $10 students
Last chance to get advanced tickets to see Bold Riley! I’m sure you will be delighted by their songwriting skills and their musicianship. If you like a mix of acoustic folk and traditional music and enjoy beautiful harmony, this is the concert for you. Some of you may have seen them at the Side Door Coffeehouse a few years ago and know how great they are. Don’t forget, Jud Caswell produced Bold Riley’s album Kinship and will be doing a couple numbers with them.
Listen to excerpts from the album at
https://music.apple.com/us/album/kinship/1481296686.
For advance tickets, see Sue after church before January 29. You can also get them from Gulf of Maine Books or Shirley in the church office by Friday, Feb 3, or online at https://ticketstripe.com/boldriley.
Proceeds from the concert will be shared equally among the church, the Brunswick Teen Center, and Maine Family Planning.
SoUUp’s On is back — Sunday 2/12!
The Membership Committee is planning a cozy luncheon directly following the 2/12 service. We will quickly set up tables in the sanctuary and delicious soups, bread, fruit and desserts will be served in Fellowship Hall. Coffee will be available in the RE wing while the sanctuary is being transformed to a dining area.
We look forward to having a variety of delicious soups to serve. Sign up sheets will be at the Visitor’s Table so that you can bring your special soup for the luncheon.
- If your last name begins with A-M, please bring bread or fruit.
- If your last name begins with N-Z, please bring a dessert, cookies or bars.
We are looking forward to SoUUp’s On! Please join us!
REV. DAVID K. NORTH ~ FEBRUARY 18 & 19
Rev. David K. North will be our guest minister and choir director for the weekend of February 18-19. Saturday there will be a choir workshop open to anyone, and participants in that workshop will provide music for our Sunday worship, at which David will provide a sermon with song.
For 26 years, Rev. North has been the Director of Mosaic Harmony, an interfaith choir in the greater Washington DC area.
Mosaic Harmony, which is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion, seeks to inspire audiences to embrace ALL people. Rev. Kharma, a longtime friend of David’s and a former member of Mosaic Harmony, says, “Think UU words set to black gospel music.”
Use this link to view/listen to a sample of a song David wrote, called One Humankind:
https://vimeo.com/645337574?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=8744730
David has been sharing his ministry in word and song his entire life. He has been the director of many musical groups, including the Southern Illinois University Gospel Choir; the Youth for Christ Fellowship Mass Choir of Washington, DC; the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington Gospel Choir; and David North and the Gospel Celebration. David has been singing and performing professionally for more than 50 years. He has been the Music Director of Mosaic Harmony since 1996. David has produced and performed on multiple recordings and has been a soloist at the Kennedy Center with the Men and Women of the Gospel. In addition, he has played the lead role of Oedipus in The Gospel at Colonus at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop and at the H Street Playhouse of Washington, DC. David cares for all people, having worked as a social worker for 21 years and having served for over 29 years in ordained pastoral ministry. He feels a special calling to be a “bridge person” in interfaith opportunities, and he loves writing music that communicates peace, unity, and harmony.
To Register for the Choir Workshop:
Fill out this registration form by February 10th.
There is an optional donation.
Longfellow days 2023: TRAVEL ABROAD & WITHIN
Longfellow Days is Brunswick’s month-long celebration of the great American poet, who lived here while Wadsworth Longfellow’s birth month – entertaining cultural events all over town will explore themes that are suggested by the poet’s life and work. This year’s event is titled “Travel: Abroad and Within.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was inspired by traveling, whether internationally or close to home. His adventures shaped his writing, even when his subject had nothing to do with journeys or locales – thus providing evidence that travel can happen over great distances or within our thoughts.
Longfellow Days Events:
- Friday, February 10, 1:00 PM ~ POETRY READING WITH WESLEY MCNAIR
Wes, the Poet Laureate of Maine from 2011-2016, will read from his recently published volume Late Wonders: New and Selected Poems. - Friday, February 17, 1:00 PM ~ LONGFELLOW TRIVIA CHALLENGE – We bet you know more than you think you do and, either way, you are sure to have fun. Trivia master Andrew Hamilton emcees, and there’ll be prizes!
- Sunday, February 12, 10:00 AM ~ A LYRICAL SERVICE – Poetry is the focus of this ecumenical service, led by Rev. Kharma Amos and with music from Jud Caswell. Visit the Bible that Longfellow signed and donated to his church in 1878.
- Monday, February 27, 6:30 PM ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HENRY! He’s a mere 216 today – and always deserving of a fuss. Ren Bernier hosts our popular poetry open mic, and we invite you to add your voice! Come share your poem or another’s that you love, and enjoy some delicious cake, courtesy of Union Street Bakery.
For the complete schedule of Longfellow Dates, visit any of these sites:
Contact Betsy Williams ()
or Heidi Neufeld () to join our planning team!
UUA General Assembly in PITTSBURGH – June 21-25
General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Please join us Wednesday, June 21 – Sunday, June 25, 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA and/or online for this 5-day immersive experience where we participate in inspirational worship services and informative workshops,
reconvene with friends and colleagues, and explore our bustling exhibit hall. GA is an unforgettable experience for the thousands of UUs who attend. Meet us online or in Pittsburgh and you’ll leave with renewed energy and innovative ideas to share with your congregation and community-at-large!
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To Learn More: 2023 General Assembly Flyer (PDF)
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If you are interested in or planning to attend GA this year, please let us know by emailing .