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Minister’s Message

Experience has its own secret structuring. Endings are natural. Often what alarms us as an ending can in fact be the opening of a new journey – a new beginning that we could never have anticipated; one that engages forgotten parts of the heart.
~ John O’Donohue, Irish teacher and poet.

One of the interesting things about being a minister writing a piece for the newsletter is that we are always having to think ahead of the current moment. Our beloved editor of the Parish Messenger needs time to put each issue together (Thank you, Sue Michaud for doing this all year and thank you, Rebecca Waddle for covering for Sue when she was away), and so that means that before the summer is over, you’re writing about the falling leaves of autumn, and in November, often before Thanksgiving, you’re writing about Christmas Eve and the end of the year. You just have to kind of put yourself mentally forward to enter into that future time, and generally, it all works fine because there is always something exciting to look forward to. Except for when it is mixed – happy and sad, exciting and a little scary; it’s then that I find myself avoiding looking at the calendar, willing time to stand still for just a bit longer.

And that is where I find myself this afternoon in May as I write my final Minister’s letter for the June Parish Messenger. All is as it should be. Your search team has listened well and found you an amazing person to be your next settled minister. I am so happy for you and for Kharma, and I’m looking forward to my next ministry in San Diego, but I don’t want to rush ahead to the ending here; I want to savor it with you.

So as we so often do, I am holding both – acknowledging that our time here is coming to an end but making sure that we don’t let go too soon, that you know that I am still here and that I have time to talk with you, to visit with you if we can arrange that, to be fully present right up to the edge of my time with you.

Dale is spending more of her time in Massachusetts these days, packing up and dealing with our upcoming move, but she will be here on June 12^th for my last Sunday service, and with any luck for a few days on either side of June 12^th. Dale has loved our time here in Brunswick and she will miss you!

Over these final weeks together, we will take time to say goodbye. I will preach my final sermon on Sunday, June 12 and will lead the memorial for Val Heath on Saturday, June 18. And then I will leave town, flying out early Monday June 20 to Portland, Oregon to attend Ministry Days and General Assembly. Then… California. Dale and Callie and I will take our time driving out to San Diego with some stops along the way.

It is customary when a minister (whether settled or interim) leaves a congregation – to really leave for a while, to be out of touch. This is so your new minister can come here and truly be the minister, your one and only minister. I will still love you. I will still think of you. I will still be cheering you on, and I will delight in the updates I receive from Rev. Kharma, but I will need to be away and out of touch. You will remember that Sylvia has stayed away for the two years of my interim ministry, and I know that it was a joy for her and for you to be able to see her at the celebration for her and Steve. One day soon they will return to more active participation in the life of UUCB. I am certain that one day Dale and I will come back to visit and we will be overjoyed to see you, but until then, please understand that it is out of my love and respect for you, for UUCB, for my community of colleagues, and for our faith; that I will honor this practice of staying away for a time. Know that you will be with me. Always.

I never imagined when I began my time with you here that Covid would be such a big part of the story. So many things we didn’t get to experience all together at UUCB, so many things here in Maine that Dale and I never got to see or do because of Covid. But somehow… because of your love for each other and your commitment to this community of faith, we managed to keep on. We persevered. You persevered. You welcomed me into your living rooms when our services were all online, and you lent me the UUCB pulpit for a time. That beautiful pulpit and this congregation belong to you. I have had the privilege of serving you for a time, and now Rev. Kharma will have that privilege; may your journey together be filled with love, joy, laughter and song; and good, meaningful work that blesses the world.

With Deep Appreciation and Love,
Justine

Postscript – UUA Board of Trustees

A few months ago, I was contacted by the UUA nominating committee to see if I would be willing to serve on the UUA Board of Trustees. I decided to say yes because I so love our Unitarian Universalist faith, and I want to do whatever I can to see us flourish and grow. There has been some growing conflict lately about our collective commitment to anti-racism and social justice, with some folks feeling that there is too much focus on issues like racial justice, accessibility for folks living with disability, advocacy for the disenfranchised. It strikes me that this mirrors much of what we are seeing across the United States with escalating vitriol and an unwillingness to consider that when our framers wrote the founding documents of our nation, they weren’t thinking about women or people of color or gay, lesbian, or transgender people; and so in order for there to be “justice for all,” there needs to be some special focus on those who have been marginalized and harmed by past (and in some cases, current) practices.

So I am running to serve on our UUA board, and there is now someone challenging me from that group of folks that are opposed to the focus on justice making. I hope that UUCB will use all of its allotted delegate slots and will attend General Assembly either online or in-person in Portland, Oregon. We should all be receiving candidate information from our UUA, and I ask only that you consider my candidacy and cast a vote for me if you think I would be a faithful and thoughtful member of the UUA board. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have. Voting (all electronic) opens on June 1^st and runs through Friday, June 25^th. Only delegates can vote.

UUCB Services in June

June 5 – Religious Education Sunday
A service led by DRE Toben Cooney-Callnan with music by Nell Britton and Jud Caswell.

June 12 – Rev. Sullivan’s Last Service
This is Rev. Justine Sullivan’s last service with us. With a time for all ages by DRE Toben Cooney-Callnan.

This shorter service will be followed by an appreciation to Justine who departs after this month.

June 19 — Father’s Day Reflections
A service led by Stephanie Bernier with a reflection also by Susan Michaud. Music by Nell Britton, Irene Austin, Susan Michaud, and Stephanie Bernier.

June 26 — “Wake Up!: Igniting our Passion for Life
A service led by Lynne Deeves with music by Lynn Deeves and Nell Britton

Lynn Deeves is a Maine native singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and massage therapist. In 2017 Lynn was ordained into the Tiep Hien Order of Interbeing as a long-time student of Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn. Her passions in Life also include: Nature, Silence, Hiking, People, Biking, Witnessing and experiencing of Spiritual Growth

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

Religious Exploration

Our Whole Lives

Congratulations to the 4/5/6 graders who completed their first O.W.L Program! Thank you to Alexis Nolan for co-facilitating this workshop with me! And a very special thank you to all of the dedicated parents who supported their children in this process!

Pastoral Care Notes

Jean Lay is happy to report that she is finally out of the hospital and recovering at home after surgery for colorectal cancer on April 15. Keary and Nathaniel, her husband and son, have been really supportive. She is hoping the pathology report is good and she won’t need more treatment.

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.

UUCB Board Update

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed more of a spring in my step in the last few weeks. I directly associate it with the longer days and more outdoor time, of course. But without a doubt, the unanimous May 1st vote to call our new minister, Kharma Amos, and the joyful, long-awaited celebration of our beloved Reverend Stocker & Stephen Wellcome on that gorgeous, bluebird Saturday mid-month, buoyed me in ways I’d forgotten I needed. After two+ years of relative isolation, with too much time to dwell on our growing social and political divides, is it any wonder that it could feel so delightfully shocking to experience unanimous (let alone a majority) agreement on anything, or to experience the utterly divine sensation of being surrounded by community once again at Sylvia’s lovely picnic?

And such a lovely picnic it was! A HUGE, heartfelt THANK YOU to our generous and welcoming hosts, Janice Thompson and Jeremy Jones!! Thank you for so warmly opening your lovely gathering space which functioned so perfectly for Sylvia’s gathering. And THANK YOU to the many hands who set up, contributed delicious delicacies, shared tributes, and of course — to the unsung heroes who stayed to clean up!! You ALL helped to make Sylvia’s day warm, lively and memorable.

I am reading Thomas L. Friedman’s Thank you for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations, in which he makes the case for the imperative of building strong communities of trust with which to foster the communication and collaboration that will be REQUIRED of us in order to survive our current human age. I am grateful for the people in our community who did the work to deliver Kharma to our doorstep, and deeply hopeful about all the ways we can start getting back to being more active in the work of building “bridges” and strengthening our local communities. I wonder if you are feeling that energy, too?

Thank you to everyone who took part in the various meet-and-greets to get to know Reverend Kharma and her wife, Diane. Mary Larson is said to have quipped, “They passed the trial by potluck!”. And thank you to Maryli Tiemann, who held the space in such a lovely way during the meeting & vote. As the church bell rang out to signal the call, the joy was positively palpable!

June see’s our church year come to a close with a few more big events on the calendar:

Sunday, June 5th: Annual Meeting

We hope to see you in person or on Zoom
As with the meeting to call our minister, those participating via Zoom will have the ability to vote.
Celebrate the conclusion of the church year
See the agenda below.

Sunday, June 12th: Reverend Justine’s last service

We hope to see as many of you in person as possible
Following her service, from about 10:45 – 11:30, we will recognize and appreciate Justine’s ministry and time with us at UUCB through both words and music
Individual cards with personal messages are being collected. Look for the box in the fellowship hall marked ‘Cards for Justine’. These will be presented as part of the event.

Working For Justice Justice

Immigrant Justice

As anticipated, several new immigrant families have been helped to find housing in the Bath/Brunswick/Topsham area. The families will receive 3 months of assistance from the designated resettlement organization, Jewish Community Alliance (JCA) whose case workers will guide them in getting basic needs met and connecting with other needed resources. Mid Coast New Mainers Group (MCNMG) will be in communication with JCA as those 3 months end to help transition these families to additional local resources for further partnership and support. If and when more local housing can be found, it is quite certain more families will be settling in our communities. UUCB will look forward to the time when we can gather together (safely) in welcome and friendship. If you would like to learn more about volunteering as a member of a family support team, please contact Cathey Cyrus at .

Indigenous Awareness

Thank you to all who talked with legislators and wrote letters in support of the most recent bills affecting
tribal sovereignty.

LD 906; An Act to Provide Passamaquoddy Tribal Members Access to Clean Drinking Water

LD 585; An Act to Restore to the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe the Authority to Exercise
Jurisdiction Under the Federal Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010

LD 1626: An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act

LD 906 and 585 were passed and signed into law by Governor Mills; LD 1626, while passed, did not get moved on to the governor’s desk. She had made it clear she would veto LD 1626.

Tribal leaders have expressed deep appreciation for the support of their allies in moving LD 1626 through the legislature. They continue to work to actualize the sovereignty that is theirs.

Brunswick Pride!

June 10 at 4-7:30 p.m.

UUCB will participate with our banner. If you want to join please let Lynn Ellis know. Brunswick Pride IS happening this year!

Join us June 10th on Maine Street in downtown Brunswick from 4:00-7:00pm.

Stay tuned for lots more info.

Teen Center

Now girls have joined the Teen Center after many months of only boys. Appropriate behavior is needed but most of the activity has been centered on basketball, food, ping pong, and video games.

Although it was rainy, the 14 th Gelato Scoop-a-Thon still had musical entertainment, funny balloon hats and swords, and just some all-around good fun. Thanks to the help of Bowdoin students and the community working together, the Teen Center reached its goal of $8,000.

The Teen Center People Plus van, which is now paid for, has been transporting teens from school to the Center. Since so many teens are now coming to the Center, discussions are underway about hiring more staff and using more of the People Plus building. The plan for moving to a larger location has been put on hold for now.

Jordan wants to thank all of the UUCB members who have donated snacks, drinks and money to the Teen Center. And a big shout out from Jordan, the staff and the teens to the person who made the chocolate chips cookies. All thought they were fantastic.

Habitat for Humanity

WE DID IT! ! Eleven stalwart souls braved a few raindrops and joined in the Habitat for Humanity/7Rivers Maine SPRING WALK TO BUILD 2022 on Sunday, May 15. It was a relatively short 2-mile round trip walk in
Wiscassett to the proposed new building site…the weather was cool with some precipitation but a lovely walk up Federal Street past many homes with colorful spring flowers. Finally, an in-person event after 2 years of virtual “walking”!

To date the UUCB team has raised over $11,000 in support of the 7 Rivers Maine organization and donations will be coming in until June 26. If you have not already donated, this link is still live: https://go.rallyup.com/sw2b/uucb

Our walking team included Joanne Allen, Irene and Joel Austin, Carol Briggs, Cuffy Chase, Mike Heath, Gretchen and Dexter Kamilewicz,
Carol McCoy, Anne Spencer and Betsy Williams. Our thanks to all friends, family and colleagues who supported us and our efforts to support Habitat for Humanity!

MUUSAN – Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network

Thanks to all you did in supporting MUUSAN and your UUCB team.
The Working for Justice Steering Group donated $600 of their annual budget to MUUSAN. Perhaps you will join those of us who give monthly as well.
Have a good summer!

130^th Legislative Second Session Summary Highlights:

The Climate Change Issue Group is happy to report that several important Climate Justice bills that we endorsed in 2022 and testified in support of have been signed by the governor and are now law!

Climate Education bill for Maine Schools. $2 million dollars has been appropriated to support equitable access to climate change education by funding professional development for Maine teachers through community partnerships. (LD 1902)
A bill to Expand Maine’s Ecological Reserve Lands, which will preserve biodiversity and help meet Maine’s climate goals. (LD 736)
A bill to Stop Filling Maine Landfills with Out-of-State Waste. This legislation will help to reduce methane gas emissions by blocking the high volume of out-of-state toxic waste from being dumped in the state’s Juniper Ridge Landfill. (LD 1639)
A bill to which will fund the transition of Maine’s state and local vehicle fleets to 100% electric/zero-emission vehicles. (LD 1579)

The Democracy in Action Issue Group worked to support 5 bills in this second session. All were signed into law.

Election transparency and audits resulting in publication of a guide to election procedures, development of an election complaint process, a report to the legislature on certain election issues after a general election, and a pilot post-election audit. (LD1155)
Semi-open primaries is a big win for voter access to primary elections. (LD 231)
Protecting election integrity was strengthened with regulation of possession of ballots, voting machines and devices. (LD1779)
Municipalities without charters may now use ranked-choice voting in municipal elections, if they so choose. (LD859)
The so-called Secretary of State’s Agency Bill included two elements of interest:
1.) tribal members will now be allowed to use their IDs to register to vote, and
2.) modifications to voting in nursing homes will make it easier for both voters and municipal workers to participate in the process. (LD1830)

The Healthcare Issue Group is celebrating the passage of most pieces of the legislation prioritized and advocated for this session that have been signed into law or funded by other sources, including:

LD1722 and LD1909 – providing support to those affected by opioid use;
LD1954 – ensuring access to prescription contraceptives;
LD1068 – the safe homes program which supports the safe storage of medications, firearms and dangerous weapons;
LD1875 and LD1911– prohibiting contamination in the soil and wastewater treatment plants.

Several bills received funding incorporated from other revenue sources:

to increase access to affordable health care for Maine children (LD372)
to increase access to dental care for low-income adults and children (LD996)
to protect drinking water for Maine residents (LD1570) (arsenic testing).

The Racial, Native & Immigrant Justice Issue Group worked on many bills and the following became law in this session:

The bill to provide access to clean drinking water for Passamaquoddy tribal members (LD906)
The bill to provide economic benefit to the tribes through tax relief and revenue from online sports betting, (LD585) and
An Act to Prohibit Excessive Telephone, Video and Commissary Charges in Maine Jails and Prisons (LD1175).

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”

June’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.

2022-23 Charities with Soul

Nominations for the UUCB church year 2022-2023 Charities with Soul were submitted in March. Lynn Ellis compiled these into ballots on which the congregation voted for five additional charities to join the seven legacy charities we benefit each year on a monthly basis. Lynn Ellis and Stephen Wood tallied all votes from the seventy-four submitted ballots on 17May22 producing these winning recipients: Maine Family Planning, Brunswick Area Teen Center, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Wabanaki Reach, and Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project. Since contribution amounts follow a seasonal pattern, each charity is assigned a different beneficiary month each year for more equitable distribution of donations.

The UUCB 2022- 2023 Charity with Soul calendar is as follows:

Jul 2022 Brunswick Area Teen Center * legacy charity
Aug 2022 Unitarian Universalist Service Committee *
Sep 2022 Habitat for Humanity *
Oct 2022 The Gathering Place *
Nov 2022 Maine Family Planning
Dec 2022 Oasis Free Clinic *
Jan 2023 Good Shepherd Food Bank
Feb 2023 Midcoast Hunger Prevention *
Mar 2023 Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project
Apr 2023 Wabanaki Reach
May 2023 Tedford Housing *
Jun 2023 Four Directions *

Concerts for a Cause

Paul Sullivan

Paul Sullivan performed for a sold out audience on May 14th and brought the house down with his beautiful compositions. He also invited his good friend and clarinetist Brad Terry to improvise with him on some of our favorite tunes from the American Songbook.

Heather Masse

June 25 @ 7:30 p.m.

Maine native Heather Masse is well-known to audiences as a regular guest on the NPR radio show “A Prairie Home Companion,” both as a solo performer and as a member of the Billboard-charting folk supergroup, The Wailin’ Jennys. On the show, Heather has collaborated with artists such as Elvis Costello, Wynton Marsalis, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, and Emmylou Harris. She has also performed in many venues and with other popular groups such as the bluegrass band The Wayfaring Strangers on NPR’s World Cafe, and at Boston’s Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops.

For this concert, Heather joins forces with the amazing jazz pianist Jed Wilson. Heather and Jed met as jazz students at the New England Conservatory of Music and have been performing together for about 15 years.

Ms. Masse has released 3 CD’s of jazz-inspired folk duets with Mr. Wilson. The title track of her first solo CD “Bird Song” won her 1st prize at the International Acoustic Music Awards. She also won a prestigious Juno Award for “Bright Morning Stars,” her latest recording with The Wailin’ Jennys.

Heather’s degree in Vocal Jazz informs her distinct approach to singing folk, pop and bluegrass. Her rich, soulful, voice elegantly moves through numerous styles organically and with sincerity.

MASKING IS REQUIRED. ALL PEOPLE 12 YEARS OR OLDER MUST SHOW PROOF OF COVID VACCINES OR NEGATIVE TEST AT THE DOOR.

Tickets

Adults: $20 in advance, $25 at door, Students & Children: $10
Available after worship services, at the church office, or https://www.ticketstripe.com/heather

This show will probably be a sell out too, so get your tickets early!

Profits raised from this season’s concerts will support the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
and the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project.

Rev. Sylvia Stocker’s Retirement Party

On Saturday May 14^thabout 80 of us gathered finally to celebrate the ministry of Rev Sylvia Stocker and the many contributions made by her husband, Steve Wellcome, in support of Sylvia’s ministry.

Sylvia was called to UUCB in 2007. She retired in 2020. Due to Covid we were unable to celebrate her ministry properly before now.

These photographs illustrate the excitement and joy of a beautiful day.There wa s music, singing and much laughter as newcomers and long time members alike rejoiced in the memories of Sylvia’s time with us.

VIDEO LINK TO REV. STOCKER’S CELEBRATION

A video was created for Rev. Sylvia Stockers Celebration event that was held on May 14. If you unable to attend the celebration event or just want to view the video again, here is the link. https://vimeo.com/708907082

July Deadline for Parish Messenger Articles

Copy deadline for the Parish Messenger is generally the THIRD SATURDAY of the month. However, this month there is an extra week, so please submit articles for the July 2022 issue by June 25, 2022.