Minister’s Message | June Services | THANK YOU! From Sylvia | Religious Exploration | Board Update | Committee on Ministry | Communications Committee | Pastoral Care | Membership | WORKING FOR JUSTICE | Black Lives Matter | Midcoast New Mainers | Indigenous Awareness | MUUSAN | Gun Safety Awareness | Teen Center Updates | Habitat for Humanity | Charities with Soul | FOR YOUR CALENDAR: Concerts for a Cause | Brunswick Pride | All Church Picnic | Holiday Fair | Art Gallery | Parish Messenger Deadline
Minister’s Message
A Delightful Summer?
The final Soul Matters theme of the year is DELIGHT, so it is with delight in mind that we end our church year and officially enter Summer. This represents so many delightful firsts for me—the conclusion of my first year at UUCB, my first real summer in Maine, and the unquestionably delightful UU tradition of ministers being away in summertime. On top of that, we have two extra special celebrations in June — the Centennial Celebration of Flower Communion and LGBTQ+ Pride. And that’s just the beginning! There is so much for us to celebrate, and this is a month for us to revel in all of it!
Adrienne Maree Brown astutely observed:
put your attention on suffering – which is constant and everywhere – and it is all you will see. joy will come, and laughter, but you will find it brief, possibly a distraction.
put your attention on joy, being connected and feeling whole, and you will find it everywhere. your heart will still break. you will know grief. but you will find it a reasonable cost for the random abundance of miracles, and the soft wild rhythms of love.
I love the way she says so succinctly and plainly what it takes so many of us too long to learn. This is not unlike the notion that a spiritual practice of gratitude helps us pay attention to the good that IS in our lives instead of what might be missing. That’s not meant to ignore the ubiquitous reality of suffering, pain, or loss; rather it is intended to shift our focus and energy towards the blessings and beauty that are also always present in our lives.
So, friends, let’s consider this a challenge and opportunity this month—–to put our attention on joy and delight! This seasonal change represents another chance for us to pay attention to the best parts of our lives and lean into them. We will have so many choices this summer for how we spend our time and what we prioritize from our very long To-Do lists. Let’s be intentional about choosing the things we find delightful, if for no other reason than because they bring us joy. Remember that joy does not equate to a lack of suffering. Remember also that when we are rooted in joy, we are closer to our best selves.
May Sarton, of blessed memory, said, “Whether success or failure: the truth of a life really has little to do with its quality. The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.”
I wish for you a truly delightful Summer.
Blessings,
Kharma
P.S. 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.
June Services
*June 4th A Garden of Delight: Flower Communion – Led by Rev Dr Kharma Amos
The first Flower Communion was held in Prague in June 1923, and was led by Rev. Norbert Čapek. For 100 years, this beloved tradition and its powerful history have provided meaning to hundreds of UU congregations, including UUCB. Join us for this centennial celebration, which fittingly kicks off our month-long focus on the theme of “Delight!” Please bring a flower to worship with you and participate in our flower communion ritual. No RE
**Music by Nell Britton and the UUCB Pick Up Choir
*June 11th Delight in Diversity: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride – Led by Rev Dr Kharma Amos
Join us as we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride with others in our community. As we continue to reflect on the theme of Delight, help us Delight in Diversity! As UU’s, we honor the inherent worth and dignity of all people, and we know that human diversity is a source of strength and beauty. As Francis Drake once said, “We need not think alike to love alike.” Love is at the heart of who we are as a spiritual community, and in a world when some of the loudest anti-LGBTQ voices are explicitly religious, our voice is all the more important. No RE
**Music by Nell Britton and the UUCB Choir
*June 18th “Making Peace with my Anxious Self” Led by Rev Eduardo Pazos
In this sermon Rev Pazos will explore his journey into understanding his own mental health struggles with anxiety and the role that spiritual practices like meditation and contemplation can play in fully accepting all of who we are…even our anxious selves, and make a path for a more compassionate view of self and the world around us. No RE
**Music by Nell Britton
Eduardo Pazos lives in Brunswick, ME with his wife Nichole and two daughters, Eden and Elena. They moved to Brunswick from Dallas, TX six years ago when Eduardo started working at Bowdoin College. The move to Maine was a coming home for Nichole who is a Topsham native. At the college, Eduardo has served in different roles, including as the director of Religious and Spiritual Life, and now leading the Center for Multicultural Life. In addition to his work in Higher Ed, he has also served as a minister and chaplain for a number of years. Additionally, Eduardo is enrolled at the University of Southern Maine where he is pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Organizational Management.
*June 25th Reflections on South Africa – Led by UUCB member Steve Eagles
**In celebration of the end of South African apartheid Steve Eagles and Cindy Parker traveled for a few weeks in 2015 to a variety of South African locations, hoping to find evidence of our UU principles at work in a completely changed society. The success of nonviolent direct action is cause for celebration in spite of the greed and corruption that seems so inevitable in this world. No RE
**Music by Nell Britton and Ambrosia (Heidi Neufeld, Tammis Donovan, Irene Austin)
Steve Eagles has been a member of UUCB for nearly 50 years and he has served many roles while raising his 3 children in this community. He has lived in the Richmond-Dresden area the whole time earning a living repairing and remodeling some of the ordinary and old houses in mid-coast Maine.
THANK YOU! From Sylvia
Religious Exploration
Local UU Youth Pride Collaboration
On Sunday, May 21st youth from UUCB joined youth from First Universalist Yarmouth, First Parish Portland, and Allen Avenue UU in a pride printmaking event. Master Printer and Director of Pickwick Independent, Pilar Nadal, led a two hour screen printing workshop using a design inspired by the youth.
UUCB Board Update
Greetings from the Board of Trustees –
Our active congregation has been very busy this month, and we have a lot of things to celebrate!
- We had the most successful Annual Pledge Drive ever, and came very close to our rather aspirational goal. Many thanks to the Pledge Drive team for your hard work and great leadership.
- The Auction raised over $8,000 thanks to the many great donors and enthusiastic bidders. Thanks to Betsy & Glenn Williams, Heidi & Curt Neufeld and their team of volunteers for all of your hard work to make the auction so much fun.
- One of the Board’s goals for this year is to increase our church’s knowledge and participation in UU denominational affairs. We have taken several steps toward meeting this goal.
- Grace Lewis-MacLaren has agreed to take the lead on keeping the Board and Congregation informed about denominational issues coming before the Unitarian Universalist Association.
- Rev. Kharma and Nancy Kurtz co-led an informational session on proposed changes to Article II, The Principles and Purpose of the UU denomination.
- The UUA holds a General Assembly (GA) of congregations each year. The 2023 GA will be held in Pittsburg, PA June 21-25. Rev. Kharma will attend in person, representing our congregation. In addition to her vote, based on our membership size, UUCB can cast 5 votes on denominational business before the Board. We are hoping to have 5 members of our church participate remotely in the business meetings to cast votes on behalf of our membership. If you are interested in participating in this way, please talk to Rev. Kharma or a Board Member.
- We would like to have more congregational participation in coming years, so you might begin thinking about whether you might want to attend virtually or in person in the future. The Board is considering budgeting some funds to encourage attendance in coming years.
- The Annual Congregational meeting will be held after worship service on Sunday, June 11. Everyone is welcome to attend, but only members can vote. The agenda for this meeting will include approval of the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, as well as to vote to decide whether or not to add UUCB support to the MUUSAN resolution in support of the inherent sovereignty of the Wabanaki Nations in Maine.
- The Board has approved a request from the organizers of the Wear Orange for Gun Safety campaign to light the façade of the church in Orange for the first weekend of June to join other churches in our community to display our support to end gun violence.
- The Board has also decided to light the façade in rainbow colors to support the Brunswick Pride Festival the weekend of June 10-11.
We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting as we move through the summer and on to our new church year continuing as a Community of love and action.
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
Communications Committee
The Communication Committee would like to have more engagement on Social Media. We already have a Facebook page but would like to have more people from inside and outside of our community to be seeing our posts. For those of you who use Facebook occasionally, we are suggesting that you “LIKE” the Church FB page at UU Church of Brunswick Maine so that you can see and share our posts. Likewise, you could “LIKE” the Concerts for a Cause Facebook page at UU Concerts for a Cause, Brunswick.
A Facebook page LIKE is a public display of support or affinity for an organization because the like will be shown in the About section of a person’s Facebook page. The more engaged our audience is, the more success we will have with getting people sharing our content, and getting people to spread the word about who we are and what we stand for. All of these things help increase the awareness of our organization, and hopefully, result in more members and supporters.
Pastoral Care
Sharing Joys & Sorrows
All joys & sorrows are read by a pastoral care associate during Sunday worship service. For privacy reasons, they will no longer be published here in this online space. Share joys & sorrows by writing them in the book found in the fellowship hall or email them to .
Membership
The UUCB Membership Committee, (MEMCOM) welcomes five new members! Besides greeting people at the Visitor’s Table on Sunday mornings, the committee is responsible for many activities at UUCB… picnics, Circle Suppers, SoUUp’s On, You and UU class, Newcomers Chat and more. It’s great to have the additional members to help us provide these activities.
WORKING FOR JUSTICE
Contact: Jane Danielson
COMING SOON: Conversations about Race and Racism. Do you find it difficult to have meaningful conversations about race and racism in American society? A video-based series called Sacred Ground will be offered at UUCB this fall, with discussion groups led by trained facilitators. Stay tuned for more information!
Immigrant Justice
Information about volunteer support for summer arrival of asylum seekers is evolving. Portland Family Promise is no longer the organization overseeing support services for 60 families anticipated to arrive at Brunswick Landing housing throughout the summer. Community members, including faith communities like UUCB, are on hold as we await information from the Town of Brunswick about leadership and oversight of the much-needed volunteer effort. We are told that more information will be coming before the end of May. As soon as UUCB and other faith communities understand where our help will be needed, we will gather those interested to organize our efforts.
Midcoast New Mainers Group (MCNMG) https://mcnmg.org continues to seek volunteers for families who already arrived in Brunswick over the past few months. If you are interested, Cathey Cyrus can help connect you with those efforts. As described in the May Parish Messenger https://www.uubrunswick.org/may-parish-messenger-2/, both Midcoast Literacy and Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) https://www.mchpp.org/volunteer also actively seek volunteers to support the increased need anticipated by this summer’s arrival of the new asylum seeker families. Of special note: All Brunswick registered voters can offer crucial support to asylum-seeking families by voting in support of the Brunswick School budget in the upcoming election, June 20, at the Junior High School.
WFJSG will clarify information about volunteering for the summer arrivals as soon as it becomes available from the Town of Brunswick.
Contact: Cathey Cyrus
JUNE 11 — CONGREGATIONAL VOTE ON RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
In anticipation of the congregational meeting on June 11 and to inform your vote on the MUUSAN (Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network) resolution in support of tribal sovereignty, please review the tribal sovereignty fact sheet from Maine Conservation Voters (https://protectmaine.org/assets/factsheets/Recognize-Tribal- Sovereignty.pdf) and the MUUSAN resolution printed below. Hard copies of these documents are available in Fellowship Hall each Sunday.
Please consider tribal sovereignty from a faith-based perspective: Our UU principles guide us in the way we treat each other within our congregation and the way we understand our work in the world. That understanding and those relationships are grounded in justice, equity and respect. As we listen to the voices of tribal leaders speaking about their wish for the state to recognize their inherent sovereignty and their right to self-determination, we think of four of our UU principles that relate to what has become broken in the relationship between the state and the tribes.
1. The inherent worth and dignity of every of person.
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
UU’s and all faith groups are coming to terms with the violence and injustice of our past relationship with the Wabanaki. We continue to search for a meaningful and respectful relationship in the present.
MUUSAN was formed to strengthen communication among the UU congregations in Maine, and, together, to bring the UU principles and voice to impact legislation that affects the “inherent worth and dignity of every person” in Maine. MUUSAN’s resolution supporting tribal sovereignty reflects that intention. Adding UUCB’s to that of other UU churches’ support for the MUUSAN resolution further strengthens the impact of the UU voice and principles in the legislature.
Cathey Cyrus and Faith Woodman, WFJSG members
Resolution in Support of Tribal Sovereignty to the 131 st Maine Legislature
(For vote during the June 11 UUCB Annual Meeting)
MUUSAN (Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network) is a statewide advocacy and public policy network anchored in Unitarian Universalist faith and animated by its principles. We acknowledge that the land we now call Maine is the ancestral land of Wabanaki Nations.
Our UU commitment to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all people calls us to address systemic oppression by advocating with and on behalf of people who are marginalized as a result of systemic racism and colonialism and responding to the need to interrupt disparities in Maine's legal and economic systems.
MUUSAN stands with Maine’s Tribal Nations in affirming their Inherent Sovereignty.
In the 130th Maine Legislature, MUUSAN fully supported passage of legislation to restore Tribal Sovereignty in accordance with the 22 consensus recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act of 1980. As the Maine 131 st Legislature convenes, MUUSAN reaffirms this support wholeheartedly. We urge the 131 st Legislature to pass bills that implement any of these Task Force recommendations and are endorsed by the Wabanaki Alliance, and we urge the Governor to sign these bills into law.
We further urge Maine’s Congressional delegation to sponsor and support, US Congress to pass, and the President to sign legislation ensuring that Maine’s tribal Nations are included by default in federal Indian legislation and have rights and benefits equal to the other federally recognized tribes.
MUUSAN stands with Wabanaki Nations.
November 17, 2022
Contact Information:
MUUSAN c/o UU Community Church of Augusta
PO Box 8
Augusta, ME 04332-0008
Email: Reba Richardson,
Or Meret Bainbridge,
MUUSAN liaison to the Wabanaki Alliance Legislative Coalition
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Contact: Betsy Williams
On Saturday, May 6th UUCB hosted the MUUSAN network meeting. Over 30 people came from around the state to hear speakers on Maine’s housing crisis and the many efforts by legislators and advocates to address it. Representative Cheryl Golek of Harpswell and Senator Theresa Pierce of Yarmouth spoke. In addition, representatives from Preble Street in Portland, Maine People’s Alliance, and Midcoast New Mainers Support Group added their voices to the urgency the housing crisis and the hope for legislative action. If you are interested in learning more, contact Betsy Williams .
On Sunday April 30th members of our interest group hosted an after-church letter-writing party. About 15 people wrote letters to their representatives in support of bills keeping money out of politics and protecting our schools from gun violence. Some wrote old-fashioned postcards; most took talking points home to “write” legislators via email. Everyone learned how to use the MUUSAN and Maine State Legislative websites to write testimonies and letters. We will hold another letter-writing party on Sunday June 4th to support currently debated bills addressing Maine’s housing crisis.
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Contact: Lynn Ellis
ME-Augusta-Rally to Mark National Gun Violence Weekend
Capitol Park, 33 Union St
Augusta, ME 04330
Saturday, June 3, 11:00 AM
Please join Maine Moms Demand Action and the Maine Gun Safety Coalition for a #WEARORANGE Rally to Mark National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend. This family-friendly event brings together people and partners from all over our great state who share a belief that “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – WE CAN END GUN VIOLENCE”. Do not forget to WEAR ORANGE and bring your homemade signs!
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Contact: Carol Briggs
The Teen Center continues to grow, adding new members every month as they discover a place to do their favorite things: Meet after school with friends, new and old; relax; have fun; and eat. Two teens recently asked for ingredients so they could cook the meal of the day.
From the Gelato Fiasco Scoop-a-Thon, a 50-50 raffle, sponsorships and other donations, the Teen Center received almost $11,000. On the same day Big Top Deli promised donations from portions of their sales which will be added to the total.
Two big changes coming: Moving the Teen Center to a bigger location and the upcoming retirement of Jordan Cardone, Teen Center Coordinator. A search committee is investigating potential new locations to accommodate the growing membership and notices for the coordinator position will be posted soon.
Contact: Cuffy Chase
WE DID IT! Team UUCB raised $15,196 for the Habitat Annual Spring Walk. Once again, our team received the highest donation total of the 22 teams involved. AND, we also had the second most volunteer walkers! Many thanks to all of you. The Habitat Spring Walk so far has raised a total of about $53,902. Great news for those who need of a house or a have a house in need of repair.
A reminder that in July the Habitat ReStore will be moving from its location in Topsham to a new location occupying the old CVS store in the Bath Shopping Center. (https://habitat7rivers.org/)
Charities with Soul
Contact: Stephen Wood
June’s Charity with Soul is Four Directinos Development Corporation
Four Directions is a Native American Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) whose mission is to improve the social and economic conditions of the Wabanaki tribes in Maine—the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot— through education and investment in affordable housing, tribal business ventures, and Native entrepreneurship. There are four core programs and related products and services: Small Business supports business growth and tribal members’ success through small business loans, entrepreneur centers, artisan loans, and technical assistance; Residential Lending promotes safe and quality homeownership through home mortgages, home improvements, refinancing, and down payment assistance; Financial Counseling advances borrower readiness and personal financial health through free financial counseling, free tax preparation, and matched-savings programs; and Community Development promotes facilities, housing, and business development through construction loans, permanent loans, operating capital, participation funding, and technical assistance.
Donations are used to increase tribes’ and tribal members’ access to our products and services. Specifically, money is used for their Financial Capabilities Program and their Artisan Fund, two well-utilized programs that could use an increase in revenue due to demand. Contributions directly impact Wabanaki households and entrepreneurs.
Four Directions is grateful that UUCB has recognized their work and believes in supporting their mission of helping improve the social and economic conditions of the Wabanaki tribes in Maine.
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”
FOR YOUR CALENDAR:
Concerts for a Cause
Tickets
- $20 in advance
- $25 at the door
- Students/Children $10
- Available at the church office, Gulf of Maine Books, or online at https://ticketstripe.com/porchparty
- **We would love to have some baked goods for intermission. You can sign up at the Concert Table after church services.
**Profits raised from this season’s concerts support the
Brunswick Area Teen Center and Maine Family Planning.
Brunswick Pride Events
All Church Picnic
Contact: Leigh Peranteau ~ (207) 725-4874 ~
Holiday Fair
HOLIDAY FAIR TEAM MEETING – JUNE 4, 2023
Who is the Holiday Fair Team?
- Table coordinators
- All who want to help plan this important fundraiser!
Why meet now?
- To organize individual projects we can do during the summer which will increase the success of each table
- To set up summer project workshops and gatherings
- To plan projects better done in early fall
- To assemble a marketing team to meet in August
PLEASE JOIN US FOR A HOLIDAY FAIR SUMMER PROJECT!
Jewelry Sorting – Mondays, June 12 & 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: N0-Sew Fabric Stars, SAT, June 24 ~ 10:00
Back by popular demand! No-sew fabric stars. We’ll show you how to turn four strips of fabric into a beautiful ornament.! Contributions of 3” X 14 “ holiday fabric joyfully received prior to, or on, 6/24. 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
The Art Gallery Committee is delighted to offer the works of a creative couple, Reid & Jackie Birdsall, for the month of June. Reid is a fine nature photographer and Jackie makes wonderful, colorful quilts.
Jackie says, “This former “Jersey girl” was captivated by quilts – and coastal Maine – over 40 years ago, when I first visited my husband’s family’s 150-year-old house in Georgetown. My bed was layered in Depression-era scrap quilts, their riotous colors and fanciful patterns said to be a bit of cheer during that grim time. I clearly remember lying under those quilts on grey summer mornings, loving the patterns, listening to the sound of foghorns.
Years later, my sister’s growing collection of antique quilts that I couldn’t afford drove me to make my own attempt. My dining room became my workspace and making quilts became a huge source of joy in my life. I started a chapter of Greater Hartford (CT) Quilt Guild and eventually served as president of the Guild, worked on annual retreats and shows, and taught adult ed classes.”
Reid Birdsall says, “”The more pictures I take, the more I realize I just shoot what attracts my attention in the moment. Composition is done in the viewfinder with post-processing kept to a minimum. Since moving full-time to Maine ten years ago, I have been particularly interested in the opportunities presented by the Cathance River Preserve and Reid State Park.”
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Deadline for Parish Messenger Articles
Copy deadline for the Parish Messenger is generally the THIRD SATURDAY of the month. Please submit articles for the JULY 2023 issue by JUNE 24th.