Summer Services at UUCSW

Sunday Mornings at 9:30 am

“Finding Community and Connection In Your Own Front Yard”

Sunday, July 21 at 9:30 am

Inspirational Quotes

Led by Phyllis Barrett and Janet Purney-Balabanis

Have you ever read a quote that really inspires you and you want to share it with someone or you want to wrap your mind around it and clarify what it means? How would you respond to this quote? “There are no strangers here, only friends you have not met yet.” William Butter Yeats or “Community is a basic need of humanity and the table-all tables-should be a place of inclusion” Come and discuss with us.

Summer Services are a great time for all congregations to get to know each other and to engage in self exploration. Each Sundays’ gathering will consist of open discussion conducted by co-leaders of the UUCSW. These discussion suggestions are from Kristin Schell The Turquoise Table and have been modified to fit this Unitarian Universalist setting. This year's Summer Services are intended to introduce the New Turquoise Table to the congregation, the community and to welcome other churches.

BYO lawn chair or beach blanket!

UUCSW Calendar & Announcements

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Sunday, July 21, 9:30 am - Summer Service
Monday, July 22, 6:30 pm - UU Knits
Thurs, July 25, 4:30-5:45 pm - SMOC dropoff

Colleen's Summer Schedule

Colleen will be on vacation from Sun, July 28-Fri, Aug 9 and will not be checking email. If you have any situations that need immediate attention during this time, please contact Nancy Siegel at nsiegal185@msn.com

Garden Committee Update

We have successfully found four sponsors for our church planters. Thank you to the following people for honoring friends and families of UUSCW by sponsoring either a planter or a window box at the church. During the Summer Season; July, August and September we celebrate THE Barrett Family of Speculator, Fred and Amalia Barrett, Corrine Sciarappa and Amy Martellock. We are accepting reservations for the Fall Season; October, November and December. Two planters are available for sponsorships in October with beautiful fall arrangements.

Everything is “growing” well! The plants and weeds are flourishing. Friday July 19th at 4 PM the weeding TEAM is going into action to weed the front gardens. Come join us if you are here!

The Garden Committee will meet on August 15 on Zoom and get caught up. We will debrief the Garden Event, summertime needs of the garden, fund raising and Fall plan of actions.

SMOC Food and Clothing Drives

SMOC food and clothing donations may be dropped off in the box in the Sanctuary every Sunday. Bologna may be stored in the upstairs refrigerator in the parlor. Other requested items are chewy granola bars and juice boxes.

July's SMOC collections will be delivered to the Worcester shelter on Friday July 26th. Donations may also be dropped off on the Thursday evening before, on July 25th. (Ruggles Street door from 4:30 - 5:45) If you need alternate arrangements for drop-off, please contact Pauline Sciarappa at psciarappa@gmail.com. Thanks to all who help UUCSW support SMOC, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Book Group

Our next book group meeting will be Fri, August 9 at 7pm at Central One Bank, 40 South Street, Westborough. The book this month is The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

Abraham Verghese's The Covenant of Water is an expansive, multi-generational tale of an Indian family whose members all suffer from what is termed the “Condition.” From the story's opening in 1900 to its close in 1977, this Condition leads to the death by drowning of many members of the family, usually male.

Please contact Susie Wells with any questions: susie48winnip@gmail.com.

All are welcome!

RE Picnic

Sunday, August 18 at 12:00 pm

On Sunday, Aug 18 we will have an informal get-together, just to say hi! Weather permitting we will eat outside at the Turquoise Table, or feel free to bring a picnic blanket. If it rains, we will meet in the Chapel.

BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch) -

lemonade, snacks, and games will be provided.

Hope you can make it!

Two upcoming letter writing parties are scheduled. Come to one or all; stay for all or part of any:

Tues, Aug 27, 1 pm hosted by Kim Hall at her home
Tues, Sept 10, 10am - 12pm Hosted by Kris Allen at 8 Edward Dunn Way

More details to come.....

And if you prefer to work independently, I can supply you with new bundles and pick up your completed ones...contact me at 860.304.4668 sheilamcp@gmail.com

Thanks for your enthusiastic support of this endeavor!

Sheila

Stay tuned for more information soon about the ministerial transition team sponsoring coffee hour on Sept 8!

UUA and Community News

The UUA condemns the attack at Saturday's political rally

Unitarian Universalism believes in the right of free speech and the democratic process. Attacks like those at Saturday’s political rally weaken democracy, and the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns this attack. At a time when democracy is already at risk, these events will only make our political environment more precarious.

As we prepare to meet this moment, we must return to our spiritual grounding and faithful practice. Take a breath, reflect together, wait for emerging truth over quick speculation. Anchor yourself in communities and relationships that foster resilience, liberation, and strategy. Cultivate nuance and seek out deep wisdom, political analysis, and spiritual grounding, as misinformation will be rampant.

Our Unitarian Universalist tradition is rooted in the values of human dignity, justice, compassion and democratic principles. We will remain vigilant in our commitment to protecting our democracy and the integrity of its principles and the rights of all its people. Let us keep love at the center. We are in this together.

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