Enter, Rejoice & Come In

Sunday Services

at 10:00 am

Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011

Led by Patricia Hatch

"The Bowl of Community"

Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011

Led by Rev. Robert A. Thayer

"Keeping Up With the Changes"

Sunday, Jan. 16,2011

MLK,Jr Day Sermon

":The New Dream"

Sunday, Jan. 23, 2011

Led by Rev. Robert A. Thayer

"This, Our UU Fellowship"

Sunday Jan. 30, 2011

Guest Minister

It's Tax Time Again

Tax time is fast approaching. Due to my busy schedule, I will be able to provide "donation statements" to those who make a request in writing (my brain is on overload!).

Please place a note in the Collector's mail box or e-mail me at fernel@Verizon.net

Thanks for your understanding.

Kathy Ferranti, Collector

WINTER

“ Blow, blow, thou winter wind!

Thou art not so unkind

As man’s ingratitude”

William Shakespeare

Every mile is two in winter

George Herbert

See, Winter comes to rule the varied year,

Sullen and sad.

James Thomson

The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,

If winter comes, can spring be far behind?

Percy Bysshe Shelley

No winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn…

Hal Borland

On The Bright Side

By Rev. Bob Thayer

"A Slender Thread"

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

About twenty years ago there was a popular folk singer, Kate Wolf, whose life and career came to an end after a long struggle with cancer. She had a lover and friend, with whom she shared the ambiguity of being on separate paths and but sharing a deep love which kept them woven together. Among her last songs was "Slender Thread." As she wove her lover a pillow for his head, she felt the strength of a single thread and how "the strongest love hangs by such a slender thread." For those of you who weave, knit or quilt, it is a simple lesson. For anybody else, it's something of a revelation.

In the new year, if it is anything like 2010, we may often hang unsure and anxious by such a slender thread. We will wonder how our families sometimes can manage. It is an great responsibility to do all we can to watch and work together - not just each of us in one's own private life, but as governments and global interests. I have edited these lines of her poem so as to keep the focus of a certain grace in our lives, and I hope for you as well.

"She's weaving him

a pillow

for his head.

Sometimes

the strongest

love

hangs

such

slender

thread."

Worship and Program News

By Steve Brooks, Commissioner

Rev. Bob will be in pulpit on January 9th, 16^th and 23^rd.

On January 2 we welcome back Patricia Hatch. Her sermon title is "The Bowl of Community." This will be Patricia's fifth time in our pulpit. She is in her final year of seminary at Boston University School of Theology, and is completing an internship at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

January 9, Rev. Bob will lead the service with the sermon "Keeping Up With the Changes". "Eight reasons why Our Unitarian Universalist Future Looks Positive".

January 16 Rev. Bob will present a MLK, Jr. Day Sermon, "The New Dream". "One Day Ours Will Be A Country Freed of Racism and Even of Racial Identity".

The Third Sunday Discussion will be "For the 21^st Century, What's in a Name?"

First we take a look at the assortment of names of our Unitarian Universalist faith communities. [One name I like is First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta] Then we ask, What's in a Name? Might we change our name and make us more welcoming? One I picked out last night was: New Soles UU Community of Brockton .

On Jan. 23, Rev. Bob's sermon is "This, Our UU Fellowship" Why we try to keep it flourishing in Liberal Religion - a love-based community of seekers iconoclasts, doubters, and do-gooders. If we need any one thing, it is love.

On January 30 we will be providing a neutral pulpit for a ministerial candidate.

Volunteers are desperately needed for our coffee hours. These times of fellowship are an important part of our church community and we depend on our volunteers to supply the goodies and keep the coffee flowing.

Javawocky Coffeehouse

Bob Franke, who had to cancel his December 11 show due to illness, has rescheduled his show to January 22. Tickets for this show are $17.00, and may be purchased via PayPal at our web site, javawockyuu.com. Bob Franke (it rhymes with "Yankee") is at the peak of his considerable craft, brimming with the wise and spiritually generous songs for which he is best known, along with wrenchingly convincing topical songs and sugared with the hilarious. His are the kind of songs that really do have the power to change the world by being taken into the lives of people.

Brockton Symphony

Brockton Symphony Orchestra presents a FAMILY CONCERT. Music and Fun for all ages. Face painting, Instrument Petting Zoo, Door Prizes and Refreshments. Free to all. Saturday, January 29 at 3 PM at the West Middle School , Brockton . For Information call 508- 599-3841 or brocktonsymphony.org.

WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP

The January meeting of the Women's Fellowship will be held on Thursday, Jan. 13^th beginning at 9:30 AM . This will be the annual "Mary Newell" nearly new silent auction. Please bring gently used items, unwanted Christmas presents, knickknacks, cherished books, household decorations, whatever, to be auctioned to raise money for the Fellowship. Marlene Howell will serve morning refreshments and a delicious lunch. Grace Perry, Marion O'Donnell and an assistant or two will organize the auction. All members of the church community are invited to attend.

UU ADULT EDUCATION

January discussion will be Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 1:00 PM on " 'Liberal' in Religion and in the World - is the word liberal appropriate?" We have always termed our UU faith as a "Liberal Religion, and we think we are religious liberals." What does this mean for us as a faith community? Next, does Liberal also apply to the world of politics, economics, customs, sexuality as well? Are we liberal in these ways? Or what?

The subject for the Jan. 12 at 1 PM discussion is to be announced later.

Mile of Pennies

“Suppressing a moment of anger may save a day of sorrow”

from a Chinese restaurant fortune cookie

“Speak when you are angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

Ambrose Bierce

Now our sixth mile of pennies has reached 262’4”. Let us all resolve to advance our 6^th mile as rapidly as possible during 2011.

Marion O’Donnell

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF YOU WITH JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

"January opens

The box of the year

And brings out days,

That are bright and clear.

And brings out days

That are cold and gray,

And shouts, "Come and see

What I brought today!"

By Leland B. Jacobs

Sharing and Caring

Our good wishes for a safe trip go to Ann Howell (and Keith Fisher) as they return home to England after a brief Christmas visit here.

We wish good days and good health to Harold Armer as he continues his recovery from pneumonia.

Congratulations to Amy and Brian Kilsby and their three children, Riley, Emerson, and Spenser as they settle into their new home in Bridgewater .

Food Basket

"The question of bread for myself is a material question, but the question of bread for my neighbor is a spiritual question.

Nikolai Berdyaez

We are asking again for contributions to our food basket. Unfortunately, there are still too many people in the Brockton area who need help in these difficult times. Please remember them and our church food basket when you do your grocery shopping, and buy a few extra cans or packages of food with a long shelf life. Our contributions will go to the Charity Guild, and will help our hungry neighbors.

New address for Anthony Bassett:

Lance Corporal Anthony Bassett

3D Maint BN CLR-35 ELMACO

Unit 38425 Camp Kinser

FPO AP 96604-8425

Okinawa

She is a past Church President, Publicity Chairperson, member of the Nominating committee, and is generally and affectionately recognized for her prodigious and productive leadership in our church community.

We are, of course, speaking of Pauline Perkins, who currently serves on the Membership Committee, is the very able coordinator of "Body and Soul" (our satisfying summer program) and is our liaison with B.I.C.(Brockton Interfaith Community) in which she acknowledges she "has not been as active as in the past, but she believes Unitarian Universalists "are obligated to participate in social and political action."

Pauline "keeps in touch with what is going on in Brockton " and has been on the board of the fine Brockton Symphony for twelve years.

Pauline was born in London , England and at age eight moved to Birmingham , England . Her recollections of World War II are memorable and unique; she recalls going to air-raid shelters with her father, who was a minister, to sing hymns and otherwise give comfort and solace to the folks there. In spite of the horror raging above, it seemed to a child, fun and happy, singing and joking.

In 1948 Pauline emigrated to the United States ; then returned to England for a period, subsequently settling permanently in this country in 1958. She has resided in Wyoming , New Jersey , thirteen years in New York and four years in Colorado and then settling in Brockton twenty-nine years ago with her husband, Faelton, whom we presented in this space in November.

Pauline has five children, three born in England , two in the U.S. :Bryon, the eldest, is a chemical engineer who makes his home in Chicago , but has been employed by forty refineries around the world (including Iraq ). Michael, age fifty-three, works for an Infinity dealership and lives in Flemington , New Jersey . He has two children, Tyler, fourteen, and Emily, eleven. Daughter Judith is a comptroller for a country club also residing in Flemington. Another daughter, Halla, sadly passed away at three months. The youngest, Rupert, has a career as a carpenter in Provincetown , MA .

Pauline earned a Bachelor's degree with a major in English and a minor in French. Vocationally she was involved as a teacher and a librarian before marriage. After bearing offspring she dedicated her talents to becoming a stay-at-home mom. Later she was associated with Mary Kay cosmetics and "saw the founder as an amazing and inspiring woman whose precepts have stayed with her to this day" (unfortunately, Pauline did not receive a pink Cadillac).

Religiously, Pauline, as well as her father and sister, possess a history of affiliation of a rather small sect of the Methodist tradition - called "The Pillar of Fire". But its philosophy did not meet her theological needs. Moving to this region from New Jersey , she felt "she had no connection and was felling lost." Also, she "discovered that New England was not open to cultural differences."

In her search for a religious family, she attended several denominations including Christian Science but did not experience satisfaction. She noticed our church phone number; called the office, learned of the summer program, and attended a service. She was welcomed by Marion O'Donnell and others and believed she experienced "a family feeling". She remarks that there was "an intellectual atmosphere with an acceptance of differences." She states that our congregation "took me in." She was influenced by members and friends of the fellowship, such as Elsie Lizio, and the then minister, Norman Naylor.

As noted above, Pauline rapidly became an active and productive participant in this organization.

As does many other members, Pauline would like to see our numbers grow. In that pursuit , she and others worked toward the creation of our new introductory brochure presented to new attendees to our services. It appears to be quite compelling, and many, especially Steve Brooks, share the kudos.

Pauline opines that some congregants feel negatively about proselytizing, but she believes we "have a need to spread the word."

In her leisure, Pauline participates in cross country skiing, yoga and gardening.

We greatly appreciate your contributions to our church community, Pauline, and embrace your affable and energetic attitude!