Weekly News

April 29, 2026

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Welcome to Unitarian Universalist Society East

Email our office to receive a visitor packet or to find out more. We schedule several newcomer events throughout the year after Sunday services.

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Sunday Service: "This Land"

UUSE's meetinghouse sits on four acres at the top of Elm Hill, on the Manchester-Vernon line, above the Hockanum River Valley. What is our collective obligation to these four acres? What is our role on this land? Note: This service will be followed by a land stewarding project. Wear work clothes if you wish to participate. Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek.

Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M.

Sunday, May 3

Gathering music starts at 8:50 and 10:50 A.M.

Join the virtual service at 11:00 A.M. via our Zoom link:

Contact the Office for Zoom Link.

Or join by phone. Call 1-860-646-5151 Meeting ID 357 815 420#.

In Case You Missed It

Click here for a Youtube video of the 4/26/26 service, "The Possibilities in Us."

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Sing Out Love Listening Sessions

Last session: Wednesday evening, April 29th

Are you interested in hearing (and maybe even singing) music from the UUA's new online hymnal, Sing Out Love? Join our Music Director, Mary Bopp and Rev. Josh Pawelek for an exploration of the music in this wonderful new resource. Wednesday, April 29, 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. at the meeting house. All are welcome.

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Take Action With UUs From Around the State

Join the Connecticut UU Justice Ministry for our final weekly Action Hour of this legislative session. Action Hours take place on Zoom and include: music and joy, time to break down the week's news, a chance to connect with partners on the frontlines, and one action we take together right then and there during our meeting to support the work of our partners.

• Thursday, April 30th at 7:30 PM - Part II of our Share and Learn series on Immigration Justice Work (no guest because in this special, by-request series, we share stories, strategies, and support as our congregations are deepening their immigration justice work.)

RSVP here and make a difference with other UUs from across the state and our justice-seeking friends.

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Hope in Hard Times

In these troubling times, many of us feel anxious, despondent, or alone. On Thursday, April 30th at 3:00 P.M., Rev. Josh Pawelek and members of the Pastoral Friends Committee will host a gathering for anyone who is looking for camaraderie and conversation geared towards finding hope in hard times. This will be a hybrid meeting. Click here for the Zoom link.

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Land Stewardship Project

In the spirit of land stewardship, we have a special activity planned for Sunday, May 3rd following both services. We will be planting some native plants and berry bushes on the grounds. If you would like to help, wear gardening clothes and bring gloves. After each service, Cory Clark will guide you to the areas we have prepared. Tools will be provided.

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Strategic Planning Task Force

Vision & Mission Statement Community Post-It Wall

For those who have not yet had an opportunity to share their opinions on the current vision and mission statements or for those who would like to add additional comments, we look forward to your opinions.

We hope to get feedback from everyone to best represent the whole congregation with the upcoming work. There are two ways to participate.

1)  In person in the Sanctuary lobby and on the Garden Level, after or before services from April 26th until the end of May, you can suggest revision ideas on a Post-It or place a green dot to show satisfaction with the current wording.

2)  Online at any time in the next four weeks, you can go to the following link (or the QR Code above) to post revision ideas or simply a smiling emoji 😀 to show satisfaction with the current wording.

Your input is greatly appreciated!

Many thanks for your thoughts,

The Strategic Planning Task Force

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Calling All UUSE Moms!

Calling all UUSE moms for help in developing a celebratory tribute to the diversity of moms! Do the prompts below move you? If so, please email your responses (or thoughts on being a mom) to Sam Taylor at uuseoffice@uuse.org by May 1st to contribute to our Mother's Day service on May 10th.

1. What does being a mom mean to you?
2. How has your identify shifted since becoming a mom?
3. What is your favorite memory of your mom?
4. What values do you hope to instill in your children?
5. How do you approach motherhood?
6. What advice would you give a mom?
7. What do your children call you?

Thank you for your responses!

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It's Finally MayFair!

Saturday, May 2, 2026 -- 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. -- All over the UUSE Grounds

Fun for Everyone!

Here's a link to the facebook event with all of the details: https://www.facebook.com/share/1B7x8cS7wN/

Be sure to share it widely!

There are also many ways you can help out!

Do you have a pop-up that we can borrow for the day? Contact Anne Carr.

Beltane Ritual organizers are looking for a couple of people to participate in the staging of the ritual itself, drummers and a firekeeper. Contact Ellen Williams to get more involved.

Tag Sale - No theme; we'll gladly take household goods, tools and electronics, gardening items, sports equipment and even small pieces of furniture in good condition. NO CLOTHING. Contacts: Sandy Karosi and Deb Gould.

Bake Sale - Contact Gail Crook if you can make something.

Plant Sale - Contact Sharon Gresk if you have plants to donate. Houseplants or garden plants, but please NOTHING INVASIVE.

Donations Timeline

You can drop off your donations on Thursday & Friday, April 30 and May 1 during office hours (9 - 4). Please bring them to the garden level; tag sale items can be put on the back porch. You can also bring things early on Saturday morning by 8 AM.

Volunteer for a Shift

Set up, clean up, help at a sale table - Contact Anne Carr.

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CoffeeHouse and Open Mic

Saturday, May 2, 2026 at UUSE

Come for MayFair, stay for the CoffeeHouse and Open Mic! Join us for an evening of music, poetry, stories and community. Sign-ups begin at 6:00 P.M., and performances start at 6:30 P.M. We feature 12 slots, each about 10 minutes or two songs. BYOB, BYO dinner, and BYO friends -- we'll provide the coffee! A $5 suggested donation goes directly to UUSE. CoffeeHouse is held the first Saturday of each month, October through May and is sponsored by the Music Committee.

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Ryan Ford Concert

Sunday, May 3 at 3:00 P.M. at UUSE

Join us at 3:00 P.M. on May 3rd at UUSE for a fun afternoon of classical and modern music with Ryan Ford, his daughter Margeaux, and accompianist Lan-Ya Huang. Suggested donation (to benefit UUSE): $20. No one will be turned away!

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Acoustic Jam Circle

Tuesday, May 5th, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at the Napiers'

Come play, sing, or listen. Acoustic jam circle at the Napiers' home in Tolland. All levels welcome for a group play-and-sing along. John Prine, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Rise Up Singing, or whatever you'd like to bring. Contact Rob Napier at uuseoffice@uuse.org for details.

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News from the Emergency Preparedness Team

Have you had a chance to review UUSE's Emergency Management Plan? Don't wait for an emergency to read it! You can find the plan on Basecamp in Policies and Procedures. Better yet just click here!

Also, the CT Department of Public Health has prepared a Guide for Personal Preparedness - 3 steps to be prepared for any emergency. Click here for a copy of this important document.

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Welcoming Congregation Committee

Reaffirming Our Commitment

Almost 30 years ago, in order to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, genderqueer, and non-binary people felt fully welcomed, centered and embraced in our congregation, UUSE sought and received Welcoming Congregation certification from the UUA. This required a significant amount of intentional work and education. The UUA has now offered the opportunity for UUSE to reaffirm our commitment.

How will we do this? We'll engage in measurable achievements including offering Welcoming Worship Services, celebrating Welcoming Days of Observance, offering Welcoming Religious Education and supporting a Welcoming Project. Watch for upcoming events. For more information, contact Desiree Holian-Borgnis at uuseoffice@uuse.org.

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Pastoral Friends

The Pastoral Friends Committee has a rotating chair throughout the year. Should you need pastoral care during the month of April, contact Ellen Williams. For May and June, contact Roy Maynard.

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Ongoing Happenings at UUSE!

There’s Always Something Good Going On

• Stop & Shop Gift Card sales after services on 1st Sundays
• Fair Trade Coffee/Tea/Chocolate sales after services on 2nd Sundays
• Yoga, every Wednesday at 10 A.M. All welcome!
• Manchester Women's Singing Circle, every Thursday at 7 P.M.
• Book Lovers, 2nd Tuesdays at 3:30 P.M. in person and on Zoom. May 12: What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris. Discussion leader: Louisa Graver
• Women's Circle, 3rd Tuesdays at 7:00 P.M. (Zoom only December through March) Email Nora Alpers-Leon atuuseoffice@uuse.org for the Zoom link.
• Romeos, a monthly lunch for retired men on second Tuesdays - contact the UUSE office to be put on the email list.
• Ladies at Lunch, a monthly women's lunch typically on second Thursdays - advertised in the weekly eblasts.
• Buddhist Group, 1st Tuesdays at 7 P.M.
• Meditation Group, 3rd Mondays, 3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
• God Talk, 4th Tuesdays at 4:30 P.M.
• Humanist Group, 3rd Tuesdays at 4:30 P.M.
• Science and Religion Discussion Group, 4th Thursdays at 4:30 P.M. May's topic: "Spectral Beings?" - a group-led discussion.

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Our Mission

Unitarian Universalist Society East is a welcoming, open-minded spiritual community seeking truth and meaning in its many forms. We share responsibility for building a more equitable, peaceful, and sustainable world.

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UUSE Links and Information

• Monthly Newsletter • Website • Previous Sunday Services

 • Children & Youth Ministry • Facebook •

New England Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association

uuse.org • 860-646-5151

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