Weekly News

August 20, 2025

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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: "Coffee House Worship!"

Back by popular demand! This morning we bring the all-congregational coffee house to Sunday morning worship! Enjoy music, poetry, and community. Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek.

Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Gathering music starts at 9:55 A.M.

Join the virtual service at 10:00 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 link to the 8/10/25 service, "Science and Spirit on an Island"

Click here for a Youtube link to the 8/17/25 service, "Sacred Spaces - MISAC"

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CT UU Social Justice Ministry

Informational Meetings in August

UU congregations across Connecticut (including UUSE) have been working on creating a state-wide UU Social Justice Ministry. Would you like to learn more about this effort? Additional Zoom meetings have been scheduled for August:

• Monday, August 25, 12:00 P.M.

Please RSVP here including if you can't make this final date. Organizers will work on finding some additional dates, and it will help them gauge interest.

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Help Youngsters Improve Reading Skills!

Can you spare an hour a week to help young students become stronger readers? For the fourth year, UUSE members are volunteering in Verplanck Elementary School classrooms, working with kindergarten, first and second-grade kids. Note: We previously worked with a federally funded program known as RSVP. Now that program has been eliminated, but we'll be working directly with the school staff. Here's an opportunity to see talented teachers in action and support what the Verplanck faculty calls "our scholars." Please email Nancy Pappas at uuseoffice@uuse.org by August 20 with your questions and (we hope) commitment. We expect to begin toward the end of September, so we'll have more details soon.

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Al Benford Interment

Al Benford's family will be interring Al's ashes in the UUSE memorial garden this coming Saturday, August 23rd, at 10:30 am. All are welcome.

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Death Cafe

Tuesday, August 26th - 1:00 P.M. to 2:30 P.M.

UUSE's next Death Cafe will be held at the meeting house on Tuesday, August 26th from 1:00 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. Death Cafe is a global movement with a simple goal: to provide participants in any stage of life with an opportunity for an open-ended discussion about death and dying. There is no formal agenda, but there is tea, cake, and a comfortable place to discuss this issue that will touch all of us at some point in our lives. All are welcome. Questions? Contact Rev. Josh Pawelek at minister@uuse.org.

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Mad Agnes Concert

Sunday, September 7th at 3:00 P.M. at UUSE

Mad Agnes has won hearts on two continents with their signature intricate harmonies and compelling songwriting. The genre-bending trio--Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones and Mark Saunders--waves contemporary folk with a nod to Celtic , an element of vocal improv, and top-notch arrangements into an exciting, inclusive performance. Mad Agnes continues to play for long-time fans, and they're excited to be creating new ones as well. They exemplify three voices, one soul and forty years of harmony and mayhem. $20 free will donation.

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African Safari

September 12, 2025 at 7:00 P.M. at UUSE

Have you ever dreamed of going on an African safari? All are welcome to attend a wildlife slide show and discussion at UUSE led by Laurel Hennebury on September 12 at 7:00 P.M.

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Seeking Book Cart Greeters

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We have had a lot of fun and sociability with the book cart in the lobby this summer and want to offer it every Sunday in the fall with some new volunteers. Two services resume on Sunday, September 7, and we are looking for volunteers for after each service. Please let us know if you would like to participate as a host and booklover, and which time and Sunday you prefer, for example, first Sunday after 9:00 a.m. service. The duties are easy: • Roll the book cart into the foyer at the end of the service, and • encourage parishioners to “Take a book. Bring a book. Read a book. Talk about books.” We’ve had interesting conversations about books with everyone we could entice to approach the cart, discovering who likes or dislikes which book. • After 20 minutes or so, roll the cart back into the front coat closet. Please contact Susan Barlow uuseoffice@uuse.org to volunteer.

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Our UUSE Directory

Hi all! This is a friendly reminder that our annual, non-pictorial UUSE Directory of Members and Friends comes out in October. This directory includes several "Who's Who" pages at the beginning that lists and describes the various groups and committees that help keep our community humming. To help ensure the information is accurate--if you are a committee chair and haven't done it already--please call or email Annie with the most up-to-date list of your committee's members. Also, if you need to update your personal listing, please call or email Annie with your name(s), children's names, physical/mailing address, email and phone numbers for publication. Note: This directory is not distributed to anyone outside the UUSE community and is provided simply for ease in contacting one another.

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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 August, please contact Jackie Muschiano.

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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.
• 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.
• 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. August 28 - "Near Death Experiences" -- Bob Leo

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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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