"Poetry and Joy as Acts of Resistance" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, April 6, 2025

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp)

Welcome and Announcements (Gina Campellone)

Centering

Prelude

"Joy Variations"

George Frideric Handel and Mary Bopp

Chalice Lighting and Opening Words (Paula Baker)

"A Chalice of Joy"

by Rev. Dr. Julia Corbett-Hemeyer

Introducing the Service

Opening Song

"Joy to the World"

Written by Hoyt Axton

Performed by Kate Howard-Bender,

guitar and vocals

Time for All Ages

"Where We Find Joy"

(A poem created and inspired by members of the Children & Youth Ministry elementary class: Vera, Charlie, Lonnie, Teddy, Warren, Spencer, Rosemary, Josie, Oliver and Hazel)

Welcoming Visitors and Joys & Concerns

Musical Interlude

Offering

Each Sunday, we dedicate half of the unallocated collections from our offertory to organizations that are working to improve people's lives in the Manchester area. This month we have selected the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network, a Connecticut only faith-based environmental non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire and equip Connecticut's religious communities and their spiritual allies to protect our planet through education, engagement and advocacy.

Offering Music

"Rustle of Spring"

Written by Christian Sinding

Performed by Mary Bopp, piano

First Reflection (Sandy Karosi)

"A Bargain"

Poem by Sherry Redding

Second Reflection (Sudha)

"Kana"

Poem by Sudha

Third Reflection (Lisa Sementilli)

"At Albany Bulb With Elaine"

Poem by Alison Luterman

Closing Hymn

#1010 "We Give Thanks"

Written by Wendy Luella Perkins

Oh we give thanks for this precious day

For all gathered here and those far away.

For this time we share with love and care

Oh we give thanks for this precious day.

Extinguishing the Chalice and Closing Words

Closing Circle

May faith in the spirit of life

And hope for the community of earth

And love of the light in each other

Be ours now, and in all the days to come.

--- Please enjoy this list of favorite poems, submitted by members and friends of UUSE!

“Song of the Rider” Federico Garcia Lorca (Mike Baxter)

“Illumination” Anthony Hecht (June Bray)

“The Death of the Hired Man” Robert Frost (Fred Wildes)

“These I Can Promise” Mark Twain (Dan Covino)

“I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed” Emily Dickinson (Mary Heaney)

“I thank You God for most this amazing day” e.e.cummings (Nancy Simonds) & (Christine Yantz)

“Love is an Offering” Lance Ernest (Fay Peters)

“Kindness” Naomi Shihab Nye (Meghan MacRae)

“When You Are Old” William Butler Yeats (David Garnes)

“Weathering” Fleur Adcock (Ginny Molleur)

“Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” Wallace Stevens (Dan Thompson)

“Trees” Joyce Kilmer (Sharon Gresk)

“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” Robert Frost (Laurie Semprebon)

“No Man is an Island” John Donne (Dorothy Bognar)

“Much Madness is Divinest Sense” Emily Dickinson (Kate Howard-Bender)

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” TS Eliot (Kate Howard-Bender)

“Wild Geese” Mary Oliver (Chloe Campellone)

“Initiation II” Nina Bogin (Paula Baker)

“For Sweet Honey In The Rock” Sonia Sanchez (Rev. Josh Pawelek)

“First Lesson” Philip Booth (Gina Campellone)

“The Peace of Wild Things” Wendell Berry (Cyndi Krupa)

“The Writer” Richard Wilbur (Mary Ellen Vigeant)