"Strengthening Our Connections" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, March 2, 2025

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp)

Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek)

Centering

Prelude 

"Three Little Birds"

by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Kate Howard-Bender, guitar and vocals

Chalice Lighting and Opening Words 

"Leaves"

By Nicki Giovanni

Opening Hymn    

#1 “May Nothing Evil Cross This Door”

Words by Louis Untermeyer

Music by Robert N. Quaile

May nothing evil cross this door,

and may ill fortune never pry about

these windows; may the roar

and rain go by.

By faith made strong, the rafters will

withstand the battering of the storm.

This hearth, though all the world grow chill,

will keep you warm.

Peace shall walk softly through these rooms,

touching our lips with holy wine,

till every casual corner blooms

into a shrine.

With laughter drown the raucous shout,

and, though these sheltering walls are thin,

may they be strong to keep hate out

and hold love in.

Welcoming New Members

Introductions (Membership Committee co-chairs)

The Charge (Minister)

As you take up membership in the Unitarian Universalist Society East, I charge you to share with us who you are. Share your creativity, your experiences, your questions, your doubts, your beliefs, and all your discoveries of life's meaning. I charge you to shake us up with your ideas, to stir us up with your conscience, to inspire us with your actions, and to stimulate our hopes with your dreams of what life can be.

Congregational Welcome (Congregation)

We welcome you as companions in the search for truth and meaning. We invite you to share in our mission of caring for one another, encouraging each other in spiritual growth, working for justice and peace in the wider community, and living in harmony with the earth. We join our gifts with yours, trusting in the power of community to bring freedom, healing, and love.

New Member Affirmation (New members)

We join the Unitarian Universalist Society East out of a desire and willingness to participate in a liberal religious congregation. We pledge to share our time, energy and gifts; to diligently seek our spiritual truths; and to strengthen the bonds of community. 

Responsive Hymn

“This Meeting House”

words adapted from Eugene Sander by Josh Pawelek

Music by Jean Sibelius 

This meeting house,

A place of love and gladness.

Where all may meet, to seek the common good.

A source of strength, to face each doubt and sadness.

Where every dream, is known and understood.

This meeting house, ask those who came before,

And found themselves, by crossing through its door.

Joys and Concerns 

Musical Meditation

Offering

Mindful that March is Women's History Month, the recipient of our community outreach offering is the CT Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Their mission is to create communities free of sexual violence and to provide culturally affirming, trauma-informed advocacy, prevention, and intervention services centered on the voices of survivors.

Offering Music 

“Finale” from Suite for Two Pianos

by Richard Rodney Bennett

Dorothy Bognar, Mary Bopp, pianos

Sermon

“Strengthening Our Connections: An Annual Appeal Message”

Rev. Josh Pawelek

Closing Hymn

#323 “Break Not the Circle” 

Music by Fred Kaan

Words by Tom Benjamin

Break not the circle of enabling love

where people grow, forgiven and forgiving;

break not that circle, make it wider still,

till it includes, embraces all the living.

Come, wonder at this love that comes to life,

where words of freedom are with humor spoken,

and people keep no score of wrong and guilt,

but will that human bonds remain unbroken.

Join then the movement of the love that frees,

till people of whatever race or nation

will truly be themselves, stand on their feet,

see eye to eye with laughter and elation.

Extinguishing the Chalice 

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.