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Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude "Improvisation I" Kristen Dockendorff Chalice Lighting and Opening Words excerpt from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Opening Song "What a Wonderful World" Bob Thiele and George David Weiss I see trees of green Red roses too I see them bloom For me and you And I think to myself What a wonderful world. I see skies of blue And clouds of white The bright blessed day The dark sacred night And I think to myself What a wonderful world. The colors of the rainbow So pretty in the sky Are also on the faces Of people going by I see friends shaking hands Saying, "How do you do?" They're really saying I love you. I hear babies cry I watch them grow They'll learn much more Than I'll ever know And I think to myself What a wonderful world Yes, I think to myself What a wonderful world Ooh, yes. Time For All Ages Musical Meditation Joys and Concerns Responsorial Song "Prayer for Connection" Words by Cyndi Krupa Music by Mary Bopp May peace, light and love Infuse all living beings With a feeling of connection And knowing we are one. Offering The recipient of our April Community Outreach offering is the Inter-Religious Eco-Justice Network, or IREJN, Connecticut's only faith-based environmental non-profit organization. Their 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 "Improvisation II" Kristen Dockendorff Song "Grace for Pollinators" By Nancy Schimmel, arr. by Joyse Gilbrick For this our food we thank the bees That pollinate the flowers. We thank the moths that do the same In the evening hours. We thank the birds and butterflies In ev'ry habitat. And when we eat bananas We sing to thank the bat. We all are links upon a chain, The eater and the fruit, The light upon the busy leaf, The water at the root. We join our hands together when Another day is done. We praise the winged workers And feed upon the sun. Sermon Grace for Everything Rev. Josh Pawelek Closing Song #163 "For the Earth Forever Turning" Words by Kim Oler, music by Nick Page For the earth forever turning; for the skies, for ev'ry sea; for our lives, for all we cherish, sing we our joyful song of peace. For the mountains, hills, and pastures in their silent majesty; for the stars, for all the heavens, sing we our joyful song of peace. For the sun, for rain and thunder, for the seasons' harmony, for our lives, for all creation, sing we our joyful praise to Thee. For the world we raise our voices, for the home that gives us birth; in our joy we sing returning home to our bluegreen hills of earth. 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.

Gathering Music Welcome Centering Prelude "The Word" Music & Lyrics by John Lennon & Paul McCartney Performed by Sandy Johnson & Dan Thompson Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "Morning Blessings of the Celtic Dawn" Written by Dee Hennessy, as published on Insight Timer Opening Hymn #298 "Wake, Now, My Senses" Words by Thomas J.S. Mikelson, Traditional Irish Melody Mary Bopp, piano (1st 4 verses) Wake, now, my senses, and hear the earth call; feel the deep power of being in all; keep, with the web of creation your vow, giving, receiving as love shows us how. Wake, now, my reason, reach out to the new; join with each pilgrim who quests for the true; honor the beauty and wisdom of time; suffer thy limit, and praise the sublime. Wake, now, compassion, give heed to the cry; voices of suffering fill the wide sky; take as your neighbor both stranger and friend, praying and striving their hardship to end. Wake now my conscience, with justice thy guide; join with all people whose rights are denied; take not for granted a privileged place; God's love embraces the whole human race. Introduction to the Service - Liz Garmise Time For All Ages A Performance of Magic By Eliot Garcia of the UUSE Junior Youth Group Hymn #1057 "Go Lifted Up" Words & Music by Mortimer Barron (repeat 2x) Go lifted up, Love bless your way, moonlight, starlight guide your journey into peace and the brightness of day. Announcements Joys and Concerns Musical Interlude Offering The recipient of our community outreach offering for the month of April is the Inter-religious Ecojustice Network, whose mission is to insprie and equip Connecticut's religious communities and their spiritual allies to protect our planet through education, engagement, and advocacy. Offering Music "Anticipation" Music & Lyrics by Carly Simon Performed by Sandy Johnson & Dan Thompson Poetry Reading "Crocus/Spring Equinox" Written and read by Sudha Sevin Poetry Reading "Spring Parade" Written and read by Coryn Clark Homily - Liz Garmise Closing Hymn #108 "My Life Flows On In Endless Song" Words - Early Quaker Song, Music: American Gospel Tune Mary Bopp, piano (1st 2 verses only) My life flows on in endless song above earth's lamentation. I hear the real though far-off hymn that hails a new creation. Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing. It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing! What though the tempest 'round me roars, I know the truth, it liveth. What through the darkness 'round me close, songs in the night it giveth. No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging. Since love prevails in heav'n and earth, how can I keep from singing! 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.

Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Earth Blessing" by Helen Yeomans UUSE Choir Vera Elzerman, percussion Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "Alleluia!" by the Rev. Jeanne Lloyd Opening Hymn "Morning Has Broken" Words by Eleanor Farjeon Music: Gaelic Melody Morning has broken like the first morning, blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning! Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word ! Sweet the rain's new fall sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass. Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden sprung in completeness where God's feet pas s. Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation, praise every morning, God's recreation of the new day! Time for All Ages "Seed Blessing" Joys and Concerns Musical Response Offering The recipient of our April Community Outreach offering is the Inter-Religious Eco-Justice Network, or IREJN, Connecticut's only faith-based environmental non-profit organization. Their 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 "Slavonic Dance op. 46, no. 8" by Antonin Dvorak Dorothy Bognar and Mary Bopp, pianos Music "Agnus Dei" by Eugene Butler UUSE Choir Music "Let There Be Music" by Joel Raney UUSE Choir Homily "Let There Be Music" Rev. Josh Pawelek Closing Hymn "Lo, the Day of Days is Here" Words by Frederick Lucian Hosmer Music by Robert Williams Lo, the day of days is here, Alleluia! Festival of hope and cheer! Alleluia! At the south wind's genial breath -- Alleluia! Nature wakes from seeming death, Alleluia! Fields are smiling in the sun, Alleluia! Loosened streamlets seaward run, Alleluia! Tender blade and leaf appear; Alleluia! 'Tis the spring-tide of the year, Alleluia! Lo, the Eastertide is here, Alleluia! Music thrills the atmosphere. Alleluia! Join, you people all, and sing -- Alleluia! Love and praise and thanksgiving, Alleluia! Closing Music "Welcome Spring" by Andy Beck UUSE Choir 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.

Note: Rev. Pawelek began this sermon by teaching the song “Holy and Divine” by Lindasusan Ulrich, to the congregation. This song was inspired by the words of Rev. JeKaren Olaoya and is dedicated to the trans/nonbinary community. The words are very simple:   Lean in, I love you. / Once again, I love you. / Now and always, I love you. / Your lives are holy and divine.            At the 2024 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly in Pittsburgh, delegates debated a resolution entitled “ Affirming Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex and Gender Diverse People is a Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values .” [1]  The resolution passed with nearly 92% of the vote. During the debate, Rev. JeKaren Olaoya, then a member of the UUA board of trustees, came to the pro mic to speak in favor of the resolution. She was angry. People at the con mic had been questioning the validity of the resolution in a variety of ways. The debate was becoming more and more painful to transgender and nonbinary people who were present. When it was her turn to speak, she said: “To my trans, nonbinary, intersex or gender diverse beloveds, lean in…. I love you, I love you, I love you. Please do not leave this space without feeling my love and the love of others who see you as divine. I love you, you are divine. I love you, you are holy.… I love you, you are worthy of being whoever you need to be to survive and thrive in this world. I love you.” [2]   Rev. Lindasusan Ulrich, who lives in Connecticut and is, among other things, a wonderful songwriter, wrote “Holy and Divine” in response to Rev. Olaoya’s words. The song appears in the UUA’s new online hymnal, Sing Out Love. [3] This Tuesday is Transgender Day of Visibility. From the GLAAD Website: “Each year on March 31, the world observes Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to raise awareness about transgender people. It is a day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces compared to cisgender people. International TDOV was created in 2010 by trans advocate Rachel Crandall … the head of Transgender Michigan … in response to the overwhelming majority of media stories about transgender people being focused on violence. She hoped to create a day where people could celebrate the lives of transgender people, while simultaneously acknowledging that due to discrimination, not every trans person can or wants to be visible.” [4] There are many reasons why it is important to me to lift up Transgender Day of Visibility in a Sunday service here at UUSE—and to anticipate lifting it up in some way every year around March 31 st . The first reason is personal. While it’s safe to assume there have always been trans people within the Unitarian Universalist ministry, for most of our history they have been closeted. But when I was in seminary in the mid-1990s, I had peers seeking to become UU ministers who were fully out and visible as trans. This had never happened before in our denomination. The process was enormously difficult for them. They faced not only misunderstanding, but blatant discrimination. Not all of them succeeded. I learned from them. Their clarity, courage and persistence impacted me very deeply. In relationship with trans seminarians, I started understanding that they weren’t somehow flawed, confused or mentally ill (which is, honestly, what many people thought). They were simply  human beings trying to live authentically. In the words of the 2024 UUA resolution affirming trans people, they were “a beautiful and divine manifestation of humanity.” [5]  The flaw lay in society’s rigid and, I add, unholy gender binary, which puts everyone into gender boxes—male and female, pink and blue, men are assertive, women are nurturing, boys don’t cry, a good girl wouldn’t raise her voice, etc.—then sanctions and punishes those who dare to live outside the boxes in some way. I want to lift up the name of Laurie Jean Auffant, the first out trans minister to be called to a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Before that call, she served our congregation in Storrs for a few years—the same years I was serving our congregation in Norwich. Some of you may remember her. She was one of my closest colleagues in the early years of my ministry. In 2004 I was invited to serve as an ally-member on the original board of TRUUsT , Transgender Religious Professional Unitarian Universalists Together, [6]  which I did for a few years. I’m not sure how helpful I was as a board member, but I certainly continued to learn. I said it then, and I continue to say it now: the gift we all receive from transgender, nonbinary, intersex and gender diverse people is their implicit and sometimes explicit challenge to social norms and constructs that have immense power over all of us, but aren’t entirely true. It’s a falsehood to say there are only two genders. People who know in their hearts, their bones, their souls that they don’t fit within the rigid gender binary, that it is toxic to their mental and physical health to attempt to do so, and therefore find a way to live beyond it, choose to break free from it in some way, choose to play with it, have fun with it, delight in it, find joy in it—such people show the rest of us what it means to say yes  to authenticity in any part of our lives regardless of social norms. They show the rest of us what it means to say yes  to the still small voice within regarding any challenging questions we may face. They show the rest of us what it means to say yes  to spirit however it may be unfolding within us, speaking to us, guiding us—spirit which, by its very nature, is transgressive, crosses lines, and, like the wind, blows where it chooses. I remain grateful to my transgender colleagues from those years for their persistent yes to the life that wanted to live in them. I take to heart  the words of the 2024 General Assembly resolution affirming trans people, “we proclaim that our [Unitarian Universalist] principles and values unequivocally commit our faith to honor and celebrate the full spectrum of gender identity and expression.” The Second reason I want to lift up Transgender Day of Visibility is that transgender people are under immense pressure to get back in the box, which is putting it politely. I want to draw your attention to the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security . Lemkin is a US-based, international non-profit founded to fill gaps “in the global prevention protocols.” They began their work in Iraq ten years ago. They say “We built the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention to be responsive and flexible, transparent and judicious, nonpartisan and vocal. We believe that peoples in crisis need immediate action and direct support, even when the international community has its head in the sand.” [7]  While they track and report on active genocides across the planet, they also issue red flag alerts to highlight situations that could become genocidal if left unchecked. Two weeks ago, on March 11 th , they issued their third red flag alert for the transgender population in the United States. In this most recent report, they argue that “the Republican Party’s anti-trans agenda has radicalized and continued to intensify. 2025 was the sixth consecutive record-breaking year for the number of anti-trans bills considered across the country…. Between 2021 and 2025, the number of bills in consideration has increased by 668 percent. The Administration has moved from identifying transgender people as a threat to the family and to the nation’s military prowess to claiming that transgender people constitute a cosmic threat to the spiritual health of the nation and the greatest direct threat to U.S. national security in the world. Given these ideological developments, especially coupled with the increasingly hostile and draconian legislation against trans identities, the Lemkin Institute believes that the United States is squarely within the early to middle stages of a genocidal process against trans people, the goal of which is to completely erase transgender people not only from public life but also from existence in the U.S. and globally.” [8]   I think for most of us, including me, despite having some sense of how horrendous life is becoming for transgender people in the US, it doesn’t feel possible that we’re witnessing signs of a potential genocide. The report lays it out in great detail, describing the content of recent laws from Indiana and Kansas. I urge you to read it. I’ll also note that when I asked trans and nonbinary people at UUSE to share their reflections, people sitting here expressed fear of being too public with their identity, even in Connecticut. One person wrote: “I'm very concerned about legislation designed to dehumanize us, other us, erase us. It makes things hard for us to live our lives authentically and safely.” And, although transgender people are facing the most immediate threats, the net is wide, and these attempts to lock in the rigid gender binary also have implications for the social, legal and political rights of gay and lesbian people. They have implications for women, which we’ve already seen in the assaults on reproductive rights and reproductive justice in the United States. They have implications for religious organizations, like us, who contend that all people have inherent dignity and worthiness, including transgender, nonbinary, intersex and gender diverse people. The implications are far-reaching. And we will respond. The 2024 General Assembly resolution calls on all UU congregations, leaders and members to consider a variety of actions which include:   • “Condemning all anti-transgender legislation, demanding the repeal of anti-transgender laws, and working to block additional such bills.”  • “Partnering with local and state organizations led by transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people to advocate for their needs and interests;” • “Supporting organizations that help people relocate or access health care including across state lines, such as the Pink Haven Coalition.” I spoke about this relocation work in February. In coalition with other congregations across the state, we are slowly building up the infrastructure to support trans people, or families with trans members, who are relocating to New England. Some of you have already signed up to join these efforts when the time comes. If you haven’t signed up, please feel free to reach out to me for more information, or visit Monica from the Social Justice Anti-Oppression Committee in the lobby following the service. There are other actions listed in the 2024 resolution, but I want to highlight one more: • “Participating in the Welcoming Congregation renewal program.” We are a UUA Welcoming Congregation. We gained this status in 1999 after a period of education about how to welcome and empower gay, lesbian and bisexual people. We always included transgender in the list of initials—LGBT—but the program didn’t explore transgender identity very deeply in the 1990s. Although we’ve talked about it a lot, we’ve never sought to renew our status as a Welcoming Congregation. Until now! Our Denominational Affairs chair, Desiree Holian Borgnis, brought the idea of renewal to the Program Council last fall, and the Program Committees are committed to leading us as a congregation through the renewal process. You’ll start to notice a variety of programs and events related to this effort, like our showing of the Imara Jones Ware lecture this coming Tuesday. In addition to Transgender Day of Visibility and Transgender Day of Remembrance, we’ll find ways to lift up a variety of important LGBTQIA observances and celebrations throughout the year, like National Coming Out Day, World AIDS Day, Pulse Night of Remembrance and the Stonewall Riots Anniversary. I didn’t know this, but there’s a national Lesbian Visibility Day in April. I think we need to celebrate! A lot has changed since 1999. We have a lot to learn. I’m really looking forward to it. There’s a lot at stake. March 31 is Trans Day of Visibility, and visibility is not easy for trans people these days. Nevertheless, I’ll leave you with words from Mike Baxter, a transgender member of our congregation. When I asked what gives him hope, he said, “The trans community is very vibrant and resilient, made of beautiful, strong people who care about their community and want to make a difference.” I couldn’t agree more. Holy and divine. Amen and blessed be. [1]  Read the full text of the resolution at https://www.uua.org/files/2024-06/ga2024_bus_res_amend_06092024.pdf . [2] McArdle, Elaine, “Video: After Her Viral GA Moment, Rev. JeKaren Olaoya Has More to Say About Love,” UU World , November 11, 2024. See: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/rev-jekaren-olaoya-video-general-assembly-trans-nonbinary-intersex#:~:text=When%20Rev . [3]  Learn more about Sing Out Love at https://www.singoutlove.org/ . [4]  “March 31 st  is Trans Day of Visibility.” Learn more at https://glaad.org/tdov/ . The Human Rights Campaign also shares excellent background and resources on TDOV at https://www.hrc.org/campaigns/international-transgender-day-of-visibility . [5]  Read the full text of the resolution at https://www.uua.org/files/2024-06/ga2024_bus_res_amend_06092024.pdf . [6]  Learn more about TRUUsT at https://transuu.org/about/ . [7]  Learn more about the Lemkin Institute at https://www.lemkininstitute.com/about-lemkin-institute . [8]  Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security, “Red Flag Alert - Anti-Trans Genocide in the USA - #3” March 11, 2026. Read the full report at: https://www.lemkininstitute.com/red-flag-alerts/red-flag-alert---anti-trans-genocide-in-the-usa---%233 .

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude "How Could Anyone?" by Libby Roderick Mary Bopp, piano Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "Blessing for Kin" by Sean Parker Dennison Opening Hymn "I Will Change Your Name" by D. J. Butler I will change your name You shall no longer be called Wounded, outcast Lonely or afraid. I will change your name Your new name shall be Confidence, joyfulness Overcoming one Faithfulness, friend of God One who seeks my face. Time for All Ages "Julian Is a Mermaid" Story and Illustrations by Jessica Love Musical Interlude Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering 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 "Singing For Our Lives" by Holly Near, arr. by Mary Bopp Sermon "Holy and Divine: A Sermon of Honor of Transgender Day of Visibility" Rev. Josh Pawelek "Holy & Divine" by Lindasusan Ulrich Inspired by the words of Rev. JeKaren Bell & Dedicated to the trans/nonbinary community Lean in, I love you. Once again, I love you. Now and always, I love you. Your lives are holy and divine. Closing Song "How Could Anyone?" by Libby Roderick How could anyone ever tell you you were anything less than beautiful? How could anyone ever tell you you were less than whole? How could anyone fail to notice that your loving is a miracle? How deeply you're connected to my soul. Extinguishing the Chalice The flame in our hearts never ceases burning. 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. From Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders: Each year on March 31, the world observes Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to raise awareness about transgender people. It is a day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces compared to cisgender (non-transgender) people. International TDOV was created in 2010 by trans advocate Rachel Crandall. Crandall, the head of Transgender Michigan, created TDOV in response to the overwhelming majority of media stories about transgender people being focused on violence. She hoped to create a day where people could celebrate the lives of transgender people, while simultaneously acknowledging that due to discrimination, not every trans person can or wants to be visible.

Prelude "A Beach Named Ferry" by John Packard performed by Jenn Richard Chalice Lighting #448 by Christine Robinson We gather this hour as people of faith With joys and sorrows, gifts and needs. We light this beacon of hope, sign of our quest for truth and meaning, in celebration of the life we share together. Welcome and Call to Worship Introduction to the Service - Nancy Madar Hymn #346 "Come Sing a Song With Me" Words & music: Carolyn McDade Come, sing a song with me, come, sing a song with me, come, sing a song with me, that I might know your mind. And I'll bring you hope when hope is hard to find, and I'll bring a song of love and a rose in the wintertime. Come, dream a dream with me ... Come, walk in rain with me ... Come, share a rose with me... Time For All Ages "All God's Critters Got a Place In the Choir" by Bill Staines Announcements A Time for Sharing: Introductions, Joys and Concerns "The Beginning" - Louisa Graver Offertory The recipient of our community outreach offering for the month of March 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. Offertory Music "A Song for Judith" by Judy Collins performed by Jenn Richard Memories - Nancy Madar Reflections - Tracey Jackson RE Week - Emmy Galbraith Hymn #118 "This Little Light of Mine" Words & music: African American spiritual This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Ev'ry where I go ... Building up a world ... Extinguishing the Chalice #456 We extinguish this flame but not the light of truth, the warmth of community, or the fire of commitment. These we carry in our hearts until we are together again. "The flame in our hearts never ceases burning" 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.

From "Brave Clara Barton" by Jack Murphy with illustrations by Sarah Green Sometime in the early morning hours of February 28 th , US and Israeli airstrikes began decimating targets in Iran in a military campaign named “Operation Epic Fury.” The bombing has continued, with administration officials issuing ominous warnings, like “today will be the most intense day of strikes yet,” and “death and destruction from the sky all day long.” There’s an almost meaningless debate over whether Operation Epic Fury is a war. One can argue it isn’t a war because Congress has the Constitutional authority to declare war, and Congress hasn’t done that. Indeed, the Administration made no effort to get Congress’ approval, let alone build public support. Some officials refer to it as a war on occasion. Others say it’s not a war. This week the President referred to it as an excursion. Officials are using all sorts of euphemisms, mindful, I assume, that if they call it a war, it’s blatantly unconstitutional and illegal.             I call it a war. Given the scale of the attacks, the cost, the impact on energy prices and global commerce, the impacts on food distribution in the region, the long-term environmental consequences, and the sheer human suffering, I don’t have any other word for it. It’s a war. But let’s let the lawyers work on the legal questions which I’m sure will be with us long after the bombs stop falling. I want to speak to our moral and spiritual assessments of this war. To frame my thoughts, three things jump out at me.             First, I’m concerned about the tone with which our leaders talk about the war, and what that tone suggests about their regard for the legal guardrails that protect civilians. Most notably, in his March 4 th  press conference, Secretary Hegseth said “Our rules of engagement are bold, precise and designed to unleash American power, not shackle it. This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they're down, which is exactly how it should be.” [1]  Our rules are designed to “unleash,” not “shackle.” This is highly loaded language from Secretary Hegseth who famously told troops under his command in Iraq to ignore guidance from military lawyers regarding how to uphold the Geneva Conventions on the battlefield. In his 2024 book, The War on Warriors, Hegseth  wrote  “If our warriors are forced to follow rules arbitrarily and asked to sacrifice more lives so that international tribunals feel better about themselves, aren’t we just better off winning our wars according to our own rules?! Who cares what other countries think?” [2]             Second, while it is difficult to get accurate information from the midst of a war zone, by many accounts, Operation Epic Fury is not limited to military targets. On Monday, according to Al Jazeera, “Iranian Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian [said] United States-Israeli attacks  across his country have killed and wounded mostly civilians and the bombardments on oil facilities have caused toxic smoke to spread across the capital, Tehran…. Jafarian said at least 1,255 people have been killed in Iran, including 200 children and 11 healthcare workers. Their ages ranged from eight months to 88.” [3]  On Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that nearly 10,000 civilian cites has been bombed and that the civilian death toll was over 1300.” [4]             Third, allegations that the US, Israel and Iran are violating international law are mounting. On March 4 th , for example, a group of United Nations legal experts “condemned military attacks launched by the United States of America and Israel against Iran” as unlawful. “Unprovoked attacks by the US and Israel — launched amid diplomatic negotiations and without authorization from the Security Council — violate the fundamental prohibition on the use of force, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and the duty to peacefully settle disputes under Article 2 of the UN Charter. They also violate the right to life.” [5]  The statement says “Civilians are bearing the brunt of this war with their lives, their safety, their environment and their health. In a country that has already lost thousands to violent repression following the nationwide protests that began on 28 December 2025, these attacks deepen an already profound human tragedy.” [6]             This war has very little support in the United States. People across the political spectrum reject it for a wide variety of reasons. Unitarian Universalists, especially since the Vietnam era, have generally opposed US war-making, especially in the Middle East; this war is no exception. There’s something deep in our spiritual DNA that leads us to oppose war in general and this war in particular. Part of our opposition stems from our left-leaning or progressive analyses and critiques of American abuses of power on the world stage, American imperial aspirations, American corporate domination, American hubris. That’s the intellectual part. But there’s a more fundamental source of our opposition, which is Unitarian Universalism’s basic concern, care and compassion for people and the planet. Our opposition is not just analytical. It’s something we feel. It’s in our bodies. It’s spiritual for us. We express it in our first principle, “the inherent worth and dignity of every person.” We express it in our sixth principle, “the goal of world community, with peace, liberty and justice for all.” We express it when we say “Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values.” Human dignity, world community and love--that's who we are. Not war, not violence, and certainly not “punching them while their down.”             I have a theory that Unitarian Universalism inherits this emotional, physical, spiritual opposition to war—at least in part—from a cadre of 19 th -century Unitarian and Universalist women leaders, and likely thousands more women who engaged in similar activities but weren’t as well-known. I’ve been reflecting on this for a while and decided to share it with you this morning after reading a March 7 th New York Times  interview with the writer Rebecca Solnit. She said “Maybe changing the world is more like caregiving than it is like war.” [7]   Her statement made me think of these women. They are: the Unitarian and Transcendentalist writer, Louisa May Alcott, most famous as the author of Little Women ; the Unitarian abolitionist Julia Ward Howe, who I spoke about in January, most famous as the composer of the “The Battle Hymn of the Republic;” the less well-known Universalist Mary Livermore, a committed pre-war abolitionist and a post-war leader with both the temperance and the women’s suffrage movements; and the Universalist, Clara Barton, the “angel of the battlefield,” founder of the American Red Cross, and early innovator in the field of disaster response. All four served as battlefield nurses during the American Civil War. All four witnessed directly the horrors of war—the carnage, the suffering, the death. Their witness shaped their post-war lives: their writing, their lecturing, their ongoing activism. When I say there’s something deep in our Unitarian Universalist spiritual DNA that leads us to oppose war today, I think it originates, at least in part, from the witness of these spiritual ancestors.              Regarding Alcott, an article on a Civil War photography website says, “Her letters from this period reveal a sobering view of war. Alcott, like other nurses, had no formal medical training. She worked twelve-hour shifts tending to wounds, bathing patients, writing letters for them, and offering comfort as many succumbed to infection or trauma. The war brought no nobility or glory—only bloodshed, cruelty, and exhaustion. In a letter home, she wrote: “A more perfect pestilence-box than this house I never saw… wounded men, dying men, and decomposing flesh made the air oppressive….” Though her nursing career ended abruptly [due to illness,] it gave Alcott the raw material for one of her earliest successful works:  Hospital Sketches …. The sketches blended humor, realism, and sorrow in a way that captured the public’s imagination and revealed the emotional cost of war—especially through a woman’s perspective…. Alcott’s vivid descriptions of the wounded, her observations of military doctors, and her reflections on grief and human endurance offered a rare look into the Civil War hospital system.” [8]             Regarding Howe, an article on the website of The Peace Alliance says she “nursed and tended the wounded during the Civil War, and worked with the widows and orphans of soldiers on both sides of the war, realizing that the effects of the war go far beyond the killing of soldiers in battle. The devastation she witnessed … inspired her to call [on] women to ‘rise up through the ashes and devastation,’ urging a Mother’s Day dedicated to peace.” [9]  She issued her Mother’s Day Proclamation of Peace in Boston in 1870. We’ve offered Sunday services on this in the past. This was the original Mother’s Day. The text of the proclamation is in our hymnal, #573. It begins with these words: “Arise, then, women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts, whether our baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says: Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.” [10] Mary Livermore served as a leader in the northwestern office of the United States Sanitary Commission, a private relief agency created by federal legislation at the outset of the war to support sick and wounded soldiers. [11]  Livermore’s 1887 book, My Story of the War, detailed the sheer agony of the conflict, described the horrors of hospital life, and documented the various ways women sacrificed to help achieve the Union victory. [12]   I love a very simple quote from her book: “It is better to heal a wound than to make one.”             Finally, Clara Barton, the angel of the battlefield. She really needs a full sermon. The children’s story I read earlier [13]  just scratches the surface of her achievements, really her ministry not only to wounded and dying soldiers in the Civil War and later on European battlefields, not only to the families of more than 20,000 missing American soldiers whose remains she helped identify after the Civil War, but to all the people of the United States with the founding of the American Red Cross and her later work responding to disasters. One article mentions that throughout her life she traveled to many disaster and war scenes to bring and administer aid, including the Johnstown flood, the Galveston tidal wave, the Cincinnati flood, the Florida yellow fever epidemic, the Spanish-American War , and the Armenian massacre in Turkey. [14]               If you find Secretary Hegseth’s disregard for the international rules of war and the Geneva Conventions morally objectionable, there’s an important piece of our history you need to know. Most of these international conventions, including the current Geneva Conventions, were written and adopted following World War II. However, the original Geneva Conventions treaty was written and adopted by 12 European nations in 1863. The treaty declared medical personnel neutral and … that sick and wounded soldiers would be cared for regardless of their nationality. The treaty also established the symbol of the red cross on a white background as a sign used by medical personnel to indicate their neutrality when aiding the wounded in war zones.” [15]  The United States did not sign onto the Geneva Conventions until 1882. The primary advocate for the United States to sign this treaty? Our spiritual ancestor, the Universalist Clara Barton.             When I say there’s something deep in our Unitarian Universalist spiritual DNA that leads us to oppose war today, I think I’m on solid ground when I say it originates, at least in part, from the witness of these spiritual ancestors. And what is the heart of that legacy? In the words of Rebecca Solnit, changing the world looks more like caregiving, than it looks like war.             Amen and blessed be. [1]  Hegseth, Pete, Transcript, “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine Hold a Press Briefing,” US Department of War, March 4 th , 2026. see: https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4421037/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-dan/ . [2]  Quoted in Wilson, Jason, “Pete Hegseth told US soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagement,” The Guardian, December 2, 2025. See: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/hegseth-us-soldiers-iraq-rules-engagement . [3] Aljazeera staff, “Iran says 1,255 people killed in US-Israeli attacks, mostly civilians,” Al Jazeera , March 9, 2026. See: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/9/iran-says-1255-killed-in-us-israeli-attacks-mostly-civilians# [4]   Melimopoulos , Elizabeth, “Iran war: What is happening on day 12 of US-Israel attacks?” Al Jazeera, March 11, 2026. See: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/11/iran-war-what-is-happening-on-day-12-of-us-israel-attacks . [5]  Statement from the United Nations office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, “Iran: UN experts call for de-escalation and accountability,” March 4, 2026. See: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/iran-un-experts-call-de-escalation-and-accountability# . [6]  Ibid. [7]   Marchese , David, “The Interview: Rebecca Solnit Says the Left’s Next Hero Is Already Here,” New York Times , March 7, 2026. See: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/magazine/rebecca-solnit-interview.html ?. [8]  Winn, Melissa A., “I Set Forth in the December Twilight” Military Images Digital , September 11, 2025. See: https://www.militaryimagesmagazine-digital.com/2025/09/11/i-set-forth-in-the-december-twilight/ .   [9]  “History of Mother’s Day as a Day of Peace: Julia Ward Howe,” The Peace Alliance, May 8, 2015. See: https://peacealliance.org/history-of-mothers-day-as-a-day-of-peace-julia-ward-howe/         . [10]  Howe, Julia Ward, “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” Singing the Living Tradition  (Boston: Beacon Press and the UUA, 1993) #573. [11]  The US Sanitary Commission was founded by the Unitarian minister Henry Whitney Bellows, though it had its origins with an organization called the Woman’s Central Association of Relief. Ullman, Douglas, Jr., The United States Sanitary Commission, American Battlefield Trust, February 26, 2026. See: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/united-states-sanitary-commission . [12]  Read and excerpt from Livermore’s My Story of the War at https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3-euw1-ap-pe-ws4-cws-documents.ri-prod/9780415896009/Document3-4.pdf . [13]  Murphy, Frank (author) and Green, Sarah (illustrator), Brave Clara Barton (New York: Random House, 2018). [14]   Lewis, Jone Johnson, “Clara Barton: Civil War Nurse, Humanitarian, Founder of the American Red Cross,” ThoughtCo, Feb 4, 2019. See : https://www.thoughtco.com/clara-barton-biography-3528482 . [15]  Friedman, Sarah, “Clara Barton and the Geneva Conventions” Library of Congress Blogs, December 22, 2023. See: https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2023/12/clara-barton-and-the-geneva-convention/

Illustration by Sarah Green from "Brave Clara Barton" Gathering Music Dorothy Bognar, piano Welcome and Announcements Annual Appeal Pulpit Testimonials Robin Byrne Centering Prelude "For What it's Worth" by Steven Stills Dorothy Bognar, piano Chalice Lighting and Opening Words To Remind Ourselves What Is Real by Elena Westbrook Opening Hymn #360 "Here We Have Gathered" Words by Alicia S. Carpenter Music: Genevan Psalter, 1543 Here we have gathered, gathered side by side; circle of kinship, come and step inside! May all who seek here find a kindly word; may all who speak here feel they have been heard. Sing now together this, our hearts' own song. Here we have gathered, called to celebrate days of our lifetime, matters small and great: we of all ages, women, children, men, infants and sages, sharing what we can. Sing now together this, our hearts' own song. Life has its battles, sorrows, and regret: but in the shadows, let us not forget: we who now gather know each other's pain; kindness can heal us: as we give, we gain. Sing now in friendship this, our hearts' own song. Time For All Ages "Brave Clara Barton" by Frank Murphy illustrations by Sarah Green Hymn #1057 "Go Lifted Up" by Mortimer B. Barron Go lifted up, Love bless your way, moonlight, starlight guide your journey into peace and the brightness of day. Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering 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 ad to provide culturally affirming, trauma-informed advocacy, prevention, and intervention services centered on the voices of survivors. Offering Music "Theme from "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Elmer Bernstein Dorothy Bognar, piano Sermon "On War, Women and Witness or Do UU Know Your History? Part III" Rev. Josh Pawelek Closing Hymn #212 "We Are Dancing Sarah's Circle" Words by Carole A. Etzler Music: African American spiritual We are dancing Sarah's circle, we are dancing Sarah's circle we are dancing Sarah's circle, sisters, brothers, all. Here we seek and find our history... We will all do our own naming... Every round a generation... On and on the circle's moving... Extinguishing the Chalice Closing Circle (music by Dorothy Bognar) 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.

Gathering Music Welcome Centering Prelude "Come, Come Whoever You Are" by Lynn Ungar Arr. by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "This Faith" by Heide Cottam Opening Hymn #21 "For the Beauty of the Earth" words by F. S. Pierpoint music by Conrad Kocher For the beauty of the earth, for the splendor of the skies, For the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, For the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight: Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise. For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night, Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light: Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of human care, sister, brother, parent, child, For the kinship we all share, for all gentle thoughts and mild: Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise. Time for All Ages "The Rabbit Listened" by Cori Doerrfeld Musical Interlude Announcements Introduction to the Service Welcoming Visitors and Joys & Concerns Musical Response Offering Continuing our practice of sharing our gifts with the community beyond our walls, fifty percent of our Sunday plate collections for the month of March will be shared with the CT Alliance to End Sexual Violence. (The Alliance) works to prevent and eliminate sexual violence in our state through education, legislation, advocacy, trauma-informed care, and a state-wide network of support for victims and survivors. Offering Music "With Open Arms" by Mary Bopp First Reflection - Emmy Galbraith Wisdom from Our Experts: Families & Religious Educators Second Reflection - Vivian Carlson Supporting Family Systems Closing Hymn #298 "Wake Now My Senses" words by Thomas Mikelson Traditional Irish melody Wake, now my senses, and hear the earth call; feel the deep power of being in all; keep, with the web of creation your vow, giving, receiving as love shows us how. Wake, now, my reason, reach out to the new; join with each pilgrim who quests for the true; honor the beauty and wisdom of time; suffer thy limit, and praise the sublime. Wake, now, compassion, give heed to the cry; voices of suffering fill the wide sky; take as your neighbor both stranger and friend, praying and striving their hardship to end . Wake, now, my conscience, with justice thy guide; join with all people whose rights are denied; take not for granted a privileged place; God's love embraces the whole human race . Wake, now, my vision of ministry clear; brighten my pathway with radiance here; mingle my calling with all who will share; work toward a planet transformed by our care. Extinguishing the Chalice & Closing Words The flame in our hearts never ceases burning. 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.

MUSIC + MANTRA KIRTAN AT UUSE A welcoming community of music, meditation, and connection Join us for an uplifting, meditative experience blending contemporary music with the call-and-response singing of mantras. Mantra set to music opens the heart and lifts the spirits. The MUSIC + MANTRA series is a welcoming community gathering where contemporary live music meets the ancient practice of kirtan — call-and-response mantra singing rooted in India’s devotional tradition. No musical experience, spiritual background, or prior knowledge is required. You are welcome to sing along, dance, listen quietly, or simply be present. WHAT YOU'LL EXPERIENCE: • Relaxation through sound – Quiet the mental chatter and de-stress. • A sense of belonging – Singing together fosters connection in a way that feels natural and inclusive—there's no pressure and no performance. • Accessible participation – Sit in a chair, relax on a cushion, or move and dance—engage in whatever way feels right for you. • Tradition shared with care – Rooted in the Indian devotional practice of kirtan and offered in a warm, contemporary community setting that honors its origins. ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:  HEART CENTERED KIRTAN • Libby Volckening — vocals and keys • Ezra Landis — guitar • Nico D'Amico — bass • Chris Ball — drums Together, they offer contemporary arrangements that honor tradition while remaining approachable for newcomers. ABOUT THE SPACE Hosted at the Unitarian Universalist Society East — a welcoming, community-centered venue committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. • Wheelchair accessible • Scent-free space • Chair seating provided (feel free to bring a cushion if you prefer the floor) • Free parking on site Whether you are spiritually curious, musically inclined, or simply seeking a peaceful and welcoming evening out, Music + Mantra offers a low-pressure way to connect—with yourself and with community. EVENT DETAILS Sunday, March 22 - 3pm Free-will donation ($20 suggested) at the door. No one is ever turned away.

This morning, we launch our 2026 Annual Appeal, during which we ask every UUSE member and friend to make the most generous financial pledge possible for the coming fiscal year which begins July 1 st . This is our largest fundraiser. The Annual Appeal raises the vast majority of dollars we need to operate from day-to-day, to provide decent salaries and benefits to our staff, to maintain our meetinghouse, to carry out our mission, to achieve our vision—the dollars we need, as the Annual Appeal theme suggests, for belonging and thriving together. Raising the money is never easy. Our Stewardship Committee does an amazing job running the Annual Appeal. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Stewardship chairperson, Patricia Wildes, and committee members Louisa Graver, Phil Sawyer, Larry Lundern, Jerry Myers and Stan McMillen. Raising the money is never easy, but I don’t want to understate the celebration at the heart of this moment. Your generous financial pledge to the Annual Appeal is a celebration of this Unitarian Universalist congregation, this spiritual community, this open, liberal, loving faith, grounded in our UU principles and values. Your generous financial pledge to the Annual Appeal celebrates the value of this congregation in your life and the value of Unitarian Universalism in your life. It celebrates your commitment to this place, these people, this faith. That’s why we made the decision to worship in the round today, all the generations, face-to-face. That’s why we invited the Atrium Brass Quintet to join us. It may just be me, but brass music on Sunday morning is always celebratory. I hope you feel similarly. As is the case every year, we need to raise more money in this year’s Annual Appeal than we raised last year. That’s the hard part. (By the way, in my entire career, I don't remember an annual appeal that ever sought to raise less money than the previous year!) In addition to the usual cost-drivers (inflation, cost-of-living adjustments for our staff, anticipated health insurance increases, etc.) there are a number of essential new expenses I want to flag for you. First, our Finance Committee and Policy Board have decided that the tasks of day-to-day financial management at UUSE are too big for volunteers to effectively manage. We’ve known this for a long time. We’ve tried to make it work. But the job is too big and there’s too much at stake. It is time for us to hire a professional bookkeeping service. The search for that service is already underway. Depending on what kind of service we ultimately hire, we anticipate a cost of anywhere from $8,000 to $25,000 annually. This is a big jump in our budget, and it is essential. Second, because we continue to anticipate a variety of building repairs over the next decade, we are hoping to raise significant funds for our building reserve in this year’s Annual Appeal. While we have other ways to increase this critical reserve fund—we are establishing an ongoing building reserve campaign—we believe a percentage of the Annual Appeal needs to be dedicated to these reserves every year. We’ve also being naming this for a while. It really is essential. We were hoping to dedicate $25,000 to this reserve. But to get us closer to a balanced budget, the board cut it back to $10,000.   There are some other new expenses, like building safety improvements and the one-time hiring of an amazing curriculum consultant, Kamora Herrington, to work with our Children and Youth Ministry program during the coming year. The proposed budget for next year will be available during the Annual Appeal. We are hoping for a 5% to 7% increase over last year. That is ambitious, we know. But we also believe we can do it. One of the reasons we believe we can do it is because we have gratefully and joyfully received a $15,000 grant to encourage us to increase pledges!  Pledge increases of 5% or more will be matched 100% from this grant. I want to pause for a moment, and invite all of you to weigh in. I have two questions for you to ponder. The first is about Unitarian Universalism. What do you love about Unitarian Universalism? The second is about this congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Society East in Manchester, CT. What do you love about this congregation? I invite you to turn to a neighbor and share your answers to these questions. Kids, you can talk to your parents or caregivers. Or you can talk to each other. Or you can talk to other adults you might know. Folks online, we invite you to type into the chat your answers to these questions. What do you love about Unitarian Universalism? What do you love about this Unitarian Universalist congregation, UUSE? We’ll share some of your responses in a moment. Alright, talk amongst yourselves!   [Discussion]   [Sharing]   Before we close, some logistics: Please sign up for one of the pledging potlucks. These meals in members’ homes are a great way to meet new people and discuss these questions in more depth. For folks online, please contact Stan McMillen. If you can’t make one of the potlucks, we ask you to respond to the Annual Appeal letter by March 17 th . If we don’t hear from you, an Annual Appeal steward will reach out to you. Please remember the stewards are volunteers with full plates. Please respond to them quickly. They appreciate it. The Stewardship Committee appreciates it. And, as a way of continuing the celebration, please note that near the end of the Annual Appeal, Sunday March 29 th , we are bringing back the chocolate auction. Watch the newsletter and eblast for more information. Logistics aside, what is most important to me, always, is that our Annual Appeal enables our congregation to continue as a place of belonging and thriving; that our Annual Appeal enables us to continue all the ministries we rely on (Sunday Services, Children and Youth Ministry, Music, Small Groups, Affinity Groups, Pastoral Friends, Buildings and Grounds, Sustainable Living, the Verplanck Partnership, and all our connections to social and environmental justice organizations and coalitions in the wider community). My fondest hope, year in and year out, is that our Annual Appeal enables us to continue serving as a beacon of liberal religion, spiritual searching, and community engagement from our physical home here on Elm Hill, on the Manchester-Vernon line, above the Hockanum River on its way southwest to the Connecticut River. Belonging and thriving. That is my hope. Please make the most generous pledge you can to this year’s Annual Appeal. Amen and blessed be.

Gathering Music "Canzona Bergamasca by Samuel Scheidt Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Ricercard Del 12 Tono" by Andrea Gabrieli Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "This Faith, This Place, These People" by Rev. Josh Pawelek (based on "This Place, These People" by Paul Dalzell) Opening Hymn #128 "For All That is Our Life" Words by Bruce Findlow; music by Patrick L. Rickey For all that is our life we sing our thanks and praise; for all life is a gift which we are called to use to build the common good and make our own days glad. For needs which others serve, for services we give, for work and its rewards, for hours of rest and love; we come with praise and thanks for all that is our life. For sorrow we must bear, for failures, pain, and loss, for each new thing we learn, for fearful hours that pass: we come with praise and thanks for all that is our life. For all that is our life we sing our thanks and praise; for all life is a gift which we are called to use to build the common good and make our own days glad. Time for All Ages "What Things Cost" Musical Interlude Joys and Concerns Music "Prayer for Connection" Words by Cyndi Krupa Music by Mary Bopp May peace, love and light Infuse all living beings With a feeling of connection And knowing we are one. 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 "The Four Seasons -- Spring" by Antonio Vivaldi Sermon and Dialogue What do you love about Unitarian Universalism? What do you love about UUSE? Closing Music "Allegro Maestoso from Water Music" by George Frideric Handel Extinguishing the Chalice The flame in our hearts never cease burning 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.