Gathering Music (Dorothy Bognar, guest musician) Welcome Centering Prelude Ernesto Nazareth: Odeon Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Opening Hymn #360 "Here We Have Gathered" Words: Alicia S. Carpenter; Music: Genevan Psalter Dorothy Bognar, piano Here we have 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 "I am Me" by Susan Verde 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 Introduction to the Service The Smokey Mirror Joys and 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. The recipients of our July Community Outreach offering are the MACC Food Pantry, the Hockanum Valley Food Pantry, the CT Mutual Aid East of the River Food Pantry, and the TLC Foundation. Offering Music Federico Mompou: Cancion y Danza 6 Homily Be Impeccable With Your Word Sam Taylor Musical Interlude Homily Don't Take Things Personally Liz Garmise Closing Hymn #1008 "When Our Heart is in a Holy Place" Words & Music by Joyce Poley Dorothy Bognar, piano Chorus: When our heart is in a holy place, When our heart is in a holy place, We are bless'd with love and amazing grace, When our heart is in a holy place. When we trust the wisdom in each of us, Ev'ry color ev'ry creed and kind, And we see our faces in each other's eyes, Then our heart is in a holy place. Chorus When we tell our story from deep inside, And we listen with a loving mind, And we hear our voices in each other's words, Then our heart is in a holy place. Chorus When we share the silence of sacred space, And the God of our Heart stirs within, And we feel the power of each other's faith, Then our heart is in a holy place. Chorus 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 Announcements Centering Prelude "Fanfare for the Common Man" By Aaron Copland; arr. by Mary Bopp Performed by Mary Bopp, piano Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Opening Hymn #205 "Amazing Grace" Words by John Newton Mary Bopp, piano Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed! Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun. Joys and Concerns Hymn #153 "Oh, I Woke Up This Morning" African American spiritual Oh, I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu, Halleluia. I was walking and talking with my mind ... I was singing and praying with my mind ... Oh, I woke up this morning with my mind ... 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. The recipients of our July Community Outreach offering are the MACC Food Pantry, the Hockanum Valley Food Pantry, the CT Mutual Aid East of the River Food Pantry, and the TLC Foundation. Offering Music "Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor" Words and music by Irving Berlin Performed by Mary Bopp, piano Reflection (Rob Napier) "The Idea of America" Closing Hymn #169 "We Shall Overcome" African American spiritual Mary Bopp, piano We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday! Oh, deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome someday! We'll walk hand in hand ... We shall all be free ... We shall live in peace ... 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 (Mary Bopp) Welcome (Martha Larson) Announcements Centering Chalice Lighting "Let Us All Sing" Let us all sing! It's good for almost anything. It's good for dusty musty throats to let out gusty lusty notes. It's good for people, frogs and goats to open up and sing. It's good for tongues and necks and knees of people, bees and chimpanzees. So, if by chance you're one of these, open up! Open up and sing! Sing! Sing! It's good for almost anything. Intro to the Service Hymn #1 #361 "Enter, Rejoice & Come In" Words & Music by Louise Ruspini Hymn #2 #188 "Come, Come, Whoever You Are" Words adapted from Rumi Music by Lynn Adair Ungar Hymn #3 #38 "Morning Has Broken" Words by Eleanor Farjeon Gaelic Melody with harmony by David Evans Hymn #4 #298 "Wake, Now, My Senses" Performed by Larry Lunden Words by Thomas J.S. Mikelson Traditional Irish Melody with harmony by Carlton R. Young Hymn #5 #21 "For the Beauty of the Earth" Words by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint Music by Conrad Kocher Introductions, Joys & Concerns All are free to share briefly (1-2 sentences). Visitors may introduce themselves. Hymn #6 #123 "Spirit of Life" Words & Music by Carolyn McDade Hymn #7 #1007 "There's a River Flowin' in My Soul" Words & Music by Rose Sanders Hymn #8 #159 "This is My Song" Words by Lloyd Stone Music by Jean Sibelius Hymn #9 #155 "Circle 'Round for Freedom" Words & Music by Linda Hirschhorn Offertory Continuing our practice of sharing our gifts with the community beyond our walls, fifty percent of our Sunday plate collections for the month will be shared with Trans Voices 365. Hymn #10 #1064 "Blue Boat Home" Performed by Jenn Richard Words by Peter Mayer Music by Roland Hugh Prichard, adapted by Peter Mayer Hymn #11 #95 "There is More Love Somewhere" African American Hymn Hymn #12 #108 "My Life Flows On in Endless Song" Introduction by Susan Barlow Traditional words, Verse #3 by Doris Plenn Music by Robert Lowry Hymn #13 #1009 "Meditation on Breathing" Words & Music by Sarah Dan Jones Hymn #14 #131 "Love Will Guide Us" Performed by Jenn Richard Words by Sally Rogers Traditional music arranged by Berry A. Wylder Hymn #15 #259 "We Three Kings of Orient Are" Words & Music by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. Hymn #16 #1053 "How Could Anyone" Introduction by Mike Baxter Words & Music by Libby Roderick Hymn #17 #190 "Light of Ages and of Nations" Introduction by Martha Larson Words by Samuel Longfellow Music by Franz Joseph Haydn Hymn #18 #169 "We Shall Overcome" African American Spiritual Hymn #19 #83 Winds Be Still" Words by Richard S. Kimball Music by Samuel Sebastian Wesley Closing Hymn #1 "May Nothing Evil Cross This Door" Performed by Jenn Richard Words by Louis Untermeyer Music by Robert N. Quaile 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.

“Here comes the sun, and I say ‘It’s all right.’”[1] When our world is not all right—and, as you know, it’s not—we need music, poetry, art, dance, literature, worship, prayers and sermons that instill in us the confidence that there are reliable paths forward through the pain and the mess, that the people who care about people and not profits, the people who care about the planet and not profits—including ourselves—are collectively going to find a way, are going to prevail, and are justified in proclaiming “it’s all right,” or at least trusting that it will be. We need that message. And it seems to me that the summer solstice, which occurred at approximately 4:24 this morning (for those of us here at approximately 41° North of the Equator and 72° west of the Greenwich meridian) the summer solstice—the day among all the days of the year with the longest span of sunlight in the northern hemisphere—is a fine day to proclaim “it’s all right.” Turn to your neighbor and say “it’s all right.” Online folks: turn on your videos and pronounce the words “it’s all right.” Happy solstice! **** But the nation is not all right. The world is not all right. As this is my final sermon of the September-to-June congregational year, and as it is my custom during my final sermon to reflect on the year that has just passed, I’ll begin by saying that all year long I have felt keenly the tension between wanting to assure myself, you and people in the wider community that “it’s all right, we’ll be ok, we’re gonna get through this:” and, at the same time, wanting and needing to be completely honest, sober, realistic and clear-eyed about the rise of authoritarianism in our country and abroad; relentless attacks on the institutions that sustain our democracy; attacks on voting and federal government jobs that reek of old-school, anti-back racism; the unconstitutional abduction and detainment of immigrants; attacks on LGBTQIA+ people and communities with a particularly cruel, even genocidal focus on transgender people, expressed most recently in the May 6th White House counter-terrorism strategy memo which sinfully identifies “radically pro-transgender groups” as a terrorist threat to the United States;[2] the slow dismantling of time-honored social safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP with no apparent purpose other than to lower taxes for the country’s wealthiest citizens; attacks on scientifically-verified public health regimens and standards; attacks on higher education for the crime of wokeness; the dismantling of the Department of Education; abandonment of the nation’s environmental and renewable energy commitments; the blatantly unnecessary and inflation-causing war in Iran, etc. It’s all right. It’s not all right. That’s the tension I feel as a preacher and a pastor. I don’t have a single colleague who doesn’t feel this tension. So I wonder, when things are not all right, how can we justify preaching the message that “it’s all right?” This year I preached a lot about Unitarian and Universalist history, in part as a reminder that our spiritual forebears faced moments when the country was not all right, when they had every reason to despair, yet they found the confidence that things would be “all right.” They also understood they had a role to play, had a responsibility to act, had power to exercise. They had agency. In January I spoke about Universalist and Unitarian spiritual forebears who fought against slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries, and for civil rights in the 20th century. In March, near the start of the Iran war, I spoke about Unitarian and Universalist women who had served as Civil War nurses and, through their later writing and activism, helped shape a feminist anti-war spiritual identity animates Unitarian Universalism to this day. I also led two history tours to Boston and Concord, MA—one with our Affirmation youth in November, the other with twelve adults in May. On both trips we toured Orchard House in Concord, the home of the celebrated writer, Louisa May Alcott. It’s always fascinating to me how we can spend a day in Boston, visit the historic downtown congregations, learn about their amazing history going back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and still wonder, “Where did Unitarian Universalism as we know it today come from?” Our UU ways of doing theology, our reverence for nature, our appreciation of the world’s religions, our understanding of creativity as a spiritual path, our trust in the individual to chart their own spiritual course, our faithful valuing of the scientific method—where did all that come from? Then we leave Boston to visit Concord, which birthed the Transcendentalist movement in the 1830s and 1840s—which shaped Louisa May Alcott—and it becomes much more clear. Certainly, our roots lie in Boston with the Puritan colonists, and we need to wrestle with that; but when we visit Concord, we start to encounter language, theology and a variety of spiritual and social commitments that sound much more like who we are today. I want to share a few passages from Alcott’s 1872 book entitled Work: A Story of Experience, which help me navigate the tension between “not all right” and “all right.” Published a few years after her most famous book, Little Women, Work tells the story of Christie Devon, a young adult and orphan living with her moderately well-to-do aunt and uncle, who decides to seek her independence through working. She moves into an urban boarding house and works: as a domestic servant, an actress, a governess, a companion to a teenager with disabilities, a seamstress, etc., all of which Louisa May Alcott engaged in prior to her success as a writer. In the midst of a deep depression, Christie contemplates going to church, but she can’t find one that suits her. Her critique of churches reminds me of the conversations we have at our Intro to UU classes when participants talk about their past experiences with organized religions, which are not always pleasant. [Christie] went to many churches, studied many creeds, and watched their fruits as well as she could; but still remained unsatisfied. Some were cold and narrow, some seemed theatrical and superficial, some stern and terrible, none simple, sweet, and strong enough for humanity’s needs. There was too much machinery, too many walls, laws, and penalties…. Too much fear, too little love; too many saints and intercessors, too little faith in the instincts of the soul which turns to God as flowers to the sun. Too much idle strife about names and creeds; too little knowledge of the natural religion which has no name but godliness, whose creed is boundless and benignant as the sunshine, whose faith is as the tender trust of little children in their mother’s love…. A God of wrath I cannot love; a God that must be propitiated, adorned, and adored like an idol I cannot respect; and a God who can be blinded to men’s iniquities through the week by a little beating of the breast and bowing down on the seventh day, I cannot serve.[3] A few chapters later, as she’s coming out of her depression, a friend suggests she try Rev. Power’s church. Rev. Power is modeled after the transcendentalist and abolitionist Unitarian minister Theodore Parker. (If you watched the opening ceremony for the Barack Obama Presidential Center, you might have noticed that Obama concluded his speech with a few paragraphs about Parker.[4]) At the height of his career Parker led a 2,000-member congregation called the 28th Congregational Society. Today we’d call it a mega church. Alcott attended services there. When Christie worships at Rev. Power’s church, the first thing she notices is its diversity. All sat at ease, rich and poor, black and white, young and old. When Rev. Power announces the first hymn, she writes: Everybody did sing. Not harmoniously, but heartily, led by an organ, which the voices followed at their own sweet will. Then a prayer. Christie had never heard a prayer like that before … so comprehensive, so brief. A quiet talk with God, asking nothing but more love and duty toward him and our fellow-men; thanking him for many mercies, and confiding all things trustfully to the “dear father and mother of souls.” (As an aside, Parker was one of the first American ministers to endorse the women’s suffrage movement, and he famously and controversially referred to God as both Father and Mother.) Then, at that fictional first service, Power’s sermon critiqued the money-focused, capitalist culture of the day. Alcott writes: The ashes of the ancient hypocrites and Pharisees was left in peace, but those now living were heartily denounced; modern money-changers scourged out of the temple, and the everlasting truth set up therein. And I love the way the service ends: Another hymn, and a benediction that seemed like a fit grace after meat, [though I note the Alcotts were vegans] and then the crowd poured out; not yawning, thinking of best clothes, or longing for dinner, but waked up, full of talk, and eager to do something to redeem the country and the world.[5] For the first time in her life religion seemed a visible and vital thing; a power that she could grasp and feel, take into her life and make her daily bread.[6] **** In her tour of local churches, Christie found too much fear, too little love. Too much fear, too little love. My interpretation: She was looking for a congregation that centered love—love for God, love for each other, love for humanity and, we might add today, love for the planet. In looking back over this past year, I think we center love pretty well here at UUSE. It’s not perfect, but then Rev. Power’s church couldn’t sing in harmony! I see our love in the way we embrace our children and youth: six infants dedicated on May 17th, five youth affirmed on June 7th, and all manner of kids bridging and performing in last Sunday’s Children and Youth Ministry service. I see it in the steady growth of our adult membership: 36 new members over the last two congregational years. I see it in the way we mourn and celebrate our deceased love ones, the way we speak the truths of their lives, the way they live on in our hearts and make us laugh and smile long after they’re gone. I see it in all those who volunteer as leaders, for fundraisers, for committees, teaching children and youth, and more. I see it in the way so many of you show up for the rallies and the protests, that regular embodied testament to your frustration and anger at how not “all right” things are. I see it in all the people who’ve signed up to be part of our Good Neighbor teams, supporting the families of immigrants unfairly detained by ICE. (By the way, in May we activated our first Good Neighbor Team and raised $400 for a young Peruvian mom from Bristol who is currently being detained at a facility in Louisiana.) I see it in all those who’ve signed up to participate in our statewide UU effort to help relocate transgender people who are moving from dangerous states to safer states like Connecticut. I saw it in everyone who showed up for the first ever Manchester Pride festival. I see it in the way our congregation is held in high esteem by leaders and organizations around the state. No, we are not perfect. Yes, we have work to do. But I think we put love at the center. I think we’re courageous. And I think we recognize we are not powerless when the nation and the world are not all right. We recognize, as so many of our spiritual forebears did, that we have a role to play, a responsibility to act, power to exercise. We have agency. The world is not all right. The nation is not all right. But with this loving faith, we are also justified in proclaiming, “it’s all right.” And every Sunday, no matter who is in the pulpit, it is my hope that you find religion, in the words of Louisa May Alcott, to be a visible and vital thing, a power that you can grasp. And when you depart into the coming week, you are waked up and eager to do something to redeem the country and the world. Here comes the sun. It’s all right. Go forth and redeem the country and the world. Amen and blessed be. [1] Harrison, George, “Here Comes the Sun,” Abbey Road (Apple Records, 1969). Track 1. [2] The United States 2026 Counter-Terrorism Strategy, page 7, May 6, 2026. See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-USCT-Strategy-1.pdf. [3] Alcott, Louisa May, Work: A Story of Experience (New York: Penguin Books, 1994) pp. 115-116. [4] Read the full text of President Obama’s speech at https://barackobama.medium.com/president-obama-and-mrs-obamas-remarks-at-the-opening-of-the-obama-presidential-center-cb614fd04bdd. [5] Ibid., p. 159 – 161. [6] Ibid., p. 166.

Summer Solstice (4:24 am) Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Solstice Meditation" Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words #446 "To the Four Directions" Spirit of the East, Spirit of Air, of Morning and Springtime Be with us as the sun rises in times of beginning, in times of planting. Inspire us with the fresh breath of courage as we go forth into new adventures. Spirit of the South, Spirit of Fire, of noontime and Summer. Be with us through the heat of the day and help us to be ever growing. Warm us with strength and energy for the work that awaits us. Spirit of the West, Spirit of Water, of evening and autumn Be with us as the sun sets and help us to enjoy a rich harvest. Flow through us with a cooling, healing quietness and bring us peace. Spirit of the North, Spirit of Earth, of nighttime and winter Be with us in the darkness in the time of gestation. Ground us in the wisdom of the changing seasons as we celebrate the spiraling journey of our lives Opening Hymn #66 "When the Summer Sun is Shining" Words by Sydney Henry Knight Music from The Southern Harmony, 1855, arr. by Margaret W. Mealy Rob Napier, song leader When the summer sun is shining over golden land and sea, and the flowers in the hedgerow welcome butterfly and bee; then my open heart is glowing, full of warmth for everyone, and I feel an inner beauty which reflects the summer sun. When the summer clouds of thunder bring the long-awaited rain, and the thirsty soil is moistened and the grass is green again; then I long for summer sunshine, but I know that clouds and tears are a part of life's refreshment, like the rainbow's hopes and fears. In the cool of summer evening, when the dancing insects play, and in garden street and meadow linger echoes of the day; then my heart is full of yearning; hopes and mem'ries flood the whole of my being, reaching inwards to the corners of my soul. New Member Welcome 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 Meetinghoue" words adapted from Eugene Sander by Josh Pawelek Music by Jean Sibelius This meetinghouse, 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 meetinghouse, ask those who came before, And found themselves, by crossing through its door. Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering Our June Community Outreach offering is dedicated to Trans Voices and Visibility-365 (TV-365). This minister of the Metropolitan Community Church in Hartford is dedicated to uplifting and supporting the well-being of transgender individuals in Connecticut by meeting basic human needs, and providing information, referrals, service coordination and support to individuals. This ministry also works to support and collaborate with relevant support groups and service providers. Their emphasis is on caring for those most underserved, neglected, victimized and oppressed. This includes, but is not limited to, transgender women and men of color, those with disabilities, youth and elderly, immigrants (documented and undocumented), low income and victims of crime. Offering Music "Here Comes the Sun" By George Harrison Rob Napier, vocals Mary Bopp, piano Sermon "It's All Right" Rev. Josh Pawelek Closing Hymn #1068 "Rising Green" Words and music by Carolyn McDade, arr. by Jim Scott Rob Napier, song leader My blood doth rise in the roots of yon oak, her sap doth run in my veins. Boundless my soul like the open sky where the stars forever have lain. Where the stars, where the stars, where the stars forever have lain. My hands hold the weavings of time without end, my sight as deep as the sea. Beating, my heart sounds the measures of old, that of love's eternity. That of love, that of love, that of love's eternity. I feel the tides as they answer the moon, rushing on a far distant sand. Winging my song is the wind of my breast and my love blows over the land. And my love, and my love, and my love blows over the land. My foot carries days of the old into new, our dreaming shows us the way. Wondrous our faith settles deep in the earth, rising green to bring a new day. Rising green, rising green, rising green to bring a new day. Extinguishing the Chalice and Opening the Circle 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 (Mary Bopp) Welcome (Michelle Spadaccini) Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude An Original Composition Performed by Vera Elzerman, drum and Benjamin Elzerman, bagpipes Chalice Lighting and Opening Words (Michelle Spadaccini, Vera Elzerman and Maggie McGovney-Ingram) Opening Hymn #188 "Come, Come, Whoever You Are" Words adapted from Rumi Music by Lynn Adair Ungar Mary Bopp, piano (song in the round) Come, come, whoever you are, wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. Ours is no caravan of despair. Come, yet again come. Reflection Joys and Concerns Musical Interlude "Pirates of the Caribbean" Music by Hans Zimmer Lonnie Vasquez-O'Brien, violin Offering The recipient of our community outreach offering for the month of June is Trans Voices & Visibility-365 (TV-365), a ministry of the Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford, dedicated to uplifting and supporting the well-being of transgender individuals in Connecticut by providing basic human needs, information and referral, service coordination and support to individuals. Offering Music "Tarantella (Suzuki Cello Book 6)" Music by Henry William Squire Performed by Elliot Vadas, cello and Mary Bopp, piano Recognition & Gratitude Musical Interlude "Ode to Joy" Music by Ludwig van Beethoven Performed by Charlie Vasquez-O'Brien, saxophone Bridging (Michelle Spadaccini and Kaitlyn Blesso) Entering Jr. Youth Group: Xander Fabrycki, Quincy Gilbert, Lonnie Vasquez-O'Brien, Forrest Schultz Entering High School Youth Group: Samuel Gonzalez Graduating Seniors: Dean Gonzalez; Clover Schultz Congregation Response "A Blessing for Bridging" By Maureen Killoran As you step forward into your next chapter, we send with you our fondest hopes and blessings. May life bring enough challenge to fuel your dreams, enough affirmation to honor your gifts and enough nurture to give your spirit peace. Believe in your vision. Follow your dreams. And know always that, when you return to us, here you will find the hands of friends. Presentation of Certificates (Michelle Spadaccini and Kaitlyn Blesso) DYSA recipients: Genna Bender, Margeaux Ford, Charlotte Gonzalez, Claude Gonzalez, Dean Gonzalez, Olive O'Brien-Cohen, Odin Sakon Sevin, Elliot Vadas USH Nightline Mission recipients: Charlotte Gonzalez, Claude Gonzalez, Dean Gonzalez, Samuel Gonzalez, Olive O'Brien-Cohen, Odin Sakon Sevin Words from the Minister Closing Hymn #118 "This Little Light of Mine" Words & Music: African American spiritual Mary Bopp, piano 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'rywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine. Ev'rywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine. Ev'rywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Building up a world, I'm gonna let it shine. Building up a world, I'm gonna let it shine. Building up a world, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Extinguishing the Chalice and 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.

Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "When You Come Back Down" by Danny O'Keefe and Tim O'Brien Gonzalez Family Singers Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "In Stillness" by Nancy Shaffer Genna Bender, reader Opening Hymn #298 "Wake Now My Senses" Words by Thomas S. J. 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. Introduction to Service Musical Interlude Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering Trans Voices and Visibility-365 (TV-365) is a ministry dedicated to uplifting and supporting the well being of transgender individuals in Connecticut by providing basic human needs information and referral, service coordination and support to individuals. This ministry also works to support and collaborate with relevant support groups and service providers. Our emphasis is on those most underserved, neglected, victimized and oppressed. This includes, but is not limited to, transgender women and men of color, those with disabilities, youth and elderly, immigrants (documented and undocumented), low income and victims of crime. Offering Music "Meditation from Thaϊs" by Jules Massenet Margeaux Ford, violin Mary Bopp, piano Credos Margeaux Ford Mentor: Gina Campellone Genna Bender Mentor: Nora Mijares Alpers-Leon Olivia O'Brien-Cohen Mentor: Kate Kimmerle Charlotte Gonzalez Mentor: Kristen Morgan Claude Gonzalez Mentor: Kevin Holian-Borgnis Music "You Were Meant to Be" by Renee Stahl Glen Phillips & Rich Jaques Gonzalez Family Singers Gifts Minister: To celebrate the milestone achievement of completing Affirmation, it is our tradition at UUSE to present each youth with a chalice pendant. We hope you will wear this pendant proudly and that it will serve as a reminder that you are loved and supported by our entire community. Congregation: Just as we have been with you in days past, we are with you now. We care for you. We love you. In you we place our faith. In you we place our hope for a more peaceful, just and loving world. Youth: We are grateful for your love and suppport, and for the faith and hope you place in us as we move into the future. All: We are never complete. We are never finished. We are always becoming more than we have been. May we always help and encourage each other to grow toward all we are capable of becoming. Closing Hymn #108 "My Life Flows on in Endless Song" Early Quaker song American gospel tune 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 though the darkness 'round me close, songs in the night it giveth. Nor 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! When tyrants tremble as they hear the bells of freedom ringing, when friends rejoice both far and near, how can I keep from singing! To prison cell and dungeon vile our thoughts to them are winging; when friends by shame are undefiled, how can I keep from singing! 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. Special thanks to Kevin Holian-Borgnis, Molly Vigeant, Sam Taylor and Emmy Galbraith for their assistance in supporting the class.

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements Prelude "Aria" by Eugene Magalif Peggy Webbe, bass flute Mary Bopp, piano Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Opening Hymn "Be Still and Breathe" by Loretta K. Notareschi and Gabe Perbieri Be still and breathe. Be still and be. Listen to heartache, listen to grief. Be still and breathe. Be still and be. Listen to gladness, listen to joy. Be still and breathe. Be still and be. Listen to anger, listen to hurt. Be still and breathe. Be still and be. Listen to beauty, listen to grace. Be still and breathe. Be still and be. Listen to you, listen to me. Be still and breathe. Be still and be. Time For All Ages "The Word Collector" by Peter H. Reynolds Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering The recipient of our May Community Outreach offering is Hartford Deportation Defense. HDD is an immigrant-led organization in Hartford, CT, working alongside their neighbors and partners to build a just and dignified future for our families and communities in the Hartford region. They engage in a variety of activities in support of immigrants, including fundraising (especially for people facing health emergencies), providing resources for families with a loved-one in detention, working with immigration attorneys, rapid response, accompaniment to hearings and legislative advocacy. Offering Music "Colors" by the Black Pumas Kate Howard Bender, guitar and vocals Sermon "Pride, Pause and Community Care" Kamora Le'Ella Herrington Closing Hymn "There's a River Flowin' in My Soul" by Rose Sanders aka Faya Ora Rose Touré There's a river flowin' in my soul. There's a river flowin' in my soul. And it's tellin' me that I'm somebody. There's a river flowin' in my soul. There's a river flowin' in my heart... There's a river flowin' in my mind... Extinguishing the Chalice Closing Circle (Set to 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 and Announcements Centering Prelude "There is a Love" by Elizabeth H. Norton, Rebecca Ann Parker arr. by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Opening Hymn #122 Sound Over All Waters Words: John Greenleaf Whittier Music: Welsh Melody Sound over all waters, reach out from all lands the chorus of voices, the clasping of hands! Rise, hope of the ages, arise like the sun, all speech flow to music all hearts beat as one! Sing bridal of nations, with chorals of love! Sing out the war vulture and sing in the dove! With glad jubilation sing hope for the world; the great storm is ending, the clouds are all furled. Sound trumpets of triumph for marches of peace, east, west, north, and south, let the quarrels cease! Sing songs of great joy that the angels began, give glory to children, to woman and man! Hark! Joining the chorus the heavens resound! The old day is ending, a new day is crowned! Rise, hope for the ages, arise like the sun, all speech flow to music, all hearts beat as one! Introduction to the Service Responsive Invocation Story 1: The Sharps read by Martha Larson and Bill Graver Story 2: The Chalice read by Sandy Karosi and Susan Barlow Story 3: Abolition read by Martha Larson and Rob Napier Song: There Is a Love Joys and Concerns Musical Interlude Story 4: The Secret Six read by Sandy Karosi and Sue McMillen Offering Offering Music "Fire of Commitment" by Jason Shelton arr. by Mary Bopp Story 5: The Women of the Unitarian Society of New Haven read by Martha Larson and Susan Barlow Song: There Is a Love Story 6: The Clergy Consultation Service read by Sandy Karosi and Bill Graver Song: There Is a Love Story 7: AIDS read by Martha Larson and Sue McMillen Song: There Is a Love Story 8: Responding to ICE/Minneapolis read by Sandy Karosi and Rob Napier Moment of Silence A Prayer for Hope and Justice by Rev. Michelle Collins Closing Hymn #170 We Are a Gentle, Angry People Words and Music: Holly Near We are a gentle, angry people, and we are singing, singing for our lives. We are a gentle, angry people, and we are singing, singing for our lives. We are a justice-seeking people... We are young and old together... We are a land of many colors... We are gay and straight together... We are a gentle, loving people... 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 (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Processional Hymn #361 "Enter, Rejoice and Come In" by Louise Ruspini arr. by Betty Wylder Enter, rejoice, and come in. Enter, rejoice, and come in. Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice and come in. Open your ears to the song ... Open your hearts ev'ryone ... Don't be afraid of some change ... Enter, rejoice, and come in ... Centering Prelude "Greet the Sunny Day" by Andy Ricci Chalice Lighting and Opening Words #463, excerpt from "Dream of a Common Language" by adrienne rich My heart is moved by all I cannot save: / so much has been destroyed I have to cast my lot with those / who age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, /reconstitute the world. Child Dedication Kai William Hanson (9) Ezra Ailill Morgan (11) Wesley Roland Bernier (11) Lou-Ethel Beverly Covino (11) Montario Jamar Mango (Rio) (11) Cillian Mac Lisle (11) Congregational Commitment We each bear responsibility for the care and nurture of all children. Our task is to seek peace and justice so that children may live without the threat of violence. Our task is to be good stewards of the earth, so that children may inherit a healthy planet. Our task is to seek truth and meaning, so that children may know by our example the value of spiritual living. Because our children learn to live as we live and learn to love as we love, we commit to live well and love deeply all the days of our lives. 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. Joys and Concerns Musical Meditation Offering Hartford Deportation Defense says "we are an immigrant organization in Hartford, CT, working alongside our neighbors to build a just and dignified future for our families and communities in the Hartford region." They engage in a variety of activities in support of immigrants, including fundraising (especially for people facing health emergencies), providing resources for families with a loved-one in detention, working with immigration attorneys, rapid response, accompaniment to hearings and legislative advocacy. Offering Music "Blue Boat Home" by Peter Mayer Gonzalez Family Homily Flower Communion Flower Communion Prayer "Consecration of the Flowers" by the Rev. Norbert F. Capek adapted by Rev. Josh Pawelek Closing Hymn #155 "Circle 'Round for Freedom" by Linda Hirschhorn Circle 'round for freedom, circle 'round for peace, for all of us imprisoned, circle for release, circle for the planet, circle for each soul, for the children of our children, keep the circle whole. 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.

Gathering Music Jean Gabriel-Marie: La Cinquantaine Robert Schumann: Traumerei W. A. Mozart: Rondo from Sonata in A major, K. 331 Dorothy Bognar, piano Welcome Centering Prelude Benjamin Godard: Berceuse from Jocelyn Dorothy Bognar, piano Chalice Lighting & Opening Words We Kindle This Flame by Selena Fox We kindle this flame with love for mothers and foremothers past, present, and future; We kindle this flame in celebration of community and its generations. We kindle this flame with respect and support for the greater circle of life of which we are all part. Opening Hymn STLT #368, Now Let Us Sing Words and music: Anonymous Dorothy Bognar, piano Now let us sing, sing, sing Now let us sing, sing, sing Lift up your voice, be not afraid; sing to the power of the faith within. Now let us sing, sing, sing Now let us sing, sing, sing Lift up your voice, be not afraid; sing to the power of the hope within. Now let us sing, sing, sing Now let us sing, sing, sing Lift up your voice, be not afraid; sing to the power of the love within. Now let us sing, sing, sing Now let us sing, sing, sing Lift up your voice, be not afraid; sing to the power of the joy within. Time for All Ages How to Spot a Mom Written by Donna Amey Bhatt Illustrated by Aura Lewis Read by Sam Taylor Hymn STLT#16, 'Tis a Gift to Be Simple Words: Joseph Bracket, 18th cent. Music: American Shaker tune Dorothy Bognar, piano (Sing 2x) 'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free, 'tis a gift to come down where we ought to be, and when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained, to bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed. To turn, turn will be our delight, 'till by turning, turning we come 'round right. Announcements 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 May will be shared with Hartford Deportation Defense, CT Students for a Dream, and Unidad Latinas en Accion. Offering Music Leonard Gautier: Le Secret (Intermezzo Pizzicato) Dorothy Bognar, piano Introduction to the Service Reading Thoughts of a Mother by L. E. Bowman (as read by a father ...) Are you hungry? Are you tired? Do you need a jacket, some water? Of course, I'll carry everything you've collected. Of course, I'll sit in the grass. Do you need a fortress? A fire? Something soft to fall onto? I'll hold you, hold you together. I'll hold you forever. Will you always reach for my hand the way you do now? I'll expand if you need me to. I'll give if it helps you. I'll cross every river and face every storm. Is that too much? Too little? Am I guiding you forward or holding you back? You're green now but in a blink you'll be older. I'm getting older. This life flicks by faster and faster. One day' I'll leave you. I don't want to leave you. Can I pause time? Bottle this moment? How do I keep you when nothing lasts? Musical Interlude Reflections: Sam Taylor - Wisdom from UUSE Moms Reflections: Sam Taylor - Mothering during the 2020s Musical Interlude Reflections: Kate Kimmerle - The Benign Neglect of a UU Mom Closing Hymn STLT #391 Voice Still and Small Words and music: John Corrado Voice still and small, deep inside all, I hear you call, singing. In storm and rain, sorrow and pain, still we'll remain singing. Calming my fears, quenching my tears, through all the years, singing. Extinguishing the Chalice Bring Happiness by Barbara Cheatham And now we take our leave Before we gather here again-- may each of us bring happiness into another's life; may we each be surprised by the gifts tht surround us; may each of us be enlivened by constant curiosity-- And may we remain together in spirit til the hour we meet again 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. Impress an Artsy Mom with an Origami Heart

The Ancient Spring At our Earth Day service two weeks ago I said it is always a worthwhile exercise to reflect on what it means to have a place in the interdependent web of all existence. I then said that such contemplation can, at times, lead us into that kind of spiritual or mystical experience in which all the borders and the boundaries between us and everything else melt away, ebb, fade, disappear, revealing in their wake an endless, crisscrossing multitude of connections, of relationships, of mutual dependencies, a sense of the oneness of everything, a sense of the strange but real bonds that unite everything to everything, which leads us to offer grace for everything, which was the title of that sermon.[1] This morning I am proposing a different, though related and equally worthwhile exercise, a reflection on what it means to have a highly specific, physical place in the interdependent web of all existence; and more to the point, what it means for us, as a congregation, to have and to care for these four particular acres, sloping gently eastward, down from the top of what I’ve always known as Elm Hill, where Manchester’s northeast corner abuts the Talcottville area of Vernon, where an ancient spring lies hidden in our woods, overflowing in springtime and feeding a pond just beyond edge of our property, whose exit streams eventually empty into the Hockanum River far below us. What does it mean to have this land, which is also home to turtles, owls, woodpeckers, squirrels, a variety of pollinators, wild turkeys, deer, at least one woodchuck which I saw running across the parking lot on Tuesday morning, thousands of other birds (though many are just passing through), the occasional neighbor cat, the occasional teenage humans parking in our lot after hours, and monarch butterflies who, if I have my facts correct, will be arriving over the next month for their summer stay? What does it mean to have this land which is best by invasive species whose presence, over time, weakens otherwise hearty trees, which explains why a number of them fell in the northeastern section of our woods during the last major ice storm? Open area in the northeast woods What does it mean to have this land, which is home to a beautiful, peaceful memorial garden, a final resting place for so many of our deceased loved-ones, our congregational ancestors, a truly sacred site? Memorial Garden What does it mean to have this land, whose constant 55° temperature 500 feet below the surface, heats a glycol solution which we then use for heating and cooling our meeting house? What does it mean to have this land? I invite you to take a brief, quiet moment to reflect on your relationship to these four, gently sloping acres at 153 Vernon St. West in Manchester. **** Today we welcome new members into our congregation. As we conduct our welcoming ritual, we offer a very specific invitation to the new members. We invite them “to share in our mission of 1) caring for one another, 2) encouraging each other in spiritual growth, 3) working for justice and peace in the wider community, and 4) living in harmony with the earth.” All of you who are members of this congregation received some version of this invitation when you officially joined. As your minister, I think a lot about what it means to be a member of the congregation. I try to articulate that meaning on Sunday mornings from time to time, but I find I articulate it most elaborately at the Introduction to Unitarian Universalism class which we hold 3-4 times a year. In that class I say things like, members have the responsibility to attend and vote at congregational meetings. Members can be elected to one of our many leadership roles. Members make the most generous financial gift possible to the Annual Appeal. Members receive care from each other when they need care; and members also provide care to each other as needs arise (that’s part 1 of the invitation). Members explore opportunities for spiritual growth together through participation in Sunday Services, small group ministry, affinity groups, and religious education offerings (that’s part 2 of the invitation). Members participate as they can in our organizing for social and environmental justice and peace-making in the wider community (that’s part 3 of the invitation.) Part 4 of the invitation is living in harmony with the earth. I confess, I probably say the least about this facet of membership. How do we live in harmony with the earth? There are thousands of ways to pursue it, and so many of us practice various ways in our daily living. But how do you, the members and friends of this congregation, collectively live in harmony with the earth? You have this particular tract of land, these four gently sloping acres. Maybe the new member invitation needs more specificity. Maybe it should be an invitation to live in harmony with this land; to faithfully steward this land; to compassionately care for this land. Perhaps this is obvious. But this is my message on this day when we welcome new members: Being a member of this congregation includes endeavoring as best we can to live in harmony with this particular patch of earth. Being a member of this congregation includes caring for this land. **** There’s a lot we don’t know about this land. We’re confident we follow a long line of stewards, though we don’t have much information about who our predecessors were. We know these woods are relatively new. We suspect, like much of New England, this was pastureland in the 19th and early 20th centuries, before most of the houses were built in the neighborhood. That may be why someone laid stones around the spring—a place for the animals to drink. Though some have argued those stones may have been placed earlier, either by the Podunks or Wangunks who hunted and fished on these lands for centuries prior to the arrival of European colonists, and whose predecessors began inhabiting these lands between 8,000 and 12,000 years ago. We find the remains of old stone walls on this land. Old trails. There’s a very old apple tree out there, though our building manager, Jane Osborn, says she’s never seen it bloom. At one point there was a piece of barbed wire buried in an old tree, though I’m pretty sure that tree was removed to make way for this building. These are all clues about who lived in harmony with this land before our time. A lot has changed during the time I’ve been serving as your minister. Most notably, this sanctuary wasn’t here when I started in 2003. The chapel and classrooms below us weren’t here. There was a wide grassy space between the building and the memorial garden that we sometimes used for outdoor picnics and celebrations, as well as children’s programming in the warm seasons. The congregation threw a party out there for my family in 2006 when our son Max was born. At one point Janet Heller and our former Director of Religious Education, Vicki Merriam, started the first children’s organic vegetable garden in that space. In the mid-2000s, we went through a multi-year process of becoming an official Unitarian Universalist Association Green Sanctuary. During that time we learned a lot about how to better care for the land by planting native species, removing invasive species, composting, and using various organic farming techniques in our gardens. Our building project in 2009 and 2010 was disruptive to the land. Around that time we created an Ecological Landscaping Team whose task was to relandscape the areas disturbed by the building project. At that time we also relocated the children’s organic vegetable garden to its current location by the south entrance to the meeting house. We used wood from dead cedar trees to make the beds, fed the soil with our own compost, and watered the beds with rain water captured in rain barrels. That garden has gone through a variety of changes over the years. Mary Lawrence managed it as an organic garden for a number of years, naming it the Peas and Love Community Garden. In recent years we’ve planted more native pollinators than veggies, but an herb garden remains, and everyone is welcome to pick from it. This spring the Children and Youth Ministry program will be planting veggies in a few of the beds. Organic Garden, herb garden, etc. Compost Bin These are examples of how the land in the vicinity of the building has changed. But there are changes out in the woods too. Of course, there are a lot of invasive species that weren’t there 50 years ago, and a lot of the work that needs doing involves clipping the invasives before they reproduce. Clipping is easier and less labor-intensive than trying to pull them out by their roots. But it’s not all about invasives. Cory Clark pointed out that some wooded areas are now more open, in part because trees have fallen as a result of weakening from the presence of invasives. In that more open space, Cory and others have been asking, what could the next growth be? Some have suggested an edible forest. Can we plant orchard trees, apples and pears? Can we plant berry bushes? Could we, in time, develop a small, sustainable road-side food ministry? Pick-your-own apples? Pick-your-own blueberries? That’s in the future. There are more immediate tasks today. And I mean TODAY we will be planting native plants and berry bushes on the grounds. If you would like to help, Cory Clark will guide you to the areas we have prepared. Tools will be provided. **** Finally, I asked, what does it mean to have this land? I struggle with this language, and I’m sure some of you struggle with it too, because “having” implies possession. Yet this land ultimately doesn’t belong to us. In a spiritual sense, we don’t have it at all. We are a part of it, a partner with it, a recipient of its gifts. Spiritually speaking, it may be more accurate to say the land has us. We are, at most, temporary stewards, like all those who have come before us. Yet, I decided to ask the question this way—what does it mean to have this land?—because, legally, the members of this congregation quite literally have this land. We own it. We are responsible for it. That’s the nature of the land-owning system we inherit from the European colonists who brought it with them in the 17th and 18th centuries. This ownership systems is one of the primary reasons the earth is in so much trouble today. Land has become a commodity to be exploited, its riches extracted, its ecosystems polluted. Too often, land ownership grants the owner the license to destroy it for the sake of financial gain. As we reflect on what it means to have this land, let us be mindful of what so often happens to land that humans have. Let us endeavor not to exploit this land, not to abuse this land, not to neglect this land, but to be good stewards, to keep it healthy and fertile, thriving and beautiful, trusting that as much as we have it, it has us; trusting, if nothing else, that when we take care of this land, when we take care of these four gently sloping acres on Elm Hill, here on the Manchester-Vernon line, it feels good. Amen and blessed be. [1] Pawelek, Josh, “Grace for Everything,” a sermon delivered to the UU Society East, Manchester, CT, April 19, 2026. See: https://www.uuse.org/post/grace-for-everything-a-sermon-for-earth-day-rev-josh-pawelek-april-19-2026.