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< To Upcoming Services Jun 1, 2025 Affirmation Sunday Service: "Affirmation" Affirmation is our long-standing 'coming-of-age' program for youth. This morning we honor and celebrate two UUSE youth who have participated in the Affirmation class over the past congregational year. They will share their credo statements, and we will hear form their mentors. Coordinators : Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service #eBlast-05-28 Sunday Service: "Affirmation" Affirmation is our long-standing 'coming-of-age' program for youth. This morning we honor and celebrate two UUSE youth who have participated in the Affirmation class over the past congregational year. They will share their credo statements, and we will hear form their mentors. Coordinators : Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service Sunday, June 1, 2025 In Case You Missed It: #eBlast -05-28 OOS Sermon YouTube

Important topics around the UUA, including General Assembly. UUA Live your values aloud, not alone. Our open-minded, open-hearted spiritual communities help people lead lives of justice, love, learning and hope. Demonination Affairs Forum Here

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Sunday Service: "Gracefully Amazing" Sunday Service: "Gracefully Amazing" This morning we offer a multifaceted exploration of the hymn Amazing Grace. We'll experience different musical approaches to this hymn, and we'll probe its history and lyrics for spiritual guidance. Coordinators: Mary Bopp and Rev. Josh Pawelek Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. Sunday, April 13, 2025 Gathering music starts at 8:55 and 10:55 A.M. Join the virtual service at 11:00 A.M. via our Zoom link: Contact the Office for Zoom Link. Or join by phone. Call 1-860-646-5151 Meeting ID 357 815 420#. In Case You Missed It: Click here for a Youtube link to our 4/6/25 service, "Poetry & Joy as Acts of Resistance" #eBlast-04-09 Sunday Service: "Gracefully Amazing" This morning we offer a multifaceted exploration of the hymn Amazing Grace. We'll experience different musical approaches to this hymn, and we'll probe its history and lyrics for spiritual guidance. Coordinators : Mary Bopp and Rev. Josh Pawelek Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. Sunday, April 13, 2025 Gathering music starts at 8:55 and 10:55 A.M. Join the virtual service at 11:00 A.M. via our Zoom link: Contact the Office for Zoom Link . Or join by phone. Call 1-860-646-5151 Meeting ID 357 815 420#. In Case You Missed It: Click here for a Youtube link to our 4/6/25 service, "Poetry & Joy as Acts of Resistance" #eBlast -04-09 OOS Sermon YouTube

224af6d3-8557-463a-94bb-b88f3359b50b < Back Nominating and Leadership Development Committee Prepares list of nominees for Society offices to present for vote at annual meeting; fills vacancies; identifies and nurtures leaders. Updated October 9, 2025 at 2:21:22 PM

2df706fc-85a3-4b2d-9669-1234fc2f9954 < Back to Newsletter December Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Green Sanctuary News Have you noticed that plastics are everywhere? They are on our streets, in our homes, in our oceans. Research has shown it is in us, in our blood, in our organs– including our brains. It’s also in our soil, in the rain, in the air we breathe, and in the water we drink. How has this happened? And how concerned should we be? The first plastic materials came out in the 1950s and by the 1960s were showing up all over the place. Every year, more and more plastic is produced, which has a devastating effect on our earth, in its production by petroleum-based products that take, in some cases, hundreds of years to disintegrate. Single-use plastics, our fast food drink cups, bottles of water, etc., also degrade by being heated–whether by simply being exposed to the sun or having hot beverages put into them, releasing toxic chemicals as well as micro-plastics that quickly become part of our surroundings. “EPA researchers define microplastics, or MPs, as plastic particles ranging in size from 5 millimeters (mm), which is about the size of a pencil eraser, to 1 nanometer (nm). For comparison, a strand of human hair is about 80,000 nanometers wide. Primary microplastics are intentionally manufactured in small sizes for their use in consumer products, such as cosmetics or biomedical products. Secondary microplastics are plastic particles that break down from larger plastic materials, such as food wrapping, tires, and synthetic textiles.” It is the microplastics that we are breathing in, eating, and drinking. I remember the first time I read that apples growing in orchards have plastic in them, the horror I felt. Now reading that even the far northern Alaskan salmon are also carrying plastics in them continues the feelings of horror and helplessness. Since 2000, the amount of plastic the world produces has doubled. In the next twenty years,s it’s expected to triple. There is a huge lobby behind plastics, claiming they are necessary, which is going to be devastating to the environment as well as all the creatures that inhabit it, including ourselves. I didn’t start this article to terrify our congregation; I simply want you to consider the plastics you use every day and to find ways that they can be replaced and eliminated from our everyday lives. I realize I use plastic spatulas when a wooden spoon would work just as well. My plastic soup ladle needs to be replaced with a stainless steel one. One by one, my freezer containers are being replaced by glass containers. Needless to say, I NEVER heat any food in my microwave in plastic, I always use glass. To cover a glass container that doesn’t have a cover, use a microwaveable glass plate. Finding ways to replace products made of plastic is sometimes difficult. Take your tooth brushing routine, for example. From what I’ve read a bamboo toothbrush with soft bristles and silk floss is one of the best answers to the plastic toothbrush. Then there is the toothpaste. Brands that offer microplastic-free options include Bite Toothpaste, Unpaste, Davids, and Georganics, which typically use natural ingredients and sustainable packaging. We have to do our homework in this arena just as carefully as we read the news. Just Google microplastics and step into a world you may never have imagined. As in many things in our world today, you’ll have to calm yourself. In thinking about the microplastics we are daily ingesting, we realize that our bodies do have a system of removing toxins and microplastics. Be aware that fresh foods like fruits and vegetables help our bodies rid themselves of microplastics. Healthy eating has never been more important. We have a choice of products to use, and we can avoid plastic with due diligence. Being fully aware of the plastic around you is the first step. #DecemberNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

< To Upcoming Services May 19, 2024 Flower Communion. All-Congregational Worship. Through wonderful music and our annual flower communion, we celebrate our beloved multigenerational community. Please bring a flower or flowers to share! We also revisit some important moments in 20th-century UU history. Coordinators: Emmy Galbraith, Mary Bopp, #eBlast-05-15 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Nov 30, 2025 Awake My Soul "Awake My Soul" This morning Rev. Josh contemplates what it might mean to have a soul. Jennifer Richard provides the music, including a rendition of "Awake My Soul" by Mumford and Sons. Coordinator : Rev. Josh Pawelek Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. #eBlast-11-26 "Awake My Soul" This morning Rev. Josh contemplates what it might mean to have a soul. Jennifer Richard provides the music, including a rendition of "Awake My Soul" by Mumford and Sons. Coordinator : Rev. Josh Pawelek Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. Sunday, November 30, 2025 In Case You Missed It #eBlast -11-26 OOS Sermon YouTube

98c914d5-abb4-41bd-baa6-7b28c5972213 < Back Social Justice / Anti-Oppression Committee Social Justice Anti-Oppression Committee : Sponsors and encourages participation in service projects; acts as liaison with UUSC and social service agencies. Strives to educate its members and the members and friends of UUSE about institutional racism and white privilege. Participates in and encourages others to participate in a wide variety of racial, economic, and social justice initiatives in Manchester and the Greater Hartford region. See “Other Contacts and Groups” for a list of coordinators for Manchester Area Conference of Churches, tutoring, and other programs. Updated October 9, 2025 at 2:29:04 PM

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled The Pastoral Friends Committee has a rotating chair throughout the year. Should you need pastoral care during the month of February and/or up to March 3rd, please contact The Pastoral Friends Committee has a rotating chair throughout the year. Should you need pastoral care during the month of February and/or up to March 3rd, please contact Sid Soderholm. Laurie Semprebon will pick up the rotating chair spot as of March 4th. #eBlast-02-26 The Pastoral Friends Committee has a rotating chair throughout the year. Should you need pastoral care during the month of February and/or up to March 3rd, please contact Sid Soderholm . Laurie Semprebon will pick up the rotating chair spot as of March 4th. #eBlast -02-26 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled GHIAA Training Opportunities GHIAA Training Opportunities Are you interested in learning more about faith-based organizing? Are you interested in becoming more involved with UUSE's participation in the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance? If so, GHIAA has just announced its Spring 2025 Leadership Training. They invite all interested UUSE members and friends to join them for a workshop on the fundamentals of faith-based organizing, the tools of relational culture, techniques for building and wielding power, and the process for identifying issues and developing campaigns. There are two options for training this spring (each series will cover the same content): • Wednesdays, 1:00 - 3:00 P.M., via Zoom, May 7, 14, 21, 28 • Tuesdays, 6:00 - 8:00 P.M., in person (location being confirmed in Hartford), June 3, 10, 17, 24 Registration is online. Questions? Contact Monica van Beusekom or Rev. Josh Pawelek. #eBlast-05-07 GHIAA Training Opportunities Are you interested in learning more about faith-based organizing? Are you interested in becoming more involved with UUSE's participation in the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance? If so, GHIAA has just announced its Spring 2025 Leadership Training . They invite all interested UUSE members and friends to join them for a workshop on the fundamentals of faith-based organizing, the tools of relational culture, techniques for building and wielding power, and the process for identifying issues and developing campaigns. There are two options for training this spring (each series will cover the same content): Wednesdays, 1:00 - 3:00 P.M., via Zoom, May 7, 14, 21, 28 Tuesdays, 6:00 - 8:00 P.M., in person (location being confirmed in Hartford), June 3, 10, 17, 24 Registration is online . Questions? Contact Monica van Beusekom or Rev. Josh Pawelek. #eBlast -05-07 OOS Sermon YouTube

9a2f2dc3-1153-4de3-8548-bd51c637067b < Back to Newsletter December Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > MACC Christmas Mitten/Gloves Drive! December at UUSE The Manchester Area Conference of Churches has put out a call for mittens and gloves in all sizes. UUSE is going to formally re-establish our holiday Mitten Tree. During the month of December, please bring mittens and gloves to decorate the Christmas tree in the UUSE sanctuary. For more information, contact Diana Creamer at 860-646-5151. #DecemberNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

The forum is useful for deep discussions on current congregational affairs and other topics. To see this working, head to your live site. Categories All Posts My Posts The Forum This is a place for community building, communication, and listening, where members and friends can share ideas. Create New Post General Discussion Share ideas, opinions, and resources on various topics. subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 8 Follow Denominational Affairs A place to discuss UUA and other matters subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 50 Follow New Posts jknapp Jul 28 Exploring Tim Shriver's Dignity Index and Dignity Pledge General Discussion 3rd Wednesday Vesper Service - Sponsored by the UU Multiracial Unity Action Council (UUMUAC) Wednesday, August 20 • 7:00 pm Central Time, (8:00 Eastern, 6:00 Mountain, 5:00 Pacific) Our speaker for the August Vespers service is retired DeKalb, Illinois high school teacher Dan Kenney. Dan will be exploring Tim Shriver's Dignity Index and Dignity Pledge - an instrument for healing America's divisions. Dan is a long-time member of the UU Congregation of DeKalb, and the founder of DeKalb County Community Gardens (now "Rooted for Good"), which began as a backyard effort to grow a few vegetables, and now feeds thousands of DeKalbans with weekly free food distributions. Dan is a regular contributor to WNIJ Public Radio's "Perspectives" series. You'll want to hear this one! FOR THE ZOOM LINK: please send your name, email address, and congregation (if any) to richard3point@gmail.com. (If you received a Zoom link to a previous service from that email address, you will automatically receive one for this service.) The link will be sent Tuesday before the Vespers service. 9 Like 0 Carrie Kocher Jun 27 UUA NER June 2025 Newsletter Denominational Affairs Click HERE to view the UUA NER June 2025 Newsletter. Like 1 0 Carrie Kocher Jun 27 UUA GA 2025 Recap: What Happened Denominational Affairs Click HERE to read an article from the "UU World" recapping what happened at GA 2025. Like 1 0 Forum - Frameless Log In