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< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Attention UU Artists! Attention UU Artists! Juried multimedia exhibition celebrating summer at Arts Center East "Summertime!" - All artists working in all media are invited to capture the essence of summer and submit their creative work online at artscentereast.org/exhibits/#artist-opportunities. Submission deadline is Friday, June 20, 2025. Juried results will be announced Wednesday, June 25, 2025 with accepted artists drop-off on Saturday, June 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Sunday, June 29, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. See the flyer on the bulletin board or visit artscentereast.org for more information. #eBlast-06-18 Attention UU Artists! Juried multimedia exhibition celebrating summer at Arts Center East "Summertime!" - All artists working in all media are invited to capture the essence of summer and submit their creative work online at artscentereast.org/exhibits/#artist-opportunities . Submission deadline is Friday, June 20, 2025 . Juried results will be announced Wednesday, June 25, 2025 with accepted artists drop-off on Saturday, June 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Sunday, June 29, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. See the flyer on the bulletin board or visit artscentereast.org for more information. #eBlast -06-18 OOS Sermon YouTube

361f457e-e517-4b20-bce2-a0d545f328e6 < Back to Newsletter December Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Minister's Column Dear Ones: I’ve been trying to prepare for our December ministry theme, hope. Full disclosure: though I experience myself as a hopeful person, the words aren’t coming—at least not yet, not in the middle of November when this column is due!! So I am borrowing liberally from a previous sermon I wrote on hope. These words are working for me! I hope they work for you. Hope is certainly an appropriate theme for December, the “darkest” month, the month in which so many festivals of light take place; the month in which so many lights symbolize hope at the darkest time of the year. I suspect there is something deep in our cultural DNA that yearns for light in the midst of darkness. I suspect our ancient human ancestors—especially those in the northern latitudes—experienced winter as a difficult time, a time of hunger, a time of worry—will we survive? The return of the sun at the Winter Solstice must have been a powerful and inspiring moment, one that generated profound hope in human hearts—the days are getting longer; we’re going to make it! I sense this deeper, ancient yearning at the heart of the Biblical Christmas story. I sense it at the heart of the Hanukkah story. I sense it at the heart of the Christmas tree ritual—a pagan ritual—the placing of an evergreen inside the home, decorating it, lighting it—an enduring symbol of hope at the darkest time of the year. Yet I also recognize that many people just don’t feel hopeful right now. As you’ve heard me say many times, we are living in an age of authoritarianism. For this reason, and others, hope is difficult to find. There are techniques for cultivating hope in an era of increasing hopelessness. In her 2010 book, The Gifts of Imperfection, the popular researcher/social worker/storyteller, Brené Brown, says, “hope is not an emotion; it's a way of thinking or a cognitive process. Emotions play a supporting role, but hope is really a thought process made up of [a] trilogy of goals, pathways, and agency.” Hope happens when “1) we have the ability to set realistic goals (I know where I want to go); 2) we are able to figure out how to achieve those goals, including the ability to stay flexible and develop alternative routes (I know how to get there, I'm persistent, and I can tolerate disappointment and try again); and 3) we believe in ourselves (I can do this!).” This may seem obvious to many of us, but there’s an important reminder here: hope can be learned! I like that. If you are among those who find it difficult to feel hopeful—and even if you aren’t—I have a threefold prayer for you. First, may the hope of this season wash over you, lift your spirits, connect you to that ancient experience of witnessing the sun’s return. Second, in this dark season, may you step back from the busyness of everyday life, engage in self-reflection, and discern where it is you want to go and how to get there. Third, may you believe in yourself. Or perhaps I can sum up this prayer in one short sentence: May you hope! With love, care and hope, Rev. Josh #DecemberNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

< To Upcoming Services Feb 23, 2025 Inclusion and Exclusion Sunday Service: "Inclusion and Exclusion" Learn how inclusion and exclusion can impact you Coordinators : Anne Vogel and Ellen Williams Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. #eBlast-02-19 Sunday Service: "Inclusion and Exclusion" Learn how inclusion and exclusion can impact you Coordinators : Anne Vogel and Ellen Williams Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. Sunday, February 23, 2025 #eBlast -02-19 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Sep 28, 2025 Imagining a Congregational Year: Part II. Sunday, September 28th: Imagining a Congregational Year: Part II. Because one service on kicking off the congregational year could not possibly cover everything, Rev. Josh will continue exploring the themes he introduced in his September 14th service. Special Guest Music Leader: Andy Ricci. Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. Sunday, September 28th: Imagining a Congregational Year: Part II. Because one service on kicking off the congregational year could not possibly cover everything, Rev. Josh will continue exploring the themes he introduced in his September 14th service. Special Guest Music Leader: Andy Ricci. Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. #OctoberNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Nov 12, 2023 GHIAA: Why Faith-Based Community Organizing Matters. Our guest speaker this morning is Marika Stewart, an organizer with the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance. Ms. Stewart will provide reflections on GHIAA's past successes and its vision for the future of our state. She will also share the reasons why she is drawn to the work of faith-based community organizing. GHIAA, established in 2019, is a diverse organizatin of lay leaders and clergy intersecting race, class, gender identity, religion and geography to build relational power that addresses social justice challenges in local communities and beyond. UUSE is a proud GHIAA member and fully supports its endeavors. Coordinator: Gianna DiMaiolo #eBlast-11-08 November 12: “GHIAA: Why Faith-Based Community Organizing Matters.” Our guest speaker this morning is Marika Stewart, an organizer with the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance. Ms. Stewart will provide reflections on GHIAA's past successes and its vision for the future of our state. She will also share the reasons why she is drawn to the work of faith-based community organizing. GHIAA, established in 2019, is a diverse organization of lay leaders and clergy intersecting race, class, gender identity, religion, and geography to build relational power that addresses social justice challenges in local communities and beyond. UUSE is a proud GHIAA member, and fully supports its endeavors. Coordinator(s): Gianna DiMaiolo OOS Sermon YouTube

A list of social services contact information IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS Mental Health, Health, Suicide Prevention and Addiction Resources 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 9-8-8 - call text or chat if you or someone you know has thoughts about suicide Mobile Crisis 2-1-1 is a statewide, community based and family supportive clinical intervention service for children & adolescents experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis. Mobile Crisis provides rapid emergency crisis stabilization for children and their families as well as short-term follow-up care and connection to other services. Call 2-1-1 and ask for mobile crisis. A child can receive Mobile Crisis services in: Their home At school At their doctor’s office In the Emergency Department (ED) Any other community setting Arrive within 45 minutes or less Convenient Hours: Mobile hours are 6am-10pm M-F; 1pm-10pm weekends/holidays. Available by phone all other hours https://www.TurningPointCT.org - Mental Wellness Website for and by CT youth who want to chat, text, talk about young people in recovery from mental health and substance use issues. "We know what it’s like to feel alone, stressed, worried, sad, and angry. We’ve lived through the ups and downs of self- harm, drugs and alcohol, and the struggle to find help." Planned Parenthood of CT https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-southern-new-england (birth control, STDs, HIV/AIDs testing, reproductive care, abortion https://www.plannedparenthood.org/online-tools/chat 1-800-230-PLAN Toivo - Center for Holistic Healing Hartford, CT Anti-Violence and Safety Resources CT Alliance to End Sexual Violence 24 Hour Hotline: 1-888-999-5545 ENGLISH (Call or Text) 1-888-568-8332 ESPAÑOL CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence (intimate partner violence, family violence) https://www.ctsafeconnect.org/ Help with Basic Needs United Way health and human services hotline 2-1-1 (help with food, child care, housing, fuel, other basic needs) https://www.211ct.org/

< To Upcoming Services Oct 22, 2023 Seasons of Love. As the leaves turn with the fall season, imagine if every leaf was the same color. No reds, oranges, or yellows - no color, no diversity. Just as the universe expresses love with the changing colors of the leaves, we are human expressions of that same love. Join us as our guest, the Reverend Aaron Miller from the Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford, preaches about faith in this universal love that knows no boundaries and has no end. Coordinator: Sandy Karosi #eBlast OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled CCIU and UU Event CCIU and UU Event To Love Your Neighbor, Know Your Neighbor Sunday, June 1st at the Unitarian Society of Hartford Explore 6 different religions at 2 Unitarian Universalist (UU) meetinghouses in this lively, candid and highly informative question-and-answer forum, produced by the Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding (CCIU). In each conversation, 3 panelists from different religions answer your questions about what it means to practice their beliefs. The next gathering will be Sunday, June 1st from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Avenue in Hartford. Religions to be discussed include Islam, Jainism and Sikhism. UUSE in Manchester will host the July 20th discussion from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., which will include a discussion of the Bahai Faith, Hinduism and UUsim. #eBlast-05-28 CCIU and UU Event To Love Your Neighbor, Know Your Neighbor Sunday, June 1st at the Unitarian Society of Hartford Explore 6 different religions at 2 Unitarian Universalist (UU) meetinghouses in this lively, candid and highly informative question-and-answer forum, produced by the Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding (CCIU). In each conversation, 3 panelists from different religions answer your questions about what it means to practice their beliefs. The next gathering will be Sunday, June 1st from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Avenue in Hartford. Religions to be discussed include Islam, Jainism and Sikhism. UUSE in Manchester will host the July 20th discussion from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., which will include a discussion of the Bahai Faith, Hinduism and UUsim. #eBlast -05-28 OOS Sermon YouTube

db942e99-b6bb-48b8-8424-b671ece3b9df < Back to Newsletter December Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Newsletter Sunday Services Schedule December Ministry Theme: Choosing Hope Join us at 9 or 11 AM. The 11 AM Zoom service login and call-in information is shared through the congregational eblasts on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Subscribe to the eblast by sending a message to uuseoffice@uuse.org or call the UUSE office at 860-646-5151. Please note special dates and times below. ------------------------------ Sunday, November 30th: Awake My Soul . Rev. Josh continues his exploration of what it means to identify love as the center of our Unitarian Universalist faith. Jennifer Richard provides the music, including a rendition of Awake My Soul by Mumford and Sons (In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die / And where you invest your love, you invest your life.) Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. Sunday, December 7th: Choosing Hope . Many holidays with themes of Hope are celebrated in the month of December: Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, culminating in the optimism of a New Year. Is Hope a wish? an emotion? a choice? an action? a decision? Join us as we begin to reflect on this month's theme of Choosing Hope, and ways we can expand our ideas about what hope is, and how we can cultivate it. Coordinators: Stacey Musulin and Martha Larson. Sunday, December 14th: Where the Light Begins . This morning, we celebrate the holidays with our annual, all-congregational music service. Let us welcome the solstice; let us welcome Hanukkah; let us welcome Christmas in this season where the light begins. Coordinators: Mary Bopp, Emmy Galbraith, Rev. Josh Pawelek. Sunday, December 21st: Solstice Reflections . How does the imperceptible planetary shift toward the sun on this day nurture our spiritual lives? Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. 7 PM: Monday, December 22nd: Evening Vespers Service . In a season busy with ‘bright and merry’, we may also find ourselves sitting with sadness, grief, and pain in body or spirit. Join us as we pause in the quiet to acknowledge and support each other in bearing these burdens. We invite you to bring your chalice from home, where we will light it for the service. Coordinators: Sandy Karosi, Paula Baker, and Ellen Williams. 7 PM: Monday, December 22nd: Evening Vespers Service . In a season busy with ‘bright and merry’, we may also find ourselves sitting with sadness, grief, and pain in body or spirit. Join us as we pause in the quiet to acknowledge and support each other in bearing these burdens. We invite you to bring your chalice from home, where we will light it for the service. Coordinators: Sandy Karosi, Paula Baker, and Ellen Williams. 5 PM: Wednesday, December 24th: Silent Night, Holy Night . Join us for Christmas Eve worship at 5:00 PM. Beautiful m usic, timeless stories, and more. Anything might happen!!! Coordinators: Emmy Galbraith, Mary Bopp, and Rev. Josh Pawelek. 5 PM: Wednesday, December 24th: Silent Night, Holy Night . Join us for Christmas Eve worship at 5:00 PM. Beautiful m usic, timeless stories, and more. Anything might happen!!! Coordinators: Emmy Galbraith, Mary Bopp, and Rev. Josh Pawelek. One service at 10 AM: Sunday, December 28th: Reflections and Hopes . Join us at 10 AM for shared reflections on the year gone by and our hopes for the upcoming year. Coordinators: Gianna DiMaiolo and Kate Kimmerle. Sunday, January 4th: Resistance ! A new year arrives. Rev. Josh considers our January ministry theme, resistance. The UU folk-rock band Meetinghouse provides the music! A potent mix indeed! Coordinator: Rev. Josh Pawelek. ------------------------------ Community Outreach Ministry Charitable Giving for December As always, thank you for your generosity. We do not gather our gifts only for ourselves, but to share with the larger community. 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: McKinney Men’s Shelter (Hartford) East Hartford Shelter Cornerstone Shelter (Rockville) Please contact Louisa Graver at uuseoffice@uuse.org , David Lacoss, or Nancy Madar at n uuseoffice@uuse.org . Make checks out to UUSE. If the memo line: ✓ is blank or “pledge” - all will go toward your pledge. ✓ has “COM” or the name of the charity - all will go to the charity. ✓ has “1/2 pledge, 1/2 COM” - it will be divided equally. ------------------------------ 2025/2026 Ministry Themes September : Building Belonging October : Cultivating Compassion November: Nurturing Gratitude December : Choosing Hope January : Practicing Resistance February : Embodying Resilience March : Paying Attention April : Embracing Possibility May : Awakening Curiosity June : Flourishing Together ------------------------------ Minister's Column Dear Ones: I’ve been trying to prepare for our December ministry theme, hope. Full disclosure: though I experience myself as a hopeful person, the words aren’t coming—at least not yet, not in the middle of November when this column is due!! So I am borrowing liberally from a previous sermon I wrote on hope. These words are working for me! I hope they work for you. Hope is certainly an appropriate theme for December, the “darkest” month, the month in which so many festivals of light take place; the month in which so many lights symbolize hope at the darkest time of the year. I suspect there is something deep in our cultural DNA that yearns for light in the midst of darkness. I suspect our ancient human ancestors—especially those in the northern latitudes—experienced winter as a difficult time, a time of hunger, a time of worry—will we survive? The return of the sun at the Winter Solstice must have been a powerful and inspiring moment, one that generated profound hope in human hearts—the days are getting longer; we’re going to make it! I sense this deeper, ancient yearning at the heart of the Biblical Christmas story. I sense it at the heart of the Hanukkah story. I sense it at the heart of the Christmas tree ritual—a pagan ritual—the placing of an evergreen inside the home, decorating it, lighting it—an enduring symbol of hope at the darkest time of the year. Yet I also recognize that many people just don’t feel hopeful right now. As you’ve heard me say many times, we are living in an age of authoritarianism. For this reason, and others, hope is difficult to find. There are techniques for cultivating hope in an era of increasing hopelessness. In her 2010 book, The Gifts of Imperfection, the popular researcher/social worker/storyteller, Brené Brown, says, “hope is not an emotion; it's a way of thinking or a cognitive process. Emotions play a supporting role, but hope is really a thought process made up of [a] trilogy of goals, pathways, and agency.” Hope happens when “1) we have the ability to set realistic goals (I know where I want to go); 2) we are able to figure out how to achieve those goals, including the ability to stay flexible and develop alternative routes (I know how to get there, I'm persistent, and I can tolerate disappointment and try again); and 3) we believe in ourselves (I can do this!).” This may seem obvious to many of us, but there’s an important reminder here: hope can be learned! I like that. If you are among those who find it difficult to feel hopeful—and even if you aren’t—I have a threefold prayer for you. First, may the hope of this season wash over you, lift your spirits, connect you to that ancient experience of witnessing the sun’s return. Second, in this dark season, may you step back from the busyness of everyday life, engage in self-reflection, and discern where it is you want to go and how to get there. Third, may you believe in yourself. Or perhaps I can sum up this prayer in one short sentence: May you hope! With love, care and hope, Rev. Josh ------------------------------ Director of Children & Youth Ministry Column In the Flow: Reflections on Attending the LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association) Fall Conference Keynote presenter Elder Sharon Jinkerson-Brass refers to herself as a “’60s scooper”. This refers to a time in Canadian history when the government removed Indigenous children from their land, families, and communities and forced them into adoptions in white-parented homes. This took place en masse in the 1960s across Canada. Similar events happened in the United States. Elder Sharon was one of those children in Canada, removed from her home and family at a young age. Elder Sharon is a gifted storyteller, and I will not attempt to do the job for her. Her stories are her own, and more about her life can be found here . One of the people documenting and collaborating with Indigenous communities in Canada today is Elder Sharon’s friend, Amber Dawn Bellemare. Amber Dawn is a white woman and the Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Programming Coordinator of the Canadian Unitarian Council. For the last 10 years, Amber Dawn has learned how we as Unitarians can work towards healing and reconciliation with Indigenous people of North America, living through our denomination’s values, guided by the wisdom of those who have been harmed and oppressed by the colonization of North America and the forced spread of Christianity and suppression of indigenous, earth-centered spiritual and cultural practices. You can find out more about Amber Dawn’s work here . I left this conference feeling better equipped and educated to work with the children and youth at UUSE, and any that come into my care if even for a moment, in working towards a right relationship with the land and the first people to live on this land. I also left with a new friend in Amber Dawn, and a model and resources to spread this work of truth, healing, and reconciliation, where colonization and Christianity violently uprooted a harmonious ecosystem. We participated in an exercise designed for UU congregations, about the timeline and spread of colonization in North America, and its impact on the Indigenous people already living there. Some religious educators present had done this exercise with their home congregations. Others, like me, were profoundly moved by the new exercise, experiencing moments of self-loathing followed by resolve when history revealed Unitarians to be financial backers of the wide destruction, claims to land and resources, human lives lost, and generations tortured. I learned that the current reconciliation work is not only in line with our present-day denominational values and principles, but that we have a duty and obligation to do what we can to remedy deep wounds from the past, inflicted by our Unitarian ancestors. It has been a year of diving deep into elemental learning and knowing for me, as both a spiritual being and a religious professional. In the height and tail of summer, it was fire. Air made itself known as we slipped through the time of the ancestors. And this experience was all about water. In the literal sense, LREDA Fall-Con organizers advised attendees to “think Seattle” when packing for Vancouver. And the weather lived up to its reputation. As an Indigenous woman, Elder Sharon spoke frequently of water, both its spiritual and practical importance to her people, of which there is no real separate distinction. She talked about her gift of storytelling, which would bring the whole room to tears of joy through a telling of grief and loss, explaining that her gift was from her people. Indigenous people, when joined with their land and families, live “in the flow,” she explained. The prescribed and lonesome egocentric way of the colonizer (my words, hers are gentler) does not allow for the flow. The flow is happening, and you can move into it like water, or it can come onto you like a wave. The rain forest, the waterfalls, hot springs, the mist - the breath of the ancestors, are all the twinkling features of Vancouver and British Columbia. Water is heavy and slow, and powerful. And life-giving. Elder Sharon held a symbolic umbilical doll ritual with us all. Copper, the Earth’s blood, represented the blood of the first connection to the mother. At the close of our 4 days together, she and an Indigenous sister blessed us all with a water ritual upon our hands. The picture accompanying my column this week is of her listening to a religious educator’s child. Elder Sharon listens to everyone this way, with this level of attention, love, patience, and joy. Children are centered and revered in her culture in a way that is different from the best efforts to include children in an adult-centered world. I learned so much from her. I learned so much from everyone. Taking classes, reading books, and writing papers for my religious educator credentialing has its value. And this community space, where I am most deeply educated, is sacred. I am so grateful that I was able to take the journey to Vancouver, to Elder Sharon, to Amber Dawn, and to share resources and networking with a hundred other UU religious educators from across North America. This is where the seeds sit, where the nurturer is nurtured. It is my honor to usher the ripple I carry back to Manchester, Connecticut, where we will continue to learn and grow together. Emmy Galbraith (she/her/hers) Director of Children and Youth Ministry ------------------------------ President’s Column December 2025 When we are in turbulent times, many folks say to relax, to meditate, to center yourself to regain equilibrium. This is good advice for almost everyone, especially when bombarded by the constant noise and dissension in today’s world. However, anyone who knows me knows stillness and meditation would be a near impossible state. I am driven to be in constant motion. So, for me, my meditation and centering is achieved through running. I save up things to think about while I am running, but the truth is when I run, my mind goes wherever it wants! As I run through the backroads of the “last green valley,” my mind wanders from current events to pleasurable activities, to what I need to buy at the grocery store. I feel truly blessed to still be able to contemplate marathon training in my 71st trip around the sun. The pastoral theme for November was gratitude. Gratitude comes in many forms for me; I call it counting my blessings. When I look back, there is so much in my life to be thankful for—I have had a truly blessed life: I have traveled far and wide, I have had great work opportunities, and too many adventures to count. But the number one thing that makes me feel blessed is the amazing people I have been able to count as friends. Because in the long run (no pun intended) this is what makes us rich. I am firmly rooted in quantitative science, and so the neurophysiology and neurochemical correlates of cognitive function interest me. One of my dear friends gave me an interesting essay on the neurophysiological/neurochemical impacts of anger and revenge. In the Wall Street Journal, James Kimmel posited that revenge is addictive—it engages the dopamine in some of the same brain areas as drugs: the striatum and the nucleus accumbens. Negative feelings also reduce the hormone oxytocin and increase levels of cortisol (the stress hormone)—with negative feelings feeding into each other and making it hard to break free. James Kimmel also posited that forgiveness may be the antidote for revenge, but I also think another pathway for us to safeguard ourselves from the anger and revenge that is fraught in today’s political environment is finding a way to practice gratitude. Gratitude is associated with increases in dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in areas of the brain that control emotions, stress response, and anxiety. Gratitude is associated with an increase in oxytocin and reduced cortisol. The practice of gratitude, as a spiritual practice, has been suggested to cure excessive materialism, envy, resentment, disappointment, and bitterness. So in closing, my hope is that all of us can find our personal space that allows us to shut out all the angry noise and celebrate our blessings: our families, our holiday traditions, our friendships, until the world regains its balance, its sanity, and collective equilibrium. Patricia Lisle, UUSE President ------------------------------ 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. ------------------------------ Upcoming Events ------------------------------ UUSE Coffeehouse and Open Mic Sign-up starts at 6 PM-- performances will start at 6:30 PM  Join us on the first Saturday of each month , October through May, for an evening of music, poetry, stories, and community! Bring your own songs, poems, stories, or any creative offering — or simply come enjoy the warm, supportive atmosphere as part of our appreciative audience. Sign-ups begin at 6:00 PM, and performances start at 6:30 PM. We feature 12 slots, each about 10 minutes or two songs. BYOB, BYO dinner, and BYO friends — we’ll provide the coffee! Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT ------------------------------ Eclectica Concert Wheeling Through Time Friday, December 5, 2025 at 7:00 pm Eclectica is a Connecticut-based ensemble performing original arrangements of (mostly Western) music spanning centuries, continents, styles, and cultures, using voice and an eclectic variety of instruments including hammered dulcimer, Celtic harp, viola da gamba, violin, viola, accordion, and recorders. Eclectica has been arranging and performing together since 2016. “Wheeling Through Time” will take the UUSE audience on a soulful musical journey through time and place – from the 13th to the 21st centuries - with original arrangements of tunes from classical, folk, klezmer and more. Beautiful images accompany each piece in a slide show of art and photography curated just for this program, for a truly immersive experience. Visit Eclectica’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EclecticaCT $20 Suggested free will donation. Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT ------------------------------ High School Youth Group Holiday Bake Sale Sunday, Dec 14th Please join us after each service in the main lobby to support the High School Youth Group Holiday Bake Sale! Proceeds will be shared between the HSYG activity fund and the UUSE general fund. Contact Michelle Spadaccini at uuseoffice@uuse.org with questions. ------------------------------ UU History Trip to Boston During his Nov. 16th UU history sermon, Rev. Josh mentioned a recent trip to Boston and Concord, MA, with this year's Affirmation class. That got me thinking: why not offer a similar trip for the adult members of the congregation, both new and old, who would like to visit these historic places? Rev. Josh was very supportive of the idea, provided there is enough interest and if a few of us are willing to work together to organize the logistics. If this is something that interests you, please email Jackie Muschiano at uuseoffice@uuse.org . ------------------------------ 2026 Goods & Services Auction January 31, 2026 One of UUSE’s Biggest Fun(d)raisers!! Mark your calendar now for Fun, Food & Friends!! Here’s what to expect: Saucy Cook-Off 2.0: The competition is hot and heavy for the title of ‘UUSE Top Chef.’ Jump into the contest with your terrific tetrazzini or perfect pesto. Then everyone enjoys a luscious free pasta dinner prepared by UU friends who want YOUR votes! Going, going, gone!! Live Auction: Snag meals in members’ homes, special activities, vacation getaways, and Rev. Josh’s personalized sermon only at the meetinghouse on January 31! For the Kids: No grownups allowed! Lots of low-cost items at the Kids Bid Table, and ONLY children can bid! There will also be fun activities and childcare available. Watch your email for a special eBlast on how you can help FILL THE CATALOG WITH EXCITING DONATIONS! ------------------------------ Come Sing, Chant, and Reconnect With Us! Save These Kirtan Dates – L ed by Heart-Centered Kirtan with Libby Volckening, Dan Thomas, Zach Gregory, Chris Ball, and Brie Sullivan. No experience needed! Sunday, 3 PM, February 22, 2026 Sunday, 3 PM, March 22, 2026 Sunday, 3 PM, May 17, 2026 Suggested Donation: $20 (more or less is always OK—no one turned away). Scent-Free: Please no incense, perfume, or essential oils. Seating: Chairs provided. Some cushions. Best to bring a cushion if you prefer floor seating. For more info: https://www.uuse.org/regular-events/kirtan Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 Vernon Street West, Manchester, CT Sudha, Central CT Community Kirtan And the UUSE Music Committee ------------------------------ Keep up to date on all UUSE happenings here . ------------------------------ Thank you for your Care Package Donations! The High School Youth Group would like to sincerely thank everyone who donated items for the young adult Care Packages. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to send 14 wonderful care packages to our young adults. We are very grateful for your support! Please enjoy these thank you notes from our Young Adults for their Care Packages! ------------------------------ Children and Youth Ministry News CYM is thriving and caregivers are doing a fantastic job teaching classes, but we need more support in our "Young UUs" class (grades 2-5)! This class is learning all about their Unitarian Universalist identity through discussion, games, music, movement, art, and time outdoors. We are looking for an assistant teacher on the following Sundays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7 & 21 . Lessons are all planned and prepped, and a lead teacher will guide you in the classroom. Please reach out to DCYM Emmy Galbraith at dcym@uuse.org to sign up for a classroom date! We all thank you! Are you a retired special education (or other) teacher? Or looking for meaningful ways to plug into the community? CYM is building a team of support for a 5-year-old in our congregation with an intellectual disability, who needs one-on-one support in the Spirit Play classroom this year. We have a few high school youth on the team, and we are looking for a few adults as well. Team members would take turns as their schedules allow. (Sitting on the floor is not required; team members would be offered a chair.) Please reach out to DCYM Emmy Galbraith at dcym@uuse.org to express interest in joining the team! ------------------------------ 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. ------------------------------ Strategic Planning Task Force Puzzle Me This The Strategic Plan Task Force is just starting the work needed to update UUSE’s Vision and Mission Statements (previously revised in 2011), in addition to creating a new strategic plan to meet set goals of interest to the congregation. To kick off this congregational work and to start some brainstorming, try the following challenge: Can you complete the crossword puzzle with some key pieces from the previous 2011 Strategic Plan? Enjoy the interactive puzzle and the opportunity to start thinking about new goals as we look to the future. The task force will present more information and discuss ideas with the congregation around this work in the coming months. Word Bank: Care, Fifteen, Five, Gifts, Justice, Mission, Rights, Strategic, Technologies, Vision, Youth ------------------------------ The Yuletide Festival Saturday, December 6th As we approach the Winter Solstice and the season of holidays and celebrations, the Unitarian Society of Hartford is planning a holiday event-- The Yuletide Festival. We would love to invite and include UU friends and families from nearby congregations to celebrate with us on what is sure to be a fun and festive day. The event will host craft workshops, a vendor area, and an ongoing lineup of musicians throughout the day. We invite members from your congregation to reach out if they would like to perform, participate, volunteer, or set up a vendor stall. We’re looking forward to sharing talent, sharing time, making new friends, and making magic this upcoming Yuletide! Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105, (860) 233-9897, Email: uuseoffice@uuse.org ------------------------------ Verplanck Tutoring Project The Verplanck Tutoring project could use three or four more volunteers to spend one hour per week helping kindergarten and first grade students learn to read. Most urgently, they hope to find two people who can jump in from now through the beginning of December. It's a structured one-on-one program with excellent teacher support, so please consider helping out. Email uuseoffice@uuse.org or text 860-646-5151. ------------------------------ Ongoing Groups, Activities, and Fun ------------------------------ Book Cart Volunteers Needed! Drop by the book cart to take or leave a book, or talk about books with our friendly volunteers. The book cart is in the lobby each Sunday during the summer months, after the 10:00 am service ------------------------------ Ladies at Lunch On Friday, December 12th, at noon , will meet for lunch at festively decorated Georgina's at 275 Boston Turnpike, Bolton . Do join us if you can ~ everyone is welcome. If you will attend please let Sharon Huber know by Thursday the 11th afternoon: uuseoffice@uuse.org or 860-646-5151. ------------------------------ Romeos for Lunch Romeos (Retired Old Men Eating Out) meet at noon on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for lunch and conversation at various local restaurants. If you are retired or simply have free time, feel welcome to participate. Contact Annie at the church office to be included on the email call list. ------------------------------ Yoga at the Meetinghouse Wednesdays at 10:00 AM All are welcome to these gentle-to-moderate yoga classes for all abilities. $5 drop-in fee. Bring a yoga mat (we have some extras). Bring a friend! Questions to: Susan at uuseoffice@uuse.org . Yoga is a UUSE adult education offering. ------------------------------ Women's Sacred Singing Circle Every Thursday at 7 PM We sing songs and chants from a variety of traditions, including some written by women from circles around the country, including our own. All are about the earth, healing, spirit, and, of course, women. Come late, leave early, or stay the whole time. Come every week or off and on, when you choose. But come! We have so much fun each week, we want you to join us in the laughter, song and community! For more information visit Meetup . ------------------------------  Pastoral Friends Rotating Chair November/December:  Laurie Semprebon. PastoralFriends@uuse.org. ------------------------------ Directory Updates Please note: The Vogels no longer have a land line. ------------------------------ Books, Classes, and Discussions Adult Religious Education ------------------------------ NEW! Meditation Group The Meditation Group will meet Monday, Dec. 15, at 3:30 PM in the sanctuary to meditate in community. The group will meet regularly on the third Monday of the month at 3:30. The group started because members of the Buddhist Group, which meets on Zoom, wanted to gather in person. You don’t have to be a member of the Buddhist Group or interested in Buddhism to join. Everyone is welcome; no experience required. Contact Nancy Thompson with questions, uuseoffice@uuse.org . ------------------------------ Book Lovers The Book Lovers meet in person and simultaneously on Zoom every second Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:00 PM . You are welcome even if you haven’t finished the book. The link is sent out the weekend before by Carolyn Gimbrone. Dec. 9th: West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge; discussion leader Louisa Graver ------------------------------ Buddhist Group The UUSE Buddhist Group will meet on the 1st Tuesday, at 7 PM on Zoom for meditation and discussion of a Buddhist perspective on the monthly ministry theme. Email Nancy Thompson at uuseoffice@uuse.org for details or the Zoom link. ------------------------------ Humanist Group Join us in on the 3rd Tuesday at 4:30 PM. This ongoing group explores Religious Humanism and its applications to life, both historically and today. All welcome. Contact Rev. Josh at minister@uuse.org for the Zoom link. ------------------------------ Science and Religion Discussion Group Where do science and religion meet? Where are they in opposition? Meet 4th Tuesdays at 4:30 in the Chapel, and on Zoom. Contact Chris Larson for the Zoom link. ------------------------------ God Talk A discussion group for UU theists 4th Tuesdays at 4:30 PM. This ongoing group explores how UUs can name and experience God in meaningful, useful ways. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Josh at minister@uuse.org for the Zoom link. ------------------------------ Help Us Spread the Word Are you on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, etc?) please promote UUSE and its events by "liking" or sharing our posts on social media. Facebook: UUSEast , Instagram: uu_society_east . UUSE Happenings on Facebook is a private page for sharing things among members. You also can share events or posts in other groups on Facebook. If you have any suggestions for places to publicize events, email uuseoffice@uuse.org , the Communications/Technology Committee. ------------------------------ Newsletter Submissions Submit articles using newsletter@uuse.org or use this publicity form . Deadline for the Newsletter is the 20th of each month. ------------------------------ UUSE General Information UUSE Office Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Meetinghouse Office: 860-646-5151 Office Administrator: Annie Gentile email: uuseoffice@uuse.org Minister: Rev. Joshua Pawelek, 860-646-5151, minister@uuse.org Minister Office Hours: Tuesday 10 AM to 7 PM and Thursday 10 AM to 4 PM Director of Children & Youth Ministry: Emmy Galbraith, 860-646-5151, dcym@uuse.org President: Trisha Corey-Lisle, 805-750--3488, uuseoffice@uuse.org Newsletter Editor: Carol Marion, 860-646-5151, newsletter@uuse.org Website Coordinator: uuse.web@uuse.org UUSE Website : https://www.uuse.org ------------------------------ Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

< To Upcoming Services Jan 4, 2026 Stop & Shop Cards Sales This Sunday, Stop & Shop cards will be sold on the first Sunday of the month after the 10:00 A.M. service. We now can use debit or credit cards for these purchases. Come support this UUSE fundraiser! OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Pastoral Book Review Adult Religious Education Community Read: Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village by the Rev. Dr. Barbara A. Holmes Dr. Holmes’ book describes the spiritual practice of contemplation that emerges during crisis, both individually and in community. We will discuss passages from the book and engage together in Holmes’ recommended spiritual exercises. This book is short—136 pages. Purchases it anywhere books are sold. If you need financial support to make the purchase, or if you have any other questions, please contact Rev. Josh Pawelek at (860) 652-8961 or minister@uuse.org . This offering is co-sponsored by UUS:E’s Pastoral Friends and Adult Religious Education Committees. OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Sep 14, 2025 Imagining a Congregational Year, Part II Sunday Service: "Imagining a Congregational Year, Part II" #eBlast-09-24 Sunday Service: "Imagining a Congregational Year, Part II" Because one service on kicking off the congregational year could not possibly cover everything, Rev. Josh will continue exploring the themes he introduced in his September 14th service. Special Guest Music Leader: Andy Ricci. Coordinator : Rev. Josh Pawelek Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. In Case You Missed It #eBlast -09-24 OOS Sermon YouTube