a2c1bea3-7839-4fba-8e98-6288d907f70e < Back to Newsletter September Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Green Sanctuary News September 2026 Agrivoltaics. Have you heard of this term? It’s a relatively new process integrating solar power and agriculture. Rather than having a huge acreage of valuable farmland being used just for solar panels, the agrivoltaic workers adjust the height and type of panel to work with many different crops and animals. For example, sheep love grazing under them, and appreciate the shade they provide on hot days. A higher version can be built over orchards, providing both solar power and shade for the trees. Less water is required for the trees, so it’s a win-win! Farmers on the drier and windier plains of eastern Colorado worked with a solar company to set the panels vertically, thus providing wind breaks for the wheat and other crops. There are at least two farms in Connecticut which are utilizing this technology. One is in Orange, but the other one, Mulnite Farms Inc., is nearby in East Windsor. We’ll have more about this in the future. Elders Climate Action documented some of the Agrivoltaic work done in Colorado in this movie “Save the Farm, Save the Future.” You can watch this fascinating movie here: Click here to watch . Dangerous chemicals in your yard and garden? An article in a recent Organic Consumers Association newsletter warns about the dangers of Paraquat, a commonly used herbicide. Vermont is the first state in the US to ban its use, while at least 74 countries have already banned it. Studies have shown that among other things, it can cause Parkinson’s disease. Some of the Big Ag farms use it in fields where much of our food is grown. Coming up next month: On October 18th at 2 pm, the Sustainable Living Committee will be showing “The Climate Future Film Festival” at UUSE. Some of you may remember the ones we showed last fall. Come see what’s new this year! Admission is free. Don’t forget, the Sustainable Living Committee sells Equal Exchange products on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Help support small farmers who grow sustainable products! #SeptemberNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Fall Clean-up, Fall Clean-up Saturday, November 15th, 9:00 A.M. to noon What's the bit that you can do to care for the land UUSE inhabits? Join the Building & Grounds Committee for the annual Fall Clean-up on Saturday, November 15th, 9:00 A.M. to noon. Bring what you have for raking and pruning and we'll supply the rest: snacks, coffee, cider, equipment, guidance and a few laughs. Children and youth with responsible adults are especially invited. We can share with you what we have learned about ecological landscaping. Contact Cory Clark or Jane Osborn for more information. #eBlast-11-12 Fall Clean-up Saturday, November 15th, 9:00 A.M. to noon What's the bit that you can do to care for the land UUSE inhabits? Join the Building & Grounds Committee for the annual Fall Clean-up on Saturday, November 15th , 9:00 A.M. to noon. Bring what you have for raking and pruning and we'll supply the rest: snacks, coffee, cider, equipment, guidance and a few laughs. Children and youth with responsible adults are especially invited. We can share with you what we have learned about ecological landscaping. Contact Cory Clark or Jane Osborn for more information. #eBlast -11-12 OOS Sermon YouTube

b7794ba0-7405-4953-96fc-b72d62176572 < Back Communications and Technology Committee Communications and Technology Committee : Responsible for all society technology and communications to both internal and external audiences. The committee also oversees and manages phone, internet, computers, sound and office equipment. Updated October 9, 2025 at 10:16:24 AM

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Sunday Service: "CYM Sunday" Sunday Service: "CYM Sunday" Please join us for our All-Congregation CYM Celebration Sunday service! We will reflect on everything we accomplished this year through pictures, stories, and song. Volunteer recognition and Bridging ceremonies will close out our time together! Coordinator: Emmy Galbraith, Director of Children & Youth Ministry Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service Sunday, June 15, 2025 Gathering music starts at 9:55 A.M. Join the virtual service at 10:00 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 6/8/25 service, "Unchecked." #eBlast-06-11 Sunday Service: "CYM Sunday" Please join us for our All-Congregation CYM Celebration Sunday service! We will reflect on everything we accomplished this year through pictures, stories, and song. Volunteer recognition and Bridging ceremonies will close out our time together! Coordinator : Emmy Galbraith, Director of Children & Youth Ministry Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service Sunday, June 15, 2025 Gathering music starts at 9:55 A.M. Join the virtual service at 10:00 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 6/8/25 service, "Unchecked." #eBlast -06-11 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Jun 8, 2025 Unchecked Sunday Service: "Unchecked" This morning, we welcome Manchester's amazing poet laureate, Nadia Sims, who will help us explore our June ministry theme, freedom . The larger society puts us in boxes which often limit our sense of freedom, sometimes without our realizing it. Perhaps it's time to uncheck some of those boxes! We will also welcome new members into our congregation. Coordinator : Rev. Josh Pawelek Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service #eBlast-06-04 Sunday Service: "Unchecked" This morning, we welcome Manchester's amazing poet laureate, Nadia Sims, who will help us explore our June ministry theme, freedom . The larger society puts us in boxes which often limit our sense of freedom, sometimes without our realizing it. Perhaps it's time to uncheck some of those boxes! We will also welcome new members into our congregation. Coordinator : Rev. Josh Pawelek Summer schedule: 10:00 A.M. service Sunday, June 8, 2025 In Case You Missed It: #eBlast -06-04 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Looking for Stewards! Looking for Stewards! Annual Appeal 2026 - 2027 We are looking for people to canvass members & friends. Being a steward is an opportunity to get to know new people, share your passion and commitment for UUSE and help make our Annual Appeal a success. The commitment time is short with one training session and a couple of weeks to contact 2 - 4 members or friends. The stewardship conversations are a time of fellowship and sharing our dreams and aspirations. Talking about financial commitment is a small part of a much larger conversation about generosity and community. So please consider volunteering to be a steward this year. We especially want people who have never been stewards before, especially parents! The steward will use a personal visit (if both feel comfortable), email, phone calls, texts, etc. to get in touch with people to answer any questions and remind them to fill out their pledge form and return it to Annie. Personal canvassing will be from March 18 - April 6, 2026. We will provide training on Thursday evening, March 5 or Saturday morning, March 7, 2026. Specific times will follow. Please email Phil Sawyer at uuseoffice@uuse.org or call 860-646-5151 if you are willing to help or have any questions. #eBlast-02-04 Looking for Stewards! Annual Appeal 2026 - 2027 We are looking for people to canvass members & friends. Being a steward is an opportunity to get to know new people, share your passion and commitment for UUSE and help make our Annual Appeal a success. The commitment time is short with one training session and a couple of weeks to contact 2 - 4 members or friends. The stewardship conversations are a time of fellowship and sharing our dreams and aspirations. Talking about financial commitment is a small part of a much larger conversation about generosity and community. So please consider volunteering to be a steward this year. We especially want people who have never been stewards before, especially parents! The steward will use a personal visit (if both feel comfortable), email, phone calls, texts, etc. to get in touch with people to answer any questions and remind them to fill out their pledge form and return it to Annie. Personal canvassing will be from March 18 - April 6, 2026. We will provide training on Thursday evening, March 5 or Saturday morning, March 7, 2026 . Specific times will follow. Please email Phil Sawyer at uuseoffice@uuse.org or call 860-646-5151 if you are willing to help or have any questions. #eBlast -02-04 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Sign Up for a Pledging Potluck! Sign Up for a Pledging Potluck! March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15. Again, this year, the Stewardship committee will provide an opportunity for members and friends to participate in a stewarding potluck during the first two weekends of the 2026 Annual Appeal. Following the meal and conversation, a steward will lead the group in a time for sharing the meaning of UUSE in our lives and discuss the goals of the Annual Appeal and the proposed budget. Participants who have not done so may privately complete their pledge forms. Sign-up sheets will be in the lobby on Sunday February 22 and March 1. If you can't make it on a Sunday to sign up, please contact Stan McMillen and let him know which potluck you would like to attend: Email: uuseoffice@uuse.org or phone 860-646-5151. If you prefer an individual visit, a steward will meet with you. PLEASE respond to their phone calls or emails!! Click here for a list of where and when the potlucks will be held. Detailed info on pets, accessibility, food allergies will be available on the signup sheets, or you can contact the potluck host directly. Attention CYM Families and Friends: Desiree Holian-Borgnis will have "office hours" from 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. in the children's chapel Sundays (TBD) during the Annual Appeal for families to come and ask questions, sign their pledge forms and hand them in. #eBlast-02-18 Sign Up for a Pledging Potluck! March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15. Again, this year, the Stewardship committee will provide an opportunity for members and friends to participate in a stewarding potluck during the first two weekends of the 2026 Annual Appeal. Following the meal and conversation, a steward will lead the group in a time for sharing the meaning of UUSE in our lives and discuss the goals of the Annual Appeal and the proposed budget. Participants who have not done so may privately complete their pledge forms. Sign-up sheets will be in the lobby on Sunday February 22 and March 1. If you can't make it on a Sunday to sign up, please contact Stan McMillen and let him know which potluck you would like to attend: Email: uuseoffice@uuse.org or phone 860-646-5151. If you prefer an individual visit, a steward will meet with you. PLEASE respond to their phone calls or emails!! Click here for a list of where and when the potlucks will be held. Detailed info on pets, accessibility, food allergies will be available on the signup sheets, or you can contact the potluck host directly. Attention CYM Families and Friends : Desiree Holian-Borgnis will have "office hours" from 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. in the children's chapel Sundays (TBD) during the Annual Appeal for families to come and ask questions, sign their pledge forms and hand them in. #eBlast -02-18 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Oct 6, 2024 Sunday, October 6th: Listen to the Voices Today we contemplate Listening. How can we listen - and hear - other people, the sounds of nature, and the "still and small" voice within? Coordinator: Martha Larson #OctoberNewsletter ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. OOS Sermon YouTube

2a808d76-7ec3-45e6-bd31-9abf2aded99f < Back to Newsletter September Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Minister's Column Dear Ones: Welcome to the 2026-2027 congregational year of the Unitarian Universalist Society East Manchester, CT – our 58th year as a congregation! (Wait?!? Didn’t we just celebrate our 50th anniversary? I guess this means we have to start thinking about an extravaganza for our 60th!) I am really looking forward to the year. As many of you have heard me say, I feel blessed to serve as minister to a congregation as healthy as UUSE. And just as importantly, I feel blessed to have work that I genuinely love: preaching, worship planning, pastoral care, teaching, collaborating with talented leaders, performing weddings, memorials and child dedications, community organizing, social and environmental justice work. I love all of it! I know why I love it. At the heart of any successful ministry lies relationship. I love the relationships I have built at UUSE and in the wider community over the years. As I contemplate the coming congregational year, I am thinking a lot about relationship-building. In the coming year, I’d like to meet one-on-one or in small groups with as many of you as possible. Whether you feel you have a strong relationship with me, or barely any relationship at all, I want to extend the invitation to meet with me. Reach out and ask for a meeting. I imagine no agenda other than getting to know each other more than we already do. I try to meet with people in this way every year, but I want to prioritize it this year. I suppose this is my response to the chaos in the world—authoritarianism, climate change, war, etc. We respond in more healthy ways to the chaos when we’re in relationship with others. Of course, when I speak of relationship-building, I’m not only referring to your relationships with me. I am also referring to your relationships with each other as members and friends of UUSE. How can you build relationships in new ways at UUSE? How can you get to know more of your congregational peers? What common ground do you share? What common work do you want to engage in? There is so much potential. I urge you to consider how you can best deepen your relationships at the meetinghouse. It will make a difference. As our friends in organized labor say, we are stronger together! I want to make one last point regarding beginning the year with a focus on relationships. I’ve been dedicating some of my summer study leave to learning as much as I can about Artificial Intelligence (AI). I have a lot to say about AI (you can expect it to show up in my preaching this year). I am, to say the least, angry and disappointed with Big Tech. I am a budding Luddite in the best sense of the word. The big AI companies promise so much, and yet very little of what is promised turns out to be real, while real human beings are losing jobs and the quality of products and services is declining rapidly. Yes, there are remarkable things AI can do, but it’s also a lot of hype, and a lot of harm. This is why relationships matter. And this is why healthy congregations aren’t going away. Healthy congregations offer real-life, flesh-and-blood, meaningful human relationships. AI will never be able to do that. Never. Welcome to our 2026-2027 congregational year. Welcome to a year of building relationships. With love, Rev. Josh #SeptemberNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Summer Bittersweet Clearing Summer Bittersweet Clearing Saturday, July 12th, 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. Continuing our long-term project to manage invasive bittersweet, we're going to cut down vines in their prime, before the berries ripen. Join the Building & Grounds Committee for our Summer Invasives Clearing on Saturday, July 12th from 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 a.m. We recommend protecting your skin with long sleeves and pants, closed shoes and work gloves. Bring loppers and pruning shears. We'll supply cold beverages. Children and youth with responsible adults are welcome. Contact Cory Clark or Jane Osborn for more information. #eBlast-07-09 Summer Bittersweet Clearing Saturday, July 12th, 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. Continuing our long-term project to manage invasive bittersweet, we're going to cut down vines in their prime, before the berries ripen. Join the Building & Grounds Committee for our Summer Invasives Clearing on Saturday, July 12th from 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 a.m. We recommend protecting your skin with long sleeves and pants, closed shoes and work gloves. Bring loppers and pruning shears. We'll supply cold beverages. Children and youth with responsible adults are welcome. Contact Cory Clark or Jane Osborn for more information. #eBlast -07-09 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Paddle Into Nature Paddle Into Nature A Beginner-Friendly Kayak Adventure - With Instruction Saturday, August 15 at 2:00 P.M. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon exploring the beauty of Mansfield Hollow Lake by kayak! Whether you're new to kayaking or simply looking fora peaceful paddle with friendly company, this outing is designed to help you feel comfortable on the water. We'll begin with an introduction to kayak safety, paddling techniques, and basic boating skills before launching Date and Time: Saturday, August 15, 2:00 p.m. Rain Date: Sunday, August 16, 2:00 p.m. Duration: Approximately 2-3 hours Location: Mansfield Hollow Dam State Park - meet at 151 Bassetts Bridge Rd, Mansfield, CT entrance Bring: Water shoes or old sneakers, weather appropriate clothing, hat, sunscreen, bug spray, change of clothes Experience: No previous kayaking experience required. Instruction provided. Health & Safety: Please participate only if medically cleared for this activity and comfortable being on the water. A signed waiver is required. Cost: $10 per person Group Size: Maximum of 5 participants Registration: Call Annie at the UUSE office: 860-646-5151 Kayaks are provided through the Columbia Canoe Club, a nonprofit paddling organization based at Mansfield Hollow State Park. Learn more at columbiacanoeclub.weebly.com #eBlast-08-12 Paddle Into Nature A Beginner-Friendly Kayak Adventure - With Instruction Saturday, August 15 at 2:00 P.M. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon exploring the beauty of Mansfield Hollow Lake by kayak! Whether you're new to kayaking or simply looking fora peaceful paddle with friendly company, this outing is designed to help you feel comfortable on the water. We'll begin with an introduction to kayak safety, paddling techniques, and basic boating skills before launching Date and Time : Saturday, August 15, 2:00 p.m. Rain Date : Sunday, August 16, 2:00 p.m. Duration : Approximately 2-3 hours Location : Mansfield Hollow Dam State Park - meet at 151 Bassetts Bridge Rd, Mansfield, CT entrance Bring : Water shoes or old sneakers, weather appropriate clothing, hat, sunscreen, bug spray, change of clothes Experience : No previous kayaking experience required. Instruction provided. Health & Safety: Please participate only if medically cleared for this activity and comfortable being on the water. A signed waiver is required. Cost : $10 per person Group Size : Maximum of 5 participants Registration : Call Annie at the UUSE office: 860-646-5151 Kayaks are provided through the Columbia Canoe Club, a nonprofit paddling organization based at Mansfield Hollow State Park. Learn more at columbiacanoeclub.weebly.com #eBlast -08-12 OOS Sermon YouTube

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled High School Youth Group Soup Fundraiser! The High School Youth Group is holding a soup fundraiser to benefit UUSE and the HSYG's activities. Soup will be sold via pre-orders and are due by Friday, February 21. Options are: Vegan and Gluten-Free: Chickpea Soup with Rosemary & Garlic Vegetarian: Broccoli Cheddar soup Meat: Potato Bacon soup To place an order, please contact Michelle Spadaccini at uuseoffice@uuse.org or click on this link. Frozen soup orders will be available for pickup in the lobby after both services on Sunday, March 2, 2025. A $5 minimum donation per pint is due at pick up. We will accept credit cards, cash or checks. Please contact Michelle Spadaccini with any questions. Proceeds will be split between UUSE and the HSYG. Thank you for your support! #eBlast-01-29 The High School Youth Group is holding a soup fundraiser to benefit UUSE and the HSYG's activities. Soup will be sold via pre-orders and are due by Friday, February 21 . Options are: Vegan and Gluten-Free: Chickpea Soup with Rosemary & Garlic Vegetarian: Broccoli Cheddar soup Meat: Potato Bacon soup To place an order, please contact Michelle Spadaccini at uuseoffice@uuse.org or click on this link . Frozen soup orders will be available for pickup in the lobby after both services on Sunday, March 2, 2025. A $5 minimum donation per pint is due at pick up. We will accept credit cards, cash or checks. Please contact Michelle Spadaccini with any questions. Proceeds will be split between UUSE and the HSYG. Thank you for your support! #eBlast -01-29 OOS Sermon YouTube