1. family and parenting
2. children

November 17, 2014
Minister: Rev. Douglas Taylor
President: Debby Herman
President -Elect: Andrea Palmeri
Director of Lifespan Faith
Development: Lynn Garman
Music Director: Vicky Gordon
Office Administrator/Beacon
Editor and Lifespan Faith
Development Assistant:
Karen Armstrong
OFFICE HOURS:
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays.
SUNDAY SERVICES:
9:30am and 11:15am
HOW TO CONTACT US:
183 Riverside Drive
Binghamton, NY 13905
Phone: 607.729.1641
Fax: 607.729.1899
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.uubinghamton.org
TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE:
Please e-mail to the office
address, or a leave a hard copy on
the office desk by the deadline
printed below.
Please include your name &
phone number.
Upcoming Services:
November 23
“The Fairy’s Return”
Taylor and Garman
Six years ago we used a Gail Carson Levine story, “The Fairy’s Mistake.” Now
we return to hear another story by Levine with the same fairy trying to figure out
how to give fairy blessings and fairy punishments. Join us for story, song, and
fun at this multigenerational service of gratitude and thanksgiving.
November 30
“By All the Lights of Faith” Rev. Douglas Taylor
Throughout the world’s religions there are a number of common threads that appear such as the call to ethical living, the power of hope, and the centrality of
compassion. Let us consider the light that shines through the different windows
of faith.
December 7
“Mandela’s Persistence” Rev. Douglas Taylor
Nelson Mandela died a year ago. Mandela found a way to move South Africa
forward despite the difficulties he experienced and the bitterness that had taken
root in that nation. How did he do it?
FREE Social Justice Film at
UUCB
“GMO OMG”
Friday, November 21 at 7pm
How do GMOs affect our children,
the health of our planet, and our
freedom of choice?
THE NEXT BEACON
DEADLINE IS
November 28
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The Susquehanna Group of the Sierra
Club, with the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton, Food and
Water Watch and VINES will work
together to bring this important film to
UUCB. Donations will be accepted for
VINES (volunteers improving neighborhood environments).
Minister’s Column
These past two Sunday’s when I have Reverend Taylor is in the office
most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and
not been in the pulpit, I have been visiting
other Unitarian Universalist congregations. Thursdays and can be reached at
607.729.1641 or
On Nov 9th I preached in Ithaca and on the
th
[email protected]
16 I preached in Oneonta. It is always a
pleasure to visit our sister congregations and
strengthen the bonds of support and connection. Whenever I am away from Binghamton
and visiting another UU congregation I always consider my presence to be as a representative on
behalf of all of you back here.
The minister of the Ithaca UU Congregation retired as of the end of October. The congregation will have a series of guest preachers over the next several months while they await an interim
minister because the timing of their former minister’s departure is a little out of the normal cycle.
The Celebration Committee has stepped up their work – they are not only securing speakers, they
are also doing the work of ‘shaping the worshipful atmosphere’ with continuity from week-to-week
as well as from beginning to end of each service. It was a real pleasure to work with them in creating the service. I preached a sermon I had already written, “Bamboo and the Broken Lotus.”
The minister in Oneonta is on sabbatical. The ministers of this district have a Sabbatical
Agreement. When a minister goes on sabbatical, other ministers in the district agree to preach without the usual speaker’s fee. This happened for us when I went on Sabbatical and I reciprocate whenever possible! As an extra treat, Vicky Gordon and the Binghamton choir came to Oneonta on the
same day I was there! The two choirs teamed up to sing together one Sunday in Binghamton and
one Sunday in Oneonta.
It is a good thing for our congregation to build and strengthen the bonds of connection we
have with other Unitarian Universalist congregations. It is not just about my connections through
pulpit supply and pulpit swaps. We exchange choirs and share musical opportunities. This coming
March we will have a music service from the Athens congregation.
Over the course of the fall, four members of our congregation (JoAnn Freer, Christine
Smith, Jason Smith, and Lynne Theophanis) were ‘peer hosts’ for the UU Leadership school (HUULTI). As hosts, they met with lay leaders from nearby UU congregations in Ithaca, Syracuse,
and other cities. Additionally, I am serving as a teacher for courses on Theological Grounding and
UU Identity for H-UULTI. The support and collaboration is great.
We have members serving on the Saint Lawrence district board (Jeff Donahue and Addie
Deacon) and on other district committees (Eileen Hamlin) as well as in district support roles (Jason
Smith). We have youth serving on the district Youth committee (Cameron Vedder and Elena
Woughter).
Other congregations also have many people doing this sort of thing as well, so I’m not trying to say we are the only ones or the best ones. I am trying to say that the abundance of quality and
joy and leadership is so great that is spills out beyond our own congregational system and has a positive influence in different ways for our sister congregations around us – just as we benefit from the
supportive wisdom and connection directed our way from other leaders and congregations.
While all our UU congregations function under a concept of ‘congregational polity’
with autonomy of governance (meaning: the Board answers to the congregation not a district or denominational authority) this does not lead us to be isolated or alone. We are in relationship with the
other autonomous UU congregations around us. We are stronger together. The connections are
good. It is a joy to serve this faith.
-douglas
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Making Meaning
Lynn Garman, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
Love multiplies; Hatred divides!
In the story I shared in the Children’s Chapel Sunday morning, Grandpa Alan lived by
this “sound mathematical principle,” multiplying love in his congregation and local community soup kitchen. Just like the bread Grandpa Alan baked and shared, we discussed how the
soup bottles the children assemble with care can multiply their love in our local community.
Anyone who has worked with children knows how difficult it is for them to part with their
own creations, and yet that is exactly what we ask them to do when we assemble our soup bottles to be sold in support of our Holiday Adopt-a-Family program. They literally pour their
love into the bottles, and hand them over to me to sell to you to then give as gifts or consume.
Each year, there are a few children initially disappointed by the prospect of not taking their
work home with them. Each year we also have children who remember the good feeling they
have experienced in multiplying their love and sharing with others.
The Buddhist notion of non-attachment and compassion come to mind.
According to Buddhist teachings, when you understand
the true meaning of non-attachment:
Family Holiday Craft
Expectations no longer rule your life.
Workshop
Emotions arise, but you have space and perspective.
You relate to the world as it is rather than to your
concepts about it.
Saturday, December 6, 11 am to 1
The problems of this world evoke compassion rather pm
than anger.
Please join us for lunch and to make
You don’t chase after happiness. You just enjoy it
some holiday gifts and decorations.
when it’s present, and release it when it dissolves. This is a fun, low key way to kickYou’re able to allow life to unfold without needing to off your holiday season with fellow
control everything.
friends from UUCB. We need
You don’t stop loving; you love even more.
crafters to sponsor a holiday craft
Your heart grows bigger and bigger and bigger, when activity (cost of supplies can be reyou see all the unnecessary suffering in this
imbursed up to $25). There is no
world.
cost to attendees as this event is
You feel naturally compelled to help, but you’re not
sponsored by the Children’s and
attached to the outcome.
Youth Program Committee and
Soon, we will have soup bottles for sale, and Gift Tags hosted by YOU! Please contact
available for the taking from our holiday adopt-a-family Cassandra May to reserve your craft
tree. As we approach the holiday season, I hope you
table. We hope you will plan to join
will remember Grandpa Alan’s axiom – Love multius for this cherished congregational
plies!
and family December tradition. See
~in joy, Lynn
Lynn Garman for more information.
Leaf Raking Party!
Leaves love to be on the ground.
Kids love leaves
on the ground.
The ground
loves leaves on
it.
Beware of
rakes.
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Bring the whole family (and your rakes!) for some
fun with the leaves, followed by cider and donuts. Saturday, November 22 from 10am to
noon. Call Scott Clarke or Wes Ernsberger if you
would like to help out.
Splinters From the Board
Here’s the latest news from your Board of Trustees. For more in-depth information, stop by the
Board Table in the Social Hall between services on
the second Sunday of each month, or sit in on a
meeting – all are open, except when the Board
meets in executive session.

The proposed Vision Statement and
Long Range Plan were approved by the
Congregation at a special meeting on November 2nd. The Board is grateful to members of the Long Range Planning Committee (Paul Bange, Jeff Deacon, Carl Cohen,
Tammy Nist, Libby Anderson and Kate
Thorpe) for their hard work and dedication
to this important project over the past
year. The documents they have produced
are thoughtful, articulate, and deeply reflective of our mission and values.

Just over $17,000 in increased pledges was raised on Super Goal Sunday on October 27th. Although we are grateful for
these generous gifts, we were not able to
close our budget deficit or restore any program or staffing cuts, so the Board will be
doing some follow-up work in the coming
month.

Concern has been expressed regarding the availability of handicapped parking
spaces on Sunday mornings, and. the Board
is trying to track the extent of the problem.
If you, or someone you know, have had difficulty finding an accessible parking space,
please contact Scott Clarke, Debby Herman,
or any member of the Board or Property
Committee.

A “Thank you for not smoking” sign
will soon be posted at the back of our small
parking lot, in order to discourage Lourdes
employees from smoking on our grounds,
and Lourdes’ security will patrol the borders of our property. A decision on a full
smoking policy is being deferred for congregational discussion and vote.

Treasurer-Elect Shawn Steketee is
set to convene a new Financial Policies
Task Force, which will be charged with the
review and updating of policies and procedures for our Treasurers, Collectors and
Finance Committee.
Yours in faith and service, the Board of Trustees
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Holiday Adopt-a-Family Coming
Soon to UUCB!
The holiday season is approaching and
once again, the Children’s Program will host
the Holiday Adopt-a-Family Program. Here
are some ways you can contribute:
- Soup Sales - our popular Bean Soup mix
and Friendship Soup mix will be for sale
soon, and both make a wonderful recycle,
reuse, and yummy gift for your holiday giving.
-Adopt-a-Family - Our gift tree will be up
soon, and you are invited to choose a tag,
purchase, wrap, and tag the suggested gift,
and return it to UUCB in support of families
adopted by us through the Handicapped Children's Association.
-Contribute financially to the December
Special Collection which supports our adopted families and others at HCA.
Final Exam Care Packages
Giving and Receiving!
Once again, the children in our program will
be preparing care packages to send to our
college students on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We welcome contributions from the
congregation, such as hot chocolate, microwave popcorn packets, gum, fun trinkets, etc.
We anticipate sending about a dozen care
packages. If you are the parent of a college
student, and you would like our congregation
to prepare and send your student a care package in early December, please send the student's address to Lynn Garman at
[email protected].
Feeling friendly?
As you may be aware, we use greeters at every Sunday service
to welcome you to worship and also to help make visitors feel
welcome. While it is nice to see familiar faces as you come into
worship, it is also nice to see new faces as well. Toward that
end, we are looking for some additional people to be part of the
Greeting Team. There will be training provided.
If you are interested, or would like more information please let Christine Niskanen or Doris
Miller know. There is also a signup sheet on the bulletin board.
“Small Group Ministry” groups have room for you!
Every January we have a ‘Small Group Ministry Restart’ when new people are encouraged to
join groups. It is also true that any time is a good time to join a SGM! Take a look at the lists
in the hallway. A ‘full’ group has 10 – 12 people. If you want to join a group, call the facilitator
and ask them about joining.
Social Hour Helpers
Volunteers are needed for Social Hour. 1st service on Nov. 30 is open. December has lots of
vacancies. The sign up sheet has moved to a clipboard on the side of the coffee cupboard in
the Kitchen. Please stop by and fill in some blanks.
Congregational Vegetable Garden
Plans are underway to establish, plant, care for, and harvest a garden as a part of our children's program next summer. We hope to build a raised bed or two before the snow flies. We
are in need of some 2 x 12 (or 2 x 6) rough-cut lumber, some 4 x 4 posts, and some topsoil to
accomplish our fall tasks. If you can help with any of these, or are interested in helping to
build the raised beds, please see Lynn Garman or Tim Wolcott.
Treats and Snacks for Social Hour: We welcome donations of bagels, muffins, etc.,
for our social hours since our budget does not allow for us to provide these things.
READY TO RUMMAGE? 104-106 W. Main Street, Endicott. Tom Dupre. (607) 2228215. [email protected].
Raise money for UUCB. Ready to Rummage is a never-ending indoor yard sale that supports non-profit groups in our community. Shop there for great buys. Donate items and 20%
of the sale price goes to UUCB. Everything is set up. All you need to do is say “UU” when you
donate. Questions: Lois Einhorn, (607) 797-6481. [email protected]
"SOUP & SALAD SATURDAY" HELP NEEDED!
All Saints Episcopal Church, 475 Main Street, J.C, serves lunches to the hungry every Saturday. Serving and cleanup is from 11:45-about 2:30. They have plenty of help, except when the
students are on vacation, and then they really could use our help! Those dates are:11/29;
12/20 and 27; 1/3,10.17,24, and 31. A sign-up sheet will go on the bulletin board. Please sign
up and help make a difference! It's a good thing to do. Call if you have questions.
Toni Norton (754-4759) Social Justice Committee
NAACP ELECTIONS- The election of officers will be held on Monday, November 17th, at
the Trinity AME Zion Church, corner of Oak and Lydia Streets, Binghamton, from 6-8
P.M.. All members in good standing are urged to vote.
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FREE INFO and TRAINING FOR
EVERYONE!
GREEN MATTERS
Leader Development & Resource
Committee Information Night
Wednesday, November 19, 2014,
7-8:30 pm
“This Changes Everything”
This most important book from Naomi Klein is a
brilliant explanation of why the climate crisis challenges us to abandon the core “free market” ideology of our time, restructure the global economy, and
remake our political systems. Here at UUCB, this
book has really caught on so we plan to have a
book discussion, probably in late January. We invite you to start reading it now and then become
part of the discussion. It will certainly be quite
interesting!
Beam Me There, Scotty
Unless we travel by foot, bicycle, or renewablypowered vehicles, we burn climate-altering fossil
fuels. How can we change this? First, by becoming aware. In the past year, how many miles have
we traveled and how did we get there?
Mile for mile, airline travel results in more carbon
emissions than travel by car. For every 10,000
miles, our carbon emissions are approximately:
3 tons – for travel by car; (1 ton if traveling
with two others)
4 tons – for travel by air
If we wish to minimize our carbon footprint, we
need to be judicious about the airline travel we do.
For some thoughtful reflection on this topic, consider this commentary by Rev. Peter Sawtell,
founder of Eco-Justice Ministries: tinyurl.com/ejm
-flying Let’s remember that the greenest passenger
mile is always the one not travelled — so staycations, telecommuting, and Skype all top the list.
Green Quote
"We are the ones we have been waiting for." Anon
The UUCB Leadership Development and
Resource committee will offer information about the many trainings available for leaders and congregants.
We will cover :
 the CERG (Central Eastern Region
Group)
 scheduled and On-Demand webinars;

information on the new H-UULTI the hybrid UU Team Institute;
 and district, regional and national
meetings and training days.
There are many opportunities for you to
advance skills to apply to your work here
at UUCB or elsewhere. Webinars can be
social and well as educational events.
Some events build bridges to other UU
congregations across the region and
country.
Do you like poetry? The UUCB
Poetry Group will meet Monday,
November 24 at 4 p.m. in the Fireside Room. All are welcome!
Staff Updates:
 This past Friday, Doris Miller resigned
from the position of Membership Coordinator due to ongoing health concerns that
were keeping her from doing this work.
She had been a good addition to our staff
team and will be missed. The Board and
Personnel Committee will be making decisions soon about the open position.

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Charlotte Lehman let us know that her
my interview with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee is on December 6th
at 9:15 a.m. ET. Good Luck Charlotte!
COME SING WITH THE ONE-HOUR
CHOIR (ages 13 and up)
Have you wanted to sing with the Adult
Choir, but can’t make a time commitment? Then this opportunity is for you!
We are working up a beautiful, easy piece
called “Thanksgiving Song” by Mary Chapin Carpenter for the Intergenerational
Thanksgiving services on Sunday, November 23. All you need to do is show up for
one rehearsal on Thursday, November 20
from 7-8pm and you’ll be able to sing with
us that Sunday. If you can only sing for one
service, that is fine.
Here is a link to the solo version of the
song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7NSQLMPUK-8
If you’re interested, please contact me by
phone at 797-9357 or via e-mail at [email protected]. This will help me know
how many copies I need to provide.
Happy singing,
Vicky Gordon, Music Director
Labyrinth Gathering: It’s time again
for that wonderful communal experience of
refreshing our labyrinth to its powerful
state. Saturday November 22 from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Pizza lunch and refreshments provided. Join with us as we revivify the iconic symbol of our congregation. Also it is
one of the final earth centered activities of
the season. See you there. Contact Ron
Clupper, 727-8516, [email protected].
UUW Holiday Lunch Coming Up
The Unitarian Universalist Women’s group
will be meeting on Monday, December 1
for their annual Holiday Luncheon at 11am.
This event is open to everyone. Bring a dish
to share.
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Thanksgiving Potluck
There will be a potluck at UUCB on
Thanksgiving Day, November 27, at 4pm.
Sign up next to the bulletin board under
the “Gobble Gobble” sign if you are planning to attend. We need some folks to
come early and stay late to help with set-up
and clean-up, so indicate if you are able. If
you have questions, please contact Susie
Ravage at 607.725.1239.
YUM!
Spaghetti Dinner at UUCB
Join us on Saturday November 21
from 5-8pm in the social hall for spaghetti,
meatballs, salad, bread and dessert. All for
one low price. Thje will also be music and
raffle baskets. This event will benefit UUCB
and the Binghamton Pride Coalition’s Summer Pride event.
183 Riverside Drive
Binghamton, New York 13905
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
“We offer a spiritual
home where we explore,
celebrate and cherish our
interconnectedness,
encourage growth and
transcendence, and act
with justice and
compassion.”
Social Justice Movie Night
“GMO OMG”
Sunday, November 21 at 7pm
(details inside)
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