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January 2015
The Messenger
The Messenger
January 2015
Volume 15 Issue 1
Keene Unitarian Universalist Church, 69 Washington Street , Keene, NH 03431
http://www.kuuc.org/
[email protected]
603-352-1719
______________________________________________________
CONTENTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
6
7
8
10
12
13
13
14
15
Worship
Calendar
Rev. Michael’s
Moment
GAYT
President’s
Corner
RE News
Music Notes
Message from
Office Admin
Board of
Trustees News
Program/
Membership
Events, etc.
What’s Cooking?
KUUC
Outdoors
Actions &
outreach
Theatre at
KUUC
Office Hours/
Help Wanted
Please join us:
10:00 a.m.
Worship Services
and Coffee Hour
following the
service.
Childcare is
available for
children ages 5
and under.
Children’s RE
and/or Worship
activities are
offered every
Sunday.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE:
Wednesday, December 24th
Wassail: 6-7 P.M. Service: 7-8:30 P.M.
“Light Shines in the Darkness”
It will be another joyful and beautiful Christmas Eve at KUUC. The choir will share
their ministry with us and once again young and old will participate in “The No
Rehearsal Christmas Pageant.” Rev. Michael’s message will affirm and uphold the
unique nature of our church as both a beacon of spiritual diversity and a haven for
people in this community. Please note that this special holiday service is 90
minutes long.
December 28: Lay lead Reflection Service
JANUARY WORSHIP CALENDAR
January Hymn of the Month:
#1024 “When the Spirit Says Do”
January 4: “The Crazy Quilt”
Occasionally we are asked to explain our religious tradition and sometimes we are
asked to do something entirely different. Today Rev. Michael asks that question that
some find most uncomfortable: “I think I get what Unitarian Universalism is but
what I want to know is what you believe?” We will also be sharing our Joys and
Concerns today.
January 11: “Living the Living Tradition”
Unitarian Universalist worship, welcome and lived religion is founded on the
intellectual curiosity and theological diversity within its congregations. Our “Living
Tradition” which undergirds our principles and programming, is fed by many
spiritual and ethical sources. Assuming that drawing on multiple religious
perspectives strengthens our own lived religion, we need to ask: “How should we
appropriately sample and successfully integrate the practices of other religious
traditions into our own?” Today’s service will include a Time for All Ages based on
our theme.
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January 18: “My Mind Stayed on Freedom”
No exploration of the Civil Rights Movement would be complete without an appreciation of its
religious and political music. African-American spirituals, the folk movement and the continued
evolution of rock-n-roll helped keep morale alive while bringing about an unprecedented
collaboration that changed our country and our definition of the possible. This Multi-Generational
Worship Services includes Joys & Concerns and the first offerings of our choir in the new year.
January 25: “The Promise of Campus Ministry”
Today is Rev. Michael’s “off” Sunday and so we have a guest speaker: The Rev. Stacey Kullgren
from the United Campus Ministry to Keene State College. Rev. Kullgren will share with us her call
to campus ministry and experiences working with young adults during a time of great transition
and personal growth in their lives.
REV. MICHAEL’S MOMENT
“The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have
perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”
― J.M. Barrie
Good People:
Every day we meet with turbulence and encounter difficult people
and situations. At all ages and stages in life---even in that seemingly perpetual stage
many of us occupy, called “fine”--- there are bumps in the road and the potential for
worse. Ultimately, many of us would indeed keep our own lives, warts and all, rather
than trade them with other folks we know are suffering, whether they are a sister
with cancer or a newly widowed neighbor or a child in a refugee camp that we read
about in the newspapers.
But that doesn’t mean that our own lives and present circumstances aren’t hard and
the road ahead unclear. If you are the new kid in school or a teen “coming out” to
friends and family, or a young adult trying to prepare for finals while learning how
to negotiate the terms (and sharp turns) of romantic relationships, or an 30something trying to keep a marriage afloat, or employer trying to stave off
bankruptcy, or someone who has been downsized, or who is dealing with mental
illness or grief or retirement income lost in the market, or you are feeling estranged
from your family or that you have no one to turn to, any of these things, your life can
feel very, very lonely and hard. Any one of these challenges could overwhelm us and
make us feel either unable to move or frightened to stand still.
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People often struggle in the winter, really struggle: physically, mentally and
spiritually. To make matters worse our New Englandishness can work against us.
(O.K. that probably isn’t a real word but you know what I mean). This unflinching
self-reliance and seemingly genetic predisposition to not put others out could leave
us without the care and comfort and help that we desperately need.
It is in times like these, when the tinsel has been swept up and the lights taken
down, that we can truly be our own worst enemy. In such times we can give
ourselves over to self-pity and resignation. We can try to ignore the problems that
won’t just go away. We can even forget who we are and what we want and those
things we value. We can isolate and stay clear of the people we love and those who
love us. We certainly can forget we are not alone; we can lose our faith, even take
leave of our senses.
People often struggle in winter, really struggle. The nights are long in this season
but we needn’t grow dark or think ourselves alone, or even be alone. The season is
cold but we really do have “the warmth of community” here at KUUC and can build
friendships here to help us revive our spirits. The season can seem as dry as fallen
branches, but we have many tools including both professional and shared ministry
to help us through the tough times when we feel dulled by situations and at a loss
about how to move forward. Even if that means simply helping you find other and
better care when it is needed.
There are many things to be grateful about in our lives and one of them is a
compassionate community where people mean what they say when they say,
“Welcome,” and genuinely want to know the answer when they ask “Are you O.K.?”
With Heart and in Hope,
Rev. Michael
GUEST AT YOUR TABLE DEADLINE JANUARY 11, 2015
Guest at Your Table is an annual fundraising and education program that supports the Unitarian
Universalist Service Committee’s human rights work. This month we will be finishing up our
activities that highlight this program and finish collect funds from the congregation to support it.
All funds collected will support the UUSC's global human rights work. Look for information about
this year's representative guests on the RE bulletin board. KUUC will accept donations on behalf
of the UUSC through January 11, 2015. Please be sure to put the words “UUSC/Guest at Your
Table” in the memo line of your check.
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PRESIDENT’S CORNER
The New Year is almost here. Soon, the hustle and bustle of the holidays/holydays will be behind us. Now it is time to look ahead to what is before us. How
we look and what we see will depend on our collective hopes, dreams and
aspirations. Most of all, it will depend on our attitude and our ability to trust
one another enough to express our views honestly, and, in the spirit of lovingkindness, our ability to understand that what we say may not always be
understood in the spirit it was offered, and to know that we could ruffle feathers
or hurt feelings. Conflict, and there will be conflict in every right relationship, is often an opportunity
for transformation as long as we stand together and commit to work through any and all difficult
issues until we arrive at an agreeable solution.
I strive to be like those who have a happy face, positive energy, with hopeful anticipation of what
comes next and a “full speed ahead” outlook on life. I don’t always succeed. But, isn’t that what life is
all about? Don’t we learn as much from our failures as we do our successes? Can we forgive ourselves
– and others – for coming up short once in a while? Is it possible to “let it go” and move forward into
a new day?
I for one believe we can overcome all obstacles, both real and imagined, and get done what needs
getting done in our little faith community. And there is much to be done. I sometimes struggle with
the belief that what we think we become, what we dream we can achieve, but I am a believer
nonetheless. Sometimes, throwing caution to the wind and making a leap of faith is exactly what is
needed. That and having talented, dedicated, resourceful, enthusiastic people joining together to
make it all happen. As I am observing, the more we embrace the positive, the more we attract what
and who we need to grow and nurture our community for the future; a future full of hope and
promise, abundance and prosperity, in spirit and in body.
I firmly believe we can go where we want to go and we can do it with joy. Will you join us? Will you
take on the challenge of building and maintaining a community filled with hope, beauty, love and
abundance? What will you contribute to our future? What hopes will you bring to the table this year?
What dream will your energies fuel to reality? What role will you play in the coming year to promote
the inherent worth and dignity of every person; to affirm justice, equity and compassion in human
relations; to encourage and promote spiritual growth in our community; to enhance the collective
journey we have embraced; to search for truth and meaning? In the new year, how will you support
the democratic process, protect and promote peace, liberty? How will you work with us to strengthen
our mission and create justice for all? What do think we need to do to demonstrate our respect for the
interdependent web of existence of which we are all a part? In the end, by supporting our principles,
and treating each other with respect, as we deal with and sometimes disagree on the way forward, we
will find that which meets the needs of all. “Come, come, whoever you are”… we will build a
world…together.
With hope,
Leslie Erdoben-Evans, President, Board of Trustees
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
A Brief Reminder:
Guest at Your Table is an annual fundraising and education
program that supports the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s
human rights work. KUUC will accept donations on behalf of the UUSC
through January 11, 2015.
Sunday, January 4:
Children begin in the sanctuary and will be sung out to participate in an activity all together.
All ages of RE kids will be baking goodies for the community breakfasts; most likely muffins or
cookies. Jill Hall will be leading and would appreciate two other adult helpers, or Coming of Age
youth with their adult mentor. Please see or email Jill ([email protected]) to volunteer. At
Coffee Hour our Junior Activists will present a donation to Mindy Cambier of the 100 Nights
Shelter.
Sunday, January 11:
Children begin in the sanctuary and are sung out to RE classes.
The grade 4-5 group (Explorers) will be going on their Goose Pond field trip so please have them
dress warmly including boots, snow pants, mittens/gloves and hats. If the temperature or wind
chill is 15 degrees or below, they will not go on the field trip but will instead have an indoor class.
The field trip is for the grade 4-5 group only. All other groups will have regular RE classes.
RE Committee will meet in the classroom: 11:45 am-1:30 pm.
4:30-6:30 pm Coming of Age class meets in the Parish Hall and Alliance Room.
Sunday, January 18:
Multigenerational Worship Service (children remain in the sanctuary) in honor of Martin Luther
King, Jr Day. The service will celebrate and remember the civil rights movement through the
music that inspired and fueled it. Childcare for those 5 years and younger will be available in the
nursery.
Sunday January 25:
Children begin in the sanctuary and are sung out to RE classes.
4:30-6:30 pm All junior and senior high youth as well as Coming of Age mentors are invited to a
social gathering in the Parish Hall and Alliance Room. Snacks definitely, activities, TBD.
– Jill M. Hall, Acting Director of Religious Education
[email protected] 508-821-8935
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MUSIC NOTES
Happy New Year, everyone!
I hope everyone has been keeping it REAL this winter holiday season as,
in a recent service, Rev. Michael suggested we do: Resting by the fire,
Envisioning a new tomorrow, Accepting that things are as they are, and
have been as they have been, (though they needn’t stay that way always),
and, of course, Living life with joy and passion.
This month begins a new season for the choir – we will resume rehearsals on Thursday January
8th, and continue rehearsing each Thursday at 7:30pm in the Parish Hall. Now is very good time to
join the choir, as we are going to begin a new set of adventures!
A huge round of applause is due to at least 2 people who gave the choir a try in the fall. Please
consider our choir room doors always open to anyone of any experience and any ability – we
hope you and others will join in the fun in 2015!
In January, the choir’s first and only Singing Service will be on MLK weekend, January 18th. We
are planning to serve the congregation with our music ministry by contributing music from the
Civil Rights Movement. You may even hear a song or two that you know already.
For the February 1st service, the choir will be comprised of women only. If you or your lady
friends would like to sing a few songs on this day, please join our rehearsals in January!
You can always email me with any questions and suggestions. Look forward to the new year with
you!
Best, Esther
[email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A MESSAGE FROM THE (NEW) OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
I am so delighted to now be part of this wonderful UU community as the new Office Administrator.
For 15 years, while I was at AIDS Services for the Monadnock Region, I collaborated with the church
on many activities including the development of the Starr Memorial Garden.
It seems completely natural for me to transition into a staff role, joining Reverend Michael in
service of this congregation’s mission which I so admire.
I’m looking forward to our future collaborations and accomplishments in the coming years.
Office hours are Monday-Friday, from 9am-1pm, and I hope that you will stop by to say hello if you
find yourself outside my door!
- - - Susan MacNeil
[email protected]
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT
The board has been quite busy over the past few months and we wanted you to know what is
happening.
As you remember, the Montessori Schoolhouse has purchased property and has been upgrading it
for their use. The school will be vacating their present space here at KUUC by June 30. This leaves
KUUC with empty space we need to fill. The board is looking into best use of the space for the
needs of the church. As we move forward in this endeavor, we will keep you posted.
We have developed a new building use policy and there are some who were not aware of this. We
have posted these new policies on the bulletin board at the Taylor St. entrance.
We have created a Finance Cluster consisting of the Investment, Budget, Stewardship and the recreated Fundraising Committees. The cluster is being led by Michelle Thevenin, who will, for now,
accept any and all fundraising proposals. We are reviewing and revamping the Policy and
Procedure Manual and this includes a new fundraising policy as well.
At this time, there is a leadership deficit. The Property Committee is in need of a chairperson.
There is much that needs to be coordinated, especially during the winter, for property upkeep and
maintenance. If anyone is interested in exploring the possibilities, we hope you will contact Mark
Meese or Leslie Erdoben–Evans.
The board is working diligently to address the budgetary needs of the church. We are actively
looking into firming up our financial reporting and presenting a full accounting to the congregation
as we move into our next Stewardship campaign. Our goal is to present a clear understanding of
our financial circumstances: past, present and future.
The board also wishes to increase communication to the congregation. To that end, we want to
remind you that the minutes of board meetings, along with reports are available in the Library.
Monthly minutes will be posted on the bulletin board at the Taylor St. entrance.
The board meets the second Sunday of each month at 7 PM. If you have an item you wish the
board to discuss or take action on, please submit your request to the President by the first Sunday
of the month. And, remember, board meetings are open to members of the church, so if you wish to
join us, please do.
Respectfully, Leslie Erdoben-Evans, President
A STEWARDSHIP REMINDER
As we approach the end of 2014, KUUC is looking back on a successful fall--Month of Sundays took
us deeper into our journey of social action on economic justice, our religious education curriculum
is vibrant, we are strengthening our connections with other religious and charitable organizations in
the community and our morning breakfast program is filling a significant need in our community.
We have some budget gaps to fill in the coming months and gifts above and beyond your pledged
gifts will help us continue on our journey of becoming the community we envision. As you consider
your end of year charitable giving, we hope you will include an additional gift to Keene Unitarian
Universalist Church, your spiritual home. Thank you!
--- Michelle Thevenin, Stewardship Chair
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INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE KUUC BOARD OF TRUSTEES?
Would you like to help create the future of KUUC? Starting in early 2015 the Nominating
Committee will be identifying potential candidates to be elected to the KUUC Board of Trustees at
our Annual Meeting in June 2015. Serving on the “BoT” is a great experience and offers the
opportunity to help lead this growing and dynamic community. The Board of Trustees focuses on
issues around the strategic vision, finances, legal issues and external communication. It meets
monthly with email communication in between. It's a fun group of people and a great way to get
involved with the KUUC community. You must be a member of KUUC but you do not need to have
had previous KUUC leadership experience (i.e. the BoT is open to new members as well as longtime members). This year there will be openings for both 3-year and 2-year terms on the Board. If
you'd like to be considered by the Nominating Committee please contact KUUC Past President
Dan York at [email protected] or 603-352-9675
KUUC INTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDIT - HELP NEEDED!
Do you have a background in finance or accounting? Or are you a CPA or work with an accounting
firm? Or have you been a treasurer of another organization? The KUUC Board of Trustees is
undertaking a financial audit and looking for a few more people who might be able to help. This is
a great way to get involved with the church and if you have never participated actively before that
is fine - it is great to have new people involved. If you are interested, have a financial background
and will have time in the next few months, please contact KUUC Treasurer John Lowry at
[email protected] or 603-355-2958.
PROGRAM AND MEMBERSHIP ENRICHMENT COUNCIL
We learned a great deal during the first half of the church year from our attempts to reimagine and
energize the Program Council. So we have decided to make some changes that will help us keep
clear our mission: devoting time and dedicating space to discussing programmatic ideas and the
pragmatic issues such as calendaring conflicts that emerge around them, while also inviting the
congregation to participate in deep conversations that will enrich the overall experience of our
membership.
To that end we have decided to host two different kinds of meetings on alternating months. The
first set of meetings is about program issues, new ideas and scheduling matters. In some ways this
will appear like the old Program Council except 4 “clusters” of allied committees (see below) will
be represented by one person so that we can have consistent input from and feedback to the
committees. All of our meetings are open to anyone in the congregation.
Meeting Dates for the Program Council:
January 12 7-8:30 pm
March 9 7-8:30 pm
May 11 7-8:30 pm
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Clusters and Reps:
Nancy Brigham - Social Action Cluster: Social Action, Green Sanctuary, Welcoming
Congregation
Michelle Thevenin- Financial Cluster: Investment, Budget, Stewardship, Fundraising
Chip Southgate - Community Cluster: Membership, Fellowship, Communications, Circle
of Caring
Betty Forrest- Worship and Faith Formation Cluster: Worship, RE, Music, Covenant
Groups
While we realize that not all of these committees are fully functioning, maybe we can work to
change that in conjunction with the nominating committee. Our vision, however, is that each of
the above named people will be a "communication link" to those groups within their cluster. That
will mean checking in with each group prior to one of our three meetings, and then disseminating
information back to the groups. It may be that feedback loop will happen at a Cluster meeting, if
those meetings are already happening within your area of KUUC Congregational Life. If not, we
will do what we can to help you facilitate this!
Each meeting will include a check-in (personal), a "report" of any information that you have to
share, a sharing of highlights and concerns, adding to the calendar as needed, and an action plan if
needed if/when new items are brought to the Council that require further work.
All congregation members and friends are also invited to attend any of the Membership
Enrichment Conversations. These meetings are designed to be in-depth explorations of
individual and collective dreams for the congregation: its mission, vision and purpose.
Membership Enrichment Conversations:
February 9
April 13
June 8
We hope to see you there!
D’Vorah Kelley & Rev. Michael, Co-Chairs
HELP US TELL THE STORY OF KUUC!
Would you like to help tell the great story of what we are doing here at KUUC? Would you like to
help with writing articles? Or helping with our website? Or on social media? We're looking for a
few more volunteers for our Communications Committee to help us spread the word about KUUC.
Please contact Dan York at [email protected] or 603-352-9675 if you can help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, UPDATES & OTHER NEWS
SLICE OF FELLOWSHIP “WINTER WARMTH”
The January Slice Pot-Luck will be held on the second Friday, January 9th. The theme will be
"Winter Warmth" (or whatever you love to cook or eat). Hors d'oeuvres will be at 5:30 and pot-luck
at 6:00. Your hosts for this month are Jim and Gerry Frederiksen. Please contact them with any
questions at 352-4785. See you there!
JANUARY LUNCH BUNCH
Our Senior Lunch Bunch will meet on Wednesday, January 21st at noon in the Parish Hall.
Hosts for this month are Betty and Mike Forrest. If you have questions, please call Betty at
603-357-1534 or send a message to [email protected].
If school is cancelled due to weather issues, there will be no lunch bunch that day.
Note: Current callers for lunch bunch are: Martha Bauman & Nancy Brigham.
MIDDLE EAST STUDY GROUP PRESENTATION ON JANUARY 17TH
The Middle East Study Group has invited Josh Reubner to give a presentation Friday, January
17, 2015 in the Parish Hall at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Reubner is Policy Director of US Campaign to end
the Israeli occupation. He co-founded Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel in 2000, which has
since merged with Jewish Voice for Peace. He is in New England promoting his most recent book,
Shattered Hopes: Obama’s Failure to Broker Israeli-Palestinian Peace. Reubner is an eloquent
speaker and has contributed articles for USA Today, Los Angeles Times and the Huffington Post.
FREE EVENT OFFERED AT KUUC
A Presentation of Colored Light in Movement to Music will be held at the Keene Unitarian
Universalist Church on Friday, January 2nd at 4:30PM. We draw our inspiration for this
expression of color in movement from the works of Claude Debussy and Luciano Berio, performed
for us by pianist, Barbara Hudgiks. Our evening will conclude with the 4th panel of Rudolf Steiner's
Foundation Stone Meditation spoken by Michael Steinrueck.
For more information, please contact Katie Schwerin, 603-357-4710 [email protected] or
Libby Haddock, 563-8320 [email protected]
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TIME FOR KUUC DIRECTORY UPDATES!
It has been a while since we have printed an updated KUUC Members & Friends Directory. We
have begun the process and need your help.
There will be a printed directory in the Parish Hall with our status of addresses as of November
2014. Please check for your name in the directory.
 If all information is correct, initial the entry
 If there are corrections to be made, enter those into the printed directory
 If your name is not in the directory, add it to the sheet that is with the current copy
 If you will not be in church to check the list, please email your information to Elizabeth
Williams at [email protected]. Include your name, spouse/partner name, children’s
names, mailing address, phone number, and email addresses.
The Membership Committee will be working on this project with help from others. Please speak
with Chip Southgate, Suzanne Butcher, or Elizabeth Williams if you have questions. Thank you so
much for your help.
DANCE FOR LIFE
I'm hoping to start a dance class three times a week in the parish hall starting in the new year. This
is a class which will utilize some dance styles, techniques, steps, but no dance
experience whatsoever is necessary. Mostly it is going to be formatted for the purpose of moving
our bodies together to help promote happier, healthier bodies and spirits for ourselves as
individuals and as a community. This will be open to anyone and everyone, so I will be advertising
around town. It is donation only if that is affordable to you, otherwise, just show up and move to
the groove. More details to follow as soon as I have it all figured out.
"To Dance is to Live, To Live is to have the Chance to Dance."
Peace, Carin Torp
SPACE USE
As many of you are aware, the Montessori School will soon be moving out of KUUC to a larger
facility. With this news comes an awesome opportunity -- what to do with our space? We have a
short window of time in which to brainstorm and dream big before we must make some decisions
about the space: what areas to make available for rent, what types of renters to seek, what
renovations or improvements might be necessary, etc. Do try to think beyond what we've always
done, and think about more than just the Montessori wing.
What space would be really ideal for your group or activity? What is something you've always
wished the church had room for or particular spaces needed for different activities and
programming that we could do? Should some of our offices or activities move from their current
spaces? Suggestions and ideas may be dropped in the wooden suggestion box opposite the Taylor St
entrance, or emailed to Leslie Erdoben-Evans [email protected], Mark Meess
mailto:[email protected], or Jill Hall [email protected] by January 31.
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PUBLIC WORSHIP AND FAITH FORMATION CLUSTER
What do we do when we want to have time for visioning and let our big ideas have a place to be
voiced, heard and maybe even acted upon? What do we do when we want to coordinate and
collaborate with those others whose work compliments and combines with our own? What do we
do when we want to increase communication between committees and don't really want to add
more time to the meeting grind? Give up? We form a cluster, that's what!
Since last year sometime, representatives of Worship, Religious Education, Music and Covenant
Groups along with Rev. Michael have been meeting and those of us present generally find ourselves
energized and hopeful about this process and our work. Two of several concrete results of our
meeting are the singing that the religious education children now do as they leave the sanctuary on
their way to classes two times a month and some more complimentary worship services, (which by
the way includes Betty Forrest, Martha Bauman and Rev. Michael having a nursing home service
monthly). We still have some bugs to work out in terms of actually reducing meeting time and
making sure that the cluster and committee efforts coordinate and not overlap, so meetings don't
end up just as times to pass along information, but we believe we are headed in the right direction
and are excited about our progress thus far. If you are in one of the committees mentioned above
and want to join us by all means do it.
Beginning new things like this sometimes looks obvious and feels simple. Our experience is that
while it is not always easy, the rewards are many, so don't be timid. If you are a member of a
committee in another area of our congregational life and operations, and believe that other
committees naturally align with yours, share your concerns, that their mission is related to yours in
some way you may want to pull together a meeting. We have come to believe that regular and
coordinated efforts are the key to our shared ministry, growth and moving forward together as a
community. We like how this model of shared visioning collaboration, integrated effort and
maximizing human resources works and think you will too. If you agree all it really takes is
contacting those other like-minded/like-actioned committees, setting a time and going for it. . .
well maybe more than that, but you'll love it. Really you will.
Peace, Carin Torp Worship Committee
WHAT’S COOKING?
I would like to thank everyone who has been hard at work in the kitchen so far this year. The
property committee has installed a second refrigerator for the Community Breakfast crew to have
their own storage space. Also, Ann Shedd spent some time after the electricians came in for that
installation to clean up after them and corrected a few items so that we passed our health
inspection with flying colors. Thank you so much.
There seems to be a bit of confusion still regarding hosting coffee hour. I am working out the
details of what is required vs. what is simply expected and tradition. We have had several new
church members taking on this task and I would like to make it as easy to understand and fulfill as
possible. We have some wonderful signs in there for directions and such, but things still seem to be
a little scattered. I will be putting together a checklist of all things that need doing so it is all in one
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place with references to the other signs and documents. If you would like to see some other format
for the directions, please feel free to send me your ideas at [email protected] or call me at 8352360.
-- Judy Saunders, Kitchen Coordinator, [email protected]
KUUC OUTDOORS WINTER ACTIVITY IN JANUARY
Sunday, January 25 Skating and Sledding at Robin Hood Park
Join us at Robin Hood Park for winter fun at 1:00pm. Great excursion for families and winter
enthusiasts of all ages!
Robin Hood Park is located on 366 Reservoir Street off of Roxbury Street in Keene.
Upcoming KUUC Outdoors events:
 Feb 15, Sun 1 pm, XC Skiing & Snowshoeing, Otter Brook State Park, Rte. 9, Keene
 May 16, Sat, 9:30am, Walking Tour with Carl Jacobs of Artist Barry Faulkner Sites in Keene
 July, TBA, Rhododendron State Park & Little Monadnock Mountain, Fitzwilliam
Questions or suggestions? Contact Tom Julius (603) 357-4521, [email protected]
As always, KUUC Outdoors says… Go take a hike!
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
UPDATE
21 people representing 7 different religious communities
attended the December 7th meeting at KUUC. The next
meeting will be at the Ahavas Achim Synagogue, 84
Hastings Ave, Keene in January 2015. Specific date is to
be determined. See Tom Julius to sign up for email updates on
this exciting outreach project.
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January 2015
The Messenger
ARTS IN ACTION UPDATE
Some people have asked “Arts in Action . . . what are they? Well, although we began as one of the
break out groups from last year's Month of Sundays, we are much more than that. We are a group of
people who believe that the arts "can help spread universal love and bring more justice to the world."
If you haven't yet read the Winter UU World “Families Weave a Tapestry of Faith” section, you'll see
that we are not alone, and in fact that is where I took the above quotation from.
As you have already noticed, our first action for this new year of work was to create the Chalices on
the lawn. Then we created and presented the much talked about “Death Drop” and chalking event in
Downtown Keene and Central Square on December 20th. We will also took part in the Hundred
Nights Vigil on the 21st having lit candles to extinguish as the names of the homeless dead were read
aloud.
Ask us about these events, or our upcoming Flash Mob and Statue of Liberty installation and (insert
your ideas here). . . . You can participate in many ways: planning, creating, doing, sending things out
to media. . . .
So far our group is composed of D'Vorah Kelley, Bridge Noone, Carole Mills, Barbara Bryce, Hazel
Erdoben-Evans, Erin and Carrie Williams, Mark Meess, Dave Wilbur, Susan Chamberlin, Carin
Torp, Eleanore Smart, Talu Robertson and our newest member Becky Souci. Come put your art and
action where your heart is and stand (or fall or dance or paint or quilt or bake or. . . as the case may
be) on the side of love.
Peace, Carin Torp
THEATRE AT KUUC
Are you interested in live performance? Do you like to act, sing or dance? Would you prefer to work
behind the scenes gathering props, finding or making costumes or helping with sets? Perhaps you
have a talent for the business side of things: selling advertisements or tickets, helping out with
publicity or refreshments? Would you like the opportunity to explore our shared values through the
arts? Even if you think you might like doing any of these things, while also helping out at church,
than join us after coffee hour on January 4th to discuss doing three different shows
this winter and spring at KUUC!
The fact is that our pews are filled with talented people who enjoy the arts. We also have a hefty
fundraising goal of $18,000 in our 2014-15 budget line. So, why not fulfill our commitment to the
church while leveraging our talents and doing something we enjoy?
Rev. Michael is hoping to launch the following three productions:
March 7&8: “A Night of Irish Love and Laughter (but Italian Food)”
Our most ambitious project is the dinner theatre scheduled for the first weekend of March. A Night
of Irish Love and Laughter (but Italian Food) will combine singing, comedy and great Italian
cuisine into a delightful evening out. Among the entertainments are traditional Irish folk songs, a
one-act play by John Millington Synge and a charming set of vignettes written by one of our own
KUUC members.
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January 2015
The Messenger
May (dates TBA): “No Exit” by Jean Paul Sartre
In May, we will be offering a staged reading of Jean Paul-Sartre’s cheery little Existentialist play
about life in Hell, (or is it the hell that is life): “No Exit.” Perhaps baguettes and berets are in
order?
June (dates TBA): “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde
Witty repartee, clever plot turns and devilish antics are the hallmarks of this brilliant send-up of
late Victorian English society. Buried beneath the surface of the action are deeper questions about
identity, propriety and superficiality of life among the idle classes.
For more information and to express interest contact: Carin Torp: [email protected] or Rev.
Michael: [email protected]
Don’t forget to join us on January 4th!
Please check the calendar outside the church office for regularly scheduled events,
or contact the Office Administrator. Calendar items for Worship, RE, and special
events are included in the text of this edition of The Messenger.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
As usual, the church office will be open M-F from 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. except on New Year’s Day when
the office will be closed. Because Susan works Sunday evenings on weeks when there are is a Board
of Trustees meeting, her Office Hours will adjusted accordingly.
DEADLINE FOR THE FEBRUARY MESSENGER
The deadline for the February Messenger is January 24, 2015.
Please send all articles directly to Rev. Michael at [email protected]
HELP WANTED: ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Do you have computer skills that you would like to put to good use on behalf of the church? Would
you like to help us bridge the gap volunteering 8-10 hours per month to take on specific clerical
tasks? Are you interested in helping shape the future of KUUC Communications and grant-based
fundraising?
For a number of reasons we cut the responsibilities of the Office Administrator back prior to hiring
Susan. This was due in part to the making certain that the new Office Administrator would be able
to get all of his or her work done in the 20 hours allotted no matter what last minute work got put
on their plate. Because of this, a few tasks, such as the responsibility of putting together the
monthly Messenger, was taken off the OA’s plate.
Although there is the possibility that such responsibilities will return after Susan has completed her
90 day “Introductory Period” and mastered the position as currently written, some things, such as
assembling the Messenger, though it is well within Susan’s skill set, may not.
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January 2015
The Messenger
Susan has lengthy experience and demonstrated talents in other areas that we might leverage
instead on regular basis. Most of the recent press coverage that we received on Month of Sundays
and Arts in Action activities was gotten through releases that Susan created for those activities.
Susan has already created and expanded our media contacts and research grants that we will likely
pursue for infrastructural support that we need but don’t have the budget for. In her first few days
at KUUC, Susan got a refrigerator donated by Korvin (so please patronize them if you don’t
already) for the Community Breakfast and half of an electrician’s bill for some work we had done in
the kitchen, donated by Amer Electric. It may be in our best interests if we have her do more of this
type of work.
If you want to learn what goes into assembling the Messenger please talk with Rev. Michael or
Dottie Bauer. Also, as space allows, I would like to thank Dottie publicly as I have many times in
person for filling in and assembling the Messenger for the past three months. Her work on this
publication was fantastic and greatly appreciated.
Rev. Michael
REV. MICHAEL’S OFFICE HOURS FOR JANUARY 2015
Rev. Michael will be taking some well-deserved vacation days over the holidays and study time in
the beginning of January.
Beginning on January 12th he will resume his regular Office Hours
 Monday mornings from 9 A.M. – 1 P.M.
 Tuesday afternoons from 1 P.M. – 5 P.M.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR
TO ALL!
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