http://www.uucroton.org Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:38:34 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/09/bg-committee-meeting-tuesday-march-9-at-700-pm-at-the-fellowship/ The Croton Council on the Arts has announced the dates of this year's Photographers of Northern Westchester Show.  The show will open on Sunday, March 28 with a reception from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Co-chairs Maggie Loewenwarter and Steve Jacoby expect that upward of one hundred local photographers will participate in this ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/08/ccoa-announces-2010-photo-show/ On March 14 we begin our financial pledge drive. The theme this year is Creating Abundance! In the coming days you will receive information from our Pledge Drive Committee about our financial goals and our overall goal of Creating Abundance. Jean and Des Fitzpatrick are the chairs of the pledge ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/08/ministers-letter-march-2010/ Dear Members and Friends,As I write this, the Board has just scheduled a special Fellowship meeting on March 21 at 12:30 p.m. for all members to hear Francis Sink, our UUA Metro District consultant for "Right Relations," speak about developing a Fellowship Covenant. You may be aware that several committees ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/08/presidents-letter-march-2010/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/08/fundraising-committee-meeting-monday-march-8-at-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/ Newcomer Chat with the Minister Spirits in Harmony-11:00 a.m. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/07/jim-covington%e2%80%94bring-a-friend%e2%80%94open-house-sunday/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/07/membership-meeting-on-sunday-march-7-at-1230-pm/ A couple of weeks ago after the service, I introduced myself to one of our visitors and became engaged in a great conversation about religion and Unitarian Universalism.  I invited her questions about us, which I readily attempted to answer....But a comment that stood out the most for me was ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/07/i-am-a-unitarian-universalist-and-this-is-what-i-believe/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/03/music-committee-meeting-wednesday-march-3-from-730-pm-to-900-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/03/02/re-new-discussion-course-reconnecting-with-earth-session-i-wild-nature-meeting-tuesday-march-2-from-730-pm-to-900-pm-in-the-fellowship-sanctuary/ Green Sanctuary certification requires evidence of successful participation in an environmental justice project that involves outreach of our congregation to the larger community. An excellent opportunity has come to our attention involving Clearwater and a Peekskill community based environmental justice group. More information will be released and your participation will ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/28/program-service-tbd-3/ Click on Fellowship Youth Exchange and enjoy the many adventures our Fellowship foreign exchange Youths have experienced over the past year. Fellowship Youths and Host Families can apply for this year's upcoming Foreign Youth Exchange Program by clicking on Youth Exchange Application. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/23/uu-fellowship-youth-exchange/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/23/mens-community-circle-meeting-tuesday-february-23-at-645-pm-at-the-fellowship/ Fellowship Choir: As Clay in Your Hands at the 9:00 a.m. service Keith Harris at the 11:00 a.m. service. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/21/minister-jim-covington-sermon-tbd-2/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/21/sharing-caring-committee-meeting-sunday-february-21-at-1230-pm/ Writer H. L. Mencken, politically essayist in the early 20th century, once sardonically-as was his style-wrote:  "I do not believe in democracy; but I am perfectly willing to admit that it provides the only really amusing form of government ever endured by (humanity)."  Mencken's frequent contemptuous remarks often turn me ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/21/bending-the-arc-of-the-universe/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/20/re-committee-meeting-saturday-february-20-from-9-to-1030-am/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/17/fellowship-board-meeting-wednesday-february-17-at-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/15/membership-committee-meeting-monday-february-15-at-730-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ Sermon: "The Choice". Our future is fragile and uncertain. Every day we are presented with countless chances to be anxious and fearful, or to walk in the ways of love. On this Sunday we'll spend some time considering the power of love in the midst of anxious times. Reverent Robin Tanner currently ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/14/program-service-tbd-2/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/09/bg-committee-meeting-tuesday-february-9-at-7-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ Spirits in Harmony at the 9:00 a.m. service. Keith Harris and Terri Huntington duet at the 11:00 a.m. service. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/07/minister-jim-covington-sermon-tbd/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/07/green-sanctuary-committee-meeting-sunday-february-7-at-1015-am/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/07/music-committee-meeting-sunday-february-7-from-1230-pm-to-200-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/07/program-committee-meeting-sunday-february-7-at-1220-pm-in-the-fellowship-sanctuary/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/06/healthy-congregations-workshop-on-saturday-february-6-from-830-am-to-300-pm-in-the-fellowship-hall/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/06/arts-committee-meeting-saturday-february-6-at-1030-am-in-the-fellowship-office/ Dear friends,This is what the fellowship is all about... a wise person once told me that a community is a group of people who understand their interdependency. That wise observation was stated in an email from someone in response to a "thank you" note I had sent for the caring ministry ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/04/ministers-letter-february-2010/ Dear Members and Friends, Did you attend the "leadership" training on January 9? Well, about 35 (!) members did and it was a fantastic insight into the obvious: change is inevitable . . . and, get this: this congregation will change! That may sound sophomoric and even self-evident, but when stated ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/04/presidents-letter-february-2010/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/01/fundraising-committee-meeting-rescheduled-from-february-8-to-sunday-february-14-at-1220-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ Click on Newsletter to view the Fellowship March 2010 Newsletter. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/02/01/fellowship-november-2009-newsletter/ On this Sunday, Rev. Dawn Sangrey, minister of the Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester at Mohegan Lake, will be exchanging pulpits with our Jim Covington for the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services.  For more information on Rev. Sangrey, go to http://www.fourthuu.org/minister.php. Gregg Kullberg at the 9:00 a.m. service; Fellowship Choir ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/31/rev-dawn-sangrey/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/31/sac-committee-meeting-sunday-january-31-at-1230-pm-at-the-fellowship/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/29/book-discussion-group-meeting-friday-12910-at-730-pm-at-the-home-of-maria-morrissey/ Second Collection to benefit Teach for America. Keith Harris at the 9:00 a.m. service. Spirits in Harmony at the 11:00 a.m. service. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/24/twenty-years-of-ministry-minister-jim-covington/ It was twenty years ago this very month of January that I began my ministry with this Fellowship...It's hard to believe...The time has gone so fast, and it has been so rich.  But where to begin the story of our relationship?  I suppose it has to begin over 50 years ago ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/24/twenty-years-of-ministry/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/23/leadership-council-meeting-saturday-12310-at-1000-am-at-the-fellowship-committee-chairs-liasons/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/20/fellowship-board-meeting-wednesday-january-20-2010-at-730-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/19/adult-religious-education-committee-meeting-tuesday-january-19-at-730-pm-fellowship-office-reserved/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/18/membership-committee-meeting-monday-11810-at-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/ This Sunday we will honor the work of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Jim Covington will open the service and the sermon will be presented by a guest minister, Rev. David Billings. Peggy Clarke describes Rev. Billings as a wonderful, powerful, moving speaker. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/17/rev-david-billings/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/17/sharing-and-caring-committee-meeting-sunday-11710-at-1230-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/16/re-committee-meeting-saturday-january-16-from-9-to-1030-am/               Happy New Year!  You may have heard this greeting many times in the past few days and although our "Fellowship Year" begins on July 1, the mid-year "doldrums" are a good time to take stock and reflect as we begin the annual re-organization of our standing committees.               First, some ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/15/presidents-letter-january-2010/ TWENTY YEARS OF MINISTRY.  It was 20 years ago this very month of January that I began my ministry with you.  It's hard to believe.  The time has gone so fast, and it has been so rich.  I feel so fortunate to be in the place that "turned round right," ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/15/ministers-letter-january-2010/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/13/adult-religious-education-book-club-wednesday-113-at-730-pm-at-the-home-of-emily-cunningham/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/11/bg-committee-meeting-monday-11110-at-700-pm-at-the-fellowship/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/11/fundraising-committee-meeting-monday-11110-at-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/ Spirits in Harmony at the 11:00 service. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/10/why-am-i-here-and-why-am-i-so-anxious-minister-jim-covington/ Twenty years ago, I stood at this pulpit and preached my first sermon as the Fellowship's new minister: "Why am I here?"  I asked..... "And why are you here?"   I went on to say: Surely you have compelling reasons or preferences for not being here this morning, yet, like me, ... http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/10/why-am-i-here/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/10/fellowship-meeting-with-doug-zelinski-on-sunday-january-10-at-1230-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/09/leadership-workshop-with-doug-zelinski-on-saturday-january-9-from-9-am-to-3-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/06/music-committee-meeting-wednesday-january-6-2010-at-730-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ Peggy Clarke will be presiding. http://www.uucroton.org/2010/01/03/program-service-tbd/ As the turn of the new year approaches on December 27, and we move toward the tenth year of the Twenty-first Century, we will follow our tradition of holding one service at 11 0'clock that focuses on "Memories." This year we will start off with some of our worship service leaders ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/27/program-service-memories-only-one-service-at-1100-am/ Join us at the Fellowship on Thursday, December 24 for a Christmas Eve service at 3:30 p.m. Minister Jim Covington will lead the service. Please note time change-one hour earlier-from previous Christmas Eve services.Come hear the Spirits-in-Harmony and the Fellowship Choir sing and join your fellow members in sharing Christmas ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/24/christmas-eve-service-at-330-pm/ Joyous caroling, Children's Choir, Christmas homily. Fellowship Choir at the 9:00 a.m. service and Spirits in Harmony at the 11:00 a.m. service. Refreshments will be served after both services.   http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/20/christmas-service-jim-covington/ In an op-ed essay entitled "Whose Christmas Is It?" which appeared in the New York Times last Friday, the talented musician, Michael Feinstein, related in a somewhat humorous and also serious vein, that many of our most popular Christmas songs were actually written by Jews and then wondered aloud that ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/20/whose-christmas-is-it/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/19/re-committee-meeting-saturday-december-19-from-9-to-1030-am/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/16/fellowship-board-meeting-wednesday-december-16-at-730-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/14/fundraising-committee-meeting-monday-dec-14-at-730-pm/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Croton-on-Hudson-NY/Unitarian-Universalist-Fellowship-of-Briarcliff#/pages/Croton-on-Hudson-NY/Unitarian-Universalist-Fellowship-of-Briarcliff-Croton-and-Ossining/96603347087?ref=ts http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/14/join-the-fellowship-on-facebook/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/14/mens-community-circle-group-meeting-monday-december-14-at-645-pm-at-the-fellowship/ Spirits in Harmony at the 9:00 a.m. service. http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/13/jim-covington-at-the-9-am-and-11-am-services-2/ I find as I grow older that I like the darkness less.   At my age, that reaction is probably not an anomaly.  The darkness of death is not so distant anymore, once you turn 60, so I prefer to be in the light.  I am more annoyed now when I ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/13/blow-on-the-coal-of-the-heart-when-the-heart-is-full-of-light/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/13/social-events-committee-meeting-sunday-dec-13-at-1000-am/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/13/program-committee-meeting-sunday-1213-at-1230-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ One of my old favorite writers, Sam Keen, wrote: The more you become a connoisseur of gratitude, the less you are a victim of resentment and despair.  Gratitude will act as an elixir that will gradually dissolve your need to possess.  It will transform you into a generous being.  The ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/10/ministers-letter-december-2009/ Dear Members and Friends, December?!?  Already?  Yes, the leaves have been raked and bagged, and very soon we'll be celebrating Christmas and marking the mid-year point of the 2009/10 Fellowship year!  Time marches on, and I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know of some very important events coming ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/10/presidents-letter-december-2009/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/10/membership-committee-meeting-on-thursday-dec-10-at-630-pm-in-the-fellowship-office/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/09/adult-religious-education-committee-meeting-wednesday-december-9-at-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/08/bg-committee-meeting-tuesday-dec-8-at-700-pm/ RE: Guest at Your Table Fellowship Choir at the 11:00 a.m. service. http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/06/jim-covington-at-the-9-am-and-11-am-services/ In his recent book entitled Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?  Michael Sandel of Harvard University attempts to explore and define the meaning of justice.  I highly recommend this book.  Basically, Sandel calls for more civil and moral discourse in our nation.   He states that the reason for the ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/06/doing-the-right-thing/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/06/social-action-committee-meeting-sunday-dec-20-at-1000-am/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/06/sharing-and-caring-committee-meeting-sunday-december-6-at-1230-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/12/03/p-clarke-meeting-thursday-december-3-from-630-to-930-pm-fellowship-hall-reserved/ Though often elusive in our stressed, hurried, and striving world, the calm state of heart and mind known as acceptance holds an invaluable key to our peace and happiness. The Rev. Ron Sala has been Parish Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Society in Stamford (UUSIS) since 2001. Raised a Pennsylvania Dutch ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/29/%e2%80%9cacceptance%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94speaker-rev-ron-sala-only-one-service-at-1100-am/ A door closes and another opens. When our scheduled speaker for Art Sunday on November 22 had to cancel, artist, author, and teacher Neil Waldman agreed to step in. We are thrilled to invite the community to meet him. Neil grew up in a Bronx surrounded by relatives from the ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/22/art-sunday-%e2%80%93-guest-speaker-craig-houser/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/21/re-committee-meeting-saturday-november-21-from-9-to-1030-am/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/15/social-action-committee-meeting-sunday-november-15-at-1230-pm/ "As I have worked in many fields, I have experienced and observed friends and colleagues who give to others or their work place without much self care. This is a costly practice. But what is spiritual self care?" Rev. Len De Roche Rev. Dr. Len De Roche has served churches in ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/15/%e2%80%9cspiritual-self-care%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94guest-speaker-rev-dr-len-de-roche/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/15/green-committee-meeting-sunday-nov-15-at-1030-am/ Dear Members and Friends, Your Board met for its regular monthly meeting on October 21, 2009, to discuss a host of issues, including setting a date for the mid-year membership meeting. The mid-year meeting will be held on January 24, 2010, in the sanctuary at 12:30 p.m. Mark your calendars and ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/10/presidents-letter-november-2009/ A few weeks ago, a visitor approached me and asked if we welcomed conservatives. It was a fair question. I would say that all of us at the Fellowship are theologically and religiously liberal, to some degree anyway, or we wouldn't identify ourselves as Unitarian Universalists. We are liberal in ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/10/ministers-letter-november-2009/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/10/bg-committee-meeting-tuesday-nov-10-at-700-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/08/social-events-committee-meeting-sunday-november-8-at-1000-am/ Recently I received a phone call from Adam, someone I had not spoken to for a few years.   Over ten years ago, I had worked with Adam and at the time, his fiancé, Heidi, in premarital counseling.  The counseling was engaging and successful and they later asked me to officiate ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/08/the-sacrament-of-grief-healing-a-broken-heart/ Spirits in Harmony at the 11 a.m. service. Second Collection: The Social Action Committee will be holding a Second Collection today to benefit the Coalition for the Homeless.  The Coalition for the Homeless is the nation's oldest and most progressive advocacy and direct services organization.  For more than 25 years, the ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/08/jim-covington-23/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/08/sharing-caring-committee-meeting-sunday-nov-8-at-1230-pm-at-the-fellowship/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/04/fundraising-committee-meeting-monday-november-9-at-730-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/04/program-committee-meeting-wednesday-nov-4-at-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/ About a year ago around midday, I was walking up 85th street where we live in Manhattan and noticed a man lying on the sidewalk next to some steps leading up to an apartment building. He appeared unconscious.  I passed him by and walked around him thinking he was probably ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/01/can-human-beings-ever-really-get-along-the-way-we-treat-each-other/ New Members Welcoming - Nora Mulligan and Jim Russell Fellowship Choir - Be Not Afraid - at 9 a.m. http://www.uucroton.org/2009/11/01/how-we-treat-each-other-can-we-all-get-along-together-jim-covington/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/10/29/membership-committee-meeting-thursday-oct-29-from-630-pm-to-730-pm-at-the-fellowship/  A focus on the Seventh Principle "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."  The Green Sanctuary Committee and the Program Committee urge you to participate in an International Day of Climate Change Awareness.  October 25 will be the culmination of the Green Sanctuary Committee's participation in ... http://www.uucroton.org/2009/10/25/350-international-day-of-climate-change-awareness/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/10/24/leadership-council-meeting-saturday-1024-at-1000-am-at-the-home-of-a-sumers-committee-chairs-liasons/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/10/23/the-book-discussion-group-is-meeting-on-friday-october-23-at-730-pm-at-the-home-of-phyllis-tortora/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/10/21/fellowship-board-meeting-wednesday-oct-21-at-730-pm/ http://www.uucroton.org/2009/10/20/mens-community-circle-meeting-tuesday-oct-20-at-645-pm-at-the-fellowship/