October 2015

OCTOBER 4 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am

What Is It Like Being A Muslim In America? Yusef Hayes

Yusef Hayes is a Muslim educator, life-partner, and father, working in the fields of communication and religion. His research interests are in the realm of Islamic mysticism, environmental and social justice, and critical theory. This talk will focus on the social, political, and spiritual aspects of life as a Muslim in the United States. Yusef will draw on his work with a diverse array of Muslim communities as well as his own identities too, in exploring the intricacies inherent in the question. Yusef Hayes is currently an Associate Professor in the Cultural Arts Department at North Shore Community College, Danvers and Lynn Campuses.

OCTOBER 11 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Musical Theater Lois Markham

When I saw the movie version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I at the age of eleven, I was hooked for good on musical theater. I was enchanted by the music and entertained by the story, but most importantly I was transported into a world way beyond the insular homogenized environment of my North Shore upbringing. For sixty years, my love affair with musical theater has taught me some important lessons about the larger world I live in. During this service, I'll share some of those insights with you as we enjoy some familiar and not-so-familiar songs from musical theater, performed by members of the Northshore Church singing group and two very special guest artists. OCTOBER 18 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am

The Eye of the Beholder Julie Lombard, Minister, Richard Lundgren and Shirley Guerriero

Spiritual Practices done through art affirms that the artist’s eye has a unique perspective. Often an artist’s work reflects the different ways they see the world and all they discover on their journey. This story will be told from some of our exhibit presenters: Julie Lombard, Dick Lundgren, and Shirley Guerriero. Looking at art also asks us to slow down and investigate new ways to see in our own worlds. Come join us for worship and learn how this process and appreciation can transform our spirits.

OCTOBER 25 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30 am

Stay Tuned Julie Lombard, Minister

Spiritual Practices come in many shapes and sizes, from praying and meditating to hanging out laundry on a clothes line. The day I learned about these practices at seminary was the day of the Boston Bombing. Staying tuned to these practices offers us a deep keel that will keep any sailboat upright in the midst of a storm. Please join us for worship to explore how these practices ground us on both the best and worst of days.

Minister Musings Just as it seems I have settled in to a fall schedule, change occurs. Life get busier when I hoped it might slow down. Has that happened to you? It makes me wonder, how can I possibly do more as the days grow shorter? This is the annual offering October brings us. It comes with Indian summer and cold morning frosts. We put away fans, pull out winter sweaters, and plant bulbs that we may not see bloom until spring. We realize that we are in transition. Some people welcome fall because it brings celebrations like our annual Harvest Festival and this year our 200th Anniversary! It also brings the beautiful changing colors of the trees. Have you ever noticed how leaves seem to radiate their own glow on a rainy fall day? As the leaves begin to fall from their perch, they leave behind a bud that is the promise of warmer days to come in our future. It reminds us that autumn is as fleeting as every New England season. With winter on its way, we must move slower and return to an inward time to hold close what’s precious. The seasonal changes remind us of the many starts and stops, ups and downs, and the around we go again in a calendar year. These changes can make it hard to settle into a routine, yet somehow we do. Our spiritual practices can help us stay grounded in the mist of change. I urge you to celebrate each day by honoring the grace that is ever-present in your lives through spiritual practices. Any ordinary act done mindfully can turn into a spiritual practice – read a poem, plant bulbs, wash dishes, or fold laundry while thinking of a person suffering with each item you touch. In the month of October, during worship we will explore forms of spiritual practice through music, art, and beyond. Take this time to be inspired by these practices or share your own not yet mentioned. These practices ground us as we face the many changes ahead. What’s your Spiritual Practice? Peace, Julie

Religious Exploration Religious Exploration is excited to open this new year with two classes and lots of enthusiasm. Our younger children will examine our UU principals through the Harry Potter series while our older children will be examining the many faiths that surround our communities with the UUA program, Building Bridges. WE NEED TEACHERS! We are fortunate to have a lead teacher for the entire year for our younger children in the wonderful Jenny Beauregard. We are also blessed with two youth volunteers who can fill in as childcare and classroom assistants. We are still searching for lead teachers for Building Bridges. This is a rich curriculum and all materials and plans are provided. The usual plan is for a trimester, but even if you could take one segment of the program for a few weeks it would be helpful. The program needs YOU! Please consider this an opportunity to teach and learn at the same time. Contact Meryl and tell her how you can help. This is an exciting year as well for many of our Senior youth. Many of them are high school seniors, and are busy making plans for the next part of their lives. Plans are in the works for fun, service, fundraising, leadership opportunities, youth CONs, and inspirational get-togethers. Please let Meryl know if you are interested in co-directing the Senior Youth Group.

Mark your calendar for our 200th anniversary celebration weekend events

Our Unitarian Universalist denomination has been in existence here, in Peabody and Danvers, for two hundred years, and we are planning some special events. Please put these dates on your calendar. We would love to have you join us on this special occasion.

Saturday evening, November 7 Entertaining Anniversary

Our Coffee House will feature pianist Bonnie Anderson from Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Tony Walsh and his Celtic Trio from South Hamilton. These musicians have a long history with Northshore Church. There will be wine, cheese, soft drinks, and goodies. There will also be a surprise historical play. So it will be an evening of visiting with members and friends, good refreshments, a theatrical memory and fine music.

Sunday morning, November 8 Worship Anniversary

The Rev. Emeritus Edwin Lynn will be presenting the talk entitled, “The Ax Handle, the Life Raft and Us – Celebrating Our 200 Years.” The Rev. Charles Wilson, our first Northshore Church minister, and Julie Lombard, our new minister, will be conducting the service to mark this important milestone. Music will be provided by the Northshore Church Singing Group, hand bell choir, and four-hand piano by Judy Putnam and Andrea Kaiser. The service will be at 10:30am.

Harvest Festival October 17 9:00 am - 2:00 pm There are only a few weeks left to prepare for the Harvest Festival. Check the calendar and the weekly announcements for scheduled times to drop off donations to Grandma’s attic. Food for the Harvest Café and for the Divine Delights Bakery should be dropped off Friday afternoon/evening (or Saturday before 8:00 am, if you must). Have you signed up to help or contribute in some way? If not, here are some ways you can contribute to the festival: • Help get the word out. Post the festival flier at the businesses you frequent. Email it to your contacts and post it to your Facebook page. Hand out some of our index-sized fliers to friends, family and co-workers. • Donate your time. Help set up on Friday evening. Offer to staff Grandma’s Attic, the Harvest Café or the Divine Delights Bakery for a few hours, during the festival. • Donate some food. Contribute home baked cookies, pies, cakes and bread to the Divine Delights Bakery. Donate a quiche (homemade or bought), a soup or casserole (homemade) or some crusty bread to the Harvest Café. • Help with the clean up! Pitch in and help with the dishes, setting the meeting room back in order or dropping off unsold goods from Grandma’s Attic to Savers in Danvers. Everyone needs to contribute in some way to the Harvest Festival to make it a successful event. Here’s to a fun and profitable festival day! Marcia Lassar, Festival Coordinator

News from the Social Action Committee October 4 – Food Sunday: The Danvers Food Pantry is currently having trouble keeping food in stock with an increasing number of people in need. Nonperishable food items may be left in the Food Pantry basket in the Fellowship Hall on Food Sunday, October 4, or at any other time. You may also make a donation of gift card or check made out to the Danvers Food Pantry. These can be given to Gwen, Nelson, or Daniel Scottgale for delivery to the food pantry. October 11 – Operation Troop Support Sunday: NSUU is a collection point for Operation Troop Support. Donations for the troops (both male and female) include toiletries (razors, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.), socks, puzzle books, candy and other snacks. Donations may be left in the Operation Troop Support box. October 18 -- Share-the-Plate: The offering collected on October 18 will be donated to the Essex County Community Organization (ECCO). ECCO is made up of faith communities from across the North Shore who have come together to build a powerful alliance, deeply rooted in the concerns and faith values of the community. Member communities work together across denominational, racial, and class lines to ensure that all living on the North Shore have a quality of life, can live without fear, and have opportunities to grow and dream. Recently, ECCO participated in the campaign to raise the MA minimum wage and the campaign for earned sick time. For more information, see their website: www.eccoaction.org. ECCO was suggested for a share-the-plate by Charles Wilson. October 18 – Lunch and Presentation on Climate Change: After the service on October 18, the Social Action Committee will sponsor a presentation by Bruce Knotts, director of the UU United Nations Office. Bruce will focus on the UN climate change conference that will take place in Paris in December of this year. At the 2015 UU General Assembly, delegates voted to endorse “a Unitarian Universalist delegation to the UN Climate Agreement Talks in December 2015 to support a strong, compassionate, fair, ambitious, binding, and enforceable international climate agreement,” adding that “without a global climate agreement, the climate crisis will not be sufficiently addressed, and many social justice issues will continue to magnify.” Bruce will be our representative at this important conference. Please come and hear what he has to say. Lunch will be served. Sunday-Night Suppers at Lifebridge: Thanks to a dedicated crew of team leaders, who plan and organize, and volunteers, who buy food, cook, and serve, we provide a hot meal for about one hundred clients of Lifebridge in Salem on the fourth Sunday of each month. We welcome new volunteers. We are now signing up volunteers for the October 25, November 22, and December 27 dinners. The time commitment is 5:00 to 7:00 PM. You can sign up on the white board in Fellowship Hall. If you would like to donate money for the purchase of food, you can make out a check to NSUU, write “Lifebridge” in the memo line, and put your check in the offering any Sunday. Green Sanctuary: The Social Action Committee has formed a subcommittee to explore the process of becoming a Green Sanctuary. The subcommittee is open to anyone in the congregation. If you are interested in joining the subcommittee, please contact Iain Goddard. Family Promise North Shore Boston: Family Promise North Shore Boston is a non-profit, interfaith hospitality network that provides temporary shelter, meals, hospitality, and case management for families experiencing homelessness on the North Shore of Boston. The goal is accomplished through the participation of hundreds of volunteers from North Shore congregations. Currently, the Social Action Committee is developing a group of volunteers from NSUU. A volunteer commits to two hours of service four times a year. The service may take the form of providing a meal, serving a meal and visiting with the families, driving, spending time at the day center with families, etc. Cathy Sullivan-Bradley is the volunteer coordinator for NSUU. If you are interested in volunteering, contact her at catherinegaia@comcast.net or 978-335-7878.

Lending Library: The Social Action Committee has a small collection of DVDs and books on social justice topics. They are located on a table in Fellowship Hall. Recent additions are the DVDs Capitalism Hits the Fan, I Know I'm Not Alone (Michael Franti, world-renowned musician and human rights worker, travels to Iraq, Palestine, and Israel to explore the human cost of war with a group of friends, some video cameras, and his guitar), The Next American Revolution: Beyond Corporate Capitalism and State Socialism; How Racism Harms White Americans; White Like Me. If you would like to borrow a DVD or book, we ask that you sign it out and return it within two weeks so that others may borrow it. Share-the-Plate Applications: The Social Action Committee welcomes proposals for the share-the-plate program. If you support a charitable organization whose goals are consistent with UU principles, please consider submitting an application for that organization to share the plate. Blank application forms are posted on the Social Action Committee bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. The Social Action Committee welcomes new members. Contact Lois Markham (lamarkham@comcast.net) for more information.

In Memoriam Bart Brown, who was a former member, died this August at the age of 95. His wife, Peg, who also attended the church, died in 2012. They had been married 71 years. Bart was a graduate of Harvard University where he also received his MBA. After working in business for several years, he pursued his passion for golf by becoming a teaching pro and creating the Middleton Golf Course. Rev. Lynn performed the graveside memorial service at the Oakdale Cemetery in Middleton.