January 6^th                Responding to Hurt
January 13^th              World Religions Day
January 20^th              Understanding Poverty
                           (Martin Luther King Day)
January 27^th             What Now in My Life?

 From Severn

Did you see the article about the black hole that shot out of a jet of radiation and energy and messed up a whole galaxy? And scientists saw it happen!

 Makes my amazement about how time goes by so quickly (it’s almost Christmas – wow, Christmas is over) seem picayune. I was so spaced out for a while there that Connie had to call me and remind me that the Point deadline was almost past. I hadn’t even remembered it was near. Well, with the snowstorms and the cold, we’ve all had a lot on our minds.

 I want to thank you all for my birthday celebration, cards, gifts, and wishes.

 Speaking of time passing! I bumble around the house, mumbling to myself, “I’m on Medicare!” And of course, that can’t possibly be true.

 So I am grateful for visions of black holes clearing their neighborhoods to make way for the birth of more stars. It’s far more enticing and important!

 We’re off into a new year, 2008. Many blessings on you all.

 Message from the President

"Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here,

To watch his woods fill up with snow." Robert Frost

 As I write this watching my own woods fill up with snow, I'm reminded of how much I love the changing seasons. The winter is a wonderful time for me to slow down, hibernate and recharge. Hoping you are all enjoying the snow and winter and wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year!

 To briefly update the congregation on our ongoing renovations: the clock works will be sold to Jim Bryant and be removed the beginning of 2008. The weathervane and cupola will go into an auction at James Julia's in February. We continue to move along slowly but surely! Diane Wheeler            

Among Ourselves

Welcome to new members Wyn and Grace Peck, and Sharon Corwin.

 Sad farewell to Ru Freeman and her family who have moved to Pennsylvania, and especially to Ru’s mother, Indrani, who is going back to Sri Lanka.

 Congratulations to Craig Covey, Lisa's brother, for being elected Mayor

of the city of Ferndale, Michigan. He is the first openly gay person to ever be elected Mayor in the state. His victory was also special because his family all traveled to Michigan on election night to demonstrate their support. You can learn more about Craig at coveyforferndale.com.  Lisa Covey 

My son Bucky sent a link to a website that lets any of us contribute rice through the United Nations to help end world hunger, by playing a word game. A word is given, along with four possible definitions. For each correct definition selected, twenty grains of rice are donated. 

 This is a load of fun if you are a lover of word play. And a good deed.  Maybe sometime this winter we can have an online contest to donate as many grains as possible during a given amount of time, and get a great UU total. Have fun checking it out. Go to www.freerice.com.  Kathy McKay

 Archives Committee

April 28, 1898

At the annual meeting Rev. W.E. Gaskin's resignation to take effect

June 1^st was read and accepted. 

 Rev. J. F. Rhodes offered to "supply the desk" during July and August without pay, providing "we take up a collection and did what we could to pay our debt." This generous offer was accepted.

April 18, 1901

The Standing Committee reported that owing to the failure of the E.L. & P. Co. to pay dividends, they were obliged to hire $75 on interest at 6%.   Linda Davis 

Nursery Volunteers

Thanks to the following individuals who will help our babysitter by being the adult presence in the nursery for January:

January 6 - Bruce O'Donnell

January 13 - Ave Vinnick

January 20 - Sharon Corwin

January 27 - Open

 GAYT

Remember to hand in to Marilyn Wheeler your Guest At Your Table checks from our Thanksgiving service. Make them out to “UU Service Committee.”

 Winter Point Editor

Many thanks to Claire Prontnicki, who will assume responsibilities as Point editor for February, March and April while Connie Winship and husband Ray vacation in Florida. She will continue the practice of emailing all of you a week prior to Point deadline Sunday. She can be reached at cprontni@colby.edu or 873-5894.

 Founding of the UU Church of Waterville: May 1826

The UU Church of Waterville was founded as a Universalist  Church on May 28, 1826. To quote from a history of Waterville, "...in Waterville, Sylvanus Cobb organized the first Universalist church as a body of communicants in the state of Maine.”

 Our church was his first settlement “where his earnest labors resulted not only in the establishment of a vigorous society, but also in the wide diffusion of the doctrine through the entire Kennebec Valley”

 [His personal record book, which included much valuable archival information, went for sale on eBay a few years ago. A Waterville man who deals in local history bought it and sold it to the church so we have the original in our files. For anyone interested in genealogy for the 19th century in Waterville, the little book is a treasure.  It lists the original people who joined the church and many reasons for their belief in "universal salvation."]

 Of our first members, eleven were from Waterville, four from Sidney, four from Fairfield, and one from Winslow. They met at the minister's house until 1832 but formally organized and decided to build the church in 1831.  Linda Davis

 January Greeters

Jan 6th   Welcoming Congregation

Jan 13th  Ken and Mary McCann Baker

Jan 20th  Terri Hibbard

Jan 27th  Nancy Brooks & Hubert Kueter

 Worship Committee

The Worship Committee is always looking for volunteers interested in participating in Lay services and for ideas for Lay services. So, if you have an idea for a service or would be interested in helping with a service as a speaker or leader or reader, please let a member of the Worship Committee know. 

 As always, concerns and compliments about worship may be conveyed to a member of the committee.

Edie Keller, chair

Peter Burgher                  Mary Matson

Bruce O'Donnell             Gi Reed

Margrit Thomas              David Vaughn

Nancy Wynne

 Central Myths of the Five Major Religious Traditions

Starting in late January and continuing into April, Eileen Ringel, retired Waterville physician and current Religious Studies student at Bangor Theological Seminary, will be offering a six part series delving into the commonly held myths of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

 Classes will meet following services on January 27^th, February 10^th and 24^th,

March 9^th and 30^th (no meeting on Easter), with the final class on April 13^th (every other Sunday).

 More specific information and sign up is downstairs in Averill Parlors.

 December Plate Collection

The December 2^nd congregational donation for the Minister's Discretionary Fund totaled $368.

 Welcoming Congregation

In the process of becoming a Welcoming Congregation, churches are required to submit evidence of completion of “applicable” Action Steps in each of three broad areas: education, congregational life and community outreach. A brief description of how each action step was met is then sent to the Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender Concerns.

This month’s Point entry lists the Action Steps in the education component:

* Offer religious education that incorporates bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender life issues, including the workshop series from the Welcoming Congregation Program.

* Promote participation by the congregation's minister, religious education director, president, and/or board members in the Welcoming Congregation Program.

* Offer congregation-wide workshop programs, with follow-up opportunities for study and reflection.

* Use the Unitarian Universalist sexuality education program, Our Whole Lives.

Next month, Congregational Life

C. Winship

Managing Differences Workshop

February 2, 2008

Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick

 Take home ideas and techniques. Learn how to see the range of positives. Share your stories with others who have similar roles in their congregations, such as ministers, religious educators, musicians, ministerial associates, congregational leaders, or interest in social action, finances or congregational growth. Nourish body and spirit by spending a day in the company of other UUs.

Facilitators: Rev. Mary Higgins, Rev. Karen Brammer, Helen Crane Wing 

Questions? Contact: Helen Zidowecki, NED Program Committee, 207-582-5308, hzmre@hzmre.com, or Joy Blanchette, District Office, 603-228-8704, uua-me.nh.vt@comcast.net

 First Joint Annual Meeting of the Northern New England District

Friday, April 11- Saturday, April 12, 2008

New England Center of the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

 The Northeast District of the Unitarian Universalist Association is wholly contained in the State of Maine. Within this area are 28 congregations, including two federated or community churches, with a total membership of over 2,500 members. Our largest congregation has more than 225 members and our smallest, fewer than ten. The Northeast District and the New Hampshire/ Vermont Districts plan to become one district in April 2008.

 Plan ahead to be sure your congregation is represented at the Inauguration of the Northern New England District. Our goal is for 100% participation of the 74 congregations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

 Come hear Rev. Bill Sinkford who brings the endorsement of the UUA.

All congregations are asked to bring their banners for the banner parade. Clergy and Religious Educators are invited to robe and process.

 Planning is underway to make this a truly multigenerational event with full children’s programming and youth participation.

 Registration materials will be available in the church office and on the District website by January 1^st, 2008.

 Gathering the Power of Small Group Ministry Workshop

1. March 8^th, 2008 (9:00 A.M.- 1 P.M) at Allen Avenue UU Church, Portland

 2. March 15^th, 2008 (9:00 AM to 1:00 P.M.) at First Universalist Church, Pittsfield

 For congregations that have Small Group Ministry and those considering starting.

 For questions or more information, contact: Helen Zidowecki, Small Group Ministry Task Force, 207-582-5308, hzmre@hzmre.com, or Joy Blanchette, UU District Office, 603-228-8704, uua-me.nh

 Online Point Viewing Statistics

January – December 2007

With the end of the year approaching, I thought you might be interested in seeing the actual numbers of visitors to our church’s website (www.uuc-wtvl.org) during the past year. I am providing the bar graph from the site, as well as a numerical breakdown of each month. Clearly, it is not only our folks who navigate their way to our church’s modest home page!  

Unbelievably, nearly 18,000 (17,708) folks have visited our website since January, with a monthly average of 1,475 visitors each month! But even more astounding is the fact that we have had 47,336 “hits,” explained in part by the term “includes visitors by default.” By default! Indeed. Surely, some of these visitors are looking to find directions to the church, hours of worship, etc.

 Lest we lose perspective (and in the spirit of being factually honest), I must add that the “average length of session” on our website is brief (22 seconds).

 So here it is. Enjoy.  Connie Winship 

Visitors by month 

January     1800         July             1825

February   1250          August        1500

March       1850         September  1250 

April          2250         October       1200

May           1800         November   1250

June           1950        December      650