Mar 2     Birth Honoring of Lao-Tse 

Mar 9     Auction Sermon  

Mar 16   Many Journeys (Equinox, Palm Sunday) 

Mar 23   Stirring Anew (Easter) 

Mar 30   Not Yet: Limbo and Its Winds  Kathleen Allan, guest speaker

 From Severn

 I had a wonderful few days in North Carolina with my family. Lang is a precocious 4-1/2-year-old, and to my delight, without prompting, said “Mercy!” repeatedly over my visit. It’s nice to have some influence, despite the distance! I returned to the ongoing saga of snowstorms – Maine winter at its real-est.

 By now, you all know that James Julia Auctioneers helped pass along our dome and weathervane, for good money. Another chapter in our church’s history has passed (the clock has been sold as well); we had a moment of silence in church for them. But we are the church, and we chose repairs that would allow us still to give out into the community. Besides, we are well-insulated, with an efficient new boiler and two-zone heating system.  

Whatever the actual weather in March, it is the month of flower shows and the beginning of spring. Take heart!

Easter

 Easter is March 23^rd this year. Please bring FLOWERS. If you want them given in memory or in honor of someone, let Severn know the week before so the names get into the bulletin. 

 President’s Message

 I don't know about everyone else but I am more than ready to see some green grass and feel a warm breeze or two. I love snow but it's starting to be just a bit too much – 8 out of the last 10 days. At least we have seed catalogs to dream with! And soon enough the auction and yard sale!

Much good news concerning the cupola and weathervane. The auction of both items at James Julia's on Feb.1st netted us a total of $6412.50. While sad to see both items leaving us , it was a pleasant surprise to find out they were worth that much! Hopefully the new owners will enjoy them.

Happy St. Patrick's Day and think green!!

Return of Easter Breakfast

Deb Rich and Maili Bailey will once again be doing Easter Breakfast at church.  We will start serving at 8:00.  On the menu will be various stratas both vegetarian and with meat.  Baked oatmeal will also be offered.  Fruit, breakfast breads, fair trade coffee, teas etc. will be offered.  The price will be $5 for adults and $3 for children.

Donation Sunday - February

On February 3, we collected $188 to add to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund which provides financial assistance to area folks on an individual basis.

 Space Available

One of our tenants- Motivational Services- will be vacating their space at 67 Silver Street by the end of February. If anyone knows of any prospective tenants for the space, please have them contact either Diane Wheeler (877-8586) or Jim Easton (465-5703). We would like to rent this space again as soon as possible. Thanks!

 Spring 2008 Women & Religion Retreat - Wings Set Me Free

Ladies:  Mark your calendars!  May 30th-June 1st, Rockcraft Retreat Center, Sebago Lake, Maine. Registration forms will be in the churches late March and the deadline is April 25th.  For a sneak peek of what is planned, please visit our blog at  www.uuwomenandreligion.blogspot.com!

Welcoming Congregation

 This month’s column is the last in a series of three articles identifying the “Action Steps” our church addressed before we were formally recognized as a Welcoming Congregation in 1996, the third church in the Northeast District to earn this designation.

 Previous columns listed the Action Steps within the educational and congregational life components of church life. This month’s installment lists the Action Steps within community outreach.

 * Celebrate and affirm bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender issues and history during the church year.

 * Participate in and/or support efforts to create justice, freedom, and equality for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people in the larger society.

 * Establish and maintain contact with local bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender groups to offer support and promote dialogue and interaction.

 * Advertise in the local press and/or other media that reaches the bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender communities.

 For more information about the Welcoming Congregation Program, contact any of the following committee members: Ellie Adams, Carol Basen, Janice Mathieu, Bruce O’Donnell, Maria Timberlake or Connie/Ray Winship

 Welcoming Congregation brochures are additionally located in the pamphlet rack in the church foyer. Please help yourself.

Volunteering in Schools  

If you’ve ever thought about spending some time volunteering in our local schools, check out the recent article on the homepage of the Waterville Schools website: http://web.wtvl.k12.me.us/?q=node/192.

It’s about our own Robert Wellock, and how he came to be a valuable part of the Mitchell School and the Hall School here in Waterville.

 

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

Mission Statement
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies.

Vision Statement
The UUSC envisions a world free from oppression and injustice, where all can realize their full human rights.

Guest at Your Table – 2007-2008
This year’s donation to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, from our Waterville congregation, totaled $897.50.  With the matching funds from Shelter Rock, this brings the effective total donation to $1200.

 March RE schedule 

Mar 2          Scott
Mar 9          Emily
Mar 16        Tina
Mar 23        Easter Sunday—Intergenerational Service (no RE)
Mar 30        Emily

March Coffee-Hour Caterers

Mar 2     Hilary Ervin and Claire Prontnicki
Mar 9     Bill & Linda Lee
Mar 16   Ray & Jay Rogers
Mar 23   Jody Rich and Rosemary Winslow
Mar 30   Hubert Kueter & Nancy Brooks

March Nursery Volunteers 

Thanks to the following adult volunteers for keeping the babysitter and children in the nursery in safe company for March:
March 2  Peter Burgher
March 9  Don Naber
March 16
March 23  Mary Matson
March 30  Martha Naber

Worship Committee
Evening Quiet Time is scheduled for March 26 from 7-8:00 p.m. The Worship Committee is considering regularly scheduling such Quiet Times during the Spring and Fall months.  Let us know what you think.

The Lay Service this month will be led by Kathleen Allan.  Her message title is "Not Yet: Limbo and Its Winds".  Kathleen is a member of our congregation, one we have not seen much of recently, because as a minister she has been substituting regularly at other churches. We're happy that she will be with us on March 30.

As always, if you have a concern or a compliment about worship, please contact a member of the committee:
Edie Keller, chair                Peter Burgher
Mary Matson                  Bruce O'Donnell
Gi Reed                           Margrit Thomas
David Vaughn                    Nancy Wynne

March Greeters

 Mar 2     Eva Goulette
Mar 9     Kathy McKay and Jon Rogers
Mar 16   Sarah Seder and Sue Cook
Mar 23   Sally Harwood and Linda Woods
Mar 30   Marilyn Wheeler

UU Fundraiser

Mark your calendars!  Bring your family and friends!  Volunteer to help! A fundraiser is being planned for April 12 at the church with Jennifer Armstrong.  Jennifer is a musical story-teller with songs and stories for all ages, who has performed locally to great applause at the Mitchell and Hall Schools and the Waterville Public Library. Her programs are interactive and weave together songs, tunes and tales from the folk tradition and her own life experience.  A wide variety of instruments enliven her shows including bagpipe, fiddle and banjo.  This dynamic, engaging performer draws listeners into a heart-satisfying,
participatory community event.  Go to www.jenniferarmstrong.com to listen to her recordings.

The plan is to have a family concert and then a bake sale following. There will then be a concert for grown ups with child care possibly
available.  Many hands and minds will be needed to make this event a success.  If you have questions or want to help with this fundraiser contact Edie Keller, Nancy Brooks, who will be helping with publicity, or Kathy McKay, who is helping to organize the bake sale.

 Storing Lawn Sale Donations

 The Annual Church Lawn Sale isn’t until Saturday, July 12^th, but people have been asking about storage space for their donations. Ideally, donations should be brought to the church during the week before the sale, so we don’t have to move them multiple times. But if necessary, some things could be stored in the basement of 67 Silver St.  Sometime in spring, we’ll arrange a day and time for that. Let Claire (873-5894) know what you have and when you really need to get it out of your space.

 Archives

 In 1908 the Arcadia Club of the Universalist Church was organized with Miss Mary Runnells as president.   Notes written in their first record book provide insight into what the group did.

 BYLAWS and OBJECT: 

First, to promote social life among the Universalist people. 

Second, to call upon Universalist people who have lately arrived in town. 

Third, to be responsible for paying a certain quota each year toward the church budget. 

On one Feb. 15 the report states:  Whist party at Elks Hall.  Fifty tables followed by dance, Fortune Teller.  Ten gallons ice cream used.  Punch on sale.  Rec’d $33.79 from Whist party.

 Feb. 17 Harry Vose rec’d $10 from Arcadia Club for janitor work at church.

 March 3 Whist party at Annie Branch’s.  I got booby.

 March 24 Men’s Club and Arcadia Club met at Mr. Runnel’s.  Mr. Barton was delegated to confer with Arcadia Club in the next room.  Arcadia Club had business on hand so he could not serve(?) in 1909.

 May 20, Ladies Aid and Arcadia Club served supper at church parlors.  Made $9.50.

 April 5 Whist party at Mrs. Runnell’s.  Twelve tables.   

 --Taken from Caroline Vose’s diary and read at the Anniversary party Feb. 14, 1949. 

Chinese Teenagers…

…are coming to Waterville for 3 weeks this summer: July 21 – Aug. 11. They each need a family home-stay while they participate in organized educational and cultural programs.

      Host responsibilities:
-         Meals, including a packed lunch Mon-Fri
-         Transportation to and from the Let’s Talk Language School in Waterville
          Evening and weekend inclusion in your family life

EF, Education First, is the organization that has set up English classes and cultural opportunities for these kids. Their two groups last year had great fun experiencing central and coastal Maine. It was an amazing adventure for these teenagers who are bright, creative, and enthusiastic about seeing a world different than their home cities of Shanghai and Beijing.

Think about this opportunity to make the world friendlier, and for those of you with children, how someday they might want a home-stay opportunity in a foreign country.

EF offers a variety of incentives for housing the students, and can be flexible with times if you have plans during some of the days that they are visiting.

Contact Candace Hill, Waterville High School Adult Education, 873-5754 (Home: 465-3870) or crhill@colby.edu.

Universalist Convocation May 2-4, Barton Center, Oxford, Mass.

Complete information will be available by March 1 at www.nmuc.org/Convo.

(Universalist Convocations is an Independent Affiliate of the UUA. Thank you! --Richard

      Trudeau, President

ESP Pantry

Doesn't it seem logical that the Evening Sandwich Program have a pantry?  Well, yes, we do have stores of supplies, but we would   like to put everything in a better location, where we can consolidate things and therefore get more function and efficient use of precious church space. 

At present we have canned goods in one of our bathrooms and more things in the room behind the stage in Averill Parlors. It has been very difficult for volunteers to schlep things to these spaces.  When government commodities arrive, there are dozens of cases that need to be brought into the church, down the stairs, up the stairs to the bathroom and up over the stage etc!  I am not getting younger!!   

We propose that a space be created in the RE space now being used by Scott Price's class. There is a natural outline there now.  Two walls with one door will need to be built.  Shelves need to be built as well. We are waiting for an estimate.  At January's meeting of the board it was decided that a generous donation of $500 given to the church for some good purpose be put towards this project. 

 The many volunteers of the Evening Sandwich Program would like to thank everyone who has supported us and our work in the past. During the second week of January we served over 130 meals each of the four days we were open!   We continue to need your support and contributions of money and food. It is for a good purpose.

                                    -- Maili Bailey  

 Ongoing supplies that are needed for ESP are as follows:  Jams and  jellies (no peanut butter yet),  hamburger in bulk, chicken, other  meats, vegetables of all sorts, quart and gallon size baggies.