April 1    Our Richness
April 9    Glory Glory! (Easter)
April16   Forward Through the Ages
April 23  The Unending Song
April 30  (to be announced) 

From Severn

This will be my last newsletter until the fall one. I will be on sabbatical for May and June, followed by my regular first-two-weeks-of-July vacation. For those unfamiliar with the practice of sabbaticals for ministers, I am allowed one month per year of service, only to be taken every five years or so. My first sabbatical was 5 months, plus (at that time) my month vacation. I felt that was too long for me (and you, maybe), so since then I have taken shorter ones—February-April 1999, May-June 2002, and now May-June 2007. During this time I will essentially be unavailable for church stuff, although, since I will be in town gardening, I am open to being called on for serious illness or a death in the congregation.

 Sabbaticals can be used for study or for relaxation and reflection. I will be doing mostly the latter, though I think they are all related. Your Worship Committee has already made arrangements for wonderful worship services in my absence, and I may show up for Gjergji’s concert in May and our July lawn sale (which falls during my vacation).

 Any questions or concerns while I am gone can be addressed to Board president Sue Cook, Vice President Diane Wheeler, or other members of the Board, or to Committee on Ministry members Sally Harwood, Diane Wheeler, or Jon Rogers. Remember that our church annual meeting is on Sunday, May 20—your input and your vote (if you are a member) are important.

 I appreciate the opportunity for this time off, and I will look forward to seeing you when I am back.

 Reminders for Easter

--Easter Breakfast!
--Flowers for the Sanctuary!
--Easter Bonnets!
--Joy and Celebration! 

Among Ourselves

Please keep in your prayers Roll Davis, husband of Linda Davis, who was in the hospital as of this writing.  Also, Stacy, dear friend of the Nabers’, who has cancer. 

Lisa Covey has a new address: 12 S. Garand Street, Winslow. Her new phone number is 314-9553. Peter remains at Randall Road. This is a mutual, amicable change for them, and they are doing well.

President’s Message 

We are…Mothers of courage
            Fathers of time
            Daughters of dust
            the sons of great visions
            Sisters of mercy
            Brothers of love
            Lovers of life
            Builders of nations
            Seekers of truth
            Keepers of faith
            Makers of peace
            Wisdom of ages...

I first heard this song by Ysaye M. Barnwell of
Sweet Honey in the Rock at a fund raising
celebration and was moved by the images of the extraordinary people who had made that effort successful.

Today I’m reminded of that song, and the strong and principled people it invokes, as I consider the members of our UU Church and all that WE ARE, in our church and in our community. Thanks to all that WE ARE, we have accomplished much this year already.

As we enter our annual Bellringers pledge canvas, I ask you to think about who WE ARE and how your financial commitment to this pledge drive will support our church, and free us to focus on all that we can accomplish and be because of who WE ARE.

Thank you.
Sue Cook

 Nursery volunteers

 Thanks to the following people for taking a turn as the "adult presence" in the nursery during the month of April, to help Anna and Molly Ayotte, as needed:
April 1 - Lisa Lichterfeld
April 8 - Kristin Majeska
April 15 - Eva Goulet
April 22 - David Vaughn
April 29 - Tina Missbach

New Member Sunday

We will sign up new members on Sunday, April 15. If you are ready to join, please speak to Severn soon.

First Sunday Non-Pledge Offering

Schedule for April - December 2007:
  April - Habitat for Humanity
  May - Hospice Volunteers, Waterville
  June - Minister's Discretionary Fund
  July - Hardy Girls Healthy Women
  August - Evening Sandwich Program
  September - Minister's Discretionary Fund
  October - Community Dental Center
  November - Family Violence Project
  December - Minister's Discretionary Fund

The March "plate" donation was for the Keller Family Campership Program.  We collected and donated $163.

 Church Auction

 The Annual Church Auction will be held on May 5^th, 2007. Donation forms will be available in Averill Parlors. Please help us make this year’s church auction a success by bidding, donating, or volunteering. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Emily Wheeler or Ray Rogers.

 Wanted: Organist or pianist for next church year!

 We have been extremely fortunate to have enjoyed Gjergji Gaqi's beautiful music nearly every Sunday since last September. However, Gjergji graduates from Colby and will be leaving us at the end of June. If you know of someone who might be willing and able to take Gjergji's place behind the keyboards, please contact the music coordinator, Harry Vayo at 465-2691 or vayowoods@adelphia.net .

Thanks, Gjergi, for sharing your talents and adding so much to our services!

Greeting and Catering

 Please consider signing up be a greeter some Sunday morning and/or to cater a coffee hour after the service. If you haven’t done it before, we’ll be happy to pair you up with someone who has! As of Sunday, March 18^th:

 April 1 Greeters: ????

      Caterers: Harry Vayo & Linda Woods

April 8 Greeters: B. Schiller & D. Zarfos

      Caterers: (Easter breakfast leftovers)

April 15 Greeter: Bruce O’Donnell

      Caterers: Bill & Linda Lee

April 22 Greeters: ????

      Caterers: Scott Price & Lisa Caldwell

April 39 Greeters:????

      Caterers: Hubert Kueter & Nancy Brooks

 Also, there is a can for donations on the counter; if you enjoy the Free Trade coffee we buy for coffee hour, feel free to make a donation towards its purchase.

 Do you feel richer?

Why did you first come to this church, our church?  What were your expectations? What did you hope that this group of people, this faith would offer you?
 
No matter when you stepped through the door, our church has changed since then.  We are a community of living, breathing and thinking, (especially thinking) people.  Our relationships and our beliefs are constantly evolving as a function of what each of us brings through so many mediums - a thought-provoking message from the pulpit, a passionately shared joy or concern, a welcome word at coffee hour, a hand offered while serving at ESP, an ornament painted with the youth group, a contagious smile during children’s focus, a gentle call to action or personal revelation at a Dinner Discussion group or a writing group or the Lunch Bunch.
 
My own experience makes me suspect that this talented, generous and reflective community has brought you, and brought out of you much more than you imagined it would – experiences, insights, and, dare I say it, feelings.  Feelings of belonging, of caring, of support, of shared purpose, of being part of “a village”, as well as our world and our cosmos.  It’s why you keep coming back on precious Sunday mornings, why you sort clothes on pews for the lawn sale, prepare delicious food for coffee hour, share an opportunity to stand for social justice -- and why you’ve read the Point this far.   It’s why you smile when you see someone “in context” outside of our church walls, on the trail, at a Peace Vigil, a farmer’s market, or ringing for the Salvation Army kettle.
 
Every year the most generous people in America are not the Rockefellers or the Gates, they are individuals and families of modest means who think beyond themselves. 
 
Next week you’ll receive a pledge card at church or in the mail.  Before you think about a dollar amount, please ask yourself these three questions:
 

1. Do you believe “you’re as rich as you feel”?
2. Do you feel richer because of your connection to this church?
3. How will your making an even more generous gift this year nourish that shared richness?

 A pledge from you matters because every month, every week, every day of the next year our church will be providing inspiration, joy and support for you, for all of us, for so many members of our community whose names we don’t even know.   Being there takes you, it takes us, it takes Severn … and it takes money we can count on.
 
Thank you for your generosity.
 
Kristin Majeska, Pledge Chair ’07
and the Board of Directors

Why Are You A UU?

Severn presented the five-week program called Articulating Your UU Faith. Here is an example of an “elevator speech” written by Rachel Marsh-Sachs.
 
I belong to this church because of the friendly, caring group of people who support me. I think back on the person who was me 20 years ago, when I first started coming here. I see the young mother who was ready to explore. And this community was my opportunity to follow my heart and mind. A place to become the person I wanted to be. 
 
I like to tell people that in our church we have Buddhists, Taoists, Pagans, Christians, Humanists, and Atheists. And we get along! Unitarian Universalism is a community open to people finding and following their own religious pathways, and it encourages us to question. I know, people often joke about UU’s questioning, but inquiry and openness to new ideas, to my mind, is one of our most important principles. It’s vital to our growth and evolution as people, and as a denomination.
 
Me?
I believe in freedom.
I believe in kindness.
I believe in respecting people.
I believe that all people have a place of peace inside.
I believe that we are all connected to each other, to the world, to the universe.
I believe that if there is an “answer” it lies on the thin line that hangs in the middle of paradox.

Nothing really matters, but every detail does.
To truly live is to be at once in the moment and in infinity.
 
But of course if you ask the person in the pew next to me, most likely you’ll get a different answer!

Worship Committee Update

The Worship Committee is working on the Mother's Day Service on May 13. We have not definitively decided on a theme for that Sunday, but have been throwing around an idea along the lines of:  "The burden of Motherhood" or "If anything goes wrong, it must be Mom's fault." So, if that topic appeals to you or you have something to contribute, please contact Margrit Thomas or a member of the Worship Committee. (If you can't stand the topic, let us know that as well!)  We are looking to put together a musical number of just women singing. Contact Nancy Wynne if you are interested in singing that Sunday.

Severn is on sabbatical in May and June.  In addition to the above-mentioned Mother's Day service, the Rev. Karen Foley will be worship leader on May 6, congregation member Diane Campbell will give the message on May 20 and Welcoming Congregation will be leading the service on May27.

As always feel free to share your thoughts on worship with any of us as well as Severn directly.

The Worship Committee

Edie Keller, Committee Chair
ekeller@fc.wtcl.k12.me.us  or
kellerlikins@dialmaine.com

Peter Burgher                        
Bruce O'Donnell                              Gi Reed
Margrit Thomas                       Mary Matson
Nancy Wynne                         David Vaughn

 Elementary RE Teachers This Month
 
April 1 – Mark Tappan
April 8 – No RE (Intergenerational Service)
April 15 – Emily Wheeler
April 22 – No RE (Intergenerational Service)
April 29 – Emily Wheeler

 Directory Updates:

 New email address for Rogers and McKay:  thunder@roadrunner.com

 Jim Easton and Melissa Evers have a new email address: everston@verizon.net

Welcoming Congregation

Have you ever thought of writing a letter to the editor of your local paper about an LGBT (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender) issue, but didn’t know where to start? Or what to write?
EqualityMaine (EQME) will be offering two evening Media Trainings – the first in Portland on April 11th, and the second in Bangor, on April 26^th (times & locations to be announced).
As a Media Team member, you would get tips about how to draft a letter to the editor, receive regular email Media Alerts about LGBT news stories in Maine, and talking points to help you write letters.
Commit as much or as little time as you can.
If you are interested or would like more information, get in touch with Ray or Connie Winship at rayandconnie@gwi.net (453-7409); or Equality Maine at dhuntress@equalitymaine.org
phone: 207-761-3732, extension 4

 Coffee Hour Recipe

The extended Daylight Savings weekend coffee hour was a fun time for connecting with friends and playing games or watching others play.  Here is the recipe that a number of people asked for, from the buffet table. It actually came by way of a Yarmouth UU member who brought it to a coffee hour there the previous week.
Goat Cheese Appetizer 3-5 oz. goat cheese crumbled 1/2 cup good olive oil  (note from Kathy: use less olive oil) 2 cloves garlic, crushed & mixed into the olive oil.
Pour olive oil mixture evenly over goat cheese on a deep plate. Sprinkle on top: 1/2 cup chopped calamata olives 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes 1 tsp. freshly ground coarse black pepper 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes 1/2 tsp. each thyme & rosemary (I use a little more rosemary when I use fresh)
Let all this sit at room temp. for 4 hours or so... just before serving, sprinkle on 2 Tbsp. fresh basil chopped.
Serve with thinly sliced french bread.

UU Rowe Camp & Conference Center

 UU Rowe Camp and Conference Center in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts has released their Spring and Summer Schedule for 2007, and we have copies available in Averill Parlors. Since 1924, Rowe Camp has offered Unitarian and, later, Universalist youth a chance to experience UU values and get to know other UU young people from all over the Northeast. Since 1974, the conference center has provided a place for adults and families to come for relaxation, education, community, and spiritual nurturance.

 This season’s conference schedule includes programs on a wide variety of topics, including Songwriting, Rumi’s Ecstatic Poetry, Writing Children’s Books, Healing with Touch, Creating Your Own Gardens, Baseball & the World, Reiki Energy Healing, Labor Day Gay Men’s Retreat, Healing with Flowers, Celtic Mysteries, and more. The programs will be led by Rebecca Parker (the President of Starr King School), Michael Lerner, Marge Piercy, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Ferron, Matthew Fox, John Taylor Gatto, David Spangler, Ysaye Barnwell, Joanna Macy, and many other presenters.

 2 bdrm 1st floor apartment for rent

in owner-occupied duplex in a quiet neighborhood, on Roosevelt Avenue in Waterville. Approximately 1 mile from 95, Colby, and downtown. $600/includes all
utilities except electric. Looking for non-smoker with good references. Available sometime in April. Contact number for Ann and Brian: 872-6934, or please leave message.

Bridges for Peace and Justice

Every Sunday across the nation people stand on bridges to protest the Iraq war.  The Waterville Area Bridges for Peace and Justice invites the members of the UU congregation to join in the first Sunday of every month until the soldiers have been brought home. (The Quakers are doing the fourth Sunday)  We meet on the bridge by CVS every Sunday from noon until 1:00.  See Harry & Linda for details.

Northeast District UUA 46th Annual Meeting & Spring Gathering

Friday evening and Saturday, April 27 &­ 28
at Allen Avenue UU Church, Portland, Maine

“DANCERS ON THE EDGE OF THINGS”
Friday evening: 5:00 p.m. ­to  9:15 p.m. or later:  - Enjoy dinner with UUs from all over Maine ­ and elsewhere - Participate in the Banner Parade (bring your banner!) - Savor the wisdom and humor of the Rev. Mary Higgins, District Executive, as she shares her vision for a consolidate district.

 - Coffee House

 Saturday:  8:00 a.m. ­ 4:00 p.m.:

 - Continental breakfast

 - Worship

 - Annual Meeting of the Northeast District UUA­ (vote on the consolidation)
- Lunch

- Workshops:
    Sharing the Light
    For the Small Congregations
    Time with Our Executive Director
    Youth Traveling to Put Their Faith in Action
    Beyond the District and Ways to Connect
    Moving Spirit Dancers
    Adult Religious Education

Also our UU Beacon Press and Skinner House “bookstore” & other displays of interest to UUs

 Thai Students coming to Waterville

 Bonjour mes amis,

A group of Thai teenagers is coming to Waterville during April for an English language immersion and American cultural experience! The Thai students will be taking English classes at Let's Talk Language School. The trip is organized by EF Educational Homestays (http://www.ef.comwww.ef.com). We are looking for people to open up their home to one or two of these students. They range in age from 13 to 18. They will arrive on the evening of April 3rd and leave on April 26th. During that time they will be going to New York City for Easter weekend....so,
your guest would be at your house for 21 days.

Taking one of these students into your house will be a rewarding experience...and it really isn't such a big commitment. The students will be busy every day during the week from 8:30 - 5:00. They will need breakfast, a bag lunch and dinner. If you have kids it will be an experience they won't forget.

Please contact me if you are interested in this opportunity or know someone who might be. Thanks.

Steve Buchsbaum

sbuchsbaum@letstalklanguageschool.org

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Rosemary and I have been reading Michael Durall’s books. To reflect, comment and/or continue this conversation, email us at: jodyrjw@adelphia.net