Sunday Service, January 3, 2021

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Linda Pallay


2020 Hindsight by Rev. Kerry Mueller

This is one year we will all be glad to see in the rear view mirror. On this first Sunday of the new year, we will consider what we have experienced and what we have learned.

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Sunday Service, January 10, 2021

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Linda Pallay

Nelson Mandela: Portrait of Integrity by Rev Kim Wilson
Minister of the UU Fellowship of the Poconos, President of the UU Ministers Association, Priestley-Kingsbury District. Lay Leader: Allan Pallay

In this sermon, we explore how Nelson Mandela was able to achieve the end of apartheid in South Africa, and what we might learn from his practice of the spirit of Ubuntu, recognizing the common humanity in everyone, including his fiercest enemies. Through his always-respectful manner and way of speaking, he was able to forge relationships and agreements
where finding common ground seemed impossible. A good topic for today’s polarized political landscape.

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Sunday Service, January 17, 2021

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Linda Pallay

What Is Christianity? Who Gets to Decide? Who Cares? By Rev. Dave Hunter

Monday, January 18, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. On Wednesday, January 20, we will witness the transition from Trump-Pence to Biden-Harris. Five
Christians – five versions of Christianity? And, according to my calendar, January 18-25 is “the week of prayer for Christian unity.”

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Sunday Service, January 24, 2021

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Linda Pallay

Quiet and Peace by Jerry Lazarro

We live, literally and figuratively, in an increasingly “noisy” world. Scientific research, as well as anecdotal evidence, documents the toll all the noise exacts on our bodies and spirits, and it underscores the urgent need to dial down the clatter and chatter. Spiritual and religious texts, along with this growing body of empirical research, suggest ways to do just that. This aggregate knowledge gleaned from science as well as religion reminds us that to remain true to ourselves and relate positively to others, it’s necessary, not just desirable, to detach from time to time from the clamor, to listen to “the still, small voice within,” and to restore our tacit connection to a greater reality.

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Sunday, January 31, 2021 Service

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Linda Pallay


We Hold On by Rev. Joan M. Sabatino, Director, UUJusticePA, formerly UUPLAN.

As a faith tradition, we need to hold on in so many ways. As we move into the next two-year session of the PA General Assembly, we are going to need to hold on to each other, our faith, our justice partnerships and to our commitment to justice for all. All through the lens of our position of power.
How do we navigate these troubling waters? Reflections on Theresa I. Soto’s reading “We Hold On” will frame this morning’s service as we help
each other hold on and move forward together.

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From the Minister’s Desk–January 2021

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Linda Pallay

Are you glad 2020 is over? I sure am. I hope we don’t have another year like that again – ever. Let’s do better in 2021. Democracy has survived, but was threatened as never before in our lifetimes. The pandemic continues, but now we have a vaccine. Maybe we’ll be able to focus on the climate crisis now (and let’s hope it’s not too late). As I write this, I don’t know whether Congress (and the President) will come to the rescue of the millions who have or will soon run out of money, and thus have lost or are at risk of losing food, housing and medical care.

Two formalities in the presidential transition process await us. On January 6 Congress will vote on whether to accept the results of the electoral college vote, which was held on December 14 and moved Biden and Harris another step closer to taking office. The two Houses will meet in a joint session; the vice president will open the certificates from the states, in alphabetical order, and the tellers – two each from the House and the Senate – will count the votes – 270 required to win. Just a formality? Let’s take nothing for granted.

After the result is announced, objections are possible – in writing, signed by at least one Senator and one House member. For an objection to prevail it must obtain a majority vote from both the House and the Senate. If an objection is rejected, can the objectors go to court? (What a ridiculous idea!) And then, let us assume, on to January 20, Inauguration Day (and we all live happily ever after?).

2020 in the United States was a year of polarization among us, especially with respect to the presidential election and the issues and candidates involved. In 2021 can we again recognize that we are one people (“one nation, indivisible”)? Can we recognize the new year as a good time to try to connect (or reconnect) with those (family, neighbors, co-workers, co-religionists, person next to us on the bus) whose views are different from ours? I’ve been thinking of a high school classmate, I’ll call “Paul,” whom I haven’t seen since we graduated sixty years ago. We were good friends during junior and senior high.  In preparation for our high school class’s 60th reunion (subsequently postponed from September 2020 to September 2021) I tracked him down and tried to reconnect. I received a very short email response, indicating that we were about 180° apart politically. Should I forget him or try again?

Love, Dave

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President’s Message–January 2021

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Linda Pallay

“You can’t change the past, but you can make adjustments to your present for a better future.” ~ Anonymous

While the turning of 11:59 PM on December 31 into 12:00 AM on January 1 is simply the passing of time, it has come to symbolize so much more. Many people, such as myself, take the time to reflect on the past year and do some personal assessment on how they want to move forward into the new year. For me, it is a time of optimistic thinking – What are the possibilities for this year? And, as President of the Board of Directors for the UUFP, I (along the other members of the board), will do the same thing for the Fellowship.

The year 2020 certainly presented the Fellowship with challenges that we have never faced before. In spite of these challenges, the fellowship continued to function (albeit in a whole new way) and is finishing the year solvent. That is something that all of us should be proud of. I won’t take the time to review all of the things we accomplished in 2020 (you can look at past Sojourners for that information); however, I will highlight some new things that occurred in December. The Fellowship participated in a clothing drive to support Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Pottstown. This church has a “store” where they provide clothing free of charge to anyone in need who comes in and “shops.” Through the generosity of our fellowship, we were able to fill two SUVs with boxes and bags of clothing. They were quite impressed with how much we donated.

In addition, a new walking club was started (Thank you, Kay). The first walk took place in December and many people took advantage of the opportunity to combine exercise with socially distanced comradery and good, old fashioned talking. If you would like to join in future walks, check the Sojourner for dates and times. And, thanks to Miranda Van Horn for spearheading and putting together a Christmas Eve service. That service is always one of the highlights of our year and due to Miranda’s efforts, we were able to have it.

The year 2021 offers so many possibilities for the Fellowship. The board will be spending the first quarter of the new year in assessing what we learned about ourselves as a fellowship during the pandemic and what we need to focus on in order to move forward. However, this type of review cannot be done in a vacuum. We will need input from members and friends, so consider this a “heads-up” that we will be reaching out for your perspective.

I will end by pointing out that 2021 offers new possibilities for friends and members who are thinking that they would like to become more involved with the Fellowship. Many of our committees are always looking for people to help out. If you would like to join a committee (or maybe start a new one), please reach out to the committee chairperson or a member of the board. Your efforts are always appreciated!

Here’s to all the possibilities that 2021 has to offer us and the Fellowship!! ~ Linda

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Finance Corner: Quarterly Report December 2020

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Linda Pallay

UUFP members and friends are enjoying our virtual services and coffee hour offered each Sunday. Through Sunday offerings and through the dedication of our members and friends we continue to receive pledges and are also receiving contributions toward our new fundraiser “Raising the
UUFP Roof!”
Our fundraiser is to help cover expenses for our much-needed new roof repair and upgraded technology to help improve our ability to provide virtual services and events, to move us into the 21st century with our technology and to provide a dry and physically safe place for us to meet in the near future.

We are under budget with our pledges and donations by ~ $1600.00 this month and are under budget for our regular expenses by ~$1000. However, we have had to pay for our roof repair, of which 50% is repaired and paid for and have also paid for our upgraded technology. Both combined
have increased our expenses, outside of our expected budget, by ~$18, 000 ($12,000+ for the roof and ~$5000 for technology). To date we have raised $4150 toward our campaign to fund these expenses. We have paid $6300 for
the roof and $4800 toward technology. So, we have had to dig into our saving to cover these needed expenses.

Please be mindful of your pledges and donations to UUFP. We are extremely appreciative of any amount you can contribute to help keep UUFP moving forward and able to provide services, whether virtual or eventually in person, and to keep us all connected as a community. The goal of being able to live stream our services is important to keep us connected as we enter yet another upswing in the pandemic.

I hope that you all stay safe from this virus, and I know that each of you are wishing the same for all of our members and friends.

Miranda and I are putting together several fund raisers, that will hopefully bring in funds toward our continued roof repair and go toward the expenses of our upgraded technology, and most importantly that will connect us in fun ways. So, keep your eyes open for these announcements.

Joy, our bookkeeper, will send out letters via email, for your donations and pledges, for the year 2020, in January 2021. If you want your letter mailed please send an email to Joy at office@uupottstown.org or send a note to UUFP, 1565 S. Keim Street, Pottstown, PA, 19465.

Thank you. Have a wonderful holiday season, Linda P.

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Sunday Service, December 6, 2020

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Linda Pallay

The Gospel of Mister Rogers Speaker: Amanda Seligman
The visionary Presbyterian minister Fred Rogers sang, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” at the start of his long-running children’s television show. In this sermon, Amanda Seligman explores Mister Rogers’ teachings and how his messages keep resonating two decades after his death. Spoiler alert: he modeled how to show your love for others by being fully present and practicing kindness.
Biography: Amanda Seligman is a third generation UU and is currently a member of Unitarian Church North, in Mequon, Wisconsin. Amanda and her family live in Glendale, where she is active in city government.
She teaches history and urban studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has published four books and is co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Milwaukee.

Rev. Kerry Mueller and Rev. Dave Hunter are her mother and stepfather.

At the request of the Speaker, we did not record this service.

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Sunday Service, December 13, 2020

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Linda Pallay

Kindling New the Holy Lamps Speaker: Rev. Kerry Mueller
Most of us at UUFP did not grow up celebrating Hanukkah, but the holiday and the history have lessons for all of us.

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