Monday, December 24, 2018: 4-6 PM

Christmas Eve

Monday, December 24, 2018  Christmas Time is Here

Speakers: Emily Quarles-Mowrer & Cyndi Buell-Hall

The famous song from A Charlie Brown Christmas says, “Christmas time is here/ Families drawing near/Oh, that we could always see/Such spirit through the year.” Please be a part of our family as we join together at 4pm for a service of carols and stories, as well as a special presentation by our RE class. Let us kindle together the chalice of peace and giving so that it lights the year ahead.

Posted in News of the Fellowship, Sunday Service | Leave a comment

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Reflections        Speaker: Mary Ryan

Mary will give her reflections on the year that was, personally, for the UUFP and maybe more. This service will (hopefully) be interactive with the members of the congregation sharing their reflections as well.

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment

President’s Message, November 2018

A Meditation on Gratitude and Joy

With gratitude I remember the people, animals, plants, insects, creatures of the sky and sea, air and water, fire and earth, all whose joyful exertion blesses my life every day. With gratitude I remember the care and labor of a thousand generations of elders and ancestors who came before me. I offer my gratitude for the safety and well-being I have been given. I offer my gratitude for the blessings of this earth I have been given. I offer my gratitude for the measure of health I have been given. I offer my gratitude for the family and friends I have been given. I offer my gratitude for the community I have been given. I offer my gratitude for the teachings and lessons I have been given. I offer my gratitude for the life I have been given. May you be joyful. May your happiness increase. May you not be separated from great happiness. May your good fortune and the causes of your joy and happiness increase.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Via: Jack Kornfield in his The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology

With love to the UUFP community,

Miranda

Posted in President's Message | Leave a comment

Sunday Service, November 4, 2018

Sunday, November 4

Discerning What Matters

Guest Speaker: Ramesh Lay Leader: Jon Price

Our sense of what matters is often external, resulting from society and culture. An internal sense of what matters is also possible, arising from conscience, conviction and self-examination. The internal sense of what matters develops throughout the life and flowers late. Discernment is the tool that aids this process. Some reflections on the nature of discernment and how to approach it will be offered.

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment

Sunday Service, November 11, 2018

Sunday, November 11

November 11              Guest Speaker: Reverend Dave Hunter

Rev. Dave invites you to reflect on what happened 100 years ago today and on what happened 5 days ago.

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment

Sunday Service, November 18, 2018

Sunday, November 18

Forgiving the Unforgivable                       Lay Speaker: CJ Rhoads

Many people are unable to forgive others for the hurt they’ve caused them. It is not in our human nature to be forgiving. Rather, it is in our nature to be vindictive, nasty, and mean to those who have done us wrong. CJ will outline her journey from a normal human being who would spend weeks planning her revenge on those who “deserved” it, to someone who is able to forgive the biggest and most severe betrayal possible. But most importantly, hear how this journey has impacted her spiritually. Please join us for our Third Sunday Potluck which will follow the service.

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment

Sunday Service, November 25, 2018

Sunday, November 25

TBD

Guest Speaker: Reverend Aaron Payson

Rev. Aaron Payson is Pastor of the UU Church of Worcester, MA where he has served for 18 years. He returns to PA at this time of year to visit family and to return to the place of his childhood. He has thoroughly enjoyed the connections made with the UU Fellowship of Pottstown and looks forward to seeing everyone very soon.

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment

President’s Message: October 2018

President’s Message

This month marks the start-up of a special new program at UUFP – born of our “Begin Again” efforts. This group’s goal is two-fold: to assist the Sunday Service Committee in providing meaningful programming while we consider the future of ministry here and providing program choices alternative to Sunday Service for people who would like to attend UUFP regularly but who work or are parenting on Sundays. We have plans for four Friday evening events of this nature during this church calendar year. Eventually, we think we’ll offer them more often, depending on your and the community’s interest.

Aptly named “BYODD: Friday Night Chew”, we invite you to show up with your own brown-bag supper to share the evening mealtime with members and friends. We’ll provide food for thought and spirit as the evening progresses — with video presentations, readings, or a speaker –with discussions to follow. Look for more info about this month’s Friday Night Chew elsewhere in this newsletter.

The Board this year is planning for a November retreat. As any responsible Board would do, we’ll consider our annual goals. If you have ideas or suggestions for directions for this fellowship, be sure to share with me or any Board member. As well, we’ll consider the direction of our ministry, congregational safety; and a review of rules, policies, and procedures in our use of technology to assure both access to fellowship information and security.

Thanks go to Linda Pallay and Mary Ryan who continue to research ministry options tailored to our needs and budget and to Linda Kozitzky and Linda Pallay (again!) who have generously given time to train Joy, our new bookkeeper. And thank you, everyone, for the many things you all do to keep our fellowship humming.

In our common faith,

Miranda

Posted in President's Message | Leave a comment

Sunday Service, October 7, 2018

Sunday, October 7, 2018

The Competitive Disadvantage

Speaker: Jerry Lazarro,        Chair of Music and Worship at Thomas Paine UU Fellowship

Today we welcome back Jerry Lazarro for his fourth presentation here at UUFP.

The Competitive Disadvantage is the penalty we suffer when we allow the assumed inevitability and value of competition to seep into social, political and spiritual life. There, it turns disagreements into conflicts, fuels legislative gridlock, fosters religious bigotry, and undermines rational problem solving. Bottom line: when it’s dog eat dog, everyone may go hungry.

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment

Sunday Service, October 14, 2018

Sunday, October 14, 2018

What is Spirituality?

          Speaker: Rev Kim Wilson,     Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Poconos

Lay Leader: Allan Pallay

“Spirituality” is a word we didn’t used to hear much in UU congregations, when humanism reigned and churchy language was often avoided. It’s a word that we are reclaiming, but it’s a concept that isn’t easy to define. And one person’s description might be different from another’s. Rev. Kim explores some of the many ways we might define and think about spirituality. What does spirituality mean for you?

Posted in Sunday Service | Leave a comment