Calling All Musicians
We are looking for musicians of any type to enhance and add variety to our Sunday services. If anyone in the congregation has any musical talents they would like to share, or knows of any musicians who would like to volunteer to share their music with us, please let me know. Any type of instrument would be considered, including soloists whom I would be happy to accompany. If anyone isn't comfortable playing solo, I would also be open to duets, etc. If your musical talents are more limited but you "feel the music in your soul", I would love to work with anyone who is interested in experimenting with some percussion, to give our services an occasional uplifting beat!
LeeAnn
Church Groups
You're invited to join any of our groups! Some of our current groups are: Men's Group, Choir, Children's Choir, Women's Spirituality Group, Jr. Youth Group, Green Sanctuary Committee, Religious Education Committee, Social Action Committee, and Sunshine Committee. Please check the web-site, vestibule/bulletin boards, and upcoming newsletters for details about our groups, who to contact for more information, and how to join. If none of those interest you, think of forming a new one for you and other congregants to join.
Foxborough Universalist Music
Our choir information and music catalog is on-line at www.geocities.com/uufoxboroughmusic.
The collection ranges from music published as recently as 2005 to music
published as far back as 1832. All sheet music listed in the catalogue
is available to other Ballou Channing District churches on a lending basis. Please contact us to add items to the database.
Wayside Pulpit
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
~ Margaret Mead
Faith Without Borders
Introduced at General Assembly, the “Faith Without Borders” program invites congregations to integrate a commitment to faithful global citizenship into many aspects of congregational life. Participants in the program will receive resources, consultation, and celebration from the International Resources Office. Please visit www.uua.org/fwb for more information.
UUA President’s Pilgrimage To Africa
On November 4, 2008, Reverend William G. Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), will embark on a 19-day pilgrimage to visit six African countries: South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. “UUs around the world will be able to participate in the journey. You can learn about the people and places Sinkford and the pilgrimage will visit, read blog posts, news stories and reports, view pictures, and watch video recordings produced during the journey. Religious education classes and their adult guides and teachers can join in one of the live, interactive Sunday School webcasts with Reverend Sinkford, scheduled for November 9, 16, and 23. Additionally, you are invited to participate in the ‘Propose a Question’ contest which will suggest topics for discussion when Sinkford meets with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, or Unitarian and human rights leaders in Africa.” Further information about each of these opportunities will be available at www.uua.org/sinkfordafrica.
Javawocky Coffeehouse
On November 22, Brockton’s Javawocky Coffeehouse will present a special concert, “The Season of Light”. From Solstice to Chanukah to Christmas to Kwanzaa, many cultures and peoples celebrate as the days grow short in the Northern Hemisphere. These gatherings are a reminder of the changing season, of hope and freedom, of new life and new beginnings, and of the basic principles for living together. Combining their many talents, Kim and Reggie Harris and Magpie will perform music and tell stories from traditions that mark "The Season of Light", celebrating the many common themes of these festivals: the changing seasons, respect for nature, the quest for freedom, kindness to others, unity, cooperation, purpose, and creativity. Additional information is available at www.javawockyuu.com.
November’s Action Of The Month
November’s Action of the Month is ‘Global HIV/AIDS’. “The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is due for reauthorization in 2008. This is an enormous opportunity for our nation to start taking effective prevention seriously by removing the requirement that 33% of our prevention funding be spent on abstinence-until-marriage programs, and clear a path for prevention programs that addresses the real life needs of women and youth. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has been advocating for this for over two years and we ask you to join us by taking this action.” Please visit www.uua.org/socialjustice/.
Notices
Planning A Wedding, Meeting, Party, Or Other Event?
Members and non-members are able to hold special events at our conveniently located church! Overlooking a quintessential New England Town Common, the Foxborough Universalist Church makes a lovely setting for weddings, meetings, reunions, classes, workshops, rehearsals, and other events and ceremonies. In addition to the Sanctuary, piano, overlooking balcony, and vestibule, there is a large finished downstairs which includes a kitchen and social hall. We welcome all to tour our treasure and discuss your event needs with our Minister and/or Board of Trustees. Our minister, Katie Lawson, is available to perform your ceremony, but utilizing her pastoral services is not a requirement for using our historic building.
If you will be using the church some evening or Saturday for a meeting or other event, please drop the Property Committee a line or give them a call a bit in advance. This will allow the thermostat to be programmed so that the building is welcomingly toasty when you arrive and, after you leave, it will return automatically to its preset program.
First Thursdays Peace Vigils
A Peace Vigil is held outside at the church from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. the first Thursday of every month. Everyone - members, congregants, area residents, etc. - is invited to participate. Please show up during the hour and stay as long or as short as your schedule allows. Candles will be provided. If you want to be added to the reminder e-list, please let LeeAnn or PR know or sign up via http://events.uufoxborough.org
"Music can be an important component of identity, but it is also an important means of arriving at cultural pluralism, by which I mean a tolerance, openness and understanding towards other peoples' cultures, social structures, values and faiths." ~ His Highness the Aga Khan
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BCD and UUA Events
full listings BCD In Brief and UUA Calendar
Dates and time subject to change so please check with the offices.
- Nov.6: BCD Board - Minister Roundtable
- Nov. 7 & 8: First Parish Annual Holiday Fair in Stoughton, MA.
- Nov. 8: Billy Novick & Guy Van Duser at Circle of Friends
Coffeehouse in Franklin.
- Nov. 8 & 9: Tents of Hope for Darfur in Washington, DC.
- Nov. 10: UU Mass Action Conference Call.
- Nov. 14 & 15: Murray Holiday Fair in Attleboro, MA.
- Nov. 15: Adult RE Workshop
- Nov. 15: Sacred Struggle: The Living Legacy of Unitarian and
Universalist Social Justice at First Church in Roxbury.
- Nov. 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance
- Nov. 23: UUSC's Guest at Your Table
- Dec. 4: First Thursdays Peace Vigils (2nd Anniversary)
2009
- Feb. 6 - 8: UUA Midsize Church Conference
- Feb. 11-18: Civil Rights Pilgrimage
- Feb. 13 - 15: Interweave Convo
- Feb. 26 - Mar. 1: International Convocation of U*U Women
- Mar. 7: New England Music Conference
- Mar. 13 - 15: Allies for Racial Equality 2009 Annual Conference
- Apr. 1-5: UUJEC 20th Anniversary Conference
- Apr. 3-5: Now Is The Time! Conference
- May 2: BCD Spring Conference and Annual Meeting
- June 24 - 28: General Assembly in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Please see the BCD-In-Brief , church web-sites, and church
bulletin boards for additional events and information.
Stewardship
In 1915 Sarah Doolittle gave her family home to the Universalist Convention
of Massachusetts to be used as a residence for the elderly, especially
those of the Universalist faith. Over the years there has been a
strong relationship between the Home and the UUA (and its predecessors)
and currently about half the residents are UUs who chose to retire to this
haven because of its affiliation with the UUA. Now, a current Board
of Trustees is trying to sever that tie. A policeman in uniform was
hired to keep people out of an Annual Meeting (the people barred
entry were UUs who are members of the corporation or people who were holding
valid proxies). This is a very unfortunate situation where a group
of outsiders is trying to wrest control of a UU institution. There
are legal costs to fight for Doolittle so please contribute - a large check
if you can, or a small one if you can't. Checks should be made out
to: The UUA Fund for Doolittle Home, Inc. and sent to the UUA, Attention:
Jerry Gabert, 25 Beacon St. Boston, MA 02108. Please be generous.
We are very grateful for your support. For more information please
contact Rev. Dorothy Boroush.
Support the Doolittle Home residents, our UU family, friends, and
community,
and the Home's treasured UU Heritage!!!
Not just the "big green and white house on the corner or across from the Library",
the Doolittle Home has been a planned for retirement haven of U's and UUs for over 90 years.
Support the Doolittle Home residents, our UU family, friends, and community,
and the Home's treasured UU Heritage!!!
Love To Sing...Love Good Health...Join The Choir!
In several studies recently cited in The Boston Globe, it was proven that those people who belong to choirs enjoy healthier lives than those who are not choir members. Wow - what a rousing endorsement! Look for upcoming dates for our choir rehearsals. We have a general choir for adults and older youth and a children's choir. Practices are usually held before and/or after worship services. All are joyously welcome. Contact LeeAnn for further information.
CUUPS
Unitarian Universalism draws from many sources including “Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.” The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc. (CUUPS) is an Interest Group of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) which “exists in part to promote the practice and understanding of Pagan and Earth-centered Spirituality within the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and to enable networking among Pagan-identified Unitarian Universalists. Chapters are one way CUUPS accomplishes these goals.” Currently there are more than 100 chapters world-wide, with six of them based in Massachusetts. If you’re interested in CUUPS or the local Chapters, please visit www.cuups.org.
"Inspired Faith, Effective Action"
The Washington Office For Advocacy's new Legislative Assistants, Grace Garner and Lisa Swanson, started in the office during the summer, learning the ropes from their predecessors, Elizabeth and Meredith. The two new L.A.s have big shoes to fill but we are confident that they are up to the task. Alex Winnett, the new Program Associate for Peacemaking, has been with the office since June. You can read more about Alex, Grace, Lisa, and the rest of the office on the UUAWO office blog, "Inspired Faith, Effective Action." at http://uuawo.blogspot.com. The Washington Office looks forward to working with fellow UUs over the coming year.
Spreading the Good News Of UUism Via Podcasting
"Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet for playback on mobile devices and personal computers." Podcasting is a great way for congregations to reach a larger audience for that very reason: They go to the people, busy people who might lose a bookmark or be too pressed for time to check back every week or two. Audio sermons of any sort are a smart move for a congregation because they allow the pastor and lay leaders' words to reach UUs who live too far from a brick-and-mortar congregation to visit, or who might be shut in due to illness, or who may have been hurt in a religious setting and thus be reluctant to walk into a UU congregation without getting some sense of what they'll find there. To find out who's podcasting and to listen to some, please check the following websites: www.geocities.com/scarcrest/uu_podcasts.html, www.uupodcasters.org, www.podcast.net, and www.uuism.net/uuwiki/index.php/List_of_UU_podcasts.
Restocking The Shelves
Since 1970, the Foxborough Discretionary Fund and the Foxborough Food Pantry have provided emergency food relief as well as temporary food support to Foxborough residents in need. The organizations could not exist without the generous support of our community and friends. Donations to the Foxborough Food Pantry can be made in the designated boxes at the Foxborough Stop and Shop
and the Sharon Shaw's Supermarkets. Demand at area food pantries is especially high during the winter months (when utility and fuel costs rise) and during the summer months (when children do not have access to the school lunch programs). Gladly accepted is any food donation that has not reached its expiration date. The following items are always in short supply at the town pantry:
Baked Beans,
Beef Stew,
Canned Fruit,
Canned Vegetables,
Cereal,
Chunky Soups,
Cleaning Supplies,
Feminine products,
Hamburger Helper,
Jelly,
Juice Boxes,
Kleenex,
Laundry Detergent,
Peanut Butter,
Shampoo,
Spaghetti Sauce,
Toilet Paper,
Tuna,
Bottled or Canned Juice,
Canned Chili, Hash, or Spam,
Canned Pasta: Ravioli, Spaghetti O's, &
Snacks: cookies, crackers, chips
No matter which town or city you live in, our contributions have an immediate impact on the lives of many individuals and families in our municipalities. Please help if you are able to either by donating to your local food pantry or by adding something to the Church's monthly donation box in the Vestibule. The Discretionary Fund also usually sends out an annual request for holiday gifts and needed winter clothing. Please donate if you can. Thank You!
Wayside Pulpit
There is no medicine for hate. ~ African Proverb
Ending Torture
The National Religious Coalition Against Torture (NRCAT) is looking for UU Congregations. Currently, nearly 60 UU communities across the United States have joined with NRCAT to oppose torture here and abroad. Now they are looking for more people to join their fight against inhumane treatment of prisoners. Those with internet access can check out the nearly 300 US houses of worship who have taken a stand against torture at the NRCAT slideshow via www.nrcat.org. You are welcome you to join the conference call hosted by NRCAT, The UUA, and The UUSC at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 6, during which participants will discuss future events such as the November 12, lobbying day and the January Action to End Torture. For more information, please contact Alex Winnett (awinnett@uua.org or 202-393-2255 ex 20).
Universalism struck hell from the theological menu; Unitarianism removed original sin. ~ Forrest Church
UUSC Holiday Cards
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s 2008 holiday and note cards are now available. This year's eleven beautiful new designs include an assortment pack of note cards with inspiring images from their work around the world. By purchasing UUSC cards, you can share special holiday greetings with your loved ones while helping to make a difference in the United States and throughout the world. In addition to sales to individuals, the UUSC has a consignment program available to congregations. Please see the bulletin board or www.uusc.org/store/.
Commission On Social Witness Seeks Input
The Commission on Social Witness (CSW) is seeking comments from our congregation regarding the newly released “Draft Statement of Conscience on ‘Peacemaking’” and the current Congregational Study/Action Issue, “Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice”. Congregations own this social witness process. Without broad congregational participation in this process, nothing happens. A Statement of Conscience that is adopted by a General Assembly becomes a policy of the whole Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.
A Service Of Remembrance & Thanksgiving
Persons from the community who have experienced loss are invited to join with family and friends of Community VNA Hospice Care in “A Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving.” This memorable gathering will take place at Good News Bible Chapel, 235 West Street, Attleboro, MA, on Sunday, November 9, at 3:00 p.m. As an interfaith, non-denominational celebration, it will honor your loved one’s life and memory. This service is free and open to the public. Following the service, there will be refreshments and time to meet and share with Community VNA Hospice Care staff and volunteers. For more information, please contact Community VNA Hospice Care Bereavement Coordinator at 508-222-0118 extension 1373.
Guest At Your Table 2008-2009
UUSC’s Guest At Your Table kicks-off on November 23, 208, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. For over 30 years, UUs of all ages have built lasting connections to our shared values through Guest at Your Table. Later this church year, we hope to participate in this special UU tradition. If you’re interested in more information about UUSC and human rights in the United States and around the world, please visit www.uusc.org/guest.
GreenScaping: The Easy Way To A Greener, Healthier Yard
The US EPA’s Greenscape Program for homeowners contains resources and helpful tips for properly taking care of our lawns and gardens while saving money and time and helping the environment. They start with five steps: Build and maintain healthy soil; Plant right for your site; Practice smart watering; Adopt a holistic approach to pest management; and Practice natural lawn care. A Seasonal Planning Calendar is also available via www.epa.gov/osw/partnerships/greenscapes/owners.htm.
You may have to allocate a little more time to get to the church and to park, but like most everything else downtown, we will be open during the construction of the mostly federally funded transportation and business district demonstration projects. For roadway conditions and projects' updates, please check here.
Questions about the church?