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September 6
Ways of Worshipping Rev. Robin Capoor
Explore four different
answers to understand the
meaning of our coming
together as a religious and
spiritual community on
Sunday mornings.
September 13
Ingathering & Water
Communion
Rev. Don Garrett and Worship Associates
Bring your waters and
stories from your summer
and share them in our
annual ritual of togetherness.
September 20
Days of Awe Rev. Don Garrett and Worship Associates
We’ll share in honoring the
Jewish tradition of Yom
Kippur with a liturgical
service of forgiveness and
new beginnings
September 27
Care of the Soul Rev. Don Garrett
What is the soul, anyway?
We’ll explore what it might
mean to care for it.
September 2015
DonSense – by Rev. Don Garrett
Anticipating the Year to Come
This year we’ll be exploring ten spiritual values that our faith tradition
invites us to embody in our daily living. Here’s an overview:
There are a couple of important reminders here. First, Unitarian
Universalism is not a religion of “anything goes.” Rather our faith has a
particular (some might even say peculiar!) vision of the good life. Yes, we
affirm individual choice and uniqueness, but there are some core values that
our faith asks all of us to engage and take seriously. Second, there’s the
reminder that our greatest competition for people’s “souls” today comes not
from other religions, but from an often unhealthy culture that undermines
the human spirit, that functions to disconnect us from our deepest selves,
life’s gifts and needs greater than our own. We all know what it’s like to be
lured away from who we most want to be and from the kind of life we most
want to live. This vision of “the good life” can help keep us on track.
And that leads perfectly to our first theme: anticipation. We can
anticipate help. We can anticipate a hopeful future. We can anticipate finding
our way back home no matter what. In many ways, that has been the core
message of our UU faith. Hope and help. You can count on them. You can
anticipate them with certainty. They may not arrive according to our
personal timelines or in our preferred forms. But they will come. Yes, people
will let you down, but they are also bound to surprise you. Yes, you will
falter, but when times get tough you will also encounter an inner resilience
and strength you never imagined you had. Yes, life can be random and cruel,
but woven throughout life is also a pattern of love and grace that never lets
us go. Being able to see and receive that help and hope is mostly a matter of
whether you anticipate it or not.
So what do you anticipate? And if its not help and hope, are you sure you
are seeing clearly?
See you in church.
– Don
September: anticipation
October: honesty
November: humility
December: wonder
January: heroism
February: devotion
March: inquiry
April: yearning
May: compassion
June: delight
Page 2 T h e L i n k S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5
FROM THE PRESIDENT
As summer reaches its end and schools re-
open, our congregation is also preparing for
the coming seasons. Thanks to the hard
work of the Memorial Garden committee,
we have a design to provide a wall on which
those who wish to memorialize their loved ones, or who
wish to be memorialized, can have their names
inscribed. Work on the bathrooms in the gym is at the
point where the plans will be submitted to Bethlehem
and, after approval, we'll be able to move forward with
that project. The hole in the ceiling outside the
sanctuary has been repaired and we are looking into
replacing the carpet on the stairs, upstairs foyer and
sanctuary.
All of these things are being accomplished by many
members working for our congregation and we owe
them our gratitude for their generosity in giving their
time, talent and funds.
Our community is more than our building.
Sometimes the needs of our building seem to
overshadow the important responsibilities we have to
ourselves as a congregation, to our immediate
community, and to the wider world. Our adult RE
program includes Mindfulness Meditation and
Compassionate Communication, reminding us of the
importance of paying attention, and of interacting with
each other in caring and supportive ways. Our
Hospitality groups quietly make sure there are snacks
after services and for special services. We adopted a
resolution opposing capital punishment and sent it to
Governor Wolf and legislators, and received gracious
responses. The Board of Trustees had its annual retreat
on August 15, and delved into the attributes of
leadership and how we could better serve our
congregation.
If you are interested in getting more active, but do
not have the time or inclination to be in meetings,
Church Planning has generated a list of tasks which are
needed, and can be accomplished in a limited amount of
time. Please see Frank Claps for details on that project.
All feedback is welcome, as are suggestions, for
improving and sustaining our congregation. Thank you
all for all you do.
Cheers -- Ellen Bell, Board President
The UU-Link is published and mailed monthly, and is also available on our website.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley
424 Center Street, Bethlehem PA 18018
Office Phone: 610-866-7652
Office Email: [email protected]
The Link email: [email protected]
Sunday Bulletin & OOS: [email protected]
The eNews: [email protected]
The Minister: [email protected]
We’re on the web at www. uuclvpa.org
SEPTEMBER HOSPITALITY
Sunday Ushers, Greeters, Snacks and Flowers will be
the responsibility of Central neighborhood during
September. Jean Davis, Cecelia Collura-Eberhardt and
Sarah Johnson are the Facilitators. There are only two
zip codes involved, but nearly 1/4 of the Congregation
is included in them: 18015 and 18018. When you get
a VolunteerSpot invitation from them, or "Central"
Hospitality, please reply in the affirmative. They will be
ever so grateful.
And, on September 27 we will welcome the new
members joining the Congregation on that morning
during the service. Afterwards, we ask the new
members to join us in a Welcome Potluck lunch in the
refurbished Community Room. Please plan to bring a
dish for 8 or more, to share. No need to bake or cook, if
your time, energy or skillset is limited. Picking up
drinks, prepared food of any type, baked goods or such
on the way to church is perfectly acceptable. Our aim is
to welcome folks with lunch enough that no one goes
away feeling empty.
We ask that you sit with your Hospitality
Neighborhood at lunch on that Sunday. It helps the new
folks learn who lives near them, in case they want to
carpool or something. And it gives you a chance to tell
your own story to a brand new audience!!!! Win-win!
For further information about "Hospitality", go
to: http://www.uuclvpa.org/document_library/
Hospitality_Schedule.pdf will send you to the 2015
schedule . Other pages will be found on the Members
and Friends page, to the left, under "Sunday."
Page 3 T h e L i n k S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5
SEPTEMBER BREAKFAST FORUM
September 6
Mythos II – The Experience of God Cease Blocker, Facilitator
During the final years of his life, Joseph Campbell
embarked on a speaking tour in which he drew
together all that he had learned about what he
called the “one great story” of humanity. In his final
presentaion of the series, he talks about Tibetan
Buddhism and the spiritual journey that is death. –
DVD
September 13
September Worship Theme:
Anticipation
Rev. Don Garrett, Facilitator
There will be a brief presentation, followed by
a small-group discussion format, reuniting to
share what we’ve learned on the topic of
“Anticipation.” Join in this adventure in
speaking, listening, thinking, reflecting and
sharing together in a new way; another way to
live our values of compassion, nurture, and
justice in our beloved community.
September 20
See Fall With New Eyes
Marilyn Hazleton, Presenter
Participate in a haiku and tanka gathering. Please
prepare by noticing the changes as we move
toward Fall.
September 27
How Do We Heal the Racial Divide?
Annabel Park, Facilitator
Bentonville, Arkansas is not only the hometown of
Walmart, one of the largest, and most
controversial, corporations in the world; it is now
home to some of America's greatest works of
art. Alice Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune,
created Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
just a few years ago. Tom will lead us on a virtual
tour and share the experience of his visit.
2015 SERVICE AUCTION: GLOBAL GOURMET & WORLDLY TREASURES: NOVEMBER 21, 2015
Please join us for our 2015 service auction. We’re calling it
“Global Gourmet & Worldly Treasures”. Our potluck
meal will start with a happy hour at 4:30pm featuring
appetizers, beer, wine, special bar dinks and soft drinks.
Then, indulge your appetite with various selections of
gourmet food from countries around the world, as well
as, a vast selection of desserts.
Be prepared to bid on “worldly treasures” of the
many unique auction items and services. Laugh along
with the friendly banter of the auctioneers during the
live auction and spur some friendly competition during
our silent and sign-up auction activities.
We are bringing back our “theme baskets” raffle. No
silent sign-up for these, just buy your tickets and choose
the baskets you would like to take home. Every basket
will have a retail value of $100-$150.
Admission: $10.00 per person (or $5.00 with a
potluck dish). Children are free and childcare is
available with activities for the kids.
What could YOU offer at the auction? If you are
planning a specific event, please set a date so people can
plan. If the event is for a specific number of people,
please tell us. All kinds of offerings of services and
goods are appreciated; such as pet sitting, artwork,
creative workshop, chauffeuring, helping someone for
the day and more.
See the UUCLV church website to fill out a service
offer form and to view the service auction catalog. For
more details contact [email protected].
Page 4 T h e L i n k S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5
FROM THE LIFESPAN EDUCATION COORDINATOR
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) FOR
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
As I continue to meet and get to know long time
members I am occasionally surprised and delighted to
discover that many of them were very active in the
Children’s Religious Education program in the past. I am
a second generation religious educator. My mother was
the Director of Religious Education at the Main Line
Unitarian Church
and then the
Unitarian Society of
Germantown in the
late 60’s and early
70’s. Back then, the
methods of
communication
were simpler, less
varied and more
time consuming. If
you wanted to find
out about church events, you called the office, read the
newsletter or heard announcements from the pulpit.
The mimeograph was the tool of choice for newsletters
and mailings. I remember using one to publish poetry
newsletters for the district youth group.
Life is evolving so rapidly it is hard to fathom.
Communication is instantaneous, and so are
expectations. One of the biggest
challenges for staff and lay
leadership is deciding which
modes of communication are the
most effective. Of course no single
mode works for all people. My
household is a good example. My
mother has an e-mail address, but
doesn’t touch her laptop. To reach
her, the printed newsletter, the
phone, and regular old U.S. mail
are most effective. Conversely, my
college age daughter has three e-mail addresses and I
don’t know which one to use. She never leaves phone
messages. If I don’t answer her call, she will hang up
then send me a text message. I have started to adopt that
practice. For many of us, e-mail works well, but even
that is changing. I check my personal e-mail on my
phone and make quick responses, but messages that
require a more thoughtful reply often go unanswered
until I get a follow-up reminder. I have about 2000
unread e-mail messages on my computer (most of which
are from Facebook or organizations and businesses I
don’t pay attention to).
It occurs to me that communicating in the modern
world requires a covenant – an agreement for how to
behave together. I have five suggestions for such a
covenant.
1. When possible, I will know the preferences of the
person to whom I am contacting and use the method
that is most likely to successfully reach them.
2. I will keep addresses and phone numbers up to date.
3. I will be consistent in reading and responding to
messages in whatever form they take.
4. I won’t assume that sending one message in one mode
will be received. If a message is important, I will use
more than one mode to reach that person. For instance,
if I want an important e-mail to be read, I could call and
leave a phone message asking the receiver to keep an
eye out for that e-mail message.
5. I will make my messages clear and concise. If possible,
I will keep my e-mails focused on one topic per message
and use a subject line that relates to that topic.
I plan to use this covenant in my own communications.
Please let you know how I am doing. I welcome more
suggestions for this covenant.
In faith,
Jansen Wendell, Lifespan Education Coordinator
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS:
Classes start up the second Sunday of September. Here
is the list of classes:
PreK-1st: Creating Home
2nd-4th: World Religions
5th-6th: Neighboring Faiths
7th-8th: Coming of Age
9th-12th: Senior High Youth Group
Descriptions of the curricula are available in the RE
prospectus (located in the literature racks in both
lobbies), on the RE bulletin board on the second floor of
the RE wing, and on our web site (www.uuclvpa.org).
Click Religious Education on the left to go to the RE site.
RE class parading after their lesson on Universalist PT Barnum
Jeanie Burd does face painting
during RE class on PT Barnum
Page 5 T h e L i n k S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5
FLOWERS
Should your yard be abloom with blossoms which you'd
like to share with the Congregation, simply contact
[email protected] and let us know, and we'll
feature them on the altar the following Sunday. If you
contact us before Wednesday, we'll put a dedication in
the Order of Service. If you prefer talking with an actual
human, call Margo Dixon at 610-419-0219. Thanks.
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Please join us for our next book discussion on Sunday,
September 13th, at 12:00 noon in the RE Library.
The book we are reading is Book of Ages: The Life and
Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore. The youngest
sister of Ben Franklin, a mother of twelve children, Jane
was a gifted writer and surprisingly shrewd about the
political scene. For more information e-mail us at
SEPTEMBER SHARED PLATE: ACLU Through advocacy, education and litigation, the
attorneys, advocates and volunteers of the American
Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) work to preserve and
promote civil liberties including the freedom of speech,
the right to privacy, reproductive freedom, and equal
treatment under the law. We stand in defense of the
rights of women and minorities, workers, students,
immigrants, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people, and others who have seen bias and bigotry
threaten the rights afforded to all of us in this country by
the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
COFFEE AND MORE!
Free money! Really!
It costs you absolutely nothing to donate to the
UUCLV. Just buy a Giant or Weis cash card to buy
groceries or gasoline at those stores, and the UUCLV gets
5% of everything you spend. How easy is that? The
cards are on sale every Sunday at coffee hour.
Equal Exchange organic coffee and chocolate is also
on sale at coffee hour. It's delicious, it's organic, and it's
fair trade. Another easy way to donate funds to
your church. Try some next Sunday!
ADULT RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION CLASSES:
COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION:
(Contact Robin Capoor / Anthony Gazzillo for meeting dates)
Based on Principles of Non-Violent Communication, this
class, or practice group, meets weekly to learn and use
the four simple steps developed by Marshall Rosenberg
in the 1960’s. It is led by Anthony Gazzillo. Contact him
at [email protected] or Robin Capoor at
[email protected] or 973-632-3211.
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE GROUP
(Every Tuesday at 7pm in Room 304)
Time magazine reports that even a single day of a
mindfulness meditation practice can down-regulate a
gene that codes for inflammation – one of the greatest
drivers of aging. Health, happiness, clarity and
effectiveness have all been shown to benefit from
mindfulness practice. Come, join our group and claim
those benefits for yourself and for those you love!
LONG STRANGE TRIP: 2000 YEARS OF UNITARIAN
UNIVERSALIST HISTORY (DVD series):
This set of 6 DVDs, available for loan, trace the history
and evolution of Unitarianism, Universalism, and the
merger of the two faiths into today’s Unitarian
Universalism. If you want to find out about how our
“Uncommon Denomination” came to be what it is today,
from its roots in the Reformation to the American
Revolution to the Civil War to the Transcendentalist
Movement to the present, these movies are entertaining
and captivating. Contact Jansen Wendell to arrange to
borrow one of them.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CALENDAR:
Sept 6: No RE class (Labor Day weekend) - Children
and youth remain in the sanctuary
Sept 13: Ingathering Service and Water Communion
ceremony
Sept 20: Story for All Ages and First day of RE classes
Sept 27: Story for All Ages and regular RE classes
Oct 4: Story for All Ages and regular RE classes
Oct 11: Multi-generational Worship Service and
Blessing of the Animals
Oct 17: Sat Evening Multigenerational Worship
Service
Oct 18: NO Church or RE: Bethlehem Half-Marathon
Oct 25: Story for All Ages and regular RE classes
Page 6 T h e L i n k S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5
Second Sunday Concert series kicks off its 6th season.
Please reserve Sunday afternoon, Oct. 11 at 3 pm, for An
Autumn Potpourri, an exciting program of music by the
DeMarina Trio – our very own Deb Andrus, clarinet;
Martha Schrempel, piano; and Inna Eyzerovich, violin.
Included in this eclectic program of music with
influences of klezmer, jazz, and Asian harmonies is the
local premiere Blue Fluidity by Moravian grad, Michael
McAndrew, another of our own, as he is often our
substitute accompanist and choir director. And of
course, the concert is followed by one of our terrific
receptions, enhanced by the renovated Community
room! Tickets are free for students, $15 for adults –
hope to see you there!
Your financial help for the Second Sunday Concert Series would be appreciated!
For the sixth season, the UUCLV is bringing the Lehigh
Valley a rich selection of outstanding musical
performances. Like every other program, it takes funds
to keep filling our church with the delights of such high
quality performances. If you are a music lover and if
you are pleased to see the UUCLV offering the Second
Sunday Concert Series to the Lehigh Valley at the
current extraordinarily low prices, you might want to
help to keep this series strong with a financial gift.
Please consider a gift of $25, $50, $100, $200 or
whatever suits your budget. We are grateful for any
amount. Your tax deductible gift can be sent to the
treasurer Allen Zinnes. Let’s keep the music coming!
This is what your financial gift will support – this
season’s concert series features the DeMarina Trio with
Deb Andrus, clarinet; Inna Eyzerovich, violin; and
Martha Schrempel, piano on Oct 11. On Nov. 8, SATORI
celebrates its 20th season with a fascinating
performance of music for flute and piano (Nora Suggs,
flute, and Martha Schrempel, piano) plus traditional
Japanese chamber music performed on koto, shamisen,
shakuhachi, and voice by Nora Suggs joined by guest
performers Mutsumi Takamizu and Masumi Takamizo.
FOURTH FRIDAY FILM SERIES
The 2015 FFF Series is presented by the UUCLV Social Action
Committee. The website is www.FFFInfo.blogspot.com. , or
see http://lehighvalleyprogressiveevents.blogspot.com/
This series has a strong emphasis on promoting the
common good as it relates to saving our environment,
reversing economic inequality, and repairing our democracy
so it works for all. The Series takes place in the UUCLV
Community Room at 7pm.
Sept 25 - SHIFT CHANGE At a time when many are disillusioned with big banks,
big business, and growing inequity in our country,
employee ownership offers a real solution for workers
and communities. The film visits the 50-year-old network
of cooperative businesses in Mondragon, Spain, and
many thriving examples of such businesses in the U.S.
The film shares on-the-ground experiences, lessons, and
observations from the worker-owners on the front lines
of the new economy.
Oct 23 - LIVING DOWNSTREAM Based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer
survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Living Downstream is
an eloquent and cinematic documentary film which
follows Sandra during one pivotal year as she travels
across North America, working to break the silence about
cancer and its environmental links.
Nov 20 (3rd Fri) - A PATH APPEARS This 3 part PBS special will take viewers on a journey
across the country, and across the globe, to drive homw
the universality of gender inequality and the roots of
vulnerability. From the team behind Half the Sky, A Path
Appears will lead viewers to a deeper understanding of
these critical issues and the proven methods of bringing
about change.
Page 7 T h e L i n k S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5
The new years brings a Valentine’s Day treat as Juliette
Herlin, cello, and Fei-Fei Dong, piano (you will
remember them as part of the Aletheia Trio that
wowed us last year) return to play favorite
masterworks by Brahms, Schumann, Bridge and
Tchaikovsky. What a great way to celebrate
Valentine’s Day – bring your sweetie! March 13 brings
a newcomer to our series – Martin Soderberg, based in
NYC, has won prestigious awards and appears
frequently as a guest soloist with orchestras world-
wide. He presents masterpieces by Beethoven, Bach,
Ravel and Ginestera. Jazz at the UUCLV closes the
season on April 10, as jazz pianist David Leonhardt
returns with Paul Rostock on bass and Colby Inzer on
drums. They will present a program of songs you know
and love, and some new ones, too!
Thank you for considering supporting the Second
Sunday concert series this year, be it for the first time,
or as a loyal supporter. We appreciate whatever you
can do – and we hope to see you at our concerts!
THE UU-LINK NEEDS YOU!
Don’t forget—the submission deadline for The UU-Link
is the 3rd Sunday of the previous month. For example:
the submission deadline for this September issue was
Sunday, August 16.
Announcments, articles, updates on projects,
upcoming events, invitations, photos—they all belong
in The UU-Link! Submit your content via email at
[email protected] . Copy may be edited for
length, etc.
You’re also invited to join in the fun at the monthly
Link Mailing & Pizza Party, held in the FM kitchen at
noon on the 2nd Wednesday after the 3rd Sunday.
(Don’t worry, we’ll post a reminder in the Bulletin!).
Misplace your copy of the latest UU-Link? No
worries—The UU-Link is always available online at our
website at www.uuclvpa.org.
THANKS AND GOOD LUCK!
There was a lovely ceremony and cake on Sunday,
August 23 at the coffee hour to say "sorry you are
leaving the Lehigh Valley" to our long-time member
Richard Redd.
UUCLV
The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley
424 Center Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Address Service Requested
