June Newsletter
/Worship Schedule
- June 4, 2017 by David Driver
"Gratitude"
- June 11, 2018 by Kevin Carson
"Are We There Yet?”
This month, cities across America will celebrate LGBTQ identity with Pride marches and festivities, in a time when a climate of political uncertainty has created enormous anxiety within the LGBTQ community and their allies. I will share some thoughts on where we stand as a faith within this national conversation.
Sunday services begin at 9:30, childcare provided.
Principles in Action
- June Principles in Action
We will be supporting our children’s Medicine Wheel Project in June. Many thanks to all who donated plants, rocks and time to this project. There are some items associated with the project such as compost that must be purchased and our contribution will make this possible. The Board is also hoping to install an outside water faucet to make watering outside plants easier.
Religious Education Program (RE)
- June // Medicine Wheel
We have been working on a short play, Pete Seeger's Abiyoyo, and we will share this with the congregation on June 11 during the children's time.
The Medicine Wheel is moving along nicely. Thanks to Laurel and Steve at Singing River Farm for donating rocks. The families and children outlined the wheel and set up the fire circle on Wednesday, May 24.
The installation, which involves mostly composting and planting, is scheduled to happen after the service on June 4. We are hoping for this to be a great opportunity for the members of the congregation to participate with the children in the final phase of the medicine wheel. All are invited and asked to join us after the service for this wonderful project. We will need people to come with spades, gardening shovels and watering cans, as well as the plants you have previously offered if you have not already arranged for them to be dropped off.
Lisa Crocker and the RE Students outlined the Medicine Wheel with stones on June 4th.
Our final service on June 11 we will have our flower ceremony at the medicine wheel with a special dedication of the wheel as well. It is our hope that this wheel will be enjoyed by the entire congregation. The Wheel is located on the South Side of the church and the site would also be available as a location for church picnics, weddings, and other church activities and celebrations. If anyone has any questions about all of this, please contact Lisa at lisaarlenecrocker@gmail.com or at church.
The Medicine Wheel Great stone circles are considered feats of ritual or spiritual architecture. Many sacred circles can be found around the globe including, Europe, Africa, South America and North America. Many of these circles are thought to be over 5,000 years old. Some are thought to represent solar calendars that regulated work, hunting and even the return of animals for the people of their region. People to this day often travel thousands of miles to stand near a circle or wheel of stones. The most well-known medicine wheels come from Native American Tribes. Many Native tribes used their wheels for growing sacred herbal medicines to honor the ancestors, the seasons, and the cycle or circle of all things in nature and life.
There is evidence of Native tribes making yearly treks to these sacred wheels and making offerings of seeds, tobacco, sage, and more, to the directions, their ancestors and to nature. It is said that, the wise leaders or medicine people of the tribes would come to these sites for advice, visions or guidance on the healing of their people. And there are many stories through history that talk about these visions or experiences that happened within these circles. Many wheels represent the 4 directions of North, South, East and West. Within those directions, the elements are also honored. The elements being, North=Earth South=Fire East=Air and West=Water. Those elements and their colors can also change within various tribes and locations.
However, the symbol of the circle seemed to be honored within every tribe. The circle was and often is represented on their shields, on their horses, and on ceremonial clothing. In creating your own medicine wheel, you are honoring the ancestors before us, Mother Earth, Nature, the cycle of life and beauty within all things connected.
Please join us on June 11th for the flower ceremony in the Medicine wheel. With the presence of the members, we can honor and celebrate the sacred space of the new UU Medicine Wheel.
“Then I was standing on the highest Mountain of them all, and round about me was a whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle.” -- Black Elk
If anyone has any questions about all of this, please contact Lisa at lisaarlenecrocker@gmail.com or at church. If anyone has any questions about all of this, please contact Lisa at lisaarlenecrocker@gmail.com or at church.
Church Events
- Church Picnic // June 11 after church
Liz and Bruce MacAdie are looking forward to hosting the annual picnic June 11, after church. Please plan to car pool from the church lot, as parking is tricky. Bring a dish to share and a chair, they will provide hot dogs and hamburgers.
- Art // June 4
We are having a small showing of artwork today in the social room downstairs. Take a look at some of the art we have created. Pictures and a quilt are mounted on the walls and windows downstairs. We will be having another show next year, so come join our group and be creative with us no matter what your medium.
Community Events
Protesting the Trump budget and support real health care reform! Peter, Susan, Steven, Melody and Mary on Friday afternoon May 26, Main Street in Chester.
We have been invited to participate in the Saxtons River 4th of July parade by the S. R. Human Right Cafe/Indivisible group. Wendy Regier and Melody Reed volunteered to make big puppets. I will put them in touch with the folks in Saxtons River who are working on this. We will schedule one or more puppet and sign making workshops in June.
The parade is in the morning of the Fourth and is always well attended and lots of fun. Put it on your calendar.
Aides for Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders, and Representative Welch confirmed at the SEVCA event last week that their bosses appreciate our calls and emails of support.
- Senator Patrick Leahy
Burlington: (802) 863-2525
DC: (202) 224-4242 - Senator Bernie Sanders
Burlington: (802) 862-0697
DC: (202) 224-5141 - Representative Peter Welch
Burlington: (802) 652-2450
DC: (202) 225-4115 - Your call might sound like this: "Thank you so much for taking my call. I wanted to thank ___________ for standing by our values in this budget fight. I know you are doing what you can to protect programs that make our country more equal, fairer, and more decent. I want you to know you have my support, and please let me know if I can do anything more to help."
- 19th Annual Spring Chester Craft Sale // June 3rd and 4th
- Butternut Ridge Trail Work and Trail Exploration Day // June 17th
Board News
Charlotte Edgar’s funeral on May 5 was a moving celebration of her life. Those of us who knew her during her many years in Chester found, through stories and photos, so many other aspects of her life. Her love for her family, especially her special bonds with her grandchildren, shone through in every remembrance.
On May 28, a farewell brunch was held after the regular service to honor David & Laura Driver for their dedication to our church since 2005. Through the years they have served on many committees and brought cultural events to our church and community.
Dates to Remember:
- Medicine Wheel Work Day // June 4
On June 4th we plan to have a brief work session, helping the RE children set out the foundation for their medicine wheel. They have done much study of the Indian traditions surrounding the structure and they designed and chose the herbs that will be planted in quadrants of the wheel. It is a nice opportunity to work with the children and help them achieve their goal. Later it will be a nice place for contemplation or quiet chats for all of us.
- Church Picnic // June 11
The annual church picnic will take place after church on June 11 at the home Liz Macadie. Please bring chairs and a dish to share. Hamburgers & hotdogs & beverages will be provided. This is always a great chance to chat with everyone, to talk about our individual summer plans, or to share ideas about what we’d like to see in the fall at our church.
Somehow our church year has almost ended. I hope we’ll enjoy sunny temperate days through the summer, maybe see one another here and there, and come back in the fall ready for fellowship, thoughtful sermons, and energy to carry out the ideas we believe in.
Steph Row