A wide range of music by composers of African descent representing diverse historical periods and styles is featured in this morning's Juneteenth celebration. Read on for programming details and stay tuned for spoken introductions.
Gathering Music: Adam Kent, piano
Troubled Waters
Margaret Bonds
Birmingham Breakdown
It Don't Mean a Thing
Duke Ellington
Opening Music:
Peacherine Rag
Scott Joplin
Meditation:
Adagio in F Minor
Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges*
*The subject of the recent movie “Chevalier,” the eighteenth-century composer St. Georges was a native of Guadeloupe, emigrated as a child to France, and established himself as a leading composer in the pre-revolutionary French court.
Religious Exploration & Faith Development Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains June 11, 2023 View past newsletters at bit.ly/CUUCRENews
Sunday, June 11
Childcare
Sundays, 9:45am-11:45am, Room 32, Yellow Hallway
Diane, Hans, and Willow welcome young children in childcare. We offer a safe, loving environment where our youngest build community and play outside when weather permits.
Religious Exploration
It's RE Sunday! Families are invited to worship together. Classes and Youth Group do not meet.
Worship
“RE Sunday” ~ Tracy Breneman, Karen Dreher, Children and Youth, Families
Times of change offer opportunities to experiment with ways to adapt to emerging needs. Your Religious Exploration leadership is delighted by the enthusiasm being generated around identifying some new ways forward in family ministry. Join us to celebrate the past year in RE and look ahead as we take into account feedback and embrace creativity in planning for a new year.
Click here to join the live-stream of our Sunday Worship or phone in (audio only): 646-876-9923 · Webinar: 761 321 991 · Passcode: 468468. Everyone live-streaming the service is invited to stay online afterward to socialize on Zoom. Log in to bit.ly/CUUC-CoffeeHour or phone: 929-436-2866. Meeting: 336 956 2210, Passcode: 468468.
CUUC Annual Meeting
The Board of Trustees will call the Annual Meeting of the Congregation following the service on Sun Jun 11, 2023, for the purpose of receiving Annual Reports; voting on the Board of Trustees slate presented by the Nominating Committee; electing members to the Nominating Committee; and voting on CUUC's budget for July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
CUUC Members who signed the book before May 10, 2023, are eligible to vote in this annual meeting. We need a quorum of 25% of our membership in order for voting to proceed, so please make a special effort to attend. The meeting will be held in the sanctuary and online on Zoom. The annual report will be emailed shortly. Paper copies will be available in the lobby. If you need to be mailed a paper copy, please contact the office (admin@cucwp.org, 914-946-1600 x2). Click here to see the list of Nominees 2023-2024. Click here to see the Proposed Operating Budget 2023-2024
Upcoming Schedule & Community
Religious Exploration
Sun Jun 11:Whole Congregation Worship - RE Sunday & Bridging;After worship: CUUC Annual Meeting Sat Sep 16: Save the date for a September RE pool party at the Kortlandt's
Volunteer NY
Visit the Volunteer New York website for upcoming volunteer opportunities. Click here.
NYC Pride
The Croton, NY UU congregation will be marching in NYC Pride on Sunday, June 25th and has a confirmed spot in the line up. They welcome other UUs to join them. Contact Marjie Kemper (marjiekemper@gmail.com) before June 16th to participate.
Parent/Caregiver Resource
Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (and Adults Are Missing) by Emily Weinstein and Carrie James (2022)
This book is a suggestion from Sex Positive Families, offering a timely perspectives, drawn from the research and experiences of real teens of today, on topics like screentime, social media, sexting, and online porn. It is an opportunity to think about how you approach your young person related to screens and media, and it will strengthen your ability to empathize, connect, and better collaborate with them.
Rainbow Squad Camp
Jun 28 & 29
Rainbow Squad Camp is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ youth entering grades 5-9 to learn about and discuss topics impacting the community and connect with other youth in a supportive environment. It's an exciting week filled with activiies, games, presentations and more!
Pride Camp
Jul 31-Aug 4
Pride Camp is a fun filled week for LGBTQ+ youth entering grades 9-12. Youth will learn about culture, history, media, community, and more! Make new friends, enjoy games, and discuss topics impacting the LGBTQ+ community, all in a safe and supportive environment.
Summer Activities for Families and Individuals of All Ages
There are wonderful opportunities to connect with UUs from all over the continent this summer. Most camps have opened registration and will fill quickly. Register as soon as possible. Some camps are also hiring! Click here for the list.
Tracy Breneman, Director of Religious Exploration and Faith Development, cuucwptracy@gmail.com
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains
468 Rosedale Ave · White Plains, NY 10605-5419
My ministry at Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains is drawing to a close. I have sadness about departing, but also confident hope as you carry forward the beautiful work of this congregation: to grow your souls in community and serve the world in love.
Our UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association), as well as the the UUMA (Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association) offer clear guidelines about leaving. I know that I will continue to serve you best, going forward, by stepping back entirely from contact with members and friends of the congregation. You have a wonderful ministry team in place for 2023-24, as Creighton Cray and Nicole Turygin communicated earlier today (Fri Jun 9):
Rev. Kimberley Debus will preach twice per month and provide support for the structure of the year, support our journey groups, write for the e-Communitarian, and more.
Rev. Paul Langston-Daley will be present one Sunday per month to preach and to also lead a workshop, forum, or other community activity.
Rev. Deb Morra will lead our Pastoral Care Program.
Rev. Patience Stoddard will provide consulting support to the Board of Trustees
As this team steps into place, and later, when you call a settled minister, they will have the assurance that my care for you is deep enough that I will respect the collegial and professional boundary.
I do grieve the ending of the special relationship we have had, yet I also have gratitude and joy, as I think of the life of your congregation flowing like a mighty river, from its sources in 1907 through years and years to come. I will carry
you in my heart, with love.
May compassion, trust and courage sojourn with us as we part. My prayer for you is one I have often repeated: may we be a people who delight in what is good, who confront what is cruel, and who heal what is broken. And may the joy you find in supporting each other in your callings to be people of liberal faith grow ever deeper.
Yours in the faith we share,
Meredith
I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It)
The June 4 service, "Shadow":
The May 28 service, "Astrotheology":
Here it is, your... MOMENT OF ZEN
#162: The The Way
This is Copperhead's first and only appearance in the annals of the Tallspruce Zen Center.
"Right Livelihood" is one of the components of the Eightfold Path of Buddhism. For the monks, this originally meant living from begging, but not accepting everything, and not possessing more than was strictly necessary. For lay Buddhists, it means avoiding any livelihood that causes suffering to sentient beings by cheating them, or harming or killing them in any way. Right livelihood does not trade in weapons, living beings, meat, alcoholic drink or poison.
The way does tend to orient those who find or seek it. Perhaps Copperhead's interest in the Way will orient her to seek creative modifications in her livelihood. Maybe not. The way, as Raven says, does not depend on that.
From your point of view, and mine, the presence of copperheads is an essential part of our path. In the unfolding wholeness of the universe, there is an essential role played by the people and beings we think of as evil and harmful -- Hitler, tsetse flies, Pol Pot, coronavirus, Jeffrey Dahmer, bed bugs. From Copperhead's point of view, as a snake interested in the Way, the possibilities of transformation are an open question.
Case
Copperhead came by one evening unannounced. Mole made himself scarce, and Owl, Woodpecker, and Grouse set up a clatter.
Copperhead said, "Excuse me, everybody. I came for the Great Law, not for my dinner."
The birds quieted down, but Mole did not return.
Raven asked, "Do you have a question?"
"Yes," said Copperhead. "I'm really interested in the Way, but I don't seem to have the right livelihood for it."
Raven said, "The Way does not depend on your livelihood."
Copperhead asked, "What is the Way?"
Raven said, "We'd be totally lost without you."
