INCLINATIONS

OCTOBER 2005

Monthly Newsletter from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes

Calendar

Services:

Oct. 2: Dr. Herb Adams - "The Healing Power of Forgiveness"

Dr. Herb Adams has served in both UCC and UU churches in Maine, NY, IL, FL, and NM. Holding a Doctorate in Education from Harvard, he has taught grades six through graduate school and was a Middle School Principal. His main occupation has been in textbook publishing, with a side trip into IBM. He also acts and directs community and professional theater. He has published a book on Management and has co-authored the UUA's curriculum called "Project Listening."

Oct. 9: Rev. Mary – "Intimate Strangers"
Two weeks ago we looked at the art and folly of human communication in the workplace, at fellowship, and in our daily lives as we go about our business. This week, we will go a step further and reflect on those relationships of longstanding, and daily interaction - our spouses, and partners - even adult children, or aging parents. How does intimacy affect our conversation - our ability to communicate and connect with each other?

Oct. 16: Rev. Mary - topic TBA

Oct. 23: Mary Hall "Spirituality Through Science Fiction - the dreamers and the damned"
Tasty tidbits of tolerance wandering through the writings of Alan Dean Foster, Robert Heinlein, and Orson Scott Card, with eyes and ears open. UUFES member, Ruth Hall, who finds other worlds much more sensible than this one, leads the congregation in a consideration of the surprising wisdom available in science fiction. Please forgive her any occasional legalism and enjoy this feast for your mind, heart, and spirit."

Oct. 30: Rev. Mary – "Samhain, All Saints Day, All Souls Day"

A little history, a little fun, and the Fifth Sunday Band

Announcements:

Oct. 11: Fellowship Council Meeting, 6:30-8:30.  5:30-6:30 - Light supper-social time. Lisa Herder, our web master, will be attending as we dialogue around the idea of "Website as our Front Door."  Committee chairs or rep designates are expected to attend.  The meeting is open to any member or friend.  Call Eleanor Jenkins, 539-4843, if you have questions or need child care.

Oct. 15:  The Fall District Conference will be held at Ferry Beach on the weekend of October 14-15th.  This will be the first meeting of the NH/VT and Maine districts conjoined.  The Keynote speaker will be Robert Sarly, "How do we talk together?  How do we listen?"  Robert just led a very well received workshop of dialogue here at UUFES.  This would be another chance to hear him.  Eleanor Jenkins will be attending for the day on Saturday and would be happy to have any interested people carpool with her. Call 539-4843.

Oct. 16: Use of Meetinghouse discussion after church (See notice next page)

Message from Mary

" ... Inside each of us there’s continual autumn. Our leaves fall and are blown out over the water. A crow sits in the blackened limbs and talks about what’s gone. ... "
Rumi - "A Necessary Autumn Inside Each"
from The Soul of Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks.

It is true, I suppose. There is every day a bit of dying - of thinking about what is gone.

Autumn is - for me - the season of the tilted head. You know what I mean. A particular slant of light, a whiff of wood smoke in the air, a pointed flurry of geese singing overhead, "Farewell!" - and over it goes - ever so slightly to the right. I associate this seasonal tilt of the head with a bittersweet pull at the heart - as though there is a filament that runs between them - a string, that when touched by Nature’s hand sets loose a melancholy note.

As fall approaches a number of our "summer people" will leave us for a bit. Already they are flying off - the Kirbys, the Hutchinsons, the Kennedys - and later still more will join them in the annual migration. I am always sorry to see them go - and I choose to believe that the parting is likewise sad for them!

And so this is my farewell blessing to all of you who winter over in warmer or at least other climes. We will miss you and will keep you in our thoughts. Please stay in touch as you are able and know that we will be here when you get back.

I leave you with the very next line of the poem I quoted at the front of this piece:

" ... Then your generosity returns: spring, moisture, intelligence, the scent of hyacinth and rose and cypress…"

We will keep that as a promise and watch for you in the spring.

Safe journey.

See you at the Meetinghouse!
Mary

"Meetinghouse Use" Meeting

On Sunday, October 16, there will be an informal, non-noticed, non-quorumed meeting following services to discuss what uses of the Meetinghouse  UUFES members consider appropriate for the general public and for non-UUFES events involving UUFES members.  There are many opinions on this issue and all must be heard. The Governing Board and the Buildings & Grounds Committee needs this input so that we can formalize and put into writing use guidelines for the future. This is our building, and we must all decide how it will or can be used. Please plan to attend.

Welcomed Information

When volunteering our time working for a non-profit organization (UUFES in this case), the Federal government allows us to take a tax deduction of $.14 per mile for travel. This would include attending meetings, teaching Sunday school, etc. With the price of gas and the number of miles we all drive, this might be a welcomed piece of information.

Extra Dedication Ceremony DVD's Available

There are 4 extra copies of the DVD of the Building Dedication Celebrations ($5 each), for any one who might have missed the opportunity to order one. It is beautifully filmed and produced and a thrill to relive. Call 539-4843, if you would like to reserve one.

Hymnal Memorials Update

From Rick Friend: I made a mistake in the price of the hymnals in my last message. If those of you who sent in $45 would like the $17 overage refunded, just let Ted Hoyt know. Or if you would just like to leave it in the UUFES checking account and help balance the budget, we would greatly appreciate that.

We had a nice response so I am repeating the opportunity to memorialize or remember somebody.

We recently purchased twelve hymnals and soon we will be ordering an additional dozen.  Each hymnal costs UUFES $28. This is $672 worth of hymnals.

In order to help defray this cost and to allow you to permanently memorialize or honor a loved one, a friend or even a pet, you may do so by sending a check for $28 to UUFES at the address in the masthead. With that check please include a card that states exactly what you want to have put on a label to be pasted to the inside cover of a hymnal. For example, "In memory of .................".  "In honor of ..............." Thank you. This will really help us to balance our budget for this year.