Starr King View

June 2009 Newsletter

Sunday Services - 9:30 a.m.

 

June 7: “Youth Sunday”

Come learn about our exciting RE Program—via video!

Cindy Spring, DRE

 

June 14: “To Be Announced”

The Rev. Ken Reeves preaching

 

June 21: “Flower Communion”

This will be an intergenerational service and will include a flower communion, a Czech Unitarian tradition.  Please bring a flower to share at the communion

Worship and Music Committee

 

June 28: “To Be Announced”

This service is the first of our summer lay lead services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Adult Education at 11:00 a.m.

 

June 7 – RE Barbeque

June 14 - Coke Levin - Meditation and Medicine

Meditation and its variants are said to be good for the soul.  Did you know they are also good for the body?  Welcome to a peaceful soul and a healthy body.

June 21 – Father’s Day - Enjoy

 

No further 11:00 a.m. Adult Education until September.  Have a good summer!

 

 

Building Committee -

 

The fun has begun and we can now all watch the progress of the addition, which started in mid April as planned.  The Committee is very happy with the people who are working on the building.  When we first interviewed companies to work with us during the pre-construction stage, we met Paul Tremblay who is a project superintendent for Trumbull-Nelson, the company we worked with during the planning stage.  Trumbull-Nelson is continuing with us through the construction stage. Paul has worked on so many church construction projects that he is called “St. Paul”.  Much to our chagrin, Paul told us he was thinking of retiring.  Happily for us, he has not retired and he is serving as our construction supervisor.

Fifteen of our subcontractors and vendors are from New Hampshire while only five (all vendors) are from out-of- state so we will be New Hampshire built.  The Building Committee will continue to meet twice a month with Todd Thompson from Trumbull-Nelson, who has been with us from the beginning, and Stu White, our architect. This team and the Building Committee have worked well together and we anticipate a smooth construction process.

 

            Beverly Seavey

            For the Building Committee

 

 

Technology Committee

 

      What is happening with the building expansion?

      Check the progress on the website.

 

Building expansion is now underway!  Follow the project's progress through photographs and updates from the Building Committee.  Also, a video of the groundbreaking ceremony held on Sunday, April 19 can be seen.

 

Visit the website at www.starrkingfellowship.org.  At the bottom of the page look for “Current News from the Fellowship” and click on the link to the construction page.

 

Forrest Seavey

 

 

 

Summer Is upon Us

 

Keeping up with the progress on the construction of our addition will be a fringe benefit of attending a summer service this year, and summer is right around the corner.  Now is the time to begin planning the summer schedule at SKUUF. 

As most of you know, during the summer we don’t hold formal services.  For many, the summer provides a well-earned respite from busy volunteer schedules. Others of us, including many returning summer folks, appreciate a time to be together on Sunday mornings through the summer.  Relaxed and informal, our summer services are a great way to stay connected, to become better acquainted, and to learn what interests your fellow SKUUFers.   In the sanctuary there is a corner set up with toys and books for any children who might come.  Their presence is welcomed and enjoyed.

The services are lay led and have covered many subjects over the years- music appreciation, friendship, drumming, environmental concerns, travelogues.  The list is long and varied.  If you have a life-long interest or a consuming passion, or perhaps, knowledge of a subject that would interest others, please consider offering a summer service.  Contact Marcia VanderMast for more information, and look for the sign-up sheet in the foyer.

 

Marcia VanderMast

 

Stewardship

 

The Stewardship Season at SKUUF has come to an end for the 2010 Fiscal Year.  Unofficially, eighty-seven members and friends of the Fellowship committed $137,190 in pledges.  The average pledge for the coming year is $1,559 ($1,487 in 2009).  It is an extraordinary commitment.

 

I want to thank the members of the Stewardship Committee this year for doing an outstanding job.  They are Bill Trought, Nancy Chaddock, Barbara Lambert, Gail Smith, and Forrest Seavey with additional support from Carole Estes, Marcia VanderMast, and Eric Hoffman.  We were assisted by an enthusiastic cadre of hosts who welcomed members and friends of the Fellowship to their homes for socializing and breaking bread together.  Hearty thanks to Paul and Mary Tierney, Barbara Lambert, Christie Faella and Leslie Bryant, Martha Copithorne, Natalie Thompson, Bill and Betty Ann Trought, Nancy Chaddock, Gigi and Paul Estes, Joe Kalaghan and Thad DeFauw, Paul and Mary Hazelton, Bev and Forrest Seavey, Walt Mayshark, and Daryl and Allison Browne.

 

What we give for our Fellowship is important because of what the gifts do for us and for our liberal religious community.  In the conversations I had about Stewardship these past six months I heard and felt the excitement and energy about our expanding church.  What I heard most was the delight in seeing all the young parents coming to SKUUF who are bringing their children with them.  I also heard about the challenges in the economy and the need to dig deep and to focus more clearly on what means the most to us.  I heard from some who gave more so that others facing financial hardship this year could give less.  I heard over and over again that you all enjoyed the opportunity to meet over dinner and talk about what means most to you about being a part of SKUUF and our liberal religious traditions.  We are a community in the deepest meaning of the word.  It is good to be a part of something so special.

 

To help you understand a little of the inner workings of our budget process here are a few facts about what happens with our annual pledges, which total eighty-eight percent of our operating budget:

 

1. We are part of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.  There are (and have been for many years) about 250,000 Unitarian Universalists in about 2,000 congregations across the country who belong to our UUA.  Each congregation is asked to support our national Association with a contribution of $56 per member ($6,944 from SKUUF this year).  We call that our Fair Share.  I am proud to belong to a congregation that gives 100 percent of Fair Share in support of our UUA.  In return we receive many benefits include lifespan religious education resources, support for our minister, help with capital campaigns and stewardship, social justice advocacy, and most importantly leadership for our liberal religious ideals.

 

2. We are part of the Northern New England District Unitarian Universalist Congregations and support our District with a contribution of $19 per member ($2,108 from SKUUF this year).  Staff in our District is available to consult to congregations for many purposes.  Our District Executive Mary Higgins preached at SKUUF on the first Sunday in March to help us kick off our Stewardship season.

 

3. The balance of the budget – 94 percent – supports the work of this Fellowship – our Sunday services, our children’s RE program, our small group ministries, and all the related services like memorial services, weddings, and infant dedications.

 

As I said back in March when we kicked off this Stewardship Season, all of this is ours.  This beautiful sanctuary, this children’s program, these Sunday services, this new addition.  These are ours to nurture and grow and protect.  We have said yes to all this year with the promise that 2010 will bear the fruits of our love and commitment.  Thank you for supporting our Fellowship so generously and so lovingly.

 

Faithfully,

Angela

 

 

 

 

Notes from the Treasurer

     

Today (15 May) is a magnificent day for weather– seventyish, light breeze and sunny.  My very favorite kind of day!  I hope that you all have had a chance to enjoy it.

 

As some of you already know, I am not running for Treasurer again for fiscal year 2010.  I have been Treasurer for some years now and feel the need for a change and try something different.  I will be staying on the Budget and Finance Committee though, and maybe doing other stuff at SKUUF.  That part I really have not decided yet.  I will support the transition for the new Treasurer to make sure that everything is covered smoothly.

 

Much has happened at SKUUF over the last few years, including some real growth in the size the congregation and the start of the construction on our expansion.  It is really great to watch the construction as it is taking place.  When I was at SKUUF yesterday, most of the foundation was complete, with plans to put the slab in next week.  It is very exciting to me that we are really doing this.

 

As I leave the Treasurer position, I believe that SKUUF is on a very sound financial basis, both for our operations and for the building construction.  We have sufficient reserves to ensure that our operations through the summer are funded and sufficient reserves to ensure that we can deal with contingencies for the construction.  On the latter point, a tip of the hat to Paul Hazelton.  One of the contingencies for the building was the possibility of running into a rocky ledge as we excavated for the foundation.  He said all you will find is sand- and he was absolutely correct.  We have our own built in sand pile!

 

I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve SKUUF over the last few years, and I have really appreciated the trust that you have placed in me to shepherd SKUUF’s finances.  A real fringe benefit for me is that I have gotten to know many of you much better.  I feel very fortunate to be part of such an amazing group of people!  Thank you all!

 

Gary Walker

 

 

SKUUF Finances Snapshot as of May 13, 2009

 

Fiscal Year to Date, Operating:                                                             Change from Last Month

                        Income            $ 113,271.00                                                        +$  10,878.12                    

                        Expenses           $ 120,625.01                                                     +$  15,443.49

 

Important Balances

                   Operating Funds    $      17,233.11                                        -$  21,047.07

                   Building Funds*                 $  290,045.54                                        +$  15,990.13

                   Endowment Funds*          $      11,455.65                                        -$       230.82

 

This snapshot shows only selected funds.  This is not a full accounting of assets or liabilities.  If you would like more detailed information feel free to talk to Gary, or me.

*These funds represent multiple accounts grouped together.

 

            Enthusiastically submitted,

            Mark Becker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newsletter Deadline

 

                        The July/August Newsletter deadline is Sunday, June 14, 2009.  Send articles, committee reports, notice of upcoming events, news, calendar items, etc., to Barbara Avery

 

 

 

 

 

Religious Education Program

 

On May 3 the folks who have been teaching the RE classes this year came together for a pot luck lunch and a chance to reflect on the year.  There were ten of us and the food selections were wonderful!

 

      After we had finished eating, we moved to the Chapel area to talk about the things that had gone really well and the changes we might want to consider for next year.  (Of course, the biggest change will be the expanded space!)

 

      The first item mentioned on the “went well” list was having the lesson plans written for them and sent out a week ahead.  (Guess I’m not going to get out of that “little” responsibility.)  They mentioned the good balance between stories, crafts and other activities.  I told them about the new “Tapestry of Faith” curriculum series from the Unitarian Universalist Association.  I am hoping that, since it is current and easily accessible through the UUA web site, it will mean less planning time for me.

 

      Other positives were the variety of teachers so they could still attend services on a regular basis, having a meaningful curriculum, and having non-teaching adults involved in the history plays.  A few of the newer folks mentioned learning more about Unitarian Universalism by teaching about it.  (Sounds good to me!)

 

      On the change side, we talked about resuming the “moment for all ages” as part of the adult service using stories from the new curriculum.  That way the class can start with the craft or activity when they move downstairs.  People talked about wanting to be with the kids two weeks in a row to really follow through on a lesson.  They also wanted more training on the philosophy of UU RE and on ideas of what to do with “extra time”.

 

      It was great to get together and to begin talking about the future of Religious Education at SKUUF!

 

~~~~~~

 

RE thanks this month go to:

 

            Connie Maatta and Helen Ellsworth for helping in the Nursery.

 

            John Lennon, Kim Batchelder, Kelli Thompson, Stew Weldon, Annie Hager and Laura McKinnon for joining the family hike to Rainbow Falls

 

            Mark and Elizabeth Becker, Jamie McKinnon and Jerrett Hoffman for leading and helping with the Annual May Pole dance.

 

            Phyllis Rockwell for leading the Youth Group in a painting session and donating all the supplies and to Mitch Manseau for coming just in time to help clean up!

 

                        Cindy Spring, DRE

 

 

 

 

RE Calendar for June

 

Date Treasure Hunting Time Travelers June 7   RE Sunday—Everyone Upstairs RE Barbeque after the Service June 14   Start upstairs then Sundaes on Sunday June 21   Intergenerational Service Flower Communion

 

      On Sunday June 7, following the RE Youth Sunday service, we will be having our Third Annual Celebrate the Year Cookout.  The RE Committee will be supplying hotdogs and hamburgers, the green sanctuary committee (Thanks Betty Ann) will be supplying veggie burgers and through the kindness and support of the other committees there will be salads, chips and condiments for the eats.  We ask that you plan on bringing a good appetite, lawn chairs, as we hope the weather will cooperate this year, and you may want to bring some bug spray as well.  We are also looking for people to bring desserts to share, cookies, brownies, fruit-whatever you would like to bring.  There will be games and activities for all.  So come and enjoy some food and fellowship to celebrate a terrific year!

 

Mary Crowell

 

 Youth Advisors’ Workshop

What an exciting, intense and full day for all of us potential youth advisors!  Jeannette Bilodeau, Babe (Ray) DeRaymond, and I drove down to Keene with Cindy Spring for the Youth Advisor training at the UU church there on Saturday, May 16.  With the able guidance of Benette Sherman, our NNED Program Consultant, we learned more than we ever thought we wanted to know about UU Youth Ministry... and our own UU traditions and history!

 

We got old and new ideas on how Youth Advisors support and empower youth, found out how our Fellowship can be more intentional in passing the UU message to the next generation, and what we all can do to be the most effective role models.  We shared our own experiences, did role-playing, made lists of qualities and intentions.  We became overwhelmed, and then got re-inspired… and inspired again.

 

I, for one, started to wilt after a few hours of absorbing so much good stuff, but at the same time I ended the day more grateful than ever to have found SKUUF… and definitely feeling more competent to participate in youth ministry.  What is this youth advising all about?  The list of Youth Ministry Components says it all:

       Leadership Development            Community Building                   Worship       

      Learning                              Social Action                                   Youth-Adult Relationships

 

 Heh!  Isn’t that what we ALL do at SKUUF???  

 

            You'll be hearing more about this, and how you can be involved - for seconds at a time - being part of that village to raise a child/young adult!

 

            Belinda Phillips

 

Greener Garden Supplies

 

More and more people are choosing to garden organically, so it's troublesome that garden tools and supplies are often made of materials that are decidedly not environmentally friendly.  Just try to find a composter, for instance, that's not made of a material like polyvinyl chloride (PVC).  The wooden handles of garden tools and the fence and other materials we buy require trees, of course, to manufacture.  And therein lies the gardener's dilemma: Must we contribute to environmental degradation in our quest to till the soil?  The answer, happily, is no.

 

What to look for

 

It's not necessary—or even realistic—to avoid plastic and wood altogether when buying tools and supplies for the garden.  In fact, the greenest gardeners search out recycled plastic products to support those companies who are actively saving plastic from its very long afterlife in landfill.  And fortunately, recycled plastic garden products are becoming common.

 

Less readily available are sustainably sourced wood products for the garden, especially for small items such as hand tools. However, on many bigger-ticket items—when the amount of wood used really makes a difference—you will find the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, on fencing, lumber, and garden furniture, for instance. Home Depot now sells more FSC-certified wood than any other retailer in America. If you don't see the FSC label, ask for it. Sustainable wood will only succeed in the marketplace if consumers demand it.

 

Another label to look for is from the SmartWood's Rediscovered Wood Program, which certifies wood that would otherwise rot, get chipped up or be carted to a landfill. Log onto www.smartwood.org  for product lists.

 

Materials from non-renewable sources may still be worth using if they're the lesser of evils.  For instance, Stephanie Harris, long time president and a founder of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey recommends using row coverings for your vegetable garden bed even though the most widely available ones are made from polyester.  The benefits of using floating row covers, she says, are 1) season extension with the protection of plants from frost 2) it forms a physical barrier between plant and pest, thereby reducing the amount of pesticide needed in the garden, and 3) provides for more even germination by preventing excessive water evaporation from the soil, reducing overall irrigation needs.  It also protects seedlings from larger pests like rabbits, birds, and deer.

 

What to look out for

 

Unrecycled plastic is the material to avoid, especially PVC, a substance that's dangerous to both our health and the environment.  Its manufacture and incineration releases dioxins, a potent carcinogen and hormone disruptor.  Additionally, vinyl chloride, the primary building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen that also poses a threat to workers in factories.

 

Wood that is not sustainably sourced is to be avoided, especially the tropical hardwoods, such as teak and mahogany, which are the very species associated with predatory logging in protected forests. This is not to implicate all hardwoods: many of them are sustainably grown on plantations. The bottom line is support the FSC label when shopping for all woods, whatever the species.

 

Shopping Suggestions (Check your local retailers first for these items)

 

Gardening tools:

 

Carbon steel products, like the Detachable Ergonomic Gardening Tool Set ($34.99, www.cleanairgardening.com/ergonomictool.html) will make your job easier.

 

Composting:

 

Compost bin: Rotating Compost Bin is made from recycled plastic and holds 12 cubic feet of waste, $304.50 (price includes shipping); www.planetnatural.com, 800-289-6656.

Compost Mixes: Intervale (20 qts., $15, www.shop.com) and Vermont Compost Plus (60 qt, $24-30, www.vermontcompost.com/retail.html  are both NOFA Certified Organic.

Watering:

 

Rain barrel: The Great American Rain Barrel is made from recycled plastic and holds 60 gallons ($179.50; www.planetnatural.com, 800-289-6656).

Hoses: Fiskar Soaker Hoses are made from a minimum of 65 percent recycled tire rubber; $79.99 for 250 feet, go to www.hardwarestore.com . Aquapore Soaker Hoses are made from recycled tires; $21.00 for 100 feet; go to www.accentshopping.com.

Hand Held Sprayer: Made from 50% recycled plastic, from milk bottles; ($9.95; www.gardensalive.com, 513-354-1482.

Sustainable-wood and wood alternatives:

 

Recycled-plastic lumber for building beds: Made from recycled polyethylene ($26.95, set of 2 planks; www.gardeners.com, 888-833-1412).

Recycled-plastic fencing and decking (www.ecoproducts.com, 303-449-1876).

Trex Landscape Edging is made from a combination of recycled plastic and waste wood. Available in 8- and 16-foot lengths; To find a contractor or retailer near you, go to www.trex.com; 800-BUY-TREX.

Bamboo stakes and poles: from $15.95 for 25 3-foot poles, with a range of sizes available (www.gardeners.com 888-833-1412).

Split-cane fencing: from $34.95 (at 39"); www.gardeners.com; 888-833-1412.

Garden furniture: This collection of Adirondack style furniture is made from 100 percent post -consumer high density polyethylene resins (from $265, for the CRP chair; www.patioshoponline.com, 866-869-5655).

EarthSource Garden furniture made of 100% certified Machiche wood (from $98, for a basic folding chair; www.earthsourcegarden.com, 510-208-7257).

Miscellaneous:

 

FSC-certified bird- and insect-houses (for attracting beneficial bugs to eat other pests) are available at www.naturalcollection.com.

Recycled-rubber rings: Rainbow Turf Product's Tree Rings are designed to protect trunks and discourage weed growth and are made with 100% recycled rubber; go to www.rainbowturfproducts.com for retailer locations or call 800-653-7259.

All-purpose Recycled Buckets are made from 100-percent recycled polyethylene ($13.99 for 6.6 gallons, larger sizes available; www.groworganic.com 888-782-1722).

Organic twine: Made from organic hemp ($12.95 for 450 feet; www.planetnatural.com, 800-289-6656).

Pest-eating insects can keep aphids and other plant-destroying bugs out of your garden without pesticides (www.thebeneficialinsectco.com).

 

Betty Ann Trought

Adapted from article by Diane di Costanzo; National Geographic Green Guide

 

 

 

Social Justice

 

Community Outreach for June

 

Pemi-Baker Literacy is a local non-profit organization which is committed to improving literacy in our community.  PBL focuses most of its resources and time on adults with less than a high school education.  Most adult students work individually with tutors in a quiet public space at a mutually convenient time.  Tutoring is generally offered in reading, writing, math, preparing for the GED test and English as a second language. Student abilities and needs range from being unable to read at all to just needing some review in order to pass the GED test (which is considered equivalent to a high school diploma).  All of the tutors are volunteers. Some are members of Starr King Fellowship!  Tutors receive training and support from the staff and board of PBL.

 

      In addition to providing free tutoring, PBL also offers a free GED class with childcare. This class has been housed at Starr King Fellowship for the past three years.  Each class has “graduated” three to five students, most of them young parents.  Overall, PBL works with 40 to 50 students each year. The students are from the greater Plymouth area, Bristol, Warren, and the towns in-between.

 

Pemi-Baker Literacy also provides workshops in early literacy for parents of young children and local pre-school teachers and childcare professionals.  Workshops cover reading aloud to children, conversation, writing, creating literacy rich environments and sharing of children’s books.  The focus is on parents as their children’s first teachers.

 

Pemi-Baker Literacy is very grateful to Starr King Fellowship for the use of its space for the GED classes and the individual financial support of many of its members.  Several past and present board members are part of the Starr King Fellowship community.

           

            Janet Cocchiaro, Program Coordinator

            Pemi-Baker Literacy

 

 

 

 

Landscape Needs

 

The landscape committee needs a lawn mower that doesn't leak, a couple of good shovels/spades, a gardening fork, a string trimmer and a hoe.  Also, we are looking for folks who will sign up to mow once or twice as needed for the months of May, June, July, August, and September.  Bring your mower or use ours!  This job requires one or two workers per month.

 

See the signup sheet in the foyer. Many hands make light work! (and volunteers mean that we don't use scarce budget dollars to pay for this service.)

 

Margaret Salt

 

 

 

Sustainable Study Group

 

The Study group held its last meeting Thursday night April 30.  After viewing an interesting documentary on how Cuba met the challenge of peak oil during the downfall of the Soviet Union and Embargos of the U.S., the group decided it was time for it to focus on enjoying this earth for the summer.  The group will look forward to Menu for The Future as a study activity next fall.

 

Betty Ann Trought

 

 

 

 

 

Circle Dinners

We take pleasure in offering members more opportunity to connect and get to know one another better.  We are seeking Circle Dinner hosts for dinners in June, July, and August.  If you are interested in hosting a pot luck brunch, lunch, or dinner at your home, please contact Suzanne Appleton.

Darlene Nadeau

 

 

 

 

 

Worship and Music

 

The Worship and Music Committee has ordered ten additional hymnals.  For a donation of $30.00 anyone may purchase an "In Honor of" or "In Memory of" bookplate for the front of a hymnal.  If you are interested, please contact Mary Hazelton.

 

 

Remember to Recycle Cans

 

           Remember to bring your aluminum cans to SKUUF.  Let us continue to recycle for the good of SKUUF and the planet.  Those cans SKUUF collects and recycles help the work of our Fellowship.

 

 

 

Summer on Star Island

 

It is not too late to consider a trip to Star Island this summer.  Located off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on a rocky island is a conference center where UU’s have gathered for nearly a century.   There is still space in most of the conferences.  There is also an opportunity to schedule personal retreats of any length to just enjoy the beauty and peace of the island.  Here is a place that will enrich your life and restore your soul.

 

This year there are a number of discounts available.  If you have been before and bring a friend, you each get ten per cent off your room and board.  There is no charge for room and board for children under six.   You may also request a ten to twenty-five per cent reduction in the room and board costs based on your own personal financial circumstances, with no questions asked.

 

For more information go to the Star Island website:  www.starisland.org . Or ask Walt Mayshark, Cindy Spring, Angela Matthews, or Martha Copithorne about their experiences.  And check for information in the foyer.

 

Martha Copithorne

 

 

Next  Governing Board Meeting:

Wednesday, June 10

At 5:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Play Bridge Thursday

 Afternoons at SKUUF

 

            If you are a bridge player interested in the Thursday afternoon bridge game at Starr King Fellowship, please see Anna Wilken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Yard Sale

 

            The SKUUF Yard Sale has always been a great fundraiser, but one that has always relied on the space downstairs for storage, organizing and marking over the summer.   Our wonderful expansion project may make use of this space difficult or impossible this summer.  

            Rodger and Eva Ellsworth have offered us the use of their barn for yard sale storage, this year.  Rodger will need a few folks in August to help make space in the barn.  Please contact Jules or George if you can help, and start setting aside your yard sale items now.

 

 

Our Favorite Books

 

(As space allows, each month we will list

 some of the books mentioned in our annual

Book Sharing service held at the end of 2008)

 

The Four Agreements

 by Don Miguel Ruiz

 

Everything Is Illuminated

by Jonathan Safran Foer

 

A Tribe Apart: A journey into the heart of American adolescence

by Patricia Hersch

 

Keeping a Nature Journal:

Discover a whole new way of seeing

the world around you

by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Poth

 

The Power of Now

By Eckhart Tolle

 

Starr King View

 

Minister:  Rev. Sarah Stewart   

sstewart@starrkingfellowship.org  

 

Office Administrator: Regina Knowlton

admin@starrkingfellowship.org

 

Office: (603) 536-8908      

Website—www.starrkingfellowship.org

 

Pres.:  Eric Hoffman

Vice Pres.: Carole Estes

Treasurer: Gary Walker 

Secretary: Barbara Avery

Trustees: Mary Tierney

            Marcia VanderMast

            Gail Smith