The BEACON - Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton

Unitarian Universalist Congregation
of Binghamton Newsletter
September 11, 2013
The BEACON
Minister: Rev. Douglas Taylor
Ministerial Intern: Charlotte
Lehman
Moderator: Shawn Steketee
Moderator-Elect:
Debby Herman
Upcoming Services:
September 15
“Intention over Impact”
Rev. Douglas Taylor
This year for our annual forgiveness service, we will explore the role of
motive and intent when we err, and what to do when ‘good intentions’
are not enough (which is more often than we care to admit.)
September 22
“Peace Prayers”
Rev. Douglas Taylor
With all the conflict going on the world today, International Peace Day
is one more opportunity to call ourselves past our cynicism and resigMusic Director: Vicky Gordon
nation to remember our visions of peace and to take one more
Organist: Gail Elyse Schmick step. Also this Sunday we will rededicate our Peace Pole in the back
courtyard.
Director of Lifespan Faith
Development: Lynn Garman
Office Administrator/Beacon
Editor and Lifespan Faith
Development Assistant:
Karen Armstrong
OFFICE HOURS:
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Wed Sept 11
10am
SGM
6:30pm
SGM
7pm Climate
Action Group
Thu Sept 12
5:30pm SGM
Facilitators
6:30pm
Meditation
Class*
6:30pm
SoulCollage
Fri Sept 13
11:30am
SGM
6:30pm
Games Night
Sat Sept 14
9am
Teacher
Training
1pm
Tai Chi
9:15am
Meditation
9:30am
Worship
SUNDAY SERVICES:
9:30 and 11:15am
HOW TO CONTACT US:
183 Riverside Drive
Binghamton, NY 13905
Phone: 607.729.1641
Fax: 607.729.1899
Email:
office@uubinghamton.org
Web: www.uubinghamton.org
TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE:
Please e-mail to the office
address, or a leave a hard
copy on the office desk by the
deadline printed below.
Please include your name &
phone number.
THE NEXT BEACON
1DEADLINE IS
September 20
Sun Sept 15
11:15am
Worship
7PM
Depression/
Bipolar
Support*
*these are public events and not directly associated with UUCB
Mon Sept 16
10am
UUW
7pm
Reproductive
Justice
1pm
Gould Lecture
Potluck Event
Our Minister’s Column
Reverend Douglas
Taylor can be reached at
In spite of our best efforts at keeping the calendar as clear as pos- 607-729-1641 or emailed
at
sible it managed to be very full this past weekend at 183 Riverside
dtaylor@uubinghamton.org.
Drive. Months ago it was determined that we would do our annual
book sale under the tent on this weekend. We knew the weekend
He is generally in the
would be busy with the book sale and our normal preparations leadoffice
Tuesdays, Wednesing up to Ingathering Sunday.
days, and Thursdays, but
The date the Antonson family needed Ruth’s memorial to be
his position has many
ended up being Saturday and by midweek we learned we would also
off-site
be hosting a funeral on Friday morning. Of course we were not able
responsibilities,
so it is
to rearrange our plans for the book sale or the Ingathering service.
recommended
that
you
Friday morning therefore saw us organizing and hosting the funeral,
and getting ready for Saturday’s memorial, as well as Sunday’s ser- give a call or email before
stopping in to see him.
vice. At the same time many people were bringing books into the
building, while others were sorting and moving books in preparation
Thank You!
for the sale. Additionally, the Riverside Drive Nursery School had
booked a room for their teachers to get their CPR training. And did
I mention the voting booths that were due to arrive that morning as
well? Our hallways were very crowded.
But this is not a story about how busy we are. This is a story about how gracious and helpful
we are. Throughout this entire day, with so many people in and out of the building, everywhere
I turned I saw people going out of their way to help each other. On such a busy day things seldom run completely smoothly and yet on that day the CPR class did not complain in the least
when they were rather abruptly moved down the hall. The voting booth delivery team was very
respectful and quick when I helped them find the out-of-the-way classroom to store the booths
over the weekend. As I walked back up the hall I saw a man from the funeral home helping
someone carry a box of books in from her car. I could tell you longer stories about the TV and
the set up the Social Hall and the caterers for the Saturday memorial service and picnic table
bench that broke and several other examples of people going out of their way to be helpful and
to make the weekend run a little smoother.
I will take the time to single out two people in particular that made this full weekend work.
Ron Clupper came early and stayed late at the Boyle Funeral and the Antonson Memorial. His
is a paid position (the Resource Manager is called only when needed to cover major events like
this) but Ron did more than just set up the space, turn on the microphones, and make sure the
doors were locked at the end. Ron did all he could to make the events run seamlessly for the
families. Karen Armstrong fielded calls throughout Thursday and Friday, solved at least four
(that I noticed) potential problems before they really became
problems, and created the Sunday morning order of service as
well as two additional orders of service. And through it all,
she smiled and welcomed every person she saw with warmth
and care. Ron, Karen and countless other people in the
kitchen, in the book sale tent, in the sanctuary, and in the hallways made a difficult weekend move gracefully. Thank you.
-douglas
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REflections
September is one of those transitional times of the year that brings both a touch
of sadness that the long, easy days of summer are over, and a sense of excitement and
anticipation as we begin anew; begin another school year, another religious education
year, another church year. I revel in the long hours of summer daylight, the opportunity to sleep just a bit longer in the morning, and live a more relaxed, easygoing schedule that better accommodates my rhythms. And, I look forward to the return of routine
at home and at church. I have missed seeing many of you over the summer, and look
forward to re-gathering in beloved community. I, and others, have been busy throughout August preparing for the start-up of our Children’s and Youth Program. Here are
some of the exciting things we can look forward to:
A year for children and youth exploring living and learning our Unitarian Universalist beliefs, principles, and history.
A full and diverse offering of Adult Programs for adults of all ages and stages in
their faith journey
An exemplary group of teachers, both new and experienced, parents and UUCB elders, ready to nurture our children and adults on a religious and spiritual journey
Energized Children, Youth and Adult program Committees ready to listen and build
community connections
Opportunities for engaging our children in creating a more just world through our
Faith in Action activities
Increased youthful energy throughout the
life of the congregation
Director of Lifespan Education
Increased attention to the safety and secuLynn Garman can be reached at
rity of our children and congregation
607.729.1641 and
through the implementation of backdre@uubinghamton.org
ground screening for volunteers
Increased opportunities for our Young Adult community, including our second annual Young Adult Conference in January
A growing cadre of toddlers and preschool children to charm, delight, and keep you
on your toes!
A Fall Multigenerational Retreat for congregants of all ages to make a difference in
our community.
Looking forward with joy to seeing you in church, Lynn
Program Calendar
September 14 – Teacher Ingathering
September 15 – Teacher Dedication and start of Children’s
and Youth Program
September 15 - Registration Reception
September 29 – Young Adult Con Planning Meeting
October 5 – Multigenerational Retreat
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Children and Youth Registration Reception
September 15, 10:30 am
Don’t Miss Out on the Fun!
All children and youth from 0 -18 years old who
participate in our program must be registered. We make that easy for you by
providing a time to meet and greet, and fill in your form. That’s right, rather than
simply asking you to mail in a registration form, we would like to meet with you in
person before our program begins September 15.
*We are excited about this year’s programs, curricula, teachers, and events. We
want to tell you more about them, and how YOU can support them.
*We want to learn more about your child, and are ready to listen to you about
any particular or special needs your child has, or your wishes and concerns.
*We want to build connections and give you the opportunity to meet some of the
other adults, youth, children, and families who are part of our community.
*We want to hear your ideas and preferences regarding programs for parents
and families.
*We want to inform you of the many opportunities for you to get involved in our
cooperative program. We still need a couple teachers for our Sunday morning program, and many of our family events also need leadership and support (events like our
Holiday Craft Workshop, UU Pal, Family Seder, and more). Help our program thrive!
NOTE: We still have plenty of room for your child, no matter their age!
Young Adult Con Planning
The first official Youth Group
meeting will be Sept. 15th at
11:15 am, and we'll be staying
late, so make sure you're available! We will begin in the
worship service so the advisors
can be dedicated. Lunch will
be provided, and our goal is to
wrap up by about 1:30 pm.
We've got a LOT of stuff to talk
about, fun, food, and more, so
it's in everyone's best interest
to be there. All youth in
Grades
9 – 12 are welcome!
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Are you one of the 50 Young Adults who attended last year’s first district-wide YA Con?
Whether you attended or not, do you have ideas for
this year’s conference? Are you just interested in
pitching in and making it happen? Whatever your
interest or experience, you are invited to join us in
planning for and hosting this year’s event.
We will hold our first organizational and planning meeting for the January 3-5, 2014 UUCB
Young Adult conference on Sunday, September 29
at 1 pm. Building on the success of last year’s experience, all interested Young Adults are invited to
bring their ideas and enthusiasm. For more information, see Tracy Hollands.
Teacher Ingathering
UUCB Fall Retreat for All Ages
October 5
Gather the Spirit
The Earth is our home, the place
where waters flow and life thrives. Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to stewardship of the Earth, recognizing that without
our stewardship, humanity and all other life
may not survive. Join us October 5 as we
celebrate and explore humanity's power to
protect Earth's gifts and share them equitably.
We will join the Binghamton community-based effort to protect and care for our
rivers by participating in the annual riverbank clean-up. Afterwards, we will share
lunch together, as well as ritual, discussion,
and other activities during the afternoon.
This is an opportunity for people of all ages,
children and adults, to come together around
a common purpose, build relationships, put
your UU faith into action, and make a difference. Plan now to come for the day, or a part
of it.
All teachers for the Children’s Program are reminded
of the Teacher Ingathering and Spirit Play Orientation
on Saturday, September 14. This is an opportunity for
you to meet your co-leaders, schedule your teaching
Sundays, learn about Safe
Congregation practices, and more.
Please RSVP for yourself, and let us know if you
need childcare. Spirit Play teachers will have a followon orientation after lunch. Contact Lynn Garman to
RSVP or for more information.
WANTED: Just Two More Teachers!
Again, thank you to all the good folks who have signed
up to teach our children this fall. As of Sunday, we had
filled all of our teaching openings at 11:15, and we have
just two more openings FOR LEADERS at 9:30 in our
Spirit Play group. Yes, just two more teachers and we
will have a full roster of leaders to support the children
in our congregation. Leaders make a commitment to colead a class approximately 7 Sundays this fall. In our
Spirit Play group, that means one Sunday of storytelling,
and one Sunday of class support, preparing snack and
activities for the morning each month with a small group
of children ages 5 – 8 years old. Based on the Montessori method, children make meaning of the language of
our faith and life’s questions using story, wondering,
and creative art response. Featured stories will be from
our Unitarian Universalist principles, history, and
sources. For more information, see Lynn Garman
Embark on an adventure of the spirit that is occasionally
difficult, often joyful, wondrous, and life-affirming –
teach in our Children’s Program!
Thank you to our amazing Nursery Staff! Heather, Lynne, and
Tara keep our Nursery open and running year round, including holidays. And, its been a busy and
full place this summer! A couple notes for parents of our youngest children:
 Due to budgetary constraints this year, the Nursery will close 15 minutes after the conclusion of
the 11:15 worship service (usually 12:30 pm). Please pick up your child in a timely manner.
Come to the 10:30 Coffee Hour to visit with your UUCB friends.
 Please clearly mark your child’s items with their name, especially diaper bags and cups.
 Please take your social conversation outside the Nursery and do not congregate in the Nursery
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– it
makes it difficult to supervise and calm the children.
As always, please see Lynn Garman or one of our childcare workers with questions or concerns.
UUCB Echoes….
The past is gone but not forgotten
The Universalist Church was located on the corner of
Exchange Street and Congdon Place in Binghamton (see
picture below) until 1929 when the Binghamton Savings
bank offered $50,000 cash for the site. The offer was too
good to refuse, and soon a new church home was found.
UU HISTORY FILM
SERIES CONTINUES
3 Sundays: Sep 22, Oct 13
and Nov 24 from 12:45 –
2:00 pm in the Fireside
Room
Don’t miss the final three
installments of this
acclaimed film series! Long
Strange Trip: 2000 Years of
UU History picks up in the
year 1600, tracing the
development of
Universalism, and following
both traditions through their
merger in 1961 and into the
present.
Although these hour-long
films form a series, each one
stands well on its own please join us for any or all
of the remaining
films. Childcare is available
with one week’s advance
notice.
Climate Action Group
Meeting Wednesday,
Sept 11, 7pm in room 5
For more info call
Wes Ernsberger at
607-342-6049
Childcare Providers Wanted
UUCB is accepting applications for Child Care Providers
responsible for ensuring a safe, nurturing environment for
children during occasional Sunday mornings, evenings and
weekends as needed. The successful applicant will have prior
experience caring for children in a group setting, knowledge
of child development, familiarity with Unitarian Universalism, and CPR and First Aid certification.
To apply, please send a resume and completed application
to: Lynn Garman, UUCB, 183 Riverside Drive, Binghamton,
NY, 13905. For a complete job description, application, and
further information, please contact Lynn Garman at 7291641, or dre@uubinghamton.org.
Green Sanctuary FOOD DRYER project
We’re building a high-quality dehydrator for UUCB! Did you know that drying food uses about HALF the
energy as canning, and that freezing food uses almost 7 TIMES more energy than drying? Anyone interested
in joining our build-it-yourself group please contact Becky Casstevens @ 646-409-4898 or rebecca.casstevens@gmail.com. The finished product will become an asset in UUCB’s kitchen, available for
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use by all (sign-up sheet during harvest season).
GREEN MATTERS
Sept 29: Carbon-Neutral Sunday
Carbon-neutral means no net greenhouse gas
emissions. Becoming carbon-neutral is an important ethical milestone because when we become
carbon-neutral, we have taken responsibility for
no longer making the climate change problem
worse. We are calling September 29 “CarbonNeutral Sunday” because that is when, with your
help, we will become carbon-neutral here at
UUCB through the purchase of carbon offset certificates. They will be available in the Social Hall
after both services. Your family can also become
carbon-neutral. Go to carbonfund.org to find out
how.
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE CLASS
Wednesdays Sept 11— Oct 16, 7— 9 pm
Rooting us in our religious history and theological callings, this six-week curriculum outlines the distinctions between reproductive
“health,” “rights,” and “justice”; opens awareness of reproductive oppression; offers opportunities to learn about ourselves and each
other as sexual and reproductive beings; and
equips us to move forward, out into the world,
with integrity and vision.
Sign-up on the purple sheet on the hallway
bulletin board. For more information, see
co-leaders Rachel Light and Christine Smith.
Elderwisdom
SAVE THE DATE
October 20, 12:30pm
An Interview with Stan Masters
EcoForum:
Becoming Carbon-Neutral
Wes Ernsberger will provide a perspective on how
becoming carbon-neutral fits in with other important actions we can be taking to effectively address
the climate change problem. He will also discuss
the value -- and limitations -- of purchasing carbon
offsets. There will be time afterwards for questions and discussion. Sunday, September 29,
12:45 to 1:45 pm in the Fireside Room.
Garden Bounty Exchange
Wondering what to do with those extra veggies
from your garden? Bring them in on Sunday, Sept
29, and take them over to the Green Sanctuary table in the Social Hall. We will be offering them
during Social Hour after both services.
Green Quote
"Hope is not the conviction that something will
turn out well, but the certainty that something
makes sense regardless of how it turns out."
- Vaclav Havel
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Elderwisdom is a chance to have a peek into
the life and philosophy of the person interviewed. More than that, it is a way to learn
how he became interested in being a U-U, what
values are important to him and how his life
influenced the development of his philosophy
of life and spiritual quest.
About 40 minutes of it will be questions
from the interviewer, but after
That, questions from the audience will be discussed. This is held in the Sanctuary, all are
invited with child care provided if arranged
ahead of time. Although you may drop-in, the
Committee asks that you sign the sheet in the
hallway, if possible. We try to keep the session
about an hour.
SoulCollage® Continued Second Thursday Every Month -Join us for an
evening of cutting, collaging, and soulful conversation; an opportunity to create and give
voice to your soul's inner guidance.
Originated by Seena Frost, SoulCollage® is a
process for accessing your intuition and creating an incredible deck of cards with deep personal meaning that will help you with life's
questions and transitions. All supplies provided. Contact Lynn Garman for more information.
The Church Mouse Knows…..
That Jerome Slote spends lots of time helping with the UUCB
website
 Wes Ernsberger updates the webpage, fixed the picnic table
bench, dug a trench with Scott Clarke for the new outside light
wires, painted window sills, and trimmed trees with Scott Husted.
 Shawn Steketee has mowed the lawn more than once

Eileen Hamlin has provided us with beautiful new plants for
the building.
Ed Ware was instrumental in getting our outside lights to work again.
Lynn Theophanis cleaned the carpets.
Carl Cohen helped negotiate the construction for our parking lot water issue and
has been providing rides for folks so that they can come to services on Sunday.
Marilyn Coleman worked hard on the book sale would like to give a big thank
you to all who helped her– it was a success!
Addie and Jeff Deacon, Stacey Wright, Sidra and Douglas Taylor Lynn
Theophanis, Herb and Janet Landow, and Darlyne Mitchell helped with
an annual mailing so it could be sent out on time.
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Meet the Intern!
Greetings! I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be starting my 10-month fulltime ministry internship at UUCB. It will go far too quickly for all of us; so in this column, I will share some highlights about me that will allow us to dive right into our time
together.
I grew up in Minneapolis, going to the First Unitarian Society until 6th grade.
My B.A. and M.S. degrees are in Geological Sciences and I worked until 2008 primarily
at colleges and universities managing geochemical laboratories and doing lab research
for faculty interested in paleo-climate studies and the impact of global climate change.
I have also been an outdoor environmental educator, a high school math and science
teacher, and the plant chemist for New England’s only cement manufacturer.
I’ve spent most of my adult life in Maine, but have also lived in MA, NY, RI, SC,
and IL. Geological fieldwork, travel and spiritual adventure have taken me to many of
the 50 States; across the southern portions of the Canadian provinces; to Europe, Peru,
New Zealand and even Antarctica’s Dry Valleys.
The yearnings of the Spirit have been with me since an early age; in fact my
choice of geology as a college major was really based in my spirituality. As I deepened
and broadened my spiritual practice to include meditation, firewalking, breathwork
and sweat lodges, I found it imperative that I acknowledge and embrace a call to ministry. A call which is both internal and external.
In 2008, I set my intention to go to seminary. I spent one semester at Lancaster
Theological Seminary (PA) and then moved to Chicago and the new TouchPoint program at Meadville Lombard Theological School, where I graduated in 2012. During
that time, I served as a 2-yr part-time intern at DuPage UU Church (DUUC) in Naperville, IL. The focus of my Leadership year was reinvigorating their Welcoming Congregation commitment. Members of DUUC met Douglas at GA in June; they wanted to
make sure he’s a good guy and that he know how much they appreciated my work with
them.
I met Douglas in the fall of 2009 when he was Minister-in-Residence at Meadville. We often went for walks together. So I am pleased to have found a place to live
here in Binghamton which I consider within walking distance of the church and also
can access local services by walking or bicycling. While I love animals and am used to
having a dog, I have no four-footed live-in companions at this time. In addition to
many outdoor activities, I enjoy reading, watching movies, playing cards or games,
deep conversation, listening to music, going to museums, and creative projects from
cooking (and eating) to gardening to artwork to singing and dancing. I consider all of
these spiritual practices that I engage in, in addition to journaling and mantra meditation.
I’ll be spending these first few weeks exploring UUCB and Binghamton to get
the lay of the land. Stop and have a conversation with me on Sundays or during the
week (I’ll post regular office hours as soon as I get a sense of my schedule). I am so
happy to be serving this congregation for the next 10 months. Let me know how I can
help.
Blessings on our journeys,
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Charlotte Lehmann
The
BEACON
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALI ST
CONGREGATION OF
BINGHAMTON
183 Riverside Drive
Binghamton, New York 13905
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
“We offer a spiritual
home where we explore,
celebrate and cherish our
interconnectedness,
encourage growth and
transcendence, and act
with justice and
compassion.”
Gould Lecture Potluck
Event
Sept 15 1-3pm
(details inside)
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