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Moving Through Fear

The Reverend Rachael Hayes
Zoom link for September worship: https://bit.ly/3jE5CQC
Meeting ID:
Passcode: 294900
Or call in: 646 876 9923 and enter the Meeting ID 968 8783 0406 when prompted.
This week:
Saturday, Sept 25th @ 9:30 AM | Source to Sea Clean-up (more information below)

Sunday, Sept 26th @ 10:30 AM | Sunday Service
NOTE: The Wednesday morning Men's Breakfast held at Kelly's is postponed until future notice due to the prevalence of the highly contagious Covid-19 Delta variant.
Join us this Sunday at Wildwood School Playground from 9 AM to 10 AM. Our theme for the morning will be - using yoga and movement to help make yourself feel better mentally and physically. Ages 3 through 13.

Bring a bag that you carry to school, or to work and a picnic blanket if you can, and we will form a big circle.

Please follow our rules when attending RE:
  • Do NOT come if you have any symptoms of illness or if you have been in close contact with someone who has. Be safe, not sorry.
  • Masks must be worn at all times by ages 2 and up. (Exceptions will be made for non-verbal children).
  • Adults and children will sanitize hands upon arrival.
  • Social distance will be maintained during activities. (Adults should bring chairs for the small group session).
  • At this time, for the safety of all, we can only provide programming to children 3 and up who can separate from their family.
  • Rebecca will send out an email by 8 AM if RE is cancelled due to rain.
In the very near future we will have an RE zoom option for those families who can not make it to our in-person sessions.

RE Registration is Open! Please understand that we are all going to have to be flexible in order to take care of ourselves. Here is the Registration Form: https://forms.gle/scrLZ6wRWdt6d6C7A
Youth Group (high school aged)
Last weekend the Youth Group had a fun-filled meet up at the Hadley Town Commons by the Connecticut River Dike. We played classic games such as Wah and Water Bottle and enjoyed snacks brought by our youth adviser Cathie. Youth from USNF and UUSA participated together in the first combined, in-person YG meeting of the year. This Sunday, Sept 26th, we will be meeting at Park Hill Orchard in Easthampton from 2-4 PM so that we can pick apples and check out the sculptures in the park.
The Young Adult program (ages 18-30)
Last week a group of young adults from USNF met at Child's Park in Northampton. We enjoyed chips and salsa and talked about plans and ambitions for the YA program this year. Our next meetup will happen in October, date and location still TBD. Be on the lookout for an email from Johnny in the next week with a Doodle Poll to schedule this event. If you would like to be added to the mailing list, email Johnny at youthfulusnf@gmail.com Young Adults from UUSA are more than welcome to participate in any of these events and programming.
Covid-19 Building Use Policy
The task force has drafted a comprehensive Building Use Policy, following guidance from the UUA. This Policy will have clear protocols and practices tied to the level of COVID-19 reported. Stages will be determined in conjunction with the CovidActNow.org status in Hampshire County. The task force recommended this policy to the Board on September 16th and the Board is in the process of reviewing it.

For a comprehensive summary of the Congregational Survey and Cottage Meetings, please click this link.

Looking to get more involved at the UUSA?

Many UUSA committees/groups are seeking new membership; if you are interested in learning more or becoming involved with committee and/or ministry-level efforts at the UUSA, please email Lea

Finance Committee
Please follow the link to see a summary of our finances for the last fiscal year ending on June 30th. Feel free to reach out to the Finance committee with any questions: UUSA Financial Dashboard.
Your Finance Committee



Beloved Conversations
We know some UUSA members are set to start Beloved Conversations this September. They and alums are wondering who signed up so we can all continue to stay in touch. If you are registered for Fall 2021, please contact Ellen Pile.

Repeated from last week
Dedicated Offering Committee
Beginning in September, each month will be devoted to a new DO recipient whose representative will speak on the first Sunday. We will no longer hold a separate offering for the DO recipient but will split every Sunday's offering plate 50/50 with the recipient organization. The offering plate includes all cash and undesignated checks that are donated on any given Sunday (in person or through the mail or PayPal). This move symbolizes the solidarity we feel with the organizations we choose to support, and it also gives us all more opportunities to contribute. As always, please specify whether the funds you send to the office or by PayPal are for the Plate, your Pledge, or some other purpose.

Our Dedicated Offering recipient for September is Abundance Farm.

Thank you!

The UUSA Board of Trustees would like to acknowledge and deeply thank Lisa Harvey and Kelly Aiken for many years of service on the Personnel Committee. Their tenure covered the last 4 ministers; they leave the committee much improved. Establishing effective “behind the scenes” procedures, and creating a user-friendly Personnel Policy Manual are gifts they leave us. Kelly and Lisa’s work was not “glitzy” or even noticed by most of us, but it was foundational to our community. Please join me in recognizing Kelly Aiken’s and Lisa Harvey’s service to our congregation!

Submitted by Susan Rice, Co-President, Board of Trustees

25th Annual Source to Sea Clean-up TOMORROW!

Help keep the Connecticut River Clean at the Annual Source To Sea Cleanup
Saturday Sept 25, 9:30 to noon at Herlihy Park, Whately and other locations nearby.

The UUSA has participated in the Source To Sea Cleanup for many years, and it is making a difference. It's a great way to be outside near the water with friends doing good work. For a look at the larger effort, see https://www.ctriver.org/our-work/source-to-sea-cleanup/.

Of course, our first priority is to avoid spreading disease, so we'll take some precautions:
-Please bring an effective face mask, and use it when close to others.
-Bring your own work gloves and hand sanitizer.
-We'll maintain a minimum of 6 feet between people.
-Bring your own snacks and water.

Please register with the Conservancy at https://www.ctriver.org/our-work/source-to-sea-cleanup/join-cleanup/. This saves paperwork on the day.
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Assistance for Afghan refugees

At this point, we're thinking of forming a circle of care. If you're interested in being part of this effort, please contact Gabriela Horvay: elgabrielah@gmail.com; at this point we're just taking names.

In the meantime, donations of kitchen items, toiletries, linens and baby clothes and diapers are welcome; drop-offs can be made by the Kellogg St door of the UUSA.
If you need the code to that door, please contact Lea.

For now, to make a financial contribution, you might want to visit:
Catholic Charities of the Springfield Diocese:
welcomehomenorthampton.org/donations

Jewish Family Services of Western Massachusetts:
https://www.jfswm.org/new-americans/refugee-resettlement-integration/
Amherst Survival Center
Continues to need paper bags to package groceries which they use to make delivery and pick up easier for community members. Please drop clean, untorn paper bags and/or clean egg cartons off to the door under carport/by side door off Sunderland Rd., anytime between 9am-4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday. Thank you!
In case you missed it! Original UUSA content from this entire worship season is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7ak1WV8OdXLDRvaZL--rw/videos
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