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January
2003
The
Clarion deadline coincides with the monthly
Friendship Potluck Luncheons on the third Sunday
of the month. Submissions can be in writing, on
disk, faxed (773-5018) or e-mail at newsletter@uugreenfield.org.
Past
issues of The Clarion can be found by clicking here.
January
2003 Clarion
Headlines:
Quilt
Raffle Report
The
stunning quilt created by women from our church and
raffled was won by George and Cynthia Bluh and
brought in $1937.00!!! Congratulations to all
involved for your successes which benefit our
church.
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Drumming
With Ellen Clegg
Sunday, January 12, 4:30 -
6:30 p.m.
We hope you can join us for this energizing
experience. All ages are invited. Ellen is a
wonderful facilitator who finds rhythms to satisfy
both experienced and novice drummers. $10, young
children free. Pre-registration is appreciated.
Bring your own drums and rhythm instruments, if
possible, and Ellen also brings extra drums to
share.
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Coffee
& Soul
The
performers for the January
19 concert will be Rani Arbo and Brooks
Williams, with Scott Alarik, singer/songwriter and
Boston Globe columnist opening. The concert begins
at 7:30 p.m. with a one-half hour open mic, then the
openers. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the
door, half-price for seniors, under 18, and open mic
performers. If you would like to bake in exchange
for admission, please call Carole Groman.
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Ways
and Means News
We
are half way through the church year and have raised
(hurray!) a little more than half of the $5000.
budgeted from Ways and Means. Coffee, Enchanted
Kingdom, World Eye Day, and the Holiday Fair have
all contributed to our goal. Now is the time to plan
for our spring projects. Please
come to a MEETING after church (about 12:30) on
JANUARY 12TH to brainstorm and become
invigorated about finishing the year strong and
fiscally healthy.
You
may always share your ideas with me via e-mail sgwdsf@hotmail.com.
I look forward to seeing you on the 12th. Remember,
All Souls needs all souls to be successful.
Thanks,
Susan Garfield-Wright
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Cropwalk
Folks
from All Souls raised $315.00 this year to support
hunger relief programs in Franklin County (25% of
total) and for hunger relief agencies working around
the world. Most money raised through All Souls
walkers was earmarked to go to the Unitarian
Universalist Service Committee. Thank you to all who
walked in October and to all those who pledged in
support of this important effort. (Maybe next year
we could try to raise $500. - what do you think?)
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Jubilee
Action Group:
Church and Community Outreach
Purpose
of Group: Increase our familiarity with non-white
peoples (churches) in our community by visiting
churches.
Beginning
and Ending Dates: June - August 2002
Contact Person: Leigh Youngblood
Members'
Contact Info:
Kim Smith ksmith@yahoo.com
Judy Walter judywolter@hotmail.com
Leigh Youngblood lyoungblood@juno.com
Eve Brown-Waite loobloo@mtdata.com
Overview:
Greenfield was nearly an all-white town until very
recently. Recent "newcomer" groups are not
entirely welcomed and most of us are ignorant of
their communities and churches. We propose summer
visits to broaden our awareness and to begin
bridge-building wit churches, including Spanish
evangelical, black, Moldavian, Ukrainian and Korean.
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Board
Notes
The
Board of Trustees meets monthly at the church on the
second Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Board is your
representative governing body; contact us if you
have any concerns. Here is a brief summary of major
items from our December meeting.
Treasurer
Margo Campbell's update of the year shows pledges
almost up to quota, but building use returns are
sluggish. Consideration is being given to raising
building use rates closer to the market average. The
next quarterly individual pledge statements will be
out in January.
The
Generous congregation concept was discussed. Key to
the program is making the church the major or
primary recipient of charitable giving by each
member. In turn the church appropriates ten percent
of its budget to selected charities on behalf of the
members. What is your response to this suggestion?
Let us know!!!!
The
D.R.E. Task Force made its initial report. The
creation of a new supervisory committee was
suggested for the D.R.E. similar in operation the to
Committee on Ministry. The existing D.R.E. Committee
would set the job description/expectations for the
D.R.E. and perform other support functions.
Discussions will continue on this plan.
At
the January meeting first time consideration will be
given to the stained glass window restoration
project. No doubt this will be a major capital
improvement expenditure in the future. A main
objective is to cultivate a congregational
awareness/concern. Tom Hill, an architectural
designer and project manager, will lead the
discussion.
HAPPY
NEW YEAR!!
David Bigda, Chair of the Board of Trustees
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2nd
Annual Anti-Racism Film Festival To be held at
All Souls on Saturday, January 25, 2003
Here
is the schedule for this informative event:
1:30-3:30
PM: Four Little Girls, directed by
Spike Lee, 1997, 102 minutes. Documentary on the
1963 Birmingham, Alabama, church bombing that took
the lives of four children. Interviews with parents
, community members reveal the lives of the slain
little girls. Walter Cronkite, former governor
George Wallace appear. Suitable for adults and
teenagers. Facilitators: Aisha Gabriel and Merrilyn
Lewis
3:30-6:00
PM: Down in the Delta, directed by
Maya Angelou, 1998, 101 minutes. An
African-American, single-mom family moves from
Chicago to a small southern town and finds healing
through embracing heritage. Our family film.
Facilitator: Penny Ricketts
6:00-7:00
PM: Dinner served. Donations requested. Bring the
family.
7:00-9:10
PM: In Light of Reverence, directed/produced by
Christopher McLeod and Malinda Maynor, original PBS
broadcast on August 14, 2001. A documentary which explorers
cultural conflicts which arise over land use issues
at three sacred sites of the Lakota, Hopi and Wintu
peoples. Suitable for adults and teenagers.
Facilitator: Howard Clark.
For
more information, please call Molly
Chambers.
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REMINDER
The
Journey Toward Wholeness Anti-Racism Workshop wil be
held at All Souls from Friday evening, 2/28/03
through Sunday morning, 3/23/03. The weekend
workshop materials were developed by the UUA and UUA
staff serve as trainers for the workshop. People
should mark their calendard now for these important
events. Rev. Danielle Di Bona will be one of the
traners. Flyers and registration forms are available
through Molly Chambers.
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Notes
from the DRE
As
I write this I am just days away from heading out to
Chicago to spend most of the month of January at
Meadville/Lombard Theological School. This
represents the first gigantic baby step on my path
toward becoming an ordained minister.
I
still can't believe that I will actually do this.
It's not the enormity of the trip, nor the expense,
nor the hardship that it places on my family that I
can't quite get over. I simply cannot believe that I
will be able to do all that is required of me to
earn my M.Div., fulfill the UUA's requirements, get
ordained and still be a decent mother and wife, a
good DRE, a social activist and maybe the next Erma
Bombeck. I can't even figure out how I'm going to
get to everything that needs to be done before I
head out to Chicago!
From
where I sit now, it all looks like an insurmountable
mountain. But then I remind myself of Chimborazo
-the highest peak in the Ecuadorian Andes. I
couldn't climb it. No way could I climb it. But my
(not yet) husband, John was convinced that it would
be fun and so off we set. After just a few painful
hours we were well up into the altiplano - high
above the tree line and sucking hard on that
famously thin air. It was desolate and cold. We
didn't dare stop to rest or eat because the whipping
wind - with nothing to buffer it - slashed at our
faces. Two thirds of the way up, I developed a
spontaneous case of arthritis in my hip joints and
each upward step became so painful I could no longer
climb uphill. Having no other choice, I turned
around and walked the rest of the way - backwards.
John and I eventually made it to the refugio at the
18,000 feet mark of Chimborazo - where we were
greeted by a gregarious busload of beer-drinking
gringos who had simply driven up the mountain!
But
anyway, the point of the story is — I did the
thing I was sure I could not do. Yes, John had to
carry all of my gear as well as his, as I walked
backwards and whining, with an empty backpack into
camp. But still, I did it.
It
is not only the memories of overcoming Chimborazo
that give me hope. It is all of you who have such
faith in my ability to do this. Ruth once reminded
me that the Universe will rise up and embrace me if
I fall. And Cassie told me not to forget that I have
plenty of angels on my side. And as we celebrated
the Solstice just the other night, Meg pointed out
that we can all get through the darkest night if we
simply surround ourselves with those we love.
So
I hope many of you will continue to have faith in my
ability to do this and encourage me on - even if I'm
whining and unloading my gear and claiming a
spontaneous case of arthritic hips. Who knows? Maybe
I'll be the first minister to make my way to
ordination backwards, whining and with an empty
backpack! And for all the kind souls who are
concerned about how John will make out for a month
without me - just remember that he was the one who
made me climb the mountain while everyone else took
the bus. So don't worry too much - unless of course,
you see him dragging the children - backwards - up
Mt. Tom.
In
Peace & Hope, Eve
The
RE Program will be in the capable hands of our
Intern Minister, Manish
Mishra, during my absence. Please contact
Manish with any urgent questions or concerns.
January
has a fifth Friday!!! That means it's time to get
together for a Fifth Friday Family Fun Night. All
families are invited to join us for food, games and
fun. The RE Program will provide beverages and
pizza. Bring a snack or dessert to share and your
favorite games. Friday, January 31, 6 - 8 p.m. in
the All Souls Parish Hall.
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Wheel
of Life
Our
deep sympathy to Holly Bell
whose only sibling, her sister Cherie (Cheryl)
Herman passed away on December 20.
The
profit to the church from the All Souls Day at World
Eye Bookshop in November was $317.67. We
spent $1,588.33 at the store and received 20% of
those sales.
Thanks
to David Bigda
for his wonderful idea of donating all proceeds from
the December Mid-Week Music Concerts to the
"Warm the Children" fund. A donation of
$450.85 was collected for that fund.
Sky
Dix and Rick
Kmetz put up the Christmas/mitten tree
and Cassie Walker,
and her daughter, Annie,
decorated it.
The
donations for the "Mitten Tree" filled two
large bags and each were donated to the Franklin
Area Survival Center and the Greenfield Family Inn.
Many thanks for all the contributions.
Thanks
to Richard Towle
for putting up the Christmas wreathes in the
sanctuary.
Does
All Souls want to have a float in the Greenfield's
250th Anniversary Parade? Does anyone have ideas for
a float? If so, please see Irmarie
Jones. If we do have a float, we'd better
hurry up and find a flatbed truck. Irmarie knows
from experience that they are difficult to find when
there is a big parade. Does anyone have an idea
where we can borrow one?
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Your
participation is needed for THE COMMUNITY MEAL
On
Wednesday, January 22,
our community has another opportunity to provide a
meal for many hungry neighbors as part of the
regular Community Meals program. The host site is
again the Second Congregational Church (next to Town
Hall). In the past, many of our all Souls community
members have prepared delicious dishes or made
donations as well as served the meal, enjoyed dinner
with the guests, and helped clean up. Our meals
always receive rave reviews, so we have a reputation
to uphold.
This
is a wonderful opportunity also to appreciate the
wonderful, gracious, patient coordination by Cynthia
Bluh for several years. (She has passed
the coordinating role on to me but will continue to
participate and share her generous spirit with all
of us.)
The
Social Action Committee has a team of volunteers who
will be calling members to invite your
participation. So please reserve the date of January
22 on your busy calendar and be prepared to let the
caller know what you can contribute. This is a very
rewarding community effort and renews our faith that
we are part of the solution, working together while
nourishing bodies and spirits.
--
Suzanne Carlson, coordinator
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Please
Note: Two
Committee Meetings on Monday, January 6
Membership
& Hospitality Committee Meets Monday, January 6,
7:15 PM (Andrea Griswold, Membership &
Hospitality Chair)
The
Social Action Committee will be meeting on January
6th at 7:00 pm. The Anti Racism Film Festival and
the Jubilee Workshop are important parts of this
months agenda. (Mark Gregory, Social Action Chair)
New
members are always welcome. If you are interested in
involvement with these committees, please contact
the chairs.
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All
Souls Church History,
Second Installment
(Every
month it is hoped that there will be an item of
church history in the Clarion. Some of the long-time
members are meeting regularly to bring the history
up to date. It has been quite sketchy since about
1940. Here is the second contribution from Irmarie
Jones.)
In
the early and mid-60s, during the Vietnam conflict,
I remember some of us young mothers organizing
sewing workshops in the Parish Hall — not
associated with any of the women's groups. We
brought our portable sewing machines and made little
pajama outfits for Vietnamese children. I don't know
who obtained the patterns, but we had plenty of
cloth to be used. Most of us had pre-school aged
children and we took them along with us and they
played in the Sunday School rooms. I think Holly
Bell had her picture taken for the Recorder-Gazette
as she worked at her sewing machine.
The
core of the newly formed Greenfield Community Peace
Center were All Souls members: Dibby and John
Falconer, Merritt and Sallee Garland, Nancy and Bill
Buchanan, Helen Severance, Holly Bell, Irmarie Jones
and Ginny Low. It seems as if Merritt had a letter
to the editor just about every week about the
immorality of the Vietnam conflict.
We
had an angel, Mrs. Dana Malone (not an All Souls
member), who gave the center money enough to open a
second floor office downtown for a while.
The
most important member in the Peace Center was Bill
Hefner of Shelburne. He and his wife Betty came to
our church for years, but never became members. He
was most outspoken about the war and even ran for
Congress on the Democratic ticket n 1964, opposing
Silvio Conte, whom he knew would win. But Bill
wanted a platform on which to express his opinions.
Bill lost but he also wrote frequently for the
newspaper.
We
were all part of the group that demonstrated
frequently on the Greenfield Common., when it wasn't
fashionable. We were given the finger, screamed at,
and endured obscenities by those who were hostile to
our ideas.
The
most positive thing that the Peace Center did was to
oppose war toys. Dibby Falconer even talked on talk
radio, nationally. They hooked her up at her home on
Mountain Road and talked to her one evening. (Her
real name was Gladys, but she hated it and was Dibby
because her maiden name was Derby.)
We
were able for a couple of years to have a Main
Street vacant store window loaned to us for the
month of December to show war toys, contrasted with
toys that furthered peace, or were, at least,
peaceful. As a matter of fact, Sears dropped their
war toys in the catalogue the next year. Our
influence? Who knows?
Dibby
and Bill were both active on the United Nations
Committee in town.
A
couple of incidents: Dibby and her friend, Carolyn
Perry, were handing out peace leaflets downtown one
week day when a policeman came up to them and asked,
ìWho's taking care of your children?î Dibby and
Carolyn told him it was none of his business but he
took them to the police station for ìchild neglectî.
When the chief saw them and found out why they had
been brought in, he let them go.
Dibby
went to the selectmen and asked to have banner over
Main Street for United Nations Day, but they
refused. ìMy civil rights have gone down the drain,î
was her comment, printed the next day in the
newspaper and it became a well-known sentence around
town. During this time, women were referred in the
newspapers as "Mrs. (husband's name)."
All
the activities of the Greenfield Community Peace
Center are in a scrapbook of clippings that Irmarie
Jones kept through the years. That scrapbook is well
taken care of in the library of Greenfield Community
College in the Pioneer Valley Studies section. All
Merritt's and Bill's letters are there, too.
Nancy
Buchanan was chairman of the UNICEF collection in
the schools for years., until she went on to further
her education. Then, Mary Siano, a church member,
took over. Finally, the schools said ìno moreî,
too much work for the teachers., although Nancy or
Mary and their committee did all the work. Nancy was
chairman of the United Nations Committee in town.
We
had a couple of rummage sales for UNICEF at the
church. One year we called Senator Edward Kennedy
and asked him if his family would contribute items
to sell. They sent several boxes from the Kennedy
clan.
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