April 2013 Newsletter Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield

The Gleam
April 2013 Newsletter
Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield
*** Bicentennial Issue***
From Our Minister:
He drew a circle that shut me out—
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!
The Unitarian-Universalist Church of Wakefield
1813 - 2013
~Edwin Markham
We are moving into the month of April, season of rebirth and this year the month of our Bicentennial Celebration which will be
on Sunday, April 28, at 3:00 PM. I hope all our members and friends will be there and will RSVP in through the Punchbowl invitation you should have received electronically or to me directly so that we know how many to prepare for in the Sanctuary and for
the reception. We will be welcoming back former ministers and seminarians who served or visited our congregation as well as
friends from afar. We will be welcoming the larger interfaith community in Wakefield and the larger Unitarian Universalist community. We will be renewing our call to universalism in a new century of our existence, one started by that first meeting of the
Universalist Society of South Reading on April 29, 1813. We will be drawing the circle wide.
My Easter Service this year was titled “Revived! Renewed!” which points to all our feelings after this winter of snow, snow, and
more snow as we head into the promised spring. But it also points to the life of this congregation as it prepares to celebrate two
hundred years of serving the cause of liberal religion from this end of Main Street in Wakefield. I am sure that over those two
centuries, there have been a number of cycles of reviving and renewing, just as we each have those cycles in our own lives. It is
good to periodically stand on the balcony and look down on our lives, seeing patterns and needs. It is good to reassess what is
working and what isn’t and find new ways to look and work toward the future. But there are certain constants as well. One text
stands out for me as we approach April 28, which is the above Edwin Markham quote. After all, what are we about here but drawing a circle that, rather than keeping people out, with love draws a circle to bring people in. We will be doing this together, showing how a congregation that may be smaller in numbers can be big in impact not only in the lives of its members and friends but
even in the larger circle of our community.
Important Dates for Your Calendar
On the path of our faith,
Reverend Maddie
Table of Contents
Pages 1-3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Pages 5-6:
Page 7:
Page 8-9
Page 9
Page 10:
Page 11:
Page 12:
Ministry, Worship, Adult RE
President’s Piece, Capital
Campaign, Bicentennial
Stewardship
Events
Social Action
Musical Notes
R.E., Around the Block
Committee News, Volunteers
Church Officers
Miscellaneous
Saturday, April 6th
Annual Church Flea Market, 9am—2pm
Sunday, April 7th
UU Cinema with Joe Cresta, 6pm
Wednesday, April 10th
Soup with the Minister, Noon
Sunday, April 14th
What Moves Us?: Unitarian Universalist Theology, 7pm
Sunday, April 21st
Evensong, 7pm
Saturday, April 27th
SRO Presents: The Big Band Sound of Esquivel, 7:30pm
Sunday, April 28th
Bicentennial Celebration Service, 3pm
Tuesday, May 7th
Annual Church Meeting, 730pm
Page 1
MORE THAN A MONTH OF SUNDAYS
April 7
Tom Bozeman
April 14
Interfaith
Lisa Kirk
Lisa considers what is “interfaith within our faith.” She is a
current student at Andover Newton Theological School and
a member of our congregation in Marblehead.
April 21
Rising Green
Reverend Maddie
The theme for Earth Day 2013 is “The Face of
Climate Change.” We note the mounting impact of
climate change all over the world and bring it
down to the size of individuals faced with the consequences.
April 28
at 3 PM
Bicentennial Celebration Service
Reverend Maddie
What does universalism look like in the 21st Century in Wakefield. Rev. Maddie conducts a Combined Choir with musicians, and Rev. Mark Harris delivers the sermon, returning ministers and
greetings from the nearer and larger community.
May 5
Ta, Ta for Now
Reverend Maddie
This service is rescheduled from the February Blizzard Sunday. What does the new world of Social Media, being
online all the time and constantly available, mean for us?
Inspired by an anthem of the same name that the choir will
share.
Office Hours
Rev. Maddie’s office hours in April will be more various than usual. She will be out of town at the Mass
Bay District Ministers Retreat on Wednesday, April 3
and 4, and then leaves for the UU Buddhist Convocation, returning Monday, April 8. She will be in Wakefield Monday late afternoons in April leading up to
the Bicentennial Celebration. She holds office hours
most Wednesdays from 11 AM to 3 PM except when
she has clergy meetings. She is available other times
by appointment and tries to keep her schedule up to
date on the Yahoo Calendar on line. The best way to
plan a time to meet is to call Rev. Maddie on her cell
phone: 508-733-8860 or email her at [email protected]. The minister’s office is in the back of
the lower level of the church, adjacent to the stage in
the Social Hall. If the front or back door is locked,
use the buzzer system, and she will come up to let
you in. Her office is also accessible from the Memorial Garden on the side of the church, with a gate in
the fence from the back parking lot.
“The Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield’s
mission is to provide a nonjudgmental, welcoming,
and progressive religious presence in our community
and to support every individual’s spiritual quest.”
Soup with the Minister
Come together with Rev. Maddie and friends for
Soup with the Minister on Wednesday, April 10 at
noon in the Social Hall. Reverend Maddie provides
the soup and a beverage. NOTE: This is one week
later than usual, because of the Flea Market preparations and Rev. Maddie’s schedule! We will be back on
the first Wednesdays on May 1 and June 5. Do you
have a neighbor or friend that might enjoy a casual
lunch out—bring them along! There is no need to
bring anything but should you wish to, a small
amount of dessert or bread to share is always welcome. Soup with the Minister is open to members
and friends of our church family. Please note: there
are buzzers next to both the front and back
doors. Please ring the buzzer if the door is
locked and Rev. Maddie will let you in.
Meditation Practice Group—The Silent Pause
Our meditation practice group has been meeting for
over four years. We meet weekly on Sundays at
5:00 PM on the stage in our Social Hall. In April, Joe
Cresta will lead the group on April 7. Rev. Maddie
will lead the group April 14 and 21. There will be no
meditation on April 28 because of the Bicentennial
Celebration and Reception. Allow about an hour,
bring your meditation cushion, if you have one, or
you can sit in a chair. The group is open to everyone; there is no commitment to be there every
week and no cost. Free-will offering to benefit the
ministries of the church. For more information, call Reverend Maddie at 508-3587091 or email her at [email protected].
Contact Information for Reverend Maddie:
Maddie's email is [email protected] (please discard her old AOL address, which she checks only
weekly). Her cell phone is 508-733-8860 and her
home office phone is 508-358-7091. Messages can
also be left on the church telephone: 781-245-4632.
Page 2
Learning and Growing Through Our Lives
Schedule
Meditation Practice Group is every
Sunday evening at 5:00 PM on the
Stage in the Social Hall; there will be
NO MEDITATION on April 28 because of the Bicentennial Celebration and Reception. All other programs begin at 7pm, unless otherwise noted .
April 7 at 6 PM
UU Cinema
April 14
What Moves Us: Unitarian
Universalist Theology-Thandeka
April 21
Evensong
April 28
Reception for the Bicentennial
What Moves Us? Thandeka
How does what we believe move us? The final session in
our series What Moves Us is on Sunday, April 14, at 7
PM in the Social Hall. This series provides a framework
to engage in theological reflection, not as an intellectual
exercise, but as a process of meaning-making that equips
one for living in the world as a Unitarian Universalist
person of faith. We continue to explore the life experiences of both historic and contemporary Unitarian Universalist theologians, highlighting that which caused in
them a change of heart, a new direction, new hope, and a
deeper understanding of their own liberal faith. These
workshops offer participants a chance to engage with and
bring their personal experiences to bear on the very
questions explored by each theologian in turn. The program offers a pathway for developing not only one’s own
personal theology but also deep understanding of the
threads of our Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian
Universalist theological heritage. Our final workshop
will consider Thandeka and Unitarian
Universalism and the Theology of Personal Experience. As usual, the workshop will be co-lead by Julian Baptista
and Rev. Maddie. For more information,
see Reverend Maddie or email her at
[email protected].
The 2013 Church Directory is available!
Pick up your copy in the Social Hall.
EVENSONG
Evensong is a program that facilitates personal sharing
and deep listening. Together we will explore our individual life journeys through sharing thoughts, experiences,
doubts, and current beliefs. Our third meeting in this
series is Sunday, April 21 at 7 PM
and focuses on “The Divine: What
Do I Really Want.” All are invited,
even if you haven’t attended before.
For more information, talk to Rev.
Maddie.
UUA General Assembly 2013
GA, the annual meeting for Unitarian Universalists, is June 19-23 in Louisville, Kentucky. The
Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield is entitled, based on membership, to 2 delegates,
plus Reverend Maddie. Please let Reverend Maddie know if you are interested in representing us
at this unique experience to learn the process by
which the UUA conducts business, makes policy,
and discusses and votes “Statements of Conscience” for all UU’s. There is a tremendous variety of workshops, program events, not to mention worship services and opportunities for personal growth and new ideas to bring back to
Wakefield. For more information, go to the UUA
website, www.uua.org/ga or write Rev. Maddie
at [email protected]
or call her on
her cell phone:
508-733-8860.
Small Group Ministry
Our small group ministry program is ongoing and open
to all church members and other interested adults in
the community. Groups gather on a regular basis to
explore a wide range of topics in a safe and supportive
environment. We are always looking for newcomers
or anyone interested in finding out more about the
program…
If you are interested in joining a group or
have any questions please contact Maddie Sifantus, our minister, or Laura Broding [email protected] 617-312-6718.
Page 3
President’s Piece
While we continue to celebrate our 200 years of Unitarian Universalist presence in Wakefield
with wonderful history newspaper articles, our last bicentennial-themed Standing Room concert, The Big Band Sound of Esquivel, and the Celebratory Service on the weekend of April
27 & 28, and the Wakefield History Scavenger Hunt on May 11, and the raising of funds to
complete the necessary exterior work in our church building through our Capital Campaign,
we still need to maintain the day-to-day operations of this church community and building.
We declared the kick-off of this year’s Stewardship Drive on Saturday, March 9, with an entertaining evening with delicious potluck dinner spread, good conversation, and a fun and informative Wakefield UU
Jeopardy game. The funds we raise through our Stewardship Drive are those that the church uses to pay
its staff salaries, to maintain our church building with routine repairs and improvements, and to pay for
heat, electricity, insurance, & the other not so glamorous but needed items so we can have a warm,
comfortable, & informed place to come together for services, religious education, adult programming,
social events, concerts, and yes, meetings. This church community does need your financial support. If
you have pledged already, I want to thank you very much. If you have not, please generously pledge
today.
I am also pleased to announce two new members to our congregation. Please join me in welcoming
John and Kristen Gallagher! We will officially welcome them in to our congregation at our Membership
Sunday service in June. Springtime is a good time to join the church. You can be recognized at the June
membership service if you choose. Also, you may participate in the governance of the congregation by
voting at the annual church meeting on May 7 and possibly serving in an elected church
position. If you are interesting in finding out more about what church positions may be available, whether you are a long-time member or new member, please contact Janet Schuchter, Nominating Committee chair at [email protected].
Happy Spring!
-
Janine
Capital Campaign Update
Bicentennial Celebration
We are almost at the $100,000 mark. The Capital Campaign
has raised $95,202. There are still members & friends we
haven’t heard from so if you haven’t turned in your pledge
sheet, please send it now. Please mark your envelope,
“Capital Campaign” so Joe can get it. You also can email
the pledge sheet to Joe ([email protected]) if that is
more convenient. It is worth repeating that your pledged
amount doesn’t have to be given all at once. We are asking
for ten percent of your pledge amount upfront, if that is
possible for you. You can spread your pledge over many
months until December 31, 2015. Remember any amount is
welcomed; help us get to $100,000.
Our Bicentennial celebration is just a
month away. Please RSVP to Maddie’s
Punchbowl e-invite so we have a good idea
of how many people are attending the service, and if we will need to open up the
balcony to accommodate our members.
Furthermore, responding to the e-invite
will help us plan on how much food we need. If you can
bake some cookies for this event will you please contact
Joe Cresta, [email protected] or call him at 781-2452967. We also will need ushers in the sanctuary to pass
out the order of service, so, if you are interested please
contact Maddie or Joe. It is an exciting time for us to
share our birthday with not just our members but the
community at large.
A big thank you to all of our members who have contributed so far; we really would like to see 100% participation.
As we roll out the public phase of the campaign and ask
businesses for contributions to the campaign, we will be
asked how much the congregation raised on its own. We are
also applying for grants, and the Grantors want to know
how much did the organization raise on its own as well; and
it would be so nice to say that all of our members participated in the Capital Campaign.
Many thanks go out to all of you who have helped
in our Bicentennial and Capital Campaign efforts.
Thank you to the History Group for their great
efforts in telling our story to the Town of Wakefield.
Don’t forget the 50/50 raffle is still going on to defer the
costs for the Bicentennial celebration. We are asking our
members to grab ten tickets and sell them to your
friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members. The
price for a single ticket is $5 or five tickets for $20. Contact Nancy Trimper and she can assign you a strip of
tickets.
The cash prizes are: 1 @ $1000; 3 @ $250; 5 @$50.
Page 4
Annual Meeting and Annual Reports
All members and friends are encouraged to attend our church
annual meeting on Tuesday,
May 7 at 7:30pm in the Social
Hall. Only members in attendance are eligible to vote. If you
are a church friend and would
like to join the church to have voting privileges at
annual meeting, please contact Rev. Maddie by
Sunday, May 5. All committee chairs, church
officers & staff, and delegates are asked to
have their annual reports submitted by Tuesday, April 30. They can be emailed to the church
administrative address: [email protected]
Budget Planning Process
The Budget Planning for the July 2013 - June
2014 fiscal year budget is beginning on Tuesday,
April 2, in the nursery meeting room. All church
members and friends, and especially committee
chairs with input on income or expenses are encouraged to attend. The second working meeting
will be on Wednesday, April
17, 7:30 in the social hall.
The final Budget Planning &
Review is scheduled for Sunday, April 21st, 12 noon in the
Social Hall.
Bicentennial Weekend
Saturday, April 27, 7:30pm:
SRO Presents:
The Big Band Sound of Esquivel
Brian O'Neill's 22-Piece
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica
Sunday, April 28, 3pm:
Bicentennial Celebratory Service
with former Wakefield UU
Church ministers in attendance
and a Combined Choir drawn
from area UU congregations and
the local Interfaith community.
On Facebook? Don’t forget to
“Like” the page for the Unitarian Universalist Church of
Wakefield!
Stewardship Drive
This is a friendly reminder to please try to return your pledge cards by March 31. Pledge support is vital to
our operating budget and preparation has already begun towards the new budget for our annual meeting.
Pledge cards can be returned in the following ways:
The pledge card box in church foyer, in the collection plate during service offerings, or mailed to Wakefield UU Church, PO BOX 529, Wakefield, MA 01880
Pledge point people:
Janine Fabiano [email protected]
781-245-0631
Kurt Barkalow [email protected] 781-621-8194
Laura Broding [email protected] 781-246-7870
Page 5
Fleas and Volunteers Wanted!
This year’s annual Flea Market will be held on Saturday, April 6, 9am – 2pm. Start
saving your Fleas and check the schedule below for when you can help out & drop
off your fleas. Table set-up will be Monday night, April 1st at 8pm when several strong people are needed.
Flea drop offs, prepping, sorting, and pricing will be Tuesday thru Friday, and selling and clean up on Saturday. Many volunteers are needed, especially for set up, evenings, and on the day of the event! We
want your fleas too (the earlier, the better!), but no clothes, linens, TVs or computer monitors,
text books or encyclopedias, please.
Volunteer Work Schedule:

Monday night table setup & flea drop off: 8pm - 9pm (please let Janine know if you can help)

Tuesday - Friday mornings, 10am - 12noon: Drop offs, prepping, sorting, and pricing

Tuesday – Friday evenings, 6:30pm - 9pm: Drop offs, prepping, sorting, and pricing

Saturday, 8:30am – 3pm: Selling & Cleanup

We will be selling 50-50 raffle tickets and some baked goods.

For questions or to volunteer, contact Nancy Trimper at [email protected], or 781-245-8562.
Wakefield History Scavenger Hunt,
UU Cinema
Sunday, April 7th, at 6pm
The films being shown for April UU Cinema are:
Love Hacking: An American inventor falls in love
through an online connection and then travels to Nepal to meet his fiancée. 11 minutes
The Love Competition: In this documentary, participants in a brain-imaging study at Stanford University
compete to find whose brain displays the most feelings of love. 15 minutes
Lunch Date: Getting dumped always hurts, even more
so when your boyfriend sends his fourteen-year-old
brother to break the news. 22 minutes
The Camera: An abandoned beach house, and mysterious photos. 7 minutes
Tick Tock Time Emporium: A young girl discovers the
value of time. 17 minutes
Saturday, May 11, 4-8pm
Celebrate our 200 years in Wakefield with
a Wakefield History Scavenger Hunt.
Please start spreading the word and organizing a team for up to 4 adults and any
number of children under the age of 12
with at least two adults. Sign-in forms will
be available soon. Teams participating in
this bicentennial event will start in the Social Hall, venture out to the Wakefield
Downtown and Upper Common area for
clues to answer Wakefield historical questions, and return to the Social Hall for
scavenger hunt wrap-up and reception.
The cost per team is $100. All proceeds
will support bicentennial activities and the
capital campaign.
Pioneer: A father tells his son an epic bedtime story.
15 minutes
DON’T FORGET UU CINEMA BEGINS AT 6:00PM IN
THE SOCIAL HALL. LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE
SERVED. COME AND JOIN US FOR SOME GREAT INDEPENDENT FILMS.
Page 6
Social Action Corner
Organizations we collaborate with are:
Mission of Deeds
UUSC Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
UU MassAction
My Brother’s Table
Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry
Refugee Immigration Ministry
Wakefield Salvation Army
UUA Unitarian Universalist Association
household goods to place in our collection box is
located in the church foyer. Most needed items:
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Social Action Meetings – open to all!

Please join us on the 4th Tuesday of each month for

Social Action committee meetings in the church so
cial hall at 7pm. (Note: this is a change from Mon
days) All are welcome and we look forward to ongoing work with the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pan- 
try, Refugee Immigration (RIM), My Brother’s Table 

Soup Kitchen, and more. For more information
contact Laura Broding – [email protected] 781- 

246-7870.
My Brother’s Table.
The 4th Saturday of every other month – next service date for our church is May 25. We assist
with the preparation and service of meals at My
Brother’s Table (98 Willow St., Lynn), a soup kitchen
serving the greater Lynn area for an average of 200
guests each day. The Social Action Committee will
have a signup sheet for volunteers interested in
participating in this service. Prep is from 12:45 –
2:30pm. Clean up is over by 4:30 latest. You can
help for part of the day or the entire service and
families with children are welcome to help. Contact
Laura Broding [email protected] 617-312-6718
for more information.
Wakefield Food Pantry
www.wifoodpantry.org 781-245-2510
APRIL Food Drive for the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry!
Please consider making a donation for the food
drive by bringing any non perishable food and/or
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce
Canned Fruit
Canned Tomatoes (paste, diced, pureed,
ground)
Peanut Butter
Boxed Pasta
Canned chicken/white tuna
Brand Cereal
Bagged pasta meals
Instant Coffee
Tea Bags
Mayonnaise
Vegetable oil
Cake & Brownie Mixes
Toilet Paper
Toothbrushes/toothpaste
Paper towels
Dishwashing Liquid
Laundry Detergent
The food pantry also accepts monetary donations
or you can volunteer your time. For more information on the food pantry and how you can help
please contact Laura Broding [email protected]
617-312-6718
RIM - Refugee Immigration Ministry
http://www.r-i-m.net/
This is an organization we have been working with
over the past few years. Refugee Immigration Ministry is an interfaith, 501©(3) Agency which serves
immigrants who are seeking asylum, asylees, or
refugees. Each client must be legally and medically
cleared prior to acceptance in RIM's programs. Assistance by way of donations of goods and time are
always needed. Cash and credit card donations are
also welcome to help these individuals begin to
build their own lives.
For more information please contact
Sheila Moran 781-246-9442 or [email protected]
Page 7
Musical Notes:
Combined Choir for
Bicentennial Celebration
This is your chance to join a combined choir of
our choir, local interfaith congregations, Rise
Up Singers and UU singers from the area and
beyond for the April 28 at 3:00 PM Bicentennial Celebration. Rev. Maddie will be conducting the choir and musicians. Singers will need
to attend two rehearsals: Monday, April 22,
from 7-9 PM and Sunday, April 28, from 1-2:30
PM. If you want to get a head start on the music, come to regular choir rehearsals for the last
half hour, being ready to sing at 8 PM on Mondays, April 1, 8, and 15 in the sanctuary. The
different pieces will be introduced each week.
We will be singing two pieces with words by
Kendyl Gibbons and music by Jason Shelton; a
special piece of music composed for the occasion by Caitie Daphtary, who is the Director of
Religious Education of our congregation in
Malden and a graduate of Oberlin in composition; a piece of music by Keith Arnold and
David Barrows; plus two other anthems, "The
Size of Your Heart" with words by Charles
Miller and music by Eleanor Daley; and "Draw
the Circle Wide" by Gordon Light and Mark A.
Miller. Most of these pieces of music bring the
congregation in and are readily accessible. We
will not be robing but will likely wear concert
dress (white tops, black bottoms or all black)
with a colorful scarf or tie. Please be in touch
with any questions and to let me know by
early April if you will be joining us so that
there is enough music and a seating chart can
be prepared. Folks
can reach Rev. Maddie at [email protected] or my
cell phone which is
508-733-8860.
SRO Presents:
The Big Band Sound of
Esquivel:
Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica
Venture out beyond the moon with Mr.
Ho's Orchestrotica, the only 22-piece big
band in the world that presents the spaceage bachelor-pad sounds of Juan Garcia
Esquivel live in concert. This SRO season finale
offers the only 2013 Boston-area concert of the
acclaimed orchestra, a hit on the main stage at
the recent Montreal Jazz Festival. Frank Alkyer of
Downbeat effused about the “incredible arrangements, musicianship and artistic direction” of Mr.
Ho’s Orchestrotica. Mr. Ho himself (Brian O’Neill)
to lead. Ticketed reception follows.
Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 7:30pm
Unitarian Universalist Church
326 Main Street, Wakefield, MA 01880
Tickets: $30; $25 seniors 65+ and students
Tickets online at www.sroconcerts.org
Or after church services
Or by mail: SRO/Wakefield
UU Church, PO Box 529,
Wakefield, MA 01880
Information online at
www.sroconcerts.org or by
calling 339.203.9366
Musing about his pursuit of the perfect representation
of musical America 50 years ago, producer Peter
Stickel had this to say: “In considering how to characterize the early 60’s, we originally wanted to present
pop songs from the period, but how do you pick just
one? Too many choices, therefore guaranteed to disappoint most everyone.
“Then it hit me – we can showcase a sound that was
everywhere at the time – in movies, TV theme songs,
elevators - the orchestral hybrid that bridged the gap
between 1950’s easy listening and 60’s psychedelic
music: the big band sound of Juan Garcia Esquivel, as
fun to hear as its irreverent campiness is the perfect
absurd reaction to a time when America was both
confronting a multitude of lurking and difficult realities
and also setting its sights on the moon. Ah, heck, it’s
just going to be a lot of fun and tickets are going fast!”
Page 8
Rise Up Singing!
What is your favorite spring song—or Patriotic Song
for Patriot’s Day? Our next Rise Up Singing group
will take place on Friday, April 19 at 7:30 PM in the
Social Hall. Rise Up Singing is a sort of “round
robin” singing circle, inspired by but not limited to
the Rise Up Singing book. Singers and instrumentalists of all ages are welcome to this informal and spirited evening of shared music making. Free Will Offering. Please bring a non-perishable item for the
Food Pantry. Please save the date for a very special
Bicentennial Singalong Concert on Friday, May 17,
2013 at 7:30 PM! For more information, call Reverend Maddie at her home office: 508
-358-7091, email her at [email protected] or leave a message
on the church answering machine
(781-245-4632).
Come to a Choir Rehearsal
(No Commitment Required)!
All adult beginner or experienced singers
are welcome to come and sing for any of
the rehearsals with or without a commitment of joining the choir. The choices of
music that the choir sings at rehearsals and
at services are usually selected by choir members
present. Come share your thoughts and opinions on
what you may like to hear the choir sing during the
church year and have fun singing for an evening or
more. The choir rehearses on Mondays, 7 –
8:30pm. Contact Janine at [email protected] or
781-245-0631 with any choir questions or interest.
Linden Tree Coffeehouse
News from Our Lifespan
Religious Education Coordinator:
Hello from the RE program! I hope this article finds
you warm and excited about this month's RE schedule.
The big event this month will be the bicentennial of
our church on the 28th, and we'll be learning about
the history of our church throughout the month, as
well as continuing our lessons on The Seven Principles
and lives of some important UUs too.
In the first Sunday school session of the month (April
7th) we will be learning about our seventh Principle:
Respect for the interdependent web of life. We will be
telling the story and learning about the “Change the
World Kids”, a group of UU kids from Vermont who
worked to rehabilitate a migratory bird channel in
Costa Rica.
For the second session of the month we will
be focusing on our fourth Principle: A free
and responsible search for truth and meaning, through the life of Ralph Waldo Emerson. We will read some of Emerson's transcendental writings and talk about what we
each find meaningful.
On April 21st we will learn more about the history of
our church and one of the people who helped to found
it, Hosea Ballou. Ballou has been called "The Father of
American Universalism" and his life influences both our
church, and Unitarian Universalism at large.
For the final Sunday of the month the RE program will
be joining the whole church community
to celebrate our 200th anniversary!
I can't wait to see you all this month!
Julian Baptista
Lifespan Religious Education Coordinator
If you have any questions about, or ideas for the RE
program, please email me at [email protected].
Around the Block

28th Season!
April 6, 2013 $18 8:00 pm
Jammin' Divas!
Aoife Clancy, Kath Buckell, and Becky Chace
For more information and future dates, see
www.lindentreecoffeehouse.org
Phone: 781-246-2836

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be
with our members Jackie Millinor and
Marcia Calvin, who are continuing to recover in their homes.
We hold in our hearts the Parece family on
the death of Kelli’s brother, Daniel Steer.
Rev. Maddie officiated at a Memorial Service for him in our Sanctuary on March 30.
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Committee News:
Finance: Fundraising Subcommittee
Finance’s Fundraising Subcommittee oversees the
scheduling and plans for all church fundraisers.
Each chair of a new or ongoing fundraiser is to
complete an “Information on Fund Raising
Events” form before getting under way with a
fundraiser. Contact Janine Fabiano
([email protected] or 781-245-0631) to
receive the form.
Safe Congregations
The Safe Congregations ommittee held their
quarterly meeting on March 5th. The next meeting will be in late May or early June. Following
Annual Meeting, the Committee will conduct a
key audit in accordance with the key policy
adopted last year. So don't be surprised if you are
asked about your key to the church. The Mission
of the Safe Congregations Committee (SCC) is to
promote the safety of the building and our congregation by routinely reviewing various policies
and practices. Please contact SCC Chair Susan
Kilkelly, 781-245-7245, [email protected], with
any questions or SCC concerns.
Sunday Morning Volunteers
The following volunteer positions are available
each week. Please consider helping out on a
monthly or occasional basis.
Worship: Usher, Announcer, Greeter
Coffee hour: Set-up, Clean-up, Baked goods
Trash: Since we don’t have a dumpster or town trash
pickup, we need to take turns taking a bag or two of
trash home with us.
Heat: Having one or two folks available to take a
turn, here and there, opening the sanctuary radiators
early Sunday mornings would be great!
You can sign up on the database at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WakefieldUU/
database or contact the following person for the
specific task:
Greeter: Nancy Trimper -– 781-245-8562
Usher: Janet Schuchter -– 781-245-0735
Announcer: Peter Stickel — 781-245-8029
If you can help with Coffee Hour Baking, Set-up, or
Clean-up, please sign up on the Yahoo database,
email [email protected] with the date and task
or, if you are not online, call Nancy Trimper at 781245-8562.
Planning an Event at the Church?
A Note from the Religious Education Committee:
The Religious Education Committee will meet after
the service on Sunday, April 14th, on the Social
Hall stage. All are welcome to join us
and share ideas for our program!
- Lucy Skeldon, Chair
Please check in with Elizabeth Lowry, the
shared space coordinator, before putting it on
the Yahoo Calendar. With so many activities
going on in this busy congregation, it is important to avoid scheduling conflicts.
UU Book Group—All Readers Welcome!
are invited to join with our Ritual Planning
The Book Group will not meet in April;
Our next meeting will be in May, date to be
announced. We will talk about books
we’ve been reading, and share recommendations for summer reading.
Committee, which is meeting on Wednes-
Happy Reading! Mary Adele Taylor
Ritual Planning Meeting
All interested women of the congregation
day, April 10 at 1:30 PM following Soup with the
Minister, on the Stage in the Social Hall. On the
[email protected]
agenda is planning for Beltaine, which will be on
Sunday, May 5, at 7:00 PM in the Social Hall.
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Church Officers and Staff
Minister - Rev. Maddie Sifantus
7 Holiday Rd., Wayland, MA 01778
(508) 358-7091 [email protected]
President - Janine Fabiano
29 Lafayette Street, Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 245-0631 [email protected]
Vice-President - Kurt Barkalow
54 West Park Drive, Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 621-8194 [email protected]
Treasurer - Jessica Chase
193 Franklin Street, Stoneham, MA 02180
(781) 665-3314 [email protected]
Clerk - Tracy Ottina
18 East Wyoming Avenue, Melrose, MA 02176
(781)439-3078 [email protected]
Collector - Greg Moulton
5 Overlake Road, Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 246-0738 [email protected]
Board of Directors Laura Broding: (617) 312-6718
[email protected]
Joe Cresta: (781) 640-2619
[email protected]
Matthew Jewett: (781) 224-0135
md [email protected]
Lifespan Religious Ed. Coordinator Julian Baptista - (978) 744-4796
[email protected]
Pianist - Alla Vishnevetsky
(617) 776-5362 [email protected]
Our Founders
Two Hundred years ago, on April 29,
1813, these seven men met at the Amos
Boardman home to form the
Universalist Society of South Reading.,
beginning the spiritual tradition we
carry forward today:
Colonel Amos Boardman
Joseph Eaton
John Rayner
Charles Emerson
Benjamin Goldthwait
Joshua Burnham
Thomas Melborn
The Boardman House
Church Rentals - Elizabeth Lowry
(781) 246-2524 [email protected]
How to Reach Us:
Address: 326 Main St, PO Box 529,
Wakefield, MA 01880
Telephone: 781-245-4632
Web site:
www.wakefielduu.org
Email: :
[email protected]
Newsletter Submissions:
[email protected]
Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WakefieldUU/
To email the Yahoo Group:
[email protected]
From the Editors: All submissions to the Gleam must be in
writing -- email, paper copy, or disk. Please include the
contact name, phone #, and/or email address for each article.
Please send email submissions to
[email protected],
and include the word “Gleam” in the subject line.
The next Gleam deadline is April 21st
Gleam Editor: Lucy Skeldon; Copy Readers: Sheila Moran,
Matthew Jewett, Marcia Calvin, Rev. Maddie; Publisher &
Distribution: Nick Malfroy & Janine Fabiano; Snail Mail
Distribution: Janine Fabiano; Reporters: You!
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See Something Needing Fixing?
Talk to a Property Committee member: Matthew
Jewett, Matt Lowry, George Snow, or email
[email protected].
To see the current Property Committee Task List,
go to:
http://www.wakefielduu.org/
We Are a Welcoming Congregation
Having fulfilled the requirements of our denomination
to be a "Welcoming Congregation", the Wakefield UU
Church is intentional about celebrating the presence
and full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender persons in all aspects of congregational
life. We also welcome all persons regardless of race,
economic status, theological and political perspective,
or other distinctions that keep us from embracing our
common humanity. We acknowledge that we still have
work to do and we welcome your advice about how we may be more welcoming. We want to say, truthfully,
“All are welcome here!"
Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield
PO Box 529
Wakefield MA 01880
History Articles Available At Website
For our Bicentennial, the History Committee has been producing a series of monthly
articles. Beginning with an introductory
article in May of 2012, an article has been
published each month in the Wakefield
Daily Item and on our website at http://
www.wakefielduu.org/our-history. If you haven't
already, take a minute to read the short pieces and
look at the pictures. The articles have covered such
diverse topics as our weathervane, the sanctuary
decorated for Christmas in Victorian times, the 1913
Centennial, our habit of launching new ministers into
long term and interesting careers, and more.
Don’t Forget! We are an Amazon.com
affiliate!
Shopping online? Start by going to our
website: www.wakefielduu.org
Scroll down to the Amazon.com search box
on the left and start shopping! All
purchases made after entering Amazon.com
via our website will earn
our congregation a
referral rate of up to
8.5%, depending on the
shipped items’ volume.
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