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Unsung Story

Presented by Rev. Carol Haag

We tend to celebrate a person who speaks long and loudly, who makes waves, who causes visible change. However, often it is another who has plowed the ground and prepared the way for the well-known person to become famous. Together we’ll explore the story of a man named Thomas and see if there is anything we can learn from him.

BIO: Carol retired after 13 years as the religious educator (DRE and MRE) with The Unitarian Church (now Beacon) in Summit, NJ. Since then, she has served on the Murray Grove board, as member, President, and currently chairs its Development Committee. She is a strong advocate for Universalism as the central, vital force in our Unitarian Universalist movement. She believes that Universalism embodies the critical message of inclusion for our time.

PLEASE NOTE: This service will be in person at UUCSJS and streamed live on our Facebook page. A recording will be available later in the day on our YouTube Channel.

*Masks are currently optional at UUCSJS.

To have your announcement placed in the Midweek Message, please send an email to admin@uucsjs.org by Noon on Wednesday.

N O T I C E of

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE UUCSJS

June 11, 2023

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the ANNUAL MEETING of the UUCSJS will be held (immediately following the Sunday service) for the purposes of:

• approving the budget for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year;
• electing members of the Board of Trustees,
• Nominations Committee;
• Committee on Ministry, and
• Gift and Endowment Committee; and
• transacting such other business as may come before the congregation.

By order of the Board,

Kit Marlowe, Secretary, UUCSJS Board of Trustees

Three Ways to Vote:

1. By attending the meeting in person (you must be a member in order to vote).
(A quorum must be present in order to conduct the business of the congregation. The Board will determine before the annual meeting whether the option to attend/vote by zoom is needed and/or feasible).

2. By Absentee Ballot – An Absentee Ballot will be made available upon request and must be received by the Board Secretary before the start of the Annual Meeting at 12:00 p.m., June 11 in order to be counted.

3. By Proxy – A Proxy Letter signed by the absent member authorizes another member to vote on the absent member’s behalf.

Members may easily create their own proxy letter. The proxy letter names the proxy and states that said proxy is authorized to vote on behalf of the named member at the meeting named and is properly signed and dated. The proxy letter shall be presented to the Board Secretary or to the meeting moderator on or before the opening of the Annual Meeting.

No member may vote more than two (2) proxies per meeting. A proxy is valid for one (1) meeting only and can be used on all matters other than the amending of bylaws.

There will be a second collection to benefit the Eastern Service Workers Association this Sunday, June 11th.

The Front Runner by Patricia Neil Warren

Harlan Brown is a tough, conservative track coach hiding from his past at a small college. Billy Sive is a brilliant young runner who is homosexual and doesn’t mind who knows it. When they fall in love, they enter a race against hate and prejudice which takes them to the ’76 Olympics and a shattering, shocking conclusion. With 10 million copies in seven languages, this landmark classic is the most popular gay love story of all time.

Meeting Friday, June 16th at 7:00 on ZOOM (www.tinyurl.com/uucsjszoom).

All are welcome to attend!

Questions: morellb@msn.com

We have been trying to plan an Emergency Evacuation Drill for several months. According to our Emergency Evacuation Action Plan we need twelve volunteers for the Evacuation Team. We now have eight congregants who have agreed to help us. We need four more people to volunteer before we can schedule this drill. Several years ago, we had a committee who wrote an action plan that really is quite concise. Our plan is to conduct a congregation drill at least twice a year. We are hoping to get more than twelve volunteers so we have alternate people that can step in if needed. If you can volunteer, please reach out to Marty Quish or Jessica Dunn Safonof.

UUCSJS will present a concert video of Craig Hella Johnson's choral oratorio, "Considering Matthew Shepard" during Pride Month. This year is the 25th anniversary of Shepard’s death, which captured national attention. This performance by the nation's first LGBTQ+ chorus, The Stonewall Chorale, was filmed on March 25th, 2023. The soaring musical work first premiered in 2016, and was nominated for a Grammy. The presentation will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Colin Taber, who found himself captivated by this material and inspired to promote awareness of the piece and the work of The Stonewall Chorale. It will be presented on Friday, June 23, 2023 from 7:00-9:00 pm, in the UUCSJS sanctuary.

BIRTHING JUSTICE FILM

This is an 1hr 25m film which is currently available to view on PBS until 6/9/23 and may be available (www.birthingjustice.com) on other streaming sites.

The US is the only industrialized nation in the world where maternal mortality is rising. Black woman are three to five times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white woman and 80% of those deaths are preventable.

This film addresses this national crisis by turning the spotlight on the progress being made by health initiatives and uplifting evidence-based practices to adopt more widely. The film offers solutions that can be implemented in communities across the country.

A limited number of grocery gift cards for Shoprite and Acme are available for purchase on Sunday morning. Proceeds from the sale of these cards benefit UUCSJS operating budget.

Please complete the following form using the link below to indicate your interest in purchasing cards and whether you would be interested in making regular purchases of these cards.

Do you love the arrangements you see on the chalice table each Sunday? Are you feeling creative? Sign up to bring floral or other arrangement for our chalice table!

Let Colby know ahead of time or text 609-442-0967 to schedule your arrangements.

Click on the graphic below or visit the calendar at uucsjs.org for more information on events and meetings.

CLICK HERE to reserve the Zoom Room or to add your event to the calendar.

For many of us, there is no greater delight than a great book. Except maybe sharing that great book with someone. So for this exercise…

Give away a copy of your favorite book to a friend or stranger!

If you give it away to a friend, be sure to write a note to them or tell them why the book is special to you and what special thing about them made you want to give it to them.

If you would like to give it away to a stranger, here are some articles to help you get inspired:

● https://www.idealist.org/en/days/leave-a-book-on-a-bench

● https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/where-to-leave-books-for-strangers-to-find-them/

I have been a BookCrosser for many years and always find delight in leaving just the right book in just the right spot. I have left mystery novels at the grocery store, an action novel at a karate studio, The Old Man and the Sea at the boardwalk, and The Life of Pi at the zoo!

Bookcrossing.com is an online archival and tracking system that allows members to connect with other readers, journal and review literature, and trade and follow their books as lives are changed through “reading and releasing”. Users are able to tag and track their individual books by marking them with BCIDs (BookCrossing Identity Numbers). Each BCID is unique to each book – once it’s registered on our site, the book can then be followed and journaled forever. BookCrossing is free to join and free to play. There are currently 1,970,153 BookCrossers and 14,163,519 books travelling throughout 132 countries. Check it out and spread some delight!

Here you will find ways to learn about and connect with our faith and opportunities to connect with other UU's from outside our congregation.

Click on the images for more information.

We need all hands on deck! We need your help to support offshore wind in NJ as fossil fuel interests try to delay our clean energy transition. Join us for the renewable energy event of the year, our NJ Wind Works Rally: Harnessing the Wind for a Lasting Renewable Future on 6/10 at 12pm in Long Branch at the Great Lawn Beach at Beachfront North!

What: NJ Wind Works Rally: Harnessing the Wind for a Lasting Renewable Future

When: Saturday June 10, 2023, 12-3pm.

Where:The Great Lawn at Beachfront North, Long Branch, NJ (facilities available, wheelchair accessible)

Parking: Public parking lots (suggested early arrival), accessible public transit via train

Family Friendly? Yes!

Contact a member of the Caring Team

Team members can provide you with support during/after an illness, a death in the family, or other loss or hardship. They can find you resources, run errands, or provide meals in time of need.

Reach out to:

• Tracey Catino at (609) 674-8721 email: Traceysnaps@msn.com
• Helen Utts at (609) 338-3391 email: HelenUtts@aol.com
• Tony Zitelli at (201) 463-2800 email: happy85a@aol.com
• Barbara Morell at (215) 805-7599 email: morellb@msn.com
• Janet Longo at (609) 748-8608 email: jilportnj@comcast.net

Caring Team is looking for members who are willing to attend monthly Zoom meetings and help out when congregants are sick or suffering from hardships. Please contact Tracey Catino if you can join our confidential group.

Sunday Services 10:30 am in person and livestreamed on Facebook.

Email: admin@uucsjs.org
Website: www.uucsjs.org
Location: 75 S Pomona Rd, Egg Harbor City, NJ, USA

Mailing Address: PO Box 853, Pomona NJ 08240
Phone: (609) 965-9400
Facebook: facebook.com/uucsjs
Twitter: @UUCSJS