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 A Place Where We Can Ask the Big and Important Questions
Rev. Kim Wildszewski
When my niece, Hazel, was three she wanted to know about her grandmother (Tara’s Mom). Tara’s sister, (one of Hazel’s moms), explained that her mom had died many years before. Then Hazel wanted to know what it meant to die. What it meant for the person; what it meant for the living. And so, in a moment of overwhelm, they called me.
Through the miracle and intimacy of FaceTime, I explained to Hazel that there was nothing to be afraid of. Dying meant we got to be where we were before we were born – with all the stars in the sky, with everything around us, and even the things we could only imagine are real. Hazel was comforted; her parents relieved – that is, until Hazel started speaking excitedly about her own death and wishing to become a part of the whole universe again!
It’s from this story that Hazel, now five, speaks of me and speaks of us (“church”) as the place where we get to ask the big and important questions. I’ve been thinking a lot about this standard the last few weeks as the Auction Theme has been created, discussed and changed. Read more…
Rev. Kim can be reached at minister@uucwc.org.
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 Why Do We Teach the Bible in Religious Education?
Robin Pugh, Director of Lifespan Religious Education
Every other year, the 4th – 5th grade religious education class studies the Jewish and Christian Bible for a full year. Some UU adults wonder why we teach the Bible in religious education. They may have a negative bias toward the Bible because of what they’ve experienced about it in popular culture and politics or they may avoid the Bible because of the rigid and dogmatic way it was taught to them in their childhood religion. At UUCWC, we teach our children Bible stories for several reasons. Read more…
Robin Pugh is on sabbatical. The members of the sabbatical team are Sonia Hardaway, Jenn Rehbein, Wendy Stasolla and Dan Tuft. They can all be reached at sabbatical@uucwc.org.
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 Choirs Bring a “Heart Connection” – Part Two
Caryl Tipton, Director, Music Ministry
(Excerpted from “Choirs Bring a ‘Heart Connection’” by Donald E. Skinner in the Fall 2010 edition of UU World. Reprinted with permission of UU World © UUA)
What would our Sunday mornings be like without our choir[s]? Fortunately, most of us will never have to find out. The organization Chorus America estimates that more than 32 million adults regularly sing in choruses – up from 3 million in 2003 – making choral singing the most popular form of participation in the performing arts for both adults and children. Read more…
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Farewell February
Sue Flynn, Ministerial Intern
February is a very unique month. It is the shortest month of the year and it often seems to feel longer than it actually is, I always wondered if it is due to the placement of February. Most of the major fall holidays come before it, winter is not finished and spring has not yet begun. Many people seem to disregard February, viewing it more as, a period of time you have to get through, similar to a commuter state or town, just being the commuter month… Yet there is a beauty in this forgotten month, that seems to have a bad reputation almost by default. Read more…
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 From your Board of Trustees
Award Season is Here
Patrick Kahney, Board of Trustees
As you’ve probably noticed, we are a very active community that puts a lot of time and energy into fulfilling our mission to give voice to societal concerns and reach out to touch the lives of others. In order to recognize the exceptional efforts of our membership, we will be recognizing individuals this spring with the following awards. We need your nominations so that these individual contributions can be acknowledged and celebrated within our community. Read more…
You can find more information on UUCWC’s service awards and a nomination form on our website.
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Update from the Racial Justice Initiative Praxis Group, March 2018
Dan Tuft, Co-Chair, Racial Justice Initiative
3. Interfaith/Intercongregational Partnership. The congregation cultivates cultural and spiritual humility, develops deep and mutually-fulfilling partnerships with other faith communities and coalitions working for racial justice. This assessment point was the focus of our January 2018 Praxis Group meeting. Read more…
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Spiritual Direction
By Diana B. Barbera, Spiritual Director and Nina Todor, Spiritual Director
Wellspring is one of the most formative Adult Religious Education programs that UUCWC offers. In an effort to build Unitarian Universalist understanding, identity, and community, it engages participants’ minds and hearts and challenges the spirit, too. Since 2012 when Wellspring first began at UUCWC, we have learned that some people who are interested in this program shy away from it once hearing that participants must find a Spiritual Director. Two issues typically arise here: 1. UUs tend not to like being told they have to do something and 2. What on earth is a Spiritual Director? Read more...
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UUCWC’s Spring Auction
Great company and lots of fun all year long!
by Chris Piatek
I will confess that as a new member, many years ago, the thought of participating in the Auction was daunting both in terms of bidding on auction offerings and thinking of things I could offer. But, soon, I got involved both as a participant and a helper and can say without hesitation that the annual auction has been a wonderful way to meet fellow congregants, laugh, enjoy a meal, see art and movies, take a class and make things with my own hands, dance, sing and so much more. Read more…
Silent Auction: April 22 and 29
Live event: May 5
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The Endowment Committee is pleased to announce that earnings in 2017 were sufficient to allow for a limited amount of grant funding. Application deadline is March 18. Details here.
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UU FaithAction NJ
(formerly UULMNJ)
Registration is now open for the Annual Plenary
Saturday, April 21
Hosted by The Unitarian Society, East Brunswick
The keynote speaker, Sam Daley-Harris, is an author and activist, the founder of RESULTS, long-time coach to Citizen’s Climate Lobby and national expert on citizen empowerment and political activism. Details here.
FaithAction’s Executive Director, Rev. Rob Gregson will be in the pulpit at UUCWC on April 15!
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Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing
268 Washington Crossing Pennington Road, Titusville NJ 08560
609-737-0515 | uucwc@uucwc.org | www.uucwc.org
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