A Video Message from Kim

This month, instead of an article, click on the video below to watch Kim’s Did You Know video, which was originally uploaded to YouTube on August 28. It’s worth a second viewing if you’ve seen it already.

The Theological Call to Get Out the Vote

By Lisa Schilansky, Ministerial Intern

As Unitarian Universalists, we believe in a full-week faith, living out our values every day of the week. One of the things that we deeply believe in is the power and importance of democracy.

This fall, there are myriad ways to get involved with our national UU the Vote organization and connect with other UUs from across the country and here at home. I have volunteered with UU the Vote for years and love their focus on education and engaging with traditionally disenfranchised voters.

As we all know, some people in this country are making it their mission to make it harder for others to vote. My Unitarian Universalism, my faith, believes in the power of our voices, words, and feet to make the world we envision come true.

From Financial Support to Full Engagement

By Holly Bussey, CFA FEFT

The Council for Faith in Action Faith Expressing and Funding Team’s (CFA-FEFT’s) vision, for this fiscal year, is twofold. We will continue our financial giving while encouraging deeper community involvement.

Last year our donations exceeded $15,000. Thank you for this remarkable support. With funding secure, we’re shifting our focus, living our mission: changing the world through generosity, with love at the center.

We will base our community support on four principles:

1. We will build relationships with community organizations that support the underserved. We’ll provide more than financial support to groups that are connected to our church as a community or a partner.
2. We will continue to support groups with which we already have a relationship (e.g., Food Ministry).
3. We will provide emergency support in response to disasters and crises.
4. We will build relationships by encouraging church members to attend community events. (e.g. the I AM TRENTON dinner).

Look for more about these initiatives in the coming months. We welcome all who would like to be part of this strategic development and invite you to attend an FEFT gathering.

To learn more, contact faithfunding@uucwc.org

The Sound of Music Continues This Fall at UUCWC

by Erin Busch, Director of Music Ministry

Over the past two years that I have served as your Director of Music Ministry (and now, beginning my third) one of the coolest things I get to do is introduce new musicians to our space and our people. I know how much our congregation appreciates our visiting musicians, and it’s also very rewarding to see the congregation through their eyes. Erica Cherry, a clarinetist who performed for one of our services in the spring, said to me during coffee hour: “Everyone is absolutely delighted to be here.”

I’ve always felt our congregation is special—we all really want to be there, with each other, in community—and it was meaningful to hear it from someone who was visiting us for the first time. I also know how much many of you have enjoyed talking to our guest musicians after the service to get to know them or ask questions about the pieces we performed. I am honored to help facilitate more of these moments of connection and conversation this fall, and I hope that you will join us for some of the following special services.

I’m thrilled to welcome some new faces to our congregation this fall! Starting our season on September 15th, we’ll be joined by flutist Chelsea Meynig, who will perform for our regular Sunday service. On October 6th, we will celebrate Susan Irgang’s retirement with a jazz trio, who will play for our 10 a.m. service and during our brunch celebration. Later in the fall, bassoonist Zachary Feingold will provide music for our service on November 17th. We will close out the season with the UUCWC-favorite South Philly Big Band concert on December 15th, a ticketed event that will take place at noon and is open to the general public. We are also fortunate to be able to hire a professional string quartet for our 8 p.m. Christmas Eve service to perform with our choir and provide instrumental music.

I hope to see many of you at these special music services this fall!

Jessica Alaimo

Parker Cohen

Murray Grove Hosts Homecoming on October 5

By Jessica Alaimo, Executive Director, Murray Grove & Parker Cohen, Murray Grove Board Secretary

My name is Jessica Alaimo. With the help of Parker Cohen, Murray Grove’s Board Secretary, and a member of UUCWC, I am honored to introduce myself as the new Executive Director of the historic Murray Grove. As I step into this role, I am filled with excitement and a deep sense of responsibility to continue the legacy of this remarkable institution while guiding us into an inspiring and impactful future.

Murray Grove has always been a beacon of community, spirituality, and social justice. As we move forward, my vision is to amplify these core values and expand our reach and influence. We are entering a new chapter where we will deepen our commitment to the principles of equity and environmental stewardship. Our mission: to be a place of peace, reflection, and action; has never been more relevant, and together, we will explore new ways to make a meaningful difference in our world.

We will kickstart this new direction through our upcoming event, Homecoming: Earth Justice!, scheduled for October 5th, 2024. This event will be a powerful gathering that underscores our commitment to environmental justice, particularly in highlighting how global warming disproportionately affects underserved communities.

Inside Cosmic Crossings with UUCWC’s Nick Mellis

By Scott Cullen, CrossCurrents Editor

Welcome to the first of an ongoing Q&A series featuring congregation members. In our first installment, Nick Mellis, the promoter behind the Cosmic Crossings concert series, discusses his inspiration for starting the series, the music, the challenges of running a non-profit concert series, and why UUCWC is an excellent venue for a concert.

What was your inspiration for starting Cosmic Crossings?

Nick: When I attended Concerts at the Crossing concerts (The concert series founded by Scott Cullen in 1995, which ran at UUCWC for 20 seasons.), I knew I had a blueprint I could work from. I was also inspired by a concert series in Philadelphia called The Gatherings. The next morning at church I would sit in the sanctuary and ask myself why not here?

How would you describe the music presented at Cosmic Crossings?

Nick: For the unfamiliar, if you have ever heard of Vangelis (Bladerunner soundtrack), Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, or StellarDrone, this music (Space, Ambient, Electronic) is mainly instrumental, using synthesizers, computers, etc.

How many shows have you presented to date?

Nick: We started doing shows in 2016, and minus the pandemic, we typically have done three fall shows and three spring shows every year.

What were some of the more memorable shows/performers, and why?

This Month (September/October) at UUCWC

9/15 – Guest Musician Chelsea Meynig, Sunday worship

9/21 Memorial Service for Susan Colket, 11 am

10/6 Retirement Celebration for Susan Irgang following worship service. Celebration includes a jazz trio. Stay after the service to hear more music.

10/13 Ribbon Cutting/Dedication of building, 10 am; catered brunch to follow; look for invitation in email.

See more dates.