Univoice Weekly

Weekly News for the week of:
March 29, 2020
This Sunday:

The Wisdom Pot – Worship Online Via Zoom

There’s an old story about a pot that gets broken and pours forth wisdom. Where does your wisdom come from? This morning we will explore the many containers of wisdom–stories, practices, other people, and ourselves


For Sunday’s worship, we are using the Zoom conferencing platform. It is easy to Zoom from a computer, tablet, or phone! Here is how you do it:

  • With a computer, smartphone or tablet, click on this link to participate: https://zoom.us/j/562036166. (If it’s the first time you’re using zoom you may be prompted to download a launcher app.)
  • With a land-line, cell phone, or smartphone (audio only)
    • dial this number to participate: 1-646-558-8656.
    • When prompted, enter the Meeting ID: 562 036 166.

Please plan to log on by 10:20 or 10:25 am so that you can establish a connection before worship is scheduled to begin. Please note that your mic will be muted when you join this Sunday and will remain muted for the service. For future services, we will be offering more interactive options including breakout rooms for small group sharing.

We are also working on adding our Zoom service recordings to our website and exploring options for captioning. We are hoping to have these options available by next week. 


This Week in RE:
All ages worship 
For all: Explore where our wisdom comes from with these two coloring sheets.  Take a picture of your finished colored sheets and send to director.religious.education@uuberks.org next week we’ll share a compilation of people’s contributions.

Blue Boat Home World Coloring Sheet 

Labyrinth Coloring Page

Youth Group: 11:45 – 12:15 this Sunday.   Even if you haven’t been to YG in a while, we’d love to see your face! This is a great way to connect in the midst of everything going on. This is your chance to join YG surrounded by pillows, with your cat hanging out by your side, with a smoothie, in your sweats or jammies, whatever you want.
Info for signing on and getting a good connection sent via g.youth.group email. Contact director.religious.education@uuberks.org if you need the info resent.

Have you seen our new website?
Check it out at UUBerks.org
Giving Options in a time of coronavirus
We know that these are uncertain times and that some of our members and friends are being impacted financially as well as in so many other ways. For those who are able to make a gift or continue to contribute to their pledge, we have added some options. In addition to accepting checks and signing up for electronic giving, you can also now make your gifts from the website and via text. Here are the details:
  • You can now give online on our website UUberks.org by clicking on the online giving tab or clicking
    here
  • You can also give by downloading the GivePlus app on google play and the App store below. You can easily locate our church by zip code 19602

Indigenous Peoples’ Book Read and Workshop led by Rev. Dr. Sandra Fees

On Sunday March 29 after church at Noon we will hold the workshop on the Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States based on the UUA Common Read (see it here). The workshop is facilitated by Rev. Dr. Sandra Fees. It is not a lecture and some familiarity with the book is helpful. The program will be presented via Zoom using a slideshow to guide learning, reflection, and sharing.

Here’s the invitation to Zoom. Please note: you will need to leave worship and sign in using this information:

Join Zoom Meeting https://uuma.zoom.us/j/3845247860

Meeting ID: 384 524 7860

By Phone: +1312-626-6799
Meeting ID :3845247860#

Weekday Zoom Chats with Rev. Sandra

Members and friends are invited to drop by online or by phone next week via Zoom to check in with Rev. Sandra Fees or just to see how Zoom works.

Tuesday, Mar 31, 2020 at  10:00 AM 
 
Here is how to join:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://uuma.zoom.us/j/212629519

Meeting ID: 212 629 519

By Phone call”
+1-646-876-9923,,
 Meeting ID 212629519#

Midweek Mindfulness with Rev. Sandra

Join Rev. Sandra for a 30-minute midweek mindfulness time of spoken meditation, chalice lighting, and quiet. Wednesday, April 1, 7:30-8 pm.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://uuma.zoom.us/j/887301181

Meeting ID: 887 301 181

By phone:
1-646-876-9923,
Meeting ID:887301181#

Pastoral Time with Rev. Sandra by Appointment

Pastoral meetings with Rev. Sandra Fees are available by appointment on Zoom, Google Hangouts, or phone. If you are feeling stressed or isolated, if you are struggling spiritually or financially, if you are ill or you are concerned for someone in your family, if you just need someone to talk to, or if you have a joy to celebrate, please reach out. You may contact Rev. Sandra by email (preferred) or phone to schedule.

Reflection Questions While Sheltering at Home

Dear Members and Friends,

Here’s a great list of questions for reflection for yourself and your families. You might trying using a different one to start each day. Or maybe there’s one that really speaks to you that you want to use for daily reflection. I’ll also be using these as points of sharing during small online group checks in at church.

With Love,

Rev. Sandra

Are You in Need of Resources?

Are you experiencing financial or grocery needs? The church community can provide a box of dry-goods groceries on a Thursday for pick up at the church or grocery cards to shop at Giant or Weis. For assistance with these or other needs, please contact by email Rev.Dr. Sandra Fees or the church office. You may call the church office at 610-372-0928 or email office@uuberks.org

UU the Vote: Apply for a PA Mail In or Absentee Ballot

Let’s ensure that we can all vote during the Pennsylvania primary on April 28 by applying now for a mail in or absentee ballot. You can check your voter registration status and apply for a mail in or absentee ballot here

Clean Up Our City, and Celebrate Spring Together!-Postponed

The Spring Clean-Up and Celebration has been postponed, due to the safety precautions necessary in response to the Covid-19 virus.  We will Clean-Up and celebrate Autumn!  Mark your calendars for September 19.

Members, Please Beware: Church Phishing Scam Using Fake Email

Dear members and friends, please beware of any suspicious emails you may receive attempting to impersonate me and asking you for gifts cards or money. Many ministers and congregations are being subjected to these phishing scams. The way it works is that someone creates a fake email address impersonating the minister’s. They send the email

 out to church members asking the recipient to purchase gift cards to help out someone desperately in need with the promise to pay them back.

This week a few of you received such a phishing email from someone impersonating me. (My account has not been hacked.) Please do not respond to these emails and be sure to block them.

Also note that my correct church email address is: minister@uuberks.org. Please do not use or respond to any other email addresses for me. My apologies for any inconvenience.

Rev. Sandra (minister@uuberks.org)

Upcoming events
Youth Group – Virtual 
Sun, March 29, 11:45 AM

Indigenous Peoples’ History of the US Workshop-via Zoom
Sun, March 29, 12:00 PM

Guitar Rehearsal -CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Mon, March 30, 7:45 PM

Zoom Tuesday @ 10 AM with Rev. Sandra
Tue, March 31, 10:00 AM

Choir Rehearsal-virtual
Wed, April 01, 7:00 PM

Food Pantry
Thu, April 02, 10:00 AM

Youth Group – Virtual 
Sun, April 05, 11:45 AM-

Shut Down Berks training-POSTPONED
Sun, April 05, 12:00 PM

Shut Down Berks Vigil
Sun, April 05, 3:30PM- CANCELLED

March’s theme: Wisdom

What Does It Mean To Be a People of Wisdom?

There are many ways to seek wisdom. There is travel, there are masters, there is service. There is staring into the eyes of children and elders and lovers and strangers. There is sitting silently in one spot and there is being swept along in life’s turbulent current. Life itself will grant you wisdom in ways you may neither understand nor choose.

~ Kent Nerburn

Wisdom is everywhere and nowhere. It is within our reach and often elusive. It is outside us, beyond us. We can spend our lives seeking it–acquiring more and more experiences, accumulating knowledge, and looking to gurus and masters for meaning and guidance.

But sometimes we need to stop and see how wisdom is showing up from within us. Listening to our own teacher, to our own intuition, our inner voice, can be powerful and profound. How well are you doing at listening to your own inner teacher as well as heeding the counsel of others? When’s the last time your still small voice gave you just the insight you needed all along? This month as we explore the many sources of wisdom, be sure to take time to explore your own inner voice. It just may be the key that unlocks some wisdom you’ve been waiting for.

Yours in love,

Rev. Sandra


Balancing Knowledge and Wisdom

From your Director of Music
Elizabeth Bromley

“Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification. ”

– Martin H. Fischer

In rehearsal we focus on the balance between piling up of skills and then in performance we strive to let all of the details go and focus on the moment at hand.

In rehearsal we’re focused on the rhythm and the notes and the text and the dynamics And and And and And…..

Letting all of the details become one simplified idea can be so hard.

All of the details can seem so important that engaging with the whole picture, the whole piece of music can become challenging.

It is often only in a dress rehearsal, the time right before a performance, that we give ourselves permission to move away from the details and experience the whole piece.

Great conductors know to check the “balance” of an ensemble.  Either they’ll ask someone to move to the far corners of a room and report what they hear to the conductor or they themselves will move away from right in front of the group and conduct from a further distance than normal to hear how the different sounds are blending in the room.  Are the lower sounds louder than the higher sounds, can we hear each individual part or are some parts not coming through?

The simplification comes when we can create distance from the piece we’re focusing on and it truly helps our wisdom when we can share our perspectives with many folx.  In what ways is it easy for you to find a “balcony perspective” with moments in your life? In what ways do you need to ask someone else to share with you their “balcony perspective”?

In Harmony,

Ebee Bromley


The Wisdom of A Wise Old Owl

From Your Director of Religious Education
Elizabeth Bromley

A Wise Old Owl

A wise old owl lived in an oak.
The more they saw the less they spoke.
The less they spoke the more they heard.
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?

Wisdom shared to you from the SoulMatters Religious Education Materials for our Seeds class (PreK-K group).

Questions to play with in this month of wisdom:
What helps you see, hear, smell, touch & taste your world?
How can you experience more of your world this month?

Yours in the wisdom of questions,

Ebee Bromley,
Director of Religious Education


wisdom

by nadine j. smet-weiss

spiritual director


within

intuition

speaks

deep

opening

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