What’s Happening at the Society?
To Seek
To Serve
To Inspire
WORSHIP
Sunday’s Service
I Said “Excuse Me”
Rev. Dr. Tracy Sprowls
John Murray, the father
of Universalism wanted
every person to know they
were loved and
redeemable. What does
this concept look like in
the face of microaggression, modern
individualism and
“community.”
WORSHIP
OCT 4TH SERVICE
Letting go of the
Hyphen
Rev. Dr. Tracy Sprowls
We explore
Unitarian
Universalism and
the tendency to
hyphenate
ourselves in as in a
UU Buddhist or
UU Christian.
To Deepen
THEME EXERCISE FOR SEPTEMBER
Each month, each of us is invited to explore the monthly theme by
sharing in an exercise. You can find the theme exercise:
• In the Newsletter
• On the Bulletin Boards
• In the Stevens Room (look for the lavender paper)
During fellowship hour, please share with each other your experience
of doing the exercise. Or talk about it as a check-in at a meeting. Or
share with your family and friends over dinner.
Would you like to share during the Sunday morning service? The last
Sunday of each month you have the opportunity to do so but let Rev.
Tracy know!
TO SEEK:
A PATH TO MEMBERSHIP
This Sunday, 11:15 am,
Stevens Room
•
•
•
If you have been visiting us and want
to become a member of FUSP, please
come to the “Path to Membership”
class after the service.
The "Path to Membership" class will
help you learn more about Unitarian
Universalism and to find out what
becoming a member means. Whether
you have been attending for a few
weeks, a few months or longer, we
would like you to consider becoming a
member of the First Unitarian Society
of Plainfield.
For more information, please contact
membership chairs Peter Jones
(preaderj@aol.com) or Denise Soppas
(dsoppas@aol.com).
To Connect:
Women’s Alliance Book Group
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015,
7:30 pm, Van Savage
home
We will discuss "Mr.
Penumbra's 24 Hour
Bookstore," by Robin
Sloan. Please note location
change.
The book for the November
10th meeting is "Love and
Treasure," by Ayelet Waldman.
•
To Connect
Women’s Alliance
Meeting, Saturday,
October 10, 2015, 9:45
am. Stevens Room
FUSP's own political pundit,
Lillian Goss, will be discussing
the 2016 Presidential Race.
Come prepared to be
enlightened!
All women are invited!
Any questions contact Lois
Laning, lblaning@yahoo.com.
To Seek Justice
UU Legislative Ministry of
New Jersey Issues
Conference, October 17,
2015, Unitarian Church in
Summit, 9:00 am-2:00 pm
Keynote Speaker: Janice
Marie Johnson, Multicultural
Ministries and Leadership
Director, UUA.
Conference will include:
Task Force Meetings, Planning,
Networking and Information.
Register Today at
www.uulmnj.org
Registration at 8:30 am event
day.
TO SERVE:
Food Pantry and Sandwich Sunday
Food Pantry: Saturday, Sept. 26,
8:30 am -1 pm Volunteers Needed.
Sandwich Sunday: Sept. 27, 11 am1 pm
We'll have all the extras (drink, snack,
dessert), we just need your sandwiches!
Please email (cassbass@verizon.net) with
what kind and how many sandwiches
you'll make and then just bring them to
church on Sunday morning. Volunteers
will bag and distribute the lunches to our
grateful neighbors.
SHARING YOUR TALENTS
• Membership Committee: September 30, 2015, 7:30
pm Parish Hall- Please join the Membership Committee or
come to a meeting to help with our projects.
• September-November: Creating a NEW Larger
Food Pantry: Need strong able bodied folks to help on
different days: Contact JoAnne Macaluso
• October-November: Fall Yard Clean-up to be
announced when the leaves fall! Intergenerational volunteers
needed. Contact Mark Williams
TO INSPIRE and CONNECT
Belle: film at FUSP
Greetings Members and Friends,
I would like to invite you to a screening of “Belle” on Friday evening October 9th at 7 pm, in the
Stevens Room at FUSP. Belle, starring Tom Wilkerson and Emily Watson, is inspired by the true
story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal
Navy Captain. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife
(Emily Watson), Belle's lineage affords her certain privileges, yet the color of her skin prevents her
from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing. Left to wonder if she will ever find
love, Belle falls for an idealistic young vicar's son bent on change who, with her help, shapes Lord
Mansfield's role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.
Set in England in the late 1700's, it shows the impact of the slave trade on society. The patriarch of the
family is a justice of the High Court of England and takes on an important case regarding a slave
trading ship while confronting the reality of limitations faced by his mulatto niece. It shows that when
someone becomes part of your family, and you love that person, it changes your perspective on
cultural norms.
The film also showed the similarities between his white and mulatto nieces: as women both had a price
on their heads and suffered due to their "place" in that society beneath men. This film showed that
while much has changed, many attitudes have not changed in 300 years. The two brothers who court
the nieces could have come from any current film if they just updated their styles of clothes, hair, and
accents. Not only a love story but a lesson in morality, class and traditions.
TO INSPIRE
ACT IV: Theater at FUSP
Act IV
presents
An Evening of Short
Plays
by
Andrea Fleck Clardy
Directed by
Cass Cochrane
Nov 13, 14, 20 and 21
at 7: 30 pm
Nov. 15 and 22 matinees at 2 pm
Andrea (Andie) Fleck and her family
were distinguished members of FUSP
for many years during her childhood
and youth. We feel privileged to
bring some of her plays to the Act IV
stage.
Nov 13, 14, 20 and 21
at 7:30 pm
Nov. 15 and 22
matinees at 2 pm
ACT IV VOLUNTEERS
Not all the fun happens on-stage!
Backstage, crew and
production volunteers
needed. Please contact
Cass Cochrane and/or
Barbara Van Savage.
Sandy has FREE tickets
to the next 6
performances of ACT IV;
Friday and Saturday,
November 13, 14, 20, and
21 and Sunday at 2 PM on
November 15 an 22 Sell
tickets and serve light
refreshments during
intermission and see the
shows at no charge.
Contact Sandy Kaplan.
First come, first served!
Welcome Booktable
Come to the Welcome Booktable each Sunday after the service to fill your soul with books and other
items to enrich yourself with Unitarian Universalism.
Newcomers, friends, and members will be welcomed with information about us and the denomination.
New this fall are:
"Just Mercy" - the common read for this year that will be discussed after church one
Sunday, also up for discussion is 'Prophetic Witness', the 2015 common read.
"A God That Could Be Real" Spirituality, Science, and the Future of Our Planet
"Poetry of the heart - "Rumi's Little Book of Love" and "Rumi Day by Day“
"Governance and Ministry" - Toward right relationship between Board and
Ministry
Special for newcomers: "Welcome," "Pocket Guide," "100 Question," and "A Chosen Faith"
Plus: UU bookbags, mugs, chalice jewelry, bumper stickers, themed socks to order.
Stylin’ FUSP Fundraiser
•
What bag will the calm and cool UU
carry this year?
•
The UU tote bag of
course!
•
Navy and white 100% organic cotton, the
subtle UU logo, the generous size and the
social justice connection. The bags are
sewn at a California non-profit by people
with developmental disabilities providing
job opportunities to an underserved
community. Just enough subtlety to
invite the question "What does UU
mean?"
Bags cost FUSP $5.25.
YOUR COST: You are invited
to pay anything ABOVE $5.25
All profits go to FUSP projects.
Please be generous.
BEYOND FUSP
Support Mental Health Services in Plainfield
Sponsor FUSP walker Mark Williams to raise funds for Bridgeway activities
in Plainfield. Help make mental health services more accessible in our
community. Contact Mark for more information.
BEYOND FUSP
Representation of Race in Film
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
Upcoming at the Summit-based Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is a film series, The Representation of
Race in Film, offering films which explore the depiction of race in American cinema.
TALKING PICTURES FILM SERIES Begins Wednesday, October 7.
Film expert Kaia Shivers will introduce each film and guide the discussion afterward. All films are screened in
the Art Center's Mitzi & Warren Eisenberg Gallery.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Wednesday, October 7, 7pm, (130 minutes, 1962)
The Help, Wednesday, October 14, 7 pm, (146 minutes, 2011)
Do the Right Thing, Wednesday, October 21, 7 pm, (125 minutes, 1989)
Tickets: free with Gallery Admission
Non-Member $5 / Members are always free!
Seats are limited. Register Online Today
For more information visit the Visual Arts of New Jersey website, artcenternj.org or contact Cara Bramson,
Director of Programs, at 908.273.9121, x213 or cbramson@artcenternj.org.