Growing Souls, Doing Justice, and Being Bold in a Caring Community since 1825

Here At CommunityA Special Sunday with

Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-ReedNew Members

Members’ BirthdaysHappy Birthday Bruce

Annual Halloween Party & UNICEF DonationsReligious Education

Annual Holiday PartyQuarterly Congregational

MeetingVisit by Dr. Daniel McKananJoel Mandelbaum Concert

Member’s PoetryA Family’s Dedication

to EducationBJ’s Place

Volunteer Clean-upHumanism 101 – Invitation

Green SanctuaryFirst Meeting of

Community CircleGallery35 ~ Small Works

Page 2-7

OpportunitiesSpecial Opportunity with

Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reedand more

Fund For Holiday GreensPages 8-10

Back PageDecember Calendar

January CalendarCredits & Guidelines

Page 11-12

Holiday Crafts FairThe Community Church of NY

Unitarian Universalist40 East 35th St (between Park & Mad.) • NYC

December 2nd, 2012 – 12:15-4:00 p.m.Original gift & food items created by Artisan members

and friends of Community Church of New YorkWe look forward to seeing you there!

Candle-Lighting ServiceDecember 24th 4:30 p.m.

A service of readings, musicand carols concluding with a

candle-lighting ceremony.Hot cider and cookies will follow the service.

Christmas Eve at CommunityThis

year weagain offer

the Christmas portion (and Halleluiah

Chorus) of Händel’s “Messiah.” The choir of approximately sixty members

will include members of the church, as well as singers from the larger

community. The service

will begin at

7:30 p.m.

Christmas Day Dinner Ticket Required

See page 10

KwanzaaDecember 30, we celebrate

the familial and cultural

wisdom and values from theAfrican tradition.

Issue 51 • Dec./Jan. 2013

C H R I S T M A S D I N N E RDecember 25th –12:30 noon.A� A� A� A� A� A� A� A� A� A� AAdults – $20.00Age 12 and under $7.00 Ticket No. ____

1 Gary Geoghegan2 Kenneth Kern 6 Ginger Ruckes-Brooks7 Joseph Wagner8 L. Oriana Linares10 Sondra Brooks

Vernon Jacob12 Madeleyn Kern

Justin Vranek13 Harry Xanthakos14 J. Andrea McMahon17 Mark Siebers18 Vera Lilly20 Daniel McNatt21 Sally Asiedu24 Rebecca Ann

Jakobsen RandallLois Ross

26 Dorothy Moore29 Tina Redick

Patricia Garbarini

BiRtHDAySDecember 2012

4 Louis Schwebius8 Douglas Anderson12 Anna-Lisa Hafgren

Lucille McEwen13 George Rainer

Heidi Siegfried15 Juanita Ambrose16 George Duckett

Jova Vargas18 Linda Novenski19 Elektra Birchall20 Harry French24 Jo Ann Corkran

Naajia HurdNancy SolowaySheila Kaminsky

27 Carolynn JulienMarian GlassmanDenise Romano

28 Khalilah Arrington29 Corinne Padavano30 Victor Bertini

BiRtHDAySJanuary 2013

HERE AT COMMUNITY

2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~

Brenda Barajas • Stefanie Barro • Jiehong BobrickGil Corby • Joshua Douglass • Asfaha Hadera

Christie Jeffers • Matt Koch

New Members

HAppyBiRtHDAy

BruceNovember celebration

during Fellowship Hour

It is an honor to have the Rev. Dr. MarkMorrison-Reed with us Sunday December 9,and this weekend for a variety of programs.

He is a distinguished UU Minister, author,scholar and lecturer, as well as serving as anaffiliate faculty member at our Chicago UUseminary: Meadville Lombard TheologicalSchool.

A Chicago native, for 26 years he and his wifeDonna Morrison-Reed served as co-ministersof UU congregations first in Rochester, NY andthen Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Rev. Dr. Morrison-Reed’s books will be on saleduring Fellowship Hour at the Bookstall.

About his sermon, he writes, “Although shedied over 50 years ago, in my heart I spendevery Christmas at my great grandmother'shome in Washington D.C. Journey with me as I seek out the bittersweet spirit of the seasonwith all its gaiety and gifts, losses and love.”

• Book Reading, December 7, 7 pm• Workshop on UU Diversity, December 8, 1 pm• Worship & Forum, December 9, 1pm

See Opportunities page 8 for further information.

A Special Sunday with Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed ~ December 9

The Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed

3

HERE AT COMMUNITY

Annual Halloween Party & UNICEF Donations

4

After the 11 am Worship Service on Sunday, December 16, we will hold our annual HolidayParty in the Assembly Hall. The children will have

decorated the tree with their hand-made decorations. The families of the Secular HumanistSociety will be joining us and offering some activitiesfor the children. (Contact Esther Rosado, Director ofLifespan Religious Education to confirm how manychildren will be attending and if you have any questions.)

We are delighted that the families of the Secular Humanist Society of New York will be joining us

this year. We look forward to sharing our holiday tradi-tion with them. As you may know, their book clubmeets here and Humanism 101 is a new offering thisfall, opened to all. They have also established aHumanist Library at Community Church.

We will serve light lunch andrefreshments. Please bring yourfavorite family treat to share. As in years past, Santa will be of coursejoining us.

We look forward to seeing you.Paz, Esther

HERE AT COMMUNITY

Religious Education Annual Holiday party

Visit by Dr. Daniel McKananMichael Orzechowski

“Religion and the American RadicalTradition” is the subtitle of Dr.McKanan’s book, Prophetic Encounters,

and was the theme of his talk during theSeptember 30 service and the Q&A sessionafterwards. A historian of Religion atHarvard, holding the Emerson Chair, Dr.McKanan’s goal is captured in the opening

sentence of his book: “Everyone needs ahistory, especially those who seek to change the future.” Youthful, energetic, he took us through some of the highlights of the encounters between religion in America andradicalism, from William Lloyd Garrison andabolition to Occupy Wall Street. Dr.McKanan made the case that religion,where it exercised its prophetic role, playeda part in nurturing and spreading radicalreform in the United States.

QUARTERLY CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGSunday, January 27, 12:45 pm

Plan to attend our Quarterly Congregational Meeting. All members who joined prior to October 26, 2012, and have made a “financial contribution of record” are eligible to vote.

Please contact Valerie Lynch, Membership Coordinator, if you have any questions.

HERE AT COMMUNITY

5

Our Joel MandelbaumConcertby Mary Orovan

There aren’t enough adjectives todescribe how superb JoelMandelbaum’s concert for the Organ

Restoration Fund was last October 14.

Everything and everyone was splendid.First to Mandelbaum’s music. One piecewas more beautiful, original than the other.My own favorite was the instrumental forcello and piano inspired by his opera theDybbuk. But then, it’s hard to choose, as itwas such a varied program: poems set tomusic (more about that later), an aria fromhis opera, a song composed from a scene inShakespeare’s Tempest, and to complete thedelicious sandwich, Verdi’s Sempre Liberafrom La Traviata. Oh, did I mention,Beethoven was the first part of the "sand-wich": the Benedictus from the MissaSolemnis, arranged for violin and piano byMandelbaum.

The center piece for the concert perhapswas the In Deep Woods cycle, motivated bysome Robert Frost poems. It fit Joel's

theme of the concert, both instrumental andvoice pieces inspired by words, often juxta-posed with each other. As a birder, I partic-ularly loved the instrumental interpretationsin Bird Song. And then came the childrento recite the actual Frost poems. ElectraBirchall did the first, followed by her broth-er, Ivan – spirited, accurate, even theatricalperformances – recited from memory!Brava, Bravo Birchalls. Thank you too tothe senior Birchalls for commissioningJoel's premiere, the song, The Isle Is Full ofNoises from The Tempest.

Brenda Carpenter’s fine poem, Melee, getsbetter every time I hear it (the supremecomplement for poetry). It’s a lovely, yetserious, multi-layered work, again set toJoel’s wave-like music.

Now to the performers. Mandelbaum, a justrecently-retired Queens college professor ofmusic, assembled a gifted, polished group.The virtuoso performance of violinist BlancaGonzalez is still memorable for me, andBenjamin Larson on cello was excellent.

The vocalists were Gilad Paz, tenor, andKathryn Wieckhortz, soprano, both talented,

expressive, rich voices which gave the ariasand poems a magnificent rendering, includ-ing the closing delightful Verdi duet withMr. Paz singing from off-stage.

Our own professionals, Nancy and PhilHough performed other Mandelbaum pieces,with Joel on the piano, as he was for mostof the afternoon.

But the concert belonged to composer JoelMandelbaum, as we went on a rich, melodicjourney with him.

If I have forgotten any names, made anyerrors in spelling, or in the complex cita-tions, forgive me, as I was swept awayalong with the rest of the audience. For theconcert was for all of us at CommunityChurch (I hope we made good money for theorgan fund), and for Joel’s friends and col-leagues. Everyone one was uplifted andsmiling.

Happy birthday, Joel, and may you havemany more years of fine composing for us,and for posterity.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~

Earth Is Shutting Down

Earth is shutting down.Trees, their dark leafless skeletons reaching toward heaven,Silhouette against the blue-grey, brooding sky.Squirrels, white winter fur behind their ears,Acorns safely hidden away,Nestle in their burrows.

Frozen fingers of frost have covered the brittle landscapeWith a blue-white glaucous glaze.Monarchs, songbirds, hawks and eagles

Have migrated South.We watched them float over the city,Regret and joy written deep in our hearts.

Peresephone, forced to go back to Hades, Will not return until the Spring.Demeter, her mother, grief-stricken and in a fury,Has striped the land bare of its vegetation.

Ruth MillerNovember 22, 2002

Member’s poetry

HERE AT COMMUNITY

6

HERE AT COMMUNITY

Volunteer Clean-up at BJ’s place, our Men’s Shelter. Many thanks

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~

A Family’s Dedication to Educationby Christie Jeffers

Many of us at Community Church have followed FatoumataGassama and her six children as they face the challenges oflife without their husband and father, who was deported

back to Senegal in 2007, after 12 years hard work building a com-fortable life in New York City for his wife and six American-bornchildren.

But perhaps we are not aware of just how deep and determined isthis family’s commitment to education.

Each morning at 5:30, Fatoumata wakes the children for the trekfrom their Bronx public shelter to the various schools they attendaround the City. Fanta, the eldest, is now a junior at elite BrooklynTechnical High School, which she entered with a score of 98% onthe City-wide high school placement exam. She is pursuing amajor in Brooklyn Tech’s highly selective robotics program. Thissummer, Fanta spent a month in the Smith College Engineeringand Medicine program for gifted teenage girls, where she studiedrobotics engineering and environmental biodiversity. To support herparticipation in the Smith program, Fanta won a $5,000 scholar-ship from the Girls Action Network.

But precocious academic ability did not stop with Fanta. Bintou,15, has just begun the pre-engineering program at A. PhilipRandolph High School on the CUNY campus, with opportunities for

advanced placement and college credit courses. Not to be outdone,Aminata, 13, in the 8th grade, attends a prep course for the highschool entrance exam every day after completing her regular class-work.

Fanta, who taught each of her younger siblings their alphabet andnumbers before they started kindergarten, reports that Npendalearned to read at the age of three. Now 8, Npenda was chosen byher third-grade teacher to be the first in her class to read the HarryPotter novels and is never to be seen without a book. Abdou, 7,continues the family tradition by excelling in his classes, and evenlittle Mohammed, just starting elementary school, was commendedby his teacher for being the first in his class to write a completesentence!

Now that all her children are in school, mom Fatoumata is herself afull-time student at the Mid-Manhattan Learning Center. Lastspring, she passed her pre-GED course with a 94% score and thisyear continues the GED program, adding afternoon computer class-es. She says her kids had been urging her to “get some skills, soyou can take care of yourself.” But she needed no prompting.Although she had only two years of formal school in Senegal, sherelates, “I loved it. I was top in my class, but my father died whenI was 11, and my mother had to go to work, so I stayed home tocare for the younger children.”

We at Community Church can be very proud of the support we havegiven to this extraordinary and determined family.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~

7

HERE AT COMMUNITY

Humanism 101 – invitation

by John Rafferty

Humanism 101 is a new humanist study group being held atCommunity Church. There will be six sessions.

The purpose of Humanism 101 is to offer a humanist educationprogram for the membership and friends of Secular HumanistSociety of NY, for our friends at the Community Church of New York,and for the larger New York City freethought community. It is opento all who are interested in studying humanist history, philosophy,ethics, ideas, and ideals.

The program is a course of study, led (not lectured) by me – basedon the three-year course I am currently completing at the Humanist

Institute – in what I hope will be stimulating Socratic dialog basedon readings done by you prior to each session.

While each session is open (and free) to anyone, discussions will belimited to those who have read the materials assigned. If youhaven’t done the reading, you are welcome to audit the evening –and then, I hope, do the reading for next month.

Each meeting focuses on one book-length assigned text (an option-al second for the motivated), and on short online materials inpreparation for the discussions. As we proceed, of course, you maysuggest additional reading.

I hope to see you at our next meeting on January 28. Just show upat Community, Church’s Rear Lounge books and/or notes in hand,ready to go to work.

Green SanctuaryTranspacific Panamerican Partnership Discussion

First Meeting of Community Circle

Small Works Show and SalesSmall Works Show and Sales

Reception & Art SalonSaturday, December 15, 4-7pm

Gallery35 is planning our traditional Small Works show with some new twists: an Art Salon where on request various artists might share their vision – and a table withgift items created by our artists.

This is the perfect place for your holiday shopping!

First Saturday Feeding of the Hungry in the Bowery Saturday, December 1, 10:45 am, and January 5We invite you to help the Sai Baba Group feed the hungry on theFirst Saturday of each month. We meet on Forsyth, just south ofHouston at 10:45 am. Please bring vegetarian food to share withthe over 100 people who come. This is an outdoor event so dress forthe weather. For more information contact Valerie Lynch atvlynch@ccny.org or 212-683-4988, ext. 19.

Conflict Transformation and Effective CommunicationSkillsSaturday, December 1, 1-5 pm, Assembly HallOpen To All Members – Facilitated by consultant Margaret Keyser

Annual Holiday Crafts Fair – Sunday, December 2, 12:15-4 pmA festive Fellowship Hour featuring food, fun, and fabulous craftsand gifts made by artisan members and friends of CommunityChurch.

Radical Crocheting with Dawn Stewart-LookkinTuesday, December 4, 3-7 pm, GalleryLearn beginner DIY radical crocheting withDawn & donate warm creations to OccupySandy. All supplies provided, however, feelfree to bring your own. All levels welcome.

World Religions – Tuesday, December 4, 6:30-8 pmConference Room This series will present a basic picture of each of nine WorldReligions, using video and other imaging, text, commentary, andsometimes art and music. Each session is largely independent ofthe others, but the experience will be much richer if you attend allsessions. This is especially true for the first three presentations onthe Abrahamic faiths. This month: Islam. The class will be led byRev. Orlanda Brugnola. (No meeting in January.)

Secular Humanist Society of New York Book Club Thursday, December 6, 6:30 pm, Front LoungeAmerican Grace: How Religion Divides Us and Unites Usby Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell

Yoga Interpretations and Hindu TeachingsThursday, December 13, 7 pm, Rear LoungeDr. Marvin Levine, professor emeritus at Stony Brook University, willoffer a series lectures on the Psychology of Yoga. The Yogic inter-pretation of Hindu teachings will be presented and variations inmodern schools of Yoga will be reviewed. Although the series willnot feature extensive treatment of Yoga postures, a few simple

OppORtUNitiES 2012-2013

8 OPPORTUNITIES continues

HERE AT COMMUNITY

A WEEKEND WITH THE REV. DR. MARK MORRISON-REED

Book Reading with Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-ReedFriday, December 7, 7 pmAnti-Racism Team Monthly Meeting, 6:30 pm There are many more African-American UUs thanyou know about. Find out who they were. Learnabout: “What is it like to grow up an African-

American UU?” And explore the question: “Why does UUism findbecoming more diverse such a struggle?”

Hear Mark Morrison-Reed introduce the new meditation manualVoices from the Margins, explore the history book Darkening theDoorways Black Trailblazers and Missed Opportunities in UnitarianUniversalism and read excerpts from his book In Between: Memoir of an Integration Baby.

“Torn Between Fuzzy Aspirations and Hard Realities:The Perversity of Embracing Diversity”Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-ReedSaturday, December 8, 1 pm, Chapel

There is a surprising, and painful, truth behind UnitarianUniversalist efforts to become more racially and culturally diverse.This truth must begin with taking an honest look at who we are andwhy we are who we are, and it ends in a conundrum but not withouthope.

If UUs really want to change, accepting the truth is the onlyplace to start. Torn between our reality and our aspirations what arewe to do?

This presentation begins by considering why achieving diversityis challenging, but moves on to talk about which congregationsbecame successfully diverse and how.

“Selma and the Role of Unitarian Universalists”Sunday, December 9, 2012 – Forum 1 pm, Assembly HallRev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed

Dr. Morrison-Reed’s doctoral thesis Black Pioneers in a WhiteDenomination was published in 1984 and is still in print andrequired reading for everyone preparing for the UU ministry.

He is also the author of Darkening the Doorways: BlackTrailblazers and Missed Opportunities in Unitarian Universalism and In Between: Memoir of an Integration Baby, as well as editor ofa new meditation manual, Voices from the Margins.

Among his current projects, he is working with MeadvilleLombard Theological School to organize and build the library'sarchive of materials relating to African American involvement inUniversalism, Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism.

Yoga Interpretations and Hindu Teachings (continued from p. 8)postures will be performed with emphasis not on the body but onthe inner practice. The central topic will be the Yogic prescriptionsfor how one relates to oneself, how one relates to others, and howone practices to achieve liberation. The role of deity in Yogicthought will also be discussed. Wherever appropriate, comparisonswill be made with Buddhist and with modern Western views

The Mask Workshop – Transforming Grief through CreativitySaturday, December 8, 9:30 am-12 pm, GalleryIn this workshop participants are invited to personalize masks byusing paint, beads, glitter, feathers and a bounty of other colorfulmaterials to access buried thoughts and feelings. This movementto an inner place often leads to the exploration of personal issuesat a much deeper level and inquire into how we cope. No artistictalent required, really! For Community Members/Friends: $20Click here for Flyer.

Messiah Choir Rehearsals – Most Saturdays/Sundays12:45-2 pmWould you like to be part of Community’s Annual Tradition – theChristmas Eve Handel’s Messiah performance? If you are interest-ed, please contact Jerry Brown, our Director of Music – emailjbrown@ccny.org or call 212-683-4988, ext 33. The deadline tojoin the choir is Friday, December 14.

Community Circle – Sunday, December 9, and January 13,12:45 pm, ChapelParticipants will get to know one another on a deep level throughconversation and listening. If you would like to explore with us,please contact the facilitators Laura Breachlaurabreach@gmail.com or Ruth Miler council@ccny.org or ValerieLynch, Membership Coordinator, at 212-683-4988, ext. 19 orvlynch@ccny.org.

Reiki and Meditation – Thursday, December 6, 20 and January 10, 24, 7 pm, ChapelCome join Renee Joey Morelli, advanced Reiki Practitioner, for anevening discovering how to enhance your life with Reiki andMeditation. Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction andrelaxation that also promotes healing. Reiki treats the whole personincluding body, emotions, mind and spirit by balancing the lifeforce energy that come from within. Learn how Reiki can be a sim-ple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improve-ment that everyone can use..

Green Sanctuary – Future Visions Friday, December 14, 7 pmand Thursday, January 17, 6:30 pmProgram to be announced.

Gallery35 SMALLWORKS Art SalonSaturday, December 15, 4-7 pm, GalleryGallery35 is planning our traditional Small Works show with somenew twists: an Art Salon where on request various artists mightshare their vision – and a table with gift items created by ourartists.

Community Holiday Party – Sunday, December 16, 12:15-1 pmWe invite you to a special Fellowship Hour as we celebrate theHolidays together. Santa will be joining us! Soup will be provided.Bring a family favorite treat to share.

Resistance Cinema Holiday PartySunday, December 16, 1:15 pmThe film to be shown is “DR. STRANGELOVE or How I learned to StopWorrying and Love The Bomb”. Our annual holiday party featuresone of the funniest films ever made, an American classic dark comedy spoofing the inanities of the Cold War.

Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life – Book Study Monday, December 17, and January 21, 7 pm Previous participants resume their study of Twelve Steps to aCompassionate Life by the noted religious historian, KarenArmstrong. Our facilitators will be Rev. Susan Karlson, Minister ofUnitarian Church of Staten Island and Esther Rosado, Director ofLifespan Religious Education. Class is now full-Registration is nowclosed.

Buddhism as a Spiritual PracticeTuesday, December 19, and January 15, 6:30-8 pm, Chapel This series of nine sessions will begin with a non-traditional pres-entation of the core ideas of the tradition and explore differentschools of Buddhist thought and practice, using some video, chant-ing and various types of meditation as well as particular texts.While these sessions are not tied together exactly, the experiencewill be much richer if you attend all. Session one sets up the series.Contents of sessions 2-9 will be determined by how the previoussession goes. Led by Rev. Orlanda Brugnola.

UU Christian Fellowship – Third Tuesdays of the monthDecember 19, and January 15, 7:30-9 pmMNY-UUCF, a local chapter of the national UU Christian Fellowship(UUFC), is led by the Rev. Kelly Murphy Mason, a UU communityminister and former Vice-President of the UUCF. The chapter meetsthe third Tuesday of every month at Community for fellowship anddiscussion, religious education, and spiritual deepening. All UUs inthe District are invited to participate. The theme this year isSeeking the Soul of the Gospels.

OppORtUNitiES 2012-2013 continued

HERE AT COMMUNITY

9

HERE AT COMMUNITY

OPPORTUNITIES continues

HERE AT COMMUNITY

Antiracistalliance.com Potluck – Friday, December 21, 5:30 pm

Esperanto Society – Friday, December 21, and January 18, 7 pm

Yoga with Eberly – Sunday, December 23, 1-2:30 pmJoin us for an introduction to gentle yoga and chanting led bychurch member Eberly Mareci. Eberly takes a flexible, playful,whole-hearted, and intelligent approach to yoga, particularlyattuned to the person and the moment. The schedule for upcomingsessions will be decided at this class. Please RSVP to EstherRosado at erosado@ccny.org or 212-683-4988.

Christmas Eve – December 24Candellighting Sevice – 4:30 pmAnnual Händel's Messiah Concert – 7:30 pm

Christmas Dinner – Tuesday, December 25, 12 pm, Assembly HallWe invite you to join us for our annual celebration, a delicious dinner hosted by Rev. Bruce Southworth and Kay Xanthakos.Purchase tickets at the Welcome Table by Sunday, December 16$20 adults/$7 children under 12.

Sipping and Searching – Wednesday, December 26, and January 23, 6:30 pmRev. Dr. Anthony Johnson will facilitate this popular discussiongroup. Join us for pizza, soft drinks, beer and great conversation.

Social Tea – Join us on January 29, 2-3 pm pm, Assembly HallJoin us for conversation and light refreshments. Our guest speakerwill be announced soon..

Introduction to Humanism 101 – Monday, January 28, 6:30 pmA new Study Group will be facilitated by John Rafferty of the Secular Humanist Society of New York.

Secular Humanist Society of New York Book Club Thursday, January 3, 6:30 pm, Front LoungeThe Best American Science Writing – 2012 - Ed. Michio Kaku

UN and Global Affairs Presentation – Haiti – Alternative FuelsChanging Lives – Rescheduled to Sunday, January 6, 1 pmGeorge Garland will be doing a presentation on his trip to Haiti inthe Gallery at 1pm on November 4, sponsored by UN Global Affairs.We are working on two alternative fuels for the wood charcoal whichhas contributed to Haiti cutting down 98% of their forests. It alsomeans cooking outdoors with dirty charcoal. Substitutes are ethanoland briquettes made from waste. The impact on women's lives isamazing for ethanol stoves: cook indoors, no smoke, much faster,no 50 pound bag of dirty charcoal, only a two liter jug of ethanol,stove can be on the kitchen.

10

OppORtUNitiES 2012-2013 continues

FUND FOR HOLIDAY GREENSEach holiday season, our worship space is transformed with fragrant pine, bright red poinsettias, all bathed in the glow ofcandlelight.

And in the Assembly Hall stands a Christmas tree decorated with beautiful ornaments, many of them handmade by the children.

You can help make this traditional beauty possible by making a contribution to the HOLIDAY GREENS.

All contributions will be acknowledged in the Community Connections.

YES, I would like to support the HOLIDAY GREENS. Enclosed is my contribution of $_________(please mark envelope “Greens”)

Name:____________________________________________________________

Dedication (if desired) ________________________________________________Return to Community Church of NY, 40 East 35th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016

�

11

Events Calendar for December 2012

FOR MORE Adult Religious Education andOpportunities/Events Dec./Jan. see pages 8-10

SATURDAY, DeCemBeR 1

10:45 First Saturday Feeding1:00 Conflict

Transformation... Skills12:45 Messiah Rehearsal

8:00 Peoples’ Voice Café

SUNDAY, DeCemBeR 2

9:30 Choir Rehearsal9:45 UN Global Affairs Mtg.11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour12:15 Holiday Crafts Fair

mONDAY, DeCemBeR 3

6:00 Buildings & Grounds

TUeSDAY, DeCemBeR 4

3:00 Radical Crocheting6:30 World Religions

7:00 Streetsingers

WeDNeSDAY, DeCemBeR 5

6:00 Personnel Meeting

THURSDAY, DeCemBeR 66:30 Secular Humanist Soc.

7:00 Yoga Interpretations and Hindu Teachings

7:00 Reiki & Meditation

FRIDAY, DeCemBeR 76:30 AntiRacism Team7:00 Rev. Dr. Morrison-

Reed

SATURDAY, DeCemBeR 8

12:45 Messiah Rehearsal

1:00 Rev. Dr. Morrison-Reed

8:00 Peoples’ Voice Café

SUNDAY, DeCemBeR 9

9:30 Choir Rehearsal11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour12:45 Messiah Rehearsal1:00 Community Circles1:00 Rev. Dr. Morrison-Reed

Forum

TUeSDAY, DeCemBeR 117:00 Gallery35 Meeting

7:00 Streetsingers

THURSDAY, DeCemBeR 13

7:00 Reiki & Meditation7:00 Yoga Interpretations

and Hindu Teachings

FRIDAY, DeCemBeR 14

7:00 Green Sanctuary

SATURDAY, DeCemBeR 15

12:45 Messiah Rehearsal

4:00 Gallery35 Holiday Art

8:00 People’s Voice Café

SUNDAY, DeCemBeR 16

9:30 Choir Rehearsal11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 RE Holiday Party

Fellowship Hour12:45 Messiah Rehearsal1:15 Resistance Cinema

Holiday Party

mONDAY, DeCemBeR 17

7:00 12 Steps to a Compassionate Life

6:30 NYC UU Ministers

TUeSDAY, DeCemBeR 18

6:30 Buddhism As a Spiritual Practice

7:00 Streetsingers

7:30 UU Christian Fellowship

WeDNeSDAY, DeCemBeR 19

6:00 Finance Meeting

THURSDAY, DeCemBeR 20

6:30 Messiah Rehearsal7:00 Yoga Interpretations

and Hindu Teachings

7:00 Reiki & Meditation

FRIDAY, DeCemBeR 21

5:30 AntiracistalliancePotluck

7:00 Esperanto Society

SATURDAY, DeCemBeR 22

8:00 People’s Voice Café

SUNDAY, DeCemBeR 23

9:30 Choir Rehearsal11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour12:45 Yoga with Eberly

mONDAY, DeCemBeR 24

Church Office Closed4:30 Candlelighting Service

7;30 Händel’s Messiah

Concert

TUeSDAY, DeCemBeR 25

Christmas Day12:00 Christmas Day Dinner

WeDNeSDAY, DeCemBeR 266:30 Sipping & Searching

THURSDAY, DeCemBeR 27

7:00 Reiki & Meditation

SATURDAY, DeCemBeR 29

8:00 People’s Voice Café

SUNDAY, DeCemBeR 30

9:30 Choir Rehearsal11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour

Kwanzaa

mONDAY, DeCemBeR 31

Church Office Closed

New Year’s eve

Credits & GuidelinesMembers are encouraged to submit articles to Community Connections. The submission deadline is typically the first Wednesday of the month prior toissue date. Submissions can be emailed to info@ccny.org or hand deliveredto the Church. Articles submitted are subject to proofing and editing forclarity, brevity, grammar, punctuation, spelling and content.

12

TUeSDAY, JANUARY 1

New Year’s Day

WeDNeSDAY, JANUARY 2

6:30 Board of Trustees Meeting

THURSDAY, JANUARY 36:30 Secular Humanist Society7:00 Yoga Interpretations

and Hindu Teaching

7:00 Reiki & Meditation

7:00 Gallery35 Meeting

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4

6:30 Antiracism Team

SATURDAY, JANUARY 510:45 First Saturday Feeding Program

8:00 People’s Voice Café

SUNDAY, JANUARY 69:30 Choir Rehearsal

9:45 UN Global Affairs11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:00 Membership Holiday Potluck12:15 Fellowship Hour1:00 Action For Justice Forum

TUeSDAY, JANUARY 87:00 Streetsingers

WeDNeSDAY, JANUARY 96:00 Church Council

THURSDAY, JANUARY 107:00 Reike & Meditationgs7;00 Gallery35 Meeting

FRIDAY, JANUARY 11

7:30 Green Sanctuary Film Series

SATURDAY, JANUARY 124:00 Gallery35 Opening Reception

8:00 People’s Voice Café

SUNDAY, JANUARY 139:30 Choir Rehearsal

11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour12:45 Volunteer Choir Rehearsal1:00 Community Circles1:15 Resistance Cinema

TUeSDAY, JANUARY 157:00 Buddhism as a

Spiritual Practice7:00 Streetsingers

7:30 UU Christian Fellowship

WeDNeSDAY, JANUARY 16

6:00 Finance Committee Meeting

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17

6:30 Renew NY-Green Sanctuary

FRIDAY, JANUARY 187:30 Antiracistalliance.com Potluck7:00 Esperanto Society

SATURDAY, JANUARY 196:00 Membership Pizza & Poetry8:00 People’s Voice Café

SUNDAY, JANUARY 209:30 Choir Rehearsal

11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour12:45 Volunteer Choir Rehersal1:00 Volunteer Appreciation Day

mONDAY, JANUARY 21martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Church Office Closed

7:00 12 Steps to a Compassionate

Life

TUeSDAY, JANUARY 22

7:00 Streetsingers

WeDNeSDAY, JANUARY 236:00 Board of Trustees6:30 Sipping & Searching

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24

7:00 Reiki & Meditation

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26

8:00 Peoples’ Café

SUNDAY, JANUARY 279:30 Choir Rehearsal9:45 UN Global Affairs11:00 Morning Worship11:00 Sunday School12:15 Fellowship Hour12:45 Congregational meeting

mONDAY, JANUARY 286:30 Introduction to Humanism 101

6:30 NYC UU Ministers

TUeSDAY, JANUARY 292:00 Social Tea7:00 Streetsingers

Events Calendar for January 2013

The Community Church of New York

Unitarian Universalist

40 East 35th StreetNew York, N.Y. 10016www.ccny.org

Tel: 212.683.4988

ISSUe: FORTY THRee

Our Community,Here At Community, Opportunities, Calendars

and much more...

Deadline for February/March issue due January 2, 2013

Rev. Bruce Southworth, Senior Minister

Esther Rosado, Director of Lifespan Religious Education

Gerald A. Brown, Director of Music

Valerie Lynch, Membership Coordinator

Rev. Dr. Anthony P. Johnson, Affiliated Minister

Robert G. Martin, Business Administrator