Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The 2011 Lenten Series
Lenten Series
Beginning March 14th at 7:30
Lent is a time in which we are called to "give up" something to allow room for something else to emerge in our lives.
Taking our cue from William Ellery Channing's "I Call That Mind 
Free" (#592 in the gray hymnal), the Lenten series will propose that we consider giving up three obstacles to the free mind, and see what kind of thinking emerges in their place. The series will involve some readings, personal and small group reflections, journaling and prayer.
Free" (#592 in the gray hymnal), the Lenten series will propose that we consider giving up three obstacles to the free mind, and see what kind of thinking emerges in their place. The series will involve some readings, personal and small group reflections, journaling and prayer. 
March 14: I call that mind free...which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith...(Outworn and merely conventional opinions)March 28: I call that mind free... which is not framed by outward circumstances.... (the blinders caused by social status or position)
April 4: I call that mind free...which resists the bondage of habit.... (mental compulsions, distortions and misperceptions.)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Group Sadhana at First Unitarian Church
Group Sadhana at the First Unitarian Church
90 Main Street, Upper State Street Lot
Upstairs in the Chapel
5:30am-7:30 am
(p.s. It is okay to wander in late if you need to!)
What is Group Sadhana?
Individual sadhana is one's daily practice on the spiritual path of yoga and meditation. Group sadhana adds group energy to the practice, uplifting all!
What will we be doing?
We will have an hour of yoga, a brief rest, and an hour of chanting the Aquarian Sadhana. These are mantra given specifically for us to usher in the Aquarian Age. It is very beautiful! (Please note that it can be adapted to chair yoga very easily) Prior yoga experience is not necessary!
What should we bring?
Please bring a mat, a water bottle, a sitting pillow and a blanket. If you use a meditation tool such as a special shawl or a mala you may want to bring it if you wish. A donation to the church for use of the space/ac/heat (suggested, $5-10, but any amount welcome, even a dollar) would be greatly appreciated as well. (Money exchange is not required as it is for class, as the teacher participates.)
Questions: please call Diane/Hari Kirin 508-753-1797 cell 774-287-2233 ; dmpinge@gmail.com or visit kundaliniyogaforall.com
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Acts of Kindness
When I got home from a trip to the west Coast in the winter of 2009, and came back to church, I was given a small notebook with instructions to keep track of as many acts of kindness as I could in celebration of the Reverend Barbara Merritt's retirement and the Church's 225th anniversary. We were to try for 225 Acts of Kindness. I thought it was a great idea but had no idea how to start.
I walk 20 minutes every day that I can manage and as I am a tenant in an apartment complex, I spend most of my walking time in the complex. As I was walking, I noticed lots of trash lying around in the Complex, in the driveway and in the sides of the driveways. I started trying to remember to bring a plastic bag with me when I walked and picked up the trash along my walk. (I didn't touch the cigarette butts, however.)
As I continued to do that, it occurred to me that what I was doing was an "Act of Kindness," especially when one of our maintenance guys noticed what I was doing and said to me: "People are such slobs." As I continued to do it, I had to agree with him: half full cans of soda or beer, somebody's mail, somebody's trash that was meant for the dumpster but ended up just outside of it.
I sometimes do my walk in Dean Park, a wonderful Park in Shrewsbury. However, I found that there was no trash cans available there, believe it or not. So I stopped at the Town Hall on the way home one time and talked to the Parks Department people and told them it would be a good idea to have a few garbage cans in the Park. They appeared soon after.
I had a wonderful friend living in the next building to me who hadn't driven for more than 5 years, so I offered to take her shopping when I went. She was good company and we did that pretty often. Sometimes had lunch after. Also took her to have her hair cut and to a doctor's appointment now and then.
I have enrolled myself in some of the programs that take place at the Shrewsbuy Senior Center and once in a while I will pick up one of the members who had no other way to get there.
My daughter was out of work and trying every which way to get employed. She didn't have a computer so she started using mine to apply to some places that insisted on an email application.
Took neighbor to the Town Hall to get her telephone problems straightened out.
Took a friend who lives at the Westboro Willows to Hudson to do some errands. Took friend to Chorus Rehearsal, took friend to hair stylist for a hair cut, checked on some jewelry repair a friend was having and picked it up for her. Took neighbor to a play in Boylston, bought ticket for friend who couldn't afford it, sang at two nursing homes, loaned shovel to neighbor to remove snow from his car.
Followed friend to hospital after she fell and broke her hip and stayed with her until she was admitted. Visited her after until she was taken to a nursing home and visited many, many times. Helped another friend out of the car and into his wheelchair, etc. when he was going to visit his wife.
Took handicapped member of Chorus home, took friend shopping for 4 hours. Picked up trash in cemetery. Took some paper products to friend in nursing home from BJ's. Used to take her there before she fell.
Because of my keeping track of this, it is always on my mind and when I see trash on the roadside , or wherever I am, I get upset if I can't pick it up and dispose of it properly.
It has been a wonderful activity and one that is always on my mind.
Connee Ann Madeira
I walk 20 minutes every day that I can manage and as I am a tenant in an apartment complex, I spend most of my walking time in the complex. As I was walking, I noticed lots of trash lying around in the Complex, in the driveway and in the sides of the driveways. I started trying to remember to bring a plastic bag with me when I walked and picked up the trash along my walk. (I didn't touch the cigarette butts, however.)
As I continued to do that, it occurred to me that what I was doing was an "Act of Kindness," especially when one of our maintenance guys noticed what I was doing and said to me: "People are such slobs." As I continued to do it, I had to agree with him: half full cans of soda or beer, somebody's mail, somebody's trash that was meant for the dumpster but ended up just outside of it.
I sometimes do my walk in Dean Park, a wonderful Park in Shrewsbury. However, I found that there was no trash cans available there, believe it or not. So I stopped at the Town Hall on the way home one time and talked to the Parks Department people and told them it would be a good idea to have a few garbage cans in the Park. They appeared soon after.
I had a wonderful friend living in the next building to me who hadn't driven for more than 5 years, so I offered to take her shopping when I went. She was good company and we did that pretty often. Sometimes had lunch after. Also took her to have her hair cut and to a doctor's appointment now and then.
I have enrolled myself in some of the programs that take place at the Shrewsbuy Senior Center and once in a while I will pick up one of the members who had no other way to get there.
My daughter was out of work and trying every which way to get employed. She didn't have a computer so she started using mine to apply to some places that insisted on an email application.
Took neighbor to the Town Hall to get her telephone problems straightened out.
Took a friend who lives at the Westboro Willows to Hudson to do some errands. Took friend to Chorus Rehearsal, took friend to hair stylist for a hair cut, checked on some jewelry repair a friend was having and picked it up for her. Took neighbor to a play in Boylston, bought ticket for friend who couldn't afford it, sang at two nursing homes, loaned shovel to neighbor to remove snow from his car.
Followed friend to hospital after she fell and broke her hip and stayed with her until she was admitted. Visited her after until she was taken to a nursing home and visited many, many times. Helped another friend out of the car and into his wheelchair, etc. when he was going to visit his wife.
Took handicapped member of Chorus home, took friend shopping for 4 hours. Picked up trash in cemetery. Took some paper products to friend in nursing home from BJ's. Used to take her there before she fell.
Because of my keeping track of this, it is always on my mind and when I see trash on the roadside , or wherever I am, I get upset if I can't pick it up and dispose of it properly.
It has been a wonderful activity and one that is always on my mind.
Connee Ann Madeira
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Peace Pole Planning
I'd like to thank everyone who came to our first meeting on November 28th. It was an excellent turnout. There was a consensus at that meeting that the Peace Pole Prayer, May Peace Prevail On Earth, be on eight banners, two on each side of the pole, in the following languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Russian and Vietnamese. Marj, Paul and I met last week and we agreed to order the banners on-line and that the translations of the prayer will be the ones used on Peace Poles throughout the world. We also put together the following calendar:
January 9th @ 12:00 - Update and Planning
March 13th @ 12:00 - Update and Planning
April 10th - Place banners on the pole and final planning
May 1st - Dedication Service
Anyone who is interested in the Peace Pole creation and programming is invited to attend.
January 9th @ 12:00 - Update and Planning
March 13th @ 12:00 - Update and Planning
April 10th - Place banners on the pole and final planning
May 1st - Dedication Service
Anyone who is interested in the Peace Pole creation and programming is invited to attend.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
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