1. Art and Diseño

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FROM THE GOVERNING B OARD
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
Where is Visioning leading?
In recent days I have been
asked by some of you about
where the Visioning process is
leading, what is next, and what
it will produce at the “end”.
Perhaps we will craft a statement? Reach a conclusion? Be
able to read and share the gathered information? Generate a
presentation? Attend a worship
service celebrating our vision
and our future?
At the worship service on January 18th we heard the Zen
teaching about knowing from
direct experience - without constructs of the mind, limited by
the words and the labels. I
think we have had that direct
experience in our visioning
meetings. Jamie Caster described the Zen story about the
person who came from a culture
unacquainted with modern technology, who didn’t (and couldn’t) know what the electric
stove coil was until he touched
the stove. Then he knew in a
way beyond words or structured
concepts. In our visioning sessions I hope we have touched
the stove of our shared values
and goals as a congregation. It
is hard to describe the feeling of
shared intention because we
must use words to do that, but
the experience is something we
can know. We have shared and
touched people. We belong.
As I thought about this process
last summer I believed that the
answer would become obvious
as we proceeded along. To explain - in a design process you
begin with a set of parameters
and then solutions come as a
creative response to them. In
my mind that set included
thinking seriously of the future
of Channing, acknowledging
and celebrating our ability to
share our spiritual lives, and
adopting and encouraging a
positive view of our congregation’s strengths. As it has unfolded and I have heard an
overwhelmingly positive response from many people about
their experience together, you
have given me and the Board
the courage to keep going.
Each session has generated
ideas about what should come
next.
On February 8th we will focus
on our community and the web
of activities, interests, care, and
appreciation we have with and
for each other. I am working on
an idea for a fun visual project
so come and be surprised. In
March we will address the
workings of our organization,
including how we can make
sure our volunteer time is meaningful to us personally as well
as useful to the church. What
amount of work and time and
treasure is appropriate and realistic to expect? How can we
work together to achieve the
goals we set out in our 2008 Vision and Commitment statement,
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which begins “Creating a wellspring of caring and compassion within a vital and inspirational community of all ages
that values individuals throughout their lives”? I note that the
first statement on that list is
about our responsibility to all
ages. It takes a village to raise
children, to care for the ill and
aging, to live meaningful lives.
I hope you will continue to
come to the Visioning sessions
and share your insights.
To answer your questions about
the “end”, I suggest a worship
service in April. We definitely
will share the information we
have all generated and I am
open to any other ideas you
have. The process is the journey.
~Chris Laudon, President
Board of Trustees
Special Program
Council Meeting
Wed., February 4, 6:30pm,
Channing House Library
As part of the Visioning
process, the Board would like
to hear how things are going in
the various committees of the
church. We have requested a
special Program Council to get
more feedback from the
Council perspective. The
meeting will convene on
Wednesday, February 4th at
6:30 pm in the Channing
Library.
*Please
confirm your
attendance by contacting
Nancy
Peresta
at
[email protected]
R E L I G I O U S E D U C AT I O N
RE NEWS
Upcoming
Events
Religious
in
Education
the
program
include a Joint Youth Group
Meeting
(Grades
6-12)
to miss. No registration feejust bring a dish to share.
Multigenerational.
at
February 7th from 5:00-8:00.
Youth from area churches have
been invited to get to know one
that they can help plan a Youth
Social
Justice
offer
your
Summit.
support
To
and/or
participation with this amazing
project please contact Jessica
T
h
o
m
a
s
a
t
[email protected]
and Patty Sylvia, who are leading the OWL program for fifth
and sixth graders. Written by
professional sexuality educators, the OWL program provides accurate information for
parents, teachers, and pastors
people to help them learn about
sexuality in the affirming and
supportive
setting
of
our
churches.
Ahead:
COSMOS
The
Second
Intergenerational
-Kathy Takata, RE Committee
Potluck Supper co-sponsored
by religious education will be
held in the Parish Hall on
Saturday,
5:00 PM.
March
28th
at
Bring the whole
family for a delicious potluck
February RE Calendar
supper and a showing of a
Sunday, Feb. 1: Religious Ed
Class for preK-5th and Youth
“COSMOS” episode, followed
by games and a lively discussion
with some of our congregation’s
brilliant scientists.
Based on
the feedback back from the
previous Cosmos Potluck, it is
an event that you will not want
Sunday, Feb. 15: No RE
Class (Public School Vacation
Week)
A big thank you to Jan Mermin
to use with children and young
Plan
Youth Group Meets in PM
Sunday, Feb. 22: Religious
Ed Class for preK-5th and
Youth.
 Youth Group Meets in PM
Channing Church on Saturday,
another in a relaxed setting so

Saturday, February 7,
5:00pm, in the Parish Hall,
Joint Youth Group Meeting
Sunday, Feb. 8: No RE
Classes, Intergenerational
Worship Service.
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Below are pictures of the RE
Kids cooking for the Community Meal and playing games!!
SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY
CAREGIVING
UPDATE
and I’ll be pleased to answer
any questions you have!
Thanks so much to Marcia
Mallory and Barbara
Richter, who served as
Caregiving coordinators for the
month of January. At the time of
this writing, it has not been an
active month for Caregiving, but I
guess no news is good news
sometimes!
Also, if you are interested in
brainstorming some ideas regarding the future of Channing
Caregiving, please join Nickie
Kates, Barbara Russell-Willett,
and me on Saturday, Feb. 28 in
the Parish Hall at 10 a.m.
Please see the separate announcement in this Catalyst for
more details!
Congratulations to Tom and Janna
Pederson, who welcomed a new
granddaughter, Juniper Arabella
Chadwick, at Christmas time!
Juniper has an older brother.
We were saddened by the death
in early January of Channing friend
Nancy Corkery, who had been
attending services here for a few
years. Nancy was a remarkable
person who worked on many
projects to make our community
a better place. She had been
active in Citizens Against Gaming
for many years, started the used
book store at the Middletown
Public Library, and most recently
provided the impetus for
developing the community garden
behind the library. She shall be
sadly missed by many in our
church as well as our larger island
community.
I still have monthly Caregiving
coordinator openings to fill for
the summer months (one
person needed in June; two for
both July and August) this year.
I would also like to schedule
coordinators for September as
well, to carry us through to the
next Ingathering when the
annual volunteer fair is held.
Are YOU interested in filling
one of those slots and filling an
important need in our church
community? If so, please be in
touch
with
me
at
[email protected]
The February Caregiving coordinators are Barbara Russell-Willett, Rachel Balaban,
and John Burnham. Please contact any of them with any caregiving needs among our Channing
members or friends.
~Linda Beall,
Channing Caregiving Facilitator
for the original group. Group size
will be limited to ten. We will
meet for six two-hour sessions
every two weeks beginning in February. Location, dates and time
will be determined by the group
members, who will be asked to
commit to attending at least 5 sessions.
If you'd like more information,
please contact Julie Herrick no
later than February 9th. (Coleaders are Nickie Kates, Abby
Adams and Julie Herrick, with
support from Maryellen Doherty.)
CIRCLE OF
CONCERNS & JOYS
Saturday, February 21, 9:00am
Channing House Library
WOMEN OF WIT
AND WISDOM II
A (Second) Sharing Circle for
Women 50 and Over
Following the success of the
group organized over a year ago,
a new Women of Wit and Wisdom (WWW II) group is forming
that will start in February. The
group will reflect on and celebrate the challenges, opportunities and joys presented by our
ages and stages of life. Each
woman's experience and story
are different, and the goals of this
circle are to allow us to learn
from each other and have fun.
Discussions will be facilitated, and
topics will be based on those developed by Maryellen Doherty
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Our monthly Circle of Concerns
and Joys provides an opportunity
to gather in a supportive setting
to share joys and concerns, outside of the weekly service. Each
session includes brief readings,
sharing, shared silence, and candle-lighting, and lasts about an
hour. We've been meeting for
almost two years - some people
come every month, others once
or a few times, but all are welcome - we'd love to have you
join us! All are welcome, we
meet the third Saturday of each
month at 9:00am in the Library.
If possible, let Maryellen know
ahead of time if you're planning to come and feel free to
contact her if you have any
questions. Plan to arrive a few
minutes early to get settled
before we begin the Circle at
9:00.
SOCIAL ACTION
S O C I A L AC T I O N
U P DAT E S
Share the Plate for February
will be the Institute for the
Study & Practice of Non
Violence. The Institute is an
innovative and nationally lauded
organization that targets the
reduction of gang or group related
violence in Rhode Island.
The
Institute utilizes Nonviolence Trainings
in prison and
schools, Street
Outreach, hospital response to violent
crime, employment services and
enrichment activities. The Institute is
the only organization in the country to
serve both victims and perpetrators of
violent crime through their Victim
Services Department. Youth in their
summer jobs program revealed that
nearly 50% of the respondents had
lost a family member to murder; 75%
had lost a friend to violence; 90% had
a friend who was stabbed or shot;
nearly 90% said they regularly witness
violence in their schools. Additionally
they work with juveniles and adults as
they prepare to be released from the
Training School or Prison. They work
to build the ideal of Martin Luther
King’s Beloved Community.
Share the plate recipients have
been selected through June,
however if you have a program
or organization you would like
to recommend please bring to
the attention of the SAC
committee.
Unitarian
Universalist
Legislative Ministry of RI
(UULMRI)
Want to find out more about
how you can impact the laws
enacted by the R.I. General
Assembly without even going to
the statehouse? John Glasheen,
President of the UU Legislative
Ministry of R.I., will join us on
Feb. 1st. After Fellowship John
will provide us with an overview
of the UULMRI mission,
operation, and some of its recent
legislative successes. Have an
issue you'd like to see supported
at the statehouse? Find out how
to make it happen on Feb
1st!
The Social Action Committee is
looking forward to the joint youth
group meeting on February 7th and
the subsequent Youth Summit. We
hope to support the summit with
food and manpower as needed and
we encourage others in the
congregation to sign up also!!! We
hope to support their program
with food and manpower as
needed and we encourage others
in the congregation to sign up
also!!!
What can YOU do to help
prevent gun violence in RI?
The Rhode Island Coalition Against
Gun Violence scheduled a Partner
meeting on Jan 15th to outline
their goals for 2015, including
legislation and talking points, as
well as providing information on
how to lobby and testify before
o u r l eg i s l a to r s . Th e y a r e
supporting three pieces of
legislation this year. These include
laws regarding gun permits for
those with domestic violence
convictions, tightening up
concealed carry permits on state
property (ie schools and state
offices) and requesting specific
restrictions on the approved
number of rounds in a guns
magazine clip.
Channing Church was able to
support the purchase of 163
RIPTICs, bus tickets to be
distributed to individuals
receiving services through
McKinney Shelter, Lucy's Hearth,
Turning Around Ministries,
Riverwood/Housing First RI, and
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Newport Housing Hotline. Thank
you to all who donated and
shopped at our annual regifting
sale. We collected additional
funds through our " BRUNCH
for the BUS " on Jan.25 and at the
Zero 2016 educational forum at
the Pell school on January 22. The
goal of that forum was to help
people understand the plight of
those who are homeless, the
options available to them in our
area. and to learn how we as a
community can help. The results
of a recent survey of people who
are homeless in our community
was provided by Karen Jeffreys of
Rhode Island Coalition for the
Homeless and Don Boucher of
Riverwood/Housing First RI.
Zero:2016 is a state wide
program to end chronic and
veteran homelessness in our
community by 2016. The steps
used in this program have been
successful in ending chronic
homelessness in a number of
cities around the country.
RIPTICS were distributed to the
agencies as part of Channing
Church's recognition of the
Remember the Homeless week,
organized by Newport County
Citizens to End Homelessness.
The group is developing plans to
work with local mentoring
organizations to learn how we
can support their services to local
homeless families.
The SAC appreciates your
ongoing
donations
of
toiletries, cleaning supplies
and paper goods which are
donated to local food
pantries through our Sharing
Locker program.
~Sally Hanchett for SAC
[email protected]
SOCIAL ACTION
E CO B IT S
What to do with all this stuff!
As we walk, pedal, bus, and
carpool into 2015, let’s review
the ABCs of recycling at home
(and in our offices, clubs, and
churches.) From a recent ProJo
“Trash Tutorial” column by RI
Resource Recovery ‘s Sarah Kite
- Re e v e s, s om e r e c y c li ng
reminders to deal with the
holiday dregs:
REUSE: My favorite category.
If you accidentally shrink your
favorite wool sweater, turn the
boiled wool into simple mittens.
Re-melt stubs of wax candles to
shape new ones. Stand your
fresh Christmas tree in the
backyard, strung with popcorn
and cranberries for the birds.
Take your foam packing pellets
to a UPS store. Reuse holiday
wrappings and gift boxes, bags,
and ribbons next year. Save
metal containers for keeping or
giving cookies. Donate holiday
cards to senior centers for craft
projects. Drop used clothing,
shoes, and even rags into
donation bins throughout the
island.
RECYCLE: Blister packaging,
glass jars, cardboard (flattened),
catalogs and envelopes, junk
mail, foil wrap, pans and tins
(rinsed) can all go into your
recycling cart. Take rigid #6
pa ck i ng foa m to K WD,
Uxbridge, MA (directions at
www.rirrc.org,) mail retired light
strings as directed by
www.holidayLEDs.com. Take
bubble wrap along with plastic
bags to Re-Store bins at
supermarkets.
COMPOST:
turn coffee
grounds, eggshells, fruit and
vegetable peels (no meats), as
well as leaves and yard waste,
into “black gold” in a backyard
compost bin.
TRASH: Minimize it. Nonrecyclable: Extension cords, if
not repairable, all non-food
container plastics, including
expired plastic credit,
membership, and gift cards (cut
up).
Broken glass in taped
cardboard boxes. Meat, fish and
dairy garbage.
Take your more specific recycling
questions to RIRRC’s A to Z web
listing, www.atoz.rirrc.org, or email
them to Sarah Kite-Reeves, at
[email protected].
Type “Trash Tutorial” in the subject
field.
~June Wing,
Green Cong. Committee
GREEN CORNER
Ways toward a saner future
Soon the sanctuary will be
brighter. A National Grid
program, brought to us by RI
Interfaith Power & Light, is
replacing our lights with brighter,
less focused LEDs, enabling us to
read our hymn lyrics on dreary
days. And they’re free! That
means the $500 we won for
participating in the RI Energy
Challenge is still available for
another efficiency project.
The Newport City Council held
a workshop on the Energy &
Environment Commission’s
proposed ordinance requiring
special events, like parades,
festivals and sailing races, to
recycle. The commission’s test
cases show that recycling has
been well received by event
coordinators. The council will be
voting on the ordinance soon,
and we’d like supporters in the
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Fight fracked natural gas in RI!
Why? Fracking gobbles water
and leaves it polluted with
unnamed chemicals. It leaks one
of the worst greenhouse gases,
methane, at the fracking site and
along its pipelines. Rather than
bridging to renewable energy,
it’ll slow down the transition.
While there’s no fracking in RI,
there is a pipeline, and Spectra
Energy wants to enlarge a
compression station in
Burrillville, where the current
station has already been causing
health problems. This gas is
bound for export, not for use
here. UUCSC’s Lisa Petrie is a
member of Fossil Free RI, which
is leading the fight against the
station. For more information
about the project and ways to
help fight it, contact her at
[email protected].
We’re still looking for a UU
Representative to succeed Beth
on the Board of RI Interfaith
Power & Light. The term is one
year, and the time commitment
is minimal. For information,
c onta c t
Bet h
a t
[email protected].
~Beth Milham, Chair,
Green Congregation Committee
COMMUNITY MEAL
Monday, February 16
3:30-6:15pm, Parish Hall
The
Channing
Memorial Church
Community Meal
is the third Monday of every
month in the Parish Hall. To
volunteer
contact Hershel
Poe:
[email protected]
ROUND ROBIN
DINNERS
THERE IS STILL
ROOM LEFT AT THE
TABLE FOR YOU!!
Here is how it works:
1. Sign up! Hopefully you can be
part of all 4 dinners, but even if you
can only do one, please sign up. We
want to get to know you.
2. Potluck dinners will take
place in people’s homes at 6:00
pm on 3 Saturdays February
21st, March 14th and April 18th.
3. Please consider hosting a
dinner. The host does not
cook. Instead the host provides the
setting, the set up, coffee and
tea. The host determines the
number of guests that can fit
comfortably at their dinner.
4. Each guest will be assigned
each month to a host and to a
part of the dinner. If you sign up
as a single – 1 dish. If you sign up as
a couple – 2 dishes. Or, for noncooks, you can bring bread, a bakery
dessert or beverages.
5. Multiple dinners will be going
on at the same time in different
homes each month.
The
following month everything will be
changed up: new host, new dinner
partners, new dishes.
By the end of the series of dinners
you will have gotten to share with
many old and many new friends.
Let us know if you need a ride, can
host, or if you have any food
requests (such as vegan, vegetarian,
food allergies, etc.).
You can sign up in the Parish
Hall on Sundays or contact
Sondra Gold
Hope to dine with you!
ANOUNCEMENTS
1 0 0 Q U E ST IO N S
A B O U T U U ~ I SM
Sunday, February 1, 11:30am,
Ladies’ Parlor
Here is an informal chance to
address those questions you have
always wondered about! How do
you join the congregation? What
is Channing’s connection to our
church? Do UU’s believe in an
afterlife? Grab a cup of coffee
and join us in the Ladies’ Parlor
in the Parish Hall behind the
church!
Z E N ME D ITAT IO N
Every Monday, 7:00-8:30pm,
Parish Hall
This practice teaches us to clear
our mind, understand our true self
and live with clarity and
compassion. No experience
necessary. Please bring cushions
and/or a blanket. For more
information, contact Jamie
Caster
K E E P I N G T H E P R O MI S E !
C H AN N I N G
C AR E G I V IN G ME E T IN G
Saturday, February 28,
10am, in the Parish Hall
Everyone interested in learning
about, contributing to and/or
tweaking our caregiving function
is invited to attend. Linda Beall,
Nickie Kates, & Barbara Russell
Willett will offer & accept
suggested efficiencies to our
caregiving covenant. Our
gathering will be short and
sweet, starting promptly at
10AM for a brief, productive,
and vital hour of idea exchange
in the Parish Hall. Looking
forward to collaborate on the
process of caring for and about
one another
KEEPING THE PROMISE !
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B L AC K H I STO RY
A S S E MB LY
Friday, February 13,
Roger’s High School Auditorium
The 44th annual Rev. Robert L.
Williams National Black History
Month Assembly will be held at
Rogers High School auditorium on
Friday Feb. 14th at 10am. Rev. Jay
Deacon will present the Dr.
Marcus Wheatland Award and
scholarship to a high school
senior, and Rev. Vincent
Thompson will present the
George Downing Award to a
community leader. There will be a
breakfast in the Colonial Dining
Room immediately following the
assembly.
Channing Church has been
sponsoring this event since its
inception and members are
invited to attend.
I N T E RW E AV E P OT L U C K
Sunday, February 15, 5:30pm,
in the Parish Hall
Burrrrrr, it's cold! 'Tis the season
of cocoa and quilts!
Join
Interweave on Sunday, February
15th at 5:30 in the Parish Hall for
a potluck and quilt making. We
will be making a panel for the
AIDS quilt.
If you know of
someone who would like to be
memorialized, please contact Beth
or Russ Milham. They will be
leading the quilt making. Bring a
dish to share and see you
there!
*For more info, please contact
Rex LeBeau by email at:
[email protected].
Interweave is Channing's
group for LGBTQ and
straight allies.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
F E B R UARY G R E E T E R S
February 1, Susan Booth
February 8, Susan Booth
February 15, Susan VanDerhoof
February 22, Susan VanDerhoof
F E B R UARY C H I ME R S
February 1, Linda Beall
February 8, Janna Pederson
February 15, Jim Freess
February 22, Cynthia Skelton
Newport County
Death Cafe
Friday, February 6,
7:00-8:30pm,
Hambly Brick House, 30 Red
Cross Ave., Newport
“Our aim is to increase awareness of
death to help people make the most
of their (finite) lives.”
RSVP to Mary at: 846-0698. Please
call to let them know you are
coming, space is limited. Refreshments will be provided.
For more info go to: Facebook.com/newportdeathcafe
TLC SPRING 2015
P RO G R AM S
The Second COSMOS
Intergenerational
Potluck Supper
Saturday, March 28, 5:00pm
in the Parish Hall
Co- Sponsored With
Religious Education
Bring the whole
family
for
a
delicious potluck
supper and the
showing of a "Cosmos" episode,
followed by games and a lively
discussion with some of our
congregation’s brilliant scientists.
Please plan to join us! No
registration fee – just bring a
dish to share.
The Many Moods of Film
Noir: Four Weeks of
Darkness, Desire and
Desperation
Presented by film aficionado
Sam Jernigan
Thursdays, May 7, 14, 21, & 28
7 PM, Parish Hall.
We will screen films from
the classic noir period
(early 40’s-late 50’s), and
assess their influence on
current cinema. Popcorn
provided. Bring your own liquid
refreshment. Should be fun!
Registration donation of $10
includes all four films.
After Sermon "Talk-Back"
with the Rev. Jay Deacon,
to be held on Sundays
after fellowship.
Specific dates and topics will be
announced in weekly e-mails and
in the Order of Service.
Have you ever been intrigued by
a Sunday sermon and felt an
interest in knowing more? Come
to these sessions and ask your
questions. Debate your ideas
with Channing friends!
No registration fee
THESE ADDITIONAL
COURSES AND EVENTS
ARE IN THE WORKS!
Tour of William Ellery
Channing's Newport
with Chris Laudon, DETAILS TBD
ISSUES THROUGH
THE LENS
Film series on immigration and
homelessness. DETAILS TBD.
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NUCLEAR ENERGY
UPDATE
Presenters: Mike Armenia & Bob
Kieronski, Co-sponsored by
Channing’s Green Congregation.
DETAILS TBA
Re-linking the Divine
Spirit with the Human:
How Theists, Agnostics
and Atheists Can All
Lead an Authentic
Religious Life
Prof. Henry Rosemont,
speaker
A "Dining and
Discourse" event,
to be followed by
a
3meeting
seminar [separate
registration] on the same
subject, with readings, led by
Prof. Rosemont.
In April. Details TBD.
Advanced registration for all
TLC courses and events is
appreciated. Please contact
Michele at the Channing
office,
846-0643,
[email protected].
Checks should be made
payable to Channing
Memorial Church, memo
"TLC", with your course or
event name. Please note that
we are not allowed to charge
for programs at the Newport
Public Library, but we very
muc h a ppr e ciat e your
registration donation, made
through the Channing Office.
Registration fees enable us to
cover costs associated with
future programming.