New Group for Caregivers of LGBTQIA+ Young People
Parents of LGBTQIA+ young people, please join us in gathering on the first Friday of every month from 7:30-9PM for mutual support and celebration of our kids. Our February meeting will take place on February 2nd. Please RSVP to dre@uudanbury.org.
UUCD Men Conversing over Coffee meets on the second Wednesday of each month. Our next meeting is on Wednesday, March 13, at 10am at UUCD in the Fellowship Hall Lower Level. For more information contact Jeff Asher or Joe Gillotti.
March 9: Suze Shaner and Dan Brodax are facilitating Movies with a Message, using Spiritual Cinema’s movie shorts the second Saturday of each month from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. These nights will consist of 1-3 short movies that explore the big questions about life and living (i.e, Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we bound? and What can we become when we live at our highest level of potential? ) with discussion afterwards. We will supply water and popcorn. Feel free to bring your takeout dinner. Donations to UUCD accepted.
The Death Café will meet on March 10 and 24. Please contact Joni Lowe or Marcia Brooker with any questions
Music at the Ridge Sunday, March 3 · 4 – 6:30pm EST
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, 24 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury, CT 06811
Double Bill: Lisa Gutkin and Sue Horowitz
Lisa Gutkin is a Grammy award-winning fiddler, composer, singer, and songwriter. As a soloist, she seamlessly swings from Klezmer to the blues, or between traditional Irish and Appalachian sounds, and is best known as a member of the acclaimed Klezmatics. Whether playing the violin, tenor guitar, or singing, her songs are universally resonant.
Sue Horowitz is an award-winning Folk/Americana and Spiritual music artist. She writes and sings about everyday struggles and joys while playing the guitar. Her stories in song are poignant, timeless, and sung with warmth and confidence. Sue blends Americana and Folk, while also drawing influences from Jewish music, blues, and classic rock, making each song unique.
Music at the Ridge is a non-religious, community program of the Unitarian Universalists of Danbury.
Concerts will be available both as in-person and live-streamed. You can buy tickets at the door or through Eventbrite. For tickets
Click HERE for more information
March 13, 6:00 pm
The Men’s Group will once again host our Community Dinner, repeating their much praised pizza night. We will gather at 6pm for some short gathering words, enjoy dinner together, and then have our educational
program on Christian Protestantism and especially the Black Baptist tradition (see more in the article on Neighborhood Bridges).
Will You Step Up?
We have community dinners scheduled for April 10 and May 8, but we have yet to identify who will be host for these months. If you are part of a group that enjoys the use and sponsorship of our congregation’s home, and you have not already been a hosting group, this is a call to your group to say “yes” to one of these months. The responsibilities are very simple and you will have support in making it happen. If you or your group is ready, contact Randy Becker, Community Dinner coordinator, to find out more details.
Neighborhood Bridges
Our monthly programs of becoming more familiar with other spiritual and religious traditions focuses for March on Christian Protestantism and specifically the historic Black Baptist tradition. A brief educational program will be presented at 6:45pm on Wednesday, March 13 (following the community dinner) by Randy Becker.
All (and we mean all, including all ages!) are invited for our field trip to experience worship with the New Hope Baptist Church of Danbury (10 Dr. Aaron Samuels Blvd. Danbury, CT 06810) for their 10:30am service
on Sunday, April 24. Their Church is less than 2 miles and 6 minutes from our home on Clapboard Ridge Road.
In joining New Hope for worship, I would remind us that the Black Church tradition honors their coming together in worship by dressing well for the such times. “Sunday Best” says it all.
More details of our trip to be with them will appear in coming weeks.
Some background information that may be useful:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/03/the-history-and-importance-of-the-black-church/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_church
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/02/16/a-brief-overview-of-black-religious-history-in-the-u-s/
and the New Hope website:
https://newhopedanbury.org
A basic history on the Protestant Reformation
A lecture on the History of the Black Church
At the February 14th UUCD Community Dinner, we celebrated Valentine’s Day as a community expression of appreciation rather than as romantic coupling. Attendees were invited to write down (on a large tablecloth) something(s) appreciated in the others around the tables, and then we were all invited to read and receive such appreciations as would help us feel loved.
Here is what was shared: Thoughtfulness, empathy, helpfulness, willingness, fearlessness to take on what needs to be done, compassion, love, online wonder, great sense of humor, creative, love, care, togetherness, creativity, wonderful food, resourcefulness, spirit of inclusion, inclusiveness, welcomeness, helpful people, fun, history keeper, happy to pitch in, best intentions, art, beauty, togetherness, kindness. (plus 2 wonderful drawings!)
As you read the list, take any appreciations that will give you joy and make you feel loved as gifts from our community.