UUCW made history on Sunday, September 27, 2020 when the Video Team live streamed parts of the service. Shown here prepping before the service are the Rev. Aaron Payson, left, and Vickie Cox-Lanyon. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
Photo of the Week #2
The Video Team showed up for a tech run-through on Friday, September 25, 2020. At left, tech guy Paul Marr prepares a camcorder, while the Rev. Aaron Payson sets up the computer software. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
Photo of the Week #3
The traffic lights have been activated at the intersection of Drummond Ave and Holden Street, and traffic is now flowing on the new section of road, at left. In this photo, taken on September 27, 2020, the barrels block the road that previously ran in front of the church. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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At top, a “Love is Love” banner was installled on the front lawn of the church during the summer of 2020.
At bottom, the Rev. Aaron Payson has a supply of UUCW “Love is Love” bumper stickers. Contact him at for one; they are free as long as supplies last.
Photos taken on September 24, 2020 by Betty Jenewin.
Photo of the Week #5
In this photo from the UUCW archives, long time member Paul Gustafson passes the plate for the offering on June 10, 2007. In addition to serving as an usher, Paul was also collector, sexton and videographer for the church.
(photo by Betty Jenewin)Continue reading →
The Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry celebrated its 25th anniversary on September 19, 2020.
Posing with the commendation they received from Jean McMurrary (Executive Director of the Worcester County Food Bank) are, front row, from left, Jodi Rymer, Linda Morse, Denise Darrigrand, Jean McMurray, Dianne Mann (Co-Director of Loaves and Fishes) and Betsy Wood (Co-Director of Loaves and Fishes).
Back row, from left, are Kim Mann, Mary Kilburn, Vickie Cox-Lanyon, Melissa McKeon, Erica Krenis-Peck and Pete Lanyon. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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Betsy Wood, right, gets emotional as she holds a commendation she has just received on Saturday, September 19, 2020 from Jean McMurray, the Executive Director of the Worcester County Food Bank, for her 22 years of co-directing the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.. Applauding are, from left, volunteers Jodi Rymer and Melissa McKeon. Loaves and Fishes began at St. John’s Episcopal Church in 1995, as a joint venture with the Wachusett Food Pantry. Wood began co-directing with her husband in 1999. In 2009 it moved to UUCW. Wood’s co-director in the UUCW years has been Diane Mann. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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From left, Vickie Cox-Lanyon, Jean McMurray, Executive Director of the Worcester County Food Bank and Dianne Mann, Co-Director of the Food Pantry talk in the parking lot during food distribution on Saturday, September 19, 2020. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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Native plant expert, Ellen Sousa, second from right, talks to members of the Garden Committee on Sunday, September 13, 2020. The Garden Committee is beginning the process of planting native plants among the existing plants in the UUCW gardens. Sousa is the owner of Turkey Hill Brook Farm in Spencer (www.thbfarm.com) and is working with the committee. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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Bart Hill built a video platform at the back of the church, repurposing the wood from two pews that were removed to make room. Photo taken on September 20, 2020. Photo by Betty Jenewin.
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At bottom is a song for these times, currently posted in the UUCW bathroom.
In the photo at eft, Kim McCoy sets in the new peace pole with help from Peter Salmela and Susan Stepp. In the photo at right, Religious Educaiton Director Deb Selkow stands beside the newly installed peace pole. Photos taken in May of 2003. (photos by Judy Savage)
Photo of the Week #8
In this photo from the UUCW archives, taken in the spring of 2012, members of the Greater Worcester Humanist Group are shown sponsoring a Responsible Electronics Recycling Event at UUCW.
Steve and Ann Jasperson are shown holding up the sign at left. Don Guyton is in the orange sweatshirt.
Metech Recycling, a Certified e-Stewards recycler, provided secure shredding of all data-containing devices. Ninety-five percent of all the materials brought in were recycled for remanufacture. (photo by Betty Jenewin)Continue reading →
Food pantry volunteers, from left, Jenny Delgizzi and Vickie Cox-Lanyon pack bags with back-to-school supplies on August 13, 2020. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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Bart Hill is shown constructing a new platform for video in the back of the sanctuary in this August 2020 photo. Two back pews have been removed to make room. (photo by Bart Hill)
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UUCW peeps gathered virtually via Zoom to play online trivia via the Kahoot platform on Friday evening, August 21, 2020. Matt and George Bejune created, edited and posted questions, with assistance from Dianne Mann. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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The second Virtual dinner fundraiser was held on September 2, 2020. Shown here is the third of four courses, sweet way glazed pork belly with baby boy choy salad. (photo courtesy of Rachel Keyo)
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This photo from the UUCW archives is circa 1994-1995. Choir members are, front row, from left, June Davenport, Karen Tobin, Laurie Lundgren, Kim Kepler-Gennert, Leena Osteraas and Shirley Irvine. Back row, from left, are Bob Thompson, Joge Tsang, Russ Kay, Carlton Davenport and Art Henshaw. Choir Director was Brenda Thompson.
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It is thanks to Birgit Patterson that we have nine scrapbooks containing the archival photos you often see posted in Photos of the Week, and on our church’s Instagram and Facebook accounts. The scrapbooks also contain newspaper clippings and church memorabilia. Thank you, Birgit, for the many hours you spent putting these scrapbooks together! They are an invaluable resource and historical record.
This June 2, 2019 photo from Legacy Sunday shows Birgit, center, accepting a token of appreciation from Church President John Odell. At left is Birgit’s daughter, Nancy Hancock. (photo by Betty Jenewin)Continue reading →
This week’s Photo of the Week takes us back to November 3, 1991 and the church’s Sesquicentennial Celebration (150th anniversary). The Rev. Elizabeth Espenshade presided at a special 3 PM service. She was joined by the Rev. Barbara Merritt, the Rev. Michael Bafaro and the Rev. David Miller. Master of Ceremonies was Wendy Innis.
Pictured at the reception following the service, are, back row from left, Karen Hancock, Tom Pierce and Jean Bolz. Seated is Nancy Hancock.
UUCW was founded on June 3, 1841 when 31 men signed the constitution creating the First Universalist Society of Worcester. In 1968 the name was changed to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.Continue reading →
Sheri Linn, UUCW Summer Service Co-ordinator, leads the first session on Sunday, July 5, 2020. The sessions are centered around the theme of Ethics and Unitarian Universalism; the topic that day was “Moral Authority.” (photo by Betty Jenewin)
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Beth Posner-Waldron makes phone calls for the Reclaim Our Vote Campaign of the Center for Common Ground and Arizona NAACP on July 9, 2020. Beth is calling people of color in Arizona who are being notified that their registration status may no longer be active and telling them how to check their status. In the background is Beth’s favorite affirmation, #457, from the gray hymnal. It is by Edward Everett Hale and reads as follows “I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” (photo by Evans Waldron)
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The women attending the July 11, 2020 Women’s Social Circle via Zoom raise their glasses together. (photo by Kim Napoleone)
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Attendees at the July 29, 2020 Virtual Greek Dinner are shown on the computer monitor in the Keyo household.
Dining together, abeit virtually, were Maya Desai and Sean Divoll, Cristina and Neil Heffernan, June Davenport, Catherine Roberts, Cheryl and Bruce Leshay, Sue and Kristen Neaz, the Rev. Aaron Payson and Kristen Payson, Rachel and Brian Keyo, Vickie Cox-Lanyon and Pete Lanyon, Moira Rouse and Dianne Mann.
They enjoyed a Greek dinner featuring Avgolemono Soup, Lahandolmathes, Lemon and Oregano Roasted Chicken and Loukoumades.
(photo courtesy of Rachel Keyo)
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In this photo from the UUCW archives, estimated to have been taken in 2002, Claire Breyton plays with, from left, Taeva, Clare and Mariah at Ferry Beach. (photo by Judy Savage)
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Time Machine Tuesday!
This news clipping from the UUCW archives illustrated a story about a project directed by Rita Pierce, to inform more people of the opportunities for liberal religious fellowship at UUCW.
A dozen church volunteers stapled together 3500 brochures describing the church’s activities. They were mailed to the Holden area.
The cover of the eight-page brochure was drawn by eleven-year old Kristen Bluemel, daughter of Van and Polly Bluemel.
The brochure staplers were Rita Pierce, Polly Bluemel, James and Sally Demetry, Birgit Patterson, Nancy Hancock, Norene Tews, Nancy Paul, Justine Honeyman, Lea Hench, Frances Baumgartner and Russ Kay.Continue reading →
In this December 11, 2005 photo from the UUCW archives, Joan Webster, now of blessed memory, talks to children in the Religious Education program about her family’s holiday traditions. (Photo by Betty Jenewin)
Photo of the Week #2:
In this December 11, 2005 photo from the UUCW archives, Joan Webster, now of blessed memory, makes crafts with children in the Religious Education program. In the foreground is a drawing one of the youngsters made of Joan. (Photo by Betty Jenewin)
Photo of the Week #3:
Sheri Linn, left, discusses what she will say for a video promo for the Summer Services, filmed by videographer Betty Jenewin. Sheri, the Summer Services co-ordinator, will oversee a Tapestry of Faith Curriculum from the UUA exploring Ethics and UUism. Betty is working with Vickie-Cox Lanyon as the Video Team; both are among those currently taking the online course “Video Ministry.” (Photo by Vickie Cox-Lanyon)
Photo of the Week #4:
This newspaper photo from the UUCW scrapbooks ran with a story detailing the Wolfson family’s participation in a “Save the Children Foundation” project. The family began in 1956 by contributing to the welfare of a child living in Greece. Their sponsorship expanded to that of the child’s whole family. According to the story, the aim of the project was to convince people that they can do something about their poverty. In addition to exchanging letters three to four times a year, the Wolfsons sent clothing and medical supplies. The article also mentions that son Charles was a member of the Liberal Religious Youth of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Marilyn Raymond shops at the Regional Environmental Council’s Mobile Farmers Market in the UUCW parking lot on Thursday, June 25, 2020, the opening day of the season. The market will be here weekly through October. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
Photo of the Week #2
Linda Morse, right, listens as Anna Marinescu, REC Regional Manager, instructs shoppers before the Mobile Farmers Market opens on Thursday, June 25, 2020. Linda, along with Dianne Mann, are the liaisons with the REC for this program. Linda arrived on scene at 6 AM to put the sign and cones out. In addition to her volunteer work at UUCW, she also volunteers at the Senior Center and for the Worcester Public Schools. (photo by Betty Jenewin)
Photo of the Week #3
This February 1973 Evening Gazette newspaper clipping from the UUCW scrapbooks shows church member Carole Howe, in conjunction with her advocacy work on the legalization of nurse midwifery in Massachusetts. Nurse midwifery was legalized in Massachusetts in 1977. Carole became a state registered midwife in England in 1969-1970. In England she had to be a State Registered Nurse first, and then, after the midwifery course, she sat for the exams earning the right to be a State Certified Midwife. She then received her Masters from UConn Storrs in Primary Health Care in 1981 and her doctorate from UW Milwaukee in 2002. Carole started coming to UUCW with her five siblings and parents when the current building on Shore Drive first opened. Carole currently volunteers on the Green Thumb Committee (with a native plant focus) and the Side with Love Committee.
Photo of the Week #4
In this May 24, 2009 photo from the church archives, UUCW President Denise Darrigrand explains the church’s Food Pantry to the children in the Religious Education program. (photo by Betty Jenewin)Continue reading →
Coming Of Age youth, clockwise from left, Lilly (standing in for brother Chris), Davin, Elisabeth, Ellie, Justin, Nate and Timothy pose on May 31, 2020 with scrapbooks they have been working on all year. They came to church that afternoon to pick up their tiles; they will decorate them to depict their coming of age. The tiles will be hung in the church hallway, as has been the custom for the last 20 years. Jenny Delgizzi places Coming of Age participant Elisabeth’s scrapbook within a hula hoop on the front lawn of the church on May 31, 2020. The hoops will be used for spacing for a socially-distanced group photo.Director of Religious Exploration and Education, Robin Mitzcavitch, directs proceedings for Coming Of Age participants on May 31, 2020.Among the participants at the Solidarity Protest for George Floyd/Amplify Black Voices rally at City Hall on June 1, 2020 were, from left, a member of the First Parish UU Church of Northboro, Conrad Homan, Sheri Linn and Sean Reynolds.Continue reading →
