All Souls Church UU at

The West Village Meetinghouse

Weekly E-News

Thursday, May 16, 2024 –
Wednesday, May 22, 2024

WORSHIP SERVICE

Sunday, May 19th at 10 a.m.

“Building and Nurturing Our Community – A Year, Remembered!” 

Led by Rev. Telos Whitfield. We reflect on our year together, remembering and honoring all that we have shared and accomplished together. Together, we welcome all who come, care for each other, and work for justice. From our newest members and friends, to our longtime members, we are each involved in helping to build and nurture our dear community.

Pre-Service activities at 9 a.m. – We hold our Religious Exploration Workshops for children of all ages and offer conversation and meditation. 

**Everyone is Welcome at Our Annual Meeting and Lunch to follow at 11:45 a.m. 

Anthem on May 19th: “River Song” poem by Henry David Thoreau, music by Tom Baehr
Henry David Thoreau’s poem, “River Song,” appears in the posthumous collection, Songs of Nature, published in 1895 after his death in 1862. It appeared in his A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849), an account of a trip with his brother John. It is a joyous ode to the start of a day, a renewal. 

102nd Annual Meeting of All Souls Church to follow our Worship Service at 11:45 a.m.

Attend either in person or via Zoom following the Worship Service. For those attending in person, there will be light luncheon items available. 

Members are urged to attend this important congregational meeting to conduct the annual business of the church including approval of the FY 25 Budget and Elections of Officers of the Board & Members-at-Large, a Member of the Nominating Committee and Auditors. 

We will receive the Annual Reports and recognize the many volunteers who make All Souls Church a vital and robust congregation. 

Following the Business Meeting we will hold our:

Stewardship Celebration – Together In Faith!

What:  A celebration for this year’s Stewardship campaign!

When:  Right after the Annual Meeting this Sunday May 16th

Please plan to stay after the Annual Meeting this Sunday when the Stewardship Team will celebrate the heartening financial results of this year’s campaign. We had an ambitious goal, but through your combined generosity, we slightly exceeded it.  This means we were able to put more hours for our minister, Rev. Telos into our budget, a wonderful sign of growth at All Souls. We are deeply grateful for every gift, no matter what size, because it demonstrates your commitment to our community.  

At the conclusion of the Annual Meeting, the Stewardship Team will come prancing out in our signature funny hats, say a few words, and  introduce a short interactive game designed to show how we are all connected.  If you are online, we will throw you a virtual ball.  There will be a big cake too, decorated with Trish Murtha’s beautiful design with the flaming chalice and our motto, Together in Faith.             

We deserve to celebrate!

Your Team,  Catie G. Berg, Leslie Kinney, Ann Newsmith, Christina Gibbons, and Rev. Telos

FROM THE ART TEAM – NEW EXHIBITION!

We are partnering with Inclusive Arts Vermont and so now  the long-awaited exhibit of artwork by 25 Vermont artists with disabilities is on view in the foyer and the west wing hallway. 

In this “Cycles”exhibit artists explore cycles of nature, of the body, mind, and spirit, experiences of repetition, circular shapes, and more. To ensure accessibility, each of the 27 works has verbal descriptions, and tactile representations accompany selected works. Materials are available in print, large print, Braille, audio, and digital formats. 

An artists’ reception is planned for Saturday, June 22, 3 – 5  p.m., and several artist talks and workshops are also planned, both online and in person throughout the summer. 

Thanks to a hardworking team of Arts Committee and Inclusive Arts folks, the CYCLES exhibition was installed in our foyer and hallway recently. Following Theatre Adventure performances on May 16 and 17, additional artwork will go up in our Main Hall/ Sanctuary.  

The CYCLES exhibition is more than art on the wall. Accessibility is an integral part of the show. In preparation, we are working to improve physical access to All Souls, both inside and outside, for people with disabilities. More information coming soon and also available at https://www.inclusiveartsvermont.org/exhibitions/cycles

FROM OUR CARING CIRCLE

If you had a medical emergency in the church building who would you want to be contacted? The Caring Circle will begin this Sunday to collect emergency contact information from members and friends of All Souls Church. The person might be a relative or a close friend or neighbor who knows how to contact your family. We are committed to caring for each other. Members of our Caring Circle:  Heide Bredfeldt, Linda Hay, Ann Hier, Beth McKinney, Elizabeth Lewis and Ellie Weiss.

SOCIAL JUSTICE 

Boys & Girls Club Collection – During the month of May we are continuing to collect items for the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro.  Your contributions make a difference to the children of our community.  A bin is in the foyer for contributions of the following items: 

• Board games for grades K-5
• Small sturdy boxes, such as empty match boxes
• Colored chalk
• Compostable cups
• Battery packs – Double A & Triple A
• Juggling Balls
• Wiffle Balls
• Ping Pong balls
• Pool cue tips
• Pool cue chalk
• Spray bottles for wate
  

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Saturday, May 18th, 10 – 12 p.m. at Putney School
Swords To Plowshares Event 

The new local group  Swords To Plowshares, Vermont, Inc. was founded last year following an event at Brattleboro Retreat Farm, and is modeled after a Connecticut organization of the same name. Founded in 2017 is has focused on reducing gun violence in its communities. Dedicated to community education aimed at reducing gun violence, StPVt is a Windham County creation closely related to the Connecticut organization. According to its founder, the Rt. Rev Thomas Ely, StPVt is collaborating with the Windham County Sheriff’s Office and the Brattleboro Police Department to take unwanted firearms that can be destroyed, and then convert the usable parts into garden tools and works of art. StPVt is currently working with Brian Quarrier, art teacher at The Putney School, whose students will create items out of the recycled weapons. For more information, email  or call 802-233-5729 or 802-254-9019.

Saturday, May 25th, 10 – 12 p.m.
37th ANNUAL WALK FOR LIFE

Gather at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro as AIDS Project of Southern Vermont honors Rev. Shawn Bracebridge and celebrates years of commitment from community members supporting individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR POSITION IN TRANSITION… 

Office Help Needed 

We are again in a time of transition as we seek a new candidate for our Office Administrator position. The position is posted on Front Porch Forum in several towns, and if there is someone you know who might be interested, please encourage them to apply. Rev. Telos is currently managing and doing office related tasks, along with George, and she needs your help. Please call her at 802-376-4977 or e-mail her at if you might be able to spend time in the office, answering the phone, assisting with copying, and other needed office tasks in the coming weeks. Thank you.