A New Member Ceremony was held during service on November 16, 2025. In the top photo, The Rev. Aaron Payson looks on as Jackie McMullen signs the Membership Book. At rear, from left, are Eve Stutsman, Jenny Pacillo, Wiebke Deimling, and Matthew Haberstroh. In the bottom photo, Gloria Webster joined our church via our online platform.
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Mara Pentlarge plays the Introit on November 16, 2025, “Arioso” by J.S. Bach.
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Our new Activist Reading Group, sponsored by the Side With Love Committee, met after church on November 16, 2025.
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Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry Director Betsy Wood displays the grocery gift cards that will be given away at the following day’s Food Pantry on November 15, 2025. Note that she is holding some, some are displayed in the foreground of the photo, and many fill the index card box. 132 gift cards were distributed, a $2,640 value.
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The Rev. Aaron Payson handed Vickie Cox-Lanyon and Maya Desai a rose when they brought up the Offertory plates on November 16, 2025. The Connections Team had brought roses to give to those who joined during the New Member Ceremony.
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UUCW is a place where young people like Eisley can proudly and safely wear sweatshirts telling the world who they are.
Our Guest Minister on November 9, 2025 was the Rev. Michael F. Hall. He is shown here telling the story of Daedalus & Icarus, during the “Time for All Ages.”
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Claire collects Thanksgiving food during the service on November 9, 2025.
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UUCW’s Bell Ensemble, under the direction of Kathleen Nagy, performed the Musical Meditation ‘America’ during the service on November 9, 2025.
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Rachel Keyo presented an 8th Principle Moment during the service on November 9, 2025. In recognition of and to honor his November 26th birthday, and prolong his legacy, she spoke about the “Worcester Whirlwind,” professional bicyclist Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor.
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Beth Posner-Waldron did the Welcome during the service on November 9, 2025. She reminded the congregation that her committees are still collecting signatures for a petition to put a Rent Stabilization question on the ballot next year.
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Musicians Helping Musicians – when she noticed that Music Director Matt Johnsen might need some help turning the pages of the score of “The Water Is Wide,” the Prelude of the service on November 9, 2025, Kathleen Nagy spontaneously stepped up and provided that assistance.
Mezzo-soprano Carrie Reid-Knox sang two selections during the service on November 2, 2025. She is shown here singing Samuel Baxter’s ‘Sure on the Shining Night,’ the Introit.
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Afghan henna artist Robina Rahimi has been coming to UUCW after church on Sundays and offering henna, for a fee, in Fellowship Hall. She is seen here doing henna on Leslie Linson.
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Jessie Gildea Trowbridge delivers a Committee on Right Relations Moment during the service on November 2, 2025.
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Thanks to church member Leo DaSilva, his dad, Jose Bezerra DaSilva and our minister, the Rev. Aaron Payson, our ‘Love is Love’ banner that collapsed in high winds over the weekend is now back up and standing strong.
Peter Mayer performed at UUCW over the weekend. First, left, at a concert Saturday night. Then, right, during Sunday service.
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Our choir sang Peter’s song “Peace” with him, first, top, during Saturday’s concert. The, bottom, during Sunday service.
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Choir member Cathy McDonagh wore the perfect top to sing the song “Peace.”
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Beckley Schowalter donates to Yeison’s Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box during the service on October 26, 2025. Waiting their turn behind Beckley are Shirley Traite and Kim McCoy.
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How fortunate UUCW was that Dame Prudence Margaret Leith, aka Prue Leith of the Great British Baking Show, visited during the pre-Halloween service on October 26, 2025. 😉
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uucwreads highlights the ways that books are part of our members’ and staff’s lives. Susan Crossley is currently finishing the last book in the Cork O’Connor 21-book mystery series by author William Kent Krueger.Susan has enjoyed the series because “Mr. Krueger is a real storyteller. He solves mysteries while incorporating the Ojibwe Tribal beliefs and culture.”
Dawn Doud stands with Drew Wilkin at the NO KINGS rally at Institute Park on October 18, 2025. Note, also, that Dawn wore yellow; she’s seen here with her fetching yellow boa.
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A UUCW group at the rally – from left, Sheri Linn, Annie Armstrong, Ruth Silver, Vickie Cox-Lanyon, Melissa McKeon, Betsy Wood and Michele Hernandez.
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Another UUCW group at the rally. In no particular order, they are Susan Crossley, Joan McGinn, Dawn Doud (in the inflatable costume – Go Dawn!), John Odell, Brian Russo, Nelly Case, Ruth Silver, Nancy Baffa, Annie Armstrong, Wes Shepeluk, Drew Wilkin, Josh Belden, Michele Hernandez, Sheri Linn, Vickie Cox-Lanyon, Evan Wilson and Melissa McKeon.
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Nancy Baffa and her husband John Odell with their NO KINGS rally signs.
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The Choral Anthem of the October 19, 2025 service was a composition by our very own Music Director, Matthew Johnsen. It was “Open the Channels of Love.” Matt played the piano and sang; the choir also sang. Accompanying them on violin was Jagan Nath Khalsa and 10-year old Nihaal on tabla, as shown in this photo.
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Carole Howe is shown here with a bumblebee on her shoulder during a Garden-On work party on October 11, 2025. It’s fitting! Bumblebees are such good pollinators; Carole is such a good friend to pollinators!
The Rev. Beau Rivers was installed as the 33rd Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleborough, MA on October 12, 2025. Rev. Rivers was a Ministerial Intern here at UUCW from 2014-2016.
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Rachel Keyo delivered an 8th Principle Moment during the service on October 12, 2025. These moments demonstrate how structural and personal racism are embedded in our society.
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The Anti-Racism Support group met on Tuesday morning, September 30, 2025. They are, from left, Mara Pentlarge, Marilyn Martin and Carole Howe. The group meets every other week, with the intention to support each other to look at the racism within themselves.
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Kudos to Drew Wilkin for the clever way he promoted getting a ‘Come As You Are’ UU t-shirt, done during the announcement portion of the October 12, 2025 service. Drew walked to the front, took off his suit jacket, and opened up his shirt. Underneath was the UU t-shirt. Surprise!
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On October 8, 2025 Garden-On’s Leo DaSilva was delighted to welcome members of the Worcester Garden Club to tour our native gardens. WGC’s generosity has played a vital role in our native garden’s growth. Through their grants in 2023 and 2024, we’ve been able to purchase essential supplies for our nursery.
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Peg Gifford looks at the YWCA’s Domestic Violence Services’ “Empty Place at the Table” display following the service on October 12, 2025. This agency was the beneficiary of the 50/50 collection this day.
Laura Rosbach lit the chalice during the service on October 5, 2025.
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Andrea Cruz delivered the Welcome and a Committee On Right Relations Moment during the service on October 5, 2025.
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Lunch With The Minister was held for the first time this 2025-2026 church year on October 1, 2025.
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Workers from the Area Glass Company replaced seven windows in the Lounge wall on September 30, 2025.
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HVAC technicians from Control Point Mechanical started the 3-4 day process of replacing one of our three boilers on October 1, 2025.
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Leo DaSilva and his dad Jose Bezerra DaSilva cut down some shrubs to make space for the new garden beds in the Memorial Garden. THANK YOU, Leo and Jose!
Malachi raises the just-unearthed time capsule high in the air on September 28, 2025. It was filled by the Coming of Age Class in 2020 and will be reburied now that it has been dug up.
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The Choir sang “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Get Me Down,” the Choral Introit on September 28, 2025.
Susan Crossley joined the Choir for the first time that day so she could sing the verse “Ain’t Gonna Let Ableism Turn Me ‘Round” with her friend Cheryl Leshay. Both women are people who live with Multiple Sclerosis. Cheryl and Susan are second and third from the right in the front row. Ableism describes any prejudice, bias, and/or discrimination directed toward people living with disabilities.
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Religious Exploration Teacher Dedication during the service on September 28, 2025.
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Bruce Leshay cleans up after trimming the bushes in front of the Lounge windows on September 23, 2025. He was cutting out room for the folks from the Area Glass Company to replace seven windows in the Lounge wall.
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Vickie Cox-Lanyon made this great poster to explain next steps for our very large window in the Lounge. Check it out!
On Saturday, September 20th the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry celebrated its 30th anniversary. Here are the volunteers who made it happen that day!
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This is the gang that worked the night before the Food Pantry’s 30th anniversary to bag the food and produce.
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The beneficiary of September 21, 2025’s 50/50 Collection was UUCW’s Get Out The Vote Team. In the top photo, Josh Belden delivers the Welcome on behalf of GOTV. This was Josh’s first time in the pulpit, and he knocked it out of the park. In the bottom photo, Beth Posner-Waldron introduces the 50/50 Collection.
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The children were sent off to their first Religious Exploration classes of the 2025-26 church year by going under a congregational Sending Arch. This was during the service on September 21, 2025.
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Young and not-so-young alike took the traditional Polar Bear dip into the ocean during the Ferry Beach weekend on September 13, 2025.
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On Star Date 9.20.25 the UUCW Men’s Group held a Star Trek Night. Lifeforms that attended viewed the 1994 movie ‘Star Trek: Generations.’Continue reading →
Dianne Mann, Soprano, soloed the song “When I Lift My Voice,” the Introit on September 14, 2025. At rear, from left, are choir members Cheryl Leshay, Dave Schowalter and Cathy McDonagh.
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The choir members backing soloist Dianne Mann spontaneously put their arms around each other and swayed during the song. From left, they are John Brooks, Angela St. Laurent, Cheryl Leshay and Dave Schowalter.
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Evan Wilson passes one of the Offertory plates on September 14, 2025.
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From left, Vickie Cox-Lanyon, Ruth Silver, Jodi Rymer and Leo DaSilva work on a front plot at the church on September 14, 2025.
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Five members of the UUCW Men’s Group attended the September 3, 2025 Worcester Red Sox game at Polar Park. They are, from left, Andrew Wilkin, Josh Belden, Trevor Maloof, Ken Basye and Brian Russo. FUN FACT: Andrew got hit by a foul ball in the 5th inning. Josh retrieved it from under the seats. They were on screen! The announcers were surprised about how sedate they were!Continue reading →
