Come experience the magic at 7:30 p.m. April 25 when the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County presents "A Musical Celebration of the Earth" with Jim and special guest Dan Schatz.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

A magnificent singer-songwriter-guitarist, Jim is known to many as the voice on the Paul Winter Consort's "Common Ground." He mixes folk, jazz and world sounds as he weaves humor into his songs of peace and the environment. Children as well as adults will find something to laugh and sing about.

Joining Jim will be local folksinger, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Dan Schatz. Not only is Dan a leading autoharp player, he's also a Unitarian Universalist minister.

All profits from the concert will go to the church's Concerts for the Community Fund, which provides college scholarships for students selected by the Chester Branch of the NAACP.

For more information, visit: Jim Scott's or Dan Schatz's website.

April 10, 2008

Catch "Sicko" Jan. 19 -- For Free!

Michael Moore's biting but sometimes funny documentary film will be screened at no charge at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, near Media. Sicko is the latest large-screen installment in "From Real to Reel,"the documentary series sponsored by the church's Social Justice Committee.

Health insurance and health care are sure to be important issues in the presidential election, and Sicko is Moore's critical look at the situation. The 2007 film by one of America's most prominent iconoclasts drew high praise from many quarters, and barbs from others.

Documentary movie-making has boomed in recent years, producing gems that make us think, laugh and cry -- sometimes all at once. This series is your chance to watch some of those films in the company of others, followed by light refreshments.

Donations are requested to cover costs. The church is located at 145 W. Rose Tree Road, just west of Route 252, in Upper Providence Township. For more information, call 610-566-4853.

January 3, 2008

Film on The Dixie Chicks Introduces Delco Documentary Series on Nov. 16

The film Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing inaugurates a documentary series at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County near Media.

The 2006 film by Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple shows the popular musical group's reversal of fortune after singer Natalie Maines' denunciation of the Iraq war and President Bush in 2003. The Grammy-winning group was hounded by some conservatives and shunned by some as unpatriotic. The film also depicts the Chicks' return to renown after the release of the album Taking the Long Way in 2006.

This occasional series of documentary films, called "From Real to Reel".is sponsored by the church's Social Justice Committee. Documentary moviemaking has boomed in recent years, producing gems that make us think, laugh and cry -- sometimes all at once. The series is your chance to watch such productions in the company of others, followed by light refreshments.

The Dixie Chicks screening is free, with donations requested to cover costs. The church is located at 145 W. Rose Tree Road, just west of Route 252, in Upper Providence Township, near Media. For more information, call 610-566-4853 or go to uucdc.org

November 1, 2007

Gun Violence Forum Set for Oct. 14 in Delco

Gun violence is taking an increasingly deadly toll on the city of Philadelphia. But the suburbs are not immune. In fact, they are part of the problem - and may be part of the solution.

A community forum titled "The Gun Violence Epidemic -- Can the Suburbs Make a Difference?" will explore the crisis at 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County in Media. The forum is sponsored by the church's Gun Violence Task Force.

Three speakers, including a local police chief, will detail how the problem is being addressed on various fronts, and how the public can become involved.

More than 80 percent of the murders in Philadelphia involve handguns, and many of those firearms found their way to the illegal street market after being purchased in bulk from licensed dealers in surrounding communities.

The forum will address:

Public safety. Michael Chitwood, superintendent of the Upper Darby Police Department, will discuss what his agency has done recently to respond to the problem. He has spoken out against at least one dealer in the township. His department, which supplied seized guns to that dealer before Chitwood became superintendent, has joined Pennsylvanians Against Handgun Trafficking. And the township manager says seized guns are now melted down.

Public policy.Diane Edbril, executive director of the statewide organization CeaseFire PA, will speak about proposed state legislation dealing with the sale and possession of handguns.

Social support. Outlining the conditions that foster the crisis will be Wanda Moore, director of Peace in the Streets! Peace on Earth!, a Chester grassroots organization that works to address the root causes of violence.

October 1, 2007

Delco Unitarian Universalist Church Expands Scholarship Program

Larif Hamm, a Temple University sophomore from Chester, is benefiting from the expansion of a community outreach program begun in 2001 by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County.

The aim of the original program, called Concerts for the Community, was to present diverse musical entertainment, largely provided by church members, and to use the proceeds to support worthy community causes.

Among the musical fund-raisers over the years have been The Marriage of Figaro, Divas a la Carte, From Berlin to Broadway, and, in 2006, It's a Grand Night for Singing, a tribute to the music of Richard Rodgers. The first several events raised funds for the Center for the Support of Child Advocacy, a Philadelphia organization that provides pro bono legal support for children at risk.

In 2005 the Social Justice Committee at UUCDC decided to support a community outreach program closer to home, and selected the Chester NAACP Scholarship Award program for that purpose. Each year since then, the money raised from concert performances, pooled with generous gifts from benefactors, has provided a $1,000 scholarship award to an outstanding young person from Chester. This award is presented at the annual Awards Dinner of the Chester Branch of the NAACP held in the month of April.

Last year the committee voted to continue providing an annual award to each initial recipient as long as he or she continued their undergraduate education. On Sunday, Sept. 16, Larif Hamm, the program's 2006 scholarship recipient, was the first student to benefit from this decision.

Larif was born in Chester. At Chester High School he was valedictorian and vice president of his class and a National Honor Society chapter vice president. He has participated in numerous community activities and received many scholarship awards from the community as well. Larif has just begun his sophomore year at Temple University, where he is majoring in business and marketing.

As he presented the award, Bob Beaney, UUCDC liaison to the Chester NAACP Awards program, said: "There are few finer investments than ones that can be made in support of those deserving young people whom we are depending upon to become the wise and caring future leaders of our communities and of our world."

September 23, 2007

Volunteers from Delco Offer Dessert and Tales of Katrina Relief Trip

When it comes to helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Delaware County volunteers continue to walk the walk.

At 7 PM June 3, you can share in some free dessert with some of those volunteers. At the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County in Media, they will speak and present a slide show about their experiences and the work (and fun) still to come.

In April, the Unitarian Universalists, along with the Garden Church, a United Methodist Community in Lansdowne, sponsored a Katrina Relief work trip to New Orleans. The group of 21, from teen to septuagenarian, gutted and rehabilitated houses, provided medical help, and listened to displaced residents' stories as food was handed out from mobile trailers.

After a hard day's work, the group was energized by wandering along the music-filled streets in the French Quarter, which escaped the hurricane.

Besides seeking assistance rebuilding their lives, residents most frequently asked volunteers to spread word of their plight and encourage people to visit their unique city. Most of all, they wanted to not be forgotten.

That's why the volunteers invite you to have dessert and hear about their work and the wonderful, struggling people who can use more help.

May 16, 2007

Welcoming Flag Sculpture is Unveiled at Delaware County Church

On Sunday, April 29th, friends and members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County (UUCDC) in Media, gathered for the unveiling of a new Welcoming Flag. But unlike the previous flag that had graced their property, next to the "All Welcome" sign in front of their church, this one is sculpted from steel.

Last November, while members and friends of the UUCDC were enjoying a potluck dinner and panel discussion to promote understanding between members of the gay and straight community, one or more assailants tore down their cloth rainbow flag, which symbolizes gay unity. The flag reappeared three days later, mutilated and burned.

For this reason, it was decided that a steel flag sculpture would serve two purposes. First, its solidity would exemplify the steadfast support of the church for all members of the community. Second, it would be harder to steal and burn. Mike Mitchell, the flag's designer and builder, gave it a Teflon coating, as well, in case someone should try to change its colors.

The service was very well attended. Said Rev. Friedrichs, the UUCDC minister: , "I'm happy to see so many members of our church and the wider community here to celebrate with us. This flag sculpture is a statement of our commitment to welcoming lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders into our church, and our commitment for equal rights for all."

Also participating in the service were Rev. Karla Fleshman from the Imago Dei Metropolitan Community Church in Glen Side, and Fr. Joseph Menna of St. Mary of Grace Independent Catholic Church in Media.

After the rededication ceremony, reaffirming their status as a Welcoming Congregation, everyone proceeded from the sanctuary, singing "We shall Overcome." They then joined together on the lawn for the unveiling ceremony. Mike's son, Eric, pulled the rope that uncovered the flag sculpture, to the cheers of the crowd.

Apr. 30, 2007

Its Rainbow Flag Mutilated, Church to Dedicate A Sculpture Symbolizing Universal Hospitality

Late last year, the rainbow flag proudly flown at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County was mutilated and burned. Now a rainbow flag sculpture will proclaim the congregation's renewed commitment to making UUCDC a safe and welcoming space for all who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

The public is invited to a celebration of that commitment at 4 p.m. April 29.

At the special service led by the Rev. Peter Friedrichs, members of UUCDC and the wider community will affirm the church's status as a Welcoming Congregation. The service will conclude with the unveiling of the sculpture, which will be erected on the church's front lawn. A festive reception will follow. Nursery care will be available for small children.

Apr. 17, 2007

13-Year-Old Poet from Darfur to Speak Out on Genocide

A 13-year-old eyewitness to the horrors in Darfur will speak at a free public program on April 15 in Delaware County.

The interfaith event, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, will focus on both the current state of the genocide and efforts to prevent further loss of life.

"Darfur: A Matter of Local Conscience" will begin at 1 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel in Middletown after a noontime potluck fellowship luncheon and a brief Holocaust commemoration.

Emtithal Mahmoud, the 13-year-old Darfur native whose beautiful poems about the suffering in her homeland have moved audiences to tears and action, will give a first-person account of the tragedy. Lou Ann Merkel, executive director of the Darfur Alert Coalition, will describe how grassroots efforts in this country are galvanizing public support and governmental attention. Both speakers will answer questions and recommend action.

The daughter of Darfurian expatriates living in Philadelphia, Emtithal traveled in 2005 to her home region of Sudan, where soldiers raided a home in which she was staying. She saw orphans her own age scrounging for food in filthy refugee camps, and witnessed a soldier's brutality against a disabled vendor in a village market. She returned to the United States determined to speak out for the voiceless. Emi, a freshman at the Masterman School in Philadelphia, has addressed rallies in Washington, D.C., and New York City.

Sponsors of the program are Beth Israel, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, and Temple Sholom in Broomall. Rabbi Linda Potemken and Unitarian Universalist minister Peter Friedrichs will preside.

For more information, contact Congregation Beth Israel at 610-566-4645, www.bethisraelmedia.org, or the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County at 610-566-4853, http://uucdc.org.

Congregation Beth Israel is located at 542 S. New Middletown Rd., near Media.

Apr. 3, 2007

Forum on "THIRD Gender" and Spirituality

Individuals who embody feminine and masculine qualities act as a conduit between the physical and spiritual worlds in the "third gender" tradition of many Native Americans. From 7 to 9 p.m. April 1, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County will host a free community forum to explore this concept.

Leading the forum will be William Stayton, M.Div., Th.D., a distinguished scholar on sexuality and religion. He will screen the documentary "Two Spirit People: Gender Diversity Across Cultures," after which he discuss the role of such individuals, who are often viewed as having two spirits occupying one body. Their dress is usually a mixture of traditionally male and traditionally female articles, and they have distinct gender and social roles in their tribes. The discussion should be of particular interest to educators, health-care workers, parents and lawmakers, as society is evolving in addressing civil rights for gay Americans, the "third gender" our time.

Dr. Stayton, a graduate of Boston University, holds a Th.D. in psychology and counseling as well as master's in divinity from Andover Newton Theological Seminary. He was director of the Human Sexuality Program at Widener University until he retired in 2006. Dr. Stayton now heads the Center for Religion and Spirituality, located in Wayne. He writes and consults on the challenges of working with matters of sexuality in religious organizations.

The forum is sponsored by the church's the Social Justice Committee and its Interweave Chapter, which serves the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning community.

For more information on the forum, call 267-241-0844.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County is a liberal religious community that supports its members' search for ethical, moral and spiritual meaning, and their pursuit of social justice and environmental responsibility. It is located at 145 W. Rose Tree Road. in Media, and is wheelchair-accessible. For more information on the church, call 610-566-4853 or go to www.uucdc.org.

Mar. 23, 2007

Forum on Mental Illness and Its Stigma

Having a mental illness is hard to deal with. But the stigma makes matters even worse.

To explore this issue, which touches the lives of so many, come to a free community forum at 1 p.m. March 4 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, Media.

The speaker will be Dr. Carole Soskis, an attorney and social worker who for 40 years has been an advocate, therapist and service provider in the mental-health field.

The afternoon will start with lunch, during which attendees can view the outstanding pictorial display "Nothing to Hide."

After lunch, the forum will cover past and present definitions and treatments. It also will address questions including: Why has this condition been the target of discrimination? How has that discrimination affected treatment? What is happening to change past treatment practices?

The forum is sponsored by the church's Social Justice Committee. The church is located at 145 W. Rose Tree Rd. For more information, call 610-566-4853.

Feb. 26, 2007

Forum to Examine How to Help Returning Veterans

Helping veterans heal is the topic of a free community forum at 1 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County in Media.

The program will include the short documentary "The Ground Truth," about issues facing people returning from military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. A discussion afterward will focus on supporting those veterans, who are dealing with an overloaded system and a nation that needs to better understand the problems they face.

Such problems include a lack of housing for those trying to get through many levels of Veterans Administration evaluation for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

For more information about the forum, call Loretta Orndorff, 610-585-5704, or Patti
Fiske, 610-532-5655.

The forum is sponsored by the church's Social Justice Committee. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County is located at 145 W. Rose Tree Rd., Media. For more information about the church, call 610-566-4853 or go to uucdc.org.

Jan. 30, 2007

HATE CRIME STRIKES DELAWARE COUNTY CHURCH

On November 10th, while members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County (UUCDC) were enjoying a potluck dinner and panel discussion to promote understanding between members of the gay and straight community, one or more assailants tore down their rainbow flag. The flag reappeared three days later, mutilated and burned.

Until the flag reappeared in its ravaged state, Monday evening, local police thought it might have been taken as "a trophy." It is now being treated as a hate crime by the Upper Providence Township Police and District Attorney's office.

Friday's dinner and discussion were being held at the Media church by Interweave, a group in the church dedicated to the spiritual, political, and social well-being of Unitarian Universalists and others who are confronting oppression as lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender persons and their heterosexual allies. Ironically, the title of the evening's discussion was: "Gay talk, straight talk. Let's begin a dialogue." Among those involved in the panel discussion were representatives from the William Way LGBT Center in Philadelphia and Widener University.

In a letter to the congregation and the general community at large, Rev. Peter Friedrichs, pastor of UUCDC, wrote that he is "angry that our church has been attacked simply for standing up for the principles we espouse, and my heart grieves both for those who have suffered a lifetime of oppression and for those who carry such hatred in their hearts." UUCDC became a 'Welcoming Congregation' in 2002. As such, it celebrates and supports the lives, the relationships, and contributions of all members and their friends, regardless of their sexuality. The rainbow flag is used by Unitarian Universalist churches as a symbol that they are Welcoming Congregations.

Beginning this evening and continuing through Tuesday, November 21st, friends and members of UUCDC will hold nightly candlelight vigils from 7:00 till 9:00 PM each evening, in support of their community of diversity. The week of solidarity will culminate in a special service on that Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM. Said Rev. Friedrichs, "We will not allow this attack to silence us. We will continue to speak out for the equal rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation."

The church is also considering how they might display their flag, showing their true colors, in a way that will keep it safer from harm.

Nov. 16, 2006

Join In a Nov. Katrina Relief Trip to New Orleans

Let's go on down to New Orleans for serious work, plus some fun.

Please join the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County on its Nov. 11-18 Katrina Relief Trip to the city, which is still desperately in need of repairs and aid.

The Unitarian Church of New Orleans will provide housing in its newly air-conditioned building. Volunteers will sleep on cots with mattresses, and have use of a kitchen where they will prepare their own meals.

It won't be all work and no play. In the interest of boosting the Big Easy's tourism, and as respite from cooking and drywall, there will be time for volunteers to head to the French Quarter for some evenings of jambalaya and music.

A year after the hurricane, thousands of houses still need to be gutted and rebuilt, debris removed, homes and community centers cleaned. We'll also have opportunities to plant gardens and work in schools. Our group will need its own food planners and cooks.

Most volunteers plan to fly, but some may drive and take needed tools.

If you want to join up, contact Patricia Lasseter, plasseter@hotmail.com, or Regina Pound, poundrr@aol.com, 610-566-7106.

If you can't volunteer, please make a tax-deductible donation to help us buy materials including drywall, insulation and paint. Also needed are gift cards from Home Depot, KMart, and Lowe's. Checks should be made out to UUCDC, with "Katrina Relief" in the memo field, and sent to: Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, Katrina Relief, 145 W. Rose Tree Rd., Media PA 19063.

Sept. 18, 2006

At Media Church, 'An Inconvenient Truth'
And a Seminar on Global Warming

The spotlight will be on global warming Nov. 5 and Nov. 11, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County in Media.

At a free community forum at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 5, the church's Social Justice Committee will show "An Inconvenient Truth," former Vice President Al Gore's documentary film on global warming.

Committee member Mardys Leeper will field questions and lead a discussion after the film. For more information, call Carol Seeley at 610-874-3033.

On Nov. 11, the church will host a free public seminar, "Choices: Coming to Terms With the Moral and Spiritual Dimensions of Global Warming," from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program is sponsored by a committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association's Joseph Priestley District.

After a continental breakfast at 8:30, the Rev. Kent Matthies, minister of the Unitarian Society of Germantown, will lead a worship service.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Chad Tolman, former DuPont research chemist and an employee of the National Academy of Science. He is a member of the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington, Del., and was a primary contributor to the national denomination's Statement of Conscience on Global Warming.

A presentation on the Green Sanctuary Program, with a call for making a personal pledge for change, and a session on letter-writing and phone action will follow the keynote speech.

Those attending are invited to take part in a district committee meeting that will follow the closing, led by Rev. Matthies at 12:15 p.m.

For more information, contact Carla Johnson, cjoutdoors@comcast.net, or Pam Baxter, dre@ufwc.org.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County is located at 145 W. Rose Tree Rd., Media. For more information about the church, call 610-566-4853 or go to uucdc.org.

Oct. 23, 2006

Installation of Rev. Peter A. Friedrichs at UUCDC

The Rev. Peter A. Friedrichs, a former lawyer and businessman, will be officially installed as minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County on Oct. 29.

Religious leaders from as far away as Massachusetts, and from the local community, will be part of the 4 p.m. ceremony at the church, in Upper Providence. The event, which solemnizes the bond between the congregation and the minister, is open to the public.

Rev. Friedrichs, 49, is the sixth settled (permanent) minister to serve UUCDC in its 54-year history.

Before being voted in overwhelmingly by the congregation on May 14, he served for two years as intern minister at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church in Augusta, Maine.

Rev. Friedrichs graduated from Andover Newton Theological School in May and was ordained in June at the First Universalist Church in Yarmouth, Maine, where he was a lay leader for nearly 20 years. A graduate of Amherst College and Georgetown University Law School, Rev. Friedrichs worked as a lawyer in private practice and as in-house counsel to a large regional supermarket company before entering the ministry.

He and his wife, Irene, a teacher, relocated from southern Maine this summer and have settled in Swarthmore. They have been married for 25 years and have two daughters, Rebecca, age 25, and Julia, age 20.

UUCDC, which has 260 members, was founded in 1952. Its current site at 145 W. Rose Tree Rd. was dedicated in 1966, and a new sanctuary opened in 1998.

For more information, call 610-566-4853 or go to uucdc.org.

Oct. 15, 2006

Oct. 1 -- Community Forum on Integrity of Elections

Will your electronic ballot actually be counted in the November election?

A free community forum will discuss the integrity of our elections at 6:30 p. m. Oct. 1 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County in Media.

Discussing the reliability of electronic voting will be Stephanie Frank Singer, co-director of the nonprofit Vote Count Protection Project, which seeks to ensure integrity through scientific verification of official polling results. Dr. Singer, a former Haverford College professor with a doctorate in mathematics from New York University, is also managing director of Campaign Scientific, LLC, an election-data consulting company.

Dr. Singer has said we have "faith-based elections' in the counting of ballots and she asks, "How good is good enough?" when it comes to the accuracy of the electronic voting.

The county Election Bureau is being invited to participate.

For more information on the forum, sponsored by the church's

Social Justice Committee, contact Neil Goldstein, 610-566-5931, or neiljgold@aol.com.

Sept. 19, 2006

Pictures

Temple University sophomore Larif Hamm (c.) receiving continuing-education grant. With Hamm are (l. to r.) Bob Beaney, Patti Fiske, Karen Miah, Rev. Peter Friedrichs.
At the Welcoming/Rainbow Flag Dedication April 29, 2007: Jody Malloy, Mike Mitchell, Rev. Peter Friedrichs		Welcoming/Rainbow Flag being unveiled, April 29, 2007
Welcoming/Rainbow Flag Dedicated April 29, 2007		Welcoming/Rainbow Flag Nov. 13, 2006
UUCDC from the garden, May 8, 2005		UUCDC from the front, May 8, 2005