Sad news in the Star Island UCC family...
Corporal Christian Scott Cotner - age 20 died Friday May 30th in Al Anabar Province, Iraq while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Corporal Cotner was born November 27th 1987 in Waterbury, CT the son of Graham and Karen (Christensen) Cotner of Waterbury.
The BBQ/Family Fun Day on Saturday, June 7, 2008 has been postponed. More details coming soon.
We’re going paperless! Please contact Debbie Duval - Clerk, to make sure we have your current email address or to let us know that you want to continue to receive snail mail (508-877-3037)
Donate now to the SIUCC Scholarship Fund – if you are in a position where you could help other conferees come to Star Island this summer, please donate to the SIUCC Scholarship Fund. Click here for more info.
General Information: Star Island is a place full of history and traditions – some centuries old and some new this year. Come join us in 2008 to discover and explore the traditions and beauty of Star Island, a place of community, sharing, growth, and enrichment for people of all ages. There will be arts & crafts, hand bell ringing, intergenerational games, swimming, tennis, softball, walking, jogging, and worship services as well as chair rocking on the porch, reading, napping, laughing, chatting, snacking, knitting, and more! The food is plentiful, the sea breezes are soothing, and the chapel worship is inspiring. In the morning, an experienced, loving, and devoted staff cares for all children from infancy to junior high. Afternoon and evening activities are open to all ages.
Registration information for all UCC conferences: A room and board deposit of $150/person and registration fee are due with registration Before April 10,
Registration fees: (Before April 10th)
Adult (18 and over)
Youth (14-17)
Child (13 and under)
Family
$80
$75
$50
up to $250
Registration fees: (After April 10)
Adult (18 and over)
Youth (14-17)
Child (13 and under)
Family
$85
$80
$55
up to $275
*Youth and family conferences are separate, thus fees for youth cannot be included toward the family maximum.
Please mail one check, payable to "Star Island UCC," completed registration form, and business-sized SASE ($0.63) to the conference registrar listed below. Registration is NOW open.
The room and board deposit and registration fee are refundable until June 26 and July 1 for UCC I and II, respectively.
Scholarships: Funds are available; inquire with registrar Applications due June 1st.
Star Gathering 1 Family and Youth registration:
Direct correspondence to Crista Woolley, 24 Evergreen Valley Dr , Dover, NH 03820, (603) 742-2213, StarRegUCC1@aol com
Star Gathering 1 Family and Youth boat schedule:
Depart Rye Sunday, August 3, 2:00 and 3:30 p m; Depart Star Sunday, August 10, 8:15 and 10:15 a m
Star Gathering 2 Family and Youth registration:
Direct correspondence to Lori Benson, 81 Union St , Bridgewater, MA 02324, (508) 807-0273, starucc2@comcast net
Star Gathering 2 Family and Youth boat schedule:
Depart Rye Sunday, August 10, 2:00 and 3:30 p m Depart Star Saturday, August 16, 8:15 and 10:15 a m
*New in 2008 - Star Island WILL accept credit cards ON ISLAND for Room & Board costs. Cash and checks are also accepted. The on island stores will ONLY accept cash, checks, travelers checks, but not credit cards.
Theme: Coming home to Star Island: Building community in a world of differences.
Join the community of shoalers, old and new to UCC1 as we share fellowship, faith and fun. We will celebrate our heritage at Star Island, and what makes us a community in a diverse and challenging world, with programs and activities for all ages.
MINISTER: Rev. Dr. Karin Case
Rev. Dr. Karin Case received her Ph.D. in Christian Social Ethics from Union Theological Seminary (NYC) in 2001 with an emphasis on anti-racism work. A graduate of Carleton College and Pacific School of Religion, Rev. Case was ordained in 2004. She is a founder of the Massachusetts Conference UCC Race and Justice Task Force and co-author and editor of Disrupting White Supremacy from Within: White People on What We Need to Do. Rev. Case currently serves as Associate Minister at Trinitarian Congregational Church in Concord, MA. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, their two teenage children, two gray cats and a leopard gecko.
PROGRAM LEADER: Rev. Dr. Philip (Joe) Mayher
Rev. Dr. Philip J. (Joe) Mayher received his M.Div. and D. Min. from Andover Newton Theological School, where he has served as an adjunct instructor in youth ministry and Christian Education. A graduate of Drew University, he has served churches in Quincy, Walpole and Wellesley, Massachusetts, and as Conference Minister and Teacher of the New Hampshire Conference. He is co-author of Scripture and Imagination: the Empowering of Faith. One of the founders of the Anti-Defamation League’s “Interfaith Youth Leadership Program,” he has a long time interest in interfaith relations. Rev. Mayher currently serves as Pastor and Teacher of The Congregational Church of Weston, UCC, in Weston, MA.
The program will ask questions of us each day such as: How and why is dialogue important to persons of faith and faith communities? What are the ways in which we are diverse; what are the ways in which we are not? What is our hope, witness and call for interfaith understanding?
YOUNG ADULTS (youth graduates and up): YOU WILL COME BACK!!
We hope to offer 1-2 hours /day of varied programs just for you! Ideas so far include:
YA Chapel, YA Yoga, Poetry writing workshop, Book discussion, Photography workshop, Nighttime fellowship/games, YA Interfaith discussion with our adult program leader
We welcome your input in any of these. Any thoughts or ways you can volunteer, please let us know.
THOUGHTS FOR STAR GATHERING UCC1: Community, Diversity, Volunteerism
Here’s to a fabulous 2008 conference!!!!
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day… "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" "Real isn’t how you are made," said the Skin Horse "It’s a thing that happens to you " Thus began the Velveteen Rabbits journey to self-discovery Your journey could begin, or continue, with us during UCC I Youth Conference this summer! Come on out and play for a week, discover how you are made and why "real" is different Be part of a joyfully raucous community as we journey deep within, and hang out Who knows? This week could be just the "thing" that happens to you!
Old friends and new are invited to relax and enjoy the unique community on Star Island Spiritual renewal and lasting friendships lie ahead for all who come Serendipity includes: baskets, sacred/spirit/Star doll, jewelry, Reiki demonstrations, wine & beer tastings, storytelling, photography, yoga, magic, drama, Broadway, dance/crazy hat, game night, hymn sings, family chapels, candlelight chapels, afternoon tea, Bible study, auction, and the Appledore tour Come read, relax, rock, and refresh your mind, body and soul
Theme: Real Characters
Minister of the Week: Rev Dr Edward Horstman, Sr Pastor of Immanuel Congregational Church, Hartford, CT, with the theme "Real Characters " Dr Horstman will focus on and portray one biblical character for each day, drawing on resources from figures presented mostly in 1-2 Kings Come experience Bible characters coming to life to tell their stories Dr Horstman is the 2007 recipient of a Lilly Endownment Clergy Renewal Grant and has studied liberating the imagination for worship and service with Auburn Seminary in NY
Speaker of the Week: Angela Menke Ballou, Associate Minister at Second Congregational Church, United Church of Christ Beverly, MA Her theme of the week will be "Story telling as an Entry into Spiritual Practice & Social Change " Angela is committed to justice issues having traveled to Northern Ireland working with children whose lives were marred by violence and conflict She has traveled with Christian Peacemaker Teams to do peace advovocacy work in Israel/Palestine and worked with Borderlinks on the US/Mexico border to understand the impact and complexity of immigration policy
It’s a wild ride on the Wonderful, Magical Mystery Tour as old and new come together for UCC II! Those who have attended this conference before will recognize the familiar, while old and new comers will all experience…well, the new stuff of course! Just get on the boat and be prepared to have a raucously good time…and maybe even learn something about yourself in the process! See you on the ‘rawk’! (The conference is open to all youth who will be entering 9th grade as of 2008 through 2008 high school graduates)