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ASHWIN DRAVID
WHAT IS YOUR SUPERPOWER?
My Superpower is I am able to be honest with myself and others.
Kidding oneself can be detrimental over time. It slowly corrodes one’s ability to actually observe, makes the processes of discovery or understanding difficult, and corrupts the processes of information-gathering (thinking, feeling, experiencing, intuiting and discovering) into those of believing and defending.
Lying to oneself might protect a belief currently important to a person’s identity, but it makes the mind a less reliable partner.
The ability to be honest with ourselves and others is key.
Well, I am still coming up. At least I hope I am. I would be disappointed if I have already peaked before I am even 25.
People change and grow continually, but I have a feeling, bolstered to some extent by past experience, which I interpret as evidence, that the pace of change in the conscious and subconscious mental models I use to navigate through the world will change substantially even through the next decade.
I think being (or more accurately, at least consciously trying to be) charitable would best fit the bill of a spiritual practice.
Charitable in the sense of being charitable about what you assume and how you interpret things. It’s very easy to assume malice, but assuming malice in many instances harms yourself more than it harms anyone else.
I have yet, though, to actually find any evidence for effectiveness in practice. As a spiritual practice for peace within yourself however, I would still recommend it.
I’m currently working on a PhD, modelling the thermodynamics required for the production of intermediate chemicals from biological feedstock. The eventual aim of the project is to transition from petrochemical derivates to biomass for intermediate value chemical production.
People haven’t had to look at these systems before, and therefore knowledge about how these mostly largely organic chemicals behave in water is limited, and therefore separating them after they are produced is something no-one knows how to do at a large scale.
The other part of my research is modelling the behavior of pharmaceuticals in the human body.
I like my work. It’s difficult and novel enough to keep me engaged and interested, but still doable enough in terms of difficulty to not overwhelm me.
In terms of interests, I like horse-riding, board games, and psychology.
Rather late by conventional standards, I have also begun learning to play a keyboard.
I generally like reading about things, mostly because I find it difficult to keep my mind engaged enough without continually feeding it information.
I also find a lot of comfort by interacting with dogs and horses and by taking baths.
There are far too many places to list.
Ashwin has been an important and valued member of our Young Adult Community. He has done a lot of volunteering with UUFN including landscaping and Hope Dining Room. Ashwin will be moving to Baltimore shortly to finish his PhD at Johns Hopkins.
He will be sorely missed.
June 29, 2022
Jan Owens
BOB LILLICH
HOW DID BOB COME TO UUFN?
After ‘coming out of Protestant varieties’ Bob visited 1st UU.
Beth Rausch brought him to UUFN for a service in Fellowship Hall with Louise Robeck, which ‘knocked his socks off’.
He was aware that he had no male friends in his life, but when he attended a Saturday work party (Lee and Eleanor Schaller organized these before the days when we contracted such things out), he met lots of wonderful men, and even had lunch with them.
Bob is a great handyman and has probably fixed the chairs you sit on and the toilets… well…
The UUFN Choir, brought special friendships with Lee Smucker, Gary Feuer, Bill Fellner, Mike Arenson, and many others.
Bob participated in the many cabarets and fundraisers such as Satin Dolls, FUUNding Nemo, The Sound of Money, Liberella, The Money Man, and Politically UUNcorrect.
And then there was ‘BOB’s BLUES BAR’!) Bob bass voice reverberated throughout MacKinnon Hall! (In the choir we altos had the sweet spot: basses like Bob and Richard to our backs, and a pianist Gary Feuer in front constituted SURROUND SOUND!)
Bob organized a 3rd Thursday lunch group which met at different area restaurants (Hunter’s Den, Blue Crab, and Feuer’s porch).
When Anthony was the UUFN choir director, Bob followed him to the Rainbow Chorale, where he has been singing and serving as librarian for 4 years now.
In spite of saying he likes being #2 best, Bob has assumed some HUGE responsibilities over the years:
11 Auctions (pre and post-COVID, our biggest fundraiser, social event and often in costume! (be sure to watch the accompanying video)
6 (HARD COPY) Photo Directories – for 1st B&W one Pat Field and Bob took all photos themselves
Scanning the Membership Book in case of disaster – He can relax after all the breathless years of seeing it “thrown on a shelf” in Walden, sort of.
Bob continues to be a huge presence in the UUFN community. He has brought so many together in so many ways.
Thanks, Bob Lillich!
May 20, 2022
Jan Owens
AMANI CHAMBERLIN
WHAT IS AMANI’S SUPERPOWER?
Amani Chamberlin’s superpower is that he cares deeply about the safety and happiness of personal friends & family. He values closeness and comfort of self and others.
He intends to work towards a world in which the basic needs of people and shared ecosystems are not dependent on schemes for profit.
His background growing up was with a constantly growing definition of “Family”.
When asked if he has any spiritual or religious practices, Amani replied: 'Building, and managing a fire is for me a spiritual way of bringing light and warmth into a shared space."
He likes to build a fire in a firepit and manage the power of the released heat and light that warms and lights those around it.
Amani is passionate about creative and adaptive ways of planning.
Just graduated from UD class of 2021, Amani is in some ways on ‘Life’s Launchpad’. Amani is currently pondering “What Next?” as he works in Wilmington for AmeriCorps focused on Public Health in Delaware.
With a BS in Energy and Environmental policy, he is thoughtfully exploring ways to best integrate his identity and interests for his future.
One possibility is land use planning: incorporating safe open space; meeting community functions and needs; and fostering healthy norms and values.
Raised on the property of the UUFN, Amani was living, playing, and learning from the multiculturalism exemplified in the practices of the UUFN community since he was a young child. This experience allowed Amani the opportunity to meet and learn about many ways of being human, fostering the growth of what "Family" means to him.
As he came of age through this community, he was able to truly recognize the careful perspectives of the faith that he had inherited which acted as a driver of his professional and academic journeys.
We welcomed Amani Chamberlin to the UUFN Board of Stewards as of the January 23rd Congregational Meeting!
Thanks for your service!
March 25, 2022
Jan Owens
RACHAEL COFFEY
WHAT IS RACHAEL’S SUPERPOWER?
She may not be wearing Superwoman regalia (she is typically undercover), but Rachael has many irons in the fire as the once and future UUFN President. Listen as she shares her story in a recent service!
For many years Rachael worked for Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research. Working with those birds, she says, was “one of the most important things in my life.”
In fact, the entire Coffey family has an amazing relationship with animals and nature. The Coffey menagerie includes Wally the Cockatoo, their dogs Bingo, Sassy, Sophie and Indigo, several cats with names like Maximus, Minimus, Marvelous, and Mookie; Mojo & Gremlin the sugar gliders, a dwarf Chinese hamster, a crested gecko, and numerous fish, chickens, hermit crabs, amphibians, and reptiles.
As you’ll hear, Rachael grew up essentially “unchurched” and questioning everything.
Rachael walked through the UUFN doors in 1997 with her then boyfriend Alan Coffey and Katia, a red-tailed hawk, to do a presentation about the environment for Tri-State Bird Rescue, “and the rest as they say, is history.” She says that she “grew up” at the UUFN.
Past minister Greg Chute, during a service one Sunday, was instrumental in a transformational experience; “how did I not know that?” she says about the opening up of her world view.
Rachael has taken on many important roles in the UUFN community over the years, volunteering in religious exploration with the youth group, fellowship activities, program coordinator, and worship support.
We look forward to great things as she assumes once again the role of UUFN board president!
February 15, 2022
Jan Owens
LINDA JABLONSKI
WHAT IS LINDA’S SUPERPOWER?
Linda states her superpower is her KINDNESS.
“My parents instilled many great values that I live by today. My top three values that I learned at a very young age are: work hard at everything you do, have compassion for every living thing, and have respect for everything on our planet.”
Linda grew up in a Catholic Italian Family, and is already established in the larger Newark faith community.
After retiring from a long career with Delaware Superior Court as a Juvenile Case Manager, and as a paralegal in the Public Defender’s Office, she has worked as a part-time office administrator for Holy Family Church and will continue that role as she now joins the UUFN staff. Linda’s dual roles promise to offer many synergies to the Newark Faith Community, as Holy Family is active with many common efforts such as Hope Dining Room and area homeless ministries.
Linda is also passionate about the Holy Family Outreach Food Pantry which she and her husband manage. She invites UUFNers to contribute peanut butter and jelly and other foods, and to let those in need of support know about this resource.
Linda also brings spirituality into her life by “taking time to connect with my environment and to find the good in it. There is so much beauty in this world; I believe you can find it anywhere if you take time to look.”
She and her husband also enjoy their 2 rescue dogs, “Finn” from Faithful Friends in DE and “Sammy” from Noah’s Ark Rescue in PA.
Linda says that she and her husband really enjoy traveling via cruise ships!
January 18, 2022
Jan Owens
JANE LUKE
WHAT IS JANE’S SUPERPOWER?
Jane’s Superpower is manifesting adventure!
Growing up, Jane moved every 2-3 years across the States, attending 9 schools before she was 18. “My Dad was a Navy pilot and my Mom mostly loved the adventure of being his traveling spouse and raising 5 children. “I was 14 when I learned that not everyone lived life like we did!” Jane is now a retired social worker, trained to work with families and later with work organizations. “I can honestly say, I loved my profession, although I never stayed long in one job.” In Delaware, where she’s lived for 33+ years, she’s had six job changes while also completing a 2-yr university degree!
As is so often the case with Jane, her response to this question was inclusive of many experiences; “I am in awe of an infant’s searching face and the wisdom of the elderly, listening and dancing ecstatically to music or going to musical events. I love being present with nature and it’s where I most experience God’s presence. My parents were Methodist but we usually attended Navy chapels with a mix of protestant religions.
I’m mostly an agnostic and sometimes closer to being an atheist. Before knowing about UU, I think I already had an appreciation for different religions especially Eastern religions and Sufism. I’ve attended the Ethical Society of Washington, D.C., as well as “The Fourth Way”, where we studied and practiced mindfulness along the lines of Gurdjieff’s and Ouspensky’s ideas. I used to read a lot more on religion/spirituality in my 20s through my 40s. I recently re-subscribed to the magazine Parabola: The Search for Meaning.”
“India, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, and Portugal or return to Japan, Turkey and Borneo. Russ and I fell in love because we both loved international travel and music. We both have a zest for different cultures. Our first trip was travelling 5 months through S. E. Asia in 1981. We’re lucky to have money and time in our retirement to travel, so COVID has been very frustrating for us.”
December 28, 2021
Jan Owens
RUSS DYNES
WHAT IS RUSS’ SUPERPOWER?
Basically, Russ is just a REALLY NICE GUY!
Russ tells us that, after college, he served as a Peace Corps public health volunteer in rural South Korea, at a time when the country was addressing a tuberculosis outbreak. “It was a great experience, fun and rewarding. Everybody was proud about the outreach we did,” said Russ, who still keeps in touch with many of the people with whom he served. Russ poses here with masks and other items sent to him by the South Korean government as a gift for his service five decades ago!
Russ later worked as Director of the United Service Organization (USO) for the American military in W. Germany, where his son Oliver was born. He then got a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Delaware and worked for 23 years for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services until his retirement.
As a teenager, Russ’ family spent a year in Cairo, Egypt while his father -- later a co-founder of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware -- taught as a Fulbright Scholar. Russ says this “opened my eyes to the joy of discovery of the international world.” Russ’ family also traveled to Europe, India and Nepal, where he visited historic places including holy sites in the Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu world.
While in the Peace Corps, Russ experienced Korean culture, living a rough and tumble sort of lifestyle, and going on hikes where he’d find beautiful remote temples and historic palaces. Afterwards, Russ continued travelling around South East Asia, finally wiring his father after 6 months, “I’m ready to come home; send $600 for plane ticket.”
Russ met his wife Jane while in Japan. After they married, Russ took Jane, who also loved travel, on another 5 month shoestring budget tour, retracing Russ’s southeast Asian path.
Russ found a spiritual dimension to travel, which brings out both the rich diversity of human experience as well as the fundamental oneness, the full breadth of the interconnected web of human life. For both Russ and Jane, travel is an antidote to ethnocentrism.
In the 80’s, in search of community, Russ and Jane first visited First Unitarian Universalist Church in Wilmington, where Reverend Robert Dos suggested they explore the UUFN. The diversity and creativity of the services appealed to Russ and Jane; one-act plays, the spirituality of juggling, amazing music... In those days there were also summer picnics on the farm properties of UUFN members of that era.
As a member of UUFN, Russ has given his time to the Ethnic and Cultural Celebration Committee/Event serving as the M.C., and to the Property and Maintenance Committee, on Saturday work parties. He continues to be very much a part of our UUFN community!
“I would ‘travel the world’. The cultural and ethnic diversity is awe-inspiring.” Russ loves to talk about travel with his many friends and their house is full of mementos of their travels.
September 18, 2021
Jan Owens
ELGIN CARTER
WHAT IS ELGIN’S SUPERPOWER?
Relative newcomer Elgin Carter brings creativity, eloquence and humility to the scene: “I would not say I have a superpower, but I've been told that my observation and resolution on some issues can be unique at times.”
Like many of us, Elgin grew up in a different spiritual context: “As one of seven boys growing up in Newark, New Jersey, I attended a Pentecostal church with my parents until my late teens and then a non-denominational church as an adult.”
Nowadays, he enjoys meditating, traveling, and exploring. “I really enjoy observing and understanding human behavior. My newest passion is my meetup groups.”
“Soul Poetry” is the largest group he has organized, of passionate poets who enjoy sharing and encouraging other poets to share their gift of the spoken word: https://www.meetup.com/soul-poetry/
His newest group is “Bright Light”, where members take another look at what we thought we knew and understood: https://www.meetup.com/bright-light/
Elgin would like to ”grow the concept of all religions coming together to worship in a safe spiritual space.” What UU does, says Elgin, is a model for what is possible and for what he also tries to do. “When we as a society see and embrace that all people have value, even those that may seem different, it will change the world as we know it.”
I want to visit Eastern Europe and New Zealand...for starters!
September 18, 2021
Jan Owens
ANDREA HARDING
WHAT IS ANDREA’S SUPERPOWER?
Andrea's superpower is that she has great “friend karma;” . She has surrounded herself with a longstanding community of caring, giving, and supportive people. Andrea has known her "oldest" friend for 46 years!
She loves children and dogs. Andrea grew up in Newark, in a loving, cooperative family who still live close by. She says her parents encouraged competence while modeling positive, inclusive values. Andrea's days were filled with a plethora of lessons, but her favorite memory is that her mom took them to the library three times a week in the summer.
We are lucky to have Andrea as our Religious Education Coordinator! She enjoys working with the children in the fellowship, from singing and reading books with the youngest group, to art projects and learning about the environment with the older kids. She says the kids most enjoy putting on plays, although she says laughingly “that can be a little bit stressful!”
Andrea was raised Catholic and attended St Mark's high school. She most closely identifies with Earth based spirituality and does not consider herself "religious", which is a challenge when explaining why she is the Religious Education Coordinator, lol. Andrea was a Montessori preschool teacher for 22 years, and when she arrived at UUFN in 1988, she was excited to discover that UU principles align closely with the Montessori philosophy of respect for people and the environment. She most values the sense of community in the Fellowship and in the Women's Spirituality group, along with the UU emphasis on Social Justice.
Andrea loves the beach! Until recently because of COVID, she has trekked to the beach with friends almost every Presidents’ Day Weekend. She has also enjoyed visiting Montreal and Quebec and would like to visit Niagara Falls.
August 21, 2021
Jan Owens
STEFANIE THOMAS
WHAT IS STEFANIE’S SUPERPOWER?
Stefanie was a “Stefi” as a child. “It feels so playful. I think I’ll start going by Stefi again.” If Stefi had a superpower, it would be telekinesis. Sometimes she likes to pretend, especially when the traffic light goes from red to green just as she points at it. She is also the Nutrition Director/Meals on Wheels Coordinator at the Newark Senior Center. She loves giving back to her community by providing nourishing meals to the homebound. "The senior center is such a warm and loving community, and I am so grateful to be working there.”
Stefanie spearheaded the most recent (and very successful) pledge drive. She is grateful for the loving support her family has received; “I am so glad I found it and decided to join this community. I can’t wait until we can actually see each other again in person on Sundays.”
Hawaii... “because it’s the best of both worlds; you can do some serious hiking, chase waterfalls and enjoy amazing views, and also enjoy a relaxing time on the beach with a fruity drink and an umbrella. And Disney World! I am a big kid so I don’t know who would be more excited; me or my kids!”
July 27, 2021
Jan Owens
GUAT-LIAN KREAMER
WHAT IS GUAT-LIAN’S SUPERPOWER?
Guat-Lian is SUPER ORGANIZED. She can work a mean Spreadsheet when she spearheads a UUFN event! She also says she can’t follow dance instructions to save her life, but she knows how to “get her Ya-Ya’s out” on the dance floor through expressive dance.
Born in Malaysia, Guat-Lian grew up practicing a blend of Buddhism,Taoism and Confucianism. Respect for authority and balance were core values. Altars for the Goddess of Mercy Kwan Yin, the kitchen god and other ‘household’ gods were found through out the house. At 25, Guat-Lian went to Canada, got her Ph.D., and married a fellow grad student. She would play the role of wife, fish doctor and regulatory scientist for the next 30 years.
During grad school, she faced a seminal moment when her family 20,000 miles away converted to Christianity. Her beloved Kwan-Yin and household gods no longer had a place in her family home. She found herself asking, “what am I?” After exploring the different schools of Buddhism which had influenced her growing years, she realized that her belief in everyone’s inherent worth and dignity was also a UU principle. She believes strongly in Karma, and that being born in the human realm, with its imperfections and opportunities for NOT repeating the same mistakes, holds perhaps as much value as being born whole and complete in the God realm.
Guat-lian is active on the Green Sanctuary and Social Justice Committees, spearheading the amazing Ethnic and Cultural Celebration. It is also at the UUFN where, after an amicable divorce, she met her current spouse, Darlene. Guat-Lian says of her approach to life: “There are no regrets. The decisions one makes at any moment are the best ones under the circumstances. One door closes and another opens.“
Bali. “It’s a magical place, where bringing life into balance is part of daily practice, what its famous festivals are all about.
June 22, 2021
Jan Owens
PAULA ORAZIETTI
WHAT IS PAULA’S SUPERPOWER?
Paula loves to talk to strangers and says ‘you’d be surprised what perfect strangers will say to you!’ Paula also taught 1st through 9th grade for more than 30 years in Pennsylvania and in the Delaware beach community. At the beach, she says, the Beach Patrol came to teach the kids about beach safety each spring.
Paula was brought up in a Catholic family, essentially an only child, with a sister who was born when she was 18. These days, Paula does yoga almost every day, now on zoom, a time when she gets really ‘zoned’ and lives in the present moment.
Paula has enjoyed cruises to Cozumel, Mexico; Jamaica, and Key West ---and loved talking to strangers on them! But she says she would most likely go to Senigallia, Italy, a little fishing village on the Adriatic where her grandfather is from. Paula’s grandfather joined the chorus of a travelling opera company, and travelled widely. He came to this country in 1914, married and had 3 children. Every Saturday, when the Metropolitan opera matinee radio show began at 2 o’clock, he would sing along with the arias. He would cook the most fantastic Italian dishes, always from scratch. Paula regrets never learning Italian, which her father and grandfather would speak in to keep secrets from her.
May 21, 2021
Jan Owens
RICHARD FIELD
WHAT IS RICHARD'S SUPERPOWER?
Richard’s superpower is endurance. Good luck combined with prudence have yielded a long, healthy and happy life. While avoiding social media he relishes the printed word and interpersonal dialog. He goes with the flow but pauses to survey the turbulence for an opening.
Richard’s religious ‘coming up’ was in a liberal New England Congregational Church. He says Sunday school was “thin soup”, so he attended adult services, where he appreciated the ‘how to live a life’ parts, but not the ‘supernatural’ parts. Consistent with the family practice of free will, while in college he elected to be baptized. However, during the baptism ceremony he developed a bloody nose which cut the dowsing ritual short. In later years, his mother disapproved of her unbaptized ---she thought---son taking communion, but had to withdraw her objection when he showed her his baptismal certificate, signed by the presiding pastor, despite the unfortunate mishap; ‘baptism’ by blood, as it were.
After college came marriage and four years of military service as a seagoing US Naval officer, followed by a career in research and academia. His family of 5 moved to Delaware in the late 1960s when he began 45 years of teaching and research at the University of Delaware. Transcendental Meditation in the 1970s was his first introduction to meditative and mindful practice, in which the whole family got involved. Richard says that his meditation experiences through the years made him aware that “anxiety can be your friend”. He learned to balance the anxiety needed to “get things done” with the bliss of going with the flow. Years later, as a member of the UUFN, Richard and his wife Pat began ‘sitting’ at the Zen meditation practice with Diccon Bancroft on Thursday evenings. Richard is proud of the fact that the Zen group, which he adopted following Diccon’s death in 2008, has missed only one ‘sitting’ evening— when snow prevailed. Quite a legacy, Richard!
These days, in addition to promoting the benefit of trial by silence through the zen group, Richard is eager to cultivate involvement in Sunday Services by encouraging people to be Worship Associates. He says that being a Zoom Worship Associate helps the brain by learning something new, and makes a meaningful and significant contribution to the Fellowship community.
April 21, 2021
Jan Owens
KECIA MCMILLIAN
WHAT ARE KECIA'S SUPERPOWERS?
Kecia finds that God is constantly dropping anvils on her head. Connecting to her work with youth and young adults and working with Diversity, Equity, & Inclusivity issues, she participated in the original steering/advising committee for a LGBTQIA youth group in the Lehigh Valley. On the cusp of Aries and Taurus, Kecia feels that one of the good things about the pandemic is that it has brought some social issues to the forefront, as she has felt like a ‘Voice in the Wilderness’ for some time. Her hope is that more people will heed ‘voices in the wilderness.'
Kecia grew up at Limestone Presbyterian Church, which laid a strong spiritual foundation. She had a wonderfully positive youth group experience, which was important, because she was never considered the “cool kid”. Originally, she felt called to become a minister and earned Bachelors and Masters degrees in Religion and Sociology, with studies in Diversity Issues. Now on a new path, she is completing her second Master in the Science in Restorative Practices from the International Institute for Restorative Practices in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Kecia was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lehigh Valley in Bethlehem, PA, our Minister Don Garrett's previous congregation. She also attended Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley, which met at UUCLV, fed the Christian part of her spirituality, and gave her more opportunities for leadership. In California, she was active in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, and continues to be connected to that congregation, and to people active in UUA nationally.
Kecia is a UUFN Youth Group Advisor. She is also an educator, along with many educators at the UUFN. In addition, her calling to the work of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which brings her to the 8th Principle Team, part of the UUFN Social Justice Committee, an integral part of her identity.
Travel has always been a part of Kecia's life. Vacations meant trips to relatives in various other parts of the United States and Canada, and she has probably visited or at least passed through each of the lower 48. In a post-COVID world, she would like to revisit California and go to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.
March 21, 2021
Jan Owens
KATE COPELAND
WHAT IS KATE’S SUPERPOWER?
Being a single mother. When her husband unexpectedly passed, Kate felt her purpose crystallize in many ways. Most of her life choices from that point are why she is who she is and what she does now as an educator.
Kate grew up Catholic, and became a song leader in her church. Music has been central to her spirit. She likes to say “Singing is praying twice.” Later a book she once read on meditation encouraged her to make everything in life— gardening, a shower, breathing -- a prayer.
Kate had been active for a number of years at First Unitarian Church in North Wilmington, and “circled around the fringes” of the UUFN community since relocating to Newark. Recently, with the events of 2020, she made a conscious choice to connect to this intentional community.
Kate has enjoyed participating in NEW UU and on the SOCIAL MEDIA team, even trying her hand at Co-Chairing with Emily Van Vlack. I can vouch that she is GREAT at keeping us on track (and FUN to work with)!
Kate has long been ‘the gypsy’ of her family and has enjoyed traveling to places around the world such as Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Morocco. When asked, she said, “Anywhere I haven’t been yet!”.
February 21, 2021
Jan Owens
JANET LOUISE
WHAT IS JANET’S SUPERPOWER?
Janet grew up in the New Castle Methodist Church, attending Sunday School, singing in the church choir, and celebrating Christmas Eve singing carols to shut-ins. Later, as a member of Calvary Baptist Church, she continued to sing in the choir, taught Sunday School, and led the Youth group.
Janet joined a babysitting cooperative and met a UUFN family when their sons were babies. Janet and her husband at that time joined a sensitivity group sponsored by UUFN. They became interested in the Fellowship, and the rest is history!
Janet is president-elect of the Fellowship. Until recently, she was the coordinator of Hope Dining Room and a Pastoral Caregiver. When the Fellowship provided shelter for the homeless through Code Purple, Janet was one of a very few people who could always be relied on to do the overnight shift.
Peace in the valley.
January 21, 2021
Jan Owens
EMILY VAN VLACK
WHAT IS EMILY'S SUPERPOWER?
Emily is thoroughly digitalized, fluent in ZOOM, and serves on the HELPING HANDS committee and IS very active on the newly-formed SOCIAL MEDIA Subcommittee of the Communications Committee. She ‘shadowed’ Glenn Schmiesing as he runs the UUFN worship services on ZOOM, documenting Glen’s work, and now has ‘graduated’ to hosting UUFN worship service on her own. She loves short film editing. And much more (she has hosted several ZOOM presentations on the White Clay Creek with me--Jan Owens!)
Emily has been coming to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark since 2016. Social Justice drew her here, and is a core interest of hers. Emily’s early years exposed her to various religious traditions. Quakerism was the core of these, with key values of simplicity, non-violence, and peace. Emily is a 56-year-old person with a disability. That doesn’t stop her from being one of the most active people I know. She loves hiking and travel (recently travelled to Ireland). She recently finished her associate degrees in Human Services and Drug & Alcohol Counseling at Del Tech Community College. She’s quite adept at helping others through the labyrinth of regulations and benefits. She is now pursuing a Degree in human services with a minor in disability studies at the University of Delaware.
Emily loves music, and has a special interest in Beatles, Queen, Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, and Prince. ‘Em’ played trumpet in high school. She would love to see more music (from harp to electric guitar) incorporated in UUFN services. One peak musical experience: she recently attended the 2019 Global Citizens Concert in Central Park, NYC (Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keyes, Queen, Carole King, Jon Batiste and Stay Human). Each person ‘won’ tickets by writing to legislators towards the goal of eradicating World-wide extreme poverty.
Emily is close to her sister in NYC and brothers in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. She is very close to her ex-mother-in-law and friends. She has made some close friends at UUFN.
Emily has a very conservative cat named Oreo who belongs to many alt-right FB groups and keeps Em updated on their thinking.
Nov. 21, 2020
Jan Owens
MICHAEL HOFFMAN
UUFN'S IN-HOUSE PAINTER / COMEDIAN / JUGGLER / AUCTIONEER
If you are new enough not to have met him, stay around til after the pandemonium, come to the next UUFN AUCTION, and whether or not you want to bid, enjoy a hilarious and amazing social event of the year as Michael does all three. Michael and his wife Lois make up The Juggling Hoffmans (https://www.jugglinghoffmans.net/). I look forward to us all surviving the pandemic and having another UUFN Auction! AWE AND WONDER and LAUGHTER will fill you. Michael grew up in grew up in a rough and tumble Chester PA in a family with 7 sisters and 3 brothers in a tiny 7 bedroom home.
- Mike painted a 4’ totem pole with 20 acrylic colors for a lady near Markel’s mother; it was almost stolen.
- Mike worked with a partner near Rodney Square where he set a bush on fire (and successfully extinguished it)
- On the 4th of July night at Hagley Museum Michael was seen juggling flaming torches…by the curator who told him to put those out. Michael said “just a minute” and the curator “identified” himself and Michael quickly ended his act and his Hagley Museum career.
- Tending bar at the Deerpark, Michael would leave his juggling balls on the register and people would say “What’s that?” and he’d juggle for them. He set up a program, “Deerpark After Dark” on Sunday evenings after Alfie Moss, Dexter Coons, and the North Street Four played. He would put candles on the tables, be the M.C. for a set of stand-up comedy and juggling.
October 21, 2020
Jan Owens