The Compass, April 16, 2026
- 2 minutes ago
- 7 min read
At 56, by Rev. Karen LeBlanc
My head is still roaming the heavens.
This year has had me holding space
for everyone’s anxiety
and fear
atop my own,
building so high I
could touch the moon.
There has been too much making us
all feel helplessly
falling,
hopeless
and breathless.
It has been as though nothing can go right lately
and the gravity of it
has such
weight.
But for 9 days and
695,000 miles,
four humans journeyed
out to circle Luna,
looking and leaving.
The mission invoked Artemis,
the ship invoked Orion,
the crew and the capsule invoked the
INTEGRITY
so sorely missing from our planet.
And they saw us from far enough away to
see we
are still
beautiful
and worthy.
I was lifted.
The whole world was
boosted
and floating along,
looking out from a tiny window,
our hair hovering above us,
counting on each other to make it home.
And for once in too long, it all
went right. All
the precision and proficiency
and years of preparation
paid off and we got to be proud.
It was the best gift because we all
received it
loud and clear.
These travelers took us with them.
It was truly amazing.
I am again astonished at our
capacity and courage,
our awesome ability to overcome
the impossible.
Now
I feel like I’ve
landed-
and though I’m still
shaky from all the gravity,
I’m going to be OK.
That’s another good thing
because I have so much left to do.
Is Space Chaplain even a thing?
Please join us in welcoming a new member!
Rachael Balch joined the membership on Tuesday, April 14. Rachael is the third new member this church year. If you see her at coffee hour on Sunday, please say hello!
Save the date(s)—Annual Meeting Time!
We are holding the FY27 budget discussion on Sunday, April 26, after the Poetry Service. Members, please stick around during coffee hour.
Annual Meeting: May 17 at 12 PM. All active members are invited to participate as long as you have been a member for at least a month prior to the Annual Meeting date.
Upcoming Memorial Services Reminder
April 18 at 1:30 PM: Aurore Chace (July 27, 1921 - October 5, 2025)
April 24 at 2:00 PM: Larry Jaquith (December 26, 1944 – November 9, 2025)
Did you miss the last Sunday Service? Watch it here!
April Services
April is National Poetry Month!
Our Annual Poetry Service is SUNDAY, April 26. All are welcome to read one or two poems at the service. If you want to rehearse your poetry before the service, workshop a poem in process ( bring 5 copies) or meet your fellow church poets, join us SUNDAY April 19, after the service in the Maya Chepek room. So, grab your coffee & snacks and head over for a poets meet up Sunday April 19.
Hosted by Bette Low.
Star Trek 60th Anniversary Committee
(Pretty sure it's the best committee that has ever existed)
Captain LeBlanc is hailing all members of the United Federation of Planets to boldly go where no party has gone before—planning a 60th Anniversary celebration of the very first episode of Star Trek. Whether your skills are in logistics, decorations, or making sure the punch bowl stays at warp speed, your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to join the crew. Resistance is futile; we need your prime directives, stellar ideas, and perhaps a Vulcan-level attention to detail. Set your communicators to minister@uunewbedford.org and beam your interest aboard. 🖖 Live long and prosper.
Disclaimer: Tribbles may be involved.
Social Justice Committee Chair
UUNB is looking for a new chair of the Social Justice Committee, currently co-chaired by Tonianne Wong & Isaiah Kidney. If you are interesting in volunteering, please reach out to Karen to discuss. This is an opportunity to make an impact in not only the church, but the greater community. The only caveat is that you must be a member of the church to serve as a committee chair.
Beltane, May 3
We need people to plan the event, recruit volunteers to set up and break down.
We would like to include a child's Maypole this year, which means setting up two Maypoles
Musicians
Food planning
Karen can not do everything for this event. In order to make this happen, we need YOU! Please reach out to minister@uunewbedford.org to express your interest.
Jazz Concert, June 28
We need organizers and planners for food. Are we doing a bake sale? Providing sandwiches? Providing drinks? We need one person to be the point of contact and main organizer of food.
Volunteers to help with gift baskets and selling raffle tickets.
Please fill out the form below to indicate how you would like to help?
What does it mean to be a people of Embracing Possibility?
April 19: Embracing the Possibility of Healing the Earth, Creekfinding By Jacqueline Martin Creekfinding - Kids Books Read Aloud
April 26: Poetry Service, Embracing the Possibilities in Each of Us, Birthday Celebrations
All month long, we are exploring how we can embrace possibilities.
Together, we are exploring embracing the possibilities that lie beyond grief and loss and our UU Value of Transformation. Sad and disappointing things happen to all of us; grandparents or pets die, friends move away, and sometimes we don’t make the team or get the part in the play. When such things happen, it seems like the sadness we feel will never go away. Our UU faith encourages us to trust in the possibility that things will get better.
We are exploring what it means to embrace the possibility of building a better world. As we do that, we will tell the story of one of our inspiring UU ancestors, Adin Ballou, a Universalist who believed deeply in the possibility of creating a just and peaceful society. So much so that he was the founder of the Hopedale Community, an intentional utopian society.
We will lift our UU value of Interdependence, as well as have the opportunity to tell the story of and learn about Joseph Priestley, one of our inspiring UU ancestors, who “discovered” the presence of oxygen and how plants produce it to help us live.
We will also be exploring how to embrace and identify the unique possibilities in each of us. Our UU faith affirms that we are more capable and powerful than we sometimes think. To help us celebrate that, we will have some fun with National Superhero Day, which is on April 28. We will also learn about an incredibly inspiring UU Christopher Reeves along with our very own superhero children!
Please share these events with your family and friends, and consider attending yourself. We would love to see you!
FREE Events Happening at UUNB
Being Human takes place every Friday at 11 AM. Please use the parking lot door.
Friday, April 17, at 11 AM
Friends of Kalangarai
The Friends of Kalangarai is hosting a volunteer orientation for their Skeakers4Hope campaign on Friday, April 17, from 5 to 6:30 PM in the Maja Capek room. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.
Friends of Kalangarai, Inc is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit that was established in 2016. Its mission is to support community-based programs working to enhance dignity, self-reliance, and the well-being of widow-headed families in South India. These community-based programs are implemented by Kalangarai which is a non-governmental organization (NGO) located in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India. Kalangarai’s programs include micro-credit self-help groups for widowed/abandoned women, children’s educational programs, job training, a community college, and emergency services during natural disasters. Participants of these programs are approximately 2500 widowed or abandoned women and their families. Most of them are from low castes, living in rural villages, and are experiencing poverty primarily due their lack of sustainable livelihoods and exclusion from economic opportunities.
Saturday, April 18th at 8 PM
Looking Ahead...
Open Mic is back, hosted by Octave Avenue (Kwang & Tonianne)! Open mic will take place on the LAST Sunday of each month.
Ticketed Event: Fundraiser for UUNB
View the three NB48 award-winning comedic shorts produced by Sack Chasers Media, one of which was filmed at UUNB. A Q&A Panel with the actors/producers will also take place. There is a suggested donation of $6 for each ticket, but please donate whatever feels comfortable to you.
Click on the image below for more details. This event is for mature audiences.
From our friends in Fairhaven
Our Mission is to encourage diversity and mutual acceptance and work for positive change in ourselves and our community.
"We envision a congregation in which we practice the principles of our faith. We seek to enjoy peaceful reflection and inspiration in intellectually and spiritually satisfying church services. We aim to embrace the people and efforts of our church community by supporting our children and their programs, our committees and their goals, our staff and their efforts on our behalf, and each other."
Our Promises
Each person is important.
Be kind in all you do.
We help each other learn.
We search for what is true.
Each person has a say.
Work for a peaceful world.
The web of life’s the way.
Build the beloved community, free from racism and oppression.
First Unitarian Church in New Bedford
71 8th Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 994-9686
Administrator ext. 10
Minister ext. 13
Karen cell: (508) 441-9344
Thrift Shop ext. 12
Board Members & Officers
Steve Carmel, President
Charles Morgan, Vice President
Deborah Carmel, Treasurer
Elise Rapoza, Secretary
Trustees
Camilla Brooks
Niko Tarini
Mary Rapoza
Jack Vitale
Committee Chairs
Staff
Rev. Karen Leblanc, Minister
Yasmin Fle-fleh Vincent, Director of Religious Education
Randy Fayan, Director of Music
Jessica DeCicco-Carey, Administrator
Tony, Gonsalves, Facilities Manager
John Manning, Sunday Sexton
Mari Fay-Martin, Sunday School Teacher
Sam Angelini, Sunday School Teacher
The Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM
(508)994-9686 ext.12
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