The Compass, May 7, 2025
- May 7
- 9 min read
Welcome to the Practice of Imagination
Imagination’s great gift is improvement. At least that is what we’re taught. Its deep magic lies in the way it can reshape our reality. We are urged to imagine the world we dream of. A world with more justice. More peace. More love. From that, a mysterious magnetism arises, a magnetism that pulls our imperfect present into an improved future. Imagination moves us forward. It makes our world - and us - better.
Yet there’s a way in which this view of imagination impoverishes us. It steals the stage and shuts out imagination’s other precious gifts.
For instance, think of what happened when a number of us got out of bed this morning. After a shower, we didn’t just pull on fresh clothes, we likely also pulled out a jewelry box and slipped on our grandmother’s ring. As we slid it on our finger, she slid, not just into our memory, but into our day. Now, because of imagination, we aren’t just elegant; we’re accompanied. Or how about that invisible friend of ours when we were children? Imagination made sure we didn’t travel through those early years alone. It conjured up that loyal friend so we had someone by our side. Even today, amidst the hustle and bustle of adult life, tell me you don’t hear the guidance of ancestors when challenges arise. It’s all one giant reminder that imagination doesn’t just improve our lives, it populates it.
It also illuminates it. That’s right. Imagination isn’t just a force that drives us forward toward a better future, it also pulls the sacred into our impoverished present. Imagination is what transforms trees from potential firewood into wise friends. Imagination is what moves us from lording over the natural word to seeing ourselves as part of it. Or to put it another way, imagination is what gives the world a soul. And not just the natural world, but the ordinary world too. Through the lens of imagination, every day experience becomes precious, even mystical. For instance, the laughter of our children becomes the sound of angels. Sunshine on our face becomes a way that life expresses its love for us. The ocean is able to speak, telling us that we are freer and have more choices than we think. And a simple act of kindness from a stranger shimmers, and through it life says to our burdened heart, “This soon shall pass. Everything will be ok.” Yes, this is what imagination does: it enables us to hear the world speak.
So friends, this month, do everything you can to soak in the many gifts and messages of imagination. It’s not just shouting, “Improve the world!” It’s also pleading, “Let the world come alive!”
We are in an imagination battle. Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown and Renisha McBride and so many others are dead because, in some white imagination, they were dangerous… Imagination has people thinking they can go from being poor to a millionaire as part of a shared American dream. Imagination turns Brown bombers into terrorists and white bombers into mentally ill victims. Imagination gives us borders, gives us superiority, gives us race as an indicator of ability. I often feel I am trapped inside someone else's capability. I often feel I am trapped inside someone else's imagination, and I must engage my own imagination in order to break free. -adrienne maree brown
Download the PDF to read this month's Soul Matters packet
Nancy Crosby (nee Clemens) has literally been a life-long member of our church, attending our RE program as a child. She officially joined as an adult on March 22, 1948, and the fragile old membership card notes that she wouldn't be eligible to vote until 1/3/49. She married Bill Crosby in 1954, and though they moved away and started a family, she remained a member. There's a card attached to her member card from 1961 checking a box that said as much, sent from Rhode Island, addressed simply Unitarian Church, Union and Eighth Sts, New Bedford, Massachusetts. No street number or zip code was necessary.
Nancy loved our church, especially the garden, and she was the chair of that committee for many years. I will always think of her when I'm in the churchyard; how she tended to it with such love and made sure our plants and trees were always in top shape. When my son died, she asked the board if she could plant a tree in our yard in memory of Dylan. It's a witchazel, just a wee thing right now, but blooming and growing little by little, just like getting back to life after a loss.
Her financial support has helped our church through some very difficult times and we will be eternally grateful for that. I'm not sure our doors would stil be open without her. Nancy's generosity, kindness, intelligence, and devotion will remain in our hearts and minds, and her spirit will remain forever in our sanctuary and garden. All of our love and sympathy go out to her kids, Kate, Eric, and Jane, and to the many, many friends who will miss her very much. It was an honor to count her as a friend.
Blessings-Rev. Karen
Nancy Clemens Crosby, 93, passed away peacefully in her home in New Bedford, MA on April 29, 2025. Born on September 13, 1931 to Sherrard Clemens III and Esther (Taber Wilcox) Clemens, she called herself “a daughter of New Bedford” and cherished her hometown city.
Nancy attended Betsey B. Winslow Elementary School, Friends Academy, New Bedford High School, and The Baldwin School. She graduated from Middlebury College in 1953 where she majored in math. After graduating from college, Nancy worked at Corning Glass Works as a Junior Physicist. She met William Floyd Crosby, Jr. in Corning; they were married in 1954 at the First Unitarian Church of New Bedford, and raised three children in Corning, NY and Westport, CT.
When her children were in elementary school, Nancy returned to work joining the staff at the renowned Remarkable Bookstore in Westport, CT. Eventually, Nancy was able to realize her long-time dream of having a retail store and running a business. She partnered with her friend Patrick Baker and opened Bacchanalia, a wine- and beer-making supplies store. They also built a substantial wholesale operation called Crosby & Baker, importing containers of grain, malt, hops and more from around the world, selling to home brewers and retail shops. Nancy testified before a US Senate subcommittee in 1978 as part of the successful push to legalize home brewing, helping to launch the craft beer movement and expanding their customer base dramatically.
In 1979, Nancy and Bill moved back to the New Bedford area to be near their families, relocating her business as well. With Bill joining the team, they built a new building in Westport, MA for an expanding wholesale operation and a retail book and gift store called Partners Village Store. A kitchen was added with partner Selena Howard offering fresh pastries, sandwiches and soups. It was not long before Partners became a “go to” spot in Westport. In 2007, the store moved up Main Road to a renovated farmhouse, a vibrant gathering place with a generous porch and larger quarters. At 83, Nancy made the difficult decision to retire, and she and partner Jan Hall passed the store to Lydia Gollner who successfully runs it today. Managing the store, highlighting local treasures, and knowing the staff and customers were great pleasures to Nancy always.
She was a longtime member of First Unitarian Church of New Bedford, and a founder of the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum in 1980. She helped lead the successful fight to save Destruction Brook Woods, and was active with the Buzzards Bay Garden Club, Westport Watershed Association, WHALE, and the Whaling Museum.
Nancy lost her beloved husband Bill in 1989. In 1999, Nancy married Philemon E. "Pete" Truesdale of Westport Harbor, spending happy years together until his passing in 2008.
She was also predeceased by her beloved grandmother Flora Packard Wilcox, Clarence Vincent Robinson who lived with and cared for Nancy and her family, her sister Mary (Clemens) Clark Sullivan, and her stepsister Natalie Chalfin Phillips.
Nancy is survived by her three children and their spouses: Catherine F. Crosby and Eric Kilburn, Jane K. Crosby and Martin Schotz, and William B. Crosby and Katherine Simmonds. She has three grandsons of whom she was always very proud, Benjamin Kilburn, Samuel Kilburn and James Pi Crosby. She is also survived by cousin Margot Green and family, Jesse Burton and Alexandra Clark.
A graveside service in honor of Nancy will be held at Rural Cemetery in New Bedford on June 28th, 2025 at 11am. All are welcome.
Funeral arrangements have been committed to the care of Wilson Chapel at Aubertine-Lopes Funeral Home, 129 Allen St., New Bedford.
There will be no formal "News & Views" this month. There are only so many hours in a day.
The monthly meeting of the Trustees is Tuesday, May 13, at 6 PM. Members are welcome to attend in person or virtually via Zoom. Click on the button below to enter the meeting.
Reminder: The Annual Meeting is scheduled for May 18, 2025, after Sunday service. There ws no formal written communication presented by the Clerk. An email notification went out by the Administrator last week.
To hear and act on the comments of the Minister; and reports of the Clerk, Treasurer, Trustees, Endowment, Investment, and other Committees.
To approve the Annual Budget and to appropriate funds for the use of the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2025
To hear the report of the Nominating Committee & act on the nominations.
To transact any other business which properly may come before the meeting.
Did you miss Sunday service? Watch it here!
Thank you to co-hosts Rick Finneran and Kayla Connor, and musical guests Sam Babineau and Adam Vitali.
Photos from Beltane, May 4, 2025
Food Pantry Donations Needed!!
Items we NEED:
Shelf-stable milk
Shampoo & Conditioner
Bar soap
Canned fruit - peaches, pineapple, apples, etc.
Jelly - any flavor
Can openers
Kid-friendly snacks - granola bars, apple sauce, fruit pouches, fruit snacks
Upcoming Services
May 11: Flower Communion, Rev. Karen LeBlanc
May 18: Randy's last service of the church year, Mozart
Annual Meeting after service
May 25: Social Justice Sunday
Our Sunday school is a collaborative effort.
Everyone works together to share their skills, time, and energy to enrich our programs. We use the “Spirit Play” curriculum to share goals and objectives for the younger children. Children spend the first fifteen minutes in the sanctuary, and then we head upstairs to the classroom space. You are welcome to accompany your child.
The RE (Religious Education) Team meets monthly to determine the programs, policies, and events for the children, youth, and adults. Parents are encouraged to join the RE Team.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with the Director of Religious Education, Yasmin Flefleh-Vincent, for further information, questions, or comments about our Sunday School.
Please share these events with your family and friends and attend yourself. We would love to see you!
FREE Events Happening at UUNB
AHA! Night, May 8: The SouthCoast Children's Choir will be performing in the Sanctuary starting at
Being Human takes place every Friday at 11 AM. Please use the parking lot door.
The 41st Annual Jazz Concert is brought to you with grants from the New Bedford, Acushnet, and Mattapoisett Local Cultural Councils, which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Ticketed Events
Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door.
Save the date! A special performance with Whatever Mike, June 6, 2025. Tickets are $25
Tickets to all of our shows can be purchased in the office with cash or check during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 1 PM, or online with a credit card.
The calendar on our website shows everything happening at UUNB. Updates are displayed immediately, so you will always know what is planned
Greater New Bedford Choral Society’s Spring Concert will be Sunday, May 18th, 3:00 pm at Grace Episcopal Church. The chorus will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a concert featuring Haydn’s Te Deum, Handel’s Coronation Anthem No. 4, a selection of show tunes, and an original work by Raymond Buttero, accompanied by a chamber orchestra of local area musicians.
Tickets are $20.00 and available at the door. Visit our website at https://www.gnbcs.org/ for more information or follow us on Facebook.
Your Opinion Matters
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
Cora Peirce, Clerk
Trustees
Committee Chairs
Staff
The Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM
(508)994-9686 ext.12
Comentários