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VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260411T001107Z
UID:202-295138@uuspringfield.org
DTSTART:20260411T150000Z
DTEND:20260411T160000Z
CLASS:PUBLIC
CREATED:20260410T162004
DESCRIPTION:The UU Society of Greater Springfield celebrates the oridnation
  of former member Samhna Erin Scott!  Here is a note from her\, to you...
 \n---------\nDear UU Springfield members and friends\,\nBy now\, some of y
 ou have heard the happy news that I was welcomed into Preliminary Minister
 ial Fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in Decemb
 er. My interview with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) was a tru
 ly beautiful\, affirming\, and even enjoyable experience!\nYour congregati
 on served a crucial role in my ministerial formation process. I don't thin
 k I could have gotten to where I am today without you. I came to your meet
 ing house seeking a solution to an internal conflict: I had felt the call 
 to ministry for some time\, but I also felt deeply disappointed by churche
 s in general. And yet the call persisted. \nThe first time I attended wor
 ship at UUSGS\, I cried. I felt relief\, hope\, and a deep sense of coming
  home. The authenticity I witnessed here-- the way you truly lived your va
 lues and were in genuine relationship with the rest of the Greater Springf
 ield community-- that kept me coming back. You were open and inviting\, an
 d at the same time you didn't smother me with welcome. I had some healing 
 (and more crying) to do before I was ready to engage. You gave me the spac
 e I needed\, and welcomed me into your lives when I was ready. I am still 
 "a cry-er." But now I cry because I overflow with gratitude and love for t
 his extended chosen family. Thank you for created the place where I could 
 accept my call to ministry. \nIn Unitarian Universalist tradition-- and o
 ur theology-- only congregations have the power to ordain ministers. So wh
 ile Preliminary Fellowship allows me to "enter the workforce" as a UU mini
 ster\, I am not yet a Reverend Minister until I have an Ordination Ceremon
 y. That ceremony will take place on Saturday\, April 11th. It would mean t
 he world to me to see your faces there.  \nI am honored that two congrega
 tions have chosen to ordain me in a joint ceremony. They are the UU Church
  of Nashua\, NH where I served as Ministerial Intern for two years\, and t
 he First Parish Church of Groton\, MA where I currently serve as Assistant
  Minister. The Ceremony will be held at the Nashua church\, followed by an
  all-vegetarian lunch.\nPlease\, please join us! And please RSVP using the
  link provided. That will help us estimate how much food we need\, and be 
 aware of any allergies. The ceremony will also be live-streamed\, if you a
 re unable to make the two-hour drive to Nashua that morning. \nThe celebr
 ation will also include a Name-Change ritual. My decision to change my nam
 e has been a long time in the making\, and is in-part based in my decision
  to commit myself to peace in all areas of my life as I officially take up
  the role of Minister. There is a link on the RSVP website where you can l
 earn more about my new name.\nThis will be a deeply meaningful ceremony an
 d a joyful event. I look forward to celebrating with many of you in April!
 \nWith love\,\n~Sámhna Erin Scott
LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T162004
LOCATION:UU Church of Nashua\, NH\, and online
SUMMARY:Ordination of Samhna Erin Scott
URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.uuspringfield.org/events/ordination-of-samhna-eri
 n-scott/2026-04-11
ATTACH;FILENAME=image.png;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://dq5pwpg1q8ru0.cloudfron
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