Archive for » January, 2011 «
On Sunday January 23rd, 2011, we had a fascinating guest speaker - Nadia Shahram! She spoke about women in the Muslim world, read a few paragraphs out of her book (see the link below), and had a Q&A session afterward. It was a very moving presentation!
Several members of our church are involved with this event. Click on the following link to download the flyer for this event:
Natural Gas Wells – What you don’t know could hurt you.
There could be a toxic site in your community right now, but not the EPA, DEC or your town officials know the effects of all the involved chemicals. These sites are “frack pits”; they contain the flowback fluid from the controversial natural gas extraction technique known as hydraulic-fracturing, hydrofracking, or fracking.
Alarmed Wales residents recently formed Wales POWR (Protecting Our Water Rights). They have been extensively researching natural gas extraction and its effects- as well as working with their town board to decide how to protect their community from the potential damage from fracking.
As part of POWR’s efforts to educate fellow residents and neighboring communities, they, along with representatives from surrounding towns, will be hosting an educational event about Hydrofracking at the Aurora Town Hall Auditorium, 300 Gleed Avenue, on February 20th at 2pm. This event will include Binghamton scientist, Chris Burger, speaking on the effects of hydrofracking, a short documentary film excerpt, and options for protecting your property and water supply.
Hydrofracking involves driving “frack fluid” down into the rock under high pressure in order to drive out the gas trapped there. The frack fluid contains water, a proppant such as sand, and hundreds of chemicals components. Among these chemicals, some are known to be carcinogenic. To frack a traditional vertical well, it takes about 30,000 to 80,000 gallons of frack fluid, while fracking a horizontal well with high-volume slickwater requires 2 to 7 million gallons.
Where horizontal high volume hydrofracking has already taken place, such as in Wyoming, Colorado, Texas and Pennsylvania, there have been numerous reports of illnesses, water contamination, ignitable water, and large animal and fish kills.
The vast amount of water necessary for the fracking jobs is often sourced locally, depleting waterways and aquifers. Also the flowback fluids require extremely specialized treatment facilities, of which there are few. Estimates by local gas companies on the amount of the fluid returned to the surface is 25%, leaving 75% to migrate unpredictably.
The Marcellus Shale, a potential “gold mine” of natural gas lies under parts of WNY, and the best way to exploit it is through high volume horizontal hydrofracking. A significant amount of land in this area has already been leased to gas companies. While horizontal high volume slickwater drilling has not yet taken place in NYS on a large scale, there are many vertically fracked wells in WNY and the plans are already in place to move forward with horizontal drilling once the moratorium is up this summer.
The natural gas companies ready to exploit the Marcellus Shale in NY assure us it is a bonanza of economic growth, job creation, and a clean energy alternative, but fracking has a darker side that opponents say must be brought to light.
Fracking is not only something to come in the future as the Marcellus Shale begins to be exploited, but has been a part of the more recent increase in gas drilling over the last few years in WNY. Vertical fracking has already been associated with water well contamination, potential health threats and damage to agricultural fields. Due to the concerns about water and health, some towns in NYS have taken action to protect themselves.
To learn more about the effects of hydrofracking and how to protect your land and community, attend the Feburary 20th event at the Town Hall Auditorium at 300 Gleed Avenue, East Aurora, NY at 2pm.
From Scott Harrigan of Amherst UU:
We are hosting a social con called Con Together on February 25th - 27th at the UU Church of Amherst in Williamsville NY.
I have attached a flyer with the important information. Please forward this information to interested youth in your congregation.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Thanks!
–Scott
Scott Harrigan
harrigan@me.com
Coordinating Advisor
Senior Youth Group
http://www.uuamherst.org
On December 24, 2010, our Minister of Music, Doug Bailey, led our congregation in a Christmas Eve candlelight celebration! Thank you Doug for all your hard work putting this beautiful service together!
On October 3, 2010, Doug Yeomans, a folk guitarist, performed alongside the Rev. Frances Manly as she gave her sermon “Over the Rainbow” at the UU Church of East Aurora! Beautiful music accompanied beautiful readings, an unusual and very entertaining Sunday service!
On June 6, 2010, three Buffalo area UU churches marched in the Buffalo Gay Pride Parade! The UU churches of Buffalo, Amherst and East Aurora (all three are “Welcoming Congregations”), joined forces, showing our true colors! Banners and signs were made, and three vehicles decorated with rainbow colors, surrounded by 26 people!
Our Information table at the Vendor Fair after the parade.
At the Annual Meeting of the UU Church of East Aurora in May 2010, the congregation voted to become a “Welcoming Congregation”!
In the early months of 2010, members of our congregation attended the Welcoming Congregation series of workshops offered at our church. (See the “A Welcoming Congregation” page on this website for more detailed information about these workshops.) Following this vote, we have become legally recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association as a “Welcoming Congregation”! Congratulations!
On February 14th, 2010, Tom Flynn from the Center for Inquiry came to speak to our congregation! Tom is the Executive Director of the Council for Secular Humanism, and the Editor of Free Inquiry magazine. The subject of Tom’s talk: “Spirit and Spirituality: Words do Make a Difference” What do these words mean for those among us who are uncomfortable using them because we don’t know if the meaning we assign for them is understood by those who profess a faith in the supernatural. . . and vice versa?
On October 25, 2009, one of our favorite guest Ministers came to deliver a sermon! Jen Crow from First Unitarian Church of Rochester!
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