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Upcoming Worship Services!
Sunday, December 18th, 9 & 11 a.m.
"This I Believe" is an annual service organized by the worship committee. We invite individuals from our society to share their spiritual and life journeys thus far. Join us as we celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of our participants, and each other.
Wednesday, December 21st, 5 p.m. Music Meditation, 5:30 p.m. Reflections: Solstice
Celebrate the turning of the earth and moving from dark to light at a special new event. Bridget Meyer will lead a Winter Solstice service to honor the longest night of the year. Look forward to a short story for children, seasonal readings and music! Childcare and snacks will be provided. Contact Bridget for more information - Bmeyer1038@aol.com or 879-5409.
Saturday, December 24th - Christmas Eve Services
4 pm Family Service: In this Family Service, through singing and story, we will gather 'round the innocent, unexpected light that Christmas Eve brings. Martha Dallas will lead, with Rev. Roberta Finkelstein participating. The Children's Choir will sing.
6 pm and 8 pm "Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols" Music, readings, and reflections on the ancient story of Christmas with a uniquely UU perspective. The service will conclude with a tradi-tional candle-lighting ritual.
Sunday, December 25th - One Service at 10 a.m.
"Tis the Season" Following the traditional Christmas Day breakfast we will gather in the sanctuary to sing carols and share Christmas thoughts and memories. As Christmas Day falls in the middle of Hanukkah, we will also have a menorah lighting ceremony.
Wednesday December 28th @ 5 pm Silent Meditation, 5:30 pm Reflections: Hanukkah
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Christmas Eve Ushers/Candle Lighters 
We need eight people (ages 12 and older) for the 4pm and 6pm services and 6 people for the 8pm service. Volunteers must be willing to arrive 45 minutes early for orientation. Duties include handing out orders of service, assisting with the collection, and functioning as candle lighters. Come take part in this annual, holiday event!
Click here to sign up to be an Usher/Candle Lighter at one of our Christmas Eve Services!
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Welcome a Guest at Your Table!
Many families and friends of our First UU Society in Burlington are bringing human rights home and welcoming "guests" into their lives.
Thanks to your support, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is working throughout the United States and around the world to advance human rights. Your beautiful Guest at Your Table box and Stories of Hope booklet introduce you to people whose lives have been changed by this work.
This week, meet Chrisantus Mwandihi, the director of the SoilFarm Multi-Culture Group (SFMG), a UUSC partner in Kenya. He has helped save water resources through Hope in Crops, a groundbreaking youth education and training program that teaches children in 30 local schools about protecting the environment, planting trees, growing crops, and raising bees. The students learn about traditional food crops like beans and cassava, which grow well naturally and so help minimize overuse of fertilizers. They are also planting trees to help protect the rainforest from deforestation as well as stabilize and purify water in the rivers that flow through the forest. You can learn more about UUSC's work on environmental justice online at uusc.org/environmentaljusticeBy joining or renewing your membership in UUSC, you will help us reach our congregational goal this year. If you place bills and coins in your Guest at Your Table box on a regular basis, you may be surprised to find the amount accumulated when you open your box in January. Boxes should be returned on Sunday, January 15, with a check inside for the amount you wish to contribute. And please complete the form on the back.
If you prefer to make a membership contribution directly to UUSC, please pick up an envelope on one of the tables in the sanctuary or in the parlor. Your generosity with Guest at Your Table/UUSC is tax deductible! And remember - gifts of $100 or more can be matched dollar for dollar by the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock! Thank you! |
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The Religious Education Committee Needs Drama Queens ...... and kings, even a mayor or two. We're gearing up for our second "Fresh Sunday" in which all of the FUUSB kids will gather in larger groups to get involved with issues that are part of our congregation's mission work. This February, we're going to focus on Community Justice, and we need some adults who enjoy creative play to join us downstairs to enact some situations. Interested in learning more? Contact Cheryl Herrick at herrickvt@gmail.com to learn more.
Passionate About Justice? Come Share That Passion with FUUSB Youth!
The Religious Education Committee is gearing up for our second "Fresh Sunday" in which all of the FUUSB kids will gather in larger groups to get involved with issues that are part of our congregation's mission work. This February, we're going to focus on Community Justice, and we need a few people who enjoy acting to join us downstairs to enact some situations. Interested in learning more? Contact Cheryl Herrick at herrickvt@gmail.com to learn more.
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COTS PHONATHON Thank You
Thanks to Jeanne Parsely, Jan Abbott, Lucy Gluck, Steve Silverman and Bruce Brown who represented the UUSB at the Phonathon. We raised over $11,400 and it was exciting hearing the bells ring as callers received pledges and heard the total rise well over the goal. They fed us pizza and candy so how can you ask for a more fun and meaningful evening? Bruce even won a bird feeder. We're hoping that more new faces will join us next year for this truly rewarding experience. |
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 Come January 8 to Say "Farewell" to Our Wonderful Facilities Manager, David McFeeters!
Mark your calendar now for an expanded between-service coffee hour on January 8, when we will formally take leave of David, who has done so much for our carbon footprint, energy costs, and more during his seven-year tenure with FUUSB. Festivities will begin at approximately 10:20 a.m.
Bakers needed for the special coffee hour! If you can provide muffins, sweet rolls, quick breads, etc., (ready-to-serve: sliced if necessary, and plated), please e-mail Rita Bortz at ritabortz@aol.com, or call her at 864-3516.
Gift Contributions: Contributions toward a gift for David are most welcome! For tax reasons, these cannot go through the FUUSB account, so please make checks out to Jan Abbott, and send to her at 12 Chestnut Lane, Essex Jct., 05452-4331. Your name(s) will be written on a card to give to David.
If you would like to write a few words of appreciation to David, to be presented in an album, please send this to Jan Abbott. |
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 "WONDERFUL GIFT POSSIBILITY: Support our UU Society and give a great gift at the same time! CYCLES of REFLECTION is a book of meditations and parts of sermons given by our Minister Emeritus, Bob Senghas. The books are $10 each and every bit goes to this Society. It is a powerful collection of Bob's wisdom. Books can be ordered from Julia Blake at juliavblake@comcast.net and then picked up at the church Dec. 18 or later (I will be out of town between Dec. 6 and 17 so unable to respond to your emails before then.) Bob was minister here from 1979 to 1989 but his thoughts have not grown stale or out of date!"
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Religious Education News!
Upcoming Sundays for children and youth:
Dec 18... Regular RE Sunday - LAST Sunday of Fall RE Session. Bridging-Planning time for teachers after each RE Session!
Dec 25... Multigenerational Worship at 10 AM only. Our nursery is closed today. All children are welcome to join their parents for caroling in the sanctuary!
Jan 1... Multigenerational Worship at 10 AM only. Again, our nursery will be closed this New Year's Day.
 Bridging Planning for teachers after RE Classes THIS Sunday WHO: Fall teachers AND Winter-Spring teachers
WHEN: THIS Sunday, Dec. 18th
TIMES: 10:15-11:00 and 12:15-1:00
WHAT: Time to "pass the torch" from Fall teachers to Winter-Spring teachers!
WHERE: Gather in the Community Room for a brief welcome, then go to classrooms to meet and plan. Status of Teaching Teams Teachers, please check out this document, which shows who's committed to teach for the coming months, and where the gaps still are: RE Steward Status Winter-Spring 2012 Please let me know if you can fill a gap! Thanks. Martha
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Office Hours!
Monday, December 19th 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Tuesday, December 20th - Doors may be locked please ring bell.
Wednesday, December 21st - 9 a.m. - Noon then closed for staff holiday party.
Thursday, December 22nd - 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The offices will be closed for the holidays from Decmeber 23rd - January 2nd. If you have a pastoral emergency during this time, please contact Rev. Roberta at 703-508-1336. |
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 Giving Tree
Don't forget to take an ornament this Sunday if you haven't yet done so and bring your gifts back by next week, Sunday December 18th! The Yuuth Group, COTS, Spectrum, and the Humane Society are very grateful for your generosity.
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First Night Lasagna Dinner!
Once again the Social Action Committee will sponsor the First Night Lasagna Dinner during which we will serve 350-400 hungry (and probably chilly) First Night revelers. We will be serving from 4 till 8 pm and will need lots of lasagnas and helpers to make this happen. Profits from this evening benefit SAC programs. We need people to help either from 2:30 till 4:30 or from 4:30 till 8:00. And we need lots of lasagnas. Sign up sheets are on the Social Action bulletin board in the hallway by the parlors. Please support this important event. It's very family friendly and lots of fun |
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Yuuth Group Updates!
December 18th
**Weird Timing!!**
12:15 - 2:15 pm Sunday Focus: Giving Tree
December 18th is the last day for gifts to be brought back for the Giving Tree! It is also the day the tree needs to be removed from the Sanctuary. After the second service we'll organize everything, bag it up, take the tree down, then...go to Shalimar for the Sunday buffet? If we want to do this it might be after 2:15 when we're done, but we can decide later :-)
Contact Kristin Cadwalader
youth@uusociety.org or 908-399-5084
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 Christmas Breakfast-yes it's that time of year-the shopping list is ready, the strata recipes are being hunted up and the posters are being printed! So bring your apron and your family to our annual Christmas Breakfast: we share food, conversation and ourselves with each other and with neighbors who need a welcoming place for a holiday meal. Just like at home-we all pitch in to make it work!
Please contact Lynn Douglas to volunteer, donate food or if you have questions (yes, it really is on Christmas morning!) herbalwoman@gmail.com, 802.318.2663 (there is NO sign-up sheet at the Meetinghouse). |
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New Facilities Manager has been Hired!
I am pleased to announce that our new Facilities Manager has been hired. His name is Bob Furrer and he will begin the second week in January. He will work with David for a week to insure a smooth transition.
Bob has decades of experience working in and managing a large historic property. Most recently he has served in the Peace Corps! He told us that he actually attended Christmas Eve services here for many years and feels a kinship with our mission.
All of us on the search committee are in agreement that he will be a fine choice for us. I hope that you will all welcome him and help him to get acquainted with our congregation as well as our buildings and grounds.
Rev. Roberta Finkelstein
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 Save the date! Join Vermont Interfaith Action for the public meeting, "Let's Invest in the 'Common Wealth' of Vermont" on Sunday, Jan. 8 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, 182 Prospect St in Burlington. As the state begins a new legislative session, we want to press the Shumlin administration, represented by Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding, and key legislators to honor our values when setting state budget priorities, so that we create opportunity for all Vermonters. This means investing in justice on both the revenue and expense side. Please plan now to attend and make your voice heard! Contact 651-8889 or office@viavt.org for more info. |
Our Neighbors Need Not Go Hungry!
Your contributions of protein-rich casseroles and homemade brownies or cookies allow us to use our purchase order to buy more vitamin and nutrient packed fresh veggies & fruit. Bring your donations to the UU downstairs kitchen (clearly labeled "food shelf") and we will transport them, or drop directly at the Food Shelf by 4:30. Dates: 12/11, 12/18, 12/25, 1/1, 1/8, 1/15. Many thanks! Suzie DeBrosse,
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever does." - Margaret Mead |
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Volunteer Spot!
Kathleen and I have a little something new up our sleeves! We are beginning to use a website called Volunteer Spot to assist you in signing up for volunteer opportunities. Please watch the next Newsletter for an in-depth article about how this new process will work. But for those of you who are adventurous and just can't wait to try out this amazing new feature, just click one of the links below and get started! Don't worry, clicking on a link will not obligate you in any way, it will just let you see a job description and when we're looking for help. Then, when you're ready, you can easily sign up to volunteer right on the site. Go Ahead! Give it a try!
Click here to learn about becoming a Sanctuary Fidget Fixer!
Click here to learn about becoming an RE Supply Inventory Volunteer!
Click here to learn about becoming a Front Office Steward!
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 Volunteer for First Night Burlington 2011 and receive a free First Night button!
Our Meetinghouse has been a long time host site for First Night Burlington. For First Night 2012 we are hosting Wilhem Lange, the Starline Rythym Boys, the MMU Chorus, , Banjo Dan & the Midnite Plowboys, Twist of the Wrist and the Woods Tea Company.
We have 20 two hour time slots available for folks who would like to volunteer and receive a free First Night button. The starting times are 12:40, 2:40, 4:40, 6:40 and 8:40 PM. The last shift will be shorter.
There is a now sign-up-sheet on the First UU Society bulletin board. After December 17th you can call me at 862-5630 x23 or send an e-mail to david@uusociety.org to sign up or ask questions. Volunteers can pick up their buttons beginning at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 31st.
Volunteering is great fun and a wonderful opportunity to support this valuable Burlington event.
David McFeeters Facilities Manager |
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 The Enews Blast is Taking a Vacation!
The Enews Blast will be taking a break on Thursday, December 29th, but will be back with you on Thursday, January 5th. See you next year! |
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