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Upcoming Worship Services!
Sunday, January 22nd - 9 & 11 a.m.
"Death with Dignity" End of life issues challenge us on many levels. The Vermont legislature is considering a "Death with Dignity" bill in the current session, which will be the topic of the January Social Action Forum. Rev. Roberta's sermon will explore some of the emotional, ethical and spiritual challenges this bill raises. The Care Network Ministry will be offering the opportunity to complete Advance Directives after each service.
Sunday, January 29th - 9 & 11 a.m.
"Question Box" Join Rev. Roberta for worship 'without a net'. At the beginning of the service you can write questions that you would like Rev. Roberta to answer. With selection assistance from members of the Worship Committee, Roberta will answer some of those questions spontaneously instead of preaching a prepared sermon.
**Thank you to Mike Reilly (friend of Mark Kuprych) for this amazing photo of our Meeting House! |
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Board Forum This Sunday
This Sunday, the Board of Trustees will be holding their 4th in a series of board forums with discussions about our Society during our interim period. You are cordially invited to join us after each service in the Sanctuary this Sunday starting at 10:15 and 12:15.
As we begin our budget process and start our stewardship campaign, we will be pondering the question, "How do we create a budget that is a reflection of our values?
In addition, we will be introducing the Interim Task Collaboration Team - a team of Society members appointed to assist the interim minister in our work towards settling a new senior minister.
- Bill West, Board President
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A Culture of Generosity
In preparing myself to attend the Minister's Forum, Creating a Culture of Generosity During Hard Economic Times, I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be generous. By definition, you can pretty much sum it up as "showing a readiness to give more of something, money, time or kindness, than is strictly necessary or expected." This year at First UU, I have witnessed an abundance of generosity. People are giving more of their time and talents to sustain our mission and folks are getting to know one another on a deeper level because of it.
The Stewardship Campaign is just around the corner and this year's theme is Reigniting Connections. In the coming weeks, you will have a chance to hear how your monetary pledge can ensure that all you hold dear at First UU has a bright future. By now you may have heard about one-on-one visits and cottage meetings. When you get invited to one of these events, please strongly consider saying YES. Be generous with your limited resource of time. Not only will you have an opportunity to learn how you can be generous in a sustainable way but you will also have an occasion to talk with each other and reignite your connections.
Daniel Wilds
The Minister's Forum, Creating a Culture of Generosity During Hard Economic Times, will be this Sunday, January 22, 12:45-2:45 PM in the Susan B. Anthony Room.
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Thanks from the UUSC!
Many thanks from the Denominational Affairs committee if you returned your Guest at Your Table box, sent a membership donation directly to UUSC, or made a contribution online at www.uusc.org Our denomination's Service Committee does wonderful work partnering with individuals and groups to put Unitarian Universalist values into action worldwide.
If you have not yet returned your Guest at Your Table box or made a membership contribution to UUSC, it is definitely not too late! Please bring back your box with a check inside on Sunday, send a check directly to UUSC, or go online to become a member at https://secure2.convio.net/uusc/site/Donation2?df_id=1240&1240.donation=form1. Be sure to include the name of our Society, First UU Society of Burlington, so that your individual membership in UUSC will be credited to us.
As Rev. Roberta commented in her sermon last Sunday, every member of our Society should be a member of UUSC! So please take this opportunity to join or renew your membership. Thank you.
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Dine Around is back! 
The December dinners were a blast! The next dinner date is Saturday, February 4. If you missed it last Sunday, you can sign up at the table in the Parlors after either service on January 22. You can also email the sign up sheet to Sally Gullion at sgullion@gmail.com by Jan 22. See you Feb 4!
Click here for a Sign Up Sheet! |
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The Wednesday evening Reflections Service is cancelled for the rest of the year. Thank you to all who attended and helped lead it. It's been a worthwhile experience in alternative worship for us and we're hoping to revive it next year with more planning and committed helpers. --
From Jean Palmer and the Adult Programs Committee |
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The Search Process Begins! Save the Date!
Congregational input into the search for a new settled minister is an important part of the process. So, even though next September seems very far away, we are asking that you put this date on your calendars: Saturday September 29th from 9:30 am- 12:30 pm. Rev. Keith Kron, Transitions Director for the Unitarian Universalist Association, will be guiding us through a workshop called Beyond Categorical Thinking. This workshop is designed to help us all move beyond our initial perceptions of what our new minister 'should' be like and open us up to the many diverse and exciting possibilities that may be out there. Child care will be provided. We would love to have as many voting members of the congregation in attendance as possible so that we can, together, make the best decisions as we move forward in choosing our new settled minister. |
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Religious Education News!
Upcoming Sundays for children and youth:
Jan 15... RE Sunday
Jan 22... Fresh Sunday! (no OWL) A morning of singing and smiles with Robert Resnik
Jan 29... RE Sunday
Feb 5... Multigenerational Worship Service "Standing on the Side of Love" (no RE classes)
 Robert Resnik this Sunday, Jan 22! Folk musician Robert Resnik will provide music during the first portion of the service and then a morning of songs and fun for all ages in the Community Room during both services. Please join our special guest for this "Fresh Sunday" morning!
Civil Rights Journey for Youth July 22-29. Ages 15-20. Atlanta, Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery. UUSC's JustWorks 2012. History, non-violent action, racial justice. Go, live learn. Details: Civil Rights Journey
Goldmine Youth Leadership School Again this summer I will co-staff this amazing week of fun, reflection, and growth at Ferry Beach, our UU conference center in Maine. It runs from Aug. 12-18 and is open (I believe) to youth aged 14-18. Mark your calendars and let me know if you're interested in going. I'll share more details about Goldmine 2012 as they become available.
YSOP -- Youth Service Opportunities Project
I'm SO pleased about our Yuuth Group's plans to do a weeklong service project this year with YSOP! They will be going to NYC from June 17-22, and will take part in workcamps of various sorts and learn by experience and through personal relationships about homelessness, hunger, and urban poverty. The Yuuth will be doing fundraisers in the coming months to prepare for YSOP. Please support them as generously as you can!
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Yuuth Group Meeting...Sunday Jan 22nd 10:45am-12:15pm
FOCUS: VOLUNTEER PROJECTS
We'll talk about:
Ushering/greeting
Dismas house
Leadership positions
Start brainstorming fundraising ideas
We need YUU to make these projects successful.
As always, there will food and silliness!
Rock on, Kristin, Liz, and Jill |
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 Office Hours!
Our offices will be open on Monday, January 23rd from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Our offices will be open on Tuesday, January 24th - Thursday, January 26th from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
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 If you have an interest in next year's Holiday Bazaar, please join us this Sunday January 22 at 10 in the Bergh Room to de-brief this past bazaar and plan for 2012. We are looking for new ideas, fun ideas, great ideas to make this an event that brings together the whole UU community to enjoy the day and raise some money for our mission. Young and old, men and women are all welcome to participate. Please come! |
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Volunteer Spot!
Thank you to the people who have already signed up to help! And thank you to people who contacted us with thoughts on how to improve our system. We're working on it and will do our best to make this a useful tool for everyone at First UU!
Here are some opportunities that you may be interested in!
Click here to learn about becoming a Magic Penny Counter!
Click here to learn about becoming a Sanctuary Fidget Fixer!
Click here to learn about becoming an RE Supply Inventory Volunteer!
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 Greetings from the Yuuth Group! We welcome any youth in grades 9-12 to join us on Sunday mornings (10:45-12:15) to hang out with other teens, participate in fun service projects, play games, and have fun. We are also looking for male-identified advisors over 25 years of age to support the youth group. If you are interested, come visit us. We don't bite!
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 Dear Members and Friends,
Bob Furrer and I had a very productive week together and you are in very good hands with him.
I want to thank you all for the appreciation and support you have shown over the past month. It has not been easy saying goodbye to the people and things I have come to love so much. The farewell party last week was extraordinary and I shall never forget it! I will carry the love you have shown to me into all of my future endeavors.
I invite you to keep in touch and come and visit if you are planning to be in my "neck of the woods". We will be packing up and moving the weekend of January 28. Until then, I can be reached at my home phone, 985-2384, or my current UU e-mail, david@uusociety.org. After this, I can be reached at my new addresses:
Home phone 518-721-8413 Address:
2542 Route 66
Chatham, NY 12037
Bless you all! David |
 Thank you for your patience! Parking has been tight while our amazing new solar parking structure is being built. We have had to redirect many of our weekday parkers to park in the oval; which has meant that many of you have had to park on the street. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding. Our new structure is moving right along. They even began putting on the solar panels today! Before you know it, things will be back to normal. . . only better! Yay! |
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