In Focus
December 2 Forum
"Walking into the Room"
Rev. Patricia Jimenez
UU Chaplain at Hennepin County Medical Center
Join us at the December 2 Forum at 9:30 a.m. in the Lower Assembly Hall to hear Rev. Patricia Jimenez speak about what she has learned about entering a room to see a patient, and staying in the room. "My patients have challenged and broadened my own theology in many ways, and in some ways I might have changed theirs." Rev. Jimenez is a UU chaplain at Hennepin County Medical Center, a Level One Trauma Center.
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Updates
and Reminders
Green Team Meeting
December 2
The fall meeting of the FUS Green Team will be now be held in the Sir Isaac Newton Room (#107) at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 2.
Save the Dates
Upcoming Adult RE Programs with Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons, Thursday evenings.
Humanist History
January 10 - February 21, 7:00 p.m.
Constructing a Personal Worldview
March 13 - May 15.
Bookstore Special and FREE Gift Wrapping
On Sunday, December 16 any purchase at the FUS bookstore will be gift wrapped for FREE!
Teacher Needed
The Religious Education Program needs a teacher for the Kindergarten class starting in January for a nine-week session. Please contact Jan Devor, Director of Religious Education, if you are interested in this position.
612-377-6608 ext. 108
Electronic Version Only
Members who would like to be removed from The First Unitarian printed newsletter mailing list can do so by contacting the FUS office with this request. Call 612-377-6608 or email the FUS office. The First Unitarian newsletter is posted on the FUS website each month, where archived copies are also available.
December's The Unitarian FLASH
This will be the only edition of The Unitarian Flash sent in December 2007. Twice-per-month editions will resume in January 2008. |
FUS Email Contacts
Phone: 612-377-6608
Fax: 612-377-2151 | |
Greetings from Mount Curve! 
The holiday season is a time of generosity. There are many opportunities to give this year, as there are opportunities to participate in the joy of receiving and celebrating.
Please be sure to note the opportunities for giving listed below in support of various worthy causes, such as: gathering food for the hungry, gifts and clothes for the needy, and providing financial support for literacy.
Join us for some wonderful holiday services this month. Celebrate, receive insight, connect with your community, and have some fun! |
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Holiday Services
Music Sunday, "Stars, Shepherds and Sleighs"
Sunday, December 16, 10:30 a.m.
The FUS Chorus and Orchestra will present carols from around the world: Russia, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Britain, and the United States. Some of the highlights will include an evocative piece called, "The Adoration of the Magi" from Trittico Botticelliano by Respighi. Also, the chorus and orchestra will perform some delightful arrangements of carols by John Rutter and John Gardner, two of Britain's most respected composers. Their settings of "The Shepherd's Pipe Carol" and "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" are delightful and will have you whistling the tunes as you leave the auditorium! Finally, the morning would not be complete without Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride". WHEE! You are guaranteed a festive, beautiful morning that will put you in the spirit of the holidays!
Winter Solstice Celebration
Saturday, December 22
6:00 p.m. Dinner and Caroling
7:00 p.m. Midwinter Revels Program
8:00 p.m. Dessert & Folk Dance
9:00 p.m. Yule Log Fire Ring
Tickets $8.00
Youth 18 & under $4.00
(Tickets $10 adults and $5 for kids at the door.)
Purchase tickets at FUS on Sundays or send check to FUS office to reserve tickets
Bring your own wine if desired. Childcare is available for babies and toddlers.
Assembly: "Song in the Skies: Yuletide Service for All Ages," Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons preaching.
Sunday, December 23, 10:30 a.m.
The image of winged angels filling the night sky with music to announce the birth of Jesus is familiar to our culture, but how about a sky full of dragons? That's what legend says accompanied the birth of Confucius, the great sage of China, whose humanist teachings continue to shape the world on the other side of the globe. Wise and great people always begin as tiny babies; wisdom begins in our shared hopes for better ways to live together in peace.
Light Sharing Celebration
Speaking: Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons,
Ministerial Intern Steven Protzman, and others
Monday, December 24, 5:00 p.m.
The promise of healing, redemption, and light in the darkness is as ancient as human fear and human hope. Come share the light, sing the songs, and celebrate the universal meaning of Christmas. Children are invited to bring mittens for the Mitten Tree, and all are invited to come early and share hot chocolate and cookies starting at 5:00 p.m. |
Opportunities to Give
Holiday Temptations and Gift Sale
Sunday, December 2, 11:30 a.m.
This is the day when you can stock up your goodies pantry and gift-giving stash at one special sale. We will be set-up in the Lower Assembly Hall after the morning services with...
...crunchy biscotti to dip, rich sauces to drizzle, buttery cookies to melt in your mouth at afternoon tea, luscious cakes to slice for dessert, nut-laden treasures to munch...
...scenes of Minnesota's natural beauty in photographs by the Blacklocks, unique artwork on blank cards, Scandinavian imagery in handmade pots, cozy hand-knit items, and much, much more!
These special, one-of-a-kind items will be on sale for your holiday giving and enjoyment at the annual Holiday Temptations and Gift Sale sponsored by The Alliance. All proceeds go to The Alliance, which supports the FUS community in myriad ways. See you there!
If you are interested in volunteering to ensure the success of the gift sale, please contact Claire Olsen, 612-869-0891 or claireo@tcinternet.net. For the bake sale, contact Linnea Asp, 763-551-1558 or linneaasp@comcast.net.
Sponsor-a-Family
Now through Sunday, December 16
The Minnesota Visiting Nurses Association has called FUS with a plea to support two large families this holiday season. LaRonda's family has 12 members. She has left an abusive relationship after 12 years and is trying to stabilize her life and that of her family. Another family is Desandra's. They have barely enough to cover necessities. We have put the needs of these families on bulbs on Christmas trees in the Lower Assembly Hall. All you have to do is take a bulb, buy the gift, and return it to Jan Devor's office by December 16. Bring some cheer to some needy families this season.
Bowls for Literacy
Sunday, December 16, 9:30 a.m.
Sale of clay bowls, made by the children in the FUS RE Program this fall, to support the UU schools in the Khasi Hills of India, will take place on December 16. From 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. parents of students are invited to have first crack at buying their child's bowls. After the service, at 11:30 a.m., the sale is open to all. Think hostess gifts, presents for family members, Valentine' Day presents, etc. Fill the bowls with candy or other good things, add the lovely card that goes with each bowl, and you have a wonderful present. Donations will be accepted for the bowls, with the minimum suggested price at $5 per bowl.
Mitten Tree
Now through Monday, December 24, 5:00 p.m.
The Mitten Tree is a Christmas Eve tradition here at FUS. New children's mittens, gloves, and hats are put on the tree on Christmas Eve and then given to the Tubman Family Alliance organization. If you cannot be here on Christmas Eve, just drop off some mittens, etc. in Jan Devor's office and she will see that they get on the tree! Warm someone's heart by warming their body this holiday season!
Collection to Purchase Food Cards for the Needy
Monday, December 24, 5:00 p.m.
At the Light Sharing Celebration Service (December 24) a monetary collection will be gathered to give to the Minnesota Nurses Association, which purchases and distributes food cards for the needy with the funds raised throughout the year.
Support FUS
End-of-Year Donations
Don't miss out on a tax deduction for your charitable gifts to FUS. You can use our new, secure online payment gateway to make gifts to both the Society and the FUS Foundation. Use your credit or debit card for one single, convenient payment. Click here to make your donation before December 31.
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Visitor Orientation Sessions
New to FUS? Come find out more! We are holding two more orientation sessions early next year. Come to find out about FUS at a two-part session. We cover FUS history, religious education, the Board of Trustees, financial questions, and have a good time getting to know each other.
Winter session:
January 27 and February 10
New member Sunday follows on February 24.
Spring session:
May 4 and May 18.
New member Sunday follows on June 1.
We're looking forward to seeing you there! No need to RSVP, but Teresa West, Membership Director, would love to meet visitors anytime! If you have not yet made her acquaintance, please find her after the service at the Minister's Tea, behind the accordion doors in the Upper Assembly Hall. |
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New Exhibit in the FUS Gallery
The Art Committee presents paintings by Laurie Salmela and Marjorie Moody in the Foyer Gallery, starting Sunday, December 2, and running through Sunday, January 6. The artists are hosting a reception for their show, open to members and friends of FUS on Sunday, December 9, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in the Foyer Gallery.
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FUS Service Auction
It's time to start planning for the upcoming FUS Service Auction scheduled for Saturday, March 8, 2008. The FUS Board of Trustees invites the committees and groups at FUS to submit proposals for participating in the planning of the annual Service Auction and the subsequent sharing of the proceeds.
The purpose of the FUS Service Auction is to promote a sense of community within the congregation as well as to raise funds for worthwhile causes both in our congregation and in our wider community.
Proposals should include:
1. The specific purpose funds would be used for
2. The amount of money you are hoping to raise
3. A percentage of the net profit you are willing to work for
4. The approximate number of volunteers your group can realistically commit to the Service Auction - both planning and event volunteers.
Please submit your proposals to the FUS office by December 19, 2007. For more information, contact Barbara Weatherhead by clicking here. |
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Did You Know... ?
Lost and Found at FUS
Did you know that Lost and Found items are held in the FUS office?
If you have lost an item, please visit the office before December 24 to retrieve it. After that date all unclaimed items will be donated. Thank you. | |
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