This Week
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In Case of Severe Weather
If a Sunday service is to be cancelled due to inclement weather, a message will be put on the church voicemail system.
     We will also post a message on our Facebook page, the church's web page, and send a church-wide e-mail.
UU News & Resources
Bookmark this link to support The First Church when you shop at Amazon.
First Church groups & committees
Next issue: January 5 ... Happy New Year!
The next issue of The Unitarian is Tuesday, January 5. Because the office is closed December 24 - January 3, the deadline for this issue was December 16, as previously noted.

Please send your submissions to Janice Zazinski at [email protected] by Wednesday, January 6 for the January 12 issue.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services on
  Thursday, December 24 

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  • 2 p.m.: Junior Choir; Lessons and Carols, Pageant
  • 4 p.m.: Chancel Choir; Lessons and Carols, Pageant
  • 6 p.m.: Youth Choir; Lessons and Carols, Pageant
  • 11 p.m.: Alumni Choir; Lessons and Carols
December 27 - Lay-Led Service
Looking back, looking forward, with a peaceful heart
  • Led by Catherine Stalberg
  • Prelude: solo Bach performed by Ken Stalberg
  • 10:30 a.m. in the church Library; no childcare or Sunday School
Sunday, January 3: Being New
- Rev. David Bryce
A New Year begins: a time to begin anew, to reset our lives. What will our new year bring in the way of personal renewal?
  • Services at 9 & 11 a.m.; childcare is provided and Sunday School restarts.
  • Sermon archive
Christmas Offering
We invite you to consider special gifts for the Christmas offering:

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A gift to The First Church ("gift"), or

A gift to be divided between the charitable projects of the First Church ("Xmas charities"):
  • CARE, chosen by the Youth Group, is a
    leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty (care.org)
  • The Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry's "new kitchen" campaign
  • The UUSC-UUA Refugee Crisis Fund, chosen by the Program Council, which responds to the forced movement of refugees caused by humanitarian crises around the world (uusc.org/updates/uusc-refugee-response)
Please make checks payable to First Church and note on memo line either "Xmas charities" or "gift."
Music & RE Program News
Good news! The CRE Holiday Gift Fair table has raised over $300 so far for the UUSC-UUA Refugee Crisis Fund. The 5th & 6th graders did an awesome job making sales of the crafts to which all of the children had a chance to contribute their creativity. The herbal sea salt scrubs continued to be sold on 12/13 and 12/20. I'll be sure to let you know the grand total in January ... { click here for more }

Youth Group Reunion Potluck, January 8
It's time for another Youth Group Reunion and we hope you can join us on Friday, January 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the Upper Hall. We will have a potluck dinner and goodies for dessert to entice you ... { click here for more }
Hosannah in the Highest! All previous Coffeehouse Season Tickets sales records have been broken! We slipped right past the target 65 to 67! (And of course folks are still and always welcome at any time to purchase a ticket, even though our formal sales drive is complete.)
     Profound thanks to each and every member of this lovely, loving church family who purchased a ticket in support of bringing truly meaningful change to the lives of the hundreds of grateful clients of our ten worthy beneficiaries, and of enjoying the warm and wonderful music and fellowship of the Coffeehouse shows.
     And of course we all need to offer special WOW! Thanks to the anonymous fairy godperson who offered us the Matching Funds Challenge Grant for our last 15 tickets, if we could make it to 65. AND we did it! So, mystery person, we are all deeply grateful to you for your support and your inspiration and your belief in this unique, model social action and acoustic music program!
     And we at the Coffeehouse Committee wish everyone a safe, sane, satisfying, healthy, and happy Holiday Season! May the force be with you!
Ongoing Programs, Events & Announcements
Giving to resettlement organizations helping refugees in Boston
The media has made us well aware of the plight of Syrian refugees. We have learned that at least 6 million remain inside Syria - evacuated from their homes and without any support. It will take at least two years for Syrians to arrive the US, eligible for resettlement as determined by the UN.
     At the same time, there are resettlement organizations in Massachusetts making a huge difference in the lives of refugees from Africa, from Afghanistan and Pakistan and from Central and South America. Most are asylum seekers, i.e., pushed out of their country by threats often supported by the government ... { click here for more }
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Monthly Group Note
The UUSC's December refugee update includes a list of its global partners:
  • Praksis in Greece to ensure decent reception conditions for new arrivals
  • The Helsinki Committee in Hungary to reunite refugee families
  • The Asylum Protection Center in Serbia to provide comprehensive mobile aid across the migration trail
  • The Center for Peace Studies in Croatia to provide long-term resettlement support to refugees
The UUSC upholds the right of all people to seek asylum across borders, irrespective of their place of origin or documented status. Read more about the refugee update at: uusc.org/updates/left-out
"Start the Day Strong" at the Grow Clinic by picking up some hot and cold cereals or vitamins.
Check out the UU Urban Ministry's upcoming programs for teens and adults.
The First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist
[email protected] | uubelmont.org  | 617-484-1054
404 Concord Ave. | PO Box 113 | Belmont, Mass.  02478