Holidays of all kinds call us to remember that the world is both magical and mundane, joyous and sorrowful, uncertain and hopeful. The winter holidays remind us of life and abundance, even if the world looks barren or limited. Generosity has become an important way we remind ourselves of abundance and the goodness of life.

So, in this season of generosity, I am happy to let you know that 2U has been the recipient of some significant gifts. First, a donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) gave us the money needed to replace all our old, heavy folding tables with new sturdy, lightweight tables. Our old tables have been given away, leaving us with 21 new tables that can be lifted easily and safely by one or two adults. The state, weight, and safety of our old tables was a significant concern of mine, so I am thrilled that we now have more tables that are safer than what we had before.

Second, in keeping with the great generosity that Seymour and Esther Fleishman showed to 2U over the course of their many decades' long membership, Seymour was kind enough to remember our congregation in his will. He left us a bequest of nearly $58,000 to be deposited into the Fleishman Reserve, which we have done. This gift replenishes our reserves and gives us the ability to make important choices about our budget and financial options going forward.

Such gifts to the congregation are not possible for everyone to make, of course, but generosity of all kinds and at all levels of ability enable us to support one another and help the wider community. I hope that these gifts inspire you to give in ways that meet great needs both at home, at 2U, and in the world!

With blessings and hopes for happy holidays,

Rev. Adam

Friday, Dec 21st: Join us at 6:30pm as the 2U Sun/Moon Group offers our yearly Winter Solstice service.

Sunday, Dec 23rd: This Sunday will be an intergenerational service celebrating the Festivals of Light as we approach Christmas Eve. There will be no regular children's classes, but the Green Caterpillar Room will be open.

Monday, Dec 24th: Please join us for our annual Candlelight Christmas Eve service at 7pm! This is an intergenerational service; no children's classes or Green Caterpillar.

Sunday, Dec 30th: We're bringing back a 2U tradition! On the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's, we'll have a Pancake Breakfast and Fellowship Sunday. There won't be a full worship service this day; instead, we'll have a time for members of the congregation to come together for a morning of good food and great fun. No children's classes or Green Caterpillar.

Remember that our church office will be closed from December 25th to January 1st. Rev. Adam and the church staff will be working from home, and will be reachable by email. Church office hours return to normal on January 2nd. 

Regular children's classes resume on January 6th.

We look forward to seeing you throughout the holidays!

You are invited to celebrate Winter Solstice on Friday, December 21, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. This is the 7th year of celebrating Winter Solstice at 2U and we look forward to seeing you at the ritual again this year. If you haven't joined us before, please join us this year.

Yule, or the Winter Solstice, marks the longest night of the year. In the Pagan tradition it is when the Earth Goddess gives birth to the Sun God. Once born, the Sun God gains strength making the days longer, and the Earth Goddess gains strength preparing the land for a new round of harvests. As part of this natural cycle, people have used the dark time of winter for rest and rejuvenation, some of us have faced pain and fear during this time, but we all come together on the Winter Solstice to move forward into the light, the time of rebirth, renewal and rebuilding.

Community time after the Yule Ritual will be potluck. Please bring a snack or drink to share.