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Weekend worship
Sat., Nov. 30, 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 1, 10 a.m.
Looking for Signs
of Grace
with Rev. Mary Katherine Morn
Listen to podcasts of past sermons.
Religious
Exploration View schedule here. Nursery care in Sanctuary Building up
to age 3.
December's worship theme is Grace.
"I do not understand
the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us."
- Anne Lamott
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Our next deadline is
Tue., Dec. 3. Send announcements
to our communications staff. All entries are
edited before
publication for
brevity, clarity and
style.
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Facebook
Click the logo below,
then click the thumbs
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Announcements
for Nov. 28-Dec. 5
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Holiday weekend schedule
Only two services -
Sat., 4:30 p.m. & Sun., 10 a.m.
 Thanksgiving brings a few changes to the regular weekend schedule. In addition to the regular Sat., 4:30 p.m. service, there will be only one service at 10 a.m. on Sun., Dec. 1.
Also, UUCF offices will be closed Nov. 28 and 29 in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday. They will re-open during regular business hours on Mon., Dec. 2.
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Faith Matters blog
Thanksgiving 2013
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Parish Minister
Rev. Mary
Katherine Morn
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As I gather with my family tomorrow, including my two brothers from out of town, I am thinking of all of you observing Thanksgiving in so many different ways. Many, like me, are enjoying the blessing of family while remembering loved ones no longer present. Some have found a family of choice to share the day. And for some tomorrow will be ... ... (read more)
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Hanging of the greens
Sat., Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m., Sanctuary
 Everyone is invited to the December fellowship event. Please bring your favorite festive main dish, side dish or cookies to share. Adults are invited to help decorate the Sanctuary for the holidays while children make old-fashioned holiday ornaments. Volunteers needed for setup and cleanup. Contact Mary Foster.
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This week & weekend
Thanksgiving food delivery for CCNV. Thu., Nov. 28, 8:15-9 a.m. Volunteers needed to prepare Thanksgiving dishes and deliver them to UUCF on Thanksgiving morning for the annual Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) Thanksgiving meal. Contact Bob Hatfield.
Saturday Polylogue with Mary Katherine. Sat., Nov. 30, after 4:30 p.m. service. All are invited to continue the conversation. Visit with your friends, grab some coffee and join our parish minister in the Legacy Room for a 30-minute discussion on the topic of her sermon: Looking for Signs of Grace. Note: Polylogue is a dialogue among many participants, sharing of one's thoughts on a topic and respectful listening to others' perspectives.
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Sunday Forum - Science, Reason & Religion. No meeting Dec. 1 because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Grief and Loss Support Group. Sun., Dec. 1, 8, 15 and Jan. 5, 12, 19, 1-2:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Drop-in support group for those experiencing grief and loss. Led by UUCF member Meghan Crowley, a social worker with expertise
in bereavement. Contact Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig
Drum Circle with Kofi Dennis. 1st Sun. Next meeting Dec. 1, 3-4 p.m., Sanctuary. Suggested donation: $1-10/session. Percussionist Kofi Dennis hails from Ghana and has performed all over the DC area, including the Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap. His engaging rhythms and storytelling inspire. Bring your own drum or use one provided.
Poetry Club. Sun., Dec. 1, 4-6 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Contact Barb Dutchak.
UUCF benefits from Amazon purchases using link on uucf.org. If you plan to buy through Amazon.com this holiday season (and throughout the year), consider using this link. Through the Amazon Affiliates program, UUCF gets 4-8% of purchases made through this link. Last fiscal year, UUCF got $3,600 in Amazon rebates!
Holiday schedule. For the next six weeks, we enter the holiday season, when our worship schedule varies a bit from the regular schedule. Sun., Dec. 1, there will only be one service at 10 a.m. View the rest of the schedule here.
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Children & youth
This weekend - special RE K-5. Sat., Nov. 30, Chapel and Workshop with Linnea. Sun., Dec. 1, special RE in the Chapel and sacred circle dancing with Diana Pinkham from International Peace Dances. No MS or HS RE but you are welcome to join the sacred circle dancing or the service in the Sanctuary. MS Youth Group - Movie Night. Sun., Dec. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Teen Center. Contact James Forrest for more information.
PlaygroUUp - Music with Ms. Marsha. 1st and 3rd Tue. Next meeting Dec. 3, 10 a.m., Teen Center. Fellowship group of babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers. Siblings welcome. Contact Meghan Crowley. RE classes in session Dec. 7-8. Sat., K-5 begin in the Sanctuary for Together Time before class in the Prog. Bldg. OWL and HS begin in classrooms. Visitors, please join us! Meet with the RE Greeter in the lobby of the Prog. Bldg. before going to the Sanctuary. Note: Children 0-5 attend Nursery in the Sanctuary building for child care on Saturdays. 4:15 p.m. start time for OWL in Room 9. Sun., K-5 begin in the Sanctuary for Together Time before class in the Prog. Bldg. All other classes begin in the classrooms.
Hang some greens, share some food, make some crafts. Sat., Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m., Sanctuary. December fellowship event. Please bring your favorite festive main dish, side dish or cookies to share. Adults are invited to help decorate the Sanctuary for the holidays while children make old-fashioned holiday ornaments. Volunteers needed for setup and cleanup. Contact Mary Foster. Transylvania Heritage Trip Meeting. Sun., Dec. 8, 10:30 a.m., Room 11. High school youth and their parents interested in the summer trip to Romania beginning Jul. 17, 2014. Learn about the itinerary and fundraising. James Forrest will chaperone the trip. Participants must confirm by mid-January. Young Adult Committee Meeting. Sun., Dec. 8, 4-5:30 p.m., Room 11. Contact James Forrest. High School Youth Group. Sun., Dec. 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Room 11. Parent gathering in the Social Hall for informal discussion and fellowship while the youth meet. Contact James Forrest. Family Gift-Making Fair. Sat., Dec. 14, 12:30-3:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Ages 4-10 and their parents/guardians. It's back! A UUCF time-honored tradition of families gathering to make gifts for the holiday season. Note: This is not a drop-off event. Parents stay to help out and guide their children from room to room. Questions, or to volunteer to lead a craft (we supply the craft unless you have a favorite to share), contact Family FUUn Chairs Amy Nordeng or Jennifer McLaughlin. Donations will support the UUA-UUSC Philippines Relief Fund. Parents Day Out. Sat., Dec. 14, 12:30-3:30 p.m. Ages 2-4. The 2s & 3s teachers want to support the UUA-UUSC Philippines Relief Fund by offering a special "Day Out" for you to shop, have lunch or enjoy some time with your older children at the gift-making fair. Recommended donation for child care is $20 per child/$40 max. per family.
Child Dedications at all three services. Sat. and Sun., Dec. 14-15. If you'd like to have your child or children dedicated by the congregation, please complete this form. Contact Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig or Linnea Nelson with questions. Holiday Foster Care Store. "Regift" unwanted items and make a foster child happy. During the Fairfax County Foster Care holiday party, children visit the free "store" and pick out presents for family, friends and teachers. For some children, selecting a gift for someone else is the highlight of the party. Items collected between the services Sun. mornings through Dec. 15. Look for collection boxes in the Commons and Prog. Bldg. Contact Jill Seibert.
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Dick and Ava Neff welcomed their seventh grandchild Nov. 18. Calvin Wallace Neff was born to their son and daughter-in-law, Alex and Andrea Neff, in France.
Bruce Wheeler and Rachel Kazan announce the Nov. 20 birth of granddaughter Rebecca Eileen Wheeler to their son and daughter-in-law, Teddy and Jenny Wheeler.
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Caring news
Milestones, rites of passage and caring needs in our UUCF community.
Condolences to Tom Poeschl on the recent death of his mother, Nancy Poeschl.
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Grow
The following programs and opportunities help us grow as individuals and as a community.Newcomers Orientation. Mon., Dec. 2 and 9, 7-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. This four-hour orientation is for those interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism and our congregation. Please plan to attend both sessions. RSVP to Carol Jensen by Fri., Nov. 29. Atheists Discrimination Globally and What Humanists Can Do About It. Humanists of UUCF meeting. Mon., Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Chapel. Maggie Ardiente of the American Humanist Association (AHA) will speak about the rise of the religiously unaffiliated globally, specific instances of serious atheist discrimination (people being jailed or killed, not simply church/state type discrimination) and what AHA is doing about it through meetings with the State Department and connections through the religious freedom community. Contact Mary Bellamy. Meditation Practice Group. Meets 1st and 3rd Tue. Next meeting Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Social Hall. Join us in supporting each other in our meditation practice. No expectation to attend every meeting. Contact Karen Monroe. Diasporas and International Development: The In-Between Advantage. Global Affairs Discussion Group. Meets 1st and 3rd Wed. Next meeting Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m., Rooms 3 and 4, Prog. Bldg. With Jennifer Brinkerhoff. Immigrants who retain a strong connection to their country of origin often feel they live "in between": They are neither wholly American, nor are they still wholly Egyptian, Guatemalan or Chinese, for example. Learn the potential comparative advantages for such individuals to contribute to meaningful change in their countries of origin. Contact Randy Adams. Membership class. Sat., Dec. 7, 3 p.m., Library. If you feel the time has come to make the commitment of membership to UUCF, please plan to attend this minister-led class about the meaning of membership. You will be able to sign the membership book at this time. Pre-register with Carol Jensen. Classics of Unitarian and Universalist Theology. Adult Programs course. Second of two sessions meets Sun., Dec. 8, 4-5:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Drop-ins welcome; registration appreciated, not required. Facilitated by Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig. Do you ever wonder where Unitarian Universalism came from? Do you wish you were better at explaining UUism to other people? We'll trace the historical evolution of UUism in the US by studying classic texts by UU theologians. Last year we focused on 19th Century UUs. This year, we explore 20th and 21st Century theologians. Please read the assigned texts before class. Writer's Resource Group. 2nd Wed. Next meeting Dec. 11, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. No registration needed; drop-ins welcome. Facilitated by Joy Hatfield and Linda Hunt. Need to jump-start your creative writer's juices? No reading or critiquing; just encouragement and sharing tips, techniques, articles, books to read, etc. Creating Our Lives Consciously From Our Deepest Inner Resources. Thu., Dec. 12, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Led by Zimri Putney, 703-517-7372. Email ap@uucf.org to register. Join a supportive community in a practical spiritual journey, opening the path to loving connections, peace, joy and success. We will read and reflect on the teachings of Chödrön, Tolle, Brach and others. Brown Bag Theology with the Ministers. 2nd Wed. Next meeting Dec. 11, noon, Sanctuary. Get to you know our ministers over lunch and conversation. We discuss a variety of religious topics and concerns. Parents/caregivers with children are invited to bring them. Please bring your own lunch. Contact Rev. Mary Katherine Morn.
Got an idea for a class to share with UUCF members? The Adult Programs Committee is always looking for new class ideas and instructors. It can be a book discussion, curriculum from another church or any idea that helps us grow and connect. Send ideas to Barb Brehm. |
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Connect
Click here for a listing of ways to get involved and connect with each other at UUCF.
Monthly Young Adult Group brunch. 1st Sun. Next meeting Dec. 1. Meet after 10 a.m. service near the Sanctuary entrance to carpool to an area restaurant for brunch. NAMI Family Support meeting. Thu., Dec. 5, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Support meeting for families with a loved one suffering from mental illness. Contact Joanna Walker. Memoirs Writing Group. Meets 1st and 3rd Fri. Next meeting Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Contact Kristin Moyer. Hearth of Peace & Gratitude. Vespers service. Fri., Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Led by Sandra Kammann and Moving Voices Sacred Dancers. Join us for song and reflection as we turn toward winter. Event will include the popular interfaith Peace Prayer Mandala chant! Light refreshments afterward. All are welcome. Contact Carol Campbell, 703-262-0502.
We Need a Little Christmas performance by the Dashboard Divas. Sun., Dec. 15, 2 p.m., Sanctuary. Family friendly. All proceeds benefit Our Daily Bread. Good cheer and cookies will follow the performance. Sponsored by the UUCF Our Daily Bread Committee. Donations will be gratefully received. Green Sanctuary Group meeting. Mon., Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Is your interest in the environment passionate, scientific or something else? Join us to share your passion and ideas. Contact Lois Phemister.
New Member-to-Member Yahoo Group. Forum allows members to share information, ask questions and post personal requests, including items for sale, etc. Sign up here.
Island Paradise Auction - save the date. Sat., Mar. 8, Sanctuary. Listen, can you hear them? The strum of a slack key guitar, waves lapping on soft beach sand. These are the sounds beckoning you to go to your calendars and save this date for the UUCF Annual Auction. Then all through the chill of winter, you can look forward to an evening of tropical-themed food and drinks and bidding merriment. To help, contact Karen Liggett or David McWilliams at auction@uucf.org or 571-314-2804. Trip to Transylvania. Join the trip for UUCF youth and adults to Transylvania to visit our Partner Church, see historic Unitarian sites and, yes, explore Dracula's castle, Jul. 6-17, with a possible two-day extension in beautiful Budapest. Contact Dick Van Duizend, 703-536-3476.
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Click here to find out about opportunities to live our values through service and advocacy within our congregation and beyond.
Outdoor Fun Day (formerly known as "campus work day"). Wed., Dec. 4 and Sat., Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The fun is the socializing as we take out invasive plants, rake, learn about our woodlands and eat lunch together. Please bring clippers, rakes and work gloves. Master naturalists will work and socialize with us. Written appeal to lawmakers. Wed., Dec. 11. Newtown Action Alliance is delivering letters, holiday cards and invitations to members of Congress asking them to join us and gun violence victims from around the US on Thu., Dec. 12 to help others through volunteerism and acts of kindness. The correspondence has more than 130 endorsing organizations including UUCF and the Fairfax County Citizens Against Gun Violence. Visit the NAA website for info.
Join the UUCF Climate Action Group. Wed., Dec. 4 and 18 , 7:15-9 p.m., Rooms 3 and 4, Prog. Bldg. Note: This is a schedule change from the regular 2nd and 4th Wed. of each month because of Christmas. If you haven't come to a meeting before, please join us. We're working on many things. Join our Religious Action on Climate Linked In group and our Facebook page. More info: Eric Goplerud, 703-759-0218. Remembrance ceremony for Sandy Hook victims. Thu., Dec. 12, 3:45 p.m. In lieu of a public remembrance ceremony in Newtown, CT, a vigil will be held at the Washington National Cathedral two days before the one-year anniversary of the shooting rampage that killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The 75-minute event will also honor more than 30,000 people across the US who have been killed by guns in the 11 months since the Newtown shootings. To RSVP for tickets, visit here. Switch: Discover the Future of Energy - the Climate Action Group's free documentary. Fri., Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary. What will it take to go from the energy that built our world to the energy that will shape our future? In this spectacular global adventure, discover a path to clean energy that is as surprising as it is practical. Co-sponsored by UUCF's Climate Action Group, Sierra Club-Great Falls Group, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light, and the Fairfax chapter of 350.org. Sunrise Rally at UUCF. Sat., Dec. 14, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Join us for singing and words of inspiration before going to NRA headquarters. Contact Bob Hatfield. Vigil/Protest at NRA headquarters. Sat., Dec. 14, 10-11:30 a.m., NRA headquarters, 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax. Join us in remembering the first anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. Contact Bob Hatfield.
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From our friends
This section brings you announcements from UUCF members and friends, neighboring UU congregations, UU organizations or other organizations affiliated with this congregation.
Yoga for the 21st Century. Saturdays through Dec. 21, 9:30-11 a.m., Prog. Bldg. Yoga can help re-frame your life, reduce stress and re-pattern your brain. Contact Ravi, 571-213-3192.
Christmas tree sale benefits Stop Hunger Now. Starts Nov. 30. Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri. 6-9 p.m. Buy a fresh-cut Christmas tree from Vale United Methodist Church in Oakton and your purchase will
provide, on average, 120 life-saving meals for hungry children and families around the world. High-quality trees come in a range of sizes and varieties. Wreaths and pine roping also available, plus optional delivery to your home. Free hot cider and cookies. Mention UUCF and get a 10% discount. More information, call 703-620-2594, or email the church.
Tai Chi Chih classes for beginners. Mondays through Dec. 16, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Learn and practice Tai Chi Chih for health, energy, serenity and improved performance. An easy-to-learn moving meditation of 20 movements. First session free. $80 course fee adaptable. Contact Furman Riley, accredited teacher of Tai Chi Chih, 703-217-6024.
Concurrent meeting of Western Fairfax PFLAG and FLY. Tue., Dec. 3, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. PFLAG is a support group for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and FLY is a support/social group for LGBTQ youth and allies ages 12 (with parental permission) to 19. FLY also holds teen lounges on the third Friday of each month. Email PFLAG or go to FLY's Facebook page for time and place.
Attachment parenting group. 1st Fri. Next meeting Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-noon, Teen Center. Anyone can attend; children welcome. Group gathers to ask and answer questions, help and support each other, as well as to learn all aspects of baby and child care. Contact Annemarie McCaslin.
Benefit concert featuring Brother Sun. Fri., Dec. 6, 7 p.m., the Theater at Washington, VA, sponsored by UUs of the Blue Ridge. Adults $25, Under 18 $12. For reservations, visit the website. Rappahannock's own quartet, A Thousand Trees, will also perform.
Bazaar and silent auction. Sat., Dec. 7, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., River Road UU Congregation, Bethesda. A giant estate sale with garage sale prices. Toys, holiday items, clothing, books, rugs, jewelry, art, kitchenware, sporting goods, food and more.
Alternative Gift Market. Sat., Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., UU Church in Reston. Visit 30 booths of socially conscious gifts from local and international charitable organizations. One-stop shopping for your holiday needs or to save for birthdays, thank you gifts and other occasions. Donations tax deductible; receipts provided. Cash and checks only.
Eclipse Chamber Orchestra concert. Sun., Dec. 8, 3 p.m. George Washington Masonic Memorial, Old Town Alexandria. UUCF member Truman Harris performs as a soloist in this concert featuring baroque concertos. Donations gratefully accepted. More info here.
Lorton Prison Stories Project. Sat., Dec. 14, 1-4 p.m., Reentry Arts & Information Fair, All Souls Church Unitarian. An exhibit of photographs from Lorton Reformatory from the mid-1970s. Contact Nancy Shia, or 202-234-0383.
Senior Saturday Night Social. Dec. 14, 5-8 p.m., Vienna Community Center. Sponsored by the Shepherd's Center of Oakton-Vienna and the Vienna Community Center. Join us for an evening of dining, laughter and entertainment by the Tallwood Trio. Registration and $5 pre-payment required by Dec. 4. To register, contact the Shepherd's Center, 703-281-0538.
Virginia Immigrant Advocacy Day 2014 - save the date. Tue., Jan. 21, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Greater Richmond Convention Center. The Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations annual Immigrant Advocacy Day will be held during the 2014 General Assembly. We will meet with elected representatives and advocates for the VA Dream Act, Medicaid expansion and other proposed legislation and issues important to Virginia's immigrant communities. Contact Hal Fuller.
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