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Weekend worship
Sat., Dec. 7, 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 8, 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
Handel's Messiah - Chorale and Orchestra
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. 10. Send announcements
to our communications staff. All entries are
edited before
publication for
brevity, clarity and
style.
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Facebook
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Announcements
for Dec. 5-12
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Music Services
Handel's Messiah - Chorale & Orchestra
Sat., Dec. 7, 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 8, 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.  This is a rare chance to hear our Chorale and Orchestra perform the Messiah under the direction of Mark Vogel. Consider attending the Saturday service for ease in parking and seating. In case of inclement weather, please check the website to see if services and other activities are affected.
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December Vespers
Hearth of Peace & Gratitude
Fri., Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary
 Join together in community for song and reflection as we turn the wheel of the seasons toward winter. Sandra Kammann and Moving Voices Sacred Dancers will lead the service. Event will include the popular interfaith Peace Prayer Mandala chant! Light refreshments afterward. All are welcome.
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"Faith Matters" blog
Renewed Outrage and Commitment One Year After Newtown Tragedy
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Parish Minister
Rev. Mary
Katherine Morn
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Almost a year ago we were shocked and stunned by the horrifying gun violence at an elementary school in Newtown, CT. Our hearts were broken by the unspeakable loss. There are still no words.
In June our congregation passed a resolution committing us to work to reduce gun violence. A small group from our ... (read more)
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UUSC and You
Living our values with holiday giving
Guest at Your Table boxes
Funds raised through the Guest at Your Table program  support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's human rights work in the US and around the world. Return your boxes to the Sanctuary or Prog. Bldg. by Sun., Dec. 8. Donation envelopes available in the Sanctuary.A few examples of how UUSC uses donations: Training Haitians in trauma resiliency, supporting youth at risk for labor exploitation and trafficking near the Uganda-Kenya border, and providing a potable water system for a Haitian eco-village.
Ethical Gift Giving
Visit the UUSC table in the Commons after services this weekend for holiday cards, Prosperity candles, stocking stuffers, tote bags and pecans from Southern Alternatives Agricultural Cooperative, a UUSC partner. Cash or checks only.
In addition, visit shop.UUSC.org to find housewares, food, apparel, jewelry and other gifts that emphasize fair trade, worker- and environmentally friendly production.
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Hanging of the Greens
Sat., Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m., Sanctuary
 Everyone is invited to this December potluck 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
Explore this month's worship theme. We hope you've been enjoying our Worship Theme web page each month. This month our theme is Grace. Explore that topic through readings, quotations, images, reflections and questions .
Beacon House and Our Daily Bread. Look for gift tags on the tree in the Commons. Beacon House tags direct you to buy and return unwrapped gifts to UUCF by Sun., Dec. 22. ODB tags are seeking family holiday sponsorships through their website. ODB deadline is Fri., Dec. 13.
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,
Outdoor Fun Day (formerly known as "campus work day"). 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.
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.
Newcomers/Visitors Reception. Sun., Dec. 8, after both services. Far corner of the Sanctuary Commons. If you're new to UUCF, please join us for coffee and conversation.
Climate Action Group. Sun., Dec. 8, 10:30 a.m., Social Hall. We'll meet to discuss our communications strategy. Contact Eric Goplerud, 703-759-0218.
Genetically Modified Food: No Big Deal or Long-Running Experiment (With Us as the Unwitting Guinea Pigs?) Sunday Forum - Science, Reason & Religion. Dec. 8, 12:30 p.m., Chapel. Terry Steichen and Hays Gorey examine this controversy and sort out what's true about genetically modified foods, as well as the less visible but crucial role patents play.
Grief and Loss Support Group. Sun., Dec. 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.
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.
Monday Night Book Club. Mon., Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. We'll select books for 2014. Questions to Don Andress.
Women's Personal Growth Group. Tue., Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-noon, Prog. Bldg. Contact Connie Drapeau.
Muslim Liaison Group (formerly called Muslim Outreach Group). Tue., Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Build relationships with local Muslim communities and deepen our understanding of Islam. Contact Judy Penniman.
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 Fairfax County Citizens Against Gun Violence. Info at NAA website.
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.
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, articles, books to read, etc.
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. More than 500 people have signed up to attend. Please register here.
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.
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 four weeks, we enter the holiday season, when our worship schedule varies a bit. View the schedule here.
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Children & youth
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 Prog. Bldg. lobby before going to the Sanctuary. Note: On Sat., Children 0-5 attend Nursery in the Sanctuary building for child care; 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 classrooms. Mitten Tree. Through Sun., Dec. 15. Please bring mittens and gloves (they especially need adult size gloves) to the Chapel. Hang them, unwrapped, on the Chapel Christmas tree.
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.
Youth 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. Youth Grade 6 and above needed to help wrap gifts. Service hours available. Contact the chairs to volunteer.
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" new or gently used 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.
PlaygroUUp - Cookie exchange and holiday craft. 1st and 3rd Tue. Next meeting Dec. 17, 10 a.m., Teen Center. Bring a dozen cookies. We'll swap and all go home with a variety. Fellowship group of babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers. Siblings welcome. Contact Meghan Crowley.
No RE classes Dec. 21-22 and 28-29. All-congregation worship services in the Sanctuary. Note: Only one service on Sun., Dec. 29, at 10 a.m. (Click here for full schedule.) Nursery care available at all services. Child care for children ages 3-10 on Sundays in the Prog. Bldg.
Saturday RE beginning in Jan. OWL and HS classes will continue meeting on Saturdays. Elementary and middle school classes move to Sundays, beginning Jan. 5. Stop Hunger Now. Sun., Jan. 19, 2-4 p.m. Register online now to volunteer or donate to support the Coming of Age Social Justice project. Children as young as six years old can participate with their families.
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Grow
The following programs and opportunities help us grow as individuals and as a community.
Global Affairs Discussion Group. Meets 1st and 3rd Wed. Next meeting Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m., Rooms 3 and 4, Prog. Bldg. Open forum for discussion of the latest global news. Contact Randy Adams. Behind the Kitchen Door, a discussion of the UUA Common Read for 2013-14. Two alternative sessions: Sun., Feb. 2, 4-5:30 p.m. and Wed., Feb. 5, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Contact Mary Bellamy. 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.
We Need a Little Christmas performance by the Dashboard Divas. Sun., Dec. 15, 2 p.m., Sanctuary. All ages welcome - family friendly event. Good cheer and cookies will follow the performance. Sponsored by the UUCF Our Daily Bread Committee. Anne Altman and Xavier Alire purchased the Diva's concert at the 2012 Auction and have donated it to benefit Our Daily Bread. Donations 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. 24th Annual UUCF Chili Cook-Off - save the date. Sat., Feb. 8, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Volunteers needed to make chili and side dishes, as well as help with setup and cleanup. Contact Pete or Kathy Bridgeman, 703-255-9684. 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, or 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.
Wanted: Possible candidates for the Board of Directors, Endowment Committee and Nominating Committee. Serving on the Board or committees is a wonderful way to make a difference at UUCF. Lend your voice by recommending someone - including yourself - as a possible candidate for the slate of nominees that the congregation will elect at the June Annual Meeting. To make a recommendation, contact Bill Ades, or 703-591-3549. For more information, click here, or look for the Nominating Committee table in the Commons.
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 vigil commemorating the one-year anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. 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. Join the UUCF Climate Action Group. Wed., Dec. 18 , 7-9 p.m., Music Room. 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.Concerned about climate and environmental justice? Sat., Jan. 4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., All Souls Church Unitarian. Join UU congregations in the metro DC area and individual UUs to plan coordinated action and sharing. More info: Eric Goplerud, 703-759-0218.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Christmas tree sale benefits Stop Hunger Now. Through Sun., Dec. 22. 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.
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.
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.
Lorton Prison Stories Project. Sat., Dec. 14, 1-4 p.m., Reentry Arts & Information Fair, All Souls Church Unitarian. Exhibit of mid-1970s photographs from Lorton Reformatory. Contact Nancy Shia, 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.
7th Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service. Sat., Dec. 21, 10 a.m., Washington National Cathedral. A joint simulcast service with the people of Bethlehem. Join worshipers at National Cathedral or watch the service here.
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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