Beacon House Science Club needs volunteers. Sat., Jan. 11, 8:45 a.m.-12:39 p.m. Leave from UUCF parking lot. Science Club meeting is run by a certified teacher who provides materials and leads the lesson. Volunteers needed to help younger kids follow instructions. HS students can early community service hours. Bring your kids. Contact Kerry Fraser, 703-255-5844.

Saturday Polylogue with Mary Katherine. Sat., Jan. 11, after the 4:30 p.m. worship service, Music Room. All are invited to continue the conversation after the service. Join our parish minister for a 30-minute discussion on the topic of her sermon Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves.

Meditation Practice Group. 1st and 3rd Tue. Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Chapel. Join us in supporting each other in our meditation practice. No expectation to attend every meeting. Contact Karen Monroe.

Wi$dom Path: Money, Spirit and Life. Adult Programs course. Thu., Jan. 23, Feb. 20, Mar. 27, Apr. 24, May 15, Jun. 12, Sep. 11 and 25, Oct. 9 and 23, Nov. 13, Dec. 11, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Led by Bonnie Wald and Janine Greenwood. Note: No classes in July or August. Participants explore how to make real and meaningful changes to better align their financial lives with their spiritual priorities and values. Attendance at all sessions encouraged but not required. Register at ap@uucf.org. Contact Bonnie Wald, 703-581-6825.

Beloved Conversations: Meditations on Race and Ethnicity. Adult Programs course. With Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig and Amy Kegley. Opening retreat Sat., Jan. 25, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Class meets Tue., Feb. 4 and 18, Mar. 4 and 18, Apr. 1 and 15, and May 6 and 20, 7-9 p.m., Room 5, Prog. Bldg. In the spirit of covenant groups, Beloved Conversations is an experiential and evocative curriculum for exploring the spiritual and intellectual dimensions of racism in our lives. Limited to 10 participants; register at ap@uucf.org.

Membership class. Sun., Jan. 26, 12:45 p.m. If you have been coming to UUCF for a while and want to make the commitment of membership, or if you are coming to us from another UU congregation and want to sign the membership book, you need to attend a Membership class. Pre-register with Carol Jensen.

Reproductive justice event. Sun., Jan. 26, 1 p.m., Sanctuary. Join Rev. Rob Keithan and the UUCF Reproductive Justice Task Force to discuss men and their roles in the reproductive justice movement. Light lunch available. Contact Susan Bennett.

Great Books Discussion Group.  Mon., Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m., Room 11, Prog. Bldg. Discussions explore the meaning of "classic" books. This month reading A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. Everyone is welcome, whether you have read the book or not. Contact Randy Adams.

Wisdom of Pema Chödrön. Adult Programs course. Tue., Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Mar. 11 and 25, Apr. 8 and 22, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Note: No meeting Feb. 25 because of the Hypothermia Shelter on our campus. Ongoing meditation/discussion group. Participants will discuss Chödrön's guide to compassionate living and its applications to our daily lives. Register at ap@uucf.org. Contact Sarah Hover.

Newcomers Orientation. Sat., Feb. 1, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Designed for those exploring what Unitarian Universalism and UUCF are all about. Includes an overview of the history and basic tenets of UUism and programs and volunteer opportunities at UUCF. Lunch included, and child care available if reserved by Jan. 28. Contact Carol Jensen.

Sunday Forum - Science, Reason & Religion. Next meeting Sun., Feb. 2, 12:30-2 p.m., Chapel. Informative and provocative sessions now being developed on topics including failed nation states, slave-holding, nuclear risks, food policy and care for the land.

Narratives and Counter-Narratives. Adult Programs course. Sun., Feb. 2 and 23, Mar. 16 and Apr. 13, 1-2:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Note: Class will meet in the Library on Feb. 23. With Eve Stevens. Participants seek to understand how stories we have been told shape our ideas and perceptions. We will try to hear the voices and stories in theology, history and literature that have been drowned out by the dominating perspective. As we listen for these counter-narratives, we will find new ways of telling our own stories and those of our UU community. Register at ap@uucf.org.

  
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, UUCF Library. Please read the book in advance. Contact Mary Bellamy.

Global Affairs Discussion Group. Wed., Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m., Rooms 3 and 4, Prog. Bldg. The Little Deeds with Mali Phonpadith. Our decisions to be kind and giving to others can shift the course of countless lives. Phonpadith and her family, assisted by a UU in Maryland, escaped Laos to arrive in the US. Hear her story of war, escape, loss, love and hope that reminds us that the little deeds can become the greatest miracles. Contact Randy Adams.

Creating Spiritual Family Practices at Home. Adult Programs course. Sat., Feb. 8, 2-3:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Join Linnea Nelson, Director of Religious Exploration, to explore how your family can create regular spiritual practices and meaningful rituals. After a brief worship, your family will choose between writing a grace to say before meals or creating a bedtime ritual (i.e., journaling, sharing gratitudes, taking a walk, meditating) that creates a peaceful space for your family. Bring your favorite poetry or meditation books for inspiration. Ages 5 and older with adult family members. Individual adults and couples welcome too. Register at ap@uucf.org.

Doodling is Good for You! Adult Programs course. Sun., Feb. 9, 1-3 p.m., Prog. Bldg. When you were in school, did you fill the margins of your notebooks with doodles? In meetings, are you drawing patterns on your memo pad? Guess what? You're feeding your brain! Learn some doodling techniques that may help you feel more centered and focused. $5 materials fee, payable to Kim when class starts. Register at ap@uucf.org. Contact Kim Condas.

The Hidden Spring - A Spiritual Retreat. Adult Programs course. Sat., Feb. 15, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Sanctuary. In late winter, we are enlivened by the knowledge that there is a hidden spring beneath us, waiting to emerge. The seeds are sprouting down in the cold earth and within ourselves. Join Rev. Mary Katherine Morn and fellow congregants for a day of spiritual exploration, practice and sharing. A vegetarian soup and bread lunch is included. A $10 donation for food is requested. Register at ap@uucf.org. Contact Susan Bennett.

The Evolution of the Human Mind: Darwin Day potluck. Humanists of UUCF. Sun., Feb. 16, 6-8 p.m., Sanctuary Commons. With Dr. Mark Reimers.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Level 1 Training. Adult Programs course. Tue., Feb. 18, Mar. 4, 11, 18 and 25, Apr. 1, 8 and 15, 7-9:30 p.m., Social Hall. Note: No class Feb. 25 because of the Hypothermia Shelter on campus that week. Learn disaster preparedness, fire safety, basic medical operations, psychology and more. Free class is presented by trained volunteers and basic gear is provided by Fairfax County. Register here.

Next Chapter: How to Retire Wild, Happy and Free the UUCF Way. Adult Programs course. Tue., Feb. 18, Mar. 4 and 18, Apr. 1, 15 and 29, 7:30-9 p.m., Prog. Bldg. With Tom Hillman and Craig Clark. Retirement is a familiar term but perhaps the next chapter of your successful, gratifying and meaningful life is a better way to describe retirement. Class focuses on how to make our next chapter the one we want it to be. We'll learn from each other as well as from people who have written on this topic. Register at ap@uucf.org.

UUCF Leadership Circle. Adult Programs course. Wed., Feb. 19, 7-8:30 p.m. and Sun., May 18, 12:45-2:15 p.m. (lunch provided) at UUCF. Led by Rev. Mary Katherine Morn and Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig. Quarterly gathering of UUCF leaders, both current and future. All UUCFers welcome, whether you have been a congregational leader for decades or you are just starting to think about getting involved as a new leader. Register at ap@uucf.org.

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.

Memoirs Writing Group. 1st and 3rd Fri. Jan. 17, 1:30-3 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Contact Kristin Moyer.

Green Sanctuary Group meeting. 3rd Mon. Next meeting Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Is your interest in the environment passionate, scientific or something else? Join us! Contact Lois Phemister.

Circle Dinner. Sat., Jan. 25, 6 p.m. Circle Dinners are potlucks hosted by participants in their homes. Come to meet new people and renew old acquaintances. Sign up in the Commons. Contact Raymon or Gisela Leon.

Feast of Imbolg - UUCF Women's Ritual Council. Sat., Feb. 1, 6 p.m. Imbolg is the time of year when ancient people celebrated the coming spring, offering hope that the earth would be transformed from cold and dark to warmth and light. Women ages 18 and up are invited to join this celebration and learn what Celtic goddesses Brighid and Ceridwen can teach us about hope and transformation. Potluck to follow. No RSVP needed. Contact Lynn Kuchenbrod.

24th Annual UUCF Chili Cook-Off - save the date. Sat., Feb. 8, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Volunteers needed to make chili and side dishes, as well as help with setup and cleanup. Contact Pete or Kathy Bridgeman, 703-255-9684.

Auction Island Paradise seeks donations, volunteers. Beat the winter chill through warm thoughts of Island Paradise, UUCF's annual auction, coming Sat., Mar. 8. Get a jump start on the warm feeling that comes from making donations and being an auction volunteer. Registration is now open and donations are being accepted through Feb. 9. Visit the auction website or the table in the Commons after services or contact Peggy Hillman or Brooke Lancaster to volunteer.

Trip to Transylvania. Join the trip for UUCF youth and adults to Transylvania to visit our Partner Church, see historic Unitarian sites and explore Dracula's castle, Jul. 6-17, with a possible two-day extension in beautiful Budapest. Contact Dick Van Duizend, 703-536-3476, or, for youth, James Forrest. Participants must commit by mid-January.