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Join us for our Annual Auction, Sat. Mar. 8
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Listen to podcasts of past sermons.
Religious
Exploration
View schedule here. Nursery care in Sanctuary Building up to age 3.
January's worship theme is Neighbors.
"The moment any of them gave up on the difficult work of living with neighbors - and all of the compromise, frustration and delay that inevitably entailed - they risked losing everything."
- Nathaniel Philbrick, Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War
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recipient for January
is the Stroke Comeback Center, a community-based non-profit that provides support to families of stroke survivors and helps survivors achieve their personal best regardless of recovery timelines or ability to pay.
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Our next deadline is Tue., Feb. 4. Send announcements to our communications staff. All entries are edited before publication for brevity, clarity and style.
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Announcements
for Jan. 30-Feb. 6
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It's Almost Time
for the Chili Cookoff!
Sat., Feb. 8, 5:30 p.m., Sanctuary
$10 suggested admission donation
 Chili is almost as American as mom, apple pie and baseball. Yet, with so many regional interpretations, one person's chili is not necessarily the same as the next person's. What ingredients have to be in your favorite chili? Beans or no beans? Meat or no meat? Do you like your chili served over something - rice, pasta, even Fritos? What about toppings - grated cheese, diced onions, sour cream?
The 24th Annual UUCF Chili Cookoff will have something for everyone - fellowship, food, friendly competition, live dancing and music!
Chili contestants will compete in three categories: veggie, meat and youth (18 and under). Attendees fill out ballots at the end of the competition to determine the winner in each category.
 Chili (at least three-quarters of a gallon) and side dishes (serving 10-12) should be cooked in advance and brought hot to the Sanctuary by 5:15 p.m. To keep chili warm, please bring it in a crock pot or on a warming plate. For more guidelines, click here. Questions? Contact Kathy Bridgeman.
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This week & weekend
Newcomers Orientation. Sat., Feb. 1, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sanctuary. 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. Register with Carol Jensen. Saturday Polylogue with Mary Katherine. Feb. 1, after the 4:30 p.m. worship service, Sanctuary. 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, Dependence and Vulnerability. Note: Polylogue is a dialogue among many participants; sharing of one's thoughts on a topic and respectful listening to others' perspectives. 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.
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Newcomers/Visitors Reception. Sun., Feb. 2, following both services. Far corner of the Sanctuary Commons. If you're new to UUCF, please join us for coffee and conversation.
Young Adult Brunch. 1st Sun. Feb. 2. Meet after the 11:15 service near the Sanctuary entrance to carpool to an area restaurant for brunch.
Long-Term Thinking: How Humanity Struggles with Difficult, Future Problems. Sunday Forum - Science, Reason & Religion. Sun., Feb. 2, 12:30 p.m., Chapel. Brett Lovgren will cover the Long Now Foundation, best known for its 10,000-year clock, and the Viridian Design movement. He will talk about his recent article posted on Medium, "The Long Now Foundation: Creating the Future With Clocks, Talks and Manuals; The Manuscript Monks of our Age." The article is part of a retrospective on the Viridian Design movement. The movement, an email list started in 2000 to address the Greenhouse Effect, closed down in 2008. Brett's talk will include information on the leaders of the two groups and their differing approaches to long-term thinking. Please join the conversation on Twitter - #AskSRR.
Drum Circle with Kofi Dennis. 1st Sun. Feb. 2, 3-4 p.m., Sanctuary. Suggested donation: $1-10/session. Percussionist Kofi Dennis hails from Ghana and has performed all over the DC area. His engaging rhythms and storytelling inspire. Bring your own drum or use one provided.
Poetry Club. Sun., Feb. 2, 4-6 p.m., Room 5, Prog. Bldg. Contact Barb Dutchak. Meditation Practice Group. 1st and 3rd Tue. Feb. 4, 7 p.m., Chapel. Join us in supporting each other in our meditation practice. No expectation to attend every meeting. Contact Karen Monroe. Global Affairs Discussion Group. Wed., Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m., Rooms 3 & 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 little deeds can become the greatest miracles. Contact Randy Adams. NAMI family support meeting. Thu., Feb. 6, 7:30-9 p.m., Room 9, Prog. Bldg. Support meeting for families with a loved one suffering from mental illness. Contact Joanna Walker. Hypothermia Prevention Program. Feb. 23-Mar. 1. UUCF, with help from the Oakton Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Vale United Methodist Church, is participating for the ninth year in FACETS' Hypothermia Prevention Program when we help shelter our homeless neighbors. Please stop by our table in the Commons for more information and to sign up to volunteer. Contact Jim Gillespie or Ron Giusti.
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Saturday MS and HS RE classes in session Feb. 1.Sunday RE classes in session Feb. 2. K-Grade 5 begin in the Sanctuary for Together Time before going to class (9:15) or kindergarten or workshops (11:15). All other ages and grades begin in classrooms. Nursery care available in the Sanctuary Building. MS Sunday morning OWL parent meeting. Sun., Feb. 2, 10:30-11 a.m., common area in the youth pod. We'll discuss options for the 9:15 class between when we finish the curriculum in May and the end of the RE year. MS Youth Group. Sun., Feb. 2, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Teen Center, Prog. Bldg. Bring $5 for pizza. RSVP to James Forrest. NEW - HS Super Bowl party. Sun., Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m. to end of game (or whenever you need to leave), Chapel. Bring a snack to share and $5. Heritage trip to Romania. Join this multi-generational trip to Romania Jul. 6-17. Deadline is Sun., Feb. 2. Contact James Forrest. Cost per person of $2,700 includes airfare, transportation, food and lodging. PlaygroUUp - Music with Ms. Marsha. 1st and 3rd Tue. Feb. 4, 10-11:30 a.m., Teen Center, Prog. Bldg. Fellowship group of babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers. Siblings welcome. Contact Meghan Crowley. Youth-Led Vespers. Fri., Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Contact James Forrest ASAP if you would like to do a reading, musical piece or reflection. Rehearsal is Feb. 7, 5-7 p.m. RE classes in session Feb. 8-9. Classes meet in the Prog. Bldg. except for Grade 6-7, which will meet in the Library. 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. Register at ap@uucf.org. New-Family Welcome. Sat., Feb. 8, 5:30-8 p.m. Is your family new to UUCF? Have you recently returned to Religious Exploration classes or visited a class or two in the past year? Please join us at the "get-to-know-you" tables at the Chili Cookoff. Children of all ages are welcome, as are partners or spouses who do not generally attend. Great chance to get to know other new families and the greater UUCF community. RSVP to Katherine Riddle. Grade 5 OWL parent/guardian meeting. Sun., Feb. 9, 1-2:30 p.m., Room 1, Prog. Bldg. No children allowed at the meeting but email childcare@uucf.org by Feb. 6 to reserve child care. The mandatory follow-up meeting with Grade 5 children and parent/guardian is Sun., Mar. 2, at 1 p.m. Child care for siblings available if reserved by Feb. 27. HS Youth Group. Sun., Feb. 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Room 11, Prog. Bldg. Concurrent parent social in the Social Hall. Quaker Work Camp at William Penn House in DC. Feb. 14-16. NEW: MS invited! Grade 6 participants need to have a parent/guardian chaperone. James Forrest leads this social justice weekend for UUCF youth and encourages all to participate. We will be working on a community garden and installing CFL light bulbs. Youth can receive service hours for participating and will feel a sense of satisfaction from making a difference. RSVP to James Forrest by Feb. 2. Fee of $100 due to James or Linnea Nelson by Feb. 2. UU-UNO (United Nations Office) spring seminar trip. Apr. 2-6, New York City. Join UU youth and adults from around the US and Canada for an exciting and educational spring seminar. UUCF youth will take the train to NYC, leaving the afternoon of Wed., Apr. 2, and returning Sat., Apr. 6. Activities take place at the UN building and youth will stay at All Souls UU Church accompanied by trained adult advisers. Approximate cost of trip is $400. RSVP to James Forrest by Mar. 7.
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Grow
The following programs and opportunities help us grow as individuals and as a community.
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. Creating Our Lives Consciously From Our Deepest Inner Resources. Adult Programs course. Mon., Feb. 10, Mar. 24, Apr. 7, May 5 and Jun. 2, 7:30-9 p.m., Rooms 3 & 4, Prog. Bldg. Led by Zimri Putney, 703-517-7372. 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. Register at ap@uucf.org. Wisdom of Pema Chödrön. Adult Programs course. Tue., 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. 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. Introduction to Dreamwork. Adult Programs course. Tue., Feb. 18, Mar. 4 and 18, Apr. 1 and 15, May 6, 7-9 p.m., Room 5, Prog. Bldg. With Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig. Do you ever wake up wondering what a strange dream meant? Or do you just wish you were better at remembering your dreams? This workshop is for anyone who wants to explore the meaning of their dreams in a safe small-group environment. We'll follow the guidelines of UU minister and internationally known dream expert Jeremy Taylor. Because of the nature of the workshops, participants are asked to commit to the full series (missing one or two is okay). Register at ap@uucf.org. Contact Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig. 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), Rooms 3 & 4, Prog. Bldg. 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. Wi$dom Path: Money, Spirit and Life. Adult Programs course. Thu., 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. Narratives and Counter-Narratives. Adult Programs course. Sun., Feb. 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. |
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Connect
Click here for a listing of ways to get involved and connect with each other at UUCF.
Memoirs Writing Group. 1st and 3rd Fri. Feb. 7, 1:30-3 p.m., Prog. Bldg. Contact Kristin Moyer. Healing service. Mon., Feb. 10, 7:30-8 p.m., Chapel. For anyone carrying hurts, struggles, loss or illness. Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig will lead this brief service featuring readings, silence and music. Monday Night Book Club. 2nd Mon. Feb. 10, 7:30-9 p.m., Room 11, Prog. Bldg. We will discuss The Sweetest Hallelujah by Elaine Hussey. Contact Don Andress. Women's Personal Growth Group. 2nd Tue. Feb. 11, 10 a.m.-noon, Room 11, Prog. Bldg. Contact Connie Drapeau. Muslim Liaison Group. 2nd Tue. Feb. 11, 7:30-9 p.m., Room 5, Prog. Bldg. Build relationships with local Muslim communities and deepen our understanding of Islam. Contact Judy Penniman. Brown Bag Theology with the Ministers. 2nd Wed. Feb. 12, noon, Sanctuary. Get to 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. Feb. 12, 7:30-9 p.m., Room 2, Prog. Bldg. No registration needed; drop-ins welcome. Need to jump-start your creative writer's juices? Need encouragement and helpful hints? We don't read or edit each other's work, just share tips, techniques, articles and other suggestions. Contact facilitators Joy Hatfield or Linda Hunt. Wednesday Morning Book Club. 3rd Wed. Feb. 19, 10 a.m.-noon, Library. We'll discuss Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. Contact Polly Feuer.  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. The donation deadline is coming sooner than you think! Don your Hawaiian shirt or hula skirt and visit the auction website or the table in the Commons after services.
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Click here to find out about opportunities to live our values through service and advocacy within our congregation and beyond.
Yard Sale Committee meeting. 2nd Mon. Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m., Room 5, Prog. Bldg. Committee needs 2-3 people to organize this year's sale. If you are committed to our Partner Church program and would like to help raise funds to support it, here is a fun way to get involved. Contact Joanna Walker, 703-620-2633. Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions. 2nd and 4th Wed. Feb. 12, 7:15-9 p.m., Social Hall. Join our LinkedIn group and our Facebook page. Contact 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.
UU Charleston seeks donations in aftermath of chemical spill. Donations will be used to aid service industry workers affected by restaurant closures after the chemical spill and to help residents pay water and utility bills, which have increased as part of needing to flush the system as part of the cleanup. Checks, made payable to UUC with the notation "Water Relief," can be mailed to UU Congregation of Charleston, 520 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston WV 25302.
Volunteer opportunities. Currently seeking Meals on Wheels drivers in Fairfax to deliver meals Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and volunteers to drive older and disabled adults to critical medical appointments. Volunteers are matched with clients who live in or near their neighborhood. Mileage reimbursement available. Contact Fairfax County Volunteer Solutions, 703-324-5406.
Beacon House volunteer opportunities. Beacon House, a UU-supported after-school tutoring and mentoring program for inner city children in Washington, DC, has volunteer opportunities Mon.-Sat. including early evening tutoring, afternoon homework help, Saturday science club, evening soccer coaching and more. Contact Barbara Clarke, 202-529-7376.
Arlington Unitarian Cooperative Preschool Open House. Sat., Feb. 1, 10 a.m.-noon. AUCP is a non-sectarian, parent-owned and operated, cooperative preschool for children ages infant through pre-K. Interested families are invited to tour classrooms, explore the playground, meet teachers and talk with current parents about their experiences at the school. Application deadline for the 2014-15 school year is Fri., Feb. 14. For more info, visit the school's website or call 703-892-3878.
UU Young Adult gathering. Sat., Feb. 1, 2-5 p.m., All Souls Unitarian, Washington, DC. Join UU adults ages 18-35 from area congregations for a film, refreshments and facilitated discussion on our spiritual and political journeys. Bidder 70 is a documentary about Tim DeChristopher, a young UU activist who went to jail for nearly two years after disrupting an illegal auction of federal land for fossil fuel drilling. Register here.
Concurrent meeting of Western Fairfax PFLAG and FLY. Tue., Feb. 4, 7:30-9 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.
OWL Sexuality Education for Adults. Wed., Feb. 5, 7-8 p.m., River Road UU Congregation. $50 fee; scholarships available. Contact Gabrielle Farrell, 301-229-0400 x104.
Attachment Parenting Group. 1st Fri. Feb. 7, 10 a.m.-noon, Room 9, Prog. Bldg. 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.
Mass Moral March for voters' rights. Sat., Feb. 8, Capitol Building, Raleigh, NC. Join the NAACP and UU partners as they march on Raleigh to protest laws that suppress the voice of the people. Register here.
Jazz concert. Sat., Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Featuring Jeff Gilliam, Kim Scudera and Dave Anderson. Proceeds benefit Our Daily Bread.
Interfaith Peace Circle: An Evening of Sacred Invocation. Fri., Feb. 21, 7-9:30 p.m., Chapel. Featuring Saraswati Rain, a ritualist and songstress from Denver, CO. All are welcome to join in an experiential invocation of peace using interfaith and intercultural prayer, poetry, music and candle-lighting. Some easy, gentle movements and hand gestures are optional - those who would prefer to simply witness are encouraged to do so. Suggested offering $10-15. Contact Diana Pinkham, 703-591-2426.
Beethoven Blockbusters benefit concert and reception. Sat., Mar. 1, 7 p.m., River Road UU Congregation, Bethesda. Proceeds benefit the UUSC-UUA Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund. Featuring four of Beethoven's most popular piano sonatas: Moonlight, Les Adieux, Appassionata and Pathetique performed by award-winning, international pianist Eugene Albulescu. Tickets are on sale and available to be picked up at the door; $25 each or two for $40. Contact Emily Purcell, 301-910-4882, to purchase.
Eat well and do good! Sun., Mar. 2, 5 p.m., UUCF Sanctuary. Sponsored by NOVA Catholic community, this year's banquet is a fundraiser for Dream Project-VA, a local, non-profit that provides mentoring and college scholarships to immigrant youth (some documented, some not; most reside in Arlington). Goal is to raise $10,000. Tickets are $60. Come enjoy fabulous food, wine and entertainment for a good cause. Contact Joanna Walker for tickets or see her in the Commons after services.
Salvete! Latin enrichment for Grades 5-8. Fri., Mar. 7, 14, 21 and 28; Apr. 4, 11 and 25; May 9, 16 and 30; Jun. 6 and 13, 4:15-6:15 p.m., UUCF. An introduction to Latin language and culture of the ancient Romans presented by engaging, creative instructors from non-profit Ascanius: The Youth Classics Institute. Cost is $250 per student; financial aid is available. For info and to register, visit their website. Register by Feb. 21.
WhaleCoast Alaska 2014. Jul. 11-23. Four Alaska UU fellowships invite you to experience Alaska through the eyes of local UUs, with friendly homestays and unique tour activities. See various wildlife, visit Denali National Park and experience Native Alaskan culture. For more info, visit the website or contact Dave Frey, 907-322-4966.
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