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In this issue
Music director search update
"Faith Matters" blog
Oberlin at Oakton concert
This week & weekend
New beginnings
Children & youth
Grow
Connect
Serve
From our friends

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Weekend worship 
Sat., Mar. 22, 4:30 p.m.
Sun., Mar. 23, 9:15 & 11:15 a.m.
Creativity and Generosity: Building the World We Dream About with Rev. Mary Katherine Morn



Click the icon to listen to last weekend's sermon. 

Religious
Exploration
 

View schedule here. Nursery care in Sanctuary Building
up to age 3.
 
March's worship theme is Creativity.
"Creativity takes courage."
- Henri Matisse 
    

recipient for March is Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, providing a "hand up" to home ownership through sweat equity, donor generosity, volunteer labor and interest-free mortgages.

 

To see a monthly view of all upcoming events click here. To
see what's happening today click here.
 

 

Our next deadline is Tue., Mar. 25. Send announcements to our communications staff. All entries are edited before publication for brevity, clarity and style.  


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Questions?

Contact the UUCF
office,
703-281-4230.

 

Announcements
for Mar. 20-27          
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Update on search for new Director of Music & Arts

The Music Director Search Committee is starting its work and has already received almost 40 applications! Now we'd like to ask you ... What do you appreciate most about our music program? What would you love to see happen with it in the coming year? If you have thoughts to share, please be in touch with a member of the search committee: David Addis, Liz Anderson, Janet Cushing, Robert Damashek, Lynn Howell, Peter Rafle, Karen Wolf, Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig and Rev. Mary Katherine Morn.
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Faith Matters blog
What's birth control got to do
with religious freedom?


Susan Bennett
Should your employer have a say in what kind of health care you receive? I don't think so. And neither did President Obama when he included no-cost birth control as a provision of the Affordable Care Act. In doing so he acknowledged that birth control is part of a woman's basic ... (read more)  
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Oberlin at Oakton concert
Sun., Mar. 23, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary

Features five top conservatory musicians playing piano, bassoon, clarinet and violin. Program includes a fugue and a partita by Bach and a piano sonata by  Rachmaninoff. Join us for this special evening!
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This week & weekend

Auction Wrap-up.
If you attended this year's Auction, please check the listings posted in the Commons after services to see if you won anything. Updated listings will be posted this weekend to include the post-Auction sales. Also, if you haven't already done so, please pick up tangible items and gift certificates and pay for your winnings. This will be the last weekend to pay for Auction items after services.

Our Daily Bread.
It's time to collect $3,000 for UUCF's April commitment to deliver food vouchers to clients of Our Daily Bread. Please stop by the table in the Commons or send a check to the UUCF office with ODB written in the memo line. About 30 area families are counting on us. 
Memoirs Writing Group. 1st and 3rd Fri. Mar. 21, 1:30-3 p.m., Room 2, Prog. Bldg. Contact  Kristin Moyer.

New Art Wall exhibit and reception. Fri., Mar. 21, 7-9 p.m., Sanctuary. All are invited to this child-friendly event. Music provided by UUCF's talented Peter Berking. Shari MacFarlane's artwork will be displayed on the Sanctuary Art Wall through Apr. 29. 

Celebrate winter turning to spring. Fri., Mar. 21, 7:15 p.m., Chapel. Join members of the Women's Ritual Council as they celebrate Ostara, winter turning to spring and the lengthening of the light as we move into a new phase of growth. Everyone welcome; bring your kids or spouse to share in the fun. Contact Brooke Lancaster.

Saturday Polylogue. Mar. 22, after the 4:30 p.m. worship service, Sanctuary. All are invited to continue the conversation after the service. Join Rev. Mary Katherine Morn for a 30-minute discussion on the topic of her sermon, Balancing Act: Holding On and Letting Go. Note: Polylogue is a dialogue among many participants; sharing of one's thoughts on a topic and respectful listening to others' perspectives.

Failed Country States - US Interests? Sunday Forum - Science, Reason & Religion. Sun., Mar. 23, 12:30 p.m., Chapel. With Graham Smith. Presentation focuses on identifying a method of objectively and scientifically determining what constitutes a "failed state" and what, if any, role religion (or a misuse of religion) plays. Includes discussion of what responsibility other nations should take for failed states and how they might help such states become functional again. Contact Bob Hatfield.

Creating Our Lives Consciously From Our Deepest Inner Resources. Adult Programs course. Mon., 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.

 

Great Books Discussion Group. RESCHEDULED - Mon., Mar. 24, 7:30 p.m., Room 11, Prog. Bldg. Discussions explore the meaning of "classic" books. This month reading The Tragedy of Faust by Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe. Everyone is welcome, whether you have read the book or not. Contact  Randy Adams.

Wisdom of Pema Chödrön. Adult Programs course. Tue., Mar. 25, Apr. 8 and 22, 7:30-9 p.m., Rooms 3 & 4, Prog. Bldg. Ongoing meditation and 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.

Wi$dom Path: Money, Spirit and Life. Adult Programs course. Thu., Mar. 27, Apr. 24, May 15, Jun. 12, Sep. 11 and 25, Oct. 9 and 23, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11, 7:30-9 p.m., Rooms 3 & 4, Prog. Bldg. Led by Bonnie Wald and Janine Greenwood. Note: No classes in July or August. Participants explore how 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.
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New beginnings

Best wishes to Andrea and Andy Carlson and their newborn son, Bryce, who are moving to Cleveland for a new job and to be near family.
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Children & youth  

Fairfax UU Summer Experience (FUUSE) for teens. Applications due Apr. 6 Note: This deadline is one month earlier than in the past. Learn details of FUUSE here.

Mar. 21 deadline for youth to participate in performing arts celebration. Calling all young performers. Showcase your musical talents with a solo performance or collaborate with your friends on a duet or trio at the 13th Annual Youth and Teen Performing Arts Celebration on Sat., Mar. 29. All musical styles welcome. Accompanists available upon request. Contact Mark Vogel for a registration form.

Sat. MS RE classes in session Mar. 22.

Mar. 22 deadline to sign up for Boston heritage trip, May 23-26. Rev. Mary Katherine Morn and James Forrest show youth around Boston to highlight areas of our UU heritage. Cost is approximately $600 and chaperones are needed. RSVP to James Forrest.

Sun. RE classes in session Mar. 23. K-Grade 5 begin in the Chapel before going to class (9:15) and kindergarten or workshops (11:15). All other ages and grades begin in classrooms. Nursery care available in the Sanctuary Building.  
 
PlaygroUUp potluck. Sun., Mar. 23, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Social Hall, Prog. Bldg. Fellowship group of babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents or caregivers. Siblings welcome. Bring a dish to share. Contact Meghan Crowley.

HS overnight to plan May 4 HS service. Sat., Mar. 29, 4:30 p.m., to Sun., Mar. 30, 9 a.m., Prog. Bldg. Required for HS seniors who plan to share homilies at the May 4 service.


13th Annual Youth and Teen Performing Arts Celebration. Sat., Mar. 29, 5:45-8:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Please join us for an evening of joyful expressions of artistic talent and a spaghetti dinner. This event has become a tradition at UUCF. Suggested donation: $10/adult, $5/youth. Proceeds benefit UUCF Performing Arts Scholarship Program.

UU summer camps. Register online for summer leadership and camp opportunities and General Assembly youth programming. Rising Grade 9-12 youth: Save Aug. 21-24 for our annual beach trip.

UUCF All-Congregation Retreat - save the date. Labor Day weekend 2014, Big Meadows Lodge and Campgrounds, Shenandoah National Park. Campsite and lodge reservations now open. Click here to sign up for regular updates. Contact Meredith Carr
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Grow
The following programs and opportunities help us grow as individuals and as a community.

What Does Sustainable Agriculture Mean for Small Farmers in Developing Countries? Global Affairs Discussion Group. 1st and 3rd Wed. Apr. 2, 7:30 p.m., Rooms 3 & 4, Prog. Bldg. With Eduardo Tugendhat of Carana Corp. Presentation of cases involving cocoa and coffee, basic food crops and horticulture in Peru, Central America and West Africa. If the income from these farms averages less than $1-2 per day, the average age of farmers is over 50 (with children already gone to the cities) and the average premium from fair trade or organic certifications is at best 5-10 percent, how is this sustainable? Contact Randy Adams.

Narratives and Counter-Narratives. Adult Programs course. Sun., Apr. 13, 1-2:30 p.m., Room 5, Prog. Bldg. 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 list of ways to get involved and connect with each other at UUCF.

The Sound of Hope, a special worship service presented by the Combined Choirs from DC-area UU congregations. Sat., Mar. 29, 3 p.m. All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington DC. Explore messages of justice, love and hope through dynamic music and readings. The massed choir, including 35 folks from UUCF, will present choral works by Jim Papoulis, Ysaye M. Barnwell, Tom Benjamin, Pepper Choplin, Clif Hardin and others. Admission is free. A free-will offering will be taken to support Jim Papoulis' Foundation for Small Voices. Parking is limited. Public transportation (Columbia Heights Metro station is two blocks away) and carpooling are strongly recommended. Reception to follow.

Circle Dinner. Sat., Mar. 29, 6 p.m. Circle Dinners are potlucks hosted by participants in their homes. Come meet new people and renew old acquaintances. Sign up in the Commons after services Mar. 23. Contact Raymon or Gisela Leon.

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

April Vespers service - Hero Unbound: The Led Zeppelin Vespers. Fri., Apr. 4, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary. A new play by Carol Lee Campbell, inspired by the works of Joseph Campbell and narrated by Susan Bennett.

Writer's Resource Group. 2nd Wed. Apr. 9, 7:30-9 p.m., Room 2, Prog. Bldg. Guest speaker Brett Lovgren, UUCF member and author of The Bicycle Path, shares his knowledge of self-publishing and suggestions for getting motivated to write. Includes question and answer session. Questions can be posted in advance on Twitter using hashtag #Ask WRG. Contact Joy Hatfield or Linda Hunt.

Wednesday Morning Book Club. 3rd Wed. Apr. 16, 10 a.m.-noon, Library. We'll discuss Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. Contact Polly Feuer.

Membership class. Wed., Apr. 16, 7 p.m., Library. A minister-led class for those ready to make the commitment of membership to UUCF. Please register with Carol Jensen.

Annual UUCF Seder service - save the date. Sat. Apr. 19, 4:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Note: The Seder will replace the 4:30 p.m. worship service. Volunteers needed for this family-friendly service and dinner. More details to come.

UUCF All-Congregation Retreat - save the date. Labor Day weekend 2014, Big Meadows Lodge and Campgrounds, Shenandoah National Park. Campsite and lodge reservations now open. Click here to sign up for regular updates. Contact Meredith Carr
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Serve
Click here to find out about opportunities to live our values through service and advocacy within our congregation and beyond.

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions - regional UU environmental meeting. Sat., Mar. 22, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., UU Church of Arlington. Guest speakers are Dr. Jan Dash, Chair, UU-UNO Climate Change Task Force, and Lynn Dash, Group Leader, Central New Jersey, Citizen's Climate Lobby. Includes time for worship, greeting each other and furthering the work of our groups focusing on environmental justice, climate change, ethical eating, environmental restoration and spiritual resources for environmental work. Simple breakfast and lunch served. Donations welcome. RSVP to Katie Cook, 202-600-9132 and please include your contact info, congregation and committee name.

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS). Wed., Mar. 26, 7:15-9 p.m., Social Hall, Prog. Bldg.

FACS priorities presented at Fairfax County budget hearing. Tue., Apr. 8, immediately following the 6 p.m. presentation by the Fairfax County School Board, Board Auditorium, Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Pkwy., Fairfax. Eric Goplerud will testify briefly about FACS priorities at a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors hearing on the county's proposed budget for fiscal 2015. Everyone interested is encouraged to attend. Contact Eric Goplerud.
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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 and campus events.  

 

Group of Four large-format photography exhibit. Sat., Mar. 29-Sun., May 4, Available for viewing Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Fellowship Hall, River Road UUC, Bethesda. Exhibit features the work of George L. Smyth, Barry Schmetter, D.B. Stovall and Scott Davis, and includes color and black and white photographs. Call the RRUUC office at 301-229-0400 before attending. Opening reception - Sat., Apr. 5, 3-6 p.m.

 

The Underground Railroad dramatic narrative. Sun., Mar. 30, 1-3 p.m., River Road UUC, Bethesda. Historian Anthony Cohen traces the steps of runaways along wilderness trails and waterways to fugitive slave communities and Quaker sanctuaries. Light lunch and dessert reception included in ticket price. Proceeds benefit RRUUC's College Access Fund, funding college scholarships for minorities. Tickets: Adults are $30 ($15 is tax-deductible), Youth ages 13-18 are $15 ($5 is tax-deductible), Families (1-2 adults with children) are $60 ($20 is tax-deductible). Tickets may be purchased at the door.

 

Spring yoga with Ravi. Sat., Apr. 5, 12, 19 and 26 and May 10 and 17, 9:30-11 a.m., Rooms 3 & 4, Prog. Bldg. If you have been wanting to try yoga, here is your chance. Fee is $72 if you register by Mar. 29. Discounts for seniors. Contact Ravi, 571-213-3192.

 

In the Name of Love: a Jazz Poetry Slam. Sat., Apr. 5, 7-10 p.m., Accotink UUC. Hosted by Regie Cabico and Sarah D. Lawson. Registration fee of $15 for readers entering contest, $5 admission for all others. Refreshments available for purchase, and jazz provided by students from George Mason University's School of Music. Proceeds benefit Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources of Fairfax, whose mission is "to rebuild lives and break the cycle of crime with opportunities, alternatives and resources for offenders and their families to create a safer community." First prize, $100; 2nd, 3rd and Youth prizes also awarded. 

  

New Dominions performance. Sun., Apr. 6, 7 p.m., Sanctuary. This wonderful a cappella group from the University of Virginia has many fans at UUCF. The New Dominions' creative arrangements of recent rock and pop hits feature vocal percussion and amazing vocal agility, and they perform with infectious energy and humor. You don't want to miss it! Admission is free with donations gratefully accepted, and the whole family will enjoy the show. Stay for the reception after the concert and meet the New Dominions. 

 

Circle of Light: An Exploration in Spiritual Growth and Healing. Sat, Apr. 19, 12:30-2 p.m., UU Church of Reston. Enjoy guided imagery, meditation, drumming and singing as we celebrate the coming of spring. Please bring drums or other instruments. Contact Diane Black to RSVP or to volunteer to help with set-up or clean-up. 

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