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Services & Religious Education for Children & Youth
at 9:00 and 11:00 am
Childcare available during services for babies and toddlers
(6 months+ to 3 years old)
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Rev. Fritz Hudson
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Universalism, historically, went beyond merely claiming life's ultimate rewards to be "open to all." It actively affirmed that all those rewards WILL BE experienced by every person without exception. How does this spirit call us to invest ourselves in the world beyond our home? To welcome others in - to the life abundant - in what ways are we called to "put ourselves out?"
Rev. Fritz Hudson
, Worship Leader
Jeff LarsonKeller
, Worship Associate
Jane Foote,
guitar & vocals
Connie Schuelka
, organ/piano
Shared Plate: Standing Rock Sioux
'Tis the season for all English-speakers to re-live A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. What makes it Unitarian scripture?
Rev. Fritz Hudson
, Worship Leader
Melissa Eggler
, Worship Associate
Walden Hill Vocal Ensemble - Joe Mish
, conductor
Connie Schuelka
, organ/piano
Shared Plate: Community Food Response
Our time comes to share light and warmth with our neighbors near and far. Our Mitten Tree takes center stage in our Sanctuary. Bring to it your donations for:
- Channel One Food Pantry (non-perishables)
- Hawthorne Helps (personal care items)
- Refugee Resettlement (school supplies & outerwear)
- plus, a Guest at Your Table box (with money) for the UU Service Committee
See details for these below, under "December Giving Opportunities"
Joyce Rood & Fritz Hudson
, Worship Leaders
Walden Hill Children's Choir - Joe Mish
, conductor
Connie Schuelka
, organ/piano
Services @ 4:00 pm & 5:30 pm
Holiday Reception between services from 4:45-5:30 pm
We revive legends as they grow within us still, amidst moments of song and candlelight.
Joyce Rood & Fritz Hudson
, Worship Leaders
Walden Hill Vocal Ensemble - Joe Mish
, conductor
Connie Schuelka
, organ
Shared Plate Recipient: First
UU Human Needs Fund
For your calendar: One service only on January 1 at 11 am
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Extremity
(December 2016)
Can I call this the season of extremity? Our earth's tilt, for certain, is at the top-most of its arc from our sun. What I think I observe (and experience) in our human response is a certain tendency to swings of spirit as well, to both our top-most and bottom-most. Frantic ecstasies come cheek-by-jowl with desperate depths - sometimes in quick steps in the same person, often in short steps from talk to talk in the same clan. Do you see (or feel) it too?
It may be just in the nature of things - to be accepted and survived. But it also, once owned consciously, may be amenable to some smoothing out-perhaps by stepping back just a bit.
Mary Oliver, in her book, Thirst (published by the U.U. Beacon Press), gives me a friendly push in this direction with her poem, "Mozart, for Example."
All the quick notes
Mozart didn't have time to use
before he entered the cloud-boat
are falling now from the beaks
of the finches
that have gathered from the joyous summer
into the hard winter
and, like Mozart, they speak of nothing
but light and delight,
though it is true, the heavy blades of the world
are still pounding underneath.
And this is what you can do, too, maybe,
if you live simply and with a lyrical heart
in the cumbered neighborhoods or even,
as Mozart sometimes managed to, in a palace,
offering tune after tune after tune,
making some hard-hearted prince
prudent and kind, just by being happy.
phone: 402-617-3055
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Dear members and friends of First UU Church,
From Sarah Rothwell:
After having worked here for almost 11 years, I have decided to retire as Coordinator of Congregational Life at the end of February 2017. My husband will be travelling a great deal for his job at Mayo Clinic starting next spring and I want to be available to travel with him.
It has truly been an honor getting to know our congregants, welcoming visitors and new members and working with a wonderful group people on the church staff.
I will be taking several months off from church starting in March so that you can welcome the new Coordinator of Congregational Life without the old one hanging around. I'll see you again next fall.
Now, I had better run and get my procedure manual up to date.
From Fritz:
Thank you, Sarah, for your many gifts to our congregational life! AND Thank you for your continued service as we move with care toward finding your successor.
Our Program and Administration Coordinating Team and I will take our first steps in this direction when we meet this week.
Stay tuned to to hear of our progress!
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December Giving Opportunities
'Guest at Your Table' boxes will be handed out on December 4 to each family who wants one. The box 'sits' at your table during these holiday times as your 'guest' and you 'feed' your guest with coins, and teach philanthropy and service to those in need while you show gratitude for your own many blessings.
The funds collected go to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), a human rights organization that fights for human rights and justice wherever they may be threatened, whether by natural disasters, armed conflicts, genocide, forced migration or systemic injustice. UUSC's mission is to advance human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies.
Our traditional Church
"
Peace
"
tree will be up, but this year it has also become a "
Giving/
Mitten
" tree. In each mitten on the tree contains a gift tag listing items needed by various organizations supported by our Social Justice Council.
On Sunday, December 4 or 11, each family will take one tag (leave the mittens on the tree please!) and purchase or collect the items listed on that tag. You'll bring those items back to church (in a gift bag with the tag attached) on December 18 for the multi-generational service. The Chair of the Social Justice Committee will see they are delivered to the recipient organizations.
Giving Tree
gift tags are in four colors and will support these four causes:
RED TAGS -
Refugee Resettlement Program
The Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program
meets the regional needs of the refugees designated to resettle here, either through family reunification or as "free cases" assigned to our local community. New refugees are at their most vulnerable as they enter the United States. As the only resettlement agency in Southeastern Minnesota, CCRRP seeks to address the most fundamental needs of all new refugees such as access to shelter, food, clothing, income, medical care, education, and employment.
BLUE TAGS - Hawthorne Helps
We assist our immigrant neighbors with basic supplies at the Hawthorne Helps Mini-Store at the Hawthorne Education Center.
Hawthorne's Mission is to provide opportunities for adults to gain control over their own lives by enabling them to practice, learn from, and to the best of their abilities, master the strategies required for responsible citizenship, productive employment and self-sufficiency.
GREEN TAGS -
Channel One Regional Food Bank and Food Shelf
A non-profit organization that serves the mission to work in partnership with others to help feed people in need, Channel One Regional Food Bank serves seniors, individuals with physical or mental-health disabilities, working families and individuals, people in times of crisis due to job loss, medical problems or personal disaster, and food shelves, programs and agencies in 14 counties.
YELLOW TAGS -
Project Legacy
Project Legacy is a program to meet the needs of youth of color in the Rochester Community who struggle with lack of resources and supports that enable them to reach their full potential. Many of the youth lack stable housing, a viable support system, and caring adults to advocate for them.
The program is targeting youth who have demonstrated resilience in the face of enormous obstacles and who are sincerely motivated to change their current lifestyle.
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Sunday Visitor Chats
If you're new to Un
itarian Universalism, we invite you to attend our Sunday Visitor Chat, a brief, casual orientation to Unitarian Universalism and First Universalist Church. We will show a 10 minute video introduction to Unitarian Universalism, through the words, music and stories of UUs throughout the country. After that we will answer some of your questions and provide an introduction to our church. Childcare is available in the Nursery, if you wish. You are also welcome to bring your children into the class with you. No sign up is needed, just join us after the service!
- December 18
- 10:10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
- Meet in the Hearth Room (off the main lobby, room with piano)
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December Shared Plate Recipients
In December, we have special Shared Plate collections at each service, half of which is shared with an organization or initiative chosen by o
ur Social Justice Council.
We are grateful that your donation to the shared plate will be matched through the generosity of an anonymous member of our congregation.
 The Standing Rock Sioux are resisting the pipeline route because it would desecrate a Native American cultural site and jeopardize their water supply. Their intended peaceful protest has been met with violence. The Standing Rock water protectors need support to sustain their efforts, especially for legal defense, as well as for the practical aspects of continuing their resistance. The Bismarck/Mandan UU Church has agreed to serve as the non-profit conduit for the donations we make, which will be directed to the Oceti Sakowin Camp. The Oceti Sakowin Camp is an historic gathering of tribes, allies and people from all walks of life standing in solidarity to halt the Dakota Access Pipeline. Here are some of our concerns about the issue:
- An early route nearer to Bismarck was discarded, in order to avoid threatening Bismarck's water supply. The current route fails to give the Standing Rock water supply the same consideration.
- The Corps of Engineers decided to "fast-track" the pipeline approval, ignoring the recommendations of the US EPA and the US Fish and Wildlife Service for a full environmental assessment leading to an Environmental Impact Statement.
- The protests and court actions of the Standing Rock Tribe and their supporters have been essential to bringing full consideration of the matter.
- Tribe historians have discovered artifacts indicating that the pipeline route affects sites of cultural significance.
- The response of state and local officials in North Dakota to peaceful protest has been reprehensible.
The history of the environmental justice movement in the US started in 1982 with the resistance of an African American community in North Carolina to the decision to site a hazardous waste landfill in their neighborhood. The Standing Rock issue is a direct parallel to this historic case.
Pipeline companies should not be allowed to desecrate Native American cultural sites and jeopardize Native American water supplies, and nobody should be allowed to suppress peaceful protest.
 Most of us are fortunate to have never experienced real hunger - not just missing lunch occasionally or fasting for a day for some cause or other - but regularly not having the means to feed yourself and your family. For many in our community, however, this is a painful reality!
Starting back in 1993 Community Food Response (CFR) was formed to help address this problem. Since September 2001, our congregation has been a cooperating church among 18+ groups that assist at least one day a month by providing drivers to pick up the food and volunteers to sort and distribute the excess food from hospitals, restaurants, businesses and grocery stores. This not only helps families, but rescues food from being disposed. Bethel Lutheran Church donates space for this sorting, storing, and distribution.
In 2015, CFR collected 96.3 tons of food from 30+ donor sites, and provided 29,922 meals, plus extras for breakfast and/or lunch the next day (equivalent to over 70,000 meals). An average of 68 families (198 individuals) was served every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This non-profit, volunteer-led organization is supported by donations and grants to maintain its operations. A large on-going expense is the $20,000 needed each year just for the food distribution containers. Many thanks to the over 43 church families and friends who have helped with this project.
Bring your contributions to the Giving/Mitten Tree
and your Guest at Your Table boxes to services this morning as we share our gifts during this Multi-Generational service. See more information in the article, "December Giving Opportunities."
Unexpected challenges arise in all households. Where do you turn? Family? Friends? Your faith community? To assist our members and attending friends during financial challenges, our Minister and Coordinator of Congregational Life administer a Human Needs Fund. The fund is also used to improve physical access to our facility.
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Wrap up the perfect gift for Hawthorne Helps
Hawthorne Helps is seeking volunteers who enjoy applying their skills of thinking, writing and filling out forms for donations and grant applications. Some are as short as two pages. Sam's Club, Target, Costco, Trader Joe's, Rochester Area Foundation, Mayo Clinic and more have money to give away to worthy causes. Hawthorne Helps is indeed a worthy cause.
All needed information will be supplied. A bit of leg work may be required to root out the possibilities. A volunteer could do just one request or as many as able.
We are looking to January 2017 and beyond, so this is not a seasonal rush. In fact, this request makes a perfect New Year's resolution and is a way to show your support of our immigrant and refugee neighbors.
Thank U -
Sandy MacLaughlin or Sandy Ramage
Standing on the Side of Love
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Happening at First UU
Information about activities, events, classes and more is i
n our Weekly eNews, on the
Events at First UU
page on our website, and is
available on Sunday morning.
(Click on either the link or the image to see details for these opportunities.)
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Clara Barton Guild Invites You to Join Them
The annual Guild Christmas Luncheon will be at Charter House on Tuesday, December 13 at 11:30 am. It is always a festive event, sharing a lovely lunch with Guild members and friends, some of whom you don't get to see so often.
The menu for the luncheon is a Polynesian Chicken Spinach Salad...chopped Romaine and baby spinach topped with grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, red bell peppers, cashews, toasted coconut on side in a bowl to pass, and topped with Raspberry Poppy seed dressing and served with nut bread...wine, soda, coffee, and cheesecake with berries for dessert.
Please sign up this Sunday (signup sheets are in the Commons). The cost for this event is $12; any amount below or above that amount is welcome. Questions? Contact Kathe Yoss.
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Upcoming Newsletters
The deadline each month is as noted.
| Issue |
Due Date |
| January |
Monday, December 19 |
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Care Coordinators
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December 1-10
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Joyce Wood & Diane Closson |
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December 11-17
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Rhonda Lorenz |
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| December 18-24 |
Jean Hanson |
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December 25-January 7
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Vikki Wolff &
Barbara Anderson
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| Our Staff |
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Office Hours
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Contact
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Rev. Fritz Hudson
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Interim Minister |
by appointment |
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Joyce Rood
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Director of Religious Education |
Sunday mornings
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| Sarah Rothwell |
Coordinator of Congregational Life |
Wednesday, by appointment |
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Jody Tharp
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Co-Congregational Administrator |
Monday thru Friday: 9 am-3 pm
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Connie Schuelka
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Co-Congregational Administrator |
Monday, Wednesday, Friday:
9 am-3 pm
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| Joe Mish & Connie Schuelka |
Co-Directors of Music |
by appointment |
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| Beth Curtin |
Childcare Coordinator |
Sunday mornings |
childcare@uurochmn.org |
Tom Rud
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Custodian |
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through church office
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Rev. Dillman Baker Sorrells
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Minister Emerita
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| Our Board Officers |
Members at Large
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Search Committee
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Jerry Katzmann, President
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Charyssa Cobb |
Mary Amundsen
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| Gail Bishop, Vice-President |
Randy Crawford
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Aleta Borrud
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| Ann Hutton, Secretary |
Angela Davey
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Judy Jensen |
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Rob Harveland, Treasurer
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Eric Eggler
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Amy Nelson |
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Greg Turosak
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Dave Siljenberg
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Robin Taylor
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George Thompson
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