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  Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church- Unitarian Universalist! 
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Whoever you are, whomever you love,
However you express your identity;
Whatever your situation in life,
Whatever your experience of the holy,
Your presence here is a gift.
Whether you are filled with sadness,
Overflowing with joy,
Needing to be alone with yourself,
Or eager to engage with others,
You have a place here.
All are welcome here.

WORSHIP


Services are Sundays
 9:15 and 11:15am
Contemplative Worship on Wednesdays
 11:45am on the outdoor labyrinth or in the Sanctuary

Theme for November:
A PEOPLE OF STORY

November 6:
 Truth and Story
November 13:
The Long View
November 20:
Making Room at the Welcome Table
November 27:
Sharing Our Stories



RevWik
Words of Wikstrom

There are no true stories; we are making up every one of them.   (Pema Chodron)

There are only true stories. We are discovering the truth in them. (Christina Baldwin)

This month our theme question asks us to consider what it means to be "a community of story."  This is not exactly, although it is related to, the question of what it means to be a community of storytellers.  You might think that this is, as my dad used to say, "a distinction in search of a difference," yet I think that there's something to it.  What does it mean to be a community of story, a community that is shaped by story and that gives shape to its ongoing story?


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Rev. Alex
Stories of Grief and Time and Healing
by Rev. Alex McGee

Rev. McGee
Here we are just having passed Halloween, which is also All Souls Day and Dio de los Muertos.  These holidays serve both culturally and spiritually as a time to reflect on those who have died.  Which usually brings up feelings about how we are going on without them.  So, in this article, I'll offer a few tidbits about making a new path in your life after someone dies.
 
First, I think it is helpful to acknowledge that "bittersweet" describes a lot of every day moments in the first few years after a person dies.  The first birthday without them --- its sweet to remember them, but bitter to recall the hard times.  Thanksgiving --- the sweetness of what was shared, and the bitterness of their absence.  In a spiritual life, letting the bitter and the sweet exist together is part of the journey of living fully the truth of human existence.  So, when you feel your heart is aching and singing at the same time, know that can be a gift of the Spirit.


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Alexandra McGee serves our congregation half time as Assistant Minister.  She is available for pastoral care appointments by calling the church at 293-8179 x2 or writing alex@uucharlottesville.org.

Committee on the Ministry
Lisa Shutt, Doug Webbink, Beth Jaeger-Landis, Ruth Douglas, Cathey Polly, Katharine Maus

By RevWik on behalf of the Committee on Ministry

This month the theme the congregation is exploring is "what does it mean to be a community of story?"  Often in congregational life there are stories that are told which come to define the community.  "We never have enough and we're always scraping by."  "Nobody cares about <insert the name of a particular committee or program>."  If you've been around TJMC for any length of time you can no doubt think of such stories.  A curious dimension to this phenomenon is that a story can persist long past whatever event(s) gave rise to it have been addressed and corrected.  Once a story takes hold, it can be hard to change, even when the reality of things has. 

One reason for this is that often people sometimes share a particular narrative amongst themselves, and are not in conversation with others who might offer different perspectives and experiences.  This can lead to the reflection that "people are saying ...," an idea that can take on a life of its own and create a sense of how things are that the reality of things might not support.



Contact the Committee at  com@uucharlottesville.org

Social Justice
November Social Action Collection - November 13 - BRAAF
Reproductive Justice in Our Region
by Sharon Utz

During the 1990's, some women from TJMC-UU saw that low-income women in the Charlottesville area did not have the option of choosing abortion even though this essential health service was available to women with adequate income. Because of their strong belief in social justice and UUA Principles such as "the right of conscience" and "justice, equity and compassion in human relations", the women from TJMC established an Abortion Assistance Fund. A few years later, responsibility for the fund was assumed by the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW).

In recent years, the fund was named the Blue Ridge Abortion Assistance Fund (BRAAF), now a non-profit service, and administered entirely by local volunteers. Given that abortion procedures must be obtained within a short timeframe and cost hundreds of dollars, women with low income are often unable to have this crucial choice. Studies have shown that 1 in 3 women in the US need abortion services during their reproductive years, thus abortion care is an essential health care service. Women in need of financial aid obtain the BRAAF phone number from a clinic or online.


November Art Show

Retrospective Show-  Christopher Ames McGuire (April 24, 1967 - October 3, 2004)  
 
Christopher was a self-taught artist.  Growing up in Venice Florida, he began drawing while working as a cabinet maker. He enjoyed making furniture and painting designs on it. When he was not working, he was always drawing and making things in his woodworking shop.  He did not finish high school and had begun to teach himself how to read so that he could read to his child. He was fascinated with the medieval time period,particularly King Authur which was reflected in his art along with nature, and especially leaves.   He succumbed to a heart attack at the young age of 37.  He was very prolific with his drawings.  He had plans to color his pen and inks with water colors though the pictures stand on their own as they are.  Please enjoy this celebration of Chris's life and work. 

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STAY CONNECTED:
The TJMC-UU Monthly Bulletin is a digital publication of articles/essays that is published on or around the first of each month. Submissions should be saved as a Microsoft Word file including a title and by line, and emailed to office@uucharlottesville.org by the third Friday of the preceding month. Holidays may affect submission deadlines.