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UUCA - A place to Connect |Grow | Serve
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Sunday Worship
January 8, 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
"Prophecy and Dreams"
Rev. Linda
and Dreamer Scholars share in this service to tell stories of dreams and to speak of faithful courage to prophesy to our world.
In honor of Martin Luther King. Jr., and his message of hope, Rev. Aaron offers a ritual of commitment we are calling Stones of Hope that will be observed throughout January.
Livestreaming of the service here.
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Music Workshop w/ Mimi Bornstein
Changing the World Through Music
Sat., Jan., 28, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
 We are looking forward to having Mimi Bornstein as our next visiting Choir Director at the end of January. Mimi, a professional choral director and singer/composer, will be at UUCA the weekend of January 28, 29. On Saturday, she will conduct a community music workshop. It's a fun opportunity to experience a community sing and experience how music can be a pathway for changing the world. No choral experience required. For more information about Mimi and the workshop, click here.
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The Dream Project of Northern Virginia
 UUCA continues its commitment to support immigrants and refugees in Northern Virginia. This resolve to live out our faith in the inherent worth and dignity of every person is more crucial than ever. We are proud to be partners and supporters of the Dream Project of Northern Virginia, which mentors middle and high school immigrant children, and raises money for them to be able to attend college. Because these students are undocumented, they cannot receive lower in-state tuition, and the money we raise helps these promising youth continue their education. Many have been stellar students in our local schools.  The Dream Project was founded just five years ago and in those years has helped scores of youth succeed in school, become successful leaders, go to college, and now earn college degrees.
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Sing for Love - A Maya Rogers Concert
Fri., Jan. 6, 7:30 p.m. - UUCA Center
Join
Maya and friends in a night of musical performance and a community sing. She'll share some of the ways that music has transformed her life and how you can use music to uplift, bring joy, and make the world a better place. It starts with one simple tool. Your voice! Event is free of charge and open to all ages.
More information here.
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Non-Violent Direct Action Training
Sat., Jan. 7, 1 - 5 p.m.
Cedar Lane Unitarian Church is hosting a Non-Violent Direct Action Training, led by Tracey Redd of Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) and co-sponsored by Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Montgomery County. More details and registration here.
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Live the Pledge Reflection Sessions
Jan 8 and 22
 UUCA's commitment to end racism continues through Live The Pledge covenant-style reflection sessions where we reflect upon issues of race, justice and white privilege. Start off the New Year by committing to beginning or advancing your journey toward increased intercultural competence by participating in one of our January sessions. Sign up here.
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Build Bridges and Dismantle Walls:
A Justice Workshop
Sun., Jan. 8, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
UUCA is proud to host the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, along with VACOLAO and Centreville Immigration Forum, for an afternoon workshop about VICPP's work to achieve social justice for all in the Commonwealth, with a special focus on wage theft -- an epidemic afflicting low wage workers throughout Northern Virginia. Build Bridges & Dismantle Walls: Faith Communities Joining Together Hear firsthand from victims of wage theft & learn from community partners what you can do to fight it. Register here.
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UUCA Live The Pledge (LTP) Open Planning Meeting
Tue., Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. Board Room
The LTP Campaign Committee will host an open planning meeting on Tuesday, January 10. All are invited to attend and find out about upcoming LTP initiatives (i.e. UUCA Speak Up workshops, Live The Pledge workshops, etc.). We will also brainstorm new projects and initiatives that reinforce our commitment and pledge to end racism. Please email
Jessica Huffman with any questions or inquiries.
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More Upcoming Anti-Racism Trainings
- SURJ Training on Let's Talk About Racism. Sat., Jan. 7, 4 to 6 p.m. at Washington Ethical Society. Registration is required, click here.
- Jubilee Anti-Racism Training. Jan 13 - 15, at All Souls UU. There is a fee of $155 to cover food, materials, and to support the trainers. Scholarships are available. More information and registration here.
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Join the UUCA conversation on "Escalating Inequality"
Wed., Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Several UUCA folks discussed the UUA Congregational Study Action Issue on Escalating Inequality earlier this week, and will meet again next Wednesday to resume the conversation. The issue will be debated at General Assembly in June in New Orleans, and the draft Statement of Conscience is available in draft form here, with a Feb. 1 deadline for congregational comments. All are welcome to join the discussion. For further information, contact Bob Denniston, justdoitbob@hotmail.com.
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MLK Weekend of Service
Let's not take MLK Day as a day off, but make it a day on! Put your faith into action as a way of honoring the memory and legacy of the Rev. Dr. martin Luther King Jr. Three opportunities to be of service:
- January 14 & 15. AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Center) Grocery store food drive. Contact
Denise Kappler (Denise_Kappler@yahoo.com).
- January 16, 10 a.m. Culpepper Garden Day of Service. Volunteers of all ages needed for outdoor projects. Lunch provided for ALL volunteers.
- January 16, 12-6 p.m. Join UUCA's CASE students for a day of service at Beacon House in the District. Limited volunteers spots available. Sign-up: Annie Parker (annie@douglass.org)
- January 16 6:30 p.m. Wakefield High School MLK Community Gathering hosted by Congressman Don Beyer. UUCA has been invited to showcase our work. Sign-up here.
More detailed information on MLK Weekend, HERE. |
Lunch Reception/Art Exhibit for Guatemalan Scholarship Program
Sun., Jan. 15, 12:30 p.m. Center
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T-shirt inscription:
I am studying in Guatemala thanks to the Unitarian Church and ADIVIMA
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Come for a lunch reception, along with an art exhibit, and learn more about UUCA's scholarship program for students in Rabinal, Guatemala. In partnership with ADIVIMA, a Mayan human rights group, UUCA provides scholarships to students who lost family members in the repression of the 1980's. These students have little or no opportunity for an education beyond elementary grades without our support.
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Lobby Day in Richmond
Mon., Jan. 16
UUCA for the Reduction of Gun Violence (UUCARGV) invites members and friends to join Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and other gun violence prevention groups for a Lobby Day in Richmond on MLK Day, January 16. Charter bus transportation is available, departing from McLean and Alexandria. RSVP for the bus here. For more information, contact Mary Huber at wilkhub.va@gmail.com. To be added to the UUCARGV email list, email Annie Parker at annie@douglass.org.
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A Gathering of Black UUs
The very FIRST Black Lives of UU Convening will take place in New Orleans on March 9 - 12, 2017. Registration for the BLUU convening is now open, and financial aid applications are being accepted. Register here.
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Moving Beyond the Limits of Left to Right in Politics
 A broad multi-faith, multi-racial coalition of religious leaders are joining the Rev. Dr. William Barber of the Moral Monday Movement, in sending a letter to our new President-Elect, encouraging him to embrace what we are calling the Moral Agenda. Dr Barber invites you to sign as well. Click here. |
Women's March on Washington
Details on UUCA's plan for the March coming in next week's Connections. |
UUCA Peace Camp 2017: June 26 - July 7
 This year's theme: Peace in Oneself, Peace in the World. UUCA Peace Camp offers campers the opportunity to explore cooperation and conflict resolution in a safe and supportive environment. Campers discover that peace begins with them. Campers (ages 5-14) can attend both weeks or just one. Week 1: 6/26 to 6/30. Week 2: 7/3, 7/5-7/7. Registration opens soon. Learn more here. Peace camp at UUCA is a partnership between UUCA Peace Ministry and Little Friends for Peace.
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Thank You Notes
UUCA received warm and heart-felt thank you notes for the contributions we made to partners in our community.
- Linda Kelleher, Executive Director of Culpepper Garden, recently wrote thanks for receiving over $3,000 from a Give the Plate offering: "This outpouring of support from the UUCA congregation is truly gratifying. We so very much appreciate our roots have come through UUCA and our mission to help our most vulnerable seniors to age in our caring community."
- UNICEF sent us a thank you letter for participation in the Trick-or-Treat campaign, in which UUCA collected $1,200 to help ensure that "UNICEF can save the lives of the world's most vulnerable children."
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Religious & Lifespan Education
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CLICK BUTTON BELOW TO READ
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Coloring Book Night
Sat., Jan. 7, 6 to 8 p.m.
Join
Tamara and
LeeAnn for another fun and creative coloring book night! Bring $$$ to chip in for pizza and dessert. Extra supplies will be provided, so don't let that stop you from attending. It's a fun way to spend these cold winter evenings.
Not into coloring? Bring your favorite craft!
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Teachers Needed
A few of our wonderful RE teachers have left at midyear to fulfill other commitments here at UUCA. Please consider joining a team and finish out the RE church year. We have only 19 Sundays left -- that means you would only need to teach five times between now and May! Teachers are needed in:
- Preschool (Spirit Play)
- Kindergarten (Spirit Play)
- 5th Grade (Bible Studies)
- 2nd Grade (Principle Banners)
Contact LeeAnn (LWilliams@uucava.org) for more information.
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Calling all crockpots!
Youth Chili Cook-off - January 29
 Calling all crockpots -- We need CHILI! Sign-up to have your chili included in the cook-off. Win one of these coveted trophies, along with bragging rights! In order to make the judging fair for everyone, we will not be accepting walk-up registrants. Please use this form to register.
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View from the Chair: A New Year Message
 As the new year begins, I wanted to share what the board has been talking about/thinking about for 2017. In the new year, one of the most important outcomes we hope to achieve is building trust between the congregation and the board through better communication. Read more.
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Annual "State of the Church" Leadership Meeting
Sat., Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to noon
All church volunteers are invited to discuss possibilities and projects in the year ahead.
- Rev. Aaron and Tamara Srader will provide a "State of the Church" report.
- Warren Wright, Board Chair, will report the latest Board news, and unveil "Wondering Out Loud."
- The Growth Group will present its preliminary findings, and offer ideas how UUCA might grow in 2017 and beyond.
- The Stewardship Team will provide an update on recent activities and the 2017-18 annual giving campaign "Keep the Light."
Childcare provided. Please RSVP to LeadershipUUCA2017@gmail.com
or email Allen Keiswetter (Keiswetter@aol.com) or Bill Fogarty (wafogarty@aol.com) for more information.
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Live at the Center and Stone Room Presents Women's March Celebration Concert (click image)
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QUUest Gallery Exhibit this Spring:
Identity | Risk | Transformation
Three themes -- Identity, Risk, Transformation -- will guide our "Soul Matters" reflections this spring. Please share an artwork that exemplifies or explores one (or all!) of these ideas. And, because the "stories" that accompanied the art work in our latest show were so well received, we are asking everyone to submit a short statement (a sentence or two) about how one's work addresses all or one of these themes. Submissions accepted on Sunday, February 5, 9 to 11 a.m., in the Volunteer Rm. All work must be ready to hang with secure hanging system attached to a rigid substrate. Painting, drawing, collage, photography, fiber art are all accepted. Contact: Carson Herrington (ecarsonh@gmail.com).
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 Parents of Infants and Preschoolers (PIP) Club Meetup
Sat., Jan. 7, 3 p.m.
Please join us for January's meetup of the Parents of Infants and Preschoolers (PIP) Club. Get to know new families with young children in the church and reconnect with others! Please email Colleen Nguyen (colleen.ramsey@gmail.com) for location and more information.
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Day Alliance: Two Steps Back? Or Was It Three???
Tue., Jan. 10 - Center
Join the Day Alliance when J. Gerald ("Gerry") Hebert, Director of Voting Rights and Redistricting Program at the Campaign Legal Center, discusses voting rights since Shelby County v. Holder, the 2013 Supreme Court decision which removed pre-clearance requirements for states with a history of discrimination. More information about the talk is here. Coffee and conversation begin at 10:30 a.m., the lecture at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome for the talk. The reserved seating and catered lunch is open to those who reserve by January 6. Lunch is $15. Lunch reservations by emailing Claudia Blake (blake.claudia@gmail.com) or phoning Renee (703-354-4555).
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MoonFire Household Protection Ritual January 15, 1:30 p.m.
Please join MoonFire for a Household Protection ritual where we call on Hestia, the goddess of hearth, home, and family.
Through guided meditation, we will connect with the concept of home and what it means to you. Afterwards, offerings and blessings will be done in honor of our homes; please bring an item that symbolizes "home" for you. A potluck and time for fellowship will follow the ritual, so bring a dish or drink to share, along with your own plates/utensils, if possible, so that we may minimize trash. For more details on the ritual, click here. |
Preschool Open House
Sat., Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to Noon
Arlington Unitarian Cooperative Preschool (AUCP) will hold its annual open house on January 28 and children are welcome to attend. Founded by UUCA members in 1969, the preschool has educated young children for over 45 years. The curriculum is child-centered, focusing on the process (exploration, experimentation, problem solving) over the final product. UUCA members and friends receive priority in the application process and are encouraged to apply by Friday, February 3. For more information on the open house, click here or visit the school's website at www.aucpva.org or call 703-892-3878. |
Attention Cub Scout Families
 Cub Scouts, come earn the UU Scout religious award, sponsored by Unitarian Universalist Scouters Organization. All ranks will meet together for group discussion twice and once more to complete a service project. Dates are: January 29, February 5, and February 12-all at 2pm. More information here. |
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Men's Book Group
Sun., Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m.
The January selection is
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel. If there are any questions about the group and its meetings, please email
Ken Marshall or call 703-533-8004.
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Congratulations to UUCAer and high school senior Nicholas Cady-Spicer on receiving a four-year, full-tuition scholarship from the Posse Scholarship Foundation to attend a partnering institution.
Our condolences to Nancy Birnbaum and family on the death of her mother, Vera Birnbaum, who died on Christmas Eve at the age of 87.
Our condolences to Beth Moore on the death of her brother on December 27.
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Need to submit an announcement for Connections?
- Deadline is noon each Wednesday.
- Please put "Connections" in the subject box.
- Send announcement (150 words or fewer) in body of email or Word doc attachment.
- Images and attachments accepted, though no guarantee of publishing
- Send announcements to pubasst@uucava.org.
- Questions about Connections? Contact MaryAnn@uucava.org.
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