Connections Newsletter All the news you need to know to connect, grow, and serve.

Connections will take a two-week vacation the first part of August. The only deadlines in August are August 20 & 27 at noon. See bottom of this email for details on submitting an announcement.

Sunday Service, July 15, 10:15 a.m. "Navigating the Water We Swim In" Sermon by The Rev. Beth Miller While people of color, Unitarian Universalists, and other liberal-minded Americans call for the dismantling of white supremacy, ultra-conservative groups such as the alt-right and others defend it as the proper order of things. For all Americans, it is the water we swim in, and it’s very troubled water these days.  Joining Rev. Beth on the chancel will be Worship Associate David McTaggart. Music will be provided by soloist John Bohman, with Barbara Schelstrate accompanying. SUNDAY COMMUTING NOTICE: People who drive from the north on George Mason Drive will need to take another route on Sunday. George Mason Drive will be closed between Wilson Boulevard and Park Drive (@ Lubber Run Community Center). Livestream

Water Communion & Ingathering - Sept 9 Wherever your summer may take you, please remember to collect a small sample of water to share at our Ingathering and Water Communion Service on September 9, when we return to two services at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. And, when you're not able to join us in-person on Sunday morning, please be sure to join us for the streaming of the service at www.uucava.org. Recordings of the service are also available to watch 24/7 under the "Archive" tab at www.uucava.org/livestream.

Share-the-Plate July 15 STP: PAG Partners for Arlington and Guatemala (PAG) is a long-standing social justice ministry of UUCA. Since 2006, PAG has partnered with both international and local grass-roots organizations to promote human rights, environmental justice and educational opportunities for indigenous people in Guatemala and dignity and rights for immigrants in our community. The shared offering on Sunday, July 15, and donations made online from July 15-21, will go toward sponsoring human rights Accompaniers in Guatemala. Through these partnerships, UUCA has sponsored 18 human rights monitors-- ACCOMPANIERS--who provide an international presence for Guatemalan communities, organizations and individuals threatened when trying to claim/protect their rights. We support scholarships for some 50 Mayan students to attend middle and high school once they have completed their free elementary schooling. And volunteers from our congregation give many hours in service and solidarity to our immigrant neighbors from Latin America. Please visit the PAG table in Fellowship Hall following the service to learn more about this important human rights partnership work.  Online STP Donations

Church Matters

UUCA Board of Trustees Meeting Tuesday, July 17, 2018 7:00 p.m. – Open Comment Period 7:30 p.m. – Board Meeting At 7:00 p.m. Board Members will be available to listen to comments from the congregation in the Welcome Room. At 7:30 p.m. the regular Board Meeting will begin. Congregants are welcome to observe regular board meetings.  At the July meeting the Board will finalize Board member assignments for the upcoming year; discuss Board policies and the Board calendar for the upcoming year with a final vote coming at the August meeting; receive an update from Rev. Beth on the Transition Team for Rev. Terasa; and receive an update on the Share-the-Plate Team for the upcoming year from Tamara Srader. Additional items may also be added as needed.

UUCA's Summer Challenge This week we are officially kicking off our Summer Challenge to raise funds through increased pledges or one-time donations to hire a second minister as soon in this fiscal year as we can. Rev. Beth Miller, our temporary minister, will be with us until the end of July; our interim minister, Rev. Terasa Cooley will be with us in August. In the ideal (if we raise sufficient funds and if a suitable candidate is available), we could have a second minister on board in October. Our church operating with two ministers consistently is a ministerial model that has best supported the health and vitality of this congregation for a number of years. Particularly in a year with an interim minister while conducting a ministerial search for our new called head minister, the church would be well served to have the pastoral care, social justice, and Sunday preaching roles supported by a second minister. Rev. Beth has generously pledged to match each new pledge or donation with a $10 donation of her own up to $5,000. Let’s honor Rev. Beth by taking full advantage of her generosity! Indeed, as of July 9, congregants have already pledged or donated $49,180 toward the Summer Challenge. WOW! This congregation is demonstrating a commitment to move forward with health and vitality, fully accepting that this is within our capacity and our grasp. Won’t you consider being a part of this movement? You can fill out a purple card, found in all the pews, and turn it in on Sunday; you can make a new or increased pledge online HERE; you can make a one-time donation HERE. Whichever way you choose to participate, your generosity is a joy to this congregation. Be sure to mark Friday, July 20 on your calendar for the Summer Challenge Happy Hour from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Bring a dish and/or beverage (wine, beer, soft drinks) to share-and bring your filled out purple pledge card for a chance at the door prize. Those who have already responded to the Summer Challenge with a pledge or donation by that time will also be eligible for the door prize (must be present to win).

Ministerial Search Committee Update | July 2018 In June the Ministerial Search Committee began its work to find the next settled minister for our congregation. While the Board announced last winter that this search would last one year, the Search Committee has requested reconsideration of that decision in light of new information that has emerged since. The Board has agreed to make a decision on this request at the August 21st Board Meeting. The Search Committee and the Board also invite you to join us at one of our Town Hall meetings after service on July 15 or August 5 to further discuss this request. Here are some facts relevant to UUCA’s search and answers to important questions congregants may be asking which we will also discuss at our Town Hall meetings. Complete report here >

Town Hall Meeting – Senior Minister Search Process Please join the Board of Trustees and the Senior Minister Search Committee to discuss the pros and cons of a one-year versus a two-year search process for our next called Senior Minister. The Search Committee has had a few meetings and discussions with UUA representatives to learn more about the search process for our next called Senior Minister. Come hear what was learned and offer your thoughts. The Board of Trustees will make a final decision on the search timeline at their August 21 meeting in order to allow the Search Committee the time needed to prepare their process accordingly. Dates: Sundays, July 15 and August 5, 11:30 a.m. Location: Center Gallery

Lifespan Religious Education

Only four RE Teachers Needed!  We only need six teachers in order for our Religious Education program to be fully staffed in the upcoming church year. High five and many thanks to those who have already volunteered.  We still need a teacher or two in the following classes-- • 3rd Grade—UU Identity and History  • 5th Grade---New Testament studies  The commitment is to teach once a month and assist another teacher on the team once a month. So, plenty of time left for attending worship services. Training will be provided.     Count me in! How do I sign-up? Sign up online here . Read More

Wheel of Life

Our condolences to the family and friends of former UUCA member Ann Mendum who died June 1, 2018, in State College, Pennsylvania. Obituary here. Please hold Maya Rogers, our Artist in Residence, in thought or prayer as she undergoes surgery at Sibley Memorial Hospital on July 18. The recovery time is 4-6 weeks. She welcomes words of encouragement via email at ayammusic@gmail.com. If you'd like to send a card, please call the church office (703-892-2565) for her address.

Faith in Action

Building Peace - One Camper at a Time

Peace Camp Kudos It was another fabulous two-week run of Peace Camp (under the direction of Little Friends for Peace) this year! Kids from UUCA, kids from Beacon House in the District, and kids from the Buckingham neighborhood gathered together to explore and learn the FUNdamentals of peace-building through fun and creative activities. There were lessons of compassion and empathy along with hands-on conflict resolution. Friendships were made. Seeds of peace were planted. A HUGE THANK YOU goes to all the volunteers who made this vital program possible. And, a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who supported Peace Camp with monetary donations! It takes a village to run Peace Camp--Thank you!

"It's What We Do: A Play About the Occupation" There will be a screening of the award winning production of “It’s What We Do: A Play about the Occupation” at Arlington Central Library. UUCA's UUs for Justice in the Middle East is a co-sponsor of the presentation. There will be a discussion after the film moderated by Pamela Nice, the director and playwright of the original play and of this film. The play was the winner of Best Drama Audience Award in both 2015 and 2017 at the Washington DC Capital Fringe Festival. This docudrama goes beyond the headlines to show what occupation looks like on a daily basis – both how it affects the Israeli soldiers as enforcers and how it continues to affect Palestinians living under it. Flyer here. Date: Sunday, July 15, 3 - 5 p.m. Location: Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington -- Bluemont Room

Envisioning Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians Please join with other UUs as well as Jews, Muslims, Christians and others on Sunday, July 22, 7 p.m., in the UUCA Activity Room, as we all imagine and speak about our visions of what peace between Israelis and Palestinians might look like. Come prepared to listen and to share. We each may have different visions and dreams that we’ll each have a chance to describe to each other. The Northern Virginia Chapter of Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (NOVA-UUJME) and seven other groups will be participating, including the Jewish Islamic Dialogue Society of Washington(JIDS), Kol Ami, the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Jewish Community, and Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).  See the flyer for a full list of event sponsors.   Date: Sunday, July 22, 7 to 9 p.m. Location: Activity Room

Help VOICE Register Our Neighbors to Vote VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) will be building on the success of the Get Out the Vote campaign we conducted last fall, by co-hosting a Voter Registration Training, with the League of Women Voters. Although VOICE is strictly nonpartisan, we advocate for voter participation, particularly among disadvantaged groups. This year we hope to increase turnout for the midterm elections and urgently need your help. Trainer Gary Ellis, from the Richmond commission will be conducting training, including details on voter eligibility and ground rules for voter registration. Participants will receive a certificate of completion that will be valid for six months. The training will be held at UUCA on Thursday, July 26, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. You must be over the age of 16 to sign up. Please click this link and join our cause to bring democracy to all!

“In this polarized season, I am Democrat and I am Republican, I am Libertarian and I am Independent, I am Green and I am confused. And I am an American.”  - Maureen Killoran Mark your calendar! Better Angels Workshop As a diverse and welcoming community of faith, how are we called upon to respond to the deep polarization in today’s American society? How, in the Embracing Meditation on July 1, can we hear one another in our divisions and honor one another’s truths? Join congregants and friends from both sides of the political aisle to explore this difficult topic together. More details about how to sign up will be coming soon. Questions? Contact Sarah Yue, alanandsarah@gmail.com. Date: Saturday, September 29, 2-5 p.m. Location: Activity Room

Congregational Life

Summer Challenge Happy Hour You don't want to miss July's Happy Hour! It's a very special happy hour where you will have a chance to meet our new interim minister, Rev. Terasa Cooley, and as part of the "Summer Challenge", be eligible for some cool door prizes. Come and help celebrate our beloved community--a community stepping up to meet the challenge to raise funds to hire a second minister. Bring a dish and/or beverage (wine, beer, soft drinks) to share--and bring your filled out purple pledge card for a chance at a door prize. Date: Friday, July 20, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Location: Center Gallery

Men's Book Group The August read for the Men's Book Group is a non-fiction selection, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth Kolbert. It won the Pulitzer Prize, and copies are available in local libraries, and it's available new and used in paperback. The September 9 selection is All the Light You Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. A possible book for October is Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-year Friendship On and Off the Court, by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It and the September book are available in paperback and in local libraries. If there are any questions about the group, please email Ken Marshall, kenmar42@gmail.com or call him at 703-533-8004.   Date: Sunday, August 12, 7:30 p.m. Location: Chapel MoonFire Lammas Ritual Please join MoonFire on Sunday, July 15, 1:30 p.m., for a ritual celebrating Lammas, the first of three harvest festivals, celebrated by baking bread, making corn dollies, and giving thanks to Mother Earth for Her bounty. We will meditate and reflect on what we have gathered now and what remains to be done before gathering the fall harvest. As always, potluck will follow the ritual. For further information on MoonFire, please visit www.moonfireuuca.org, or contact us at moonfirecoords@gmail.com. Date: Sunday, July 15, 1:30 p.m. Location: Chapel

Young Adult Laser Tag + Tacos  Back by popular demand, the UUCA Young Adult Group returns for round three of taco-fueled laser tag!  Dinner at 6 p.m. at District Taco, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church (5-10 minute walk to Ultrazone).  Meet at 7:40 p.m. at Ultrazone Bailey's Crossroads to buy tickets, and games start at 8 pm. COST: $19 for unlimited games beginning at 8 pm. (Individual games are usually $9 each.) For more information, visit the Facebook events page here. Questions? Contact Elisabeth Geschiere, egeschiere@uucava.org. Date: Saturday, July 21 (Note: Podcast Chat is therefore canceled 7/21 but resumes August 4!) Young Adult Divine Reading Group The Divine Reading Group is a Young Adults Group which treats secular short stories as though they were sacred texts. The belief behind the strategies is that personal truth and meaning can come from a wide variety of sources. This group is ideal for those who love reading and discussion. It is also a place where deep and meaningful introspection occurs, friendships are made, and the very nature of religion is explored. We will begin reading the novel Kindred by Octavia Butler this Thursday so please read the prologue and chapter one before group. Questions? Contact Elisabeth Geschiere, egeschiere@uucava.org.   Next Date: Thursday, July 12, 7-9 p.m. Location: Youth Room

Young Adult Sunday Brunch The Young Adults meet for brunch every other Sunday after the second service! Ages 18-35 and their families are welcome to come get to know other young adults over a good meal.    Next Date: Sunday, July 15, 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. Location: Activity Room New UU Class Learn about Unitarian Universalism and this church in this one-session class with Rev. Beth Miller and Sarah Masters, Director of Congregational Life. There will be plenty of chances to ask questions and to get to know others in the class. It's also part of the path to membership at UUCA. The class is free and includes a light dinner. Free childcare is available on request.  Register here or contact Sarah Masters, sarah.masters@uucava.org. Date: Wednesday, July 18, 6-9 p.m. Location: Activity Room

Connections will take a two-week vacation in August. There will be no newsletter the weeks of August 6 and August 13. August deadlines are at noon on Monday, August 20 & 27.

NEW newsletter deadline: Connections deadline for submissions is EACH Monday at noon with publication on Wednesday. See below on how to submit an announcement.

How to submit an announcement to UUCA's Connections newsletter:   Deadline is noon each Monday. Please put "Connections" or "newsletter" 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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Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA 4444 Arlington Blvd Arlington, Virginia Call: (703) 892-2565 Email: uuca@uucava.org ‌ ‌