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

Join Us Sunday October 7, 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. "Dimensions of the Spirit" Sermon by Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley There are as many different understandings of spirituality as there are Unitarian Universalists. Trying to find a common way to speak about our spiritual lives can be tricky. We don’t want to be misunderstood, in either traditional or non-traditional directions. Terasa will explore what spirituality means to her, as a way of opening the conversation for all of us. Worship associate is Irv Lachow. Music is provided by UUCA's adult choir, Sanctuary Singers, along with guest musicians Gene Mulligan on piano and Rachel Warner on flute. Mimi Bornstein is conductor and song leader and Sophia Morreale, accompanist. Livestream

Next Sunday October 14 - "Conflict Transformation" - Sermon by Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley. Upcoming Services here.

Friday Morning Devotions We invite you to smooth the path into the weekend with a half-hour of meditation followed by shared reflections each Friday morning beginning at 7 a.m. P lease contact in advance either David McTaggart ( dmctagg@gmail.com) or Gregg Forte ( gforte@mac.com ). A ride is available afterward to Ballston Metro. Date: Each Friday, 7:00 a.m. Location: Room 20 (Youth Room)

Ministry Matters

In the Meantime With Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley I know we’ve been rocked as a community with the news about Aaron McEmrys. For those of you new to the community, Aaron was the previous Senior Minister who has resigned his ministerial fellowship due to clergy misconduct. Hearing about this in the midst of everything else going on in the world about abuse of women makes it even harder to bear. I’m so sorry that this can cause so much pain. As triggering as it can be, I am hopeful that open and honest conversation can continue the healing process, within our community, and as a culture as a whole.  After the services this Sunday members of the Board and the Pastoral Care team will be available to listen to your concerns and questions. If you’d like to express something to me, please feel free to email or call.  In times like these I think participating in ritual can be a healing practice. Mimi Bornstein and I are putting plans together to offer a Circle of Support ritual evening on October 17, at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. And plans are being developed to offer support groups of different kinds. Seeing so many people show up and help for the memorial service for Ron Cima is just further evidence for me that this is a strong and resilient community. We can be there for one another.  In faith,  Terasa TCooley@uucava.org 703-892-2565

Church Matters

Something to yelp about From Tamara Srader, Chief Administrative Officer How do people find out about this amazing community? Some of them use Yelp. Why is this important information to know? I am guessing many of you use Yelp to find out about restaurants and other services offered in the community. I know that I do when looking for a new place to try and I want to find out what other people think about the restaurant or business. Since I am not a native in this city, it has been instrumental for me to read feedback on plumbing companies, restaurants or contract companies. UUCA has a Yelp page that helps us tell the story of the amazing things happening here. Last month, we had 74 people go to Yelp and look at our page. People are clicking to find maps to get directions to the church and also using it to find our web page. We have 16 reviews from people over the past few years and I am happy to report that we are the highest rated UU congregation in the DMV. It would be great if you could take a few minutes and tell your story about UUCA. Would you take a few minutes to give us a review? Yelp here.

UUCA Building Closed October 8 UUCA will observe the Columbus Day federal holiday on October 8. The staff will be on holiday and the building closed with all day and evening activities canceled. Note, the deadline for this newsletter still stands. Deadline is Monday at noon--see bottom of this newsletter for details.

Wheel of Life

Inge Gaberman is in the hospital after a medical emergency on Monday. Our loving support to Inge and her son, Viktor. No visits, please, but cards and notes are welcome. Contact church office for address at uuca@uucava.org or 703-892-2565. Congratulations to Marietta Tanner, Senior Olympic winner in the 3-Mile Walk and the 25-Yard Backstroke!

Congratulations to Johanna and John Villalobos and big brothers Jonathan and Julian on the birth of Jazmin on September 26.

Lifespan Religious Education

High School Spring Break Service Trip Meeting All high school youth and parents are invited to come to a meeting this Sunday to discuss service trip options for 2019. This will include a discussion about Hopi as well as other opportunities. Date: Sunday, October 7, 12:45- 2 p.m. Location: Sanctuary Religious Education News HERE

Adult Education @ UUCA Registration for the UUCA Adult RE program is now open here . Stretching Your Legacy Dollars  w/ Legacy Team. The UUA is matching new or updated legacy gifts to UUCA and other UU groups. Join Diane Ullius to learn how this works and why you should do it. Date: Wednesday, October 24, 7-8:30 p.m. Gardening for Pollinators  w/ DIG (Doing it Green) Team. Naturalist Alonso Abugattas will present a program on Gardening for Pollinators. Alonso is the Natural Resources Manager for the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation and the co-chair for the Beltway Chapter of Region 2 of the National Association for Interpretation and a co-founder of the Washington Area Butterfly Club. Date: Wednesday, October 24, 7-8:30 p.m. Life and Writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  w/ Bill Fogarty. This three session offering provides an historical and theological analysis of the life and writings of Dr. King, with an emphasis on the spiritual and intellectual influences on King's ministry, and the major historical events of Dr. King's life. Dates: October 17, 24 and November 7, 7-8:30 p.m. Coping with Pet Loss w/ Jula Kinnaird. Join certified pet loss counselor Jula Kinnaird for a workshop on coping with the grieving process when a beloved pet dies. Bring a photo of your pet to share. Date: Wednesday, October 17, 7-8:30 p.m. Soul of Aging  w/ David McTaggart. This is a 10-part program. All Sessions are 2.5 to 3 hours. $35 registration fee. See description and date information under "Congregational Life" below. Class descriptions here . Classes are beginning now! For more information visit the registration page here.

Workshop with Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley “Conflict Transformation” Please join us for an afternoon of exploring conflict! While conflict can be scary and divisive, it is also possible for conflict, when approached in a healthy manner, to be an opportunity for growth and learning. Rev. Terasa is trained in the approach of “Conflict Transformation” that assumes that conflict is not something that can be “managed” so much as processed in a way that can be transformative. This method has been used in contexts such as the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation process, and in peace negotiations in Ireland. We will explore our own personal responses to conflict, look at what brain science has to teach us, examine system theories, and practice ways in which groups can create opportunities for healthy conversations.  Register here. Time: Saturday, October 20, 1-4 p.m. Location: Activity Room

ADULTS Only Let’s Talk About Sex (and Our Faith) You may know that there are OWL programs for children; there are also OWL curricula specifically for adults. Sign up to join our monthly discussion group where we will talk about topics related to our sexuality and our faith such as: Sex and values, exploring gender, sex and communication, boundaries, sexuality and aging, sexual diversity and sexual health - just to name a few. 2nd Sundays of the month, 4-6 pm. Register here. First meeting: Sunday, October 21, 4-6 p.m. (Yes, we know the first meeting is on the third Sunday.) Location: Room 19

Mark your calendar for January 2019 Enneagram Workshop w/ Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley Join Rev. Terasa for a four-part series exploring the Enneagram.  Have you ever asked yourself the quintessential human question of identity, “Who am I?” Most of us spend a lifetime trying to figure out who we are and how we relate to others. The Enneagram offers a bright path to cutting through the internal clutter and finding our way back to who we are created to be. Based on the nine classic archetypes of human character structure, the Enneagram exposes the nine ways we lie to ourselves about who we think we are, illustrates the nine ways we get lost, and reveals nine ways we find our way home to our True Self.  Register here. Dates: Thursdays, January 10 thru 31, 7-9 p.m.

Faith in Action

This Week's Share-the-Plate: Little Friends for Peace

This week's STP offerings benefits Little Friends for Peace (LFFP). LFFP imagines a beloved community where relationships are based on respect and acceptance, conflicts end in reconciliation, and everyone is safe, cared for, and able to realize their unique potential. The LFFP team works towards this community everyday, starting with children. LFFP programs include Community and Restorative Peace Circles, nonviolence and active bystander intervention trainings for adults and Peace Clubs, in-school programs, and, of course, Peace Camp for kids. Each summer, UUCA partners with LFFP to present two weeks of Peace Camp right here on our campus. The camp serves UUCA families and UUCA’s community partners. Your sharing of the plate helps meet the goal of providing scholarships for 30 children each week of camp. Donations are accepted for each week's STP recipient through the following Saturday at midnight. Make online donations here.

Share-the-Plate Update Distributions are being made this month for September. Here are the September totals:

Totals for the fiscal year:

Write your U.S. Senators to demand humane treatment for immigrants Family separation and detention, long-lasting traumatic impact on children, threats to essential health services and other issues keep popping up, creating more barriers for immigrants, including refugees seeking safety and security. UUs must let our senators know our views--including withholding added funds for immigrant detention and deportation. The U.S. needs comprehensive immigration reform! This Sunday, October 7, come by the UUs for Social Justice's (UUSJ) "Write Here! Write Now!" table in Fellowship Hall to write a personal letter to your Senators. Fact sheets and supplies will be available. Or write your letter in advance and drop it off. UUSJ's Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps will hand-deliver letters on October 9. Contact Lavona Grow at advocacy@uusj.org. Date: Sunday, October 7, following both services  Location: Write Here, Write Now! table in Fellowship Hall

Registration for Live the Pledge to End Racism Workshop Whether you have had previous anti-racism training, or have never taken a workshop about racism, this two-day workshop will challenge you to deepen your commitment to work toward dismantling white supremacy. Participants explore the history of racism, the concept of implicit bias, the effects of micro-aggressions, the results of structural and institutional racism, and the contemporary Movement for Black Lives. Methods include readings, personal reflection, small group discussion, role plays, and videos. This workshop is specifically designed for people who participate in a faith community. It is in that context that we deepen our understanding, our relationships, and our connection with the wider community. The workshop is a two-day commitment. Questions? Contact Ann Ulmschneider, Aulmsch@msn.com. Registration has been extended to by October 5. Register today! Dates: Saturdays, October 13 AND November 10, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Location: Activity Room

Chalice Theatre Announces Auditions for The Addams Family Actors aged 9 to ?? are encouraged to come out for this musical, which celebrates our differences and the importance of family. With a cast that includes Morticia, Uncle Fester, and Lurch, as well as the Addams' ancestors, there are plenty of chances to practice your ghoulish arts! Thursday, October 18, 6:30 - 10 p.m. Sunday, October 21, 2 - 6 p.m. Callbacks will be Thursday, Oct 25 Link to audition forms: http://bit.ly/UUCAAddams A few more notes here.

Arlington County Candidate Policy Forum Join the discussion with county and school board candidates about issues that directly impact Arlington county. The conversations will include audience questions as well as pre-submitted questions. The forum will be livestreamed here.

VOICE's Oct 21 Assembly: What are we demanding on immigration? One of the four key messages that we--all 50 of our VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) congregations--will be putting in front of Governor Ralph Northam (confirmed to attend) and Attorney General Mark Herring (schedule permitting), at our General Assembly  on October 21 is this: Keep families together.

Here's why:  We have 79,000 immigrant children in Virginia who are US citizens but have an undocumented parent. These families are at risk of being torn apart by new federal practices. The President's de facto Muslim Travel Ban is hurting people in our communities, many of whom cannot now return home to visit ailing relatives or are suffering long delays in getting work permits. Our Muslim VOICE leaders are also hearing from local residents that a variety of essentials, from asylum applications to college tuition fees, have become newly delayed and punitive.  At our October 21 assembly, more than 1,200 of us will be present and accounted for, and we will ask the governor and attorney general to lead with us--to set an example for the rest of the country with us--to protect our immigrant brothers and sisters from unjust and inhumane practices that are being institutionalized. We need you to join us to add your voice!  To find out more about this, and to sign up for our October 21 assembly (we will have a bus and carpool, too), please stop by the VOICE table at coffee hour or contact David McTaggart at 703-835-6944 or email at dmctagg@gmail.com . Date: Sunday, October 21, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. (Buses and carpools leave UUCA at 3:00) Location: Fairfax High School, 3501 Rebel Run, Fairfax

DIG Workdays The Do It Green Team welcomes your help with fall plantings and general grounds maintenance on Thursday, October 11 and Saturday, October 27, 10 a.m. to noon. Everyone is welcome--youngsters, elders, singles, couples and especially groups! Bring gardening tools if you have them. Extras will be available. No experience needed, just a desire to tend and care for Mother Earth. Dates: October 11 and 27, 10 a.m. - noon Location: UUCA grounds

Center Gallery Show Arte en Estambre Show: Sept. 24 - Nov. 18 Artist's Talk and Demonstration - Saturday, October 13, 10 a.m. - Noon Francisco LOZA has 20 years of experience creating Arte en Estambre or Pressed Yarn technique. He works on wood surfaces covered in wax into which he presses threads to create intricate designs of various themes. LOZA's artwork reflects his on-going collaborations with Huichol Shamans in Mexico and themes of environment, immigration and cultural traditions. He has led workshops at universities and schools. LOZA's work is currently on exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum. His studio/gallery is located in Baltimore, Maryland.  Date: Saturday, October 13, 10 a.m.-Noon Location: Center Gallery

Save the Date: October 28 Meet UUCA's Accompaniers UUCA’s most recent Accompaniers in Guatemala--CLARA LINCOLN and CHRIS SHORNE --will be at church to meet everyone and share reflections of their experiences as Accompaniers. At a luncheon in the Center after second service, they will be joined by BRIDGET BREHEN, Director of our Human Rights partner NISGUA, and AMANDA KISTLER, NISGUA Board Chair, both of whom are former Accompaniers themselves. Don’t miss this important celebration of this vibrant UUCA human rights partnership. Date: Sunday, October 28, 12:30 p.m. Location: Center Gallery

Music Ministry

Chalice Choir & TrUUbadours Rehearsals Chalice Choir (K-4th grades) will rehearse this Sunday, October 7, 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel. TrUUbadours (5th-8th grades) will rehearse this Sunday, October 7, 12:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Sanctuary Singers UUCA's adult choir, Sanctuary Singers, holds rehearsals each Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. Bell Choirs Bellissimo (3rd grade-Adult) Beginning Bells. Rehearses Sundays 10:30 to 11:05 a.m. in Music Room. Crescendo, intermediate ensemble, Rehearses Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Music Room. Polymnia, advanced, Rehearses Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Music Room. Music pamphlet with more details here. More information on children and youth music programming here.

Congregational Life

Sexual Assault and Pastoral Care Many are feeling triggered by events and conversations around sexual assault and sexual misconduct--women and men, trans people, survivors and others. UUCA is exploring how best to offer pastoral care, support, and other resources. If you think you might benefit from such care, please email uucapastoralcare@gmail.com or leave a confidential message at the Pastoral Care Google line, 571-348-2322.

Divine Reading Meets Every Other Thursday The Young Adult Divine Reading Group meets every other Thursday from 7-9 p.m. O n October 4, we will discuss the last chapters of Kindred by Octavia Butler. By November 1, we will begin studying short stories for several sessions, no prior reading required! This Young Adult group treats secular texts as sacred, trusting that by delving into the text, we will find wisdom and truth. Based on the structure of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, but with different books. Past books have included A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and A Wrinkle in Time. Date: Thursday, October 4, 7-9 p.m. Location: Youth Room Young Adult Sunday Brunch This Sunday Come join other young adults (18-40) for food and conversation! After second service downstairs, every other Sunday we come together to hang out with friends old and new and break bread together. It's a casual gathering and a good opportunity to ask any questions you have about the church or the YA program. Contact Julia Peterson, jpeterson@uucava.org for more info. Date: Sunday, October 7, 12:45- 3 p.m. Location: Youth Room

First Sunday Humanist Hour The First Sunday Humanist Hour will explore the Unitarian concept of principles: "Why Principles and Not Creeds?" Are we Unitarians afraid to say that we believe in something? Is there a special humanist response to this? The Quotation Project will also be highlighted: please come with a good quote to share--and an explanation of why you like it. If there is time, we will play part of a debate between an atheist humanist and a Christian humanist, talking about why we humanists value dignity so highly. Date: Sunday, October 7, 9:15 a.m. Location: Chapel HUUmanist Discussion Are we headed toward man-made extinction? The HUUmanist group invites you to join them to view portions of the film  Racing Extinction , an Academy Award-winning documentary by filmmaker Louis Psihoyos. The film follows undercover activists trying to stave off a man-made mass extinction. It implicates overpopulation, globalization, and animal agriculture as leading causes of extinction. All are welcome. For further information, contact Jere Cummins, jeroldcummins@gmail.com .  Date: Tuesday, October 9, 7:30 p.m. Location: Board Room

Podcast Chat Every other Saturday, Young Adults gather to discuss the chosen podcast of the week. Listen to the podcast before the chat, and then come and talk about it with fellow YAs. Topics vary widely and we are always seeking suggestions. Past topics include: masculinity, how to talk to people we disagree with, meditation, and how to communicate through change. Watch this space and the UUCA Young Adult Facebook group page for the podcast link. Date: Saturday, October 13, 7:30- 9 p.m. Location: Chapel Next BPQ is October 16 At Beer, Pizza, and Questions About the Universe (BPQ) young adults gather to discuss a topic engaging our morals, ethics, and intellect. Past topics have included criminal justice, productivity, and freewill. Pizza provided, BYOB. (No pressure to imbibe.) We gather the third Tuesday of each month, this month, October 16. Next month it will take place November 13 due to Thanksgiving week. Date: Tuesday, October 16, 7- 9 p.m. Location: Fellowship Hall

UUCA Happy Hour and Community-wide Celebration of National LGBTQ Coming Out Day Equality UUCA, the LGBTQ+Ally group at UUCA, hosts the October Happy Hour in celebration of the 30th annual National Coming Out Day! National Coming Out Day is actually on October 11, so we'll be getting an early start in celebrating all who have come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) or as an ally, and as we celebrate UUCA's 26th year as a Welcoming Congregation. Bring an appetizer or your favorite beverage to share. Contact uuca.equality@gmail.com .  Date: Wednesday, October 10, 6-7:30 p.m. Location: Center Gallery First UUCA Casino Night+ Bet on UUCA! Support our liberal religious community at our Casino night on November 3. Each ticket gets you $10,000 of funny money. You can win and purchase additional money throughout the night which you can apply to raffles and our mini silent and live auction of dinners and vacations. It's all about gambling for good! Tickets will be on sale in person in October and are available now online here .

Sunday Connect and Serve Opportunities for UUCA Groups UUCA Social Justice, Covenant, Music and Arts, and Affinity Groups are invited to participate in a new initiative to connect with and serve the UUCA community via providing Sunday morning after-service snacks. Benefit to the serving groups is publicity for the group’s mission and programming while providing finger-food snacks for congregants during coffee hour after each service. Donations collected will reimburse a group’s expenses, with any additional collected benefitting the church. For detailed information, including available dates, contact Mollie Jewell molliejewell2@gmail.com or Sarah Munson, sarahmun38@gmail.com. Men's Book Group The October read for the Men's Book Group is a non-fiction selection,  Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-year Friendship On and Off the Court , by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Former NBA star and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores his 50-year friendship with Coach John Wooden. It is available in paperback and in local libraries. If there are any questions about the group, please email Jere Cummins, jeroldcummins@gmail.com or call him at 703-892-5269.     Date: Sunday, October 14, 7:30 p.m. Location: Chapel

Day Alliance Speaker Series Debates on a U.S. Space Force Speaker: Shaida Johnston Is the idea of a Space Force just the latest proposal to claim space as the high ground or does the U.S. need a Space Force to focus its activities? Come hear the latest about the new players in the space domain, including the National Space Council, commercial space companies, and various national space agencies, along with their perspectives on how to operate in space. Dr. Shaida Johnston will present the nuanced debates about whether space is still a benign environment or whether new threats require additional attention and capabilities to protect the space assets on which we have become dependent as a society. Dr. Johnston is a long time UUCA member and holds degrees in physics and aerospace engineering, from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Space Policy from the George Washington University. A senior engineer at The Aerospace Corporation, she provides space engineering and policy expertise to civil space customers.  Date: Tuesday, October 9, 10:30 a.m. Coffee & Fellowship; 11 a.m. Speaker; 12 p.m. Catered Luncheon. Location: Center Gallery

Floral Design w/ Hillwood Museum Arranger This Saturday UUCA's Flower Ministry Team is hosting a Hillwood Museum arranger who will conduct a class on how to transform simple grocery store flowers into beautiful arrangements. This is a free class and open to all. Parent/child (at least 10 years old) groups are welcome. Participants must bring their own grocery store or garden flowers and shears. Registration is limited to 12 people and required. For more details and to register, email Jennifer Wright at JenniferRohlingWright@gmail.com. Date: Saturday, October 6, 10 a.m. - Noon Location: Room 13/15

Upcoming Better Angels Workshop on Bridging the Political Divide: October 27 We had a great turnout at the Skills Workshop this past Saturday: more than thirty people from UUCA and the surrounding community came together to talk and think about how we can start building bridges across the ever-widening political divide in this country. If you missed last weekend's workshop, there is another opportunity on October 27. UUCA will host an intensive daylong Red/Blue Workshop designed to build relationships and seek common ground among people with different political beliefs. Limited spaces are still available for both participants and observers in the workshop. For more information or to sign up, please click here. visit . Questions? Contact Sarah Yue, alanandsarah@gmail.com. Date: Saturday, October 27, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Activity Room Circle Dinners "Circle dinners changed my life." -Joan P. Would you like to get to know people better in our congregation? A great way is to join one of our 2018-2019 Circle Dinner groups. Sign up on Sunday in Fellowship Hall. Mistletoe Mall Craft Fair The Mistletoe Mall Craft Fair is back at UUCA on Dec. 1-2. Please plan to do your holiday shopping at the Fair. We’ll have jewelry, pottery, glass work, fabric, bags, international gift items, books, wreaths, knits for babies, and much more. Artists pay to have space as well as paying a percentage of sales to UUCA, so when you shop at the Fair, you support UUCA! We still have a few spaces available for artisans. If you are interested, or you know an artist or original works, please contact Mary Pike , marylpva@gmail.com

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 ‌ ‌