Celebrate the inherent musicality we humans share in the first "Zigzag Sunday" workshop to be led by Music Director, James Stewart. Come January 19, explore different types of music, dance, sing, move, and then collaboratively create a song from scratch, together, all in one fun-filled hour. This departure from our normal Faith Development classes is open to both adults and children and will begin immediately after the Reflection for All Ages, in the Community Room.

Sunday, January 19 after the service in the Parlors and Community Room - Please write one

 

Our legislative breakfast on Monday was a success. Our next step to help the 80,000 Vermonters who make less than $15/hour and all other low and middle income Vermonters is to send our legislators postcards asking them to raise the minimum wage. We, FUUSB and Raise the Wage Coalition members, will be in the Parlors with postcards and fact sheets for you to write your legislators. Direct contact with our own legislator is the most effective way for us constituents to let our representatives know what is important. Please help us act for justice. We can raise the wage with a veto-proof majority but only with your help. For more info contact Gene Bergman, FUUSB Economic Justice Task Force,  [email protected] , ( 802) 598-3602.

After Turkey invaded North-East Syria on October 9, Syrian Kurds who collaborated with the United States during the war against IS became targets of revenge. Janet Biehl's friend Hassan and his brother were among them-right away they fled for their lives to Iraqi Kurdistan, along with their families and thousands of other Syrian Kurds. Now Hassan and family are applying for asylum in France. The prospects are good, but they need help getting there. Could UUs step forward? Come listen to Janet tell their harrowing story on Sunday, January 19, at noon in the Susan B. Anthony Room.   

Sunday, January 19 , 

3 p.m.,   First UU Society

Keynote Speaker: Mayor Steven Reed

First African American mayor to be elected in Montgomery, Alabama

Featuring the local Congolese Choir and the New Alpha Missionary Baptist Church Choir.

Open to the public, tickets required. FREE tickets available at: Fletcher Free Library, City Market (Downtown & South End), Peace & Justice Center, and ECHO Leahy Center.  A small number of tickets will also be available to the congregation on Sunday morning at the FUUSB office.

More details at  gbmrc.org/mlk2020/  or call 

(802) 657-4219

Please  come enjoy  some hot soup and the warmth of community 

after  the  service on  January 26 .  4th-7th grade students, raising money for their heritage trip to Boston this spring, will be serving up vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous options. There will be something for everyone. Lunch will be served immediately after the service in the Community Room.

A 10-session group to explore how we're feeling about climate chaos/collapse. We will follow the curriculum developed by the Good Grief Network. If you're interested please contact Jane Dwinell,  [email protected]. Participants will decide when and how often to meet.

• When you are cooking for yourself and your family, consider making just a little extra for someone on the meal train. Pop it in the freezer if you can't deliver it right away.
• Don't have time to cook? Bring something already prepared from your local grocery store or takeout restaurant. 
• Sign up for multiple days, but save yourself some travel time and deliver more than one meal or snack at a time. For instance, take something fresh for today, something frozen for next week, and a GrubHub, DoorDash, or Delivery.com gift card for some other time. 
• If you take something in a container, and you want it back, please put your name on it (my trick is...stick a bandaid on the container and write my name on the bandaid in sharpie... bandaids stick even thru the dishwasher most of the time) and be clear with the meal recipient what containers you want back and what can be recycled.  
• At some point, even if it is after you have delivered the meal, update your meal train with whatever yumminess you shared. It helps others to see what meals have been taken, both to give them ideas and to make sure there is variety. Even something as delicious as broccoli cheese soup can get old.  

The UU 8th Grade Owl Program is hoping to find an outgoing pregnant person to speak to the class on  Sunday, February 2, coming in about 9:45 a.m. to meet the facilitators and answering questions for about a half hour.  The person would have to be comfortable with being vulnerable, a little silly, and honest even with intimate details. Some women have brought their partners along to answer questions with them. 

This is a great opportunity to help educate young learners about this stage of life. Please contact Erika Reif at  [email protected] or 802-862-5630, ext. 28.

We have need for more adult childcare providers to take an occasional/flexible shift in our nursery. This is a paid position and allows you engagement with families and precious time working alongside a youth provider and caring for infants and toddlers on Sundays and the occasional special event such as game night. Working in the Nursery is a great way to serve the community, connect with other families, and make a little money! Here's a  link to the job description .  If you think you would be a good fit, contact Margo Whitcomb, Faith Development Assistant, at  [email protected] .   

Theme Circles consist of about eight to ten members who meet with a facilitator at a specific time each month to discuss, reflect, and explore the monthly spiritual theme. Participation in a Theme Circle is a wonderful way to make new friends, connect with old friends, and foster meaningful connections in our large congregation. After receiving and studying the monthly edition of The Path , participants choose a question or two to incorporate into their daily lives and then ultimately share that experience (or other thoughts or inspirations) when the group meets. Be aware that when you join a Theme Circle, you should make every effort to attend all meetings, although members will certainly understand your absence when you are out of town.  

Sign-ups will extend online at this link through February 2. There will also be opportunities to sign up after the service before then. Each registrant will be asked to list first, second and third choice of group times. The sooner you sign up, the more likely you will get your first choice. You'll learn your Theme Circle Group assignments soon after.  If you have questions, email me at [email protected] .

We look forward to another fabulous season of Theme Circles!