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Sunday, December 9
at 9 and 11 a.m.
Worship Leader:
Rev. Susan Milnor, Interim Senior Minister
Worship Associate:
Judy Brook
"The Point of God"
Traditional understandings of the divine often leave us unmoved and spiritually wanting. Can we hold a sense of divinity that makes room for Mystery and acknowledges the sacred while allowing us room to breathe and think? Why do some people, even among Unitarian Universalists, need "God talk" while others don't? Let's consider "the point of God" - a sermon title that might not mean what you think.
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Need Spiritual Support?
If you think you may need spiritual support for anything that touches a tender spot in your spirit, please call our
Spiritual Support Line
at (
802) 870-0447
.
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Visit the publication
archives on our website!
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Join Us for Worship This Sunday!
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Sunday, December 2 at 9 and 11 a.m.
Worship Leader:
Rev. Susan Milnor, Interim Senior Minister
Worship Associate: Rodney Lowe
"Imperfect and Beloved"
During a time of transition, people often realize how they would like their religious community to do better. But it is also a time when the particular spirit of a community emerges and strengthens its people. There is grace in realizing, as Laila Ibrahim writes, that our "messy and imperfect beloved community" presents a clear choice for us as spiritual people. Reflections after four months from your Interim Senior Minister.
Our first Transition Workshop will take place after the service at 12:30 p.m. The same session will also be offered on Tuesday, December 4 at 6 p.m. Facilitated by Rev. Susan Milnor, the Transition Team, and FUUSB Board members.
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| Socially Responsible Santa - This Sunday! |
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 Christina Fulton, Director of Operations and Finance
This year, on
Sunday, December 2nd, Socially Responsible Santa will visit our Society for the 32nd year. Our special program gives cash gifts to people/families in need during the holidays so that they may purchase their own holiday gifts and experience the joy that comes along with giving during the holiday season. Unfortunately Maggi Hayes, our head elf, will not be able to be with us this year but several other elves are stepping up to handle the collections at both services. Once the collection is done, Maggi will help us find the recipients and deliveries will be made with the same wonderful spirit that our congregation has always shown. We'll all miss having our Head Elf, Maggi, here this year, but we will hold her in our hearts and do her proud by making sure we can support many people/families this holiday season.
If you know of someone who might benefit from the Socially Responsible Santa program, please be in contact with Assistant Elf Christina at
[email protected]. Gifts to the Socially Responsible Santa Program can be made by cash or check (checks written to FUUSB with SRS in the memo line). We will be accepting gifts through December 10th. Please come prepared to be generous!
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| Holiday Bazaar This Saturday! |
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The 86th Holiday Bazaar is this Saturday, December 1. There are still lots of ways to get involved!
First, drop off any "attic treasures," toys, and/or silent auction items
today, Thursday, November 29 or
Friday, November 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Second, there are still volunteer slots to help on December 1. Email Kim Watkin at
[email protected]
and she will find you a spot to help.
Third, come and shop for the holidays and support the FUUSB! And finally, don't forget about the delicious luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.!
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| Potluck and Coffeehouse |
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 Todd Schlossberg
Join Us for Good Food, Friendship and Music at the
December 8 FUUSB Potluck and Coffeehouse
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
So you deserve a night full
Of good food, friends, and music
(really, now, who couldn't use that?)
Good news - there's barely a wait:
On Saturday evening, December 8
Let's gather together, to eat and to sing
At our monthly UU coffeehouse thing
We start with a potluck, right about six
You don't have to hassle, don't get in a fix
Bring a hot entrée, a salad or stew
If you can, something yummy, to nourish a few
Sign up, if you're psyched, for the open mic
Or sit back and listen, if that's what you'd like
Share a poem, a story, a solo, or song
Tap your feet, clap your hands, or perhaps hum along
All ages are welcome, all talents are relished
It's a pretty sweet scene, don't think I embellish
There's really not much, that you must do
Just one thing's important, and that's to bring you!
What
: Our Monthly FUUSB Potluck and Coffeehouse
Who
: Everyone! Friends and family
welcome
Where
: The Parlors, First UU Society of Burlington
When
: Saturday, December 8, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Bring
: A potluck dish, a song, story or poem to perform, yourself
Questions?
Email Todd Schlossberg:
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| Disaster Relief Collection |
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Christina Fulton, Director of Operations and Finance
On
Sunday, December 9, half of our Loose Plate collection will be given to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund. Your donation to this fund will allow the UUA to respond flexibly to current disaster needs, like the California fires, and to new situations as they arise.
We know that long after the initial clean-up, real recovery can take months or years. The UUA stands with its congregations and is ready to provide assistance to help congregations in repairing any damage, and to support them in responding to the needs of their members and their community's efforts to get back on its feet.
The Disaster Relief Fund disburses grants to UU congregations and affiliated UU entities. Disaster relief grantees have reported feeling held in care and more connected to other UU congregations and to the UUA as a whole. So please come prepared to be generous. Donations may also be made anytime by going to their website:
https://giving.uua.org/disaster-aid.
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| Service of Loss and Remembrance |
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We will be gathering for a special Service of Loss and Remembrance on Wednesday, December 12 at 5:30 p.m. to remember FUUSB members, personal friends or family whom we have recently lost.
This service for all ages will be led by Rev. Andre Mol, Developmental Assistant Minister for Pastoral Care and Membership, and will be supported by the Care Network and Pastoral Care Associate teams. We will create an altar of remembrance to which you are invited to bring a photo or memento of anyone you wish to honor.
Following this brief service, we will gather for refreshments. Please join us and share this news with others.
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| End of Year Giving |
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 Christina Fulton, Director of Operations and Finance
It's hard to believe, but 2018 is coming to a close. December is the time of year that many of you choose to pay your pledge and/or make your charitable contributions for the year. Here are a few things to think about:
- Getting caught up - It's never too late to get caught up on pledging. Did you forget to pay off your 2017/2018 pledge? Did you forget to set up automatic pledge payments on your credit card? Now's the perfect time!
- Donating Stock - Did you know that you can pay your pledge using securities? The instructions can be found on our website: http://uusociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/stock-gifts.pdf
- Not sure what you owe on your pledge? Sign up for Access ACS where you can check your pledge status at any time (not to mention have access to a membership directory!). Instructions on how to sign up can be found on our website: http://uusociety.org/members/access-acs-members-stay-connected/
- Do you have a little extra to give this December? During December we will be collecting for Socially Responsibly Santa, UUA Disaster Relief - California Fires, and Black Lives UU (where your gift will receive a double match!).
Thank you for your generosity!
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| Message from the Board of Trustees |
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Our stately UU meeting house graces the top of Church Street, and is a powerful presence in Burlington, a tangible reminder of how important gathering and spirituality has been, at least for the last 202 years.
This year, the Board of Trustees will create an engaging opportunity for the greater community to participate in the support of this shared experience, even if it is only a misty memory for some folks gazing up at the steeple. We need several dedicated individuals to help the Board initiate and carry through our idea. Essentially, our congregation will fund a significant experience for a randomly selected person, through a traditional raffle model. We hope to fund an experience that falls within our shared UU values, and showcases our local culture. Ideas include a date on Burlington's Champlain Valley dinner train, a weekend in the Berkshires at Tourists Hotel, or perhaps another local getaway.
If you have expertise running this kind of fundraiser, we hope you will be willing to share it with us. Please contact Todd Clason at
[email protected]
or Dan House at
[email protected].
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| Friday Evening Book Group |
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For our David Brooks' The Road to Character book group, no one could make it on the snowy Friday evening. We will reschedule the discussion for a date and time that is good for everyone who would like to discuss the book.
Please email Millie at
[email protected]
if you want to join the discussion and then we'll work out an optimal time. Depending on everyone's holiday schedules, we might push the discussion out to January. So if you would like to read the book but haven't started, you could still join us. This is a very interesting book with a lot of ideas along the lines of our UU values, so we hope you can join us!
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| Inclement Weather/Emergency Cancellation Protocol |
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 Christina Fulton, Director of Operations and Finance
It is the time of year when weather and health emergencies often occur. We strongly encourage members and friends of FUUSB to think carefully before venturing out in such an emergency. If you are ill, please stay home and take care of yourself. If you believe that the roads are unsafe, please stay home. Your safety is the most important thing. If Sunday worship services need to be cancelled for any reason, the staff will implement their Procedure for Emergency Cancellation of Services. This procedure, in short, is as follows:
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The Senior Minister and/or the Director of Operations will make the final decision to cancel.
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Once the decision has been made, the Director of Operations will contact all other staff members to notify them of the decision.
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The Director of Operations will insure that the Society voicemail message is changed to reflect the cancellation, the congregation is sent an email informing them of the cancellation, notices will be posted on the Facebook page, Facebook group and website, and a notice will be sent to WCAX.
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Every attempt will be made to put a sign on the door of the Meeting House.
In the case of a meeting or event cancellation at a time other than Sunday morning worship:
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If you are responsible for cancelling a meeting or event, please notify the office as early as possible. We suggest cancelling no later than 3 p.m. for an evening meeting. Also attempt to contact all people who are scheduled to attend your meeting or event via phone or email.
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When notified of a cancellation, the Society will put a sign on the door notifying people of the cancellation, put a notice in the Facebook group and in the News section of our homepage.
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If the decision is made to close the Meeting House offices, we will contact all groups with events scheduled for that day. We will also put a notice in the Facebook group and in the News section of our homepage.
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| The Giving Season for JUMP Isn't Over! |
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 Ellen Wollensack
Thanks to our generous congregation, 78 bags of personal hygiene and household cleaning products were delivered to JUMP last week. The staff and volunteers at JUMP were ecstatic to see the volume of goods delivered by the dozen hearty souls from UU on a very frosty morning last week.
Those 78 bags were returned by the Thanksgiving service last week. We know that there are another 122 bags lurking out there that didn't get returned yet. If you are one of those people still "holding the bag," it's not too late for you to fill it! Here are a few suggestions for filling the bags this year:
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Decide how much you want to spend on a bag, even if it means not buying everything on the list.
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You can (or not) use the benchmark figure of $26 which is what the food bags used to cost.
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Go to the Dollar Store to shop economically.
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Buy 1 or more $10 gift cards for City Market.
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Skip the bag and write a check for an amount you would like to donate instead and make checks payable to JUMP.
If you decide to get the gift cards or write a check, you may send or give those items to Mary in the office. The bagged items can be returned to the Sanctuary where our JUMP elves will find them and bring them over to JUMP.
Here
is a link for the shopping list.
JUMP really depends on the generosity of our large congregation. Please help us by providing goods that the clients cannot get elsewhere. Thank you!
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| Justice Across Borders |
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 Suzie McCoy
Guest at Your Table is the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's (UUSC) annual intergenerational program to raise support for and awareness about their work to advance human rights. The UUSC is a 77-year-old human rights organization that focuses on three core areas: Rights at Risk, Environmental Justice & Climate Action, and Economic Justice.
UUSC partners with over 75 grassroots organizations on the front lines of critical human rights issues. Most of its partners have small staff sizes, and many are just getting started - but all make a big difference. This year's theme - Justice Across Borders - celebrates the bravery, innovation, and reach of UUSC's grassroots partners.
UUSC depends upon the support of UU members and friends to continue its vital work around the world. Please participate in this year's Guest at Your Table campaign by making a tax-deductible contribution online at
uusc.org/givetoguest, or use an envelope available in the Parlors or Sanctuary. "Stories of Hope" brochures are also available.
Any amount is welcome, but a gift of $125 or more will be matched by the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock. Thank you!
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