• THIS SATURDAY, JAN 11, STORYTELLING AND DINNER WITH DONNA WASHINGTON  5:00-6:00 Dinner, 6:00-6:30 Storytelling with Donna WashingtonOur own beloved Donna Washington is a professional storyteller and amazing. This is an event especially for families though everyone is welcome. Early dinner and short, fun family program so little kids can get home for an early bedtime. Come and get to know other church families and have some fun. All ages welcome.RSVP for dinner here or email Marion Hirsch by Friday January 10 at 5 PM. 
  

• WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRY? For the month of January children (ages 3-13) in Religious Education have been studying INTEGRITY. This week we will focus on being true to you with face painting and a special visit from a gecko! There will be a Children's Family Dinner on Saturday night followed by Stories from Donna Washington. There will be Youth Family Dinner on Sunday night and Middle Schoolers are starting Neighboring Faiths in youth group. Eighth grade OWL also begins this weekend.   For more information about our Religious Education Program, please contact Marion Hirsch or Kat Good.

• WRITE HERE WRITE NOW (WHWN), a project to write personal letters to elected officials on social justice issues, will have a table during coffee hours on the first Sunday of most months, starting February 2. Please bring your extra stationery and envelopes to the Love Table on 1/12 and 1/19. We need volunteers to assist with setting up and staffing the tables.  CLICK HERE to volunteer, or contact Brenda Rogers. 

• SIDE WITH LOVE team is organizing carpools & bus transportation (thru CH-Carrboro NAACP) for Forward Together at the 14th annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKon J) on Feb 8, 2020 Moral March on Raleigh & the People's Assembly convened by NC NAACP. After the march, those interested can join UUs from across NC for a networking lunch & discussions of working together more effectively.  Volunteer drivers are needed. Stop by Side With Love table on 1/12 & 1/19 for more info about the event & sign-up. CLICK HERE for the NAACP bus sign-up. For more info, contact Joy Blevins or Ruth Gibson.

• WomenCircle members will meet for a Vision Board Collage Workshop on Saturday, 1/18 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Jones Building. Jody Savage and Steevie Parks will be leading us as we meditate about what we hope to accomplish and experience in the year ahead. We will close with a discussion of our creations. RSVP to Steevie Parks by January 13 so that materials can be purchased for the workshop. 

• BALANCE & ACCURACY IN JOURNALISM BAJ) JAN. 15, 7:30 PM SANCTUARY BAJ screens Winona LaDuke's U. of Montana talk:"Be the Ancestor Your Descendants Would Be Proud Of" in the Sanctuary. Leading indigenous voice Winona LaDuke offers exciting engagement in energy and climate options,reminding us that America was great when one could drink from all its rivers and lakes. BAJ was founded in 1991 when lies about Iraq became standard fare. Bring instances of responsible analyses and journalism on the Iran situation...we will open the meeting by sharing sources. For more info, call Jerry Markatos 919 542-2139 
  

• RARE WOMEN On January 16th (1:30-3:30 pm), Susan Blanchard's group will discuss "Dreams," "Memories," and "Legacy" from Joan Chittister's book, The Gift of Years. In February, all groups will begin sharing the Seasons of Our Lives. For more information about Rare Women (a discussion group for women interested in the myths, gifts, and challenges of aging) and its future meetings and topics, check out our webpage. Email us to get added to our mailing list. 

• WOMEN CIRCLE MAKE SOME TRUFFLES on February1, 2:00 pm at Nancy Mayer's (3441 Sheridan Drive, Durham, NC) You will learn how to make delicious truffles and take home a boxful to enjoy, and if you are really sweet, to share. Please make a reservation (email Nancy or call 919-491-9296) in advance, by January 19. The truffle mixture has to be made ahead of time and we want to be sure we have enough.

• ORANGE COUNTY BAIL FORM Right now, people are being held in Orange County jail because they can't afford bail. Even though they have not yet been convicted of a crime, they can stay in jail for months awaiting trial, separated from children, families, jobs, and medical care. At our 1/19/20 MLK Day service we will Share the Plate with the Orange County Bail Fund, which provides bail so that defendants can await trial at home. Please share a portion of your bounty this MLK Day so that more can be freed through bail. Email Catherine Grodensky for more information about the Bail Fund.

• TUNE IN JANUARY 19 FOR BUILDING PROJECT UPDATE! The Building Task Force is reviewing bid details and will present the results soon to the Board for approval so final contract negotiations can proceed. The results will be shared with the congregation on Sunday, January 19. There will be open meetings after each service for further discussion with Task Force leaders, who will also be available during subsequent Sundays' coffee hours. See the church website for more information on the Building Project.

• HELP THE COMMUNITY CHURCH LIVE OUT ITS MISSION -  FEED THE HUNGRY 1/21/20 WITH IFC Sign up HERE. Sign up once, or sign up every month to serve with The Inter-Faith Council for Social Services (IFC), of which The Community Church is a founding church. We need help preparing the meals and serving them - do one job or both! Questions? Text (919)428-4440.

• FALL AUCTION If you are eligible for AARP, you should be thinking about your future living options. Did you know that the typical wait time to move into a Triangle Continuous Care Retirement Community is 10 years? Come learn about the different types, some common terminology and acronyms, and some costs and floor plan options. Contact the Blanchards to sign up for S16 CCRC Primer for Those 50 and Older ($25) from 1-2:30 on Saturday, February 1st. 
  

• SOUTHEAST DISTRICT CHOIR FESTIVAL NEEDS HOSTS Our church is hosting the Southeast District Choir Festival on February 28th - March 1. Would you be willing to offer a bed for Friday and/or Saturday nights to other UUs who are participating in this year's festival? All meals will be at the church, so there is no need to feed your guests. For more information or to host, please email Ivy Brezina or call 415-663-8703

• SIDE WITH LOVE CONCERTS PRESENTS HOLLY NEAR!! Mark your calendars and buy your tickets today!! Highly acclaimed Holly Near will grace our sanctuary stage Friday, March 27, 7:30 p.m., sponsored by Side with Love Concerts! Holly will focus on getting out the vote! Musician Crys Matthews will open; Jan Martinelli and Tammy Hall will join Holly. Yummy desserts at intermission! For more about Holly, CLICK HERE. Click HERE for TICKETS!! To volunteer, CLICK HERE. This concert promises to be a sell-out; don't delay!!! Join us!

• TEST TEXT ALERT THIS COMING WEEK Midday Thursday, 1/16, We will test our text alert system by sending out a scheduled text. We want to make sure this system is operational. Thanks for your participation!

• 99 (!) PEOPLE HAVE OPTED IN FOR TEXT ALERTS IN CASE OF CHURCH DELAYS AND/OR CLOSURES Would you like to receive a text in case of weather-related or other church closures and/or delays, too?  If so, please fill out this form: we need to have your current cell phone number and carrier.

• OFFICE CLOSURES: The office will be closed 1/20 & 1/21/20.

• MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. DAY COMMEMORATION  Mon Jan 20th. 9am Rally at Peace & Justice Plaza (129 E. Franklin St, CH 27514) with Speaker Tai Huynh (UNC student activist & CH Town Council member) followed by march (.6 miles) to First Baptist Church (106 N. Roberson St, CH 27516) for a 10 am Coffee & Conversations. 11 am Community Interfaith Service with keynote speaker Gene Nichol. Members of the CC choir will participate in the service. Registration not required. For more info see below.  CLICK HERE or more info about event. Submitted by Joy Blevins

• NEIGHBORS ON CALL NoC is sponsoring a discussion, "Denied and Abridged: the Struggle for Voting Rights in NC," with Anna Richards, President CH-Carrboro NAACP & Irving Joyner, Professor of Law, NC Central University, to discuss voter suppression, its toll on our state & and the ongoing fight to make all voices heard. Event at CH Public Library on Thu Jan 23 from 6:30-8:00 pm. Event free but should RSVP HERE. Submitted by Joy Blevins

 

Please share the warmth of community or the fire of commitment of your Community Church group in action! Email your photo to Rachel Rose in the church office and COMPLETE THIS FORM. Photos will be featured on the church website homepage and/or the Weekly Announcements and Monthly Newsletter when possible and in the order received. Thanks for helping us live our mission!

• Art in the Sanctuary From January 3 through March 1 the art in the Sanctuary will be paintings by Raleigh artist Abie Harris. Harris' works are abstract visual representations of JS Bach's Goldberg Variations created in conjunction with live performances of the Raleigh-based classical string trio Quercus and the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra. Each work explores the intricate nature of the music pieces through dynamic use of color and geometric structure. Click here to contact Abie Harris.

• FRIENDLY REMINDER: COMMONS ETIQUETTE We are so fortunate to have so much going on in our church! However, please remember that the Commons is a place where folks who cannot join in Service (Those who need a comfy place to breastfeed! One with a persistent cough! Someone who needs a place to weep!) can still hear the Service. Please, keep quiet in the Commons during Services. Outside of Service times, it's a wonderful meeting space - please be aware that meetings may be in progress and use other doors, whenever possible. Thank you!

• LOST & FOUND The Lost & Found is in the Admin Lobby. Where's the Admin Lobby? The doors farthest to the right on the face of our church buildings - it's also accessible through the Community Room (where Coffee Hours take place). Please look for lost things  - that's where forlorn potluck dishes go, abandoned raincoats and neglected coffee mugs, as well. These bins are emptied seasonally, so give them gander and see if your "lost" has been "found"!

• REMINDER ABOUT WEEKDAY PARKING Thanks for participating in the life of our church! We love to see you here. If you come to church during the week, there are some guidelines. Please do not park in the big lot; the church rents those spaces M-F, 6am to 7pm. The income from these rentals is a significant part of our operating budget, and we want to treat these renters equitably. You are welcome to park in the lot near the office, or in the "pine lot" at the top of the driveway, or in the small lot in the back (with its own driveway). Questions? Please contact Rachel Rose.

• Help make Sunday mornings happen - Become a Greeter! Our church is busier than ever, and we need folks to help welcome people in to our church on Sunday morning and we have many Greeter spaces open over the next few weeks! Please take a moment to sign up to be a Greeter, and help new people see what our community is really like.  Please join us when you can for this simple, but important work.  Thanks so much - your help is appreciated!