First Unitarian Universalist RVA- January 17, 2020
We GROW in search of wisdom,
we CARE in support of community, we ACT in service of justice.
WELCOME
All are invited to join us for services!
In this newsletter:
  • Leadership Meeting details
  • Share the Plate info for January
  • This Sunday at First UU: January 19th
  • Sermon
  • Religious Education News
  • Chili Cook-off Announcement
  • This week's schedule link
  • Adult Formation Announcements
  • First UU Christian Fellowship
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • RISC Article
  • LGBTQIA+ Day of Action
  • Greene School Volunteer Training
  • Events to Plan For
  • Determined Exhibition in Richmond-- Tour Opportunity

Please note-- this index is NOT linked! That kind of ability is not possible for our email host.
Your "MONTHLY INFO DROP" contains: the theme, blog updates, monthly care team information, and bookkeeper news like share the plate.
New to UU? Check out some of our small groups at the button here!
The next First UU Leadership/ Facilitators Group Meeting is this Saturday, Jan. 18 from 9:00-11:00 am. If you cannot attend, please ask someone else from your group to attend for you. Also, please invite others, from the church, who you feel would be interested in attending.
SHARE THE PLATE – JANUARY 2020
The Migrant Quilt Project Exhibition
Sponsored by the First UU Quuilters

This month’s Share the Plate contributions will help the First UU Quuilters bring an important exhibition to Richmond that features the art of quilt making as well as an important humanitarian message.

In Arizona, a group of quilters have created a quilt each year since 2000 to memorialize migrants who died while crossing the 262-mile-Yuma Desert sector of the US-Mexico border. The Arizona quilters have incorporated found garments along with the names of those known to have perished, along with those whose names were not known. This project is a powerful statement of the human cost of restrictive immigration laws and practices.  

About 20 large quilts with related items and information make up the touring exhibition that the First UU Quuilters will bring to Richmond. We will host a free public presentation for six weeks in the fall, at the Black Iris Gallery downtown. While Black Iris is generously donating their space, we have expenses that include the exhibition fee, promotional printing, and shipping the quilts to the next display venue. We are especially interested in hosting the founder of the Migrant Quilt Project, Jody Ipsen, who will come to Richmond to talk about the evolution of the project. So mark your calendars for September 1 through October 10 for the exhibition  - More details, including volunteer opportunities, will be shared later. 

First UU Quuilters voted to designate some funds raised from last winter’s boutique sales to this project. Other donations are needed and welcome, and we are very grateful for the congregation’s generous support.
This Sunday at First UU: January 19th
Sunday Services at
9:00 am and 11:00 am

coffee hour
10:00 am-11:00 am
Sermon by Rev. Jeanne Pupke,
Senior Minister

"Ubuntu: Can Capitalism & Community Co-exist?"
Chili Cook Off and Corn Bread Competition! 
Sat., Jan. 25, 5-7 pm
Fun! Prizes! Games! Great Food!

Enter a crock pot of your favorite chili, a
pan of cornbread, OR just bring a side dish
to share and join the fun!

Sign up in the Lobby or contact  rhonda@richmonduu.org by Sunday, Jan. 19
Religious Education Classes

Please contact Rhonda Wingfield
The Nursery  is open during services to welcome those up to three and one half years old. They are engaged in gentle play, and a snack of Cheerios is offered. Please provide your child's snack, if you have allergy concerns. A listening room is adjacent to the Nursery for those who want to hear the worship service while tending to their child.

 Religious Education Classes Meet at 11:00

PreK-K: The Wonder of Rainbows!  Contact with and wonder about the natural world is a most important part of spiritual development in young children. Through stories, art activity, and self-directed play, children explore the experience of rainbows.

Gr. 1-2: Martin's Big Words : Students are exposed to the life and values of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through the importance of having dreams for ourselves and others.

Gr. 3-4: Martin Luther King Day : What values might Unitarian Universalists have in common with the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement?

Gr. 5-6: Love for Humankind:  Students will learn of and discuss the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Who were these people? Did their actions make any difference for our lives today?

Gr. 7-8 OWL: Our Whole Lives, Human Sexuality  class for currently registered members only. Topic: Sexuality, Social Media and the Internet. Hours: 11-12:30.

Gr. 9-12: Martin Luther King, Jr.: Walking the Talk of Nonviolence.  What were core values held by Martin Luther King, Jr.? What are yours? Did he have a connection to Unitarian Universalism? Class meets 11-12:30.
This Coming Week
In an effort to save room for announcements, special event details, and social justice/volunteer opportunities, we encourage you to view the online calendar at our website for this week's meetings schedule.

Adult Formation News
Next Meeting of UU Christian Fellowship:
Tuesday, January 21st at 5:30pm

The book that we would like for you to share is Jim Wallis’ book CHRIST IN CRISIS: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus. It can be obtained through Cokesbury, Barnes & Noble, and/or Amazon. Let’s begin our discussion on JAN 21 with chapters 1-4, which include the Neighbor ?, the Image ?, & the Truth ?. We will continue with chapters 5-7, with the Fear ?, the Caesar ?, & the Peacemaker ? for FEB 4 and wrap on FEB 18 with chapters 9- the Epilogue, which includes the Discipleship ?, Becoming Salt, Light & Hope, and The Light of the World. We will begin our Lenten series on March 4, with materials yet to be determined. We can anticipate our Holy Week Communion Service on the evening of Tuesday, APR 7, 6:30 pm. We will probably continue our Lenten study through Eastertide through MAY.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES &
SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK
RISC and Self Control
This author likes to connect the justice work of RISC to the monthly theme. In January the church theme is Self Control. A few months ago I wrote about how the month’s theme of Persistence related to RISC (once RISC chooses an issue we persist in getting a solution implemented). But Self Control? Really? So be patient and I will get us there.

At every RISC meeting we hear personal stories of how our citizens are affected by poverty and racism as it relates to the lack of affordable housing, evictions, gun violence, our kids not reading to grade level…. The list goes on. Hearing these stories is heart breaking. A story of a young girl’s eviction and her worry about where she will go to school next. A story about random gunfire that leaves one women crippled and her cousin dead. A story about a child’s challenges to read and a parent’s fear of them entering the school to prison pipeline.

When your heart is so overwhelmed with frustration and anger – what are our choices? How does Self Control play a role in what each of us does with this frustration, rage and anger? We can feel paralyzed to move forward – overwhelmed by the task of trying to fix these injustices, these traumas.

Or. We can control that rage and decide to use it be productive. And at our church there are many ways to productively use our Self Control: supporting the students and teachers at Greene School, protecting Abbie by being a sanctuary church, creating quilts to warm those in need, feeding and housing the homeless with CARITAS. And, of course, using the power of organized people across over 20 faith communities to impact the systemic causes of poverty as RISC does.

Self Control. RISC. Did I connect the dots? If you have comments, send me an email: stevesaltzberg@gmail.com.
Gay and transgender Virginians can still be fired, evicted, or denied service. Go to @EqualityVA's Day of Action on Feb. 4 for a chance to meet your legislators and tell them why VA should pass bills to protect the LGBT community.   https://www.equalityvirginia.org/dayofaction
Training for Volunteering at
Greene Elementary School!
Training is available (and required by Richmond City Schools) for any new volunteers at Greene Elementary School. If you are interested in being a Reading Buddy, a Math Buddy or a Mentor please select one of the following dates(you only need attend one of these sessions) and register at the link provided below.

Wednesday, January 22nd from 4-5PM
Thursday, January 30th from 11-12PM
Tuesday, February 4th from 2-3 PM
Thursday, February 13th from 10-11 AM

Information on how to register for the training is at this site, when you click on the highlighted "Select a Date".

Training is held at: Communities In Schools of Richmond, 2922 West Marshall Street, Suite 2, Richmond, VA 23230  
PLAN ON THIS! (and RSVP)
Determined is a highly acclaimed exhibit at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture that documents the 400 year struggle of Black people in Virginia for freedom, equal justice, and equal opportunities. A First UU member, Jeff Clark, is a docent at the Museum and has offered to lead a guided tour of the exhibit on January 25, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. The museum entrance fee is $10.00 and can be paid when you arrive. If you are interested, please contact Jeff Clark at  jlbclark@comcast.net  or at 804-740-9690. There are spaces for only 20 people so let Jeff know soon if you would like to join him for the tour.
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First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond | 804-355-0777
communications@richmonduu.org | www.richmonduu.org