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REGULAR WORSHIP SCHEDULE

9 AM: 

• Live Religious Education Service on Zoom

9:30 AM:

• Livestreamed and in-person service
• Nursery and Toddler Childcare
• Pre-K and Elementary Religious Education



11:15 AM:

• Livestreamed and in-person service
• Nursery and Toddler Childcare
• Pre-K, Elementary and Middle School Religious Education

Contact Marion Hirsch for Sunday evening High School Youth programming

ANNUAL PLEDGE DRIVE 2024-2025!

The Annual Pledge Drive begins on February 1! Generosity of your talent, time, treasure, and trust is how we support our church, each other, and the wider community. It is your pledges and donations that pay for our wonderful staff, support amazing programming, and keep the lights on and the doors open! It allows us to live our mission within and without our walls. Each Sunday in February, pledging information will be available online and after each service at the Board of Trustees table. The Day of Service will be our finale celebration on March 2! Please consider giving generously during the 2024-2025 Annual Pledge Drive. Questions? Contact Bonnie Crotty Nelson, Stewardship Chair

MISSION: POSSIBLE -DAY OF SERVICE 2024!

Mark your calendars for another great Community Church Day of Service - Saturday, March 2 (inclement weather back up date of Saturday, March 9)! Our church committees have put together several meaningful and engaging ways to serve our greater community together. And we hope you will join us as we have fun, food, fellowship, and contribute our time and efforts in service to others.

Check out the church website for the sign up information or come to the Sunday Socials after church services to see one of our Day of Service "spies" for more information!

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT! HELP US GROW THE ENDOWMENT FUND!

The Endowment Committee manages and works to expand the Endowment Fund. The committee uses the income generated by the fund to support the mission of the church both Within and Beyond These Walls by supporting programs and projects not included in the church’s annual operating budget. Approximately 3% of the principal can be awarded each year to support these special projects.

The Endowment Fund’s principal has grown from $100,000 in 2010 to about $300,000 today. At 3%, this means we can fund projects up to a total of $9,000 annually. If we can double the principal to $600,000, we could apply $18,000 each year to projects which further our mission.

Find out more about the Fund and how you can support it by visiting our website.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with any of the committee members: Charles Lee (Chair)

Jay Miller - Kari Andrade - Mary Ellen Adams - Peter Hendee - Glenn Davis (Board Liaison)

THANK YOU FROM THE IJI The Immigrant Justice Initiative (IJI) was overjoyed to receive almost $3,400 from the Christmas Eve offering. Your continued support of our work with asylum-seekers means so much. We appreciate everyone who translates, drives, fixes up bikes, helps our newcomers learn the bus system – your time and energy spreads the work among many hands and also helps our families feel welcomed by the entire community. Giving money helps in another concrete way: It lets us give families a cash allowance for groceries and daily needs, and it gives us a reserve for when we can't negotiate free or low-cost services. A great example: We were able to quickly hire a lawyer when Blanca's son Juan Carlos, 20, was being held at the border. Instead of deporting him, ICE put him on a plane and he was reunited with his family two days before Christmas. We feel sure that having a lawyer for his “credible fear” interview (to explain why he felt unsafe returning home) was a huge factor.

ECO MINISTRY FOR THE EARTH MONTHLY MEETING FEBRUARY 4, 2024, 1:15PM

Eco Ministry for the Earth will be finalizing our Day of Service activities. We also hope to do letter writing to the NC Utilities Commission to reverse its decision allowing Duke Energy to cut the credit for energy sent back to the grid, by consumers who have rooftop solar panels. Look for more specifics in our Announcement for February 4.

WANT TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH

(OR, JUST LEARN MORE)?

Join Rev. Thom & Rachel Rose to "Explore Membership"!

To become a Member of The Community Church, one must:

• Take a Class

(it's fun, easy, and worthwhile even for the retired UU ministers who've attended!)

• Sign the Membership Book
• Make a Pledge

21 FEB 2024, WED 7 – 8:30pm (Part 1)

AND 

28 FEB 2024, WED 7 – 8:30pm (Part 2)

 - OR - 

17 MAR 2024, SUN 2:30 – 5pm (Parts 1 & 2 combined) childcare provided with RSVP.



WANT TO JOIN US? The class provides an introduction to Unitarian Universalism and our congregation, the meaning of Membership, provides an opportunity for reflecting on our spiritual journeys, and gives folks a chance to meet others who are newer to The Community Church.... and Rev. Thom and I would love for YOU to join us.

CAN'T MAKE IT THIS TIME? Let Rachel Rose know, so she can let you know about upcoming opportunities.

If you have already taken the Exploring Membership class and feel ready to join,  you can sign the Membership Book in person with Rachel Rose on any Sunday morning, or with Rev. Thom by appointment.

SAVE THE DATE : APRIL 6, 2024

MARION HIRSCH'S SILVER JUBILEE

On April 6, 2024 at 5 PM we will celebrate Marion Hirsch's Silver Jubilee (25th Anniversary!) to recognize Marion's quarter-century of invaluable service to our congregation.

We will have a family-friendly event in the Sanctuary with readings, hymns, fun things for kids to do and more, followed by a shared meal in the Community Room.

Please let Rachel Rose know if you can help with:

• Decorating & other set-up
• Music (Glenn Mehrbach will lead us in hymns!)
• Livestreaming so those far away can join us in spirit
• Kid's activities (Kat Good will lead the fun!)
• The shared meal
• Clean-up
• Anything else!

Also, as you know, Marion is not one to grab the spotlight for herself - please direct all inquiries about the event to Rachel Rose. Marion plans to attend this event, but many of the elements of our celebration will be Marion-friendly surprises.

PLEASE SHARE WITH THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WOULD LIKE TO HELP! As Marion often says, "Many hands make light work!"

WOMEN CIRLCE TO MEET TO CREATE LIMERICKS

On Saturday, February 24, join hosts Jody Savage, Ruth Gibson, and Sindy Barker for a fun workshop on limerick writing. Whether your passion is nature, hobbies, vacations, or complaints about public officials (or past loves), you’ll discover it’s quick and fun to generate catchy rhymes. Take home worksheets to keep writing limericks for greeting cards, social media memes, and other succinct and catchy purposes We will meet in the Gathering Room from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Please RSVP to Sindy Barker by February 20.

TUESDAY FEB. 6, 2 pm MEET U*U WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD

The International Convocation of U*U Women is a global partnership of Unitarian* Universalists advancing women’s empowerment and equity for women and girls worldwide. Its members gather on Zoom twice a month on Tuesday afternoons (EST), for education, conversation, and networking. And every few years they gather in person for several days of workshops, speakers, music and celebration.

WomenCircle invites all women of the church to a video recording of a recent Tuesday gathering on the topic of Climate Change, and ask that you share your own concerns about this issue, particularly as it affects what is dear to your heart. Perhaps you would like to join the circle of UU Women around the world, in their Tuesday Zooms or the upcoming convocation in Romania this September. For more information contact Ruth Gibson.

MICHAEL STANO’S ART IN THE SANCTUARY

Michael Stano’s beautiful architectural and nature photography will be on display in the Sanctuary from January 6 to February 18. There will be an Art Reception in the Commons on February 3 from 1-3 PM.

OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 10 OUTING TO HEMLOCK BLUFFS NATURE PRESERVE

On February 10, Outdoor Connections will visit Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve at 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd in Cary. In this unique park, Eastern Hemlock trees grow on north-facing bluffs. It has well-maintained trails, the Stevens Nature Center, and bathrooms.

At 10 AM, we will meet in the courtyard outside of the nature center and hike the trails, which are easy to moderate with mulched surfaces, benches, and overlooks. The Chestnut Oak Loop Trail is 1.2 miles with an optional .9 mile Beech Tree Cove Trail with views of the West Bluffs and Hemlocks. The .8 mile Swift Creek Loop features the best views of Hemlock trees. It consists of 100 steps combined with level boardwalks and paths. There is an accessible overlook at the top of Swift Creek Loop with views of Hemlocks without descending the stairs. Total mileage is 2.9 miles, but people can choose to hike less and visit the Nature Center.

Bring your own lunch for a group picnic at Ritter Park on 301 Lochmere Drive West in Cary. Please RSVP to Deborah Day for additional details and to receive updates. If you are interested in carpooling (as a driver or a rider), let Deborah know in your RSVP; she will try to coordinate.

NONFICTION BOOK DISCUSSION FOR FEBRUARY

On Saturday, February 17 from 10:30 AM to 12 PM, the Nonfiction Readers will discuss Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America, by John McWhorter. Peter Aitken will lead our discussion, which will be held in the Living Room of the Jones Building. The book is a critique of a new set ideas about race that the author calls “Third Wave Antiracism,” represented by writers such as Ta-Nehisi Coates, Robin DiAngelo and Ibram Kendi. McWhorter, who is black, describes this as a religion whose adherents are sure they are right, are closed-minded to any opposing facts or logic, and who dismiss disbelievers as white-supremacist. He argues that such thinking has set back the cause of racial justice and is harmful to Black people. The book is especially provocative for UUs, since antiracism has become a guiding philosophy for the UUA and many congregations. New readers and drop-ins are welcome. Contact Ed Steffes to ask questions or to be placed on the group’s email list.