Website: uucw.org | Email: uucw@uucw.org | 262-782-3535

Worship with us in person at 13001 W. North Ave., Brookfield, WI 53005

or online at uucw.org/livestream

Rev. Julie Stoneberg

To choose to wonder is to choose to interrupt the expected. It requires vulnerability and a bit of courage to release our grip on the known. Yet in that process, wonder might provide the opening we need to transform our experience of the holidays.

Our theme for December is Wonder, apropos for the season, and throughout the month we’ll be considering our human capacity to gaze into…(fill in the blank).

Enjoy music by the Kaleidoscope Band!

What is our church’s mission?

And what would you like it to be?

Join the congregation, the Transition Team, and Rev Julie after service on Sunday, Dec 11 to discuss. Your comments and perspectives are needed!

Bring a lunch or a potluck item to share!

Get ready for this Sunday's

Monthly Rotation!

Cold Weather Gear is the theme for the next Rotation: Coats & jackets, boots, mittens & gloves, scarves; also outdoor equipment like snowshoes, sleds, and skis.

Drop off in the community room before service on Sunday, December 4th. You do not have to bring anything to take whatever you want after service. 

Liking and Commenting on

UUCW’s Social Media Content

No matter how you feel about social media, UU Church West uses both Facebook (and, to a lesser degree, Instagram) to get the word out about events and to connect with members and friends. Another goal is to increase our social media reach to attract new people who might be interested in our faith community.

The Holiday Giving Tree

Religious Education students are coordinating a Giving Tree to collect items appreciated by Running Rebels Youth. Check out the ornaments hanging on the tree in the east foyer. In exchange for each ornament taken, you are invited to return a wrapped gift suggested on the reverse side. All gifts received by Dec. 19 will be delivered to UUCW’s Split the Plate partner this month, Running Rebels, as chosen by UUCW youth. 

Recycle Your Non-working Holiday Lights Strings

Bring your broken light strings to church to be recycled!

Place lights in the labeled bin

in the east entrance foyer.

BLM2WUU is hosting a Virtual Panel Presentation on the book "My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies" by Resmaa Menakem.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, 10 am -12:30 pm

Panelists include:

• Sienna Lytle, Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity and Belonging for Hubspot
• Dr. Geof Swain, Founding Director of the Wisconsin Center for Health Equity
• Erica Turner, Co-founder of Bridge the Divide

It's Time for Holiday Decorating!

Friday, December 2

10 am - 12 pm

Help decorate the church foyer and Sanctuary for the upcoming holidays!

Guidance and decorating supplies will be provided. We’ll have holiday cookies and festive music!

Come and stay for as long as you are able. Contact Kelly Bognar, Publications Coordinator, if you have any questions.

Don't miss the next

Lunch with Rev. Julie

Friday, December 2 at 12 noon

Enjoy lunch and a time of open conversation with Rev. Julie and anyone else who shows up. Come prepared to participate…to both listen and share your thoughts about worship or anything about UU Church West that concerns or delights you.

There is no need to RSVP. Bring your lunch and favorite beverage. Contact Rev. Julie if you have questions.

Holiday Services

Holiday Music Service

“Surrounded in Wondrous Sound”

December 11, 10 am

EarthSpirit Winter Solstice Ritual

December 21, 7 pm

Christmas Eve Service

“The More We Wonder, the More We Love” - Dec. 24, 4 pm

“Christmas Morning” - Dec. 25, 10 am

New Year's Day - “Centering to Life”

January 1, 10 am

Did you miss the last orientation Class? Another set of Orientation sessions has been scheduled.

Newcomers and long-time visitors are invited to join Rev. Julie, Dave Cicero, and Membership team members for a

Two-part UU Orientation Class

Saturdays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4

9:30 am - 12 noon 

For more information, contact Anne Deahl or Larry Hawley Start your unique UU journey! 

Share Joys & Concerns

If you or someone you know needs Pastoral Care, contact Rev. Julie or the Lay Pastoral Care Team.

Enter your Joy or Concern with the link below and choose whether you'd like them shared in the e-news or shared privately with Rev. Julie.

Currently, there are NO ushers

signed up for this Sunday.

Ushers are a core element of our in-person worship. USHER SIGN UP

Join Julieann Gaetano and

Kathy Herrewig as greeters.

You can help make our church a welcoming place -- sign up to be a greeter. GREETER SIGN UP

Thank you, Mike and Eva McCrossin for making the coffee this Sunday!

You can bring joy to folks just by making and serving coffee! Sign up for the following Sunday! COFFEE SIGN UP

DID YOU KNOW? - We are still collecting plastic bags/film. You can drop them off in the containers in the foyer. These containers will be available for the next few months. Help us earn another bench.

UUCW Food Pantry

The Interchange Food Pantry (IFP) will receive non-perishable food items in December. IFP distributes food from three locations in Milwaukee. IFP serves about 45,000 guests of which 82% live in food desert areas. Children represent 47% of those served. It is the goal of IFP to provide guests with quality food items to maintain or improve their health. Especially needed are the following:

• peanut butter
• canned peached
• canned pears or other fruit
• fruit juice
• rice
• canned tuna or chicken

UUCW's Split the Plate Partner for December is

Running Rebels of Milwaukee

The Running Rebels Community Organization guides Milwaukee youth into adulthood through mentoring, positive programming, and community connection.

Sunday Religious Education

December schedule:

Dec. 4 – Nursery open; Elementary & MS RE meet after Children’s Recessional; YRUU not meeting

Dec. 11 – Nursery open; “Group RE” planned, but all are welcome to remain for entire Holiday Music service; YRUU party at 7pm

Dec. 18 – Nursery open; Elementary & MS RE meet; YRUU not meeting

Dec. 25 – Multi-generational Christmas breakfast social; No Nursery or RE

All are welcome to join the

Christian Spirituality for UUs

on Wednesday, December 7th at 7 pm at UUCW.

The topic of conversation will be Inventing Hell. Is there a Hell or was it invented to keep people in line? What is your personal take on this piece of religious tradition? On a more personal level, how does the belief or lack thereof in Hell influence your spiritual practice and prayer?

Join the Men’s Breakfast Group for a conversation on current events, philosophy, movies, vacation spots, seminal books, and more.

The Breakfast Group will meet on Tuesday, December 13 at 8 am at Panera Bread, 2095 N Calhoun Rd., Brookfield (second Tuesday of the month). The group also meets online on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 8 am. For more information, contact Jerry Kashmerick.

The Wisdom and Whimsy Group Welcomes You!

Bring your lunch and a beverage and join us for conversation and/or listening. We as a group will decide on future topics so you are involved in shaping the group. This is a group for 50-plus but if you are a bit younger and want to come, we welcome you.

The next meeting is December 14, 11:30 am – 1 pm, and continues every second Wednesday of each month. Contact co-facilitators Kathy Allison or Susan Foley with any questions.

CommUUnity Connections

provides a helping hand

or tangible support to members

of the church community

in times of need.

Nora Vrakas

is the CommUUnity Connections coordinator for December.

Online Yoga

Tuesdays at 10 am

Treat yourself, or gift a loved one, with a month (or more) of weekly mindful practice – from the comfort of home. All ages & abilities welcome. Chair yoga is accessible to most, and Rev. Monica demonstrates modifications to suit individual needs.

Beyond UU Church West

Click below for community events and resources from outside our church that align with our UU values and may be of interest to members and friends.

"The Letter U" was certainly the highlight of the UUCW Auction. Much appreciation goes to the German-Fisher Family for their unique tribute to the best letter of the alphabet. Click the image to play.

Invite your family and friends to this wondrous service! Like and share the event on Facebook.

Rev. Julie Stoneberg and Ruben Piirainen, Music Director

The holidays are a time for awe and wonder — and music has the power to spark them in us — setting our hearts and minds ablaze with joy! Traditional, contemporary, and unexpected holiday songs and awe-inspiring stories and reflections will lift your spirits this morning. Featuring brass music by Kristin and Henry Busse, harp music from Carolyn Wells, choral music from our Adult and Multigenerational Choirs, and piano music from Jess Hamel and Ruben Piirainen. Invite your friends for a marvelous experience of how Unitarian Universalists celebrate the season!