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Weekly Newsletter of the
First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
December 19, 2024
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This Week's
Worship Services
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Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 at 6pm
Winter Solstice
Rev. Joel Miller - No Zoom
Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024 at 10:15am
Christmas Pageant and Carol Sing
Devin Shmueli and Anne Watson Born
Join on Zoom: https://bit.ly/fuusn-worship-2024-2025
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Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024 at 7pm
Christmas Eve
Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner & Rev. Joel Miller
Join on Zoom: https://bit.ly/fuusn-worship-2024-2025
Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024 at 10pm
Christmas Eve
Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner & Rev. Joel Miller - No Zoom
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WE ESPECIALLY NEED MORE SHEEP AND SHEPHERDS!!! | |
Join the Christmas Pageant and Carol Sing This Sunday, Dec. 22
We invite anyone who would like to share tidings of great joy by participating in the Christmas Pageant and Carol Sing on Sunday, December 22nd at 10:15am. Please arrive at the service 15 - 30 minutes early to find a costume for the role you would like to play and put it on - or you can bring your own! This year rehearsal is not required and there is no need to sign up for non-speaking roles in advance. All volunteers will begin seated in their pew in the sanctuary and then head towards the stage manager when their role is called during the pageant. All ages are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun!
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Wear Your Sweater to Worship on Sunday, Dec. 22nd!
Come in your most lovely or ugliest Holiday Sweater this Sunday. We’ll take a congregation photo on the steps of the chancel of people in sweaters and costumed little ones after the pageant!
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Holiday Magic at FUUSN
Anne Watson Born
Now is the moment of magic,
when the whole, round earth turns again toward the sun,
and here's a blessing:
the days will be longer and brighter now,
even before the winter settles in to chill us.
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In this week before December 25, many of us are moving with a degree of frantic excess through our days. We shop, we bake, we carol, we decorate, etc., etc., caught on the hamster wheel of the holidays. It’s not all bad (we carol!), but it will be good to take time to slow down a bit, and to spend time in community. Here are some opportunities to be together at FUUSN:
The annual Solstice Service is Saturday, December 21, 6pm – “the fire is burning, the long night draws near. All who need comfort are welcome by here.” Come to call the directions, hear readings, sing joyfully, and light our solstice tree.
There will be more joyful singing on Sunday, December 22, 10:15am, as we experience the Christmas story told by children and adults in the Pageant. Costumes! Carols! Sheep! – and of course our annual raucous rendition of “Jingle Bells.”
On Christmas Eve night, we come together at two services. The 7pm service is a traditional Lessons & Carols service, with Linnea Bardarson and Deborah Selig leading the music, messages from the Revs, and a candle-lit singing of “Silent Night.” This service is preceded by a chime concert at 6:40pm.
At the 10pm service we will hear a variety of readings and music, and we will sing together again (including the beautiful hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter”). This service is a moment to be still, to enjoy some quiet, to breathe.
Now is the moment of magic,
and here's a blessing:
we already possess all the gifts we need;
we've already received our presents: ears to hear music, eyes to behold lights,
hands to build true peace on earth and to hold each other tight in love.
Victoria Safford
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Recognition of the Newborns - December 24, 2024 at 7pm
The Christmas Eve tradition of recognizing our newborns will continue this year - please send the names of newborns in your families to office@fusn.org by noon on Monday, December 23rd. The names will be read at the 7pm service on December 24.
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A Holiday Message from UUA President Sofia Betancourt
As is the UUA's annual holiday tradition, President Betancourt has recorded a video message with holiday greetings and good wishes for our congregations and communities. Please take a moment to view it.
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Reminder: FUUSN Office Will Be Closed December 25 - January 1
Please submit any items for the December 26th newsletter by Monday, December 23rd, and it wouldn't hurt to submit items for the January 2nd newsletter early as well. Happy Holidays!
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UU Common Read Comes to FUUSN
The Racial Justice Ministry is pleased to invite you to the first round of a new book discussion workshop based on Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg’s On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World, the UU “Common Read” for the 2023-2024 year. Learn more.
Interested? Many of you have already signed on at the Racial Justice table on Sundays. If you haven't yet and are interested in joining, please email Meg Holland, by Dec 2Oth.
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Bring In Your UUSC Guest at Your Table Boxes by Dec. 22
Our UUSC Guest at Your Table boxes will be collected this Sunday, December 22. This supports the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. UUSC advances human rights worldwide. They partner with communities displaced by climate change, work with communities affected by natural disasters and economic hardship, support the right to safety and justice to asylum seekers, defend access to water . This program takes place during the holiday season. Gifts of $150 or more are matched by the UU Congregation in Manhasset, NY. Website for online donations: http://donate.uusc.org/fuusn24 Donations payable to UUSC can be sent to: Guest at Your Table-UUSC, PO Box 808, Newark, NJ 07101-0808
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FUUSN Cares!
Do you need to have a meal delivered to your home or help getting to appointments; or can you help those who do?
Let us know by emailing contact-care-crew@fuusn.org.
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How to Use Realm Connect
REALM CONNECT is FUUSN’s secure online directory and giving portal. If you want to find someone's contact information or update your own, here's where you look. If you want to manage your annual pledge, Realm is where you do that. Learn more about how to use Realm Connect in this helpful guide. Questions? Contact realmhelp@fuusn.org.
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Take a break for your holiday preparations and enjoyment. Enjoy your holidays and rest up for next year! | |
Christmas Day/First Day of Chanukah Potluck
Rev. Debra and Rev. Joel are hosting a potluck lunch at 1 pm on December 25th for FUUSN members. Please sign up now, and we'll be back in touch about what's needed. Location to be determined based on size of group.
Please RSVP by Friday, December 20th. Unless at least 6 people are signed up by 5pm on Friday, the potluck will be cancelled.
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Thursday, December 19
3-5pm: Soul Matters, Alliance Room
7-8pm: Band Rehearsal, Sanctuary
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Friday, December 20
6-6:30pm: Zoom Vespers, online
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Saturday, December 21
6-7pm: Winter Solstice Service, Sanctuary and outside (no Zoom)
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Sunday, December 22
10:15-11:30am: Christmas Pageant and Carol Sing Service, Sanctuary
11:45am-1pm: Band Rehearsal, Sanctuary
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Tuesday, December 24
7-8:30pm: Christmas Eve Service, Sanctuary
10-11pm: Christmas Eve Service, Sanctuary (no Zoom)
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Wednesday, December 25
FUUSN Office Closed
1-3pm: Christmas/First Day of Chanukah Potluck, TBD
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Calling all FUUSN Instrumentalists - Come and Play on Sunday, December 22 at the Pageant Service!
Ukes, guitars, horns, flutes, whatever... We'll be playing Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, and more.
Email Anne Watson Born at music@fusn.org for details and charts.
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Holiday Greeters Needed
If you are around over the holidays, consider signing up to be a greeter or to staff the member services table.
Volunteer
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Social Action Speaker Lunch Volunteer: Jan 5, 2025
Help setup and clean up for the Social Action Speaker Lunch on January 5, 2025.
Sign up.
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Parents' Night Out, Jan. 10, 6-9pm
Member Services and the RE Committee have worked together to offer Parents FREE child care once/month for ages 6 mo. through 5th grade. (6th and 7th grades can be our helpers!)
Sign up here
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FUUSN Community Lunch on Jan. 12
On Sunday, Jan 12 immediately after the service (~11:30) we will offer all-you-can-eat soup (vegan and gluten free Portuguese kale soup and vegetarian cold cream of butternut squash soup), salad, bread, and fruit for the congregation for $5 each (kids under 12 are free). To make this happen we need volunteers! Please sign up to help.
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You Can Find All Volunteer Opportunities on our Website
Not sure how to sign up for something? Looking for ways to connect and contribute to our community? Just go to the Volunteer page on our website: https://fuusn.org/give/volunteer/
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Junior Youth Group New Year's Party
Jan. 4, 2025 at 6pm
On Saturday, January 4th, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, our Junior Youth Group (6th-8th Grade) will ring in the new year with new and old friends from First Parish in Waltham held at First Parish in Waltham. There will be a pizza dinner, build your own ice cream sundae bar, and games! Please RSVP to Devin if your youth would like to attend.
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Social Action Speaker Lunch: Providing Resources to Empower the Unhoused in MetroWest
January 5, 2025 at 12pm
Everyone is invited for our monthly free lunch after coffee hour in the Alliance Room. Chloe-Rose Crouch will speak about her work as manager of operations at the Community Day Center of Waltham. Many volunteers from FUUSN support the center’s programs with their time or warm clothing and other needed supplies. Kit Ryan and Jeannie Chaisson, both former nurses, go mostly every week to take blood pressure and provide other health services. Learn More. Please RSVP.
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The tally is in for the Holiday Fair, and it totals an astounding $31,251.76!!! Here's where that all came from (minus expenses for Square fees, pizza, etc.):
- BAKED GOODS/JAMS & JELLIES: $3487
- BOOKS: 907
- CRAFTS: 2897
- FAIR TRADE: 1028.30
- GIFTS: 3847
- JEWELRY: 8946.25
- QUILT: 924
- SILENT AUCTION: 7557
- TOYS: 1107
- WREATHS: 1474.24
Thanks again to the many, extraordinary volunteers, and especially to this year's Holiday Fair organizers: Barbara Schmitt, Kit Ryan, Sandy Jones, Ruth Comstock, and Laurel Farnsworth.
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The Plant-Based Eating Club sincerely thanks the bakers who made the yummy plant-based goodies at the Fair! And thank you to Julia Wolfe for adding it to the signup sheet. | | |
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Thanks to our FUUSN & Friends Carolers, who strolled and sang their way through Newton Centre last Sunday. This was one of our favorite stops, though sadly there were no gummies being handed out. | |
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Have a news item you want to share? Want to schedule a FUUSN Event? Please use our web forms! Note that any event using physical space at FUUSN must be approved by Agatha, and until you receive confirmation from her, that event will not be scheduled or added to our Events calendar.
Submissions for each newsletter must be sent in by the preceding Tuesday at 9am.
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FUUSN Contacts
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Jenise Aminoff, Communications and Technology Coordinator
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Anne Watson Born, Director of Music Ministry, (617) 286-2622
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Agatha Clancy, Office Administrator, (617) 286-4105 (9am-3pm or emergencies only)
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Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner, Co-minister, (617) 286-4668
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Rev. Joel Miller, Co-minister, (617) 286-4226
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Devin Shmueli, Director of Family and Community Ministries, (617) 286-6257
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Lay Minister On Call for December: Jud Leonard, 617-340-9299
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Care Crew contact, Sheila Ardery, 617-564-1769
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First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton www.fuusn.org | 617-527-3203 | | |
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![Book cover with a marbled background with a National Jewish Book Awards Winner logo in the upper right corner and the words, "On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World - Danya Ruttenberg - '[A] brilliant book.' - Rebecca Solnit"](https://files.constantcontact.com/7c1c952a901/b93dc28d-2190-4004-8ef4-aca8737db6eb.jpg?rdr=true)
