Rev. David Ruffin with Mary Beth McNulty & Friends
A Solstice Celebration: “The Rebirth of the Sun”
Our annual multigenerational Solstice Service with our Solstice drama, “The Rebirth of the Sun,” is returning in person (and livestreamed) this Sunday with even more drama, music and song. We have a truly star-studded cast of kids, youth and older ones to lead us in celebrating the Sun’s return this year. As we prepare to begin our journey back toward the fullness of the Sun’s radiance, let’s honor and give thanks for the gifts (and challenges) of the dark and light, alike. And thanks, especially, that we are not alone in either. Gather together and welcome the Solstice!
Please join us – either in person in the Sanctuary, or online. Find the livestream link and order of service on the Livestreamed Sunday Worship page on our website, or visit our YouTube channel. While inside the Meeting House, masks are strongly encouraged.
After the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the downstairs Community Room!
Ice Lanterns for the Solstice Light Festival
Margo Whitcomb, Faith Development Assistant
Solstice Lanterns
Now is the time to get your lanterns ready for the Solstice Light Festival on the evening of Wednesday, December 21. Remember, it can take a few days to freeze them solid! We invite everyone to create an ice lantern or other luminaria (or two or three). We want your light to shine here! Larger cans are available in the Meeting House foyer to use as molds. Instructions areHere.
Drop-Off begins this Sunday, on the West side of the building near the Memorial Garden. We will see to it that they are safely stored. Thereafter (until the deadline, noon on Wednesday), drop off on the inside of the hedges at the Clarke Street Building (the white house). Look for the sign on the tree.
Solstice Light Festival
December 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
Come celebrate the longest night! Sip cider, sing songs, wander paths of light in the darkness - light we have created together!
5:30 - Lanterns lit!
5:40 - Light the Menorah for the 4th night of Chanukah with Rabbi Jan Salzman of Ruach haMaqom, against the south fence of the Memorial Garden.
6:10 - Solstice Sing with David Ruffin and the YUUth group, west lawn.
6:45 - Christmas Carols with James Stewart and the FUUSB Choir, front walkway.
Paths of light will extend throughout the grounds, allowing for quiet contemplation as well as festive gatherings. Throughout the event, hot drinks and treats will be available outside near the west door, and the Parlors will remain open for warming up and cozy chats.
Come for a shift as you are able - for however long you can. There will be a break before the evening's festivities with the lighting of candles at 5:15, followed by an official beginning at 5:30. Contact [email protected].
From the Ministerial Search Team
Tom Hyde
At our meeting Monday, we discussed how we could join with others in the Society to continue the work we started at the Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop. We can use the cases Rev. Kron gave us as practice to prepare us all to welcome a new minister next year.
We also started to plan how we will manage the huge amount of information we will receive from ministerial applicants in early January. Each team member will have to read each ministerial record on their own, then bring yes, no, and maybe assessments together efficiently. We have only three weeks in January to decide who to interview by phone or Zoom, then choose the three or four among them to interview in person. Intense but exciting.
FUUSB Christmas Eve Services
Saturday, December 24
4, 6, & 8 p.m.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
4 p.m. – All are welcome to this family-centered service in the Sanctuary, featuring a No-Rehearsal Nativity Pageant and candlelighting.
6 p.m. & 8 p.m. – Traditional Christmas Eve services for all ages, ending in candlelight. Come celebrate the beauty of Christmas through stories, scripture and music both traditional and new. Join us in the Sanctuary at 6 or 8 p.m.
The 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. services will also be livestreamed. The links will be shared on our website at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.
In the Sanctuary, worship leaders will be unmasked; masks will be required for the congregation.
Calling All Angels, Wise People, Emperors, Shepherds, Animals & More!
Margo Whitcomb, Faith Development Assistant
The famed “No-Rehearsal Christmas Pageant” returns to our glorious Sanctuary at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve. We are assigning some roles in advance... All ages are welcome and needed. Contact [email protected] to sign up for a role or to be part of the costume crew. Join us as we celebrate the sacredness and wonder of each night a child is born.
Christmas Eve Candlelighters
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
We are still in need of Candlelighters/Ushers for the 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. services on Christmas Eve.
Candlelighters/Ushers will hand out candles as people come into the Sanctuary, pass the baskets during the collection, and light the candles during Silent Night. Please find a full job description and sign up at: signup.com/go/vMPcrMi. Or contact Christina at [email protected] if you have any questions.
'Tis the Season for Giving
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
This is the time of year when many of you are considering your charitable contributions for the year. While many of you give regularly to FUUSB by fulfilling your annual pledge, there are also other ways to share your treasure through the Society.
Socially Responsible Santa - Gifts to this fund are distributed by amazing UU elves to members of our larger community in the form of cash gifts. This allows people the dignity of purchasing their own gifts for their families.
Discretionary Fund - Gifts to this fund help members of our congregation and greater Burlington community throughout the year with things such as utility bills, uncovered medical expenses, and other unexpected financial emergencies.
Share the Plate - Each month our Share the Plate collections are split between FUUSB and a local non-profit. In December our collections are going to our Socially Responsible Santa program.
Gift to FUUSB - One-time gifts can be made to FUUSB to help us fulfill our mission.
Angel Fund - We often have members who are unable to meet their pledge due to unforeseen circumstances. Since the pandemic, this is happening even more often. The Angel Fund helps to replace that lost pledge income.
Gifts can be made by sending a check to the Meeting House with the fund you'd like to give to written in the memo line, donation of stock (please let Christina know if you've donated stock to FUUSB), or a charitable distribution from your retirement account (please contact your tax advisor for more information about this option). You may also make a contribution to FUUSB by clicking on this link: Donate Now!
If you have any questions, please contact Christina Fulton at [email protected]. Thank you!
Christmas Breakfast for COTS
Lisa Lax
This Christmas morning, FUUSB will deliver breakfast and warm clothing items to folks at the COTS Day Station in Burlington. To support this effort, we need volunteers to donate breakfast foods and new warm clothing items.
This project differs from the weekly Sunday breakfast on the Meeting House grounds, which has a separate sign-up page. We are counting on the generosity for which our Society is known, to support both projects.
Why do we need two separate projects? The answer is simple: We received a request from COTS for this. Their clients appreciated the special Christmas breakfast that we delivered during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Also, the folks at COTS are not necessarily the same people who stop by for breakfast each Sunday.
Please consider helping with this special event! Some food items can be brought to the Meeting House on Christmas Eve. Foods requiring refrigeration can be delivered to the Meeting House on Christmas morning by 8:30 a.m. Warm clothing items (that are new) can be left at the Meeting House in the alcove whenever we are open. Volunteers will deliver the items to COTS at 9 a.m.
The online sign-up page for the COTS Christmas Breakfast and new warm clothing collection is at signup.com/go/oBNVSDk.
Inclement Weather
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
It's Vermont in the wintertime and that means it's time for snow, ice, slush, power failures, and so much more! If this lovely winter weather becomes extreme, the Society may choose to cancel Sunday Worship and other Sunday events, close the offices, or cancel meetings and events on other nights of the week.
If we decide to cancel, we will put a notice on our Website, on our Facebook Page, in our Facebook Group, and we will send out an email to the eNews mailing list. So in case of bad weather, these are the places to look for updates.
If you have a meeting or event scheduled on another day of the week and need to cancel, do your best to send a notice to those who are expected to attend and contact a staff member so that we can put a notice on the door and cancel any Caretaker staff that are scheduled to work. You can find the full Inclement Weather Protocol on our website. Remember to stay safe; don't travel on dangerous roads.
Are You Sick? Please, Stay Home.
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's to monitor our symptoms and stay home when we are sick. If you haven't been to the Meeting House lately, you may be surprised to know that we've had nearly 200 people in the building on Sundays. Our congregation is filled with people who are at varying risks of catching COVID and/or the flu. So we ask that you follow this advice from the CDC.
Remember, staying home doesn't mean you will miss the Worship Service; you can always watch the live-streamed service. And meetings can be held via Zoom, by scheduling a Zoom link with Mary. Thank you.
Memorial Wreaths & Greens
Sarah Forbes
A warm thank you to all who chose to remember and celebrate a loved one with a wreath or greens for our Sanctuary and Meeting House doors.
This year's Memorial Wreaths and Greens list can be found at this link.
FUUSB's Holiday Break
Please note that the Society offices will be closed from December 25-January 2, while the staff takes a long winter's nap!
There will be no eNews on December 29.
Best wishes for this holiday season and the new year!
Mary Williams, Society Administrator
We are seeking article submissions for the next Steeple newsletter! The deadline to submit articles is January 16, and the word limit is 400 words. If you would like to write about a FUUSB project or team for the upcoming issue, or have questions, please email [email protected]. For details on the Steeple, please visit uusociety.org/information/newsletters-publications. Thank you!
Upcoming Worship Services
Saturday, December 24
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
4 pm - Christmas Eve Service &No-Rehearsal Nativity Pageant