Service this Sunday- November 29, 2020 |
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Sunday, November 29th, 11am Zoom Service: "Growing Closer During Social Distance," with special guest, Ginger Doss! 2020 Has been a year unlike any other. But within its challenges are great teachings and opportunities. Even though we have had to social distance and isolate ourselves, we can still find comfort and strength through our connections. Nurturing our compassion for one another through mindful practice can build unseen bridges that span across any distance and can nourish us in a time when we might otherwise feel so alone. 2020 is a journey we have taken together, and we can heal together as well, no matter how far apart we are.
Meeting ID: 962 0957 4188
Call-in by phone:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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Sunday, 11/29, 10am - Adult RE 10am Discussion Group (via Zoom)!
Topic this Sunday: "The Benefits of Pets." Animals have long been recognized as essential to our development and well-being as humans. When faced with the challenges of job loss, health concerns and social isolation, during the current pandemic, pet owners are turning to their animal friends for far more than basic companionship and improved vitals. What is your experience either now, or in the past, with having a pet?
Meeting ID: 826 5484 5854
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Fran Levin is very much in need of our collective thoughts, prayers (if you are into that sort of thing), and healing vibes right now. She was hospitalized and is now in ICU, fighting COVID/pneumonia. Fran was a member of UUFF for many years before becoming active at UU Benton County. She joins us often for Sunday Service zooms, etc. Fran, we are sending love and healing vibes your way!
Joyce Mendenhall has relayed some good news! A recent PET scan showed major improvement in the tumors in her liver. Her chemo treatments will continue at least through the month of December, and she is being referred to a Dr. at UAMS in Little Rock for possible surgery. Please keep Joyce in your thoughts and hearts. We are so thankful and hopeful with this news!
Jack and Jan Groh need our love and support. Jan was recently hospitalized due to a low oxygen event and is now at home recovering. Jan has heart issues, and will be doing more tests to see what can be done. She tires quickly but would appreciate short calls and wouldn't mind some shared soup or meal help now and again. Jan reports that Jack has gained some strength and clarity but is still limited in mobility. Cards and letters are appreciated: 330 E. Fairway Lane / Fayetteville, AR / 72701.
Please keep Sue and Dean Coppernoll in your hearts, and check in on Sue now and then if you can. Notes and cards are appreciated: 3232 W. Shale / Fayetteville, AR / 72704.
Sophia Arnold and her roommate are looking for a safer housing rental opportunity. If anyone has any contacts or knows of anything, please let the office know.
Bettina Lehovec says hello to everyone and that she misses us but is doing well in Maine.
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UUFF Announcements, Events, and Opportunities |
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Below is an important letter from UUFF's Board President, Leanda Gavin. If the you have trouble reading it in email format or want to print it out, you can CLICK HERE to view the letter as a pdf.
"Dear UUFF Members and Friends,
We are now nearly nine months into a world most of could never have imagined this time last year. Heading into this holiday season, a joyous and festive time of year for many faith traditions, our celebrations this time around may be, for some, agonizingly intertwined with grief, loss, and isolation.
It is a strange reality, and some days, well, are just heart-breaking. Many of us have had to make very difficult decisions this year, for the safety of ourselves and of others. It may make for some unusually diminutive gatherings – adding a somber note to Hanukkah, Yule, Christmas, or Kwanzaa celebrations. On this eve of Thanksgiving, though the dinner at my own home will be very small and less holiday-like than normal, I still feel a rush of gratitude to be a part of this UU community.
However weird our lives in general are at the moment, it is especially challenging to know exactly how to “do church” in a time when we need to do just the opposite of what a church or fellowship generally does: fellowshipping and congregating in-person. We have had to make adjustments and evolve in ways we weren’t quite ready for. There have been some challenges, and we are still learning all the time.
On the other end of that spectrum, there have been some truly lovely moments. Many of the services that our staff and Chalice Team have been able to put together have been mind-blowing, moving, beautiful encounters of togetherness. Of community. We may function a little differently these days, but we are still a community. Though the ebb and flow of our collective structure may adapt to accommodate our circumstances, we are still a community that holds space for the same 7 principles: the worth and dignity of all, the reflection of justice, equity, and compassion in our relationships, the right to trek our own spiritual journeys, to seek meaning and truth in these, to continue upholding the democratic process, to strive for peace and liberty for all, and to maintain a healthy reverence for the interdependent web that links and sustains us all.
While we are still meeting virtually, it is especially important to build up our small groups that make up the Fellowship as a whole. Our amazing member volunteers and staff are working constantly to provide online classes, discussion & meditation groups, etc. to help offer sustenance and companionship through the time of physical isolation. If you have an idea for a small group…one you would like to lead or just see happen, PLEASE let us know!
If you haven’t joined us online because of technical difficulties or because you are not experienced with this type of thing, please reach out to Rev. Jim, Fawn, or myself to see if we can help you set it up or walk you through it by phone. It can feel a bit daunting, but please reach out if you’d like to try it out. We would be glad to help.
In addition to the holiday season, these final two months of the year are traditionally “pledge drive time” at UUFF. This year, we would especially like to prioritize our talented and diligent staff for their determination to sustain our community. They have provided us with a sense of continuity that is difficult to master in our current circumstances. I am continuously in awe of their accomplishments and so, so very grateful.
Another upcoming priority for the new year is the necessary maintenance that comes along with our beloved but aging buildings. Gatherings within the facilities may be on hold for now, but we will need safe and comfortable accommodations to return to when we meet again in person.
Thank you to all who have already returned pledge forms to the office. We are working on the 2021 budget to be voted on in the December 13th Congregational Member Meeting, so if you have not yet turned in your pledge form, please do so at your earliest convenience. If you have questions about the pledge drive, contact Joe Euculano (joe.euculano@mac.com) or Ines Polonius (work4justice2@yahoo.com). If you need a pledge form, let Fawn know at uuff.ar@gmail.com or print one off using the link provided in your weekly email. If you prefer to pledge online, we have a place for that as well!
I am so happy to be in community with you all. If your Thanksgiving plans have been upended this year and you’d like some company, please join us this Thursday at 11:00am for a virtual UU Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving (or Happy regular Thursday, whichever you prefer to observe) everyone!
Leanda Gavin, UUFF Board President"
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From Renée Janski, UUFF Music Director:
"The music department is going to do a new recording project - "Spirit of Life!" This will be for use in service as well as for our sick or home bound members and friends.
The choir and I hope that we can have more participants than just those of us in the choir. Actually, we want as many members and friends to do this with us as are willing! Will you lend your voice? Pretty please?
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SAVE-THE-DATE: A Congregational Meeting for UUFF Members will be held directly after service (via zoom) on Sunday, December 13th, 2020. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend, as we will be voting on important matters and must have a quorum of members present in order for the voting to take place. Members will be sent an email with more information and supporting documents on Friday (two weeks before meeting, per policy), so please keep an eye out for that. Thanks!
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Many of us are saddened by the fact that we can't get together at UUFF this Thanksgiving for our usual holiday potluck meal. I know I am!
Rev. Jim and I would like to invite everyone to jump into a zoom meeting between 11am and NOON on November 26th to just say hi and/or show us what craziness is happening in your household this holiday season! A baking show-and-tell, perhaps?
All are encouraged to pop on for a bit of visiting. CLICK HERE to join the Holiday Greeting and Show-n-Tell zoom between 11am-NOON on Thursday, November 26th.
We'd love to see you!
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Youth RE (11+) is excited to continue with our new Soul Matters curriculum called "Crossing Paths!"
Youth RE zoom classes are scheduled for every other Wednesday, beginning at 6:30pm, with the next being TODAY, November 25th.
In recognition that some of you may have holiday plans for which you must prepare, we will change up our regular format for this week. We are currently in between units, so instead of starting a new one when it's possible that a lot of folks have plans, we will meet today at the regular time (6:30pm) for 30-45ish minutes just to hang out and chat about Thanksgiving from a UU perspective, gratitude, and our Thanksgiving plans. This will be a short and very laid-back gathering.
Families with registered youth will receive an email containing relevant materials a few days before each meeting. If you have questions, please contact Leanda Gavin.
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New UU Class Series beginning on Sunday, December 6th, from 6-8pm via zoom! ALL are encouraged to attend. These classes are especially for folks new to Unitarian Universalism or UUFF, but they are open to anyone, and all can benefit from attending! More details to follow.
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UUFF's 2021 Stewardship Pledge Drive is underway!
Members and Friends, your fellowship is committed to remaining a guiding light and place of refuge to all in these dark and challenging times, and we rely on your continued commitment to make that happen.
Pledge mailings went out to members and friends, and many of you have already sent your completed pledge form back to us! This is a time-sensitive endeavor, so THANK YOU! If we somehow missed you (had outdated address info, etc.), and you haven't received your mailing, please let the office know.
For your convenience, you can CLICK HERE to access the 2021 pledge form and letter from Stewardship Drive leads, Ines Polonius and Joe Euculano.
Thank you all for helping to keep this unique community alive!
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Our Children’s Religious Exploration class for ages 5-11 is using the Soul Matters curriculum, which you can learn more about HERE. This month we’re exploring the many ways our UU faith invites us to become “A People of Healing.” Parents can find activities and discussion topics in this email, and children are invited to take part in every-other-week zoom meetups, the next of which will be THURSDAY, December 3rd, from 7 to 7:30pm. Click HERE to participate!
This week our focus is on,”Healing by Telling the Truth of Thanksgiving.” When it comes to healing, so many brave and wise voices have lifted up the importance of telling the true history of Thanksgiving. This search for the true history is reflected in our Fourth Principle: “A Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning” and our Eighth Principle: “journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that dismantle racism and other oppression in ourselves and our institutions.” Our faith has taken up this work and called on white UU’s to be especially vigilant about the work of correcting stories that have caused harm. So what’s one of the ways our faith guides us into becoming a people of healing? It says, “Learn and tell our true history!”
Read this history of Thanksgiving from the Native American point-of-view.
This map shows the percent of Indigenous persons in the U.S.
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Calendar of UUFF Events for November 25th - December 2nd
TODAY, 11/25 - 6:30pm - Youth (11+) RE Gathering - Zoom
Thursday, 11/26 - HOLIDAY - UUFF Office Closed
Thursday, 11/26 - 11am-NOON - Holiday Greetings and Show-n-tell! - Zoom
Sunday, 11/29 - 10am - Sunday Meditation - Zoom (Ines)
Sunday, 11/29 - 10am - Adult RE Discussion Group - Zoom (Brooke)
Sunday, 11/29- 11am - Main Sunday Service - Zoom
Monday, 11/30 - 10am-NOON - UUFF Grounds Work (unless raining) - UUFF
Monday, 11/30 - 7pm - UUFF Book Discussion Group - Zoom (Georgia)
Wednesday, 12/02 - 7AM - Wednesday Morning Meditation - Zoom
Wednesday, 12/02 - 7pm - Children's (ages 5-11) RE Class - Zoom
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Many of our programs, etc. are on hold for the time being, but feel free to peruse the website for more information on usual UUFF Programs and Events with an eye to the future!
Learn more about Religious Education, UUFF Choir, Y'ALL (Young Adults Group), Chalice Circles, Circle Suppers, OWL, New UU Classes, Social Justice Opportunities, and MORE at: uufayetteville.org
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UUFF Main Contact Info:
Phone: 479-521-8422
Email: uuff.ar@gmail.com
Mailing Address: 901 W. Cleveland St. / Fayetteville, AR 72701
Reverend Jim Parrish’s Schedule and Contact Info:
UUFF Typical Weekly Office Schedule (Fawn's Hours): Office Hours are Tuesday - Friday, 11am-3pm. Disclaimer-hours are subject to change based on illness, personal appointments, vacation, etc.
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Outside Events & Opportunities |
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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville | 479-521-8422 | uuff.ar@gmail.com| uufayetteville.org |
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