UUCSC News and Updates
Weekly on Fridays

Volume III * Issue 25 * December 2, 2022

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of South County, RI
All are welcome!

Reverend Denis Letourneau Paul, Minister

revdenispaul@gmail.com Minister's Calendar

This Sunday, December 4, 2022

Heat Is Working Again! Details HERE.

Worship

In Person and on Zoom 10:00 am

Religious Exploration

In Person

10am-noon

"Rituals and Traditions"

Rev. Denis Letourneau Paul

and Lee Cowan


Every holiday, from every culture or tradition, started somewhere, even Christmas, Chanukah and Ramadan were new holidays at some point. Every society everywhere in the world has a special way of marking the shortest days of the year in December, usually with rituals involving candles and lights. Unitarian Universalism also has a way of marking this special time of year: a still-new weeklong festival called Chalica, which emphasizes the principles of our faith, symbolized by our Chalice. We have an incredible opportunity now: to come up with our own traditions and rituals, which will joyfully become ancient and time-honored.


Order of Service

Everyone will begin upstairs in the sanctuary this Sunday with a Time for All Ages where we will joyfully welcome in Chalica.


Then children and youth are invited downstairs to make their own family chalice. We will have various dishes, mini terra cotta pots and large clam shells. Please bring any teacups, bowls, small vases or wine glasses to add to the options!


During the week of Chalica, we are all invited to light a chalice, sing a song, think about a principle each day and create your own traditions!


DONATE

Share the Plate Sunday

Half of the plate and designated collections received by check or online

the first week of each month are shared with a worthy local nonprofit.

The December recipient is Planned Parenthood.

Rev's Reflections

Chalica, the weeklong UU festival to celebrate our Principles, has come to be my favorite time of year. Joe and I begin the week by putting up an eight-foot, seven-pointed star on the front of our house, lined with evergreen boughs and studded with multi-color lights. 


A few weeks ago, we started nurturing narcissus bulbs into blooming, and even though they are still nowhere near opening up, they grace our kitchen table, where we’ll share simple evening meals of beans and rice. Not only do we want to be in solidarity with all the people of the world who have no other choice but to eat beans, we also want to eat simpler and with less impact on the environment after we light our chalice and reflect on the Principles. 


We have also made a whole bunch of our traditional Chalica gifts to distribute to all the good folks in both of our congregations. Friday evening, we’ll have friends over to share a meal and an unusual bean-based dessert. Of course they know we are UU ministers, and even though they have their own Christian traditions, they’ve expressed how honored they feel to be part of our celebration.


Chalica officially begins on Monday, December 5 and ends on Sunday, December 11, but we’ll be kicking it off early this Sunday (the 4th) during worship. The children will process in with colorful banners and candles, and we’ll light them all as I share the story of the origin of Chalica. We’ll close off the holiday with reflections on December 11.


I know a lot of you never even heard of Chalica — which derives from the word “chalice” — until my arrival a year ago. That’s not surprising, considering it’s really new, created by young adults as a holiday that can be uniquely “Ours.” I also know that quite a few of you learned about the holiday last year, celebrated in small ways, and plan on making a bigger deal of it this year.


You have no idea how much it thrills me that this is resonating with you to varying degrees. It’s a great opportunity to create our own traditions that we can hand down to our children — and hopefully their children — so that they experience the joy of our faith and never forget that we belong to them.


Happy Chalica!


In Peace,

Rev Denis

Stay in the Loop at UUCSC

The UUCSC Holiday Fair is tomorrow!

Saturday, December 3, 2022 * 9 am - 3pm

Come shop, eat, and support the Congregation. It's not too late to bake something for the Bake Sale Table (Bring goodies -wrapped to sell, starting at 8 am. Pies are a big seller. Please label if items have allergens – nuts, dairy, gluten.)

View the flyer for more information.

Saturday is going to be BUSY! Can you help? Contact Trish....


UUCSC is part of a Holiday Trail featuring craft fairs throughout South County.

Celebrating Chalica Together

Sunday, December 4 at 10AM: Worship will include a “procession of colors” with the children, unveiling our Chalica decor, and singing songs written for the holiday.


Wednesday, December 7 at 6PM: Chalica dinner (not a potluck!) with a traditional meal of beans, rice and sauces from different continents, followed by dessert. Suggested donation is $7 per person or $18 per family. Nobody turned away.



Sunday, December 11 at 10AM: Worship will include stories of Chalica, a gift exchange, and a “recession of colors.” Bring homemade gifts to share if you wish!

WOW "Women of Wisdom" Zoom Luncheon

Monday, December 5, 2022 * 12:30PM


Prepare your lunch or just a cup of tea and join us on Zoom for some conversation and catch up with friends near and far. WOW meets on the first Monday of the month. Just click on the link above or on the church calendar. Questions? Call Elizabeth at 783-1362

Submitted by Linda Whyte Burrell and Elizabeth Donovan 



'A Christmas Carol'

Friday, December 9, 2022

7:00 PM Doors open 6:30.


Nick Smith brings Updike's Rose back for their unique presentation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," suggested donation $10.

Current Community Connections

A Christmas Story at Contemporary Theater Company

Dec 2-3, 4*, 8-10, 11*, 15-17, 18*, 21, 23 at 7 pm (*2 pm Matinee)


All the fun of this holiday movie comes to the stage right here in Wakefield, and the cast includes three young actors from our UUCSC community. Select one of the dates for the "Bumpus Hounds" cast to see Tusz, Beatrice and Pax Ruedekurto on stage. Tickets and more information here.


This show will be indoors. All patrons attending in-person indoor events must either show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or wear a mask while inside the theater.

Submitted by April Ruedaflores

“More of us might be killed—but we will win":

Hazara Persecution and Resistance in Afghanistan


A free panel forum featuring Khadija Nazari, our speaker from last Sunday, Javed Rezayee, Story Producer, and Azizullah Royesh, Sheesha Media.


Friday, December 9, 2022

4 - 5:30pm (with dinner to follow through 7:00pm)

Brown University, McKinney Conference Room

111 Thayer St., Providence, RI


More information


Co-sponsored by: Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies and Brown Global Center.

Submitted by Betsy Dalton

Rhode Island UU

Legislative Forum

Recording

November 29, 2022, 7 PM

Featuring

Sen. Dawn Euer and Rep. Lauren Carson

Lead sponsors of the RI Act on Climate, signed into law in 2021.

Our congregational survey told us that environmental and climate concerns are at the top of your issues' lists. Who better to catch us up and prepare us for the rapidly approaching 2023 RI General Assembly, which convenes on January 3? This program is sponsored by the UU Legislative Ministry of RI and co-chaired by Beth Milham (Channing) and Cathy Solomon (South County).

Submitted by Cathy Solomon, Social Justice Chair

REMINDERS...

URI 59th Annual Honors Colloquium

Focus...  Just Good Food:

Creating Equitable, Sustainable, and

Resilient Food Systems


Tuesdays in the Fall  7:00 PM

Edwards Auditorium or online.

This war rages on...
The UUCSC Share the Plate committee recommends one of these four organizations that are providing support to Ukrainians in crisis.
Bethany Sorrentino, Helping Hands Coordinator
bethanysorrentino@uri.edu or 401-451-4104. 
Don't be afraid to ask for help - helping hands are here! 
Helping hand volunteers are also needed.

UUCSC Committees always need help and new ideas.

Please contact President Elizabeth Donovan at elizdn342@gmail.com.

List of Black owned businesses from RI Monthly magazine. Patronize these businesses all year long. This small effort can help undo racism. Please send pics and reviews to Etta for sharing here and on website.
Important Links

Our Stories


COVID Myths


Black Lives Matter Resource Page

Includes lists of Black-Owned Businesses


UU Book and Gift Shop

Your search for truth and meaning begins here.


Tech Tips Especially for UUCSC


UUCSC Office Hours


All Board Minutes and Reports


Newsletter Archive

How to Submit Info to This Newsletter

Send announcements and news with Newsletter Item in the subject line to Sara Kaplow, Congregational Administrator, at uucscri@gmail.com and Etta Zasloff, Editor, at zasloff.etta@gmail.com by Tuesday Noon

to assure publication by Friday of that week.