Rev. Joan Javier-Duval, Guest Minister, with Melinda Lee
“What Holds Us Together”
What is at the center of Unitarian Universalist theology? This is a question UUs have pondered, and even argued about, time and again. As we consider revising our denominational principles and purposes, we return to this question. What value might we find in naming and claiming a theological center? How might a revision of our UUA bylaws support us in living out UU values in the world?
The Rev. Joan Javier-Duval has served as Minister of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier since 2015, where she finds daily inspiration in the shared ministry of care and transformation at the heart of congregational life. She earned a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 2012. Prior to the UU ministry, she engaged in social change work as a community and union organizer and nonprofit leader in Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Washington, DC. In these contexts and through her ministerial training, she developed a passion for creating Beloved Community through collective organizing that centers love, healing, and justice. Joan serves on the board of Vermont Interfaith Action and is a tri-chair of the Vermont Poor People’s Campaign.
Join us for worship in person in the Sanctuary, or online. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel. While inside the Meeting House, masks are strongly encouraged.
Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the Community Room.
Children & Youth This Sunday!
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
Sunday, January 22, 10:15 a.m., Community Room
After beginning the morning together in the Sanctuary, children and youth are invited downstairs for a "workshop rotation" exploration of our January theme, Finding Our Center. In other words, they'll have many activity stations to move between and choose among as they engage with the topic. Nursery care will also be available.
Online Facilitator Trainings
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
Whether you are an experienced circle facilitator who would like to grow in the role, or a circle member who might like to give facilitating a try, there are online trainings available starting in late January! Soul Matters, the source of our spiritual theme content, is offering a 2-hour single session "New Facilitator Training" on January 21. A 4-session once a month "Advanced Facilitator Training" begins in February. Our members who have participated in the past have had great experiences! Visit their Trainings Page to find out more. Please contact [email protected] if you want to take part. We have lay leadership development funds to cover session fees.
From the Ministerial Search Team
Tom Hyde
As of Tuesday noon, we have interviewed six of our candidates. WOW! We want 'em all, but unfortunately, we have to leave some for the other congregations that are in search.
We will do more interviews in the next day or so, and also some preliminary reference checks.
Then we have to narrow the field down to three candidates by next Monday the 23rd - not much time. Since it looks like it will be a hard decision, we have scheduled every moment that all seven of us are available before then to meet for discernment. We will be busy, but good busy.
Our Money, Our Values - Stewardship & Welcoming
Zoe Hart, Treasurer
What is it like to want to join FUUSB when you don't have the means to make a significant or maybe any financial commitment? How does it feel to be a member of limited financial means during the annual FUUSB stewardship campaign? Join us on Sunday, January 29 at 11:30 a.m. to explore these and other issues related to how we balance our need to raise funds to support our organization and mission with our vision of radically welcoming people of all different financial means. The session will be a hybrid Zoom/In-Person discussion. While RSVPs are not required, they will help us plan. If you can, please RSVP to [email protected] and let us know if you plan to attend and if you plan to be in person or on Zoom.
The Angel Fund
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
Has anyone ever called you an Angel? Well here's your chance to really live up to the name! The Angel Fund was created two years ago to help ease the financial burden of those members who are unable to make a pledge or meet their pledge during these very challenging financial times. We all make our pledges each year with the best of intentions, but due to illness, job loss, or any other number of unexpected hardships, sometimes we are just unable to fulfill that pledge. Throughout the pandemic, some of us have experienced financial hardship, while others of us have been doing fairly well. While we are learning to live in a world with Covid, many are still struggling financially. We are asking, if you are able, to help ease the burden of those in our community who cannot fulfill their pledge by making an additional gift. You can make that gift online or by sending a check to the FUUSB office at 152 Pearl Street, Burlington, Vermont 05401. Thank you; you truly are an angel!
Tax Year Giving Statements
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
Calendar year 2022 Giving Statements for tax purposes were emailed to everyone meeting the IRS requirements. These emails were sent on Monday, January 16. If you do not see it in your inbox, please double-check your spam folder to make sure it didn't land there. Once you click on the link, your statement will automatically download to your computer. This means that you may find it at the bottom of your screen or you may need to look for it in your Downloads folder. This statement does not indicate your payment status on any pledge. I will send out 2022/2023 Pledge Year Statements later in the month or you can always check your Realm account for that information. Thank you so much for your continued generosity! If you have any questions about your statement, please contact me at [email protected].
What Is Non-Citizen Voting?
Mary Andrews, Immigration Justice Team
The League of Women Voters of Vermont (LWV of Vermont), the Immigration Justice Team of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, and the Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (CASAN) will be sponsoring a free program on non-citizen voting at the Fletcher Free Library (235 College Street) on Saturday, February 18 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Fletcher Room.
In Vermont, Winooski and Montpelier allow non-citizen residents to vote in local elections. Both cities undertook a complicated process to gain that right for their non-citizen residents. Burlington will consider a question to approve non-citizen voting at Town Meeting Day on March 7. So what is non-citizen voting?
Marguerite Adelman of the LWV of Vermont and Chair of the Non-Citizen Voting Committee will present information about the two Vermont towns that currently have all-resident voting, non-citizen voting at the state and national levels, and the arguments for and against non-citizen voting. The program will be educational in nature, providing time for questions and discussion.
Currently, the LWV of Vermont is monitoring non-citizen voting across the United States, reaching out to help non-citizens register to vote in Winooski and Montpelier, and presenting educational programs across Vermont on this topic.
Two Minutes with Your Treasurer
In case you missed the January edition of "Two Minutes with Your Treasurer," Zoe's video is available below, and on our YouTube channel!
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.
UUA Disaster Relief Fund
As a series of atmospheric rivers continue to pour rain onto California, many parts of the state are facing flooding, mudslides, and more damage from winds and water.
The UUA Disaster Relief Fund is here for congregations affected by the storms, floods, and landslides, but we need your help now. The fund is near depletion and we have only just begun to hear from congregations in affected areas...