FUUSB Christmas Eve Services - Join Us!

Sunday, December 24

4, 6, & 8 p.m.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

4 p.m. – No-Rehearsal Christmas Pageant

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. – Service of Lessons & Carols  

"Pray for Peace, People Everywhere"

With the FUUSB Choir and candlelighting.

Join us in the Sanctuary at 6 or 8 p.m. The 6 p.m. service will also be livestreamed. The link will be shared on our website at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.

We will not have a morning service on Dec. 24.

While at the Meeting House, masks are strongly encouraged. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.

Calling All Angels, Wise People, Animals, Shepherds, & More!

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

The 4 p.m., family-centered service on Christmas Eve will yet again be a “No-Rehearsal Christmas Pageant” and we hope you'll take part in this joyful celebration. Some roles have been assigned in advance, but many more will be handed out in the moment! While there will still be invitations during the service to choose a role and get costumed, we encourage "actors" to arrive at 3:45 to get dressed in advance.

We are still seeking an adult or child who can read, to be the Wise One with a speaking part and we also still need a few more volunteers to help with the costume crew. Please contact Erika if you are available for either of these! ([email protected]) 

Sunday, Dec. 31 - Online Worship Service

"Seeds for the New Year"

Premiering on YouTube at 10 a.m.

What seeds are you planting for the new year? How are you weaving your magic into your relationships with others? How can we center beauty and goodness and love in all that’s ahead? These questions are at the heart of this pre-recorded Sunday service offered by the UUA’s WorshipWeb and Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, with an introduction from our own Rev. Karen. The Meeting House is in use for Highlight and we will not be gathering in person.

Find the video link on our YouTube channel at 10 a.m. or visit our website at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship.

Highlight Burlington - Volunteers Needed

Erin Barbot, Ceremony & Scheduling Coordinator

The First UU Society is pleased to be a Highlight Burlington event site this New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31! Events at the Meeting House will begin at 3:00 p.m. The schedule of events can be found here.

We are again recruiting volunteers to help with this event. Each volunteer will receive a Highlight button that can be used to attend events across Burlington before or after their shift. We are looking for 2 to 4 volunteers each hour from 3:00 - 9:00 p.m.

You can sign up using this volunteer sign-up sheet or email Erin Barbot at [email protected] with questions or to put your name on the list. Those who sign up can pick up their Highlight button starting at 12:00 noon on Sunday, December 31, at the Meeting House office.

Holiday Video Greeting from FUUSB

FUUSB's Holiday Break

The FUUSB offices will be closed for a holiday break from December 25 through January 1.

There will be no eNews on December 27. Weekly issues will resume on January 3.

Best wishes for this holiday season and the new year!

Eclipse Homestay Fundraiser

Susan Ogden, Eclipse Team

Merry 2023 Holidays and thanks so much to our Eclipse Homestay Donors! We are more than halfway to our goal. 

As we enter the season of magic and awe, let’s get excited about more magic and awe coming our way on April 8, 2024.

Please contact the Eclipse Team: [email protected]

To donate, go directly to:

https://tinyurl.com/EclipseUUHomes

Doors & Ventilation at the Meeting House

Blake Ewoldsen, Facilities Manager

As concerns about Covid and flu season persist, please help us keep the air moving in the building during Sunday morning services. Doors have been propped open in a specific way to allow the air to move with our air exchange system. These doors should remain open prior to and for the duration of service. Staff and caretakers are responsible for closing doors when it is time to do so. We appreciate your help in keeping everyone healthy throughout the winter season.

UU Staff and Caretakers

The Shawl Ministry

Lynn Douglas

One way the FUUSB community connects with one another is to present those who are ill, or have had an accident or a loss, with the gift of a shawl. These shawls are knitted or crocheted by another member who puts love and intention into every beautiful shawl. We also love to have baby blankets on hand. 

We have given out many shawls since autumn, so new makers will be much appreciated! If you would like to be part of this ministry, please email Lynn Douglas here for information on making shawls, pick-up, or assistance with purchasing yarn. Thank you!

Earth Teacher Project

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Looking for a spiritual practice that connects you with the Natural World and with others in the congregation? Beginning in January, we are rolling out the Earth Teacher Project. Each month will have its own "Earth Teacher" with a packet of content to help focus you on deepening your relationship with that aspect of the Natural World. Think of it as a modern-day version of our Unitarian Universalist ancestors, the Transcendentalists, who declared that divinity could be found in Nature. The packets will be emailed out alongside the monthly Soul Matters "The Path." Use the Earth Teacher packet on your own, with a circle of friends, or join our monthly online reflection session (sign up in Realm). The first one starts January 1 at 11 a.m. (a great way to start the new year!) Register here for the Jan. 1 session.

Here is the text of Rev. Karen's Earth Teacher Project Introduction from the Sunday service on Dec. 10.

Video announcement about the Earth Teacher Project:

YUUth Group

Rowan Van Ness, Director of Youth & Emerging Adult Ministries

After the holiday break, weekly Tuesday evening Yuuth Group meetings will resume on Tuesday, January 2 at 6 p.m. The next Sunday Yuuth Group will be the Mount Philo Up & Down on January 21—an annual event in which we hike up Mount Philo and sled down! This year, we'll be partnering with our Young Adults to do the Mount Philo Up & Down together. Be in touch with Rowan for more information.

Demonstrating Our Values Through Eating

Valerie Wood-Lewis

This popular series is back! We'll use a UU curriculum to explore our daily food choices and their impact on our own lives and on life on Earth. Informative documentaries, fun cooking sessions, and more! Tuesdays in January (1/9-1/30) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Registration is required - Please email Valerie Wood-Lewis here with questions or to register!

Kindergarten/First Grade OWL

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

We are planning to offer the Our Whole Lives (OWL) comprehensive sexuality curriculum for this age group, starting in January, but we need to hear back from families to determine if we have enough interest.

If you have a K/1 child and are interested, please fill out this quick form to let us know. The form introduction offers some scheduling information; please contact Erika with any other questions at [email protected].

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Rev. Karen invites you to spend this Dr. King holiday in this act of community service - skill-building and community-building with other Burlington houses of worship. Registration is required and will be available after Jan. 2 (watch for it in future eNews and in Realm).

Are you worried about the changes to Burlington? Are you grieving the suffering that so many in our community are experiencing - homelessnes? addiction? Wondering what you can do about it? This is a great place to start.

A Taste of Silver Bay: Midwinter Retreat at the UU Meeting House

Rowan Van Ness, Director of Youth & Emerging Adult Ministries

Saturday, Feb. 10, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

All ages are welcome.

Save the date for a midwinter retreat—a chance to find the warmth of community in the cold of winter. Join us for workshops that sample the joys of building connection - from playing games, to gong relaxation meditation, beadmaking, singing, and more! If you're interested in leading an activity or if you'd like to attend, please email Valerie here. This will help us gauge numbers, but come one, come all, and look forward to a fun morning at the Meeting House. If you're hungry for more, you can register for the UU Silver Bay Retreat coming up on October 11-13, 2024! 

Volunteer Photographer

The Season of Giving

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

As we're coming to the end of the calendar year, many of you are thinking about making charitable contributions. As you are making your decisions around charitable donations, please remember FUUSB. Here are several options to think about:

1. Pay your Pledge - If you made a financial pledge to FUUSB for this fiscal year, please check to make sure that your pledge payment is completed or at least up to date. It's very easy to think that your payments are being charged to your credit card or being taken out of your bank account, only to find out that they are not. So check on Realm, or contact Christina.
2. Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA - Making a direct transfer from an IRA allows a member age 70½ or over to avoid a tax hit on the annual required minimum distribution. In this case, the charitable contribution must go directly to the Society, not the taxpayer first. This option requires some advance planning, so individuals considering it should consult with their tax or financial advisor.
3. Donations of stock allow a member to support causes important to them without affecting personal cash flow. Generally speaking, the most tax-advantaged approach is to donate stock held for more than one year that has appreciated in value. This provides for a larger charitable contribution and avoids tax on the capital gain. For losing stock, sell it first and then donate the cash. Individuals considering it should consult with their tax or financial advisor.
4. Give to a FUUSB Fund Account - The Society has many opportunities to contribute in special ways: Sunday Morning Breakfast, Socially Responsible Santa, the Angel Fund, Fill the Gap, Share the Plate, the Discretionary Fund, and JUMP. Go to the Helping Our Community page on the website to find out more about these special funds.

Generosity is a spiritual practice for many during the December holidays. Every gift, no matter the amount, is greatly appreciated. You can give online, by texting "Steeple" to 73256, by mailing a check to the Society, or by dropping a check in the basket on Sunday morning. If you are giving online, click on the Fund drop-down menu for a listing of all our special funds. If you are giving by check, please write the name of the fund in the memo line of the check. Please contact Christina at [email protected] with any questions.

Our Society Is a Fragrance-Free Zone

Sarah Forbes

In consideration of those who are sensitive to the chemicals in fragrances, our Society has been declared a fragrance-free zone. Please refrain from wearing perfumes or cologne, using fragrant flowers, smelly hand sanitizers and air fresheners. The chemicals in these items can affect anyone at any time, causing incapacitating and even disabling illness.

Who can be affected by these chemicals?

People with: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), migraines, Asthma, pregnant women and developing children, COPD or other breathing disorders, Emphysema, allergies, sinus headaches, Autoimmune Disorders (MS, Lupus and others), ADHD, Autism, respiratory infections or frequent colds, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and formerly healthy people who've been exposed to too many chemicals. Even You!

Thank you for caring for your fellow UU's!