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Join us at 10:15 am on Sunday mornings...
For the entire month of December, UUCA will host only ONE Worship Service on Sunday mornings, beginning at 10:15am. Let's be together in community this season!
This single service, at 10:15am, will be available both in person and on livestream.
Seem familiar? This is the same worship format as in the summer! RE classes will meet during the 10:15 am, single service as noted in the Religious Education section.
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Secret Santa 2024: Giving Times Three!
3 Social Justice Projects, 3 Sundays, 3 Community Organizations
This year, UUCA is offering several different ways to serve others during the holiday season.
1. Prisoners Express
2. Beacon House
3. Arlington ALIVE
Prisoners Express: On December 8 we were able to learn more about the Prisoners Express program and read some letters for inmates. If you would like to learn more or continue your involvement, please click this link to be taken to their website.
GIVE NOW-- Beacon House (https://beaconhousedc.org/): Beginning today, you can give a present to a child at Beacon House. UUCA has supported this organization for many years. In 2024, go online to provide support to Beacon House.
- Choose a gift/recipient from this sign-up
- Sign up to buy and wrap that gift
- Label it with the child's name (Name/Beacon House)
- Bring it to UUCA on or before Dec 15, 2024
COMING UP-- Arlington THRIVE: Wee Thrive Baby Boxes (https://arlingtonthrive.org/how-we-help/our-programs/wee-thrive-baby-boxes/) Our smallest community members need help, too! These boxes were developed in response to feedback from struggling parents. Arlington Thrive aims to ensure that all families can access high-quality baby supplies. Boxes are thoughtfully curated care packages featuring essentials like diapers, wipes, onesies, and more. There are two ways to be involved in this project:
1) Donate new, unused baby items from this list.
2) Donate the cost of ONE (1) Wee Thrive Baby Box (Approximately $125.00). We will purchase the needed items and assemble the boxes after service on Sunday, December 22. Donations can be made via check to UUCA (please write Baby Boxes on the memo line). Additionally, please send Rev. CTC an email (revctc@uucava.org) indicating how many boxes you are sponsoring.
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Saturday, December 14, 2024, 7:30 PM
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
44444 Arlington Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22204 (Free parking)
Experience live, welcoming, intimate performances by internationally acclaimed musicians that intrigue, inform, move and excite. Our 18th season promises a diverse array of concerts and this one is not to be missed.
Our season continues December 14th with NCE's Holiday Concert. Featuring the finest classical masterpieces and holiday favorites together for the whole family. Star soprano Sharon Christman and Outstanding Young Artist Award string competition winners perform. The concert concludes with a Carols Sing-Along to get everyone in the holiday spirit!
Join us for a reception following the concert.
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GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY:
Buy Tickets
From the classical to contemporary compositions, the National Chamber Ensemble's internationally acclaimed musicians provide outstanding performances of chamber music in an intimate setting.
The NCE brings together composers, musicians, performers and audiences to create an environment that is fun, welcoming, engaging and offers the connoisseur, as well as the first-time concertgoer, an exciting musical experience.
For more information go to
www.NationalChamberEnsemble.org
Donate to NCE
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UUCA has a special discount code you can use for 20% off your ticket price! Use code NCEDC2025 when purchasing your tickets. | | |
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Thank You! Thank You! and Thank You! to all that participated in the Boo at UU! Services Auction last month. We raised over $22,000 to support the church operations as we bid online and in person for delicious treats, fabulous dinners and parties, helpful services, and vacation spots. We bought $1,500 in jewelry, plus we danced a bit! Congratulations to the auction team and all the volunteers who donated their time and creativity. | |
Craving some holiday cheer? Dive into the delicious Mexican cookie recipe brought to you by the Saving the Earth, Bite by Bite Vegan cooking group! Spread joy and sweets, one cookie at a time! | | |
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Come and stand with VOICE in support of after-school programs for Teen Behavioral Health.
Arlington County Board Meeting, Saturday Dec 14, 8:15am-9:30am
2100 Clarendon Blvd, 3rd Floor
Earlier this year, VOICE and its allies secured $2 million in the county's budget for after-school programming to address Teen Behavioral Health Issues. Now, it's time to hold the county accountable to develop an after-school community of support for our most vulnerable kids.
Many of our immigrant neighbors are living with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Parents are telling us now, more than ever that "We want our teenagers off the streets, in safe after-school programs...
"Programs run by trusted, compassionate adults,
Programs where staff, stufents, and families are in close relationships,
Programs that are daily, free, and dynamic, where students are listened to and have agency over the activities and projects being planned".
Email Patricia Findikoglu with questions.
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Dear Ones,
We are thrilled to share this news from former UUCA intern minister Greg Bonin! Congratulations to Greg, his Internship Committee, and UUCA as his teaching congregation. We were delighted to work with Greg for two years as intern minister and are so glad to welcome him now as a colleague in the larger UU world.
~Rev. Amanda and Rev. CTC
"Dear UUCA,
It's hard to believe it's been over a year since completing my internship with you. I'm glad to share that the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee voted to grant me Preliminary Fellowship on Friday, December 6. Journeying alongside you for two years was a gift that continues to bring me joy and inspiration. Thank you."
~Greg Bonin
If you have personal news to share, such as births, graduations, special moments, or challenges, email careteam@uucava.org for support, or communications@uucava.org with announcements.
_______________________________________
Can WE Help YOU?
Care Team Hotline: 703-892-2565, extension 1210 | careteam@ucava.org
One of the questions you might ask is, “How do the people at UUCA look out for one another?” At UUCA we have created a network of caring connections that will provide a supportive, compassionate presence when you may be struggling, alone, or in pain.
Our Care Team responds to concerns through careful listening, checks on you if you are ill and need help, and is there to help you through life’s transitions. They can also provide food and other support services when you need an extra helping hand.
Our UUCA Ministers offer that unique spiritual guidance you might be looking for. Both are here with one-2-one support when you need it. You can reach them directly: Rev. Amanda (apoppei@uucava.org) or Rev. CTC (revctc@uucava.org) or by calling the church office at 703-892-2565
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More events listed below.
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Lifespan Faith Development- Find Inspiration | |
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Religious Education
This Week in Religious Education
Most RE Classes will not meet. We encourage children and their families to attend worship and participate in the Christmas Pageant.
There will be a party for families after service, beginning at 11:45am.
Coming of Age will meet in room 14 during the single 10:15am service.
Here at UUCA we offer several ways kids can enjoy their time at UUCA:
- Spirit Space: For kids 4 years and younger at the front of the Sanctuary.
- Fellowship Hall: Play space for toddlers and kids of all ages. Puzzles and coloring sheets for anyone!
Christmas Pageant Information
Our annual Christmas Pageant will take place this Sunday, Dec. 15 at the (single) 10:15 service. I want to encourage everyone to attend and participate in the pageant this year! This will be a “walkup” pageant meaning no rehearsal is required for the non-speaking roles. And we have plenty of walkup roles available for the young and the young at heart—angels, shepherds, sheep, magi, Mary and Joseph.
The Board Room will open at 9:45 on Dec. 15 for the kids to select and don their costumes. Children are asked to sit with their families until their role is called.
After the pageant, we will celebrate with some holiday crafty fun in the Center. Santa will also be joining us for photos and visits.
If you are new to our community, please register your children and teens here. This will add you to our mailing list.
Need volunteers for 7th Grade RE
We still need one volunteer in our 7th grade Crossing Paths class. Crossing Paths is a year-long exploration of other faith traditions. Participants visit area places of worship and reflect on the experience and learning. Commitment is 2 Sundays per month. Contact LeeAnn for more information.
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Seminary for a Day
Experience a day of inspiration, learning, and connection on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. Gather with UU faith leaders from across the country, including Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, as they lead workshops, worship, and fellowship focused on issues that matter most to our faith today. Our diverse and powerful tradition will guide us as we explore how Unitarian Universalism can meet the challenges of our time. Join us!
Visit this form to receive updates and registration information.
Seminary for a Day, UUCA 2/1/2025:
Because Your GPS Can’t Navigate THIS Journey
Faith 360 Registration Open
Registration for Faith 360—UUCA's adult faith development program is now open. We have a great lineup of workshops in store.
Click here for more information, the list of classes and to register.
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New to UU Classes on January 22 & 26, 2024
Thinking about joining this church community? Want to learn more about what membership might be? New to Unitarian Universalism?
This two-class series is a great way to discover more and connect with others.
Registration is required. Register here. Contact Nicole via email with questions or for more information.
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Events- Come for Community | |
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Starting in January UUCA will begin First Fridays, an opportunity for everyone to gather in community, join in conversation, and just have fun with a different theme each month. We will be here every First Friday from 6:30-9:00pm in the Activity room downstairs with food ready to welcome everyone of all ages - family friendly and encouraged. Events are free but donations are welcome to cover costs.
Friday, January 3 from 6:30-9pm: New Year's Celebrations, Resolutions & Visions Boards
Join us to celebrate 2025 with pizza, sparkling cider, and some fun activities to create resolutions and vision boards. Families welcome.
Friday, February 7 from 6:30-9pm: Soup, Stew, Chili Potluck & Valentine's
Join us in the middle of winter for some warm comfort food. Please bring your favorite soup, stew, and chilli to share. Create Valentine's Day cards to give to others and decorate some Valentine's cookies to eat! Families welcome.
Friday, March 7 from 6:30-9pm: Family Board Games Night for All Ages
Join us for a family friendly board games night, we will have plenty of games for all ages or bring your favorite to play with others. Pizza and light refreshments will be provided.
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Volunteer- Live With Purpose | |
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Calling for Coffee Volunteers
I’m asking folks to serve the Congregation by committing to host coffee service on a monthly reoccurring basis. “One service -once a month”, or if you can’t commit to a regular schedule, signup for our “on call” list.
The job is pretty straightforward. First service, the team comes at 8:45 to make coffee and setup the service and stays between services to make sure everything is resupplied. 2nd service, the team comes a little before the service to make sure all is in order and then stays after for cleanup. We have detailed instructions for both jobs (UUCA Coffee instructions). In any case, with two people serving coffee for every service every week, we can ensure that you can get plenty of on-the-job training and support as you start in this role.
Interested?
Here’s the monthly calendar and sign-up for re-occurring servers: Coffee Schedule.
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Wednesday Night Peace Circles continue through December.
Root. Connect. Share. Change
LFFP invites you to join our Wednesday Night Peace Circles on Zoom! Join us to experience, learn, and practice Peace! Every other Wednesday from 7:30-8:30 PM (EDT/EST). Click here to register.
Upcoming Dates and Topics:
December 4th - Living with Hope
December 18th - Listening for Opportunity
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8637175637?pwd=N3pvcmNuZmVxaW1DT0dHTHFqVDVFdz09
Meeting ID: 863 717 5637, Passcode: peace
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Volunteer Opportunities with Little Friends for Peace
LFFP, UUCA's co-sponsor of Peace Camp, offers volunteer opportunities for all ages. Help others experience, learn and practice peace. As a volunteer with LFFP, you will have the opportunity to be part of a large community that is rooted and grounded in Peace tools and practices. Direct service opportunities include in-school and after-school programming, Peace Camps, Peace Circles. Indirect service opportunities include newsletter and social media. And enrichment opportunities include retreats, Peace Circles, and others.
To volunteer, reach out to the LFFP team at volunteer@lffp.org
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Olive Oil Ministry: Order Now
Promoting justice and peace for Palestinians and Israelis… We refuse to be enemies.
Olive Oil from Palestine has arrived in time for your holiday tables. The Ministry is a partnership between 25 congregations, including UUCA. Last year’s sales generated over $25,000 in donations for medical relief in Gaza. To learn more, click here. Place orders now for delivery before the December holidays (order form here). Contact Melissa, mnuwaysir@gmail.com or (703) 309-6300 with questions.
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Join UUCA volunteers at Arlington Food Assistance Center-- New Opportunities!
Did you know that UUCA has a long connection to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)? We have provided bimonthly volunteers for distribution for more than 20 years, made walls of cereal boxes, and even bagged fruit in fellowship hall. Our volunteer program has evolved as AFAC’s needs have evolved. Many years ago we regularly bagged groceries on Friday nights at the food bank – and that is coming back. Beginning in November, UUCA will again provide a group of 10-20 volunteers for about an hour to help prepare food for distribution to AFAC clients, on site at the main AFAC facility in Shirlington.
The need has never been greater – AFAC is now providing supplemental groceries to (on average) 3,464 families per week.
We are looking for new volunteers to join us for Friday evening food bagging or Saturday morning distribution. More information and the ability to signup is at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B45ABAF2EA75-52027325-uuca
If you would like more information about how UUCA supports AFAC, please contact Denise or Burke Kappler (denise_kappler@yahoo.com, burke.kappler@gmail.com).
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Help Those Experiencing Homelessness -- New Opportunities!
In response to an outpouring of volunteer interest in the Bagged Meals program, UUCA is opening up two new opportunities for congregants of all ages to help people experiencing homelessness in our community:
1) Starting October, 4 volunteer slots will be available on the second Sunday of each month to serve hot meals to clients at the PathForward Homeless Services Center. You can sign up via the same SignUpGenius page as the Bagged Meals program (linked below).
2) In January, PathForward is once again opening their doors to UUCA volunteers of all ages to assemble bagged meals on site and tour the Homeless Services Center. Those of us who participated last year had a wonderful experience; if you haven't yet had a chance to visit PathForward and get to know their programs, please consider signing up!
You can sign up for these and other opportunities here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA8AA22A1F4CF8-uuca
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Polymnia Handbell Choir - Ringers Needed
The Polymnia Handbell choir is in need of substitute ringers to step-in for occasional performances during services on December 8th and continuing on a monthly basis through June. Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30pm in the Activity Room. If you might be interested in learning more about this opportunity please reach out to David Mann, Director of Music (dmann@uucava.org).
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Security System Update
As many of you already know we are in the process of replacing the existing security system. This includes a new door entry system. For those people who currently enter the church after hours using their phone, access card, or fob they will no longer work. To continue to access the church after hours please contact the facilities manager, Matt Connors, and he will re-establish your credentials. Matt’s email is mconnors@uucava.org.
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Need Help Accessing the Membership Directory?
If you're a member trying to access the directory, it's easy! Just click the Shelby link and enter your email address and password.
Forgot your password? No worries! Simply click "Forgot Password," and you'll receive a prompt to reset it.
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Hey! Are You Part of the Facebook Group?
You might have already joined UUCA's Facebook page, but did you know there is a GROUP, just for UUCA members and friends? Check it out HERE.
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BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Affinity Group
Are you interested in being part of the UUCA BIPOC Affinity Group? This group is for our BIPOC members and friends. It is a BIPOC Sacred Space – created by and for BIPOC people.
Please complete this 1-minute survey to respond or reach out to Nicole Haley at nhaley@uucava.org.
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Send in Photos from Your Group Gatherings
Do you meet for a Book Club, Covenant Group, Adult RE, or Committee Meeting? Please, send us a photo or two! Katie would LOVE to have some photos from your groups -- both posed and informal. Just use your cell phone camera -- they are so good now -- and email them in. Please ask permission prior to taking the photos and let people know they will be used for UUCA newsletters (and possibly on the website!) If possible, include the names of those photographed. Submit photos to nhaley@uucava.org and communications@uucava.org.
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African American Book Sharing Circle
Friday, December 20, 7:00 p.m., Zoom
We will discuss The Man in My Basement by acclaimed mystery writer Walter Mosley. To save the home that has belonged to his family for generations, Charles Blakey, a young black man whose life is slowly crumbling around him, agrees to rent out his basement for the summer to a mysterious stranger.
Zoom Link
For additional information, contact Pat Findikoglu (pfindikoglu@gmail. com) or Ann Ulmschneider (aulmsch@msn.com.)
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Early American to 21st Century Black Women Writers Group
Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 p.m. Zoom Link
How have black women writers fought racism and re-imagined the world through their songs, poems, speeches, stories, and essays, from the 1740s to today? Ann Ulmschneider will introduce Dorothy Pitman Hughes (1938-2022), a pioneering Black feminist, child welfare advocate and lifelong community activist who toured the country speaking with Gloria Steinem in the 1970s.
For more information, contact Gay Gibson Cima, cimag@georgetown.edu.
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Hopepunk Book Club
Next Meeting: Thursday January 2, Boardroom
UUCA's Hopepunk Book Club reads speculative fiction that imagines positive futures and inspires hope in humanity's ability to solve our climate and justice problems. In January we'll discuss the novel The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin Contact valarietbryant@gmail.com for more information
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Monday: Meditation and Dharma Talk
7:30 pm-8:45 pm, UUCA Activity Room and simultaneously on Zoom
A meditation and dharma talk with an opportunity for sharing afterward is offered in partnership with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW). Held in the Activity Room on the lower level and simultaneously on Zoom. Subscribe to the email list on the IMCW page for the event to receive the Zoom link, topics, class cancellation alerts, and private access to the recorded talks.
Contact: Stig Regli.
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Wednesday: Hour of Silence
7:30 pm-8:45 pm, UUCA Room 20 (Youth Room)
Join us in Room 20 on Wednesday evenings for an hour of in-person silent sitting and/or walking meditation or contemplation, followed by mindful discussion. We enjoy this opportunity to ground ourselves in the middle of our busy week. Please arrive a few minutes early so we can begin at 7:30, and bring what you need to be comfortable.
Contact: Suzan Chastain.
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Friday: First Light Meditation
7:00 am-7:45 am, on Zoom LINK HERE
A half-hour silent meditation with an opportunity for sharing afterward, on Zoom. Contact: David McTaggart at dmctagg@gmail.com or Gregg Forte at gforte@mac.com.
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Newsletter deadline: Connections deadline for submissions is EACH Tuesday at 10 a.m. with publication on Thursday. See below on how to submit an announcement.
How to submit an announcement to UUCA's Connections newsletter:
- Deadline is 10 a.m. each Tuesday.
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Submit article requests to communications@uucava.org, subject line: Connections
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Questions about Connections? Contact communications@uucava.org.
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