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December 7, 2017
Latest News
Service of Loss and Remembrance Today
Join Us for Worship This Sunday
White Supremacy Teach-In
Holiday Schedule for Worship Services
FUUSB Book Group
Climate Change Presentation
Islamic History and Beliefs Presentation
Working for a Second Chance
Vigil to End Gun Violence
Candle-Lighter/Usher Sign-up
FUUSB Christmas Breakfast
Book by FUUSB's Jill Allen
Holiday Publication Schedules
 
 
 
Upcoming Service
Sunday, December 17,
9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Rev. Mara Dowdall, Senior Minister, and
Andrea Spencer-Linzie, Developmental Director of Family Ministry
 
Winter Solstice Service for All Ages
This Sunday , we will honor the Earth-centered tradition of the Winter Solstice, which many in our congregation will observe on  December 21-- the shortest day, through story, song, and ritual. We will take time to sit in the darkness, as well as honor the light's return. The service is designed for worshippers of all ages to participate!  

Worship Associate: Kenneth Russell



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Service of Loss and Remembrance Today
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Today, December 7, at 7 p.m. in the Meeting House, we will join together to remember lost loved ones. This service of loss and remembrance will be led by Andre Mol, our Ministerial Intern. The purpose of this service will be to honor people both from the FUUSB community and our own lives who we have lost recently and wish to remember. You are invited to bring a photo or memento of anyone you wish to honor and share that on the altar we will create for this service. We will gather in the Parlors afterwards to share and be together. Please join us and invite others to this special service.  
 
Join Us for Worship This Sunday
Sunday, December 10 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Rev. Mara Dowdall, Senior Minister

"Radical Hope"
In a powerful essay he wrote last November, the novelist Junot Diaz describes "radical hope" - an ability to imagine a future goodness that transcends what we know in the present - as an antidote to our times. We'll explore this idea, and how we might make it come alive in our individual lives and communities. The service will help prepare us for our (Dismantling) White Supremacy Teach-In Part II, which will take place after the 11 a.m. service, and all are warmly invited to. 

Worship Associate: Kristin Kany
  
White Supremacy Teach-In
Gabriel Ely, Racial Justice Task Force

Transforming Ourselves in Order to Transform Our World:
White Supremacy Teach-In 2.0
The FUUSB will have its second white supremacy themed service this Sunday, December 10, followed by a variety of activities to feed the minds, bodies and souls of all. Please view this link for more details about the teach-in. We hope it leaves you wondering, "Why wouldn't I come?"

Holiday Schedule for Worship Services
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Please note the following schedule for our worship services during the holiday season. We hope you will join us!

Sunday, December 24:
Christmas Eve services at 4, 6, and 8 p.m. 
There will be no morning services.
 
Sunday, December 31:  One service at 10 a.m.  
 
FUUSB Book Group
Barbara Doody

The FUUSB Book Group meets on the second Tuesday of every month in the Susan B. Anthony Room from  12:00 to 1:30 p.m

On  December 12 we will be discussing  Underground 
Airline s  by Ben Winters.  On January 9 we will discuss  The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives  by Leonard Mlodinow. All are welcome!
 
Climate Change Presentation
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Come learn "What You Can Do About Climate Change" at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue (188 N. Prospect Street, Burlington) on Tuesday, December 12 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. This event, co-sponsored by Vermont Interfaith Action, will feature suggestions from Mayor Miro Weinberger's office and Burlington Electric as the city and state address this important issue in the wake of the U.S. pull-out from the Paris Climate Accord. 
 
The purpose is to help local faith communities lead the way in engaging individuals and congregations to meet climate change goals. We will also light the candles for the first night of Chanukah, celebrating an earlier solution to an energy crisis! For more information, contact Karen, kpcorbman@aol.com. Click here for the flier!

Islamic History and Beliefs Presentation
On December 13, from 6 to 7 p.m., friends and members of the First UU Society have the opportunity to join with other faith communities at the Islamic Society (182 Hegeman Avenue, Colchester) for an informative presentation on Islamic History and Beliefs. 

There has been strong interest at First UU to reach out in friendship to our Muslim neighbors; attending this event would continue us on that journey. If you have questions, feel free to call Linda Graves, Solidarity Team member, at 865-0038. Please consider attending!

Working for a Second Chance
Join us for "Working for a Second Chance 2.0" on Wednesday, December 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (2 Cherry Street, Burlington). This event, sponsored by St. Paul's Local Organizing Ministry of Vermont Interfaith Action, will bring together the formerly incarcerated with local business owners and the Department of Corrections to explore better ways to provide job opportunities for those who need a second chance. This is a follow-up to the highly successful event last year in which ex-offenders and business owners shared their stories. Please RSVP to Ann at the VIA office: office@viavt.org or (802) 651-8889. Click here for the flier!

Vigil to End Gun Violence
Thursday, December 14, 5:30 p.m.  at the Meeting House:

In remembrance of the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy, as well as the 500,000 American victims and survivors of gun violence since December 2012, First UU is joining with eight other communities in Vermont and hundreds of communities and organizations nationwide to #EndGunViolence. These vigils and gatherings of remembrance will take place between  December 10 and 14 . Organizers include citizen activists, faith leaders, and others who recognize that gun violence is a scourge that affects all Americans, regardless of residence, income, race, creed, or politics.
 
Rev. Mara will be speaking at our First UU vigil, as will representatives from "Steps to End Domestic Violence" and "First Call," a suicide prevention program. The vigil is sponsored by Gun Sense Vermont.
 
Please join us on December 14 and help show support for ending gun violence.

Jud Lawrie
Chair, UU Gun Violence Task Force

 
Sign up to Be a Candle-Lighter/Usher!
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations and Finance

Christmas Eve will be here before you know it. We are looking for people to sign up to be a Candle-Lighter/Usher for each of the three Christmas Eve services. 
 
If you would like to sign up for one of the services, please 
follow the easy instructions below!
 
Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
 
1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp.com:  http://signup.com/go/wwAkkxa
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.
 
Note: SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Christina at  xina@uusociety.org or ( 802) 862-5630 ext. 22 and I can sign you up manually.
 
FUUSB Christmas Breakfast
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"What day is the Christmas Breakfast?" A favorite question this time of year! Our FUUSB Christmas Breakfast is on...CHRISTMAS! What better day to open our doors and invite our friends and neighbors to join us for good food, good conversation, and great coffee? We UUs gather and start our day by serving breakfast to each other and our guests. It's a wonderful tradition. Families welcomed and encouraged! Please join us!
 
To sign up to help and/or donate food, please click here . Breakfast is from 8 to 10 a.m. Sign up to see volunteering times, or contact Lynn Douglas at 318-2663.

Book by FUUSB's Jill Allen
Jill Allen

The Green Mountains Deep: Fiction About Disabled Vermonters by a Disabled Vermonter, by Jill Allen, is going to its second printing. If you'd like a fiction book about strong disabled women, contact me at 
allenjillm@gmail.com Suggested donation: $5-$12. Proceeds will be donated to FUUSB. Thanks to all who helped me sell out during the holiday bazaar.

Holiday Publication Schedules
Please note the following changes to publication schedules and submission deadlines over the holidays:

eNews: There will be no eNews on December 28.

Order of Service
Sunday, D ecember 24, Christmas Eve - There will be no order of service announcements (no morning services).
Sunday, December 31 - The submission deadline is December 18 for announcements in the December 31 order of service.

The Steeple newsletter: Next month's issue will be published on January 10. The deadline to submit articles is December 18.

For more information on these and other FUUSB publications, please click here. Questions? Please email mary@uusociety.org.