Rev. Mara's Return, Altar of Us, Afterword, FUUSB Library
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February 4, 2016

 


 
Latest News
"The Sacred in the Ordinary"
FUUSB Library Books: "Grace"
Valentine's Eve Parent's Night Out
Soup Sunday
Thank You for Your Participation!
Welcome New Members!
Afterword: "A Time to Wonder"
Lost and Found
2015 Faith Community Report
Demonstrating Our Values Through Eating
Latin Guitar Concert
Multigenerational Potluck
Choral Fest Concert at Ferry Beach, ME.
Free Legal Clinic
Wishing Lisa Farewell.
YUUth News
Give your feedback
Unitarians Purchase Land
FUUSB Book Club: "Musicophilia"

 
"Love isn't a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle.

To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now." 

-Fred RogersThe World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember



 
Breath of Fresh Air


 

 
Upcoming Services
February 14  

The Winds of Grace 
Rev. Mara Dowdall, preaching

On Rev. Mara's first  Sunday back after maternity leave, we'll dive into our February theme of Grace, considering what a UU theology of grace could look like. What is "grace"? What does it mean in a liberal religious framework, and how does it show up in our lives? How might an awareness of grace deepen our spiritual lives? We'll also join in saying goodbye to Lisa Wolff as she concludes her tenure at First UU's Director of Music and send her off with many blessings.


February 21 

Agents of Grace 
Rev. Mara Dowdall, preaching

While some people might seem to be natural bearers of grace - or especially gracious, we might say - Rev. Mara's sermon will consider how all of us might be givers of grace. How can each of us, whether especially graciousness or not, be "agents of grace" in our own lives, and in the lives of others? And what difference might acts of grace make in the world?







 
Important Dates
February 7
9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.-
Multigen Worship

February 9
12:30 p.m. 
FUUSB Book Club: "Musicophilia"

February 13

4:30-8:00 p.m.
Parent's Night Out

5:30 p.m.-
Spread the Love Potluck



February 14 
9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.-
Classroom Sunday

10:00 a.m.-
Soup Sunday

3:00 p.m.-



February 21 
9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.-
Vacation Sunday activities

February 28 
9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.-
Vacation Sunday activities




 

 
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Dear Ones,

Next week is Mara's first back in the office after maternity leave. She is looking forward to being back with us and reconnecting! Her first day in the office will be next  Tuesday, February 9 , and her first  Sunday  in the pulpit will be  February 14

After experimenting with moving her sabbath day last fall, upon returning, Rev. Mara will be reverting to her "old" schedule of taking Mondays off, a standard sabbath day for many ministers. Mara will be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and  Friday afternoons. Thursdays and  Friday mornings will be reserved for worship preparation, sermon writing and study. Saturdays are a wild card day, and, of course,  Sunday is worship. 

If you need to reach her, the best times to get a hold of Mara are on her office days ( Tues., Wed., and  Friday), when she checks email ( revmara@uusociety.org) and returns calls  (802-862-5630, x. 24). Those are also the days when she is available for appointments. Mara is also available via Facebook Messenger, and welcomes Facebook friend requests from FUUSB members. (In the case of emergencies, Mara is reachable by cell phone at  802-505-1248). 

In anticipation of returning to an overflowing email inbox, Rev. Mara asks that, if you sent her a message during her leave which is still timely and/or needs her attention, please send it again after her return. She plans to devote most attention to keeping up with her messages going forward. 

Love,

Your Friends at First UU.
"The Sacred in the Ordinary"

snowy-lake.jpg Worship this Sunday, February 7, is multigenerational.   Its title, "The Sacred in the Ordinary," is the truth around which we will create a shared "Altar of Us" comprised of ordinary, yet sacred items all are invited to bring from home that day. Together, in ritual, we will gather these in an altar to add another dimension of seeing who we are as a faith community. We will also be graced by a skit about kindness performed by members of our YUUth group, and at the  11:00  service, our Junior Choir will sing! 

I hope to see you here  on Sunday
- Martha Dallas

 
FUUSB Library Books: "Grace"

The FUUSB Library Committee has compiled a list of books from the Children, Adult/Teen, and Care Network collections relating to "Grace", February's monthly spiritual theme. 

Picture Books are located in the library, either in the dollhouse on the floor, or on the wooden bookshelves, filed under first
letter of author's last name.

Adult/Teen Books are located on the metal book carts in the Parlors, filed by call number

Care Network books are located on the wooden Care Network Cart in the Parlors.


 
Valentine's Eve Parent's Night Out 
Spiritual Growth and Learning 

Sponsored by 4th/5th RE class

What: Free dinner (pasta bar) and babysitting (lots of fun activities!) for kids 2-12 at First UU!

When: Saturday, Feb. 13th. Drop-off/Pick-up anytime between 4:30PM and 8:00PM.

Where: First UU Community Room

Why: We are providing this service as a "Faith in Action" project, and we are hoping you will consider making a donation to support our class' donation to Heifer International.

How: Please E-mail Josh Fairfax at faxalive@gmail.com to let us know you plan to drop a child(ren) off. Please specify their name, age and any food/medical/other information we should be aware of.
Soup Sunday
Sunday, February 14 starting at 10:00 a.m.,our 6th graders will be hosting a terrific soup day in the Community Room. Please come and share lunch with friends!

We'll have all of our usual delicious selections, and the funds go directly to our UU History trip to Boston in April. We accept both cash and checks, and you can eat in or take it home.

Come fill your soul and your belly!
 
Thank You for Your Participation!
Safety

From Bob Furrer: 

Many thanks to all who participated, in whatever capacity, in last Sunday's partial  lockdown  drill. 

Whether  assuming   a passive or active role in the drill, your cooperation  and understanding was key to it's success. Special thanks to the  FUUSB  Safety Team and the  BPD  for their planning, implementation and review of this important exercise.  Also, special thanks to our beloved Rev. Roddy  Cleary  whose support and mere presence was most helpful! 

As noted in last week's Order of Service,there will be further  lockdown  drills this spring that will actively involve all those present in the Meetinghouse.

Again, thanks everybody!! - Bob Furrer 

From DRE Martha Dallas 

We took a big step last Sunday with our first lockdown drill this past  Sunday. I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who was here for it. Your presence, openness, calm, curiosity, seriousness, and feedback were all deeply appreciated. Children all did an awesome job! Teachers were incredible leaders during the drill. We practiced, learned, and are better informed for the next time.

Again, if you have anything to raise about lockdown drills or other matters of safety at First UU, please contact a member of the Safety Team: Becka Grimm, Suzy Comerford-Joyce, Martha Dallas or Mara Dowdall, (soon to return!), or Bob Furrer. 


Click here to read the "Reflection for All Ages" regarding the lockdown drill. 

-Martha Dallas


 
Welcome New Members!

Following the New UU class on January 9th, seven people decided to join our Society and signed the book!  Please look for their photos on the bulletin board outside the parlors and help us welcome them.  

The Next New UU class will be held on  March 12th .  For more information or to register contact Nina Dahlstedt Buss at nina@uusociety.org
 
Afterword: "A Time to Wonder"

We hope you enjoyed worship on Sunday, January 31. Roddy's sermon, "A Time to Wonder" drew on a variety of resources which are included below. 

Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life eds. Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time by Robert Ellsberg

Google Rabbi David Wolpe Sinai Temple, L.A.

Leonard Cohen "Lines From Grandfather's Journal"

"Here We Are" - lyrics by William Cleary and Tom Cleary 

Here we are, folks of every kind
some who feel content and innocent, some discontent
some concerned, some without a care
some with hope, some without a prayer
some are here by conviction, some are here by convention
some believe, some who half-believe, some who disbelieve, here we are.
Everyone is coming from somewhere, 
from the inner circle of a home or far from there,
some like boats in a quiet bay
some like birds who have lost their way
some with friends, some with family,
some alone on an open sea,
or from somewhere in between, our own unromantic scene, here we are.
Here we are, in this place where we come in from the cold
to seek a warm community.  
In some ways we are all the same: mystified as we light the flame
by the life poured into our hand, by the death we don't understand.
In the hope the light of truth inspires us to commitment's fire, here we are.

 
Lost and Found

Just a heads up! Current lost and found items will be taken away  Feb.17th This includes  the stray/abandoned items that have been residing above the coat rack which  have been moved to either the basement kitchen or the lost and found bin in the community room. 
 
2015 Faith Community Report
"JUMP is always full of surprises! Families in poverty or homeless are resourceful and, amazingly, find ways to cope, often with the help of JUMP. JUMP's budget tells the story of what families require as we assist families to find resources, and faith, in our communities. JUMP offers vouchers, food bags, and personal hygiene supplies. But more importantly, JUMP
remains a dependable and reliable resource...a place of comfort, understanding, and caring.

As a result, the year proved to be a blessing as faith communities donated $58,531 to help support JUMPs mission.
These donations alone represented 36% of JUMP's overall final income; $160,802."

 
Demonstrating Our Values Through Eating
Spiritual Growth and Learning

apple-sm.jpg This new 6-week UU adult education program explores our daily food choices and their impact on our own lives and the Earth. Informative documentaries, fun cooking sessions, and more! 

What does DOVE cover? It uses video, discussion, and supplementary materials to explore issues that affect us all:

Why do some foods seem almost addictive?

How can we fight global warming with our fork?
 
Participants also get time in the kitchen, preparing delicious recipes that demonstrate values of health, justice, compassion and sustainability.

We'll meet Thursdays from March 3-April 14 (skipping 3/17 and 4/7), from 6:30-8:30 PM.  Childcare can be provided.  Registration is required - please contact Valerie Wood-Lewis at valerie@burlingtontelecom.net or 859-0049.  
 
Latin Guitar Concert

Warm up on February 14 with some Latin guitar music by Daniel Gaviria at 3:00 p.m. here at the Meeting House.

From his website:  "Colombian guitarist, arranger and educator, Daniel Gaviria, recently left the Andes Mountains for the Green Mountains of Vermont, and is excited to be sharing his love and knowledge of Latin-American music with fellow musicians, audiences and guitar students." 

Click here to learn more and then make plans to listen to some great music! 

Celebrate Loving Friendships and More!
Caring and Belonging

Let's have another Multigenerational Potluck!

In many cultures, Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate loving friendships in addition to romantic relationships. In an effort to make Valentine's an inclusive, love-filled holiday, our next Second Saturday Supper will be Valentine's Day themed.

The 20s and 30s group will be providing construction paper and brown paper bags so we can exchange friendly Valentine's. Feel free to bring your own crafting supplies or Valentine's phrases!

And in keeping with the Second Saturday Supper tradition, we will be hosting a potluck. Please bring a dish to share.

Spread the Love Potluck
Saturday, Feb 13th
5:30pm

RSVP to 20sand30s@uusociety.org

This event is hosted by the 20s and 30s but all are welcome! No childcare will be provided, have the kids eat with us!


 
Choral Fest Concert at Ferry Beach, ME
Music

Choral Fest is a wonderful week of singing July 16 to 22 at the Ferry Beach Conference Center in Saco, ME. Ferry Beach is a welcoming non-profit member organization affiliated with the UUA now in its 115th  year. 
 

Free Legal Clinic

First Congregational Church of Burlington is pleased to continue the  community service that we started a year ago  - periodic, Sunday afternoon,  pro-bono (free) legal clinics.

Their next Free Legal Clinics are scheduled for Sunday, January 31 and Sunday,  March 6   - at First Congregational Church - 38 South Winooski Avenue in  Burlington - from   1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 
Wishing Lisa Farewell

There will be cards available in the office on Sunday morning.  Please stop by to sign a card, thank Lisa for her wonderful service to our congregation and wish her well.  On Sunday, February 14th, we will celebrate Lisa's time with us with a cake after the 11 a.m. service. 

 
YUUth News

Tiffany Tillman, our Youth Ministry Coordinator, is putting out an inspiring and newsy weekly eNews about happenings and doings with our teens. Let her know if you want to receive it!  youthgroup@uusociety.org.

 
Give your feedback: Children's RE Surveys!

We made some programmatic changes this year in Children's RE, and want to hear from parents and RE stewards (especially teachers and assistants) what you think. This will help with decisions and plans for next year!


If you wear both a parent and a steward hat, it would be awesome if you would give us feedback from both perspectives! 

Thanks so much!

- Martha Dallas

 
Unitarians Purchase Land, Plan Church Construction
That could have been the headline in the Burlington Free Press (had the Free Press then existed) on September 15, 1814, for it was in that month that Ebenezer T. Englesby traveled to  Castleton to purchase, from Chauncey Langdon, for $1000, Lot 17, a five acre lot in the town of Burlington, for a "seite" for our treasured meeting house; then only a possibility.

On April 10, 1815, a meeting of the First Congregational Society (as it was then known) was warned and held at Barnard's Tavern, and it was voted to build on that lot, west of the store lot of L. Tousey. A subscription was started "For the purpose of erecting a Brick Meeting House for the accommodation of the First Congregational Society of the Town of Burlington that they may be enabled to worship Almighty God conformably to the dictates of their consciences, and in a manner suitable to the religion they profess..." Does not that sound like an early 19th century expression of our present day Fourth Principle, "A free and responsible search for truth and meaning"?

During April and May of 1815, John Johnson, for a cost of $3, surveyed Lot 17. On May 13, 1815, Englesby ordered 100,000 bricks from William Eddy to be delivered before the last day of
October, "counted and haked up (i.e. stacked) on Lot 17."  The bricks are specified to be 8-½ inches long by 4-⅛ inches wide by 2-⅛ inches thick, and cost $5.25 per 1000.  They were
delivered but not counted, and Englesby added a contract provision that the bricks would be counted after they were laid.  Also on May 13, another 300,000 bricks of the same dimension
were ordered from John Wetmore and Eli Kimball of Burlington.

This is the first in a series of articles leading up to the celebration of the 200th anniversary, on January 9, 2017, of the dedication of our historic and iconic Meeting House. The material comes from several sources, including Rev. Charles J. Staples, minister during the celebration of the 100th anniversary in 1917; the Burlington Weekly Free Press and its predecessors and successors; our church archives, maintained by Ann Livingston and Mary Gade; and a lengthy article in Old-Time New England Volume 69 (1978) written by William Lamson Warren, entitled  "Peter Banner, Architect of the Burlington Church."

-Submitted by Woody Fulton
FUUSB Book Club: "Musicophilia"
Caring and Belonging

Please join us on Tuesday, February 9, at 12:30 at the UU as we discuss "Musicophilia", by neurologist Oliver Sacks. By citing many interesting case studies, Dr. Sacks examines the effects of music on the human brain, and how lives can be transformed by harmonies.

Meetings are held upstairs in the Susan B Anthony room, newcomers most welcome.