Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

January 19 at 10 a.m.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister,

Dan York, Worship Associate

"Love at the Center"

Celebrating the Dr. King holiday, getting ready for the Just Love Gospel Concert the following day (Jan 20 at 3pm), we’ll explore what resilience and resistance look like through the lens of justice and love, inspired by the word and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Come learn the origin story of and sing Lift Every Voice and Sing with us as we honor and celebrate the presence and contributions of African American culture in the wider American landscape and home.

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.

Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the Community Room.

While at the Meeting House, anyone is welcome to wear a mask. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.

Children & Youth This Sunday

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Families will begin the morning together in the Sanctuary. Following Time for All Ages, children, preK through 9th grade, will be sung out and escorted to their Exploration Groups. The nursery is open throughout the service for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Looking Back to Sunday

Here is a link to the video recording of last week's service.

Here is a link to the reading, Feeding the Worms, by Danusha Lamerís:

Rev. Karen will be leading the first Date with Death Club session on Saturday, Jan 25th, 10 am - 1pm., in person at the Meetinghouse. She has increased the number of participants to accommodate interest. As of Tuesday, there were still a few spots left. Participation is by registration only. To register, click here. Participants are expected to arrive on time (or a few minutes early) and to stay for the whole session. We are meeting in the Community Room.

Here is the book that Rev. Karen & Erika used in the Time for All Ages: Cry, Heart, but Never Break.

Jeanne Parsley Memorial Service

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

FUUSB member, Jeanne Parsley's memorial service will be held in the sanctuary on Sunday, January 19th at 2:30.  Here is a link to her obituary. The memorial service for Jeanne will be live streamed on our YouTube channel.

Plan to Come on Jan. 26th!

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

FUUSB Staff Holiday Party!

Your FUUSB staff gathered at a local coffee shop to celebrate the holidays. It was great fun to gather together and enjoy each other's company.

New Chalice Circle Forming – Sign Up Today!

A Chalice Circle offers a unique opportunity to build deeper connections within our beloved Unitarian Universalist community. Guided by Betsy Thayer, this small group will meet on alternate Mondays from 4:30–6:00 PM at the Meeting House, beginning January 27, 2025.

In a Chalice Circle, we create a safe and sacred space to explore Unitarian Universalist values, reflect on our personal spiritual journeys, and form meaningful friendships that can last a lifetime.

Could a Circle change your life? Come discover the power of shared reflection and heartfelt connection.

Sign up now to be part of this transformative experience!

Email ChaliceCircles@uusociety.org with any questions.

We can’t wait to share this journey with you

The UU Climate Justice Revival: September 2024 to February 2025 and Beyond

Caitlin Waddick, Climate Justice Team

FUUSB is one of hundreds of UU congregations that is hosting the UU Climate Justice Revival https://www.uuclimatejustice.org to envision a flourishing future and prioritize actions that advance justice in our communities. The Climate Justice Team led Revival events at FUUSB at the end of September 2024, and participants created rich pictures and mind maps to elevate our ideas about community thriving, challenging realities, and community care. 

As a next step, in February, the CJT will display and share these materials with the congregation. We intend to share a ‘low key’ activity after the Sunday service on February 16th. If other groups or teams have activities that day, perhaps you could push the start time back by 5-10 minutes to accommodate our sharing event, which is intended to enrich and extend the regular coffee hour. If you participated on September 28, 2024, would it be possible for us to share the “Sacred Circle” that you made expressing your personal needs, joys, and offerings? If so, email us climatejustice@uusociety.org. 

The Climate Justice Team meeting that was originally scheduled for January 19th was moved to the 12th. CJT members might review the meeting minutes and join our asynchronous planning over email to prepare for our low key event in February. Our next team meeting in February will be online: Tuesday, February 18th, 6-7 pm. We will use that meeting to debrief our Sunday event and plan a new activity. 

The Climate Justice Team welcomes visitors and new members. Contact us:  climatejustice@uusociety.org Current members can access shared files on our FUUSB-owned, CJT Google Drive folder. [We have living agendas and meeting minutes, past goals, possible activities, a current email list, our historic and proposed Share-the-Plate offertory recipients, and Revival materials.] Wanting to get involved on your own?: Check out events and resources at UUA’s Side With Love https://sidewithlove.org.  

FUUSB Board of Trustees Meeting

Kim Watkin, Board Member

The next FUUSB Board of Trustees Meeting is on Tuesday, January 21st at 4pm-6pm. If you would like to attend virtually, the Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84684171158?pwd=Xvu37wWQXallJ3BHyxTusWbTQOfMED.1

Meeting ID: 846 8417 1158

Passcode: 093222

Listening Sessions with FUUSB Board of Trustees

Kim Watkin, Board Member

Thursday's Zoom Listening Session with the FUUSB Board of Trustees

The FUUSB Board of Trustees would like to hear from congregants to help the Board develop the Society's goals for next year. There is a VIRTUAL Listening Session on Thursday, January 16th at 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

The Zoom link is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88287606482  Meeting ID: 882 8760 6482

Please email Kim Watkin at watkifam@aol.com with any questions. 

 – Ellen Wollensack

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of you who so generously donated to the Socially Responsible Santa fund this year! We collected $5,400 from you during the month of December to share with members of the greater Burlington community who are in need of a financial boost. Recipients include a family that has relocated to this area and is currently in a shelter until they get on their feet; a young man who is couch-surfing until he can afford to pay rent; a family that is crippled by medical bills; a family that keeps growing, further limiting its financial abilities. There are others whose specific stories I haven’t shared, but their common thread is need. I think we brought a little cushion and comfort to them in their time of need. Thank you for helping out! – Ellen Wollensack

A Conversation with White People on Race

Racial Justice Team

Please join your Racial Justice Team for a brief video and discussion on Sunday 1/19. We’ll be viewing and discussing “A Conversation With White People on Race”, one of a series of New York Times short videos on race-related topics. You can join us in person in the Parlors at 11:30 after the Sunday service or via Zoom that same evening at 7:30pm. (Zoom link to follow.) This event is the first in a series of events the RJT will be organizing this year to help us all get more comfortable talking about race.

Annual FUU Campout

Elmore State Park, June 14-16

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

It’s not too early to plan for summer fun! For more than 20 years, members of First UU have gathered at this beautiful state park in mid-June to commune with nature and each other! This loosely planned weekend will include a Friday night potluck dinner, group campfires, sing-alongs, and an informal closing circle worship. Climbing the mountain and the firetower are optional but inspiring activities! There will be children; there will be youth, there will be adults, younger and older. If you like camping and UU fellowship, please consider joining us! (If sleeping in a tent is not on your to-do list, we welcome day- trippers for the Friday potluck or Saturday beach and mountain fun!) Please follow this link for more information and to register!

Left on the table by a neighbor at SMB last Sunday!

Sunday Morning Breakfast Team

UUA General Assembly 2025!

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

Each year, UUs across the country gather together to deepen and strengthen our Unitarian Universalist faith movement. We alternate meeting only virtually (as we did in 2024) and meeting in a hybrid fashion - both in-person and virtually. GA 2025 is meeting in-person in Baltimore, marking the 200th anniversary of the founding of the American Unitarian Association, inspired by the theme, Meeting the Moment. Dates are June 18 -22. Registration is required.

Please consider taking advantage of GA being so close to us! FUUSB has limited funds available to help with registration fees and the UUA also has some opportunities for Financial Support.

Attending GA can deepen your sense of belonging and identity as a UU and widen your perspective on the diversity and creativity and power when we encounter each other beyond our congregations, states, or regions.

Here's a promotional video to get us excited.

Each congregation has delegates who vote on business related to our faith movement. If you are a member of FUUSB and are interested in playing this role, please reach out to Christina Fulton, our Director of Operations and Finance. Keep watching the Enews for more information about GA.

Urgent Request from your Climate Justice Team - Logging of Old Growth Forest in Vermont 

Mary Andrews, Climate Justice Team

Please take a few moments this week to contact Vermont's Congressional delegation via the quick links below. Ask them to help cancel the Telephone Gap logging project and to permanently protect the Green Mountain National Forest. Let them know what Vermont’s forests mean to you and your family. Note that the Telephone Gap logging project will:

• Cut 817 acres rare old-growth forest.
• Log 1,800 acres of the 16,000-acre Pittenden Inventoried Roadless Area near Rochester, VT, one of the largest blocks of unprotected wild forest in the whole state of Vermont.
• Release 254,556 metric tonnes of carbon from logging operations based on the Forest Service’s own calculations. This equates to 59,377 gas powered vehicles driven for a year.

Here is how to get in touch with the Vermont congressional delegation:

• Representative Balint: Use this contact form or call (202) 225-4115
• Senator Sanders: Use this contact form or call (202) 224-5141
• Senator Welch: Use this contact form or call (202) 224-4242

Each month FUUSB has an Earth Teacher and a packet of materials to help you connect with and make meaning in your life in relationship with that Earth Teacher. Check it out.