Let It Be a Dance with Diane

We were literally dancing in the aisles last Sunday, January 6, as we celebrated the commissioning of Diane Ullius as UUCA's first Commissioned Lay Minister. The service was a beautiful reflection of Diane--her warmth--her heart--her spirit--and, of course, there were lots of splashes of red! Collectively, we contributed nearly $4,000 to the UUCA Endowment Fund through a collection taken during the service. Thank you to all who contributed and showed your love and support for Diane through your presence. Watch for more information about Diane's evolving ministry, or reach out to her when you see her. 

UUCA Board of Trustees Meeting

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

7:00 p.m. Open Comment Period

7:30 p.m. Board Meeting

 

At 7:00 p.m. Board Members are available to listen to comments from the congregation in the Welcome Room. At 7:30 p.m. the regular Board Meeting begins. Congregants are welcome to observe regular Board meetings. 

At the January meeting the Board will vote on scheduling a congregational meeting to allow the congregation to vote on adopting the 8 ^th Principle; discuss the upcoming stewardship campaign; discuss the upcoming appreciative inquiry process in the search for a new senior minister ; and review progress on items in the strategic plan. Additional items may also be added as needed.

[email protected]

Connecting with the Ministerial Search Committee

By Allen Keiswetter,

MSC Role: Appreciative Inquiry

What’s my journey to the Ministerial Search Committee? Let me tell my story.   

I grew up in Kansas in the 1950s and 60s when diversity meant an Ivy League college awarded a scholarship to a poor boy from the Midwest. I attended Dartmouth and obtained graduate degrees at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna Italy and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. My wife Gerda and I have been married 41 years; she describes herself as an anchor baby who petitioned for citizenship for her parents who came to the US in 1946 from Holland when her father joined the original staff of the International Monetary Fund. We have a transgender son Sesa who works as a nurse case manager in Baltimore and a daughter Emma who teaches ESL at Washington Lee High School Arlington. Read more >>

Legacy Giving Challenge Results

The Unitarian Universalist Association’s Wake Now Our Vision legacy giving challenge, where new legacy gift intentions were matched by the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, has concluded. The legacy challenge generated more than $92 million in new gifts across Unitarian Universalist congregations and programs. UUCA will be receiving $39,928.57 in matching funds from this effort. Thank you to the generous congregants who have made arrangements for legacy gifts, either for this challenge or at another time. Legacy gifts are planned future donations given through a will or other ways. You can still arrange a legacy gift for the future support of UUCA. Although new gifts won’t be matched, you will become a member of the Reeb East Legacy Society, a group of over 70 current UUCA legacy donors. Contact Sarah Masters, [email protected].

In the Meantime

By Rev. Terasa Cooley , Interim Senior Minister

It was a privilege and a pleasure on Sunday to take part in the Commissioning ceremony of Diane Ullius as our first Commissioned Lay Minister. Diane has held several conversations about this, but a number of you are still asking what this designation means. This is a program run by the regional staff in this area which is essentially a “mini seminary” training. Diane has immersed herself in UU polity, theology, congregational best practices and pastoral care. She’ll be offering us 20 hours a week of service, particularly in the area of connecting to our elders, but also helping facilitate a number of other church activities.

My part in the ceremony was to deliver a “charge” to both Diane and the congregation. A charge is an old ministerial tradition that asks us to consider what we promise to each other. You can read the full script here. But one piece I want to highlight is this: “At this moment in the life of this congregation, its health and wellbeing lie within you, not just within your ministers. No minister, lay or ordained, can make this church what it needs to be and can be: a beacon of hope in a troubled world. Only the collective effort of all of us can make that vision come alive.”

A number of you heard that message and have expressed a desire to talk to me about how you might get more involved. I welcome that conversation! And I’m sure the Nominating Committee would be happy to talk with you as well. You can find their contact information in the church directory.

See you in church!

Multigen Game Night

All are invited and welcome to a multigen game night. Games for kids and families 4 to 6 p.m. Beginning at 6:15 there will be time for parents and adults to play games as well. Childcare will start at 6:15 for kids who are no longer playing games, ages 5 and younger. Bring a favorite game or play one of ours. Dinner will be picnic style—bring your family’s dinner or have dinner beforehand.  

Date: Saturday, January 19, 4 to 6 p.m. Games for kids & families; 6:15 p.m. Game time for adults.

Location: Activity Room

Next (Semi) Multigen Worship Service

Sunday, January 20: Preschool through 4th grade will meet as usual. 6th, 7th, 8th grade will meet as usual. 5th grade and high school youth will stay for the whole service.

Jobs/Camperships: Apply Now!

Central East Region Summer Institute (CERSI) is a family friendly Unitarian Universalist (UU) camp which takes place each year for a week in July. Deadline for job applications is February 1. Learn what campership jobs are available here.

Arlington School Integration Initiative

Please join us on Saturday, January 12, for a school integration discussion. While most applicable for families new to Arlington Public Schools, this event is open to all families considering school choices for their children. Please RSVP to Emily Vincent at [email protected].

Date: Saturday, January 12, 2 to 4 p.m.

Location: Chapel

Annual Chili Cook Off is January 27!

Come hungry to sample all the vegetarian and meat chilis and cast your vote for your favorites! Thanks in advance for your support and we hope to see you at this fun multigenerational event! All proceeds going toward Youth Service Trips.

Date: Sunday, January 27, 12:15- 1:30 p.m.

Location: Fellowship Hall and Center Gallery

Deadline for Registration is Jan. 15!

 Register Now to Compete in the Chili Cook Off 

If you’ve always dreamed about being a chili champion, now is your chance! Register here: goo.gl/oMnvjb Prizes for: Best Meat Chili and Best Vegetarian Chili, as well as Best Name! Please find even more detailed information through the registration link. Registration closes on January 15, 2019, so register now!

Answering the Call of Love Youth Revival Comes to Central East Region

Youth Ministry Revivals (YMR) are weekend-long events that seek to inspire, innovate and celebrate Unitarian Universalist youth ministry. No two YMRs will be exactly the same as we incorporate the local culture, invite in community partners, and continually adapt to our current social and political climate. The Central East Region is this year’s host. Join us March 1-3, at Cedar Lane UU Church in Bethesda, Md. Register here.

Date: March 1-3, 2019

Location: Cedar Lane UU , Bethesda, Md.

Upcoming Winter Adult Education Workshop

Conflict Transformation

While conflict can be scary and divisive, it is also possible for conflict, when approached in a healthy manner, to be an opportunity for growth and learning. Rev. Terasa is trained in the approach of “Conflict Transformation” that assumes that conflict is not something that can be “managed” so much as processed in a way that can be transformative. This method has been used in contexts such as the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation process, and in peace negotiations in Ireland. We will explore our own personal responses to conflict, look at what brain science has to teach us, examine system theories, and practice ways in which groups can create opportunities for healthy conversations. Check here for registration. 

Date: Saturday, February 9, 1 to 4 p.m.

Location: Activity Room        

Share-the-Plate January 13: UUs for Social Justice

This week’s Share-the-Plate recipient is UUs for Social Justice, a community of UUs that works to transform our faith into action. UUSJ amplifies UU voices through advocacy, witnessing and education on some of the most challenging issues facing our nation today:

UUSJ's Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps--with eight UUCA members--takes our liberal religious values and voices to our federal policy-makers each month and hand-delivers our “Write Here! Write Now!” letters. UUSJ also works with congregations in other states to organize letter-writing campaigns. UUCA is a founding member of UUSJ, and our members have served in UUSJ leadership since its inception in 2000.

Write a letter to your U.S. Representative next month for Valentine’s Day to express your gratitude and your hopes for the 116th Congress. Sign up to volunteer, join an issue listserve or join the Advocacy Corps. Please support UUSJ to keep the momentum going! Become a UUSJ member with your donation of $40 or more this Sunday. If you contribute through Sunday’s offering, or on the church’s website, please visit the UUSJ table in the Fellowship Hall so we can thank you and sign you up as a voting member. For more information on UUSJ, please go to www.uusj.org. Or contact Lavona Grow, [email protected] or 703-786-5206.

Donations are accepted for each week's STP recipient through the following Saturday at midnight. Make online donations here. 

8th Principle Update

The 8th Principle task force is working to keep the congregation informed about the proposed 8th Principle. Thank you to everyone who took the recent survey. Stay tuned for more information sessions in January and February (dates to be determined). We have heard from some who expressed concerns with the wording of the 8th Principle. Check out our answer to that question and other frequently asked questions, in this LINK. To learn more, check out this website or follow the 8th Principle Task Force on Facebook @UUCA8thPrinciple.

MLK Community Events

Below is a list of community events that honor and celebrate The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy. All events are free.

Better Angels Workshop: How to Talk Across the Political Divide

Political division is taking a heavy toll on many of us as 2019 begins, especially for those who have been hurt directly or indirectly by the current impasse in Washington. This is a moment where we as UUs can set an example for the nation by looking for common ground amid the divisions, and by listening with an open mind to those with whom we passionately disagree. Join fellow UUCAers and community members for a workshop that explores how to engage in respectful and productive conversations with people from across the political divide. To register, please follow the link here. Questions? Contact Sarah Yue, [email protected].

Date: Saturday, January 12, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Location: Activity Room

Early American Black Women Writers

Come and join a discussion of the writings of black women writers. There is no advance reading; selections of poems and essays are provided at the meeting. Usually, we explore the work of early writers from the 1700’s to the early 1900’s. Though at the January meeting, we will focus on a contemporary poet, Tracy K. Smith, poet laureate of the U.S. We will read several poems and excerpts from her memoir, Ordinary Light. Smith is the author of four poetry collections, including the Pulitzer-winning Life on Mars. Questions? Ann Ulmschneider, [email protected].

Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Location: Welcome Room

Register for January Allyship Workshop

As part of our congregation's Live the Pledge campaign to end racism, UUCA has partnered with Service Never Sleeps to offer a racial justice Allyship training. Over 200 UUCAers have already taken this training. Now it’s your turn! This workshop teaches about the causes of racial injustice, how to be an effective ally for marginalized communities, and how to actively influence and educate others. More information and sign up here. Questions? Contact Alex Ziehm, [email protected].

Date: Sunday, January 20, 1:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Location: Parlor (Room 13/15)

African American Book Sharing

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is the book for discussion at the next African American Book Sharing on January 18. A Penguin/Random House review describes this book “…as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. [This book] captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right.” Questions? Contact Linda Lutes Corsoro, [email protected].

Date: Friday, January 18, 7:30 p.m.

Location: Welcome Room 

UUCA Peace Camp 2019 Dates June 24-July 5

See us in Fellowship Hall on Sunday

Week 1: Mon., June 24 to Fri., June 28

Week 2: Mon., July 1 to Fri. July 5, except 7/4

UUCA Peace Camp offers campers the opportunity to explore cooperation and conflict resolution in a safe and supportive environment. At Peace Camp, campers will discover that peace begins with them. Peace Campers (ages 5-14) can attend both weeks or just one. Plan for your peacemaker to attend both weeks, or just one, depending on your schedule. Registrations will open soon. Find out more in Fellowship Hall after services this Sunday.  Peace Camp at UUCA is a partnership between UUCA Peace Ministry and Little Friends for Peace.  

Federal Furlough & UUCA

A large number of our congregants are affected directly and indirectly by the shutdown of the federal government. UUCA is ready to offer whatever support we can. A group of furloughed workers met yesterday for lunch with lay pastoral care associates and church ministers with staff joining in.  We will repeat this event next Wednesday, January 16, noon to 1 p.m. with church staff providing a light lunch for all. Everyone is invited, whether affected by the furlough or not. It will be a nice way to make connections with other congregants and with church ministers and staff. After the lunch, a NEW SUPPORT GROUP for those furloughed or unemployed will meet. No registration is necessary, just drop-in. This group, sponsored by the Lay Pastoral Care Associates, will be a place to share stories, express hopes and fears, and find comfort in the support of others.   

 

UUCA has a personals bulletin board on the upper floor, near the restrooms. We encourage those of you who are looking for occasional jobs (tutoring, offering music lessons, shoveling snow, etc) to post a notice here. If you’re looking to hire someone, please also post on the bulletin board.

 

Here are links for applying for unemployment benefits:

 

Many congregants have asked how they can help furloughed workers. In addition to using the bulletin board when you need to hire someone, we encourage you to support our partner organizations that provide direct assistance. In particular, the Arlington Food Assistance Center offers groceries to those in need. Also, non-affected congregants who can keep their pledge payments current or can contribute ahead of schedule, please do so. Many furloughed workers need to delay their pledge payments.

 

Our ministers and lay pastoral care associates are available for pastoral counseling. Call the pastoral care hotline, 703-892-2565 x-1213. You can also contact Sarah Masters, Director of Congregational Life, for additional assistance, [email protected]. 

Happy Hour Hosted by Sanctuary Singers

Sanctuary Singers invites you to join us for Happy Hour in January. Members of this group not only sing but are also really good cooks! So come on down for what promises to be a delicious event. We are a singer-friendly and welcoming group and would love to have some new singers join us! (No previous singing experience necessary. Just a desire to minister through music.)  No interest in singing? Come for a social evening and meet the people who make beautiful music on Sunday mornings. Bring a beverage to share if you like (wine or non-alcoholic, we have plenty of beer leftover from the Cabaret).

Date: Thursday, January 10, 6-7:30 p.m.

Location: Fellowship Hall

Safety in Houses of Worship Special Training

Please note the Arlington County Police portion of this training has been re-scheduled for the February 17 date only. The UUCA facility portion of the training will still be presented this Sunday, January 13. All are invited to attend. Those who serve in leadership and/or volunteer roles at UUCA on Sunday mornings are especially encouraged to participate in a session. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Dates: January 13 or February 17, 12:30–2:00 p.m.

Location: Sanctuary

In addition, we will be forming a UUCA Safety Ministry Team with the goals of increasing awareness and embracing safety. This team will initially meet monthly and once established will meet on an as needed basis. Focusing on three basic concepts can help us start this ministry team:

If you are interested in this team, please email Tamara, [email protected]. The first meeting will happen in February after the second training session.

New Pastoral Care Gathering

Death Cafe

A Death Cafe gathering seeks to increase awareness of death with a view to help people make the most of their (finite) lives. It's a safe, welcoming place in which people share their ideas, concerns, fears, and hopes about death. Death Cafe's have become a global movement. There have been thousands of Death Cafe gatherings held throughout the world. From the administrative details of death and dying to the most profound spiritual or philosophical issues, all topics are welcome. Mark your calendar for January 20. Come for the coffee, tea and cake, and stay for what promises to be interesting and stimulating conversation. Questions? Contact Colleen Duewel, [email protected]

Date: Sunday, January 20, 2:00 p.m.

Location: Activity Room

New UU Class

Unitarian Universalism is a way of thinking and being in the world. It is a faith discipline, enriched by faith traditions, that forms the foundation for a way to live this life. It matters how we conduct our lives and work to make the world a better place. Unitarian Universalism wants each of us to know why. It challenges us to deepen our own faith principles and practices in response to our own experience and, whenever possible, to stand on the side of love. There will be plenty of chances to ask questions and to get to know others in the class. It's also part of the path to membership at UUCA.  Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley will be leading the class. The class is free and includes dinner, but registration is required.  Register here. Free childcare is available upon request. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Date: Tuesday, January 22, 6 to-9 p.m.

Location: Fellowship Hall

A memorial service in celebration of the life of Thurlow Wilson will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2:00 p.m. in our Sanctuary. Washington Post obituary.

NEW newsletter deadline: Connections deadline for submissions is EACH Monday at noon with publication on Wednesday. See below on how to submit an announcement.

How to submit an announcement to UUCA's Connections newsletter:  

Thank you for using this link when shopping Amazon.

UUCA benefits each time you shop.