December 17-18, 2022 - 10 Lyons Plains Road Westport, CT 06880 -

Phone: 203.227.7205. visit us at uuwestport.org

CLICK HERE for past issues of SOUNDINGS.

Saturday 12-4 PM and Sunday 9:30 -9:50 AM: Brown bag lunch donations to support John Street Outreach. Sign up HERE; click HERE for instructions. Contact David Vita.

The SOUNDINGS team is taking a break for the holidays. We will send out one issue that covers the two weeks between Saturday, December 24 Christmas Eve and through to Friday, January 6th. The next issue will come out January 6th, SOUNDINGS WEEKEND, to cover January 7-8. 

Please get any articles in to cover those two weeks by next Wednesday, December 21 at 5:30 PM. And then articles for January 7-8 and 9-13 are due WEDNESDAY January 4 at 5:30 PM as usual. Thank you and Happy Holidays to all!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2022

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022

How do we move beyond narcissism and commercialism to the deeper meaning of Christmas? Rev. John explores some ways.

Click HERE for the Order of Service. The service will be in person and virtual; attendance guidelines are HERE. Broadcast of the service is available at uuwestport.org/livestream. 

Offering can be made on VENMO ("The Unitarian Church in Westport"), on vop.tucw.org, or feel free to mail in cash or check.

Saturday, December 24, 2022 at 9:00 PM

Our traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Next Sunday, December 25, 2022

No worship service

Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 10:00 AM

“Spreading the Joy” – Rev. Lynn Ford

IF YOU MISSED THE HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE, DON'T DESPAIR!

You'll have another opportunity this Sunday, December 18 before (9:00 AM-9:45) and after the service, 11AM-1PM. Buy your last minute holiday gifts -- jewelry and scarves! We'll also have some new items. And invite your friends! The more the merrier!

Questions? Contact Sari Bodi

There will be no infant/toddler care or Faith Formation programs for children and youth on December 25 or January 1. Happy Holidays!

Please click HERE to find out more about our Faith Formation programs, or contact Nate Pawelek. All are always welcome to be with us.

Nursery care is available for babies and toddlers Sundays, starting at 9:45 AM. (Sanctuary building; downstairs.) Please drop off and pick up your wonderful babies and we'll care for them during the service.

All children and youth begin Sunday morning attending the first part of the worship service at 10:00 AM. We will dismiss to our classes after about 15 minutes.

• The K-2nd and 3-5th graders explore the wonder of holiday lights that remind each of us about our inner light, life’s spark of joy and hope.

• The 6-8th graders Witness Stones Project class continues learning about the Native American experience in CT during the 17th and 18th centuries. Guest Grandmother Nancy will help us learn more about the Schaghticoke and Paugussett tribes of Western CT. For a map of CT tribes of that time, see, HERE.

• The High School Youth Group meets 11:15 AM-12:15 PM, after which they will rake their 6th of 6 lawns, this one in Norwalk!

RESULTS OF CONGREGATIONAL MEETING, DECEMBER 11

This past Sunday, December 11, we held a Congregational Meeting to vote on the naming of our spiritual home. This was the latest step in a nearly two-year process to address what our legal name should be. We all can be grateful for a meeting that was informative, respectful and civil: a group of people working together to discuss an issue many of us feel passionately about.

The meeting was conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order to maximize the input from all; thanks to our Parliamentarian as he helped guide the process. Once the Secretary determined a quorum was present, the motion was made and seconded, to change the name to "The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport." Amendments were made, discussed and voted on. 

In the end, the final vote was 103 voting to APPROVE and 16 votes AGAINST the motion. The final attendance number was 119 (89 in the room and 30 on ZOOM), so the 2/3 majority number that was needed to pass the Motion was 80 votes. We exceeded that number by 23 votes. The motion carried.

The next meeting will be Sunday January 29, after the service. Please note that, in conformance with our Constitution, there will be no amendments, although discussion will be allowed. It will be a straight “yes” or “no” vote on accepting or rejecting the new name. Please mark you calendars!

Many thanks to all, again. – Luke Garvey, President of the Board of Trustees

UU Meditation, 9:00-9:40 AM Sundays. Hybrid. A UU mix of mindfulness, discourse, relaxation, visualization and silence. In person, go downstairs and find us in the Chapel by the lower level entrance. On ZOOM -- CLICK HERE Meeting ID: 604 513 6137. Passcode: 068510. Questions? Contact  Janet Luongo.

Flowers: Should you wish to donate flowers for a Sunday service, please reach out to Ruth Fontilla, our administrator, or fill out the form in the notebook on the table in the foyer.

Pay it forward: please consider being a greeter on Sundays; help our new folks navigate our community. Contact Beth Cliff or Rob Zuckerman to find a Sunday that works for you! 

PAST SERMONS/SERVICES

Our sermons are archived on the website HERE.

Last Sunday's music concert was glorious, but unfortunately for copyright reasons we could not record it. Thanks to our Music Director the Rev. Ed Thompson, and the choir, for getting us ready for the holidays with such a lovely concert.

photo credits: R. Zuckerman

• Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC)- 24Hr 888–774–2900
• Alcoholics Anonymous: 866-783-7712 https://ct-aa.org/meetings
• Al-Anon (family members of alcoholics) https://www.ctalanon.org/meetings
• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Dial 988 Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.