November 12-13, 2022 - 10 Lyons Plains Road Westport, CT 06880 -

Phone: 203.227.7205. visit us at uuwestport.org

CLICK HERE for 2 week calendar PDF. 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.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2022

Change is the only constant. Rev. John explores our own struggles with change and living a deeper spiritual life and what it means for us as a congregation.

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.

Next Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 10:00 AM

“Rescuing Thanksgiving” – Rev. Dr. John Morehouse

PLEASE BRING NON-PERISHABLES TO DONATE

 THE NEXT TWO SUNDAYS! CHILDREN, YOUTH, ADULTS!

Thanksgiving is coming, and it's often a time to give generously as we can, especially food. This month we'd like to continue what Voices Cafe KIDS started last weekend: we'd like to help the food insecure in our area by donating non-perishable food items. 

For the next two Sundays we will all collect food for the Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport. We have supported Mercy for many years by working with students as tutors and teachers, providing food and diapers, and financial support. Mercy helps build strong families by transforming women's lives through education. Our gifts to the MLC food pantry - non-perishables and cash -- help to ensure that women can stay in school.

We will start the effort, and the Voices Cafe team will continue supporting Mercy on December 3 for their concert with the Heather Pierson Jazz Trio.

Please bring a can/box or bag of non-perishable food this Sunday and next. We’ll collect it all and deliver it before Thanksgiving. Thank you! Questions? Contact Ruth Fontilla.

TOWN HALL MEETING AFTER SERVICE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20

TO LOOK AHEAD TO OUR FUTURE

All are urged to stay after the service next Sunday, November 20, to hear from our consultants Stewardship for Us who have been engaged to help us understand and address the financial needs of our congregation. This initiative, led by the Treasurer, and our heads of Endowment, Stewardship, and our Senior Minister, (Steve Grathwohl, Mark Corcoran, Elena Rockman-Blake and Rev. John respectively) will provide a framework for analyzing and brainstorming ways to both enhance our revenue line and reduce our cost lines. As we know, our congregation, while strong and vibrant, is different from what it was 10 years ago, and we want to examine closely what implications that has for us moving forward.

Rachel Maxwell, a lead consultant on this engagement, will be running the conversation and shepherding a series of breakout group discussions. We look forward to seeing you there.

There will be more opportunities to explore this, of course, but this first kick-off is a good one for us all, to get centered. It will be livestreamed.

NAMING COMMITTEE: VOTE #3 WILL USE RANKED CHOICE VOTING

AND WILL RUN FOR A WEEK: NOVEMBER 13-20

The Naming vote for Vote #3 will be open from November 13 to 5 PM on November 20. 

The three names on the ballot (in alphabetical order) are:

The Unitarian Church in Westport,

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport,

UU Westport A Unitarian Universalist Community.

In the spirit of building community, the method of voting will be Ranked Choice Voting. Click HERE for a YouTube video about Ranked Choice voting and click HERE for a written explanation of this method. The Naming Committee decided to utilize Ranked Choice Voting as it takes into account voters’ preferences on all available options, not just their first choice.

All three choices for 1, 2, and 3 MUST be marked on the ballot or the vote will not be accepted for submission.

CLICK HERE to vote.

Please contact Ruth Fontilla in the office if you need help from the Naming Committee to vote. Note: all detailed information about the process can be found on the website HERE . Questions/concerns? Contact namechange@uuwestport.org

FAMILY FAITH FORMATION FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13

Please contact Nate Pawelek with any questions. All are always welcome to be with us. We look forward to getting to know your children better!

Nursery care available for babies and toddlers at 9:45 AM downstairs, in the sanctuary building. Our ushers can help you find your way. 

We are asking all children and youth to bring non-perishables with them to donate for the Mercy Learning Center. Please read above about this effort: this is a multi-gen opportunity to help women and their families who live with food insecurity.

• The K-2nd and 3-5th grade classes will be traveling the path of changing the world.

• Our OWL group will joyfully complete their final session this Sunday: Healthy Relationships and Celebration! Congratulations OWL participants! You did it!

• The High School Youth Group meets at 11:15 AM and will discuss the substance of Rev. John’s sermon: “Be the Change.”

UU Meditation & Mindfulness, now HYBRID! 9:00-9:45 AM Sundays

In person - find us in the Oak Room by the lower level entrance or 

on ZOOM - CLICK HERE Meeting ID: 604 513 6137. Passcode: 068510

A UU mix of mindfulness, discourse, relaxation, visualization and silence. Questions? Contact  Janet Luongo.

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! 

• 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.