Thursday, December 2, 2021 |
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THIS SUNDAY'S
WORSHIP SERVICE
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"Speaking of Angels"
Rev. Sue Browning
Jan Sprinkel, service leader
Al Martinez, musician
In-Person and Online
Worship Service
December 9, 2021 | 10 am
Among the candy canes and Santas, Christmas decorations include angels, shepherds, and bright stars. At this service with Rev. Sue Browning, we'll consider how the many symbols of the season might help us find hope in a confusing world.
So we can begin the worship service promptly at 10 am, please arrive at the sanctuary (if attending in person) or sign into Zoom ( click here) by no later than 9:50 am. Thanks!
If not attending the service, please submit "Joys and Concerns" and "Announcements" in advance by emailing them to the UUCR office ( click here) by 9 pm Saturday or share them in the Zoom chat. For those at the service, there will now be a stationary mic near the piano where you can come to share your "Joys and Concerns" without touching the mic.
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This Week's
Worship Service
Previous Worship Service Recordings
UUCR
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DEC 05 | Worship Service
In-Person and Online
Rev. Sue Browning
Jan Sprinkel, Service Leader
Al Martinez, Musician
DEC 12 | Worship Service
In-Person and Online
Dr. Mike Franch, Guest Speaker
Annie Lavin, Service Leader
Schuman/Bennington, Musicians
DEC 19 | Worship Service
In-Person and Online
Rev. Sue Browning
Catherine Brooks, Service Leader
Philip Dutton, Musician
DEC 22 | "Winter Light: a
Solstice Celebration"
UU Ministry for Earth
Zoom Online Event
(see details below)
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If you know of another link or event that should be added, please contact
the UUCR office by email or phone 410-778-3440. Thanks!
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Sunday, December 12 — In-Person and Online
"The Gospel of Unitarian Universalism: Two Kinds of Good News"
The word "gospel" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for "good news." We don't use it much in our denomination, especially those of us who tend humanist, but it's a good word, and we've got good news to proclaim. In fact, we have some upper-case Good News and some lower-case good news. They're both good, but I think it's important to know which is which. — Mike Franch
- Dr. Mike Franch, guest speaker
- Annie Lavin, service leader
- Ford Schuman & Bernard Bennington, musicians
Sunday, December 19 — In-Person and Online
"The Enduring Beauty of the Shortest Night"
As we approach the winter solstice, where might we focus? Join Rev. Sue Browning and members of UUCR as we take time together to acknowledge this annual moment of stillness, transition, and possibility.
- Rev. Sue Browning
- Catherine Brooks, service leader
- Philip Dutton, musician
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Lessons from Candle Lighting
This year Hanukkah and Advent both began on Sunday, November 28. While Thanksgiving pies were still being slivered away, we found ourselves in the midst of holiday rituals. Already.
Hanukkah comes with the slow, steady emergence of a fully lit Menorah over eight nights. Hanukkah includes stories of resilience and trust. We are reminded through ritual that ultimately there will be enough, even when all evidence might appear otherwise.
During the Season of Advent, we are offered lessons in preparation. Candles in many churches are lit for the four Sundays in Advent — one each for hope, faith, joy, and peace. Advent is a season to methodically ready our hearts for what is to come.
In both of these holiday rituals, one candle is lit at a time. Each candle is lit with intention and care. This lighting of the candles reminds us not to be afraid to give our time and attention to doing just one thing at a time. In doing just one thing at a time we just might get “the thing” done, and we just might actually enjoy doing that one thing.
True, we might get less done, or feel we are doing less. And doing less may be just what we need. If we give ourselves permission to focus on one thing at a time, we might see that much on our lists doesn’t actually need to be done now, or maybe ever. In the doing of the "one thing" with less urgency, we might learn something unexpected. With less tired eyes, we might see there is enough.
Whether lighting candles for the holiday rituals, or lighting candles on your kitchen table, or through the lighting of the chalice at service each Sunday, may each candle lit during these next weeks encourage us to slow down and try doing just one thing at a time.
For the many ways we celebrate, blessings,
Rev. Sue
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If you don't see "END of REFLECTIONS for December 2, 2021" at the very end of this email, you're not seeing the entire email. To view it to the end please Click here
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Carl Gallegos has placed several issues of "Chestnut: The Journal of the American Chestnut Foundation" on the corner of the desk, to the right as you enter the office. This is the organization from which Carl obtained the two chestnut trees that were planted here at UUCR. Please feel free to borrow the magazines. |
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Social Concerns/Social Justice Committee |
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SHARING YOUR HOLIDAY JOY
As we look forward to Christmas and the coming holidays, we hope that you will consider supporting our annual Holiday Sharing program. Once again, we are working with Kent and Queen Anne's Counties' Departments of Social Services to provide personalized gifts and gift cards for our community's most vulnerable families. We have been matched with a family of six in Kent County, which includes a mother and five children ranging in age from 2 - 17 years. For those of you who haven't been able to sign up yet, please be assured that there's still time. Don't hesitate to call or email Lynn Dolinger if you can't get to the church to find a gift match. You can also contribute funds to help us provide gift cards or to buy additional gifts. Checks or cash are welcomed at Sunday services or by sending a check to the church office. Please specify "Holiday Sharing" in the memo line or envelope. You can also donate online at the church website using the "Donate" button (click here) and "Custom Amount," specifying "Holiday Sharing" in the comment section. The deadline for all donations or gifts is Sunday, December 19. If you have any questions, please contact Lynn Dolinger, lynn.thirdwish@gmail.com, or call 215-872-5773.
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Join Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen and UU Ministry for Earth for a special Zoom service as we gather for Winter Light, a celebration of the Solstice on December 22, 2021, at 8:oo pm ET.
This sacred gathering reminds us of our interdependence with Earth, life, and the universe. Enjoy an hour of music, reflection, ritual, and meditation as we gather in the sacred darkness of Winter to honor all that life brings.
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Pastoral Care and Connection |
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You are encouraged to share your joys and sorrows with the UUCR Pastoral Associates (see below). This team is a mixed group — but all have had previous life experiences and a variety of professional training in counseling and philosophy. Please contact one, or several of us, if you “want to talk.”
For your information, The Washington Post of November 9, 2020, had an interesting article (link here) on coping with love and loss by Zibby Owens entitled — "After losing two loved ones to covid-19, I turned to books. Here are 15 titles that helped me cope." Included in the list is Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself by our First Lady Jill Biden. Another book Vida feels is worth examining (not on the list) is by UUCR member Marilee Taussig entitled — Old Enough: Making the Years Between 50 and 75 the Best Chapter of Your Life.
Pastoral Care Associates: Kevin Brien,
Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley
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DECEMBER
7 - Pat Bjorke
7 - Pat Kobes-Gomez
8 - Lynn Donahue
9 - Carol Dobson
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We want to help celebrate your birthday! If we didn't include your birthday, please contact the UUCR office by email (click here). |
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Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River 914 Gateway Drive | Chestertown, MD | 21620
Phone: 410-778-3440
Office hours: W - Sa, 8:30-10:30 am |
Su, 8:30 am-noon | Closed, M & Tu
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END of REFLECTIONS for December 2, 2021
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