Sunday, December 15, 2024 - 10 am

"What to Expect When You're Expecting"

December is a time of waiting, as the calendar connects us to holy days of anticipation, hope, and expectation. Sometimes the waiting helps us find stillness, and sometimes it brings anxiety. Together we’ll explore what it means to wait and dwell in possibility.

• Rev. Kimberley DeBus, Guest Speaker
• Jan Sprinkel, Worship Leader
• Michael Casey, Musician
• Judy Graham, Greeter
• Joy Kim, Coffee Host
• Fantaye Kehm, RE

Please CLICK HERE to join us via ZOOM.

This week's hymn numbers:

• "Let Christmas Come" #224 (grey hymnal)
• "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" #225 (grey hymnal)
• "Come, Sing a Song with Me" #346 (grey hymnal)

December 23 | "This Night is a Holy Night" — In-person & Zoom

— Eve-of-the-Eve Service at 7 PM followed by a Cookie Reception

Each night a child is born is a holy night. This Eve-of-the-Eve we will celebrate the presence of life in each birth, the opportunity in each turning of the globe for us to witness the rebirth of the earth, and to be lights in the healing, restful darkness. May this be a community of restful darkness and glowing light; of presence in the world and spiritual deepening. May we be beloved community.

• Rev. Kathryn Adams, Minister
• Michael Casey, Musician

December 29 | "Count My Blessings" — In-person & Zoom

On the cusp of the new year, between having completed our wish lists for Christmas and ruminating on our resolutions for the New Year, we might very well take a moment to reflect on our blessings; those we celebrate every day, those we too often overlook and take for granted, and all those in between.

• Rev. Greg Chute, Guest Speaker
• Annie Lavin & Connie Schroth, Worship Leaders
• Michael Casey, Musician
• Theo Kehm, RE

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• This Week's Worship Service
• Upcoming Worship Services
• This Issue's Contents
• Helpful Links, Office Hours, Upcoming Events Calendar
• Minister's Column
• Attention Space Management!
• Soup's On Tomorrow Night
• Heads Up! Holiday Office Hours & Deadline Changes
• UUCR Choir Started - Please Add Your Voice!
• Thank You for the Holiday Adopt-a-Family Gifts!
• Potluck at Mary Pritchard & Margo Long's Home — Dec 20
• Cookie Donations Needed for Eve-of-the Eve Cookie Reception
• Photos Needed for New Members & Friends Directory
• Birthdays

As I prepare for Christmas, I have been thinking of the origin of Christmas carols. "Silent"Night"—written in 1816, celebrated the peace after the Napoleonic Wars. It was a poem for two years, until a flood caused Father Josef Mohr to revisit his words of peace. He invited a friend, Franz Xaver Gruber, the town school teacher and church organist, to set it to music. They sang it after service, two voices and a guitar. Their voices and music were amplified by the traveling organ repairman, Karl Mauracher, who brought a copy home and distributed the song to choirs around Europe. Eventually, as unlikely as it would seem from the vantage of that cold, peaceful night in 1816, it came to us. You and me. 

As we gather in warmth and community with the call for peace this holiday season, let us also praise the unlikely journey and endless possibility. Whether you are inspired to write the poem, the music, or share it with the world, this is the time to use our gifts and build community.



Reference:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/silent-night-celebrates-its-bicentennial-180971044/

It has come to the attention of the board of trustees that our neighbor to the north has encroached onto our property. The board has sought guidance from an attorney in town and will be exploring UUCR’s options more fully over the coming weeks. If you have any questions, comments, or experience in these matters, do not hesitate to reach out to a board member or a member of the Building & Grounds committee. We will keep you updated as we know more.

M.Q. Riding

Don’t Forget Tomorrow Night’s Soup Sampler Supper!

5:30 pm, Friday, December 13 at UUCR

Tickets are $25 each

A few spaces are still available; please contact

Jane Hardy, janewhardy@gmail.com, to reserve a place.

You may pay at the door, but do send that reservation email!

See you then!

Clean-up help will be most welcome afterward. Thanks.

Since Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on a Wednesday this year, office hours will be on the Tuesday prior to each. Because of this change, deadlines for the Order of Service and Reflections will be due a day early (Tuesday) at their regular deadline times of OoS at 8:30 AM and Reflections at noon.

The December Potluck will be held at the home of Mary Pritchard and Margo Long on December 20^th beginning at 6 PM. All are welcome! Please bring a dish to share.

Cookie donations are needed for the Cookie Reception held after the Eve-of-the-Eve Service on Tuesday, December 23. Please contact Elisabeth Tully if you can help.

It’s that time again! It's time to update the photos of our smiling faces in our members and friends directory to share with our community. We especially want to invite our new attendees. Also, there have been many changes at UUCR and in the UU world that need to be reflected in our directory. We can make arrangements to take your photo at a Sunday service, or you can upload your own picture to our website HERE.

DECEMBER

07 | Pat Bjorke

08 | Lynn Donahue

We want to help celebrate your birthday!

If we didn't include your birthday, please contact the UUCR office by email