We livestream our in-person worship on Zoom.

From our Minister - Rev. Danielle Lindstrom

Winter Solstice is Saturday night. We honored the season, the balance of our days, on December 15. We added our doubts, dreams, desires, wishes, and prayers to the Yule Log created by the PlaceKeepers. We will burn our Yule Log this Sunday, sending our doubts, dreams, desires, thoughts, and prayers, up into the universe. As Bice Wilson shared, they will become part of the universe we will all soon inhabit. We will save some of the ashes to add to our Yule Log next year.

These words are from our service last Sunday:

Without darkness, there cannot be light.

Without death, there cannot be life.

Without silence, there cannot be music.

Without sorrow, there cannot be joy.

Let the darkness inspire us to be radiantly alive.

So mote it be.

I look forward to spending our first Christmas Eve together. We will share a familiar story, sing our favorite carols, and imagine together a world with more love, more justice, more peace, and more joy. We will celebrate the possibility and promise that is each one of us.

It will be good to be together.

Following Christmas Eve, I will be heading back to Michigan to participate in my family’s favorite year-end rituals. I will be off email from December 25th through January 1st. I will be available by phone (914-916-0928).

Looking ahead to the New Year, if you haven’t already, please consider attending the adult RE class that Tracy and I are leading:

Creating Theology Together, Sat Jan 11 & 18, 8:45am Gather and Light Breakfast; 9:00am-12:00pm Class; 12:00-12:40pm Community Lunch and Ongoing Conversation.

Unitarian Universalism offers a theology with deep roots that also allows individuals room to explore and make choices. By understanding our personal theology and then moving beyond a focus on the individual search for truth and meaning, we create space for a shared theology to emerge as we continue growing together in faith.

RSVP: bit.ly/CUUC-Creating-Theology-Together

From our Music Director

This Sunday we welcome you to our interfaith holiday celebration, featuring Cantor Alexandra Schleuderer and our own “Gemini+1” vocal ensemble!

About Cantor Alexandra Schleuderer: Residing in Kingston with her partner Shok and pets, Alexandra Schleuderer, passionate vocalist and leader of worship, is enjoying her hometown’s beauty while halfway through her Jewish and spiritual studies with Aleph Ordination Program on their Cantorial and Hashpa’ah (Spiritual Direction) path. She and Shok are excited to welcome their first child this spring. A conservatory trained vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, she has performed professionally with orchestras in the area and has explored a wide range of opera roles. Alexandra is beginning her sixth year serving the Congregation Emanuel of the Hudson Valley now as their Student Hazzan where she leads, teaches, and officiates alongside Rabbi Jack Sherratt. She often sings with the Bard Festival Chorale with whom she will appear at Carnegie Hall performing Bernstein’s Kaddish Symphony in January 2025. Alexandra holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Peabody Institute and BA in Music from SUNY Oneonta. She returned there this fall where she and Adam Kent crossed paths with the opportunity to perform together in a memorial service for a dear professor, Dr. Timothy Newton... To read more, visit Adam's blog post 

We are not including personal emails in this newsletter. if you need help reaching someone, please contact the office at info@cuucwp.org or 914-946-1660 x2.

Your Moment of Silly

Q: What song would you sing at a snowman’s party?...

Call for Coffee Hosts

Support our ministry of hospitality by volunteering to be a coffee hour host! Sign up at bit.ly/CUUC_CoffeeHour. We'd like to have two more hosts on board this Sun Dec 22, to serve alongside veteran host Joe M. We still have plenty of leftover goodies on hand, so you won't even need to bring much. Questions? Contact Terri Kung.

Treasurer's Year-End Update

We are now almost 6 months into our congregation year, and are managing well so far financially. Pledges are slightly below budget, and we are doing well on the expense side because everyone is being careful about how and when to spend our funds. While we are slightly behind budget for pledge payments, other income and rentals are right where we expected. And this year’s Auction was a big success. The net result after expenses was $57,000 versus a budget of $42,000. Hats off to the Auction Team and everyone participating!

If you would like to make a donation before year-end, any checks dated 2024 and received in the first two weeks of 2025 will still be counted toward your 2024 statement. Checks received later than January 15 will be applied toward 2025. Our PayPal account works well for small amounts, but we do incur PayPal fees of almost 3% over the donated amount. So for pledge payments or large amounts (e.g., over $500), we ask that you please use another method such as Zelle, your bank’s Bill Pay service, or a good old fashioned “check in the mail.” I will be happy to answer questions about transferring stock to our Vanguard brokerage account, or making Required Minimum Distributions (“RMDs”)... Click here to read the full Update from the Treasurer.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, Tue Dec 24, 5:30pm, in person and livestream

All are welcome. Share a familiar story. Sing favorite hymns. Imagine together a world with more love, more justice, more peace, and more joy. Celebrate the possibility and promise that is each one of us. To join the livestream: bit.ly/CUUC-Worship or phone in (audio only): 646-876-9923. Webinar: 761 321 991, Passcode: 468468.

Holiday Message

Here's a message to all from the president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt:

Office Closed for Holidays

The CUUC office will be closed from Wed Dec 25 through Thu Jan 2 as our staff goes on a restorative holiday break. We wish everyone in this beloved congregation a happy holiday and a healthy new year! Remember, the CUUC offices are always closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Gratitudes

Santa hats off to Kim F and Jessica L for hosting another wonderful Cookies, Carols & Decorating event for all ages on Fri Dec 6. The fire was crackling and the table laden with treats as together people set up our Mitten Tree, adorned the sanctuary with homemade snowflakes, birds, and “birch trees,” and sang and danced with the festively dressed Forces. It was a joyful event to gladden the heart, satisfy the sweet tooth, and warm the collective soul of our beloved community. Thanks to everyone who helped us kick off the holiday season right.

Give the Gift of Warmth

Throughout December, the Mitten Tree is ready to accept your donations of mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves for all ages and sizes. We collect new women's and men's socks and underwear (men's XL especially needed). All items will be donated to local shelters for our neighbors who are homeless. Contact: John Cavallero of the Hunger & Homelessness team.

Brighten a Child's Holiday - LAST DAY SUNDAY

Collection for Coachman Family Center Gift Cards, through Dec 22

Help us reach our goal of presenting a $25 gift card to each school-aged child at the Coachman Family Center, a local shelter for families who are homeless. Your donation will help purchase gift cards for the 200 or so children currently at Coachman. Stop by our table this Sundays, mail checks to CUUC with memo “Coachman Gift Cards,. or donate at cuucwp.org, by clicking Donate and selecting "Coachman Gift Cards" from the dropdown. Contact: Jacy Good.

Common Read

Join us in reading together! This year's Unitarian Universalist “Common Read” is Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families. The book celebrates trans and nonbinary people and their families in their own words, with stunning photographs. Copies are available to purchase ($20) after worship. Pay in person, or click here to pay online, and select "Common Read." Book discussion dates to come. Questions? See Steve Bear, Joann Prinzivalli, Jennifer Stevens, or Jeff Tomlinson

Honor a Loved One

Contribute to our chancel display as a way to honor, give thanks, or remember a person, event, or group. The suggested donation is $20 per plant. Please make checks to CUUC with the memo "Flowers," and add to the collection plate or send to the office along with the names or message you would like included in the Christmas Eve order of service. Forms also available in the lobby. Contact: admin@cucwp.org, 914-946-1660 x2.

December Share the Plate: WCC Emergency Aid Grant

This month we share half our non-pledge collection with the Westchester Community College Emergency Aid Grant. The Grant is a one-time award given to help students who are experiencing a temporary financial crisis to enable them to remain enrolled at WCC instead of dropping out. Make checks to CUUC with the memo "Share the Plate - WCC" and add to the plate or mail to the office. Or click here to pay online, and select "Share the Plate." You may also select "Other" and type "WCC" if you'd like your full donation to go to the grant.

Looking for Answers?

Q: What song would you sing at a snowman’s party?

A: Freeze a Jolly Good Fellow