THIS WEEK At the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring November 9, 2017
Worship Services
Sunday, November 12: The Growing Church
THIS Sunday, November 12, 2017, our Interim Minister, Rev. Evan Keely, will lead a service entitled: “The Growing Church” at 9:30am & 11:30am. Churches talk a lot about growth but there are many ways for us to grow!
Religious Education
Hello!
Welcome to the new Religious Education school year! We are traveling back in time this year to learn about Unitarian Universalist history. This coincides perfectly with the celebration of the 65th Anniversary of UUCSS!
Registration: Still need to register for RE or OWL? No problem! Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QGJ59NF
Miss the Pageant Meeting?
Were you unable to make it to the Christmas Pageant meeting last week and your child still wants to participate? Don’t fret! Email Catherine at dre@uucss.org.
Family FUUN Night: Pizza Party
Wednesday, November 15th, from 6-8 PM: Come to church for shared pizza and activities.
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) is a group for youth in grades 10-12. All youth in these grades are welcome. We meet during the second service in the Fellowship House on church grounds (If there is only one service, check the RE board in the Sanctuary building entrance to see if we are meeting; announcements will also be made in the church newsletter and Facebook group). Adult advisers and the RE assistant facilitate meetings. Email REAssistant@UUCSS.org for more details about this program or to add your youth’s email to the YRUU email list.
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Please reach out to the DRE Catherine at dre@uucss.org
Events
Transition Team News
In the past two months, more than 70 people have attended cottage parties to share their perspectives about the past, present, and future of UUCSS with Rev. Keeley. Many thanks to the hosts and to all who attended. The cottage parties are winding down, but Rev. Keeley will meet with people individually through early December. Stop by the Transition Team table at Coffee Hour on Sunday or email transition@uucss.org to schedule a time to have a rich conversation with our interim minister.
Women’s Book Group
The Women’s Book Group has been in existence since 2000 and we welcome interested readers. No long-term obligation required. We meet on the fourth Monday of the month; contact dweiner04@gmail.com for more information. November 27th’s book is Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. We will not meet in December but will be reading A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin for our January 22, 2018 gathering.
Opportunities!
The UUCSS Children’s Choir
The UUCSS Children’s Choir is just about to begin its second expanded year-round continuous program with performances during several services this church year. Rehearsals will continue THIS Sunday, November 12th, between the two services. Weekly regular rehearsals will be led by Audrey Engdahl and Michael Holmes. We are seeking children from the ages of 5-11 who simply love to sing. No past experience is required. Please contact Michael Holmes at musicdirector@uucss.org or Audrey Engdahl at audreyengdahl@gmail.com to register or for more information and to obtain a sign-up form. There are also sign-up forms around the church, in the RE rooms and at the welcome desk.
There is a place for you in the UUCSS Sanctuary Singers!!
If you love music, love singing, and love community, come join the choir! The UUCSS Sanctuary Singers perform a diverse array of styles of music, including contemporary UU, classical, gospel, chant, jazz, and early music, normally two Sundays per month during the regular church year, with the summers off. Past choir and/or other musical experience is helpful but not required. Sight singing and ear training classes can be arranged with the music director to provide individual attention and assistance with the music. The choir is open to all generations. Rehearsals are Thursday nights 7:30pm- 9:30pm in the UUCSS sanctuary. For more information contact musicdirector@uucss.org.
Information Technology (IT) CHAIR Needed!
Put your IT expertise to use for the church as our new IT Chair. Responsibilities include: approving all IT expenses, purchasing equipment, providing opinions regarding IT related matters at the monthly OPs council meetings, and submitting an IT budget for yearly expenses. IT services are used by the administrative offices, church web server, and audio visual team. Nancy Dougherty was the former chair and will be happy to answer your questions about the position.
Volunteer with the UUCSS RE Program!
Sages and seekers, wanderers and wonderers, RE is searching for volunteer teachers for the new school year! Please contact Catherine at dre@UUCSS.org.
The UUCSS RE program could not function without the help of many UUCSS community members who serve the program with their time and energy. There are a number of volunteer roles for people with varying amounts of RE experience and available time to give. Would you like to help with children’s worship once a month? Can you teach one of our 9:30 am RE classes two times per month? You can help provide spiritual nourishment for the youngest members of this faith community! Email dre@uucss.org for more information or to volunteer.
Announcements
This Sunday’s Collection
The collection this Sunday (November 12) will support our charity of the month, Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop (www.freemindsbookclub.org). Free Minds uses books, creative writing, and a peer support system to awaken DC youth incarcerated as adults to their own potential. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals and become powerful voices for change in the community. Since its inception in 2002, Free Minds has reached over 1,000 youth and is the only organization working with these young men throughout their entire incarceration and when they return home. You’ll have a chance to meet Free Minds co-founder and executive director, Tara Libert, and one of the Poet Ambassadors during coffee hour. Please be generous with your donation on Sunday.
UUCSS 101 – Interested in joining UUCSS?
Come to an informational session to learn more about our church and our joining process. The next UUCSS 101 will be Sunday, November 19, during Coffee Hour (about 10:30 am) in the Triangle Room, which is in the Community Hall across from the Sanctuary Building. All are welcome! You do not need to sign up in advance. Contact membership@uucss.org with any questions.
Interested in Parent Education at UUCSS?
A group of families at UUCSS are exploring options for holding parenting workshops at UUCSS. Interest has been expressed in hosting programming offered by the Parent Education Program (PEP), a local non profit as one option. Folks from the SSNS and PBMS communities have also expressed interest in bringing PEP speakers or workshops to their communities. Some of us thought we would explore the possibility of working together on this as a way to pool our resources and build connections between our three communities. We can also explore options beyond PEP programming if interests point to that. If you are interested in parenting workshops or speakers at UUCSS, please complete the survey at this link by Sunday Nov. 12. Thank you!
Workshop on How to Plan Green Events at UUCSS and Your Home
If you plan events at UUCSS or hold events in your home, you are invited to attend a 30-minute workshop on Sunday, November 12. The Workship will begin 15 minutes after the 9:30 a.m. service ends.
Participants will learn the following:
- How to plan an event to ensure minimal waste
- How to properly dispose of waste
- Where to access and/or buy Earth-friendly products
- Menu planning to suite all dietary needs
- Questions to ask caterers to ensure they engage in eco-friendly practices
- Eco-friendly décor AND MORE!
Presented by former green event producer and UUCSS member Lori Hill. Questions? Contact Lori at lori@sistereden.com
Daytime Inreach Group
Are you new to the Church and wanting to get acquainted with other UUCSSers in a small group setting? If so, the Daytime Inreach Group has a few openings. If you’re free on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, you might give us a try. Contact Bev McGaughy, coordinator, for details (phone: 301-565-0895 or email: bnbmcgaughy@verizon.net).
Daily Spiritual Practice Group
About 20 people responded, so we WILL be having an experiential class on establishing a daily spiritual practice! We need a 8 week stretch, so it looks like we will start mid-January. I will send out a Doodle poll in December to find a time that works best for the most people. If you expressed interest but don’t get the poll by Christmas, please let me know. I am excited that there is this level of interest. Stay tuned!
–Doneby at Donebys@gmail.com.
Styrofoam/Polysytyrene Recycling
Once again the Green Sanctuary Committee is sponsoring a styrofoam/polystyrene recycling collection on Nov. 12. What is styrofoam? It is expanded (not extruded) polystyrene foam, such as disposable coffee cups, plates and bowls, clamshell containers, coolers, or cushioning material in packaging, which is typically white and is made of expanded polystyrene beads. It may be marked with the recycling symbol 6. Styrofoam itself is a brand name, and similar items made by different companies are properly referred to as polystyrene.
Please bring your clean items on Nov. 12 and deposit them in the collection container in the Community Hall. For more information, contact Lori Hill at lori@sistereden.com.
Local Theater Production
Steve Leete will play the part of Roscoe in a production of “Follies”. Full information and tickets are available at the Music and Drama club web site. Performances are Oct 27 – Nov 11, 2017 in Greenbelt, MD.
Volunteer of the Month – Charles Alexander
Charles Alexander is the November Volunteer of the Month. Charles first came to UUCSS over a decade ago. He and his then five-year-old daughter, Sydney, did some exploring together to find a religious place for themselves, and found UUCSS. Charles has been coming to UUCSS ever since. He is attracted to UUCSS as a place where the focus is on finding your light and searching for where you can find wisdom. During his time at UUCSS Charles has served a couple of times on the Diversity Team. Of the Diversity Team’s work he is most proud of the services that have presented the different perspectives of people who are members of minorities in the United States.
The volunteer activity that has given him the greatest joy, however, has been his participation in the music program and the opportunity that has given him to work with Michael Holmes. His first foray into volunteering at UUCSS was when Michael started the a cappella group. Charles became a founding member of the group. Charles has provided the beat through his beatboxing, and has sung in numerous a cappella groups and other musical groups over the years.
Charles recommends to newer people that they find something that they like to do, where their passion lies, and give to UUCSS through that, whether it be something for a service, like singing in an a cappella, or through an enjoyment of barbecue. Charles enjoys barbecue and, with his friends and fellow members Marty Atias and Tina Borror, has been offering a summer barbecue at the auction for a number of years with smoked meats and vegetables. They are offering it again this year.
Financial Contributions to UUCSS
We appreciate your financial contributions to UUCSS and want to provide accurate records for you. To help us do this, please put “Auction,” “Capital Campaign,” or “2017-18 Pledge” in the memo line of your check. If you want to donate stock, please email collector@uucss.org for easy instructions on how to move the stock into the church’s Etrade account. Thank you!
Attention Planners of Church Events
The Green Sanctuary Committee, in conjunction with the Property Committee, and the Program Council, has posted helpful resources on the Green Sanctuary page of the UUCSS web site to ensure our events follow our values by being green! Click on https://uucss.org/green/ for guidelines on greening events, recycling, and composting. You just may learn something new!
Parking During Church Services & Events
In an effort to be as welcoming to visitors as possible, we encourage UUCSS members who are able to not park in the UUCSS lot for Sunday services or large events so that we can keep spots open for visitors. Good alternative parking spots include the side streets near UUCSS and the CHI lot just north of the church on New Hampshire Avenue. Thank you in advance for your help.
UUCSS Member Dropbox Link
In order to provide ready access to documents that help everyone stay engaged and informed about church matters, the UUCSS Board of Trustees created folders in Dropbox at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6m0pncsiskos8f4/AACRaDMaJy8kua–iMJ0zHRNa?dl=0
Click on the link, or copy/paste it into your browser, and it will take you to “UUCSS Member Dropbox”. There you can view minutes from board meetings, congregational meetings, and annual meetings, as well as copies of UUCSS constitution and policies, and other resources. New folders and documents will be added over time. Questions about the Dropbox may be sent to: boardsecretary@uucss.org. Emails to the Board of Trustees may be sent to: board@uucss.org.