THIS WEEK At the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring November 22, 2017
Worship Services
Two Christmas Eve Services
Christmas Eve, December 24th, falls on Sunday this year, so we’ll have our first service – the Family Service – at 10:30am, when we’ll have our Annual Childrens’ Pageant. The UUCSS Children’s Choir & the Sanctuary Singers will be singing at this service.
The traditional Candlelight Christmas Eve Service will be at 8:00pm, and Sanctuary Singers will sing at this service.
Please join us for these much-anticipated times of family and community.
JOIN US FOR A POTLUCK BRUNCH AFTER MORNING SERVICE ON CHRISTMAS EVE!
The morning Family Service will be at 10:30am and will include a pageant, performed by the kids. We hope you will join us for an Intergenerational Brunch Celebration after the service (about 11:30am). Please bring a dish to share – pastries, an egg dish, fruit, yogurt, and more (labeled if it is gluten free, dairy free, vegan, etc.). We will gather in the Community Hall for a fun celebration, including a sing-a-long. If you can help with set up, clean up, or in another way, email Patti Poss at phendposs@gmail.com.
Upcoming Worship Service Change
PLEASE NOTE: Regarding UPCOMING Worship Services, from December 24, 2017 through March 25, 2018 (inclusive), UUCSS will have one Sunday worship service at 10:30am. Coffee Hour will take place after the service.
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
Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
Our next pageant rehearsal will be between services NEXT Sunday December 3rd in the Sanctuary.
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
Announcements
Supplemental Annual Budget Request
As announced last week, after significant work on assessing our finances and deliberation, the Board has reached out to request that our members and friends consider increasing their pledges for this fiscal year. Due to a shortfall in our projected income, we were projecting to be $8,000 short of the budget adopted by the congregation at the annual meeting in June. We have already received pledges and payments of over half of the amount needed to close this shortfall!
As many of you know, we had to make significant cuts to our budget this year due to a significant decline in pledges. At this point, additional cuts would require reducing staff hours or laying off some staff and making some additional significant reductions in our already reduced programs budgets.
If, however, on average, each of our 160 pledge units can increase their pledge by $50, we can close the gap. We understand that not everyone is in a position to make an increase in their pledge, so would ask that if you are in a position to give more, you consider making a supplemental pledge of $100 or more. Pledges can be made directly into the collection plate, via check indicating it is a “Supplemental Pledge”, by submitting a pledge card, or online (at https://uucss.org/abd/pledge/). This supplemental pledge period will end on Monday, December 4, 2017.
For additional information regarding how we got here and this supplemental request, please talk to a Member of the Board or see the more detailed description on the church website (https://uucss.org/abd/).
Beacon House Christmas Gift Drive
It’s time again for the Beacon House Christmas gift drive. This is our chance to help make the holidays merry and bright for the children and youth who attend Beacon House programs.
Take a minute when you’re in the foyer to locate the night sky display, where you’ll find stars with gender, ages and gift suggestions. Please bring unwrapped gifts or gift cards in envelopes to the church by Sunday, December 10th. Place unwrapped gifts in the large box near the greeting table. Give gift cards to Teresa Meeks or Carey Schneider when you see them, or hand them to the Sunday Support person at the greeting table. And thanks for your ongoing support of Beacon House!
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.
Paint Branch Montessori School Open Houses
Paint Branch Montessori School serves children from two to twelve years old. The school has a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the children and families. If you are interested in Montessori education please consider visiting the school.
The next open house is:
- Wednesday, December 13th from 9am to 11am
You can RSVP by calling or emailing the school.
Paint Branch Montessori School
10309 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20903
301-434-0373
info@pbmontessori.com
www.pbmontessori.com
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.
Deadlines for Announcements
Weekly Announcement Deadlines: All OOS Information, Written & Oral Announcements and All-Church Email Announcements for Sunday Services are due in the Admin Office by 9am every Wednesday.
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.
Men’s Book Reading Group
We are reading The Dispossessed, a sci fi fantasy novel by Ursula Le Guin. The next meeting will be held at the home of Steve Schmidt (1024 Copley Lane, Silver Spring) on Sunday, December 3 at 7 pm. All are welcome. If you are interested in joining the group, contact Richard Lorr (rlorr4@gmail.com), get the book, and come to the next meeting. Hope to see you there!
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.
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.
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.