 “For all that is our life” by Rev. Andrew January is a busy month in Richmond, thanks to the legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly. I spent three days there last month with different organizations: January 9th with Equality Virginia; January 30th with the Virginia Conservation Network; and January 22nd with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, a non-partisan coalition of more than seven hundred faith communities working for a more just society, when I was joined by UUFP members Alice and Bob Smith, Lucy and Robin van Tine, Mason Moseley, Sandra Engelhardt and Sarah Davis.
We have spent the day advocating for environmental justice, protections for the immigrant among us as well as for a living wage and dignity for all Virginians. Our good works are not yet finished, but will continue as we return to our various homes, houses of worship and campuses where we will write letters and make phone calls to our legislators. We will encourage others to be advocates and activists for all people. As part of bringing the day home to “encourage others to be advocates and activists for all people”, I invited our UUFP participants to write about something that made an impression on them and something that impacts our Fellowship as a faith community. I am pleased to share some of their responses here. Sarah begins, “What made the biggest impression on me was the immense time, volunteer hours and energy that went in to organizing the lobbying day! I was further impressed by the great zeal of people from all over Virginia who came to participate! Honestly, political activism is exhausting and takes tireless, persistent, consistent effort by vast numbers of people! It was encouraging to see it all in action.”  Picture by Les Solomon As Mason notes, “With the federal government closed and legislative and executive branches at loggerheads, I was impressed with the activity at the Virginia General Assembly. Cramped hallways full of citizen and professional lobbyists. People turning out from all over the state to be there. Our being made more aware of the issues that mostly we’d read about in local media.” Sandra comments, “This was my fifth lobby day and the best one yet. I finally got to meet Delegate Yancey of the 94th District. He met with seven of us from the UUFP and had comments on our concerns. My issue was the guns in churches and he agreed that this was not a good idea. We met with Senator Mason and he was very supportive of our issues, saying the governor might have to veto [the bill repealing the statutory prohibition on carrying dangerous weapons to a place of worship]. The VICPP had made the appointments for all who registered and that was wonderful.” I was impressed by the combination of professionalism and warmth in the legislative aides with whom I met. Whether aligned or in opposition on the various issues, these individuals spend all day talking with constituents while maintaining a consistently respectful and considerate attitude. It cannot be easy talking with so many people, some of whom will be upset or even angry, but the legislative aides are always welcoming and willing to listen. Concerning our Fellowship as a faith community living its values in the world, I realized anew how someone contacting a legislator on an issue that affects them directly can have a significant impact. In the office of Delegate Pogge’s legislative aide, a chart showing various bills she was tracking included an effort to allow ice-cream trucks to have flashing lights, and the aide explained that this was because an ice-cream truck owner had contacted Pogge about what he saw as an issue of safety. When talking with legislators, our advocacy for issues will be more effective if we can make them as personal as possible. Sandra continues, “The workshop that I attended was regarding the minimum wage. There are organizations in Richmond and Alexandria that give publicity to those companies that provide a ‘living wage’. There are three levels of support in Richmond ranging from $9.50 an hour with health insurance to $16.00 an hour, and there is an effort underway in Williamsburg to create a similar group. The Peninsula might be included.” Sarah observes, “One thing that impacts the UUFP as a faith community is that there were scores of UUs at the Day For All People along with Muslims, all stripes of Christians, Jews, Hindus and others. I think we saw so many UUs at the event because Unitarian Universalist Principles require participation in our government in order to fulfill their promise. I’ve come to realize that political activism is fundamental to being a UU. Our congregation is enriched by the fact that many at the UUFP take this fact to heart!” Mason adds, “The Fellowship is gaining legislative advocacy strength. Several members have been doing this type of activity over several sessions, and several had their introductory experience this year. The task is to keep this up when the General Assembly is not in session. About three thousand bills are dealt with in the forty-five day session. More one-on-one conversations between sessions may be the more influential situation on issues important to us.”  Picture by VICPP Please consider joining us and the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy in these efforts during the rest of this year and into 2020’s legislative session. Every voice is important and needed in the practice of democracy, and participation is not as difficult or as daunting as it might seem.
As Lucy reflects, “I was a little nervous as we entered the sanctuary of the large, old, slightly crumbling Protestant church in downtown Richmond. It was quickly filling up with people like me, church people of all faiths from all around the state, who had come to lobby that day on behalf of progressive legislation for the state of Virginia. I didn’t really feel prepared. I was inwardly berating myself for not having gone over the white papers on the VICPP website. And furthermore, in my haste to leave the house that morning, I had rushed out without my reading glasses. The organizers at the church had handed me a sheaf of papers outlining the legislation we were going to urge our senators and delegates to support later that morning, but as I took my seat and glanced them over, the words were hardly legible — they were fuzzy on the page. “Then the first speaker climbed the stairs to the dais and took his place behind the pulpit. He was a middle-aged man with dark hair and he spoke with an accent. As I scribbled some notes, he gave us practical reasons why he and so many others should have a provisional driver’s license. The bottom line was that, like everyone else, he, and others like him, needed to get to work in a safe and legal manner. He did not smile as he spoke. His eyes were sad as he looked out at us. After he gave his short talk, he stopped reading his notes and looked out at us. ‘The most important thing to remember when you talk to your senator and delegate today is to speak from your heart. Thank you.’ Later that morning just a few of us were in the plush, blue-carpeted office of my delegate’s legislative aide. No longer bolstered by the throng of church folk, I thought of the man who had stood before us. My fellow Virginian. My brother. I spoke without hesitation or fear.”
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Sponsored by the UUFP Membership Committee SAVE the DATE! Scott Kasmire will facilitate the second "Spirit of Life" workshop on February 20, 2019, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., in the UUFP Sanctuary. As part of our Beloved Community Wednesdays, a potluck supper begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by this workshop and other programs.
All workshops are “stand alone” so we hope you will join us for one, several or for the remaining eight (of nine) sessions. We warmly invite you to share this time with us to grow, connect, engage and to inspire one another.
By Steve Farthing, UUFP Canvass Chair, 2019 - 2020
Your pledge this year, and your faithful support in past years, have been essential to our success. It has made full-time ministry and professional religious education a reality. It has supported our acquisition of the Office Building and its property. It has provided a foundation for the UUFP that undergirds all of our efforts. Thank you for making the UUFP a vibrant, thriving community. This year we are tackling two new initiatives: fully funding the position of Director of Religious Education (expanding Joanne Dingus’s position to full-time and increasing her responsibilities to more comprehensively provide religious education) and covering all our expenses via the pledge drive (eliminating past reliance on labor-intensive fundraisers). We have set a bold goal of $215,000 in pledges. You will receive a letter and pledge card in the mail over the next few days. Please read the letter, fill in and sign the pledge card, and return it over the next three weeks. Pledge cards may be returned to the Fellowship and placed in the pledge box (a clearly-marked box will be on a table behind the entryway podium starting next week), mailed to the UUFP, placed in the offering basket, or returned to the office. The Finance Committee will track all pledges and provide weekly progress updates. Pledge cards are due by February 24, 2019. Please return them early if you can! If you have questions, members of the Canvass team will attend all services over the next few weeks and may be contacted via email or phone. Pat Yaros and I (canvass@uufp.org.com) are primary contacts; David Walsh and Judy Remsberg are also available (please check the latest version of the UUFP Directory). Canvass activities are not limited to service. Expect to see additional information in emails, on Facebook, and in The eFlame. On March 24, we will mark the conclusion of the Canvass with a celebratory meal, a Chili Cook-off with bread, desserts, and beverages. Don’t miss the fun!  Grow in Wonder, Connect in Love, Engage in Service, Inspire Generosity.
By Kadri Ozyurt This reflection was read aloud by its author from UUFP’s pulpit on Sunday, February 3, 2019.
“Grow in Wonder, Connect in Love, Engage in Service, Inspire Generosity.” This four-line mission is a very good reflection of what the UUFP is, and what it stands for. This mission also resonates with me. The way I see it, the UUFP, as a spiritual home, provides these four pillars as values and fills every cubic inch of this sanctuary. This, in turn, enables the people, who come through these doors, to grow in wonder, connect in love, engage in service, and inspire generosity. From this, an ever-growing, two-way relationship stems, from which both sides benefit. Grow in Wonder: Who would have thought that a Muslim guy like me would grow to be on the UUFP Policy Board, and further, the Treasurer of this institution, which grew out of its Judeo-Christian roots? And yet, to my wonder, I have succeeded at this highest level personal achievement of my life, thanks to the accepting and nurturing congregation. This is a good example of the UUFP growing its people in wonder. Connect in Love: When Andrew asked me to give a testimonial, I was relunctant because of the fact that I had stage fright. I am here this morning because a member and a friend in this congragetion told me: “Kadri, you square yourself; own this testimonial. You know Kadri; speak Kadri.” This was a powerful encouragement, which catapulted me to this pulpit, and a great example of connecting in love. Engage in Service: The UUFP creates opportunities to engage in service in many ways. I participated in PORT (People Offering Resources Together) and helped those who needed food and shelter. Recently, I participated in the Women’s March event. On a personal level, I distribute “Meals on Wheels” for the Peninsula Center for Aging. Also, my wife and I participated in building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Inspire Generosity: I support the UUFP with my resources to help further the community outreach, social justice, environment, and other initiatives that aim to better human lives. I am amazed with the level of willingness to help a fellow UU, when in need. I was putting a pergola in the backyard, a honey-do list item. I didn’t have the experience and knowledge for how to lay a concrete base, so I asked for help. Four of my UU friends came to help; one did despite he was under the weather, and one still has stuck with me so far. In conclusion, the mission of the UUFP, Grow in Wonder, Connect in Love, Engage in Service, and Inspire Generosity, will continue to shape the culture of this congregation, in particular, and the world, in general, and I will continue to grow with it. Thank you. Interested in sharing how the mission of UUFP is alive and moving throughout the Fellowship and beyond? Contact eflame@uufp.org with content or questions.  theme: Embodying Unless otherwise noted, services include sermons preached by Rev. Andrew Clive Millard and take place at 9:30am and 11:15am on Sundays. February 3rd: “Spiritual Beings Having a Human Experience” We experience the world around us — including each other — through our senses, interacting with the tangible universe by means of our bodies. We are not isolated minds of pure reason nor spirits of lofty virtue, but rather we are integral to the physical world, immersed in it, enjoying it, suffering with it, witnessing to it and helping to transform it thanks to our embodiment. February 10th: “The Garden Grows the Community” For two decades, religious education programs have been noticing what some are calling the “Death of Sunday School”. The Sunday school model of religious education that worked so successfully a half century ago may not be what present-day families need. Many programs are looking for alternative ways to support faith formation through family ministry.  Joanne Dingus is in her nineteenth year as Director of Religious Education at the Fellowship. Raised as a Unitarian Universalist from the age of twelve, she brings her UU faith to all aspects of her life. Joanne is a very proud and happy mother of two amazing young adults and is looking forward to their graduation ceremonies this May.
February 17th: “Bridges, Not Walls” There has been a lot of talk about walls of late, when it is clear that what we need are bridges. Rather than building walls that serve no purpose except that of an imaginary crisis, we should be repairing the bridges that allow our society to function. Rather than building walls around our hearts, we should be reaching out to one another with kind words and helpful hands. February 24th: “Embodying the Interconnected Web” Let’s celebrate our place in the interdependent web of all existence with the help of the four elements: air, water, earth and fire. Let’s give thanks for the simple gifts that sustain our daily lives: the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we eat, and the light of the Sun that makes them all possible. Let’s sing and share in community with one another and the Earth together! Special music will be provided by the UUFP’s ChorUUs! Happy Birthday to all our members born in February!  Nan Procyson Cher Balsley Barry Campbell Jeanne Labuda Milyn King Megan Zunk-Wasilausky Peggy Tomko Barbara Linde Rosalee Pfister Nicholas Hagstrom Steve King Arik Rhone-Christensen If you are a member and have a birthday in February that we overlooked, please contact Bobbie Schilling at membership@uufp.org.
Grow in Wonder, Connect in Love, Engage in Service, Inspire Generosity.
By Sandy Burkes-Campbell
Like many others, I found my way to Unitarian Universalism seeking religious education for my children. For over a decade I saw them grow in wonder in a welcoming community of supportive peers and adults, learning about what it means to be in community. For myself, the sermons and discussions here have helped me form my own world view and realize just how important liberal religion is to me, the Hampton roads community, and the world. This congregation is welcoming to those seeking to grow in wonder no matter who they are. I have seen our members connect in love in many ways both in this building and in our community. I have witnessed love and support for our children as they grow into young adults, and support for members of all ages, as they seek a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. I have seen members visit the sick, bring meals to families with new babies, drive people to doctor’s appointments, clean our building when it flooded, and perhaps most importantly, make the coffee on Sunday mornings (yes that is an act of love in most UU congregations). Very shortly after formally joining my first congregation in Savannah Georgia over 30 years ago, I realized that as UU’s we are called to engage in service in our home congregations, in our communities… and in the world. UUFP partners with other congregations in the community to help shelter the homeless in the winter and provide meals to those who need them in Newport News. I have supported environmental justice both by participating in the March on Washington, helping to clean up the bay and working with local, national and worldwide organizations that protect our environment. Here at home I have served on the board, on committees, helped with religious education, hospitality teams and currently serve as chair of the long range planning committee. UUFP inspires generosity in many ways. Every year we support the efforts of the Unitarian Universalist Service committee about whose social justice work around the world Rev. Andrew recently spoke in his sermons. I give my money and time to support the mission of this fellowship to insure that we will exist into the future so that other families in Hampton Roads may benefit from liberal religion. The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all is possible with the generosity of the spirit, work and resources that we can provide. Our mission is based upon our values as a congregation and no doubt will guide our efforts into the future. The mission enables a strong and vibrant ministry, religious education, thoughtful sermons that inspire us to action, social justice activities, safe spaces, good friends and much more. May we continue to Grow in Wonder, Connect in Love, Engage in Service and Inspire Generosity. Thank you! Interested in sharing how the mission of UUFP is alive and moving throughout the Fellowship and beyond? Contact eflame@uufp.org with content or questions.
By Marcy Stutzman This reflection was read aloud by its author from UUFP’s pulpit on Sunday, January 20, 2019.
I have been attending the UUFP since 2005, when I had a year old toddler. In that time, we’ve added another baby to our family and have seen the children grow up to a tween and a teen. In this time, I have also slowly shifted my views of religion from being a Christian, unable to find a suitably liberal and dynamic church home, to an unapologetic Unitarian Universalist. I find that the UUFP has allowed me a place to evolve slowly, but steadily, and to clarify my understanding of the world and my place in it. I’ve heard Rev. Millard state something along the lines of “religion seeks answers to the questions of why we are here and what happens when we die." The UUFP has been a supportive, loving community where I’ve been challenged to think about hard things, while on a faith journey, that can be described as Growing in Wonder. This is what makes the UUFP a church home rather than merely a service organization for me. However, the activities that are at the heart of my participation with the UUFP are the many opportunities for service to the community and volunteering within the fellowship. Helping others has been important to me for a long time. I remember a freezing, muddy day, now about 25 years ago, when I was attempting to dig a ditch in rocky soil for Habitat for Humanity. This was a rather poor fit for my aptitudes. Through the UUFP, I have been able to do things that I enjoy and am relatively good at, including cooking for both the PORT winter shelter program and the Good Fridays at St. Paul’s church. I find a comfortable camaraderie, which could be described as Connecting in Love with the others who come to cook together. I enjoy the opportunity to serve others directly in a concrete way where we can see the benefit of helping hungry people. I have also helped to organize food and coffee for another group of hungry people—that is, the people who enjoy a bite to eat and a cup of coffee or tea between the services here at the UUFP. Prior to the hospitality team format, I spent several years organizing volunteers for providing snacks, and now I am the leader of one of the four hospitality teams. Engaging in Service within the fellowship is essential for maintaining a strong, vibrant community which can be used as a base for our outreach and activism. The final part of the UUFP’s mission statement is “Inspire Generosity.” I have been inspired by this fellowship to give of my time, my talents and my financial support to the UUFP. I am the secretary of the UUFP Board, a member of the choir, play flute for the UUFP winds and for service accompaniment as needed, cook for our local outreach programs, and coordinate a hospitality team. These are things that I enjoy, and participating in these ways, for me, is a means of using my capabilities to further the mission of the UUFP. In addition, my commitment to an annual pledge helps support and make possible these things that I appreciate about our fellowship. Thank you so very much for listening. In Marcy's avid volunteerism, she announced the need for a new hospitality team coordinator starting this summer. This opportunity is surely a way to live out our UUFP mission. Those interested, please contact Marcy or membership@uufo.org. Interested in sharing how the mission of UUFP is alive and moving throughout the Fellowship and beyond? Contact eflame@uufp.org with content or questions. (Helpful tips available at: Mission in Motion - Promote Your Event.)
Kids Day In has been going strong!
The initial funding will be running out in February. I intend to ask the Board to transfer unused Childcare contingency or Nursery care money to cover this program until the end of the year. I would ask the congregation to vote to support funding a budget for this program for next year. It is really serving a need for our families.
Thanks in advance for showing you care! See you in the RE!
By Joanne Dingus
Shared Pulpit is a complete workshop to help lay people gain experience writing and preaching a full-length sermon for their congregation. Workshop members learn about the theory and theology of preaching, then practice writing and speaking with authenticity, gradually building toward composing quality 20-minute sermons. Workshop leaders learn to foster a supportive environment in which participants offer one another helpful feedback. The Shared Pulpit includes readings for homework, sample sermons and exercises to help first-time preachers polish their preaching craft. Learn how writing can be a spiritual practice. Enjoy the support and encouragement from peers who love to hear your ideas. Get to know each other on a deeper level. UUFP's 2019 Shared Pulpit Class starts soon, and we're looking for people who enjoy the process of crafting a message (whether or not they actually want to deliver it as a sermon!).
By Joanne Dingus
What is Common Read? Each year a committee comprised of people at UUA headquarters and Field Staff chooses a book for congregations to read and discuss in a given period of time. A Common Read can build community in our congregations and our movement by giving diverse people a shared experience, shared language and a basis for deep, meaningful conversations.
At a time when racial, environmental and economic justice are seen as issues competing for time, attention and resources, Justice on Earth explores the ways in which the three are intertwined. People and communities on the margins are invariably those most affected by climate disaster and environmental toxins. Justice on Earth asks us to recognize that our faith calls us to long-haul work for justice for our human kin, for the Earth and for all life. It invites us to look at our current challenges through a variety of different perspectives, offers tools to equip us for sustained engagement, and proposes multiple pathways for follow-up action. This three-week course will use the discussion guide provided by the UUA. Participants should plan on reading the book before the sessions begin. Copies of the book will be available to buy or borrow. Please see or contact Joanne Dingus. The sessions are a part of UUFP's Beloved Community Wednesdays and will be held in the sanctuary April 3, 10 and 24, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., with optional potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. Pre-session homework: In preparation for this class, I invite you to research local environmental issues that interest you. In addition, please prepare a list of organizations outside of church that you currently support in some way.  “For all that is our life” by Rev. Andrew As part of the GreenFaith Fellowship Program, each Fellow writes an autobiography as a way to explore our relationship with the Earth. As well as helping program participants to get to know one another when we share these with one another, the process of writing also offers a way to help us reflect on how factors such as where we are from, where we have lived, our ethnic background and our family history influence how we think about the environment. Here I share my eco-spiritual autobiography, as shared recently with other GreenFaith Fellows. What would you write in your autobiography? ~ ~ I was born in England into a middle-class family. My father and his father both served in the British Army and my mother’s father served in the Royal Air Force. Our family ancestry going back as far as records can be found includes many working-class and skilled trades people.
I grew up in a town on the Thames Estuary, east of London. From there, public transportation provided access to the city, to the coast (on the English Channel or North Sea) and to more rural areas. Some of our family vacations took us to other parts of the country, including forests in the midlands and hill country in the west. At the age of seven, I discovered in my classroom library books about atoms and planets. I was fascinated to learn that I was a natural part of such an amazing Universe. Twenty years later, and living in San Diego, I watched the Sun set over the Pacific, I watched meteor showers from a ledge in the mountains, and I hiked in the coastal forests. I felt intimately connected to the natural world during these experiences, a feeling that persisted. Special places I have experienced include Star Island, one of the Isles of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast, and The Mountain, near Highlands NC. I have been to both for conferences, but I also enjoyed many opportunities to be outside, exploring the natural surroundings. I have had pets since I was a child, most importantly our family dog during my childhood and adolescence. As an adult, I have had cats as pets and, with my wife, rabbits. They have provided comfort and companionship during difficult times, though it has always been very difficult saying goodbye to them when they die. Some members of my church took part in a “Clean the Bay” day last Summer, and my daughter and I joined them. We worked at a small park overlooking the Hampton Flats, cleaning the park itself and the shoreline of trash. Within an hour, we had filled a number of trash bags with all manner of items ranging from cigarette butts and bottle caps to newspapers and plastic bags. There were a lot of single-use tooth flossers amongst what we found. It was disheartening to find so much trash in such a small area. From an early age, I have understood myself as part of the natural world, sharing in the cycling of elements that I now name, in the words of the Seventh Principle of Unitarian Universalism, the interdependent web of all existence of which I am a part. My parents encouraged my curiosity about the world and also taught me to be mindful of the consequences of my actions. After finishing graduate school, I stayed in town for a while and shared a house with some undergraduates. We were all vegetarians for various reasons, mine being concern over “mad cow” disease. I learned a lot from them about environmental issues and subsequently became active with the Sierra Club, which led me to seminary with my first course on environmental ethics. Sponsored by the UUFP Membership Committee Rebecca Wheeler will facilitate the first gathering in the “Spirit of Life” workshop series slated for January 16, 2019 in the UUFP Sanctuary.
Beloved Community Wednesdays potluck supper begins at 6:30, and the workshop runs from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. All workshops are “stand alone” so we hope you will join us for one, several or for all nine sessions. We warmly invite you to share this time with us to grow, connect, engage and to inspire one another. Grow in Wonder — Connect in Love — Engage in Service — Inspire Generosity
Sponsored by the UUFP Membership Committee  Spirit of Life" -by Carolyn McDade; #123 in "Singing the Living Tradition" We UU’s love to sing “Spirit of Life,” so let’s talk about just what it all means. Sponsored by the UUFP Membership Committee and led by lay leaders, nine independent, monthly sessions will provide the opportunity to discuss phrases like “Sing in my heart,” “Move in the hand,” etc. The Rev. Barbara Hamilton-Holway’s “’Spirit of Life’ workshops offer participants space, time, and community to explore their Unitarian Universalist spirituality. Each focuses on a different aspect of the spiritual life, framed by the lyrics of Carolyn McDade’s song “Spirit of Life.” Like the song, the workshops are designed to be welcoming to Unitarian Universalists of many spiritual and theological persuasions. Participants are invited to claim an inclusive definition of spirituality and recognize the spiritual aspects of their lives. Reflecting, speaking, and listening are core activities in each workshop.” The “Spirit of Life” discussion group will happen on our Beloved Community Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (just after the community meal that is from 6:30 to 7:00). Join us for any one or all of the following sessions! Tapestry of Life - Spirit of Life Series 1/16/19 - WORKSHOP 1: SPIRIT OF LIFE - EXPLORING SPIRITUALITY FOR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS 2/20/19 - WORKSHOP 2: SINGING MY HEART - CELEBRATIONS AND RITUALS 3/20/19 - WORKSHOP 3: THE STIRRINGS OF COMPASSION - CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER 4/17/19 - WORKSHOP 4: BLOW IN THE WIND, RISE IN THE SEA -NATURE AND SPIRIT 5/15/19 - WORKSHOP 5: MOVE IN THE HAND - LIVING OUR SPIRITUALITY IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES 6/19/19 - WORKSHOP 6: GIVING LIFE THE SHAPE OF JUSTICE - THE SPIRITUALITY OF WORKING FOR CHANGE 7/17/19 - WORKSHOP 7: ROOTS HOLD ME CLOSE - TRADITION, TEACHERS, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION 8/21/19 - WORKSHOP 8: WINGS SET ME FREE - HOPES, DREAMS, AND EXPANDING VISION 9/18/19 - WORKSHOP 9: COME TO US -
CLOSING AND CONTINUING ON By Jim Sanderson, UUFP President The New Year brings some changes to the UUFP Board.
Happy Birthday to all our members born in January!  Robin Van Tine Esther Sherman Kathy Black Alice Callahan Shirley Grice Marilyn Anspach Calista (Callie) Gulick Bryan Higinbotham Julian Padowicz Christine Woods Charlene Brown-Smith Marj Gates Ethan Farthing Greg Gecowets Jerome Greba Michelle Sheeler Carole Shaw Skye Van Tine Lauren Chambers Sophia Wasilausky If you are a member and have a birthday in January that we overlooked, please contact Bobbie Schilling at membership@uufp.org
 theme: Experiencing Unless otherwise noted, services include sermons preached by Rev. Andrew Clive Millard and take place at 9:30am and 11:15am on Sundays. January 6th: “This Great Gift” It’s the first Sunday of the New Year! It’s also Epiphany, the Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus. Matthew’s account is filled with prophecies and dreams, telling a story of plans changed and discoveries made. In our own lives, how do we experience the new, not only when we expected it but also, particularly, when we don’t? January 13th: “Stories: How We Understand the Experiences of Others and Ourselves” Tell me your story and listen as I tell you mine. I will never be a man or black or trans. I, hopefully, will never live in a war zone or have my home destroyed by floodwaters. But, when you tell me your story, I can begin to understand.  Cynthia Snavely lives in Hayes with her son-in-law, who is currently stationed at Fort Eustis, her daughter, and her four grandsons. She is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College and Drew Theological School.
January 20th: “Dancing Porcupines” Human relationships can be fulfilling and rewarding, but — even with the best wills in the world — they are also challenging. We can only experience our surroundings — including other people — through our own senses, and we constantly guess at motives and intentions by viewing others’ actions through the lenses of our own experience. What does this mean for us and for community? January 27th: “All of Us” “One sun rose on us today,” wrote poet Richard Blanco, “all of us as vital as the one light we move through.” Blanco’s poem, written for President Obama’s 2013 inauguration, offers a powerful vision of unity as we experience it in so many different ways in our everyday lives. Indeed, this is the good news of Unitarian Universalism: there is no “them”; there is only “us”. Special music will be provided by the UUFP’s ChorUUs! Sponsored by the Adult Religious Education (ARE) Committee
Let’s root ourselves in wisdom and be branches of LIGHT! "Mass in the New Year" Presented by Ken Goodrich December 30, 2018
You might recall from high school science that it was originally defined as the weight of one-liter of water. But, did you know that since 1889, the global definition of the kilogram has been defined as exactly equal to the mass of a single, small polished cylinder, cast of platinum and iridium kept in a basement vault in France and affectionately nicknamed, Le Grand K? More troubling, for reasons unknown, the mass of this artifact has slowly being moving away from what were once exact replicas maintained around the globe. The kilogram was in crisis! To establish a standard that can once again be reproduced anywhere and will be the same in a million years as today, scientists around the globe recently completed a several decades long quest to develop the technologies to define the kilogram based solely on fundamental properties of the universe. What's truly astonishing is that the kilogram's new definition is based on energy and not matter. In this single-Sunday session, Ken Goodrich will describe the development of the new kilogram and how its intertwined with our deepening understanding of the complexity and interconnectedness of our Universe. "The Real History of Being Black in America" Presented by April Kelsey December 23, 2018 (Part I of this series was 12/9/18)
"Growing Forests in Rural Kenya" Presented by Mike Roy December 16, 2018
Sadhana Forest Kenya is located in the remote, arid Samburu region, and focuses on bringing food security to local populations through distribution of food-producing trees and workshops on small-scale permaculture practices. The presentation will explain the goals and practices of the project along with some information about the Samburu way of life. Want to learn more? Visit Mike Roy's inspirational blog post! "The Islamic Presentation of the Divine Names and Attributes of God" Presented by Dr. Islam Bedir December 2, 2018 "The Humanist Manifesto" Presented by Kathryn Ozyurt November 25, 2018
Socrates Café Presented by Kathryn Ozyurt November 11, 2018: "What is the nature of punishment, and is it necessary to teach morality?" November 18: "Does the S(s)upernatural exist?"
Using the Socratic method, the facilitator posed questions and challenged statements to stimulate critical thinking about the subjects and elicit logical conclusions. "The Future of Everything" Presented by Kay Braguglia November 4, 2018
"Good Robot. Bad Robot." Presented by Kathryn Ozyurt October 28, 2018
Kathryn Ozyurt delivered a presentation on the positives that can be accomplished with robotics. Attendees discussed moral choices about what we are presently doing with robotics and the expectations and ramifications of what we can and should do with these tools of our future. "The Purpose and Benefits of Drumming and Women's Circles" Presented by Connie Ralston October 21, 2018
All joined in growing in relationship with one another and creating an Ultimate Rhythm! "Gender Communication Differences" Presented by Gary Ott and Meg Glenn-Albiez October 14, 2018
Several differences in gender communication styles are: 1) empathetic vs. problem solving, 2) verbal vs. visual, and 3) variety of body language signs in nonverbal communications. Visit Sunday Morning Forum for the upcoming presentation and Sunday Morning Forum Archive for a library of previous topics. Have questions or would like to facilitate a forum? Contact the Adult Religious Education Committee. By the Committee on Ministry  Our Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Peninsula (UUFP) committees are integral in carrying out the mission of this congregation! So how might you be a part of the meaningful activities and outreach both in and beyond our fellowship? The chairs of the committees must be members of UUFP. However, for the majority of committees, anyone—members, friends, teens; i.e., any interested individual—may serve on a committee. We have a large variety of committees, and many committees have programs that can use some planning and implementing help. Our committees include: Adult Religious Education, Building, Caring, Children’s Religious Education, Communications, Denominational Affairs, EarthRising, Finance, Grounds, Membership, Music, Planning, Social Justice, Sunday Services, and others. (Visit UUFP Committees for more info.) Any of these committees would welcome new members. One of our groups in which each one of us is a member is Hospitality. Every four months, for one month of Sundays, one of the four Hospitality Teams (i.e., Engage, Generosity, Sage and Wonder) is responsible for the set-up of food/drinks and managing/cleanup of the common area. If you have not been appointed to one of the Hospitality Teams, please let Meg Glenn-Albiez know. This will aid in continuing to offer this time of fellowship and food in-between the two Sunday morning worship services. There are other committees that require an individual to be appointed to them, for example: Audit, Committee on Ministry, Leadership Development and others. If you wish to be a part of one of these, consider starting with a regular committee, so the Policy Board members will become familiar with your skills. At UUFP we want everyone to be as involved as one wishes to be. As each of us discerns where to devote our time, talents and resources, the Committee on Ministry invites us to reach out to a committee chair, the board member on-call, or to email them at committeeonministry@uufp.org for information about volunteer opportunities. Remembering Aristotle's words, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," we are grateful for our UUFP teamwork. Thank you for serving! Grow in Wonder — Connect in Love -- Engage in Service — Inspire Generosity
As we head towards the holiday season, I wanted to report some of the good news in our RE Program.
Our two holiday events went really well. We had Trunk or Treat for Halloween. Cars were decorated. Kids came in costumes. Adults handed out treats and led children in a variety of games. We had UUFP kids, homeschool families and kids from Young’s Mill Lane enjoy the day.
Our Youth groups have grown this fall. We’ve been having teens meet on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays and middle school and upper elementary kids meet on 3rd Wednesdays. There’s generally a light meal and then time to check in with each other and do an activity together. Many of our youth invite their friends from outside of church. This is a great way to help other families find the UUFP.
Our next big event will be the 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service. This is geared for families with an interactive play and many songs to sing. We are looking for a few more actors for the play. If anyone is interested, please let me know. It will be done with scripts in hand. Our music program is also looking for children to sing before service starts. Let Greg know if your child would like to be part of the pre-service music. A special thank you to all the volunteer RE teachers. We couldn’t run the program without you!
See you in the RE! By Bobbie Schilling
We provide volunteers to check in clients, hand out bedding, cook and serve dinner/breakfast, and clean up the kitchen. Donna Sprock organizes and oversees the preparation of nutritious and delicious meals. Volunteers are welcome to share a meal with us, too. A few hearty volunteers spend the night. We offer a hot breakfast early in the morning (4:30 a.m.) as many clients board a van at 5:15 a.m. to go to work. Brown bag breakfasts are also prepared for clients to take with them in the morning. If you are interested in learning more about PORT, there will be a brief informational meeting immediately after the second service on Sunday, December 16, in the sanctuary. Contact either Bobbie Schilling or Henry Chambers (in person or via socialjustice@uufp.org) with any questions or if you are willing to volunteer for a three or four-hour shift. Donations of money to buy the food or of new underwear and socks for the clients are greatly appreciated. This is an excellent way to assist if you are unable to volunteer your time. There will be a labeled donation basket for the underwear located near the Social Justice table outside the sanctuary doors. Monetary donations designated for PORT may be placed in the collection baskets Sunday morning. We welcome all who wish to help! Our second night of service to PORT will be in March (around the 10th, but exact date to be determined later) at Warwick Memorial United Methodist Church.
Donna and I were having breakfast there with another couple from UUFP. We've found that to be a good way to get to know other church people. When we were new in town, two years ago, another couple invited us to breakfast there, and we came out feeling a bit closer to and more welcome in the Community. As a result, we've made it a practice, over time, to invite other couples, new in church, to join us there for a similar experience. This time, as we usually do, we got to talking about UUism and what it has meant to us. That's particularly meaningful to Donna and me, since we actually met at a UU church, thirty-two years ago. And this time, perhaps more than on other occasions, the chemistry was particularly strong as we exchanged feelings and fears and hopes, and what effect our UU membership has had on these issues. I could not help admiring the grace which this couple exhibited in dealing with life's issues. And also, I couldn't help admiring the caring and honesty that my lovely Donna was demonstrating in this sensitive area, as well as the openness with which all of us were discussing some very personal matters. And suddenly, as we turned to the role that a belief in God plays in all of this, I realized that the four of us expressing and receiving feelings and beliefs, admitting to fears and mistakes around that table were God. The thing that we call God, I realized, wasn't a being or a quantity, at all, but an experience. That which we call God was the experience of people being open and honest and caring, as we were, with one another at that particular moment. Interested in sharing how the mission of UUFP is alive and moving throughout the Fellowship and beyond? Contact eflame@uufp.org with content or questions. (Helpful tips available at: Mission in Motion - Promote Your Event.)  theme: Inspiring Unless otherwise noted, services include sermons preached by Rev. Andrew Clive Millard and take place at 9:30am and 11:15am on Sundays. December 2nd: “Sharing Hope” December 9th: “Keeping Faith” December 16th: “Finding Joy” December 23rd: “Knowing Love” For decades, “Guest at Your Table” has been introducing Unitarian Universalists to real people impacted by human rights issues and to grassroots leaders making a difference around the world. This year, the UU Service Committee’s theme is “Justice Across Borders”, with four stories that provide a personal glimpse into the lives of Central Americans making the perilous journey north in hope of finding refuge in the United States. Each Sunday in Advent, we’ll meet one of the “guests” whose lives have been changed because of the generosity of UUs like us, and, in turn, their stories will be an inspiration to us. On December 2nd and 9th, special music will be provided by “Doc” Robin van Tine; on December 16th, special music for flute and guitar will be provided by Marcy Stutzman and Jeffrey Hinkley; and on December 23rd, special music for flute and harp will be provided by Darla Wilmot and Mel Lauf!  Christmas Eve Services! 5pm on Monday December 24th: “The Other Wise Man” 7pm on Monday December 24th: “Bah! Humbug!” We hold two services on Christmas Eve! The earlier is a family service about the sharing of gifts and a journey to find the newborn king; the later explores the truth and meaning of a favorite tale of the season. Each service features traditional Christmas carols and concludes with the beloved ceremony of passing the flame. At both services, special music for Christmas will be provided by the UUFP’s ChorUUs and Winds!  December 30th: “Looking Back, Looking Forward”
Let’s take a look back into the past and forward into the future in preparation for the New Year! EarthRising is the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Peninsula’s pagan group. At thirty-one years of age, it is the oldest continuously active pagan group in Virginia. EarthRising offers seasonal Earth-centered celebrations — at the solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarter days — in support of a modern, Nature-centered spirituality. Happy Birthday to all our members born in December!  Jacy Brooks Sarah Edwards Julia Riach David Walsh Donna Sprock Pat Sloan Nancy Sessoms Randy Phillips Michael Henry-Richardson Alice Smith Jackie Wilson Erick Hagstrom Mason Moseley If you are a member and have a birthday in December that we overlooked, please contact Bobbie Schilling at membership@uufp.org.
During the very moving UUFP Sunday morning services, on November 11, 2018, we commemorated the centennial anniversary of the end of the First World War and all those who served in the armed forces. Fellowship member, Air Force veteran and Holocaust survivor Julian Padowicz was one of many among us to whom we paid tribute. His Veterans Day reflection he shares here reminds us of the importance of our Unitarian Universalist principles, particularly how everyone and everything--through the ages—are part of the interdependent web of all existence!  "A Veterans Day Memory" By Julian Padowicz I have a rather special Veterans Day memory I would like to share.
As many of you know, my mother and I arrived in America in May of 1941, when I was nine. We settled in Manhattan, on West 74th Street, near the Hudson River. On Nov 11th we were walking along our street when we saw a crowd on West End Avenue. It turned out that this was Armistice Day in America, and they were all watching a parade. There was a marching band, flags, and a unit of soldiers with helmets and rifles marching in perfect step along the avenue. And right behind them, in Yogi Bear hats and puttees, and marching just as crisply, was a unit that my mother identified for me as WWI veterans. And, behind these veterans, there were three of the long, open cars that they had in those days, carrying men with long white beards, cowboy style hats, some in uniforms that were blue and some that were gray. Neither of us knew who they were, though Mother speculated that they might be NYPD and NY State Police vets. Now consider this: It stands to reason that one of those elderly veterans must have laid eyes on Robert E. Lee, at some time. Lee's father was a close friend of George Washington. That means that those of you who know me, are separated from the Father of Our Country by only four degrees of separation. Small world, ain't it? |
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