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WINCHESTER UNITARIAN HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, December 11, 2008
WHAT’S IN HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK - INFO ABOUT:
WORSHIP
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 HAPPENINGS
Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, and You
Solstice is Coming! Help us Celebrate!
Save the Date: Visioning Workshop,
Jan 24, 2009 - 9:00-12:30
MORE NEWS
CHRISTMAS FOOD BASKETS
CIRCLE DINNERS
YOGA
CERNY / THOMASES FUND
TYPE FAST?
PUBLICATIONS DEADLINES
WORSHIP
Sunday Worship Service
December 14, 2008
10:30 a.m.
And on Earth, Peace
Music Sunday featuring Vivaldi’s Gloria
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES
Saturday, December 20
4:15 p.m. (sunset) to 5:30 p.m.
Winter Solstice/Yule Celebration
Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, coordinator
All ages are welcome for this special service marking the longest night of the year!
Sunday, December 21 10:30 a.m.
This Much We Know is True
Rev. John Gibb Millspaugh, coordinator
If you have friends with children who might be interested in our congregation, this is a wonderful Sunday to invite them to attend.
The service will acknowledge three winter holidays and speak to our Unitarian Universalist faith in a format accessible to all ages.
Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve
4:00 Christmas Pageant for All Ages
7:00 Candlelight Christmas Eve Service:
Of Angels, and Dirt”
Revs. Sarah and John Millspaugh and Rev. Jeremy Melvin
FROM THE MUSIC COMMITTEE:
Would you like to sing with the choir on Christmas Eve? Rehearsals will take place on Sunday morning, Dec. 21st at 8:45, and at 6:00 PM on the 24th. Christmas Eve service will begin at 7:00. Parents, please extend this invitation to WUSYG "alums"; we'd love to have them take part in the festivities!
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
9:00 - Children's Chorale meets in Meyer Chapel.
10:30 - Children begin in the service; regular R.E. classes to follow.
11:30 - Holiday Potluck in Metcalf Hall!
5:50 - Our Whole Lives meets in Wallace Room.
6:30 - F8th in Action meets in Youth Room.
5th Graders! The Blanket Skit will NOT be this Sunday - we will do it NEXT Sunday (Dec. 21) instead. So bring your costumes again so we can rehearse one more time!
ACT UP IN CHURCH!
Sunday, December 21st will be special Intergenerational Service that you can take part in! Any children, youth, or adults interested in acting in a short play in church that Sunday should contact Rev. Jeremy: assistantminister@winchesteruu.org or (781) 729-0949.
PARTICIPATE IN CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
ON DEC. 24TH, 4:00 P.M.!
All the children (and others) of the congregation are welcome to come and take part in our annual No-Rehearsal Christmas Pageant! We also need some adult and youth participants, particularly to help get kids into their costumes and to set-up and take-down the small set. Children can just show up on the day of the Pageant, but if you can help out, please let Rev. Jeremy know!
F8th in Action will be going into Boston this January to distribute warm clothing to people in need! And we could use your help! We will be collecting gently used scarves, gloves, coats, hats and new socks and underwear through January 4, 2009. We will also be accepting monetary donations to put towards purchasing new socks and underwear and $5 food gift cards. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at f8thinaction@winchesteruu.org. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!
WUSYG - YOUTH GROUP – SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
Meeting from 4:30 – 6:30 pm in the Youth Room.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 HAPPENINGS
EAT, SING AND BE MERRY!!
ALL-CHURCH HOLIDAY
POTLUCK LUNCHEON AND CAROL SING:
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14TH in Metcalf Hall immediately following the Music Sunday service. Bring a dish to share, and holiday cheer to spread. John Kramer will lead us in carol-singing. A “Cookie-Walk” bake sale will tempt us all to make the joy linger on. Bring in your Mitten Tree gifts to be wrapped by the Religious Education REACH-OUT program. Can you help set up and decorate on Sat. 12/13, 10am -12 noon OR help serve or clean-up on Sunday??? Please contact Fritzie Nace.
HELP W.U.S. GET GREENER:
The Fellowship Committee would like to reduce waste by using the china at our potluck gatherings. This means the dishes need to get washed! Would you like to add to our very small pool of folks who skillfully use our dishwasher by becoming a "Dishwasher-in-Training"? Try it out at our Holiday Potluck, Dec. 14th. Please contact Fritzie Nace if you are interested.
BAKE, BABY, BAKE
Please help to make our Cookie Walk a festive success. Whether you are an adventurous baker and want to try a new recipe or you are a traditionalist and have family favorites…JUST BAKE! Pat Cronin will enthusiastically accept all donations of cookies and bars for our annual Cookie Walk. Bring your cookies to church on the 14th and they will be available for sale immediately following the service and during the potluck luncheon.
THE MITTEN TREE
The Mitten Tree is up! To support the Woburn Council for Social Concern, each year we adopt four families to assist them with their holidays. We receive a wish list of gifts from each family, place the list on mittens and members of the church go out and buy the gift! The gifts are due back on December 14 when REACH OUT will offer to wrap them with homemade wrap for a small fee. Please join us in REACHING OUT and making the holidays a little brighter for those Winchester and Woburn families. Questions: contact Molly Sharon.
Solstice is Coming! Help us Celebrate!
Winchester Unitarian Society will be celebrating Winter Solstice with an all-ages worship service on Saturday, December 20, beginning at the sunset of the longest night of the year (4:15 p.m.). You can help create this ritual by getting involved in planning, setup, or refreshments. Please be in touch with Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh by Sunday 12/14 to let her know if you want to help out! She can be reached at revsarah@winchesteruu.org
or 781/729-0949.
Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, and You
Rev. John is seeking children, youth, and grownups to help make the intergenerational Sunday service on December 21 a success. This unprecedented holiday service is designed to inspire people of all ages, but volunteers are needed to help with various roles…literally! If anyone in your family might be willing to play a simple part in a skit, help with stage logistics, or otherwise make the highly participatory service a success, please let John know at revjohn@winchesteruu.org and he’ll send the details of the help he’s looking for. Thanks
Save the Date: Visioning Workshop,
Jan 24, 2009 - 9:00-12:30
Just who do you think you are? That is, who do you think we are? This congregation. Winchester Unitarian Society. Can you explain Winchester Unitarian Society’s purpose and priorities concisely? And if you did articulate our mission, how many of your fellow congregants do you think would agree with you?
Unitarian Universalist congregations often define their core purposes in a “mission” and/or “vision” statement. The trouble of crafting a statement is worthwhile because it solidifies a congregation’s identity. It generates strategic plans, inspires sermon series, launch adult RE classes, direct social actions, influence snack purchases, set budget priorities, and much more. In other words, it clarifies priorities.
Winchester Unitarian Society’s staff and lay leadership looks forward to your participation in a UUA consultant-led “Visioning Workshop” on January 24. The vision that emerges from the workshop will chart the congregation’s direction for the next three to five years. The workshop will last from 9AM-12:30 PM. If you care about what happens at Winchester Unitarian Society and where we’re heading, please plan to participate. It’s an investment of time that will pay high dividends for years to come. We expect a turnout comparable to a Sunday morning, and we’ll have on-site childcare provided. Look forward to seeing you there! And Save the Date!
MORE NEWS
FROM SOCIAL OUTREACH COMMIITEE
Christmas Food Baskets! If you would like to donate a Christmas basket to the Council of Social Concern, please let Margaret Higham know by Wednesday 12/10. The Council would like to know in advance, the number of baskets to expect—this allows them to know how many families to promise baskets to. Christmas baskets are due in church on Sunday 12/21. Contact Margaret.
CIRCLE DINNERS 2009 Deadline for signing up is Dec 23rd.
It is time to sign up for the annual Friendship Circle Dinners. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to become better acquainted with members of the congregation. Friendship Circle Dinners are a series of potluck gatherings consisting of 7-9 adults who meet 2-4 times from January through May. Although the dinners rotate between homes, it is not necessary to host a dinner in order to participate. The Newcomer Committee assigns the groups and a coordinator who makes arrangements for the first dinner. The group decides such details as night of the week, distribution of dishes, etc. Once again we will be offering a choice between participating in two groups with two dinners each or a single group that stays together for all 4 dinners. Last year we tried a family group of 4 families with a total of 5 children ages seven through 12, and it was a rousing success. If you have children and would like to participate in a family group this year, please let us know. If you have any questions about the Friendship Circle Dinners, please call Daphne Costa. Sign up right now by following the link below to the online registration form: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=R_2bp8aUqkm0wBlz8fX63vWA_3d_3d
Forms are also available in the Symmes Room.
GIVE A GIFT OF TIME, RELAXATION AND FLEXIBILITY - YOGA
Consider giving a gift of yoga classes for that hard-to-shop-for person on your holiday list. Or just give yourself a weekly 90 minute retreat from the bustle of your life. Classes meet on Monday from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the Symmes Room. We are a diverse group of ages and abilities, so don’t worry about trying something new. Our winter yoga session begins on January 5th and runs through March 30th. Classes will not meet on January 19th or February 16th. The first class of the session can be attended on a trial basis ($12) without having to commit to the entire session. Class enrollment is open to all; you need not be a member of Winchester UU to participate. Mats are provided. The fee for the 11 sessions of the winter session is $132. Checks made out to “WUS” can be mailed to Pat Cronin or can be delivered at the first class meeting. Questions: Call Pat. Spread the word. Join us. Feel the peace.
CERNY / THOMASES FUND
As many of you know, Sharon Cerny has offered a $5,000 challenge gift to raise money for the Cerny/Thomases fund. The purpose of the fund will be to enhance the music program for our children. There will be a major campaign in 2009 for this fund, however many of you may want to give now before the end of the year. Please make your checks payable to WUS and indicate it is for the Cerny/Thomases Fund. Any questions email Sally Patton.
TYPE FAST!
Rev. Jeremy would greatly appreciate the assistance of any proficient typers to help him transcribe recordings of his sermons. If you are interested, please contact at him at: assistantminister@winchesteruu.org or (781) 729-0949. Thank you!
PUBLICATIONS DEADLINES
Highlights the week of December 21: Wednesday, December 24 at noon
Highlights the week of December 28: Wednesday, December 31 at noon
January Newsletter: Monday, January 5 at noon.
WORSHIP SERVICES EVERY SUNDAY AT 10:30 A.M.
Highlights, our weekly email update about church related events, will be sent out each week on Thursday afternoon.
Deadline for input is noon. Please keep articles brief.
SNOW CANCELLATION – This winter if Sunday worship services need to be cancelled because of inclement weather, an announcement will be on WBZ. Also the information will be posted on the website (www.winchesteruu.org) and a message will be left on the church’s phone (781-729-0949).
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