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A "Good" Goodbye
By: Samantha Zinth, Planned Giving Committee Chair
On Sunday, November 17, nearly 50 Fellowship members and friends packed the Legacy Room for a panel discussion on end of life planning. Presented by the Planned Giving Committee, this event invited local experts to share their thoughts and reflections on end of life. Advice ranged from the practical to the spiritual. Through storytelling, questions and conversation, a consistent theme emerged:
Now is the time.
Don't wait to have that conversation. To make that apology. To share a kind word. To extend a loving embrace.
Don't wait to talk about your wishes. To finalize your will. To plan your memorial. To file your paperwork.
Don't shy away from the hard stuff. These difficult conversations need not be morbid (check out Rev. Karon Sandberg's sermon on end of life planning HERE).
Don't leave these details for your loved ones to figure out. They will remember the comfort of your guidance.
With a bit of advanced planning, you can give them the gift a "good" goodbye.
P.S. Have you considered how the Fellowship may factor in your end of life plans? Reach out to the Planned Giving Committee for more information on leaving a legacy through our endowment.
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Upcoming Services
Sunday at 9:00 and 10:45 am
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December 15
Finding Our Voice
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy and Steve Sieck, Music Director
What happens when you lose your voice? How does your voice reflect your identity? In this service we explore the beauty, fragility, and expressive power of our voices.
Click HERE for future services.
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| Religious Education
RE registration form HERE
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Services and Childcare in December:
December 22- 10:00 am Blue Christmas (Nursery & childcare will be provided)
December 22- 4:00 pm All ages Solstice Service (Nursery & childcare will be provided)
December 24- Christmas Eve family friendly services at 4:00 and 7:00 pm (No nursery or childcare provided)
December 29 – Religious Education classes resume. Nursery care provided.
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Greater Good
The 2019 Greater Good recipient will be the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's migrant justice program. Donations will be accepted to this worthy cause through January 5th. Please make your checks out to the Fellowship with "Greater Good 2019" on the memo line. For more information about UUSC, check out their presentation on the Fellowship's website HERE.
Click HERE to watch the thank you video from the UUSC to the Fellowship.
The Greater Good is a movement to re-focus on our core values and engage in social action with the children and youth of the Fellowship by reducing the materialism of the holiday season.
Here's how:
1 Add up your typical holiday season expenses (gifts, travel, entertainment, etc).
2 Divide the total in half.
3 Fund your holiday celebrations with 50% and donate the other 50% to the Greater Good.
For more information on Greater Good and ideas for how to implement the project in your family, check the Fellowship website or reach out to the Greater Good Committee (anne.sieck@oshkosh.k12.wi.us).
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Mitten Wreath Update!
Thank you to those who picked up mittens to make donations to Pillars and families from Fox Valley Literacy. Please bring your unwrapped item with the mitten and gift receipt (as appropriate) by this Sunday, December 15. If you didn’t have a chance to pick up a mitten, we can always use more of:
$20 gift cards for Walmart (for families to choose their children’s holiday presents)
Water bottles
Valley Transit bus passes
Twin or queen bed sheets
Winter socks
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Sound Meditation Event
Thursday, December 12; 6:30-8:00 pm
Led by Chris Kuck; kuckart2112@gmail.com
We all have times of triumph, and times of tragedy and stress. No one is excluded from the challenges in life, and Chris has found meditation and mindfulness to be very helpful. Therapy Of Sound is a program Chris put together to give people the opportunity to take time out to relax to sound recordings that are meditative and fun, and include sounds of ambient noises and textures as well as some avant-garde sounds. His goal is to perform a sound journey that will be entertaining, create curiosity, and provide relaxation all in one event. The sound journey will last for 20 minutes and then we will come together to talk about our experiences. All are welcome, including children. You may sit on a chair, on provided cushions, or bring a blanket to lay on the floor. Contact Chris for more information.
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Oshkosh Winter Solstice Service
with Rev. Jim Coakley
Return Again - Celebrate the Winter Solstice as we return again to the renewing rhythms of nature through song, story, and simply being together.
Wednesday, December 18, 6:00 pm service, followed by a dessert potluck (bring something to share!) Evergreen Retirement Community Chapel, 1130 N. Westfield St., Oshkosh.
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Register now for the January 2020 Men’s Retreat
Join us for a midwinter retreat in which we will explore the topic of “Rethinking Masculinity: How to Live Outside the ‘Man Box’ in 2020.” all who identify as male are welcome. We love the winter outdoor activities together and the honest indoor discussions in the safe circle of men. We will gather at Camp Helen Brachman at 6:00 pm on January 17 (Friday) and depart after lunch on January 19 (Sunday). More information will be forthcoming when you register, so please add your name to the list now. Contact John Duffin to sign up and with questions (japple51@gmail.com).
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4 Spiritualities and Associated Spiritual Practice
led by Mary Ellyn Vicksta
Monthly gatherings until May 2020
Sunday, January 5 at 12:15 pm - all are welcome.
To encourage the development of spiritual practices based upon the four spiritual pathways developed by Peter Tufts Richardson, a retired UU minister. We will take an in-depth look at each of the four spiritual pathways so you not only understand your own pathway but those of others as well. We will deeply explore spiritual practices that are aligned with each pathway and discuss how each person can incorporate these practices into their everyday life. Contact Mary Ellyn at mev500@yahoo.com with questions.
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Winter Art Theme: Sharing Our Love
Our next art theme will be “Sharing our Love”. Please bring in art on Sunday, January 12. It should be framed and ready to hang. Have your name and the title of the piece on the back. If you currently have a piece on display, Thank You! We appreciate your willingness to let us enjoy art you love. Please take those pieces home on the 12th. If you need to drop off or deliver pieces at a different time, please let Cyndi in the office know. Thanks for helping to beautify our Fellowship Hall. -Mary Gerlach (920.734.5888)
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A year end note from our Director of Finance and Operations: If you have not yet made your monthly, quarterly, or annual contribution to the Fellowship, it is not too late to make a contribution for the 2019 tax year. The office will be closed for general business from December 25, 2019 through January 1, 2020. However, I will be in the office and available during the following times to receive your contribution payments:
• Thursday, December 26, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• Friday, December 27, 8:00 a.m. - noon
• Monday, December 30, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 31, 8:00 a.m. - noon
All contributions received through the collection basket on Sunday December 29, 2019, in the office by noon Tuesday, December 31, 2019, or received in the mail postmarked December 31, 2019 will be credited to tax year 2019. Any contributions received after that time will be credited to tax year 2020. If you have questions about your current 2019-2020 pledge, please contact me at the Fellowship office, 920.731.0849, or Phyllis@fvuuf.org. Thank you for your generous support! -Phyllis Schmitt
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A Message of Hope and Renewal from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, UUA President
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New Book by Fellowship Member Cathy Cofell-Mutschler available in the Fellowship bookstore!
"In these wise and often witty poems, Cathryn Cofell explores the complicated intersections between what we commonly refer to as making a living vs. having a life. Honest, insightful, and formally dexterous, Cofell—the self-described “Lucille Ball of Zen”—reminds us that, ultimately, being fully human is our true life’s work. Poems like hers help us do it." - Grace Bauer
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MidAmerica Region Webinar Series: Whose History Is It Anyway?
Monday Evenings, January 27-February 24, 2020
6:45 pm Central
How much do you know about the roots of our faith tradition? Explore the history of Unitarianism, Universalism, and Unitarian Universalism. Using an anti-colonialist, multicultural lens, we’ll look beyond the traditional, dusty facts of history and examine to see how our faith was born and how it has developed and evolved over the years. Presented by Rev. Connie Simon. Cost: $25 individual, $60 for a congregational group (up to 5 people). Register HERE. These webinars will use the zoom application. Learn more HERE. For more information contact midamerica@uua.org.
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Fellowship History Tidbits
The question in the last Weekly Scroll was: what was the original name of the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship? The answer is: the Fox Valley Liberal Religious Fellowship. The question for this week is: Why did those early members use that name instead of our current name? Watch for the answer in an upcoming Weekly Scroll.
Fellowship History Tibits provided by Dave Gerlach
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Bertschausen Teaching Ministry Fund
We are honoring the legacy of former senior minister Rev. Roger Bertschausen and the future of the Fellowship by establishing the Bertschausen Teaching Ministry Fund to help support a teaching ministry program and to move the Fellowship in the direction of a sustainable internship program for future UU ministers. READ MORE
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| Click here for the current financial report.
Click here for the current Governing Board meeting agenda.
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Thank you for reading The Weekly Scroll, and pardon any typos.
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| Quick Links
Anti-racism Learning (for home, or groups)
Characteristics and antidotes of white supremacy culture
December: Worship of the Written Word - click HERE
Joys and Concerns
As your faith community, we want to celebrate your joys with you and support you through times of concern.
To share a joy or concern with our ministers and/or at services, please email Rev. Leah at leah@fvuuf.org.
To be added to the Joys and Concerns email list, contact Cyndi Polakowski at cyndi@fvuuf.org.
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Weekly Calendar
Thursday, December 12
6:30pm Spill it Sister - cancelled
6:30pm Sound Meditation
Saturday, December 14
6:30am Joyful Mind Zen Sangha
10:00am Spanish Charla
Sunday, December 15
9:00 & 10:45am Worship Service
10:00am High School Breakfast Club
10:45am Inquirers Series
Monday, December 16
9:00am Goddess Group
Tuesday, December 17
6:00pm Governing Board Meeting
(see agenda for location)
7:00pm Men's Group
Thursday, December 19
7:00pm UU Book Club
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Click the image for our mailing address and staff email addresses or call 920.731.0849.
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