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The Creation of A New Religious Education Goal Statement
by Kim Hartman, Director of Religious Education As 2017 draws to a close and we reflect on the events of this past year, it is wonderful to celebrate the many good things that have happened for us here at the Fellowship. Among the events to lift up, we are blessed with a wonderful new Senior Minister who joins and leads us in our journey forward, and in carrying out our collective mission… Welcoming, Growing, Leading
Welcoming everyone
Growing in mind and spirit
Leading in social justice In partial response to the new leadership of Reverend Christina, and partial response to the anticipation of a new Fellowship-wide Five Year Plan, the Religious Education Committee has been working to craft a new Religious Education statement. The purpose of this is to create a statement that will support the Fellowship’s Mission Statement and will be the foundation from which we implement and evaluate the scope of our offerings from nursery through our high school youth programs. In working towards the creation of our new statement, the committee brainstormed the attributes we want a student to possess who has completed full programming. Our list included: the ability to appreciate differences among people and see the potential strengths in diversity, healthy communication skills especially surrounding issues of conflict, the development of empathy, a strong sense of place and ownership in the Fellowship community, cultural literacy, integrity, critical thinking skills, and a lifelong spirit of curiosity. Ultimately, the committee found that the overarching theme of our brainstormed list is to help guide and shape our young learners towards becoming compassionate individuals. There are three parts to this: awareness of the suffering of others, empathy, and action. We will conclude this work at the beginning of January, and I will share the final statement via the newsletter in mid-January. Please know that this is only possible due to the hard work and passion of the members of our RE Committee. My eternal gratitude goes to this group of extraordinarily dedicated individuals. I count them among my blessings of the past year! *Our current Religious Education Philosophy and Goals statement can be viewed here.
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Upcoming Services Sundays 9:00 & 10:45 a.m. (Unless otherwise noted)
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December 24 (4:00, 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.) Christmas Eve Services with Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy and Rev. Leah Hart-Landsberg
Join us for the retelling of the Christmas story, carols, and candle lighting. The 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. services will be explicitly welcoming to families with kids, while the 9:00 p.m. service will be geared more for adults, and will include our tradition of a Transylvanian Unitarian communion. Religious education classes and nursery care will not be available. December 31 In Between Time with Marie Luna, Congregational Life Coordinator and Heather Westley, Fellowship Member
On this day between two years, we honor the space between no longer and not yet. We will consider the possible thresholds in our lives that we may be ready to step into through guided meditation and reflection. Regular nursery care and religious education classes will be available.
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Greater Good – So far we have collected a total of $5,681 for this year’s Greater Good recipient, World Relief Fox Valley. If you missed the opportunity to contribute and still wish to make a contribution please drop off or mail a check payable to Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship with Greater Good noted in the memo field, no later than Sunday, December 31, 2017. Thank you for your support!
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A year end note from our Business Administrator: 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 2017 tax year. The office will be closed for general business from December 25th - 31st, and on Monday January 1st, 2018. However, I will be in the office and available Wednesday-Friday, December 27th - 29th between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to receive your contribution payments. All contributions received in the office by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 29th, through the collection basket on the 31st, or received in the mail postmarked December 31, 2017 will be credited to tax year 2017. Any contributions received after that time will be credited to tax year 2018. If you have any questions about your current 2017-2018 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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Attention Parents- Upcoming Services Information: Christmas Eve Services- Calling all stuffed animals!
Both the 4:00 and 7:00 services are designed to be more family friendly. Bring your favorite stuffed animal along to participate in “manger time” during the service!
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Breakfast Club & Youth Group
A reminder that we will NOT be having Breakfast Club on Christmas Eve (12/24) or on New Year’s Eve (12/31). Youth Group will not meet in December. Enjoy the time with your families and we'll see you in January!
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Joyful Mind Zen Sangha Half Day Sesshin
Saturday, December 30, 6:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Come decompress from the holidays and set your intention for the year ahead. We will be having a Half Day Sesshin, which is a silent retreat cultivating the heart and mind, followed by a potluck lunch.
Schedule:
6:30 Zazen
6:40 Kinhin-Walking Meditation
6:50 Zazen
7:20 Morning Liturgy
7:45 Dharma Talk
8:45 Break
9:00 Zazen
9:30 Kinhin
9:40 Zazen
10:10 Work Practice
11:00 Zazen
11:45 Fukazazengi
12:00 Evening Message
12:15 Potluck Lunch The retreat will be in noble silence. You are welcome for any part of the day. No previous experience is necessary. Contact Shōjin Alford for more information.
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Soup Saturday
One of our Founders, Len Weis, told us once that “food and fellowship both begin with the same letter and are properly united.” Soup Saturdays are a wonderful opportunity on the first Saturday of each month to gather around a simple meal and to share fellowship. The next Soup Saturday will be on January 6 at 5:00 p.m. No need to RSVP, just join us in the Fellowship Hall for delicious homemade soups, fresh bread and the finest conversation.
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Mindfulness and Meditation Practices for All
Sunday, January 7, 2018
1:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The Smiling Dandelion Sangha invites you to learn about different types of meditation and mindfulness practices as we begin the new year. Whether you meditate regularly or irregularly, want to re-start meditation or have wanted to learn, this day will be a good opportunity to try different types of meditation and see if there is one that is meaningful to you. We will also look at how mindfulness can be brought into our daily lives with various practices that provide clarity, concentration and insight. Topics will include poetry, loving-kindness meditation, listening mindfully to music, ethical living, mindful eating, and others. We invite you to bring a poem to share and a vegetarian dish to pass for a shared meal. Cushions and chairs will be available and instructions will be given for the various sessions. There will be time to discuss our experiences as we go through the day. Feel free to invite others who are interested. There is no charge to attend. If you have questions, email smilingdandelion@gmail.com.
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“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” --Hippocrates
January 9 & 23, 6:00 p.m. at the Fellowship Learn how you can start your healing journey with food as medicine. Fellowship members, Rick & Rita Menet, will talk about their own healing journeys and how you, too, can use food and a Functional Medicine approach to transform your health. Healing cannot be done by diet alone - at the heart of the Functional Medicine “Matrix” is a self-exploration of your mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Rick is a medical doctor with advanced training in Functional Medicine and Rita is a Functional Medicine Health Coach. Contact Rita at rita.menet@gmail.com for more details.
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Appleton Wellspring Wednesday
January 10, 2018; 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
A Good Death by Rev. Karon Sandberg As a hospice chaplain, my goal for my patients is that they have a good death. Just what does that mean and how can you prepare yourself for this inevitable time? Join us as we discuss how you can navigate this legal, emotional and spiritual time of life for yourself or a loved one. Contact Cyndi Polakowski to sign up.
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Men's Group Annual Retreat
The Men's Group is holding its annual retreat at Camp Helen Brackman from January 26-28. The theme will be Developing Trust and Overcoming Betrayal. There will be time for discussion and recreation. All men are invited. The cost of $85 covers lodging and 5 meals. Some scholarship money is available. Please contact Pat Costello at pjcosmos@hotmail.com or 920.475.2330 for questions and to register by January 17.
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Joyful Mind Zen Sangha Update
The Joyful Mind Zen Sangha will not be meeting on Tuesday, December 26 or Tuesday, January 2. We will be meeting at our other times. During winter, snow can cause cancellations. For Tuesday nights, please contact Jim Bowker at 920.246.8159 or jtbowker@yahoo.com by 5:30 p.m. to find out if we will be meeting on any given Tuesday night.
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Re-thinking Social Justice at the Fellowship
If you would like to shape the future of social justice at the Fellowship, mark your calendar for January 2, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. The Social Justice Core Team is rethinking and re-envisoning how we do social justice, and you are invited to participate in this process. Start the year off right with new social justice priorities. Questions? Contact Penny Robinson at pennyrobinson1@gmail.com or Rev Christina Leone-Tracy at christina@fvuuf.org.
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Save the dates! If you took part in the "Wake up Weeks" consider joining our Conversations in Racial Literacy facilitated by the Racial Justice Action Team on Soup Saturdays January 6, February 3, and March 3 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Fellowship. Wake up Weeks Calendar
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Sign up for Emails and/or Text Messages on Racial Justice
The Racial Justice Action Team offers to keep you informed of timely racial justice issues, events, or advocacy. If you would like to sign up to receive such timely emails and/or text messages , please send your email address and/or mobile number to Penny Robinson at pennyrobinson1@gmail.com. We promise to protect your privacy and not release your contact information to any other group. We also promise not to flood your inbox with an overload of messages. You can always unsubscribe.
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Driving Assistance Available
Whether you don’t like to drive at night or you broke your arm and are having problems getting yourself to the Fellowship, please contact Marie Luna, Congregational Life Coordinator for driving assistance. This can include attending services, a small group or one time activity. We want everyone to be available to get to the Fellowship when they want to be here.
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We are fortunate to have three children’s books about race in our Black Lives Matter lending library (on the bottom shelf).
Tar Beach By Faith Ringgold
• Eight -year-old Cassie can fly!
• An autobiography, fictional narrative about 1939 Harlem, where Ringgold’s family often went to the rooftop on hot summer nights.
black is brown is tan By Arnold Adoff
• A story poem about children who are all colors of the race, growing up happy in a house full of love.
• The Adoffs married in 1960, which at the time violated segregation laws in 28 states in America.
Let’s Talk About Race By Julius Lester
• An autobiographical exploration of what makes each of us special.
• A stunning picture book that helps children learn, grow, discuss, and begin to create a future that resolves differences.
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Join Rev. Christina at "Community Office Hours"
Come join Rev. Christina for coffee or tea and conversation during her (almost) weekly Community Office Hours. Watch The Scroll or "friend" her on Facebook to keep up with the location. No agenda or RSVP needed, just come chat about life, books, theology, or whatever is on your mind. If two or more people show up, we'll need to be flexible about conversation topics or keep our visits shorter. REGULAR OFFICE HOURS available by appointment. Thursdays from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. December 21, January 4, 11, 18 and 25 at Copper Rock in Appleton
210 W. College Avenue
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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
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 CalendarThursday, December 21 7:00pm UU Book Club
Friday, December 22 6:30am Joyful Mind Zen Sangha Saturday, December 23
6:30am Joyful Mind Zen Sangha Sunday, December 24
4:00, 7:00, 9:00pm Worship Services Monday, December 25
Office Closed
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Book Club Books First Monday Book Club
Contact Chris Wales at kcrark@new.rr.com for the current book. UU Book Club
December: What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly
January: Remains of the Day by Kazou Ishiguro
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