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CVUU Weekly Update December 7, 2017
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WEEKLY UPDATE

In this issue...  

This Weekend

10:00 am Sunday Service

 
Winter Music:  Warmth from the Inside Out
Preacher: Jessica Lieb
Celebration Associate: Del Carpenter
All musicians who contributed during the service
Greeters:  Mica Lorenz, Nita Stewart
Hospitality:  Team Knapp

Wintertime seems to be full of music, no matter what the occasion.  Familiar tunes strike a special place in the heart of many, but it is the essence of making music together that matters most.  Join in a celebration of music that is as good for the spirit as a warm cup of cocoa!

Adult ForumChalica
Chalica is a unique UU celebration that encourages us to pause during the holiday season and reflect on the important core values that we covenant together to uphold.  It is based on celebration and reflection on the seven UU principles.  Each family is encouraged to develop its own celebratory customs around this event.  Pam and Al Hays will lead a discussion of this holiday.  People with young children are particularly encouraged to attend, as this is a good way to introduce kids to the principles.  (As always, child care is available from 11:30 a.m. until 12:15 p.m.)
 
Weekly Calendar
Sunday
10:00 am Service
11:00 am Fellowship
11:30 am Membership & Marketing meeting
11:30 am Adult Forum: Chalica
1:00 pm Wedding Rental


Tuesday
6:30 pm Committee on Ministry

 
Wednesday - Calendar Deadline
5:30 pm Dinner
6:00 pm Childcare
6:30 pm Choir
7:30 pm Band Practice


Thursday
6:30 pm Childcare
6:30 pm Board Meeting
7:00 pm Buddhist Path


Friday - Newsletter Deadline


 
click here for the monthly online calendar
Touchstones
Hope
Click here  for the December Journal on Hope
Click here for the Winter Holidays Touchstone Journal

Pastoral Update
 
Andrew Hesse is scheduled to have surgery in Iowa City on Dec 19th.  
Xander is going along to be there with him and they have a friend taking them to and from Iowa City.  He is going to need some help from the congregation during Post-Op recovery. 

Kate Warhol fell and hurt her shoulder recently. Her surgery has been postponed until Dec 20th.  She will be at New Aldaya until then.  Please keep her in our thoughts as she is going through a difficult time. 

Karen and Norm Kitchen have moved into Prairie Winds of the Western Home,  5313 Caraway Lane #213.  
Karen's mobile number is 319-961-1940. 

She is making progress in getting around and wanted to let people know how very grateful she has been for all the support she has received in various ways -- visits, cards, candy, flowers, calls -- all of it has meant a lot to her.

 
Marilyn Desmond  passed away November 25th.  Marilyn Desmond's son now lives in Australia, so they are going to have a Memorial Service, here at the church, sometime in April.  Her family has indicated a preference for memorials to be made to Cedar Valley Hospice or Cedar Bend Humane Society in Marilyn's memory, rather than gifts or flowers. 


Please don't forget our members who can't make it on Sundays: 
Keep them in your thoughts and prayers,

or call, or visit!

At Western Home: Donna Kroeger
At Friendship Village: Lewis Lynch 
At Rosewood: Earl Van Fleet                   

The Caring Connections Team will have a different contact person each month.  
Please send them your needs and concerns.

The contact person for December is
Trish Cook  tigertom44@gmail.com 319-232-5026
 

Sending love and hope to anyone who is hurting. Please reach out and let us know. Please send your pastoral updates to me in the office. People want to know, and send you love, prayers or bring you a pot of soup!
Please ask if you need contact information too. ~ Janet 
CVUU Announcements
International Human Rights Day
Membership & Marketing Meeting
Do you think it’s important for guests, visitors, and new members to feel welcomed to the CVUU, and for members to have meaningful opportunities to get involved? Do you want to help promote the CVUU to the larger community and help provide communications to members through use of our website and social media? The Membership and Marketing Teams could use your help! Join us Sunday, December 10 at 11:30 am at the classroom at the end of the hall. Meetings are open to anyone who would like to get more involved at the CVUU, including new members.  

"Thank you to our anonymous donor(s) for the new display for the sanctuary!  Your thoughtful and generous gift will help us with our Sunday services and enable the space to be used in new and exciting ways."
CVUU Holiday Shopping Bonus:
 
Remember to use “Amazon Smile” when shopping on-line at Amazon.com. Designate Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists as your favorite charity and CVUU will get a donation percentage from Amazon. It is not a large amount but every little bit helps us meet the budget.
  
Thanks,
Bill
     Children's RE Christmas Donations
This year, the Waterloo Women's Center for Change, a Department of Corrections halfway house, is offering us the opportunity to donate to their Christmas Room, a collection of items for residents to select as gifts for their families and friends. To contribute, children in CVUU religious education classes and their families can bring hats, mittens, or new or lightly used toys through Sunday, Dec 17. Donated items will be displayed on or under the tree in our CVUU lobby and taken to the Women's Center for donation the week of Dec 18.  If you have questions, contact Sally Browne at
sallyb758@gmail.com.
Sabbatical
Our minster, Rev Eva Cameron is on Sabbatical until March 1. 

You can read a message from her here

Find her sabbatical blog here
Connect with us on Facebook!
Did you know that the CVUU has both a Facebook Page AND a Facebook Group?
  • The CVUU Facebook Page is like an online “flyer” for the public, and is available at: www.facebook.com/cedarvalleyuu
    • Postings here would be the type of information we would want to post in the local newspaper, on our website, or on a sign in the front of the building. For example, if we are having an event that’s open to the general public, it would be great to have it posted on our page.
    • Tip: Make sure to “Like” our page and visit it at least once a month (or more) so that it will continue to show in your Facebook feed.
  • The CVUU Facebook Group is for in-church discussion, and is available at: www.facebook.com/groups/cvuus/
    • Postings here would be the type of information we would happily share with others at the church, during announcements or in conversations about church events, but we don’t necessarily want to share with the entire world. For example, this is a great place to post and see photos of recent activities at the church or ask questions about upcoming events.   
    • Tip: Make sure to request to “Join” our group and visit it at least once a month (or more) so that it will continue to show in your Facebook feed.
  • We also have a few specialized CVUU Facebook Groups – feel free to join any or all of these that interest you!
  • Want to get involved? If you have a passion for social media, we could use your help posting upcoming events and managing our Facebook page, group(s), and/or website: www.cedarvalleyuu.org. Contact Heather Flory (webmaster@cedarvalleyuu.org) for more information.
Board Meeting
"On November 9th the board met for the regular board meeting.  The following things were discussed:

* The Committee on Ministry will need another member in January to replace Juanita.  This is a board-approved position, but members interested in knowing more are encouraged to contact Juanita Williams or John Fischer.

* The Personnel Committee will be conducting a search for a new Childcare Coordinator to replace Stacy.
 
As always, the meeting minutes will be available in the Fellowship Hall.  Please direct any questions or comments to John Fischer."
Food Pantry
Did you know that the Food Pantry grew out of our sessions last winter and spring on Economic Inequality?  It was difficult to come up with concrete suggestions about how our congregation could address the complex issue of economic inequality, but establishing a way to share access to nutrition seemed a very basic and doable way, and so the Food Pantry was established.
The message on the Pantry says to take some or leave some, with the idea that we are all interdependent.  It was established on our property, but with the idea that anyone who saw it could put food into it or take food out.  In the ensuing months since it has been established it has been well used, primarily by children, especially as they walk to and from their homes in the neighboring trailer court.
We established the Pantry, not knowing what would result, but hoping that it would extend our reach into the community, which it has.  The Social Action Committee would like to encourage all members to support the Pantry with their donations, which can come in the form of food and paper products, as well as donations to purchase products.  We also encourage all interactions with our neighbors to be positive ones. 
There have been some vague reports to the committee of adults being rude to children using the Pantry.  We do not know if they are accurate.  We hope not.  But in case they are, or to prevent future problems, we want to put our relationship with the children in a context.
People say, “it takes a village to raise a child,” referring to many parental actions.  And in those villages, the adults knew those children.  I think many of us lament the times when loving neighborhood adults and relatives felt free to scold and even (appropriately) punish mischievous children.  But we don’t know the children using our pantry; we don’t know their parents; we don’t have years of trust and good experiences built up with them. 
Our goal with the Pantry was perhaps that providing food could be an initial step in building trust with people that we could share other resources with and, in turn, learn from them.  We first need to build trusting relationships with the children before we can scold them or treat them any way except politely, even when firmly establishing needed boundaries. 
So, in conclusion, the Social Action Committee encourages all of us to continue the support of our Pantry and all the people who use it with open hearts (and wallets).
Important Holiday Dates in Kids RE
12/10 No Kids RE, a Festival Sunday
12/17 RE as normal
12/24 No RE, Happy Holiday
12/31 No RE, Happy New Year
1/7  RE Resumes
--
Angie Stafsholt
Director of Children's Religious Education
Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists
Office Announcements



The December 2017 newsletter is available
for pick up at the church or it can be downloaded at


newsletter            calendar

 

**Stay Informed/Keep Us Informed:
Please send information for the Weekly Update 

to administrator@CedarValleyUU.org
or call 319-266-5640

Greater UU Announcements
Click here for the MidAmerica Region December Newsletter

Community Information
Church Contact Information
Cedar Valley
Unitarian Universalists
3912 Cedar Heights Drive, Cedar Falls, IA  50613
319-266-5640    www.CedarValleyUU.org
Rev. Eva Cameron  is on  Sabbatical until March 2018.
 
Staff Contact Information
Office Hours  -  8:30-12:30 pm Mondays;  
1:00-5:00 pm Wednesdays;
8:30-1:30 pm 
Thursdays

Janet Sanders - Administrator         319-266-5640         administrator@CedarValleyUU.org
Angie Stafsholt  - Director of Children’s RE     319-230-0210     dcre@CedarValleyUU.org
Music Director  -  Jess Lieb            563-580-3422             musicdirector@CedarValleyUU.org
Copyright © 2017 Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists, All rights reserved.


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