First Unitarian Church Weekly Newsletter

December 2, 2021

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INSPIRE LEARN CONNECT SERVE

This Sunday at First Unitarian Church

“Cosmic Christ”
Rev. Dr. Kate Walker

Livestreamed at 10:30 am (prelude begins at 10:25)

The Holidays are upon us with images of the Christ child being born. There are some incredibly beautiful stories that help reframe and imagine an all-inclusive Christianity.

NEWSLETTER NEWS

New Ministry Start-Up Retreat January 8

Please mark your calendar for our New Ministry Start-Up Retreat to be held via zoom on Saturday, January 8, 2022 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. This afternoon session, led by Reverend Sunshine Wolfe from the UUA, will provide an exciting opportunity for us to plan for how our congregation, leadership, staff, and senior minister will work together to "start well" and assure a successful ministry. Your participation and input is critical as we come together and look to the future. Stay tuned for more information!

December Board of Trustees Meeting

While the church building is closed, the Board of Trustees is holding its monthly meetings via Zoom. The next meeting is on Wednesday, December 15, at 7:00 p.m. Members and friends of the church are welcome to attend.

If you would like to attend a Board meeting as an observer, please contact Board Secretary Kate Snow (katesnow@katesnow.com) who will arrange for you to receive the Zoom link to join the meeting.

If you have an issue that you would like to speak about at a Board meeting, please send your request to the Board Secretary along with a brief explanation of the issue you would like to bring to the Board’s attention

LEARN

Religious Education for Children & Middle School Youth

Dear 1st U family,

Please enjoy these few pictures from a so far successful year of RE in an unpredictable and experimental time. There are so many more moments also; these are just a few. Be sure to watch the pageant on 12/19 to see what else we’ve been up to! First class of the year, the kids created a tree to represent Unitarian Universalism, with the sources at the roots, and the principles as the branches. We thought it would help people exploring Unitarian Universalism for the first time. We played and socialized outside while the weather was warm enough, as well as told stories and had some other activities. The turtle is only one of many yet to come from our pageant. - Erica

If you have a school-aged child who would like to participate in Sunday morning Religious Education, send an email to eshadowsong@first-unitarian-pgh.org to join the parent email list.

Adult Faith Development

Announcing the 2021-22 UUA Common Read:

Cover image "Defund Fear: Safety without Policing Prisons and Punishment" by Zach Norris

If you are interested in being part of a book discussion group for the UUA Common Read, please sign up on the adult faith development form in this section.

Virtual Workshop for Parents

Family Circles
Will be rescheduled for the New Year! Please sign up if interested in updates.

Based on the practice of restorative circles, religious educator Sheila Schuh passes on how family circles helped her raise her own family and keep communication open in challenging times and schedules. She has taught workshops on family circles in several UU settings and at events such as the Liberal Religious Educators Association fall conference.

Sheila on family circles: "Family circles are one of many kinds of “restorative practices.” Circles of different kinds form a continuum of practices that a community might use in an effort to “restore” or keep the relational connections strong and healthy in a system. These practices may be short or long, simple or complex, and done with few or many, depending on the needs present. Structures for different restorative practices vary and have different levels of circle process and characteristics. When using the term, “restorative justice,” for example, these kinds of practices are used when there has been an offense or action of harm done, and a “restorative circle” or “community conference” is called to promote healing and responsibility."

This workshop is offered as the beginning of a series geared specifically toward parents of children in our congregation. You do not need to be a parent in the religious education program to join, but please just be aware that the intended audience are parents with youth or younger children in the program. There is no cost to attend.

The workshop will be 90 minutes, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. with a break via Zoom. You can RSVP to receive the Zoom link on the adult faith development sign up here: https://forms.gle/5dfWnCtK19kRDosb8

Contact Erica Shadowsong for more information.
eshadowsong@first-unitarian-pgh.org

SERVE

Holiday Toy Drive
for Matilda Theiss Children

Thank you to those of you who have donated one or more toys this season. We still are in need of a few more donated toys.

If you are able to participate, please sign up by Saturday, December 11 using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0A4BAEAB28A6F94-holiday

All gifts should be unwrapped and dropped off at Heather Masterson's house in the East End (address to be provided after sign up) no later than Saturday, December 11.

Please direct any questions to Heather Masterson or Shelley Ross at hamasterson@gmail.com or ross.shelley2@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Alternative Gift Market

Select among these featured charities to make a gift as an alternative to a traditional holiday gift! Make your gift online or by check made out to First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh. Be sure to indicate "AGM 2021" on the memo line of your check and clearly indicate which charity(ies) you are supporting and mail to First Unitarian Church, Alternative Gift Market, 605 Morewood Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15213. You will receive email acknowledgment of your transaction. If you’d like an email suitable to print for your gift recipient, email all pertinent gift information after you donate to Karen Burns Rutigliano

Reading Ready Pittsburgh

Reading Ready Pittsburgh I partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to enroll children for mailing books to families. You can sponsor the delivery of books to young children! For just $25, you can make sure that a book will be delivered to each child each month for a year. Would you consider sponsoring 4, 10, and even 20 children?

Khasi Hills, Kharang, India

Our church has been supporting the Annie Margaret Barr Secondary School in Kharang in the poor, rural Khasi Hills of India since 2003. We hope you will help us to continue to support the two teachers we have been sponsoring that enables students to complete high school locally rather than traveling to the state capital.

Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light (Pittsburgh Chapter)

As our planet warms, urban areas such as Pittsburgh are disproportionately impacted because of the heat island effect.  PA IPL is working with the Pittsburgh Blueberry Project (PBP) to plant 500 high top blueberry bushes that will provide local cooling through Nature’s process of transpiration. With just a $10 donation, the PBP will buy and plant a blueberry bush that will make the inner city just a little cooler.

Jewish Family & Community Services

JFSC works to help newcomers successfully build their lives in our city. With your support, we can continue to help over 3,000 refugees and immigrants make Pittsburgh their home.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral Care Team Contact Information:
Christine Beregi: cberegi1@verizon.net Phone: 412-992-1888
Jan Carlino: jancarlino807@gmail.com Phone: 412-727-0200
Julie Childers: julie36pa@gmail.com Phone: 412-726-3590
Jim Cunningham: cunni@comcast.net Phone: 412-256-0205 (Co-Chair)
Kathy Miller: kathymillerotter@gmail.com Phone: 412-639-8012 (Co-Chair)
Bob Sullivan: r.sullivan13@verizon.net Phone: 412-952-7772
Church Office: 412-621-8008

CONNECT

Humanist Group Meeting

"Some Early 20th Century Unitarian Humanists"
Tuesday, January 4
7 PM via Zoom

Hear the stories of three pioneers and the intense opposition they faced.

Presented by the Steering Committee:
Lucinda Beattie, Amy De Chicchis, Stuart Hastings, Audrey Masalehdan

Send email to sph@pitt.edu for the zoom link.

Racial Justice Task Force

Racial Justice Task Force Meetings

The First Unitarian Racial Justice Task Force meets on the third Sunday of every month from 3:00 - 5:00 pm ET via Zoom. If you have any questions about the Task Force or would like to get involved, please email Sonia Wellington at sonia.wellington@gmail.com. And please stay tuned for more information on our upcoming book club, movie nights, and much, much more.

Covenant Groups

Covenant group Opportunities

Consider joining or creating a virtual covenant group.
If you are interested in joining or creating a new covenant group, you can complete a Covenant Group interest form or contact Alice Bright: ab03@andrew.cmu.edu.

If your group wants to set up meetings using the church account, please contact Cicely Moultrie: cmoultrie@First-Unitarian-pgh.org

INSPIRE

Winter Solstice Service

December 20
7PM

The Dance Choir invites you to the annual Winter Solstice service. Solstice is a time to reflect on our inner light and share it in our community. Join the dance choir in this immersive and contemplative experience including meditation, movement, and videos from past Solstice dances. We suggest that you have a candle and print out the Order of Service. The church Zoom link will be emailed prior to the service. Please contact Mary Pat Mengato mpmengato@gmail.com with any questions.

Upcoming Worship Services

December 19, 2021
“Holiday Pageant”
Rev. Dr. Kate Walker

Chalice Weekly Newsletter Deadline and Information

The deadline for submissions for the Chalice Weekly Newsletter is Tuesday for the week’s Thursday publication. Please submit your items through the church website at https://www.first-unitarian-pgh.org/blog/submit-an-article/

The “Chalice Weekly Newsletter” is organized around the four areas of our mission, with each of the areas featured on a rotating basis:

Inspire (first week of the month, with the month’s Sunday service topics, minister’s column, and news from the Inspire Council)

Learn (second week of the month, with lifespan religious education news, religious educator’s column, and news from the Learn Council)

Connect (third week of the month, with news about connections-related activities such as Covenant Groups, and other news from the Connections Council)

Serve (fourth week of the month, with news about social justice and service-related activities such as Green Sanctuary and Habitat for Humanity, and other news from the Serve Council)

Information about upcoming events will be included on a timely basis, ideally beginning three weeks or more before the event. If you have questions, please contact Cicely Moultrie, Communications Coordinator, at cmoultrie@first-unitarian-pgh.org.

OMBUDSMAN

Need an answer to a question and don’t know who to ask? Want to pass along some feedback and not sure who to contact? Reach out to your Board Ombudsman Ebe Emmons. Ebe will coordinate with staff, committees, and the board to get an answer or pass along feedback. Ebe can be reached at firstuupghombudsman@gmail.com

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First Unitarian Church · 605 Morewood Avenue · Pittsburgh, PA 15213 · USA