February 11 - Introduction to UU and MVUC class February 12 - Visitor Meet and Greet February 16 - Third Thursday Book Discussion Group February 25 - Outdoor Fellowship Hike March 4 - Annual Variety Show and Lasagna Dinner (RSVP!) March 11 - Vegetarian Potluck Luncheon March 23-25 - Annual Used Book and Art Sale; Donate now! Shop later! April 9 - Easter Egg Hunt April 16 - Earth Day Creek Clean-Up April 23 - Spring Workenanny April 30 - May 7 - "Candidating Week" for prospective new minister May 7 - Congregational Meeting to call a new minister May 21 - MVUC Annual Meeting June 21-25 - UUA General Assembly, Pittsburgh and Online
This Sunday's Service - 10:00 am - Onsite and Online
“Why Do We Love?"
Rev. Christian Schmidt
Is love a biological strategy for reproduction? Is it hardwired into our psyche? Is it a choice? Why we do love whom and what we love?
New Visitor Events in February Introduction to MVUC and UU - February 11, 8:30 to 11:30, Commons
Meet and Greet - February 12, 11:30 to 12:30, Breakfast Porch
Are you a new visitor? Have you been coming for awhile and want to know more about Mount Vernon Unitarian Church?
Our free Introduction to MVUC & Unitarian Universalism class will be held on Saturday February 11 in the Commons. Breakfast will be served at 8:30, followed by presentations by Reverend Schmidt and church leaders. Lots of chances to ask questions.
Meet and Greet is an informal gathering (with a free lunch) right after service on Sunday February 12. Reverend Schmidt will join a few Membership folks for conversation.
Childcare can be provided, but we need to be notified by February 5. Please contact Linda Burke at Membershipchair@mvuc.org if you have questions or plan to attend.
Outdoor Fellowship - February Hike Saturday, February 25; Franconia District Park; 10:00am
Join your friends on Sat, Feb. 25 for a walk around Franconia District Park (formerly Lee District Park). This close by, wooded park has a 1.5 loop trail. The up and down trail around the park could be muddy. Wear appropriate shoes for roots and rocks. A possible lunch location would be Macaroni Grill in nearby Kingstowne.
We will meet at 10:00 am at the Franconia District Park parking area at the far end of the Recreation Center building. Or meet at MVUC in time to depart there at 9:45 am.
Directions: The park is located on Telegraph Road 2.5 miles south of the beltway.
From a reflectionon this topic by Rachel Mysilvy: "[...] our vision for climate equity isn’t simply to survive. To realize a world without fossil fuels where clean energy is a human right and all communities thrive, we have a clear call: to follow BIPOC leadership, decarbonize and decolonize our relationships, and engage in transformative action. Climate justice requires us to understand who is most impacted by climate change, how, where, and in what ways, and then to not just orient our solutions to prioritize those issues, but to follow the leadership of frontline communities and to act in solidarity with the communities most impacted."
More information and resources, including a body practice, grounding practice, and a prayer for climate justice are available at Side With Love. More on 30 Days of Love.
The January/February edition of The Zebra is out. Nina Tisara’s column On Sun Worship and Solar Panels is on page 14. In it, she mentions MVUCs commitment to care for the Earth. It’s the largest edition of The Zebra published in its 13 years of existence with lots of interesting information and a pull out Reader’s Choice section. Steven Halperson/Tisara Photography won Best Photographer, no easy accomplishment in these Covid times. And note! MVUC is now listed in its Worship Directory, page 61 (and online).
Third Thursday Book Discussion Group Hollin Hall Dining Room; 10:00am
The Every Thursday Book Discussion group is back and this year it is the third Thursday of the month. We hope anybody who loves books will consider attending! The first book we are reading to discuss is West With Giraffes by L.Rutledge and in March we will be reading Fascism, a Warning by Madeleine Albright.
We meet at 10:00 in the Hollin Hall Dining Room. Be part of picking books for the rest of the year. Everyone is also welcome to join the Every Thursday group following the book discussion at 12:00 for lunch.
Save the date for the next book discussion: Thursday, Feb. 16th. For more information, contact Sandypeterson2010@gmail.com.
More News in Brief:
Vegetarian Potluck Luncheon! - March 11, 2023, 12 noon; MVUC Commons - Come join us for this opportunity to enjoy a variety of plant rich foods in good company! Sign up here.
☕️ COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Volunteer to help out with Sunday morning after-service coffee hours. Sign up here. Learn more...
Donate Your Used Books and Art now and then Save the Date to Shop at MVUC's Annual Used Book & Art Sale, March 23-25. Learn more...
Welcoming new visitors to MVUC - can you offer an occasional ride? Contact Membership. Learn more...
Contact the MVUC Care Team for support of MVUC members who are ill, in crisis, or experiencing life transitions. MVUC Care Team can offer rides to appointments, check-ins, visits, and orthopedic equipment. Donate equipment to our Rehab Equipment Loan Closet or borrow from it as long as you need.
The Rehabilitation Equipment Loan Closet is in need of wheel chairs with feet rests and walkers with 4 wheels and a seat (rolators). If you have equipment to loan please contact Sandy Peterson at 703-470-4414. If you have borrowed equipment and no longer need it, please return it to the Hollin Hall kitchen. Learn more...
Help Afghan Refugees Get Driver Licenses!
Many Afghan refugees in this area have learner's permits, but need practice driving before they can get fully licensed. Ride along and help them get their hours! Starting in parking lots, moving on to streets. The organization is called Road to Independence. For more information, contact James Gage, 571 723 9422.
Friends of Hollin Hills Event:
Nature's Best Hope:
Doug Tallamy offers advice on how we can restore biodiversity
Sunday, February 26, Mt Vernon Unitarian Church, Main Building, 1909 Windmill Lane Alexandria, VA 22307
Well-known, award-winning activist, author and researcher Doug Tallamy discusses the need for all of us to work toward restoring our natural world. Dr. Tallamy will discuss how ineffective our landscape designs are at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us, including:
the current state of local ecosystems
how popular practices degrade them and
how to fix that
As an activist, he has founded and advocates for Homegrown National Park, a network of viable habitats throughout the US to provide vital corridors connecting the natural areas that remain.
Book signing and wine reception starts at 3 pm
Tallamy's Chat starts at 4 pm
Tickets are $25 per person. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
All proceeds from ticket sales will go to future educational programs about building native environments and to support Hollin Hills public parklands.
Books!
A selection of Doug Tallamy's books will be available for purchase during the wine reception, or you can bring your own. Cash and check only.
Plant NOVA Natives will sell their excellent Guide to Native Plants for Northern Virginia at the event, $5, cash only.
Lifespan Spiritual Growth (LSG) at MVUC
Adult Religious Education - Children and Youth Religious Education
You are welcome here! Find out more about current classes and opportunities, our welcoming policies, and get help with our technology platforms on our website.
Adult Religious Education Announcements and Opportunities
A list of current adult classes and opportunities is below. MVUC is expanding our collaboration with Davies UU and Davies UU Offerings are marked with a blue heart 💙 in the list below. The courses marked with a green heart 💚 are offered in collaboration with East Suburban Unitarian Universalist Church.
TED Talks Discussions - Additional Facilitators Are Welcome!
Those who would like to host a talk in this series may refer to the sign up sheet at TEDTalks Facilitator Sign-up to let us know you’re interested.
Great Decisions Returns to MVUC Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26, March 5, 12, 26, April 2, 23, Rain Date April 30, Fireplace Room 11:30- 1:30
Great Decisions is returning to Mount Vernon Unitarian Church this spring after a COVID pause.
💙ADORE: A Dialogue on Race and Ethnicity -- Offered by Davies UU Second Fridays, 7-8:30 p.m.On Zoom
ADORE is a signature program of the Davies community and central to our 8th Principle work...
Contemplative Group Sundays at 9 a.m. at MVUCHollin Hall, Sun Porch and on Zoom
Deepen your spiritual life through contemplative practice with a supportive group.
💙Thoughts about Prayer -- Offered by Davies UU Fourth Wednesdays at 7 p.m.On Zoom
This monthly gathering invites participants to explore the nature and meaning of prayer in our daily lives.
💚 Four Zoom-based classes are being offered by East Suburban Unitarian Universalist Church in Murrysville, PA to UU’s throughout the UU Central East Region. Email Marianne (CLM@esuuc.org)of ESUUC by February11 to join and coordinate times to meet (class dates will be set on the 11th.)All are welcome; no cost.
💚 Small Group exploration of the monthly Soul Matters themes
💚 Singing (Singing the Living Tradition (gray hymnal), Singing the Journey (teal hymnal), and more) – on Zoom, muted, so everyone including shy singers are welcome
💚 Wisdom Walk - explore nine spiritual practices from global spiritual traditions, based on Sage Bennet’s book
Religious Education for Children and Youth Classes for those aged 6 months to 18 years are held on Sunday mornings, beginning in the Chapel with the rest of the congregation at 10 a.m. After the story for all ages, children will go to their classrooms.
Register Your Children for Religious Education (RE) here.
Upcoming Classes and LSG Events:
All Sundays January 8 – March 26, at 10 am:
Worship Service in the Chapel
RE classes for Grades PreK – 12
Nursery care for ages 6 months to 4 years
Lasagna Dinner Fundraiser and Variety Show Saturday March 4, 5:00-8:30pm - Commons and Chapel
Join Variety Show attendees to support MVUC’s youth heritage trip to Boston. Tickets, which include the Variety Show, are $8 per person or a maximum of $25 for immediate family members. Perform in the Variety Show! Adults and children, young and old, ALL are welcome to perform. Sign up to perform in the Commons or at https://tinyurl.com/MVUCVarietyShow2023. Let us know if you're coming to enjoy the lasagna here: https://tinyurl.com/MVUCLasagnaDinner2023.
Donate your pint canning jars to Holiday Shop! Leave them in Hollin Hall Kitchen or the Book Donation Box.
Keep In Touch
Moving? Have a new mailing address? New email? New phone number? Please let us know. Send updates to admin@mvuc.org.
This Week at MVUC, arriving each Wednesday - focuses on announcements, reminders, and near-term events.
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