Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist

Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist

Friday E-Mail News           August 26, 2011

10 AM Service

August 28, Sunday: Sermon - Who Cares? Elizabeth Breeden, Worship Associate; Shirley Paul & Nancy Lewis, Pastoral Visitors. Pastoral care is a spiritual journey in our beloved community. We are learning the power of compassionate listening and the art of just showing up.

Religious Education

The “TJMC SUUper Sunday Summer Camp with Dr. Seuss” for infants through rising sixth graders takes place at the same time as the worship service. Visitors are welcome. For more information, stop in the kitchen classroom on Sunday morning in the lower hall of the main church building. Questions? Contact Robyn Fogler at 293-8179 x 6# or robynf@embarqmail.com.

Church This Week.

August 27, Saturday: Adopt-a-Highway Clean Up. If you would like to help with the Hillsdale Drive clean-up meet at the Food Lion parking lot (off 29) at 9 AM. All interested parties please contact Dick Somer.

August 28, Sunday: Sermon - Who Cares? Elizabeth Breeden, Worship Associate; Shirley Paul & Nancy Lewis, Pastoral Visitors. Pastoral care is a spiritual journey in our beloved community. We are learning the power of compassionate listening and the art of just showing up.

September 2, Friday; Food Pantry, 9 AM, Social Hall.

September 4, Sunday: Sermon - Welcome Home. Water Ceremony. 10 AM. After a summer that may well have taken you hither and yon – if only mentally – we gather once more as one community – a chance for us to celebrate where we have been and prepare for where we are going. At this multigenerational service we will also take a special offering to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s UUSC Somalia and East Africa Relief Fund. As we celebrate our first Water Ceremony with our new Lead Minister let us generously reach out beyond our own community to one that has been ravaged by drought-induced famine and violence.

September 4, Sunday: Special Social Action Collection - UUSC Somalia & East Africa Relief Fund. In light of the dire humanitarian crisis, severe drought leading to devastating famine, in East Africa the UUSC has opened the Somalia and East Africa Relief Fund. UUSC will work with partners on the ground to provide immediate relief to Somalis suffering from the famine as well as support communities hosting Somali refugees in other countries affected by the crisis. With 3.2 million people, half of the Somali population, needing immediate lifesaving assistance, this is the world’s worst food security crisis in the last twenty years. The long-term conflict and statelessness in southern Somalia has exacerbated the impact of the drought that has affected the area at large, causing catastrophic famine. If you make a donation to this UUSC Relief Fund equal to or above the following amounts ($40 for adults, $20 for seniors, $10 for youth), you will be given complimentary UUSC membership status, and receive regular news about UUSC’s worldwide humanitarian efforts.

September 4+11+18, Sunday: All-Church Carpooling Challenge. The first three Sunday services in September will be intergenerational single services at 10 AM, so Green Sanctuary has decided to hold three consecutive carpooling Sundays to accommodate the crowds. There are only 120 parking spaces in our lots and around the church and more than 400 adult members. Spaces may be hard to find! Circle the dates September 4+11+18, and contact TJMC members and friends who live near you or stop by our table in the Social Hall so that you can find a buddy and join our All-Church Carpooling Challenge. Each Sunday at the door, carpoolers will receive tickets for a raffle to be held after church Sunday, September 18.

Church Notes & Requests for Help

Church Closings: In the event that the church is closed for Sunday Services then an announcement will be put on Channel 29 and the local radio stations.

Yard Sale Success: Our 2011 two-day yard sale was a tremendous success. Including proceeds from the Book Sale and the Yard Sale, the church made over $16,000. Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday or Sunday to help or to shop.

Altar Decorations: Let your joy bubble up and onto the altar for a coming Sunday. Please sign up on the Worship Associates bulletin board in hallway and plan a display for Sunday services soon. Flowers? A special collection? Plants? Feel free to contact Holly Dilatush for ideas, assistance, or encouragement.

AFD Classes: The AFD Committee is pleased to report strong interest in suggested offerings for this fall. Stay tuned for an exciting slate of AFD opportunities, full information coming soon for classes beginning in September! More info, questions, contact AFD Committee Chair Holly Dilatush.

Circle Dinner Hosts Needed: Sign-ups for Circle Dinners held on the weekend of October 7-9 will not begin until we have recruited a few more hosts for the dinner. Please help make these dinners possible by volunteering to host. We particularly need volunteers to host families with children. Sign up in the Social Hall on Sundays after the service or by contacting Sally Taylor.

Covenant Groups will start up again at the beginning of October. Registration for them has already begun. Fill out the registration form found at the Covenant Groups table in the Social Hall after the worship service or fill out the form online at the church website uucharlottesville.org. For more information about Covenant Groups visit our table in the Social Hall or contact Sally Taylor.

Good News: Acting Director of Music appointed. Scott Deveaux has accepted the position of ADOM, effective August 15 through May 31, 2012, and brings to the position a wide range of musical talent and over twenty years of experience. Our special thanks go to the Search Committee of Bev Thierwechter, Walt Megonigal, Cindy Benton Groner, Maggie Ober and Rev. Erik Wikstrom for their hard work and diligence during a very thorough selection process which included reviewing seventeen resumes, numerous interviews, and for the top candidates, auditions with our choir. Please join in congratulating Scott and giving thanks to the Search Committee. As a next step the Board will appoint a Task Force representing the full congregation and charged with identifying the long term needs of our music program prior to completing a search for and appointment of a permanent Director of Music.

Portable Labyrinth: Did you know that the Labyrinth Ministry has a lightweight, portable labyrinth that is very easy to set up and can be used outdoors? Church groups (covenant groups, worship groups, pastoral visitors, etc.) are welcome to borrow this labyrinth for their functions, either on or off site. If your group would like to schedule the use of this labyrinth, please contact Labyrinth Ministry member Jane Ellis.

TJMC member, Ellen Pratt is moving to New York. Her son Dan has lived there since he got out of college and is now married with an infant son. Her other son, Gate, just moved to Brooklyn with his family (partner d’Arby, sons Macon, 6 years and Corbin, 3 years). For the first time all the grandchildren are in the same place and Ellen is happily moving to be near them. She will be leaving at the end of August, but promises to come back for visits. TJMC has been a part of the Pratt family since her parents became members in 1964 and Ellen says she will always treasure the special connection she feels with this church.

Registration for the 2011-2012 Religious Education Program for Children & Youth is available at http://www.uucharlottesville.org/education/religious-education-program-registration on the church’s website. All families with children infants through twelfth grades participating in the program need to register. Thank you!

Calling all non-parents and parents of grown children. Our church’s children need You! While parents of children in our church’s religious education program do help out in a variety of ways, we desperately need non-parent volunteers too. You can help and still attend worship regularly! Please speak with Leia Durland-Jones today to learn more about volunteer opportunities. 293-8179 x 3#.

Thank You from Virginia Organizing Project: Dear TJMC, Thank you! Your generous support means so much. With all of us in the midst of a major assault on working Americans and the poor, we thank you for helping us train hundreds of individuals to become leaders for change, particularly encouraging those who have traditionally had little or no voice in our society. We recently held a statewide gathering and it was beautiful to see so many people there, lots of young people, many of whom were young people of color, and all were passionate about change. Thank you for helping us push for more jobs, living wages, rights for gays and lesbians, immigrant rights, racial justice and more. Because of generous supporters like TJMC, we are growing–with the new office in Martinsville last year and the addition of organizer Bob Becker this year. Thanks, again, so much for your support. Take care, Sally, Harold and everyone at Virginia Organizing. P.S. If you would like to become more involved, please contact me.