Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist

Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist

Friday E-Mail News           December 3, 2010

Services at 9:15 & 11:15 AM

December 5, Sunday: Sermon - What Are You Waiting For? Rev. Dr. Janet E. Newman. This is a time of year when we seem to do a lot of waiting. First, for the holidays, and then for the holidays to be over! How can we be active in our waiting? When can waiting be productive?

Religious Education

Religious Education for children nursery through fifth grade is offered at both services.

Classes for sixth through twelfth grades are offered at the 11:15 AM service.

Church This Week

December 5, Sunday: Art Work Deadline Extended: Work, framed and ready for hanging, will be received in the Social Hall after each service. Contact Elizabeth Breeden brs@cstone.net.

December 5, Sunday: Poinsettias Available for Pick Up, 10:30+12:30, Social Hall A few extra plants are available for purchase if you did not pre-order a poinsettia. Thanks for supporting our Coming of Age youth as they raise funds for their class pilgrimage in June.

December 5, Sunday: Sample Covenant Group, 1 PM, Summit Room 2. We invite anyone interested in finding out how covenant groups work. We will provide a light lunch and drinks. Preregistration is not required! New covenant groups will be forming in mid-January. You can pick up a registration form at the Covenant Group table in the Social Hall on Sundays or register online at uucharlottesville.org.

December 6, Monday: Worship Associates, 5:30 PM, Social Hall.

December 7 + 21, Tuesdays: UUppity Women, 6 PM, Social Hall; 7 PM, Parlor. Join the UUppities in creating wreaths of natural greenery for the entry doors of the church. We will gather in the Social Hall beginning at 6 PM on Tuesday, December 7. Please bring any of the following you may have: spruce boughs, native cedar with cones, holly or other red berries. On Tuesday, December 21, we will gather at 7 PM in the Parlor to discuss our holiday traditions, past and present, as we celebrate the holidays with special refreshments. Info: uuppities@uucharlottesville.com.

December 8, Wednesday: AFD: Harvest the Power, Module 2: Power & Authority, 7 PM, Summit Room 1.

December 9+16+23+30, Thursdays: Active Minds, 1 PM, Parlor.

December 9+16, Thursday: Adult Choir Rehearsal, 6:45 PM, Parlor.

December 9, Thursday: Board of Trustees, 7 PM, Social Hall.

December 9, Thursday: UU Christian Fellowship, 7 PM, Summit Room 2. Led by Eleanor May.

December 9 Thursday: Social Action Movie Night, 7 PM, Parlor.

December 10, Friday: Deadline for January 2011 Monthly Bulletin Submissions.

December 12, Sunday: 9:15 & 11:15 AM. Sermon - Holiday Music Service. KaeRenae Mitchell, Director of Music & Rev. Dr. Janet Newman. The Adult Choir will perform Rachmaninoff’s “Ave Maria” from Vespers, and other holiday carols. Terra Voce (flute and cello duet) will offer seasonal music as well.

December 12, Sunday: Special Holiday Reception, 10:30 + 12:30, Social Hall. The Committees of the Lifespan Faith Development Council and the families participating in the church’s religious education program are asked to bring special finger food snacks to share with the congregation during social hour after both services.

December 12, Sunday: Chamber Music Concert, 3 PM, Sanctuary + Parlor.

Church Notes & Requests for Help

CareNet Request: We have church members who will need assistance with meals December 14-28. They live in the Rio Road area near Charlottesville High School. If you are able to assist with a meal for two adults please go to http://www.takethemameal.com to sign up. The log in name and password are TJMC (all caps). If you have any questions please contact Cathy Lawder at 804-564-2452 or cathylawder@yahoo.com. Thanks for your help.

Connie Cheetham Award: The TJMC-UU Board is soliciting nominations for the 2010 memorial Connie Cheetham Award for Extraordinary Service to the Church. This award recognizes one person (or a couple) for extraordinary service and work in one or more areas of the life of the congregation. Nomination forms are available in an envelope on the bulletin board beside the Church Office. The completed form should be placed in that mailbox by Sunday, December 12. For more information contact Dan Grogan at 295-3258.

Visit the Peace Action – UU United Nation’s table on Sunday mornings and get important educational materials about the New Start Treaty before the Senate. Take home a flyer with several choices of actions you can take to contact your two Senators. For more information contact Al Reynolds or Mary Rose Curtis.

Thanks to the following for the new shades in Gallery: Funding by the Bristol Fund, Stephanie Lowenhaupt, Ned Michie, and Doug Webbink, Trustees. Selected by Green Sanctuary, Sharon Baiocco, Chair. Installed by Buildings Committee, Dick Somer, Chair.

Special thanks to the TJMC Remembrance Garden Committee for their years of on-going, often daily, dedicated maintenance of our beautiful Remembrance Garden and the main entrance to the church. They are: Elizabeth Breeden, Susan Bremer, Chris Busse, Konrad Busse, Perella Busse, Tom Crowell, Liz Evans, Mo Paul and Tom Crowell.

Make the holiday season brighter for others—support TJMC’s Giving Tree! Our congregation partners with Aids Services Group by providing holidays gifts for ASG’s clients. Simply chose a tag from the Giving Tree in the foyer. Gifts will be collected at TJMC on Sunday, December 19. Many recipients prefer to receive gift cards which can be purchased in the Social Hall at the script table after services. Questions? Speak with Leia Durland-Jones, DRE at 293-8179 extension 3# or leiadj@embarqmail.com. Thank you!

Stock Donations to the Church: Some members of our church choose to fulfill their pledge commitments to the church by donating appreciated stock to the church. This usually has income tax advantages because it may allow the donating individual to avoid being taxed on any capital gains, while also allowing a tax deductible contribution to the church. For those members that may wish to make such donations, we remind them that there is a form in the Church Office which they should fill out in order to ensure that the donation will be properly credited to them. The form also provides information concerning the brokerage account to which the stock should be donated. Finally, in order to ensure that all stock donations are processed and received by the church before the close of the calendar year 2010, donations should be made no later than Friday, December 10.

Gentle Reminder for Holiday Gifts: Gifts of cash and/or securities given to the TJMC Endowment Fund in memory of, in celebration of, or in honor of friends and relatives make wonderful holiday gifts. As the end of year approaches, the Endowment Committee hopes you will consider a gift to this Fund which will help ensure the Church’s financial stability. If you itemize, you may claim a charitable income tax deduction for your gift.

Adopt-a-Plot: The new sign-up board for “Adopt a Plot” is on the Administrative Council bulletin board. The grounds are divided into fifteen areas, so that one can keep their “plot” looking good from Spring to Fall. For more information contact Sallie Kate Parkat wildwindsk@earthlink.net.

Buy Scrip! There are just four Scrip shopping days left until Christmas, and the scrip table is fully stocked with GiftCards for more than twenty popular grocery and retail stores. Do your holiday and Giving Tree shopping at the Scrip table! Cash and carry from our selection or place a special order using the shopwithscrip.com website, by e-mailing scrip@uucharlottesville.org or at the Scrip table. Weekly order holiday deadlines are Sundays at midnight; last chance to special order for Christmas delivery is Sunday, December 12.

Buy Your Groceries Online and Raise Funds for TJMC! For every family that places four orders of $100 or more by the end of January 2011 (note extended deadline!), Relay Foods will give TJMC $50. RelayFoods.com allows you to shop at more than fifty area grocery stores, specialty shops, and farms on one website. Browse for staples, prepared foods, and farm-raised meat and produce, all at in-store prices, from places like Whole Foods, Rebecca’s, Reid Supermarket, and the Cheese Shop (which has great prices, btw). You can check out with a credit card, and they will meet you with your purchase at one of their free pick-up spots conveniently located around town. Enter “TJUU” in the coupon code box to participate in the fundraiser.

Crafter Opportunity: Traditionally we have opened our social hour between services and after the second service to crafters in our church community who would like to sell their wares. If interested, please contact Elizabeth Breeden at brs@cstone.net

Sign up for our electronic weekly Religious Education newsletter that has highlights and information about what is happening in our Children and Youth Religious Education program. You do not need to have children in the program to be added to the mailing list. To add you name, contact Leia Durland-Jones at leiadj@embarqmail.com.

Religious Education Wish List for upcoming RE activities: new white pillar and/or taper candles, old calendars with photos/interesting images, shallow wooden cigar boxes, buttons, old keys, dice, marbles (to make interesting shadow boxes). Please leave your donations in the RE office or on the RE table in the Edgewood Lane hallway. Thanks for your on-going support!