Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist

It’s Official!

A three-member UUA evaluation team awarded TJMC official Green Sanctuary Status Feb. 17, according to Task Force Chair Sharon Baiocco.  To read the evaluation letter, Click Here: Charlottesville Accreditation Letter

Newly accredited Green Sanctuary congregations are recognized at a General Assembly plenary session each year, where we will receive a certificate suitable for framing and display. TJMC will join 182 UU congregations who are official Green Sanctuaries.

Give a Shout Out to the Green Sanctuary Team

This was a full-church effort, but the following 19 members deserve special thanks:

Steering Committee: Sharon Baiocco, Jean Botts, Katie Corish, Deborah Judson-Ebbets, Glenn Short

Worship and Celebration Leaders: Sharon Baiooco, Jean Botts, Katie Corish, Nancy Hurrelbrinck, & Laura Wallace

Religious Education Leaders: Jean Botts, Lorie Craddock, Ruth Douglas, Leia Durland-Jones,  Jenny Gaden, Margaret Gorman, Nancy Hurrelbrinck, Deborah Judson-Ebbets

Environmental Justice Leaders: Sharon Baiocco,  Katie Corish, Sallie Kate Park, Al Reynolds, Glenn Short, Laura Wallace

Sustainability Leaders: Charlotte Balkenbush, Nancy Hurrelbrinck, Deborah Judson-Ebbets,, John Semmelhack,  Glenn Short,  Dick Somer, Johanna Woodchild

Green Lending Library & Films: Nancy Hurrelbrinck, Deborah Judson-Ebbets, Mickey & Arthur Meyer, Glenn Short

A Wearin’ O’ the Green Celebration Set for March 18

A “Wearin’ O’ the Green” lunch and celebration will be held March 18 after the second service, led by Task Force Steering Committee members Katie Corish and Jean Botts and organized by Environmental Action members along with Social Co-Chair Gayle Floyd.

The party will celebrate our accreditation and the progress TJMC has made as a congregation towards becoming “a beacon of environmental sustainability.” Tentative plans include a light lunch, sing-a-long Irish and “green” music, and activities related to our solar roof installation, which should be in progress at the time and finished soon after.

Wear Your New “Green” T-shirts With Pride

Two t-shirt designs celebrating our new status as a Green Sanctuary and our new solar roof were created by Margaret Gorman, member of the Task Force and Chair of the Youth Programs Committee.  Buy a t-shirt and show your pride in our achievements by supporting the Coming of Age 9th graders’ fundraiser.  Margaret will take advance orders at the RE table in the Social Hall, and order forms will be available online.  The organic cotton tees, samples shown above, come in both long- and short- sleeves.  Prices range from $15 for Youth Tees to $20 for Adult Tees, $22-$25 for 2X and larger.  To view the full selection, Click Here:  Green Sanctuary & Solar Powered Community T-Shirt Poster

To Order T-shirts:

Complete the pre-order form and give it to Margaret Gorman at the Religious Education Table on Sundays, or email it to her Margaret Gorman <gormanmargaret@hotmail.com>. NOTE: We need a minimum of 125 orders.

T-Shirt Order T-Shirt Order Form (Word format) -If prompted select Open,if a Login screen pops up, please hit Cancel.

T-shirt Order Form pdf format (Mac and others not using Word)

A standing ovation greeted the Green Sanctuary Task Force following the congregation’s vote to approve its UUA accreditation application.  To read Task Force Chair Sharon Baiocco’s talk, “Green Sanctuary Inspires Cultural Change” click on the link.

To read the entire accreditation report or view a video report, to to the Green Sanctuary Page. To join the Green Sanctuary e-list, mailto: green@uucharlottesville.org

We did it!  We’ve completed our 12 Action Projects, documented our results, evaluated Green Sanctuary’s impact at TJMC, and completed our written application.  To read the full report which we will ask the congregation to approve Jan. 29,  go to this link: Final Green Sanctuary Application. (Note: A Summary Report has been distributed throughout January.)

Don’t miss the Jan. 29 single-service and congregational meeting where a motion to approve our application will be made.  With the congregation’s approval, we will then submit this report to the UUA for Green Sanctuary accreditation, thus elevating us to one of 182 UU congregations who have received accreditation since 2002.

To read much more about our work, see photos, and find resources, go to our permanent web page: Green Sanctuary Home Page

The Green Sanctuary Task Force is issuing a new challenge to the congregation to live out our 7th Principle through carpooling to church Sunday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m.  Let’s double our number of participants! Because it is a single service, and important, we expect a crowd.  To encourage you further, we will be raffling off a Whole Foods gift card to all carpool riders and drivers.  Family members don’t count unless you have a full car!

There are only 120 parking spaces in our lots and around the church and more than 400 adult members, so carpooling may be the way to overcome the #1 limit on our church’s growth (parking space), as well as to promote energy conservation. During three Sundays in the fall we averaged nearly two persons per car, a significant improvement from two people every fifth car in the spring.  More than 50 individuals participated.   (Note: overflow parking is sometimes available on Sundays at UVA’s Culbreth Parking Garage, but you have to walk a few blocks.)  For help finding a ride or a rider, stop by our table in the Social Hall or consult the membership directory.

As part of preparation for submitting our congregational accreditation application, the Green Sanctuary Task Force asks you to complete its Individual Sustainability Survey.  So far, we have 70 completed surveys, and we are learning interesting facts about our congregation.  You may pick up a survey at our table Sunday or download a copy:  Green Sanctuary Individual Sustainability Survey, print it, complete it, and return it to the Environmental Action mailbox or return it at our table.  Countdown ’till we have our congregational vote — Jan. 29.  Don’t forget to carpool!