WUU News

by Dave Wilcox, WUU Tidewater Cluster Liaison The Tidewater Cluster Gathering is coming up on April 20, 2024. Unitarian Universalists from seven congregations, Fredericksburg to Richmond, are converging in Newport News at the Hilton Christian Church, for a full day of fun, learning, worship, and community. If that sounds good to you, please sign up now so that we can make sure to prepare enough food! Sign up here! Your registration of $30 for adults and $10 for youth (with financial support available—just ask Rev. Michelle and she’ll get that set up for you) covers everything: childcare if you need…

by Linda Lane-Hamilton, WUU Board President It’s both decision time and transition time for the current WUU board. This has been a year of transition into interim ministry and new initiatives. Now, in April, the Board is in transition as the current board terms end and the new board begins on May 1. But the current board has several major decisions left—the important one being the vote on applying to the UUA’s developmental ministry program for 2025, after Rev. Michelle’s two years with us ends. As a reminder, board members presented information to the congregation about “developmental ministry” and explained…

by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team Talk of interdependence immediately calls up the work of saving the planet, rightly so. But what if the first step toward saving the planet is learning to speak to it? And hear it? Could our collective failure to confront the climate crisis be rooted in our lost ability to listen? What if the quickly-going-extinct creatures don’t want our sympathy, but our ear? What if the fraying of the web isn’t just about us failing to act, but also us having forgotten who we are. And what if nature itself is the only one…

by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education On Sunday, March 24, the kids in Religious Education celebrated Holi, the Hindu spring festival that is widely celebrated in India and other parts of the world. It is known as the festival of colors. While Holi is a multi-faceted holiday, RE focused on how Holi connects to transformation. In the simplest explanation of Holi, it is a celebration of the victory of good over evil. But there are many layers, including the transformation of negativity into positivity, and ignorance into knowledge.

by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education Kid-Approved: After a unanimous vote, our young adventurers chose to immerse themselves in the wonders of the great outdoors. Educational Adventure: Guided by our leaders, children delved into the fascinating world of fire lighting, discovering the three essential ingredients: heat, oxygen, and fuel. We learned about the pioneering work of Unitarian Joseph Priestley in uncovering the mysteries of oxygen. Learn more about Priestley here: https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/multigenerational/miracles/session-4/joseph-priestley Nature’s Beauty: Surrounded by the serene beauty of the outdoors, children observed the enchanting sights and sounds of nature, connecting with the natural world in a meaningful way….

  Earth Programs in April at WUU: Sunday Services & Workshops Sunday, April 14th, 10:00 am Worship Service: Nature Theology for Unitarian Universalists The service will feature our drop-in Tabernacle Choir. Sunday, April 14th, 11:30 am-12:30 pm Workshop: Nature Spirituality Altar Building All ages. Explore elements of nature-based spirituality altars and build a mini-altar kit of your own. Sunday, April 21st, 10:00 am Worship Service: Thinking Like a Mountain (or Coral Reef) Inspired by Joanna Macy’s work, we’ll explore what we hear the earth saying and how to remain grounded as we listen. Sunday, April 21st, 11:30 am-1:00 pm Workshop: Sacred Geometry Ages…

Celebrate spring at WUU with our annual Egg Hunt event on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Bring your family and friends for a day filled with fun, games, and sweet treats. Enjoy an egg hunt, exciting games and activities, and delicious snacks. Visit our prize table to trade in your eggs for special prizes! In case of rain, we have a plan to move the festivities indoors, so the fun won’t stop no matter the weather. Don’t miss this egg-cellent opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones. Mark your calendars and join us for a joyful community event that’s…

by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team Let mystery have its place in you; do not be always turning up your whole soil with the plowshare of self-examination, but leave a little fallow corner in your heart ready for any seed the winds may bring, and reserve a nook of shadow for the passing bird; keep a place in your heart for the unexpected guests, an altar for an unknown God. -Henri-Frederic Ariel Make a bit of room. Leave a little space. That may not sound like anything radical or revolutionary. But it turns out that it is one of…

by Temple Beth El of Williamsburg On March 15-17, 2024, Temple Beth El of Williamsburg will be celebrating HIAS’ 6th Annual Refugee Shabbat with a Scholar-in-Residence program. We invite members of your congregation to join us as we express solidarity with the global Jewish movement for refugee protection and welcome. People seeking asylum are being turned away at borders around the world. The number of forcibly displaced people has grown to over 110 million. The growing impact of climate change exacerbates the effects of violence, conflict, and economic instability on already vulnerable populations. This is a critical moment for all…

by Joe Cross, Facilities Manager We have experienced several incidents when the gas range in the kitchen has caused some consternation and alarm. Some have trouble lighting the pilot lights. Others worry about the tiny but open pilot light flame, and some with acute senses of smell worry that they smell gas all of the time. Based on these and other concerns, I thought a brief primer on gas appliances might be of interest. We have five major appliances inside WUU that use natural gas as a fuel to operate: Two gas heating furnaces in the mezzanine ceiling of the…