Shortly after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban last year, the Journey to Asylum team was contacted by UUSC to join a life saving mission to help several families escape from Afghanistan. Each of these families has a child that was separated from them and made it to the United States alone. UUSC partnered with Vecina, a legal advocacy organization which paired these unaccompanied Afghan minors with pro-bono attorneys to help their families gain entry into the U.S. These families needed sponsors in order for the State Department to consider allowing them into the U.S. The JTA team pulled together an interfaith partnership that includes… by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team A Soul Matters facilitator once shared, “I guess after plan A fails, I need to remember there’s still a whole alphabet out there.” Who of us doesn’t need a little help remembering that? Especially after enduring Covid for so long. And the ongoing reckoning with racism. And the world’s inability to deal with climate change. And political division. You get the point. It’s easy to feel demoralized, daunted and defeated these days. With so many things going wrong, it’s easy to overlook the many things going right. For Unitarian Universalists, this tunnel vision is the central tragedy of… Thanks to all participants for your commitment and engagement at the Leadership Retreat on Saturday, May 21. We shared in expressions of gratitude for initiatives for the many accomplishments over the last two years. The wishes and concerns as expressed by congregants in the Visioning Circles were discussed and ideas proposed to inspire and strengthen the WUU community in the coming year. The Visioning Circles Leadership Retreat team met 5/26/22 to plan the next steps forward. The Board has met on the Leadership Retreat and is moving forward with applicable action items. Committee chairs have been asked to meet with… by the WUU Sabbatical Team During our minister’s four-month sabbatical, starting in August, WUU will experience a variety of Sunday services, including from area UU ministers, members of our congregation, and speakers from our area. UU ministers include Rev. Andrew Millard from the Peninsula UU Fellowship; Rev. Viola Abbitt, newly installed at Coastal Virginia UU in Virginia Beach; Rev. Doug McCusker from the UU Fellowship in Fredericksburg; and Rev. Kathy Rolenz of Charlottesville, leaving her two-year interim ministry with All-Souls in Washington DC this month. Annette Marquis from the Richmond UU congregation, and former UUA LGBTQ/Multicultural Programs director, will talk about deepening our faith. Janna Roche and… One of the most consistent themes we saw during the Visioning Circles process is that folks want to be together and to have fun. No surprise, and we are listening! The sabbatical team and program council have been working with you to fill those needs and we look forward to some fantastic events this year. Here is a little update of what has happened so far… On May 15th the WUU had its inaugural Slo-Pitch Softball game at the JCC Rec Center. This is a fun activity for ALL – whether you are 5 or 95 years old, whether you can hit a ball… by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education At the College of William and Mary on May 19th in the Sunken Gardens, Jonathan Newby, recent graduate, took the stage by storm to read Prayer of Reconciliation. Jonathan represented Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists and the W&M Unitarian Universalist Circle in the Spiritual Celebration of Graduates under the tent in the Sunken Gardens. Jonathan’s reading highlighted his ability to call attention clearly to social justice issues. Please join me in thanking Jonathan Newby for four years of co-leading the W&M Unitarian Universalist Circle, recruiting and training two marvelous co-leaders, and all the marvelous workshops… by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education WUUs of all ages attended a half day program at Jamestown 4H on Sunday May 1, 2022. This intergenerational group of over 20 folks enjoyed the low ropes course, team building exercises including name games, fishing from the dock, the gaga pit, and topped off the day with s’mores. Why go outdoors? According to Outdoor Canada: When children play outside, they can also enhance their mental well-being, developing their sense of self, and feeling soothed by nature. It can provide opportunities for learning that aren’t available indoors, including physical literacy and spatial knowledge…. by Les Solomon, WUU Board President This has been an interesting month for transitions. Here are the highlights: Retreat. Twenty-five WUU leaders, representing virtually all areas of program/ministry, met all day for their first retreat in 3 years! Using the raw data from the Visioning Circles, we narrowed the list down to 6 areas: Communications, Leadership/Governance, Small Group Ministries, Intergenerational Engagement, Adult Religious Education, and Worship. The Board and the Program Council teams will begin their work to integrate these priorities into the plan for 2022-23. Thanks to Sally Fisk, Linda Lane-Hamilton, Anne Stevens, and Jess O’Brien for their hard work to make it happen!… by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education In a culmination of an event that religious education has been planning since October 2021, on Sunday April 10th, 2022, over a dozen WUUs went kayaking up and down the James River. Not only did the WUU participants learn about the James River, we experienced the spirituality of slow looking and practiced our observation skills in nature, which are connected to one of our Unitarian Universalist Sources: Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. This trip helped… by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education A big thank you to all the folks who came out to fly a kite, about 16 people in total tried their hand at casting a kite into the wind on March 28th. Besides being good old fashioned fun, this was a wonderful opportunity to affirm our first Source: Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life. Flying a kite can teach us about the powers of observation and being…
Helping Afghans Escape: Another Life-Saving Mission of Journey to Asylum
Welcome to the Month of Celebrating Blessings
WUU Leadership Retreat
What will Sunday services be like during the sabbatical?
Fun and Fellowship!
Jonathan Newby Represents UUs at W&M Spiritual Celebration of Graduates
Big Religious Education Group Goes to Jamestown 4H
June 2022 President’s Report
WUU Teens Kayak the James and Learn About the Environment; Affirm Our 6th Unitarian Universalist Source
WUUs of All Ages Go Fly a Kite; Affirm First UU Source
