WUU News

by Linda Lane-Hamilton, president; Pat Russo, vice-president Much of the board’s work this month has been with active task forces focusing on congregational conversations and what might be called “infrastructure streamlining.” Sunday Service Time Facilitated by Rev. Michelle, board members, and a few team chairs, WUU members engaged in discussion and a survey about the best time for the Sunday service. In October more than 80 WUUs participated in three general discussions (open to all) and in seven “stakeholder” groups, including choir, worship associates, membership team, and RE committee members. We learned a lot—who our early and late risers are,…

Looking toward the future: Sunday service times, bringing WUU’s by-laws and governance policies up to date, and planning for congregational input The Board began this term by setting its own goals, reviewing Rev. Michelle’s goals she has set as an interim, and reviewing/rewriting several important charters and policies. These goals, and more, are now on a timeline that both Board and minister will be following to get us to the eventual big decisions: What decision will we make about “calling” a minister? How will we all work together to continue growing our faith? We will focus on three areas this…

by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education Welcome to the month themed The Gift of Heritage. Through our Soul Matters curriculum we’ll celebrate some of the gifts of heritage. In addition to the Sunday school classes, we have an exciting opportunity for the teens to attend a special workshop. Wed. Oct. 4 Intentional Living for Teens With Sandy Layman 6pm – 7:30pm Free for teens Intentional Living Workshop – for Teens – Bring a Friend! This workshop is a dream for those who wish to live their lives “on purpose.” You will explore practices such as journaling, playing games, learning…

by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education Water Relay Fun!  The upper elementary group celebrated the importance of water communion in our Unitarian Universalist tradition. Pictured above, our volunteer teacher Kimberly Richards-Thomas leads the group in a water relay on the playground. We believe in the importance of fun and play. Jamestown 4-H  Kids and adults together gathered at Jamestown 4-H to explore nature. Together, we went on a nature walk and used binoculars to explore our surroundings. We greeted a tree over 400 years old! The kids went fishing and the fish practically leapt onto the hooks before being…

by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team Some people are your relatives, but others are your ancestors, and you choose the ones you want to have as ancestors. You create yourself out of [their] values. — Ralph Ellison Be on the lookout, friends. The ghosts are on their way! After all, you can’t talk about heritage without talking about – and encountering – ancestors. And we’re not talking about relatives here. As Ralph Ellison points out, there’s a big difference between relatives and ancestors. Relatives give us our brown eyes and bowed legs; ancestors bestow a legacy. Relatives are those…

by Grace Morales, William & Mary UU Circle Executive Team Leader The UU Circle of William & Mary is back for Fall 2023! We started the year out with a lovely meeting to reunite after a long summer apart. We chose Aromas as our meet up place and enjoyed sandwiches with smoothies. After that we headed to the club fair to promote the Circle to incoming freshmen and others! We decided to combine tables with the Spirituality Circle and Buddhist Sangha, two other clubs that share similar values to the UU Circle. Many students come to all three of the…

Heritage plays a pivotal role in our shared journey as Unitarian Universalists, and it plays a pivotal role during a transitional period. It is the foundation upon which our faith is built, a rich tapestry woven from diverse threads of thought, belief, and experience, good experiences as well as more challenging ones. A congregation’s own heritage is the foundation upon which the present rests. As we navigate this interim period, we are called to reflect on this heritage, to honor our past, and to understand how it informs our present and shapes our future. This is not merely an exercise…

Save the Date! Oct. 1: “First Sunday Lunch” Menu and Sign-up Jessica O’Brien will be the chef for the Fellowship Team’s “First Sunday Lunch” which will be held after service on Sunday, Oct. 1. Although no one will be turned away, a “Suggested Donation” of $10, per adult and those 14 and up, will help us to defray the costs, fund future lunches, and hopefully leave us with a contribution to our General Fund. Children under 14 will eat for free! If you plan to join us, please register as we need to know how much to prepare. The last day…

  by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team It seems to go without saying. To be welcoming, we’ve got to think big. Notice how often we speak about “widening the circle” and “making more room.” We place a priority on expanding our minds by welcoming new experiences and new ideas. Those that help usher in love are “big-hearted.” Those who help us welcome change are “the ones with the big idea.” Ask someone what image goes with welcoming and they will surely say a person with open arms. So bigness, yes, let’s be sure to follow that road. But what…