by Katrina Landon, Fellowship Chair
Welcome Rev. Michelle!
On August 1, the winds of change arrived at the WUU in the form of our interim minister, Rev. Dr. Michelle Collins. I was lucky enough to be in the early queue of folk who took advantage of her 45 minute “get to know me” one-on-one personal meetings. I was really excited to share with her some of the new ideas we generated over the summer to address our need for greater opportunities for our congregation to spend time together after the long dark days of Covid. Over one hundred of you attended the “Meet and Greet” potluck for Rev. Michelle and laughter once again filled the air as we came together to break bread. I would like to share with you some of the new events we will be trying out this year, and make mention of the ones you know.
First Sunday Lunches
Starting Sunday, Oct. 1, and every first Sunday of the month through May, we are going to try an idea that we borrowed from All Souls UU, Washington, DC. Each first Sunday we will offer a nice lunch after the service complete with a salad/vegetable, entree, and dessert. Jessica O’Brien will be coordinating the lunches each month, and she will be the chef for our first lunch in October. We will be asking for a “Suggested Donation” to help us defray costs, and possibly raise a little revenue, but no one will be turned away. We are hoping that many of you will decide to stay and break bread, and more importantly, reach out and get to know those who are new, or those you just don’t know. In the next two weeks we will start to run articles in the Spiral asking you to sign up if you plan to stay for lunch so that we know how much food to prepare. We will also provide you directions as to how you can make the suggested donation of $10 for those 14 and over, with children under 14 eating for free. Where can you get lunch for that price on a Sunday morning, with children eating free? We are hoping that various groups within our congregation, with the help of seed money generated from previous lunches, will take turns serving as the hosts/chefs for these lunches. If you, or your group, are interested in volunteering to help, or to make lunch, please contact Jessica O’Brien at: jesscicaobrien100@gmail.com.
Baker’s DUUzen/Savory SUUndays
Starting Sunday, Oct. 29, directly after the service, and one Sunday a month through May, we will be trying out an idea we borrowed from UUCC, our sister Cluster congregation in Glen Allen. A number of volunteers will be baking breads, pies, cakes, and also offering homemade soups, and ready made meals, for sale, that you can take home and enjoy. This fundraiser is a big hit in Glen Allen, as everyone knows UU’s are excellent cooks and prices will be very reasonable. In fact, their Baker’s DUUzen sells out in 15 minutes! If you are interested in volunteering your baking or cooking skills please contact me at: klandon1956@gmail.com.
Intergenerational Halloween Party
On Sunday, Oct. 29, 4 – 6 PM, RE and the Fellowship Event Team will be offering an intergenerational Halloween Party. Austen and I have been brainstorming, and the committee is meeting next week to add more creative minds to the mixture. We really want to provide the kids with a fun, spooky afternoon, and we are hoping adults will want to help us have a howling good time! If you are interested in helping us out, please speak to Austen, or me, after Sunday services. More to come in the Spiral!
The Auction Is Coming!
Our second annual online Auction will be held the week of Nov. 5 – 11, 2023, followed by a celebration reception after the St. Cecelia Service on Sunday, Nov. 12. Everyone will be invited to help us celebrate the conclusion of another successful auction. Leslie Fabian is once again chairing the reception and looking for volunteers to help with the planning and execution of the reception. Stay tuned for articles in the Spiral to help you plan your auction strategy. I have a new idea that I hope will get more of you to participate in this fundraiser, and will write about it in upcoming Spirals. Last year, we had about 80 members and friends participate along with 15 members of the public. We hope to further our reach out into the community, but I urge those of you who don’t participate to consider doing so this year. We have purposely created some family events that are inexpensive, and I am hoping that more of us will offer experiences and events that people will happily support. I have been looking at offerings from other UU congregations and there’s so much creativity out there! How about a “Grateful Dead Afternoon” in your backyard, offering “how to” sessions such as knitting lessons, or offering a young couple a date night while you care for their kids? There is so much we can all offer. Please feel free to contact me at: Auction@wuu.org, if you have any questions.
Finally, I hope this congregation means as much to you as it does to me. Relationship building is the core of fellowship because it is the building of relationships that help us to be a thriving community ready to take our mission and values out into our larger community. Please take the time to get to know someone new, or someone you have never quite understood. You might just find that you have more in common than you realize.
With Joy,
Katrina Landon, Fellowship Chair