Editor: Margaret Batschelet, typea45@swbell.net
Nosotros, las congregaciones miembros de la Asociación UU, convenimos en afirmar y formentar el valor y la dignidad propria de cada persona.
Two intergenerational events are planned to celebrate the holiday season this month.
On Saturday, December 18, at 6:30 PM, we will gather at the church to deck the sanctuary halls and the church's Christmas tree. We will fortify ourselves for the task with a potluck supper and will celebrate our accomplishments by singing a few carols.
Please come, and bring with you a contribution to the potluck dinner, any musical instruments that you play (including holiday music CDs), something to hang on the tree, and a new toy or some cash for Elf Louise. (Elf Louise http://www.elflouise.org/ distributes toys to local families that can't afford them.)
Then, on Friday, December 24, we will gather in the sanctuary, again at 6:30 PM, for a potluck worship service. Bring a dessert (to be served after the service) and one or more stories, songs, readings, poems, or other material, either of your own making or that of others, in the holiday spirit. The service will be put together on the spot, something like the first Christmas.
All of you who want a deduction for Church contributions for the current year for your income taxes, be sure to send or bring the money in before December 30 so I can get the deposit in on the 31st. I will be sending out notices in January regarding your 2004 contributions. Thanks, Nancy White
Give the gift of justice this holiday season! During this special time of year, many of us are moved to show our loved ones how much they mean to us. UUSC hopes you will consider giving your loved ones the gift of justice!
Visit UUSC's online store at www.uusc.org/store to find gifts for your loved ones this holiday season. From UUSC chalice jewelry to fair trade coffee, tea, cocoa and chocolate, we've got the perfect gift for the UU or social activist in your life. Order forms for UUSC fair trade coffee and chocolate bars are available in the CUUCSA coffee room if you prefer to order by mail. You can FAX Henry Halff at 479-6435.
Give the gift of UUSC membership. Our membership is our strength as we advocate for justice and confront oppressive power structures. Help strengthen UUSC's work, and reaffirm our shared belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. Give the gift of membership today: http://www.uusc.org/info/vsmemgift.html Or consider a donation to UUSC in honor or memory of a loved one. Just go to http://www.uusc.org/info/vsmemorial.html or call UUSC at 617.868.6600, or 800.388.3920.
UUSC wishes you happy holidays, and a joyous new year! And we thank you for your support.
Updates:
The stock of coffee, creamer, soft drinks and napkins are in the office on the large black rack. Paper towels are in the pantry along with all other pantry type supplies. A stock of paper towels and cleaning supplies are under the staircase. Toilet tissue and tissues are kept in the cabinets under the sink in the upstairs bathroom.
Friendly Reminders:
Please notify me if you are entering the church after dark When placing trash in the garbage cans located in the parking lot, please be sure all lids are securely shut and locked.
Thanks,
Dave Collins
The simplicity covenant group will be meeting the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 6 p.m: December 12, December 26, January 9, and January 23. Meetings take place at CUUCSA.
Build a Village is an interactive website for the whole family, featuring alternative holiday and year-round gift giving opportunities in support of the life-changing work of Church World Service - as well as stories, games, and other activities for children of all ages. You can visit at http://www.buildavillage.org. Our friendly giraffe, Imani, will be happy to show you around.
With the holidays now upon us, why not consider giving your friends and loved ones a gift that keeps on giving. We hope you will take a moment to explore the many alternative gift opportunities, all accessible from http://www.churchworldservice.org or directly at http://www.buildavillage.org. (If your computer has speakers, be sure to have them turned on.)
If you would like to obtain more information about CWS, visit our website at http://www.churchworldservice.org. To make a contribution, visit https://secure.churchworldservice.org/, call CWS at 1-800-297-1516, ext. 222.
On Saturday, January 8, the Walden Coffeehouse at First Unitarian Universalist Church presents singer-songwriter Jonathan Byrd http://www.jonathanbyrd.com/. The concert begins at 7:30. Doors open at 7:00. The cost of the concert is $10.00, 75% of which goes to the artist and 25% to the San Antonio Peace Center. For more information, call the church at 210-344-4695 or visit http://www.waldencoffeehouse.org on the web.
December 19 - " A UU Christmas," Speaker: Steve Botts
December 26 - Music Service, Coordinator: Mary Grace Ketner
January 2 - "The God Thing: Jane Haddam on Life," Speaker: Margaret Batschelet
January 23 - Speaker: Barbara Coeyman
The Women's Support Group will meet at the church at 7:00 p.m. on the following dates: December 20, January 10, January 24.
The second film in the John Sayles series for the Remarkable Film Group will be "The Secret of Roan Inish." This 1994 film further cemented John Sayles' reputation as a great story teller. The film also features superb cinematography. The film will be shown at 6:00 PM on Sunday, December 19 at the church.
The Remarkable Film Group will conclude its John Sayles series with "Lone Star." This 1996 film is set in a Texas border town and features Chris Cooper. The film will be shown at 6:00 PM on January 16, 2005 at the church.
The holidays are a time for thankfulness and sharing. But unfortunately, many of the gifts we buy during the holidays are made with sweatshop or child labor. This holiday season you can help workers worldwide by participating in Co-op America's Sweatshop-Free Holiday Campaign.
Co-op America's Ending Sweatshops Program is aimed at harnessing the economic power of consumers and investors to call for an end to sweatshops and to promote healthy workplaces that offer living wages and respect the right to self-determination of all people. The Sweatshop-Free Holiday Campaign targets major clothing retailers that are reported to use sweatshop and child labor, including Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, JC Penney, Kmart, Federated Department Stores (i.e. Macy's and Bloomingdale's), and May Department stores (i.e. Hecht's, Filene's, and others). Co-op America is organizing consumers nationwide to send letters to the CEOs of these companies asking them to give a gift to workers everywhere by sourcing from factories where people are paid a living wage, have the right to organize, and where work conditions are safe.
You can help support the Sweatshop-Free Holiday Campaign by visiting our website at http://www.sweatshops.org/holiday.html.
We know that your congregation is committed to social justice, and we ask you to share the joy of this holiday season by speaking out for the rights of sweatshop workers worldwide.
There is a sign-up sheet for soup lunches for 2005 in the coffee room; please sign up your group. The soup lunches are a great fundraiser for the church, as well as a great time to get to know your fellow UU's.
December 18 - Deck the Church potluck supper, 6:30 p.m.
December 19 - "A UU Christmas," Speaker: Steve Botts
December 20 - Women's Support Group, 7:00 p.m.
December 24 - Christmas Eve potluck service, 6:30 p.m.
December 19 - Remarkable Film Group presents "The Secret of Roan Inish," 6:00 p.m.
December 26 - Music service, Coordinator: Mary Grace Ketner
December 26 - Simplicity covenant group, 6:00 p.m.
January 2 - "The God Thing: Jane Haddam on Life," Speaker: Margaret Batschelet
January 8 - Walden Coffeehouse presents Jonathan Byrd, First UU, 7:30
January 9 - Simplicity covenant group, 6:00 p.m.
January 10 - Women's Support Group, 7:00 p.m.
January 16 - Remarkable Film Group presents "Lone Star," 6:00 p.m.
January 23 - Speaker: Barbara Coeyman
January 23 - Simplicity covenant group, 6:00 p.m.
January 24 - Women's Support Group, 7:00 p.m.
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