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Volume 2, No.
1
January 1, 2010
Hello, here is
an ENews for the week. Due to the holidays it will not be posted to the web
site until Monday. Also, due to the holidays, some information we usually
include has not been. Calendar information may be obtained from the website.
Regards, and Happy New Year! Sara Deshler
Sermon
this Sunday
"What Gives Life Meaning?"
Rev. Roger Fritts
A New Year. A time to recall what is
really important.
Sunday Morning
Forum: Ethical Eating: Personal in Nature, Global
in Reach
with the Cedar
Lane Ethical Eating
Study Group.
The current UUA focus on ethical eating comes at a time when many of us are
wondering what more we can do to help our planet and its people. Several
positive changes that each of us can make relate to food. Why does food matter?
Come hear the ideas of the Cedar Lane Ethical Eating Study Group. They
also want to hear yours. This issue is being studied throughout the denomination
and in 2011 will be drafted as the Statement of Conscience to be voted on at the
UU General Assembly that year.
Religious Education
Classes Resume today, Sunday Jan. 3:
No donuts
this
morning. They, along with bagels, bags of Fair Trade Coffee and chocolate, will
return next Sunday, January 10th.
No regular chapel
today as,
weather permitting, we will be burning our wishes for the New Year at Luke's
Fire Circle.
Volunteers for the
Service:
Greeters:
9 a.m. Sharon and Frank Adler
11 a.m. Rita Pittillo and Joan Brown
Ushers: 9
a.m. Carol and Terry Ireland, Dianne and Perry Seiffert
11 a.m. Vicky Taplin, Jane Barton, Harvey Lerner and Marion Carlson
Coffee Servers:
10 a.m. Carol and Terry Ireland
noon: Helen Pechacek
Audio:
Bob Pechacek
Board Member at the Desk:
10 a.m. Duncan Ferguson
noon: Bob Pechacek
The decorations were arranged
by the Flower Committee.
Grieving a Loved One Through the Holidays Rescheduled to SUNDAY, January 3
At their best, the winter holidays are joyous times with family and other
companions. However, the death of a loved one can make the holiday season a
difficult time of grief and renewed sadness. On December 20 at 12:30 p.m. in
the Chapel, there will be a gathering of those who wish to share their
thoughts and feelings about the people they miss this holiday season.
Last Chance:
Beacon
House Gifts for Children and Youth:
Bring new and unwrapped gifts, new sweaters, coats, hats, gloves, socks and
scarves for kids and teens through Beacon House. These are kids who will likely
not receive much else during the holidays. It is great to involve your young
ones in this process. Donations of gift wrap are also welcome. We will
continue to collect through January 3rd., please bring your
contributions to the office.
Winter Solstice
Vespers Service
Rescheduled to Sunday, January 3, 5 p.m.
Members of the
Journeywomen and Living By Heart II Connection Circles.
Music Provided by Carol Ireland, Harpsichord and Margaret Turner, Blockflote
The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year and the start of the
lengthening days. Come join a vespers celebration with music, accompanied by
readings of the mystery of darkness and the joy of light.
Following the
service, seasonal refreshments will be served. (No dinner).
Optional donations for Beacon House will be accepted – hats, scarves, mittens,
unwrapped toys, or cash.
From
the Administrator
Cedar Lane
lost three much beloved members in December. We will be holding memorial
services for them in January. All three Memorial services will take place in
the Sanctuary.
Tuesday, January
5th, at noon, Cal Perkins.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday,
January 10th, Jim Jacobson
3 p.m. on Sunday,
January 24, Wilma Phillips
Memorial services
are a wonderful time to grieve for those we have lost but also to celebrate
their time with us. As a perhaps little known benefit of membership, Cedar Lane
provides support to its families by providing memorial services for its members,
at no charge to the member. These services are made possible by the combined
efforts of the Alliance, the Flower Committee, the Audio Visual volunteers in
addition to our staff; ministerial, musical, and administrative.
We are looking for
additional help with memorial services on an ongoing basis, we need cookies
baked, help with setting up, serving and cleaning up after services, we need
help with working with sound during the services, recording and perhaps filming
them, for large services we may need ushers and occasionally help with set up
and take down of chairs and tables. If you have interest in helping with this
please let me know. sdeshler@cedarlane.org
Music Notes from the Director of Music
Concerts at Cedar
Lane is
gearing up for its benefit concert on January 16, 2010; an all Mozart program
with orchestra, the Adult Choir, and special guest, Barbara Wing, performing
Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major. The performance is free and all
donations will be gifted to John Kelly’s Children’s Hospital Campaign. To learn
more visit
CedarLane.org and click on Concerts at Cedar Lane.
Ad Hoc Choir -
Start the
new year out with a sing-for-all. Everyone is invited because we love to hear
your voices! The next gathering will be on Sunday, January 10 at 12:30 in the
Chapel. Hope to see you there!
Religious Education Notes
How will I know
if RE is cancelled?
In an emergency, if there will be no RE classes, members of the RE Council will
contact teachers, teen assistants and room parents. Room parents will call all
families on their class list. We know this means that some families will get
multiple calls. Please be patient! If there is no power in the Cedar Lane
buildings, we will cancel classes because of safety concerns. There may still
be an informal church service for those who happen to come anyway. If you think
there might be class cancellation, you can call the church office. If there is
no answer, the power is out and you can assume there are no RE classes. We also
will attempt to put information on the answer message and on the website. Power
issues could prevent that. In the meantime, stay home, safe and warm, and make
pancakes!
Burning Wishes
Children in Grades K-6 will be invited to add their "burning wishes" to our fire
at Luke's Circle (by the playground) during our first Sunday of the new year,
January 3. Classes will be invited to bring paper on which they have drawn or
written their burning wishes for the world in the year to come. There will be a
schedule so that groups will not all arrive at the same time. Susan and others
will be there to tend the fire and to lead a ceremony. If there is too much
wind or it's too wet for a fire, we will postpone this activity. No separate
chapel is planned for that day.
Teacher Renewal
Teacher Renewal will be held Sunday, January 10, 4-7 p.m., for all teachers,
assistants, and youth group leaders. There will be a special program “The Power
of Story,” with a wonderful outside facilitator, followed by light supper. Mark
your calendar, you won’t want to miss it!
Parents of
Children Up Through Grade 6
Ever wonder how to respond to those really pesky questions, like "What is God?"
or "Why did my cat die?" or "My friend says I am going to hell?" or so many
more? Do you ever wonder how to help your child or your family develop a sense
of spirituality? Is ritual something that would strengthen your family time
together? What kinds of faith learnings are appropriate at different stages of
child development? Come meet other parents for two sessions with our Minister
of Religious Education, Susan Archer, on January 23 and 30, 9:30–11 a.m.
Register through Adult Programs, "Raising UU Kids: Parents as Resident
Theologians and Spiritual Guides." Childcare available if requested one week in
advance of program.
Youth Notes
Annual Ski Trip
The ski trip for our two youth groups, Youth (gr 7-8) and Senior (gr 9-12), will
be February 26-28, 2010. Forms are available at the church and on the website <www.cedarlane.org>.
Senior High
Youth Group (SHYG) (Grades
9–12)
The next Hang Out is Sunday, January 3, 12:20 p.m., Chalice House.
The SHAG (Senior High Action Group) meeting will be Sunday,
January 10, at 12:20 p.m. in the Chalice House. This is our time for parents
and teens to come together and plan our spring activities. Hope everyone can
join us!
For information on the Senior High Youth Group (grades 9-12) contact
Archene Turner at 301-493-8300 x205,
aturner@cedarlane.org or
archene@gmail.com.
Details of activities and permission forms are on our website at
www.cedarlane.org.
* Permission slip required. Download the flyer from the Senior High page on the
Cedar Lane website.
Young Adults
(Ages 18-35)
The UU Young Adults of Maryland (UUYAM) group plans activities for local
UU Young Adults. Visit
http://groups.google.com/group/uuyam to join the UUYAM e-mail list and view
schedule of upcoming events. For resources and information on Joseph Priestly
District (JPD) Young Adult events, visit the JPD Young Adult Network at
www.jpduuyan.org.
Adult Programs
Winter/Spring
Adult Programs
Look for the new brochure in your mail the second week in January!
Registration for programs will be held after worship services on January 24 and
31.
Upcoming Sundays
January 10, 2009
“The Prophetic
Tradition”
Rev. Roger
Fritts
Moses was a politician. Buddha was a prince. Mohammed was a business and
military leader. Jesus was a leader of the oppressed. Gandhi led a revolution.
As inheritors of these prophetic traditions, what is our role in the world
today?
January 10 Forum:
“All about the National Organization of Women (NOW)” with CLUUC member Terry
O'Neill, President, feminist attorney, former law professor, and social justice
activist.
January 17
Forum:Race
and Diversity in the 21st Century
What is racism and ethnocentrism, and what are some of the different
viewpoints? To what extent does the recent election of Barack Obama mean that we
are moving toward a "post racial society"? Are there new issues that face us in
the 21st century that didn't in the 20th? How does our country compare with
others in dealing with these issues? These are a few of the questions to be
discussed by our speaker, Alonzo Smith, Ph.D., Professor in the History &
Political Science Department at Montgomery College.
Around
the Church
From
the Board
Cell Phone Tower Proposal - Meeting with Neighbors. The entire congregation is
invited to attend a meeting with the neighbors about the proposed cell tower on
our property. The meeting will be held on Monday January 11th from 7:00 to 9:00
pm in the Sanctuary. This meeting is intended for neighbors to express their
views about the proposal. Cedar Lane members will not be speaking with the
exception of members of the cell tower committee in response to comments from
the neighbors. In the event that the Board of Trustees chooses to proceed, the
congregation will be asked to discuss and vote on whether to enter negotiations
with T-Moble at a congregation wide meeting. If this occurs the neighbors
opinions are something the members of this congregation should consider. Please
come. Thank you and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Duncan
Pledge
Drive Update
The Reverend Kate Braestrup's award-winning memoir
Here If You Need Me,
won the hearts of readers across the country with her deeply moving and deftly
humorous stories of faith, hope and family. Braestrup is a UU minister and is a
chaplain in the Maine Warden Service, which conducts search and rescue
operations when people are reported missing. She will be the speaker for Cedar
Lane's Pledge Drive Sunday on February 14th. Her latest book,
Marriage and Other Acts of Charity,
comes out this month, making her a particularly appropriate speaker for
Valentine's Day. We will be encouraged to make our 2010-11 pledges on that
day, and everyone is invited to stay for a celebratory brunch after each
service.
Pledge
Drive Story
What Cedar Lane Means to Us
In our Christmas letter of 1977, when our children were 10
and 8, we shared that “our big new involvement since Spring is our enthusiastic
affiliation with Cedar Lane Unitarian Church. We realized that we have been
there philosophically for years and finally came in from the cold. It’s an
intellectually, spiritually, and aesthetically warm place for us all.” Nearly
thirty-three years later, we can’t think of a better way to express the enduring
strength of that first impression. We can’t think of a better reason to pledge
as generously as we can to support the presence, preservation, and important
work of this church.
Dian and Brian Belanger
Do you have a story to share? Please send it to Ardene
Shafer at
srs.ars@gmail.com
Labyrinth
Silent Retreat
The Labyrinth Committee’s annual Silent Retreat will take place this year from 7
p.m. on Friday, January 8, 2010 to 6 p.m. January 9, at the church. We will
begin with an ingathering ceremony and end with reflections and refreshments.
In between we will walk our labyrinth, read, write, meditate, take walks, do
whatever the spirit moves us to do. Some participants fast, some bring their own
food. Some bring a sleeping bag, others go home to sleep and return in the
morning. The Reverend Ellen Swinford will lead the ceremonies and be available
during the rest of the time. It’s wonderful (for those who like this sort of
thing!) so please consider joining us. $15 for members; $20 for non-members.
Call Miriam Pemberton, 301-495-3429 with questions.
Welcome
Workshop
There is a “Welcome Workshop” coming up on Saturday, January 9, with a class and
lunch. It is especially for new members, although visitors and current members
are invited to attend as well. The class is led by the ministers as an
interactive forum to learn about Unitarian Universalism, our spiritual
community, how we operate, what we offer, and ways to get engaged. It is also
an opportunity for us to learn about you and for you to meet other new members.
It will be offered four times per year. The next one will be March 20.
Register through Adult Programs.
Social
Justice
Cedar Lane’s
Commitment to Justice Campaign
Start with the
Social Justice Fair Sunday, Jan 10 during coffee hour
Cedar Lane’s Social Justice Council (SJC) encourages individuals, families, and
groups in the congregation to start the New Year by making a special commitment
to service, advocacy, or other social justice activities between January and
March. Please stop by the SJC table and share your plans with us, so we can
celebrate your contributions and inspire each other to stay involved throughout
the year. How many of us can get involved? How many hours can we commit?
Need some ideas?
Come to the Social Justice Fair in the lounge on Sunday, January 10, 9am-1pm.
Among the groups available to inform and inspire you: A Wider Circle, Kakenya
Center, Community Based Shelter/Bethesda Men’s Shelter, Friends of Chernobyl
Centers US, Rebuilding Together, Kabultec, Ethical Eating Study Group,
Peacemakers, Martha’s Table, 7th Grade RE Clothing Drive for the
Congo, Housing Unlimited, Partner Church Committee, CLARITY, Environmental Task
Force, LGBT Task Force, Action in Montgomery, Unitarian Universalists for
Social Justice, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. Questions? Please
email
betsy@devlin-foltz.com
Community Based
Shelter - 2010
Cedar Lane’s Shelter week will begin this Sunday, January 3rd and
continue until January 9th. Approximately 35 homeless women sleep at
the Tier One Montgomery County Shelter located at 12250 Wilkins Avenue in
Rockville. Teams of Cedar Lane Volunteers will prepare dinner meals for the
entire week. Other teams will serve the dinners at the shelter, prepare bag
lunches, or contribute breakfast food. Watch for the sign-up sheets at the
Social Justice Council table after both services. The snow storm put us way
behind on sign-ups; there are still lots of open slots. If none of the
above works you may also contribute paper goods, cereal, and juice boxes. If
you have questions, please contact Sandy Shaw at 301/642-0083 or (alexandersha@gmail.com).
Upcoming Events
Save the date!
The next Afghan dinner and silent auction to sponsor couples literacy in
Afghanistan will be at the church on Saturday evening, January 23. Details to
follow. For more information, contact Annette Scarpitta, 301-493-8566.
Save still another date!
February 14 Kate Braestrup will be our speaker for Celebration Sunday.
And still another date!
The Cedar Lane Auction will be held on March 13!
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