Highlights:

• Our January newsletter is now available to view or download:  UUFJC Newsletter, "Flame on the Water" January 2022
• We are collecting items to support an Afghan refugee.  For more information see our January newsletter or contact Social Action chair Katherine Connor: [email protected].
  
• Make your year-end donation to UUFJC: online or mail check to Attn: Treasurer, PO Box 1245, Jefferson City, MO 65102
  

Sunday, December 26

This morning, on the last Sunday of 2021, many of us came together after a series of ups and downs to share holiday memories.  This has been another difficult year, but both longtime members and new friends have continued to come together in our Fellowship thanks to all of your sharing and commitment.  We deeply thank you, and we look forward to making new memories as our journey together continues in 2022!

For those who would also like to keep up with our neighbors at the UU Church of Columbia, their service from this morning is now available to view online: https://youtu.be/SS9qGJVK0bs

Next Sunday, January 2

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
"Kyle Rittenhouse," Bob Boldt

Our Adult Forum is currently available both in-person and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98858741051?pwd=d3ZMbHJSL3NjMGMxZEM5N1VxUysxQT09
Meeting ID: 988 5874 1051
Password: 047662  
Phone
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
"Living with Intention, First We Have to Listen," Rev. Mike Adamek

Rev. Mike writes:  "I used to always place a time for listening in the Sunday Morning Services I led. People use active receptivity in different ways so I called it Reflection, Meditation or Prayer. We will explore all three to see if any one might be useful for you."

Our services are currently available both in-person and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/94285041130
Meeting ID: 942 8504 1130
By Phone (US toll):
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/ak1ZLCDJG

Children's Religious Education - 10:30 am
Children are welcome to join RE Instructor Samantha Porter for a lesson during the service hour.  This week: "Imagine a New You."

Masks are currently required for everyone attending indoor UUFJC events in-person.  Free masks will be available if you do not have one.

If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during a service, please submit it by noon on the Friday before through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html
We will also have paper forms available Sunday morning for submissions. Zoom participants, please use the web form.  Submissions made after noon on Friday may not be read until the following week..

UUFJC News and Events this week:

Help empower human rights: We are currently holding our annual Guest At Your Table fundraiser to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.  UUSC empowers grassroots partners to work for human rights around the world.  Stories from UUSC's work, donation boxes, and donation envelopes are available at our building, or you can learn more about UUSC's work and give online: https://www.uusc.org/.  Donations made through our Fellowship will be due in late January.

We are also collecting items to support an Afghan refugee.  For more information see our January newsletter or contact Social Action chair Katherine Connor: [email protected].

Free community pantry: Building Community Bridges has been generous in sharing food for our pantry, and we are grateful. Some items we could use more of are: canned chicken, any sauce or canned meal that includes protein, boxed cereal (both cold and oatmeal types), hot chocolate, coffee, and seasonings.  We can always use items for cold weather such as stocking hats, scarves, and water/snow resistant gloves.  We are out of diapers, clothing, and dish detergents. Thank you for your generosity.  Remember: no glass containers or expired items, please.  For more information about the pantry and current needs, contact Joan: j[email protected].  Reimbursements are available; contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler: [email protected].

Weekly Zoom Happy Hour for UUFJC Members and Friends, hosted by Katherine Connor:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91843966450?pwd=djBwTEx4YUxseW9SdytSZjJGS0xrdz09
Meeting ID: 918 4396 6450
Password: 918925    
Phone:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)

Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Community Groups: Groups use our building Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 6 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 pm.  If you have access to our building, please allow privacy at these times.

Community Events this week:

No community events were submitted for inclusion in this week's email.  If you have events to submit, contact our administrator at [email protected].

For more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Virtual Gatherings
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Please stay safe, well, and connected through your New Year celebrations and the year to come!

Laura Gilkey
Administrator, UUFJC

Some highlights (details and more news below):

• The December 26 Yule service has been cancelled.  You are welcome to watch the UU Church of Columbia service at the Fellowship or online
• Our monthly Salvation Army meal is cancelled this Friday as they have enough support this month
• There's still time to make a year-end donation to UUFJC online or by mail.
• Read below for an update on our Free Food Pantry needs

Sunday, December 19

This morning, Rev. Nancy TannerThies continued exploring our monthly theme of "Opening to Joy."  The way Christmas decorations and sales seem to creep earlier and earlier each year reveals our eagerness for joy, but often our pains and discomforts loom larger in our consciousness, and our attempts to comfort ourselves are self-defeating.  Joy comes in moments, often simple, ordinary ones.  Rev. Nancy recommended these resources compiled by Betty Cooper for our own Adult Forum, and she also pointed out how ancient wisdom stories of the winter holidays point to simple ways of opening to joy.  The story of Hanukkah, when one night's oil burned for eight nights, reminds us of the joy of finding we have more resources than we thought.  The Christmas story of shepherds and wise men reminds us of the joy of encountering unexpected mystery and the joy of the search for knowledge.  Earth-centered spiritualities' stories of Yule remind us of the joy of natural cycles.  Let us remember to open ourselves up to these joys, during the present holidays and always.

For those who would also like to keep up with our neighbors at the UU Church of Columbia, their sermon from this morning is now available to view online: https://youtu.be/nMnDbLre3zE

Sunday, December 26

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
"Girls' Empowerment," Ramona Huckstep, Zonta and Z-Club

Our Adult Forum is currently available both in-person and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98858741051?pwd=d3ZMbHJSL3NjMGMxZEM5N1VxUysxQT09
Meeting ID: 988 5874 1051
Password: 047662  
Phone
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Service - 10:30 am 
Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia Service
(Our previously-planned Yule service on this date has been canceled.  We apologize for any disappointment.)

When we are not holding our own services, our building will be open for those who wish to come and share the online services of our neighbor congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia.  For those wishing to participate online, note that UUCC's online services via Zoom are currently held at 10:30 am.  For more information, visit UUCC's website: uucomo.org.

Children's Religious Education - 10:30 am
Children are welcome to join RE Instructor Samantha Porter at the UUFJC Fellowship for a lesson during the service hour.  This week: "Wait for Freedom."
​
Masks are currently required for everyone attending UUFJC events in-person.  Free masks will be available if you do not have one.
​
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during a service, please submit it by noon on the Friday before through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html. We will also have paper forms available Sunday morning for submissions.  Zoom participants, please use the web form.  Submissions made after noon on Friday may not be read until the following week..

UUFJC News and Events this week:

For accessibility and convenience, we now have an option to donate to our Fellowship online through PayPal:

Donate to UUFJC
You can also mail donations and pledges to:
UUFJC
Attn: Treasurer
PO Box 1245
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Thank you for being with us and supporting us!

And remember all our ways to stay in touch!  You can join our open-posting Google Group to chat with other members and friends via e-mail and receive additional announcements and reminders (contact the Administrator at [email protected] to join).

Free Community Pantry update: Joan Kurtzeborn offers an update on our free community pantry: "Building Community Bridges has been generous in sharing food for our pantry, and we are grateful. Some items we could use more of are: canned chicken, any sauce that includes meat, boxed cereal (both cold and oatmeal types), hot chocolate, and coffee.  We can always use items for cold weather such as gloves, stocking hats & scarves.  When buying children’s gloves, those that are water/snow resistant are best. We are out of diapers, clothing, and dish detergents. Thank you for your generosity."  Remember: no glass containers or expired items, please.  For more information about the pantry and current needs, contact Joan: j[email protected].  Reimbursements are available; contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler: [email protected].

Guest At Your Table fundraiser continues: This project supports the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.  UUSC empowers grassroots partners to work for human rights around the world.  Stories from UUSC's work, donation boxes, and donation envelopes are available at our building, or you can learn more about UUSC's work and give online: https://www.uusc.org/.  Donations made through our Fellowship will be due in late January.

Weekly Zoom Happy Hour: On Thursdays at 5:30 pm, Katherine Connor hosts a weekly Zoom Happy Hour for UUFJC Members and Friends to gather and check in.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91843966450?pwd=djBwTEx4YUxseW9SdytSZjJGS0xrdz09
Meeting ID: 918 4396 6450
Password: 918925    
Phone:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)

Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Our monthly Salvation Army Meal, which would be this Friday, is canceled this month.  Thankfully the Salvation Army has received enough community support for the holiday that our meal is not needed.  To get involved with providing food for those in need in future months, contact Bob Antweiler.

Our building is reserved by community groups Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 6 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 pm.  If you have access to our building, please allow privacy at these times.

Community Events this week:

Monday, December 20th at 6:30 pm in their Art Gallery, Missouri River Regional Library presents: "Route 66: Missouri’s Mother Road."  Missouri enjoys a special place in Route 66 history, folklore and culture. This film celebrates the unique heritage of a beloved road, with highlights of a trip from St. Louis to Joplin with stops along the way. Travelers from around the world continue to accept the invitation to "get your kicks, on Route 66," as they leave the interstates and take a road less traveled for a special experience.  Contact Madeline Matson.  For more on library events, visit MRRL.org.


For more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Virtual Gatherings
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Highlights:

• Our December Newsletter is available to view or download: UUFJC Newsletter, "Flame on the Water," December 2021
•  Eco-Dyed Prints art exhibit by Sue Gibson ends December 18 with a reception from 1 to 3 pm
• Sunday, December 19, 6 pm the UUFJC Board meets in person at UUFJC
• January newsletter items due December 20. Please send to  Laura Gilkey at [email protected]
• To make a donation to UUFJC click here: Donate to UUFJC or mail to Attn: Treasurer, PO Box 1245, Jefferson City, MO 65102

Sunday, December 12
This morning, we were welcomed to join in online services with our neighbors at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia as they celebrated their successful accessibility capital campaign.  Through readings, recordings, and reflections by UUCC members, they brought forth the voices of people with disabilities about inclusion as spiritual practice.  The abled among us must work on our own discomfort and educate ourselves to not just hear people with disabilities but meet them in community.  True inclusion is not just tinkering around the edges of what already is to "check the box" of accessibility.  True inclusion means basing our efforts on radical love to create places where all can engage with each other in sacred space.

The service is now available to view online: https://youtu.be/Q93MFHVBPcQ

Next Sunday, December 19:

Newsletter Submissions Due
Please submit your items for our January newsletter to Laura Gilkey at [email protected].

Adult Forum - 9:15 am
"Return to Joy," Betty Cooper
This forum is designed to "Open to Joy," the December Soul Matters theme.  During the session, we will use ideas and exercises from two books: Joy by William C. Schutz and Return to Joy by Andrew Harvey and Carolyn Baker.

Our Adult Forum is currently available both in-person and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98858741051?pwd=d3ZMbHJSL3NjMGMxZEM5N1VxUysxQT09
Meeting ID: 988 5874 1051
Password: 047662  
Phone
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am
Rev. Nancy TannerThies
Our services are currently available both in-person and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/94285041130
Meeting ID: 942 8504 1130
By Phone (US toll):
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/ak1ZLCDJG

Children's Religious Education - 10:30 am
Children are welcome to join RE Instructor Samantha Porter for a lesson during the service hour.  This week: "Rekindle Hope by Watching for the Light."

Masks are currently required for everyone attending indoor UUFJC events in-person.  Free masks will be available if you do not have one.
If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during a service, please submit it by noon on the Friday before through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html
We will also have paper forms available Sunday morning for submissions.
Zoom participants, please use the web form.  Submissions made after noon on Friday may not be read until the following week..

UUFJC News and Events this week:

We are currently holding our annual Guest At Your Table fundraiser to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.  UUSC empowers grassroots partners to work for human rights around the world.  Stories from UUSC's work, donation boxes, and donation envelopes are available at our building, or you can learn more about UUSC's work and give online: https://www.uusc.org/.  Donations made through our Fellowship will be due in late January.

The UUFJC Board is in the very early exploration of hiring a one-quarter-time contract minister.  This is going to be a collaborative process that will require a great deal of thought about who we are and who we want to become as a congregation, and what we want from a minister.  If you are interested in assisting with this process, would like more information, or would like to provide feedback, please contact a board member.

The UUFJC Members and Friends Directory has been updated.  This is not a membership list or mailing list, just an optional way to make your contact information available to other members and friends.  In the interests of privacy we make the directory available by request.  Please remember that you can submit updates at any time.  Contact Laura Gilkey at [email protected] for a copy of the directory or to update your listing.

We are always in need of donations for our free community pantry.  No glass containers or expired items, please.  For more information about the pantry and current needs, contact Joan: j[email protected].  Reimbursements are available; contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler: [email protected].

On Thursdays at 5:30 pm, Katherine Connor hosts a weekly Zoom Happy Hour for UUFJC Members and Friends to gather and check in.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91843966450?pwd=djBwTEx4YUxseW9SdytSZjJGS0xrdz09
Meeting ID: 918 4396 6450
Password: 918925    
Phone:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Our current art exhibit of Eco-Dyed Prints by Sue Gibson is ending next Saturday, December 18th, with a concluding reception from 1 to 3 pm.  For more information, contact Sue or Art Committee Chair Patt Behler.

Next  Sunday, December 19th, the UUFJC Board meets in person here at our building at 6 pm (note the meeting time has been changed since our monthly newsletter was published).  For agenda and more information, contact our president, Rich Burdge.

Our building is reserved by community groups Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 6 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 pm.  If you have access to our building, please allow privacy at these times.

Community Events this week:

his Tuesday, December 14th at 11 am, the emergency housing subgroup of the Jefferson City Homelessness Working Group holds its monthly meeting.  For more on getting involved with this or other aspects of the Homelessness Working Group, contact Patt Behler.

This Thursday, December 16th at 6:30 pm in their Art Gallery, Missouri River Regional Library hosts an Author Talk: "Patrick Murphy and the Story of Switzer’s Licorice."  

For more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Virtual Gatherings
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events  

Sunday, December 5

This morning, Rev. Mike Adamek joined us to begin our month of reflections on "Opening to Joy." Joy, Rev. Mike said, cannot be manufactured; it always comes as a surprise, but we can open ourselves to welcome those surprises when they come.  If we harden ourselves because of our hurts so that we will never be surprised by pain, we harden ourselves against being surprised by joy as well.  In Rev. Mike's experience, joy is a vivid, intense feeling that comes when we recognize a positive connection to something greater than ourselves.  This recognition can come through doing --- or witnessing --- virtuous actions, through awe at the power and grandeur of nature, or through connection and love with family and friends.  However joy comes to us, we must allow ourselves the vulnerability of expecting joy in order to open ourselves to its life-giving surprises.

For those who wish to keep up with our neighbors at the UU Church of Columbia, their sermon from this morning is now available to view online: https://youtu.be/XjqPmOiNUOc.  Also note that UUCC's online services have now moved back to 10:30 am Sunday mornings.

Next Sunday, December 12th:

Adult Forum - 9:15 am

"Doctors Without Borders," Patt Behler
Our Adult Forum is currently available both in-person and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98858741051?pwd=d3ZMbHJSL3NjMGMxZEM5N1VxUysxQT09
Meeting ID: 988 5874 1051
Password: 047662  
Phone
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)
Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo
Service and Religious Education - 10:30 am

Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia Service
When we are not holding our own services, our building will be open for those who wish to come and share the online services of our neighbor congregation, the Unitarian Univeralist Church of Columbia.  For those wishing to participate online, note that UUCC's online service via Zoom has been moved back to 10:30 am.  For more information, visit UUCC's website: uucomo.org.

Children's Religious Education - 11 am
Children are welcome to join RE Instructor Samantha Porter for a lesson during the service hour.  This week: "Listen for the Voices of Angels."

Masks are currently required for everyone attending indoor UUFJC events in-person.  Free masks will be available if you do not have one.

If you have a joy or concern that you would like to have read during a service, please submit it by noon on the Friday before through our website: http://uufjc.org/joys--concerns.html
We will also have paper forms available Sunday morning for submissions.
Zoom participants, please use the web form.  Submissions made after noon on Friday may not be read until the following week..

UUFJC News and Events this week:

For accessibility and convenience, we now have an option to donate to our Fellowship online through PayPal:

Donate to UUFJC
You can also mail donations and pledges to:
UUFJC
Attn: Treasurer
PO Box 1245
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Thank you for being with us and supporting us!

And remember all our ways to stay in touch!  You can join our open-posting Google Group to chat with other members and friends via e-mail and receive additional announcements and reminders (contact the Administrator at [email protected] to join).

We are currently holding our annual Guest At Your Table fundraiser to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.  UUSC empowers grassroots partners to work for human rights around the world.  Stories from UUSC's work, donation boxes, and donation envelopes are available at our building, or you can learn more about UUSC's work and give online: https://www.uusc.org/.  Donations made through our Fellowship will be due in late January.

The UUFJC Board is in the very early exploration of hiring a one-quarter-time contract minister.  This is going to be a collaborative process that will require a great deal of thought about who we are and who we want to become as a congregation, and what we want from a minister.  If you are interested in assisting with this process, would like more information, or would like to provide feedback, please contact a board member.

The UUFJC Members and Friends Directory has been updated.  This is not a membership list or mailing list, just an optional way to make your contact information available to other members and friends.  In the interests of privacy we make the directory available by request.  Please remember that you can submit updates at any time.  Contact Laura Gilkey at [email protected] for a copy of the directory or to update your listing.

We are always in need of donations for our free community pantry.  No glass containers or expired items, please.  For more information about the pantry and current needs, contact Joan: j[email protected].  Reimbursements are available; contact our treasurer, Bob Antweiler: [email protected].

On Thursdays at 5:30 pm, Katherine Connor hosts a weekly Zoom Happy Hour for UUFJC Members and Friends to gather and check in.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91843966450?pwd=djBwTEx4YUxseW9SdytSZjJGS0xrdz09
Meeting ID: 918 4396 6450
Password: 918925    
Phone:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago - US toll)

Find your nearest number: https://zoom.us/u/aeC2zyWdIo

Next Sunday, December 12th at 3 pm, Emma Regnier leads her own Intergenerational Classical Book Study in-person at our building.  This month's selection: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  For more information, contact Emma.

Our building is reserved by community groups Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 6 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 pm.  If you have access to our building, please allow privacy at these times.

Community Events this week:

Tuesday, December 7th at 7 pm in their Art Gallery, Missouri River Regional Library presents the latest installment of the LU-MRRL Lecture Series: "Black Culture in White Spaces: Experiences of Students Attending Rural HBCUs."  This talk will feature Dr. Rick Brewer, assistant professor of communication studies in the Department of Humanities and Communications. He will discuss the tensions and struggles inherent to the social and relationship lives of students of color attending historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs) in geographic and cultural areas marked by whiteness and political conservatism. Findings and discussion presented originate from a larger research project examining these issues by conducting interviews with students who narrate their experiences navigating and negotiating a life rich with complexity, contradiction and collaboration.  Contact Madeline Matson.  For more on library events, visit MRRL.org.

For more events, see our online calendars:

UUFJC Events
Virtual Gatherings
Affiliated Events 
Religious Education
Building Use (other)
Community Events