9:30a and 11:15a Sunday Services:  ^“The Human Journey” Youth-Led Service  (Multigenerational)

The Nursery is open 9:15-12:30 for ages infant to three years.  Children are warmly greeted by a nurturing staff, and engaged in gentle play.

Grades Pre-K through 9 are encouraged to attend the multigenerational service in the Great Hall with family and friends.  This is the annual youth service, with worship lead by students in Gr. 10-12. The sermon is named “The Human Journey,” but a very special theme runs through the entire service—and your children will thoroughly enjoy it.

Regularly scheduled religious education classes will be held again next week.

9:15a – 1:00p: Be sure to pledge by March 31! 

MANY THANKS if you’ve already pledged for the 2010-11 church year. Forty-two percent of pledges are in, and we’re at 44% of goal.  Please turn in your form by March 31 so that we may begin the budgeting process for next year. Pledge forms may be found in your mail, at church, or in the Members’ section of the website. In addition to your gift amount, please fill in your giving level.  If everyone gives at the Supporter level or higher (as shown on the Fair Share Giving Guide), we will be sure to meet our goal!

10:30a and 12:30p: As we approach mid-March, the excitement builds about the April 24 Spring Fling, the Auction Thing. Donation commitments are coming in and last year’s successful auction is being tweaked to make this year’s even more successful.

One of the most obvious changes: Doug Wall, a UU member from Fredericksburg will be our new auctioneer. Doug takes his job very seriously but doesn’t take himself very seriously at all. He’s fast, he’s efficient and he’s great fun. We think you’ll find that his enthusiasm fills a room.  He’s been doing the Fredericksburg church’s auction for years and has given us numerous helpful hints already. Combined with the food and drink that has proved popular in the past, “the show” and the deals to be had will make for a-not-to-be-missed evening. It promises to be a wonderful kick off to the many social gatherings that will be auctioned off.

The true success, of course, is in the contributions you volunteer. And the deadline for those contributions is March 28—which is one week closer than it was last week, in case you hadn’t noticed. The reason that deadline is important is that we really, really want your contribution in the catalogue that we mail to all church members so that they can study the goodies available prior to April 24. That’s why we need your contribution form by March 28. We want that catalogue to be as complete as possible. Categories are on the web site, as is the contribution form.

Auction: April 24

Deadline for contribution forms: March 28

Come join us for Wednesdays Together. Vespers is a shorter, contemplative service, and the Simple Supper is provided by church members (vegetarian-friendly).  Child care is provided for these activities.

5:30 (Vespers): “Driving Out the Snakes” – Rev. Jeanne Pupke

6:00: Simple Supper (donations appreciated)

6:30: Adult Religious Education Class  “Drawing as Meditation”

March 12, 7:00p: Second Friday Films presents “Food, Inc.“, a documentary exposé on the food industry. Find out about the corporations that are supposed to ensure the safety of the food you eat.

March 16, 7:00p: Film screening of “Fresh.” This is the kick-off of our newest Adult Religious Education class “Ethical Eating:  Food and Environmental Justice.” This class will be an exploration of the hidden ways our food choices impact our communities and our world.  Participants will have an opportunity to meet people involved in the local food movement as well as their critics.  The first session is a free, congregation-wide screening of the film “Fresh” on Tuesday, March 16, 7:00. The follow-up is a series of four classes.

Dates:  Wednesdays, March 24- April 14

Time:  6:30-7:30

Fee: $20      Instructor:  Kate Ruby 

Register by emailing Rhonda@richmonduu.org, calling 355-0777, or visiting the Religious Education table in the Middle Studio. Fees are due the first night of class.

On March 19-21, First UU is holding a Creating a Jubilee World anti-racism workshop right here at First UU. Facilitated by trainers from the Unitarian Universalist Association, this workshop is designed to help UU congregations dismantle racism by guiding participants to examine both personal and institutional racism, and by empowering them to develop a realistic plan that can move their congregations forward in working for racial justice. Participation is limited to 40 people, so register soon! The $30 fee includes all meals. For more information, stop by the Committee for Racial and Ethnic Unity (CREU) table between services (or email richmonduucreu@gmail.com).

Your Committee on Mission (COM) sent out the survey on your experience at First UU via email on February 17^th. You’ve had a few weeks to complete the survey and let us know how things are going at First UU. If you haven’t yet done so, please go online and take it. As always, there is room for comments and suggestions.

We have worked hard to make some changes we think you are going to like – making it shorter, for one. We value your input and will be having forums and discussions in the spring based on the results.

Let your voice be heard and look for your survey! If you haven’t taken the survey yet, click here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/firstuu2010

9:30a and 11:15a ^“Miracles”  Rev. William Sinkford  Unitarian Universalists have long rejected the miracle stories of the New Testament as impossible and unnecessary. Reason has been the hallmark of our faith. Our need for transformation, however, remains.

The Nursery is open during both services for infants to children three years of age.  They are welcomed by an attentive staff with lots of tender loving care.  The Nursery attendants are also Red Cross Certified.

Religious Education Classes

9:30

Pre-K:  Story:  The Rooster Who Learned to Crow.  Little Rooster is growing up and needs to find his voice.  All his friends try to teach him using their voices. Ultimately, Rooster listens to his inner voice, and crows only as a rooster can.

Gr. 1-3:  Caring and Uncaring for Others: the goals of this session are for students to gain a greater awareness of the feelings and inner experiences of other people, and to learn effective ways of responding to these feelings and experiences.

Gr. 4-6:  Inner Peace:  Students will focus on Principle #3: We believe that we should accept one another and encourage spiritual growth (keep on learning together).

11:15

Pre-K:  Story:  The Rooster Who Learned to Crow.  Little Rooster is growing up and needs to find his voice.  All his friends try to teach him using their voices. Ultimately, Rooster listens to his inner voice, and crows only as a rooster can.

Gr. 1-3:  Caring and Uncaring for Others: the goals of this session are for students to gain a greater awareness of the feelings and inner experiences of other people, and to learn effective ways of responding to these feelings and experiences.

Gr. 4-5:  Inner Peace:  Students will focus on Principle #3: We believe that we should accept one another and encourage spiritual growth (keep on learning together).

Gr. 6-7:  Earth Awareness:  Students will focus on appreciating the variety of things that share our environment, and consider what life is and what its requirements are.

Gr. 8-9:  Students will meet in the Library at 11:00 to continue their studies of human sexuality in a Unitarian Universalist context.

Gr. 10-12:  Students will meet at 11:00-12:30, to continue their studies of human sexuality in a Unitarian Universalist context.

10:30a and 12:30p Moneyless Yard Sale  To participate, all you have to do is bring one or more items you no longer need or want that you think someone else might like and then take with you whatever you fancy–free of charge. (If you’re bringing clothing, please bring only one or two items per person. The same is true for books. Also, if you have something too large to fit in the back of a sedan, just bring a picture of it with your name and contact information. We can help arrange delivery.)

12:30p  First on First  We offer a special one-hour class for new persons interested in our church and our religion entitled First on First. The class meets at 12:30pm (after 2nd service) on the 1st Sunday of each month. First on First offers introductory information about our congregation, our programs, and Unitarian Universalism. First on First is free and open to all. No registration required, and child care will be available.

Come join us for Wednesdays Together. Vespers is a shorter, contemplative service, and the Simple Supper is provided by church members (vegetarian-friendly).  Child care is provided for these activities.

5:30 (Vespers): “Please Don’t Eat That Sheep!” - Pat Owen

6:00: Simple Supper (donations appreciated)

6:30: Adult Religious Education Class  “Drawing as Meditation”

Facebook Over 40!

It’s easy!  Facebook connects you with the people you care about and enables you to communicate and stay up-to-date with them. Join us for a hands-on class on Facebook basics and advanced features.  If available, bring your laptop.  We will supply as many computers as possible.

Dates: Mondays, Mar. 15 & 22.

Time:  7-9:00 pm

Instructor:  Beth Miksovic

Fee: $15

Ethical Eating:  Food and Environmental Justice

An exploration of the hidden ways our food choices impact our communities and our world.  Participants will have an opportunity to meet people involved in the local food movement as well as their critics.  The first session is a free, congregation-wide screening of the film “Fresh” on Tuesday, March 16, 7:00.

The follow-up is a series of four classes.

Dates:  Wednesdays, March 24- April 14

Time:  6:30-7:30

Fee: $20      Instructor:  Kate Ruby 

Register by emailing Rhonda@richmonduu.org, calling 355-0777, or visiting the Religious Education table in the Middle Studio. Fees are due the first night of class.

Isn’t this fun? That March 28 deadline for donation forms for Spring Fling, the Auction Thing is just enough time for you to either 1) congratulate yourself on commitments you have made 2) firm up plans that have been running around in your head or 3) join the fun.

If you fall in category two or three, these suggestions might help:

Dining Out & Getting Together

• Includes festive meals prepared by you for a group and served at your place or theirs.  Think about co-hosting with a friend.
• Also includes gourmet foods, specialty breads, party fare, gift basket or restaurant gift certificates.

Hobbies, Recreation, Entertainment

• Includes tickets or passes to sporting events, concerts, theaters, museums.
• Beach houses, mountain or beach time shares, golf outings, sailing trips.
• Includes either an item or a gift certificate toward purchase of musical instruments, books, CDs, electronics, or sporting goods.  

Professional and Personal Services  

• Provides a service or a gift certificate for child care, classes, lessons, consultations, legal or medical services, appraisals, car maintenance or repair, physical fitness, pet care, professional photography. Includes services such as landscaping, yard work, house repair, house painting.

Auction: April 24

Deadline for contribution forms: March 28. See the church website at http://richmonduu.org/care/spring-fling-auction/ for more information and donation forms.

Click here to see our progress on the pledge drive thus far. If you haven’t pledged yet, please turn in your form by March 31 so that we may begin the budgeting process for next year. Pledge forms may be found in your mail, at church or in the Members’ section of the website. In addition to your gift amount, please fill in your giving level (Full Tithe, Visionary, Sustainer, or Supporter) so we may recognize special contributors through new giving societies.  We’re counting on you to make our next church year a success!