Sunday, December 1, 11:00 am, Sanctuary

"Holiday Spirit Sunday"

Join us in person or watch on YouTube.

Join us Sunday, December 1 at 11:00 am for our annual Holiday Spirit Sunday, formerly known as Hanging of the Greens. You'll have opportunities to both sing carols and make some ornaments for our tree as part of the all ages worship!

Participating in today’s service:

Service Leader: Tim Atkins, DLRE; Worship Associate: Susan Bishop; Chalice Lighter: Cortney Custer; Call to Offering:  Lana Henson; Choir Director: Chukwuebuka ('Ebuka) G. Ezeakacha; Music: 1UC Choir; Accompanist: Steven Elkins Kennedy; Technical Support: Tammy Epperson and Ellisya Ravencroft: Ushers: Members of The Gardening Covenant Group

Our Ushers for the month of December are: The Gardening Covenant Group meet once a month, on the third Tuesday at 7:00 pm in members’ homes or at the church. As a Covenant Group we support one another when a person’s need arises. Each month we check in and connect socially, and we share gardening tips and ideas with each other. Occasionally we have educational and fun field trips, locally and out of town, such as a guided tour of Will Rogers Park and of the Dallas Arboretum. For the First Unitarian Church we provide limited gardening services for the grounds including the Memorial Garden. For many years we have provided an offering in the annual church auction when members of the Gardening Covenant Group agree. Contact: Barbara Gallivan for more information.

Sunday, December 1, 10:00 am

Sunday Morning Meditation (In-Person)

Please join us for meditation practice in the Buddhist tradition (lower level, next to Corley Commons).

All are welcome; no meditation experience necessary!

For more information contact Lori Jervis.

Sunday, December 1, Daniel Hall (immediately after the service) Daniel Hall

Coffee, Lemonade and Conversation

Join us after the service in Daniel Hall for coffee, lemonade and conversation.

Sunday, December 1, 6:00 pm

Join Us for the Interfaith World AIDS Day Service

First Unitarian Church is hosting The World AIDS Day Service, 6 pm December 1, 2024. 

It will be a Service OF Reflection, Healing, & Hope. Everyone, Every Faith is warmly invited to attend and participate in this meaningful collective action. World AIDS Day is a time to come together to remember those we've lost to HIV and AIDS, celebrate our successes in saving and improving the lives of people living with HIV, and renew our collective commitment to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States and around the world by advancing education, providing better access to testing, and improving adherence to therapies and pre-exposure prophylaxis

There will be an opportunity for reflection in Daniel Hall immediately following the Service. For those who are able, please bring finger foods prior to the Service.

Spirit of life and love, keep us connected to life’s inspiration and to each other. Spark our imaginations to create the world we dream about. 

Our Radical Welcoming Team warmly invites you to attend the evening service, followed by a reception.

To help make this event a success, we’re seeking volunteers to contribute desserts and hors d’oeuvres for the reception. If you’re unable to attend the evening service, you can still participate by dropping off your items in the kitchen during our regular morning service.

We greatly appreciate your support and generosity in making this gathering meaningful for all. Thank you!

Sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BABA82EA2FBC25-53187772-world

Thanks from Jan Staat

I would like to thank everyone for the thoughtful cards, kind words, and phone calls I received after Henry’s death. It’s difficult to express how much these meant to me.  Thank you so much for your care and concern. 

Jan Staat

Thursday, November 28, 12:00 pm, Daniel Hall

Thanksgiving Day Lunch with your UU Friends!

Come sit down with your fellow UU's for a Thanksgiving Day dinner! Bring something tasty to share!

Contact Becky Tallent at (405) 882-8295 or beckyktallent@gmail.com if you aren't sure what to bring, or if you have any questions!

There will be two fully cooked turkeys and a ham ready for you to "gobble up" and enjoy!

Please be ready and willing to set up and clean up if you attend! It will be "all hands on deck".

Come and enjoy the day with your friends at church! Hope to see you there!

Friday, November 29, 2:00 pm, Sancutary

Memorial Service for Tim Larason

We will be celebrating the life of Tim Larason on Friday, November 29, at 2:00 pm in the Sanctuary.

For those of you unable to attend, we hope that you will join us online (the live stream link is below).

Reception following the service.

Direct link to service 

Be an Elf!

Drug Court Christmas

It is that time again to make the holidays brighter for a child whose parents are a part of drug court. Stop by the display in Daniel Hall to select a child or two.

Make the holidays brighter for these children.

1. Take a gift tag that has the child’s information.

You may take more than one tag.

2. Each paper is numbered—sign your name by the

match ing numbers on the master list.

3. Purchase a gift or several small gifts that add up to $60—$70

4. Be sure to attach the child’s information slip to your

unwrapped gift(s) in a gift bag.

5. Place your gifts under the tree in Daniel Hall by Sunday, December 15.

Thank you for your help!

If you have any questions please call Genie Baumann at (405) 401-7531

Mitten Tree

A tradition for many years, our Mitten Tree will be up in Daniel Hall through January 5.

Please help bring it to life with mittens, gloves, scarves, or winter hats (no socks please), which we will donate to those less fortunate to help them get through these cold winter months.

November 29 - December 15

The Game's Afoot and Holmes for the Holidays

Go see 1UC member,  Lana Henson in The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays at Carpenter Square Theater running November 29-December 15!

Get tickets here. 

Wednesday Nights 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Wednesday Night Social Youth Group

We are ready to announce a Wednesday night social youth group for middle and high schoolers! We will begin Wednesday, December 4th, and it will run from 6:30-8pm. We will have pizza for the youth at 6:30. Meet downstairs in the youth room.

This youth group will be social focused. We'll eat pizza, have a check in, and then free time to hang out, play games, etc. We'll see what the youth want to do - maybe there's a group what wants to do a weekly hour long DnD session, maybe art club, maybe board games, maybe chatting about life. We're thinking our youth might need a safe place to go midweek after the election, and we're honored to provide that.

We could still use another volunteer or two to help out as part of the team of volunteers who will rotate in to help. Reach out to me if you can!

Young Adult Game Night

We are looking at starting a weekly Young Adult game night at the church! We’re thinking Wednesday evenings, but we’re open to a different time. This would be just for folks between the ages of 18 and 40. Would you be interested in participating? Shoot Tim an email at tatkins@1uc.org – once we’ve got interested folks, we’ll talk about scheduling inside the group!

2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month - 6:00 pm

Wednesday Night Meditation

Interested in meditation but can't quite make it on Sunday mornings? Or maybe you just want more meditation? We are adding a Wednesday night session to our schedule (6:00 pm - 7:00 pm) in the meditation room in the lower level (Corley Commons).

For more information contact Mary Tate.

Tuesday, December 3, 11:00 am

1UC Alliance

On December 3rd Alliance will have our annual Xmas lunch and program. It's a Potluck, so bring a dish or pay $10. 

We'll have Ebuka and our 1UC choir members to provide music and fun, and we have other fun planned too! The "Happy Half-Hour" begins at 11 am, Lunch at 11:30 am and the program begins at noon. And don't forget, we voted to pay $3 each to cover the cost of clean-up when you bring a dish. I hope you can join us; visitors are always welcome - the more the merrier! Maureen Harvey, mharvey5@cox.net 

Saturday, December 7, 10:30 am, Eddy Room

Racial Justice Team Book Club

Your Racial Justice Team will be hosting a book club. We have done this occasionally over time. Our upcoming book is "Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race" by Debby Irving. Rev. Sue recommended it to us. We have 9 people signed up so far.

We will meet in person in Eddy Room the first Saturday of the month:  December 7, January 4 and February 1 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. 

The book is available through Half Priced Books, etc. I will try to explore ordering them in bulk through the book store once we have a number.

Text or call Becky Tallent at 405.882.8095 or email beckyktallent@gmail.com.

News from Befrienders

BEFRIENDERS WELCOMES REV. JONALU JOHNSTONE TO OUR MERRY BAND.

Befrienders relies upon donations. Those donations are used to provide cards, stamps, and items for memorial receptions. If you wish to make a donation, please send a check and put Befrienders on the purpose line of your check. Thank you.

Befrienders is ready to assist members of our church who are recovering from surgeries or illnesses by offering cards of well-wishes, meal trains, transportation to church or medical appointments as well as arranging for visitations, and we provide the receptions following memorial services.

Befrienders have teams assigned for specific roles.

• Lana Henson leads our Cards of Well Wishes team and can always use extra hands to write cards to our members who are ill or who are recovering from surgeries. If you enjoy writing cards to people, let her know.
• Ginny Boykin leads our Memorial Receptions team. She calls on folks to bring food for the receptions. If you are a baker or cook, let her know.
• Patti Kate leads our Transportation team and is looking for folks to be added to her list of people willing to be drivers for anyone needing a ride to a doctor’s appointment, therapy appointment, etc. She is actively recruiting for folks to be on her team.
• Meal Trains – we don’t have a team leader yet for this team of people willing to step up and provide a meal to an individual or family. Much of the work of the leader is organizing the Meal Train on-line. If you are interested, please contact Susan Bishop for more info,

If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please let Susan Bishop know at sdbishop50@gmail.com.

Change for Change

For the month of December our Change for Change partner is  UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee).

Their mission: UUSC advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies. Their work is grounded in the belief that all people have inherent power and dignity.

CHANGE FOR CHANGE needs your help. Did you know that anyone can suggest a worthy local non-profit in our community? Do you know how?

• Check out the 1uc.org website and click on the justice tab
• Then click on Community Partnerships and click on the application in green in the middle of the page.
• Submit the application to Deborah Shinn or leave it in the office Social Justice mailbox. Or you can email the completed application to them. They be found in Breeze.

WE APPRECIATE IT WHEN CONGREGANTS NOMINATE WORTHY COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THANK YOU!

NEWS FROM THE SOCIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL:

BOHEMIAN CAFÉ is January 18^th 7-10p. Come join with friends as we imbibe from the fruit of the vine, gnosh on wonderful tidbits, and dance to the sounds of Ms Brown To You. Mark your 2025 calendar now for an evening’s entertainment you don’t want to miss.

1UC’S CURBSIDE PANTRY needs donations. When you attend services or activities at church, please bring a can or other non-perishable food item and place it in our pantry along Dewey St. If you can’t bring food, consider making a financial donation to the pantry instead. We have a very helpful elf who does the shopping.

NEWS FROM UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee)

Since it began in 1975, the Guest at Your Table program has introduced generations of Unitarian Universalists to our grassroots partners working for justice around the world with your support. This church year, we are celebrating Guest at Your Table’s 50thanniversary with the theme “Expanding the Welcome Table.”

As we transition into our 50th year and five decades of partner-centered advocacy and activism, you will meet:

• Young climate activists in the Marshall Islands helping their communities heal from the destructive legacy of nuclear testing by the United States while envisioning a sustainable future for their people;

• LGBTQ+ leaders in Ukraine offering resources and companionship to the queer community impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion;

• Haitian academics researching racism’s impacts on the experiences of migrants of color in the United States; and

• Trans organizers forming networks of safety and welcome for trans and gender expansive people forced to flee unsafe communities and states.

Sunday, January 29, 9:00 am, Eddy Room

1UC VOICE

The 1UC VOICE Team will not be meeting until January 26th, 9 am in the Eddy Room, when we have a new Lead Organizer in place. Happy Holidays and Thanks for your dedication.

Information for our Consulting Minister - Rev. David Messner

Schedule a meeting directly: https://revdave.youcanbook.me/

Professional FB Profile - like/follow: https://www.facebook.com/revmessner

Visit his website:  messnerministry.com

You can email him directly at:  dhmessner@1uc.org