Family Promise is a nonprofit organization serving homeless families to provide resources that enable families to move from homelessness to home. These resources include compassionate care, hospitality, professional support, lodging, meals, donated goods, and – most importantly – volunteers.

Family Promise’s shelter program relies on a partnership of interfaith congregations, civic organizations, and other volunteer groups to help families facing homelessness. Host sites provide lodging, meals, and hospitality to families in need. For families in the program, each day begins with breakfast available at the host site with volunteers, followed by a van ride to their Day Center. In the evening, guests return to the host site, where volunteers provide dinner and spend some quality time. The evening hours are for homework, relaxing, and family fun time, as they would be with any family. Each day begins with the family together, and ends with the family all together, under one roof.

Their programs also include Prevention from Homelessness and a Road to Success. For more details visit their website at www.familypromisehcr.org

January 26 – Solito by Javier Zamara (Darlene Smith leads discussion)

A memoir of a nine year old boy making the long arduous journey alone from El Salvador to the United States. A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home. Everyone who has any anti-immigrant sentiments need to read this, and it is gripping. 2022, 416 pp.

The UUCV Book Group meets at 6:30 pm on the 4th Sunday of each month for a lively, thoughtful discussion on our worship ZOOM channel https://zoom.us/my/uucvpa

There will be a short town hall TODAY following worship. The Finance Committee will share mid-year financial information as well as a few budget revisions.

On Monday, December 9 the Downstairs will be closed for floor cleaning and waxing. The Downstairs will remain closed on Tuesday, December 10 for drying.

Staff will be working remotely on these days. The Upstairs floors will be scheduled for 2025 and dates will be shared when scheduled. Thanks for your cooperation.

Volunteers will be needed to help move some tables/chairs from the dining room into the classrooms following the town hall on December 8. See Paula Terry or Denny Stone.

The Choir will seing “In December” a lovely choral piece for the holidays. on Sunday December 22nd. Rehearsals will be right after church on the following Sundays.
Today-will hand out the music for those who are at service and have a rehearsal. TODAY, December 15, December 22 before serivce at. 9:45

Please inform Carole if you need babysitting services. [email protected]

Are you interested in personal and spiritual development? Do you consider yourself a life-long learner? Would you like to deepen your connections with fellow congregants and friends of UUCV? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then the Adult Religious Education (RE) group might be just what you’re looking for.

Join us on Sunday January 5th at 9 AM in the boardroom for a planning session where we will propose and decide upon the topics for our next series of Adult RE classes to be held February through May. The planning session will last approximately one hour. If you can’t make the meeting in-person, you can join via Zoom using this link: https://zoom.us/my/meetingsuucv.

Questions? Reach out at any time to Keith Bittinger at [email protected]

On SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, we will deliver a special HOLIDAY DINNER to the CARES Resource Center on W Penn St in Carlisle. This meal will need to feed at least 40-50 people.
Your donated items can be brought to the church kitchen & labeled for CARES, or to the church parking lot between 3:00-3:30 on Sunday, December 15.

Please sign up by emailing Pam [email protected] at the church office.

2 Large Hams – Cash or Check donations needed to purchase from Costco.

SIDE DISHES-Potato, Pasta, Vegetable Casseroles At least 5 or 6 Large ones Suggestions : potato casseroles, broccoli casseroles, spinach dishes, baked corn, Mixed Roasted Veggies, Baked Squash

BUTTER – 2 lbs.

HOLIDAY COOKIES – At least 6 Dozen needed

Cultures all over the world have used spirals to represent internal paths and provide opportunities for reflections. In the cold, dark nights of winter, we look forward to the winter solstice as it means the days will begin to get longer again.
Join us as we walk the Solstice Spiral, a magical and meaningful winter solstice ritual that offers us a unique opportunity for self-reflection about the past year and a space for intention setting as we move through the season of the cold, dark winter.

We will meet at 6:00 PM in the Dining Room.

The grades are in! The news is good! The Bursary girls are doing well. Your gifts allow these girls to receive a secondary education. $445 completely funds one girl for one year. Smaller donations pay paper and notebooks, school uniforms, or a nutritious breakfast.
You can write a check to UUCV with “Bursary” in the memo line. You can also scan the QR code in the Order of Service or click on the link in the chat box during the Offering. If you use a third-party vendor, they may take a portion of your donation as a service fee.

Our auction was a great success and hope all of you that attended had a wonderful time. AND….the really good news is there are still events open for anyone to sign-up for. Please check out the sign-ups on the Auction Table in the Social Hall. Sign up for the event you want and send payment to Pam in the office with “Auction” written in the memo line.

December 12 7:00 PM Christmas Sing-a-Long $20 (Susan Vernon & Carole Knisely)

January 24 6 – 8:30 PM Date Night Drop Off $25 ($10 each additional child) (Lynn Sodora and Pam Martin)

January 31 6:30 PM Before, During & After for Poetry Lovers $30 (Wendy Gebb and Cheryl Parsons)

Mitten Tree Collection has begun. We will be collecting NEW winter gloves, mittens, scarves, hats and thick socks through Sunday, December 15th. All items will be donated to Community CARES in Carlisle.

On Wednesday, December 18, UUCV will host the Red Cross Blood Drive in our Social Hall. We need 2 robust helpers to move some tables around 9:00 am. Margie Akin (who is 91 but doesn’t look a day over 90) as well as Rebecca Fratantuono (who is much younger) will be coming in to close up but AGAIN, could use a little muscle help to put tables back where they belong. If you can help either at 9:00am or 5:00pm, please email Pam [email protected]

These classes will be held on Sunday mornings beginning at 9:00 am in the Board Room or join via Zoom at https://zoom.us/my/meetingsuucv (572 887 2212).

December 15: What does activism look like in your life?

Maybe you’re a seasoned activist, or maybe an aspiring one, or maybe activism has never really been your thing. We’ll have an open discussion of what activism looks like in our lives and consider the different forms activism can take.

Christian, UU, or somewhere in between, there’s something special about December 24th. Join us to discover the wonder of Christmas Eve.

Our candlelight service will begin at 6:00 on December 24.

Check out UUCV Announcements on our website www.uucv.org under NEWS or https://uucv.org/about/news/announcements-2-2/