Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship ~ BUF.org

December 18, 2019

Enjoy the Glow of Candles, Music, Love and Spirit Here and In Hawaii in January of 2020

Dear BUF Community,

As you know, BUF offers a menu of activities every day of the week. Many in our congregation have discovered one of the most nourishing for our bodies and spirits. That is the UU Taize Service at BUF, led by Rev. Tessie Mandeville. Taize services began in the 1940s by a Swiss man known as Brother Roger, living in a monastic community in Taize, France. Services are now offered all over the world. Thanks to Rev. Tessie and Lisa Heezen, the opportunity for us to enjoy Taize, UU style, began in November 2018. Those who attend, experience the mystery, wonder and transcendence that loving communities can provide through music, poetry, chants, silence, beauty, and

candlelight.

Rick Hermann describes the experience this way: “The Taize service at BUF on the evening of each first Monday has given me a gift—an hour of worship that I anticipate every month. For me, Taize offers a welcome respite at a time in my journey when it feels as though I often go begging for answers, seeking and getting clarity on hard choices I need to make, some of them leading to beginnings, some of them to endings. Some to be done alone, some to be faced with help from the deep wisdom of those around me….” During the evening, “I return to the truth that I don’t need to struggle alone and in loneliness, and that I can be held and kept whole for a time, trusting for the moment in the strength of others.” To experience the magic, warmth, and glow of Taize, put Monday, Jan. 6th, 2020, from 7 to 8 p.m. into your calendar. See for yourself. Consider, too, dreams materialize when UU members put their faith into action. Beth Beyers is a member of BUF and also the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Honolulu, Hawaii. In September, she told Tessie that the Honolulu UU church wanted to start Taize services. She wrote: “I really want those services to be as good as yours. So I have this dream of bringing you and accompanist Andrea Rackl to Oahu.” On Tuesday, January 14th, Rev. Tessie, Lisa, Andrea, and additional adventurers will launch Taize in Honolulu, as an extension of our Community Ministry. If your schedule and budget allow, you, too, can join in. To do so, contact Rev. Tessie for more details. On behalf of the Taize leadership team: Lisa Heezen, Leslie McFee, Rev. Tessie Mandeville, Steffany Raynes, Andrea Reams, Betty Scott and Lin Skavdahl, I’ll conclude with a heartfelt: Welcome to Taize 2020, a nourishing endeavor of spirit and wonder! Betty Scott

Upcoming Sunday Services December 22 Solstice Quiet – Rev Paul Beckel The winter solstice brings us into direct encounter and inescapable awareness of the rhythms of nature — within which the sacred circle of life turns and turns. December 24 - Candle Light Christmas Eve Service - Impossible, Improbable Hope Led by the Rev. Barbara W. ten Hove with Carrie Koehnline, Celebrant 7pm Service Come share the light as we honor the powerful hope that arises even amidst struggle and pain. We will hear (and sing!) beautiful music, listen to meaningful words, sit in the darkness and light candles of hope. Bring your family and friends! December 29 From Mystery to Possibility This service will be a bridge from our December theme of “Mystery” into our January theme of “Possibility.” We’ll weave together the musical and poetic inspirations of several BUFsters on this cusp of the new year. Special music by J.P. Falcon Grady and others.

Christmas Eve—Candlelight Service: “Impossible, Improbable Hope”

BUF will be holding a Christmas Eve service on Christmas Eve, December 24, at 7pm. The service will be led by the Reverend Barbara ten Hove and Celebrant Carrie Koehnline, and the choir will be directed by Kevin Allen-Schmid with collaborative pianist Melanie Rieck. For this occasion, we will form a one-time special choir, which will rehearse from 6:45pm until 8pm on two Wednesdays, Dec 11 and Dec 18. Then on the 24th itself, the choir will meet at 6pm to rehearse before the 7pm service.

We are inviting singers from BUF and the wider community to join this one-time special choir, and we hope that those singers will invite their singing friends as well. Participants need to commit to both Wednesday rehearsals, and to arrive on the 24th by 6pm.The choir will prepare two utterly gorgeous but simple pieces: “Gesu Bambino” and “In This Very Room.” Printed copies are available now at regular BUF choir rehearsals or from Ann Stevenson, choir librarian, or you can email Kevin to send you PDFs of the scores. I hope you are able to join us! Please RSVP via email Kevin Allen-Schmid at kevin@buf.org.

This year, we observe the traditional Christmas Eve special collection for Interfaith and the Family

Promise program. Family Promise and other programs of the Interfaith Coalition provide desperately needed services to our community. Please consider how your donation will help the

unhoused. BUF’s 30+ volunteers have seen so many families come through Family Promise - 94% of whom graduate into stable, long-term housing. Interfaith provides an umbrella of connection

services. Your donations help this work to continue. ~ Ann Stevenson, BUF Coalition rep and Family Promise Volunteer Coordinator

Music to look forward to at BUF: There is some incredibly wonderful music coming up at BUF, with a great variety of vocal and instrumental selections on Sundays. Mark your calendars, and we’ll see you there! ~BUF Music Director Kevin Allen-Schmid December theme: Mystery 22 Special Music provided by the Kusick Family 24 One-time, volunteer choir for Christmas Eve Service (with rehearsals on Dec 11 & 18)

will sing “Gesu Bambino” and “In This Very Room” 29 Special Music coordinated by Melanie Rieck

SOUPER budget BOWL SUNDAY Be a team player and take part in the conversation about next year’s budget at our first annual SOUPER budget BOWL SUNDAY, January 12 at noon. The Operations Team is hosting a soup and salad potluck where, after a brief explanation about BUF’s budgeting process, we’ll be soliciting input for our coming year’s budget. Please help us to reflect on what budget decisions would most benefit BUF as a whole to fulfill its mission. Please contact Genia (genia@buf.org) if you will bring soup so we can plan accordingly. Others are asked to bring salads, bread, cheese or fruit to

share.

This will be a fun time for fellowship while helping us reach our fiscal goals. Come join us for the best game and best soup in town! Building Your Own Theology Sundays 4:00-6:00 January 12 Deadline for Registering is coming right up – Dec 20th!

“If we are living, breathing, hurting, laughing, crying, questing human beings, it is impossible not to be theologians” *

Building Your Own Theology is a seven-week course that invites participants to explore their fundamental religious beliefs and develop their personal credo through writing-based reflection and theological conversation. The course is offered by Loretta Willems, who has taught courses in liberal theology at other UU churches as well as Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, Illinois. Loretta studied theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, where she received the Ph.D. in Theology & the Arts and M.A. in Philosophical Theology. The course is based on readings from Richard Gilbert’s Building Your Own Theology (2000). If you wish to take the course please contact Genia Allen-Schmid, Director of Life Long Learning, at genia@BUF.org and pay $16 by December 20. Genia will take care of ordering the books for everyone December 21 so they arrive before the first class.

Camp Organizers Needed!

Do you love the All Church Retreat? Is Camp Kirby, or the idea of a church camp, important to you? Then be a part of a Camp Planning Committee. We need to muster a group of at least three committed people to lead the charge in order to ensure we have camp next year. If you are interested in being a camp organizer please contact Genia Allen-Schmid at genia@buf.org. Let’s keep this great community-building tradition going.

DECEMBER - RE Schedule The month of Mystery

Dec. 22 ART Sunday Everyone will be creating a special chalice to take home, along with a packet of suggested activities to enjoy with your family in the weeks and months ahead. Dec. 29 Preschool only

Caroling and hot chocolate party on Sunday, Dec 22!

5:00-8:00 pm Join us for BUF's all-ages Caroling Night! The festivities kick off at 5 pm with dinner in the social hall ($5/person, $12 for families with small children), followed by caroling

through the neighborhood, and then cookies, cocoa, and seasonal story-telling back at BUF.

Calling all 9th through 12th graders! YOUTH GROUP is starting up again!

Come join us upstairs in The Loft Sunday, January 12, from 4:00 until 5:30 for pizza, games, and brainstorming. You all will determine which issues and topics we’ll explore this year, so be there to hear about the options and give your input. We have a great leadership team, including Jamie Sayegh and Ren Ohana who were youth group members at BUF just a few years ago, as well as Cat McIntyre, Ro Donelson and Amoret Heise. This year we will follow a rotating model each month and mix it up with different Sundays focused on learning, field trips, or social action – with fun scheduled in too of course. We will dedicate one Sunday a month to just socializing. Have fun with other young UUs and learn how you can take our values into the world. See you January 12! If you have questions please contact Genia Allen-Schmid, Director of Life Long Learning at genia@buf.or

WANTED!! Cookies for our BUF Caroling Night Sunday, December 22! Bring your favorite holiday cookies and drop them off at BUF at 5:00 that evening. Please contact Genia at genia@BUF.org if you can make a contribution. Thanks!

Season's Greetings! From the Coffee House Team Winter is upon us, and as the nights get longer and darker, and the holiday stress reaches its peak, wouldn't it be nice to take a breather for an evening and join your friends and neighbors for the sharing of music, spoken word, and snacks? Our coffeehouse open mic is a casual, cozy atmosphere and we warmly welcome sharers and listeners alike. This month the event falls on Friday, December 20th. Sign-up by 6:15, and performances begin at 6:30. More information in the attached flier. We hope to see you there! The Coffeehouse Team Betty, Virginia, Angie, Mark, Debu, Jeff, and Rae.

Lydia Place SEJC special collection Recipient for December

Lydia Place is a non-profit community-based agency serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Whatcom County. Lydia Place was founded in l989 by caring women from “Church Women United”, including two women from BUF. Over the years BUF support has been essential to Lydia Place. Currently in Bellingham, 25% of our homeless population are children. Lydia Place is committed to providing intensive and evidence-based parenting education in an enriching and safe environment This year’s SEJC collection will help support Gladstone House, Lydia Place’s Transitional Housing Program for mothers and children. The children of Gladstone House come from the trauma of homelessness, the stress of poverty, and oftentimes the fear of witnessing violence against their mothers. Specifically, funds will be used to provide one-on-one parenting sessions, case management, and mental health counseling.

Please note: during the Holidays the MWU publishing schedule will change. Wednesday, December 18th is the last newsletter till after Christmas. The next MWU is Friday, Dec 27th. Our first newsletter in the New Year will be January 8th and then we will be back with regular weekly publication.

Community Life

Holiday Breads Spread – Bakers Wanted! This year BUF’s fabulous Celebration of Holiday Breads will take place on Sunday December 22nd during Coffee Hour. By tradition, the breads spread takes place the Sunday before Christmas and gives the bakers among us an opportunity to share their talents. For the past few years, we’ve enjoyed sampling from five tables heavily laden with yeast breads, rolls and coffee cakes, including many gluten free items. It is a beautiful sight behold, and a joy to taste! But, to make it happen we need the bakers! Who will contribute some baked goods to the Celebration? Please let Judy Kasper know by email kasper.jm828@gmail.com – or call 360-656-6748. If you have any questions about this long-established tradition, please get in touch with Bev Smith at 360-384-6981.

Looking to discuss and reflect on the Sunday morning service? All are welcome to participate. We meet in the Meditation Room (just off the library downstairs) for 30 minutes every Sunday. Grab some coffee and join us promptly as we close the doors and begin 10 minutes after the service ends

Christmas Day Potluck Dinner At BUF The Thanksgiving Potluck was a big success, so we are expanding to offer a Christmas Potluck this year. Once again, the host will be Mark Allyn. He has a plan to open the social hall around 1pm, with dinner around 3pm. There won’t be Turkey, but BUF is planning to provide a Lasagne entrée, with a vegetarian version. We would make the ovens available

to keep dishes warm and the refrigerators to keep some dishes cold, but we would not do any actual cooking in the kitchen. Please respond to Mark Allyn at allyn@well.com if you plan to come, indicating how many people will be coming with you and what you plan to bring.

Humanitas: At Humanitas, we’ve long maintained that no one needs to go hungry in Whatcom County, thanks to food banks and hot meals served at churches and other venues. Buy recently we learned it isn’t always simple. Several members of an extended family of nine Lummi Tribe members who live on the reservation came to us because their son/father/husband, the family’s breadwinner, had passed away. They were hungry. The Lummi food bank is open only 3 hours a week, on Fridays, making it hard to access sufficient food to last an entire week. While they could make an emergency request, the type and amount of food was quite limited. The deceased man’s adult daughter added that she could obtain food only for herself, as her husband is not Lummi. We also learned that the Bellingham food bank limits distribution to residents of Bellngham proper. And a family that can’t afford to buy food can’t afford gasoline to drive to hot meals a half-hour away. We helped with certificates to Grocery Outlet, saddened to realize that some county residents do go hungry in our midst, despite the safety nets. ~ Humanitas Team

Lummi Food Bank: Lummi Food Bank is operated and staffed by members of Lummi Nation’s Commod Squad. It is a commodity food program for low income Tribal and non-Tribal people who live on the reservation. BUF collects both financial and material donations (see the red shopping cart in the foyer); however, a financial donation allows the Commod Squad to purchase needed food items in bulk, like beans. They also provide food stuffs like milk, cheese, peanut butter and vegetables. When available, it also provides food for pets. The Commod Squad also provides nutrition educational activities for LFB clients; including gardening for fruits and vegetables. Each Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season it provide food baskets to the Lummi Community.

~ Native American Connections Committee

Family Promise: Thanks to BUFsters: Kathy and Jim Fonte, Barbara Davenport, Isa Werny, Bharti and Tom Kirchner, Murray Bennett, Rebecca Cowen, Carol Dukes, Carol and David Smith, Patricia Ashby and Troy Dillard. You all bring such wonderful energy to our guests. Thank you! There is always a need for more volunteers. If you are interested in joining the Family Promise team as a volunteer, contact Ann Stevenson: ann.v.stevenson@gmail.com ~ Family Promise Team

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Fall and Winter Office Hours at BUF Monday through Thursday, 9am-3pm

Minister’s Schedule Tuesday through Friday

BUF Board of Trustees and Officers Rory McLeod, President • Murray Bennett, Vice

President • Melissa E. Swift, Secretary • Sky Hedman, Treasurer • Angie Lindquist, Trustee • David Curley, Trustee Rod Haynes, Trustee •

Debbie Boots, Trustee Bharti Kirchner, Trustee • Rev. Paul Beckel, ex officio

AT A GLANCE: BUF WEEK ACTIVITIES AND MEETINGS

Wednesday, December 18

10:00 am Humanitas

12:00 pm Writers Group

6:00 pm Community Night Dinner

6:45 pm Chalice Choir

8:10 pm Phoenix Ensemble & Treble Voices Thursday, December 19

12:00 pm Gabriel's Art Kids-After School Program

2:00 pm Flowering Cherry Sangha Mindfulness Meditation Group

7:00 pm BUF BOT meeting Friday, December 20

6:30 pm BUF Coffeehouse

Saturday, December 21:

9:00 am 12 Step Meeting Sunday, December 22

10:30 am Worship Service

11:30 am Coffee Hour (Social Hall)-Christmas Breads

11:30 am Post-Service Reflection Discussion

12:00 pm BUF Mens Group

5:00 pm Caroling and Hot Chocolate

6:00 pm ASL Women’s Support Group Monday, December 23

4:30 pm Life Exercise Tuesday, December 24

7:00 pm Christmas Eve Service

7:00 pm 12 Step Group – B

WEDNESDAY NIGHT COMMUNITY DINNER CHILI, REGULAR AND VEGETARIAN

CORN BREAD, REGULAR AND GLUTEN-FREE

GREEN SALAD

BROWNIES, REGULAR AND GF, ICECREAM

SUNDAYS, SPECIAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Friday, December 20

Sunday, December 22

Solstice Quiet – Rev Paul Beckel

10:30 am The winter solstice brings us into direct encounter and inescapable awareness of the rhythms of nature — within which the sacred circle of life turns and turns.

11:30 am Coffee Hour (Social Hall)- Christmas Breads! 11:30 am Post-Service Reflection Discussion 12:00 pm BUF Men’s Group

Caroling and hot chocolate party!

5:00-8:00 pm Join us for BUF's all-ages Caroling Night! The festivities kick off at 5 pm with dinner in the social hall ($5/person, $12 for families with small children), followed by caroling through the neighborhood, and then cookies, cocoa, and seasonal story-telling back at BUF.

Tuesday, December 24

Christmas Eve—Candlelight Service: “Impossible, Improbable Hope”

BUF ‘s Christmas Eve service is at 7:00 pm.

The service will be led by the Reverend Barbara ten Hove and Celebrant Carrie Koehnline, and the choir will be directed by Kevin Allen-Schmid with collaborative pianist Melanie Rieck. Come share the light as we honor the powerful hope that arises even amidst struggle and pain. We will hear (and sing!) beautiful music, listen to meaningful words, sit in the darkness and light candles of hope. Bring your family and friends! The choir will prepare two utterly gorgeous but simple pieces: “Gesu Bambino” and “In This Very Room.” Printed copies are available now at regular BUF choir rehearsals or from Ann Stevenson, choir librarian, or you can email Kevin to send you PDFs of the scores. We hope you are able to join us! Please RSVP via email Kevin Allen-Schmid at kevin@buf.org.

This year we observe the traditional Christmas Eve special collection for Interfaith and the Family

And in the New Year

Monday, January 6

Taize, 7pm in the Sanctuary To experience the magic, warmth, and glow of Taize, put Monday, Jan. 6th, 2020, from 7 to 8 p.m. into your calendar. See for yourself.

Sunday, January 12

SOUPER budget BOWL SUNDAY

Be a team player and take part in the conversation about next year’s budget at our first annual SOUPER budget BOWL SUNDAY, January 12 at noon. The Operations Team is hosting a soup and salad potluck where, after a brief explanation about BUF’s budgeting process, we’ll be soliciting input for our coming year’s budget. Please help us to reflect on what budget decisions would most benefit BUF as a whole to fulfill its mission. Please contact Genia (genia@buf.org) if you will

bring soup so we can plan accordingly. Others are asked to bring salads, bread, cheese or fruit to share. This will be a fun time for

fellowship while helping us reach our fiscal goals. Come join us for the best game in town!

January 24-26th

The Bellingham Folk Festival, an annual and much- beloved three day festival held at BUF! The Bellingham Folk Festival is a celebration of folk music in the heart of beautiful Bellingham, WA on January 24-26, 2020. The festival offers three days of inspiring workshops, performances, dances, and jams for all ages and abilities.

More information at: http://www.thebellinghamfolkfestival.com