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Friday, November 25, 2022   We acknowledge that our campus is located on traditional, unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinabeg Territory, and that the work of reconciliation is a responsibility of our congregation, and of all Canadians.   Sunday, November 27, 2022 Online AND In Person (masks required) Starts at 10:00am The Blessings of Imperfection ~ Reverend Eric Meter As this coming Saturday, Dec 3, marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, this morning FirstU member Christine Switzer will share some reflections as someone living with blindness and Rev Eric offers a perspective on Leonard Cohen's immortal words, "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." ​ Please Note: There will be NO Fellowship Hour after service this Sunday. We encourage members and observers to attend our online Fall Congregational Meeting. Click HERE to register in advance and receive the zoom link. Click Here For Service Information This Sunday is the last day of Friendship Finders! Our theme will be "Why we love our UU Community" and we'll have a fun snack to celebrate the completion of our Friendship Finders curriculum. During December we'll focus on Christmas activities, including Spreading Christmas Cheer and celebrating the Christmas season at Messy Church (see below). Children's Religious Exploration Info Join us for Messy Church! Sunday, December 4 10am in the NOW Room Kids 8 and under (plus parents and grandparents) can join us next Sunday, December 4, in the NOW Room for our monthly Messy Church service! December's Messy Church will have a Christmas theme, including a pancake breakfast, DIY ornaments, a festive sing-along, and a story read by an Elf! We'll have a collection box available for your Spreading Christmas Cheer non-perishable donations: Details HERE. Our Fall Congregational Meeting After reconsidering timing and logistics of an in-person meeting, we have decided to present the Fall Congregational Meeting as a ZOOM-only meeting again this year. The Fall Congregational Meeting will be THIS SUNDAY, November 27th starting at 1:00pm. Please plan to join the Meeting early, around 12:30pm, to socialize and to register for voting if you are a Member. All attendees will need to pre-register to receive a personalized Zoom link for the Meeting. The pre-registration link is available here. The Meeting will approve the 2023 budget, elect members to the nominating committee, and discuss our Charitable Purposes. The Agenda and all meeting materials are posted on the Members' Page; you may contact the office if you forgot the password or you need help accessing the materials. If you are a Member and cannot attend, please arrange for a Proxy to vote for you; see the meeting materials for details. Pledge Campaign Status By the Numbers We are encouraged with the Financial Target progress while concerned with the comparatively low Participation. The current 2023 PC metrics are: 63% Participation achieving almost 97% of our financial target. Your pledging Participation, no matter what the amount, will help us move towards at least an 80% Participation level (our historical level).Your Pledge demonstrates your connection with and commitment to FirstU. Click HERE for current Pledge Campaign Progress information. The collective Participation (%) is a measure of how together we are as a community. Pledging Participation is our primary focus. Reaching or exceeding the financial target ($335K) is a natural outcome of our Participation in Pledging. Achieving a Participation of over 80% correlates directly to providing and improving upon our valued Programs and Services. If you are having trouble with the Pledge, please contact the Pledge Campaign Team (Michelle, Terry, Larry) at stewardship@firstunitarianottawa.ca so we can assist you in making your 2023 pledge either by email or phone if preferred. Pledge Calling to those still un-pledged has begun. If you receive a call, please welcome the Caller, and engage with them in conversation about pledging and its critical importance. You may state your Pledged amount and method of contributing towards your pledged amount over the phone in confidence to the Caller. Cleary Detour In Effect Effective as of November 21, people will use the new detour for Cleary Avenue to enter our campus. Please drive slowly and pay attention to new detour signage. See details on Cleary Detour page. Spiritually Alive IntervUUs Are you a proud Unitarian Universalist, interested in helping us define what we believe at FirstU? We're looking for congregants to record a personal video testimony (with minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels) that briefly answers all or most of the following questions in 4 minutes or less. Allison, our Communications specialist, will then edit parts of all received videos into new media that we can display on our website and youtube channel, as well as share on social media to give the public an idea of who we are as a spiritually diverse congregation. What is my name and faith background / In addition to UUism, which faiths are part of my life? What got me interested in Unitarian Universalism? Was that before or after I started practicing my other faith(s)? How do my other faiths and Unitarian Universalism complement each other? And what do I love about that? Is there anything else I would like to talk about? For those unsure of how to record a personal video or who need assistance in doing so, please contact Carl. Please send all completed videos to the email address below and if the video is too large to send by email, please upload to your favorite online file sharing service and send the link to the file to: publications@firstunitarianottawa.ca The subject line of your email should be “FirstU Spirituality Video - [your first and last name]”. In This Email - Click the Heading to Jump to the Section Our Fall Congregational Meeting Pledge Campaign Status By the Numbers Cleary Detour In Effect Spiritually Alive IntervUUs Congregational Focus: Climate Action Caring Contacts for November In Memoriam Read All About It! Upcoming Events Weekly Calendar Save the Date Unitarian Universalist nUUs Chez FirstU Sunday Announcement Submissions Joys and Sorrows eUU Submissions Congregational Focus: Climate Action Our news and activities this week include a report on our Extension Cord Protest, urgent actions you can take - before Monday, November 28 - on Ontario Bill 23, and news about this year's UN Climate Change Conference! Click the green button below to check them out! Click HERE for This Week's Events PLUS Actions You can Take to Protect the Web of Life Caring Contacts for November Marianne Wood - 613-725-3452 Laurie Foster-MacLeod - 613-728-1916 Caring Contacts for December Paul McGinnis - 613-829-7156 Maryan O'Hagan - 613-729-7752 We are all interconnected, interdependent and minister to each other in many ways. Our monthly Caring Contacts take your phone calls and emails when you wish to alert us to a need or a concern or have a joy to celebrate. We try to ensure no one is forgotten and that appropriate help is provided when requested.   In Memoriam Anne Karoline Orton (née Campbell) passed away peacefully at the age of 84 in the company of close family on Tuesday, October 18, 2022. She was an extraordinary woman, a wonderful artist, and a loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend. You can find her full obituary here. Read All About It! Want to help CRE spread Christmas Cheer? Keep an eye out for our Gift Box Sign (left) at church this weekend. You'll be able to choose an item to donate to a family in need through the Youville Centre. Details HERE. Unitarian GoGo's Christmas Bake Sale! Click HERE to see the list of available goodies - Baking, Maple Syrup, Honey, and More! Place your order between Monday, November 28 and Friday, December 9 at noon. Pick up: Sunday, December 11, 11am - noon. All proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. Knitting Group - Annual Mitten Sale FirstU's Knitting Group will be selling their hand-knit winter woolies at church on Sunday, December 11 from 9:30am to 10am. Purchase a pair or three for the Mitten Tree and help out families in need! Upcoming Events FirstU's Fall Congregational Meeting Sunday, November 27 - 1:00pm On Zoom The Meeting will approve the 2023 budget, elect members to the nominating committee, and discuss our Charitable Purposes. Please join the meeting at 12:30pm. Non-voting congregants are welcome to observe: Please register HERE to get the zoom link. Trivia Quiz Night Monday, November 28 - 7:00pm Join us for our Trivia Quiz!  Questions are diverse, fun, and taken from several sources, and there is no need to feel embarrassed about getting an incorrect answer: players score themselves!  All you need is a pen or pencil, paper and your "thinking cap".  Play alone or team up with a partner or two! For more information, email Andrew. ZOOM LINK     Meeting ID: 841 2565 4674     Passcode: 222371 Wednesday Evening Mindfulness Meditation Wednesday, November 30 - 7:30pm We support our individual and group practice of meditation, sharing perspectives and intentionally cultivating attitudinal behaviours like beginners' mind, loving kindness, compassion, trust, patience and letting go ~ all keys to mindfulness. All are welcome. ZOOM LINK     Meeting ID: 816 9549 3510     Passcode: 203029 FirstU Virtual Discussion Circle Thursday, December 1 - 1:30pm Discussion circles are held weekly, with a different topic each week. This week, we plan to discuss: "Freedom". No pre-registration is required, just drop in by clicking on the link. We look forward to seeing you! If you have ideas for future discussion topics, please email Andrew. ZOOM LINK     Meeting ID: 638 009 136     Password: 897007 Friday Reading for Growth Book Club Friday, December 2 - 1:30pm On Zoom Our next book, The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis, is a non-fiction thriller, describing research by "heroes" who predict the next pandemic, recommending the best public health responses in a worst-case scenario even before Covid 19. It details how governments failed to recognize the science and respond to that research.  Copies of this New York Times bestseller are available at Ottawa Public Library. Contact Clea Derwent for the Zoom link and join our friendly discussion. Into the Light - Choir Concert Sunday, December 4 - 4:30pm Worship Hall By Donation The choirs of First Unitarian present "Into the Light", a concert moving from dark to light around the themes of hope, loss, renewal, and perseverance. For further details, check out our Music page! Click HERE for Special Events at FirstU and Beyond Weekly Calendar Please contact your regular group leader for meeting details. Contact info can be found on the congregation's calendar. The link for Sunday Service can be found on the website homepage or on our Youtube Page. For inquiries or to join a group, email the office for information. Friday, November 25 8:00am Men's Breakfast 1:30pm Friday Reading for Growth Saturday, November 26 9:30am Spirituality and Philosophy Group Sunday, November 27 10:00am Sunday Service Online AND In-Person Children's Religious Exploration 11:00am Justice and Equality Fair Trade Goods Sale 12:30pm Voter Registration for Fall Congregational Meeting 1:00pm Fall Congregational Meeting on zoom Save the Date FirstU's Annual Mitten Tree Service Sunday, December 11 - 10:00am Join us for our annual Mitten Tree Service on Sunday, December 11! Bring mittens and other winter woolies to hang on our tree - or purchase them before the service from FirstU's Knitting Group (immediately before the service, starting at 9:30am) - for donation to local families in need. Take part in our FirstU tradition by walking our Advent Spiral together. Drop off your non-perishable Christmas Cheer food items with Neo. AND Don't forget to collect your pre-ordered Christmas Baking from the Unitarian GoGos during Fellowship Hour. EarthSpeaks: Crossing Canada in an EV Tuesday, December 13 - 7:00pm Join the Environmental Action Group for our December EarthSpeaks.  It will be A Holiday Treat! Renew ties with our faraway friend and former FirstU congregant Reverend Frances Deverell, who will acquaint you with the pleasures and challenges of travelling across Canada in an EV. Watch for the registration link. Unitarian Universalist nUUs Information about events and activities at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa can be found by reading the latest UUFO Friday Notes. Canadian Unitarian Council Information about all the upcoming CUC events can be found on their Events Page. Chez FirstU Chamberfest City Series Presents: Moss Trio Wednesday, December 7 - 7:00pm Worship Hall at FirstU Moss Trio will be performing some of their favourite Goldberg Variations and pieces by Enescu, Perkinson, and Weiner. Click HERE for tickets and details. Stories, Songs, and Santa Causes with Tom Jackson Sunday, December 11 - 7:00pm Worship Hall at FirstU Tom Jackson kickstarts the holiday season with grace, style, and quirky festivity. Tickets available through Harmony Concerts. Christmas Caravan with the Sultans of String Monday, December 19 - 7:30pm Worship Hall at FirstU Celebrate the season with an adventurous musical trip around the world! Tickets available through Harmony Concerts. Share the eUU with your friends using the share buttons below Share Tweet Forward Click HERE to download a printable PDF of this week's eUU Sunday Announcement Submissions If you would like an announcement made during the livestreamed Sunday Service, Please email the Board of Directors at bod@firstunitarianottawa.ca by Friday at 10am. Do allow for time in case there are questions with regard to the announcement.  Also note that announcements may need to be edited for length and that time-sensitive announcements may be prioritized. Joys and Sorrows If you would like a stone placed in the water for you during the Joys and Sorrows portion of an upcoming Sunday Service, please email Reverend Eric by Friday at 10am. eUU Submissions Submit your eUU messages for consideration to publications@firstunitarianottawa.ca no later than Wednesday at noon of the week you want your announcement or event to appear. Submissions may be edited for length. 80 words or fewer, please. Allison, our Communications Coordinator, works Thursdays and Fridays. Our contact information: 30 Cleary Ave, Ottawa, ON K2A 4A1 613-725-1066 firstunitarianottawa.ca uuoffice@firstunitarianottawa.ca  Email Copyright © 2022 First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

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