No in-person church-sponsored activities, including worship services, until at least May 2021.
Please read our message here for full information.
This Month
May
- Accotink is for Art Lovers, Sat., May 1, 7 PM
- Racial Justice Committee Meeting, Sun., May 2, 7 PM
- nUUners Discussion, Mon., May 10, 11 AM
- Poetry Group, Wed., May 12, 7:30 PM
- 8th Principle Town Hall, Sun., May 16, after service
- Women’s Book Discussion Group, Tues., May 18, 1 PM
- Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, Wed., May 19, 7 PM
- Racial Justice Committee Meeting, Thu., May 20, 7 PM
- Trivia Night, Sat., May 22, 7:30 PM
- Racial Justice Discussion on Education, Sun., May 23, after service
- John Simmons Celebration of Life, Sun., May 23, 2 PM
- nUUners Discussion, Mon., May 24, 11 AM
- Moving Forward with Compassion, Tues., May 25, 7:30 PM
Upcoming Events
- Film Discussion: State of Pride, Sun., Jun 20
See what happened at our past events – check out our Event Photos page
Coffee Hour Every Sunday
All members, friends, and visitors are welcome to stay after service each week for greetings and coffee hour at approximately 11 AM. Grab yourself some refreshments and join in discussion about the service or catch up with your church friends.
Parent Support Group
Take a few minutes to check in with your fellow AUUC parents! Plan to listen and share your current concerns and joys. We will have an hour to chat on the third Tuesday of every month at 8 pm. Bring something to drink, your secret candy, a craft project, or all of the above! Join the Zoom Meeting here (Meeting ID: 934 6296 2161
Passcode: 326174). Questions? Contact the DSD ([email protected]) or see the AUUC Parenting Facebook page.
Pastoral Care Team
We wish to let you know that we are always available to you with a friendly ear and conversation. If you are in need due to an illness, injury, the effects of isolation, or some other challenge, please reach out to us. Our contact email is [email protected].
A Heartfelt Letter from Reverend Dr. Pippin Whitaker
Rev. Pippin has announced her departure. She would greatly appreciate it if you took a moment to read this letter.
Join the nUUners Discussions
This popular AUUC informal discussion group currently meets via Zoom on the second and fourth Mondays of the month from 11 a.m. to noon. nUUners members suggest topics and lead discussions. If you are interested in joining the group, please email Sandy B or [email protected] for more information.
- May 10: How and When Did You Decide to Become a UU?
- May 24: Plastics in the environment: How much and where?
Trivia Night!
Trivia Night, May 22, 7:30 PM
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/94400762426
Meeting ID: 944 0076 2426
Social Justice Study Issue News
Please join us for these upcoming events. Our theme for May is Education.
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2nd Racial Justice Sponsored 8TH PRINCIPLE TOWN HALL, May 16, 2021, 11:15 am – 12:00 pm (after church service): What is the 8th Principle? Where did it come from? Why is it Important? How does it relate to Beloved Community? What does it mean for accountability? Join the Racial Justice Committee for a discussion and Question/Answer period. Want to prepare beforehand? Watch these documentaries on the history in the UUA (Rev. Pippin spoke about this history and the need to pass the 8th Principle on 4/25/21): Wilderness Journey: The Struggle for Black Empowerment and Racial Justice within the UUA 1967-1970 and How Strong is Our Faith With and Without the 8th Principle. It is recommended to watch Wilderness Journey first.
- Racial Justice Committee Meeting, May 20, 2021, 7:00 – 8:30 pm – (All are welcome). Contact [email protected] for link.
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Racial Justice DISCUSSION ON EDUCATION, May 23, 2021, 11:15 am – 12:00 pm (after church service): What does equity in education mean? How do we help ALL students feel supported and included? What changes are being made now and what changes do we need to advocate for? Join new member Elizabeth H. for this important discussion.
Women’s Book Discussion Group
The Women’s Book Discussion Group will meet via Zoom May 18th at 1:00 pm to discuss The Righteous mind: why good people are divided by politics and religion by Jonathan Haidt. Members of the group will receive a Zoom invitation before the meeting.
Remember that all who identify as women — Accotinkers and friends — who like a good read and friendly discussion are welcome to attend or drop in at any of these meetings. For more information, contact Sandy B, or [email protected].
Click here for upcoming schedule.
In Memory of John M. Simmons
John Simmons passed away at his home on April 13, 2021 at the age of 93. John was born in Nanticoke PA to Sophia and John Zimski on January 8, 1928. He spent four years in the Navy at the end of WW II and graduated with a BA from Bucknell University and a Masters Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. John worked in government at the local and federal levels throughout his career. He spent the last 50 years painting over 300 paintings.
John was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Ruth Ann. He is survived by his daughters, Judy and Sara, and cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held virtually on May 23rd at 2:00 PM with the Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church.
To join the memorial on May 23 at 2 PM by Zoom, click here. To join by phone, Dial: 1-301-715-8592; Meeting ID: 881 0027 4018; Passcode: 264347.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the The Virginia Home, 1101 Hampton Street, Richmond, VA 23220 or Accotink UU Church Memorial Fund, 10125 Lakehaven Ct, Burke, VA 22015
The Pastoral Care Team invites you to an online seminar: Moving Forward with Compassion
with Laura Banks
May 25, 7:30 to 8:30 pm
None of us could have imagined this past year but here we are in a moment of tremulous transition. Given what we have been through, it is natural to feel a mix of hope, anxiety, relief, fear, and whole host of other things. This is simply part of being human.
But so is compassion – our ability to be aware of suffering and to respond with care and concern. Research shows that as we cultivate lovingkindness and patience for ourselves, we are better able to integrate and grow from life’s challenges. Compassion training can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and enhance our connection with others as we become more capable of engaging with others from a place of non-judgment.
Please join the Pastoral Care Team on line with Laura Banks who will lead an interactive Exploration of Compassion on May 25, 7:30 to 8:30 pm.
Learn about the neuroscience of compassion and self-compassion, the difference between empathy and compassion, and how self-compassion can help us process difficult experiences to move forward with courage as individuals, families, and communities, vitally important as we emerge from our pandemic isolations.
About Laura Banks
Laura Banks is a Certified Compassion Cultivation Training© (CCT) Instructor, dual-certified by Compassion Institute and Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE).
Join Zoom Meeting – May 25, 7:30pm
https://zoom.us/j/95196838817?pwd=R0U1MXJIQmlWaENVdklVamdrVytBdz09
Meeting ID: 951 9683 8817 Passcode: 726452
AUUC’s Weekend Meal Packs: Last Request this School Year!
You and your family can help by signing up to assemble and donate one or more meal packs, each filled with all 10 of the specific food items needed and zipped inside a gallon-size ziplock bag with a slider.
Select which week and “no-later-than” date you’d like to drop off your meal packs, and then sign up for the number you’d like to provide.
The last step is to drop off your completed meal packs at the home of either Shelley B in Fairfax or Ed & Mary K in Fairfax Station. After you sign-up, we will send a confirming message with address(es) of the two designated drop-off locations. There will be a secure bin (black with a yellow cover) outside their homes for you to leave your meal packs.
The SignUp Genius link includes complete descriptions of each of the 10 specific food items needed for each meal pack. Photos and descriptions are also posted on AUUC’s website Meal Pack Food Items List.
If you have any questions, please contact Shelley B or [email protected]
On behalf of the Social Justice Committee, thank you so much for your support of our No Child Goes Hungry/Accotink Program.
Photo: A good memory from 2019….and our Halley ES partnership is still thriving.
AUUC Annual Pledge Drive
The AUUC Annual Pledge Drive to fund our fiscal 2021-2022 budget will be running in an abridged format this year. The Pledge Drive will kick-of on Easter Sunday, April 4, and run through Sunday May 2. With just 4 weeks of activity, we’ll all need to start thinking about this year’s theme of Financial Justice for All.
In the interim, Dave M, AUUC’s Pledge Campaign Chair, is looking for volunteers to help with canvassing. He is also looking forward to announcing a new opportunity this year for donors to submit Perpetual Sustaining Pledges! Please mark your calendars with this year’s Pledge Campaign Dates (4/4/21 – 5/2/21) and feel free to reach out to Dave with any questions or to express interest in volunteering to help with this year’s campaign. ([email protected]; 571-216-7731)
Your Pledge Information on Realm
There is a new feature in Realm!!! Just in time for the Annual Pledge campaign, you can find your 2020 pledge in Realm. Later this year, you will be able to see your annual giving data, as well. Of course, all of this is private, so only you can see it.
Please log on today to update your profile so that our 2021 Pledge Team can use your best contact info (email, phone, home address). Realm member login. If you haven’t accepted an invitation to Realm, please do so and use this guide to help you: Tutorial: Logging On and Updating your Profile.
Giving for the Long-Term Health of AUUC
There are now two options for long term visionary gifts to AUUC: The church’s Endowment Fund and the new Chrysalis Fund to pay off AUUC’s mortgage.
The endowment fund is intended to provide a long-term source of income. The fund is described in AUUC By-Laws and governed by policy approved by our congregation’s Board of Directors. Once the fund reaches a certain threshold, it can provide a steady source of income to support the growth and long-term vitality of the church. For example, after the fund balance reaches $1 million, an annual dividend of about $40,000 might be used to support a growth-oriented AUUC project, person or program that the church could not otherwise afford.
As of the end of February, AUUC has over $140,000 invested, and bequests totaling over $300,000. If you are interested in designating AUUC in your will or living trust or as a beneficiary of an investment, in contributing a charitable gift to honor a family member or friend, or in transferring an IRA required minimum distribution or other appreciated securities, please contact Steve Brown or any endowment committee member.
AUUC has also started the Chrysalis Fund, dedicated to paying down the Church’s mortgage. By paying off our principal early, the Church will have more money available in its annual operating budget to dedicate to our programs and our community impact. With several kick-starter donations, we now have raised over $70,000. A portion of the funds have been put into a reserve mortgage fund, with all additional donations going straight to paying off our debt early. If you would like to make a donation to this fund, please contact Reverend Pippin ([email protected]) or Joe T ([email protected]).
If you plan to donate to either of these funds, we ask that you maintain your annual pledge contribution. Our top priority, in accord with financial best practices, is to maintain a healthy annual pledge goal of $330,000.
2021 General Assembly
Are you interested in a meaningful life experience without leaving your home? Go to the UUA’s virtual General Assembly, “Circle Round for Justice.” The Assembly will convene June 23-27, 2020.
AUUC Virtual Yard Sale
Looking for treasures or do you have some to get rid of? As a service to our members and friends, and with a side benefit of raising some extra funds for the church, we are doing a COVID-safe virtual yard sale. How does it work? Click here to find out.
May Outreach: Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources, NoVA
AUUC’s May Outreach Collection is for Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources (OAR) of Northern Virginia, a local nonprofit that helps rebuild lives and break the cycle of incarceration through its multifaceted programs for offenders and their families.
Mr. Brandon Cosby, Director of Development with OAR, who will join us during the service on Sunday to talk about OAR.
OAR provides Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources to persons involved with the justice system, from persons being charged with a first-time misdemeanor to returning citizens with felony convictions. Established in 1971, OAR has broad support in the community.
OAR-NOVA professionals and volunteers work with persons involved in the criminal justice system and their families in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties. Their diversion programs include giving persons without a criminal record who are charged with a non-violent misdemeanor the opportunity to complete community service in lieu of a conviction.
For those incarcerated, OAR begins intervention with inmates and their families six months before release, making plans for successful re-entry.
Donations may be made online through the AUUC website anytime during May. Click Donate, then check “Monthly Outreach Offerings”. Or you may mail a check to AUUC; make checks payable to AUUC with a note ‘outreach’ in memo line.
Thank you from the Social Justice Committee, sponsor of AUUC Outreach Collections.
Welcome to AUUC
The Greeters Team would like to reach out to welcome you and to provide more information on AUUC. Please provide your contact information to [email protected]. We look forward to connecting with you!
Minister’s Monthly Blog
Check it out here: https://accotinkuu.org/ministers-reflection/
Stay Connected
Help from AUUC Tech Team
The AUUC Tech Team is here to help you access Zoom and other technologies! Please email us at [email protected] for help, and we will be glad to talk by phone or online to guide you through. Technology may have challenges, but it also brings an exciting opportunity for AUUC to stay well connected; we hope you will be as charged up as we are to learn new things and get connected!
Weekly Email
AUUC sends out a weekly email update, “This Week at Accotink.” If you are not receiving this email message each Thursday evening, please send a message to [email protected] and ask to be put on the distribution list.
Rev Pippin’s Virtual Office Hours
In this time of physical distancing, let us be intentional about reaching out. I am holding flexible office hours Tuesday through Saturday, in addition to specific Zoom check-in meetings. You can always reach out to me by email or phone to connect or set a time for a virtual meeting. Note that I am off on Mondays. Here is my information: [email protected]
DSD Office Hours
Ali is available for meetings and chats by appointment on Tuesday-Friday as well at least 3 Sundays a month. Email [email protected]. For Zoom info email [email protected].
Connecting our Kids and Youth
Please see your “This Week” email with information about kids Coffee Hours, Youth Activities, and Parent Support Group meetings.
Connect with the AUUC Community on Facebook
Join and use the private Facebook group “Accotink UU Church Community.” It is there for AUUC Members and Friends to share announcements and discussions related to our church community. In these difficult times, use it for ISO (In Search Of) and Offering Help (if there is something you or your family needs help with or if you can offer to do a specific errand). Many of us are frequently on Facebook so the odds are that such postings will get prompt attention and responses. Facebook group – Accotink UU Church Community: www.facebook.com/groups/
Please Subscribe to the AUUC YouTube Channel!
During this time of virtual worshiping, all of our sermons will be uploaded to YouTube for later viewing. Please be aware that they are not shown publicly on AUUC YouTube channel. If you would like to watch these videos at anytime, use this direct link tinyurl.com/auucvideos. We also need at least 100 subscribers to have a custom URL for our new YouTube channel so please click on the red Subscribe button. Thank you!