No in-person church-sponsored activities, including worship services, until at least May 2021.
Please read our message here for full information.
This Month
March
- Easter Egg Design Contest due date, Sun., Mar 7
- Realm Sip & See, Sun., Mar 7, 12 PM
- Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, Wed., Mar 10, 7 PM
- Poetry Group Meeting, Wed., Mar 10, 7:30 PM
- Women’s Book Discussion Group, Tue., Mar 16, 1 PM
- Parent Support Group, Tue., Mar 16, 8 PM
Upcoming Events
- Women’s Book Discussion Group, Tue., Apr 20, 1 PM
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.
AUUC Certified as a Welcoming Congregation!
Congratulations AUUC! We have reaffirmed our commitment to being a Welcoming Congregation certified by Unitarian Universalist Association. Much thanks to True Accotink Colors members for their effort this past year to meet all the requirements from UUA. We also appreciate the love and support from everyone at AUUC to make our church a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people.
Our work does not end here as we need to renew our welcoming status yearly. With your continuing support, True Accotink Colors will keep on working to maintain our welcoming status.
Realm Sip & See
Have you heard of Realm? It’s the new church online directory and we are just beginning to explore it as a community. Sunday, March 7, 12 to 12:30 PM is our first Sip & See: an ongoing series to explore a few Realm skills and share tips/questions. This session will be short and sweet and full of helpful tips, so bring your coffee/tea to see what’s up in Realm. Skills on tap for March 7: how to log in, how to find someone in Realm, updating your info, adding a profile picture, and last but not least: collecting your tips and questions for the next Realm Sip & See! To join the session on March 7 at noon, click this link.
Easter Egg Design Contest
Calling artists of all ages! AUUC will be participating in the UU Virtual Easter Egg Hunt 2021, and we need a unique egg image for our website! Use your creativity and draw a colorful Easter Egg. Draw on paper with crayons, colored pencils, markers, whatever, and take a photo/scan. Or use a computer drawing program. We need a PNG or JPEG file. Send your completed designs to [email protected] by Sunday March 7 for a chance to be selected by random drawing. Runners up will be used for our internal advertising of the egg hunt.
Accotink Buddhist Fellowship Meeting
AUUC’s Weekend Meal Packs Are Back AGAIN!
As students return in-person to Halley Elementary, we invite AUUC members, friends, and families to participate in this all-ages spiritual opportunity to support children in our partner school in this challenging time. Beginning mid-March, we will once again deliver meal packs to Halley for 30 children whose families experience food insecurities. Almost half Halley’s students (44.6%) receive free or reduced lunch, so there is a real need for our meal packs that provide nutritious snacks over the weekends.
Thanks to all who have responded so enthusiastically and already signed up!
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. To sign up, please visit this SignUp Genius link: SIGN UP HERE
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, Shelley will send a confirming message with addresses of the two designated drop-off locations. There will be a secure bin (black with a yellow cover) outside the 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.
Social Justice Study Issue News
Not Just for Black History Month: In support of AUUC’s focus on Racial Justice this and into next church year, Nancy D compiled a bibliography of books, films and other media on racial justice issues, Black history, and trailblazers. This listing includes items for young children, upper elementary and middle school age, young adults, and adults: Racial Justice Resources or https://tinyurl.com/5265bnjs.
Please note there are multiple “sheets”, including summaries of many of the items listed on the first sheet.
Many of the books feature adults and children of color on the pages which are important for all readers to see, along with significant historic events that may not have been taught in history classes in the past. Many titles highlight injustices and the struggles of people of color such as those brought to life in the film Selma. Others celebrate joys such as the story of Congressman John Lewis’s childhood, Preaching to the Chickens, and the story related by ballet dancer Misty Copeland in Bunheads. Just added to the bibliography is a link to an interview (Feb. 22 – FCPL) with two Beacon House authors of The Day Tajon Got Shot.
To help grow and expand this bibliography, please share titles that you’ve read or viewed related to racial justice with Nancy at [email protected]
See other ways you can get involved with the study issue on our website: https://accotinkuu.org/racial-justice/
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.
Read the Rainbow
True Accotink Colors is starting a quarterly book club of LGBTQ+ books. It is open to all Accotinkers as well as our family and friends. Help us choose the four books we will read in 2021 and sign up to be added to the mailing list.
Our first meeting will take place in March. Share the link with anyone in your life who might be interested in joining!
Pastoral Care Team
The next several months, as the government transitions, may be somewhat turbulent and unsettling, especially with the backdrop of an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in our area. The approaching colder months may add a sense of discomfort.
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].
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!