Newsletter

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Lafayette December 21, 2023

Our theme for December is Wintering

This Sunday’s sermon: Christmas Eve - Rev. Aaron White of UU Dallas

The Work of Christmas

by Howard Thurman

When the song of angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to hear the broken

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner, 

to rebuild the nations, 

to bring peace among the brothers,

to make music in the heart.

When the song of angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to hear the broken

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner, 

to rebuild the nations, 

to bring peace among the brothers,

to make music in the heart.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

December is National Human Rights Month

LUNCH: Join us at Athena’s for lunch. Lunch coupons available.

The Inn Ministry. We are still collecting donations. Cash donations are always needed for bus passes. The emergency bags continue to be needed for the homeless (See below). Last Tuesday there were at least 10 people who will be homeless after Jan.6, 2024. So, keep stuffing the bags!

EVENTS CALENDAR:

December is National Human Rights Month and Spiritual Literacy Month

December 21     Winter Solstice

December 23     Solstice Party at Linda and Bob Schaller’s home at 6 PM*

December 24     Christmas Eve Service  

December 25     Christmas

December 25     Christmas dinner at Morris & Linda Hoagland’s home at 2 PM*

December 26     Kwanzaa 

December 31     Service “Burning Bowl”

The INN MINISTRY – “Emergency Bags”

In preparation for the coming cold weather, The Inn Ministry will continue to prepare “emergency bags”. If there is a hard freeze, Catholic Charities will provide shelter for the homeless for a certain number of days – but shelter only. The emergency bags would contain foods that are easily prepared or heated in a microwave, or eaten without cooking. Small containers of shampoo and small bars of soap are needed. Cloth bags are good, because whatever is left over when they are evicted can be hauled away in the bags.

The bags might include:

2 sleeves of crackers and the following: a jar of peanut butter; pull-top edibles such as tuna, spam, Vienna sausage, beans; Pull-top fruit cups and cereal; pop-tarts, granola or protein bars; Shelf-stable milk (the milk can be found at $ Tree)

There is not much equipment in a room. So, a bag might include a microwavable bowl and plate and a few plastic forks, spoons, knives. If those are included, then ramen noodles, pull-top beans, chili and soups (these are things they often ask for); quick-cooking or instant rice, grits, oatmeal. If they are being evicted from the Inn, the friends they have made there will often let them return to use their microwave and bathroom.

If a can opener is included, then the above need not all be pull-top, thus increasing variety, decreasing costs. Condiments: salt, pepper, mayo & mustard packets, sugar packets, jam

In the spirit of community, why not invite friends and family over for an Emergency Bag Get-together.

Solstice Gathering and Bonfire

The Celebration will be at the home of Bob and Linda Schaller, December 23,2023, 6PM. Fire Lighting will be sometime after. Bring some food for a Potluck Dinner. Bob and I will serve roasted chicken. Bring your drink of choice.
There will be singing and playing bells; Mary will lead us. Call me 337-351-6585 or send text to make plans for more to do. Bring a chair to sit by the fire.
Our address is 3075 Highway 754, Sunset LA. Use GPS to find us. Parking to either side of the driveway.
Hope to see you all, and you may bring a guest. You will all be welcome, even if you have not been to UU for a while.

*Please RSVP if attending the Schaller’s Solstice Party

or the Hoagland’s Christmas dinner!