DECEMBER 2023 Newsletter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Karma Garage creates a welcoming and inclusive environment where "non-car" people can feel heard and assists financially struggling neighbors in Central Pennsylvania to ensure they have a safe vehicle with which to earn a living. They will help you with any repairs or maintenance that you need and work with you to find an affordable solution, so your car remains safe and provides you with transportation for the full life of the vehicle. You will never be talked down to or sold costly parts you do not need.

 

As a non-profit company, a large portion of Good Karma Garage’s proceeds goes into supporting the community through their Working-Class Hero Program. Aimed at people who are currently working or disabled and struggling to make ends meet, this program is set up to deal with the surprise repairs that arise during the annual vehicle safety inspection. Program participants pay only the cost of the inspection. Good Karma Garage covers the cost of parts and labor to make the necessary repairs to bring the vehicle into compliance with PA state standards. They partner with social organizations such as churches, social services providers, veteran groups, and the like to identify deserving people who could benefit from this program. Their all-volunteer staff makes this work possible.

There are also many homeless youth in our area who are on their own and could really benefit from our support. The organization Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) actively provides multiple types of support for these young people and having adequate food is an ongoing issue. So, what can we do?

 

Many of us purchase grocery cards from UUCV and know that a portion of the value of each card is donated to UUCV by the grocery store. The WIn-Win idea is that any of us who are able to could make a donation toward the purchase of a grocery card from UUCV that would be donated to ECYEH to purchase food and supplies. Both UUCV and ECYEH would benefit, and we would be actively living our mission of caring for the world.

 

Here’s how the plan works if you are able to make a donation:

 

• Donations need to be given to or mailed to Pam Martin at UUCV, PO Box 207, Boiling Springs, PA 17007.

• Donations need to be checks made out to UUCV, and only in denominations of $25, $50, $75, or $100.

• Checks should have ECYEH marked in the memo line.

• Donations will be combined toward the purchase of $100 Giant cards as these offer the best return to UUCV.

• The grocery cards will then be given to ECYEH.

• Your donation will be recorded on your annual tax statement from UUCV

 

THANK YOU!

Learn how easy it is to use RaiseRight to build UUCV's Fund for a Commercial Dishwasher.  There will be a 5 minute presentation before the Spaghetti Dinner to help you learn and/or we can help you set up your account. 

 

UUCV is partnering with RaiseRight for Gift card fundraising, the #1 fundraiser for nonprofit organizations across the U.S. for more than 25 years.  Earn simply by buying gift cards to use for everyday purchases, instead of cash or credit cards.

With RaiseRight, nonprofits and other community-based organizations earn money simply by shopping for their favorite brands—turning daily or weekly purchases into the opportunities that matter for their favorite organizations. 

 

How to Get Started:

Visit http://uucv.info/raiseright to Sign Up from your computer

 

Set up your banking or credit card preference.

  

You can then shop anytime by visiting https://www.raiseright.com/brands and see the daily bonuses and specials which will earn more money for UUCV.  Check the % for each card to see what your donation will be to UUCV….with a very minimal fee to you. 

 

How to Pay:

When you are done selecting your cards, check out at your shopping cart.  You can pay by your own Credit Card (getting points on your card) or LINK to your bank account

 

How you Receive your Cards:

• You can choose ecards (which will show up in your wallet on your APP or in your wallet on the main website http://www.raiseright/shop
• You can print a copy of your purchase to act as a gift card when you shop
• DO NOT select your card to be sent to the Coordinator….any cards sent to the coordinator will be cancelled and your sale will be VOID

 

Contact Pam pam@uucv.net if you need help in getting set up or if you have questions about this program.

After two Regular RE days at the beginning of December, we will take a break from Regular RE classes until January 14th.  This gives a much-needed break to most of our regular RE volunteers.  However, there will still be Sunday all-ages activities for the children and youth.  On Sunday, December 24^th we will have one service at 5:00 pm to celebrate and sing carols.  All are welcome to attend this service - please note there will be no RE activities during this service.  (Nursery Room will be available.) 

 

Our Mitten Tree collection of new mittens, gloves, hats, scarves and socks will continue through Sunday, December 17th.  All items will be donated to Community Cares in Carlisle. Wishing you all a safe, happy and healthy holiday season!

 

Below is our Faith Development schedule for our children and youth for December: 

 

Friday, December 1:     Youth Group Cookie Baking/Decorating, 7-10 PM,                                                      Dining Room/Kitchen

Sunday, December 3:    Regular RE Classes

Sunday, December 10::   Regular RE Classes

Sunday, December 17:    All-Ages Activity ("Triple A") - Winter Holidays Party:  After the Time for All Ages the children and youth will head downstairs to the Dining Hall for a group lesson/activity celebrating the Winter Holidays. Donations of snacks are welcome.

 

Sunday, December 24, 5:00 PM:  Christmas Eve Worship Service for All Ages:  Join us for this family-focused service celebrating Christmas Eve.  This is a service for all ages.  There is NO RE today.  Nursery care (for ages 0-4) will be available during the service.

 

Sunday, December 31:   All-Ages Activity ("Triple A") - New Years Eve:  After the Time for All Ages the children and youth will head downstairs to the Dining Hall for a group lesson/activity celebrating the New Year!

 

NURSERY CARE is available every Sunday from 10:15 - 11:45 am for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

 

Our Sunday Morning Worship Services being at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary.  On "Regular RE" days, the children and youth go downstairs to their RE classrooms after the Time for All Ages.  Classes end at 11:45 am.

 

**Please sign out children in Grades 5 and under from their classrooms by 11:45.** This gives parents the opportunity to socialize before pickup, while respecting the Volunteer Teachers' time as well. 

  

Thank you to all our November volunteers!  Ryanne Mack, Mrs. Candice Holsinger, Steve Holsinger, Susan Green, Susan Rimby, Dirk Wiley, Rebecca Fratantuono, Kim Stone, Wendy Gebb, Gail Black, Char Klein, Julie Cullings, Primajoy Ramalingam, Laura Soper, John Simcoe and Melissa Mattson. Thank you so much for your time and energy! Members of the Congregation are encouraged to volunteer with the Children's RE Program! Please email Lynn Sodora DLFD at re@uucv.net to check in about submitting clearances. 

May we continue to learn and grow together!

 

December 3: The Hidden History of the Oligarchy - Part 1 (Video + Discussion)  The United States was born in a struggle against the oligarchs of the British aristocracy, and ever since then the history of America has been one of dynamic tension between democracy and oligarchy, asserts author Thom Hartmann. Pulling from his book The Hidden History of American Oligarchy: Reclaiming Our Democracy from the Ruling Class, Hartmann joins us via livestream to trace the history of this struggle, from America’s founding to the United States’ war with the feudal Confederacy to President Franklin Roosevelt’s struggle against “economic royalists,” who wanted to block the New Deal. While the oligarchs lost the battle in all of those cases, Hartmann argues that increasing right-wing control of the media, unlimited campaign

contributions, and a conservative takeover of the judicial system means we’re now at a crisis point. Hartmann lays out practical measures we can take that he contends will break up media monopolies, limit the influence of money in politics, reclaim the wealth stolen over decades by the oligarchy, and build a movement that will return control of America to “We the People.” Discussion leader: Cheryl Parsons.

 

$370 supports one girl for one year. The money pays for room and board, school uniforms and supplies, hygiene products, and the housemothers’ and security guards’ salaries. Donations of any size help and are gratefully received. The Bursary Project, started by UUCV member Priscilla Laws, has been in effect since 2005. We’ve educated hundreds of girls, who have become teachers, nurses, midwives, agronomists, and public administrators. (Below you will see Ida, a Molumbo Bursary graduate, who has a technical degree in agronomy.) Bursary girls marry later than their peers, bear fewer children, and have a better quality of life.

 

If you would like to participate in this life-changing social justice program, you can write a check to UUCV with “Bursary Project” in the memo line, drop it in the offering plate, or mail it to UUCV, P.O. Box 207, Boiling Springs, PA 17007. If you attend services virtually, you can scan the QR code or click on the link in the chat box during the Offering. Be aware that if you use a third-party vendor, they may take a portion of your donation as a service fee.

 

Susan Rimby for the UUCV Mozambique Bursary Committee

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January 28 – American Roulette by team of eight authors (Darlene Smith)

 

February 25 – The Gathering by Anne Enright (Sharon O’Brien)

 

March 24 - Searching for Savanna: The Murder of One Native American Woman and the Violence Against the Many by Mona Gable (Bev Ayers-Nachamkin)

 

April 28 – The Shortest History of Israel and Palestine - From Zionism to Intifadas and the Struggle for Peace by Michael Scott-Baumann (Keith Bittinger)

 

May 19 – Counting Lost Stars by Kim Van Alkemade (Bev Motich)

 

June 23 – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Susan Rimby)

 

July 28 – Oryx and Crate by Margaret Atwood (Bev Ayers-Nachamkin)

 

August 25 – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See (Susan Rimby)

 

September 22 – The Age of AI - And Our Human Future by Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher (Keith Bittinger)

 

October 27 – Women Talking by Miriam Toews (John Katz)

 

November 24 – 2025 reading selections

Per UUCV’s policy, the fund is managed at the discretion of the minister or President of the Board. As we are currently a lay led congregation, management of the MDF is at the discretion of our Board President, Jim Burton, with oversight from our Treasurer, Wendy Gebb. Funds are held in a dedicated checking account and distribution of financial assistance is kept confidential.

 

The MDF Policy provides guidelines for management of the fund. Priority for assistance is given to UUCV members and active participants, with exceptions at the discretion of the minister or Board President. An individual or family may request assistance from the fund one time per calendar year and for a maximum of $350. Distributions from the MDF shall be for goods and services such as rent, mortgage, food, and transportation and, whenever possible, payments will be made directly to the vendor or agency for the debt owed, not to the individual requesting assistance. Recognizing that the need may be greater than what the MDF can support, Pam keeps an updated list of community agencies that provide assistance in times of need, and she will provide that information when requested.

 

The MDF is not funded from our annual budget and pledge offerings. It receives funds from individual donations or from special collections and fundraising activities approved by the Board. Traditionally UUCV has designated the offering collected at the Christmas Eve service to the MDF, and that tradition will continue this year.

 

FYI - This year the MDF has been called upon to the point that available funds are exhausted. As you are able, please extend your generosity to the MDF either by participating in the Christmas Eve offering, placing a contribution labeled “MDF” in the offering on any Sunday, or sending an “MDF” designated offering to the church office. As always, many thanks for your support of this ministry.