Get your Quilt Raffle Tickets Here - Drawing will be November 19 at Holiday Shop!

Save the Dates

Our Holy Hill - A Puzzler of a Gift For You

Many MVUC members develop deep affection for our hilltop campus.  Some of us also enjoy working crossword puzzles.  In an effort to merge these interests, Al Robbert constructed a puzzle with an MVUC theme.  

If you’d like to try, click here to download it in printable PDF form.  You’ll find some familiar places and even a few familiar personalities lurking in it.  If you get stumped, call (703-298-8937) or email Al Robbert (aarobbert@comcast.net) for hints.       

Holiday Shop is Back!

MVUC's annual holiday shop is back in person on the Hill this November! We are ramping up our activity to have a fabulous November 19 Holiday Shop day.
 
The Every Thursday group, under the purview of Martha Dyckes, have begun making their fabulous relish and will be baking on Thursdays for some weeks yet. Barbara Jacobs will be looking for home baked goods that you may wish to donate. Folks come in the hopes they can get a reprieve from Thanksgiving cooking so let’s give them what they want.

Our delicious lunch will yet again be offered by Mike Walker and his team. They will be in a tent this year which will allow for everyone to spread out. Betty’s Boutique, a collection of household items, will be full as we have been accepting goods for the past two years. Under Ruth Ann MacCleery’s keen eye fair prices will be asked for these magnificent items, whether new or previously loved.  Carolyn Slenska will again be offering a sparkling display of antique and modern jewelry.
 
Returning vendors, along with new additions, will offer a fabulous range of arts and crafts. We have the classics of French Linen, Soy Candles, Soaps, Jewelry, and wooden creations which are joined by new artisans offering unique wreaths and paper goods, and many gift ideas and Christmas decorations. The Flower Card Artisans and Book Nook will also have a table. 
 
The MVUC Quilters, led by Nancy Barkume, have excelled yet again with their “Bears in the Blueberries” quilt and you may purchase raffle tickets early through Realm. Paper tickets will be available at a later date and also sold on the day. The drawing for the quilt raffle will be in the chapel November 19 at 3.45pm.
 
For a successful Holiday Shop, we need help before and on the day itself. Please plan on attending worship on October 16 for our kickoff and bring your calendar! The volunteer search continues.

Please click on the poster image above to download a printable announcement to share with your friends and in your communities!  If you are on Facebook, please share MVUC's Holiday Shop Event link there, as well. 
 
In community,
Jan Speakman, Our Home Community, MVUC Program Council

Get your Quilt Raffle Tickets Here - Drawing will be November 19 at Holiday Shop!

Hum & Strum Meets Tonight at the Firepit!

Hum & Strum meets tonight (October 14), 6:30 - 9:00 at the firepit, weather permitting (Commons Fireplace Nook if not). 

Join us for a sing-along: bring your own camp chair and flashlight, songbooks provided. 

All "skill levels" are welcome!  Contact Marty Bredeck (triptoph@gmail.com) with any questions.

MVUC - Our Mission and Vision

Your Board of Trustees' Done/Doing/ToDo Lists!

As we move into the second quarter of our fiscal year, the push is on to complete as many of the Board’s initiatives started in 2022 as we can. We are hoping to then shift our attention to 2023, a year of incredible opportunity for MVUC as we aim to call a new settled minister and enter a new era of ministry and outreach. Below is an outline of the various activities completed, underway, and anticipated by your Board of Trustees.
 
Completed:

• Become a Fair Compensation congregation (per our stated policy)
• Review and propose adjustments to bylaws and policies as needed in preparation for Settled Minister Search Committee
• Develop plan and schedule for Ministerial Search Committee Appointment
• Update the Strategic Plan (approved at May 2020 Annual meeting). Because of COVID restrictions, the Strategic Plan as developed became challenging to implement. We have decided that this Strategic Plan be used to inform a new strategy or early visioning concept to be created and then voted on at the Annual meeting 2023.
• Update schedule and funding needs for building and property maintenance

• Create and implement a Safe Congregations Policy
• Update schedule and identify funding for HVAC replacements
• Beautify website in preparation for upcoming Ministerial Search
• Improve communications

• Develop Annual Operational Plan per MVUC Policy documents
• Develop Staffing Assessment
• Develop Property Development Plan in coordination with an Endowment Income Spending Policy
• Explore new Fundraising Opportunities
• Explore new online opportunities regarding Outreach, Membership, & Fundraising  

• Maintain fiscal oversight
• Understand and manage impact of stock market decline on Endowment and operational budget assumptions
• Provide support to Search Committee
• Work closely with Rev. Schmidt to establish a successful year 2 of interim ministry
• Work with COVID19 Task Force on continuing updates to health and safety practices and policies
• Work with Multi-Modal Task Force (now Communications: Tech, Sound, and Video crews) on transitioning to hybrid/multi-platform modes of worship and of other MVUC activities
• Update and Harmonize Governance and Appointments Calendar
• Edit and harmonize Bylaws, Policies, Charters, & Procedures
• Work toward a vision for a thriving future of MVUC.  The Search Committee has started that process. We believe the occasion of a new minister along with the numerous pivots we’ve shown ourselves capable of making during COVID make this an excellent time to broaden our perspective as a congregation. We will strive to avoid being trapped in annual, short-term cycles of thinking about budget, staffing, assets, endowment, property, stewardship, income, and trends in membership. We aim to determine, as a Congregation, our intent to thrive and grow into the late 2020s and beyond and to begin planning to achieve this vision in shared and collaborative ministry with our new minister.

 
We welcome your ideas and feedback as we continue our work in this busy time. 
 
Thank you, 
Karen Delmonico, Chair, MVUC Board of Trustees

Board Modifies COVID Task Force Recommendation

At their September meeting, the COVID Task Force recommended changing the masking requirements for MVUC from mask mandatory to a mask-optional environment. This is in accordance with CDC guidance regarding community risk assessment, personal risk assessment and self-care while continuing to require adherence to the MVUC requirements for full vaccination and boosting, as appropriate for age.  (See full document.)
 
Although their recommendation applies to Sunday services, rental functions, normal workday and volunteer functions, religious education functions and any other circumstances where individuals or groups assemble at MVUC for a variety of activities, the Board of Trustees has voted to keep one of MVUC’s currently stated mask policies in place: masks are still recommended when attending Sunday service in the Chapel.
 
There is concern for those members of our congregation who are immunocompromised as well as those still anxious about contracting COVID because of their age or other personal circumstances. Trustee have discussed this concern in depth.
 
We recognize that the science, the CDC, and health organizations are now moving us toward a future where wearing masks is not required everywhere. We understand that mask fatigue is real, and that many church members - as well as the public in general - feel that it’s time to move on.  We accept this and are not ignoring the science.
 
We are, however, asking for your patience and understanding in consideration of the entire congregation. There are members who won’t continue to come to church if others aren’t masking. MVUC is a loving, inclusive community, bound by covenant.  We are taking the concerns of our most vulnerable population seriously and making sure that everyone, including them, feels welcome at MVUC. 
 
With that in mind, the Board agreed that masks should still be worn at: 

• Sunday services in the Chapel
• RE classes (per DLSG to reflect the guidelines the parents are following)  

• Rental functions
• Normal workday functions
• Volunteer functions
• Any other circumstances where individuals or groups assemble at MVUC for a variety of activities

• Musical Programs: including musical instruments, choir and congregation singing 
• Ventilation: The Task Force recommends that enhanced ventilation measures be utilized for all indoor activities, especially for Sunday Services.           
• Nursery Childcare: When children 6-months of age and older attending day care have been fully vaccinated and boosted (as appropriate), then the mask-optional recommendation is appropriate for nursery care workers.

 
And finally, the Board of Trustees and the Covid Task Force ask everyone to adhere to the Personal Care Guidelines when making decisions regarding attending services or other activities at MVUC and in the broader communities in which we live.
 
MVUC Board of Trustees
October 11, 2022

Participating in an Activity and Volunteering Your Time

Refugee Response Fundraiser A Great Success!

Minister Search Cottage Meetings This Weekend!

A big THANK YOU to all those who completed the ministerial survey. The Search Committee received 120 submissions, with particularly good representation from senior members of the congregation. We are currently reviewing your responses and will provide a report back to the congregation when that is concluded. Below, we offer additional input opportunities from all.

In the last phase of our organized information-gathering from the congregation, we invite you to attend one of our cottage meetings – group discussions about the type of church community we want and what attributes in a minister might best serve our needs. The Search Committee wants to hear from all MVUC members and friends, but especially encourage parents of our youth as well as those below 50 to participate since your views are not well represented in the survey.

One more on-line (Zoom) cottage meeting at this link is planned (zoom link):

- Saturday, October 15, 10:00am - 11:30am

Two more in-person cottage meetings will be held in the Hollin Hall Fireplace Room:

- Sunday, October 16, 3:00pm - 4:30pm (after Workenanny)
- Sunday, October 23, 11:30am - 1:00pm

Childcare will be available if requested at least a week in advance. Send requests to djaygold@comcast.net.

Advance registration for both types of meetings is encouraged but come in any case! You can easily register for any one of the meetings here.

Additionally, you are welcome to provide input at search@mvuc.org.

Please Mark Your Calendars to Attend an In-Person Workshop October 29: Beyond Categorical Thinking

The Ministerial Search Committee and the MVUC Board of Trustees invite you to join us for an in-person workshop to identify and lower barriers to thinking inclusively about the search for our next minister. To assist congregations in addressing and mitigating sources of harmful bias in the search for a minister, the Unitarian Universalist Association provides congregations doing a search with support through the Beyond Categorical Thinking program, to promote inclusive thinking and help to prevent unfair discrimination in the search process.

Please register to attend at this link: https://tinyurl.com/MVUCSearchBeyondCategorical.

MVUC Ministerial Search Committee
To contact the MVUC ministerial search committee, email search@mvuc.org.

PS: Have you been wondering why there is a tree with multi-colored leaves in our communications about the Ministerial Search? The symbol of the tree is an appropriate metaphor for this time at MVUC.   Like the beautiful trees on the grounds of our Holy Hill, we want to draw on the strongest things from our roots and history as we build vigorous branches that provide for new life, new growth.  The multicolored leaves represent the diversity that we honor and seek to embrace.

MVUC Circle Suppers for 2023

2023 Circle Suppers in Members' Homes 
Sign up by November 21, 2022

Circle Suppers are a great way to get to know other MVUC members and friends in a home setting! These Suppers involve revolving groups of participants who take turns hosting or providing a part of the meal in homes. Participating pairs or singles will be grouped with six to eight different participants for each of the supper months which will be held in 2023 – January, February, March, and April.
            
In 2023, as the pandemic continues to (hopefully!) recede, we will likely have seven or eight supper groupings each month. Most people find they can host in their home one of the four months because you can indicate your preferred total number of attendees from six to eight. A schedule for all groupings for all the months will be issued in mid-December. The times that work best tend to be weekend evenings or lunch – the host decides after consulting with their guests about 2 or 3 suggested dates.

Full instructions are provided to all along with the schedule. You will be asked whether you want to participate as regular participant or an alternate. Regular participants are part of a supper in all four months. Alternates are not in the formal schedule but are contacted when a host needs a substitute for their supper. Alternates can accept or decline the invite.

If you are COVID‑19 vaccinated and would like to participate in the 2023 MVUC Circle Supper Program, as either a single or a pair, and as either a Regular or an Alternate participant please sign up online here by November 21, 2022. Or contact Jim Burke at jburke2424@mac.com or at 630-430-6897

What is an MVUC Workenanny? 

MVUC's Fall Workenanny is Sunday, October 16, 9:30am - 3pm.  

You may ask, "What is a Workenanny?" Twice a year, families or individuals come to church in work-in-the-garden clothes and spend a few hours helping to maintain the grounds and property. Tasks include weeding, pruning, cleaning, and brush removal. Our fall and spring Workenanny Days are an opportunity for MVUC members and friends to get together to put a little sweat equity into our beautiful Holy Hill. 

Most of our volunteers spend their time pruning and weeding especially in the more visible gardens around the buildings.  In addition, pulling vines off of anything -- bushes, fences, trees, buildings -- is a must.  We have 7 beautiful acres that need to be maintained. 

Please help us keep them looking their best. We look forward to seeing you both before and after the worship service. Please wear work clothes and bring gardening gloves & hand tools if you have them.  Everyone will understand why you haven't dressed up for church! 

If any of our school-age children need community service hours, please bring the paperwork with you and Derick Spencer, Mike Arnold, or Leah Choudhury will sign it.

No experience necessary!  We will train you!  There are tasks available for those who cannot get down on their knees. We hope to have a pizza lunch available for workers at 1:15 pm pandemic guidelines permitting. We understand if you need to leave early. 

Any time you can share to help is a plus for MVUC!  Thank you!!!

Do you Know the Difference Between Religious Education, Childcare, and Nursery? Take our Quiz!

MVUC Metrics -- How COVID19 Has Affected Our Finances

Group and Committee Leaders - Be Sure to Use Realm!