Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

There was a glitch on the links to open meetings with me last night and today. Join me on Friday at 3 pm at this link! Or call me to set up a one on one if you'd like to talk.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93378729926?pwd=NUd0UGJNZmw2NW5Xc29hSVBPdTVKZz09

Meeting ID: 933 7872 9926
Passcode: 254678

zoom.us Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Stop by to chat with Rev. Debra today during her Open Office Hours, from 2-3:30pm. You're invited to drop by anytime during that period to talk with Rev. Debra about her recent news.

https://zoom.us/j/92037759232...
Meeting ID: 920 3775 9232
Passcode: 321359

zoom.us Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

Turn, Turn, Turn

Th worship service from this past Sunday is available to view online. Click below for "Turn, Turn, Turn" led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner.

youtube.com Worship service, led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner on February 7, 2021

[01/21/21]   You might have remembered we shared Amanda Gorman reciting poetry in worship this summer. In case you missed it, here is her poem from the Inauguration this morning.

When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?

The loss we carry. A sea we must wade.

We braved the belly of the beast.

We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace, and the norms and notions of what “just” is isn’t always justice.

And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.

Somehow we do it.

Somehow we weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.

We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one.

And, yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine, but that doesn’t mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect.

We are striving to forge our union with purpose.

To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.

And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us.

We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside.

We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another.

We seek harm to none and harmony for all.

Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true.

That even as we grieved, we grew.

That even as we hurt, we hoped.

That even as we tired, we tried.

That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious.

Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division.

Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid.

If we’re to live up to our own time, then victory won’t lie in the blade, but in all the bridges we’ve made.

That is the promise to glade, the hill we climb, if only we dare.

It’s because being American is more than a pride we inherit.

It’s the past we step into and how we repair it.

We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation, rather than share it.

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.

In this truth, in this faith we trust, for while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us.

This is the era of just redemption.

We feared at its inception.

We did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour.

But within it we found the power to author a new chapter, to offer hope and laughter to ourselves.

So, while once we asked, how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe, now we assert, how could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?

We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be: a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free.

We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation, become the future.

Our blunders become their burdens.

But one thing is certain.

If we merge mercy with might, and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children’s birthright.

So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left.

Every breath from my bronze-pounded chest, we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.

We will rise from the golden hills of the West.

We will rise from the windswept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution.

We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states.

We will rise from the sun-baked South.

We will rebuild, reconcile, and recover.

And every known nook of our nation and every corner called our country, our people diverse and beautiful, will emerge battered and beautiful.

When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid.

The new dawn balloons as we free it.

For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.

If only we’re brave enough to be it.

Our weekly newsletter is here! This week we celebrate our January birthdays and share plans for the upcoming Valentine's Soiree. ❤ This and much more - enjoy!

https://mailchi.mp/5a28fcfa42cc/uureston-connection-2021-3594608

How the Capitol police privileged white rage

Please take the time to read this essay by my colleague Jacqui Lewis on this week's events.

religionnews.com (RNS) — When Black-led groups protest, the Capitol police don't open barriers for us or gently point the way.

A Place to Gather Together Tonight 🙏

Dear ones, today has been a shocking day and I am holding you in my heart. Please do NOT consider going downtown tonight or tomorrow. The Church of the Larger Fellowship is holding a vigil at 8 pm tonight if you'd like to join. Members are beginning to organize an event for Thursday night for us and I will join you from vacation. For now, pray for our democracy and stay safe. I love you. Rev. Debra

Here's the link for tonight: From CLF: The news from the United States Capitol today has many of us in this country and around the globe on edge—afraid, worried, saddened, and angry. Armed white supremacists have stormed the Capitol incited by the President, while unarmed white supremacist culture continues to subvert our democracy from within the Capitol.
So this evening, we pray. Join us at 8 PM ET: Connection/RSVP info here: https://conta.cc/3s2ho9G

myemail.constantcontact.com We invite you to join us at 8pm ET via Zoom Greetings! The news from the United States Capitol today has many of us in this country, and around the globe, on edge—afraid, worried, saddened, and angr

[01/02/21]   New Year's - a poem for all of you.
by Dana Gioia
Let other mornings honor the miraculous.
Eternity has festivals enough.
This is the feast of our mortality,
The most mundane and human holiday.
On other days we misinterpret time,
Pretending that we live the present moment.
But can this blur, this smudgy in-between,
This tiny fissure where the future drips
Into the past, this flyspeck we call now
Be our true habitat? The present is
The leaky palm of water that we skim
From the swift, silent river slipping by.
The new year always brings us what we want
Simply by bringing us along—to see
A calendar with every day uncrossed,
A field of snow without a single footprint.

[01/01/21]   Sending you all prayers for a healthy, safe, enriching, and oh so much better New Year in 2021. May we continue to nurture each other and serve the world.

[12/27/20]   Reminder: There will not be a UUCR worship service on Sunday, December 27th. We encourage you to attend another UU congregation service. We look forward to seeing you at our service next Sunday, January 3, for the first service of the new year! 💜

[12/26/20]   UUCR Members, if the federal inaction on unemployment is going to affect you, please contact Rev. Debra BEFORE TUESDAY and she can help you from the Ministerial Discretionary Fund. You can text her at the number in her email.

Christmas Eve Service 2020

We hope you enjoyed this evening's Christmas Eve Service! It was wonderful to be together (virtually) in our beloved spiritual community. As Rev. Debra said, it was indeed a special and unique service.

If you weren't able to join us, or you would like to watch the service again (or share it!), please click below. Merry Christmas! 🎄🎺 ❤️

youtube.com Christmas Eve Service. led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner on December 24, 2020

"Lessons and Carols"

If you're looking to get in the holiday spirit - you've come to the right place! Today's worship service was joyful and left all of us smiling big. Click below to view and/or share "Lessons and Carols." 🎺🎼❤️

**And don't forget that Thursday's Christmas Eve worship service will begin at 5:30pm, with Jesse beginning to play music at 5:15. See you then!**

youtube.com Service led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner on December 20, 2020.

Plaasw help us decorate the UUCR Christmas tree! Thank you for the ornament Rev. Debra!

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Rev. Debra's colleague Rev. Margie Allen invites UUCR folks to join her Solstice Service next Monday. Here's the information Topic: Solstice Vespers
Time: Dec 21, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87317079591?pwd=N1R5ZmdIV1Z1MmhNU1JlVnpKb0hMQT09Meeting ID: 873 1707 9591
Passcode: 911339
If you go, let them know you are from Reston!

us02web.zoom.us Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

"Miracles" the 2020 Annual Holiday Pageant

Our wonderful holiday pageant was this morning. What a special treat! Thank you to our cast and crew for their hard work. Thank you to our absolutely amazing Religious Education Director, Linda Weaver for creating this masterpiece.

If you missed the pageant this morning, or want to watch it again OR you want to share it, you may do so by clicking below. Please enjoy “Miracles.”

youtube.com Led by Director of Religious Education, Linda Weaver on December 13, 2020

"Bridges"

If you missed Sunday's worship service, or you'd like to view it again, it is available online. Click . below for "Bridges" led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner. This service addresses the isolation and changes we are all facing during the pandemic. We hope the words and music from the service will give you strength and peace as we move through this together.

youtube.com Worship service led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner on December 6, 2020.

Why Older Adults Should Shop From Home While the Pandemic is Surging

For those of us over 60 please read this. Let's stay safe together!

rutgers.edu Rutgers is open and operating. The fall semester combines a majority of remotely delivered instruction with a limited number of in-person classes. Take precautions and use the My Campus Pass app before coming to campus.

"Friendship"

Sunday's service is available for online viewing! Click below for "Friendship" led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner.

youtube.com Worship service led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner on November 29, 2020.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Here are the links for tonight's interfaith Thanksgiving service at 7:30 and then hospitality at 8:30 pm. I hope you'll join me!

1) 7:30pm-8:30pm UCP FACEBOOK/Website Broadcast
https://www.facebook.com/events/404985360543856/
http://ucpreston.org/online-worship/

2) 8:30pm-9:30pm - Zoom Social Gathering
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89629065330?pwd=U1dpS3RQVnpmTDJ5cGw4MzRqNkxadz09

us02web.zoom.us Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

[11/17/20]   Important: A SPAM email has been sent out impersonating Rev. Debra.

Please remember that Rev. Debra will NEVER email you from an email other than her official [email protected] email address. She will NEVER ask for money or for emergency immediate assistance.

If you receive the spam email, you can report it to your email provider or just delete it.

"This Is What Demmocracy Looks Like" — Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston

Today's homily is now available for online viewing. If you missed the service, or if you want to watch the homily again or share it with friends, you can do so by clicking below.

Today's service was joyous and full of truly amazing music. If you would like to watch the entire service, the full service is available on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/vkCW-GbAYQQ

Enjoy this beautiful Sunday! ❤️🇺🇸

uureston.org Homily by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner on November 8, 2020.

[11/04/20]   These words ring true this morning. Join me today in person at 1:30 (bring a chair/ mask) or on zoom at 4 pm.

We Hold Hope Close
By Theresa I. Soto
In this community, we hold hope close. We don’t
always know what comes next, but that cannot dissuade us.
We don’t always know just what to do, but that will not mean
that we are lost in the wilderness. We rely on the certainty
beneath, the foundation of our values and ethics. We
are the people who return to love like a North Star and to
the truth that we are greater together than we are alone.
Our hope does not live in some glimmer of an indistinct future.
Rather, we know the way to the world of which we dream,
and by covenant and the movement forward of one right action
and the next, we know that one day we will arrive at home.

Post-Election Gathering

There is still space in today's in-person Post-Election Gathering with Rev. Debra. Join Rev. Debra and fellow congregants at 1:30 today to process your feelings and thoughts about yesterday's election.
Space is limited due to COVID guidelines and RSVP is required: https://tockify.com/uureston/detail/1073/1604514600000

tockify.com Wed 4 Nov, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: There will be two opportunities on Wednesday, November 4th to process your feelings about the election with Rev. Debra and fellow congregants. We will hold an outdoor in person session at 1:30 pm; you

"Our Ancestors' Dreams" — Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston

Today's homily is available for online viewing. Click below for "Our Ancestors' Dreams" by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner.

The full service is available to view on our YouTube channel here" https://youtu.be/DW9_c0C6CdI

Please enjoy and feel free to share with other that might enjoy the service. We warmly welcome all!

uureston.org Homily by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner, November 1, 2020

[10/28/20]   Send Photos for All Souls Day Video! Deadline extended to tomorrow (Thursday) at noon.

This Sunday, we will be celebrating All Souls Day in worship. As part of the service, we will be honoring our loved ones who have died in a special video.

Please email photos of your close loved ones that you would like for us to include in the video. Email photos to [email protected]. We have about 40 photos now and would love even more so that we can fill our screens with pictures of our loved ones that have passed. 💜

We are so excited to be kicking off Guest at Your Table this week!

Guest at Your Table helps all ages build awareness about social justice and human rights and develop a sense of their own power to change the world. During the next month, you are invited to witness stories of the UUSC: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's partners around the world and to place money in your GAYT box or another container to support their work for human rights.

Participate in this important program by picking up a Guest at Your Table box at UUCR between 2 and 4pm this Saturday, October 31st and check out the 2020 Stories of Hope. #SocialJustice
(https://www.uusc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/GAYT-2020-21-Stories-of-Hope.pdf).

[10/26/20]   Dear all, It happened again. Just a reminder, I wii never send you an email asking for person help, gift cards, or monies. These are phishing scams and they use a fake email that looks like my real email. Please DON"T RESPOND, delete them, and you can report them to your email provider. I wish there was some way to keep this from happening. Remember, I will never ask you for monies or personal assistance in an email. (PS I'm fine and taking my one day of the week off!) Rev. Debra

"Religion and Politics"

Today's worship service is available to view on YouTube. We were so excited to welcome Rev. Barry W. Lynn today. His conversation with Rev. Debra on religion and politics was truly inspiring.

Please watch and share (and #vote!)!

youtube.com Worship service on October 25, 2020. led by Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner, with Special Guest Rev. Barry W. Lynn.