Christmas Eve Offering

It is the tradition at the UU Congregation of Charlottesville to designate the Christmas Eve offering to replenish the Ministers’ Discretionary Fund.  That fund is used by the ministers to assist with emergency needs in our congregation or neighborhood, to tide individuals over until more permanent assistance can be located.

Sometimes it is used to help a church member who is facing an emergency shortfall in funds and needs assistance to pay a utility bill, to buy medicine, to afford groceries, or to be able to move in a crisis.  The funds, distributed in confidentiality by the ministers, have also been used to help a congregant’s family, and to help neighboring clergy support needs for their food ministry to the hungry or to support other projects to people in crisis.

In the year since last Christmas, we gave more than $2,500 in emergency assistance, and we can foresee the need may be greater in 2021, due to remaining effects of the Covid crisis.  Please give generously at our Christmas Eve service to replenish our funds for emergency relief to our members and neighbors.  We do not want to turn anyone away.